War of Dragons: Seekers Landing

All of the boats that would be stationed at Seeker's Landing are out at the moment, and a single Palace Lands Navy vessel has blockaded the location. Sending longboats for landings and assauling them from across the waters! It's a life or death situation. And Seeker's Landing has not been made aware of what has happened at the Wave - which ended two days ago - or if any rescue is coming!

> Have you been stationed at Seeker's Landing, and holding out against the enemy assault?
> Are you here to evacuate Seeker's Landing?

This is a rescue scene with reasonable odds. Typical Boss rules apply.

Liminality
Seeker's Landing

Amidst the darkness of night, magical eruptions play across the surface around the camp. Close enough to keep everyone in the zone 'threatened' and unable to communicate out. There are some who have been resisting the constant invasions of their enemies. To make matters worse, their only way out has been bombarded by magic already. Not to mention that the only thing that awaits them beyond the camp is a zone of incredibly high level monsters - far beyond anything that those at the camp can handle in their smaller numbers.

It's a single Navy vessel that has been keeping people busy. And now that it's hit evening once again, Longboats are being deployed out towards the camp's south-eastern coast. Some of those approaching have been aware of what is going on at Seeker's Landing already. Those coming from the North - fleeing the Palace Lands betrayal at the wave - come with less information than the ones who happened to already be en-route from the south.

Those approaching, based off of Baroness Wake's information, seem to be under an impression that people have been getting kidnapped. Unaware that the Oracle piece used by Baroness Wake was showing the Future of her allies. Showing a future that might be.

In the midst of the night, the Yamato ship coming from the north has gotten a bit of lead finally on the Navy Ship behind them. But they still have a very limited window to get close enough to Seeker's Landing to evacuate people. Both Yamato-bound ships however, also need to supplies stored within Seeker's Landing.

There's a lull in the assault from the Palace Lands Navy ship, allowing their troops to move in. From three directions, longboats move en-masse. From three directions, people approach. With the Palace Lands troops in larger numbers. With the Palace Landers getting there before the Yamato folk do. It doesn't appear the Palace Land troops have noticed the others yet however due to the dark night conditions.

The hushed sounds of the troops rushing into the Seeker's Landing, spreading into multiple smaller groups. Rushing into the various makeshift 'homes' within Seeker's Landing, they try to grab the various people there. Rushing at them and binding them with high level capturing techniques as the alarm bell starts to ring throughout the town!

Clang-clang-clang! Normally used for monster attacks, now, to halt this. There's already Yamato warriors out, trying to stop the Palace Landers from getting to their people. Sword Artes flashing amidst the night of the day. Multiple bonefires being lit to illuminate the night. Silhouettes moving against silhouettes... but they are outnumbered.
Merek
Seeker's Landing

    Merek looks from the ship to Seeker's Landing, and when all of them make it to the place, he will begin to take off from the ship and nod to the party. The man draws the sword with him, then he swings it about while the party meets up. "I know the defenses I made, we will use it to our advantage," he will offer, then he begins to swing into the first squad which he finds on that camp.
Mikage
Seeker's Landing

In the best of times, Mikage is not the sort of person who appreciates long travel by sea. Being under the constant threat of attack, did not seem to help matters, either. Her stomach protests audibly, despite a lack of food. This is no time for sea-sickness potions, since she needs to keep her wits about her.

This is only more-so when they get closer to Seeker's Landing. As she had mentioned, the Were Fang has a particular relic that is useful in this case. A strange earring that looks to have machina designs upon it. As they get within distance, she reaches up and touches the device. A red dot begins to glow, blinking like a heartbeat. "Connecting..."

A moment later, she moves a hand in front of her, revealing a mini-map like display of Seeker's Landing. Included are not only the buildings, but motes that represent the groups of Yamato Adventurers, making them visible to those around her. "Here's the battlefield. It should update so we can keep track of our movements and those of the enemy."

Then, she crouches down, channeling a bit of energy into Rama. "Go. Try to take out whatever enemies you find." The Lynx heads off into Seeker's Landing, looking to catch any kidnappers while Mikage stays behind to work on moving some supplies.
Akatsuki
Seeker's Landing

    Having been stationed at Seeker's Landing, Akatsuki has not had it easy with the Palace Landers since they swung their ship by and have been aggressively aggrieving the people of Seeker's landing.
    "Any word from the others at the wave yet?" She asks... Anyone nearby really as she readies and rallies for another assault. "... Or anyone coming at all really?"
    Some support would be nice-- support that comes over the raid channel as she hears Arashi's voice.
    It's the alarm clangs and the lighting of bonfires that makes the miniscule ninja curse, drawing her kodachi in one hand and several shuriken in her other as she readies for battle.
    Shuriken that she hurls at the nearest assaulting shadows that dart among the bonfires light.
Rizadoman
Seeker's Landing


    Two and a half days on a boat with the some of the most diversse people one could find and well it's been a trip, but Rizadoman is glad to see there destination. Tapping on his own menu, invites to people who are listed in being in the palace lands, ones who may be near or at seeker landing. Eventually he would find a party to merge into the longest raid group he has ever been a part of. As he does this he watches the minimap of Mikage's " Good job Mikage, please direct us over the chimlink as best as you can. " Without hesitating he follows after Rama and begins to work with the lynx, finding a squad to slash with his own claws.
Yeowang
Seeker's Landing

Yeowang has been riding the ship near the crows nest, wanting to keep lookout, though she's not particularly skilled at it. She /is/ skilled as an archer, but it's not her best skill, and when the situation at the landing becmes clear, she's close to first in line to rush the beaches. She's got such a fierce expression, you'd think it was Normandy she was about to storm. Long hair tied in a tight bun to keep it clear, she scans the shore warily as we make it closer, and when we're close enough, she leaps the remaining distance, her low boots turning up turf as she races to the nearest of the Palace Landers.

This may be a war party, but she carries no weapon. That doesn't mean she's helpless, of course, though the Palace Lander watching an unarmed girl rush up to him is possibly thinking he's going to have an easy night.

Yeowang disabuses him of this notion very quickly as a front snap-kick catches him just under the chin and snaps his neck back with a nasty sound, and soon, it's just pixels and she's fighting some Palace Landers who are suddenly much more worried.
Arashi
Seeker's Landing


        This. Is. All. Insane.

The last time Arashi had seen the main group at the palace lands was a long time ago. She had parted ways feeling that everything was in hand and that she had some time to do some shard-seeking! Well, fast forward a few weeks and everything has gone to hell. The news came over the chimlinks that the Palace Lands had gone full aggro and that it was time to egress. Delightful.

She had been making for Seekers every since she found out, and it is only with her most recent transmission that she finally hears a familiar voice. Akatsuki! Good! Though even at Arashi's distance she can hear the alarm inside seekers landing. "Welp. I guess I start PKing today. @#(*&es." Starshadow comes around, and the moment the dire-shire spots someone flagged as hostile? She goes in and she goes -hard-. No. You do NOT PK her people. Not on your watch.

        "More are coming, just hold on!"
Shiruba
Seeker's Landing


Just as they feared, this was a disaster. Seeker's Landing had already been under attack.

Shiruba glances a moment at the map Mikage brings up. That saves her from taking extra time to do some sort of analysis when they don't have very much of that resource before their pursuers catch up. The wolfgirl hustles up to the edge of the deck, drawing her bow and bracing a foot on the railing. "Miho, they need cover fire while we're closing in." Despite all she manages a small smirk. "Shall we show them how archers get it done?"

Shiruba then gets serious once more, gaze narrowing. It's not hard for her sharp eyes to pick out movement even at this distance, since ranged combat is what she excelled at. She took aim, and pulled back on Thundersnow Howl's drawstring. The longbow's magic did the rest, forming an arrow out of elemental energy that she fired across the waters towards shore, towards one of the groups intruding on the camp.

The 'howl' part of the weapon's name proves true, as the wail of high speed wind is the only warning before the arrow strikes and unleashes it's typhoon level force of elemenetal wind power.
Proteus
Seeker's Landing

It's been a hell of time for the Puzzling Imp. Proteus barely escaped the Palace Lands ambush, only to turn and strike back out for the nearest known safe location, Seeker's Landing. Unfortunately, Proteus had noted that no one has contacted them from Seeker's Landing in some time. Not the known faces, anyway. This creates an elevated suspicion level... And then out of nowhere, Prophylaxis somehow manages to message her through the combat-block imposed on her Chimlink.

'Wake used Oracle: Landers compromised Landing. Hunters captured, not killed. Yamato: OK. You ok? Need naval extraction? Prepare for war?'

Proteus grimaced, and responded tersely. 'Team betrayed by Palace Lands. All alive. Retreating to Seeker's Landing before withdrawing to Yamato. Expect war. Baka Baka Baka.'

It takes a great deal to truly make Proteus angry. And by the time they reach Seeker's Landing, only to see that the enemy is present, Proteus stands forth on the prow of their ship, her amethyst eyes burning under the shade of her hood. "Enough!" She yells, her brassy weapon snapping and clattering to unfold before her into its whirling cog-and-wire bow form. "I will show you the result of your actions." Her hand snaps out, and sketches signs in the air: ( U

BGM: https://youtu.be/0w5A6wcx7b8

Sweeping her bow across the shore, Proteus begins launching Arcane Shot after Arcane Shot, sniping at groups of enemy kidnappers in order to forestall them from making off with prisoners. "Curse you people. Curse all of you foolish, fearful bastards. If you want to create a foe, you've done a great job of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy." She looks about, noting the situation and trying to take in what's going on in the riotous darkness as she moves.
Haru
Seeker's Landing

The idea of seeing more of the world offered an idea of what precious things are out there. Blue eyes. Blue oceans. Blue... magical explosions. Haru turns his head towards the mounting breach ono the beaches of the advance. He coughs into his hand to clear his throat, starting to slip into his own head. It is the startling sound like artillery shells from the other adventurers that rouse him. Blue eyes look up. Let's do this. Smile.

"Amnis Aqua," the chanter starts, water bending a wave from the shore to carry him in and crash against the opposition. A kick backwards against the momentium before falling back to a less forward rank.
Miho
Seeker's Landing

It had been a heck of a flight from the forces of the Palace Lands. Miho had had some time to recover and was in full fighting condition at this. She was on deck as they were getting closer she knew the Landing would likely be under attack. She kept an eye on Mikage as she owned them big time. For now though she would be readying her bow and looking taking note of the enemy as they moved in.

"There they go. Shiruba let's fight them at range until we have to get up close."

She'll then draw her arrows taking a glance at Mikage's map and that helps her resight her volley a bit. It takes a moment before the arrows start to rain from her bow and she does not stop.

She'll leap into action at this point as she'll hit the beach and keep going. She is also going to keep with Shiruba raining down the arrows on the forces of the Palace Lands.
Jazuhanzu
Seeker's Landing

It was fortunate that Jazz had already been just reaching the Palace Lands again when the news reached her. Getting back to Seeker's Landing was tedious, but the best she could do. The small Sea-Witch glares out at the vessel.

"... agency," she finally says.

"They really ..." A small smile crossed her face, such a rare sight to begin with, let alone at such a grave moment. She lets a blast of water strike out at some of the would be kidnappers but it's likely hardly needed. Instead, she's observing the ship more closely, considering what she can do best to help. Her hair sways as if underwater even now as she focuses on her artes.
Kaydon
Seeker's Landing

Things have gotten entirely out of hand. While he would love to know the reason behind this chaos, there's no time to worry about it. There's an old saying about no plan surviving first contact with the enemy. Well there was no plan to begin with so it's not like there's anything to survive that contact.

Kaydon had been traveling with Arashi to try to get back to Seeker's Landing after they lost contact, and while she seemed intent on rushing ahead into the thick of battle, and he would expect nothing less from one of the top ranked people in the tournament, he has decided to maybe play it a little more calmly.

He's not the best at being sneaky or picking locks. What he WANTS to do is lead an assault on the warship out there in the bay. Why can't these assholes use ropes like normal badguys. He finally manages to wrench one of the locks open with his knife, "Go, run!" Enough of this. The only way he's going to be able to save all of these people is by putting a stop to this at the source.
Liminality
Seeker's Landing

As Mikage's map springs to life, she hears this subtle whispering in her ear to go along with its activation. It feels almost like a strange... song. Just at the very edge of being audible, as it begins to resonate with the other three pieces of her equipment. Each item beginning to subtly glow blue. The map that comes up gives an in-depth view of movement, and people's movements there-in.

Not moments later, Rama moves with Rizadoman, biting its little fangs into the large oxen Werefang as he is in the middle of tackling a Yamato Salamander. Not moments later, Rizadoman rending the Adventurer apart with his piercing claws, having surprise-attacked the member of the Palace Lands!

Akatsuki's Shuriken slam into a small looking Catshark Cait Sith, who attempts to bat them out of the way with her tail. Only to suddenly be outpressured by the use of Proteus' Arcane Shots. "Ah!" She calls out in surprise and pain; shuriken after arcane bolt slicing and blasting into the smaller catshark Cait Sith, before she shatters to pieces!

Merek rushes from the darkness not moments later along with Yeowang. Their assault on a male Sylph catches the Palace Lander by surprise. They'd clearly not been expecting reinforcements. Certainly not from two sides like this! He does manage to get a protective shot off against Merek, which gets deflected off of his blade, before Yeowang manages to get behind him and punches her forward, right into Merek's slashing blade. Carving them in half and scattering her into light!

Arashi shoulderchecks a tall human who'd just managed to bind down a small feline Cait Sith, pushing them into one of the Bonfires. He lets out a scream and tries to pull out, only for Arashi's blade to cut down across his body! Over Arashi's shoulder, an arrow howls, stabbing into the body of a large amazonian looking tiger-lion and causing her to stagger. This gives Haru a chance to come crashing in upon that wave like a surfer, then kicking the Palace Lands human back into the Bonfire, and roasts him! Not a second later, Miho's arrows come out of the shadows behind the tiger-lion Palace Adventurer and pierces them in the back. Thanks to Mikage's map, they're able to move in a way that is constantly moving outside of the Landers' line of sight - giving them a significant advantage on the battlefield. It allows Kaydon to help their rescued person and get them running down a safe path!

However, the Palace Landers don't remain on their back feet for too long. Especially with more of them appearing from the Longboats. A few of them starting to open up with Fire Spells, aiming for the reinforced supply hut, hoping to stop the Yamato Ships from getting the resources they need to get out. Another group storms in with blades drawn, rushing the positions of Mikage, Rizadoman, Miho and Shiruba. It's a varied group of Cait Sith and Were Fang troops that try to overwhelm them with enormous blades.

Yeowang, Merek, Akatasuki and Proteus simultaneously have to deal with a sudden onslaught of water spells being deployed by nearby Undine. Creating large fields of 'drowning' against them, trying to choke them out and restrict their movements.

Arashi, Haru, Kaydon and Jazuhanzu instead have to deal with the approach of Sylph and Pooka rangers. Firing arrows from the back, while a group with smaller daggers rushes from the shadows, attempting to clinch them from the sides!
Merek
Seeker's Landing

    Merek looks to the undine when they become little but red light, then he nods a bit to Yeowang. The man sheaths the weapon while he lifts up both hands, using the magic of Frost Shock to freeze the water spells before they strike him, then he takes a potion from the hip to throw into the squad, blasting them with the explosion.
Mikage
Seeker's Landing

As someone who has never experienced any of the stranger aspects that this world might have to offer, Mikage blinks, hesitating briefly as the strange sing-song whisper seems to resonate with her. Many of her relics are connected to the Elemental Machines and Machina, but they have never reacted together before.

"We've got incoming." The motes representing those moving to attack herself, Miho, and Shiruba showing on the map as her eyes quickly flick over to it, trying to survey it quickly in the way that Shiruba and Jazuhanzu had taught her during her cartographic training. "We've got a group of ours trying to get supplies to the ship, but we've got enemy forces coming towards them. They need back up. Back of the supply area. Hurry." She speaks into the chimlink.

Then, it is all focus on the enemies in front of her. A sword swings her way and she moves with air-driven grace, avoiding the swipe that nearly takes out her legs in the process. Electricity crackles around her as she steps back. "Fuck there's a lot of them." She does a quick glance over towards Rizadoman since he had gotten on her case for swearing before.

Then, she moves her hands in a swirling motion, summoning up blades of air which she launches towards the group assaulting their position.
Arashi
Seeker's Landing


    No, there will be no arrow to the knee jab here. What Arashi does get is a arrow to the -shoulder- which almost gets her grip to loosen enough to drop Starshadow. ... Almost. Perhaps that Palace Lander was happy about their shot. Perhaps they thought they did good! Well, with the way Arashi sllllooooowly turns toward the direction the shot came from, her gaze may as well be on fire. She didn't see it coming, flashed to one side out of reflex from the strike, but in another moment she is -charging- for the archer that struck her, slicing at anyone that would try to get in her way, before attempting to violently -stab-, making eye contact if at all possible before twisting.

         "Something Wicked This Way Comes."
Proteus
Seeker's Landing

Proteus stares as the Undine rise up to unleash water attacks. "Predictable!" She announces, noticing the telltale gathering of water in the air as she backflips, dodge rolling out of the area of effect of the watery onslaught and catching onto the rigging with one hand. From the ship, she flips upside down, the cloak and hood falling away from the horned, winged tiny puzzle-fiend as she sweeps Paradox up and across once more. With a dramatic flourish, she flicks her hand through the air: ) - O

Unfortunately, she might want to have focused more on having a proper footing and maybe not been showing off so much.
Yeowang
Seeker's Landing

Yeowang finds herself splattered by water spells by their attack undine, and while she can swim, well enough for recreational purposes at least, she's not at the lifeguard level. She tries to persevere, dodging around the Palace Landers to try to get out of the drowning glob of water, which is finally frozen by Merek, and not a moment too soon. She breaks out of the thin layer of ice, nods thanks to Merek, and takes her annoyance out on the Palace Landers that she'd been avoiding, driving a hard fist into the nose of one, and following it up with body blow after body blow, sending it staggering backwards until it disintegrages into pixels.

The other Palace Landers closeby are also treated to a martial arts exhibition the likes of which are, well, she's still not as good as she'd been in real life, a constant sore point with her, but she's quite skilled, and fiercely precise. Open-faced helmets offer zero protection, she's got a punch like a lance, and full-face helmets generally result in a head twisted off or a broken neck from a massive kick. She is not going easy on anyone tonight, it seems she means business. One should not be surprised, she /always/ means business.
Miho
Seeker's Landing

Miho calls out as the attacks continue. She's downed one enemy adventurer it looks like, good. There's still a lot of foes to worry about so far thanks to Miakge she's been able to help keep out of their line of sight. She'll keep heeding any information that Mikage relays. She keeps fighting alongside Shiruba for the moment.

"Do not let up. I'm going in to get up close."

Miho charges in now with her Katana in hand, she will just start laying into the enemy where she can.

"BEAT CRACK!"

Wait when did she learn that? Looks like she might have levelled up during the wave. Her liminal rings are glowing brightly and she looks very Grim. She's not holding back right now, she can not and will not hold back. Not against the likes of these.
Rizadoman
Seeker's Landing


    Rizadoman meets the blades of the palace people with his shield before he grumbles something under his breath that maybe Mikage might possibly maybe pick up as a swear word. This is quickly replaced with a loud reptilian growl as he shoves the attacker back and slips his shield from his arm before he throws it at the attacker aiming right for there head and recovers the shield from the ricochet. Shouting over the chimlinks he begins to raise the important question, " I do not think we will drive them off, we need an exit. Do we have an exit?!"
Shiruba
Seeker's Landing

"Keep the pressure up! Don't let them regroup on the ones getting our people and supplies out!" Shiruba tries to do her job as Leader despite the chaotic storm of combat raging around them.

As the group turns to charge them, well, at least that means they got their attention. "Incoming!" at the same time she pulls an imbued arrow from her quiver, draws it back in her bow, and fires. It only hits the ground in front of the charging group... Which is exactly what she wanted, as it erupts in flames that surge out to the sides to form a barrier. The Palace Landers aren't likely to stop, but having to either charge through the fire or divert around it will at least briefly slow them down.

The surge of flames is also a signal. One answered by the shrill cry of a raptorial bird. The source of the cry swooping down from it's perch upon the Yamato ship's mast, as the falcon Shiruba had been training divebombs past the wall of fire towards one of their attackers with her talons outstretched ready to tear into flesh!

Hunter and Predator, working united by the Thrill of the Hunt they share.
Kaydon
Seeker's Landing

Kaydon really hates being on the backfoot. He emerges from the tent where he unchained one of the potential captives, only to watch them about to get cut down by one of the attacking Palace Landers. Kaydon throws himself into the path of the attack, taking the blow himself. And unfortunately for that guy that went after him, now he's face to face with a VERY pissed off Gnoll were fang.

"Buddy you picked the WRONG FUCKING DAY!"

Kaydon's damascus blade gets drawn from the sheath on his back, gripped tightly in his right hand, as he unleashes a massive downwards cleaving blow. The same kind of blow he might use to move metal with his sledgehammer. Only this one is apparently aiming to cleave this this dagger wielding sylph in half.
Haru
Seeker's Landing

The arrows fly in a whistling salvo. Haru times his defensive spell too late, getting cut by one of the flint heads and interrupting the cast. A hand goes to his ripped arm, advancing to a rock to lean against. It is a form of chaos as he stops to look around for a moment. All the energy around. Heavy breathing and shallow sight. The artificer presses on, drawing a hand out with his orb-like focus to rip through an arcane blast that vibrates the air around it towards the kidnappers.
Akatsuki
Seeker's Landing

    It's hell. Player fighting player, a nightmare of blood, death, and attrition. Only instead of blood it's red pixels, but the thought is the same nevertheless as Akatsuki suddenly jukes. Backflipping away from the drowning water pools formed by the attacking undines.
    It's when Mikage points out the group trying to get supplies in need of defense from attack that the ninja assassin is on the move. Darting into the shadows of the flickering bonfires she nearly vanishes as she rushes the group that emerges from the longboats...
    And then she is among them.
    "Hello." Is all the assassin says before her kodachi flashes in her hand, eyes gleaming with a murderer's killer frost as she turns into a whirling blender of death among them.
Liminality
Seeker's Landing

Merek's moves are quick and fluid. Blocking water with ice, freezing it like a block in the air and causing it to drop loudly to the ground, followed by that detonation at the feet of those Undine warriors! They're sent scattering about. Not a second later, that iceblock is kicked right for them, and Yeowang is on the move. One gets their nose punched in and is slammed to the ground with enough weight to leave a small crater, followed by annihilating the Undine in question. Causing the others to step back for a moment. No doubt they are used to skilled Adventurers. They are no slouches themselves. But they are up against some of the Yamato elites right now!

With Mikage's illuminating information using her minimap, she continues to guide the raid. Spreading information about the Adventures that are managing to sneak supplies down the beach - no doubt some of Akatsuki's allies for how well they are sneaking - but that won't matter if the store room gets set on fire! Luckily, Akatsuki is on the job!

This opens up the ability for Mikage to focus on what's in front of her. Bringing her blade around and sending two of the larger folk straight into the air, as the Tournament victor shows her training having paid off dividents! When the poor Were Fangs fall, they shatter apart due to the falling damage. Unfortunately for them, they didn't have any Spriggan of Sylph ability to slow-fall.

Closer within the camp, Arashi's Starshadow slices through the air, as she berserks right for her target, stabbing them with enough force that they get impaled into one of the houses for a moment, and Arashi has to wiggle her blade out of the wooden structure. Luckily, her blade is sharp enough that retrieving it is almost 'too' easy for as deep as it had gone!

Yeowang then suddenly moves past Proteus, protecting her from the next blow coming for her, continueing her rampage and clubbing another series of the goons with her fists. Her body an army in and off of itself.

Shiruba and Miho continue to battle alongside one-another, closer to the Firestarters. Serving as a distraction as Akatsuki continues to 'nin' through the area. Miho's beat crack assault singing out so loud with her whipping Katana strikes, that it almost sounds like somoene just struck a bunch of firecrackers. Each strike tearing holes into her opponent until they shatter, giving Shiruba all the time she needs to take aim - landing that Firewall exactly where she needs it, blinding their sights from the people moving the supplies to the longboats!

Another burst of light follows, as an unfortunate Sylph is shattered by Kaydon's strike in something ends up causing the ground to shake for a moment at the end of his swing! And just as someone is about to strike at Kaydon from behind, a fierce burst of Arcane energy rips throug the air, grabbing and lifting Kaydon's assailant - right before Haru's arcane attack finishes taking effect and /crushes/ the man in mid-air!

Then... an assination attack! Steel blends through the zone of fire mages that had come up along the back, trying to be stealthy. A fireball sails out, only to be caught in some of Shiruba's strikes and detonate in the air. Illuminating the sparks of horror on the faces of the Adventurers, as Akatsuki finely cuts through them in a whirling dance of death. For a moment, they all stand still...

Before they all shatter at the same time.

It would not be long before the enemy begins to shift their tactics. They continue to try and kidnap some of the people. Ducking into houses. But thanks to the interference, many of them have started retreating onto the beaches and towards the longboats. As such, the enemy forces are moving away from the town and towards the beach, grabbing hold of heavy blades and firespells, hoping to destroy their Longboats! And it will take great sacrifices to keep those Longboats in one piece!
Merek
Seeker's Landing

    Merek takes a few strikes from the undine team, though he keeps on fighting. Then it looks like they are beginning to withdraw and trying to take the ships with them. The man walks along and will lift up his shield to begin defending himself along with that longboat, taking the time to shift in his position towards the undine. "Alright! We keep with the party!"
Yeowang
Seeker's Landing

Yeowang is in the groove now after a rough start, and while her HP bar shows the first hints of yellow, her fists are all red and sending Palace Landers to their chapel, or wherever Landers go when they disappear in a puff of pixels. Away, and that is all that concerns her just at the moment.

When the Palace Landers strike out for the boats, trying to sabotage them, they perhaps thought to score some small victory by changing tactics abruptly. They play a dangerous game, but Yeowang has been playing dangerous games for most of her life, and she's good at them. Tactically, it's a sound move, but attacking a static target that a hunter has had time to prepare is not something for the unwary to attempt in a hurry, and Yeowang approaches the Palace Landers as one reels back from reaching under a tarpaulin, where they discovered she'd left a bear trap. Set and ready. As he screams, trying to pry it off his hand with one hand and his foot, Yeowang will hit him in the head so hard he spins a full circle before collapsing to the sand and bursting into pixels.
Jazuhanzu
Seeker's Landing

Jazz is unhappy.

Oh, sure. She loves that the Landers have displayed agency. That's made her thrilled beyond words. In fact, that slight smile at the Palace Lands ship is the most smiling she's been seen doing in some time. As displeasing as the state of affairs is, the Landers have displayed their own damn agenda, even if its inimical to their own.

Between the stinging jellyfish and the water magics she's more than capable of deploying, it's like she was made for this situation.

... in a manner of speaking, she was.
Shiruba
Seeker's Landing

Shiruba's falcon withdraws after it's diving run, only to start circling near the shoreline and calling out to her. The wolven Cait Sith's ears flick up immeadiately at the shriek that the bird was specifically taught as an 'ATTENTION HERE'. She turns her gaze in the direction, and frowns. "They're going for the longboats!"

Shiruba leaps into action, literally. Jumping down from her previous position and making her own rush towards the shoreline. Winds whistle as they cyclone around her, deflecting several of the deterring attacks aimed in her direction. "I'm not done with you asshats yet!" You can probably blame Kaydon for her even knowing 'asshat' is a thing. Darn American Marine potty mouths.

She pulls an arrow, nocks it in her bow, and skids to a stop to brace herself as she lifts the weapon's aim up high before firing. This sends the arrow in an arc to bring it's descent down at a point between the boats and the inbound Palace attackers. Where it bursts midair, pummeling the enemy in a shower of razor sharp crystalline shrapnel!
Haru
Seeker's Landing

The assault against Haru is wearing him down, taking a pivot on his feet to dodge fast in one direction. It sends him into another attack that draws away from his health. Deep breaths amongst the chaos. Haru focus on the small things, losing the forest for the trees until the chimlink keys off that the vines he is summoning out are not where they should be. Like drawing a hand through wet sand, Haru changes he direction of the spell for a vine-line spike to collide with a ball of fire. The vines burn off quickly, but not the longboat it was headed towards. (With Portent Sup-portent)
Mikage
Seeker's Landing

Avoiding the attacks while trying to keep track of the battle map is more than a little difficult. In the end, Mikage has to depend a little on her equipment, one strike coming dangerously close before she seems to flicker momentarily out of existence and back again, moving quickly as the enemy seems to start to target the boats.

With her relics glowing around her, Mikage's strange, mechanical wrist-band seems to flicker with electronic light, causing her eyes to glow momentarily as she is heading towards one of the longboats. She doesn't recognize the person in the vision, but it is enough for her to shout over chimlink: "There's a firebolt coming in off the beach to your right. The one using the thorn whips, send your defenses that way!" Trying to warn Haru.

Seeing more fire coming her way, Mikage seems to take a page out of Shiruba's boat, reaching for her bow and pulling an arrow up. The two bow shots both rise up at the same time, but where Shiruba's explodes in shrapnel, Mikage's bursts into a deluge of water, trying to extinguish the flames threatening her and her allies.
Akatsuki
Seeker's Landing


    With the firestarters dead, Akatsuki pauses to look up at the sky.
    "... Once more my blade has cut something useless..." The normally laconic ninja murmurs to herself, before the ninja returns to the fray.
    The Palace Landers are going for the longboats.
    Leaping onto one of said longboats, Akatsuki places her hand to the ground.
    "Thorn Bind Hostage..." She says softly, a series of thorny vines emerge from her sleeves to start entangling some of the assaulters trying to hack the boats to pieces.
Arashi
Seeker's Landing


    Oh. Oh that was satisfying. "Don't come to Yamato," Arashi spits, venom dripping from each word, before she turns to take a look at the rest of the landing. ... They're moving for the shore. ... Hell. The boats. <<They're after the boats!>> is transmitted to anyone in range before she goes -storming- through Seekers to intercept. A little Sonic Acceleration hurries her on her way, keeping her out of the way of any offense, before she reaches the water.

    Oh. Right. Much as she prefers the dark and light balance of Starshadow, she had another, rarely used, ace up her sleeve. The Dire-shire turns there in the water, near one of the boats, and giving a deadly, feral grin to those that are coming her way. "You know where you all screwed up? Cynicism. Self motivated. Only care about your own lands. Big mistake. There's no winning when you're fucking -Drop Dead Cynical-."

    Starshadow goes into the water, along with her free hand, before the seas are sent forth and then freeze -solid-, barring the way. "@#*$& OFF!"
Kaydon
Seeker's Landing

Of course, when they can't win in a straight up fight, the group decides to go scorched earth instead. "Cowards! Come on and face me!" Kaydon yells as he chases after some of them when they flee to the longboats. He drives in between one of the attackers, his Damascus blade blocking the attack, before his free hand drives the hidden blade in his gauntlet into the man's throat, shattering him.

Some part of Kaydon hopes these are all adventurers, but he honestly hasn't bothered to inspect a single one yet. They made their choice coming here, and he's going to make them regret ever setting foot on this sand. Marines were forged in the fires of attacking beaches, and he's going to ensure that reputation is upheld tonight as he fends off multiple attackers, his sword and hidden blade working overtime to keep the longboat secure.
Rizadoman
Seeker's Landing


    Rizadoman gets the hint to start moving to the beach as his scales harden and turn blood red, and the giant lizardman begins to charge through the enemies towards the beach, only to find more enemies there. Already begining to attack the long boats. The slow lizard will not get there fast enough himself but they are near the water. Ripping his own tooth out of his mouth he begins to chant. "Fallen Ancestors , from the hall of Nagas' I summon you . Rise up once more and shield that which needs to be shielded. Dragontooth warriors." Then the lizardman throws the fang towards the boat and where it lands is two of Rizadoman's Dragontooth warriors. Unfortunately it appears to be a 2 versus many situation as Rizadoman continues to run towards the boat.
Proteus
Seeker's Landing

The kidnappers are shifting their tactics as they see they're losing the field. This gives Proteus some additional leeway to work on other objectives... And blink as Yeowang just instantly appears to take a hit for her she didn't see coming. "Gggh. Yeowang, you're a hell of a tank." She shakes her head as they just pass right by on their way to engage in a drive-by mauling of some other poor bastard. However, Proteus can't stick around, she has to get on task. "Good luck, people. I'm going to try to put my plan into motion." She flicks her hands. ^ S O

A whirling field of air forms around Proteus as she charges the beach, and runs... right past the longboats that the others are forming up to defend as she makes a great leap out into the water! > S

Instead of splooshing, however, the Imp lands on the surface of the waves, skidding along hopefully before the Undines present can notice what's going on while she drives straight for the large ship out into the bay. As she gets closer, she pulls the gloves off of her hands, revealing... That they don't appear to be made of flesh at all, instead being formed of some kind of dark, granite-like material shot through with circuit-like streaks of silver patterning. She closes her eyes, hearing a familiar song...

BGM: https://youtu.be/QEW3VQiRdQM

And begins murmuring it as she draws closer. "Ma num ra teyys ween syec oz wase en noglle guatrz, ee..."

Her hands crack together in a clapping motion before she brings them back apart... And the moment she is in reach, she slams her hands forward and begin tryin to dig /into/ the wood as she focuses, trying to impose her will upon the massive warship as the Law of Alba begins to warp and cry out in an attempted violation.
Miho
Seeker's Landing

Side by side with a good friend in battle s they keep going they will give a good distraction or Akatsuki to do their thing. She will keep fighting it's not quite over yet as she keeps cutting through the enemy. Lander or Adventurer, it doesn't matter. IT's not over yet nad more people to keep coming after them. There are still some foes left and she'll charge into them channelling the very move only she alone at the moment knows.

Her weapons catch fire and burst into flames.

"FORGES FURY!"

She keeps on the Place Land force hacking slashing and slowly making for the boats. They need to deal with this or it might be them trapped like rats. Worse they might be driven into the sea in the end.
Liminality
Seeker's Landing

As people load up onto the Longboat, Merek is joined by a few of the Yamato squad. Unfortunately, there is no real easy way to determine someone is Yamato of Palace Lander at this time. But with the hostilities at play, it doesn't look like anyone is trying to pull a fast one on anyone. But in a larger scale war, this is going to be a problem. Even Mikage, who has her Minimap, can see people - but she can't see their 'allegiance'. She just has a good overview of what her people are doing in general.

Two strikes blow against Merek's strike, only to be forced back, the humans stumbling in the beach sand, as the longboat starts to push off into the waters, allowing Merek to get on. And it's not long before Yeowang joins - having noticed that all of these people have Inspected as 'Adventurer' so far. No Landers on this raid at all. Sending one of the attackers to the ground, Yeowang soon is able to join Merek and start sailing out of range of the enemy's magics - the larger Yamato ship moving the way of the Longboats, ready to hoist and help them up!

A barrier of water keeps halting fireballs, as Jazuhanzu creates a screen before her. Jellyfish keep getting cooked inside from the impacts, spread bursting outwards. But it also creates a haze that is hard to see through, hiding the longboat as it begins to move! One of the fireballs however is about to strike right through and towards Haru. But /before it is fired/, Haru suddenly turns towards the user of that Fireball and lashes that vine - shattering it mid-being-fired! It's a confusing interaction for the spellcaster, as to him, it seems like Haru was able to read his mind just now!

Shiruba's falcon returns towards her and towards the beach, as Shiruba's arrow rains down upon the beach like an enormous shotgun blast downwards, grounding the Landers and forcing them to take cover! This is followed by a deluge of water, which causes the Palace Land Adventurers to slip and slide in the soggy water, unable to easily follow them! Kaydon standing upon the beach to fend off any that make it past that water and shrapnel barrier, delaying the long boat long enough that Shiruba and Mikage can get on board!

Another longboat moves, as Akatsuki lands upon it. Her vines propelling it forward into the waters, grabbing some of the supplies, all while fending off her opponents! Fireballs follow her, only for Arashi to erect a wall of ice right behind the retreating boat, halting the enemies from following up with any further attacks!

The bell has long since stopped ringing. Nobody remaining in Seeker's Landing to keep ringing it. On her minimap, Mikage can see that the town is empty, and that everyone has gotten onto the longboats! With Rizadoman's summons pushing the last one out into the waters, while the co-leader of the guild sails it into the dark blues.

She can also see that dot moving towards the enemy ship...

Out on the waters, Proteus is forced to keep paddling. Dealing with the rough ocean waters that keep trying to drown her. Placing her hands against the wood, her water techniques start to fade quickly as she tries to focus on the ship. Her head immediately begins to throb against her as she attempts to alter the factor of such a large structure. Her throat starts to feel sore, and she can't tell if it's because of all the salt-water getting into her mouth, or the strain of the spell. Her eyesight starts going white as the ship before her starts to sink slightly. The wood crumbling, and then suddenly, a single 'SNAP' as some of the wood bursts. There's shouting above her, as people rush to try and repair the ship. But this is as far as she can go as that ache against her head is starting to quickly make it impossible to properly think, and her voice is so hoarse she can barely speak at all. She needs to get to one of the ships fast, before she loses the ability to maintain her magics and get there in time.
Merek
Seeker's Landing

    Merek looks to the people and back to the boat while he nods, then he climbs aboard with them. He will take the time to lift up both hands to begin casting magic. The wind picks up while it begins to assist the boat, "Get everyone in you can and get back to our boat, it is time we travel!"
Proteus
Seeker's Landing

This is a stretch, even for her. Proteus knew this going in. The ache of her throat indicated that all of her practicing was not really enough to deal with this... Though the salt water isn't helping matters as she begins sinking into the waves. But she pushes. She pushes harder, and harder, trying to do everything she can in order to force it through. The Law twists, shrieks even as the wood begins shivering and shattering, fundamental properties of the material being altered in order to make it unsuited for purpose... And thus letting the physics of the World do the rest. It would normally be a brilliant maneuver, but there's one small problem.

She's put too much of herself into it. It's hard to focus. The job is done, but at what cost? The Imp flails, trying to swim away, even trying to make some ice to grab onto, but the turbulence of the water around the ship rapidly makes that impossible. Proteus begins sinking, unable to hold together her thoughts... And thus her power, as she sinks beneath the waves with a whispery wheeze.

Is this how she's going to go out this time? Is she going to die... or worse? The Undine are still out there, and...
Shiruba
Seeker's Landing

Once the Longboat is moving Shiruba keeps her guard up, in case any Undines in the raid party attempt to come after them. "Get everyone we can accounted for. We're not going to have a chance to come back for scragglers any time soon." There's still so many questions left hanging on why this even happened, but for now, they need to focus on getting the rest of their people somewhere that's not here. Safe is relative. They might not have much in the way of options until they can get farther away from the Palace Lands. Then they can try to figure out what to do next.
Mikage
Seeker's Landing

Even as the group retreated with the longboats, Mikage had kept an eye on the map, occassionally trying to scroll it around with her fingertips. "Looks like everyone is out, at least... I think so." It's impossible to quite tell who is who.

However, her eyes follow the mote that is obviously Proteus. Her eyes stare at it for a long moment. "Um, guys... she's not moving back towards us anymore." It's enough that it concerns her in that moment, looking up.

"We need someone out there, now!" She raises her voice, trying to make sure she's heard, then gives a description of where in the water the map is pinging Proteus' location.
Yeowang
Seeker's Landing

Yeowang slips into her boat, one beat trap short, but well-spent, and will settle in the rescuees as best she can before taking up an oar. She pushes off from the beach with a mighty shove, and will drag the oar through the water to propel the boat back towards our main ship. The small boat returns to our oceangoing vessel, and she will help everyone pile aboard. Of particular interest are the one or two members of her Red Chain group, who ought to have been ministering to people's medical woes as best they could. She gets a situation report, and sums up what they've likely already worked out. The Palace Landers have made a bad choice.

Though first in her list of revenge targets are the mercenaries who took her coin and betrayed her. They're first on her little list.
Arashi
Seeker's Landing


    The wall of Frost did the job! With a shove, the longboat gets onto the open waters and Arashi moves into it, resting Starshadow to her back. The trip back was going to be long and, well, time to settle in and deal with this arrow-

    Something isn't right.

    It's the map that Mikage's ability had been producing that was bugging her. A lone dot. One that wasn't heading their way. In fact it was moving .. weird. It gets Arashi to stand up to take a look. The timing couldn't be much better. All that Arashi seens is Proteus falling into the water.

        No One Left Behind.Not here.

The yell from Mikage confirms the worry. Without hesitation Arashi is over the edge of the long boat and, with thanks to a certain nightmare, the warhorse is surging across the surface as though it was just a road. "HOLD ON!" And then a dive. A tense moment, and a resurfacing with Proteus in tow. "You aren't staying here, not on my watch."
Kaydon
Seeker's Landing

Kaydon does his best to defend the longboat until the last possible second to jump into it. Had he waited a moment longer he'd be swimming back to Yamato.

He stands up as Mikage yells out, trying to get eyes on who she's talking about. Not that he expects he'd be able to reach Proteus. Not without drowning himself.

Thankfully it seems he won't have to, as Arashi goes into the water without a moment of hesitation. Kaydon does go to grab a rope, quickly tying a knot to make a loop and tossing it back out towards the two of them, "Arashi, grab hold!"
Jazuhanzu
Seeker's Landing

Jazz is left panting. Ice clings to her black clothes, decaying rapidly from the armor she conjured for herself earlier. She's soaked, of course, and a few dead jellyfish are clinging to her clothes from where the water struck her herself. She brushes them away as they dissolve and she lets out a sight And then Arashi is leaping out and she blinks her eyes,, all luminously amber, in his direction. "What?"

Seems she was so focused on what she was doing that she missed the reason entirely.
Miho
Seeker's Landing

Miho is able to just get to the longboat before they head out she'll have her bow in hand and she looks to Shiruba. "I'm on it anyone left behind might be worse than death. We don't know what the Palace Lands want. We are not leaving anyone behind if we can help it." She'll get out her bow and will give cover fire to those who need it.
Proteus
Seeker's Landing

Proteus begins to drop into the watery dark, her thoughts fragmenting as her oxygen meter depletes, her consciousness beginning to dissolve like foam on the waves...

How appropriate, she reflects with what little she can marshal...

Until her fragmentary philisophical reflections are suddenly interrupted by being yanked out of the water with a mighty heave. With an undignified squeal, Proteus gasps and splutters, coughing up water as she is dragged out into relative safety. She tries to say something, but little more than a whispery gurgle emanates from her.

But at least she's alive.
Rizadoman
Seeker's Landing


    Rizadoman hears everything happening and is about to jump in and do what needs to be done before Arashi is already on it. Once Arashi is safely back in to the boat he turns and watches the land they are leaving. With a loud roar as the row away Rizadoman once again unleashes flames up into the sky like the day in past when he challenged the dragon. His shield on his arm glows red as he issues the challenge to the palace landers, a challenge saying this wasn't done.
Arashi
Seeker's Landing


    "Talk later," Arashi's quick to point out to the sputtering imp, treading water toward the boat. The rope from Kaydon gets a nod and a "Thanks, Kaydon!" as she works to get herself, and Proteus, into the boat. With a bit of rummaging around, the dire-shire finally has a seat, puts Proteus down to one side, and then slumps against the edge. "Well, I guess we learned not to do -that- again. Effed if I know what we really did." Sigh. Time for boat. Stupid boat. Stupid Palace Lands.
Miho
Seeker's Landing

Miho is looking pretty tired as she flops down in the boat. She's not sure what ot think right now. She just looks tired but also rather angry as well....
Haru
Seeker's Landing

Haru's link keeps going off as he boards the boat and takes an uneasey seat. Adrenaline wears off. The sort of stuff that gives the bursts needed in times of stress. It isn't stopping, though, as the communications stream. He gives a couple taps and hovers over turning them off. "Looks like the epicenter of a major change," he says to himself as a finger brushes over a tear in his outfit from arrow fire. Blue eyes shift. He looks around a moment before changing course. He stands back up and start to walk it off at a slow pace. "Its a good thing there are so many good people working hard, then." Smile.