Side Story The Goddess II: Fate of the Old Gods

Sark

Im-im-impossible!!
PRELUDE
The War we're fighting?
It's been going on for a while. Longer than any of us would care to admit.
Some say it started with the Battle for the Tomb, the last Battle in the Godless War.
Some say it started with the Blackheart and the Attack on the Citadel.
But I know the truth. It started much earlier than that.
It started long before the Chosen. It started long before the Goddess.

It started with a man named...

Arcade.

But this isn't his story. No. This is the story of the children he left behind.
This is the story of those he broke and those he forged.
This is a story of falling dominoes. It's a story of Gods and Men, and whatever lies in between.
It is a story of Choices and Consequences. A story of Sins and Sympathies.

This is the story of the Goddess' Chosen and those who stood by them. This is the story of the Champions of the Arena.
This is the story of the New Godless.

But most importantly, this is a story that starts at the bottom of a deep, dark pit.
Because once there's nowhere else to fall, the only way is up...

PROLOGUE: LOST IN THOUGHT, ALL ALONE
The weight of the void is unimaginable.
The ringing in your ears is agonizing.
Oblivion.
Its been tormenting your for years.
Its hard to remember a time before the void.
Everywhere you turn.
Darkness.
Everything you touch.
Darkness.
Everything is so dark.
So cold.
So dark...
So cold...

A light. A spark in the void.
Your eyes must be playing tricks on you.
There's no way it can be...

No... There it is. A light burning in the darkness.
It's getting closer by the second. Closer! Closer!
It washes over you like a wave. The wind roars in its wake!
The light of reality breathes now life into your old bones!
From the heart of the wave a silhouette emerges. She twirls her staff around her head rhythmically.
You can hear something... is that... singing!?
A beating drum.
A rhythm!!
She's getting closer! Closer! A figure crawls behind her.
The dancer dances through the light so effortlessly, but her companion?
He can barely endure it. He reaches out to you. His eyes plead with you.
Light light starts to flicker. His features become clear.
View attachment 5301
"Take my hand!" He commands. The wind rolls louder. It's hard to hear him! It's hard to think! The stranger is slowly dragged back across void. He scrambles to fight the pull. He reaches out again. "Please! No questions! Just take it! TAKE IIIIIITTTTTT!!!!"

You lunge forward! Your hands collide!

"YES! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!"

Together, you soar back across the void. You fall into the heart of the light. The dancer, exhausted, drops he staff and falls to her knees. She too begins to slip back into the black.

"AZURA! STAY WITH ME!" The stranger reaches out towards her. He catches her lip hand. "PLEASE! YOU NEED TO WAKE UP!"

She remains unresponsive.

"PLEASE!" He screams. He wraps his fingers around her necklace and pulls her in closer. "YOU NEED TO WAKE UP! WE CAN'T GET OUT OF HERE WITHOUT YOU!"

The blue light fades. An emerald light burns in its place. It's getting closer!

"No no no no no no!" He screams desperately. "Come on Azura! Please! We need you!"

The light burns brighter. Green burning tendrils stretch forth. They coil around you as you fall, pulling you in. With every passing second, the air grows hotter. It's unbearable.

"AZURA!!! PLEASE!!!"

Her eyelips flicker open. She opens her mouth and whispers a few weak words.

"Embrace the dark..."
"You call a home..."
"Gaze upon upon an empty white Rome..."
"A legacy of lies..."
"A familar disguise.."


"Yes! Yes!" The Stranger roars. Crystal water begins to pour from her chest. It battles the green. It lashes out at it like a whip. The Green light is mighty, but the blue hold its own. It slowly drives back the Goddess' Emerald glow.

"Sing with me a song..."
"Of... conquest...an...and..."

"And fate!" The Stranger joins in the best he can. His voice is weak. Flat. But he's doing what he can. He closes his eyes to fight the terror. "For the river cracks-"
"Beneath its weight....!"
"Night breaks
through the day!"
"Hard as a stone, lost in thought...."
"ALL ALONE!"

Azura's water twists into a raging storm. With one final wave, is smothers the emerald glow. It drowns it! The water flood the void. You feel its cool surface wash over you. It purifies you. For the first time in years, you feel truly awake!

You hold your breath as you take the plunge...

***
View attachment 5302
You awoke to the sound of a dozen souls gasping for air.
It's the first breath you've swallowed in far too long.
You awoke in the arms of a great stone angels.
You were ushered off the alter a second later.
Another stranger appeared on the alter.
Then another.
Then another.
A few seconds later, Odin and Azura came tumbling down upon the stone tiles. A lavender haired healer rand to the dancer's side.
Odin, shaken, but uninjured, punched the sky a cheered like a child.
View attachment 5305
"I told you it would work!" He panted desperately. "The Dark Spirits protected us again! I told you!"

A familiar figure approached him and helped him to his feet.
View attachment 5306
"And Azura nearly died in the process, Odin."
Ferdinand muttered. "I hope you found what we were looking for. We won't be able to pull this trick again. Yuri, how is she?"
View attachment 5308
"She could be better." Yuri hummed. He delicately laid Azura, head back down against the tiles and left her to rest. "Then again, we all could be better. She's alive, if that's what you're asking. She's going to be okay."

"How long until she's safe to warp?"

"Warp? We can't warp her like this!"
Yuri protested. "Her body might be recovering, but the ritual burned her soul. If we Warp her now, we risk dissipating her consciousness across the cosmos. Believe me, that won't be as fun as it sounds. She needs time."

"So we're stuck here?"

"For now we are, yes. If we need to clear out, we're going to have to do it with the feet Sothis gave us. But let's hope it doesn't come to that. Giving twenty-odd scared and angry strangers directions out of here sounds like a recipe for disaster."

"Then we'll have to find another way."

"So optimistic, Ferdinand! Is that a hint of hope I hear in your tone?"

"Maybe it is, Yuri. For the first time in years, things we stand a chance!"

"A small chance, yes. But the deck isn't stacked in our favor just yet. We still have a war to win. Compared to that? The ritual will seem like a cake walk."


"You're right." Ferdie sighed. "As usual, you're right. We can still---!"

[BOOM] [BOOM] [BOOM]

A great beating sound echoed down the tunnels of Abyss. A battering ram was striking down a distant door.

"We've been found!"


"Well, it was always going to happen eventually." Odin sighed. He crouched down beside Azura and took her in his arms. With an exhausted sigh, he did his best to pick her up. "Where's to exit, Boss?"

"Nope," Ferdinand protested. "You're not carrying her. Not in your state." He took Azura from Odin's arms and slumped her over his shoulder. "Find someone to support you before you start supporting others."

Odin opened his mouth to rebut. Ferdie cut him off.

"--And don't try telling me that the Dark Spirits are supporting you, O. Right now, you need a crutch. Yuri?"

"A crutch?" Yuri teased as he flocked to Odin's side. He threw his arm over his shoulder and steadied the staggering Mage. "I can't help but feeling as if my skills are being wasted in this position..."

"What about the others?" Odin interjected. "If you think I'm going to be whisked away to safety whilst these people stay sleeping, well... you have another thing coming!"

"There are a lot of them... to many to carry... Odin, are you sure you grabbed the right guys? Are you sure you didn't pick up a few hitchhikers on your way back?"

"Hitchhikers!" Odin gasped. "I would never! The Dark Spirits guided my hand! It may have mind of its own, but the spirits guided it across its destined path! These are people we need, I'm sure of it. The Chosen. The Champions. The Rebels. They're all here. Just as it was foretold!"
View attachment 5309
"It's okay, Yuri. I recognize some of these guys. They're dependable. Loyal. Strong. They resisted the Goddess once. They'll do it again." Ferdie adjusted Azura's position on his shoulder. He looked down towards the waking souls. "What about you guys? Can you fight? No. Forget I asked. You're going to have to. Carry each other the best you can, and we'll protect you whenever we're able. I promise you, we'll explain everything we can on the journey."

"Right now, we need to move. On your feet, brothers, and run like your lives depend on it!!!"


BLACKEST NIGHT
@Capri as Jeffrey Koval (EverymanHYBRID)
@Capri Roman Halliday (OC)
@Crunch as the Doom Slayer (DOOM)
@Jeremi as Valkyrie (Marvel Comics)
@Lucky as Henry Hart (Henry Danger)
@Lucky as Beauregard Lionett (Critical Role)
@Lucky as Jester Lavorre (Critical Role)
@Minerva as Valla (Diablo)
@Takumi as Alice Swayne (Ancient Magus Bride)

@Takumi as Ashe (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
@Takumi as Silque (Fire Emblem: Echoes)
@Yun Lee as Rei Amayado (Hypnosis Mic)
@Yun Lee as Kolin (Street Fighter)
@Sark as Wallace West (DC)
@Sark as Various NPCs
 
JEFFREY KOVAL
[ENTER THE GUARDIAN]

Jeff always had a spark in him. He always had an urge, an urge in him to protect the innocent no matter what.

Maybe that’s why he was sent to the void, to prevent him from standing in the way of The Goddess and the children she was about to slaughter.

The void was washed away with a flood, and Jeff awoke with a spattering cough.

The sounds of Ferdinand, Yuri, and Odin’s bickering wasn’t the alarm Jeff wanted, but this could do...


Jeff stood up as the battering ram echoed against the wall.

Instantly, his eyes wandered to the other waking souls, more specifically, the ones not waking.

Scooping Maddie Palmer up onto his shoulder, he ran over to Ferdinand.

“Are the children safe?” he asked, referring to the children he helped escape from the Fellowship.

Roman Halliday, on the other hand, would not be picked up by Jeff, and would have to be picked up by someone else.

@Sark @EveryoneElse​
 
If you've got any worth as a conman, then you need to know how to cheat. Honestly, if there was a course on swindling, that'd be lesson one. If you can't rig a game of chance to be in your favor, if you can't even copy your classmate's homework without being caught, then you have no chance of getting far in this business. A good conman can do all those things and never get caught. A great conman can run pyramid schemes and larger scale scams.

And Rei Amayado can cheat death itself.

He grunted as he returned to the light, using his sunglasses to help him adjust better. Even at 46 his eyes were still sharp, but age takes its toll on even the best. He didn't remember much. Let's see...he was at the ball, went to his room to get more notes ready for Gill...then what? Shit. That'd be annoying if he didn't figure out...

But naturally time was what he didn't have at the moment. He stood, feeling himself get used to being on his feet again. He'd caught a few words: Chosen, Champion, Rebel. He was none of those...but they didn't know that now, did they? When in Rome, you don't just do as the Romans do. You do it so goddamn well and with enough conficence? You trick them into thinking you've been a Roman your whole life.

Of course, he noticed beside him a young lady was fast asleep. And a pretty one, too...blonde hair and curves. She almost looked familiar, but he'd been in darkness for so long he just couldn't place her yet. Why not start this next chapter on a good note? He knelt down, scooping the unconscious woman into his arms as he followed after the boys who brought them here. No point sticking around this dump.

@Sark @Everyone​
 
Henry Hart and Jester Lavorre

Henry just stared at them. It didn't take long to process that something had happened. Something that wasn't supposed to. But here he was again with a bunch of strangers. At least this time, they weren't trying to kill him. At least that was going for him. He took a deep breath. " We don't consider ourselves Champions, that's not the title we used. Those who made it out, we call ourselves Survivors. There were no Champions there. Just people forced into a desperate situation where we had choices."

Jester managed to wake up. Beau was still unconscious for now. " I got her," she replied picking up her friend.

Henry sighed and looked around. "
I'll try and move this guy," he replied, picking up Roman.

@Sark @Everyone
 
PRELUDE
The War we're fighting?
It's been going on for a while. Longer than any of us would care to admit.
Some say it started with the Battle for the Tomb, the last Battle in the Godless War.
Some say it started with the Blackheart and the Attack on the Citadel.
But I know the truth. It started much earlier than that.
It started long before the Chosen. It started long before the Goddess.

It started with a man named...

Arcade.

But this isn't his story. No. This is the story of the children he left behind.
This is the story of those he broke and those he forged.
This is a story of falling dominoes. It's a story of Gods and Men, and whatever lies in between.
It is a story of Choices and Consequences. A story of Sins and Sympathies.

This is the story of the Goddess' Chosen and those who stood by them. This is the story of the Champions of the Arena.
This is the story of the New Godless.

But most importantly, this is a story that starts at the bottom of a deep, dark pit.
Because once there's nowhere else to fall, the only way is up...

PROLOGUE: LOST IN THOUGHT, ALL ALONE
The weight of the void is unimaginable.
The ringing in your ears is agonizing.
Oblivion.
Its been tormenting your for years.
Its hard to remember a time before the void.
Everywhere you turn.
Darkness.
Everything you touch.
Darkness.
Everything is so dark.
So cold.
So dark...
So cold...

A light. A spark in the void.
Your eyes must be playing tricks on you.
There's no way it can be...

No... There it is. A light burning in the darkness.
It's getting closer by the second. Closer! Closer!
It washes over you like a wave. The wind roars in its wake!
The light of reality breathes now life into your old bones!
From the heart of the wave a silhouette emerges. She twirls her staff around her head rhythmically.
You can hear something... is that... singing!?
A beating drum.
A rhythm!!
She's getting closer! Closer! A figure crawls behind her.
The dancer dances through the light so effortlessly, but her companion?
He can barely endure it. He reaches out to you. His eyes plead with you.
Light light starts to flicker. His features become clear.
View attachment 5301
"Take my hand!" He commands. The wind rolls louder. It's hard to hear him! It's hard to think! The stranger is slowly dragged back across void. He scrambles to fight the pull. He reaches out again. "Please! No questions! Just take it! TAKE IIIIIITTTTTT!!!!"

You lunge forward! Your hands collide!

"YES! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!"

Together, you soar back across the void. You fall into the heart of the light. The dancer, exhausted, drops he staff and falls to her knees. She too begins to slip back into the black.

"AZURA! STAY WITH ME!" The stranger reaches out towards her. He catches her lip hand. "PLEASE! YOU NEED TO WAKE UP!"

She remains unresponsive.

"PLEASE!" He screams. He wraps his fingers around her necklace and pulls her in closer. "YOU NEED TO WAKE UP! WE CAN'T GET OUT OF HERE WITHOUT YOU!"

The blue light fades. An emerald light burns in its place. It's getting closer!

"No no no no no no!" He screams desperately. "Come on Azura! Please! We need you!"

The light burns brighter. Green burning tendrils stretch forth. They coil around you as you fall, pulling you in. With every passing second, the air grows hotter. It's unbearable.

"AZURA!!! PLEASE!!!"

Her eyelips flicker open. She opens her mouth and whispers a few weak words.

"Embrace the dark..."
"You call a home..."
"Gaze upon upon an empty white Rome..."
"A legacy of lies..."
"A familar disguise.."


"Yes! Yes!" The Stranger roars. Crystal water begins to pour from her chest. It battles the green. It lashes out at it like a whip. The Green light is mighty, but the blue hold its own. It slowly drives back the Goddess' Emerald glow.

"Sing with me a song..."
"Of... conquest...an...and..."

"And fate!" The Stranger joins in the best he can. His voice is weak. Flat. But he's doing what he can. He closes his eyes to fight the terror. "For the river cracks-"
"Beneath its weight....!"
"Night breaks
through the day!"
"Hard as a stone, lost in thought...."
"ALL ALONE!"

Azura's water twists into a raging storm. With one final wave, is smothers the emerald glow. It drowns it! The water flood the void. You feel its cool surface wash over you. It purifies you. For the first time in years, you feel truly awake!

You hold your breath as you take the plunge...

***
View attachment 5302
You awoke to the sound of a dozen souls gasping for air.
It's the first breath you've swallowed in far too long.
You awoke in the arms of a great stone angels.
You were ushered off the alter a second later.
Another stranger appeared on the alter.
Then another.
Then another.
A few seconds later, Odin and Azura came tumbling down upon the stone tiles. A lavender haired healer rand to the dancer's side.
Odin, shaken, but uninjured, punched the sky a cheered like a child.
View attachment 5305
"I told you it would work!" He panted desperately. "The Dark Spirits protected us again! I told you!"

A familiar figure approached him and helped him to his feet.
View attachment 5306
"And Azura nearly died in the process, Odin."
Ferdinand muttered. "I hope you found what we were looking for. We won't be able to pull this trick again. Yuri, how is she?"
View attachment 5308
"She could be better." Yuri hummed. He delicately laid Azura, head back down against the tiles and left her to rest. "Then again, we all could be better. She's alive, if that's what you're asking. She's going to be okay."

"How long until she's safe to warp?"

"Warp? We can't warp her like this!" Yuri protested. "Her body might be recovering, but the ritual burned her soul. If we Warp her now, we risk dissipating her consciousness across the cosmos. Believe me, that won't be as fun as it sounds. She needs time."

"So we're stuck here?"

"For now we are, yes. If we need to clear out, we're going to have to do it with the feet Sothis gave us. But let's hope it doesn't come to that. Giving twenty-odd scared and angry strangers directions out of here sounds like a recipe for disaster."

"Then we'll have to find another way."

"So optimistic, Ferdinand! Is that a hint of hope I hear in your tone?"

"Maybe it is, Yuri. For the first time in years, things we stand a chance!"

"A small chance, yes. But the deck isn't stacked in our favor just yet. We still have a war to win. Compared to that? The ritual will seem like a cake walk."

"You're right." Ferdie sighed. "As usual, you're right. We can still---!"

[BOOM] [BOOM] [BOOM]

A great beating sound echoed down the tunnels of Abyss. A battering ram was striking down a distant door.

"We've been found!"

"Well, it was always going to happen eventually." Odin sighed. He crouched down beside Azura and took her in his arms. With an exhausted sigh, he did his best to pick her up. "Where's to exit, Boss?"

"Nope," Ferdinand protested. "You're not carrying her. Not in your state." He took Azura from Odin's arms and slumped her over his shoulder. "Find someone to support you before you start supporting others."

Odin opened his mouth to rebut. Ferdie cut him off.

"--And don't try telling me that the Dark Spirits are supporting you, O. Right now, you need a crutch. Yuri?"

"A crutch?" Yuri teased as he flocked to Odin's side. He threw his arm over his shoulder and steadied the staggering Mage. "I can't help but feeling as if my skills are being wasted in this position..."

"What about the others?" Odin interjected. "If you think I'm going to be whisked away to safety whilst these people stay sleeping, well... you have another thing coming!"

"There are a lot of them... to many to carry... Odin, are you sure you grabbed the right guys? Are you sure you didn't pick up a few hitchhikers on your way back?"

"Hitchhikers!" Odin gasped. "I would never! The Dark Spirits guided my hand! It may have mind of its own, but the spirits guided it across its destined path! These are people we need, I'm sure of it. The Chosen. The Champions. The Rebels. They're all here. Just as it was foretold!"
View attachment 5309
"It's okay, Yuri. I recognize some of these guys. They're dependable. Loyal. Strong. They resisted the Goddess once. They'll do it again." Ferdie adjusted Azura's position on his shoulder. He looked down towards the waking souls. "What about you guys? Can you fight? No. Forget I asked. You're going to have to. Carry each other the best you can, and we'll protect you whenever we're able. I promise you, we'll explain everything we can on the journey."

"Right now, we need to move. On your feet, brothers, and run like your lives depend on it!!!"


BLACKEST NIGHT
@Capri as Jeffrey Koval (EverymanHYBRID)
@Capri Roman Halliday (OC)
@Crunch as the Doom Slayer (DOOM)
@Jeremi as Valkyrie (Marvel Comics)
@Lucky as Henry Hart (Henry Danger)
@Lucky as Beauregard Lionett (Critical Role)
@Lucky as Jester Lavorre (Critical Role)
@Minerva as Valla (Diablo)
@Takumi as Alice Swayne (Ancient Magus Bride)

@Takumi as Ashe (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
@Takumi as Silque (Fire Emblem: Echoes)
@Yun Lee as Rei Amayado (Hypnosis Mic)
@Yun Lee as Kolin (Street Fighter)
@Sark as Wallace West (DC)
@Sark as Various NPCs

As the orange-haired pretty boy spoke, one of them had already scooped up a massive demonic figure over her shoulders like it was a bag of flour.

8OzaF55.png


"Aye, fair-haired one," The woman replied. "When we are out of here, Valkyrie is ready to hear thine tale." As she walked Valkyrie's mind began to wander. What had there been before the darkness? A well-deserved rest after saving reality and then the Exiles had gone back to work. Then as their adventures had continued...the Emerald Empire, a red thread through a lot of their adventures until...ambushed. Valkyrie had urged the others to escape, while she stayed behind. She hoped they had managed to escape her fate. Once they were out of this place she wanted answers.​

@Sark @Everyone
 
Last edited:
PRELUDE
The War we're fighting?
It's been going on for a while. Longer than any of us would care to admit.
Some say it started with the Battle for the Tomb, the last Battle in the Godless War.
Some say it started with the Blackheart and the Attack on the Citadel.
But I know the truth. It started much earlier than that.
It started long before the Chosen. It started long before the Goddess.

It started with a man named...

Arcade.

But this isn't his story. No. This is the story of the children he left behind.
This is the story of those he broke and those he forged.
This is a story of falling dominoes. It's a story of Gods and Men, and whatever lies in between.
It is a story of Choices and Consequences. A story of Sins and Sympathies.

This is the story of the Goddess' Chosen and those who stood by them. This is the story of the Champions of the Arena.
This is the story of the New Godless.

But most importantly, this is a story that starts at the bottom of a deep, dark pit.
Because once there's nowhere else to fall, the only way is up...

PROLOGUE: LOST IN THOUGHT, ALL ALONE
The weight of the void is unimaginable.
The ringing in your ears is agonizing.
Oblivion.
Its been tormenting your for years.
Its hard to remember a time before the void.
Everywhere you turn.
Darkness.
Everything you touch.
Darkness.
Everything is so dark.
So cold.
So dark...
So cold...

A light. A spark in the void.
Your eyes must be playing tricks on you.
There's no way it can be...

No... There it is. A light burning in the darkness.
It's getting closer by the second. Closer! Closer!
It washes over you like a wave. The wind roars in its wake!
The light of reality breathes now life into your old bones!
From the heart of the wave a silhouette emerges. She twirls her staff around her head rhythmically.
You can hear something... is that... singing!?
A beating drum.
A rhythm!!
She's getting closer! Closer! A figure crawls behind her.
The dancer dances through the light so effortlessly, but her companion?
He can barely endure it. He reaches out to you. His eyes plead with you.
Light light starts to flicker. His features become clear.
View attachment 5301
"Take my hand!" He commands. The wind rolls louder. It's hard to hear him! It's hard to think! The stranger is slowly dragged back across void. He scrambles to fight the pull. He reaches out again. "Please! No questions! Just take it! TAKE IIIIIITTTTTT!!!!"

You lunge forward! Your hands collide!

"YES! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!"

Together, you soar back across the void. You fall into the heart of the light. The dancer, exhausted, drops he staff and falls to her knees. She too begins to slip back into the black.

"AZURA! STAY WITH ME!" The stranger reaches out towards her. He catches her lip hand. "PLEASE! YOU NEED TO WAKE UP!"

She remains unresponsive.

"PLEASE!" He screams. He wraps his fingers around her necklace and pulls her in closer. "YOU NEED TO WAKE UP! WE CAN'T GET OUT OF HERE WITHOUT YOU!"

The blue light fades. An emerald light burns in its place. It's getting closer!

"No no no no no no!" He screams desperately. "Come on Azura! Please! We need you!"

The light burns brighter. Green burning tendrils stretch forth. They coil around you as you fall, pulling you in. With every passing second, the air grows hotter. It's unbearable.

"AZURA!!! PLEASE!!!"

Her eyelips flicker open. She opens her mouth and whispers a few weak words.

"Embrace the dark..."
"You call a home..."
"Gaze upon upon an empty white Rome..."
"A legacy of lies..."
"A familar disguise.."


"Yes! Yes!" The Stranger roars. Crystal water begins to pour from her chest. It battles the green. It lashes out at it like a whip. The Green light is mighty, but the blue hold its own. It slowly drives back the Goddess' Emerald glow.

"Sing with me a song..."
"Of... conquest...an...and..."

"And fate!" The Stranger joins in the best he can. His voice is weak. Flat. But he's doing what he can. He closes his eyes to fight the terror. "For the river cracks-"
"Beneath its weight....!"
"Night breaks
through the day!"
"Hard as a stone, lost in thought...."
"ALL ALONE!"

Azura's water twists into a raging storm. With one final wave, is smothers the emerald glow. It drowns it! The water flood the void. You feel its cool surface wash over you. It purifies you. For the first time in years, you feel truly awake!

You hold your breath as you take the plunge...

***
View attachment 5302
You awoke to the sound of a dozen souls gasping for air.
It's the first breath you've swallowed in far too long.
You awoke in the arms of a great stone angels.
You were ushered off the alter a second later.
Another stranger appeared on the alter.
Then another.
Then another.
A few seconds later, Odin and Azura came tumbling down upon the stone tiles. A lavender haired healer rand to the dancer's side.
Odin, shaken, but uninjured, punched the sky a cheered like a child.
View attachment 5305
"I told you it would work!" He panted desperately. "The Dark Spirits protected us again! I told you!"

A familiar figure approached him and helped him to his feet.
View attachment 5306
"And Azura nearly died in the process, Odin."
Ferdinand muttered. "I hope you found what we were looking for. We won't be able to pull this trick again. Yuri, how is she?"
View attachment 5308
"She could be better." Yuri hummed. He delicately laid Azura, head back down against the tiles and left her to rest. "Then again, we all could be better. She's alive, if that's what you're asking. She's going to be okay."

"How long until she's safe to warp?"

"Warp? We can't warp her like this!" Yuri protested. "Her body might be recovering, but the ritual burned her soul. If we Warp her now, we risk dissipating her consciousness across the cosmos. Believe me, that won't be as fun as it sounds. She needs time."

"So we're stuck here?"

"For now we are, yes. If we need to clear out, we're going to have to do it with the feet Sothis gave us. But let's hope it doesn't come to that. Giving twenty-odd scared and angry strangers directions out of here sounds like a recipe for disaster."

"Then we'll have to find another way."

"So optimistic, Ferdinand! Is that a hint of hope I hear in your tone?"

"Maybe it is, Yuri. For the first time in years, things we stand a chance!"

"A small chance, yes. But the deck isn't stacked in our favor just yet. We still have a war to win. Compared to that? The ritual will seem like a cake walk."

"You're right." Ferdie sighed. "As usual, you're right. We can still---!"

[BOOM] [BOOM] [BOOM]

A great beating sound echoed down the tunnels of Abyss. A battering ram was striking down a distant door.

"We've been found!"

"Well, it was always going to happen eventually." Odin sighed. He crouched down beside Azura and took her in his arms. With an exhausted sigh, he did his best to pick her up. "Where's to exit, Boss?"

"Nope," Ferdinand protested. "You're not carrying her. Not in your state." He took Azura from Odin's arms and slumped her over his shoulder. "Find someone to support you before you start supporting others."

Odin opened his mouth to rebut. Ferdie cut him off.

"--And don't try telling me that the Dark Spirits are supporting you, O. Right now, you need a crutch. Yuri?"

"A crutch?" Yuri teased as he flocked to Odin's side. He threw his arm over his shoulder and steadied the staggering Mage. "I can't help but feeling as if my skills are being wasted in this position..."

"What about the others?" Odin interjected. "If you think I'm going to be whisked away to safety whilst these people stay sleeping, well... you have another thing coming!"

"There are a lot of them... to many to carry... Odin, are you sure you grabbed the right guys? Are you sure you didn't pick up a few hitchhikers on your way back?"

"Hitchhikers!" Odin gasped. "I would never! The Dark Spirits guided my hand! It may have mind of its own, but the spirits guided it across its destined path! These are people we need, I'm sure of it. The Chosen. The Champions. The Rebels. They're all here. Just as it was foretold!"
View attachment 5309
"It's okay, Yuri. I recognize some of these guys. They're dependable. Loyal. Strong. They resisted the Goddess once. They'll do it again." Ferdie adjusted Azura's position on his shoulder. He looked down towards the waking souls. "What about you guys? Can you fight? No. Forget I asked. You're going to have to. Carry each other the best you can, and we'll protect you whenever we're able. I promise you, we'll explain everything we can on the journey."

"Right now, we need to move. On your feet, brothers, and run like your lives depend on it!!!"


BLACKEST NIGHT
@Capri as Jeffrey Koval (EverymanHYBRID)
@Capri Roman Halliday (OC)
@Crunch as the Doom Slayer (DOOM)
@Jeremi as Valkyrie (Marvel Comics)
@Lucky as Henry Hart (Henry Danger)
@Lucky as Beauregard Lionett (Critical Role)
@Lucky as Jester Lavorre (Critical Role)
@Minerva as Valla (Diablo)
@Takumi as Alice Swayne (Ancient Magus Bride)

@Takumi as Ashe (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
@Takumi as Silque (Fire Emblem: Echoes)
@Yun Lee as Rei Amayado (Hypnosis Mic)
@Yun Lee as Kolin (Street Fighter)
@Sark as Wallace West (DC)
@Sark as Various NPCs

Alice never liked the title of Champion. In fact, she just about hated it. Surviving the absolute hellhole that was the Arena didn't feel like a win between killing Arcade and going home, never had and never would, probably. Well, killing Arcade felt like a win regardless, but still.

When was the last time she could just relax at home and share a drink with Renfred? Not think about the Church's weird organization or their annoying observers or whatever the fuck they were called or The College and not thinking about ending up in more multiversal bullshit.

She couldn't even remember the exact reason she was reached out to in the first place by the voice of that woman...what was her name again? Either way, she decided that after this she was going to get shitfaced drunk and take some time off to just relax and be normal for once in her damn life.

Heat traveled under her skin in irritation as she found herself blinking awake then squinting at Ferdinand for a moment.

She kept squinting even when she took a moment to get her bearings. When did she sit up? Ah, fuck it now wasn't the time.

Cracking her knuckles with a huff, she got to her feet and took a moment to get used to standing again before moving to pick up Silque. Slinging her over her shoulder as carefully as possible the woman scowled as she grabbed Ashe by his collar and tried to do the same. If she thought of it like carrying two big bags of mulch she'd be fine, right?

Peace and quiet can never last can it? It seemed that it was way too quick for them to be found, but what did she know? She'd been in the dark, literally, for...for who knows.

21a3c543b03aad1ef25c0ddc35d4017be90a3b0b.jpg


"I can fight if I fucking have to." She grumbled under her breath and set to work following the others and trying to keep up without jostling her cargo too much. She wasn't worried about herself one bit compared to those still sleeping and unable to defend themselves.

@Sark @Everyone
 
PRELUDE
The War we're fighting?
It's been going on for a while. Longer than any of us would care to admit.
Some say it started with the Battle for the Tomb, the last Battle in the Godless War.
Some say it started with the Blackheart and the Attack on the Citadel.
But I know the truth. It started much earlier than that.
It started long before the Chosen. It started long before the Goddess.

It started with a man named...

Arcade.

But this isn't his story. No. This is the story of the children he left behind.
This is the story of those he broke and those he forged.
This is a story of falling dominoes. It's a story of Gods and Men, and whatever lies in between.
It is a story of Choices and Consequences. A story of Sins and Sympathies.

This is the story of the Goddess' Chosen and those who stood by them. This is the story of the Champions of the Arena.
This is the story of the New Godless.

But most importantly, this is a story that starts at the bottom of a deep, dark pit.
Because once there's nowhere else to fall, the only way is up...

PROLOGUE: LOST IN THOUGHT, ALL ALONE
The weight of the void is unimaginable.
The ringing in your ears is agonizing.
Oblivion.
Its been tormenting your for years.
Its hard to remember a time before the void.
Everywhere you turn.
Darkness.
Everything you touch.
Darkness.
Everything is so dark.
So cold.
So dark...
So cold...

A light. A spark in the void.
Your eyes must be playing tricks on you.
There's no way it can be...

No... There it is. A light burning in the darkness.
It's getting closer by the second. Closer! Closer!
It washes over you like a wave. The wind roars in its wake!
The light of reality breathes now life into your old bones!
From the heart of the wave a silhouette emerges. She twirls her staff around her head rhythmically.
You can hear something... is that... singing!?
A beating drum.
A rhythm!!
She's getting closer! Closer! A figure crawls behind her.
The dancer dances through the light so effortlessly, but her companion?
He can barely endure it. He reaches out to you. His eyes plead with you.
Light light starts to flicker. His features become clear.
View attachment 5301
"Take my hand!" He commands. The wind rolls louder. It's hard to hear him! It's hard to think! The stranger is slowly dragged back across void. He scrambles to fight the pull. He reaches out again. "Please! No questions! Just take it! TAKE IIIIIITTTTTT!!!!"

You lunge forward! Your hands collide!

"YES! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!"

Together, you soar back across the void. You fall into the heart of the light. The dancer, exhausted, drops he staff and falls to her knees. She too begins to slip back into the black.

"AZURA! STAY WITH ME!" The stranger reaches out towards her. He catches her lip hand. "PLEASE! YOU NEED TO WAKE UP!"

She remains unresponsive.

"PLEASE!" He screams. He wraps his fingers around her necklace and pulls her in closer. "YOU NEED TO WAKE UP! WE CAN'T GET OUT OF HERE WITHOUT YOU!"

The blue light fades. An emerald light burns in its place. It's getting closer!

"No no no no no no!" He screams desperately. "Come on Azura! Please! We need you!"

The light burns brighter. Green burning tendrils stretch forth. They coil around you as you fall, pulling you in. With every passing second, the air grows hotter. It's unbearable.

"AZURA!!! PLEASE!!!"

Her eyelips flicker open. She opens her mouth and whispers a few weak words.

"Embrace the dark..."
"You call a home..."
"Gaze upon upon an empty white Rome..."
"A legacy of lies..."
"A familar disguise.."


"Yes! Yes!" The Stranger roars. Crystal water begins to pour from her chest. It battles the green. It lashes out at it like a whip. The Green light is mighty, but the blue hold its own. It slowly drives back the Goddess' Emerald glow.

"Sing with me a song..."
"Of... conquest...an...and..."

"And fate!" The Stranger joins in the best he can. His voice is weak. Flat. But he's doing what he can. He closes his eyes to fight the terror. "For the river cracks-"
"Beneath its weight....!"
"Night breaks
through the day!"
"Hard as a stone, lost in thought...."
"ALL ALONE!"

Azura's water twists into a raging storm. With one final wave, is smothers the emerald glow. It drowns it! The water flood the void. You feel its cool surface wash over you. It purifies you. For the first time in years, you feel truly awake!

You hold your breath as you take the plunge...

***
View attachment 5302
You awoke to the sound of a dozen souls gasping for air.
It's the first breath you've swallowed in far too long.
You awoke in the arms of a great stone angels.
You were ushered off the alter a second later.
Another stranger appeared on the alter.
Then another.
Then another.
A few seconds later, Odin and Azura came tumbling down upon the stone tiles. A lavender haired healer rand to the dancer's side.
Odin, shaken, but uninjured, punched the sky a cheered like a child.
View attachment 5305
"I told you it would work!" He panted desperately. "The Dark Spirits protected us again! I told you!"

A familiar figure approached him and helped him to his feet.
View attachment 5306
"And Azura nearly died in the process, Odin."
Ferdinand muttered. "I hope you found what we were looking for. We won't be able to pull this trick again. Yuri, how is she?"
View attachment 5308
"She could be better." Yuri hummed. He delicately laid Azura, head back down against the tiles and left her to rest. "Then again, we all could be better. She's alive, if that's what you're asking. She's going to be okay."

"How long until she's safe to warp?"

"Warp? We can't warp her like this!" Yuri protested. "Her body might be recovering, but the ritual burned her soul. If we Warp her now, we risk dissipating her consciousness across the cosmos. Believe me, that won't be as fun as it sounds. She needs time."

"So we're stuck here?"

"For now we are, yes. If we need to clear out, we're going to have to do it with the feet Sothis gave us. But let's hope it doesn't come to that. Giving twenty-odd scared and angry strangers directions out of here sounds like a recipe for disaster."

"Then we'll have to find another way."

"So optimistic, Ferdinand! Is that a hint of hope I hear in your tone?"

"Maybe it is, Yuri. For the first time in years, things we stand a chance!"

"A small chance, yes. But the deck isn't stacked in our favor just yet. We still have a war to win. Compared to that? The ritual will seem like a cake walk."

"You're right." Ferdie sighed. "As usual, you're right. We can still---!"

[BOOM] [BOOM] [BOOM]

A great beating sound echoed down the tunnels of Abyss. A battering ram was striking down a distant door.

"We've been found!"

"Well, it was always going to happen eventually." Odin sighed. He crouched down beside Azura and took her in his arms. With an exhausted sigh, he did his best to pick her up. "Where's to exit, Boss?"

"Nope," Ferdinand protested. "You're not carrying her. Not in your state." He took Azura from Odin's arms and slumped her over his shoulder. "Find someone to support you before you start supporting others."

Odin opened his mouth to rebut. Ferdie cut him off.

"--And don't try telling me that the Dark Spirits are supporting you, O. Right now, you need a crutch. Yuri?"

"A crutch?" Yuri teased as he flocked to Odin's side. He threw his arm over his shoulder and steadied the staggering Mage. "I can't help but feeling as if my skills are being wasted in this position..."

"What about the others?" Odin interjected. "If you think I'm going to be whisked away to safety whilst these people stay sleeping, well... you have another thing coming!"

"There are a lot of them... to many to carry... Odin, are you sure you grabbed the right guys? Are you sure you didn't pick up a few hitchhikers on your way back?"

"Hitchhikers!" Odin gasped. "I would never! The Dark Spirits guided my hand! It may have mind of its own, but the spirits guided it across its destined path! These are people we need, I'm sure of it. The Chosen. The Champions. The Rebels. They're all here. Just as it was foretold!"
View attachment 5309
"It's okay, Yuri. I recognize some of these guys. They're dependable. Loyal. Strong. They resisted the Goddess once. They'll do it again." Ferdie adjusted Azura's position on his shoulder. He looked down towards the waking souls. "What about you guys? Can you fight? No. Forget I asked. You're going to have to. Carry each other the best you can, and we'll protect you whenever we're able. I promise you, we'll explain everything we can on the journey."

"Right now, we need to move. On your feet, brothers, and run like your lives depend on it!!!"


BLACKEST NIGHT
@Capri as Jeffrey Koval (EverymanHYBRID)
@Capri Roman Halliday (OC)
@Crunch as the Doom Slayer (DOOM)
@Jeremi as Valkyrie (Marvel Comics)
@Lucky as Henry Hart (Henry Danger)
@Lucky as Beauregard Lionett (Critical Role)
@Lucky as Jester Lavorre (Critical Role)
@Minerva as Valla (Diablo)
@Takumi as Alice Swayne (Ancient Magus Bride)

@Takumi as Ashe (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
@Takumi as Silque (Fire Emblem: Echoes)
@Yun Lee as Rei Amayado (Hypnosis Mic)
@Yun Lee as Kolin (Street Fighter)
@Sark as Wallace West (DC)
@Sark as Various NPCs


THEY ARE RAGE

BRUTAL, WITHOUT MERCY

BUT YOU

YOU WILL BE WORSE

RIP AND TEAR UNTIL IT IS DONE.




When the fire and thunder had finally dimmed beyond the stone walls, the first and only thing he heard was their voices.

The heat in his muscles loosened almost immediately, a gust of cold air separating the skin from armor beneath the pale green plating. However, the unfamiliar breeze from the outside already tickled his forearms. Breath entered his lungs through the helmet filters as a muffled gasp of oxygen stirred him from his slumber. He raised a hand to his head, though he felt no hair nor flesh atop his skull. Metal, plastic, and glass. It was his helmet. His eyes fluttered open, revealing a pale, greenish pane of glass that separated him from the rest of the world.

His eyes turned slowly to one side, and then the other, surveying the damp stone chamber upon which the altar he awakened upon lay. Nothing else was in the room besides people. Two arms, two legs, one head - humans. No horns, no teeth, no glowing eyes. Not important. Need to keep waking up. Need a weapon.

There was work to be done.

View attachment 5315

Among the souls summoned and laid bare upon the altar of the stone angels, one slowly rose from the back of the pile. It was a soldier; a man sealed in an advanced suit of some technological fancy. His armor possessed a palish green coloration, with brown plates jostling loudly once the stranger flexed his limbs. No expression he made could be seen, as his face remained hidden behind a glass visor fastened on the front of his helm.

The only sound he made was the quiet, ragged breathing from his mask.

He placed a hand under his 'chin,' sharply twisting it to the side, eliciting a loud crack from his neck. One fist punched into his open palm, then squeezed the knuckles tightly. Crrrack. It happened again, on the other hand. Crrraack.

The stranger started towards the door, roughly shoving aside any chattering people in his way. The clap of cannons echoed down the tunnels of the Abyss. He reached a hand towards his backside, and wooden stock filled his hand. The stranger pulled a weapon out from behind himself.

It was a double-barrelled shotgun with some crude metal implement welded on its underside. The man clutched a pair of red shells from a small belt pouch, cracking open the barrel against his knee and slamming them in. With one sharp flick of his wrist, the shotgun closed with a cold snap.

The helmet turned slightly towards the voices continuing to chatter behind him.

"..."

He grunted and began to lurch towards the sound of combat.

@Sark @Anyone



 
Henry Hart

" I think we all had to learn to fight, even if we didn't want too. Not fighting wasn't a choice that we were given. You're Alice, right? It's been a while, so I'm Henry,"
he replied running his hand through his hair and adjusting his leather jacket. " Sucks we have to be involved in another war that we didn't start."

@Takumi @Sark
 
Henry Hart

" I think we all had to learn to fight, even if we didn't want too. Not fighting wasn't a choice that we were given. You're Alice, right? It's been a while, so I'm Henry,"
he replied running his hand through his hair and adjusting his leather jacket. " Sucks we have to be involved in another war that we didn't start."

@Takumi @Sark

"Yeah, I'm Alice," the blonde replied as she turned to look at Henry with narrowed eyes before recognition showed on her face a moment after. That's right, he was that one guy who wanted to put Arcade in jail or something, right? Or was it cuff him and leave him to wander the island until he died from starvation? The moments before that bitch kicked the bucket were a bit blurred and she didn't much care currently.

"Henry, hm? I've been fighting since I was thirteen. That damn island just put us all in a shitty situation where we had to." She shrugged, adjusting her grip on the two sleeping bodies. Continuing on after a brief glance at Doomguy, she frowned.

"It was all about survival, really. Kind of the same thing here, whether we want to be part of this or not we've been dragged into it. Priority now is get to safety." She grunted. She was done with the subject for now.

@Sark @Lucky
@Everyone
 
“Are the children safe?” he asked, referring to the children he helped escape from the Fellowship.

Roman Halliday, on the other hand, would not be picked up by Jeff, and would have to be picked up by someone else.

@Sark @EveryoneElse
The Ritual Chamber
View attachment 5333
"The children? I..." Ferdinand bit his tongue. "There's no easy way to say this Jeff. There's not right way to tell you but... We'll avenge them, friend. We'll avenge them together."

With a solemn expression, Ferdie adjusted Azura's position on his shoulder. He did his best to avoid Jeff's eyes as he hastily left the room.

"Once this is over, we're going to set things right. Trust me. We'll make it right."


Henry Hart and Jester Lavorre

Henry just stared at them. It didn't take long to process that something had happened. Something that wasn't supposed to. But here he was again with a bunch of strangers. At least this time, they weren't trying to kill him. At least that was going for him. He took a deep breath. " We don't consider ourselves Champions, that's not the title we used. Those who made it out, we call ourselves Survivors. There were no Champions there. Just people forced into a desperate situation where we had choices."

Jester managed to wake up. Beau was still unconscious for now. " I got her," she replied picking up her friend.

Henry sighed and looked around. "
I'll try and move this guy," he replied, picking up Roman.

@Sark @Everyone
"Yeah, I'm Alice," the blonde replied as she turned to look at Henry with narrowed eyes before recognition showed on her face a moment after. That's right, he was that one guy who wanted to put Arcade in jail or something, right? Or was it cuff him and leave him to wander the island until he died from starvation? The moments before that bitch kicked the bucket were a bit blurred and she didn't much care currently.

"Henry, hm? I've been fighting since I was thirteen. That damn island just put us all in a shitty situation where we had to." She shrugged, adjusting her grip on the two sleeping bodies. Continuing on after a brief glance at Doomguy, she frowned.

"It was all about survival, really. Kind of the same thing here, whether we want to be part of this or not we've been dragged into it. Priority now is get to safety." She grunted. She was done with the subject for now.

@Sark @Lucky
@Everyone
View attachment 5320
"Yeah, the whole 'Champions' thing comes with baggage." Wally muttered to himself, cradling his arm. "Everyone on Murder World lost something. The lucky ones lost their lives. The rest of us lost so much more."

"I haven't seen my kids in half a decade. I lost my arm, and for a while, it felt like I was loosing my mind. All thanks to Arcade. Want to remind me of how I'm a 'Champ', man?"

View attachment 5323
"Okay okay... I didn't realize it was such a sensitive subject..." Odin muttered, his eyes rolling. He was a touch more exhausted than he was letting on. "Survivors it is. The Survivors, the Chosen, the Rebels... We need to think of a new name for the lot of us. Something that would really... strike... fear... into the hearts... of..."

He blacked out.

"He'll be fine," Yuri added. "He'll have his forty winks and before you know it? He'll be back to driving everyone crazy."

The Exit Tunnel
View attachment 5329

"Slayer! Slayer we can't afford to--" The armored soldier vanished around the corner before Ferdinand could stop him. He whispered some long forgotten curse to himself and turned to sprint towards the exit tunnel. "Alright, we're a man down. We need to try and stick together! These tunnels impossible to navigate without---"

"Yahhh!" A figure at the end of the hall cried. A horde of Knights pushed their weight against him and slowly forced him back. With a snarl of exertion, he found his second wind and drove them back.
View attachment 5325
"Four against one?" Balthus chuckled. "If you had brought 5, you might've stood chance against the Almighty King of Grappling!"

With one final push, he sent the Knights of Seiros tumbling back into down the corridor.

"Alright! Who's next? Who wants to get a slice of the Ki---"


A blast of emerald lighting stuck Balthus' chest. For force of the blast was enough to send him spiraling back into one of Abyss' many cramped storage rooms.

Were Roman conscious, he might've recognized the energy that flowed through the Knights. It was the Light of the Goddess. It was the same power than had once flowed through him. It was the same power than had abandoned him when he was freed from the Sleeping Death.

"They're closing in. How did they find the rear entrance?!" Ferdinand snapped. He raised his shield in the hopes of protecting the wounded Azura.

"The foe were fighting? She's nigh omnipotent. We're going to have to try a lot harder if we're going to pull the wool over her eyes."

"If you have an ace, no would be the time to play it, Yuri!" Two of the Knights broke off from the back to stalk the wounded Balthus. The remaining three marched forward towards the Returned. "Yuri!"

"Not quite an ace, but its a good card to play none the less. The Goddess may be able to see our plans, but her toys are about as mortal as they come. We can still have the home-ground advantage. The Knights might still play into our hands yet."

"And what's our immediate plan?"

"Don't die. That's the immediate plan!" The Trickster raised his hands and unleashed a cloud of Nosferatu towards the advancing guards. With Odin on his shoulder, he wasn't about to cast anything more dramatic. "Someone clear us a path to Balthus!"

More footprints echoed down corridor. By the sound of things, more Knights were rushing to reinforce the first advancing party.

@Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Capri @Yun Lee
The Defending Tunnel
View attachment 5331

"Slayer! Slayer we can't afford to--" The armored soldier vanished around the corner before Ferdinand could stop him. He whispered some long forgotten curse to himself and turned to sprint towards the exit tunnel. "Alright, we're a man down. We need to stick together---"

[BOOM] [BOOM] [BOOM]

The sound of the clattering doors grew louder by the second. They booming drowned out Ferdinand's shouting in a matter of moments. Abyss' wooden staircases began to shake and tremble. How heavy was this battering ram?

By the time the Doom Slayer reached the gate, it was already too late. The mercenaries were doing their best to pressed the doors shut with their body weight, but it was a futile effort. The wood and steel shattered like glass. Splinters showered the scattered guards.

An ear splitting roar filled the tunnel. The remaining mercenaries screamed in pain.

View attachment 5332
The Immaculate One forced its way through the passageway. Shattered chains hung from its neck. It's pale skin was covered in burns and scars.

The once proud beast a series of slurring, screeching hisses. The Great Dragon had been beaten into a savage, degenerated state.

It opened its Great Jaws wide and sent a wave of blue flames raining down upon Doom Guy.

@Crunch
 
Slayer.

The name echoes down the abyssal tunnel, a futile attempt to reign in the man whom Ferdinand recognized as the Slayer. He did not respond to the man's pleas beyond a brief, hidden glance in his direction when he uttered the term. There was a moment of silence shared between them, but a muffled roar down the tunnel drew the Slayer further into the darkness. One hand tightly wrapped around the stock of his shotgun. As the sound of shattering doors grew louder with every second, the Slayer grew closer to its source.

He rounded the corner, stopping just in time to recognize a chunk of wood sailing in his direction. The marine threw his fist forward, smashing apart the debris with his fist, sending scattered steel, wood, and splinters to his side. The Slayer lurched forward through the cloud of dust formed by the emergence of the creature who drew him out from the survivors.

A towering, serpentine silhouette swam through the fog, illuminated by the shimmers of light rising from its gullet. The creature looked as if it was something truly immaculate once. It was not a demon, though the sorry state of its alabaster hide and the shattered chains that hung from its implied otherwise. The Immaculate One's maw already faced down the Slayer by the time he waded through the chaos of falling debris and retreating mercenaries.

View attachment 5341

"..."

[FWOOSH!]

The Slayer's boots came to life with a violent jet of air. The sudden force in his legs propelled the marine through the air, sending him hurtling to the side as a plume of flames scorched the air and ground that he once occupied. In a zig-zag motion the Slayer sprinted through the tunnel, the jets on his boots pulsing over every belch of flame and razor claw brought down upon him. He twirled the double-barrelled shotgun once in his hand, flicking his finger on the underside.

A barbed, steel hook, the size of a softball, shot outward from underneath the barrel like a harpoon, attached to the gun by a steel chain. It sliced through air and flame alike to meet its mark inside the beast's hide. If the hook managed to hit, then the Slayer flicked the trigger again.

[CHNKCHNKCHNK!]

Metal shrieked against metal, and the chain rapidly retreated back into the meathook chamber, rapidly pulling the Slayer across the gap towards his quarry. Mid-flight, the marine crossed one arm over the other, gripping the scintillating chain and sharply tugging it free from the draconic hide. Though the chain stopped pulling him towards the dragon's head, his aerial momentum did not. He twisted his body sideways mid-air and nestled a finger in the trigger.

Two barrels rapidly approached the dragon's eye. The Slayer squeezed the trigger.

BOOM!

@Sark @Others​
 
So, up against the Goddess, huh? Rei knew that name all too well. It was all anyone ever talked about in that damn Fellowship. Goddess this. Goddess that. Didn't anyone know how to have any fun? Even that goddamn ball got political halfway through...

But if they needed her mooks pushed back, well, he could take care of that, easy. Maneuvering the blonde woman so that she was slung over his shoulder, Rei stuck his free hand into his pocket. "Come on...tell me it came along..." He grinned as his fingers touched cool metal. Perfect. He took a few steps forward and looked over his shoulder. "For your own safety...I suggest moving back a bit." And from his fur coat came...a microphone? There wasn't much time to dwell on it, as he brought it up to his face, and...

"Look who's back, once again, like a phoenix in the flame
MasterMind Amayado, it's best you remember that name.
Your Goddess couldn't kill me, in fact I've come back stronger
Now get away from him or you won't be around much longer!"


It was strange; as the older gentleman rapped into his microphone, the guards would feel themselves physically affected by it. As if the words themselves were some kind of magical attack spell.

@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Capri @Yun Lee
 

The Ritual Chamber
View attachment 5333
"The children? I..." Ferdinand bit his tongue. "There's no easy way to say this Jeff. There's not right way to tell you but... We'll avenge them, friend. We'll avenge them together."

With a solemn expression, Ferdie adjusted Azura's position on his shoulder. He did his best to avoid Jeff's eyes as he hastily left the room.

"Once this is over, we're going to set things right. Trust me. We'll make it right."




View attachment 5320
"Yeah, the whole 'Champions' thing comes with baggage." Wally muttered to himself, cradling his arm. "Everyone on Murder World lost something. The lucky ones lost their lives. The rest of us lost so much more."

"I haven't seen my kids in half a decade. I lost my arm, and for a while, it felt like I was loosing my mind. All thanks to Arcade. Want to remind me of how I'm a 'Champ', man?"

View attachment 5323
"Okay okay... I didn't realize it was such a sensitive subject..." Odin muttered, his eyes rolling. He was a touch more exhausted than he was letting on. "Survivors it is. The Survivors, the Chosen, the Rebels... We need to think of a new name for the lot of us. Something that would really... strike... fear... into the hearts... of..."

He blacked out.

"He'll be fine," Yuri added. "He'll have his forty winks and before you know it? He'll be back to driving everyone crazy."

The Exit Tunnel
View attachment 5329

"Slayer! Slayer we can't afford to--" The armored soldier vanished around the corner before Ferdinand could stop him. He whispered some long forgotten curse to himself and turned to sprint towards the exit tunnel. "Alright, we're a man down. We need to try and stick together! These tunnels impossible to navigate without---"

"Yahhh!" A figure at the end of the hall cried. A horde of Knights pushed their weight against him and slowly forced him back. With a snarl of exertion, he found his second wind and drove them back.
View attachment 5325
"Four against one?" Balthus chuckled. "If you had brought 5, you might've stood chance against the Almighty King of Grappling!"

With one final push, he sent the Knights of Seiros tumbling back into down the corridor.

"Alright! Who's next? Who wants to get a slice of the Ki---"

A blast of emerald lighting stuck Balthus' chest. For force of the blast was enough to send him spiraling back into one of Abyss' many cramped storage rooms.

Were Roman conscious, he might've recognized the energy that flowed through the Knights. It was the Light of the Goddess. It was the same power than had once flowed through him. It was the same power than had abandoned him when he was freed from the Sleeping Death.

"They're closing in. How did they find the rear entrance?!" Ferdinand snapped. He raised his shield in the hopes of protecting the wounded Azura.

"The foe were fighting? She's nigh omnipotent. We're going to have to try a lot harder if we're going to pull the wool over her eyes."

"If you have an ace, no would be the time to play it, Yuri!" Two of the Knights broke off from the back to stalk the wounded Balthus. The remaining three marched forward towards the Returned. "Yuri!"

"Not quite an ace, but its a good card to play none the less. The Goddess may be able to see our plans, but her toys are about as mortal as they come. We can still have the home-ground advantage. The Knights might still play into our hands yet."

"And what's our immediate plan?"

"Don't die. That's the immediate plan!" The Trickster raised his hands and unleashed a cloud of Nosferatu towards the advancing guards. With Odin on his shoulder, he wasn't about to cast anything more dramatic. "Someone clear us a path to Balthus!"

More footprints echoed down corridor. By the sound of things, more Knights were rushing to reinforce the first advancing party.

@Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Capri @Yun Lee
The Defending Tunnel
View attachment 5331

"Slayer! Slayer we can't afford to--" The armored soldier vanished around the corner before Ferdinand could stop him. He whispered some long forgotten curse to himself and turned to sprint towards the exit tunnel. "Alright, we're a man down. We need to stick together---"

[BOOM] [BOOM] [BOOM]

The sound of the clattering doors grew louder by the second. They booming drowned out Ferdinand's shouting in a matter of moments. Abyss' wooden staircases began to shake and tremble. How heavy was this battering ram?

By the time the Doom Slayer reached the gate, it was already too late. The mercenaries were doing their best to pressed the doors shut with their body weight, but it was a futile effort. The wood and steel shattered like glass. Splinters showered the scattered guards.

An ear splitting roar filled the tunnel. The remaining mercenaries screamed in pain.

View attachment 5332
The Immaculate One forced its way through the passageway. Shattered chains hung from its neck. It's pale skin was covered in burns and scars.

The once proud beast a series of slurring, screeching hisses. The Great Dragon had been beaten into a savage, degenerated state.

It opened its Great Jaws wide and sent a wave of blue flames raining down upon Doom Guy.

@Crunch

Seeing opposition at the end of the tunnel, Valkyrie would unceremoniously drop the demon off her back and unto the ground with a loud thud.

3x2dlD5.png


"Aye, if you wish for a path, fair-faced one..." She drew both her sword, Dragonfang, and her spear, Geirr, before charging the soldiers.

MxEBGja.png


"Have at thee! Thralls of the Emerald Empire! My sword hand has rested long enough! If thou feel your lives are not worth nothing then I shall send you to the afterlife to be judged!" With a swing of her sword and a stab of her spear, Valkyrie tried her best to open the path for the others to breakthrough.​

@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Capri @Yun Lee
 
Last edited:

The Ritual Chamber
View attachment 5333
"The children? I..." Ferdinand bit his tongue. "There's no easy way to say this Jeff. There's not right way to tell you but... We'll avenge them, friend. We'll avenge them together."

With a solemn expression, Ferdie adjusted Azura's position on his shoulder. He did his best to avoid Jeff's eyes as he hastily left the room.

"Once this is over, we're going to set things right. Trust me. We'll make it right."




View attachment 5320
"Yeah, the whole 'Champions' thing comes with baggage." Wally muttered to himself, cradling his arm. "Everyone on Murder World lost something. The lucky ones lost their lives. The rest of us lost so much more."

"I haven't seen my kids in half a decade. I lost my arm, and for a while, it felt like I was loosing my mind. All thanks to Arcade. Want to remind me of how I'm a 'Champ', man?"

View attachment 5323
"Okay okay... I didn't realize it was such a sensitive subject..." Odin muttered, his eyes rolling. He was a touch more exhausted than he was letting on. "Survivors it is. The Survivors, the Chosen, the Rebels... We need to think of a new name for the lot of us. Something that would really... strike... fear... into the hearts... of..."

He blacked out.

"He'll be fine," Yuri added. "He'll have his forty winks and before you know it? He'll be back to driving everyone crazy."

The Exit Tunnel
View attachment 5329

"Slayer! Slayer we can't afford to--" The armored soldier vanished around the corner before Ferdinand could stop him. He whispered some long forgotten curse to himself and turned to sprint towards the exit tunnel. "Alright, we're a man down. We need to try and stick together! These tunnels impossible to navigate without---"

"Yahhh!" A figure at the end of the hall cried. A horde of Knights pushed their weight against him and slowly forced him back. With a snarl of exertion, he found his second wind and drove them back.
View attachment 5325
"Four against one?" Balthus chuckled. "If you had brought 5, you might've stood chance against the Almighty King of Grappling!"

With one final push, he sent the Knights of Seiros tumbling back into down the corridor.

"Alright! Who's next? Who wants to get a slice of the Ki---"

A blast of emerald lighting stuck Balthus' chest. For force of the blast was enough to send him spiraling back into one of Abyss' many cramped storage rooms.

Were Roman conscious, he might've recognized the energy that flowed through the Knights. It was the Light of the Goddess. It was the same power than had once flowed through him. It was the same power than had abandoned him when he was freed from the Sleeping Death.

"They're closing in. How did they find the rear entrance?!" Ferdinand snapped. He raised his shield in the hopes of protecting the wounded Azura.

"The foe were fighting? She's nigh omnipotent. We're going to have to try a lot harder if we're going to pull the wool over her eyes."

"If you have an ace, no would be the time to play it, Yuri!" Two of the Knights broke off from the back to stalk the wounded Balthus. The remaining three marched forward towards the Returned. "Yuri!"

"Not quite an ace, but its a good card to play none the less. The Goddess may be able to see our plans, but her toys are about as mortal as they come. We can still have the home-ground advantage. The Knights might still play into our hands yet."

"And what's our immediate plan?"

"Don't die. That's the immediate plan!" The Trickster raised his hands and unleashed a cloud of Nosferatu towards the advancing guards. With Odin on his shoulder, he wasn't about to cast anything more dramatic. "Someone clear us a path to Balthus!"

More footprints echoed down corridor. By the sound of things, more Knights were rushing to reinforce the first advancing party.

@Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Capri @Yun Lee
The Defending Tunnel
View attachment 5331

"Slayer! Slayer we can't afford to--" The armored soldier vanished around the corner before Ferdinand could stop him. He whispered some long forgotten curse to himself and turned to sprint towards the exit tunnel. "Alright, we're a man down. We need to stick together---"

[BOOM] [BOOM] [BOOM]

The sound of the clattering doors grew louder by the second. They booming drowned out Ferdinand's shouting in a matter of moments. Abyss' wooden staircases began to shake and tremble. How heavy was this battering ram?

By the time the Doom Slayer reached the gate, it was already too late. The mercenaries were doing their best to pressed the doors shut with their body weight, but it was a futile effort. The wood and steel shattered like glass. Splinters showered the scattered guards.

An ear splitting roar filled the tunnel. The remaining mercenaries screamed in pain.

View attachment 5332
The Immaculate One forced its way through the passageway. Shattered chains hung from its neck. It's pale skin was covered in burns and scars.

The once proud beast a series of slurring, screeching hisses. The Great Dragon had been beaten into a savage, degenerated state.

It opened its Great Jaws wide and sent a wave of blue flames raining down upon Doom Guy.

@Crunch

Alice set the two unconscious people in her arms down gently before standing and charging at one of the knights in their way, knife drawn with a shchtk as she quickly attempted to make use of any weaknesses in the joints of the nearest soldiers armor, hoping to stab them in the elbows and where their helmet met the rest of their armor. Keeping her hands steady, she gripped her knife in a tight knuckled grip.

From there she'd try and focus on the two trying to attack Balthus. Attempting to block their path with a small wall of flames that twisted and threatened to burn the two knights the closer they got. She hoped it'd hold them at bay long enough for someone else to get through.

@Sark @Jeremi @Yun Lee @Lucky @Capri
 
Jeff merely nodded at Ferdinand.

“All we need to do now... is move forward,”

Even though he seems unphased, Jeft’s expression and tone of voice was of sorrow. There was nothing left to do but not look back.

Proceeding into the escape hallway, Jeff saw Balthus get knocked back and Valkyrie clear a path. He followed Alice to Balthus, where he knelt down and inspected Balthus for injuries.

However, he had to stop midway through since there was an annoying sound, the sound of bad rapping.

He pulled his beanie over his ears and continued his inspection of Balthus.

@Sark @Yun Lee @Takumi @Jeremi @Escape​
 
Slayer.

The name echoes down the abyssal tunnel, a futile attempt to reign in the man whom Ferdinand recognized as the Slayer. He did not respond to the man's pleas beyond a brief, hidden glance in his direction when he uttered the term. There was a moment of silence shared between them, but a muffled roar down the tunnel drew the Slayer further into the darkness. One hand tightly wrapped around the stock of his shotgun. As the sound of shattering doors grew louder with every second, the Slayer grew closer to its source.

He rounded the corner, stopping just in time to recognize a chunk of wood sailing in his direction. The marine threw his fist forward, smashing apart the debris with his fist, sending scattered steel, wood, and splinters to his side. The Slayer lurched forward through the cloud of dust formed by the emergence of the creature who drew him out from the survivors.

A towering, serpentine silhouette swam through the fog, illuminated by the shimmers of light rising from its gullet. The creature looked as if it was something truly immaculate once. It was not a demon, though the sorry state of its alabaster hide and the shattered chains that hung from its implied otherwise. The Immaculate One's maw already faced down the Slayer by the time he waded through the chaos of falling debris and retreating mercenaries.

View attachment 5341

"..."

[FWOOSH!]

The Slayer's boots came to life with a violent jet of air. The sudden force in his legs propelled the marine through the air, sending him hurtling to the side as a plume of flames scorched the air and ground that he once occupied. In a zig-zag motion the Slayer sprinted through the tunnel, the jets on his boots pulsing over every belch of flame and razor claw brought down upon him. He twirled the double-barrelled shotgun once in his hand, flicking his finger on the underside.

A barbed, steel hook, the size of a softball, shot outward from underneath the barrel like a harpoon, attached to the gun by a steel chain. It sliced through air and flame alike to meet its mark inside the beast's hide. If the hook managed to hit, then the Slayer flicked the trigger again.

[CHNKCHNKCHNK!]

Metal shrieked against metal, and the chain rapidly retreated back into the meathook chamber, rapidly pulling the Slayer across the gap towards his quarry. Mid-flight, the marine crossed one arm over the other, gripping the scintillating chain and sharply tugging it free from the draconic hide. Though the chain stopped pulling him towards the dragon's head, his aerial momentum did not. He twisted his body sideways mid-air and nestled a finger in the trigger.

Two barrels rapidly approached the dragon's eye. The Slayer squeezed the trigger.

BOOM!

@Sark @Others
The Defending Tunnel
The Slayer's bullets were enough to tear through the surface scales of the Immaculate One's snout, but the creature's Ancient Dragon Skin shielded it from further harm. Where any mortal creature would fallen from a shattered skull, the Immaculate One continued to thrash and screech. Despite the steam of blood that poured from its now blind eye, the Degenerated Dragon refused to yield. It refused to die. The beast exploited the Slayer's aerial vulnerability. It coiled its neck to face its foe and unleashed an ear splitting magical screech.
View attachment 5350
"GYYYAAAAHHHH!"
Despite the creature's beastly, bedraggled appearance, its howl sounded almost... human.

For force of the magical roar was enough to send the Slayer soaring up towards the ceiling of the cavern. It opened its jaws wide and unleashed another scream of fire, seeking to force the Slayer back out of range.
View attachment 5353
"GYYYAAHHHH!!!"
@Crunch
So, up against the Goddess, huh? Rei knew that name all too well. It was all anyone ever talked about in that damn Fellowship. Goddess this. Goddess that. Didn't anyone know how to have any fun? Even that goddamn ball got political halfway through...

But if they needed her mooks pushed back, well, he could take care of that, easy. Maneuvering the blonde woman so that she was slung over his shoulder, Rei stuck his free hand into his pocket. "Come on...tell me it came along..." He grinned as his fingers touched cool metal. Perfect. He took a few steps forward and looked over his shoulder. "For your own safety...I suggest moving back a bit." And from his fur coat came...a microphone? There wasn't much time to dwell on it, as he brought it up to his face, and...

"Look who's back, once again, like a phoenix in the flame
MasterMind Amayado, it's best you remember that name.
Your Goddess couldn't kill me, in fact I've come back stronger
Now get away from him or you won't be around much longer!"


It was strange; as the older gentleman rapped into his microphone, the guards would feel themselves physically affected by it. As if the words themselves were some kind of magical attack spell.

@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Capri @Yun Lee
The Exit Tunnel
Rie's lyrical attack struck the the advancing guards. His opening line was enough to send their bodies rigid. They did their best to keep advancing, their brows sweating. Their footsteps seeped to keep time with Rei's flow.

"It's--gonna---take---more---than---this---stop--the---Goddess!!" The first Soldier grunted. He stumbled forward onto his hands and knees, defeated. Pinned, the Knight struck the earth with his fist. A pillar of emerald thunder erupted from beneath the rapper. The blast ending him soaring back down the hall, his flow interrupted. "You underestimate her divinity! She is absolute!"

Seeing opposition at the end of the tunnel, Valkyrie would unceremoniously drop the demon off her back and unto the ground with a loud thud.
"Have at thee! Thralls of the Emerald Empire! My sword hand has rested long enough! If thou feel your lives are not worth nothing then I shall send you to the afterlife to be judged!" With a swing of her sword and a stab of her spear, Valkyrie tried her best to open the path for the others to breakthrough.

@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Lucky @Capri @Yun Lee
Valkyrie's rush was enough to carve a path through the advancing. However, as the Knights clattered back into the tunnel's walls, either bodies formed a circuit. Emerald thunder flowed from one Knights breastplate, across Valkaryie's spear, over her chest, across to her sword and into the breastplate of another Knight. Sudden electrical surge was enough to make even Valkyrie's muscles spasm and, for a second or two, shut down completely. As she recovered from the stunning blast, four more guards emerged from the blackness at the end of the hall...
Alice set the two unconscious people in her arms down gently before standing and charging at one of the knights in their way, knife drawn with a shchtk as she quickly attempted to make use of any weaknesses in the joints of the nearest soldiers armor, hoping to stab them in the elbows and where their helmet met the rest of their armor. Keeping her hands steady, she gripped her knife in a tight knuckled grip.

From there she'd try and focus on the two trying to attack Balthus. Attempting to block their path with a small wall of flames that twisted and threatened to burn the two knights the closer they got. She hoped it'd hold them at bay long enough for someone else to get through.

@Sark @Jeremi @Yun Lee @Lucky @Capri
The Knight's energy had already been expended in his attack on Valkyrie, leaving his body vulnerable. The Goddess was yet to bless the man with a second wind and a power recharge, and he could thus do little more than scream as Alice's blade dived deep in his collar.

The wall of fire was enough to force even the Goddess' finest to fall back for a moment or two. Charging through the flames with no thought for his own safety, wall barged the advancing Knights into a nearby wall. They came crashing into the stones with a crack.

Jeff merely nodded at Ferdinand.

“All we need to do now... is move forward,”

Even though he seems unphased, Jeft’s expression and tone of voice was of sorrow. There was nothing left to do but not look back.

Proceeding into the escape hallway, Jeff saw Balthus get knocked back and Valkyrie clear a path. He followed Alice to Balthus, where he knelt down and inspected Balthus for injuries.

However, he had to stop midway through since there was an annoying sound, the sound of bad rapping.

He pulled his beanie over his ears and continued his inspection of Balthus.

@Sark @Yun Lee @Takumi @Jeremi @Escape
"Hey, thanks kid," Balthus waved Jeff away. A beaming grin clung to his lips. "But I'm fine, just a couple of--- aghh--" He groaned him pain as he slowly lumbered to his feet. "--Just a couple of broken ribs. I've been through worse. You don't become the King of Grappling without--- aghh-- learning how to take a hit!"

Balthus rolled his shoulders back to wake up his friend muscles. The cracked his neck against his large, steel gauntlets and laughed again.

"Come on! Let's give the Church's boys a screwing they'll never forget!"

With the first and second waves of guards burned, beaten and fried, the path ahead of the Returned was momentarily clear. Even in this brief moment of reprieve, they could hear the beating of iron boots echoing from further down the lines. Reinforcements would be upon them any minute. Even if the Doom Slayer could hold of the Immaculate One alone, it was only a matter of time before the Knights of the Goddess pushed on through by force of numbers alone.

"Come on!" Ferdinand muttered, signalling for the Returned to run after him. "The longer we wait, worse our odds become. We'll be caught in a pincer if we're not careful. We need to hurry!"

Their carrying their unconscious allies, the party continued to sprint down the twisting, winding tunnels of Abyss. The battle cries of the lost guards echoed this way and that. They fell upon deaf ears. Yuri was right; Abyss was a maze, and their attackers had gotten lost in.

The party sprinted up torch lit staircases and past empty, abandoned stalls. Their forced their way through rusted gates and clambered over fallen pillars. Slowly but surely, they made their way upwards and outwards.

After a new minutes of running, the party came across a long, wooden bridge. At the edge of the vertical incline, two great, lumbering beats loomed.

View attachment 5354View attachment 5354
"By the Saints... what are those things?" Ferdinand stammered in confusion. "I've never seen anything so..."

"Looks like the Goddess has made herself some new friends..."
View attachment 5358View attachment 5356
"That she has..." Two Knights, both clad in black armor, stepped out from behind the beasts. "The Goddess has provided the people of Nohr with a great deal of security in these turbulent times. The Treaty of Garreg Mach came into effect an hour ago. The Night Kingdom of Nohr has entered into and alliance with the Goddess' Holy Kingdom."

The taller of the two stepped forth. He planted his sword in the wood of the bridge.

"As a King of the Nohrian Realm, I implore you to come quietly. Our Laws are fair. They will treat you far kinder than the Goddess' Justice. Surrender to our custody, here and now. Quietly. If you refuse, you die here. It is as simple as that."

"Xander...?" Azura muttered weekly, peeling herself from Ferdinand's chest. "I must be dreaming... brother?"

Xander's mouth slipped agape.

"Azura?" Xander's eye twitched. He tightened his grip around his sword until his knuckled burned white. "You dare handle my sister like that? You dare kidnap a Princess of Nohr??!" He raised his tone. A moment later, he raised his blade.

Ferdinand cast his eyes towards the unconscious girl on the laid upon his shoulders. He looked to Xander. Then back to Azura. Then back to Xander.

"It's... not what it looks like!"

"Brother Leo," Xander turned his attention to the young prince. "Send forth your Faceless Ones! It's time we bought our sister home..."

"Of course, brother. Leo nodded. He raised his hand an uttered a secret incantation. On his command, the hulking creatures lumbered forth. The bridge creaked and groaned with each passing step.

"You know what? I can't imagine a timeline where this ends well..."
Yuri muttered to himself.

@Capri @Yun Lee @Takumi @Jeremi @Escape​
 
Last edited:

The Defending Tunnel
The Slayer's bullets were enough to tear through the surface scales of the Immaculate One's snout, but the creature's Ancient Dragon Skin shielded it from further harm. Where any mortal creature would fallen from a shattered skull, the Immaculate One continued to thrash and screech. Despite the steam of blood that poured from its now blind eye, the Degenerated Dragon refused to yield. It refused to die. The beast exploited the Slayer's aerial vulnerability. It coiled its neck to face its foe and unleashed an ear splitting magical screech.
View attachment 5350
"GYYYAAAAHHHH!"
Despite the creature's beastly, bedraggled appearance, its howl sounded almost... human.

For force of the magical roar was enough to send the Slayer soaring up towards the ceiling of the cavern. It opened its jaws wide and unleashed another scream of fire, seeking to force the Slayer back out of range.
View attachment 5353
"GYYYAAHHHH!!!"
@Crunch

The Exit Tunnel
Rie's lyrical attack struck the the advancing guards. His opening line was enough to send their bodies rigid. They did their best to keep advancing, their brows sweating. Their footsteps seeped to keep time with Rei's flow.

"It's--gonna---take---more---than---this---stop--the---Goddess!!" The first Soldier grunted. He stumbled forward onto his hands and knees, defeated. Pinned, the Knight struck the earth with his fist. A pillar of emerald thunder erupted from beneath the rapper. The blast ending him soaring back down the hall, his flow interrupted. "You underestimate her divinity! She is absolute!"


Valkyrie's rush was enough to carve a path through the advancing. However, as the Knights clattered back into the tunnel's walls, either bodies formed a circuit. Emerald thunder flowed from one Knights breastplate, across Valkaryie's spear, over her chest, across to her sword and into the breastplate of another Knight. Sudden electrical surge was enough to make even Valkyrie's muscles spasm and, for a second or two, shut down completely. As she recovered from the stunning blast, four more guards emerged from the blackness at the end of the hall...

The Knight's energy had already been expended in his attack on Valkyrie, leaving his body vulnerable. The Goddess was yet to bless the man with a second wind and a power recharge, and he could thus do little more than scream as Alice's blade dived deep in his collar.

The wall of fire was enough to force even the Goddess' finest to fall back for a moment or two. Charging through the flames with no thought for his own safety, wall barged the advancing Knights into a nearby wall. They came crashing into the stones with a crack.


"Hey, thanks kid," Balthus waved Jeff away. A beaming grin clung to his lips. "But I'm fine, just a couple of--- aghh--" He groaned him pain as he slowly lumbered to his feet. "--Just a couple of broken ribs. I've been through worse. You don't become the King of Grappling without--- aghh-- learning how to take a hit!"

Balthus rolled his shoulders back to wake up his friend muscles. The cracked his neck against his large, steel gauntlets and laughed again.

"Come on! Let's give the Church's boys a screwing they'll never forget!"

With the first and second waves of guards burned, beaten and fried, the path ahead of the Returned was momentarily clear. Even in this brief moment of reprieve, they could hear the beating of iron boots echoing from further down the lines. Reinforcements would be upon them any minute. Even if the Doom Slayer could hold of the Immaculate One alone, it was only a matter of time before the Knights of the Goddess pushed on through by force of numbers alone.

"Come on!" Ferdinand muttered, signalling for the Returned to run after him. "The longer we wait, worse our odds become. We'll be caught in a pincer if we're not careful. We need to hurry!"

Their carrying their unconscious allies, the party continued to sprint down the twisting, winding tunnels of Abyss. The battle cries of the lost guards echoed this way and that. They fell upon deaf ears. Yuri was right; Abyss was a maze, and their attackers had gotten lost in.

The party sprinted up torch lit staircases and past empty, abandoned stalls. Their forced their way through rusted gates and clambered over fallen pillars. Slowly but surely, they made their way upwards and outwards.

After a new minutes of running, the party came across a long, wooden bridge. At the edge of the vertical incline, two great, lumbering beats loomed.

View attachment 5354View attachment 5354
"By the Saints... what are those things?" Ferdinand stammered in confusion. "I've never seen anything so..."

"Looks like the Goddess has made herself some new friends..."
View attachment 5358View attachment 5356
"That she has..." Two Knights, both clad in black armor, stepped out from behind the beasts. "The Goddess has provided the people of Nohr with a great deal of security in these turbulent times. The Treaty of Garreg Mach came into effect an hour ago. The Night Kingdom of Nohr has entered into and alliance with the Goddess' Holy Kingdom."

The taller of the two stepped forth. He planted his sword in the wood of the bridge.

"As a King of the Nohrian Realm, I implore you to come quietly. Our Laws are fair. They will treat you far kinder than the Goddess' Justice. Surrender to our custody, here and now. Quietly. If you refuse, you die here. It is as simple as that."

"Xander...?" Azura muttered weekly, peeling herself from Ferdinand's chest. "I must be dreaming... brother?"

Xander's mouth slipped agape.

"Azura?" Xander's eye twitched. He tightened his grip around his sword until his knuckled burned white. "You dare handle my sister like that? You dare kidnap a Princess of Nohr??!" He raised his tone. A moment later, he raised his blade.

Ferdinand cast his eyes towards the unconscious girl on the laid upon his shoulders. He looked to Xander. Then back to Azura. Then back to Xander.

"It's... not what it looks like!"

"Brother Leo," Xander turned his attention to the young prince. "Send forth your Faceless Ones! It's time we bought our sister home..."

"Of course, brother. Leo nodded. He raised his hand an uttered a secret incantation. On his command, the hulking creatures lumbered forth. The bridge creaked and groaned with each passing step.

"You know what? I can't imagine a timeline where this ends well..."
Yuri muttered to himself.

@Capri @Yun Lee @Takumi @Jeremi @Escape​

"This is just fucking great. This is definitely what I was looking forward to." Alice sarcastically quiped and scowled. They needed to get across, and these idiots just had to be in their way.

What the fuck could she do? Her knife wouldn't be enough and her pyrokinesis wouldn't work on a bridge like this...

Setting her charges down once more, she calmly reached for her gun. The fucking masked orge looking shits were in the way of her shot, but she could get creative.

"This could end a lot of ways, but either one will likely end in a bloody mess." She scoffed softly.

52870ffab0bc98a77843ba0ced987fab99f6638c.jpg


"Anyone got a plan? I'm all ears, otherwise someone's going to get lit up like a candle or end up with a few holes in them. Probably both, if I'm honest." She spoke as she aimed for one of the Faceless' knees and fired, she didn't know if it'd slow the thing down, but it was worth a shot. Pun unintended.

@Sark @Jeremi @Yun Lee @Lucky @Everyone
 

The Defending Tunnel
The Slayer's bullets were enough to tear through the surface scales of the Immaculate One's snout, but the creature's Ancient Dragon Skin shielded it from further harm. Where any mortal creature would fallen from a shattered skull, the Immaculate One continued to thrash and screech. Despite the steam of blood that poured from its now blind eye, the Degenerated Dragon refused to yield. It refused to die. The beast exploited the Slayer's aerial vulnerability. It coiled its neck to face its foe and unleashed an ear splitting magical screech.
View attachment 5350
"GYYYAAAAHHHH!"
Despite the creature's beastly, bedraggled appearance, its howl sounded almost... human.

For force of the magical roar was enough to send the Slayer soaring up towards the ceiling of the cavern. It opened its jaws wide and unleashed another scream of fire, seeking to force the Slayer back out of range.
View attachment 5353
"GYYYAAHHHH!!!"
@Crunch

The Exit Tunnel
Rie's lyrical attack struck the the advancing guards. His opening line was enough to send their bodies rigid. They did their best to keep advancing, their brows sweating. Their footsteps seeped to keep time with Rei's flow.

"It's--gonna---take---more---than---this---stop--the---Goddess!!" The first Soldier grunted. He stumbled forward onto his hands and knees, defeated. Pinned, the Knight struck the earth with his fist. A pillar of emerald thunder erupted from beneath the rapper. The blast ending him soaring back down the hall, his flow interrupted. "You underestimate her divinity! She is absolute!"


Valkyrie's rush was enough to carve a path through the advancing. However, as the Knights clattered back into the tunnel's walls, either bodies formed a circuit. Emerald thunder flowed from one Knights breastplate, across Valkaryie's spear, over her chest, across to her sword and into the breastplate of another Knight. Sudden electrical surge was enough to make even Valkyrie's muscles spasm and, for a second or two, shut down completely. As she recovered from the stunning blast, four more guards emerged from the blackness at the end of the hall...

The Knight's energy had already been expended in his attack on Valkyrie, leaving his body vulnerable. The Goddess was yet to bless the man with a second wind and a power recharge, and he could thus do little more than scream as Alice's blade dived deep in his collar.

The wall of fire was enough to force even the Goddess' finest to fall back for a moment or two. Charging through the flames with no thought for his own safety, wall barged the advancing Knights into a nearby wall. They came crashing into the stones with a crack.


"Hey, thanks kid," Balthus waved Jeff away. A beaming grin clung to his lips. "But I'm fine, just a couple of--- aghh--" He groaned him pain as he slowly lumbered to his feet. "--Just a couple of broken ribs. I've been through worse. You don't become the King of Grappling without--- aghh-- learning how to take a hit!"

Balthus rolled his shoulders back to wake up his friend muscles. The cracked his neck against his large, steel gauntlets and laughed again.

"Come on! Let's give the Church's boys a screwing they'll never forget!"

With the first and second waves of guards burned, beaten and fried, the path ahead of the Returned was momentarily clear. Even in this brief moment of reprieve, they could hear the beating of iron boots echoing from further down the lines. Reinforcements would be upon them any minute. Even if the Doom Slayer could hold of the Immaculate One alone, it was only a matter of time before the Knights of the Goddess pushed on through by force of numbers alone.

"Come on!" Ferdinand muttered, signalling for the Returned to run after him. "The longer we wait, worse our odds become. We'll be caught in a pincer if we're not careful. We need to hurry!"

Their carrying their unconscious allies, the party continued to sprint down the twisting, winding tunnels of Abyss. The battle cries of the lost guards echoed this way and that. They fell upon deaf ears. Yuri was right; Abyss was a maze, and their attackers had gotten lost in.

The party sprinted up torch lit staircases and past empty, abandoned stalls. Their forced their way through rusted gates and clambered over fallen pillars. Slowly but surely, they made their way upwards and outwards.

After a new minutes of running, the party came across a long, wooden bridge. At the edge of the vertical incline, two great, lumbering beats loomed.

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"By the Saints... what are those things?" Ferdinand stammered in confusion. "I've never seen anything so..."

"Looks like the Goddess has made herself some new friends..."
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"That she has..." Two Knights, both clad in black armor, stepped out from behind the beasts. "The Goddess has provided the people of Nohr with a great deal of security in these turbulent times. The Treaty of Garreg Mach came into effect an hour ago. The Night Kingdom of Nohr has entered into and alliance with the Goddess' Holy Kingdom."

The taller of the two stepped forth. He planted his sword in the wood of the bridge.

"As a King of the Nohrian Realm, I implore you to come quietly. Our Laws are fair. They will treat you far kinder than the Goddess' Justice. Surrender to our custody, here and now. Quietly. If you refuse, you die here. It is as simple as that."

"Xander...?" Azura muttered weekly, peeling herself from Ferdinand's chest. "I must be dreaming... brother?"

Xander's mouth slipped agape.

"Azura?" Xander's eye twitched. He tightened his grip around his sword until his knuckled burned white. "You dare handle my sister like that? You dare kidnap a Princess of Nohr??!" He raised his tone. A moment later, he raised his blade.

Ferdinand cast his eyes towards the unconscious girl on the laid upon his shoulders. He looked to Xander. Then back to Azura. Then back to Xander.

"It's... not what it looks like!"

"Brother Leo," Xander turned his attention to the young prince. "Send forth your Faceless Ones! It's time we bought our sister home..."

"Of course, brother. Leo nodded. He raised his hand an uttered a secret incantation. On his command, the hulking creatures lumbered forth. The bridge creaked and groaned with each passing step.

"You know what? I can't imagine a timeline where this ends well..."
Yuri muttered to himself.

@Capri @Yun Lee @Takumi @Jeremi @Escape​

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"Argh!"

By the Gods! Or a particular Goddess in this case. Valkyrie wasn't sure when she had been hit like that last, but the blast had her shook to her very core, even making her fall behind for a moment as the others continued on.

As the others were stopped by the bridge they could hear someone shout from behind. "Stay your hands you villainous curs!" It was Valkyrie back to carrying that demonic creature from earlier.

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"If thou wish to debase yourself, by all means, send your constructs to fight! Aye, in fact, I welcome a good scrap!"
This time she put the demon a bit more gently on the ground as she drew Dragonfang and pointed it towards the brothers.

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"But perhaps you would instead listen to the tale thine sister will reveal, but it's clear you do not truly care if you have joined forces with the vile temptress they call the Goddess!"

@Sark @Capri @Yun Lee @Takumi @Jeremi @Escape
 
The Defending Tunnel
The Slayer's bullets were enough to tear through the surface scales of the Immaculate One's snout, but the creature's Ancient Dragon Skin shielded it from further harm. Where any mortal creature would fallen from a shattered skull, the Immaculate One continued to thrash and screech. Despite the steam of blood that poured from its now blind eye, the Degenerated Dragon refused to yield. It refused to die. The beast exploited the Slayer's aerial vulnerability. It coiled its neck to face its foe and unleashed an ear splitting magical screech.
View attachment 5350
"GYYYAAAAHHHH!"
Despite the creature's beastly, bedraggled appearance, its howl sounded almost... human.

For force of the magical roar was enough to send the Slayer soaring up towards the ceiling of the cavern. It opened its jaws wide and unleashed another scream of fire, seeking to force the Slayer back out of range.
View attachment 5353
"GYYYAAHHHH!!!"
@Crunch


The Slayer grunted, the audio transmitters in his armor nearly blew out his eardrums as his body was thrown backward from the force of the Immaculate One's pained shrieks. A geyser of blood spewed from the shredded remains of her eye, but she refused to die. With a labored grunt, the Slayer dug his fingers into the stone ceiling, halting his horizontal momentum with the compensators in his armor as he now dangled from the ceiling by his hand.

s y st... ems... c om in g....

A shrieking wave of flames spewed towards him from her maw. The Slayer slammed his boot against the roof of the cavern, forcing his hand and body free from the stony prison. In the same fluid motion, he wrapped his now-freed hand around a long, cylindrical object clipped to his back, tearing it free from its confines with a sharp tug.


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[FWOOM!]

The ignited air let out an ear-splitting shriek. The wall of flame, spanning the whole diameter of the cramped tunnel, spilled off to the side as if its advance was halted by a sudden wall, scorching the sides of the tunnel until they were naught but blackened ash. The Immaculate One's gout of flame would have eventually sputtered, the embers in her throat growing dim once she could scream out naught but her voice. And when the light of her fire finally vanished, he remained standing.

The Doom Slayer stood unharmed in the center of the tunnel, his silhouette illuminated by the crimson glow of the sword gripped in one of his hands, a blade fashioned from crackling red energy and glowing runes. The marine twisted his head to both sides, eliciting a few muffled cracks from his shoulders.

He lunged ahead again, closer to his quarry than he was before. In her suffering pain and partial blindness, the beast had exposed one of her legs to him. As his jet boots hurled him down the length of the tunnel towards the raging dragon, the Slayer shifted his weight downwards mid-dash, turning his sprint into a slide. Just as a futile claw sailed over his head when he slid beneath it, he kicked his legs, swinging himself back to an upright position next to her leg.

[BZZZZSSSPPLLLSSH]

The Slayer cleaved into her thigh with the Crucible. The resistance of her bucking muscles did not halt the heated blade that sawed through scale and sinew alike, staining the ground beneath her in chunks of burnt red meat. Whether her leg came off entirely in one swing or whether he merely scarred her did not matter - once there was no meat to slash through, the Slayer began moving again. His shotgun's meathook shot towards the upper end of the nearest wall, yanking the marine up off the ground towards an elevated position above her.

He stared down at the top of the Immaculate One's skull, the Crucible still humming in his hand. With a rough kick against the stone, he pushed off the wall, leaving himself free to fall upon the Immaculate One like a bloody green meteor.

The Slayer swung the blade over his head mid-air. Gravity would carry it into the dragon's skull.

@Sark







 
Jeff took a step back and tried to reason with Xander and Leo.

“Azura risked her life for us, if you just let her speak and explain herself she’ll support our story. She’s our cold right now but when she wakes up she’ll tell you,”

@Sark @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Lucky
 
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