Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 5, Part 3

[Oldmansour]

>Wait, where'd this come from?

>You do not know.

[DracoOmega]

>Well, we still need to dispel her, one way or another. Hit her with an Amber Lotus and then try to ascertain the source of the vines.

[Oldmansour]

>Well, we still need to dispel her, one way or another. Hit her with an Amber Lotus and then try to ascertain the source of the vines.

>Shaking your head to shake off the surprise of this development, you turn your Amber light upon the entangled miko. As you do so, you take a closer scan of those vines. They bear the signature of Minoriko's magic. She must be inside the airport, just out of sight from where you are. And you're not out of the woods from that direction either. Another batch of airport officers are tromping out the door, four of them, each carrying a blaster. The two carrying the smaller weapons, pistols, raise their weapons and fire off a pair of blue stun bolts at you.

[DracoOmega]

>Shield ourselves from the bolts, then hit the bunch of them with Amber Lotus as well

[Oldmansour]

>Shield ourselves from the bolts, then hit the bunch of them with Amber Lotus as well

>After all you've handled, a couple of stun bolts are barely even no match against your Sapphire light. In between the gaps of their shots, you return fire, the wide-beamed Amber light engulfing the whole troop at once.Would that everything about this incident would be this simple. Would that people and creatures would just stop getting in your way at all. You wonder if your own light might be able to work a similar magic as Semitur. She could turn people to her will, why-
>Sharply you snap your thoughts away from that line. Whether it's Semitur's influence, or the result of that... whatever these experiences are that keep stabbing through your mind, you're having a hard time keeping your thoughts in order. The sooner you can find Semitur and put and end to this, the better off you'll be. Hopefully she starts running out of people to put in front of her soon.

[DracoOmega]

>If we can spare a moment between all the people shooting at us, try again to use our senses to locate that dragon heart

[Oldmansour]

>If we can spare a moment between all the people shooting at us, try again to use our senses to locate that dragon heart

>You appear to have settled that issue for the moment. You've neutralized all the security forces as well as Yuna, and there do not appear to be any additional officers coming at you from the building. You have a moment to yourself.
>And you'll need it, too. The noise coming from the Fire Champion is even louder now than it was before, and it's being echoed as well. One of Semitur's victims, presumably the Avatar of Fire, is emitting a similar sense of psychic static, a chaotic riot of noise. This is in addition to those sounds and sights that continue to assail you, the sounds of crying, of dripping blood, of glass shattering. You're still not sure where those sounds are coming from, and with Semitur posing a unique kind of threat to your mind, you can't spare the focus to try and figure out where it's coming from.
>Trying as best as you can to put all that out of your mind, you turn your senses outwards again, trying to find that magical artifact you know Semitur to be carrying. It would help if you knew what dragon magic felt like, since the only time you ever saw a dragon, you weren't in your Lotus form. But you'll have to make do. Razorclaw and Haruka established that the thing is a potent source of magic, so it shouldn't be too hard to locate, save for the fact that Semitur isn't using it. Evidently she doesn't know how. If this heart is like the Blood's Jewels, it will be virtually undetectable unless it's active. Which is something you don't want to see. Obviously this succubus is creating enough problems without any extra help.
>You eliminate the exterior of the terminal, the ruined airplane and any of the combatants. Their auras are all accountable for and show no extra magical power sources. She has to be indoors. You thought as much, given that both Yuna and the security officers of the airport had been turned against you, and this confirms your theory. And probably somewhere near the door, since that seems to be where the bulk of the people are located. But it is difficult to get a localized sense in there. There is a blanketing effect over the terminal building, an aura of power that you're fairly confidant is one of Semitur's lures for the unwary. You also have the uneasy feeling that you are being watched.

[DracoOmega]

>But we can get no more obvious sense of her position than 'somewhere inside the terminal, probably'?
>Did the summons stop being aggressive after we zapped Yuna?
>Minoriko, are there any other hostiles you can see inside there?

[Oldmansour]

>But we can get no more obvious sense of her position than 'somewhere inside the terminal, probably'?
>Did the summons stop being aggressive after we zapped Yuna?
>Minoriko, are there any other hostiles you can see inside there?

>You may be able to, but you'll need to take great care. You can tell that the closer you get to sensing Semitur directly, the more at risk you put yourself to her influence. Especially with all the chaos around you messing up your senses.
>The summons no longer appear to be present. Either they vanished because Yuna lost control of her spell, or they were destroyed.
>Not so far. But someone turned the security against us, and then they turned Yuna. I heard some of the officers and Yuna talking to someone, and then I heard them say that we were the real threat here.
>Who was it? asks Kiku. That someone you mentioned
>I couldn't see her clearly. But it was a woman, I'm sure of that.

[DracoOmega]

>Where was she?
>Are any of the others still fighting the soulless nearby enough for us to try binding their foe without making a notable detour?
>Because otherwise that leaves... Lily, Minoriko, and Rin free to come with us inside, right?

[Oldmansour]

>Where was she?
>Are any of the others still fighting the soulless nearby enough for us to try binding their foe without making a notable detour?
>Because otherwise that leaves... Lily, Minoriko, and Rin free to come with us inside, right?

>Near the exit to the runway. I was nearby healing one of the wounded that got off the plane.
>Reisen, Lily and Haruka are engaged with one of the soulless, a blonde woman with black and red streaks in her hair, and feathered wings colored like a inversed rainbow. In fact, they seem to be having a great deal of trouble with her. The colorful girl shows no sign of injury, yet both Haruka and Reisen are burned and bleeding. There's no sign of Kiku, so you assume she's still in the wreck of the plane, probably still fighting. The third soulless is still suspended in the air by your Iron swords, and the fourth is also airborne, chasing Rin while spraying a foul-looking liquid at the kasha from her hands. There's no sign of either Subala or the fifth soulless.
>Correction. Kiku is just now emerging from the plane, in her tiger form. She appears wounded but is leaving the plane under her own power, and doesn't hesitate to jump down to the tarmac.

[DracoOmega]

>Aren't we currently by the exit to the runway, with no sign of said woman? Is there another exit she might be referring to?
>If not: Did you see where she went?

[Oldmansour]

>Aren't we currently by the exit to the runway, with no sign of said woman? Is there another exit she might be referring to?
>If not: Did you see where she went?

>It is the closest exit to your location yes. But the only woman you can see close to you is- Actually there's two, one of the security officers is a female. The other is Yuna, who is only now starting to rise to her feet. Given that it is the closest exit to the plane, you believe it is the exit Minoriko was talking about.
>I didn't, I'm sorry.

[DracoOmega]

>It's alright. Keep an eye out, but I'm going to try and free up more of us before we walk into a probable trap with just the two of us. Let me know if anything changes.
>Let's go fire an Iron Lotus at the soulless chasing Rin

[Oldmansour]

>It's alright. Keep an eye out, but I'm going to try and free up more of us before we walk into a probable trap with just the two of us. Let me know if anything changes.
>Let's go fire an Iron Lotus at the soulless chasing Rin

>I will. Minoriko assures you.
>Assuming we don't need you out here. adds Reisen with a grimace in her voice. Flandre is much stronger than the others.
>Don't worry, I got her! Lily says confidently as you turn your attention towards eliminating another member of the opposition. You can tell that the black-winged woman is no match for Rin, but as before, White Rose holds back from unleashing her might upon the woman. She doesn't share your wealth of non-lethal powers but she does share your concern for others. Even when it means she'll take damage in the process, as you can see a few small acid burns on her clothes, tail and legs. >Ignoring the surge in anger those wounds spark in you, you deploy your grey light once more, and with your target as focused as she is on White Rose, she doesn't make even the barest evasive motion. Again your Iron swords of light appear around one of Semitur's victims, isolating her from the fight and rendering her harmless. The tall woman screams her frustration and sprays her acidic fluid at the swords holding her, to no avail. Your spell isn't permanently impervious, but it'll take someone of her power level some time to free herself.

>Thanks, Mistress. Rin says privately as she descends down closer to you. I hate this fight. Even against Youma I could shoot them, but I can't really do that against these people.

[DracoOmega]

>Yes. And I wouldn't be surprised if Semitur is counting on exactly that difficulty.
>Judging by what we can see of Flandre, it would probably be too optimistic to think Iron Lotus could hold her too, wouldn't it?

[Oldmansour]

>Yes. And I wouldn't be surprised if Semitur is counting on exactly that difficulty.
>Judging by what we can see of Flandre, it would probably be too optimistic to think Iron Lotus could hold her too, wouldn't it?

>Do I have to pull my punches with her? Rin asks, more heatedly than you'd expect her to sound.
>It probably would hold her, but not for nearly as long as the other soulless ones. Not unless you tire her out first.

[DracoOmega]

>Not long enough to deal with Semitur, probably?
>Do we have any idea how safe it would be to rough her up a little with Scarlet Lotus or similar? Given her relatively unique state of being a person but also not quite a person?

[Oldmansour]

>Not long enough to deal with Semitur, probably?
>Do we have any idea how safe it would be to rough her up a little with Scarlet Lotus or similar? Given her relatively unique state of being a person but also not quite a person?

>It would depend on how long it takes you to locate and deal with her. But if you're honest with yourself, you wouldn't put good odds on it.
>Despite the malign energy that's suffused her being and her current lack of a soul, you don't believe your offensive spells can kill her, not unless you really want them to. There's a very good chance you wouldn't even cause any permanent harm. You'll just need to measure your fire a bit more carefully than you do normally. Given Flandre's current status, and the fact that you're not completely certain how your power will interact with her body, you don't want to swing for the fences without knowing what you'll do to your target in the process.

[DracoOmega]

>Not at all. She must be stopped.
>Kiku, Rin, with me. ...as long as the rest of you think you can handle Flandre for as long as it takes us to find Semitur?

[Oldmansour]

>Not at all. She must be stopped.
>Kiku, Rin, with me. ...as long as the rest of you think you can handle Flandre for as long as it takes us to find Semitur?

>We can handle it! Lily says confidently.
>Just OOF! ... Try not to take TOO long. Reisen adds.

[DracoOmega]

>We will be as quick as we can.
>Let's get the 3 of us inside, along with Minoriko.
>Then ask Rin and Kiku: Can either of you pick up something with which to track Semitur down? I may be able to pierce the aura she's cast around the terminal with my own senses, but it's a risk I'd rather not take if it's unnecessary.

[Oldmansour]

>We will be as quick as we can.
>Let's get the 3 of us inside, along with Minoriko.
>Then ask Rin and Kiku: Can either of you pick up something with which to track Semitur down? I may be able to pierce the aura she's cast around the terminal with my own senses, but it's a risk I'd rather not take if it's unnecessary.

>After linking up with Kiku, the tiger cut and bruised in more than one place, the three of you head for the door. Yuna is standing there now, having been helped back to her feet by Minoriko. "That was you, wasn't it?" the miko asks her.
>Carnation nods. "I'm sorry, but I didn't think I had a choice."
>"Don't be sorry, you did the right thing."

>My nose. Kiku says grimly. I should be able to identify her based on what I smelled on that plane. Or, if she's the only person that doesn't smell. People that disguise themselves magically make that oversight more than you might think.

[DracoOmega]

>I can believe it; scent is not a sense that humans rely on very much to identify people. But please, lead on.

[Oldmansour]

>I can believe it; scent is not a sense that humans rely on very much to identify people. But please, lead on.

>Maybe not consciously. Kiku remarks. But we can discuss the behavior of your race later. Taking point, the tiger leads the way into the terminal building, past Yuna and Carnation. Despite the ongoing battle outside, the place here is still packed with people, at least a couple hundred. Part of this is for obvious reasons, as some of them have been hurt. Badly, it appears, in some cases. Evidently Carnation wasn't able to heal them all. Members of the Mayoiga police force are here to provide some security for the doctors working on the wounded. This puts you even more on your guard. If Semitur was able to turn the airport security against you, there's a very good chance she can do the same to the police.
>"I'm sorry about attacking you." Yuna says as you start to move past her. "I couldn't stop myself."
>As she explains herself, you feel a somewhat sinking sensation. You recognize one of the doctors treating a man with burns on his back. The very long head of pale silver hair tied into a braid is a dead giveaway. It is Eirin Yakogoro, the Lunarian doctor who, if your suspicions are correct, is the Avatar of Ice.

[DracoOmega]

>Can we sense any unusual power from her, or a link to her Champion, like we previously sensed one between Patchouli/Sanae and their respective Champions?

[Oldmansour]

>Can we sense any unusual power from her, or a link to her Champion, like we previously sensed one between Patchouli/Sanae and their respective Champions?

>You feel... cold. Very cold. A kind of cold with no hope of warmth, no dreams of summer, no eyes that can see the sun. Even the sun would be cold. Endless freezing cold...
>You feel fatigued, weary. The cold draws the strength from the living. No hope of fire, no comfort in the snow. Just cold and sleep...
>And yet she is beautiful. Even when she works. You wonder how she might look under the winter sky, a dusting of snow in her eyes, her cool eyes flashing in the light of winter. Maybe you could see it in your dreams...

[DracoOmega]

>Woah, pull back for a second there.
>That was... odd. Do we think we can contextualize that sensation more?

[Oldmansour]

>Woah, pull back for a second there.
>That was... odd. Do we think we can contextualize that sensation more?

>It takes a concerted effort on your part to retract your mystic radar, as it were. Something holds your attention. You feel an almost tangible grasp on your mental senses. And those noises dogging you make things worse, dividing your attention, stealing your focus from what really matters. It'd be nice if you could rest for a few moments. You haven't really stopped since you started this morning. It'd be nice if you could lie down for a little while.
>But until you do, you have a task to complete. As Rin and Yuna yawn you turn your thoughts towards trying to figure out what just happened. If Eirin is indeed the Avatar of Ice, then the chaotic energy in the air around you might have caused you to have a reaction to either her or the connection she shares with her Champion, if not both. You may have been sensing the cold that is her essence. If that's the case, then you shudder to imagine what her mind must be like. If indeed you were sensing her soul, then it was almost unimaginably cold.

[DracoOmega]

>Yawn? All of us?
>Could something be trying to lull us to sleep?