middleofsomewhere | The Will to Fight: Ongoing: Red and Purple

The Will to Fight: Ongoing: Red and Purple

Dawn Attack

It's been a busy few days of fighting demons, attacking keystones and fighting both on the demon and human planes. On the morning of day nine of the month of Kazoo a gate opens close to the base camp that the two teams have made.

It seems the demons have decided to focus on this unexpected threat, because it is a sizable force, with a number of the large demons. They march towards the camp with single-minded focus, the opportunity to stop these unwanted defenders taking precedence over their desire to destroy the city.

The advantage to the landscape being as ruined as it is, is that there isn't much to stop the lookouts from seeing this force headed towards them. A gate opening is not subtle. There should be enough time to make sure the defenders are ready.

Scouting Ahead

Once that skirmish is won those on the Red team will find their SCA's beeping, with an exclamation point far out to the east.

A group of demons is congregating at the location indicated. Investigate why, defeat the demons and close any gates nearby.

It will take a while to get there and there is plenty to do on the way for those that follow the exclamation point. Roaming packs of demons, gates to be closed. Exhausting work, especially for those going in and out of the demon gates.

Protecting the City

Once it is clear that these defenders are not going to be easy to wipe out, the attacks on the city itself get more frequent. The demons have changed tactics: rather than sending in large groups they open many small portals, sending small strike teams to harry and target individuals.

Some of the attacks are clearly meant as traps: they open the gates in or very close to the city, to lure the Voidtreckers in to where they will be affected by the spell. Ranged attacks may be useful here.

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With how Inigo has been wandering closer towards the other two, he's practically meeting Tidus halfway. Just enough for him to be able to lean over and to whisper - in a way that isn't quiet enough to be a whisper at all, honestly: "How does Roland know what day of the week it is?"

You think Inigo understands what the word mayday means? Please, half of this whole situation is going over his head. This is way too much of a modern way to word things for him to fully understand how Roland is getting this message from the beeps and boops, let alone know what the message itself means.

So rather than trying to understand that, he turns his attention back to the little thing sitting on his hands. "Hey, is that you talking? Over the radio? Can't you talk with us in any other way?"

Look, Inigo isn't too sure if this thing can even communicate, but it's not like he's got many other leads to go by here. May as well look like an idiot talking to a metal moving thingy.

"Al... alright..." she said. A card flew to her hand.

"Najaran, no!" Goligan shouted.

She didn't listen, she threw the card into the air, shaking with nervousness. And fatigue. But maybe because she was so spent, the spell wouldn't be too strong for her to control...? Maybe?

That... would be a no.

"WIND CUTTER!" she cried, trying to direct the spell to only hit the demon in front of them. She... hit lots of demons. Pretty much all the demons within a ten foot range. Except for the one she'd been aiming for. She'd also hit Vexen unless his reflexes were very good. The wall they'd been backed against was all but gone. Structural damage went out even further than damage to demons, leaving the area a smoking ruin.

But on the plus side, a section of wall fell over and THAT hit the demon they'd been fighting...

(The attack spell is a series of curved invisible blades of wind moving outwards at a high velocity in random directions.)

Edited (Grammar and adding in what the spell actually DOES) 2021-03-23 10:14 (UTC)

"My method is safer but... my son wouldn't agree either," he admitted, ruefully. "Fine. Start spreading a rumor however you see fit that there is a child here, if you must. Better they go after me. I hate being mistaken for one, but if that can save the actual children here, I'll use it. I'll be bait and start working area of effect spells."

[ Inigo stares up, right into Roland's eyes.

It's like the other's fingers aren't digging into his shoulders, but instead directly into Inigo's heart. It hurts a little, this pressure, this expectation. No matter how many times it happens, Inigo hates being driven into the situation where he has to be the one to make the decisions. Not that he won't do it when he has to-- but he'd rather not, especially with how little confidence he has in himself. What if he says the wrong thing? What if everything goes wrong, and it's his fault?

It leaves the look in his eyes a little helpless as he stares at Roland. As if he's silently pleading for the other to not put this on him. He can't make a decision about Roland's life. How is he supposed to weigh the life of his father against the success of the mission? It's not a choice he can make.

After all, why is it that he doesn't want Roland to go? Isn't it purely just because he doesn't want to lose a father again? Maybe the loss of his parents is the trauma he can't overcome.

Selfish, selfish. ]

I.. okay.

[ This is for the good of the mission, you dolt, he tells himself. ]

I-- I'll wait here. In case you end up needing help.

“Your back is all on you, bub. Even if you are getting sloppy. I just don’t want my paycheck hit if you bite the big one during a tantrum.”

"I can keep it up," Koumyou confirms cheerfully, turning several more demons into ichor-soaked confetti as the indestructible paper shreds them apart, the remaining gore smoldering on the ground as it decays. The light he and the sutra are both giving off is like holy radiation to the demons, and the closer they get to him, the more they try to veer away from the way Casper is herding them, skin smoking.

To them, he may as well be an atomic explosion that just keeps. on. going.

"Are you?" Koumyou asks, not sounding too worried about it, but, you know. He can't resist the poke, mild though it is. "Are your eyes alright? I know it was very bright."

Understatement of the year, that, and he knows it. The Light of Creation itself that was used to forge the very stars, the very concept of light, isn't just 'very' bright. Of course, it's gone now, with no sign of where it had even come from, the green and white sutra draped around his shoulders back to doing a very good impression of regular paper.

"--Ah, I didn't even think about what might happen if someone I help is also unholy."

W h o o p s.

"Oh dear..."

"No way," Tidus agrees - even with Reno having something to do with the emergency nearby portals, he figures that guy would get pissed if some demons made him look incompetent. Even with that attitude of his...

"What about you? How you holding up?" --Hows and whys can come later. The numbers of the demons are trickling, but Casper is fast, Tidus still has his own stamina to spare. "How many can you hit at once if I play bait?"

He sighs, shoulders dropping. Not so much disappointed by the lack of what Piccolo knew, but he said also told on top of it - how little they knew...

"I don't get how they got this close without anyone noticing, that's what I'm worried about. They've been keeping one or two gates opened over here. They've been doing patrols. And all those showed up and made a gate right in front of camp? That's no good..."

Just what else did they have planned next? And the fact none of their actual fast travellers had seen anything of much either in those realms. Well, it was probably as fun in there for Piccolo as it was the rest of them.

"What're you gonna do? Head back out?"

TALK TO THE BOT NOT THE COMMS, OLD MAN!!!

Roland is engrossed in his own world right about that, and that puts the final nail in the decision for Tidus to join Inigo, though he doesn't need to move a step or more before the other guy is already coming over to him. This is a lot of absurdity going on at once, but at least with Inigo's question...

"Huh? Day of the...?" Oh, may day. "No, it's a distress call. Like alert, alert. Something's trying to get in contact."

With someone, or something, that much was what Tidus was making out. But it's clear that this bot...was not from this world, and whatever it was doing here...

While Inigo is being bot-mom, Tidus tries something - making his void ticket appear from his band and in his hand. It's got that weird light...maybe it's trying to read them, so maybe, as he lifts it up in front of him.

"We came from the void. You too? Where's your, uh...craft?"

Take us to your leader, oh space bot??

Right. I thought as much.

[ It explains his current state well. But it also means Roland knows precisely what to do. In the palm of his hand, glimmering gold light appears for a split second before a small item rests on his palm - or rather, a small slice of a legume. A senzu bean, a third of it snapped neatly from the rest of the bean's body.

He offers it to Ken without hesitation. ]

Here. Eat this. It'll help you regain your strength. If one isn't enough, take the other half. I have one more, and I know the guy supplying it. It's no trouble at all.

[ Roland's not going to let up on this one, palm still open despite whatever protests he may hear from Ken. ]

We can talk strategy to help you in there after you get better. Deal?

DON'T TELL HIM WHAT TO DO THIS IS A NATIONAL CRISIS-

This part of the transmission has Roland off for a loop. It forces him back to his diagram, hoping his phone is catching the recording of the beeps that he's missing. It's important too, because he can't keep up with this one until he takes his phone, stops the recording, and plays back the final part of the message that distinctly grows longer and longer the more he paces. He's on his feet, phone up close to his ear, his mouth moving to inaudible words, and his hand holding the chart with the letters.

When he stops to write down what he knows, a transmission from someone else on the team comes through his earpiece and he finally takes a look at the two, cradling the droid. What was it, and how was it related to these messages...? He's heard it's looking for something over the comms line, a backpack...?

"I think Devero wants to take a look at it," He finally says, writing down letters onto paper, multitasking with a stern calm, hiding an undercurrent of worry. "But if it's beeping like the radio, then maybe it'll respond to the same thing? Give me a sec."

The final piece of the puzzle is just as unnerving as the rest of the morse. S 8 6 5 2 5 6 5 6 4 1 2 3 5 5 (Erda) is written on his notebook, set aside on the nearest surface for them to read if they so choose. Anan, come in, Anan. Mayday, pilot MIA. S 8 6 5 2 5 6 5 6 4 1 2 3 5 5.

He starts talking into his comms line again while searching his discarded supplies for something. It takes him a good long minute, but he comes back to the Twin Teens holding a metal can. The FortiGro in Chocolate. Roland opens it and chugs quietly, giving the can air, hollowness for his experiment.

But that gives the droid enough time to respond to Tidus's own experiment first, if it does. He'll try his afterwards.

Casper grins and suddenly he's in front of the demons, slashing at them to try to drive them back towards Koumyou. Even if they won't go, they're going to start taking some severe damage. They're kind of caught between a bomb and a sharp place at this point.

[ He's good at making sure there's no friendly fire here, because as soon as the gunshots ring by Roland's ears, he's darting forward and swinging his blade in well-timed arcs, slashes that look like he's charging up mana to execute a move encompassing a wide range of demons that slow their speed even by just a tad. The ones that Prompto knocks directly to the ground are then hit with the tip of his blade, until they screech out of life...

But there are some that try to take advantage of Roland's attentions caught elsewhere, rushing him from behind while he cleans up the demons already fallen. In particular, the smaller demon is trying its best to jump at him from an angle, his sickled chain ready to do him some damage. ]

[ Roland watches Soldat go toe to toe with the smaller gremlin, its jewel-toned scales and its menacing teeth no match for the metal arm that it attaches itself too, foolishly so. Cocky, not knowing it would meet its match today.

But he doesn't get distracted too much. The other demons are angry that they're being scattered, their leader attempting to rally the troops as predicted. With his energy still intact, his higgledy is summoned out of thin air, though it's a question of whether or not Soldat would be able to see this caped sprite with a crown to boot, the only condition being that of purity of heart. Whatever that could mean for someone like them.

Roland smirks, the higgledy in question beginning to dance on its small feet, circling its hands around one another, glowing brighter and brighter. It's enough to halt the incoming horde of demons attempting to interrupt Soldat, but not enough to damage them. No, that'll come soon - ]

All right, come and get me!

[ Rannygazoo jumps into the air, and when he reemerges into sight, the higgledy transforms into a giant knight complete with a set of armor and weapons. It's voice is no longer small and cute, as Rannygazoo charges madly into the demonic fray, effectively halting whoever wanted a piece of Soldat, those that escape Rannygazoo's charge meeting the swashbuckling swipe of its magical blade instead.

Roland climbs on top of his knight and his gun comes out of the Arms Band, picking off other smaller fry one by one. He calls out to Soldat from over his shoulder, voice thrown out: ]

Show's yours!

[ Or showdown, rather. ]

I got you!

[ If this was going to be the plan, then he adjusts, his pistol already aimed where Tidus's path clears and makes room for him to pick off enemies one after the other. Magically-enhanced bullets that don't run out until his own stamina does, and it'll take a while yet before that. From time to time, Trunks rolls in with a decisive blow, where pockets of demons charging in attempt to shoot him down too, right out of the sky, but between Tidus's somersaults in mid-air, sword at the ready to slice 'n dice as needed, plus Roland's own marksmanship that doesn't miss a single target...they could pull this off.

He runs, follows after Tidus, using footwork to supplement close-range gun fighting. It's a good rhythm: Tidus jumps, attacks, Roland follows-through with a rain of bullets, some charged, some coming like laser canons when he builds up enough.

But one manages to snag at Tidus's feet with a clawed swipe. He clicks his teeth against his tongue. Time to improvise. Roland immediately rolls in, shooting with the grappling hook at the demon's hind leg, pulling him, a demonic body dragging violently on the ground. Let's see if they can't get more teamwork here - ]

Trunks! [ He shouts, hoping to be heard. ] Catch!

[ To Tidus, he also yells, brows pulled together. ] Get more into the air! Now!

[ Does he have that kind of move? Capability? Roland will trust the pro's arsenal as he does the same thing he did in their first fight: spin the demon ensared higher and higher like a merry-go-round until he lets go and catapults it into the air, for Trunks's picking. But if they can get more targets airborne, the better for his ki blasts to take effect. ]

[ Prompto's good enough at his job that Roland's going to be fine, at least, from his bullets. He can't guarantee more than trying to stop demons getting advantage over him.

He stumbles as he's struck from behind by a sneaky demon with three friends. Apparently they didn't get the memo that he was planning on hanging back as support.

He swings around, firing off a shot at the demon, skittering backwards. While he did he switched his weapons. ]

Alright, alright, alright, you want some of this?

[ Prompto drove Drillbreaker into the nearest one the repeated blows offering a delightful splattering of blood. ]

"Oh, no. Uh, the world is called Eos. I live in a country called Lucis and I lived in the capital, Insomnia. It was a city." Prompto had no idea how much of that city was still standing, really, it was a gamble. They hadn't been able to get back in since they left.

"Sorry!" Prompto appologized, a little flushed at the poor robot. "I'm not trying to hurt you! I just didn't want you to run off-"

Oh. He was scanning Noctis. What did that mean?

"What're you doing?'

[ He nods.

On any other occasion, Roland would have allowed Inigo such a comfort. He would have made the call, would have done the deed without asking for the help. But Inigo knew the risks on a mission just as much as Roland did, and more than that, there could be no coddling here, not when all hell has broken loose and demons are ready to attack at any given moment.

It hurts, he knows it, he sees it in his eyes. Inigo wasn't supposed to be in places like this. It doesn't matter to Roland how well Inigo can switch himself off to not care, to do the job - no, that's not his fate, that shouldn't have to be on his young shoulders. Men like Roland had to be the shield, had to play this role so that Inigo could grow even more, be happier, find his place the way he was meant to.

Alas, this is not what they are dealt with, not the cards they must play. They had to make choices neither of them desired, but at least, Roland can absolve Inigo of the guilt. He lets go, nods a little with a bob of his chin, and smirks lightly. No mirth to be had, his voice dipped low. ]

Pull me out after 30 minutes if I don't come back on my own. But I promise you, look at me, Inigo. I promise you, I will not let you down.

[ He takes his hand and gently grasps his chin, eye to eye, drawn in close until his lips find reprieve on his forehead; a motion that comes naturally without him even thinking of it despite the battlefield they stand upon. He isn't planning on falling here, and certainly not when his son is watching for his back.

I'll be back. ]

Put it on your SCA. I'll see you in a bit. Stay sharp, pup. I know you've got me!

[ He doesn't dally any more, jumping into the fray, his sword and gun out on both hands.

It's an exercise of trust, this one. Only half an hour will tell if Roland comes out of it without losing face from somebody he cares deeply about. Demons could hurt him any day, but he'll never survive breaking his son's heart. ~~Not again.~~ ]

"It looks like you got it, Prom, and it can't take apart more tents - woah," Noctis stepped back a little as the light ... scanned him? "Uh."

"It doesn't hurt?" Noctis didn't feel anything right away, anyway. "Um. Can you understand us? Beep twice for yes."

"I'm fine. I can go for a while." He probably shouldn't, for the sake of his body, but he can.

"Depends on how big they are, but the standard ones I can probably hit three or four in a row? I think."

Demyx responded to both quips by raising an arm out and sweeping it in as he bowed. "Thank you, thank you, here all week apparently." He snickered lightly.

He raised his sitar again, resting it over his leg where it belonged.

"Caring? Nah. It's only a concerto with accompaniment, after all." He grinned at Reno and started up the music.

"If you ask me there's too many demons around here." A series of geysters started knocking them into the air and letting them fall to the ground, about six in all, soaking them in the process.

"How about a duet?"

[Oh, that's useful, all right. Roland has his own back-up. With the freedom to move, Soldat is advancing on the small demon, firing as they go. The little demon takes hits, but hurls another anti-life ball at them. Soldat just appears to ignore it, only being careful to shift just enough that it can't even brush the lantern hanging between their shoulder blades.

Being dead and some sort of pseudo-science lich is a pretty useful thing, out here, wouldn't you know it.

Deprived of is usual weapons, the demon leaps, claws and teeth and horns, but Soldat catches it with the metal arm, slams it into the ground, and fires right into its eye.

Looking up, putting the handgun away for reloading and lunging at the horde Roland is working on, Soldat calls,]

Next?

[He's got the good vantage point for finding another life-sapper.]

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The Will to Fight: Ongoing: Red and Purple

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Re: Dawn attack

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sorry for the slowness!

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it's ok!

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