Act II, Prologue: I want to be your Canary - Archades

Act II, Prologue: I want to be your Canary - Archades
Date of Scene:	08 June 2013
Location:	Archades
Synopsis:	The Cast: Kuja as Marcus and Cornelia both, Emperor Gramis as King Leo, Angantyr Vespar as the Assassin, Noah Fon Rosenburg as the Beast, Zargabaath as Schneider, Feige Abramson as Crazy <GOOSEHONK> watch this stunning twist on one of Lord Avon's masterpieces in the Empire that never sleeps. Now with new roles!
Cast of Characters:	Riku, Pumpkinhead, Beatrix, Cirra Constantine, Zargabaath, Angantyr Vespar, Maximilien, Gabranth, Kyra Hyral, Garnet, Kuja, Alma Hyral

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Kuja has posed:
Archades.

Before the first rays of dawn had even touched the city, clouds of vapor rolled in across the sea. It was the thickest fog that the people of Lower had seen in some time. Bells rang, and floating Magitek buoys lit up with swirling lights to help guide any seabound ships to the lower Harbor.

Airship traffic of the Upper city went unimpeded, so it was not considered an event of any real consequence to the citizens that /mattered/.

And then.. just before the sun began to peak out over the horizon..

A feathered silver dragon appeared out of a dark corridor, a good distance from the city. Riding astride it was an ostentatiously dressed man, in his usual garb. The only concession he made to what was sure to be the harsh light of the desert sun was a feathered tricorn hat. A fashion that had been popular in Treno, before it fell into darkness. The dragon didn't appear to be all that threatening. After all, it was a very small and unusual specimen of wyrm kind.

It hovered in air, as Kuja regarded the austere seat of the empire with one hand upon his chin, a single finger crooked over his lip. It had such.. hierarchy to it. The lean, the hungry, the ambitious in the lower city. The movers and the shakers who were still relative unknowns. Then in the upper cities, you had men of a different ambition. Men whose lives had become listless as they considered nothing of the world outside of their little Empire. The Upper City.. Kuja regarded it as a stagnant pond, with just a few.. large.. fish that deserved a chance at life once he had drained the pond into the roiling river. The rest?... Well let's see what they're willing to do for their own survival.

Lifting both arms up to the heavens, he gaze ascended to the last wisps of dying light from the moon, his voice was raised to have a touch of the theatrical to it, as if he were an actor in a play giving some sort of soiloquy,
"The bay-trees in our country all are wither'd
And meteors fright the fixed stars of heaven;
The pale-fac'd moon looks bloody on the earth
And lean-look'd prophets whisper fearful change;
Rich men look sad and ruffians dance and leap,
The one in fear to lose what they enjoy,
The other to enjoy by rage and war."
There is a pause, as he continues to look to the heavens, his smile becoming cruel and wry, "I loathe Shakespeare, but I must admit that the bard..."

He'd lower one arm, and would idly tap the linkpearl against his face.

"...had it right."

And that is when the ships in the harbor concealed by the Mist began shelling the Lower City.

BGM Change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O0Jq3mCUz0&list=PL9D434EDB64474304

Through ballistae and catapults upon their decks which threw out burning masses of shrapnel, and stone. And when they ran out, the black mages on the decks loaded it with giant chunks of blackened ice.

It was an adequate start..

Spread terror to the Lower City. Ensure that the panic sets in. Minimize actual casualties from the sea bombardment, but clear away the seaport.

Corridors of Darkness appeared upon the docks, releasing misshapen Heartless which sprayed people with darkened Mist. Others released black mages in their conical hats, with soulless yellow eyes in lines. The only word upon their hidden tongues was.. "DESTROY!"

..and they were quite enthusiastic about that. Blackened flames danced across some of the dock structures, which began to spread inward into the slums and alleys.

And yet, they didn't pursue any civilians unless they actively got in their way. Marching in lines, they actively engaged anyone who tried to fight. Caused a bit of chaos to the rest.. and continued inexorably towards the stairway to the Upper City. The mages weren't that durable, and already many of their sad carcasses lay in the streets just from the efforts of the few people that were willing to loose a stray volley their way.

Despite having the element of suprise, it appeared to be an almost suicidal military strategy. They had no birds in the air, and the Empire was famed for its aerial superiority. What exactly were they planning?

Finally, another dark corridor would open up at the bottom of the long staircase to Lower Archades, from which the famed General Beatrix of Alexandria would step out. Columns of her famed all-female elite forces would exit from the portal behind her in an orderly fashion.. Right before they casually marched upon Upper Archades.. The Black Mage forces were not far behind them..

Gabranth has posed:

The dark mist rolls in and the bells ding gently from the sudden change in weather early morning. Though fog was common. It was not common for it to be like this. Some people were curious, others-- went about their business down in Lower Archades. The guards who stood by the stairwells noted it, but need to report it. No need to say anything.

In upper Archades things were going well. Ghis was on his way back, but he had no reported in yet. Drace was with Lord Larsa and the Emperor. As for Gabranth he was in his office handling the typical things of paperwork with his helm sitting beside him.

Yet his office window displayed the curious fog rolling in from its massive bay windows. He at first thought nothing of it, then he started to ponder on its oddity. So he stood up and walked over to the bay window, with a cup in his hand of hot tea, before he took a sip from it. Curious.

However something came over the link pearl, but it was static at best. Hard to exactly see what was being said. He closed his eyes trying to focus on the words. It was from the First Fleet. The main air group that protected Archades airs. Something about-- a dragon?

When he opened his eyes that is when he saw the suddenly flash. His eyes went wide as the flashes came from the fog and the cup dropped form his hands as he suddenly bolted for his helm. Shattering on the ground, as he went to run out, and the very dark liquid rolling across the grout of the marble floor.

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

The people did indeed panic. Screaming at that down in Lower Archades. The guards on the stairwell stood by until they heard the fires and quickly saw then the heartless and the Black Mages coming this way. "You have to be bloody kidding me!" One of the Imperial guards stated before he drew out his sword. While the other did the same, quickly getting on his pearl. "This is Stairwell Alpha. We have an emergancy! We need rifles! Now!"

Soon another militia voice came over the pearl. "This is stairwell Beta. We need the same."

Soon even Delta reported the same as well.

Troops were quickly on the move from their barracks. Those who were trained in the use of rifles, quickly were running across the grounds and jumping into the carriers to be quickly moved to their positions. The few guards there would have to defend the locations the best they could until the re-enforcements got there.

With this large of group coming toward them, they couldn't protect the people. They couldn't do ANYTHING for the people. That was the stickler of it all, unless there was a Judge in the area that could or even a Judge Magister-- but that would take..

Gabranth has posed:

Which did happen.

Suddenly from above like super man Judge Magister Bergan came down crashing to the ground below with a massive THUMP onto the ground. Though it was not a fall when the dust cleared he was crouched down with a massive crack on the ground. His armored head slowly raised up before he suddenly snapped out his two swords and then looked over at the militia guarding the stairs. "Let none pass unless you life be taken by them or by me for failing your orders!" He barked out before he suddenly swung the two blades and went into part of the fray. Slashing those deadly shraded swords to rip apart those who stood before him.

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

Gabranth quickly moved into the Imperial Senate room where his Majesty Lord Gramis Solidor, the Senators, and Larsa were including Drace. He came in by slamming both doors open. Yes they were in the middle of a conversation, however Gramis quickly snapped his head over to look at Gabranth. "Gabranth. What is the meaning of this?"

"My Majesty." Gabranth said with a quick bow. "Archades is under attack."

Drace suddenly steps forward. "What--?" She then turns to look at Larsa, then to Gramis before the others. Her attention rolls over back to Gabranth, before looking back to Gramis, though she did not need to speak, Gramis speaks before she could. "Judge Magister Drace. See to the safety of my son."

Drace quickly nods, "Yes, your Majesty."

Larsa however shook his head, he wanted to argue, it was on his face, but.. "Yes.. your majesty." he said softly in turn as well, knowing there was no place to argue with this. No way to beg his father to let him stay. So he quickly went by Drace's side, as Drace and he both started to leave.

Gabranth looked at Gramis and the Senate. "With all due respect, Your majesty. You should go with your son. With Drace. If they are to reach Upper Archades..."

"Your honor, are you implying that our military forces. YOUR military forces can not hold forces down from Lower Archades?" One of the senate states.

"No sir. I am not, but for the safety of Archades future. I must request you all to move to the war room where you be at least the safest." Gabranth looks then to Gramis. "Not only will you be safe, but-- it be easier to keep an eye on the activities of the troops form there. I know it has been a long time since we were attacked, but.."

"No need to continue, Gabranth." Gramis states as he raises his hand as goes to stand up. "We shall continue our discussion down in the war room." He gives a nod to Gabranth, then looks to the rest of the Senate. "Agreed?"

They all nodded their head beyond one, who only sneers softly at the Judge Magister, before he at last stood up with the others. Gramis then speaks up once more. "We will move with the House guards, Judge Magister Gabranth. Go deal with your station and aid in defense of her."

"At once, your majesty." He gives a quick bow and then quickly turns back around, his cape flaring for the first time to cut over the camera.

Cirra Constantine has posed:
Cirra was no longer a magister.

That actually made her feel better, the paranoia that someone had promoted her to use her can now be safely put to rest... or can it?

Regardless, Cirra finds herself performing one of her more familiar old duties, guarding a transport. But she doesn't foster any ill will for the assignment, in fact it's got her interest. The small military transport flies towards upper Archades as the Judge walks in a circle in the hold, looking at a mat black case tied to a padded shipping pallet.

A strange example, she tought to herself, of something so archaic, yet so interesting. It was exactly the sort of thing that... She pauses, looks around the hold and frowns. "I was sure he'd appear." Max, this is the sort of thing that makes hims appear from no where.

"Judge Constantine!" The pilot shouted back from the cockpit. "Link pearl activity! Archades..."

"What?" She demanded as she turned towards him.

"Archades is under attack."

The Judge stiffened in posture, Garland? Already? "Accelerate."

"You're honour, protocol-"

"/Accelerate/" She commanded with a steely voice. "I helped prepare hte recent defense, I will be damned if protocol keeps me from attending to them!"

And with that, the military transport increases speed through the air towards the uppercity.

Beatrix has posed:
The 'famous' General looks none too plussed by the whole situation. If she wasn't always so well kept, she might still have bed hair from the way she was shoved out. Just moments before, Kuja and the Queen came to her with the orders, invading Archades. She can't even start ot understand what was the reasoning behind attacking a nation on another continent, one in the sky, that never showed as a threat either... but orders are orders.

It doesn't mean she's happy about them right now. In fact, she's annoyed more at the fact she was sent to lead a faction of those odd mage puppets, rather than her own troops. Considering how much those mages need ordering, as single minded as they are, she might as well been sent it as fodder in the troops.

But she didn't have time to argue strategy either, before she was pushed out through that portal. Haven't they heard about airships? Don't Alexandria have access to them? Ugh, so much wrong going on here.

Yet, she had orders to follow. Using the black mages as distraction, she moves through the city, straight toward the higher grounds, which holds the political hearts of this nation. She's not interested in taking out people in the city, only goes toward her goal.

Zargabaath has posed:
Judge Magister Zargabaath has been silent over the past few weeks, disappearing from the public eye to relentlessly drill his entire 12th Fleet. Maneuvers, deployments, everything nessisary for the defense of their home. If he was not stationed in what remained of the Archadian borders, he was stationed in the direct airspace of Archades itself. But always training, always drilling, always being prepared.

And they are ready not a moment too late.

It is the 12th Fleet guarding the direct airspace above and around Archades, and the shelling of Lower Archades is but the first sign of things to come. The radio is frantic with calls and cries, but there is an odd order to it. Like snapshots of a chaotic action movie, there is a flow and a response. Forces move to activate the Palings, the ancient 'force field' that would protect and isolate the Lower City, but it won't be enough alone. Not with hostile forces already within the walls.

Within the Alexander, Judge Magister Zargabaath rises from his captain's chair and removes the corded intercom from where it is hooked just above his helm. "First Fleet: move to intercept the attack by sea. We must hold until His Honor Ghis can pull back to our position! Twelfth Fleet, begin Maneuver Two-One-Delta! Engage!"

The Alexander settles to a defensive aerial position, the other ships in the fleet fanning out to defensively surround Upper Archades--ships such as Ifrits and Carbuncles returning suppressive fire to forces that have not breached Lower Archades yet. From each 'wing' of the flying fortress comes swarms of Valfarres and Remorra's, darkening the skies like locusts over a field. Some swoop low, giving air-support to thin the enemy ground numbers while minimizing collateral damage the best they can, others join the 1st Fleet as it becomes the vanguard to counter the seabound ships.

Riku has posed:
Riku is sitting in the middle of the room, sunlight filtering through the open window of his apartment with the nameless sword stretched out on the ground in front of him.

Painstakingly, he traces the next series of runes onto the worked leather of the scabbard. Several books are open around him along with the black journal, the pages turned to the glyph 'Avakyr' -- force, fate, destiny.

It seemed like a long overdue thing to finally name the sword. He's been working with it off and on, but hadn't really had the heart to start working with it in earnest. He wasn't sure why. Perhaps it had something to do with why he was stalling on the tasks set before him to secure his armor.

There was a ripple, a faint prickling rush over his skin that he ignored in his concentration-- the brush of dark and sourceless winds just before the alarm klaxons sounded loud enough to split his skull.

Riku rocked backwards, knocked flat with his hands over his ears at the sudden alarm. He rolled back onto his feet, clambering upright by steadying himself on his desk and then on a wall. His lips move to frame the worlds 'What the --" but are lost in the clamor. He surges to the window and the roiling fog and just.. stands there for a few seconds after the flash with his hands gripping the window sill.

A cold feeling crawls up from the pit of his stomach as he tries to understand what was going on from the sudden explosion of chatter. The clipped and precise exchanges.

Archades was under attack.

It took a few times for that to sink in, it skittered off into a corner of his mind as he lunged to catch it.

Riku threw on the duster and bolted out of the apartment. He didn't know where he was going or where he was needed-- but he had to do something, and that something required him to be outside in a hurry.

Kyra Hyral has posed:
Nowhere is safe. Nowhere is sacred. Even the most advanced bastions of Hume triumph could still be targeted. This is a lesson that Kyra Hyral was being taught quite frequently by circumstances in the recent months. The teachings hasn't gotten so severe that she has grown utterly jaded with what societies the new worlds had to offer. There was, after all, some consolation that a place like this was well equipped to deal with an assault.

Thanks to Alma's recent efforts and interaction with the Judges of Archades, Kyra and her sister have been afforded the privledge of residing in the upper portion of the city. So she is mercifully insulated once the Heartless and Black Mages begin their assault in Lower Archades. This certainly doesn't mean she is unaware that something is amiss-the sudden movements of guards and Judges to the stairways down is a significant sign. The sudden movement of the 12th Fleet was even more worrisome.

Kyra seems a little out of place amongst the populace, decidedly not clothed in Archadean garb. Her moogle hoodie normally gets more than a few stares. The White Mage tightens her hands around the strap across her shoulders as she, along with several other of the residents of Upper Archades, look skyward to watch the airship fleet move with apprehension. Chatter quickly springs up around her-what could be causing such a /significant/ use of force?!

Alma Hyral has posed:
Alma Hyral loved her new home.

She loved the city, even if the sun baked her ashen skin in an uncomfortable way, and it didn't rain enough in these desert climes.

After Riku had left following their movie marathon the previous night, she'd spent the rest of the night gazing at the stars through the solar Judge Magister Gabranth had provided to her. Well, they didn't offer many answers to her, not on earthly matters.

Ah well.. might as well start planning that expedition into the the Underground Cavern in the Dalmascan Sands. Telling Gabranth to bring /fishing poles/ might indeed bake his brains, just like Riku had stated.

Being the night owl that she was, she was still up when the ships in the harbor began to shell the lower city. Confusion set in initially, as the sounds were only a distant thundering. She'd had no experience with battles of this scale, so she had no idea what to expect.

When the panic started..she dressed quickly in her White Mage robes, and entered into the city with Kyra. She only insisted to her sister that.. they needed to get to the Judges. Offer their aid as medics and to mount some sort of defense. She didn't know the horrors of war well enough to understand exactly what they were getting into. Like Kyra, she too was staring at the fleets, wondering what exactly was spurring this..

Kuja has posed:
Several swirling dark portals in front of Kuja, seated upon his silver dragon so very casually were in fact, scrying magic which gave him images of what was going on in the upper city. He should have invited the Capricious Kitten, she would have rather enjoyed this.. Maybe even the Black Lily. Then they could have exulted in his genius together.. He watched the city scramble together it's defense force, still confident in its ability to hold the Upper City. He watched the first fleet begin it's attack on the forces in the harbor. He watched General Beatrix ascend Staircase Alpha towards Bergan. He wished he had some fine brandy, that would be a fight to be remembered.. but unfortunately for the sake of his objectives, he had to cut that short.

Kuja raked a hand back through the wild locks of his silvery hair, smiling in an almost whimsical manner as the pieces fell into place. And then he reached for a gem of swirling calignosity which hung on an adamantine cord around his neck.

Queen Brahne had been too cowardly to attend to these.. festivities. War against a nation that could actually put up a fight? That was too much for her /delicate/ sensibilities. So it was up to him to be the master of ceremonies.

Creasing his fingers across the gem, he whispered, "Bahamut, Dark Tyrant of the Skies.. it's time to take the stage!"

Across the surface of the desert, tenebrous flames erupted out of the sands from one point, then spread outwards as an eruption which turned the sand into shards of molten glass. From it, rose a the figure from the flames limmed within them as it gained altitude sharply. The size of the creature was deceptive. It was only about half the size of the famed Leviathan of Archades' second fleet if even that, but it was agile.. powerful. And the flames that burned within it's innards would test even the blazes of the Underworld.

It's wings were placed together, and it began to descend once again in an arc which raised great gouts of sand and shards of glass from across the desert sands. Once it came within range of the city's anti-air weapons.. it started to show just how maneuverable it could be. Banking and rolling, it's movements were effortless as it strafed from side to side, balls of blackened flame trailing fiery sparks erupting from it's maw in the aim to consume each landbound and floating turret of the city's air defense that dared to try and harry it. More flares of dark energy.. and the city's communication towers would fall. The Dragon then soared out towards the water's, a shadow swooping over Alexander's prow so suddenly as the Eidolon passed by the twelfth fleet at such ludicrous speed on its dark, membranous wings. The Twelfth fleet and the Alexander were ignored for now.. as it moved to flank the First Fleet. The ships were allowed mostly to fend for themselves against the Valfarres and Remoras, which they managed some success against given the strength of coordination amongst the Black Mages crewing them. Some ballistae were even turned to aim at the lower hanging of the aerial forces. The Black Mages were ultimately nonplussed, emotionless even as their brothers fell all around them. The female soldiers captaining them were a little more.. perturbed.

Upon another chain, Kuja raised up a chaotic mass of dark matter. Grinning in particular delight at this one.. "Odin, warrior of the dark.. ride."

A beam of purplish energy shot straight out of it, to the skies right above the Upper City. From it, the skies became a sickly shade of lavendar, and turned into one giant portal, from which a beam of energy shot down. This seemed to have no effect other than to be a suitably theatrical way of marking the descent to the staircase to the Upper City. Riding astride it's eight legged steed, the massive Eidolon rode straight down upon the air as effortlessly as if it were the ground. It's landing caused shockwaves across the massive path of ascension into the Upper City. The great warrior looked upon those who dared stand in it's way impassively, after all, had it not fought countless battles? What challenge could they offer unto him? A sort of smug look crossed onto the face of Eidolon as it regarded Judge-Magister Bergan. Raising an arm, his spear, Gungnir dropped straight into his hand, crackling with energy. Corded, powerful, ancient muscles hurled it forward.. Bergan's nethicite infused body allowed him to quickly dodge out of the way, but the defense force behind him, and the final checkpoint into the Upper city exploded. /Let none pass unless your life be taken by them?/ Well he got his wish. Contemptuously, the Eidolon started to spur its mount forth into the Upper City straight towards the palace and senate building, drawing its curved sword smoothly from its scabbard.

...Anyone that got in its way would suffer the famed /ZANTETSUKEN/. Don't get in the way.

Pumpkinhead has posed:
Beetle deploys during the Chaos. It makes its way through Lower Arches at a rapid rate. It doesn't seem to be here to harass civilians either, but whenever it actually runs into a soldier, it pummels it in a flurry of blows and then continues on her way. It is in fact making its way towards Upper Archades.

MEANWHILE

Cronus is sleeping in a gutter. He stirs when the Beetle flits past and says, "Da <goosehonk>?"

He steps out and peers at it. "...Ughh..what a commotion... Goddammit."

He taps his foot a few times and follows at a bit more leisurely pace.

Riku has posed:
White Noise.

Riku reached out to the outside worlds and was met with static. He tried again and again, down the list of names, down the list of those who might help them -- and hits a wall of nothing when the communication towers fall.

He was alone.

The communication between parts of the city itself was sporadic and the words slammed into him with the force of a freight train.

He had trusted. He had trusted and hoped and he knew the others were out there-- somewhere-- fighting to keep Archades safe but it was an ethereal thought. A gossamer thread that seemed lost in the shuffle. Alma did not seem to be at her house which meant she was also somewhere amidst the screaming crowds. It seemed such a ridiculous and fragile network. A tenuous series of bonds in a sea of faces and chaos and aching darkness.

White Noise.

Riku shoved people aside, blade bared as he moved down the stairways automatically, refusing to yield to the response to just shut down -- to just wish it all away, farther and farther down towards the sound of calamity.

Cirra Constantine has posed:
The little transport carrying the Judge of Wrath is suddenly rocked as Bahamut ascends to the skies, the beating of his massive wings tearing the airship off its balance.

Alarms sound in the cockpit as Cirra grabs the frame of the door way as ships spirals through the air. "Pilot!"

"I can...recover it...!"

THen Odin has to go and mess that all up, a strike of lightening destroys a magicite turbine, shattering it to pieces and smoke as the craft just drops straight down, plowing into the street.

The pilot hang limply from the cockpit, blood pouring from a neck wound. Cirra, slumps against the wall, the cargo doors having been positioned above her. That case still strapped to the floor, which is now on her right side.

"Blast it..."

Kyra Hyral has posed:
"That's a very altruistic thought, Alma, but are you sure we won't be getting in their way?" Kyra is quick to tell her sister, not out of cowardice, but moreso concern for their well-being, "I doubt neither of us know how the Judges of these operate in combat and we both know that is cruical for providing direct support-wait, were you able to attend any of the Academy's Party Tactics classes before our parents pulled you back?" Kyra's mind races to remember what year they started teaching those courses.

(In this course: Professor Cecil demonstrates front row and back row formations! THERE WILL BE A TEST ON THIS!)

But a part of her does want to help. This was going to be her home now and later she would be meeting with an expert in her field-and she would finally be getting lab space! Sure, her research would have some returns, but until then...

As she looks skyward, she sees something approaching that was certainly not an airship. Too speedy, too nimble, too...winged? A black ball of flame is spit from the legendary dragon and at that moment, Kyra's eyes widen with recognition, "N..no...no way..."

Out comes her Ma Belle. On goes the video recording app.

Awestruck, she films Bahamut attack. "Alma, please don't tell me that's what I think it is!" Besides being a problem that people on the ground couldn't do a damn thing about. Out of the corner of her eye, she notices another bright purple beam of energy and swings to record that and the following portal as well. Odin's descent is captured in its entirety.

The ground rattles beneath her as the Eidolon lands, adding additional rattling to the footage in progress that'll no doubt induce motion sickness when viewed later. "Oh my god!!"

She films Odin wielding his spear, dispatching the guards at the checkpoint with ease. Bergan seems to have found himself spared-at least for now. Then the Eidolon moves, the multi-legged horse galloping their way, the rider withdrawing his famous sword from the scabbard.

Kyra's footage of this event and the approaching rider quickly cuts away as, off screen, the white mage can be heard shrieking and pulling her sister along with her.

Alma Hyral has posed:
"N-No.. I never attended any of those c-classes. A few dungeoneering.." The terror out of her was palpable, as they threaded through the crowds. "...even so, I i-imagine that e-extra hands won't be turned down.."

(Alma flashbacks to a Dungeoneering Course where they stated that in the event of an ambush by a Zombie Horde, then one valid tactic was to push down the weakest and most useless member of the party and outrun them... Her professor had been a thoroughly horrible person to her in the demonstration.)

When Kyra calls attention to it, she looks up, her color paling from ashen to a sickly shade of grey. She just whispers, "I-It can't be... but it looks so like..." /Bahamut/. Not one that's the size of a continent wide plate in the infinite clouds, but BAHAMUT. "...no."

And then her attention is stolen by the descent of Odin... upon Sleippnir. Gungnir causes it's devastation, Odin charges and draws forth his blade. Her mind races, and all she knows is one thing.. She does /not/ want either her or her sister to be in the way of that. She shrieks in time with her sister, even more terrified, and that causes her to take desperate measures... a yellow Aureole begins to lim her body. She grips a hand steadily upon Kyra, and the same happens to her. She concentrates.. subtly adjusts both of the siblings' gravity. /Time out/.

Time dilates around her. How else was she to move at such speeds and not run into a brick wall? Odin suddenly appeared to be moving right at them, at a languid pace. The expressions of the crowd became exaggerated, as she saw every single terrified visage in slow motion. Every stumble, every little moment of horror as /death/ rode right at them.

Pulling Kyra with her, the two rise, and zip around the Eidolon at a wide arc, coming to land /far/ away from the being. /Time in/. And then she releases Kyra, as the corona fades around them both. Alma immediately doubled over, her chest heaving to gulp in air.. And that's when she spotted a hint of a silvery mane atop the young Judge. Was that Riku moving down one the stairwells? Alma would point that out to Kyra, and head towards him once her lungs felt less like pumping bellows, /Ah sweet air/. When she reached him she'd just state, rather than ask, "Y-You'll need a m-medic."

Maximilien has posed:
Maximilien Amadeus Renaud-Sylvianne is not a fighter. He does not do battle - it does not suit his nature. Or...rather, it may suit his nature all too much; the darkness that lurks in his heart stirs at his ill feelings, and the smile he wears is as much a mask for his true feelings as it is a prison for the shadows that dwell in his soul. Violence is a sweet panoply of sensation for the darkness that eats at his heart; the act of killing even a single human being sends a dark thrill through his heart that ultimately makes it harder and harder to deny the acidic taint inside him.

But that does not mean he won't enter the battlefield for someone he loves.

Max lands atop the transport carrying Cirra out of nowhere - almost literally. The cargo doors are thick and heavy, and Max is...well, Max is not exactly strong. He bites his lip, hard; this is a war, after all. Would she want him to arrive? Would she want him to come play the prince? He'd made no secret to her that he wouldn't act like an overprotective fool any longer, no secret of the fact that he had recognized that she was no shirking violet; he knew she was perfectly capable of protecting herself.

But...this is something different. This is war.

Max bites down on his thumb; blood wells up from the bite as he draws a piece of paper from his cloak, scribbling the blood upon it in an arcane sigil. He wraps the bloodied paper around a coin. "Our covenant is invoked once again! Twice now has your debt been called - twice now I compel you to appear and do my will, to defend those I love! Once more have I your debt to compel - once more have I your soul to call!"

"RISE, YOJIMBO!"

Flowers erupt across the area, sakura petals falling all about Max as the sound of Japanese music begins to twang in the distance. The sky goes dark for a brief moment, the moon rising high as each drumbeat picks up, faster and faster. Then emerges the dog; then emerges the god.

The titan's hand reaches outwards, taking the slip of bloodied paper. He unfolds it, looking down upon the sigil, and nods once in assent; then the blade flashes.

ZANTETSUKEN

The blade flashes once, and the cargo doors - and, indeed, much of the top of the ship - is sliced open, giving Max entry into the ship. He slips in, a rustle of his cape all there is to let the Archadeans know he's there, and places himself against the wall. "Je m'excuse, ma chere. I am late once again."

Yojimbo's blade stabs down into the ground before the great samurai god; the Aeon makes known his demand, a circle of cherry blossoms wrapped about the craft. Anything that dares to threaten his charge will be...dealt with.

Gabranth has posed:

Judge Magister Bergan was still on the defensive and keeping what he could from even getting close to the stairwell. Trying to give time for the Palings to get online. "Where is the field?!" He suddenly yells over his pearl, as he cuts down another heartless.

"Damn fools." He grumbles as he slams his short sword backwards, raking the spikes of it right through and enemy. "All to slow. All to soft."

Then at last the energy field starts to come up. Bergan can almost, somewhat relax within. However suddenly there was a massive dragon and that dragon was raining terror. It started to take out air-defenses, several of the First Fleets own smaller ships. The communication Towers, which Bergan can only gaze up for a moment in awe. It was-- very fascinating to watch.

Then to only watch one of their small shiva suddenly spin out of control and smash into one of the Palings. He suddenly was pushed back by the sudden explosive force of the Magicite crystal and the very destruction of the field, which caused him to snarl. "No. No. NO!" He suddenly barked out before grabbing one of the men running by his eyes burning in color. His armored glove started to glow with magical energy. "Get Ghis on the line! Tell him we need his Leviathan and those Ifrits!" he then shoves the troop to the side, watching him run up the steps about the time to suddenly see Odin arrival.

"By the makers of Ivalice.." Bergan said softly and then quickly having to dodge aside. He watched the explosion suddenly knock away his men and then snarled behind his helm in a nice, big, old smile. "At last! A real battle!" Then Judge Magister Bergan like the mag dog of the emperor decided to accept this challenge. He ran RIGHT by Beatrix as she arrived and went right after Odin. Casting an Aerial spell, then chained with a stronger version, then leaping into the air to try and knock the rider off his horse.

He wasn't about to let Odin get up there if he could help it. He destroy the stairwell first if that is what it came down too.

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

Upper Archades was starting to be rocked by attacks from Bahamut. People who were now calm are starting to run. The militia with their rifles quickly go to the stairwells they can a group moving with Gabranth at Delta then to crouch down, lay down, and stand to start to fire. One would step over the other and the trade places, while the others reloaded. This was a marching line of a repetitive, circular motion of rifle fire.

The same took place on Beta as well. The same motions. The same steps. Any who try to go up those steps would be met with a massive shell of bullets. However for Alpha, it was being overran and it soon would be pushing right into the city.

Something Gabranth was aware and left the Judges to continue the press as he himself started to move locations, using his own magic to help accelerate him across the city, running across structure walls, and trying to get to where he could to aid in Alpha's defense.

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

All standard communications were lost, beyond the pearls which ran on more magical means. It was all the Militia now had. And those in the war room where aware of it. The Senate watched on a floating chart as the attack unfolded. Two Judges stood by also watching the scene. Gramis sat there in his head chair, listening to the conversations. His eyes closed as he only listens. He was silent. He had faith in his people. He had faith in his Judges and Judge Magisters. Archades would not fall.

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

Troops started to land down on the lower Archades and were trying to flank around the invasion force. This included several judges charging right for Beatrix's own party and her as well. Magic was being casted. Guns were being fired. Swords being swung. It was becoming massive chaos down there.

Beatrix has posed:
The General's orders had nothing to do with the Judges either, so that she would be ignored in favor of the avatar is fine by her....

If by FINE you mean that she's still amazingly annoyed by the tactics employed. Yes, Archades had masssive troops, but that none of the fighting would be done by Alexandria's actual troops felt like a total dishonor to her right now. What was the use of training the guards, the soldiers, if they are going to be left home in favor of these magical constructs?

Not to mention the summoneed Eidolons helping out by creating even more destruction. While she can admire their fighting powers, that she would get replaced by them is not pleasing her either.

And the Judge going for the bigger fish of the Eidolon only seems to open the doors for her to go on further into her advance, heading toward the Senate post-haste. The quicker she can get this done, the less destruction and death there might be.

The first few troops get met with Save the Queen, that never misbored its namesake as much as today, clanging and sending the troops lying back with the might of the General, while the troop of Black Mages following her seem intent on raining death upon the defeated bodies, even after they are done fighting or surrendering.

"You are not here to kill them, only to remove obstacles!"

"DESTROY! DEATH!"

She sighs inwardly. She should have known better than asking for an inkling of reason from these. Even more reason for her to move forward faster. She wonders if she's protecting Alexandria against a new menace, or Archades from unneeded destruction at this point.

Zargabaath has posed:
The communications to the outside go down, Judge Magister Ghis' voice cuts off into static mid-word. It does not make the bridge crew of the Alexander even pause, too focused on their own individual duties, and Judge Magister Zargabaath moves on without attempting to hail the distant 2nd Fleet to no avail. Directing the counter-force, his hidden gaze beneath that eyeless helm pinned on an almost holographic view of the combat area hovering in front of the bridge. Allies and enemies alike, all dots with unspoken meaning.

The Paling activates, shielding the Lower City from further bombardment, providing the barest sigh of relief. But it's not inpenetrable. Not infallible. Not indefinite. They are on their own.

The Eilodon Bahamut jets past the bridge windows, a blur of fire and brimstone. Everyone flinches from the abruptness, even the Judge of Reason instinctively reaching under his cape, but it is a momentary reaction that passes as quickly as it had happened. Adremmelech? No... no, something different. Worse? No time to tell now.

Luckily, the Alexander does not rely on city communication networks to maintain contact with the 12th Fleet. He clicks his intercom, his voice sharp and firm--no warm fatherly tones here, all downright business. "Fighter wings Alpha through Gamma, support the First Fleet and those with them! Drive back that beast before it takes advantage of its positioning! First Fleet, focus fire on those ships!"

"Sir!" Judge Yuves barks from his station at the side of the bridge. "Judge Constantine's transport crashed in Lower Archades just before the Paling rose! No word yet on her condition!"

Judge Magister Zargabaath keeps his focus on directing the aerial battle. "Alert ground forces, but maintain your focus on the aerial battle! All forces:" His voice thunders with the barely-leashed wrath of Faram himself, "CLEAR THESE SKIES!" The 12th Fleet suddenly lashes out on offense, supporting the 1st Fleet and becoming much larger mobile turrets for Upper Archades itself. They cannot help ground forces, not with the Palings activated, but they can make sure there's no external force to pressure it.

Pumpkinhead has posed:
The destruction is happening very quickly. But it's not especailly quick by those with time chicanery on their side.

Cronus actually makes it there first, chatting alongside Alma and Kyra casually as they do time chicanery to zip around the Eidolon, he doesn't even care.

"Hey." He says. "Hey hey hey hey. How is it everyone's got the time magic now eh? Listen, I've got an idea to stop this shit, let folks evacuate and hitting 'em hard at the same time. I mean, it's obvious who the most annoying one in this is gonna be, so how's about we link up and--"

And that's when he lands around near Riku as well, blinking faintly. "Eh?" He asks. "A medic? The <goosehonk?>"

Beetle arrives shortly after and says, "ONCE UPON A TIME, NOT GONNA LETTT...YOU...GGRGHH...KILL." It swings an arm back and thursts it for Alma's chest. Yeah it seems Feige thinks the experiment has gone on long enough.

Garnet has posed:
Princess Garnet had all but vanished from public view, kept safely within the confines of the castle...Until now. Having caught wind of an attack upon Archades, she had sneaked upon one of the Alexandrian warships, disguised as one of the Alexandrian healers. It was the fastest way to get there but sadly not quickly enough to warn them of Kuja's imminent arrival and attack.

However, it wasnt fast enough. there was no way to prevent the attack..But maybe she could still stop him. What she sees next however is enough to take her breath away...Bahamut...Odin..Why..WHY are they attacking? How on earth did...?

She gasps in horror, remembering the days she blacked out after Kuja returned her, how drained she felt, the vague nightmares...Had he..Stolen her eidolons!? As chaos erupts around her, she steps off the ship once it lands, striding purposefully towards the attacking eidolons. "Kuja, you monster....Why...How?" drawing her magic rod, she points it towards Bahamut, uncertain if she can do anything, but.."Bahamut..Odin..STOP this! You were my friends..Why are you attacking? Dont do this!"

Colorful circles of magic erupt around her as she calls out to the eidolons, but they cannot hear, they are under Kuja's control..Please let this work!

Magic continues to surround her, forming a summoner's circle..Dark clouds part above her and light shines through, revealing another massive dragon, another Bahamut! This massive dragon utters a roar as it dives down to meet Kuja's Bahamut, opening its gaping mouth as it breathes out its own massive blast of energy!

Kuja has posed:
Bergan was inhumanly strong. He may well be one of the strongest mortals in the world. Odin however, was power. Power incarnate. An ancient force that could not be so easily defied by sheer willpower and strength. As Bergan leaps at him, spurred on by the Aerial spell... the ancient Eidolon felt some small amount of admiration for the man. While others would run in fear, this one would face his death head on. And that is why he spared him. An elbow lashes out at impossible speeds, catching Bergan right in his chestplace right as Bergan descends upon him. Ripples of kinetic energy coruscate outward, and several buildings nearby on the upper level lose have every single pane of glass shatter. The upper city itself feeling the force of the blow. Bergan was launched backwards into a wall. And even if he managed to shatter the stairwell in time after that... well Sleippnir was no ordinary steed. It had already demonstrated it can walk on air.

...While Odin is too proud to bisect Civilians willy nilly, it doesn't care too much about those who are trampled underfoot. /Soldiers/ face his blade. /Warriors/ face his blade. The weak will be culled anyhow. Odin could /not/ same the same for politicians though. He thinks he'll rather enjoy killing off the Senate, should he reach them.

Bahamut continues it's assault on the first fleet. .. fighters are generally just a little too quick and maneuverable for him to make a concerted effort to bring them all down with just his natural weapons. A few fall to swipes from it's tail. But most of the time they're actually acting as pretty effective gnats. And then Garnet's Bahamut arrives, raking him with the same flare energy.

What Garnet didn't realize was this. After the extraction? Her summons just weren't even on the same /level/ of the Eidolons any longer.

The Dark Bahamut looks at the other Bahamut, and then as if to say that he's had /enough/ of this. Bahamut ascends rapidly, corkscrewing into the sky with it's wings flared out. The sheer force of its screech causing kinetic shockwaves which send any ship reeling. And then, it takes in a deep breath... Energy forms within it's maw. And then in a wide beam attack it sweeps to consume all the fighters that sought to harry it and the far weaker representation of itself.

/GIGAFLARE/

That beam is turned sidelong in an attempt to consume one of the Ifrits in the wake of its Gigaflare.

As the energy beam of the paling rises.. the ships begin to shell the barrier with untold desperation. With the first fleet above them, they were suffering terribly. And thus the only sound strategy appeared to be to get ashore, to the port...

One of the braver ships begin to move in, hoping that the barrier would fall in time, but instead it strikes the paling, it's prow breaking apart and it sinking.

Kuja bids his silver dragon closer to the city, now that the air defense turrets are no longer a threat to him, his scrying portals moving along with him in unison to look out at the . Still, he makes no mores which are more bold than /that/ for now. The city wasn't even close to being taken.

Cirra Constantine has posed:
Cirra hisses through her teeth as she holds her side and starts pushing herself up, until... she hears a thump on the cargo doors and hunkers down slightly in a ready stance, watching those doors and...

SLICE

Cirra's hair is blow about in the waft of cherry blossoms as Yojimbo removes the back half of the craft that was sticking up into the air. Her eyes widden at the figure that drops down into the hold with her. "You." Her head turns up, and her eyes narrow, she looks angry, furrious for a split second.

Then the tears well up in the corners of her eyes and ducks her head down. She moves forward to bury her face in Max's chest, pulling on his nice pristine shirt with her hands.

"Idiot..." she stays there for a moment until she regains her composure. "We have to go. The stairs." she turns and tears the case off the padded skid it was attached to. "The pilot's dead."

Maximilien has posed:
Max has other shirts. One tuxedo is well worth this. His arms tighten around Cirra quietly as she buries her face in his chest - and then she's back to normal, pushing away from him, the moment lost to time. He lets out a quiet sigh, then nods.

"Yojimbo has us covered for the moment." He can't help but notice the case as she moves to fetch it, staying close behind her. "What is that, that your enemies will come hunting for it?"

Max glances at the pilot. Poor man. He mumbles something under his breath in rapid French, then grabs Cirra's hand. "If it is so important..." He exhales. "Do you trust me?"

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Just outside the city...

Angantyr stands looking over the battle that is waging. Alexandria is...impressive, that much is certain. Angantyr is not here, he warned Arcadia about it, because he knew that the mass slaughter of people was wrong...even if they were Arcadian. He'd broken away from Garland for this...to follow his heart.

However, sins could not be forgiven. The man in that city who had single handed destroyed his nation...helped throw him into Darkness. He would not become a monster, but...the call to do what MUST be done...

He'd prepared for this moment, prepared to do something that might very well kill him. He'd steeled himself, he'd left packages across the city, hidden in spots he could reach them to MAKE sure he'd reached them. He'd walked the city too, openly...

Which means...

A corridor opens up in the hall right outside of the war room. Angantyr flies out of it, mace already drawn. The dark armor he was known for, the abyssal armor, glows even darker as he CLEAVES through a Arcadian soldier that tries to lift his weapon.

Angantyr immediately engages the Judge standing outside. The elite are that way for a reason, but right now...Angantyr would NOT be denied this. He fights with everything, he swings the mace in a powerful arch, aiming to unleash a torrent of darkness that literally manifests as a giant mouth to devour the man..

Angantyr pushes forward, bypassing the majority of the Arcadian defenses by virtue of proto-dickery.

Cirra Constantine has posed:
"This isn't what they're after." Cirra shakes her head, "But it may be usefull." she hefts the case under her arm.

Her hand is grasped and she grasps it in turn.

She nods once.

"...Thank you for coming for me."

Alma Hyral has posed:
Time chicanery. Well. Alma wasn't even really sure if hers was real time magic, for the most part. Or just a side effect of gravity manipulation that she had a fair amount of control over. As Cronus spoke to her, well she had no idea who he was. What he was even talking about. She was just trying to reach Riku.. who didn't stand that far away. Either way as the beetle surged forth at her.. there was a problem. Her manipulation had limits. It took a lot of focus and concentration to activate it. And.. she couldn't keep it up for extended lengths of time. In short, it had a cooldown. And the Beetle just caught her in that cooldown.

She was also absurdly delicate, and if that beetle hit her at that speed.. it'd probably cave in her chest. To the beetle, what it looked like was that she raised a hand reflexively to block. But as her hand raised, a sigil formed, and there was a blinding burst of radiant light which erupted forth to try and dazzle the beetle. She'd twist, allowing herself to fall, and the Beetle's fist still clipped her, knocking her backwards. Her ribs were just a shattered mess on the right side of her chest and she was sure one had punctured a lung. That was what the analytical side of her told her. The more emotional side told her.. /PAIN/. And so it was, as she was shrieking, some blood bubbling from her mouth, instantly put in a state of shock. A radiant white glow wrapped itself around her, in an attempt to fix the damage that was done. But she was down. For the moment... if the beetle tried to finish her off... It was doubtful that she could stop it. Well.. most likely.

Kyra Hyral has posed:
Kyra and Alma's escape from Odin is aided by Alma's mysterious brand of magic. There will be no complaints from Kyra though she has always felt much differently about this magic than Alma, who often thinks it as a sin against Cosma. Kyra will probably use this event later as evidence to tell her otherwise!

A mysterious man (Cronus) that is definitely not a native Archadean appears to hassle them. Kyra's quick to cut in, "Yes, medics. We are both medics. Mostly." There's no time to explain further, really, considering the crisis all around them! The Beetle, which has made itself scarce for a while now, re-emerges to murdeously come at Alma.

Anger flies through Kyra's head and reaches to pull her sister out of the way. That magic activates again. The results are a little less than what Kyra had hoped for and her sister is sent flying. But there was one advantage of the two of them: as long as they were alive, they could heal.

Wordlessly, Kyra reaches into the front pouch of her hoodie and pulls out a gun. It is not a dart gun. It is not a vial launcher. It is an actual gun with mundane projectiles, not magical in any way. Furiously, she opens fire upon Beetle.

Maximilien has posed:
"What *are* they after?" Max asks as he tightens his hand around hers. "Why are they attacking your country?"

She thanks him, and Max nearly releases her hand in shock. It's one of the few times Max's face betrays his emotions. Then he smiles.

"I would do anything for you. You know that."

Then Max spins her into his arm. "But I need to know if you trust me to get that - and you - where you need to be."

Cirra Constantine has posed:
Max's /insistance/ on flare normally irritates Cirra beyond beliefe. This time she is swept up into his arms and smiles up at him instead of frowning.

"I trust you. Take me to the senate building. Thats where the Emporer is."

Riku has posed:
White Noise.

It impinges on his vision, making it hard to see. Making it hard to react because it was pushing in at the corners and eating his mind. He continued with the command automatically. He had to get to Lower Archades. He heard the sounds of -- something. Something familiar over the chaos, but unaware of what it was. He stood in the street completely oblivious to Kyra. To Alma. To Cronus and the Beetle.

He stood with the sword pointed at the ground while people screamed and run. There was fighting overhead and on the ground but all of his perception had been eaten away until just that one little corner remained.

Then Alma screamed. The scream reached all the way down, cutting through the white noise and the despair and the sense of numbing, almost paralyzing shock. --- and all the tenuous bits that had been keeping him together flew apart simultaniously. There was a sound in his mind like a brick hitting a windshield, and a dark shockwave exploded into the surrounding territory bowling people over and shrieking like a gale force wind.

Riku turned around very slowly, blank yellow eyes trained on the beetle as Kyra opens fire on it. In a deathly sort of silence, in a cold rage that had very little to do with the berserker dark crystal snapped into being in his other hand and Riku /lunged/ forwards, snapping in and out of focus like a heat mirage and bringing the two swords down on the beetle with another focused blast of dark energy.

Maximilien has posed:
That was unnervingly strange, having Cirra *smiling* at him from a bridal carry. It was...well, Cirra Constantine was not a woman he associated with *bridal carries*, except when she was very angry at him for sweeping her up into one. He either did something very right, or...or the crash had rattled her brain and she was hemhorraging blood.

Hey, it wasn't impossible.

Nonetheless, Max nods. "Then hold me tight," he tells her as the air rips open around him, time and space bending under Max's will as he opens the Corridors.

Max's eyes flash black as he steps in, still holding her close. He runs - the longer he stays in here, the worse it will be - through the Corridors, the winding road that leads where he wills it. Flashes of his past, shadows of his guilt and his darkness rise up out of the night - Cirra would catch glimpses of memories twisted and corrupted, of seductive promises and desires (some of which probably involve Cirra), and other, darker things...and then the darkness ends as Max stumbles out of the portal, into the Senate building.

"I always...make sure to visit every place in a city," Max oserves as he forces his eyes back to their normal color.

"I'll be by your side, m'amour. I won't allow you to die."

Pumpkinhead has posed:
"Wouldn't it help more people if you--" Cronus doesn't seem to realize the cooldown either--why would he? He doesn't have a cooldown. Nevertheless, he's slow (ironically) to react at first purely because he doesn't seem to expect it. He's not used to people who move at comparable speeds to him. Or maybe he just figured ALma would dodge it with the time magic.

"Oi." He says. "Why didn't you dodge that? Don't move, you probably got internal bleeding."

Cronus seems to realize what he's doing and facepalms. "Ugh... those <goosehonk> TDA bastards are starting to get to me. This isn't even any of my business. <Goosehonk>!" He seems annoyed at his own swearing. He really has to stop that. The goosehonking is so undignified. He doesn't care too much about dignity but ugh. This is just embarrassing.

MEANWHILE, THE BEST WEAPON OF ALL: TOTALLY NON MAGICAL BULLETS!

The head is a tough target to catch--Beetle weaves around the majority of them, though one slams right into her visor, cracking it--before it finally shatters into bits, revealing its blue eyes once more. It ducks into a crouch.

"GHRGK....FEIGE....MAX...MAX. WHERE ARE YOU MAX? I SAW HIM, I SAW YOJIMBO. EAAAAAAAAARGHH!!" It grabs at its head as if in pain.

It swings its arm up blocking Riku's swords, though it shreds through the armor, tearing apart the metal plating and revealing--

A long, thin arm. The arm itself seems to be human-like. Electricity from the suit ripples down the arm before dissipitating.

"RIKU. ACQUISITION LEVEL: NEGLIGIBLE. REASON: NO SHORTAGE OF DARK ENERGY. THREAT LEVEL: HIGH." It says, before suddenly vanishing from its current position, swinging an arm for Riku's back--

--only to get its arm caught by Cronus.

"Oi." He says. "You said Feige?" The arm disintegrates in his hand, revealing another humanlike arm. "Feige as in 'Evil Science' Feige?"

Beetle is silent for a moment, and then a woman's voice starts laughing out from Beetle, it's brief and sudden--not Feige, though it certainly sounds nuts.

"MURDERER. HA HA. KILL ME, KILL ME CRONUS. KILL ME, KILL ME, OR I, OR I WILL KILL YOU. YES, REVENGE. CAN YOU BRING YOURSELF TO DO IT AGAIN? HA HA HA HA ROFFLE ROFFLE 24!"

Cronus squints, "What are you talking about...?"

"GH105-DHQX-GPAL-123-B"

Cronus reacts poorly to that phrasing. He snarls and raises a hand as if to strike but then--stops, for no readily apparent reason.

Beetle slams her(?) fist into Cronus's face. The blow is slowed down by his deceleration field but it still plows into him like a truck, he slams into the ground, spraying blood and she makes another strike for his gut, attention turning off the others.

It could be a good opportunity to get away. Or take an attack of opportunity. Or something else.

Gabranth has posed:

One paling down. Four more standing. Not the perfect barrier, but it was holding, just not at full strength. Yet there was already ground forces and they were pushing right up Alpha, while Beta and Delta where holding their own.

Bergan however was busy with Odin (or trying to be) and that left Gabranth on the move to see Beatrix's own troops also starting to push right into the city including with those black mages. Some of the troops did need a beat down by the more Beatrix tried to get in, the more forces started to show up.

Upper Archades after all was a /huge/ city. This is why air cabs were used to move to different locations with the massive Senate building that stood up high right at the center point. It was perhaps also seen as the most heavily fortified position because not only its size, but it was right where the very barracks for all the troops of Archades were, along with smaller points at each city point.

It was also the location where all the Judges and Judge Magisters resigned. It was not a place easily gotten to by /any/ normal means.

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

Angantyr comes corridor of darkness into the hall leading to the war room. Troops from behind start to try and get in and move down the hall once a quick notification went out. Those there though had little chance. One of the soldiers went down and the Judge standing outside the door trying to engage with his own swing. Two more judges come down the stairs toward the Dark knight with their own weapons drawn and one already casting a magic spell of some kind.

Within the War room, the two judges there quickly draw out their weapons and stand away from the door. Their eyes trained on the doorway with the combat happening outside. "Your Majesty. Senators. Please move behind us."

Which the senate does, but instead Emperor Gramis Solidor remains setted, his hands clapsed, his eyes focused on the information.

The Judge looks over at Gramis then. "Your majesty. Please!"

Gramis then gazes up at the judge with his tired eyes. No words were spoken. Just a long, tired stare.

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

Gabranth suddenly drops down in front of Beatrix and her forces, along with those black mages. His gold eyes were glowing brightly from under the helm, yet no swords were drawn, only his hands clenched into tight gauntlet fists.%r His voice had a low, ominous growl to it, as something was shimmering behind his armor a dark wave of energy was pulsing around his form. "You whom attack Archades." His eyes then narrow as his hands snap open, they seem to have claws forming on the armor. "Will join their bodies!" He suddenly roars out. "I will not loose ANOTHER!" Then suddenly Gabranth charges right toward them, as he leaps into the air, there was a sudden dark wave of energy that flashes out.

Gabranth has posed:


Where there was a man, is now a massive dark purpled, almost black Behemoth with armored sectioned bones that move out from the fur. Black lion like mane and massive black claws lingering out to strike down several of the Black mages and Beatrix's own forces; if not her as well.%r How large was this Behemoth? Around nine to ten foot on all fours. He was a big boy and very, very angry.

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

Bergan however today learns, there is something not only worth the challenge, but also hits like a crashing airship. The Judge Magister is thrown back into the wall and oufs as he slides down it a bit. He coughs as he forces himself to stand. "Impressive." He then takes his swords and cuts the supports for the stairwell not giving a damn if the troops are on it or not.

He would not allow anymore to pass in that direction. "I like you.." He murmurs with a bit of a laugh and then he shealths his swords as he then starts to summon up another spell. The ground under his starts to glow then with a load roar, he suddenly blasts out a massive lightening strike that explodes out with enough of a shockwave force to explode the ground as it passes by.

Lets see how Odin likes that!

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

Reports start to go across a few of the smaller fighters ships within the forcefield reporting issues with the glossair engines. Apparently something is starting to effect the Skystones; a special type of magicite and is starting to drain power from it.

This-- can't be good.

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

Back at the Senate building...

Another dark portal opens and several men have their rifles already trained on it and their swords at ready. The only thing that saves them from opening fire is Cirra begind held by max. Which one of the Judges state simply in shock and some held ire of anger. "Judge Constantine?"

Zargabaath has posed:
Aerial fighters are lost one blip at a time, sometimes many blips at once, but it does not cease their assault. The 1st Fleet is quickly being worn down thanks to the flanking of Kuja's Bahamut at their port sides, one or two of the worst damaged even crashing to the sea below, but still they fight on. About half of the total fighters in that area, from both the 1st and 12th Fleets, swoop down to sea level and begin continous high-speed strafing runs on the seabound ships even as the enemy vessels increase their bombardments on the Paling with noted desperation.

Suddenly, a new creature so similar to the enemy beast pierces the skies and lashes out, dragon against dragon, but it is a mere momentary flare of hope. The enemy Bahamut corkscrews up into the air, scattering the fighters still swirling around it, then attacks with a massive beam of energy.

The cheesy line of 'voices cried out and were silenced' is eerily appropriate concerning what is heard over the Alexander's radio. Multiple small explosions within the beam mark the destruction of numberous Valfarres and Remorras that could not escape the attack in time. The beam continues on, unhindered, and lances through one of the 12th Fleet Ifrits protecting Upper Archades. An explosion blossoms from its center, it lists off to the side in a final last-ditch maneuver--away from the city--and begins to fall. But it does not fall silently, firing everything it still has at the accursed dragon in one final act of defiance... before it crashes to the sand and explodes in a horrific massive explosion.

A fighter group of Remorra screams past Kuja and his draconic steed, immediately pulling into a banked turn to get a second look--and perhaps get a bead on him. They do not yet know who or what it is they have found... not yet, at least.

Judge Magister Zargabaath apparently takes no notice of the sudden loss of life, continuing to bark out orders real-time as the formation of 12th Fleet ships around Upper Archades adjusts itself to fill the gap of their fallen sister ship. He is aware of the situation on the ground, even of the situation in Upper Archades itself, but there is not much he can do about it. The best he can do for the latter is divert a few of the Remorras to dock at Upper Archades, disembark, and assist the situation near the War Room. It is more than what he can do for the former.

He is fairly certain who the supposed 'Dark Knight' is, for all the good it does now. Deep grudges cannot be buried nor forgiven, and blood taken calls for blood in kind.

But for now... the weakened Paling still holds, despite being peppered by falling debris once in a while, and thus so will the Fleets. They must.

Kyra Hyral has posed:
The worst part of all this, she knows it's some kind of organic thing under there. Kyra knows the Beetle has this sentinent organic core, possibly put there against its will by this Feige person. Speaking of Feige, she hears that name pop up and her eyes narrow.

Kyra is moving, keeping out of stabbing or punching range of the beetle, fully taking advantage of the fact that Riku and now Cronus are closing with them physically. This was, of course, part of Party Tactics! White mages and ranged weapons in the back.

"Is Feige listening to this?!" Kyra demands, keeping her gun held out in front of her, clasped with two hands. "Give her a message! Tell her to stop <GOOSEHONK>ing with my sister or I'll <GOOSEHONK> shoot her in the face!!!" Cronus has a foul-mouthed party member with him today. Yay!

Run? Never. Attack of opportunity? Yes. SHOOT IT IN THE BACK. Having realized that the head seems to be a difficult target to hit, Kyra aims for between the 'shoulderblades' this time.

Beatrix has posed:
How quaint, opposition. It would have been too easy if all of the judges and magisters just ignored her, it would be done quicker. But adversity was expected of course. She hrmphs, not phased in the least by the apparation of the behemoth. In fact, the dark mist that summoned it is not quite unlike the one that the black mages appeared from, it would seem. At least, not from her stand point. A battle is ought with blood and sweat, magic or steel, but not artificial constructs or summoned monsters.

She has taken note of the second Bahamut in the skies, albeit briefly. Is there another summoner nearby? She wouldn't even think of it to be the princess either. She has no reaosn to be here. Neither would she, if it wasn't for the others.

She flips her hair, looking impassively at the behemoth and the troops. She swings her sword up, and then in front of herself, pointing straight at the monster's eyes "Be it monsters or armies, I shall cut you all down if you bar my path." Just as per her reputation, she is fearless and decisive. They can cut the black mages down all they want, but while they are standing, they are casting their own brand of destructive magic, raining it down over the Judge troops and summoned beasts.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Not...enough!

Angantyr tears through the Judge he's fighting with. He can feel darkness portaling in nearby...but not the source. He doesn't care, not right now, he is /so close/ He doesn't even stop them from trying to pepper him. Angantyr is a /bear/ of a man, and his SINGLE MINDED determination drives him forward. NOTHING will stop him. He looks at the judge still locked with him...and he digs something DEEP within. Darkness...he needs strength right now, terrible strength to do something terrible. He realizes it, in his heart, that...whatever happens here, whatever he does...it is not a good thing.

But...it is something he must do. The blood of those good men that died...those men who's only crime it was to defend their homes...

Rage flows through the judge, and if the guy infront of him is going to be a barricade...

Angnatyr tries to OUTRIGHT overpower the judge, trying to litterally lift him up...

And smash him through the last barricade on his way to the Emperor, right through the doors of the war room. Darkness SURGES through him, pouring out like a font...

For the moment he had dedicated his life to. For this /one moment/.

"EMPEROR SOLIDOR! FOR THE CRIME OF DESTROYING RIVERA.."

Angantyr levels the mace towards him, but does not yet strike. "I have come to take what is owed as the last surviving and loyal Member of House Vespar."

Kuja has posed:
Kuja looks through one scrying portal. He appears disappointed that Bergan vs. Beatrix didn't happen. Mayhaps he was hoping that the self-righteous General would become a smear on the pav... OH NEVERMIND, Next Contender: Judge-Magister Gabranth the Behemoth! Kuja files away that information for later. He widens that portal into high def resolution. This could be good. The other is Bergan, still going after Odin. What was that about unstoppable forces against immovable objects? Kuja looks up in irritation at the Remoras getting a beat on him and his silver dragon.

"Your part in this drama is so small I'd be hard-pressed to even call it a bit one. You should know your place." A slender hand was raised. A pulse of energy moves out from his palm, moving outward in a dark halo of sorts.

A supernova of flare energy erupts in the midst of the Remorras. He doesn't deign to cast them a second glance. ...Oh wait, was Downton Abbey on? His third scrying portal was DVRing it.

....Odin has the ground break up in front of him, and again he was forced to admire Bergan's determination. But he really didn't have time for this. He stopped short, Gungnir reappeared within his hand, and he hurled it near Bergan. The collateral damage was immediate and absurd. And then his horse simply walked over the crack Bergan formed as if it were a gap.

Bergan was doing a fine job delaying him, at least.

Bahamut on the other hand, was exhausted. It was sorely pressed, and although his presence had caused an effect on the Magicite powered airships, the effect on Bahamut was far more immediate. It wasn't moving as fast any longer. It wasn't spewing forth flares. It started it's deliberate advance on the twelfth fleet. Apparently if it was going down.. it was going to take as much of the fleet with him...

The naval fleet in the harbor was having /some/ success, breaking through, but many of its ships were floundering. And some were abandoned entirely. The harbor was littered with black mage corpses, floating with their sad little conical hats still attached to their bodies. Nameless, faceless mysteries even in death.

Cirra Constantine has posed:
So... this is what trust is. Showing someone the dark parts of you. Not that Darkness, but the things that attract it. The whispers of power, the tantilizing offers of domination. It's all so familiar.

When they emerge from the portal, Cirra swings her legs out of Max's grasp and stands on the ground. "Theres no time for explinations. We have to se-" theres a bellow that can be heard through out het senate building, and Cirra suddenly takes off at a run.

It takes her a moment to realzie she's pulling Max by the arm, and then lets go. She sees the broken door ahead and grits her teeth, breaking into a flat run that might leave even Max behind.

Cirra leaps and up lifts the case up from under her arm and swings its weight around, "ANGANTYR!: spinning around on her center to try and use case to /smash/ Angantyr aside.

Well whatever is in the case, it's not delicate.

Or it /was/ and isn't anymore.

Riku has posed:
Riku pivots sharply as the beetle disappears, then looks at Cronus as they catch the arm of the 'beetle' creation. And then when they get further plowed into by something that looks like being hit by a siege train. Repeatedly.

The inside of his head feels like one massive bruise. Having light and darkness fight it out in your head is a great way to simulate a pan-galactic gargleblaster -- in so far as being hit in the head with a lemon wrapped around a large gold brick.

Riku draws deeper on his reserves, taking a few steadying breaths as he watches Kyra open fire. The sound is distorted and far away, muted into a vague series of pops. In fact, he is watching the whole panoply of explosions taking place within and without the city with the air of someone half-way watching a movie.

The teenager drops the crystallized sword and it evaporates in streamers of mist that curl up the length of his arm, blackening the articulated claw gauntlet as it sinks into the metal. He attempts to help Alma back onto her feet while the beetle is occupied. "Can you move?"

Maximilien has posed:
It's amazing how strong the women Max is attracted to are. He's reasonably sure that Cirra could snap his arm in half with little thought - he's reasonably sure because she is currently doing her damnedest to rip it off. Max is ludicrously fast, but he wasn't prepared for it; being jerked off in one direction makes it very hard to get a running going.

Still, once she releases him and Max gets going, he keeps up with her admirably. He may be just a normal human, but he's a Phantom Thief - that means speed is the name of his game.

"I told you I will not leave your side...nor will I let you die," Max breathes as he snaps his hand into his coat, drawing forth a pair of flowers - one a rose, one a lily. They twine around each other as Max's magic flows through them, and he flicks the twining flower into Cirra's hair with pinpoint accuracy. Whatever she might feel about the flamboyant gesture, the magic behind it is definitely nothing to sneeze at - she'd feel lighter, faster, swifter, more agile almost immediately.

Gabranth has posed:

The One Judge is tossed aside, the two others beaten down. Then as Angantyr enters the room, the two two judges there try to protect the Senate and Gramis, however they two were soon thrown into the very pillars of the room. One knocked unconscious. The other-- well-- he spin snapped from the sheer force.

The Senate fearful stay in their little dark corners, one however seems to use some type of magic to escape. Though where too. One can not say. Perhaps a traitor among them?

Gramis however only looks at Angantry, then closes his eyes. "Be done with it. If my blood will end your anger and save my people. Then end it."

Then enter Cirra Constantine, which Gramis snaps open his eyes and then stands up. "Judge Constantine! Hold your hand! That is an order!" Does the Emperor honestly believe that in sedating Angantry's anger that this war would end? The answer is possibly yes.

Or maybe he just wanted this to end. End of it all.

The senators who remain even give Gramis a crazy look. Had their emperor lost his ever loving mind?! Why would he-- the people needed him! They needed them!

"You can't be serious!" One them at last stated out loud in the shock of what was happening.

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

Beatrix's forces and the Imperial soldiers of Archades were locked in combat, along with those taking aim at the Black Mages. For each man that seem to be taken down, five more would come to take his place. However they-- seemed very confused by the send Behemoth.

Much like Beatrix perhaps was.

The Behemoth stares at the sword and roars at her. Those gold eyes however hold no sign of a beast, but that of a man within them. The fur bristled up as those golden eyes narrowed before he suddenly swings his claw at the sword to knock it away, and then goes to swing its other paw the other direction. Trying to knock her aside.

Oh. Gabranth would have rather locked steel with her as well, but Archades was falling. His second home was about to meet the fate of his first. He couldn't let that happen. He didn't have the power back then to save Landis, but he now had the power to protect Archades.. and he would die to keep her alive.

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

Bergan yes continued to play distraction. However that suddenly came a halt as the weapon slammed into his shoulder and he was knocked back by the sheer force. He went to rise up again, trying to ignore the deep piece in his shoulder when suddenly there was a shift in the ground.

He could feel it under his feet. "..what the.." He glanced up to the horizon and suddenly noticed a slight tilt. Which he tilted his head slightly with. "..." Then he suddenly bolted off to some other direction. It seems the battle between Odin and Bergan would have to be concluded another time.

Alma Hyral has posed:
Bones, knit back together. Blood flows anew. Lung tissue gets repaired...

Alma Hyral may have low self-esteem but she had to admit she was a fine healer. It was one point of pride for herself. Between the sobbing, and gasping for breath, and the coughing up of blood, she manages to stare at Cronus. She might have even tried to respond but.. she found herself a little indisposed by /PAIN/.

Kyra opens fire, and she looks vaguely at her through eyes blurred by tears and shock. It was so intense that... she barely comprehended Riku's explosion of dark energy. It bowled her over without her even knowing what hit her.

With shaking hands, she began to push herself back up once she felt as if she could manage to /move/ again without her body screaming in pain. She just watched with a sort of vague detachment as Riku assaulted the beetle.

And then... Riku is at her side, helping her up. She closes her eyes, takes a moment to calm herself, then takes his hand, rising. While she was still trembling from her state of near-shock, she was at least able to move again. "I-I'll be fine."

She offers a wan smile at him, "I may be t-terrible at everything else, but l-like I said I am a really good healer."

And the Beetle was beating in that gentleman's face who was talking about time magic unto her. He'd even showed concern. She takes in a deep breath, this was going to be.. uncomfortable. A yellow Aureole appeared over her. Guess whose cooldown was up? /Time Out/

Moving around quickly with her senses heightened by the time dilation, she touched the air in seventeen different places in a notable pattern. Each place that she touched, a bright sigil appeared, within each, arrays which looked like archaic script from her world. And once she was finished, one more appeared right by her hand.

/Time In/.

She'd tap the array in her palm, each time she did, a little spark of light came forth, subtly altering the sigil in her palm. All seventeen Sigils joined in a straight line. And then a translucent blue image appeared over it.. of a celestial dragon, not unlike that in the sky. A living image which shifted in the air, the trick of light overlaying it shifting and moving forward with each of the stars..

Draco Bahamut, Guardian of the Infinite Clouds..

The constellation formed Dragon would move to interpose itself between the Beetle and Cronus.

Give a message to Feige Abramson for me...

The living constellation would surge forward at the beetle, it's ethereal talons raking with burning light. But wherever it struck, it wouldn't actually cause bleeding wounds, but /burns/. It's maw snaking forward to snap down at it. Just moving to press it back away from Cronus, Riku, Kyra, and herself.

Tell her...I've had just about /enough/ of this <GOOSEHONK>

Beatrix has posed:
Beatrix holds in even more contempt would would use a man to turn them into beasts... or was it a self-transformation? It doesn't matter right now, it seems her side has been pushing back the Archadian armies... making her scuffle with the Judges seem even more unnecessary than before to her eyes.

But right now, her own safety as at stake it seems, with the Behemoth not fighting like a monster, but with intelligence. Her grip on the sword is strong, and not easily knocked away, but she has to hold her attack, and move low, right under the giant clawed hand that swipes at her wide. Another hairflip. "I have no inkling what experiments you make on your soldiers, voluntary or not, but you are obstacle to remove." Raising her sword high with one hand, she sends a diagonal slash of thunder toward the beast, and in a rapid fire, another, crossing over the first, faster as to intercept it and crash into the behemoth at the same time, impacting strongly with electrical energies. "Your fight is over, stand down or incur even greater losses!" She shouts out to those around her, not only the beast, if it can even understand her.

Zargabaath has posed:
The Remoras don't even get a chance to react to Kuja's magic, the Flare explosion in the midst of their formation disrupting them just as they're reporting in the suspicious target. One is caught at the epicenter and it explodes in midair without warning. Others are damaged from moderate to severe, their rings no longer keeping them aloft, and they fall from the skies--a few even angling to crash into the Alexandrian ships far below if they can. If they are to be destroyed, they'll cause as much disruption to the enemy forces as possible on the way down or even upon crashing.

Judge Yuves catches the sudden activity on his station and intensifies his focus on the area. "Sir! Second Squad from Alpha Wing has just been knocked out of the sky! Searching for the origin--"

"Incoming!" Judge Magister Zargabaath barks suddenly, his attention focused beyond the holoimage, beyond the windows. The draconic form of Kuja's Bahamut is steadily growing larger, fiery eyes pinned right on them. There are no words needed for such clear intent, and there is no escaping it--not without exposing the very thing they're trying to protect. Everyone falls back on training and braces at their station, even the Judge of Reason himself locking his arms over his console, preparing for the worst--

Only for the holoimage to suddenly show a new wave of allied aerial forces appearing over the sands, with one dot in particular moving drastically fast. <"Twelfth Fleet, this is the Second Fleet! We are coming to reinforce your position!"> Judge Magister Ghis' voice barks over the frequency, causing even Zargabaath to snap his helm upwards. <"Allow me to deal with your little dragon problem!"> The Leviathan, the flagship of the 2nd Fleet, suddenly screams into view from the side, clearly on a collision course with the incoming Bahamut intending to broadside the draconic with all weapons firing.

Judge Magister Zargabaath doesn't even pause, snapping the fleetwide broadband to life. "All units! Decimate those seabound ships NOW! Secure the skies and all that surrounds Archades!" He points at Judge Yuves without even looking at him. "That anomaly in the skies--"

"Pinpointed. A man on a... silver dragon...?" The aide shakes his helm, more out of weariness than shock or disbelief. "Nothing I've seen before."

The Judge of Reason grunts. "Not one of ours. Divert Wings Zeta, Kappa, and Tango to deal with him--but do not let them take unnessisary risks!" He keeps his focus completely on the holoimage before them, moving his forces like game pieces to maximum effect even as the 2nd Fleet fills in the gaps and joins the fray.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr's body is smashed by the Dynamic Entry. He staggers forward, but acts strictly on reflex, turning around and attempting to slam the Judge Magister into the ground with a loud resounding THUD.

His eyes narrow on her, "Ironic. No less important to me, than your home was to you. You still carry your torch, and so I do too." He says, getting ready to turn again...the Man was right /THERE/. He WOULD not be denied now.

Then the order came down. Angantyr turns his head towards the sickly old man...he...orders his defenders from protecting him. He stops advancing towards Cirra and instead turns towards the man again.

"Do you think this will stop me? Are you banking on me having a change of heart? You have taken everything from me..." Angantyr growls...he can not believe it, in his moment of glory, this man would try and take the meaning out of it by taking the cowards way out...

Angantyr turns, like a truck. "DIE!" is all he says, too angry to say anything else. He will /not/ be denied. The mace swings, darkness surges, aiming to maul the man. The darkness burns like a dark flame, aiming to burn the man from the inside out, before consuming him entirely.

Angantyr pauses for a long moment. They were avenged.

Pumpkinhead has posed:
"MURDERER. HATE. YOU. WILL YOU KILL US? HA HA HA, DO YOU STILL HEAR THEIR SCREAMS, HA HA HA. KYRA SO JEALOUS OF YOU, YOUR SISTER? HA. 42!" It does not say whether or not it's going to pass the message along or not, indeed it's difficult to tell whether or not it's heard, but on the plus side--bullets seem particularly effective, especially when aiming for the back while it's not paying that much attention. Black and red blood sprays from the two holes Kyra puts into her, it'd probably put her out entirely if Cronus didn't actually reach up, in spite of those two hands wrapping around Cronus's neck.

"GHRKHRKHHK EXCLAMATION POINT EXCLAMATION POINT." It says. "IT HURTS, IT HURTS, THE BLOT."

Cronus slows down Beetle's bleeding, struggling to get out of her grasp before--

TIME IN.

The constellation can't quite get between them, in fact, they're grabbing ahold of each other, but it can CHOMP down on Beetle's head. There is more screams from a womanly voice in that armor--

"RETREAT. HASTE ENGINE ACTIVATED."

The two, alongside the dragon, fling themselves through the air at hyper speed---Cronus must be getting involved with time chicanery.

Nevertheless, they slam through one building, right on through it, through pure acceleration. Bits and pieces of Beetle's armor melts away as the two go full out in the use of their powers. After the first smash through a physical structure, the consellation dragon dissipitates, having ripped the helmet free from Beetle's body--but not the head, at least!

Kuja has posed:
Kuja's fourth scrying portal flips through the channels. Mob of citizens running screaming from Odin. Amusing but no. Emperor Gramis about to get pulped by Angantyr... change channel. Garland having his least favorite servant cleaning Mirage tower during the maintenance cycle.. Okay that one he'd record too.

Wait a second. Emperor Gramis about to be pulped by Angantyr? He flipped it back. And then he watched. He placed a hand to his chin, and he just began to laugh. He laughed long and hard, he didn't /care/ if Angantyr stole his kill shot here. Because frankly he found it too funny for words that the bludgeon had tried to defiantly seperate himself from Garland, only to play right back into his hands.

Bahamut had stopped in midair, and was clearly focusing on attempting one last Gigaflare. Something that would likely wipe out half the twelfth fleet if it erupted... when the Leviathan slammed right into it, impaling it. At first it didn't seem to understand what had happened.. then instinct took over. It began to flail, it began to spasm. In it's death throes it raked the ship terribly, and then it pulled itself right off the prow..it began to fall down to the ocean, great gouts of flare energy wildly spraying the skies. A few of the Ifrit or Shiva class were likely heavily damaged by it.. but then Bahamut collapsed into the ocean. Water sprayed upwards as a waterspout. And then came a second, implosion, as the creature was unsummoned, and the ocean rushed in to fill in it's place.

With Bergan gone.. Odin continued forward into the Senate Building.. the massacre that is like to follow will not be described because this is DISNEY, and thus a giant censor bar appears over it.

As the wings Zeta, Kappa, and Tango close in on him, Kuja rises from his place on the dragon, exulting that he may finally have a challenge. He actually begins to slow clap, and then he shouts out at them with a magically amplified voice, "I'm pleased that you managed to /finally/ notice the leading man of this little drama. But aren't you forgetting something? Black Knight to E7. Checkmate."

He makes a motion as if he were toppling over the White King has fallen on the chessboard. His face at the moment was the epitome of troll face. As if to say to every single Judge-Magister, /Bring it/. Assuming they didn't high tail to the Emperor's side now that the message was received..

Kyra Hyral has posed:
Kyra decides not to think too deeply into the gibberish the Beetle is now spouting at her. It still manages to rankle her quite significantly and she empties her entire clip into the android's back, a cold expression on her face. Calmly, she flicks a thumb down and the empty cartridge is ejected from the base of the gun, clattering to the ground.

A hand reaches into her hoodie pocket and procures a second clip, which she slides into the gun.

After that, she's in pursuit of the pair as they smash through a building, leaving Alma in Riku's care. She's careful once she reaches the building since the pair continue to fight inside. At the very least, she wants to see what exactly it is under that armor.

Cirra Constantine has posed:
Cirra brings the case up, catching the mace with it's edge, the force of the blow smashing in the side like it was paper and forcing Cirra back with a whump against the wall. Then the emporer orders her to stand down.

"What..." she looks him, disbelieving. "Your excellency you can't be serious!" But the shaking beneath her feet and the link pearl pulls at her attention.

The city was going to fall.

Angantyr's mace falls towards Gramis. "You /bastard/!" She comes down on Angantyr, using the guitar sized case like a club, slamming it down on the back of Ang's head hard enough that one end of the case just tears right off.

"The difference between you and me is that I pledged myself to my country to protect it!"

Riku has posed:
Riku looks towards Alma and nods to her once. "Take care of your sister." he says although to whom either is supposed to be first and second in that order he leaves to general interpretation. He draws in a deep breath and as he lets it out, he disappears from the street in a smear of darkness.

There is a short crackling shockwave as Riku stops being in ONE place and starts being another. He raises up from a crouched position, focusing intensely on a point perhaps a little beyond his nose.

He snorts softly, streamers of mist shredding off him as he then bolts across the courtyard, having been some several hundred feet off from where he wanted to be (but thankfully not up in a tree somewhere or inside a wall) and catches up quickly. He forces himself not to see the blood and the broken city and the death around him, because it feeds that darkness he was starting to lose ground against .. and just like the city .. slipping sideways and crashing was something he was just not going to allow.

Gabranth has posed:

Beatrix was a beautiful sword fighter. Gabranth will give her that. The way she moves. The way she holds her own. However sadly time of admiring such a woman was not now. There was combat, there was blood, there was a matter far deeper at hand here.

And honestly. He was fuzzy right now. He couldn't even talk. Only snarl at her words.

The troops however were refusing to stand down. Die they would for Archades! After all, to not defend her may as well be death far as many of them were concerned. Though a few a few did back off. Mostly deciding to move to another location then be here. Who miss a few troops right?

The electrical blast hits a few of the troops knocking them back but also slams the Behemoth. Those claws grip into the ground as his ears pin back as the electricity surges through his massive form. The sword blades cut across the thick fur, slashing at the scales under the fur and clipping the body.

The Behemoth then goes to retaliate however he pauses. He too now sense what Bergan sensed far sooner. There was something very wrong. The axis was wrong. Suddenly the Behemoth gives Beatrix another growl as if to silently say 'I will deal with you later' and then suddenly charges off.

Those men standing there fighting, suddenly watch the Behemoth leave. This puts them off guard enough to get magic blasted by the Black Mages. Idiots.

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

Cirra seems to have the same reaction as the Senators. Yet Angantry doesn't even seem to even bat an eye lash. Perhaps calling it right. Gramis Solidor had done many wrongs. His hands were stained. He had his own son, Vayne Solidor murder two of his brothers, his own sons, for actions he knew they were planning to take.

He had done, as past generations done and continued to bring Archades up by the means of war. Yet-- so long as Larsa Solidor was safe. So long as the Senate survived. Maybe, just maybe, peace could at last find her home in Archades. That all the war. All the suffering. All the blood. Could be ended.

Gramis Solidor wanted peace in his old age, it be why he never woke her back into war, but yet, war has found her and he fears in those last moment as he sees the mace come for him. He fears now more then ever if this would sedate the dark knight's anger-- but-- could his sons have the strength, to protect her after.

He have to have faith that they would and can.

The Mace slams down and Gramis is knocked aside. His form then battered again and his broken form crashes to the ground. Bloodied and though he breaths, his breathing is slowly as he stares at Cirra Constantine once more. Whatever he was thinking, whatever he wanted to say was lost on his dying breath before his body falls limp on the floor.

As for the Senators. They are now trying to /bolt/ out of the room. As for other Archades forces they are coming down the hall to come to the aid and protection of what remains of the Senate. It seem as House Solidor goes-- everything was going into a can very quickly.

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

Judge Magister Bergan quickly rushed and then slammed his body against one of the service doors to slam it open and then came to a halt at the railing. He looks down and see what is a beam that has crushed one of the generators. Another shorting out and mist starting to leak into the room. "Well. How nice." He rumbles to himself. He then looks the other way down at some of the other generators. Another one destroyed and one of them working. ..Only one working.. and he was unsure how long that one could keep up with the stress load.

He then leaps over the railing before planting his feet on a beam, then hoping down from that, to another beam, and then to a pillar before sliding down slight before kicking off it to land onto the ground. The Bergan started to make a bee-line for the old generator room, snagging one of the massive oil cans as he ran by and heaving it up on his shoulder.

He didn't get paid enough for this bull.

Alma Hyral has posed:
Picking up some little snippets of what the beetle was saying, she'd watch as her construct would dissipate beneath the onslaught. And then she'd turn towards Riku

"Riku.." She'd reach a hand towards him as if to tell him not to go..

What was she going to say? Whatever it was.. it was lost as he vanishes in a smear of darkness. She draws in a deep breath, and then follows after Kyra into that building that the beetle crashed into, ready to face whatever was like to come...

The Beetle was right in a sense. She was frequently jealous of her sister.

But moments like this, where she'd picked up a gun and put a clip into the beetle like she was some action vid bad<GOOSEHONK>? She had to admit that she loved her far more.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
"There was nothing left to protect," Angantyr says, "Betrayed by one of it's sons, it's capital burned to /NOTHING/. It's people forced to accept Arcadian culture, and for what? IT'S GONE NOW! TAKEN BY THE DARKNESS BROUGHT IN BY YOU AND YOUR KIND!" Angantyr suddenly...just looses it.

He has nothing left, nothing to live for. This moment came...and for what? To kill some old man...some old man who couldn't even do him the honor of defending himself! Angantyr turns, right towards someone who was in his spot...but..

"And I am sure you feel so much better than I! Selling your soul to this MONSTER. This man who started a war for his own greed." He says, brimming with rage... If he was going to die, then...he didn't care anymore. He'd take as many of them out as he could.

Darkness surges again, the ground shakes, and he steps forward. She'd be the first. Angantyr's mace grows dark, and he swings once, aiming to catch her in the arch...

Then it comes again, and again, aiming to batter her form, tear through her body, try and RIP the very essence of life from her body. Refilling his own...

And then, the mace and arm turn into something, HORRIBLE...as he swings once. Aiming to drive the weapon THROUGH her...before the darkness aims to try and burn her from the inside out.

Beatrix has posed:
The general watches as the behemoth leaves... She taps on her linkshell, checking on the state of things. Looks like someone beat her to the senate, the job here as been done. She still's not sure why the Senate had to be destroyed today, nor the city, but it looks like its a victory for Alexandria. Bitter victory in her case, but she followed orders.

And yet... she has the feeling that she needs to get a few clarifications from her queen at this point. There are too many things that are feeling out of place, too many factors that don't add up. And that is starting with that Kuja, that is now wielding Eidolons... Far too much power in the hands of a single man, if you ask her.

Looking around her, most of the Archadian troops seems to have withdrawn... and out of her own 'army' there's mostly only charred remains of what used to be those mage puppets. She's not going to mourn over the loss of constructs, even if she cannot understand them either, and starts to move toward the exit, where they are appointed to return to use portals back home.

As she walks, she taps on the linkshell "What is the status?" Just in case she is needed...

Zargabaath has posed:
The Leviathan's hull is scored by the thrashing Eilodon's claws, but not breached. The underside is even scorched by the fallen dragon's uncontrolled Flare energies, but it is not brought down. A few 8th Fleet Shiva are not so lucky, caught in the crossfire and most detonate on the spot. The ones that remain limp back to safer skies.

<"That deals with that, then. Your Honor, the 8th Fleet is at your command,"> Judge Magister Ghis crackles over what was left of the shortrange comms even as the Leviathan swoops towards the sea to turn its powerful cannons on what remained of the Alexandrian sea-fleet.

The fighter wings of Zeta, Kappa, and Tango soar towards Kuja, showing no sign of turning back or even hestiating. They know their role, and they will complete it or die trying. Kappa continues straight ahead, Zeta peels left and Tango shifts right--then they all attack at once as if in chaos but never letting their paths nor their firepower cross each other.

Judge Magister Zargabaath ignores the information concerning the Emperor. That is out of his hands, one way or another, and he cannot abandon his post out of misplaced loyalty--for loyalty, right here and now, is about protecting their home. It is reports of Upper Archades starting to lean that is of primary concern.

If that falls, so does the core of the government. If that falls onto Lower Archades, so does the entire country. So, the Judge of Reason is left to make no choice at all.

"All units of offensive class, focus fire on the target at these coordinates, on my mark." The transmittion of Kuja's coordiantes disperses amongst the united aerial force, the likes of Ifrits, Carbuncles, Catoblepas, and even the Leviathan itself uniting their aim from wherever they happen to be. Even the gnat-like Remora and Valfarres join in, sheer numbers overcoming power disadvantages. Meanwhile, 12th Fleet rearranges its formation again, still defensively placed but also preparing for an absolute worst-case scenario:

Should efforts to save Upper Archades not be enough.

"MARK!"

An impressive salvo of firepower lances towards Kuja from multiple sides, multiple angles, even multiple elevations. This is not in reply to Emperor Gramis' fall. This is in reply to the unprovoked attack /period/.

Maximilien has posed:
Maximilien Amadeus Renaud-Sylvianne is not willing to let that happen. He made a promise - he swore that he would not let Cirra Constantine die.

Every thought Max has, every desire he has right this instant, is to protect Cirra Constantine. Angantyr swings his blade around, and Max undoes all of his instincts in an instant, flinging himself in the path of Angantyr's mace. There's no rhyme or reason behind it, no survival instinct - just pure, raw, overriding desire to keep someone he loves alive.

And by God, does he pay for it. Darkness rips across his body, screaming through his soul, and Max's eyes flash black as his body and soul are broken under the mace. He hits the ground hard, screaming in pain as he's hammered into the floor of the thing. Every inch of him - inside, outside, his heart, his soul - is on fire.

He rolls over, darkness pouring out of him as he sceams some more. His eyes are black now; he thrashes, burning inside-out, and screams.

But she's safe. She's alive. And that keeps the darkness from consuming him.

Pumpkinhead has posed:
Coincidentally, it seems like the two One probably can't hear the noise because of all the chaos AND drama going on, but another wall is punched through in short order, then floors, and so on. Despite Cronus's decelleration field, he's still getting plowed in the face. He's not even fighting back. As strange as it is, he looks like he could die.

They crash down upon a steel re-inforced floor. This one takes a few hyper accelerated punches transmitted through Cronus's body before a hole is RIPPED open, the steel giving way between the pure disruptive speed of Beetle.

The two crash to the floor unceremoniously well after the chief action is well and done with. Smoke billows up, briefly, obscuring their forms.

A form stands up, the smoke disperses, and Beetle--

--stands? Most of Beetle's armor has been shredded through the cataclysmic adventure through several hard objects and her own disregard for her safety. The woman is an adult, either late teens or early twenties in appearance, but perhaps most notable is the long green hair, emerald like really.

"Die there, slowly." The woman says. Blood and black fluid drips around her body, most predominately along her back. Her body jerks, electricity crackles around her form again, and then she grabs at her head.

"hahhh...hahhh.." She pants. "It hurts.... My armor... No... don't look...don't look at this one...Protective helmet... where did it go...? Ugh..."

She blinks a few times, and then laughs, "HAHAHA! REVENGE! REVENGE! THIS ONE HAS REVENGE!"

And then she pauses, looking towards Max.

"Max...?" A small tremor enters her v oice. "...Brother...?" She grabs at her head. "No...no hers. Not...not mine. rghh...Gaghhh..." She shakes her head rapidly. "NO! WHO HURT HIM? WHO HURT HIM!?" Tears spill down her face even as she claws at it. "MAAAAAX!! UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"



Her arms drop from side to side. She turns her head slowly towards Angantyr. "...You..." She looks towards the Emperor. "You..."

"You... got angry again... haha...HAHAh....WAHHhhhHh..." She grabs at her face, tills spilling around her hands. "I CAN'T STOP. STOP. THESE FEELINGS. WAAGGH... STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP!!"

She darts suddenly towards Angantyr. "GET AWAY FROM HIM! GET AWAY GET AWAY GET AWAY!! I WILL KILL YOU!"

She's a bit slower from her damage, but she's still rather fast, plowing her fists at rapid speed for Ang's body, intending to drive him away from Max. Or maybe just straight up tear him apart.

Kuja has posed:
Kuja stares at all the ships which are getting a bead right on him. "Now that's.. something."

He dismissed all of the scrying portals with one hand. While it's possible he could try to evade all of this. While it's probable he could offer some counterattack...

It would still be pretty foolish of him to try. Even if he was likely to survive, it was the literal overkill of an airship fleet moving all their firepower against him. Ah well. He could always get another silver dragon, but since he was banished from Terra he'd have to ask Garland for one. Now /that/ galled him.

Grunting in irritation at the thought of asking Garland for /anything/.. he created a corridor of darkness, and was stepping through it right as the start of the Salvo ripped right into the Silver Dragon mount. The thing screeched, and Kuja was thrown from his mount. More of the salvo tore into him.

He was a rather /tough/ specimen of genome. Garland didn't bioengineer his servants into being weak. But it hurt. It definitely hurt as he was grazed by some of the salvo, and taken head on by some of it. At the last moment, he managed to use a sphere of gravity magic to cushion his descent, right before he landed in the ground.

He was bloodied, battered, and he was terribly hurt.. and his clothes were ruined, revealing his source of shame.

This, /PISSED/ him off.

The literal waves of darkness coming off of him were so palpable that Riku, Gabranth, and Cirra probably felt them, no matter what position they were in right now.

Waving a hand, the sky literally erupted into a /galaxy/ of stars. They would immediately flare, and go supernova. It wouldn't do significant damage to any of the larger airships, but he didn't care. He was just angry, and in a blind rage from the humiliation. Another hand, and another line of stars would erupt, tearing into another column of the fleet that had attacked him.

It was pettiness personified... It was unthinking, irrational anger. Growling, he would send a message into his linkpearl. "All forces withdraw. All objectives complete."

A large corridor of darkness would appear in the bay. Not created by Kuja, but by some unseen ally. Some of the ships would make it.. many would not. Some of the floundering soldiers just /barely/ managed to make it to the portal. Another corridor would appear near Beatrix and her soldiers, if they chose to take it.

And then Kuja would try to gather himself, with all the dignity still left with him, and created a corridor for himself to depart. And maybe, just maybe, he'd collapse in his chambers afterwards, and allow his genetically engineered body time to heal. At least he had his revenge for this insult.

He'd dealt a blow to the pride of the Empire. That was enough.

Cirra Constantine has posed:
Ang turns on her, and Cirra shouts back at the top of her lungs, "There is more to a conutry then one person! You selfish-" she tears off the damaged case, "You could have kept those people-" The mace comes down on her, she doesn't seem to care, she'll take the blow and then-

MAx jumps in the way, Cirra eyes widdening, her mouth dropping open. Her arms drop limp at her sides as Max falls. She told him. She /told/. TOLD HIM. Not to do something like this.

She looks at Angantyr, the normal stoney expression gone for something of abject fright, hands shaingking around the case. "You." her head lifting up slightly, "You. You're just... You're nothing. You're just a headless beast." she inhals sharpley through her nose and one hand grips something within the case. "Stampeading around without regard for anything in your path." she bites her lip, hard and whispers under her breath. "I'm not letting you... I'm not letting you get away with murder."

Cirra rushes forward, her hand puling out the case with a flash of dark steel, gripping it like a sword and lunging into Angantyr's body as she feels a heat well up in her chest. A burning fire that drives her to try and pierce Angantyr right through.

With the Gunblade.

Gabranth has posed:

The War Room suddenly gets attacked from above as something or someone comes crashing down. The Senators who were running suddenly get knocked back by the sheer force. Some knocked unconscious. Some probably killed and others may die later.

End game.

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

As for Bergan, he kicked open the door to the old generators and started to fuel them while checking on Riku's and Gabranth's location. <"Judge Cadet Riku,"> Bergan says clearly as he keeps fueling. <"Make sure to bring a can with you. We don't have much time."> Then there was suddenly a loud explosion. <"..Make that /really/ less time.">

Yes Bergan can be sociable-ish when he has to be. War brings that out in him it seems.

Gabranth on the other hand was going down the other side when the explosion suddenly causes him to lose his footing and he nearly slides right off the ledge and has to grab the railing. It seems over here was in far /worse/ shape. All generators were down and the whole ground was-- exposed. Even the railing was starting to creak, cause it too was threatening to give away.

Gabranth carefully moved himself down, before swinging himself into the old Generator room and started to look around for cans to use. If they could at least get these old generators online..

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

It would become noticeable suddenly that tilt of Upper Archades was starting to become a problem. The rings that helped her floats were starting to spark and a few going off line. There was even a explosion under one of them. The sheer weight of the city was becoming to much for the generators and everything about the system was starting to have a chain reaction of failure.

Those on the city could now feel her tilting and with the explosion also shook the very city for a moment.

Those of Lower Archades could see the Stairwells starting to bend and break. The beams that were used for quick elevator access where also starting to get crushed and slowly bent.

Things-- were not looking good.

Kyra Hyral has posed:
Kyra finds her way a treacherous one as she hops through hole after hole carved through the building, gun held down to her side, pointed at the ground as she runs. She's fast, but still human, and very unable to catch up with the pair of superaccelerated superhumans. At least they leave a nice trail of destruction behind so she's fully able to follow them.

She catches up eventually just as the smoke and dust that was stirred up from the ground starts to disperse. She sees the Beetle stand, seemingly victorious, and lifts her gun, hands shaking. Shaking, not because she fears the Beetle's power, but because she sees that long green hair. "...you were one of them..." Kyra gasps, the bottom dropping out of her stomach. A Dennou, loyal to Feige?!

Too late, Beetle. Kyra is staring.

Suddenly Max crashes through as well. She doesn't know the man but she can recognize the copious amounts of darkness pouring forth from his body. Right away, her instincts scream THAT IS FATAL. Her instincts are pretty much screaming the same thing about that foul-mouthed time fellow that was helping.

It is a small favor that the Beetle doesn't come at her, instead choosing to attack the dark knight who may or may not be the source of the unknown man's wounds. One thumb flicks the safety on to her handgun and Kyra drops to her knees as she stuffs the weapon back into the pocket of her hoodie. Her hands clasp together, squeezing tightly as she focuses the sounds of the fight out around her. Focus...

Focus on life.

"...Cosma help us all..." she mutters, harnessing the wild magical energy teeming inside her, untouched this whole day and this whole incident. The glow is faint at first but quick to build until it's almost blinding-a wonderful light meant to counter the darkness with its bane. Special attention is paid to Max in particular, if only because of that terrifying amount of darkness spilling out of the man in a most unnatural way.

Riku has posed:
Riku finds himself left behind, the coordinates given empty of life.

He whips around in a circle to quickly reorient himself and takes an educated guess as to where he was supposed to go next, trying to picture the pictures and diagrams in his mind.

White Noise.

Dead Imperial soldiers, their glassy eyes turned up towards him. Broken Armor. Broken Weapons. Broken people.

Riku snagged a can as instructed and then propelled himself forwards, throwing himself into the empty air and snagging his hand on a beam. He pulled himself up and caught a glimpse of Judge Magister Bergan.

White Noise. Lower Archades. Empty dolls and the heartless surging forwards. The Emperor has been struck down.

"Focus." Riku grits to himself but his own voice seems miles away. He dug claws into the metal as he leapt from one beam to another, black leaking up his arms -- Archades falling. The giant city crashing into Lower Archades and -- and another home lost.

What.. a foolish.. foolish thing he had done, trusting that it would not happen.

Surely. He would not lose another one.

Kuja has a tantrum which, in his unstable state is another brick that grazes Riku as he tries-- now with increasing concern and not a little desperation, to force the darkness back down. But that sound of a brick a little earlier? That was the sound of his control splintering. There was no wall now separating him from the yawning abyss. There had always been something. Some part of himself -- but now the inside of his head felt empty, and everything was falling out of it. He felt like he living on borrowed time.

But he would not lose another home. He would NOT see Archades go down. He catches up with Bergan, wordlessly trying to hold himself together long enough for any of this to matter.

Alma Hyral has posed:
As she entered the building, she gaped at the horror that had been wrought by the Beetleborg who..

It looked like an older Dennou, and it was attacking the warrior with the bloodied mace.

And while what that might mean almost occupied her thoughts, the man that had attempted to aid them, and..

Wait was that Max? What was he even doing here!? A quick sweep of the room told her who was most injured. And who was.. dead.

The principles of triage might have had her put a black tag on the man named Cronus. He was already likely dead. Alma hated that part of triage. She didn't /accept/ black tags. Max received a red tag. That at least she could fix more easily.

And so, she began to concentrate, slipping into that realm of serenity and focus that would allow her to just pour that healing light into both Maximilien and Cronus simultaneously. It was taxing, especially in Cronus' case.. but he might live as a result of it, as Kyra and her just focus on knitting these people back together.

Maximilien has posed:
Shadow and darkness and pain are Max's world. But she's alive, and he's alive; she's survived, and despite the wounds all across his body from the impact of that terrible weapon, and the impact of the horrible thing that dug into his soul and tried to rip it out, he's survived too. He can hear her anger - can hear her rage, her violence. She sounded so sweet when she was violent.

It is only through exceptional force of will that Max forces the shadows back down into himself as he gasps for breath. His brief medical training and time in the hospital affords him a unique insight to his injuries - he's fairly sure, for example, that his ribcage was just shattered. But that's of much less concern than the taint of his soul, a soul weakened by getting Cirra here in the first place. No, he didn't need to do something like this. She likely would've survived, but in no state for a counter-attack. Max...Max wasn't a fighter.

Besides...people do crazy things when they're in love.

Alma's magic washes over him, and it helps ease the pain; Max can feel his ribs knitting back together, and he draws in a massive gasp, pushing as much of the shadow back down into his soul as he possibly can. It's not easy. Nothing worth doing ever is.

Angantyr Vespar has posed:
Angantyr blinks...

Wait what...that person looks...

Then he is beat like a rented mule. Angantyr moves to defend, he can't...he /won't/ strike against her...something tells him it is...

Then Cirra is right ontop of him. The blade breaks his guard, tearing through him and THROUGH him. His hand grips the weapon, even when it violently discharges into him. He tears it out. Blood drips down him...he's hurt, he's very hurt. There was...something..

The man defended her without a second thought...the woman attacked him for the french man...Cirra is going nuts over...

God what did he do? A dark portal appears, absorbing him a moment later.

Cirra Constantine has posed:
The weapon discharges and theres a **CRACK** as it rends through Angantyr. Cirra shuts her eyes as the corridor of darkness swallows Angantyr to spirit him away.

She tells Max she's fine.

Except that one arm is hangning at a twisted angle, the force of the gunblade having snapped the bone of even a nethicite infused Judge because of her untrained use of it.

Pumpkinhead has posed:
Cronus can be healed. It's pretty brutal, he's clearly unconcious. He didn't lift a finger to fight back, the energy he expended was purely to push this guy away from the others.

The elder Legion swings an arm above Ang as he vanishes into his portal. She turns towards Max and starts walking towards him.

"Max, Max, Max, Max, Max--" She begins when suddenly from the chest armoring that remains intact, a voice eminates from the armor.

"Hi Beetle! Sorrrrrrry, I left my coffee mug on your pain control button here at the office, I'm suuuuuper sorry, but it seems the mission has been completed! Hooray!"

Feige's voice goes dark, "SO LEAVE THAT SEXY THIEF ALONE AND GET BACK TO BASE OR I'LL POUND IT UNTIL YOUR ANIMATRONICS EXPLODE."

"Bye bye now everyone~" Feige singsongs. "Long Live Alexandria! And that sweeeet Black Mage tech hm hm hm!"

The Legion lowers its hand, stares at Max for a moment, and then runs off at SUPAH SPEED.

Zargabaath has posed:
There was no time to celebrate as the mystery man and his silver dragon got knocked out of the sky. Not when only moments laters, bright orbs that could only be described as stars flared to life in front of them and combusted right there on the spot. It shook even the mighty fortress Alexander, scorching metal plate and singing cabling almost to the point of burning through entirely. The heavier-armored ships, such as Ifrits and Catoblapas, were shaken more severely but weren't much worse off damage-wise. The smallest ships, mostly targetted in the second salvo, were the true casualties. Their lighter armor and smaller size ripped armoring and baked those within, some heavily damaged enough to spiral to the ground or sea alike.

Despite this display of petty childishness, it was warning enough. If the full power of these forces that rose against them had truly been brought to bare, chances were it would not have ended even partially as well... if you can call this 'well'.

Reports flood in--damage reports, both to the three Fleets and to the city itself. Lower Archades seems to have relatively minor damage, but Upper Archades... it's listing. Noticeably. Those inside can probably feel the floor tilting at a very noticeable angle. "Faram's Light," Judge Magister Zargabaath curses, and Judge Yuves winces at the sound. When the Judge of Reason delves into religious curses, events have gone FUBAR indeed.

He snaps his radio online again. "Delta Wing. I know you can hear me in Upper Archades. Evacuate all personnel to your Ramores immediately!" His helm twitches, a crick in his neck that won't yet go away. "First Fleet, fall back and evaluate your damages. Your Honor Ghis, I return command of the Eighth Fleet to you and advise you establish a defensive perimeter five miles out in all directions to ensure no further hostilities."

Judge Magister Ghis sputters, only adding to the crackling static. <"What the bloody <GOOSEHONK> are you going to do?!">

The Judge of Reason has the 12th Fleet back away and establish an inner perimeter, even as the other Fleets disengage entirely to fufill their own orders. The Alexander adjusts its elevation to match a specific point of Upper Archades. "You already know. Judge Magister Zargabaath out." He keys an internal alarm and warning klaxons blare throughout the Alexander. "All personnel, remove yourselves from forward compartments and brace for impact. I say again, prepare for forward impact."

*****

Within the War Room, Archadian soldiers marked with the 12th Fleet insignia stream in to assist the injured and assess the damage. "Forgive the bluntness, but we need to go--now!" One of the soldiers, perhaps a Judge himself, shouts to the assembled group. "Follow us to the airship docks!"

Gabranth has posed:

As Riku at last joins Bergan, the Judge Magister glances at the young Cadet and knows that look all to well. He has seen soldiers with that look. Young soldiers at that. "Welcome to war, kid." Bergan says with an odd calmness in it, yet a hint of perhaps-- 'I am sorry'. "We are going to need all hands ready when we get this old girl back on her feet."

He then takes the can from Riku. "Archades, she may be old, but she is strong. So long as we, the people, support her. So long as we live. So will she." He then starts to fill what generators remain with that can.

"Now. Lets give her a hand! See that console over their Cadet? I need you to open it up and flip all those switches into the on position. When I give the mark. I will need you to then hit the red button, but not before. Got it?"

He then finishes his job and goes the console on the other side and does what he just instructed Riku, removing the cap up off the button and his thumb over it. He stared at the meters on the read out, including watching Riku's as well on the other side.

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

Gabranth on the other hand had his own hands full. He had to do what Bergan and Riku got to do together and he have to do this the more dangerous way. Including the fact the door was torn off and half the wall to these old generators. That could bare a problem later. Thankfully-- they were raised up, including the equipment that controlled them.

He could only hope everything was going ok on the other side.

Once he then flips open each of the seven generators panels starring at the read outs and the very lever he will have to pull out, turn, and then push in. A thing down mechanically by the electronics, but because he was the only one here.

Joys of hoping none of these blow up on his face while he does this. Yet as his hand reaches for the lever he pauses for a moment and inhales deeply then lets out a ragged sigh. Would this be enough now? Gramis is dead. This now places Vayne in charge by the fact he is the oldest. He doesn't even know the Senates status-- but if Gramis is dead... then he could only imagine what will happen next.

War. War once again.

He pulls out the lever, rotates it, and then slams it into place.

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

Bergan seems to hesitate for a moment, before he suddenly closes his eyes and then barks out. "NOW!" then hits the button. If done right on time. A loud *SMACK* could be heard from the Generators as their levers adjusted on command. Then a loud *POP* as they fired online and the whole room started to echo of the massive power of the old oil generators started to turn.

The tilt was lessoned but she was still losing altitude. Bergan then glanced around before he muttered in his pearl. <"Zargabaath. I think she needs a little persuasion...">

Kyra Hyral has posed:
"Feige!!!" Kyra bellows, "Just what do you think you are-" Poof, gone. What WAS she doing? If the scientist was aiming to off Alma, she failed miserably in that endeavor. If anything, the beetle just got in the way and royally wasted her and ALma's time. They could have been helping out and-

"/Oh/." Kyra scowls, then stumbles as she feels the floor tilt more. She gives Cirra a helpless look then moves to help Cronus up as best as she can. Every instinct inside her screamed to evacuate the building.

"Safety. Where do we evacuate to?" she asks of Cirra.

Riku has posed:
Riku hears the Judge Magister from.. a long distance off, the audio distortion simply getting worse. He squints, trying to see straight and not the patina of light and shadow that has washed out all the color in the world, making everything a dance of disorienting bits and pieces that he's trying to put back together again.

"Yes, your honor. Thank you. We do what we can." he says, or maybe only thinks he says, nodding in understanding in the direction of Bergan. He reaches up to his throat and the talisman there underneath his clothes and his world seems to crystalize and stop trying to tear apart in quite so many directions.

In the short reprieve, he wrenches open the console and flips all of the switches in a fury of activity. He then lets his head sag onto his chest for a moment as the world spins and spins and he just wants to get off.

He slams the button and there is a loud SMACK as the generators are adjusted and an even louder POP as they fire online.

These sounds are mostly lost as the Judge Cadet sags against the console for a moment before pushing himself upright by a force of will, streamers of dark mist sizzling from the blackened claw gauntlet and up his arm. "..and hope that it's enough."

Cirra Constantine has posed:
Cirra stands there, expression blank as she looks at where Angantyr dissappeared. When Kyra talks to herCirra snaps out of it and turns to look at her. "...The airship docks." She hefts the gunblade under her arm, and cradles her arm. "It's the only safe way to get off the upper city."

Kyra Hyral has posed:
Curtly, Kyra nods. She knows where those docks are since airship was the best way to leave and arrive at this city. Unlike CERTAIN PEOPLE she didn't have a personal dragon to fly her around. Maybe one day. It'll be a super sweet dragon grown in a lab out of SCIENCE. It will have lasers.

Grabbing her sister with her free hand, she hauls herself and Cronus out of the building, hobbling for the airship docks.

Maximilien has posed:
Maximilien pulls himself to his feet after a very, very long moment. He stumbles, reaching out to put his hand on Cirra's shoulder for stability; then he takes her (good) hand in his.

He doesn't say anything. He knows she's angry - that she's confused. He doesn't need to say anything. He just holds her hand in his, helping her with her bad arm as gently as possible as she leads the evacuation.

Pumpkinhead has posed:
Cronus is basically unconcious. He looks less dead. On the plus side, he's not heavy--at all--and can easily be moved about.

Gabranth has posed:

Bergan smiles softly under his helm as he reaches to take it off, before inhaling the air. He looks over to Riku, before he notices the dark streamers, with causes him to raise an eye brow in silence and a soft 'hrm'. He then glances at the Generators. "It will be."

He then starts to walk out. "Come on. We better get out of here before either the mist finds us or something else happens to cause issues." He then pauses as he goes to put his helm back on. "You going to hold it together, Cadet? Or will I need to carry you out of here? Cause that form of magic doesn't look like a good sign."

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

Gabranth then starts to make his way out. Or-- tries too, but realizes he has lost some of his strength from turning into the Behemoth and stares upward at all the places he have to climb. He just stares up there and then down at the massive hole in the ground. He can see Lower Archades moving ever closer.

The structures under her breaking apart and collapsing down. He then rests his shoulder against the wall and closes his eyes.

Landis. His twin. Gramis. His mother.

He had grown soft. To soft. He allowed himself to hope to deeply to rekindle that old spark.

Noah.

The pain in his heart hurt. The pain he couldn't save Gramis. He couldn't save any of them so as he just reopened his eyes and watched. He silently wondered if this was enough. If this was enough or would it all burn into flames.

Zargabaath has posed:
The 12th Fleet soldiers gather who they can, even Emperor Gramis' body, and the entire group double-times it back to the docked Remores. It's a tight fit, as the small tubular airships are not designed to carry very many people, but everyone who needs to board is able to do so with minimal hassle. Even Judge Magister Drace slips onboard one of the ships, apparently little the worse for wear despite a huge dent at the back of her helm. And once all have been accounted for, the small crafts whirring to screaming life as undocking protocols engage.

The massive gasoline engines deep within Upper Archades cough and roar to life, billowing smoke pouring from exhaust pipes that have not seen activity in centuries at least, and Upper Archades straightens and ceases leaning. But the weight and damage is too great to sustain, so it continues to lose altitude, perhaps at a small rate... but it will still end up crashing into the city below if nothing is done.

And Judge Magister Zargabaath does not need His Honor Bergan to tell him what to do now.

He waits moments more, waits as long as he reasonably can... and his patience is rewarded as Delta Wing soars clear and makes best time away from Upper Archades. "Engines at maximum, full ahead. Let's not flatten ourselves, but we can't afford to be gentle." He triggers the Alexander's internal comm once more as they power forwards, the massive airship building speed as the side of Upper Archades looms closer and closer. "Brace! Brace! BRACE!" Even his staff on the bridge visibly steel themselves, Zargabaath himself retaking his seat and doing the same.

The front of the Airship presses firmly against the metal of Upper Archades, the forwardmost structures crumpling and shattering from the forces involved. Even the large cockpit is affected, metal groaning and glass cracking, but none so much as budge from their spot. And slowly, but noticeably, Upper Archades begins to drift away from Lower Archades, towards the ocean, with the Alexander acting like a tugboat pushing a barge.

Riku has posed:
"The only way you are going to carry me your honor is if my legs collapse. I have very sternly explained to them that this is not going to happen."

He is smiling a little too wide to be a pleasant expression but as he chuckles very, very softly under his breath he seems to pull himself back together.

"After you." he makes a slightly bow and gestures with a hand towards the exit. He looks at his hand, inspecting the matte black with semi-curious incredulity before dropping his hands to his sides.

Silence.

Cirra Constantine has posed:
Cirra doesn't say anything at first, keepign her arm clutched, even with Max's help. "Up the street." She directs the group, "Turn west and the airship docks should be visible.

Gabranth has posed:

Upper Archades is 'rammed' by the large Alexander. A Giant meeting a much far larger giant. The city trembles by the impact force; even gentle as she may be. Buildings give by the sheer tremor that acts like an earth quake. Some of the larger buildings come crumbling down. Fractures form in the road ways and platforms.

Even the Senate Building gives away some as the house's crest comes free and comes crashing down into the ground below. Yet she is moving safety away from Lower Archades and to the ocean.

Bergan feels the sudden vibration and reaches for Riku instinctively, protecting the youth as he suddenly flares up a protective barrier as pieces of rubble from above come crashing down. He grumbles softly, before he barks over the pearl. <"A warning next time!"> It was hard to tell if he was being playful or not, but through a few of the cracks he can see the ocean.

"Right then. Lets yes. Move!" He then suddenly crouches down and leaps straight up. His foot impacts the pillar and then kicks himself right up the railing. He then turns around and extends out his hand. "Come on Cadet! I heard you got some fancy foot work! Show me!"

They had to get up there before they impacted with the water. That was-- going to cause an interesting effect in itself. After all, while everyone else got away. Only a few remained and they kinda knew ahead of time what they were getting themselves into.

Riku has posed:
Riku grabbed onto the Judge Magister and allowed himself to be pulled along, although perhaps there is very little left of him to do the perception of 'allowing' anything.

it seems to take hours. How long has it been since the klaxon sounded in his room? It seemed years away, a lifetime that was growing fainter and more distant. His reality seemed to be sky and water and falling machinery. Shrieking metal.

The Judge Cadet digs his clawed fingers in on themselves as though trying to anchor himself to reality, jumping and dodging and running. And it seems to take forever for them to get anywhere, but the ocean was coming up behind them and it seemed.. a kinder fate than whatever lay at the top.

He couldn't remember why but he didn't want to go back up there. He didn't want to see. Riku's grip loosens, but does not slack entirely. He allows himself to be pulled along but there is nothing there to do the accounting.

Zargabaath has posed:
The Alexander continues pushing, metal groaning and sometimes screaming as forces are met and overcome. This ship was most certainly not designed for such a maneuver, but it is managing /somehow/. The forward row of the bridge crew could literally reach out and touch the side of Upper Archades, but the thought doesn't even cross their minds.

The holoprojector was broken upon the initial impact, leaving them somewhat blind. Well, they would be completely blind but for the Leviathan playing spotter. <"Keep going,"> Judge Magister Ghis states calmly, apparently with a good enough vantage point to see where the land ends and the waters begin. Moments pass. <"Ocean on my mark..."> The cockpit's ceiling crumples noticeably, Zargabaath reaching forwards to adjust some settings on his console.

<"Mark!">

The Judge of Reason roars, "Cut power to two-thirds, peel away! Go!" The cockpit erupts in activity and the ominous metal of Upper Archades tears away from the face of the Alexander, peeling metal and glass alike as the two structures part.

Upper Archades drifts, now moving on momentum and gasoline engines, and the lowest-most part of the structure slices into the waters. It sinks further, further... the engines strain to keep the structure level... and then, slowly but surely, it comes to a stop with the lowestmost portion digging into the seabed. Half-submerged in water, but upright with the important structures above sea-level even at high tide. The gasoline engines calm, now focused solely on maintaining level, and the Alexander slowly circles back.

The craft has a much flatter 'face' than it used to, and the cockpit now has a nice sea-breeze air conditioning... but it still flies. And to Judge Magister Zargabaath, who dreads reading the casualty reports still to come... that is enough for now.

Gabranth has posed:

Gabranth was still below, he just watched the ocean come in and then last moment braced himself. The ocean suddenly flooded the room, not reaching the generators, beyond a light splash that was steamed off by the generators intense heat they were putting off.

The waters started to shift back as Gabranth was emerged for a moment before he then nearly coughs out sea water, and the very pull of the water attempts to drag him. He clings onto what he can as the ocean tries to claim his life, but it shall not have it.

It will not have his life here.

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

Bergan moves Riku along, because everyone knows you leave no man behind when your in charge. Judge Magister were generals; they were to never leave their men behind if they could avoid it. Bergan was such a man who loved war. He seeked it. He wanted it and he wanted to die on its battle field one day in a very meaningful war.

The Judge Magister then came to a halt as he watched the waters rise up as the Upper Archades moved into the water and whistled softly under his helm. Then suddenly watched the tip raise back up. Only to watch a few more cracks form and then suddenly see a building in the distance toppling.

"You know what is sad." Judge Magister Bergan stated as he glanced around. "..The Damn Doctor's lab is still in one piece." He grunts. "..and now he gets a /great/ view!"

Bergan says this as he points at it and then cringes behind the helm as another building collapses behind him. "..So uh." He then lets go of Riku. "Just keep at it cadet, cause.. its going to be a long road now, but you well-- um-- do fine." He grunts and then marches on. Picking up an Archades flag as he does so that has yet to hit the ground and marches on with it raised high as if to say if there was anyone left standing to come to him.