Match of the Millennium

Description: Makai seeks out an ancient Ainu relic in a small museum; wishing to purge himself of useless demonic entities, he brings forth a corrupted spirit of nature, the Mountain that Moves, to distract people -- hard to notice alarms when an entire city block is being destroyed. A nearby monster hunter attacks... one with an interesting aura to them, that the possessed Ainu finds irresistable...

[MAKAI]
A tense day in Southtown; the threat of war is now reality, and the potential for these strange new weapons of destruction to appear and reap untold devastation looms omnipresent. Others, however, ruthlessly turn these things to their own advantage. With Mt. Fuji's seals damaged, the looming threat known as Makai continues his own agenda. Having rectified the weakness inherent in his caged form, he still realizes personal limitations. Dozens of people can end his aspirations, and he's not quite regained the strength he held in his normal form. The best method to fix this...? Find unique and powerful demons, and take them for his own. The key to one of those... rests in a Japanese museum housing a small but meaningful collection of Ainu artifacts.

Yet first, a distraction.

Amongst the frenzy of angry demons, youkai, shinigami and darkstalkers in his body, Makai knows many that lack the sentience to be of much use. Powerful or not, if they are not contributing to his power, then they have no use beyond fodder. He locates one such entity that fits well. There's no need to bring out Stitches for this; an ace in the hole should not be displayed to the public.

Perched on the corner of a building near the museum, he then plants his hands together, inhaling deep. Dissipating the seals binding a particular beast. There's a grunt of pain, surprise at the ferocity of the life force as it rushes out. A great noise like thunder resonates, turning heads across the streets; before a giant blooms in the sky.

And down it comes, impacting in the midst of the street. Cars jump and storefronts shatter. It looms easily forty feet, the vast majority of which is the great limbs; expanded chest compressing down to a narrow waist, vestigial-looking legs curled up beneath. Dense, stone-like growths pepper grey skin, base fascimile of a face housing three glowing red eyes arranged in a triangle. A true demon, the bare form is sexless beyond the masculinity behind such dense muscles.

And then it roars, lacking a mouth -- instead the sound appears to resonate from it like a tuning fork, shaking the area. A car is grasped, crushed partially and then flung aside, people beginning to scream and flee. Nearby police screech to a halt and slip out, but expressions are hopeless as mundane pistols raise trembling to the threat before them.

The Mountain that Moves. An ancient demon of nature, caused by the corruption of man in ancient time. Once a pure and noble protector, now only seeing humanity's further defilement, and wanting to tear it down...!!


COMBATSYS: Mountain Demon has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Mountain Demon   0/-------/-------|

[NOEL]
SouthTown Village - Day
<<-The shadow of God above drives man further into darkness.->>


Recovery was not swift for Noel. Alma was still unclaimed, unfound, and unaccounted for. The coat she wears had been dry-cleaned. A necessity since the light red had bled through. Yet there was enough that she had stabilized and could continue. Each step inside of the unallied UN land of Japan was one that was careful. Still, Noel had let her guard down more-so than she should have. The town was charming. The populace, timid, still laughed and smiled about.

Her silent path through the city had gone unnoticed for the most part. Colors, very clear of the Sacred Order and NOL, were not shared often - were not highly visible in Japan before-hand. It was a slight blessing. A blessing that was short lived. Noel was within a small side-street as food as served, noodles cheap as they were, being carefully eaten. Jin would not approve of large bills for food - especially not for Noel. So she ate light. "Ah... thank you so much miss." Noel remarked to the woman as she had served her, bowing somewhat as she sat. Halfway into the meal there was something wrong.

An eclipse bathed the city in darkness. For a moment, Noel's heart stops. Was it the weapon they had used before? Were they using it again? The answer is both reassuring and frightening as the roar resonates through the area. A car flying overhead and tumbling apart during its skyward ascent. Fright grips Noel's heart as she stares upwards at the demon. Her breath quickens as the beast takes a step forwards. People scream. Others flee. Some, brave as they are, face the demon. It's hopeless for them.

It's massive.

Thoughts race through her head as finally Noel's feet strike the ground, raising her weight off the wooden chair that she had sat upon. Would Jin approve? It's possible that this beast may have some connection with Alma's disappearance. That the UN would help the people of Japan against such a monster... in these times? Her decision is made, the coat-laden woman jogging out infront of the demon, breaking into a run as the shuddering impact against the ground causes her footing to falter. Finally, she finds herself before those who took a stand, hopeless as it was, and the monster.

The coat is whipped off of her, towards the side, as her hands raise skywards. "Bolverk, come!"

The Nox Nyctores weaponry burns to life, a green glyph searing through the sky before Noel's arms, two handguns nearly the same length as those arms grasped. Bright green eyes fade to blue as the weaponry comes into contact with Noel, the weaponry taking hold of the NOL recruit. "Come no further! Dispatched in mankind's darkest Hour. We are, knights of the Blue flame!" The butts of the guns clash together, sparking.

It does not take long for the weaponry to point towards the Mountain Demon. Instead of two guns, a single barrel of a long-rifle, styled in the same form of the handguns, aims towarrds the midsection of the giant beast. The trigger is depressed. The weapon's barrel lights up, glowing, a glyph briefly flashing - and then the same glyph appearing between the three eyes of the Mountain that Moves, the gylph widening before the outer section pulses, shrinking. The detonation occurs moments later, an eruption of chi centered on the singular point.

COMBATSYS: Noel has joined the fight here.

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Mountain Demon   0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0             Noel

COMBATSYS: Mountain Demon blocks Noel's Type XIII - Revolver Blast.

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Mountain Demon   0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0             Noel

[MAKAI]
Pistols begin to ring out, but do nothing. The thing is too large; they can't possibly hurt it. It seems enraged, corrupted, but also ancient. Moss and vines cling to it's great arms, as if they were literally torn free from some scenic landscape deep in the heart of Japan and brought to bear as weapons. The way that torso shrinks and the legs curl up might be comical, if the encounter were less deathly serious. People could very well die here, and in large numbers. It would take the army to possibly hurt it, tanks and helicopters, with the response time being one or two dozen minutes.

Noel's not willing to just stand back and wait that long, after all.

The spark of chi causes it to twist, glowing red eyes burning at her. As the glyph flashes, a gargantuan palm shifts between the head and the woman. The explosion rings out loud, causing another too-deep baritone roar. Rock collapses off the wound, breaking apart asphalt and crushing a newspaper vender. A hole has been ploughed straight through from the hit.

And now it's mad.

Walking on those oversized arms, looming almost as tall as the two-story buildings to either side, it rushes along, striking aside trucks, cars, backhanding a bus to impact the side of a storefront as a mother and child in stroller barely press past in time, glass pouring out around them. And then it sweeps out, huge fingers digging into the street, as an eclipse of eroded stone lunges towards Noel in an attempt to grasp her, and much of the terrain she stands on, in order to *squeeze* with ungodly might!! Concrete, metal, a car, all collapsing like a tin can behind that monstrous power!

COMBATSYS: Noel just-defends Mountain Demon's Grasp and Squeeze!

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Mountain Demon   0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Noel

[NOEL]
Inside, Noel is terrified.

The monster twists towards her. The Demon's three eyes burning a hole through her as they focus upon her, the blue and black clad woman's rifle disengaging, no smoke billowing from the magical weapon as they return to a pair of handguns. The red cords tied to metallic bits on the end sway in the breeze, billowing outwards as the force causes her outfit and clothes to whip against her form. The beast twists and begins to walk towards her. Noel continues to hold her place.

Why can't I move? Why... why don't I move? She asks herself. Yet her body remains still. The threat of death - she doesn't want it. Yet no action she takes seems to signal this. Police and others begin to back away as the monster finally finds a target, one that stood forth. The first step taken is forwards.

Rushing forwards, Noel finds the Mountain Demon bearing down upon her. Blue eyes take stock in the moment as debris is kicked up by the creatures pass forwards. 'This is ... is there any way out?!' The triggers are depressed carefully - once, twice, three times, pointed in different directions. Not enough to cause damage like before...

Finally, it sweeps out, huge fingers digging into the street before Noel to grasp her and the terrain she stands upon. The huge fingers grasp the terrain, aiming to grasp Noel as well. Glyphs, smaller, all light up at once about the ground. Just enough force, just at the right time, to kick up chunks of metal and concrete that the Demon digs into, diverting some of the massive debris by creating more. Leaping from the first chunk, Noel kicks off, rolling into and through a hole in the car door she had shot off, grasping and holding onto it as she flips onto it, almost surfing the assault as the fingers come through.

She cannot avoid the massive hand - so far moving with the junk that is plowed throughh, aiming to collapse her and the battlefield like a tin can within the grasp.

Both barrels of Bolverk are thrust towards finger that is swung by the demon and fired - the glyph automatically erupting in massive explosion of chi and force to negate negate the force with which it swings. Perhaps more. Inside, Noel would be shivering. Blue eyes calmly stare at what is imminent death in any other situation.

COMBATSYS: Mountain Demon endures Noel's Type II - Bloom Trigger.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Mountain Demon   0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Noel

[MAKAI]
The crush had no finesse and thought behind it other than pure strength. The sudden thrust into point-blank blasts do the trick, two fingers far larger than Noel herself severed below the first knuckle. They spiral away and land heavily in the streets, like dud missiles raining from above. One crushing a van into a misshapen lump. Civilians are almost a block away now, Noel's distraction having bought them time to escape. Yes; she's saved a lot of lives here today, as the resonating groan of angry stone builds up once more.

Next is to save her own. Of course, her assault did not stagger it. Instead it's palm is open, swinging out forcefully with remaining fingers splayed, trying to literally swat Noel from the air and send her launching down towards the ground, half a block away. It then takes a moment to assess it's injuries, which seem to be slowly knitting as new rock begins to rumble and sculpt into being. This might be a race against time; this being's true form is not the mountain, but the soul of the angry demon inside... if she cannot break it apart sufficient to dispel the spirit, it can simply reconstruct itself again, and again, and again...!!

COMBATSYS: Noel just-defends Mountain Demon's Swift Backhand!

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Mountain Demon   0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0             Noel

[NOEL]
No finesse. No thought. Simply strength.

It would be enough for Noel alone. Bolverk within her hands, however, nulls those thoughts of dread. Of fear. Of hopelessness. Such a creature, how it exists. It sends shivers down her spine and lurks in the nightmares of her and so many others - and likely many more to come as they relive these moments in the years to come. If there would be years. For Noel, it is possible there would be minutes.

Leaping backwards, Noel twists in the air, red strings pulling the metallic bits in a spiral as she aims to land a mite bit further back from the Mountain Demon, atop a demolished bus. It overhangs the ground, giving her quite the position. If she would make it.

'KYAAAAAAAAAAH' is the thought that Noel has once the palm opens up, swatting towards her. 'Is this how - '

"Such speed...!" The speed - it's too fast! For such a giant! Yet the swat towards Noel would end up working against it. "Bolverk! Freyja!" The guns are slammed together - twisting - as the metallic weapon reforms into a shotgun, metal slammed barrel first into the giant demon's hand, the gylph burning at the front of it matching force with force - but not to prevent the Mountain Demon from swinging, but to dilute the power that would have rendered Noel into a smear on the side of one of the many buildings.

Thrown skywards, Noel is left once more up in the sky.

She's not quite a bird, but she can notice the rocks from her sight... they're... re-forming!? "Ah! How can it be...!"

Without any further prattle from Noel, the guns once more de-intersect, blast after blast fired towards the Demon - glyphs appearing all over the re-forming rocks to detonate and sheer off the armoring. Chi plumes detonate in the sky, marked briefly all around the giant!

COMBATSYS: Mountain Demon fails to slow Type XI - Optic Barrel from Noel with Small Rubble Toss.

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Mountain Demon   0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0             Noel

[MAKAI]
The air bellows in the wake of that swinging palm. The weapons impact it, and with a great CRACK deflect it slightly upwards. The side of a building is struck, plowing through bricks and destroying the inner areas. The glass shatters from countless windows. Yet the fingers within clench, and with a mouthless roar more vibration than speech it swings in a backhand. A great sea of debris is sent in Noel's direction; yet she unleashes a storm of assaults, destroying the few chunks that might have hit her, and begins tearing into the beast's less-armored chest. It actually staggers backwards in pain, cracks splintering out in all directions before it falls away to reveal a slowly pulsating heart of twisted power, the core of it's ability to manifest the earth. Immediately, cracks start to come together, trying to seal over it...

Within the museum, all the guards and surveillance having run out to observe the pandemonium outside, as expected. Makai stands before a glass case in the Ainu exhibit, upon which a short blade is settled. Almost mundane, with a black hilt with red on either end. It lacks a traditional pommel, with a ruby on the base. The plaque reads: 'Legends describe a weapon attributed to a force of nature close to this description. This blade was found decades ago in a holy place of the indigenous Ainu. Regardless of myths, the pristine quality does not match the apparent length of time it laid in the forest, and contains many questions with few answers.'

"How ironic... a lost treasure of my host's people, on display by the ignorant..."

[NOEL]
The gunfire is rapid and plentiful - the woman pulling the trigger effortlessly, as if the shots of chi energy were simply breaths. In the air, she seemingly hangs forever. More shots rain upon the form as she falls, red strings marking her descent as they shoot upwards and are pulled down by her. Even as she falls, the woman continues to fire - more and more chunks blasted away and into the giant's earthen armoring. Just as she falls, the cracks begin to come together to seal over the armoring.

Vermillion lands, falling forwards to dissipate the landing, rolling to her feet as she charges forwards, towards the Mountain that Moves. Fallen gravel gives way as she dashes across it. Footsteps challenge the earthen demon, signaling her trespass onto the demon's armoring itself. As she runs, Bolverk is held at her sides, crossed in front of her to deflect any immediate assaults, held at the ready.

She is unaware of the actual purpose. Unaware of the true focus for Makai. In truth, she doesn't know he exists. With a narrow focus, like the barrel of a gun, her legs beat against shattered armor that threatens to reform. The hatred of this creature dampened. How many lives has it threatened? How many lives might it have ruined? What brought it to do such a thing? Yet no burning in Noel's heart ignites. The flames spark but do not catch. Instead, they are simply questions.

"Monster or Demon! By Novus Orbis Librarium... you will not be allowed to harm these innocent people!" Such valiant words come only with assistance. Even the normally wavering voice of Lieutenant Vermillion holds steady, Bolverk clasped tightly in her hands, the barrels glowing faintly as she closes on the core.

Kicking off the edge of the armoring, "Type Five!" The barrels glow, held at the sides of her head as she spins, twirling, and lands right before the armoring core. Kicking hard against it, her shoulder would slam into it - mostly harmless. Until the guns placed against her side accentuate the possible opening, detonating outwards from her shoulder, a pillar of chi from a glyph placed right against her.

Reckless as it is, her fear does not halt her actions.

COMBATSYS: Mountain Demon barely endures Noel's Type V - Assault Through.

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Mountain Demon   1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0             Noel

[MAKAI]
The massive creature is proving that size is not always an advantage. Noel is speedy enough to maneuver around such things, and has enough focused firepower to penetrate the beast's incredibly thick armor. The grand mountain seems to be lurching, having trouble now regenerating as the core of it's power bares exposed to the open air. A hand swishes through the air, billowing past where Noel just was, before she impacts the core and unleashes a brutal explosion. The entire monster staggers backwards on it's arms, crashing to the ground for a moment. The pierced palm grasping where it was, coming away to show it cracked and beginning to seep out corrupted energy. Struggling it gets back upright, and then lets out another roar, far louder that seems to shake the very air. Brushing past a building face, sending it cascading down to bury the thankfully empty sidewalk, it then hurls itself into the air. Both huge fists press together, rearing backwards... before descending, trying to hammerblow Noel straight down before landing like a great meteor beside, denting the street deep enough the ruptures expose the sewers beneath!

COMBATSYS: Mountain Demon successfully hits Noel with Leaping Bomb.

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Mountain Demon   1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1             Noel

[NOEL]
Noel w-woah!

The strength that Noel has, the speed that she manages to bring forth, all of it lasts to get an advantage upon the Mountain that Moves. For the mountain shambles. Chip it away as you may, it has existed before her. If it was to have its way, it would exist after as well.

'W-woah'.

The thought rings through Noel's mind as it leaps straight upwards. Noel kicks off the machine as it staggers backwards. The corrupted energy begins to flow free. Noel can see it - that may mean it's almost over. It wasn't yet, however. Bolverk is fired upwards at the Demon of the mountain as she leaps backwards. Once more, she hops back, attempting to outrange it. Yet the truth remains - how does one outrange it? The truth is clear. You stay as far away as possible. To keep it in your sight. To slip through every movement.

So far, it has worked.

The mountain takes flight. The shadow exclipses the battlefield as Noel stares upwards. The girl inside is lost in the darkness. A monstrous beast, dark, frozen in the sky. Bright red eyes staring down. The fear is palpable. She ... has she seen this before? No. The woman outside is not. Gunshots are fire, glyphs detonating in the sky as she leaps farther back.

The rubble collapses under her foot. "Gah!?" She grunts, eyes widening in disbelief. There is no fear displayed, not immediately, a simple stare at the leg as if it was an enemy. It's pulled once more.

Her eyes rise up. The hands come down. Bolverk is swung upwards, both weapons held up like a cross, as if to ward off the demons in tales so long ago.

It does not.

The deafening blow, cratering the ground, includes Noel. The saving grace is the movement of earth that tosses her outwards as it craters, the blue and black clothed woman bouncing along the ground as she comes to a stop. Yet she rises, body zombie-like in it's apparent haste to once more stand on her legs, barely able to force herself to stand after such a heavy blow. Body bruised, bleeding outwards from the impact.

Blue eyes fade for a moment, green eyes staring for a frozen second, staggering backwards. Bolverk is nearly dropped as she takes another step back. All hope seems distant for a brief moment, emotions coming rushing back in, "You! W-what is ... h-how is this here, in the c...city!? E...everyone's going to...!" As emotions run wild, eyes fade back to blue, Bolverk once more numbing Noel to the harsh reality of the world.

"Bolverk! Spin!"

The handgun is tossed, then the other. The weapons, burning brightly in energy, are swung towards the massive earthern demon, grinding away the armoring on the core - thought it is is so close, her arm whipping out to do so, it's in such reach. How dangerous it must be.

COMBATSYS: Mountain Demon interrupts Fierce Punch from Noel with Rampage.
- Power hit! -
*KNOCKED AWAY*
-@- Dazing Hit! -@-

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Mountain Demon   1/-------/=======|=======\====---\1             Noel

[MAKAI]
The issue with bullfighting is that it does not take very much bad luck to change everything. Although it might take a dozen licks of the sabre for it to bleed out and collapse, it needs only a single gore of brutal horns to rip open another and reign the pyrric champion. Noel made no mistake in this approach; not once did she underestimate or lack respect to the power behind this demon, once a force of nature warped in ancient times to something else. It was merely an issue of odds. When it rushes out, not only possessing strength and speed but a great amount of area, she always risked eventually it gaining some free hits.

Looming over, the core glitters and pulses, still heavily cracked. Her imbued weapons strike out, reinforced with strength far beyond her own. But both huge hands suddenly clasp together, almost lovingly cradling Noel between them. And then, it brings them up and SLAMS her down upon the street. Not once, but twice, before dropping her and then bringing up a fist. A final overhead smash sends water streaming up from a shattered pipeline beneath, while sending Noel spiraling off further down the street, the roar building up in crescendo. A sudden series of cracks appear in the left arm, rocks and boulders tumbling off.

But the rage... why is it so angry? It seems pained, tortured, even before she tore into it...!

[NOEL]
The grinding of Bolverk, against the core - still physical in nature, guns imbued with strength beyond hers but still metallic. Chi, magi-tech far stronger than her. Ageless, compared to her. Guns that had chosen her as their wielder from the day they showed up in her moment of need.

A situation, now, that seems so familiar. To be replayed once again. Another cycle.

Hands clasp together about Noel. In that moment, she is lost to the outside world. Brought upwards, angels with wings welcome her to the sky. "Ah...?" Leaks from her mouth. Her mind is far different, 'Is this .. it? No! Mother! Father!' Moments later, it is the cruel reality of earth that she meets. Body coming down against the ground, almost rag dolling the first time. The second time she lays there. Breath gasping for air. Blue eyes staring at the sky.

Staring at the fist that comes down towards her. 'How large... how angry... I hate it... I hate this...' Thoughts barely form together.

The body of Noel spirals away as the water streams upwards - the woman crashing onto her front. Bolverk crashes down to her side, clattering against the ground. Eyes are half-lidding. Red liquid leaking to pool about her. Warm. The eyes fully close.

The sky. Blue, marred with smoke. She stands in ruins, years ago with no knowledge of what happened. Where she was. It's ... raining? But it wasn't raining then... Eyes flick open, green, to the world. Everything hurts. Bolverk is there besides her. There's a roar. Eyes, open. Noel stares, wide eyes, fearful, clear water mixing with her blood as it washes down her face. Anger. It's so angry... it's .. frightening.

As she did but years ago, she clasps Bolverk to her. "Please, stop! PLEASE! I'm sorry, I'M SORRY!" Words that she has repeated so much, they are a mantra. The first words that come to her.

Bolverk snaps together, a heavy shotgun as before, the barrels cocking back before a single glyph explodes from the barrels forwards - a chain reaction as they propagate outwards, tearing through the sky. Pillars erupt from the ground where the glyphs touch, chi spiraling upwards and outwards in a magical fusillade.

COMBATSYS: Mountain Demon blocks Noel's Type XVII - Chamber Shot.

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Mountain Demon   1/-----==/=======|=======\====---\1             Noel

[MAKAI]
The wounded beast has obvious trouble getting back upright after that riotous display, breathing deeply. A larger piece of stone falls off it's shoulder, smashing a Prius, which nobody cares about. And then with a tremble it lunges back towards Noel, entire body thrumming out a loud, deafening sound of rage and defiance. Twisting sideways, the rake of bursting geysers instead hits his right arm, blowing it clean off. For a few moments they begin to fall separate, before lashes of vines ripple out from the wounded torso and grasp the limb again, drawing it back and locking it into place. Further vegetation ripples out, sealing it temporarily back in place. All of such does nothing to stop it's advance, of course. As it then lashes out, sweeping the hand missing fingers as the badly damaged other arm desperately clings to the ruined streets. Intent on grasping Noel, and then depositing her with a building-shuddering impact into the business area adjacent, causing the already stressed and cracked foundation to give and the entire structure to start collapsing in a great wall of dust and debris!!

COMBATSYS: Mountain Demon successfully hits Noel with Snatch and Smash.

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Mountain Demon   1/-----==/=======|=======\=======\1             Noel

[NOEL]
The prius is smashed. Perhaps the worst part of it all is it passes without a word.

Even the man will be happy it is gone, as he had it insured for such an occasion.

Vines? Noel stares at the sight, still on her knees as she holds up Bolverk. Green eyes focusing upon the demon possessed mountain. It's ... angry. It's in pain? She doesn't know. She can't tell. Yet she can't do nothing. Staggering to her feet, it is an attempt for her to keep going. An attempt to continue fighting.

One that is immediately dimmed as the Demon grasps her with the fingerless arms. Swinging out towards Noel, it clenches tight. Her step falters, allowing the grasp to land. "N-no! KIYAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" A scream ripples through the air as the hand swings again, lashing out towards the business area. Stressed buildings and cracked foundation once more bury Noel just as Yamazaki had done to her earlier. Clouds of dust kick up around her, oscuring her. Everything hurts. Why did everything come to this? What drove this demon? Why can't all these problems... Just. Go. AWAY!? The woman, clasping Bolverk tight as she curled up in pain, finds it numb. Hands and arms, legs and body numb as they rise up as if floating.

As if she was unwounded - yet her body was bruised. Her clothing shorn. Her hair tussled, the beret no longer controlling flowing locks. Still, she is trapped in the grasp - an arm and leg at least unable to be pulled free. To it, Noel glances. To the Mountain that Moves, she does as well. "For whatever purpose you do this... you have endangered too many. Fenrir!" Her hand is held outwards, the handgun pulled to the side to face the formidable mountain. Yet Bolverk continues to expand. Only one hand holds the gun, balanced half on her hip and half on her free right arm, Bolverk is in the recognizable form of a gatling-gun, almost as large as Noel was.

"I'm sorry." The words are drowned out as Noel pulls back on the trigger, entire body recoiling as each and every shot rattles her with the lack of stabilization with her other arm. Energy rattles out from the muzzle, streaks of light shearing outwards, towards the boulders. Towards the core. Towards the Mountain that Moves. The rate of fire leaves little to no time in between shots - before Fenrir suddenly vanishes.

Once the cloud of debris vanishes, the Nemesis Stabilizer points directly towards the core. "Nemesis Stabilizer. Fire."

A streak of energy lances outwards, lancing towards the core - and perhaps through - if nothing could be done by the Mountain that Moves.

COMBATSYS: Mountain Demon barely endures Noel's Zero Gun - Fenrir.

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Mountain Demon   1/-======/=======|=======\-------\0             Noel

[MAKAI]
The mountainous beast reaches up to grasp the rent building that Noel got flung into, trying to support itself. Fingers keep a moderate clench on the girl, but not as tight as she might have expected. She blew off three of the five fingers, after all. When the relentless assaults pour out, they begin to explode upon the beast, causing a resonation that seems to carry with it more pain than anything else. When it finally lets up, the creature's hand slithers open, and it begins to raise up it's right arm. Before a great shot pierces through, the core suddenly shattering. For a split second the Mountain that Moves remains poised, cracks starting to spread through it. And then it roars, before suddenly swinging down it's limb. What remains of the building suddenly shatters inwards, as it tries to catch Noel on a decaying forearm and drive her down to the very bottom level. Again and again it begins to swing, each one causing the entire block to shake, bellowing out that strange thrumming noise. Cracks splinter up further and further, not even aware of whether it's actually hitting her or not. Only trying for a last, thrusting grasp upon the girl, to squeeze while driving her down into the basement of the demolished business building... before with a last thrum, it's arm shatters into countless pieces. What little kept the rest of the Mountain that Moves cohesive crumbles then, the redness flashing out in it's eyes as a pile of boulders and vegetation lands in the abandoned street. Slowly a white spirit thrums up; it looks somewhat similar to the shape of the monster that Noel slew, black tendrils peeling off it. Plants and flowers blossom on the dirt and stone of it's former shell. Sadness thrums out now, as memories of when this land was beautiful, fertile, verdant, thrumming with the mana of the earth pours free. Visions as much seen as felt. And then it disperses with a whispering breeze, returning to the heart of the planet that long, long ago birthed it, finally at peace...

"How surprising." states a male voice not far off. A slender figure, billowing black cape around him. Gauze wraps his form, within the shadows of his hood purple sockets of his crimson mask glowing. Golden guards on forearms and shins, as he looks over a particular sword, feeling it with his fingers. "The people of this time are better able to deal with the regrets of the past than I expected..."

COMBATSYS: Mountain Demon can no longer fight.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  <
Noel             0/-------/=======|

COMBATSYS: Noel blocks Mountain Demon's Overkill.

[                         \\\\\  <
Noel             1/-----==/=======|

[NOEL]
The relentless assault comes from Noel, the woman's blue eyes signalling something - something terribly bright, burning underneath. Yet it shields it. It soothes it. It controls it. No words beyond the necessary. No actions except those required. Almost mechanical in a way - but far too human for that. Fenrir roars, tearing through the earthern armory and weaponry alike, the heavy thrum more than enough for the armoring left. Blue eyes also watch as the hand raises, but the control of the gun is the important part for the moment. She cannot miss this shot.

She doesn't.

The mountain that moves begins to crack as the core shatters. Yet the building shares the sentiment, cracking out, down, into the basement of the building. As she falls, the blue eyes stare open. Bolverk is crossed over her chest once more as if it was a cross, held as a flimsy shield, up against the blows. Each of them nearly shattering her bones. The very core of her shudders from every strike - the massive decaying fore-arm crashing, splintering against time, driving Noel finally into the basement of the fallen building.

The earth is quiet as the beast is vanquished, the sins of the past, only to be repeated one more in the future. An endless cycle.

Endless cycles are meant to be broken. The world drives itself into destruction, one phase at a time.

A hand clasps on the edge of the remnants of the building. Noel pulls herself from the ruins. Blue eyes staring at the white spirit as her finger-nails dig into earth that sought to bury her alive. To bury her until she was no longer alive. Clawing herself forwards, towards the plants and flowers that blossom, the blue eyes stare at the thrumming sadness. The land that was beautiful. Fertile. Verdant.

Thrumming with with mana. Pouring free. A world without hate. A world that deserved to exist.

A world that was banished. Dispersed, returning to the heart of the planet that no longer exists.
%"Why... Waaaah! WAAAAAAAAAAAH!" How sad... how very, very sad... The blue eyes leak - and then she topples over.

Noel, prone, comes to moments later. Green eyes stare skywards as pain wracks her body. "W...what? Where am I... why's everything destroyed? A-Ah... I'm bleeding bad...!" If she sees Makai, her stare and gasp is enough to say all that needs to be said.

COMBATSYS: Noel takes no action.

[                        \\\\\\  <
Noel             1/-----==/=======|

COMBATSYS: Noel keeps on fighting!

[                        \\\\\\  <
Noel             1/-----==/=======|

[MAKAI]
The motion is quick. In Noel's current state, it might be alarmingly so; one moment she's disoriented, and the next, there stands the figure from before. The tip of the strange sword rests upon the sidewalk, as his crimson mask leans distraughtly close to the gun-toting girl. "...?" His head tilts to the side, although the eyeholes don't appear to be in a proper position to look. Despite the rude intrusion, there's not any overt hostility in the proximity just yet. But there's a strange aura within him, one that might send every hair on her body alert. A monster. Moreso then the beast she just slew and sent back to nature. Here, is someone who cannot be allowed to exist. "What's sleeping inside you?" is asks, almost a whisper, muffled slightly by the carved wood of his mask. That malignant essence continues to hiss from the sockets of his mask. "Interesting... I've lived a very long life, but I've never 'smelled' anything like that..."

COMBATSYS: Makai has joined the fight here.

[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Noel             1/-----==/=======|-------\-------\0            Makai

[NOEL]
Green eyes blink. For a moment, Makai is nowher enearby her. In the next second, the figure stands from before. Those green eyes swell wide, wavering, shuddering her head shakes. Weak hands pull her backwards, away from the man as he leans closer. The crimson mask is too close. A monster. It's. A. Monster.

"S...s..."

The words don't come immediately, Noel's fingers barely retaining the ability to hold herself up. Especially with that strange, pressing aura about him. Mussed hair, claid with dust and debris, would stand on end if possible. Everything about him seems wrong. Everything about him seems like it shouldn't exist. "STAY AWAY! M.. monster! W... What do you want from me? I ... I don't have anything... a-ah?"

The question stuns her from her slightly hysterical state. Sleeping... inside of her? "W... what do you mean? I'm ... w..why are you asking me this!?" It doesn't seem like there are any direct answers that Noel is giving to Makai, but Bolverk, for no reason at all, materializes in her hands as her answers get more erratic.

COMBATSYS: Noel takes no action.

[                        \\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Noel             1/-----==/=======|-------\-------\0            Makai

[MAKAI]
"I'm a gourmand..." Makai states, cracking his neck audibly to the side. "A binge-eater, you could say... well. Not me. 'Me'. The man behind this mask of skin, flesh, and bone... I suppose modern-day monster hunters don't remember the Shinigami of the Mist, but..." He then slowly brings up his hand, fingers splaying out. The motion is strange, as if he's purposefully moving in slow motion. Before snapping it out, intent on striking Noel in the chest with an open palm. Twisting explosively to generate a massive build-up of internal motion, the result would be a great CRACK of force shooting out from his hands, although if Noel cannot evade, she'd find her entire body to be almost completely unmoved by the motion. In the distance, countless people with cameras are recording once more, police pouring out and setting up a perimeter well past the range of destruction on this city block. "Sit down for a second...!!"

COMBATSYS: Noel dodges Makai's Final Rites.

[                        \\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////////  ]
Noel             1/-----==/=======|-------\-------\0            Makai

Mountain Demon falls asleep.

[NOEL]
A gourma- that doesn't answer anything!

No. It answers plenty. This wasn't his first strike. It couldn't have been. A foot is pulled backwards, a hand rising, palm flat against rubble as the bruised, beaten woman crawls backwards. He explains that his outside visage is but a shell, a costume, a mask - in his own words. "N..no..." Shinigami of the Mist? A footnote in the many studies. Noel wouldn't even remember glossing over the history of those the Sacred Order fought, the expansive bestiary that should have no longer existed.

A history book that is coming to represent the current world with every passing day. The hand hand raises, Noel's mouth opens wide a shrill scream as the strike lunges out - the scream may yet echo, but it cuts sharply, abruptly, as Bolverk once more makes Noel act without thinking. The bent leg digs deep into the ground, twisting itself painfully as it pushes off the ground. Upwards Noel travels, enough force to send her in a slight arc, legs tucking under her to land in a skid, facing Makai. Hands clap Bolverk, metallic frames scraping against the ground as she comes to a stop almost dog-like, bent over - before she raises up to face him, body still bent. Barely enough strength to stay up.

Blue eyes stare at Makai once more. Why does it have to be like this? She had won. Why couldn't it just... go away? The world... had it become this sick? Relapsing. Such thoughts mix together in a cloud of emotions, barely registering. "I .. won't! Listening to you... why would I!" She protests. Such words flowing free when moments ago she could barely even string together a sentence. It is not the only thing that she strings together, however.

"Bolverk! Thor!" The chi-technology flashing, twisting, widening - as Noel falls to a knee. It's clear why a moment later, a massive handle flashing into existance around her hands - a long black barrel that extends outwards, over her shoulder. At the front, two bronze wings - before the main threat materializes. A sizable green missile with an almost comical shark like face atop it, from a plane of old. The trigger depresses.

Rockets on the back of the missile fire, the main barrel working in tandem as the head fires off towards Makai, to crash into him - or the ground beneath him. The green payload would crash upon the target - land or person - and detonate outwards, chi flowing outwards from the point of impact in a blast-wave, compressed energy flowing outwards in all directions before dissipating not far from the target - though the shockwave could still cause a few watchers to stagger back.

The kickback causes Noel to stagger backwards as well, barely able to keep the weapon steady, catching herself only at the end of a few steps!

[MAKAI]
Mountain Demon wakes up.

COMBATSYS: Noel successfully hits Makai with Zero Gun - Thor.

[                        \\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Noel             0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0            Makai

Even though Noel manages to slither past the hand, Makai follows through with the motion; it seems almost like he unleashed a blast of pure force, and that such was done sheerly with techniqie might be lost. A mild note of surprise leaves him at this, head tilting to the side. "Oh...? You can still move well..." He's underestimating her. Considering the woman barely able to move. The Butcher has always been arrogant; yet time and immortality does that. He had best learn his current form has nowhere near the regenerative prowess. On top of that, this peculiar method of fighting... he has no knowledge of it! Creating weaponry from nothing?! What sort of manifestation power is this?!

Hands come up and grasp the tip of the missile. He skids backwards, fingers seething with purple energy, before there's a burst of maglinant hellfire as her assault strikes true. When the smoke slowly clears and pieces of stone stop raining down, Makai is on the opposite street, chest wrapping burnt open to reveal intricate deep gray bandages inscribed in golden runes. The flesh beneath seems human, if badly scorched at the moment. "Ah... I genuinely tried to stop that..." He managed to partially divert the force, but it still comes as a shock. "Are you drawing power from that curious shadow in your soul? Hmmhmm... it is like the tip of a glacier. I have no idea how deep it goes, or how large... but I want it!!"

He rushes forward, utilizing a complex moving method drawn from ninjutsu; using the gravity of falling forward along with brief, explosive movement. Trailing smoke and burnt fabric, he makes to again loom near Noel, this time swiping out with his hand to touch her body. A demonic seal splintering out regardless, spectral purple bladed chains whirling upwards in an attempt to grasp and draw her down before him amidst an infusion of scorching energy. "Come...! Give me--"

Suddenly Makai twists back slightly. It seems pointless, until the sound of a pistol. A bullet flits past, then another, as the many police on the threshold begins to open fire on him. "Tch... troublesome...!! Shall I bring forth more sins of the past to strike down this selfish race?!"

COMBATSYS: Makai successfully hits Noel with Tombstone EX.

[                            \\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Noel             0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0            Makai

[NOEL]
A weapon that should not exist, wielded by one much the same. Forgotten, just as Makai had been. Yet, enough repetition will yield the results required. Be it chance or cycles of time, Noel is before Makai - at the point where his power has dulled just enough to give her a fighting chance. Chi technology, apparently just perfected by humanity as living weapons, already among the youngest new soldiers. How brazen could the UN be?

Yet blue eyes stare upon Makai as he grasps the tup of the missile. There is no look of disbelief. No surprise to be found on the muted face as he speaks. Requesting knowledge that Noel has no answer to. The smoke clears to reveal him, the doll like form that Makai uses as his avatar. Bolverk is swung together, clasped forwards, barrels pointing vertically, upwards and downwards, as she remains silent to the initial question.

Painfully silent. If she knows the answer, Makai does not seem to bribe Noel into speaking it. Yet inside, she is told more. Words do not reach her. As emotions run wild, Bolverk filters what is unnecessary, the Arcus Diabolus living up to it's title. 'Shadow? What does he mean?' The more she thinks, the more it is muted. A sky full of snowflakes, each of them conjoining, lost hopelessly in the endless pile of them. In the end, becoming the same - nothing. "I... don't know what you're saying...! I don't have any answers for you!"

Makai rushes forwards, smoke and burnt fabric trailing. Noel's body moves once more. Legs pushing backwards, Bolverk held outwards - between herself and Makai. A mistake, as the demonic seal appears. The splintering seal's chains grasp Noel's limbs, some digging into them, pulling her back to earth as she attempts to pull away. Once they dig in, once they tie he up in such scorching energy, the blue eyes stare forwards, limbs falling to her side. As if she knows, now, there is no escape. Nothing she can do. 'Why .. can't I even struggle?' But the feeling of imminent death is even muted. Such an emotion, how powerful to humans, is muted. Falling to her knees or hanging, caught on the way down, Noel's limbs hang limply, the grasp about Bolverk the only action the body seems to allow.

A deep fear, a deeper hatred, simmer under blue eyes, silent to the world. Blood drips along the chains, down Bolverk, but as the grip becomes more slippery, the grasp becomes tighter.

COMBATSYS: Noel takes no action.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Makai            0/-------/----===|

COMBATSYS: Noel can no longer fight.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Makai            0/-------/----===|

[MAKAI]
"There's no need for further words..." Makai intones once Noel is wrapped tightly, the burst of adrenaline from desperation waning. His fingers then swirl with energy, as he shifts to interpose himself behind Noel. The police yell to cease fire, unable to guarantee that the hero who destroyed the Mountain that Moves won't be hit. "I'll take your power for my own!!" He then strikes out repeatedly, hitting Noel's pressure points and central chi leylines. Pulses of corrupting soul energy slither deep within. Bleeding like ink in water, to suffuse the woman herself, and leave only that strange presence deep inside. There's surprisingly little pain, only a strange detachment...

And then he lashes out, sinking his fingers and thumb into her sternum.

Immediately there's a great flash of energy, and an adjacent damaged wall collapses. Makai is twitching on the ground, his right arm badly burned up to nearly the shoulder. A snarl of confusion and pain as an ashen rain of his tatters falls around. "What..." That thing in her. He has lived a long time, eaten countless things... but never felt something like that. "The hell...?!"

The heavy footsteps of the heavy response officers are heard thrumming down the street, well-armored and wielding automatic weaponry. Makai grits his teeth as he manages to get upright and stumble backwards into the shadows amongst the rubble.

"You're the real monster here..."

The spectral chains shimmer and then dissipate, just as a dozen men in riot gear burst into the area. The medic rushes towards Noel, the others scanning the surroundings with a flashlight. "Don't worry... it's over. You're safe."

[NOEL]
No words are provided. Behind Bolverk, Noel blacks out. Blue eyes remain open as the woman still hanging before Makai stares at him.

Noel mouths something, wordless, as Makai shifts behind her. Strike after strike plunges into Noel, laylines of chi opened wide. The woman whose only success, only natural ability, was how /well/ she connected with chi based technology. Dormant, the lines of energy slither in. To Noel, there are two occurrences.

Blue eyes stare upwards at the sky, feeling the inconvenience prey feels as a predator tears into it. There are no real responses she has to him.

Green eyes dream of fantastical things - impossible events. A girl, so much alike with her but clearly not. Meetings with Jin that have never happened - thought they are so much alike with some of her others. And then, a blinding light.

The finger slam into the sternum. The flash of energy causes blue pupils to shrink. Unspoken words are mouthed, words with no meaning in this world. That have never existed. Yet the woman does not react to the sudden flash - except for the tiny blue pupils now looking directly at him. For a brief moment, what is inside may see out - and directly at Makai. Emotions surge. The Arcus Diabolus reacts a millisecond later.

To the outsideworld, Noel collapses entirely in the chains. Body going limp as heavy response officers tear across the street. No response is provided from Noel, though when they check her eyes, it is the cool green of the naive and kind girl that initially was attempting to eat noodles, on the cheap. Not the cold blue, wide eyes, of the hero that had faced the Mountain that Moves.

She would not wake up on the street. Bolverk vanishes just as the chains shimmer and dissipate, hanging about her, though physically absent. She would likely awaken in care, unknown except the 'hero' that defended them - as the Sacred Order could not exist in Japan under the UN's current actions. All IDs were simply a risk.

Log created on 15:55:48 10/18/2017 by Makai, and last modified on 20:50:20 10/20/2017.