The Shrew taming the Beast.

Winter did not possess the reflexes necessary to react to the Null's teleporting attack while also healing herself. The best she could manage was turning to face the Virus before being shoved backwards, again. That wasn't amusing the first time. She thought as she made the command gesture for the remaining spires to spell-strike the Null EX with a flick of the wrist. One after another, the magically charged spires of ice attacked the Virus by creating zones of extreme cold in the space the Null occupied after a slight pause.

Winter glanced at each of the remaining viruses, and eventually caught sight of the bubble wrapped anchors. She watched them floating sedately, and thought to herself: I'll bet those bubbles are highly susceptible to being pushed by underwater currents. I've also managed to deflect a Megalian with them. So, what happens when I apply waves of force to the enemy formation, hmm? She raised her arms with a smirk on her face, and reached forward while channeling Wind and Cold. Let's find out, shall we?

As the spires began to harass the Null EX, Winter made preparations for casting one of her stronger spells, with a dash of meta-magic. As she chanted, a cluster of four vortexes began to swirl into being before her. The flat, disc-like vortexes spun ever more rapidly, creating pockets of air at their centers. Shortly after, they had spun up enough to draw in the clusters of ice shards. The water became much less obstructed as the ice was drawn in, and compressed into a quartet of 2-foot-wide, jagged saw blades with vortices of wind violently spinning within.

With a casual-looking wave of her arm, Winter sent the blades ripping through the water towards the Null EX. The ice cutters were extremely sharp, and their target was essentially made of jello. There was little doubt that the four blades would end up colliding with one another at the end of their flight, whether they hit the target (and sheared right through it) or not. Though, it would be difficult at best to avoid the paired blades that were now coming in from 4 directions at once.

When the blades collided, they recoiled away from each other while maintaining their forward momentum towards the Viruses beyond. However, each of the saw-like ice blades was now cracked, and the violent vortexes of arctic wind contained within were well on their way to breaking free. Indeed, less than a second later, all four ice blades shattered as the supercooled, super compressed air blasted outwards in all directions. The quartet of concussive blasts had the potential to wreak untold havoc on the viruses by knocking them and their attacks into each other like a mad game of pinball. Given the viruses in question, this tactic had the potential to decimate Winter's enemies, even if it only worked partially.

The problem is those blasted anchors. As soon as Winter had finished casting Polar Blast, she readied herself to dodge like mad in the wake of the chaos to come. This could get really ugly. As soon as the blades burst, Winter dove down and away from her current position as fast as she could while a mirror image of herself climbed upwards instead. She had a spell ready to knock an incoming attacker off course, just in case. Winter then waited for any signs of movement before she proceeded to swim in a wide spiraling arc towards the viruses while trying to avoid getting hit. Winter had her runesaber at the ready to lash out at any virus that got too close, and another spell ready to make sure they were in range on her strengthened blade.

[spoiler=Summary]
x: Command Spires to attack Null EX (5 Aqua x 3 Attacks)
x: Imbue Gust: Polar Blast (second stage)
1: Polar Blast @ Null EX & Everything near it ((20 Aqua Slashing + (Splash x Blast 2 + Knockback)) x 4 hits)
x: Arctic Mirror (Passive: (Decoy) + (5 Aqua, Delayed))
2: Dodge
x: Prepped Arctic Wind to deflect body blows. (Passive: Knockback)
3: Dodge
x: Prepped Antarctic Wind to land Sword attack easier. (Passive: Pull)
4: Sword counter @ Nearest Virus (110 Null + Slashing)[/Spoiler]

The spires blasted the Null with cold at Winter's command, and this time it didn't regenerate. Shards of ice embedded themselves in the viruses gelatinous body, preventing it from fully healing. Winter then unleashed a quartet of frozen saw blades at it, which arced around the remaining ice pillar in front of her and hit it from both sides. The blades shredded through its body and collided, shattering into fragments that were then blown back through the remaining viruses behind the Null. Upon impact each of them spread out, rebounding on the entire virus group. The remains of the Null were torn apart and left as small puddles of goo on the cave floor, where they dissolved into the water. The Marina's anchors were thrown in random directions, where one crashed through two of Winter's remaining three ice spires and crashed into the wall of the cave and the other embedded itself into the ceiling of the cave. The Megalians's auras were pierced just in time for their heads to clear it and launch toward Winter. They escaped just in time to clear a large mass of ice that formed in the center of the tunnel at the epicenter of the blast, blocking off the Marina from Winter's line of sight. They did not, however, escape in time to avoid the shards of ice that shredded through their heads.

One of the Megalians was blown off course into Winter's decoy, further damaging it but giving it the clearance it needed to return to its base, which had also been knocked around by wind-induced currents. The other was less lucky, instead being met with a spell that dragged right into an infinite meeting with a sharp pointy object.

Where Winter got off slightly less lucky was when the chaotic underwater ice storm she had unleashed ran out of viruses to shield her from it and rebounded on her, sending more ice shards her way in a spread too wide to dodge effectively, although she came off considerably lighter than the rest of the viruses in its wake.

By some miracle, from what Winter could see, which only amounted to a familiar soft glow, the mystery data behind the Marina remained intact, although not unharmed.
___

--Enemies---
-In Front of Winter-
Megalian-A A: 85 HP (Aura destroyed)
Megalian-A B: Deleted
Marina EX: 110 HP

-Behind Winter-
Whirly A: Deleted
Whirly B: Deleted
Null EX: Deleted

---Not Enemies---
Winter: 105 HP

---Objects---
Missile Expansion Blue Mystery Data: 10 HP
Spire A: Destroyed
Spire B: Destroyed
Spire G: 5 HP (Behind Winter)

---Terrain---
80% Sea (All combatants submerged)
20% Ice (Large ice mass in front of Marina EX)

---Other---
Freezing water: Water is filled with ice fragments, limiting movement.

Winter drew back her sword arm as the impaled Megalian head derezzed, and then looked past the deleted virus just in time to see the hail of ice shards heading her way. Seriously? was the closest thing to a coherent thought Winter had as she raised her arms and drew in her legs to shield her face and body out of pure reflex. The sorceress gritted her teeth as she was hit by roughly twenty shards of ice before the wave of projectiles moved past her. That was bad. I should have expected this, and taken cover. I didn't expect it, but I should have. She scolded herself silently as the conditions in the cave calmed back down. Live and learn, I suppose. I'll chalk this one up to experience.

Winter lowered her guard, and quickly scanned the scene. The only remaining enemy she could see in the battle ravaged cavern was a lone Megalian virus struggling to regain control after being tossed around like a toy. Instead of taking a moment to marvel at the (mostly unexpected) aftermath of her Polar Blast attack, Winter decided to press her advantage. I should move to strike quickly while the virus is recovering. The sorceress suited action to thought as she took off towards the virus in her unusual underwater glide. She held the blade before her with the tip towards the virus as she approached, ready to stab the virus or let it stab itself in an attempt to strike at her. As a little added insurance, she had a spell prepared to help guide the virus to its end.


[spoiler=Split Summary]x: Aura of Cold @ nearest viruses (Passive: 5 Aqua Damage, 4 times/turn)
x: Advance w/ Swift Strider (Passive: Movement)
x: Prepped Antarctic Wind to land Sword attack easier. (Passive: Pull)
1: Sword @ Megalian-A A (80 Null + Slashing)
--Splice--
2: ----
3: ----
4: ----[/Spoiler]

The Megalian virus didn't take its own sweet time recovering, but was already back in action again just in time to feel Winter's freezing aura as she approached. It launched its head at her, which promptly met the exact same end that its counterpart did as it found itself impaled on the end of her sword, deleting it instantly.

The Marina, meanwhile, scraped against the ice as it struggled to turn and get out from behind it. It made little progress in the time it took for Winter to finish off the Megalian, and it was clear that it wasn't going anywhere fast. And Winter continually radiating freezing water nearby certainly wasn't helping matters.
_____

--Enemies---
-In Front of Winter-
Megalian-A A: Deleted
Megalian-A B: Deleted
Marina EX: 100 HP

-Behind Winter-
Whirly A: Deleted
Whirly B: Deleted
Null EX: Deleted

---Not Enemies---
Winter: 105 HP

---Objects---
Missile Expansion Blue Mystery Data: 10 HP
Spire A: Destroyed
Spire B: Destroyed
Spire G: 5 HP (Behind Winter)

---Terrain---
80% Sea (All combatants submerged)
20% Ice (Large ice mass in front of Marina EX)

---Other---
Freezing water: Water is filled with ice fragments, limiting movement.

Winter lowered her rune saber as the last of the viruses she could see was eliminated. She took a moment to scan the area more thoroughly... I could have sworn there was a submarine virus among their number, but I see no signs of it. Winter shook her head after looking the area over a second time just to be sure. Not a trace. This time her gaze fixated on the Blue Mystery Data embedded in the cavern wall. Hmm...

Winter glided through the water towards the BMD. On her way there, she finally heard signs of what she assumed was the AWOL Virus. Sure enough, once she was closer to the BMD, a quick glance to the left showed the Marina EX to be trapped between the cavern wall and a glacier that had formed when Winter had unleashed her Polar Blast spell. The sound that had drawn her attention was that of the virus attempting to free itself. ...You know what? No, was Winter's thought as she gestured at the floor and ceiling of the cavern, causing a large Crystal Spire to erupt from each of the two surfaces. The tips of the spires passed one another as they formed a magically charged wall between the trapped virus and freedom.

With that bit of business out of the way, Winter turned back towards the BMD, and accessed it.

[spoiler=Summary]x: Advance towards BMD w/ Gust
2: Crystal Spire I (Small Area Snow Terrain Change > Summon 10 HP Aqua Element Object (60 Aqua Damage on-touch/at range); 2 TCD)
3: Crystal Spire II (Small Area Snow Terrain Change > Summon 10 HP Aqua Element Object (60 Aqua Damage on-touch/at range); 2 TCD)
4: Get BMD

Note: The Crystal Spires are intended to trap the Marina EX.[/Spoiler]

With nothing stopping her from getting to it, Winter boxes the Marina in and accesses the BMD.

She gets a nice reward from it.

The Marina continues to struggle with the ice walls around it, with no gain.
_____

--Enemies---
-In Front of Winter-
Megalian-A A: Deleted
Megalian-A B: Deleted
Marina EX: 100 HP

-Behind Winter-
Whirly A: Deleted
Whirly B: Deleted
Null EX: Deleted

---Not Enemies---
Winter: 105 HP (GET: SnowFort2)

---Objects---
Missile Expansion Blue Mystery Data: ACQUIRED
Crystal Spire I: 10 HP (blocking Marina EX from Winter)
Crystal Spire II: 10 HP (blocking Marina EX from Winter)
Spire G: 5 HP (Behind Winter)

---Terrain---
70% Sea (All combatants submerged)
20% Ice (Large ice mass in front of Marina EX)
10% Snow (blocking Marina EX from Winter)

---Other---
Freezing water: Water is filled with ice fragments, limiting movement.

Winter had a look of wonder on her face as the blue crystal of data unraveled to reveal a sphere of chip data within. She absorbed the data by touching it with her free hand, converted it, and stored it in the PET's memory. SnowFort2? That somehow reminds me of the curious viruses I passed in the alcove. She turned her head to look in the general direction of the traped Marina EX. Speaking of viruses... Winter turned to look at the various metal anchors half buried in the ice. That little submarine packs a wallop. I remember those anchors breaking straight through my ice spires without even slowing down. That could be handy in navigating this aquatic cavern system. She looked back in the general direction of the virus. Perhaps I can persuade it to lend me its services for a short time in exchange for its freedom and continued existence.

Winter glided through the water until she found a spot where she could see a bit of the virus using her still glowing rune saber as a light source. She reached out to touch the virus with her free hand. When she began speaking, the direct contact would make her words carry to the intended audience more clearly. "Well, well, if it isn't the little sub that couldn't..." Winter began in a condescending tone, but evened out before continuing in a lecturing tone. "You know, you wouldn't be in this situation if you and your former buddies had just left me alone. I, personally, have nothing against just letting you viruses do your thing. But I take it personally when you go and attack me. So, here are your options, little one: I can leave you here to die as thanks for pelting me with 500kilo anchors..." Winter paused to let her message sink in. "... or you can agree to make it up to me by working for me on my mission. If you choose to work with me, I will free you of your confinement, and upon completing my objective, I will allow you to go free. However, betray me, and I will terminate your existence and turn you into chip data." Winter paused, then added: "Signal once if you accept my terms, twice if you would rather to try your luck against your icy prison."

The Marina just sort of sat there for several seconds, bubbling occasionally as Winter spoke. A single red light then lit up on its hull, then turned off.

Proposal accepted.

_____

--Enemies---
Dealt with

---Not Enemies---
Winter: 105 HP (GET: 900z, AuraHead1)
Marina EX: 100 HP (Recruited)
_____

Without the mystery data lighting up the end of the tunnel, it was left in complete darkness, but the wall behind the Marina was as solid as ever. Nowhere left to go but back.

Winter nodded at the signal of acceptance. "Wise choice, little one. As promised, I will free you of your confinement momentarily." She withdrew her hand from the surface of the virus, and began moving about the cave with her glowing rune saber in hand in search of the anchors left scattered about in the wake of the battle. Winter figured they would make the perfect tool for breaking the ice in these caverns, as evidenced by their performance in battle. Best case, she could turn them into scrolls. Worst case, she'd have to just carry one of them.

[spoiler=Summary]--: Search for Anchors.[/Spoiler]

Sure enough, the anchors were still around and almost exactly where they had collided with the walls of the tunnel after the ice storm from earlier. One had fallen out of the wall and now rest against the floor of the cave, while the other was still lodged in the ceiling.

Neither turned into any form of weapon data, although they did not appear too heavy to simply pick up and throw.

Winter glided up to the anchor embedded in the ceiling, and tried tugging it out. The anchor did little more then wiggle a bit, but did not otherwise budge. Right, then. A little more coaxing is required. With that thought, the young sorceress stuck the blade of her rune saber into the ceiling. She then inverted herself, planted both feet against the ceiling, and pulled the metal ring at the tip of the anchor with both hands. The ice crackled and scraped as the boat anchor came free suddenly, and promptly fell to the floor with a thud as a surprised Winter let go out of reflex.

Progress, Winter thought to herself as she righted herself and grabbed her rune saber. She then glided down to the now-freed anchor, and picked it up with her free hand. This is heavy, but not nearly as much as I expected. Winter turned and glided towards the mass of ice that trapped her new viral companion. She took the time to re-confirm the location of the virus, and then moved around to the side of the icy mass. Winter marked a spot on it where she intended to hit with the anchor, and embedded the rune saber in the ice above it so she could see it. All I need to do is hit that mark, and hope this is enough to break the ice. Better still, I shouldn't hit the virus from this angle. She backed off a short distance, grabbed the anchor with both hands, spun around once, and let go. For added insurance, she channeled a force spell to help guide the projectile to its mark.

[spoiler=Summary]--: Get anchor, and smash ice with it.[/Spoiler]

The anchor hit its mark, smashing into the ice mass. It split apart roughly along the point where the sword had embedded into it and the pieces drifted away from the Marina, freeing it but breaking the sword in the process.

The Marina quickly put some distance between itself and the wall that it had been pinned against, then just sort of sat there, waiting for Winter to lead the way.

Winter felt a sense of satisfaction as her plan to break the ice and free her cohort worked, at least initially. However, shortly after her initial success, a large chunk of ice fell upon her rune saber, and smashed it to pieces. Winter sighed in disappointment as the cave became pitch black in the absence of her glowing sword. That... sucks. But at least it worked. She raised one hand before her and chanted the command to recall the ruined saber's data. The broken pieces of the saber dissolved into data streams that snaked their way through the water to Winter's hand, and disappeared. The sheath at her waist dematerialized shortly after.

I suppose now is as good a time as any for the virus to start making good on our agreement. With that thought, Winter called out to the Marina in the darkness: "Hey, virus..." Her voice trailed off as she thought about the implications of just calling her companion 'virus' when she was guaranteed to run into more hostile viruses in the very near future. When she continued speaking, her tone made it sound like she was as much thinking aloud as she was talking to her viral companion. "On second thought, I need to give you a name so you'll know I'm talking to you. You're a submarine, so let's go with 'Nemo', for now. Just like Captain Nemo, the explorer from the novel '20,000 Leagues Under The Sea'." She switched back to a normal conversational tone as she continued. "At any rate, I just broke my light source setting you free, so if you've got a light, I'd like you to use it to help me see."

The Mari- er, Nemo-- hums for a short moment, then what Winter assumed was purely a periscope lights up, flooding Winter's immediate view with light. It then pans away, lighting up a good half of the room as Nemo gives a good thrum with its' engines.

Well, what do you know... It really does have a light. Winter raised a hand to shield her eyes as the virus switched on a flood light from its periscope and shined it at her. She lowered her hand as it turned the light away, and absently remarked: "Excellent." Now that she could see again, it was time to get back to work. But first....

"We will be getting under way in a moment. First, however, I have something to pick up." Winter said as she glided slowly through the ice shard filled water towards the spot where the second anchor had come to rest. She used her magic to clear her path occasionally when the shards became too dense to proceed safely. She eventually made her way to where the second anchor had come to rest, collected it, and began gliding up to where 'Nemo' was patiently waiting. Once Winter drew up next to the Marina-EX, she let the virus know it was time to proceed. "Let's get moving, Nemo. You light the way ahead while I clear a path."

Winter suited action to words as she used her magic to sweep the ice shards out of their path, and proceeded back to the junction.

Winter picks up the anchor and heads back to the path split with Nemo in tow. The usual suspects options remain; the collapsed passage that, well, now leads back to the surface, the turbulent rapids leading underwater, the path Winter just exited from, and the way she came in. Nemo exits the water just behind her, his periscope panning the light around as he watches her, uncertain.

"Follow me," Winter said as she made her way into the turbulent cavern.

The rough waters continued beneath the surface, carrying Winter deeper down a narrow shaft into an equally narrow tunnel. Unlike the previous tunnel Winter had been down, this one wasn't completely filled with water, although it came very close, with only small pockets at the top of the passage being open when they weren't being lashed by the rapids.

Nemo followed behind her as instructed, although he had a bit more trouble with the rough waters and found himself bouncing off the walls and ceiling of the tunnel as he moved for minor damage (10).

Not too far ahead, the rapids emptied from both ends of the tunnel into another pit. The water from the far end of the tunnel was flowing down from a higher point, suggesting that it could lead back up toward the collapsed tunnels if she could fight against the current. Before that, though, there was the pit to avoid, provided Winter didn't want to try her luck going down that path.

As Winter neared the pit, she took note of how it was the cause of the rapids she and her companion were currently dealing with. She also noted a similar flow from the continuation of the cave on the other side of the pit. Logically speaking, going further down from this point would be traveling away from the target. While going down the pit might yield more in the way of usable data, getting back up here would be prohibitively difficult for me. Winter looked back at her viral companion who was having a really tough time of it at the moment. ...and totally impossible for Nemo. I intend to keep my promise of setting it free later, and that means I will not be dumping it down a hole and leaving it there. She turned to gaze towards the pit again. I need to prevent us from falling and somehow fight the current at the same time.

Wait a moment... Winter's eyebrows flew up as an idea occurred to her. All I need to do is plug the hole. She raised her hands before her and began channeling. If I freeze the combined waterfall, I'll fill in the gap in the cavern floor. That'll stop the water from draining, and the current will cease as the water backfills. Winter smiled as her mind worked to generate a plan, projected the possible results, and went on to further plan how to turn possible side effects to her favor. That may flood other areas of the cave, but that still works to my advantage. The viruses I will be dealing with will, at worst, be at home in the water the in same way that I am. Everything else will flounder, giving me the advantage. It will also make traversing the caves easier, and perhaps capturing the metavirus a whole lot simpler.

Winter focused, and began chanting her Crystal Spire spell. As soon as she could see further down into the pit, she picked a spot along the icy wall below, and proceeded to cast it while pulling herself back from the brink with a little burst of super-cavitation. "We're committed now! Brace yourself!" As she turned around to face the way she came, she speed casted Arctic Wind at Nemo to keep her companion from colliding with her, and the both of them getting swept into the cold spell's area of effect.

[spoiler=Summary]1: Use Crystal Spire to plug the pit with ice.
x: Use Swift Strider w/ Gust to keep from falling in.
x: Use Arctic Wind to keep Nemo from falling in.[/Spoiler]

The current immediately began to die down as the pit and the walls of the tunnel were covered in a new coat of ice and snow, and a frozen spike appeared from one wall of the pit and immediately stabbed through into the other, creating a makeshift plug of ice.

Unfortunately, the crystal spire did not completely plug the hole, leaving small spaces perpendicular to it filled with nothing but snow that was already being washed down into the pit. Fortunately, it was enough to significantly reducing the flow of water in the tunnel and making the formerly torrential current from both sides easily navigable.