With a loud crack that caused even the dazed Firecracker and Sparks to wince, Sfumato's whip snapped out towards its target.
"[Flurry of Blows]!" Sfumato shouted, the noise muffling away to nothing as it reached the fading barrier of shadow at the room's edge.
Her whip became a blur as the Skill flared to life, leaving afterimages of black light in its wake. Cynosure raised both arms around her head in an attempt to guard her face as the heavy strikes of the whip met their mark. Although most struck against the Kumiho's blue robes, some managed to land on her hands. Cynosure winced from each strike, although I couldn't tell if that was from the pain of the [Sheen] enhanced whip alone, or the effect it had on the concentration keeping her aura and the other Casters in check.
The strikes against Cynosure's hands were effective, but they weren't enough to keep her back. The Kumiho wasn't taking the hits lying down. She was slowly advancing on Sfumato, stepping left and right as she tried to close the distance. Sfumato used the table to ensure that the Kumiho couldn't close the gap without leaping and leaving herself open to a direct hit, but that didn't seem to matter.
Cynosure's hands and glowing white nails were snapping out, attempting to grab the whip mid-swing. Her reflexes were fast, but not enough to catch the whip in the middle of the [Flurry of Blows]. The Skill's effect was beginning to wear off as the speed of the strikes dropped, and Sfumato knew it. The moment she began to slow, her whip's movements became more calculated rather than a hasty rush of hits. She was being more cautious now.
In the midst of the clash, the [Sensory Zone] my Lyridium Cat construct projected observed the rest of the criminals. They were all still held down by Cynosure's ability, with even their eyes and hands struggling to focus up. Still, many of their eyes were drawn not only to the fighting, but to the unknown figure in their midst. The pale skinned man in the messily put together suit.
Languish.
Their expressions didn't change, but I couldn't miss the pale echoes of shock flickering over their eyes. He was an intruder, a spy in their midst that they couldn't do anything about. Not yet. The aggression in their eyes was clear, and left no question as to what they'd try to do the moment their bodies and minds obeyed them.
Pulling her whip back from the closest attempt at grappling the weapon yet, Sfumato straightened her fingers, snapping an arm forward with a "[Release]!" as an arrow of black light flashed, lancing through the air. Cynosure ducked against the first strike, rubbing at the bruises lining her hands. Her eyes darted left to right as the second [Release] was fired, cutting though the top of her shoulder and robes.
Tucking her body and tails in tight, Cynosure rolled behind the table, landing in front of Firecracker, Sparks, and the Triton pair. Sfumato's eyes widened at the Kumiho's move, and her trembling arm refused to fire another shot.
"Fuck you," Sfumato growled out, trying to find an angle to strike. "Can't you just make this easier for me? We both know how this is going to turn out anyway. We're going to beat each other down, your ability will come undone, and you're going to be the one left suffering."
Cynosure replied only with a sniff of disinterest, raising a single arm. With a clenched fist and a flash of white light, a blunt blast of [Release] shot back at Sfumato, who only barely moved fast enough to avoid a direct hit. The edge of the light clipped her arm, and the black skinned woman winced.
She'd forced a stalemate for now. If Sfumato fired and missed, she could risk hitting the criminals behind them and losing whatever goodwill she'd gotten. It might have been the right decision to let Cynosure fall, but if she ended up on our side, her abilities could prove useful. I didn't like her, and I was certain the feeling was mutual, but she was the only thing keeping the others from attacking Languish.
I didn't want her to be captured or turned against us, and we might need the Chained Wolves' help to make it out of this war with as few casualties as possible.
As much as that didn't sit right with me, it was the... smartest move to make. If they were to pay for their actions, it could be handled after Sova was safe.
With little other options, Sfumato returned to using the whip, making calculated strikes in between shooting far thinner [Releases] with a single finger to try and throw Cynosure off. She hadn't used a single shadow or smoke-like Spell since this fight began. Was she trying to conserve her strength, or was she not able to use them? Some sort of limitation she faced at the cost of being unaffected by Cynosure's aura?
I felt completely out of the loop of this battle, but whatever was happening was helping to buy time. Time I couldn't afford to waste idling here. The Cat construct I was seeing through lay down inside the ventilation shaft as I left the Artificial Soul inside to its own devices.
My focus fully returned to my real body, taking in the water, glass, and metal of my mech suit, alongside the crowd of people around me. It was a jarring transition, going from the surprisingly quiet and serious trade of blows to the joyous cheers and chatter of the casino-like 'church'.
They were still playing that game of cobbled together Familiars fighting it out. Two of the conjured creatures stood atop the table as Bubblegum Blaze and a Minotaur man in a bronze coloured suit directed them.
Given that one of the Familiars was a buff looking pink tinted Humanoid with a fully Cat-like head, it was easy to tell which one was Bubblegum's crafted creature.
I needed to tell them without raising alarm. I wanted to handle this with proper tact, but we didn't have time to waste, either.
"[Don't freak out, but we have a situation. Those at the enemy meeting have started fighting amongst themselves,]" I spoke, spreading my words to the Velvet Star members around me through [Telepathy]. Shafu's smile grew at the words. "[But Languish has been caught in the crossfire.]"
Shafu's smile fell away.
Sigura, who had been warily eyeing the Minotaur, turned her eyes towards me. In contrast to her stoic reaction, Streiphen practically shot up in his seat. Some of the orange juice within his cup spilled out over the edge, but he tried to catch himself after the outburst, acting natural. Ingrim gave little more than a blink of shock at the sound of his Captain in trouble, while Overcharge was cool as ice.
"How many enemies are there? Will we all need to go?" the burly Eastern Drow asked, his voice quiet enough that I doubted many would be able to hear without the aid of abilities.
My zone picked up Overcharge's words, and I relayed them to the others before answering in turn, as we'd planned. We didn't have a reliable [Network] user, and this was almost as effective.
"[He isn't in immediate danger, but there are enough enemies that one might be able to detect him even if he was able to use his magic afterwards. His abilities are disabled, and the enemy know we're all here.]"
It wasn't as though that was a shocking revelation, given that we were all sitting here out in the open, but it would've felt wrong not to mention to hammer home the urgency.
"Their total numbers, Yur? How many of 'em are there?" Sigura asked with an almost inaudible voice.
"[Four members of Aerasthetic, as well as eight or ten enemy Casters in the room, alongside an unspecified amount of reinforcements elsewhere in the building,]" I explained.
"Eight or ten...? Weirdly specific, Yur," Shafu threw in.
"[Firecracker and Sparks are with the enemy. The spies for the Star, I mean. They might need to fight us in some capacity to keep their cover up. If we count them, that makes fourteen enemy Casters alongside reinforcements.]"
"That explains 'them'," Overcharge added quietly.
"[Who?]" I asked, after which the Eastern Drow covertly nodded to a small group at another corner of the table.
Sitting together were a cluster of people dressed the same as everyone else. Neatly, but not flashily enough to stand out. I wouldn't have thought of them as unusual had Overcharge not said anything. They looked as though they were watching the gambling match alone, although they threw careful glances towards our group much more frequently than others. More than that, they didn't seem invested in the gambling in the slightest. While the rest cheered and jeered for the battle atop the table, they were oddly quiet and distant.
Like they were sent specifically to observe us.
"Who's in the meeting room? People we've fought, Yur?" Sigura asked. I could almost hear the urge to fight tinging her voice. She was eager to get going, and I knew who the Half Nekari Chimera was hoping for.
"[Some of them are those we encountered during the warehouse raid, but there are others around I don't recognise.]"
"And Aerasthetic?" she probed.
"[Among Aerasthetic I spotted Snowman, Umbrush, Kirigami, and Sfumato. The latter is locked in combat with Cynosure, and the rest have been disabled by her aura. Visionary doesn't seem to be present.]"
"They had an answer for her [Kumiho Aura]?" Bubblegum murmured as the battle drew to a close above the table. As much as Bubblegum looked as though she had the lead against the Minotaur, her Familiar's movements had suddenly grown sluggish. Either it was due to our distractions, or she'd allowed herself to lose to focus on the situation at hand instead.
"[It didn't seem like they brought Sfumato with the intention of countering Cynosure's aura ability like that. She seemed stunned that it worked. It could be a chance magical resistance or some strange interaction between their abilities,]" I replied, throwing my theory out for the group. "[Sfumato seemed... inhibited by the aura somewhat. She wasn't using any Spells, just Skills and Luster Arts.]"
Bubblegum pushed her chair back, pressing a button on the underside of the table. Her Familiar broke apart, crumbling to the tabletop in a limp heap of disconnected body parts. Withut a sound, the pair of Familiars shattered like glass, dispersing into multicoloured motes of light.
"You're quitting already?" the Minotaur boomed with a raised brow. "It is not like the Star to give up so easily. Have you lost your nerve after but one round?"
"We've got some work that needs doing," Shafu spoke, rising to her feet as Bubblegum pushed her small pile of silver coins towards the center of the table.
"Give the rest of the pile to Gambol when he comes around," Bubblegum said, directing her words towards a stoic Doll in the same copper uniform as the other clergyfolk. "A donation for the hospitality."
Many of those within the crowd began to wear wary looks, glancing and murmuring to one another. As hectic as the cacophony of hushed sounds were, I focused my zone's focus only on those Overcharge had pointed out to me.
"They're going on the move."
"Tell Snowman. He should still be in the meeting."
One of the group's eyes scrunched closed, and he sighed, face contorting with worry as he bit his bottom lip.
"Not responding. I'm trying to send it through our [Network], but somethin's wrong. Not because of Sfumato, either. He's not unconscious, but he's not sayin' anything back either," the man responded.
He couldn't focus on a response due to the [Kumiho Aura]. This moment of confusion could be the headstart we needed.
"If it's business of the Star... should we leave this place?" the Minotaur across from Bubblegum asked seriously as she stepped away from the table, his voice low.
Silence fell over the table as many waited intently for the response.
"It's business, but there's a lot of us here," Shafu answered with a smile and a shrug. "You're all free to keep gamblin' like you always have. If you need to run, we'll give you a shout. Until we clean up in the back, make sure to keep our seats warm."
Her warm confidence washed over the table. It wasn't a Skill, but simple charisma. Although some of the folk here were still wary as they began to pack away their things, others reassured them with words of the Star's track record, trying to get them to stay. These people were confident they were safe because of us.
"Can you lead the way?" Sigura murmured, stepping away from the pillar she'd been leaning against as she led the way towards the double doors at the back of the hall.
"[I can try, but I don't know the church's layout that well. I travelled through the vents to reach that meeting room,]" I replied.
"We'll have to search then, won't we?" Overcharge smiled, following behind us as the rest of our group followed suit. His face was the same as ever, yet both of his hands clenched into fists. "If we open the way to every room in a corridor, Homebound can search easier with her [Sensory Zone], right?"
As our team rose and departed from the table, I saw the others opposite us speaking quickly. One of them, a Lapin Rabbitfolk with white fur and an orange swept tuft on his head, got to his feet.
"Let's go," he spoke in a hard, hushed voice. A chorus of nods served to answer him as those that had been observing us rose to their feet with him.
They worked to blend into the crowd despite following us as a group, moving from table to table as the Star was fixated on the double doors at the back. While they had to worry about keeping a low profile, our group had no such concerns. Others throughout the church were stunned to see us head straight from the double door at a pace that was far from relaxed and casual. We were all business now, and making no move to hide it.
One of the copper clothed guards by the door looked up as our group quickly approached, seizing up as his eyes went wide. His head turned to something unseen to the right beyond my vision. Was he sending a [Message]? After a few seconds, his eyes shot back towards us, and the man raised both arms with palms out, standing between us and the doors.
"Wait, wait! What's going on?" he asked, voice worried as his eyes darted between us.
"We've just got some business in the back. Friend of ours took a wrong turn and got very lost. We won't be long, promise," Shafu grinned, flashing the man a smile.
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It didn't take long before another figure entered my zone, swiftly approaching the disturbance we'd caused on towering legs.
"Now now, what's the rush?" Gambol asked, his face tinged with unease. "You stated you were to have a good time tonight, weren't you? Your group hasn't been attacked, so what's the problem?"
"One of our allies is in danger, Gambol," Sigura spoke blatantly. Overcharge winced at the woman's words.
"Your group claimed they weren't here to cause damage or start a fight. This 'lost friend' should not have been behind these doors if that was the case," Gambol spoke, standing next to the shorter man with crossed arms. The guard looked incredibly relieved to have the 11ft backup.
"[We aren't the ones who started this fight, Gambol,]" I interjected, stepping in. "[Aerasthetic wanted to start a war, and this is retaliation.]"
"Both sides of a war are permitted to bolster their sides before it. This is a place for negotiation, not battle. That was all I promised in exchange for coin," Gambol replied. So he'd known they were here and allowed it. "I'm fond of the Star, but the church is neutral ground. I cannot let a proper battle break out here."
"The fight's already startin' whether you like it or not, big guy," Sigura chimed in, crossing both arms as she looked up at him. "Cynosure of the Chained Wolves is fightin' with one of the Aerasthetic members, so all chances for negotiation's have gone down the shitter."
"One of our allies is gettin' caught in the crossfire," Shafu added, looking pleadingly up at Gambol.
"I understand you're in a predicament, but so am I. This is a place of worship. If they're having a spat, then that is their business," Gambol replied, his body stiffening. "Having more Casters arrive to join a fight is no better than dumping coal in a fire. They agreed to play by certain rules when being admitted here, and they have not yet broken those rules. Your ally is, much like all of you, a guest. We will have them removed safely as per our agreement."
'As per their agreement'? That wasn't enough. There was no chance Aerasthetic was going to let that opportunity go, not after seeing the sort of stealth Languish was capable of.
My focus went back to the Cat. I briefly felt a shiver as muted relaxation hit my physical body as I connected to the Artificial Soul. A muted effect of the [Kumiho Aura]? My [Sensory Zone] spread outwards once again, going down into the room below.
The fight seemed to be reaching its conclusion. Cynosure had closed the distance, slashing at the cut covered Sfumato with glowing bloody nails. The woman had completely abandoned her whip, and was putting everything she had into blocking with [Mantle] while working to gain distance. No matter how much she tried to dart and roll around the table, Cynosure was right behind her, landing blow after blow.
But... it wasn't the same as before. Cynosure was breathing and sweating hard now. Her composure was broken, and her legs trembled with strain. How much longer could she last?
I broke the connection, feeling my legs tremble slightly from the aftereffects of the aura.
"Are you alright, Miss Yuri?" Streiphen whispered to me, planting a concerned hand on my side.
"[Aerasthetic don't intend to cooperate with your rules, Gambol. One of their operatives claimed they were going to rob this church as their first mission,]" I replied quickly.
"The people of Aerasthetic aren't that foolish," Gambol shot back, raising a single golden brow. "They know how well guarded our coffers are."
It could've been a bluff, but the fact they'd said it rang true in my mind.
"This isn't just a simple spat or territory clash for power, Gravy. It's bigger than that," Shafu interjected, her shoulders slumping slightly. "They want to break Divastyr's balance altogether."
"What?!?" Gambol exclaimed, eyes wide. "Don't be foolish. That would mean the downfall of the city and their group."
"[It's true, Gambol. I was... eavesdropping on their meeting. They wish to break the city's balance and make a Caster-controlled society. This isn't just a plot for territory, they want to break and rebuild Divastyr as a whole,]" I told him, throwing together snippets I remembered from their meeting in the hopes of swaying the Goliath.
Gambol opened his mouth to retort, and slowly closed it again. He paused, eyes turning from Shafu, to me, to Overcharge, and then to Pack Rat.
"Would you swear this upon the Don's name?" Gambol asked after a pause, his voice deathly serious. Then, his eyes turned back towards me. "This is not something to claim lightly, Homebound. I know you have not been here in Divastyr for long, but the balance is everything. Such a thing is sacred to the survival of the city."
"[I swear it. On the Don's name, and on that of Equinox,]" I replied, praying he had some sort of lie detection Skill or something. We couldn't waste any more time with this.
The Goliath grimaced. He took a long, deep breath, and nodded down at the sweating, pale faced man next to him. The copper clothed man's arm trembled, but he moved to the handle of the double door, placing one hand atop it. Red-brown Aera began to glow from the tips of his fingers, flowing into spiraling silver runes now visible along the golden handle's surface. He pulled down, and both doors slowly swung open as both he and Gambol stepped aside to let us through.
"Then go. Deal with this quickly and quietly, and explain the situation to me in detail afterwards," Gambol said, his eyes firm.
"Thanks. You're doin' us a big favour, Gravy," Shafu told him as our group began to step into the corridor beyond.
"I know," he replied, his voice still stiff.
"We will not forget this deed," Pack Rat told him as we left the main hall.
With a sigh, I saw the Goliath's shoulders slacken as he stuffed both hands into his pockets.
"I know," he spoke again, his words soft and resigned.
As our group ran down the copper corridor and into the bowels of the church, I caught sight of the Goons tailing us approaching the double doors. Gambol's expression turned hard, and the doors slammed shut behind us.
"We need directions, Yur. Got anythin' to go off of?" Sigura asked aloud as the group moved forward, quickly pulling down handles and pushing open the surrounding doors to allow my [Sensory Zone] entry.
I was attempting to piece together a mental map with [Thought Acceleration] based on the vents I'd travelled through, but it was far from simple while trying to run and scan the area around me, especially after the Cat had been doing much of the same.
"[I only know it was far from the main hall,]" I told them. "[I don't know exactly where it is, but it should be further north than a bathroom close to-]"
All of a sudden, Overcharge turned sharply, heading down a corridor to his left, beckoning for us to follow with an arm.
"Just follow me! Gambol's assistant sent me a [Visual Message] of the church's layout and marked the room Aerasthetic rented," the burly Eastern Drow announced as our group redirected their focus, following close behind. "I know where to go, just focus on following me and conserving your strength!"
That was a relief. If I didn't need to worry about mental maps and directions while following them through the church, I could direct my focus elsewhere.
My main body slackened for a brief instant as my attention went back to the Cat. The [Smoky Haze] surrounding the room's edges had completely vanished, and I could see movement stirring inside the room as the Casters began to work off the effects. Flashes of Aera flickered along the surfaces of their skin as multiple attempted to bring their [Mantles] to life. They didn't have the energy to fully form them, but that made it clear they were cognizant enough to try. We didn't have much time.
Sfumato was on the ground in a thin pool of blood, her body covered in slash marks. She looked as though she was nearly unconscious, and Cynosure didn't look much better.
The Kumiho woman stepped over Snowman's slumped and twitching form, pushing open the double doors to the room as she stepped out into the corridor. Her hands were marred with bruises from Sfumato's whip strikes, and blood dribbled down from her shoulder and upper arms in places she'd been slashed by [Release]. She looked far less injured than Sfumato did, yet she was sweating profusely. Keeping that aura up while fighting had taken its toll.
"[Sfumato has fallen, and Cynosure is leaving the meeting room!]" I told the group, trying to quicken my pace as eight metal legs carried me over the church floor. "[It won't be long before the others get up and capture Languish!]"
"Hrr... Have your magic ready to go, everyone," Pack Rat growled, keeping up with the others despite his advanced age. "We will be going straight into combat."
At the Roden's words, Aera began to flow thickly through all present as [Mantles] flared to life on all present. Deep green with black edges and silver star patterns for Streiphen. Deep orange with flowing, fiery gold edges for Sigura. Solid metallic green with a slight grey tint to it for my own.
On the inside of my mech, metal was being reconfigured by my various abilities as we turned a corner. We couldn't bring any 'foreign' artefacts, but that hadn't meant we weren't permitted to bring in those we'd crafted ourselves.
With her neon pink [Mantle] active, Bubblegum leapt onto her broom, which flew faster than she could run as she worked to keep up at the front of the pack. Shafu's hooves clopped against the floor as she worked to unbutton the wrists of her suit, allowing both glowing mechanical arms bulging beneath her red pinstriped sleeves to burst forth.
Ingrim, Overcharge, and Sigura ran at the head of the pack, leading the way with [Mantles] fully active.
Turning another corner, our group came across a collection of Goons with painted hair cursing in the midst of combat. They had weapons drawn and were in the process of fighting off people in copper and black uniforms. The church's clergy? Or their security? The staff were equipped with [Mantles] and well kept standard weaponry, but it was clear they weren't traditional fighters. Much like Sfumato had been, they were just trying to stall. Some of them had been injured, relying on reinforcements to back them up as they slumped against the walls to nurse their wounds.
"Get into the side rooms!" Overcharge bellowed, his voice causing shivers through the bodies of those at the end of the corridor. "We're in a hurry, and we don't intend to stop!"
The clergyfolk were stunned at the sight of our [Mantle] clad group barrelling down the corridor. As Overcharge stood at the forefront of our group, the clergy broke away from their opponents, leaping for open doorways as the Goons worked to collect themselves, forming a wall between us and the corridors beyond.
"We've gotta buy time! Shields out and [Mantles] up!" one of the Goons roared as their attention was turned. Not all of them had [Mantles], although a few came forward with metal blocks that quickly unfolded into thick tower shields, forming a line between us and Languish.
"You better get out of our way too!" Overcharge roared, crossing both arms in front of him as he charged headfirst towards the enemies. The wall of shields didn't seem to deter him in the slightest as his golden [Mantle] thickened, ab-like indents flickering across the whole front of his form like living armor. "The likes of you aren't nearly enough to get me charged up!"
The edges of Overcharge's Aera flickered and changed, transforming from light into dancing electricity. The energy crackled around his arms, building in force as he drew closer and closer.
"Fuck! He's a [Fulgurmancer]! Put the shields away before-"
"[CHAIN LIGHTNING]! [THUNDERBOLT TACKLE]!" Overcharge roared, lowering his center of gravity as he shot away from our group with enhanced speed. Despite the warning, the Goons reflexively hid behind their shields, pushed their feet against the ground, and scrunched their eyes closed to brace for impact.
None of it helped.
Metal crumpled and dented inwards as electricity danced along and through the steel. With one strike, Overcharge completely broke through the shield wall, allowing the electricity to lance out and spread from shield to shield. Even those that hadn't been crushed and knocked away by his direct hit were sent howling with pain as the lightning spread to their bodies. It didn't stop there, as those with drawn blades and metal weapons weren't spared either, causing a chorus of pain to ring out and clouds of smoke to rise from Overcharge's strike. With twitching arms and bruised bodies, many of the Goons fell to the ground and dropped their blades.
The rest made the wise decision and stepped out of our way.
As our group passed the defeated Goons, I went to work too. The compartment on the side of my mech unlatched as the [Telekinetic Field] emerged in full force, bringing forth many small hands and blocks of metal. With precise motions, I tapped my metal against the dropped shields and weapons of the Goons, spreading my Aera through them hastily as they lifted from the floor, allowing me to add a collection of weapons to my arsenal for the upcoming battle.
After running through two more corridors, my [Sensory Zone] spilled out to the right, catching glimpses of familiar, fast moving limbs at the very edge of my bubble.
"[We're almost there! The enemy is right around the corner!]" I announced, causing the group to thicken their [Mantles] in preparation for combat. Although the dancing electricity surrounding Overcharge had died down, his [Mantle] was no less ready for battle.
As we charged down the hallways, I saw the enemy Casters leaving the meeting room. They'd shaken off the worst of their sluggishness, and seemed ready to make a move. The unidentified Darkling from before was carrying Languish, having slung the pale skinned man over one shoulder. The Affinity looked as though he was near catatonic or asleep, his eyes struggling to stay open.
Given how easily they were leaving the room, my instant assumption was that Cynosure had fallen. That assumption was swiftly cut through by a lance of brilliant white light flying wide of the Darkling. She was fighting someone else, but the [Release] was unmistakable.
Our group was only two corridors away, but the fight became clearer as we drew closer. The wall next to Cynosure rippled like a puddle as a black-clad arm with webbed golden fingers snapped out towards her. The arm was glowing with a wavy gold [Mantle] as the Triton's hand snaked out to try grabbing the Kumiho. Cynosure leapt forwards, breathing hard as she slashed at the outstretched limb. The arm pulled back away from her sharp nails, causing her hand to collide with the wall. She wasn't using [Sheen] any longer, and was instead coated in a thin layer of [Mantle]. It seemed like she was trying to conserve her strength, but she couldn't possibly keep going for much longer.
My zone spilled into the near empty room the group escaped from. Inside I saw Sfumato coughing and groaning on the ground, now on the verge of unconsciousness. The group outside seemed more preoccupied with taking down Cynosure than they were at judging Sfumato's health.
She was leaking blood and black mist, but she wasn't attempting to use magic despite Cynosure's aura having dropped. Was she too exhausted to cast any longer, or did she not have any healing or protective Spells?
Outside the room, I watched as Showtime's Gorilla-like Golem darted forward, swinging a massive metal arm at Cynosure's back as she leapt away from the Triton's arm. The clenched fist and rounded forearm struck her directly, knocking the air from her lungs. With trembling limbs, Cynosure grit her teeth after falling to all fours, struggling to breathe. While she was down, the Golem struck again, smashing her down against the copper coloured floor. Her [Mantle] broke apart into wisps of light, leaving only her shallow breaths indicating she was still alive after the ruthless attack.
With one arm, the Golem lifted Cynosure up, slinging her over one shoulder as the other arm reached out to the Darkling, taking Languish from him. It made the most sense. If they needed to run, the Golem wouldn't tire like the Darkling would.
"Tenacious monster..." Snowman growled, taking a deep breath as he ripped his eyes from Cynosure. Then, he looked back towards Kirigami. "Grab Sfumato, we need to leave now. If the Star gets any more time to-"
His words were cut short as Overcharge slid around the corner, followed shortly behind by Ingrim, Sigura, and the rest of our group.
"Go! We'll have to leave her!" Snowman roared, turning around to sprint as the rest of the stunned Casters followed suit.
"But Visionary-" Kirigami asked with widened eyes, only to be cut off by the sudden sprint that she was forced to take part in.
"Stand and fight! Isn't this what your people are looking for, Aerasthetic?!?" Overcharge bellowed after them, immediately giving chase as he sprinted down the corridor.
That didn't leave us much options, so the rest of us began to follow after Overcharge. Not wanting to give up any potential advantage at our disposal, I spoke to the others through my [Telepathy] without wasting a moment.
"[Sfumato is nearly unconscious, they left her behind. Someone should stay and secure them for later.]"
"I'll do it...!" Shafu volunteered, panting from the constant running. "My abilities aren't good for f-fightin' in an enclosed space we don't want to destroy anyway! I'll stay behind!"
Reaching into the sleeve of his robes, Pack Rat pulled free a set of metal manacles and a long rope, throwing them to Shafu. Despite her fatigue, she caught them with ease before heading into the meeting room.
"We will wish you luck," the Roden told her as the group continued their march onward.
"Likewise, PR!" Shafu yelled, sticking her head out the door as we ran off.
Above the room with Sfumato and Shafu, I sent my focus through the Lyridium Cat once again. With a quick use of [Heated Steel] to melt and weaken the grates, I had it use [Release] to weaken the loosened latches into the room to meet with Shafu. It took two blasts of [Release] to dislodge the vent's opening, but once it broke, the metal fell to the floor with a noisy clatter.
Down below, I saw Shafu raise to her feet, a red [Mantle] quickly flickering to life around her as the Cat leapt down into the room.
"Don't do that, Yur... Scared me half to death," Shafu groaned.
My Cat's head tilted to the side in response.
She'd be fine on her own for now.
"Where are they going now?" Bubblegum asked from atop her broom as my focus returned to the mech.
"Back to the main lobby!" Overcharge yelled back. "The church's walls are tough, and Gambol told me the back doors are all bolted down! The fastest way out while running from us is back through the front door! If I'm reading the mental map right, They're going to burst through the main lobby and try escaping with the hostages!"
Hostages.
The word cut through my mind like a burning blade. It shocked me to think of them as that, as something so serious, but he was right. The thought hadn't even occurred to me like that, but both Cynosure and Languish were hostages. Beyond that, they were willing to take the fight to the lobby, a hall filled with innocent civilians.
"[Won't they run right into Gambol?]" I asked him as we turned a corner.
"The lobby's got the most space for a proper fight, and their reinforcements are prob'ly gatherin' there!" Sigura spoke as she strode alongside the Eastern Drow. "They're not afraid to cause damage to the place either!"
"[Right. We'll need to be ready for- Overcharge, jump!]"
The Eastern Drow's eyes widened at my sudden warning, and as he turned the corner, he immediately leapt upwards while tucking in his legs. Several walls of snow covering the bottom half of the corridor had been erected to slow us down. Given that they weren't slouching and finely crafted, I suspected they had to be harder than normal snow. Snowman's magic.
More reinforcements stood at the end of the corridor to slow us down, but the sight of Overcharge rushing towards them damaged their will to fight. With his [Mantle] thickening around both legs, he ran straight through the short walls of snow, breaking through them with ease as his arms snapped out, striking the Goons the moment they came within reach. Several leapt to attack him from the side, only to be struck by flying shields and blades sent forward by my [Telekinetic Field].
Having broken through the latest line of defense with little issue, we turned the corner and arrived at the final corridor. The double doors we'd entered from had been completely blown off their hinges as cracks spread outwards from the point of impact.
They were already in the plaza.
"Ready up, Star! It's time to go!" Overcharge roared once again, charging into the plaza as the rest of us followed suit.
Once again, our group returned to the Church of Fortune's main hall. We'd come full circle in the course of just a few minutes, yet it looked almost unrecognisable.
The building was in a state of panic. What shocked me the most was just how many [Mantles] were active. It was easily the most I'd ever seen in one place, creating a blurred kaleidoscope of colour as Casters, reinforcements, clergymen, and security fought throughout the hall.
Civilians were fleeing from the church in droves now, not wanting any part of the growing brawl. I caught the sideways glances of a few [Gamblers] eyeing up piles of coins or discarded items left behind on tables in the chaos, although not many tried to take from the church. Those that did were quickly stopped by the impassive Dolls stationed at each table. Even in a situation like this, the Constructs had no sense of self preservation, only their duty. In this moment of chaos, there was nothing even vaguely resembling 'worship' in the patrons' actions. Just greed.
Smaller races like Gnomes, Dwarves, and Halflings cloaked themselves in [Mantles], leaping to the sides and away from the main doors to avoid being flattened by the crush of people. Some had even conjured magic barriers and domes of energy to protect themselves from being jostled by those around them. As useful as it looked, it only caused more problems as the excess space taken up by those barriers led to more people fighting for any spare room that remained.
Some had taken to the air, flying with the help of magic, artefacts, or natural wings. They hovered above the crowd while waiting for it to thin out, throwing nervous glances back at the scattered melee in the center. Some felt desperate enough to try crawling through the high up windows as [Releases] flying wide barely missed them.
It was far from an orderly escape, and the center of the room was no different.
"Call for the Goldfangs! Gambol's orders!" one of the women in the coppery suits roared. Although I didn't know whether these 'Goldfangs' were the church's bouncers or not, more reinforcements emerged from the doors we'd come from, though none of them seemed to be Casters on the level of us or the fleeing Aerasthetic members.
The reinforcements that Aerasthetic had brought seemed more intent on causing damage and making a mess than escaping. Assaulting escaping civilians, overturning tables only to be attacked by the Dolls, and creating mists and clouds that obscured vision while working to pile on the chaos. The endless trails of light from moving [Mantles] and flying [Releases] didn't help either. It was an incomprehensible mess of battle and disorder, one that would surely lead to more panic, more accidents, and more suffering.
Other members of their group had their eyes on us, trying to hide amongst the crowd for potential ambushes. It was a strategy that might've worked against others amidst the confusion, but not against my [Sensory Zone].
"Same strat as before, Yur?" Sigura asked with a loud voice and a raised brow, her eyes turning towards me.
"'Strat'? Do you have a plan, Sunburst? Homebound?" Ingrim asked, grimacing as he pried his eyes away from the civilians under siege.
I knew what she was talking about, and I was already way ahead of her. The compartment on the side of my mech popped off once again as I nodded with the front of my mech. The combination of my [Telekinetic Field], [Heated Steel], and [Metal Shaping] worked in unison to turn the interior of my mech into a makeshift forge. And from within that forge, I brought forth a collection of necklaces with thick metal baubles attached to the front.
Streiphen's eyes flashed with recognition as I used my [Telekinetic Field] to pass each and every member of our group one of the makeshift accessories.
"Little tacky, aren't they?" Bubblegum asked, holding one of the metal necklaces in her hand.
"[We've used a similar strategy to obscure vision before, and this is how we worked around it,]" I explained to the group, burying the slight mote of bitterness from Bubblegum's words. "[I'll be using my telekinesis to guide you to the enemy with these. If you see the bauble push and pull in a given direction, follow it. I'll guide you to their Casters. My [Sensory Zone] won't be obscured by the fog nor the crowd.]"
Without question, the members present began to put on their necklaces. Some were loose or tight fits as I didn't have the time to take proper measurements. I was good at judging by eye, or... zone, but I didn't have the Skills or skill to judge it from look alone, not like Debutante.
"[If you can keep [Insight] up for extra security to track the enemy without getting lost in the fog, do so. We'll prioritise the neutralisation of Aerasthetic Casters and hostage retrieval. The church can work on handling damage control. Any problems with that?]" I asked, spreading the words through [Telepathy].
Overcharge raised an eyebrow at my tone, smiling in my direction before giving a shake of his head. The others followed suit, and I had their approval. I was the group's guide and temporary de facto leader, for better or worse.
"No problems here, Homebound! Let's move quickly!" Overcharge exclaimed, rushing forward towards the crowd.
"This worked great last time Miss Homebound! Let's make sure it goes just as well this time!" Streiphen added, pulling his unorthodox 'sword' covered in jagged edges from his back as he followed Overcharge into the fray.
Between the metal I'd saved in my compartment and the weapons and tools I'd pilfered from the fallen Goons, I managed to make my work quick. I discarded unnecessary materials like sheathes and handles to the floor, reshaping the metal at my disposal to form spikes, blunt weapons, small marbles, and manacles like the ones Pack Rat had brought forth from his pocket dimension.
With my weapons at the ready, I charged forward alongside the rest of the Velvet Star, running into the heart of the enemy conflict.