• Ready to join Post Terminus?

    Click to get started and submit your first character.

    Getting Started

[Dunan] Week 243: Buryoku Gaikou

Status
Not open for further replies.
Blood. Red, dripping liquid everywhere surrounding the vice-captain of the Third as she coughed up even more blood than she had ever imagined would be possible. If any one person of her comrades would have the time to look in her eyes they would only be able to see a glassy reflection of themselves mirrored in those piercing blue, near-lifeless eyes.

Gulping softly she swallowed a batch of blood as she looked upwards. She felt so peaceful, so tranquil, gazing onto the Destrier’s being. Though she didn’t feel a single thing, no pain, no muscles, no bones, no nothing, she still had total control over her body.

Lifting her left hand slowly she grabbed a hold of the lance that was still impaling her, raised her right arm – with Murakumo – in tow and sliced it in two so that she had at least a bit more mobility.

Dropping to her knees she felt another set of bullets pierce through her already heavily deformed body, making her choke up even more blood. In the back of her eyes she could see Manzou trying his hardest to avoid the oncoming haze of bullets while sprinting – or flash stepping, she could barely discern the two anymore – towards her.

A smile slowly crept on her lips as she raised herself back up on her feet, took a hold of the end of the broken lance and forced it out in all its painful glory.

Dropping to her knees once again she felt even more bullets hit her, but ironically they mostly sped through her now partially opened body. Flash stepping away from her place as target practice dummy she appeared near one of the room’s walls and placed her left hand on her wound and released three of the five bells active on her bankai.

Immediately her body caught on fire until there was nothing left but the charred remains of her lifeless body, but like the phoenix itself so did Amaterasu Nana, vice-captain of the Third rise from her own ashes anew.

Changing Murakumo’s release to that of its wind-based variant she jumped back into action and slashed her companion weapon in such a way that a massive blade of wind was now heading towards one of the two battalions of infantrymen.

[380/835]

Released three of the bells, equaling 22.5% of her reiatsu for healing.

Paid 2k reiatsu for the change in Murakumo tactic, and paid another 1k to unleash a blade of wind at those infantrymen.
 
Sweltering heat swept over the immense room as molten lava sprayed from the summoned volcano. Bolstering the salvo of flames that came from Nana’s reiatsu and pardic wyvern, the scorching temperature seemed to weight down on the people in the room almost as much as the released reiatsu. Igasho, struggling to keep himself from simply collapsing to the quickly disappearing floor, sent a surge of energy to his legs as he ran along the wall’s edge. The assassin drew nearer to one of the guards- who had seemed to take notice of the oncoming shinigami and turned the assault rifle toward the reaper – blade poised to strike. Suddenly, a shrapnel of metal slammed into the warrior, cutting clean through the body, and slammed into the wall. The loud clang echoed quietly amongst the boisterous gunfire as the reaper’s image vanished into particles of energy.

The bakudou clone’s destruction had given the true Death God the moment of distraction he needed to land the strike that he had hoped for. Igasho sliced the blade in an inward arc, pulling at the zanpakuto with brutal force. The blade cut through the guard’s midsection, immediately sending him back into another guard, just behind him. The bearded warrior grit his teeth as he unleashed another strike, backhanded, across and through the neck of the second guard.

The tactical craftsmanship of the guards’ activity was more than impressive in the next moment. The chaotic fury that had been unleashed by the shinigami was handled in such an efficient manner – not what the military of the Gotei would have expected from any human resistance. Although a torrent of energy and crushing attacks befell the guards, each one seemed to maintain its focus as if there was no fear of defeat.

Two guards, only a few yards away immediately turned toward the reaper, almost as if anticipating his position. Before the guard with a new hole in his neck could fall to the floor, Igasho grabbed a hold of his body and stood behind it. The barrage of bullets crashed into the metal wall behind him and pierce the armor and body of the human shield that leaned against the assassin. It was sheer luck in that moment that saved Igasho from being overcome – not by the guards, but by the rush of lava on the floor. With his head down, the bearded man’s eyes caught sight of the glowing ooze. With almost no time to react, the former officer threw the man forward, face down into the molten rock, immediately causing him to burst into flames.

Several bullets flew past the reaper in the first steps, but several hit their mark. Pain and adrenaline immediately flooded his senses just before the screaming echo of the inner spirit called out.

Call out, Igasho!​

The lava had isolated the shinigami to the other side of the room, away from his peers, and gave the stoic no choice but to release his inner spirit. Spurred on by the pain and determination, the soul reaper yelled out as he moved into a flash step.

“Yadokai!”

The blinding speed of the prisoner hid the blade’s transformation, as it morphed into the double-edged kalis that slashed out at the next two guards.

540

*whistles* just taking out guards atm
 
Ishin could only watch in abject horror as the metal monstrosity grabbed Lilith. It was happening again. It was happening and he could do nothing to stop it. No. That couldn't be true. He would not allow that to be the truth! He looked around, wild fury pouring from his being. A twinkle caught his eye. A small light shining through the darkness of the smog and smoke caused by the fire and the cracked container. It wasn't much, but it was a twinkle like a shining star on a cloudy night, poking through in an effort to be seen. And that was all the help he needed. An idea struck him, strange and yet glorious at the same time. A small, wicked grin escaped his lips.

He looked around him, noticed the destruction caused by Tsubaki and....Tsubaki. Not that he was surprised by that first part in the least, but the second part surprised him when he saw it. He saw the one that had been transferred to him, Ookami, fighting against several guards. Ishin noted that so that he could mention it in his report later. And he saw Amaterasu still feeding her fires of war. She rose up like the Phoenix, and in doing so convinced Ishin to implement the idea that sat twirling around in his head.

Ishin pointed at a spot behind the metallic enemies, his eyes gleaming a dangerous ice blue hue. He started to speak then, his voice far stronger than any of them expected.

"Deep abyss, grasp my enemies."

A soldier shot at Ishin, his bullets finding their mark several times. Ishin, however, never flinched. He didn't blink. In fact, the only indication that he had been hit at all was that his body was pushed back slightly. Still, he continued, his voice never wavering.

"Hold fast, and do not let them escape your cold embrace."

The soldiers remained calm, but were slightly perplexed. One of the remaining destriers started towards Ishin, his sword at the ready.

"Lock them in your grip and draw them deep into your abyssal maw."

Suddenly, the area around where he had pointed started to distort. It wavered, and the flames bent towards the spot. The lava started to move along the floor of its own accord, gathering in the center of what could be considered a circle. The destrier started to screech in protest as it began to slide ever so slightly backwards.

"Bakudou #85, Event Horizon!"

Finally, the spell complete, the full force of the Kidou was unleashed. The soldier who had shot at Ishin was flung backwards, slamming into the center and instantly being engulfed by the lava that was now floating in the air in the center of the gravity sink. The destrier, which had been scraping along the floor before, began to slide back at an ever increasing rate. It reached down, grabbing at the floor to stop itself, but that didn't help much. Instead of stopping it merely gouged out a path as it was pulled in. Ishin, for his credit, simply stood and watched. For a mo0ment at least. Then, with a demented grin on his face, he raised his axe. To no one in particular, he began to speak again.

"You know, the funny thing about a star is, after you get past all the gases that make them up, they are essentially two things. Heat, which there is plenty of right now thanks to Nana oer there, and pressure. Now where would we find that second bit, hmm?"

With a wave of his hand, the gravity in the room altered dramatically. instead of the general outward pull he normally used, everything centered on the now ball of writhing lava that floated in midair thanks to his kidou. He reached his hand out, oblivious to the bullets tearing into his body even still, and grasped at nothingness.

It was as if light had become a sentient, sapient being. It filled the room to the brim, penetrating even the darkest shadows. It illuminated the metal foes and glinted off of their armor.

Right before it disintegrated them.


WC:699
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Grenades went off, guns fired wildly, guards were blown back by their own arsenal. Some did not rise again, but others rose to their feet, haggard but determined. A blade of wind cut down one more guard and into the last white Destrier, while Igasho's attack cleaved two more at the waist.

The frosty wave of Hyouga Seiran brought a welcome contrast to the amplifying heat, but it wasn't to last. Amaterasu's flames, the lingering sear from Ittou Kasou, the still-flowing lava, and all of the heat radiating from the superheated stone and red-hot metal all beat back against the ice flows. The avalanche crashed against the expanding pool of lava and within seconds, the sizzle of steam rose up. Clouds of scalding steam billowed out while a rush of water splashed over the cooling magma. The remaining ice and snow was soggy, losing much of its momentum in its wet spread across the room.

Where Hyouga Seiran had struck it, the lava had mostly hardened to black stone, but still gave off intense heat: it was a thin shell over a still-molten core, revealed in the bright glowing red streaks in the half-formed obsidian.

The temperature in the room had calmed considerably, but not enough. The guards were managing to pull themselves free of the slush.

In the wake of the destructive spell, there was a loud peal of thunder: a guard, one arm missing, blood pumping copiously from the stump, managed to remain on his knees; he was pointing a magnum-caliber sidearm at Manzou's back. With that last shot, he slumped to the ground.

With an ear-splitting whine, there was a flash of purple light from the machinery at the center where Tsubaki had launched the seared Destrier, followed by the sound of cracking glass. The machine itself crumbled as if sliced to pieces, the pieces of metal shrapnel impacting the machine and the glass itself severely enough to further damage it. The previous slow drip was now a constant stream of liquid death, pooling from multiple cracks. As the rush of melted slush hit the toxin, it spread, jumping into the water as if it was a lightning bolt, tendrils of blackness stretching through the liquid as if hunting, seeking something alive to strike.

The slush, the water, the fire, the toxin... all of it moved toward Ishin's spell... but it was not that which caused the searing light. Behind Ishin, one of the guards had regained his feet, tossing aside his helmet, split down the middle. The blond man had a deep gash from his left eye to the back of his head, blood pooling down his face. Without comment, he threw a flashbang into the spell.

Then, he pulled the pins from every remaining grenade on his belt and leaped at the giant's back, locking his elbow around Ishin's throat.

Emboldened by the sacrificial move, the remaining guards -- nine of them -- marshaled together, braving the dangers and their wounds to make a final stand. All of their attention was focused directly on the dual image of Tsubaki, as the least injured of the strongest. A rain of bullets filled the air, along with a smoke grenade and two frags.

The final red-hot Destrier, cooling to black, aimed its gun arm at Lilith.

In the center of the melee, seemingly forgotten behind its barrier, the striped Destrier released the bubble and rose up. A whine of servos and blast of white jets launched the towering machine in between the guards and Tsubaki, where it once again slammed its tower shield to the ground. Cheering, the guards aimed around the tower shield. The flanged mace in its right hand flexed back.

[616/2160]
 
Last edited:
His eyes opened fully and traced every inch of his noble counterpart, her body and blade respectively untarnished and still in hand---the honed wind of its release tearing through the Destriers nonetheless. The gaiety in his widened eyes, even if only lasting for a short moment, stood alone within the chaos he was wholly immersed in. No deep exhale of relief came nor a slight smile, but his pace across the detritus-riddled granite did slow up; the stimuluses and adrenaline running through his veins that kept him alive, for the time being, wouldn’t allow for either. Relief, however, was wholly-apparent to any and all in his onyx irises.

A clap, muffled by others like it and the pitched hissing of steam though somehow too particular to go unheard, sounded off behind him where he’d once been.

In those split seconds, Manzou mused a million theories. Who was it? What was it? Could it be one of them? No. They’re dead. I’d already killed them, right? If they had, was the bullet intended for him?

It couldn’t be.

A thud at his back---on his back and through---echoed through his midsection, just below and beside his heart. Both eyes were glaciated by an all-encompassing chill that he hadnt’ felt in a long time. It was something like when Sayis had perforated him---the body-numbing pain being the only difference.

Manzou looked down, his eyes centering on the newest hole on his unadorned upper body, the wound somehow standing out among the other cuts and bruises. The black fire of Shoushinjisatsu was gone. In the background of that crawing scene, his legs gradually slowed and wobbled. The forward tooth on the bottom of one of his sandals caught the edge of a disheveled square of stone, and took his already-uneasy balance.

The Herald pined for his legs to move faster and regain. He was sure he was. Neither leg responded properly or on time. The slope of the floor, it seemed, skyrocketed instantly. Temple first, Manzou slapped into and skidded across the ground, eventually losing his momentum several meters away from where Nana had reincarnated herself.

Not a split second later, a flash of light and heat saturated his vision in white and scorched his skin. The world became a haze of what was once there and the completely- white backdrop filling those real elements in.

Contrast and color eventually returned, the first being a deep scarlet pool inching closer and closer toward his cheek, and then the rest came again. The look on his face was of befuddlement. A queer grin there as if he was trying to figure out what had just happened, why he was lying there. Manzou tried to buttress himself on his elbows, only invoking an earthquake-like throb of pain and a painful yelp from himself.

“What the... f---?!” The Herald laughed to himself, his eyes still forced shut by the heated vapor in the air. “Come on---!” Black fire seeped from his pore and swelled to cover his every inch once again. Feeling returned, little by little, but not fast enough. “---come on!”


[515/1,872]​



Ow... Shoushinjisatsu again.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Damn it...

Lilith sneered under the veil of Koutaizumai. The pain of burning flesh eased under the relief of a quick spell, but the guilt of her own careless decision hung around her neck like a heavy anchor. I could have killed us all...

In summoning the magma maelstrom, Lilith had overlooked one critical aspect to their continued survival -- oxygen -- small, invisible, but absolutely necessary. Despite how large this room was, the kidou, on top of the amount of smoke, gunfire, and flames, turned this room into a vacuum and had almost sucked the air dry of all its gaseous factors essential to life. It was only thanks to Ryoujin’s quick thinking that they still survived.

Lilith glanced to her left and saw the Destrier readying her gun arm toward her. The captain, hidden to its sight, slid to the side as she cast another ice spell that suddenly froze the robotic opponent in a block of ice.

She rushed now, throwing herself forward with invisible speed until she leaned over the fallen Herald. She revealed herself to him, hoping to offer some semblance of comfort. Then as one soothing hand covered the wound on Manzou's back, Lilith began Sora Harukani and felt her body and Manzou’s begin to dissipate.

Everyone, we need to get out..!

She glanced to the machine in the center which poured viscous, black liquid. She sensed its energy -- a dark intensity that was so robust that even from her distance along the perimeter of the massive room, Lilith knew it had the power to devastate everyone.

We cannot be here when that weapon explodes!

[255/1125]
​


OOG: All shinigami in the room (except Manzou) will be able to hear Lilith's message. Also, your characters won't realize it, but Lilith will be able to hear whatever they're thinking as well.

She'll also be able to carry another one or two people with her as she teleports out. If you're in some sort of obscure location far from the exit, let me know, and we can try to work out a proper exit scene.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Although she dreaded to admit it – only in the slightest of bits, though – Lilith was right. They had to get out of this room as soon as possible. The sooner the better. That said, if everyone were to bolt there was no guarantee that the weapon would actually blow up.

It had to blow up, it just had to.

Remembering the last time Lilith had invaded on her privacy she tried something out of the ordinary, Lil, if you can hear me that means this will be the first and final time I will ever think anything when you’re around me, but... Someone needs to stay behind, someone needs to make sure that weapon gets blown up.

And seeing as how my entire being is built around wrecking havoc with fire, I’d have the best chance at making this thing blow up in all its glory.

Moving over towards where Tsubaki was she brought down her blade around her some more as the infantrymen kept coming before grabbing a hold of the woman’s shoulder, turning her around and looking her straight in her eyes.

“I know you are no longer a part of the Gotei Thirteen,” Nana began, looking as intently as she possible could into the woman’s eyes, “but you will leave this room this instant, lest I have to blow you up along with it, understood?”

Not waiting for an answer she flash stepped back closer to the machine and began to slowly, but surely emit her reiatsu again, all the while her bankai kept on storing energy.

[265/1100]

I estimate ya'll have about one to a turn and a half to gtfo.
 
As the mystic’s thoughts echoed within Igasho mind, he realized that she was right – there was no making it out alive if Raifuku’s creation did, in actuality, explode. They had moments until either the flames of Nana’s energy would destroy the machine or the summoned volcano would be overcome by the granite ceiling beyond the metal. To his chagrin, though, the bearded warrior was on the other side of the room, cut off by a moat of searing lava, and the only clear passage being across the black tile beneath Buryoku Gaikou...which was overtaken by the virulent, black smoke.

The air had grown unbearably lean, burned of nearly all the life-sustaining traces. As Igasho came around behind the remaining guards, each movement became more and more burdened. The former assassin watched as the men huddled together, focusing their collective forces at Tsubaki. Just before moving into a flash step past the huddle guards, the calculating man was given an opportunity to make it across – if he could summon enough strength to launch himself off the back of the destrier, he’s be able to make it to the other side.

The shunpo carried the prisoner behind the pod of soldiers, with his free hand, Igasho quickly pulled the pins from two grenades, still strapped to the humans, and was gone in the next instant. The lone destrier was now just before the determined reaper, the armor still scorching hot, although it was no longer growing bright red. Igasho launched himself to the beast’s back, ready to jump across until it became clear exactly where its destructive guns were aimed.

...Lilith!

The next few seconds were halted to a tortuous crawl, each heavy thud of the former-officer’s heart thumping against his ribs. From the moment Raifuku had strolled past the recently-sentenced assassin within the chambers, Igasho had been intrigued, eager to know more. Amongst the chaos that befell Soul Society afterwards, the prisoner had done everything he could to find out more about the human – to try and track him down, to meet him face to face. In some ways, they shared a common goal. Alone or with the others, this seemed to be the only way of finding Raifuku...but that was before the next few seconds would pass.

No! They need her...the Gotei and Soul Society need her...

He couldn’t jump. In that instant, his hope for escape was replaced with the hope for saving Lilith...saving those she could save. Igasho turned his blade over, aiming at the outstretched limb and shoved it down with both hands, summoning every ounce of force that he could flood into his arms. Reiatsu pulsing in waves, the assassin’s pulled the blade back, every muscle in his body straining to offset the gun’s aim. Blasts of energy blazed from the weapon as Igasho did all he could to keep the ammunition aimed above its target.

481
 
Captain Maikeru, please get the rest of these men and women out. I'll guarantee destruction of the target and see to Vice-Captain Amaterasu's safety.

"That's it then? You're just going to build me back up with hope and then go die?! You don't fucking do that Amaterasu, not today!" Despite the world around them quite literally going to hell in a hurry it seemed Tsubaki, the real Tsubaki was back in control. For all the nobility inherent in it, the woman could not honor the Vice-Captain's request. She was not going to let a friend risk her life and possibly die when the former Captain could still fight.

The little girl is awake at last, it seems. A guttural purr in the back of her mind was all the confirmation she needed at the moment. Gravios had forced her hand, and while there would be vindication for it the current situation called for far more.

"We don't get to do that, Nana. We don't get to throw our lives away, no matter how noble it seems!" She smiled and shed bitter tears, knowing at long last just how hypocritical she had deigned to be in her time as a soldier. "...I won't let you die here."

Rising to her standing height once again Tsubaki leveled her weapon at the chamber's ceiling, just above the battered remains of the Buryoku Gaikou. A pitch-black lance raced from the maw of the jagged hammer, slamming into its intended target and detonating within the blink of an eye. Fire ravaged the remaining soldiers, washing over them like a merciless wave as the ceiling began to collapse. Massive pieces of stone and metal rained down atop the machine without mercy, burying the weapon under tons upon tons of debris.

From the newly created exit seawater came crashing down in a foamy onslaught, ready to reclaim the part of its dominion so selfishly taken by the humans. As the screams and fires subsided the former Captain's thoughts and words reached the assembled Shinigami with renewed purpose.

"Captain Maikeru! Take the severely wounded with you, Captain Katsuji and Third Seat Arashi assist with the remaining injured and get them through the exit!" Atop her shoulders two wings of searing alabaster bloomed, and the former Templar Queen followed Amaterasu in her assault.

"No one else dies today."

Whatever blow the adjutant of the Third had yet to strike, it would only further guarantee that the weapon Raifuku had turned on them would never see use ever again...and hopefully remain broken and forgotten under the waves.

All that remained was to ensure it did not take the Shinigami with it.

[442/1,140]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ishin felt the man grasp onto him, even if he couldn't quite see because of the bright light.. With a single movement, he spun his axe around him, sling the mans arm off at the elbow and getting blood all over himself and his would be killer. Reaching back with his free hand, he grabbed the man by the neck and flung him bodily over his shoulder. The throw forced his impact with a few of the other guards, right as the grenade belt he had been holding detonated. Body parts flew everywhere, the gore landing mere inches from Ishin.

"You know, Tsubaki, this is where I tell you you aren't in charge of me blah blah blah. You better see to it that i get to yell at you about it later."

Turning, he rushed over to where Lilith was.

"So then, gorgeous, what's the plan? You take the lead and I'll follow."

WC: 154
 
What would he do now? It was one thing watching Tsubaki recklessly try and make sure that none of them died, but it was another obeying the orders of a Templar Queen that he had lost sight of. Just moments ago, she had acted differently, a side of the woman that he would have never thought imaginable, and now she expected for him to follow through with her orders. He was never one to flee from battle, especially under circumstances like this. When it seemed like he was about to stubbornly stay within the control room, something seemed to shift. It wasn't until he sensed the Templar blood in him stir when he realized all along that now the real Tsubaki had surfaced.

"You really do lead people on sometimes," Ryoujin said, as he coughed and attempted to make his way around the ravaged room. Had this been a year ago, he would have questioned his actions and thought he was going senile, but restraint and experience had taught him well. With debris flying everywhere, the ground shaking, spiritual pressures flaring even more considerably, guards still armed, and the temperature still quite hazardous if one stuck around too long, the pink-haired youth spurred into a flash step, appearing before Manzo.

"Guess it's high time we make our exit."

If Manzo had any protests about leaving behind his superior officer, he didn't leave the Herald enough time to speak out his take on the new plan. It only took one look to convey to his friend that he was not the only one in the same sort of scenario. As he held his weapon out to defend himself in case the guards might try and prevent their escape, he looked to the Mystic Captain to see where her gifted intuition would lead them.​

[ 804 ]​
 
Last edited by a moderator:
“Igasho...!”

There were far too many martyrs on this battlefield, and Lilith would not let the former assassin die as one of them. She trusted Tsubaki and Nana enough to have the skill and sense to escape, but Igasho now wore the full resolve to die.

She turned to the prison captain beside her. “Ishin, I need—“

At that moment, an explosion erupted beside them. The walls began to crumble as dust, smoke, and debris trapped all of them in a suffocating storm. She used her haori to temporarily shield Manzou, hiding his wounded, semi-conscious form from the escalating bleak maelstrom.

Meanwhile, the ammo shot forth from Igasho’s Destrier continued to drill over the wall, shattering bit by bit over the exit door, and pushing the escape route closer to the brink of collapse. The rocks were weakening, as several stones and boulders now scattered over the floor of the outlet. Snow, slush, bullets, and flames all acted as barricades, further obstructing the group from their passage out.

With one arm, Lilith picked up Manzou and placed him in the arms of the tall, gray-haired captain. “Take him to the exit. Lead Ryoujin with you. We’re close enough that you’ll just make it out safely if you leave now.”

For a moment, Ishin looked ready to challenge the mystic woman. But her orchid eyes flared against the fire of the room as she interrupted and demanded, harsher this time, “I said now! I swear to you, I will be fine. Now go!”

Without looking back, the captain fluidly melted into the darkness of smoke before she appeared by Igasho’s side, manifesting from the floor and the Destrier’s wide shadow. The second she stood fully erect beside the long-haired prisoner, one hand shot forth on the Destrier’s shoulder, steadying the robot’s aim. The other palm landed on top of Igasho’s hand, pushing down on his grip and further controlling the Destrier’s bullet barrage to aim higher, farther away from their comrades.

With both Igasho and Lilith now behind the makeshift turret, the bullets aim was more steady, allowing Ishin, Ryoujin, and Manzou enough time to escape. Fortunately, Hisoka had barely entered the bloody fray and stayed mostly outside the battlefield altogether.

Grinding her teeth, Lilith fiercely growled to the man beside her, “Dying once in the maze brought you here. Dying again will not bring you to Raifuku -- you'll only get to him if you survive this!”

Even with both the prisoner and mystic holding down the Destrier, it put up a difficult fight, and Lilith found herself straining to hold it down. Feeling the punishment of time weigh heavier and heavier upon them, Lilith’s eyes scampered to find both Nana and Tsubaki, hoping that one or both of them would destroy the massive Buryoku Gaikou soon.

And then with a long and painful drone, she heard the gases building inside the volcano, angry and yearning for its release. An instant later, the heat and pressure expanded to an untouched apex, forcing the core of the mountainous kidou to burst outward and continue its hell spray of magma over the battlefield.


[520/1635]​


P.S. No one but Nana (and maybe Ishin), knows that Lilith can read minds. So even though they can hear her in their heads, that doesn’t automatically give them the power to transmit messages back (unless that’s their own semi-flawed logic).

@Shun – Igasho was faaar away from Manzou, so we’re going to say that Igasho was never in that conversation.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Then, just as everything seemed to go awry, an almost piercing flash of brilliant fire shot through the air. When Nana’s gaze made contact with Tsubaki’s eyes, she nodded softly in the woman’s direction first, then yelled, “It’s now or never!” signalling Lilith that she could get out.

As the now lance-like wyvern that was her reiatsu came into contact with Buryoku Gaiko there was a momentary pause in just about everything, before the purple-haired vice-captain found herself lifted up from the ground by the now flying Tsubaki.

“Thanks,” she whispered softly before closing her eyes and dragging both the Templar Queen and herself into a forced, mid-air flash step straight out of the room.

As the pair of women dropped to the ground, Nana turned to Lilith and yelled, “Now, Maikeru-taichou!”

[Final/1235]

Alexis, you have my permission to seal the exit.

Also, guys, whoever writes his character as not being out yet after my turn is to be considered dead.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ishin wanted to fight, wanted to rage against her suggestion. But he knew he couldn't. He knew it would be useless to do so, just like he knew it would be useless to stay. Silently wishing her luck, and another, far more personal feeling, he turned and headed for the exit. Gripping the young man in his arms, he plowed through one of the guards that was unfortunate enough to get into his way. Forcing his way past, he caught up with the one Lilith had told him to meet with and they got out.

Again, Ishin had to fight the urge to put the boy down and turn around. It was all he could do to keep moving forward. He focused everything he had into making sure he did what she had told him. He would have words with her about it later when they made it back. All of them.

WC: 152 FINAL: 1241
 
Last edited by a moderator:
With every step the prisoner captain took forward, his shoulder planted firmly underneath the armpit of the Herald’s enervated form, the throbbing pain at the midpoint of his back seismed again and again. The fingers on the arm thrown over Ishin’s shoulder balled into a tight fist, his face cringing in utter excruciation.

The wound itself was no longer the epicenter or crux of the pain; every slight motion sparked every nerve on his back and forced his muscles to involuntarily contract to their limits. It took everything in Manzou not to holler out feebly in pain. In spite of his condition, his personal temperament forced him to consider saving face, to be stronger than he really was, to be less of the burden to Ishin and the others that he knew he was.

Will and reality collided nonetheless; no matter how much the raven-haired man wanted to move forward on his own, his legs wouldn’t---couldn’t---and his awareness, vision, and sense of touch in his lower extremities were passing with each second, a product of the level of pain gripping him.

Pulse after pulse, feeling and color left his lower body and vision respectively, only the agony remaining.

In Ishin’s grasp, the Herald eventually fell fully unconscious.


Final [207/2,079]​
 
Conflicting senses of relief and despair came over the former assassin for a brief moment, as Lilith’s hand covered his own. It wasn’t until that moment that Igasho realized that the captain had appeared at his side. The worry of her well-being was, however, overcome by the moment of necessity that had befallen them. The brawny warrior, kosode half burned and soaked in his blood, held firmly to the blade that levered the mechanical limb. In that moment, he couldn’t look at Lilith or question what her disposition was to speak as if they were going to survive, but it was that tone, precisely, that grabbed the reaper’s trust.

The barrage of ammunition tore into the metal plating and the rock beyond the ceiling above the door. The volcano shuttered with an earth-trembling pulse, breathing the last of its molten breath and started to crumble beneath the forces above. As Lilith spoke to the prisoner, the other shinigami made a last-minute exit through the entrance that Nana had made and the crumbling granite would immediately fall in place, sealing them in the room.


The virulent liquid now poured out onto the floor, overrun with lava, and the black smoke billowing out in every direction, inching closer to the shinigam. The air in the room had grown unbearably thin – flames and molten lava had surrounded them on all sides – the cavernous coffin had been sealed and the terrible rumbling from above signaled that the roof was going to collapse.

Unsure of what she had up her sleeve and still trying to control the destrier’s arm, Igasho looked briefly at Lilith, “Some things are more important than living.”

276/1811
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The power of Sora Harukani grasped on to both Igasho and Lilith. They were alone in this room, barricaded within and away from the others that had already escaped. Even from this distance, Ishin’s anger and resentment rang louder in the mystic's ears than the final grenade explosions.

As the bodies were swallowed whole by the billowing flames and white fire, the explosion stretching out and consuming them like a wave of molten annihilation, the duo watched as the surge of fire snatched them in its grasp. Flames burned around prisoner and mystic, tearing the room asunder. Their eyes stared into the pandemonious mix of red, orange, yellow, white light. A carnivorous inferno that would calcine their bodies until black and crisp.

But though they were caught in the disastrous explosion, the pair felt little more than a low, deep heat radiate over them. The physical manifestations of both Igasho and Lilith had already dissipated as their own spirit particles lifted on to divine wings – wings that soared them away from the brink of hell and back to a world with some semblance of salvation.


Final [185/1820]​
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Although relatively safe on the other side alongside Ishin, it was a strenuous effort moving under conditions like that and at such speeds with the accumulated pain that had built up over all of the gunfire and Destriers. Once they had finally made it past the exit before it was closed off thanks to Lilith and Nana's respective efforts, the Templar halted to catch his breath. Removed from what was going on on the other end, the pink-haired youth could only wonder how the others were faring while he glanced at the unconscious form of Manzo before sealing his soul slayer and sheathing it back into place. Although usually always calm and light-hearted, a very heavy sinking feeling overcame his demeanor, and as much as he tried, the irritation was readily present in his expression.

"Tch."

Scowling, Ryoujin balled his hands into fists. Yet another insult that Raifuku had done to him, and yet another reparation that this man would have to pay for once they found out where he was lurking, not that that would be anytime soon though. If coming to Dunan taught him anything, then there were most twists and turns here than in any average maze or puzzle.

Sighing, the Blood Templar locked gazes with Ishin.

"Don't suppose ya know where to go from here?" he finally asked, addressing the Prisoner Captain.​

[ 1030 Final ]​
 
Last edited by a moderator:
(This thread is closing tonight. I don't really have anything else to post, though. Your next goal will be to try to contact Soul Society for a way out -- Lilith's volcano broke through the outer wall of the complex, and therefore made a breach in the barrier that was blocking communications -- before the place is flooded. Even diluted, you don't want to be drowned in ocean water mixed with the black toxin.

Problem is, you can't disconnect the people still in the maze while it's active.)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Current Date in Araevis

Back
Top