The Elements Of Gensokyo: Act One, Arc III.

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

It would be the size of Gensokyo itself. The thing is Aya and her co. Set up a storm designed to be an impenetrable fortress. Your group could pass through it freely due to Susanoo's sword. The storm does not carry the exact same powers as Law itself, which is what the sword is made of.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

Yes, but that storm was only around the mountain, right? So Kanako's should still be seen elsewhere, shouldn't it?

And also, Kanako made use of Susanoo's sword to make her super-storm.

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

The sword is Law. It's power is not. Instead, it's power enforces Law, wherever it's presence is felt. Usage of the sword is like a hyper-power amplifier, with addition of the sword's own power of control over anything it wills.

Basically the sword is Law but it's powers when used is not.

Also the storm collided with the Tengu barrier. Aka, the storm pulled itself into the barrier, making the superstorm limited to around the mountain.
-

Edit: Expect an update tomorrow. Will finish Sonae's part and go bother Orphea. Crow where's my reply ;_;

[GuyYouMetOnline]

And this isn't visible at all anywhere else? Nobody sees anything even if they're looking in the direction of the mountain?

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

It was supposed to be. It was intended to cover almost all of Gensokyo's skies. But the position of where the storm was created introduced a major problem. Aka, if you made the storm on somewhere like, the Hakurei Shrine, it would effect all of Gensokyo besides the Youkai Mountain. However, from heaven, it is the opposite.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

But shouldn't the colision of storms be happening over the mountain? I would think something like that would be, um, noticable.

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

The corrupted celestials rise, straining their bodies to the limit as they limp and struggle to stand up, tentacles beginning to grow out of their wounds and slowly reconstruct their bodies. One, who's head was nearly sliced cleanly off, began to grow a new head from it's stump. Another, whose body was sliced in two, began to join back as black tentacles wrapped around each other and coiled around the pieces, pulling them together. Slowly, green, deathly skulls began to form atop the corrupted's heads, beaming with newfound energy.

In the distance, rose the accumulation of the bodies of the celestials. Their bodies bent at awkward angles, pulling other corpses together with chaotic energy. Tentacles rose from every corpse, binding them into one, single abomination. The sleek, jet-black head of the beast rose first, red, streamlined eyes widening from small silts on it's bald head. It's body begins to take form, hands, claws and tentacles, popping out of it's oversized blob for a body.

...There!

The abomination's birth is stopped with a precise throw of Kanako's sword. The Kusanagi pierces the monster's head, right in between it's first two eyes. The sword's power, Law itself, begins to unmake the creature. A creature of Chaos of this level cannot hope to compete with Susanoo's sword, and as such, it ceases to exist.The beast unmakes itself, spiraling into an endless abyss, darker then their own. The beast soon deteriorates into nothing, while the bodies of the corrupted celestials drop like flies, hitting the blackened ground. The bodies shatter like glass upon impact.

"The Kusanagi never did that before."

"My Lord's powers are mysterious indeed. I did not know that it would rid Chaos this way."

"...Or..."

"Or what, Gale?"

"Or Yukari left you something."

Gale points at the sword's hilt. There was a gap, a small one, almost invisible to the naked eye unless one would examine it closely. And on Aesera's neck, was another gap. One just as small.

"Why would Yukari leave us with this...?"

"She works in ways we can't possibly hope to imagine, Aesera." Kanako smiles softly. "Looks like she wasn't that angry... Or she just forgot to take the gaps away."

"I believe it would be the former."

"You never know, Aesera, with all of this happening, maybe she really did forget."

"...I do not believe her to be such a woman."

"Oh, you don't know the half of it."

As Kanako calls the Kusanagi back, the sword slices the Celestials in key parts of their bodies, where the Chaos Spawns in them are exposed. Unable to hold back the power of the sword, they dissipate into nothingness, while the bodies of those they once possessed fall flat, breaking once they reach the ground. They were already dead in the first place, uncorrupting them still leaves a dead body.

"We're going. Tenshi, lead the way." Aesera calls out, assuming her position. In a wedge like formation, the group advances closer and closer into the center of Heaven. They were basically going the same way Yukari went, deeper into the once lush gardens of Heaven. Closer to the Dragon Palace.

The other corrupted began to rise, giving chase to the group. With Kanako, Utsuho and Aesera's powers, they managed to drive back the oncoming attack, or they could have even halt it. The gap made Aesera's powers flow into Kanako's sword - It made the sword a bane to Chaos. An extension of her mind.

"The Palace is right ahead! Let's go! We have to pass through the peach garden first, though." Tenshi runs ahead.
-

"So, what happened, Sakuya?"

"Milady..."

"You took Flandre, Patchy, Koakuma and Meiling out, before returning with only one of them, and a human?"

"Mistress..."

"You did not inform me?"

"My apologises, Mistress, but it was not I... If you have seen the state of Gensokyo..."

"As far as I know, something strange is happening. It is not your duty to protect Gensokyo if I do not wish for it, Sakuya."

"...Yes, Mistress."

(TBC)

[GuyYouMetOnline]

Yukari was up to something; Aesera was sure of that much. Yukari was a skilled manipulator, something Aesera had been aware of from the start; she knew her own kind. Yukari was up to something, that much was certain. But right now, Aesera had more immediate concerns.

Tenshi led the advance through the gardens, and it wasn't long before more corrupted Celestials approached. Aesera singled one out. "I'll take this one. Kanako, clear out the others."

As Kanako went to work, Aesera faced her opponent. Her sword cut through the Celestial's weapon easily, and Aesera knocked the enemy to the ground. She thrust her sword into the Celestial's belly and spun it around, carving an opening. [Kanako, you remember what I did with Rin, right?]

[Yes. I thought you might be thinking along those lines.]

[You've been taking the corrupted Celestials out quite easily, thanks to the gap channeling my power into your weapon. I want to see if I can take out the chaos and restore its victim, as I did with Rin. Cover me.] Aesera thrust her hand into the opening she'd carved out, as she'd done with Rin. There was a difference, though. With Rin, Aesera had drawn the chaos into herself, something that she still got the sense she shouldn't do again. SO this time, instead of drawing the chaos into herself, she tried to project her mind into the Celestial and engage and destroy the chaos corrupting her.

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

Expect updates once Crow posts. If not, end of the week.

[CrowCakes]

Vante ran to the recovering Mystia, only to be rewarded with a frown from the bird. "Did it do anything?" He extended a hand to her.

"I'm fine, thank you," Mystia said as-a-matter-of-factly, although it was obvious that she had been in shock. She slapped his hand away. "Nothing's wrong." She pushed herself up, shaking the limbs that took the brunt of her fall.

The saliva that had dripped onto Mystia's clothes, unbeknown to the night sparrow, had begun to disfigure the cloth. Seeing the effect it had on Nazrin, Vante shivered imagining what horrible things might have happened if the thing had dropped the youkai in its mouth.

"Mystia, your clothes."

This drew Mystia's attention. She looked at the spreading mass of black and threw her hands up. "Perfect!"

"Do you want to get clothes from the shrine?" Vante suggested.

"I don't think I can say 'no' to that. Where's my other set of clothes?"

"By the lake."

Mystia ran.
Likewise, Newan ran to Nazrin and immediately took note of the burns on the mouse's arm. Saliva or blood could not inflict this much injury on skin; this was entirely new for him.

Nazrin was whimpering, begging for the burns to go away. There was nothing in sight that could possibly do that right now, so the engineer was pushed to attend to the next immediate concern: cold. The mouse had been forcefully pulled out of the lake naked, barring any attempt of escape. He hastily unbuttoned his dress shirt, wrapping it around Nazrin and carrying her to the lake side. He needed to retrieve her clothes and get back to the shrine as soon as possible.

"I'd appreciate it if you stayed, but leave if you need to," he addressed Vante as he ran.

The intern was going to stay anyway. He followed, but from far behind.

OOC: I just can't get Newan's personality right. 

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

"...And as such, you have brought upon your doom, embodiment." The dreadful voice. The very voice that came from the corrupted Gensokyans in the university earlier. "You have made a grave mistake, foolish mortal!"

Aesera was alone in the darkness once more, just like in Rin's mind. The soul she had entered was already broken. Fully consumed by the power of Chaos. Any use of her internal energy on the soul, and it would break and shatter. That is how fragile Chaos is, and yet it shows how enduring Chaos already is. Tentacles begin to emerge from the ground, and even the endless black sky above. From every corner, nook and cranny, thick, pulsating tentacles emerged out of nowhere. They grew closer to the embodiment.

And then she tried to fight back. Nothing appeared. Her power could not be generated in a soul, broken beyond measure. One that was already dead. Her wings did not form. The robe she had on whenever her powers were unleashed, never appeared. Her sword, that majestic, golden sword, never came to her aid. Aesera's eyes grew wide as she realized the harsh truth.

When a Gensokyan is fully corrupted, nothing can save it... But wait! How did she then manage to save Rin? How did the others save the Corrupted?

Aesera miscalculated her moves. Now, she could only await death, or hope Kanako would pull her out of it. Even though she projected her mind into the soul of the Celestial, she could not retrieve it. It was binded by the power of Chaos. How did she make such a grave mistake? Such a major blunder?

What the embodiment had forgotten, or most likely, had not known, was that If a corrupted Gensokyan had slain someone of equal power of them or someone like an embodiment, it would be fully, and permanently corrupted given time.

"...Just this once." Aesera begged. Nothing was going according to plan. her backup plan to escape from the soul of the Celestial failed, and Kanako wasn't doing anything. Or maybe she was, but whatever she did, wasn't working.

"...Please..."

Aesera's heart beat, faster and faster, as the tentacles grew closer. Evidence of Corruption began to spread, from her legs up.

You will not die. Not yet.

"...Azeri..." The embodiment mumbled.

A flash of red light, followed by a shockwave of yellow.

"...Do you know how hard it- Ugh! It is to lend support when I'm trying to fight my own friends?"

"...I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You're drawing closer. It's okay. The others will be here soon."

"Talking to yourself, Azeri Zenxsoul? I didn't know you fell that far... Or should I say hi to your... Partner?"

"Shut up. Come at me."

"Look at how injured you are. You can't even bare to hurt your friends."

"...They aren't gone yet, I can stil-"

"Even if you manage to get Meiling or Byakuren back from my grasp, they won't be able to help you from the other. These bodies are too weak. And they hunger for release. For power."

"...I'll get them both back, and go after you."

"Rinnosuke, you mean?"

"I will kill you."
-

"Aesera!" A muffled voice.

"Aesera!" One much louder then the other.

"...A-Aesera!" One higher.

"Wake up." One much lower.

The embodiment opens her eye, facing Kanako and Gale. Utsuho's looking over by the side. The Celestials have been either ripped to shreds, burnt to ashes, or turned to dust.

"What happened, Aesera?" Gale helps the weakened woman up.

"These Celestials, can't be saved."

"...We've learnt something. Let's go." Kanako says flatly, looking over to Tenshi, whose eyes are beginning to water from the news. Apparently someone gave her hope. False hope.

Darkened, rotting peaches littered the floor. The trees howl in agony as their life seeps out of them in the form of a now green acid. Tenshi points at the door. It's still sturdy and seems to have been recently fortified. That is, until something or the Corrupted celestials, broke in. "...Let's go."

"Can you walk, Aesera?" Gale asked.

"...Maybe..." Aesera began to limp for a few steps, before she slumped down on Gale and Kanako. The former pointed for Kanako to stay with Tenshi. "You're needed, far more then me. You can kill them permanently. I can only get them down for a few minutes. Go. I can take care of her."

"...Thanks." Aesera sighs.
-

The night sparrow ran towards the lake, looking around for her other set of clothes until she found it on the log Vante and Newan were sitting on. A Chaos Spawn had slithered over it, leaving a trail of that gooey, black stuff. It began to corrupt the surroundings. The new set of clothes were already dark, and the log was slowly turning too. Immediately, the night sparrow looked at her chest. Her clothes were completely black. A subtle, blunt pain grew from her arms towards her chest.

Knowing what it could be, she took off towards Vante. Upon reaching, she grabbed Vante's shirt. "I need it." Was simply what she said. Vante looked at her in confusion, before blindly agreeing. Vante pulled off his shirt, handed it to Mystia, and got a shove by her. Vante staggered back, getting turned to face away. He glanced back just in time to see Mystia change her clothes.

The youkai didn't notice. And Vante did not want her to notice. As such, he just looked away. But those small seconds will be forever engraved in his mind. Maybe. After she was done, Mystia bent down and slowly tugged on Nazrin, who was still in pain.

"H-Hey! Don't do that!"

"Vante, we need to go, now!"

"Wait, what for?"

"Just listen to be damnit. You can run, right?" The night sparrow nodded to herself, gently lifting Nazrin up, before taking to the air.

"...Wait what?" Vante stood there for a few seconds as Mystia took off in the direction of the shrine.

"That was..." The embodiment frowned. She didn't even wait for his reply or tell him about his plan.

Vante shrugged, before running off. As he ran, faster and faster, the armor on his body began to form, giving him newfound strength and endurance every time his legs began to ache. Vante's scythe ripped itself into existence once more, secured firmly on his back. The duo ran towards the Shrine. They would make it right when Newan would reach.
-

[Sonae]

((Uh... ^^' Are you just gonna leave me hanging?))

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

((Uh... ^^' Are you just gonna leave me hanging?))

I said TBC

[GuyYouMetOnline]

OOC: YJ, Aesera's not someone who would give up like you seemed to have her do. Don't worry about it, though. This is Aesera we're talking about; I can just say it was more deception. Which I'm starting to think Aesera intended to do (she knows what her plans are, but I don't, and you have no idea how strange that feels).

----------------------------------------------------

"They can't be saved," Gale said. "You saved that one, though, didn't you?"

"Rin," Aesera said. "Yes. But there were a few differences. Rin was merely posessed, whereas the Celestials, apparently, are actually dead. There's also the issue of time. When I freed Rin, I could do so because she still remained. Here, though, whether it's because they're dead or because of time, there's no remnant of the Celestials within themselves. They are entirely chaos. There's nothing to save."

"Oh."

"It wasn't a waste," Aesera said. "I learned a few things about freeing people from the chaos, after all. I was also contacted briefly by Azeri, my other self; he is still fighting, but still existant." And I saw the chaos react to my presence. It seemed to respond even to just false dispair. I also saw a limit to how much of myself I can project, likely the reason why I could not effectively fight. If I want to strike the chaos directly, I'll have to draw it into myself again. But I still get the feeling that I'm, well, full, or something. "I have some more experiments to conduct, but they can wait." Aesera stepped away from Gale, standing on her own. "Come on. We're going in."

"Are you sure? I don't think you're in any shape to fight."

"I need a few minutes, certainly, but yes, I don't intend to fight just yet. But as you observed, Kanako has been succeeding in permanently destroying the corrupted Celestials, and quite easily."

"True."

"Indeed. Now come on." Aesera proceeded onwards, Gale right behind her. "We should all stay together for the retaliation."

"Wait," Gale said, "what?"

"Surely you don't expect the enemy to take our actions lying down? The chaos will retaliate; you can be sure of that. So some on, let's catch up with Kanako and Tenshi. And Utsuho and Orin and Wriggle."

"Right," Gale said. "Let's go, then."

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

(Making you feel strange is good! Anyway I can't get Aesera's personality exactly right. Gomen. WILL ACTUALLY FINISH SONAE'S PART TODAY OR SOMETHING)

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

"Sakuya. I'm glad you're back, though." The girl nods, before turning to Flandre. "And you, my little sister, I am extremely happy to see you here. Hope you didn't cause much trouble." Flandre grins, and floats up beside the other winged girl.

Finally, the charismatic, bat-winged girl turns to Ranna, lifting an eyebrow. "So, human. Welcome to my mansion. I am mistress of the night, Lady Remilia Scarlet. You are... A guest, since Sakuya and Flandre have brought you to me... And I feel, that you are... Different, then the other humans I've met. You feel like Reimu." Ranna's face turns to one of confusion. A thousand burning questions are still throbbing in her mind, but easily, she tosses that away and sighs.

"Y-Yeah. Nice to meet you?"

"Make yourself at home, although I must say, you cannot stay long. I have business to attend to, and with Sakuya back, I can attempt to recall Koakuma without Patchouli's magic." Remilia turns, walking off into the hallway. Flandre runs up to her, giggling. Before she leaves though, the rainbow-winged vampire turns back and smiles widely, waving to Sakuya and Ranna.

"Bye bye!" She shouts.
-

After the duo left, Ranna and Sakuya stood in the moonlight in the mansion, apparently awaiting something. Or for someone to talk. "...I didn't know you serve vampires." Ranna said first, sighing once more.

"Mistress Remilia treats me well."

"Yeah. I can see." Ranna rolls her eyes. "So, since I've sent you back, can I go now?"

"I guess. It's up to you. Although I have to apologise: I can't send you back the way we came." Sakuya frowns slightly, looking at the stopwatch in her hands.

"Wait, that means I have to walk. And we're nowhere close to the Hakurei Shrine."

"That is not what I said. I said that I cannot send you back the way we came. You will go there faster, actually. Lady Patchouli had a few teleportation spells in a book she kept in the library. If you want, I could retrieve it for you."

"That's... Uhh, I guess that's okay. Thanks, Sakuya."

"It is of no problem."
-
(TBC MOAR)

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

Also I'll finish the update after Crow posts him reaching the shrine and stuff. Because then I can intertwine Sonae and Crow's replies into one and finish GYMO's together.

[CrowCakes]

A speck in the sky was not an ideal beacon to follow. The forest had an erratic pattern of clearings and trees, with branches sticking out in between. Getting bonked on the head again and again annoyed Vante so much that he forgot about following the bird and just focused on getting out of the forest. Luckily, Mystia's flight path went in a straight line, and there was little need to worry about following.

[No, there's no cliff in the way. Sheesh, stop worrying about it.]

[Hey, exactly how big is the forest? Can you see the shrine from where you are?]

[I can fly across the whole place in five minutes, if I didn't have a load. Oh, and the shrine is just a minute away.]

After running through the dense, dark foliage, a path littered with dark ooze and fallen leaves appeared, still leading straight. It was silent, devoid of any life or Chaos spawn. Leaves still fell off trees, like they would in the fall.

[Yeah, good luck with that! You have stairs to deal with after that road.]

Overhead, Mystia was already gliding over to the top of the staircase leading to the Hakurei Shrine.

OOC: Nothing to see here. Except maybe the Aki sisters.

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

The door creaked open as the goddess entered first. Her sword illuminated the dark, ravaged room. Bodies of celestials littered the floor, some with the corruption process on them, and some just dead. Those being corrupted would soon arise as new meat for Chaos. Kanako did the poor souls a favour by putting them out of their misery. Tenshi walked up towards Kanako, gripping her shoulder.

"I'll end them. Keep watch over the others." Tenshi walked up front, scouring the first room for any corpses. The few she found to be being corrupted, she impaled. And those who were just dead, she lined them up and payed her respect. Even as the eldest daughter, she was one of the youngest celestials in heaven. Outside, the swarm returned with renewed vigor. They charged the group in a wedge, trying to force them in the room. With a few swings of her sword here and there, the first wave was cut down by Kanako. Utsuho, being instructed by Gale, managed to snipe out the next oncoming wave of corrupted from afar.

The group slowly mde their way into the palace, making sure no other corrupted would follow. They closed the door, and sealed it up with nuclear energy(somehow). If they needed to escape anyway, they could just break throgh the celling anyway. Outside the first room, was the hall. The once majestic walls of the heavenly palace were ripped and torn, near their breaking point. The ground itself was slowly being turned to black, covering th once beautiful runic tiles.

Two main staircases greeted the group, and Rin ran up the first, experimenting if it could hold up. Tenshi walked behind the staircase, probbing the runes under it. They were intact, and uncorrupted, which meant that a barrier was set up. Tenshi jumped up, floating upwards slowly. She lifted the Sword of Hisou, and probed the apparently empty space. There, was a barrier. It lookd like yellow stained glass, with patches of black appearing at the corners of it. They could not fly to the top.

"So, I assume we either disable the barrier, or we walk up?"

"Yeah!"

"Unyu..."

"Well, Aesera, what do you think we should do?" Kanako asked.

From afar, Gale waved. He explored the other rooms which the hallway lead to. All that was the rooms, whatever they were used for, was now rubble. However, to the left, there was another hallway, and in between the two staircases, was a door.

"Tenshi, where do those lead to?" Aesera inquired.

"The stairs go up towards the throne room at the top. That hallway leads to the library, and the door... It leads to the Dragon Palace. It's like a teleporter, since the Dragon Palace is actually floating above Heaven. It's at the tip of the border."
-

Sakuya lead Ranna towards the library, where she said, her mistress would probably be. The hallways at times, seemed to be endless, and the mansion was more like an endless maze then anything else. Ranna could only ponder about how the library would look. The duo walked down stairs, exchanging few words, and most of those were questions from Ranna. At times, they would see the occasional fairy maid, floating about and bowing to Sakuya.

Why fairies were used, the embodiment would never know.

Soon, they stopped in front of a big, medieval door. It was one of those wooden doors to a secret chamber, hilding whatever which should never be found. With a snap of Sakuya's fingers, the door opened. Gently and without a sound, as if it was pulled open by invisible forces.

"The library of Volie," Sakuya said, smiling. "Lady Patchouli's room."

Rays of light pierced the veil of darkness that covered the duo.
-

TBC BECAUSE I WROTE THIS IN SCHOOL.

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

Due to various issues and problems, I have taken a much longer time then usual to get the update going. No matter, I'll get it done and posted by tomorrow. I give all of you the power to throw desks at me and shoot curvy lazers at me if I don't get it done. ;_;

[GuyYouMetOnline]

"Okay," Aesera said, "we're searching this place before moving on to the Dragon Palace. Someone has to've set up that barrier, and although it looks like the chaos is trying, the barrier hasn't been broken yet. So the odds are good that whoever erected it is still here."

"Are we splitting up?" Gale asked.

"No. I'd like to, but our partners' ability to communicate with each other is being blocked, limiting our communication to between partners, and even that may be working only because it's over a shorter range. We're not splitting up without that capability. Tenshi, you know this place better than anyone else here. You're in the lead. We need this search to be efficient and thurough.. Kanako, up front with her. The rest of us will follow behind. And, Kanako? Yukari left us with some little gaps. Do you think she also left one to listen in on us?"

"Possibly. Why?"

"Yukari, if you're listening, I need the boundary-thing done to my phone again, if you can. It's about time I checked in with my people in the outside world."

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

"Yukari, if you're listening, I need the boundary-thing done to my phone again, if you can. It's about time I checked in with my people in the outside world."

No response came. Either Yukari didn't want to talk to the group, or she just didn't put any gaps to listen in. It also didn't give Aesera any clue if Yukari was going to help sometime in the future. Aesera looks around once more, examining the area closer. Extremely small trails of blood lead towards the Library, while drops of the same red lead upwards.

"There's blood. Either people are still alive, or they dragged themselves towards a hiding spot, while injured. Where should we search first?"

"The Library is a better hiding spot then up the stairs, so maybe..." Tenshi voices out, visibly glad that there was even a chance for a few celestials to have survived.

"A throne room would be the most defended, and if Chaos didn't reach there, it means that people protected it well. It's the same for any palace of a king." Kanako waves her sword leisurely.

Aesera turns to Gale, who has been staring at the hallway for quite some time. "Gale? What's the problem?"

"Nothing. I just feel like we're being watched."

"It's probably Yukari, or Chaos. If by that small chance it's the latter, we had better keep our guards up."

"Unyu... I don't feel anything..."

Orin finally speaks, pulling Utsuho towards her. "G-Guys..." Orin turns to Gale, who gives her a confused look in return. "Where's Wriggle?"

"...Shit." Gale blurts.

"I'm right here..." Wriggle pops her head out of a broken window above the stairs. "I ran here first, before those zombies came."

Gale sighs, shaking his head.

"You should have told us earlier, Wriggle. Don't run off again." Aesera too, sighs.

>Choose between the Throneroom/Hallway. (To receive a follow up response, so you just have to reply >Hallway or >Throneroom)

-
BGM: Untouched Sanctuary
-

"Faster! Faster! Come on..." His footsteps were hard. His eyes were heavy. His legs had no more strength in them, and his power did not increase his endurance. Over the horizon, laid the shrine, with the red-white standing on it's tori, beside a panting Patchouli. Magic circles were erected all around the shrine, and five crystals - The Philosopher's Stone(s), floated around the Hakurei Shrine. A red barrier formed behind the stones, covering the landscape. Around the barrier, the ground was black, stained with green and yellow acid, scorched with flames.

The remains of hundreds of Chaos Spawns littered the ground, slowly turning into dust.

Purple, rectangular amulets flew out from the barrier every few seconds, wiping out the advancing spawns. Reimu grit her teeth, throwing homing amulets in every direction. Now, in the skies, were black, gargoyle-like beasts. They were over-sized bats with tentacles for wings, and skulls for heads. In the body of each of them, was a human. A once living human from the village.

"...Faster... Faster... Haa..." His body failed him, as much as he pushed himself, he could not go any further. Only the field and the hills lay in his sight. The sky lit for a moment, before darkness consumed the heavens once more.

I don't understand. Why were the innocent beings of Gensokyo dragged into this war? Why must they be shot down first, before the rest of the world? Why am I involved?

Questions that he didn't think of before bombarded his mind. He didn't have the time to question himself, not now.

Newan fell to his knees, exhausted, panting, sweating as if he just ran a marathon through a desert. The blue, fingerless glove on his hand gave way and turned to nothing. His power did not give him the strength. If he could not do this, what could he do? He failed to protect his partner. A partner the Gods had given him. And that one, yes, that girl that beloved him for whatever reason in the past, he still did not understand. Fully.

Pushing himself up, Newan cried in pain and staggered on.

Why...
Why must you be so sad?
Orphans of the Distant Land...
Why must your tears be shed into a long eternity?
Watching your loved ones pass these plains of grass. Watching the blood and tears fade and crisp into the everlasting soil. Why must their lives be so young...
Yet you live so strong?

"...Spell Card..."

"Spell Card!"

"Spell Card!"

"Emerald Megalith!"

"Fantasy Seal!"

"FUJIYAMA VOLCANO!"

Why must you resist?
Orphans of the Distant Land...
Why do you strive to defend all that will soon be gone?
Watching the ones you hold dear; Watching your beloved land be thrown into chaos. Why do you hope? Why do you fight?
-

"The wind blows through my soul."

"The wind is so cold..."

-

"Newan... Newan!" The armored man pulled his fellow embodiment up, shaking him vigorously. "Damnit. He's out cold. Mystia, could yo-" He spins around, then looks towards the hill. The bird had flown towards the shrine and basically ignored him.

Man. She's an unreliable partner.

"Come on..." Vante hulled Newan up, carrying him atop his shoulder. "Damn. You're heavier then I thought you would be." The scythe on Vante's back disappears, giving Newan more space. Slowly, Vante walked closer towards the shrine. It was atop the hill, in sight... And so was the barrier.
-

"R-Rei...mu?"

"Mystia? What are you doing here?! It's dangerous!"

"Reimu! Nazrin is in-"

A stray bullet flies directly at the night sparrow, forcing her to make a sudden turn, dropping Nazrin. "No!" Mystia flies straight down, her arms reaching out, trying to grab Nazrin before she would hit the ground...

But that's not the ground. That's... Those are... The ground, covered in hundreds of the Chaos Spawn, a group of them noticing the falling mouse, reaching their tentacles upward...

"Yaaaah!" Flames burst from their black bodies as Mokou impacts them, grabbing Nazrin in mid-air. Crouching just for a moment before launching herself off with more crimson flames, her other hand pushing Mystia towards the shrine's tori. A Chaos Spawn knocks the barrier, making it visible, glowing bright red.

"What h-happened?!"

"A lot."
-

The library was impressive. Too impressive. It was obviously either constructed by a giant, or crafted into existence by magic. Ranna's mouth lies agape, staring at the seemlingly endless library. In the distance, stood Remilia Scarlet, standing upon a runic circle, drawn with chalk.

"We're going to teleport you to the Hakurei Shrine, and get Koakuma here. It's like exchanging places." Sakuya says, bringing Ranna over to the circle.

"Do it, Sakuya."

"Yes, Mistress."

"Human! Before you go, you'll need this. According to Flandre, it's "Fun" out there. It's dangerous to go alone, I would assume. Take this." Remilia pulls out a stopwatch, one identical to Sakuya's own.

"Mistress...?"

"Do not worry, Sakuya. This is your old Stopwatch, not your personal one." Remilia flings it at Ranna elegantly, and it lands on her open hand. "Go."

Ranna steps on the circle, which flares into grey light, growing brighter and brighter. Red, arrow-like beams appear in a circular fashion around the grey light, and collide with Ranna's body. The grey light becomes a complete sphere, before shrinking into nothingness.

"...I didn't even get to spe-" Ranna looks around. She's lying in a futon.

[Sonae]

((Okay so I don't quite understand what I'mma supposed to do exactly, But time for some asskicking?))

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Investigate the throne room first, unless the library is significantly closer. The throne room will likely take less time to search than a library.

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

Expect a nice bulky update once Crow posts.

[CrowCakes]

'W-well, dang! I thought this place was safe! And when did bookworm wake up?" Mystia ducked from more stray bullets streaking across the shrine grounds. Reimu's, Mokou's, and Patchouli's spellcards blended with each other in a surreal combination of charms, fire, and stone, their patterns no longer distinguishable. The mash of bullets kept the black blobs busy dodging, but they tried to get closer to the trio if they weren't.

"Ya picked a really wrong time to drop in!" Mokou yelled, "We'll tell ya later! Now, would you mind helpin'?" More fire raced through the spawns, incinerating them on contact. She had left the mouse with the bird again, literally dropping Nazrin by the shrine gate and forcing Mystia to catch her.

Behind them, Vante forced himself to sprint across the staircase and towards the red barrier that now surrounded the shrine.  The sight of Chaos spawns greeted him. Mystia scurried over beside him, visibly bewildered and annoyed.

"Our only help is disabled, and then this happens- where is your scythe?" Mystia cried, "Stuff just got real and you don't have your scythe?"

Vante was too tired to answer. With the load on his back, all he could do was catch his breath and stare ahead.

OOC: Vante won't be able to attack unless he drops Newan, which he won't do unless the spawns are close. Mystia, on the other hand, will be more than willing to drop Nazrin by the side and tear the spawns up if they come.

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

Expect an update tomorrow once I get into a lan cafe.

[CrowCakes]

Dropping by to say that I'll be away for three days.

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

"Tsh... Two down... Four to go."

"Oh? You brought Meiling and Byakuren down. Impressive."

"Shut your gap. Come at me."

"You're willing to hurt these three? Such... Adaptation."

"Adaptation?"

"You once said gods would be unchanging, which is why you had to involve those... embodiments. Foul, disgusting replicas of yourselves. And then once more, you brought the Gensokyans into this game. They would die peacefully if you hadn't alerted those three."

"And let Gensokyo rot? I don't think so."

"You - or should I say, We, were smart. We knew that only the Gensokyans could turn the tide. Although, it's too late now. Their power will be sealed. They are creations of myth, belief and imagination. Once people stop believing... Only their souls remain to give them power. I will snatch that away from them, and nothing will stop us."

"Oh. You knew that your worse enemy is yourself."

"That foolish king gave our power to make imagination. He knew what would happen. And it was our mistake for not taking him out earlier... But now... We will change this fate your brother weaves."

Azeri Zenxsoul grunts, charging forward.

"Yuuka, Sariel, go."
-

"We'll go to the throne room first. It'll be easier to search then the library." Aesera proceeds first, walking up the once-beautiful stairs.

"Good choice." Kanako follows up, before the rest of the group ascends to the higher levels of the palace.
-

"Wake up!"
"Wake up!"
"Wake up!"
"WAKE UP!"

-

The staircase lead to a long hallway, filled with statues on either side. Each one wielded either a sword, identical to Tenshi's own. They glowed with mystic energy which had filled the skies when Tenshi once laid waste to the Hakurei Shrine and messed with the weather. A clear sign that it had not been touched by Chaos. Further in, laid a state whose head had been broken off, as if a heavy hammer had attempted to decapitate it.

Kanako began to take the lead, reaching the statue first. She fondled with it's earthen armor, it's unique features, before coming to a stop as her eyes went over e statue's own weapon. It was a solid, metallic replica of Susanoo's own. It was a statue of Tenshi's father. Her lord.

"Who... Who dared do evil to a statue of the lord?!" Kanako spun around, pulling Tenshi towards her. "Who in the right mind would do this?! It's u touched by Chaos, yet... Yet!"

"Kanako, calm down! It must have been an accident!" Gale voiced out

"Think reasonably, Kanako." Aesera Stated, examining the statue.

"Let me go!" Tenshi squeals, before Kanako releases her, turning back to face the statue.

"I'm sorry. I overreacted.... Lord Susanoo just... Was one of my old friends... Before I came to Gensokyo."

"It seems to have been delibrately... Smashed off." Aesera says, as Wriggle walks behind the statue to poke at it.

...
.....
........

"Guys..." Orin shouts from further in the hallway. "I... I think I found what did that."

Orin slowly backs away from the throne, deeper in the hallway. The once red-orange throne had been reduced to a pile of hissing acid. There, standing over it was a Chaos Spawn. A crown was jammed into it's arm, along with tens of swords sticking out of it's back and arrows on it's front. Despite how it looks, it seems to have not taken any damage, and it moves almost fluidly, releasing a roar from it's streamlined head.

The beast was some weird hybrid of a scorpion, an eagle and a wolf, all mashed together with a giant, human body. Or in this case, a celestial body. Instead of a lower jaw, it had six mandibles, all with eyes on them which turn and stare at the surroundings individually. With two, elongated scorpion claws it tore at the celling and the walls. It's black, wolfen legs shook in anticipation. It had twelve small, eagle wings which still retained their white colors. Two on it's back, four on it's chest and the others in random places.

It shook it's head, flinging black acid around it.
-

"Any... Haa.... Any ideas?" Vante said between breaths.

"Get your scythe out, and slice'm to death!" Mystia looked on.

"Newan..."

"Yeah and? I have his partner."

"You can fly."

"... That's a great idea! See ya!" Mystia grabbed Nazrin, and flew towards the shrine as high up as possible to avoid the bullets.

Vante would face palm if he could, but more urgent issues confronted him. The Spawns had noticed him, and had begun to movie towards him. An idea struck him. A rather dangerous one with a rather heavy load, but it could work.

Vante crouched, awaiting the arrival of the spawns. Once they came in range, unnatural endurance and adrenalin pulsed in his very fiber of being. He jumped over all of them, and the ones which he touched, were crushed by the immense weight of his armor - even if it only felt like a second skin to him.

Banter was reaching the shrine at top speed. None of the spawns could catch him without being squashed or without their tentacles getting ripped to shreds by how fast Vante was going. And in no time, at the expense of his own already depleted stamina, Vante reached the shrine. Exhausted even beyond what Newan experienced, Vante collapsed onto the ground, dropping Newan beside him.

"Damnit! Get them Further inside, Mokou!"

"Yea yea!"
- (You can now bunny Reimu, Patchouli and Mokou. Written on iPad.)

[[Y]oukai [J]esus]

Aaa my replies. anyway if any of you have problems on what to write, feel free to ask me