Looming Shadows

Artexi:<I think we can do that.>
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Monu:<Monu Aakin, a pleasure.>

*He bows*

Safian:<I'm Safian. We are raised in kinda a big extended family.>

Taiyo manuvers to not be struck by lightning while Hitomi fires on the Yellow Things.

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Azuma: "Azuma Huraka."

*Angela turns back around.*

Angela<Oh no, the pleasure is all mine. And you didn't start a fight, we're just having a family disagreement.>

Goliath<Yes...a family disagreement.>

Angela<Goliath & I will take you to the Archmage's grotto now. The rest of the clan needs to stay here to protect the palace.>

Elisa<And I have to take Bronx & go with the Magus to call for some kind of help at the Hollow Hill. So you 5 have fun.>
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*Thiera maneuvers to keep the Yellow Whatevers penned in until they can be destroyed. Euryale starts heading up for the Red Nocturnes.*

T"Wait, it's more important to shut down the broadcast!"

*The Red Nocturnes disagree & shoot fireballs at Euryale as she turns around.*
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R"Why don't you go first, Marlie? Unless you 2 have plans you don't want the rest of us to see."

Marluxia<I don't know what you're talking about. Are you expecting us to assassinate you? Attacking comrades is more your style, is it not?>

R"Is that the story you plan to tell Senthose? That we started it? He's not gonna buy it, y'know. Got anything else up your sleeve?"

Monu:<Thank you very much, my lady.>
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Artexi:<We never are going to get anything done, are we?>

With a bit of quick thinking, Hinode joins Euryale at her side as the onslaught of the Red Nocturnes ensues. He didn't seem fit to just standby and watch as she was doing battle with these monstrosities on her own, and he figured that might give Thiera the opportunity to shut down the broadcast in good time.

Hitomi fires on the Red Nocturnes while Taiyo flies in low to avoid being caught in the crossfire to attack from another side.

*The Red Nocturnes are destroyed.*

T"What are you doing? We have to go in togeth--ow!"

*She swats the Yellow Whatever that just rammed her in the back of the head & moves away from a lightning bolt.
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Archmage<I can feel them outside of my grotto.>

R"Guess it was only a matter of time. Let's just blitz through them on our way to the palace."

*The Archmage fondles his beard, looking at Roatha.*

Archmage<Hmm...perhaps I should consider taking on a new apprentice.>

R"Not interested, y'old pedophile."
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*After some walking.*

Angela<Alright, the grotto is just on the other side of this mountain.>

Hitomi: "Then go."

Hitomi fires on the Yellow Whatever.

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Azuma: "If he has power over the island, who's to say he doesn't know we're here already?"

*Eve and Artexi summon their keyblades*

Eve:<This time, remember who the enemy is.>
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*Safian sinks into the nearest shadow*

Grabbing hold of the mast of his solar sailer, Hinode briefly looked back but kept very focused on the new quarry that had arrived. "Do you want me to go with you then, or should I stick around and kick some ass right here right now?"

T"What? I just said that we need to enter together!"

*She swerves to keep from being blasted by Hitomi.*

T"Hey, be careful!"

*The remaining Yellow Things approach, jumping around erratically.*
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Goliath<That IS possible. Be on your guard.>
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*Roatha materializes his Glider & speeds off around the mountain. Nero reluctantly follows.*

"Well, we're not getting anywhere if we don't take these dorks out first!" He turned his solar sailer once more and tried to accompany Thiera as best he could so that they could go in together while taking care of the yellow beasts.

Taiyo: "Maybe she wants us to go and she'll catch up."

*Safian starts sneaking over towards where the Organization was*
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*Eve and Artexi follow*

T"She should really explain myself, I can't read minds. Don't worry about the Yellow Operas, they're inconsequential."

*She & Euryale speed down towards the studio roof & sure enough, some of the Yellow Operas are destroyed just from being accidentally hit.*
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Angela<Is that a gargoyle clan approaching?>

*She points to the Organization's gliders.*

L"No. It's the Organization."

*She materializes her Keyblade & fires seeds at them. Roatha deconstruct their Gliders into their Keyblades & drop down. Roatha slashes a tree, using Lightning Strike to cause it to fall towards the Order. Lilith & the gargoyles, of course, scramble out of the way, & Nero gathers a large orb of darkness at the tip of his Keyblade.*
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*When she arrives at the grotto, she sees the Archmage looking into a pool, with Marluxia & Larxene at his side. She also sees Xshittyname stuck in the rocks. The Archmage abruptly snaps his head over to look at her. Pointing at her, he causes an immense burst of light that dispels her shadows.*

Archmage<Is that a lion?>

Marluxia<Keyblade wielders can take a variety of forms.>

*Eve lands near Roatha then uses Fusion on the fleeing Lilith. Artexi summons her second keyblade as Monu summons his glider and armor to avoid the tree, then moves again to dodge Artexi's vines*
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*Safian summons her armor, growling, but moves backward slowly*

Taiyo follows after them while Hitomi picks off the remaining Yellow Operas before following.

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Azuma rolls out of the way of the tree, summoning his Keyblade. When he rights himself he blasts Nero with Darkga.

"If you're sure!" Having seen the Yellow Operas crash in that manner he grasped the masthead again and started to speed down toward the point that he saw them rush toward. Bracing himself, Kyohaku felt as though he was going to continue toward his point no matter what happened and no matter who rushed toward him.

*Most of them simply dodge, because Yellow Operas move in a very fast & jerky manner. In any event, after landing, Thiera & Euryale transform their gliders into Keyblades, the former unlocking the door & heading inside.*

Thiera: "Keep an eye out, there might be more dangerous Heartless guarding the building. Some of the Organization may even be here."

*Thiera starts fiddling with the thing in her ear.*

Thiera: "Xanatos, we're in the building. What are we looking for? ...Xanatos! He's not answering, something's wrong."
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*Nero jumps back & shoots a multitude of dark blasts at the Order. Goliath jumps forward to slash the thorns before they can hit Lilith.*

L"Th--thanks!"

Goliath<Can you block those magic attacks?>

L"Kind of, but not really."

*She gestures at his feet & a translucent lotus flower consumes Goliath. A few of the blasts that don't get stopped by the shield angle around him to strike Lilith. Angela jumps into a bush for cover, & several of the branches are burned away by dark shots. Of course, some are also spiraling towards Azuma & Monu while Roatha runs & cuts down more trees.*
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Larxene<I'll kill it.>

*She starts forward, but Marluxia holds a hand out to stop her.*

Marluxia<No. This is a fine opportunity to test our puppet.>

*He snaps his fingers & a Dark Corridor opens up in front of Safian. When it recedes, Mortal is standing in front of her, eyes unfocused & wearing some kind of crown of thorns. She holds her hands out to her sides, summoning her Keyblades from within plumes of fire.*

Hitomi persues, shooting at them.

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Taiyo: "A trap?"

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Azuma Dodge Deflects because fuck that guy.

Taking a moment to transform his own glider back into his Keyblade like it was before, Kyohaku suddenly jerked back toward Thiera and narrowed his eyes, "It has to be some sort of a trick; that Xanatos fellow wanted us here to get trapped or something. That's why he's not responding."

As usual, he was always suspicious of something even though he was probably wrong.

Safian:<Mortal!>

*She snarls at the Organization members*

<You turned her into a zombie?!>
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*Artexi begins firing on Monu, who flys away from the falling plant life before and sends a wind blast back at her. Meanwhile, Eve uses Zero Gravity on Goliath*

*The dark blasts continue chasing Monu in a determined fashion. Trying to figure out the rules I set forth for what happens when they hit something hurts my head, so I'm going to say that the ones tracking Azuma strike the ground, punching holes in it, & vanish. Nero uses Dark Barrier to shield Artexi. Lilith is shot a few times, but returns the favor, launching seeds at Roatha that he is forced to block.*

L"Don't think I don't see what you're doing. You're useless with all of these trees around. You may have more power than Roatha, but you don't know how to control it."

*Roatha is tackled by a flying Goliath as Angela rushes towards Nero.*

L"Having friends also helps."
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Marluxia<She's our slave, & for all intents & purposes, the girl she once was is dead. I'd say that's as fitting a monicker as any other.>

*He thrusts out a hand.*

Marluxia<Scatter her heart to the empty winds! Drown her in the heart-lorn world of nothingness!>

*Whatever that means, it prompts Mortal to leap at Safian, slashing her right Keyblade down while encasing it in thick, black stone.*
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Thiera: "At this point, it's anyone's guess."

*They wander onto a stage with a backdrop of, fittingly enough, a castle. Senthose's voice echoes through the corridor, though Hinode would know it better as Avici's.*

<Villain enter stage left. Cross over to our heroes.>

*Euryale lifts her Keyblade to defend, but Thiera is already on this. A dark shape streaks out from beside the stage & is promptly hurled back by Reflect. It reaches out with armored claws, digging into the floor. As it begins to right itself, its cape slides back, & Hinode can see that it is a figure wearing faceless black Keyblade Armor, with an emblem resembling a heart--& matching those worn by the Yellow Opera--dominating its chest.*

Thiera: "I can't believe you actually told us what angle you would be attacking from. I thought you were supposed to be intelligent."

<I could say the same for you. Has it occurred to you that maybe it doesn't matter what I tell you, because you have no chance of winning?>

Euryale: "Oh, bullshit, that's what they all say."

Thiera: "Unfortunately, he has a point. Last time we were in this world, he mopped the floor with us."

Azuma points his Keyblade at Eve, dark energy gathering at the tip. Someone's probably going to get hurt.

*Monu lands then creates a diamond shield to block the blasts, while Artexi uses Vemon Raid on Azuma, hesitating for a moment to stare at Nero. Eve summons her glider, flying out of Azuma's line of fire, then fires on him*
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*Safian jumps back, summoning her keyblade*