It was a dark and stormy night.

Further trials lay ahead for Trent and SINN. They approached what seemed to be just a few Dharmas, but before they could understand what was happening, they realized that some of the terrain had been hidden by the snowstorm that had whipped up around them. To their side were some snowy embankments where Swordies had taken up residence and were now eyeballing the intruders with menacing glares.

There didn't appear anywhere to go but into battle and the two were surrounded!

-- ENEMIES --
DharmaA: 90 HP (front)
DharmaB: 90 HP (front)
DharmaC: 90 HP (front)
Swordy-A A: 80 HP (left, behind SnowbankA)
Swordy-A B: 80 HP (left, behind SnowbankA)
Swordy-A C: 80 HP (left, behind SnowbankA)
Swordy-A D: 80 HP (right, behind SnowbankB)
Swordy-A E: 80 HP (right, behind SnowbankB)
Swordy-A F: 80 HP (right, behind SnowbankB)

-- ALLIES --
Trent.EXE: 160 HP
SINNBAD.EXE: 120 HP

-- TERRAIN --
SnowbankA: 80 HP (to left)
SnowbankB: 80 HP (to right)
100% Ice

-- TEAM BATTLE 03 START! --

Trent's eyes darted around cautiously and on alert as he watched the forms of all the newly revealed viruses. 'One of the many issues with Sharo,' he thought. 'Nothing is ever as it seems. Shifting snows everywhere change it all.' The dharmas ahead of him were the least interesting to Trent, as the swordys would offer much more close combat fun for the knife fighter. Just as he dropped down to slide over to the left embankment, Mark's voice rang out in his ears.

"We are in some serious need of reworking your combat tactics. They simply aren't as effective as they were prior, and we need to rework it all. You can't engage them in close combat, as much as I know you would love to right now."

Trent gritted his teeth at the thought of not being able to engage the viruses as he please, and in fact, having to rework his fighting system. It sounded very harsh to him. He gave no verbal response to Mark, and kept watching the viruses.

"Try using these instead. Our chips are currently our greatest power, once we get the money we will rework your other systems." Mark slotted in several chips he thought would be useful to Trent. A totem, a dash attack, a moonblade, and the kunai chips were all included. These chips had recently become important to the attack patterns of Trent.

As reluctant as he was, Trent could see the benefits of the high power, multi damaging chips. He turned to SINN and said, "Alright. I can handle the ones behind the banks. Throw some extra support to the right bank, I will handle the left." Trent turned his massive body to the right, squaring himself with the right embankment as he held up his hand and activated the first chip he had at his disposal. The totem chip summoned the fearsome object, and it was summoned to be right beside the line of Swordy's hiding behind the bank. The Totem dropped its jaw and unleash an inferno of flames upon on the three, acting like a flamethrower in a trench, covering the area behind the bank with flames.

Trent turned his attention to the other side of the field, giving SINN a nod of encouragement as Trent started his assault. Feet crashing over the ice and compared snow as he ran, the warrior moved to the left flank, and the left snowbank of the battle field, eying to see if the structure of the line was similar to enough to the other. He arrived at the bank and pressed his back against the defense of it before vaulting over. In his hands he held one of his knives, which had been altered by the moonblade chip, as he readied the attack. Landing on his right foot first he stared to spin and carry his weight through with him as the chip carried him full circle, trying to slash at the three swordys around him.

Spinning out of his stance, he stepped back from his close location to the swordys and pulled out three throwing knives from his pouches. He took careful aim at where he remembered the locations of the swordys to be, and threw a careful dagger at each one. If the moonblade didn't kill them this would at least damage them enough for a attack. After the blades had all left his hand, Trent rolled and dodged to the side, trying to put as much distance between him and the swordys, while also using the bank as cover of his own.

Summary
1) Totem1 Chip. Summon on the side of the Right snowbank to be staring down the line of Swordys
*Activate the Totem on Swordy-A D, E, F (100 Fire + Spread 2)
2) Preparation (Movement to the Left Snowbank + Take Aim + Take Aim)
3) Assault over bank and Moonblade to Swordy-A B, A, C (90 + Slashing + Spin Attack)
4) Kunai to Swordy-A A, B, C (30 to each + Slashing)
Free Action: Swordplay: (Dodge)

[x3] [x3] [x3]

Enemies to the right of them. Enemies to the left of them. Enemies in front. Defended by numbers and snow bank affronts. Trent and SINN were caught in between them. They snickered and snackered as their eyes were all mayhem.

All had seemed hopeless. All had seemed lost. Then Trent quickly shook with a toss. He had thought of a wonderful idea. A gem of an idea. An idea to quell these upstarts. He set himself to bring down their walls. To snuff the viruses' out of their halls.

Trent went to the left, told SINN to take the right. He barreled over their walls with a fright. He set upon them with fire and sword. Slashing and lighting them on fire. Oh noes!

SINN followed suit, he was ever so loyal. He quickly shrugged himself across the battlefield. He smacked aside all their pitiful trials, his armor began to glow deep red and riled. So covered in scales and gleaming an icy sheen, his glower and stare beneath his helmet were ever so mean.

He took a page from the book of Trent. For using fire would be ever so hell-bent. The flames would cause a lot of terror. Burning across this stormy weather.

As he drew near the fort of snow, steam began to rise from his toes. Eventually flames consumed him, armor and bones. He burned brightly all covered in gleam. Until he smashed into the fort of cream.

A cloud of biting cold covered the world, making it harder to see what unfurled. But bubbles of steam set out to ensnare. Where did they come from? Where do they go? The answer of course was to lasso some rogues.

The Swordy's were beset, their fortress defeated. But SINN didn't want his foes retreated. Attempting to entrap them within his bubbles, he drew forth his WideSword to end all his troubles.

The sword grew two sizes that day as it swung from side to side, attempting to end all their viral lives. The blade bit the air with the greatest of ease, slicing through weather and striking boundaries. The shock waves it sent were something to witness, assuming you made sure to avoid the blade's kisses.

The knight swung once more, making sure to end it. And the sun caught the shimmer of the energy emitted. It cleaved through the day's gray light, but would any of the viruses survive till the end of the night?

SINN's attack against the right-oriented Swordy group was more effective than he could have hoped, capturing them all and then making short work of them through wideshot attacks. His phoenixshot also turned the snowbank into a puddle of standing water. Trent's totem ended up being unnecessary.

In the mean time, Trent led a bladed assault against the other swordies, killing two and injuring the final with a kunai. The swordy retaliated with a swing of its sword, but Trent managed to get out of the way.

The dharmas released a wave of bouncing pucks down the alley created by the snowbanks. However, with only one bank to bounce off of, they simply smashed into the bank and then rebounded to the other side towards SINN and the totem. SINN was scuffed by one while the other two missed. One hit the totem, then rebounded and hit the other snowbank again. Finally, it disappeared while moving aimlessly into the distance.

-- ENEMIES --
DharmaA: 90 HP (front)
DharmaB: 90 HP (front)
DharmaC: 90 HP (front)
Swordy-A A: DELETED
Swordy-A B: 50 HP (left, behind SnowbankA)
Swordy-A C: DELETED
Swordy-A D: DELETED
Swordy-A E: DELETED
Swordy-A F: DELETED

-- ALLIES --
Trent.EXE: 160 HP (left, behind snowbank)
SINNBAD.EXE: 120 HP (20 HP casing) (5 HP barrier) (right, behind snowbank)

Totem: 85 HP (behind right snowbank, end of Swordy line) (healface)

-- TERRAIN --
SnowbankA: 20 HP (to left)
SnowbankB: MELTED (aqua)
90% Ice
10% Aqua

Trent ducked and dived around the blade of the sworded virus, holding his knives close for the rolling tactics. He placed his feet back under him and kept a close watch on the virus, countering its movements around behind the snowbank, keeping away from the shot range of the dharmas. His eyes moved to the other snowbank, which was no more than a watery puddle at the feet of his Ally, with all the swordys on that side deleted. SINN would undoubtedly turn to finish the dharmas quickly, and Trent was prepared to fight with him. This last swordy stood in the way however.

Mark slotted in the sword chip for Trent, knowing that his current combat systems couldn't handle deleting the virus in a guaranteed way. All of his damage outputs were too low to promise the deletion of the virus. Mark let out a sigh at this fact, getting rather excited about the potential of the zenny gained from these battles. They both still had a long way to go. "We really need to rework some of your systems."

Trent's face dropped into a scowl at the thought of it. He loaded up the chip data for the sword. Two knives dived into the leather leg sheathes and another knife was drawn, this one with an extra blue light bathing the knife. Trent held the extended blade as a sword, and pushed himself forwards, sword chip at the ready. He dd one slash against the swordy, and then spun on the ball of his foot, his boots making deep imprints in the sword on this this move. He carried the blade through the spin, and throwing a diagonal slash at the shoulders of the virus. After the attacks, he dive and dodged away from the virus and looked at the hockey puck throwers in the front.

Without wasting time, Trent ran forwards, keeping his eyes on his ally, and activated his stealth combat training. Trent's form began to fade into the snow and winds of Sharo, his white bodysuit quickly becoming indistinguishable from the snow, as he faded from the visible spectrum. Wind and snow passed through the warrior, as he made his way to the flank of the group of dharmas. He lowered his body and gave one word to Mark. "Dashattack."

Mark gae the required chip to his navi, who currently reminded him of an invisible snowplow, with the force he was about to deliver to the dharmas.

Trent withdrew his two longest blades, and held them both in reverse grip, pulling his hands and wrists close to his body, giving him a bladed silhouette as he dashed forwards, being carried by the chip. He came out of the attack and turned around to observe his damage, as a blue light bathed him from the totem. He looked to SINN and watched him attack. 'He is rather capable as a warrior, that much is for sure indeed.' Trent thought. 'If I had too, how would I beat him?' Trent started to ask himself. This was a clear sign of friendship, even if not outward, that Trent thought of SINN as an Ally and a equal. He had fought his way there.

Summary
1) Sword to Swordy-A B + Take Aim (80 + Slashing)
2) Sword to Swordy-A B (80 + Slashing)
Free Action: Swordplay: (Dodge)
3) Stealth Training - Invisible (Invisibility for one turn)
4) Dash Attack to Dharma A, B, C + Take Aim (90 + up to 5 in a straight line)
*Object Action: Totem: +50 Hp to Trent.

Knightly navi stands,
Ignored totem smiling sweet,
There on ice it sits.

Only Trent it sees,
Enemy already gone,
Its breath powerless.

Sharoan blood cold,
Brutal and quick the strikes fall,
Knife and body one.

Little shadows bounce,
Intended target unknown,
Hit wood and shield.

The air stands frozen,
Navi watches navi act,
Slowly, Brotherhood.

Dharmas still, silent,
Ammunition spent, tired,
Guard opened. Attack!

Navis rush forward,
His barrier reasserts,
One follows other.

Distance closed fast,
Burning steam rises again,
Inhaled deeply.

SINNBAD breathes flame,
Scalds all that it bathes,
Viruses troubled.

WideSword lashes out,
One last dance before it breaks,
Refrigerator.

Trent made quick work of the remaining Swordy with his knives, taking it out quite easily. SINN dashed to behind the Dharmas and let loose with a breath of fire. A refridgerator then sneezed somewhere, which was weird, since it would be a mighty task to let such a thing have a cold. Some healing happened afterwards.

-- ENEMIES --
DharmaA: DELETED
DharmaB: DELETED
DharmaC: DELETED
Swordy-A A: DELETED
Swordy-A B: DELETED
Swordy-A C: DELETED
Swordy-A D: DELETED
Swordy-A E: DELETED
Swordy-A F: DELETED

-- ALLIES --
Trent.EXE: 190 HP (left, behind snowbank)
SINNBAD.EXE: 120 HP (20 HP casing) (5 HP barrier)

Totem: 85 HP (behind right snowbank, end of Swordy line) (healface)

-- TERRAIN --
SnowbankA: 20 HP (to left)
SnowbankB: MELTED (aqua)
90% Ice
10% Aqua

-- TEAM BATTLE 03, VICTORY!! --

-- REWARDS --
Trent: [AquaKnife] Battlechip, 800z, 5 FXP
SINN: 680z, 5 FXP

[Ha! 2010[s]z[/s].]

SINNBAD brushed himself down, covered in melted snow and charred virus' datum. In order to dry off, he would need a fire.

He looked at the totem.

Trent sheathed his two knives and faded back into the visible world. He reappeared right next to SINN, after having already gathered his data from the battle. The chip was processing while both SINN and Trent looked at the Totem, Trent rotating his head to the side. His eyes flick over to SINN's armor, and how wet and blacked it all was from the fight.

Trent looked to the totem one more time before saying, "Want a light?"

"Trent!" Marks excited voice rang out in his ears. "That chip! It was a aquaknife! Its a watery blade. It'll be perfect for you!"

Even Trent's ears perked at the thought of the new blade, and the uses of it. Finally a chip that could do some elemental damage along with being used in the ever so Trent fashion of slashing. "That sounds really good. I want to try that thing out as soon as possible."

"We will have to indeed. How have you been doing in these past few battles without much help or info from me?"

"Good, since I have had an ally of my own." Trent responded bluntly, over a private line. He waited for a response from SINN about the fire. He leaned over the totem to wait for a response.

SINN nodded, wringing out his cloak. He was already half-way presentable. His armor even shined in places. He smirked at Trent's remark.

"I would indeed."

So far the two navis had done quite well. The enemy had been defeated. And their wounds weren't serious. He piled up some snow into a makeshift bench big enough for two near the totem and sat down. He threw his cloak out behind him so he didn't sit on it.

He then pulled out a bottle of salve and took off his helmet and gloves. He began applying healing lotion to his cuts and bruises. He drew in his breath sharply at the sudden burning sensation.

Trent turned to face the totem, pulling out his pistol to deliver a quick shot to it, only after repositioning it so that the flames would spew forwards, horizontal to the duo and the make shift bench that SINN had constructed. Trent took his spot, a heavy body crashing down on the snow bench, causing him to sink in and disperse some of the snow to his sides.

"What is that stuff you're using? Does it hurt?"

Mark was still thinking of the different uses for the new obtained chip, finding it hard ot hold back his excitement for Trent to try it out. He paid no attention to the social interaction that Trent was trying to hold with SINN, other than issuing orders or battle ideas.

The fire was nice. SINN sank into his seat as the ice and snow melted a little. His clothing was drying and getting a tad wet, all at the same time.

SINN returned the salve to his belt, disappearing into a pocket. The redness and the scars began to dry up and return to his normal palish fleshy color.

"The pain is only for a moment Sir Trent, to show that it is working."

He turned to Trent and looked at him up and down. He seemed to have weathered the storm without much problems after he was healed earlier.

"Are you hurt? I still have plenty of potion and bandages."

He offered, reaching back to his pouch.

"How much farther to the observatories?"

Trent was very curious with the potion and how it worked, things outside of combat Trent knew little of. His eyes followed the bottle as it retreated into a pocket on SINN's hip. "Interesting," Trent muttered, "pain means success with that potion? Sounds familiar."

Trent cast his eyes to the fire for a moment, which was still holding fairly strong from the dying object chip of the totem. "The totem healed me fully," Trent said, after raising a hand to stop him from reaching for the potion. He paused for a moment saying, "Thanks however."

Mark even had to take a break in the conversation and antics he was having to look at Trent in wonder, "Did you just say thanks?"

Trent ignored him. "It shouldn't be much further. The observatories are rather small, so we have to watch for them closely. I would like a chance to be in one of them again."

SINN patted Trent on the shoulder and stood up. The fire slowly lost power and became embers as quickly as it began. He cracked his neck and refitted his helmet over his head.

"Then we should be off."

He said with a swish of his cloak.

[Battle 4.]

Trent stood and followed, his white undersuit fading into the snow as the two left the bench and the fire pit in their trails, eyes set forwards on the observatories.

{Battle 4}

Trudging onward through the snow and ice, Trent and SINN soon came across a sizable frozen over body of water. Normally it would not merit any attention, but the pair of recently displaced Marina viruses floating beside the former pond made the sight more significant. Apparently angry about being forced to leave the water before it froze, the submarine viruses were all too eager to confront the arriving Navis. Before they could, however, several dulled popping noises echoed through the area. A small part of the ice shattered and gave way to several Shrimpy viruses and a pair of hardy Wallas. Moments later, the two Marinas made for the small patch of available water and submerged partially.

MarinaA: 120HP (Sea, submerged)
MarinaB: 120HP (Sea, submerged)
ShrimpyA: 100HP (Ice)
ShrimpyB: 100HP (Ice)
ShrimpyC: 100HP (Ice)
ShrimpyD: 100HP (Ice)
WallaA: 100HP (Ice)
WallaB: 100HP (Ice)

Terrain:
70% Snow
25% Ice (Fairly circular frozen pond)
5% Sea (Patch of broken ice in pond)

Trent.EXE: 190 HP (Snow)
SINNBAD.EXE: 120 HP (Snow)

Team Battle 4 Start!

[x2] [x4] [x2]

Rage...

Submarines, monstrous shrimp, and walruses oh my!

SINNBAD's cloak billowed out behind him dramatically as he surveyed the winter battlefield before him. Loose pieces of his armor jingled as the icy breeze blew across and around the joints. Metallic scales flapped. He put his hands to his face and exhaled, trying to warm the fingers. The moist steam evaporated quickly and drifted away.

The knight adjusted his gloves in the gauntlets again, having expanded and contracted unevenly on his hands due to being icy wet, and then fire dried, and then exposed to cold air. He also snapped his helmet into place, securing the fasteners, and lowering the visor. He peered out through the narrow slit of his dragon helm, sizing up the opponents arrayed before him. They seemed numerous and strong.

Rage...

Crimson scales sprouted like roses across his armor. His body even took on a rosy glow as the sunlight glinted off of them. Snowflakes were pushed away by an invisible hand as a transparent bubble formed around the navi. After it formed, the snowflakes fell unhindered.

SINN raised his hands toward the clustered shrimp. The hands shook visibly. His cloak continued to ripple behind him. The snow shifted around his feet.

Rage...

A spark, then a puff of flame, danced across the snow in places. A cold flame, giving off no heat. White like the snow. More appeared around the knight. Ghost fires.

Destroy...

His hands rattled. His head twisted from side to side in recoil. His face hidden behind his visor. The flames danced about him larger and brighter. Coiling about him. Collecting at his fingertips.

DESTROY EVERYTHING!

BANG!

A thunderous clap resounded across the stillness. A burning sphere rocketed across the battlefield, licking flames dancing upon the surface. The air rippled as it screamed past. It was as large as a basketball and visibly bulging. It's destructive energy trying to break free of its containment.

It detonated among the viruses. The explosion was deafening. The energy washed over the terrain. The shockwave expanded only a few meters in all directions though, the deadly energy contained to the surrounding panels. The air boiled and steamed.

BANG!

Within moments another blast had lanced itself across the field to slam into the virus lines. Cold fire bathed the area as another explosion blotted the snow and ice. The radii of one explosion overlapped to cover some of the area of the last. The energy of the second detonation consuming what was left.

SINNBAD held his ground, his boots dipping into the snow slightly with each expulsion of power. He seemed to be visibly fighting himself as bolts of energy continued to cascade out of his palms. His head flailed a bit on his shoulders as his body jerked robotically from one side to the other, aiming at each virus in turn.

The surges of magic power continued to ripple-fire whitish-gray energy bolts. The burning bolts traced about the viral lines, melting tiny holes in snow and ice as some missed their targets. It was as if an alpha-strike was called out against the viruses.

DESTROY... DESTROY EVERYTHING!

Trent observed the odd changes in his partner with many suspicious glances and even a slight slide backwards in the snow. He had seen SINN do some unusual things with various net features, such as water and changing closers, but each time it surprised him more and more with it, catching him off guard. The odd ways the Knight expressed his emotions and duty was, unnerving still to Trent.

He saw the anger from the crimson knight being directed towards the shrimp and walrus viruses, and quickly turned his head towards the submerged ships in the small area of broken ice and water. "I'll handle these things, you get the others." Large white fires formed around the knight, Trent knew he was already on task. How to handle the other viruses for himself however.

Mark's voice rang out with a promising solution. "Remember that battle with the ever so crazy Runi? The chip we gained from out little adventure with her? It would be perfect here, beaching those subs would make them incredibly vulnerable and on top of that, will cause them forced damage for being pushed up." Mark was already reaching for the chip to slot in, knowing Trent would enjoy the idea. Mark himself was enjoying the feeling of being right about a battle tactic for one.

"Send it over," Trent responded, his words being drowned out by the explosions that SINN was creating. The data was quickly present in him system, along with a few other key chips that he had been using lately. This assault, Trent hoped, would beach the subs and make them utterly useless against his quick speed and painful chips.

Reaching into a tiny pouch on his leg holster, Trent pulled out a tiny purple seed, shaped much like a popcorn kernel, but on bigger scale, and inspected in it his hand. He never though the poison seed chip would look like this when he used it. His eyes locked on the area where the subs where, pulling the seed back and lobbing it at the ice around the small hole of sea terrain, knowing it would create a large enough area to cover it. The tiny seed tinked against the ice as it hit, before bursting into full bloom, of a very familiar group of poison panels.

Trent push himself forwards, kicking his feet into gear as he rush to the side, of what would be the newly emerged from the water subs, and pulled up one of the chips offered to him by Mark, the dashattack chip. He rolled and tucked to the flank, his feet gracing over the poison area he created without touching it, as he glided to battle. The chip activated and carried his weight and large form even faster over the ground, his hands reaching to pull out two icey daggers, both held at the ready fro a slash as he made a running pass.

After the run by slashing of the viruses, Trent turned on a dime and pulled up another chip. He doubled back over his tracks and got closer to the subs. He threw his body weight around in a broad circle, pulling up the moonblade chip, which changed his daggers to more primitive looking ones during the chips attacks. He spun around quickly on the ball of his foot, as he held both arms out wide to slash the subs. Finally Trent raised a frozen blade above his head in a powerful fashion. He brought it hammering down into the side of the tank that was the farthest from the other viruses, and then kicked himself away from the sub powerfully as he rolled and dodged to a new angle of attack.

Summary
1) PoisonSeed Chip (10/Lob a seed that create a medium Poison area. Only one panel if it hits an opponent.) Aim at the terrain near the sea. Trying to force the subs up
2) Dashattack to Marina A and B (90 in a straight line + Impact)
3) Moonblade to Marina B and A (90 + Slashing + Spin Attack)
4) Combat Tactic Disengage to Marina A (30 Damage + Slashing + Knockback + Dodge)
Free Action: Swordplay: (Dodge)

Destruction rained upon the Shrimpy as they were forcefully removed from the mortal coil by SINN's magical bursts, effectively killing them all with two consecutive attacks. Meanwhile, Trent summoned up a small seed of purple, and threw it towards the water. The water quickly turned swampy and murky, a trademark of the panels identified as Poison. The submarines were shell-shocked by the sudden change, and forced up into the air. It was then that Trent rushed them powerfully, executing within moments of their surfacing. The Walla began a panic attack on Trent and SINN, only to have their attacks gunned through by SINN's rabid magical storm. Suffice to say, it really wasn't pretty once the storm subsided.

MarinaA: DELETED
MarinaB: DELETED
ShrimpyA: DELETED
ShrimpyB: DELETED
ShrimpyC: DELETED
ShrimpyD: DELETED
WallaA: DELETED
WallaB: DELETED

Terrain:
70% Snow
25% Ice (Fairly circular frozen pond)
5% Sea (Patch of broken ice in pond)

Trent.EXE: 190 HP (Snow)
SINNBAD.EXE: 120 HP (Snow)

-- TEAM BATTLE 04, VICTORY!! --

-- REWARDS --
Trent: 750z, 4 FXP
SINN: 600z, 4 FXP

And just as it started, the battle had ended. The terrain looked like it was shelled by an artillery strike. A long trench scarred the landscape where Trent dashed through the snow.

"Aaaaahhhhh!"

An anguishing cry came from SINNBAD as he thrashed in the snow. He was apparently damaged even though he was not struck during the battle, showing him at 120 HP even though he started the battle with 150 HP. His coding seemed more unstable as steam rose from his body. The crimson scales burned like coal as they roasted him in his armor, sloughing off like mottled feathers of boiling mercury. Melting the snow where it dripped.

The navi's legs and arms twitched and spasmed, as if in a seizure. His breathing was labored as his cries turned to mewling. As he flopped on the snow steam rose from where his burning body melted. There were some moments though that his hands managed to grasp a strap of his armor in their flailing. And with surprising strength, born of pain and terror, he tore the fastening off. A shoulder pouldron fell to the snow after two or three such attempts.

SINN's datum bled freely on the snow, forming a large puddle around him, mixing with all the other liquids, staining his cloak. The dark gray datum ran along the cracks of the snow and ice, even trailing all the way to the waterhole before dripping in. His datum steamed in the coldness of Sharo.