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[color=#736AFF][b][h1]Ranbu no Izayoi[/h1][/b][/color]
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Suspended in midair against the ever-expanding dome of pure magic, Izayoi howled and raged as she struggled to hold the tide back, her muscles straining to press her sword down against Ultima for just one more moment. But even she had to acknowledge in the end that any further effort was futile and obliged Galahad’s request, grabbing onto his halberd before his materia pulled it back along with herself. 

Izayoi returned to the group just in time for Miina, Rudolf, and Leviathan’s collective shields to wash over the party. And it wasn’t a moment too soon before Ultima, unrestrained by the sword clashing against it, washed over the Kirins. 

The triple layer of shielding was the only reason they lived, with Chisato being ever so slightly better off thanks to the layer of aetheric shadow she’d surrounded herself with. Even with it, Ultima’s light left severe aether burns and gashes in its wake, utterly decimating the airship deck they were standing on. Even as the party began to fall into the hold, they could see Reisa’s flagship crashing into the Ruby Weapon, the resulting explosion taking out the remainder of the below airship, even as the flames washed across what remained of their shields. 

Up above, while Ultima itself hadn’t reached Esben and Eliane’s failing aetherskimmer, the shockwave from the spell killed what life the engine had left, sending the vehicle down in a tailspin in the Kirins' direction. 

They were all falling, even as the Ruby Weapon emerged from the explosion, [url=https://imgur.com/KJn6cW3]the vast majority of its armor blown off and its thrusters barely clinging to life to maintain a hover downward.[/url] Even so, its elongated arms remained intact and it was approaching ever closer to the Kirins in freefall. At this point, it was a matter of whether the ground or Reisa would kill them first…

[color=d3d3d3][b]"Get in close!"[/b][/color] A familiar voice to most of the group rang out. Eve, in full Trance, surged up in the air on Bahamut’s wings, leveling out just below the group and casting her hands wide, Neve hanging off her back. 

Golden light gathered beneath her and around the Kirins, the former coalescing into a solid magical platform while the latter slowed their fall to a survivable level. The Kirins landed, and were afforded a few seconds to catch their breath as the platform began to drop at a manageable speed.

[color=659EC7]"Oh divine Mother,"[/color] Neve leapt off of Eve, touching down on the platform in the Kirins' midst. [color=659EC7]"Grant succor to these weary wanderers! Healing Wind!"[/color] The limit break wafted over the Kirins, restoring a measure of their wounds and stamina. Not in full, but still enough to keep them in the fight. 

With that, Neve planted her staff into the platform, joining Eve in channeling aether to sustain it.

[color=d3d3d3][b]"You have to finish it!"[/b][/color] Eve yelled as Ruby Weapon came level with the descending platform, talons raised. 
[color=d3d3d3][b]"We can't maintain this and cast at the same time!"[/b][/color]

[center][youtube]https://youtu.be/jvRjogv57Gg?si=I4xyw4BLLN44_z4q[/youtube][/center]

[b][i]"Still you survive?!"[/i][/b] Reisa seethed over her warmachina's speakers, the weapon raising a claw. [b][i]"Even should it cost us the invasion and the entire force, you must be stopped! In Valheim's name, I will end you!"[/i][/b]

[color=#736AFF][b]"GRAAAAAAH!"[/b][/color] Izayoi had no more use for words at this point, and simply surged at the Ruby Weapon in one more berserker charge, readying a battojutsu strike.