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Dana’s smile widened when she saw that her Gladius’s beam had blown a hole clean through the Void’s chest. As she suspected, it wasn’t enough to slay the creature outright but it had certainly wounded it, and that was as good a starting point as any. Indeed, no sooner had Dana snapped off her shot, then Nicole  darted past, instructing her to keep the monster pinned down, while she and Penny engaged it in melee. 
 
[color=Gold]“You got it, Nicole!”[/color] Dana acknowledged, while giving the redhead a cheerful grin and a thumbs up.

Reaching her hand out, she once again conjured five small stars from each of her splayed fingers.

[color=Gold]“Okay little guys!”[/color] she instructed as the stars zipped off to surround the nearby combat. [color=Gold]“Do your stuff!”[/color]

After taking up position, the five glowing luminaries unleashed a torrent of incandescent star bolts. The attacks were fairly low-powered, but they served to restrict the Void’s movement, preventing the creature from escaping, or dodging the attacks of the other Ars Magi. At least, that was what Dana had intended…

As it transpired, the Void was far more durable, and far more [i]maneuverable[/i] than Dana had expected. Contorting and warping its form with inhuman agility, the creature dodged the blows of Astrelle, Penny, and Nicole, before growing a pair of wings and taking to the sky.

[color=Gold][i]It can fly?![/i][/color] Dana thought incredulously. A moment later, she gave a sharp gasp as an even more horrifying event took place. [color=Gold][i]Oh, crap! It’s got Astrelle![/i][/color]

Unfortunately, even worse was to follow. As the creature ascended, viscus globs of Void-flesh rained down from its sinister form. By the time they reached the ground, the dark droplets had morphed into toothy serpents, and Dana couldn’t help but recoil at the sight of the disturbing creatures.

[color=Gold]“Yikes… [i]Those[/i] don’t look friendly…”[/color]

With a quick mental command, she instructed her floating stars to fire upon the dark serpents, blasting any that got close to her or her friends. Any that hadn’t already been smashed into paste by Penny’s rocket hammer, that is.

[color=Gold]“Nice work, Penny!”[/color] Dana called to her roommate. [color=Gold]“I gotta say, you’re really rockin’ that outfit! And that hammer of yours is AWESOME!”[/color] she added as tiny stars seemed to fill her eyes.

Dana’s admiration only grew a moment later, when Penny pointed the hammer in question at the flying Void and, doing her best Thor impression, fired a crackling arc of lightning at the creature. However, while the attack certainly packed a punch, it was a bit lacking where accuracy was concerned. Missing its target by a country mile, the chain lightning struck a nearby lamp post and promptly blasted it to sparking bits.

[color=Gold]“Oh, uh… T-That was still pretty cool, Penny!”[/color] Dana told the bespectacled Ars Magi, in what she hoped was an encouraging tone. [color=Gold]“I’m sure you’ll get better with a little practice!”[/color]

Despite her upbeat demeanor, the energetic Ars Magi was still acutely aware of the seriousness of the situation. Astrelle was very much in danger, and Dana knew that rescuing her needed to be their top priority. Penny had apparently reached the same conclusion, and she inquired if either Dana or Nicole had the ability to fly up and engage the monstrosity on its own level. Before Dana could say anything, the red-haired Ars Magi sprung into action. In an impressive display of graceful acrobatics, she propelled herself into the sky and slashed at the Void with her blade, clearly aiming to slice off the talons restraining Astrelle.

[color=Gold]“All right! Go for it Nicole!”[/color] Dana cheered.

The energetic Ars Magi was so captivated by the display that she almost didn’t notice the Void-serpent as it darted out of a nearby shadow with frightening swiftness and aimed for her throat.

Almost.

Whirling to face it, she drew her Gladius in one quick motion and fired a blinding lance of luminous energy through the length of the vile creature’s body. Immediately, it dissolved into dark smoke, before even that, too, dispersed into nothingness.

[color=Gold]“Penny’s hammer might be a bit more badass, but [i]you’re[/i] pretty cool yourself, little guy!”[/color] Dana told her Gladius, while twirling the weapon around her finger and giving it a bright smile. [color=Gold]“I gotta think up a really sweet soundin’ name for ya…”[/color] she added thoughtfully. [color=Gold]“I just gotta find the right inspiration…”[/color]

Despite her current lack of ideas on that front, Dana was certain that the still-raging battle would provide precisely the insight she was looking for.