[center][h3]Tora & Poppi[/h3]
[b]Level 8[/b] Tora (57/80) and [b]Level 8[/b] Poppi (30/80)
[b]Location:[/b] Sandswept Sky – Shady Oasis
Primrose's [@Yankee], Fox's [@Dawnrider], Sectonia's [@Archmage MC] Midna's [@DracoLunaris], Heavy's [@ONL], Medic's [@Dr Lovecraft], Yoshitsune's [@Rockin Strings]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 2450[/center]

As the fusions continued, Panther was happy to break her attention away from the dazzling display to speak more with Primrose. She leaned in as well, giving the conversation a confidential air, although her response held little in the way of secrets. “Oh no,” she told the dancer. “Personas are...well, it's a little complicated. They're us. They're like, our personalities given form. Masks that we put on in order to fight and overcome hardship. I wouldn't have thought to try giving them spirits, but after seeing Midna's wolfos, maybe?”

“Allow me to explain, my lady!” Mona plopped down on Primrose's other side, ruining any semblance of privacy the conversation might have had. “They're given shape by the mythological archetypes that dwell within humanity's sea of souls, the collective consciousness and culture, which affect how people develop their personalities. The Thieves awakened to their Personas in the depths of despair—faced with frustration at injustice or suffering, they chose to rebel! Our Personas are our rebellious spirits, with the power to take revenge on those who take advantage of the weak!”

Panther nodded. “By accepting our desires, we gained the power to achieve them! Not everyone has the will to break free though, so it's up to us to right the wrongs of society, by stealing hearts and changing one person at a time!” She giggled. “It's serious business, but it's also super cool. You know...” she placed the back of one hand against her chin thoughtfully, just as Primrose did a moment before. “Hey Mona, will you shoo a sec? Girl talk.”

She waited for the cat to clear out before she continued. “If you're trapped in here in the Metaverse like us, may be you have it in you, too. I've been keeping an eye on you so far, ever since you joined us in the pyramid. I'm a little envious, really. You're super nice and cool, and really know what you're doing. But I get the feeling that something's got you down. Like, weighing on your mind.” She smiled apologetically, waving her hand. “I'm not gonna pry or anything, but what I mean is, if I could find the will to rebel against the people taking advantage of me and my friend, I'm sure you can, too. So if you're ever on the verge of giving in, listen for a voice inside you.” Her blue eyes blazed with conviction. “And accept your lust for revenge.” When Primrose asked to speak later, Panther gave a nervous laugh. “Oh, of course! ...Sorry if I got a little, um, intense there.”

A short while later, Tora took note of the dancer inspecting the strange-looking devices alongside Sectonia, and spotted the slots on their sides. “Oh, those must be different type of treasure box, like in Lumbridge!” the Nopon confirmed. “When friends open those in castle, we get special loot!” With a final glance at Poppi he waddled back over to the loot pile, ducked underneath Midna as she zoomed past, and snatched a few of the dollar bills. “These papers unlock like key, meh.” Rather than prove it, however, he waited with great anticipation—for another fusion was about to begin. Primrose vanished into a radiant maelstrom of her own, and was remade.

[center][hider=For Primrose]Notable Spirit Consumed:
[b][url=https://darksouls3.wiki.fextralife.com/file/Dark-Souls-3/Desert%20Pyromancer%20Zoey.jpg]Desert Pyromancer Zoey[/url][/b]
The host has gotten a little taller and a bit more pale. Her abdominal muscles have gained definition. Her top's cut has gotten a little lower, but her waistcloth has become a skirt that extends all the way around one leg and gotten longer. She has gained thigh-high boots and bicep-length gloves of a dark, flexible material. She's also acquired a red hood/headdress with a built-in black veil that covers her nose and mouth. Both the hood and the skirt have golden patterns sewn in. This spirit confers the Power [b]Pyromancy Flame[/b], allowing the host to bring forth a portion of primordial flame in the palm of her hand that can be used as a casting catalysts for pyromancies, although the Flame by itself is too weak to do anything but provide a little heat and cannot spread. The default pyromancies are Fire Orb and Flame Fan. This spirit also confers the Weakness [b]Zoey's Bane[/b], causing the host to take more damage from fire and physical thrusting/piercing attacks
[hider=Fire Orb][url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/darksouls/images/7/74/Fire_Orb_(DSIII).png]Fire Orb[/url]
The signature flame-manipulating spell common to pyromancers. Hurls a giant fire orb. The blazing fire orb explodes on impact, dealing fire damage to the surrounding area. They say that once a pyromancer learns this spell, their understanding of the flame deepens, together with a yearning for it. [/hider]
[hider=Flame Fan][url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/darksouls/images/3/39/Flame_Fan.png]Flame Fan[/url]
Pyromancy of Zoey, descendant of the desert pyromancers. Use repeatedly to brush the fan left and right. Zoey possessed true beauty, as did all the desert pyromancers, but hers did not poison, and so she became the unassuming queen of the feeble ones. [/hider][/hider][/center]

Tora gave a sagacious nod. “Not that different, meh.” He looked around. “Anyone else before unboxing and crushing?”

The Phantom Thieves stood four abreast on one side of the pile, looking over the remaining options. Joker recounted them aloud. “A bat, a grotesque, the berserker, another Lamia, one more bike robot, the four-arms, the bug woman, the blue zombie, and a lot of insects.” He reached down and took Harrow, his chosen opponent in the temple's sanctum. “I'm used to fusing Personas in different ways, but it should still work. I'll try combining this thing with Ghul to increase its attack power.”

Mona pursued that line of thinking. “In that case, the four-armed brute might boost Captain Kidd's strength. Or the Lamia boost Carmen's firepower.”

“Or...” Panther began. “I could try the Lamia myself. She's blonde too after all, and not too weird looking. After seeing the changes the others went through, I don't think I'd lose my legs with just one spirit. And if both Carmen and I have fire magic, that'll be double the power, rather than just a little more for Carmen!”

Joker gave tentative approval. “If you're willing to risk it. These changes couldn't possibly carry over into the real world, after all. But let me go first.” He brought forth his newest Persona, Ghul. It appeared with a shriek, a hideously gaunt, malformed humanoid. When Joker pressed in the spirit of Harrow, the Persona melted away into golden light and blue flame, then reappeared as an even greater monster. With flesh pulled back away from its skull, elongated claws, a filthy toga-like garment, scattered pieces of scrap metal armor, and a crop of blades buried in its back, it epitomized terrifying viciousness. Joker shivered and banished it, glad that no changes appeared to extend to him.

Next, Skull summoned Captain Kidd. “Alright buddy,” he said as he took the Gorlek spirit. “I dunno 'bout you, but a skeleton with three eyes and four arms sounds good to me!” He jammed the thing in, and the transformation took hold. Sure enough, the fusion finished with a four-armed, bearded skeletal captain, his garb lined with bluish-black fur and a second eyepatch across his forehead. The anchor of his ship had detached, looking more like a pickaxe, and Skull grinned as he imagined his Persona swinging it around. “Awwww man, that's awesome! We'll be freakin' unstoppable!”

Finally, Panther donned her Phantom Thief outfit and took hold of the Lamia spirit, perhaps hoping she could isolate changes to it. “Okay...here goes.” She absorbed the spirit, and began to change. Her friends looked on with trepidation as the light faded, revealing a different Panther. Her blonde pigtails had gotten much longer, reaching her lower back, and her pupils had become slits in crimson eyes. She looked down to see that her bright red suit now looked more maroon, although that paled compared to the realization that her skin tone had darkened and she couldn't see her feet anymore. “Oh, great,” she sighed, glancing over at a red-faced Skull. “Yuck it up, why don't you?” Her eyes narrowed. “Wait, did you get shorter?”

The boy couldn't seem to avert his eyes. “H-hey, you can't blame me if you're suddenly looking more adult. You got taller. And, uh your...” He blinked, trying to change the subject. “Your teeth are sharp!”

“Really? Ouch...” Panther reached up to her mouth, quickly confirming her friend's observation. In the act of moving she noticed a new weight behind her, and turned to see a scaled snake tail where her suit's fake cat tail had been. An experimental poke confirmed that it was real. “W-well, what do you know. Guess Midna's not the only one with a tail.” She rubbed her arm self-consciously, backing out of the spotlight and nearly tripping over her tail in the process. “I must look kinda scary, huh?”

“Whaaaat? No way,” Skull told her, clapping an encouraging hand on her shoulder. “I'd say you look downright pretty...uh...pretty cool! Yeah!”

“Oh yeah?” she laughed as she threw her arm around his. “Like me now, huh?”

Skull grinned. “So uh, can you shoot fire? Is your bite poisonous?”

“Are you volunteering to find out? Besides, it's 'venomous', not 'poisonous'!”

Ignoring the pair's tomfoolery, Tora had already managed to open one of the loot boxes. It burst apart with a loud noise, shooting out its contents like a confetti popped. “Meh meh!?” Poppi, still in her armored Alpha form, grabbed him out of the way. The items pinged off her harmlessly, and fell to the floor. There was a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/7daystodie_gamepedia/images/4/40/CowboyHat.png]cowboy hat[/url], a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/warframe/images/8/83/ModButtonStill4.png]strange device[/url], and a [url=https://www.khwiki.com/images/8/8e/Victory_Line_Keychain_KHBBS.png]golden emblem[/url] that looked as if it could be attached on a keychain. “Huh.” He looked over the device, poking and fiddling, until a holographic [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/warframe/images/1/19/MaglevModU145.png/revision/latest?cb=20171007152925]card popped up giving further details[/url]. Even then it didn't make much sense, so he put it down and went on to the next one.

“Okay, box number two!” Feeding the thing some money made it dispense another three items: a piece of leather with a desert color scheme of white, beige, and brown, a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/starfox/images/4/44/Andrew.jpg]sticker depicting a futuristic monkey[/url], and a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/csdofus/images/9/91/Soft_Oak_Hat.png/revision/latest?cb=20081028105140]soft oak hat[/url]. The third, opened right after with a golden glow, producing an aerosol paint can, a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/roblox/images/4/4d/Glorious_Pharaoh_of_the_Sun.png]striped crown[/url], and a reddish-brown hood with a tassel. Both gave off a magical feeling, the same Tora got from the spy outfit back in Lumbridge. “Ooh, Tora think these ones costume change! It enchanted to fit anyone!” He considered putting it on to prove it, particularly since it looked comfortable, but decided not to. Someone probably needed to beat the desert heat more than he.

After that little event, there came a moment of awkward silence. Nobody else seemed to want to fuse. Joker cleared his throat. “If we're done resting and getting ready, we might as well get going. Necronomicon's scans found a way down to the desert.”

Poppi raised her hand like a schoolgirl. “Before friends go, let's crush all leftover spirits. Could give useful stuff. Maybe even way to carry food and water with us.” Her suggestion met no resistance, and after anyone who still wanted something took their prizes, the heroes not busy racing or otherwise testing out their abilities began stomping around, crushing the sparkling motes underfoot. 

As each was smashed, the resulting light squirted to one side and became a new item of some kind. Tora found it more fun than anything he'd done so far today. “Wheee!” After a few moments, the whole stockpile of spirits had been decimated, and Yellow Team could take inventory. Almost every single one of the fading Trapinch and Vibrava spirits turned out junk, bits of scale, fang, organ or wing that could have meant something to a master craftsman but amounted to little here. The Redead spirit gave a  [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/zelda/images/e/ec/Spooky_Mask_Artwork.png]spooky mask.[/url] From the Arcmine spirit came a [url=https://sphinxandthecursedmummy.fandom.com/wiki/Capture_Beetle]glowing insect[/url], shaped like a bug but certainly not a living thing. [url=https://wow.zamimg.com/uploads/screenshots/normal/556779-spaulders-of-the-bat.jpg]Spaulders of the Bat[/url] resulted from the bat creature, the Herker gave a [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/sunsetoverdrive/images/0/05/Screen_shot_2014-07-17_at_12.42.24_AM.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/1000?cb=20140716224319]soda can[/url], and the last Roader offered up a [url=https://www.ssbwiki.com/images/c/c8/TrophyStand.jpg]trophy stand[/url].

Skull glanced at the can. “Is that a soda?” He picked it up.

Looking over his shoulder -an easy feat now that she was taller than him- Panther read, “Overcharge Delirium XT. Sounds like a gross energy drink. Make sure you read the ingredients first if you're gonna drink that.”

After an opportune sidelong glance Skull shrugged and put it down for anyone who wanted it. “I've got plenty of energy.”

“Alrighty then!” Necronomicon said. The rest of the Thieves suited up. “Follow me, everyone!”

[hr]

For a few minutes the party walked at a brisk pace through dark, sandy corridors. After only a few steps the light and comfort of the oasis seemed miles away. The spacious passages gave the unshakable feeling that they were meant for the transit of something much larger than people, but at least Necronomicon could move unhindered. Her electronic green glow lit the way for the others as she led them on a series of deliberate turns. Only when the party ran into giant rats or spiders, groaning [url=https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/minecraft/images/2/26/HuskNew.png]husks[/url], or [url=https://cdn.donmai.us/original/72/6b/726be5b4133a2079d0643364f15dd79a.png]bandits[/url] did she slow down and hang back, so that her allies could test out their new powers. Panther quickly found out that she commanded not just fire of her own but the ability to unleash ominous words of despair, stopping her enemies in her tracks.

A short while later, the team stood in a square chamber, a hole in the floor in front of them. Sunlight flooded up from the aperture, suggesting that the room hung over an area open to the outside. Necronomic pointed downward with a tentacle. “Through there. My scans indicate a clear shot to the bottom!”

Skull crouched on the edge. “Looks like sand. Not too far down either. But its kind of at an angle.”

“We'd probably slide,” Joker confirmed, without thinking.

A glance flew between Panther and Skull, and they grinning. “Let's goooooooooooo!” they yelled together, leaping down and onto the sand. They started sliding the moment they hit the incline and zoomed away. “Woooooooooo!”

“Wait for Tora!” the Nopon called as he threw himself over the edge, followed by Mona and Joker. Poppi switched to her more mobile QT Pi form and jumped after a moment later.

Tora squealed in delight as he flew down the slide, emerging a moment later into a gigantic sand-lined corridor, one side open to the desert. Then he fell silent.

[center][img]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q2C7UwOuU7o/maxresdefault.jpg[/img][/center]

The sunset shone a jaw-droppingly gorgeous orange-yellow from behind the split mountain, passing over silhouetted ruins of uncommon grandeur, and shining across the sand like molten gold. His eyes remained wide and his mouth open as he passed into and out of the shadows of the monolithic columns, gliding at a comfortable pace, and witnessed the graceful flight of living kites against the peach-colored sky. A short ways behind him he could hear the swish of sand kicked up by the last two Thieves, but they too had no words. For how long this lasted Tora make no guess, but after a short time the path swung to the right, bringing him out into the open air. He cruised down a sloping valley of sand, walls of buildings on either side, the occasional stone bridge above.. For a time the kite-creatures even flew alongside him. Then the path suddenly grew steeper, with Tora picking up speed, until it suddenly bottomed out at the buildings' end and deposited him onto the open desert. He slid to a stop not too far from Skull and Panther, who remained sitting side by side.

Joker, Mona, Poppi, and the rest appeared shortly, with Necronomicon flying in from above. Tora found the experience a tough one to explain, it being a mixture of exhilarating fun and incredible awe. Although not a poetic Nopon, he couldn't help but feel as though seeing that sunset in that moment made a lot of things worth it. A handful of appreciative seconds passed before Joker roused his troop into action. “We've got a long way to go. And we'll make good progress at night with the heat off our backs, following those tracks.” He pointed out a set of traintracks that led extended from the edge of the ruins in the direction of the mountain. “Mona, let's save the car until we're tired.”

“Got it.”

Joker took off at a jog. “Then let's get started.”

[center][h3]Ms Fortune[/h3]
[b]Level 2[/b] Nadia (17/20)
[b]Location:[/b] Limsa Lominscuttle Town – “Bismarck”
Blazermate's [@Archmage MC], Bowser's [@DracoLunaris], Ace Cadet's [@Yankee], Hat Kid's [@Dawnrider], Frog's [@Dark Cloud], Sephiroth's [@Zavazggg]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 1460[/center]

To Nadia's delight a few of her new compatriots from the Bismarck scuffle made their way over to join her at her table: the upbeat Ace Cadet and the man of the hour himself, Link. Naturally Sephiroth went his own way, which Nadia couldn't say she disliked. If he'd been antisocial and murder-happy before, absorbing the spirit of a crazed madwoman probably wouldn't help. Her current company suited her far better. No doubt as eager to leave their fatigue, tension, and hunger behind as she, they placed their orders with the barmaid one after another, with the Monster Hunter in particular placing an nigh-absurd request for one of everything. The sincerity with which he did so convinced Nadia that it wasn't a joke, either. He meant to eat every bite. After he'd greeted her on the way over, and eagerly inquired about the Dead Zone, she had no reason to doubt his evidently forthright nature. “You're kitten me? Jeez, talk about an appetite!” she ribbed. “I'd probably want to die be-fur getting even halfway through that.” She neglected to tell Link that if he expected to get vegetable nutrition from onion rings, he would be disappointed.

That swordsman then took the opportunity to introduce himself, complete with proffered hand. With a bright laugh Nadia clapped her hand into his. “Nahaha, aren't we formal! Don't mention it, my guy. Kidnapping's a nasty business, so I'm glad everyone's safe.” 

He brought the conversation back around to the Dead Zone, reminded her of the Cadet's interest from earlier. Peach, having just heard the terrible news about Linkle, made her way over to join the three at their table. “I'd like to hear it too.”

“Oh, sure!” Nadia nodded, leaning back in her chair again. She exhaled heavily, casting her mind into the past. “Man, that place sucks. The sort of stuff I figure a lot of people would wanna forget, but I don't mind lettin' the cat outta the bag. Let's see...well, I'll start at the beginning. I went there to find the Skull Heart myself, but I got trapped in this police station with a whole buncha other survivors. We couldn't get out, so we had to fend off waves of zombies for days. More people keep tricklin' in until this big group arrives. Nero, Blazermate, V, Banjo and Kazooie, Jak and Daxter, a guy with a crazy hand, all of 'em. They lend a hand, and it turns out there's this giant ghost haunting the place, so after they give it something to eat we're able to escape! Only one problem...” She leaned forward, holding up her claws for effect as her narrative picked up. “Here comes the biggest zombie horde we've ever seen! V used his big demon to blast through the back wall, [i]bwaaaaaaaam[/i], and we make a run for it. We're barely ahead of the horde all the way to this big future-y tower, where this crazy guy in green armor just [i]decimates[/i] the horde. We escaped to Lumbridge.” 

She relaxed again, taking a deep drink of her newly-delivered beer with relish before launching into the second part of the story. So engaged was she in the telling of her tale that she even forsook her habitual puns. “Okay, so me, Nero and V go back. We see this dude with a bag on his back getting chased by a monster snake lady, so we help him out, and the psycho guy in armor shows up to help again. That's when we learn Sam -the delivery man- is gonna be delivering some sort of bomb right to the middle of the Dead Zone and turn the whole place into a crater. We get a move on to take down one of the root bosses, picking up this demon secretary Pandy on the way. After gettin' through this crazy torn-up hell mall we find our target in this courthouse, a giant corpse monster with a crown and tentacles callin' himself the king of Minos. Take him down no problem, then start drivin' south for the last root boss.

After refreshing herself again, she continued. Even if no expert storyteller, she put her all into recounting her experience, to make it that much more engaging for her audience. “A whole like third of the city got wrecked by, like, a lava earthquake, and it's full of demons. Nico makes me a...that's Nero's friend by the way, Nico, she makes me a cool scythe out of the king's spirit. So we're sloggin' through that, we fight some big demons and meet up with this cool guy named Raidou. We also find Nero's uncle Dante, except she's a cool aunt now. Then the armor dude decides he wants to clean out this flesh pit, which was really tough, and I get hurt pretty bad. There's some kind of fight nearby and then we join up with Bowser's group. On the way to the library I asked what they got up to, and before dukin' it out with Dante they were runnin' from another zombie horde, except these ones had gross maggots in them and could use weapons and drive cars. Eventually we reach the library, which of course has these awful spiders in it that pretend to be normal objects, but we reach the catacombs below.”

At this point Nadia's lively demeanor took a serious turn. “Marie was down there. The Skullgirl. We ended up fighting her, but it was brutal. Lots of people got really hurt, and...we lost Raidou. Banjo and Kazooie, Slayer, and Donnie got rattled pretty bad. In the end we managed to beat her, and I held the Skull Heart in my hands. I could have brought my family back right then and there, but...I thought about everything that happened after that. My new friends, my memories, who I am today. Undoing it would have been wrong, and the Skull Heart's whole deal is tempting you into doing the wrong thing.”

Her face twisted into a fierce scowl. “But Linkle...she thought she could beat it. Or maybe that whatever would happen would be worth it, as long as she could do some good. I tried to talk her out of it, but the words just...I couldn't say it right. She became the new Skullgirl and got whisked away. Gone. Just like that.” Sighing, Nadia hung her head, and her anger turned to sorrow. “No idea where she is now. I think she's holding it together, wherever she is. She's a tough cookie. But the Skull Heart is pure corruption. There was nothing we could do. We decided to leave, 'cause of the explosion, but the job's not done.” She looked up again, her features determined. “Not by a long shot.”

Shaking her head, she gave a dry laugh. “That's what I remember, at least! Some stuff might be mixed up, it was pretty stressful. Sorry fellas, I'm really bringin' down the mood here, huh? Things seem like they're goin' purr-etty good over here, nyeah? We ought to relax and enjoy ourselves.” As if on cue, the barmaid appeared with her serving platter and some food for everyone, although this made for just the first of many such trips to bring the Cadet his meal.

Peach stared at the accumulating feast wide-eyed. “Gosh...darn,” she stammered, her emphatic side tempered by her prim and proper one. Having maintained a morose silence both during and after Nadia's story, the sight -and smell- of the smorgasbord jolted her back. “I guess I should get something myself,” she reasoned. “To...keep up my strength.”

Already halfway through a fried fish fillet, Nadia nodded vigorously. “Thish shtuff ain't half bad!” All around, the heroes of the Blue Team got their long-overdue chance to eat and drink their fill, catch up, and exchange dialog. With a wholehearted commitment to her meal, Nadia spoke not another word until she mopped up the last of her catsup with her last fry. “Not what I think of when I hear 'chips',” she admitted. “But good overall! The lemon was a nice touch.” She eyed Link and the Cadet, still at it, while Peach worked her way through a sandwich. “You sure you two don't have parasites or somethin'? You guys must work out like crazy.”

Peach froze mid-bite, her eyebrows raised, so Nadia added a little context. “Back where I'm from, the heavy hitters all have stuff like parasites to give them powers, or living weapons, or something. Almost nobody reaches the big leagues on physical prowess alone. Beowolf's the only one I know of, and his stuff's half kayfabe anyways!” A little woozy from drinking her beer so fast, she leaned on the table with a broad smile, waiting to hear what her new pals had to say.

[center][h3]Limsa Lominscuttle Town - Admiral's Office[/h3]
Kamek's [@DracoLunaris], Geralt's [@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN][/center]

With a few of her commanders in attendance, Merlwyb listened to Geralt's explanation at rapt attention. A clerk wrote everything down as he said it just to be sure, although the Admiral had no need for her records to figure things out. “So that's what we're working with,” she remarked at length. “These orbs contain our enemy's essence. As long as seizing them halts the replenishment of their ranks, we need not concern ourselves with the specifics of how the Abyssals are revived. If the process did not require the spirits, they would not be gathering them. And if we can get new weapons and munitions from them, all the better. That just leaves one matter—how to collect them ourselves.

“We could redirect the submarine division,” [url=https://azurlane.koumakan.jp/w/images/4/40/Enterprise.png]Commander Enterprise[/url] suggested immediately. Clad in crisp black and white, with golden adornment and red lining, she stood out as both austere and conscientious. Although she lacked intensity, the sharp-eyed eagle on her shoulder more than made up for it. “Given that they are some of our most vulnerable units and Abyssals fight well underwater, we would need to deploy them after a battle to collect the spirits.”

“After may be too late, my friend,” reasoned the luxuriantly-dressed [url=https://azurlane.koumakan.jp/w/images/5/57/King_George_V.png]Commander George V[/url]. “You forget, perhaps, that the spirits are pulled away moments after sinking by the sea creatures Mr. Geralt mentioned. It would be reasonable to assume Abyssals guarding the flow as well. By the time we could guarantee the safety of our submarines, pickings could be slim indeed.”

Merlwyb challenged her immediately. “Your criticism is warranted, but did you have an idea of your own, Commander?” With a thin smile George turned her head half away, indicating that she did not.

Looking up from a glass of red wine she'd been working her way through, the elegant fourth commander, [url=https://azurlane.koumakan.jp/w/images/thumb/7/7c/Zara.png/1024px-Zara.png]Zara[/url], offered her own idea. “Speaking of sea creatures, Admiral. We may be able to utilize the city's fishers. If we equip a select few ships for the sort of heavy defense my division prides itself on, and have them run nets through the water, we could sweep up all the spirits.”

“And Abyssals too, to tear them right open! This is war we're talking about, with soldiers and monsters, not catching food, however near to your heart the subject might be!” [url=https://azurlane.koumakan.jp/w/images/thumb/4/4a/Kii.png/1280px-Kii.png]Commander Kii[/url] towered over the rest, all save Merlwyb herself. Although elaborate, her garb complimented her warrior spirit.

Zara gave a smile, more condescending than polite. “Our fisherfolk are no fools, dear Kii. I've learned as much visiting their wharves and markets. The nets are woven such that even the fiercest fish cannot get purchase with their teeth to bite through. While underwater neither bullets nor Abyssals' hands will be able to force the nets apart, and if they use fire torpedos, well...” She took another sip of her wine. “According to Mr. Geralt, the spirits will be destroyed and reduced to items.”

She glanced at Merlwyb and found a look of approval. “Excellent suggestion, Commander. We'll put your armor division at the front of the operation. And Kii.” The Admiral's steely gaze turned on the fox-eared ship. “I'll thank you to leave both pettiness and personal grievances outside my office. Outside your profession, as well, if that could be managed. Dismissed.” As the commanders left she turned to the clerk. “Once everything is compiled, send a copy to Heinrich so she knows everything the moment she lands.” Finally, she faced Geralt and Kamek. “Thank you both for your aid. And your whole team for your efforts. Because of you, tomorrow will begin a new chapter in this war. Hopefully it will be the last. In order to help you reach the Bottomless we'll be launching a full offensive, so I hope you will all be ready to take advantage of it come morning.”

If nothing else remained to be said, the Admiral planned to bid them farewell. She had a busy night ahead of her, and a busier day to follow.

[center][h3]Frozen Highlands – Ice Fields Outside Snowdin[/h3]
[@Gentlemanvaultboy][@darkred][/center]

The Stranger listened for the Skullgirl's response over the cry of the wind, but what she said made him think that she wasn't talking to him. He wore a disgusted look as she then yelled, both at him and whoever she replied to. Everything about the girl stank of futility and desperation, from the empty threats she trained on him to the questions she hurled his way. Sure, she had some power, but nothing that counted in this fight—and seeing it confounded drove her to distraction. But something she said annoyed him in return.

“I don't give a damn about that gods-forsaken star!” he bellowed in a spray of spittle, flexing his fists. “You think I'm just some pawn, little girl? That I'm [i]afraid[/i] there's someone out there who can challenge me? HAH.” His laugh was rueful, scornful, condemning the Skullgirl with every synonym of 'stupid' in the book without saying word. “I've tried everything, EVERYTHING I got my hands on, to feel something, anything! 'Cause that's all I want. To feel alive one more time. And there MUST be someone out there who can make me feel...” He ground his teeth, fists clenched. “But it's not you. So let's. Finish this.”

He lifted one leg and slammed his foot down a short way from the ravine's edge, splitting the earth with another terrific [i]CRACK[/i]. The vertical slice on which he stood tilted forward, carrying the Stranger atop it. His enemy's bombs washed over him, their force insufficient, and he hopped from his transport onto her side.

[center][h3]Dead Zone, 8:02 PM[/h3]

[i]Once, there was an explosion.

A bang that gave rise to life as we know it.[/i][/center]

It was pure, blinding white, and it filled heavens and horizons alike. The villagers of Lumbridge town quaked with fear at the immaculate wall of death to the north, and panic broke out across the vast metropolis that long feared the diseased nightmare to the south. It ruptured the gathering evening of the star-speckled desert sky, and the people of the towers in the seastack city rushed to their balconies and windows to gawk at the bone-chilling spectacle far, fart to the east, blossoming over even the colossal trees of the Dark Forest. Soldiers in the eternal warzone of the Swordlands froze solid despite the heat of their battles. A terrible radiance pierced the snowy clouds and fog of the Frozen Highlands from the southeast, like lightning at midnight. And far to the north the nameless city that loomed on the precipice of everything looked south in wonderment as to what could have happened.

It was simple, all told, and it only lasted a few moments. No indescribable horror, nor inexplicable phenomenon. It was nothing more than a dome, miles wide and very high, of white light, the purest white that had ever been. And it was nothing like what came after.

Above Empty Space, the Lord of Light moved. Its brilliant wings revolved and unfurled, and a wave of kaleidoscopic creation energy flew in the direction of the blast's epicenter. It swarmed around certain has-beens, re-shaping, remaking. In a few moments the work was done, the power spent. Galeem slept on, its effort no more than unmindful tossing and turning in a slumber sufficiently disturbed. When the second light died down, it revealed that the Dead Zone was no more. Redgraccoon City, with all its horror, was no more than a hole in the ground. A gargantuan crater, marked along the bottom by black, five pointed stain as big as the city itself.

But the nightmare was not yet over. From the very center of the stain rose the Qliphoth, nested in its pot of bones as if nothing had ever happened, a lone sentinel standing tall above utter devastation.

And after that came the rains.

[center][i]And then came the next explosion.

An explosion that will be our last.[/i][/center]