[i]???[/i] Huh. Well. That was no fun. That a single pulse of fear drove away all the kobolds. She’d been having them prepare to fire at their enemies through holes in the walls and have this ultimate ambush that’d take out at least one of them. Instead, this [i]single[/i] Magical Girl just unleashed a [i]something[/i] pulse that rendered that whole encounter moot. Irritating. Oh, well. Better just burn them all when they go up the stairs. [hr] [i]Void Room - Infiltration Team[/i] [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/gmRTrWA.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/5ZqyPyV.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=9b83de]‘I am super happy that we had you with us!’[/color] Ronin called to the Magical Dream Princess as she saved them from dropping into the Collector’s grasp and helped them through the portal. On the way up the stairs, the stairs suddenly sealed behind them and above them a magma-bomb exploded, sending a couple thousand liters of burning hot magma came pouring down at them. After they easily overcame this trap, they found themselves in the foyer. It was possible they heard some running from the above balcony, some Magical Girls were evacuating because there was no way they could do the trap as intended now. Then a dead Remorhaz was shoved through the doorway and a series of pressure-plates were activated, each resulting in a sudden detonation that reduced the corpse to dust. Still, other than that, there sure wasn’t much here. Because Mariette was ignoring them… They probably saw how the roof above them suddenly took massive damage, albeit didn’t fall. Why, a huge magic bomb just detonated there and now Gorelions with their massive weight was walking on it. It was honestly impressive how it didn’t fall down on their heads. However, one of their numbers felt something. [@Majoras End] Anaya felt an immense force suddenly emerge from somewhere in the basement. There was an intense pressure of spectral magical power, tugging at basically any undead soul in the area. She was of course keeping the ones she was already attached to… but there were other, recently dead souls, who were easily claimed by this new entity. Whatever it was, it rose out of the basement, somewhere along the eastern side of the mansion whereas they were currently located in the middle, rising up towards the battle taking place above… [color=9b83de]‘Okay. Keeping in mind that our enemy can portal her forces, what do we do, now?’[/color] Ronin asked. She had honestly not considered that far. She really just needed to get to Mariette, somehow. There were paintings of various of Asengav’s Champions, but the paintings were also mirrors… [hider=People Depicted in Paintings]Aside from Mariette and Eli, Eli’s painting having a removed second half… [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/N53ToUw.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/R0u1Nm1.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/5o9ObXJ.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/ipudxZc.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/PYJSxqe.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/knEm2lu.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/OoibQu3.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/EPzBVPj.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/sqHfYs3.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/K6D4Yji.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/ad92PvD.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/HiF5dj8.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/3tj5n3Y.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/XxDsGYv.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/4rEtFz1.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/ajlGdGZ.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/m4rTXOi.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/3IfZ0Bm.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/MkfZ90q.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/LwbuRKs.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/D8A8SOp.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/w1TQUme.png[/img][/url][/center][/hider] There was one more painting. The problem with it, was that it was blank. Like, there was someone supposed to be in the picture, but failed to show up to be depicted, or something. … Ronin pointed at that one in specific, and whispered. [color=9b83de]‘That one. She’s an information expert that is likely following our every move. She needs a small, secluded area to work in, though. Do we have a way to find her? If we do, she can’t fight, herself… I think. I’ve never been able to find or corner her, myself, so I don’t actually know, hah.’[/color] [hider=Ronin][i]Specialization:[/i] Reinforcement [i]Power:[/i] Twin S., Shapeshifting [i]Perks:[/i] M. Training, Flexibility, Fated, G.o.o. Jail, BigDamn H. [i]Benefits:[/i] Free Agent, Genki Girl [i]Drawbacks:[/i] Alone, also in debt to Crimson Cradle [i]Str:[/i] 7 [i]Agi:[/i] 7 [i]Vit:[/i] 7 [i]Mag:[/i] 8 [i]Lck:[/i] 6[/hider] [@Ariamis][@Flamelord][@Majoras End][@Ponn][@AtomicNut][@MadManMoon] [hr] [i]2nd Floor - Mariette’s Office[/i] [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/Y8OSnvr.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/OPMf9l2.png[/img][/url][/center] Now, this was technically where Mariette was located, but her mind sure wasn’t. Mariette was utterly focused on the map displaying everyone’s locations in front of her and the little voice in her ear telling updates. [@FamishedPants][@AtomicNut] [hr] [i]3rd Floor - Artillery Line[/i] [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/iLfQK1p.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/2C1b19j.png[/img][/url] [url=https://i.imgur.com/m4rTXOi.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/rMgrdyA.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/ad92PvD.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/u1b416E.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/3tj5n3Y.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/P2tVfst.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/OoibQu3.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/UZad3rZ.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/4rEtFz1.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/sKJ5riZ.png[/img][/url][url=https://i.imgur.com/D8A8SOp.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/OGWuw89.png[/img][/url][/center] [hider=How many died?]32 girls. 22 of them were at the Artillery Line? 8 by Red Nest gunner. 1 by Sally. Eli, Ronja, Suzette, Josefin, Mayra, Tullia, Victoria, Lily. 8. +5 normal girls. 22 - 9 = 13. 13 - 8 = 5. 8 more, then. 8+1+8=17 dead.[/hider] So, the girls opened fire, and it looked pretty good. Justine was running out of Thralls. Yet, somehow, the Red Nest gunner penetrated their defenses and shot down 8 common magical girls. Must have had barrier-piercing bullets, or something, considering the sheer number of defensive girls trying to keep them safe. Sally shot one, okay, sure. Then, Justine appeared in the opening… [color=077ae6]‘FALL BACK! FULL DEFENSE!’[/color] Mariette called, through communicators to the people there. She started opening portals for her troops to relocate to other places in the mansion. The defensive line was done, it was time to regroup. The explosive came in. It was met with a myriad of different defensive measures. Ronja, Alexander and Eli’s barriers, Suzette raised a shield of determination, Tullia and Victoria both kicked up shields of ice to block the bomb and Josefin quickly started draining mana from their attacker. Even Mayra grabbed one of the would-be lost girls and then blasted a spray of fire into the incoming explosion. Despite all their efforts, the explosive still destroyed another eight girls… [color=077ae6]‘Recover the wounded!’[/color] Mariette commanded. [color=A2DFF6]‘There are no wounded,’[/color] information girl informed. [color=A2DFF6]‘Just dead or alive.’[/color] There were only five common Magical Girls left. Mariette writhed a bit. They’d put up the greatest defense they could possibly have managed… and this was what it amounted to? 17 girls had died. Out of her original 33 girls, only 15 remained… and only 5 of those were on the Artillery Line. Could she have done something differently? Could she have done something that would have resulted in the same amount of injury to their foes while reducing casualties? … No. Mariette was fairly sure that was impossible. Any other plan would have probably have done far worse. [color=fcedae]‘W-wah… I got a whole lot of mana…’[/color] Josefin told, holding her arms forward with the yellow mana sinking into her hands like a cloud, as she’d tried to suck up the explosion, and while that hadn’t been possible she more or less filled up. Then Justine called up the Gorelions. Nope, not an option. [color=077ae6]‘Everyone, fall back, regroup! Help others fall back! I’m opening portals! I’m summoning a being that will fight Justine!’[/color] she called through communicators, opening portals for people to flee to various places across the mansion. [color=077ae6]‘Esther, target the Gorelions! Slow them down, aid our escape!’[/color] So she said. As promised, portals started opening at various points behind them for them to escape through, towards various safe back-rooms from where Mariette was intending on then portalling them individually to the same location. Then, it was simply a matter of getting them there. Meanwhile, somewhere in the mansion, the wooden Magical Girl that had bound herself with the mansion flexed. She’d felt the pain of when Justine’s bomb went off, and now felt the heavy feet of the Gorelions standing ominously where they should not. She manipulated the floor and roof, having the wood inside extend, magically having the wood quickly bind around the legs of the gargantuan beasts while wooden lances from below sought weak points in their armour to pierce or otherwise annoy the creatures enough to make them stop focusing on the other individuals of the room. So, Hilaria found herself momentarily caught by a tongue. [color=9c87c9]‘ICE…!’[/color] came a call, and Victoria vaulted over her and struck down at the tongue with an kick engulfed in cold magic that, upon impact, sent a freezing chill through the tongue, the cold magic rendering it frozen stiff. [color=fc6828]‘… AND FIRE!’[/color] Mayra burned up her dragonic leg to glowing temperatures and came with a follow-up kick from below, intent on cracking the frozen tongue with this clash of cold and heat, freeing Hilaria. If it succeeded, the two close combat fighters high-fived with grins before dashing back to retreat through portals as ordered. Otherwise, Suzette and Tullia could give covering fire in the shape of high-power magical beams to hold off their foes, and otherwise help people get through portals. Josefin and Eli just pulled back, no questions asked. Healers and support are too important to stick around. It appeared that Eliza and Alexander engaged the Gorelions as the others escaped. At the end of it, there was the piece of information… they were weak to light. … Mariette quickly made the observation that perhaps she was needed on the field of battle after all. Maintaining the portals to let others escape, Mariette stood up in her office. [color=077ae6]‘Cover me,’[/color] she told the ones nearest her, which would be Dina and Silhouette, as her hands were starting to glow with magic. A portal dropped Ronja next to her. [color=077ae6]‘Help us recover our allies,’[/color] she told Ronja and the rest. Then, a portal opened, right by Lily. Mariette blasted one Gorelion directly with light, intent on freeing Lily, wherever she is at the moment. With the second one, she shot whatever Gorelion would mean Alexander is free to arrive, possibly the same one. [color=077ae6]‘Get in,’[/color] Mariette requested, if they were at all hesitant. Ronja was there to shoot reinforced web to them, attaching to them to swiftly pull them into Mariette’s portal to rescue them from this particular battle. Then, of course, she closed that portal as quickly as possible and opened another to retrieve Eliza, because she’d be the one ally left, should Hilaria have pulled back when commanded to. She just hoped the entity she had summoned would reach in time. [hider=Mariette][i]Specialization:[/i] Portals, Light [i]Power:[/i] Tentacles [i]Perks:[/i] Gifted, I. Home, Blood M., Overcity S., I. Tourist, H. Handbag, Allies, Aware, A. Direction [i]Benefits:[/i] C. Doom, Reason, Minions, Retrieval, M. Might, Mana Font. [i]Drawbacks:[/i] Quick-T., Mind-Bent, Insomnia, Bane, H. Sapping [i]Str:[/i] 4 [i]Agi:[/i] 4 [i]Vit:[/i] 4 [i]Mag:[/i] 22 [i]Lck:[/i] 10[/hider] [@Ariamis][@Majoras End][@FamishedPants][@AtomicNut][@BrokenPromise][@Card Captor] [hr] [i]Outside - Assault Team[/i] So, on the outside, it appeared that the attack on the Artillery Line gave the Assault Team a brief respite. That, is, except… [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/3tj5n3Y.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/P2tVfst.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=9c87c9]‘Hey, whatever happened to your army!? There’s, like, just five of you left!’[/color] So, they’d been able to destroy the wolves, the Remorhaz, most of the clones, opened a path to and broken through the front gate… but under the assumption Aurelio was teleporting the injured Hyun Long back, how many were left? It was Aurelio, Kimble, Sakura, two thralls, Sally and a Red Mist member. Slightly more than the five the surviving Victoria clone was insisting, but it sure weren’t many. [color=9c87c9]‘You SURE you want to attack with those numbers? We still got [i]plenty[/i] of allies left! Maybe you should pull back?’[/color] the Victoria clone called, from a moderately safe distance, having stayed out of the fight for the express reason to shout demoralizing lines at them while hiding part-way down the snow. [@Ariamis][@AtomicNut][@BrokenPromise][@Shifter_Master] [hr] [i]Outside - Way Up in the Air[/i] [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/N53ToUw.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/5TcL6Af.png[/img][/url][/center] So, Su requested an extraction as she fell through the air and caught Helga… and in that moment, a different wind caught onto her. Above them was Lea, of Asengav’s champions, binding her wind around them from a considerable distance and yanked them up through the air towards her, lifting them both up and beyond. There, a portal open for the three of them to go through. [color=c1eb9b]‘…’[/color] Lea had seen Kimble down there. There was at least some part of her that desired to save the formerly monster-girl, a slight connection. But it was nothing compared to her bond to Asengav, and she could not risk it being severed. If Kimble saw her, though, she predicted that their next meeting, if any, would be a bit more problematic. … Oh, well. Trixy and Viridian would also find a portal to open near them. The order to retreat was to everyone. This included the Yeti, who suddenly found a portal open beneath him and he fell into the building. She didn’t say a word to Su or Helga as she flawlessly extracted them. That is, unless someone intercepted them, but it was distinctly possible that Justine was about to be very much distracted. [@Ariamis][@AtomicNut][@BrokenPromise][@Shifter_Master] [hr] [i]2nd Floor - Taihei’s Room[/i] [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/sqHfYs3.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/qXVwWBs.png[/img][/url][/center] She was… hitting? Taihei couldn’t entirely believe it. She was actually causing casualties among her enemies? Where was her usual explosions, the sudden destruction of her immediate surroundings, whatever other bad luck that caused her to be entirely unable to help in any way whatsoever? Then the bomb exploded above her. Oh, it was time. Now everything was going to come collapsing down on her and wipe out her room. Taihei braced herself for impact… but the ceiling held on. Nothing came collapsing down on her. Taihei heard in the reports how many others had suffered, but not her. … How was that possible? If anything, that bomb should have somehow duplicated into her room. It was like she wasn’t even unlucky? That’s when Sally called out to her. Wait… that… that’s it. Taihei stared at her with her usual, dreary eyes, as the reality of the situation came into fruition. It was her. The one whose name they had mentioned when going through possible adversaries in Beacon they might one day fight. Shamrock Sally, the super-lucky one. Somehow, their fields of fortune (or lack thereof) had come into contact… and neutralized one another. … … … … [color=4e5478]‘Ha… haha…’[/color] Taihei chuckled, a devious little smile spreading across her lips. With this development, there was nothing that could stop her anymore. Taihei on her own, without her bad luck, was a phenomenally powerful Magical Girl. Without her bad luck, she was going to be invinci-! A bullet struck Taihei’s cheek, making her whole body twist in pain as the bullet flew off her. To put this into perspective. Taihei has utterly overloaded her body with defensive artifacts. In order to combat her own bad luck and ensure her survival, she has all manners of defensive effects on her, to the degree that she basically does not fear death anymore. And here was a random bullet that for some reason passed straight through all her defenses and struck her cheek for absolutely no given reason. Taihei suddenly realized. What was happening was [i]not[/i] that their luck was averaged. What was happening was a massive [i]imbalance[/i] in the innate magical force known as luck. Two extremities in this force had collided, and created an area of chaotic fortune for the both of them. What was once exceedingly unlikely, their luck in mind, suddenly became exceedingly [i]likely[/i], and vice versa. Taihei, a person forced to live with her ill fortune, was obviously someone who couldn’t leave her survival to chance. She’d equipped herself with so many defensive artifacts that she was virtually unkillable. Not even her own bad luck was capable of overcoming the miniscule chance of something bad enough happening to her. So, in this field of chaotic luck, where the unlikely becomes likely… It was Taihei’s worst nightmare. She could be killed by anyone right now. The only reason that shot hadn’t killed her outright was because, at that range, it was [i]impossible[/i] for Sally’s shamrocks to pierce her exceedingly tough skin. That could change. [color=4e5478]‘STAY AWAY FROM ME-!!’[/color] Taihei shouted, and a barrage of super-heavy lances came barreling for Sally and the Red Mist member next to her. The barrage swiftly ended, on account that Taihei was working with limited ammunition, and just ran out of lances. She quickly got her communicator. [color=4e5478]‘Mariette, I am in danger! Get me out of here!’[/color] she told, and no sooner had the words left her mouth when a portal opened behind her. Taihei threw a partly frightened look at Sally, and jumped to escape. Turns out, she did treasure her life, after all. She just didn’t realize until it was in danger. [@Ariamis][@AtomicNut][@Shifter_Master] [hr] [i]???[/i] Did everyone manage to escape the Artillery Line through portals? Were there still Gorelions alive? If so, the Gorelions were allowed to advance through the empty space, probably chasing after those who had retreated… and then the girl in the small space pressed a button. The “Trapped Room”, as well as the two “Extra Storages” to its left and right suddenly and phenomenally detonated, with all force directed forward. Of course Mariette had expected the Artillery Line to be attacked, that’s why the Trapped Room existed. Mariette had not known what exactly would be the target of this amassed firepower, but the Gorelions made worthy targets. Rest assured, after these went off there would be absolutely nothing left of the Artillery Line or the three rooms that were in front of them, and the Assault Team would see a second phenomenal explosion take place on the third floor artillery line…! [@Ariamis] [hr] [i]Justine’s current location[/i] An entity rose through the mansion. As it went through, some of those around could perhaps sense the [i]Powerful Aura[/i] that the being was dragging along with it. Mariette was certainly keeping an eye on it. Those in the map room could also see it, on the map. It was passing through the eastern side of the mansion, going from the basement, through the first and second floors, completely ignoring floors and walls as it passed. It carried a name. Mikayla Synnot. Probably just as Justine was about to make a move, an entity arose from the mansion to face her. Any onlookers could immediately recognize the brilliant transparent shining white of a spirit. Yet, something was different about this spirit. That is to say, the sheer magical power that emanated from it. The [i]Powerful Aura[/i], a sure tell for anyone in the know that this was the power of a Monster Girl. The spirit in question wore a long, white dress, long white hair flowing around her serene spectral body, white face, and every fabric of her glowing in power… and around her, willing or not, gathered the spirits of the recently deceased. Thralls of Justine or servants of Mariette, their souls sought instinctively to her side, joining a host of unseen spirits supporting the ethereal ghast floating before her. [hider=Spirit Monster Girl, The Spectre of The Netherrealm Queen, Mikayla Synnot][center][url=https://i.imgur.com/bNRqfj0.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/bNRqfj0l.jpg[/img][/url][/center][/hider] The barely opened eyes of the woman locked onto Justine. [i]y o u a p p e a r t o h a v e t a k e n w e l l c a r e o f m y s u b o r d i n a t e s[/i] The words simply appeared inside the mind of anyone looking in her general direction, but they were clearly intended for Justine. [i]o n l y f a i r I e x t e n d t o y o u t h e s a m e h o s p i t a l i t y[/i] With that, spirits scattered from her body. Spirits wielding deadly weapons, glowing in ethereal might, surrounding their queen like a legion of protective and offensive force. They were reapers with scythes, armoured warriors with lances, shapes of magical girls with a variety of weapons. Numerous of these spirits opened fire, be it with spectral magic or bows or guns. At the same time, the ghost herself floated motionless, ready to intercept as she’d been told of Sonia’s ability to teleport. On Mariette’s request, she’d ensure Justine was unable to interfere for a while… [@Ariamis] [hr] [i]2nd Floor - Back Corridor[/i] This whole area is an if-statement. Will only happen if Mariette manages to evacuate all player characters. The whole army was gathered back here. When escaping, all portals went to different rooms to ensure that if one was compromised it’d limit the damage. After the immediate escape, new portals opened to funnel everyone to the same location. The surviving “lesser” magical girls, player characters, Asengav’s champions, various monsters summoned by Dina. Everyone. Mariette, clutching her bunny, who for some reason was entirely black in colour, came through her own portal before everyone gathered. She took a deep breath, then spoke. [color=077ae6]‘We have little time. The strongest of Asengav’s champions, the spectral Monster Girl known as Mikayla Synnot, is going to keep Justine busy for a bit. Before she’s done, we need to incapacitate the enemy Infiltration Squad. Using portals, I want us to attack them on all sides. They are currently in the foyer,’[/color] Mariette said, holding up the map to show them on the first floor foyer, while they were currently located behind the library + study on the second floor, outside Mariette’s office. [color=A2DFF6]‘A spooky black-haired one of them has the power to instill a wave of terror over a large area. Another likely disguised as Mariette or Eli is able to block all magic in the area. Beware,’[/color] the information girl informed through the communicator, referring to what Connie did, and what Leena would be able to do. [color=077ae6]‘Tell me your preferred method of attack and where you’d like to be placed, and then…’[/color] [color=077ae6]‘We strike.’[/color]