[ All things considered, Blade believes he's been in infinitely worse situations than the one before him. The noises blending together with familiarity and unfamiliarity asking for death are disorienting, even as he's already bringing up his sword, willing to strike anywhere to get whatever it is off of him.
He'll put it out of its misery. Blade can understand keenly its demands and pleas, after all.
Fortunately, Metis swoops in so he doesn't become too immersed at what's happening for disregard for himself. His words even further serving to remind him what he should be doing.
...Distractions. That's why they are. ]
I'm fine.
[ He says belatedly, to Anise, even though the wound still stings; he has time to wipe away the blood that trailed down one side of his lip, the taste of iron still lingering for him. But he can move, that's good enough, with a body like his.
[ Everyone's still up... Good. They can still move. ]
Out of the way, you bastards!
[ That last lucky hit managed to knock one right off the ledge. If any more try to block their path, she'll use Tokunaga to swing at them, trying to keep a path clear for all of them to book it out of here. ]
[ It rams and tries to cling to her, grasping and pulling. The voice of Iris rings through, "Please, it's so cold... it's so cold... I don't want to die here..!! MIZUKI!!!" It wails, clambering to chase after, the flesh around sinking onto the ground - the color of the membrane changing from a sickly purple to a bright pink. The leftover creatures draining of their energy.
Blade dispatches the rest of the enemy with wide swings of his sword, sprinting ahead and as he does that injury in his chest starts to fester little by little. A stinging sensation as if something is slowly prying his injury further open, burning hot. But they're all moving, they need to keep moving. (Why? Why do you have to move forward?)
Tokunaga takes charge, whacking wildly around and it does help clear their way for the most part, allowing them quick access off the bridge and onto the final elevated way up. Metis is behind the rest of the group, making sure nobody is left and rams anything that tries to grasp at them with swings of his sword. Forward, forward, they can't stop now.
When the group finally reaches the top, they'll know they are at the highest elevated floor they can within this tower as the "ceiling" above opens up with walls spiraling out. Looking around, that ominous fog that was hiding the top of the tower outside can be seen rolling in and out in the air. A purple mist resting heavy in the air, a thickness that makes it hard to breathe - not as much for those with their helmets still on, but even the helmets prove to not be completely resistant. Not with the damage that's been done to them. At the end of these wavering bridges that curve throughout ahead, there's a large pulsing "seed" that extends a bit upwards. Each pulse sending a wave throughout the air outwards and every single time it ripples out does it make it harder to think.
Your head is filled with too many voices, increasing and decreasing in volume, a chill running under skin as your instincts try to fight against you. The urge to leave, the need to stay, that incredible desire to give up. Metis pushes behind, voice strained. ]
[ The things she's going to end up hearing in her nightmares tonight, man.
Mizuki isn't going to waste the opening given to them, though; pushing aside the horrific screams, she follows the group, and up they go.
They arrive at the top, yet despite how close they are... it's beginning to feel harder than ever to press on. With labored breathing and heavy limbs, Mizuki steps forward, only to stop to rub at her head once again. ]
[ Agonizing...simply agonizing. It's incredible, this amount of pain; nauseating, yet perfect, like he's being slowly ripped apart from within. His condition is a bit less stellar than he might have thought. That's fine, though. He doesn't need help.
He never needed that. Even with his memory of the simple reason for why they're moving slips through his fingers like water.
Thankfully the smallest reprieve available is that he still has his helmet when they get to the top. But, his wounds aren't helping much, so it unfortunately balances out in a way. He's familiar with the feeling of himself trying to fight against his own mind, at least, even if it makes it no less arduous.
Blade forces himself forward, breathing a bit heavy, words from Metis and Mizuki so quietly abruptly spoken only seemingly like faded whispers in the background. ]
Haha...hahaha...yes, almost there...let's finish it. Let's finish it all!!!
[ Then, Blade just shoots forward, rational thought leaving him. There is only an obstacle. He gets closer and closer, sword in hand, ready to try to pierce thee pulsing seed should he even be able to get that close. ]
[ If not for the pain, Anise might think she's sleeping, with how muddled her senses are. Everything feels unreal. Would it matter if she stopped now...?
One of those pulses hits them, and Tokunaga suddenly slumps face-first onto the ground. It's Anise's will that powers the doll, after all. If that falters... ]
Keep going...
[ It's unclear if this is a plea to the others, herself, or Tokunaga. The doll shrinks back to its smaller size, and she grips it tightly against her chest as she keeps walking, pausing only to watch in bewilderment when Blade manages to take off running. She gives a glance to Mizuki and Metis, and continues on. ]
[ Almost there, almost there. There's the final stretch. But that's something about that pulsing seed to Mizuki, the Core rippling more waves of pulses that ring louder in her head. This place is a sanctuary, it needs to be protected, layering a fog over all other thoughts and desires. None of that is important. This is. Stop them stop them stopthemstopthemstopthem.
Blade abandons all else to shoot forward, across one wavering bridge onto the next platform, closer and closer but the way there isn't precisely that easy. The floors give away, breaking apart, cracking the platforms as flesh snags at his legs, slowing him down. Fortunately they aren't too strong to stop him entirely, his brute force able to rip the flesh from around his legs.
The pulses are even stronger the closer they all are, making it even more difficult to approach. A defensive mechanisms that has you faltering, hesitating, second-guessing yourself. Is this really the right way of things? Fighting back against what you know to be right.
Tokunaga's energy flickers out, and flesh nearby bubbles up to latch onto Anise in a sudden lunge, locking her in place, threatening to submerge her into the ground, sapping at her strength. Metis comes beside her, holding a hand out. ]
Lady Anise! Take hold of my hand! [ He shouts ahead at where Mizuki and Blade go off. ] Take heed, my friends! Do not lose yourselves just yet - we need to stay together!
[ The spire begins to tremble, the whole structure giving way to a harder earthquake, threatening your balance as it sways and from above at the top do ridges start to unfurl, giving away to one single giant eye that stares down at them. A pure red eye, pupil a needle sharp gold that focus in on them. Do you look? Do you keep going? A single glance is all it takes to petrify you in place. ]
[ Unfortunately for Metis, his cries fall on deaf ears. Mizuki suddenly stops, a slight sway in her demeanor... and if any of them happen to see her face, it's as if all life has faded from her expression.
And then, with an unnatural swiftness, Mizuki bolts forth over the bridge. Blade may have gotten a head start, but he's being slowed down, and she's fast, and it hardly takes any time before she closes in the distance between them.
So what does she do? Throw a hard kick at him that'll hit like a fuckin truck, of course. ]
[ Blade isn't exactly paying attention to any sort of thing at the moment except going forward.
After all, he has to go forward. Nothing is going to stop him. Nothing...
His single-minded determination has him closer to his destination than not. He is no slouch either, after all. But, because of that single-mindedness, he doesn't bother to check behind him for any possible enemies as a just-in-case (roll: 5), even if it might be prudent in an active combat situation.
He does hear the sound of someone closing in distance, and whirls around to face her. He doesn't have much time to do anything like step out of the way, nor even try to attack in turn. Mizuki's kick lands into his stomach, and he is vaulted in the direction he was headed in since I assume that is the kind of super strength we're playing with.
He hits the ground rolling, with some broken bones (ribs), and once again is coughing up blood again. Blade is a sturdy man, it's true, but super strength is a thing, and he isn't at 100% (and even if he were, it'd still hurt.)
Still, he'll begin to force himself up, even with himself in a less than an idea condition, and his hand still having remained on his sword. A precarious position for sure. ]
[ Anise doesn't see what grabs her leg right away. All there is is the whiplash when she tries to press forward, but is suddenly yanked back instead. She yelps in surprise, and when she finally sees it, panic grips her, even as the sea of voices threatens to drown it out.
If she stops here, she'll disappear. She's sure of it.
Metis offers a hand, and she desperately shoots her hand out to reach for him. The other still holds tightly to her doll.
The others have gone ahead, and somewhere in the corner of her mind, she's aware that there's a struggle, but she can't spare a moment to watch. ]
Metis focuses on taking Anise's hand, gliding the end of his sword at the edge of that flesh to avoid hurting her directly. On one hand it's enough to free her, removing her from that fleshy prison, but on the other some of it stays stuck wrapped on her legs like a pair of flesh leggings. Gross. Ew.
He keeps hold of her hand as he ushers them forward, towards that Core seed as it continuously pulses. Keeping attention focused on their other two members that seem to be in a Cowboy Stand-off.
The area continues to rumble, a distant wailing that sounds almost like an echoing song. That large gigantic eye above watching them but does nothing yet. Each of you facing your own sense of terrors and voices, some harder than others. That aroma mist infiltrating the area little by little as if to try and obscure the way towards the Core. ]
If Blade was ushering forth single-mindedly, well, now Mizuki is too. She doesn't relent, or even give him a moment to spare; he goes down, and she lunges for him again before he can gain much time to get up, swinging another forceful punch his way.
All the meanwhile, she shows no anger or vigor or anything of the sort; her expression remains completely emotionless. ]
He can't count on himself to be allowed an easy reprieve, but at least this time, he sees her coming, and decides to have himself so he can roll out of the way, and seamlessly to his feet; there's only so many times a combat veteran can be taken off-guard. Even if he is injured, and the maneuver itself isn't pleasant, considering his wounds.
But really, if he were that easy to take down, he wouldn't be a capable fighter either. She will not have that opportunity she had ever again.
Blade will watch her closely, stepping back, awaiting an opening instead of doubling back immediately towards his prized destination or immediately blindly attacking. ]
[ Metis pulls her free, and Anise gives him a grateful look before turning to also see... what the fuck is happening with those two.
Mizuki and Blade seem to fully have each other occupied, and jumping into the fray to try to stop this would probably only end badly, but... maybe this is their chance. If they're fighting each other, then who's left to defend the seed? ]
... It's now or never.
[ She sets Tokunaga back on her shoulders, then breaks into a run. It's hindered somewhat by her injuries, the awkward weight of flesh clinging to her legs tugging at her balance, but she pushes forward. She draws the mace she brought with her and charges toward the seed. ]
[ The tempering wills the tempered to worship, to protect, to defend until your last breath. The seed is what will save you from this hellish life by surrendering. Offer yourselves onto and soon you too will ascend. It rests in the back of their heads, louder and clearer, but Blade and Anise at least have enough of their sanity to keep it held back. However, Blade will find that will slowly ebbing the longer those pulses continue.
Metis is quick to move behind Anise, slashing at whatever flesh tries to reach out to them, and while he stays right behind her he keeps his attention focused on the other two. Not necessarily worried for Blade, but more so for Mizuki, told by the way his voice sounds in concern. ]
Once we deal with the Core, she will hopefully return to herself! We must focus on depowering it!
[ That seed grows, vines unfurling from around it to lash out as Anise gets closer, pulses trembling to push out more of those waves. With Anise's attention on the seed, she'll find her vision doubling, wavering and when she focuses again she'll find Ion standing before it. A hand is clasped over his mouth, peeks of a purple miasma emitting from his mouth with each cough, "You.. can't! Don't do it!" ]
[ Watching Mizuki as she moves towards him as he steps back, and...
Blade moves slightly, pivoting in his step with a quickness that is inhuman, not unlike when he was facing down Dan Heng. The baseball bat meets air, and...Blade brings his sword up to aim in a slash at her stomach. Either to try to force her back or simply...land a hit.
Were he more sane he would have considered more ardently doubling back. But that apparently is being whittled away every moment. ]
[ Well, that isn't good, there's alarm as Metis watches this happen, and unfortunately now is the time where all powers extinguish out. No boosted strength, no self-healing provided by damage, no artes, no healing or offensive magicks. Their strength is sapped of their abilities, leaving them with just their weapons and bodies alone.
The wailing from the spire sings louder, a song of praise and worship. And yet that hertz goes lower, the frequencies dipping as it sings almost entirely silent, but tugs still at the back of minds. Metis crumbles to his knees, grasping at his helmet and is unable to intervene with Mizuki and Blade both. Pained, he calls out to Anise, she's the only one closest to the seed right now after all. ]
Lady Anise-! You must break it! Destroy it, before it's too late!
[ At the same time, Ion stands before the seed to Anise, arms spread out with a trembling voice, "I can't-- I can't let you! Don't destroy it!" There's fear, and the image of Ion glitches into something incredibly bloodied, eyes dead, before it comes back again to one full of life, eyes wide. Vines coil out around him, slithering out until it begins to sink into the sickly membrane flesh beneath. ]
It's a clean cut across her torso, effectively causing her to stumble back. Yet there's no signs of pain, no grimace or cries of anguish—nothing. Mizuki's face remains blank as red begins to pool out from where her suit is torn, but for a long moment there, she simply remains standing. ]
[ No feeling of triumph emerges as Blade coldly stares down Mizuki, watching the vermillion spread outwards on the front of her suit after his sword cuts mercilessly through the fabric to cause injury.
No shout of pain, or cries, or anything.
Blade stares at her still, no emotion or compassion in his eyes, though with her no longer advancing, he sees fit not to strike out again.
Then, he reaches out to try to grab a hold on one of her arms, to attempt force her to walk with him to where the other two are.
Standing around is going to do them no favors. Even if doing this is probably dangerous, he is not the type of person to stand in one place. The agony of his wounds, powers off or not, still sing throughout the entirety of his body, but suffering is a fun group activity. ]
[ The image of Ion shouts out, but it's too late, the mace goes swinging out and
hits the core right through him.
It lands with a sickening crack, the entire spire shaking with the first hit, and the swings that follow.. once more, twice more... it lashes out. A vine raises and collides heavily into Anise. The weight of that vine hits with an audible crack against Anise's side, breaking a few bones and sends her flying to the side to slam right against a nearby ridge. Her head slams into it first before her body does, her vision blacking out momentarily until the concussion has it spinning afterwards. She's not unconscious just yet but does she have the strength to stand again?
Anise hears a voice, Ion's, Charles', Guy's -- all twisted together, blended: Was it worth it? Killing them, when you could have saved them? Even when you had the chance to do something differently, you doomed them. You doomed us.
A rumbling echo sounds as if in pain, more vines lashing out from the seed and aims directly for Mizuki and Blade next. One slams right onto Blade, crushing his body beneath into the ridged flesh below and stab directly into his back with multiple sharp intrusions. The vines raise after before coming down to pierce right through his arms and legs. Pinning him down in place like a butterfly put on display.
Blade hears a voice, Rodya's, Dan Heng's, Kafka's -- all twisted together, blended: Do you remember now? Remember the feeling of death. Remember it remember it - or will you forget once more? An Eternity. Never to know the release of it. An Eternity. What does it feel like to die? An Eternity. Your sword will break, shatter, but you will continue. An Eternity.
Another vine shoots out and wraps around Mizuki, coiling around tightly and begins to squeeze. Slithering around her chest and neck, it squeezes and squeezes. A crushing weight collapsing onto her chest, strangling her and cutting off air from getting in. But it's already too late, nothing matters for you, you don't feel anything. Every sense is dull, quiet, unresponsive, it could end right now and you wouldn't even realize it. However, the seed is crumbling from that earlier damage, its shell breaking apart, and your mind eases up. Your mind slowly returns as your own, and as it does that vines loosen with a tremble.
Mizuki hears a voice, Dahut's, Iris's, Shoma's -- all twisted together, blended: Who are you? Are you really here? Why do you try so hard - to try to leave a bit of yourself in people's lives? Just to prove something? Just to prove what's real? To become something that matters? Who exactly are you?
The core crumbles again, the platform around starting to fall apart, those vines unfurling away from everyone and letting go, freeing them from their imprisoning, and Metis voice sounds out, strained, words too quiet but that heavy weight of tempering is losing its grip on everyone. That fuzziness, that clouded sensation clearing up even as the air around them makes it harder to breathe. Suffocating.
The seed is still there, weakly pulsing out, but it still barely stands. ]
[ Hopefully nobody is expecting Mizuki to be helpful here.
Her mind is too far gone by the time the vine takes hold of her, largely unresponsive even as she's slowly crushed. A crack or two happens underneath there, but... nothing.
She collapses to the ground with little fanfare as its grip loosens, mind still clouded even as her own gradually returns to her. There's voices in her head, but they barely register, muddled as if she were hearing them underwater, barely meaning anything at all. There's only the slow onset of excruciating pain, and even that she struggles to understand in the moment.
So yeah, she's a useless lump. Y'all go be more useful. ]
[ Blade is already in a bad enough condition that he doesn't see it coming...he can't. When he sees it coming for them both, he can't even move so that he's the only one bearing the brunt of it. Not for anything remotely like concern, but whatever is left of his sanity is grasping at straws to fulfill what they set out to do (but why struggle? He doesn't have that kind of resolve, so why?)
As it is, he can the multiple sharp ridges piercing through his back after he's slammed down, and Blade's red eyes are wide, blood bubbling up to his lips again. Then, vines through his arms and legs. Hot, white agony laces throughout him, an actual hoarse (did he cry out?) sound of pain escaping his lips. Or maybe, he did that before then.
He hears their voices, all blended together, with — Kafka, too. Speaking words. It shakes him, and he stares aimless into nothing for a good moment. ]
Hngh...nngh...
[ Pain...it's all he can think of, even when he's let go.
His sword...where is his sword? Shatter...that's right. He needs to break it. He forces himself to...(fall forward?) roll over, reaching for his discarded blade. His fingers close around the hilt. He doesn't have the strength to stand, but he'll struggle still a bit longer...
So here Blade is, crawling towards the seed. He doesn't think he can do it. Not like this. Indeed, his vision is a blur, and then, well, at some point, he just slumps forward. ]
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He'll put it out of its misery. Blade can understand keenly its demands and pleas, after all.
Fortunately, Metis swoops in so he doesn't become too immersed at what's happening for disregard for himself. His words even further serving to remind him what he should be doing.
...Distractions. That's why they are. ]
I'm fine.
[ He says belatedly, to Anise, even though the wound still stings; he has time to wipe away the blood that trailed down one side of his lip, the taste of iron still lingering for him. But he can move, that's good enough, with a body like his.
Blade then begins to sprint ahead. ]
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Out of the way, you bastards!
[ That last lucky hit managed to knock one right off the ledge. If any more try to block their path, she'll use Tokunaga to swing at them, trying to keep a path clear for all of them to book it out of here. ]
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Blade dispatches the rest of the enemy with wide swings of his sword, sprinting ahead and as he does that injury in his chest starts to fester little by little. A stinging sensation as if something is slowly prying his injury further open, burning hot. But they're all moving, they need to keep moving. (Why? Why do you have to move forward?)
Tokunaga takes charge, whacking wildly around and it does help clear their way for the most part, allowing them quick access off the bridge and onto the final elevated way up. Metis is behind the rest of the group, making sure nobody is left and rams anything that tries to grasp at them with swings of his sword. Forward, forward, they can't stop now.
When the group finally reaches the top, they'll know they are at the highest elevated floor they can within this tower as the "ceiling" above opens up with walls spiraling out. Looking around, that ominous fog that was hiding the top of the tower outside can be seen rolling in and out in the air. A purple mist resting heavy in the air, a thickness that makes it hard to breathe - not as much for those with their helmets still on, but even the helmets prove to not be completely resistant. Not with the damage that's been done to them. At the end of these wavering bridges that curve throughout ahead, there's a large pulsing "seed" that extends a bit upwards. Each pulse sending a wave throughout the air outwards and every single time it ripples out does it make it harder to think.
Your head is filled with too many voices, increasing and decreasing in volume, a chill running under skin as your instincts try to fight against you. The urge to leave, the need to stay, that incredible desire to give up. Metis pushes behind, voice strained. ]
Up ahead, it's there--
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Mizuki isn't going to waste the opening given to them, though; pushing aside the horrific screams, she follows the group, and up they go.
They arrive at the top, yet despite how close they are... it's beginning to feel harder than ever to press on. With labored breathing and heavy limbs, Mizuki steps forward, only to stop to rub at her head once again. ]
...
[ No, no, they're close. They're— ]
Almost there...
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He never needed that. Even with his memory of the simple reason for why they're moving slips through his fingers like water.
Thankfully the smallest reprieve available is that he still has his helmet when they get to the top. But, his wounds aren't helping much, so it unfortunately balances out in a way. He's familiar with the feeling of himself trying to fight against his own mind, at least, even if it makes it no less arduous.
Blade forces himself forward, breathing a bit heavy, words from Metis and Mizuki so quietly abruptly spoken only seemingly like faded whispers in the background. ]
Haha...hahaha...yes, almost there...let's finish it. Let's finish it all!!!
[ Then, Blade just shoots forward, rational thought leaving him. There is only an obstacle. He gets closer and closer, sword in hand, ready to try to pierce thee pulsing seed should he even be able to get that close. ]
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One of those pulses hits them, and Tokunaga suddenly slumps face-first onto the ground. It's Anise's will that powers the doll, after all. If that falters... ]
Keep going...
[ It's unclear if this is a plea to the others, herself, or Tokunaga. The doll shrinks back to its smaller size, and she grips it tightly against her chest as she keeps walking, pausing only to watch in bewilderment when Blade manages to take off running. She gives a glance to Mizuki and Metis, and continues on. ]
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Blade abandons all else to shoot forward, across one wavering bridge onto the next platform, closer and closer but the way there isn't precisely that easy. The floors give away, breaking apart, cracking the platforms as flesh snags at his legs, slowing him down. Fortunately they aren't too strong to stop him entirely, his brute force able to rip the flesh from around his legs.
The pulses are even stronger the closer they all are, making it even more difficult to approach. A defensive mechanisms that has you faltering, hesitating, second-guessing yourself. Is this really the right way of things? Fighting back against what you know to be right.
Tokunaga's energy flickers out, and flesh nearby bubbles up to latch onto Anise in a sudden lunge, locking her in place, threatening to submerge her into the ground, sapping at her strength. Metis comes beside her, holding a hand out. ]
Lady Anise! Take hold of my hand! [ He shouts ahead at where Mizuki and Blade go off. ] Take heed, my friends! Do not lose yourselves just yet - we need to stay together!
[ The spire begins to tremble, the whole structure giving way to a harder earthquake, threatening your balance as it sways and from above at the top do ridges start to unfurl, giving away to one single giant eye that stares down at them. A pure red eye, pupil a needle sharp gold that focus in on them. Do you look? Do you keep going? A single glance is all it takes to petrify you in place. ]
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And then, with an unnatural swiftness, Mizuki bolts forth over the bridge. Blade may have gotten a head start, but he's being slowed down, and she's fast, and it hardly takes any time before she closes in the distance between them.
So what does she do? Throw a hard kick at him that'll hit like a fuckin truck, of course. ]
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After all, he has to go forward. Nothing is going to stop him. Nothing...
His single-minded determination has him closer to his destination than not. He is no slouch either, after all. But, because of that single-mindedness, he doesn't bother to check behind him for any possible enemies as a just-in-case (roll: 5), even if it might be prudent in an active combat situation.
He does hear the sound of someone closing in distance, and whirls around to face her. He doesn't have much time to do anything like step out of the way, nor even try to attack in turn. Mizuki's kick lands into his stomach, and he is vaulted in the direction he was headed in since I assume that is the kind of super strength we're playing with.
He hits the ground rolling, with some broken bones (ribs), and once again is coughing up blood again. Blade is a sturdy man, it's true, but super strength is a thing, and he isn't at 100% (and even if he were, it'd still hurt.)
Still, he'll begin to force himself up, even with himself in a less than an idea condition, and his hand still having remained on his sword. A precarious position for sure. ]
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If she stops here, she'll disappear. She's sure of it.
Metis offers a hand, and she desperately shoots her hand out to reach for him. The other still holds tightly to her doll.
The others have gone ahead, and somewhere in the corner of her mind, she's aware that there's a struggle, but she can't spare a moment to watch. ]
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[ What the FUCK is happening over there??
Metis focuses on taking Anise's hand, gliding the end of his sword at the edge of that flesh to avoid hurting her directly. On one hand it's enough to free her, removing her from that fleshy prison, but on the other some of it stays stuck wrapped on her legs like a pair of flesh leggings. Gross. Ew.
He keeps hold of her hand as he ushers them forward, towards that Core seed as it continuously pulses. Keeping attention focused on their other two members that seem to be in a Cowboy Stand-off.
The area continues to rumble, a distant wailing that sounds almost like an echoing song. That large gigantic eye above watching them but does nothing yet. Each of you facing your own sense of terrors and voices, some harder than others. That aroma mist infiltrating the area little by little as if to try and obscure the way towards the Core. ]
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If Blade was ushering forth single-mindedly, well, now Mizuki is too. She doesn't relent, or even give him a moment to spare; he goes down, and she lunges for him again before he can gain much time to get up, swinging another forceful punch his way.
All the meanwhile, she shows no anger or vigor or anything of the sort; her expression remains completely emotionless. ]
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He can't count on himself to be allowed an easy reprieve, but at least this time, he sees her coming, and decides to have himself so he can roll out of the way, and seamlessly to his feet; there's only so many times a combat veteran can be taken off-guard. Even if he is injured, and the maneuver itself isn't pleasant, considering his wounds.
But really, if he were that easy to take down, he wouldn't be a capable fighter either. She will not have that opportunity she had ever again.
Blade will watch her closely, stepping back, awaiting an opening instead of doubling back immediately towards his prized destination or immediately blindly attacking. ]
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Mizuki and Blade seem to fully have each other occupied, and jumping into the fray to try to stop this would probably only end badly, but... maybe this is their chance. If they're fighting each other, then who's left to defend the seed? ]
... It's now or never.
[ She sets Tokunaga back on her shoulders, then breaks into a run. It's hindered somewhat by her injuries, the awkward weight of flesh clinging to her legs tugging at her balance, but she pushes forward. She draws the mace she brought with her and charges toward the seed. ]
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Metis is quick to move behind Anise, slashing at whatever flesh tries to reach out to them, and while he stays right behind her he keeps his attention focused on the other two. Not necessarily worried for Blade, but more so for Mizuki, told by the way his voice sounds in concern. ]
Once we deal with the Core, she will hopefully return to herself! We must focus on depowering it!
[ That seed grows, vines unfurling from around it to lash out as Anise gets closer, pulses trembling to push out more of those waves. With Anise's attention on the seed, she'll find her vision doubling, wavering and when she focuses again she'll find Ion standing before it. A hand is clasped over his mouth, peeks of a purple miasma emitting from his mouth with each cough, "You.. can't! Don't do it!" ]
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He maneuvers back, but Mizuki lunges forth without missing a beat, swinging her pole at him not unlike a particularly fast baseball bat. ]
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Blade moves slightly, pivoting in his step with a quickness that is inhuman, not unlike when he was facing down Dan Heng. The baseball bat meets air, and...Blade brings his sword up to aim in a slash at her stomach. Either to try to force her back or simply...land a hit.
Were he more sane he would have considered more ardently doubling back. But that apparently is being whittled away every moment. ]
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and then he's there, and the mace doesn't come down. ]
Please... please move!
[ He's not real. He can't be real. But she doesn't want to hurt him, doesn't want to watch him die. Not again. ]
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The wailing from the spire sings louder, a song of praise and worship. And yet that hertz goes lower, the frequencies dipping as it sings almost entirely silent, but tugs still at the back of minds. Metis crumbles to his knees, grasping at his helmet and is unable to intervene with Mizuki and Blade both. Pained, he calls out to Anise, she's the only one closest to the seed right now after all. ]
Lady Anise-! You must break it! Destroy it, before it's too late!
[ At the same time, Ion stands before the seed to Anise, arms spread out with a trembling voice, "I can't-- I can't let you! Don't destroy it!" There's fear, and the image of Ion glitches into something incredibly bloodied, eyes dead, before it comes back again to one full of life, eyes wide. Vines coil out around him, slithering out until it begins to sink into the sickly membrane flesh beneath. ]
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It's a clean cut across her torso, effectively causing her to stumble back. Yet there's no signs of pain, no grimace or cries of anguish—nothing. Mizuki's face remains blank as red begins to pool out from where her suit is torn, but for a long moment there, she simply remains standing. ]
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No shout of pain, or cries, or anything.
Blade stares at her still, no emotion or compassion in his eyes, though with her no longer advancing, he sees fit not to strike out again.
Then, he reaches out to try to grab a hold on one of her arms, to attempt force her to walk with him to where the other two are.
Standing around is going to do them no favors. Even if doing this is probably dangerous, he is not the type of person to stand in one place. The agony of his wounds, powers off or not, still sing throughout the entirety of his body, but suffering is a fun group activity. ]
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I'm sorry!
[ She closes her eyes... and swings the mace.
Then again. And again. ]
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hits the core right through him.
It lands with a sickening crack, the entire spire shaking with the first hit, and the swings that follow.. once more, twice more... it lashes out. A vine raises and collides heavily into Anise. The weight of that vine hits with an audible crack against Anise's side, breaking a few bones and sends her flying to the side to slam right against a nearby ridge. Her head slams into it first before her body does, her vision blacking out momentarily until the concussion has it spinning afterwards. She's not unconscious just yet but does she have the strength to stand again?
Anise hears a voice, Ion's, Charles', Guy's -- all twisted together, blended: Was it worth it? Killing them, when you could have saved them? Even when you had the chance to do something differently, you doomed them. You doomed us.
A rumbling echo sounds as if in pain, more vines lashing out from the seed and aims directly for Mizuki and Blade next. One slams right onto Blade, crushing his body beneath into the ridged flesh below and stab directly into his back with multiple sharp intrusions. The vines raise after before coming down to pierce right through his arms and legs. Pinning him down in place like a butterfly put on display.
Blade hears a voice, Rodya's, Dan Heng's, Kafka's -- all twisted together, blended: Do you remember now? Remember the feeling of death. Remember it remember it - or will you forget once more? An Eternity. Never to know the release of it. An Eternity. What does it feel like to die? An Eternity. Your sword will break, shatter, but you will continue. An Eternity.
Another vine shoots out and wraps around Mizuki, coiling around tightly and begins to squeeze. Slithering around her chest and neck, it squeezes and squeezes. A crushing weight collapsing onto her chest, strangling her and cutting off air from getting in. But it's already too late, nothing matters for you, you don't feel anything. Every sense is dull, quiet, unresponsive, it could end right now and you wouldn't even realize it. However, the seed is crumbling from that earlier damage, its shell breaking apart, and your mind eases up. Your mind slowly returns as your own, and as it does that vines loosen with a tremble.
Mizuki hears a voice, Dahut's, Iris's, Shoma's -- all twisted together, blended: Who are you? Are you really here? Why do you try so hard - to try to leave a bit of yourself in people's lives? Just to prove something? Just to prove what's real? To become something that matters? Who exactly are you?
The core crumbles again, the platform around starting to fall apart, those vines unfurling away from everyone and letting go, freeing them from their imprisoning, and Metis voice sounds out, strained, words too quiet but that heavy weight of tempering is losing its grip on everyone. That fuzziness, that clouded sensation clearing up even as the air around them makes it harder to breathe. Suffocating.
The seed is still there, weakly pulsing out, but it still barely stands. ]
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Her mind is too far gone by the time the vine takes hold of her, largely unresponsive even as she's slowly crushed. A crack or two happens underneath there, but... nothing.
She collapses to the ground with little fanfare as its grip loosens, mind still clouded even as her own gradually returns to her. There's voices in her head, but they barely register, muddled as if she were hearing them underwater, barely meaning anything at all. There's only the slow onset of excruciating pain, and even that she struggles to understand in the moment.
So yeah, she's a useless lump. Y'all go be more useful. ]
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As it is, he can the multiple sharp ridges piercing through his back after he's slammed down, and Blade's red eyes are wide, blood bubbling up to his lips again. Then, vines through his arms and legs. Hot, white agony laces throughout him, an actual hoarse (did he cry out?) sound of pain escaping his lips. Or maybe, he did that before then.
He hears their voices, all blended together, with — Kafka, too. Speaking words. It shakes him, and he stares aimless into nothing for a good moment. ]
Hngh...nngh...
[ Pain...it's all he can think of, even when he's let go.
His sword...where is his sword? Shatter...that's right. He needs to break it. He forces himself to...(fall forward?) roll over, reaching for his discarded blade. His fingers close around the hilt. He doesn't have the strength to stand, but he'll struggle still a bit longer...
So here Blade is, crawling towards the seed. He doesn't think he can do it. Not like this. Indeed, his vision is a blur, and then, well, at some point, he just slumps forward. ]
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