Looming Shadows

*Safian jumps off the Hockomonkey's back then sends a bunch of glowing clones to explode jump on the monkey and then explode. Monu uses Wind raid in an attempt to take out the Staggerceps. Both attempt to avoid the bombs*
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*Artexi looks at the others and shrugs*

<Ok, sure.>

Azuma rolls to avoid being bombed on, the Diamond Dust replacing the Oblivion. Azuma casts multiple Blizzagas on the rooftop enemies.

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Xyukuse: "Is that what it tells you? How about I rip those horns off and you can tell me what the darkness says then?"

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Vega goes off to the panel or whatever controls the grid. Some thing that should probably be guarded by more than one dude.

Maleficent<As you wish.>

*With a wave of her staff, green flames dissolve the resin keeping Xyukuse trapped. Maleficent smiles.*

Maleficent<I would be more than happy to show you what true power is.>
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*The castle gates slam in Vega's face & become electrified.*

Avici<Xigbar & myself will protect the central computer. Your station is the castle perimeter.>

*Up above, the Order enters the upper atmosphere & starts being blasted.*
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*As mentioned, the Order has entered the upper atmosphere, at which point panels on the castle roof open & Cannon Gummis emerge to start firing at them. Thiera & Euryale swerve to avoid being hit.*

E"Looks like they're prepared for us! How are we going to get to our objective?"

Th"That's a good question!"

*Hitomi's Glider randomly transforms into Azuma's.*
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*They are able to make short work of the Staggerceps & avoid the rushing attacks of the Thunderaffes, who stop & look around to find their new target. They managed to burn one of Hockomonkey's legs & back & drag it to the ground, however it is able to get back into the air by retreating into its box & emerging in its mage form. With a wave of its arms, it conjures a quartet trio of giant, floating hands to punch at Lilith, swat at Safian, & hurl big rocks at Monu & Azuma, respectively. However, it is still burnt on the back, indicating that this has not healed it. The Eagliders, of course, make another pass & continue firing their attacks.*

Motioning his feet and hands in the opposite starboard direction, Hinode narrowly avoids the new artillery assault presented by the Cannon Gummis. Looking up once he was clear of it, he grasped again to the mast of his sail and nodded, "There's got to be some way. Remember that there are three dimensions in space; maybe there's some way for us to go over or under all of this?"

The two evade, their ability to counter attack hindered, but that's none of my business.

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Goes to do that.

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Xyukuse calls up the Chaos Ripper.

Xyukuse: "You people are all the same. You talk big about how you're going to rule the worlds, but at the end of the day you still lose."

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Azuma rolls and fires a volley of Firaga's at the eagle things.

*Monu dives away from the holders, then sends diamond shards at the giraffes. Safian shadow travels under the monkey to avoid its hands, then jumps up and starts clawing at its stomach area with flaming claws*
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*Artexi looks up at the fight in the atmosphere*

Nero...I'd feel so much better if you were here with me. What got in you to attack Senthose in the first place? It was the wish that corrupted Roatha, not Senthose...right?

*A pair of Eagliders are hit with fireballs, which then explode in their faces, dissolving them & sending more fireballs at the other Eagliders. Lilith double-jumps & uses her ivy to grab 1 of the remaining Eagliders, slamming it into a Thunderaffe & destroying them both. The other Thunderaffes each find a target standing on the ground & dash towards them. The pair of hands that were throwing boulders continue to do that, but the others rematerialize at Hockomonkey's hands. It tries to pull Safian off as it floats into the air.*
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*With a smile, Maleficent fires a bolt of lightning at Xshittyname.*

Pete<Yikes!>

*Pete tries to run away, falls, & rolls the rest of the way.*
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Th"...There!"

*She points, & Euryale follows her cue, looking towards the edge of town.*

E"...It's a fountain. And pretty much as far from the castle as we could go."

Th"A fountain means a water system. A water system that will lead into the castle, & might not even be guarded."

*They swerve again to avoid more cannon fire.*

E"As long as we get out of the sky, I don't care WHERE we go."
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*Ira heads in the opposite direction from Vega. Either way, they are now walking around the gardens outside of the castle. Usually a lawn with a few trees & bushes, it is currently full of orchids as well.*

"Star Formation!" Once again the chant came out of Hinode's mouth and a flash would have helped to provide some cover for them for the time being. "Yeah, let's head toward that fountain while we still have the chance to do it! I can't hold this kind of thing up for too long as I'm sure you're only too familiar with!" Hinode sighed for a moment, and continued to dodge a bit, starting to aim for the water even before he were sure that was where they were going.

*Artexi heads off away from Ira*
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*Monu uses Wind Raid on any of the giraffes that charge him. Safian jumps off the monkey, then lands on the ground and breathes fire at its face*

Azuma uses Frost Surge when the giraffe is up close.

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Vega watches as they descend upon the not castle and out nowhere near the grounds he was meant to protect.

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Xyukuse fire wheels away and counters with Demon Fang.

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Taiyo follows them down.

*Hockomonkey is now flying too high for that to work, now floating above the hotel roof. Two of its hands pull off chimneys from nearby buildings, swinging them at Safian & Lilith, while the other 2 rise high into the air, where they form fists & plummet back towards the ground. Lilith double-jumps, throwing a pod onto the Thunderaffe's back as it passes below her. The Thunderaffes are a bit tougher, & so are only knocked back by these attacks, though the pod is growing larger on the Thunderaffe that Lilith attacked. The remaining Eaglider just kind of circles Hockomonkey for now.*
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*Maleficent teleports behind him, releasing a bower of thorns from under her robe & towards his general direction, like a cage.*
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*Creatures they haven't seen for a while appear around the fountain to protect it--the entrance is blocked by a Buckle Bruiser, a Tankl Toppler, & a Wild Bruiser, a pair of Vile Phials floating around them.*

E"What are those things again?"

Th"Unversed. We have to hurry up and get through them before Avici uses his Time Magic!"
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*Ira looks back.*

R"Well, that's no fun...how 'bout I go say, 'Hi'?"

Avici<...Enter the tunnels beneath the castle. Intercept them. I will dispatch Heartless from the Grid to act as support.>

Azuma fires a barrage of Wisdom Shots at the giraffe.

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They presumably try to mosy past the Unversed to get the hell where they need to go. With the Pain of Solitude, Hitomi casts Thundara against the enemies.

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Xyukuse pivots and spins around her, attacking with Dragon Tempest.

*Monu tries to sink the giraffes into quicksand, while Safian summons her glider, then flies up and starts firing on the thing's face*
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*Artexi prepares to go do that*

Moving about a bit in order to give himself a decent angle from which to fire, Hinode let out his hand once more and began to unleash Pulsar bursts that he hoped would help to clear the way for them. "I should be able to make a path for us, Thiera! These guys look like a buncha punks!" He naturally figured that the other two were going to join him in the assault.

OOC: Sorry, the board was telling me there were no unread replies here.

Th"Wait just a second!"

*All of that thunder magic destroys most of the Unversed, however the Tank Toppler swells & begins glowing red. Exhaling steam, it rolls up against Euryale's Glider, pushing her towards Hitomi & Taiyo. It then explodes, breaking a wheel off of her Glider & sending her flying.*

E"Ah, it blew up!"

Th"I was trying to warn you, frontal assault isn't always effective!"
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*They head back to the Lift Stop, which takes them down to a cavernous staircase. They then enter the dark basement tunnels which should be relatively familiar to Artexi. Though they're now somewhat more illuminated, as [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] are streaking through from somewhere else in the building, & their gridlines glow.*
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*A trio of Thunderaffes get stuck in quicksand, struggling to pull themselves free. Another explodes. The one Lilith attacked is distracted by trying to bite the plant off of itself. After Hockomonkey's face is ripped open, darkness pours out. The first things to dissolve are its hands, dropping whatever weapons they may have been holding, though not before Lilith is whacked painfully in a pile of rubble, albeit her Lotus dampens some of both impacts. The box around Hockomonkey falls apart as it dissolves into darkness. The last Eaglider dive bombs Safian from behind.*
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*The cage was made spherically, to prevent this kind of maneuver. Worse yet, it is now on fire. He is able to break the shield, but at the cost of the fire flaring up in his face. Having seen what he was doing, Maleficent transformed into some kind of swirling ball of energy & took to the sky.*

Azuma turns and fires on the Eagle with Wisdom Shot.

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Hitomi casts Cure on herself and the other two.

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Xyukuse rolls out of the fire and pursues Maleficent.

"Well, at least it's all gone now! Whether or not it was the right move, it looks like the assault worked...are all of you alright though?" Even though Hinode could often be rude and brash, it actually seemed that he was being genuinely concerned about the other members of the team, though perhaps it was because of the fact that the wheel breaking off like that was quite noticeable.

*Artexi keeps going, watching the glowing creatures as they pass*
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*Seeing as Azuma has the eagle under control, Safian dives and starts firing on the trapped giraffes. Monu runs over to Lilith and starts healing her*

*A white light on the ground moves under Euryale. She jumps back just before it materializes some kind of energy spike where she was previously standing. Dismissing her smashed-up Glider, she summons her Keyblade into her hand.*

Th"We should be fine, but we need to get underground."

E"Will these things follow us?"

*She points the Keyblade to another white light that's moving towards her.*

Th"I don't know. I suppose it depends on whether or not the aqueduct is older than the power grid."
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*As Hockomonkey fades away, so does the music, returning to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Soon, all of the Dream Eaters are destroyed, & Lilith sets to dousing herself with healing power, looking relieved as it takes effect.*

L"...There are only 2 ways that we could encounter Dream Eaters: Either we're all having the same dream, or they've been brought into the physical world through magic."
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*No way to do that unless he summons his Glider, which probably isn't a good idea, as purple lightning bolts begin to rain down from all over, attracted to his location.*

"Think that I have any chance distracting them while we go underground? Nah, I guess not, it's just a security system. Got any ideas on this one?" He then dismissed his own glider, trusting that he could have soon gotten underground with the others when they all started to go. "It should be pretty easy to trick something like this. I used to sneak by stuff all the time."

OOC: Those are the automated security system of Radiant Garden. They create balls of energy that track any enemy close to the ground & then shoot a spike of energy up at them.

*Safian lands near Lilith, Monu ending his spell when Lilith is fully healed*

Monu:<The later seems much more likely, does it not?>

OOC: I tried to clear up the fact that Hinode realized that they were part of a security system and only referencing the fact that they had been throwing off things in their way thus far. I hope that what I changed it to works out a little better for you. Let me know if it needs any further corrections.

*Thiera & Euryale head underground, trusting that the others will follow. As Euryale is short a glider, she quickly notices when she's not being attacked by glowing energy spears, & stops.*

E"Hey, we're in luck, they don't go down this far!"

*Thiera also stops, backing up.*

Th"We should still make haste. Please, climb aboard."

*Up above, distant lights are coming around the tunnel bend. Hinode may be able to recognize them as monsters Avici created on The Grid.*
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*As they're much slower than the Heartless, Ira hops on a Magnum Loader & rides it like a motorized unicycle.*
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L"Thank you. I don't know, but I think it's connected to that dream that I had. Whatever's going on here, the answer should be up in that castle."

He rolls, jumps at cartwheels about, moving to pursue Maleficent in all her wispiness.

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Azuma: "Can't say I want to spend time sleeping with you all."