[center][h2]Geralt, [color=BFBFBF]Zenkichi[/color], and [color=crimson]Edelgard[/color][/h2]
The Qliphoth
Lvl 14 Geralt (61/140) -> Lvl 14 (63/140) (+2 pending)
Lvl 8 Zenkichi (35/80) -> (37/80)
Lvl 3 Edelgard (22/30) -> (24/30) 
Word count: 815 words[/center]



As the Seekers gathered in front of the Qliphoth and caught their breath, Geralt pulled out the Spirits of the Gargoyles he’d slain over the ravine and crushed them, not wanting to lose track of their spoils. 

[center][hider=For Geralt]You have obtained: 


[b]Stone Blocks[/b] x64 A 'stack' of stone blocks. It weighs nothing in-hand, but if a placing motion is made with it, a 2-foot cube of solid stone will pop into existence at that spot, as long as there's space that doesn't overlap with any solid object. These blocks are a lot less durable than normal rock but they can only be broken in their entirety, and once placed they cannot be retrieved. However, they CAN be used in certain recipes. 

[b]Stoneskin Ring[/b] Adornment of the grotesque statues found in the labyrinth known as the godmaze. Wearing it provides a noticeable boost to Break Power, increasing the stagger/posture/poise/toughness damage dealt by the wearer to foes, bringing them to a broken state faster. If worn with the Stoneskin Bracer and Amulet, the Break Power is boosted by a further 5% each. 

[b]Voidborne Gemstone[/b] A crystal formed by accumulated minerals within the gut of a fell creature. Wearing it provides a noticeable boost to the damage inflicted by critical hits. 

[b]Ammo Pickup[/b] A universal ammo pickup that will change into multiple spare magazines for whatever weapon it's exposed to. Somehow[/hider][/center]

He put on the ring and stowed the other items away for later use. He could likely use them in that smelter if they didn’t prove to have any downsides like the Bleed amulet he was still wearing did. 

Having not seen Sandalphon during his escape from the Catcher, Zenkichi was hit with a wave of relief when she reappeared in a beam of light. [color=BFBFBF]”Welcome back.”[/color] It was a simple greeting, but it came with a warm smile and a genuine breath of the relief he felt. 

He, Geralt or Edelgard, hadn’t quite expected her to spin up her gunstaff and open fire on the Qliphoth after a few moments of consideration, but her decisiveness had a point all its own. Geralt drew forth the hateful Flesh  and began carving away at the flesh of the undead tree. Zenkichi summoned the Greatsword, relying on its massive size to carve out great furrows into the Qliphoth’s flesh. Edelgard pulled Aymr from its hammerspace and joined them, hacking and slashing at the demon tree. 

With the effort of so many Seekers, the demon tree quickly gave way and opened a path for them to enter through, and they all hurried in to witness the horrific scene that lay within. Rooms, a veritable dungeon even, of twisted flesh. Worse than that, however, was the infection that was clearly starting to gain ground. The Qliphoth’s defenders were putting up an effort, but against the veritable flood that was the Flood, they stood little chance. 

As everybody began to engage, Juri took a moment to mock Edelgard. The Flame Emperor simply regarded the thuggish woman with a flat, disdainful visage and retorted, [color=crimson]”I believe you will find there is little I am more suited for.[/color] as she made her way into battle. She was in her element here, a mighty glacier that fell upon lesser enemies as a harbinger of death. Each Flood infection form that charged her was crushed by either boot or Aymr, each combat form that crashed into her fell like wheat before a scythe. Edelgard was a force of nature as she knocked over one Flood with her shield while her axe tore another to pieces. 

When needles began to crash into her form, she grunted from the impact of the ranged form’s spike against her armor, raising her shield to block the volley that followed. Geralt noticed her predicament as infection forms began to swarm in an attempt to overwhelm the armored threat, and leapt to her defense, Monsoon’s flaming katana burning through the infernal creatures with each swing. “Zenkichi! Need some range here!” he called out, pressing his back against the Flame Emperor’s. “Keep that thing from taking my head off, and I’ll keep the little ones off your back.” He added.

Zenkichi, meanwhile, was having the time of his life. Tearing his way through small fry like these was his bread and butter, and Ragnell was making it even easier with the defense buff it provided. If something tried to break and run, or regroup for a better vantage point, he could launch an explosive blast at it and take it out from a short distance away. When Geralt called for some range support though, he understood the assignment immediately. Cutting down an Infested that got a little too close for comfort, Zenkichi backed up and called for Valjean to provide some artillery support. [color=BFBFBF]”One-Shot Kill!”[/color] He cried as a massive bullet blasted forth from his Persona, obliterating the Flood ranged form with a single hit and freeing Edelgard from its barrage. Geralt immediately broke off her back, unleashing a blast from Igni and igniting a few Infested that were coming his way. 

Edelgard returned to her onslaught, throwing in a few fireballs for good measure. Feeling a well of power returning to her, she called upon a new old spell that admittedly was hardly her most-used.

[hider=New ability for Edelgard][b]Nosferatu[/b] (Flame Emperor)- Edelgard can now cast the more advanced spell Nosferatu. It is an offensive spell that deals weak holy damage, while healing the user for half the damage dealt to the enemy. Can be cast 12 times per combat.[/hider]

A bright yellow sigil appeared in front of Edelgard, moments before an explosion of light appeared in the space of an Infested runner and destroyed it, returning half the damage dealt as healing. She hadn’t taken much damage from the assorted enemies, but they’d done bits of chip here and there. 

Geralt, for his part, was cutting down enemies aplenty with Monsoon’s fire katana while trying to make heads or tails of this place. The Guardian would either be further up or deeper inside the Qliphoth, but good luck finding a remotely straightforward path in either direction. For now, he’d keep an eye out as he blasted infected with Aard, called down Eldritch Lightning to take out swarms, and swapped Identities to deal with various kinds of foes.