Daimao (Windra) [warning: content]

[Luxon Cobrat]

Isala was still too weak to lift a finger against the demons. Scarlet gunned some of them down though, and pierced another through the skull with her claw. Good riddance to those, at least. But the snow queen realized that she had become a liability now, and that was not a good feeling.

"You be's Healer?"

"I am," she answered simply. Scarlet's same point about saving the expressions of gratitude for later held true also for long explanations about water-based elemental magic and its healing properties.

As the ship crashed to the ground, Isala watched it go down, brow furrowed in worry.

"Hey, where's Ent?"

That question reflected Isala's own concern.

"She boarded it before it crashed," the snow queen answered, tone even again. "And I did not see her leave. It would... perhaps be best to search inside for her."

[Windra]

<center>

"She boarded it before it crashed. And I did not see her leave. It would ... perhaps be best to search inside for her."

"She WHAT?!" boomed Scarlet suddenly, teeth bared and eyes widening in distinct worry. "But no be's ... She couldn't be doin' that - not good for her at all! Shit!" Juggernaut released her grip on Isala's arm and ran so fast it looked like she flew across the area, disregarding the demons completely now. "En!" she called, voice loud, voice clear. "EN, ya airhead! Whatcha do that fer?!"

It took five whole seconds for her to clear the gap between ship and warriors. Dodging the blow of an irate Golem (its rock-hard arm formed a crater in the floor), Juggernaut launched to where the splattered winged demon from earlier had been strung up against the wood and slashed through with her claws, making short work of the wood and not even bothering looking for an entrance. Not regarding the splinters in her fist, Scarlet busted a nice big hold in the ship's side and threw herself inside, calling: "En, if yer dead, I'm gonna kill you!"

[Luxon Cobrat]

Isala was left in the dust behind Scarlet, but she stood up and followed after. Her going was slow, as she couldn't afford to push herself too much yet, and she didn't need to blunder into the path of an attacker. That didn't mean she wasn't concerned about Entropy, but as a being of supreme composure, she was aware that she wouldn't be able to do a thing for the succubus if she died on the way.

--

Inside the ship, the cannon corridore was even more of a mess than before, with ammunition crates and various tools having been thrown around in the crash.

"En, if yer dead, I'm gonna kill you!"

"Owww!" Entropy's voice called out an instant later, sounding like she was in quite a bit of pain. "Scarlet? Help! It hurts..."

It seemed that Entropy had a wing trapped underneath one of the ammunition crates. It was a dangerous position, and anyone who knew how painful it really was would be impressed that she could still form coherent words.

But almost as soon as Scarlet had entered the ship, another voice came from the shadows at the other end of the corridore.

"What is they, that's on my ship?" it asked nervously in a high-pitched, childish voice, an intense smell of fear filling the room almost immediately.

Whatever the creature was, it came forward, cautiously and full of uncertainty, stepping out of the shadows. It looked like another silver-skinned, black-haired succubus, looking almost like Entropy, but much younger with an appearance like a human no older than the early teenage years...

"Is they humans on my ship?" the girl asked, seeming to grow more terrified even as she approached, and sounding like she was talking to herself. "I don't knows about humans on my ship... I don't knows how to deals with them. I'm... afraid of them."

She then paused for a moment, staring at Scarlet.

"Can I kill them?" she asked herself. "I'm afraids of them, so I want to kill them."

Then the girl looked directly at Scarlet, addressing her.

"You know what elses I'm afraid of?" she asked. "Everything."

Then, without any further warning, the succubus girl raised her claws, rose into the air, and flew at Scarlet with sudden ferocity, launching a swipe at the V-ACT as soon as she was close enough.

[Windra]

<center>

Given the close proximity and the quickness of the assault, there was very little that Scarlet could actually do. Yes, she ducked backwards. Yes, she crouched down low, keeping her head out of range of those feral claws. Juggernaut's own apparel shot upwards towards a cannon. With brute strength in clenched forearms, the steel shaft was pivoted around so that it was perpendicular to the position it had been in before, forming a horizontal bar of steel cutting across the space Scarlet's torso had been a few seconds earlier.

"Who be's you?!" yelled the V-ACT 32, suddenly outraged. It never occurred to her that this was a little teenager that she was speaking to. She never thought it was the same species as Entropy, and never wondered of its real alliance - good or truly bad? What mattered was ... she was being attacked.

When the teenageEn would draw close enough, her legs would swing up to kick at her. That would hopefully knock the demoness into the cannon barrel - a rather hurty pain. Scarlet could barely see Entropy through the din of blackness but her senses of smell and heat told the location and the situation, and a worry line formed on her brow.

"Eny, hang on, don't be's movin! I'ma getcha!"

[Luxon Cobrat]

"Who be's you?!"

The young succubus paused in the middle of her attack as soon as she heard that question, looking surprised. This pause, of course, allowed Scarlet's kick to land squarely on her face, sending her flying into the cannon. Hitting the weapon, she cried out sharply in pain and crumpled straight to the ground.

"Who be's me?" she muttered a moment later, staring at Scarlet again with confusion now mixing in with the fear on her face, but otherwise laying still in the heap she had fallen into.

Entropy, meanwhile, gave Scarlet a nod, intending to do her best to comply with the V-ACT's request that she not move. She could hear the bone of her wing cracking underneath the crate, though...

"Who be's me?" the teenage succubus repeated. "I be's... Keeran."

And with that question answered, Keeran's eyes shifted onto Entropy. They immediately grew wide, and her body suddenly sprang back up into the air, though it hung limp like a ragdoll being held up by its torso. Flipping over onto her back so that her head would hang the right way to see Entropy, she stared at the older succubus for a moment.

"You're her!" Keeran declared frantically, pointing at Entropy and drawing her attention. "You has my master in you! Give me him so I won't be scared no more!"

The small succubus was then thrown at Entropy by whatever force had been holding her up. About halfway there, she began moving on her own, lunging straight for her trapped counterpart with claws open like she was about to attack again. She didn't seem to be paying any attention to Scarlet now, though...

[Windra]

<center>

Limp in the air. Keeran was her name, then? Scarlet almost felt bad for knocking her around, for the naming of a person meant they had a personality, a history, a reason why they were called what they were called. Well, too bad, the damage had been done. Metal met flesh and Keeran was on the ground. Juggernaut, determined to protect who she could and put this little punk in her place, stepped forward with immense weight on her boots. A glass bottle of rum, long-emptied, snapped underneath one. Splinters of sharp debris stuck form the sole.

"Well den, Keery-bee, why ya be's - " The sentence never finished. Keeran launched at Entropy, declaring that the silver-skinned elder had something in her all while bristling claws. Juggernaut may be sluggish in mind, but not in reflex. A hand snapped out, grabbing the girl's collar as she lunged and pulling her back roughly. "Hey! Gotta be patient n' listenin' ... "

Entropy was still stuck. Scarlet regarded the grinding of bones and looked over, however briefly. Tugging at the wing would strain the bones, injuring them further.

"Dun' suppose ya can lift dat offa yer wingy without moving wingy, can ya's?" asked V-ACT 32 of Succubus, before focusing on the Little Succu. "And whatcha mean, she be's gotting master in her?"

[Luxon Cobrat]

Keeran was caught off guard again, this time because she hadn't even been paying any attention in the first place, and let out a squeak of total surprise at being grabbed by Scarlet, followed by a helpless whimper of fear. Trembling, she threw her arms over her face protectively as if expecting that she was about to get pummeled.

Entropy was keeping her eyes on Keeran, as well as she could through the pain in her wing at least, staying ready to fend her off if she lunged again. On hearing Scarlet's question, she reached for the crate with her hands and tried to lift it up as much as she could. Unfortunately, she couldn't quite pull it off.

"I'll... need a little help," she responded, though she still continued trying to lift the thing.

Keeran looked surprised by Scarlet's other question regarding the identity of her "master."

"My... my master," she said, sounded like she was surprised that Scarlet didn't know who she was talking about. "She... she the one that bonded withs him. She the key to getting him backs."

Then the little succubus flexed her claws again.

"Let... let me get him out of her... or I'll kill... I'll kill you..." Keeran threatened.

Her voice was a stuttering, barely audible one, though, seeming afraid of the possibility that Scarlet would actually hear her, and not even looking the V-ACT in the face as she made the threat. Then, apparently fearing retribution for the threat, she covered her face back up.

[Windra]

<center>

"Mmmm ... " Let her go? After that little murderous display earlier? HAHAHA! In your dreams, Keeran. might as well start grovelling and begging and weeping now. Scarlet had her hands on you. And she wasn't gonna let go until you cooled the hell off. These words actually spilled form the Juggernaut's mouth in her usual speech-impedement mannerisms. To display her dominance, Scarlet held the little Succu high in the air and was half-tempted to spin her around to make her dizzy and sick. In the end, she simply vouched for keeping the small Winged Lady out of the way while stepping over debris. Boots cracked on woods. Shrapnels went flying as they burst.

Soon Juggernaut was next to the ammunition crate. Leaning and turning so that Keeran was in the arm opposite of Entropy and on too high of an angle to sqipe down with her claws, Scar dug her own free ones into the wooden side. They caught, snuggly latching on. There was a mighty grunt as the V-ACT 32 lifted the apparel from its victim. Blind eyes could not see the twisted mess that might be Entropy's wing, but the smell of injury was harsh. "Can ya's be movin' yer wingyyy?" crooned Scar, head tilting. "And I thought Nei be's da one wit' da demon inside. N' Stuff. Not you, right?" The crate would drop down once Winged Lady I removed her body part from under its shadow.

None of this made sense ... Scarlet stepped back in case Keeran made some wild move to get within reach of Entropy's face.

[Luxon Cobrat]

It didn't take long for Keeran to realize her helplessness. And at that point, she did start crying pathetically, tears flowing like a river.

"Lemmee doooowwwnns," she wailed, not really even understanding why Scarlet was impeding her.

Entropy, meanwhile, moved her wing out from under the box as soon as it was lifted, though she could only get this done by pulling her whole body away. The wing itself was limp now, hanging lifelessly from her back. For a few seconds after gaining her freedom, Entropy felt relieved. But then her face suddenly contorted in agony, the true pain of her injury hitting her now that the majority of the nerves in her wing were no longer being crushed into merciful deadness. Letting out a loud howl, the succubus fell back to the floor, then buried her face in her hands and gritted her teeth.

Hearing Scarlet's question, she glanced up at her companion momentarily, but could barely compose herself well enough to answer coherently.

"Can't... move it..." she groaned.

Then, on the subject of demons inside of people.

"And I've... got one too..." she tried to say. "I... mean I... had one."

"He's been dead for a long time," Isala's voice announced from the hole Scarlet had entered through, the snow queen finally having arrived. "Krayden..."

Pulling herself in, Isala grimaced as soon as she saw Entropy's wing. The thing was a bloody mess. The bones were twisted up in places where they should have been straight, exposed in a few places, and the skin was ripped and torn terribly.

"Dead!?" Keeran shrieked, eyes suddenly wide with shock. "No! No, no, no!"

But then, just before she would have flown into a fit of hysterics, she suddenly composed herself a bit.

"No, you're wrong," she said. "He couldn't be dead. You just don't get it."

Isala didn't pay much attention to her though, making her way to Entropy instead.

"This looks bad," she declared, looking at the wing. "I don't believe I'll be able to fix this. Not quickly, anyway."

"Nei..." Entropy responded, sounding halfway delerious now. "Nei... could..."

"Your friend?" Isala asked. "But that would mean we would have to--"

But before she could finish, the sound of a loud explosion blasted from outside, followed by the noise of boulders flying everywhere. The sound of splintering wood told of a few of these boulders hitting the ship, but thankfully none of them crashed into the corridore the four were in.

"... Could he..." Isala wondered aloud a moment after the sounds stopped. Then she looked at Scarlet. "Captain, please stay here. If that was what I suspect it was, the three of us must not be seen."

And with that, Isala carefully went back to the hole to carefully peek out. Keeran, meanwhile, stopped struggling and fell almost limp, proving that she was alive only by the fact that her trembling increased and she began murmering under her breath.

"Oh god. Oh god. Oh god."

The snow queen took only the tiniest peek out of the hull, then immediately ran back to the group, her skin even more pale than it normally was.

"It is... him..." she stuttered. "The avatar..."

And no sooner had she spoken than did an evil, grating voice echoe through the cavern, sounding like a whisper but loud enough to wake the dead.

"Kill you!"

"Kill you!"

"KILL YOU!"

Within a few seconds, Isala already had a new portal opened.

"There's nothing else we can do here," she declared. "This will be a severe defeat. You've done a commendable job, Captain, but it seems that the Overlords were never ready to fight this battle. All we can do now is live to fight another day."

But despite her words, Isala didn't immediately dash through the portal to save herself. Instead, she went to help Entropy to her feet, and hoped that Scarlet would go through the portal first, preferably with Keeran in tow.

Even as Isala spoke, the room outside was beginning to glow with an extremely bright light, the noise of a shrill whistle beginning to pick up on the air...

[Windra]

<center>

”But Nei be’s in Deep Forest, ne?” Scarlet responded to Entropy’s demand to see her friend. The Juggernaut made it pointedly obvious that she was ignoring the sniveling creature held up in her other hand. She did not trust Keeran very much right now, after that whole assault thing. Who was to say that she would be calm and gentle if released? More likely, the demon-child would go on a frenzy in ripping Entropy’s face apart. ”Unless ya be wanna goin’ ta … “ Facial expressions contorted. Brilliant! ”Oh yaaaaa. Better protection n’ stuff ‘dere too. So we be’s safe if any of ‘dose assholes be’s – “

Not a second later had the world began to shake. Keeran was trembling, muttering something anxiously. And the Ice Queen was being quiet, stealthy in her motions. Trying to avoid being detected. By what? After hearing the roar outside, Scarlet decided that was the reason … and despite her need to find the delicious new enemy so she could rend him to shreds, her team came first. It wouldn’t do for all of them to get killed …

Like Roddy …

No! He’s fine! He’s ALIVE I be’s tellin’ you!

Feuding voices were drowned out by the ultimate decision. With light filling the next room over and the portal opening up, Scarlet tugged on Keeran and dragged her to the only way to safety. A glance back at the other two displayed the urgency in her dead, milky eyes.

”Lezzgo!” It was a harsh whisper, just loud enough for them to hear, and she stepped through.

[Luxon Cobrat]

Even with Isala's help, it took a moment for Entropy to struggle to her feet, and she was gasping in pain the whole way. It was obvious that they needed to get out of there immediately, though, so the succubus put her pain aside and ran along with Isala for the portal, jumping through just as a pair of skeletal, ghostly figures began to climb through the hole in the ship's hull.

As soon as everyone emerged from the portal, Isala wasted no time in closing it behind them.

"Silence Guard making it here wouldn't do at all," she mumbled to herself.

And now they were in Deep Forest again. Right outside a cabin by the River, in fact. Entropy immediately dropped to her knees, then took a look around.

"Are we... safe?" she asked.

"We appear to be," Isala answered.

"That's... good..." Entropy said, then laid back down on the ground and passed out.

A few seconds later, a certain newman emerged from the cabin, hearing the noises outside. Seeing Entropy down, she ran over to the group, looking worried.

"You are Nei?" Isala asked the girl. "Entropy needs healing."

Nei gave a quick nod, then knelt down to get straight to work on Entropy's wing.

Isala then turned to Scarlet.

"I can take her from here," she said, gesturing at Keeran, who had been doing nothing but whimpering fearfully for a while. "My own world is secure enough for now. I would see what I can learn from her there."

[Windra]

<center>

There wasn't much left to do here now, was there? Nei was here. She was happy to see the Newman, and it showed in the way her teeth shone with that odd-looking grin she always had. Lipless as it was, little kids would run away screaming upon its sight. "Nei person!"

Entropy was wounded, she knew that much. The blood and pus stank highly and it made the V-ACT 32 very hungry. Stomach grumbling, the urge to maim and kill something for sustenance was becoming a very real possibility in the next few minutes. She waited until Isala's dismissal before deciding to head off, however, and left with the note of, "If you be's needin' help durin' all dis, just end a call out for Cap'n Scar. I'll be dere!"

And she was gone, off romping into the Woods in search of prey.

[Luxon Cobrat]

Nei had gotten initially straight to work on Entropy's wing without a single word, but at Scarlet's greeting, she looked up and gave the undead woman a brief smile.

"Hey, Scar," she returned the greeting, then went back to concentrating on preparing to heal the wing.

And so, this was where they were to part company. After Scarlet dashed off into the woods, Isala opened another portal and dragged Keeran towards it. Amid her fearful whining, the small succubus tried to pull away, but wasn't quite large enough to outmatch Isala for strength.

"Now come along, Keeran, or I shall freeze your legs solid," the snow queen said almost cheerfully.

Keeran gave a quiet little squeak at that, her wings drooping and shoulders sagging, and at least stopped her struggles. If anything, though, she looked a bit more fearful.

"When Entropy recovers, tell her that I have gone to strengthen the defenses of Iceria," Isala told Nei. "And if I learn of anything useful, I will contact her again."

Nei just looked up at her and gave a nod. To an onlooker, she may have seemed oddly calm for someone who didn't know what was going on. Something about Isala seemed a bit urgent to her, though, and she didn't want to tie up her unknown visitor any longer than she could help. The Newman would just ask Entropy to fill her in later.

With all that out of the way, Isala proceeded on through the portal, and it closed behind her once she was through. Nei, left alone with Entropy now, raised a hand, the palm glowing as healing energy channeled into it, then touched it to the succubus' wing...