[center][h2][color=a95c68]Jacqueline Leroux[/color][/h2][/center]
Jacqueline watched blearily, eyes watering, as Arzendale leaped to the side. This time, the powerful note was a boon, however, and she was able to catch the monster where it hurt. Unfortunately, he [i]was[/i] a monster; thus, a ripped arm wasn’t enough to kill him. She gritted her teeth, thinking this’d be even more hellish if they had to fucking disintegrate him or something. 

She didn’t answer Arzendale’s fury laden words – couldn’t answer even if she had had the clarity of mind to think of an appropriate repartee just then. The vampire chanted, and a vile magic pulled at her. Instead of flowing through her veins as it should have, her blood rebelled, and sought various openings to pour out of. She gurgled and coughed as her mouth filled again and again, no matter how many times she discharged the crimson liquid. She hardly had the space to wheeze the occasional short breath in. Her head pounded, her esper-grey complexion turned an even more ghastly colour, and before she knew it, Jacqueline was on the floor. Somehow, she’d retained the grip on her war pick, but her guts were back to oozing out of her belly. She felt awfully faint, and each time her eyes closed, it was for longer and longer periods of time.

[color=a95c68][i]Not…not yet.[/i][/color]

Breath rattling, muscles jelly like, and the whole of her feeling as if she were burning from the inside out, Jacqueline crawled to the right. She was seeking cover, yes, but the moment she realized Arzendale’s spell included both her and the hooded hostages, she’d set for herself the mission to interrupt his spell. Of course, by now Jacqueline didn’t really know for what purpose she was dragging herself towards the spell circle, but the fact that she had to get there was something she clung to fervently.

The most difficult part of it – besides not losing consciousness – was keeping her fingers wrapped around the handle of her Instrument, even as they twitched uncontrollably. Even as was losing finer proprioception, the awareness of the exact position of her palm, the sensation of whether she was holding onto something or not escaping her. That meant that she had to visually check not only where she was going, but also if the damn war pick was still in her hand firmly enough. She also had the distinct feeling that approaching the magical circle weakened her further. 

The periods of her unconsciousness were getting longer and more frequent than the times she was conscious and at least somewhat aware. Jacqueline didn’t realize it, but she was loud; rasping breath, the sounds of wet choking, sniffling, groaning, and even whining in pain. That might have been why the ally who’d been missing for most of this fight discovered her so easily, despite Jacqueline lying in the shadow of the staircase.

She first realized someone was there when she started feeling [i]better[/i]. There was no other way to describe it; energy returned to her (though her spilt blood hadn’t), her entrails were back where they belonged, and the wound on her stomach was closed. That area was still more than sore, and it was clear the damage done to her intestines wasn’t fixed in its entirety. However, she felt much better, and that was all that mattered. She slowly gathered herself into a crouch, gazing up at Orion. [color=a95c68]“Glad you…made it. Thanks,”[/color] her voice was rough, words slurred and faltering, but at least she was able to speak.

She remembered what she’d intended to do – dispel Arzendale’s spell and the magic circle she was now so close to – but, well. If Arzendale was killed, then whatever magic he’d crafted would disappear as well. So, she stood up, and moved closer to the battle. Valkyrie was in position to fire at Arzendale as well – but if either the vampire or the nun saw the intention, they might act to evade or intercept. She didn’t have much time to act, so fired off a simple projectile – it formed faster, but flew slower. She angled it so it would go below Valkyrie’s beam, aimed at Arzendale's torso.
[hr][hr][center]Havoc | Great Axe | Arcane | Pry
Eternal Knight | Perfectly polished 
Forged Arsenal | Earth/Metal | Fissure 
[Quake (2), Mass (2)] Damage X (6), AoE (2), Enhance (2), Powerful (0), Dispel (6), Shield (4)

DAMAGE: B | SPEED: D | SENTINEL: D | 500

[Bronze Projectile][Enhance][Damage X] = - 96 Mana

PHYSICAL: E | ARCANE: C | CHAOS: D | 28[/center]