[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/houzIW1.png[/img][/center]

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Valkyrie was the first to respond to Ashley’s inquiry, advising that if the Knight of Tomorrow [i]could[/i] help the hostages, she [i]should[/i], the sniper obviously having full confidence in her ability to take down the vampire on her own. [color=MediumSpringGreen][i]I guess when you have an instrument [b]that[/b] powerful, you don’t really [b]need[/b] support,[/i][/color] Ashley reflected. Agent Leroux went on to agree, asking Breacher if she could take care of protecting the second cluster of hostages. It was a good idea, Ashley had to admit. As a veteran agent, the armored woman clearly had experience in dealing with situations like these, and was familiar enough with her fellow agents’ abilities to recognize how they could best be put to use. Although an official leader of their team had yet to be appointed, it was Ashley’s opinion that Agent Leroux would be most suited to taking up that mantel.

But that opinion didn’t last for long…

Behind her glowing green visor, Ashley’s eyes widened as the armored woman taunted the vampire in an [i]incredibly[/i] juvenile manner. This was not at all how she expected veteran G.E.M.I.N.I. agents to behave, especially after witnessing Agent Silhouette’s admirable level of professionalism. Indeed, when the vampire himself remarked on how foolish she was being, Ashley couldn’t help but agree. After all, they had [i]just[/i] run through a tunnel formed by a [i]blood[/i] mage. In light of that, why would you [i]ever[/i] give your enemy even [i]more[/i] potential material to work with, as they sought to end your life?

As if to confirm her fears, the vampire chose that moment to reveal that he was some form of spell caster…

Catching sight of Breacher’s hand signals, Ashley gave the draconic agent a small nod in confirmation. However, no sooner had she done so, then one of the potentially ambush-assisting pieces of furniture blew apart in a shower of wooden fragments, while [i]something[/i] darted out to strike at Wukong. Simultaneously, another assailant leaped over the opposite wardrobe to fall upon Valkyrie, their two-handed blade poised to slice the sniper in twain.

But that was far from the [i]only[/i] unpleasant surprise…

Thanks to already being on such high alert, Ashley felt the imminent arrival of their next mystery opponent half a second before they made their grand entrance.

For all the good it did…

From a concealed portal directly beneath their formation, a monstrous demonic-undead-arachnid-centaur… [i]thing[/i] erupted into their midst, it’s scythed limbs lashing out at everyone around it. Well, everyone [i]except[/i] Ashley. Since she had been standing directly above the creature’s point of emergence, the Knight of Tomorrow had found herself flung into the air. But that didn’t mean she was in any way out of danger. Not wishing to leave her excluded, the nightmarish horror opened its maw to fire several thorny vines at the airborne esper, seeking to impale her on their spiked tips. 

Quickly recovering from her initial shock, Ashley tucked herself into a ball, while placing her shield directly below herself, so as to block the incoming attack. Although she hopefully wouldn’t need to, as a rising hum and a radiant glow gave evidence that she was preparing a melody. After taking careful aim, and waiting a second for the energy particles to coalesce between the prongs of her wand, the Knight of Tomorrow fired a lance of neon green annihilation into the center of the vines, with luck blasting through them and down the horror’s throat. Ashley was also careful to ensure that, if the beam pierced the back of the monster’s head, it would continue down into its body (and then into the floor below), and [i]not[/i] into a fellow agent. They had enough to worry about without adding friendly fire to the mix…

[hr]
[center]18 | Female | GEMINI | Vision of Tomorrow
Implements of Tomorrow | Wand, Shield | Arcane | Tune of Tomorrow
Raiment of Tomorrow | Stride of Tomorrow 
Light of Tomorrow | Light | Power of Tomorrow 
[Reveal (2), Purity (4)], Damage (2), Damage X (6), Shield (4), Reflect (4), Heal (6), Major Heal (18), AoE (2), Powerful (0), Piercing (2)

DAMAGE: C | SPEED: E | SENTINEL: D | 750

[Silver Beam][Piercing][Damage X] = -168 mana

PHYSICAL: E | ARCANE: D | CHAOS: C | 582[/center]