[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/0QqJd3K.gif[/img]
Level 7: 41/70
Location: Carcass Isle- Kosm's Beach
Word Count: 1512
Points Gained: 6
COLLAB WITH [@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN]
New EXP Balance--- Level 7: 47/70 [/center]

	As the creature screamed and span, Geralt and Sakura battled the creature with all their might. Finally Sakura felt like she was getting a handle on how she was supposed to fight this thing. It was all offense and no defense. The only thing that was required was proper timing. Which was FAR easier said than done. Sakura rolled, hopped, and dove to the side of several swings, but the creature caught up to her as she hesitated, wondering where it would swing from next. The creature screamed towards her, swinging violently. Sakura crossed her arms in front of her. Instantly they were bloodied as with a bright blue burst, she was sent sliding and tumbling backwards from blocking the blow. [color=f49ac2][i]“Guh-a!”[/i][/color] Still, it was much better than if she had been caught mid dodge or especially mid jump. 

	As Sakura rose to her feet, the creature leaped to another location. At that time, Geralt’s horrible two-headed monster healed her by whipping itself. [color=f49ac2]“Um... thank you? I think?”[/color] Sakura said, grimacing. Nonetheless, the cut across her arms restored themselves, and the stinging in her back and inner thigh also lessened. Other than that, she felt fine. But that was the thing with Ki, it was either defending her, or it wasn’t. It was easy for Sakura to feel totally fine until a single light jab hit her like a truck and sent her down. So easy that Sakura had forgotten about it now.

	As Sakura prepared to get back into the fight, the creature leapt up the cliff side to reach Ace and the others. [color=f49ac2]“Watch out!”[/color] 

	And then she realized that she and the others were the ones in immediate danger. [color=f49ac2]“Oh- WATCH OUT!” [/color]

	The loss of Quen's shield in the exchange with the Orphan was unfortunate but ultimately an inevitability in a battle as heated and protracted as this. The worst part, however, was that Geralt knew he'd be stretching himself too thin to re-cast the Sign at this moment, having both summoned the Judicator moments before and blasted the Guardian with Igni during their fight. Being able to do both so quickly was heartening, and he was hardly at the end of his stamina, but he'd need to gather himself a little before putting the necessary energy into Quen. He couldn't half-ass the amount of energy in it like Igni or fluctuate the power flow like with Axii, Quen was an all-or-nothing, front-loaded spell. 

	As the Orphan jumped off and threw its explosion-creating projectiles rearwards at the Seekers, Geralt cursed and ran for it, calling out to the Judicator to attempt to move as well. Thanks to his size, he was able to avoid the brunt of the explosion with long strides, even having the time to scoop Sakura up in one of his massive arms as he ran, covering her from the shockwave with his armored back. The Judicator was less lucky, and while its size and resilience allowed it to survive the explosion, Geralt felt the bodily ache that the transferred damage gave him. In its last moments, the Judicator made up for its failure to avoid damage by flagellating once more, providing a burst of much-welcome healing for Geralt's aches before its time ran out and it vanished.

	As Sakura prepared to run, suddenly she was scooped up by giant Geralt. [color=f49ac2]“Oh!” [/color]She exclaimed, hanging on tight. She passed by Nadia and Bella and gave them a drive-by peace sign. Even with the loss of Delsin, Sakura believed whole-heartedly that Kamek could fix this whole mess. All they had to do was keep fighting.

	[color=f49ac2]“Are you okay, Mister Geralt?”[/color] She asked as she was set down. [color=f49ac2]“You didn’t have to do that. I’m fine, really.” [/color]

	Geralt gave a shrug as he turned around. “Easier for me to take 5 steps than for you to take ten.” He replied, not seeming bothered at having carried a near-full grown woman while at a run.

	Once he realized what the Orphan was doing, Geralt cursed as it climbed the rocks and made a beeline for Ace. Rushing in with his sword drawn, Geralt neared the rocks just as the Orphan leapt in the air, tossing another barrage of placental grenades towards the ground.

	Eyes widening as the blobs of pink flesh flew towards him, he spun his sword and held it to the side, free hand coming up to draw the Sign of Quen in the air. Between the moment of pause he had and the Judicator's healing, he had to have enough in him to pull it off. Anything less would result in quite the unpleasant scenario. 

	Holding the Sign in its Active form as the sand and flesh exploded around him and battered his shield, Geralt grit his teeth and pushed a little more power into the magic of the Sign. While it rendered him completely and utterly unable to act against their enemy, it also prevented what Geralt could only assume would be quite a bit of damage. 

	The last of the explosions shattered the shield, and Geralt dropped the flow of power to the shield, sand and putrid flesh falling onto him from the remnants of the bombs. The Witcher, perhaps for the first time that the others had seen, was well and truly winded, hands falling to his knees as he drew in large breaths.


	As Sakura looked up on the cliff side where the others were doing battle, it took Sakura a moment to realize what the creature was thinking of doing. To be honest, seeing the Orphan hesitate and strategize was very unexpected. “Guess it’s not such a baby after all.” Sakura said flatly as the thing exploded the entire cliff just to send the boulders their way. 

	And then, the rocks barely twenty feet ahead of him exploded, launching shrapnel and chunks of stone through the air at an...oddly sedate pace. Not slow enough that they wouldn't do any harm, especially not at the size of rock that was blasted free, but Geralt had time to rise to his full height and bat aside a smaller (in comparison to him, at only about a foot in diameter) rock with his blade, though it took a noticeable effort to do so. As a more voluminous barrage descended upon Geralt, he forced himself to the side, only being clipped by a single rock, which spun him a bit but left no more than an aching bruise through his size and armor. 

	Once again Geralt moved to intercept, but Sakura wasn’t helpless! Geralt looked winded from all his spell slinging, anyway. Sakura figured it was her time to step up. Defiantly, she slid between his lengthened legs and gathered up blue energy between her hands. [color=f49ac2][i]”HADOken!”[/i][/color] She shouted. The fireball was slow moving and wide, as tall as Sakura was and angled slightly upward. It burst every time a rock hit it, knocking the other shrapnel aside. As the fireball exploded for a final time, it cleared the air of the first wave of flying debris. Only more (slightly slow moving?) rocks came her way, and Sakura once again brought up her trusty defenses. She swatted and blocked them, the rocks bouncing or breaking against her with dull thuds. 

	Seeing the giant fireball moving upwards and batting aside some of the rocks that had come close to hitting him as he dodged, Geralt hummed appreciatively. The help was much appreciated, and as the larger rocks from the explosion arrived, the pair managed to knock the worst aside with blade, fist, and claw, Sakura managing to break a few more while Geralt allowed the smaller rocks to impact against his armor to little effect, his focus fully on the ones that would deal serious damage.

	As the wave of stone ended, Geralt turned towards the Orphan to see it landing on the ground after its attacks, and he used the opportunity to grab a Grapeshot bomb from his pouch and toss it at the Guardian before drawing his blade and nodding at Sakura. “Let’s keep it busy, then?” Rika’s whale summon wouldn’t manage to do much if it got destroyed before it was even able to reach Galeem’s chosen, so they’d have to do something about that. Junior’s minions had numbers, but quality and quantity wouldn’t hurt at all.

	Sakura nodded, looking quite pleased with herself through all the adrenaline. Sadly her burst of power flickered out. Even with her powerful glow coming to an end, she pumped both her fists. [color=f49ac2] “Let’s go!”[/color] She sprinted forward, wanting to engage the Orphan as soon as possible. She went to the left of the Orphan. Jumping over one of it’s swipes, she blasted a one handed fireball into the back of its head in mid-air, before landing and moving in for more close ranged offense. 

	Geralt took the right as Sakura went left, blade flashing and swiping to distract the thing and keep its attention more than harm it, though the two could quite easily go hand in hand if Sakura gave an opportunity with her more rapid fighting style.