Welcome to Gaia! ::

Hours had ticked away; the agents were slowly beginning to return to the Castle. Some groups had arrived before others, but there was only about fifteen minutes between when the first group returned and the last. Metallia had not yet taken form again, but her shadowy presence was felt through every agent in the room.

Her patience finally withered, when the last of the groups seemed to trickle in; her booming voice rang out, "You were successful?"

The question was likely rhetoric; she did not expect them to return if they had not retrieved the items she needed.

"Step forward," she commanded, and once more she seemed to take on the strange, unstable form of a shadow woman. A darkness descended upon the room when she did so, like the darkness in all corners of the room had strengthened.

"Bring them to me."

Her power was suffocating; it was a weight on their physical form and seemed to entirely numb their radars. The front, center part of the room was cleared for them—except for one new addition. A strange, round slab of rock now protruded from the ground. The rocks around it looked as though they had crumbled and were pushed away, like this rock had grown form it.

The stone was mostly flat on top and had strange runes carved into it, and glistening gems and crystals carefully imbedded. There was a dip in the center of the rock, deliberately carved.

This was an altar.

The items Metallia requested were for a ritual, and judging by the crackling in the air, she was excited.

Sailor Noctua

Noctua limped in alone, holding her broken side. She had done it. And she had done it without a team. Whatever doubts she had before about needing anyone else to help her were shattered. She didn't need anyone. She had been beaten, nearly drowned, and deftly avoided being cut in half. And she had done it by herself. Unceremoniously, she spat a glob of moucusey blood onto the stone floors where it hit with a wet splat. The sound echoed off the walls and she smiled. This place had not beaten her. She hadn't won, in fact Noctua had been among the last to reach the box that they had been charged with retrieving. But she had not fallen within the walls of the maze. She had not let herself die, though the temptation was there and strong at times. With a groan, she lifted her head. Cinnabar had to be around here somewhere. With blood in her teeth, Noctua searched the woman out, words climbing her throat longing for names that Noctua felt swelling in her chest. Broken ribs, dislocated shoulder, twisted ankles, bleeding form more places than not... she was a disaster, and she was sure of what she needed now.

Captain Tourmaline

The black and pink Captain swayed slightly on her feet as she reappeared back inside the castle. It was likely foolish to have teleported once after the effort that had been put into navigating the Labyrinth, let alone teleporting the second time to make her way quickly back to the castle. Luckily, she had not taken much physical damage throughout the obstacle course, her experience with risky situations in the real world useful at propelling her forward with the thrill of it all in mind to distract her from the danger.

Tourmaline managed to gently draw Lace from her pocket once more, giving the kitten a light scratch behind the ear before stooping to set her down-- Only to lose her center of gravity from the light-headed, completely drained feeling resulting in a tumble to the floor. She could likely sleep there; was tempted to, really, but if she slept on the cold, stone floor she would miss everything and that was no way to thank their supreme leader for the power that had been bestowed upon her.

Power that you've already used carelessly. Good job, Kat.

With a soft groan she pushed herself up, one gloved hand rubbing at her face in an attempt to clear her head before she was moving to her feet again, actions sluggish but determined as her eyes scanned the area for the rest of the Pack.

General Osumilite

The tall blonde was one of the first to reappear to the castle and he was not in a good mood. He was exhausted from dodging death traps and soaking wet. At least he wouldn't need to pay for dry cleaning for his Negaverse uniform. Then again, he wasn't really sure where his uniform went and was cleaned each time he powered up and down. Was there some kind of youma dry cleaning service? Is that what they've been draining energy for? Whatever. It's worth it to look good.

And soaking wet in a suit, he did look good. He just wasn't comfortable. Combing his fingers through his wet hair, he looked around at the younger recruits and waited for the ritual to begin.

Super Sailor Typhon

The blue-haired corrupt super sailor, meanwhile, was a bit later. He took his sweet time coming back. Partially because of some pain from the previous battle and partially because ugh, another meeting? He already did something today! How many things did he need to do in a day? Two? Without a break to get high? Unreasonable. He arrived at the ritual, slouching and hoping that a smoke break would be imminent.

Captain Moonstone - Leaving tribute in the form of crystalline bone!

Once back at the castle, Moonstone had helped Zircon off Wasgo, dismounting herself and taking a moment to press her forehead against the massive beast's head, feeling the blunt shapes and swirls that formed his surface. "You were very good, so very good, Wasgo. Rest now." She pulled a starseed from a pouch attached to the wooden mask worn like a belt, feeding it to the youma before sending it back out into the Rift to rest.

Inside, the Presence of Metallia could be felt, creeping along the senses with all the subtlety of being hit with a mack truck. Adrenaline ebbed slowly, leaving the captain to feel her hurts more keenly, the blood-soaked makeshift bandage around her middle, the way blood pooled in her shoes so that she removed them and left them outside the castle proper. But she went in with her head high and cheeks filled with color, Zircon at her side.

Metallia's question received no answer as their Master had spoken in the rhetoric - none of them would be there, if they had failed. Moonstone did as she was bade, brining the Crystalline Bone to the altar and laying it next to Hydra's crystal; if it had been hard to breath upon the approach, standing so close to their revered leader was like suffocating, but the dark-haired woman did not rush in nor out, treating the situation with all the ceremony she felt due.

"For Your glory, Metallia." Item resting neatly beside the crystal, Moonstone slowly retreated until she stood near Zircon and could once more breath properly, having never once turned her back to Metallia as she moved.





[FEEL FREE TO TORTURE MOONSTONE GAIZ~ biggrin ]

Captain Raite

After a trek to a mysterious cave, a treasure trove of crystals (both weak and strong), and a near death from the collapse of the cave (that wasn't hard to predict, considering their setting).. Raite could say that he was doing pretty well. While it had been unpleasant, he could honestly say that the negaverse had given him worse.

It still didn't make the act of following Metallia's every whim and order much more enjoyable though. As usual, he took up a space near the back of the room. He resisted the urge to yawn at the festivities though when those who had obtained the items were beckoned to come forth. It didn't really concern him as long as their mission had been accomplished.. otherwise, what untold sufferings would she have unleashed upon them? Either way, he was used to letting the higher order of the negaverse as they wished without complaint, as long as this meeting would end soon.

Captain Titanlåvenite


Returning to the grand space with all the other grouped, with a bunch of bits and pieces in tow instead of anything more grand to match the ultimately shapeless presence, spoke more to bathos than accomplishment. Many of the group looked more rough- dust drowned like himself, wounded and leaking blood like others, or just sopping wet from who knew what sort of liquid.

Our own lands are so polluted and dangerous, so unusuable and unstable, that even they betray us. They take tolls and do not teach. The enemy lays seige outside and the Kvaen inside. What are we all doing here. Still, he knelt as before. Companions in arms had fought and one prizes of a kind, and they certainly deserved recognition. They had been loyal. They had been asked to perform a feat and they had. The would approach their liegelord to whatever end it bore out.

Be alright. I hope they are all alright, and not used as some sacrifice for something.






________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

Haüyne, Corrupted Super Senshi of Execution


The corrupted's mood hadn't brightened on the way up, despite the excitement that should have been there to be in the presence of the Queen again. The only officers who were going to be recognized were those physically holding the goods. There was at least one captain that had been left behind. Were any others lost or left in the other paths? We can't be rolling in so many officers that it isn't a problem. Not after so many died in that invasion. But they were left anyway. This is all so weird. I feel ill.
Even the strongest soldier can be caught unawares sometimes. That's why you make groups and platoons and stuff.
I feel gross.
How did I miss that wolf-thing? Even if I'd been the one to catch that bone, what else would I have had to show for it? Not a dang thing. Didn't dust anything really.
I feel cold.
Probably better that Queen Metallia doesn't see me at all. Look at all the other senshi. They're much, much better. I'm wastin' space here.

Super Dia

She was on the ground when she'd teleported both herself and Grendel, so her return to the great room had her also sitting atop the cold surface of the ground. The chill of the stone sent shivers running down her legs and arms, but her attention was elsewhere. Grumpy, but elsewhere.

Releasing the Guardian cat from her grasp, she looked first for Tourmaline, out of habit, and then for Labyrinthite and the rest of the pack. It was hard to tell who was who, since all she was seeing was either legs or in between legs, with all of the agents soon popping (or in the case of Lieutenants like Domeykite and Aluminite, walking) in. A flash of pink and between a pair of odd looking tights, she spotted her companion, also on the ground.

There she was. Captainy and glorious - okay, maybe not entirely glorious looking after a murky swim after lots of dodging and ducking - but she was still okay and Dia was fine with that.

One hand moved out to absentmindedly rub the Guardian's back as she watched Serandite, Amethyst and the other two (Hydra and Moonstone) that she failed to recognize approach the altar. All receiving probably amazing verbal backpats from Metallia herself.

Hmph.

Her hand left Grendel's back and she began to wring the dark, icky water from her soggy hair, not even caring that she was creating an equally murky puddle around where she sat. It was going to take hours, maybe even days to get her hair all primped and pretty again. Sigh.