God Yet Lives

Three Astarte clones rushed Netzach from three different sides while Astarte herself took position nearby and began charging an attack.

Enkidu jumped up into the air, evading the attack before coming crashing down. Each of his feet made a large crater, the impact sending a shudder through the ground. On landing, he dispelled his flame sword and flicked his free hand, sending dozens of candle flames dropping down onto his shadow.

Noct popped out of Euryale's shadow, then bringer lighted over to Netzach, rushing down his side missing an arm, aiming to stab him in the side with a lanza.

Mortal bites a few times, testing out her teeth. Satisfied, she makes her way over to the remaining battle.

*However wounded he was, Netzach was still a Flash Step Master. He narrowly evades each of the clones & grabs the lanza. However, after grabbing the spear, there is a loud SNAP & his wrist goes limp, at which point he is skewered. He begins to fall towards one of the pits of boiling liquid.*

[Seek no redemption in death. Seek no glory in battle.]

*He looks at Keter.*

[If you want to see your friends survive, strike from behind, and kill the enemy in a single blow.]

*He points at Euryale. With considerable strain, he manages to lift his finger & fire Hado 1 at her, but by the time it reaches her, it may as well be a gust of wind.*

[God damn it...I sucked at my job.]
===========================================
*Kyoraku has backed off, & jumped into the air, slashing at Enkidu's head.*

Kyoraku<I never really liked that game much anyway, to tell you the truth.>

Noct backs away, not wanting to have whatever Netzach was about to fall into splash her.

Seeing that everyone was gone, Mortal turned her head and looked to where Keter was. "It is time we ended this," She muttered, walking off in that direction.

Ambience

*As Netzach splashes in the pool & disappears, Noah stands up, & meets everyone else at the base of the ziggurat.*

E"So...do we destroy the crosses now?"

Keter<There will be no need.>

*Euryale jumps slightly, not expecting Keter to talk, or her voice to carry so well. She waves a hand, & an arch opens up in the tower. With her other hand, she grips the hilt of her Zanpakuto. She stands up & begins walking down the pyramid's steps.*

Keter<Radiate, Lucifer.>

*The Zanpakuto's blade turns white & the guard spins, becoming a golden wheel of 6 curved spokes. Upon further inspection, they are bird wings. She points it at the group & Noah falls down on his knees, blood gushing from a brand new hole in his chest.*

S"What? When did she attack?"

*Lilith shrugs.*

Keter<I see that you have received my blessing of Salvation, but make no mistake, you do not have my blessing of Mercy. Bow, or be obliterated.>

"Beating the crap out of all your lackeys gave me a--" Mortal was cut off.

"You're not allowed to quote 300 right now," Noct said, running a hand through her hair. "That said, no one will be bending a knee to you."

Mortal furrowed her brow, "The gloomy girl is right. When this ends, you will be choking on your own blood, begging for a reprieve, and there will be none for you."

Noct frowned deeper, "Stop calling me gloomy. I'm not gloomy, I'm a happy person."

*Euryale puts an arm around Noctis.*

E"Joyous, in fact."

S"How many times do I have to tell you two--"

*Senthose coughs, unable to finish his sentence with a hole in his throat.*

Keter<Did you, perhaps, believe yourself to be safe because you were "on guard"?>

*Euryale jumps in front of Noctis & the armor around her chest is blown away.*

Keter<What heresy. There is no protection from my wrath.>

Noct looked furious, "Leave her alone!" With that, about five clones chucked lanzas at Keter. Mortal helped the war effort by swinging an Aliento rugir del fuego del Gran lagarto cero at Keter as well.

*The pyramid steps are demolished, but Keter is amongst them. She grabs Mortal's chin with her free hand firmly, but then loosens her grip, rubbing Mortal's face.*

Keter<Why do you rebel, Sweetie? Don't you WANT to be Queen of the Hollows?>

*Senthose tries to fire lightning at her, but it's knocked away somehow before it ever even reaches her. His throat is almost healed up.*

Mortal fidgets against the touch, "I..." She bats away Keter's hand and takes a step back, "I have no ambition to be called queen."

Keter<That is good. Your ambition should be to please me. Look how I have transformed this desolate landscape. Under my rule, all worlds would reach their true potential. If this is how I can transform Hell, imagine what I could do if given a more harmonious realm.>

E"People who do nothing but dream should just stay in their dreams forever!"

*Euryale fixes her armor & aims a punch at Keter's head. Of course, she catches it. When she feels Euryale forming a katar, she tosses her fist away & counters her slash with Lucifer.*

Noct popped out halfway from Euryale's shadow, and stabbed a lanza at Keter's knee.

Mortal furrowed her brow, "Who are you to judge?" With that she swung an Aliento rugir del fuego del Gran lagarto cero down on Keter's shoulder.

Sab wanted to punch Keter in the face for getting so chummy with Mortal, but was smart enough to not swing at the person blasting holes in people at the speed of light.

*Keter moves her hand, using a Kido barrier to block most of the slice. She grunts as the blade cuts a shallow groove into her shoulder. She simply tanks the shot to her knee with little concern. She also ignores it when Euryale kicks her in the back of the head.*

Keter<Mortal...I've tried time & time again to show you compassion & understanding, but this is your last warning: Obey me, or I will destroy you along with the rest of the heathen scum!>

E"Hey. Why are you not attacking?"

S"I'm trying to figure out weaknesses in her Zanpakuto's power."

"You've never showed me compassion and understanding. Were you compassionate and understanding when you put this scar on my face?" Mortal asked.

Keter<I could have destroyed you. Such a wound is nothing to a strong Hollow such as yourself. Again, you should be proud that your sacrifices pleased me, instead of questioning me.>

*She looks over at Euryale.*

Keter<You could probably do with a few gashes on your face. Just to be on the safe side.>

Noct came up out of the shadow entirely, and stood between Euryale, and Keter, "Not while I'm alive!" With that she swung a shadow katar at Keter.

*Keter blocks.*

Keter<Then I'll simply kill the both of you.>

*Noah unexpectedly tackles Keter. He grabs her wrists & tries to subdue her, but she eventually proves stronger, stabbing him in the side. One he's forced to let go, she grabs him by the throat & throws him off of her, dusting herself off. As Noah is struggling to stand up, she points her Zanpakuto at him.*

S"That is it, she requires time to charge her attacks. That is why she cannot simply slice us all up instantly."

"How long does it take for her to charge her attack?" Sab asked.

Noct creates a shadow chain, and wraps it around Keter's sword wrist, yanking it skyward. She then throws a lanza at her.

S"Not long, a couple seconds at her slowest."

*Keter kicks the lanza back at Noctis. Euryale grabs her & retreats into the ground.*

E"Ewewewewew...."

*When they pop up near Senthose, Euryale is shivering, but sends a wave of lava at Keter, who Flash Steps out of the way.*

S"There's another. Apparently, she cannot quickly switch between two types of attacks. Such as she cannot charge a slash attack and then release it as a stab instead."

Keter<Perceptive, but in a pinch, I can stock multiple attacks at once, for just a little longer charge time.>

*She points at Senthose. He & the area around him become riddled with holes, as though stabbed repeatedly.*

Noct tried the balista lanza again, hoping the added force behind the throw would stop Keter from easily stopping it.

Mortal slashed another Aliento rugir del fuego del Gran lagarto cero at Keter.

*This time, Keter opts to avoid the attacks. Noah points his broken Zanpakuto at her, firing a pressure wave. She disappears in a flash of white light & appears behind him, plunging her sword into his back.*

N"How..."

Keter<You were close, Rasheverek, but Lucifer's Shikai actually has two abilities. In addition to attacking with invisible blades of light, I can also break myself down into photons, & temporarily travel as a light wave myself.>

*Lilith dons her Hollow Mask, attacking her from behind with her Shikai.*

Keter<Forget it. He's already-->

*Lilith suddenly backs off as a ring of metal feathers surrounds Keter. An invisible explosion kicks up a huge amount of bone dust around her just before Noah's Zanpakuto shatters.*

Noct uses the brief moment where Keter's vision is obscured to try her balista lanza again.

*When the dust clears, Keter is ripping a lanza out of her side.*

Keter<You are lucky that won't leave a scar, little one. I can do far worse than simply killing you, you know.>

"You won't intimidate me, Keter," Noct said, "I don't plan on losing this."

Keter<Human, have you ever killed an insect? Did you give a thought to what its "plans" were? Whatever you believe you are doing by resisting me, it is beneath my concern.>

*Lilith flies to her back, but Keter catches her wrist.*

Keter<You are the one with the Zanpakuto that converts energy. What a bothersome power. Perhaps I should excise it from you.>

*When she raises her Zanpakuto, Senthose fires a Cero Oscuras at her. His smirk turns into a glare as he notices that she has erected a Severing Void, & is glaring back at him through it.*