In the jungle, the mighty jungle...

[lucetimods]

Who: All Draftees
What: Final day of the draft
When: June 6th, Monday
Where: The Jungle!
Summary: Things just went from bad to worse.
Rating: Could get bloody!

On the final day of the draft, the rain will kick in early in the morning. Unfortunately it only seems to get thicker and doesn't stop as the day presses on. In spite of the horrid conditions, the Third Party doesn't seem deterred. Their own Shifting is enough to provide personal canopies to keep the rain off them. Far more Elites have joined the battle and a whole new wave of soldiers seems to have entered the battle. Despite three days of nonstop fighting, their forces seems to be just as strong, if not more so by the horrid conditions. The constant rain, overflowing rivers and streams, and muddy waters is no deterrent for the Third Party, not even in flight.

Save for some brief periods where the rain lets up, it will continue like this until midnight, at which point the Malnosso will warp them all back to Luceti, even in the middle of fighting. After all, there's no point leaving them to a battle where the conditions continue to stack against them.

(From this post: During the last day, some of the Third Party will be converging around the base and take advantage of the weather to attempt a full assault. Traps will be sprung, mines will go off, and much chaos will be had. Things will be dank, miserable, and horrid out there, but they aren't going to be sitting ducks out there.)

Comments

[wise_maiden]

They should have extra supplies in the tent area. [She's not certain about scrolls, but Winry did take a lot of extra healing items for the medical tent. She heads closer to it as well, though keeps an eye out in case they get attacked again.] If they haven't been used already.

[chikaidestroyer]

Then resupply and ensure you have enough. [There is the briefest pause.] Especially if you are using such strong spells. [A pointed comment about that spell he had seen. But the usual edge is not there, blunted by weariness.]

[wise_maiden]

I understand. [Reminders as always. But it's welcome, in a situation like this. She ducks inside the tent, waiting for him to follow.]

What are you planning to do now? That soldier won't be the last to rush this area.

[chikaidestroyer]

[He enters the tent after her, but keeps his attention trained towards the entrance.]

Keep moving within the inner camp. Staying still and hiding in all of this is counterproductive with our numbers.

[But there were some noncombatants who could only do that. The real reason was the risk of drawing Shift Hunters to this location with his presence.]

[wise_maiden]

[Thankfully these supplies are still dry. She opens one of the nearby boxes, carefully filling her bag back up, and grabbing a melange gel for herself, at that.]

Most of our numbers seem to be scattered as it is. You'll be moving alone?

[chikaidestroyer]

For now. [He glances back at her.] Until I find suitable cover. [Perhaps further into the actual structures of the ruins.]

[wise_maiden]

[She quietly eats the gel for a moment as he responds, waiting for the effect to kick in. Unsurprising, and yet... her gaze moves back toward him, and then to the weapon in his hand.]

You're being hunted.

[chikaidestroyer]

[His frown deepens. Hunted? Possibly. It had a different connotation than simply drawing the attention of the Shift Hunters.] I have already had a run-in with one of those beasts. [...More like several of them.] I would rather not attract them to where we are keeping supplies and noncombatants.

[wise_maiden]

Understandable. They're not easy to deal with. [She frowns a little.] You'll be able to wield that?

[chikaidestroyer]

[He glances down at the sword he's still holding. It's not the best quality, like the other regular soldiers' weapons, and it's obvious he doesn't hold weapons often.] ...It's better than a knife.

[wise_maiden]

I suppose given the situation, beggars can't be choosers. [She glances back towards the tent opening.]

[chikaidestroyer]

[He nods grimly, adjusting his pack and hood with his free hand.] And what about yourself? Where are you going?

[wise_maiden]

There are likely to be more injured out there in these conditions. I know I won't be able to locate all of them, but I should do my best.

[chikaidestroyer]

Then I suppose I will see you later. [If nothing happened before they were pulled out.]

[wise_maiden]

... Don't go further away than necessary, if I need to return the favor.

[chikaidestroyer]

[He's silent again, watching the way the wind and rain pulverize the far-off trees.]

I'm not going anywhere you cannot follow.

[With one last look, he ducks through the tent entrance and heads back outside.]

[wise_maiden]

[Raine lifts her gaze to meet his, watching as he vanishes into the storm.

For a brief moment she's left alone, but it's not wasted. She can feel the gel taking effect, a sudden boon of replenished energy. It's needed. Her supplies are intact, staff in hand.

And then she follows, ducking through the tent entrance back into the pressing gloom and moving after him. In a situation like this there were no sureties... and he didn't say she couldn't follow.]

[chikaidestroyer]

[He doesn't get very far away from the tent before he looks in the direction of the battlefield again. More soldiers, some being struck down from the sky and others descending. There had to be more on foot, blocked from his sight.

His expression tenses as he sees better-armed soldiers among those descending.]

...Elites.

[wise_maiden]

[The difference a few moments could make on a battlefield. She frowns as she turns her gaze in that direction as well. Higher ranks...]

The rain doesn't seem to be touching them before they land.

[chikaidestroyer]

Clever usage of Shifting, no doubt. [He could already imagine what would be necessary to do that.] ...But if there are Elites present, they likely do not expect to bring Shifters in to neutralize our weapons.

[But the Elites would draw the attention of the others, allowing for more instances of class C soldiers and Shift Hunters to make their way further in. Albert moves along using a low ruined wall for protection. Further away from the medical camp.]

[wise_maiden]

[She follows him along the wall, glancing back behind her as they keep moving forward. The ground is still littered with a few broken pillars.]

There hasn't been one in the area yet, as far as I've been able to tell.

[chikaidestroyer]

[He nods.] They have to be wary, with no cover as they cross towards the base. Perhaps they have--

[He stops speaking as a creaking pillar, already damaged greatly by all of the fighting, collapses in the continued rough weather. There's an audible snarling sound beyond the wall in reaction, as if they were not the only ones in the vicinity to see the pillar fall.]

[wise_maiden]

[The collapse of the pillar is startling. Thankfully they weren't close enough to be caught up in the rubble, but part of the wall itself shook from the impact, some of it crumbling from the blow. And those sounds, from the other side...]

We need to move.

[chikaidestroyer]

[Their options are limited. Heading back would lead anything back to the medical tent, and then there was the wall on one side. He backs away from the wall, looking around quickly. He was fairly familiar with the ruins the base had been built upon, so he at least knew where openings were.]

Back this way.

[Wet, uneven stairs led to an entrance into one of the large, ruined structures. He looks over his shoulder at Raine as he begins climbing.]

[wise_maiden]

[Not having spent that much time around the base itself save to rest and regroup supplies before heading back out with the other forces, Raine didn't have an opportunity to examine the surrounding area of it. For the moment, at least, she's too concerned with monitoring their safety for it to register just what kind of structure they're heading into. Keeping balance on those uneven stairs is another priority, especially when moving quickly.

She stumbles, once, as a flash of lightning illuminates the structure for a moment, and just how worn down it is--and fascinating--though that glow in her eyes is brief. Now is not the time.]

Keep going. I'm right behind you.