View source for 3133/Woodvale Trial: The Wounded Earth

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/10/02
|Location=Paragon City <CoH>
|Synopsis=Crey are trying to steal Portal Corp technology during a crisis! A danger... And an opportunity!
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=346, 533, 560, 769, 821, 858, 885
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:769|Demetrios Vasilikos (769)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Woodsman and the researchers at Portal Corporation's main headquarters were rescued and brought back to town yesterday. Mysteriously, the Woodsman left in the night after getting medical treatment. He didn't leave any message or communicate to anyone where he was going. But the last time anyone saw him, he seemed to be holding his head and muttering to himself...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That concern will have to be put aside for now. Because Crey Industries has moved in to try to 'salvage' a site that is still the legal property of Portal Corporation... And any of the heroes who have heard or seen Crey so far know they're the LAST people that needs to have even MORE advanced technology. What are they going to do with interdimensional portals for instance? Dump toxic waste on someone else's world and let them deal with it as part of some new 'environmentally conscious initiative'? They would do it too. Even if the world was inhabited. As long as they make a profit in the end, just about nothing is off the table.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crey appear to have provoked the Devouring Earth that were busy tearing the laboratory apart though, because now they're having to run for it... Crey may be an awful, awful, awful corporation, but in this case they're stealing and will pay appropriately for their crimes. Not even poeple like THESE deserve to be torn apart by bio-warfare monsters! But there's also the remains of that laboratory... And Crey can always just be left to clean up after themselves, since they're so fond of making messes. As long as that laboratory remains, more thieves will come.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Maybe someone should wipe it out...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And of course, not everyone here is a hero. Some are downright villainous! Why return stolen property and punish the thieves when you can threaten them into handing it over and let them deal with the heat from law enforcement that follows? And getting to bust up some of those eco-monsters in the process might be fun.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_b bg_n ++ hb">Task Force Rose: Heroes</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The area that is arrived at is to the north of the ruins of the laboratory, in the cliffs near a large body of water of some kind. A huge lake or something. Creatures of crystal, stone, and vine are wandering around, hunting for the humans that caught their attention, and among all the huge boulders and rocky outcroppings. And Crey are also in the area, in their business suits, and their powered armor, and their researchers' green labcoats and visors... All of that junk.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Somewhere among them is the leader of this team, Agent Wood, a Crey Protector in his vivid blue and yellow get-up. He's probably the one who is illegally carrying that te<span class=" bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hnology!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;chr">Villains</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crey may have bungled this, but they're not stupid. Why would they only send one team to retrieve technology? There's no way they wouldn't have accounted for the possibility of having to run for it. One team acting as bait while another gets the goods... That would make the most sense for a group that can handle a few 'missing' employees.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tracking down the second team would lead an enterprising villain to the woods that separate Woodvale from the big open area to the west, and that now-demolished laboratory. And it's somewhere in these woods where the remainder of Strike Unit Beta are hiding and hoping for a chance at escaping, after being ambushed by Devouring Earth monsters that were on their way to attack Woodvale.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No plan survives contact with the enemy. How fortunate there are villains here to make the situation even worse. Fungoids and creatures like walking rock-piles roam the woods, hunting for human prey.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:885|Hive Monsters (885)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">Vigilantes</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Whoever decides that removing this site rather than letting it fall into the hands of thieves is a better option, even if it means leaving Crey to their own devices, will find that the laboratory is pretty thoroughly trashed. The burning engines of portal generators are now just blackened rubble behind the main building, and the main building's metal walls have been visibly peeled apart and clawed to shreds, the interior demolished... Only a few rooms remain somewhat intact. And there are still Devouring Earth in the area, though it appears most of them chased after Crey.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A perfect chance to remove this threat without having to face off against a huge horde!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:858|Jasper (858)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The general priority of the Homeworld Gems is to secure all kinds of interesting technology. Jasper, being the biggest and meanest of the three, was given the task of seeing to this 'Crey' group. She's big, easily eight feet tall, with an incredibly muscular build. Her skin, bright orange and striped with darker lines in places, makes it quite clear that she's not a human. Any creature that tried to take a bite out of her would only eat her brow as she headbutts them into submission. The fact that they seem like twisted and broken gem-creatures doesn't really draw much thought from her. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stalking through the woods, Jasper is seemingly intent on heading right for Strike Unit Beta, shoving trees out of her way and smashing through underbrush.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Shirou hasn't really LEFT Paragon City since yesterday. He instead stopped by the hospital for a medical checkup. Biohzards and the like being an issue. Thankfully his fears were mostly unfounded, or so he really hopes. But it means he made the 'mistake' of sleeping in paragon again.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wouldn't you know.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So whent he news strikes that such awful things are going on, one of the first things he does is ask his Servant if he'd like to help. Gawain is ten times stronger than he is and pretty much immune to any biowarfare shenanigans! Since all he has to do to cleanse himself of contaminants is dematerialize and rematerialize...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So now he's again standing outside the library... and he's had the forethought to add some extra padding. Okay, so he basically just bought some protective sports gear - knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, and the like - but, REINFORCED, it's as good as steel without any of the extra weight... and that might come in handy.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;from his vantage point on the cliffs, Shirou can see a heck of a lot. "Trace, on..."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In a few moments a black bow - modified from its original form into an eastern-style bow suitable for Kyudo, unlike Archer's western longbow design.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:533|Sir Gawain (533)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>This is a world of heroes. And today, heroes are needed. That is why the amateur superhero, "Gir Sawain, the Sun Knight", is here, after being invited by his Master, Emiya Shirou. Fighting monsters is nothing new for him, as he dashes up onto the cliff, behind Shirou. His floral armor will strike fear into the heart of his enemies, and his gold eyemask will protect his identity as the one and only Sir Gawain, Knight of the Sun.<br /><br />"I'll get a headstart. Do your best, Shirou!", the Knight says to his Master, as he leaps off the cliff, landing in the trees below. He begins to dash forward, sword in its hilt, as he searches for the monsters, eyes dashing around the woods. "This is a job for a superhero!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:821|Archer (821)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No matter where he went... it was always the same. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It was the exact modicum repeated in every setting no matter what the overt differences. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Quite simply... that humans always tended to invite misery onto themselves. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He'd only learned about this group yesterday -looking into the local sources about them while Rin stayed at a hotel in town - but it was all he needed to know. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Of course, other groups like the Crey would assuredly try... and they wouldn't hesitate to kill whoever was in their way for it.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sometimes, the prize was simply not worth the price that was paid for it... especially if those that fought for it made a point of /never/ learning from their mistakes. The Holy Grail War was consecutive proof of that - five times a war was fought for it and not once had the prize been claimed... and in the end, the greed for it tainted it to the point that nobody could benefit from it. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It was for that reason that Archer had no illusions about what had to be done - whatever could be learned from this place... it would never be worth it, and always be abused. As such... the only option was to wipe the board clean and preserve the status que. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As expected of the Counter-Guardian's mentalities. It seemed that no matter where he went, he would have to ascribe to it. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not that he had any other path to follow. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Having broken off from where the main group would be, Archer had moved ahead in spirit-form as they pursued the Crey. As Archer traverses the woods, heading for a sniping position in the trees with which to destroy the building, he sees areas where the Crey are fighting the creatures - 'Devouring Earth', as they were called locally. His invisible expression is outwardly apathetic for the Crey, yet half-subdued scorn is present in his eyes, speeding past them without pause. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Saving those in the way of harm was one thing, but those that had cause harm and brought it on themselves reaped their own reward. Besides, between the boy and the two Sabers, it wasn't like the more then enough of the Crey would get a chance for the compassion they didn't deserve. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hopefully, the loss of their prize would discourage them... if only for a while.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:346|Saber (346)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Saber's opinion of Crey was, at this point, fairly low. Already she had been copied somehow and that copy -- along with those of her team-mates -- had caused a great deal of havoc before the issue was straightened out. While some reasonable doubt remained, the evidence seemed to point to Crey and their gene experimentation. And the petite knight already had a low opinion of things like that from well before she had learned of the corporation. Their morality -- or apparent lack thereof -- might have been the base of her disapproval, but making a copy of her had been the piece de resistance. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Joining Shirou with Gawain some time after the first mission of the Task Force -- regretfully, a different emergency had called her away just before she could answer previously -- the King of Knights was forced to admit that it was difficult to find sympathy for certain members of the corporation. She was not so naive as to think there was anyone aside from lowly cleaning crews which had brought the bizarre fauna-based monstrosities down on themselves. Still, chivalry demanded that they answer for their wrongdoing in a proper court of law rather than at the claws of the Devouring Earth. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The jade-eyed Servant looked Shirou over appraisingly. It was perhaps the best he could do in a pinch, though he really should be fitted for proper armour. Various armed forces of the modern era boasted some impressive pieces of technology in that regard. Gawain, on the other hand... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The diminutive knight-king did not bother to suppress her soft groan. It was harder to justify the other Saber's...exuberance in the current era. Then again, she'd heard of one superhero at least who had been transformed via radiation accident from a former jock high school football coach to superhero, who had been unable to /completely/ leave his former life behind. As strange as it might seem, Gawain had the best chance for fitting in here, even with his goofy mask. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And then he charges straight ahead. /Perhaps not,/ she considered with a sigh. "I shall go ensure he does not find himself in too much trouble, Shirou," she commented drily before dropping down after him, summoning her armour and Excalibur on the way down. Someone had to make sure he didn't set everything on fire. <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:821|Archer (821)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rin had managed to get a /semi/-decent sleep at the local hotels... though the price practically made it not worth having a rest-zone in this area. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You'd think the hoards of monsters and shadowy corporations would /lower/ the staying rate. It's not like most normal people would logically /want/ to live here because of all the chaos. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Rin passes the library area, she sees Shioru, Saber. While reluctant to see Shirou again after... after the promise she felt she'd forced on him - she knew that Archer's recon could be valuable to planning after all. So in the end, she moves over to meet them and.... and... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And Rin stops as her brain momentarily shuts down at the sight. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Shirou's appearance makes her groan inwardly - did he really think those pads would do that much? Granted, it was a smart move to reinforce lightweight objects as armor - Magi Enforcers like Bazett did so to great effect all the time and Rin herself did so often - but couldn't he have done so in something that was a bit more... tasteful? He'd said he was living in a kingdom with Saber - he should at least have been able to get a proper set of light armor. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When she sees Gawain, though... the magus can't help but just /deadpan/ at the sight, expression a mix of amazement and pity. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When Shirou somewhat blithely announces the knight as his Servant... Rin's expression is blank, blinking a few times. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; .... "Pifft...." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Then, slowly, in spite of her valiant efforts to prevent it, Rin's facade cracks, her shoulders starting to tremble slightly as a crooked smile spreads across her face. Between Shirou's rushed assembly of reinforced body-pads as armor and Gawain's gold mask, her composure can't take the strain. She can't even get a greeting out, lest her repressed laughs escape. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A few scant seconds later, Gawain's 'battle-cry' becomes the last straw and the laughter outright explodes from her, the magus almost doubling over as she laughs to the point of tears. "Y-you know... I'd always wondered how you could ever have possibly got Saber as your Servant back home" Rin chokes out through her giggling. "B-but I have to s-say though - heheheh... I definitely don't have that problem this time, Emiya-Kun. In fact I can't picture you with any other Servant, now!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Some might have thought her crazy to take such amusement in this of all times, but at the same time it broke the awkward tension she'd felt about being near Shirou after how their first discussion had ended. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She would be serious for the mission... but this momentary calm before the storm was appreciated nonetheless.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:769|Demetrios Vasilikos (769)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_b bg_n ++ hb">Task Force Rose: Heroes</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And so Shirou and Rin are left alone up on the cliffs with monsters of crystal, vine, and stone rampaging around and fighting people wielding guns, martial arts, and power armor. The battle is ongoing as Saber chases down Gawain to bring him back and point him in the right direction! Knights, man! Somewhere in here is a dude with the stolen technology. Defeating all enemies is PROBABLY necessary here, most likely, but their leader especially can't be allowed to escape! He'll probably stand out from the others as being the only one here dressed like he is. So for now, scouting the area for him and maybe taking out a few small groups of enemies may be Shirou's and Rin's best bet! Surely working together they can handle a few minions or lieutenants, whether man or monster!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr">Villains</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jasper is presently smashing her way through dense foliage and creating quite a ruckus... Which in turn is drawing the attention of monsters in her direction. Creatures of stone roar at her and then hurl boulders or charge forth to attack. Fungal monstrosities reach out with spindly 'fingers' to creater mushroom growths on the ground to boost the combat abilities of their allies, or hurl spore bombs at her. The more she pushes through by brute force, the more enemies she faces! Of course, maybe that's what she wants!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:346|Saber (346)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Regarding the elder Tohsaka with her usual unflappable calm, the King of Knights tilted her head slightly with her eyes closed, her equivalent of a shrug. "I discovered some time ago how he was able to summon me in a later War. Fortunately, he still has that necessary catalyst." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; What that catalyst /is/, she didn't say. Not enough time for a lengthy explanation at the moment. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Yes, he has always been this way," Saber replied. "I should inform him that our opponents are on the other side..." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; With that, the Servant leapt after the knight-errant, channelling enough prana into her legs to catch up to her nephew. "Knight of the Sun," she called out, pointing behind her. "Our enemies are /that/ way." <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:885|Hive Monsters (885)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">Vigilantes</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As Archer intangibly and invisibly approaches the site where just yesterday a futuristic laboratory developing new technologies (and with actual ethical restraint, unlike Crey) stood, even if damaged when he saw it for the first time, the gutted remains look like they were destroyed decades or more ago. Where a parking lot was, there are now only fragments of pavement amidst soil and grass. Vines and moss grow to cover signs and parking spots and cars. Wooden is already rotting and falling apart. The area that had been cleared for trips to and from the laboratory, with its smooth, paved roads, is now just a broken, grass-covered expanse. Huge pillars of rock seem to be thrust up through the ground and towards the sky.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;All this in less than 24 hours.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And there's a feeling in this area... More intense than what Saber and Karian experienced two days prior.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's a palpable anger here. It radiates from the Devouring Earth who roam around when Archer comes near. The last remnants of mankind's creation in this section of Woodvale. This pristine 'garden' that is being created. The Devouring Earth do not hold back their thoughts about this place; it is a scab, a wound, an affront. When one looks upon the green sward blanketing the land all around, it is hard not to feel something akin to that, looking down at the rusting hulks and decaying metal beneath one's feet.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Portal Corporation is a peaceful group. 'Good guys'. And yet here is a place that has been returned to nature to some degeree, and yet is still blighted by the arrogance of human beings to reshape the world to their specifications.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the middle of the ruins there's activity, however. More thieves after computer records and technology? Devouring Earth? It's unclear from here...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:858|Jasper (858)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It might not be what Jasper wants but, well, she certainly won't say no to a fight! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When the first boulder comes at her, Jasper catches it in both hands, sliding back from the kinetic energy behind the blow, churning up roots and dirt. She hurls that one back towards the rock creature that threw it, and then wades into the mass of stone creatures, fists flying. Her fists, charged with some kind of golden fiery energy, lash out again and again. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She always advances, pushing through with sheer brute force borne of unrelenting determination. Hefting one of the stone creatures, she suplexes it into he ground, right on top one of those mushroom growths! Boom! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "One at a time or all at once," Jasper shouts her challenge, "It's all the same to me!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Shirou, too, is stupefied at Gawain's overly enthusiastic... adoption of the Superhero gig. He practically jawdrops, distracted from testing out his newly re-designed bow's flex and tension while observing the distant events and planning his approach.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After the initial shock's passed though, he exclaims, "Get those monsters, Sun Knight! I've got your back!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then, Rin's arrival makes him immediately grateful that he went with 'The Smith' for his moniker, in as much as it matters. He has a distinctive annoyance for the term 'Archer' at the moment.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Thank you, Saber. Is he always like this?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;not that she has much time to reply.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally, prana flows from his palms and flares out into a shape, becoming a Noble Phantasm - Froberge, blade of Renaud de Montauban. The longsword has a weirdly cracked appearance, as if it's ready to shatter at any given moment. The weapon's form then stretches like spaghetti, slimming down and compressing, weight distribution changing for better balance. The effort is fairly basic, but Rin's definitely seen THAT trick employed before.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The look he returns to Rin is full of exasperation and an expression that almost says 'I swear I don't know that guy!'<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Hrmngh. Just what's that supposed to mean," he mutters in spite of that. Mutter grumble...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Well, he's having fun. I guess it doesn't matter as long as he saves those people." Speaking of that, Shirou readies the bow and draws his 'arrow' back, Kyudo-style. 'Froberge' glows, particularly from those cracks. In a few moments... "Froberge!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Its name called, the low-rank Noble Phantasm 'shatters' - the blade exchanged for a phantasmal, semi-solid 'flame' that phases through mundane materials to strike true despite armor or parrying with lesser arms.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Emiya Shirou launches his arrow at a distant monster in no time at all. It flies true as can be, despite the fact that his target is WAY farther away than the bow should be able to handle or the naked eye can handle. Almost a kilometer away in fact.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well okay the aim is not exactly PRECISE, but when, on impact with ANYTHING, it goes off like a BOMB of swirling mystical fairy fire and raw prana with a radius of around ten meters... does it matter?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Come on, Tohsaka! let's follow up. Saber - both of them - will make a mess of the worst of these things.." Then he notices that Gawain's running off in the wrong direction...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And sweatdrops a bit.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...Hopefully."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hooray for Arturia!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:821|Archer (821)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Upon reaching his vantage point in one of the taller trees, Archer's eyes scry the area, taking in the destruction he himself attributed to during their battle to save the Woodsman. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As he looks across the area... his eyes reflect embitterment and an air of pity. And... perhaps on a darker note... a sense of actual sympathy for the creatures and the aura of rage they emit. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This was how it always ended. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When people made mistakes, others came in to compound them heedless of the risk, to themselves or their peers or fellows. None of it mattered when pursuing their goal - even those who preached nobility were subject to this. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After all... who would know better then the failed hero who sacrificed his bonds to so many people, just to follow a dream that he had been warned by so many was unachievable? <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In that, Archer found it wasn't really that hard to hate humanity for their crimes and sins... nor did he find it hard to judge this place as being an open wound that needed to be cauterized, lest the scavengers picking at it bring ability a worse decay to everything else. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After all... monsters that they were, the Devouring Earth were actually taking better care of this place then the humans were. And perhaps this would help show people it might be better of to just leave well enough alone. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;... but of course, so long as he carried the title of 'Guardian'... Archer would clean up after humankind's mistakes, no matter how much they didn't deserve to have them fixed. The only positive in this case was that doing so here was less repugnant a task then Archer would normally carry out. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Trace; On." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As he stares down the ruined base, his bow materializes in one hand, his form appearing in the world once more. In the other hand, his fingers wrap around the solidifying form of Caladbolg, drawing the weapon back against the bowstrings in a smooth motion. The spiral sword twists and lengthens further- <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "/I am the bone of my sword./" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -and a flare of prana forms around him as power is condensed into the blade's tip, the energy of the in-progress Broken Phantasim obvious to all who can sense it... as well as rather plaintively announcing to all just what Archer's intent is. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He doesn't plan to let the Crey inside the building have the chance to escape if they don't run right now... and if nobody gets them out now, they can share the same fate as the secrets they sought. Either way... if Archer has any say in the matter, nothing in this place will have the chance to be abused.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:533|Sir Gawain (533)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>As Sir Gawain dashes forward, he is too busy looking for the monsters to listen to Rin and Shirou. But, he gets confused very quickly when he can't find any! And then, his king comes! "...Woops! Got it! Let's go, my king!" With that, Gawain is turning around, no hint of actual embarassment on his face, that excitement still permeating through him. This time, he draws his blade, as he dashes straight towards the plateau, the blade lighting with a flick of the wrist. "Monsters, you face Gir Sawain, the Sun Knight! My sword tastes of /justice/!"<br /><br />Followed by swinging at the torsos and limbs of said monsters!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:346|Saber (346)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Once she had steered Gawain in the correct direction, the magi were not waiting long before the knights returned, their efforts now directed at the Devouring Earth. It was fortunate indeed that they had all been standing just outside the range of whatever the creatures used to detect outsiders. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For her part, the diminutive Saber had already began the graceful dance of death against them, moving more like a dancer than a warrior. But the edge of Excalibur -- rendered invisible by the Bounded Field of the Wind King -- soon enough made it clear that her movements were intended to bring an enemy army down quickly.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:821|Archer (821)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After a few moments, Rin is able to get her laughter back under control, taking a few breaths. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry. That just-" another chuckle escapes, but she stifles it better. Inwardly though she's chastising herself for her lack of self-control. "It's just... I didn't expect your Saber to share your... heroic tendencies so diligently. I mean... I knew you had a Knight of the Round as a Servant, but... well, I guess I expected him to be more stern and silent. still, he seems a good fit for you - he jumps into danger just as readily." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She takes a one last breath, letting out a sigh - even though she's still smiling, there seems to be a trace of disappointment and reproach in her expression- and it's directed at herself. "Geez... look at me. I really have gone downhill - I would /never/ have done something so unsightly as that a few years ago." She gives a smile and look that is somehow both half-amused, half-annoyed as she crosses her arms. "That's /your/ fault though, Emiya-Kun. You and Sakura and Taiga - all the time I've spent with you three has put a ton of flab on my mind." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Is she being serious or is this her way of being humorous? Either way though, she doesn't seem quite so anxious about speaking to Shirou as she initially was. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;However, after a while, the moment finally passes, and Rin is able to more comfortably return to their task at hand. However, she did take the time to watch as Shirou traces his weapons, this time keeping her emotions under control far better - easier for her in situations like this, ironically. However, she still can't help but give a small half-smirk, showing she's impressed by how far he's come. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She also, for Shirou's sake - and hers as she is trying to re-establish herself as a professional mage - keeps her opinions to herself when Gawain heads the wrong way... though she does indulge herself in affirming her observation was correct; Emiya couldn't have gotten a Servant that matched him better. At the same time though, she finds herself complimenting him in how he's learned to not be /quite/ so reckless - "You've learned quickly, huh Emiya-Kun?" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But then she both senses and feels the prana-draw of Archer, going ram-rod straight and blinking out at the landscape in agitation. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Leave it to him to choose the flashy and extreme path. Anyone who could sense prana would know what he was about to do. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And she knew all-too-well how much of a problem this was going to be - she may not have cared /quite/ as much about the Crey's lives, but Shirou and the Sabers were another story. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And so she eyes Shirou somewhat anxiously, already knowing how he's going to take Archer's actions.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:769|Demetrios Vasilikos (769)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_b bg_n ++ hb">Task Force Rose: Heroes</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Shirou's exploding arrow erupts in a flash of flame and swirling mystical energy that engulfs a group of both Devouring Earth and Crey. Thankfully, with the teleport network in place, and Shirou being a known hero who is equipped to act as a relay for that network, enemies defeated in his vicinity get dealt with appropriately! ...Though the more monstrous Devouring Earth probably do not go to jail. If they even make the transition at all, it's probably going to be to a containment facility somewhere for monsters. And it's possibly they might just dissolve into the ground instead.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gawain's blade slashes through plant monsters, dealing significant damage to them, and the walking rock piles likewise have glowing lines of molten rock scarring them from the sheer force of the attacks. They are resistant to physical attacks, but only when it comes to non-Elites. And definitely not for a Servant! Much like Shirou and Gawain, Saber's strikes down enemy after enemy! There's plenty of foes scattered around the area, but also plenty of firepower, especially if Rin joins in! ...Though she may have bigger concerns.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Some in the Task Force may catch sight of an outlandish blue and yellow get-up down near the waterline to the north.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr">Villains</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jasper dukes it out with the towering monsters with brute force, and they respond in kind. But they also demonstrate some level of intelligence, moving to surround her, or fill her lungs with spores that may induce drowsiness or confusion who is friend or foe... Elites tend to be resistant to this sort of thing, but with enough exposure, it might still have an affect! She smashes Devouring Earth monsters along the way, though, causing a boulder monster to take down a mushroom monster, and shatter into fragments! ...And those fragments then get up in mini-versions of the rock pile and come charging to punch at her ankles!?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What a pain! At least she seems to be doing a good job of tanking them so far. But the number of them could get to be a problem eventually. The sound of human voices speaking frantically into and over a radio nearby may be a hint that Jasper is close to Strike Team Beta. The ones with the cool gadgets. If she can defeat those foes she can navigate to them and make a 'deal'. A deal like, 'give her their stuff or get pounded'.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:885|Hive Monsters (885)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">Vigilantes</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The rubble continues to shift, some activity within taking place even as Archer prepares his attack to launch...! But is not Crey that rear their ugly heads. No, it is just one head. One head belonging to one very large monster. The other rock monsters are quick large. Taller than just about any normal human. This one is taller even than they are. A roughly humanoid figure, made of huge stone slabs and boulders, fused together by tectonic forces deep within the Earth. It almost looks like armor without anyone wearing it...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It turns as it nearly seems to sense the build up of energies coming from Archer, squeezes its volkswagon-sized fists to make a harsh grinding sound of enormous pressure, and then the Monster named Quarry ROOOOOOOOAAARS with the sound of the planet yelling its furious defiance against human encroachment.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It roars in anger, in challenge, beating its chest with impacts that produce shockwaves which in turn blast away the nearby wreckage of Portal Corporation like a bomb is going off with each blow upon its own earthen body.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This one looks a bit tougher than the other monsters so far.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:858|Jasper (858)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jasper is quite used to crushing small rocks beneath her heel. So, as the rock monster valiantly continues to fight against a very different type of monstrous rock, Jasper just lashes out with her foot again and again and again until nothing remains of the mini-rocks but dust. She respects their spirit at least. Never giving up in the face of inevitable loss is definitely up her alley. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Of course, there's just so many more of them! All that stomping only broke down the fragments of one of them! And, unfortunately for her, Jasper only has her fists, feet and head to stop these enemies with. As fun as it is, it's just too slow and she won't hear the end of it if this Strike Team Beta gets away with the things Peridot wants. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So, Jasper decides to push through. She does this by releasing her humanoid form into a fiery ball of energy, like a golden comet, and blasts off in the direction of the strike team - leaving fire and destruction in her wake, more of a side-effect than anything else. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And then it's time for 'negotiations'.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:821|Archer (821)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Seeing the massive creature rise up before him, Archer bites back a vivid curse - it was always something. Damning his E-Rank Luck, Archer turned his bow at the oncoming beast... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But in that millisecond of thinking, Archer's eyes again take in the sight of the forest trying to reclaim the base... and something inside of him fills his heart with an angry torrent of bile. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This was normally how it went. He - a Counter-Guardian, an agent of the will of Humankind itself - did what was needed to ensure human survival... often coming into conflict with Gaia, the spirit of the earth, as it was wounded repeatedly by the efforts and conflicts of mankind. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The creature was fueled by it's world - it would not stop seeing him as aberrant if it truly hated humans so much... and yet at the same time, a twisted sense of mercy welled up as well. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He would still fight and destroy this creature... but he would also at least ensure that the source of the distortion was erased as well. He would fulfill both his objectives of ending the threat this lab's materials could produce if abused, as well as eliminate the enemies in the area. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course, one could accuse him of just acting in spite - that persisting in destroying the base instead of focusing entirely on the beast was simply his way of spiting his duties to Alaya as a Counter-Guardian. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The truth was up to interpretation... for this could be seen as preserving the status que just as much... but it hardly mattered; either way, Archer's choice was set in stone. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The energy reached it's peak, the arrow in his hand finishing it's transition into a Broken Phantasm that practically screamed for it's contained prana to be released. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It did not wait long. The black bow is aimed at the creature's legs, both to topple it and wipe out the base beneath it's feet- <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "/Caladbolg/!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; - and the spiral-sword takes flight, breaking the sound barrier the air itself is distorted around it, flying for it's targets as a bullet shrouded in pure, devastating light.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Flab on your mind?" The highly unusual phrase takes Shirou by surprise even amidst the crazy dash and occasional arrow launching. He's dismayed at catching some of the Crey workers in the blast, but... on the other hand, they are technically criminals and Paragon's teleport system will sort things out. "Does that mean you're getting fat?" He blurts idly, mind too focused on the matter at hand.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Shirou doesn't know what Archer's doing... no, he doesn't KNOW, but even without any real ability to sense prana... something on the back of his neck itches and prickles. With a sharp inhale he turns and looks, with reinforced vision...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;From this far away, he can't SEE it so clearly, but somehow or another, he just doesn't have to. "That guy--"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;NOW Shirou's not sure what to do. "That guy's really going to do it...! Tohsaka! Archer's going to kill people if he goes that far!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And Shirou, like the moron he tends to be, proving Rin's point just now, dashes straight FOR the facility... although he's still quite a hell of a ways away from it. "Get away! Get away from the building!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He's going to have WORDS, FURIOUS WORDS for Archer later probably, but he doubts he can STOP the distant warrior without outright ATTACKING him in the same way. Or... well, who knows. But with a fierce, outraged yell, Shirou just bolts off in a run. The bow's slung over his body and he just plows forward. If there are monsters in his path... or even hostile Crey workers in the way... Kanshou nd Bakuya appear in no time at all. He's got to stop Archer!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;.... Somehow.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:346|Saber (346)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Though the creatures might have been able to withstand physical attacks under normal circumstances, this day they were on the receiving end of Excalibur and Excalibur Galatine. By themselves, the Noble Phantasms represented the pinnacles of holy swords. But only when wielded by those whose legends they defined was their true potential realised, even without calling upon their respective True Names. Lifetimes of training and honing skills had made each of the Knights of the Round into individual legends; when more than one fought side by side, they were nigh-unstoppable. Though there were a great many foes which could defeat Saber in combat, there was little chance when she fought beside one of her beloved knights. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Moreover, while the daylight remained, Gawain was at his peak. There was little which could permeate his defences or endure his attacks. The King of Knights allowed herself a small bit of pride; her knights were truly the finest, the progenitors of the chivalric code which defined knighthood itself. In spite of the seriousness of the circumstances, the Servant was in a good enough mood even to make light comments in uncharacteristic jesting. "We shall need to refine your battle cry, nephew," she quipped with a slight grin, almost a smirk. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That lighthearteness evaporated at the familiar sight of blue and gold. "I believe that is possibly the person in current possession of the dangerous technology," she observed to the group. "As my Master is not present, we shall require a plan, as I do not believe they would be above violence even towards their rescuers..." <br /><br /> Saber wasn't able to finish due to a number of rapid-fire occurrences; the sudden and undeniable pull of a powerful Noble Phantasm, Shirou shouting in horror at the distant Archer, and taking off in his direction. She hated what that meant; there was nothing they could do once the Noble Phantasm was activated. They were simply too far away. All she could do is stop the red-haired magus from his fool's errand. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Turning, she caught up to him with only a short run, grabbing him by the arm. "Shirou." Her voice was soft, even gentle, but firm. "There is nothing you can do now." <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:821|Archer (821)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As they follow in the wake of the path that the two Sabers have blazed through some of the stronger enemies, Rin aims her hand at any and every Crey guard in her path - a seemingly-innocuous gesture... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "/Gandir!/"- until a pulsing black nimbus, lined with red energy at it's edges forms at her fingertips. An instant later, the nimbus at the ends of her pointed fingertips shoot out in a swarm of magic bullets as though her arm were a rifle, and fires a hailstorm of the magic bullets at any human in her path. Alone, they are strong enough to knock out a normal human and they deliver enough force to feel like a pistol shot without necessarily killing the target... provided she doesn't put too much power into them. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's more merciful then most mages would be... but Rin hasn't been like most mages for a while. Plus, while she would never admit it openly... it's more for Shirou's sake then her own. In her other hand she has three gems ready to throw at the rock-creatures in their path, the magus figuring that Gandr alone won't take them out.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;However, when Shirou opens his mouth... Rin's pace stops for a split-second, blinking once as if poked or flicked... though the way she has gone stock-still is perhaps a warning bell. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A split-second later, Rin brings her hand up fast as lightning and shoots a Gandr shot /directly/ over and past Shirou's shoulder, the shot brushing by his shirt a little too close for comfort, to hit a Crey guard beyond him. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;However, in spite of having just sent a curse-shot flying close enough for Shirou to feel the crackling of magic past him, Rin's face looks serene with a decidedly-angelic smile, and she speaks in an almost sickly-sweet tone of voice - tough her left brow is twitching ever-so-slightly. "My, my... and here you said that /I/ say such stunning things." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; However, Archer's actions break the tension, the magus cursing to herself as she sees Shirou trying vainly to reach the base even though he would never make it in time to stop the Servant's actions. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But if there is one thing that will never change, regardless of what timeline... it is that Tohsaka Rin values Emiya Shirou's life, and certainly far more then the lives of the scum trying to pillage this place. "Saber is right, Emiya-Kun - it's too late. Besides, I think most of the Crey were drawn off to fight us - if anyone's still in that base, it would be the scientist team who thought this mess was a good idea - probably less then a dozen or so, if even that. And they would have been the ones instigating all this - they're not worth tossing your life away for."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:533|Sir Gawain (533)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>His flaming blade striking through the monsters, the sun radiating off his armor, Sir Gawain is at home in battle, fighting having been much of his life. The protection of king and country can only happen if you are willing to take up a sword, after all.<br /><br />And then, he pauses. The crackling of a Noble Phantasm. It's a strong one, and that is bad. Gawain's head turns swiftly in the direction, but he knows he can't stop it. Saber has Shirou, so Gawain will need to focus on their opposition. Blade burning in hand, he charges forward into the enemies, putting his all into it. They need to end this, fast, before something else happens!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:769|Demetrios Vasilikos (769)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_b bg_n ++ hb">Task Force Rose: Heroes</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As the heroes clear a path to the shore of the lake, Agent Wood is visible presently in a fist fight with one of those nasty worm-faced things. The ones that hit way too hard for their size. His buddies are all either beating beaten down by rock monsters wielding street signs or trying to shatter crystal giants with their honed martial arts skills that grant them near-superhuman strength.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crey aren't incompetent, and they aren't weak. But they also are outnumbered and outmatched by things that were created specifically to kill humans in every way that humans can be killed. Crystals to sever arteries, thorns to impale vital organs, boulder to pulp flesh, spores to make the lungs swell and bloat and become covered in fungal growths... And then whatever THOSE awful things are. The ones that seem to be most intelligent among the Devouring Earth. The Devoured.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the distance, an explosion goes off. But right here, right now, the man carrying mediporter technology that could potentially let Crey dodge being ported to jail and instead get sent to a Crey care facility when defeated, or to defeat enemies and put THEM in some lab where they can be dissected at the leisure of their researchers, or any number of other things is fighting for his life. No matter who wins in a fight between Devoured and Crey Protector, it would be a failure for the heroes to let it come to pass. Both must be defeated. Archer will have to be dealt with later... For now... This is the priority.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr">Villains</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jasper defeats the foes in her path even if it is only a side-effect, punching through the trees and into a clearing where some rather beaten and weakened-looking Crey agents are trying to call for extraction and being told that an allocation of further resources and personnel is non-viable at this time and can they please hold for the next available mission coordinator.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Jasper appears, they get to their feet and unsteadily make as though to fight, but their leader a female Crey Infiltrator in business suit and skirt, with broken sunglasses and a slightly bent ear-piece radio, calls out, "Wait! We don't want any trouble! We're just on our way back to Woodvale! We were investigating reports of monsters in the area, but they ambushed us!" She must mistakenly believe that Jasper is one of the heroes and is trying to call upon plausible deniability. After all, they DO look pretty victimized!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Unfortunately, they're probably about to be even more victimized.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:885|Hive Monsters (885)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">Vigilantes</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Archer's Broken Phantasm devastates the ground, causing a huge explosion that turns what remains of Portal Corporation's main headquarters into true rubble. If anything remains in later years, it will be only the marks of where the foundation once was laid. There is nothing here for thieves to steal. Right now, however, a huge pillar of smoke and flame roils up towards the heavens. And a 20-foot tall monster comes stomping its way out of it, rocky body heated to the point of being red hot, even molten white in places, as it sends localized earthquakes through the ground. Pieces of its body have been blown off, but despite the legendary power wielded by Archer, the weapon that has turned the ground into a crater and blasted the remaining Devouring Earth monsters to smithereens, this Monster has not been dealt a fatal blow.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But the marker of Caladbolg is upon it, certainly. And it seems to have actually been chipped away at so much that its original 50 foot height has been reduced to that 20 it now stands at. It is filled with rage. Hatred unending for humanity. Only finding peace in places where the human civilization has been utterly erased. Right now it will not find peace. But despite its legs being charred and blackened, most of its body being blown away and reducing it to its new height, it doesn't seem to seek solace. Only destruction of what it sees as a human.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Thankfully, Archer has ways of leaving quickly, before it can reach him. And none who come when he is gone will find anything here but a giant of stone. And they will deserve whatever fate befalls them for seeking that which is not theirs.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:821|Archer (821)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As Caladbolg detonates and scorches the earth around it's impact point, Archer can't keep from letting a decidedly-satisfied smile form on his features, the toothy grin seeming disturbingly eerie on his normally-stoic face. Even though he can tell there's movement inside the radius of where the explosion took place, he has still completed his self-assigned task. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And as such, there is no longer any need for him to stay and fight. What point is there when the creature cannot catch up to him fast enough to pose a threat. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Besides... if any of the Crey try to reach this area afterword, then for the immediate future the beast will only be a threat to them and no-one else. And Archer was perfectly content to let it hunt down any of the straggling Crey in this area, if they were still present. After that, if the beast became an issue, he would finish it off himself if need be.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Turning incorporeal, Archer leaps off the tree and takes off into the forest. If possible, he will try to reunite with Rin, or hunt down the remaining Crey - though he knows this is very much unlikely, given the distance between the two locations. Even a Servant such as himself needs time to cross that big a distance. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;However, the Servant of the Bow takes some solace in the fact that, at least for now, there is one less place in this world where humankind can try to invent the tools of their own undoing. The Devouring Earth were enough of a problem to this realm - the last thing it needed was the self-destruction that humans invited on themselves. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course, Archer had no illusions that his actions were only a temporary lull in the inevitability that was mankind's self-made suffering... but such gestures of futility were the reason he existed. He could hardly escape that fact. Only do what he could to forestall the foregone conclusion, as his now-imposed duty was... regardless of how little it amounted to in the very end.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Shirou was perhaps speaking too thoughtlessly in the midst of all this hecticness, so when a Gandir goes whizzing past his shoulder, nearly grazing an ear his blood runs cold. Oops. He offended her.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That sickly sweet tone sends more chills down his spine than anything the Devouring Earth have accomplished so far, weirdly enough. ERP.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;it slows his plunge forwrds, making it fairly trivial for Saber to grab him... not that he could possibly outrun her. But it's still quite a YANk that brings him grinding to a halt. Teeth clenched, desperation shows in his eyes as the boy barks out, "But he's going to--"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then... the devastating missile reaches its target. Despair strikes. Despair and rage. It's only somewhat offset by Rin's explanation... Shirou groans as he gets to his feet properly.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It really is a weird contradiction. Why does he care so much about trying to rescue people he isn't even sure are there, who are up to no good anyways? when he asks that questionin his head after Rin points that out... he's not sure.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But they're still important, shouldn't be left to die...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eventually the group's efforts bring them near the leader behind all of this trouble.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And Shirou has a good weapon chosen for the occasion. Mumbling the steps to his projection art to himself, half in his mind and half aloud, he brings forth a massive plume of prana in both hands. Green light shifts to black metal, creating a strange-looking sword of ancient make. One of the Imperial Regalia, Kusanagi.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;or the closest thing Shirou can make to it, anyways. As a high-ranking Holy Sword, he has only a cheap, paper mache imitation. It has the appearance. It even has some of the majesty and legend and skill. But it's missing a lot. Oh so much.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He doesn't have enough prana to fuel its full potential anyways.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Hey! It didn't occur to you that sneaking into a monster-filled laboratory to raid it isn't just stealing, but completely suicidal?! You guys are lucky to be alive!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course, his hope is that the Crey team leader will just surrender, but these guys are so ridiculously stubborn he doubts they will...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:858|Jasper (858)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The first indication that something might be wrong is when Jasper lurches out of the wood, which are smouldering behind her, and slams her fist into her palm. She grins wickedly, like a shark, revealing rows of predatory fangs. She gives off an almost palpable aura of battlelust. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Then how about you hand over whatever technology you've got!" Jasper growls, stalking forwards. Her golden eyes look at each of the Crey members and then focus on the female in the business suit. "I've been told you've got things that I want. So, hand them over! Now!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:346|Saber (346)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The diminutive Servant shook her head. "You will not reach it in time, nor is there a way to successfully defend against a Noble Phantasm of that strength," she reasoned calmly, but with the faintest sympathetic note in her voice before she released the magus. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And it seemed that Rin had him well-in-hand for her own part. Not that /that/ was surprising at all to her; she had seen this dance before already. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Now, with the twisted creatures that, perhaps ironically, Saber had more a measure of pity for dispatched, her attention turned fully to Agent Wood and the other Crey in his immediate vicinity. From the looks of things, they were going to have to defeat them all. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After Shirou blurted out a rather common sense approach to the situation that she fully expected Crey to ignore, she underscored his point with one of her own. "It truly would be best if you left your machines behind and departed now," she told them coolly even as she began fending off the Devouring Earth attacking them. "Otherwise, a more physical means of persuasion shall be necessary." <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:821|Archer (821)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rin sighs as the old memories drift back to the surface. Somewhat bitter ones at that - this was the old Shirou. The Shirou before her Grail War. The one who, at that point, still held his ideals above all else. Granted, he seemed to have matured a bit, his idealism now tempered by a degree of skill and experience that hers did not have... but at his core it was like looking at a memoir of the past. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Emiya-Kun... I understand that you want to save people... but you can't do that if you're dead." She closes her eyes... then delivers what equates to a low blow that she fervently hopes he will forgive him for. "Plus, there are people waiting for you to come home, aren't there? Who will save Illya and Sakura if you die out here?" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As they return to the matter at hand. Rin sees a man carrying a device that the other Crey seem to be fighting to the last breath to keep safe. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Given the situation, the monsters are the primary targets at this point now that they've thinned out the Crey. Pulling out six gems, Rin takes three in each finger and crosses her arms in front of her chest as she sets her sights of some of the creatures. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "/Sechs, in Flu�... Ein Halt!/" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Swinging both her arms out, the six gems become enchanted bullets, traversing the air like seeker shots to impact six different targets. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After making sure there are no more creatures nearby - or near to her comrades at least - Rin joins in as Saber and Shirou speak, deciding to add to their rational as well; "They have a point. Take a look at how much trouble you've already been given by the Devouring Earth - at this point, can you really say you've gained more then you lost?" However, she also knows some manner of more forceful persuasion is needed, so she cups three gems in her off-hand as a visual incentive. "Moreover... you just watched us go through the creatures you're all struggling with to get here without quite as much trouble as you" - at this, she puts a hand against her hip and tilts her head in a gesture of mock-curisioty. "Do you really think this would be a fight you can win, given those odds?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:769|Demetrios Vasilikos (769)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_b bg_n ++ hb">Task Force Rose: Heroes</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Saber and Shirou manage to dispatch the Devouring Earth monsters by working together, and are trying to reason with Agent Wood at the same time! Rin's crystals manage to take out the mini-gem monsters AND do enough harm to the squirmy-faced Devoured to get its attention and abandon fighting Agent Wood. Agent Wood responds by pulling out a cryo rifle and shooting ice bolts from it... At the monster thankfully, not the heroes!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Devoured, for its part, orients on Rin, Saber, and Shirou for now, spitting out a nasty toxin at the former, but looking ready to fight the other two! However, it is already damaged, and now taking ice blasts to the back of the head! It yells, "FOR THE HAMIDON!" in a squirming, slimey, gurgling voice, despite its imminent defeat! One last push should take it out, and then the Crey Protector will be alone... And in no position to negotiate or fight back! He'll probably capitulate then, much like the one Jasper is dealing with is now.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr">Villains</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Tch!" The Infiltrator lets out when she realizes this is no hero. This is... The competition! However, it doesn't seem like the one threatening them is terribly smart... And they Crey agents are nowhere near being in a condition to fight someone like this right now. If they even could. For once, it seems, the bad guys are showing good judgment. However that works out. Because the leader pulls out some sort of black cartridge and says with a show of great reluctance, "...Fine. We're clearly no match for you. The codes to Portal Corporation's secondary facility on Peregrine Island are on here. It's up to you to figure out what to use them for. But they'll probably change them eventually, so whatever you or whoever sent you decides to do, you should probably do it relatively soon."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;While Jasper has no way of verifying that's what this is, if she accepts, she will find upon turning it over to someone who CAN prove it that the data storage device has exactly what it was said to have, and a bit more. Access codes to one of Portal Corporation's portals. Access codes that lead to another dimension. In the Multiverse, many different versions of different worlds may become rather common place to long-time residents.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But another plane or alternate version of a world WITHIN that other world, not as a separate unification, is still rare enough for some that the opportunities to be had when exploring a dimension of a world that abides by a single set of rules instead of having to learn a new set-up each and every time may be apparent. In short, Peridot can probably find great use for an interdimensional portal, and whatever these codes lead to is important if Crey took the time to save it when trying to get away from monsters like the Devouring Earth!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:821|Archer (821)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At the sight of the stream of toxin flying toward her, Rin bites out a curse and jumps to the side, rolling once until she re-orients herself on one knee. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She doesn't waste another second in throwing the three gems that were in her hand straight at the hideous creature, their base form effectively acting as area-of-effect grenades. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The explosion is unlikely to kill the creature - they weren't exactly large gems, nor of grand quality - but they ought to occupy or distract the thing enough for Saber and Shirou to close the distance. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the meantime, Archer senses the battle between the Strike Team and the creatures - and from what he can tell, the battle is nearly over. All that's left is the clean-up. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They didn't need him to rush there for that... though at the same time it never hurt to be certain. Therefore, he pushes to increase his speed so as to reach the group quicker, though at best he figures he'll only be there just in time to serve as the reinforcement against more attacks... and the incentive for whatever Crey remained not to persist in a lost cause.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:346|Saber (346)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Devoured reminded Saber far too much of another foe she had once fought some time ago during the Fourth War, wondering if this too had been a human being twisted into a monstrosity. Not through magic, but through mad science. Some part of her was repulsed on a primal level, for whatever reason, and her strikes might have seemed to be more ruthless and unrelenting than they otherwise would have been. While she preferred to end fights quickly and decisively, there seemed to be something akin to impatience in the way she fought. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Any questions directed her way about that would have to wait for the moment, however, as the three took the creature down. To her, it seemed to take much longer than she was happy with, in part due to the rather annoying miniature tree one of the other creatures had summoned. Its life energies kept them going far longer than they had a right to. Fortunately, Rin's gems gave the others enough of an opening to lend what she hoped would be finishing blows to the gradually weakened monstrosity. <br> <br>

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;'Closing the distance' is one thing Shirou's NOT going to do with a monster that big. Not after the blow Rin just dealt to him. He grimaces. How is he supposed to handle all of these conflicting goals and requirements? How?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, first things first. Defeat that monster. Still grimacing, Shirou raises Kusanagi up to his bow and brings the weapon down while it warps into an arrow-like shape. He does indeed seem to have this basic trick down, even if his alterations are crude and projections of minimal quality.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Even with the streams of insects flying around, he holds steady. He just needs to get off this one shot.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Power - what little he can spare, but that's quite a bit given the Noble Phantasm he's working with - flows into the holy sword knockoff. The 'arrow' howls - literally. Much like Saber's Invisible Air, the winds answer Kusanagi's call. A miniature storm brews, air howling and twisting and coaelscing around the tip and streaming back into a roaring, tightly packed vortex. Shirou practically bites his lip while pouring energy into the Noble Phantasm. It's a deadly dance between making it EFFECTIVE, and launching it before it explodes in his FACE.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That would be... pretty bad.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"KUSANAGI!!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The very first Noble Phantasm he ever encountered goes flying as he releases the bowstring... or rather, he fires a miniature STORM that's powerful enough to scream a path across the grounds, tearing up what there is of dirt and grass in its few-meter-wide wake. Needless to say, this thing is going to hit like a FREIGHT TRAIN with insane drilling force.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The winds also do a great job of parting the insect swarms around Shirou, but he wastes no time leaping back. "What is that thing?!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:769|Demetrios Vasilikos (769)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_b bg_n ++ hb">Task Force Rose: Heroes + Archer</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Between the ice blasts from Wood, the exploding crystals from Rin, Saber's ruthless sword strikes, and Shirou's exploding sword arrow, the Devoured is whittled down and then defeated. Still swinging its clawed appendages in fury at the humans before it, driven by a pure hatred to kill them all, it eventually falls forward onto whatever that mess of THINGS it has in place of a face, its body burnt, cut, half-frozen... But still largely intact, even if the monster itself is no longer conscious. Though its worm-mouth keeps squirming even as it lies still, so there's THAT wonderful bit of continued potential threat.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Why are these things so durable? They certainly aren't standing up to these blows. Tough, yes, strong, yes, determined, yes... But Excalibur was effective against it, bowing it beneath mighty blows. Regardless of the quality of the crystals Rin used, they too had sent the monster staggering in a daze beneath the might of their magecraft detonations. Shirou's sword arrow, as well, could not be avoided or resisted. It burned and succumbed to the trauma of the fierce attack, even with the young magus's low energy availability.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Even Crey weaponry had its place in harming the creature.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So why did the Devoured stand up that barrage of firepower at all? What makes it so determined? Why does it hate so much that it's willing to risk its own life just to kill complete strangers? Archer may have some insight into that, whenever he arrives... If he even cares to explain. But regardless of what motivates this thing, or all the other monsters that have been defeated and have either faded out of existence or lie in pieces upon the ground, the mission has been completed successfully. For all of them. Even when their missions didn't necessarily match...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Agent Wood for his part, says, "No way I'm reporting back that I failed this mission. I'll be safer in jail!" and turns himself over to the heroes to be arrested. He had medi-porter technology on him. Which is actually kind of secret technology still in this time period. If the general public knew that heroes had access to special emergency care, they'd demand it for civilians as well. And for a large, LARGE number of reasons, that is simply not viable. Maybe Agent Wood doesn't really know what he has. Maybe he just stole something that looked promising.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But whatever the case, it really is for the best it didn't make it back to Crey's laboratories.<br /><br /><span class=" bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr">Villains</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Crey tries to make it back to their facility in the south-east of Woodvale, after being extorted by Jasper, they might get picked up by law enforcement or other heroes for their crimes. And the things they DIDN'T turn over to Jasper will serve as evidence to get them arrested. Not only did she make off with those precious codes, but she also stalled Crey's escape for so long they can't make it to company-owned property where Countess Crey's legal team could stall law enforcement nearly indefinitely. And because they've been caught red-handed, claiming the stolen data was obtained by someone else probably isn't going to fly.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crey takes all the heat, Jasper gets away with something Peridot might like a whole lot.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">Vigilantes + Task Force Rose: Heroes</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Oh and Archer kept any more parasites from gaining anything from this disaster and weakened Quarry in the process. Some may question his methods, but there's no arguing with results. That Monster could have been a much greater threat if it hadn't been attacked now when it was newly formed. If that rocky armor had hardened... It might have taken more than one Caladbolg to cut it down to size. Maybe Archer didn't know it would be there. But he made a decision that will likely pay off quite a bit in the near future...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=" bold_fg_b bg_n ++ hb">MISSI</span><span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">ON COM</span><span class=" bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr">PLETE</span><br> <br>


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