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Zenkichi Hasegawa

The Avenger

Lvl 8 Zenkichi - (12/80) -> Lvl 8 (13/80)

Word count: 647 words




As Zenkichi and Akane’s games settled down, Zenkichi spent some time making sure Sandalphon got looked over by the ship’s doctors. They ultimately decided upon sedating her to get her to rest, which resulted in Zenkichi having to carry her back to her quarters and tucking her in, before meandering around the ship for a bit. Nervous energy was worming its way through the eldest Phantom Thief, and after a while, and once it was well and truly late, he found himself in the training room. He hadn’t taken much time to get used to his various new weapons, so he figured he could burn up some of that nervous energy and familiarize himself with his arsenal.

His original Claymore, the Closing Statement, the Hero Sword, the Greatsword Sandalphon had purchased for him (And what a sword it was!, the Etiquette left behind by that ghost monster, and…something else. He felt…something tugging at him ever since he’d spoken with Sandalphon earlier. Rather than rush into something new, he did some basic combos with each weapon he had, getting the hang of them. The Greatsword and the Closing Statement were heavier and slower weapons, though the former was so large that it could basically be used as a shield. The latter, on the other hand, was awkwardly weighted and lacked the length to properly guard him like the Greatsword did.

His Claymore was most familiar with him, of course, though something about the Hero Sword spoke to him. Part of that was definitely the kindred spirit he felt with Konoe, loathe as part of him was to admit it. They weren’t too terribly alike, though both men had had their ideals warped and corrupted by an unjust world. Zenkichi…just hadn’t fallen as far, he supposed.

The Etiquette…barely counted. It was an umbrella, for crying out loud! It was too small, too light, to truly fit him as a weapon. Maybe he’d have to try and see if it worked better for somebody else, or pull it out as a gag weapon like in video games. By that logic, it might just be the most powerful weapon he had, but as he was jokingly musing on that, the pull grew stronger.

That thing. It called to him from within. It felt new, and yet…so familiar. A weapon from one of his Spirits? It was a weapon, that much was certain. It felt like a semi-filled void in that subconscious space that Valjean stored his weapons in. Dismissing the Etiquette and reaching his hand out, he focused…and a in his outstretched hand, a sword appeared. ”There you are…Ragnell. Wait, how did I know that name? What the heck?!”” Somewhat startled, Zenkichi paused and took a deep breath. Look at the thing, man!

It was beautiful, to say the least. He could feel the power from it, but also a blessing. He felt tougher. He felt…right. Giving Ragnell a few test swings, Zenkichi smiled. Oh yeah, that fit right in with his other swords. Giving a few test swings, he smiled. Well-balanced, not too heavy, but certainly not lightweight. It did some work on the dummy, too. Though he got the feeling that wasn’t all it could do. Taking a few steps back, Zenkichi gave the sword a swing from a distance, aiming at the dummy. He did not expect the explosion that came from it, and he jumped back in shock, before relaxing and letting out a full-belly laugh. ”Holy crap that was awesome!” Giving it a few more goes, Zenkichi whooped and laughed at the magical blasts that he wrought with Ragnell, before letting out a deep yawn. ”Man, that thing’s awesome. But it’s getting pretty late.”

Cleaning up what he could from the mess he’d made, Zenkichi retired back to his shared room with Akane, his daughter already fast asleep. He settled into his own bunk, joining her a few minutes later.
Geralt of Rivia

The Avenger- Dreaming

Lvl 14 Geralt (32/140) -> Lvl 14 (35/140) (+2 pending)

Word count: 1,380 words


Geralt’s tracking had taken him to an extremely dense forest, and he almost instinctively sighed. Of course the monstrous thing had run for the woods. The scent it left was like no other, a combination of different kinds of blood, rot, and manufactured products. The blood was of both man and beast, and the rot was…wrong. Wrong for rot, which was saying a lot in and of itself. Taking another slow breath, Geralt nodded. He was still going the right way. Before entering the woods, he took stock of what he had.

He had applied hybrid oil to his silver sword, though he had no idea if it would have any effect. The descriptions he’d gotten of the creature pointed that way, but there was no real way of knowing. He hadn’t recognized the description, which was frustratingly common nowadays. Still, no point in delaying further.

After a while of traipsing through the forest, the scent trail he was following got much heavier. He was close now. Freeing his silver sword, Geralt kept the blade close by, creeping forward. As the minutes passed by, him creeping ever onward, Geralt started to hear a voice. “I love you.” Was the first thing he made out, and it set him on edge instantly. Mimicry? Could be a cursed one, or a hybrid. Still, it gave him a better idea of exactly where his quarry was. He drew his hand crossbow, his other still holding the sword to the side, and took a spot behind a tree. Steadying his breath, he waited to hear the voice again before striking.

Stepping out from behind the tree, he leveled the crossbow and fired, stowing the ranged weapon before even registering that the bolt struck. The creature was, truly, like nothing Geralt had seen. Five walking limbs, with what looked like a human arm protruding from its head. Its head had multiple mouths and sets of eyes, and he wondered if that back foot could kick as well.

Wasting no time, Geralt cast the Sign of Quen, having refrained earlier to avoid accidentally alerting the creature. It launched forward with a screech, kicking off the ground with all five limbs and charging Geralt with surprising speed. He evaded with a sidestep, his silver sword coming up and across the thing’s side, leaving a slight trail of blood in its flank. In return, the Nothing There slashed at geralt’s midsection with the claw arm on its head, gouging a good portion of Quen’s defenses out. Grunting, Geralt tackled the thing, bashing it in the head with his pommel.

The Nothing There reared back, kicking with its mutilated forelimbs, and lunged forward in an attempt to bite Geralt, only to be kicked aside and stabbed in the flank. Barely reacting to the sword in its body, the creature grabbed Geralt with the claw on its head, drawing him close to its body and biting through what was left of Quen’s shielding, its teeth catching on his armor.

“Damn!” The Witcher cursed, pulling his sword from the Nothing There and backing away to cast Quen again. It seemed the thing had a similar idea, as it curled in on itself and began transforming. Geralt drew close and crashed his pommel into the egg’s shell, but it neither budged nor cracked in the slightest, merely rocked slightly from the impulse. An attempt to slash open the egg was similarly fruitless, and Geralt sighed. Waiting a good twenty or so seconds, Geralt unleashed a concentrated blast of flames from Igni, and that got more of a reaction, with the outer layer of the egg overheating and cracking slightly.

However, it was not enough, and after a few more seconds, the egg cracked open, and a true monster emerged. “Damn, you’re ugly.” Geralt sneered, immediately lunging forward to cut the humanoid monstrosity down, but it brought up its mace-arm with lightning-fast reflexes and batted aside Geralt’s sword, bending over to sink its teeth into the Witcher’s neck while holding him close with its other arm. Quen quickly began to falter, and Geralt used his free hand to quickly draw his hunting knife, plunging it into one of the eyes on the Nothing There’s chest, using the shock of the damage to free himself. “Faster than you look, then…” he muttered, stepping backwards cautiously and pulling free a Grapeshot grenade, tossing it at his foe.

The Nothing There dodged effortlessly, though its back was still peppered with shrapnel when the bomb exploded. This didn’t prompt a response, the creature curiously observing Geralt, who narrowed his eyes in return. Delaying the fight didn’t hurt, as Geralt hadn’t noticed any exceptional regeneration abilities in the creature so far, beyond the metamorphosis. The eye on its chest was still weeping blood, a large gash torn through it by his hunting knife.

“Goodbye.” It suddenly said, and Geralt had only a moment to raise his blade as the monster’s arm transformed into a massive blade, the nothing There surging forward to cleave him in two. The impact between their weapons rattled Geralt’s bones, and before Geralt could recover from the blow, it swiped its clawed hand across Geralt’s face, before its toothy maw found purchase on Geralt’s skull, its massive teeth grinding against the Witcher’s cheekbone. As one side of his vision filled with blood, Geralt’s hand weakly came up to draw the Sign of Aard, telekinetic force blasting the creature off of him, and taking a chunk of flesh with it.

Half-blinded and shaking from blood loss, Geralt raised his silver sword again, grimacing angrily. He wouldn’t die here. He’d survived worse. He just had to find his opportunity to kill this thing, and let Swallow do the hard work. But he couldn’t…take the seconds it would require right now. Not against this thing.

Its arm had returned to its mace-like form, though Geralt noticed that the eye on its chest seemed less damaged than before. So, it could regenerate. Whether that was from consuming his flesh or its own natural healing was irrelevant. Another bite like that would kill him. Taking a more defensive stance, Geralt waited for the Nothing There’s next attack.

It jumped forward a moment later, slamming its mace-hand down in an overhead slam, but Geralt dodge, cutting at the smaller of its arms, the one with the many eyes along it, and earning a splash of blood from it for his efforts. Keeping this thing on his good side was simple enough, as it seemed either unconcerned or unaware that it had made him a much easier target already. Geralt stepped back, watching as the Nothing There mimicked his movement. His remaining eye narrowed, and Geralt lunged forward, catching the eye on its shoulder with a quick slash before stepping back out of the range of a clumsy follow-up with its mace-arm. “Hello.” It garbled to Geralt, who frowned as he watched the thing.

Nonetheless, he was starting to find a rhythm, which was why it was odd when the creature instead kneeled to the ground, holding up one ar- Geralt threw himself to the side as he realized something was wrong, a bolt of bone launching from the Nothing There’s smaller arm a moment later, piercing through where Geralt had just been with enough velocity that it would have broken through his armor. The impact with the ground rattled the Witcher, and as he clumsily forced himself to his feet, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up when he heard the words “I love you.” from behind.




It pushed open the door to the tavern, the flesh-thing at the bar waving an arm with its teeth bared. “Hello, Geralt! Managed to get that nasty, didya! Knew ye had it in ya, after all! Hahahahaa!” The man laughed, though it stopped after a few seconds. “Alright, I’ve got your bounty right here, then. Just- hey, what’s gotten into- Geralt, let go, dammit! You’re gonna break my bloody arm!” The flesh-thing writhed in its grasp, before grabbing a knife from behind the bar and stabbing into its arm.

“I love you.”




Geralt shot out of his bed, panting, covered in a cold sweat. “Fuck. What…fuck, just on the Avenger…” He sighed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
Geralt of Rivia

Mafia Town

Lvl 14 Geralt (32/140) -> Lvl 14 (33/140) (+2 pending)

Word count: 446 words


Thankfully, many hands made light work when it came to cleaning up Bancho Sushi. With the added boon of the Mafia coming and actually paying up on their 'protection money' to their highest provider (and throwing a bit of egg on Geralt's face in the process for stealing from their enforcers any chance he got), things in Mafia Town were...still pretty horrible. Bancho, Dave, and the others would still have to actually rebuild the restaurant, but that wasn't his problem. Technically, it wasn't even Nadia's, and she worked there!

Sandalphon's arrival nearly perfectly matched those of the others, with their angelic dispatcher providing even the newcomer a fulton. Geralt didn't recognize the man, but Falcon's demeanor belied some kind of pre-existing relationship. Given that he had apparently been wrapped up with Bowser, Link, Ganondorf and some others in Galeem's 'original' attack, those old bonds would be helpful.

Rolling his eyes at Juri and Nadia's nonsense, Geralt waited for the others to activate their fultons before sighing and looking at Sandalphon. "I hate this."




Waking up with the room spinning, Geralt sighed and laid there for a minute or two before forcing himself up, once his stomach had settled. At least Nadia was still out, though the way her tail was flicking gave him the impression that she wouldn't be for much longer. Geralt decided to take the others' lead and leave the feral to her fate, making his path towards the mess hall to grab whatever remained of the day's food.

There wasn't much, only pre-packaged food that was likely to be only somewhat satisfying, but Geralt didn't mind much, grabbing a blueberry muffin and making his way back to his shared room with Captain Falcon while eating it. He removed most of his armor, sitting in the bed, and closed his eyes. It wasn't quite meditation, but a half-state between. He didn't feel like properly meditating at this moment, but he wasn't yet restful enough to sleep, either. Consul I was going to alert the others, because of course they were.
Edelgard von Hresvelg

Skyworld - The Last Nephilim Fight

Level 2 Edelgard (1/20) +8 Collab XP -> (10/20)

Word count: 619 words


Uriel and Lady Palutena's plan was absurd, reckless, and utter genius. To destroy the endless loop that this abominable carriage rode upon eternally and use it to destroy the Corruption at its source! It was, also, however, a plan that relied on her and these Seekers escaping the train intact, a feat made much more difficult by the fact that she could not fly. Still, when the call came from Lady Palutena, moments after a titanic explosion sounded ahead of the train, Edelgard used everything she had to run towards an exit.

It was a shame she was so slow. She followed Midna and Edward, even as their allies barrelled past her, the Emperor's armor wearing her down. Even with her prodigious strength, she could not keep up. She felt her stomach drop as the train entered freefall, and she lost her footing an instant before a hand reached out to her, then another, and she desperately reached out for them as Absalom raged below. The Feathershields pulled Edelgard from the carriage seconds before it crashed, their Lieutenant gasping for breath as fear for her fate gripped her.

"This damned, infernal machine!" She cried, sickening hatred tinging her words. "It is a blessing upon this world that we have destroyed it." As the angels lowered her into the crystal fields where the others had gathered after the Infernal Train's fall. She watched the wreckage with disdainful eyes, her breaths slowing as she calmed and a Featherstaff healed her wounds.

And then Absalom's arm burst free from the wreckage, and the Source of Corrpution showed its horrific face once more. Damnable lout. Still, it was her job to destroy Lady Palutena's enemies, and she took a step forwards as Aymr appeared, halting only as her Lady herself spoke out against Absalom. As something immense, and more unsettling, unseen, flew overhead, she frowned. "And what now?" When the Hellpod crashed into the crystal fields, Edelgard's hackles raised. The new combatant that emerged from the pod wasn't somebody she recognized, though Midna seemed to. That was enough for her, and Edelgard charged.

As Edward's command galvanized the heavenly host into action, Edelgard's own roaring advance heralded Ortho's return to the fray, and the angelic griffon slammed into Absalom like a missile, raking his claws across the demon's face and biting at his chest. Dante capitalized on the distraction, slamming his multi-elemental nunchucks into Absalom's face before kicking off him with a flip. Ortho leapt off, lifting himself into the air with powerful wingbeats as Absalom recovered, and Edelgard finally reached him. A fireball to the back caught Absalom as he reached out for Dante, and Aymr slammed into the back of his leg.

"Palutena's might fall upon you, beast!" The Empress roared as she unleashed Flickering Flower, following up immediately with a shield bash before carving her ax into the Source of Corruption. If she could keep him down, somebody else could go for the head. While her allies' maneuverability was impressive, her own power and bulk was nothing to overlook. Even when Absalom rose and punted Edelgard to send her away, the Empress merely took it on the shield and stared up derisively at him. "Not good enough."

"You pathetic WRETCH!!!" Absalom roared, the Nephilim grabbing Edelgard in one hand and lifting her up into the air as his tentacles reached around him to latch onto her. "I will relish the look on your friends' faces as they are forced to strike you down." Even as Corruption creeped across her armor, threatening to take her, Edelgard stared Absalom in the face.

"Made you...look." She smirked, pained from the crushing force.
Zenkichi Hasegawa

Lvl 8 Zenkichi (7/80) +4 Collab XP -> (12/80) (+1 Pending)
Word Count:473 words


With Sandalphon having gone to greet the arrivals from Mafia Town, faring better with some food and caffeine in her, Zenkichi headed over to his and Akane's bunk in the living quarters and popped in with a quick knock on the bulkhead. "Hey, Akane." He greeted before stepping into their shared living space. He gave her a small wave, sitting down on his own bunk and stretching his legs. "Oooohhhhh man does it feel nice to get off my feet. Fighting giant monsters is tough work." Turning to Akane, he gestured for her to speak. "How've things been up here the last few days?" He asked.

Akane, still not entirely used to speaking casually with her father, shrugged. "They've been okay, I guess. Sandalphon-san has been really patient with me, explaining things about her world and this place. A world of magic and dragons and angels sounds really cool. Though air conditioning is nice, too..." She muttered the last part, getting a laugh from Zenkichi. "I'm...worried about going home, dad." She sighed, shaking her head. "I mean, I wanna go home, but...what happens to everybody if we do? The Lost Numbers, who only exist here, all the friends we make...they don't deserve to disappear." The look on his daughter's face gave Zenkichi the impression that she'd been thinking about it a lot.

"I wish I knew, Akane...but so far it looks like the people who knew the most about this place cracked under the pressure and became mass murderers to keep it running, so...I'm kind of scared to know more than I do already." He let out a sigh and shrugged. "Though, that's not really something I have a choice in if I'm gonna keep helping out here. We gotta learn more eventually if we wanna take out Galeem. I just hope things don't blow up in our faces..." That didn't seem to help Akane's mood, but she did force a small smile.

"Thanks for at least being honest with me, even if it was hard." She sighed herself, slumping a little. "Galeem's a big jerk." She pouted, prompting a chuckle from Zenkichi.

"Yeah, that he is, kiddo. It's kinda why we're trying so hard to undo all this, ya know?" Zenkichi joked back, leaning back to stretch his back out. "I'm gonna kick my feet up for a bit, then after we pick up everybody from Mafia Town, Sandalphon wants to go get checked out by the onboard doctor. Gonna go with to make sure she's alright. She's been feeling a little overwhelmed lately. In the meantime, wanna play a game or something?"

Akane shrugged, hopping off her bunk and nodding. "Sure. How about some Janken Po?" Akane's face turned a little devious, and Zenkichi gulped. Oh no, she's gonna kick my ass.
A Moment of Zen

Lvl 8 Zenkichi (7/80) And lvl 7 Sandalphon (7/70)
Word Count: 3535 (+4)


As the other Seekers scattered to move about the Avenger and explore their relevant interests, Zenkichi homed in on Sandalphon and fell in step beside her. ”Hey, Sandalphon. If it’s alright with you, I could grab us a couple of coffees while you help prep for everything. Those long nights really are a killer without it. I’ll even make sure to grab some honey packets for ya for dinner.” While his tone made it seem like a joke, Zenkichi was 100% serious. They’d only known each other for a little over a week, but Sandalphon’s obsession with honey was utterly unforgettable.

Under normal circumstances, Sandalphon could be counted on to keep an impassive, imperturbable stiff upper lip in practically any situation, sustaining sleepless nights and grievous injuries with nary an expression on her pale, porcelain-smooth features. Other Seekers hadn’t been wildly off-base to assume, upon their first encounter, her to be a highly-advanced machine like the YoRHa androids she once commanded. After fusion with three humans, however, cracks had begun to form in her facade. She found herself feeling sad, afraid, and above all else, tired. But this newfound vulnerability, in turn, gave others a chance to approach her. When the archangel noticed Zenkichi walk up alongside her, however, she seemed to perk up. While she’d been leaning on her gunstaff as she walked, Sandalphon now mustered the strength to straighten up. Her brows raised slightly, her eyes opened wider, and her pupils changed from power symbols to carets without any sign of reversion.

“Hello, Zenkichi. I would be extremely grateful for your help.” Sandalphon slowed down a little, examining her acquaintance closely. Thanks to her powers of perception and recollection, she possessed such an airtight mental map of the Avenger that she didn’t need to watch where she was going, but right now she wasn’t just showing off. Concern worked its way across her face. “It would seem that you’ve had an eventful night yourself, however. If you’re weary, there’s no need to trouble yourself on my account.” She noted not just his appearance and body temperature, but the somewhat off-kilter way he carried himself. “You’ve been exerting yourself. And…you’re hurt.” Her brows turned upward, a worried frown in evidence. “It’s clear that you’ll be alright, but still, my miracles are yours should you ever need them.”

She paused for a moment as the two turned a corner that brought them to the foot of a somewhat cramped stairwell. With only one rather industrial wall-mounted light fixture per landing, it was dark in her, but the archangel’s halo shined gently on the metal steps to light the way. To reach the communication center, the two would need to climb three stories at a rather steep grade. After a deep inhalation, Sandalphon got started. Even at the best of times, strenuous exercise was never her forte, so in her current state her ascent proved to be a little slow and shaky. Not wanting Zenkichi to worry, she raised her voice. “How has my covenant…been working out for you? …Hopefully it’s been of some use…in your battles this last week.” By the time she reached the first story, Sandalphon was practically panting, and she leaned heavily upon her staff.

Zenkichi was touched by his companions's concern and attention. ”I'll be okay, yeah, mostly just sore right now. Meridi-at-Han was attacked by some giant monsters, but the others and I took care of it with some help from the locals.” Zenkichi waved off the offered healing, and as the pair began to ascend the stairs, he grimaced a little at Sandalphon's own state of being.

”Call me a hypocrite, but you seem like you could use a hand yourself." He offered an arm to help brace herself on, which could actually help now that they were similar in height after all of Sandalphon’s fusions. ”As for the Covenant, it was a big help both against Consul J and those huge monsters. Actually managed to save a guard's life by using Restoration Protocol with one of my buffs after the poor guy took a lethal hit." A combination of guilt for those he couldn't save, and pride for the man he could, showed on his face. ”I'm glad I was able to help him. Thanks to you." Despite the simple gratitude in them, Zenkichi’s words held a deepness that might have been lost on others, but the look he gave Sandalphon in that moment belied just how deeply he felt that gratitude. ”I'm glad we made that Covenant." He admitted, his voice a little quieter, and more serious.

For a moment Sandalphon hesitated, her pupils in the form of inverted triangles as she worked up the courage. Then she slipped her arm around Zenkichi’s for support as she continued to climb, each step in sync with the detectives. Despite her pallid and artificial appearance, she felt quite warm, and a touch of red tinted her features. “You’re most welcome…I’m very pleased to hear…that my abilities were of some use. …I am also glad that we made that accord.” She remembered that afternoon in Everdream Valley before the storm brought by Consul Z. From the delicious pumpkin ramen to the quiet walk through the beautiful pastoral scenery, to her fingers interlaced with his, it had been a lovely time.

The archangel’s composure seemed much more stable as the two reached the second landing, passing within spitting distance of the Spirit Chamber where they could probably find Deadman cleaning up for the night. Sandalphon’s gaze lingered on the doorway for the second. During the last week, that odd coroner had been an unexpected blessing when it came to the team’s current project, and the long conversations between the two of them had fascinated her to no end. After just a beat, though, she moved on, her shoulder pressed against her companion’s. “On the subject of Consul J…I would’ve been happy to…to provide more assistance.” For some reason, her pupils were rapidly changing, as if her mind raced along with her heart rate. Even with Zenkichi’s help, she began to wobble again as the two approached the third landing. “The Phantom Thieves seem capable, though, and…and I’ve been rather busy…”

Zenkichi smiled as Sandalphon confirmed that she was also happy they had made their Covenant, a tinge of blush appearing on his cheeks for a few moments. As they ascended further, he nodded when the archangel admitted that she'd have preferred to have been more involved in the attack on J. ”To be honest, it was really nice to get to see the kids again, and do a Phantom Thief style raid on somebody, but it would've been nice to have you along. Maybe if I link up with them again for another job, we can show them how Seekers do things." He joked.

Just as they crested the last step, it finally happened. Sandalphon seemed to trip over nothing, her knee maybe giving out beneath her, and she toppled toward Zenkichi.

Zenkichi had noticed Sandalphon’s flagging stamina, but he'd hoped that they could at least make it to the comms center before she had to take a break. When she fell, the reflexes of a seasoned detective kicked in, and Zenkichi managed to half-pivot, getting both arms under Sandalphon's own and controlling their descent, the Phantom Thief gently lowering them the last foot or so to the ground. ”Woah!" He exclaimed, leaning her back against his chest to take some more weight off her armpits, before frowning slightly.

”Alright, I got you." He reassured her softly, looking Sandalphon up and down. She was always pale, so that wasn't much of a help to ascertain her current condition, so Zenkichi did the first thing that came to mind and slid to her side, one hand still on her back to help prop her up as the other stopped just a few inches short of her legs. He hesitated a moment, before asking, ”Would it be alright if I picked you up, Sandalphon?" with the gentle, calming tone he'd had to master dealing with both a daughter and victims of crimes.

The sudden fall and quick save left Sandalphon’s eyes wide with initial alarm, pupils shaped like empty rings, but after blinking a few times, she seemed to realize that she’d essentially slumped over onto her new acquaintance. “I beg your pardon,” she apologized. She quickly allowed herself to relax, and Zenkichi to steady her. When he asked to carry her, his voice soft and close enough that she could feel his breath, she managed to keep a straight face–but the archangel couldn’t stop her pupils becoming sparkles. “...If you don’t mind. The comms center is just over there.”

Zenkichi’s heart nearly burst when he saw her eyes change into sparkles, but he managed to keep the calm facade he was projecting long enough to gently slide his hand underneath Sandalphon's legs and carefully lift her, holding the angelic woman bridal-style, his earlier blush returning. ”Just hold on to my shoulder." He added, assuming that she'd never been carried this way before. She obliged without question.

As he straightened to a full standing position, Zenkichi slowly made his way to the comms center, ignoring the looks the pair got as they entered. He found the closest available seat and lowered Sandalphon into it, one hand remaining on her shoulder before he gave her another reassuring smile. ”I'm gonna run and grab that coffee in a sec. When was the last time you managed to get some rest in?" His question was devoid of admonishment, and his voice and smile gave the impression that he'd been in a similar position a few times himself.

Once seated, Sandalphon let out the breath she’d unconsciously been holding and let her eyes slide shut. It was a moment before she withdrew her hand from Zenkichi’s shoulder. “Thank you. I’m somewhat mortified to be seen in such a sorry state, and to require help in such a mundane task as locomotion…but if anyone had to assist me, I’m glad it was you.” Her eyes opened, back to normal, and she gave Zenkichi a grateful look. “I managed to sneak in about six hours yesterday afternoon, after a visit to Brightvale near the Theater of War. My reduced work capacity post-fusion has prompted me to try and condition myself back toward a more efficient schedule. I’ve been conducting a great deal of magical and spiritual research.” She shrugged, then reached up to one of the cords hanging from her halo and brought it down to her lips. “If you like, I can tell you more about my recent exploits during your coffee trip.”

”I think I'd like that very much." Zenkichi replied, standing to full height and flashing a much fuller smile as he took a step back. ”I'll try and make this quick.” He added, before turning and hustling out the door to grab both of them some much-needed caffeine.

Scarcely had the detective stepped out of the room before a holy sigil appeared beside his ear and Sandalphon’s voice began to rattle off what she’d been up to. “A few days ago I launched into a new series of investigations and interviews. Learning about the underpinnings of the World of Light is, of course, paramount, but by nature it is a conglomerate of wildly disparate parts, so my latest endeavor is to learn all I can about the worlds from which we all hail. I soon learned that there are too many to count, but I have been able to study certain patterns. Every ‘home world’ has a certain ‘theme’ that is shared by similar worlds, often defined in terms of technological and societal advancement, the presence of magical and/or ‘supernatural’ beings, apocalyptic status, and overall complexity. For instance, in the greater scheme of things, my world is high-magic, low-tech, medium-complexity, pre-modernity, and pre-apocalyptic. I have developed a theory that we all naturally resonate more with elements from a similar ‘theme’.”

Only at that point did the archangel seem to pause for a breath, but Zenkichi got only a moment’s respite from the barrage of information. “For instance, for most of my time I have been using a gunstaff in combat. It is highly advanced technology serves its purpose as a precision weapon and casting catalyst well enough, but it has no distinguishing features aside from Healing Ring. The Aether Lance I received from the exosuit known as Skywave is also high-tech, useful but difficult to manage, and the rifle from Cecile’s spirit is a powerful work of art, but even it doesn’t quite feel right. However, I managed to make the acquaintance of Dawn’s husband, Lakota, and have received instruction in the art of enchantment. Specifically, the spellcraft of magic ammunition, both arrows and bullets, which can make almost as much difference as the weapon itself. These ‘spell bullets’ offer incredible potential, but neither the Aether Lance nor gunstaff require ammunition, and the rifle does not accept magical ammunition. My own world has manacasters, which are magic firearms, but they do not require ammunition either. I’ve been hoping to get my hands on a munitions-based magical firearm in order to test my theory on resonance, but have yet to obtain one. I would be very interested to hear about your experiences with elements from worlds of disparate themes if you have the chance, but please do not prioritize this over any of your other duties.”

Zenkichi blinked a few times at the deluge of information, but did not halt his advance towards the elixir of life that was caffeine. Somewhat surprisingly, he’d managed to follow until the last quarter of Sandalphon’s explanation, where he had expected to get lost about halfway through. So, he’d take that as a win. Putting his fingers up to his ear to respond, he walked as he talked. ”Yeah, it’s…kind of a mixed bag on my end, I think. I mean, the world I come from is one I’d call maybe medium-high tech, but the kids and I all used a combination of firearms of varying ages, and some kind of melee weapon. I stuck with two-handed swords and a pair of revolvers, Panther used a whip and an SMG, Skull used a shotgun and a freakin’ pipe, while Fox used a katana and an assault rifle. So, all over the place in terms of age of weapons. The Spirits I’ve fused with were some guy that I think gave me more knowledge about monsters, and two guys who, as far as I can tell, used magic that I can channel through my sword. I guess Valjean’s abilities would be counted as magical, not that I’d normally describe my world as one with a lot of magic in it. So…not sure where Earth fits in there.”

As he talked, Zenkichi finally arrived at the blessed, beloved coffee machine, and immediately began filling up three cups. One for him, and two for Sandalphon. ”Remind me exactly how you prefer your coffee. I am, of course, grabbing a whole bunch of honey packets for you. And some muffins for us both. I know they’re not as ‘efficient’ as pure honey, but even if you don’t have one, I can bring it to Akane later. Or save it for the morning. I’ve eaten much worse than day-old muffins, ha.”

“Black is fine. The Lost Numbers’ coffee is…adequate. By no means excellent, but not so poor that I must sacrifice honey to make it palatable.” Sandalphon wanted to avoid thanking Zenkichi too many times in quick succession, so she held off for now. “I’ve already inquired about their supply. As you might expect, requisition crews take whatever they can get on supply runs. In the hopes of improving morale and overall quality of life, I’ve been attempting to draw up a plan that leverages the recent increase in personnel. There’s a lot of data to go through, which…” A sigh filtered through the sigil, though instead of radio static it created a slight resonance, like a finger on the rim of a glass. “Which is an apt summary of my current existence. Oh, speaking of Akane. In your absence I have endeavored to keep her company. She is somewhat overwhelming. Her personality is quite strong, and I cannot answer all of her questions.”

Taking in the information, Zenkichi nodded to himself despite the fact that Sandalphon couldn’t see it. ”Yeah, she can be…a lot. Combine being a teenager with everything that’s going on, and my own part in all that mess, and to be honest, she’s doing pretty well considering. Things have been rough on us since her mom passed.” Coffees, honey packets, and muffins assembled on a plate, balanced so precisely that one would expect Zenkichi to be a waiter and not a detective, he started making his way back, talking all the while. ”A criminal conspiracy, the Phantom Thieves, me being…away for work a lot…she’s a good kid. She didn’t deserve all that. I was just trying to keep her safe, from the aforementioned conspiracy, to boot.” Zenkichi’s own sigh passed through the magic sigil, but his voice picked up.

”We’re working on it, though. It’s gonna be slow going, but we’re working on it. It means a lot to me that you’ve taken to talking with her, and I’m sure she appreciates it, too, even if she has more questions than you have answers.” As they chatted, his path brought him back to the comms center and set the plate down. ”Three black coffees, two for you, some honey, and a couple of muffins. One corn and one chocolate chip.”

Of course, Sandalphon reached for the chocolate chip muffin right away, and with her other hand she practically seized a coffee mug, as urgently as her need to not spill a single drop would allow. She managed to maintain her dignity with a methodical alternation of biting into her pastry, then washing it down with the murky brew. If the heat bothered her, she gave no sign. About halfway through both, though, her enthusiasm seemed to fade, and she let her hands lower to her knees. “Ahem. My apologies. I should be thanking you first and foremost. And taking better care of myself. Though quite stimulating, this diet cannot be healthy.” Her brows knit together somewhat. “Hm. I’m aware of my caffeine addiction, but could it be that I’m suffering from malnutrition? I neglected to consider the possibility that fusion would alter my biology to such an extent.” She downed the last of the first coffee cup, then brought up a screen with her free hand, making notes and calculations. “I should visit Dr. Yu. Run some tests. After the pickup tonight, of course. ETA in Mafia Town, forty minutes…”

Zenkichi was a little surprised at the gusto Sandalphon ate her chosen muffin with, his mouth flattening into a nervous line. That seemed new. In Everdream Valley, eating actual food was a novelty that she joined in for the experience, whereas now she ate like she was starved. Which, now that she mentioned it, she might be. ”I think that's a good idea." He agreed with her plan, taking a seat by her. ”Should probably wait until after you do that to get something more substantial to eat. From what I remember, even the muffin and the honey might mess up some of the tests, but better to keep you going until then. It makes sense that you'd have to eat more like a regular human now, having fused with a few. Taking his first sip of his own coffee, Zenkichi sighed as the refreshing beverage warmed him, revitalizing his energy a little. ”That's no Leblanc coffee, but it's coffee nonetheless. Really hits the spot…"

Thinking about how busy she'd be tonight, Zenkichi gave the archangel a smile as he came up with an idea. ”If it'd be alright with you, I could check in on Akane real quick, then come back to keep you company and make sure somebody's around in case you take another tumble. I'd rather it be me than, say, Bowser's kid be the nearest…peeeeerssooon???...around if that happened again. It'd be one thing if it were, like, Geralt, but the little guy would probably have a bit of trouble helping you around.”

Pretty much the instant Zenkichi mentioned keeping her company, Sandalphon’s eyes became sparkles again. “You should get some rest yourself, but…I would like that,” she admitted.

”Then that's what we'll do. Make sure everybody gets in alright, get you looked at, have something to eat, then head to bed.” Zenkichi stood up, gently patting Sandalphon's shoulder. ”I'll be back soon, once I check on Akane."
Geralt of Rivia

Mafia Town

Lvl 14 Geralt (24/140) +7 Collab XP -> Lvl 14 (32/140) (+2 pending)

Word count: 396 words


As Geralt, Rika, Junior, and Dave helped Nadia and Bancho clean up Bancho Sushi, Geralt became aware of a magical anomaly, very small in scope, but noticeable because it happened to manifest right next to his head. A soft, ethereal chime, like the peal of a small glass bell, went off as a light blue, two-dimensional symbol wrote itself into being just inches from the side of his face. It hummed softly for a moment, long enough for him to connect the dots and put his initial alarm to rest. This wasn't the first time this had happened, after all, and when an elegant woman's voice emanated from this sigil his hypothesis was confirmed correct.

"Good evening, Geralt. Do you read me?" Not wanting to startle anyone else like she did Goldlewis, the operator attempted to greet her next contact a little more gently, without her typical hard, authoritative tone. Since the Witcher didn't share the veteran's military background, she also elected to forego the use of codenames and radio etiquette. Not everyone had a sense of humor like Goldlewis. "This is Sandalphon. Is everything alright? Mona's astrology portended ill omens regarding Mafia Town tonight. We are currently inbound to your location, and intend to pick you up in about an hour. Please gather everyone in an outdoor location at your first convenience and confirm the amount of Fulton devices required. I will check back in prior to my arrival."

Geralt hummed, frowning a bit before replying. “Sandalphon, Mona was right. Mafia Town was attacked by Consul I and a group of murderous pugilists, looking to prove they were the ‘strongest’. Junior, Rika, myself and a local intercepted I’s ship, but they just taunted us before disappearing and leaving us to fight a giant crab. We were victorious, but Consul I’s ship is currently marooned in the harbor. It has the Flame Clock and those pads on it. Not sure what you and the Lost Numbers want to do with that, but we left it all as is. Still waiting on a few people, will let you know later exactly how many Fultons we’ll need. Not sure if we’ve picked up any locals to bring back with us.”

Turning to the others, Geralt called out. “Sadanlphon’s just called. Get moving, we have an hour to get the rest of the Seekers in one spot for pickup.”
Zenkichi Hasegawa

Meridi-At-Han

Lvl 8 Zenkichi - (6/80) -> Lvl 8 (7/80) (+1 Pending)

Word count: 371 words


Thankfully, the other Seekers stepped in to stop Grimm and the Witch from killing each other before it was too late, with Goldlewis and Zenkichi standing back and watching. He might’ve felt bad if his fellow Former Turk and his carnival game climbing partner hadn’t gotten everything well taken care of. As it was, Zenkichi didn’t really feel any guilt over his inaction, this time.

The Witch, at first glance, didn’t seem terribly threatening, but that fight alone showed that first impressions could be far from reality with how much firepower she was casually slinging. Grimm, on the other hand, had an otherworldly menace about him that belied his power, and the small Grimmchild he summoned once the battle had ended gave Zenkichi a shiver down his spine. Something seemed wrong about the little thing, but far be it from Zenkichi to try and dig deeper into that.

With immaculate timing, pun fully intended, Sandalphon gave Goldlewis a call via the glyph system, and Zenkichi’s heart skipped a beat when he realized what the former Secretary was doing, a tiny smile worming its way onto Zenkichi’s face before he shook it off his head. Now was serious time, dammit! It sounded like the veteran was getting a bit of a hard time from their angelic eye in the sky. Chuckling to himself a little, Zenkichi followed along after Goldlewis, passing him to give the big guy the opportunity to handle the introductions to both Grimm and the Witch. If they wanted to come along, then by all means they could.

As the Seekers and their potential new recruits gathered up outside Meridi-At-Han, Zenkichi’s eyes wandered upward. They wouldn’t see the Avenger unless it wanted to be seen, but instinct had his eyes scanning the sky for the ship nonetheless. ”It’ll be good to see everybody again. Though, I guess it hasn’t been as long for me as it has for the rest of you guys, considering I only showed up partway through the week.” Zenkichi mused aloud. He would’ve liked for the Thieves to join up with the Seekers proper, but Joker was used to leading, not following. And maybe once they found Haru, they could have a proper reunion, too.
Junior, Rika, & Geralt of Rivia

Mafia Town, Assaulting Consul I’s Ship

Word Count:1,779 word (+3)


The ship assaulting seekers approached the cannon mounted vessel with as much haste as they could muster, eyes sharply on the lookout for any retaliation to their brazen assault on this sower of chaos. Yet they found nothing. No look outs, no cannons at the ready. Nothing.

”What a bunch of dummies, just letting anyone and everyone sail up to their ship” Jr declared over confidently.

Geralt, on the other hand, was extremely suspicious as Rika’s whale garnered no reaction from the ship. Tilting his head towards Dave, he nodded at the vessel. “Either ship’s empty, or we’re walking into a trap.” He advised flatly.

Dave just sighed. “Yeah, I figured as much as soon as we got out here and nobody tried to shoot at us. I don’t have that kind of luck.”

Rika, meanwhile, decided to test the self procured name of the vessel, the ”SS Literally Can't Sink”, lancing one of her new floating rocket propelled swords at its hull, and only to have it simply glance off the side of the ship.

”No making stairs out of those then. Guess I’ll just jump up?” Rika supposed, staring up at the hatch they were floating several meters beneath. With all her movement abilities, that wouldn’t be a problem at all.

”oh, oh, give me a piggyback, and we can try out that new move we figured out to bust on in in style!” Jr suggested excitedly, practically bouncing with excitement at the notion.

”mmm, that might bust it” Rika agreed, though that was only going to get them up there.

As Geralt and Dave’s own ride approached, the Witcher looked at his diver companion and frowned. “Gonna be tough to get up there. I might be able to make the jump and climb over the railing, but I don’t think getting you up with me will be easy.” He didn’t beat around the bush of Dave’s weight, but the diver simply nodded, hefting his harpoon gun.

“Can’t hurt to try with this. I can reel in some pretty huge fish with it. You get up there, I’ll shoot the harpoon, and you pull me up on the rope!” Geralt hummed, thinking it over for a few moments before shrugging. He was right, it probably couldn’t hurt to try. If this was an efficient ambush, they’d wait until they were all on board to spring it anyway, to lull them further into a false sense of security.

In-front of them, Rika crouched down on the water, and Jr hopped on her shoulders, which seemed like a bit of an odd move until the ship girl tapped a rune attached to her gauntlet’s palm, and promptly shot up into the air. She rose up and up, then the wall jumped off of the side of the ship just below one of the side hatches. As she did, Jr held his staff sized paint brush above her head, producing a white glow that wove its way down into Rika’s gauntlets, the illumination reaching a peak just as she came in level with the hatch.

There, she seemed to hang in the air, before unleashing a rapid fire barrage of punches, each one accompanied with a burst of holy light, bending and buckling the hatch before drawing bac fore one last punch, only to summon a massive mechanized lance in the grip of her first and to ram forwards with it.

The Black Lance punctured and then shattered the battered hatch, Rika’s energy shield flaring as she and her brother entered the vessel in a shower of shrapnel that would have been devastating to any ambushers.

There were, however, none to be found.

Yet.

As such a moment later both of the kid’s heads popped out the wrecked hole, Rika waving with a big gauntletted while Jr called out that there where ”No dummies here”

On Geralt and Dave’s end, they’d pulled up onto the top deck of the ship, only to realize that their…wasn’t really a top deck of the ship. Geralt had been forced to straddle the railing of the side of the ship and pull Dave over, helping toss him to a cargo container that was suitably high up to not create a large drop. The Witcher himself wound up just dropping to the deck belowship, rolling to break his fall and looking around.

“Nothing down here, either.” He called up to the pair, who were looking outside the ship, possibly having assumed they’d wait for the Koopas to scout ahead. Instead of a great ambush, they found a bunch of cargo containers, and some things Geralt vaguely recognized from Midgar.

”Oh..” Jr replied, a little upset at their flashy way onboard having been unnecessary, while Rika just leaned back in and gave a big thumbs up.

“Huh, a bunch of vending machines?” Dave questioned, puzzled, walking up to one of them. “It’s all wrestling-themed stuff, huh? Guess that makes sense, what with all those Wrestlemania-looking guys messing up the town. We gotta stop them. Bancho Sushi got messed up badly enough as it is!” Dave’s tone was somewhat dramatically despondent, but he’d really grown to love that place. He wasn’t going to put up with somebody messing with it!

Small-scale motivations aside, Geralt agreed, and nodded to show as much, summoning Tartaglia’s Hydro weapons. He might as well get used to fighting with them, though rather than the dual blades, he formed the Hydro energy into a single joined twinblade. “Alright, Junior, Rika, let’s take a look around. Most likely place to find I would be the bridge.”

”I’d settle for that shouty commentator guy” Jr replied while Rika poked her head back out the ship and tossed her golden spinner down to retrieve her whale from the water.

Indeed, said commentator was still banging on about the brawl back in the city, including, apparently, some kind of brawl going down in the mafia headquarters that had nothing to do with the wrestlers themselves: “And would you look at that! The reigning champ of maffia town has combined all of his lackeys into a massive ball that he’s rolling around ontop of! Now that’s something you don’t see every day!”

He was loud enough to be heard on the island itself, which meant that on the ship? Almost painful to hear.

”Aww, and now I wanna see that” Jr moaned at the latest announcement, while Rika shrugged, saying ”Punching I will be better. Probably” while also putting on a pair of headphones under her helmet.

”Oh, yeah, that’ll help” Jr said as he saw this, imitating her, before realizing why she was actually doing it and saying ”oh, no, right, that strategy, got it”

With everyone armed and ready, the quartet advanced up the ship towards the bridge, passing more and more containers containing much of the same, although there were also books with titles like ‘dive kicks for dummies’ on them as well. There was, once again, no resistance. Even when they got to the flame clock sat below the bridge, no one came out to defend it. Not that they knew how to destroy them anyway.

What was interesting, however, was that before this clock there sat 4 panels, a few feet wide, all emblazoned with the serrated sun symbol of what they now knew where respawn pads

”Huh. So I guess these are what Kamek was talking about? Just. Sitting out in the open” Jr commented at the sight of the apparently normally hidden mechanisms of repopulating the world of light, here so brazenly put out on display.

“Huh. Have to admit, I wouldn’t have expected them to be so brazenly displayed, though I suppose there wouldn’t be a problem, since anybody here would either be an enemy, or Gleaming.” Dave’s attention started wandering elsewhere as soon as information more directly related to the grand conflict of the World of Light came out, but when they started getting close to the bridge, his attitude started getting even more serious.

“Alright, everyone, let’s do this.” Geralt warned as he forced open the door to the bridge, seamlessly stepping in and moving to the side to give the others room to enter, Hydro twinblade flourishing as he cast Quen to protect himself.

Rather than an onslaught of fighters, the response to them all bursting in was a shout of “Wow hey, what are you folks doing here the rings over there!” from the announcer as he dove behind the spinning captain’s chair of a surly looking walrus captain who seemed entirely disinterested in their attack. That, and a slow clap from the consul who stood before the window, silhouetted against the setting sun as it hung low over the city she had just brought destruction too.

“Congratulations on making it abroad seekers of-” I began with the tone of a preacher about to deliver a self assured sermon, only for Rika to raise a palm and unleash a hail of gunfire at the Consul.

She made no move to avoid this attack, and instead without nary a thought raised a barrier around her that absorbed the attack, while she shook her head in disappointment.

“So you are here for me then? Sadly I am afraid I have no interest in giving you the satisfaction of battling you” she told them, reaching down and grasping an incredibly heaving looking metallic idol that was sat next to her before saying “but not to worry. For your efforts, I will provide you with a suitable challenge”

She hauled up the idol as if it was nothing, and in that very same moment something massive burst from the water next to the ship, as if by hoisting the idol, she had pulled it something out of the depths. The wave from the rapid emergence of the massive object rocked the ship, sending everyone but her stumbling.

Then a moment later the gigantic hermit crab she had summoned crashed down among the shipping containers down below. Its eyestalks glanced to and fro, before their glowing ire locked upon the bridge, and upon those that had summoned it here, prompting it to shove its claws into one of the shipping containers, and to haul out several of the vending machines in its titanic claws.

Completely disinterested in the fact that she was between the angry monster and its targets, I added that “Oh, and I’m sure the other Consuls will be most interested to know you are here. Perhaps that will bring you the satisfaction you desire” before simply teleporting away.

Right as the vending machines the titanic hermit crab had grabbed came smashing through the glass windows of the bridge.
Edelgard von Hresvelg

Skyworld

Level 2 Edelgard (9/10) -> (1/20)

Word count: 917 words




With the massive form of Worship finally sunk, the angelic forces rallied shortly before continuing on. Citronpool Harbor itself was already a wasteland by the time Edelgard and Roxas flew by atop Ortho, the angels having attacked the place prior to their arrival. Ortho set down, resting and stretching his wings, angling his body to gently coax the pair of Seekers off so he could take his own break before they all moved on. Once they were on solid ground, Edelgard turned to Roxas.

”While I appreciate your willingness to follow standard military protocol, young man, it is far from necessary for you to subordinate yourself to me. I’ve seen what you and your friends are capable of, and I do understand that you are not likely to stay overlong with Lady Palutena’s forces. My commands to my platoon are not strictly yours to follow, nor are you required to address me by rank or title. You may refer to me simply as Edelgard, or Lady Edelgard should you feel the need to use some sort of title.” The smile on her face was real, but there was a sort of put-on patience to it that hinted at a deeper dissatisfaction that the presence of the Seekers was required, rather than at it in general.

”That aside, we had best get our preparations finished. They won’t wait for us to begin the final assault. If there’s anything you need to do, now is the time.” Her piece said, Edelgard went to a large, open space to await Ortho’s return, once the griffin had spread its wings sufficiently.

After she and Roxas were aboard Ortho and airborne once more, Edelgard steeled herself for the coming battle. This was the stronghold of the Corruption, Skyworld’s greatest enemy. It would be no simple feat to find and purge the source, to end the battle against this most dreadful foe. All of their preparations came to this.

The sight of the final island filled Edelgard with more confusion than dread. The geography, if it could be called such, resembled no sane place. Were her mind weaker, she might find that more disturbing, but she had seen her fair share of horror in this war. No, she was ready to do battle, to put an end to this war. As Ortho grew closer, the details of the creatures, if they could be called such, on the train grew clear. Little more than physical manifestations of Corruption with limbs and weapons, the things slithered about the train of evil like maggots on a rotting corpse.

After a bit more flying, Ortho passed over the track, keeping his flight path aligned with it for a few moments, to give Edelgard, and Roxas if he so chose, time to dismount and land aboard the vile locomotive.

Edelgard’s own landing let out a thunderous sound, and a bevy of Corrupted turned to her, pausing for a moment before they broke out into a frenzied attack. Following behind her a moment later were the black Eagles, and they set upon the Corrupted things like they never had before, emboldened by the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Swords flashed out, Shields and Staves bolstered their allies, and Bows hovered just out of reach, peppering their foes with arrows.

The Corrupted were not without means to fight back, however. Disgusting things stretched their bodies, granting them much more range with which to attack the flying Featherbows with their many flailing hands, seeking to pull them into a maw of horrors. One type of Corrupted had a sort of steam-powered cannon, launching balls of Corruption into the ranks of angelic forces, threatening to overwhelm and turn them on their allies. Another belched fire from the furnace that comprised its furnace, while others could only swipe at Edelgard and the angels with their sharpened, blighted talons.

”Do not falter here, Black Eagles! We have come to the heart of this Corruption, the very bastion of our enemies! We will emerge victorious today, just a little more!” A cheer rose up through the ranks of the Eagles, though having fought two battles already, and now a third against a fresh enemy, Edelgard knew that many of them would not return. She did not dwell long on this inevitability, but she accepted it all the same. The lives given today would grant every denizen of Skyworld a new future. One full of hope and light. Their sacrifices would not be in vain.

Edelgard’s axe flickered out in a rapid, familiar pattern against a particularly large creature with more arms and legs than she could count, the Empress unleashing Flickering Flower against the Corrupted monster. As the arte carved into the thing, it found itself overwhelmed by the force, and slumped, stunned for a few seconds. Edelgard wasted no time in climbing onto the creature, much as she had done to Beloved, to get her licks in. Her shield slammed into one of its masked faces, and Aymr crashed into its inky form, even as fire licked over her armor from a forge-gut Corrupted that a Feathersword crashed into from above, cleaving the thing in twain with a single blow. ”Th-thank you.” Edelgard grunted out, even as she carved and tore her quarry in twain, disgusting globules of Corruption hanging off her armor like worms writhing in dirt after the rain. Shaking herself off not unlike a dog, Edelgard launched herself into another assault, trusting her comrades to watch her back.
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