Emily Kattelya's Story

Still flaunting her victory, Kinoha did not realize her predicament until she saw one laser fall on her. Then a second one.

"What? This can't be good. What's happening?"

She turned to look up at where the lasers were coming from, gritting her teeth as her eyes widened with shock. Almost immediately, she had to steel herself against the force that was now lifting small debris off the ground, holding her arms slightly above her in a shielding manner. "Ahh! This is intense! What are they doing?!"

Then it happened. She gasped as she realized what was occurring, noticing a massive beam of energy shot from the sky that was coming down on her location. Shrouded with its energy as the beam began to consume her form, she put her hands in front of herself, intending on trying to block them, her form absorbing the latent energy radiating from the beam as she used her own intense power to hold the beam back.

"Nngh! AHHHHHHHH!"

A short struggle occurred as Kinoha began sinking into the ground from the pressure, breaking the asphalt with the forces at play. Slowly however, she began winning, resisting the beam as she struggled to keep it under control as if to deflect it. As she started powering up again, ready to fire her own energy into it to push it back into the Remembrance of Truth, she felt the massive additional force of the second beam joining the first, and was absorbed fully into the beam as her own blocking failed her, Kinoha unable to keep up with the energy she was expending given the form's limitations.

"No way... This force! How? Human weapons were never this advanced! No fair cheating! Auuuuugh!"

What was heard then was a loud scream, possibly of fear and terror, as Kinoha disappeared from sight, the beams fully encompassing her location as the crater was made with great force. Her body twisted into inhuman angles as it began dissolving, her flesh being warped in a myriad of of ways that were no doubt painful as her screams continued. It was around this time when a bright glow consumed her form while within the beam as her whole being began to split into two lumpy masses of flesh that were indescribable, flesh masses that seemed to constantly absorb and spawn themselves over and over again with various appendages: eyes, mouths, arms, and even legs, as they slowly disintegrated within the wrath of the beams.

When the light show was all was said and done, only the crater remained. Kinoko lay at the bottom unconscious, her armor broken in varying ways as the fleshy substance left her form, her arms and legs returning to a normal state. Hana was nowhere to be seen, though pink pieces of...something...were strewn everywhere throughout the local area, still quivering and jiggling like gelatin snacks, with many of them reverting to their normal pink color as the fleshy substance melted off of them. The pieces strewn about everywhere were likely more numerous than the robots were, and it was impossible to tell if all of them were still in the impact zone.

Atop a nearby building, now thoroughly damaged, stood a woman dressed in an archbishop's attire, her hands were placed together before her as though she was about to start praying. Her eyes were closed as well, and a staff was hovering beside her. "Those two are foolish. I provided them with shelter and training, and they yet disregard my warnings. Very well. I'll make sure I extract them from here if they can't do so of their own power. Though they may be stupid, no one hurts my students without my say so."

As the Remembrance of Truth began charging it's weapon, Ayanna paused in mid combat to look up even as the telepathic communication reached her. She smiled and then shouted orders out to the Paladins, who retreated to a safe distance. Her remaining warriors she called to her, and they arranged themselves in a circle around her, towards the edge of the blasts epicenter.

Then she whipped out her hand with the gauntlet, and as it shifted into a bow once more she pulled an arrow from the quiver. She sang a slew of words before firing, and the arrow soared through the air towards Lillith. It passed Lucifer, a halo of energy crackling around it, and then passed Lillith by several feet. Moments before, when Ayanna had released the arrow, she called out to her warriors saying "Be ready to pounce!" Before slamming a hand into the ground and casting a very simple spell, and as a circle of magic enveloped her position, a similiar crackling halo of energy formed around her.

By this time, the beams had begun firing and burning into the enemy. With little time left to lose, Ayanna's spell was cast, and the position of the arrow and her body were swapped. Now in the air, a couple feet from Lillith, Ayanna spread out and grabbed at the machine. If she was successful she would then take her fist and strike with every bit of force she could muster into the machine's side. The force of impact would be so great, it would shatter her own reinforced bones. An impact equal to a fright train focused into a single strike. She would then follow up this attack by wrapping her body around the Lillith, as the same halo of energy fizzed around her. As it crackled to life, Ayanna would look up at Lillith and smile. "C'mon Sweetheart, don't want you to miss the fireworks"

With an explosion of energy, the magic would reactivate. Ayanna, and by close proximity Lillith, would be swapped with the arrow, positioning both of them at the outer edge of the Space Marine's weapons. The heat from the weapon could be felt, like an inferno of raw power.

Once Ayanna and Lillith had both returned, the five soldiers who had survived combat with Legion leaped upon Lillith, grasping at her and attempting to hold her down even as Ayanna did. And at that moment the weapons fired would explode, carving the crater into the earth. As the blast washed over them, Ayanna smiled at Lillith. "Tough luck, but the people in this dimension won't fall over so easialy."

Ayanna's body, and those of the warriors would disintegrate in the explosion, loosening their grip and creating an opening for Lillith, a split second chance of avoiding complete annihilation through the cannons power.


A distance away, The paladins grouped together. They Raised their staves and chanted in their foreign language before striking the staves in a circle almost a fifty meters in diameter. The heads of each staff opened and ignited into a prismatic flame, and the air inside the circle began to shimmer and glow.

The myriad components of Legion could sense the impending micro-armageddon that was about to befall the street where the battle was taking place and they began to scatter. It would be hard to tell in chaos how many would make their escape, slipping away in the flash of destruction brought on by the battlebarge's guns. Many were visibly destroyed, unable to escape the full breadth of the beams' blasts.

Lilith felt as though her escape was assured until suddenly her vision blurred and fuzzed out with static and her systems locked up, rendering her unaware of much of Ayanna's attack against her until her systems restored themselves. A moment later she found herself back on the ground with an orbital weapon bearing down on her. A distorted electronic scream escaped her as the soldiers piled on in an attempt to restrain her. As her systems rebooted one arm would manage enough motion to toss a soldier like a ragdoll, or if he refused to relinquish his grip his head would be driven into the pavement.

Then the blast hit her, she could feel some systems sparking and frying in the wake of the energy wave before her armor began to melt. As the bodies trapping her were vaporized she launched herself clear in a more desperate bid for escape. Her head tentacle was severed, melted to slag even as she cleared the blast radius, using the last of her reserve energy to bat Lucifer aside with her good arm, the one that wasn't half melted and softened by the intense heat.

The red machine tumbled through the sky, smashing through the upper stories of another building, one outside the blast radius of the marines' devastating weapon. He did not rise again to pursue her as she fled the scene, leaving him to whatever fate these organics had in store for him.

Once the orbital strike cleared the demon and most of the machines, the Initiates slowly advanced elimininating any last survivors. Renalus, the Librarian and the retinue of Sword Brethran examined the crater where Kinoha was and noticed something off right away. The demon was no where to be seen which would have made sense for him, however what remained in its place was Kinoko and bits of pink substance scattered around the crater. "What is going on here? First we encounter a strange demon and now that woman takes its place along with some strange pink goo. Whatever the case, Librarian, destroy this pink goo. I will eliminate that woman." Renalus spoke as he drew his sword.

As Renalus climbed descended into the crater the Librarian began to tap into the warp and cast Smite which caused his hand to summon psychic lighting on the remaining blobs, vaporizing them to make sure no taint was left. Being religious they feared the pink blobs were bits of the demon, and that it would begin corrupting the planet.

Renalus soon arrived at the bottom of the crater to where Kinoko lay and slowly walked up to her sword ready to strike. [b]"You have faught well as a warrior, but to be fused to a demon...I pity you. I will end your life with this sword, be honoured to be beaten by the marshal of the Black Templars." He spoke as he raised his sword to deliver a fatal blow if not stopped.

Renalus' Power Blade would be stopped by a woman who appeared in front of him within the crater, a woman who had moved at an almost supernatural and invisible speed. Her eyes and her mouth were missing, but she appeared to be of some kind of religion given her garb. Her right hand was replaced by a perfect replica of Renalus' Storm Shield, which bore a pair of blue eyes with emphasized eyelashes upon it staring back at him with a malicious smile; the mouth, complete with teeth, placed underneath those eyes. Were they hers? They didn't seem affected by the sword she was blocking with them. Her left hand held a staff in its gloved grasp.

"Blessed are those who revere the Unknown Trinity, for they will enjoy the protection of true divinity." The distorted voice apparently emerged from the woman, and not the shield she was perversely copying as some sort of twisted joke. As the Librarian got to work destroying what he could, the pink blobs that escaped such a fate began to pull themselves together into one mass that appeared besides the woman's staff. The mass was then melded into the staff's peculiar spherical crystal before both the staff, and Kinoko, would vanish from sight.

The Circle of Paladins lifted their wings, and from them issued a stream of energy that, when it passed into the circle formed by the staves, coiled upon itself. Each coil of energy burst aflame and in the fires the warrior that had been felled was reformed, fully equipped and prepared for combat. thirty warriors in total reforged, and among them Ayanna Shadowleaf as well. She stepped clear of the circle, her warriors marching behind her, as the group returned to the site of the blast.

Once they had arrived, The warriors were commanded to form up upon the crater lip, forming a perimeter to prevent anything that might have survived from escaping without notice. The paladins also joined this defensive, their staves shifting and opening into bows with arrows of magical energy. Ayanna slipped into the crater, taking position a few feet behind Renalus. She had her sword drawn and warily watched the old woman who stood defending Kinoko

There were no more of the gangly, black machines moving in the craters in the aftermath of the orbital bombardment, most seemed to have been vaporized, the few near the edges had been reduced to molten slag with almost nothing of discernible componentry remaining intact.

A block over, Lucifer extricated himself from an abandoned apartment building and floated back towards the scene of the confrontation. It seemed the others were still there, though there was a new player in the mix, and somehow the strange knights had been restored. At the moment, he wasn't concerned about the details, he was just glad that for the moment the threat to organic life on this world had been halted, and he needed time to restore himself to a fully functional state.

Renalus's sword was stopped by a strange figure. A woman wearing some sort of garb was blocking his sword with an almost exact replica of his storm shield, only instead of the Imperium eagle it was replaced by eyes and a mouth. To him this was almost an insult, and more yet this felt demonic. Soon the body of Kinoko and the pink substance disappeared from sight only leaving this strange woman.

The initiates once done sweeping up the remaining robots quickly made their way to the crater and aimed their weapons at the strange figure, ready to shoot in case something happened. "Explain yourself! I know you are connected to that woman and that pink demon. So what is your intentions here? Speak now or I will destroy every trace of you..." Renalus spoke, he imagined this woman to be a servant of chaos due to her shield and how she had helped their enemies escape.

The woman's hand transformed back to its nornal gloved form as it retreated back to her side, opposite the other. Closing her eyes as they reappeared on her face, along with her mouth, she clasped her hands together before her, as if in a praying motion.

"I am Emily Kattelya, a servant to the Unknown Trinity, the true Gods you should be wary of doing dishonor to. My pupils are off limits from your reckless destruction of life that is not yours."

Her voice was normal now, no longer distorted.

--

Atop the same building that Emily had been watching from, a now reformed Hana (with a gaping hole in her abdomen) extended a hand down to Kinoko. "Kee hee hee, get up lazy bones!"

Taking her hand, Kinoko slowly stood up, glancing at the staff beside them, a green and red energy washing over the pair of warriors. "So, she saved us again. Our teacher... Damn it all! I'm not strong enough!"

Hana patted Kinoko. "Aww, we're fine! We can't beat everything on our own you know!" The staff filled her and Kinoko with renewed energy, allowing them to move around again with a swift healing.

Kinoko looled between her hands, and studied her armor. It was holding up, barely. She took off the remnants of it, revealing a black padding band over her chest that was untouched. The bottom half of her armor, the padded briefs, remained, as did the boots and gauntlets. "So, no armor... That's fine. I'm light as a feather now. Gwah-hee-hah! Hana! Let's get down there again and help Ms. Kattelya out! Those were tough guys!"

--

Both Kinoko and Hana flew off the building to rejoin Emily, landing on both sides of her. Kinoko crossed her arms while Hana placed hers on her hips. Kinoko's new lack of armor was immediately visible, as was the large hole in Hana's abdominal region (her attire was otherwise whole, and she showed no signs of wounding, unlike Kinoko).

Emily spoke further. "I am merely here to ensure their safety as my students. Any harm on them is harm on me, and your complete stand down is recommended if you wish to keep your lives that you defile my presence with."

"Defile your presence? Pardon me, but do you not see your situation?" Ayanna gestured around at the soldiers surrounding them all. "You have no chance here. One of your students was having trouble against that one" She pointed to Renalus. "And at the risk of sounding arrogant, I handled him with ease. That doesn't bode well for you, when you consider that each one of those warriors standing guard around us is just as capable as I am in singular combat." She then gestures to the initiates and sword brothers beyond. "Then you have the troops he brought along for the battle, whom I have no doubt are more than capable fighters themselves." She then points straight up at the sky with her blade. "And all of this without pointing out the fact that ten of my peoples warships, and at least one of his, are standing just above in orbit."

She would lower her blade to point at the three warriors who dared issue offense. "A moment ago you were all but obliterated by his vessels weapon. And, to be frank, that was but a small gale compared to the storm that my people could unleash upon you. So I ask you, only once, to politely and honestly answer this question."

"What hope do the three of you have against all of this?" She said, her stance ever so slightly shifting into combat readiness.

Emily replied to Ayanna's challenge. "Their hope is in me. If you wish to fight us, understand that it is futile. The Unknown Trinity have foretold your loss at my hands in that event."

Kinoko took one step forward, raising her fist. While she looked like she had just been in a scuffle, it looked no worse than that, despite her condition when she was in the crater. She stopped and began speaking with the fist raised. "Ms. Kattelya! I can take them! I'm really feeling it now! They'll learn exactly what I can do!" Hana cheered. "Yay! I'll make 'em all into candy for us too!"

Emily looked back at her students. "You two have done enough. You will stand on the sidelines and rest. If I desire you to fight alongside me, I will let you know." She then turned to look at Ayanna again, with her eyes closed still, her hands moving to her sides as she continued speaking to Kinoko and Hana. "I can fight them, and their little tin cans, all on my own. I will do so while using less than one percent of my true power. Acolytes, you could barely scratch them without resorting to the method I already decreed off limits until desperation, and even that failed you due to your own incompetence. Part of proper training involves a great deal of observation. Watch, listen, and take in what I do. I'll be expecting more of it as we go. The Unknown Trinity, whose Holy House has been your home since you fell astray within this world...they expect no less of any follower with the talents you possess."

With that all said, Kinoko and Hana both acknowledged her and flew back to the staff that was on the roof of a building, waiting there to see what unfolded, though both were ready to defend themselves if they needed to. Hana looked a bit concerned. "Ms. Kattelya! That little power? If me and Kinoko could barely stand up to them, shouldn't you use more?"

Emily smirked. "I have not shown you even a hundredth of what I am capable of, Acolyte. Silence! I will call upon you two if I feel a learning moment is upon us." The woman turned to face Renalus and Lucifer. "The arrogant captain girl dares to oppose the church. Will you two do the same? It is your choice!"

The red machine lowered to the ground with staff in hand, looking somewhat worse for ware and not in the best condition to fight. "It is my purpose to protect humanity, if I must I will fight along side these soldiers." He said, pointing towards Renalus and his men with the anchor like blade of his staff.

"I however see no point in warring with you if you do not intend harm to this world and it's people, unlike my sister." he said, bringing his weapon back to his side. It was not his place to start humanity's wars, only to finish them and ensure that his makers survived, having failed in that once in the universe in which he was created, he resolved not to do so again in this universe.

Renalus was angered at the woman's words, her talk about her God and how she talked down on them like they were little specks of dirt truly angered him. "I don't need to hear your heretical preaching about your false God. And I certainly do not need to listen as you insult our Honor and pride of our chapter. You wish to continue to protect those two so be it, I promise on the grace of the Golden Throne I will see you dead one way or another." He proclaimed before stepping back to speak into his Vox.

"This is Marshal Renalus to The Rememberance Of Truth, call down the remaining 80 battle brothers and charge all orbital batteries. I repeat charge all weapons and call down all battle brothers, I have encountered an opponent who may be more dangerous than the demon we have just faught." Renalus spoke into his Vox and moments later recived a response. "As you wish Marshal, we have also been contacted the the Astral Halberd, belonging to the Blood Ravens first company. We shall ask them to remain on standby until we require their assistance. Over and out." The voice replied.

The Blood Ravens, well it appears that they have been located, however this being a new planet he was certain they would be here for awhile gathering any sort of technology. Renalus soon heard a voice call out and looked at the source to see a lone machine, pointing at him and his men and willing to fight by their side. Whatever was going to happen was not going to be simple, this was going to be a hard fight so he was going to make sure they give it their all for the Emperor. "Dammned Blood Ravens...always grabbing all the technology under everyone's noses, and the one chapter who is the closest to finding the mans to cure the Emperor and the remaining Primarch. Emperor protect us all." He muttered under his breath before holding his storm shield in one hand and power sword in the other just as the drop pods made landing around the area, all of them assault marines.

Ayanna glared at Emily, spinning her sword around and planting it in the earth. She would kneel down and placed one hand over her chest and began chanting in an eldritch tongue. Not moments after, the sounds of several crashes, like those of the drop pods landing, came from cardinal directions around the crater. More spires had landed, and once they became active, streams of legion warriors stormed from the energy conduit and streamed down the lips of the crater.

In addition to the warriors, each of the spires had a pair of lightly clothed individuals step from the energy field. They would set a distance from the spires away from the center of the conflict, and begin channeling energy between them into a spell. As warriors formed up in rank and file behind Ayanna, Renalus, and Lucifer, those warriors that had been present already would rush to join their brethren. The Paladins took flight and repositioned themselves over the battalion of soldiers that had arrived.

Meanwhile in high orbit, the decloaked warship that had appeared near the remembrance of truth was joined by no less than 8 others of equal size to it. In addition, another vessel also decloaked. This one was 30 kilometers in length, and immediately began shifting and changing. Beginning as a triangular Obelisk, the thin end of which was the propulsion, while the thicker end was capped with a golden dome where in the Helm was placed. The three faces of the Obelisk lifted free of the center core and became long wide platforms. Each platform contained docking bays, and each one of those opened, unfurling and making the platform look like a long feather with separated vanes. The Golden dome expanded and floated just above it's housing, the plates that had comprised it now separated yet connected by an energized barrier. The tips of each platform split open into three, and each of these extended outward, arcane energy arcing between the extensions. The core of the obelisk sectioned out and repositioned to the edges of the structure, leaving a hollow space in the center where energy was charged and gathered, before exploding outward in a dull faded pulse. At last, three smaller structures had separated from the ship, and now orbited the dome as three platforms covered with energy barriers. In this way was the Fortress class ship Kukri of the Gale changed from it's mobile warship state to the siege form used to invade worlds or defeat enemies of perilous strength.

The other nine ships, similiar in form to the Kukri of the Gale, were only twenty kilometers in length. They faced the domes of their helms towards the planet, and an arcane circle of power formed in front of each one as it began casting a spell. In the meantime, from each of the smaller vessels, all nine of them, came ten smaller vessels, each only a thousand meters in length. They positioned themselves around each of their parents vessels, as arcane circles formed in front of them as well. From the Kukri of the Gale's landing platforms launched hundreds of thousands of fighter vessels, each one holding the silhouette of a bird of prey. These vessels dove over the sides of their platforms and charged towards the Gatr Field Generator.

Emily opened her eyes upon feeling the extra power being deployed around her, them turning from a friendly blue to a solid and milky black. "I shall play with you for only a short time, to respect this planet we stand on. Your planet threatening numbers and power cannot be allowed to run rampant for free."

--

Atop the building that Kinoko and Hana were standing on now, they glanced down at the crater with concern. "Kinoko! That's a lot of soldiers! Will Ms. Kattelya be okay?" Hana asked. Kinoko replied, "She has to be! She's leagues above us!" Gritting her teeth, Kinoko punched her fist into the roof. "I'll be damned if she loses this! Now let's watch! She may have something for us to learn!"

--

Emily began chuckling. "I'll grant your groups five minutes of playtime at most although I'll likely stay for far less. Let's keep the city intact too, for we can do that much, and the flock I oversee must remain unharmed. I also will not fight the machine, even if it attacks me. It makes more sense and shows more reasoning than these Humans, whom it protects, ever will. The Unknown Trinity is pleased with such behavior, and thus I have no ill will to bear upon it, but instead I bear a joy to commend it and bless it, hoping to bestow further wisdom and insight within its parameters."

Emily smiled at Renalus and Ayanna, the black eyes and sickening smile indicating she was something far more than she appeared. "Now, I will not attack any of you or your goats first. I have no interest in this conflict, or your selfish and shortsighted goals. I will not hesitate to use you as an example for my acolytes, whom have much to learn still, should you attack me. Your best interests now are to retreat from this area, and leave members of my flock be. The ultimate choice is yours, presented to you as thus: Confess your sins in good judgement and leave as you are in safety, or pay the tithe you owe, which I'll accept in blood."

She placed her hands to her side again as her voice distorted towards the end of her speech, completely relaxed as she faced the increasing number of soldiers. She showed no inkling of taking any kind of stance outside of her completely neutral one, if she even acknowledged the actual numbers now getting into the crater.

Lucifer scanned the surrounding area constantly as more and more soldiers showed up from both groups he'd just been fighting alongside. When the strange priestess said that he would not be attacked it surprised him, given his open declaration of siding with the heavily armored humans under the command of the black armored swordsman that was Renalus. Still, he and his men seemed quite eager to fight and while he had said he would aid them, he could learn nothing of their opponent even with some of his deeper scans.

"Marshal, soldiers of the Golden Throne." he said, addressing the gathering marines using words he'd picked out of Renalus speech and the communiques he had managed to intercept. "This is no mere extra-terrestrial you face." he said, gesturing towards Emily, "I can detect nothing of her capabilities, I would ask in the name your Emperor, that you not engage and further damage this planet, or incur more losses so that you can serve him further in the future." he said, unsure if it would even have any effect, or simply mark him as an enemy as well, but the appeal was made.

For the other soldiers under Ayanna, he had nothing he could say that had even the slightest calculated probability of getting them to stand down.

Renalus got even angrier when he heard the woman speak, calling them goats and bringing up this Unknown Trinity. Everything she spoke was heretical to him and he as prepared to order all of his men to attack. However before he could order his brothers to do so he heard the machine speak up and asked them to stand down in the name of the Emperor to not further damage the planet and incur more losses than needed.

Once he heard the machine speak, Renalus actually gave his orders some thought. She had clearly insulted them and was spewing heretical nonsense at them, their pride and honor was on the line. But if they were to die needlessly here then it would be a waste of Imperial lives. Renalus clenched his fist knowing what he had to do, an opponent that was not an alien nor a regular person but something else entirely. "There is no glory in pointless defeat, brothers withdraw from the area! We are leaving now. We must not waste our lives this day." Renalus spoke into his vox and he subsequently used his jump-pack and flew out of the crater before he and all this fellow marines began to fall back to Thunder-Hawk Transports already dispatched to the planets surface.

The forces deployed from the spires showed no signs of slowing down. The crater now held almost three hundred warriors, while the rest were forming into ranks near the spires and preparing the march from there. In total nearly seven thousand warriors had been deployed to the city through the spires, and more continued to stream forth in an endless cascade of golden armor. The energy around the spires began to shift and form clouds above them, and from these clouds the ships came. Golden ships with red and orange bands adorning the hawk like forms of fighters, that passed through the Gatr field into the cities airspace and began an agressive sweep and scan of the city. Several dozen of those ships flew forth, like the ravens that gather before a battle to feast on the dead that shall cover the ground in the aftermath.

One vessel that passed through was different. Like a whale with wings, thirty meters in length it passed over the crater itself and from it's belly a light shone. Three warriors glad in garb all but identical to Ayanna's crashed at her side as she rose from her kneeling position. One had Metalic Blue hair and eyebrows, and his gear was styled after a monk of Tai chi, with metal gauntlets upon his hands. Another had bright ruby red hair, which appeared almost featherlike off of his head. His garment was styled like the robes of a priest, and he carried a bladed staff with a long cyrstal wand at one end, and a stout blade at the other. The third was dressed Identical to Ayanna, save his arms were bared to the shoulder, revealing the twisting runes and sigils tattooed into his flesh. His hair was oil black and formed short sharp spikes that were rigid and unyielding from his scalp. In each hand he carried an intricate Axe made of dark green and blue starsteel.

Each of these she addressed in her native tongue, "Drek'Thaleen, Molnish, Ekfricai, the foe before you is some form of aberation of extreme power, most likely an abyssal lord. Drek and Ekfricai, distract her while I dispatch of the two on the building over there, so that they cannot assist. By the time I'm done the Sun Spears will be ready. Molnish you prepare a mass power trap spell."
At that the one with red hair looked to her in surprise and replied "You intend to take the entire barrage upon us?
"I do" She answered him, lifting her long hand and a half blade and twirling it to lay at rest over one shoulder. "We resolve this, then move on the cities primary defenses and secure the area for the Rooks Impact. These are our orders, this is our mission."

With a flash of light from her eyes, and a halo of energy sheathing her body, Ayanna cried out a challenging roar, before leaping forward in an explosive maneuver that shattered the already broken ground she had stood on. She dashed straight at Emily, shifted her body trying to pass around her to launch herself out of the crater. If she could make it through, it would take only three strides to clear the crater, strikethe foot of the building where Kinoko and Hana took shelter, then leap up the side to come at a hover in front of Kinoko. The Warrior would then swing her blade, the edge flashing with a light that blinded any who might look upon it, and in a single circular slash she attempted to cut down both the Saiyan and Majin before they could be any further nuisance.

Emily seemed to be pleased at Renalus' decision, and returned to her usual posture of closed eyes and hands affixed in prayer. However, when others joined the fray on Ayanna's side, Emily awoke, spreading her arms to the side. "Ungrateful maggots...you unknowingly live because I allow it."

As soon as Ayanna started to move in the slightest, Emily herself vanished from sight, her form dissolving into nothing quicker than you could snap. She was suddenly standing behind both Drek'Thaleen and Ekfricai, having moved with a speed nearly impossible to fathom. She spoke loudly and clearly. "My Acolytes, you will be called upon to fight momentarily. She who interfered earlier seeks your lives. Fight her as a team, but do not use the Amulets! I'll fight with you for now, but I cannot stay forever; if I began using more of my power, everyone here is at risk."

She smiled, and took up a fighting stance that had her stand pigeon toed, her thighs loosening and squeezing towards each other, as though she was attempting to hold something between them. As her knees bent forward slightly, her back remained straight as an arrow, and slightly held her hips forward. Coupling with the awkward appearing stance was her arm manipulations, holding one arm in front of her, bending its elbow and arranging it so that the back of her hand faced the two she was behind. Her other hand was tucked right behind her elbow, floating just inches from actually touching her arm.

"Now, try and hurt me. If your goal is to distract me, I will oblige of my own will."

The distorted voice was fully present, and this same voice rang loud to Lucifer and Renalus. "These beings seek to overcome this planet and those on it. I'd recommend you aid stopping such an action, lest I leave you to your fates."

--

Kinoko and Hana both gritted their teeth at Emily's warning, and then it happened; Ayanna was before them. Kinoko vanished from sight as well, rapidly moving to get a safe distance away in the air as she began powering up. Without her armor, she was lighter and tougher than before, and no doubt being almost killed was a massive boon to her. Hana was cut in half by the blade, but let out a battle cry and pulled herself together, fixing any remaining damage to her person, which included a complete undo of Ayanna's circular slash. "Kee hee hee! You'll need to do more to stop me!"

Lucifer looked between the three different parties though his mismatched, battle damaged optics, the yellow lense over one was cracked and chipped, the other, for the moment was fully intact. With the humans retreating he had hoped that would be the end of it, that everyone would part ways and cease the conflict. Though the arrival of more of Ayanna's people proved that was not the case, and it was confirmed when they engaged Emily in combat.

He was glad the human soldiers were out of immediate danger but if this escalated any further it was only going to get worse, for everyone. He hesitated for a mechanical moment, mere microseconds before hefting his weapon and charging after Ayanna, she appeared to be the leader, if she could be made to see reason, this could stop.

The marines escaped a mile away from the crater to five Thunderhawk transports. 20 marines each boarded each transport and took off back to the skies. "Marshal Renalus, I do not doubt your decision to withdraw but do you think that the enemy was playing a mind game with you?" The librarian asked as he turned to face the Marshal. "No, I believe she was actually being serious as much as I hate to admit. However we have new pressing matters, our "allies" that we have made an alliance with...its not normal to have ten ships orbiting the planet. Its too convenient...almost like they were planning something before the demon threat arrived. I will contact the battle barge and the Blood Ravens to keep an eye on them." Renalus spoke and the Librarian nodded, agreeing with the Marshals prediction.

"This is Marshal Renalus to The Remembrance Of Truth. This is an urgent matter, encode this vox channel." Renalus spoke and seconds later the transmition would be encrypted so no one could listen to their conversation unless they were hacked. "I want all crewman to keep an eye on those ships surrounding the planet. I fear that they may be trying something, contact the Blood Ravens and tell them the same, also tell them to request reinforcements from any Chapters or Guard regiments that are able to reinforce us. I am also prepared to return to the ship, ready all weapons and raise shields." Renalus spoke and cut off his vox.

The Thunderhawk Transports would return to space and dock on The Rememberance Of Truth.

The sorcerers near the spires had completed their work, and now near every spire was an obelisk covered in runes. The ground around the obelisk had turned dark, and smoke like vapors now came from its surface. More sorcerers came through the gatr fields, and they began grouping up in fours, channeling energy in between them, where lumps of starsteel started to form and take shape. The troops that had come through finished forming up and began marching throughout the city to secure a 100 kilometer area around the crater. They did not assault anyone however, unless they were attacked first, or those they encountered carried weapons. They would go forth confiscating weapons and commanding all they encountered to evacuate the area, as they canvassed the city, going building to building. Several archers climbed the buildings surfaces and formed sniper nests, while Fyrnskain were at the head of every marching column.

The large whale like vessel had been joined by several others, and all of which now erupted with a voice over loud speakers. "Evacuate the area now if you are able, otherwise remain your homes and await instruction. This area is soon to become a battlefield, and you need not lose your life to our war." The voice repeated over and over as it flew over the whole of wing city, warning all those found therein.

Meanwhile, in higher orbit, the energy for the weapons of the nine ships had grown enough that it could be seen on the surface of the planet. What appeared to be nine bright stars had collected above the atmosphere, and energy continued to grow as the ships prepared to fire their weapons.

In the crater, the legion forces present began forming a perimeter around Drek, Ekfricai, Emily, and Molnish. They deployed their barrier shields in a ring around the conflict, then formed up their shields raised to form a solid wall, an attempt to contain the fight. Molnish blinked at the sudden movement of Emily, then groaned as he lept back. "Ekfricai! I thought you promised we'd never have to face another dark god?" He said before beginning to channel energy into several spells. First a magic barrier formed over him, effectively cutting him off from being assaulted. Then, reams of energy wrapped around Drek and Ekfricai, enhancing their movements and strength. Finally, an arcane circle of power radiated out from his position, growing slowly but steadily larger as he chanted the spell.

Drek and Ekfricai both lept away from Emily when she appeared behind them, Drek rolling to his feet while pulling his axes, Ek flipping forward and twisting to land in a combat stance. Ekfricai responded to Molnish with "Come now, brother. I made that promise over a millennia ago, you simply cannot expect to hold me to it after so long". Drek growled in his throat "Non verbal communication only, and only whats essential. Our enemy is able to understand us. We hold an advantage, and we will make use of it."

Ekfricai and Molnish nodded, then Ekfricai leaped forward and began assaulting Emily with multiple styles of martial art, smoothly transitioning from one into another and then another. He began with a leg sweep, and would follow it up with a chop, flipping over his opponent to strike a rapid barrage at her opposite side. And while they traded blows Ekfricai would speak candidly "It is rather uncommon to encounter a dark god who uses martial arts in any form, I am pleasantly surprised to have such a foe to measure myself against."

Meanwhile Ayanna followed up her attack, after landing on the building, with an explosive charge towards Kinoko, striking fast and strong with her blade, first over then under, then at the sides, her blade rippling with light and leaving streaks in the air with every swing as she tried to cleave the Saiyan into pieces.

As Ekfricai leaped forward, Emily moved her hands and arms behind her back as she lightly hovered off the ground, inches into the air. With the low sweep, her eyes returned to their blue color as her body bent into an arrow shape, letting her avoid the attack. When the chop followed the sweep, she then leaned to the side as his hand came down harmlessly beside her. When Ekfricai then flipped over her, she turned her own body, making sure she was always facing him. While keeping a mental note of Molnish and Drek's locations compared to her, she began subconsciously moving her body with great speed, avoiding or parrying each of Ekfricai's blows.

While Ekfricai and Emily were locked in a very speedy and skillful fight, likely a very enthralling show for the others around them, Emily gave him a response in her distorted voice. "It is part of the facade I uphold for the sake of those around me, though it is now clear to me that you are aware of my true nature. I will keep this form however, for the sake of playing fair; for your skill is commendable to even attempt a fight at the level of challenge you now face."

Emily's body did occasionally bend in inhuman angles during her spate of dodging and parrying, apparently a result of her not trying to hide the truth as much. She was mostly dodging for the time being though it seemed. She was apparently having fun. Of course, most of the fight would not be visible to untrained eyes that were close by.

--

Kinoko, interrupted in her powering up, seemed to put all her effort into evading each swing, but it was clear she was on the defensive for the time being. Seeing her plight, Hana came barreling in from behind Ayanna, attempting to flank her. With each of them on both sides of her, they'd begin fighting alongside each other, both launching various punch and kick attacks at Ayanna when openings were presented. They would double team her to their best capabilities. Ayanna would easily be able to tell that Hana was the slower of the two when it came to the speed of the attacks and parries the two utilized on her (though both still issued attacks at a very rapid pace to the point that normal onlookers wouldn't be able to see anything without special equipment).

Molnish continued chanting his spell, his staff levitating before him of it's own power, as his hands spread apart. Streams of energy whirled around him and the staff, shifting, curling, bending, weaving, and moving with his spell, musically chanted in a language known only to his kind. Every so often the energy would stream out and infuse Ekfricai and Drek'thaleen, empowering and maintaining their vigor, so they could perform their task.

Speaking of which, Ekfricai laughed aloud as he continued to rain thousands of different combinations upon his foe, being dodged, parried, and having generally no effect seemed only to add to his mirth. "Indeed dark one, we have met your kind before, and barely survived the event" He said congenially, as though he were speaking to a coworker "And though this may only be a mask you wear, it is a delightful mask and I enjoy the play you perform. At the very least it is not boring" He then back flipped twice as Drek, who had somehow conspired to position himself behind the monk, leaped over his war brother, axes raised to cleave Emily in twain.

The fight nearby between Ayanna and two disciples was likewise fraught with activity. Against one opponent Ayanna would have had no trouble at all, but facing two beings of power such as she was she found herself unable to effectively overpower them, being forced to instead trade blows. Still, the enhancement magic was holding strong, and it would last long enough for what she had planned.
In the middle of the bout she swung at Hana, but then shifted to strike with the pommel of her blade instead, in an attempt to surprise and stun her opponent. Whether she succeeded or not she would then try to withdraw a short distance to prepare for a new tactic.

Emily had no trouble adapting to the new opponent, sliding to Drek's side in a swift evade of the axe swing. As she brought her arms to bear, she attempted to use her leverage, and his recovery time from the swing, to lock his arms aside and prevent him from doing anything in return, allowing her to slide a hand to his neck in a position that would allow her a clean kill.

As Ekfricai moved to stop her, covering for Drek, her body wobbled and spun in place, letting her use her legs to parry Ekfricai while keeping her hold on Drek. What she said next was a surprising comment.

"A poor choice of opening attack. Powerful moves should be saved for when your opponent is off-balance, otherwise, you leave yourself off-balance, and give them an opening to slay you. Try again."

Emily released her grasp on Drek, and prepared to let him attack again, apparently declining to kill. She stood in a position that allowed both Drek and Ekfricai to reach her as well, assuming her bizarre stance once more, ready to now engage both.

"Come at this form."

--

Hana was bashed in the face with the pommel, and immediately relented to grasp at the impact point. "Ack! Awwowowowow!" This made Kinoko stop, allowing Ayanna the space she intended to take to withdraw.

"Hana! You okay? She's good! But we need to finish her fast! She's probably going to try something!"

Kinoko and Hana both watched Ayanna carefully, with Hana pointing her tentacle towards Ayanna's direction, a sort of preparation tactic. "If she tries something funny, Kinoko, I'll bake us a pie!"

Kinoko grinned hearing that. "Sounds good. I'm kind of hungry anyways." She began charging her own energy again, as she held her hands in a ready stance. She wasn't sure what Ayanna had planned, but she was certain it'd be fierce.