Looming Shadows

"Thanks Thiera, I'll give it a try."

Taking his Keyblade once again, Kyohaku looked a little bit sloppy at first but in a few moments he got the hang of what he was trying to do.

Having touched the keyblade object in the manner he was previously told, he felt a surge as plates of armor appeared across his body in a mere instant. Standing up straight again with a decent posture, he looked around and felt rather awkward at first but he was getting the hang of it.

Soon he would be ready to use his glider.

N"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?! See who destroys more gargoyles!"

*The Archmage, Larxene, Marluxia, & the Heartless are already leaving those idiots. The Weird Sisters have disappeared to parts unknown.*
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*Assuming they're good on that, Thiera & Friends fly to the Eyrie Building. Sure enough, at the top of the skyscraper is a castle, which they land on. Thiera & Euryale dismiss their Gliders.*

T"You know, I was sort of expecting to be shot at."

E"Maybe they don't know we're here?"

T"Not likely. He has machines that can automatically detect us."

E"So do you think it's a trap?"
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L"If you have what you need, we should go."

*Eve follows after the Archmage and the others, followed shortly by Artexi*
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*After a moment, Safian exits*

<I'm ready.>

Xyukuse: "I'll make their wings into a new coat."

Xyukuse follows.

Considering his expression, and the unnecessary shout of 'wahoo,' it had certainly seemed as though Hinode enjoyed the ride that he had on his solar sailer of a Keyblade glider.

Dismissing it like Theira and Euryale did, he started to respond to what the other had said.

"Maybe this is the calm before the storm?"

*They walk into the castle office, where they see a stone Owen sitting in his desk.*

Thiera: "That's--what?"

Euryale: "This must be pretty serious if it's rendered YOU speechless."

Thiera: "Of course it's serious, Euryale, humans don't turn into stone when they sleep!"

*Euryale folds her arms.*

E"Hey, for all I know, you could."
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*As they fly over one of the rivers, a hole to the Lanes Between abruptly opens. Before anyone has time to swerve away, they find themselves consumed by a blinding light. Safian can faintly smell Elisa.*
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*They begin to hear [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] as they move through the forest towards the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. The Order also hears this same music, having arrived here, the groups glimpsing one another from between the trees.*

R"God damn it, do they ever give up?"

Archmage<The fools are no match for MY power.>

*With a simple wave of his hand, he conjures storm clouds that begin swirling around the Order. Meanwhile, some of the Heartless dissolve after a few loud bangs & a trio of Gargoyle dog things rush through their ranks, leaping at the Archmage, Marluxia, & Larxene while they're distracted.*

Safian:<I can smell her!>

*She flies after the scent*
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*Eve stabs at the ground with her keyblade, sending void thorn beams at the dog things*

Taiyo: "Maybe it's a spell gone wrong?"

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Azuma: "Someone wants to fight."

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Xyukuse summons both Keyblade and engulfs them in fire before throwing them at the gargoyle things.

Not having quite understood what was going on any more than Theira or Euryale seemed to, Hinode offered the only explanation he could think of - which probably left something to be desired:

"Maybe they compressed his file and he's archived."

It probably sounded right to someone from Space Paranoids.

Euryale: "What does any of that even mean?"

*Thiera turns to Taiyo.*

Thiera: "I can't believe I'm saying it, but Your theory sounds the most probable. Could you try using the Esuna spell on him?"
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L"Let's just focus on getting out of this alive, first!"

*They are now surrounded by wind on all sides & lightning is threatening to blast them.*
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*Down below, Xyukuse just hits Marluxia & Larxene as the Gargoyle Beasts jump for the Archmage.*

Larxene<You idiot!>

*A pair of [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] swoops out of the trees only to be pulled into Nero's magnet spell while a knight in gargoyle-shaped armor comes charging through, cleaving throuh the remaining Heartless, coming to a stop when he clashes blades with Roatha & jumps back before he can be electrocuted. The Archmage teleports away in a burst of flame & vines begin tying up the confused Gargoyle Beasts as the Archmage's face appears in the storm.*

Archmage<Fools! I can destroy you with but a thought!>

And so Taiyo does that.

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And so Azuma dives down, hopefully out of the storm.

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Xyukuse doesn't give a fuck while the Keyblades ricochette about because that's how Firetooth works.

"I dunno; I liked my idea!" Hinode shrugged his shoulders and decided to watch the magic. Sometime he'd have to tell Euryale about what it's like to be made up of computer source code instead of living genetic material.

*Eve uses Fusion on the garagolyes as long as she can so so without hitting Nero. Artexi uses Spark Raid on the knight*
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*Monu and Safian follow*

OOC: I really need to stop saying Owen's name before I have him introduced....

*The stone breaks off of Owen like he's just shedding his skin. He blinks, & adjusts his glasses.*

Owen<I suppose that you want answers.>

Thiera: "Yes. Please."

Owen<Very well, then. Mr. Xanatos hired Demona to cast a televised spell that would steal a minute of life from everyone who witnessed it & distribute it equally between the 2 of them. But it appears that the spell was not what Demona had advertised. She double-crossed us.>

Thiera: "Why would she want to turn people to--oh. Oh no!"

Owen<Yes, she most likely plans to replicate the Castle Wyvern massacre with the population of the city.>
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*All Hideki succeeds in doing is setting the forest on fire, which is whipped up by the wind. Eve KOs those gargoyles as the Beasts manage to rip out of the vines. They grab the incapacitated gargoyles & begin dragging them into the woods. Roatha leaps back so that the knight takes a Keyblade to the chest, putting a dent into his armor. He starts to attack, but Goliath drops down & grabs his arms.*

Goliath<Roatha? What are you doing here? And why are you attacking my kind?>

Elisa<Goliath, we have to get out of here! If we don't burn up, we'll get caught in the tornado!>

Marluxia<I concur.>

*So he & Larxene disappear into Dark Corridors.*
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*Down here, the forest offers some protection from the wind, but is also hurling rocks & branches every which way. Lilith tries to blast them, but there are so many.*

Having stood back while Owen experienced stone breaking away, Hinode stood at attention as though he were initially ready to fight, but was glad that instead it seemed that the previously stone individual was content instead to speak with Thiera. It wasn't that he hadn't trusted Owen; rather this was all simply still all so new to him.

*Eve does the same, while Artexi runs to Nero*

<Let's go!>
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*Safian covers herself with her glider's leaf wings while Monu uses Aero Shield to protect the group*

Taiyo: "You want us to find her?"

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Xyukuse calls his Keyblades back and charges Goliath because fuck the fire and he wants that new coat.

OOC: If anyone uses the information thread, tell me if the music section should be reorganized.

Owen<I suspect she'll make herself known.>

*Euryale reaches across the desk, grabbing him by the collar & lifting him into the air. His glasses fall off & he accidentally kicks over his name plaque & papers.*

E"You spineless little worm, don't you realize what you've done?! I should break YOU into pieces!"

Xanatos<But that won't stop Demona. So-->

*She & Thiera look to the stairs, where Xanatos was now leaning against the bannister & smiling like a cocky prick.*

Xanatos<Do you want to fight? Or do you want a solution? Either way, please put Owen down. He's starting to change color.>

*Sure enough, Owen's face was turning red & he was coughing.*
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L"I saw gargoyles! Let's follow them back & hope they'll take us in!"
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*Goliath lets go of Roatha to swipe his tail at Xyukuse.*

Elisa<Stop or I'll shoot!>

*Roatha goes in to slash his side, but he's knocked away when Bronx rams him. The knight also steps up to Goliath's side to back him up.*

N"What are you doing?! We're not gonna win this!"

Hitomi: "A solution."

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So they attempt to follow the gargoyles apparently.

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Xyukuse blocks with the Chaos Ripper and stabs at Goliath with the Frolic Flame.

Xyukuse: "Then run, coward!"

OOC: I use the information thread, but I haven't really noticed any problem with it.

Having leaned over a bit toward Thiera, since she was the one he believed that he understood the most, Kyohaku blinked and nodded, "You know it might be the best idea if we found another way beside Euryale - as much as I like to rough a guy up that is."

*Artexi pulls at Nero, opening a Dark Corridor*

<Let him get himself killed, let's go!>
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*So they do*

Thiera: "I guess they're right. What do you have in mind?"

Xanatos<The terms of the spell were such that it will end "when the sky burns." Clearly dawn does not count, so we will simply have to set the sky ablaze.>

*His grin deepens. Euryale tosses Owen roughly back into his seat, whereupon he replaces his glasses & straightens out his tie, glaring mutinously at them.*
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*Get himself killed he might, because Elisa has just shot him in the chest.*

Roatha: "Now THAT is a woman! I can see why you want to stick your weird lizard parts in THAT."

Goliath<What? Are you, perhaps, under a spell?>

Roatha: "The spell of Elisa's tight, sheer top."

Goliath<If you come with us, we might be able to help you.>

*Goliath furrows his brow in worry as Elisa glares at him, obviously unamused by all of the sexual harassment.*

Roatha: "That is a GREAT idea, I can see why you're the Head Honcho of the Lizardfolk."

*Nero pulls away from Artexi at the last second, cupping his hands around his mouth.*

Nero: "Don't do it! He just wants you to let him in so he can smash you while you sleep!"

Goliath<Is that true?>

Roatha: "Is the guy who tried to smash your face in during our last visit trustworthy? I'd have to say, prob'ly not. Should prob'ly kill him, just to make sure."

Nero: "I know it's true because--because I made him join the Organization with a spell! If you don't trust me, at least trust that I know how to wreck everything! He's with us now because the things he used to value...protecting & helping people...the Roatha we knew...he's dead...."

*Roatha points the Keyblade at Nero.*

Roatha: "And yer about to join him if ya keep fucking up my plans!"

Nero: "Do your worst. I'm not going with you anyway. That dumbass with the hole in his chest was right, I can't help anyone."

*He points to the dumbass with the hole in his chest, bleeding all over the forest floor, for emphasis.*
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*The gargoyle beasts spot them, turn around, & growl. The gargoyles regain consciousness & ask the sensible questions.*

Male<Who are you?>

Female<And why are you following us?>

Taiyo: "What?"

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Azuma: "We're friends of Goliath's."

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Xyukuse grins, probably with a mouthful of blood.

Xyukuse: "Nothing carving your heart out won't fix. Artexi can watch."

Safian:<And we're looking for someone named Elisa.>
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*Artexi stops when Nero pulls away, glaring at Xshittyname and Roatha in turn*

Artexi:<What Nero's saying is true. If you don't trust us, talk to the other people you met last time before you trust him.>

*She looks at Nero's back*

<And...W\we'll find a way to fix him, I promise! You just have to come with me now!>

Leaning over toward Thiera, Kyohaku smirked a bit. Having watched Euryale throw Owen into a chair, he had suddenly gotten an idea.

"Any chance I might get a shot at messing him up a little? That's something I actually do have plenty of experience with!"

Soon enough he was cracking his knuckles as though he were chomping at the bit in this respect.