Matt just folded his arms and looked at Hugo, who glanced back.

"So," Helena asked Joseph, "how do you know who has Essence?"

"We were given a list of targets by the Chronomancer," Joseph said. "Two of them should still be in the city."

"A list of targets? How nice of him," R.D. muttered. "Something else he could've provided us."

"But Ileyna can track the Essence," Alasea pointed out.

"Ileyna's power is good for tracking the Essence's carrier," R.D. said, shaking his head. "But we pretty much run blind when we go after it. The first time we went after a piece in a foreign dimension forced us to use a tactic of Matt's that we'll never mention again."

Edited by RisingDragon on September 11, 2009 at 19:14:50.

"What?" Matt asked, leaning forward, arm rested on the table. "What tactic?"

"The distraction you used in the Hiroshi manor," R.D. said, his lips tightening into a thin gash. "Let us never speak of it again. I'm sure Hugo agrees with me."

"As far as I'm concerned, it never happened," Hugo said.

Jotaro looked at Joseph, arms folded. "We'd better take them along."

"That's just what I was thinking," Joseph said. "Though I think I'll stay here and make sure Holly is safe."

"I'll modify the wards I've set up to alert everyone in the house," Alasea said. "I'll only be a moment."

She strode out of the kitchen. Within a few moments, they could hear the front door sliding open and close.

"The targets are Stand users, aren't they?" R.D. asked, looking over at Jotaro.

"We think," Jotaro said. "We're not actually sure."

"You can't see Stands, right?" Helena asked Matt. "How are we supposed to fight what we can't see?"

Matt sighed. "I dunno, but we'll just have to be careful."

"... actually I wonder if you two can see them," R.D. said, looking over at the two of them. "Matt had his own Stand once before, and not one the Core gave him."

"It was called Guilty Gear," Matt cut in. "Some weird totem or whatever gave it to me. Didn't get a chance to find out what its powers did, because the Core messed it up. But yeah, maybe I'll still be able to see them." God damn it, R.D., you'd better not fuck this up or you'll get throttled, I swear to God.

R.D. spared Matt a sidelong glance at being cut off like he had, but kept his mouth shut. "At any rate, the rest of us will need to be careful. Maybe Alasea can help us out there with her powers."

"Maybe she should stay here to make sure the wards stay up," Joseph said. "I don't want to take any chances."

Holly had managed to sit down, recovering some breath with a hand on her chest. "Papa, I'll be fine. Just having you around makes me feel safe enough."

"The enemy has Essence, though." Jotaro walked towards the doorway of the dining room. "Since they're more powerful, we need to be cautious."

As he glanced out the doorway to check for something, Holly suddenly sprang up and captured Jotaro in a big hug. "Ohhhhh~! I'm glad you're so concerned about me, Jotaro!"

"Get off me! Damn it!"

"Oh! Sorry, Jotaro!" Holly let him go. "But anyway, with Papa here, I'll be okay, trust me!"

Ileyna giggled at the amusing display between Holly and Jotaro, but in the meantime, R.D. shook his head to Joseph. "Next to Matt, Alasea's the strongest person on our team. She still has control over her own power, despite being away from the Pillar of Dawn, whereas my power's still recovering from the damage the Essence did to it. She'll be needed if we have to split up after the two pieces."

"I could stay," Helena said.

"Ehhhh. I'd rather have you on-hand if we need to nuke something." He seized his last piece of bacon and dropped it in his mouth. "You've been gettin' better at that, so I think we'll need you this go-round."

"Besides," Joseph said, clasping his hands together, "while non-Stand Users can't attack Stands, the User is still vulnerable. If Jotaro and I distract an enemy, you'd have a better chance to take him by surprise."

"What can she do?" Jotaro asked.

"I can control fire," Helena replied. She watched Jotaro go back over to his mug and take a large swig. "And I'm really strong."

Jotaro put down his mug and wiped his mouth with a long draw of the sleeve. "How strong?"

Helena smirked, and lifted up a flat hand. "I could chop this table in half right now if I wanted to."

R.D. raised an eyebrow. "That's not the full extent of your powers, though," he pointed out. He felt that Helena shouldn't hold back on info, seeing how upset she got when Matt did it.

As Donovan was guided through the vessels, the creatures within could feel the beast shudder, as well as hear the distant, muffled sounds of explosion and fighting. The Cyraeth that Donovan had been taken to was apparently in combat.

Though the path taken was relatively the same, Donovan would notice that way to the central control of the mutant Cyraeth vessel was subtly different than the last one. The hallways showed different colorings. Blood vessels in membranes arranged in different patterns. Different turns at different angles. Different colorings coming from the crystal light sources. All of it adding to the eerie inner workings of a monster-turned-vehicle.

Like before, though, it was not long before Donovan had been taken to the bridge. Up where the kael'thasth stood, this time, was vile-looking creature, a massive ebon arachnid with the mutated upper torso of a human woman, with skin too pale, too many eyes and warped mandibles around her mouth. She was gesturing with hands with black fingers that tapered off into needle-sharp points, spitting out commands in an alien tongue with a voice rising in a sharp hiss.

The creatures manning the nerve endings of the Cyraeth were scrambling about, issuing commands throughout the beast. Outside, beyond the transparent viewing membranes, furious red energy gathered and lanced out through the skies, smashing into a cloud of fire demons and eradicating many in a wave of destruction, yet more flew out of the blast, striking back with their unholy flame. Barbed missiles flew out from various pores to strike at those lucky enough to escape its terrible beam.

The arachnid kael'thasth turned its soulless gaze on Donovan and made a polite nod. ~I would have rather greeted you under less stressful circumstances,~ she spoke through the Dark-Link, and gestured to the window. ~But at the moment, your colleague has our hands full with his infuriating attacks. Perhaps you can do something about him. My master will not be pleased if He must unleash his full power against Gouki and his army.~

===Area K, Innerpeace===

Seril landed, turned and leaped backwards as the bombs fell around her and exploded--as she cleared the flames, bits and pieces of the charred hem of her skirt fluttered to the floor. She skid to a halt and looked upwards at Puprill, taking her Dragonblade in both hands and guiding it back behind her. It was beginning to glow white-hot once more.

So, your weakness is your arms, she thought, noting his previous scream from the wound she had inflicted upon the Pseudoroid. She spread her feet to stabilize her stance, and muttered a chant under her breath. If those arms were his weakness, then she'd cut them right off.

When Puprill launched the bounding explosive, she struck. Using all of her strength, Seril swung her blade at an incredible speed, cutting the air horizontally. A blade of compressed fire and heat flew out from the attack, speeding through the air towards the hand holding Puprill in the ceiling.

"...well, that's all we'll need," Helena said.

"That sounds good," Joseph said. He finished off his last bit of toast, and stood. "All right. Let's get this underway."

"Well, if we're gonna split up, how do you think we should split the teams?" Matt asked R.D..

R.D. crossed his arms and tossed his head back, staring up at the ceiling as he considered the strengths and weaknesses of the team.

"Since Joseph's staying behind, that means we'll have to split up you and Jotaro," he started off, looking back down at Matt, "Since you two are the ones who can see Stands while the rest of us can't."

The front door slid open again, and soon Alasea appeared back in the kitchen. She stopped to listen at the current subject.

"I think Lumiya's repaired enough that I'm physically stronger than you, Matt, so me and Helena will go on separate teams," he continued, knowing she was also stronger than the others. "It'd be safer if Helena and Ileyna go with you since all of you have pieces of the Omega Essence. And Alasea's power might be able to affect a Stand. Me and Hugo and Jotaro don't have pieces to lose to that lantern, and Jotaro can counter a Stand with his own."

All good points. Maybe he could've thought of a better team placement, but he was anxious to get going. "Sounds good to me," Matt said, pushing himself up on the table. "Let's boogie."

R.D. nodded and stood up from the table and left, grabbing his satchel and slinging it around his shoulder. Alasea turned to Joseph and Holly. "The wards will make an alarm only you two can hear if anyone other than us steps on the premises," she said. "I also tied them off so I don't have to maintain them, so they should last at least a day before they fade out completely. I hope that'll be enough."

"Thank you," Joseph said. "Good luck out there."

"We've got a ride on hand," Matt said to Jotaro, "so you can take the truck. We'll follow until we pick up a signal, then break off."

"Got it." Jotaro swept towards the door with a flare of his long trenchcoat.

"My team's taking the Firebird," Matt continued. "Get what you need and let's go."

"I'll go on my bike," R.D. called back. "Gives me a better vantage point to fight back if we get attacked."

~Correct. The only ones who would be able to prevent you from doing so are Master Daemonus and perhaps Master Infernox once he has completed his ascension,~ the kael'thasth said via the Dark-Link. ~It would not be a confrontation anyone wants, and it would ultimately not be in your favor.~

===Area K, Innerpeace===

"You made the mistake of allowing me to find out your weakness," Seril said coldly. She lifted up her sword and aimed it right at the Pseudoroid. "Tell me where your companions plan on taking the Servitor Unit, and I will allow you to leave with your other arm intact. If the information satisfies me, I may even allow you to take your severed arm with you."

Edited by RisingDragon on September 13, 2009 at 10:57:55.

"Fine then," Seril said. "Your core data will be useful to the Ancients."

Her other hand took the hilt of her weapon and struck. Her weapon went wide and flashed out at Puprill's neck.

===Shayol Ghul Airspace===

~Then go, Donovan,~ the voice of the kael'thasth replied. ~Go to the tower of Xobelisk.~

Fire washed over Seril, but it did her no harm. She dismissed her weapon. "Sera! The path is clear!" she called back.

===Xobelisk===

As Donovan stared down the black tunnel, interspersed with glowing red lines set into the wall, he could see it begin to narrow and lengthen. The lines were suddenly running together, towards a bright light. And he was taken into it as it all came together.

When he could see again, he would find himself at the Throne of Souls, in the middle of the platform that the Throne loomed over. Ziatoch sat in it, leaning to one side, His head propped up by His arm.

"You called?" He asked, almost grinning.

Edited by RisingDragon on September 13, 2009 at 15:57:46.

"The other two Pseudoroids have taken him," Seril explained. "I can sense combat up at the surface, and it recently ended. I think another Pseudoroid has been destroyed."

She pointed over to the wreckage of the Pseudroid she had destroyed. "If you can find the data core, we might be able to find out where they're headed."

===Throne of Souls, Xobelisk===

"Well then, ask your questions, Donovan," Ziatoch said, gesturing to him. "It is the least I can do, now that you have ended the siege on Shayol Ghul for the moment."