Private/Closed Bootleg Bros. Ultimate - The Muspell Campaign

[Psymallard]

Caw
The Little Crow trotted alongside the group as they came up with their team name. He was grateful for this slowed pace, as he could actually keep up with the long-legged humans now. Since he couldn't exactly weigh in on their conversation at the moment, the Reaper instead continued to focus on the beauty of the environment.

The gentle snowfall upon sloping hills.... it could not be overstated the beauty of such pure white precipitation. He'd heard that every snowflake had a unique shape. It was a wonderful thought- the individuality, beauty, and freedom of a snowflake was something that could be envied by some.

The pillar of black smoke highlighted each flake that fell in front of it, while the smoke itself was highlighted by an angry red-orange glow from beneath. The poetic contrast between fire and ice had been observed since philosophy began, but it did not make such a spectacle any less jaw-dropping. Ominous, sure, but fire as an element wasn't all bad. From the ashes there always arose a new beginning.

One of the younger humans, Bennett, broke the crow out of his meandering train of thought with a call to action. The boy then broke out into a sprint. He was crazy if he thought the bird was going to keep up with him. Mostly because he just couldn't run that fast, but also because running headfirst into a warzone was a ridiculous idea.

 

[Captain Cardboard]

The Muspell Mashers

The group continued their advance towards the pillar of smoke. Anakin reached out his senses with the force. Instantly, the Jedi Knight would be able to feel an incredibly powerful ripple from the direction of the smoke. An intense darkness of hate, rage, bloodlust, and aggression. It rippled and moved so much, it was as if he was looking into a raging bonfire. And then there were the others. There were many beings in the direction of the smoke...

Just as Anakin was able to sense this through the force, the other members of the group could also sense the changes in the environment. Hot wind blew over the snowy hills, and as the group moved closer to the smoke the air would feel warmer and warmer. Falling ash mixed with the snow, and the snow that had fallen was already beginning to melt. The slush and mud made it difficult to move forward.

Then there was the noise.

The steady rhythm of a drumbeat, partnered with the synchronized footsteps of a great many peoples.

"Bennett, wait!" Fjorm said, catching up to the adventurer. She lead the group up a nearby hill, gesturing for them to stay low. Looking over the top of the hill, the group could see the source of the noise and the smoke. A massive column of soldiers, hundreds strong, was marching towards the northern mountains. Many of these warriors appeared to be contracted heroes, while smoke rose from each of the Muspell soldiers. And at the head of army was...

"Surtr." Fjorm whispered.

The tyrant rode a massive steed of black smoke, with red glowing eyes. Even at this distance, the heroes from another world could see the menacing grin the king wore as his army advanced. Loki could be seen as well, speaking with Surtr as she kept pace with the horse.

 

[Shen: King of Digimon]

Bennett



Running forward with the idea of making it to the source of the smoke, it seemed to be all good so far. No traps, perilous weather, or wild monsters in sight. Things were looking up! He was about to cross the hill that no doubt was right at the border of the smoke.

"Bennett, wait!"

"Huh? What is-"

Still in his momentum, he skid his feet on the ground. Instead of an instant stop, the slickness of the melting snow turn the skid into a slid. He slid right up and off the hill, which acted as a ramp. What awaited him was an entire army of soldiers! He didn't get a good look from his few seconds in the air before the ground met him.

"Ack!"

"Ouch!"

"Ahh!"

Several bumps happened as he skipped like a rock, his sword flying out of his grasp, flying high through the air. This all ended as he faceplanted down on the harsh ground, right next to a line of soldiers. Unarmed and now in the lion's den, he was speechless, the information whiplash catching up to him.

"Uh..." he searched for words. "...Whoops?"

Just then, his sword fell from above, stabbing into the ground in front of him with a loud PANG. Cracks spidered out on the ground where it struck as the blade grew a purple color.

 

[Mokko]

Nikki Prez
“Ow!” she hissed softly, looking down at her wrist- it felt like she’d been stung by a small insect, right where her Destiny Marble was situated. The Pokemon inside was trying to tell her something, and with the wall of smoke much more visible now, this only added to the sinking feeling in her gut. It was actually getting… warm, and not in a way that she liked.

“Oh, hang on-” Nikki began, but she was a bit too late as Bennett ran forward. As they drew closer and closer to the smoke, and she continued to think about what her options were going into battle… the more she was beginning to have second thoughts about basically escorting Miss Fjorm back to the enemy forces. Glancing back at the blonde, the Alolan felt she had taken on a responsibility, of keeping this person safe in the face of freaks like Loki and Fakemon, which was going to be harder now. She loved fighting, loved stomping baddies, but there were more layers to this situation. This careful and protective train of thought wasn’t one she would’ve had quite as easily years ago, her training back in Kanto and Johto shining through.

It became even more troubling when Fjorm herself rushed forward, two of the most vulnerable members of the group at the forefront!

Which then became MORE troubling when the enemies came into view- that battle before, the group had had their hands really full then. Compared to this, it had been nothing- there were hundreds of them, not to mention Loki herself, alongside the absolute freak-monstrosity beside her. This was… not good.
She was a good second from suggesting a retreat, when Bennett’s poor luck struck, and they were left with few options but to get noticed by the enemy.

“Uh… ahhhhck!” she voiced her frustration with the situation, fiddling with her friendship bracelet, trying to come up with some kind of strategy in her head. There was only one ‘safe’ bet, and even that wasn’t really safe.

Opening one Pokeball, out came another of her Pokemon partners. In front of Gazpacho stood a stocky hog-like creature, a pink flower atop its head and a blanket of moss concealing one eye- its build and patterns almost resembled a football player of some kind, steam pouring out of the creature’s mouth as it took heavy breaths, its eyes darting around in confusion.
“Semla, use your Psyshield!” Nikki requested of the Blosswine, who huffed once again, before a dome of choppy, pink-and-blue energy materialized over the group, enough to shield a few people if the Muspell forces were to make a ranged attack. Nikki wasn’t really sure what the group sentiment was here- they all seemed like pretty brave people, but was this really a manageable fight? Maybe she needed to have ‘Pacho go and grab Bennett up before this got ugly.

 

[comic]

ANAKIN SKYWALKER​

Anakin stopped in his tracks, feeling the sudden wave of powerfully dark and violent energy pulsing from up ahead. It was as though the force itself was crying out against... whatever was there. And with it came undertones of that cold, robotic voice he’d heard before.

“If you only knew the power of the dark side...”

He shuddered, a chill creeping down his spine as he opened his eyes to force out the voice, and the presence of the force sense he’d been experiencing. However, he was too late to warn anyone.

Bennett, their fearless ‘leader,’ had run ahead and fallen right at the heels of the darkness. Anakin was nimble in reaching Fjorm’s position rapidly, coming to a stop to look down at the unfortunate sight. An army, and at its helm...

He hadn’t heard Fjorm say his name, but Anakin knew it, simply by the will of the force itself. Surtr.

He hadn’t been expecting this degree of hatred, so profound it sent ripples through the force. If Palpatine was the sith lord behind the Clone Wars, who had hidden his darkness so thoroughly, then Surtr was like one who wore it on his sleeves with nothing but vain pride, for all to see what cruelty he brought with him.

Nikki summoned another creature through her orb, and it generated some kind of barrier to protect everyone- mostly everyone. Poor Bennett was excluded, having fallen right at the feet of Surtr’s soldiers.

Anakin had been a general for a long time. Well, being how old he was, 4 years was certainly a long time to him. Master Yoda would no doubt say otherwise. But looking at the size of the army, the unique units, and the powerful head who helmed it... this was a fight no jedi would win, let alone him. He didn’t have the 501st to back him, no Ahsoka, no Obi-Wan, no Rex, no Jedi Order, nothing. It was just him, and this group of other people who he doubted was as accustomed to this kind of war like he was.

And if he didn’t think they could pull off making even a dent in this army, then the only option was to fight another day.

Using the force, Anakin thrust out his arm to hoist Bennett deftly into the air, quickly carrying him back up the bank and behind Nikki’s barrier. The commotion would undoubtedly soon call Surtr’s attention, especially given Loki was there, no doubt telling him of her failures to stop them.

“I was thinking we should run,” the knight told the Muspell Mashers. “No mashing today, not against a force that size. Any better plans? No? Great, glad we agree, now get moving!”

He’d take up the rear, if he could. Make sure everyone was able to get to a safe distance, find a place to hide. They didn’t have power or numbers, but that was advantageous in a retreat. An army would have to break apart to pursue them, and if that was the case, it would be far easier in defending themselves. Otherwise, the army would have to sluggishly follow them.

Of course, there were those contracted warriors. They were specialists, and if they were sent in before the army, that would complicate things.​

 

[Psymallard]

Bird is the Word
They were nearing the smoke now, and ash started to mix in with the snow. A hot wind rolled down the hill, drying the crow's eyes and forcing him to squint. What crested the hill was a terrifying sight. Hundreds of soldiers led by what appeared to be a Giant Soul. This... was not ideal. Little Crow had toppled kingdoms before... but nothing to this magnitude, especially not all at once. He doubted such a large force could even exist in the realms he had been to. There were more of those red halos, too...

Anakin called for a retreat, and the Reaper concurred. Though he usually dealt with threats head-on, he was also sensible enough to recognize when that was not an option. The corvid scrambled back onto the Windrome. He cupped his wings for bright blue energy to coalesce once again, the spell also pulling in the flakes of ash and snow. If they began to flee, the bird unleashed his Bomb spell towards Loki, seeking to cover their escape.

 

[Shen: King of Digimon]

Bennett


Before he could as much as get up, some otherworldly force plucked him up off the ground, trying to drag him somewhere. Thinking this one something that the scary guy leading the group could do, he gripped his sword that was lodged in the ground. It kept him anchored for a moment, a tug, the sword causing more cracks in the ground. Another tug. Another. And another, then-

SCRACK!

He yanked the sword out, as he was pulled forcefully away from his predicament. The hole in the ground grew a darker purple hue, a thin trail of steam coming from it. The largest crack began to grow, extending in a straight line for several yards, a low hiss audible.

Bennett struggled as he might, he couldn't fight off the invisible energy that had him at its mercy. Swiping his sword around, he couldn't seem to hit anything invisible. He was sorely confused why he was being brought away from the army until he rounded the hill, Anakin apparently being the one behind it, which made him sigh in relief as he was put down next to them in a hurry.

"Phew, I'm glad it was you guys-"

“I was thinking we should run,” Anakin told the Muspell Mashers. “No mashing today, not against a force that size. Any better plans? No? Great, glad we agree, now get moving!”

Moving already? Yeah. Yeah okay that made sense. His unfortunate slip up before made him a little less likely to lead them out, his luck factor reminding him of why that was a bad idea. Instead, he motioned to Fjorm, holding up a sword as to tell her he'd cover them on the way out.

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Uh Oh​

The Fiery Hordes of Muspell stopped the march, staring at the young man that was falling down the hill before them. Even Surtr and Loki had stopped, the pair watching Bennett collapse in front of the troops. The King of Muspell's eyes narrowed as he stared at Bennett.

"SEIZE HIM!" One of the captains roared. With a battle cry, a squad of troops charged towards Bennett. But to the soldier's surprise, right as the lead one was about to grab the young man, he flew off into the air! The strange energy left behind by the blade made the lead soldiers stagger back, uncertain as to what this sinister energy was. The Crow flung its Bomb spell at Loki, but the tactician was not going to be fooled the same as before. She raised her staff, creating a magical barrier around herself and Surtr. The bomb struck the barrier, exploding harmlessly. Surtr grinned, and through the smoke his troops could see him hold up a hand.

"HOLD!" The soldier captain commanded his squad. Surtr watched the heroes quickly disappear over the top of the hill. He chuckled.

"Laevatein! Dark Meta Knight! Loki!" The tyrant barked. Through the troops, the two other warriors stepped forward. Laevatein, one of the generals of Muspell. A dark skinned young woman with long pink hair, dressed in black and red armor accented with black feathers. She stared blankly up at Surtr upon his horse, her face expressionless.

"Yes, sir." Laevatein said. Surtr glared at Loki.
"Those tepid weaklings were the ones that forced you and Fakemon to retreat?" Surtr asked. He scoffed, and addressed the trio. "Take your troops. Burn those heroes to cinders."
Surtr paused a moment, frowning. "Except... That boy. His essence is displeasing to me. Bring me his head, on a pike, and you will be rewarded."

Laevatein nodded, bowing to the tyrant.
"Yes, sir." The general returned to her troops, issuing orders, and Surtr faced the northern mountains once more. He chuckled to himself.

"Soon, this entire realm will crackle with my flame. This realm... and every realm. Flayed by my flames, living torches. Nifl took me six months. The one before that, three. How long will this realm last, I wonder?" Surtr said. He through back his head, letting out a bellowing laugh, and urged his troops onwards.

"No!" Fjorm watched in horror as Bennett fell down the slope. The other heroes sprung into action, Nikki unleashing a new monster, the Little Crow throwing a bomb at Surtr and Loki, and Anakin... Anakin, using some sort of psychic energy to bring back Bennett?! The Jedi quickly advised that they make a swift retreat, and Fjorm was far from opposed to it.

"Bennett! Bennett, are you okay?!" Fjorm said to the adventurer. She turned towards Anakin.
"I'm sorry! I didn't think... Surtr himself! I knew he lead his troops from the front, but I didn't think we'd run into the ones he was leading himself!" Fjorm said.

The Muspell Mashers ran across the snowy hills. When they crested a hill, the group would be able to see that a plume of smoke had broken off from the main army. A few columns of soldiers were marching their way after the Mashers. North towards the mountains, a forest came in sight. The group managed to reach it, and once they had stepped into the forest Fjorm had to stop. The Princess leaned against a tree, gasping for breath.
"My... my apologies..." She wheezed.

 

[Fraseandchico]

Akira Tadokoro

When Fjorm motioned for the group to lay low, Akira shrugged and followed the command.
Shit, there's a lot of them. Taking them head on is suicide.

...That's Surtr? Total brute, guess he fits the bill.
He...shivered? That wasn't something Akira did often under psychokinesis.
This...This energy? The hell's with this guy!?

The Psychic had always been attuned to the world around him, to the energy around him. It was how he felt the deepest piles of hate stocked into a single man, and this King...No, this thing NEEDED to be stopped. It being personal or not, there could be no doubt in Akira's mind about what was needed.
But while wallowing in the shock, Akira saw Bennett fall, giving away the group's position as Anakin brought him back up and a retreat was suggested. Not in a position to demand, the teen followed without hesitation.

--

Upon reaching the forest, there was but a moment of rest. There were others that split off to follow the group, probably on Surtr's orders - And Fjorm apologised, continuing from her previous statement that she didn't expect Surtr to be there. She was tired.

"Tch, you've got nothing to apologise for. Yeah, that went to shit, but you had no way of knowing the bastard would be there. Besides," He huffed, removing his hands from pockets as he looked at each of his allies. "We've still got incoming. We can probably fight them here - If you guys got any ways to put the terrain in our favor it should probably be done before they get here." After explaining this thought of his, he turned his back to the group and looked back to where their path.

"Actually, before they get here, anyone here need last minute healing? Bennett? That was a bad fall you took." Letting out his offer, Akira slipped the pouch of Taiyaki out of his pocket, taking one out and eating it rather loudly. Rather casual considering the forces approaching, or so it seemed, but Akira had confidence in his abilities. And why wouldn't he? He could mend or break minds in an instant if he wished, and with the Guts and Glory glove equipped the anger and determination he held against Muspell, and Surtr himself based on what he'd heard, were tantamount to absolute victory in his mind.

 

[Mokko]

Nikki Prez
Nikki really hated retreating- she could understand it, acknowledge it as the best option, but that didn’t mean she liked it. Under no circumstances was their little crew equipped to take on an army of that size- if only the numbers hadn’t been so vastly in the enemy’s favor.

With the Crow on board Gazpacho’s back, it was time for the group to go, Gazpacho marching through the cold snow, occasionally turning his neck to stare in another direction curiously. When they’d gained a healthy distance from the enemy, it was time to recall Semla (and her Psyshield, by extension) back into her ball, best to keep the Grass-type out of the cold as much as possible. On the bright side, it didn’t seem like the Muspell forces were terribly fast, which allowed them a moment to regroup upon reaching a forest, Fjorm being tired, as Akira offered up healing... Bennett could probably use it a lot more than anyone else, he was the only one who'd really taken any punishment, courtesy of his own bad luck.

“Ack! Stupid!” Nikki voiced her frustration toward what just unfolded, bringing her fist down on her knee. “I could’ve totally bashed Lord Super-Freak’s ugly mug in, if it weren’t for the bajillion punks they rounded up!” she said, releasing a huff and jabbing at the air with frustration. She looked back at the smoke, dissatisfied- before her eyes then landed on the exhausted Fjorm, and her expression softened.

“Oh! Miss Fjorm, I totally should’ve offered this sooner, but you really don’t need to walk!” Nikki cleared her throat, patting at the spot behind her- the Crow didn’t really add much weight, so it’d be fine. She wished she had room for the entire group, but alas, they only made Windromes so big these days… “‘Pacho has room for a guest or two! Or three, if one of them is cute and tiny!” she added (the last bit in reference to her current riding buddy), as Gazpacho buried his head in the snow, scooping up a heaping mouthful of the frigid powder. It didn’t seem to taste great.

 

[Psymallard]

Don't Fear the Reaper
The retreat was effective, but Little Crow's potshot had unfortunately failed. What was less unfortunate was that a smaller division of the army gave chase. They'd be much more manageable... though the crow didn't like the idea of facing them head-on. A human, Akira, who the corvid remembered as the helpful human with healing powers and cool magics, suggested they use the terrain in their favor. Now that was a bright idea.

The Reaper squawked out a 'thank you' to Gazpacho for the lift, then conjured his Hookshot and fired at a nearby tree. The bird was pulled into the treetops, and with a mighty pair of slashes, he cut the pine needles out of his way to make for a perfect perch. Having damaged a living thing, this also refilled his magic charges. There, he waited for them to come. There, he began to craft his bow from red magic- in preparation for the battle that would ensue.

 

[comic]

ANAKIN SKYWALKER​

They reached a stopping point, and Akira looked to heal anyone who needed it, talking down Fjorm’s apologies for leading them right toward Surtr himself. “Yeah,” the jedi agreed with Akira. “You have nothing to feel sorry for. It was Bennett’s fault anyway.”

A few people turned to look at him, and Anakin raised his arms. “What? It was.”

He wasn’t intending to hurt Bennett’s feelings or anything of the sort - Anakin didn’t have that level of social skills under his belt. He viewed it as a simple fact, people made mistakes, then they learned from them, simple as that.

Before much else could be said on the matter, however, Anakin paused, tensing up. A small breath of mist escaped his lips as he focused in on the force, and sensed it, or rather... them.

“They’re still on us,” he said, tone more serious as he turned to the matter at hand, procuring his lightsaber and activating it. The blue blade ignited, extending several feet outward as he held it up in a guard, eyes darting through the trees in the direction he was sensing bad energy coming from.

As the general had suspected, Surtr’s army had broken apart so a smaller group could pursue its enemies, which made fighting them off a far simpler task, though Anakin knew it was far more than just foot soldiers. Loki had told her king of the heroics she’d witnessed. He would send more unwilling heroes, and likely other trusted soldiers, for them.

“Not a lot... enough that we can fight.”​

 

[Shen: King of Digimon]

Bennett


"No no, it's fine! I always bounce back, I promise!" He waved a hand about, trying to persuade Fjorm and Akira not to worry. "...Wait, that was Surtr?? The big bad??"

The final boss was already within arms reach? That was fast. Maybe it was his bad luck that had him just happen to come across them so quickly. Speaking of bad luck, Anakin wasted no time throwing him under the bus. So it began. As soon as the team was founded, it already was getting stress fractures from him being there. It reminded him of his adventure team back home.

"Ouch...but that's fair. It's my fault." He accepted responsibility. "I'll fight at the front, they'll be too focused on trying to beat me up that the rest of you guys can finish them. I feel we got this! Right...??"

crack...

crumble...

The cracks continue to shoot about at jagged intervals. The steam coming up getting thicker and thicker, other streaks of steam coming up from other cracks. Thats when it reached a breaking point-

FWOOOOSH!

A burst of hot water blasted up from underground from where the sword originally struck ground, a dormant geyser having been reanimated by whatever Bennett had just done. The thermal feature blasted acidic water gushing through the air, no doubt blasting soldiers underfoot, leading to severe burns at least and complete vaporization at worst. While this seemed to be a rather fortunate turn of events considering what Bennett was known for...another burst.

FWOOOOOSH!

Then another.

And another.

Geysers began to erupt from locations at seemingly random, cracks growing and spreading out to other places. Another blasted up a several yards away from the gang, the intense head being felt even at that distance, boiling water splashing down and instantly melting the frozen snow. With new vibrations felt underfoot, there was no telling when the next geyser would emerge.

"Aw geez! Thats a new one...!" Bennett winced as he turned away from the heat. "Careful everyone! We...we still totally got this, don't we??"

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Princess Fjorm

The exhausted Princess merely nodded gratefully. She climbed on the back of Pacho and leaned forward on the Pokemon, bowing her head. She seemed almost ashamed, but there was no time for her to wallow in self-pity. The ground rumbled, and a geyser burst up from the ground! The Princess drew back, flinching back from the heat. The air began to grow steaming, slightly enveloping the nearby forest in fog. It wasn't much, but by each moment the fog would continue to grow thicker and thicker...

Enemy Phase​

Three horsemen crested the top of the hill closest to the forest the heroes had fled to.

"Ohoho! Eirika! See how those Foul Heroes flee before our holy might!" The first one exclaimed in an ostentatious tone. She was a woman dressed in white robes and armor. Her green hair was tied back in a messy bun, and she held a golden tome at her side. A staff was attached to the saddle of her horse. The familiar red halo of the Magical Contract floated around her head. "Even against our small force, these Foul Heroes know they have no possibility in defeating us when a holy hero, L'Arachel of Rausten, rides against them!"

The second hero grimaced. She was a pale young woman with long blue hair. She was adorned in gold and red clothes, wearing a gold cape and golden breastplate. A dark black tome hung at her side, swirling with dark magic. Like the other woman, the red halo of the Magical Contract floated around her head. She looked to the third rider.
"Captain Kohle." Eirika said. "They've stopped their retreat. We should wait for General Laevatein and Dark Meta Knight's troops-"

The third ride scoffed, cutting off the blue haired woman. He was a tall, dark skinned older man clad in black and red armor. He wore a black cape, and a gold and silver lance was at his side. The lance itself seemed to be glowing, radiating a golden light. The paladin gestured towards the Muspell Mashers, and as he did so, geysers of acidic water burst forth from the earth near the heroes. Captain Kohle paused a moment before shaking his head and chuckling.
"Wait for that whelp and masked freak? I think not. Our enemies are fleeing and disorganized. The very forest they have fled to has turned against them. No, slave. Now is the perfect time to strike. We will annihilate these so-called 'Heroes', earning the glory of this battle and favor of Lord Surtur. The king will see it is I, Kohle, that should be leading the armies of Muspell. Not these wenches and otherworldly abominations." Kohle said to Eirika. The blue haired woman closed her eyes and looked away, but the red halo around her head pulsed. She nodded.
"At your command, sir." Eirika said.

The ground rumbled, and near the trio another geyser burst from the ground. One of the other Muspell soldiers was caught in the acidic spray, recoiling and screaming in pain. In a moment, L'Arachel, had rode her horse to the soldier. She presented her staff and pointed to the solider, saying a quick incantation. The soldier was surrounded in a holy light, and in a moment his wounds were gone. Captain Kohle raised his lance, turning to face his troops.
"Onwards, men! Attack!" Captain Kohle commanded. His troops let out a battle cry, and rushed towards the forest. There was around 13 troops, all with varying weapons and armor. Four took the lead of the charge, a group of horsemen. A Muspell cavalier armed with an ax, one armed with a lance, and yet another armed with a sword. At the front of the charge, a Contracted Hero lead them. The contracted hero was a young man with short blond hair, dressed in black armor. His sword was just as black as his armor, a stark contrast of the snow that lay all around. Part of the way down the hill, a trio of mages and an archer paused and readied themselves to launch a bombardment on the Mashers. One of the mages stood distinct, a black haired young woman in dark clothes. Yet another contracted heroes...

Captain Kohle, Eirika, and L'Arachel stayed at the top of the hill, surveying the battle as it played out...

 

[comic]

ANAKIN SKYWALKER​

The telltale sounds of an advancing force were all but impossible to ignore as Anakin readied himself, just as geysers seemed to start going off. He felt a nudge with the force, and obeyed, quickly diving to the side just as a geyser erupted underneath where he’d been, shooting scalding water up into the air. Where in the galaxy had that come from? Some kind of ability one of their enemies possessed?

General Skywalker leapt up, lifting high into the air to land on the thick branch of a tree as he peered through the gathering fog of the geysers, making out moving colors through the drab white of snow, and green of trees. An approaching division, and he was counting only a few, riding the backs of bovine-like creatures.

He could still sense more beyond them, but they weren’t advancing as fast. How many, he didn’t know, the force wasn’t that precise in the matters of non-force-users. Deftly, the jedi threw his lightsaber, guiding it precisely with the force as it spun rapidly around, tearing through the base of the tree as it arced about to also cut down the legs of the creatures the men rode upon before quickly zipping back toward Anakin.

The bisected trees would all begin falling toward the horses and their riders as they would likely fall off their creatures.​

 

[Psymallard]

Avian Creature
The crow drew his bow, charging a powerful shot as the cavalrymen approached. Anakin immediately leapt into action himself, no doubt putting the initial force on the defensive in one fell swoop. Certainly, they would be disorganized and discombobulated from this maneuver. And so, the Reaper took this chance to let his arrow fly, attempting to pick off the surviving soldiers. He would do this again and again, until he had exhausted every last one of his spell charges. The Little Crow made sure to take the time to charge each one to ensure that the armor-piercing arrows would do maximum damage.

HP- 5/6
SP- 5/6

 

[PaprusTeuton]

Shay Patrick Cormac

Shay watched.

Muspell forces pushed on a small band of what seemed to be elite fighters. Each one seemed to, as usual, not follow Shay's idea of how the world work. A crow-like creature firing arrows, a man with seemingly supernatural sense, abilities, and weaponry- an Assassin with an artifact? No, it's more than that.

Shay observed.

Geysers burst from the ground regularly, spraying troops with scalding water. It was likely a feature of the environment, since a Muspell soldier had been hit by it as well as the man with abilities, however it was possible that the caster simply did not care about friendly fire. In that case, it would pay to be more cautious.

Shay waited.

There was no clear point to strike yet. Muspell forces had not yet approached close enough that an assassination could be done... but they were just close enough that the general- or the one who seemed like a general- could be hit by a sleep dart. Shay slowly and carefully pulled out his air rifle, loading in a sleep dart.

Shay aimed.

Carefully aligning the general's neck with the sight on the rifle, he pulled back on the trigger. Compressed air launched the dart at high speed, catapulting it directly at the general. On hitting, they will feel drowsy for a few moments, before collapsing entirely. After a minute, they will awaken, with all the limitations to cognition that waking up from real sleep gives, but only for about another minute.

 

[Fraseandchico]

Akira Tadokoro

Akira had been one of the many who had looked at Anakin when the jedi had noted it was Bennett's fault, but before he could state his agreement, geysers burst up. And before, because that was how luck decided to roll this minute, Akira could ask what happened...The enemy arrived.

13, to be exact, 2 of whom appeared to be way stronger than the others. There was probably more, but this would come first, with Anakin using his laser-blade to cut the trees, forcing them to fall towards the assaliants... And then it came back. This guy was weird.
Meanwhile, the little bird, Crow, whatever, fired off numerous arrows. Akira shot a glance to Bennett.
"Don't tell me to hang back, got it? I need to be up next to heal you if you're planning on taking hits, anyway." The psychic noted, before beginning to move forward. He waved his hands in the air for a moment, charging an attack.

"Now let's ice these fiery assholes!"
Cold Day In Hell
4 images of Akira split off, this time all going forward. Covering a fair distance, the images suddenly burst in massive spikes on Ice once more, easily clearing the height of some of the uncut trees, threatening to spear some of the soldiers from below. Alongside the obvious icy damage, the attack was also aimed to slow - or perhaps even paralyse - the threats. Sadly, the distance was such that it would only reach for the leading charge after Anakin's tricky move, and that was only if forward momentum carried them as they fell.

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Enemy Phase​

The three horsemen watched the Muspell troops advance. Eirika's frown deepened.
"Captain Kohle." Eirika said. "Cavalry is not suited for forest combat. You give our enemy the advantage-"
"As if you know of strategy, wench." Captain Kohle snarled. "I have no need of advice from a woman slave. Your so-called 'strategy' was not enough to save you from defeat, or enslavement."
The Muspell captain scoffed and gestured to the heroes.
"These pathetic cowards will be crushed under our swift assault."
"Captain, you underestimate their chance. We are dealing with enemies that hail from other worlds, surely you have seen what the likes of Fakemon, or Nikolai, or-"
"How many times must I command you to be silent, slave!" Kohle snapped. "Another word out of you, and-"

Anakin's lightsaber slashed through the base of the trees and towards the charging cavalry riders. Already they were having a bit of trouble, the branches and undergrowth forcing them to slow their charges. With loud creaks, trees fell upon the riders. A pair of the cavaliers were knocked from their horses, falling into the snow as their horses ran off in a panic. The third rider managed to avoid the falling trees, only for Anakin's lightsaber to slice the legs out from under his horse. The poor creature screamed as both it and its rider fell into the snow.

Only the Contracted Hero Cavalier managed to avoid Anakin's attack in its entirety. If Siegbert was surprised by the enemy's unorthidox attack, he gave no indication of it. The rider's face was nothing but focus. With expert horsemanship, the blond young man maneuvered his horse around falling trees. With its rider's expert direction, the horse hurdled Anakin's lightsaber and continued its charge! It rapidly closing the distance to Anakin...

Or at least, it would have had it not been for Akira. Massive spikes of ice burst up from the ground, and Siegbert pulled back on his horse's reins. The horse suddenly stopped, going back on its hind legs and whinnying in protest. A spike of ice glance off the horse's armor, but Siegbert remained mounted. He urged his horse around the ice spikes and charged towards Anakin. Siegbert slashed at the Jedi Knight with his Dark Greatsword, the black metal blade flashing through the air with the force of both the mount and its rider!

The dismounted cavaliers picked themselves up from the snow grabbing their weapons, only for Little Crow to unleash his magical arrows. The first one punched through the chest of the ax-wielding cavalier, going right through his armored breastplate.
"There! In the trees!" The sword cavalier pointed, before quickly being silenced by another of Little Crow's arrows. The lance cavalier quickly rushed for cover behind another tree, only for Akira's ice spike attack to pierce him through.

"Ow!"

Captain Kohle's rant was suddenly cut off, feeling a sudden sting. The captain reflexively swatted at his neck, pulling away a small dart. His anger turned to confusion as he looked to Eirika and L'Arachel. Eirika's eyes widened in realization, and Captain Kohle collapsed on his horse.
"L'Arachel!" Eirika said, but the other woman was already in motion. L'Arachel steadied the unconscious commander on his horse, quickly looking him over. Meanwhile, Eirika moved between the pair and where the attack came from. She scanned the area carefully, but there was no sight of the attacker.

"The Captain is alive, but unconscious. A poison attack, I believe." L'Arachel said.
"Can you Restore him?" Eirika asked. L'Arachel shook her head.
"We'll just have to wait."
"Come on." Eirika said. The trio moved to the northeast side of the hill, attempting to use it for partial cover against their unseen attacker while still watching the battle. The blue haired woman opened her tome, watching the forest where Shay's attack had come from.

"There."

One the south side of the hill, Rhajat gestured to the tree Little Crow was attacking from. The Black Magician's tome fluttered open, and she spoke an incantation as she gestured to one of the mages. Dark energy swirled around the mage, and some of it was absorbed into the mage's spellbook.

The Muspell mages and Muspell archer took a step forward and unleashed their attacks at Little Crow. The archer fired an arrow at the bird creature. The first mage spoke an incantation, and winds whipped around him. A green blade of wind appeared before the mage, empowered with dark magic from Rhajat's spell. The blade of wind flew through the air towards Little Crow! The third mage spoke a different incantation and raised his hand. Far in the clouds above, there was a rumble of thunder. With little warning, a bolt of lightning shot down from the sky towards Little Crow!

"Rhajat!" Eirika called out from her new position. "Stay alert! There is an unseen enemy to the south!"
Rhajat nodded, and looked in the direction Shay was hiding.

"Whoa."

In the second squad of Muspell soldiers, a pink haired woman in a black and white gambeson paused in her advance. A pink longsword was in her hand, and a dagger was on her belt.She looked at the fallen trees, ice spikes, and occasional geyser that burst forth from the ground. The contracted hero grinned at her companion. He was a brown haired young man dressed in red and white robes, with a black metal chestplate for protection. He was armed with a polearm that had a long blade at the end, a naginata, that shone brightly despite the fog and overcast clouds. Like the pink haired woman, the red halo of a Contracted Hero floated around the young man's head as well.

"These guys sure seem strong, huh Shiro?" The pink haired woman asked. Shiro grinned back at the woman and nodded.
"Yeah. It really gets the blood pumping." He said. "C'mon, Soleil. We can't let Siegbert have all the fun. Let's go!"

The two Contracted Heroes and three Muspell troops burst into action. The three Muspell troops were different from the ones that had appeared so far. Two of them wore large, bulky armor and heavy shields. One armed with a sword, another armed with an ax. Although their armor was impressive, they seemed to have a difficult time keeping up with the group. The third one was rather unusual. A figure in a simple black cloak. No weapon, no tome, no staff. But as the heroes and the knights moved in, they simply raised a glowing red gem.

In a flash of light, the cloaked Muspell troop rapidly changed. They grew, and their cloak faded and melted into their flesh. Black scales covered their body as they fell onto all fours. A pair of scaled wings grew from their back as their face extended into a lizardlike snout, complete with razor teeth. Where there was once a person, there now stood a 10 foot tall dragon. This troop was a Manakete.

"Rah!" Shiro's naginata smashed through an ice spike, and Soleil dashed forward. The woman jumped off the broken ice spike and lunged towards Akira and slashed down at him. As she did, her pink sword emitted a bright, almost blinding flash.

The Manakete roared. It attempted to move around Anakin and Akira, setting its sights on the other heroes waiting behind the fighters. The knights moved with the dragon, ready to provide support if needed.

 

[Shen: King of Digimon]

Bennett


There were more of them following us than I thought, more heavily armed at that. Did...did that one turn into a dragon just now? Jeez, this is taking a turn for the worse.

Seeing the flow of battle and where the enemies were, he saw a new person entry the fray to attack Anakin & Akira along with their draconic helper. Two heavily armored soldiers were left without direct orders, no doubt preparing for a kill shot if they got an opportunity. Bennett wasn't going to let that happen.

He sprang into action, his sword lighting ablaze as he charged forward. Mid run, he dove to the ground, sliding across it while his flames built up further. As he slid right at the soldiers, he harshly swung his sword, a curved blast of heat firing forward to try and trip the two soldiers.

 

[Fraseandchico]

Akira Tadokoro

Akira smirked as he saw his ice hold off the more intimidating looking leader of the horses, followed by a splinter shooting off to take one down.
Unfortunately, the arrival of the second group dampened that smirk. Especially the one who turned into a Dragon. Sure, one had been rode upon into battle before, but this was certainly different.

"What...I just- What?" Was the first thing to come to his mouth at the Manakete's transformation, more of a grunt, turning to annoyance as he saw a pink-haired swordswoman jump off his ice (cut ice, at that), just as the ice spikes began to fade. Still, he had new armor, and was confidant he could take the blow... Right until Soleil's sword emitted a bright flash of light, temporarily blinding Akira and causing him to stumble, allowing the slash to cut his cheek and part of his jacket. "Shit! What kinda sword does that?!" He snarled, stumbling to keep his balance as the esper covered his eyes. Thankfully, he recovered quickly enough to look right at Soleil, and raise a hand with his palm to the sky.
"Back off!"
Guardian Angel
Akira's hand waved in the air, forming his counterattack as his Angelic defender came into being, forming above Akira. With sword drawn, she made an attempt to quickly cut at Soleil, only stopping for a second to look over her target. This counterattack was to give Akira some breathing space, allowing him to hop back away from Soleil and the likely to approach Shiro. He needed to think, and keep his enemies back. Healing could come later. Instead, he opted to bring both of his arms up, energy coalescing. "And stay there!"
Cold Day In Hell
With the hope that his Angel bought him more time to charge the attack, and the initial Ice gone, Akira's psychic power formed 4 more images of himself that went forward and back, before bursting into ice spikes once more, trying to catch Soleil and Shiro ahead while going behind Akira as well just in case - Though unaffecting his allies should they be in it's path.

 

[comic]

ANAKIN SKYWALKER and NIKKI PREZ​

(Perms granted by Mok and Cardboard)​

Only one rider came out of Anakin’s attack, continuing forward with a steady gait, the man on the creature’s back carrying with him a large, dark sword. Deftly, the jedi knight slashed the base of the branch he stood upon with one arm while he held onto the base with the other, letting the branch fall - and then be thrust with the force into Siegbert, likely catching him off guard and screwing up his slash attempt.

The jedi knight then flipped through the air, bounding lightly away from the tree (and over the slash if it still came) to land squarely on the hindquarters of the horse as it galloped. “Hello there,” Anakin greeted the rider with a smirk, maintaining impossible balance on the horse as he slashed horizontally, aiming for the center mass of Siegbert, making a dodge extremely difficult in such a precarious position.

“Oh man...” Nikki huffed as the situation continued to unfold and become more chaotic. Anakin was fighting the horseback guy, Akira was dealing with a lady that had a really cool pink sword (Rosemarie would totally love that - as a replica, no way would she use an actual sword!), the crow was getting harassed by a bunch of people, Bennett was leaping right into the thick of it, and Nikki had lost sight of Shovel Knight and Fjorm (for now) in all the chaos.

Gazpacho gave a squawk as he sensed something before Nikki, and puffed up his chest as he moved in front of her. A sudden geyser powered out of the earth, spraying up in its superheated glory, meeting the windrome who let out a screech as he took the brunt of it, shielding Nikki from the incoming damage.

“Pacho!” Nikki grit her teeth as the geyser ceased, its tank emptied, and her pokemon lowered himself to the ground with a feeble chirp. Trying to comfort her windrome, Nikki rubbed at his wing. No way would he be fit for any battles now. One well-placed hit and he’d be fainted, which would make it a lot harder to properly heal him without a pokemon center anywhere nearby.

Pulling out his ball, Nikki recalled the windrome. “Get some rest, buddy...” In a flash of red light, Gazpacho had been recalled. Portonian Pokeballs had a fortuitous design, in that injured ‘mons inside could gradually recover a majority of their health and stamina. It would take some time, but it was a surefire way to spare a team from further harm when a center wasn’t around.

Speaking of fire...

Nikki reached behind her and procured one of her six pokeballs, once ‘Pacho’s was safely put away. She looked up to see that one of their enemies had slipped around the front line of defense, intentionally going for those around the back - Nikki included, and there was no big bird guarding her now.

The Manakete swerved around a tree, and blitzed toward the Alolan with the flap of its wings, roaring toward her. Nikki grinned, raising her ball. This was more her speed. Roaring, terrifying creatures sure beat a bunch of ax-wielding goons!

The pokeball opened, just as the dragonman reached the trainer, and in a burst of light—!

“DAR!”

The Manakete had come to a full stop, having hit the head of a beast a little smaller than it, put just as fearsome. The Darmanitan slammed his great fists into the ground before throwing himself forward like a hairy bowling ball, intending to knock the manakete back with surprising weight and force.

“Carbon!” Nikki pointed forward. “Hammer Arm!”

Using his slugged weight, the darmanitan wrenched his arm from the ground and swung it down with a blur, bringing it upon the dragonman like a sledgehammer to pummel him into the snow and the dirt underneath with a championed shout (“MANITAN!”). If successful, the hit would also lower the Manakete’s speed.​

 

[Psymallard]

SNIPER BIRD
The Reaper scored a direct hit on two normal soldiers, laying them to eternal rest. That's when an arrow thunked into the trunk of a tree near the Crow. He looked at it, and his gaze drifted to where it was fired from. There were four people on foot, and a strange green energy was enveloping one of them. He narrowed his eyes, peering at it inquisitively, even as it got larger. Then, the energy began cleaving through pine branches on its warpath towards the bird, to let him know that it was not a good energy.

Little Crow dove off the branch; the tree's trunk had become bisected behind him. He hit the ground, but was uninjured. As the Reaper gathered himself, his feathers stood on end. A rumbling occurred in the clouds above, and the crow was instinctually compelled to move. He dove again as the bolt of lightning crashed down behind him. The avian rolled and ended up back on his feet- by that time he had already started charging up a Fire spell. In a moment, he hurled it at the flank of the dragon to assist Nikki in her endeavors. If the fireball landed, the attack would pass through the beast, dealing damage and causing the creature to catch fire for a few seconds.

Then, the corvid turned his attention to the backline that had challenged him. He attempted to use his small size to slink around the main battle to do so, but remained ready for a fight.

HP- 5/6
SP- 3/6

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Ally Phase​

Fjorm stumbled out of the growing fog. Through the chaos of the battle, she was able to spot Nikki in her Pokemon battle against the Manakete. The Princess quickly moved to Nikki, and gave the Pokemon trainer a nod. With her lance bared, she stood ready to protect Nikki from any attacks that may come their way.

Enemy Phase​

Bennett slid past the knights, attacking with his sword and flames. The first knight raised his shield, managing to block the attack. The second knight stumbled from Bennett's attack, falling to a knee from the blow. As he struggled back to his feet, the first knight slashed at Bennett with his sword! The second knight was quick to follow up, aiming a powerful blow with his ax at the young adventurer!

"Yeah, it's pretty great- huh?" Soleil's eyes widened as Akira raised his hand and called forth the power of an angel. She stared in awe at the beautiful divine being that appeared above the thug, her sword lowered for a moment. The angel rushed towards Soleil, but Shiro quickly interviened.
"Soleil, move!" The young man yelled.

Assist Skill: Swap

With a blur of movement, Shiro now stood in the place Soleil had been occupying moments before. With Soleil safely behind him, Shiro countered the guardian angel's sword slash with a blow from his own Naginata. Akira unleashed his ice spike attack, and once more Shiro demonstrated his defensive prowess. His glowing Naginata flashed through the air, smashing the ice spikes that grew towards himself and Soleil.

Akira's attack concluded, Soleil dashed around Shiro. She sprinted towards Akira but when she reached him, instead of attacking...
"Hey, hey! What was that?!" Soleil exclaimed excitedly. She looked around, trying to catch sight of the Guardian Angel. "Who was that woman that just appeared?! She was beautiful, was she with you? What's her name- AaaaaAAAAUGh!"

The red halo around Soleil's head glowed, and she clutched her head in pain.
"Okay, okay! Fighting, jeez!" Soleil said, half to herself, and slashed at Akira again. Just like before, her sword let out a brilliant, blinding flash from the attack!

The branch struck Siegbert, flung with some invisible force. In a flash, Anakin was on the back of his horse! Siegbert glanced at Anakin with surprise, but was already in motion. With a free hand, Siegbert drew a dagger and slashed the straps on his saddle. With his saddle cut loose from his horse, Siegbert threw himself to the side. The hero and his loose saddle slid off the side of the horse, narrowly avoiding Anakin's slash.

With its true rider off, Siegbert's horse suddenly stopped and reared back, attempting to throw Anakin off. Siegbert picked himself up from the snow, untangling himself from his saddle, and readying his Dark Greatsword. The young man was once more nothing but cold focus, and he slashed at Anakin with his dark blade.
"Soleil! Shiro! Assistance!" Siegbert called out to his allies.

To the Manakete's surprise, another enemy had appeared! That wasn't right, there was just a little unarmed woman a moment ago! Now it was against a strange beast? The Darmanitan slammed into the Manakete, knocking it back and stopping its charge. It roared angrily, but its attack was swiftly cut off from another attack from the Pokemon. The Hammer Arm attack slammed the Manakete down into the snow, the brutality of the attack causing the dragon to let out a surprised yelp. Little Crow's Fire Spell struck the Manakete, and while it did damage the beast, it didn't seem to do as much damage as it should have.

The Manakete growled angrily, pushing itself up and beating its heavy wings. It roared, slashing at the Darmanitan with its claws. It then followed up, opening its mouth. The Manakete unleashed a powerful breath of flame at the Blazing Pokemon!

Rhajat continued scanning the trees, but there was still no sign of the unseen assailant Eirika had warned of. The Little Crow had jumped down from his perch, his glowing bow vanishing, and even more fog was enveloping the battlefield. The ground around the mages rumbled, and yet another underground geyser burst forth. It struck the archer and one of the mages, and while the mage was able to quickly conjure a magical shield to protect them from some of the geyser, the archer was not as lucky. They staggered back, screaming in pain.

Eirika and L'Arachel watched from their position on the side of hill. The blue haired woman nodded to her green haired compainion.
"Go, I'll cover you." Eirika said, taking the reins of Captain Kohle's horse from L'Arachel. L'Arachel nodded, and rode to the mage's squad. Reaching the injured archer, she held her staff high.
"Mend!" L'Arachel commanded. A glowing light enveloped the archer, and his burns rapidly healed. But before the archer could thank the Valkyrie, L'Arachel had already turned her horse and was quickly trying to ride back towards Eirika. Meanwhile, Eirika was watching the forest carefully with her tome open and ready.

With the archer back in commission, Rhajat directed her squad.
"We're moving up. Use the forest for cover, and keep a sharp eye out." Rhajat said. The three mages and archer advanced into the forest, staying close to the trees. Rhajat turned to one of the mage, casting her spell on the soldier once more.

Assist Skill: Rally Attack/Speed

The dark energy surrounded the mage once more, powering them up. Closer to the battle, the ranged fighters were able to pick out new targets. Rhajat gestured to the fight between Anakin and Siegbert. The archer drew back his bow, firing an arrow at the Jedi Knight. The second mage cast an incantation, and thunder rumbled once more. A bolt of lighting crackled down from the clouds towards Anakin!

The mage empowered by Rhajat, however, noticed some movement. They spotted the Little Crow moving quickly through the undergrowth.
"There!" The mage exclaimed. They cast an incantation, and once more a green blade of wind appeared before the mage. It crackled with Rhajat's dark magic, and flew through the air towards the Little Crow!

 

[Psymallard]

Bird is the Word
As the Reaper crept through the snow, he was spotted. A shadow highlighted against the bright snow, a spell was hurled at him. Little Crow swerved to the side to easily avoid the lone projectile. He entered medium range with the long-range foes, and conjured his Hookshot.

The corvid stopped to aim, then fired the yellow chain towards the lightning mage, fast as an arrow. If it struck, it would do minimal damage, but pull the bird right into the middle of the group. He followed up with a lightning-fast slash of both of his knives towards the same mage. If the hookshot missed, he would just try again immediately, changing his target in the group each time. It took a second between firing each time, as the chain had to recede before being fired again.

HP- 5/6
SP- 3/6

 

[Shen: King of Digimon]

Bennett


A sword slashed across his leg as he attempted to roll out of the way of it, a thick red line made on him. He grit his teeth in pain, glancing over at the other soldier, their axe in motion! He quickly held up his blade, his second hand on the flat edge of sword.

Clang!

The axe struck it, having more force than Bennett had strength to keep it away, ending with the sword being forced back to collide with his forehead. Knocked back, blood spurt from his nose, Bennett swerving to his feet. Flicking his thumb under his nose, he noticed the blood.

"Heh...think a little blood is gonna hold me back?"

Flicking his sword back up, He hoisted it like a baseball bat. Jumping in the air, the sword cloaked in flames like it normally would, but something was different this time. After it cloaked in flames, the flames enlarged tricefold, making the sword appear like a giant flaming club.

"C'mere!"

He swung his flaming sword-club down between the two soldiers. The result would have large explosion rock out from the position. So large in fact, that Bennett himself would get launched back by it, being throwing several yards away!

 

[comic]

ANAKIN SKYWALKER​

The lightsaber swung through the air, missing completely. The man had completely abandoned his steed to avoid Anakin’s attack, and the bovine skid to a hald, snow flying from its hooves. Anakin wobbled on the spot, and when the creature reared up, Anakin dropped feet-first into the snow, his free hand on the horse.

It didn’t return to its quadrupedal stance, instead whinnying as it was frozen in an upright posture - before it lifted above the jedi’s hand. “Hey, you forgot this!” Anakin called to his opponent as the man cried out for aid from others.

The bovine was sent flying toward Siegbert, and Anakin followed in its wake with a mild-mannered walk, not lacking in any confidence so far. He was locked into the flow of battle, feeling the force around him. Alien as it was, he was growing more accustomed to its differences. He still felt it was much weaker here, but that was a limitation he could work around.

His eyes darted up to see the arrow sailing his way, and Anakin shifted to the side with a step, letting it sail past him and landing a few meters behind him in the snow. Now, he had attention on the distant mages, too. His awareness of what they’d been doing had been primarily peripheral, they’d been focused on the crow and he on the rider. However, when the lightning bolt came from the sky, Anakin had moved quickly to respond to it.

He had felt it coming, but he didn’t know what to expect. When it took the form of lightning, it met the glowing blue saber. The energy shot into the saber with a second of a sizzling pop. “Whoa!” Anakin’s arm buckled from the hit, but his strategic mind was at play, and before the energy could totally expel from his lightsaber in harmless fashion, he brought the blade down and channeled the accidentally captured lightning to fire outward quickly, the bolt blitzing from sky to blade to Siegbert.
​

NIKKI PREZ​

(Perms granted by Mok)​

A direct hit! Nikki pumped her fist in the air with an excited leap. “Yeah! Get ‘em, Carby!”

Fjorm appeared, moving in to defend the trainer, giving her a nod. Nikki beamed a smile and a thumbs-up in response.

The Manakete retaliated with two moves, first slashing with its claws. They raked over Carbonera’s face, slashing away a few wiry hairs, before the dragon-type’s mouth opened to spew flames forward. The darmanitan took one step back, the flames splashing over him as he grinned through it, awaiting Nikki’s orders with barely-contained excitement to match the Alolan’s own energy.

“Too sturdy for you!” Nikki challenged the Manakete. “His speed’s lowered, Carbon! Now boost your own! Flame Charge!”

She didn’t expect the fire-type attack to be quite as effective as Hammer Arm, but getting her darmanitan increasing boosts of speed was one of her favorite strategies with him. Not many things were as terrifying as a darmanitan that could blitz you.

When the Manakete’s flamethrower attack ended, the flames surrounding Carbon wouldn’t. Instead, his body produced a flash of fire over him as he suddenly barreled point-blank into the dragon, rolling himself forward like a cannonball with two massive arms at either side, intent to throw the Manakete back while earning a boost of speed to top it off.​