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

[hymnals]

[ His eartips might turn a little pink at the effusive compliments. Still, he can tell that Gil is putting on a little show here, like a kid trying to impress a crush.

Ah, he thinks, so that's what this is.

He smiles a little as he takes a bite of rice. His own box, of course, being simply that and the apples. No meat. ]

No need for that stare, Saber. I know I'm here to work. I'll do what I have to.

[ In this case: eat.

He goes on, mildly. ]

You should visit, though. I'll make whatever you want.

[ He jabs a thumb at Gil. ]

And he'll help.

[babbylon]

[Gilgamesh takes the handkerchief and looks all the more enthused for it; too much more energy and he may very well implode. But Saber's handkerchief! Most certainly, he was working up the ranks of her heart, he tells himself. And of course, Adra was so fond already, it might even be said his party was more like his very own harem.

...best not announce that aloud. He still doesn't put shoving him off the ledge past this proud woman.]

Of course, of course. I used to think cooking strictly a woman's work, but apparently it can be an arena of sincere competition.

[And, of course, of course...]

Therefore, I intend to win! Each and every time, I shall triumph! It is the way of a proper King to excel in all they do!

[armorial]

[ Her ahoge practically twitches (just kidding, hair doesn't move). While she doesn't smile or change her position, merely feeding herself small bites at a time, she is.. anticipating and excited over food. She hasn't shown Adra her glutton yet and doesn't plan to, but she desire so much. It's an offer she can't deny. ]

I will definitely consider it. [ THIS ANSWER WILL DO. ]

Woman's work, is it...? [ Of course, she isn't offended, really. She has been raised a man, a king, and a knight before a girl. However, she's well aware that it might imply that he expects her to know how to cook.

... She doesn't.

She thinks over how she lacks a feminine touch of any kind once more. Not only does she not have breasts, she doesn't even hold skills that would compensate. It's a little depressing now that she dwells on it a bit. Unconsciously, she's eating in bigger bites and in a faster pace. It may or may not be obvious that she's extremely frustrated right now. ]

[hymnals]

[ Her frustration is absolutely clear to Adra, so much so that he has to stifle a groan. Come on, G, he was trying to wingman for you. ]

Cooking is just work.

[ He glances sidelong at Gil as he finishes the last of his snack. ]

Which, trust me: you'll find out soon enough.

[babbylon]

[Trying to play wingman to Gilgamesh is rather like trying to play wingman to a plane that's crashing to the ground nosefirst. Continually. And even when it manages to hit the ground it just keeps going and going anyway, and you just want to die already because you're all bloody and on fire, but the captain keeps insisting no, everyone, it's fine, he's totally got this, everything's completely under control...

You know, that sort of wingman.

Gilgamesh once more fails at reading the air and mistakes that aggravated body language for genuine gusto. He slaps her on the back with a hearty WAHAHAHAHAHA and shoots Adra a thumbs up, clearly approving of his plan. Which may as well have been his plan.

Yep. Totally his plan.]

I shall work up a sweat most admirable! Guide me well in this mysterious domain of the kitchen, so I may rule it accordingly in the name of the King!

[He's just seeing it as another territory to conquer... this man is truly hopeless.]

[armorial]

[ HACK--she almost coughs up the food she's trying to eat. Lurching forward, she's lucky to have kept it all in, but her eyes are wide and eyebrows knitted fiercely... Still, her expression also asks the question why? What did you do to deserve this? Is it because she placed her hand on Gilgamesh's shoulder this one time? Is this karma?

She slowly sits back up, cheeks filled with food, but she gulps it down. Eyes dart so fast over to the man beside her, but she does nothing for a moment.

Saber, Artoria Pendragon, is a knight--a king. While the King of Heroes enjoys dawdling in such casual mannerisms, she cannot fall into such behavior so easily. She's level-headed, mature, and elegant!! Adra knows she is a noble person, so she must present herself as such. Some time passes as she continues to give Gilgamesh an incredulous glower.

Fuck it. She smacks Gilgamesh's shoulder back. It's light, but makes a deafening noise that echoes in the air. Okay, maybe it wasn't so light, but it definitely won't injure him. ]

It was a delicious meal, Adrasteius. [ She turns to the elf, now giving him her undivided attention and easily forgetting about the other king. She places the chopsticks neatly back into the box before returning it to him, showing her utmost gratitude. ]

[hymnals]

[ He mutters something like 'For fuck's sake,' except it's in Thalassian, so it sounds lovely and flowing and beautiful. He takes the box back and replaces it neatly in his bags; he's finished with his own, too, and sets that one away as well. ]

You're very welcome, Saber.

[ That done, he holds out his hand for Gil's box, his expression deadpan. ]

Come on, big guy. Time to get moving. The sooner we finish here, the sooner you can invade my kitchen.

[babbylon]

[Gilgamesh startles a little from the force of the slap, but pleasantly so. This, along with Saber's other kindnesses, may have been an error, and Gilgamesh interprets the gesture as reciprocation and therefore interest. He looks upon her with a grin that may be all too familiar, but before he can start on anything lascivious, Adra thankfully interrupts. Gilgamesh nods, hands over his empty box and slips back into mission mode.]

Right. What awaits us inside... I'm afraid it's worse than what we've overcome. The winds howl, the ledges are not nearly so sturdy, and doubtless more enemies are stirring within. That contraption was useful for getting us this far, but no longer.

[Gilgamesh clenches his fist, glances to Saber, glances to Adra, then suggests:]

I propose use of my psionics. In theory, I can propel each of you, individually and with more control, up the tower. You are mana; therefore, you are targets.

[armorial]

[ She's reluctant this time. While it's already unsettling to place her trust on Gilgamesh, doing so many times in fact, she has little choice. As long as he doesn't throw her around like a toy, she's satisfied. It doesn't erase her frown and the dubious look in her eyes.

After all of this, he will pay in some way, shape, or form. She's not sure how, but until her anger is quelled, it sticks to the back of her mind. The dungeon is starting to seem like more of a stroll. ]

Sound proposal. [ If not extremely convenient. There's no reason to not put such a versatile skill to use, so she relents and accepts the theory. It also makes sense to her for the most part. ]

[hymnals]

[ It doesn't sound like a party, but it doesn't sound like their options are robust, either. Adra stands up, smooths down his (already ripped, red tattoos peeking angrily through the shredded fabric on his back) uniform, and nods crisply. ]

Whatever is necessary.

[ He glances up, ahead, towards the waiting staircase. ]

I'm trusting your aim.

[babbylon]

[Gilgamesh eyes Saber, but otherwise does not address her as he passes by. Adra, however, he claps on the shoulder and mutters to with notable sincerity:]

Whatever happens, I will take responsibility for it.

[He may have been laughing it up moments ago, but now, he's all sternness, all seriousness. Assuming the reins of leadership with less frivolity than before and treating the grueling foray ahead with the attention it deserves. If they fail, they fail because of him. Such was the arrogant attitude of the King of Heroes, who could only extend his sympathies in this selfish sort of way.

Gilgamesh leads them in and up, as far as they can go before the staircase ends. The ledge lies just a short distance away; true to his predictions, the hook wouldn't suffice here. They just needed a small push to make it across.]

I shall go first.

[Gilgamesh begins to cast the spell of levitation, which he'd practiced before. He's a little wobbly in the air, but he starts to move, and...]

Urk!

[...he winds up with his face lodged in the side of the tower. Hold up, folks, temporarily offline. He's workin' on it.]

[armorial]

[ damn that made quite a sound. Saber doesn't flinch nor wince to show any sympathy for him, but she does... well... stare at how he's basically plastered onto the tower. As usual, she shows no expression, no anger nor concern--she looks over and up to Adra. It is all a hoax. She is very concerned, but doesn't voice it. While used to the man's antics at this point, she feels it's unfortunate to drag the poor elf to witness such lack of finesse.

She's more professional than him; please don't bunch up them up together because they come from the same world. Spare her, elf brother. ]

[hymnals]

[ Adra's always gratified by any show of earnest feeling, but any confidence Gil might have instilled fizzes and pops like a soap bubble when he mucks up his spell. Adra takes a step forward, instinctively; if he had his full powers at his command, he'd just levitate the lot of them, no problem. But he doesn't, and really, right now--there's nothing he can do. ]

Gil--Gilgamesh! Are you all right?

[ He looks worriedly to Saber, who's staring ahead with ice-cold calm. Are these two really from the exact same place? ]

[babbylon]

[Thankfully... or perhaps, in Saber's case, unfortunately... Gilgamesh was a hardy sort. He pops back up up again, undaunted by any pain, and flashes a comforting thumbs up, before boosting himself the rest of the way to the ledge. Granted, he lands straight on his ass, also in fairly embarrassing fashion, but he made it! And that's the important thing.]

Alright! Step lively, Saber! I shall carry you next.

[Maybe she won't go crashing into things like he did? Well, it seems there's no choice. The magic will encircle her once she approaches, to send her precariously along...]

[armorial]

[ If only she had the audacity to roll her eyes at this. Of course, Gilgamesh would be fine, bravado and all. When he calls for her to be next, she's the embodiment of dread right now. There's a heavy sigh as her shoulders drop. She looks at Adra as if this will be the last time she'll ever see him, but quickly turns to the King of Heroes. ]

If you try anything, Gilgamesh... [ The death glares are back. She doesn't finish her sentence knowing he full well knows that she will beat him into a pulp when no one is watching. Most likely when Adra leaves or another time under the guise of training. Yes. That would be nice.

She starts floating, a little wobbly, but doesn't smash her face into anything just yet. Concentrating, she keeps balance for the most part and sees how much can she control this herself, though still prepared for any mishap. Hopefully, the man will treat her with care?! To be honest, it's like Gilgamesh is bringing a lion to his doorstep.

If she does get to the other side fine, she'll stay here to supervise. She doesn't feel it's safe to leave Adra with Gilgamesh, so... ]

[hymnals]

[ Adra observes the unsteady progression with some concern. If Saber drops, he can cast a barrier that will catch her, at least.

He folds his hands together, muttering prayers to the Light, and they aren't just for show. As he prays, he renews the blessing he cast at the tower entrance, fortifying the lot of them, though this time the spell quickens their minds rather than their muscles. Seems appropriate. ]

[babbylon]

[It's a miracle, but Gilgamesh manages to guide Saber over in one piece.

But he hasn't forgotten his earlier lesson. There's no time for celebration, not quite yet. He focuses on Adra next, and, with that extra boost in mental fortitude, pushes him to where they're waiting with greater stability. He may be learning as he goes along, and that may very well be dangerous for the lot of them, but Gilgamesh also has incredible willpower at his disposal. If he set his mind to it, he could do it, and that was that.

Though it's a reasonable strategy—their only strategy—the climb proves very slow, as they're now reliant on magic rather than machine to propel them along. At the very least, they're not harassed by any enemies, at least until they reach the final stretch. A single glowering Ocypete awaits on a surge of active wind, bigger than rest, and looking quite a bit meaner, too.]

...we'll need to take care of this one quick.

[And, famous last words:]

I'll handle it.

[armorial]

[ He said we then I so quickly, but she's not surprised at all.

You know people should be concerned when their ally says "I'll handle this", like this will be the one final battle before the glorious death. Saber? Merely thinks he's trying to flaunt and redeem himself--or maybe that's what she's looking for. There's no worry on her face. Gilgamesh, while no longer an Archer, is a Queen in this world. ]

While we would all like to see what the King of Heroes can do, time is of the essence. [ As much as she would like to see a harpy man creature punch him in the face, why should they dawdle and be entertained? The faster they finish, the faster they can leave and eat some more delicious food. ]

We fight together.

[ Screw your ego and get over yourself. ]

[hymnals]

[ Adra lands with an elegant step; along with Gil's careful maneuvering, he's personally quite accustomed to just floating everywhere he wants to go (and, in fact, misses it badly). He sighs a little wistfully once he's back on solid ground. Back to walking like a chump, he guesses.

Although he was endeared by Gil's earlier declaration, he has to agree with Saber--there's taking responsibility, and then there's needless bravado. ]

She's right. I know you're used to being the boss of literally everything, but we're a team, here.

[ He frowns at the Ocypete like it's some kind of irritating bug. ]

And not exactly a balanced team, either. Whatever we do, we have to rely on each other. Go forward together. If you want to lead, you have to understand that.

[babbylon]

[...ouch. Scolded on both fronts. Gilgamesh blanches as he's brought back into line, but although he may have been willing to argue it out with Saber, Adra has proven himself time and time again to be a voice of reason. If he says fight as a team, then they fight as a team. But what if he made the same mistake as last time? When he pulled a monster to them, it had wound up a bloody mess.

When did he start caring so much for the well-being of others, anyway? It's irritating. Gilgamesh shakes his head to clear it. Comes up with a better plan compared to shoot and pummel it with my bare fists. He's taking a risk, but it's a risk shared equally by them all. That's fair, isn't it?]

My mana is low, so it must be the gun. I shall catch it that way, and bring it in.

[Gilgamesh takes aim. Lines up the shot.]

Hold onto me, Saber. We'll drag it... and you shall spear it once it comes.

[armorial]

[ Aw ye, Adra is taking her side. Maybe this will show you that she can be reasonable even though she is also an immature brat sometimes. She'll take a step forward, over to his side, and grab onto his wrist. Her hold is firm, not gentle at all, and also comes with no explanation. He did say hold onto him?? But this is also a reassuring gesture. ]

There will always be opportunities to redeem yourself. [ What kind of man would go into battle with little mana? A desperate one, she suspects. ]

Stay on high alert.

[ She isn't taking command, but only reminding the both of them and herself to keep their eyes open. Mishaps such as before are easy to prevent. However, she does look at Adra. With them facing the ocypete, their support is left here. Not entirely defenseless, but still at an unfavorable position. Without their support, they will only go so far, so she advises: ]

Protect yourself first--[ The ocypete, impatient, is flapping its arms wildly as if it should be soaring (but it isn't), so she snaps her attention back. There's another breeze that tickles their ankles. Soon the gale wisps up, carefully sweeping the avian. Luckily their enemy is a lot larger; the wind must support more area, so it's barely picking up off the ground. ]

We must do this now.

[hymnals]

[ Adra's not particularly worried about the formation. Gil and Saber together makes his life a little easier: before Gil takes the shot, Adra summons barriers again, one for each of them. Their proximity to each other effectively creates a double-shield, protecting them both from whatever counterattack the creature might mount.

Of course, there's still the possibility that it could shift course and go for him, as long years of dungeoneering have taught him (and also the past half hour). So he takes a few steps back, away, and shields himself, too. No unexpected claws in his back, not this time. ]

We're ready.

[babbylon]

[He has Saber's hand. He has both their reassurances. It's enough to stabilize him, enough to place faith in. Enough to hope for.

There's nothing left to do now but to fire. Gilgamesh lets the hook fly, and it catches the surprised beast straight through the chest, embedding itself in flesh and opening a large wound. More importantly, it secures an anchor point, and before it can start flailing, Gilgamesh shouts:]

Pull!

[Digging his heels into uncertain ground, Gilgamesh puts all his strength into reeling the Ocypete in like a rogue fish on the line. The gun does part of the work for them, automatically straining to try and yank it back. It was a risk Gilgamesh took, but by all appearances, it's paying off. Their target's losing the ability to maintain altitude, and once forced past the wind keeping it aloft, it starts to fall with alarming speed.

It starts to fall towards them, screeching and hissing in agony. The plan's working, alright... but it's working very, very fast, and indeed, they'll need to be ready.]

Swords—

[Gilgamesh draws his own blade with his free hand. Together, together. His eyes catch Saber's; his arm begins to move. They'll pierce it together, or not at all.]

[armorial]

[ She has not even looked at Gilgamesh once ever since he shot the gun. This is the charisma of a king, trust in her team. It may always be hard to tell what she's thinking, but she's perceptive on the battlefield. It is to say, she doesn't need to look at him and Adra to know what they're doing.

She pulls out her sword, preparing herself for the fatal strike. She never misses, but if she somehow does, if fate dares forsake her in this moment, she knows Gilgamesh will slay this beast. Her determination does not allow that though. Still, the avian is falling too fast for a graceful counter and, at the velocity of its dive, it will surely shatter their barrier.

Without a second thought, she pulls the man down with her and the ocypete drops on top of them with talons digging straight into their shields. The sound of a slick slice accompanies also instantaneously when the barrier breaks; the impact of the beast dropping on top of them casts a cloud of dust.

The grand beast falls still and quiet, talons against the floor instead of their flesh and tail feathers delicately moving with the breeze.


Adra....


Adra, help.......... ]

[hymnals]

[ Light above. Adra's eyes widen as he watches--and hears--the heavy thump of the Ocypete's body crashing down on top of Gilgamesh and Saber. At least the thing is dead.

Still, he hurries over, grimacing, and delivers a solid kick to the Ocypete's mid-section. The grotesque man-bird rolls and flops, its body half-hanging over the edge of the ledge. Its corpse is a bit sad to Adra, all the same; he wonders, briefly, if these odd hybrids are even sentient.

But he doesn't dwell on it. Instead, he kneels beside Gil and Saber, worriedly, animated with concern. ]

That was well done, but are you both intact?

[ His hands glow with golden light. ]

Does it hurt anywhere?