GBG Session 28.5: The Beginning of the End

<Darkling> Bits of rubble and dust fall from the World Serpent as it raises into the air, a deafening roar rattling the pilots in their plugs.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "I suppose it was inevitable. ... I may have an attack that will hurt it, but I need the rest of you close so I can borrow your AT Fields."
<Rasia> "Closer." Guess Rasia wants to feel the Jotun's field crackling against hers. 01, back in its sleek, aerodynamic armor and sporting a cannon on its back, creeps forward.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Only hurt it? I hope by hurt you mean it spasms and gushes blood for a few seconds, then dies."
Corrin clenches Zwei's hands around the suddenly feeble-seeming weapons it's holding, mouth dry. A moment of hesitation that stretches on before he replies. "Understood." he replies quickly, practically spitting the word out.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "That will depend on how much power we have together."
<Darkling> The serpent shitfs, it's body lowering slightly and the ground erupts off to the west of it, what appears to be the serpents other end bursting forth.
Rasia tenses, 01 bowing a little lower and studying this new target. "Rrrrr."
<Darkling> Blobs of saliva fall to the ground from the serpent's gaping mouth as it watches it's prey, the ground sizzling on contact.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Vier moves ahead, quickly but cautiously as Lahja stares at the serpent, then the sizzling ground. "Looks sturdy. Let us know where we should be, Wilhelm."
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Stay within...thirty of me, that should be enough."
Corrin moves, Zwei striding across the wastes. Inside, Corrin stares at the target. "Just an animal." Corrin mutters, grip tight around the controls.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Null Drei's blue field visably ripples, latching onto the surrounding AT Fields before stretching it out to a ridiculous degree. The Sryan shudders inside his plug, sorting through the rush of information and power. "You need to stay in range...for this to work."
<Rasia> Rasia, knowing better than to keep advancing, plants her feet and takes a shot out of the back-mounted launcher. The missile swings wide, exploding in the air. Enough to light up the snow, but nothing else.
<Darkling> The tail of the beast swings back and whips forward, sailing just metres about Ein's head.
<Rasia> 01 snaps its jaws back at the Jotun, unafraid.
<Corrin> Zwei moves once more, gait jerky. "Just an animal.." Corrin is murmuring, eyes fixed on the Serpent as Zwei bounds forwards.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Time to show you my true power." He focuses all of the combined power, hands shaking as he channels it into a new attack. Hexagons tear free of their fields, now under Wilhelm's control as they move to encircle Jörmungandr in a massive pillar. The reformed field shudders with power, every inch charging with power befor erupting like a strike down from the heaves themselves.
<Darkling> The blast sears the worm, and it thrashes in agony. One can only think the last time something that big felt pain.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Stay close and I can do it again."
<Rasia> Rasia growls and grinds her teeth, but keeping her distance sounded like the best plan when it came to keeping Lit safe. Still, it defies every little instinct. 01's eyes focus on the target and fire again, the missile streaking up towards the Serpent's jaw and exploding against its chin.
<Darkling> The serpent seems to all but ignore the missile, it's head rearing back.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Oh no..."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Vier rolls forward, going closer to the serpent, then quickly rises, firing off a shot at the scaled body. The pilot smiles afterward, despite it not being one of her better shots.
<Rasia> Ein isn't quite so agile. Maybe it's hesitance to break the trance, or simply a stumble, but 01 is bathed in the toxic spray, lighting Rasia's suit up in agony.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Null Drei moves forward to rejoin the others, AT Field warping into a solid barrier he can see through.
Corrin makes a muffled cry of pain, writhing inside the plug as the acid washes over him, biting into his tongue. Regardless, he sends Zwei in a half-step forwards, a clumsy turn, and a single shot rings from the shoulder-mounted gun.
<Rasia> Finally instinct (or concern?) wins out, and 01 turns. Getting a running start, Ein's boosters flare to life, launching into the sky. Burning through almost half her fuel in a single maneuver, the Aesir carves a long arc in the sky before slamming into the massive wyrm-serpent's flesh. Talons and tail and maw all rip into it, devouring any flesh that happens to fall loose.
<Darkling> With Ein on board, The serpent's head come sailing through the air, crashing down in place of where Zwei was momentarily before.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja pays no heed to the approaching serpent head, instead remaining curiously focused on the body. Vier fires off another shot, ignoring all else.
Corrin comes out of the roll, twists the yoke in his hands, and runs for the monstrous figure in the distance. The battered hammerhead comes down as Zwei lunges, its Pilot silently focused on the thing in front of him.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "I'm borrowing some of your power, Lahja."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Feel free."
<Rasia> With her talons safely in the wyrm's massive flesh, Ein chews in deeply, spilling Jotunblut all across its face and armor. It isn't even reacting...
<Darkling> Jörmungandr swings around again, it's mouth leaving a building sized divet in the ground where Zwei was previously, it's jaws working as it swallows the Aesir whole.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "...I honestly didn't see that coming, though it's rather fitting."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Vier fires off another shot at the serpent's body, Lahja twitching repeatedly. She'd look really irritated if she didn't have such a big smile on her face.
<Darkling> The serpent seems to have noticed that shot. Perhaps it isn't as immune as it seems.
Corrin tears and swings as he goes down, yelling as he flails. He's still trying to put effort behind the blows as Zwei is digested.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> With Rasia in the way and down two fields, his pillar attack was out of the question right now. Instead Null Drei steadied itself and stretched out the Spear, an explosion of energy shaped a lot like a cross erupting from Jörmungandr.
<Rasia> Ein continues to gorge itself, its pilot gripping her controls tightly. Lit's presence behind her a constant reminder.
<Darkling> Ignoring Ein still, or just maybe it cannot reach her at a weird angle, the serpent instead swats Vier with its tail and send the Aesir flying back towards Drei.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Vier quickly rolls back up to its feet, Lahja quickly taking aim at that little scratch from before and firing a bullet into the serpent. Did that just draw a copious amount of blood?
<Darkling> The serpent shudders, but otherwise doesn't seem to notice.
<Darkling> Maybe it passed some gas, or Zwei isn't sitting well, but the serpent shifts backwards, only a moment before Drei bursts into a blue flame, armored bits falling off but not hitting the ground. Loki hovers in the air, a deep ocean blue with red lines tracing across its body (Rasia might note she's seen them all somewhere before). The armored pieces begin to orbit around the Aesir.
<Rasia> Ein's head snaps to look at the ascendant Loki. Claws holding tight, it snarls reflexively, barbed tongue slithering out and drooling. Its pilot isn't quite so cavalier, grabbing at her heart. "Wilhelm..."
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Vier takes note as well, Lahja warily regarding the transformed Drei. She hisses, now alternating her attention between the Aesir and the serpent.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> The ascended Loki focuses in on Jörmungandr, AT Field screaming with energy as it lets off another cross-shaped blast.
<Darkling> The serpent staggers back. Jörmungandr reels, a massive section of its body missing and oozing insides.
<Rasia> Discretion is the better part of valor, Rasia. Ein dislodges its talons and kicks away, boosters roaring back to life and stiff wings carrying it on a long glide towards Lahja, landing with a stumbling trot before turning about.
<Darkling> Jörmungandr sways unsteadily, then lunges forward, making a poor attempt to swallow Drei. Instead it eats a mouthful of rock and dirt, leaving a pit behind as it retreats.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I feel kind of weird, Rasia..." Lahja says absently as Vier fires off a shot, the pilot's attentions returning to Drei as soon as the shot connects. Seems she's a little more concerned about her fellow pilot now.
<Rasia> "Yeah...afraid."
<Darkling> The serpent groans and waves about, bouts of blood spraying the snow field below.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> The ascended being that may or may not still be Loki doesn't both with a gesture, eyes flashing with malice made manifest, layers of AT Field ripping free to wrap around the monstrous Jörmungandr. In a repeat of an early performance the multitude of hexagons vibrate with mounting energy before releasing it in a deadly torrent of energy that warms itself into a pillar, hammering down.
<Rasia> Ein, at a loss, simply widens its stance and surveys the battlefield, tail held high and wary. Jörmungandr likely isn't going to survive more punishment. Hnnn. Gotta keep Lit safe.
<Darkling> Disoriented or in too much pain, Jörmungandr makes a clumsy attempt to swallow Drei, smashing mouth-first into the ground.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> A distracted shot from Vier, the bullet only grazing the serpent's head. Lahja doesn't even seem to care or notice.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> The seemingly free-floating hexagons of Loki's field form a twisting chain around the World Serpent, looking as if it might actually be enjoying its torment of the crippled creature. The chains twist and rotate at high speed, building heat before exploding in another devastating pillar of energy. Is this what an atomic bomb was like up close?
<Darkling> Jörmungandr shudders again, lifting dazed from the ground back into the air and swaying about.
<Darkling> A mass of vile looking saliva coughs up from the serpent's mouth, splashing here and there, not managing to hit a soul.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Vier darts away from a mass of goo, firing off a shot into some exposed and gory insides. Lahja smiles as she ponders trying to shoot her name into that area, but quickly shakes off the thought.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Loki calls back his AT Field, using the Spear as a base to warp the field into one truly massive hammer. Wilhelm, if he were capable, might compare it to a tool capable of destroying the universal super-string. The Aesir launched itself at the World Serpent, grinning as it brought the weapon to bare and the helpless creature of legend.
<Darkling> Jörmungandr teeters in the air, saliva oozing from its gaping mouth as it lets out a thunderous groan.
<Darkling> Then it begins to fall to the earth.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Loki lazily moves away from Jörmungandr, watching it the entire time.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Vier leaps off to the side, Lahja focusing entirely on Drei now. The serpent seems little more than an afterthought now.
<Darkling> About halfway down an explosion rocks the inside of the beast, tearing a hole through its side, a few pieces of recognizable armour flying through the breach in the body. Then the serpent his the ground and goes still.
<Rasia> Ein relaxes, and immediately bolts towards Loki. "Wilhelm!"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> The Aesir turns, a hand stretching out in a welcoming gesture to Ein.
<Rasia> The Aesir nuzzles into Loki's palm, biting at them carefully. "Wilhelm~"
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Lahja looks on, sighing a bit at the sight before looking elsewhere, then to some Jörmungandr-leftovers. Reassuring.
<Rasia> Rasia checks over her shoulder, nudging Lit with her foot.
<Darkling> Lit makes a noise, but he's still out cold.
<Rasia> Comforting, at least. Ein's attention returns to Loki. "Wilhelm okay?"
<Wilhelm_Faustus> "Just fine."
<Rasia> Another light bite to the Aesir's armor.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Vier walks over to a pile of charred flesh, leaning over to investigate it closely, at times even poking part of it with the barrel of its sniper rifle.
<Rasia> Ein rises, giving a light swat at Loki's nape, where the plug slots in. "Out?"
<Darkling> A rumble from the distant hole where the base is, black smoke is starting to billow out at an alarming rate.
<Darkling> The sound of an explosion is followed by a jet of flame shooting up from the pit.
<Wilhelm_Faustus> Loki's attention turns to the pit.
<Rasia> "!"
<Lahja_Ilvainen> Off to another section of serpent to search through, Vier's movements betraying an increasing amount of irritation. Then Vier looks up at the flames.
<Darkling> The sky above the pit grows dark, choked with black smoke, the undersides of the clouds tinted red as more flames spout up.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "I don't think we'll be able to have our tea party now, Rasia." Lahja says, sounding rather stoic.
<Rasia> The Israeli swallows hard. "Soon."
<Darkling> A black hand engulfed in flames grasps the edge of the pit.
<Lahja_Ilvainen> "Maybe I could welcome the end."
<Darkling> ==============END==============