1110/Your War Is My Calling

Your War Is My Calling
Date of Scene:	09 December 2014
Location:	TARGET: Phase Rock (PR)
Synopsis:	The Elder Primal, Odin, assaults Phase Rock. Union, Confederate, and Unaffiliated responders confront him, and learn something of his past.
Cast of Characters:	Arthur Lowell, 346, 482, 530, 560, 576, 609, 617, 651

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Odin (576) has posed:
The target resource points are locations that the Union and Confederacy battle over. Wars rage here, battles come and go, and many lives have been saved-- but also lost upon these soils. This day be like any other for these target zones.

In this case, the Confederacy's own stand on guard. Patrols roam the edges and they wait for some Union elite to come to take it away, but none would expect for what was about to come, for the only warning they got was the sudden shift in weather.

The skies grew dark and a unnatural fog rolled over the land. Though around the Phase rock itself it swirled around it. The green crystal itself glowing brightly against the darkness. Green electrical energy dispersing from the crystal cracking around the ground.

If not for the odd behavior of the crystal was enough to have the troops on edge, it was then the sound of hooves across the ground. Soon the figure was spotted riding upon his mighty war steed-- It was the Elder Primal Odin and as soon has he appeared is also when the alert system goes off.

The non-elites there quickly hit their own alarms and go to turn their weapons on the Elder Primal, some hesitate to open fire in fear what would happen if they agitate him, others though-- others pull the trigger out of fear. Explosions soon rock the area where Odin was at.

The blasts rain around the Elder Primal, who only slowly looks in their direction as bullets stream by and blasts happen behind him. Those glowing hot white eyes narrow behind the Dark Divinity's helm. Pulling on the reigns, Odin charges then.

Charging for the gates. His mighty steeds hooves impact the ground like thunder clapping across the sky and his blade cutting through the metal fence as if it was paper. His blade raging through several of the structures and commencing it would seem his own unholy war against those who now are trying to get out of the way of the Elder Primal, while at the same time trying to stand firm.

For it mattered not who came this hour. The Elder Primal was here and it was a threat to any. Though by any who may have faced Odin before, it was a curious sight. The Obsidian blade lacked its glow luster and no aetheric motes to be found. Was there something about this place that hampered the aetheric flow to this land? Or has the aether simply not made it this far?

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Emiya Shirou's under no illusions that he can do more than keep Odin busy for a few minutes, and he'll be lucky to stay alive during that. But if it means more soldiers can get out of his way then what's wrong with that?

    He barrels out of the warp gate while hunched over, running as fast as he can move! Even that's improved since all of the training. Whooosh! He's kicking up a bit of sand in his wake... "Trace, On!"

    He comes skidding to a halt in Odin's path, twin short swords KANSHOU AND BAKUYA appearing in his hands and gripped tightly. He stands up straight, eyes on the Elder Primal...

    "Is there at least some REASON you're out here tearing everything up?! You're not even involved in this war!"

Garen (530) has posed:
    Opting to make his way out and give a bit of assistance to whomever was out there trying to stop odin, the Blue skinned Cipher agent of the Sith Empre, Garen, arrived via warp gate. Moving with the speed granted to him by training and skill, he found a decent perch overlooking the fog. "We meet again, Odin. Let's see if you've learned anything new." He says. He sets up, sniper rifle prepped and waiting for the moment.

Saber (346) has posed:
     Fortunately for Shirou, he wasn't going to have to hold off Odin on his own. In addition to the other forces of both the Union and the Confederacy, the Servant Saber picked up the alarm.

     A nearby warpgate activated, and not even a second passed before the roar of a heavily-modified Yamaha V-Max heralded the knight-king's arrival. Though in her black three-piece suit with her hair tied back in a tomboyish ponytail, Excalibur -- concealed within the Bounded Field of the Wind King -- was already in her hand. Even as she pulled the heavy motorbike to a halt beside the red-haired magus, her foot was already on the ground, as if pulling it to a halt with her own weight...weight that her petite stature seemed to imply she didn't have.

     "We are here, Shirou," she announced softy, though her voice strangely seemed to project audibly.

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
Emiya Shirou is not alone.

Now we're not going to particularly say Chloe came chasing at Shirou's heels. There is not so much a chase as much as she simply APPEARS after the red haired youth. The dark skinned girl just apparates as though from Shirou's very shadow, poking her head out from behind him, when he arrives to try and fend off the Elder Primal, hands folded behind her back in a lazy fashion. And she's dressed in a shirt and shorts that says she might have literally just rolled out of bed. Or at least has spent the better part of the day just being as lazy as a cat.

"Ahhh, big brother aren't you biting off a little more than you can chew here?"

Nevertheless, gold eyes find way to the black armored form of Odin himself, rampaging through on his mighty steed, sending the defenders scattering for safety. "So this is that Odin guy you were talking about? He looks pretty badass."

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
This time, Shirou isn't alone.

Riding second on the sleek V-Max is the newly-appointed Lord of Dun Realtai and former Knight of the Round Table, Sir Bedivere. He's hunched low, in part to cling to Saber and in part to keep the wind from his eyes. His familiar armour is battered, but the steel has saved his life on more than one occasion.

No suit for him, today, but steel. He's off the bike almost before Saber's even brought it to a halt, sword drawn from its scabbard with a rasp of steel and leather. He nods to Shirou, and then turns to face...

"So, then, this is Odin." Even Bedivere has to look up, for Odin is astride his mighty steed. Thinning his lips, the knight raises his battered sword, gripping the hilt with two hands.

His voice rises -- no longer the gentle tone so many know him for, but the harsh, steely bark of the man even generals answered to, in Camelot.

"Stay your blade, or we will be forced to stay it for you!"

Madara Uchiha (651) has posed:
What's that? Some sort of super strong opponent who has everyone in a tizzy? An asset of his allies that they would probably want protected? Possibly an opportunity to see more Union Elites in action and decide if his fight with Sakura Kinomoto and that... Spider-Guy was a fluke, or if the Union holds many more such entertaining opponents? After a short time figuring out which Warp Gate or Gates will take him to his destination, with the help of a Confederate technician, Madara Uchiha arrives. He would not describe his interest as 'hopeful', since hope is an empty word, but he is at least intrigued enough to intervene.

Dusty red armor adorns his form, with black cloth where the armor does not cover. A long mane of spiked black hair blows in the wind as he moves away from the Warp Gate and looks upon the tableau below him. He crosses his arms over his chest, red three-tomoe Sharingan on a background of pure black where there should be white scan the area, observing and calculating. As the enemy is confronted, the Union threatening but not acting, Madara heaves a sigh. "I'm all for bantering in combat, provided it is entertaining... But for that to happen, battle must first be joined."

He performs a superhuman leap, weaving hand seals in a blur, and then silently intoning, <<Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu! (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!)> Then he unleashes a large sphere of fire towards the armored warrior who seems to be facing all these foes alone.

To those below, there would be a sound in the distance like a *WHOOSH* Then a growing light and heat. And then the ball of fire smashing down wherever it lands and erupting in a glaring column of light.

Madara lands nearby a few seconds later. "NOW battle has begun," he comments as he straightens up.

Arthur Lowell has posed:
    Arthur owes enough favors to the Confederacy that he doesn't mind working for them when fighting against a mutual enemy. In fact, he's been looking forward to the chance!

    Therefore, one can see in the distance, a small figure rocketing over the water surrounding this island, kicking up a huge volume of mist as he blasts to the edge, and then slams into the edge of the island itself, skidding his way over its surface and coming to a stop, cross-armed, bearing no weapon, with a wide, confident stance.

    "OI." He calls out, to Shirou possibly? "You KNOW this dude?" He points an aggressive finger up to Odin, almost as if pretending he wasn't there, but clearly intended to be agitating enough to prompt Odin to explain himself, if he's that sort.

Odin (576) has posed:
The Elder Primal pulls on the reigns to his war steed. Those glowing eyes staring down at Shirou. That look he is giving the young boy... something is off. It is almost as if no one is home. There was no words in response to Shirou, only the deathly stare.

The Steed reared up as Saber showed up, those hooves onyx black, before the hooves slammed down on the ground. Unaware of Garen's own presence from his sniper position, but his focus returning back to Shirou once more.

Though when Bedivere speaks to him, the Elder Primal turns to look at the Knightly man. The motion was very slow and low rumble came from Odin. His voice with slight displacement too it, "'Tis thou who will stay thy blade, for I hast come and shalt not leave until Urth is mine!"

Even as Madara makes his entrance, the Elder Primal does not look at the man, but as the fireball is cast, the Elder Primal turns his body around and the steed as well in enough time for his very blade to strike the fire ball. The Obsidian blade /cuts/ the fireball itself, causing it to explode around him and at the ground below. The flames lick across parts of his armor, but Odin-- does not flinch.

"I shalt find her! I shalt make her pay for thy betrayal!" Odin bellows out with rage in his voice and in his eyes. "And I shalt never be betrayed again!" Those eyes glow brightly, "I AM NO ONES TO COMMAND!!"

Odin charges away from the group, before he pulls tightly on the reigns and the warhorse suddenly comes charging right back in. With a sweep of his blade, he swings it nearly around himself. The very blade seeming to cut the very air on passing.

As the horse continues on its galloping run, his eyes direct over to Madara as he roars out in the man's direction. A dark chain of Obsidian comes out of existence from dark, inky like aetheric fog, before he lashes it out like a whip to wrap around a part of Madara, then attempt to throw him with a hard yank right for the group gathering up.

The only one who goes ignored in all this, is Garen. Cause he has yet to give himself away.

Garen (530) has posed:
    Garen watches as he see's the chain and the attacks from Odin. "Clever.....using the fog to your advantage. But your wrong in thinking no one will control you." He says to himself. He brings the scope up, searching for a weak point in the elder primal's armor. Once he finds such a spot, the sniper takes a breath, exhales, and lets fly a round from his rifle. Unlike last time, he was using his standard energy firing rifle.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
Bedivere is about to offer a retort to that statement, but before he has the opportunity, the monstrous creature's great blade swings. Barely has the Elder Primal's sword arm moved than the knight's eyes widen, aware a second or two too late of what's coming.

He throws himself to the ground, trying to turn his shoulder to absorb the worst of the blow, protecting his head with his arms. He's quick to roll himself back to his feet, but something seems wrong.

Swaying unsteadily, Bedivere takes a step or two forward, frowning and looking down, left hand dropping to pat at his side. His chain hauberk and the tunic over it is stained dark with blood. That razor-wind must have sliced through the chain like a heated knife through butter.

He looks down at it for a moment as though he didn't quite comprehend it. He hadn't even seen the blow. Odin had been far away from him, far enough that the Elder Primal shouldn't have been able to reach. How, then...?

"Ah," he murmurs quietly, voice oddly thick. Magic. "Of... course..."

Bedivere looks back to the others. Shifting his grip on his sword, he thins his lips, ignoring a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, and moves to take a step forward--

The knight crumples, sword sent skittering from his grasp, and does not rise again.

Arthur Lowell has posed:
    Arthur slams one foot into the ground, planting it firmly. "ALRIGHT, SHOUTY." Arthur calls out, taking a hunched-backed ready stance. "You think you 'bout to STAY SOME BLADES, you got some NEWS coming you son of a bitch. No, you LISTEN TO THE NICE DUDES, and you fuckin..." He's not gonna dodge that blade! No, he's gonna...

    SLAM. The blade jarring slams head-on into Arthur's weapon, pushing his feet a little more into the barren earth and making his muscles shudder with strain. What in the word did he just block that sword with! It's... A broomstick, made out of steel? His intent in not dodging is clear: STOP ODIN IN HIS TRACKS. He won't let the blade pass along or through, and instead forces it to lock its blade on the bristles of the broomstick, and force the steed to come to a halt! "STAY. YO'. FUCKIN'. BLADE."

    He grunts, his muscles shuddering with the intense effort, boned jarred by the force of the strike. "Grrrrhhhhh... RrrrrrrrraaaaaaAAAAAGH!" It's a very shounen clash; Arthur tries to turn it right around, reversing his grip on that unusual steel broomstick while still trying to keep the blade locked. The bristles glow... And suddenly bear a rocket booster! He BLASTS along the length of the blade, having hopefully halted Odin long enough for any allies to attack an immobile target, before lifting off the ground in a gush of exhaust and trying to bodily SLAM into Odin! Whereupon he hopes to try to continue that blasting rocket thrust and throw Odin straight off his horse!

    Arthur Lowell, of course, takes the opportunity to speak during the brief clash. "Dunno what the FUCK you're TALKING about, TIN MAN, but I ain't plannin' on STABBING YOU IN THE BACK, just the GODDAMN FRONT. COME ON, MOTHERFUCKER! You gonna MAKE SOME SENSE, or just be GODDAMN INSANE, HUH? Who the hell ARE YOU, anyway? Think you can just JUMP ONTO TERRITORY and SQUAT, yellin' 'bout WHOEVER?"

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
"Well he sure seems friendly." Chloe comments idly. Despite the sheer danger of the situation and the Elder Primal, she still hasn't done a single lick of actin to prepare herself for combat. One sneaker lazily scuffs the ground beneath her and she opens her mouth to say something before Bedivere's voice actually makes her flinch.

Calm and quiet the man may normall be, but that sudden commanding tone- so very different from how mad he sounded when she locked Gawain in the closet actually makes her turn her head. "... Huh..."

No time to comment though, raging Elder Primal on the loose. In an instant the small girl is in FRONT of Shirou. The shorts and slepeyshirt are gone, replaced instantaneously in a flash of red light, with segmented portions of black armor and scarlet cloaks.

In the flash of a second a wall of tall and broad swords appear from nowhere in front of her, the flats of each blade presented outwards to present an ablative shielding in the face of that monstrous swipe. Ablative is the key word here. Try as the swords might to hold back the swing, they shatter on impact as Zantetsuken cleaves through them and SLAMS the girl behind- no doubt knocking her back into Shirou.

With a grunt, Chloe picks herself up, holding her chest where her armor dulled the blow, lips curled into a scowl. "Big brother your weird friends are kind of jerks." And then Bedivere falls. "Well. He gets points for trying." Muttered as she whisperes two words. Very familiar by this point.

"Trace On."

A formation of red grid-lines begins to take shape, something long and curved. Forming in her hands in the span of a second as it takes full shape and fills itself in. It is a bow.

A tall, black, longbow of unknown material, already strung and ready to fire as a golden sword forms in her other hand. It's a funny thing to knock into place on a bow, but as she does, the golden blade re-shapes itself, taking on a slender, arrow-like shape. "I really don't feel like playing nice anymore."

And with a TWANG she looses the arrow-shaped sword right for Odin.

Saber (346) has posed:
     Sea-green eyes flicked to the Elder Primordial. "So it would seem," she commented to her compatriots. Even before the twisted mockery of a knight spoke, it was clear enough there would be no peaceful solution.

     The knight took a single step forward before winds and light blasted around her girlish form; upon abating, they left her standing not in her suit, but the full battle armour of a Servant. Another step forward, and Saber dropped into her familiar en garde stance, the invisible sword held in a two-handed grip. At her side, her equally-quiet marshal underwent a more mundane, yet similar transformation from stoic to the challenging presence he had been when he commanded her armies. It would be almost nostalgic if they didn't have a task before them.

     Addressing Odin in a deceptively calm voice, even at his declaration of conquest, her eyes narrowed dangerously. "So be it. Prepare to fall."

     In a single instant, Saber leapt forward, assisted by propulsion from a fractional release of Wind King, boosting her already superhuman speed considerably. Her sabaton-clad feet touched down on the ground and Saber literally hit it running, but only for a fleeting moment before she leapt, striking out with a single deceptively elegant strike at the Elder's shoulder.

     But at that range, she was placed directly in front of Odin's blow, being knocked out of the air even before it could connect, the strike knocking her painfully back. The Servant landed on her feet, clutching her bleeding injured side, grimacing. But as that would have been a poor move on her part in single combat, hopefully she had been able to distract the Elder...

     ...Only to glance to her side, catching sight of her marshal going down. She didn't call out his name, but her eyes widened in shock, her equivalent of horror. But after a fleeting moment, that horror turned to rage. With a decidedly angered roar, the King of Knights abruptly blasted Odin with a sudden release of Wind King.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Things are getting crazy in a hurry. SHirou rushed out into Confederate territory but was followed by ALL of his closest allies and friends?! Against Odin?!

    Now that they're here, he knows fear. The thought of losing any of them to Odin chokes up in his throat and fills him with new determination to stop him.

    Sadly, all of them are so much better at this fighting thing than he is, how's that supposed to even work?!

    "Augh---" The slash overwhelms his guard, shattering Kanshou and cracking Bakuya a bit more slowly. The twin swords are discarded and a crimson line's drawn across his torso. The wound burns hotly... despite all of Chloe's efforts, he's still hurt. But it's Chloe slamming into him that nearly bowls him over. He stumbles and staggers, but does soften Chloe's blow in exchange for taking more harm himself. He hits the ground like a sack of potatoes, but still has plenty of strength to spare.

    Shirou rises, however. It's almost as if that single wound he took hardly matters. This close to Saber, Avalon's healing properties are doing a wonder at keeping him on his feet.

    A few drops of blood were lost, no more, all things considered. "Don't underestimate this guy, Chloe! He's taken on whole groups of Elites..." That's all Shirou can choke out before seeing her bow.

    Stare.

    He's never seen such a bow before! It's beauteous and simple all at once. Not to mention heavy-duty. This saying nothing of the dazzling weapon that Chloe's mounting on it... "That's my--"

    Trick?! What was he going to say exactly?

    Chloe's weirdness has just taken a further turn towards over the top.

    The sword goes flying for Odin as Shirou takes in the plights of his others.

    "You could say that!" He yells up at Arthur, before scrambling onto a boulder for a proper vantage point.

    Chloe has the right idea here, Shirou thinks. And now he has a way to join her!

    Golden light flickers out from his fingers and fills outwards into the shape of the very bow that she's clutching... except sized up to Shirou's proportions. This is far superior to the mechanical monstrosity that he kept wielding.

    But the moment it's going through his circuits, his head splits with seething, roaring, molten pain. Shirou staggers, almost losing his footing... but he projects and mounts a weapon of his own despite the shakey stance.

    Vruasa Telash's AERODYNAMIC ROCKET SHOCKSPEAR is nocked and drawn back, then LAUNCHED for Odin! Its tazer-end sizzles and crackles with paralyzing power!

    The fact that this 'arrow' propels itself faster and faster courtesy of a rocket thruster moments after launch makes it all the MORE threatening!

Madara Uchiha (651) has posed:
A splendid reaction from the armored warrior. Madara saw the movement of each individual blade, thanks to his Sharingan, and admired the skill employed. But a chain of made of darkness coming out of the shadows was something he did not see until it had already grasped him about one arm and swung him towards the others. Though he is slammed into the ground, he immediately flips from skidding on his shoulder to sliding on his feet, until he comes to a stop. He seems to have prevented himself from actually being rammed into anyone, at least. As he holds up his arm and looks upon the chain of obsidian wrapped about his arm. One of those facing off against the unknown warrior actually manages to block the sword strike with a metal rod, stand his ground more or less before the onslaught, and return an attack of his own - while one among the Union seems to have fallen in battle already. Death in conflict is fairly standard for Madara, so he pays Bedivere's (assumed) demise no mind.

The response from the small girl who seems to summon or create a bow and sword-arrow, and the golden-haired woman who unleashes a wind-based attack hold more intrigue for him. The red-haired both who mimics the child has Madara's gaze turning on him briefly, remembering the only red-heads he is familiar with are the Uzumaki Clan... But Multiverse. Probably unrelated. "Your weapon offends me with its existence," Madara calls out as he once more looks upon the chain around his arm. "Let it be gone!" His eyes change from Sharingan to a more complex design. The Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. <<Amaterasu!>>

Black flames sprout instantly upon the chain, and spread up it rapidly, seeming to be consuming both the weapon and the very darkness it is fused with. The flames are unnatural, evil, and VERY hot.

At the same time, Madara raises his free hand in half of a hanseal, as he molds Chakra, and then releases yet another burst of flame from his mouth. This one in the shape of a dragon's head. <<Katon: Ryuuen Houka no Jutsu! (Fire Release: Dragon Flame Release Song Technique!)>>

Odin (576) has posed:
When the two weapons meet, Odin doesn't even seem to be struggling to much, though the armor itself starts to darken, seeming absorb all light, as the fog itself seems to tremble almost around him. Though Odin causes the blade as Arthur decides to slide along it to simply vanish back into the aether of existence.

So when Arthur suddenly comes rushing in to rocket shoulder check, Odin moves with the impact slightly, but he does not dislodge from his stead. Instead he simply goes to shove his arm between him and the other man, then goes to shove him aside with a feral roar.

That is when the arrow comes and slams into the backside of Odin's armor. The bladed arrow impacts true, but then the dark armor seems to form around it before shoving it back out. Those glowing eyes stare in her direction with a low rumble. The words he speaks for a moment of some language that is not translated. Yet the words perhaps harken as a he swings his hand upward and the very ground erupts from under Chloe if she does not move quick enough of dark purple flames.

This gives Saber the opening she needs as her rage carriers her own strike to slam into the Elder Primal. He roars out. His own warhorse hooves starting to beat the ground with dark flames, as the red mane almost seems to move as if it was flames. That is when Garen's shot fires overhead and almost clips Odin, impacting the ground near him. Odin looking in the man's direction about then, but only for a moment.

His dark hand which still glows with power he then swings and those dark flames suddenly leap from where Chloe was and blasts right for Saber, "Be with the one your anger seethes for!" Apparently aware of how Saber was reacting and those dark flames attempting to slam her right toward if not into the fallen knight.

Though as for the chain in that moment it seems Madara has plans for it and the dark flames blast upward. Those eyes glow brightly as he causes the chain to disperse at the last moment, the flames washing over and around him. He then goes to pull the war steed around as he then charges right at Madara gets ready to cast his dragon flame as Odin roars out to him, "Then let me offend you no further by ceasing you out of existence!"

Odin leaps right off the charging steed which suddenly dissipates into nothing as he goes to suddenly vanish himself into nothing, before appearing behind Madara and sweeping his blade, he does this several times, with the last strike being a hard cleave down with the Obsidian Blade.

During this dance though, in that moment of a blink of an eye, he creates the chain once more and lashes it out for where Garen is, attempting to yank him right into the battlefield with everyone else. Before the chain then forms into the Obsidian Lance which he back flips with and throws it into the ground near Garen which explodes with a dark flame burst.

That is when Shirou's spear slams into Odin and causes the Elder Primal to roar out at him. He extends out his hand and those dark flames suddenly roll upward into a ball before they go crashing down to bath the area where Shirou stands at in an explosive ring of fire.

Garen (530) has posed:
    Garen grits his teeth as he feels the blast hit him. He takes a knee, enduring the pain. "Not bad..." He says to himself. But he draws up his rifle once more, and this time takes aim and let's fly another roun at the elder primal's head.

Madara Uchiha (651) has posed:
It seems that Madara is the next to fall, as Odin uses something akin to the Body Flicker to appear behind the legendary shinobi. Madara makes a noise of surprise and is already starting to turn, seemingly in slow-motion, as the assault upon him begins. But though he is fast, he can not predict movement he can't see, and the furious attack slices him to pieces! Literally! And yet, with all those gouges and slashes and parts of him missing, there is not a drop of blood to be seen. The Uchiha staggers, but does not fall. He should probably be dead from the level of damage he has suffered. And yet he stands, and... Bits of dust and detritus from the surroundings flow towards him, rebuilding his body and repairing his injuries. Because he is already dead, and his very existence is an abomination against the natural order of the universe. Pushing his recovery abilities, sure. Odin can do that. But to kill him with such an attack would take far more.

But the warrior may not realize the foe who seemed to have been slain is still in the fight. And he may not be prepared when his flips and his manipulation of dark flames and his focus upon on enemies allows Madara time to clasp his hands together in front of him, interlacing his fingers, and then thrust them outwards.

Wood seems to grow from his body, expanding outwards in a mix of branches and vines, and attempting to slam into Odin one after or another in combinations of several at a time, with all the strength of a fast-grown tree. "It will take more than that to end me, mongrel," Madara retorts with a disdainful tone to his voice.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Dark flames?! Shirou's eyes go wide in the brief flicker of time heh as to react. All he can do is throw a hand out and project something!

    Something that still qualifies as a sword, but for him is more of a shield than a weapon. An ENORMOUS slab of ROCK appears with something akin to a handle for the hand of a giant to grab it. The weapon is easily twice as tall as Shirou and carved out of solid rock. The flames strike that and disperse about it, most of their impact and force blunted and diverted. But the explosion still knocks Shirou off his feet and through some of the burning darkness. He topples from the boulder and scrambles about for purchase on the ground.

    Meanwhile, the rock-axe-sword he left behind slowly erodes in the flames, becoming nothing more than the magical energy that made it up.

    With anger born of pain and plenty of determination in his amber eyes, he steadies his bow again and focuses hard. Very hard. Eyes closed briefly, his thouhts turn inwards and scour through memories, calls up an image... and constructs a Noble Phantasm that Odin will have a very hard time dealing with.

    Golden light shines from his fingertips and flows out like liquid, filling into an invisible mold. As the light 'cools,' a strange black sword's left in its wake. The metal is twisted like some kind of horn and the sword is disgraced in its own way, but it emanates a ferocity all its own.

    Shirou alters the sword partially, streamlining the shape and bringing it back across the bow. The synthetic longbow groans under the pressure and Shirou's having trouble drawing it - his arm trembles - but he takes aim...

    And the sword-arrow glows with a hungry red light.

    Even Chloe will be able to tell, he is WAY over-reaching for his level of experience. But he has figured out the best use for this particular weapon!

    "HRUNTING!!"

    A single twitch of the fingers, and the Sword is launched.

    The HOUND OF THE RED PLAINS flies from the bow like a meteor, its passage charged with enough prana that the wind it kicks up scours sand and dirt from the ground beneath it and bends saplings and plants. Were a car struck by it, the vehicle would be bowled over and pierced and the 'arrow' might not even notice. It's heading straight for Odin!

    The strange thing about this one is that, should Odin evade the weapon it will TURN AROUND IN MIDAIR and home in on him. Should he parry it away it will turn and strike again and again.

    It will pursue him again and again as a terrible nuisance until he either destroys it or is impaled by it.

Arthur Lowell has posed:
    ARTHUR LOWELL gets a hand slamming at him, to shove him aside! He's bodily thrown, slamming roughly into the drt, bouncing several times, accumulating a wide variety of small bruises and cutting a small trench through the dirt. He slams his broom into the dirt, the bristles slowing his skidding, and then is right back up, on the soles of his feet.

    "Not the type to TALK to someone askin' you REAL QUESTIONS, huh?" He swings his broom back in a non-reversed grip, his free had flicking switches along its length. "ALRIGHT." He calls out. "Looks like there's NO REASON to get my CIVIL on then, you CRAZY FUCK." Now bearing a triple set of thrusters. "If nobody can TALK the answers outta you, I'll fuckin' BEAT THEM OUTTA YOU." He dramatically flips the broom around his body several times in deft, skillful motions before he blasts off again, this time at a much higher speed! His rockets gush and sputter with power.

    He rushes forward, slipping dramatically under Garen's shot on his knees, making sure it's timed perfectly to keep him covered on his approach and then dodging to the side to get out of the line of return fire from Odin! Then Madara's rush of wood is also exploited; Arthur dashes into the assaulting branches and vines, bouncing off of thin ones and dashing along thicker ones, using it as cover to approach! Then, leaping out of the titanic mass of wood, Arthur arcs high through the air, getting a good look at the battlefield below, his broom no longer firing the rocket blast... Letting him flip it around in his hands, taking a double-grip now. He sees HRUNTING suddenly assailing Odin! And so he lets his arc carry him to an angle of attack where he can strike while Odin is occupied with Hrunting, exploiting its inevitable aggro-drawing to attempt to impact Odin square on the chest from above, dancing his way around Hrunting as it repeatedly strikes.

    At this point, it's clear that there's yet another element to his broom. A large blade is suddenly projected from the handle end! It's hefty and jagged, intended to chew through armor like a vicious animal in brutal and unclean ways. Arthur's going right for the guts, and making a rocket-powered push to CRASH into the armor on his way there, and a subsequent blast of exhaust intended to force it THROUGH.

    "So now that YOUR DUMB ASS is off the fuckin' HIGH HORSE," He calls out, through gritted teeth. "You plannin' on explaining what the FUCK you think you gonna do SQUATTING on PHASE ROCK ramblin' 'bout URTH or whoever? You gonna give me a name?" The rocket-blast intensifies. "WHO'S THIS DOUCHEBAG, HUH?" A call, in general, to anyone, really.

Saber (346) has posed:
     While her armour held, the dark flames were enough of a blunt force to slam painfully into Saber, knocking her back with an equal force. Somewhere in her mind she registered /what/ Odin had bellowed, but at the moment her seething anger had not yet abated. But that did clue her in to where she would land...or rather, on whom.

     In mid-arc, the diminutive blonde drew her knees and arms in, and with a series of somersaults used her momentum to guide her landing. One gauntleted hand slapped down on the ground, from which the Servant sprang into a reverse leap and a final handspring behind the temporarily fallen knight.

     Part of her screamed at her to grab Bedivere and retreat; he needed prompt medical attention. But at the moment, the knight-king was too enraged to even throw so much as an insult back at the Primordial Elder.

     Instead, the Servant charged forward -- naturally evading the comatose marshal -- into a rapid series of strikes at the dark, armoured figure of Odin. Up close, the Elder might even catch a faint glimmer of gold flecks in the otherwise jade eyes.

     "Burn in the fires of Hell!" she roared.

     And oh dear. Madara used /that/ word. Even through the rage, there was the tell-tale hint of an eyebrow twitch at who that reminded her of, even as she struck out at their common foe.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
For a very long moment it seems as though Bedivere might have fallen for the last time. The knight lies twisted in a pool of his own blood, face-down, sword flung from his grasp. He's still breathing, if shallowly and raggedly, but after a moment he stirs.

He was the sole survivor of the Battle of Camlann, which had destroyed Camelot and sundered its Round Table, but it had not slain Bedivere. Many things have since happened to him in the multiverse that, by rights, should have killed him. He is but a mortal man, as he has often said.

Yet for some reason, he is extremely difficult to kill. Strength of will -- he is stubborn, perhaps too stubborn to die.

The knight, miserable as he is, stirs. After a moment he pushes himself to his hands and knees, coughing and spitting blood from his mouth, but he manages to find his feet after a moment. He stoops and retrieves his sword, planting the point into the barren dirt and wavering for a moment.

Bedivere turns just in time to stare, wide-eyed, as Odin falls upon his allies one more time. Saber is sent hurtling in his direction, almost faster than he can see--

She flashes past him in a streak of blue and silver armour and immediately throws herself into a lunging leap for Odin. For a brief instant he can only stare in reverent awe, and perhaps a little terror; for her wrath is chilling to behold.

Bedivere spits another gobbet of blood, mouth twisting in pain at the clench of his ribs. He shifts his grip on the sword, thins his lips, and charges for the Elder Primal. His gait is heavy and uncertain, but momentum carries him; he seems to recover some of his strength as he goes, forcing himself forward and on some semblance of balance based on sheer willpower alone.

He had always been good at hiding his own wounds and vulnerabilities.

"We will send you there ourselves," he snarls, voice thick with blood. His sword descends in a flashing flurry of silver, reflecting red from the fires of battle. He staggers every time he has to swing again, though, and blood spatters the ground beneath him. That he had the strength to rise up at all and fight again is probably worthy of a second look, even if he won't last much longer.

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
It's not exactly pleasant. Though her recovery from the recoil of that bow is insanely fast, the sudden force of flames erupting at her feet yields a yelp from Chloe von Einzbern. Engulfed briefly in the inferno, she learns VERY QUICKLY to not stand in the void zone, flinging herself in a mighty leap, landing in a tumbling roll that stops with her skidding on her knees, clothes singed, body, dark skin now an angry red in places from the licking dark flames.

"Hmmm? Going all out there, Shirou?" She comments when he traces HRUNTING. But then she's already on the move. Judging from how angry Saber seems over Bedivere, giving the true Heroic Spirit a wide berth seems like a good idea right about now. But... It looks like her host has picked himself up. Arthur's got man-grit, but gold eyes focus on Bedivere for a good moment as he rises, and in spite of his injuries throws himself into battle with Odin for true.

"... Hoh... He got back up from his nap. Extra credit." In an instant Chloe's body moves with all the speed of a bullet. A wave of one hand summons a multitude of swords to the air, a pair of long, slender, blades in her grasp; one black, one blue. With Elucidator and Dark Repulser in hand she calls down a storm of blades, some launching ar Odin like spears, others, long, broad, and thick, interposing themselves between Bedivere and Odin, standing straight up like a wall after the knight gets his own stroke in. They should hopefully last long enough for the man to gain a breather after rising like a champion, while Chloe throws herself in front of the sword wall, the heavy blades lashing in a wild frenzy of swipes and hard slashes, that would be savagely overwhelming for lesser foes.

Odin (576) has posed:
Garen's bullet impacts the side of Odin's helm and the Elder Primal staggers slightly. Though before he can have a chance to retaliate, the crafted tree slams into the Elder Primal. He roars out, as words escape from him of that forgotten language lost in time.

He breaks free though at one point, reaching out for Madara, before being slammed down to the ground. For a moment there was silence before the wood suddenly explodes as a dark light cuts it all in half. The Obsidian blade glowing in that moment, demonstrating its own power, but Odin himself nearly staggers as his hand goes to rest on the lance.

He looks at Madara about then as he speaks softly, "..we are not so different.." he manages to escape from his lips, before something seems to snag his attention back to the battle. As the crimson red homing arrow comes in, he parries it away, just in time to see Arthur coming in as well.

He quickly dances with the two, blocking one, parrying away the other. His movements fluid and his steps that of someone who was perhaps a master swordsman at one time. It was in this moment that perhaps 'Odin' as Shirou knows him almost comes back around. "The answers." He says to Arthur. "You shalt not understand them! For I can not--" However whatever moment was there of perhaps from the tree smacking may have knocked some sense back into Odin, the striking force of Arthur's own takes it away.

As the sheer force causes the armor to shatter, but then before Arthur he will notice that the armor rebuilds itself as he moves away. Repairing itself whole once more, even as Odin roars out. Those eyes gleaming brightly as he lashes down the sword to cut the energy of the arrow into nothing, before stepping around and lashing out a long swing of his sword. The sheer wing bending to the will of the blade to cut across the grounds.

This is about when Odin decides to get some distance and moves himself away from his attackers as he seems to 'teleport' back in burst of a fog forming. Though Saber has other plans, as the woman races in with the golden glint in her eyes.

The Elder Primal swings his foot around to block one of the strikes, then the next, and next. Though a few strikes graze and cut into his armor, causing it to disperse for a moment before forming back together. Odin grunting slightly in pain from the sheer force, as the fog seems to rolls slightly around. The ground under his feet starting to dark by each step he takes.

With Saber also comes the other Knight as well, whom Odin treats in equal as he does her. The sparks may indeed fly in the air. Even Bedivere is able to clip some of his armor and leave a gash, though it does not remain-- but one may note it is starting to take longer to pull itself together.

Odin then narrows his eyes as he speaks that language again, seeming to be slipping fully back into the state they found him in and then sweeps his Obsidian blade one way, before coming back around the other at them both.

As he breaks from the two that is when he senses before he sees the swords coming raining down from Chloe. With a sweep of his cape he twirls it around. The blades impact the cape and tear through it, forcing it back into aetheric energy-- but where Odin had gone, was not seen. At least until he forms up from the ground in front of Chloe straight out of the darkness tendrils that rise up and the fog like form he takes for that moment. His glowing eyes staring down at the child.

There was a low primal rumble, before he sweeps his hand around to try and take hold of her throat-- or at least try too...

Madara Uchiha (651) has posed:
The blonde woman with the phenomenal agility and kenjutsu skill, her fallen companion who is apparently still able to dance after all, a homing sword from the red-head boy, the one capable of propelling himself utilizing both the sword and Madara's own (stolen) Wood Release to land his own blow, Garen sniping from a distance and keeping the enemy on his toes, and the little girl with the abilities that the red-head is copying (or perhaps he is her mentor, and she learned them from him)... All of them together are fighting against this one foe, but Madara is unable to tell from a glance if their foe is truly taking a beating or not. The words spoken by his opponent do not inspire an obvious outwards reaction in the ninja. His face that looks to be pottery made of flesh based on the seams and cracks in it, looks completely unemotional. And yet his thoughts speed along as only a person that has experienced countless battles can. Athur's call for an identification has Madara look in his direction. Then he looks towards the armored opponent once more.

He calls out, "I'll find out for you in a moment." Odin is an agile and powerful fighter, apparently capable of all-ranges combatant, manifestation of chains and blades, kenjutsu, taijutsu, and possibly some form of regeneration or assimilation. As he cleaves the ninja's armor open, once more exposing the bloodless, dusty interior of his body, he is already putting himself back together, and focusing only on his target. Odin has either grasped the girl by the throat or is trying to. His back is to Madara, and it's unclear if anyone can react in time except Chloe herself.

Madara does something similar to what the larger warrior did earlier. He flickers, vanishing out of existence, and then reappears behind the Elder Primal. His eyes have changed. Instead of the red-on-black of the Mangekyou Sharingan, they are grey with black rings radiating outwards from the centers. He attempts to kick his enemy in the backs of his knees in two swift tricks to take him to the ground - though that is mostly just to make his next move easier, and isn't necessarily required.

Becaue he then places one hand on the back of the man's head... And pulls upwards. If this works, he takes something ephemeral with his hand when he moves it. Something ghostly, bearing a vague resemblance to Odin, and gradually being stretched out of his body...

...Did Madara just PULL ODIN'S SOUL OUT OF HIM!?

"Let me find out what you meant by your words, mad dog."

Odin (576) has posed:
Odin goes to hold Chloe, at least until Madara does something. He goes to pull out Odin's soul, only thing is. The Elder Primal suddenly yells in pain as this is done, his hand releasing Chloe from his own agony.

The first thing people may notice of this 'spectre' is that it looks elf like, those seen Odin without his helm, knows this look. He looks almost normal, but something seems to almost roll around him. Like another being. Two forces perhaps fighting for control.

In that moment Madara gets what he can from the Elder Primal. A history that dates back to a civilization that could reach the stars. Beasts like Odin raging across the world, trapped or blasted away by one with armor taking the shapes of horns.

Brutal wars. Conquest. The world at which the Elder Primal comes from being slowly taken control of fully by one Empire and one Empire alone.. and he-- he a man.. a man like them. Then light flashes, screams of pain. Rage.

A woman's voice: 'I am sorry.. I didn't know..'

'Get control of yourself! You are still..

The woman's voice then screams out, 'ODIN! STOP!' She has a that same armored horn, another warrior standing beside her and only sense is that of betrayal even as she tries to explain herself and the man beside her.

Yet all of it quickly washes away, as Odin suddenly pulls himself back and then goes to backhand swipe Madara away. Staggering away. His hands digging into the ground as he suddenly roars out. The whole air quakes with the roar. The sky crackles with violet purple lightning.

This was their chance. Their chance to strike!

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
That didn't go exactly as planned. In fact things went so awry it's not out of the question to say 'mistakes were nade'.

In her wild flurrying swipes of the two legendary Aincrad blades, the weapons SHATTER in her hands against Odin's cape and armored bulk. And before she can Trace another pair, that large dark, hand clasps around her neck.

"HRK?!"

Legs kick and flail. She's not entirely helpless without air, but it is more than uncomfortable. Gold eyes squeeze closed as she sees stars, the very breath squeezed painfully from her lungs. Where most girls would have their windpipes fatally crushed, however, she is a hardy thing, choking out, blood creeping from the corner of her lip with a small cry. But then in her hand is a blade. Short, curved, made of dark metal with red hexagonal etchings, she swips Kanshou at that wrist to try and dislodge herself.

It's not effective until Madara swoops in from behind. One eye squints open just in time to see an ethereal figure pulled from the Primal's dark armor. And then she's released.

For a moment she crumples to the ground, sputtering and choking, rolling to her feet with a wheeze, but she doesn't let lack of air hold her down as Kanshou and Bakuya form in her hands. A side-arm chuck HURLS the two blades in opposing arcs, and she summons another pair- throws them- and another- and hurls them as well.

Six swords fly like boomerangs, seeking to return to each other on target. Save for the two in her hand.

"Trace... Overedge..."

Her voice is a rasp, but in her hands Kanshou and Bakuya extend, razor edged blades taking on a keener, cutting edge, metal feathering outwards down the spines of the married swords. No more words from the girl as she suddenly darts forward with a grunt, bringing the two expanded blades in her hands down together in a vicious X-shaped cut as she warps- suddenly appearing behind Odin and skidding to a stop.

Just like in those fancy samurai flicks.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou gapes the very instant that Odin cleaves apart Hrunting.

    That Elder Primal is a monster.

    There is no way he can possibly beat him reliably, no matter what he does. Last time might've been just a fluke. It certainly relied on a lot more people doing most of it, his contribution was only the finishing blow. ONe of many. And only with terrific help. So no, he has no illusions about being 'better' than Odin or even able to match him.

    But seeing the best thing he could do chopped in half is enough to fill him with a moment of despair and panic.

    "Damn... what can I even do here...?!"

    His attentionf alls momentarily on Saber - there's what he would rather be, almost. A shining figure able to go toe to toe with monsters and fight them on even footing. Noble and mighty.

    But that will never be.

    "Hwagh---" The distance 'slash' takes Shirou right off his feet, cutting deeply into his stomach and across one of his arms and legs. A nasty crimson gash that puts him down, HARD. The only thing he had to block with was the bow, and it's shredded by the slash.

    Pain surges through his body, but the pain rushing in his head from pulling yet more things he should not from Chloe's Archer Card already exceeds it. "Ghhaaaaghhh---!"

    Both together put him into a nearly delirious state, and he operates almost on autopilot to rise again. His whole body's trembling, and... SQUEAKING? Indeed, there's metallic groans when he moves... but the boy chants firmly...

    "My body is made of swords, a shell of steel with fire for blood!"

    He's not sure when he made these words part of his personal mantra. Or when or why he added the second line, but they serve well to help him focus, just like his typical 'trace on.' Because with Chloe being grabbed and wrenched about, in terrible trouble, he must, absolutely MUST do something to rescue her. He can't bear to think of her being killed. It puts ice straight down his gut.

    But these words are for another purpose. Not to activate his circuits, but to focus his Projection.

    Ducking low and howling a ferocious battlecry, Shirou pumps both determination and prana into his injured body. Though skin splits in places to add on further injury, the Reinforcement job's better than many that've come before it. Incredible power in his legs propels him at Odin as a new shape forms in his grasp. A long thin... pole?!

    No, it's a spear.

    The golden light fades just as Shirou's closed in on Odin with inhuman speeds. The boy's operating far past his tolerance levels, but "Hruuuuuuuaaaahhhhh!!"

    He doesn't care.

    The weapon finishes forming a split-second before it's put to use. Shirou grasps the shaft of the crimson spear of Ireland's hero with all he's got, and begins a series of mad thrusts and swings that nearly wrench his arms out of their sockets. It's speed and strength his body can't properly manage or withstand, and skill no human could hope to keep up with!

    So Shirou will not be coming out of that exchange unscathed.

    But the spear's barbs will sting awfully if they strike Odin...

    That, however, is not the full scale of what Shirou has in mind. Shirou's hands clasp the weapon oddly and angle it downwards. Baleful and terrible red 'flames' sprout from the Noble Phantasm's tip and flow upwards. All the power of this amazing ley line nexus point awakens, flowing into it as Shirou fills it with prana of his own.

    "Sorry, Odin. I'm just betting that you won't really die even if we kill you." Why is he even apologizing though? That's the question.

    The next moment, his stance finally shifts and he thrusts the weapon - "GAE BOLG!"

    In that very instant something strange happens. The glowing weapon pulses and lashes out like a snake, twisting weirdly through the thrust.

    It's only natural though. The lance of causality reversal has its target picked out before it's used. An armor-piercing, cursed blow for Odin's heart! Though against such a foe, it may certainly be a bit off...

Saber (346) has posed:
     Somewhere in her soul, Saber's anger raged further at the savage attacks on Shirou and Chloe, letting herself be carried forward to /punish/ the thing which would dare do such a thing. But that rage only seemed to quell -- the golden flecks receding from her eyes -- after Bedivere finally rises again to issue an attack of his own. It was strange; it had hardly been the first time he had fallen in battle, and at least this time he wasn't being carried off unconsciously and with a battle axe lodged in his arm. But it had never before filled her with a rage rarely matched before. Perhaps it was because she was no longer forced behind a cold and impartial mask, their new camaraderie, or these and many other reasons, but whatever the reasons had been, her rage had nearly consumed her. It was more than slightly worrying and disturbing.

     But is should not have been surprising; hadn't he not vowed to always return to her side? The knight who survived Camlann, against all odds, whom the Saxons couldn't seem to rout? Mortal or not, Bedivere was a man who could not seem to die so easily.

     And with that, the rage of the King of Knights abated, leaving her with the necessary calm to do what needed to be done. There, with lightning skies overhead, the Primordial Elder staggered. Entirely open to attack...not unlike the demon Caster had become in the middle of Fuyuki Bay, during the Holy Grail War. It was then it occurred to the Servant that the appropriate answer was the same.

     Lifting the holy sword up, Wind King peeled off the blade to reveal the glowing metal itself as Excalibur: the Sword of Promised Victory, burned gold in the darkness. Countless glimmering motes of light arose from the land as she closed her eyes, summoning those millions of souls of those who had given their lives for glory, for country, for ideals, for their brothers- and sisters-in-arms. Those who lay dying on the battlefield, reaching up towards the skies and praying that their sacrifice would not be in vain, that their prayers would be answered. The King of Knights carried that burden upon her shoulders, chosen to answer those prayers. To tell them across the years: /You have been heard./

     Not all would pray for peace. But she would grant it, ironically, through her sword.

     Those motes continued to seek out and find Excalibur until its light was blinding, the gathered dreams of nameless soldiers, whose prayers would now be answered with a single, righteous strike.

     Jade eyes opened and the Servant took a single step forward, calling upon the name of the Last Phantasm and releasing its true power in a single blast of purifying holy light.

     "Ex....CALIBUR!"

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
With every sweep of the sword, Bedivere seems to come closer to collapse. Every stroke seems just a little slower than the last, and every sharp movement flings more of his own blood to spatter on the barren ground.

He isn't going to last much longer.

Odin gets away from his immediate space, then, and Madara does... something. He can sense the pull, staggering back to get away from it with his eyes half-closed. His nameless sword droops in his grasp until its point touches the dirt; for a few seconds he simply stands there, shuddering, struggling just to breathe as he clutches at his stomach with his free hand.

Definitely not much longer, he decides. Best sell himself dearly, then, though his expression falls to one of regret as he watches Saber's death-dance. He had promised her, and he is loathe to break his promises, but he can feel how quickly his strength fades.

Before he can think on that much longer, Shirou does something that has him staring in open-mouthed shock. A flash of red-gold; that elegant metal that the Gaels learned to work and ornament their weapons and armour with, and intricate scrollwork down the haft of a spear so legendary that even he recognises it.

One of the greatest heroes of his people, known even in distant Dal Riata. Cuchulainn, the Hound of Culann, Ireland's Child of Light.

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
For a brief instant Bedivere is pretty sure he's hallucinating, or already passed out. Did Shirou just do that? Seriously?

Once more he finds himself staring, but this time as Saber strips away the enchantment that hides her weapon, laying bare the Golden Sword of Promised Victory; the blade he himself remembers so well, that he had once laid hands on.

Golden light washes over him so strongly that it casts a shadow behind him. Bedivere stares in awe and terror as the light of Excalibur shines like a second sun over the battlefield, the hopes and prayers of the people lighting it up with such intensity that he can only look at it for a moment.

Bedivere slumps to his knees, staring, his own nameless blade falling from his numb fingers.

But all too soon that light fades, letting him see again. He shakes his head as though momentarily disoriented, snorting and spitting blood, before lurching to his feet. One more time he spits to clear his mouth, which thins into a hard line of anger.

Bedivere stoops and picks up his sword, ignoring the wrench against his wounded front or the twist of damaged armour. He simply strides up to the Elder Primal, taking advantage of Odin's momentary lapse to swing his sword in a mighty, two-handed blow; overhanded, to try and bite deep into Odin's shoulder while he's distracted. It's the blow of a headsman's axe -- only not quite at the neck, for perhaps he feels there may be too much armour there to succeed in /that/.

He says something as he does, but his companions may be too far away to hear him -- but Odin might.

"Trouble this place no longer. /Go back from whence you came/."

Arthur Lowell has posed:
    The blade slams, heavily, into Arthur's body, cutting a deep gash and causing a huge spray of blood to gush out of him for a brief moment before his resilience takes over, halting the blade and ensuring he doesn't get cut in half. The boy himself goes skidding with a trail of blood, but this time he stays on his feet, kicking up dust on the barren earth as he's forced away. "You're not even TRYING." He calls out. "You're not TRYING to make sense, you're not TRYING any way of solvin' ANY PROBLEM that'll EVER WORK. Motherfucker, if you wanna make me think you ain't just GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS, you bes' get to TRYING to MAKE me understand! Come ON!"

    As Odin retreats, Arthur flips the broom deftly again, and assumes that position where he's about to blast forward in a huge rush. There's a glance, asid, to Madara. "RAD." He declares, simply. "DO IT." And then... Well, okay, that's Odin's soul being pulled out. Then it's rather clear everyone's bringing out the big guns. Arthur doesn't have a big gun he can bring out here, at least not in any reasonable span of time. But, bloodied and bruised, he can do one thing.

    His momentum suddenly amps up big time; the kid seems to have all the weight of a giant in all the body of some tiny teenager. He blasts forward, and then, suddenly, his thrusters disengage, purging from his broom like a multi-stage rocket's. The bristles of his broom flare out. And there's a sickening mechanical scrape, a grim noise of vicious machine teeth against teeth. The bristles begin to spin, viciously, their edges shining in the light.

    He blast through and around Chloe's traced blades, striking forward. He has a blender on the end of his broomstick, and swings it like the most vicious cudgel ever conceived, intending not only to crush through the armor, but to rend through it, tearing it, forcing itself to stay there, and eating through the flesh below. He ducks under Chloe as she rushes in for her cross-slice, halting and then suddenly rolling forward in a perfect maneuver that lets Chloe leap over him as well as push off of his feet for extra force!

Arthur Lowell has posed:
    And back to attacking! But unlike before, Odin will find he can't shove Arthur away, he can't slam him away with his sword; the momentum is FORCE and UNBREAKABLE. Arthur can certainly still be damaged, but his vicious whirling blender can't be STOPPED; his squishy-caster body just takes wound after wound after wound. The only respite is when he twirls around stylishly, breaking away from the rapid strikes to go back-to-back with Shirou as he thrusts and then following up, immediatelky covering, at the flanks!

    But he's still FAST! The gravity-magic-powered blasts take him left and right, forcing Odin to never have to deal with just ONE angle, and when he sees Saber's strikes charging in the corner of his eye, he focuses his efforts on... Limiting Odin's mobility! He's not going to let him move! He's going to FORCE HIM TO STAY STILL! He keeps darting around to any potential dodge vectors, and bashing viciously at Odin's knees, trying to shatter them or mess up the armor, even for a moment, to keep Odin right in the path of Saber's titanic blast! He only disengages at the absolute last second, letting Saber's titanic attack whoosh psat him dramatically and viciously, missing him by a hair!

    And here comes Bedivere! He attempts to BEHEAD Odin! And so, Arthur does the only thing he can do here, which is a vicious BLENDER THRUST from the opposite direction, from below, forcing Odin to block one or the other; his attack is going to try to churn its way straight through the breastplate. This is his last attack, performed in perfect tandem with his fellow combatant. He grunts, heavily, and it turns into a rising hot-blooded scream. "RrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!" His blender weapon is probably tearing itself apart ahead of him, and right now, despite his momentum, he's likely to have sustained some blows from Odin to go with the ones he already had. But despite the awful shrapnel of armor and blades, all the blood pouring over him, and all the wounds he's accummulated, Arthur has just a TITANIC amount of willpower, energy, and strength going into tearing THROUGH the armor and ripping whatever's past it apart.

Garen (530) has posed:
    Garen grimmaced as he was hit by the cleave, suppressing the pain coursing through him. Then, he spotted Madara's technique and was both impressed and a bit intimidated. For once, the chiss had no words, no taunts or quips. Instead he pushed his rifle nearly to the maximum setting, took aim for the Primal's head, and let fly for center mass. Of course, he was going to grill Madara on how he did this later.

Madara Uchiha (651) has posed:
He does not learn all there is to know. But there is a great deal there. Too much to properly grasp and analyze in just that one instant. And with the condition this 'Odin' is in, it is amazing there was much coherence in the information as there was. Madara is knocked backwards, releasing Odin's soul as the mighty warrior pulls it BACK out of the shinobi's grasp with his power and will alone, bringing up one arm and then bracing it with the other. He blocks the backhanded blow and goes skidding backwards at least two dozen feet, plowing up the ground beneath his sandals before he finally comes to a stop.

So, a man who was made into more than a man. A monster to fight monsters. Like a Jinchuuriki. Like what Madara hopes to one day become, when he finally receives true resurrection, instead of this unholy form he was brought back with via the Impure World Resurrection. He still does not even know the identity of the jutsu caster, or where his 'ally' in all this has gotten to, or where that Nagato brat is with Madara's LIVING eyes. So many obstacles to his plan, but here is a man who has already endured a similar process, and been overwhelmed by it.

Madara has many thoughts on that particular subject. Weakness, lack of preparation, so on and so forth. But that betrayal by someone Odin cared about, possibly not even intentional on the part of the woman, is something that resonates with Madara deeply. His first friend, Hashirama Senju, was on the opposite side of several wars. They fought so many times, developed so much hatred... Hashirama's own brother killed Madara's last remaining brother out of several. And yet...

When the time came, when Hashirama had defeated him and had Madara at his mercy, he had sought to ask one last time for Madara to surrender, to ask the Uchiha to join forces with the Senju, and build the Hidden Village that they had dreamed of as children - in the time before everything went to complete and utter shit. And he had gone easy on Hashirama. He had been kind, and asked Hashirama to kill himself as the price for Tobirama Senju killing Izuna Uchiha.

He had been kind, because he had not asked Hashirama to kill his own brother instead.

Madara Uchiha (651) has posed:
And Hashirama had been willing. And right before he could do it, Madara had reached up from where he lay, and stopped the blade, and saved his friend. He had told him, "That's enough. You've shown me your guts." And they had built the Hidden Leaf Village together. Uchiha and Senju, the two strongest Clans, united and made a place where children could grow up in safety, and not have to be child-soldiers fighting the wars of foolish adults. No more war, no more genocide.

And he had then discovered he would never truly be accepted. That the Uchiha would be isolated, rejected, and eventually eliminated. He had discovered the truth of Chakra, the purpose of ninja, and fallen into despair. And his friend, who now held all of his hate, still wanted to have him at his side, even as he unwittingly betrayed him.

Chloe bombards Odin with sword after sword, slashing him and demonstrating she is truly a skilled and resilient little girl. Shirou pierces him with a shining spear, showing he too has determination and power in abundance. Saber blasts Odin with her blazing sword, stirring unpleasant memories and emotions in the hate-filled shinobi as he gazes upon the pillar of golden light that results. The man Madara had once taken for dead is still on his feet, and striking to either disable or kill with a powerful overhead swing. Arthur's bombardment of fast-paced moves, near-flight, combinations with the others on the battlefield as though he had fought with them for years, and delivering a final strike with a truly unconventional weapon. Garen does as he does best, attacking from a distance, at a vital location that can cause the most harm. He does not rush into the fray like a fool. He knows his strengths and weaknesses - even if he seeks to improve himself further, with Madara's guidance.

A host to a great power. Betrayal that caused pain. Hatred and a war with some dark inner power. For a moment a flicker of something occurs to Madara. Something clawing at the edge of his awareness. But that light... That damn golden light! That woman's sword, for some unexplainable reason, aggravates him. And he puts that intangible something aside, and decides to focus on the matter at hand.

Madara Uchiha (651) has posed:
"His name is Odin," Madara calls out into the cacophony of all that is being unleashed. He raises his hand. "He has been warped by a transformation - an attempt to make him a monster to fight monsters. And he was right. He and I have some remarkable similarities. But there are a few differences." Then, with his Rinnegan still active, he attempts to use the power of gravity, much like Arthur, to seize hold of Odin and lift him into the air. "I shall not succumb as he did when I become the host to a great power." Then, he attempts to send Odin high, high, high up into the air... And bring him back down REALLY, REALLY, REALLY HARD. Hard enough to potentially bury a normal person in the ground a dozen feet if this succeeds. But Odin is no normal person. "I imagine you'll survive this." he says conversationally. "Perhaps we can work on putting your head on straight when you are no longer able to dance."

Odin (576) has posed:
Odin is not able to stand. His hands cling to the ground, perhaps because while Madara surfed his memories, he also reminded Odin of his own past. /All/ of it. Everything he once was, who he was, and what he had become. Became first for the good of all-- only to become...

The attacks come from all sides. They were brutal and each with their own power thrown behind it. Each ripping away at Odin's aetheric form. The armor grew ever dark, becoming Tendrils of aetheric energy as his form was ripped apart.

His body felt stun locked, unable to move. Unable to act. His inner mind screaming to do /something/, but he could not. Even when he tried to stand, his body shoved back down into the ground by the brutal forces of the strikes.

Odin at last roars in pain, trying to scramble to his feet, but for a massive strike to his shoulder sending him back to the ground. He barks out that strange language again in anger, in rage. Trying to pull himself back together during the assaults upon him.

Yet to no avail, no matter how he tries to get the momentum to strike back, someone out maneuvers him now before he can. Perhaps it is Madara's own attack, the knocking off his feet and back into the ground. An attack of great power that gives Odin the break he needs to grip his own wits once more. For by the time all the attacks are over, the Elder Primal's form is almost misshape. The aetheric energy trying to pull itself back together, even as Odin staggers to his feet. The armor slowly rebuilding, those eyes glowing at the group.

He takes a staggering step and falls down to his knee. The fog starting to vanish away, as he reaches out for his Obsidian lance, but even it starting to vanish into aetheric motes of darkness. "Nrrh.." He then falls over to onto his on hand, as he then starts to chuckle softly. "..so.. this is.. what it is liked when I have been stripped..."

"To be brought down from a god.. to a man.." He places out his hand, as though one Obsidian Lance vanishes a new one forms under his hands. It raises up as he forces himself to stand. The Obsidian Lance following him up as he takes hold of it.

Dark purple flames ignite around him as he then pulls together what strength he has left. He then goes to leap directly into the air with a roar, throwing every bit of strength he has left in his final attack. He slams the Obsidian lance into the very circle. The sheer force causes the ground to bow, before it explodes with heavy force that blasts outward. Though no damage shall come from the blast, the energy needed-- was not with him.

Yet Odin leans against the Obsidian Lance, his hand starting to slide across the surface as he can only laugh again. His aetheric strength was fading and with no aetheric pool to pull from.. it was only a matter of time now...

"You.. all have won, for I not the strength to continue.. the aether does not bleed here and my own reserves have been brought to nigh." Odin says softly, as his form slowly continues to fade from existence. Odin then looks at Madara. "..You say that you shall not succumb.. for whatever it is you seek.. and I too once was able to not heed the call.. but it now calls and only grows louder. A cycle to never end.. the light bleeds and her children cry.. The Light suffers.. and I drawn to the battle within.. unable to ignore the call for the war.." He closes his eyes. "...hear the call of war.. hear the beating of drums.. vengeance be mine.. they say.. vengeance be all.."

Odin then slowly opens his eyes, "..Heed this warning.. for vengeance will come and I not have the strength.. " His voice starts to fade, along with his form. "...Allagan Descendant.. given divine power.. to rise on wings.." his words fully fade as he too vanishes from existence...

Sir Bedivere (482) has posed:
The Elder Primal roars in defiance and finds the presence of mind to speak, at least for a few moments. Bedivere wavers on his feet, only half able to concentrate on those words, face ashen and twisted into an expression of silent pain. He's just barely on his feet; all of his energy and concentration is going into keeping himself upright.

He staggers back and away from Odin, sword drooping until the point touches the barren dirt once more. True, his wound gnaws at him, but he can feel something else weighing on him, with all the weight of an iron anvil. Why does his body feel so heavy? True, he can feel his blood seeping out, but that shouldn't account for...

Phase Rock seems to swim around him; he squints, trying to resolve the treacherous landscape, but he also has trouble keeping his balance. The land seems to buckle beneath his feet.

Bedivere manages a quiet grunt before taking a half-step forward towards Saber to stand at her side again, then another; but he goes no further than that. The silver-haired, blood-stained knight once more collapses. If she's quick Saber might be able to catch him -- if not, he'll be sent sprawling in a pool of his own blood again.

He's not quite unconscious yet, but he looks like he wishes he were.

Garen (530) has posed:
    Garen stands, and puts the rifle onto his back. He finally closes the gap to the group, revealing his features. Blue skin, and red eyes. "So, a man-made beast to fight beasts..." He quickly noted and began mentally disecting and analyzing Odin's words, plotting out their possible meaning. He casts a wary glance over the field, making a note to have the Watcher network scrub his face from any video footage going outside of confederate high command.

Peter Parker (609) has posed:
Phase Rock shakes just slightly, then again. It's a low tremor that seems to pass through the stone but not something that is coming from within Phase Rock itself. Along with the tremors there's a low *THUM THUM THUM* sound that seems to get louder and louder as the moments pass.

As the sound becomes louder its direction becomes slowly apparent. Something is coming up the side of the rock. Another series of THUMS and vibrations and a massive, mechanical limb not unlike that of a spider comes over the lip of Phase Rock behind the Unionites. It digs into the ground with a massive claw-like tip, then another one emerges, and another, and another.

A huge, somewhat ovoid shape rises like a Behemoth from the edge of the rock. Vaguely spider-like in outline it stands on eight of those large, mechanical spider-legs.

The multi-story machine seems to sweep the scene for a moment or two with floodlights before it settles whatever visual sensors it has on the Union forces. Then, it lowers itself into a crouch with hissing and clacking coming from those tree-sized mechanical legs, an access ramp unfolding from the belly as several men suited in green and yellow with guns emerge from its interior and take up guard positions on either side of the ramp, guns at the ready.

"*ahem* All Union members aboard the Arachnaught, please?"

Spider-Man's voice rings loud and clear over the hulking machine's loudspeakers.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Seeing Saber unleashing her sword, Shirou acts on pure gut instinct and the look in her eyes as they open. He moves. He moves far, far away, while leaving Gae Bolg impaled in Odin. It'll be hell to rip that out without losing an arm in the undertaking! And it's a damned good thing that he gets out of the way.

    He hurls himself behind a boulder for cover and looks on in awe and terror. The golden light from Saber's holy sword has overwhelmed ALL of his senses.

    But to see him being being torn to pieces by everyone's best efforts - and waht those efforts are - isn't helping Shirou at all! He stumbles up and gapes further. just how much can one Primal TAKE?!

TJust how much can these others put out too, for that matter? And will Saber be alright? How much prana must've gone into that...?!

    "Ghagh..." A throbbing head and aching, injured body distracts him... then he's knocked clean over by Odin's half-hearted shockblast. It bowls Shirou over without serious injury...

    Picking himself up and sensing the weakness in Odin, the redheaded magus shuffles forward while clutching at a shoulder. Shirou's covered in strange bruises and marks from where his poor Reinforcement job split his skin and tore muscle, cracked bone. But all of it's being dealt with by Avalon. His whole body creaks and groans with metallic noises for the approach... or is that just a trick of the ears for the really sharp of hearing?

    Regardless, he's there to hear the Primal's words... and Madara's explanation. "Odin... was human?!"

    That explains...

    ...SOOOOOOOO MUCH.

Arthur Lowell has posed:
    After crashing through the now-empty space where Odin just jumped, whirling himself around as the Obsidian Lance falls down, planting his broom-handle blade-down into the ground in preparation for some vicious shockwave. But as it washes over him harmlessly, he stands up more directly, crossing his arms dramatically and letting the wind whip his godly robes back intensely. Then he grunts unpleasantly. He has the feeling that this guy's stances on mortality and godhood are probably antithetical to his own. He pulls his own broom out of the ground, flipping it around one hand before it disappears once again.

    He works his shoulders roughly, putting a hand up to his gaping wound on the side of his torso to put pressure on the gentle flow of blood. "Doesn't make any sense. Fuckin', Shirou, figure this out. I'm tired of this nonsense." He says, now deciding to stride - wincing as he goes from the pain - back off in the direction he came, before slowly beginning to float off. Union's got evac here! He can see that giant spider. And he knows the Feds own this place, so he's gonna need to get out before any tensions get weird....

Saber (346) has posed:
     There was no satisfaction as Odin fell, in what seemed as close to a surrender as they were likely to hear from the Primal Elder before he disappeared with another threat in his wake. Saber paid it little heed; her attention was not on their vanquished foe for long. Indeed, though her rage had dissipated, her returned calm was not soon to last. Not when the catalyst of that earlier rage was, doubtless, seriously injured.

     Excalibur was returned to its ethereal state as the Servant quickly moved back to her marshal's side. Just in time, it would seem.

     The petite knight wasted no time in silently catching the much taller one, which might have seemed almost comical to anyone witnessing the scene. Only, the serious wound from which Bedivere was bleeding out -- clearly indicating he had passed out from blood loss -- left no room for levity. Moreover, even holding back Excalibur to a certain extent was still incredibly draining, especially for a Master with as little training as Bedivere had. It had been the right call to ask Loros for instruction, otherwise, such a blast might have killed him.

     It was therefore fortunate that the Arachnaut appeared when it did. "Bear with it, just a little while longer," she murmured to the other knight, her voice nevertheless containing an undercurrent of worry. If he held on to consciousness, Arturia would help him unto the ship, if not, carry him onto it herself. And if he /was/ unconscious, it was probably just as well. The Arachnaut didn't look like anything Bedivere would have willingly entered...at least, not without considerable baulking.

Madara Uchiha (651) has posed:
Madara Uchiha actually looks... Disappointed when Odin seems to be choosing to retreat. He does not quite seem to be in a state where he can no longer fight, but if it was madness that drove him to attack in the first place, and some degree of clarity has been obtained...

Well enough then. He just wished he could have brought Odin in and seen if there was a way to make use of him. He had darkness in his heart already. There was no need to create it, as there had been with the boy who had come to Madara in his dying days. People could be controlled by that darkness, and someone like Odin could be quite a powerful trumpcard if he could only be controlled. Clearing his head would have been necessary, of course, but with Genjutsu it might have been possible. Perhaps even Sealing techniques, to suppress the power he wields until he was once more able to regulate it.

Now there's an idea, for their next encounter. A well-placed Sealing jutsu should put a serious impact on the ability to flee. But this foe... It would be wise to have allies for, or to go all-out against at the start.

But when the huge machine arrives, and he hears the voice of that... Spider-Dude he fought a couple days ago, he decides this place has exhausted its potential. He has learned quite a bit, and found amusement in battle. The Union is retreating and he intends to let them leave. Neither they nor he have anything to gain by continuing to battle, and based off of what he has seen, facing them all - even with Garen - would end badly. Especially with the spider warrior up there, ready to jump in.

"We will wait until they have made their departure, and then leave ourselves," Madara mutters to Garen whenever he gets close enough. He is not going to go away until the enemy is also extracted.

Much to think on. Cryptic words, and other matters. He will have quite a time with the report for this encounter.

Peter Parker (609) has posed:
Once everyone's loaded up on the massive machine the Spiderlings back up the ramp and into its belly, keeping their weapons trained on the remaining Confederates until the last second. They're nothing if not dutiful.

Once the last figure vanishes into its belly, the Arachnaught's loading ramp folds back up into its crimson, armored abdomen and it starts to rise up on its legs once more. The huge guns attached to it twitch just slightly in Madara and Garen's direction, the Arachnaught's pilot wanting nothing more than to turn both of them into ashes on the landscape.

Unfortunately, he has other things to do.

The Spiderlings immediately get about tending to the wounded, packing Bedivere's wound with some kind of protein rich bio-sealant and hooking him up to a drip bag while Chloe is bouyed up to keep her from just laying there on the floor. Shirou and Saber are checked for wounds and given what medical attention is necessary to stabilize them.

Finally, with everything and everyone seemingly in order, the Arachnaught steps back on four of its legs, bracing and then launches itself into the void in a single, prodigious leap, legs folding up just before its anti-gravity system kicks in and it floats serenely, if not strangely back towards Union-held territory.