[hider=To the Moon and back]
While Rodias’ fears couldn’t be wholly washed away by the [Lion’s Heart] buff, it certainly worked to restore a bit of spine to the Sable Lord. His hand would reach out to accept the flanged mace from Light before visible steam was rising up from his gloved hand. Any with class or race skills that allowed them to view his status would immediately see a drop in Rodias’ physical condition, as his dexterity dropped immensely and a constant ticking burning damage was applied to him, a constant siren blaring in Rodias’ mind about <INVALID_EQUIPMENT: SLOT_1>. ...Even in a new world, old systems were fighting to maintain coherence as the mace itself burnt away at Rodias who was attempting to wield it. Originally intended for use by Droledge, a master at armed close range combat, it was clearly never meant for the hands of one so unattuned to swordsmanship. 

...Never meant for one so unworthy.

Even with the combined efforts of the miko and their prayers, a buff of that level could do little to the percentile worsening of Rodias’ condition as he, with heavy steps, made his way to the window outlooking the courtyard of Chateau Gothika. His footsteps would cease as Salem questioned him, the dhampir’s head swiveling slowly to look at Salem’s monstrous constructed form. The doll’s question was a tricky one, one that made sense. After all, if all she wanted was Rodias, wouldn’t it be better for him to just give up and come along quietly? Before Rodias could give his answer, Chuunitrixx would suddenly appear in the room, without sound, and without even a speck of dust disturbed by her appearance from Ratta stopping the flow of time to bring her there. Aurora would attempt to heal Rodias’ slowly draining HP only for him to say: [color=f7976a][b]"Heal Chuunitrixx. Now. No amount of healing can help me while using E Pluribus Unum."[/b][/color]

Once the paladin set to healing Chuunitrixx’s wounds as best as she could manage, Rodias would look to Salem, his usual calm expression completely betrayed by a hollowness of his eyes. [color=f7976a][b]"I considered that, yes. After all, if I simply left, then you all could continue on just fine without me. But, thinking back on it, I don’t even think I could have accepted that..."[/b][/color] Rodias would say as his free hand grabbed the windowsill...or rather, what should have been Rodias’ hand did. In place of his hand was an elongated distortion of his shadow, molded into something in the vague resemblance of an arm that was tearing at the stonework in its scrambling attempts to get a solid hold without simply shattering the sill. [color=f7976a][b][i]"But somebody that doesn’t respect those who offer their loyalty to me are undeserving of mine. She made it clear she viewed you all as less than insects in how she disposed of Mamoru’s clone. So, right now, Salem..."[/i][/b][/color] Rodias would say, climbing onto the window sill after managing a grip. [color=f7976a][b]"Right now, I couldn’t care less about how beneficial joining with her would be. The children of my friends are not things to be cast aside. And I’m willing to fight to prove that,"[/b][/color] he would say before dropping from the window down to the courtyard.

At the same time...
[/hider]
[hr]
[hider=The Chronomancer’s Will]
With an arm missing and her buff slowly waning, Ratta’s fight was beyond uphill. It was like trying to walk up a greased up wall. Undeterred by the loss of her arm, the chronomancer would fight her heart out before a snake’s mouth would engulf her left leg, tearing a chunk out sufficient enough to break the bone, shattering it from the knee down and forcing her to kneel, before Morgan would glower at her, wordlessly staring at her with golden eyes as stone crept up the remainder of Ratta’s body. Stomping upon her remaining leg as it was midway through turning to stone, Morgan completely destroyed Ratta’s ability to move before ripping her head effortlessly from her neck; A task made all the more simple from the chronomancer being a Dullahan. [color=9370DB][b]”Alright, I win. Now where’s Rodias? And don’t answer ‘Up’ or I’m going to break whatever bones you have left,”[/b][/color] the gorgon would say, before the dullahan smiled faintly, blood trickling from her lips. She was assuredly going to perish either way...but, judging from how long that Butterfly had the [Haste] Buff for…

[color=B5FFFC][b]”He is home,”[/b][/color] Ratta would say, before the fist of Gashadokuro would emerge, tearing the ground apart from beneath and shattering Ratta’s petrified body, her head slowly falling away from Morgan as the shock of the blow loosened her grip. The dullahan’s head would roll slowly to a stop, the magical flow of energy slowly streaming from her neck ceasing as she closed her eyes. Aside from the clone of Mamoru, she would be the only fatality today. For the guardian of Bandersnatch’s weak, this was a satisfying victory. A resounding success that ended with the lowliest defender playing her part well. 

Amidst the blow of electric fists, Morgan would furiously tear at Gashadokuro’s fist, snake fangs and her hands attempting to shatter the bone, expecting it to be a simple weakling like the others had been. Rodias would drop at this point, watching Shin Gashadokuro’s onslaught against the unprepared Morgan. It...was working. At least in terms of stunning Morgan. Her hair would once again turn into snakes, furiously launching beam after beam of magical energy at her surroundings in a desperate attempt to fend off the skeletal monstrosity, confusion acting more than rationale. When the physics of this world were tampered with however, Morgan was helpless to stop herself from being pushed into the hole that swallowed her and Shin Gasha. Rodias had arrived too late to do anything, but had arrived just in time to see, of all things, Morgan crying. ...It wasn’t tears of anger or frustration either. There was something sad within her eyes that resonated so strongly with Rodias that he wanted to vomit, to purge himself of empathy for a person that had tried to kill his retainers. ...And yet, her last wail was his name. 

Looking up, Rodias would catch Butterfly after gently laying E Pluribus Unum down, the mace not having a purpose now that the fight had ended. Being careful with the skeleton, Rodias would say: [color=f7976a][b]"We do indeed. Let’s…”[/b][/color] 

Then, his eyes fell upon Ratta’s head. A quivering overtook Rodias’ body as he put Butterfly down, kneeling down to tensely touch the severed head before him. She was...really dead. The first death the Chateau had in truth since first arriving, as the mimics were by and large similar to ants, infinitely replaceable and continually reproducing. Rodias’ arms trembled as he realized that he had done nothing. Nothing at all to help. All of his talk meant nothing next to his actions, his great nothingness that allowed for one of the Chateau’s noblest souls to be dismembered and killed while he cowered in his throne room. The gardens that Zouyu had so delicately tended were destroyed, the front of the Chateau was marred with the melted stone struck by Morgan’s blasts, and here in Rodias’ arms was the greatest of his follies. 

Exhaling sharply, Rodias would nod at Butterfly’s words after finally remembering them, saying: [color=f7976a][b]"Yes. Let’s...let's return to the Climax Hour.”[/b][/color]
[hr]

After the return of any of Bandersnatch’s hunters and Zouyu, Rodias would convene with everyone that was still present within the Climax Hour, having returned E Pluribus Unum to the vault personally. His visage was shaken completely, his green skin a touch paler than its normal tone.. [color=f7976a][b]"...I am sorry,”[/b][/color] Rodias would say as he bowed his head, now lowering himself not out of humility, but of deeply rooted shame. 
[/hider]
[hr]
[hider=Somewhere, Out There…]

In the midst of the Astral Sea, Morgan would sit atop the shattered remains of the Shin Gashadokuro, finally managing to overpower it after ten minutes of continual assault. The distance and change in gravity from their transition to this space was one that gave Morgan a renewed advantage, since the skeleton’s every blow would knock her out of its range, eventually allowing it to simply whittle it down with blasts of magic. Somewhat scratched up from her encounter, Morgan would be idly tearing apart small bits of Shin Gashadokuro, the petrified bones making a sound that was apparently rather appealing to her. Curling up, the girl would pull her knees to her chest and quietly curse her own mistakes...before furiously smashing her hand into a nearby floating rock, pulverizing it in an instant. [color=9370DB][b]”Those stupid NPCs...they’re holding him captive there. They have to be! They even dragged him away after distracting me…”[/b][/color] the medusa said, biting the nail of her left thumb as she thought and thought, fumbling through her inventory before pulling out a scroll and reading it, a gate composed of violet arcane energy appearing before her. [color=9370DB][b]”...I need Ardion’s help...Rodias is in trouble,”[/b][/color] she would say, before stepping back on through to the plane of reality she was accustomed to in this fantastic new world, leaving Shin Gashadokuro’s petrified mass to drift for eternity.

At least, what was left of it.

[/hider]
[hr]
[@DracoLunaris]
[hider=Zouyu is still banned]
It would be heartbreaking for Zouyu to come home to his gardens completely and utterly destroyed, the weretiger’s knees giving out as he pawed at a mass of dirt, finding a number of crushed flower petals and ruined roots. ...Whatever one thought of how attached to his plants the druid was, it was clear that he was in no shape for whatever meeting Rodias was calling. He need to grieve, leaving Kaldorna and her hunters to their business.
[/hider]
[hr]
[@Rockin Strings][@Xaltwind]
[hider=The Grinding Maws]
Ashara’s fox-fire would be intercepted by the cultist, his body writhing as the fire kissed his skin, burning away his robes to reveal the strange, flesh-colored armor beneath. Indeed, the tender did seem to prefer saving the tree’s hide rather than his own as his armor steamed from the heat of the fire. Sweeping his arms however he would glower at Ashara, his voice hoarse as he said: [b]”Do..no..t...assume. I. Am. ...Aaaam…”[/b] he would moan, scratching furiously at his arm, before suddenly ceasing all movement and standing up perfectly straight. [b]”[Jump].”[/b] The tender would whisper before a cloud of dust exploded out from near his feet, the cry he gave from above being the only indicator he gave on his location before metal claws struck at Ashara’s spear’s shaft, the man soon descending after gliding past Ashara and raking his claws against her Wind Walk platform, the very mana used to create it seeping into his claws, as if ripped away from Ashara. 

Now, the tender waited below as Ashara plummeted, a nearby patch of ground contorting as rocks became teeth, hungrily snapping as a hole became a maw waiting to consume her. 

[b]”He hungers.”[/b]
[/hider]