[@Aisede]/[@Lewascan2] The moment that artificial sun disappeared, it felt like they had averted the end of the world. The day was saved, they won! Only... That's not the case. All they did was neutralize an Arms Master- Hou Ren's - weapon, and she suspected that it could become a very real problem again if he wasn't dealt with quickly. Would he fall for the same trick twice? Doubtful. Using her binoculars, she quickly spotted the man responsible for so much stress. [color=003471][i]He's... Just a man.[/i][/color] For some reason, she'd been expecting this Sauron-looking manifestation of fire and malice, but no, like all other Arms Masters, he was just a man with a spear. Kaitlyn was having trouble reconciling him with her own image, but ultimately decided it didn't matter what he looked like. He tried to kill her allies, he tried to kill her team, and he tried to kill Hannie. Thinking on this, and failing to hear anyone respond to Noel in regards to coordinates, she relayed the coordinates herself over radar, keeping a watchful eye on events. Noticing the earth start to break open like an egg- [i]can't they get a break?[/i]- she was about to raise the alarm... But it would appear Sophist had them covered. Guess he isn't only good for getting in trouble. "[color=004b80]Miss Lei, can you do anything about shifting landscape?"[/color] She suspected, since she seemed to 'coat the ground' that she may be able to do [i]something[/i]... Hopefully. Maybe they can use that against them? Within the pod, a snake head and neck peeled off of the wall in a small bubbling splatter, and golden eyes almost seemed to narrow contemplatively down at the ground and the mountains to the west. There was a quiet hissing rattle, before the head shook itself lightly. [color=39b54a]"Thisssss sssensssation is... Familiar. If thisss isss who I ssssussspecct, then our powerssss tend to... counter each-other in a way. Regardlessss,"[/color] it chuffed, [color=39b54a]"My sssspeed outsstripsss her, but if ssshe hasss learned from the passst, then ssshe may be able to forcce me to lossse ground. And while I could perhapsss win with attrition... attrition is not time this city -nay, [i]country[/i]- has. If thisss isss truly... Tian Fei, then ssshe isss an even greater threat than Huo Ren..."[/color] There was a dark little sound that might have been a giggle. [color=39b54a]"Ssshe will collapssse thisss entire city into the wavesss out of ssspite if need be to achieve absssolute victory. A true lunatic. Due to the nature of my shadow, her control of the very earth itssself isss not something I can ssso easily counter, and even if the area above my ssshadow isss sssafe... in a manner of ssspeaking, ssshe can undermine the bassse."[/color] To say Kaitlyn was unsettled by the idea of an NA that can level literal mountains was an understatement. "[color=0072bc]What's the range of her Noble Arm? Maybe we can neutralize her before the threat escalates?[/color]" The snake chuckled grimly. [color=39b54a]"They've never measured a limit... not one that could be sssafely tesssted anyway. Ssshe is less of a sssoldier... or even a weapon... and more of a natural disssassster, a monssster in the ssshape of a human that even the Chinessse must take care to keep pointed at anything but themssselvesss."[/color] Golden eyes glimmered with a difficult emotion to define. [color=39b54a]"Not only doesss ssshe attain awarenessss of all massss ssshe controls, ssshe hasss truly commendable precsssisssion in manipulating it on masssive ssscale. And throughout it all, not even her ssstamina ssseemsss to flag from works of absolute annihilation."[/color] The hood of a cobra briefly flared from the snake's neck, before settling down with a low hiss and unnatural narrowing of slitted eyes. [color=39b54a]"The only graccce -if one were to call it that- isss that ssshe takesss time to work up to her maxxximum output. Thisss... isss merely the build-up stage... the gleeful intimidation point of her assssault... and it ssshall not lassst forever."[/color] The snake's eyes glared at Huo Ren. [color=39b54a]"Yesss, he isss mossst cccertaily merely the dissstraction, a threat that cannot be ignored, while the true killing blow isss prepared."[/color] So they're facing off against an enemy even the Chinese don't want to toy with, capable of feats of terrible destruction, and nobody knows what her range is. Kaitlyn frowned. "[color=0072bc]Would she have waited to launch her attack? Or was she simply biding her time?[/color]" Her frown deepened as she thought, diverting her attention away from Hou Ren and looking for anything that may be... Out of place. "[color=0072bc]Does she require physical contact to utilize her powers?[/color]" If she does, then that would mean she's somewhere, here, on the beach. If not... The serpent chuckled. [color=39b54a]"Asss sssomething of a sssadist, [i]patienccce[/i] isss not sssomething ssshe isss prone to outssside necccessssity, but unfortunately for usss, right now appearsss to be one sssuch time. Indeed, ssshe is biding her time for her power to ssspread."[/color] The snake's mouth twisted into the unnatural expression of a smirk at the question. [color=39b54a]"Physical contact? Yesss. Unfortunately..."[/color] The amusement tempered itself. [color=39b54a]"Asss far asss I am aware, [i]'physssical contact'[/i] for her isss defined only asss 'happensss to be on the sssame landmasss'. Ssshould ssshe be of the inclination, ssshe might never be found but for the exissstence of particularly fine ssscrying abilitiesss. Ssshe could very well be finding a good vantage point to conduct her devassstation... or ssshe could jussst asss well remain buried within an earthen hiding hole and indessscriminately dessstroy, sssecure in the knowledge that no alliesss remain to be harmed, sssave for thossse that could sssurvive it."[/color] [color=39b54a]"That isss to sssay, even for me, finding her isss easssier sssaid than done..."[/color] That was... Alarming news. [I][color=0072bc]Shit[/color][/I] Pulling out her radio, she relayed, in summary, what the snake lady had just told her; Hou Ren was a distraction, and Tian was going to annihilate the entire city if somebody didn't dig her up. Hopefully one of her allies has the skills neccesary to find her... "[color=0072bc]Corporal, should we go assist the princess in keeping Hou Ren occupied? Even if he is a distraction, he is a legitimate and immidiate threat. We should give the Arms Masters as much time as they require to put him down.[/color]" [I][color=0072bc]Put him down? Is that really how I think of this? If human life?[/color][/I] She shivered as she realized what this war was doing her... [I][color=0072bc]No, they're the enemy. And besides, we don't have to kill them. We can take them hostage...[/color][/I] Kaitlyn wasn't very confident in that possibility.