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Sojaveña Wilds Twilight Quarry

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Nova stepped to Mhynt's side. "But if you think like that, won't you just feed into the shadows that are already there?" He leaned over. "He had... a reaction to the message, I think. If you go back and you're full of doubt that there's anything left, he might pick that up. Whatever small fire is still resisting will die out. And then we might not be able to pierce through the shadows."

He lifted his head up, blinking slowly. "Those were... definitely sentences. ᴳᵒᵈ, ᴵ ᶠᵉᵉˡ ˡᶦᵏᵉ ᵒⁿᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵒˢᵉ ᶜᵒᵐᶦᶜ ᵇᵒᵒᵏ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵃᵍᵒⁿᶦˢᵗˢ ᵗᵃˡᵏᶦⁿᵍ ᵃᵇᵒᵘᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖᵒʷᵉʳ ᵒᶠ ᶠʳᶦᵉⁿᵈˢʰᶦᵖ."
 
"...A self-fulfilling prophecy either way, is what you're saying," Mhynt said with a dark chuckle.

"...Right. We... we do have to figure it out anyway. We had some ideas, didn't we? Just because the... magnitude of how bad it is has changed, doesn't change what we can actually try. And we already know when Alexander might leave.

"We have two days." She stood up, more assertive. Her voice trembled, but her body pressed onward anyway. The terror was clear in her eyes, but she wasn't collapsing. Maybe that was the best she could manage.

"I'm going to gather the resources we can," she said. "I'll ask for any help in Frontier Town. If any of you can think of someone else--that relic, even... that Mewtwo--fine. But I'll try to get local help first. I'm sure they have a lot of interest in clearing up that Quarry anyway."
 
"What do you suppose are the odds one of those grouchy birds you guys dealt with would be willing to get involved?"

Nova paused for a few seconds. "Ooooon second thought, from the sound of 'em, they'd just be fodder for the shadows."
 
"Whoever we bring with us would need to be able to withstand that darkness. If they can't, Alexander could easily transform them into another servant... And we've already seen Moltres Shadow organically. That's certainly off the table." Mhynt nodded. "...I'm not sure about Giovanni. Isn't he evil? But... something about that brand of evil... I'm unsure if Alexander can affect him. But he may also not want to get involved directly, either."
 
Dave squinted at Mhynt. "...Why would we want to involve a guy who is known to already be evil?" Mewtwo was the guy who was supposedly some criminal organization boss from another universe, right? But was supposedly here just to learn about the 'power of friendship'? "I don't know, what about Luz or Sierra? Or Akela, if she ever sees fit to actually do anything. And whichever Wayfarers are around, I guess."
 
"He's—" Nova stopped himself, sighing. "His demeanor sucks, but he's basically a space cop. And this iiiiiis kinda an interdimensional issue. So, uh, he might be able to offer some assistance. He did show up to help at the very end when that swarm of void shadows chased the team home."
 
Mhynt nodded. "I guess that would have to do," she said. "If that's the case... let's go. We should rest, and then not waste any time after. If you're all ready..."

She stepped off the rock and started for town again. What they'd seen was far more than Mhynt was prepared for... but with her allies by her side, she still stood tall. The Grovyle was ready to take on Alexander's forces, one way or the other...

<><><>​
 
[Ch06] The Usurper King's Darkness ~ Part 3: Call to the Void
  • Threadmarks
    • It was time to strike. A small group of Wayfarers gathered together and marched into Twilight Quarry after confirming--as well as they could--that Alexander had left. It was just as the Void chef had said... He was off doing errands. Now it was time to take out his prized troop--another Wayfarer. One way or the other, the goal was to make it so Owen would no longer be in Alexander's clutches. That could be by rescuing him... or, if they had to, killing him.

    Mhynt was not sure which one it would be.

    "One last check," Mhynt said as they walked through the Quarry. The red miasma choked the morning sun's light. Everything was dim. But they knew the way.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Nova had accepted the protection ward Sybil could offer from the Relic Fragmented and suggested the others do likewise. It, at the very least, settled his nerves a bit. His Fire Memory was slotted in, mainly to deal with a possible torrent of flames. It gave him no ESP, of course, but he was still swiveling his head around, trying to see if the paths diverged and, perhaps, if any would have fewer wraiths looking to block their progress. The memories of the fight on the outskirts were still fresh. He wasn't exactly built to counter the swarms' attempt at stalling movement.

    ... He really hoped the others would be able to help him pick up the slack. "Everyone should take an ultra ball to use on Owen," he whispered, offering his satchel.
     
    So, that was it. The time to dive into the dragons’ jaws to rescue some guy who Silver knew only through tales of copious bloodshed, near death ambushes and despairing darkness.

    Yeah, that whole rescue mission had all the marks of a great and promising start, no doubt!

    Holding the bag with his supplies closely, Silver turned his head to glance back, his eyes squinting as he tried to see beyond the now-nebulous entrance… to no avail. With a scoff, he looked forward once again and glared at his surroundings, inwardly hoping that Red could keep track of the group and bail them out if matters got too messy and complicated.

    Silver nodded at Nova and swiped an Ultra Ball, then took a few steps back to let the others get their share. Holding the ball in his paw, he gazed sideway at Koa and grinned, perhaps as an attempt to cool down his own building unease.

    “Heh. Sounds like we gotta do what Trainers gotta do,” he quipped whisperingly, drumming his claws on the Ultra Ball. “We’re kinda like a group of Rangers tasked to tame a rampaging Pokémon, y’know? Just with some extra Distortion World-like nightmare fuel as a not-so-fun bonus!”

    Despite his bold claim, it was obvious from his twitching ears and tail-feathers that he was on high alert, readying himself for… well, for hell to break loose in a heartbeat or something.
     
    The ultra ball fit anything but snugly in her tiny paw, but thankfully weighed very little. Astrid tossed and flipped it, threw it up once, caught it where its only button wasn't... and finally passed it along to one of her tails. Much better. She'd have a chance of throwing it more than three feet this way.

    "Thanks," Astrid said, lingering on the ball for a moment longer before glancing Nova's way and giving him a nod. As she did a quick headcount from the group's flank and continued along the familiar path, she muttered under her breath, "Radiance offense, Shadows defense... Radiance offense, Shadows..."
     
    Koa took an ultra ba, tucking it into his jacket, and grinned back at Silver. "Just like back home," he said casually. Aside from the shadow dungeon void Charizard thing bit. But he could handle this.

    He'd heard from the others the state Owen was in now, and he was not looking forward to confronting him. At least having another friend on this mission made things a little less harrowing. A little.

    Plus he had a few tricks he'd been practicing to try and use.
     
    Mhynt awkwardly cleared her throat.

    "...Can someone explain to me how those work?" she asked, pointing at the Ultra Ball that Astrid had experimentally tossed.

    "I've... never seen one in action before, or, using one myself. Our world didn't have those. Or if they did, I never happened upon them..."

    She took her own and looked at it like it was a foreign candy.

    "Is it really as simple as a toss?"

    She kept her voice low. They were getting very close to the pit. They knew the layout... They had to decide how to set themselves up.
     
    "You have to weaken or KO the foe for them to really work," Nova whispered back. "But, yeah, you toss it with intent. I dunno why these things can tell you aim to catch a target. Maybe it's an aura thing."

    He scanned the pit intently, looking for any signs of the void shadows within. Would they concentrate? Evenly spread themselves out? Was there a vulnerable spot in this darkness?
     
    "I see." Mhynt nodded. "I'll... throw with intent, then." She eyed the landscape with Nova...

    It seemed that upon entering the quarry's main area, the wraiths were stationed at the corners. They knew they'd expand once alerted, but so far, they were stealthy. Once they started fighting, that was going to change...

    "Okay. Let's get into position... Remember, we aren't here to defeat them. They're infinite. We're here to extract Owen... or... remove him."
     
    "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Nova whispered. It seemed like, between the ways the void shadows were moving and Owen's struggle to keep pace when the team swarmed him from different paths last time... they might not be staying grouped up. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but if you keep dwelling on that latter option... the dungeon's gonna seize on it."
     
    Mhynt closed her eyes a little tighter this time. "Right. Thank you," she murmured. "We'll be fine. I'm sure... we can find a way to make this work." She crouched, getting into position.

    The team quickly shuffled into their planned spots. This was where their plans would end and a dynamic battle would begin. They'd learn Owen's capabilities, think about their exit strategies, and... hopefully, it would work out in the end.

    "...Go," Mhynt whispered, and they were off.

    The Void Charizard in the center of the pit suddenly jerked up, having been prowling aimlessly at the bottom. But they'd entered his Perceive range.

    "Owen!" Mhynt shouted. "Wake up! It's us! We're here to get you out!"

    It was a feeble effort, but it was still worth a shot.

    But for now, the call only angered him. With a mindless roar, Owen tilted his head skyward and began charging for an attack. He blasted Mhynt with a solid ball of black flames. She Teleported away at the last second. Where she'd been, a smoldering crater of molten Void ash remained. Up close, it was staggering how huge Owen had become--at least double what Mhynt would expect from a Charizard, as if he was bloated with Shadow corrosion and then carved by Alexander to the perfect weapon...

    They had to free him.

    It was time to fight. The frenzied wraiths poured from the edges of the quarry...

    Puppet of Shadows
    Wayfarer ~ Void Charizard​

    Owen's Perceive+ is active!

    User gains an innate +6 Eva and Sure Hit for all attacks. The user may freely hold a Protect action for a predicted circumstance. If the circumstance never happens, the action is wasted. The first non-Boss mundane attack the user performs each turn is Critical. Overwhelming the senses may weaken or reverse this ability...
    Click to expand...
     
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    There were already void shadows close at hand. And Owen's power was... concerning. He was totally going to use range attacks, right? Nova's aura wasn't well geared toward shielding those. But still... Mhynt was throwing herself in the line of fire like that. So, Nova had to, too.

    He kept low to the ground, waiting for the others to make their move. And once they did, he would plunge into the darkest pit to come face to face with this giant nightmare charizard daemon.

    "C'mon, Owen!" Nova shouted. Iron Defense braced his muscles and he drew on that weird, aggravating part of his aura to trigger Follow Me. "Don't tell me you let these shadows consume you. I thought you were better than that!"

    He jerked his head over his shoulder, as if trying to provoke Owen to give chase, then retreated out of the pit.

    Nova (130 STM, 5 TMP, +1 SPD, +0 ACC, 0 SHD, 0 RAD)
    - Walk to Pit
    - Iron Defense (-13.5 STM, +2 TMP)
    - Follow Me (-16 STM, +2 TMP) [2 layers]
    - Follow Me (-12 STM, +2 TMP) [3rd layer]
    - Rebellious Soul (-30 STM, +2 TMP) [Apply Heal Block, reduce tempo cost for crit Multi-Attack]
    - **Act:** Dash to NE Descent (-2 TMP)
    Net change: -68 STM, +6 TMP, +0 SHD, +0 RAD
    Net totals: 62 STM (94 after regen), 11 TMP, 0 SHD, 0 RAD
     
    Dave took his place on a ring of rocky outcroppings halfway down the pit and waited. The red Shadow miasma was thick and suffocating in his lungs, only thickening as they descended.

    And then Owen rose up, his huge, nightmarish form bloated grotesquely with power. Dave's insides twisted, his shoulder stinging, as he tried to pull out that iron willpower from his aura. It wasn't working.

    "Fuck it," he snarled, and before he could think too hard about it he was flying down the side of the pit, preparing a feint with Rock Smash and sparks flying around his teeth. His training with the Escarpa, new combat gear and and attuning of new perks had paid off; his feet moved effortlessly, practically gliding down the slope, ready to leap all the way back up.

    He was going to say something, tell Owen they were going to get him out of here. His mouth was dry and didn't move. He couldn't take his eyes off the blank eyes of the massive Charizard and the wisps of Shadowy flames coming off him and the burning in his shoulder.

    "Fuck!" he snarled again, redoubling his speed. This ball was unlikely to contain him - but at least it'd throw him off a bit.

    Dave (160 STM, 5 TMP, +1 SPD, +1 ACC, 0 SHD, 0 RAD)
    - Hone Claws (-18 STM, +2 TMP)
    - Dash to Pit (-2 TMP)
    - AGILE Rock Smash @ Void Owen (-16.5 STM, +4 TMP)
    - Rock Smash @ Void Owen (-11 STM, +4 TMP)
    - Thunder Fang @ Void Owen (ACTIVATE: effect, Hex Adept) (-16 STM, -7 TMP, +3 TMP) [Paralyze Owen]
    - **Act:** Item (Cacnea Spike) @ Void Owen [Capture Owen]
    - Walk to SE Descent
    Net change: -58 STM, +4 TMP, +0 SHD, +0 RAD
    Net totals: 102 STM (150 after regen), 9 TMP, 0 SHD, 0 RAD
     
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    "I'll try to... pffpht--clear a path!" Astrid snarled. The screeching and tearing of element on shadowy miasma struggled against the deafening thrumming of countless bodies moving in anything but unison. Rare windows formed between them that gave her line of sight to the pit, where Owen maneuvered, his focus not yet on her...

    And then she found Mhynt.

    We might need a distraction later, Astrid projected to her. Might need you to... appeal to him, if we break through far enough. Um, so be ready if you can.

    Astrid (144 STM, 5 TMP, +2 SPD, +0 ACC, 0 SHD, 0 RAD)
    - Receive (Helping Hand) [and +2 Mag]
    - **Act:** RADIANT Focus (+5 TMP)
    - RADIANT Soul Rocket @ SE Swarm (ACTIVATE: effect) (-30 STM, -5 TMP, +2 TMP, +30 RAD) [+1 Mag; strikes twice]
    - **Act:** Dash to E Edge (-2 TMP)
    - Dash to NE Edge (-2 TMP)
    - AGILE CRITICAL Frost Breath @ NE Swarm (-15 STM, -2 TMP, +2 TMP)
    - CRITICAL Frost Breath @ NE Swarm (ACTIVATE: Sure Hit) (-10 STM, +2 TMP)
    - Activate feat (Spotter Feat) @ Swarm [Def and Res]
    Net change: -49 STM, +0 TMP, +0 SHD, +30 RAD
    Net totals: 95 STM (131 after regen), 5 TMP, 0 SHD, 30 RAD
    1. Nova
    2. Dave
    3. Grace
    4. Astrid
    5. Silver
     
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