Against her kick, Ames was as sturdy as a rock, and Ari could shoot up skywards with little issue at all. She had the strength necessary to get a bit of air time, and the dexterity necessary to pull off a maneuver that was still within the realm of human ability. Spinning in the air, the cat-eared human felt the full effects of a world slowed down to half-speed, her dizzying rotation slowed enough that she could still aim accurately while doing so. The stone in her sling whizzed out towards the spear-wielding kappa, slicing through the air with such force that it took a chip off the turtle-esque creature’s bone-bowl. If it hadn’t already been in the process of charging towards Amulak, the stone would have definitely struck more substantially.

Sensing the trouble at the backline, the human sandwich quickly untangled themselves, rushing to face the green manlet that approached at an ever-increasing speed. Ames, Magpie, and Klein all squared up, forming a vanguard to meet the spear-wielder. Amulak too, had yet another exhilaration-inducing bolt of energy in his palm, ready to thread the needle between his meatshields and score another hit. Everything was lining up!

But before Lugh’s eyes, something strange was occurring. While standing off against the unarmed kappa, the creature, rather than rushing in towards him or for the spear, hopped back instead, hands clapping together thrice. Each time, they were clasped in a different format, arranged in strange crosses or horns. No, was that…

…Water Style Ninjutsu?!

Raime lined up his shot, the kappa having stayed still for a little too long. His crossbow bolt thudded heavily into the kappa’s chest, but the spell was already completed. A ball of water rose up and up from the monster’s bowl, frothing and swirling with torrential power before falling down, not at the two adventurers that checked the kappa’s movements, but rather towards the three vanguards protecting the backline.

[i]“Heechotchaaaa!”[/i]

Cold, fishy water blasted against Ames, Magpie, and Klein, bludgeoning them for 12, 22, and 26 points of damage respectively. It was almost enough to force them off their feet, but they held their ground against the magical attack. In that moment however, the spear-kappa circumvented them, dancing around the trio to rush towards Ari and Amulak. The mage’s bolt shot out again, grazing the kappa’s side and cratering the gravelly shore twenty meters away. Ari went in to intercept, but she was unarmored and unarmed; all she could do was throw her body in the way of the charging manlet. The spearpoint cut against her ribcage with the flaring pain of a long papercut, the shallow slice dealing 6 points of damage to her, before the rest of the kappa’s body slammed into her. The catgirl was knocked back, her reflexes enabling her to tumble onto her feet immediately, but the kappa continued onwards.

Now, there was nothing between its spear and Amulak’s throat.

The monster closed in.