Lords of Creation (Story Thread 3)

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Uburra-Namall looked down, struck silent with horror for a moment. And then suddenly she felt something within herself. In her heart, something burned with fury and fire the goddess could not explain. It was more than simple love. It was love and hate and sadness and dismay all at the same time. It was furious indignation that did not allow her to sit still, and yet left her with little idea of how to move.

Finally, she felt the word bubble up from deep within her, and she called out, giving everyone a start.

"DIAMOND, to the North! EMERALD, to the South! RUBY, to the East! SAPPHIRE, to the West! My Precious Sentries, hear my cry! Take fuel from my Planes of Love and Creativity! Make my strength, your strength! Rise up fellow Sentries, to double your capacity!"

From their respective positions on the island, the Precious Sentries hearkened to the decree of the love goddess, and dutifully obeyed.

The land precisely middle-distance between Diamond and Ruby reverberated. It cracked, and shivered, and a pillar of precious stone jutted out of it. The stone cracked, and gave way to the form of Amethyst, the Precious Sentry of the North-East.

The land smack-dab between Diamond and Sapphire resonated. It crumbled, and split, and gave way; a second spire of precious stone protruded out of it. The stone cracked, and gave way to the form of Topaz, the Precious Sentry of the North-West.

The land exactly between Emerald and Ruby hummed and shivered and shook. It ruptured, and fell away. A third spire of precious stone shot out of it. The stone cracked, and gave way to the form of Opal, the Precious Sentry of the South-East.

The land dead-center between Emerald and Sapphire convulsed and quaked. It cratered, and collapsed. A fourth spire of precious stone shot out of it. The stone cracked, and gave way to the form of Beryl, the Precious Sentry of the South-West.

They recognized the presence of their goddess immediately, and saluted her. She did not return their platitudes. She simply raised her hands, and armed the sentries with energy and armor from the Planes; their own precious stone skins hardened exponentially.

"Now, my Precious Sentries." Uburra-Namall called out to them a final time, "Take again from my Planes! Take energy and fuel! Take power, to raise up a dome of force, to engulf the entire island, and softly receive what pieces of the moon may fall!" she turned back to her allies, "Come, brothers and sisters. Sons and daughters. Take up arms with me. We shall leave none alive."

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

As the moon exploded, many of the mortals in Mina's lands gaped in wonder while the Lily, Kyouko, Suna, Fuujin, and Raijin sprang into action once they realized where the shards would land. While they couldn't help those outside her lands and beyond the Free Cities, they would do their best to help those they could. With a combined sandstorm, snowstorm and hurricane, they blasted the shards as far away as possible (5 Free Miracles/Smites).

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In Spectropolis, Illusia, Magnas and Gravas worked to prevent what damage they could to the population with shields of wind and water, the temple sanctuaries, and barriers of metal.

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Mina had watched as long as she could then took Kyuuketsu with her to the place with the most gathered power, Mik Hael's island. As she does so, she creates a red spear for Kyuuketsu to wield against any enemies that may be in waiting (-12 motes, Divine Artifact). The heroes of Mina in Spectropolis aid in moving as many people as possible to the temples for protection while hoping nothing too horrible will occur.

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As the moon rains down, Brynhildr stares in wonder, then starts laughing hysterically. This could mean the end of things as they were, possibly even the gods of Uburra-Namall, which would mean the end of her contract with them.

(Mote Total: Previous - 12)

[Philote]

A pillar of flame cut across the sky like a blade, engulfing the largest meteor falling towards Gilgamesh's kingdom and reducing it to nothing but ash to add to the forming clouds above. More fall though, crashing into the walls Anima formed from the mountains. Gilgamesh could not stand back to defend the land from the debris, for he had an enemy in his sight with which to war against.

One of the giants rises up to the south, in the land of the humans. Two more sets of arms grow out of Gilgamesh's back, each the width of an ancient tree thanks to Deva's domain of the body joined with Gilamesh's. Gilgamesh leaps from his tower throne and falls with the force of the heavenly fragments descending around him. Six strikes mark the giant's demise.

The Monster King had issued his challenge of war with the destruction of the moon. Gilgamesh leaps straight up into the air, rising high enough with his bodies shear power without the need to fly. All around him, his pantheon wages war with the intruders of the land. Gilgamesh would issue his own challenge. He roars. The sound travels out across all continents, drowning out the sounds of the crashing moon for merely a moment as Gilgamesh calls for the strongest, the leader to come face him.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

Above them, a city named for specters burned, and Waverider screamed and thrashed on the ground as Raka tried to attend. The watcher looked on, acutely aware of how little it could do. The sounds, the screams, the heat, all mixed together to create a perfect tableau of hell. Well no, not hell. Hell had monsters.

It was then, right as he had that unfortunate thought, that he heard from his stalwart companion over these many months, a low humming noise, deep bass and varying. He tore his eyes away from the drama on the floor to face the watchdog. It was staring at the door to this subbasement the servitors had ushered their charges into, and behind it he heard, slight at first and growing louder, the sound of monsters, and realized what it was his friend was doing; the watchdog was growling.

There was a banging at the door, a scrabbling sound, and creaking wood as it was torn apart by the maddened, gibbering abominations behind it. He could see through parts of it, hear the effects of their claws on the door, see their bloodshot eyes ad with murder. All the while the girl screamed, assailed by some far greater terror.

The Watchdog stepped forward toward the door, lean grey body arched and ridged for the pounce, it's own claws digging into the dirt floor. Even with those, they would never did out in time. He spoke, to anyone who cared to listen but mostly to the kind dwarf woman who didn't deserve any of this.

"She's a god, you know?" he said. "The missing one, goddess of the sea. Though you probably already suspected something along those lines. But if not, you deserve to know." The grey cloak, empty as air yet filled with something greater, inclined his head to the dog. "If me and him don't make it out of this, then it falls to you to keep her safe. And, thanks for putting up with us all this time." He billowed out, making himself seem bigger than he was. "I WAS GIVEN A SINGLE TASK!" he roared over the screams, and the tearing, and the gibbering. "THAT WAS TO WATCH OVER THIS GIRL. IF I FAIL AT SOMETHING THIS EASY, I'LL NEVER BE GIVEN A CUSHY POSTING!

The door broke, the monsters steamed in, and two lowly servitors threw themselves into a hopeless battle.

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"Hey, Junior, behind you!"

Something flew past the young gods head, looking suspiciously like a bottle of alcohol. Behind him it crackled, then exploded into a plum of white hot fire incinerating the goblins that had leapt to attack him. Horizons and a band of others (vandals, dwarfs, durhians, shifters, dragonborn, goliath) stormed up to the young god. Horizons grabbed him by the shoulder as another white hot chunk of the moon landed, obliterating what was once an residential complex. "Hey, we're trying to evacuate everyone to the glass dome. The Watcher in charge thinks that it's the only place that might survive a direct hit by one of those moon rocks. We-"

They were interrupted as the shadow of the Snorkel giant bared down on them. Immediately, everyone reached for a small bag on their side. Rocks, bottles, a shoe, a few daggers, all exploded in bright light and the giant was battered with magical effects. It couldn't stand up to the sustained fire, and collapsed onto it's back. Pitching; simple and effective.

"We could really use all the help we can get."

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Monsters ran rampant in the Religious District, looting and sacking temples as they pleased. All save one.

The giant twisted as the stone shifted under it's feet, pitching it onto it's face. It barely had time to get up before the warhammer wielding goliath fell upon its head, shattering it with a swift strike.

Vimak hefted the hammer up onto his broad shoulder and scoffed. "Hah! As if the temple of Gilgamesh would be taken so easily. The three of them had been heartened by this opportunity. Even if they died, their legend would be spread across the entire world. Unless of course the world was at it's end, in which case they couldn't think of a better way to end it. As of now, not a single one of these monsters had breached the temple. Their streak, however, came to an abrupt end.

Three strikes hammered the roof, as if something had dropped out of the sky. Eglath, Vimak, and Nalla turned their attention to the roof as it caved in and three figures dropped into the room. Upon seeing them, their blood ran cold.

The Watchman stood there, in triplicate, dark and silent and arching power. Nalla was the first to step forward, speaking boastfully and jolly. "Well, look at this brothers. I think he has taken a liking to us."

The other two chuckled grimly, hefting their weapons in their hands.

It was time for round three.

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Pessimal couldn't believe his eyes. Torbin was still taking pictures. Pessimal took this moment to bless dwarfish stubbornness and professionalism.

"Torbin?"
"Yeah son?"
"I Just have to say, it has been an honor working with a pictographer of your skill and dedication."
"Awful nice of you to say, son. Could you do me one last favor?"
"Anything, friend."
"Okay, I'm gonna throw the pictograph thataway. When I do, I want you to dive thisaway with me. Hopefully, that big mother hubber won't crush it while it's busy pounding us."

They had managed to get themselves trapped in an alleyway running from this horrible giant and the little gibbery things that danced around it's heels. Mileena had been lost in the shuffle, gone of to who knows where.

"That's an excellent plan," said pessimal, furiously taking notes. Maybe something will get out of this."
"Why are writing boy?"
"Oh, y'know, I'm describing it. So if the camera gets crushed, we still describe it."
"That's a good idea."
"I know, right? Best of all, it keeps my mind off the fact that we're about to...."

Pessimal trails off, hand shaking out scratchy handwriting on his pad. An account of his last moments. He tried to think of it as just another story. That made it easier. Almost.

The giant closed in on the two, the goblins around it's feet snarling and dancing around it's legs, keeping them from escaping between them. The beast raised it's hand as the reporter prepared to toss the tools of their craft to safety.

They didn't have to, At that moment, the giant was beset by something far worse than any nightmare. A great fluttering of wings sounded, and the giant was covered in birds pecking and tearing at it with their claws. It tried to swat them, but the little things were far to swift for it. Unable to defend itself, it retreaded through a nearby building. Mileena dropped from above, placing herself between the reporters and the goblins who had not been crushed by giants panic. On her back rested the carrier pigeon cage, completely empty. On her shoulder sat Tippy, looking at the goblins menacingly. He still wasn't feeling well enough to fly, but that didn't mean the little bird wasn't well enough to kill.

"Run." came the bird-keepers usual monotone.

"Wh-wh-where?" said Pessimal, at a loss for words as to what he just witnessed.

"I was no talking to you, Pessimal Tomes." she said, shrugging the cage from her back and extending her hands to both sides, claws long and bared.

It was the first time he'd ever heard her speak a complete sentence.

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"There! Drop bombs now!" shouted the witness. The Vandals obeyed, swooping in and spitting their napalm bile all over the giant who had been bound in place by the witnesses.

All around the glass dome were the sounds of battle, as any who could fought to keep the routs open for survivors and keep the monsters from using them. Witnesses cracked goblin skulls with their sticks, and tripped giants with their capture ropes. Vandals formed up into their infantry lines, keeping the goblins from crowding closer. They had managed to take and hold some major choke-points, allowing a steady stream of evacuees to flow into the dome.

On this carnage ridden road soaked with blood and paved with the bodied of every race fought Sisters Arms, determined to help despite having no training for this sort of thing. There was a scream from in front of her, and she saw to get horror that one of those giants had gotten free, dragging witnesses with it by their ropes. As it pounded toward them Sisters fumbled with her spear, the first an only weapon she had ever held, and knew that it was pointless. The Giant would squish them all flat.

Then, our of the shadows, to the tune of beating wings, something zipped out toward the giants exposed neck. It circled around back, it's weapons and eyes flashing in the firelight, and drove it's weapons in, dragging them across the giants neck. When she was done, a chunk came flying through the air about the shape of a lemon slice. It landed with a meaty sound as the giant slumped forward, the entire back of it's neck simply sheared away.

Two Gods Sitting looked at her weapons. Dull. She wasn't surprised. That was a quick way to kill them, but a sword couldn't take it. She dumped them on the roof she had landed on, and drew her third pair of the night. Despite it all, she was having fun. After all, this was her wish; to battle strong opponents, kill them, and with that triumph become a hero. After all, spilling blood was a requirement of heroism. Apparently, the most important part.

She leapt up and a blade bit into the ground where she had just been. She looked over and saw, in backs and blues, the god that had presided over the tournament. What had his name been? Gil-something?

"Well, this is unexpected." she almost laughed with joy. "I wonder how many hero points the blood of a god is worth?" She drew her second set of backup swords, and charged.

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

As she aided in evacuation, Kagehana suddenly noticed Mina walking towards her with the Heart of Gravity out and ready to strike at her. Drawing out the Clone-Blade, she warily moves between Mina and the evacuees and Mina, there was something wrong in her goddess's movements. As Mina attacks with the Heart and Kagehana blocks with her blade, she comes to the conclusion that it isn't her mistress and begins fighting with her magic and Kagenobara.

[Philote]

Imitation Spirits answer Gilgamesh call, but they were not the foe he sought. They would serve as a warm up until the main stage of the war began. Even with Gilgamesh and Deva alone, they were more than capable in their combined state to hold off the imposters while the rest of the pantheon fought below.

Bahamut charged Gilgamesh, flames dancing across his flames, but Gilgamesh did not flinch. With two mighty arms, Gilgamesh caught the charging dragon with the strength of the Goliaths. With a twist, the dragon's neck broke and Gilgamesh finished off the Spirit by severing its skull and spine from its body and dropping them into the sea below. With Deva's powers, Gilgamesh had the might and potential of every race he had crafted, at the level of his Spirit body. Yojimbo challenged him, a fake Muramasa held in his hand. The Spirit fell, torn in two by the claws of a Shifter, sharper than any imitation could conceive. Gilgamesh faced himself, and overcame the power he used to hold. The imitation Gilgamesh perished in a fire not seen since the last war, one that turned the night into day for the briefest of moments.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

"Move, move back!" Commanded Shoving Another Down as one of the Goblins struck out of the jungle again, it's nails scratching across the Vandals shied just as she brought it up and stepped back into formation.

She had awaken to screams as the moon had exploded. But before they could even begin to process that these things had come out of he forest. They had acted quickly, the other girls responding to her orders. Cirlce the wagons, protect the Bouquabians. They stood now, in a circle, shoulder to shoulder around the huddled group. Like a herd of animals protecting it's young.

Another of the girls overextend beating back an attack, and was cut down with a single terrible swipe. Shoving called out, and another quickly filled the gap. They didn't have to die. They didn't have to be here. They could fly away, save themselves. But it wasn't what they had been taught. They were soldiers, and a soldier duty was to protects people. They would stay, and fight to the last. There was really know other option.

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The Watcher looked wearily at the Hag. On one hand, it was a true emergency right now. On the other hand, it had been spying on these people for years now and it didn't doubt that she knew.

Still, it wasn't like it had a choice. It followed the hag when she beckoned it, toward the mirror.

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The Watchman heard the boom, and stumbled out into the sleeping room as the  other watcher streaked in.

"Sir, it's terrible, the sky is falling!"

Was this some sort of joke?

"Not only that, we've received reports of terrible creatures spawning everywhere."

He moved as if in a daze, stumbling over himself. What? What had happened? He began to feel as though he had made a very serious mistake.

The Veterans voice broke through the haze. "Watchman, my girls are without a commander! With your permission, I'll return to Spectropolis."

"Yes." he mumbled. "Of course, head back. BS?"

Th Babysitter looked up as he called out to her. "Call it back!"

"But Everyone-"

"I'll take care of it, call them back!"

She stared down into the pot. "Abort mission, return to base! We're, like, under attack!"

The Watchman turned to Gant. He was useless. He had spent everything he had, spreading it to Mik and his creations in the dream world. He needed someone who was still fresh, someone who could think crooked thoughts and use power it inventive ways. He knelt, and clamped and hand on the old woman's shoulder.

"What's you're relation to Zaya? You are your creation, correct? Please tell me that! I need a focus!" he pleaded, desperation clear in his voices.

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

Mina and Kyuuketsu fight giant after goblin after giant after goblin as they make their way across the sea to where Mik Hael's island is, knowing only that they approach the area with the greatest concentration of power. For now, they did not see any need to call on others for aid, but later they might.

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Kagehana fought against the imitation Mina and several giants had appeared as well. All of the evacuees that she had been escorting had run to safe zones so now she could use all her Artifacts to their full potential. Activating Kagenobara, she covered the area with petals of darkness and activating the Clone-Blade, she filled the area with spheres of light. The two went well together to crush and shred any imitation, giant, or goblin that came near her.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

Something flew off the top of a building, explosion sending it careening down into the field of death set up by Kagehana to be battered around by the light show. It was bounced from sphere to petal and back to sphere until it was bounced out through the top, still alive.

Gilgamesh was a tough bastard, even in imitation. Two Gods sitting leaps of the building, driving her weapons into the fakes chest as they descended, riding him all the way to the ground. At a swipe of his arm she leapt off, leaving her weapons implanted in it's chest, before throwing another of the bile bombs from her belt.

The only difference that seemed to make was now it was on fire.

"Hey, aren't you that chick from the tournament?" She asked the woman whose back she appears to have ended up against. "Yeah, you crippled that inventor! I'm Two Gods Sitting. Big fan."

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

"Two Gods Sitting? What an interesting name," Kagehana replies. "Looks like I'm going to have to increase my attacks' power to harm him. Let's use the Midnight Fang and the Fang of Dawn."

As Kagehana speaks, light wraps around the Clone-Blade and shadow petals around Kagehana before she swings both at the imitation Gilgamesh letting off two waves of intense magical/divine power.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Uburra-Namall raised a hand, and seemingly from nowhere descended a team of clean white Pegasi, armored in fierce and elegant precious stone. Their eyes were alight with the goddess's divine fury; their neighing thundered, horrid as though tinged with the rage of an oncoming storm. Their breath smoked with hot vapors. Indignant mantras escaped their throats as whispers, though they did not move their lips to speak. The Pantheon mounted the beautiful and terrible steeds, and Uburra-Namall looked back to them.

"Be deliberate." All love had gone from the goddess's face, leaving in its place frightening and cold intent, "Save what lives you can. Take what lives you can. But take no care for the affairs of the undivine; neither fear them for their appearance, nor regard them for the sake of their might. Remember only what harmony among mortals is worth, and remember what harmony among the divine is capable of."

The gods and the heroes nodded to her. They reared up on their winged mounts, and The Fair Goddess led the attack from the mountain into the bedlam of the fray.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

The shadow dodges left, one of the waves taking off it's right arm. The other catches it full in the throat, shearing of the shadows head. It doesn't even scream before collapsing to the ground.

Two Gods stared at Kagehana. She had fought that guy for 20 minutes and she didn't think she had inflicted nearly as much damage as the hero had with two strokes.

"Where can I get one of those?" she said, nodding to her weapons.

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

"Where can you get-," Kagehana stutters, surprised by the question. "Ah, both Kagenobara and the Clone-Blade were given to me by Lady Mina. I'm afraid you'd have to ask a god to give you a blade like these. No mortal smith or mage could make anything even close to these, unfortunately."

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

"I'll keep that in mind."

There was a crash and a trio of screams as another Gilgamesh came crashing out of a building, witness flying in it's wake. Two looked back at the body of the other one, he weapons still sticking out of it's chest. Buy something else caught her eye: A Broadsword, the same material of these imitations gods, lying at the Kagehanas feet. She scooped it up into her hands, felt it grip to them, somehow.

The fake Gil crushed one more witness, and followed the last as it retreated into an alley.

"I guess I'll just have to make up the difference myself, for now. It was nice meeting you, but I've got to go after that thing. I'm gonna kill at least one of that guy legitimately, or die trying."

Her back shell opened, and the vandal took the the skies after her prey, black sword held aloft and whooping a challenge.

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

"Good luck, then with that," Kagehana calls out.

She had her own work to do, getting rid of as many imitations, goblins, and giants as possible. And maybe, just maybe, she might figure out why Spectropolis was being attacked...

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

Around Mina's lands, the giants, goblins, and imitations bunched up, unable to enter, but neither able to go away, trying to attack the villages and people within. This made it easy for Mina's heroes, mythos, and races to kill them without harm to themselves, but for how long would they be besieged on all sides? Sure, they may have had enough food and water, but it was lack of communication with others that scared them the most. Just what was going on?

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"Hey, Aox," Koneko says, walking up to him. "It looks like you're going to be stuck here for a while, since our lands are surrounded. If there is anything you want to do to help, just let us know."

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Aox stood up slowly. His eyes burning with a furious passion.

"Anything, I'll help with anything."

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Sonia shuffled in a daze through the fighting and chaos in Spectropolis as if she didn't notice any of it. Nothing but the empty feeling concerned her. Suddenly a large chuck of stone and mortar was torn from the wall as a large brute crashed through it.

Sonia snapped back to reality. That....thing.....had destroyed a part of the beautiful architecture. It had tarnished the one thing Sonia cared more for than any other thing.

It would have to die.

The air trembled as the goddess' fury began to build. The paved ground began to rattle and shake. The very walls seemed to bend inwards towards Sonia. The ceiling and arches rippled and swayed. The very structure became alive with godly might.

There was a short, soul-rending scream as the brute was shredded by hundreds of bricks, stones, pillars and debris. The Architecture was out for blood with Sonia in the very epicenter of it's whirlwind of structural retaliation.

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Von Trapt continued his full on sprint towards the nearest city, hoping he was not too late.

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

"Alright, then," Koneko examines Aox quickly. "Since we know you've got knowledge of at least forcestrike, you can blast some giants from within the shield like everyone else."

Koneko leads Aox to the border of Mina's lands to help in the barrage of forcestrikes at the enemy lines.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Jassi called over the rush of wind blowing past, "Jissei! Come with me! I see the village of the Centaurs!"

Jissei looked down. Single faces were impossible to discern from the onslaught that had befallen them. Left and right, gray and twisted monsters wrenched themselves up from the ground. They grabbed the citizens up like meaningless playthings, shook them that way and this, cast them aside like rubbish. They brandished weapons of some unknown substance, brutish and dull. They only glistened as they battered bodies, and were coated in blood.

No, Jissei could not make the Centaurs out in the uproar, but it was all too easy to hear their outcries. Frenzied wailing, shrieks of terror and heart-wrenching dismay. Outcries of hopelessness, inconsolable desolation. The mages' spells whizzed and zapped, that way and this, but it seemed that they just kept coming. Where one of the fiends exploded into simmering piles of unthinkable bile and muck, another seemed always to follow behind, and finish off what the first grisly creature had started.

Jassi found herself stunned a second, unable to discern where her help was needed first, or most. Jissei called out to her that they should just head for the eye of the storm. Jassi nodded, and the two flew their mounts low. Close enough to be nearly caught with an arrow to the eye, the two leaped from their steeds, into the riotous bloodbath.

Quick as the Pure One drew out the White Arsenal, she grew furious at her choice. There was no long range in a closed, shut-up battleground such as this! Surely she would have to make something more useful out of her weapon, before--

WHUM!

The ground behind her quaked and cracked, less than a foot away. She half-turned, and was faced with a brute of great size, furiously swinging a warhammer. One swing, two swings, and it came crashing down again, only missing her because of an unfortunate Centaur who'd stumbled in her way. The monster seemed unfazed, even a bit entertained that another had died before its intended target.

It lurched forward faster now, huffing with depraved satisfaction, and swung the great war hammer up a final time--only to bring it down onto the stainless-pure blade of the White Arsenal. Jassi gasped; it had not been a sword before, but this was just as good a time as any that it would shapeshift to become one. A smile cracked now at the corners of Jassi's mouth, and the stupid brute's expression lost its sinister triumph.

And then, with a fierce and deciding blow, it lost its head.

[Zaleramancer]

Waverider sobbed and screamed.

Dying. The oceans were rippling and shaking. The creatures were dying. Her children.. Her children.

Compassion learned from mortal life gripped her spirit. Why? Why?

Who had killed it? The moon? It's dance had been there for always.

Gone, gone, gone.
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Junior reeled back from the monsters, wings swinging wildly.

A thunderous word erupted from his lips, as power lunged out in a moment of instinct and panic. The force struck several goblins and they exploded into clouds of colored feathers.

Sputtering and shaking, he looked at the Vandals.

"H-How else can I help?"

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Sorcery is normally a manner of subtle powers and careful plans.

But, desperate times...

Amalia glowed with power and fire as her magic massacred goblins around her. Dozens of careful, efficient magics wrecked havoc on the nasty buggers. Beside her, the axe of Drav cut smoothly through their oh-so yielding skin.

Behind them, the tall figure of Pike stood stock still.

"Do somethin' you big lout!" Bellowed the dwarf as his neck measured swing felled another grey monster.

Carefully, Pike moved his head, as if listening to something. Then, a tremendous roar left his mouth.

The gigantic shark-man expanded in his rage, charging through monsters with gusto. He was heading off into the city.

"Pike!" Amalia called after him.

"He'll take care of hisself just fine. Focus on here and now."