Time and Tides Archives

Ursula glanced up sharply, spotting Tiamat just in time to see the guardian dive. Her lips set in a grim line. Aura might soon see use, even though it didn't with that Lufene encounter.

Glancing over to Kain, she spares him a sharp nod. It's their duty as the warriors of the group to protect the others, and she won't falter on that. Whatever the cost, the Wind Crystal had to be safe.

The monk princess braced herself, then leaped high into the air. She planned to meet Tiamat with a flying kick. If the dragoon jumped, then they could assault the creature from below and above.

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Even after the genome vanished Lilisette could still feel the impression of her sword, but it had not even broken the skin. She hated being toyed with - Lilith had done it to her for nearly a year - and it only made the demons in her claw to get out. But Lufene was gone, and now there was nothing they could do to her.

With her gaze still trained on where Lufene had vanished she almost did not see the dragon until it was upon them, but the sight of Ursula jumping drew her attention back. She was quick to dance a Haste Samba--a dance that would allow her party to attack faster on top of the other spells a white mage could give them. It only required that she land a hit, and as the beast swooped low she jumped up, slashing at its tail. It worked, but she narrowly avoided the spines on the end as she became grounded once again.

She spared a glance back to Refia, assessing the state of the mage before she tried to survey how she could best assist the two fighters. It was likely they all preferred to take to the air, even in the wind, but if she needed to stay grounded she would. Whatever would keep her safest, so that she could take good news back to Cecil when it was all said and done.

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Kain remained thankfully silent about Refia's outburst, grateful that the healing had restored the energy he'd need for the fight against the guardian. Lufene's words still bothered him, what had she really meant by any of that? Of course, right now was not the time to dwell upon anything. Now was the time for action.

This had to be timed just so... As Ursula sprang into action, Kain took up into a Jump. He aimed his spear downward and descended, flipping and spinning in his Sky Rave attack, aiming to drive Tiamat into Ursula's attack.

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Refia was not going airborn - in this wind, she would be slammed into a wall faster than you could say 'chocobo.' Instead she'd gotten right up against the wall next to the door and sort of jammed herself in between the doorway and one of the carved columns next to it. It gave her the advantage of already being pressed against something and so much less likely to be blown away and partial cover from the flying beast.

Checking to make sure the entire party was still covered in beneficial spells, Refia went on the offensive. Even though it had little chance of working, she tried a Berserk again, then followed it up with a guaranteed spell in Holy. Unfortunately, as she cast the second spell, she could feel something pulling at her, draining her magical energy even more than usual for a spell that cost a great deal to cast.

"I think this thing steals magic!"

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Boosted by the Haste spell, Ursula was able to launch a series of successful strikes before Refia's cry got her attention. "Stand back! We'll take care of it!" If they keep it busy, it won't have time to focus on the white mage, right? One would hope.

Of course, the creature wasn't going to just stand there and take the beating. It retaliated to Ursula's and Kain's attacks with Twister; the princess cried out as she saw the even more fierce winds form, and leaped back. Still, it was too late to avoid them completely. They ripped through her and not even the protective magics granted would spare her that pain.

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From her position on the ground she could see the Twister forming, but her Violent Flourish was too late to stun the move. She heard Ursula cry out, and that was all she needed to dance out a Curing Waltz--her strongest, since she did not know how much ferocity could be behind the attack. Even she could feel the strain from using her magic, but that did not mean she could afford to stop.

While Kain and Ursula attacked from above she did so from below, jumping up as she had to in order to strike with her daggers and her feet. Always building up momentum for her dances--Sensual Dance for more attack power throughout the party, Box Step and Quick Step to lower its Evasion and Defense. She knew with Kain and Ursula's strength she'd never hope to pull it off of them, but she could at least help Refia keep the two of them healed. All she had to avoid were the legs and tail in the meantime, and keep those away from Refia.

But she couldn't resist giving the beast a taste of Dancer's Fury as she leaped up again, swiping twice at the creature. A little extra oomph never hurt.

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Being hit with that was a pain, and Kain growled in annoyance as he landed heavily from it. But he didn't spare much time in recovering from the Twister. Once the curative magic hit, he felt some energy return.

Now at a position below the beast, Kain knew he had another good opportunity to use one of his newer moves. He leapt upward, spinning with spear targeting Tiamat, unleashing a Rising Dive. The attack drove the creature upward with a series of steady blows.

And just when Kain thought he was safe, not exactly having regular magic to drain... Tiamat next used its power to drain strength, an effect Kain felt instantly. He gasped a little at the weakening sensation it gave him.

"...It drains more than magic!"

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Refia threw another Might on Kain, to counter the drain - it perhaps wouldn't get him back to where he had been when bolstered by the spell before the fight, but it would help recover some of it. Following that, Regens flew fast and furious, one for each of them. The twister even reached her, though at a reduced force thanks to her distance and her partial cover, and she was grateful for the warm feeling of the Regen bringing her back to full status.

Downing an ether, she went straight for another Holy at the creature, following it up with scan. "We can do this! It's over half dead!"

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That waltz and further regenerative magic allowed Ursula to bounce back relatively quickly. She wasted no time after hearing Refia's cry, bolstered by the news. They were making headway after all, and that prove caused her to focus her energy, then release it as Tenketsu.

Her subsequent attack struck the beast where it was most vulnerable, leaving it significantly wounded. Still, before it surprised them with another Twister, Ursula glanced to Kain. "Together!" If they both struck, now, they could end this. She launched herself forward.

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Catching wind of their upcoming combined attack, Lilisette did what she could to aid them. She lowered the Tiamat's defense, raised everyone's attack power, and drove a dagger imbued with Violent Flourish as far into the beast as she could manage. It wouldn't stun it long, but hopefully it would be just enough to see that their hits landed perfectly.

The dancer, for one, was ready to put the Wind Shrine behind them all. Crouched next to Refia she waited to see if it would be enough. If not, she was prepared to spring back into action at a moment's notice.

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Kain would have to remember to thank Refia. Later. For now, he nodded at Ursula. Their combined force should be enough. They'd have to give it all they had and time it just so. Which meant he'd need to get airborne very swiftly. "Right! Now!"

He sprang into the air and jumped, to come soaring down to strike at Tiamat.

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One more Holy, and Refia ducked. Whatever was about to happen, she didn't want to be in the way - it seemed like the shrine itself might explode with the force Ursula and Kain were bringing to bear on the creature. One of the heads dove for her as a moving target, smacking itself on the stone column she was crouched behind, and she reached out to whack it in the nose with her staff as hard as she could.

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The combined attack was certainly enough to decimate their opponent. Ursula struck hard, then tried her best to jump out of the way as it came crashing down. She landed just in time to raise an arm to ward off debris from the blast.

Once the air cleared, she glanced around. "Is everyone alright?" She wasn't the white mage of the group, but she'd still help with healing if necessary.

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When the creature fell, Lilisette moved in front of Refia to help shield her. When the rubble settled she finally was content enough to sheath her daggers against her back, smacking her hands together to take care of the dirt and dust that flew up. She kept her eye on the creature for a while to make certain that it was truly dead, and then nodded to Ursula.

"I'm well," she voiced. Slightly beat up, but nothing she could not recover from on her own. But she was prepared to help anyone else that might not have fared as well.

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Kain landed from the jump, and glanced to be sure that the battle was truly ended, and that nothing surprising would spring up next after them. They'd taken down the guardian of the shrine, but... the earlier visit from Lufene still had him feeling tense and uneasy. But after a moment, he nodded.

"I'm fine." Aside from being somewhat exhausted, and limping slightly as he moved toward the group. But it was nothing serious, and he'd felt a lot worse in the past. All in all, things had gone well from what he could see.

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Refia didn't have much magic left, but she used a portion of it to recast Regen on the other three - her hiding spot had mostly covered and shielded her from the attacks, which she was grateful for. Letting the spell tick on them, she fumbled in her deepest pocket for a moment before pulling out the wind crystal, staring down at it and fingers tightening around it as she... felt something from it, now that the tension and fighting were done with.

"...It's happy," she said quietly. The crystal had actually spoken to them at home; she was just grateful to get a general impression of anything from it on Gaia. "It wants to be here."

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Ursula's expression softened as she heads over toward Refia, peering down at the crystal. "It's meant to be here. This is where it will be safe. I'm just glad we were able to aid it." She glanced to Kain, glad also that he could do his part without any problem. She would make good on her promise if need be, but that didn't mean she was looking forward to it.

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Lilisette watched the crystal for a moment, seeing nothing in it but faint glints. How they could discern feelings from a rock was beyond her, but at least it was happy, she guessed. Maybe if she started telling those on Vana'diel that they should pay more for her crystals because they were happier, she could fetch a better price for them. The thought was amusing to her, at the worst time, and she tried to hide that smile.

Instead she turned to Kain, and nodded toward his leg. She had not missed his limp, and she still had the means to dance if he was wounded. "Sir Highwind, your leg?"

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Kain folded his arms and nodded agreement as he started at the crystal. "It's for the best for it to be here." The fact they would leave it in its place here was a tremendous relief to Kain- there was less danger of himself or anyone else getting their hands on it.

He glanced to Lilisette. The Regen had started to do its work, fortunately, but this was also Kain so... "It's fine, now."

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