Teamwork makes the dream work

The Dwemer Centurion stomps out of the Keep, its steps causing the ground to tremble, along with the Markarth guards who look ready to piss themselves and flee in the opposite direction. Near its feet, a small army of Dwemer Spiders run out with it to assist in the massacre.

The few Markarth guards who don't flee quickly began clashing with the metal Spiders as their shields barely defend them against the sparks shot at them.

Vilkas and Shakeesh went to assist them while Michael and his group focussed on the Centurion, it being the most difficult foe out of the lot.

One reckless guard somehow bypasses the Spiders and runs towards the Centurion with a battle cry, only for him to get swiped by its claw-like arm, completely cutting his lower body off... The machine wasn't done yet however, as it reals back and unleashes a stream of searingly hot steam at the man. His screams ring out through the city for a moment, before his eyes, brain, and internal organs melt from the heat.

Michael scowls and shakes his head, "Alright, let's deal with the biggun first," he says as he points a finger at it, "Laguna Blade!"

*CRACKOW!*

A huge bolt of lightning shoots from his finger towards the Centurion... But targets something else as it reaches the halfway point, hitting a glowing blue Dwemer Spider instead, a forcefield surrounding it quickly dispelling the spell.

...

"Huh, that's the first time that hasn't worked..." he mutters, the group had never run into a Dwemer spider that looked like that before... Well, they might have, but Megumin had probably blown it up before they faced the Centurion. Not that it wasn't smart, Lighting was the Dwemer Automaton's biggest weakness after all.

A rolling sound could be heard coming from the keep, and Michael could see a few Dwemer Sphere with crossbow arms approaching the entrance. "Megumin! Ward the entrance and destroy the Spheres! Tiff, see if you can help the guards, Illococo, with me. Darth, check on the Jarl." he quickly orders before grabbing the dragon girl and Blinking onto a nearby ledge that was placed just above the Centurion.

This was more to stop their allies from getting caught up in Illococoo's attacks than anything, plus, it'd draw the Centurion's attention away.

Once there, he casts a Fadebolt at the Dwemer Spiders attacking the guards, the green beam of pure magic jumping from target to target while leaving a green aura around them which dramatically reduces the damage the Spider's dealt.

He then Telekinetically grabs one of the glowing Dwemer Spiders and throws it at a nearby Fire Rune that Megumin had put down, causing it to explode into a fiery explosion, all while ignoring the girl's manic giggle in response to it.

"LIZ NUS!" Illococoo shouts, causing a blue wave to wash over the Centurion and freeze parts of it in a layer of ice, specifically its joints and internal structures. During this, she conjures sharp blades of wind that rapidly strike at some Dwemer Spiders, doing little damage but providing a fitting distraction.

With the Centurion now frozen, Michael leaps off of the ledge with Derflinger in hand, attempting to finish the robot with one blow... He quickly descends down, Derflinger aimed at the weak spot in its neck... Only for shit to hit the fan...

*SHHHHhhhh-CRAAACK!*

The ice impeding the robot shatters as steam shoots through every crack and crevice of its metal body, blasting outwards and almost catching Michael in it, had he not Blink Strike'd back to Illococoo in the nick of time.

The robot was clearly enraged however, as its movements sped up, the thing raising its bladed arm and smashing it against the wall just under the ledge he and Illococoo were standing on.

*CRACK!*

Stone explodes from the point of contact, weakening the integrity of the wall enough so that the ledge began to fall. Again, he grabs the dragon girl and Blinks back to where Megumin was standing, but not before Illococoo shouts "FUS RO!" at it, causing the thing to stumble slightly, stopping it from simply running over the defending Markarth guards.

"Okay, this isn't going well..." Michael says while putting Illococoo on the ground with a huff, "If only this thing weren't in the middle of the city." he mutters, scratching the back of his head and only then noticing the faint redness on his fingers... He'd gotten nicked somehow...

*BOOM!*

The Spheres attempting to reinforce the Centurion all explode into many pieces as they trip Megumin's runes. The girl laughs and thrusts her staff upwards as she prepares to set more down in case more approach, "METAL MEN! YOU FACE THE MASTER OF-Ouch!"

"Not. The. Time!" Michael says as he pulls back the hand that'd just chopped her head.

"What do we do? We can't hurt it like this!" Illococoo asks.

Tiffania steps back from where she'd been helping the guards, pulling Brimir's Prayerbook from a pouch, "I think I can destroy its core if you can keep it away for a minute, but..." she pauses, "It'll be an explosion..."

"Heh." Megumin sniffs as she smugly looks at Michael, "What will you do now then, my Master as spoken!"

"Tsk... Fine. But any damage done to the city is coming out of your pocket Megumin." Michael retorts.

"W-what!? That's not fair! It's my Master's idea!"

"A Master's burden is a Familiars burden. Life is unfair, deal with it." he says before nodding at Tiffania and stepping forwards, Blinking in front of the Centurion that'd just recovered and begun marching down the stairs leading to the keep.

He taps Derflinger on his shoulder, allowing a metallic sound to ring out as the blade taps his ebony scale mail, "Come on you big metal dildo!"

Whether or not the machine understood him was irrelevant as it advanced at the same speed as before.