After a week of being held in that cell to fester, Jet knew he wasn’t at the top of his game. The medicine from Empyrean only dulled the fever and pain somewhat. The rest was ignored out of sheer stubbornness.
Even though the fighting just began, and even with the additional boost from the starseed, Jet could feel the sweat beading heavier against his forehead. His leg screamed at him as he limped to avoid putting too much weight on the injured one, and his ribs felt like they were on fire, making it more difficult to breathe.
He still managed to growl in frustration as Ganymede blocked his weapon with a piece of the staircase she’d brought with her. But she wasn’t just fighting him.
Jet saw how Aquamarine took advantage of their practicing ahead of time, and when Ganymede cried out in pain, Jet swung his weapon at her once more.
He knew Kamacite was going to use his magic, so he didn't look in that direction when everything went dark, and he still knew where to swing, even if he had been blinded. Whatever the Saturn Knight released would have been more concerning if he didn't already know Bloodstone and Cymophane were taking care of it.
Sunshine Alouette
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 5:12 pm
Quote:
Princess Ganymede - Using her Ethereal Armor enhancement to block Jet, then throwing her Eternal magic at Aquamarine.
The rapier sliced into her side, cut her bodice and split the skin beneath. Valhalla called to her from somewhere behind. Darkness fell, then a burst of light split through it, not so close that it harmed her, but the sudden change from dim to darkness to bright light put spots into her vision. A scream of pain rent the air nearby; Ganymede almost looked, almost turned, but Jet was still there, swinging his bladed weapon.
And behind her: Aquamarine.
A split second thought, and Ganymede reacted. She lifted her arm to block Jet’s blade as it came down. Warm light enveloped her forearm, leaving a decorative, golden vambrace in its wake. Jet’s blade struck it with a clang, but it did not slice through.
The resulting confusion offered Ganymede the few precious seconds she needed to kick hard at Jet’s injured leg. When he stumbled, she whipped around to meet Aquamarine’s rapier with the wooden rung. Ganymede threw magic through their crossed weapons.
What was that armor? Where did it come from? How did she get it? Did she have more? They hadn’t accounted for that, knew nothing about it, and that presented a problem. The less they knew, the more opportunities there would be to make costly errors.
He expected the magic. Maybe not at that very moment, but he knew they would have to contend with it eventually. The only time Aquamarine experienced it was during the White Moon invasion of Negaspace, when she used her crystal. Then, it affected most of the field. Without her crystal, the magic struck individually, but the pain it caused was the same.
Heat first, low in his stomach. It spread higher, through his chest, then out to his limbs. By the time it reached the tips of his fingers, the heat felt like fire, burning through his muscles, boiling his blood, charring his bones. Aquamarine dropped to his knees. Even his pride couldn’t stop the scream that tore out of him. He clawed at his chest like he could rip it open, release the flames and find some relief.
Above him, the Princess lifted her makeshift weapon and aimed a blow for his head.
Guine
Ethereal Armor: A decorative, golden vambrace, found near the fortress of Valhalla on Jupiter. The vambrace can be summoned for up to two minutes during battle, once per day. Though it will not protect against magical attacks, it can counter a physical blow. Ganymede can still feel the blunt force behind the attack, but sharp weapons cannot slice or puncture the armor.
Searing Passion The enemy's focus temporarily narrows upon a single, abstract desire that manifests itself in a physical sensation, a heating of the body that grows progressively stronger throughout the duration of the attack, until the target feels as if they are burning up from the inside. They're likely to feel weak and disoriented once the attack has burned itself out.
The attack itself reaches its peak after about 45 seconds, and can only be used on a single enemy within a twenty foot radius. While it could be used twice if absolutely necessary, it is physically draining on Ganymede and would commonly only be used once during battle.
When Kamacite started his attack, Bloodstone jumped back far enough to not be hit with the effects of the magic, but remained close to deal with whatever the Knight tried to do next. Apparently it was to summon some monster on par with their ugliest youma.
If this was the same type of summon they were to expect from the Jupiter Knight with his wolf, then there was only so much time they had to endure it. Cymophane seemed to realize that as well, since he was already attacking the Saturn Knight as the creature he called from the depths of hell came at him.
Bloodstone smirked and swung hard with his pick. The good thing about having a large creature was that there was more area for him to hit.
And it helped that he could teleport too, which he did shortly after swinging his weapon to avoid the creature’s jaws. He appeared beside it, where he swung again for where its wing was and at its ribs, hoping to break them with the hammered side of his weapon.
-
Quote:
Eternal Kamacite - Attacking Cybele, waiting to be called by others if needed
No offense meant to Albite, but even knowing that he wasn’t really a youma was still somewhat terrifying for Kamacite. Maybe because he was used to youma wanting to, oh, eat him that he shied away from the monstrous form, but also because he was doing a pretty good job of keeping Cybele under control.
Kamacite was meant to be more of a floater, anyway. To use his magic when needed. He watched as the beast from the Saturn Knight lunged towards Bloodstone, and was relieved that Cymophane seemed to be avoiding most of the attention, despite getting a few hits in already.
Except when Cybele started kicking and punching, Kamacite’s eyes narrowed. He teleported on the other side of Cybele, kicking at the back of her leg to try and bring her to the ground.
They were told they had permission to kill them if they wanted, but part of him wanted to drag her back to the Queen himself. Proof that not all Senshi were treasonous. Proof that he and Cymophane and Albite could be trusted.
Sunshine Alouette
Kyuseisha no Hikari
Shiningamisgirl
stari_maga
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:01 pm
Quote:
General Faustite — Following Lopezite's lead and attempting to attack Sessrumnir from behind
So that persistent Saturn Knight was there. Faustite had much to do with that one, but little time for engaging it — their orders were clear enough for a distraction and interception, and Faustite thought it dubiously fortunate that he would make quite the distraction for that one.
And it wasn't the only one of their number that got under the General's skin. Seems Cybele was there, too.
She was everywhere these days.
His attention returned to Lopezite when he saw a look in his direction, but the General vanished soon after. Seems he spotted Sessrumnir while Faustite combed the other combatants. Fine enough.
Helpful, getting Sessrumnir to turn around.
Lopezite was sparse on tells, but Faustite hadn't minded; he watched for the engagement, waited a moment longer for Sessrunmir's attention to turn toward the one attacking. Flaming thing vanished, then reappeared like a light, and reached for the face from behind. Eyes, nose, lips — whatever he could melt together or burn off.
kyuseisha no hikari
guine
Quote:
Faustite's Personal Youma, Headache — Swarming Oberon
If Perdita expected blood, she wouldn't get any. Not because of a snappy teleport, or a clever dodge, or an expert deflection, no. The figure she saw, the flaming thing, dissolved into a cloud of fireflies and the rock passed harmlessly through the center of them.
Well. Not entirely harmlessly, as a few were struck and fell dead, but plenty remained to serve their purposes.
Lacking a means of self-defense, it knew there was little purpose in engaging Perdita. Instead, the buzzing things swarmed over Oberon, and flashed their brilliant lights in his face while he tried to recompile the device.
The General in front of him was throwing some kind of fireball from his blades. It was too close and sudden to dodge, so Sessrumnir lunged forward instead. With his arms crossed over his chest, he took the brunt of the bright green fireball to his armored shoulder.
The effect was immediate, and an enraged snarl tore from his throat as open hands reached for the General’s wrists. If he could grab hold of him, limit his movement, stop him from being able to teleport away without bringing Sessrumnir with him, then he would surely be able to take the slighter, shorter man, out of the fight. Starting with trying to bash his forehead against the General’s once he was close enough.
But the man in purple and green wasn’t his only concern. Whatever that ball fire did, it was starting to really irritate his shoulder. He felt like it was burning, a flash of light across the room blinding, and Sessrumnir had to make the quick decision of not grabbing for both of the General’s wrists, but just one.
His arm affected by the muscle spasms reached for the fang at his hip, just as the two other Generals appeared behind him.
Lopezite’s attempted elbowing and Faustite’s grabbing did hit something, but since Sessrumnir had already lunged forward at Prehnite, the response the two got was a deafening howl with the intention of knocking them both backwards. Or, in Faustite’s case, putting out his fire, if they were lucky.
The wolf summon lunged at both Lopezite and Faustite, jaws ready to snap at whichever of the two scurried away slower.
Summon: Large Wolf Summons Ability: Howling as though to call upon the very forces of nature, the wolf lets out a gust of wind, capable of knocking an opponent back. Inspiration taken from a "Super Bark" and "Unrelenting Force", but not quite as powerful!
Valhalla was really regretting not taking learning how to fight more seriously. He growled in pain as Carnallite managed to kick his side.
Taking a page out of Michel and Sessrumnir’s books, Valhalla called for his own summon. A giant eagle that took flight and sent down a bolt of lightning where Carnallite stood. Hopefully it would be enough to keep her from kicking him again so soon while he tried to regain his bearings.
He had to get to Ganymede. She was in no state to be fighting both Aquamarine and Jet on her own, especially with the others closer to her being distracted.
Summon: An eagle, a cross between a harpy and a golden. Variation of a Lightning Bird and/or Zapdos. Summons Ability: Able to conduct electric current, on her master’s order she is capable of releasing bolts of lightning (a magical form and not real, potentially fatal kind) from just flying overhead, close by, or making physical contact, leaving her victims with mild to moderate electric burns, seeing stars, and their hair probably on end.
Sunshine Alouette
Strickenized
Kyuseisha no Hikari
Shiningamisgirl
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 12:16 am
Youma Albite: Son of a mothering, pastel pleated, silver antlered, owh!
For a moment he was blind, retinas spotty and briefly sun-seared for needing to stare. Not that it mattered, after. Her howl of pain told him what he needed to know, as did her determined growl that followed. The way she tried to repay him doubly in kind for attempting to rip her limbs loose.
He wanted to snarl *good*, because Cybele deserved as much punishment as she did praise. Shoulda had it lauded and showered upon her; in whole a** heaps and waves. He had her attention. On him, where it goddamned shoulda been from the get go. N <********> how her attention hurt!
Even when she was down an arm.
He loosed a guttural growl in turn. The noise punctuated with pained grunts and made choppy by how she thrashed with all of herself against his pull.
Her effort gained a reward - the bind snapped. Wet tentacle that appeared to coil around the deadened limb once more, before it came loose. Slithered into a cinch, then tore off entirely; dissolved. For all that it was only an illusory thing. The image reformed to strike - like a *Lash of Retribution*- unfurled and struck out with a loud *crack*, while he stepped back to breathe.
Watched Kama through shadows that lingered in his vision. The Sunshine senshi so lightning quick with how he dipped in, out, in; with his pointed strikes. Like a fencer...a snake? Something with the speed he lacked for all the bulk on his frame. The way he heaved under bruises that he knew from experience would form bloody and bone deep, just under the skin. s**t that would heal weeks later. The way Cybeles strikes always did.
It hurt so much worse when she was wild with them.
But also? Better.
Because he wanted her on level with him. Would drag her down into the dust and detritus that littered the mezzanine, n grin.
stari_maga
Guine
Super Sailor Scout Attack B:Lash of Retribution! Albite’s tattoos appear to tear from his form, lightning quick, and lash out at his nearest opponent like mindless rabid animals. The magical bindings crack loudly through the air, creating a startling warning noise, just before they coil and yank across the opponent like an angry living whip. The player feels as though they've received a mild rope burn (pick body part) for up to thirty seconds, though no physical or lasting damage is done; only the very uncomfortable mental sensation of such, unless the target’s player wants to sustain any lasting damage. The whipcrack loud noise prior to the attack striking serves as warning so the attack can be dodged. Effect: Instantaneous Range: 6ft Duration: 30 Seconds Usage: 3x Times Targets: 1
Passive Enhancement:Radons Echo When Albite wills it, he is accompanied by the distant and unnerving sounds of a metal tipped skitter-screech. It sounds like an army of rusty blades being improperly unsheathed. It can sound like a buildup of icepick insect tipped feet careening along a cliff-side. It can be unnerving and unfamiliar, and create a sense of uncertainty and dread. This effect is particularly prominent when Albite is using the Rugose Pendant.
Rugose Pendant: A blackened, wrinkled rock set into a silver pendant with an indigo glow trapped inside. It can be found discarded in Negaspace or the Rift. To use the item, an agent or Negaverse senshi must energy drain the rock. Once drained, the rock will crack and disintegrate. The rock's violet light will then envelop the user, cloaking them in the appearance of a youma. A youma aura will overwhelm the user's natural aura, though it will not disguise their aura. Their youma appearance must adhere to youma guidelines for personal or player youma. The user does not gain any special abilities while under the effects of the item, and their current abilities are not typically hampered by the item. The Rugose Pendant's effects last until the character powers down or until 3 hours have passed, whichever is sooner. The Pendant may be used once a day.
Armor?? Jet thought through the earring in his surprise, staring at the intricate metal that protected Ganymede's arm from being cut off--
A bit too long.
He practically crumpled to the floor with an enraged cry of pain when she kicked his injured leg, throwing stars into his vision about as bright as Kamacite's magic. Even with the minor treatment he'd received from the now dead Page, he knew his leg was in bad shape. Adrenaline was pushing him forward, but the momentary shock was enough for Ganymede to turn her attention on Aquamarine instead.
The scream of agony that tore through Aqua, and the sight of Ganymede preparing her weapon to bash at Aquamarine had Jet lunging upright with the use of his good leg.
His bladed weapon came swinging down with a decisive blow at one of her wings. If they didn't need her alive he would have gone for a more direct route like he had with Ochre.
Aqua, it's just magic! You'll hurt yourself-- he tried thinking to him, but he winced with a hand to his ear as even Aquamarine's thoughts were that of pain.
Sunshine Alouette
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 7:15 am
Quote:
Mont Saint Michel, Knight of Saturn - Slashed by Cymophane's magic and trying to punch him until he dusts him, still having a hard time seeing and very mad. Also not feeling pretty hot. Summon is trying to bite Bloodstone's shoulder.
If all his Summon could do during this battle was keep him alive and as unharmed as possible while he struggled to see, it would be enough. If they could focus on it for a few seconds longer, good.
Bloodstone’s face was burned into his mind far more than the blinding light, and his vision was already coming back to him in spotty patches.
Reasonably, he should have let his Summon protect him a bit more and stayed back where he was safest.
Michel hadn’t been reasonable in months.
The pain from is back made him think that some weapon had dug into him, deep enough that he felt it in his fingertips. Not being able to see coupled with growing rage meant that he was getting angrier. He hadn’t thought the ugly youma was going to be a problem, but. Okay. If it wanted to be dusted, fine.
He wasn’t emotionally connected to his Summon, it’s not like it was his stupid little friend he’d accidentally youmafied and had to protect. It was here for the same reason he was–it wanted to be. He didn’t have to ask it to fight, it craved it.
Getting hit with a pick probably not so much, but better the thing that could reform than him.
The beast recoiled when Bloodstone hit him first, stumbling backwards just a bit. The second hit crushed part of its wings and tore through the leathery skin; it might have broken something inside of it, but it was hard to tell. The creature itself was visibly enraged by this, and launched itself towards Bloodstone; mouth open and teeth bared, it tried to clamp down on his shoulder.
Which meant Bloodstone at least had something to distract him. Michel spun to the thing foolish enough to attack his back again; he didn't have a weapon, didn’t need one.
He’d dusted youma with his fists before, he’d do it again.
So, he charged at it, fist raised, and intended to just pummel it until there wasn’t anything left to have to deal with.
Sunshine Alouette
Guine
Kyuseisha no Hikari
Crew
Dragonslaying Dragon
Offline
Kyuseisha no Hikari
Crew
Dragonslaying Dragon
Offline
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 7:34 am
Quote:
General Lopezite - Handling Sessrumnir's summon; teleported behind it to grab its legs and lift up its hind quarters
Oh! There was the dog.
Big dog, but pretty much what he expected. Wolf, okay. Summon, too, but.
A magical creature with a limited amount of time to exist. He wondered what would happen if he tried to teleport it out of here, but it probably wasn’t worth the effort, not if the Knight could just dismiss it and call it back.
He had half a mind to try grabbing any of the others and teleporting them across the city. They wouldn’t make it back in time to make a difference, and any help they called was unlikely to arrive either, but this was nice too. More straight-forward.
He teleported behind the wolf, very eager to avoid its snapping maw, and he did what he’d have done if it was any dog attack; he grabbed it by the hind legs and hoisted its feet high into the air to startle it and put it off balance.
If Prehnite and Faustite hadn’t been so close, he might have tried throwing it at Sessrumnir.
Shiningamisgirl
Strickenized
Guine
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:10 am
Quote:
Super Sailor Perdita - Having Oberon deal with Headache while she takes over Arles so Lucasta can take a crack at a quick Void repair.
The figure dissolved. Perdita stumbled forward, her rock and fist both useless against a youma that could scatter and reform at will.
“Oberon!” she called to him. “Magic!”
Hers had nothing to draw from, and physical attacks against the cloud of fireflies would only get them so far.
“Lucasta!” she said, hoping the Mauvian understood her intention by the desperation in her voice.
Perdita moved toward the dog and struck out, fist still full of debris. They had to get these youma away from the Void. They had to get it back up and running.
Above, there were too many auras to pick through. Ganymede was there, bright and powerful, but distinguishing the others was almost impossible. There had to be at least five Generals, perhaps as many as six. Why? Clearly the youma had been communicating with them, alerting them to Jet’s position, and the device, but why not leave as soon as the device was compromised? If Jet and the Void were their goal, they had what they wanted…
There was something else, then. Something they wanted more than an easy retreat.
-
Quote:
Guardian Cat Lucasta - Batting at a few fireflies while she takes over for Oberon with the Void.
Teeth snagged on the bow around her neck, but Lucasta twisted away and managed to escape with little more than some tattered fabric. She snarled at the youma, this putrid creature, the source of all their troubles. It must have had an easy time slipping through the shadows in a place with such minimal lighting. That it hadn’t found the Void sooner was a testament to how close they came to finding it.
Not close enough, apparently.
Lucasta required little direction from Perdita. As the girl lunged for the dog, Lucasta darted toward the Void, bursting through the cloud of fireflies that swarmed around Oberon. She batted at a few of them, but left the horde of glowing insects to the Senshi, picking up where Oberon left off with the Void.
The dog hadn’t destroyed it yet, but there were a few components missing, scattered over the floor. As Lucasta replaced one, the device sputtered and sparked, but slowly began to whir back to life.
Carnallite looked up at the bird. She had just enough time to mutter a curse before the zap of electricity struck her. She grit her teeth to bear it, but it brought her to her knees and stole the breath from her lungs. Though it wasn’t fatal, it burned, leaving red patches of irritation along her exposed skin. Carnallite blinked through the stars in her vision, reaching out to grab Valhalla by the ankle, unwilling to let him leave.
Keep him away from the Princess. That was her objective.
“ORANGE!” she shouted from the mezzanine, voice carrying out over the lobby.
From what she understood of his magic, Kamacite might be able to get two Knights and a couple of summons if they were all in range.
Guine
Val, Kama, Sess
Kyuseisha no Hikari
Lopezite
Strickenized
Faustite
Shiningamisgirl
Prehnite
Quote:
Quoting the Generals too so they know to prepare for Kamacite's magic.
Cybele's attention was everywhere and nowhere. Her arm still screamed. She still screamed, in various wordless exclamations as she lashed and thrashed.
Under other circumstances, she might have seen Kamacite coming up behind her. As it was, she wasn't even thinking about him until her leg was kicked out from under her from behind. She tumbled off balance, barely caught herself on that knee before she totally collapsed, and she hiss-screamed about that, too.
From her awkward, half kneeling position, she turned to glare at Kamacite. She didn't have anything personal against him. If they'd met on the streets, she'd have tried being nice, but right now, with the way she hurt, and the ambush, and the hint of a starseed she'd seen glittering in Jet's hand, Cybele did not feel like being nice.
Her magic was useless so she let the illusion of the bow flicker away. One of her fists still worked, though, so she scooted fowards and tried to punch Kamacite's legs out, in turn.
Her attention was stolen again when the lash hit her back. Her voice turned to more of a whimper at that one, and she glanced desperately between senshi and youma.
Shiningamisgirl
Guine
staripop
Offline
Shiningamisgirl
Ruthless Consumer
Offline
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 1:21 pm
General Prehnite - The only planet worse than Saturn? Is ******** also?
Ow.
Prehnite hardly saw Lopezite and Faustite. They were there, and then?
Pain spangled *stars.* A lanced sort of brightness between his eyes.
Going down under gravity and a body that wore leather, armor, plus a cape weighted with fur? <******** hurt. Just not nearly as much as the headbutt. He was sure it'd broken something -- nose -- skin. Knew well enough the wet that ran warm, dripped over his cheek and chin. Prehnite sneered ugly up at his enemy. Vicious Jupiter Knight that had him, and now? The wolf was out. The demonic summons howl was nigh deafening. Such an horrible, earsplitting thing. He hated it all, with the entirety of his being.
Thought of his position. How useless it was to keep both blades clutched in hand, when he would have to fight for space to effectively use even the one.
No point in holding a weapon when he couldn't wrest his wrist free.
So he dropped it.
Ditched one of the twinned blades entirely.
The long dagger of a blade Prehnite held, in the hand the knight had hold of, hit the floor with a clatter; bounced, skittered and lay unattended. Prehnite prayed it caught Carnallites attention in the aftermath. If she survived the lightning that lit the area - *far-too-close-for-comfort* - that luck loved them enough to lay it within her reach, or that she'd catch a glimpse and catch ideas amidst all the chaos of their groups clashing. She must've still been alive - probably - if the colored-coded screeching coming from off to his right meant anything.
Which - colors? Oh, <******** frustration came out in a wheezed sort of sigh, where he tried to get at the man with what he had.
Because the best part of having two blades?
Meant there would always be one he could keep. Meant he could discard one in order to better wrestle with Sess. To twist in painful grasp, snag at metal clasps. Try to wedge the remaining poison tipped edge of serrated steel between them and get at. Anything. With nail, or knife, or knee shoved errantly.
It helped that he didn't actually feel the panicked need to survive this. Not yet. If he got a body out of it, fine. Really though? It was all to buy time and that? --- That he could do. That was the only thing that mattered. Making transactions out of injuries and annoyances. While invisible hands marked 'fate', ticked by.
Every moment they kept the others at bay from Ganymede, mattered.
Like how micrometers and milliseconds mattered in a race.
Like how he really should've asked Jet for details that didn't center around 'How exactly, do we try not to die?' Should've asked him to include things beyond that...should've brought the molotov's and lit them on Faustite's embers.
Ah-well - it was all hindsight in the end. Though with the energy he was expending on this venture?
Cymophane took a fist to the face and wondered if the youma illusion would take the damage, or if he’d come out of it with some ugly purple bruising along his jaw. He certainly felt the pain; that was no illusion. It bloomed from his jaw up his cheek and reverberated through his teeth, which nicked the inside of his cheek. Cymophane tasted blood but had no time to assess the damage.
The Knight did not relent.
Cymophane offered a smile that, through the youma illusion, probably looked like little more than a ferocious scowl.
Technically, he was outmatched against a Knight. The Saturn Knight was stronger, probably more experienced, and he seemed to know what he was doing. He hit like he meant it, like Cymophane was just another in a long line of people he’d hit.
Probably an accurate assumption, given what Kamacite had to say about this guy.
Which reminded Cymophane… He should get a little payback while he had the chance.
He snarled because he thought that might seem menacing, then swiped a clawed paw at the Knight’s neck and unleashed more magic.
Kyuseisha no Hikari
Basic attack again
Leopard’s Strike Three long, black claws of energy grow between Cymophane’s fingers. Though he does not have to make contact with an enemy to cause damage, a swipe directed at them will result in torn clothing and the sensation of lacerations to skin. The sensation of pain will last for 30 seconds and has a range of 8 feet. At player discretion, the character can take lasting damage such as mild injuries that are deep enough to scar if desired, but not so much as to be immediately life threatening. The magic can be used three times.
Sunshine Alouette
Eternal Senshi
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Sunshine Alouette
Eternal Senshi
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Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 5:12 pm
Quote:
Princess Ganymede - Ow, lost a wing. Swinging her makeshift weapon at Jet over and over.
A jolt struck Ganymede; something jerked her from behind, like a hand pulling her hair or tugging on her dress. Something about her weight shifted, leaving her momentarily off balance — enough that she missed Aquamarine, who remained on the floor, burning from the inside. The wooden rung swung wide and almost slipped from her hands.
Ganymede adjusted her footing and tripped on something underfoot. She looked down to see a pile of silvery-white feathers.
A wing.
She looked back, saw empty air where a wing used to be, saw Jet just behind, hobbling on his injured leg but still weidling his double bladed staff. Ganymede tightened her grip, turned and swung the wooden rung at Jet’s torso, where she knew his ribs were sore.
Then the pain hit, searing through her back. It drew a gasp, then a whimper and a groan. She stumbled again, barely able to keep her footing. A scream tore from her throat — frustration, pain, and anguish in one. Warmth dripped down her back, staining her long train red.
She forced herself to keep swinging, again and again, striking out at Jet as many times as she could manage while Aquamarine was down.
Knowing it was magic didn’t stop the pain. Aquamarine would have snarled something to that effect back at Jet if he could think anything more than, <******** ******** ******** it ******** burns ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** stupid ******** princess with her stupid ******** magic gonna ******** murder that b***h.
The fire grew so hot he almost couldn’t withstand it. For a moment, he thought it might actually kill him, sear his lungs and turn his heart into ash. Aquamarine slumped against the ground, gasping for air, focusing on Jet’s voice in his head.
Jet, still fighting the Princess.
The magic didn’t end suddenly, there one second and gone the next; it withdrew slowly, leaving Aquamarine shaking in its wake. He glanced up with a vicious glare, teeth bared, and crawled several feet to put himself back in range of Jet and the Princess. When he thought his legs could support him, Aquamarine stumbled onto his feet.
Blood soaked that pristine white gown, oozing from the stump of her severed wing.
The other one’s mine, Aquamarine decided. Then, scheming fast, he thought through the earring to Jet, Switch!
Aquamarine threw his rapier at the same time Jet threw his bladed staff.
