[h1][center][color=662d91]The Sorceress of the Valley[/color][/center][/h1]
[@Yankee][@Dark Cloud][@Dawnrider][@Lugubrious][@ZAVAZggg]
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[h3][center][color=00aeef]Link[/color][/center][/h3] 

[center][color=00aeef][b]Level 3[/b] [/color] - (26/30) + 1 [/center]

[center]Word Count:  [/center]

[center][color=00aeef]Location:[/color] Limsa Lominscuttle Town ~ The Bismarck Restaurant [/center]
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"No, not the same me at least." Link replied to Ace Cadet as they did their best to weather the Sorceresses barrage. Link had drawn his sword and shield again by this point, side jumping between the shots he could and bringing up the shield to block what he couldn't. He shuttered with every shot the shield took, not from the force but because this was a brand new shield and he hated blocking like this. As one of the orbs flew at him he set his feet and swung out with his shield arm as it reached him, but instead of flying back at one of the Cia's the thing just hit him in the chest like a baseball. He still didn't have the timing right. He took a cue from Ace and hit the next one with his sword as tried to remember if she had said anything on their date. Snippets of conversation rose though the haze. "She's met one of my incarnations. Maybe more, which makes her much older than she looks."

As for a play, he wasn't sure with the information they had. Luckily Frog, who had been busy evading the Green Cia's wire in addition to the magic barrage, rejoined them sans shield and gave him an idea. "Right, defense. She's angry. She doesn't just want us dead, she wants to [i]kill[/i] us. She's not going to be satisfied with a battle of attrition. If we show her that won't work she'll come in close where we all have swords." Getting an idea, the sword and shield vanished from Links hand as he dived for the table he and Cia had been sitting at. Rising to his knees he grabbed the underside and lifted it up on its side, rolling it in the path of the oncoming shot to provide the three of them some cover, in Frogs case keeping him completely hidden. You could hear the balls bursting on the tables surface, but it held. "Draw her inGYAHHHH!"

When he had dismissed his weapons Dark Link, lurking in the periphery of the battle, had taken that opportunity to dive in and plunge his sword right into Links back. Surprising, though, the black blade hadn't gone all the way through. In fact as the dark warrior pulled it out it was apparent that it hadn't even managed to penetrant the heroes blue tunic, though the spot of red that began blossoming from the impact point showed that it had only mitigated the damage.

As Dark Link leaped to attack Green Cia was watching. As it jumped she scowled, tossed the shield the frog had used to block her line over her shoulder, and charged in to keep it from being completely overwhelmed. She swung for Frog again as she got close, standing her ground and lashing the detachable head at him in a series of surprisingly strong whip strikes she a woman of her frame. From this distance the sense she had gotten from the frog earlier was unmistakable to Cia. The miasma of old dark magic surrounded his body. She couldn't help but smile cruely. "My, you've met with a terrible fate haven't you?" She taunted.

Link's sword was back in his hand the moment his dark counterparts sword left his back and he turned with it extended in a counterstroke, but Dark Link blocked his stroke with his shield and was already swinging his own blade for the Ace Cadet's neck.

On the other side of the table from this claustrophobic melee an explosion rocked the restaurant.

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Hat Kid caught the worst of the Cia's barrage, the women taking out their wrath most crueley on the child that had dared strike her even when the far more dangerous swordsman was in front of her. It was a cruelty that came back to bite them. As Sephiroth swirled primal fire in the palm of his hand and launched it at them Purple and Red dodged around the side where Green had gone, but Blue waited just long enough to fire a few more orbs at the child. When she began to run it was far too late, and she was largely engulfed when the spell went off. The explosion sent her rolling along the floor, one entire side of her scorched, mask half melted from the heat, gasping in pain.

From their new position Red and Purple sneered in unison. Red cast the tip of her mace out, knocking the scepter Frog had forced out of purples hand into the air and wrapping it in the wire. She yanked it back, landing it right in Purples hand. "Arrogant man." Red said as she began approaching him.

"I've made a fool of men far more formidable than you." Purple continued, following after her before moving off to the side. They were surrounding him.

"Stood before the King of Evil himself and not flinched." Red continued.

"What can you do?"
"What can you do?"

Red Cia summoned up that portal again as Purple flicked her staff. Around Purple four patches of turbulent darkness appeared, one right under Sephiroth's feet. Immediately the patch he was standing on began to surge with power, going off like a volcano of dark magic after but a moment as Red unleased another quartet of inferior dark Links to harry the SOLDIER further.

Meanwhile Blue opened her remaining good eye and laid it on Hat Kid. Still in the grips of pain she began to pull herself across the floor toward her. "Little brat," was all she managed to choke out as she continued her pursuit.