Rise & Fall

~Arendelle~

*The deflected attack whacks Axel in the stomach, which detonates & stuns him. The Lone Eagle puts a gash in his shoulder as he stoops limply.*
----------------------------------------
*From the general shape & the quality & angle of the light, it seems to be a tower reflecting the sunlight.*
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*Lilith trudges on.*

L"It had to be taking orders, Heartless don't naturally go after specific targets like that. The Organization must've screwed something up if they had to fight their own monster."
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*The Shadow Stalker floats out of the way of the fire column, sustaining minimal burns. It then dissolves into the chandelier, Euryale barely having block as it falls to the ground. The candles glow with dark flames & shoot lasers, which she rolls under after hitting the ground. Figuring the dome containing the monster's face is its weakness, she slashes the ground, sending boulders flying haphazardly at it. Some are destroyed by the lasers, but others hit their mark.*
==========================
~Land of Dragons~

*Having been thrown in the air & blasted to shit, the Assault Rider is promptly dispatched. Nero weaves between the lightning bolts, shooting the odd Dark Fire at the Stopped Assault Rider just in case it's not dead yet. As it slowly begins to move, it recoils, before finally bursting & freeing its captive heart. On cue, the lightning bolts fade & Ling comes up with the Captain & the rest of the army.*

Shang<Ling tells me you destroyed the monsters with unique techniques, thanks in part to Ping's initiative. Good work, soldiers. I'm glad you made use of your second chance.>

Yao<Yeah, way to go, Ping!>

Ling<One-of-us! One-of-us!>

*Yao jumps up, wrapping an arm around Ping's neck to pull him down & give him a noogie. Ling stands by, raising a fist in the air, before Chien Po sweeps them all into a big bear hug.*

Th"They are entirely too cheerful for this situation."

N"You don't know the half of it."

*He turns to look at the silhouette of the village they're heading towards.*

Shang<So there really is a trained lion on the battlefield...I thought Ling was just telling tall tales.>

Taiyo jumps and throws the Fenrir at the chandelier with Tiger Slash.

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

Vega speeds up his landing with Eagle Fall then quickly rushes Axel, hammering him with Cerberus Strike, Deadly Force, White Wolf, and Sundering Fang.

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

Azuma: "Incoming Mood Whiplash."

*Safian licks one of her paws, eyeing Shang. Meanwhile, Artexi just looks very uncomfortable*
---
*Eve keeps heading towards the tower, looking for an entrance*
===
Monu:<I guess so...>

*He trudges behind Lilith*

~Arendelle~

*Whatever Taiyo just did, the monster is straining again & once again Euryale points her Keyblade at it & forces it out. This time, when it tries to fly away, she grabs a chain, digs her heels in, & starts hacking at it. When it realizes it can't shake her by bobbing around, it turns & bites at her.*
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*As soon as it's available, Lilith switches to the Oathkeeper so she can use Float again. After some trudging, she stops & puts a hand to her ear.*

L"That sounds like reindeer noises! C'mon, let's go!"

*She grabs his hand & takes off in the direction of the sound. Through the trees, they can see Sven walking around aimlessly, calling out.*
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*The closer she gets, the more she realizes this probably isn't just a tower, but a whole building. It's impossible to see more specifics due to the glare, however there seems to be an elaborate staircase of ice & snow bridging a chasm between mountains, leading to the structure.*
---------------------------------------------
*Axel recoils from each punch, though the palm strike fails to stop him. Now more alert & no longer blind, he jumps back, though isn't able to completely clear the wolf blast thing & stumbles, but the chokeslam misses him. Moving weakly & struggling to breathe, he clangs his keyblades together to create a wall of fire that advances towards Vega.*
==============================
~Land of Dragons~

*Naturally, everyone goes silent once they reach the burnt out ruins of the village.*

Shang<Fan out & search for survivors! Be on the lookout for ambushes!>

*The soldiers fan out to look, but it's pretty clear they're not going to find any. Ping stoops to pick up an abandoned doll.*

Shang<I don't understand, my father should have been here.>

*While searching, the Order crests a hill & finds an army's worth of armor & weapons half-buried in the snow.*

Taiyo recalls the Fenrir and uses Aqua Whip to ensnare the Heartless to keep it from Euryale then fires into it with Wisdom Shot.

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

Vega uses Rising Phoenix to close in on Axel, using the flames generated by his attack as a shield.

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

Azuma: "Uh...Captain?"

*Eve looks around for a good place to land near the structure. When she finds one, she lands and dismisses her glider. Eve keeps an eye out for any sign of Anna or the others*
===
*Monu runs after Lilith*

Monu:<That's the reindeer the princess was riding!>
---
*Safian starts sniffing around for the scents of survivors*

Artexi:<The...the army was here...>

~Arendelle~

*As they get closer, the reindeer growls or whatever it is reindeers do, lowers his head threateningly, & paws the ground.*

L"Easy, there. What was it they called you again? Sven? We just want to help you find your friends."

*With that, the reindeer raises his head & moves closer to them, exposing his neck so they can rub it.*
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*The rest of the Heartless's chains fall off & it becomes shrouded by darkness. Freed from its prison, the [url=http://www.khwiki.com/images/thumb/8/82/Dark_Thorn_KHII.png/250px-Dark_Thorn_KHII.png Dark Thorn] tears its way out with enough force to break the whip & send Euryale flying. It turns & barrels through the doorway, knocking a cart of blankets aside, at which point Hans reflexively turns & blocks it with his sword.*

Hans<What manner of beast is this--rgh--go, warn the people!>

*The Duke of Weselton runs off screaming like a little girl. The Heartless then grabs Hans & spins around, throwing him back into the entrance hall.*
--------------------------------------------
*Axel jerks aside in surprise that someone pieced his flame shield, then becomes wreathed in fire himself.*

<You won't forget this!>

*He lashes out with a pair of spinning fire wheels. Regardless of how Vega responds, he jumps over him, catches them, & throws them at his back. He finishes up by summoning them back to his hands & slamming them on the ground in Vega's general direction, creating an explosion & column of flame. Only then do the flames around him fade.*

<Got it memorized?!>
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*Eve is now on a snowy cliff bank, with no sign of anyone nearby. She stands next to what looks to be a palace of ice. The front door is in view, up a brief set of stairs.*
=========================
~Land of Dragons~

*Shang approaches, looking shocked & horrified. He makes his way towards a glint of gold peeking out of the snow, pulling out the commander's helmet & sword. All Safian smells are death & Heartless. Thiera shoots a glare to Nero.*

Th"The Huns must have turned everyone here into Heartless...did you know about this?"

N"Hey, we were here when the alarm was sounded. We warned the army about the Huns, but then we got ambushed in a cave, & by the time we were out, it was already too late."

Yao<A likely story.>

*He approaches Nero with his fists drawn.*

Ling<Yeah, somethin's fishy here, & it ain't koi!>

As they're likely too far from what the Dark Thorn is doing, it's Taiyo's turn to pick up Euryale.

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

Vega ducks and rolls, attacking with Demon Fist and Lone Eagle, swapping to his Keyblade and attacking with Snake Bone Sword.

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

Azuma: "Because it's not like you wouldn't benefit from this in any way."

*Eve walks up to the stairs, then thinks better of it and summons her glider instead. She flies up the stairs and to the door of the castle, then knocks on the door*

Eve:<...Hello? >
===
*Monu pats the reindeer's neck, then looks at Lilith*

Monu:<I wonder if the Organization women found them. But in this weather...hopefully they aren't incapacitated...>
---
Artexi:<Sure, attack us and let the Huns steamroll China. Because that's the best thing you could do right now.>

*Safian growls*

~Land of Dragons~

Shang<At ease. Their story was corroborated by the messenger.>

*Yao & Ling stand down, staying back & scratching their heads awkwardly. Shang heads past them to the cliff face, where he sticks the sword in the ground & puts the helmet on top of it, before kneeling down to pray. Ping approaches him, at which point he stands up, patting "him" on the shoulder & continuing on. She places the doll at the foot of the makeshift memorial & bends down to pray as well. Thiera approaches the Organization & speaks low.*

Th"Remember that we are not part of this army. Captain Shang might believe you, but I do not. Once the Huns are defeated, I will not forget the things you & your Organization have done."
==============================
~Arendelle~

*There is no answer from inside the castle.*
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L"They should respond to Sven's call. We just need to retrace his hoofprints & search around there."
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*All 3 attacks strike Axel dead on, at which point the lava begins to ebb away, leaving Vega with minor foot burns, the flames die down, & shadows seep from Axel's wounds. He attempts to slash the whip sword away from himself & opens a Dark Corridor behind him.*
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*Hans manages to dig grab a pillar & spin around to land softly on his feet. Euryale waves Taiyo away as she comes near.*

E"I'm fine, don't let the Heartless escape into the town!"

*She sticks the Ends of the Earth into the ground, pulling herself up slowly as her legs wobble.*

E"Ugh, how do you people stand up so easily?"

*Meanwhile, Hans jogs over.*

Hans<I will want you to explain yourselves & the damage to the castle...later. Right now, we have to defend the people from that monster.>

*He points to the Heartless, which has lumbered into the city streets & now jumps onto the side of a house, digging its claws in to climb the 2nd story wall.*

Taiyo pursues, casting Curaga on Euryale as she passes by.

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

Vega swings the Keywhip adding Kraken to the mix to ensnare Axel to keep him from escaping and reel him in.

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

Leaving the cover of the trees since it would seem the coast is clear, Irritum gliders up and takes flight, staying high enough above the tree line to not hit them, but still low enough to have to disembark at a moments notice if need be.

Monu:<If they are not incapacitated, which is what I'm worried about.>
===
*Eve flies up and around the building, looking for a balcony or something*

Eve:<...Queen Elsa? Are you here? Anna and I came looking for you, but we got separated and now I can't find her...>
---
*Safian growls in agreement with Thiera's statement*

Artexi:<Whatever, as long as you wait until the Huns are defeated.>

~Arendelle~

*The Heartless jumps from building to building, quickly leaving Taiyo behind. Euryale looks to Hans.*

E"If I can get you closer to the monster, would you be willing?"

Hans<Of course! Why wouldn't I--what are you doing?>

E"Please keep your arms & legs tucked in until you reach your destination!"

*After grabbing him by the shoulders, she spins around & around, ignoring his yelling, before letting him fly. As he approaches the monster, he swipes wildly at it with his sword, catching it by surprise. They both go tumbling into the snow as Euryale falls on her ass again.*
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*There is again no answer, but the balcony doors slam shut & the storm clouds grow overhead, belching wind & hail. Irritum sees this from afar.*
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L"Then he should be able to sniff them out."

*She climbs aboard the moose.*
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*Axel finds himself immobilized & dragged closer, though a pair of Assassins emerge from the Dark Corridor & slither into the ground.*
=============================
~Land of Dragons~

*With nothing else to do, Nero follows Shang & the rest of the soldiers to the mountain summit. Soon after they file out, there comes a threatening roar from the mountain as numerous figures stream over the peak. Thiera runs forward, & as they get closer, they see Huns & Heartless, led by a horse-riding figure with a jagged sword. The soldiers near the back start to retreat.*

Shang<Stand your ground!>

<But we're outnumbered, there's no way we can beat them!>

Shang<We will do what we must. Ready the cannons & prepare to fight to your last breath! It has been an honor to serve with you all.>

N"Maybe I can try to get some of the Heartless to defect. I don't know what else I could do against those numbers."

*The soldiers look hesitantly at each other, the trio being the first to unload the cannons from the carts & set them up. Ping & Thiera exchange looks.*

Taiyo gliders up to follow after the Heartless.

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

Vega pulls Axel within kicking range, attacking with Heartbreaker then swaps weapons, attacking with Aqua Sweep, Waterdragon Flurry, and Dragon Shot.

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

Irritum flies a bit lower once past the treeline.

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

Azuma fires on Shan-Yu with Wolf Storm while Hitomi casts Gravity Well on the Hun and Heartless army. We'll save the war crime for Mulan.

*Eve flies down to the balcony, banging on the door*

Eve:<Please, you've got to help me! Anna might be in serious danger!>
===
*Monu climbs on behind Lilith*
---
Artexi:<If we take out Shan-Yu, the army might scatter!>

*Safian slips into the shadows, moving towards a snow bank or something that she can hide behind and ambush Shan-Yu from. Artexi hurls both keyblades at him, using Spark Raid and Venom Raid*

~Land of Dragons~

*Shan Yu weaves, moving away from Safian's position & using his sword to deflect projectiles he misses. A fucking eagle soars out of the sky, knocking Nero into Thiera as a rain of flaming arrows come from the Hun army, striking the remaining munitions.*

Shang<They aren't going to let us fire...push them off the mountain before they explode! Yao, make your shot count!>

*The soldiers frantically shove the burning carriages off the cliff, where they can be heard detonating below. Ping shoves Yao out of the way, grabbing his cannon & running forward, Thiera soon gliding to her side.*

Yao<What are you doing?!>

Th"Protect Ping & stay away from the summit! Trust us!"

*Nero nods, using Dark Splicer to appear in front of Shan Yu as he closes in & block his sword swipe. He tries to get in from behind, but the Hun turns & backhands him in the face, whereupon a group of Neoshadows descends upon him. Bolt Towers move to flank the Chinese army, firing lightning beams at them as Rapid Thrusters move in to harass them. Meanwhile, Ping roots around in the snow.*

Ping<Flint, flint, have to find some flint!>
==============================
~Arendelle~

*On the ground after being nailed by Aqua Sweep, Axel smiles.*

Axel<Joke's on you. I've got 1 more trick up my sleeve.>

*He shouts as Vega continues his assault, the flames seeping from him intensifying. Just before he would dissolve, he glows brightly & explodes in an immense fireball, scorching Vega & throwing him against the wall. The crunching noises & pain running throughout his body probably aren't a good sign. At this point, the Assassins move forward, raising their arms from the ground & slashing wildly as they approach.*
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*Euryale follows Taiyo's plan, but of course she's still lagging behind when Taiyo gets there to find Hans rolling around with the Heartless, stabbing it in the shoulder so he can run away. It waves a claw, coating the floor in darkness that causes Possessors to fly out, seeking out him & Taiyo.*
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*The storm intensifies, but eventually Elsa opens the door, now with her hair in a braid & in some fruity, shimmering blue dress.*

Elsa<What did you say about Anna?!>

*Irritum is too low for her to see, & so by skimming across the ground, is able to get into the shadow of the mountain peak undetected.*
---------------------------------------------------
*Retracing the moose's prints, they find Kristoff poking around. He runs forward to hug Sven around the neck & ruffle his hair or whatever.*

Kristoff<Sven, buddy! I'm so glad you're alright! But...where's Anna?>

*The moose stops nuzzling him, sneezes in his face, & turns bitterly away. He wipes it off & just now notices the Order.*

Kristoff<You guys again? Have you been following us?>

Taiyo swoops in close to Hans, dismissing her glider and casting Bubble Ward on herself then Undine, sending the water out towards the Possessors.

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

Vega uses Center to mend some of his wounds, hopefully enough to pick himself up, switching to the Keyblade, ready to block while supporting himself with one hand on the wall.

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

Irritum moves through the shadows to get close to the tower.

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

Hitomi casts Aquaja to go after the Rapid Thrusters while while Azuma attacks a Bolt Tower with Reaper.

Eve:<We...we came to look for you, but we got attacked by a monster and separated. I can't find her, and I'm afraid that there might be more of them out there. I really need your help!>
===
Monu:<She's not with you?>
---
*Artexi casts Sparkga on the Neoshadows attacking Nero, then sends vines from her other keyblade to ensnare Shan-Yu's horse. Meanwhile, Safian travels back to Mulan, opening her jaws to reveal a small flame*

Safian:<Tell me what you need set on fire!>

~Arendelle~

*Hans tries to block with his sword, unfortunately it turns black & grows a Possessor face on it. Euryale does a kind of somersault & transforms her Glider into her Keyblade, digging it into the ground & attacking the Dark Thorn with Meteor Crash. The Heartless slams into a building as it is pummeled with flaming rocks & falls to the ground twitching for a few seconds. Euryale grunts as Hans stabs her in the side, seeming to be jerked around by his sword & trying to hold his wrist back with his other hand.*

Hans<I'm sorry! I'm not the one doing this!>
---------------------------------------------
*I guess Irritum passes under the bridge & moves into the shadow of the ice palace. Meanwhile, far up above, Elsa looks concerned but shakes her head.*

Elsa<No, she is better off without me. I am sorry, but I cannot help you.>

*She starts to close the doors on Eve.*
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Anna<I'm over here! C'mon, you have to see this!>

Kristoff<Where are you?! I can barely hear you!>

Anna<Here!>

*He runs off after the faint voice, Sven reluctantly following at Lilith's insistence. They move through some brush to find Anna crouching beside a snowman in the early morning light. She looks back at them, smiling broadly.*

Anna<Isn't he amazing? He's just like one Elsa made when we were kids!>

*Kristoff scratches the back of his head.*

Kristoff<Uh, yeah, he's great.>

Snowman<Thanks! You're great too!>

*Kristoff yelps & falls to the ground. Sven just bites the snowman's nose off & starts chewing on it.*

Anna<Elsa must've made him & brought him to life!>

L"That's just creepy."

Snowman<No, I'm Olaf. Who're you?>
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*The most generous interpretation of this is that he heals very little worth mentioning before blocking an Assassin's attack. It falls out of the ground, rolled up in a twitching ball, but its fellow darts to Vega's side & sticks its knifelike limbs out of the ground. A quartet of Dusks also seem to be swimming out of the Dark Corridor, followed by untold amounts of Creepers.*
==============================
~Land of Dragons~

*The horse rears up, bucks, & overall does everything it can to avoid being ensnared. Nero takes advantage of the Heartless' distraction to blow them away with Dark Dance as Thiera erects a barrier using Reflect, which knocks Shan Yu off of his horse when he slashes at it. While Ping holds the fuse up to the flame, Mushu wipes his brow.*

Mushu<Phew. I thought I was gonna be used as a lighter.>

*Meanwhile, several soldiers go down after being electrocuted, but the trio attacks the Rapid Thrusters that try to get at Hitomi from behind & they manage to hold off the Heartless. Shang appears to be running to Ping's side when "he" points the cannon at the mountain.*

Mushu<What are you doing, you're pointing it the wrong way!>

*He falls from her armor just as the cannon goes off, & his voice can be heard trailing away as the rocket goes flying.*

Mushu<How could you miss?! He was right in front of you!>

*Horrified comprehension dawns on the faces of the Huns as an explosion goes off in the distance & an avalanche begins.*

Taiyo uses Aqua Whip to grab Hans' sword and pulls it away from Euryale and strikes with the Diamond Dust to either dispel the Possessor or even break the sword.

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

Vega blocks that Assassin before swapping weapons to use Center again before grabbing the nearest Assassin and throwing it into the floor.

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

Irritum makes their way to the front door of the palace to sneak on in.

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

Hitomi casts Frost Surge while Azuma adds in Wolf Storm against the Rapid Thrusters.

Eve:<What? You're her sister, of course she'd be better off with you. Plus...you have an amazing gift.
---
*Monu looks rather concerned*

Monu:<(Did...did Queen Elsa create sentient life?)>
---
*Safian jumps on the downed Shan-Yu, claws ablaze*

Safian:<Run!>

*Artexi dismisses the keyblade and her vines, summoning her glider. She uses Spark on the nearest Heartless before yelling at Shang*

Artexi:<We can carry a few of you on these. Don't ask!>

~Land of Dragons~

N"Quit wasting time & just run!"

*As Nero sinks into the shadows, he Hun proves his impressive strength by shoulder-slamming Safian in the stomach, pivoting to knock her into Thiera. He then slashes Ping across the chest just before Shang pulls her away. Behind him, hearts are popping out of the snow drifts by the dozen as the avalanche rapidly consumes his army. With the Rapid Thrusters gone, the soldiers closest to the pass race off in that direction while the furthest back clamber up on the Gliders.*
===============================
~Arendelle~

*Elsa scowls & points to the sky, where the clouds are swirling & releasing a blinding torrent of sow.*

Elsa<You call this a gift?! Don't pretend you know what we've been through! Good luck getting off the mountain in this storm.>

*With that, she slams the door in Eve's face. Down below, out of sight under the balcony, I guess Irritum is creeping & being a [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. *
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*The Assassin twitches & slowly tries to drift to its feet while the Dusks dance in a ring around him, some leaping upside-down into the air & swinging around him. The Creepers likewise surround him & begin to transform. He can see more shapes moving in the Dark Corridor.*
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*The Possessed Sword grimaces, then slashes at Taiyo. Euryale goes for broke, glowing magenta as she swings wildly at the Dark Thorn, emitting a shockwave each time she hits the ground. Towards the end of the combo, the Dark Thorn lumbers limply to its feet.*
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*While Kristoff rises to his feet, Anna snatches the carrot from Sven & sticks it back into the snowman, unfortunately a bit too forcefully as it comes out the other side.*

Olaf<Whoa, head rush!>

L"I guess. I don't think it's a Heartless."

Taiyo blocks with one Keyblade and counters with Frost Surge.

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

Vega gathers up the Nobodies except maybe the Assassin with Soaring Raptor Blast.

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

Irritum skulks up the stairs to the door up above. They're probably not going to have a good time.

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

The two glider up, Azuma moving to rescue Ping and Shang while Hitomi takes shots at the Huns.

*Eve slumps against her glider*

<I didn't...I never know the right thing to say...>
===
Monu:<(I think you are correct.)>
---
*Artexi helps as many soldiers as can fit onto her glider, then flies up to hover above the avalanche. Safian snarls and rights herself, then summons her glider and attempts to do the same thing as Artexi did with the remaining soldiers*

~Arendelle~

*The Possessor is eventually removed from the sword, at which point it floats off to parts unknown. The Dark Thorn recovers, jumping onto the nearest roof. Once there, it gradually fades from view & can be heard jumping again, the only signs of its movement being the snow kicked up each time it makes a leap.*
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*The Nobodies are sucked up into the tornado, the Creepers biting the dust pretty early on. The shapes in the Dark Corridor just hang back & wait for him to tire.*
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*The Queen of course turns around & spots Irritum. She can be heard from outside.*

Elsa<Who are you? What are you doing in my castle?>
----------------------------------------------
*Lilith shakes her head, dismounting from the reindeer & holding her hand out.*

L"I'm Lilith, and this is Monu. We--"

*Seeing that she has accidentally yanked his arm out, she hands it back to them.*

L"Err, we have come to help."

Anna<I don't understand, didn't you attack my sister?>

L"No. We were framed by the people in the black coats. They're called the Organization, & they're evil."

*Kristoff scratches his head, looking confused.*

Kristoff<Wait, you know each other?>

Anna<You know them?>
=================================
~Land of Dragons~

*Shan Yu attempts to run after them, reaching for Thiera's foot as she Glides away, but he's forced to release her as she becomes wreathed in flames that burn his hand. Finally, him & the rest of the Huns are consumed by the snow, Shang ordering them back to the village wreckage as anything still on the ground is seemingly swept off of the mountain. As they land, Ping is taken to the Moogle's hut for treatment & Nero emerges from the shadows nearby.*

Th"We have to move quickly, it won't be long now before they discover that Ping is actually a woman."

N"Wait, Ping is a woman?!"

Th"Stop shouting, you imbecile!"

*They wave nervously at all of the soldiers now peering curiously at them.*