2016-07-23 - Belief Becomes Power 3
| Title: Belief Becomes Power 3 | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Alcyone fatally stabs Umi in the back right in front of a horrified Fuu and friends. Fuu realizes that there are some things only she can do, regains her belief in herself and uses her newfound magical strength to save Umi's life. Buoyed by righteous fury, she, Hikaru, and the others defeat Alcyone... and then meet someone worse. | |
| Who: Fu Inobuzaki, Garnet, Nori Ankou, Fuu Hououji, Hikaru Shidou, Takeo Akamizu, Fate Testarossa GM: Utena Tenjou | |
| Where: Cephiro | |
| OOC - IC Date: 07-23-2016 - 11-08-2014 | |
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed. <SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIokPxMt21E
LAST TIME ON BATTLE FANTASIA
Magical girls from across Tokyo converge on a secret garden in Tama, from which they are transported to the magical world of Cephiro by the Master Magi, Guru Clef. They're there to rescue Umi Ryuuzaki and other kidnapped fencing team middle school students from the Tower of Tears at the heart of the Treacherous Woods.
Most of the way to the Tower, they encounter terrible, dire icy wolves. A battle ensues!
TONIGHT ON BATTLE FANTASIA
Little do they realize that a second wave of allies arrived in the Tama garden -- and been ushered through the now-open portal by Clef, who waits on the boundary. Cephiro, in short form, is a low-technology magical world with vast forests, clear skies, beautiful seas, crystalline mountains and floating islands; it is all around spectacular to behold. While enjoying the scenery, these friends are in hot pursuit of Fuu and Hikaru's group's trail, but will only be arriving just now...
---
JUST NOW
This whole battle has felt like lightning -- it began in a flash, and it ends in one too, with Endo's massive bisection of the particularly large wolf he's been tangling with all this time, with Homura's electrified net holding most of them down while La Sirene's mysterious light corrals the stragglers, and Garnet systematically wades her way from one side to the other, Fate amps up the lightning a hundred-thousandfold, and finally Ren's massive strike, and the shockwave that roars through the clearing thereafter, finishes the job.
Well, maybe it ended in a few flashes, but the point is, it's over.
Fuu's branch goes clattering down the now-clear boulevard, which seems to emerge, only a few hundred yards down, into a clearing. There's something about the clean air here that makes it possible to see and hear at longer distances, or that's what it feels like anyway, because it is with dreadful clarity that one can see the Tower of Tears, there at the end of the path.
The door is abruptly yanked open, and out staggers Umi, battered, the blood of her enemies dripping off of her rapier. The other students cluster at the door, terrified, unable to emerge as their rescuer is immediately jumped by more ice wolves.
Umi faces this unexpected challenge with a full-throated scream. "I -- will not -- let you -- have them!"
One can close that distance at great speed, but it isn't fast enough. As though in slow motion, Umi executes wolf after wolf with beautiful maneuvers and incredible bravery, refusing to cave to their claws. Their icy breath just wafts off of her, the Magic Knight of Water deflecting and dispersing it with flicks of her blade. Finally, with a shout of "WATER DRAGON!" she immobilizes the rest -- using their own cold to instantly freeze them within the summoned spell, and then she shatters it all with a single perfect strike of her blade.
She sags, exhausted.
The students peek out from behind the door carefully. And they shout a warning, but it's too late--
--an ice spike emerges beneath Umi's breastplate, straight through her gut, having been summoned from the palm of the sorceress Alcyone, who materialized behind her.
Umi staggers, with who knows how many heartbeats left to live. Not very many. Not enough at all.
She catches her weight on her blade, plunged into the ground for support, and it's then that she looks up and sees Fuu, Hikaru and the others, at the edge of the clearing, so close, and yet so far away.
They can see her clearly, but to her the distance between them is widening, as though down a long, dark tunnel.
But then, with an extraordinary and possibly final burst of energy, the light returns to her eyes, her pleading, bewildered, agonized gaze finding the other Magic Knights and locking onto them.
A spark dawns within them, as brilliant as the barest edge of the rising sun -- a spark of hope.
"F-Fuu-chan," she begs.
And then she topples forward, towards the ground.
OOC: Please let Fuu and Hikaru pose first this round!
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
"UMI-SAN!!!!"
Behind her glasses, Fuu's eyes go wide once again, and it seems to her that time has slowed to a crawl - that she could count each drop of Umi's blood that seeps from her wounds, trickles down her armor, seeps through her clothes, falls to the ground. But counting drops of blood won't save the Magic Knight of Water - there's only one thing that *can*.
Magic. The magic of the Wind Knight, who's healed so many of her allies' injuries - Magic Knights, Sailor Senshi, Pretty Cures, and others - since she first joined the fight to protect those in need from the predations of evil. The same magic that she lost.
It was so much like this. Not a fellow Magic Knight, but five fellow Infinity students; not impaled by a sorcerous icicle, but drained to death by a monster that engulfed them as soon as it came into being.
"Belief ..."
It all begins with belief. Fuu has said it before, Clef has confirmed it, even Alcyone dropped a scornful hint at it - the power of one's belief is the foundation of all power in Cephiro. And it was Fuu's belief in her own power that failed when the protodaimon killed her kouhai - not just in her power, but in *herself*.
"... becomes power ..."
Time begins to pick up again for Fuu Hououji, a chill breeze stirring the skirt of her Infinity Middle School uniform; her hands clench into fists, the light catching the big green jewel on the back of her left hand. Her eyes now narrow, not merely in determination, but in fury.
"Winds ... !"
There is no more time to doubt herself; Umi needs her, and if the Water Knight's heart ceases to beat, no spell will ever restart it.
"... GUIDE ME!!!"
A gale erupts where Fuu Hououji stands, whipping up leaves and snowflakes and whatever other debris is light enough to be swept up in the whirlwind - and at the eye of the storm, her uniform shines and is transformed, once more becoming the white armor of a Magic Knight, adorned with gold and emerald - the green of a wind-magic user. Pauldrons, breastplate, and backplate form, with her shoes and socks replaced by short boots, and a bracer on her right arm; the armor is identical to Umi's and Hikaru's - but then it grows, the breastplate reaching down now to protect her belly, backplate extending much the same, and the pauldrons lengthening to guard the outside of her upper arms.
A flare of light released from her glove-jewel materializes into the sword she's used for melee - and in the next instant, the sword too glows and changes, becoming longer, seemingly heavier, arguably too heavy for a teenaged girl to wield. Yet it comes to rest in the Wind Knight's right hand, and she holds it one-handed without difficulty.
The tornado of her transformation has barely ebbed before the Magic Knight of Wind calls out once more: "WINDS OF HEALING!!!" And the whirlwind practically explodes with the force of her reborn will, enveloping Umi to mend her injuries, then spreading out to embrace all the allies who've come this far with her. Hikaru, Fate, Garnet, Ren, Endo, Homura, La Sirene du Nord - all would find their injuries from the ice wolves being healed, and a fresh infusion of energy filling and renewing them.
And as the healing winds disperse, the Magic Knight of Wind raises her sword, her gaze fixing upon Alcyone's eyes. "You've hurt too many people whom I hold precious, Alcyone-san," says the Wind Knight, her voice still polite, but hardly gentle despite its softness. "May this be the last time we ever cross paths."
Her left hand comes up, pointed at the ice witch. "Winds of Admonishment!!" she calls out, attempting to bind Alcyone where she stands with an immobilizing whirlwind.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji transforms into Wind Knight! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou transforms into The Sorceress Alcyone! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has fully healed herself. She is now ready to take on 7 opponents! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Admonishment on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Nori Ankou transforms into La Sirene du Nord! COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu transforms into Lancelot! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge Fuu Hououji's Winds of Admonishment, taking 18 Fatigue damage! Fuu Hououji is Psyched! Cripple and Trap applied to Utena Tenjou!
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"Umi-san! NO!" The Fire Knight goes wide-eyed and her jaw hangs open for a minute before the tears begin to roll down her cheeks. "No! Umi-san! NO!" She begins to cry uncontrollably, watching as each drop of blood touches the ground, feeling as if she's truly failed her friend. "First Fuu-chan, now this?! It's not fair!" She sobs uncontrollably, looking to Fuu as if expecting her to be mourning also. But instead of being in mourning, Fuu-chan has put on her glove-jewel and recited the incanation. At first, the Fire Knight seems dumbfounded that Fuu would be doing this, since she'd lost her powers previously. But then the gales of wind appear, and Fuu disappears behind them. "F-Fuu-chan?!"
When Fuu finally reappears, she's the Magic Knight of Wind once again. But not the same knight she once was. Her armor is growing bigger and more powerful than before. Hikaru can't believe that this has happened, but apparently what's happened to Umi has motivated Fuu to find the ability to regain her powers... only they've increased more than ever. As the Winds of Healing wash over her, the Fire Knight narrows her eyes. "We'll save you, Umi-san! Don't worry!" She says.
Then the Fire Knight notices her armor growing as well. The sword she wields seems to be getting bigger also, yet she wields it with no difficulty. And on her face is a new look of determination and bravery. Apparently, Fuu isn't the only one to be increasing in her power. "We won't be defeated so easily!" She says, pointing her sword at Alcyone. "We will destroy you, and we will save Umi-san!" She stares at this monster with a new sense of power and courage that she had not felt before.
COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou transforms into Fire Knight! COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou has used Don't Give Up on Fuu Hououji. COMBAT: Fuu Hououji accepts Hikaru Shidou's Don't Give Up, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Empower applied to Fuu Hououji!
<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (4)] has posed. <SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVsY69rFPbw
Fate is kind of a mess after the battle with the wolves. One of her arms, she'd rather not move at all. There are cracks within Bardiche's haft that his auto repair cycle was going to be having trouble with... rips and tears all over her barrier jacket. Her cloak hanging on by a thread. Rather than flying the rest of the way, she limped onward... unto the tower.
But before they could even arrive, the door was yanked open, and she watched, her breath stolen away by the Magic Knight of Water's display of bravery and swordsmanship as she saves the others. As- a spike of ice emerges out of her gut. Fate's small eyes grow wide as she catches herself on her blade in those few moments of life the brave girl seems to have left, "No!"
Fate's feet lift off the ground and she flies forward, but there's nothing she can really do to affect the situation. She was less a golden flash and more a golden glow in her injured state. Feelings of helplessness assailing her. For all of her outrage, what she could do against the Sorceress who did this in that state? For all of her power, what could she do to help that girl?
But behind her comes the words, of Belief becoming Power. A billowing gale force wind which sweeps past her, causing her twintails and cloak to blow sideways.
She ceases flying forward, hovering in the air, her eyes turning back upon the Magic Knight as the winds cover every inch of her skin, her body. The wounds mending in an instant. Her arm no longer hurt. She flexes it, in shock, "That's... incredible. You're- incredible Fuu!" She looks quickly, hopefully to Umi's position, as the winds envelop her. Her eyes close briefly, "Thank goodness." When they open again, they're squarely on the Sorceress.
Fuu and Hikaru were calling her out. Fate didn't feel the need to speak, only the need to act. To try to prevent a Great Mage from destroying so many lives once again. Instead she simply points Bardiche at her. <Photon Lancer> "Multishot."
Within the still forcefully blowing winds of the Magic Knight of Wind's magic, four spheres of thunderous power manifest into being, gold and crackling with violet arcs. Her scarlet eyes stare down at Alcyone, "Fire!" They streak towards her, blossoming into a chain of explosions upon her position.
COMBAT: Fate Testarossa has used Photon Lancer: Multishot on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou narrowly braces Fate Testarossa's Photon Lancer: Multishot, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou's Block ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Parry ability activates! COMBAT: Garnet transforms into Garnet's Got Gauntlets!
<Pose Tracker> La Sirene du Nord [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
La Sirene du Nord and her able aide-de-camp, Batiste the otter, are battered, bleeding, not entirely steady, but were heartened to see the third of the Magic Knights come forth -
And then horrified at the sudden execution-style attack on her from behind. La Sirene's eyes are so wide that it's like her pupils are dots of ink on an empty white page. Batiste trembles, without verbalization. La Sirene's grasp on the Pharos tightens, thoughts crossing her mind about covering a retreat perhaps, in the face of someone like that. She looks at Alcyone.
Then the wind picks up. The familiar touch of the healing wind.
"M-maybe we shouldn't--" Batiste, who is not quite as moved, being after all a small animal, squeaks.
La Sirene answers him quietly but with iron in her voice. "No."
Batiste seems startled, for unclear reasons. La Sirene senses the startle, and continues on: "She can travel between worlds. She holds malice in her heart. I do not trust her." La Sirene's eyes then turn towards the Ice Witch, even as Hikaru speaks up - and for once, la Sirene's own solemn and gloomy heart can embrace Hikaru's traditionally fiery terms.
La Sirene's gaze turns towards Alcyone then. "So... it seems that your preferred method is to attack from surprise when others are weak," she says towards the Ice Witch, the surge of healing from Fuu having left her unhurt but still probably hopped up gently on endorphins -- or would you call that fighting spirit? The line can be unclear. She takes a step forwards, her free hand on her hip as her head tilts back, as if trying to look down her nose towards her.
"Perhaps you'd care to renounce your evil ways? But you would have a hard time finding a neutral party here, in these woods, at this moment," la Sirene concludes -- just as Fate commences the bombardment.
"Just so," La Sirene concludes. ("Feito!!!" Batiste squeaks, rising up on his hindlegs and raising up his little black forepaws in enthusiasm.)
COMBAT: La Sirene du Nord has used Eyes in the Mist on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge La Sirene du Nord's Eyes in the Mist, taking 11 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou is Quipped!
<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.
Garnet looks on at Hikaru and Fuu with quietly, filling with both amazement and pride! She had done her best to help them them through this difficult time, and she was overjoyed to see them conquer their setbacks and return, stronger than ever! She knew they could do it!
Rare as it is, Garnet cracks a smile, and cheers them on loudly! "You can do it! We all believe in you! Show this tyrant the strength of love!"
Garnet punctuates this by basking in the energy of the Winds of Healing, and assuming an offensive pose, ready leap in and support the Magic Knights in their assault!
COMBAT: Garnet has used Real Talk on Hikaru Shidou.
<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
He had felt the pull from his hospital bed, and he knew without question what he had to do. Boot, by boot, Takeo Akamizu drags himself from the hospital and makes his way to the garden. (With one stop to find the Vending Machine around Infinity that does, indeed, sell Bacon. He'll have to thank Mai for that later!) It gets easier, but it never becomes easy, the feeling of lost energy, the skin tight around the edges of both holes in his body.
He had transported to the new world and took a moment to marvel at the much more pristine and beautiful world. His had moves to the medalion, and with a few uttered words and one lightning storm later, and Takeo stands there as Lancelot, Knight of the Round Table. He rolls his shoulder and hisses to himself. Removing one of the packs of bacon, he tears it open wiht his teeth and eats the strips as he heads toward the soudns of combat. Slowly at first, but then he begins to run, tossing the now empty packet of life giving bacon aside.
Lancelot arrives just in time to see Umi speared by a shard of Ice, and his eyes narrow even as he hears Fuu and Hikaru's cries of terror and rage. He knows those feelings. Holding Arondight to the side he takes a deep breath and calls the lightning.
The white and blue bolts arc and dance along the blade and he takes a deep breath. Now was not the time to worry about a silly thing like a sucking chest wound. Innocents were in trouble, and he had an oath to uphold. His eyes open as the lightning twirls and dances around that shining white blade. With a nod to himself he cries out and lurches forward, the pain in his chest and shoulder forgotten.
He had a Job to do.
Fuu's magical winds of healing wash over him even as his feet pound in the dirt and he smiles slightly as his shoulder feels ... Better! Arondight held to the side and trailing crackling lightning in his wake, he leaps at this Ice wielder Sorceress and cries out; "LIGHTNING SLASH!" Sending a wave of that lightning on blade crackling toward Alcyone and adding his own strength to the assault already begun by those who are already there. He slides to a stop, holding Arondight in a defensive position.
COMBAT: Lancelot has used Lightning Slash on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou narrowly counters Lancelot's Lightning Slash, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Lancelot is Psyched! Utena Tenjou's Tactician ability activates! Blind applied to Utena Tenjou! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou's counterattack, Ice Blade, partially gets through, doing 18 Fatigue damage to Lancelot!
<Pose Tracker> Fu Inubozaki [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Strangely enough, Fu Inubozaki's cellphone did not warn her of any impending grave event. This was because the nature of this danger was something entirely different than a Vertex attack. Instead, she was simply sent a text message from the Shinjuu urging her to exercise caution and stay out of whatever was causing magical girls and boys to congregate at the secret garden in Tama. But in her infinite wisdom, Fu decided to disregard the text. A true heroine or hero wouldn't turn their back on anyone in their time of need! And so, a transformed Fu arrives at Tama where she is quickly caught up to speed by Guru Clef. The blonde haired Club President didn't need much convincing to go in after the others because it was simply the right thing to do. "Heroes always go where they are needed!" She says with a wink before stepping through the portal that led to the dangerous forest that was filled with nefarious dire wolves.
This causes Fu's arrival to the battle at hand to be substantially delayed as she does her best to not end up as dog food. Normally, these fearsome canines would delay the hero even more, but it seems that the advance group had already cut something of a path open for them. This meant that thankfully there were less feisty ice wolves to deal with. Eventually, Fu fights her way to the front and quickly surveys the area to see who was fighting whom. Thankfully, she recognizes some familiar faces in the crowd so it becomes pretty easy to see which side was the good side. She's fought alongside Fuu, Garnet, and La Sirene during the Southern Cross Island debacle. "Yo! The cavalry is here!" Fu calls as she emerges from the woods with her massive greatsword held in one hand a blue dog-like fairy promptly attached to the top of her head. "And hey! That was supposed to be -your- line by the way! " She calls out teasingly to Lancelot before putting her game face on. She sets her sights on the Ice Witch and yells as she dashes forward with her fairy-like companion hugging onto Fu's head for dear life. Fu the Heroine then spins forward attempts to deliver a mighty upward swing of her two-handed sword at the Ice Witch.
COMBAT: Fu Inubozaki transforms into Yuusha Fu! COMBAT: Fu Inubozaki has used Hero Slash on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou perfectly dodges Fu Inubozaki's Hero Slash, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Utena Tenjou's Fade ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Flash ability activates!
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Umi never hits the ground -- she is caught in the gentle arms of the Winds of Healing, which brush back her sweat and blood-soaked hair, sparkle across her wounded torso, and leave nothing but cleanliness and health in their wake. She lands very gently at the base of the Tower of Tears, obviously unconscious rather than dead, her wounds vanished as though they never were.
It was hard to notice from far away, and also what Umi was doing was a lot more important than what she was wearing, but her armor has also gotten fancier and more robust, her rapier longer, sharper and more beautiful. Perhaps it transformed with every step and slice she took to get down the stairs of the Tower, cutting a path for the other students' escape.
The students in question stay at the Tower door, and are promptly guarded by members of the retinue who step up to the task; Homura, Ren and Endo quickly form an impenetrable defensive line between any danger and those civilians -- and the fallen Umi, as well.
For her part, the icy sorceress Alcyone seems accepting of these developments. Her brow is contorted with frustration, but her eyes are dark and cool, level, even as she walks through Fuu's whirlwind, emerging with her cloak shredded, her hair wind-tossed to the extreme, and a faintly shimmering force field invoked to ward off Fate's spheres. It glitters with silvery energy, then fades. "May this be the last time we ever cross paths? I couldn't agree more, children. It is you who will face destruction today."
The Magic Knights may have grown more powerful, but this time they aren't facing Alcyone with one hand literally behind her back, her concentration and energy split to cast a separate ritual spell. As she raises both arms, the power radiating off of her causes her cape to billow and her hair to spread behind her like a banner of war.
"Icy Spear!" she shouts, and not one massive spikes but torrents of them manifest, howling through the air in an effort to pierce the Magic Knights of Wind and Fire -- and Water, though the latter is ably defended by those who have dedicated themselves to the task. Her eyes narrow as she's lectured by Nori, and then Hikaru is encouraged by Garnet, and she laughs, sweeping her palms together. The thunder-crack that erupts is the beginning of an immense blizzard, which billows away from her to engulf Fate, La Sirene, and Garnet in sub-zero temperatures and blinding snow. "Evil ways? Tyranny? How badly you misunderstand. I will never renounce my love for Lord Zagato!"
Exploding through her conjured storm, she meets Lancelot with a blade of her own, of pure, shimmering, conjured ice. It catches his, then pushes him and his lightning back, across the field. She makes no such attempt to parry Fu's immensely massive blade, instead backflipping away from it in a powerful, graceful leap. She hovers in midair, afterwards, and with a flick of her fingers, tries to encase both Knight and Hero in a huge, almost crystalline block of ice! "Eternal... Tomb!"
COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Icy Spear on Hikaru Shidou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Icy Spear on Fuu Hououji. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Ice Storm on Garnet. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Ice Storm on La Sirene du Nord. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Ice Storm on Fate Testarossa. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Eternal Tomb on Lancelot. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Eternal Tomb on Fu Inubozaki. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Sub-Zero on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou accepts Utena Tenjou's Sub-Zero, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou is Reinforced by Utena Tenjou! COMBAT: Fate Testarossa fails to dodge Utena Tenjou's Ice Storm, taking 20 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou is Psyched! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji narrowly dodges Utena Tenjou's Icy Spear, taking 23 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Fuu Hououji's Fade ability activates! Fuu Hououji's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou accepts Garnet's Real Talk, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Hikaru Shidou is Cheered! COMBAT: La Sirene du Nord fails to brace Utena Tenjou's Ice Storm, taking 29 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou narrowly dodges Utena Tenjou's Icy Spear, taking 32 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Garnet perfectly dodges Utena Tenjou's Ice Storm, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Critical Dodge! Garnet's Fade ability activates! Garnet's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Lancelot fails to counter Utena Tenjou's Eternal Tomb, taking 25 Fatigue damage! Stun, Tangle, and Trap applied to Lancelot! COMBAT: Lancelot's counterattack, Veil of Steel, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Utena Tenjou! COMBAT: Fu Inubozaki narrowly dodges Utena Tenjou's Eternal Tomb, taking 19 Fatigue damage! Fu Inubozaki's Fade ability activates! Fu Inubozaki's Flash ability activates! Stagger, Stun, Tangle, and Trap applied to Fu Inubozaki!
<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
A blade springs, and Lancelot's lightning is turned and a slash rings off his shoulder, a few more quick strikes of blade on blade and Lancelot ends up in crouch a few meters away. He prepares himself for what he knows is coming, but it's not enough.
As the spell of ice flies toward him, He calls out, "VEIL OF STEEL!" But his shoulder, better thanks to Fuu's winds, is not quite whole. He feels stitches pop, and muscles scream to match his own as the quick blade movement is halted ad the Ice assaults and ensnares him.
His armor, is frost covered, and he feels the chill of the metal settle on him. He also feels a strange warmth radiating downward from just above his heart.
That adds to his pain and he drops to his knee even as the ice swirls and traps him. "Lady." He says through gritted teeth. "I think you need to chill out!" Then points Arondight at her, sending a bolt of shockingly bright blue and white lighnting at Alcyone.
COMBAT: Lancelot has used Lightning III on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Lancelot has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (4)] has posed.
Fate can't say she didn't expect Alcyone to use wards. Her eyes cool and critical as she watches how she does it. She wasn't familiar with her kind of magic perhaps, but the principles of most systems were somewhat similar. "Right." Before Batiste draws her eyes. An unexpectedly- "-so cute!" -adorable sight in the midst of battle, but she needed to focus. But then the cavalry is there in the form of Lancelot and Takeo. "Just in time."
But- the thundercrack heralds the arrival of a blizzard storm, and Fate is caught within it's icy chill, as snow blows past her and forms into ice and rhyme on the armor in a way that causes her teeth to chatter. Shielding her eyes from the sub-zero storm. Something Alcyone says... takes her breath away.
A pang in her chest that won't go away. When she speaks about how she won't renounce her love for him. <Scythe Form> Bardiche's axe head folds into itself, retracting backwards, as a jagged scythe of mana erupts. Fate suddenly flies forward, "If his love for you only exists when you're hurting other people for his sake..." She becomes a golden blur, reappearing at the Sorceress' flanks, <Scythe Slash>
Her eyes are hidden in the shadows of her bangs as she speaks, her scythe cutting a blindingly fast arc of energy towards her. "... then you really need to think on whether he actually cares for you at all."
COMBAT: Utena Tenjou narrowly braces Lancelot's Lightning III, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou's Block ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Parry ability activates! COMBAT: Fate Testarossa has used Scythe Slash on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge Fate Testarossa's Scythe Slash, taking 26 Fatigue damage!
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
It's always a relief to see reinforcements coming in on your side, and this time is no different. "Lancelot-san, Inubozaki-san!" the Wind Knight calls out in greetings, even as she bounds back and forth, trying to dodge Alcyone's barrage of weapons-grade icicles. 'Trying' is kind of the key word; there are a LOT of them, and the sorceress doesn't seem to have been slowed down as much as Fuu was hoping. Granted, Alcyone *was* Clef's disciple before she turned to evil - or as she claims, to her love for Zagato-san - and it's not like changing allegiances hurt her in terms of power or skill.
If the Wind Knight has any rejoinders for Alcyone, though, they're forestalled when the sorceress launches a second spell, this one targeting the newst arrivals. So the Wind Knight shifts her attention briefly as well, calling out, "Winds of Healing!" as her will enfolds both Lancelot and Fu, contesting against Alcyone's ice, unraveling it, and blowing it away like drifting snow. "Stay cautious, everyone! She isn't one of Zagato-san's lieutenants because of her fashion sense!"
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Healing on Fu Inubozaki. COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Healing on Lancelot. COMBAT: Lancelot accepts Fuu Hououji's Winds of Healing, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Cleanse! All of Lancelot's debuffs are cleared!
<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.
Garnet shakes her head to herself at Alcyone's rebuttal. She may be able to control ice magic, but Garnet has something of an innate knowledge of ice-magic, and this sorceress doesn't know what or who she's dealing with.
While keeping ready, Garnet watches Alcyone, and peers into the future. Her future. Briefly, but enough to know that even this grandstanding will likely not be enough to secure the love of the person she mentions. Garnet feels a tinge of pity for her heart, as cold and lonesome as the ice magic she channels, if only for a moment.
More immediately, she sees the future of the storm attack, and in one of the most stunning displays of her precognition since arriving in Japan, moves through the storm unhindered, towards Alcyone.
Following the flow of the river of time, she anticipates every powerful gusting wind, and every slashing piece of ice and falling hail, everywhere the storm's magics touch during her advance, Garnet is simply not there.
She finally lunges forward to Alcyone with a quick succession of leaps, culminating in a massive strike to the mage's person!
COMBAT: Garnet has used Decisive Punch on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou perfectly counters Garnet's Decisive Punch, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Counter! Utena Tenjou's Tactician ability activates! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou's counterattack, Ice Blade, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Garnet!
<Pose Tracker> La Sirene du Nord [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
The wind rises, and it brings ice with it. Batiste hides in la Sirene's coat; for her part la Sirene grits her teeth as the cold rests on her like a sodden blanket, as she hears Alcyone declare her undying love for Lord Zagato.
Fuu fills in some details.
"Then you do what you do out of love...?" la Sirene says, her eyes shaded by her bangs. "Love for this man...? All of the horror and the murder you have done, all of the sorrow that you have caused, you say, then, that it is -- For love?"
Fuu illuminates things a little better. "... And does he not recpirocate?" La Sirene concludes.
Her head lifts upwards. She's smiling, though the exact emotion behind that smile isn't exactly clear. "How simply tragic."
La Sirene raises her hand - the one holding the Pharos - like the signal flag of a railroad drawing upwards. The ammolite chasing on the brassy lantern glimmers in the icy light. La Sirene herself fights back a shiver, her breath misting as she says, "But love is usually a tragedy."
The lens opens and the unlight pours forwards, a liquid that is not ice, though mist accompanies it - trivial, but then, that light comes FROM somewhere, and compared to these frigid storms, even the depths of the Sea of Tears are quite, well, balmy. (Or at least, above freezing - otherwise it'd be the Glacier of Tears!)
As for Batiste he peeks out of a pocket, but he has no further words for Fate this moment.
COMBAT: La Sirene du Nord has used Pieces of the Perfect Black on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to brace La Sirene du Nord's Pieces of the Perfect Black, taking 26 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Blind applied to Utena Tenjou!
<Pose Tracker> Fu Inubozaki [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Fu's massive sword has a lot of force behind it which causes her to be extremely vulnerable during her follow-through. Since the Ice Witch just managed to flip out of the way, the sword-wielding Hero is powerless to stop the Witch's counter attack. Thankfully Inugami, the blue fairy thing grasping onto Fu's head, leaps forward and puts up a shield before the pair of them which diverts some of the icy blast. But even her fairy's intervention is not enough to prevent Fu from turning into popsicle as she can't quite get clear of the danger area in time. Ice begins to form first around the Hero's ankles as she gets frozen to the ground beneath her. "N-no f-f-fair!" She manages out amidst her chattering teeth as she struggles to free herself, but doesn't look to be getting much headway. The already blue Inugami merely accepts his fate and remains perched on Fu's head.
It is none other than Fuu that comes to Fu's rescue. The winds combat the invading ice and blow it away which frees the Hero once more. She turns and flashes Fuu a big peace-sign in response to her help before adding, "Hououji-san, thanks! I owe you one!" The young woman calls out before shifting her green eyes around the battlefield. Hmmm. This Ice-Witch's agility was going to be a problem unless someone did something about it, and Fu knew just the girl to help. She summarily slams her sword into the ground and punches a fist into her open palm, a glowing yellow light swirling around her. "Yo, Ice-sama! How about you stand still for me next time?" It is not the most eloquent prayer, but tonight was not the time for eloquence! It was the time for action and hitting things!
COMBAT: Fu Inubozaki accepts Fuu Hououji's Winds of Healing, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Cleanse! All of Fu Inubozaki's debuffs are cleared! COMBAT: Fu Inubozaki has used Sealing Prayer on Utena Tenjou.
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Garnet is just as good as cheering the Fire Knight on as the Wind Knight is. It makes her feel more motivation and encouragement to keep fighting! Unfortunately, it doesn't mean she can avoid being caught by the freezing attack that comes at her. She tries to move, but isn't in time. The icy attack catches her, but barely fazes her. She winces a little, but otherwise seems to be in this fight for real this time. "Your icy strategies won't faze me! I'll melt you down with my powers!" The Fire Knight calls out.
This time, though, the Fire Knight uses both of her hands to conjure up a rather large fiery form. A fireball, it seems! "This should warm you up a bit!" She yells as she casts forth the fairly decent sized fireball at Alcyone.
COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou has used Fireball on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou narrowly dodges Fu Inubozaki's Sealing Prayer, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou is Quipped! Utena Tenjou's Fade ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Flash ability activates! Trap applied to Utena Tenjou! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou narrowly braces Hikaru Shidou's Fireball, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou's Block ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Parry ability activates!
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Having fended off one round of lightning from Lancelot, Alcyone grits her teeth and deflects a second with the same ice sword. The conjured weapon's had it though, afterwards, and she doesn't realize that until it's too late; Fate's scythe shatters it effortlessly, and then there's no time to dodge as the beam of yellow energy continues forward.
She goes sprawling, and rises clutching both her side and a sparkling new blade, which goes on its maiden voyage by meeting Garnet's mighty fist with its flat. It's Fate she addresses, however.
"I won't doubt what we have so easily," she spits across the snow, before removing her blood-spotted hand from her side to conjure, at point blank, more of those nasty spears, trying to send them directly through Garnet... while any she dodges will instantly endanger Fate instead.
La Sirene picks up where the Midchildan has left off, covering the magus in cruel observations and darkness. Alcyone is used to both, but they certainly get her attention. "Yes, love is often a tragedy... I've spent a great deal of time in your world, and seen how passionately you defend that ideal."
Disappearing from the unlight's heart, she reappears, briefly, behind the maiden of the North Wind, and breathes into her ear, though the winter winds carry it to all corners of the battlefield with nearly the same level of intimacy. "You're warriors of love... but so many terrible things are done for it."
Leaving an icy dagger ready to plunge into La Sirene when she turns, Alcyone is already elsewhere. Her invisibly-fast transport across the field is briefly halted by the grip of Fu's magic, but she summons her own countermagic with the straightforward invocation of "SHIELD!" and gets back to moving, if more slowly than before.
Certainly this gives Hikaru time to catch up. Hikaru's fireball, anyway. It impacts this second ice sword and strains against it, melting through it bit by bit, before finally, with a grunting wrench, Alcyone sends it careening off in a random direction instead, to explode harmlessly near the tower. She continues without pause. "For love will men mutilate themselves and murder rivals." With a snap of her fingers, a second blizzard, this one more concentrated in its force and chill, cold enough to freeze them in their tracks if they're not careful, embraces Hikaru and Fuu.
"For love will a peaceful man go to war." She sends more of those icy shards back at the now-distant Fu and Lancelot, and they twist and cavort in midair, trying to get them from all directions at once, as though hoping to take advantage of their presently stationary nature, be it in prayer or newly emerged from their icy tombs.
"For love," she concludes icily, "Men will destroy themselves, and willingly, eagerly so. Love is what many of you fight for, and what I do, too. Hate me, fear me, try to kill me as you like, but never doubt that my reasons for fighting are every bit as compelling as your own."
COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Icy Spear on Garnet. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Icy Spear on Fate Testarossa. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Ice Blade on La Sirene du Nord. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Polar Vortex on Hikaru Shidou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Polar Vortex on Fuu Hououji. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Icy Spear on Lancelot. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Icy Spear on Fu Inubozaki. COMBAT: Fate Testarossa narrowly dodges Utena Tenjou's Icy Spear, taking 22 Fatigue damage! Fate Testarossa's Fade ability activates! Fate Testarossa's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji narrowly counters Utena Tenjou's Polar Vortex, taking 21 Fatigue damage! Trap applied to Fuu Hououji! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji's counterattack, Storm-Dance of Kamaitachi, partially gets through, doing 19 Fatigue damage to Utena Tenjou! COMBAT: La Sirene du Nord narrowly counters Utena Tenjou's Ice Blade, taking 22 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: La Sirene du Nord's counterattack, Les Mysteres, partially gets through, doing 8 Fatigue damage to Utena Tenjou! COMBAT: Lancelot fails to dodge Utena Tenjou's Icy Spear, taking 33 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Fu Inubozaki perfectly dodges Utena Tenjou's Icy Spear, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Critical Dodge! Fu Inubozaki's Fade ability activates! Fu Inubozaki's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Garnet narrowly counters Utena Tenjou's Icy Spear, taking 9 Fatigue damage! Garnet's Tactician ability activates! COMBAT: Garnet's counterattack, Geofeedback!, partially gets through, doing 22 Fatigue damage to Utena Tenjou! Critical Counterhit! COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou narrowly braces Utena Tenjou's Polar Vortex, taking 7 Fatigue damage! Hikaru Shidou's Block ability activates! Hikaru Shidou's Parry ability activates! Trap applied to Hikaru Shidou!
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
"Storm-Dance of Kamaitachi!!" shouts the Wind Knight, and the rending tempest conjured by her spell clashes with Alcyone's blizzard. It's a clash which takes its toll on both casters - the Wind Knight's sleeves torn, and hoarfrost collecting across her body, but Alcyone won't escape unscathed either.
And for all the anger which ignited her will once more - behind her glasses, the green-clad Magic Knight's gaze is clear and focused as the dueling winds taper off. "And all the wounds you've inflicted - on us, on our allies, on our powerless families and friends - your love for Zagato-san justifies the suffering you've spread about?" she asks, her voice calm. "I'll refrain from questioning that love, then ... but 'love' is a poor justification for the attacks you've perpetrated."
A piece of her wants to say 'atrocities' rather than just 'attacks,' but - would the difference even matter to Alcyone? She raises her sword, watching Alcyone carefully, listening to the battle, gauging her allies' attacks - and Alcyone's reactions to those attacks. After the number of times they've clashed, the Magic Knight of Wind should hope she's learning Alcyone's capabilities and limits.
For now, she puts those to the test with her own attack - a lunging slash, leaping forward and slicing downwards at the dark-haired sorceress.
<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
More winds wash over him and the Ice is cleased thanks to Fuu's magic. He ndos once and calls outm "Thank you Wi - !" But the exclamation of thanks is cut short as a spear of glittering ice slams into him. More warmth spreads from that spot above his heart and he feels something rip on his back as icey hot shards scratch and pepper Lancelot's face.
The knight hits the ground on his back and lets out a pained cry from the impact. He somehow still has Arondight, and he rolls over, gingerly, and uses that blade as a leverage to push himself to a knee once more. He scans the battlefield and spits a red glob to the side, before wiping his mouth the back of a gauntleted hand. Shakily he gets to hsi feet then grunts, setting himself, and holding Arondight at the ready. "Fate! Light me up!"
He launches forward with a wordless war-cry, Arondight trailing lightning as he charges Alcyone, and he unleashes a strike toward that sorceress -
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Sword Strike on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Lancelot has started a combo targeting Utena Tenjou! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge Fuu Hououji's Sword Strike, taking 9 Fatigue damage!
<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (4)] has posed.
"I didn't either." Is Fate's immediate reply to her claiming she won't doubt what she has so easily. But she has to act fast because she's sending icy spears towards Garnet's position. Which inevitably puts several in her path instead. Fate's head suddenly whips to the side as one passes close enough to leave a trail of ice over the tip of her ear lobe, then twists at hip as one grazes her flank.
After the first two she rapidly tries to put some distance between herself and the Sorceress, weaving a tiring aerial dance to try to dodge each and every single one as best as she can. She's met with some measure of success, her tiny chest heaving, her mouth open with each fogging breath after the next.
"I don't doubt your love for him. Your reasons. Mine weren't any better. Collect all the jewel seeds, destroy any obstacles in your way- and I'll have time for you." Her hand flexes over Bardiche's haft, the faint whirr of energy present in the chill wind. Her eyes close, as she tries to force back her tears, "But it was a lie!" Her eyes open suddenly, her expresion stricken, "She never cared for me, not even for a moment! All of my love meant nothing to her. Don't destroy yourself like I almost did, to grasp for the hope of having that love returned!"
Her heart really doesn't feel into it. Their situations are different and yet she feels so strongly about someone hurting people for the sake of love that she can't help but draw the similarities. This is perhaps a child's logic, but it is earnest in it's sincere desire to reach out to her. When Lancelot calls for her to light him up. She hesitates perhaps half a heartbeat then raises Bardiche high... "Right. We need to end this before she hurts anyone else." She sounds tired. Perhaps it is battle fatigue... but it is something else too, <Photon Lancer>
A bolt of lightning plunges out of the forest canopy. It forms into a pulsing globe of lightning that envelops Arondight, gold and crackling with violet arcs of energy... it synergizes with the swordsman's own blade lightning, creating an explosion of myriad forms of electricity.
COMBAT: Fate Testarossa has joined the combo started by Lancelot!
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
The ice comes at the Fire Knight fast, and she steadies herself as best as she can, attempting to absorb it without wincing too much. This time, she does a better job of protecting herself and as soon as she feels the cold blast hit her, she knows she made the right choice here. The cold stings, but she's felt worse. And now it's time to show Alcyone what the Fire Knight is truly capable of, now that she's more powerful than ever.
"Check this out!" The Fire Knight yells as she advances on Alcyone, wielding her sword in a manner that makes her almost look like she's dancing. "This is one of my new tricks. Too bad it won't be worth laughing about!" She continues as she dances towards Alcyone, then attempts a swift strike, before moving away again.
COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou has used Dancing Blade on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: COMBO! Lancelot and Fate Testarossa have used Bladefury and Photon Lancer: The Thunder Blade Edition on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou narrowly dodges Hikaru Shidou's Dancing Blade, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Hikaru Shidou is Psyched! Utena Tenjou's Fade ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou narrowly braces Lancelot and Fate Testarossa's Combo: Bladefury, taking 9 Fatigue damage! Lancelot and Fate Testarossa are Psyched! Utena Tenjou's Block ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Parry ability activates!
<Pose Tracker> La Sirene du Nord [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
La Sirene realizes as her unlight pours out that -- the cavalry is here! Not quite literally, with the absence of Sparkles, but Fu is a heartening presence. Less heartening is Alcyone's words, especially since they are rather cutting remarks.
Well, the cutting part is the ice dagger. La Sirene's hand comes up and she gets to the final 'es' in "Les Mysteres, Come!" before the dagger snaps forwards, throwing off her spell, making her snap back her hand with a wince and a gasp. There is some red there; la Sirene breathes heavily, looking at the jagged (if blessedly shallow) wound on the back of her hand for a moment.
The ice dagger, having recoiled off the handle of the Brazen Pharos, lands at her feet a moment later.
La Sirene's free hand draws a laced hankerchief out of her pocket, pressing it to the back of her hand - but the rest of what Alcyone's words carry echoes through her.
"No: You have not been to my world," she calls to the ice witch, even as others call on wind and strength. "In my world dwell the mutilated and those who love the murdered - those who the war leave alive and weeping in its wake. Do you think their hearts beat any weaker than yours?"
La Sirene takes off the handkerchief and kneels to scoop up the ice dagger with her uninjured hand.
"Do you think you will never join them?" she then says, with a curious wistfulness in her tone.
And then la Sirene throws that icy dagger back at Alcyone with a full pivoting PITCH that would do credit on the Ohtori softball field, which is, well, significantly less wistful and a whole lot more 'I stab at thee,' but not every message can be unmixed.
COMBAT: La Sirene du Nord has used Knife Return on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou perfectly dodges La Sirene du Nord's Knife Return, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Utena Tenjou's Fade ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Flash ability activates!
<Pose Tracker> Fu Inubozaki [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Fu actually stops and listens to these differing viewpoints about love, a somewhat foreign topic to her. She swivels her head from Fuu to Alcyone as they make various points and rebuttals to each other. And since Inugami has perched ontop of her head once more, he too swivels with Fu's head in silent observance of the ongoing debate. But Fu cannot listen for long as ice shards are hurled her way. Grabbing her sword, the Hero yanks it free and dashes to her left which causes the Heroine to come to a sliding stop as the deadly ice shards harmlessly fly past. She whistles lightly as just how close that was, but soon turns her attention on the Ice-Lady.
Brandishing her greatsword behind her, the young yellow and green wearing Hero sizes up her opponent as several of her allies start to get serious. La Sirene's chilling words and thrown knife seem like all the opening Fu needs to get closer. "Did you ever think....." begins Fu as she now holds her sword aloft in the air. ".....that the real problem might be......." Her sword now enlarges in size as she plants her feet firmly on the ground. ".... your chilling lack of Girl Power!?" She accuses before taking a step forward, spinning, and then coming around with her massive blade. Her blade sings forward through the air as it seeks to strike Fu's target for the first time. And it is a similar attack to her her previous slash, but the blade will cover a much larger area thanks to its increased size which is apparently the Hero's solution to fighting such a nimble target.
COMBAT: Fu Inubozaki has used Even Bigger Hero Slash on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge Fu Inubozaki's Even Bigger Hero Slash, taking 19 Fatigue damage!
<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.
Garnet jumps back from the powerful meeting of blade to armored fist. and the ice spears are already on top of her. One of them grazes and pierces past her shoulder and she grimaces in pain. But then, Garnet focuses on her own relationship, the balance within her heart, the source of the magic that makes up her very being, and as a direct expression of that reciprocated love, emanates a protective current of magical electricity!
It intercepts a number of the spears and continues to Alcyone. Garnet speaks to her: "You're mistaken. Love isn't so one-sided. Love takes kindness, trust, understanding, and communication. If you're the only one speaking, you're being treated unfairly and you're only writing half the story!"
Garnet powers through towards Alcyone, with a gauntlet forward, and she shines brightly with blue, then red, then purple-red light!
Love....
is a conversation!"
COMBAT: Garnet has used High Impact Relationship Counselling on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge Garnet's High Impact Relationship Counselling, taking 29 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Utena Tenjou is Quipped!
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Fuu and Nori, differently, question whether or not Alcyone's love is worth all the suffering it causes. She meets them with an unflinching eye, sidestepping her returned dagger, which is lost in the forest, even as the Magic Knight of Wind scores a solid hit, slashing through her ragged cape to open a shallow wound along one arm. "I never suggested that your reasons for fighting were invalid, either," is her cool, almost subdued reply. But then her eyes flash with anger, with purpose. "And I will never weep for the loss of Lord Zagato to your blades, not while I still draw breath."
She creates still another ice sword, this one longer and sturdier, with which to try to penetrate Fuu's guard and open up another wound of her own. "Once the Magic Knights are gone, my life can finally begin!" The other knight rolls in as though summoned, Hikaru's hit-and-run avoided only narrowly with a quick leap backwards, and then she sends that self-same dagger, floating back out of the underbrush, in hot pursuit of the fiery girl's back as she departs her immediate range.
Amid this distraction, Hero Fu closes the gap, and there's no time left to run and few places to go. The strike sends Alcyone sprawling, gasping, and she indignantly shouts, from her place in the grass, "Child, I have /plenty/ of POWER!"
A massive ice storm erupts from her mouth, from her eyes, cascading over Fu, trying to freeze her in her tracks, solidify her very breath inside her lungs. She doesn't get up in time to stop Garnet from sending her flying even further; she slams up against a tree, then skids down.
It's then that Fate-enhanced Lancelot comes for her, and their shared lightning explodes against her. It's at the last possible second that she brings up that blade, allowing it to shatter, a fine price for leaving her steaming but hardly shocked at all.
"ENOUGH!" she bellows, at Garnet, at Fate. "Enough of your comparisons! Enough of your declarations that you know what lies in his heart!" She's losing her temper, but with that slip of control comes ever-greater invocations of ice, less precise but no less deadly. "ETERNAL TOMB!" She tries to shut them both inside more large ice crystals, shut them up, make them stop voicing questions that her heart refuses to utter itself.
The storm she'd already conjured around Fu spreads out further, spiraling with ice and snow and suffering to engulf Lancelot and La Sirene at opposite edges of its zone. She's not far from it herself, and, spent of words for the moment, steps inside. Any who seek her demise will have to do so from within her blinding, howling blizzard.
COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Ice Blade on Fuu Hououji. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Ice Blade on Hikaru Shidou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Polar Vortex on Fu Inubozaki. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Eternal Tomb on Fate Testarossa. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Eternal Tomb on Garnet. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Sub-Zero on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou accepts Utena Tenjou's Sub-Zero, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou is Reinforced by Utena Tenjou! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Ice Storm on Lancelot. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Ice Storm on La Sirene du Nord. COMBAT: Fate Testarossa narrowly counters Utena Tenjou's Eternal Tomb, taking 13 Fatigue damage! Fate Testarossa's Reverse ability activates! Fate Testarossa's Tactician ability activates! Stagger and Tangle applied to Fate Testarossa! COMBAT: Fate Testarossa's counterattack, Defenser, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Utena Tenjou! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji narrowly dodges Utena Tenjou's Ice Blade, taking 31 Fatigue damage! Fuu Hououji's Fade ability activates! Fuu Hououji's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Garnet narrowly dodges Utena Tenjou's Eternal Tomb, taking 14 Fatigue damage! Garnet's Fade ability activates! Garnet's Flash ability activates! Stagger, Stun, Tangle, and Trap applied to Garnet! COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou narrowly braces Utena Tenjou's Ice Blade, taking 41 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Hikaru Shidou's Block ability activates! Hikaru Shidou's Parry ability activates! COMBAT: Lancelot narrowly braces Utena Tenjou's Ice Storm, taking 7 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou is Psyched! Lancelot's Block ability activates! Lancelot's Parry ability activates! COMBAT: Fu Inubozaki narrowly braces Utena Tenjou's Polar Vortex, taking 56 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Trap applied to Fu Inubozaki! COMBAT: La Sirene du Nord narrowly braces Utena Tenjou's Ice Storm, taking 11 Fatigue damage! La Sirene du Nord's Block ability activates! La Sirene du Nord's Parry ability activates!
<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (4)] has posed.
Alcyone is losing her temper and that is making her more and more dangerous. Fate responds reflexively, with her own wards. A sees the ice forming beneath her, holds her palm down, <Defenser> Golden circles of concentric runes spring to life, each moving in a different direction than the other. The ice forms beneath it, crashing into it, forming around the edges and curving above and around her.
It's cold inside the ice tomb that does form, but it's not quite as deadly as it was before. The runes fade once the spell ceases. Fate's arm flexes only to realize that Bardiche himself is trapped on either side of the circular edges, so she starts trying to wrench him free, slamming her elbow against the side until cracks start to form upon the thinner ice. It has the side effect of creating a space from which she can stick out her hand.
She's shivering already, having to curl her fingers for warmth, before muffled synthesized tones start to chime out of the golden glowing gem that's inside the ice wall, <Mmmfhng Mmnd>
Maybe it's difficult to hear it, but Alcyone will likely get the gyst when runic shackles of energy try to form to entrap the Sorceress' limbs and make it more difficult for her to move around. Retracting her fist, she continues to pound against the wall to try to free Bardiche, but the space she made let's /her/ words out at least. "I-It doesn't matter if we don't know! What h-h-he's asking you to do to p-puh-prove it says e-e-enuff!"
This is probably not the best policy against an already enraged Sorceress while she's trapped in ice, but Fate feels passionately enough about this topic that she throws caution to the wind. And also sneezes loudly. Maybe the small mage was already dreaming of chicken soup and curling up in quilted blankets if she returned... so she can do her homework.
COMBAT: Fate Testarossa has used Lightning Bind: Standard on Utena Tenjou.
<Pose Tracker> Fu Inubozaki [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
The ever watchful dog-spirit/ impromptu hat, Inugami, regards the Ice Sorceresses warily even if Fu did not do the same herself. The polar vortex is met head on by the combined forced of Fu's sword coming up to block the attack while her comrade provides his shield for her once more. But even their combined efforts is not enough to stem the raging blizzard. The winds howl around her as the sheer force of the attack forces the Heroine down onto her knees where she fuses with ground underneath her, a white frost covering the yellow wearing Hero. She belatedly starts shivering to show that she's still alive and thankfully she atleast has a warm hat ontop of her head. Every other part of her is freezing cold and that large sword of hers was feeling heavier and heavier. "G-ggirl P-power! No j-just pp-power!" The half-frozen young woman retorts quite pitifully from her downed position.
Gripping onto the hilt of her sword, the fatigued heroine pushes herself up onto shaky feet. She grits her teeth as she fights through the cold as some of the frost begins to fall off her, but a fair portion of it still binds her to the ground below. She looks first to La Sirene and grins at her. "Long time no see. I know you can can show this ice queen what I'm talking about. So how you show her first hand what Girl Power really is?" She stands up a little taller now as she looks to Fuu. "Hey Hououji-san! I know you are strong, so just go ahead and kick her butt!" One speech might have been a tad more eloquent than the other, but Fu speaks these both of these speeches just as sincerely.
COMBAT: Fu Inubozaki has used Motivational Speech on La Sirene du Nord. COMBAT: Fu Inubozaki has used Motivational Speech on Fuu Hououji. COMBAT: Fuu Hououji accepts Fu Inubozaki's Motivational Speech, taking 0 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: La Sirene du Nord accepts Fu Inubozaki's Motivational Speech, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! La Sirene du Nord is Cheered!
<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
The lighting explosion form the combined Arondight and Fate assault is blinding. Lancelot spins to avoid the shards from the exploding ice sword and comes around with the sword held in the highguard. Which is good becuase the Ice Queen sends a storm of ice, wind and snow his way.
The winds bite, and the cold actually burns. Some of that warmth spreading from above his heart is begining to go cold, which he thinks is not a good sign. But he won't give up. He puts one foot forward. Then another. Then again.
Slowly he plods after Alcyone, the lighting dancing and flickering between blown snow and swirling winds. He says toward Alcyone, "I know what you're going through." It's a statement, not an admonishment. "I have memories of a love that I'm pretty sure destroyed paradise." Another step. "And from what the memories make me feel, I'd do it again. But you can't let it control you, that was my mistake, and apparently it's yours."
He frowns. Love. Does he actually know what love is? Memories, HIS memories, not the ones form another life time flood into him, a touch, a smile, a word. "All of us would do a lot for love. And in the name of love, and friendship, we'll defeat you!" He then attacks, trying to hit Alcyone as he calls out, "LIGHTNING SLASH!" once more.
COMBAT: Lancelot has used Lightning Slash on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou narrowly braces Fate Testarossa's Lightning Bind: Standard, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Fate Testarossa is Psyched! Utena Tenjou's Block ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Parry ability activates! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou perfectly dodges Lancelot's Lightning Slash, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Critical Dodge! Utena Tenjou's Fade ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Flash ability activates!
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Alcyone's icy blade slams into the Wind Knight, shattering explosively against her breastplate with enough force to hurl her off her feet, across the clearing, and into a tree. Somehow the impact doesn't even jar her glasses out of skew, which is both a surprise and a welcome change. The impact *does*, however, knock the breath from her lungs, and it takes a crucial moment for the green-clad Magic Knight to get her wind back.
She's still catching her breath when Inubozaki addresses her, and the Wind Knight nods to the Hero whose name is so close to hers. "We are getting to it, Inubozaki-san," she says with a wry smile. "But I can't let the rest of our allies down, can I?" Her gaze flicks to the frozen Fate and the almost-concealed Garnet, then lifts her left hand, calling out once more, "Winds of Healing!" The restorative breezes gust once more, seemingly no warmer than a gentle breeze of early spring - yet somehow, warm enough to melt the ice and thaw the frozen warriors.
And then the Wind Knight's gaze shifts back to Alcyone, watching her for one more key moment, as if searching for the weakness that would bring down the boss in an RPG ...
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Healing on Garnet. COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Healing on Fate Testarossa. COMBAT: Garnet accepts Fuu Hououji's Winds of Healing, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Cleanse! All of Garnet's debuffs are cleared! COMBAT: Fate Testarossa accepts Fuu Hououji's Winds of Healing, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Cleanse! All of Fate Testarossa's debuffs are cleared!
<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.
Garnet had been faring quite well against the ice sorceress, so when Alcyone shouts her denial and calls her attack, Garnet confidently backflips away from the clamping ice of the Eternal Tomb.... when something goes wrong.
The first clue is that her view doesn't right itself entirely ... she's still looking at the world at an upside down angle.
The other, more immediate clue is the searing pain in her left leg followed by a numbing cold! "Agh! ...Whoops..."
Garnet does her best to adapt to her new situation, but she doesn't have much time... she stretches out her neck slightly so that she can clearly see her foe again, and standing on one hand, points her free fist at Alcyone. It glows with transformative magic, growing three times its size, and rockets off of Garnet's arm towards her!
COMBAT: Garnet has used Rocket Gauntlet Buster on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou narrowly dodges Garnet's Rocket Gauntlet Buster, taking 17 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou is Quipped! Utena Tenjou's Fade ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Flash ability activates!
<Pose Tracker> La Sirene du Nord [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
What? La Sirene thinks to herself. Is this Lord Zagato dead? Is she fighting for a dead dream!? That's a much bigger problem, she continues internally. A live man can disappoint you. A dead one can't! (That's a proverb in the Sea of Tears.)
La Sirene can't really get a word in edgewise either, unless you count "Gwah!" as a word, because of that incoming storm. The wind whips at her hair, her head turns away. Batiste pulls in, burrowing closer to his distant cousin.
Then Fu lands near her - La Sirene's right eye opens to look towards the heroine, over the bloody gash on her right hand. Her answer is to smile, with some effort, and straightens upwards, rime falling off her coat as she draws in a breath, wincing slightly as it stings her teeth. "It's a little rougher than I'd like to say, but I think I get your meaning," she tells Fu. She rolls her head to the side, her neck (or is it ice?) cracking. "Give me a moment to gather myself..."
The Pharos is twisted round and opened once more. This throws another shadow forwards, another vast shape not unlike la Sirene in silhouette form. "Why, O my foe, must you slay them for your life to begin?" she asks.
COMBAT: La Sirene du Nord has used Brockenspectre on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou narrowly dodges La Sirene du Nord's Brockenspectre, taking 9 Fatigue damage! La Sirene du Nord is Psyched! Utena Tenjou's Fade ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Flash ability activates!
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
The blade comes at the Fire Knight, and while she tries to remain as strong as she did before, it's not as easy and she finds herself hitting the ground hard. She pushes herself back up, albeit with moderate difficulty, and finds herself catching her breath as she does so. "Can't give up... everyone needs me! Especially Umi!" Then a slight smirk forms on her face. "Time to use my favorite trick! She looks at Alcyone and sneers. "Try this on for size!"
An arrow shaped fiery form appears above the Fire Knight, which is launched at her with the Fire Knight calling out, "Fire arrow!" Is the Fire Knight a good archer? Will the projectile hit?
COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou has used Fire Arrow on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge Hikaru Shidou's Fire Arrow, taking 42 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit!
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Alcyone briefly, briefly has Fate's lightning binds around her wrists and ankles. They're yanked apart, but she yanks back, tearing through the energy bonds with grim effort and a willingness to bear pain.
At that point, she's /super/ done with this nonsense.
She stalks forward, towards Fu and Fuu who speak mostly to each other, sending an icy spear left, an icy sword right. Past Lancelot and his lightning slash -- she sends another spear towards him backhandedly on her way, over her shoulder. Past Garnet's rocket punch, which she ducks, then calmly returns an ice sword along the same trajectory, and alongside La Sirene's shadow, as though they are companions in this place. That damn dagger is still in play, and because she is bitter and angry, she sends it towards the girl one final time.
She isn't silent as she goes.
"Good luck," she wishes Lancelot, insincerely.
"To end the war," she replies to La Sirene.
She makes it to Fate, and lays her palm flat against the crystal, causing it to shatter into a thousand pieces, in every direction, which of course includes inwards.
Then, at last, she faces Hikaru head on. "Curse Clef for teaching you magic," she whispers, even as she's bathed in flame. Sensibly, she stops, she drops, and she rolls. And then she pops back up, eyes narrowed to slits. "You always were the most obnoxious of your team," she hisses. "I may fight for love, but..."
She clenches her fingers into a fist, and all of the scattered shards of Fate's tomb fly towards Hikaru, bathing her in endless torment, a death of a thousand icy cuts.
"I can't deny some personal satisfaction in seeing your demise."
COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Icy Spear on Fu Inubozaki. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Ice Blade on Fuu Hououji. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Icy Spear on Lancelot. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Ice Blade on Garnet. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Ice Blade on La Sirene du Nord. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Polar Vortex on Fate Testarossa. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou has used Ice Storm on Hikaru Shidou. COMBAT: Fate Testarossa narrowly dodges Utena Tenjou's Polar Vortex, taking 43 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Fate Testarossa's Fade ability activates! Fate Testarossa's Flash ability activates! Trap applied to Fate Testarossa! COMBAT: Fu Inubozaki narrowly dodges Utena Tenjou's Icy Spear, taking 24 Fatigue damage! Fu Inubozaki's Fade ability activates! Fu Inubozaki's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Lancelot perfectly dodges Utena Tenjou's Icy Spear, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Critical Dodge! COMBAT: La Sirene du Nord narrowly counters Utena Tenjou's Ice Blade, taking 35 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! COMBAT: La Sirene du Nord's counterattack, Les Mysteres, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Utena Tenjou! COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou narrowly braces Utena Tenjou's Ice Storm, taking 15 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Utena Tenjou is Psyched! Hikaru Shidou's Block ability activates! Hikaru Shidou's Parry ability activates! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji narrowly braces Utena Tenjou's Ice Blade, taking 17 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Fuu Hououji's Block ability activates! Fuu Hououji's Parry ability activates! COMBAT: Garnet narrowly braces Utena Tenjou's Ice Blade, taking 25 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit!
<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (4)] has posed.
Alcyone is stalking towards her, and Fate's eyes grow wide as she moves past the rush of attacks, like some arctic juggernaut. Fate's impacts against the walls of her icy tomb grow more and more desperate, more and more fervent. Cracks begin to form but not nearly quickly enough, not nearly... she's right there. Fate's eyes are wide and... 'Winds of Healing!'
Her limbs are suddenly free from the ice, but that's something of a hollow victory, because at the same moment, Alcyone is shattering it, catching the small mage right in the middle of a storm of icy impaling shards. But at the same time, it very likely saves her as it leaves her precious fractions of seconds to act. Although she shrieks as they dart and lance into her barrier jacket, her mind is still working. As is that of...
<Blitz Move>
Her partner. Her Device. A mental command, shared, is what saves her as the shards impact right where her heart would be. It even looks like they strike, as Fate's image fades into a blur of gold. She reappears some distance away, an agonized sound erupting from her throat as her gloved hands pulls some of the larger shards from her barrier jacket.
Once free of them, she only breathes a little easier. Alcyone is on the Magic Knight of Fire already. What she says- is cruel. Fate never took any satisfaction in hurting people. Alcyone's magic is strong, but Fate's could also be strong in it's own way. Closing her eyes, to take a shuddering, calming breath, she concentrated on her magic, then raising Bardiche high, filled the forest full of light.
Winking motes, crackling spheres, thunderous globes, they all form into being in a line around her, but instead of using them as such, instead she calls them back to her. Her other hand opens, a raised palm which they return to. And as they do, a sparkling lance of lightning takes form, and shape, and substance. It's easily three times as long as the child wielding it is tall and carries all of her own magical might born from her emotional fortitude
"Y-You wuh-won't get the chance-AACHO!" Fate sneezes again, "WAAA-chu!" Fate really wants to wipe her nose, but now is really not a great time for that, "Spark-" Her hand flings it forward. It streaks right towards Alcyone. "-Endo."
Upon impact with whatever or whoever it strikes... it fills the space with a colossal detonation of electrical power.
COMBAT: FINISHER! Fate Testarossa has used Spark End on Utena Tenjou.
<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Bending and twisting, Lancelot watches another Ice Spear sail past him. He notes that the spel makes a really finely crafted spear, and his head turns to make sure it doesn't come back his way. Becuase the way the last few days have gone? It would totally come back and impale him from behind. Satisfied that THAT isn't going to happen he looks back to Alcyone and rushes forward.
"Chaaaaaaarging ~"
As he runs lighting rains down, striking his sword, and sometimes the ground around him as he surges after the enemy. Each roar of thunder, each bolt of lighting, causes Arondight to glow that much more, until the sword he holds is nothing more than a bar of pure lightning, pusling in time with his heartbeat. Crackling bolts twist and arc, leaving trails of blackened earth in the knight's wake. He leaps and brings the sword dweeping around over his head.
"ASSAULT!"
The blade descends and as it strikes toward Alcyone everyone of those lightning bolts explodes outward in a wave of thunder that cracks the ground in a spreading circle of concussive force. The air is filled with thousands of lighting bolts, all of them cracking with defening thunder, and crackling with torrents of electricity.
He lands in a crouch breathing heavily and looks over his shoulder, both to watch for a reprisal, and to watch the lighting do it's work.
COMBAT: FINISHER! Lancelot has used Charging Assault on Utena Tenjou.
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
With the power of her defenses up, the Fire Knight stands tall, not budging in the least bit, even as the cold gets more intense by the moment. She starts to show signs of wanting to pass out as she slumps over, feeling like her stamina is being drained slowly, but inside of her is a burning spirit that's still willing to fight. Not just for herself and her allies, but also for Umi, who's going to be all right no matter what! She knows this and she feels it in herself!
"Enough of this!" The Fire Knight yells out. "You're going to pay for what you've done to Umi and to everyone else!" The Fire Knight raises her blade and summons forth massive flames which take the form of a huge sword. The sword seems to be matching the Fire Knight's sword movements. "I will melt you down to nothing!" She swings her sword and the huge flaming sword comes down towards Alcyone, while the Fire Knight calls out, "SWORD OF FLAME!"
COMBAT: FINISHER! Hikaru Shidou has used Sword of Flame on Utena Tenjou.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
The Wind Knight brings her sword around and up, attempting to parry the icy blade which flies at her. This time, her aim is true, and while the ice shatters with force comparably severe to the last time, the green-clad Magic Knight is braced better for it; she stumbles backwards, but doesn't fly.
"You say 'curse Clef,'" she points out, "but what of Princess Emeraude? *She* is the one who summoned us in the first place, after all - without her summoning, there would be no Magic Knights. Or are you forbidden to wish ill against the Pillar ... ?"
If the circumstances were different, she might not speak so freely of Princess Emeraude - but those who fight beside the Magic Knights are their allies, their friends, and the Wind Knight has no reason not to trust them. The only enemy present is Alcyone herself, who - as a native of Cephiro - will know just as much about the country as you'd expect; there's probably nothing the Wind Knight *could* say that Alcyone would be surprised by where Cephiro is concerned.
If Alcyone intends to answer at all, she has a fairly generous opportnity for it as the winds stir once again around the green-clad Magic Knight. If she's actually going to answer, the Wind Knight consciously gives her a little extra time while building up for her next spell - possibly the final one she'll cast in this fight. She certainly hopes it will, and the power behind her allies' spells and attacks carries that same intensity, that same intent of concluding the battle.
When she transformed, the Wind Knight made her wish that this should be the last time the Magic Knights encountered Alcyone. Her words come back to her memory, and she examines the desire, to find it reaffirmed: after everything Alcyone has done, whether done for the sake of love or not, the sorceress has no intention of changing her ways - and the Magic Knight of Wind has little mercy left - in fact, as little mercy as the typhoon which flattens all in its way.
"EMERALD CYCLONE!!"
And thus does she unleash the tempest, with a ferocity that may take her aback - more powerful, more destructive, than when she'd cast this spell before her magic came back with interest. The howling, rending winds barely avoid a couple of her allies, but the Wind Knight's will protects them - not wanting to waste any of her spell's force, but to channel its full power and fury against the ice-witch.
COMBAT: FINISHER! Fuu Hououji has used Emerald Cyclone: Full on Utena Tenjou.
<Pose Tracker> La Sirene du Nord [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
And for the same reason her hand was hurt before, that knife hits it again. "Kyah!!"
The same knife hits la Sirene in the left hand about where it hit her before - but cutting deeper now, making her feel a momentary weakness in her central two fingers, bad enough that she nearly drops the Pharos. This might be funny, in a dark sort of way, were it not for the shooting blooms of pain that make her clutch her hand to her chest as best she can, and for the fact that this is an encounter of grim and serious stakes.
"... To stop the war? You could consider... not fighting it," la Sirene manages to say through tightened teeth. "But I suppose that is easy for me to say."
La Sirene breathes in as thunder and war charge ahead.
"But I won't feel guilty. We only met when you attacked those for whom I care," la Sirene says, shifting her arms round to pin her bloodied hand under the opposing arm, using the right to raise the Pharos. "And since then you have tried to slay me three times, when we have not been well introduced. I hope that the war you speak of will end one day, but for you, I fear, it may be over soon."
("That was very diplomatic of you," Batiste says from within la Sirene's coat. He's had to move around some. He hasn't noticed the blood yet.)
Then la Sirene opens the Pharos. Previously she has flashed it, like signals on a distant hilltop. Now she opens the gate wholly, turning what had been flickers and trickles into a full fledged torrent. Behind the growing flame comes a surging spray of that unlight, moving visibly as an inversion in the air, a glow that casts no shadow, a light, perhaps, that never warms. But it does not fight heat either, and so with its alien radiance it pours forwards, to paint strange shapes and lights on the Ice Witch, and introduce her to stranger sorrows.
COMBAT: FINISHER! La Sirene du Nord has used Paint It Black and Take It Back on Utena Tenjou.
<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.
Garnet grows increasingly concerned with her situation, hearing her rocket gauntlet's impact much further away than she had hoped. But her anxieties are cut short when she hears a familiar and welcome voice proclaim "Winds of Healing!" and Garnet surrenders herself to the warmth of the healing winds, reveling in their serenity, it feels like all her troubles are melting away.
She feels her foot go slack, and she falls downward.
"Thank you Fuu." Garnet says aloud, though with the rancor of the battlefield isn't sure she can be heard.
She bounds forward towards Alcyone, raising a fist in righteous fury, when an ice blade shoots right through her chest. perforating her completely, leaving a visible hole, and following its momentum, hits the ground behind her!
Even though Gems, and Garnet in particular, have no bones or organs to rupture in their chests, such a powerful rip through her form is excruciatingly painful, and knocks her out of her attack. She shouts in pain as she tumbles to the ground, but after a moment forces herself up again against it.
She won't let this sorceress win, not even for a moment, not even if Alcyone threw blades through her until she looked like that cheese Steven is so fond of.
The sorceress stands a twisted mockery of all that Garnet represents. One-sided obsession, expressed through hatred, mockery, and the endless assault and imprisonment of others.
No. This woman is not going to continue her campaign of strife and heartbreak against anyone. Not against the people of Cephiro. Not against the people of Earth, and not for a moment more will Garnet tolerate her actions against Fuu and Hikaru.
Garnet focuses her emotions, her love for her friends, the strength of Ruby and Sapphire both, and in the name of Love itself!
The area around her pulses and warps! She raises her hands and with a shout of righteous anger, sends a beam of gigantic ball lightning, neon colors shining brightly, pinks and blues and greens and yellows, hurtling towards Alcyone!
COMBAT: FINISHER! Garnet has used Cool Electro on Utena Tenjou.
<Pose Tracker> Fu Inubozaki [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Fu offers Fuu a mighty thumbs up when she replies with some very sound logic. What was the point of all of this if they couldn't protect their allies? So she's not one to argue with that. La Sirene's acceptance of her pep-talk causes the wounded Fu to grin back at her. "As long as it inspires the fire within you, then I've done what I cam to do!" It seemed that both of her allies still needed more time, but that was just fine with Fu as she was still reeling from those last couple of attacks. And not to be outdone, another ice shard is thrown her way at an alarmingly high speed. There was no time to do anything fancy as Fu just hits the deck and hugs the ground as the shard just narrowly avoids making her a Shish-Fu-ka-bozkai. Who would have thought that the Ice sorceress would have thrown so low to the ground to begin with? Whatever the case may be, it was far...far too close for comfort.
Exhausted from the fight at hand, Fu considers just remaining on the ground there. Her every muscle ached, she was still chilled to the core, and that darn massive sword of hers was nothing more than a huge handicap by this point. Inugami even peers overtop Fu's head to look down at her which causes the Hero to look up in return. No words are exchanged, but her guardian spirit does bob his head towards her. Fu cannot help but smirk as she slowly, very slowly starts to get back up on her feet. "Hey everyone! We got this! And remember, no one die!"
The young heroine now looks down at the Mankai gauge, a flower like symbol on her left thigh. It had added a new petal which brought it closer to full bloom. The thought of this brings a big grin to Fu's face. "Looks like I'm getting closer to levelling up!" With a grunt she hefts her massive sword up into the air and begins to stare down Alcyone with those green eyes of hers. Inugami shares Fu's steely disposition and also stares daggers at the Ice Witch while Fu gathers what is left of her energy. Both guardian spirit and Heroine were ready to strike! Fu begins her assault be leaping forward and ping-ponging herself ever closer to her target. "Hero!" The young blonde swordswoman picks up speed now as her massive blade trails behind her. Once again, her blade grows in size, but this time it is atleast three times as large as it was before. Fu lands now before the Ice Witch and grins as her feet dig into the ground before her. "SLASH!" She then violently pivots and slashes mightily at her foe, putting all the Girl Power she could still muster in that swing.
COMBAT: FINISHER! Fu Inubozaki has used Executive Power on Utena Tenjou. COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge Fate Testarossa's Finisher, Spark End, taking 116 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge Fuu Hououji's Finisher, Emerald Cyclone: Full, taking 72 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou narrowly dodges Garnet's Finisher, Cool Electro, taking 40 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Utena Tenjou's Fade ability activates! Utena Tenjou's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge Hikaru Shidou's Finisher, Sword of Flame, taking 93 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou is unable to keep fighting! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge Fu Inubozaki's Finisher, Executive Power, taking 88 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou is unable to keep fighting! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge Lancelot's Finisher, Charging Assault, taking 120 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou is unable to keep fighting! COMBAT: Utena Tenjou fails to dodge La Sirene du Nord's Finisher, Paint It Black and Take It Back, taking 95 Fatigue damage! Utena Tenjou is unable to keep fighting!
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
People talk at Alcyone -- showing off their knowledge, their judgement, their determination. She doesn't satisfy any of hem with acknowledgement, with answers. She lifts her chin, retaining her dignity after her failure to destroy even one of her many opponents. She knows what's next, and whether or not she can stop it, she will face it with her head held high.
The end comes from Alcyone from all directions -- Fate's lightning sent from a distance, Lancelot's delivered up close and personal at swordpoint, and Garnet's a continuous, prismatic beam -- La Sirene's unlight spilled across a wide area, and the Hero Fu's wide blade compressing all her strength into a single, deadly edge.
And, of course, the fiery sword and mighty typhoon. The belief of the Magic Knights, in themselves, in each other, and in the righteousness of their cause, cannot be so easily denied, and the two attacks support each other, creating an all-encompassing firestorm that entirely hides Alcyone from view.
But it cannot drown out her screams.
Afterwards, she's laid out on the ground, blackened, bruised, bloody -- but not dead. And with agonizing slowness, she lifts her head...
...and then her eyes widen with shock, with amazement, with abject relief.
The reason for this becomes apparent shortly.
The air ripples, and there's briefly the sense of pure, moving water, the tremble in the air from a distant waterfall.
And then a man steps through it. Ensconsed in long black robes which are clearly concealing impossibly massive, heavy, bejeweled and equally dark armor, he is slender of face but broad of chest, more handsome than beautiful but only by the narrowest of margins. He wears a spiked headpiece that could easily be called a crown, inset at its center with the largest of his violet gems. Its magnificence pales in comparison to his own, however. Power pours off of him -- simply being in his presence is like being plunged into the deepest, coldest mountain stream.
His eyes are coldest of all, as they gaze upon Alcyone, who crawls across the grass to lie at his feet. "My lord," she gasps, painfully in love -- and lovingly in pain, her body rent and contorted -- "Please... help me..."
He shifts his chin to the side by the slightest bit, and the breath goes still in her lungs. Looking down his nose at her, he intones, softly but remorselessly, "No."
Reaching forward with his gauntleted hand, he touches her forehead, and what's left of her dissolves, becoming icy-cold power that absorbs into his jewels, rather than ash or bones or blood. She had all of those things once, but he is efficient when it comes to recycling waste.
He feels no need to explain himself to his audience, but he has something that they need to know. As his eyes lift to them, it's like the world itself holds its breath, the subtle chirping of Cephiran birds and cicaidas reaching a complete and total halt.
"Do not think that my cause is the only one that has lost an ally today," he murmurs. "Bear witness to my power!"
With an efficient magical gesture, there's a sense of yanking, of folding, and then the space near him is occupied by Guru Clef, who appears in a clap of displaced air and a great rumpling of robes and, overall, much surprise.
That's all the time the Guru has for reaction, though, and he wastes it in indignation. "You were the best of us, Zaga--"
Zagato brings down his hand, and all the power he drained from Clef's pupil Alcyone pours back out of him in a flash of light, which engulfs the Master Mage, as blinding as the heart of a star.
When it clears, only a statue remains, its mouth permanently in the process of saying Zagato's name.
"Remember this," he orders the Magic Knights, and their allies. "Alcyone was the weakest of my minions, the barest tithe of my strength."
Without further ado, he sweeps past the petrified wizard and back through the rippling air into a land beyond. The world breathes again... but Clef does not.
And now the way between Cephiro and Earth -- what of that, what of the portal in the secret garden? It lies permanently open... a means of easy egress and return for today's visitors, but for so many natives as well...
<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (4)] has posed.
Fate's expression is mostly pity, but there's some disgust too as her feet touch the ground anew. Even when she was at her worst, she never would have taken satisfaction in hurting others- but Fate is a veteran Magical Girl, one that had spent her time in caverns of D-Point, the halls of Labyrinth. She felt Zagato's presence just before he even appears. And her breath catches within the icy chill of her throat... she suspects what is going to happen.
She hopes not.
She might as well have hoped for her mother to come back to her. To apologize. To tell her she loved her all along.
Still. That hope exists, until it doesn't. With the sound of a single word, 'No.'
Fate can see herself in that position, kneeling at the foot of the Great Mage, begging for help... for a moment's attention. In the wake of his power, she's dissolved until there's nothing left but- ironically power. She's too scared to speak. It resonates with her too much. She only shivers and shakes and it's not the cold.
There's the feel of space folding upon itself and- Guru Clef is there. She can't recognize the magic. Only the energy that was Alcyone flowing back on him. It's such a cruel display, that leaves only a statue. She's left speechless, speechless until he finishes speaking, until he starts walking, "Mon-"
The word catches. She can't finish it. She's too scared.
It's only once he vanishes that she manages to, "-MONSTER!" Defiance that she never could have managed before this moment. Defiance that wasn't defiance at all since was already gone. She'd defied only empty air. Her courage had failed her. It had come too late. She puts her palm to her face, feels the tears stream between the fingers of her torn gloves as she sniffles.
Maybe when this journey began she would have wanted to dance in the clouds along the floating islands, see those crystalline mountains. Not anymore. All she wanted was to go home.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Perhaps it's the fact that she *just* cast her biggest attack spell, and stronger than it's ever been; that would explain well enough why the Wind Knight doesn't react more strongly than to stare when Zagato makes his presence known.
But more accurately, the raw power of Zagato paralyzes her in reflexive terror. The cool dismissal with which he annihilates Alcyone - destroying her body, absorbing her power - underlines that fear with a dread that stabs still deeper. And yet those are only the surface layers ...
Because what Zagato *DOES* with that power sinks deeper than one of Alcyone's icy blades or spears.
Guru Clef was supposed to be the strongest user of magic in all of Cephiro ... and yet Zagato petrifies him with a single blast. The Wind Knight knows, without even attempting, that this is magic far beyond what her Winds of Healing can unravel; the only thing that can break it, short of Zagato undoing it of his own volition, is - possibly - if Zagato is slain and his power destroyed.
But despair cannot clutch at her heart again as it did at Tokyo Tower. Where the deaths of the proto-daimon's five victims broke the Wind Knight's - broke Fuu's - belief and her will, Clef's petrification only fans the flames of determination within her breast. She rises to her feet, her sword disappearing back into her glove-jewel, and walks over to Clef's diminutive statue form.
And she bows deeply, going down on one knee. "You will not remain like this forever, Clef-san," she speaks. "Hikaru-san and Umi-san and I will continue our growth, as you bade us when we were returned to Tokyo to train. We will revive the Rune-Gods, as we need to ... and we will defeat Zagato, rescue Princess Emeraude, and free Cephiro from peril. I promise to help save this world, as we were called to do ... so, please watch over us. I know that Mokona-san will continue to assist us when we need it most."
She lingers a moment longer, then rises back to her feet, her transformation reverting, at least for the moment. She doesn't want to be wearing her armor when she hugs the crying Fate, after all.
Because - if the young girl allows it - then Fuu does indeed wrap her arms gently around Fate's shoulders, holding her close as she weeps.
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Kneeling alongside Fuu, Hikaru nods. "We will gladly help out in any way she can. We won't let you down!" She stands up again, then, like her ally, reverts back to her normal form. Despite her injuries and what's happened, Hikaru still manages to move to Fate and hug her tightly as well. The sight of tears from her makes Hikaru truly realize what they've all been up against. "It's OK, just let it out," She says gently. "We know how you feel."
<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.
Garnet isn't usually one for words, but this time her silence is different, completely numbed with horror at what she's just seen. It reminds her of the horrors of the wars she'd endured and though she would like to, her advice might be that for some moments in life there are no words. She walks over to the group of Fuu, Hikaru and Fate, and stands close by in support.
<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (4)] has posed.
Fate stiffens at first as the two Magic Knight's hug her. Though she grows more relaxed as the moment's pass with her just crying. Her hand drops away as she gradually composes herself. She seems slightly uncomfortable by that. It's not them, it's simply the circumstances of the tough. Context that they possibly don't know.
... "Thanks." She says weakly, with a hint of awkwardness, as she looks between them and then at Garnet as if tired from all of her injuries and just the emotional desolation from the situation, "I-I just want to go home. R-Really I'm okay." Fate then looks over towards Umi's form, gesturing tiredly, "And- and doesn't she need you more?"
But then her eyes fall onto Hikaru. She blinks her long lashes at her multiple times. The other girl only had a few centimeters on her. And Fate just looks her over for a while before asking a little shyly, "Uhm, do I know you by the way? You look a lot like a fifth year from my school." Fifth year still being an /elementary/ school level.
<Pose Tracker> Fu Inubozaki [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Fu's massive greatsword comes swinging back around and the young swordswoman thrusts it into the ground before her to bring its momentum to a screeching halt. The now stationary blade is held onto tightly by the handle so the green-eyed herorine can prop herself up despite her injuries. The battle against Alcyone has weakened her to the point where she can only hold onto her lodged sword and watch in horror as the next events unfold before her eyes. She had teased and taunted the Ice Sorceresses that was promptly executed by the same person she fought her, and Fu can only feel shame in her heart for that. What Zagato did made her sick as well as her inability to stop it from happening. "She didn't deserve that," mutters Fu hotly with obvious distaste in her voice. But Fu could only be a bystander in the end as she watched Zagato murder Alcyone, petrify Guru Clef, taunt and warn them all, before fleeing back through a portal. The young Heroine simply dematerializes her sword and staggers forward to where Alcyone once laid. Normally not the most religious or spiritual individual, Fu still bows her head in deference. "I may not have known you, but no one deserves to die like that. And I may not be strong enough to avenge you myself...." She says quietly before adding, "But, you'll likely succeed if you try." The young heroine then makes a fist and holds it up before her before glancing over her shoulder where the Magic Knights, Fate, and Garnet had gathered. "And I won't be alone in trying."
Finishing her pledge, Fu walks over to join the others. She nods to Fuu, Hikarui, and Garnet when they came to comfort Fate. The heroine, on the other hand, squats near fate and smiles towards her. "Hey, you did good. No, we all did good today." She's surprisingly still pretty solemn, but that reassuring smile remains on her face.
<Pose Tracker> La Sirene du Nord [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
It all happens so fast. La Sirene stares at the wounded woman. She considers offering clemency of some kind, though the thought dies aborning as that other man comes forth. She is reminded of her distant relations in an obscure way, but that cold feeling from him -
No. Not the same.
"Ah!" La Sirene cries out, between the speed and the heat with which everything happens. The Magic Knights do not seem deterred.
La Sirene stares at Clef.
She? She is a little deterred. But perhaps that is from the wound on her hand. (Which, unbeknownst to anyone, Batiste is presently tying a hankerchief around. The cold numbed it enough that she does not know this herself.)
