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

[praises]

[ Nothing prepares him for the sight of the unfurling shadow into the shape of a great, terrible dragon. Allelujah inhales sharply, tasting ozone and fog, a cold so absolute that it burns in his lungs. Instinctively, he wards his shield arm close to Setsuna, having sensed what how much the dragon's appearance discomforted him. Its, no, his claws crack the towers, and his wretched bellowing leaves the older Meister feeling hollow. They're facing Tianya, a dragon once loved and wed, now scorned and violent. A name and story Allelujah has seen in books, now come alive before him as a crumbling legend, like this tower — a corrupted symbol of relations long lost to the annals of Enprise's history. ]

I know it. I know who this is...

[ No sooner does he realize what's going on than does the creature's stance shift dramatically, his three luminous heads rearing high among the stormclouds. He knows, but there's no time, not yet. Allelujah ejects Prayer from its dormant position along his arm. In a sweep of his hand, he feels his mana run hot in his veins. His, and Hallelujah's. Velocity comes down on himself and Setsuna thanks to his other self's spell, wreathing their legs in a distorted gleam of gravity. Arcs of it gather at their ankles, all streaming movement, giving them the gift of speed.

They'll need it, as the first head spreads its jaws wide and strikes down at them like lightning come alive in the storm. ]

[quaria]

[ Feeling the close protection of his older brothers, Allelujah and Hallelujah, Setsuna tells himself to get a grip; especially as he feels Allelujah's sympathy drip through, and Tianya claiming the first assault. Despite the mana distortions, he can't allow himself to be overwhelmed by any of it. He needs to support them, too... Lifting his head straight now, the youngest Meister begins to concentrate as the rolling lightning strikes continue to flash about dangerously. The weather will not show mercy anytime soon, and neither will that dragon.

Thus, Setsuna needs to do this — it'll be his first time to try it in a real battle situation, so it'll be all or nothing. Right after dodging Tianya's attempt to swallow them whole, the youngest Meister runs with all his might as he keeps that focus. He stops momentarily to improve said concentration, closing his eyes and putting his hands together as he allows his consciousness to merge with the flowing mana around them. Soft lights surround him, wind brushing against them... It's then, his eyes open and so does his hands.

Right out from the space in-between his spreading palms, a tall ethereal object floats through the air and remains high above the battlefield. Like an aurora sky with light showers, its surrounding aura absorbs through the hailstorm and provides the Meisters a warm blessing, a blessing to increase their resistance against wind and lightning, as well as provide them with momentary lightning elemental attacks. It feels very similar to the sensation of the quantum airspace... And, is that... a desert flower? ]

Tianya...

[ Now he remembers. He watches the dragon of legend recover his position, mighty and sharp; full of pride, but also consumed by hidden loneliness that he refused to acknowledge. ]

[praises]

[ Allelujah doesn't need to see Setsuna's eyes to know what he's thinking as he moves. That's how they work in a fight, how they maintain the dynamic that makes them so deadly. Mana pours into the sky overhead and runs with the wind around them. It's no longer Gisela's, or Tianya's. It feels like Setsuna now, unfurling brightly, and Hallelujah immediately stirs in his head like a livewire come to life. Their mana signatures mesh briefly, like the synthesis of their quantum brainwaves.

To that end, Allelujah moves first as a measure of protection. He can cast while at a run, Velocity humming at his heels, wind roaring in his ears. Allelujah has always favored magic that mirrors the sky, and now it's time to test that against a creature of it. He sprints forward. ]

I'll line it up!

[ If he times his trajectory right... ]

You take the shot! Don't fuckin' miss!

[ It's Allelujah who moves even when Hallelujah's voice is the one that rings through the noise. Tianya turns on him in a flare of his wings, mouths agape. "You cannot pave the way for her! She is not welcome here! YOUR LIVES WILL BE FORFEIT!" The head nearest to him lunges, and Allelujah skirts by it, ducking beneath the second column of the dragon's neck to go for the last head. Tianya rears and snaps, and Allelujah coils, gravity shifting around him. Palms to the ground, he launches himself foot-first into the underside of the dragon's jaw. Slinging everything he has upwards, the carves Prayer through flesh, scattering scales. A superficial strike, but a necessary one.

Tianya rears high, the length of his throat exposed. And even in that moment, Allelujah wonders, ever the rationality to these battles.

She... her. Even after all this time... ]

[quaria]

[ It's as if the thunderstorms dulled to a soothing rain. The pacifying ambiance of Setsuna's elemental flag allows the Meisters to be protected from the antagonistic disruptions of these forsaken towers. Their respective cognizance becomes clearer against the violent storms; he can feel the electrifying effect of his two brothers synchronize, a nostalgic sensation of the airspace now surrounding them. But in exchange for this ethereal aura, the youngest Meister's mana flow is debilitating in a faster pace.

While its effects are rolling, Setsuna decides to conserve as much mana as he could. He reabsorbs his blade of mana, switching to a non-magical weapon for the meantime. From his distance, he focuses his keen eyes toward the direction of Allelujah and Hallelujah. Their movements are much more frightening as the ethereal energies flow through the howling winds. Fearful, yet inspiring. The super soldier executes their united offense, causing Setsuna's eyes to widen for at least three seconds. Tianya shouts in agony, yet the dilapidated head itself couldn't scream...

"That phoenix... Is she not satisfied yet!? How much more... how much more does she intend to laugh at me...! Even though, I—! I only—!"

All for three seconds, Setsuna hesitates. But he doesn't allow his feelings to get in the way. He knows well that there's no other choice... In a distorted place such as this, the only source of liberation for those trapped in this labyrinth is mercy through battle. To set those lingering emotions free by allowing them rest. Thus, he raises the non-magical weapon he's holding — a handgun taking aim at the exposed, sensitive flesh. With perfect timing, he follows up Allelujah's attack with consecutive, merciless shots — each one piercing through the vulnerable area until the neck bone is nearly broken. Bullets drop on the floor, echoing together like drops of cold ice.

Lightning strikes as Setsuna pulls the trigger of the gun one more time. An elemental attack forms on the released bullet, flying through the sky as if a shooting star graced them. Upon impact, Tianya's first neck bone then completely snaps. It breaks, just as the dragon's heart does. ]

[praises]

[ As hail hits descends on the aurora of Setsuna's flag, it dissipates as if being melted. Its effect is warm and clear, but Allelujah knows that this must pose an incredible burden on the younger Meister's mana. For the first time since he's arrived, Allelujah feels it, as powerful and aware as he had when they could access quantum space. His senses fly, his gravity gains a finer degree of control. Setsuna's shots ring out in this battlefield that they've stolen, and Allelujah dispels Tianya's attempts to thrash free with a heavy field of magic, like gravitational reigns.

Words spill from the dragon like fire, impassioned and dangerous. Desperate. Shots ring through the air, and the vibrations of their impacts rattle him until they reach their crescendo — the sickening snap of bone. His equilibrium shifts, and Allelujah releases the severed head, righting himself in midair with a searing bolt of lightning to protect himself from the resulting throes. Slivers of broken rock and razor winds cut past him, snagging against his skin. Those wounds seem hollow, in comparison.

Allelujah lands atop a nearby chunk of debris and watches as the head descends to Gisela proper, words fluting like smoke through its mouth. "It hurts... it burns..." Overhead, a thunderous boom shakes the air as Tianya takes flight, winds roiling with the beating of his wings. He disappears into the clouds, but his words blast like thunder. "You'll never understand... what I..." ]

Something's not right here.

[ They can't expect to have steady footing on their side anymore. Hallelujah's teeth flash from within him, forcing him to steel, to react to what's happening rather than what he's feeling.

That this is all wrong. ]

[quaria]

[ There is nothing but silent agreement to Allelujah's insight. Setsuna, out of wariness, takes a few steps back. He can't see it through the dark and foggy environment, but he can certainly feel it. A strong energy is building up... His eyes instinctively look towards at a particular direction, as his Knight senses are indicating him to do so. Is Tianya hiding there, or is the dragon casting something in that direction?

However, there's no way for the youngest Meister to jump there and investigate, as it's too elevated above the towers. His high jump wouldn't be enough, and there aren't any floating grounds up there to aim the grappling hook on. It's not as if it's a good decision either way, not with the surrounding thunders menacingly flashing past the flag's aurora.

The Meisters are forced to wait beneath the clouds. Setsuna's wariness grows by the second, until he realizes what's going on. His head turns quickly, wanting to call out to his brothers immediately— ]

Move!!

[ There's no time to explain why. Right after Setsuna yells out, a turbulence of rushing wind cuts through the clouds — its radius large enough to destroy at least two or three floating structures. With the continuous effect of Hallelujah's Velocity on him, Setsuna manages to run away in time before the ground beneath him is completely annihilated. But the aftereffect leaves a hurricane in place, blowing away the smaller Meister all too easily.

Shock runs through Setsuna as he's carried by the force, but he doesn't panic. He instantly breaks out the grappling gun and runs its spearhead towards the nearest intact tower piece. But he's dangling now, unable to launch himself forward yet because of the ongoing burst of winds. ]

[praises]

[ No sooner had they hesitated than had the tides been sent to crash against them. Tianya's winged strike devastates everything within its range, crushing floating rock formations to dust and nearly rattling Gisela off its axis. Allelujah had moved immediately, an impulse as much as it was heeding Setsuna's warning. A combination of Vacuum and Velocity protects him, allowing him to weather through the initial gust by skimming up the largest island piece within reach and then jumping off to hit the next before it was consumed. A thin field of gravity holds his perch together, but it's narrow, and the composition vibrates and fractures beneath his feet.

With hope that it'll hold, the wind lessens, but Allelujah recognizes the pressure shift. Like an inhale. What rises in its place is even more terrible, a vortex of wind that crushes rock and spits sharp debris out. Overhead, the gleam of Setsuna's mana begins to waver and wane. Whipping around, he pinpoints him. ]

— Setsuna!

[ ...and he's not the only one. ]

[hackles]

[ Not the only one by far. ]

What did I tell you, huh? We don't have time for this. Fucking sit back, if you want to get sympathetic!

[ While that flag flies, they can win this. If the kid gets pummeled into paste by this shit dragon, then that's gonna make his life a whole hell of a lot more difficult. To that end, Hallelujah forces through in a riot of color, the effects of Velocity growing stronger with his mana out in the open like a torrent, like a tornado all its own. At his shield arm, he slings Malakim's wings out, the gem at its center illuminating as Messenger hums to life. He begins to glow, fearsome eyes tracking the swirl of clouds overhead, marks of where the dragon beats his wings. ]

I'll play with you in a second. First...

[ Against the wind, he raises Malakim. Messenger and Velocity merge, and he coils taught, expending a quite frankly shitton of mana as he launches out from his position. With his shield's speed ability and Velocity's control, Hallelujah depends on Allelujah's calculating mind to guide him from rock to rock, even as some dissolve as soon as he ricochets off them. He has one end goal. Get the kid. In a volley of light, he descends on the rock the grappling hook hangs from. Hallelujah catches the wire, swings, and sends himself at Setsuna. ]

Eject it!

[ You're just gonna have to trust him, aren't you! ]

[quaria]

[ Tightly holding onto the grappling gun, Setsuna refuses to let it go. He can't allow himself to be blown away any more than this, that would mean betraying everyone of the promise he made. He promised to live on, and so he will...! The cyclones continue to chaotically whirl across the skies, but his resolve isn't defeated by them. The elemental flag flickers, but doesn't dissipate. He lifts his head with a resolute gaze, intending to take any good chance presented to him once it does.

The youngest Meister's attention turns after feeling a surge of rotated mana. He can tell right away that a set of gears shifted through the storm. Allelujah's presence becomes overwhelmed with Hallelujah's. As he looks out, he can see the super soldier's synchronized mana flashing through, moving against nature as if he is the lightning itself... Within seconds, he realizes Hallelujah's existence now beside him. His eyes move to look at him for a mere second, then right away releases the spearhead's mechanism once the proper cue was given.

The chance is now here, and so he doesn't hesitate. He trusts Hallelujah without a single shed of doubt. Once the wire retracts, the Meisters are now without a lifeline. Against the air, the youngest immediately take hold of the older one, securing himself in an embrace around those broad shoulders. He looks out, wondering where Tianya flew towards to next. The dragon once again hid among the clouds, so he'll need a moment to refocus and sense his mana. ]

[hackles]

[ There's something to be said for fearlessness, for placing zero stock or trust in the concept of a lifeline. Hallelujah's eyes flash, pinpointing the next place he needs to be. With Setsuna secure, it's less about forethought and more about speed. If he stays one step ahead of the game, it'll spare them the utter waste of time it is to get knocked around by the dragon some more. He's not the only one who's called the sky his home, who knows how to use it to his advantage. No, Hallelujah has terms, and he'll be long dead before he thinks about not enforcing them.

His spells shift, Velocity waning as Vacuum pulses from within. It's as if the air around them drops in pressure as it slingshots out, grappling the nearest stable chunk of floating debris. Cyclones bash into the wall of pressure, but find themselves halted by Vacuum's effects, grinding themselves away against the barrier. By elevating how they function once again, Allelujah's less stable magic filtered through Hallelujah's mana, they alter the landscape in a game of push and pull. Hallelujah scoffs. ]

Well done, this time. [ His chin tips to Setsuna. ] You'd better hang on!

[ With both gravities active, Hallelujah inverts the spell and drives weight into their freefall. It's not unlike pulling a rapid stop, slamming them both with the g-force as he sticks the landing to their awaiting perch. It leaves him a little breathless, but he spits a noise at Tianya's attempts to shake them. ]

Coward ought to come down here and try that... heh.

[ Kneeling, he's waiting for Setsuna to move, gaze cutting to either side of them. ]

How long until that barrier of yours goes under?

[quaria]

[ (*immediately takes hold. — typo from previous tag, sorry!)

Without the protection of a helmet, Setsuna instinctively closes his eyes to protect them from the harsh pressures surrounding the two of them. Gravity and air, pressing down as if they're passing through a narrow tunnel... Everything brushes past the two Meisters violently, as expected from such cutthroat gusts. And although he can't see it, he managed to sense the sudden set of cyclones that attempted to slice through them. That was undoubtedly Tianya's doing, yet they won't be able to do anything until they've recollected themselves.

But Hallelujah has now reclaimed the ground, so it'll only be a matter of minutes before he claims the heavens to himself. Setsuna then carefully moves off from the older Meister, relieved to find his own footing again. As a quiet "thank you," he gently nods before arming himself with the earlier handgun. While he gathers his bearings, he reloads the non-magical weapon with a new cartridge. A solid click is heard after he secures it, followed by his movement of tossing aside the emptied bullet case. It's afterwards that he also successfully pinpoints Tianya's new position.

With that gun of his, he points at the trajectory with its sharp nozzle, indicating where the dragon is. ]

It will remain for about two minutes more... We need to hurry, he is casting again.

[hackles]

[ Two minutes.

Malakim's wings snap shut against its gleaming sides, the weapon's ability now falling silent. Activating it alone is enough of a mana sink without having both his and Allelujah's synchronized gravity spells running at the same time. Top off the whole show with the concentration and energy needed to control it and it's about as close to drained as he gets. On a good day, he couldn't give two fucks about expending all he has in a fight — it's the only way he's guaranteed a win. But this is a double-edged sword, so to speak, and Hallelujah has a whole lot of experience with the concept by default.

It all amounts to one simple thing, though. Hallelujah hates to lose.

His eyes flash, following along the line of sight Setsuna draws with his weapon. Fog and clouds roll when Tianya beats his wings. His bellowing rings forlornly, brewing with hatred. Everything around them is electric with the force of the storm. All that's between them and it is Setsuna's flag. Hallelujah isn't keen on losing it, and in an instant, his attention is back on the younger Meister like he's leagues more interesting than the dragon. Which, if he's being real, has always been the case.

Allelujah's gonna bitch up a storm, but whatever. He's got shit to kill outside of his bleeding heart. ]

I'm gonna need more than two minutes. Lucky for us!

[ Reaching over, Hallelujah winds his arm through Setsuna's stance with the gun, grabbing his chin and chucking it up, squaring his face. A brief mana exchange sparks at the contact, almost entirely devoid of Allelujah's signature. ]

...we've got one easy way to take care of that.

[ That's his only warning as to what he's going to do, which is swoop down and take a kiss from Setsuna, reaping the benefits of all the mana they're getting from it. ]

[quaria]

[ If Setsuna isn't as strong-willed as he is, he would've completely lost concentration right then and there. Pieces of hail and raindrops continue to fall despite the moment stilling between the two Meisters. The younger one's eyes lose focus as their shared contact remains, widening for several seconds before he shuts them closed. He loses his battle stance and nearly dropped his gun. In his mind, he reminds himself to regain composure. He knows why this is necessary, so he repeats the fact for reassurance.

It's startling as it's staggering, more so than the intimidating strikes of light that threatens to electrocute them at any time. Tension lingers across Setsuna's shoulders, but they eventually lower and accepts the situation for what it is. They've all been trained to do so after all, to be able to adjust and react properly no matter what happens in the battlefield. To secure their victory, Hallelujah physically spells it out between their lips. Not only is his mana essential, but as well as the older Meister's. This is a solid fact in the world of Enprise's wars and conflicts.

That's all it is. As Setsuna's heartbeat attempt to recover from its race, he stays still and allows their mana to replenish in peace. This is ridiculous... Although it may be, this is still reality. Eventually, he pulls back once he feels enough warmth across his face. He straightens, gripping his weapon more tightly than ever. ]

He... He is nearly finished casting.

[hackles]

[ Hallelujah isn't much surprised to find that he's jolted Setsuna up by just going in for the kill. Intimacy is far removed from the gesture despite the virtue of being what it is; Hallelujah is close enough to feel his breathing tick, how the heat rises in his face. Setsuna's eyes shut but Hallelujah watches him closely through a gaze lidded by how he's had to angle his jaw. It's fascinating, in a way, kind of like how a bomb detonates, the sharp quietness of the last inhale, the aftermath. More than giving all that he has, Hallelujah is imparting something else in a pulse of mana, that darkness on which Allelujah's light resides. Strength. Focus.

Both of them have faced down far worse than a monster with abandonment issues. Before they part, Hallelujah's mouth presses and flickers into a sharp grin, just a hint of teeth. He gives Setsuna's cheek a fortifying cuff, to shake loose what he'd just done. He looks him in the eye. ]

Then let's finish this, you and I.