DUNGEON ♛ GISELA TOWERS

[boardmaster]

GISELA TOWERS
20 MAY (VALLARIA) 2016

High in the skies, the howling winds tangled around the Gisela Towers make it difficult to hear anything. The monolithic structures believed to exist only in legend or harpy memories loom over you. The thick ropes of ivy crawling up the length of each tower is the only sign of life. Every now and then, shadow seems to pass overhead. It might just be a trick of the light.

Instead of the usual suspects, another familiar face comes forward to greet our Heroes: the devil-may-care Lei, captain and commander supreme of the Airy.

Lei Nervous that your commanders ain’t here? Don’t worry, you’re in good hands. So! Here we are at this… thing. Something something tragic romantic tale about a dragon and a phoenix. Anyway, it’s stupid and you don’t gotta know. Ask one of your commanders later or bribe me with a drink. Now for something more important— [ the winds roars loudly, muting lei’s voice. but heroes can watch his hand gestures and actions as he teaches them how to use the grappling hook: aim and shoot the gun. maybe twirl it with a fancy flourish first ] —did you get that? All right, good! I don’t have enough hooks, so you’re gonna have to share. And take good care of them, I want them back! Now get in there and clear it ASAP! I ain’t got all day to fly you all back home!

Basic info on the dungeon can be found here. Dungeon mechanics can be found here. All OOC questions about the event may be directed to the thread below.

ONE ♙
One does not simply walk into the Gisela Towers. The only way in is up the long and weathered staircase that wraps around the structure. However, the thing is riddled with missing steps, weak stones and slippery condensation from the cloud cover, so you’re going to need a little help. Should you attempt to climb the stairs, they will crumble beneath your feet at best and bury you beneath their rubble at worst.

This is where Lei’s newfangled(?) contraptions will come in handy! The pockmarks and small ledges created by weathering in the first tower’s structure could prove useful. There are, of course, a limited number of grappling hooks available, so you’ll have to partner up if you want your party to get anywhere. Parties of four are given two of these guns, while the poor souls with less party members get one.

Gisela’s gale-force winds will knock you around and make it seem like the towers are close to toppling over. However, as you make your way up you’ll see that the towers are actually far from abandoned.

MONSTER ♟ Ocypete
Weak against Lightning	Strong against Wind	Immune to None
Regarded as abominations of the avian world, ocypetes are BIRDS the size of horses, which would be incredibly advantageous if they had wings. The offspring of a human and a harpy, ocypetes have HUMAN ARMS that they use to scale surfaces and strong TALONS that can crush rock. They don’t fly, but they do RIDE THE WIND with the use of their long tail feathers, which possess magical wind properties and are nearly twice as long as they are tall. They would look almost elegant if they didn’t have a tendency to flap their arms while gliding. Legend has it that when the phoenix left the towers, the ocypetes were accidentally left behind because dragons plucked their wing feathers, making them look kind of funny. Now with a few millennia’s worth of abandonment issues on their semi-feathered shoulders, they’ll seek to prevent Heroes from ascending the towers by any means necessary with an odd variation of Airy MARTIAL ARTS. Their TAILFEATHERS may be acquired as loot.

What will Heroes encounter once they finally make it inside? More broken staircases, more monsters, even stronger winds blowing in from cracks in the walls and the foot of the tower (which is open to the air), and no floor whatsoever. Gisela’s Towers are hollow! The only footing to be found is on small ledges: some similar to those outside the tower, some that look more artificial; and intact sections of the stairs winding around the walls. You’ll need magic or some ingenuity to stay on your toes—literally! If you lose your grip or footing, it’s a several thousand foot drop back to Gresser. The quickest way down… and the deadliest.


TWO ♙
The treacherous and exhausting climb brings you to a more sturdy area that looks a little less like a wrecking ball just passed through and more like some kind of hive. Blocking your way are dozens of sturdy-looking nests suspended like particularly ugly balls of twine from the walls. These are home to the insectoid Aellos. Tearing the nests apart for loot is only a good idea if you want angry swarms after you.

MONSTER ♟ Aello
Weak against Fire, Lightning	Strong against None	Immune to Wind
Aellos resemble large eagles more than the DRAGONFLIES they’re supposed to be. Mature Aellos can fly, but the flightless and fuzzier larvae are just as formidable. They can HYPNOTIZE with their dozen kaleidoscope-like eyes, rendering targets IMMOBILE but still aware of their surroundings. In order to free them, a fellow Hero must gaze deeply into their eyes for at least 15 seconds. These monsters are also able to SPIT a gelatin-like substance that will stick Heroes to any and every surface and also each other. FIRE will reduce its stickiness. The larvae use hit-and-run tactics: they hunker down in their nests, peek over the edge and launch gobs of spit. The flying aello like to drop their SPIT BOMBS from above and occasionally also release a POWDER that ruins visibility and makes you sneeze. Feeling adventurous? Why don’t you give the spit a lick? It’s actually totally EDIBLE, tastes like jello, and is filled with mana. Just be sure to heat it up so you don’t get your mouth stuck shut. Their GELATIN SPIT and INSECT PARTS may be acquired as loot.

The staircases at this altitude are in better shape than the ones you have—or haven’t—been using. That doesn’t mean they’re any less dangerous. Not only do the Aellos chase you down here; traps are hidden in the steps as well. Some may act like quicksand, trapping an unwary Hero halfway into the stone. Others are enchanted with wind spells that can toss you up in the air, the long way back down to the ground, or blow your skirt upward. There might even be some that provoke the pesky bugs even more!

This floor has flowers and trees creeping their way in from the outside and covering every inch of the place, including treacherous weaknesses in the path. Behind these overgrown plants is a mural depicting a sensual dance between a dragon and a harpy. In order to advance, at least two Heroes will have to mimic the dance painted on the walls to open the door.


THREE ♙
A barrier prevents you from progressing any further. Magic, physical attacks or sheer willpower will do nothing. To dissolve it, you must create a concoction from the random ingredients available on the table and splash it on the barrier. There is no set recipe, so trial and error and a little creativity will be your friends! Along with your trusty party Bishop, of course. (You did bring one, didn’t you?) Those not well-versed in alchemy may end up with potions that explode upon completion, splashing party members standing too close with a variety of strange side effects ranging from mild body horror to a bad case of halitosis. The unfortunate effects seem to differ from Hero to Hero, and they last for a few minutes to a couple of hours.

Once your party crosses the barrier, you will find yourselves outside. The skies are darkening, but you’re still able to discern another tower wrapped in the clouds. A bridge once connected the two structures, but most of it is missing. Use those grappling hooks!

Upon entering the second tower, a marble floor at odds with everything from the last tower will greet you. Lift your head and you’ll find that the rest of the tower is also hollow all the way up; those heights allow room for fountains and waterfalls. It’s a suitable area to replenish mana and rest. Parched throats can be quenched with the sparkling water all around you, but approach any waterfalls and they will start moving in a very unwaterlike way.

MONSTER ♟ Celaeno
Weak against Lightning	Strong against Fire, Earth	Immune to Water
Possessed by pride and cursed by the phoenix’s wrath, these dragons are nothing like the ones you encountered before. Celaeno resemble huge snakes made of water and possess ENCHANTED SCALES that float through their bodies and render them extremely RESISTANT to both magical and physical attacks. You will have to find WEAK POINTS in their protective aura. Hopefully you have a Knight or Bishop on your team to find those weaknesses as soon as possible! Each dragon’s weak points differ. Fortunately, all Celaenos go down easily once you find that soft spot. They use their long, slender tails like WATER WHIPS to knock down or douse their targets; the force of a tail may equal that of a fire hose at full blast! The only time it sheds its armor is to shapeshift into a WATER PRISON that can trap one or more enemies. Try not to attack it while a Hero is trapped inside; it will hurt your friend as well! Use STATUS EFFECTS to confuse or distract them so the prison loses shape. Their ENCHANTED SCALES, SMALL GEMS, and DRAGON WATER may be acquired as loot.

Without any stairs in sight, the way up lies in those dragons. After their defeat, their magical scales can be put together to form a boat that can ride the waterfalls upwards to the top floors.


FOUR ♙
The skies continue to change once you reach the top. Black clouds begin to close in, stray bits of land that have broken off from the main island hover nearby, and a sudden torrent of powerful mana may disorient your party. A storm is approaching.

Just as the first chunk of hail falls from the sky, a mighty roar reverberates through the darkness. Something very large lands on the walls of the tower and causes a tremor that whittles chunks from the tower and actually rolls the clouds back; is that the toll of thunder, or just more roaring?

Finally, an impressive three-headed dragon emerges from below. Once it has perched itself on the tower, one head speaks in a rumbling growl.

BOSS ♟ Tianya the Thrice-Scorned
Weak against Lightning	Strong against None	Immune to Wind, Fire
“Did that phoenix send you?! Tell her she cannot return! Not even over my dead body!” Unsurprisingly, Tianya ─the dragon once wed to the phoenix─ is more than just a legend. He lowers his heads and another loud, guttural cry fills the skies. For now, he remains STATIONARY at the top of the tower. All three heads attempt to SWALLOW a Hero whole if they get too close. Should you go on the offensive, you may be able to chop off at least one head before he’s pissed off enough to move. The fallen head writhes in agony as it moans: “It hurts… it burns…” At this point, Tianya takes flight. The strong GUSTS from those wings can launch a Hero right off the tower. Use your grappling hook(s) to play floating island hopscotch: evade devastating dive attacks and run from the MANA BEAMS shot from his mouths. “You’ll never understand! I never wanted her!” As you travel from island to island trying to get close enough to deal some real damage, Tianya hides in the CLOUDS to launch ambush attacks. Eventually, a PHOENIX descends from the heavens in a burst of fiery light. However, it’s not the phoenix of legend; it’s actually one of Tianya’s spells, and it will burn away most of your mana if any of its flames make contact. MANA EXCHANGE may be the only way to continue this battle... Once Tianya is down to one head, he will immediately rise higher into the sky. “My last words are for her and her alone.” After Tianya is defeated, the storm clears; Enprise’s twin suns shine once more. That precious DUNGEON CORE floats down, blanketed by a SINGLE LARGE FEATHER, golden and shining in the light. “It’s warm… She was always warm…” A SCORNED DRAGON HEART and a MYSTICAL PHOENIX FEATHER may be acquired as loot.

As soon as both core and feather touch the tower, an ominous rumbling and shaking begins. The Gisela Towers are falling apart and it’s now a race to escape before you’re buried under the rubble.

And don’t forget the grappling hook(s); Lei wants them back.


FIVE ♙
All that’s left of the Gisela Towers is rubble. The dungeon has been conquered, the island reclaimed, and the ruins of the old regime can now become the foundations for something new: the site of the harpies’ homecoming after hundreds of years.

LOCATION ♟ Gisela

An ancient sky island that has existed since time immemorial. What enables Gisela to RIDE THE CLOUDS may be an even greater mystery than the mechanisms powering the Airy. The island appears most frequently above Gresser, though its extraordinary altitude makes it DIFFICULT TO LOCATE. The landscape of Gisela is overgrown with JEWEL-GREEN FORESTS, crisscrossed with gorges and dotted with networks of small caverns. But its crowning glory is the THIN GLEAMING WATERFALLS that flow from its edges and into the sky beyond. The water is embraced by RAINBOWS and condenses into CLOUDS when Gisela is high enough, lending to its unusual weather patterns. Although the island initially seems largely uninhabited apart from the Gisela Towers, there is a SEALED OFF AREA that, when viewed from the air, looks suspiciously like LUSH, TILLED FIELDS. Should you ask Lei about this, he will only give you an unusually stern warning against disturbing it. Looks like you’ve solved the mystery behind the pai tiles. Now that the menacing Towers have been demolished, a variety of animal life — usually airborne — will begin to appear on the island. Some of them you’ve never seen before! The fall of the Towers also uncovered the existence of HOT SPRINGS below; newspapers speculate wildly about the source, but most agree that it must have something to do with the renewed vows between phoenix and dragon. The few structures already in place on the island have been speedily converted into BAZAARS manned by Airy harpies. Most specialize in legal alchemical gimmicks, but there’s always another side to these things. Everyone’s here to soak in the breeze, and by that we do mean everyone. In response to the tourism boom, NEW AEROPORTS have also opened in both Gisela and Gresser to provide reliable transportation between the two locations.

Comments

III - The guiltiness that started

[querella]

[ Well that had been an experience, from their newest enemies to the accursed stairs, and even still the dance. The insect-like avians had proven to be... something. The tricky staircase had proven to be awfully time consuming. And the dance. She wasn't sure how to feel about it. About any of it. Perhaps amused, or aggravated. There was no clear idea for what these dungeons fell on, what rules they might have. So far she could only agree that they all had some kind of trial by fire, although this was only her second one and she couldn't assume too much.

And as One was walking she realized almost too late that there was something in her way. She bumped into the barrier, stumbling back a few steps with a surprised gasp. Just startled, nothing more. She quickly looked to her companions. ]

Of course, a barrier. There should be something near by to help us dismantle it, and hopefully we will not need to kill a few of those damned birds to make it.

[ Temper, temper. The words slipped out a little harsher than intended. But One was quick to calm herself, to draw her temper under heel. She looked the barrier over, just for a moment, before returning her attention to her companions fully. ]

IV - Soon as the other part had stopped

[querella]

[ The sky had grown so dark, an ominous feeling threading through the air. So this was the last part of their journey. The final boss, so to speak. One curled her fingers along the bar in the middle of the chakram, hoisting the weapon with care. Always on her guard, always ready to attack. The knight drew her lips into a tight frown. After all they had been through, what test it had put on her patience, she hoped that this would prove to be less difficult than some of the prior events.

But hoping for something so easy was always met with dissatisfaction.

It was with a sputter of hail that One heard it, felt the ground shake beneath her feet. The beast's cry tore through the chill air, echoing loudly in her ears. The ground shakes again, chunks of stone falling free from the tower walls. The sight of the dragon made the blood freeze in her veins.

Only a dragon can kill an Intoner.

Her throat felt dry, body screaming with a sudden wave of panic induced nausea. Here she stood facing the Flower's enemy, her enemy. If the three headed reptile struck her with claw, fang, or flame she would die. No matter how strong she was supposed to be, one strike alone would send her into the spiraling darkness of death. ]

Viet!

[flirtations]

[ Not only do they have to worry about taking a misstep and ending up far, far below on the ground, but there's traps to watch out for, too. Not more than a few minutes ago, Jae-ha had nearly fallen victim to a particularly nasty vine, and honestly, if it weren't for Vietnam's strength, he's sure he would have gotten stuck there for an eternity.

Now, it seems, they're stuck here, but at least they can still walk around. There must be some sort of puzzle here, too.

He stops in his tracks and takes a closer look at the wall. Behind the thick brush and vines, it looks like there's something painted on there. Some sort of message. He remembers enough about the last dungeon they ventured into to know that this was probably important. Quickly, he begins to clear as much of the greenery as he can. ]

Sen-chan, come here for a minute. Do you have any idea what this is? [ He reaches up to grab for a lot of vine, pulling back and exposing a large area all at once. ]

[hoasen]

[At the moment, she's not entirely sure which dungeon is worse. The last one had them dropping through the floors too, and they had to climb up. Though this here, it looked a lot more painful.

Or at least, it could've been, but now they are no longer pawns, the trip itself isn't as hellish. She's strong again, for one.

So now they are safe. Or at least, safe from the traps. She hears Jae-ha call out to her, and she moves over to his side, looking at what he just revealed.]

...Pictures? [She tilts her head, tapping her chin.] It looks like a story. Or...a sequence.

Aigis!

[flirtations]

[ The dragon's parting words had been unexpected, and more than a little melancholy. Somehow, Jae-ha gets the feeling that they've defeated something that wasn't inherently evil or malicious, and simply misunderstood.

Once they've recovered their mana somewhat, they take a few moments to explore the area, because difficulty of getting here aside, it truly is beautiful. He looks at Aigis and smiles, but he looks a little sad, too. He isn't a dragon in the typical sense, but it was still odd to kill one. ]

I wish we had known that he was just lovesick. It really is quite tragic. I wonder if it was ever a possibility to talk reason into him. [ Probably not, since they were here to fight, but he had just seemed so... human. ]

TSUNDERE DRAGON LOVE ADVICE

[probending]

[As they ascend to the top, worn and tired and probably three-quarters alive at best, a wave of mana tries to disorient them. Korra reaches out with her psionic magic and turns it away from the party, but it's a hurried and sloppy effort that ends up destroying a bit of wall.

But there's a storm brewing, and quickly. It's not long before hail begins pelting them... followed by some kind of divine scaly beast ascending and screaming about this or that.

Korra's breath catches in her throat.]

He's... beautiful. [She really doesn't want to kill any more dragons.] Maybe we can still talk to him.

Boss fight

[flirtations]

[ It isn't the unsteady ground that makes Jae-ha nearly lose his footing and wander towards the edge of where they stand, but the mana storm that disorients him and makes his head feel incredibly dizzy. He stumbles and catches himself at the last minute, groaning as he looks around to check in on Aigis and Vietnam. ]

Ugh.. are you guys okay?! How are we expected to keep our focus with this out of control mana...

[ Thankfully, a few seconds after, the energy surrounding them stabilizes, but he only has a split second to enjoy the reprieve. He stands his ground, keeping himself steady, but none of that could have prepared him for the sight that followed. His eyes widen and his heart races in surprise as the great beast lands on the tower above them.

It's a dragon. Not just any dragon, but one with three heads. Jae-ha simply stands there, paralyzed in a combination of fear and wonder. He's never actually seen a real dragon in the flesh, so this is quite the spectacle.

When his booming voice echoes off the surrounding tower, however, he's reminded of why they're here. ]

“Did that phoenix send you?! Tell her she cannot return! Not even over my dead body!”

[ But despite the threat, the dragon isn't moving on the offensive.

Still, it means he can take a moment to ask his teammates: ]

Before we attack, what do you two want me to focus on? [ Because honestly, before his rank up, he's never been more than a physical damage dealer, and that's what he's comfortable with, but he knows that now, his teammates may be relying on him more for magic or healing.

These are areas he doesn't have mastery of yet, but for them, he'd definitely try his best. He keeps his eye on that dragon, in case it does decide to attack. ]

[hoasen]

[The dragons they saw before didn't compare to this one. She still finds it hard to believe that creatures like these exist, and yet here they are. Face to face. And it speaks to them.

She pulls out her weapons, her long oar and her sword, and transforms the oar into a rifle. Vietnam has a feeling it might be too dangerous to get in close.]

You have more power than us, no? I can protect you. [Try to keep it occupied.] What will you do, Aigis? Do you have a plan? [She'd roll with any plan right now. The dragon itself just watches them, looking like the heads are ready to strike. They probably need to hurry.]

[flirtations]

[ He sighs. ] Seriously? Not even a few gems?

[ Not that he's particularly greedy, but it would be nice to be rewarded for their efforts. He's also feeling a bit cranky from how drained he feels. A large mana pool wasn't really that impressive when he'd spent so much time having to activate his jump weapon. ]

Yeah, I think we could all use a little rest before heading back. [ Almost immediately, he sits down against the wall, legs crossed. ]

Aigis!

[hoasen]

[And here they finally have a moments reprieve. Well, not quite. There are traps still all around, and these strange beasts that had some weird spitting mechanisms were a pain. But whenever they do get a break from them as they climb up the steps, Vietnam looks over at Aigis, hoping to be able to converse with her.

She's heard about Aigis from Minato, and he speaks of her dearly, so she had always wanted to meet her. Being assigned to this group was definitely a great chance. Or at least, whenever their lives weren't in danger.]

It is nice to finally meet you, Aigis. Minato--[She side steps a suspicious looking step.]-- told me that you are his friend?

[hoasen]

No gems. [She calls back, before looking downwards to the floor. Actually, there were a few things scattered around. Some coins, feathers, and this...strange dust that she has a feeling wasn't really dirt. She puts them all into a pouch, looks around to see where Aigis is, and then carries the small goods back to Jae-ha.]

I found some of these. [She holds up a pouch.] If you want to look inside, feel free.

[And then she sits herself down beside him. She was having a slightly rougher time than Jae-ha, in that she could only focus on using her powers as a rook and her weapons, and not much else.]

[twosidedsword]

[He blinks when he realizes the two are dancing. Looking over, he watches as the man goes to bow to Wukong. Rather than look at the mural, he watches the two instead. The touch to his shoulder had been nice too.

Hopefully that will work out.]

[twosidedsword]

[Hearing the man call out to him, he looks over and then nods to say he understands. Moving closer to Kavi, he makes sure he's ready to fight with him and to help watch over the backs of the other two while they're busy figuring out the hook thing.]

They're coming.

[He can see them now.]

[sakeplz]

Kase-san is so crueeeeeel!

[He lets out a long whine and presses his head against the back of Kasen. This is the worst! All he wants is a nice long drink of alcohol.]

How much further!

[carptricks]

[Kaito was already familiar enough with grappling hooks, having used them multiple times in her adventures back home. so when Yata starts pressing random buttons with the barrel of the tool pointed haphazardly at a random point in space, naturally he starts to panic a little bit]

Oi oi! Watch where you're pointing that thing before you press any--

[THE HOOK SHOOTS OUT OF THE GUN]

[AND VERY NEARLY STRIKES KAITO IN THE STOMACH]

[fortunately, thief reflexes mean he is yelping and ducking out of the way quickly, before any serious injuries can be had. but still]

[rollin]

Hehe, whoops.

[ No matter how innocent he looks when he laughs sheepishly, he probably shouldn't get away with nearly killing Kaito. He'll hand it over to the only person who probably knows how to use it now. ]

Well, I don't need this. I'm a Rook, which means I'm awesome. [ He preens. ] What about you guys?

[umberly]

Better give them a warm welcome, yeah?

[ Through Kavi's tone may be jovial, his eyes are fixed on the distant forms of their approaching enemies. He gently bumps an elbow against Shin-Ah's arm, to let him know that he is here and that he's not going anywhere, before he lifts his pipe and lights it with a whisper of a word and a small burst of mana.

Maybe, for once, this thing will actually do more good than harm. The winds are unpredictable though, even if they are blowing the smoke towards their enemies right now... ]

Shin-Ah, should the winds turn and direct the pipe's smoke back to us, cover your nose and mouth.

[ Unless he would enjoy feeling as if his throat has been set on fire. ]

[umberly]

[ Oh, this should be good. Don't mind Kavi, he's just going to lean against the wall next to the mural and watch them do the dance. He doesn't even cover up his grin. Rude.

But hey, he can't be blamed after Wukong flapped his arms like a chicken and after Shunsui's affectionate and protective display. ]

You need someone to keep a rhythm going for you or will you manage without?

[twosidedsword]

[He looks back at him when he hears the instructions then pulls up a scarf he's wearing so it covers his nose and mouth. Combine that with the sunglasses he's wearing it's quite the interesting look. Still, he wears it well and holds his sword in front of him.

This way he can keep fighting even if the smoke comes back their way and they can keep buying time for the other two to get moving.]

[scythersergeant]

[When she'd first looked up at the towering structure above them, her eyes flashing a shining red from her Scan, Shinoa had first succinctly declared: I think we're about to get screwed over.

Some time later, she's shrieking far less eloquently, plastering herself to the weathered walls with her fingers clawing into its cracks. A petite, lightweight Bishop with a huge off-balancing scythe strapped to her back isn't the best thing to sent to Gisela Towers.

She's trailing at the back of the group, having relegated herself to the rear after realizing how slow she'd be moving- creeping along a side-step at a time, her heart throwing a fit every time she was forced to scramble faster to catch up. Shinoa's been Scanning once every minute now, relying on that and her senses to detect when enemies were near. Her eyes are narrowed to slits; it doesn't matter if everything looks fuzzy now, she's not even bothering to open them and risk looking down.]

Thanks-

[A response call back to One, her voice strained with stress, and then to Henry-]

I think something's- nearby. Give me- the grappling hook-

[scythersergeant]

Allow me!

[Now she's on more solid ground Shinoa is a lot more poised, even if her rather liberal Scan use is making her stick one hand to the walls to guide her way. She probes with hands outstretched to find the barrier, pauses- shaking her head to clear it- then Scans.

Taking a Bishop along doesn't look too stupid a decision now. After a few seconds, she turns away- a hand over her eyes- and announces, cool and decisive:]

It needs to be dissolved by a potion. I'm not sure what- it might be a puzzle of some sort. Can you see any ingredients around here? And bottles, maybe. If it's a puzzle they ought to have some sort of container....

[hiryugaeshi]

I wouldn't recommend going any slower, and I most certainly wouldn't recommend flying either, even if we could.

[ Kojirou's taken one of the grappling hooks for himself. As a Knight, he could carry heavier loads than most, and considering one of his weapons was already practically a grappling hook already, he had a little more experience with the whole thing. ]

The winds here are treacherous. The stone of the tower and the physical anchor of the hook keep us from the worst of it.

[ He reels himself upwards at a steady pace, occasionally pausing when the worst of the winds threaten to batter them against the tower. There's no point getting all bruised up before facing their first enemy. ]

But if you want to try, I could simply throw you up to the top. I might be able to manage that much.

[ He reaches behind him with his free hand and tugs at Tyrnen's collar, showing that yes, he probably could lift the guy with one hand and just toss him. No guarantees on reaching the top, though. ]

[hiryugaeshi]

[ Swords dancing with swords, what has the world come to? Utter degeneracy.

Okay, not really, but Kojirou's not terribly impressed. Sexy bird and lizard dances are definitely not suited to human limbs. At least he's not the one doing it. In fact, he'd rather try to break down the wall than figure out the dance. ]

[scythersergeant]

[Okay, so it's a goddamn dragon.

First vampires, then seraphs, now this. At least the vampires were human-sized, and couldn't breathe fire or lasers or whatever. But oh well, there's never any use complaining about these things. There's a half-beat as she waits for a leading command and hears none- it's equal parts satisfying and disappointing, being the one to snatch the reins of command. Power is nice, but it's recently meant that there's no commander to fall back on now.]

Split up, distract the heads-

[Then she notices One's panic, the woman freezing while the rest of them readied their weapons. The chakram in her hand is hardly steady. They do not need this now, is her first frustrated thought, not when one slip-up can cost a life or worse.]

One! [She shouts over the howling winds, her voice forceful.] What's wrong?

[hiryugaeshi]

[ Two swords, an actual samurai, and then there's Tyrnen. Oh well. ]

Three necks for three swords. There's an enemy in our way, so we ought to cut it down. Is there some other plan you would like to enact?

[ Dragon slaying is what he's here for, so dragon slaying is what he'll do. The great creature doesn't seem in too much of a hurry to bite at them just yet, however, so perhaps they might have some time to discuss things...

Even if Kojirou himself would much rather just beat it up. ]