War of Dragons: Mac Anu - Chaos

Just hours ago, there was this strange blip in the communications for those of the Fourlands Dukedom. Their Chimlink just showing a momentary 'blip' was enough to draw people to Mac Anu and its various Dukedoms. There is a certain sense of 'healthy' paranoia around everything ever since the Palace Lands troops arrived, and the War of Dragons began.

Now, there is an enormous fleet of Dragon Lands soldiers approaching the harbors. What many of those here may have realized in their years of being in this world, is that the Yamatoan people keep most of their troops outside of the Root City. In the case of Fourlands, it's in the Dukedoms themselves, and out to protect the various farms and villages that are strew about. Communications are already going out for the troops to return, but there is a sense of unease about this - even though everything they know suggests that...

There should not be any way for the Palace Land people to assail a Root City.

The Guardians will annihilate them if they start any hostile actions like that against the Host Kingdom! Right?

This is what the Uncrowned had also experienced within the Palace Lands. That part of the reason that the Adventurers and other antagonistic factors could not strike back against the Root City holders - was because of those very guardians.

Yet, the army approaches. Their sails raised, shields up, intending on a full combat landing with a size well over that which had been seen deployed against that of Shibuya!

    Merek arrives to Mac Anu with the party of adventurers that he knows well. It looks like they need to prepare for the fight. "Well, that doesn't look that great, we can't back away on protecting the city though." He would comment about the way they are managing to take on a city. He decides, it is probably a mystery that can wait. He wears his dark attire with the longcoat, hair being pulled into a spiky ponytail. His beard looks a little bit thick, a thing that is notable since the war came to the place. He pulls out an axe and points it forward, "We should try to flank and be prepared, and do a little scouting." He then tries to find a position to take a look to the city.

Kotono's also arrived here, and she looks ready for battle.

The girl arrives swiftly, stopping once she gets closer to check her blades before doing a few light stretches. After all, you don't want her pulling a muscle during the battle, do you?

"We have to be prepared for anything," Kotono comments mainly to Merek. "We'd best keep our eyes open and be on the lookout for anything that could attempt to be used as 'unexpected' on us."

For the Uncrowned, it is not a mysterious blip that draws their attention to Mac Anu. No, in this case, Tian is likely simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Without access to Kingdom or Alliance chimlinks in Yamato, they have almost no warning whatsoever that anything might be about to happen. In fact, this is even more obvious by the linen bag of shopping that they have, likely picking up some supplies.

Being deaf also puts them at a secondary disadvantage, meaning that distant sounds like those that would normally give alarm to the arriving enemy are lost on the Cait Sith's ears. So, it isn't until Tian starts to visibly see people rushing from place to place that they even realize what is happening.

It is familiar faces that Tian looks for in the crowd, seeking out Adventurers who they have encountered previously and moving to join them, stowing the supplies into their inventory with a few swipes of one hand. For some, the presence of a Palace Lander, here of all places, might seem suspicious, but Tian seems just as surprised at what is happening as anyone else.

"<Is... it safe here?>" Tian asks, touching two clenched fists together then separating them. The Cait Sith rests hands on their daggers, ears tucked back slightly in a canine sign of unease. "<Party invite?>" Is the next question, followed by a tilt of the head. If things were to go bad, they would have precious little other way to communicate or aid others without one.

    The blip was enough to spark paranoia and since the war paranoia meant it was better to take action then to wait for it to happen. So Rizadoman grabbed Bird and road to the Fourlands, particularly Mac Anu. He had planned to head to the temple of law and ask the Sword Maiden of any trouble she had come across. However he didn't need to, he could the trouble on the horizon and is already on the chims alerting everyone he can. "There is an enormous fleet of Palace Land Soldiers marching on Mac Anu. I don't know what there plan is but any backup that can be sent should be."

     Rizadoman himself makes his way to the nearest wall of the city and simply stands and waits for the moment. He is not foolish enough to believe that he can fight the army himself, he does though understand. The guardians will not tolerate fighting within the root city, so he would wait and see what is happening. " Are they planning to blockade the city, attempt to starve it out?" The question is to no one particular just a thought out loud.

Schneider and the other members of Scale have been given the green light to fight the Palace Landers, if they needed one, but as he was in the city on other business anyhow when the alarm went up, he's joining the defense. He's also not sure how the Palace Landers plan on fighting the city guardians, or whether he'll be able to fight back without drawing their ire, this ought to be educational in that respect, but mostly he's here to fight some Palace Landers because he's an Exploder Wizard and fighting is what he does.

On the other hand, that's a /lot/ of ships. Is this what the Germans saw on D-Day? Well, fireballs are online, and the spells he has that are boomier from Fireball as well. Fireball is like the opening shot that tests the waters, /then/ he can haul out the big guns.

He looks around to see who's been placed in command, he hopes there's some organization, or is it every wizard for himself? That's how it seems. Well, if it is, he'll be down at the closest place where they might try and land their ships, ready to fight back at the first opportunity. From the safety of an improvised stack of crates in front of an alley opening on the docks, he will do his level best to take out one of the ships before it can actually reach the docks. Maybe that will put the Guardians on him, but it depends how they interpret things.

    The Baroness did not rush here for battle. Yet she did come here to see just what is happening. Since the event with the chimlink, she's gone largely comms silent, doubting the privacy of those lines of communication. Another victory for the enemy.

    As she looks out over the waters, it is impossible to miss the sheer size of the fleet that approaches. It takes little skill to know just how this battle will go. And yet.. how can there be any battle?

    Wake raises a hand to her face, tapping her lip as she considers this. "They are not fools. They have done something. But what? The chimlink system related to the Dukedom has been tampered with. There was a blip before, I understand, but that brings us no closer." She turns to Kauchemar, "We should focus on the Landers. Fighting for pride is folley, and we might bring destruction down on the innocent if we make this place a battlefield."

    Wake takes a measure of the citizens. They seem disorganized at a glance. There's no clear direction she sees in their movements and no sign of leadership. "I have work to do. I don't know what the enemy is up to, but I need time to direct an evacuation."

    Before Wake can plunge herself into the fray, she notices Tian and reads the Cait Sith's signing. She shakes her head, "Not safe at all. Your countrymen are upon us."

    With that, she is on. She'll seek out the first official or soldier she can find and swiftly attempt to take the helm.

    Miyako has arrived - with Kotono, as is her fashion - and looks out at the ships approaching the harbor with a scowl. She has her familiar black-and-turquoise combat gear on, her face set grimly as she gazes out over the harbor and the approaching armada. "Starve them out? Maybe. They'd have to surround the city with ground troops. Which it looks like they've brought." She sighs softly.

    She shakes her head. "The guardians won't bother them if they don't attack anyone. All they have to do is walk in." The spriggan looks to her partner. "I have a baaaad feeling about this, Ko-chan."

Erufu was on edge given what has been going on with the Palace Lands. She had picked up the strange blip in the Chimlink, as she went to check it out? She had to wonder just what was going on. Soon she would have her answer. They are tryint to invade the root town? That's madness, no the Palace Landers would have a plan she thought. Well she was woon forming up with of all people BAroness Wake. While not part of her alliance? Wake had skills and the Elf knew enough of her repuation to follow her lead in a crisis like this.

"I can help with getting people out Baroness Wake."

There's a small thing in the back of her mind, could the have ... somehow done something to the system that protects the city? No that should not be possible.

"You can taste the anxiety and paranoia in the air... And it's in a flavor of uncertainty that even I do not care for." Standing near Wake, Kauchemar props an elbow in one hand to tap her cheek thoughtfully with the fingers of the other. "No surprise they'd come when the main forces have spread to patrol the nation... But that force is obvious. Painfully, blantantly so. So why haven't the Guardians advanced into a defensive position. I agree, there is something going on here that we yet do not see."

And then there's a Tian. Understanding the sign language isn't hard, thanks to her own communication related skills. The Nightmare shakes her head. "It's quite possibly to become a warzone." The party invite is presented, and she accepts. Considering the condition of the Cait Sith, this might be the easiest way to communicate in the future. "Keep your eyes and ears open. Even I can't predict what is about to come," her tail swishes, "And -that- is what aggrivates me most."

Wake says she's going to go look for some source of organization. "A fine idea, milady." The equine were fang quickly turns to follow. "They may not attempt to kill Landers... but that doesn't mean they are safe from what way be coming all the same." As she moves, ghostly flames wick into existance near her, as she summons her Binder Shield to her side. Just to be extra safe... in more that the shield can be deployed to cover her friend if need be, more than herself.

There are patches and bits of the Fourland Army that begin to stream in. Most of their ships out of the harbor, the ones that are present do not even try to fight. Instead, they attempt to blockade the moorings and position themselves into defensive positions as the Palace Land ships come in. Seeking to halt their approach in general...

Which the Palace Lands ship push through by sending two of their larger vessels at ramming speed. The loud CRACK of metal on wood - as the reinforced bow of the ramming vessels crush through the Yamato ships - aiding in the quick sinking of the Yamato ships. This is a clear sign of conflict. A clear sense of battle, a few seconds out from the rest of those ships landing...

And...

Nothing?

There's worried sounds, a murmur from the various local Landers. Guards and police forces forming up on the port, slamming down shields. Then, out in the harbor, a massive metalic curtain begins to be drawn up! Fierce metal cables begin to rise, lifting up. An enormous shield of metal chain links rising and halting a good half of the Palace Land ships, and even lifting one of the ships and capsizing it! At the edges, blue crystals come to life, as a few of the older members of the Fourland Dukedom arrive and begin to man some of the forgotten defensive systems!

There's sparks of lightning that rip into the waters, disabling and stunning some of the hidden Palace Land Undine forces within the water! But the ships yet still arrive. Boats landing and a flood of Lander and Adventurer forces drop off.

There's a proud guard who steps forward, slamming his blade to the ground and announces; "Palace Land Forces, you are not welcome here. Turn away right now, or our Guardians will destroy your army immediately..." Followed by a smug looking Adventurer who kind of just twiddles with his sword, and then laughs as he cuts through this man with his massive blade in a single hew. The Guard's shield catches much of the blow, but the guard is sent to his knee.

Yet...

Nothing.

Followed by the Fourland Guard lifting his own blade and bringing his own blade up. A sword arte activating as he slashes across the smug Adventurer's chest - who just stands there with his arms raised, taking the hit. Taking the damage.

"I think you got this all wrong, Yamato-an. Lay down your arms. For this city is already ours!" As a pattern appears against the wall, and a strange creature begins to float through. A metalic body, with skeletonal wings. Its eyes hidden behind a visor, and a sort of 'beam weapon' on its arm. Transmitting through the side of the building's glyph, it suddenly swoops straight towards the Fourland Guard... and stabs him throught he back with its other arm as it turns into a blade. The Guardian stabbing the man through the back, and shattering his life away.

Followed by the screams of Four Land Landers, who have been protected by the Guardians, by the protection of the Root City for years, decades... no... centuries!

A woman floats down the boat at that point, swimming through the air. A young looking Undine, swims right up to the Palace Lander who'd just killed that Yamato-an in cold blood, and wraps him into a bubble spell. Starting to choke out the Palace Land Adventurer. "We do not kill unprovoked! We leave alone the Landers unless they refuse to surrender! Fan out and clear out all the Adventurers! Remember, leave the Landers alone! Or you WILL be courtmarshaled or killed, like this fool!" The woman looks sad, as she witnesses the light drift up.

"So willing to prove yourself... but you never understood us. Truly, the Laughing Coffin are fools." Her sorrowful eyes set on the Adventurers and Landers before her, as she motions her hand out towards them. More and more Landers and Adventurers storming forward. All of them rapidly Inspecting or Feeling Out the people in attendance!

As the emotionless Guardian slowly turns to see which Yamato-an might seek to do harm to the rightful owners of Mac Anu?!

    Xander heard the sounds of war on the horizon, but when it all started, the Holy Knight Salamander was not there. As the chaos begins, the Salamander was still missing.

It would only be the sounds of heavy armored paws racing across the street, does the Advanture at last arrive, riding upon the back of some strange lizard-like tiger with a bladed tail.

    It rides swiftly around the landers and adventures fleeing. The man on its back dawned with armor of plate and leather. A cape flowing behind him, a horn helm to match his already draconic, dark scaled features, and eyes glowing from under the shadow of the helm; This is Xander Scaleharth.

Yet what he sees as he runs in, is the guardians perhaps turned traitor? Did-- he see that right? Either way, he leaps off the back of his mount, having it run off as he goes to bring his ol' faithful shield into play to see about defending a lander while yelling at them, "Get moving! GO!"

With Wake being one of the few people to acknowledge Tian, the Cait Sith turns towards her and there is a worried expression visible in those golden eyes, even behind the impassive wolf mask that the Blade Dancer wears. Flattening out their hands, the two are brought close to one another and then crossed. "<Trouble.>" The system translates that simple idea. So they move to follow Wake, since the woman has that feel of command behind her.

Thankfully, Kauchemar offers the party invite, getting an appreciative look from Tian. "<I can fight.>" The sign a familiar motion like boxer's fists. "<I can watch.>" The Cait Sith follows with a movement like pointing the gaze of two eyes outward.

Then, they seem to look downward, initiating another series of signs. For those nearby, the system translates them as: "<This is unfamiliar. No need to attack Root Towns in the Palace Lands.>" However, the raid chimlink picks up the message quite a bit differently.

Then, looking to Wake again, Tian offers, "<I am at your command.>" Of course, the matter of orders likely falls from the Cait Sith's notice as they stare at the events unfolding before their eyes. Everything in the wolf's expression and posture suggests that this is not a tactic they have seen before. It /could/ be a ruse, but thus far, Tian and the Uncrowned have given no reason to suspect they are working with the others.

"<No.>" Their head shakes in disbelief. "<Run. Escape. Flee. Hide.>" The series of signs is quick and broken, without any attempts at trying to form more full notions. There is a moment of hesitation as they linger near Wake, likely waiting for her to withdraw first. In the mean time, Tian draws up elemental air abilities, focusing them around one of their daggers. Quickly, the English word: RUN is written with slashes of the weapon, which form into the clouds above Mac Anu. It is a bit eerie, the dark clouds circling and forming into the words, pointing away from the city.

    Merek looks to the Guardian that stands to protect the Palace Landers. "So, they've changed the Guardian to consider their allegiance to them," the man considers. Then he takes a look along to the Uncrowned, "Right, we'll do what we can." The man takes the axe of his, then he sheaths that while he begins to lift up both hands to summon a rock wall which begins to form. The objective it looks like is to protect the Landers and Adventurers by putting a wall between them and invaders.

"I don't like it either, Miyako," Kotono says as she does a few stretches idly while watching and waiting. "We'd better be ready for anything. You never know what your opponents are capable of."

And then it all starts.

"Here we go, Miyako!"

The invasion is on, and naturally Kotono tries to do what she does best: Evade being hit as best as she can. Unfortunately, it's not quite meant to be as one of the invaders manages to catch her.

"Ow!" She moans, although it's more out of frustration than actual pain. Bringing up her blades, she attempts to protect herself from further attack as she backs away to regain her composure.

Once she's regained her composure, the Spriggan looks to the people nearby and says, "Come on! Follow me!" She uses her mental mapping to make a note of shortcuts that could possibly help avoid being caught by the invaders.

    Rizadoman watches in horror as the Guardians attack the adventurer and not the palace landers. It takes till the panic is heard to snap him out of the stunned expression he has and get himself moving. Any attacks from any palace landers Rizadoman plans to barrel through, taking the scratches while covering the important spots. Then he sees others trying to coordinate people leaving the city. For a moment he considers moving to the temple of law but decides better, they would follow the law and those of the new owners. Instead he considers getting himself out of the city before his lizard senses sees a few people hiding, quickly moving to check on them he finds a few young cait sith adventurers trying to hide. " We need to move, come on." As he tries to usher people out he continues to keep his senses open to find others who are hiding.

    Surveying what she sees before he with unflinching eyes, Wake nods curtly. "This simplifies things." As chaos explodes around her, she exudes calm. She calls out in a clear voice that carries sharply through the air.

    "People of the Fourlands, do not give battle! Follow us in a retreat from the city or if you prefer to stay, make for the west."

    She has no time to determine if she's in charge. She simply directs orders at the nearest guards, "Get these people moving and do not panic! See that they do not waste time collecting possessions. We go to the east with all speed!"

Schneider boggles at what's going on. "What the hell?" he wonders. "Did they ... buy off or corrupt the Guardians?" But he doesn't have any way to check that. He also doesn't want to get bulldozed by the place landers, so he backs away quietly from his tiny bunker in an alleymouth and chants, "Roots of shadow, tendrils of light, smoke over water, fire in the sky, DEEP PURPLE."

And then there is no alley mouth. The walls now seem to connect the adjacent buildings, but Schneider is already hauling ass getting out of there, along with anyone else who was fool enough to stay in the buildings when the Palace Lands Wrecking Crew entered the harbor.

Kaydon doesn't really know how this is happening. He'd been in town on business, and had just stepped outside in time to see what was going on with the attacking Palace Land ships. He'd picked up the blip in comms..How can they affect things on a game level like that, he wonders.

Kaydon begins to scramble when things hit the fan. There's no way to fight back, but he's going to need to work on defending himself and anyone around him for the time being. Not his usual forte, but he does keep a kite shield in his inventory specifically for stuff like this. So he breaks it out, putting himself between the Palace Landers and any People of the Land trying to escape from them

    Miyako nods to Kotono. "Right, time to get the frak out of here. And remember, /don't fight anyone/. No attacks at all. Whatever the hell is going on, the Guardians are clearly bugged, and if the frakkers have suborned them..." She trails off, remembering the last time she saw some -idiot- set them off. She's sure Kotono remembers it as well.

    Then the Spriggan casts her gaze around what she can see of the city and scowls. So many adventurers have gathered near the docks when the word of the approaching fleet spread. They need to get OUT, especially if they're homed here. She draws on her power, focusing it, building it, and channeling it into her voice as she calls out to all of them. "All Adventurers, retreat! Listen to Baroness Wake and /do not fight/, just get out!" She follows it up with a strident verse, built on a memory of the evacuation of Dunquerque, where the British army fled the oncoming Germans to return again and liberate the land. The message is clear: It is not a battle we can win. Not /now/.

This is getting bad nothing is happening to the Palace Landers as they come in. Elf has an idea though she does not wish to risk casuing the Guardians to attack them. So what is she going to do? She's going to sing she's going to use both her power of song and newly learned magic. She sing a song of speed a song of movment trying to buff the guards own movment so they can do their jobs faster. However it doesn't go so well as this i the first dangerous situation she'd put such abilities into play...Still she will keep at it. What else is the elf to do. She'll not roll over and die after all.

Ah, there is the Guardian active finall--Wait?! Did it just attack one of their own people?!

"Shit," is whickered under her breath. "They did do something to the Guardians. Wake, we need to get people out of here now." There's only the the most subtle of ripples around her form, but it's enough to slip away from the encrouching forces that they now very much have no protection against save their own. She knows what Wake is likely to do to try and get the situation under control.

But there is more than even her exceptional charm and grace can handle alone. Fortunately, Kauchemar has an idea.

The Nightmare raises her voice to put those Bard abilities, and the fact that people of this world respond strongly to Song, to the best possible use. By projecting the intense need to calm and organize in their fleeing through the power of her voice.

"o/~ Losing faith with every stare, as they caught us unaware
But certainly this is real, and fear is all we feel.
We try so hard, to get so far, but in the end all that matters
It's too late for you to stay, you've got to get away, to live another day! o/~"

Never thought she'd actually try to pull a Pied Piper style trick, yet here she is, using the power of music to try and direct people to follow her lead get the hell out of the city in a less chaotic fashion that's not going to get them all trampled in the process. This is not a time to fight, it is time to withdraw, so they can live to fight another day.

"o/~ A great terror now right before our eyes.. Can't tell where the future lies...
This most certainly is not our dreams
As the time comes apart at the seams
Now all you can do is follow along.... To the Nightmare's Song o/~"

Xander comes to the aid of Adventures and Landers. There is a lot of confusion, and the looming presence of that Guardian as it stares at them from behind its metalic visor like a floating doll is notable. Its presence almost overwhelming to some, as they are stuck to the ground like poles.

Then, the Salamander's voice breaks through. Get moving! Go! A few of them blink in confusion, their lizard-brains catching the sound of an authority figure and automatically begin to move without question. Turning and running the other way.

Tian enhances the demand that Xander has given, Skywriting the word RUN into the air. Those who turn to see it, or who have it in their visual direction, can practically hear Tian's 'voice', in as far as they have a voice. Run! More of them, who were starting to slow-walk, feel this prickle of danger being expressed, and start speeding up!

Behind them, lightning spawns from the crystal towers once more from some of the Landers mages prepared to defend this Root City with their lives. But near them, more Guardians begin to spawn. Glyphs appearing, before the walls seem to 'fold open' into a black space beyond. The folds are made of red splits of light, which then fold open into a four-sided diamond shape, as those metalic puppets roam out and start to annihilate those who are resisting the 'rightful owners' of the Root City.

One of the Landers jumps over the wall and begins to glide away on their Sylph wings... and the Guardian does not follow. They refuse to go beyond the walls of the Root City.

Kotono's voice cries out, along with that of Rizadoman, as they catch a different collection of younger Adventurers who are a bit too young to really get what is going on. A few of the Landers lay down their arms, refusing to resist, and are passed by, by Palace Land Adventurers and Landers both. The Queen looking on with sorrow in her eyes, biting the bottom of her lip. A man stepping up to her from a street within Mac Anu. The Hero of Rosenheim, who is refusing to lift a hand here to assail the Adventurers and Landers.

"I don't like seeing them hurt like this, Julius." The Queen expresses to him. The Hero nods his head, and remarks; "I know, my queen. But as you've said. This is the only way. Right?"

The Queen looks like she's having doubts, as she watches a few Adventures who are slow on the uptake getting shattered by some of her own troops. Hiding her mouth behind her hands in shock, even as the one she'd punished shatters into light himself. "Let's go. I do not wish you to have to witness this." Julius remarks, taking the Undine Queen's hand and guiding her away.

Baroness Wake takes hold, managing to convince a few more Fourland Landers to lay down their arms. With Miyako spinning a song that soothes some of the anger and anguish this very event is bringing up right now! There are always going to be those who fail to resist to retaliate. And each of them meets the same fate. Right as Miyako's song ends, Kauchemar's picks up, drawing the Adventurers away and deeper into the city, towards the Main Plaza. With some Palace Landers that are quicker getting ahead of them already!

As the groups enter further eastwards, they come across the Church, which is being defended right now by a few Tanks. "We need some help over here!" They call out. "We can't leave yet. We know we need to go. But a Raid Party died just recently in the Tomb of the Lost Emperor - trying to get to the Dungeon Heart! They should be respawning any moment now, but it's a group of like eighty people. We don't want them stuck here and get Crowned!" One of the lead Paladins remarks!

Kauchemar keeps moving, occasionally appearing to flicker in and out of existance as she uses her shadowstep techniques to keep from becoming a easy target lost amongst the crowd of people on the move. Occasionally it's her moving to the edge of the group, misleading invaders in another direction before reappearing amongst the group with her quick and deliberate movements.

They reach the vicinity of the Church, ears swiveling to catch the shouts for assistance. She frowns at the situation, and nods to Wake knowingly. "No one left behind, right? Right." And then she shifts through the shadows once more.

To come to stand behind the Tanks trying to hold the line in front of the Church. She gives her neck a little stretching roll. Time to put her training to work. She holds out her hands, drawing terrestrial elemental strength to it. "Be stalwart my friends. Utmost protection. Stout like stone. Unmoving like mountains. Unflinching like the ancient forest." She's channeling that unmoving strength of earth and stone into the Adventurers to help hold their position.

    The Salamander watches the group run and goes to push back. He growls lowly, smoke rising from his nostrils in frustration at how far this has gotten. "... damn'it."

Rylen asked him to get involved. To help out the others. Oh sure, he captued a Palace adventure alongside Kaydon. Sure they asked them some questions, at least as far as they could get, but this. This right here-- is what he was worried about-- but not like /this/.

The rules were being broken. Twisted. Corrupted.

    Xander hears the cries from someone in the church and tsks under his breath. He /needs/ to figure out why the Guardians have gone off their normal coded script and see if he can get them back on track.

Yet as he watches other start to have issues, he curses under his breath in frustration, moving to run toward the Church, before he brings out his sword and goes to cut a line to the ground with a swing.

The ground glows brightly, before a wall of light beams straight up from the earth to create a holy brilliant barrier between the Guardians and the church. "I won't be able to hold this forever!" He calls out, including to any adventures that are standing about. "Get moving!" Yet his eyes turn to the Guardians. Wincing a little as he is having to hold himself sure footed to keep the spell up and his mana being chewed away at.

With the group beginning to fall back, Tian darts into motion, moving along with other Adventurers while trying to avoid any sort of conflict with the invaders. Perhaps, some of this strikes a bit close to home for someone who has been on the run the better part of a year, having fled from multiple attacks and raids from the Palace landers. Tian's tail is tucked, ears slicked back, teeth drawn into a grimace.

With the call to try to help re-enforce the Church, there is a definite momoment where the Cait Sith has to consider which is more important, aiding new allies, or saving their own hide. In the end, valor wins out, but it seems a very narrow win.

Reaching for a dagger, Tian slashes it through the air, creating a lingering cloud of darkness that blocks the vision of those trying to make for the church. It wouldn't take much to pierce that darkness, however, as the spell seems to only barely engage. Tian's hands are shaking in obvious fear and they take a step back, pressing their back to the Church wall.

Schneider finds his escape taking him past the church and acks as he hears that they're waiting for a team to Rez. No, he very doesn't want to leave -anyone- behind, that would be very bad. So, well, he -is- a hybrid caster, that usually doesn't come up very much, but he /can/ haul out a shield and block the attackers. Hopefully he can hold off the wave of attackers, while not being aggressive, himself, and hopefully get everyone out of here.

    Rizadoman gets people moving and no longer hiding and pressed forward with them as he uses his shield to protect himself and the others. Then he runs by the church and looks at the defenders calling for help holding the line. Looking at the ones he was helping he grabs the highest level and looks that adventurer in the eye. "Don't stop running once you get out fo the city, run to Castle Eas." Turning back he moves to the church and draws his shield as he stares at the palace landers. "My name is Rizadoman, and you will not cross this line no matter who comes. Send your strongest!" Letting out a challenging roar at the palace landers as he raises his hield to repel aany who would attack the church.

This time, Kotono's ready with her agility and avoids getting hit this time around. She zigs and zags while leaving nothing but air for those who want to stop her.

She then tries to go into defensive mode to try to protect the Church.

Unfortunately, attempting to defend with a pair of blades is not ideal.

After she finds herself failing miserably, she sighs. "I don't know what I'm doing..."

Kaydon hears the call about needing to keep the cathedral safe, and he directs several of the people who are evacuating to keep moving before he makes his way to the entrance to the cathedral, "Not one of them makes it past this point!" He plants his feet, setting his shield in front of himself.

He knows that he may wind up getting killed doing this, but if it keeps eighty people from not getting crowned, then that'll be worth it in the long run.

They need to figure out how this is happening. There shouldn't be any way to change the alligance of the Guardians. This is ridiculous, and Kaydon is so tired of being on the back foot from the Palace Lands.

    Merek backs up with the party and moves to the Church to defend it until the people respawn. "Alright, we'll do that." He then lifts up a hand to begin calling wind to protect the people and to keep away the Palace Landers. Then he sees that people are failing to hold the line. "THEY TOLD ME, KEEP QUIET! I WILL NOT BE TOLD WHERE TO STAND! I WILL NOT BE TOLD WHAT TO SAY! NOT BY MAN OR MACHINE NOT BY YOU NOT BY ANYONE TONIGHT. Gonna have to do better than fear! Gonna have to step out of the shadows and fight! And when they see your face again, they will know what it means to have fear dragged out into the light!" The song lifts up with his voice, joining with Harmonics, to boost Tian, a call to fight against those that rule the Crowned!

    Miyako hurries along, ducking and dodging through alleyways and over small buildings, only stopping to help Kotono. Then she hears the call to defend the Church. "Damnit," she swears. "This is how they got their own Adventurers." The Spriggans can't but run to join the defense.

    Once at the church, she steps behind the lines and starts casting, her fingers drawing familiar runes in the air, the black light fading moments after her finger starts the next character. The spell is simple. A classic misdirection. It doesn't create a true illusion, or compel the mind. It simply creates the impression that things aren't quite what they really are. That a defender is a little to the right or left, that a street leads to the Church when it doesn't. She casts her web as wide as she can, and by the time it unfolds completely she's already showing the strain. Sweat beads on her forehead, and she watches her MP gauge dwindle rapidly. Just to hold a few.... more... seconds....

    Seeing the new problem, Wake casts up a swift attempt at an earth barrier, but frankly, it doesn't work nearly as well as she hopes. The earth is simply not her best element.

    She lifts her voice once more, shouting as loudly as she can. It's unlikely the target can hear her, but perhaps someone else will convey her message.

    "It doesn't have to be this way! Queen Lorelai! Stop this! You know it is wrong! The Goddesses are watching!"

    Watching, in fact, very closely. Wake reaches out, focusing her mind on the efforts of Kotono. She utters a single word and power flows through her and into her target:

            "FEHU!"

Erufu is on the run, doing what she can as they reach the Church she hears the plea from one of the Paladins guarding it.

"So we need to only buy you a short bit of time. I will do what I can."

What does she do? She's a ranger, a hunter, an archer. Wait what would Goblin Slayer do. He'd use anything at this disposal to hinder the enemy and slow them down. So that's what she's going to do. She will make use of benches, carts, anything she can get her hands on to block ways in or otherwise harass the Palace Landers at as she goes. She does not care if she takes a hir or two. There are people's very souls on the line.

Somewhere and old memory surfaces of Nao, of her pulling the plugs on computers during the deadly flash.

She keeps going moving as fast as she goes.

"Sir KNIGHT THE MOMENT YOUR COMRADES RETURN THEY MUST JOIN THE EVACUATION!"



She will then see Merek star to sing and she knows what she must do.

She will join in and start singing in synch with Merk as her own Harmonic glows so brightly it can be seen through her clothing as she does so.

"THEY TOLD ME, KEEP QUIET! I WILL NOT BE TOLD WHERE TO STAND! I WILL NOT BE TOLD WHAT TO SAY! NOT BY MAN OR MACHINE NOT BY YOU NOT BY ANYONE TONIGHT. Gonna have to do better than fear! Gonna have to step out of the shadows and fight! And when they see your face again, they will know what it means to have fear dragged out into the light!"

The retreat is starting to turn into a bit of stampede. Sword Artes visible everywhere. There's arrows coming up from behind. The occassional Fireball descends upon the Adventurers. But large area of attack spells seem to be rather uncommon in the assault leveraged against them, as the Palace Landers can't easily tell Lander from Adventurer - and many of them are Loyal to the Rosenheim Queen!

Julius glances back at Baroness Wake for a moment as those words reach her, before he looks away and seems to say something to the Queen that goes unheard by the Baroness.

But as they reach the Church, the tanks are piling their shields in a defensive pattern, moving to the side to let in the arriving Adventurers. The amount of organization speaks of Sleeping Knights. In fact...

Siune lifts her staff and winds a spell of protection around those taking the forefront. Healing some of those coming in quickly. "Quick." The Pooka woman offers to them. "Prepare."

"They're coming!" Tecchi calls out at the forefront, slamming his enormous Tower Shield forward. A barrier of light springs up and halts the first volley of arrows and spells that are lifted to them. A large group of Human Palace Landers - some kind of well established party no doubt - chant. "Hoooo!" Followed by a blaze of flame erupting over Xander's position!

Tian attempts to halt their assault, their darkness seeking to block their vision. But as memories assault them. Cries from people dying around them. The sound of lives Shattering into Light. No doubt Xander might be left shaking at this too, as a detonation fills the air nearby, as a few people almost fails.

"Hold the Line!" One of the Tanks calls out!

A song begins to lift. A song erupting from within the barrier, as Merek and Erufu begin to resonate, bringing forth a song of life and proto-people. Lifting away old memories, and bringing forward the need to protect. Tian's dark magics rising from with abyss and wrapping over the eyes of their opponents!

Schneider's shield is slammed into by a few berserkers, but the mage holds the line. Rizaddomand aiding, joining side-by-side with Schneider and pushing back the assailants. Behind them, they hear cheers as people start to respawn. "We're almost there. We're counting them! And we're counting /on you/! Just a little more!" The people in the Church call out, as some of the DPS and Mages move to the back lines. Unfortunately, the Tanks always die last in a raid like that.

"What's going on? Are we under attack?"

"Why are the Guardians not stopping this nonsense?!" Questions and chaos begins to filter in from the people who literally just resurrected, expecting a safe haven. A place where they could resurrect whenever. Certainly, memories may now be known to be at risk by some Alliances. But...

Were there more Uncrowned here, no doubt they would understand this confusion too.

Baroness speaks, and Kotono feels might come over her body. Her blades finding just the right gaps to not harm her oppoent, and halts a massive blade coming down. For a moment there, Kotono feels like she is easily trice as strong as she normally is! Halting her opponents with Baroness Wake aiding at the back.

Then finally, they push back their opponents, as the tanks resurrect. There is confusion, but at the urging of some senior people, they begin to move. The Church being evacuated. But with this, the Palace Land troops have managed to catch up. And in front of them, a group of newbies are trying their very very best to get out of dodge.

A young man wearing a samurai uniform pulls along a small healer. Somewhere, they hear the cry; "PROTECTION!" As a nearby street gets ENTIRELY cut off by the Young Priestess that had aided in the 10th Floor tower matter!

"These are not Goblins." A man grunts in solemn annoyance, as detonations go off in a street, tearing an enormous hole into one of the sidestreets, halting another rush of Palace Landers. The heavily armored man staring onwards.

"Team three, your MP is flagging. Team four, pull two of your enchanters to help refill Team Three's mana." A bespectacled Enchanter demands near the exit of Mac Anu, tilting his glasses up.

Two people suddenly rush by Kotono and Rizadoman, as a girl in white and a young man in black get past, Sword Artes flashing as they capture the swings of two large buff Salamanders, halting their strikes. "Keep going! They're almost clear!" The orange haired woman demands.

A group of Twin Blades try to get in there, only to have their blades halted by a woman wielding a massive scythe. The purple haired woman protecting Asuna. "We have to move!" She calls out to Asuna.

There's another street of younger Adventurers coming. This looks like it's a last stand to stem the tides! Some of the attacks are spilling /outside/ of Mac Anu, allowing some of those here to get outside of the Guardian Danger Zone in order to protect against some of the Palace Land long range attacks lifted against the newbies!

It takes a moment for Tian to snap back to reality in the moment. Someone runs by, leaving them momentarily out in the open, and that is enough for those well honed survival instincts to kick in. Trailing near the back of those retreating from the Church, the Cait Sith keeps looking behind them, trying to get a read on how close the enemy is.

Escape is in sight. Just a little further.

And then, Tian spots that group of lower level players trying to retreat. Compared to many of the Yamato Adventurers, the Uncrowned may seem like newbies, themselves. They don't have the raw levels and stats that those in Yamato have built up from their year of freedom. Even so, that doens't mean that the Cait Sith is going to simply back down and let others die when there is something that can be done about it.

Holding two fingers to their lips, Tian's mouth moves, even if no words come out, and a glowing aura of light forms. The spell is held in the palm of one hand, then tossed towards one of the newbies with the lowest health, offering them a boost and a far better chance at making it out alive.

Then, Tian continues to run. Other healing spells will be thrown where they can be, but it's obvious that the Blade Dancer is not statted as a healer. They help, but only so much.

    Merek flees from the city with the party, taking his time to look for the people in need. With that in mind, he notices that it looks like they are clear. He lifts up a hand, while he takes the time to bring about a circle that looks to appear in the skies. Rings will circle along the people there and permit them to escape the enemies. "MAGIC FORCE FIELD!" While he does take a hit from the enemies.

    Xander continues to hold the line as long as he can, but when the next volley comes directly at him, the flames slam into him. It break his contration and the light wall fades as he is nearly brought down to his knee.

The fires of war rage around him, but he looks up with determination in his eyes. The sounds of screams do cause that determination to break, before he growls lowly, his eyes now taking on a more serious look.

    He rises to his feet and reaches into his bag. His eyes peering at the guardians as he pulls out a coin between his finger tips. "... a virus took away all my brothers in arms, but me.." He rolls that coin between his finger tips. "... I will not see another virus take more lives about the people I care about."

If he can even call this a virus, but it may as well be. It was changing the code that is suppose to be protecting them. If the Guardians can be reached, maybe he can force them to, even a short moment, obey and do their /proper/ job. Give the others more time.

    He stands firmly, trying to push out his memories and focus on what needs to be done. He goes to flip the coin, but soon as he goes to speak, something hits him; It doesn't work. He winces in pain and nearly staggers back.

Xander grits his teeth with a hiss escaping past his clenched teeth. He then coughs a bit and snarls at the negative effect takes hold. Damn'it!

Damn'it all!

Once again, Kotono fails to avoid being caught, and it leaves her feeling a bit down... in more ways than one.

"No, I can't give up now, I've got to give it my all!"

She remembers how in acrobatics class, her instructor would sometimes tell her to push herself beyond her limits to see what she's truly capable of. Even when she felt tired or hurt, she found the strength to keep going.

With that, Kotono goes on the offensive slashing left and right.

    Rizadoman stands at the front line of the church as the attacks come at him and his scales turn red. The attacks glance off the hardened scales as Rizadoman just stares and lets out a challenging roar, "Come at me you damn invaders. I am going to take your Queen's head when this is oveer. I will stick the skull on a pike! FIGHT ME IF YOU DARE!" The antoganizing challenge is given as Rizadoman steps forward and even as his scales turn back to normal the lizardman does not raise his hand to fight the people. Instead he simply takes their attacks and lets the natural healing ability of the lizard erase the signs of damage soon after. It doesn't mean there is no discomfort or pain, simply that Rizadoman unders the way the laws work in the town, and he won't break them.

    Miyako dodges. Left. Right. Up. Forward. Back. Leading attackers away from the church with illusions, snatches of song, and glimpses of her own swiftly-moving form. It's so -very- hard not to just rip into them. To attack, to /fight back/, to /kill/. She wants to. So very badly.

    But she keeps reminding herself. It's not worth it. She -promised- herself. They're not doing this of their own free will. They're just puppets of the arrogant /bastards/ who sent them here.

    What isn't obvious, unless one is watching from above, is that her movements are in fact quite carefully calculated. Not simply random dodges. The results, however, cannot be mistaken.

            "YMIR!"

    With the shout, the rune she's built activates, and water swirls in the air around her... then slams out into the intersections nearby, twisting into walls that then freeze in place. Walls of ice. Walls of the coldest winter.

    And with that done, she turns to flee, following the trail of the newbies making towards the city gates, attention split between her flight across the rooftops, the young adventurers below, and - no, she'll just have to hope Kotono made it out past the gates with the rest. She'll find out -later-. When she's not in the middle of fifteen different things at once, all of which are /on fire/.

Schneider is tough against the Palace Lander onslaught, perhaps surprisingly so. He's not as hard a tank as a real tank, but he can off-tank and defend against adds and secondary threats. That's the benefit of being a Rune Knight, perhaps. He's got a bit of everything, and when he's concentrating and he can hold it together, he can make things happen. Sadly, making things happen does not involve setting Palace Landers, or their ships, on fire. That would be way too easy. But he's blocking fiercely as the attacks come both at him and at the Yamato adventurers he's defending.

At one point, he's got to flip his cape up and block with the dragonscales as he's pressed hard, but they eventually back down at some unheard order. Maybe they don't want to follow him outside the city. That means they're not fools, then. Sad, really. It's much easier if your enemies are foolish. Smart enemies are a pain. He worries that they're smarter than him, he's still not particularly game savvy. But he's got stout allies, so he maintains hope that there will be some way to salvage this.

    Fortune seems to favor the Baroness. Or perhaps The Beautiful One is truly watching over her. The violent power of the enemy's attacks can simply not strike her this day. She finds herself outside the city at last, and she skids to a halt, turning to confront her attackers.

    "Wretched slaves, cowards, and criminals!" she shouts, striding to meet them. "You will be saved and redeemed.. but not this day!"

    As she speaks, a shift in her posture leaves her seemingly harmless, a mere voice to be listened to or ignored. A heartbeat later and she's aiming a brutal strike at the head of an enemy. "Aim for the crowns!" she orders. She certainly intends on leaving a dent in a head before this battle ends.

They hold for the moment they hold. They are not alone as more and more people the Guardisn are not acting. That's something to look into later, if they can get away from this. She's singing a moment longer before she pulls back more soon they are getting to the point they are outside the city. The elf now clues in, they are outside the city? Then she can attack, she will draw the Nightstalker Bow and she'll start letting the arrows fly.

She also takes note of Gobling Slayer she'll have to thank him and Priestess later. For now? She's going to fight and just keep moving. She will heed Wake's command and try to target the crowns with her shots where she can.

With the line held at the Church and the resurrected moved on, Kauchemar herself gets on the move once more. Water splashes with the stride of her hooves as she moves quickly, but at this point there is so many invaders that despite her slick hydroskating motions can't dance around every attack and attacker. The best she can do is keep them back from the more vulnerable people in the evacuation. Red lines appear upon her body from catching a few sword strikes, as some of the Palace Landers lash out at the Bard, giving pursuit.

And then... they reach the boundery of the Root City. Past the zone of the Guardians who did not follow those that fled out of it before. This is the point she saw to reach for.

This is where Kauchemar abruptly stops and turns to the Palace Landers. Dusts off some of the previous wounds like they were just an inconvience. "Well that was a merry chase, but I have had quite enough." Her eyes flash, fel energies briefly swelling around her melodramatically. "It is time we said our farewells... ENERVATION BURST!"

Her mane starts to flicker and wave behind her like some unseen wind as she unleashes the negative energy she'd been charging up, directed at the Palace Landers foolish enough to pursue them out of the range of Guardian retribution to leave them feeling weak and ill so they forget about attacking and flee back into the city they've taken rather than continue to chase farther. They've proven before they will continue to harrass retreats as long as they can, so Kauchemar is simply just not going to give them the option to do so.

Kaydon continues to do what he can in order to try to defend. As people begin to respawn and join the fray, he wavers a bit but gets backed up by some of the actual tanks.

Kaydon takes advantage of having backup to push back against the onslaught, but they need to get the hell out of town. Or at least far enough out of town in order to be able to fight back.

One of the young ones raises his hands in thanks to Tian as she brings up her magics and buffs them. Allowing the young Samurai to hold down an attack coming from a Ninja in the shadows. Had it not been for Tian, they would have surely been defeated!

A quick heal, before they manage to break off from the attack and join up with Shirou, who is remaining near the entrance and puts up a blinding light spell to the Palace Lands 'ninjas' and further halting their approach.

Everyone within the town feels their spirits lifting, and a boost of speed lifting to them as Merek's town-wide area of effect buff suddenly goes off. Making everyone feel lighter. More capable of handling everyone coming at them.

Shirou's guided groups are making progress. "Focus on the shields. Do not activate your thorn abilities!" They hear being called out.

The girl with the purple begins to shake a bit in her body as the enemies get closer. She looks like she's about to run when Rizadoman steps over her with his full body casting a shadow over her, and taking the next strike. Allowing the young woman to turn and run.

Outside, just beyond the gates, Kotono manages to protect a few newbies who are still in the middle of making distance from Mac Anu. The shattering of light permitted this far from the gates, Kotono may very well feel like a weight has been lifted off of her shoulders. Though she will also note that most of the Palace Landers are not progressing beyond the gates! Schneider finds the same, having halting some of their assaults with his dragonscales.

Miyako continues to lead the Palace Landers astray amidst the various alleys and valleys of the region. Walls of ice soon entrap a good amount of them, giving the others preciously needed time!

Goblin Slayer steps up right next to Rizadoman, taking a blow that was going for the lizard's head. "We need to leave. This is not our fight." He tells the Lizardman. "Let's meet in Eastal. Fourlands isn't safe." Before pushing his opponent back and motioning to the exit, and retreating.

"SLEEP!" They can hear in the background, as Dowafu uses their special misting spell to send his opponents closer to slumber, while lifting the spell just in time to halt it from taking a full effect. Playing a bit dangerous with the rules of the Guardians.

Outside, there's a Yamatoan who sends a Fireball out past the gates, blasting a few Palace Landers within the city. Only for a Guardian to suddenly lift up from behind the walls. There's a sudden beam of red light... followed by an ENORMOUS backblow as a mushroom-like cloud bears up into the ground and DETONATES the area that poor Yamato Adventurer was standing not a second ago - and anyone unlucky enough to have been standing near them, creating an enormous CRATER in the ground that is rather reminiscent of those near Tsushima.

When Baroness has some of her people strike for the crowns outside, amidst the debris that is falling all around them, they'll notice that the crowns are hard to destroy! Erufu strikes one - and notes that they do cause a notable amount of damage when succesfully struck, shattering the Adventurers faster than might be expected!

Asuna and Kirito draw back, each grabbing a Pooka Lander that's just a bit too close to the fight, and drag them away with them through the gates. Priestess moves back as the entrance is almost cleared out...

"PROTECTION!" And fills the entire entrance of Mac Anu itself, with this enormous invisible shield that halts any further approach, trembling and trying her very best to...

"PROTECTIOOON!" Double up the shield, before she collapses to her knees, coughing. Blood dripping from her mouth, tears down her eyes.

A few Palace Landers slipped by, only for Kauchemar's curse to enervate their bodies, causing them to collapse just outside of the city. Ruthlessly, Goblin Slayer stabs them in the head, efficiently killing the Adventurers without a single look of remorse. With Kaydon protecting the GOblin Slayer during the continued retreat.

Once beyond the city walls, there is no feeling of relief for Tian as they look back, taking in the chaos that still seems to reign around them. Their eyes narrow as they look to the edge of town, a scowl written on their features.

It isn't much that they can offer, but at least this bit of information is something, "<They did not do this in the Palace Lands. These are new tactics.>" Tian has no more idea than anyone else how this occured, but there is a determined look on the wolfish Cait Sith's features as she blow a bit of air out of their nose, one of the few sounds that the deaf Adventurer makes from time to time.

Seeking out Wake in the chaos, Tian quickly signs, "<I will seek out my contacts. See if I can find out how this occurred. It may take time.>" Frustration shows on their features, despite the mask hiding some of those more subtle facial reactions.

    Xander like others is forced to flee that city, even though its against everything he wants to do and as he gets ready to strike back outside of the city... He witnesses someone else trying just that and them vanishing in a poof from their attempt.

He growls lowly and uses a whistle charm to summon his mount back to his side. Rising up on the saddle, he looks out over the group, before looking at Kaydon. He points to him, motions him over to get on. His voice might be down, but it is easy to see the Salamander has a plan.

Though what he could be thinking is something the Army vet will share with the Marine on the trip to where-ever they are going, if Kaydon joins him that is.

Also, you know, best to get going while the going is good!

Erufu hears Goblin Slayer's plan and takes note of Dowafu's mass use of sleep. She see Goblin Slayer and the rest of her party moving. She will fall in with her long time frien and allie to fall back with them. They can't stay here after all and they done all they could for now.

Now that we're outside the city, Schneider's main concern is that the Palace Landers don't follow us. If it was just fighters, he'd relish a fight with pursuit, but with all the escapees, it's better not to be followed. In an effort to discourage pursuit, he'll summon raw elemental power, and whisper a few secret words, hurling the complex ball of magic towards the gate. The sphere of elements strikes the ground, and spreads out into a broad pool of obviously magical flames, which continue burning the raw magic that feeds them.

    Rizadoman takes the hit as the calls to retreat are given. He is being stubborn until the Goblin Slayer steps up and deflects an attack from him. Looking at Goblin slayer for the moment he gives a nod, " I will find you in Eastal. I shall see you there. " As he runs to the entrance with the others he sees the priestess and turns to see her cast protection. Then she does it again and he can see the Priestess faultering. "We can not lose her." Running toward her he pierces his skin with his relic, his strength growing as he grabs the priestess. With his strength increased he takes off running with the priestess in hands, he would take whatever came at them if needed.

Erufu is quick to follow after Rizadoman as well not wanting to leave her friends without aid as they make their treck to Eastal.

    Finally, Miyako makes it to the city gates, flicking her wings as she leaps to the top of the wall and over it, not bothering with the gate itself. No need for anyone watching beyond it to mistake her for one of the enemy pursuing them, after all.

    She pauses at the top of the gates, looking back at the ships waiting in the harbor, and sighs, before speaking three words. Then she bounces down to the open field beyond and goes looking for Kotono, hoping her friend made it out with the rest.

    Those three words?

            "Carthago Delenda Est."

Kauchemar gives a nod to Goblin Slayer as he takes advantage of the set-up she provided. It was... necessary at times like this. Others would only give chase if they had the chance. "They may not be goblins but your handiwork is as impeccable as always." With that she turns and continues the departure from Mac Anu before the Palace Landers are able to regroup and find a way past the precautionary deterents being left in the group's wake.

As she does so she murmurs under her breath, as if speaking to someone that is not there with her. That they were still 'in combat' from the harassing shots from afar until they get farther from the city meant little when she could use her Oracle abilities to speak to others instead.

This was not over... but now that they new the Palace Land forces were making their move into the Fourlands, they could at least plan and prepare for future encounters...

    "It seems the big guns are truly out in force," Wake murmurs. She catches sight of Asuna and Kirito. She tries to wave, but they seem to be looking another way.

    "We'll need to get the Landers to safety," she asides to Kauchemar. "And we'll need to get our chims working again. Tell everyone that Eas is up next. And to stay away." She doesn't need any intel for /that/ pronouncement.

    She turns to Tian and nods, "Be safe, and get far from here. I will appreciate all you can learn, but I have no desire to put you at risk. The safest place left is the Tower itself. Gather there and coordinate with the Scale Emblem. If I am spared, no doubt I shall be in touch before long."

    She wishes she had more time. But she doesn't. Wake is already moving to gather the confused masses. "Those who don't know what they are doing, follow me! We'll sort everyone out and get you on your way."

    She already starts taking a measure of the adventurers, identifying those who look the least shell-shocked. There's a sympathy in her eyes. These are children trapped in a real war. They have no real training. Not in the ways that really count. Her confidence will have to be enough for them for now.

    "Those with the fastest mounts, you will keep an eye on our backs. Send me word of what you see and keep nearby! Those most familiar with these areas, join them! Scouts up front, tanks form a fence around. Let's keep moving! Keep up a regular chatter and call out any monsters or oddities on the way."

Kaydon manages to do his best to defend the Goblin Slayer, until he spots Xander. Whatever Xander has in mind, Kaydon is down for it.

He hops over and gets up onto Xander's mount, "Go!" He calls out, making the motion for Xander to take off. At least they can get out of there, and Xander can share his plan

It wasn't easy, but Kotono made it out with the rest.

The Spriggan looks a bit winded and seems like she's seen better days. But she does meet up with Miyako. "That... could've gone better... but it could've been worse too." She sighs. "I knew things weren't good, but that was..." She looks down at her feet.

"I just don't know anymore."

Kauchemar smirks as Wake immeadiately steps back into taking guage of the situation and getting it under control. But there was little time for rest, that much was certain. She wore a lot of hats these days, time to fulfill the duties of another one.

A bit of summoning magic and her Nightmare Steed emerges from the nearby shadows. Kauchemar trots over and hoists herself onto his back. Then turns her attention back to Wake. "Keep me up to date of where you send people. I'm going to make sure the path ahead is clear.... Just in case." Who knows what other tricks the enemy might have up their sleeves at this point.

    Merek will take the time to make pretty sure that people are fleeing, and will work that way himself with the party.