IC Inbox [coding thanks to photosynthesis]

[pauldron]

INBOX text / audio / video / action This is Lightning. Leave a message and I'll get back to you. code credit

Comments

the only thing real is killing skeletons. :3

[pauldron]

[This is the kind of teamwork that can only be forged in fire and blood. This is the kind of teamwork Lightning has only forged with the other l'Cie, the knowledge that someone has her back as well as she has theirs. And sure, there's not nearly as many blasts of magic as she's used to, but they settle into a rhythm as the night goes on.

Stab, blast back the approaching on this side, slice. Duck beneath a blow meant to cut her side open, slice the skeleton at the knees. Rinse, repeat, do it all over again. Throw a few glances Felix's way to be sure he's not getting in over his head and appreciate that he knows what he's doing. It gives her the room she needs to maneuver, and if that means taking a page out of Snow's book to bodycheck the skeleton that got too close, well, she's grateful all the same. She leaps back, tossing a spell into the distance.

Fira sears the night, lighting up the empty fields around them in red and orange. A handful of skeletons go down in the blaze, collapsing into piles of scorched but somehow still intact bone. Landing gracefully, she smirks at him.]

I can do this all night. [They may have to. No matter how many they take down, more seem to come from nowhere. How many of their number is the darkness hiding? Hard to say. She glances to the gate to the settlement, the last of its people slipping away under the watchful eye of a few soldiers who had all but begged for their help.] You're not slowing down on me, are you?

[brothered]

[It's a skillful maneuver—and an undeniably powerful spell. He's reminded, briefly, of Sylvain's magic, wonders if his old friend is casting Bolganone somewhere halfway across the continent, before he forces himself to focus back on the approaching Spartae soldiers. Clumsy, creaking things...]

Hardly. [Ah, hold on. Let him neatly parry this one skeleton, then push it and its blade back—right into one of its many comrades. Get rekt.] These creatures are weak.

[They have, however, been going at this for hours now, and he's only human; he can certainly feel the first hints of fatigue creeping into the muscles of his arms, his shoulders—but it's good, in a way. A reminder that he's here! Alive! Doing what he does best, which is a thought that propels him forward, sending a Spartae's axe spinning to the ground.]

No need to push yourself.

[Mildly mocking, but there's no real malice to be found in those words. Goading one another along is what comrades do, right?]

[pauldron]

Who's pushing?

[It's what they do, at least. The endurance of a l'Cie is keeping her upright, though even that can't last forever. She sidesteps another sword, cleaving elbow from arm, and metal and bone clang to the ground. Endless endurance keeps them coming, but they do go down easily enough. Buying time is a simple task.

But for how long? One of the Temple soldiers shouts, cleaving their way through a few Spartae in their path, even as the main horde stays with Lightning and Felix. Dawn is hours away and she lets a burst of Aero fly in that direction. Bones scatter, buying the soldiers an escape route before she has to roll out of the way of an axe aiming for her neck. It stumbles, misses the attack, and she aims a kick at its sternum. It falls apart, but the axe skids backwards towards Felix's location.]

On your right!

[Careful there, partner! She's got your back.]

me: why is this tab in a window all of its own... oh? OH! oop

[brothered]

[He settles for a quiet huff of amusement as he turns his focus back to his task, making sure that no Spartae come too close to the imaginary line between himself and Lightning. Leaving enough space between them is a smart tactical move! Ensuring they have room to pull away—if they need it, which so far they have not. They are... doing well!

Even if an axe does come clattering back his way. He glances back just in time to step to the side, allowing it to land at the feet of... a particularly enterprising Spartae, who wastes no time picking it. Dual-wielding, huh? Great.]

Thanks, [he shouts back to her—and it would be a nice gesture, if he didn't immediately follow it up with:] I needed a change of pace.

[Why is he like this? God only knows. But as glances back in the soldiers' direction while he waits for his newest challenger to stop swinging both axes around like an idiot:]

How are they holding up?

[The lads!]

xD it happens!

[pauldron]

[Felix, why.

Though she's too well trained to actually do it, and too focused on taking down the Spartae she's facing, Lightning is internally facepalming. Suddenly Ashe's comment on her being like Felix makes an embarrassing amount of sense, and she really owes her fellows a drink.

But that's a thought for another time. Slicing the head off one Spartae she chances a glance back.]

They're almost clear.

[Almost isn't good enough. They still need time, and cover. The horde is closing in, bones rising where bodies would have fallen, and she narrows her eyes. Time for another tactic.]

Fall back! I'm going to blast them!

[You don't want to get caught in a l'Cie Fira blast, Felix! It sucks!]

[brothered]

[He likes a CHALLENGE, Lightning!! And double the axes surely means double the fun, which is why he's pleased to see his new enemy finally straightening up, finally preparing to take this whole thing seriously...

...Or not? Or not, because Lightning gives that order and Felix knows that the fun... is over before it began—and as disappointing as that may be? While Felix feels the frustration of having a satisfying kill ganked from him? He does, in fact, fall back without question, rushing back and to the side, because he's fought alongside mages before. Sayonara, brave foe...]

Clear!

[Do ya thing, girl. He'll circle around her, both to escape the blast and to pick off the few enterprising enemies seeking to catch her from behind while she readies her spell. Switching positions like this can be tricky; now, however, everything about it feels surprisingly natural, and Felix appreciates yet another reminder that he isn't fighting alongside an amateur.]

[pauldron]

[There's something to be said about fighting alongside someone who knows what they're doing, isn't there, someone who can look after themselves and cover you at the same time. Felix watching her back gives her the time she needs to gather enough energy for two Fira spells. Flames leap to life in her hands, casting shadows over the smirk on her face.]

Get lost!

[And then she throws them, one after the other, into the horde. They strike targets on two sides of the mass of bones, exploding night into day, and bones are sent flying in all directions. Scorched and smoking from being caught in the columns of fire, they'll take a bit to rebuild. The horde is still coming, but that move just bought them half a minute, easy. The soldiers can get clear. As for her and Felix, well, Lightning glances over her shoulder.]

You good?

[To stay here, she means, or should they fall back now? She's got some fight left in her if he does.]

[brothered]

[Spartae are simple, but not, like, that simple; only a handful of them are willing to press forward once Felix swoops in to cover Lightning's back, and those are taken down quickly and efficiently. He has ample time to turn and witness the lingering effects of her spells, which? You know? He still prefers his lightning-based magic to fire-based spells, but there is something undeniably impressive about the sight of charred bones slowly, painstakingly attempting to pull themselves back together. Maybe he shouldn't give Sylvain so much shit...

...Maybe. He's not about to learn any fire magic himself, but he will give Lightning a quick nod.]

Obviously.

[Look at him, Lightning! He's in FINE FORM! Peak physical condition! And, as he casts a glance over the soldiers' way as he sinks back into his offensive stance:]

The longer we give them, the better. [Because while he is an undeniable asshole, those soldiers... are tired? They're certainly not Felix- and Lightning-level combatants, so.] Ten minutes can make all the difference.

[Is that cool, comrade? He'll stay here and fight regardless, but you know, fighting together... isn't necessarily terrible. He wouldn't be opposed to continuing this arrangement for a while longer.]

[pauldron]

[If he thinks Fira was impressive, he should see her Thundaga once she gets it back. They can compare spells when that happens. Right now, she's sticking with Fira for the steady light it provides, and she takes her sword back into hand as the spells die away.]

Even two minutes makes a difference.

[Said as she slips back into her own sword stance, watching the rear. Their swapped positions means she's facing the oncoming horde while he guards her back and the soldiers retreat, but she's not bothered by it. She's certainly not leaving this fight yet. Balancing her weight on the ball of her foot, she narrows her eyes out into the dark. The bones are shaking, closer and closer.]

You've got my back?

[You ready?]