Hell Hath No Fury

Hell Hath No Fury
Date of Scene:	11 July 2014
Location:	Ivalice
Synopsis:	Faruja Senra has no doubt known troubled sleep for many moons, especially since even his alliance with the Church has been called into question as of late. But with the Cancer stone's recent awakening came the assassin's cryptic message, "...T'would seem you are fated for better things, Holy One...". One cannot be too sure of its meaning, but given the fashion of events lately... it likely bodes ill...
Cast of Characters:	Maya, 20, 28, 151, 152, 307
Tinyplot:	Of Stones and Sins

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Hashmal (28) has posed:
Today, Mullonde... headquarters of the Chuch of Glabados in Ivalice... seems to be in a state of observable calm despite the war raging on the mainland. This relatively small, island, land mass is home to the Mullonde Cathedral - where the heads of Church affairs oversee its operations far from the prying eyes of the nobility. The Cathedral itself could easily pass for a military fortfication, were it not bearing numerous crosses upon its exterior.

The whole of this gargantuan Cathedral is wrought from mightiest stone, with armed soldiers atop every wall and guarding every door with a steely determination befitting those whose faith in their God is nigh absolute. It is here where only the Holiest of persons are said to be able to tread, without leave of the High Confessor, and it is a bastion of safety from the unholy malice which has threatened to engulf Ivalice as of late.

Darkest days have befallen this nation indeed. The sociopolitical turmoil and war that have embroiled Ivalice have made her as a chalice overflowing. Deepest red... overflowing, with scent of iron and decay pervading... tantalizing the senses with promises of shattered dreams and stolen lives.

One could almost hears the terrified screams of those staring into the gaping maw of Death, knowing all too certainly that it has come to claim them.

At some point there comes a shattering of glass from within the Cathedral, and a body flies through and window a crashes into a bookshelf where it is left to bleed upon the floor. It is maimed beyond recognition, it's face and chest shredded as if by enormous claws. Teeth have near severed its head from its shoulders. Through that window, a boomingly feral roar can be heard moving into the distance accompanied by panicked screams.

Outside the Cathedral -

A behemoth of a creature, which can only rightly be described as a monster, lumbers on its enormous hind legs toward the Cathedral doors. It menaces a small group of armed men clad in evergreen and shining steel. As it lumbers forward, its shadow overtakes every single man... blotting out the sun with its sheer heft. A throaty, low, rumble, escapes the creature... emerging from a chest carved as if from a mountain itself...

Hashmal (28) has posed:
...Bodies of the already dead lie strewn nearby at its feet, blood soaking into the very holy ground upon which they once placed their faith. It t'would seem their "God" is decidedly off his watch today, perhaps...

Faruja (152) has posed:
And it had all started out as such a lovely day, too. Gorgeous weather, a lovely breakfast with a certain lizardess, and the prospect of getting several valued and trusted compatriots together to try to solve the twisted puzzle that is Ivalice.

Faruja has had quite the time of it as of late. Those who know him would recognize the signs of sleeplessness in his eye. Ainsley in particular would have noticed, the Burmecian often getting up and wandering at night, seemingly half asleep until shook awake. So too has he been mumbling about war, death, heretics, and most prominently of all, muttering the words 'Alexandria' and Riovannes' repeatedly.

It's his dreams that have kept him 'awake'. Flashes of Alexandrian soldiers, with their Black Mage dolls burning homes and defenseless civilians alike to ash as children cry over the dead corpses of their parents in Cleyra. Dead knights all around a hulking, blurry figure just out of sight, the clash of blades and a shock of blonde hair in the distance.

But the most recurring dream has been that of rain and mud sucking in the rat's feet as he sinks beneath. Before him, a massive figure in pitch black armor with a girl riding its shoulders, looking little more than a corpse, moving and peering down at the Burmecian as he slowly sinks into the darkness and cold.

Faruja Senra had nodded off just as the local linkshell net had reported the first slaughter. Grabbing Ainsley and his Blaze Gun, the rat made off for the Cathedral. Bodies greeted him. Stumbling, the rat falls as a pure wave of evil hits him in the face. After losing that lovely breakfast, he weakly pushes to his feet. Calling for reinforcements over the linkshell, he soon switches to the Union's channel.

His eye falls to the massive cat-like beast. Disgust, fear, and some small ounce of recognition hits him. He's felt this before. But /where/? Teeth grit. Even as his souls cries out in anger and agony over the loss of fellow Faithful, so too does the urge to Purge and Judge in Condemnation.

Faruja draws his blaze gun, pointing it at the wall of muscle, fur, and evil.

"I am Inquisitor Faruja Senra of the Holy Church. Be gone from this place, Daemon! YE SHAN'T TAKE MORE LIVES FROM THE RIGHTEOUS, VILE WRETCH FROM BEYOND! I SHALL SEE YE SENT BACK TO THE ABYSS IN PAIN AND TORMENT!" HIs voice takes on an uncharacteristic growl, fury overcoming fear as he pulls the trigger of his weapon. Bright, white fire erupts from the end of the weapon as the desire to cleanse overcomes good sense.

Ainsley (151) has posed:
The lizard girl had been trying to keep Faruja from falling apart. Ainsley had recognized the stone and what it is. She had seen a similar problem with that woman they had encountered, the one whose body was overtaken when she perished. There was little doubt in her mind that she needed to be steady and patient for the Burmecian as he was tormented by the stone's effects. She would comfort him at night and, perhaps, help him get an ounce more of rest.

Still, it began to wear on her as much as it did with him.

When they both arrived to the scene, Ainsley saw bodies. So many bodies. The oppressive evil was lost on her, but she knew that whatever did this... it was the same. It did not care about living people. It would kill everyone in its way. The lizard girl's tired features hardened, a frown appearing on her face. She reached to rub at Faruja's back, comforting him for a moment.

And then they look at the Lucavi before them at once. She carefully draws her longsword from its sheath. Her fingers grasp the hilt tightly, so hard that her knuckles would be white if not for her scales.

"You will know justice," she says with a great deal more calm and neutrality than Faruja.

When Faruja attacks, Ainsley does as well. A bolt of lightning is projected at the tremendous creature with a loud crackling BOOM!

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
Ferries. Water. Boats. There's been far too much water lately. The others might talk about the pretty view, the lovely water and all that, but all it gives Toph is a horrible sense of vertigo, disorientation and not knowing what's going on around her. This sucks.
So when the ferry arrives at the island, there's a blind earthbender who is rather eager to get off and get solid ground under her feet once more. The others might just find Toph a bit too eager as she hurries past them, holding onto the railing. "Aaah, land! Why couldn't they have made a port gate here?" she wonders out loud and hurries down the ramp to the harbor. Though the moment her feet touch the solid ground, she can't help but pause and blink, eyes going wide. "Guys... are you seeing /that/?" she demands. Because her feet are certainly picking up something. A large monstrous feline shape. Not to mention bodies. Mangled bodies, if her feet are correct. Which they of course are, no doubt about it. She swallows, her expression determined as she picks up her radio as Faruja's signal hits. Man does he sound angry. Which is perfectly reasonable in such a sitation. Oh well, at least they get something to do now after that boring ferry ride!
"Let's get going, guys! Twitchy needs us!" she calls, then steps forward, kicking into the ground to summon up a small earthen wave that she rides onwards towards the cathedral with as much speed as she can muster. For now what matters is to draw the attention of the beast away from civilians and her allies, Faruja did sound hurt... is he really okay?
Closing in on the cathedral, Toph's entrance is loud, dust whirling up as she and the earth she stands on speeds forward... and she roars out as loud as she can. "OVER HERE, YOU DUNDERHEAD!" And let's just throw a rock at it to draw its attention /away/ from her allies.

Allyn (307) has posed:
Having gotten word that there was trouble that his ratman friend needed assistance, arriving Ivalice and shifting to his falcon form he flies quickly to the island, he lands near the ferry and shifts forms again, one he hadn't changed into before, but he wanted to try out.

So that makes two large felines on the island, well the difference the large sabertoothed cat walks on four legs instead of two. The huge cat looks rather pissed at something, but he's felt that way a lot lately. His pissyness doesn't fade when his attention is drawn to the the abomination and he stretches out his legs rakes his claws against the ground goughing furrows in it. He bounds along towards the cathedral and roars a challenge to the creature, making sure to flash those nineteen inch long canines that come down from his upper jaw. "I'll show you what a real cat can do."

Maya has posed:
Maya did not expect to get the call she did from Faruja, When the call of help about an actual demon? That got Maya's attention. There was a part of her that tended to make her not ever think well about such, which had caused problems in the past with some Union Allies. However? Today?

It's going to be a boon as Maya's making her way there with all due speed possible ready for a fight and making use of a magical pair of wings to give her added moblity when it's needed.

Hashmal (28) has posed:
'Another snarl crosses the fell beast's feral countenance as it hoists another man into the air before crushing his windpipe and discarding him in an off-handed manner like so much rubbish. Two more Templar charge, but they are swiftly batted aside by only one of the demon's limbs - wrought from unearthly muscle, taut like steel fibers, and comparative in width to that of a small tree. They soar through the air like dolls of cloth, slamming into the earth a moment later before tumbling across the ground to a stop.

Deep in the skull of this enormous creature, another rumbling growl emerges... eyeless gaze sweeping the area to find his prey and turning to menace them once more...

That is until the Cathedral doors fly open, and its rounded ears twitch with great expectation.

The Demon's gaze departs from them... turning silently in the direction of Faruja Senra as he calls out with all of the zealotry one should rightly expect fro a man of the cloth in this situation. The creature's lumbering frame rises to its full height again, and it takes but two steps forward... the force of both leaving spider cracks in the stone beneath.

"...Back to the Abyss, thou wouldst send me...?"

Ainsley's thunder spell cracks overhead... and the spell strikes true... but the Demon seems not to even flinch as the electricity arcs across his unearthly mountainous frame before dispersing. The gout of flame which bursts from Faruja's pistol... however... does indeed strike as well... searing the left pectoral muscle of the beast visibly... and yet it still doesn't even shudder in pain...

"...T'would be a miraculous occurrence... truly..."

Laughter erupts suddenly from deep within, finished with a searing sneer and a showing of -fangs- upon the arrival of the others... and Toph's thrown rock... which causes the creature to look askance momentarily...

"...But it shall not be."

Soon, within the space of a moment, the beast brings a mighty fist to the sky.... before slamming it into the earth hard enough to crater! Toph would have perhaps a moment or so to notice that there is movement within the Earth... before an explosion of rock erupts from beneath... accompanied by a pillar of stone!

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
It can /talk/?! Toph's eyes widen in surprise as she hears it speak, mocking them and clearly not about to stop its disasterous rampage. Which means they need to take it down by force, huh? Toph frowns as she skids to a halt. Oh, it can laugh. But they are going to take it down! All of them together can't fail, and for now Toph has no problems distracting it, as she can defend herself well enough so the others can take advantage of the opportunity. Small and fearless, Toph quickly drops into a defensive stance, just about to attack.
But then she feels it. Movement underneath! Bracing herself, Toph winces as the pillar shoots upwards. Geomancy is still not the same as earthbending, and she honestly didn't expect this monster to use her own element against her! Wincing, Toph is thrown back, but as she lands on her feet and digs her heels in, the blind girl throws both of her arms forward. Since this thing provided her with an earthen pillar... she might as well use it! The split palm attack causes a large rock to shoot out of the pillar, aimed at the beast's head!

Ainsley (151) has posed:
The lightning does nothing. Ainsley hesitates. This creature is a great deal more dangerous than the last monstrous beast they fought. Her grip shifts on the sword and her mouth pulls into a deeper frown. She looks at the blood around them, and then lets out a sigh, glancing aside at Faruja.

She crouches down, and sets her hand in some of it. Then she stands, the blood dripping off of her fingers. She steels her will, and then raises her hand to lick the blood off. A red glow blooms from her eyes, and the blood is sucked into her mouth all at once, turning into a red energy. She feels the fear, the primal terror, and her body trembles for a second from the powerful sensation.

It felt awful. But she does not see this as unnatural. She sees it as using their blood to honor them, and bring them justice.

With that extra mana, she charges up her power and points at Hashmal. Her body glows, and she fires a much larger, red-tinted bolt of lightning at him. It is actually not as loud, and instead shrieks like superheated metal as it rips through the air.

It seems Faruja and Ainsley are two peas in a pod, hmm? Hashmal finally gets to see how she escaped captivity back then, too.

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn growls and circles around the creature looking for opening to attack it, maybe this fight will make him feel better, but that's not what he should be thinking about at the moment. He crouches and then springs forward, trying to rake the abomination with his claws.

Maya has posed:
Maya tends to hold back about what she is and what she can do, today is not one of those days as she closes in now she looks at the Demon and recoils in horror. She sees it for what it is she looks at it she now smiles. It's not a nice smile, it's not a nice smile at all and it's almost an alien look on her face.

"Long ago upon my world demons rampaged. In the end they fell to our ancestors, your time nears demon."

Maya already moving to not fight but pull a pair of cards She mutters something the cards burst into blue flames, yet they are not consume or harmed. Allyn and Ainsley would find some sort of magic effecting them, giving them a pink glow and they would otherwise feel faster and stronger from Maya's magic.

Faruja (152) has posed:
Faruja Senra is a person who's been trained well, and he can't quite hide the shudder of revulsion as Ainsley licks up the blood. He looks away, unwilling to let her see how much it disturbs him. Her intentions are right, but he's simply too dogmatic at times.

Toph, Allyn, and Maya arrive in a timely fashion. It's Toph who launches an assault upon the demon right after he slays more of his Templar bretheren. As the giant lucavi retaliates with earth, the rodent rushes forward. His sword slips from his cane as the rat slowly rises from the ground, magic forming around him. As Ainsley's lightning flashes, the rat lets loose with a burst of gravity! Not from the front, but from behind, one hand pointed away from him!

"Some miracles art given to us from Faram! Others art for /we/ to make, His Divine Children! If it shall require a miracle to remove thee from this place, then we shall light this place with the grace of Heaven itself!"

Faruja moves in a flash, body propelled like a rocket towards the massive demon as it laughs, blade aimed for the center of it's chest!

Hashmal (28) has posed:
The earthbender's reply is more than sufficient to surprise the fell creature, the speed with which it comes even more so. The airborne rock smashes against its forehead and feral maw, sending it stumbling back a few steps with a violent shaking of its golden mane. Before it even has time to do more than narrow its eyeless sockets, from which only densest shadow can be seen within the Demon's skull, Ainsley's electrical spell too makes contact, and this time it visibly hurts the fell creature enough to provoke a grimace.

Even as the unholy electrical spell arcs across Hashmal's mountainous from, Allyn leaps at him from behind to rake claws across his backside. Blood, red as wine, spills from the gashes... suggesting this 'abomination' may not be quite the abomination he appears to be.

...Then, there's a wet, sickening, sound as Faruja's blade buries itself with the beast's left pectoral muscle. At least, as much a it is able... it doesn't even seem to pierce clean through. So hardened is this devil's unnatural physique. Blood spills from the wound, onto the ground below... yet even so the Demon sneers at Faruja Senra... and laughs thunderously with but the faintest tinge of pain tainting the otherwise boisterous howl.

"...Thy birth is forsaken..." A massive claw swats at the sword, and Faruja, attempting to knock them away. "...Thy faith foundationless... empty... all of God's 'children' founder beneath the tides of lies and deceit which sweep them to ends unknown. ... I see it..."

He lumbers toward Faruja, menacing "...as I have ALWAYS seen it... I... undying." The monster's left fist clenches, sparks of electricity brighter than the mid-day sun dance across its fingers. "...I... the subject of your forefathers, and their forefathers, every nocturnal horror. ... Hashmal... Bringer of Order!"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
Oh man, this isn't good. Even if her attack hit it in the head and made it stumble, even through Ainsley hits it with lightning, and even if Allyn gets in a nasty swipe, it's not enough. Toph frowns when the large lion turns its attention towards Faruja, the person who needs it the least at this point. Damnit! And even as it babbles, the blind girl draws a deep breath. And then roars out on top of her voice with as much authority as she can. "Like hell you bring order, you overgrown pussy cat!" She throws her hand aside. "Even I can see that this is /chaos/! If you don't stop babbling I'll have to shut your mouth for you!" Hey, trash talking works on most people. Maybe it works on monsters too?
And just to get her point across and prevent Hashmal from striking out at the others again, Toph leaps forward, her left foot crashing into the ground and causing a fissure to run towards the large beast, the ground shaking as a result. At the same time she unleases a series of large sharp spikes up from the ground around the behemoth.

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn snarls at Hashmal when his claws rake into the creature, "Order? You are order? More like you are chaos." he growls deeply, "Order? Chaos? neither one of those things matter unless there is a balance. I fight for that balance, you are throwing the balance off, but that wont be true for much longer." With another snarl the large cat tries to viciously bite Hashmal's thigh and sink those long, sharp canines into it.

Ainsley (151) has posed:
Ainsley notices Faruja's disgust, and it hurts. It's a part of her, but how does she accept it if someone she cares about won't? Instead she locks away the emotion and becomes more calm, more honed. Sharp. She has long since realized that she must become as steel, since the fight with the Conquistador. She will fight with love and fury alike in her heart but not her actions.

All living beings deserve to have their stories told, she reminds herself.

"You do not dictate the story, creature. You only play a part in it," she tells Hashmal. "You are a bringer of chaos. You have killed these people and disrupted the stories of their families, their friends, their comrades. You are a perversion of your name, monster. You exist only to make a sickened world thrash in pain."

She glows with more red energy, and she points at Hashmal once more, and grooowls out from the effort of projecting so much mana at the Lion of Order.
"You can't fool us!"

Faruja (152) has posed:
Faruja's blade sinks into skin harder than steel, and the weapon snaps off nearly to the hilt. Staggering back, Faruja ducks, letting her blast of mana strike at the beast. The creature's words only infuriate the rat, filling him with venom, hate, and an utter desire to /end/ this creature. His companions speak. It fills him with strength, the temptation of the Cancer Stone ever gnawing at his willpower. He made a promise. Remembering well the sting of Ainsley's hand, it's their support that has his gaze steel and pure contempt enter the rat's gaze, banishing wrath for but a few, powerful moments.

"They art correct. Order is truth. Protection. /LIFE/! Ye art naught more than a ravenous beast for all thine words. Ye hunger, and devour. Flee before our justice, for 'tis blinding. And it shall blind us from our fear, and all that wouldst stop us from our purpose. Speak naught of this world, for ye know naught its people! Its beating heart, a hope for the future of this war-torn land! Let true justice prevail!"

As Toph charges in and Allyn bites at the beast's thighs, Faruja teleports into the air. HOlding the broken hilt of his canesword, and flicking a scalpel from his wrist, he flings both towards the eyes of Hashmal. His accuracy is poor, thanks to is single eye...but his magic isn't. Gravity grips the two weapons, sending them plunging towards the cat's eyes with swiftness and the power of his ideals and purpose. If Hashmal is Order, then if Faruja has his way, it'll be blind.

Maya has posed:
Maya is still not moving in to fight no her allies need to be handled and aided in this battle. She's moving to continue into the battle now she looks at Hashmal for a moment.

"So you say demon, so you say, but you seem to be ignorant to my true nature."

Maya pauses for a moment readying a summoning spell of some sort, she takes one card it bursts into flames, a moment later a glowing blue set of runes appears under her feet.

"Order? You bring only Gemma's order."

Maya once had a friend an ally a Holy Guard named Bowman, he fell aiding her and her companion and yet his spirit refused to rest. When Maya learned her first summon, she found it was Bowman himself who answered her fall and today it is such the same, the Holy Guard has risen for a moment, not as some foul undead but is here in spirit his phantom like form maintained in the world of the living by Maya's considerable magical power. Bowman drops his blade to the ground unleashing a shock-wave of power right for Hashmal himself. Farjua might remember the style of dress from his and Maya's long road trip upon Septerra it would indeed be one of the Holy Guard of shell three.

"I am not of this world it's true, however? I will not suffer your actions against the people of this one!"

Bowman's time is over, it's time once more to return to his rest, he turns to give Faruja and Maya a look before the energy allowing him to remain here is used up and he fades away.

Maya thinks to her self, thank you old friend.

Hashmal (28) has posed:
Even as Hashmal blasts Faruja ruthlessssly with that deathly electrical spell, his empty stare turns upon Toph... who has taken to taunting him apparently. "...Thou dost not understand the meaning of Order...", is what escapes him before the fissure crosses the expanse between them and rock bursts forth from the ground to assail him. With surprising swiftness, he avoids nearly every one... smashing through the pillars with the crushing strength of his colossal limbs. But even so, one catches him still... opening a new wound along the length of his left arm. And he growls... "...All is Chaos upon this Godless mortal coil, bastard filth of false Gods crawling upon its every surface... spreading the disease of their existence. All of it will I raze... until the last scream of desperate fear has given way to silence!"

Suddenly, teeth penetrate Hashmal's thigh and a pained and furious roar thunders forth from its chest! To top it off, Ainsley pours on yet another burst of lightning, and this one sees the Demon's frame shudder... its toothy maw clenches tight as a vice as the last of it grounds.

And then Faruja attempts an assault upon the fiend's eyes... a truly effective way to cripple a foe no doubt... and a smart maneuver. Were it not for a single problem: Hashmal's skull is literally devoid of anything except shadows. Thus it is, when the blades are thrust at his face... it does little besides nick the skin of the fiend's feral visage.

And Hashmal growls, once more.... uttering tainted whispers into the air even as Faruja hits the ground... "...Thou hast seen it..." He levels the void of his gaze upon the Holy Rat. "...Thou hast seen the coming of thy own destruction..." Bowman's sword strikes the ground. "...hast thou not...?"

Hashmal has no more time to torment Faruja with his forboding words... that burst of energy collides with the demon's mountainous frame and once again sends it skidding backward... nearly toppling... and searing the fur from the flesh of its limbs and turning them red.

Suddenly, Hashmal darts out from the burst of blinding magical energy and charges Toph in an attempt to clothesline her with a trunk-like limb! "...All will kneel before the true King... he whose role and whose strength even the Gods do fear!"

Faruja (152) has posed:
Faruja remembers the garb well, and his eye goes wide. "A knight!?" Mutters the rat as he gazes upon Maya's summon. His bandaged Abstractum eye softly glows for but a moment, only to remain dorment.

Lightning crashes over him and the Burmecian screams. Landing in a heap, his robes are blasted away and his armor is blackened as the bolt strikes him right in the chest. Looking up as he's taunted, the rat's red eye stares into the void itself.

Fires of righteousness kindle, and burn.

"CEASE THINE PRATTLING GODLESS WRETCH! IF YE CALL DEATH AND DESTRUCTION ORDER, THEN I SHALL GLADLY TAKE CHAOS!"

A deep breath, and he sucks in his anger. Every fur on his body stands on end as he struggles to his feet. 5r
"Thine Order is the order of a cold butcher, that of those whom sign away lives without pity or remorse. Such cold justice is not the light of Heaven, and so long as I live, I shall fight thee and all thine kind! What may lay in mine dreams means naught! God hath given us all choice! And I choose to live and fight for the bright future offered us by the Holy Prophet!"

Arcane words spill from him, and with a roar, the grand figure of Bahamut rises. The King of Dragons spits out a breath in contempt, nuclear fire raining down upon the great Bringer of Order, filling Cathedral and ground alike with a brilliant explosion of cleansing dragonfire. Yet, it doesn't seem to even touch the rat or his allies, nor the surrounding building, merely the great enemy before them.

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn growls at Hashmal, "King?" the large cat snorts, "You may look somewhat like a lion, but you are no king, especially not of feliens. That would be reserved for my current form. I'm larger than any silly lion, let me show you that." he leaps away after biting the creature and moves around front and leaps at it again, trying to rake down its chest this time with his claws, hoping to gauge out a good chunck of flesh. "You taste horrible, I'm going to have to drink a lot of water just to wash the foulness out of my mouth."

Maya has posed:
Maya Says "An old friend, Faruja, One who refused to stay in his grave."

She wasn't about to argue for the help, if Thanatos gives him a pass back when needed? She's not going to argue, right? She does not under estimate Hashmal he's powerful.

"I see, a world purged of life."

Maya narrows her eyes now a bit more and that's when she stops holding back there's a burst of blue flames about her as Maya starts fully tapping her own reserves of power for use against this demon.

Maya's not using her magic yet, or is she he levels her rifle and it opens fire, if one were to pay attention the rifle is drawing power /off/ maya ans rapidly conjuring bullets as she opens up on the demon.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
Hey, taunting usually works! Toph snorts as Hashmal criticizes her. "So what? Too much order is just as bad as too much chaos!" After all, she knows personally just how harmful too much order can be thanks to her own history with her family. What is more aggravating how he manages to avoid the blunt of her attack, the spikes merely grazing him and not adding as much damage as she hoped they would! Frowning, Toph steps back, even as the other attacks strike the monster. At least he feels them, that much is certain. But this foe is strong...!
If only he would stop tormenting Faruja like that. The rat has a weakspot there, that much was evident over the radio. This all gets to him. Better take Hashmal down quickly!
Then... the beast charges at her! Surprise on her features, Toph digs her feet into the ground, gesturing with her arms to summon up earthen armor around her. Because somehow this enemy won't be easy to escape. So it's better to be prepared for a strike. And what a strike. Even as the massive limb connects with the little girl she cries out from the shock as the impact rings throughout her rock armor, though it's dampened somewhat. Tumbling backwards, Toph rolls until she comes to a stop in a crouch, and she makes a pained sound as she gets up defiantly.
"Toph Beifong doesn't bow to /anybody/!" she states firmly, then brings her arms up and back. A massive pillar shoots out of the ground aimed at Hashmal's gut. Let's hear him babble nonsense with the air knocked out of him!

Hashmal (28) has posed:
Hashmal's mighty limb rends through the girl's armor of solid rock, and he sweeps her off her feet and sends her rolling away nigh effortlessly. It is at this time that the fell abomination taunts her, adding, "...When thou hast the power to stand before mine strength, then perhaps your words might find ears less deaf." A dark chuckle rolls off of is tongue, "...I, Bringer of Order before whom mountains are as pebbles."

Too bad irony has him at a loss. That sudden burst of jagged rock catches him, in his arrogance, off-guard... smashing into his earthen frame before shattering and leaving him momentarily breathless.

Hashmal's right leg tremors, and the swift assault by Allyn manages to finish the job... toppling him and sending him to his knees as yet more of his blood spills upon the ground.

...Yet even so, he rises again... with a labored breath. Yet more signs this 'fiend' may not quite be as undying as he claims to be. "...E'en your false prophet knelt before the feet of my Master... so blessed was he in his righteousness that her spirit moved upon him and made him as a God! Filth washed clean by a Holier power than your limited mind can fathom... power to shake the foundation of the world and claim it whole!"

Suddenly, Maya's mana bullets tear through Hashmal's frame and send him stumbling again... blood dripping from his maw as his eyeless sockets widen.....

...Then, he senses the swiftly moving currents of mana, the spirit of the King of Dragons moving up the face of the Heavens... and his gaze turns skyward. Within the space of a moment, the Fiend is awash in the holy fires of the Esper's powerful signature attack. The ground beneath him quakes, rupturing on impact and throwing stone to the sky...

... Yet even after ALL of that... Hashmal still stands, whisps of smoke rising from seared flesh as he clenches his frame so tightly every muscle bulges.

"...Let me show the power which you can NEVER hope to overcome...!" A giant fist is brought skward, and then collides with the ground... "Assailants in the ground! It's time to rumble!" Suddenly, the very island upon which they stand shudders... "QUAKE!!!" ...and the ground begins to rupture in every direction... throwing stone skyward!

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
"You clearly underestimate us!" Toph claims even as their combined attacks hit Hashmal. Arrogance is his weakness, and they will get him for that. With the attack to his leg it seems Allyn is making the behemoth unsteady, opening them further for attacks. "Do you /ever/ shut up?!" Sheesh, is he going to babble them to death? It is strangely satisfying as attack after attack hits, and Toph swallows where she stands. Why is that thing still on its legs? It should be going down! When she feels Hashmal raise his fist though her eyes widen. "Brace yourselves!" she calls out in warning, though it might be too late for the others as the island starts to quake. But being an earthbender herself, of the same element, Toph reaches out to the earth around her as she crouches and slams her hands down on the ground, sweat rolling down the side of her face as she works on keeping the spot she's standing on as still as possible, keeping the earth together. Pure stubbornness aids her, only letting some small pebbles and shards loose. "At least the others aren't too badly hurt, even if she feels bad for not being able to protect them. But this Hashmal certainly has some damn skills over earth as well, even if she hates to admit it. With her hands on the ground, Toph grits her teeth. "Payback time, kitty cat!"
All at once, four massive pillars shoot out from the ground surrounding Hashmal, aimed at the same spot for a crushing effect.

Faruja (152) has posed:
The creature bleeds, and even seems pained beneath so many blows. Faruja's eye narrows. For a moment, he peers upon the beast, even as some small part of him /quails/ at the mere possibility of the demon's words being true.

"Ye hold thyself so high! Yet, ye bleed and suffer as we do! Daemon? Nay. Mayhaps I am mistaken! For ye bleed, and therefore, ye may die, no matter what thine power may be! Speak naught to me of filth and holiness, for ye know naught of either!"

Toph's warning comes too late, and Faruja is caught in the shattering, shaking Earth. Stone breaks, and the rat is very nearly swallowed, only to swiftly teleport away. But it's the falling stone that catches him! His good leg dissappears beneath falling stone with a sickening crunch. Pinned to the earth, he screams in pain.

Wrath keeps him awake despite, and as Toph's pillars rise, the rat concentrates. As they crush inward, their force only increases as the Burmecian attempts to crush rock and Lucavi alike into a very tiny ball of muscle, stone, fur, and evil.

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn YOWLS in pain and is thrown off the monster when the quake hits and he's bloodied by the bits of rocks hitting him rather hard all over his body. The large sabertoothed cat snarls in definace Hashmal as he climbs back to his feet. "That's it, no more mister nice kitty." he bares his fangs at the creature and crouches low and leaps upwards at the thing, trying to sink his teeth including those long canines of his into the throat!

Maya has posed:
Maya stands her ground s the quake come its foolish but she can be a stubborn woman at times, and this is one of them. She's clearly hurt at this point and is trying to regain her balance, the Junker looks at the demon her eyes narrowing at him again. Those Green eyes look him over as she pulls out one card it bursts into the blue flames and hovers before her. Another is pulled and it glows with the same fire but with a tint of green, she does this one last time as a final card glows red.

'"It's true that in the beginning there was chaos and the Creator forged order from it and all the worlds that exist in my universe... and yet some of that power still remains."

The magic flares up about Maya as she's clearly working on something rather powerful she's also muttering something a tongue long since fallen out of use on her world save to a very few, she knows it. It's part of a legacy that belongs to her she had to learn the tongue to find her way to the Core of the world once long ago. The only others are those who chased their magical talent to the utmost limits. Energy continues to surge about her as she turns to fully focus upon the demon.

The chanting continues, it's not needed but it is a useful focus for Maya in the spell she's weaving she continues to drain magic from her reserves.

"Still in the end everything will die, nothing lives forever demon. We may fall, I may fall, I will meet Thanatos face to face when it is my time. It's not now and your time is rapidly running out."

Even Toph might feel a tear in reality as even the earth would be feeling it as Maya is channelling both the power of chaos as her world knows it and Law. She then stops the process of building power and unleashes all of her pent up magical fury upon the demon.

"Black.... Hole!"

The world seems to compress about Hashmal, as it starts trying to pull him into a rapidly forming vortex of some sort much a kin to how one might expect a black hole to work. It would attempt to drag him down into it's centre and try to crush him for all it's worth, it might be possible to escape but Maya's not holing back!

"BE GONE KIN OF GEMMA!"

Hashmal (28) has posed:
"GODLESS FOOLS! DECREPIT, FEEBLE, FOUNDERING INSECTS!" The feral, cat-like, monstrosity roars its fury at their continued resistance! Toph and Faruja's combined Earth and Gravity attack manages to pin even the titan who's strength has - until now - refused to falter! The coffin of rock crushes inward, theatening to break the Demon even as he struggles against it... spider cracks inch down the whole body of the stone pillars as muscles wrought from unholy steel bands flex mightly in resistance.

Finally, it breaks... rock shattering against the fell creature's power... perhaps giving truth to his claim of being the one '...before whom mountains are as pebbles.' Yet, even so, these peons are beginning to wear him down so completely that when Allyn lunges for his throat... he barely has the energy to stop him. Allyn's teeth sink in, drawing yet more of his blood, before Hashmal bats him away with furious anger!

...And then...

"Black.... Hole!"

Hashmal's eye sockets widen in horror as he feels that TREMENDOUS amount of magical power being unleashed at him! His feet dig into the earth, the Demon resisting the pull of the incredible spell with every ounce of energy his body has... "...G-ggrh! How can... how can a Mortal..." His leg muscles bulge, the ground beneath them spider cracking even as the ground all around him gives way. "HOW CAN A MORTAL KNOW MAGICKS... S-SO... ARCANE..."

Suddenly, there's an electrical spark that arcs across his right hand... and then... one spark becomes many and begin to arc all across his body... and even spark off of him and onto the ground. "...You are WRONG..."

Suddenly, the ground begins to EXPLODE about him... but not due to the black hole... the monstrosity's body throbs with RAW magical power... "I AM UNDYING!!!"

"GIGAFLAREEEEEEEEE!!!"

Suddenly, an ENORMOUS EXPLOSION of white hot magical energy erupts from the Demon... sweeping the area and threatening to purge it of any too feeble to withstand its onslaught...

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
Worry crosses Toph's face when she hears Faruja scream in pain and fall to the ground underneath the falling stone, and she quickly reaches out to lift the rock up and away from him. "Hold on, Twitchy!" The aid from Faruja is appreciated though, and Toph really hopes that he hasn't been /too/ injured. That didn't sound pleasant however... Likewise Allyn's cry causes her to turn her head, but at least he is getting back on his legs. Maya's defiance earns a silent nod of approval, though Toph must indeed express surprise at the magic that she feels the ground shaking. Too bad she can't see it, it ought to be one hell of a sight! The attack pulls on the monster, that is easy to tell. Still, is that enough? Just a little more! One more push to get this monster down!
Toph stands her ground. She has been called a godless fool before, not that she cares! When Hashmal gets mad though, she tenses. Shit. Not good! Hearing the sparks, feeling his movemoments, the blind girl kicks the ground, erecting a wall in front of her and her companions, a desperate attempt to shield them all, keeping her hands on it as she presses up against it, shielding herself as best as she can, clenching her eyes shut as the gigaflare ravages around them. But without Toph close enough to the others, the earthen shields save for her own crumble, and Toph winces.
"... I'm sorry guys!" There's hurt in her voice, even as she focuses on what she knows needs to be done. Hashmal must go down!
Behind her cover, Toph widens her stance, a firm look of determination on her face as she spreads her arms... and reaches out to the ground underneath the feline monster. Immediately, the ground begins to shake. And unless he moves, he will find himself on shaky ground as the earth parts to the sides, turning into a pit filled with sharp spikes.

Maya has posed:
Maya is pulling a lot of power at once, this strains her, she has a lot to draw from, but you can only draw so much at once. She looks as he calls her a mortal there's an impassive look on her face. She does not give him the snwer he wishes to hear.

"You assume much."

That's the only reply out of Maya's he's going to get as he counters attack the flare is huge, it's powerful and Maya on magical fire. She goes flying as she's knocked off her feet from the spell, she hits the ground smouldering she's alive but pretty badly off now, she does catch sight as Toph just unleashes all the pain she can upon the demon, she's trying to get back up but not having an easy time of it, nor making much headway.

Hashmal (28) has posed:
Mighty though Hashmal may be, unfortnately... his power is finite... at least... in this incarnation... and so, he finally reaches his limit. After unleashing unholy terror upon all gathered, he collapses to both knees... fallen as the Angel he serves. "...Kk... too weak... this Mortal shell...", he manages to get out before Toph unleashes the coup de grace... rending the earth beneath his feet and causing him to fall...

...But not before grasping the ledge, and struggling to pull himself up one final time. ... A struggle he ultimately fails at, his arms refusing to even produce the effort it takes to budge. "...Your end is still nigh... fools... once the Condemner... cometh..." His fingers begin to slip, "...you will all... be judged."

Loosing his grip finally, he falls down... down... into belly of the earth until finally colliding with the rocky protrusions beneath... this time... they manage to pierce his hide. And silence follows after another tremendous ROAR of anger...

...Should they all choose later to peek therein, though, they will see a pool of spilled blood and naught more.

T'would seem the cat has escaped the body bag for now...

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
Toph lets out a breath of relief as she feels her attack strike true, and Hashmal continues his incessant blabbering and whining. "Yeah yeah, judge us all you want. Not like we care..." she mutters. But shortly after Hashmal falls, her eyes widen. And then she frowns. Did he teleport away? There is no fooling her feet on that, as she can't feel him. Nor can she hear him, as he would most likely continue unleashing unpleasant curses upon them.
Besides, the air smells cleaner too.
If the monster is gone through, that means that there are other things to be done. "Are you guys okay?!" she calls out, turning towards Faruja first. It felt like he got the worst of it, and he isn't exactly physically strong to begin with, now is he? "Can you walk?" Concern is on her face, and she also listens for the others.

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn yowls again when he's caught in the fire and rolls around on the ground to put it out. He pants some and just lays there for a bit. He's not too badly wounded, but singed and battered and stuff like that. He lifts his head to see the creature dissappear and snarls as he gets back to his feet.

Faruja (152) has posed:
Hashmal's gigaflare rises up, white fury that blinds the rat. Its power would be enough to end the injured Burmecian, stuck beneath a stone. For a moment, Faruja Senra watches the whole of his life flash before his eye.

Most would make peace with their mortality. But thoughts of the intense corruption, misery, and pure suffering of Ivalice fills him. So too does the love of those gathered here resonate in his soul. Ainsley, and her pure-hearted love for a deeply flawed, hateful, zealous, if idealistic and just Burmecian. Maya, with her powerful magic, and more importantly, her friendship and willingness to accept someone so different from her world. Allyn, and his close kinship to animals, so primal and pure, following Faruja into the depths of corruption, and the heights of a lost esper's cloister, only to face down a demon while hardly flinching, fearless. Toph, strong, solid, his exact opposite. Chaotic, a little bit dirty, of noble blood...and yet rejecting it for self improvement, strength, and an utter lack of subtlety. Faruja, in his mere mortal shell, draws upon every ounce of strength gathered here as the stone walls given him by Toph fade and utter annihilation faces him.

Some part of Faruja recognizes, and accepts, the thought of death. He'd done so since joining the Templariate. It was a knight's duty to die for his people.

But his people, dead bodies laid behind him, and older ones of nezumi blood rotting away in shallow graves beckon him to live. So too does an old promise remind him of his duty here. To remain. To fix this twisted mess of a country and world. With no other thoughts, Faruja recalls one thing.

Amidst the fire arrayed against him, there's only one solution for survival in his wounded, helpless situation. Friends. And water.

Faruja Senra prefers to live his life like clockwork. Friday is laundry day. His good companions, the three lamia sisters, have all but wrested the responsibility from Faruja lest he be choked to death by simple concerns. For all the chaos in Mullonde right now, the three lamia Sisters are washing a piece of cloth so very important to Faruja.

It's a gamble he'll take. Drawing one of his enchanted watches, Faruja crushes it in his hand. Ignoring the pain of metal piercing gauntlets and flesh alike, time ceases for a critical moment. Hashmal's power ceases. Calling upon the three sisters, the trio arrive.

He speaks. "...Give it unto me, old friends."

The two younger lamia stare in confusion. The eldest smiles, ignoring the heat and power of magic before them. Prodding her younger compatriots, they use the frozen time to shove away the rock and pull Faruja into their coils. Laying upon the bed of his old friends, it's a simple piece of cloth that the rat takes and flicks across himself as the others hide beneath their own strong scales. Time resumes. Stone weathers, Faruja draws upon Maya's infinitely dense magic, and thrusts back with pure gravity upon that horrid light arrayed against him.

It might be simple cloth, but the wet object Faruja flicks before himself may as well be the mightiest of steel. Moisture evaporates as magical white fire tries to claim his life. Gravity denies the flame it's utter due, skin scorching, fur burning, and the edges of a flag are scored black.

The wet, large form of a Burmecian national flag is made utterly dry, partly burnt and sooted. But it saves Faruja's life as he lays upon the coils of the three lamia. His leg broken, he's supported by the love and kindness of all gathered, snake-coils raising him to look into the eye of one Lucavi Hashmal. For a moment, with such friends behind a mortal man, he is fearless. There's nothing but contempt in his eye.

"Ye speak of condemnation? Fool! For this mere bit of cloth hath saved mine life! Look upon it! For 'tis the embodiment of an ideal! A single people, and a single nation! For I am of that people, and yet, of /THIS/ Church! Some wouldst call mine loyalty divided, but I say NAY! Daemon, listen well! I am a weak mortal of Ivalic

Faruja (152) has posed:
Daemon, listen well! I am a weak mortal of Ivalice, and mine friends of its blood, and yet, of worlds beyond! Alone we art weak, but to gether? Ye stand nay chance against us. Flee. FLEE YE FILTHY COWARD! AND TROUBLE THIS PLACE NAY LONGER! FOR BY THE IDEALS IN THIS FLAG AND THE STRENGTH OF MINE FRIENDS, NAY CONDEMNER NOR DAEMON NOR DARKNESS SHALL STEAL MINE HEART FROM THOSE WHOM I WOULDST FIGHT AND DIE FOR! BE GONE LEST YE TRULY KNOW MINE CONVICTION!" Screams out the rat, surging with magic, conviction, and utter surity in the presence of so many friends. Behind him, as a wind kicks up, his nation's old flag flutters in the wind as he clenches to the cloth with one hand.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
Well, if he can scream and berate like that...
Toph sighs yet again, her expression easing up. "Save your breath, Twitchy. We're taking you in to medical, you're going to need it. We all are." But some more than others. Why, she doesn't even dare punch the rat in the arm at the moment! Instead Toph flops down on the ground now that she knows that her allies are okay, and she pulls out her radio. Might as well call for back up and prepare for a night in medical.

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn sees that everyone else is safe and gives a sigh, "I will be going if you have need of me, you know how to find me." with that he shifts into a winged serpent and flies off for home.

Maya has posed:
Maya is going to need a trip to medical as well aftre 5rthqt hit and she did ferel Faruja tap her like Theo might tqap that land, ot so she thinks. Eh it could be worse she gets why it happened but Faruja's rant gets a bit of a smile from her.

"...I'm going to try to tkae a sample of that blood. We might be able to dine a weakness..."

Faruja (152) has posed:
Faruja holds a dramatic pose. Only when Hashmal is assuredly gone does he slump into the coils of his lamia friends. His billowing flag slackens as his gravity magic utterly runs out. The rat doesn't even bother reaching for an ether.

Toph speaks, and Faruja's pose utterly dies into a tired sigh. "Booze or anesthetics. One or the other, mine dear, before mine senses catch up to..." Too late. Faruja's posturing runs out in a stream of words best left untranslated as pain reasserts itself. The rat blacks out shortly after, perfect to be delivered to Union Medical.