(21.1) Facing Vira
Aki races up the fallen arm, spectral chains surrounding her as she blasts through the Dead trying to impede her path. Her MP and HP restore slightly as the spectral chains hit the bodies of the Dead that get in her way.
Meanwhile, Phoebe raises stone arches to try and keep the arm in place longer while Winter protects her from the Dead that swarm closer.
Aki's path is made easier as the gashadokuro shifts its arm, burying nearby Dead but also creating an easier ramp for Aki. Unfortunately, this also means that long-ranged Dead have a clearer shot for their spells, arrows, and thrown rubble.
Staying low works well for avoiding attacks, allowing Aki to reach the elbow quickly. Thunder claps and lightning flashes as Aki raises her head only for an arrow to whistle by just in front of her face, cutting along the tip of her nose.
In a panic, she leans back and falls from the arm. However, instead of falling to the rubble below, Aki is caught by a cushion of vines reaching up and catapulting her back onto the arm. Instinctively, Aki traces the vines' source to see the Digger couple – looking worse for wear and leaning against one another for support – wearing determined expressions and waving at her to get a move on.
Their focus turns away from her as a horde of Dead encroaches on their position. Aki squeezes her wrists before desperately resuming her ascent.
Magical force pushes aside the sprinkling rain up ahead, the cold water a stark contrast to the heat rising from below. A loud, popping sound catches her attention. Aki looks up to see fire flowing down the gashadokuro. She raises a shield just as an explosive wave of heat flares over her, knocking her back from the force and sending her careening backwards into the waiting arms of the Dead below.
"Gotcha!" Phoebe shouts desperately from somewhere in the distance.
Indeed, a small stone disk meets Aki halfway to her doom and breaks her fall. The edges crumble rapidly before completely falling apart the moment it throws Aki back onto the gashadokuro's arm.
The skeleton moves again, following a wild shriek from its master. The easy incline Aki has rapidly shortened as the gashadokuro straightens its arm. At the same time, green flames shot skyward in a spiral and bursts of fire flew in every direction, exploding with indiscriminate destruction.
She pulls her cloak tightly and sprints as hard as she can before the path becomes completely vertical.
Her feet start to lose traction on the wet bone. The rain has only gotten heavier and more eager as time passes.
"Grab on!" Mirra's powerful voice booms nearby. "Aki!"
She looks over and sees a bloodied Mirra has sent pieces of rubble at her. The trio of rubble fly close together and are about to go past her.
As they near Aki's position, she sees electricity flowing between the three.
"Magnetism?"
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(Tactician Lv. 2 - Insight granted)
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Aki strips her cloak and wraps it around one hand in an instant, switching titles as she does. Her muscles flood with energy, flexing in preparation to jump.
The moment the magnetised rubble comes in range, she springs up with all the force she can muster and swings her cloak like a whip. A combination of wet fabric and magnetised stone joined together allows the cloak to firmly wrap around the nearest piece of magnetised rubble. The moment the cloak has a good hold, Aki feels all the magnetism surge into it from the other pieces.
Electricity crackles loudly at the same time lightning cracks overhead. The piece of rubble makes one fast, jerking spin and throws Aki with incredible force toward the gashadokuro's shoulder.
Rain and heated air whips past her as she soars up the rest of the way. However, she realises too late that she won't clear the distance. Aki had wrapped her cloak around her hand so when she was thrown, the respective force from the grip on the stone had pulled her back slightly. Even if she were to drop it now, her arc would be too short plus the gashadokuro was finally starting to stand up.
"No, no!" Aki frantically swings her arms and legs in circles, futilely reaching for the traction as she plummets to the ground.
Water whips at her from below as a strong gust of wind sweeps up. Dent appears suddenly, looking exhausted and bloodied but with a determined expression and swinging his sword. He catches Aki, using his blade as a thin platform Aki can stand on. His winds significantly slow their fall.
They lock eyes and share a silent exchange. Aki nods, wraps her cloak tightly around herself, and braces. A powerful gale of wind blows as Dent swings with all his might, catapulting Aki all the way up to the gashadokuro's skull in one windy instant.
Aki comes to a rolling stop, finally face-to-face with Vira, Witch of Disaster.
"Oh great. First a delusional child, then his parents and now a short nalv." Vira pinches the bridge of her nose, her face contorting in irritation. "Are you all freakishly strong or just otherworlders?"
Shadowy tendrils slink out from around her feet, at odds against her green fire and flaring with her emotions.
"Well," Vira lowers her hand and steps toward Aki. Her presence, imposing and menacing. "You, illusionist, were capable of fooling me before so perhaps you really are strong."
She flashes a wide, sharp-toothed grin. Her eltan ears wiggling in unrepressed amusement.
"It wasn't hard." Aki spins her amulet, prepared to fight. "You look easy to fool."
Vira's expression sours, her eyes flash with rage and the wreath of flames flare, making the rain steam around her.
Aki creates a massive fireball and throws it at Vira, vanishing behind the image. Rather than dodging, Vira stands her ground with a condescending smile. One hand on her hip and another brushing away her hair.
"Your illusions won't work on me- ARGH!"
A resounding crack from flesh and bone colliding strikes Vira, snapping her head backward from a sudden right hook. From within the illusory flames, Aki appears, fists raised.
Stepping into her punches, Aki follows the right hook up with a straight punch to Vira's jaw. Rapidly spinning in place, Aki drops low and kicks Vira's knees out from under her. Finishing the flurry by slamming a knee into Vira's solar plexus.
Vira coughs and in a panic pushes out a magical shield. Black mana surges like a wave of filthy ink.