[center][h3]Sector 04, Veles[/h3]
Level 6 Goldlewis (102/60) Level 4 Sandalphon (67/40)
Karin’s [@Zoey Boey], Blazermate, Roland, and Susie’s [@Archmage MC], Geralt and Zenkichi’s [@Multi_Media_Man]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 3042[/center]

The moment Sandalphon officially dispersed the signal to retreat, Goldlewis got moving. After the beating he and the others had given Jena Apotheosis, he hadn’t the shadow of a doubt in his mind that Rufus Shinra could bring the madwoman’s sad story to an end, especially with the staggering firepower of that absurd helicopter in his corner. He hadn’t had the displeasure of getting to know the president’s son personally, but his reputation for ruthlessness preceded him, and at times outstripped even his father’s. This wasn’t someone who would hesitate to pull the trigger. No, as far as Goldlewis was concerned, the real problem -and the reason why the huge old veteran got moving like a man thirty years younger- would be if the reinforcements brought by Consul Y dispatched the fallen angel too quickly, allowing him to turn Alpha’s artillery toward the small fry that he’d certainly neither forgiven nor forgotten.

Still, that was marginally better than one other definite possibility: that the moment the chimeric monster died, every chunk of rubble and piece of building suspended in the pink-tinted night sky would come crashing down onto the chaos-stricken streets of Veles far, far below.

With the corrupted voice of Jena Apotheosis at his back, its furious and agonized cries resounding across all of Veles, Goldlewis made good time. To reach what remained of the Neuron helipad, he and the others needed to make their way down through the sprawling array of platforms suspended midair, each irregular in shape and moving -or spinning- at different rates. For Blazermate and Susie, blessed with the power of flight, this was only marginally easier, since for them the airborne chunks that worked as footholds for the others instead became flying obstacles that could blindside them if they weren’t careful. When Roland slipped up thanks to some stray munitions, Blazermate swerved to catch him, taking his life into her hands without a word of thanks. Sandalphon couldn’t fly without shapeshifting into Heavenly Wings, and while she could drift down at a leisurely pace thanks to Heavensent, time was a luxury she didn’t have. Instead she performed a delicate dance between freefalling for speed and gliding for safety and control, her supercomputer of a mind calculating the speed and trajectory of each hunk of debris on a potential collision course with her. Even Karin could expedite her descent with her grappling hook.

For Goldlewis, Geralt, and Zenkichi though, this descent was fraught with danger. One misstep could mean a fatal fall, and there was no guarantee Blazermate could save anyone else. One momentary lapse in awareness could result in an impact with a slab of concrete or a rogue girder. Then there was the ongoing battle, not just between Alpha and Apotheosis, but between the protolegions and other factions swept up in the mayhem as they continued to fight and kill one another. Combatants clashed, leaping between and falling from the platforms, while bullets and energy bolts whizzed through the air, paling in comparison to the munitions pumped out by the Shinra helicopter. The sky itself had become a warzone, and the Seekers were caught in the crossfire.

Goldlewis had just two things going for him: his double jump, which allowed him to change his double jump once per airtime, and his airdash, which halted all vertical momentum as he gathered himself on and then sprang off an orange glyph. That kept him going since it allowed him to fall much further than he should normally be able to, but it did not stop the chaos unfolding around him. At one point a protolegion leaped at him mid-jump, trying to swat him out of the sky with its huge cleaver of hardened chimeric flesh. He brought his coffin around to block the heavy slash, and the protolegion’s blade clanged against the coffin’s reinforced surface. Then the lid lifted off and a half-dozen bright blue arms extended to seize the monster for an airthrow, lifting it up and then casting it straight down to fall to its eventual death. Even then, an airdash barely brought Goldlewis close enough to his target to grab hold with one hand. Hauling himself up after that near-disaster was a herculean feat, and the veteran thanked his lucky stars that it wasn’t much farther to the helipad. He bulldozed his way past a gauntlet of angry Reunion fighters, breaking through their surprising strength with Wild Assault. Then he took one final jump, plummeted downward, then saved himself at the last second with an airdash that brought him within a stone’s throw of the chopper.

At the same time, Sandalphon ran into some trouble of her own. As she closed in on her destination, a stray shot from the rifle of a Veles guardsman raked across her midsection, the yellow ray grazing her ribs. “Ah.” She did not cry out, nor even wince, but the shock and pain of the surprise shot broke her concentration and sent her into freefall. Her coat and hair whipped in the wind as she tumbled out of control. By this point the floating field of debris had thinned out enough that she was lucky enough to not hit anything, but that altitude was a double-edged sword. Before she could right herself, she fell past the Neuron helipad, overshooting her destination. “Sandalphon!” Goldlewis ran to the edge, sliding to a stop and kneeling at the precipice to watch the archangel fall, only for her to disappear in an electronic blue flash. A similar burst of divine light went off behind him, and he turned to see Sandalphon stumble and almost collapse as she landed on the surface of the helipad, one hand clutching her ribs.

Though she wore a blank expression, her ruffled appearance, heavy breathing, and exclamation point-shaped eyes told Goldlewis everything he needed to know. “...That was less efficient than I hoped.”

Goldlewis gave a heavy sigh and went to help her toward the chopper. “Hey, at least you made good time,” he joked, holding up his wristwatch. “Let’s getcha outta here, partner.”

“You guys should probably hurry,” Giovanna called from the helicopter, her nonchalant manner at total odds with the situation. With the arrival of Zenkichi and Geralt, everyone had made it. Their ride was already good to go, which wasn’t immediately obvious since rather than rotors that roared and buffeted bystanders with wind, the [url=https://i.imgur.com/HErLnz0.png]police chopper[/url] featured a ring-shaped structure with a glowing light blue strip inside that churned the air like the teeth of a chainsaw as it span. Goldlewis and Sandalphon had to stoop to climb inside, where they found Penance waiting for them. Though no stranger to austerity, the Judge’s face looked even more severe than usual, and Giovanna could guess the reason. She felt bad, but she didn’t know what to say. At least what happened hadn’t been her fault. Then again, from what she’d seen of Roland so far, she didn’t expect any sympathies or regrets from him, if he even had any to give. They were both triggers, cold metal meant for nothing more than the execution of whatever will governed them. It was actually Sandalphon who stepped up–as instigator, the unfeeling archangel felt compelled to say something. To take responsibility.

“I’m sorry about Vigil,” she told the Judge. “The Consuls’ powers are truly fearsome. None of us were given a choice. Had I known, I would have freed you both once we joined forces.”

Penance remained stony-faced, but something like gratitude could be seen in the look she gave Sandalphon. “Vigil always believed that his number would come up sooner or later. He’s been ready for a long time. Still, even if it had to happen…” She looked down at her hands. In them she held a [url=https://i.imgur.com/OhgJEv1.png]manilla folder[/url], containing a number of handwritten documents on the construction of one Nuova Volsinii, as well as traditional Siracusan recipes. Then she reached up her hand and wiped her eye. “I would have wished that he didn’t die for nothing.”

A sudden flare of light flooded in through the glass of the chopper’s cockpit. The Seekers looked up to see Jena Apotheosis far above them, its second hand now demolished and its body riddled with cracks. The whole anomaly was wavering, the countless tons of airborne rubble poised to fall back to earth. “It’s time to go,” Goldlewis barked, pushing his way into the cockpit.

“You can fly, right old-timer?” Giovanna asked, crossing her arms as she followed him.

He took a seat and put on a headset, flicking a series of switches. “I didn’t spend all those years in the army for nothin’, Gi. This whirlibird’s a little techy for my tastes…” Not even bothering to try and hitch the flight harness, he pulled up on the tiller, and the helicopter began to rise. “But I reckon it ain’t anythin’ I can’t handle.”

Everyone braced themselves as the vehicle lifted off and began to pick up speed. Those in the back, either seated or standing and holding on for dear life, could watch the final notes of the battle with Jena Apotheosis playing out high in the sky. With the last of its power, the fallen angel unleashed a purple lightning storm, striking Alpha repeatedly. As it backpedaled away, a blue flash brought their attention to a tiny, distant figure, leaping off a floating slab. It was Hayato, and with his Sword Legion at his side, he hurtled toward Apotheosis through the storm. He flew in, inverting his x-baton in both hands, and both plunged their weapons into the captive’s neck. A final howl issued through the sky.

Then Alpha unleashed a barrage of eight missiles, and the fallen angel disappeared in a gigantic explosion.

The shockwave was enough to rattle the windows of Veles and shake the Seekers’ chopper in a fit of turbulence. “Hmph,” Goldlewis grunted, tightening his grip on the tiller as he worked to keep the vehicle under control. He risked a glance up at the Shinra helicopter for the briefest of moments, noting its massive searchlights. “That ain’t good. How’re we gonna shake it?”

“Fly low and between the buildings,” Sandalphon advised. “Use its size against it. They cannot risk shooting in the city if they don’t get a shot.”

“Roger. Sector 07, here we come.” Following her advice, Goldlewis hooked a right and piloted the chopper through a towering [url=https://i.imgur.com/n0Vv4Va.png]canyon of skyscrapers[/url], flying beneath a technological archway plastered with corporate logos. Nearly clipping an unlit jetty that extended out into the air, he flew through the light of [url=https://i.imgur.com/jPPptll.png]Biochoice Pharma[/url], then past the opulent buddha of the [url=https://i.imgur.com/wTfe8Mv.png]Golden Sotori[/url]. For anyone who looked back, however, Alpha was in pursuit, gaining on its prey as it flew high above the cityscape. “Dammit.” When Goldlewis spotted a [url=https://i.imgur.com/bu33phn.png]skyscraper block[/url] with a series of gigantic holes in it, he steered the helicopter inside, finally going where Shinra’s flying fortress couldn’t follow. The Seekers did not see their pursuer again, even as they left Veles behind, flew out of Midgar, and began to weave around its perimeter on the way back to Sector 07.

[hr]

First the dark, angry clouds over Veles had been turned a violent pink by the advent of Jena Apotheosis. Then, when that giant helicopter sounded the monster’s death knell, the clouds lit up a fiery orange. Only now, as the ashes, embers, and wreckage scattered across the high-tech metropolis, did the darkness finally reclaim the skies over Sector 04.

Faust watched it all from the penthouse balcony across from Neuron Headquarters, where he’d ended up. The transformation of Reunion’s once-noble leader, her desperation-induced resignation to permanent monstrosity, and the climactic battle against what they had become. Although it was Shinra, and by extension Consul Y, who got the last laugh, those damnable Seekers had put in a lot of work. The choice to get them involved, Faust realized, was probably Jena’s most desperate of all. He knew his intervention in the fight could have single-handedly turned the tide in Jena’s favor, undoing every wound that the interlopers -and even Shinra- managed to inflict, but by that point he truly did not care any more. He’d respected, even believed in, Jena’s conviction to tear down Midgar’s corrupt and hopeless system, hoping and praying that life would truly get better for the poor and downtrodden, especially the infected. But what good was a better future if you weren’t around to see it? Thanks to her, the Seekers, and most of all the Consul, Mephisto would never get that chance. The one person who mattered more to him than anyone in the world, erased, without even ashes to mark that he’d ever been at all.

“Damn them,” the white-haired boy whispered, his throat hoarse and his cheeks wet with tears. “Damn them all…”

“Whew, what a lightshow, eh?” Faust turned, incensed, to glare at the turquoise demon leaning against the wall behind him. Only half-dressed in his organization’s iconic cherry-red armor, with his black cape knotted around his waist like a flannel shirt, Consul C held his arms behind his mop of messy gray hair as he smirked at the despairing healer. “Y’know, I should’ve brought a camera or something. First the debate last night, now this? If this whole antagonist shtick ever went bust, I bet I’d have a promising career in television.”

Faust grit his teeth, furious in his powerlessness. After a couple moments, he swallowed his emotions. “Why did you save me? There’s no point in this world for me anymore.”

C snapped and gave the boy a finger-gun. “Right? When you’ve lost everything, who cares about this stupid old world? Not me; I’m just here for the drama.” He slowly bared his teeth in a big, white grin. “Speaking of which. What if I were to tell you that this isn’t the end?”

Faust blinked, baffled. “What…are you talking about?”

“Oh, just some good old-fashioned deus ex machina,” C told him, adjusting his orange X-shaped glasses. Holding up his hands, he made his index fingers and thumbs into two Ls, then used them to outline the Shinra Building in the distance. “The stage has been set. All the players are in position. Well, almost all. Tomorrow morning I’m planning to throw some special someones a little party, and it just isn’t a party without a healer.”

“A healer?” Faust furrowed his brow in angry disbelief. “You want me to [i]help[/i] you?”

C shrugged. “Au contraire. I want to help [i]you[/i]…help yourself. Not to mention a couple friends. You’re not the only one who’s gone and lost everything, after all. The only difference is, they realized how to solve that little dilemma. That sometimes, the only way forward…”

The gunslinger could tell at a glance that he’d hooked the fish. That Faust was hanging on every word, on the slimmest possibility that he could somehow regain everything he’d lost, despite how impossible that seemed. After all, he had nothing left to lose.

“...Is back.”

[center][h3]Sector 07 - SOU Headquarters[/h3]
Midna, Sakura, Pit, Karin, Blazermate, Roland, and Susie, Geralt and Zenkichi, Goldlewis, Giovanna, Sandalphon, Penance, and Luka[/center]

The Neuron helicopter full of Seekers got in late. By now, the analog wall clocks and digital desk clocks read quarter past ten, and a cloudy night had settled over Midgar like a heavy, downy comforter. Even the Extinction Belt had seemingly retreated to its typical heights, its oily, alien tinge and ominous scarlet aurora gone at last. Here in the sleepy neighborhoods and quiet business parks of Sector 07, the merciful peace was a welcome change of pace. For now at least, the Other deluge had dried up, the machines lay dormant out in the Valley of Ruin, the cascade in Quarantine Valley had been contained, and the giant monsters that assailed Midgar were nothing but memories, even if the scars remained.

Of course, the atmosphere here wasn’t nearly as nice as Split Mountain. The combination of nice temperature, crystal clear air, high altitude, celestial backdrop, sensation of freedom, and comfortable distance had been a heady, almost inebriating mixture. Like a strong drink, it lifted a great weight from the shoulders of the Suoh team that went there, leaving a pleasant, soothing buzz in its place. If only they could stay there forever. All too soon they had to return, and the weight of a cruel world came crashing back down on them, heavier than before.

Pit, Sakura, Midna, and Luka had been back for a while, refreshed by their visit to the mountain as they wound down and prepared for a good night’s sleep, waiting to hear from the others. Luka and Sakura got Brain Messages from the others with good news. After they made it to a Sumeragi family hideout safely, Lili and Raz had joined them as well, having found a couple fresh clues in the Otherlobe. They received a [url=https://i.imgur.com/8dP75DB.png]photo[/url] of the compact but fully-featured retreat, which showed them its living room, kitchen, and miniature gym that converted to and from a a dormitory thanks to fold-down cots in the walls. They could see Roxas and Raz tired but in one piece, and relate that fact to the others. 

Those who, like Luka, chose to wait rather than sleep found their patience rewarded eventually when a helicopter finally touched down on the office building helipad. It wasn’t the cargobob that originally carried the Seekers to Midgar (or the Quarantine Valley team to Veles, for that matter), but it brought good tidings anyway. Sandalphon stepped out into the night air, straightening her back and stretching her legs for the first time in a while. Her neon green eyes scanned the Sector 07 cityscape for any sign of danger, but it looked like the Seekers were in the clear. “Good evening,” she told the welcome committee, nodding her head. Her unblinking gaze landed on Luka, separated from him by a height difference of over three feet. “We met very briefly while fleeing Vandelay Campus,” she recalled.

“That’s right,” Luka replied with a soft smile. “We were in a hurry, so I probably didn’t introduce myself. Luka Travers, at your service.”

The archangel nodded as she knelt down, her pupils turning into handshake symbols. “Sandalphon, at yours.”

In the Neuron chopper’s cockpit, Goldlewis took off his headset and heaved an enormous sigh. He hadn’t allowed himself to relax during the flight over, but now that the very last of his adrenaline had drained away and he could breathe easy, he could realize just how totally exhausted he was. “Lord almighty, I’m just about dead on my feet.” It took a lot of effort to rise from the pilot’s seat, but he managed to convince his weary bones somehow, then stagger out of the chopper and back onto solid ground. By now, everyone else had already exited onto the platform, so Goldlewis got the chance to see just about everyone together. He narrowed his eyes as he took a head count, giving Luka a questioning look. “We’re missin’ a couple boys. Where’d Raz and Roxas go?”

“A hideout in Suoh,” he answered promptly. “I’m afraid I can’t send you the photographic proof, since it’s in our heads and all, but they’re safe and sound.”

Goldlewis nodded, relieved. “Good deal.” Though happy to witness this, the sight of so many campaigners together came with a dose of melancholy too, as it reminded him of those who weren’t here. Benedict, Partitio, Raiden, Tora, Poppi, and now Vigil…whether split off or laid to rest, the Seekers hadn’t gotten through these past few days unscathed. Still, considering what they were up against, they’d done well. Better than too many of the veteran’s previous troops.

He didn’t notice Giovanna approaching until she clapped him on the shoulder. “Gettin’ sentimental, old man?”

Snorting, Goldlewis brushed her off good-naturedly, then trundled into the building. “Just tired, Gi. Dunno ‘bout y’all, but I’m fixin’ to head home.” An unfortunate realization brought another sigh to his lips. “Ugh…wish I could drive, but my damn truck’s way over yonder in Sector 06. Guess I’ll be moseyin’ home on foot.”

Next, Giovanna turned to Penance, her smile fading away. After disembarking, Penance had quietly walked to the edge of the helipad and stopped there, staring out across the peaceful streets and boroughs. “...Lavinia. You okay?”

The frown on Penance’s face did not waver. “Thank you all for bringing me this far. And for opening my eyes. There’s so much I remember…” She allowed her tired eyes to slide closed, so she could feel the gentle wind in her ears and tail. “And so much I now regret. I need a step away from it all.”

Goldlewis nodded, understanding completely. “Well, there oughta be some inns ‘round here, so take all the time you want. And if you need anythin’, just holler.” Penance did not reply, instead just standing there a while longer. Her dull brown hair flowed in the breeze, and her golden thorns gleamed in the glow of streetlights.

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbkavzQ6d24&ab_channel=%E4%B8%B9%E4%B8%B9[/youtube][/center]

Once inside the office, Sandalphon set her sights on the big meeting table everyone used the first day. “If you don’t mind, I would like to make some calls. I’ve been receiving news, reports, and updates this whole time, but put them off during the mission. I now have quite the backlog.”

Gio waved her hand. “Sure, go nuts. Want a coffee or something?”

“I would be very grateful. Maximum strength please, and as much sugar as possible. If anyone needs me, please reach out. I am skilled at multithreading.” Amused by the unusual request, Gio went off to make Sandalphon’s wish a reality. Once the archangel gracefully seated herself, she conjured a whole array of different screens around her, loaded with mail, message systems, information readouts, video files, and more. She reached up and took both corded microphones from her halo at once, allowing both to dangle by her head as she typed, tapped, scrolled, watched, read, and replied, in many cases processing two or more conversations or topics at once. Throughout it all her expression never changed, her eyes never blinked, and her work never ceased.

Goldlewis shook his head. When was that poor woman going to get a break? He loosened his tie, then took off his suit jacket and flung it over the shoulder. “Night, y’all,” he said, heading for the hallway elevator.

[center][h3]Mercy Dreams - Solitary Confinement[/h3]
Level 13 Ms Fortune (24/130)
The Koopa Troop’s [@DracoLunaris], Primrose and Therion’s [@Yankee], Sectonia’s [@Archmage MC], Ganondorf’s [@Double], Jesse’s [@Zoey Boey], Artorias and Osvalds’ [@Dark Cloud]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 2015[/center]

Even as someone who typically refused to acknowledge her problems, Nadia had to admit, that was too close. As for how close, she really didn't want to think about it too much. The incredible regenerative abilities of the Life Gem were valuable beyond measure, a dyed-in-the-wool gimmick that most of her opponents couldn't possibly overcome before her unrelenting offensive pressure tore them down, but her run-in with those illuminators really went to show that no strategy was without counterplay. The power to block healing…now [i][/i], more than a secret room full of corpses or a raging tiger, was scary.

At least now that the curse was gone, Nadia could heal back up with the Ripened Heart, leaving her none the worse for wear. She gave a sigh of relief, gave a very worried Chucho a big squeeze, and got moving, eager to make herself scarce before any more illuminators came along. For the second time the girl and her dog approached the openness of the prison’s central space, from which they heard the grating metal sound of moving chains. They arrived in time to see Primrose and Therion swing open the door of a large hanging cage one floor below and step out onto the fifth layer’s stone walkway, elevated above a pool of acid. Jesse and Ganondorf were there already, which meant a party of four set to face off against the hulking, abominable Jailers that guarded that layer’s cells.

“Yeesh, they're gonna fight [i]there[/i]?” Nadia winced. With enemies that big and strong, battling in such a small space was going to be very dangerous. Even the floating FBC director would have to come down eventually. “They're gonna have to be acid-duous about not falling in.” Chucho gave her a confused look, like he didn't get the pun. Or like he didn't expect his owner to have such a loquacious vocabulary. “What? I know big words. I'm smart~”

Sectonia had worked her way down towards Nadia and the others, following their trail of carnage only to find that while some of her group was here, Ganondorf was below, duking it out with some of the jail creatures over a pit of acid. [color=92278f]”I doubt that acid will hurt the so-called ‘king of evil’, he's pretty sour himself.”[/color] Sectonia said, giving her own pun to the situation, more relieved that this wasn’t another mirror trick or something.

When the Sectonia showed up, Nadia gave her a curious look, and not just because that wasn't remotely a pun. From this close she could see the big bug’s fusion changes a lot better, but it also looked like she’d been blasted by some sort of magic. “Hey, Toni. Whatcha been up to?”

[color=92278f]”Getting stuck in a mirror…”[/color] Sectonia said with a bit of annoyance. She was still sore after taking a chaos bolt to the abdomen. [color=92278f]”I suppose you’ve been faring better in that regard, seeing how cleared my path was..”[/color] Sectonia said, commenting on the mostly clear path she took to get here.


That made Nadia snicker. “We-he-hell, I wouldn't say that…stuck in a mirror, you said? I guess you got ‘imprismed’ then, right?” She giggled. Sectonia could only roll her eyes at that one.

Keeping up with the knight had been somewhat of a fruitful endeavor for Osvald, luckily their descent met with no obstacles that neither man couldn't handle, thanks to those that cleared the way for them. “[color=A5988A]More of these friends of yours I presume?[/color]” the knight responded by grunting, of course the question was rather self-explanatory, so the scholar simply nodded making his way behind Artorias. 

Focused on putting one foot in front of the other, the knight barely had time to utter a word to the scholars question anyway, their encounter with the wraith Raziel stewed in the forefront of his mind. 

Leaving him with an empty flask of Estus, the fight had given the Wolf Knight reason enough to be wary of further encounters. Artorias was almost relieved to see Nadia, [i]almost[/i].

“[color=376977]Salutations..[/color]” raising a hand in greeting, Artorias glanced next to him where the scholar stood adding quickly “[color=376877]Worry not, these are allies.[/color]” beside him the scholar gave the knight a sideways glance.

“[color=A5988A]Interesting.[/color]” was all Osvald said, his tone of voice sounding already bored. To him the feral looked no different from that of the tribals off to the far south of Solistra though her choice of clothes seemed quite exotic to the likes of Osvald. As for the other he would certainly be interested in examining, to Osvald the Queen looked no less like that of the other monsters that inhabited the land he came from.

Nadia glanced at him with her visible eyebrow raised. “...’Interesting’? Such a gentleman.” From what Artorias said, it seemed like this unfamiliar face might be a new ally, though he looked just as bedraggled and unhinged as the tiger woman. Dirty, disheveled, malnourished. A prisoner here too, probably. He'd suffered plenty and probably didn't need any lip from her. Rummaging in her pouches, she adopted a more concerned tone of voice. “You look beat to hell. Want some lemonade? It'll perk you right up.” She produced the refilled pitcher and offered it to Osvald to drink.

Osvald eyed the pitcher as a flash of recognition washed over his gruff face. Lemonade wasn't easy to come by, the cost to acquire the resources was exponential. Only people of higher status usually had such things, he never had drunk it himself before but always imagined his daughter would have enjoyed it had he…

The scholar nodded and dashed away his thoughts, something else in his expression though obscured behind a shaggy mane of hair betrayed indignation “[color=A5988A]Hmph, thanks.[/color]” his throat was quite parched, and his stomach ached sharply as if now the time he spent locked away had finally caught up to him.

“[color=A5988A]Hm, that is quite delicious.[/color]” he didn't waste time with manners, knocking back a mouthful of the sweet beverage “[color=A5988A]I am Osvald,[/color]” after wiping his face with the cuff of his sleeve he introduced himself “[color=A5988A]And I assume that you are one of these ‘Seekers’, what are you seeking exactly?[/color]”

Nadia was glad to see the mood of her new acquaintance lifted a little. His question pleased her a little less; she still didn't want to handle orientation, so she settled on the current objective. “Right now, it's these little mask pieces that big, bad bosses tend to keep hold of. So if you're any good at fighting, we can use a hand.” More help meant less work for her, after all.

Osvald furrowed his brow, though he was given something of a non-answer Nadia’s words arose plenty more questions. But the scholar sighed looking mildly annoyed, Osvald shrugged his shoulders “[color=A5988A]Hm, my magic should be of some use.[/color]” 

[color=92278f]”Perhaps we can see what it does. Although when the opportunity arises, you need to be made presentable.”[/color] Sectonia said to the newcomer. 

The brawl above the acid pit had gotten started by that point, every bit as furious and perilous as Nadia expected. Still, despite the risky arena and the brutal might of the Jailers, she felt pretty confident that the others would prevail. Ganondorf was no slouch in the size or strength departments himself, Jesse could stay out of reach while perforating the monstrosities’ weak points from afar, and the Travelers had plenty of tricks up their sleeves, magical or otherwise. While happy to keep her distance and not add to the chaos, Nadia also didn't want any more illuminators sneaking up on her, so she decided to move in. She ran over toward the suspended cage that most of the others used to descend, then jumped and grabbed it in order to slide down to the fifth layer. The moment she set foot atop the cage, she leaped and airdashed over the acid from one suspended hook to another until she reached one of the layer’s alcoves, her snow-white hair streaming behind her. Acid might be a fluid, sure, but she wasn't about to try skating across its surface; that was a little too careless even for her. Once she reached the alcove she hunkered down to take a breather and watch the battle unfold, her hand never far from the grip of her bait launcher in case she needed to intervene.

As expected, though, the killer quartet had this fight in the bag. Things seemed iffy at first as the Seekers contended with both the burly abominations and the narrow confines of their hazardous surroundings, and the Jailers turned out to have volatile corpses in their corner too, but in the end there was only so much the dumb brutes could do. They were too straightforward to overpower their attackers before the heroes turned the tide with sharp wits and versatile toolkits. Case on point, both Jesse and Primrose flying up to go straight for the ‘heart’ with precise ranged attacks. Once it became clear that the Jailers were done for, Nadia stood up in her alcove, ready to make her move.

By the time the killing blow was struck, she was already in motion. She made a running jump and scared out over the acid pool, then grabbed a chain and used it to swing onto the central platform. As the second Jailer fell, a golden key adorned with a suitably macabre skull shape fell from its dissolving flesh. Ever the opportunist, Nadia darted in and snatched it before it even hit the ground.

“Nice going, fellas,” she grinned, one hand on her hip as she spun the key on one finger. Everyone could get a good look at her new appearance. “Thanks to you, those cage beasts sung their swan song, and they sure had bars, huh? You've earned yourselves a break.” With a final spin she caught the key in her hand as Sectonia, Artorias, and Osvald descended behind her. “How about we take this one?”

[color=BC8DBF]"No complaints here, believe me."[/color]

Nadia made a beeline for the big cell at one end of the bridge. Her objective was clear: the big black-and-gold vault lock. [I]This thing’s gotta be worth a fortune.[/i] Once she turned the key in the golden lock, the heavy-duty mechanism series of clicks and whirs, until with a final slam the lock split in half and the doors swung inward, taking the key with them. Nadia figured that it could probably be used again, but her intuition told her that it would need to stay in place to keep the door open while the team dealt with whatever was inside.

After all, it wasn't just a cell on the other side of the door. Before the Seekers lay a large room with a vaulted ceiling veiled in darkness, with yard-thick classical columns extending up into the gloom. Scattered around a floor of dark soil blanketed by crisp, dead flowers lay trails of tiles like footpaths, lit by candelabras or bunches of candles, and the one in front of the newcomers extended straight toward a huge stone statue of a sitting woman in robes. Cradled in her lap and arms lay a monstrous bipedal creature, somewhere between man and tree, with knotted, gnarled flesh, limbs that terminated in plumes of branches, a loincloth, and a nightmarish head like the skull of a tremendous goat. It appeared to be sleeping.

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/uqKwQV4.png[/img][/center]

As the team watched, however, it stirred fitfully. Stirred by the agony of the nails that pierced its chest and head, or by awful dreams. Suddenly it awoke, extracting itself from the hard, loveless arms where it had lain. It planted its feet, then seized the head of the statue and, shrieking, wrenched it off. Ten Piedad flung the head into the ground, shattering it into a hundred pieces, and slouched toward the Seekers to spill their blood.