[TheSpatialWeeg]

"Whaa--?!" Bruttis wasn't expecting Pit to dodge his axe swing. It usually hit everything! He was in for a bigger surprise as the angel boy suddenly hit his axe again with a club. Cracks were starting to show, and Bruttis...didn't take it very well. "My beautiful axe! You...YOU CHICKEEEEEENNN!!" Bruttis yelled, swinging his axe downward to attack Pit. "FACE ME LIKE A MAN!"

((Pit! Roll 14+ to dodge the downward swing, else take 16% damage!))

After the hit, however, the axe met its end, the brunt of the weapon shattering. "Argh! Now I'm really mad!! Chizzai! Make me a phantom axe or something!" Bruttis called, only to see the mage being attacked by the two swordsmen.

"Look, I'd love to help you, but I'm kind of in a pickle here!" Chizzai replied, getting hit by two Razorblade Typhoons. "I'm unable to use magic! The silver-haired one stole it!" "...Which one?" "The not-wielder of the Yato!! Let's bail!"

"Bolganone!" Corrin called, summoning volcanic flares targeting the enemy mage...

Z7Xnot4ep_1d20-1 ((Corrin's Bolganone @ Chuzzai. 24% damage.))

"All right, all right!" Bruttis huffed, diving in to save the mage from being fried by magic. "I bet you're gonna follow us, huh? I'm just gonna tell that this is a bad idea. Our Great Leader...he won't be very pleased with interruptions." the tall guy now without an axe said before suddenly dropping a smoke bomb. Corrin covered his face and shut his eyes, noticing that the duo had scurried away.

"...Schezo, Pit. Change of plans! We must stop that ritual at all costs. I'll fill you in on Anankos as we move along!" Corrin exclaimed, moving out of the island they were on. The sense of urgency was apparent on Corrin's speech. "We must make haste!"1d20-1

[TartoonHand94]

	“Hey! Talk about having an axe to grind.” Pit couldn’t resist quipping at Bruttis’ expense. The plan was working! His dinky old human axe was cracking at the grain while his divine Magnus Club still shone cleanly with a flawless gleam. “And I prefer Dove, thanks for axing.” He grunted, admittedly not amused by being called a chicken. He didn’t have much time for quips as Bruttis’ axe wasn’t done with him. “Pit! Watch out!”
	(g82YRbE4p_1d20+3 Pit's Dodge of Brutus’ Axe)
	“Pee-yew! How about taking a mint like a man?” Pit taunted, fanning his face as he balanced on what was left of Bruttis’ axe. “Or maybe you can axe your friend for one of those instead?” He said cheekily, getting back on the ground.
	“So, now what?” He asked Palutena, not sure what to do now that the human was disarmed. “Do I handcuff him?” “If you do, you might want to wash them first…” Palutena warned suggestively.
	Before she could send him the handcuffs she fetched from the…dungeon, Pit was blinded by a puff of smoke! Bruttus used Smoke Screen! And it was Super Effective! “Oh no! -cough- Which way did he go?” Pit coughed, covering his face with his scarf and trying to get out of the smoke blast radius.
	(p_1d20+4 Palutena's Bruttis and Chizza Detection)
	“They went that way, Pit!” Palutena pointed by appariting a green arrow on the ground for our heroes to follow. “Hurry!”
Pit 0% Status: Sparring Pit

1d20+3·1d20+4

[Rina]

*COUGH COUGH COUGH*

So the duo had an escape plan ready with that smoke bomb. Theywere right in retreating, at least; the trio is very much so a losing battle, especially with one guy stripped of his powers. Understandable, but letting them get away is NOT an option, considering their motives for retreating. Whoever--or whatever--this Anankos being is, he sounds like bad news from Corrin's urgency.

"Understood!"

With Pit locking eyes on the runaways, Schezo turned to Pit's direction, catching sight of them. They may have tried to book it, but they're not shaking off this trio that easily. In hopes of trying to pincer them, the dark wizard bounded into the air, letting his Nebula Mantle keep himself aloft and try to out-maneuver their enemies.

(Schezo has taken flight!)

"Get back here!"

Status: Magic Snatch (3), Nebula Mantle Flight (0/15%)
Damage: 0%/175%

[TheSpatialWeeg]

Corrin took to the skies as well, turning in his dragon form. As they followed the two runaway cultists, the king of Valla began explaining his past with Anankos. "Well, see...Anankos is a powerful dragon that once ruled Valla. He killed the previous king and made the lands his own, instilling a curse that would make whoever spoke of the country evaporate into bubbles. ...At the very least, that is what Azura has told me. I do not doubt her, but sometimes I feel like something is...missing. Like the big picture is still missing pieces that are beyond my reach... but now that you know what he did, we musn't let him return to life, else all of the Life Sphere will be threatened!"

As the trio followed the weaponless cultist, they could notice ruins of a big castle ahead. "So this is where they are situated...we don't know if there are more within their ranks aside from the supposed Great Leader. Let us proceed with caution." The dragon king stated. "I doubt we will face those two again for a while, since they are currently disarmed or unable to cast magic."

[TartoonHand94]

	“After them!” Pit shouted, pointing in the direction the arrow on the floor pointed him. Intending to chase them on foot, Pit was taken by surprise by Schezo bounding into the air, taking flight with his Nebula Mantle. Looking to catch a ride on dragon-back, Pit looked to Corrin who had already taken to the skies without him. “Hey! What about me?” Pit whined left behind. “Lady Palutena! I need the Power of Flight!” He begged to the heavens. “Now Pit, what are the magic words~?” Palutena inquired with an expectant pout. “...Wingardium Leviosa?” Pit scratched his head, much to Palutena’s impatient clearing of her throat. “Oh…Right...Heh-heh. Lady Palutena, would you Please grant me the Power of Flight?” Pit sheepishly prayed. “That’s better, Pit. But how did you get here?” She reminded him with another proviso question. “…With the Power of Flight?” Pit recalled sheepishly. “And do you know how long the Power of Flight lasts?” Palutena quizzed further. “…F-five minutes?” Pit choked, anxiously awaiting her judgement.
	“…Oh look! There just so happens to be plenty of pixie dust left in the hourglass.” Palutena coyly smiled with a giggle that relieved him. “Does that mean…?” Pit asked eagerly. “Yep! Pullum Volantem~!” Palutena dramatically incanted with a wave of her staff. “Engaging pursuit mode!” Pit cheered as his wings lit up and launched him into the air. “Hey guys, check it out!” Pit called out to his squad mates, showing off with a flex of his wings. “They won’t get away from us now!” Enjoying the wind in his hair all the while, Pit listened intently to the in-flight story time.
	“…Evaporate into bubbles?” Pit reeled at the absurd punishment. “I don’t even want to imagine what it's like to be popped once that happens.” Palutena shook her head as Pit wretched even more. Pit would’ve been more eager to burst through the door and start mowing fools down, but Corrin’s warning had him a bit more on his toes. “Cautious Pit, Cautious Pit. Does whatever a Cautious Pit does.”

[Rina]

Nebula Wings Cooldown: 4

"Fading away into bubbles, like mermaids turning to seafoam...all to hide a secret, I presume."

A classic case of "Don't mention their name!" is in play here. There must be something hidden away up here, if a curse to silence the people was ever brought down on them in the first place. But what...? Schezo couldn't say, but trailing the runaway robed folk would surely give some answers. Coming into view, there's a sizable set of castle ruins to explore, some of the buildings still standing for people to hide in. The magic in the wings started to deplete, prompting Schezo to land first. With what remains in the mantle, he used it to descend down, gliding closer to the ground and landing on his feet. Once the other two have landed, he nodded, keeping his guard up through his sword. Someone is sure to await, and he kept a vigilant eye to the surroundings.

"...it's too quiet here. It has me concerned."

Status: Magic Snatch (2)
Damage: 0%/175%

[TheSpatialWeeg]

"Yeah...I'm concerned as well."

Corrin gently descended next to the ruins. More specifically, next to some doors. "Try to keep quiet." He instructed both of his allies. "There might be more goons guarding the entrance. I'll bust the doors down with my dragon form. You both, prepare yourselves. If we do this right, we might catch them unguarded." With no more words, Corrin quietly closed off the distance between him and the door, gradually bracing himself for the hit...

...and he slammed himself towards the door with his whole draconian body.

The wooden doors came down very easily. Thank goodness for dragon skin being so tough, otherwise he'd be full of splinters by now. Once he heard a surprised yelp, he turned his head to the source. Two figures, similarly cloaked to the previous assailants. 'I was right, there is more within their ranks.' he thought to himself.

"What the hell...? That's a...Silent Dragon! And a very youthful one at that!" A distinctive feminine voice came from one of the cloaked figures, a mixture of amazement and fear apparent.  "Indeed, a fascinating discovery. Quickly, let us capture it!" A older female voice came from the other cloaked figure, brandishing a tome unlike Corrin has ever seen before in both Nohr and Hoshido. Perhaps it was an Outrealm one...?

Despite the situation he found himself in, Corrin smirked (well, on the inside, his dragon mouth wasn't exactly good at articulation). They were so focused on him that it provided an ample opportunity for his friends to strike at will!

(Good news! Corrin' surprise burst in allows you to deliver a surprise attack! If you roll 15+, you'll have a 1.7x critical attack!)

---

??	??
170 HP Threshold: 13	180 HP Threshold: 14

[TartoonHand94]

	“I too am also concerned.” Pit agreed, as if he wasn’t even sure what the word concerned meant but just wanted to fit in. Following this trend of peer pressure, Pit descended to the castle, landing stylishly just to out-do Schezo and Corrin. Palutena was not impressed.
	Listening to Corrin’s instructions, Pit nodded in confirmation and zipped his lip. (Is he hush? Listen dude! His sound effects are set To mute~! ♪) He was still singing Stealthy Pit theme in his head where Palutena could hear him. (Look out, here comes the Stealthy Pit~! ♪) Pit braced beside the door with his First Blade cocked and ready. (Corrin’s dragon form is so cool!) He thought to himself.
	When Corrin finally broke through the door, Pit took his cue to dive in in imaginary slo-mo, opening fire like a loose cannon captain of the guard who plays by his own rules. Turns out his wings were good for gliding and slowing his fall.
(sVB9zAGyp_1d20+2 Pit's First Blade @ Cloaked Figure; Does 15% Damage) (p_1d20+2 Pit's First Blade @ Cloaked Figure; Does 25% Damage) (p_1d20+2 Pit's First Blade @ Cloaked Figure; Does 15% Damage)
Pit 0% Status: Loose cannon Captain of the Guard who plays by his own rules.

1d20+2·1d20+2·1d20+2

[Rina]

Nebula Wings Cooldown: 3

Quiet. That's something he certainly can do. He nodded, readying his sword for an ambush attack. The familiar dark magic grows within the blade, readied up sooner thanks to the magic he stole accelerating his own. Areiado is the spell of his choosing to sic upon the two; subtlety be damned. Well, the two cloaked people aren't expecting two others, right? The moment the dragon barged in, Schezo was ready to ambush.

Areiado (@ all enemies, 27%, 4 -> 3 turn cooldown): rEJUJC_bp_1d20+4 (Surprise attack successful!)

"Areiado."

If their attentions are still glued to Corrin, the magic rune underneath their feet should have materialized unnoticed, dark immaterial blades coming down upon them. The dark mage rarely ever casts spells with such a low volume, but he managed to pull it off.

Status: Magic Snatch (1)
Damage: 0%/175%1d20+4

[TheSpatialWeeg]

Once the two cloaked figures got taken aback by the strikes, Corrin stomped forward and closed space. One of them was already trembling. “Listen well, for I am going to only say this once. I am willing to spare you two from a gruesome fate...if you let us in.”

The trembling of one of the cloaked women intensified, before she bolted off in panic. “STELLA,WAIT--” the remaining figure yelped, before sighing. “Figures. Well, I know when I’m beaten. Here, you can go ahead n’ get in.” She then picked up a key from her robes and unlocked a door behind her, opening it slightly for the trio to walk through. “...Well, I wasn’t expecting to win with words today, but it is quite appreciated.” Corrin vocalized. The robed woman snorted. “Who woulda thought a person in a crazy cult actually has some sort of sense, am I right?” she questioned before skidding off, leaving the trio to their own devices. “...Be on your guard. This might be a trap.”

Corrin reverted back to his human form before approaching the door, pushing it slowly to avoid making too much noise. Two steps in, and he was assessing the entrance, looking out for any traps. He touched nearby floor stones, observed above for anything that appeared suspicious, turned to the sides...and after a bit he gestured to his allies. “The coast is clear.”

Corrin began walking forward slowly, looking back a while later to see if his allies were still with him. The place was big and barren, nothing but poorly illuminated cobblestone walls as far as the eye could see...well, almost. There was a bright, purple... something. At the distance they were currently in, they couldn't really see what was that.

Ever-so-curious, Corrin decided to close off the distance, even picking up the pace to speed up, even if only slightly. The closer they got, the more Corrin looked...unsettled. And then, that unease got turned into horror at what he saw.

“Sakura…?!”

A small, pink-haired girl was unconscious, being lifted in the air as a purple rune glimmered below her. In an impulse of instinct, Corrin blazed towards the girl and attempted to grab her, only for his arm to be jolted away from her. He held back a pained yelp as he clutched the arm that was repelled. “A barrier made of dark magic…” he said, breathing heavily. “We need to try to undo it before--”

“Before anyone else shows up, I assume.”

Corrin takes his eyes to the right, his vision revealing another robed figure. Unlike the others, however, he had a mask covering his entire face. The mask in itself resembled Corrin’s draconic form, however with holes for the newcomer’s eyes. “I must be honest, I hadn’t expected a ‘visit’, much less from the new king of our beloved Valla.” the stranger began speaking. His tone was...oddly inviting. That, however, did not make Corrin drop his guard. “Why do you wish to revive Anankos?” the king asked, his grip on the Yato tightening. “Do you not see? This Life Sphere begets a proper ruler. Our esteemed King Anankos will provide the leadership we sorely miss from those three currently in power.” “But Anankos...he grew mad! If you revive him, he’ll--!” “Do you not think I know of a dragon’s degradation over the millenia? I have prepared for this occassion. Henceforth, our new vessel. The youngest princess of Hoshido. A soul uncorrupted by hatred and darkness shall prove good sustenance for our king reborn.”

“...I cannot let you do that. There is too much at risk in this ritual. This isn't just about the fact that you're using my sister as a vessel. Please, cease this at once!” Corrin pleaded, but the leader shook his head. “You know what my answer to that is, Your Majesty.” The leader replied, drawing a sword. Corrin sighed. “Schezo, Pit! You two attempt to undo the seal! I’ll keep him busy!” He commanded before locking blades with the leader of the cult.

(Roll 15+ WIS to free Sakura from the barrier! Corrin will hold off the leader for 4 tries total.)

---

The Leader
? HP
Being held off by Corrin (4 tries)

[TartoonHand94]

	“Yeah, what the King said!” Rolling and standing up after his slow-motion dive,  Pit aimed his First Blade squarely on the two cloaked figures.  Despite only hitting one out of three shots,  he held it sideways with the confidence of a boss. “You better let us in, or I’mma bust this cap in-”  “Take it down a notch, Pit. This isn’t Yakuza.”  Palutena rolled her divine eyes.  Regardless of whether Pit’s extra threat worked or not, one of them ran off anyway.  At least they spared themselves the sight of Pit throwing gang signs for Palutena’s Army.
	Much to Pit’s surprise, Corrin’s words were enough to convince the other to surrender too.  If only the Forces of Nature were this open to negotiation. “On my guard? I’m Captain of one.”  Pit bragged as he began to lead the charge into the room. “Hold on, Pit!”  Palutena warned, causing Pit to freeze before his foot could touch the inside floor.  Reeling back from this, he fell back onto his butt.  “On average it takes you at least three stocks to feel out all the traps in a level.  I suggest you let Corrin do this.” Palutena advised.  “A-after you, Your Highness.”  Pit relented sheepishly, letting Corrin lead.
	Pit was tempted to test the echo of the large room they entered,  but that’s not something a Stealthy Pit does. “Pit, you’re going to want to see what’s at the end of the hall… ...but Corrin is not going to like it.”  Palutena warned as Pit tried to squint down the hall.  Following Corrins lead toward it, he gasped like the rest of them when he saw who it was. “We’ve gotta get her out of there!”  Pit agreed, emptying his hands to grab her.  “Wait Pit! Don’t touch that barrier or…that’ll happen.”  Palutena warned yet again, only to shrug when Corrin got zapped by the dark magic.
	Pit wasted no time grabbing his First Blade and aiming it sideways again at the new robed masked figure.  His eyes darted back and forth between him and Corrin and eventually to Schezo to ask with his face if they should interject.  “Alright!”  Pit smirked when the masked figure drew his sword.  The cutscene was over and the battle could begin!  “…Alright.”  He saluted, embarrassed of his enthusiasm when he was assigned to hero duty instead. “…How do we do that?”  Pit scratched his chin at the purple rune, not keen to burn his hand too. ““Hmm. Perhaps I can deactivate the seal remotely.”  Palutena suggested, casting a spell of light to unlock the rune.
(R20fCgs_p_1d20+4 Palutena tries to hack and disable the rune.)
Pit 0% Status: Normal

1d20+4

[Rina]

Cooldowns
Magic Snatch: 5
Nebula Wings: 2

Panic ensued, one of the cultists being surprisingly generous with opening the way. With Corrin's cautionary warning, Schezo nodded, keeping his sword drawn in case. Surveying the surroundings...checking for traps...the usual adventuring precautions when entering unknown halls. Metal boots lightly traverse across the ground, keeping the noise minimized to reduce his presence. By Corrin's lead, he nodded when safety has been secured, following him towards the interior.

What was on the way? Almost complete darkness. Almost being the suspicious purple ambient light that dimly illuminated the hall. Upon appraoch, Schezo felt dark magic as he got closer, growing more intense when the distance narrowed. He isn't fazed by its presence, but it's certainly concerning...

"!?"

Okay, now THAT is alarming. The flow of magic clearly shows signs of drain from the shrine maiden, paying little attention to Corrin reaching out and being repelled by the barrier. Schezo's priority eventually turned to the same page as Corrin: dispell the barrier.

"Understood!"

Intents set in stone, Schezo reached out to try and break it by draining the spell. Pit did give it a good effort, but it seems his attempts fell flat. The dark mage isn't sure of the inscriptions used to create this barrier, but dark magic shouldn't be too hard to crack for him. Unaware of Palutena's intervention, Schezo put his best efforts to crack down the barrier as well.

3PtxkzSBp_1d20+4 (Schezo tries to unlock the barrier!)

Status: Normal
Damage: 0%/175%1d20+4

[TheSpatialWeeg]

Palutena's expert hacking skills have proven quite useful, as the magic barrier had shattered, making a...very audible crashing noise, the shrine maiden floating in its center dropping gently to the ground. Corrin, noticing that his allies managed to break through, pushed the masked leader back, and quickly mutated his vacant arm to a jaw, shooting a blast of water at the ceiling. The force of the impact created a big hole, and from it, some moderately sized debris rained upon the masked mastermind. As the leader got himself busy with dodging the debris, Corrin ran back to his little sister, and gingerly picked her up. "We can't endanger her any longer. Let us go back!" he vocalized, before a dry chuckle reached his ears.

The leader of the cloaked figures was mostly buried in debris, with only his head outside. "You succeeded in thwarting our scheme, Your Majesty. I would salute you, but I am afraid I...cannot, at this moment." he said calmly, not even attempting to break free. "Rest assured, however...this will not be our last encounter. You and I are fated to clash once more. I can feel it." Another chuckle escaped the man. "Now...I do believe it is time you left. I have rigged this place with explosives...and they'll blow up any second now. I know it to be in your nature to worry, but you need not concern. You may not know it's me, but we will meet again."

After he said that, the sound of explosions became apparent. This...was bad. Real bad. "Quick! Everyone run!!" Corrin ordered before sprinting back at the entrance. He would occasionally look back at his allies, just to make sure nobody was being left behind.

Just as the trio left the castle, it was consumed by countless blasts, its remaining foundation soon collapsing. Corrin stopped running once he felt it was safe, taking these sweet moments to catch his breath. "Is...is everyone okay?" he asked in between some pants. Once he fully calmed down and his allies answered, he turned to look at the castle. He was rather...concerned with the person's ominous last words said to him. Still, it was no time to dwell on it. One of his youngest sisters was here, and she needed help.  "...We have successfully managed to stop a sacrifice and the reawakening of a mad god. Thank you very much for your aid. I wouldn't have done it without you both." Corrin said, before respectfully bowing his head to his allies.

MISSION... COMPLETE!

The king of Valla then placed Sakura on his back, and then transformed back into his dragon form. "I'm sorry, but...we'll have to part ways sooner than I wished. I need to see Sakura back to the hospital as quickly as possible." he explained. He figured both could fly back with no need to hitch a ride. "So long. May we cross paths again soon." With an apologetic nod, the dragon took off, leaving the two others behind.

[Rina]

"Grngh-!"

Schezo put an arm over himself, recoiling over the shattered barrier. Shattered glass was never a pleasant sound to hear. But that meant the seal was broken, prompting Schezo check on her until Corrin came to pick her up. The girl is safe, and it's time to get out. At least, that would be the plan; where it would become a matter of great urgency. This guy is planning to try and take down the quartet with him! Schezo ran out from the castle before it would cave in, having the unfortunate circumstances of not having his wings ready to take flight. He isn't the fastest on his feet, only barely escaping by the skin of his teeth. Hop, skip, leap, Schezo dived out and into safety...and face first. Ouch.

"I'm alright...could've escaped better, though."

Schezo rolled up, dusting off the dirt that got over his cape. While there was collateral damage, the mission is won.

"Understood. We must quit this place, either way. Until next time."

Schezo has left the scene! ...somehow.

[TartoonHand94]

	“Way to go, Schezo!” Pit congratulated Schezo on shattering the barrier. “Ahem!” Palutena coughed, offended by his obliviousness. A cough Pit couldn’t hear over the loud glass shattering. “Is she alright?” Pit asked with concern as Corrin picked up his sister. “She looks better than the Masked Leader about now.” Palutena reassured quite accurately considering he was under a pile of rubble.
	“Beating a boss and then having to escape their lair before it explodes…” Pit mused out loud as he, Schezo and Corrin high-tailed it out of the chamber. “Why does that sound familiar?” “And since Professor Hector isn’t here to get rid of them for us, it’s best you all get out of there!” Palutena shrugged the obvious, while making a reference even more obscure than Pit’s. How old exactly Was she? “This way! I know a shortcut!” She advised, materializing green glowing arrows on the walls of the halls to guide Pit and his team mates on the fastest route to the nearest exit.
	And as Corrin, Sakura and Schezo dived out of the building, Pit took the time to take a cool strut forward, indifferent to the exploding compound behind him. “Pit?” Palutena’s voice hesitantly asked. “Yeah Lady Palutena?” Pit responded with aloof swagger. “What’s up?” “…You should look behind you.” She tried to advise. “But cool guys don’t look at explosions.” Pit shrugged, ever the coolest of the cool. “…Uhuh? Well I’d say you’re more hot than a cool guy.” She replied not at all impressed.
	“Gee thanks, Lady Palutena I-Woah!” Pit perked up at the perceived praised until peeking at his peripheral vision to find out his feathers were on fire! “Help! Gah!” Pit got up with a frantic start, urgently diving to the floor. “Roll Drop Stop! Roll Drop Stop!” He chanted as he rolled around in the dirt till his wings were out. Palutena could only facepalm.
	“Stopping mad gods’ resurrections...”  Pit panted shakily as he regained his composure and stood back up. “...All in a day’s work, your highness.”  He limply bowed.  “Give it to me straight, Lady Palutena.”  Pit whimpered as he cradled his singed feathers.  “Will I ever fly again?” “Only one way to find out~”  Palutena cooed, granting him the last few minutes of the Power of Flight to bring him home.
	“Woohoo!”  Pit cheered, getting to do what he feared he’d never again. “I guess I gotta go guys!  See ya next time there’s a power-hungry fool trying to achieve power unleashing divine threat upon your world!”  He waved goodbye to Corrin, Sakura and Schezo as he ascended to the heavens. ♪ “Again today I wil go soaring through the sky ♪ ♪ Though for a second there I thought I couldn’t fly ♪ ♪ We saved King Corrin’s sis ♪ ♪ From being 'sacrifissed,' ♪ ♪ That’s what I do best ‘cause I’m a Stealthy Pit!” ♪ Pit hummed on his way home.  [End presence.]
Pit 10% Status: Normal