[center][img] https://i.imgur.com/MLZtNQs.jpg[/img]
[b]𝙰𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙 𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚞𝚜
𝙷𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢 [/b]
[b]𝙰𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚕 𝟿𝚝𝚑, 𝟷𝟷𝟽 𝙰𝚅[/b]
[i]Penny Grenoble, Diana Khay[/i]
[hr]
[/center]
It’s impossible to tell if the Void can understand Penny’s insults, or if they merely fall on deaf ears. Perhaps her bluster is the reason it leers toward her, or perhaps it just intends to finish the job it started. Either way one long stride carries it to where the short girl has fallen, and one long arm rises again to strike—-

And then it stops. Vanna’s shoe clatters to the ground, the improvised projectile finding its mark in the monster’s side. Its posture shifts, hand lowering as it turns to face the Duodecim girl instead. There’s a momentary pause as it refocuses, turning attention away form the fallen Penny and toward this new annoyance.

The space between the Void and Vanna is abruptly shortened as it lunges for her. A dark hand shoots outward, viciously clawed fingers seeking to pierce through any vulnerable flesh they can find. It’s fast enough to wound, but not enough to skewer the girl as it intends. The motion leaves it open for her retaliatory blow, and she’s able to drive the aether-charged table leg into the dark mass that surrounds its crimson core. 

The leg shatters with the force, but it spears down deep. Crimson lines pulse with energy, rippling in quick lines across the surface of the Void. It buckles for a moment, and then the tall, dark mass pitches forward. It crashes to its knees, arms reaching forward to prop it up and prevent complete collapse.

It’s still alive. 

Maybe not by much, though. There’s time now, either to make an exit…or to press to finish it off, if the two remaining girls can manage enough power between them. 


[center][img] https://i.imgur.com/4rF9zRO.jpg[/img]
[b]𝙰𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙 𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚞𝚜
𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚕 𝚁𝚘𝚘𝚖 [/b]
[b]𝙰𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚕 𝟿𝚝𝚑, 𝟷𝟷𝟽 𝙰𝚅[/b]
[i]Dana Noel, Nicole Cognoscenti, Astrelle Lennox[/i]
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Distracted as the Void is with its attack, the other three girls find themselves with a clear path down the hallway and toward the control room. Astrelle is the first to make it there, easily leaving behind Dana, Nicole, and the soldier they’re burdened with carrying.

She finds the control room in disarray. There’s clearly been an attack there as well, judging by the damage. Soldiers are scrambling to aid wounded crew members, arm themselves, and regroup as commands are barked back and forth. One man is at the controls of the ship, wounded but still attempting to pilot.

From the control room the ship’s deck is visible through a large window near the front. Though the outside is shrouded in black fog, Astelle can still see flashes of light moving across the deck. There are figures out there, moving and clashing in the darkness, throwing up sparks of impact each time they collide.

When they draw close enough to the window she can just start to make out some detail. One of them she’s sure is Victoria Glass, but the other she’s never seen before. 

[img]https://i.imgur.com/TcmN6zf.png[/img]

The other combatant is a [url=https://i.imgur.com/Skm6JQY.jpg]woman in metal armor[/url] holding a crackling blade of electricity. Her face glows, and after a second it becomes clear that the illumination comes from a metal mask that obscures her features. She’s visible only for a moment before she and Victoria are moving back up the deck, sparks flashing as they trade blows. 

“Nox levels going down!” Comes a shout from one of the soldiers in front of a control panel. “Maintain course!” 

Dana and Nicole arrive soon after, getting a similar view of the disarray in the room. Once they’re spotted a few helpful crewmen take the soldier off their hands, demanding: “Where are the other girls!?”