World Tree MUSH

    Everyone's shaken up. It seems that Tingyun, their earstwhile guide and confidant through their journey on the Luofu so far, was actually just a disguise for the Lord Ravager Phantylia, an Emanator, demi-god of Destruction.

    "So... hold on a sec-- are we really saying that Miss Tingyun was a member of the Antimatter Legion all this time?" asks March 7th. "And what was that fire that came out of her? And her body-- where'd it go?"

    Welt frowns, adjusting his glasses. "The flame we witnessed claimed to be Lord Ravager Phantylia-- a name I've heart other Nameless speak of in the past." he says, "She's one of seven Lord Ravagers who serve Nanook(The Destruction)... and finds pleasure in witnessing the self-destruction of mortals. She's led countless souls down a dark and hopeless path."

    "That being said, I doubt the Tingyun we knew was the real one... more likely an image, a covering for the Lord Ravager to move about in... without the body, we will be unlikely to know when the real Tingyun was replaced... or where she may be now." he looks at March apologetically, as her face shifts from hopeful, to defeated over the course of his explanation.

    "I believe that Phantylia's current goal is to sow seeds of doubt amongst us to ensnare us in a trap." Continues Welt, to be picked up by Fu Xuan.
    "It's clear that the resurgence of the Disciples is this Lord Ravager's doing. Pretending to be a Xianzhou citizen, planting the Stellaron... all part of a plan to bring about our self-destruction." the diviner pinches the bridge of her nose. "Her target is the Arbor. If she succeeds, the Luofu will be deprovied of its roots, making its destruction all too easy." her eyes snap open, and she makes a gesture that gets all the CLoud Knights nearby moving, and in turn, those further away. "We must stop her! We will need to take a Starskiff to Scalegorge Waterscape... the Arbor's seal is accessed through that delve. We must make haste."

    Clara is STILL a little shaken up. Seeing Tingyun's neck do... That...
    Well it has bad effects on a girl her age.
    She's been a little reticent and quiet as a result, hiding by Svarog because the big ancient machine always makes her feel safe and comforted.
    "The real one... If she wasn't the real Tingyun then... What happened to her?"
    "It is probably for he best we do not dwell on that, Clara." Svarog says surprisingly gently to her.
    "Regardless, stopping her would be the most prudent course of action now." He does point out.

    It's never a pleasant thing seeing someone die, Talia has learned. "It's hard to say, but we're not going to get anywhere considering it." Talia does in fact consider it privately, how long has this deception been going on?

    So now they have another place to rush to. "Uuuuh... are you sure you can't turn into a giant bird and fly us everywhere, Bi De? This is getting pretty exhausting. Use your magic chicken powers." Jessica huffs softly as she splays her ears and prepares for another frantic rush.

    She has no idea about Tingyun, but does try to keep the faith! "Maybe she just got left behind somewhere, we'll have to try to figure out when she was replaced..."

    "Talia is correct." Bi De hops up and shakes himself off. "We should not waste time, we need to stop whatever plan this is. We can consider what happened to the original on the way, and devise a plan to help if possible. Until then-"

    He clucks and eyes Jessica quietly. "... my powers are from the heavens, not being a chicken, but I am flattered by your faith in me."

    Stelle speaks up. "Where's Jing Yuan?" she asks, as the group bustle along toward the Starskiff docks, where a small flotilla of them are moored for use... likely gathered by the Disciples for their final assault on the Arbor's location, but now, useful for the Nameless and the Cloud Knights.
    Fu Xuan replies. "I've reported the situation to the Seat of Divine Foresight... however, the General has made no further contact since our communication at the Matrix of Prescience. He said he had 'Important matters to personally attend to.'. This situation is dire, however. We must trust in the general.

    Little do any of the current people know, but elsewhere, during these events, Dan Heng has been fighting for his life against Blade... and revealed quite the secret.

    Clara is clueless about Blade, Dan Heng, and the revealed secret. She'll have to play through the storyline some more or wait until it comes up!
    "That's... Huh. You'd think the General would want to be more... Appraised of what's going on?" Clara mumbles while following to the starskiffs. "I wonder what could be so important?"
    It is a mystery.

    "It should be fine as long as he's not a traitor or secretly another creature of destruction intent on murdering us all, right?" Jessica asks. "We'll just have to handle it without him. I mean..."

    She looks around at everyone. "It's not like we listen when we don't want to anyway, right?"

    "Has anybody been able to find Dan throughout this?" Talia asks, suddenly realizing he's been gone.

    As for Fu, Talia is also suspicious about this guy. "Are you sure? We should at least keep him in the loop."

    "It is true that we must choose whatever course of action we deem necessary now," Bi De agrees. "If we cannot find leadership, we must act independently. Hesitation at this point could prove fatal to not just us, but everyone else."

    Void Rangers. Hundreds, perhaps thousands... perhaps Without Number, stand in the way of the Nameless, the Cloud Knights, and their Outworld allies.

    But as they fight, the sea parts for them, creating a wide valley with the sea itself as the walls, and a vast, ancient construction hidden beneath the waves... Anyone looking back, would see Dan Heng, and Jing Yuan stood atop a high place... but Dan Heng looks different now.

    "Keep fighting!" calls Stelle, as she dismisses her Lance, and starts beating fools with her Bat, the black metal glowing an angry blue-white as she dives into the middle of battle.

    For once, this is something Jessica knows how to handle! Oh, not the whole cosmic battle going on that they're all proxies for... just a big battle that's happening where people need to defeat the enemy! The Void Rangers are just on the opposite side this time!

    Instead of standing in one place and shooting anyone approaching, Jessica is on the side of those approaching!

    Her gun works just as well though, snapping off shots to try to keep any single fighter from being overwhelmed.

    "We just need to get through, right?"

    "Then we're on our own. Fine." Talia says resolutely.

    Battle is joined, and Talia only pays a moment to gawk at the seas parting. She is more than a little befuddled at that.

    But more pressing concerns arise, and she follows Jessica as her lightsaber flashes to life. She rushes through the battle, mostly blocking away energy bolts and knocking guys aside. They really don't have time to be bogged down here, when they have an objective to reach.

    "Is that...?"
    WHy does Dan HEng look so different?
    This is an issue for later Clara to ask about as the water parts.
    "Clara." Svarog says firmly.
    "Right." The girl says ash she scampers up the ancient automaton's back and clings to his shoulders.
    Svarog and Grey wade into battle. Without water now thanks to the parted sea.
    Two big robots going to town... Well.
    It's a sight to behold.

    "Hmm." Bi De sees Dan in the distance, and squints as much as a chicken can. "It would seem our old friend has some carp in his bloodline."

    With that odd statement, he flares with silver light and leaps into the fray, his wings buffeting with wind before his Qi-enforced talons streak down, trying to quite literally carve a way through the Void Rangers.

    The Cloud Knights push the Void Rangers back enough that the Nameless can gather. Fu Xuan disengages and approaches, while Dan Heng and Jing Yuan join up too.

    "The annals mention that Scalegorge Waterscape was once the location of Dragon Palace... Small wonder, look at all these submerged structures." remarks Fu Xuan, looking around.

    Jing Yuan also glances about, before speaking. "I was fortunate enough to be here during the Shuhu Upheaval period. I witnessed this place in its prime. An age past -- the palace was left in ruins, and the Vidyadhara used their sacred homeland to imprison the Arbor. The Luofu and Xianzhou at large are greatly indebted to them." he looks down at the diminuative Diviner. "Lady Fu. Remain here. Lead the Cloud Knights in defense of this passage. We must prevent further incidents."

    Fu Xuan frowns. "General, you don't plan on facing Phantylia alone do you?"

    "Of course not... I'm counting on a few friends for support." replies the General, glancing over at the Nameless and the other Outworlders.

    The Cloud Knights nearby, acting as Fu Xuan's honour guard speak up, asking to fulfill their duty to protect the Xianzhou, but the General calls to their attention the need to protect the passage, and that the enemy are not Abundance monsters, but a Lord Ravager, a being beyond any mere mortal, and maybe even beyond the Pathstriders present.

    "You have a more important mission Cloud Knights. Attention! After I enter the Ambrosial Arbor, and if the seawater returns to its original state, you must withdraw immediately and seal off the delve once more. The Master Diviner will lead you." he looks to Fu Xuan as the Knights affirm their orders. "Lady Fu, if I am unable to return. I entrust you with the important task of relaying the full accounting to the other Xianzhou ships."

    Fu Xuan nods, "I trust you will be here to re-issue the order in person. But whatever the outcome, I will do as you command, and honour the mission."

    Jing Yuan smiles warmly. "Ha, spoken like a true general." he compliments, then turns to the outlanders. "As for us, we must plan our attack carefully, yes?"

    That IS Dan Heng!
    As the group reconvenes, Clara remains piggybacked on Svarog's back.
    Seeing the submerged castle no longer submerged is a wonder to behold but with her new found height, Clara has other things on her mind...
    She reaches down...
    To poke poke at Dan Heng's horns curiously.
    "What about us?" She asks of General Jing Yuan, "We're that support, right?" ... "Right?"
    Okay planning time.

    After cutting down Void Rangers left and right, mostly focusing on going THROUGH them, Talia waves at Dan briefly. "You seem to have been quite the makeover. The horns are certainly new."

    She raises her lightsaber in a sort of salute to the general, "Sorry we're late, General Jing. I take it you still have need of us?"

    Bi De bobs his head to Dan. "I am pleased that you were able to swim up the waterfall." He clucks and straightens, taking deep breaths to respirate his Qi. "Yes, where shall we strike? It sounds as if the enemy is better known to others than ourselves."

    Dan Heng sighs softly, as both Clara, and March come over to poke at his horns. "Please cease." he says in a long-suffering tone.

    Stelle folds her arms. "Long time no see, Dan Heng." she offers, and then, it's planning time.

    Jing Yuan clasps his hands behind his back, taking at ease stance. "There are various seals blocking our path to the Arbor. Phantylia would have been able to bypass most of them, she is what is called a 'Heliobus', a creature of essence... you saw a ghostly flame of some kind I'm sure." he explains. "The Vidyadhara helped seal away the Arbor here, and it will take a Vidyadhara to remove these seals and allow us to progress. I'm sure that Dan Heng is a very capable fighter, but our task will be to support him in this first phase."

    "Then our task is clear. We won't let you down, general." Talia says with a curt nod, and she claps Dan's shoulder with a chuckle. "Besides, with you by our side this should be easy."

    Clara pouts at Dan Heng.
    She pouts a lot.
    Svarog however listens intently.
    "Don't count your chickens so fast, Talia." Clara says.
    Before she pauses and looks at Bi De.
    "Well I mean count Bi De, he's a very strong chicken. But I mean the metaphorical chickens." The girl flusters. She's trying to say to not expect it to be so easy but words are hard.

    "It is an expression, I think she understands," Bi De assures Clara with a low clucking chuckle. He hops further forward. "I have rested enough that I believe I can fight again. How shall we approach this?"

    He is ready and able. Time to kick some tailfeathers.

    "Bi De is a VERY strong chicken, yes." Talia agrees with a mirthful smile. "But I've no illusions of this being difficult, but it is the task we've been given. We'll either fail or succeed."

    Jessica sways her tail, "Yes, I think we can manage it! I'll get out the bigger gun if you want!" She huffs. "I'm very good at shooting things when I know what to shoot, so that shouldn't be a problem for me. Or I can just watch and stay out of trouble if you prefer!"

    Mmmhmm.