Zompania Draft - Draftees and Reinforcements, mid-day 4-early 7

[lucetimods]

Who: Draftees and Volunteers
What: The draftees and the reinforcements must hold against the Third Party army until rescue arrives
When: From May 23 through the wee hours of May 26 (days 4-7)
Where: Zompania
Summary: Draftee information and Volunteer information
Rating: Varies on thread, please mark explicit material.

This post is for the rest of the draft, beginning when the volunteer reinforcements arrive. Look up in the sky--your friends are parajumping in! Be sure to use the above info post for any plotting needs you might have. Enjoy!

Be sure to tag this post appropriately: [canon] character name

Comments

[ahappylie]

[A wall of fire separated his group from the reinforcements that could have spelt disaster, and Souji saw a shadow pass overhead. That would be Mars, running around to either help him finish the remaining cultists off or to haul him out of this place. He'd been banking on there being boxes here, enough for him to climb up onto the bodies and from there to the rooftops, but those boxes had been crushed when he'd arrived. He wanted to think it was simply a coincidence, but it was also possible that the cultists had fed him into this alley specifically to take him out. He'd never know since he wasn't about to take prisoners.

The heat lessened and Souji pushed the dead body he'd used as a shield away from him, flicking blood from his sword. There were only a handful left and he'd have no problem with fighting in this narrow space against so few as long as none of them had powers of their own. In case they did, he'd have to keep them surprised and take them out swiftly - and he knew how to do that.

He snatched the dead cultist's body as it fell, grabbing it by the hair and then cleaved the head from its neck. He turned and lobbed the thing at the remaining foes, knowing it was disrespectful, but also knowing he had only a few opportunities to get out of here alive. As the others scrambled to either catch or avoid the grisly projectile, Souji dashed forward and brought his sword against the first in the line.]

[faithfulflame]

[Mars doesn't notice the macabre missile, instead focusing solely on picking out targets and trying to find a way to help. He can't jump that high, and she can't help him fly...but maybe...Reaching out with her senses, she tries something she's been struggling with for a long time. A prayer, a desperate one, to Faerin. The spirit of Earth isn't one of her dominant elements, and she's had limited success at getting him to work with some of the other magic she'd learned...but maybe, just maybe...he'll relent and help.

She focuses on the prayer, lips moving while Souji starts his offensive, lost in the throes of spellcasting.]

[ahappylie]

[It was harder to get into the bloodlust when he was fighting for his own life. When he had someone to defend, an objective to achieve, or orders to follow, it was almost scary how easily he let himself slip away. Now, however, as he twisted the short knife from his side into the cultist's belly, he found himself far too alert and aware of everything around him. He wanted to see these people as nothing more than objects in his way, but he couldn't break into the mindset.

He must be tired, he decided.

The cultist had a slash across his chest, but this stomach wound would be the one to end him. Souji pushed the man away and pulled the wakizashi out, spinning to send it sailing at another soldier's head. If he missed, it'd just embed itself into the wall of bodies and he could recover it later. He couldn't see what Mars was doing from down here, but he trusted her. The wall of fire, at least, kept the numbers manageable for now.]

[faithfulflame]

[His trust isn't misplaced, and nor is her faith unrewarded. The ground beneath Souji begins to rumble and shake as the spell takes hold. Roots of magic spread out underneath him, forming a spiderweb of cracks in the bloodstained earth...and a stunted stone tree begins to rise from below. Cultists gasp in surprise as it rises, up and up, not all the way to the roof but close enough that he should be able to climb out if he hurries.

And behind him, Mars lets out a gasp, a little cry of sudden pain. The spell is far, far too much for her to hold indefinitely. Helios had warned her about using too much at once, and such a thing from so far outside her affinity was definitely a strain. Blood trickles down her nose, but she does call out.]

Hurry! I can't hold it much longer, and it'll crumble soon.

[ahappylie]

[His short sword had found its mark and Souji grabbed it, twisting it as he shoved it deeper. The cultist stopped moving as the inside of his head was pulverized with the movement and--

Suddenly the ground shook underneath him and shot up, pushing him to his knees as he lost his balance. Souji almost jumped free until he realized this wasn't the cultists' doing. They were just as shocked as he when he nearly grew to the height of the building.

Mars cried out and Souji spun, hearing her warning as well as the plea to move quickly. He stashed his weapons and pushed off, leaping for the edge of the building and barely making it. Hauling himself up by aching arms, he rolled onto the rooftop and nodded to the woman on the other side.]

You've done enough! Retreat and I'll take whoever follows.

[faithfulflame]

[The stone tree cracks and falls, crumbling as he leaps free and sending up a shower of dust and stone shards. Wiping her news, Mars shakes her head and offers up one last spell, straining to do so. The wall of flame peaks, washing down into the alley and incinerating any potential pursuers. Some might have gotten away beyond the wall, but the alleyway was a firestorm now.]

Run! This way!

[She's already moving across the rooftop towards the west, a little hideout she'd found.]