Eric: Avshar cursed foully as he retreated, his army falling to pieces around him. The nomads, true to their mercurial nature, had taken more of a beating than they could take, and were now streaming away from the battlefield in dribs and drabs. The only forces remaining loyal to Avshar were now stationed in the city itself, and it was to there that he retreated
Eric: His remaining men set up an improvised defensive position just inside the Imperial Palace, locking the doors behind them.
Eric: And it is to this situation that you arrive, when you finally breach the city gates
Sheepy: (Go ahead and tell us what your characters are doing i.e. busting in, shouting orders, what have you)
Eric: (There is no turn order at this point)
Bill: Somewhere Garviel is smugly butchering demons and trampling Avshar's banner if he left it behind (The only thing I'm doing in this log)
Eric: (He did)
Chris: Athrun's mana supply was critical to the operation. Thus, he was escorted into the city by his elite platoon so that he could conserve it. The platoon itself was more than capable of clearing a path into the city, anyway.
Inc entered the room.
Ultradude: First of all, Olivier is feeling... very right. Not that anyone expected the nomads to really stick it out, but she's glad that she predicted that they would be easy to route. As Garviel does his duty of fighting the demons, she heads off into the city, commanding troops from a tank that is unfortuantely ill-suited to the capital's streets.
Eric: The citizens were hiding in their homes after a week of Avshar's rule. There was no sign of them save for the occasional fearfully hopeful glimpse of a face in window
shini: The Doctor had strangely been absent when the army retreated, though his mark - traps design to let loose with acid or strong bases onto unsuspecting troops can be found all over the city.
Enno: Red using his smaller frame to slip by mostly unnoticed had come with his primary summon, Charmander to bear. The small thing was hard at work debuffing the enemy with Growl and Scary Face to dishearten them; weakening their strength and slowing their will to strike back. However he was intentionally sidelining himself; he wanted one man to attack personally.
fruitsponchi: Revan followed his own men into the city, surrounded by his escort of silver clad and masked guards wielding lances.  He kept his lightsaber in hand but left it unignited, ready for a surprise that might approach.  Stealth wasn't exactly his aim for the moment.
Sheepy: Celes is barking orders at her troops. They had him on the run now, and all that was left was to meet the tyrant head-on. They started charging toward the castle, some of her men carrying what looked to be a giant log. They would get in one way or another.
Eric: Archers from the upper windows started shooting when they saw the makeshift battering ram approaching.
Sheepy: A well-trained general was always prepared, a few mages in her rank throwing up shielding spells to deflect the barrage.
Chris: Athrun ordered his three riflemen to give them more cover, and they fired a volley at the archers.
Eric: Between them, the Battering Ram can do it's work, though a few men still die with arrows between their ribs.
Ultradude: Olivier's own soldiers fire rifles as well; really, the tank is running into some problems here, but she isn't stopping to get out just yet.
shini: As Red moves, he may feel the presence of someone watching - then there's a sudden woosh of air, and sudden warmth on his cheek. A knife clatters on the ground, it's edge red.
Eric: The doors themselves are nigh invincible to the forces being deployed against them, but the hinges are another matter. After a few blows of the ram, they sag inwards, as if tired. The way is open!
Enno: That knife has Red moving again, it was stupid of him to think he could just sit idly in a fight, and dives into the mass pouring through the door. Charmander speeds ahead, spewing Smokescreen to blind the enemy and cover it's entrance.
shini: Georik frown, children do not belong in battle - and the warning gone on death ears. He slips from from his vantage point and work his way to the interior, though the headache he's been suffering is getting much worse.
Sheepy: A roar of cheering is had by the men, who drop the battering ram and start flooding in, their commander along with them.
fruitsponchi: There was the opening and Revan took the chance to get inside while he had it.  He left his guards at the door to keep the entrance secure from a late ambush.  That and their lances would be ineffective inside the building, being as long as they were.
Chris: Athrun and his platoon are quick to follow their general.
Ultradude: Now is the time to leave her tank. Eyes open and constantly looking, Olivier and her men come up from behind the rest, firing back as the tank and a rear-guard platoon cover the others flooding in.
Sheepy: (Initative! Athrun, Revan, Celes, Georik, Red, Olivier, Avshar ; Georik get a react/act every time they're targeted)
Sheepy: *Georik and Avshar
Eric: The dagarians charge in and are met by a withering volley of arrows from a line of archers waiting directly behind the door waiting for exactly this scenario. Then it's out with swords and the fighting gets close and brutal. Avshar's remaining men are all heartless bastards, the worst scum humanity has to offer, but they are not cowards and they are skilled fighters. They fight with the desparate zeal and courage of cornered men who believe they are going to die and are determined to sell their lives as dearly as they can.
Eric: oh shit, did I jump the gun?
Sheepy: (Nah, go ahead, it's cool)
Eric: Avshar himself stands at the rear in front of some kind of bubbling cauldron, encouraging his men in his own way. One man attempted to flee from the overwhelming forces arrayed against them only to be cut down by Avshar himself, "Cowards! Who do you fear more, that rabble in the street, or ME!?"+
Sheepy: (Athrun)
Chris: "Phase Shift on!" Athrun's armor changes color, from dull gray to bright red, and the arrows bounce harmlessly off, launching a couple bursts of sparks as they do. Athrun's charge is unhindered, and so he activates his right beam saber blade once in melee range and swings at the nearest enemy.+
Sheepy: (Avshar react)
Eric: The beam saber tore into the man who, bizarrely, did not even try to defend or dodge. He fell to the ground in agony. The men near Athrun backed up, suddenly looking uncertain.+
Sheepy: (Revan)
fruitsponchi: Unlike Athrun, Revan couldn't ignore the arrows coming his way.  A second cylinder snapped from his waist into his left hand and he ignited both lightsaber blades with their typical snap-hiss.  Weaving the two blades, he cut through arrows coming his way, lunging forward to plunge a blade into the nearest enemy directly after the volley.
Sheepy: (+?)
Sheepy: (-?)
fruitsponchi: +
Sheepy: (Avshar react, Celes)
Eric: The man, holding a twohanded sword, deflected Revan's attack by simply smashing his sword down at Revan's head, forcing him to either defend himself, or die to get his attack in.+
Sheepy: "Split up and find him! He couldn't have gone far!" Celes shouted through the noise. Throwing herself into the fray, she began cutting a swath through the men standing in her way and the throne room.+
Eric: (Avshar's visible in the room)
Sheepy: (Avshar react, Georik)
Sheepy: (Okay, let me try that again /fail)
Sheepy: Celes wasted absolutely no time. Her men taking on the soldiers around her, she gripped the hilt of her sword tightly. "AVSHAR!" Screaming out, she went to cut through the poor sap in front of her before charging forward. +
Eric: Her fury was such that the man was lucky to get away merely losing one hand. However there were several ranks of men to get through, and she couldn't do it in one furious death charge. Avshar laughed at her, "Have the men of Dagaria grown so cowardly that they send their whores in to fight for them?"
shini: Georik took a high position, trying to fight off the throbbing headache and the blackness at the edge of his vision. He places salt, and sulfur into his hand, adding a dab of water for hydrogen. Activating his array, he blows on it - turning the harmless mix into a deadly, highly corrosive gas that is drifting down onto Celes' group, attacking their lungs and eyes.+
Sheepy: (Celes react, Red)
Sheepy: Blinded by the fury of the battle, neither she nor her men expected the attack from Georik. It affected the first line of defense quick enough to alert the others that something was amiss. Still, that didn't help the men that had breathed a fair bit in, who were now blinded and hacking the vile stuff. The mages that had helped previously did their best to dispel the concoction with wind spells.+
Enno: Having the impatience of youth, despite it being tempered by lingering caution from the knife mere heartbeats ago, Red finally directed Charmander into a more active role, and a surge of blue flames spilled from it's mouth before it breathed Dragon Rage, the wildly hot flames slamming into the crowd of Avshar's soldiers before phasing out of existence; anything that had not melted or burned in the initial seconds of the azure blaze would be left mysteriously unscorched. +
Sheepy: (Avshar react, Olivier)
Ultradude: Gifted young general that Celes is, she's still just that - young. The sort of woman who goes with the desire to simply rush the villain herself, the urge that Olivier manages to fight successfully. Unfortunately, this doesn't help with the poison gas, but she strides forward behind a line of infantrymen, firing a single shot carefully aimed at Avshar's helmet - not that she doesn't expect some idiot or another to pop up in between them. "Men! Fall in as the gas dispels, cover General Chere's troops!"+
Eric: In the chaotic fighting of the throne room, it was difficult to find an angle of attack that wouldn't hit some of Red's allies, but the pokemon eventually managed it. Men screamed as they burned, and fell back a bit. The Dagarian press made it a little further forwards.+
Sheepy: "General Armstrong." Celes looks at the woman with surprise, not at all expecting the direct help of Amestris, no matter what Bradley said. She still manages a smirk though.
Sheepy: (Avshar react to Olivier and act)
Eric: Avshars head jerked back a bit as the bullet struck home
Ultradude: Olivier: "While we're still allies, you'll be treated as one."
Eric: but he did not fall.
Ultradude: And when they aren't, she'll be damn well treated as an enemy.
Eric: The commanders of the Dagarians, with their magic swords and weapons, were doing quite well against Avshar's brigands. The common troopers with them, however, were finding things much harder. every bullet that struck them or sword that cut them left no wound. Avshar's men grinned, taking four or five blows that would normally be fatal to land one, and coming out the other side unharmed. Slowly, the battle was turning in Avshar's favor. The more observant noticed that they had yellowish stains on their sleeves. The battle lines had also pushed forwards enough that they could see the cauldron more clearly now. Some horrible yellow stew bubbled therein. It was not something that a man with any moral qualms would dip his sleeve in.
Eric: Avshar himself sketched a mocking bow to his opponents a mocking bow.+
Eric: (er, hang on, rewriting that last bit)
Sheepy: Celes: "Then I guess I should take advantage of that, then."
Eric: Avshar himself sketched a mocking bow to his opponents a mocking bow and turned to leave the entryway to the throne room itself with a flourish.+
Enno: Red roared in anger. "YOU DAMN COWARD! COME BACK!!"
Eric: Avshar's voice floated back, somehow amplified so that it sounded like he was whispering in everyone's ear. "If you want me so bad, come and follow. What better place to end this war than at the foot of the throne of Dagaria itself?"
Sheepy: (Everyone react)
Chris: Athrun: "I don't like this. He's trying to lure us into a situation where he'll have the advantage."
shini: Doctor Zaberisk frowns, and slips back to the shadow, on the verge of blacking out., he should get ready for another ambush, but it's hard to focus.
fruitsponchi: Revan: "It hardly matters.  Just react appropriately."
Ultradude: With Avshar out of the room, they have to deal with the... men that they've been failing to so much as put down for a minute. Except for those crazy blades made out of light. Curious. "These men are protected from our weapons by something. We should focus on allowing those weapons that have harmed them to lead the way, and keeping them safe."
Enno: "I don't care what we have to do as long as he dies here and now!" Red was obviously on a mission and moved in closer to the group for Charmander help defend the back so they could push.
Nerdo left the room.
Void: (Taking over)
Void: Suddenly, a voice echos throughout the room
Void: "FADE BEFORE THE LIGHT!"
Void: A figure in white armor with a trailing white cloak sweeps into the room, his sword glowing with holy magics
Void: Cecil: You all go on! I'll handle them!
Void: Ephemeral swords of holy magic appear all around him and launch themselves at Avshar's soldiers
Void: (Avshar react)
Chris: Athrun: "Wha -- what?!"
Eric: Avshar's men stand no chance against the sudden fury against them
Eric: The ones that are not simply blown aside or impaled flee for their lives.
Eric: In the end, it's Avshar by himself.+
Void: (Avshar, go ahead and say your final words. I mean, tell these mortal fools that they have no hope)
Ultradude: Olivier: "Who in the world?"
Eric: Avshar stood up from where he had been waiting, lounging on the Throne. In the center of the room, a strange circle had been carved into the floor. He swings his sword to the ready, "I was hoping there would be more of you, but this will have to do."
Enno: Red: "Cecil! Thank the Gods you're here!"
shini: Georik drew back, suddenly hissing at the explosion of holy magic and then he was out like a light. Something else was in his place, but it did not reveal himself yet, letting the drama play out.
Void: Cecil: This nightmare ends today, Master.
Eric: With a roar, he charged everyone arranged against him. His sword dripping unwholesome power.+
Void: (Everyone shish-kabob the bastard)
Void: (Feel free to do a full on team attack if you so desire, plan it in OOC if you want to do that)
Eric: "IMPUDENT WHELP! WITH YOUR BODIES I SHALL FUEL MY ESCAPE! DAGARIA WILL FALL BEFORE ME IF IT TAKES A THOUSAND YEARS!"
Enno: "And I'll see you burn in hell for Mist if it's the last thing I ever do."
Ultradude: "You should have fled long ago if you planned to survive!"
shini: "Pathetic, all thou could do is rage impotently." The figure whispers to himself, and ponders a bit of 'fun'.
Chris: "YOU WON'T GET THE CHANCE!" Athrun spread his arms and legs out in an X formation, channeling his mana into the receptacle on the armor's chest. This would severely deplete his mana stores, but if it works, it'd be worth it.
Chris: Once it reaches maximum capacity, Athrun pulls the trigger. "Scylla, FIRE!"
Chris: A beam of concentrated light magic erupts from the nozzle and flies straight toward Avshar!+
Ultradude: Olivier draws her sword, emptying the shot from another pistol. She rushed in with long strides, keeping a close eye on any allied magic, juking to aim a quick stab in the gap under his arm, one thrust before dodging all the magic.+
fruitsponchi: Not wasting time, Revan imbues himself with the Force, granting himself extra speed as he plowed ahead in an arc, hoping to catch Avshar by surprise with speed, coming at him from the side with his blades.+
shini: The lurking figure snaps his finger, letting a flicker of intense flames light up under Avshar's feet - let's see how the heroes will make note of an unknown magic. He chuckles and finds a convienent place for Georik to be found passed out in, letting the fire burn.+
Enno: Sharing it's summoner's thoughts, Charmander began to glow brightly, it's power being channeled into single attack, and if it failed; Red would surely die being unable to defend himself. Opening it's mouth, an orange sphere appeared, suddenly exploding into a torrent of flame as Inferno washed over the worshipper of Skotos, with the duo's combined hopes this really would send him, burning, into hell. +
Void: Cecil charges forward, moving with the flames and beams of mana, the Mythgraven Blade glowing
Void: "This ends here!"
Void: Leaping, he slashes at the charging Avshar+
Void: (Avshar)
Eric: Avshar's too far gone to dodge. His insane rage and hubris make him take all these attacks head on.
Eric: Despite no less than six wounds, each of which would be fatal to a merely mortal man, Avshar staggered on. "Another way...There's always...another way...I'll live on..."
Eric: He fell to his knees. "You'll see..."
Eric: With that, there was suddenly a roaring explosion of sickly, bluish light, resulting in a portal forming behind Avshar. He struggled, but was too weak to resist the sudden pull. Avshar was dragged through the portal, and just for a second before it winked out, you could also see through it.
Eric: Driving wind, thick with snow, blew Avshar out of sight as a deep voice, eternally hungry, laughed.
Eric: It was time for Avshar to make peace with the master he had chosen.+
Void: END MISSION