World Tree MUSH

    "I don't care how strange it is, it's in our way!" That's Seele, summoning her scythe and charging in at the floating figure.

    It reacts finally, speaking in a distorted echo of Cocolia's voice. "Forward." it states... and a group of ice-aspected corrupted Silvermane Guards emerge from hiding, intercepting Seele's attack with swings of their frostbane halberds.

    "Tch... You're in my way!!"

    "Retribution!" comes that echoy voice again, a bolt of electricity dropping on Seele from the sky, knocking her finally away from the creature. "Prayers won't help you." The floating creature grasps its staff in both hands, and a sigil appears behind it, wought from purple lightning for a brief moment, lingering in the air... everyone gets the feeling that a retaliation will come if they try to use magic, or any kind of special SKILL.

>> SUMMARY[Stelle] >> Seele charges in, gets swarmed by adds, and blasted with electricity. Guardian Shadow uses Silent Ban, any 'SKILL' usage will be punished.

    "We'll take her together. I want some of us to rush her from the sides, then we can-NO SEELE NO!"

    Seele does not listen and gets zapped for it.

    Talia sighs and shakes her head before turning her lightsaber on. "And this is why we need a game plan." She mutters to herself as she rushes off to engage with the corrupted Silvermanes. Even now, Talia doesn't have any plans to kill them, only trying to destroy their weapons.

    And off goes Seele.
    "A-ah, Seele, wait!" Clara calls out, but it's too late, the scythe-girl is lunging into the fray.
    It's as the corrupted guards step forward that Svarog emerges from cloaking.
    Clara decides helpfully, to hang back as Svarog strides towards the opposing force and starts dealing out hands like they were prescribed by a doctor.
    Side effects may include getting knocked the eff out.

    Boy that is a strange feeling! Jessica's ears twitch a few times, but she doesn't normally use special skills. She HAS a few but when it comes right down to it, she normally just shoots things. And... fortunately, this seems receptive to that! "Oh no...! Someone take care of her!" Well, Clara probably will.

    In the meantime Jessica does her standard attack! Namely she ducks partly behind cover, readies her pistol, and snaps off a few shots. At least she isn't needing to hold back like she has been!

    That sense is... worrying. Bi De doesn't know EXACTLY what it means, but it makes him wary. Unfortunately, that means he doesn't attack! This is pretty reasonable, since he is mainly a melee fighter. Seeing Seele thrown back confirms this worry, so he approaches cautiously... his body flaring with the power of his Aegis. "Can anyone spot a weakness of some kind?" The creature before him is one he at least can attempt to draw the attention of, darting forward, then zig-zagging a few times before coming in toward the side, but not attacking yet. Presenting a threat to the flank hopefully will be enough?

    Disarming the Frozen Guards doesn't entirely disable them. They just throw themselves at the Jedi, they're little better than zombies at this point after all.

    Svarog throws hands, and sends some of the things flying into the debris, shattering barricades and knocking over barrels of old rations, spilling dessicated dust that used to be food for the guards stationed here.

    Jessica's shots nail a few of the guardsmen, and if she takes aim, manages to land a few on the Guardian Shadow. It grunts in pain, but the wounds don't bleed.

    Bi De's Aegis earns him a reaction, the energy of it singling him out over the others. The Shadow twirls its staff, and aims it at Bi De as he starts charging in from the side. "For your sins!" she states sharply, as another bolt of electricity lances out from the stafftip at the rooster.

    Afterwards she twirls the staff again, and speaks firmly. "Judgement is here!" That sigil appears... no it's a different one, it etches into the air, and the feeling changes... ATTACKING THE SHADOW will earn retaliation.

    Talia takes that as a sign to step things up. "Forgive me." She whispers, before her lightsaber swipes and stabs at the corrupted Frozen Guards. Hopefully this will at least grant them rest, it's the only mercy she can grant them for now. May the Force take their spirits.

    Clara is going to have to wait to help Seele until after she's free of the boss adds.
    Svarog however is more free to act, skidding to the side in a powerslide, he...
    Covers Bi Di, using his immense bulk to soak the bolt intended for the martial arts rooster...
    Before, while keeping his momentum sliding, he scoops Bi De up.
    "Get ready." Is all Svarog says.
    Before he fastball specials a rooster right at the shadow.

>> SUMMARY[Clara] >> Counter-Attack: FASTBALL SPECIAL

    Well. It worked. Bi De's Aegis is defensive, so he isn't out of the fight, but a loud SQUAWK! can be heard as he's blasted and tumbles end over end! A little rattled, but the barrier protected him from broken bones and worse injuries. He woozily shakes his head, briefly stymied and out of the fight while he gathers his wits.

    Though... the moment he does, he's scooped up! "Eh?" Puzzlement in his voice, until he finds himself hurtling toward the shadow. Well, he could... attack or he could...

    The rooster splits into two, light and dark, letting the 'fake' impact first followed by the real one, glowing silver, slamming in right after, claws flaring with light, the instant after the fake is dispersed!

>> GAME >> Bi De spends an Edge for: Futae no Kiwami?!?

    "Nnh..." Seeing Bi De knocked back is a little worrying! And now attacks are going to be harder, so... well, she has one idea. Especially seeing the others go after the shadow!

    Pistol comes up and now, realizing the guards are basically gone already, she snaps off shot after shot, aiming at the closest first, to keep them away from the group. Almost like she's playing a...

    Tower Defense.

    Talia finishes off some of the corrupted guards. Their bodies don't even hit the floor before they dissolve into golden sparkles.

    Jessica's bullets also drop some of the remaining guards, they keel over, and dissolve as well, their corrupted life fading along with their forms.

     The Shadow is treated to a Combo Arte from Svarog and Bi De. The fake impacts, knocking the creature off balance, and open to the light-claws of the real rooster slamming into it afterward. It sways away from the impact through the air, coming to rest against the barrier wall... and raises her staff. "RETRIBUTION!" she calls... this feels different, the stormclouds overhead darken, and bolts of electricity rain down on the field, not specifically targetted at anyone, they strike indiscriminately. "Hold your breath!" The Shadow then grasps her staff, and etches another glyph... this one different again. ATTACKING WITH BASIC STRIKES will cause retribution, but skills won't.

    Talia feels no shortage of regret as she fells the empty shells of what were once Guardsmen, nobly doing their duty protecting the people of their home.

    But this is going to require some more important stuff. As Svarog hurls Bi De with all his robot might, Talia gets an idea and grabs ahold of debris and refuse, merging it together into a big clump of STUFF, tightly packing it up like a sphere before she takes hold and uses all the might she's capable of to hurl the sphere towards the Shadow's head.

    Say it with me, YEET!

    Lightning strikes... There's a squeak as Clara is sent running and tumbling even in the back row of the fight.
    Svarog turns to make sure she's okay- and lightning strikes him next.
    Smoldering, the mechanical man drops to a knee from the impact. Before he pushes back up to his feet and braces.
    He countered the shadow already... This gives his calculations an edge for his next gambit as his shoulders and back open up--...
    And unload a swarm of micromissiles at the shadow.

    Jessica isn't sure what qualifies, so she'll have to guess. In this case, she ends up slapping a clip of the originium bullets into her pistol, and instead of just firing off a few shots, she takes aim... and holds it for several moments. Careful, targeted attacks to try to nip in the weak points. It isn't really a 'skill' like Bi De's Qi or anything, it's just... what she's good at.

    "Eep!" She almost forgets to hold her breath though, sputtering as she flattens ears and her last shot goes far too wide.

    "AWK!" Bi De jumps from one side to the other, jerking side to side as he tries to keep from being struck. He ends up tumbling again, singed by one, resetting his count of lightning dodges from 3 to 0. He dodges another one - only 199 more to go - and then dashes in again, doing a crescent kick upward with a flare of Qi.

    This, he can figure out. Though he's... taking something of a beating, at the moment.

    Talia uses the force to toss chunks of debris and pieces of barricade at the Shadow, pelting it with a fusillade of force-empowered projectiles. Svarog's micromissiles add to the devastation, tearing the monster's uniform in places and breaking the staff.

    Jessica is spared the lash, as she takes the time to show off her SKILL with the originium-powered bullets. They strike true, and the Shadow drops to the ground, its feet touching floor for the first time... to be sent into the air again by Bi De's crescent kick. She slams into the wall, dropping to her knees in a crumpled heap and begins to both freeze, and dissolve. "... I lost my way..." escapes in an ephemeral whisper, like something heard on the wind.

    March, Dan Heng and Stelle have been tending to Seele, binding wounds, and applying healing items. March pipes up, "This enemy was completely different! If I didn't know it was a Fragmentum product, I'd have thought we were fighting a human." she says, kneeling with Seele's head on her thighs to keep it off the ground... her affinity with ice, and the power of the Trailblaze keeping her from feeling the cold too much.

    Dan agrees in his own way. "Unlike the random low-level creations, this one seems to have had a mind of its own, able to use complex tactics and abilities."

    March looks and blinks. "Hey, look... another one of those Echoes, they must have come through this way." she says, pointing.

    Sure enough, another pair of ghostly statues of Bronya and Cocolia can be seen past where the Guardian Shadow was floating before.

    Talia brushes herself off and helps Seele to her feet. "Are you okay?" She asks, with concern. Yeah, Talia's not gonna go 'Told you so'. That's not how she rolls.

    She then notices the statues, rushing towards them. "It looks like Bronya, and Cocolia!" The Jedi feels something hitch in her chest. She doesn't like the looks of this.

    Talia reaches out to sense at the statues, trying to get a feel for them. Perhaps...there'll be a clue.

    With the shadow defeated, Clara rushes to check on Seele, first aid kit in hand.
    "Fascinating. I have never observed a fragmentum creature of such power before. Could this be due to our proximity to the Stellaron?" Svarog muses while dusting off his coat as the others investigate the new echoes.

    "Or perhaps..." Bi De muses, as he shakes himself and inspects his body. He's actually looking kind of beat up after all that, but appears mobile and isn't complaining. The bird falls into step beside the others, pausing to watch the Echo form.

    Meanwhile, he finishes his thought! "With an intelligence attempting to tap into it, they may be more dangerous and powerful," he points out. "We must be careful. Stelle, have you heard of anything like this? You have some experience with Stellarons, yes?"

    "We need to be careful," Jessica says. She isn't going to play detective about the images like everyone else, she's just going to lecture Stelle on having a little caution! "You should stay low and avoid confrontation until we know what's going on! Just follow my lead, okay?"

    This will work out great.

    Seele groans a bit as Talia helps her up... "That, usually works." she says, giving Clara a headpat. "Thanks kiddo... our offworld friends fixed me up."

    Stelle frowns a bit. "The voice is getting clearer..." she says, lifting a hand to rest over her chest, where her own Stellaron resides. Bi De's question earns a shrug. "It's my first day." she replies unhelpfully.. then shakes her head. "I, don't really know... this wasn't exactly my idea." she adds, pointing at her chest.

    "That must mean we're getting closer huh?" suggests March.
    "I sense we're very near to the northern Snow Plains."

    Approaching the echos, and especially feeling them with the Force, grants the group the words spoken between the Supreme Guardian and her daughter.

    Cocolia's voice is more even, closer to how one might expect a state official to speak. Stern, but informative. "This is where the first guardian led the Silverman Guardss into battle. She made huge sacrifices for the sake of temporary respite." Her tone shifts, a condescention entering it, "But the otherworldly Legion did not tire. She soon realized that flesh and blood could not contend with so ruthless an enemy. When all was nearly lost, she chose to set her sights on the Stellaron... and made the first wish." Her tone drops, an air of sadness entering the words. "As for what came after... you know as well as I."

    Bronya's tone is contemplative. One may be forgiven for thinking she's starting to agree with Cocolia's views. "So... the Eternal Freeze was a disaster brought about by a human wish...?"

    Cocolia is almost laughing at the absurdity of it all. "Ironic, no? All the Stellaron did was answer humanaity's call, and yet we kept its existence a closely guarded secret for centuries!" her tone darkens again, anger, barely concealed hatred. "Even going so far ass to attempt to use 'it' to control the Stellaron... Woeful... laughable." her voice bubbling in a mirthless chuckle as she says laughable.

    Bronya sounds curious, "It?"
    Cocolia is dimissive, nowever, "Something created using otherworldly technology... An inhibitor that a corporation(The IPC) from the Old World and the Architects attempted to use to house the Stellaron." she's laughing again at that, as if the attempt was a joke only she understood the punchline to. "... I know you have many questions, my daughter. Be patient... soon you will have all the answers."

    Advancing on, as the echos fade once more, the group would find a frozen figure, one made of ice in the form of Cocolia... this one is different, however. As it starts to speak, and... with the crackle of ice, starts to move, its empty, soulless eyes turning balefully on the group. "Intruders... you cannot... approach... the Stellaron!"