[ 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. ]
Deep cracks run through her helmet, and her body shudders with each breath.
...
She stirs, and slowly pushes herself up to her knees. Pain shoots through her body, and she cringes, clutching at her side. The pressure just makes it hurt more, though. Blade just moved... Metis just said something. Mizuki... ]
Mizuki...?
[ She looks over at her, trying to discern if she's... alive? Conscious?
... The seed is still there. Her mace... looks like it's fallen on the ground somewhere between them. It feels like it's miles away. ]
[ There's another call out from Metis, weak and quiet, before there's an audible clear crack and the seed crumbles from the weight of one sword made of pure light. Metis diving it in, and it bursts into a bright light -
When it does, everything goes eerie quiet. No voices whispering in the back of their minds, familiar or unfamiliar, just silence. Thoughts completely cleared up, no haziness, no fog, just your own thoughts.
However, slowly the spire begins to tremble, the platform holding the now broken seed starts to collapse and crumble. The entire spire falling apart as if no longer having any support to keep it upright, the whole flooring shaking and breaking into pieces as it falls below into the darkened abyss. ]
Lady Anise, Mizuki, Sir Blade-!
[ Even as Metis tries to reach for one of you, any of you, it matters little when the floor beneath everyone shatters entirely and everyone will find themselves sliding off. The sickly membrane growing dark as it fades into dust and the wind whips around with the velocity of the group dropping fast.
There's a crackle of energy nearby, far below each one of them do black tears start to shakily rip into the air. Similar to the black portals that have been seen with other group's returns, from the Senior officer's usage, but it's fragile, struggling in itself. There's a shatter in the background, before the tears merge together to form a big enough one and
one
by one.
Each of your bodies fall right through it, and back onto the loading dock of the Eudora. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
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. ]
no subject
[ 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. ]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
Deep cracks run through her helmet, and her body shudders with each breath.
...
She stirs, and slowly pushes herself up to her knees. Pain shoots through her body, and she cringes, clutching at her side. The pressure just makes it hurt more, though. Blade just moved... Metis just said something. Mizuki... ]
Mizuki...?
[ She looks over at her, trying to discern if she's... alive? Conscious?
... The seed is still there. Her mace... looks like it's fallen on the ground somewhere between them. It feels like it's miles away. ]
no subject
When it does, everything goes eerie quiet. No voices whispering in the back of their minds, familiar or unfamiliar, just silence. Thoughts completely cleared up, no haziness, no fog, just your own thoughts.
However, slowly the spire begins to tremble, the platform holding the now broken seed starts to collapse and crumble. The entire spire falling apart as if no longer having any support to keep it upright, the whole flooring shaking and breaking into pieces as it falls below into the darkened abyss. ]
Lady Anise, Mizuki, Sir Blade-!
[ Even as Metis tries to reach for one of you, any of you, it matters little when the floor beneath everyone shatters entirely and everyone will find themselves sliding off. The sickly membrane growing dark as it fades into dust and the wind whips around with the velocity of the group dropping fast.
There's a crackle of energy nearby, far below each one of them do black tears start to shakily rip into the air. Similar to the black portals that have been seen with other group's returns, from the Senior officer's usage, but it's fragile, struggling in itself. There's a shatter in the background, before the tears merge together to form a big enough one and
one
by one.
Each of your bodies fall right through it, and back onto the loading dock of the Eudora. ]