Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 3, Part 3

[DracoOmega]

>How large and wide is this open area ahead of us?
>And how far are we from it?
>And how far is Keine from it and from us, for that matter?
>Would we expect we could dash and make it into the wider space before she reached us?

[Oldmansour]

>How large and wide is this open area ahead of us?
>And how far are we from it?
>And how far is Keine from it and from us, for that matter?
>Would we expect we could dash and make it into the wider space before she reached us?

>The big room is about 11 feet tall in most places, a bit higher along the south wall. There's somewhere between 18 and 20 feet from the west wall to the east wall, a couple of feet more between north and south.
>Five feet, give or take a couple of inches.
>Keine has already covered about four feet of distance, placing her between 14 and 15 feet away from you.
>It would be close, if you had a clear run. But Kaguya is standing in front of you, so you'd have to go around her a bit, which would delay you not a lot, but enough.

[DracoOmega]

>"Get to the open!"
>Dash forward at a sprint, leaving enough room around Kaguya to avoid tripping either one of us up into the other
>As we clear the hallway, dart to whichever side of the room we are closer to, out of Keine's direct path
>If she is near to upon us at the time, raise a barrier to deflect a potential blow and roll away simultaneously. If we can gather barrier power as we run, in preparation, do so
>Then if we are left with a moment's breathing room, either from a deflected blow, distraction from others, or simply a gap in distance, try to unleash a burst from Scarlet Lotus at her

[Oldmansour]

>"Get to the open!"
>Dash forward at a sprint, leaving enough room around Kaguya to avoid tripping either one of us up into the other
>As we clear the hallway, dart to whichever side of the room we are closer to, out of Keine's direct path
>If she is near to upon us at the time, raise a barrier to deflect a potential blow and roll away simultaneously. If we can gather barrier power as we run, in preparation, do so
>Then if we are left with a moment's breathing room, either from a deflected blow, distraction from others, or simply a gap in distance, try to unleash a burst from Scarlet Lotus at her

>"Right!" Lily answers, taking to wing and going up and over Kaguya as you go around her. The teacher, meanwhile, actually holds her ground, her hand upon her sword, her eyes fixed upon the black-shrouded lycanthrope.
>Keine, however, is moving even faster than you'd thought at first, charging forward with all four limbs, her ugly claws and heavy hands tearing frying-pan sized chunks out of the floor as she charges. You aren't going to make the open room before she reaches you, and neither is Lily, and you can see now her unfocused and bloodshot yellow eyes, and her ichor-dripping mouth pulled open into a feral snarl, rows of jagged teeth gnashing the air.

>Upon realizing you won't reach your destination before Keine reaches you, you divert your attention to erecting a blue screen of energy in front of you and prepare yourself to roll away to the right, where you have more room. Keine, however, does not barrel through you, but rather leaps into the air when she is six feet in front of you. Instinctively you duck as the lycanthrope flies over your head with incredible speed, reeking of long dead meat and rotten fur pelts, and you hear Lily yell in surprise.

[DracoOmega]

>Spin around to follow the black form and if we have at all a firing line towards it, let loose with Scarlet Lotus

[Oldmansour]

>Spin around to follow the black form and if we have at all a firing line towards it, let loose with Scarlet Lotus

>The sound of Keine's horns scraping through the ceiling is an unnerving noise as you turn to follow her. The hallway darkens as Keine's horns shatter one of the overhead lamps, sending bits of tempered glass falling on the empty space between you and Kaguya. Kaguya herself has wisely pressed her back against the right side of the corridor to let Keine pass, and the transformed teacher lands heavily after flying what has to have been nearly fifteen feet, and had her head and back had not been scraping the ceiling bare, you wouldn't be surprised if she could cover twice that distance.
>With a clear shot, you call forth your scepter and unleash Scarlet Lotus: Realization of Impermanence, sending a cone-shaped stream of white and red energy globes down the corridor. Amazingly, Keine is moving almost as fast as your attack as she barrels down the corridor, her long tail, which ends in a knobby bone-like growth of dark grey material, swishing back and forth and striking the walls on either side, leaving impact craters as she runs.
>Kaguya adds her attack to your own, raising her cowrie shell ring and pointing at Keine, sending a spiraling beam of white and blue energy from her ring towards the corrupted teacher.

>When Keine reaches the staircase you came down before, she digs her limbs into the floor and turns a sharp right, taking the stairs going up just as the front edge of your attack reaches her. A handful of your globes strike her thighs, her ribs and her tail, but Keine doesn't even break stride as she claws her way up the stairs. She does, however, howl at your strike, and you note, fleetingly, the black aura around her disappears in the areas your attack struck. Kaguya's attack, however, misses cleanly, the beam impacting the wall on the other side of the staircase, leaving no damage as it fades out of existance.
>Keine screams again as you hear her climb up the stairs, a terrible sound, a howl of defiance and outrage. The sound of an animal defending its home. In addition to that sound, however, you hear footsteps coming from the direction of the cafeteria, and without even needing to look, you know that it is Rin.

[DracoOmega]

>Where's Lily?

[Oldmansour]

>Where's Lily?

>A quick glance around shows her to be face down on the floor just behind you and to your left. her shield still active, her arms over her head. You would guess she hit the deck pretty fast when Keine leaped.

[DracoOmega]

>Thank goodness
>Would those stairs be in the direction of her classroom?

[Oldmansour]

>Thank goodness
>Would those stairs be in the direction of her classroom?

>Testament to her quick relfexes.
>If she's going up, and she certainly sounds like she is, then yes.

[DracoOmega]

>Chase after her
>"I think the miko may be in danger above! I felt a power in the direction of the classroom."

[Oldmansour]

>Chase after her
>"I think the miko may be in danger above! I felt a power in the direction of the classroom."

>Lily picks herself up off the floor as you start down the corridor, trying to avoid running through the ragged potholes Keine has left in the floor.
>Kaguya nods her agreement as she moves off from the wall, once more ranging ahead of you. "I did as well. She must have sensed a disturbance in her lair." Kaguya pauses as Keine roars again, and it sounds like she's reached the top of the stairs already. Her cursed form is large and bulky, but it can definately move. "That's the only reason she would have ignored us." She spares a glance back at you when she asks, "How do you know it's the miko who used that magic?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I don't. But the feel of it reminded me of another whom I know, and there should be few other people here but us."

[Oldmansour]

>"I don't. But the feel of it reminded me of another whom I know, and there should be few other people here but us."

>"A clever answer." Kaguya says with a brief, mysterious smile. "And a strange magic. But will it cure Keine if you can get a clear shot?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I saw the darkness waver where it struck. I am not certain that a single volley will be enough, but I do believe that it can drive it out."

[Oldmansour]

>"I saw the darkness waver where it struck. I am not certain that a single volley will be enough, but I do believe that it can drive it out."

>"Then I suppose we had best see if we can arrange a clear shot-"
>Kaguya is cut off by a deafening roar from Keine as you near the top of the stairs. You sense a brief surge of magic, the same sort as before, but it seems to fizzle after barely a moment, and the cursed hakutaku roars again.

[DracoOmega]

>Keep hurrying!

[Oldmansour]

>Keep hurrying!

>The rest of the girls have the same idea, and the four of you take the last of the stairs in very short time. Straight away, you can see that this hallway has seen some activity, as a large blockade of debris separates the west end of the corridor from the rest of the school, debris made up doors, desks, chairs, even chunks of wall, seemingly anything Keine could put her claws on. Her classroom lies on the east end, and you look in that direction. A small puddle of water lies in the doorway to her classroom, and the doorway has been clawed repeatedly.
>You sense another surge of magic from within the classroom, and hear a woman's voice call out, "Hands of the Sea!" A sound like rushing water comes out of the classroom as you run down the hallway, Kaguya leading the way, Lily flying overhead and Rin just behind you. Keine howls again, and you visibly blanch at the almost mindless rage you hear in that terrible sound. More frighteningly, you hear the spellcaster scream, and then no less than four female voices scream in terror, and you reach the doorway of the classroom just in time to see Keine grab a hold of the winged miko with her huge hand, and throw her violently through the window, the glass shattering into thousands of pieces as Keine bellows out her anger.

[DracoOmega]

>Quick glance: does the miko appear conscious/mobile? Are her wings free?

[Oldmansour]

>Quick glance: does the miko appear conscious/mobile? Are her wings free?

>She is definately conscious, judging from the sounds she's making. Her wings are free, but you can't tell if her flight through the glass has damaged them.

[DracoOmega]

I'd really like to take the shot on Keine now, but I don't think we can, in good conscience, even risk that the miko might crash all the way to the ground from here. Even if that costs us the attack of opportunity.

>Quickly reach out with Sapphire Lotus and catch the falling miko! Right her, and then try to gently - but quickly! - lower her to the ground below, though if she shows signs of being able to take to the air on her own power still, let go and let her do so. We want to spend as little time on this as is absolutely possible without putting the miko into more danger.
>And be ready to leap aside if Keine decides to round on us, but try to at least hold out long enough to ascertain whether the miko is safe to left go of.

[Oldmansour]

>Quickly reach out with Sapphire Lotus and catch the falling miko! Right her, and then try to gently - but quickly! - lower her to the ground below, though if she shows signs of being able to take to the air on her own power still, let go and let her do so. We want to spend as little time on this as is absolutely possible without putting the miko into more danger.
>And be ready to leap aside if Keine decides to round on us, but try to at least hold out long enough to ascertain whether the miko is safe to left go of.

>Pushing past Kaguya, who backs up and turns to the side as you do so, you unleash your blue light, sending the beam through the window as the spinning miko starts to fall. The beam expands into another hand-shaped construct and expands under her, and you field the shrine maiden neatly. You think she looks surprised, but it's hard to tell at this distance. Judging from the sounds you can hear coming from outside, the crowd below has probably gotten larger.
>You only hear them for a moment before Keine does indeed turn her eyes towards you, and howls her outrage at your presence. Silently you hope the miko collects herself a bit faster, but as you lower your construct down towards the ground, Keine snatches up a nearby desk with her lower arm and throws it hard in your direction.
>And then Lily is there, as she drops down in front of you with her shield active. The desk shatters into fragments of wood and metal as it strikes Lily's leaf shield, and the force of the impact throws Lily backwards into you. You almost lose your balance, but Rin supports you from behind, gripping your shoulders and keeping you upright, and Lily as well.

>Your Sapphire light construct has dipped below window level, and you feel the weight of the miko leave.

>The dry voice of the Purpose then makes contact, The Champion of Fire is moving, Hero.

[DracoOmega]

>A little busy at present!
>"Spread out!"
>Release Sapphire Lotus and leap backward; try to get out of direct line of sight from the door, and ideally from arm's range of someone rushing out of it
>Charge another Scarlet Lotus and get ready to unleash it at Keine the moment she emerges from the classroom

[Oldmansour]

>A little busy at present!
>"Spread out!"
>Release Sapphire Lotus and leap backward; try to get out of direct line of sight from the door, and ideally from arm's range of someone rushing out of it
>Charge another Scarlet Lotus and get ready to unleash it at Keine the moment she emerges from the classroom

>You may become much busier in the future. The Purpose cautions you. The Fire Champion is heading in your direction.

>With that ominous warning ringing in your ears, you disentangle yourself from Lily and Rin and spring to your right, out of Keine's line of sight. Lily, the leaves of her shield now turned a metallic grey, goes to the left to join Kaguya, who has replaced her mask. Rin falls in alongside you on your left.
>As you prepare your Scarlet Lotus again, Keine howls again, but not quite as loud as before.
>"We have to get the civilians out of there." Kaguya hisses as the sound of scraping metal comes from the classroom, probably Keine picking up another desk. "They're more at risk than we are."
>"My shield can protect them." Lily offers. "But I don't know how many more hits like that it can take."
>"We can distract her." Rin offers boldly. "You just be ready for when we do."

>As the girls strategize, you sense another surge of watery magic, and the same sound that rang out when Keine threw the desk at you is emitted again, but it sounds like the projectile is traveling in the opposite direction this time.

[DracoOmega]

>Nod
>"Try to draw her out of the classroom, but keep a safe distance."
>Continue to gather power

[Oldmansour]

>Nod
>"Try to draw her out of the classroom, but keep a safe distance."
>Continue to gather power

>"Just a sec, where you gonna go?" Lily asks Rin. "Hallway down there's blocked off, and I'll need the stairs to get them down."
>"I can handle that." Kaguya informs her, giving her katana a pat as she draws herself up. "Grasscutter can demolish any wall."

>A frustrated scream erupts from the classroom, and then the sound seems to trail off slightly. Lily hazards a glance inside, and her eyes widen. "She jumped!"

[DracoOmega]

>Dash into the presumably-now-empty classroom
>Quick assessment of the people in here and their condition

[Oldmansour]

>Dash into the presumably-now-empty classroom
>Quick assessment of the people in here and their condition

>With the classroom now devoid of lycanthropes, you pass by Lily and examine the room, and its remaining contents.
>The place has a pungent odor about it. It smells like the odor you detected coming from Keine's body, but somehow more concentrated. Most of the desk have been cleared away from the middle of the room, and there are claw-like gouges all over the walls and floor, as well as tears in the roof where her horns must have scraped. A puddle of blackish ichor stains the southeast corner of the roof, reeking and steaming. Material of all sorts, jackets, shirts, any sort of fabric lying about the school have been draped over the windows to block out the sun, save for the window Keine ejected the miko out of, which is devoid of all material and glass now save a few shards.

>The northeast corner of the room is where you see the people. Sanae is on her feet in a half crouch, standing protectively in front of four other individuals, comprised of Wriggle-sensei, a tanuki and a human wearing first year uniforms, and an earth rabbit second year whom you recognize from your biology class. If you're right, the three of them belong to the school's entomology club, which Wriggle-sensei is the advisor of. The human and the tanuki are holding each other desperately, plainly frightened, while Wriggle and the rabbit do their best to comfort them. To your relief, all four of them seem unharmed, though each of them are obviously scared, even Wriggle. Sanae, however, is almost a picture of courage. Her left sleeve is torn around her shoulder, and an ugly gash has been cut into the flesh of her left shoulder, but she stands unafraid, her face unpained despite the bleeding wound on her shoulder.
>Her expression relaxes a bit, however, when she sees you. "I was expecting the cops, but heroes are even better."

[DracoOmega]

>"We'll do our best."
>"Lily, get these people to safety."
>Move over to the broken window and look out

[Oldmansour]

>"We'll do our best."
>"Lily, get these people to safety."
>Move over to the broken window and look out

>"You got it, boss." Lily says brightly, taking to wing and approaching the students and teacher.
>"You've cleared the way down?" Sanae asks.
>Lily nods. "We're here to get you out. Is everyone all right?"

>As Lily handles the civilians, you, Rin and Kaguya move towards the broken window, careful of the broken glass, to look down at the battle that still rages. The miko seems to be able to fly indeed as she glides about twelve feet off the ground. She is not employing any magic at the moment, but the fighting is far from over. Keine has turned her attention to the four police officers that had been outside the school, leaving an intent in the ground where she landed, almost fifteen feet away from the school.
>As you reach the window, Keine hurls a black-clad police officer across the school field as another turns her taser on the lycanthrope. Keine howls her outrage at the electrical assault, but she shows no effect other than anger.