Nomont: The Day The MDF Fell

A large shadow appears in the sky, passing over the two leaving the cave.

With a crash and a guttural bellow, an Ogre lands in the soft sand behind them.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Standing on powerful legs, the creature's flesh is a mass of rippling flesh and sinew.

It sniffs the air, then turns to watch the two through squinting red eyes.
(Tagnar)

You have stopped following Danial.

As they exited the cave systems near the beaches in the southern portions of Esshar a shadow cast from the light of the moon cascaded before them. Danial took a step back as the massive creature landed upon the sands, a bit of fear present on his usually dazed or relaxed domineer. Flashbacks to his last encounter still fresh on the mind as he stared at a similar blue skin.

Yet, at the same time. He wouldn't let this fear control him. Instinct drew his hand to the weapon resting upon his back drawing it forth as the immense roar shook the terrains. The only thought on his mind? Could he manage to take down a beast such as this?

He felt a bit more confident in his current ability but at the same time he knew these monsters were terrifyingly strong, ferocious and if it intended to attack. There was little they could do to prevent as much.

Yet as he took a breath in calming his nerves he couldn't help but ponder at a thought given to him by one of his frequent encounters. In accordance to what he'd assume was a friend at this point. Meat is a potential deterrent from their wraith? Yet at the same time he doubted the amount of fish he recently brought in would do any good. Other claims around the academy stated it'd take a years worth of supply to deter them. In which was something he didn't have on person. Or even within the storages of a nearby cave system.

So he stood broadening his form as the blade rested forward his free hand resting just below the length as if lining his shot as the cosmic radiance that blessed him came to form.

"I suppose there is no talking with you is there?" he questioned assuming it'd fall on deaf ears.
(Danial)

Fresh from the caverns, after slaying Stinnox en mass, the MDF reveal themselves with mild bruises and injuries from the scuffle -- nothing serious, which was absurdly surprising given their nonmagus stature. The mana-resilient armor they wore had proven as effective as it always had.

"That was some good work. Surely, the pay from the bounties will cover manufacturing costs nicely." Asura claimed, crossing his arms... Yet, for whatever reason, a member of their ranks began running about hysterically, screaming at the top of his lungs. The immediate reaction was full blown flinching from most parties, but alas, they'd take their stoic looks upon him with genuine confusion and irritation.

Asura himself furrowed his brow.
"What on Kraus' green earth is -wrong- with y--"

That was when he heard it... Silencing everything around them, followed by the heavy thud on the ground that shuddered the ground beneath them. Who would've thought that such weight and pressure could translate over sandy dunes of the beach.

Asura whipped around to the source, eyes widening in reverence -- truly experiencing all of the same flood of emotions that kept to the once-panicking soldier. He understood thoroughly without doubt through empathy.

"MAGUS DEFENSE FORCE, FORMATION!" The few closest flinched at Tagnar's presence, before retreating around the nonmagi, steeling themselves and unveiling their tyrium-tipped weaponry.
In unison, they'd roar back in kind, as a response to Asura's call: A battle-cry of the damned.

"STANCE, READY?"
Their collective stances lowered in unison, their sliding legs dragging through the sand ushered forth a hush for inviting ears.

Hearts pounded...
Faces sweated...
Grips upon blade handled tightened for whitened knuckles, buckling under their own strain...

All while Asura stood within their protective numbers, watching onward... Feeling all the fear presented, but none of the armaments… All he had were his men.
Hopefully, it was enough.

It had to be.
(Asura Nomont)

Hungry. It was so very, very hungry. It hadn't eaten in a long time, and now two delicious morsels had the good grace to land right in it's metaphorical lap.

A loud growl escapes from the Ogre's stomach. It sniffs the air and puffs out a plume of steaming, hot air from it's maw. There's a guttural, quiet growl from it's throat as angry red eyes seem to glare down at the two insignificant insects it decided to make it's pray.

"TAGNAR. HUNGRY." it bellows in it's deep guttural voice, it's the ground quaking slightly under the force of it.
(Tagnar)

"Asura, it might be safer if you fall back"

Danial's voice sounded as he upheld his stance staring down the ogre. The radiant lights emanating around him strengthen in the dark of the night. His sword, unmoving as he focused his green optics on the beast. Only concern his breath. Though he was afraid he attempted to keep it from quickening, keep it from faltering as he prepared to combat this monster.
(Danial)

Asura took a step back without question, taking a brief glance up the cliff behind them and back to the monster.
Some of the repelling equipment used to get the soldiers and himself down without falling to their injuries.

Though, the expression on their face, tensing up from the matter implied some restraint.
"I'm not leaving you behind!" The Nomont claimed, far too brazen for his own good. He didn't have the power of magi like Danial did, nor was he anything like the ogre... But his men and himself vowed to never leave a situation in morbid straits, knowing full well they could've done something to stop it.

"I -won't- leave you behind." The nonmagi declared, "--but I will have my men fall back! If you look like you're in trouble, we'll intervene!"

"It's not the Nomont way... and I won't allow myself to turn my back on -anyone-..." He brought right to his right arm for all of his soldiers to see. "FALL BACK! REPEL BACK UP THE CLIFFSIDE! ARCHERS TAKE MOUNT AND START FIRING ON THE OGRE AT FIRST OPPORTUNITY!" If they weren't going to immediately rush into the fight, they'd make the effort to aid Danial as much as possible, until they'd be needed.
(Asura Nomont)

The Ogre doesn't even seem to notice the warriors on the beach. Insignificant, like twigs to a boulder.

Digging one foot into the sand beneath it, and outstretching the other, the Ogre moves at surprising speed. It goes straight for Daniel, leg muscles bunching and flexing as each propels the creature at almost preternatural speeds.

Then, suddenly skidding through the sand, the creature crouches, launching itself up into the air. There's a brief pause, and suddenly the ground it launched itself from seems to crumble and crack in on itself, a shockwave coming from it as a small crater forms from it's launching point.

Raising both hands overhead, it's arc seems to aim directly for Danial, aiming to take him in an aerial assault.
(Tagnar)

Tagnar has engaged Danial in Dangerous combat, with a capture roll of 1

As the Ogre took the air, his own mana surged generating speed and force through his own body as he propelled outwards in attempts to avoid the attack. However as the shockwave shook the earths below he found himself airborne.

He wouldn't argue as much, in the skies. The kid found strength the power of the stars guided his blade and as the cosmic energies channeled he'd dart at semi impressive speeds to engage the ogre in combat.
(Danial)
Crashing into the ground infront of Daniel, the Ogre pushes forward as if to tackle him, pushing him backwards a few inches.

The Ogre's right arm flexes, and suddenly extends, backhanding Danial with a purple, meaty fist and sending him careening across the battlefield. The impact causes a shockwave that lifts the sand around it, showering anyone too close with debris and granules of sand.

The Ogre seems to shrug off Danial's attacks, the man's assault barely even scratching it's thick hide. As it gets in close, it raises it's arm and delivers a punishing downwards blow to Daniel, sending him to one knee and stunning him.

The Ogre menacingly looms over the now helpless Magi, a plume of steam and hot air escaping it's air. Finally, the Ogre would feast.

Grabbing Danial by the throat with one fist, the Ogre raises him to eye level. Then it's head lashes out, opening it's jaw to reveal blunt yellow and brown teeth. It clamps it's teeth around Daniel's left arm at the socket, teeth ripping through flesh, muscle and bone with ease.

With a yank, it rips the man's arm from it's body, chewing it with satisfied grunts before swallowing.

Done with it's feast, it throws Daniel away, turning to look hungrily at Asura.

It was time for the second course.
(Tagnar)

The sands of the very dunes around them kicked up, shrouding the field of view.

''Sir! We can't get a good shot!'' called back one of the MDF soldiers.

"Then fire towards the center of the maelstrom!"
Asura barked back, "READY!" Strings were pulled back...
"AIM!" Bows were risen for the skies...
"FIRE!"
The pluck of the bow-strings popped off nigh uniform, soaring through the skies before descending randomly across the battlefield. Unfortunately, both were within the range of fire, though it was clear that only one of the parties were capable of restoring their mana reserves.

In time, they'd reload, and thankfully as an opening within the brawl came to be. "FIRE AT WILL!"

At first come, did an arrow find its bow? First serve, it'd be sent soaring for their bounty.

A barrage of arrows rained over Tagnar, pelting upon the gargantuan beast. Surely, they were not directly in the range of the onslaught, taking to the distance, but Asura defiantly glared with a finger pointing in the monster's direction.

"Don't, for a SECOND let up!" He ordered, "For every slash he makes on our men, give him another dozen tyrium-tips!"
As the onslaught continued, the battle had come to a close, with Tagnar taking to their spoils and tearing away at the magi's flesh.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

He tensed up, furious now...
That was a proud supporter and employee of Nomont Industries... A magi that was willing to see a nonmagi on equal footing, and on -his- watch, they got hurt.
Something, he would not stand for...
He couldn't...

"MAGUS DEFENSE FORCE! TO ARMS!" He declared, and with a thunderous roar, and song of steel being unsheathed to unveil the tyrium fringe of their blades? They'd rush into battle.

"LET THEM SEE OUR DEFIANCE AND EMBRACE OUR WILL! WE. WILL. NOT. FALTER! WE. SHALL. NOT. FAIL!"

Asura himself, had to stand back... Attempting to strategize the combative movements, as he, himself... Was not a combatant.
(Asura Nomont)

Danial knew there was little hope against a beast such as this, he was too inexperienced. Though he fought with vigor dashing around to the best of his ability moving in for a series of strikes, generating the cosmic ability blessed upon him. It simply wasn't enough.

As the overhead dropped him his vision hazed, a moment of realization. He was done for. Or so he thought, a sharp burning sensation was felt before he was tossed away like a rag doll slamming into a nearby wall. Unknowing of the injury just yet as the pain he felt was unlike anything he'd experienced yet. An assumption broken maybe?

He moved to push himself up leading with his dominate arm in attempts to do so falling on his face as a result. A look of confusion as he struggled back to a seated position right moving now to where his arm should be. A wince of pain as he felt nothing there.

His face shadowed over as the shock took effect. Hysterical he laughed, not a joyful laugher or the nervous chuckle he general produced but one of utter disbelief. He cried out in pain the air escaping his lungs, unknowing of what could be done.

It wasn't over yet was it?

His emerald gaze shifted unknowing as to why he was simply thrown away as the giant took to Asura and the warriors around them. He'd watch still in a state of shock before his right moved now towards his sword grasping hold of it in a shaky grip. In all his life he never once expected this.

What was next?

A question running through his mind, hopeful as the violence moved on. He couldn't find the will to move, his own stance in shambles as his legs refused the command yet. He had to get out, forcing himself now he'd attempt to distance a good ways from the field of battle constantly looking over his shoulder in hopes the man doesn't get himself killed.
(Danial)
It is not, in fact, very common to see a proper skirmish as dear Clotho travels the desert. Typically, such things are common close to Silverwall, though typically they fail to involve quite so many people, and,

,

there's only one mage here.

She halts in place a safe distance from the clash, arriving mere moments before the initial charge of the solders into the ogre's Large Sized Threat Range, absolutely boggled by this, particular, sight. She lacks the situational awareness to pick out Asura from the crowd, the yelling, and the sands,

but there is a kind of beautiful awe in the novelty, isn't there?
(Clotho Moira)

A young girl came walked up through the desert, she had just had a not so great beating from some animals leaving her limping a bit. Her green hued eyes looked upwards as she noticed a large group of individuals. Now started to turn around to avoid another beating her eyes caught a vision of Danail. She swiftly then turned around as she felt a soreness throughout her body by doing so.

"Hey!"

She shouted over to him. Pixteria did not know the situation but she wanted to see if Danail was okay. Her left arm raising up and waving at him as she looked onward now just in time to see him get bashed by the giant beast. This was the first time she had ever seen anything like this, it could only be what the others had told her about before, an ogre.

A look of shock overtook her face, her gaze now entranced as fear filled her green hued eyes. She stood still for just a moment not knowing what to do as she hope he could escape. Her body frozen for now in a stoicstate.
(Pixteria)

Having turned towards Asura after devouring Danial's arm, the Ogre now realizes it's being pelted with a hail of arrows. Initially, it'd been so caught up in the melee with Daniel that the impacts hadn't been noticed. As it was, the arrows were doing nothing but annoy the creature. But now it found itself under a focused assault as it had stopped moving and shots could be placed with greater accuracy.

As the warriors embark on what could only be called a suicidal charge by anyone sane, the Ogre rears it's head, spreads it's arms, and bellows a challenge to the very heavens.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!"

There is no response from the heavens.

The Ogre's roar causes the ground to quake and tremble, far more violently than it had on the beach. It's as if the ground itself finds itself shivering in fear of the creature's fury.

Lurching forwards, the beast begins it's own charge towards the brave souls daring to pit themselves against it. It's approach sounds like roaring thunder in the distance, growing louder with every passing moment. And then the beast pulls back a fist, preparing to strike the first blow.
(Tagnar)

Katrin says, "--"

Katrin says, "Oh gods what did I walk into."

Katrin asks, "Hey, Lady Bleu. Uuuh...This trouble?"

Bleu says, "Vrrrrbl."

Katrin asks, "...Ooooh. That seems like. Somethin' I shouldn't get in the way of, huh?"

Asura Nomont has engaged Tagnar in Deadly combat, with a capture roll of 1

{RP BATTLE} Tagnar is ready for battle!

Asura Nomont exclaims, "Monster! You'll see what the MDF is capable of, FIRSTHAND!"

Katrin says, "I appreciate it, Lady Bleu, but I'd rather not bring that down on your head."

Danials face was one of utter disbelief the world around him nothing more than a haze as his right hand remained over the missing limb of his left. He moved, slowly as his form refused their commands wanting nothing more than to collapse under the weight of himself. Yet a voice? A voice resonated as he gritted his teeth. A figure slowly coming to view, one he'd so like to wave back to.

Yet instinct told him to wave off his left arm. An arm that was no longer there as his voice refused to break. Eventually a weak call was made. A single word resonating, pained and awestruck as it left his form. A simple tone calling out.

"Run"

He didn't know Pix to well but based on earlier conversations she had yet to fully practice the latent magics laying dormant within should they cross paths with such a beast, surely it wouldn't end well either. Yet here he was unable to do much, his knees wobbling with each step took simply trying to move.

Yet curiosities remained, He's just made plan to assist this person that took to fighting the Ogre, a nonmagus with an army to boot but were they and their basic human ability enough? Not likely. For now he simply attempted to get to a safe distance.
(Danial)

A thoughtless figure of her usual self, her mind seemed tormented as she noticed Danail's missing mauled arm. She looked at the blood across him from where his arm was. He looked up barely moving. She did not know what to do for a moment as he simply managed to say one word.

"Run!"
She thought in her mind as the word escaped his lips. She had been unmoved and frozen, the terror rendering her unable to move. A flash of the beating she had endured from the beast within the forest earlier flashed through her head like a bolt of lightning. The girl quickly dashed towards Danail as she channeled her fear.

Pixteria had but one thought in mind now, to help him survive. She hoped the magnificent but violent battle being held below would give them a chance. She ran towards Danail trying to prop him up in some way and scuttle away as best she/they could.

"Let's go please let's get out! Please make it!" She shouted now trying to help him retreat.
(Pixteria)

Katrin says, "Doesn't feel right."

Katrin frowns over at the Lady Bleu, unslinging the rifle from her back.

"I dunno about my soul. My guts tell me to turn the other way though. But what do they know, right?" she says with an uneasy laugh.
(Katrin)

As he watches the ogre and banker face off, Naren watches with a look of discontent over his visage. There's a mote of frustration, even!

That man was a patron of his bar.

"Back off from him-- or else!" He warned, pausing for a moment. He reaches behind him and pulls out his leather whip, snapping it once or twice as some sort of warning...
(Naren)

A grimace of pain filled him as Pix moved to give him a hand in escape, his own body still mostly refusing commands despite assistance likely slowing both of them in the process, yet still faster than on his own. With little resistance from him he'd accept the help his weakened voice crossing as vision blurred once again.

"If you need to, leave me." a warning to worry about themselves should it be needed. Yet he pushed on teetering the edge of consciousness as they moved. The assistance, greatly appreciated.
(Danial)

Arrows pelt at the beast's visage, only to be largely ignored. Their arrows had... Little effect? The beast seemed to charged directly for Asura, widening his eyes. Did he capture its attention through his declaration prior? A swat sent him flying, bumbling and toiling through the sands... It heard something pop upon impact, and couldn't help but wince.

The many others continued their charge... Some swatted, another clawed... But with every swing, others would be sent toiling to the skies. Sand crawled in a nigh sentient fashion, slowing at their footfalls to leave them stuck. Slowly, it climbed up their bodies, and their panicked screaming was all they could muster until the sandy dunes would swallow them whole.

The sand sought to engulf a laying Asura as well, but he'd wiggle and strain, unwilling to surrender. He couldn't...
He lacked the power of a magi...
He lacked the capability of a magi...
But he had the willpower to do much more than his body would ever allow him to do.

"N- Nooo…" He croaked, violently wiggling himself upright as the sand sucked at his body, slowly fighting against the mana-enhanced influence. It wasn't magic...
To some degree, it wasn't even his natural strength...
Just the unwillingness to give up.

Reaching out for a fallen soldier's bow and arrow to pull the string, armed with a single Tyrium tipped arrow with Tagnar in his sights.

"LEAVE, MY MEN! ALONE!" He released... Sending the arrow flying far... Only to skim just inchest from the beast's eyes. He was no combatant, even now... And as the sands crawled up to engulf him whole, he felt the strength leave him at last...
Perhaps...
This was... The end...

''Sir! No!''
A fist punched into the mound of sand that sought to swallow the businessman, donned in the Nomont brand Tyrium-coated armor, prying Asura out from what was believed to be death's sweet embrace and tossing him to the ground just feet away.

The man gave a gasp for air...
He was... Alive?! He couldn't find the energy nor strength to rise up, but he was indeed still alive!

The nonmagus MDF leader looked upon his savior...
The same soldier that introduced him to Danial just earlier that year. A young man that smiled upon Asura, as though... Finally coming to acceptance of a grim fate.

''Sir...''

Asura's eyes widened, looking upon the youthful man... He might as well have been a boy.
The details that struck out to Asura the most, were the cartridges upon both of his shoulder-plates and leggings, all of which shining a blinding blue.

The Nomont mana-batteries in his battlesuit were overloading from the magical influence forced upon them by Tagnar. It took a critical amount to not only survive the battle until now, but to disable the sand mound that wouldn't swallowed Asura.

''Thank you... For everything...''

Asura couldn't find the words...
What was... Happening?

"No..."

''I haven't introduced myself to you earlier...''

This wasn't the time...
This wasn't the place...
It couldn't be...

''It's Merik… Tell my mother, I love her.''

They turned away, as Asura reached out, shouting at the top of his lungs...
But in the moment, it felt muted...
The young MDF soldier had made his decision, sprinting into the fray to leap at Tagnar…

--and should Tagnar had found them in their midst, they'd simply glare...
The batteries finally engulfing their body in a sheen of alabaster...

An eruption of sapphire fulmination sought to blast away fellow MDF soldiers, disrupting the battlefield in a fiery explosion -- a desperate final attempt to take out what was thought to be a morbid encounter.
Did... It work? As the dust cloud plumed, the scene would fall silent, leaving Asura to look on with both horror and sadness.
(Asura Nomont)

Charging forwards, leg muscles flexing, bunching and rippling with every massive stride, the Ogre's fist comes down on the first warrior, turning him into a fine red mist from the force of the blow. Enhanced from the creature's near supernatural speed, no amount of armour or shielding could've saved the non-magi from complete obliteration.

The Ogre skids to a halt as the rest of the warriors begin to surrounding him, swords flashing as they seek to strike at the beasts thick hide.

Reaching out with one hand, Tagnar grabs the leg of the closest warrior, swinging him around a horizontal arc to strike at four warriors closing upon him. There's a sickening crack as the warrior's leg snaps from being bent in the wrong direction at the kneecap, wind resistance doing more damage than the monster's own grip, and four more cracks as the impact breaks ribs, shatters arms and causes skulls to lose necessary integrity to keep brains from oozing onto the sand beneath them.

Then the beast begins to get frustrated. So many ants, so many irritants. They never seemed to end, just prodding and scratching and stabbing at it. It was just hungry, it just wanted food, and now they were making it angry. So very, very angry.

Spotting Asura through and recognizing more fulfilling prey, the Ogre decides the rest are no longer worth it's time. Charging through and breaking the ranks, ignoring arrows, swords, and all manner of weaponry from the feeble warriors desperately trying to slow it. To stop it. To do anything. It heads straight for Asura, murderous intent in it's now burning red eyes.

The brute draws near and backhands Asura.

CRACK!

The non-magi is sent flying through the air. Any normal magi would've easily been able to shrug off the blow, but the simple human is launched like a ragdoll, flying in an arc and landing in the sand.

Now his men find themselves enraged, charging at the beast in numbers. To the creature, they're all the same. Puny, insignificant insects, barely worth the effort of swatting away.

The creature raises a leg, and brings it down with all it's might. For an instant, nothing happens. But then the ground cracks. Then the ground inverts, a crater spreading outwards 100 feet in every direction, sending a powerful shockwave that launches up dust, sand, rocks and debris to scatter any too close for their own good.

The non-magi around it save for Asura vanish, replaced only by scattered limbs, red splatters and occasionally a single body that was fortunate enough to only be blasted away, not completely eviscerated.

The battle was over, the cost unspeakably high.
(Tagnar)

There is a certain amount of tragedy which can take place in a matter of moments, and in this particular scenario, it is absolutely surpassed. While Clotho holds neither particular regard for Asura or his soldiers, nor even knowledge of the efforts that they might have taken to attempt, in the moment, to perform even the smallest degree of resistance to an incredibly powerful magical creature.

It offers no words as it singlehandedly decimates a small army, and in the moment, neither does she. Clotho surges forth in the shade of clouds, sublimating in a violently whirling mist of writhing, gesticulating tendrils of solid shadow, barbed as magical power explodes out in shockwaves, visibly curving through the air as waves of force launched by the several dozen appendages of the temporary amalgamation surge upon the ogre's form, attempting to slice and crush flesh, bone, and blood alike amidst what can only be described as a tragically horrific scene upon crimson sands.

Regardless of how much damage is done by the initial salvo, as she reforms into the shape of a woman, the assault continues in simple, thoughtless harmony, chaotic only in its haphazard execution.

Perhaps the arrival of several mages inspires fear in the ogre, or simply the practicality of a tactical retreat. Regardless, Clotho's stance bleeds clear her conclusion on what must occur.
(Clotho Moira)

A desire to get as far away from Moxtli as possible after a rather heated encounter, the Ookami retreated to the desert to try and find some peace and quiet.

What waited for him there was anything but that.

The sounds of battle reached his ears before too long, curiosity compelled him to seek out the source of this noise. A thunderous crashing sound followed, akin to thunder except considerably louder. Stepping over a dune at a hurried pace, the Ookami's eyes went wide.

The macabre scene that stretched out before him was horrific, bodies that seemed strangely familiar somehow lie strewn across the ground. Twisted and broken in hideous ways.

The ground seemed to have been decimated by an enormous explosion as well, the source of the noise he'd heard no doubt. But one body that lie crumpled amongst the others was immediately recognizable.

"Is that..." he said incredulously, unable to believe his eyes. "Asura?!"

They'd just been together, talking pleasantly about future plans a few mere hours ago. And now this had happened? Rage swelled in Vendrick's breast, but Clotho and the others were already busy with trying to force the ogre back.

So the Ookami would try to hurry towards his employer instead, intent on gauging their status for himself if he was able to.
(Vendrick)

What would an Ogre taste like? He wonders, briefly, that inconsequential thing.

There's a necessary pause whilst Lonan inhale, blank hues darting about endlessly to lock onto something he could never truly see. An ear twitches. His nose shifts with every huff, bringing clarity through smell - through sound, and understanding to the madness that surrounded.

Intoxicating.

Luminous blue sprouts from the confine of his form. Blazing, blistering energy, surging and soaring ever higher, as if spurred and motivated to further heights - to violence, his tendencies given a field with which he may now engage them to their fullest. Semblance of earlier, jokester-esque demeanor fade -

His senses run amok. He couldn't hope to understand - he could only feel, and feel, he did. The anguish. The pain. The scent of iron, pungent, deeming it fit to taint the air around - to permeate, and seize the lands, spelling the end of what once bore sentience and definition - lives, and meaning, well and far beyond.

Ready, and alert, he stood - fingers furling and unfurling around the gloves that contained them, stifling perpetual motion - definition, evermore. Laughter - low, rumbling, at first, begins to clamber from his throat in rolling waves -

A deep breath.

He's off. Footfall stamps the bloodied sand with indifference, the hunt starting with a bang. Bullet-esque in motion, he sought to crash down - to decimate - to partake in the madness, and bring about the vicious end of this purple monstrosity that harmed one of their dear, humble customers - a non-magi, at that. Honorless. Prideless.

"HAND IT OVER -" he bellows, shouting out unto the beast words of maniacal definition.

Hand what over?

"YOUR HEAD!"

Oh.

Could he catch up to the Ogre, though, with his late arrival - that, and the countless corpses he'd have to trounce upon to cross the distance between them?
(Lonan)

The Ogre looks around at the carnage it inflicted. The scene is a blood bath, a veritable graveyard waiting to happen. It's blood pulses hard through it's temples, it's vision only seeing red from the furious battle that just took place.

Rearing it's head back, the Ogre bellows and roars another challenge to the very heavens, as if daring uncaring deities to challenge it.

Whether divine intervention, or merely the whims of fate, the response comes in the form of Clotho, seeking to assault the creature.

The Ogre sniffs the air, twisting it's head this way and that. It was outmatched, and worse, it had expended a lot of energy dealing with the first insect, and then the army that had come against it.

Taking only scratches from Clotho's attack, the Ogre begins to run towards west. Then it turns into a sprint. And then the creature crouches, skidding across the sand. A shockwave comes from the creature feet, leaving large gouges across it's launch point as it leaps through the air in an arc, seeking escape from those now arriving to the aftermath.
(Tagnar)

There's a light pause as he watches Lonan try to chase the Ogre, now. There's a light pause before he reaches for Leon's arm.

"Well, it wouldn't be like old times if I didn't abandon him here to get hurt on his own," he shrugged lightly. "Let's leave. There's enough people here already! Ahaha!"

He drags the Ebner away unless stopped.
(Naren)

Lonan is outsped. He returns, not too long after, gazing about -

". . ."

He inhales - sharply, at that.

"Where the FUCK did they go?"
(Lonan)

The ringing...
It overwhelmed everything...
Asura's lips moved, but he couldn't hear anything but a murmur.

Just kept mouthing off names...
Names of his employees...
Names of his soldiers...
Names of his comrades...
Names of his friends...

--but no one came...

The light above shined with so much exposure that it hurt to keep his eyes open, but he dared not close them beyond his wince. He was afraid of what lurked in that darkness behind his lids, his body aching in such a way he hadn't even explored before.

His head palpitated harder than his limber heart in the moment... Was the ogre still around? Was Danial okay? Was he alive? Where were the other members of the MDF? Why didn't any of them come to his aid?

Why couldn't he hear?
The air tasted metallic... No, that was something else.
Tears welled in the man's eyes, all whilst he violentlytrembled, body writhing in an agony that no man should've known, yet it was far from its worst. He managed to crane his head, just upright enough to see strides of vermillion...
Stains of crimson glazed the sands... The Nomont-brand battlesuits remained half-sunken within them, but otherwise, not much else aside from a massive crater...

A limp arm protruded from the sands... A subtle breeze passing it by urged no stimulating response from it.
That was all Asura needed to see, to finally bring enough weight to the tear twinkling at his eye...

Alas, his eyes closed, teeth winced and he turned for the skies for a wail that'd finally break the silence.
One of pain...
One of sorrow...
One of descent... For a nonmagus' loss would always be greater than any magi's.

This... Was the aftermath, the magically inclined...
This... Was what magic, 'gifted' his people...

What a world he was 'blessed' to live within.

(Asura Nomont)

Lonan gazes back unto Asura, before peeling his attention away and unto the sands ahead.

He stomps off, grumbling incessantly.

He could not help this man - not in any form. This loss was his to bare, and Lonan? Lonan could never lift that burden.
(Lonan)