( From HereNaomi had been quick to move in front of L, still not allowing him to take the lead. What sort of bodyguard would she be if she let him risk himself like that
( Read more... )
Quietly, the shinigami lead her team into the entry room. The source of the smell was easily discovered as the broken bodies of two bats stained the floor. She slowly moved into the room, eyes flickering upwards just in case there were more bats about. Seeing nothing threatening yet, Momo stopped and faced the door that was their target as she waited for her team to draw up next to her.
So far, nothing looked out of place; no indications of the winged lion. Then again, there hadn't been any either that first night - not until Allen started trying to rip the door open. At least the shinigami now knew what had originally been blocking the door.
"Formation suggestions, Signum-kun?" Momo asked as she continued to focus on the door. Just in case.
Four targets. Homo sapien. Level of threat: minimal.
The construct opened its blank eyes, initial scan complete. Four targets from the north attempting escape via main entryway. Level of priority: high. Hidden in the shadows, the T-103 had made the critical judgment to ignore the previous two, but that only meant the large humanoid was fully charged. These four weren't going to be quite so lucky.
As they pulled up in front of the entrance, Kratos tensed, grip shifting around the hilt of Tamaki's sword. He kept silent, waiting for Signum's suggestion so he could move into formation.
What was waiting for them? Momo had mentioned winged lions, but so far he could neither hear nor see anything that could be associated with them. Typical, of course- regular human senses were easily outstripped.
"Let me take lead. Anything on the ground goes through me first, any birds on the roof have to come in over you to attack me directly. Stay close if we get swarmed, spread out against anything big, if the opposition is unusually tough we use our magic to cover a retreat and try again another night." Signum said, not making the last part sound too terribly much like a suggestion. They'd made it this far unmolested... but it had been pretty bad outside when they'd had the 'field trip'.
Though she didn't know much about the capabilities of their team's third member. "Kratos," she said, "Can you do any tricks we should know about?"
Momo listened to the knight's suggestion, nodding as she spoke. The shinigami was good at tactical decisions, but she knew Signum had more experience with small units than she did given the size of the 5th. As her friend spoke, she kept her attention focused on the area by the front door. So far, so good, but she couldn't help but feel like they were being watched...
"Agreed," Momo replied. "I'll take the right, Kratos on the left of our vanguard, wedge formation." This placed the knight right where she wanted to be and it protected Momo's weak side now that she had a broken wrist. "If a call for retreat is necessary, I will issue it," she added on, assuming Signum to make the decision if the shinigami were to lose consciousness at any time.
Correction: Three. Fourth target showing no signs of entering the premises of the room. Targets within proximity showed signs of high vitality, two of which armed with close range blades.
Noting all this within a matter of seconds, Tyrant began to make his approach, the floor trembling in the enormous construct's wake.
"Tricks? Only what magic I have left. In case of injury I can cast a healing spell, but my quota seems to be just twice a day. I have other spells, but I would like to save my energy for absolute emergencies," Kratos said, moving into position. Never mind that he tended to leave himself on the brink of collapsing after casting now.
Without warning, the floor shook violently: something was coming and from the sounds of things, it was either very heavy or very large- or even better, both. Shifting to maintain his balance, he brought the sword tip up. "Wonderful," Kratos said under his breath, a grim half-smile settling on his face. Time to see how Tamaki's slender blade held up.
Well, Signum reflected as the first footsteps shook the floor, at the very least she could say that whatever was in the room was definitely corporeal. She had a feeling her bat wasn't going to be of much use against anything this massive... she'd just have to put her trust in her sword. And magic, if it came to that.
It wouldn't be like it had been with that orderly on the bus. She might have spoken words of caution to Hinamori, but she intended to kill whatever came. The knight turned towards the footfalls and started forward, intending to meet their source head-on.
Signum needed not to say any words of warning the the shinigami; Momo had moved well beyond feeling compassion for the monsters and enemies their captors had set upon them. Her compassion was reserved only for those of her fellow prisoners that this place had turned against them. Death was never the end, thus the shinigami would not stay either the knight or Kratos' blade should it move to end the existence of the monster just coming into sight before her as Momo moved forward with Signum
( ... )
The Tyrant didn't slow, continuing at its rumbling, steady pace towards the three targets with no hesitation even as the light found him. The closest target was already in motion in the construct's direction. Without warning, Tyrant swung an arm brutally fast for something its size at Signum's upper body.
[[Signum is switching up with Kratos so she responds to the Tyrant's attack right away.]]As far as opponents that could probably kill her in a single blow went the giant that rushed out of the darkness to meet her wasn't so bad. A human shape to match the footfalls, no weapons, and judging by the lead-off attack it was relying on brute force over tricks. Fast for that, all the same... she'd fought plenty of things bigger than her in her time, some enough to swallow the tyrant whole, but they didn't usually move anything like this
( ... )
So he had been correct in his assumption: a giant with plenty of weight to hold up its bulk- and a humanoid one at that. Fast as well, but he'd met golems who had that kind of mobility with their arms, and hadn't that encounter ended prettily?
Kratos stepped off to the left, blade glowing as he focused enough energy for a Demon Fang into it- just in case. If he needed it, the shock wave would hopefully be enough to knock whatever it was off balance, giving someone the time to launch another quick offensive. He knew he had said earlier that he wanted to save his reserves for when they desperately needed them, but if they could deal with the thing in front of them as quickly as possible, that would be acceptable as well.
The very small shinigami had fought at Signum's side long enough in this damned place that she'd learned to compliment the knight's strength and tactics. At least she thought she had - whether Signum agreed or not was unknown.
When the pillar of muscle predictably attacked her friend, the knight stepping to the side to avoid the blow and strike her own, Momo darted in at the thing's exposed back. Between Signum's aggressive counter-attack and Kratos' matching movement on the other side, the small shinigami hoped her approach wouldn't be given as much priority. After all, in compasion she was nothing more than a Hell's Butterfly to their opponent.
Her sword may be broken, the blade no more than a foot long, but it was still sharp and this little butterfly had a deadly sting. Momo drew up right behind the monster and went to stab her jagged blade into its lower back with all her strength - right where its kidneys were, assuming it had any. She also wanted this done as quick adn efficiently as possible.
The construct was barely even phased by the attacks, both blades merely glancing off the large bio-weapon's protective overcoat. Without even a moment's hesitation, Tyrant turned and swung again, this time aiming for the smallest target originally located behind him.
If she'd had time to think about it Signum would have been annoyed to be surprised by armor in a style commonly used by combat mages across her universe, but she was growing used to the magic-light environment of Landel's and at any rate she was currently caught up in the business of reacting to the ever-changing reality of pitched combat, especially with the added urgency of her opponent's switchover to attacking Hinamori. The knight fancied herself a protector and champion, after all, and preferred to take on the heaviest fighting herself
( ... )
So much for swordplay, it seemed, thanks to the enemy's armor; he would have to rely on magic after all and eat his previous words. As Signum made her move Kratos took one step before sweeping his sword forward. "Demon Fang!" The resulting wave of energy rushed across the floor, seeking the giant's feet.
He was already moving to support Momo when the shock wave started on its way; it was only a few steps before the recoil set in. Kratos pushed aside the familiar draining sensation, forcing himself to collect what was left of his magic for a possible First Aid spell. It was likely that the smaller woman wouldn't need it, but he wasn't about to risk being caught unprepared.
Quietly, the shinigami lead her team into the entry room. The source of the smell was easily discovered as the broken bodies of two bats stained the floor. She slowly moved into the room, eyes flickering upwards just in case there were more bats about. Seeing nothing threatening yet, Momo stopped and faced the door that was their target as she waited for her team to draw up next to her.
So far, nothing looked out of place; no indications of the winged lion. Then again, there hadn't been any either that first night - not until Allen started trying to rip the door open. At least the shinigami now knew what had originally been blocking the door.
"Formation suggestions, Signum-kun?" Momo asked as she continued to focus on the door. Just in case.
Reply
The construct opened its blank eyes, initial scan complete. Four targets from the north attempting escape via main entryway. Level of priority: high. Hidden in the shadows, the T-103 had made the critical judgment to ignore the previous two, but that only meant the large humanoid was fully charged. These four weren't going to be quite so lucky.
Reply
What was waiting for them? Momo had mentioned winged lions, but so far he could neither hear nor see anything that could be associated with them. Typical, of course- regular human senses were easily outstripped.
There was a chill running down his spine, though.
Reply
Though she didn't know much about the capabilities of their team's third member. "Kratos," she said, "Can you do any tricks we should know about?"
Reply
"Agreed," Momo replied. "I'll take the right, Kratos on the left of our vanguard, wedge formation." This placed the knight right where she wanted to be and it protected Momo's weak side now that she had a broken wrist. "If a call for retreat is necessary, I will issue it," she added on, assuming Signum to make the decision if the shinigami were to lose consciousness at any time.
Reply
Noting all this within a matter of seconds, Tyrant began to make his approach, the floor trembling in the enormous construct's wake.
Reply
Without warning, the floor shook violently: something was coming and from the sounds of things, it was either very heavy or very large- or even better, both. Shifting to maintain his balance, he brought the sword tip up. "Wonderful," Kratos said under his breath, a grim half-smile settling on his face. Time to see how Tamaki's slender blade held up.
Reply
It wouldn't be like it had been with that orderly on the bus. She might have spoken words of caution to Hinamori, but she intended to kill whatever came. The knight turned towards the footfalls and started forward, intending to meet their source head-on.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Kratos stepped off to the left, blade glowing as he focused enough energy for a Demon Fang into it- just in case. If he needed it, the shock wave would hopefully be enough to knock whatever it was off balance, giving someone the time to launch another quick offensive. He knew he had said earlier that he wanted to save his reserves for when they desperately needed them, but if they could deal with the thing in front of them as quickly as possible, that would be acceptable as well.
Reply
When the pillar of muscle predictably attacked her friend, the knight stepping to the side to avoid the blow and strike her own, Momo darted in at the thing's exposed back. Between Signum's aggressive counter-attack and Kratos' matching movement on the other side, the small shinigami hoped her approach wouldn't be given as much priority. After all, in compasion she was nothing more than a Hell's Butterfly to their opponent.
Her sword may be broken, the blade no more than a foot long, but it was still sharp and this little butterfly had a deadly sting. Momo drew up right behind the monster and went to stab her jagged blade into its lower back with all her strength - right where its kidneys were, assuming it had any. She also wanted this done as quick adn efficiently as possible.
Reply
Reply
Reply
He was already moving to support Momo when the shock wave started on its way; it was only a few steps before the recoil set in. Kratos pushed aside the familiar draining sensation, forcing himself to collect what was left of his magic for a possible First Aid spell. It was likely that the smaller woman wouldn't need it, but he wasn't about to risk being caught unprepared.
Reply
Leave a comment