Climb: The Floor 9 Boss - Part 2

Kuroyukihime is awaiting the crew deeper within the ruins. The castle ruins are utterly destroyed. Perhaps through siege, perhaps such disuse and allowing monsters to just roam the areas that things are smashed to pieces. It's practically unusable, and the thought of refurbishing this region seems like a fool's move without some kind of heavy industrial equipment. This is very different from Karluin, which is in comparitively amazing shape.

There are a few paths through the ruble that allow them to get to the center region. There've been colored markers placed on the wall to help the crew get through, as the ruins themselves lead to dead ends and various walls that are teetering on the edge of falling over. It's a good thing they had a scout working ahead of them, or this would have been hell to traverse.

When they finally get to the central tower itself, there is a twosome of massive doors that offer entrance. And as the raid party approaches, they are already being pushed open by Kuroyukihime, clearly still in a hurry. Showing...

An extravagant hall within. With tables filled with food, and various fat Pooka at the tables, eating their fair. Undead 'waiters' keep bringing food from the kitchens. Everything within the chamber is beautiful. Laden with gold, etc. There's merriment throught the hall, though all the Pooka look towards the opening doors in confusion. As if those doors either had not been expected to open, or had not opened in a long time.

"Guards!" From the far back, there's a remarkably thin Pooka in a black dress, pointing towards the gates. "Eradicate these intruders!" Followed by large Skeletal creatures coming from the corners of the large chambers, marching towards them. Some of those here may recognize, or at least have heard of these Death Knights as they approach. Heavy black armor moving with each half-flesh half-skeleton step. Their red eyes glowing as they approach. And the moment they clear the 'clean' areas, all six of them activate sword artes, and sweep their blades to the approaching forces - thick crimson waves of energy carving across the ground, attemping to take them down!

    "Hey, wait!" Mizuki calls, when Kuroyukihime just barges into the boss room.

    Oh. So there are living people in charge of the undead after all. But why do they live in such dilapidated ruins?

    No time to question that, though, as already she sees skeletons preparing sword artes that throw damaging waves. She calculates a clear path through the assault, Stone Catapulting her way onto and off of a wall and the ceiling to try and land near the Queen herself, opening by just breathing a plume of fire at her in short range!

    The necromancer had spent the last few hours doing his best to catch a couple hours of sleep, eat those sort of things. All the annoying pesky things that would distract one in battle. So after Setsuna and his knight traverse the labrynth to the great hall of the pooka queen. As they enter he sees the knights, " Oh look someone else brought skeleton knights. I thought you said they were going out of style Doc. " His wit is only cut short by the waves of darkness , that Setsuna makes an effort to avoid. Landing he reaches out and touches his knight's blade layering it with an enchantment of darkness before saying ot his kknight, " Take her head for me will you." With that he sends the knight off to follow through and take the other necromancers head.

    SO who exactly the hell is this Kuroyukihime person anyway? It's like she appeared out of nowhere, clawing her way up the ranks and making a super hard push for the tower. As much as Amalthea wants to push up the tower herself, part of her simply does not trust this. Not that she says anything to reveal as much while trekking through the ruined old castle as the team makes their way into that grand hall.
    "In a rush?" Muttered as Kuroyukihime pushes open the door. But then she's all business. "Party's over." She mutters to herself as she storms into the chamber, blade held in hand, shield clasped tightly in the other. She braces through the deadly energy waves as she rushes the queen and starts spamming her taunts to pull aggro for the raid, sword, flashing in her grasp as she deals out vicious strokes.

    The markers do help to tell where they should go, so it was a good thing they left Kuroyukihime to go ahead while they recovered. The rubble itself isn't so much of a problem though, as Vertina uses her wuxai parkour skills to run and jump across the wreckage to keep moving ahead. It's not hard to catch up with the woman, seemingly just in time as she's already pushing the doors open to allow them inside. Vertina darts right pass into the halls.

    Where the Queen has been hold up waiting for them by the looks up it, commanding her guard of undead knights into action upon the adventurer's arrival. Being she's already moving the Salamander opts to not -stop-, instead speeding right into the enemy lineup... then dropping down at the last moment to slide under their Sword Artes swings and crescent energy waves, and between one of the Death Knight's legs.

    On the opposite side she immeadiately pops back onto her feet with a aggressive grin. "I'm gonna put my foot down!" She growls and SLAMS one foot into the ground, causing it to vibrate with enough force to shift beneath undead subjects, likely throwing off their balance with all that heavy armor and making them easier for her allies to strike. "GET EM!"

SpritesHero has taken up a position more towards the front of the pack of Adventurers today. Immediately upon entering the room, Robert draws his sword. There's a hiss of metal against sheath. Fire surges beneath his feet, guiding him in flaming arc around and behind the guards. A better controlled trajectory might have enabled him to avoid those crimson arcs. But he's apparently not quite used to this newer skill, and rather than avoiding that crimson arc he slides straight on through it. Though his sword-blade flashes in the torch-light in a last-ditch effort to block, it is quite futile. A scythe-shaped, glowing slash registers on his shoulder.

He sets his teeth; even with the pain reduction that cut was markedly unpleasant, and it takes him a few moments to gather himself. Thus it is that the spell he prepares as he rushes towards the Queen is...more disruptive than damaging. The incantation leaves his lips cooly, deliberately, and materializes into a thought-disrupting cloud of dark mists near the Queen's head.

The wall is down but the boss awaits and Gwen knows this isn't going to be an easy fight at all and she damn well knows it. She's ready and knows it's going to be bad, it's going to be very bad. She looks at the place as they force their way in. The Necromancer summons their minions and given the forces of Helena? Gwen has even less tolerance for the Undead than she did before she arrived in this world. She will barrel on ahead heading for the Queen. She pays for it as she's caught by attacks as she goes even getting past her divine shield. It doesn't stop her though as she closes and does a leaping move for the queen.

"GALE OF SWORDS!"

Air blade strike go out as Gwen goes for the master of the undead intent on trying to cut her down.

It had been a difficult decision for Kita, if she had actually wanted to continue onward with the rest of the Scale Emblem party. Bravery is not something that the Imp is particularly known for, and the fight against the demon wall had been enough to spike her anxiety.

Yet, there she is. The black mage steps forward, along with the rest of the troops, throwing up defensive shields in order to fend off the initial attacks from the guards. She seems to be murmuring something under her breath, perhaps words of self-encouragement.

Whatever the case, the guards aren't her primary concern. Kita gathers her mana and pulls dark energy from her spell book, tossing it towards the Pooka Queen in a single motion of her hand. It combines together into a sphere of dark energy. It is launched forward, encompassing the area around the queen, lashing out with tendrils of dark energy that threaten to not only weaken the Queen, but leave her vulnerable for the attacks of the others.

There's something to be said for enthusiasm, but there is also something called too much of a good thing. Medicine must be applied in appropriate doses, as too much can be fatal. So too can apply to barreling forward into danger.

It would be woefully irresponsible to let a certain someone charge into battle all on her own, though. So here Prophylaxis is, with much of the rest of the Scale Emblem at his back! And more besides, as it so happens.

"You're really going to claim that minions summoned by a decrepit methuselah of a lich who looks like she hasn't seen the light of day or heard of any fresh trends in decades are indicative of style?" Prophylaxis asks of Setsuna with a sidewards stare, before turning his attention to the battle.

Myriad sword artes slice into the thing that appears to be Prophylaxis, only for the image to shatter into so many fragments. Another Prophylaxis appears from nearby, stepping out from the nearby shadows. With a swing of his staff, the ruined, cyclopean floors sluice upward in a rolling wave of stone, pummeling into the death knight vanguard. "Now... let's see if He made it in time...?"

    It had been some time since the Villain in Glasses had returned to the front lines, and only now had he returned if only after being called out by a certain individual. As the raid party arrived, a message had been sent out to Prophylaxis.

    <So this is the one you were talking about?>

    True to the girl's namesake she was definitely someone of full black. Though the moment that they had arrived there was no greetings. Perhaps it was better that way. Though even now he can't help but notice the hurry in their guides movements. A curiousity for certain, and yet nothing he'd bring up yet. After all, they had much work to do.

    And it seemed their work would start rather quickly as they arrived into the Queen's festive hall. The deathknights are quick to approach and with little time to accumulate a formation, the Pooka finds himself caught rather quickly by one of the death knights that leaves already a significant blow to the poorly defended Enchanter. "Tch. . . I guess I'm really out of shape for this. I'm moving to the back to provide support, be mindful of your HP!"

    He's sure by now those words need not be said, but old habits die hard to make sure a call out is given. He's back in his element in the rearguard and in doing so proceeds to provide support to those handling DPS on the queen by using Tremor in an attempt to bide the add-on units of the Death Knights. Hoping not to acquire too much Aggro in the situation.

Mizuki's flame assault rushes through the chamber, only for the dark skinned Pooka Queen to rise up from her spot, and bringing one hand forward. Fingers splaying out, creating a blue glowing barrier that protects her and her retinue. The flaming orb detonating at the edge of the dining area, before she begins to move forward. "You would disturb out Eternal Dinner?" She asks. "Then prepare to be punished."

Kuroyukihime joins the assault the moment those doors open and the Death Knights step forward. Clambering up the massive tower shield of the closest one, she avoids the sword arte and slashes with her twin blades at its head, only for her first attack to be deflected by its helmet! Only for her to quickly kick for its head, a sword suddenly emitting from the tip of her boot, cutting across its face and pushing it to the side! Its heavy body is not so easily moved, but it's enough that Setsuna's undead can rush through the carpetted area to approach the Pooka Queen.

The blade comes down, and she tries to halt the blow, only for some of it to get through her magical defenses, biting into her shoulder. She quickly turns with that motion however, showing martial prowess and brings her boot down upon the Skeleton Knight's head, trying to crush it and bringing it to the floor, before using it as a stepping stool to fly forward towards the battlefront. Only to be pulled down by her arms and legs, as Kita's tendrils erupt from the ground and bind her.

Vertina soon tries to follow this up, her first punch being locked into the Pooka Queen's hand, being pushed back. But a quick quick follows for Vertina's belly, and then a /arcane/ punch to her face sends her back towards the Death Knights as the Pooka Queen breaks the binding and sends Vertina right through SpritesHero's spell, disrupting it, but still permitting it to detonate around her. Gwen darts through the same cloud of arcane eruption, only to me met with a freezing spell that slows her attack down and causing it to nick the Queen, at which point she tries to grab hold of Gwen's head from behind, and lift her for her allies to see...

Slowly starting to freeze her from top to bottom.

Further on the forefront, Shiroe's earth shaking move starts to push some of the Death Knights over, while more undead forces appear behind them. Simple Skeletons wielding bows, starting to fire over the Death Knights' shoulders. The tremmors give Prophylaxis all the boost her needs to send his waves of stone against their bodies! Many of them manage to bring up their enormous tower shields however, blocking the worst of the attacks!

Kuroyukihime, noticing Shiroe, sneers for a moment as she lands. "Already have health missing? You must be getting slow, villain in glasses." She calls out to him with a voice he doesn't recognize, though her mannerisms are similar enough that he might have an inkling of a recognition.

The Pooka Queen continues to try to freeze Gwen, but she manages to break free by means of turning up the heat, forcing her to release her. And with Gwen released by the Pooka, it means she has to recover her spell for a moment - while the Undead Horde storms upon their enemies. Massive blades dig into the ground, trying to carve through the Adventurers as they approach. Arrows keep sailing through the air. But they can already see a large spell starting to be prepared by the Pooka Queen, if the sigils appearing on the ground all around the combat field are any tell!

Gwen is up close the boss is talking to her? She wasn't sure about the monster she'd come to the mind Landers were close enough to the Philisopcal Zombie to just act assume people and act accordingly. She just stares for a moment and she looks at the queen for a moment. She however ends up grabbed by the head from her.

"Who the hell ... are you?"

As the ice starts to form over her she's got an idea she'll quickly cast /firebolt/ on herself to burn the ice away and a bit more tosty the Sylph woman seems /very/ angry at this point.

Still she has to wonder enough she'll fire off inspect at the boss and break into a run at her this time she's not going to hold back at all.

"REPELLING SHIELD!"

She keeps coming again and now will just go all out.

"DIVINE WIND!"

The holy wind forms about her sword and she lunges for the queen but what might the ... inspect reveal?

So far, Kita has managed to stay out of the path of direct damage. She manages to avoid the blades that come sweeping her way by summoning up a defensive wall of ice which they sink into. It offers some measure of safety for the time being, allowing her to gather her mana and determine her next move.

Dark magic has always been her go-to, and it seems that with some ice attacks being thrown their way, that fire might be the natural counter-point. So, Kita traces a few runes into the air with her fingers, summoning a ball of purple flame which flickers with dark energy. It radiates heat off of it.

The attack is about the size of a regular fireball, but seems to contain multiple elements, allowing her to utilize weaknesses the boss monster might have. With a quick movement, she launches it towards the Pooka Queen, the fire exploding around where it impacts.

Vertina is ready to go full hog on the undead knights, but when she winds back her strike the Pooka Queen decides to interrupt, grabbing onto the Salamander's fist to stop her from demolishing her Dark Knight guards. She turns to see who grabbed her, and gets kicked in the gut. Followed by a fierce mystical punch!

Which slams into the rock barrier Vertina is able to earthbend into existance in the knick of time, which also protects her from the other spell she was sent hurtling backwards through from the force of the attack. The stone defense cracks apart, and the Salamander hits the ground on her heels, skidding to a stop as she digs in her feet. She stands, and points at the Queen Pooka... but at the same time notices the skeleton archers coming in to support the Death Knights. Those will be bad news for the backline support units. "Hey, bitch. Wait your turn!"

Vertina draws in her own supernatural energy, forming it into a glowing sphere... which she drops to towards the ground and in with a defiant shout of "KI STRIKER!" wheels around on her planted heel to slam the other foot into the energy ball and send it hurtling at the skeletal bowmen at nearly Light speed.

SpritesHero utters a 'tch' under his breath as Vertina sails through his initial spell. His jaw sets, gaze squinting a touch, and evidently decides that he clearly he needs to get much, much closer. But. Uh. Not so much closer that he ends up like Gwen. That would be a bit too close for his tastes.

He spends a few moments to prep his spell, letting tendrils of darkness play over the fingers of his off-hand, then is abruptly propelled forwards and across the Queen's 6 o'clock by the movement of what appears, for all the weird, to be a stone flipper. Yes, it's a sneak attack. He's not about to go front-on with Gwen in her current position.

Robert sends his spell blasting towards the Queen's back, then spends the next few moments executing stone catapult-mediated ping-ponging across the periphery of her vision. "You've been slacking on castle maintenance," he informs Queen Pooka, regarding her down his nose the severe, withering glance of a very, very disappointed school-teacher. "I'm disappointed."

    Ah yes the bane of having monsters in the field, you take damage for them. It is a weird sensation , as he can almost feel the queen trying to crack his own head open and using it for a spring board, like an echo. It even distracts him just enough that he doesn't get his shield up in time quick enough and the damn guard's blade sweeps him off the ground. Flying back he hits a pillar with a thud and groans. Standing to his feet he draws his dagger and begins to draw a magic circle in mid air. "Ash and dust back to bone, you are here by called back to the war. " Finally he plunges the dagger into the center of the drawn circle and from the ground near Setsuna's knight two skeleton minions rise up, helping the knight to it's feet. With them all on their feet three trio of skeletons charge the queen , planning to be a very big and painful distraction for her while she tires to cast.

    With DPS handled on the queen, Amalthea backs off.
    "Gwen!" She calls out, just as the other Tank escapes her icy imprisonment. "You handle tanking the queen, I'll swap out and deal with the Death Knights." She calls out to her fellow tank, letting Gwen step in to take the heat off her as she ceases her Taunting and lets the Hate againt her cool down.
    Only to turn her attention to the Death Knights, hurling herself into the midst of them, flipping her sword to start battering anything in her path with the blunt end to break through armor and bone with devastating blows.

Ah, there he is. Wonderful! It looks like Shiroe managed to make it after all. And it looks like he's been recognized. Reunions always make the world a little bit better, or at least allow people interested in <s>establishing a shipping wall</s> getting a feel for mysterious new allies the opportunity to do so. "Don't worry about calling if you need a heal," Prophylaxis says with a shrug, "Anything can happen in these kinds of things."

Such as, as it so happens, an OMINOUS MAGICAL ARRAY forming around the battlefield. "AOE template incoming," the pharmacist warns, "Get out of range!" For his part, a pair of blazing wheels ignite at his heels, sending Prophylaxis whirring narrowly out of the way. An arrow still nicks him even with his boosted agility, cutting a thin red line across his cheek. Still, he managed to avoid the incoming attack...

While winding up for one of his own. The castle being as wrecked as it is means that there's all but certainly a hole in the ceiling somewhere nearby. Beyond, the sky has turned dark and angry, a churning soup of smoldering clouds and flashing lightning. The magus lifts his staff high, an eerie tone emanating from the weapon's length. As if a hound answering its master's call, streaks of lightning leap down from on high and slam into the staff's headpiece, gathering into a coruscating globe of power that Prophylaxis soon sends hurtling into the Pooka Queen...!

"An unending feast?" He asks, quirking a brow as his electrical onslaught arcs across the distance, "That's dreadfully unwise. Overeating has never done /anyone/ any good. Your rule has led to the withering of these lands. It ends today!"

    Mizuki blinks as her fire is countered and the queen is angry. Mizuki ninjutsus up an air shield to keep the rain of arrows off her. "Um. I mean. If you'll let us pass, I guess we don't have to fight... Nuthin' wrong with a feast if that's all you wanna do, I just thought we HAD to fight you to get to the next floor..."

    But, Gwen's almost frozen and Prophy kind of undercuts any diplomacy.

    "Yeah, well... I guess we're kickin' your ass then. Hya!" She channels the spinning air to fling her at one of the skeletons' heads at top speed, going for a flying kick!

    Shiroe confirms the hits of the others as he tries to keep tabs on the situation, a steady appliance of DPS appears to be given to the queen which meant that all there needed to be was more pressure on the mobs to keep them at bay. The tremor doing its work to provide Prophylaxis' stone wave support. "Nice hit!"

    Of course, that hit only stifles the first of the mob, only to have a rearguard of their own filled with archers. Thankfully this time about he makes it a point to defend properly as his spell provides aid in repelling most oncoming arrows coming his way.

     If I can reduce their accuracy. . .

    It's a simple enough thought as he attempts to use electrical fuzz to disorient the archers however. . .The spell appears to fail. Whether it was just a dud spell of poor rng, or simply a mis-match of factors, the end result becomes the same. Though perhaps even more harmful than the damage he's taken thus far was the remark he receives from the stranger. He wants to retort, to tell this person who's mannerisms seem to tickle the back of his mind in some way, but he can't. Cause the fact of the matter is she's right. He was slow. . .Something that needed to be rectified. "I'll pin down the next mob, I'll be counting on you to apply the finishing touch. . ." Perhaps it's not something she'd prefer to hear of him now, but his job was support. It was his job, and if he wasn't able to provide it, than why was he even here?

"I'm the Queen of this world!" The woman answers Gwen with a firm statement. At being inspected, it reveals her as a Monster. She's a very Lander looking monster, but definitely being indicated as a Monster! Some kind of Undead, like a Vampire, seems most likely. Gwen brings her blade forward, the divine wind carrying her towards the Queen, who brings up a barrier to defend herself. But the powerful strike crashes through and sends the Queen reeling!

This allows Kita to get through the barrier with her magic, the dark orb of flame bursting against the woman and singing at her clothing, burning away one of her gloves and revealing a lack of fingers. Only bones! "No, you're ruining the feast!" She demands!

Her demands punctuated by Vertina crashing through the back lines of skeleton archers, while behind it all, the fat Pooka continue to eat. Devouring the food that is being delivered to them. Barely seeming to even notice what is going on at all! The energy ball of Vertina's soon followed by Mizuki's spinning blade of air continue to tear through some of the skeleton bodies, giving SpritesHero a clean shot with his Pong inspired attack. The resulting bounced shot bouncing against the Queen's back, who falls to the ground on her knees.

This allows Setsuna's Skeletons to get in just close enough. And it looks like they are about to cut off her head when she's forced to expel her magic spell she was preparing, and pause her incantation long enough to halt the Skeletons. Ripping the summoned ones from Setsuna's control. "Attack." She demands, turning his temporary Skeletons around and assaulting him instead!

A loud crack resounds through the halls as Amalthea's swordbutts the leg of one of the Death Knights, shattering his knee bone, and causing it to fall victim to the rest of the DPS available. The Template however quickly continues to grow again, and the air starts to get mightily chilly. The Queen then raises one hand to the skies as Prophylaxis' lightning begins to blast down. She takes the hit, and seems to be using it to recover mana out of the health she is losing, speeding up her spell!

Kuroyukihime continues to deal with the small mobs. Directing blows to adjust the entire movement of the battle. Each time it looks like the skeleton archers might focus the back lines, she seems to know to find them. And when Shiroe's Electrical Fuzz takes effect - even if not as effective as they could be against non-undead-foes - she seems to follow this up immediately, moving in sync with his battleplan. "Just make it happen, villain. But you better not show up to the next one!" She demands of him. "The tenth floor is mine!"

SNAP.

The single sound of a finger snap follows that demand. And the template beneath the ground turns blue, and the world... stops.

The battlefield seems to freeze, as an enormous chill rises up in the air... everyone freezes for a moment. The world sounds utterly silent, aside from the momentary cracking of peoples bodies. The ice in their hair. The frostbite at the tips of their fingers. The undead equally effected, with only the Pooka Queen able to move, sneering at them.

Then, just as it seems she's about to take her time undoing all of them, she snaps with her other finger... and all of the heat that was removed from the area, suddenly coalesces into this enormous blasting flame that detonates from beneath the ground. Those who managed to move just enough to defend themselves may be able to protect themselves. But the rising flame is clearly intent on being a party wipe...

If it wasn't for the fact that the Scale Emblem Alliance has been putting such a great deal of time into leveling and fulfilling quests. All that work at Karluin is paying off!

Though Kita's defenses had held out up until this point, these large, area of effect spells are something that even her most powerful barriers can't seem to stand up against. The Imp freezes in place, everything from her wings to the tip of her tail. Frost lingers over her form as only her eyes move briefly, the panic visible on them.

There is no way to avoid the damage as it launches her back, skidding the girl along the ground until she comes to a stop. Luckily, it isn't enough to knock her out of the battle, and Kita pushes herself back up to her feet. There is a slight tremble in her arms as she gets up, her breathing quick, but she is still in the fight...

"You'll pay for that." She promises, grabbing for her spellbook, where it had fallen in the attack, flipping open to another of her own spells. A series of runic gestures forms a glass-like sphere in the air before her. Then, with a dismissive wave of her hand, she casts it forward. As it gets close to the Pooka Queen, it shatters into shards which fly forward, creating an area of shrapnel that threaten to spear the enemy monster.

    Shiroe is no Scale Emblem Alliance member, and when the Party wipe hits, it's only due to using an advanced defensive spell that he even has a chance to avoid certain punishment. His HP reaching the point that one more good hit could lead to his impending doom, and yet. . . He still keeps track of the the fight. More importantly he keeps track of the HP of a certain Yukihime, making sure that she doesn't end up a casualty in this. Even if the way she acts almost feels...Too competitive against him rather than the enemies before them.

    <THORN BIND HOSTAGE>

    As she prepares her next assault the Enchanter prepares his trump card. Beneath the mob of deathknights, even after being frozen in place by the Queen's spell the majority of the mob finds themselves ensnared by roots upon roots binding them to their position. It was enough to leave the mob hindered though even more than that. . ."HIT THEM NOW!" There was always that sweet bonus damage when applied after a proper hit. All that needed to happen now was to trigger it.

    Setsuna is angry, his pets got stolen from him and that is just such a bad look or a summoner. It stings almost as much as the frozen tingly in his body. It definately doesnt sting as much as the fire that comes after though. That hurt and he couldn't even react fast enough to get out of here. He is knocked on his ass as his body is red from the burns and smoke rises off of him, standing slowly. "You take my toys, I break your toys." Setsuna's eyes glow with magical energy as he looks at the death knights of the queen. Through his link with the knight, he reactivates the dark energy on the sword and sends the knight to go and start taking on the death knights, focusing on those Shiroe bound.

When the Pooka Queen demands that the world is hers Vertina stops and turns to glare at the woman. "Well, then, I hope you're ready to be dethroned!"

Then everything goes freeze frame. Literally. Still to a dead stop. Everything but the Queen. Who then sets off the second phase of the attack, drawing heat out of everything in the room as the first phase is coming to an end. There's only split-seconds to react. Then the torrent of intense flames erupting from the ground as all that heat is released. One of the surges blazing skyward right where Vertina is standing.

Or was standing. It's visible that Vertina is engulfed in the flame, but it's not THE Vertina, as the powerful spell dies away the figure is breaking away into the motes of Light and Air elements that compose it. Looks like a split second was all the martial artist needed.

Several more of the Mirage Phase reflections charging across the hall towards the Queen. It's impossible to tell which one is the real deal, while the fakes just shatter into more energy flickers when struck.

Until the true Vertina leaps from the cluster as it's fading, using the head of one as a springboard before it's gone to launch herself into the air. Heat surges, fighting spirit quickly replacing what the Queen took to turn into her devestating attack. "You can't snuff out this blazing spirit that easily!" Flames roar to engulf her fist as Vertina comes hurtling down, using the combination of fire, strength and momentum to delivery a crushing hammer punch combo! Right at the Queen's head to repay that arcane punch aimed at her own face earlier!

"RAGNAROK'S WISDOM!"

The problem with fighting these kinds of absurdly powerful spellcasters is that they often have some truly heinous spells at their fingertips. Prophylaxis races towards the edge of the enormous arcane array, but just as he's about to get across...

THE SPELL GOES OFF!

...With him having both feet out of the circle!? What! How is this fair!??

(The answer is of course that he was still inside the circle on the server tick that the spell actually went off. Or maybe because getting out of dodge is not necessarily as easy as simply stepping out of the magic array.)

Frost begins to swirl across the ground. Lattices of icy crystals begin weaving up his legs in a manner that's grown all too familiar by now. His breath fogs as it leaves chattering teeth as he sees the absolute inferno accumulating at the heart of the array. Earth rises around him to shield against the ensuing onslaught, but--

It's not enough. A cataclysm of flame washes across him, the doctor's HP plummeting into critical as moment after moment passes, but...

It doesn't come. What would have been a wipe-inducing spell... is instead simply a great big punch to the gut. But even so, it leaves the raid dramatically weakened. If this keeps up, the casualties will be tremendous, but...

"The... stage has been set...!" Prophylaxis declares as he strikes his staff into the frigid ground. "As night turns to doay and winter gives way to spring..." The ice that still remains after being flash-sublimated only a moment ago begins to crack. Spiderwebbing fractures creep across the battlefield, glowing with a faint green-blue light. "Let flow the waters of life...!"

Fresh spring water lances up from between the cracks, followed shortly thereafter by a rampant blossoming of all manner of plant life. Each member of the raid finds their life ticking back up, and a shield of temporary health appearing across their HP bar...! "Go wild, everyone!" He shouts, "I'll handle recovery!"

    Having just brought down one of the Deathknights, Amalthea readies herself to quickly shift to her next target.
    When everythig goes dead still. Frozen in place, unable to budge- only to be caught in the sudden deluge of fire to follow, the old Paladin is blown back from where she ahd been standing a moment prior.
    When everything clears, she slowly picks herself up on sheer grit and guts alone, HP cut down by well more than half- already slowly on the rise thanks to the doctor, she sets her jaw.
    And dives right back into the Death Knights like a woman possessed, dealing deadly strokes of her sword, punishing shield bashes, taking advantage of the boost afforded by Shiroe entangling them in Thorn Bind Hostage, she just goes to town.

One moment, Sprites was energetically pinging around like some sort of demented, caffeinated chipmunk. The next moment, he finds himself encased in ice, motionless save for his eyes slowly oscillating back and forth, as though he were one of those cat-clocks. He strains against his bindings, and the ice does crack, a touch...or at least it makes cracking noises. But it doesn't do much to set him free. The subsequent fireblast does that.

It's really a rather odd sensation: the sense that one -should- be screaming and rolling around on the floor in agony when one isn't. It certainly does a number on Sprites's nerves, and adrenaline--whether metaphorically or literally--sings in his veins. He remains motionless for a second that seems far longer than that, then takes inspiration from Shiroe's shouted spell. He grits his teeth, smashes his hand into the floor. Darkness coils about his fist, plunges downwards, then sprouts in a mass of thorned vines around the Queen. Each vine aims center of mass where, should contact be made, they'll spread to her extremities to help lock her down.

    Mizuki smiles at the destruction wrought by her attack.

    Kuroyukihime is shouting about soloing the 10th boss. "We can all work together, you know! Revenge or not, you don't have to beat the next boss ALONE!"

    And then she's frozen. What.

    Time powers? No, ice? Oh shit, the AOE!

                                     *FOOM*                                    

    She's still up, though! And now, perhaps, it's clear what a better way to fight the Pooka Queen is. She turns and holds out a hand, spellcasting rings appearing. "Scatter your chilly sharp blades! FROST BOLTO!"

    And then she aims right for the queen, wincing at the painful chill in her limbs and focusing on the thought of inflicting it tenfold in revenge. Summoning up water to try and slow the Queen's movement and, ultimately freeze her in place! She can steal heat... but what if she's frozen?

Gwen looks at the undead Queen.

"So you are akin to them...did you turn the first of them?"

She doesn't expect an answer but who knows with Helena's own undead hordes in the end. She keeps fighting though and does not seem to be done and the Queen is not finished either. Amalthea gets a belated response.

"Good thinking."

She will keep up at the queen.

"I'm afraid the meal's cancelled."

She notes and she will keep up the attack trigging another sword art, she lunges forward covered in vicious winds as she goes.

"SONIC LUNGE!"

She barrels at the Queen trying to impale her or at least use her mass to impact with the undead woman.

Glass spheres appear in the air before Kita, before they lunge for the Pooka Queen. She tries to punch one of them to eradicate the magic. But with Kita's expert timing, the spheres all detonate at the same time, causing the glass-like shards to tear through her body in retaliation!

Shiroe's vines wrap around the local mobs not moments later, halting their immediate retaliation, and stopping them from protecting the Queen. Those Towershields useless if they cannot reach their target to protect. The first one falls to Setsuna's strike, following moments later! A violent black street of energy races into the air, followed by the detonations of the Vines around the Death Knight's body, erasing it from existance.

A second one is defeated much the same way, as Kuroyukihime slashes across another, running up their shield and then landing behind them, finishing them off almost like an assassin would, its body falling towards the Pooka, only for Vertina to blast through it with the true self, her fist aflame, and detonating its blazing charge upon her face, sending the Pooka /skipping/ across the ground twice like a ragdoll, before she manages to halt herself and tries to grab at the ground with her skeleton hand!

The Queen is about to use another Fireball, as she notices the mass healing spell being employed with Prophylaxis. Letting out an angry banshee-like screetch! A scream that ends with the punctuation of another Death Knight falling to Amalthea's handywork. White light and the tell-tale motes that follow, as the undead is eradicated from existance!

Amidst its destruction, SpritesHero's spell manages to reach the Pooka Queen undetected, and grabs hold of her, halting her attempt to jump towards Prophylaxis. Instead, like a springy webbing, it halts her jump and pulls her back into place! Right where Mizuki was aiming. The ice creeping up her body, slowly encasing her from foot to head!

Only for Gwen to finish her off. The Sonic Lunge blowing through her chest, shattering the ice, and detonating all of the thorn vines on her, eradicating the queen! With her defeat, a pulse of magic comes /inwards/ to her position. Like someone suddenly taking a gasp of air.

All those Pooka they saw sitting at their tables suddenly stop moving... and then... their heads roll. Their arms fall apart. Their bodies just stop functioning, and finally begin to be erased. It seems like they'd been kept in some kind of statis just before death - no doubt undead themselves. Being fed by the poor Villagers to the south. A feast that was never to end by the Queen's demands.

The remaining Death Knights are just a cleanup job at that point, with Prophylaxis's healing ensuring nobody falls. Giving them finally the much yearned for access to the tenth floor.

SpritesHero tries to suppress any visible signs of having been shaken, and as he rises to his feet appears to be very, very interested in making sure his clothing is as immaculate as possible. Wrinkles and folds are smoothed out. Residual debris from the fight is flicked off.

This self grooming lasts a good thirty seconds; it is only afterwards that he finally takes a chance to look over the room. To peek outside the door. To glance out of any nearby windows. His lips purse, twist.

"Hey boss," he calls to Prophylaxis at last. "Congrats on being the proud owner of a very fancy, well-fortified dining room."

    Setsuna stops his knight once one of the death knight falls and he approaches it. Looking at the monster on the ground and gives a chopping motion at the leg, with a clean swipe Setsuna takes the death knights leg and then allows his own knight to finish the job. " Obviously we need to see about upgrading you, " looking at the skeleton knight's leg for a moment or two more he hmms loudly. " We also need to see if there are any ancient texts in the mage tower written by Mr. Gown." Then he begins to look at the leg and size it with the skeleton leg currently being used for his left leg, as if he was looking at new shoes. Hearing Robert's words though he looks back up, "Do you think she had a library?"

Vertina throws both still flaming fists in the air in celebration. "Nine floors down, one to go! Hell yeah!" Then finally extinguishes them. "Thanks for that final pick-up, Doc. Really kept us swinging when we needed it most."

Ah, the shriek of a villainess whose perfect plan was foiled at the last moment by just the right application of wisely chosen leverage. Prophylaxis smirks at the lich as she unleashes that keening wail, "Your tyranny has ended," he declares as the final blows are struck, "Your people will not miss you."

And then... It's over. The victory jingle chimes in his ear as the monument to the climb appears. That's it, then. Something appears in his inventory, and the Cait Sith goes to inspect it, then--

Stops, and squints, and frowns /deeply/ at what he sees.

"...What... What is his influence doing in the Tower...?" What could it mean? Who is this Ainz Ooal Gown...?

"For what little it's worth," Prophylaxis scoffs at the grease-stained dining room. "This place is awful. It'd be more productive to invite the local Landers down to settle Karluin once we get it taken care of, then re-settle the area once it's had a chance to... recouperate. Maybe make it a long-term project, enlist the aid of the ones on the Third...?"

Well, he can consider it later. For now, he nods to Setsuna. "She was a lich, so it's possible. Wizards love their libraries. Take some people and scout the area, but be careful of traps." He flashes Vertina a quick thumbs up, too. "Of course! It's up to the healers to turn the tide of battle at the most important point, isn't it?"

As for Shiroe and Kuroyukihime...

Prophylaxis waits for a moment to observe. What will happen now...?

"We could use it to host dinner parties for people we don't really like," Sprites advises, with a too-bright flare of a grin before turning to Setsuna.

His shoulders rise and fall, taking a half-second to convey a mixture of uncertainty and general dubiousness. "She didn't strike me as much of a reader," he opines, "but I suppose it can't much hurt to see if she's got any secret knowledge stashed away. Or if the previous owner had a library she simply neglected. She seems to have neglected an awful lot of things. Maintenance. Good taste." Beat. "Hygiene."

The battle ends Gwen is somehow still standing when all is said and done. Gwen has manage to get th killing blow the Queen has fallena nd Gwen just stays on her knees for a momebn before she rises and she looks around for a moment and starts to wonder. Memories of floor ten come back to her, the wipes, she wonders will this be the end of Scales mission? Should she even go on that one? She does not know but there is time to consider that for later it's time to relax, and maybe cook dinner for the raiders here.

"Pro that sounds like a good idea honestly...."

Time to goo book hunting she muses mayber she could find a book of fashiuon and what was up with that other person and Shiroe...

    A moment of silence falls upon the Enchanter as the group finds themselves a moment of reprieve after their victory, yet even with such a thorough victory. . .

    Skeleton Knight's Bone

    An item that by itself doesn't bring much attention till the name within the item's description appears. A name that has the Pooka Enchanter press up his glasses for a moment. He turns back towards the leaders of the raid or at least those of the SEA, "I appreciate the opportunity to help in this Raid. That said, I should remind you all that the tenth floor might be. . ."

    At this moment, Shiroe falters to say something. How could he, he doesn't want to discourage anyone from attempting the next floor, it's just that. . .He knows the difficulty that comes next. The impossibility that arises from what's to come. "The next boss battle I'd encourage you to bring twice as many party members as this one, and twice as many items. Also to be vigilant. Back before the Apocalypse, there was a major issue with the tenth floor boss and there's no guarantee that's not the case now...That goes for you too."

    His attention finally returns back towards Kuroyukihime. Thus far she's seemed rather disinterested in him, even antagonistic towards him. Though he doesn't see a reason to return such animosity. So he brings himself to stand toe-to-toe with her, his towering height could have almost seemed intimidating if not for his lanky demeanor. "That place isn't the kind you want to make into a competition. It'll possibly be the most difficult floor thus far. For that reason alone it makes more sense to cooperate." He can't imagine that something like that was very convincing, but it was the truth, and something that needed to be said.

Kuroyukihime looks up as Shiroe approaches her, staring back at him. There's no defiance or annoyance or anything like that. Just a mild sense of challenge. "But it is. It was last time, and it will be a competition this time. Except, it's not just a competition to complete it before others... because there are no others. No, now it's a competition for peoples' hearts and morale. There are too many who doubt that the tenth floor can be defeated. That this is all for nothing the moment we get there. So I am going to prove them wrong. And I am going to prove the others wrong who said we can't beat this boss." She answers the villain in glasses... before smiling and patting his elbow. "Nice to see you again. Don't show up." And with that, she starts heading up the stairs to scout out if anything had changed.

Interesting. Interesting. Veeeery interesting. Prophylaxis watches the mysterious Black Snow Princess, whose name is the chuuniest thing he's heard since bringing Demonrose Honami onboard, disappear up the steps. He shakes his head, then sidles over to pat poor Shiroe's shoulder, "Well! I hope it goes without saying, but you're welcome to join us the next time as well. I'm certainly not going to turn down any additional hands."

"So," he says, conspiratorially, "Ex-girlfriend? Or am I about as far off as I can get?"

"Nothing of the sort. . ." A retort comes quick as he pushes up his glasses. He looks to Proph before looking back to the wandering Kuroyukihime. A brow raised momentarily before lowering it once more, "She seems familiar in some ways, though I couldn't put a name to that voice. At the very least though, I don't believe she's insincere with her desire. She'll likely be a great ally to have. Although. . ."

    Something funny starts to happen after she had pat his elbow, it was odd. He shouldn't be taunted so easily (Even if it wasn't meant to be one but. . .) An aura of darkness begins to envelope the villain in glasses, his shades tinted by light as his lips curl ominously. "It's rather hard to be told not to show up when this is the only boss I wasn't able to beat. . ." It was funny, in this new world there was so much more at stake now, and yet, the bit of competitiveness, that desire to see what came next started to boil up. It was. . .A familiar sensation that hadn't shown up in quite some time. Though just as soon as that ominous eagerness shows on his face for Proph, it's just as quickly snuffed out. "Anyway, I'll be sure to inform the rest of the NWA that we've completed our goal here and I'll be trying to return back as soon as possible."

    Victory! And she's not even on the edge of death this time!

#-1 ARGUMENT MUST BE POSITIVE INTEGER,80)]

    Huh, that sounds like an important proper noun.

    Kuroyuki acts weird and runs off. "...Why is she like that?" Mizuki wanders over to Prophylaxis and Shiroe. Sensitive cat ears hear all. "Why is it whenever someone acts weird, people think it's about people being *into* people? There's more than that to people, ya know."

    She looks from Prophy to Shiroe. "I hope the glitch isn't still there... but... if you've seen it before... what was the tenth floor and its boss like?"

    She blinks. "Aww, you don't have to leave! She's not in charge... I think." Mizuki looks back to Prophy. "She's not in charge, is she?"

"It was a joke," Prophylaxis deadpans at Mizuki. "Anyway, no. She's charging forth, but she's not IN charge." Not unless something weird happens, anyway. More importantly though!

Shiroe... Seems to have had a fire lit under his ass!? Prophylaxis knows that expression well. The ominous gut-churning scowl that always comes with a feeling of needing to rectify whatever is wrong. Which in this case, may very well be showing up to punch the tenth floor boss in the face! Still, something seems off, doesn't it? "...So you don't think she might be an alt, then? She seems... Very familiar with you. Whatever's going on between the two of you, it seems deeply personal at least on her end."

SpritesHero has been continuing to make his rounds. He circles the room. He examines the furniture. He examines the table. He glances left, glances right, then shrugs, picks up a plate and a rather large turkey drumstick-like object, and begins munching. What? He's hungry.

"Gosh, that fight was a real nail-biter," he exclaims loudly, in tones usually reserved for exceptionally bad acting. Yes, he swallowed first. He's not the sort to spray food over everyone. "I don't know -what- we would have done if we hadn't had help!" Hint. Hint.

    Shiroe turns back, only his head veering for a moment to look back towards Prophylaxis, his answer rather blunt. "It's possible. Though I'd imagine if it's anyone I know they'd have been more inclined to just call me by my name. Also. . ." He starts scratching his cheek, almost as if to try and hide a bit of smugness, "Most people I know wouldn't be asking me not to party with them. In fact. . . I think it's been some time since someone's told me NOT to join them." It was true. He can't recall the last time that someone reached out and hadn't wanted his assistance. "Either way, I think I've at least picked up on her personality somewhat. If it's someone I know it seems like they've had a change of heart of wanting to play with me and rather play against me. To which. . . I'd feel inclined to take it. Though telling me something like that though. . . Makes me feel like it's someone who might have been competing with the Tea Party once upon a time. Though it does seem more like anything they're a solo player and if that's the case it might have meant. . ." Once more he goes silent, "Well. . . It's no biggie either way honestly."

Well, that's that then. Snagging some more goodies and piling his plate high, Sprites whips around and heads for the door. Time to do some exploring. And hope that nothing collapses. "This place really -is- an armpit," he can be heard to mutter on his way out. "What kind of self-respecting undead would let things deteriorate this much. Noooot this one. Just..." Silence as he bites into his food once more. "...eating and eating and eating. Clearly something wrong upstairs." He and his low-yellow health bar vanish into the hallway beyond, booted feet sounding firmly against the floor with each step.

"Well, there's another couple of possibilities I've got in mind, but little beyond rampant speculation." After all, just because one party thinks they've met someone in the past doesn't necessarily mean that they really have. Likewise, it's also a possibility that someone else may have simply... forgotten.

Memories are unreliable at times, as it happens.

"Well, regardless, I'll be in touch. There are a few things I need to discuss with you, outside of all of this, I mean."

Just as Prophylaxis makes those final remarks though, as the Villain in Glasses looked like he was all but to depart. . . He halts. There's a moment of silence. Not like that of the victory of before. The Pooka Enchanter turns back towards Prophylaxis. . . No towards the steps leading towards the 10th floor. Though his gaze shifts back to Prophylaxis with a look of concern. "If you have something you need to discuss do it now. That said. . . I believe I'll be needing to inform the NWA that I'll be residing in the tower longer than expected."

    It's at this moment that rather than prepare to depart the tower for Yamato as to prepare for the NWA and what was likely to come next. . .Shiroe slowly starts making his way towards the steps of the tenth floor. . . Then *that* thought comes in. His pace picks up as his walk turns into a faster gait. Then words from a familiar friend begin to ring in his ears.

    Don't joke around with me...

    His pace picks up one more time as he starts moving into a small dash up the steps to the next floor. The warning of that familiar person becoming more ominous than before.

    Nice to see you again. Don't show up.

    "Don't you dare tell me. . . " He continues to run, the poor Enchanter doing more cardio than any spellcaster should as he tries, prays, hopes to catch up with the one who had left the others behind. A sense of foreboding carrying in his thoughts as he thinks of this more than ever.

In the aftermath of yet another battle, Kita seems... overwhelmed. The Imp seems to quiet, perhaps having had too many close brushes with death. Her first reaction, when it is all over, is to speak quietly into her chimlink, likely communicating back to a few others thats he's still alive and well.

There is no sense of immediate interest in the next floor like the others have. Instead, she seems to fall back with the other support staff. There would be time to deal with the implications of reaching the tenth floor, later. For now, what Kita needs, it seems, is time...