World Tree MUSH

    "You know nothing about the plight of this world! Nothing of the wait for its final end!" rages Cocolia, lances of ice floating around her like sentinels, the swirling mass of starlight inside her body seeming to surge with the rage, even as the power begins to fade now the Stellaron has nothing to anchor it to this world.

    Bronya shoulders her rifle, standing resolute with the return of the Flaming Amber to its rightful state. "Even if we are doomed to destruction, we will go bravely, walking hand-in-hand into the darkness..." Seele twirls her scythe, laying it over her shoulder and standing next to Bronya with a steely look in her eyes.

    Stelle shakes her head, stabbing the Lance into the ground, and flashing a protective skein across the group. "They've not given up." she says to Cocolia sharply. "And now, it's our turn," she looks across the assembled fighters from off world. "To do what we gotta do, to tell them that they made the right choice in trusting us."

    Dan brandishes his spear, March nocks an arrow and says. "That end won't come to pass while we're around!"

    Cocolia throws a ball of super-cold ice, much like before, then begins painting Jessica with the holographic 'Target Lock' symbols... much like what she did to Stelle earlier.

    Stelle herself, steps forward, and jabs her Lance toward Cocolia, the Amber Light flaring and dragging that target lock onto herself instead. "Defend the Weak." she states, bringing the lance across her body and bracing it. The symbol of Preservation flares and that skein of protection reinforces itself.

    Talia narrows her eyes. "I'll always fight tyranny, no matter what form it may take. You're no exception to that promise." She says, brandishing her lightsaber. She stands resolute with her friends, and the Jedi's conviction is doubled as she feels that skein of protection on her.

    She rushes Cocolia and her lightsaber flashes with green light, slashing at the dictator!

    Jessica reloads quickly while Cocolia is doing her villainous monologue, and even manages to add a little of her own! "Even if the world seems against you and hopeless, that doesn't mean life isn't worth living! I have a lot of fun despite that!" She is, of course, talking about her own world and its frequent cataclysms.

    Of course in doing so, she steps out into sight and... gets target-locked? That's not good. "Eep?" The catgirl's ears and tail flick upward as she looks at herself, then frantically fires bullets in Cocolia's general direction, while running for cover! "A little help guys?!"

    Jessica is being targeted? Oh no! Bi De huffs, but considers quickly. He can't rely on his Aegis for too much longer, but... "We need to finish this quickly," he asserts, as he tumbles back and tries to get between Cocolia and Jessica, flaring that silvery moon-shield to life. At least he's not weakened from weeks underground any more, but still...
    There's a limit to how many times the chicken can tank. He's already looking pretty frazzled and bruised, after all.

    "You can't say we don't know anything!" That... That is Clara. She's come out of hiding!
    "Some of us have lived here our whole lives... We know exactly what this world is going through... I never got to see the sky until a few days ago because of your control- you need to let go...! It's not over, it's not the end unless everyone gives up- and we haven't given up!"
    Svarog is IMMEDAITELY in front of Clara to protect her from the ice as it's flung.
    "Jessica." Svarog says, "Take evasive action." He suggests very helpfully while bracing behind Stelle's new barrier, unleashing a ray of laser heat from his palm at Cocolia.

    Cocolia growls in frustration, firing off one of the lances that float around her like an arrow... but instead of going for Jessica as intended, it swerves, and slams into Stelle's barrier, shattering against the will of Preservation. "You fools!" snarls the former Guardian.

    Stelle's Lance flares brilliantly, and she charges in, alongside Talia. As lightsaber slashes, burning into but not curring fully through those ice lances as Cocolia uses them to defend herself, Stelle leaps, and comes down like a meteor, slamming her lance into the floor under Cocolia's floating form, and causing an explosion that disrupts the icy woman's focus, long enough for Talia to get a slash in on the main body. The wound seals instantly after, but then Svarog and Jessica's shots slam home, knocking her back further.

    "You will not take away our hope!" she growls, summoning a pair of giant lances that slam into the ground beside her, much like the lesser Echo did... these start to emit bone chilling cold winds, and whip up the snow and ice into a frenzy of projectiles. Thankfully the protective barrier provided by the Lance shelters the group.

    Talia's lightsaber cuts deep into the ice queen, and the Jedi leaps into the air to avoid the lances, her saber batting away at projectiles hurled her way. But the lance's skein makes that redundant, Talia finds. Whatever it is Stelle did, Talia hopes she can keep doing it.

    "Hope is the last thing we wish to take away!" Talia shouts back, before she inflicts another deep cut on the monarch.

    Evasive action sounds great to Jessica! Tumbling about and seeking cover, only to see the attack drawn away. "Whew!" Close call, that. "Thanks!" Yelled to both Stelle and Bi De, the catgirl slams another magazine in and this time, aims at some of the lances themselves.

    This may seem pointless, but she's realized that though they may block things, maybe the impact of her bullets hitting directly can damage them... and if not, perhaps those lances can be pushes aside to allow the melee fighters like Talia, or Svarog's beams, to penetrate!

    Well, it's tood for Bi De that he doesn't have to block anything powerful this time. The chicken breathes a sigh of relief, then musters his willpower again! The fight isn't over, after all! Time to leap back into the fray!
    With the various attacks coming in, Bi De looks for openings, and when he spies one, darts in with a Qi-empowered wing or talon! He isn't using too much... testing how various Qi affects her, and saving the bulk of it for a technique once he thinks he can do some serious damage with one, testing the limits.

    With Stelle's lance soaking damage, Svarog hangs back.
    "What you hope for isn't what others hope for!" Clara points out. "I want the eternal freeze to end! I want to see more of the sky, I want to see what the ground is like without snow!" The girl pleads as Svarog continues to unleash heat rays at Cocolia while shielding Clara with his body from Cocolia's attacks.

    As everyone lays into Cocolia, Stelle's lance gives off a sharp sound, it pulses with life... and the Engine of Creation starts moving again, its eyes flaring red... then turning yellow as it draws back one mighty fist... poised to strike not at the allies, but at Cocolia. Stelle lifts the Lance, and points at Cocolia, the Engine bringing its mighty fist down and shattering the two Lances of the Eternal Freeze and knocking Cocolia flat on her ass for a moment... though she's not down for the count yet.

    "Lance Ablaze!" announces Stelle, sweeping the weapon back behind her.

    Cocolia is starting to wear down, the ice on her limbs beginning to show cracks, the stars in her 'body' dimming slightly. It looks like she's on her last bit of strength, but something feels off.

    Jessica is empathetic but not really tuned into the 'something off' right now. She sees Cocolia weakened and down, so her response is to advance! Get closer, where her shots can have better aiming! Now she's targeting the cracks, quick pinpoint shots aiming for them. "Hope needs a future!"

    That's her statement, that's all.

    And there goes the Engine of Creation- but this time rather than attacking the party it *helps* them.
    "Analysis: She is weakening. Press the attack." Svarog says while Clara skitters back and away from the field of combat. She's said what she's had to for now, so she'll leave the rest in everyone's capable hands.
    Because Svarog braces, spreading his arms, his back opens up revealing his micromissile launchers- which unleash a flurry and salvo of missiles for Cocolia now.

    Instead of flailing with her lightsaber, Talia stows it and reaches out with her hands. She draws the Force within her, from her friends, from every bit of life she can sense around her. Svarog is right, they need to press the attack while they can. And Talia unleashes the Force in a blast that at this distance would pulverize most things in front of her. It's anybody's guess what it'll do to Cocolia.

    Now Bi De feels he can press the attack, and not because Svarog said so! Though he agrees with the assessment, the chicken can at least feel something is askew here. He isn't sure what. Is it a trap? Is it something else building up?

    He doesn't know, but perhaps what it means is he can try speaking again?

    The chicken leaps up, wings unfurling to flap and briefly hover in an overly-dramatic moment of hanging air-time, while his aura flares in a bright silver.

    "You are the guardian of your people! Would this bring them hope? You must protect ALL of them! From the lowliest orphan to the greatest and most noble knight! To do otherwise would make you..."

    The rooster's body flips and tumbles down, extending a claw out to follow Talia's blast with his own pinpoint strike at the chipped armor, using Jessica's thought of weaknesses too.

    "A COWARD!"

    Micromissiles and bullets strike home. Talia's force push knocks her back, and Bi De's talons shatter some of the ice around Cocolia's body... but then, Imaginary energy, golden light that scintilates with black lashes out, the Genesis Chords seeking to disrupt everyone for a few precious moments.

    Cocolia is breathing heavily, lifting back off the ground and gathering more of that Imaginary light into a sphere above her. "The Power of the Stellaron is with me! You are but cinders of the Old World, SOON TO BE TURNED TO ASHES!" She lifts higher, forming a jagged meteor of ice, Imaginary energy and debris, throwing it down at the group just as the Chord disperses, and frees their movements. "Power, Translates into Hope!"

    Stelle's there though, she calls. "BEHIND ME NOW!" as she puts up the barrier again, grunting as the impact rattles the very mountain top, perhaps even the planet itself.

    Talia doesn't bother trying to respond, she just hides behind Stelle and braces for the worst. But she knows one thing, power doesn't translate to hope..it just enables one's impulses. And what Cocolia's been willing to do doesn't give her a good impression.

    Jessica ejects a magazine smoothly, then reaches for another... slapping it in even as she dashes for cover behind that barrier. She takes several deep breaths, catching her wind as she hunkers down. "I hope she doesn't have much more left, I don't know if my heart can keep up!"

    She still acts like a scaredey cat sometimes, doesn't she?

    She can't be reached. Bi De heaves a sigh, kicking off and flipping back to the others, taking the advice to hide behind the barrier. If he can do it quickly enough, he tries to figure out if he can bolster it with his Qi. If it doesn't work, no worse off than before.

    "I think we may need to take her down," he says with some sadness.

    The meteor lands, everyone hunkers down... and then Stelle glares. "Lets put an end to this." she says, glancing over at Bronya with apologetic eyes, before she states firmly. "Lance Ablaze!"

    Flames lick around her, and she sweeps the lance in an arc in front of her before charging in. She stabs through Cocolia, landing on the other side before slamming the lance into the ground, causing the floor to explode violently underneath the former Guardian. "Hit her now! Everything you've got!"

    Seele nods. "Disappeaer amongst the sea of butterflies."
    March nods. "You've had your chance... now its time to let others take up the mantle."
    Dan Heng nods. "The truth between life and death, revealed in an instant."
    Bronya screws here eyes shut... "To Guard and Defend... I'm sorry, mother."

>> GAME >> Stelle spends an Edge for: Lance Ablaze! Flaming Lance. FORWARD!

    "Tyranny will never last. It is the way of all cowardly, cruel leaders." Talia says. Her lightsaber springs to life one last time as she rushes the transformed Cocolia, and she leaps into the air with her lightsaber aloft. The blade has slain many a beast, man, and droid in battle, and it has proven a potent symbol of not just a peacemaker, but a destroyer of evil. Talia knows what must be done, and despite the distaste she has for ridding a woman of her mother, it must be. Perhaps this is a mercy, considering the abomination Cocolia has turned herself into.

    Talia's lightsaber embeds itself into Cocolia's chest, intending to spear her through the dictator's heart and finishing her off. Only when she rips the lightsaber free does Talia throw Cocolia towards her allies.

    Jessica doesn't do her usual series of shots. Talia is going for the hear, but Jessica? Now that Bi De says she's done for, Jessica doesn't hesitate. "I'm sorry," she says, leveling her gun with both hands now, stance firm. "Not one step backward."

    She fires a single originium slug, aiming for the head.

    It is, in fact, time to put an end to this.
    Svarog stands himself straight after the meteor assault, armor scored and smoldering. But then. He snaps his fingers.
    Two massive mechanical hands hover in out of the snow floating in quickly to try and snag Cocolia and hold her down.
    Mainly to hold her down so the others can get their hits in.
    ... But they also squeeze something fierce...

    Bi De sighs again, but he doesn't use a catch phrase. The rooster already said his part, and has no more to add, merely watching the onslaught while... running to the side? He's a silver blur, dashing at the side of the final boss here, with Svarog now holding her down. Talia and Jessica are going for kill shots, but Bi De doesn't need to kill here.

    He just needs to break her.

    A sudden right angle turn has him flashing forward... literally. Like a rocket the chicken takes off, twisting in midair so a single sharp talon aims at the side, right under where the ribs would be on a fully human person, directly halfway down the body.

    A single, Qi-infused strike at a tiny point on a fast-moving fowl.

>> GAME >> Bi De spends an Edge for: Single Point Strike

    Flames engulf.
    Quantum slashes
    Ice Arrows rain.
    Wind Spear pierces
    A command to Guard and Defend and an apology.
    Talia comes in for a killing strike, stabbing straight through Cocolia's chest, the blade erupting from the former Guardian's back.
    Jessica's shot lands, cracking the 'faceplate' and showing the eye beneath, blood tickling down.

    Svarog's drones grab at her, holding her in place for Bi De's strike... and that seems to end it.

    Cocolia's form returns to its human shape. She cradles the Stellaron, "The stellaron, promised us the future!" she says, driving the glowing sphere into her chest.

    Bronya runs forward, but Seele grabs her, "Let me go! I've got to get to her! Mother! Stop!"

    "It will... engulf EVERYTHING!" A bubble appears around the former Guardian, as the power of the Stellaron overloads, building on itself... and then.

    Cocolia is gone, and Bronya falls to her knees as the barrier bubble vanishes, crying softly.

    Talia can only offer silent sympathy toward Bronya as Cocolia is felled. There's nothing to say left. The Jedi closes her eyes, hoping that Cocolia's soul can find some manner of peace. To live like this is a fate she wouldn't wish on anybody. The fact the group just denied a woman her own mother is no comfort to Talia.

    She reaches and gives Bronya a pat on the shoulder, squeezing it gently. No platitudes can help here, so Talia offers none.

    "Sorry," is all Jessica can say, but doesn't try to infringe on the mourning. She rechecks her weapons, frowns, and then walks slowly forward to make sure everything is in order. She doesn't want to say anything more unless it's an emergency, not now that this is over.

    With Cocolia defeated, Svarog's drones hang back and the large mechanical man does as well. He doesn't say anything.
    His cold analytical demeanor will not help, and he knows it.
    It is Clara who comes up running, scootching down to her knees to hug and support Bronya with Seele.

    Singed and exhausted, Bi De lands and limps over, shaking himself off. "I had hoped..." he trails off, but he knows that it was past the point of no return. Corruption is an insidious thing, but there's no reason to burden Bronya with that, especially as the rules for this world may be different than his.

    The exhausted rooster hops up and fluffs, then settles there, now only hoping that the problem of the Stellaron can be resolved properly.