Finale: All teams

[voidtreckermods]

Inside the System

The forest seems endless as the Voidtreckers move through it, soothing the red vines that constrict the trees as they go. But eventually they will start to come together, as though they are being funnelled towards a centre.

The trees end, the forest opening out into a large clearing. Vines carpet the floor and climb up the trees, curving to create a dome of red mesh that blocks out the sky. As everyone gathers in the clearing, vines weave past them to cover the entrances, closing them in. The red light does little to light up the gloomy dome, but as their eyes adjust they will see a huge gnarled and broken tree in the centre. It pulses with the same sickly red glow.

From the gloom creatures emerge, more of the mongoose. These ones are larger, teeth and claws are sharp as they circle the clearing, hissing and snarling.

The tree begins to move, its branches and roots are huge and they swing towards the gathering Voidtreckers with a speed that seems unlikely for their size, roots rise up to try and tangle around limbs.

The vines creating the dome can be soothed, but there are so many of them it will be a lengthy job and the mongooses patrol the edges, attacking anyone who is trying to clear the roots. Often they will give chase to anyone who tries to run, trying to hound them into the path of the tree roots or into the range of the attacking branches.

All the while more vines are growing from the tree, pulsing red strands that spread towards the walls of the dome and beyond.

Outside the System

For those that did not enter the system it has been a long vigil over their unconscious teammates. The sectors still have problems but these seem to lessen: there are fewer emergency alerts in Winter, the walls stop moving in Autumn, all seems calm in Spring and the weather calms in Summer.

But as Day Eleven of the month of Jelly begins there seems to be a shift: the sky darkens, going from the usual clear blue that is has been for days to a dark, burnt red.

The Helpmates have mostly calmed the last few days, but now there are more of them and they will attack on sight. The only place they will not enter is the inner sanctuaries of the Great-Seasons, where the bodies of those who have entered the system still lie.

A few times the ground ominously rumbles and for anyone still in the Spring sector there are certainly a few frightened alpaca-type creatures to calm.

Comments

[controlsthedie]

With more taking the fight at range, Thanatos doubles up on making himself a target. He uses his sword more like a shield. The mongooses hit the flat-side of the blade as he runs past. Thanatos even leaps over a few and hears their angry growls behind him.

He'll try to lead them away from the main fight. Uh, Thanatos didn't mean to get so many chasing him.... (Now he knows how Zag feels against the vermin.)

[fivemilesdeep]

Ryo has decided to go for a more direct approach and take care of the vines themselves. They're here to root out the corruption in the system, after all, and he is a healer at heart. He has both hands tangled in the vines, actively chasing them down as they wither away from his touch, when he catches sight of the pack of Beasts chasing Thanatos. He yanks one hand free and gestures sharply towards the pack, freezing a number of them in their tracks and making them stationary targets for the long-distance fighters.

"I can freeze them - tell me where you need me!" Until then, he's going right back to getting rid of vines. It's slow going, but at least it's going.

[magicurls]

Mami falls in beside Ryo with the vines...she can use her fire in short bursts, but she's careful to avoid getting too close when ice is actively being used.

"Go if you have to," she offers. "I can cover."

[pleple]

Ple Two is on mongoose blasting - she feels pretty comfortable handling small, annoying targets, and she's found that she might have some kind of healing ability here to boot. That does not suit her, she feels, but...

The other thing is rainblasting the frozen mongooses. Mongeese? That's for later. For now she's attacking, and looking pleased with herself and how effective it is.

[fivemilesdeep]

"We can switch off," Ryo tells Mami, relieved to see someone else next to him. The vines require just as much focus as the mongooses, though they are markedly less dangerous. At the moment, he continues to run both hands through the vines, dispelling as many as he can while keeping an eye on the situation.

[controlsthedie]

Having escaped some of the pack thanks to Ryo's ice, Mami's fire, and Ple Two's rainblasting, Thanatos continues to try to draw the others further from the tree trunk. Then something strange begins to happen. The mongooses' forms shimmer, and Thanatos doesn't like it. A new form? A new way of attacking?

"Say goodnight!" He tries to create a circle of death below them but ends up creating a large flashing light, stunning the creatures instead.

What.

That... that is the opposite of what a child of Nyx, a child of Night is supposed to be able to do! "Blood and darkness. I hate this place."

[myblueskies]

"Well done sir! Are you hurt?" Romeo grinned at Thanatos and sent water out to blast the creatures away, pushing them further from the tree.

He looked around at the others, to see who else needed helping.