Looming Shadows

*Artexi re summons her keyblades and waits behind the wall for an opening, wishing she had more ranged attacks*
===
*Safian starts licking himself clean while Monu finishes his sandwich and washes his hands*

Monu:<We best all get some sleep while we have the chance.>

*The bolts securing the Death Gigas's bodyparts come loose, but this doesn't stop it from rushing up & pounding at the shield with its fists, beginning to crack it. For its own part, it's burnt Taiyo & Hitomi pretty badly--they managed to shield the others.*

Th"Good, we'll need you to stun that monster when it finally breaks through. If we kill it, it might just transform into something else that we don't know how to handle. I can cast Cura, but Taiyo will need to create openings in the shield if anyone wants to attack."

*Thiera begins planting the flower ring. Meanwhile, Xigbar charges a large bolt of spiraling blue energy & fires it at them.*
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N"I don't have anything that could break that shield. I could try teleporting us in there, but I don't know if that would be a good idea."

Avici<Let's consider that Plan B. Artexi, use Spark Raid.>

*After appearing in a flash of light & administering those instructions, he fires a blast of some kind of dark gas into the hallway.*
=================================
*Some time later, Lilith & Binah are going around knocking on doors. They feel as though they've been resting for hours, but looking outside, the sun has barely moved.*

<"Wake up! The Organization is bringing in reinforcements, so we're doing the same!">

Having not likely slept, Azuma is ready to go, Fenrir in hand.

=================================

Taiyo opens up a hole in the shield, Hitomi hits the Hell Gigas with Stop Flow.

Nodding back to Thiera, Kyohaku held his position for the time being, but he readied himself to do just what she had said.

"I'll do my best; it's a beast of darkness from what I can gather so plenty of light should stun it plenty."

He turned back a bit, noticing that the other had already begun to create holes in the aforementioned shield and he figured that he would soon need to use his previously considered technique.

*Safian roars in annoyance at being woken up, even though it's for a good cause. She presumably exits her room through some sort of cat flap in the door*
===
*Monu stretches and laces up his shoes, exiting a few moments after his door was knocked on*

<How are we getting there? Have our gliders been repaired or...?>
===
*Artexi shrugs, then hurls one of her keyblades as hard as she can as she uses Spark Raid*

Th"The shield won't last against these attacks! Duck! Euryale, get us out of here!"

*Thiera ducks & Euryale follows her lead, dragging everyone close to her down. She also activates Ars Solum to drag them into the earth. Thiera then emits a shield of fire so that, when the Spark Raid tears through the front of the shield, it doesn't get through to them. Meanwhile, Xigbar's charged shot drills through the top of the shield, blowing it off. Soon, a black gas begins burrowing through Thiera's flames.*
---------------------------------
*They drop down into a lower tunnel just in the nick of time, the roof showing no evidence that they just burrowed through it.*

E"We have to attack Avici next, that's the only way this is going to end."
==========================
N"Did we get 'em?"

*Avici holds out his hand & a warp in space draws all of the smoke in, revealing the remnants of the dark shield sinking back into the shadows, with the Order nowhere in sight. Also, the Death Gigas frozen like a statue in the middle of punching air.*

Avici<No. Either they have retreated, or they are attempting a sneak attack.>
===========================
Binah<The Gliders will repair themselves if they have not been called for a while, but we have no time for that. I will take you to the looking glass, & we will use it as a portal to connect the worlds.>

Taiyo: "How do we do that if he can turn back time?"

Of course Kyohaku wasn't stupid, so in spite of the fact that he always seemed to have an endless will to fight he actually followed the others and ducked. He prepared himself to use his stunning technique, though, once he got a chance to do it.

Soon enough, however, he realized that he didn't actually have much of a defense when it came to something like that black gas burrowing through the flames!

Fortunately they got down to the tunnel, and Kyohaku again nodded, "Yeah, we're going to have to counterattack with everything that we've got."

*Artexi re summons her keyblade*

<...Damn. You have no idea where they went?>
===
*Monu nods, Safian wanders up behind Binah and rubs against her leg before they presumably head off over there*

Th"Unfortunately, our only option is to defeat him before he can travel through time. If we can reach him, I should be able to disable his powers through Runic, but I'll be vulnerable to counterattack while using that ability."

E"Well, if time is of the essence, then we should just go. Everyone, grab on!"

*She holds her arms out, glowing magenta again.*
================================
Avici<No. It was impossible to see.>

*He looks to the Death Gigas, which turns towards them, but sways on its feet, as though hypnotized.*

N"I could sink into the shadows to search for them."

Avici<No. They could be anywhere, but I need you here.>
============================
*Binah stares at the cat who just touched her inappropriately, but not for long, as she needs to lead them to a room circular room within the Hall of Masters with a bunch of mirrors on the walls. Inside is a throne on a stone dais, which turns as they enter, to reveal Yen Sid.*

Yen Sid<I will be watching over the castle while you are away.>

*Binah holds up the Keyblade which releases a beam of light. The mirrors shine & then depict various worlds. Most prominently displayed are several portions of Radiant Garden on the far wall. The only activity is in the castle, where Avici, Nero, Artexi, & a couple of other members of the Organization they don't recogized are hunkered in a dark hallway. Below them is the rest of the Order. When Binah touches the mirror, they can hear the plan that group is discussing. Finally, 8 more hooded Organization members are approaching Avici's location.*

Binah<I will engage with Avici. The rest of you should stop the Organization's reinforcements. Simply do as I do.>

*She shoves her Keyblade into the mirror depicting Avici, whose surface ripples like water as she disappears into it. Lilith steps up to the mirror depicting the reinforcements & repeats the process.*

L"Follow me."
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*Those who follow her find themselves emerging from a Door to Light in midair. Lilith has positioned them behind the 8 Organization members for a sneak attack, & uses Forest of Oblivion to bar their path.*

Considering that he more or less held a personal yet rather righteous grudge against the individual named Avici, it seemed that Kyohaku was entirely too eager to 'grab on' as it were.

"Alright, I'm ready to go! I'll do my best to take out any attempts at counterattack for you!"

Of course he wasn't sure how much he'd be able to really do to Avici personally, but he'd be damned if he didn't at least try.

Taiyo grabs on which under different circumstances would be more thrilling. Hitomi just hangs on.

=================================

Azuma follows through the mirror.

*Monu and Safian do the same and presumably end up next to Lilith. Safian disappears into the shadows and moves around the Organization members, but remains waiting in the shadows. Monu simply remains near Lilith, keyblade at the ready*
===
*Artexi crosses her arms*

<So what do you want us to do now?>

*The element of surprise is now shot. Lexeaus raises his hand high above his head as his hood slips off. After materializing the Ursus Keyblade, he slams it into the Forest of Oblivion, effortlessly destroying it. To counter the branches on the left, Axel manifests his Keyblades to burn them, while another slender man on the right materializes the Stroke of Midnight & freezes them, his hood slipping off to reveal a man with long, dirty blond hair. Zexion lets down his hood &, with a smirk, snaps his fingers, causing a bright ball of light to loom above them, tearing away the shadows so that Safian has nothing to hide in.*

<I will leave you with nothing!>

<Dance, water, dance!>

<I'd rather we just skip the formalities.>

*Saix materializes the Unbound & dives straight for Lilith & Monu. The more sinister effect of Zexion's illusion becomes apparent as he becomes more bestial & moon fire spirals around his Keyblade. Meanwhile, an even scrawnier man materializes the Leviathan in a reverse grip, strumming its head as though it were a guitar, causing the chunks of ice to liquefy & reform around him as dancers & musical notes. Finally, a burlier man with fierce sideburns & long black braids bids the Lost Memory to spiral around him & his comrades, surrounding them with Aero Shields. Even as it does that, it emits 5 lances which descend upon the Order members from all directions. Luxord summons a shape like a demorphed clock above Safian as he attempts to cast Stop on her.*
==================================
Avici<Try to avoid being removed from battle!>

*He whirls around as Binah emerges, blocking her strike. As their Keyblades clash, a spiral emerges from the tip of her Keyblade, dragging Nero & Artexi towards an unknown abyss. Nero hunkers down & stabs his Keyblade into the ground in an attempt to not be sucked in. Meanwhile, the rest of the Order emerges from the ground behind Avici, Thiera using Runic just wide enough so that it covers Avici but not Binah.*

Binah<You've nowhere to go, Avici!>

Avici<Who says I planned on going anywhere? I am the future.>

Th"Hitomi, you rely on magic, go take care of the beast & the sniper!"

E"I'll help!"

*Sure enough, she turns to raise a stone spike to block a salvo from Xigbar, who retaliates by combining his Keyblades together to form another charged shot as the Death Gigas barrels towards them.*

Azuma uses Darkra to destroy the ball of light seeing as it kinda screws him over too.

=================================

Hitomi multicasts Aqualung on the Death Gigas.

Vega moves to attack Thiera, Taiyo moving to defend her.

Since he was already close to Euryale, as she had asked for everyone to 'grab on' as she put, Kyohaku was also right there when it came time for her to help as she was saying that she would do. Smirking for the time being, perhaps in the face of what was incredible adversity, he looked forward and casted a protective Star Formation all around him as he got ready, presumably to go help take on the beast and sniper with Euryale and Hitomi, but he was really ready for anything.

*Safian leaps away from the guy trying to cast Stop on her, sending several glowing clones to crash into him. Monu raises a rock shield in front of Lilith and himself in order to protect against the shield and unbound*
===
<(Master Psyche?!)>

*Artexi does the same with one of her keyblades, hurling the other one at Taiyo and using Venom Raid*

*Nero & Artexi are blinded by the light of star formation, which throws off Artexi's aim, causing the Keyblade to clink uselessly against a wall. Vega finds himself swept off of his feet & sucked into a warp hole to a fate unknown even to himself, as the pressure causes him to fall unconscious. Death Gigas falls limp & once again is enshrouded by darkness. This time, a chainsaw rips through the shadows as Hellmasker emerges.*

E"How many forms does this guy have?!"

*Hellmasker spins its whole head on the axis of its neck & holds out its hand. Euryale rolls to evade the light it emits & it charges towards Hitomi. Xigbar lets loose with his charged shot, which bounces off of the walls as it heads towards the Order. He then teleports above them, firing at Taiyo with 1 Keyblade & Hitomi with the other.*

Avici<As I recall, you cannot copy yourself as easily as I can.>

*Avici reaches back with his left hand towards Thiera, an Ethereal Blade forming. Binah glances up & shifts the Keyblade to point in her direction, at which point he shifts aside, causing Binah to stumble forward. He then clones himself & both copies kick Binah towards Thiera so that either her magic is disabled or they plow into each other.*

Avici 1<What do you expect to accomplish by removing my avatar in this world?>

Avici 2<Of course I can exist across multiple networks. Even if you succeed, it won't be long before I am online again.>

Intercom: <Folder Avicibackup deleted.>

<<What? Inconceivable!>>
=======================================
*It was never specified that Azuma got his Keyblade back, but fortunately illusions are pretty weak, so the effect is dispelled, but not before Saix smashes through Monu's wall. Lilith slips to his side, parrying a lance as she goes, & prepares her Zantetsuken stance, which obviously forces him to block. With a flick of the Lady Luck, Luxord summons several giant cards to block Safian's attacks, then sends them flying at her, at which point she can see that they have razor edges. Monu & Safian are also each stabbed in the back with a lance. The spears return to the sky, circling around Xaldin as Vexen freezes the floor under the Order & Lee launches a salvo of fireballs at Monu & Azuma. Azuma also finds himself surrounded by water forms as Demyx backs away, still playing air guitar with his Keyblade. Zexion appears to be using his Keyblade as if it were a pen & jotting things down in a Lexicon summoned into his hand.*

*Safian roars at the pain and sends fireballs rocketing at the cards as she moves towards Monu, who dives away from the fireballs and casts Fairy Aura on himself and Safian. Once that's done, he moves to ingage Saix*
===
*Artexi blinks furiously in an attempt to clear her vision. Once it's clear, a snake forms on her keyblade and bites at Binah. She can't help but snicker at Avici, but probably no one but Nero can hear her over all of the noise*

Taiyo rolls to distance herself from Thiera in the event Runic is still active, swapping Keyblades with Hitomi to shield themselves.

=================================

Azuma uses Dark Shell to shield himself from the fireballs, charging Dark Flare to unleash it when the shield dissipates.

"Shit, that thing uses light too?!" Kyohaku was of course not pleased with the fact that there would have been anything that had similar skills to his own.

Then again, that gave him an idea while he was running out of the way. The Photon Debugger was as mirrored and glowing as anything else from his technological wonderland of a home, and reflective surfaces threw back light waves at their source.

He ran back toward Euryale, holding up the aforementioned blade to reflect any further incoming attack. Kyohaku figured he might have had a plan. For that matter, he might be able to copy himself...maybe? Hey, he was made up of computer files after all.

*As the Order disappeared & reappeared rather suddenly & because I forgot about him, Roatha is down the hall, having now just realized that they're attacking Avici. Euryale sees him gearing up for an attack, so she throws the Keyblade at him. She is struck by lightning the same time that he is nailed in the gut by a Keyblade & both go down. As Taiyo has presumably stepped in Hellmasker's way, he twists his wrists around in their sockets to swing the chainsaw at the knee joint of her left leg.*

Avici<You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. You're all puppets: Tangled in strings.>

*After quoting a movie that does not exist, the original Avici vanishes, leaving his clone behind. Binah slaps her chest, causing her armor to vanish in a flash of light. At the same time, she whirls around while coiling the snake up with her Keyblade, Thiera slipping around her to spin her own Keyblade, releasing a frozen gale at Nero, Artexi & Avici. Binah's armor makes a sudden reappearance from a warp hole in the ceiling. Having grasped Avici around his arms & waist, it slams the program into the ground, where said program falls apart in the form of red cubes.*

Avici<I believe it's time for a change of scenery.>

*Xigbar nods & teleports just behind Roatha, gathering darkness around him in a spiral as a ball of space expands in his hands, stretched out to the ceiling. The others then find out how Thiera was able to know the correct attack to use as they hear Binah in their minds.*

The one with the arrowguns will attempt to alter the space of the battlefield. Avici is limited, unable to wield time magic for fear of striking his allies, & unable to release electricity while surrounded by ice.
======================================
*Saix backs away, he & Lilith engaged in a stare down with their Keyblades pointed at each other as Axel rolls away, lobbing more fireballs at Lilith & Monu when he gets to a kneeling position. Safian scrabbles on the icy floor as Monu outright falls over. Lexeaus drives his Keyblade into the ground, siphoning some kind of energy into himself.*

Zexion<Looks like I have enough!>

*In his other hand appears a glowing blue-white aura in a crude likeness of the Oblivion, lacking a keychain. With it, he siphons darkness away from the Dark Flare to form a Dark Shell around himself, Lexeaus, Vexen, & Luxord, whose cards are now destroyed. Xaldin takes the opening to charge towards him in a whirring ball of blades.*

Taiyo blocks the incoming attack from the teleporting monster with her Keyblade, firing a Wisdom Shot at it with the other.

Hitomi fires Blizzara at the Hellmasker from her own Keyblade.

=================================

Azuma stops charging and dispells Dark Flare. Stabbing his Keyblade into the ice, he uses to balance himself and slides forward off the ice and charges the shielded Organization members, readying Ice Breaker.

Since Kyohaku was already close to Euryale, he soon jumped in as she fell and started to swing his own Keyblade, letting it go at the being who she had already taken down in the hopes of making sure that he wasn't coming back up again. As he watched the world around him start to shift he again casted Star Formation, which due to its comparatively low yield was easy enough for him to do. He figured that if the world got black around them, then maybe that would light it up a bit.

*Safian uses a stream of fire to melt the icy floor to steady herself. She then sends several glowing clones to crash into the charging Xaldin. Monu pushes himself away from the fireball, then moves into a kneeling position and sends diamonds at Saix's chest*
===
*The snake disappears from Artexi's keyblade as she resummons both and runs away from the blizzard. She then sends poison at Taiyo*