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Post by Warrior on Jun 2, 2021 19:38:08 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/eF3oRe3~png
T U R N 4
" ! "
The sight of a frozen sky would have probably been dazzling in any other circumstance, but as it began to fall toward them, it was anything but that in their present situation. Dodging raindrops wasn't exactly in Faith's own repertoire, but she'd need to find some solution or be buried with the Tundra -- the distance between herself and Mistair was too much to rely on her during this.
" Hold tight, Centurion. "
Her cyber-body's more fine-tuned enhancements were still disabled as well, so she essentially only had the sentient spear and her human reflexes to work with.
... And one more tool.
Loosening her death grip on the Colossus' Core finally, she held the dagger-esque shard forward against the incoming storm: its insatiable hunger drawing it in like a vacuum and consuming it all but entirely.
She could feel the beast inside brimming with life afterward, compelling its reunion with the rest of its body beneath them, but she'd sealed it with one of the many bladed sheathes dangling from the pouches on her waist immediately. Normally, these contraptions took it some time to chew through, but it was restless and clearly had a will of its own, breaking through the first sheathe almost instantly.
A second, a third, a fourth -- as many as it took, she eventually sealed the shard and holstered it again now that their enemy was out of sight.
" ... "
Standing at the edge of the Endless Abyss now, she recognized this destruction. She knew immediately who had caused it, finding herself much more worried as a result.
In most other circumstances, she'd jump into the pit to confront the Titan she had failed to finish off before, but that wasn't their objective at the moment and the creature would at least remain dormant as long as she was in possession of its core.
" We need to find the way out. Where to now, Mistair? "
With Air Shoes, they could probably cross the abyss -- maybe even a few Air Shoes, but none of them were ill-stocked on those. It was unquestionably in their best interest to find their leave before Blu returned, though.
Defensive
Armor: Faith has 0 Armor --Net Strengths: Light, Wind, Laser, Wood, Blade, Sonic --Net Weaknesses: Plasma, Shadow, Toxic, Bug
Tides of Despondency: Faith's S-Tier Effects are locked
Incoming Attacks: Addressed respectively
{ Zenith of Technique: Skills gain +1 Instance per response to same attack Apogee of Adaptability ×3: Skills gain +3 Instances vs Absolute Thunder (Total: 4)Apex of Agility ×1: Dodge 4 Attacks Absolute Thunder ×4: Dodged (4 / 2079)Zenith of Technique: Skills gain +4 Instances against Absolute Thunder (Total: 8)Apex of Agility ×1: Dodge 8 Attacks Absolute Thunder ×8: Dodged (12 / 2079)Zenith of Technique: Skills gain +8 Instances against Absolute Thunder (Total: 16)Apex of Agility ×1: Dodge 16 Attacks Absolute Thunder ×16: Dodged (28 / 2079)Zenith of Technique: Skills gain +16 Instances against Absolute Thunder (Total: 32)Crest of Capability ×1: Dodge 32 Attacks Absolute Thunder ×32: Dodged (60 / 2079)Zenith of Technique: Skills gain 32 Instances against Absolute Thunder (Total: 64)Crest of Capability ×1: Dodge 64 Attacks Absolute Thunder ×64: Dodged (124 / 2079)Zenith of Technique: Skills gain 64 Instances against Absolute Thunder (Total: 128)Crest of Capability ×1: Dodge 128 Attacks Absolute Thunder ×128: Dodged (252 / 2079)Zenith of Technique: Skills gain 128 Instances against Absolute Thunder (Total: 256)Crest of Capability ×1: Dodge 256 Attacks Absolute Thunder ×256: Dodged (508 / 2079)Zenith of Technique: Skills gain 256 Instances against Absolute Thunder (Total: 512)Crest of Capability ×1: Dodge 512 Attacks Absolute Thunder ×512: Dodged (1020 / 2079)Zenith of Technique: Skills gain 512 Instances vs Absolute Thunder (Total: 1024)Pinnacle of Proficiency ×1: Dodge 1024 Attacks Absolute Thunder ×1024: Dodged (2044 / 2079)Zenith of Technique: Skills gain 1024 Instances vs Absolute Thunder (Total: 2048)Pinnacle of Proficiency ×1: Dodge 2048 Attacks Absolute Thunder ×35: Dodged (2079 / 2079)Zenith of Technique: Skills gain 35 Instances against Absolute Thunder (Total: 2083) (Click to reveal Skill Info)} Zenith of Technique -- AdvancedFaith studies her opposition as the fight persists, learning their strengths and weaknesses so that she can adapt to them as necessary.° After Dodging (or using a dodge's alternative effect against) a full attack, Faith's Dodging Skills against that same attack gain 1 additional instance per use. ° Stacks indefinitely, but resets at the start of every turn ° Faith has the following Defensive Locks: ° Null Shield || Null Absorb || Null SurvivalPassiveApogee of Adaptability -- C TierFaith can exert herself when a situation demands it, performing above what is required to accomplish her needs.° Faith Chooses 1 Incoming Attack. It shares all current Zenith of Technique interactions as another attack. ° If Faith has not avoided an attack this turn, Zenith of Technique instead treats the chosen attack as if Faith had fully avoided it once. 14 Uses (12 Left)Apex of Agility -- C+ Tier || DodgeFaith is graceful. Her movements are swift and elegant.° Faith Dodges One Attack ° If the dodge fails or is disabled in any way, she reduces its Base Damage to 0 instead 13 Uses (13 Left)Crest of Capability -- C+ Tier || DodgeFaith is vigorous. Her body can endure more than it appears.° Faith Dodges One Attack ° If the dodge fails or is disabled in any way, she negates Piercing/Triggering Effects from it instead 13 Uses (13 Left)Pinnacle of Proficiency -- C+ Tier || DodgeFaith is disciplined. Her actions show careful rehearsal.° Faith Dodges One Attack ° If the dodge fails or is disabled in any way, she ignores Damage Augments on it instead 13 Uses (14 Left)
{Stage: Normal (∞) ::(+)::}
[::BattleChip:NormalPanelsLv1:v21::]
{ [HP:5280/4,800] Normal (∞) } Charges: ° N/A Cooldowns: ° N/A Use Limits: ° Total Chips (4 Left)° Mega Chips (3 Left)° Giga Chips (2 Left)° Apex of Agility (13 Left)° Crest of Capability (13 Left)° Pinnacle of Proficiency (14 Left)° Mastery of Mechanism (14 Left)° Transcendent Talent (LOCKED)° Apogee of Adaptability (12 Left)° Mythos (LOCKED)° Pure Essence (LOCKED)° Inspiration (LOCKED)° Zenith Blade (LOCKED)° Virtuoso (LOCKED)° Quickening (LOCKED)° Inheritance (LOCKED)° Regulator (LOCKED)° Equalizer (LOCKED)° Protean Essence (LOCKED)° Conditioned Strike (LOCKED)° Excellence (LOCKED)° Coordinated Strike (LOCKED)° Firewall ⇪ Nu (2/2)° Air Shoes ⇪ Nu (2/2)° Skill Addition ⇪ Delta (1/1)° Status Reflect (2/4)- - - ° Elemental Rage Lv1 (1 Used)° Zeus Hammer Lv1 (1 Used)
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Post by Zane on Jun 3, 2021 7:11:00 GMT -8
Looked like they had managed to get to where they needed to be. She breathed out a sigh of relief, but had looked back just to be certain that they weren't being pursued further. Had Vanguard managed to seal the deal and finish him off with that barrage of his? It didn't look as if they had any further pursuit, so perhaps... then the second eruption occurred.
"If only life could be a little easier on us sometimes."
A rising plume of snow that bloated out the sky as if it was the Ural Tundra they had just trekked across. And to accompany that sight was the devastating barrage that would fall from beyond their sight, preparing the energy that she had saved up for the event that something like this took place. Faith was out of her reach this time, but she had it covered. Although Blu hadn't been in sight that she was aware of, looking around after the chaotic assault to see if she could find their enemy here. For him to cease his assault after unleashing that was strange. Did he make the assumption that they wouldn't be able to withstand it and just backed off? ...That would be too efficient for someone with his particular tone. If he wasn't here still he would have made the choice that they no longer needed to be pursued or he was preparing for another larger assault. The way out would be ideal, looking over the area again to at least be able to trail what once was more than an Endless Abyss to the steps of the one before that. What happened after he opened the hole was anyone's guess, but she at least knew with certainty that he came from the ruins before... and that the other signal she saw earlier with Vanguard was staying still. Stationary as it was, it meant that he knew they were on their way. The other reason Blu could have stopped his attack was that he determined that they wouldn't be able to press forward with him halting their advance.
"Straight across this... let's go with a ravine. It runs a risk of us being pincered, but I'm starting to believe that won't be the case."
She would use the power that she had saved up thanks to Faith's good work to deal with this gap for them, taking the plunge first. When she did so, beneath, behind and in front of her formed a transculent aquamarine substance to be used as a bridge for them to cross it. The bridge extended for quite a long while given how massive this hole truly was in their world, but at this point one shouldn't expect any less once that one decided to make his mark. It was rather hard to miss the mark after he was done too, remaining vigilant in the event that Blu changed his mind and decided to unleash a different sort of catastrophe upon them next.
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Post by Gaia on Jun 3, 2021 9:51:32 GMT -8
Centurion.EXE
Watching their enemy get pushed back by Vanguard's assault granted him just one moment of relief; a testimony to his own lack of practice. Centurion quickly regretted this, as the entire sky froze over and came pelting down on top of them. Faith tightened her grip around the spear, something he was grateful for, as she held up that dagger once more. The incredible pull of its hunger was almost something alien, and yet it also tried dragging him in, as well. She kept him from that terrible fate and then charged headlong towards the abyss, itself.
He looked on as Mistair saved the others from catastrophe, and waited for them to join them at the precipice. Mistair's bridge across was surely impressive, but it was still a wonder of what they might be crossing the expanse to encounter.
Armiger.EXE
Armiger looked on in awe as the very skies gave way to a celestial blizzard, and it seemed as though the entire Network were raining down onto them; heavy sheets of ice and rain that were as unrelenting as they were plentiful.
He steeled himself against the storm and waited to see how the Onyx Overlord would overcome this one. He closed his eyes to the world, hoping that once he reopened them all would be well.
The terrible crash never came down. Armiger awkwardly opened his eyes, only to find himself in an incredible aurora. Looking around, he found Mistair and saw the energy was radiating from her. The storm that came crashing down on them crashed against the incredible aurora and simply evaporated, creating a beautiful display for those protected by it.
He couldn't enjoy it for long, as their journey was far from done, and it seemed as though their enemy had backed away for now. As Genesis turned, he saw the abyss that laid out before them, and wondered what had been done to this place to turn it into such a thing. He couldn't admit to understanding everything that was going on, but he did understand that they at least lived (for now) to fight another day. "I'm ready to move forward, if you are, Genesis. Whatever comes next . . . it seems the enemy either wants us to move forward or is preparing for a grander assault.
Vanguard.EXE
Vanguard huffed from his location as the shockwave was sent forward, and waited to watch what would become of his efforts. The power unleashed was enough to send their adversary back, so much so that as the avalanche came down, even Vanguard's keen vision couldn't keep track of him. He knew that without being able to look at him directly, his expanded senses wouldn't be able to detect him, either.
It was then that the sky froze over, however. No victory to be celebrated quite yet, Vanguard watched as the whole of the Tundra came down on top of them, looking for an array within the storm that would permit his survival. It didn't seem like that option was available, so instead, he redoubled and bounded back to Mistair, offering his hand to hers as she unleashed the energy she had spent up. The Darklight energy within amplified by magnitudes funneled through her own defense, something he felt was unnecessary in the extreme, but redoubled her efforts in much the same way he had once used this energy to amplify his defensive measures.
As the storm came down, they weathered through it, and Genesis and Armiger were better for it, as well. He looked to Mistair, breathed out his thanks, and lowered his hand. He was spent, in a word, almost down to his last chips, and his flames were dangerously close to petering out. Seeing no further response from their adversary, Vanguard couldn't help but agree with Mistair's unspoken opinion. Whatever their enemy's tactics, it seemed that they were either preparing for another assault beyond the horizon, or expecting that assault to be unnecessary. Seeing the ravine, as Mistair called it, and knowing what was on the other side, he couldn't help but agree with her spoken statement, either.
". . . We're not walking into a pincer; he doesn't think it'll be necessary.
"With who is waiting for us in our exit point, our adversary expects us to be delivering ourselves unto defeat."
He looked to Mistair, sharing an unspoken word once again - thanks for the support provided, and to once again look out for danger to come. As was his namesake, he took the first step out onto the bridge, turned back towards the others, and began dashing across the expanse towards what could very well be their only hope and their inevitable demise all at once.
I'll finally get to the bottom of this, Master.
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Post by Genesis on Jun 3, 2021 10:44:55 GMT -8
*It was fine for Armiger to not be able to return fire or to unleash his attacks now. Even further once the avalanche was set upon their mark to slow him down successfully. Seeing the chams that was here, he was a bit unfamiliar with the usual culprit... at least initially. It wasn't handiwork that he saw often that would leave an entire network worse for wear outside of his usual raids at this point when he picked a location to do so. But it was clear from the residuals left in the air that rather than a continued assault, this all happened rather abruptly. So it made it difficult for him to pin who it was immediately, but he did recall the number of people that could be considered in the upper echelon that would get involved in a fight here. When you cut off how many of them possessed the firepower to accomplish this as well, the list was steadily narrowing down in his head.*
"...I wonder..."
*Their fight had gotten interrupted before they could have their most recent engagement with one another. Of his large number of enemies, only one with natural progression should line up here. He didn't get to measure it directly himself with Scarface and on top of that it wasn't on full display during the Autumnal Assault. But if he recalled the one time he went into a frenzy in his earlier stages of growth, if he had kept on the proper path, then this amount of firepower was a logical conclusion, wasn't it? And in that moment a rare expression dawned upon his face... a smile? It was a series of fond memories for him, those battles. Back when he was allowed to fight simply for improvement and the thrill of those battles. One of the people that was always willing to take the time to test their mettle with him to see where they measured up to next. And yet the last time they had the pleasure to trade blows without all the strings attached had been years ago now, thanks in part to being forced to wear the mantle he was now infamous for across the Net.*
"It has been a very long time, hasn't it?"
*He was unfortunately ripped from his thoughts about his first rival when the chill took to the area with a stark contrast to before, turning around to see exactly why. He didn't bother to voice that at this point one could assume that the Ural Tundra, much like the Arbor Woods, was now another expansion to the Endless Abyss. Sharo was already in a far worse state than everywhere else, but this would just cement that fact even further. And what many would see as ice was in reality...*
"I had my suspicions earlier, but this confirms it without a doubt."
*Small wonder their combatant had been so keen to be efficient in all that he did. Even what looked like a downpour would be in reality him sending the Ural Tundra down upon them. He could have just as easily done the same by striking with that lance of his for the entirety of the distance between them, but it wouldn't matter if you dropped an entire network on top of someone. Or at least that would normally be the case if they were unprepared, something he didn't expect from Faith's dagger of all things. Mistair possessing the ability to weather the storm made sense in his head when he gauged where at minimum her estimated ability would be at, but it did explain for Faith where the sword from earlier had gone to. On top of that was the fact that it consumed it in its entirety, taking note of it in the silence on the particular subject.*
"..."
*It wasn't unimportant, but it wasn't something he needed to pry into because they would talk about it on their own at a later time. Vanguard's note on what they were walking into let him be aware that it was someone he was knowledgeable about, meaning no doubt one of the Four Reaverkings. Given what they did to Deav, this no doubt would be their leader instead. Was he that much more capable than his compatriots that he could do what the others could not on his own? Difficult to say for someone they had no knowledge of. What he knew of him told him that the fight was going to be far from an easy one.*
"The best we can do is expect the worst and try for our own ideal scenario, Armiger. We're in for a greater storm than that frozen sky brought to us. I won't make it easy on anyone to deal with us no matter what they decide to use against us."
*He would follow close to the rear this time in the event they did have to deal with another attack from behind. While Faith was all set up to succeed in the event another was sent at her, it wouldn't hurt for him to be in position in the event he dealt with it less stressfully than she would.*
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Post by Zane on Jun 4, 2021 10:37:10 GMT -8
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/340189121500938240/841390153762865193/1000~png Mistair had no problems taking Vanguard at his word for this. She trusted him to understand exactly what they were walking in to next. The road to take given the recent topography changes was clear as well, as the deeper area into the woods was the path they would neglect in lieu of following the path down into the cave systems of Sharo. The frigid path would disappear behind them as they entered the dark caverns of the forgotten tundra, and it doesn't take long for them to realize that the blowing frost outside paled next to the far more penetrating cold inside. It was almost as though the entire passageway was cut from dry ice, making it hard to even stand on it due to just how cold the floor was. The dimly lit caves appeared to be entirely void of life, and no sound beyond the echoes of their own footsteps on the glassy, frozen floor ring out for even the most attuned ear to hear. Heading in a little deeper, they would discover that the natural, rocky cavern walls end and what would best be described as a hallway begins. A barren path of blue-stoned walls that are cut like polished glass frame a glazed ice floor, frozen so solid that it doesn't even seem slippery despite the light dusting of snow that covers every inch. And as they would be rounding the final stretch to lead down the wayward hallway into the ruin that Warrior had found himself at prior to his encounter was when the voice would speak out.
"I see my words did not fall upon deaf ears. You held your ground admirably against insurmountable odds."
Similar to the somewhat humanoid Reaverbots that had their arms and legs attached at the same joint, the differences were plentiful from there. For his head was a singular spike pointing upward with two black pea-sized holes near the tip, but no visible eye like the others were possessed of here. His torso in the shape of a bulky reverse triangle that formed a half-crown for the spiked point of his head, two black holes adorned near this crown before there was a long black horizontal line across the length of his torso with five vertical lines lined up next to each other down the middle. The horizontal line leads into the circular shoulder joints that were similar to that of his leg joints that each had a similar hole as the rest in them. From there the arms and legs would extend out, but both would possess a similar black orb that would serve the function that elbows or knees would before leading into the rest of the limbs. For the legs they would end with an elongated tip pointing upward, while his left arm was larger than his right and also possessed the Reaver's Eye there as well. He was all red in color save for that arm and the aforementioned difference, the arm taking on a blue sheen instead and had the appearance of a hand instead of the four blades that stood for his right arm and his primary instrument of destruction. The sheer presence this one possessed was positively different from the others any had seen before. Vanguard had prior experience with it, but even that paled in comparison to the Harbinger that stood before him now. In the past it was easy to compare Deav to his standing, perhaps even interchangeable with one another on which of the Four Reaverkings stood tallest among them. But after having fought Deav and with Vanguard, Mistair, Armiger, and Centurion with Vamin as well, it was easy for them to say that without a shadow of a doubt the gap between the two was vast enough for there to be no comparison. He who brought with him the shadow of war: Var. The telltale eye of the Reavers let off a crimson glow for him, and Vanguard's own felt like it was burning, as if it was fighting against whatever left it inert to spring to life once again.
"It has been quite a while, my disciple."
Mistair could see why they would be confident in this particular agent of theirs as well. It was a stark contrast to the emptiness of earlier with Blu to then see this one simply standing at an entrance. And if anything it spoke volumes that they were willing to use such a resource to either gate their escape or play the role of gatekeeper for them. And if the purpose was to keep them out and guard it, spoke of what Var was already capable of if they were confident he could fight against them and not decimate what was behind him as a result of doing so.
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Post by Gaia on Jun 5, 2021 7:03:57 GMT -8
Vanguard.EXE
From the center of the Network's continent to here, it seemed like a vast distance had been traveled by the group in a small amount of time. In comparison to the distance, Mistair and Vanguard had traveled in the small span of time they were together since their removal from their previous jobs, that distance seemed small.
In comparison to the distance he walked through those gardens with the being that stood before them, now, that distance felt even smaller.
From the other end of the bridge, they embarked into an enclave of natural stone, unworked and cut from deep, cold formations. It was cold, here - incredibly cold, colder than even the frozen reaches they had just come from. The floor beneath was the worst perpetrator, but his natural flames did a good job of keeping him warm, as well as the specialized boots after having absorbed some of Vamin's power.
He kept his eyes forward and his vision even further, scanning the caverns. They were devoid of life, but even from here, he could feel the incredible energy coming from within. As they suddenly transitioned from the unworked stone to cleanly cut ruins of icy glass, Vanguard felt that first twinge within his eye, and then, they rounded the last bend into a great hallway, a single figure standing in between them and what came next.
Without meaning to, Vanguard took a knee, his Reavereye burning within its socket. It had been active against Blu, but he now got the feeling that it wasn't because of the emotions he was channeling, or his memories; it was his proximity to him. Frowning and groaning through the pain, Vanguard forced himself to stand, staring down that avatar whose words to this day felt burned into his mind.
"Your every word was etched onto my mind like an iron burning into wood . . . even when I ran away from it all, I couldn't escape it."
Vanguard was the first of the group to lay eyes on him, and yet Var was somehow larger and radiated energy very different from the energy he knew him for. All that time since those lectures and bouts of battle within the Gardens, and Vanguard finally once again stood before his mentor. At the time, he was only just starting out, but the teachings past on by this individual would drive his career forward. The Creamland Repair Zone was the first to fall by his hand . . . after that, it seemed Var's job was to teach him without much action outside of the Gardens. He was always so focused on the eye, and yet he'd lost access to it for some time. It wasn't until all of this started that he regained it. What did it all mean? Why were they all here? What was their mission, and why was it that now, of all times, he stood before his Master on opposing sides?
He wanted answers. But first, tradition had to be observed. Taking the chance, he looked back at those that followed him and stayed them with his hand. He took the first steps forward, covering the distance left between them, and held out his fist to accept Var's own. A convergence of power was what he was expecting - a simple show of their own journey and connection, he expected his master's fist to press against his, and for them to surge energy between them.
"I would be a fool to mistake what you're ultimately here for. I would hope that old pleasantries can at least be addressed before then. It has been a long time, master . . . and you have much to explain."
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Post by Zane on Jun 6, 2021 0:51:52 GMT -8
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/340189121500938240/841390153762865193/1000~png Mistair would take a step back after Vanguard's show of his intentions, wary but willing to back down on this one. And Var was willing to see their tradition through as his fist would come to meet his, the surge of power passing between them. Vanguard would know that for Var, his right arm was strife given shape, while his left was its opposing factor. The two extreme aspects of war lied in them both and when together served him more than well in battle. Var would be able to see the experiences that he had gone through since their parting, his preparation and his growth to reach this point. The months that had passed after he passed his teachings down to him had served him well. He still had room for growth and improvement, but he was able to stand tall and on his own two feet. It was here that Vanguard would be able to peer inside and likewise see some of Var's own journey. The Avatar of War was kneeling before something... a stone monument of some kind? It was vague from here, but a sort of vagueness that Vanguard would be familiar with. The deceit that he was all too familiar with when working under Master Juno alongside the Reaverkings. And just that alone would be something that would make the past begin to seem all too clear about the end result of their relationship with their former master.
"Before we can discuss those pleasantries, we need to leave. If you want to be able to discuss them at length, either you or your partner can probe the location out of that injured one's head and we can begin there. I may have received permission to take over your execution, but for that to be accomplished I need only keep you in Sharo. If you do remain, you'll be caught up in the blast and destroyed. Few places are outside of its radius by this point."
Whether or not he was telling the truth was difficult to discern from one who was both a master and an enemy. If they left it would make all the trials they went through to get this far possibly pointless. But it was also possible that trying to get past Var would ultimately be their undoing.
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Post by Warrior on Jun 6, 2021 1:39:26 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/80QKuvL~png Faith's expression continued to sink as they crossed the abyss. After everything that had been brought against them, she knew for certain it was more than she could have handled on her own -- much less Warrior on his own.
" Poor Jake... "
Sending him here like she did... she may as well have signed his death certificate. It explained why her emails to him earlier had failed. And knowing how pacifist he could behave most of the time only confirmed his desperation for causing this devastation.
Still, she had to believe there was a chance he had made it out intact, but she tried not to think what would have come of him afterward if that even was the case, or why he hadn't sought her out.
It lingered on her mind as they continued, until at last they had come face to face with Var. He and Vanguard seemed to have a history -- quite different than her own history with Deav -- so it was fair to let him take the stage here. But in Var's mercy, or at least that's how Faith interpreted it, he disclosed Sharo's imminent annihilation.
" Wait! "
She stepped forward, not meaning to butt in here, but her urgency matched their own in light of what he had shared.
" My friend was here, Warrior.EXE. Just... tell me what happened to him. "
The concern in her eyes put her at the mercy of the Reaverking. If Warrior was still in Sharo and alive, she'd obviously have to go and find him before escaping its destruction; there was a good chance that he couldn't Pulse Out from where ever he was either, if he was still online. If he did meet his end here, though... then at least she could evacuate quickly, but with more stains on her guilty conscience.
How this would affect the Colossus was uncertain, but by no means as much a priority as everything else. Whether they would ultimately engage Var or not she would leave up to Vanguard, but for the time being, she was ready to face her own truth.
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Post by Zane on Jun 6, 2021 3:17:21 GMT -8
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/340189121500938240/841390153762865193/1000~png It had been some time since that one was in Sharo, but it made sense that was his last known location with Faith. Her time away let him go from Sharo to a number of other places now. And as much as she no doubt would want a clear cut answer on it, he wasn't able to give her a precisely detailed account of what he had been up to and what he was up to now. But she seemed like she would be at ease to know whether or not he had managed to make it through his adventure in Sharo or not, meaning...
"I'm not at liberty to disclose the specifics, but Warrior's actions granted him mercy. That abyss he left behind was to ensure as much. He remains on the move, but his last location is in a place with can be summarized as a poor connection."
She hadn't signed his death warrant in its entirety. She could be held accountable for sending him to the gallows, but he managed to keep his head on his own shoulders after that had been done. She would be able to rest easy of her guilt for now, but have to stay worried about what it could be that he had found himself next that put him out of her reach that ideally wasn't just him being unable to answer due to meeting a timely end in a place that wasn't Sharo.
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Post by Genesis on Jun 6, 2021 13:20:31 GMT -8
*Continuing their trek for such a distance did put his mind at ease about any other pursuers, this much was true. He would put him out of his mind for now and instead think back to some others who likely made it to Sharo. Did they make it out alright? ...It was looking unlikely if one considered everything else so far. The only choices they would have had were compliance or annihilation, and one of them... no, both of them were very stubborn. That was just how Embera and the Doctor were. He would close his eyes briefly, instead putting those thoughts aside for now. They would have to stay secondary at best to everything else that would come first. As the cold intensified he was at least not worried about himself as he would use his own natural abilities together with Armiger to make this easier on him, looking about the enclave that so naturally formed here. And even more than that, the glass-like location they found themselves in was another curious thing to consider briefly. Were these always here? There used to be someone who served as a miner here that could have answered that but he was gone for ages now, so no point in dwelling on this either. The lack of life told him that more likely it wasn't so commonplace, keeping his hands to himself rather than running them along the wall or anything. As they rounded the final bend he would see Vanguard take a knee, his right hand flexing slightly as he was about to begin preparing for the inevitable.*
"..."
*But he didn't begin right away, no. It was why the initial signs of combat that typically flared from him didn't arise either. No doubt Vanguard would want to at least try speaking with someone he had been in such an intricate relationship with before they would have to do battle with one another. Vanguard staying them with his hand was the further insurance that he needed that he was fine with waiting until their talk was over. Even still, the contrast between strength was quite telling. Why was Var so far removed from the rest of his kind in terms of power? On top of that was what was discussed next: leaving Sharo. Were they able to do so now that Blu had allowed Var to dispense with the execution on his own terms? That would make sense as well. A blast that few places were outside of the radius for... could it be from that massive weapon from before? And what of the thing clearly slumbering beneath Sharo? ...A targeted strike that would miss what they needed to unless they planned to just rebuild anything they destroyed that they needed then? And even further it looked like he was right to put it together that Warrior had been the one who had been here, for the better as it would seem he managed to get out alright. In that case... why would the Armored Destroyer know of the safehouse? ...No, it was unlikely he was playing the suspecting role of double agent. He was clued in on it for a reason, no doubt to further reinforce their choice in this very moment. It would almost make him want to press this matter even further, and yet it could almost raise its own question were he willing to care on that matter. Someone else here was, so this would be his call.*
"Whether we press on or not is up to you, Vanguard. I'll follow your lead on this decision."
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Post by Gaia on Jun 6, 2021 18:29:10 GMT -8
Vanguard.EXE
The flow of energy between them always came with experiences. The hand that represented strife itself met against his, and the memories flowed, and yet they were disjointed. Seeing his master kneeling before the stone idol confused him, and it came with some of the feelings surrounding that moment. This stone idol was not the same as Juno, and yet it made clear to him what the ultimate relationship was between the four and Juno. His nature was holding them back, and whatever that idol was was what they truly harkened to. There was so much that was blurred and being kept from him, though, and he was unsure if that was entirely Var's will. His eye only continued to burn with greater intensity as they traded, but he stood strong despite it.
He listened again to the Colossus' words, thinking deeply into the meaning hidden within them. He always spoke with more meaning than just the words, and there was much to be learned by thinking on them. His master had asked to take over their execution, which Vanguard immediately trusted had one ultimate goal - to obtain more time. He looked to Faith, knowing that she had the injured one in question in her PET to keep it safe, but also knew that if he had what they needed, they would need to bring him back out before going. Either he or Mistair would be able to without harming him.
He waited for Var to answer Faith's question before turning back to his Master. He considered what lengths Var was going to in order to gain just a few more moments before they had to fight, but also considered what they had gone through to get to this point. He saw the message loud and clear, and knew what they were being asked to choose from.
To stand and attempt to push past Var to their objective beyond, they would have to defeat the Colossus and get to their objective with enough time to spare to escape before the Network went into smoke. He knew his master to be many things, but a liar was not one of them. He also knew that the task of defeating his master in battle was, in a word, improbable. If they engaged in battle, on the chance that they won, Var would be in too dangerous a place to escape afterwords, and that was a risk Vanguard was unwilling to take. On the off chance that they didn't but also weren't immediately annihilated, Var would still be here trying to fight them off when the judgment was cast, once again resulting in all of their annihilations. There was no easy way to get past him and retrieve their objective while ensuring they could survive to make use of it.
There was only one option, then, and it was unfortunate. It wasn't blind admiration for his Master that brought him to this opinion; it was a respect forged in battle, a notion that only soldiers could understand. He believed Var and trusted him. His decision was set.
"We can't fight him. Not here. It's a lose-lose situation in the best of cases, and a lose-win in the worst of scenarios; there isn't a scenario that I foresee where we get what we want out of this and survive. He's too much for us to surmount when he goes all out, especially given the time limit; the best we could hope for is retrieving our objective just in time to be destroyed. Its importance would die with us; and that's our best outcome." He spoke matter-of-factly and kept his vision level with Var the entire time. What tactical insight did his speech portray? He could feel it, in their trades of energy, that Var had some level of respect for where he now stood, but he knew that his power couldn't hope to eclipse Var's. None of their's could.
"We need to move. It's a little convenient, but our option is to use the Armored Destroyer's information to move to that safe house. There, we can at least get some answers, and perhaps perform actions that can grant us mercy, as well." He was talking to his allies without looking at them, as he was still level with that eye on Var's arm, trying to think ahead.
"Trying to get past you is pointless," he concluded, his attention shifting back to Var, directly. "But whatever is behind you is crucial to those that harry us on all fronts. I believe it is information that is crucial to our victory - knowledge that will invigorate our efforts forward. Protected by you, now, it would indeed be most practical for them to destroy it, unless it is important to them still intact.
"We live to push towards our objective another time, and to get answers."
He turned to look at Faith, and then back at Mistair. "Can you use the Armored Destroyer's memories to help us find this new location? As Var has explained, we need to relocate."
There was a mild hint of uncertainty in all of this, as just like Genesis worried and Var's words hinted at, all that they had come here for would be for nothing if this went up in smoke behind them. It would all be for nothing if they didn't, however, as there was no easy way forward that would ensure their survival. It simply wasn't worth the risk, especially not if the opportunity existed for them to reconvene elsewhere. He worried that it was a little too convenient, but he had to trust that Var would at least hold up that promise. Once they were done getting answers, then they would lie in the bed that they made.
He didn't linger too long on the implications of his decision. He stood by it, prepared to reflect on it in the future to keep striving forward. But all they could do was move forward, and forward didn't always mean towards the same objective. This kept them moving forward, for the good of all of those that didn't have the will or the power to move forward on their own.
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Post by Warrior on Jun 8, 2021 0:43:43 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/stQVi94~png Relief came over her expression at Var's response. Jake always had a tendency to outperform others' expectations of him when the going got tough, but Faith considered that a factor of luck more than anything else -- and luck runs out eventually. It was comforting to know that his was at least still going.
Var wasn't specific on the details, but that was fine since she figured he wasn't aware that he was human, so "a poor connection" was a fine interpretation of it. Considering her pings from earlier, though, it was more likely that his searches had led him to another closed-off continent, which at least implied that he had seen some sort of progression since he'd been gone.
As the conversation continued, Vanguard had made his decision on how to move forward and queried Faith, as well as Mistair, on whether they could extract some information from the Armor Destroyer.
" I can try... but without any specifics, it's a needle in a hay sac. "
Mistair was more of an analyst or an accountant than a software engineer, from what she observed, but that's not to say she still wouldn't be more qualified than Faith was. Regardless, the information was more vague than she would have liked: she had no idea how far back to search or if there'd even be indication that she had found the right memory when she came across it. More than that, though, she felt a bit of a morality issue surrounding it, so shirking it to Mistair if she was able to was still preferred.
" But it's only fair to at least try waking him up, first. It's a little inhumane to just go delving into someone's mind without consent. "
Of course, desperate times and desperate measures applied here, but the extra minute or two spent trying to wake him would pale in comparison to a likely much longer process of trying to infiltrate his memory banks by force.
They seemed to be able to leave the network at their whim now, but Faith waited for Mistair's response before making her exit. She'd have asked Var why he couldn't just tell them the location since he knew they would be able to get the information anyway, but it likely shared the same reasoning as his non-specific response concerning Warrior, so she'd let that rest instead.
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Post by Zane on Jun 27, 2021 17:11:27 GMT -8
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/340189121500938240/841390153762865193/1000~png Looked like they were all decided then. But just as Faith brought up the obvious qualms with doing it, Mistair nodded in agreement with her. If they weren't left with any other choice then that would be a different matter, but before that they would at least have to try to wake him up to get it from him directly before they did so without permission.
"I agree with Faith as well. We'll try waking him up first and if we're out of time then we'll have no choice in the matter. At the very least it should be located in his more recent memories, correct?"
Var would nod in the affirmative, though it was no doubt difficult to tell that given the difference in his design compared to theirs. And while Mistair would head off to the confines of the PET to do just that, Var would look to Faith next. This was something that would happen anyway so there was little reason to not disclose it now and save them the trouble on the matter. He was at least at liberty to say as much due to that very fact.
"You can return to your vessel. Your method of entry will just get you ejected from their destination anyway for the same summarized reason as before: poor connection."
As they were able to heed the Zealot's call here, they would be able to go about this in a proper manner rather than meet their ends here. And while the option of simply waiting our whatever it was inside of Faith's PET like where the Armored Destroyer was should come to their mind, they should have been able to deduce that if it was as simple as that he would have simply told them to do so from the onset rather than have them take a more roundabout means like this. He understood that they either knew this or simply had their own qualms for not doing so and heeding his words instead, as while Vanguard could be driven by his emotions, the rationale of the tactician would still be driven to make a sound decision that was a good fit even when emotion was taking the reins.
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Post by Genesis on Jun 29, 2021 0:58:10 GMT -8
*Now that was a curious statement. Leaving aside that Vanguard had his eye, wouldn't the rest of them be removed for the same reason? Certainly they had moved on their fair share of things that bypassed the grounds of a regular network at this point, but it was caused by her method of entry? ...That could only mean her overall method of entry up to this point, a disadvantage of her pulsed in state then. It was the only difference between them, but why that was the definitive factor was something he supposed he didn't need to consider very heavily. It wasn't directly his problem and while it diminished their overall ability, it wasn't as if they would be able to study it and then just build a solution to it right away either.*
"In that case we'll see you later, Faith. I don't need to tell you that Sharo is their own terrain now given our experiences here. Staying in the real world side of it would be problematic unless you can take care of yourself. Act at your own usual discretion."
*She wouldn't necessarily be easy to take that if human means were employed against her. So as far as he was aware the only way she would be forced down is if they tried to get her while she was leaving: namely at the airport or on the airplane out of Sharo. There wouldn't exactly be much to do on the flight back besides engage if that were the case, but she would just have to act on her own judgment going forward from here for a while. It had gotten her plenty of results in the past, so there was no need to be worried for her on their side he felt.*
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Post by Warrior on Jul 2, 2021 13:59:58 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/stQVi94~png Faith nodded as she passed Centurion to Vanguard. She wasn't exactly sure what to make of the warning, but figured that it would make more sense once she and Mistair were able to get their next destination from the Armored Destroyer -- whether by asking him for it or by extracting it.
Without much to say, she Pulsed Out as directed and worked with Mistair to get the information that they needed.
(Faith -> Pulse Out)
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