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[ Ajora : Atlantis : Underground Cavern Opening / Atlantis Proper ]

"Ooo, two questions, you're getting risky," he mused, grinning as he spared a glance to Daniel before looking back toward the cave. Pretty soon...

"How would I bring back Earth? Dunno, I'm not part of the group that wants to," he responded, shrugging. "I guess probably try yet another Kingdom Hearts attempt? But those never seem to end well for anyone."

"What have I found that motivates me to come here? The Heart of Atlantis," he said, as if the answer were obvious. "The world's a lot simpler than some people want it to be, kid. Power is power, and with the right mind it'll keep you alive. Only those most fit to survive in an environment will. Natural selection... something forgotten by men both from Earth and here, it seems."

By the end of his response, Ajora's grin had vanished, leaving him with a rather sour face. That, however, would not have lasted more than a couple moments.

"Seems I get the last two before our little idiot arrives," he began with shrug, his disposition once more swinging into nonchalance and amusement. He could feel that Kyla was getting fairly close to the ground by now. "What is your honest and full opinion of me as of right now, aaaand... what's your favorite color?"

[ Ajora : Atlantis : Underground Cavern Opening / Atlantis Proper ]

Ajora released a small, amused laugh at certain parts of Daniel's answer. Particularly the parts about 'rightfully his' and 'wasn't right'.

Nature has no morals. Nature has no favorites.

"I'm a Replica," he explained bluntly, and though the shift in stance was only measurable in centimeters, Daniel might have noticed he'd readied the Trident, his eyes focused on the entrance. "A clone of another Earthling, without any Light in my metaphysical make-up--essentially a Heart of pure Darkness. He has the original Ultima."

By this point, Kyla had certainly landed. She would be finding her way to the entrance now, but he could not see her in the shadows; there was no need, however, since the Unversed still had their eyes trailed on her for him.

"I'll save my return question for a later date. Fair warning," he said, rotating his jaw somewhat as if to relieve tension. "When she walks through, I'll likely lose my temper. I'd prefer you alive, so don't interfere."

[ Ajora(?), Ajora(??), Ajora(?!?), Artemis ; Helga ; Rourke : Atlantis : Atlantis Proper --> Outside Throne Room ]

As the three 'clones' approached the group ahead, they watched as a man in a similar modern suit took control, making all the men step aside--a wonderful little welcome.

They slowed almost instantly, making their last motion to get in a standard line formation, one right beside the other, as they walked forward. When they finally approached, the central Ajora took a single step more than the other two, a pleasant smile on his face.

"I see you got the message," he said, smiling at the horrified Helga. "Good, you'll live."

"How... how many of you are there?" she asked, falling back against the wall to support herself. She ground her teeth, trying too late to hide her shock. Only one of them had taken out her entire squadron. There were three. And they could use magic. She was so far out of her league she didn't know what to do anymore.

"Not relevant," he answered, looking to Tseng. Artemis was slowly coming into view behind them, and behind her were Nicholas and Alice. "So, you the guy in charge now?"

{Kuro Oni ; James : The Black Pearl : Deck}

{{Cue: Mighty Warrior}}

James "dashed" forward to quickly close the distance between him and his replica. Darkness fueling his body that probably would have given out on him during other situations. He was unaware of the pain he was in, his mind oblivious to it as he focused on one thing and one thing only, Kuro Oni. The Lunar Gunner threw a haymaker right at Kuro as he came out of the dash, hoping to catch the replica off guard and immediately followed up with another fist to the replica's sternum.

Kuro's head turned slightly at the impact of the first blow as it impacted his cheek and then fell back at the second blow to his sternum, the blow possessed enough force to knock the wind out of him. However, even that only stopped the replica or a second.

"Not bad at all... but no where near good enough!" he yelled as he grabbed onto James' hand as he came in for another punch.

Before his original had the chance to draw away or strike again Kuro brought his knee up right into James' stomach and then for good measure he grabbed him by the hair and delivered a powerful head butt.

James was seeing stars after getting the wind knocked out of him as Kuro Oni bashed his head with his own. He could tell that the replica was not taking him seriously otherwise he would have continued his assault. Once his vision cleared up he focused his attention back on his replica. He could feel the darkness coursing through his veins, continuing to push his body onwards well beyond it's normal limits. However, he could tell he probably wasn't going to last too much longer.

'I have to end this now...'

James' eyes narrowed on Kuro, his replica's back was to the wall of the states room. Without another thought James pushed off of the deck hard into a "dash" to close the distance and immediately went into the first strike of his attack. The first of thirteen furious swipes of the Ferocious Arcanum at his replica as claws of energy cut into the Nightmare Dreadnought relentlessly. The final blow possessed enough force behind it to cause a dent in the wood of the wall.

The corsair fell to his knees, more than less completely spent after unleashing the arcanum. He panted heavily as he tried to calm his breathing down after exerting himself so much. His vision spun due to his hyperventilation as he tried to focus on where Kuro was.

'Did that do it?'

Kuro felt like he was stuck to the wall after being pinned there by his originals ferocious assault. It had been the last thing he had been expecting, let alone to be in so much pain afterwards. He could feel the blood seeping out of the wounds that now covered his body. However, he wasn't too concerned with them. He finally managed to remove himself from the wall, using it to hold himself up.

"Looks like you've got nothing left...," he said with a gasp of pain as he took a step away from the wall. "Using the darkness has granted you a reprieve, I'm done with you for now," he stated as a dark portal opened up behind him. "But make no mistake! I will end your life! It's just a matter of time."

Without taking his eyes off of his original he walked backwards into the portal and willed it closed as he passed through, vanishing from the deck.

Kuro Oni's words barely registered to James, his vision became blurry as he looked at his retreating replica. He was relieved it was finally over, the corsair had nothing more to give, his body beaten and bloody from the fight. His vision slowly faded to black as his body landed on the deck and he passed out.

[ Ajora : Atlantis : Underground Cavern Opening / Atlantis Proper ]

Ajora sneered. "Cute."

It didn't matter what she wielded. It didn't matter what enchantments she'd laid. It didn't matter how many layers of protection she placed on herself.

Nothing mattered under the gaze of the Trident.

Before the girl could bother to defend herself, the mystic weapon (and both Ajora's hands) glowed, and Ajora threw a hand out in the same way he'd done against the mercenaries. Kyla would have found herself immobilized by an aura of cold, aching light, an immense pressure holding her entirely still. Whatever protections she'd put on her immediately shattered; whatever enchantments unwound.

With the power of the Trident, Ajora crushed all active magic centered around Kyla, nullifying anything that was going on or anything that might be charging (including her access to the charms). If, by chance, this was a fake, a clone made of some sort of magic--then it, too, would immediately be destroyed. Otherwise, Kyla was bound by Ajora's will.

"How many times must I spare you idiots before you learn?" he seethed, his free hand slowly closing, tightening his grip on her (if it was her) to the point of agony. His face had contorted into utter frustration and anger--a look that was entirely unfamiliar to anyone who'd been in his presence so far.

[[ Ajora's MS is 16 without the Trident. Considering what we've seen the Trident do in multiple movies, I'd wager its power boost is a bit off the charts. ]]

{Tseng : Atlantis : Outside Throne Room}

Tseng's focus remained on Rourke until he finally seemed to give up, tossing Kida and stepping aside like the others had at this point. With a satisfied nod the turk turned his focus towards the blurs and blasts that were approaching and fast. He could tell by the magic that they were blasting, that they were not to be messed with, at least not without the other Turks to aid him.

It didn't take them much longer at all for the three clones and two others to stand before them, Helga asked a question of them. However, it was passed off as irrelevant and they turned his focus to them. He lowered his gun, though still held it at his side, ready to raise it again should the need arise.

"Yes, I have taken control of this operation. We are aborting our mission and are withdrawing at once. We will not involve ourselves with this situation any further. Will you let us leave peacefully?"

[ Ajora-Proper, Ajora(?), Ajora(??), Ajora(?!?), Artemis ; Helga ; Rourke : Atlantis : Outside Throne Room ]

"Hmm," the 'head' Ajora mused, rubbing his chin. "You--" he began, pointing to Tseng; "You--" he pointed to Milo; "You--" he pointed to Kida; "Aaaand.... I guess you," he said, pointing to the wounded Helga.

"Oh, and the other Turk," he said. "You're all free to go. The rest of you? That's up to Nicholas and Alice. Also, you might want to stand back."

A Corridor of Darkness soon appeared in front of them, and out of it came the white-suited Ajora, glowing in a steady black aura, and Daniel, whom he immediately let go. With nothing short of outrage, Ajora lifted his free hand and unleashed a massive wave of unseen force, slamming the doors and practically knocking them off their hinges.

The guards (who had been ready and waiting, having heard the commotion outside) were immediately grabbed in the same way the mercenaries had been, black auras lifting them straight off the ground.

"Everybody but Kida, the King, and Daniel get OUT!" he bellowed, the last word coming out more as a monstrous roar, like an infuriated dragon--it would have resounded through the stone, echoing down even into the Crystal Room where Kyla hid. The guards were flung behind Ajora and down the street, likely into other mercenaries. He marched into the Throne Room, pulling Kida in with another black aura but leaving Daniel to decide what he'd do. The Turk had all of three seconds to decide--the doors immediately slammed after only a few seconds, so his choice was final (though they would not crush him if he tried to get in.

Before anyone else could try to enter, a massive blood-red glyph covered the door. It would not budge unless someone with enough strength, magic or otherwise, attempted to force their way past.

What was worse for Kyla, however, was the glyph was powered by the Trident, like all of Ajora's magicks now--and that meant any magic going in or out of the throne room would be intercepted by the glyph and prohibited from passing through.

There was a moment of pause.

"Anyway, yeah," the leading black-suit Ajora said, clearing his throat. "If I were you guys, I'd get to running."