The battle of NetCastle D-119.

Finally the tides of this battle seemed to have shifted for the Trio's favor with the beast pinned down. Though with her healing attempt cast and strikes given, she took glance up, only to see that her attempted aid was wasted on..a candlestick?

She was not able to pounder this for long as the first BLAT sent her current foundation shifting, thankfully the barrier that had been in place to render the random shards of stone harmless. Though that did little more then give brief warning before the second BLAT went off and sent her from her perch with its sonic blast.

If that wasn't enough the beast was now free and this battle's tide once more left their side, to make matters worse as she tried to ready herself to go on the offense, a trembling roar erupted from the trumpet monster that sent her stumbling back. Soft grunt was given as she slightly slumped against the stone walls. "Bastard!.."

From beyond Vincent watched on and new plan was beginning to form on how to deal with such a goliath. "Lucia, I have an ide-" "I'm busy!" navi responded with hiss as she started to rise slowly. Though his brow quirked in annoyance, her outburst was ignored, at least for the moment as operator made ready his plans and finished his train of thought. "Muzzle it."

The comment made the armor clad navi hesitate in action as the com lines switched to a more private nature. "What? How!?"

"I'll send the means, aim well and strike true, you have to strike hard to really plug the beast's mouth, don't miss." The plan was relayed between operator and navi as Lucia rose to a crouch and instead leapt forward towards the target of her lost heal. Trying to keep one eye upon the battlefield as a holy light brilliantly shone from her armor for a moment, sealing her within an aura of protection to help aid in what even she believed to be crazy.

Reaching out navi tried to grasp the remaining scraps of cloth as she landed and quickly turned towards her foe. "Yo, loudmouth! Your playing is off key, such horrible tones ya worthless hunk of last centuries music industry!" Taunt was given along with second leap, and while it might have been better suited for her former glory, a solid kick from the wall should be suffice to get her where she needed.

Loud click echoed through the real world as solid, spiked orb appeared just feet from the rising navi. Her form starting to arch and twist slightly in midair as crimson orbs locked upon her goal. "Alright blowhard, shut the hell up!" Navi gave one last jeering at the Harbinger as open palm quickly descending towards the floating orb, giving a loud Thump as hand connected with the spiked orb, soft echo of impact could be heard as the ball was sent flying to its goal, and while that goal was obviously the monster that stood before them, just where was another matter. The very place she'd seen fit to mock it, the bell that was its mouth.

Tight curl followed the strike as she landed hard then kicked off once again to follow the splitting ball towards their goal, opening to stuff the monster's throat as scraps of cloth was twirled and lifted before her. With soft breath Lucia sucked in her gut and threw her feet above her to force herself into a roundabout flip. Hoping beyond hope that she might catch the beast round its head and seal those 'corks made mutes' inside the Harbinger's mouth.

Summary:
* Blaze Aura [Passive] 15HP barrier @ self
1. Tactical Movement: get up + jump towards candlestick on pile of rubble
* Combat Prowess [Passive]: Leap into air towards Harbinger
2. Cactball1 [Battlechip] 20 Wood damage [2-4 hits] @ Harbinger's mouth [Makeshift gag?]
3. Tactical Movement: One last leap at Harbinger + twist cloth to try and tie gag in place over Harbinger's mouth

SINNBAD rolled to the side behind one of the pillars. Standing back up, the ground shaky before him, he tried to regain his bearings. One hand held the column as the other reached to steady his head. The ringing from the sonic discharges were fading slowly, SINN's helmet acting as an amplifier. He had sustained only minor injuries, but who knew how long the battle would last.

As Lucia went on the offensive, SINN decided to tend to his aches and bruises. He would take the next dance. His gauntleted hands clasped his helmet and began to slide it off his head. His gray hair was sweat drenched and matted. He shook his head from side to side in order to clear it, scattering droplets of water everywhere.

He put one hand on his forehead to wipe away some water that had gotten into his eyes, and stroked it back across his hair. When he brought his hand back, he noticed a spot of blood. Setting his helmet down on the ground in front of him, he reached into his belt pouches again and removed another roll of bandages. He wrapped a bandanna of cloth around his forehead. Pulling it tight, the pressure would keep it set, a small blotch forming at the head wound. He then stooped down and took up his helmet again, putting it back on.

The light from the candles flickered off the knight's shining armor as the navi's skin dulled and scaled. SINN's symbol once more flared to life for an instant and surrounded the warrior in a field of barely-visible energy. The thin smoke coming off the candles curled around the semi-transparent bubble. The rocky surfaces of the navi's skin spread out, coming up through the joints like slime, and began to coat his halbruk in a similar pebbly substance. And rounded off the ensemble as the knight extended his arms to either side.

Once more the candles' flames wrapping upon him. This time their light gave birth as his left was clad in the protection of a mighty kite shield. The shining emblem of a solid castle adorned the surface, protecting the wearer from harm. His right held forth a graceful sabre. The steel forged straight and true, the edge sharp. The capable knight regained his fighting stance and marched out into the hall again, ready to face his monstrous enemy.

SINNBAD rolled to the side until he was beyond the last of the line of pillars, and in relative safety. He then stood up, and began waiting out the ringing in his ears. It was at this point, while resting with his back to the pillar, that SINNBAD caught sight of something moving to his left. A glance in that direction revealed someone in a light sandy yellow cloak sprinting towards the door-less archway he and Lucia were planning to explore earlier. As the individual had their hood up, no further details could be picked out.

SINNBAD's hearing returned, and the Navi could hear, yet again, the sound of Harbinger's trumpeting call... Or at least the end of it. The virus was pausing to inhale for a musical encore when Lucia's epithets and an odd thonk sound reached his ears. The trumpeting never resumed.

SINNBAD doffed his helmet, and began tending his wounds when he caught sight of a large flaming something as it burst from the archway. A quick glance, and he saw the cloaked figure leap back out of the path of what appeared to be a charging Spikey with a flame Swordy riding upon its back. The cloaked figure managed to avoid being trampled, but was summarily struck down mid-leap by a wide sweep of the Swordy's flaming blade as it rode past. The cloaked figure spun about, and crashed to the ground in a heap. The cloaked figure somehow survived the fatal blow and sat up on its knees to reveal hood had fallen down during its uncontrolled crash.

SINNBAD was in the process of restoring his defenses when a Holy Panel materialized beneath the cloaked figure. The cloaked figure then-- correction: cloaked female figure-- got shakily to her feet as her HP reading climbed sharply. She proceeded to very very quickly re adjust her cloak and flip her hood back up to conceal both her figure and long blonde hair. As soon as she was set, the cloak began to glow in the same manner as that of the 'Ghost', and a familiar sphere of light formed around her as the Holy Panel reverted back to simple stone flooring.

A fireball scorched in from between the pillars, and struck a wall of light that had interposed itself between the cloaked figure and the currently unseen Spikey EX. The flames dispersed upon impact, and the wall of light exacted sudden vengeance with a return laser beam that blinked into and out of existence in under a second. A double volley of tiny, glowing, comet-like projectiles shot from the now-moving 'Ghost' towards her attacker as SINNBAD turned away, drew his blade, and marched back to rejoin his own battle.

----

Lucia renewed her barrier defense as the Harbinger began to trumpet its summoning call, only louder and more insistent than before. She leaped for the candle holder as the virus played, and easily managed to grasp the ragged remains of the red carpet. She landed, carpet in hand, and turned towards the virus as the candle holder crashed to the floor next to her. Lucia yelled at the virus as she leaped into the air a second time, but this time towards it....

----

The Harbinger virus stopped trumpeting its call to arms for a moment to catch its breath as the illogically meddlesome female Navigator yelled at it. It looked up at the warrior Navi after hearing 'loudmnouth', and.... blinked its eyes. Harbinger was, frankly, a little confused at the sudden compliment offered by the pesky, currently airborne Navigator. However, the next words to come out of the Navi's mouth were unforgivable.

Harbinger wasn't about to stand for being told it was off-key. Not by this cretin. The virus inhaled sharply in preparation for blasting the hearing-impaired lout with a burst of noise it might better apprecia-- Thoomp! --te? Harbinger's head recoiled back a bit as a spongy green ball covered in needles jammed itself into his bell. The virus was so startled, it fired off the pulsar into the cactball, which immediately resonated and released a sonic blast in all directions. This didn't bother Harbinger much... But having a spiked ball crammed into its bell like a muffler did.

Harbinger started to shake its head back and forth while coughing at it as hard as the virus could in an effort to dislodge the cactball. Unfortunately this was not to be as the dastardly Navi fell upon it with a scrap of dirty old carpet, wrapped it over and around the virii's head, and tied it snugly in place. That meant... it couldn't play music anymore. All because of that Navi!

Harbinger flew into a panicked rage the moment it realized this....

----

Lucia was pulling the the ends of the knot taut when the virus suddenly righted itself, then bent over forwards. Lucia, still braced against the virus, was suddenly thrown like a sandbag over its head to land painfully on her back on the ground before the virus. A glance up was all it took to see the now-red-colored virus hop over to her with steam puffing from under the keys along it's previously brass body. It bent over backwards as if it were made of rubber, then whipped forwards and struck her defensive barrier with its cactball-stuffed bell like a hammer. The barrier stopped the blow, and the virus took damage from the attempt.... But it didn't seem to care.

She'd really pissed it off now.

Some distance beyond the Harbinger virus, there appeared to be a flaming Swordy riding a Spikey now as well, although their combined attention seemed to be focused elsewhere....

[I apologize for the short post.]

[x1] [x1] vs. [x1 (EX)] [x1 (EX)] [x1] [x1]

Harbinger was gagged...

It caught the advancing knight off-guard for a moment. But only a moment, as this was the perfect opportunity to strike. SINN's brow furrowed as he set upon the beast with his glowing sword. His footfalls rough against the hard stone floor as he quickly advanced. Beads of sweat clung to his forehead, his hair matted from exertion. As he neared, he drove his sword at Harbinger with a piercing strike. The zephyr parted and danced along the tip, flowing along the blade as it lanced. The knight's aim was below the trumpet snout, a measured blow that would not cut off the gag by accident.

The warrior pulled back after his initial strike. He reoriented quickly and unleashed a metered flurry of mighty swings. His armor creaked and the leather tightened as he set himself to the butcher's work. The blade sang as it drank the air. His muscles tensed and released on each forceful pulse. He flowed around his foe, repositioning himself from one swing to the next. He lashed upon the virus as if the blade were a whip. His motions mimicked his earlier vapid assault on the entrapped creature. Each stroke of his blade forceful and deliberate.

He had to make each strike count as he did not have the time to waste. His shield was raised, his defenses were compounded, and this gave him a sort of mock invulnerability. As such his attention was solely focused on rending his current enemy to shreds. Leaving the knight blind to all others. The lost visibility of his sturdy helmet also did not help.

Lucia was thrilled that she managed to do the first half of her tactic to successfully gag the beast, but she didn't let up yet as she made landing atop it and quickly pulled the cloth gag round to finish things off.

A shame she couldn't tie it off fast enough because as she yanked the cloth tight she felt the monster lurch forward and send her tumbling down, letting out a sharp cry of pain as she came against flooring again, dazed for a few moments. Looking up just in time to see the beast slam down against her barrier, shattering the glowing bubble with the strike.

Whatever dazed effect of being thrown free wore off quickly as navy curled herself around, and reached for her scabbard. Just as hand curled tightly around the hilt of her rapier a small orb appeared in the other. There was no need to glance down, the weight of it revealed what iron ball was. As the navi surrounded herself in a soft light to rebuild the barrier the Harbinger had just shattered, she threw forth her hand. The globe slowly coming to life in sparkling rage as the electrical ball of energy was tried to press against the monster.

Waiting only for the crackling ball of energy to leave her fingers, other hand gripped tightly and drew the sword from her side. Giving shining sweep forward to try and add slash to the dazzling attack she'd just given. But it was far too early to call it quits now, she wanted this beast dead, forcing herself to low crouch she kicked off, leaving only glowing imprint of foot behind.

That glow quickly grew outwards in all directions, lighting up the flooring for brief moments before the hard stone floor felt a little softer. As quickly seedlings spout up, layering the ground around in thin grass.

"Master, Heatshot please!" navi called out as sword was returned to sheath with soft click. Or was the click from the chip echoing its entry from the real world, as hand came back up, golden light slowly sprouted from behind her gloves, swirling round wrist and back down past hand to form a very simple, standard looking blunderbuss. Navi only took time to raise the weapon towards her foe before blasting forth its might fireball, hoping to toast this monster where it stood.

Summary:
* Blaze Aura [Passive] 15HP Barrier around Self
1. Thunder1 [Battlechip] 40 Elec Damage + Stun 1 + Homing @ Harbinger
2. Sword [Battlechip] 80 Null Damage + Slashing @ Harbinger [2/6 Uses Remaining]
* Set Stage: Grass
* Combat Prowess [Passive] Tactical Movement: Jump back a few steps
3. Heatshot [Battlechip] 40 Fire Damage [+100% due to terrain type] + Spread 1 @ Harbinger

Status:
Lucia.EXE: 75HP [15 HP Barrier] [SINNCross]
Sword: 2 of 6 Uses Remaining

Lucia renewed her Blaze Aura and prepared to cast a Thunder1 as SINNBAD charged towards Harbinger. Lucia launched the thunderball at the brassy virus, only to watch as Harbinger hopped out of the way... And straight into reach of SINNBAD's blade. The thunderball passed the virus harmlessly, but SINNBAD's sword carved a chunk out of the virii's remaining HP.

Harbinger hopped forward as it drew in air through the various key holes and valves up and down its sides. As it landed, it coughed a musical blast into the prickly mute stuffed in its bell. The blast of sound hit the cactball, and pulsed outwards in all directions, carrying with it the sound of a single deep, resonant drum beat. The shockwave shattered SINNBAD's kite shield, and dispelled Lucia's barrier, but caused no injury to either Navigator.

The two warrior Navis responded to the attack with an uncoordinated sword assault upon Harbinger's being. SINNBAD slashed the virus first, driving it towards Lucia. She then slashed the virus while SINNBAD brought his blade around for the next cut. Harbinger bobbed towards SINNBAD as the knightly Navi delivered the third strike, which caused the virus to panic. It issue another percussive sonic blast that dispelled SINNBAD's barrier, but also hit Lucia fairly hard.

As Lucia backed off to scatter grass, Harbinger wheeled upon SINNBAD as the Navi prepared to strike the virus yet again. Enough was enough. The virus was not about to take another strike from this Navi. As SINNBAD took his final swing, Harbinger leaned forward and turned its head to the side... The Navi's blade made an interesting sound, much like a sword hitting a watermellon, as it cut into the cactball stuck in the virii's mouth. Harbinger fired off another sonic blast as soon as the sword buried itself in the ball of cactus. The sound waves caused the blade to resonate and shatter, thus saving the virii's lif--

A blast of fire, launched by Lucia, struck Harbinger from behind, engulfing the virus even as it continued to surge towards SINNBAD. The Navi found himself amidst a raging inferno that melted his armor and burned away the grass beneath his feet. When the flames died out, a very charred SINNBAD stood upon a patch of scorched ground. There was no sign of Harbinger. The virus had been reduced to a smoking pile of ash with a couple of glowing orbs resting amid the charred remains. Perhaps they would be useful? Either way, they had defeated it at last.

With the defeat of Harbinger, the two Navis realized the grand hall was completely quiet. SINNBAD had been too focused on the battle and Lucia had had her back turned to everything else... until now. Now, there was nothing and no-one besides the two warriors left standing in the hall. The only trace that someone had been there was a couple of discarded chip data files near the entrance. What had transpired while they had been occupied was anyone's guess.

SINNBAD's armor fell apart as the straps burned off, piece by piece, and made quite a clatter as they struck the ground. However, before the knight was completely nude, he managed to pull up a tattering of carpet and slung it along his waist in a makeshift kilt. His dark, cloudy-gray hair was matted with the sweat of battle and his paling face showed the wrinkles of fatigue.

He plopped down onto the cold, stone ground to take a breather.

"Lady's first to claim the prize."

He stated after calming down a little, though his breath was still heavy.

Lucia gave a soft slump when the beast was finally claimed by the inferno, a soft smile touching over her lips as she let out a long relaxing breath to calm her nerves.

The once shiny armor that covered her form started to grow dull and cracked, her deep crimson locks started to lighten and begin to lift as the plating and cloth begun to revert itself to the ribbons that once mummified her form. It took but another instant for those ribbons to take on a soft glow only burst into flames and disappear as ash caught in a soft breeze, revealing the navi's true form and nature once more.

Rising up to her feet Lucia let out a soft stretch as if the armor had been weighting her down, even going so far as to bounce upon her toes while hand lifted to crook over brow as she peeked around.

"Say, what happened to our friend, where did he go!?" Granted she'd missed seeing that the ghostly creature was female, but all the same Lucia seemed caught in good spirits as she collected the spoils of war.

That is, until she stepped up to the two left behind bits of data, peeking back towards SINNBAD, only to give gleeful smile when he said she got first pick. Turning back upon the two abandon prizes she'd look at them closely, deciding to go with the one she didn't recognize at all, taking up the Maru's lingering data and sent it off with the rest of her spoils.

"Right then, so the last one is all yours Sinny, goodness but that thing really hits hard! Hope there aren't any more of them deeper in."

SINNBAD got up to walk over to the shining prize that remained, a HeatShot battlechip, when SINN's operator finally came back on.

"SINNBAD."

The knight froze at attention, clad only in the skirt. His lean muscled body on full display.

"Yes My Lord."

"You have done well in clearing this staging ground. But for now you should retire. You need to be made stronger before you press on in this castle... I also need to go through the data we have collected thus far."

"As you wish My Lord."

SINN stated before he walked over and picked up the rest of his share. Then he turned to Lucia with a bow.

"I hope Lady Lucia will pardon my current shambled appearance."

He said in relation to his current state of undress.

"And I also hope that this knight will see you again."

He said as he kissed her hand, then vanished in a ray of light. He left behind a flowing banner of an ivory tower on a field of green to mark his passing.

[SINNBAD LOGGED OUT.]

Lucia looked on as the short conversation passed between the navi and operator, only to give slight blush when she realized nearly as skimpily as herself. "Ah, right, see you later Sinny!"

Turning round on her heel Lucia started to skip towards a the doorway, big smile across her face. "Now to find that dungeon."

"Lucia, we're pulling out, we've what we set to get."

"What? But, but I never got to explore!"

We'll return at another time, for now we're leaving this network, some things to do."

Giving a rather annoyed huff the fiery little navi turned round again and stomped down the entry hall towards the large doorway, stepping foot back outside. "No fair. I wanted to stay!" came final pout as navi lit aflame, form fading away within the fire only to burst up into the sky, leaving the castle far behind.

[Lucia.EXE Logging Out]