[Log] The Twisted Savior Finale, pt.2
WHO: Meremoth (NPCed by Mercade Alexander), Venetia Martens, Simon Parker, Misa Amane, Maria Tegawa, Cloud Strife, Lenneth Valkyrie, Zack Fair, Shane Fitzgerald, Nergal Junior, Turok
WHEN: Friday, May 23th
WHERE: Symphonic Austin, top of the Frost Building
WHAT: The finale of the Twisted Savior plot, of which none of the previous parts have been posted. Whoops. SOMEONE ELSE DO THAT.
WATCH FOR: People anticipating the second boss form, the second boss form, people just being all-around epic.
MORE broken glass?! Misa has managed to ease her Death Note out of her purse and, having set it down by her feet, is now searching for a pen--when she's suddenly forced to throw herself flat with another shriek, her arms coming up to cover her head. Fortunately, she's further away from Ground Zero than she was last time this happened--but she instantly regrets her actions, because now she's lying face-down in a PUDDLE and her CLOTHES are all WET and so is the DEATH NOTE and her MAKEUP is probably RUINED and EW EW EW EWWWW. D:
Grimacing, she pushes herself upright again, sits back on her haunches, fishes a pack of tissues out of her purse, and does her best to wipe some of the excess moisture off of herself and, more importantly, the notebook. This is largely a futile effort, since the tissues are rendered damp and useless almost as soon as they leave their protective plastic cocoon.
Misa finally gives up in disgust. She flips open the slightly soggy notebook and props it on her thighs, hunching over it to try and shield the pages from the rain as much as she can. Ugh, when she gets home, she is going to take a looooong bath...but for now, she writes.
"Killed by members of the Interplanar Peacekeeping Society," she begins, leaving a space in front of the words so she can fill in a name later. "Sees a vision, which he understands to be the true Kira punishing him for his crimes, before dying from wounds inflicted in the battle."
There, that should do it. Misa allows herself a smug smile, then glances up--only to see the impostor fall before the onslaught. "No--!" she yelps, before quickly clapping a hand over her mouth. Is she too late...?!
Turok says, "I say we string him up like a piñata and beat 'im till candy falls out"
Shane Fitzgerald says, "Shut yer cake-hole."
Shane Fitzgerald says, "How's the Shinigami team?"
Turok says, "Aww man.."
Nanoha Takamachi says, "The creature is proving to be difficult to subdue."
Alice Moore says, "He doesn't like fire, so I've got it!"
Shane Fitzgerald says, "Don't let it touch yeh!"
Turok says, "Wait hold up, if we already messed this guy up, how come the Shinigami is still at it?"
Cloud starts to move forward, but Meremoth goes still. Uncertain, eyes darting over the motionless form stuck to the roof, the blond doesn't, at first, seem sure what to do with himself. Finally, though, he places the Final Buster across his back. "...The jar." The swordsman-turned-courier-turned-swordsman again steps cautiously towards Meremoth's corpse, his other hand grasping the silver rod strapped across his back, criss-crossing the other weapon.
"I'll handle it," Cloud says, and crouches. He reaches for the canopic jar, intending on removing it from the deceased(?) for good.
Shane lands easily on his feet, his spear still stuck in Meremoth's corpse. There is the faint smell of searing flesh as he backs away. Glancing over his shoulder at Cloud, the scion nods once and begins back take several steps back holding his rifle at the ready. Just in case someone else decides to pop up...
Nergal Junior pants, his body no longer assuming that dusty quality as it materializes again. Gigantic flat swords, did - did Mister Parker just /shatter glass back at him/? Junior looks up at Simon, his eyes wide. "Teach me how to do that," he begs.
But he's been impaled (in one hell of a combination assault). His eyes roll into the back of his head. Junior blinks. He takes a few uneasy steps forward (though not too close), looking down at the body of Meremoth. He can't see adorable Misa-Misa, or hear her very important writing.
"Okay, I am not stupid," Junior says, and then holds his gun forward with both hands, emptying a full clip into Meremoth.
Nergal Junior critically strikes Meremoth with his CHECK THIS OUT I GET TO USE /GUNS/ attack.
Lenneth looks at Pixy Misa and raises an eyebrow at her. She shakes her head slowly clearly finding that too bizarre to worry about right now. She looks at the body but doesn't sheath her blade. Demons usually come back for one last scare and this seemed--a little too easy? Of course, Junior takes this one step furhter and actually keeps shooting.
Readying her spear, Maria is about to go stab Meremoth something fierce. Having discarded the now-bloody shard of glass, she stops and gives Simon a /look/. It's that look akin to the moment before she kneed him in the groin that one time.
Be glad she isn't in melee range of you, buster.
Before she can bring her weapon against the demon, he appears to be...dead. "...that was it?" she mutters, "..no, that can't be it. Apollyon put up so much of a better fight." Sighing, one hand is released from her weapon and instead moves to grasp her wound.
Maybe all these IPA members were overkill.
That... was too easy. Simon was briefed on Meremoth's abilities when they found out who the killer was; 'feign death' was on the list, but Parker's not sure if that's what he's using here. After all, the bastard /did/ get set on fire, riddled with glass, and so forth.
"Maybe," Simon says, with a little smile. He looks down at the kid, revealing a few chipped teeth--they'll regrow on their own. "Good idea. Never assume they're dead."
As if to reassert this fact, Simon stalks across the glass roof, taking things slow and steady to avoid slipping. He holds Sword high with both hands, and as soon as Junior's done filling the body full of lead, he brings the weapon down upon the Calabite's prone corpse.
Or is it 'corpse'?
And then Simon returns Maria's Look with a genuine Goddamn Snake smile. No, he's not taking that back, you little half-god justice thing.
Simon Parker critically strikes Meremoth with his Mortal Strike? attack.
"Sheeeeyit! Did ya see that!? That mutha was all like 'Imma bust you up' and then my homes Shane up in her was like *BAM* spear through the gut. That was gangsta'" Turok so eloquently comments seeing the body of Meremoth so thoroughly beaten, that'll teach him to throw glass at his rear. Then the blob turned boy starts shooting at him and what not and he shrugs
"Eh might as well put 'im out of his misery" Says he pointing his UMP 45 at the beaten body and shooting right along with Nergal. Sometimes the boys just have to cut lose
*BrRrRRRrrRRT!*
Turok hits Meremoth with his Piñata tiem jab.
"Aren't we overdoing this a little?" Lenneth asks in regards to all the shooting. "Even if he has a second form, or is faking..." She kind of feels bad for the guy.
Turok says, "Hold up sista' I still gotta empty this clip"
Whoa, nice work, Shane! Zack's going to go ahead and call that a dual-tech and they'll toast to it later, for sure! He straightens, leaving his sword in one hand for the moment as he approaches the corpse, falling in beside Cloud, about to crouch beside him-- but leaping back when Junior suddenly fills the corpse full of extraneous holes. "Whoa, hey, geez!" he says, turning to stare at the kid, slightly bewildered-- and again as Simon's weapon joins Shane's. After that, more bullets-- the SOLDIER is done looking surprised now. He simply facepalms.
"Are you kidding?" Nergal Junior grins as he fires into Meremoth. "I get to /shoot a guy/! This is the best day of my life."
Many of Lenneth's Einherjar murmur and give their approval to Nergal. Sometimes, Lenneth sighs, she /wonders/.
"Oh~, weren't you calling me a monkey earlier? I didn't realize you were into beastiality! I bet when you go to the petting zoo, mothers pull their crying children away! The zoo officials have to call a SWAT team to pry you off!" Venetia taunts back, spreading her arms out towards Meremoth while silently cursing. Damn, looks like the 'throw the glass shard back at him' maneuver was no good. However, then Shane skewers the Captain of Death on the end of his spear, and that...seems to be the end of it. She pulls her bangs out of her eyes again, frowning. That was *way* too easy. Venetia frowns, then takes a few steps towards the corpse.
Junior's the one who opens a clip in the bastard's body, and she smiles slightly as she folds her arms. Cloud's going for the jar, and Simon and others are following suit with Junior, so...unless he suddenly goes AWISE FWOM YOA GWAVE and goes second-form boss mode, it looks like this is the end of Meremoth. "Man, that was anticlimactic," she mutters to herself.
Misa's outcry comes then, and though it'd normally be difficult to hear over the roar of the thunderstorm (just watch, lightning will strike and they'll all be blown to kingdom come), Venetia snaps her head up. That sounded vaguely familiar... Just to be sure, since paranoia is never a bad idea in these situations, Venetia starts heading over towards where she heard Misa's voice coming from.
Turok finishes the submachine clip and drops it on the thoroughly shot at and stabbed 'corpse' going then to feed yet another magazine, since it is force of habit "Punk" Mutters the hooligan before going to grab hold of his abdomen, it appears to bleeding a little despite his bullet proof vest "Yo! I could use like, some gaddam pain killers here. If don't nobody minds"
Sure! It's easy for everybody to be having a jolly good time shooting at the body, what with half of them being half Gods, super soldiers, demonic kids and angelic avatars but the Son of Stone is in fact still human and has his weaknesses.
The heroes react to the death of Meremoth with various stages of disbelief. Some of them even keep shooting. Meremoth's body jerks as bullets and swords hit his flesh, cutting him up and putting even more holes into him. He's looking pretty messed up by now... Even for a corpse.
Until that corpse raises a hand, a brilliant flare of light bursting from his hand straight into Cloud's face. The other claw rises, pulling the spear from the ground, and Meremoth rises, intoning a dire melody. Disturbence resonantes throughout the Symphony as Essence burns from Meremoth's body... And he cackles. "DIDN'T I TELL YOU IT WASN'T OVER? ANTICHRIST, MAN, YOU GUYS ARE RUTHLESS! /I LOVE IT/!" He levels his hands, and then screams the final words of the Song... Before the light focuses into a terrible beam of light, scorching forward and rebounding through the glass walls, refrqacting and burning as it splits into a cascade of luminescent coruscating death.
Meremoth hits Zack Fair with his LAZOR AMBUSH attack.
Meremoth gets a glancing blow on Cloud Strife with his Keep Your Hands To Yourself attack.
Meremoth misses Lenneth Valkyrie with his BEAM attack.
Meremoth gets a glancing blow on Maria Tegawa with his MORE BEAM attack.
Meremoth hits Venetia Martens with his QUAD LAZOR?! attack.
Meremoth gets a glancing blow on Turok with his Gangsta Lazor All Up In Your Crib Fo Shizzle Indian Boy attack.
Meremoth hits Nergal Junior with his Light... No, Celestial Light! attack.
Meremoth critically strikes Shane Fitzgerald with his got ur spear, lazoring ur doodz attack.
Meremoth critically strikes Simon Parker with his Quit Resisting My FD, Jackass attack.
Feige Abramson says, "These Ultima Demons are quite hardy."
Vita pant. Pant. Pant.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "They're just that. Ultimate Demons"
Caithlin Stenger says, "Are you alright, Feige?"
Feige Abramson says, "I appear to have been exploded by spontaneous explosions centering around my person. Twice."
Sergeant Detritus, a little distantly, "I fink dis woman is beatin' them all. She threw one of dem spinny metal fings at me and pierced der armor and stuff."
Caithlin Stenger breathes out. "Just be careful. And come back alive."
Feige Abramson says, "Ah, the spirit of science tells me to live on. It wishes for me...to continue research on such--hahaha..."
What else did you /expect/? Simon's eyes go wide as the world around him erupts in BEAMSPAM, the Symphony howling and shrieking as the Song refracts through the windows.
He's going to have to remember that one for later. First, he's going to get burned.
The laser strikes Simon dead center-mass, scorching through his clothes and sizzling into his flesh. The Balseraph bites back a scream of agony, unwilling to give his nemesis the pleasure of hearing him in pain, and staggers back...
Somewhere, at a gaming table, Asmodeus stares in disbelief at three dice: 1 1 1
"Sorry, bud, you can't reroll," says Nybbas, peering out from behind his GM's screen. From across the table, Saminga laughs like Skeletor, and Asmodeus' lips tighten in a scowl--
And Simon slips on the rain-slick roof, and falls right off the rooftop.
#*!&, Parker thinks, as he starts plummeting to his doom.
Then he reacts out of instinct, Singing a few Latinate verses... And six black bat-like wings erupt from his back. Simon flaps them, braking his descent, catching a thermal, and then flying back up to the rooftop. He hangs in the air for a second before braking once again, building momentum as he falls. One foot is extended, aimed right at the back of Meremoth's head.
And as soon as he lands again, the wings fold back into Simon's back, like they were never there.
Simon Parker critically strikes Meremoth with his FLYING KICK attack.
Misa squints through the rain. Now that the demon has stopped moving around so much, she can see...something...yes, it's the tell-tale eerie red light that contains the letters and numbers of Meremoth's name and lifespan. She still can't quite make out the details of his face from here, and the letters are too blurry to read...but the fact that they're there at all is enough. She hasn't lost her chance yet!
Biting her lip in concentration, Misa begins to edge out from her hiding place (which isn't much of one, to be honest) in a furtive attempt to get a better look. She's barely made it six inches, though, when her straining eyes suddenly get much more than they bargained for. She gasps sharply and scuttles back again, throwing up one arm and pushing it tightly against her face to shield herself from the blast of light. Blinded like this, she doesn't see Venetia approaching...
Junior smiles up to Simon and Venetia for that matter. When Meremoth rises again, the boy's attention returns to the Captain of Death, adopting a sarcastic boredom. "See, I told you." The time to reaim his handgun isn't enough, however - before he can pull the trigger, a searing celestial spear of concentrated light rushes into him, only one of many lighting the evening sky.
Nergal Junior looks down at his body, which now has a large hole burned into his torso. He looks back up, scowling. "Hey, I was using that torso!" His fangs sharpen in anger, and then he begins to just barrel directly at Meremoth, swinging his arms wildly like a windmill, the way kids do when they don't know how to fight.
At least until he reaches Meremoth, at which point Junior's body splashes against him, reducing into a thick black sludge. The sludge expands and thickens, growing quickly into a quagmire, as oily tendrils slither up and attempt to ensnare Meremoth, holding him down as if he were standing in a localized puddle of quicksand. Well, quicksand that has a maw engulfing you from the waist down and is trying to digest you.
Nergal Junior misses Meremoth with his eat stun.
So it /was/ too easy. A small part of Maria's actually pleased by this since it was unlikely that he would perish now without her doing some significant harm to him in one way or another.
Case in point, the lawyer moves now, weaving around the lasers as they bounce through the glass, twisting her body to dodge where near be. At one point, it strikes her, grazing a leg, but Maria keeps on going, manuvering her way into melee range with Meremoth. Very soon he will find the vengeful Scion bearing down on him with the spear. Specifically, she comes at him from /above/, how she was able to earn herself that sort of height being a bit of a mystery. It's likely she did so too with the intent of not being accidentally devoured by Junior.
Maria Tegawa hits Meremoth with her Hi from Olympus! attack.
Cloud had been mentally prepared for something else - perhaps that this corpse would mutate, or evaporate into harmless green sparkles, just -something- other than just lie there, oozing blood all over the place. So it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise (except it does) that Meremoth lifts a hand into Cloud's face. In the space between a finger and thumb, one eye widens.
No SOLDIER, but he has the reflexes of one, no small thanks to Hojo's inhumane experiment. He turns his head sharply away and feels the -heat- of that light when it skims just past his head. Cloud identifies the foul smell of burning feathers as evidence that some of his hair has been scorched. And now it feels like he just got the sunburn of his life along the side of his neck.
That could have been -very- bad; for starters, that could have blinded him.
Refracting light manages to narrowly miss the blond as he - who had stumbled backward and presently sat on the rooftop - rocks back and then leaps to his feet in an agile kip-up.
The Final Buster is brought shoulder height, blade forward and edge pointed up, his glare following the length of that component blade to Meremoth. In so doing, he sees something... severely, intensely cool. Or disturbing, depending entirely on what context one takes seeing a guy suddenly sprout--
"Wings?" Cloud says, staring. "...That guy has /wings/?!"
His shock serves him well, others move in to strike, and once he sees an opening, he takes it, lunging in with that readied Final Buster. It's given a -shove- before Cloud readjusts his grip, then puts a foot down and jumps straight up, tearing with him the component Buster in a high, high leap. He backflips to right himself, and drops back to the rooftop.
Where he promptly slips, faceplanting. "..." ......Ugh, he could die from humiliation right now. =_=;
Cloud Strife misses Meremoth with his CLIMHAZZARD super.
Lenneth says, "Ah." after a moment, "My 'bad', as it were." She did think it was too easy--but she still felt uncomfortable with shooting it as it just sat there! Even if he semes to appreciate such activity--no, Lenneth tells herself. Doing something he enjoys is the last thing you want to do.
Lenneth swings her blade into the beam and catches it with her blade--before twisting and carrying THE LASER BEAM THING with her sword as she leaps for Meremoth, intending to slice him to bits with it--and the beam?! Does it work that way?!
Lenneth Valkyrie hits Meremoth with her I Wanna Be The Kira The Movie The Game! super.
"HRAAA!!" See? And people where complaining that Turok and the rest where shooting at a 'helpless' corpse, only to have it turn around and bite them all in the rear when Meremoth comes back the valley of the death and starts shooting lazers at them! "He was playing possum!!" States the master of the obvious hunter before getting his side ripped aside by the beam, armor vest falling right off him with a bunch of his ammunition.
Fortunately everyone else seems to have good reflexes as even some of his allies fall right off the roof they manage to sprout wings and come back to smack him right upside the head, other flying up as well to spear him from above and though that kid tries to devour him this guy seems to be pretty evasive and keeps dodging some of their blows. Well, if no one is going to listen to him the Son of Stone is gonna have to resort to some pretty dirty street fighting methods, if there is hope at all to defeat Meremoth "HRAA!"
So he darts forward, left foot forward waiting for most of the incoming blades to be swung at Meremoth before trying to step on his foot and then try and whack him across the face repeatedly with metal shaft of his machine gun. Going for the old fashioned pistol whip in stereo
Turok juggles Meremoth with his Skull fracture combo.
Meremoth breaks Turok's combo.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Someone get Lady Beoulve!"
Reis Duelar says, "I am trying!"
Okay, maybe his comrades were on to something. Zack curses not only as the 'corpse' moves, but as it aims a blast directly at Cloud's face. Following that, he's throwing his arms up to block the light from his eyes, hissing in pain as the painful beams sear and char his skin.
So this is round two, then? The SOLDIER steps back and away, blinking away the glaring after-images and trying to focus on Meremoth again, still biting back a grunt of pain. A noise does escape his mouth, however, as he witnesses Simon sprout /wings/, turning briefly to try to get a better lo-- no no, wait, focus Zack, focus! Cloud is--
... okay, he's going to tease you about that later, Cloud. Or give you a hug, if your ego is that bruised. Scanning the rest of the group, the SOLDIER takes in their appearance-- so far, everyone's alright. But if this guy has that much more left in him, he's going to have to fall back into a support role, isn't he? He hates that.
So he's going to take advantage of the time he has now, shifting his weight slightly, narrowing his eyes-- and then leaping forward towards Meremoth, Buster Sword held tightly in both hands. This guy is fast, but he's got to be faster now, putting to use one of the more beneficial skills Sephiroth grudgingly taught him some time ago.
Swinging the Buster Sword like the massive weapon is as light as a rapier, Zack slashes through the rainfilled air eight consecutive times, each strike cutting at a separate, deadly angle. He finishes off the attack with a final spin, turning a full circle and then aiming a decisive kick towards Meremoth's midsection, meaning to both harm and push him away from Cloud's general vicinity.
Zack Fair misses Meremoth with his Octasla-- ... You are not tricking me into saying that word. I'M ON TO YOU. super.
Vita meekly, ".....I broke a house."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "are you alive?!"
Sergeant Detritus says, "Don't worry, I fink we broke one too."
Vita says, "...Yes."
Ruri Hoshino, as if it were obvious. "She's talking to you."
Sergeant Detritus tactfully declines to mention that it was probably mostly him.
"Oh f--!" Misa-Misa is saved by the LASER BEAMSPAM MCDEMON when those laser beams smash into Venetia and send her flipping backwards, the unholy power searing into her flesh, which seems almost to ripple like water before remaining unscathed. Venetia lands both hands down, starting to slip backwards before she digs her nails into the metal grating and holds herself in place. "OH YOU ****FACE!!" she snarls, because just because she LOOKS fine doesn't mean she IS fine--and because the brightness from the lasers has shot her vision.
Her heart thuds in her chest. She's not sure where on the ceiling she is now, but she knows she's on a slant, meaning that she has to get *up*. She strains her hearing, hears people screaming and snarling, the whoosh of someone falling off--she holds her breath--and she hauls herself up to more level ground, scrabbling behind her back...and then something curious happens. She hears the pulse of wind like it's being beat back by wings. And her senses extend from here, sound and smell--the ozone in the air, blood and ichor, the rumbling in the clouds, the retort of gunfire, the whoosh of weapons both thrown and heaved--and it becomes all so *clear*. Though she's been blinded, the battlefield that she *could* see is as clear to her through her other senses as if she had complete sight.
It's a hell of a boon in this situation, anyway.
Venetia stands up, turning her blinded eyes towards Meremoth. She reaches behind her--but this time, pulls off the ribbon that had been holding her braid in place. Her hair, slick and wet as it is, remains as it is, but Venetia takes a moment in which she solemnly wraps that thread of cord around her head...over her eyes.
Then she smiles.
Sneakers pump on the slick floor of the skyscraper ceiling as Venetia races forward, then slides into a kneel. The *clink* of metal makes her shoot a hand down and grab a length of steel that had been wrested loose during the battle, and she slides to a halt next to Cloud, whom she'd heard faceplanting.
"You okay?" Venetia asks gently, placing a hand on his shoulder to help him up. With her other hand, she pinpoints Meremoth's location by marking the source of all the sounds of violence, as well as the stench of death that lingers around Meremoth's form--or at least attempts to, as she's pretty new at this--and hurls that jagged length of steel at ridiculous speeds towards central mass.
You reset your buff status to neutral.
You hit Meremoth with your The contract--is it worth the price? A soul pledged to the darkness attack.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "We can pay for the damage later! Right now our top priority is to retrieve the Beoulves!"
Reis Duelar says, "I am riding!"
Father Kevin Graham's voice sounds a bit unnatural as he can be heard mumbling. It's hard to hear what he's saying- but something about not breaking the chains.
Sergeant Detritus rumbles, "Abduction?" Swears under his breath in his own language. Or he might be clearing his throat. "Can't get anyfing fast enough to help chase dem down, 'specially if dey went down into dat forest. Good luck."
Some small part of Shane was hoping Meremoth would rise to his feet so they could kick his ass all over again but he wasn't -quite- expecting him to rise as he did. The fact that he was able to so casually unpin himself knocks Shane off the loop for a second. He's glowing too. The light temporarily blinding Shane as he attempts to keep his aim.
The laser burns a hole straight through Nergal and... Simon has -wings-?! What? It's enough to throw him off his grove that he gets slammed several times by the rebounding laser. The heat and energy from the light scorches skin and flesh but he'll live. That's not even his main concern right now. His concern is that Meremoth HAS HIS BIRTHRIGHT.
"GET YER BLOODY HANDS OFF THAT!" He roars, rushing towards Meremoth. For the moment, he's forgotten that a rifle is meant for shooting. Instead, when he gets within striking distance, he slams the butt of the rifle towards the demon before following it up with a sharp knee kick as he spins the gun over his head with one hand. He throws a right hook then before bringing the gun down and at point range, pulls the trigger.
Shane Fitzgerald juggles Meremoth with his That's mine! Not Yours! Gimme! combo.
Meremoth breaks Shane Fitzgerald's combo.
Havelock Vetinari says, "The house will be paid for."
Staff Sergeant Christoph Schmidt yells something impolite in Belkan. Again.
Vita says, "Language, Sergeant."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "I'll follow you once I see to Ser Beoulve Lady Duelar!"
Nanoha Takamachi says, "I can't blame him for that one - this creature is very difficult to hurt, Vita."
Reis Duelar says, "They went into the forest; I will follow!"
Staff Sergeant Christoph Schmidt says, "Aaaaaach, ich bin kein Kind!"
Sergeant Detritus grunts. "Forests are tricky fings. Hopin' dat it are a straight ride through to der other side."
Alice Moore says, "Hey, who's snake is that?"
Feige Abramson distracted, "What happened?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "When Ser Beoulve recovers enough to be moved, help him to IPA Headquarters!"
Feige Abramson says, "Who?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "The knight on the ground."
Feige Abramson says, "I have a chopper, I can take him if he doesn't mind being crowded. What happened to him? A demon attacked me--an ultimate demon!"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "He was thrown into one of my attacks when I was aiming for the priestess! The blonde man next to him is a friend."
Feige Abramson says, "Oh, I see, is he moving him? Puppy chow."
Meremoth cackles as the light burns through all before him, searing his enemies...
Except those enemies are showing a distressing reluctance to die. Meremoth questions this audibly, after simon kicks him in the back of the head. "Bless you, Parker! Why don't you just DIE?" He turns, only for Junior to try to engulf him. Meremoth leaps away, sliding down a slick glassy junction. If it wasn't for his inhuman physical traits, it would be suicide. "Not so fast, little demon!" He laughs. "You're still new at this, aren't you?" Maria continues the tradition of Dragooning into Meremoth... but he doesn't fall down. Maria is there, with the spear, that sticking vertically out of Meremoth, who is not falling over. It's a little embarassing, really. Meremoth hisses, reaching up to grab the Spear of Truth, pulling it out of his flesh and spinning Shane's own spear with his hand, striking out for Maria with Shane's weapon. Oh, the irony! "I'm past your little bodyguard, Maria." He grins.
And then turns, using both spears to block the Climhazzard along the hafts. Even the incredible strength of the strike cannot punch through a pair of powerful weapons like that, the impact sending Meremoth skidding back. The Spear of Truth is released, likely much to Maria's relief. "Pathetic!" He taunts. Turok whacks him across the face, and he winces from the strike. Zach strikes, then, with the finesse and power of a SOLDIER. But SOLDIERS don't fight people like Meremoth all the time. He spins Shane's spear, and catches the Buster Sword on the broadhead eight times, pushing the attacks aside harmlessly every time. "You're good... But I'm better." Meremoth laughs. "Thank you for the cooling, however." He catches the kick and throws Zach aside with a push.
And then a blind woman and a Death Goddess strike. The beam slashes a burning trail through Meremoth, even as the metal erupts through Meremoth's back. He looks down at the metal in shock, glancing over at Venetia. "How the **** did you do that?" he asks... And then Shane unleashes ANGRY IRISH TANK POWER. The rifle crushes into Meremoth, the knee kick propelling Meremoth away. He drops the spear in a sacrifice play to get the hell away from Shane.
He drops into the middle of the toothlike class framing the roof. Despite his multitude of wounds, he still stands, weaving on his feet. He doesn't NEED Shane's Birthright. "That's important to you, isn't it.... Well, take it with you INTO THE NEXT WORLD!"
There is a massive ringing of Disturbence as Meremoth raises his hands, intoning a long and complex Song. The air flickers around him in heatwaves, The pouring rain beginning to vaporize around him. People who fought Apollyon might recognize this tactic, as Meremoth's Song raises to a crescendo of power and hatred..."DIE! DIE! AHAHAHAHAHA! YOUR FLESH WILL BE CRISPED TO CINDERS! YOUR BONES WILL FUEL THE FIRES OF HELL!"
And the heat explodes outwards, scorching in an infernal inferno that blasts through the glass, sending melting red-hot shards flying everywhere. The fire is visible for miles, a fireball atop the Frost Tower that threatens to consume everything.
Meremoth misses Zack Fair with his The Consuming Flame super.
Meremoth hits Cloud Strife with his Disco Inferno super.
Meremoth misses Lenneth Valkyrie with his Burn Baby Burn super.
Meremoth hits Maria Tegawa with his I'm Hot-Blooded super.
Meremoth hits Venetia Martens with his Hot Child In The City super.
Meremoth misses Turok with his Die In A Fire super.
Meremoth hits Nergal Junior with his Canned Heat super.
Meremoth misses Shane Fitzgerald with his Smoke On The Water, Fire In The Sky super.
Meremoth hits Simon Parker with his Burning Heat super.
Meremoth misses Misa Amane with his FIERFIERFIERFIERFIERFIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR super.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Just check up on him for me please! Mustadio is a good man but he's prone to exploding. On accident."
Sergeant Detritus translates, "Oh, he is an alchemist?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Engineer."
Vita says, "i'm eyes in the sky. If anything shows up, i'm going to knock it into orbit."
Sergeant Detritus says, "Oh, okay. Der end result is usually der same, though."
Feige Abramson says, "Oh! Is he? He sounds delightful."
Feige Abramson says, "Rest assured, I will help him check on Ramza. I cannot resist this opportunity."
Sergeant Detritus, to Vita, "... if you knock 'em far enough up, I should be able ter get a clear shot at it."
Sergeant Detritus says, "Kyu-Ee-Dee."
You saw no wings, citizens. Move along.
Parker drops into a three-point crouch, and then scrambles away. "I don't have authorization to die," the Balseraph says, with a grin. Kozlov was fond of saying that--Kozlov, whom this monster nearly /Traumatized/. Parker is about go for the kill again when the Symphony crackles and screams--and then, as fire blossoms in the darkness, Simon Parker screams with it.
When it abates, he's still standing. Burns cover most of his upper body, and his clothes are pretty much ruined--Sword is still unharmed, albeit soot-covered.
Simon bites back the pain, tucks the weapon under his arm by the hilt, and draws his unholy pistol. The demon loads a single bullet into the chamber, and tiny hellfire glyphs light up along the weapon's surface. Simon one-hands the Unholy Pistol, aims for Meremoth's center of mass, and lets out a wordless battle cry as he opens fire.
Simon Parker hits Meremoth with his .666 Special super.
Suddenly, the world is made of fire. "I don't even understand how I'm on fire!" Junior wails. "I live in fire!"
What is left when the flames clear is a little boy once again, sprawled on his back, with a bleeding hole seared into his torso, dripping unpleasant pieces, and covered in horrible burns. It's a triumph of the will that he's still conscious, from the looks of it, though who knows how his bizarre physiology works. He lies there, groaning in pain, rolling back and forth on the roof for some time. It takes effort, but as he rolls and wails - almost in tears from the pain, though trying to hold them back - the hole in his torso gradually reseals itself, restoring the arcane organs that once were there. Even his little formal suit reforms itself over the whole, though the whole wallowing in agony thing damages the dapper threat he was going for with the outfit this evening.
Nergal Junior heals Nergal Junior with his Mutant Healing Factor action.
"You are disgusting." Lenneth says. She's starting to get a hang of all this NOISE that's trumpeting through the area. She even has an idea of what's going to happen by reading the disturbance and counters well in advance of the unleashed fires--by vanishing entirely.
Is she coming back? Doesn't seem that way, her presence for a moment doesn't seem to be on this plane and--
Oh wait, looks like Lenneth can feign things too, as moments later she reappears--falling from the sky an driving her sword down like some sort of LINK. "All this noise you're making...! Will cease!"
Lenneth Valkyrie critically strikes Meremoth with her Lenneth In The Sky With Diamonds attack.
The Death Note has flopped off of Misa's lap and onto the wet ground again, but Misa is too busy rubbing fiercely at her eyes to notice. She blinks roughly, trying to clear the spots from her vision, and by the time she figures out where everyone is, Meremoth is on the completely opposite side of the roof from where she was expecting him to be.
Misa picks up the Death Note again and puffs out her cheeks in annoyance. Okay, this is getting old. Plus she's starting to get a cramp from sitting in this position, balanced on the balls of her feet with her knees tucked up against her chest as if she were some weird creepy recluse detective stalker person. Dammit, why couldn't Light have sent her a photo of the guy along with his name? She'll have to chew him out over that later.
But now something else is happening...and Misa may not understand what it is, but something in her gut screams, 'Oh, not AGAIN.' Her eyes widen, and driven by a nameless, twisting fear, she dives for the service elevator and hammers frantically on the button. It seems an eternity before the doors slide sluggishly open--and Misa throws herself inside the car just a split-second before the world erupts in glass and fire.
Meliadoul Tengille says, ".... we lost her"
Mercade Alexander says, "Hmm"
Mercade Alexander says, "?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Lady Beoluve. Ser Beoulve's sister. The Lucavi took her."
Sergeant Detritus says, "Any sign of dem? No tracks, accidentally dropped bits an' pieces, nothin'?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "We found them... mutilated murdered."
Sergeant Detritus says, "..."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "But Lady Beoulve is missing. This is the work of the Lucavi."
*KLANK!* Once the first smack crunches into the skull, Turok actually goes to disengage and leap backwards to allow the rest of his allies to chip in. As much as he likes going hand to hand, something tells him that being dangerously close to this guy is just asking for the worst and he is glad to have the rest of the party have their fun, either way, he is bleeding profusely and takes this time to walk backwards, take off his bandanna and press it against his torso wound as best he can.
This proves to serve him well because just as he predicted, once everyone socks Meremoth one he goes to get awfully pissed and the entire crystal floor starts burning up. At the very least this is going to dry him a little but he just doesn't want to get burnt to a crisp. The dinosaur hunter is not in the menu! For the last time! When will you people learn?? So the hunter goes to dart back like a complete coward and climb atop the elevator roof that took most of the squad there, avoiding for the most part the burning flames
"Crap...this is starting to suck" Mutters he, holding on to his wound and clenching his jaw. Though he does manage to chuckle a little "Heh, but ya know what the say. If bad stuff happens to ya" Starts he with a bit of a trembling voice before he pulls out a strange device from his backpack "It's because ya weren't tough enough to handle it" Is that? Is that the--
"So better man the hell up!!!" Screams the hunter youth in defiance having just about enough of the Meremoth's crap. Aiming the alien device towards his body, the targeting mechanism locking in and with a horrid buzzing sound Turok sends a drilling sphere towards the Meremoth. The device eager to suck in any of the Meremoth's divine body fluids it can get its vicious mouth on.
Turok critically strikes Meremoth with his CEREBRAL BORE attack.
Sergeant Detritus... grunts uncertainly. "Can't say dat's very promisin', dat."
Turok *BZZZZZZZZZZZT!!!!!* "Aaaah..I love that sound. Specially when it ain't happening to me"
Reis Duelar says, "And - the child, Gamlon, he went this way as well! Do you think -"
Feige Abramson says, "I do not believe we can give proper chase now, but we should recoup and investigate further, put in the official missing person's report..."
Sergeant Detritus says, "Any way to keep der scene of der crime as it is? It are a forest an' all, but there has got to be somethin' there dat..."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "I'll look"
Reis Duelar says, "No, the child is afraid of you. /I/ will look. You - the bodies -"
Feige Abramson says, "Has anybody knows a 'chest that was grabbed'?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "... ..."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "There are remains of a broken chest. Why?"
Turok says, "Heheh...Headshot"
Feige Abramson says, "The knight was asking about it, he seems quite worried about it."
Sergeant Detritus say, "... it are seemin' pretty important to dis Ramza guy." Pause. "Also, der Engineer."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "ask what was in it."
Cloud slams a fist down on the roof once in frustration before snatching up his weapon, getting back to his feet. He even gives his head a quick toss to attempt - and fail - to shake sodden hair out of his eyes, but won't really have to worry about it, not when he flinches sharply. What the /hell/?!
His only personal warning that something big and unpleasant is forthcoming.
Final Buster flashing as he hauls it upright, Cloud takes brief refuge behind the blade, before it simply grows too hot to provide him with any sort of protection. After the inferno, scorched, his clothes smouldering in places, weapon radiating and glowing with heat, Cloud staggers. A shuffling step forward, another stagger, and he forces himself upright.
Cloud charges, lifting the weapon over his head as he leaps for Meremoth, possessed of a single-minded desire to cleave the offending murderer in half on his way back down. "HAAAAAAAAGH!"
Cloud Strife critically strikes Meremoth with his LAST DITCH EFFORT attack.
Feige Abramson says, "Should I mention the chest was broken?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "There is no reason to lie to Ser Beoulve. Tell him what I have told you. I will stay at the scene. Lady Duelar... travel safe."
Nanoha Takamachi says, "....nrgh. Hit it hard, everyone!"
Sergeant Detritus sighs. "I can tell 'em."
Feige Abramson says, "Not lying, merely not saying. I am just worried about it distressing his conditi--ahh, the Sergeant will surely be perfect for breaking the news."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "He deserves to know everything we know about this situation. He... found out what was in the chest."
No. Meremoth might not need his birthright but Shane sure as hell does. When Shane sees just how Meremoth is using the spear, he snarls angrily but as soon as the weapon is dropped he dives for it, ignoring the beast's taunt. Just as his hand closes over the shaft, there is a familiar tingling sensation.
Staring upwards, he realizes what is about to happen. "FIRE!" He shouts but his warning gets lost in the explosion of hellfire as he melts everything around him. The explosion washes over him but strangely it feels only... warm. A thin humorless smile lines his face.
He remains crouched and before the blaze has a chance to even die, he erupts from the heart of the fireball miraculously unscathed save for what damage already hit him. "I'll just take yeh with me to a place where yeh can't hurt anyone else!" The golden lance flashes in the air as he drives forward.
Shane Fitzgerald switches armor modes to Birthright.
Shane Fitzgerald critically strikes Meremoth with his Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you! attack.
Shit. Zack's eyes widen as he realizes none of his strikes hit anything but Shane's spear, realizing this too late as Meremoth catches his boot and throws him offbalance. The SOLDIER stumbles to the side, nearly losing his footing in the rain. The Buster sword is swung around to right his balance, and he's about to launch another attack when that distracting, annoying 'sound' in his mind grows noticably. And that's when he starts to feel the heat.
He quickly scans the group, realizing he's too far to do anything to protect anyone in time. Gritting his teeth, he slams the Buster Sword into the concrete, crouching close behind it to shield himself from the blast of fire and debris. A materia appears in his hand, glowing softly green but growing in intensity as the fires start to recede.
As soon as the worst of it is over, the SOLDIER stands, raising the bauble into the air and closing his eyes briefly. The light intensifies, and with a quiet exhalation, Zack opens his eyes. Simon will be first, because thus far the SOLDIER has rated him perhaps one of the most effective in this battle, and he needs to keep going. Second is Venetia, because she's smoking hot-- err, uh, a very nice girl with a wonderful personality. He himself is third, out of instinct in battle-- if he's going to be able to help anyone else again, he's got to be able to stand.
Only after he's finished casting does he notice, with a look of surprise and dismay, that Cloud is in pretty bad shape. Goddammit, wasn't he supposed to be looking after him?! He knows the plan his friend has, and knows-- trusts-- he'll be alright. He reaches for his sword again-- and yelps in surprise as the now-bare grip scorches his hand right through his glove. Looks like he'll have to wait a few moments before he can use it again.
Zack Fair heals Simon Parker with his Durp action.
Zack Fair heals Venetia Martens with his Durpa action.
Zack Fair heals Zack Fair with his De Durp action.
Nergal Junior's body slows to a stop in its rolling in agony, as the wound finishes sealing and mending. The boy groans, climbing back to his feet in a woozy stumble. He looks up at Meremoth, features scrunched with a venomous scowl, voice quiet and possibly inaudible over the ruckus of the battle. "They're gonna have to invent a new word for how dead you are."
Junior's body then explodes outward, his body seeming to split in a mass of black boils, agglomerations, and organs for which human science has no name. Hundreds of green eyes stare down at Meremoth from high positions, lining squirming tentacles covered in obsidian spikes. The mass undulates in a manner prone to nauseate those less accustomed to squirming horrors from beyond time (though this one is from within time; it looks like the ones from beyond, though), as a protrusion barely possible in Euclidean space sweeps out to grasp Meremoth and slam him viciously into the ground of the roof, while seven fanged maws lining the protrusion clamp down. A series of extensions and growths whip out and slither through the air, seeking to pass Meremoth from piece to piece in a sequence of varied horrors, from the simple beating and constriction, to bioelectric charges, devourings, venomous barbs, and other unpleasantries. Several of the central maws on the beast roar unnatural sounds as the attack is unleashed.
Nergal Junior switches armor modes to True Form.
Nergal Junior juggles Meremoth with his BEHOLD MY TRUE FORM AND /DESPAIR/ combo.
Nergal Junior juggles Meremoth with his BEHOLD MY TRUE FORM AND /DESPAIR/ combo.
Nergal Junior juggles Meremoth with his BEHOLD MY TRUE FORM AND /DESPAIR/ combo.
Meremoth breaks Nergal Junior's combo.
Shane Fitzgerald says, "... .. WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THAT?!"
Caithlin Stenger says, "What is it?!"
Simon Parker sounds tense, but not freaked. "Junior."
Simon Parker says, "That's his true form, he's very sensitive about it..."
Shane Fitzgerald says, "Yeh mean the kid?!"
Turok says, "Can't imagine why"
Simon Parker says, "His father just so happens to be a death god."
Shane Fitzgerald says, "... ..."
Shane Fitzgerald says, "oh."
Shane Fitzgerald Says this as if it suddenly explains -everything-
Alice Moore says, "Hey, guys, I have good news!"
Alice Moore says, "Shinigamis are like vampires!"
Lenneth Valkyrie says, "He seems to be a rather friendly child."
Shane Fitzgerald says, "... they're allergic ta garlic?"
Turok says, "When not packing heat"
Lenneth Valkyrie says, "He was very friendly about repeatedly shooting an apparently dead body."
Alice Moore says, "Actually, I didn't check, I don't have garlic."
Turok says, "Who was in fact not dead and then starting shooting us back. Thankyouverymuch"
Sergeant Detritus says, "... Meliadoul?"
Feige Abramson continues to let Detritus break the news.
Sergeant Detritus says, "'Bout dat chest dat was broken open."
In close range, Maria doesn't seem to be concerned about her own safety. In fact, she seems quite at home there. Normally a very calm person, even in situations like these, that calm begins to evaporate when Meremoth starts using her own spear. One arm lifts, moving swiftly to deflect Shane's weapon away from her, preventing it from even piercing her flesh. She keeps on the demon now, until he lets go of the weapon.
It's quickly retrieved and quickly re-armed by the lawyer. She is ready to sweep in and strike out at him again when she hears that familiar song. She remembered it, heard it when she faced Apollyon in fact. She knows what's coming. But it's too late. Flames was outwards and the Scion /disappears/ from sight completely, not even seen upon the rooftop anymore. One of her shoes can be seen near the edge, however, heavily suggesting that the woman was now in freefall.
The world ends in fire. Venetia can't help but scream, though the sound of it is likely lost in the conflagration. Clothes are scorched, though at least not burnt off completely; Cloud, being right next to her, provides some protection, but he's no better off than she is. In the end, she is sprawled face-down. In another couple of seconds, as she listens to the world around her and Zack's healing goodness restores the feeling back into her torched limbs, she stirs.
"I wish you were here tonight with me to see the northern lights... I wish you were here tonight with me..." Venetia sings, with small strength at first that builds into something more powerful. "I wish I could have you by my side tonight when the sky is burning... I wish I could have you by my side..." She heaves herself back onto her feet, and turns slowly, slowly, towards Meremoth. If the Captain of Death had been confused about her managing to hit him while blind before, he will be downright befuddled--and perhaps a little disturbed--about how this woman who had been unmistakably caught up in the fire rises up, seemingly unscathed, too much so even for having just received a healing spell... "'Cause I've been down--" looks straight at him through a blindfold, "--and I've been crawling--" lifts up a hand, points at him... "--won't back down no more!!"
And smiles.
And then breaks into a sprint for the side of the building and arcs into a perfect diving leap off the side of the skyscraper. There is a flash of lightning that strangely didn't seem to originate from the clouds down there...
A winged horse, known better as a pegasus, swoops up then, neighing triumphantly as its white fur and feathers seem almost to cast a glow around its riders--Venetia in front, and Maria holding on behind. Her voice rings out as she continues to sing, "Can't you stop the lies falling from the skies? Down on me, I'm still standing!"
A quick duck, and Venetia hauls Maria overhand to throw her directly at Meremoth. Maria descends, landing crouched upon the ground for but a second before taking off running for the demon. Not a word is uttered by the lawyer as she lashes out, first with one wide swipe of the spear before she completely closes the distance between her and Meremoth.
When she is upon him, she reaches out with one hand, grabbing him by the dirty, messy hair of his at the back of his head. This hand pushes forward and at the same time, one of Maria's knees arcs upwards, possibly rising to meet Meremoth's face as the lawyer forcefully bows his head. This violent gesture is repeated twice, if possible, before Maria shoves the demon face-down on the ground.
Finally, her leg lifts over him, her sole stiletto heel brought to bear as she violently stabs it into the base of Meremoth's neck.
Maria Tegawa juggles Meremoth with her GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE combo.
Maria Tegawa juggles Meremoth with her GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE combo.
Meremoth breaks Maria Tegawa's combo.
Meremoth has been knocked out!
Venetia herself follows up on the attack as well, pegasus and Scion swooping in with hooves and fists forward. They swing around and loop back again, Venetia's voice crystal clear over the rolling thunder, "Can't you roll the dice? I might be surprised! Conscience clear--" Venetia and the pegasus make a pass, and another, and another, each accelerating faster and faster, until finally the white-winged horse lands delicately, its mistress rising up on its back. "I'm still standing--" She stands straight, holding one arm out to the side seemingly for balance but actually for effect. The other hand is pointed straight up, back at Meremoth, and Venetia bares her teeth in a blind grin. "--here!!"
You switch armor modes to On Pegasus.
You juggle Meremoth with your Now I've lost it; I know I can kill. The truth is just beyond the Gate! combo.
You juggle Meremoth with your Now I've lost it; I know I can kill. The truth is just beyond the Gate! combo.
You juggle Meremoth with your Now I've lost it; I know I can kill. The truth is just beyond the Gate! combo.
Meremoth breaks your combo.
Meremoth has been knocked out!
WHEN: Friday, May 23th
WHERE: Symphonic Austin, top of the Frost Building
WHAT: The finale of the Twisted Savior plot, of which none of the previous parts have been posted. Whoops. SOMEONE ELSE DO THAT.
WATCH FOR: People anticipating the second boss form, the second boss form, people just being all-around epic.
MORE broken glass?! Misa has managed to ease her Death Note out of her purse and, having set it down by her feet, is now searching for a pen--when she's suddenly forced to throw herself flat with another shriek, her arms coming up to cover her head. Fortunately, she's further away from Ground Zero than she was last time this happened--but she instantly regrets her actions, because now she's lying face-down in a PUDDLE and her CLOTHES are all WET and so is the DEATH NOTE and her MAKEUP is probably RUINED and EW EW EW EWWWW. D:
Grimacing, she pushes herself upright again, sits back on her haunches, fishes a pack of tissues out of her purse, and does her best to wipe some of the excess moisture off of herself and, more importantly, the notebook. This is largely a futile effort, since the tissues are rendered damp and useless almost as soon as they leave their protective plastic cocoon.
Misa finally gives up in disgust. She flips open the slightly soggy notebook and props it on her thighs, hunching over it to try and shield the pages from the rain as much as she can. Ugh, when she gets home, she is going to take a looooong bath...but for now, she writes.
"Killed by members of the Interplanar Peacekeeping Society," she begins, leaving a space in front of the words so she can fill in a name later. "Sees a vision, which he understands to be the true Kira punishing him for his crimes, before dying from wounds inflicted in the battle."
There, that should do it. Misa allows herself a smug smile, then glances up--only to see the impostor fall before the onslaught. "No--!" she yelps, before quickly clapping a hand over her mouth. Is she too late...?!
Turok says, "I say we string him up like a piñata and beat 'im till candy falls out"
Shane Fitzgerald says, "Shut yer cake-hole."
Shane Fitzgerald says, "How's the Shinigami team?"
Turok says, "Aww man.."
Nanoha Takamachi says, "The creature is proving to be difficult to subdue."
Alice Moore says, "He doesn't like fire, so I've got it!"
Shane Fitzgerald says, "Don't let it touch yeh!"
Turok says, "Wait hold up, if we already messed this guy up, how come the Shinigami is still at it?"
Cloud starts to move forward, but Meremoth goes still. Uncertain, eyes darting over the motionless form stuck to the roof, the blond doesn't, at first, seem sure what to do with himself. Finally, though, he places the Final Buster across his back. "...The jar." The swordsman-turned-courier-turned-swordsman again steps cautiously towards Meremoth's corpse, his other hand grasping the silver rod strapped across his back, criss-crossing the other weapon.
"I'll handle it," Cloud says, and crouches. He reaches for the canopic jar, intending on removing it from the deceased(?) for good.
Shane lands easily on his feet, his spear still stuck in Meremoth's corpse. There is the faint smell of searing flesh as he backs away. Glancing over his shoulder at Cloud, the scion nods once and begins back take several steps back holding his rifle at the ready. Just in case someone else decides to pop up...
Nergal Junior pants, his body no longer assuming that dusty quality as it materializes again. Gigantic flat swords, did - did Mister Parker just /shatter glass back at him/? Junior looks up at Simon, his eyes wide. "Teach me how to do that," he begs.
But he's been impaled (in one hell of a combination assault). His eyes roll into the back of his head. Junior blinks. He takes a few uneasy steps forward (though not too close), looking down at the body of Meremoth. He can't see adorable Misa-Misa, or hear her very important writing.
"Okay, I am not stupid," Junior says, and then holds his gun forward with both hands, emptying a full clip into Meremoth.
Nergal Junior critically strikes Meremoth with his CHECK THIS OUT I GET TO USE /GUNS/ attack.
Lenneth looks at Pixy Misa and raises an eyebrow at her. She shakes her head slowly clearly finding that too bizarre to worry about right now. She looks at the body but doesn't sheath her blade. Demons usually come back for one last scare and this seemed--a little too easy? Of course, Junior takes this one step furhter and actually keeps shooting.
Readying her spear, Maria is about to go stab Meremoth something fierce. Having discarded the now-bloody shard of glass, she stops and gives Simon a /look/. It's that look akin to the moment before she kneed him in the groin that one time.
Be glad she isn't in melee range of you, buster.
Before she can bring her weapon against the demon, he appears to be...dead. "...that was it?" she mutters, "..no, that can't be it. Apollyon put up so much of a better fight." Sighing, one hand is released from her weapon and instead moves to grasp her wound.
Maybe all these IPA members were overkill.
That... was too easy. Simon was briefed on Meremoth's abilities when they found out who the killer was; 'feign death' was on the list, but Parker's not sure if that's what he's using here. After all, the bastard /did/ get set on fire, riddled with glass, and so forth.
"Maybe," Simon says, with a little smile. He looks down at the kid, revealing a few chipped teeth--they'll regrow on their own. "Good idea. Never assume they're dead."
As if to reassert this fact, Simon stalks across the glass roof, taking things slow and steady to avoid slipping. He holds Sword high with both hands, and as soon as Junior's done filling the body full of lead, he brings the weapon down upon the Calabite's prone corpse.
Or is it 'corpse'?
And then Simon returns Maria's Look with a genuine Goddamn Snake smile. No, he's not taking that back, you little half-god justice thing.
Simon Parker critically strikes Meremoth with his Mortal Strike? attack.
"Sheeeeyit! Did ya see that!? That mutha was all like 'Imma bust you up' and then my homes Shane up in her was like *BAM* spear through the gut. That was gangsta'" Turok so eloquently comments seeing the body of Meremoth so thoroughly beaten, that'll teach him to throw glass at his rear. Then the blob turned boy starts shooting at him and what not and he shrugs
"Eh might as well put 'im out of his misery" Says he pointing his UMP 45 at the beaten body and shooting right along with Nergal. Sometimes the boys just have to cut lose
*BrRrRRRrrRRT!*
Turok hits Meremoth with his Piñata tiem jab.
"Aren't we overdoing this a little?" Lenneth asks in regards to all the shooting. "Even if he has a second form, or is faking..." She kind of feels bad for the guy.
Turok says, "Hold up sista' I still gotta empty this clip"
Whoa, nice work, Shane! Zack's going to go ahead and call that a dual-tech and they'll toast to it later, for sure! He straightens, leaving his sword in one hand for the moment as he approaches the corpse, falling in beside Cloud, about to crouch beside him-- but leaping back when Junior suddenly fills the corpse full of extraneous holes. "Whoa, hey, geez!" he says, turning to stare at the kid, slightly bewildered-- and again as Simon's weapon joins Shane's. After that, more bullets-- the SOLDIER is done looking surprised now. He simply facepalms.
"Are you kidding?" Nergal Junior grins as he fires into Meremoth. "I get to /shoot a guy/! This is the best day of my life."
Many of Lenneth's Einherjar murmur and give their approval to Nergal. Sometimes, Lenneth sighs, she /wonders/.
"Oh~, weren't you calling me a monkey earlier? I didn't realize you were into beastiality! I bet when you go to the petting zoo, mothers pull their crying children away! The zoo officials have to call a SWAT team to pry you off!" Venetia taunts back, spreading her arms out towards Meremoth while silently cursing. Damn, looks like the 'throw the glass shard back at him' maneuver was no good. However, then Shane skewers the Captain of Death on the end of his spear, and that...seems to be the end of it. She pulls her bangs out of her eyes again, frowning. That was *way* too easy. Venetia frowns, then takes a few steps towards the corpse.
Junior's the one who opens a clip in the bastard's body, and she smiles slightly as she folds her arms. Cloud's going for the jar, and Simon and others are following suit with Junior, so...unless he suddenly goes AWISE FWOM YOA GWAVE and goes second-form boss mode, it looks like this is the end of Meremoth. "Man, that was anticlimactic," she mutters to herself.
Misa's outcry comes then, and though it'd normally be difficult to hear over the roar of the thunderstorm (just watch, lightning will strike and they'll all be blown to kingdom come), Venetia snaps her head up. That sounded vaguely familiar... Just to be sure, since paranoia is never a bad idea in these situations, Venetia starts heading over towards where she heard Misa's voice coming from.
Turok finishes the submachine clip and drops it on the thoroughly shot at and stabbed 'corpse' going then to feed yet another magazine, since it is force of habit "Punk" Mutters the hooligan before going to grab hold of his abdomen, it appears to bleeding a little despite his bullet proof vest "Yo! I could use like, some gaddam pain killers here. If don't nobody minds"
Sure! It's easy for everybody to be having a jolly good time shooting at the body, what with half of them being half Gods, super soldiers, demonic kids and angelic avatars but the Son of Stone is in fact still human and has his weaknesses.
The heroes react to the death of Meremoth with various stages of disbelief. Some of them even keep shooting. Meremoth's body jerks as bullets and swords hit his flesh, cutting him up and putting even more holes into him. He's looking pretty messed up by now... Even for a corpse.
Until that corpse raises a hand, a brilliant flare of light bursting from his hand straight into Cloud's face. The other claw rises, pulling the spear from the ground, and Meremoth rises, intoning a dire melody. Disturbence resonantes throughout the Symphony as Essence burns from Meremoth's body... And he cackles. "DIDN'T I TELL YOU IT WASN'T OVER? ANTICHRIST, MAN, YOU GUYS ARE RUTHLESS! /I LOVE IT/!" He levels his hands, and then screams the final words of the Song... Before the light focuses into a terrible beam of light, scorching forward and rebounding through the glass walls, refrqacting and burning as it splits into a cascade of luminescent coruscating death.
Meremoth hits Zack Fair with his LAZOR AMBUSH attack.
Meremoth gets a glancing blow on Cloud Strife with his Keep Your Hands To Yourself attack.
Meremoth misses Lenneth Valkyrie with his BEAM attack.
Meremoth gets a glancing blow on Maria Tegawa with his MORE BEAM attack.
Meremoth hits Venetia Martens with his QUAD LAZOR?! attack.
Meremoth gets a glancing blow on Turok with his Gangsta Lazor All Up In Your Crib Fo Shizzle Indian Boy attack.
Meremoth hits Nergal Junior with his Light... No, Celestial Light! attack.
Meremoth critically strikes Shane Fitzgerald with his got ur spear, lazoring ur doodz attack.
Meremoth critically strikes Simon Parker with his Quit Resisting My FD, Jackass attack.
Feige Abramson says, "These Ultima Demons are quite hardy."
Vita pant. Pant. Pant.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "They're just that. Ultimate Demons"
Caithlin Stenger says, "Are you alright, Feige?"
Feige Abramson says, "I appear to have been exploded by spontaneous explosions centering around my person. Twice."
Sergeant Detritus, a little distantly, "I fink dis woman is beatin' them all. She threw one of dem spinny metal fings at me and pierced der armor and stuff."
Caithlin Stenger breathes out. "Just be careful. And come back alive."
Feige Abramson says, "Ah, the spirit of science tells me to live on. It wishes for me...to continue research on such--hahaha..."
What else did you /expect/? Simon's eyes go wide as the world around him erupts in BEAMSPAM, the Symphony howling and shrieking as the Song refracts through the windows.
He's going to have to remember that one for later. First, he's going to get burned.
The laser strikes Simon dead center-mass, scorching through his clothes and sizzling into his flesh. The Balseraph bites back a scream of agony, unwilling to give his nemesis the pleasure of hearing him in pain, and staggers back...
Somewhere, at a gaming table, Asmodeus stares in disbelief at three dice: 1 1 1
"Sorry, bud, you can't reroll," says Nybbas, peering out from behind his GM's screen. From across the table, Saminga laughs like Skeletor, and Asmodeus' lips tighten in a scowl--
And Simon slips on the rain-slick roof, and falls right off the rooftop.
#*!&, Parker thinks, as he starts plummeting to his doom.
Then he reacts out of instinct, Singing a few Latinate verses... And six black bat-like wings erupt from his back. Simon flaps them, braking his descent, catching a thermal, and then flying back up to the rooftop. He hangs in the air for a second before braking once again, building momentum as he falls. One foot is extended, aimed right at the back of Meremoth's head.
And as soon as he lands again, the wings fold back into Simon's back, like they were never there.
Simon Parker critically strikes Meremoth with his FLYING KICK attack.
Misa squints through the rain. Now that the demon has stopped moving around so much, she can see...something...yes, it's the tell-tale eerie red light that contains the letters and numbers of Meremoth's name and lifespan. She still can't quite make out the details of his face from here, and the letters are too blurry to read...but the fact that they're there at all is enough. She hasn't lost her chance yet!
Biting her lip in concentration, Misa begins to edge out from her hiding place (which isn't much of one, to be honest) in a furtive attempt to get a better look. She's barely made it six inches, though, when her straining eyes suddenly get much more than they bargained for. She gasps sharply and scuttles back again, throwing up one arm and pushing it tightly against her face to shield herself from the blast of light. Blinded like this, she doesn't see Venetia approaching...
Junior smiles up to Simon and Venetia for that matter. When Meremoth rises again, the boy's attention returns to the Captain of Death, adopting a sarcastic boredom. "See, I told you." The time to reaim his handgun isn't enough, however - before he can pull the trigger, a searing celestial spear of concentrated light rushes into him, only one of many lighting the evening sky.
Nergal Junior looks down at his body, which now has a large hole burned into his torso. He looks back up, scowling. "Hey, I was using that torso!" His fangs sharpen in anger, and then he begins to just barrel directly at Meremoth, swinging his arms wildly like a windmill, the way kids do when they don't know how to fight.
At least until he reaches Meremoth, at which point Junior's body splashes against him, reducing into a thick black sludge. The sludge expands and thickens, growing quickly into a quagmire, as oily tendrils slither up and attempt to ensnare Meremoth, holding him down as if he were standing in a localized puddle of quicksand. Well, quicksand that has a maw engulfing you from the waist down and is trying to digest you.
Nergal Junior misses Meremoth with his eat stun.
So it /was/ too easy. A small part of Maria's actually pleased by this since it was unlikely that he would perish now without her doing some significant harm to him in one way or another.
Case in point, the lawyer moves now, weaving around the lasers as they bounce through the glass, twisting her body to dodge where near be. At one point, it strikes her, grazing a leg, but Maria keeps on going, manuvering her way into melee range with Meremoth. Very soon he will find the vengeful Scion bearing down on him with the spear. Specifically, she comes at him from /above/, how she was able to earn herself that sort of height being a bit of a mystery. It's likely she did so too with the intent of not being accidentally devoured by Junior.
Maria Tegawa hits Meremoth with her Hi from Olympus! attack.
Cloud had been mentally prepared for something else - perhaps that this corpse would mutate, or evaporate into harmless green sparkles, just -something- other than just lie there, oozing blood all over the place. So it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise (except it does) that Meremoth lifts a hand into Cloud's face. In the space between a finger and thumb, one eye widens.
No SOLDIER, but he has the reflexes of one, no small thanks to Hojo's inhumane experiment. He turns his head sharply away and feels the -heat- of that light when it skims just past his head. Cloud identifies the foul smell of burning feathers as evidence that some of his hair has been scorched. And now it feels like he just got the sunburn of his life along the side of his neck.
That could have been -very- bad; for starters, that could have blinded him.
Refracting light manages to narrowly miss the blond as he - who had stumbled backward and presently sat on the rooftop - rocks back and then leaps to his feet in an agile kip-up.
The Final Buster is brought shoulder height, blade forward and edge pointed up, his glare following the length of that component blade to Meremoth. In so doing, he sees something... severely, intensely cool. Or disturbing, depending entirely on what context one takes seeing a guy suddenly sprout--
"Wings?" Cloud says, staring. "...That guy has /wings/?!"
His shock serves him well, others move in to strike, and once he sees an opening, he takes it, lunging in with that readied Final Buster. It's given a -shove- before Cloud readjusts his grip, then puts a foot down and jumps straight up, tearing with him the component Buster in a high, high leap. He backflips to right himself, and drops back to the rooftop.
Where he promptly slips, faceplanting. "..." ......Ugh, he could die from humiliation right now. =_=;
Cloud Strife misses Meremoth with his CLIMHAZZARD super.
Lenneth says, "Ah." after a moment, "My 'bad', as it were." She did think it was too easy--but she still felt uncomfortable with shooting it as it just sat there! Even if he semes to appreciate such activity--no, Lenneth tells herself. Doing something he enjoys is the last thing you want to do.
Lenneth swings her blade into the beam and catches it with her blade--before twisting and carrying THE LASER BEAM THING with her sword as she leaps for Meremoth, intending to slice him to bits with it--and the beam?! Does it work that way?!
Lenneth Valkyrie hits Meremoth with her I Wanna Be The Kira The Movie The Game! super.
"HRAAA!!" See? And people where complaining that Turok and the rest where shooting at a 'helpless' corpse, only to have it turn around and bite them all in the rear when Meremoth comes back the valley of the death and starts shooting lazers at them! "He was playing possum!!" States the master of the obvious hunter before getting his side ripped aside by the beam, armor vest falling right off him with a bunch of his ammunition.
Fortunately everyone else seems to have good reflexes as even some of his allies fall right off the roof they manage to sprout wings and come back to smack him right upside the head, other flying up as well to spear him from above and though that kid tries to devour him this guy seems to be pretty evasive and keeps dodging some of their blows. Well, if no one is going to listen to him the Son of Stone is gonna have to resort to some pretty dirty street fighting methods, if there is hope at all to defeat Meremoth "HRAA!"
So he darts forward, left foot forward waiting for most of the incoming blades to be swung at Meremoth before trying to step on his foot and then try and whack him across the face repeatedly with metal shaft of his machine gun. Going for the old fashioned pistol whip in stereo
Turok juggles Meremoth with his Skull fracture combo.
Meremoth breaks Turok's combo.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Someone get Lady Beoulve!"
Reis Duelar says, "I am trying!"
Okay, maybe his comrades were on to something. Zack curses not only as the 'corpse' moves, but as it aims a blast directly at Cloud's face. Following that, he's throwing his arms up to block the light from his eyes, hissing in pain as the painful beams sear and char his skin.
So this is round two, then? The SOLDIER steps back and away, blinking away the glaring after-images and trying to focus on Meremoth again, still biting back a grunt of pain. A noise does escape his mouth, however, as he witnesses Simon sprout /wings/, turning briefly to try to get a better lo-- no no, wait, focus Zack, focus! Cloud is--
... okay, he's going to tease you about that later, Cloud. Or give you a hug, if your ego is that bruised. Scanning the rest of the group, the SOLDIER takes in their appearance-- so far, everyone's alright. But if this guy has that much more left in him, he's going to have to fall back into a support role, isn't he? He hates that.
So he's going to take advantage of the time he has now, shifting his weight slightly, narrowing his eyes-- and then leaping forward towards Meremoth, Buster Sword held tightly in both hands. This guy is fast, but he's got to be faster now, putting to use one of the more beneficial skills Sephiroth grudgingly taught him some time ago.
Swinging the Buster Sword like the massive weapon is as light as a rapier, Zack slashes through the rainfilled air eight consecutive times, each strike cutting at a separate, deadly angle. He finishes off the attack with a final spin, turning a full circle and then aiming a decisive kick towards Meremoth's midsection, meaning to both harm and push him away from Cloud's general vicinity.
Zack Fair misses Meremoth with his Octasla-- ... You are not tricking me into saying that word. I'M ON TO YOU. super.
Vita meekly, ".....I broke a house."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "are you alive?!"
Sergeant Detritus says, "Don't worry, I fink we broke one too."
Vita says, "...Yes."
Ruri Hoshino, as if it were obvious. "She's talking to you."
Sergeant Detritus tactfully declines to mention that it was probably mostly him.
"Oh f--!" Misa-Misa is saved by the LASER BEAMSPAM MCDEMON when those laser beams smash into Venetia and send her flipping backwards, the unholy power searing into her flesh, which seems almost to ripple like water before remaining unscathed. Venetia lands both hands down, starting to slip backwards before she digs her nails into the metal grating and holds herself in place. "OH YOU ****FACE!!" she snarls, because just because she LOOKS fine doesn't mean she IS fine--and because the brightness from the lasers has shot her vision.
Her heart thuds in her chest. She's not sure where on the ceiling she is now, but she knows she's on a slant, meaning that she has to get *up*. She strains her hearing, hears people screaming and snarling, the whoosh of someone falling off--she holds her breath--and she hauls herself up to more level ground, scrabbling behind her back...and then something curious happens. She hears the pulse of wind like it's being beat back by wings. And her senses extend from here, sound and smell--the ozone in the air, blood and ichor, the rumbling in the clouds, the retort of gunfire, the whoosh of weapons both thrown and heaved--and it becomes all so *clear*. Though she's been blinded, the battlefield that she *could* see is as clear to her through her other senses as if she had complete sight.
It's a hell of a boon in this situation, anyway.
Venetia stands up, turning her blinded eyes towards Meremoth. She reaches behind her--but this time, pulls off the ribbon that had been holding her braid in place. Her hair, slick and wet as it is, remains as it is, but Venetia takes a moment in which she solemnly wraps that thread of cord around her head...over her eyes.
Then she smiles.
Sneakers pump on the slick floor of the skyscraper ceiling as Venetia races forward, then slides into a kneel. The *clink* of metal makes her shoot a hand down and grab a length of steel that had been wrested loose during the battle, and she slides to a halt next to Cloud, whom she'd heard faceplanting.
"You okay?" Venetia asks gently, placing a hand on his shoulder to help him up. With her other hand, she pinpoints Meremoth's location by marking the source of all the sounds of violence, as well as the stench of death that lingers around Meremoth's form--or at least attempts to, as she's pretty new at this--and hurls that jagged length of steel at ridiculous speeds towards central mass.
You reset your buff status to neutral.
You hit Meremoth with your The contract--is it worth the price? A soul pledged to the darkness attack.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "We can pay for the damage later! Right now our top priority is to retrieve the Beoulves!"
Reis Duelar says, "I am riding!"
Father Kevin Graham's voice sounds a bit unnatural as he can be heard mumbling. It's hard to hear what he's saying- but something about not breaking the chains.
Sergeant Detritus rumbles, "Abduction?" Swears under his breath in his own language. Or he might be clearing his throat. "Can't get anyfing fast enough to help chase dem down, 'specially if dey went down into dat forest. Good luck."
Some small part of Shane was hoping Meremoth would rise to his feet so they could kick his ass all over again but he wasn't -quite- expecting him to rise as he did. The fact that he was able to so casually unpin himself knocks Shane off the loop for a second. He's glowing too. The light temporarily blinding Shane as he attempts to keep his aim.
The laser burns a hole straight through Nergal and... Simon has -wings-?! What? It's enough to throw him off his grove that he gets slammed several times by the rebounding laser. The heat and energy from the light scorches skin and flesh but he'll live. That's not even his main concern right now. His concern is that Meremoth HAS HIS BIRTHRIGHT.
"GET YER BLOODY HANDS OFF THAT!" He roars, rushing towards Meremoth. For the moment, he's forgotten that a rifle is meant for shooting. Instead, when he gets within striking distance, he slams the butt of the rifle towards the demon before following it up with a sharp knee kick as he spins the gun over his head with one hand. He throws a right hook then before bringing the gun down and at point range, pulls the trigger.
Shane Fitzgerald juggles Meremoth with his That's mine! Not Yours! Gimme! combo.
Meremoth breaks Shane Fitzgerald's combo.
Havelock Vetinari says, "The house will be paid for."
Staff Sergeant Christoph Schmidt yells something impolite in Belkan. Again.
Vita says, "Language, Sergeant."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "I'll follow you once I see to Ser Beoulve Lady Duelar!"
Nanoha Takamachi says, "I can't blame him for that one - this creature is very difficult to hurt, Vita."
Reis Duelar says, "They went into the forest; I will follow!"
Staff Sergeant Christoph Schmidt says, "Aaaaaach, ich bin kein Kind!"
Sergeant Detritus grunts. "Forests are tricky fings. Hopin' dat it are a straight ride through to der other side."
Alice Moore says, "Hey, who's snake is that?"
Feige Abramson distracted, "What happened?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "When Ser Beoulve recovers enough to be moved, help him to IPA Headquarters!"
Feige Abramson says, "Who?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "The knight on the ground."
Feige Abramson says, "I have a chopper, I can take him if he doesn't mind being crowded. What happened to him? A demon attacked me--an ultimate demon!"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "He was thrown into one of my attacks when I was aiming for the priestess! The blonde man next to him is a friend."
Feige Abramson says, "Oh, I see, is he moving him? Puppy chow."
Meremoth cackles as the light burns through all before him, searing his enemies...
Except those enemies are showing a distressing reluctance to die. Meremoth questions this audibly, after simon kicks him in the back of the head. "Bless you, Parker! Why don't you just DIE?" He turns, only for Junior to try to engulf him. Meremoth leaps away, sliding down a slick glassy junction. If it wasn't for his inhuman physical traits, it would be suicide. "Not so fast, little demon!" He laughs. "You're still new at this, aren't you?" Maria continues the tradition of Dragooning into Meremoth... but he doesn't fall down. Maria is there, with the spear, that sticking vertically out of Meremoth, who is not falling over. It's a little embarassing, really. Meremoth hisses, reaching up to grab the Spear of Truth, pulling it out of his flesh and spinning Shane's own spear with his hand, striking out for Maria with Shane's weapon. Oh, the irony! "I'm past your little bodyguard, Maria." He grins.
And then turns, using both spears to block the Climhazzard along the hafts. Even the incredible strength of the strike cannot punch through a pair of powerful weapons like that, the impact sending Meremoth skidding back. The Spear of Truth is released, likely much to Maria's relief. "Pathetic!" He taunts. Turok whacks him across the face, and he winces from the strike. Zach strikes, then, with the finesse and power of a SOLDIER. But SOLDIERS don't fight people like Meremoth all the time. He spins Shane's spear, and catches the Buster Sword on the broadhead eight times, pushing the attacks aside harmlessly every time. "You're good... But I'm better." Meremoth laughs. "Thank you for the cooling, however." He catches the kick and throws Zach aside with a push.
And then a blind woman and a Death Goddess strike. The beam slashes a burning trail through Meremoth, even as the metal erupts through Meremoth's back. He looks down at the metal in shock, glancing over at Venetia. "How the **** did you do that?" he asks... And then Shane unleashes ANGRY IRISH TANK POWER. The rifle crushes into Meremoth, the knee kick propelling Meremoth away. He drops the spear in a sacrifice play to get the hell away from Shane.
He drops into the middle of the toothlike class framing the roof. Despite his multitude of wounds, he still stands, weaving on his feet. He doesn't NEED Shane's Birthright. "That's important to you, isn't it.... Well, take it with you INTO THE NEXT WORLD!"
There is a massive ringing of Disturbence as Meremoth raises his hands, intoning a long and complex Song. The air flickers around him in heatwaves, The pouring rain beginning to vaporize around him. People who fought Apollyon might recognize this tactic, as Meremoth's Song raises to a crescendo of power and hatred..."DIE! DIE! AHAHAHAHAHA! YOUR FLESH WILL BE CRISPED TO CINDERS! YOUR BONES WILL FUEL THE FIRES OF HELL!"
And the heat explodes outwards, scorching in an infernal inferno that blasts through the glass, sending melting red-hot shards flying everywhere. The fire is visible for miles, a fireball atop the Frost Tower that threatens to consume everything.
Meremoth misses Zack Fair with his The Consuming Flame super.
Meremoth hits Cloud Strife with his Disco Inferno super.
Meremoth misses Lenneth Valkyrie with his Burn Baby Burn super.
Meremoth hits Maria Tegawa with his I'm Hot-Blooded super.
Meremoth hits Venetia Martens with his Hot Child In The City super.
Meremoth misses Turok with his Die In A Fire super.
Meremoth hits Nergal Junior with his Canned Heat super.
Meremoth misses Shane Fitzgerald with his Smoke On The Water, Fire In The Sky super.
Meremoth hits Simon Parker with his Burning Heat super.
Meremoth misses Misa Amane with his FIERFIERFIERFIERFIERFIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR super.
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Just check up on him for me please! Mustadio is a good man but he's prone to exploding. On accident."
Sergeant Detritus translates, "Oh, he is an alchemist?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Engineer."
Vita says, "i'm eyes in the sky. If anything shows up, i'm going to knock it into orbit."
Sergeant Detritus says, "Oh, okay. Der end result is usually der same, though."
Feige Abramson says, "Oh! Is he? He sounds delightful."
Feige Abramson says, "Rest assured, I will help him check on Ramza. I cannot resist this opportunity."
Sergeant Detritus, to Vita, "... if you knock 'em far enough up, I should be able ter get a clear shot at it."
Sergeant Detritus says, "Kyu-Ee-Dee."
You saw no wings, citizens. Move along.
Parker drops into a three-point crouch, and then scrambles away. "I don't have authorization to die," the Balseraph says, with a grin. Kozlov was fond of saying that--Kozlov, whom this monster nearly /Traumatized/. Parker is about go for the kill again when the Symphony crackles and screams--and then, as fire blossoms in the darkness, Simon Parker screams with it.
When it abates, he's still standing. Burns cover most of his upper body, and his clothes are pretty much ruined--Sword is still unharmed, albeit soot-covered.
Simon bites back the pain, tucks the weapon under his arm by the hilt, and draws his unholy pistol. The demon loads a single bullet into the chamber, and tiny hellfire glyphs light up along the weapon's surface. Simon one-hands the Unholy Pistol, aims for Meremoth's center of mass, and lets out a wordless battle cry as he opens fire.
Simon Parker hits Meremoth with his .666 Special super.
Suddenly, the world is made of fire. "I don't even understand how I'm on fire!" Junior wails. "I live in fire!"
What is left when the flames clear is a little boy once again, sprawled on his back, with a bleeding hole seared into his torso, dripping unpleasant pieces, and covered in horrible burns. It's a triumph of the will that he's still conscious, from the looks of it, though who knows how his bizarre physiology works. He lies there, groaning in pain, rolling back and forth on the roof for some time. It takes effort, but as he rolls and wails - almost in tears from the pain, though trying to hold them back - the hole in his torso gradually reseals itself, restoring the arcane organs that once were there. Even his little formal suit reforms itself over the whole, though the whole wallowing in agony thing damages the dapper threat he was going for with the outfit this evening.
Nergal Junior heals Nergal Junior with his Mutant Healing Factor action.
"You are disgusting." Lenneth says. She's starting to get a hang of all this NOISE that's trumpeting through the area. She even has an idea of what's going to happen by reading the disturbance and counters well in advance of the unleashed fires--by vanishing entirely.
Is she coming back? Doesn't seem that way, her presence for a moment doesn't seem to be on this plane and--
Oh wait, looks like Lenneth can feign things too, as moments later she reappears--falling from the sky an driving her sword down like some sort of LINK. "All this noise you're making...! Will cease!"
Lenneth Valkyrie critically strikes Meremoth with her Lenneth In The Sky With Diamonds attack.
The Death Note has flopped off of Misa's lap and onto the wet ground again, but Misa is too busy rubbing fiercely at her eyes to notice. She blinks roughly, trying to clear the spots from her vision, and by the time she figures out where everyone is, Meremoth is on the completely opposite side of the roof from where she was expecting him to be.
Misa picks up the Death Note again and puffs out her cheeks in annoyance. Okay, this is getting old. Plus she's starting to get a cramp from sitting in this position, balanced on the balls of her feet with her knees tucked up against her chest as if she were some weird creepy recluse detective stalker person. Dammit, why couldn't Light have sent her a photo of the guy along with his name? She'll have to chew him out over that later.
But now something else is happening...and Misa may not understand what it is, but something in her gut screams, 'Oh, not AGAIN.' Her eyes widen, and driven by a nameless, twisting fear, she dives for the service elevator and hammers frantically on the button. It seems an eternity before the doors slide sluggishly open--and Misa throws herself inside the car just a split-second before the world erupts in glass and fire.
Meliadoul Tengille says, ".... we lost her"
Mercade Alexander says, "Hmm"
Mercade Alexander says, "?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "Lady Beoluve. Ser Beoulve's sister. The Lucavi took her."
Sergeant Detritus says, "Any sign of dem? No tracks, accidentally dropped bits an' pieces, nothin'?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "We found them... mutilated murdered."
Sergeant Detritus says, "..."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "But Lady Beoulve is missing. This is the work of the Lucavi."
*KLANK!* Once the first smack crunches into the skull, Turok actually goes to disengage and leap backwards to allow the rest of his allies to chip in. As much as he likes going hand to hand, something tells him that being dangerously close to this guy is just asking for the worst and he is glad to have the rest of the party have their fun, either way, he is bleeding profusely and takes this time to walk backwards, take off his bandanna and press it against his torso wound as best he can.
This proves to serve him well because just as he predicted, once everyone socks Meremoth one he goes to get awfully pissed and the entire crystal floor starts burning up. At the very least this is going to dry him a little but he just doesn't want to get burnt to a crisp. The dinosaur hunter is not in the menu! For the last time! When will you people learn?? So the hunter goes to dart back like a complete coward and climb atop the elevator roof that took most of the squad there, avoiding for the most part the burning flames
"Crap...this is starting to suck" Mutters he, holding on to his wound and clenching his jaw. Though he does manage to chuckle a little "Heh, but ya know what the say. If bad stuff happens to ya" Starts he with a bit of a trembling voice before he pulls out a strange device from his backpack "It's because ya weren't tough enough to handle it" Is that? Is that the--
"So better man the hell up!!!" Screams the hunter youth in defiance having just about enough of the Meremoth's crap. Aiming the alien device towards his body, the targeting mechanism locking in and with a horrid buzzing sound Turok sends a drilling sphere towards the Meremoth. The device eager to suck in any of the Meremoth's divine body fluids it can get its vicious mouth on.
Turok critically strikes Meremoth with his CEREBRAL BORE attack.
Sergeant Detritus... grunts uncertainly. "Can't say dat's very promisin', dat."
Turok *BZZZZZZZZZZZT!!!!!* "Aaaah..I love that sound. Specially when it ain't happening to me"
Reis Duelar says, "And - the child, Gamlon, he went this way as well! Do you think -"
Feige Abramson says, "I do not believe we can give proper chase now, but we should recoup and investigate further, put in the official missing person's report..."
Sergeant Detritus says, "Any way to keep der scene of der crime as it is? It are a forest an' all, but there has got to be somethin' there dat..."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "I'll look"
Reis Duelar says, "No, the child is afraid of you. /I/ will look. You - the bodies -"
Feige Abramson says, "Has anybody knows a 'chest that was grabbed'?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "... ..."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "There are remains of a broken chest. Why?"
Turok says, "Heheh...Headshot"
Feige Abramson says, "The knight was asking about it, he seems quite worried about it."
Sergeant Detritus say, "... it are seemin' pretty important to dis Ramza guy." Pause. "Also, der Engineer."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "ask what was in it."
Cloud slams a fist down on the roof once in frustration before snatching up his weapon, getting back to his feet. He even gives his head a quick toss to attempt - and fail - to shake sodden hair out of his eyes, but won't really have to worry about it, not when he flinches sharply. What the /hell/?!
His only personal warning that something big and unpleasant is forthcoming.
Final Buster flashing as he hauls it upright, Cloud takes brief refuge behind the blade, before it simply grows too hot to provide him with any sort of protection. After the inferno, scorched, his clothes smouldering in places, weapon radiating and glowing with heat, Cloud staggers. A shuffling step forward, another stagger, and he forces himself upright.
Cloud charges, lifting the weapon over his head as he leaps for Meremoth, possessed of a single-minded desire to cleave the offending murderer in half on his way back down. "HAAAAAAAAGH!"
Cloud Strife critically strikes Meremoth with his LAST DITCH EFFORT attack.
Feige Abramson says, "Should I mention the chest was broken?"
Meliadoul Tengille says, "There is no reason to lie to Ser Beoulve. Tell him what I have told you. I will stay at the scene. Lady Duelar... travel safe."
Nanoha Takamachi says, "....nrgh. Hit it hard, everyone!"
Sergeant Detritus sighs. "I can tell 'em."
Feige Abramson says, "Not lying, merely not saying. I am just worried about it distressing his conditi--ahh, the Sergeant will surely be perfect for breaking the news."
Meliadoul Tengille says, "He deserves to know everything we know about this situation. He... found out what was in the chest."
No. Meremoth might not need his birthright but Shane sure as hell does. When Shane sees just how Meremoth is using the spear, he snarls angrily but as soon as the weapon is dropped he dives for it, ignoring the beast's taunt. Just as his hand closes over the shaft, there is a familiar tingling sensation.
Staring upwards, he realizes what is about to happen. "FIRE!" He shouts but his warning gets lost in the explosion of hellfire as he melts everything around him. The explosion washes over him but strangely it feels only... warm. A thin humorless smile lines his face.
He remains crouched and before the blaze has a chance to even die, he erupts from the heart of the fireball miraculously unscathed save for what damage already hit him. "I'll just take yeh with me to a place where yeh can't hurt anyone else!" The golden lance flashes in the air as he drives forward.
Shane Fitzgerald switches armor modes to Birthright.
Shane Fitzgerald critically strikes Meremoth with his Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you! attack.
Shit. Zack's eyes widen as he realizes none of his strikes hit anything but Shane's spear, realizing this too late as Meremoth catches his boot and throws him offbalance. The SOLDIER stumbles to the side, nearly losing his footing in the rain. The Buster sword is swung around to right his balance, and he's about to launch another attack when that distracting, annoying 'sound' in his mind grows noticably. And that's when he starts to feel the heat.
He quickly scans the group, realizing he's too far to do anything to protect anyone in time. Gritting his teeth, he slams the Buster Sword into the concrete, crouching close behind it to shield himself from the blast of fire and debris. A materia appears in his hand, glowing softly green but growing in intensity as the fires start to recede.
As soon as the worst of it is over, the SOLDIER stands, raising the bauble into the air and closing his eyes briefly. The light intensifies, and with a quiet exhalation, Zack opens his eyes. Simon will be first, because thus far the SOLDIER has rated him perhaps one of the most effective in this battle, and he needs to keep going. Second is Venetia, because she's smoking hot-- err, uh, a very nice girl with a wonderful personality. He himself is third, out of instinct in battle-- if he's going to be able to help anyone else again, he's got to be able to stand.
Only after he's finished casting does he notice, with a look of surprise and dismay, that Cloud is in pretty bad shape. Goddammit, wasn't he supposed to be looking after him?! He knows the plan his friend has, and knows-- trusts-- he'll be alright. He reaches for his sword again-- and yelps in surprise as the now-bare grip scorches his hand right through his glove. Looks like he'll have to wait a few moments before he can use it again.
Zack Fair heals Simon Parker with his Durp action.
Zack Fair heals Venetia Martens with his Durpa action.
Zack Fair heals Zack Fair with his De Durp action.
Nergal Junior's body slows to a stop in its rolling in agony, as the wound finishes sealing and mending. The boy groans, climbing back to his feet in a woozy stumble. He looks up at Meremoth, features scrunched with a venomous scowl, voice quiet and possibly inaudible over the ruckus of the battle. "They're gonna have to invent a new word for how dead you are."
Junior's body then explodes outward, his body seeming to split in a mass of black boils, agglomerations, and organs for which human science has no name. Hundreds of green eyes stare down at Meremoth from high positions, lining squirming tentacles covered in obsidian spikes. The mass undulates in a manner prone to nauseate those less accustomed to squirming horrors from beyond time (though this one is from within time; it looks like the ones from beyond, though), as a protrusion barely possible in Euclidean space sweeps out to grasp Meremoth and slam him viciously into the ground of the roof, while seven fanged maws lining the protrusion clamp down. A series of extensions and growths whip out and slither through the air, seeking to pass Meremoth from piece to piece in a sequence of varied horrors, from the simple beating and constriction, to bioelectric charges, devourings, venomous barbs, and other unpleasantries. Several of the central maws on the beast roar unnatural sounds as the attack is unleashed.
Nergal Junior switches armor modes to True Form.
Nergal Junior juggles Meremoth with his BEHOLD MY TRUE FORM AND /DESPAIR/ combo.
Nergal Junior juggles Meremoth with his BEHOLD MY TRUE FORM AND /DESPAIR/ combo.
Nergal Junior juggles Meremoth with his BEHOLD MY TRUE FORM AND /DESPAIR/ combo.
Meremoth breaks Nergal Junior's combo.
Shane Fitzgerald says, "... .. WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THAT?!"
Caithlin Stenger says, "What is it?!"
Simon Parker sounds tense, but not freaked. "Junior."
Simon Parker says, "That's his true form, he's very sensitive about it..."
Shane Fitzgerald says, "Yeh mean the kid?!"
Turok says, "Can't imagine why"
Simon Parker says, "His father just so happens to be a death god."
Shane Fitzgerald says, "... ..."
Shane Fitzgerald says, "oh."
Shane Fitzgerald Says this as if it suddenly explains -everything-
Alice Moore says, "Hey, guys, I have good news!"
Alice Moore says, "Shinigamis are like vampires!"
Lenneth Valkyrie says, "He seems to be a rather friendly child."
Shane Fitzgerald says, "... they're allergic ta garlic?"
Turok says, "When not packing heat"
Lenneth Valkyrie says, "He was very friendly about repeatedly shooting an apparently dead body."
Alice Moore says, "Actually, I didn't check, I don't have garlic."
Turok says, "Who was in fact not dead and then starting shooting us back. Thankyouverymuch"
Sergeant Detritus says, "... Meliadoul?"
Feige Abramson continues to let Detritus break the news.
Sergeant Detritus says, "'Bout dat chest dat was broken open."
In close range, Maria doesn't seem to be concerned about her own safety. In fact, she seems quite at home there. Normally a very calm person, even in situations like these, that calm begins to evaporate when Meremoth starts using her own spear. One arm lifts, moving swiftly to deflect Shane's weapon away from her, preventing it from even piercing her flesh. She keeps on the demon now, until he lets go of the weapon.
It's quickly retrieved and quickly re-armed by the lawyer. She is ready to sweep in and strike out at him again when she hears that familiar song. She remembered it, heard it when she faced Apollyon in fact. She knows what's coming. But it's too late. Flames was outwards and the Scion /disappears/ from sight completely, not even seen upon the rooftop anymore. One of her shoes can be seen near the edge, however, heavily suggesting that the woman was now in freefall.
The world ends in fire. Venetia can't help but scream, though the sound of it is likely lost in the conflagration. Clothes are scorched, though at least not burnt off completely; Cloud, being right next to her, provides some protection, but he's no better off than she is. In the end, she is sprawled face-down. In another couple of seconds, as she listens to the world around her and Zack's healing goodness restores the feeling back into her torched limbs, she stirs.
"I wish you were here tonight with me to see the northern lights... I wish you were here tonight with me..." Venetia sings, with small strength at first that builds into something more powerful. "I wish I could have you by my side tonight when the sky is burning... I wish I could have you by my side..." She heaves herself back onto her feet, and turns slowly, slowly, towards Meremoth. If the Captain of Death had been confused about her managing to hit him while blind before, he will be downright befuddled--and perhaps a little disturbed--about how this woman who had been unmistakably caught up in the fire rises up, seemingly unscathed, too much so even for having just received a healing spell... "'Cause I've been down--" looks straight at him through a blindfold, "--and I've been crawling--" lifts up a hand, points at him... "--won't back down no more!!"
And smiles.
And then breaks into a sprint for the side of the building and arcs into a perfect diving leap off the side of the skyscraper. There is a flash of lightning that strangely didn't seem to originate from the clouds down there...
A winged horse, known better as a pegasus, swoops up then, neighing triumphantly as its white fur and feathers seem almost to cast a glow around its riders--Venetia in front, and Maria holding on behind. Her voice rings out as she continues to sing, "Can't you stop the lies falling from the skies? Down on me, I'm still standing!"
A quick duck, and Venetia hauls Maria overhand to throw her directly at Meremoth. Maria descends, landing crouched upon the ground for but a second before taking off running for the demon. Not a word is uttered by the lawyer as she lashes out, first with one wide swipe of the spear before she completely closes the distance between her and Meremoth.
When she is upon him, she reaches out with one hand, grabbing him by the dirty, messy hair of his at the back of his head. This hand pushes forward and at the same time, one of Maria's knees arcs upwards, possibly rising to meet Meremoth's face as the lawyer forcefully bows his head. This violent gesture is repeated twice, if possible, before Maria shoves the demon face-down on the ground.
Finally, her leg lifts over him, her sole stiletto heel brought to bear as she violently stabs it into the base of Meremoth's neck.
Maria Tegawa juggles Meremoth with her GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE combo.
Maria Tegawa juggles Meremoth with her GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE combo.
Meremoth breaks Maria Tegawa's combo.
Meremoth has been knocked out!
Venetia herself follows up on the attack as well, pegasus and Scion swooping in with hooves and fists forward. They swing around and loop back again, Venetia's voice crystal clear over the rolling thunder, "Can't you roll the dice? I might be surprised! Conscience clear--" Venetia and the pegasus make a pass, and another, and another, each accelerating faster and faster, until finally the white-winged horse lands delicately, its mistress rising up on its back. "I'm still standing--" She stands straight, holding one arm out to the side seemingly for balance but actually for effect. The other hand is pointed straight up, back at Meremoth, and Venetia bares her teeth in a blind grin. "--here!!"
You switch armor modes to On Pegasus.
You juggle Meremoth with your Now I've lost it; I know I can kill. The truth is just beyond the Gate! combo.
You juggle Meremoth with your Now I've lost it; I know I can kill. The truth is just beyond the Gate! combo.
You juggle Meremoth with your Now I've lost it; I know I can kill. The truth is just beyond the Gate! combo.
Meremoth breaks your combo.
Meremoth has been knocked out!