Endgame (Taskforce Upsilon & Everglory)

Luca Cross · Jul 15, 2020

Earlier That Day

“Cowards, the lot of you!” A loud cry cut through the hangar, as a single woman finished beating down the final guard. His limp body slipped from her grasp, as she turned towards the large robot looming overhead. Her birthright, something that had been ‘well-kept’ and ‘maintained’ in her ‘cultural indoctrination’. Being pulled from the Doban Manor and forced to play ‘noble’ to a group of young blue-bloods had never sat well with the young woman, even less now as the entire planet went to war. So, she had done the best thing she could think of.

“A little rough love never hurt anyone; they all could use the lessons Father taught.” Wiping a smudge of blood from her mouth as she strolled to the huge robot, the young woman grabbed the armor to start pulling herself up. A loud crack rang out, causing the woman to halt.

“You’re going to climb off that robot and come with us, Baron Doban! For assaulting other nobles and breaking past the guard detail here in the maintenance facility, you’re being detained!” Two guards stood in the entryway, guns trained on the woman. She simply grinned, tightening her hold on the armor.

“HAHAHAHA! You think to stand in the way of the Mighty Doban! My will is unwavering, and path resolute! You pathetic nobles seek to overthrow a Queen who cares more about the people than you ever did! Go ahead and shoot your bullets; they won’t reach me.” Spinning so her cape did a fancy flourish, the woman leapt upwards, smacking the locking mechanism on the open hatch as she dropped inside. The hatch’s pneumatic seals hissed to life, slamming shut and locking firmly as the woman dropped into her seat. Lights came to life within the cockpit, as the engines within the giant robot roared to life. The entire bay hummed with the force of the revving engines, as the woman grabbed the familiar controls.

The soldiers watched in shock as the giant robot they’d considered ‘archaic trash’ came to life. There was a chain stretched across to the far side of the bay, locked behind solid doors with mechanical locks. The metal of the chain seemed sturdy enough to ‘hold’ this robot...until the robot grabbed the chain in one of its huge gauntlets. The shoulder-mounted engines roared even louder, as the mech took one step to the side and ‘pulled’. The reinforced doors crumpled like so much scrap, as a ball of solid steel came hurtling through the expanse towards the huge robot. It seemed almost the same size as the huge robot, but the robot stopped it with one palm. The sheer momentum of the huge projectile caused the Bemidban to bury itself into the metal flooring. Wrapping the chain around its gauntlet, the robot turned towards the exit. A comm-link to the hangar was opened, and the woman’s voice could be heard.

“I’ll warn you both; continue to stand in my path, and I will consider you my enemies. And all of my enemies will be crushed.”

The guards finally fled, leaving the Baron to her machine. Hefting the massive wrecking ball close to her side, the woman glanced at her watch. It was only 1300; if she made a beeline for the throne, she could still make it on time!

Outside the Palace, a single green bolt shot towards the intimidating fortress. Years late for the coup already underway, the young woman was pushing her companion to its limits. The tried-and-tested Bemidban had come through on all accounts. Her gaze darted across the idyllic castle, before falling on the most unique location. That was the one; that had to be the throne room. Secondary engines roared to life, as the stubborn woman took the only route she had available to her.

Swinging the huge wrecking ball once, the robot unleashed the chain, sending it hurdling towards the wall. It slammed into the wall, leaving a wrecking-ball sized dent within the armored exterior. Yanking the ball free, the woman used the destroyed surface as a stepping stone to reach the roof. Hitting the accelerator again, the giant mech went shooting across the roof of the castle, sending dust up and causing the structure to shudder ominously in locations. The Baron pinpointed the location of the throne room, and sent the Bemidban towards that roof. Her wrecking ball dragged behind the giant robot, causing untold destruction to the fine details of the roof. Stopping above the throne, the woman hopped out of her mech, landing firmly on the ground. Stepping over to a large window overlooking the throne room, she finally caught sight of the Queen, and saw the knights surrounding her. Stepping away from the window, the Baron started drawing a picture of the room from above compared to the roof. Satisfied with her measurements, the woman remounted her mech. Piloting to the edge of the room, she picked up the giant weapon attached to her mech. Setting it down with a bit of authority, the building groaned in agony. She saw the spider-lacing cracks shoot across the reinforced surface, and nodded in satisfaction. Grabbing the hydraulic tether attached to her cockpit for repairs in low-gravity, the woman began pulling out the reinforced rope. Attaching it to her belt, she took a deep breath.

This one’s for you, Father. I’m sure you’re laughing heartily at this situation from whatever rocky throne you found.

Kicking the cracks caused dust to spring upwards and the mech started to visibly sink. Erina sprinted across the roof in the opposite direction, letting the cord uncoil behind her. It was clearly too long as she approached the edge of the roof; if it didn’t break, she was going to hit the ground extremely hard. She couldn’t hesitate though, or it would mess up her entry. Stepping onto the edge of the roof and jumping outwards in a twisting motion, the woman saw the roof as it finally collapsed, dropping her huge robot into the floor below. The anchor attaching her to it also began spooling away rapidly as she started to fall, before it snapped taut. She was sent in a flying arc towards the window, as dust and rocks filled the throne room. Slamming into the window with her weight, the surface shattered and she broke through in a sprint, undoing the cable as she broke into a dash. With a move that was so smooth it was criminal, the Baron swept the Queen into her arms, not pausing to see the looks of shock or awe in the faces of the Knights.

“Sorry about the sudden appearance, Queen! This humble Baron offers her assistance in this time of civil unrest!” Conveniently, the shattered rubble under the Bemidban provided a running platform, which the woman used to leap into the cockpit. It sealed shut as both women entered, dust only starting to clear now. The entrance of both pilot and mech had been mere seconds, but had definitely had an effect on those present. Speakers crackled to life, as the Baron spoke with heartfelt passion.

“Confronting Royalty without a Knight to protect her!? Is such conduct ordinary for the Lunarian Nobles?! Dogs, the entire lot of you! But don’t be concerned!” With a swing of one hand, the giant wrecking ball emerged from the rubble and returned to the Bemidban’s side. “I, Baron Doban, will hammer pride into the lot of you! HAHAHAHAHA!”

VeraC · Jul 16, 2020

Granzon had almost arrived at the DOME, naught but a few minutes away. Her face was serious and her body was tense. Things were set in motion that were beyond her understanding, but nonetheless, she wanted to understand.

She wanted to, and yet, not even that would be allowed to her.

“CHILD IT IS TIME!”

A loud voice rang out from within her. Guttural and vicious, like a starving dog that hadn’t eaten in aeons shouted within her.

“THE TIME HAS COME! THE CONTRACT SHALL BE FULFILLED!”

In a pain that threatened to split her mind in two, Volkruss’ voice came striking down like lightning; like the bolt splitting the boulder in half, her mind too, was torn. The pain was so immense in fact, that under any normal conditions, a human would pass out from the sheer magnitude of it, yet some force kept her awake, and forced the pain on her in full.

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Tian Di wanted to scream out in agony, but even as she tried to open her mouth and stress her vocal cords best she could, no sound would escape her lungs. In fact, she couldn’t feel air enter her lungs either. It was as if she was suffocating, her body lacked the oxygen to function, yet a dark force that filled her body continued to provide the bare minimum to keep her alive. Her muscles contracted and cramped, the feeling of flesh being split from bone pulsed through her whole body, as if one had shoved a knife between the bone and meat, then pulled apart like one would to get a nice cross section of tissue and sinew.

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The pain didn’t stop there though, It continued and coursed through her entire body for what felt like an eternity. Tian Di couldn’t think. She couldn’t move, It was a pain that she wanted to end. She wanted it to end, yet it only got worse. The normal human likely would’ve died from shock at the first snap of pain, yet the dark energy that which tied Tian Di kept her alive and conscious.

Blood dripped from her nose and eyes. Though she felt she couldn’t move, the energy forced her body in motion, though with that, came more pain. Her arms slowly made the way to the controls of Granzon, Her left arm placing its hand on a part of the control stick. When her hand made contact, a change began within Granzon too.

Dark energies of black and purple surrounded the machine, enveloping the entire mech in a cloud of darkness. The overflowing power began to take shape, before being fully purged outward and revealing the machine’s new form. A menacing golden ring now was held in place to the back of the mech alike a halo, golden accents now complementing the machine’s blue color.

“Neo.... Granzon…”

Faint words at last emerged from Tian Di’s mouth, as she called the ‘new’ mobile weapon’s name; the true form of Granzon.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHH!!!”

It was then she let out a world-shattering scream, an instantaneous torrential gush of the pain that had built up inside her, that seemingly would ring out across the dimensions and ages, perhaps even resonating through Volkruss himself, those near him could hear the scream of Tian Di.

Several lights of Neo Granzon began to glow, and dark energy began to form in its hands. Several orbs of antimatter formed and orbited its arms, as the torso plating opened up, three green orbs emerging from within the core of Neo Granzon. A sphere of dark energy now forming at the center of it all, the several components combined together, creating a spiraling orb of dark energy that began to consume all within its reach.

But it didn’t end there. From it, came a second black hole, Neo Granzon pulling its hands apart to create two from one, now holding a black hole in each of its hands. The gradually began to grow in size, consuming anything and all, even light, near it.

“...Black… Hole… Cluster”

Tian Di once more mouthed the words, with the faintest sound exiting her now trembling lips.

Both were thrown at the Moon, one at the DOME, and the other towards the Lunar capital itself.

***

Okuni and Hikari followed along Ashford as they entered the throne room, Okuni’s graceful steps served as an elegant juxtaposition to the slaughter that she had just been a part of, carving a way through the palace guards to the throne room. Blood splatters spotted her clothes and face, though her gaze remained cold yet serene; alike that of a lake on a cold winter's day. Okuni had never met the Queen personally, perhaps only seen her when Okuni was sparring with the Lunar knights.

“Our numbers are fewer than ever, Selene-sama. I am simply choosing the route which shall lead to the continuation of our clan’s strength.”

Hearing her voice, it would be hard for one to make out what kind of emotion Okuni was feeling at the moment. At the very least, Okuni had her duty to her clan, that which lies above all else.

“In my journey to earth, I had met the Oda Branch of the Kusanagi Clan. It was a… humbling experience to say the least; though it shined some clarity on what I must do.”

Perhaps it was arrogance. It was arrogance that didn’t lack the confidence to make her words into reality. It was the belief that she possessed every ounce of strength needed to grasp the world and make her dream a reality.

It was then that she could sense it. The crash of something into the wall of the castle shaking the ground and vibrating through the walls.

“Ashford-dono, it would be best to step back.”

Okuni held her arm out slightly pushing Ashford some steps from where he was. Moments later, the massive green mech came crashing down from the roof, along with debris of all shapes and sizes, some where Okuni stood nonetheless. She took a deep breath and entered a readied stance, placing her hand on the handle of her Katana. Air began to swirl around the woman as she spoke the words.

「天下二歩　－　天地統一の誓い！」
The Oath of the Unification of Heaven and Earth

With a single draw of her sword, Haki originating from her sword lashed out both into the ground and the ceiling above, embedding itself, before multiplying exponentially and sending out countless chains of energy from both the ground and the sky, creating almost a maze of chains that prevented one from normally moving about, but also suspending the countless amounts of debris that were currently in the air.

Okuni took several steps forward, with each step on the ground causing almost a ripple-like effect on the floor, almost as if she was walking on naught but water. Her warrior’s spirit burned like the sun, yet within that, her mind was as calm and serene as a gentle river in the forest.

“Let your speed be like that of the wind, your steps as gentle as a forest.”

Power began flowing and circulating around Okuni’s body.

“You shall strike the enemy like a raging fire, yet stand as immovable as a mountain.”

She took another deep breath, looking back towards Ashford.

“Allow me to deal with the intruder, I shall leave the Queen to you. Hikari, support Ashford-dono.”

She turned back to the Queen and the new intruder, with narrowed eyes as she focused in on her target.

“Inmetsu, Second Step: Fuurinkazan, Fifth Gate: Open!”

The Haki that before surrounded Okuni now grown in density, gained a color. Almost a blood red-shade, her steps on the ground now created small craters with each footprint, power flowing through her body unlike never before. She could feel the strain on her muscles, and her body begin to warm up, yet she could feel no pain.

Slightly bending her knees, a larger crater was made in the ground before with an explosion of wind and speed, her body vanished. Or rather, her speed became so incredible that normal human eyes would have a hard time keeping up with her movements. While one might feel safe due the numerous chains from before keeping most from easily approaching the Queen, if one slowed down time, Okuni would be seen using the chains themselves as ‘platforms’ for her to kick off, her body zigzagging in a blitz of speed that almost proved the obstacle pointless for her. One would see the chains slightly bounce and shift, markers of where Okuni had just been, but several would bounce and dance in sequence, almost as if she was in two places at once.

It took not even three seconds for her to cross the room, appearing before the Queen and the Baron, her blade held at the ready to strike the two. Though her strike held no intent to injure either of the two, but to rather force the two to separate, and have Doban release Selene.

She landed behind the two, the force of impact from her landing creating a second crater in the ground, directly in front of the throne itself. She turned to face Baron, pointing her sword at the woman.

“If you pride yourself on being a Knight, I shall be your opponent. It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to go all-out against someone. Else your Queen may just die right here.”

Despite the aggressive look on her face and complete intention to kill within her eyes, Her voice remained calm and stern. Perhaps the two women before her would feel fear, maybe the would feel motivation. Regardless, Okuni as she was at the moment was something one might see once in their lifetime.

And arguably it would be the last time they would see something like it.

MKR · Jul 16, 2020

Johanna's attention was pulled from Gail and to the siren. Forgetting about what business he could have and focusing on her own as Juliette rushed off. Well, there was the attack she was expecting just not in this form. As her screens turned on once more one was absolutely going mad causing her to push her hand through her hair. That was what she got for looking away for a bit.

"Weissritter Abend, deploying." She signaled as the green light atop the Abend's head lit up, the unit activating and launching within moments. They were told to be ready for this to happen, and she was. It was time to do her job. The countless phantoms outside getting one intruder into their masses.
Her eyes went over the screens, chaos had erupted in the negotiations below. Phantoms were moving everywhere and attacking the ship and the Granzon... had just fired two black holes at the moon.

If she had time to stare at that she would have, but no. There were monsters to deal with before she could get any breathing space.
First, to create space two sets of split missiles fired, anything approaching her would have to deal with that network of explosives. As she did that her hands maneuvered the controls, turning one of her screens into a thermal vision focused on the negotiations. Those were the key to keep track of here, even amidst the chaos.

The Abend spun its rifle around, Johanna clicking the controls of the gun up to E move, the first stance would do for now.
One shot, aimed directly for a phantom coming her way. A second one shooting past the same phantom, not all could hit the ghosts. Yet she didn't seem concerned by that one as the third went for the center of the phantasmal being.

That one stray laser however would not dissipate, it kept going. Who knew where it would end up.

Jadwiga · Jul 21, 2020

It was a horrible day in the neighborhood. Samurai trying to take the throne. Terrans trying to take the moon. Eldritch beings trying to take everyone's souls. And then there was that one girl having an episode, producing twin black holes and lobbing them at the hearts of Everglory, dooming one and all that dwelt there to annihilation in the cataclysmic clash of gravity, time, the universe, and everything. Certain doom was at hand. The end was nigh. The throne would fall and even if anyone standing next to it managed to not be atomized, the Directory would swiftly bring them to heel. Yes Sir, things were looking mighty bad for the Moon Dwellers.

But the battle was only just beginning.

((Briefing Theme: The Battleship of General Black X))

There was a glimmer of light as the sleek silver body of the Grand Dreadnought Fenossa entered the former Sector Alpha. Ever since the incident there, the region around ZONE had held uncomfortable memories for most aboard the ship. Memories only exacerbated by the political maneuvering since. The dark days seemed to only ever grow darker on this side of the moon. Their reason for being here today was no different.

Vanessa: "Fenossa, entering operational range. All departments reporting charge completion. Calculating firing solution along current course."
Sir Richard: "Excellent. Aim just across the opposing vessel's bow, and prepare to fire. This is it, people! Sir Ashford means to take the throne, and the Directory means to either control it, or wipe it from existence. We cannot afford to fail here - this is do or die for Everglory! Kaiser, status update?"
Squire Leth: "I'm removing the last of the blocks now. Kaiser's full capacity should be available momentarily."
Virgil: "Just be careful how you use it. Even Kaiser has its limits, and the finite nature of our... resources is one of them. Use it only as much as you absolutely have to in the event of an absolute emergency."
Sir Richard, deflating as he clutched his hat against his forehead: "I'd call a machine that can fling black holes and wipe out armies an emergency..."

((Emergency Theme: Threat of X))
Joseph: "Sir! Update on the enemy unit. It's changed position... energy readings and gravimetric distortions increasing! Holding steady at..."
Sir Richard: "But there's no line out there... unless! Kaiser, you need to go NOW! That thing is getting ready to fire again! Do whatever you have to to stop it!"
Sir Kiraly: "Roger that. Telemetry received, Orgone displacement imminent. Kaiser... GO!!!"

Player Turn
Mission Objective: Defend the Capital!
Bonus Objective: Destroy or disable Neo-Granzon within 3 turns.

> Combo Attack Selected: Fenossa Gabeliot / Orgonite Bhaskar

As it happened, about the time the Neo Granzon was hurling fat stacks of gravity to render the moon a lifeless object once again, there was a bit of a glitch in time. For a fraction of a fraction of a second there was a blip of a giant something suddenly springing into being on the Granzon's sensor equipment. The pain-wracked lady within could be excused for not noticing it given her present state. But the next conscious moment she had, the world looked a little different...

Within the time between the Plancks, all of creation stood suspended. Every particle within Kaiser's range, even chronitons, hovered at an almost absolute halt. Within this absolute territory, the only things capable of moving were the Kaiser itself, and the faint roiling of the black holes as they struggled to devour the stilled darkness around them. Having caught them just after their launch, they were still a scant distance from the Neo-Granzon. Even then, the knights would need to make quick work of the threat. The clock was ticking.

Sir Kiraly, letting out a relieved breath: "Hoo! Made it, someh- whoa, hello. Looks like it had a makeover. How we looking?"
Ensign Leth: "Larseilam stable... particle deviation within expected norms.
Sir Bogdanovitch: "Scanner connected. Analyzing the target's composition."
Sir Dalgard: "... where'd those gold fins even come from?"
Sir St. Brioche: "It's back, clearly."
Sir Cascada: "Extractor at maximum output. System... all green!"
Sir Kromow and Praskowia: *pained groans*
Sir Kiraly: "HA! Then let's do this - KAISER, GO! BHASKAR MODE!"

Eyes flashing, Compatible Kaiser threw its arms wide, and then clamped them back again in a taut flex. The behemoth's vents and thrusters burst wide open in momentary flashes of viridian, leaving behind red-hot gleams in all its ports. Armor panels from its toes to its crown extended as it opened to its true form at last. Panels thrown open on its back erupted in a glut of green, flowing out into a gargantuan, fluttering cape. All around it, the Orgone Cloud intensified. The next moment, it was off like an emerald comet!

Sir Kiraly: "Time for a kick! GO!"
Bisen Foris: "Kaiser.... KIIIIIICK!"

Whirling in a circle, it rounded the Neo-Granzon, crossing the short distance to the first black hole, and, using its wound up interta, slammed its foot square against the orb, punting it like a football back toward its origin. Gravity and Orgone clashed wildly as the forces competed, but slowly, surely, the blow started to budge the ball back toward the Neo-Granzon. No sooner had its course been reversed than the machine sprang off it, spinning around with the leg still extended, winding up for the second helping.

Sir Kiraly: "And again!"
Bisen Foris: "Kaiser.... KIIIIIICK!"

A fresh battle, the lifeblood of the universe contending with that which brought almost certain doom. Slowly but surely, the second orb budged the other way, joining its mate in a return course to its caster. Another spring, and the Kaiser circled back around to where it had started.

Sir Bogdanovitch: "Results coming in now. Mix of normal and unidentifiable substances. Mass deadzone behind the back. Gravitational distortions all over, but looks like there might be a defensive field. Still computing likeliest location for a cockpit... probably not the chest with all... THAT going on."
Sir Kiraly: "We'll just have to go for the source then."

Throwing a control stick, the good Sir directed Kaiser's arm to jut out, the massive hand clamping over one of the Neo-Granzon's shoulder fins. It did no damage yet, nor tried to - it merely used that hold to spin the Neo-Granzon around to face it. And at the same time, put its foe's back to the inbound black holes.

Sir Kiraly: "Alright, knuckle coming up next. We need those holes to land, so drop the Larseilam just before we connect, then flick it back on, got it?"
Squire Leth: "Matching your timing!"

Thirteen minds came together again in coordination. The Kaiser clamped its fist, engines flaring as it spun faster, faster still. Whirling like a top in its windup, momentum and power building. Until a psychic pulse shot from Sir Kiraly to her comrades. Voices rising in harmony, a lone finger flicking a switch.

Bisen Foris: "KAISEEEEEEEER....!!!!"

Granted, the moon kind of looks the same in most directions when there isn't a super-secret base in front of you or a mob of undead menacing a starship somewhere on the horizon, but there's also craters and divots and such. But she probably couldn't see those, or much else. The camera was somewhat occupied with the visage of a robot twice the Neo Granzon's size. Or more specifically, the gargantuan fist exactly three atoms from the torso block, riding the full momentum of the several unseen seconds the same giant robot had just spent spinning at full thruster tilt. That and the sense, across any psychic or preternatural wavelengths she might have been privy to, of a chorus of thirteen screaming the same word in perfect deafening harmony.

That is to say, that by the time her particles woke from status, the blow was already landing. It was about at that time, as the Neo Granzon's wide-open chest was being caved in along with the equipment resting there, that the black holes it had only just launched were colliding with the Baryon Halo on the back and erupting in cacophonous fashion. Even then, the moment of wakefulness was fleeting - merely a breath, a blink, the sensation of a bone-rattling impact. And then, once again, time froze over and particles slowed to a crawl.

The black holes were yet again suspended in place, but the ultimate goal had been achieved by this point. Neo-Grazon sat between the pair, the Baryon Halo pieces vanishing into atomized dust within the spherical maws, and the shoulders starting to follow suit.

Sir Kiraly: "Perfect! Now for good measure..."

What ensued then was a series of punches just as fast as the Kaiser could throw them, each directed at the center of the chest, each hammering the body just a little further back, forcing the massive pauldrons deeper into the waiting jaws of its orbs. Such was the force being visited upon the Neo-Granzon, in fact, that even if the individual particles of its distortion field hadn't been frozen in place, the distribution of the Kaiser Knuckle followed by the volley would have put it under structural stresses not usually seen above the ocean's depths. Metal twisted and fielding was forced aside. In that moment, at last, an angry red panel popped open on the Scanner readout.

Sir Bogdanovitch: "Got it!"

Parting from its flurry, the Kaiser jutted its arm back to throw the coup de grâce. Orgone power welled in its clenched fist and braced elbow, the body turning in preparation to throw a haymaker straight through the torso block - and stopped, cold.

Sir Kiraly: "What? The cockpit?"
Sir Bogdanovitch: "Proximal thoracic region, behind the clavicle. Chamber, habitational layout, biological response."
Sir Kiraly: "Tch. Too close for comfort. Fine, plot course to the enemy ship's last coordinates!"
Sir Cascada: "Up, and to the front... course laid in!"

Kaiser's hand shot out, latching hold of the Neo-Granzon's leg. A flash engulfed the pair, blinding them momentarily in a curtain of green. When it cleared, they were a short distance above the Air Christmas, the raging battle between man and ghost paused mid-shot.

Sir Kiraly: "Alright, start charging the next one, and scan that thing for a hangar!"

Still holding the now-armless Neo Granzon in one hand, the Kaiser stared long and hard at the Air Christmas. In her cockpit, Sir Kiraly glanced around her monitors at the frozen, unearthly battle. Her eyes widened, however, as she spotted the Ritter.

Sir Kiraly: "Sylvie, shoot me the projected line of fire?"
Sir Cascada: "On your screen now."
Sir Bogdanovitch: "Hangar located, multiple contacts still inside."
Sir Kiraly: "We'll be quick. Speaking of!"

A few tugs on her controls, and the Kaiser darted to where the Ritter hung suspended, gingerly nudging it safely outside the line of fire.

Squire Leth: "Ahem. Meter's running."
Sir Kiraly: "Ah! Yeah yeah, jumping now..."

A further blink, and the Kaiser and Neo-Granzon stood inside the Air Christmas. The larger machine's fist rotate, turning its foe upside down, and then kneeling to rest the smaller machine's head near the floor. The other hand busied itself with clearing access to the cockpit module inside, then clenched, its index finger outstretched, to produce a suite of rescue machinery from the tip. Keen blades did their work, cutting up the chamber like a sardine can, and then peering inside.

Sir Kiraly: "Damn, she's in there good. Snip snip?"
Squire Leth: "Meter?"
Sir Praskowia: "On it."

The resident physician gazed down her scope, making quick and nimble work of the surgical procedure, parting the pilot from her surroundings. As the hand withdrew, its mate gave the robot a sharp tug upward, then a slow glide down. A few good tugs, as if shaking the change from its pockets, in order to position the pilot safely outside.

Sir Kiraly: "Wait... do they have gravity he-"
Squire Leth: "Meter!!"
Sir Kiraly: "Gah! Shoot her a raft just to be sure!"

As the Kaiser stood, a small hatch in the toe ejected a life raft, the craft getting only a short distance (and half inflated) before its particles froze. The titan backpedaled to get clear - taking care not to bump any of the other figures around it.

Sir Kiraly: "Okay, we good to go back?"
Sir Cascada: "Target point set. Ready when you are!"

A final flash lit the hangar. And then all was as it had been before.

A blink. And the next thing the Neo-Granzon's pilot knew, she was floating. Gone was the cockpit, gone was the Granzon. There was only the wide-open space of the Air Christmas hangar. That and the bounce of something bright yellow and rubbery beneath as it collided with her backside with a pompf. An... inflatable rescue dinghy?

When the emerald curtain withdrew, it was replaced with a raging red glow. Kaiser emerged in the shadow of a towering incandescent circle - the largest and furthest of the Fenossa's Gabeliot gates. Not helping matters was the imminent collision of the gargantuan beam on the other side. Sir Kiraly's brow twitched with a nervous twinge, as her hands threw the control sticks.

Sir Kiraly: "Ready... Steady..."

Thrusters flared, the giant and its foe hurtling headlong toward the beam. At the last moment, the larger figure spun, swerved, and hurled the Neo-Granzon straight into the gate. As its grip parted, it streaked at best speed out of the way.

Sir Kiraly: "CUT!"

On the other side of the battlefield, a brilliant lance split the eternal night. The armless, pilotless Neo Granzon slammed against the last of the Fenossa's firing gates, ensnared in the roiling energies. Not even a full second later, the beam from the Fenossa's main gun burst forth from the gate, engulfing the machine in the swell. Whatever wasn't immediately atomized or vaporized was sent hurtling back from whence it had come, beset from all sides and angles by raging dimensional energies eager to rend its every atom apart.

Such was the reach of the beam that it sailed over the lunar surface, its radiance filling any viewport in the capital privy to the outside. It sailed across the space immediately in front of the Air Christmas, just barely sparing the tip of its bow. Once it had passed, carrying any unfortunate cargo along with it, it disappeared into a twinkle on the horizon - only to erupt at its endpoint, a cataclysmic firework somewhere far distant.

The brilliance of that burst was matched only by those of the detonated black holes, as they consumed their prey and imploded on themselves. One side of the field was cast in purple, the other in red, and in between there stood the knights at a standoff in the remains of a throne room, the remnants of the clashing armies in the space overhead. Toward this field now streaked four individual dots of primary color. For to all other observers, Bisen Foris had only just deployed, and was closing in fast.

Tyran · Jul 21, 2020

Johan gave Gail a rueful grin. "Those are everywhere these days aren't they?"

Then the warning sirens began to blare, as if inspired by the two, and he was called to deploy. "Speak of the devil! Let's both be a bit more mindful in the future yeah?" Johan hurried towards Fabularis, but whereas the man normally seemed cool as the ice his mobile weapon used there was a spring to his steps this time, a clear sign of the excitement bubbling within him. Finally he'd get to feel it again. Those fleeting moments when life was at its fullest when one danced with death, the only thing keeping death at an arm's length being one's own skill.

Ahh, they really were the best reason for living.

'You'll let me fight this one won't you?'

'Wh-'

'Because it would be very suspicious if we switched again immediately, not to mention that if you won't let me fight against these unknowns I won't help you in the future.'

'...Fine. But-'

'Yes yes don't worry I won't reveal your little secret plan of feeding the world to an eldritch being.'

Despite the circumstances being what they were - both personally and Oopsilon's - Johan couldn't help but let out a fond chuckle inside Fabularis. Finished by Lord of Terror it may have been but Fabularis was nevertheless his. He knew her like no other. Every nook, every cranny, every little quirk. He was intimately familiar with them all. No one could make it dance as well as he could.

And it was time to prove it.

'It's a metaphor okay!?'

"Fabularis heading out!"

With the rapid pace of the developments Kvinna never had the chance to tell Slask to go after the negative energy trail she could still feel. She was now gritting her teeth. It was either that or lick her lips at the veritable feast of negative energy they were under attack by, And humans for whatever reason did not have that reaction when attacked by something, no matter how delicious a feast the attackers were.

Masquerading as one of them was not hard at all. She had no idea what was the big deal about it everything had gone perfectly so far. Her eyes went to the screens displaying the beams.

She gestured towards the beams. "Negative energy."

GEAR · Jul 25, 2020

Artemis City Highway

"Chairman Hammar."
"What is it?"

The most powerful man in the Directory looked up from his tablet within the car, the passing lights casting strange shadows on his aged features. The aide seated to his left lowered his phone, and leaned in close to his ear.

"It's the Granzon, sir..." He said, quietly.

"It's... opened fire."
"What?"

So that brat was a loose cannon after all. Or, had this been the plan all along, and now he was helplessly ensnared in the spider's web? There was a distant rumbling beneath his feet as the Compatible Kaiser engaged the Neo Granzon, the shockwaves from their encounter rattling the Lunar surface as he grit his teeth in fury.

You'll pay for this Lao. Mark my words. You, and all the other traitors to humanity will hang!

His fists tightened into balls - but he was not one to give into despair. No, the situation could still be salvaged, if he could convince the Queen to go along with his plan. If they revealed the existence of Ganeden to the world, and unified it in the face of the threats to humanity, then everything that had gone wrong today would not have been for nothing. He leaned forward, grabbing the driver's shoulder.

"Turn us around." He instructed,
"Alert the Air Christmas. We need to evacuate-"
"S-Sir!"

He didn't get to finish. A bright light punctured the dome overhead, the stray shot from the Abend tearing through the protective covering with contemptuous ease. Hammar only had the briefest of moments to shield his face in futility against the blinding white, as the plasma beam enveloped him-

Air Christmas, Main Hangar

There was a sudden blink, and Tian Di was left standing in the middle of the Air Christmas hangar. Something felt... different. Not... wrong per se, but as if something had been excised from her very soul. Some great, invisible burden that had been lifted from her shoulders-

As if she was alive for the very first time, even as it felt all the energy had been drained from her body.

Still, the air was filled with a sudden scream as a technician backed away from her in shock, causing the ring of engineers and personnel to look - and likewise, pull back. Their voices blurred together to her hearing, but nothing that they said sounded good. Were these people... Going to hurt her, then? Had she escaped the sacrifical alter, only to trade it for a jail cell?

"Hey. HEY!"

A familiar voice rang out, as a man stepped into the center of the circle, putting his hands up defensively towards the assembled Directory staff.

"It's alright." Said Gail, eyes gleaming for a moment or so with rainbow-hued light - though perhaps it could merely have been a trick of the holographic displays that hovered about.

"Let me handle this."

...The crowd stopped, falling into an immediate hush. As if following a spell, they moved away silently - Tian Di's transgression seemingly forgotten. Whatever he had done, it wasn't some form of spell - she had felt no kind of Prana being exuded from his body, yet it was some fashion of otherworldly influence. At length, he sighed... and turned, tousling his hair as he reached out to steady her shoulder.

"Tian Di. You ok?"

In the bustle and chaos as machines scrambled to launch, nobody paused to notice the sudden, unexplained absence of a certain woman, the only trace of her existence left a hair ribbon, floating aimlessly in the void.

Lunar Surface, Air Christmas Vicinity

The void was filled with a fusillade of beams, missiles, and cannonfire as the Air Christmas tore free of its restraints, rising in a cloud of dust from the Lunar surface surrounded by the forms of its Riot C compliment, pounding everything it could into the swarms of phantoms that threatened to engulf it. To Slask and Johanna both, it would have been like being at the center of a fireworks display - yet none of the blasts touched them, serving only to keep the swarms of yawning, reaching phantoms at bay, even as more seemed to materialize every passing moment.

Yet, that was far from the greatest threat.

A blink.

That was all it took, really. A simple flick of the eyelid, and entire swaths of the nightmares seemed to disappear... Yet, was that really all?

Another blink - and a form briefly materialized in the distance, staring at them. It was unlike any they had seen before used by the Lunarians - but the pointed, angular construction, the sword-rifle grasped in one hand, the menacing shield and imposing stature... Yes, if ever there was a true avatar of the Moon, this machine was it.

Another second passed - and it was gone. But the Fabularis in particular would have been treated to a spectacular sight as a nearby Riot C suddenly - inexplicably - was lifted into the air in a split moment, the Raftclans appearing as it squeezed the cockpit in a spray of viscera, long, bladed fingers crumpling the advanced machine's body as easy as it f it was tissue paper before mercilessly tossing it aside as it regarded the other two.

"En garde, Terran filth!" Hissed Sir Bouchard within his cockpit, his breathing already running ragged from expending his own Larseilam at a rapid pace-

But, he was close now. Close to the ship of those accursed weaklings. He would not allow for them to harm Luna, or interfere with his Lord's plans!

The sword-rifle came up, Orgone Crystals already gathering about its barrel from overuse - and ejected a wide verdant beam in Slask's direction, as the unit's shoulder cannons simultaneously locked onto and fired a pair of shots at the Abend from below, two beams of harsh white light that threatened to tear the armor from her machine's legs.

Lunar Palace, Throne Room

The arrival of the Bemidban and the subsequent destruction of the roof caused a parade of screams and cries from those within, as Selene herself flinched back, chunks of pulverized rock slamming into and crushing some of the conspirators - yet Ashford kept his eyes on his prize, slowly advancing behind Okuni with his hand on his own saber. The arrival of the newcomer, however-

Suddenly, Selene found herself swept up into the arms of the heroic newcomer, yet her now dust-covered face could only blink in shock and surprise. She knew she had to be furious - after all, the palace was now effectively demolished - but the woman's charm just seemed to have something magnetic about it, and she felt her cheeks flushing red as she blinked.

"...Baron?" She repeated, perhaps a little more effetely than she would have preferred - but a glint in the corner of her eye caused her gaze to suddenly widen.

"-Look out!"

She hit the ground, rolling as Okuni's blade swung through the air with a whistling screech, sending strands of her hair tumbling to the floor. There she knelt for a moment, breathing heavily before raising her hand to the Baron, motioning to help her rise. Ashford laughed, clapping his hands together at the display with a grin that was a perfectly white and well-proportioned as it was snide.

"I see you have not lost all your defenders after all, your Highness. Though it's a shame about the... How can I put this?"

The Lunarian noble, his every errant pore fine tuned to perfection, surveyed the Baron with the air of a man eyeballing a mangy dog that had dragged itself onto his property - somewhere between pity and contempt.

"Very well then." He sighed; "We shall settle this in the old ways."

He gestured towards the Baron, and Okuni both. None of the remaining conspirators dared to get closer, their eyes were still on the hulking metal sphere that had invaded the premises, and thinking of what it would be like to be on the receiving end of it.

"Your champion... Against mine."

Selene looked at Ashford - and then back to the Baron, reaching out to clasp her hand in both of her own. As rough as she looked, her beautiful dress now torn and dirtied - there was not a hint that she would back down.

"...Can I count on you?" She asked, quietly.

Lunar Surface (Mid-Orbit)

For the Kaiser, its foe appearing to be vanquished, it was granted a bird's eye view of the chaos unfolding below from where it now stood. Directory Riots and Spirit Soldiers clashed, and occasionally there was a verdant glimmer as a Knight Machine activated its own Larseilam reserves, clearing away tides of the attackers in moments.

Yet, there was a distinct flow to the wraiths that would only have been visible to the Kaiser Scanner. The creatures seemed to be coming from a point in the distance on the surface, an abandoned dome-city that had been razed by the earlier DAMON incursion - gathered there were several other energy signatures, one in particular of alarming size.

In addition, it appeared to detect in its curious way a shower of energy falling across the battlefield - indeed, one that seemed to envelop all of Luna itself, descending from above - perhaps this was a factor contributing to the current situation? Regardless, a decision needed to be reached - those below were in desperate need of aid.

Who would answer their call for help, even as the Knights of Bisen Foris had carved their names into history this day?

Lunar Surface, [Outer Orbit]

The damaged, sparking husk of the Granzon drifted along silently in space, catapulted far from the festivities as it burned among the stars. Few could have withstood such an assault, backed by the power of Larseilam, and it seemed all but certain that this was where it would meet its end.

However-

One eye suddenly flashed to life, Black Hole Generator revving to life as it swung out of the path of the beam - narrowly avoiding it as it burst into a brilliant display of sparks... Though it was not through means of any kind of thruster, but the black, writhing coils of dark magic that now surged across its frame, as though it had been aggressively yanked from danger by an angry parent.

Barely anything remained of it. Little more than scrap metal collected around a shuddering collection of seared mechanics. Not even the cockpit block remained - the main guns of the Fenossa having sundered even the Directory's biggest budget sink in history to mangled, twisted shreds.

Yet the Avatar of Volkruss would not be so easily allowed to rest.

Hordes of screaming Spirit Soldiers descended upon it, flailing weakly as the Dark God wrenched their miserable existences for its own ends, forcing them into a cloud about the Granzon as they began to fuse together, the decayed metals and ectoplasm of their bodies warped and changed by the dark powers, flowing together among a chorus of silent, violent screams as captive souls were expended by the tens of thousands to send strength flowing back into the dark titan's body.

Shrouded in its cocoon of phantoms, and yet still so far from the battlefield... The avatar watched, and waited.

MKR · Jul 25, 2020

In front of her eyes swathes of the dark creatures vanished within the blink of an eye. Inside Johanna was left to wonder what was doing that and as she suddenly got nudged just out of the path of a incoming attack puzzle pieces fell into place. The nature of the Lunarian's secret weapons becoming more clear by the moment. Especially with the rampaging Granzon suddenly vanishing off into the horizon.
As well as... Its attacks.

She blinked twice in her cockpit trying to figure out in her head how that had happened, black holes don't just vanish. Clearly whatever the Lunarians had was a bit heavier than they had expected, also ample reason to just leave the battlefield. Her eyes shot to the thermal vision on her screen for a split second, a small smile finding its way onto her lips before another screen got her attention. That immediately removed that smile, because that- was bad.

And then the guy in the extremely angular moon mech proclaimed he wanted to fight. Great. A worse timing he could not have had.
"Hey Johan, Mr. Knight, before we can get to this duel-" The Abend dashed forward and out of the way of the beams aimed at her legs as Johanna inside took the footage of one of its cameras and made sure both her ally and the gung ho knight could see it. It depicted the Granzon, or what was left of it, cocooned in darkness.
"I think that is a bit bigger of an issue."

There was another indicator on that screen of hers, but it was firmly on the moon so she saw no need to bring it up. Granted it was much much bigger, but well, that was the problem of the moon knights. The Granzon going back online would be their problem and therefore if she managed to direct the knight's murderous intent towards it and whoever was inside well, that was good for them.
And the moon knights of course, because somehow she doubted they could deal with another two black holes and if they could, well. That was a big, big problem.

"After that we can shoot each other if you insist. But I'd rather make sure the rogue machine capable of throwing black holes remains out of commission." Her route was rather obvious, with the knights dealing with the specters made of negative energy and no one going after the second biggest source of Negative energy her intent was also clear, assisted by the fact she wasn't shooting the knight in retaliation.

Instead she was getting into position to shoot the machine with her rifle. Making sure the E mode was back up to full so she could maintain a continuous assault on it soon.

Luca Cross · Jul 25, 2020

The woman’s dash shifted when she heard the mystic words of a Samurai’s incantation behind her. The Baron recalled all of her father’s teachings, every difficult training session that left her on the brink of death. Solely for an instant like this. The Baron noticed Selene’s slight blush and felt an internal thrill as she heard her title called by the woman in her arms. All around her from behind, she noted the green chains as they shot out across the ceiling, catching the collapsing roof and snaking their way across the various surfaces. Orgone links that would bind the rubble intended to mask her escape made their way across her own path, hampering her dash towards the Bemidban. The chains immediately in her path would become taut before snapping as she flexed her muscle, cracking the tiles under her feet. Erina was close to the cockpit, but close and ‘there’ were two worlds apart.

The Baron saw the shimmer of the Samurai as she landed on the chains, using the tension and her own strength to launch herself towards the two fleeing individuals. The shout of warning came to an already aware Baron, who released her hold on the Queen. She used her own hands to try to set the Queen down in a gentle fashion, but the beautiful woman rolled through the dust into a heap. The Baron glanced towards the Samurai, who was holding her sword out in a dueling fashion. Ignoring the words of the Samurai and the looks of shock that had filled the room at her sudden appearance, Erina turned back towards Selene. Crouching down and extending a hand, the Baron pulled the Queen to her feet, tucking the stray hair back into place. Ensuring she wasn’t injured, the Baron turned back towards the clapping nobleman. She recognized him; an arrogant man who regarded the entire Doban estate and bloodline as inferiors. Her father had warned her of those individuals with ideas of grandeur, who felt they were better than others due to lineage and not their own character. His words grated on her mind, almost causing the Baron to turn her confident expression to one of disgust.

He talks of champions as if he’s a King capable of having one. That Samurai has no honor; serving an arrogant man who would dare oppose his Queen in her and the People’s time of need. I should beat the shit out of both of them, sword or none.

The Baron started to narrow her eyes in preparation, when a gentle touch caused her to pause. She glanced back in response, to see the sincere gaze of the woman behind her. The level of pride and confidence that Selene radiated, despite the situation, caused the Baron’s spirit to soar. There was no better person to serve in all of Lunaria, than this woman standing here today. Nodding once in affirmation, the Baron undid the buckle to her large coat. Swinging the garment to one side revealed the sculpted muscles that hid under the fabric. Covering the tattered dress of the Queen, the Baron turned her gaze towards Ashford and the Samurai.

“Old ways, huh? Is that what you resort to when your little mutinous act doesn’t succeed? What’s in it for the Queen if you win? I won’t be satisfied if you kiss the dirt on her shoes, you arrogant man. As for you, Aohara Okuni...are you satisfied being used as a tool for the dirty whims of a man consumed with arrogant pride?”

Her speech continued, as the woman set a single hand on one of the spiritual chains. Her hand closed, shattering the chain into bits as it snapped under her strength. Gripping a piece of metal sticking from the rubble, the woman let out a slow breath. With a fierce growl, the Baron ripped the piece of concrete and rubble from the heap, letting it slam into the tile between herself and the Samurai. The impact from it slamming down shattered pieces from the large ‘hunk’, leaving a long section that could hardly be called a weapon. Hefting the huge mass onto her shoulder, the woman’s gaze met the Samurai.

“I’ve heard that the Aohara style prides itself on speed and accuracy. A single strike should be absolute, separating the string between life and death without error. That could’ve been misinformation on my father’s part, of course.”

Sliding her feet apart, the Baron raised one hand, extending the palm towards the Samurai. Her gaze would be between her fingers, as she stared across at the Samurai. The huge piece of concrete was pressing down on her shoulder, as she brought both hands to the ‘handle’. Her gaze narrowed as she tightened her grip. Every one of her nerves was honed to their limit, as she spoke the most arrogant line of that encounter.

“What say you? A single strike, end this match with one blow, your Aohara style versus the Doban name?”

The woman had trained for many years for a fight like this; she knew what she had to do, the only thing that could win her the victory. And she was prepared to bet her entire life on it.

Well, Father...this one’s to you. Let’s get this victory together.

Kujo · Jul 25, 2020

"Ms. Amatsuotome, this is Scythe 1. Even if it'll just be for this operation, welcome to the Thresher's team. We probably won't get much time to chat after this since comms'll go silent for you once the Coffins detach, so just remember the briefing. We're dropping in hot; come out swinging and don't stop."

A black ship hurtled across the darkness of space with incredible speed. Arrays of intense thrusters blared even in the vacuum, causing intense vibrations and the droning sound like that of a bird's call in everything it passed. If the sheer speed of the craft wasn't enough to denote it as a Clay class transport, then the immense cone on the front of it and the jamming field it produced certainly did. While the appearance of this frankly outdated ship likely wouldn't register much for the lunar knights, the crew of the Air Christmas would instantly know that help of the highest caliber was on the way. A simple message on a private channel was relayed from the Clay class to the Air Christmas as the transport approached its position: "Thresher support procedure; operator code is scythe; you are X; brace."

Beneath the black ship, sets of large boxes marked with a myriad of caution marks and instructions shifted as their couplers were released and finally detached all together. Leaving trails of smoke and sparkling chaff, the boxes plummeted towards the lunar surface with great speed despite the low gravity. The pods dropped in a triangular formation almost directly in front of the Air Christmas, their impact kicking up plumes of moon dust. In the center of the formation, lengthy pods opened up and spread out into masses of wires and antennae as they dispersed thick clouds of jamming particles. Around the perimeter, larger, bulkier boxes did the same.

However, after a short moment, the large boxes unsealed themselves, spewing geysers of dark fluid before unfurling and revealing their cargo. Nearly bursting from the confines of the heat and impact-resistant gel of the Coffins, the angular and heavy laden forms of Gesterbens jumped forward into the fray; the old mobile weapons immediately firing at will against spirit and knight alike.

Meanwhile, in the front of the formation, a feline form stretched itself out as it stood from the too-small confines. Predatory eyes surveyed for a first meal before they settled on Sir Bouchard's Raftclanz. Stepping out of the gel filled pod, Furfur bounded towards its target with great ferocity. The Shurashin's tail produced a sphere of energy which was deftly caught and readied for use.

VeraC · Jul 27, 2020

For what seemed like an eternity of torment and pain, seemingly ended nearly as quickly as it all began. Before she could even fully realize what was going on, she found herself once again in the hangar of the Air Christmas, laying on an inflatable cushion, her mind trying to figure out just what happened. She had been separated from Granzon, which she couldn’t see anywhere.

She raised up her arm and looked at her hand, trying to grasp if she was even still alive. Seemingly, she was, though something was different. It was almost as something inside her was missing. An almost peculiar kind of loneliness.

Granzon had been lost, nor could she reach Gramps, and the voice that had resided in her head hand gone silent.

She had been left alone in a place that now seemed all too foreign to her.

“You ok?”

It was then that a familiar voice reached out to her. Blinking twice from being spaced out, she turned to meet eyes with Gail, seemingly ready to head out into battle.

“I… I don’t know.”

It was easily three words that could sum up Tian Di’s entire feeling right now. She hadn’t a clue what happened, nor did she know what would happen from here on out.

Jadwiga · Jul 28, 2020

Vanessa: "Gabelliot sequence complete. Closing shutter."
Joseph: "Confirmed, no remaining targets along the line of fire. Picking up new contacts, though... looks like the unknowns are repopulating."
Sir Richard: "And the enemy unit?"
Joseph: "Direct hit, but. Getting a really weird energy reading just short of the terminal point."
Sir Richard: "How long until the Gabelliot recovers?"
Vanessa: "ETA three minutes."
Joseph: "Picking up additional contacts arriving in the theater... we may not be able to get another clear shot."
Sir Richard: "And Kaiser's Eitr has to be dwindling after that escapade..."

Sir Richard heaved a weary sigh as he sunk into his chair. Even with the incomparable might of the Fenossa, the situation was not going to be resolved so easily. His eyes cut to the castellan at the far side of the bridge. "If you and the Lady have any aces up your sleeve," he rumbled, "now might be a good time."

Without either motion or missing a beat, Virgil replied calmly, "You already know what my advice will be."

The captain's gaze turned back to the main screen. "Best speed to the engagement zone. Ready all posts." Then, keeping his gaze fixed, he gave a curt reply to the castellan, "I wasn't aware Unit 5 was viable without the overhaul."

Virgil: "It's about 80% complete. It's seaworthy. It just won't be compatible."

The Ignis, Aura, Terra, and Aqua Kaisers blazed through the void along their course. The Ignis and Aura operating in tandem, the Kaiser Scanner was busily re-evaluating the field. Aboard the Terra, the selected members of the interception team were readying their equipment. Within her cockpit, Sir Kiraly was massaging the spot between her eyes.

Sir Kiraly: "Three different mysterious energy signals. One of which might be the thing we just punched into two different black holes and then threw in front of the largest interdimensional energy cannon known to science."
Sir Bogdanovich: "Correct."
Sir Kiraly: "And any single one of these could be the thing filling our airspace with giant ghost men."
Sir Bogdanovich: "Possibly. Most likely it's the wave pattern guiding their flow."
Sir Kiraly: "When it rains it pours..."
Sir Cascada: "But our priorities are unchanged. Whatever that thing was it's not presently trying to depopulate the moon. The priority now is to confirm the Queen's present location and safety so that operations can continue. Secondary, we need to confirm the prior threat is no longer an existential danger. Tertiary is locating and resolving the origin of the unknowns the joint forces are presently engaged with."
Sir Kiraly: "Fair... I guess the Fenossa and the others can hold the line in the meantime..."

The Chevalier Une returned her grip to the controls of the Ignis.

Sir Kiraly: "Right. We proceed on mission. Terra will carry out recovery operations in the capital. Ignis, Aura, and Aqua, we're heading to investigate the first target!"

The shooting stars glimmered in the void, for a moment blazing even brighter. Then vanished again in a twinkling, rapidly closing the distance to their targets.

Tyran · Jul 30, 2020

Johan grinned at the inexplicable destruction of the demons of negative energy and the Riot near him both. "Well, I'm no Terran." There was no reaction as the wide beam approached Fabularis. Even when Slask began ringing alarm bells Johan did not react. Only at the very last second did he do something about it, jumping over the wide beam, laughing wildly as he did so. The Parvus Acies were shot out of Fabularis' wings, beginning to spin around it in a circle as mist enveloped them and covered them in ice.

Even through the mist it was clear to see that Fabularis - and the small ice covered blades spinning around it - were thoroughly covered by a glowing dark aura.

Inside the cockpit Johan licked his lips as he gazed at the possessed remnants of Granzon. Inside him he could feel Slask's hunger at all the negative energy around them - and he could feel it too. The strength that it brought them, how it enhanced the already impressive Fabularis. But he did not care much for that. No, what he cared for was how Granzon seemed like it could still put up a fight. And one that promised to be far more interesting than the knight in front of him.

"What do you say? I'll gladly show you a real fight outside of those suffocating restrictive rules and traditions, but that possessed machine is far more promising. We can duke it out afterwards." He didn't even bother to conceal the giddy excitement he was experiencing. Madness, many would call it. To be excited like a child at Christmas morn in face of near-certain demise. But that was what Johan Munsö was like, the child of wonderfully mad family. The possessed remains of Granzon was not quite the thing that had attacked Belfast, but it would do.

Far more than a Lunarian knight, even with whatever that special weapon of theirs was.

GEAR · Jul 31, 2020

As "Johanna" spoke eyeballing the distant form of the Granzon in the distance, the Abend's sensors would have blared a sudden alert from her rear. An incandescent beam of blue and white surged forth from behind, broad enough in scope to envelop her entirely - the bright light at the end of the tunnel, complete with burning sensation. Were she able to avoid the blast, she would have spied the culprit immediately.

Behind it, rocketing towards her machine, was the distinct form of a Riot C, the barrel of its Proton Launcher still glowing white hot as it was replaced on the units rear skirt. The sheer power that the machine exuded as it burst towards her was proof that the Proton Drive within its chest was being pushed to the absolute limit, streams of white and blue peeling off its form as a familiar voice crackled to life over the intercom.

"Murderer...!"

Within the cockpit, Juliette Carpentier had her teeth grit so tightly that she thought they would shatter, the g-forces from the acceleration pounding into her slender frame as she held the controls in a death-grip. Around her fingertips, pools of mercury-like liquid extended into the machine's innards, flowing through it, breathing new life into its battered form as it began to change.

"MURDERER!" She roared, the chest-mounted machinecannons coming to life as they let out a flurry of bullets, aimed to rake haphazardly across the custom Gespenst's chest and face, blinding it from any future assaults.

As Johan spoke to Boucher, within the cockpit the Lunar Knight grit his teeth in fury. So, he was one of them - yet the aura that peeled off him registered to the Psychodriver as a bleak shade, a pall that hung over the frigid weapon. There was a sense... That it was something sinister, and that the voice attached to it was anything but human.

There was an emerald glint-

The sudden, rushing impact of his back hitting metal, the beautiful arrays above the Fabularis' body splintering as it was violently slammed into the hull of the Air Christmas in what felt like the blink of an eye. What would have been even worse, if the Melior Esse within could even register as such, was the terrible groaning noise as the metal claws of the Raftclanz' shield, buried up to the wrist in his chest, began to close like a vice, Boucher's defiant snarl coming in loud and clear despite the wailing of alarms.

"Then die a traitor's death, cur!"

...Then suddenly he stopped, glancing up as the cavalry arrived, and what he could only describe as an anthromorphic tiger made its presence known. Having never once been confronted by such a creature in his life, the Lunarian simply stood for a moment in petrified terror, jaw hanging open in surprise.

"What devilry is this...?" He managed to mutter, trying to shake off both the fatigue and shock at once. The Kingdom needed him, and he could not falter!

One foot pressed against the hip of the Fabularis, dislodging it from the shield claw as the rifle swung around, even more crystals starting to jut out of its barrel as it fired a sustained blast as the Furfur, Orgone Thrusters fluttering as it began to prepare to get back - ideally, as far away from this... this beast as possible.

Within the Air Christmas, the arrival of the Scythe and Thresher team was created with a cheer across the bridge as hats arced in the air. Even Rodgers, high strung as he presently was, gave a relieved sigh. They weren't quite out of the woods just yet, he thought, but at least like this-

They might have a chance. Picking up the radio, he sent a transmission back.

"Copy Thresher, Scythe. Thanks for the assist. Please buy us some time for warp to engage."

Not too far, the Fenossa would have found itself immediately under siege as swarms of the ghoulish Spirit Soldiers began to descend upon it, the occasional beam emitting from their distended skulls in its direction in a haphazard, yet persistent swarm of fire. Yet-

They would be met in equal force by an array of glimmering emerald refraction, as one after another signals began to emerge on the ship's scanners. Outside, a familiar smooth-hulled Knight-Machine drove a gleaming green blade through the heart of one of the abominations, causing it to scream a silent, eldritch curse before turning to dust. Another one, more heavy set, sent a rain for fire from a hulking shoulder cannon into another mass of the nightmares, sending ethereal chunks of cloth and bone scattering in every direction.

In ones and twos they came, the remaining Lympees, Diam Lees, Dona Lympees - anyone left who could still fight on the surface, having witnessed the Compatible Kaiser's feat in striking down the Granzon, was rallying beneath the flag of Bisen Foris.

There was another flash of green, and a pair of Knight Machines materialized close to the vessel - a gray Raftclans, cradling an off-yellow Volrent that sparked and hissed, its surface pitted with scars from battle. Two more Lympees immediately rushed forward to support it.

"Caim, stay with me." Urged the Raftclans' pilot, a woman's voice.

In response, the second machine lifted a hand to its ruined chest, trying to indicate something.

"Redvac..." Said a man's voice, low, and weak.
"The Eitram... Take it-"
"No."

The last two of the Queen's Royal Guard looked up at the form of the Fenossa, still somehow standing strong even as a veritable apocalypse rained down about them. In spite of herself, Lady Redvak gave a short laugh, and pushed her companion's hand away.

"You'll need it later."

They weren't finished just yet.

MKR · Jul 31, 2020

Well so much for a smooth getaway, "Johanna" thought as the Abend quickly ascended to avoid the blow to the back. twisting itself to face the Riot C. If she had gone towards the Granzon she could have simply ditched and gone to the evac point. But someone had to notice and connect the dots didn't they.
The engineer huh? She'd vanished off into nowhere earlier so this timing was simply a bit annoying. Nevertheless, all unnecesary screens were closed, the thermal vision used to assassinate the Chairman was pointed towards the Riot C now, the kill was confirmed and she could use it still. The Negative Energy Detector left on in case any surprises came along. But aside from that, her focus was on one thing.

Eliminating her target.

Split missiles fired from the back of the Abend, colliding with the bullets and detonating to protect her from the damage. The thermal vision allowing her to spot the Riot C's course still. From what Intel had told her that thing was a walking coffin for regular people, so clearly she was something special. Not that she'd take anyone capable of figuring that one out lightly anyways. Of course, that could not be the case still, and the shot was made to look like an accident. So as she retaliated, she played the game she had played thus far.

"Woah woah Juliette! What're you doing! What do you mean 'Murderer'?" She asked, playing innocent, like a 'friend' the 'friend' that Johanna was. "You need to calm down, we need to make sure that thing doesn't get up again and tries to kill everyone on the moon again!" She kept her retaliation muted, the Beam Cannon put in the path of the Riot C as it approached more of a 'slow down' than a 'aimed to kill'.
Deception was a skill she'd learned at a young age, in contrast to the woman she stood in the stead of her life had been far from easy. She'd only survived up until now exactly because of that skill. Hence her nickname 'Nephele', the Greek Nymph of Duality and the copy of Hera.

Behind the smoke however, the Partisan Launcher was raised, level with the Riot C's head. What an ironic name that weapon had become, 'a member of an armed group formed to fight secretly against an occupying force'. Or perhaps, it had been Juliette hinting she knew all along? Now wouldn't that be truly humorous, because then she could have prevented all this by telling Rodgers just three words.

And now- if she persisted in her approach, in her attempt on her life. She would respond in kind by shooting the Riot's head with a energy beam of her own. But if she paused, the weapon would be lowered before the smoke parted, as if it was never raised in the first place.

Kujo · Aug 1, 2020

Kotora could feel a primal urge in her mind at the same moment her Shurashin eye's glared at the knight's affronting beam. The smell of her target's fear, of desperation practically wafted through the spiritual expanse of Furfur's core. Kotora breathed in that "scent" even as she and her living machine continued advancing in spite of the orgone energy. It "spoke" of honor and loyalty. She could understand the sentiment; she herself was merely fighting for the honor of those who trusted in her and for her loyalty to the Directory, her home. However, something within her heart coldly reminded her that in battle the only pretense that matters is who is stronger. But was this really true?

Furfur thrust its ball of energy forward into the beam blast, resulting in a bright flash of light. The light dissipated to reveal Furfur only mostly singed, the machine beast's clawed hand held out to a golden, glowing ring. The Shurashin rotated the ring on its side without a touch as it wound up for its next move. A plume of lunar dust was stirred up as a pressure built around Furfur before it forcefully struck the ring with both of its palms. The golden projectile spun and soared through the vacuum of space ferociously as it curved towards Sir Bouchard's Raftclanz.

Jadwiga · Aug 1, 2020

There was a reason she was called things like "Grand Dreadnought", "Ephemeral God Ship", or "Interdimensional Battleship".

Many of her monikers were tongue-in-cheek to reflect both her peculiarity and considerable ability. But there was also that ever-present air of mystery, of awe at the things she could do, and inability to explain how she did them. Few were allowed to set foot aboard her, fewer still to operate a station within her. By and large her crew was made up of countless automatons, with modest number of Lunarians in more supervisory posts. Her deployments were held in the highest level of secrecy, but most were beyond the moon, in service to the missions of The Order of Bisen Foris - the Twelve Abroad. For these reasons, she was at once both the pride of the Lunar navy and their own Flying Dutchman.

Here now, she was the valkyrie amid the storm - her hull somehow serene even as the guns atop it blazed, cutting down phantoms by the score. The tide she faced was unending, the pace of battle unrelenting. With each volley, hundreds of the spectral assailants were felled, only for more to emerge and take their place. The flashes of red and purple lit the vicinity in brilliant shades, light and shadow alternating at steady intervals across her visage. And yet the Alabaster Lady's face remained at peace. Her spears cutting across the field volley by volley. If there was any figure to rally around against the onslaught of the god of destruction, it was her placid presence and shielding aura.

Yet again, now, her volleys roared. The beams shot high, scattering into a thousand rays of light, and raining back down around herself at all sides. Thus far, she was limiting her range to her immediate vicinity, her broadsides just short of the Air Christmas and the otherwise engaged combatants. They were also just short of her own hull, affording enough distance between for the rallying Everglory units to nest between her bosom and her reach. The spectral shots that managed to slip through her lines were met either by her defenders or a glimmer across an unseen barrier, dissipating in a flash of rainbow color.

She was not necessarily immortal. But she was holding her own for now.

From within her hold, telemetry data radiated out to the Lunarian machines along their designated frequencies, advising them of impending firing arcs and openings in her lines to afford them movement. And now there came the sound of the captain's voice, the deep, rich timbre of a great bear of a man.

Sir Richard: "Rise! Rise and rally to me, Children of Everglory! The undead tide beckons at our doorstep, cleaving Terran and Moon-Dweller alike! Yet so long as this ship sails, so long as our homeland looms at our backs, so long as we can draw breath and brandish steel in this endless night, Everglory stands! For those of you who need repair, resupply, or healing, our hangar is open and ready. For the rest of you who yet hold honor and valor in your hearts, fight on!

For the Queen and the Pale Lady! For the Moon! For ourselves! FOR. EVER. GLORY!!!"

Tyran · Aug 2, 2020

A glint and then they were slammed to the surface of Air Christmas. Johan could feel and hear Slask's stunned reaction to it as the Melior Esse was shocked into stillness by the inexplicable assault. But Johan was different. He ran much more on instinct and skill, both innate and trained than on carefully calculated patterns. And so Boucher likely found the surprise factor of his charge lacking, Johan reacting to it almost immediately after - somehow - getting attacked out of nowhere. Even as Raftclanz's claws grasped away at Fabularis' chest its left arm went to grasp that arm. Not to stop its clawing, but to keep his foe where he was.

At the very worst possible place to be against Fabularis. The blade moved to pierce Raftclanz's chassis, and the Parvus Acies that had been spinning around Fabularis also changed directions, rapidly directing themselves straight at Boucher.

Yet worst was the mist. Fabularis began emitting extreme amounts of its freezing mist from every possible outlet, the mist outright hiding the two mobile weapons from the others' sight as it was rapidly freezing everything around Fabularis. Especially the attacking the Raftclanz.

He was completely ignoring the damage he had taken, and it would be immediately obvious why. Even when the attack was still going on Fabularis was already rapidly regenerating all the damage. Through it all, Johan's eyes stayed on Raftclanz alone. After witnessing the usage twice, he had an inkling on what the Luna's secret weapon was, and this mistake, this sorry excuse of a warrior would reveal it. Either the knight would use it to save himself or they'd just pick it up from the frozen machine.

He was disappointed, bitterly so. Secret weapon that had no countermeasures against it did not matter at all when used by incompetent idiots such as this.

GEAR · Aug 3, 2020

Air Christmas, Bridge

Time was running out. Blast after blast rained down on the Air Christmas' barrier - no matter how tight their defense, no matter the volume of fire they were able to put out, still more of the specters were closing in, forcing their way through the cracks with sheer numbers alone. With every passing minute another rumble passed through the vessel's hull, followed by the inevitable blaring of an alarm. Over the din, a voice spoke up from the comms station on the bridge, a young operator glancing up from her panel.

"There's a transmission coming from the enemy Dreadnought, sir." She said to Rodgers,
"You should hear this.'

After a brief moment, the voice of Sir Richard filled the bridge - and all listened with rapt attention to his speech. A strange silence filled the room afterwards, only the distant rattling of cannons and missile-silos breaking the quiet. Eventually, Rodgers spoke:

"What's the status of the Lunarian forces?"
"They're rallying about the Fenossa. There's... no sign of the enemy numbers abating."
"...And our own?"
"Riot forces are over fifty percent depleted. We've lost tracking of the Abend... Scythe and Thresher are holding steady, and the Fabularis is engaged with the enemy Knight Machine."
"Ammunition stores?"
"We've exhausted over seventy percent of our munitions. Generators are holding for the moment, but at this rate... It won't last, sir."

There was a long silence, as Rodgers closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. In that moment, countless moments from the hundreds of battlefields he'd crossed during his time flashed in his memories. He'd been briefed on the particulars. These people, these individuals from the Moon - they thought of Earthlings as practically subhuman, like mongrels that deserved only to be put down. They were being forced back, bit by bit - Scythe and Thresher had given the an opening to escape, and if they didn't take it - they would be dragged down by these abominations.

...

Everyone here, everyone on this ship, had a home, a family to go back to. His only responsibility, he knew, was to keep them alive. He had always followed orders, always looked after his people. Yet, when Terra Sentinel had been delivered to his grasp, when he had slid the knife between their ribs, branding them all as traitors-

Had he not betrayed them? Had that thought not haunted him every night since, staring back from the bottom of a glass?

...

Was he about to make that same mistake, all over again? Or had fate handed him a chance to redeem himself?

Every breath was held, every eye was on him. Their lives rested in his hands. Rodgers cleared his throat, as another rumble rattled through the ship.

"...Helmsman."
"Sir?"
"Cancel the warp."

There was a stir of murmurs, as he opened his eyes.

"...We'll be overrun." Said the helmsman, anxiously.
"We can't abandon them. No, we won't abandon them."

He rose from his command chair, addressing all those gathered. Their faces were equal parts solemn, some afraid, some uncertain - so many, he thought, were young.

"That bastard Lao planned all of this." He said; "To divide us. To turn us against one another. To make us all sacrifices to these monstrosities, divided, weak, and afraid-"

His fist tightened, rising into the air as resolve filled his voice.

No more.

"Today, we defy him!" - Rodgers extended a hand to the men and women before him - "Will you stand with me?"

For a moment, there was quiet - then slowly, like a great dam bursting, an uproarious cheer began to rise- starting from the back of the room, rising in volume and intensity until it threatened to overwhelm him. He felt tears brimming at the corner of his eyes - and, perhaps for the first time - grateful that he had come back after all.

A few moments later, a transmission emitted from the Air Christmas, broadcasted all across the battlefield to friend and foe alike:

Air Christmas Exterior

Sir Boucher listened to the broadcast from the Fenossa with disbelieving ears. How? How could Bisen Foris have turned against their betters? Didn't they understand Lord Ashford's vision? He grit his teeth, feeling the bile rise in his throat. It made him want to retch as the Raftclans began to pull away from the ravaged Terran craft.

"What is this claptrap?" He spat, "Have you fools lost your minds? You would DARE lump us in with the Terran filth?"

He shook his head. He still had enough Larseilam, enough to teach them a lesson. Yes, he'd put a sword clean through the bridge of the Fenossa, and with it, the blood-mixers and those who were a threat to their divine purpose! It was they who would lead mankind to salvation, they who would fight against the dark! They who were the last hope of mankind!

"We are the superior, chosen race! WE ARE THE CHOSEN OF GANEDEN! WE-"

The words died in his throat as he felt the Raftclans' thrusters shudder, unexpectedly. Before he could even think-

Cold.

Not even in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined anything so frightfully, terribly cold, and the breath his lungs was ripped from his body by the sudden, icy chill that closed about him like a steel trap.

The Raftclanz jerked unnaturally as the Fabularis ice-blade punched clean through its body, Boucher's Knight Machine unexpectedly held fast by the frigid nightmare's grip. The Parvus Acies slammed into its frame, instantly entombing it in glittering, white-kissed spikes of crystal.

He couldn't move. Couldn't even feel most of his body, only painfully aware of the cracking, crackling that spread through his chest, freezing his blood, his organs - all that he was, seeing the claws of frost criss-crossing the visor of his pilot suit - yet not quite enough to full obscure the sight of the Furfur lobbing its own golden ring towards him through space, filling his vision. His last, desperate thoughts - a soundless scream of pure terror as he cried out for the one he'd so desperately wished to impress:

O-Okuni-dono! P-Please, save me-!

Furfur's ring smashed through the center of the frozen mass, scattering the chunks of the Raftclans in all directions in a fashion not unlike bowling pins. They hung, half-crystallized in the air for a moment, before the Orgone Extractor at its heart detonated in a spectacular shower of glittering emerald and flaming metal shreds.

Fenossa Vicinity

Sir Richard's words echoed across the battlefield, and were met with a roar of approval from the assembled Lunarian soldiers gathered about the vessel, raising their weapons in furor as they began to fight with renewed vigor. The ever-closing circle of nightmares recoiled sharply as emerald shards punctured their heads and chests, arrows raining from Diam Sirs and cannonfire from Dona Lympees, screeching wraiths scooped up by Ganjarls-

And for the first time, joining them were the bright blue Proton blasts from Directory Riot Cs, flanked by the occasional Mass-Production Huckebein MK-II or Gespenst, adding their own fire to the defense line as they joined the battle - not to protect their own vessel, but to lend their strength to Luna's defenders. Spirit Soldiers were cut down by the dozen as battery-fire from the Air Christmas joined that of the Fenossa, the crisscrossing lines of fire and rains of particle beams pushing the phantoms back further and further.

Even half a battlefield away, the murderous dance between dueling Raftclans machines paused to listen, leaving streams of Orgone Energy peeling from their frames... and they looked at one another with new understanding.

If Luna fell, so too would they all, no matter whether they were an elite or a loyalist. To the pragmatist, there would be nothing to rule over but a pile of dust. To the idealist - the time to settle old scores would have to wait, lest they all be swallowed whole by the encroaching darkness. One by one they disappeared, Orgone Clouds activating as the coup came to a quiet end, and they began leaping towards the assembled group, eager to preserve all that they knew.

Mid-Lunar Orbit

"LIAR!"

Yet not all were on board with the message of unity. Pushing further and further out from the ship, two forms danced manically above the battlefield, like dueling fireflies. The Abend's first beam launched out - but rather than slow the Riot's charge, seemed to only spur it harder as it burst foward, the blast splashing, ripping across its body, searing away the armor-

Something was happening to the Riot, even as Juliette's voice rose in anger and intensity, its external appearance warping and shifting even to Johanna's naked eye.

"Whoever you are... whatever you are-"

The white and green armor melded together into pointed, flowing armor plates that were like petals, almost organic in design. Every hard edge softened, taking on an almost liquid property as it too melted and changed, forming the Riot into something new. As it tore through the smoke, the Abend's second shot - the one meant to kill, was met instead by a glowing blue blade from the unit's right fist, sawing it violently down the center in an act of what could only be described as unthinkable precision for a mere machine.

"For the Chairman...! For Earth! For my own pride!"

The thruster array on the back of the Riot rippled with heat - and from it burst an array of bladed, energy-like protrusions akin to wings. Spreading them wide, its features illuminated by the power flowing from its new growths, the Riot X had closed the gap between them in an instant - visor flashing as another blade extended from its remaining arm.

"I WILL STOP YOU!"

The Imitate Spike lashed out, aimed to hew the offending Partisan Launcher in half with a vicious, hammer-like blow - which would be summarily followed by another muderous thrust from its hand, aimed right at the heart of the Abend's mass, with enough force to rip the Personal Trooper clean in two.

MKR · Aug 3, 2020

They were out of range, no one was commenting on her or Juliette currently via the comms. And she did oh so love to boast when she could, that was one thing 'they' had in common at least. But she had a few things over her 'better half', for one-

As Juliette drew near to the Abend coming crashing down on her the wings of the machine opened, folding out as the unit sped away yet in spite of its speed the dodge was not quick enough, having let the Riot draw too near for that, the machine's off hand was caught as it sped away, cleaving straight through the barrel of the middle beam cannon and well, the arm for that matter.

For one she was able to keep her cool in a melee. And in spite the machine's arm being wrecked she could keep going.
"Stop me?" She replied "I already succeeded." The air of smugness was near insufferable on that one, rubbing salt into the salt in the wound. To add pain onto pain like an infection. "But I couldn't have done it without you, so you should be proud because if you hadn't restored this wreck of a unit to such a degree well, I do owe you is what I'm saying. So thank you my accomplice."

She had noticed the precision with which the Riot had acted and the fact Juliette hadn't blown up yet meant that now was not the time to play around. However now the warfare was as much mental as literal, if she broke the focus of her foe. That was it for her she believed, Riot's did tend to go up in smoke at inopportune times. The Abend spiraled up, one handed it fired beams of energy as it ascended, the void of space aiding in her ascent by preserving all momentum made by the recoil of the energy weapon.

"Definitely a 'whoever' however, not one of your dolls back there. And because I don't hate her and you can expect to find her in a ditch relatively soon, also not who you met back when this merry band all got together."
With that the hail of yellow energy began, like a heavy storm as "Johanna" fired down beam after beam until she got to the knight-errant's colors changed as if mocking the physical changes of the Riot X, Juliette provided she could see past her wrath would know exactly what this meant. The Abend was no longer playing nice.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Juliette, but the time has come to part ways because I thought the emergency protocol for the Air Christmas was to warp out? Not much pride in freezing to death up here, allow me to give you a boost back-"

And now that her elevation was sufficient the gun spread into three parts, pointing straight down at the Riot X, a massive torrent of pure power fueled by the marvelous engine of destruction Juliette herself had placed within the Weissritter. The D-Convertor that rested within the Abend caring little for who build and who guided it. It was but a machine, and a machine did as told.

"Partisan Launcher! X mode- FIRE!"

The following beam was large enough to fully cover the Riot, large enough to fully cover some of the lunar knight's rides too which spelled even more disaster for the vengeful woman. Its destructive power would be nothing to scoff at either before taking the booster it received from its power source into account, but with that engine working its magic it was a veritable tool of destruction. However- the recoil from it would cause the partisan launcher to veer upwards as it had no second hand to hold it tight, meaning that as the laser went on it veered off course.

Kujo · Aug 11, 2020

Furfur squinted at the verdant explosion. While the Shurashin took pride in this "hunt", Kotora herself only felt an odd indifference. Regardless of the input of the strange unit that froze the Raftclanz, Kotora realized she had just taken a life for the first time in her memory. The Shura was struck with the fact that she was in the middle of a battle and she was killing. She did what she was supposed to do, what she had to do; a mysterious sensation almost like deja vu reminded her that this was normal and once again the young woman questioned that inner voice that spurred her back into the fight.

For the time being, Kotora couldn't spare any more time in her reverie. The battlefield had rapidly changed as the lunar forces and the Directory united in a combined front against the mysterious entities, and it was from these same entities that the Shura faced her next engagement. Three of the phantoms lunged and loomed towards Furfur's position, clambering and clawing over each other to take the first strike. The Shurashin took a defensive stance, but instead of simply waiting for the assault to come it launched one itself.

Swiftly striking out with one of its beastly arms, the limb stretched out like rubber at the joints. The extended arm promptly grabbed one of the otherworldly assailants by the head and lifted it up as the joints snapped back into shape and the arm retracted towards its owner. The Phantom was stunned at the rapid movement but nonetheless attempted to claw at the Shurashin, however that moment was enough for Furfur to deliver a devastating elbow blow to the bony entity's core; the forceful impact crumpled the Phantom once more into inactivity. Following up, Furfur struck with its palms and sent the horror flying towards its still advancing compatriots. The trio of corpse-like creatures crashed together and shattered off bits of their bodies as they were sent tumbling like bowling pins.

Endgame (Taskforce Upsilon & Everglory)

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