[centre][h1]???[/h1][/centre] With a rustle of papers, some spilling off the tiny desk, the woman hastily trying to catch them, she let out a frustrated sound. [color=ec008c]“Five minutes, five minutes I let them in, and they’ve fucking destroyed the place! Five minutes!” She cursed, flicking the pages, hastily trying to shove them where they belonged, sighing heavily. “Just can’t get good henchmen, honestly.”[/color] The tiny woman bounced from one side of the small desk to the other, her bright pink hair swaying here and there as she did so. Nails painted in a myriad of colours, the dark, small and somewhat cluttered office a contrast to her. [color=ec008c]“Honestly, they’d lose their heads if I wasn’t there to tell them what to do.”[/color] Shaking her head, she settled back in her desk chair. The Magnolia festival was in full swing, and right about now, she was certain that ungodly Phoenix Wing was displaying their show of power- if they really had to flaunt it, it showed how little they actually had. Flash and bang, that was all. And their allies, bah. They weren’t much better, if any! Glorified magicians, nothing more. As the communication Lacrama glowed softly nearby, she let out another frustrated sound, running a hand through her increasingly messy locks. [color=ec008c]“For fuck sak- What do you want, Frankie? I can’t hold your hand every step of the way.”[/color] she said as a white haired man with a rather… blockish appearance came on the lacrima screen. He often had a distance look in his eyes, as if there wasn’t a thought behind those dull, grey eyes of his. Which there often wasn’t, if she was being truly honest. [b]“Amara, you told me ta give ya a heads up when it looked like things were coming ta a close with that there, uh, battle royal thing.”[/b] Shit, she had. She sighed heavily, [color=ec008c]“right, Frankie. Right. Thanks.”[/color] Without another word, she disconnected the call, shoving the lacrima into her bag as she hurriedly dashed out, teleportation lacrima in hand. Fucking things were worth more than a months ability to stea-earn. But in this case, it was worth the cost. The alliance had to get started on a good high, or Frankie, Jeckyel and the other leaders would think she wasn’t good at this. The alliance had to succeed- and she had to work with the other leaders, the other “dark” guilds, so she could keep her plans in motion. Demon summoning, targeting key events, or towns…. She had so much she had to do, and if she had to rely on bumpkins to do it, so be it. One way or another… she’d get what she wanted. She always did. Reaching down to a ring secured onto her belt, she took a golden, stamped with the crest of the maiden. Almost at once, she felt better.[color=ec008c] “Open the Gate of the Maiden Virgo!”[/color] a woman taller than she appeared, wearing a maid uniform that had seen better days, the chains on her wrists heavy, damaged and there appeared to be a small hole in her uniform, blood staining it, where her heart would be. The weary, somewhat broken spirit, looked to Amara, and gave a soft sigh. [color=ed145b]“Yes, mistress?” [/color]The spirit’s, well… spirit, had been broken long before Amara had found her, in the celestial world, with the other spirits. She’d only been able to free Virgo- well, she supposed it wasn’t really freeing when she merely stole the key, and taken it forcibly from the spirit world. Still, the spirit was worth something at least. She could still use magic. And right then, that was all Amara needed her for. [color=ec008c]“To the surface, Virgo. And you know the rest.” [/color] [hr][hr] As the crowd was hyped from the spectacular battle, the ground shook heavily, the canals water crashing onto their banks, buildings swaying drastically as just outside town a massive being appeared from a great opening in the earth, sending cracks spiraling through the nearby land. The monstrous form seemed to take substance from the very earth itself, forming into a creature made of rocks, dirt, stone, and various plant life that seemed to be reeking death and despair. It turned towards the city of Magnolia with barely a thought, coerced to do so by forces unknown. Almost simultaneous, another two formed, summoned into existence near Dragon Fang and (other guild name). All seemed bent on destruction, not caring what ever was in its way. The monstrous beings seemed to move almost in sync, despite the distance between them, as if they were connected in some way or form. [hr][hr] [centre][h1]Gabriel[/h1] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/365663079054180355/808329715001458748/Also_Gabriel.png[/img][/centre] Gabriel sighed heavily, leaning back into the softness of the bed, and closing his eyes. And yet he couldn’t seem to relax, despite his weariness. He couldn’t help the sense of urgency he felt, as if he needed to get back out there… it had been so long, could he still fulfill his word? Every day that passed, it felt like that was getting further and further from possible. [color=fff79a]“What you’re feeling is dread.”[/color] Leo said softly, once more having opened his own gate- Gabriel doubt he could force the spirit to stay away. He didn’t see the point. [color=fff79a]“We may be too late for one of the 12. Someone has opened a gate close by.”[/color] It seemed almost as soon as he said that that the earth began to shake, the books on the shelf crashing to the ground, and Michael’s orange cat went shooting under the bed. Gabriel struggled to his feet, immediately getting to the window. “What the fuck is that?” as Leo joined him at the window. [color=fff79a]“That, Gabe, is a demon.”[/color] It wasn’t a Celestial Spirit, but Gabriel’s eyes roamed as if searching for one. If Leo said there was a gate open… there was a gate open. Sighing, but not necessarily annoyed, Gabriel grabbed the sword nearby, strapping it back on. He had a feeling he might need them, and the keys he double checked were still secure. His fingers lingered over them, accepting the comfort they gave him. [color=39b54a]“Lets go.” [/color] [hr][hr] [centre][img]https://i.imgur.com/5HHjzYi.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/EWZCWDf.png[/img][/centre] Sasha’s gaze went from the battle arena, from her sister and the others, to the form filling the sky. Hope burrowed into her side, and Sasha tried to shield her gaze from the scene unfolding. Almost at once there was the comforting presence of Master Jamie nearby, leaning down to hand a lacramia to Hope. Sasha encouraged her daughter to take the glass object.[color=00aeef] “It will take you home.”[/color] She said softly to her, hugging her tightly to her side, never wanting to let go, but knowing she had to. “I’ll be hom[color=00aeef]e. I promise.”[/color] She shifting, keeping her body in front of Hope’s- and she had to have hope that her daughter didn’t truly see the monstrosity. A demon, she was entirely sure, it wouldn’t be the first one she’d faced. And she doubted it was going to be the last. [color=00aeef]“Into the depths again, huh? Never ends.”[/color]But Sasha nevertheless started to cleave a path through the crowd, She couldn’t fly, but she could damn well make a path through the thousands of screaming watchers. She could hear Master Jamie’s voice echoing above the noise of the crowd. “Calm, and be steady! Make your way out of the stands in a timely manner, do not run! We don’t need people trampled to death! That’s it, keep going!” When Sasha could, when she had the room to do so, she unleashed her Ice Queen Armour, and began to run, foot prints leaving small planes of ice to hurriedly melt in a few seconds. Sasha didn’t particularly notice them, intent on reaching the enemy. [color=00aeef]“Ice Maiden: Daggerfall”[/color] Dagger shaped shards of ice began to belt towards the demon, wanting nothing more than to turn the demon’s attention to her, rather than the crowd.