Vernon
The cat's ears prick up, barely having enough time to screech at the other animal in their midst. **"GOAT, MOVE BACK."** She yells to Kuo, as the powerful Veitvaazva appears; her voice remaining bolstered by *Thaumaturgy* Even now.


In the following seconds, the cat's tail begins to flick wildly and her ears flatten back, feeling the very tangible threat deep inside. That feeling sinks deeper and deeper into her psyche, as she speaks more. **"WE ARE NOT TRYING TO FIGHT _ANYONE_ HERE. WE CAN TALK THIS OUT, VAAZVA."**


*Fuck, I should've killed you earlier. Fucking mortals.*


The cat keeps her weapon still, refusing to fire a single damaging blow to anyone here; remaining a *Threat*, yet not an immediate one. If someone were to attack with such hostility, they would certainly be met with resistance. 


**"Stupid puny mortal with your stupid puny god complex. You see everything within a person, yet remain blind to the fact that we are _trying_ to keep your companions from throwing their _lives_ away."** She taunts angrily, letting Vaazva read whatever the fuck he wants from the soul that inhabits her body. It doesn't matter, anyways.


As the alarm bells reach their climax, something from within responds.


I think I have an idea.


The cat's ears perk again, *You're not a good fighter*, listening to something entirely unheard as she raises her fist away from the foregrip of the crossbow.


The bolt nocked in it suddenly starts to gleam, changing from its normal azure tone to that of pure __*Light,*__ as the non-lethal cantrip _of the same name_ is put at the _Ready_; its pure speed held back only by magical restraint. She lowers her fist back down to the grip, her automatons shifting their stance in response to a much heavier opponent arriving on the battlefield.



Should the frightening Vaazva make a move against anyone here, or *Anyone* Other than the allies she finds herself with, move towards Aazkue, the *Ready* Action would trigger.

_ _

The Guardian, additionally, takes a *Ready* Action, preparing for any incredibly sudden movements to come towards the wedge that has been formed, while the Defender is forced to take the *Dodge* Action.


Tabby _Ends her Turn._
Robin
Kuouo clenched his teeth, raising himself up with his left leg, only able to watch Kovrot do the same for herself. Once more, the deathly magic sparked to life in each fingertip of her left hand, dampening the atmosphere with a spine-chilling aura that eminated *Certain death.* Her eyes shifted away from the bandit, no longer a threat to Aatkei nor herself for the time being. Instead, she focused her attention — ignoring the blistering pain that blighted her flesh — to the one who attempted to strike the ex-highwayman last, the middle-aged mercenary, Cumhall. The same cold, sharp eyes with the intent to *Disappate* Her opponent into near-nothingness displayed itself again — It was quite clear, no attack, no pain, lethal or not, would shatter the determination pushing her forward.

Without much thought put into her actions, it'd make a near-copy of the situation from just moments before, Aazkue raising his hand up with pure, raw mana looking to counterstrike Kovrot again in hopes to keep him from experiencing the brunt of the harrowing magic that engulfed her body. The counterattack flung forth, Kovrot—

```bash
"= ───────────── • ───────────── 
= 𝑨𝑹𝑼𝑬 𝑨𝑹𝑪𝑨𝑵𝑨
= 𝑷𝑹𝑨𝒀𝑬𝑹 𝑰𝑽
= ❛𝒁𝑬𝒁𝑹𝑨𝑨𝑬❜
= ───────────── • ─────────────"```

... Was rendered completely safe from the blast, the atmosphere growing cold as the attack is nullified, re-manifested, and sent flying towards Aazkue. Kuo's eyes widened, for who wielded such a mana that could rival that of the Root-Crown? This wasn't a simple ``Veie Ezuek`` like that wielded by the Knights of Sol, no, it was a prayer of the Arue with far more power and complexity. Kuo's eyes dashed across the battlefield, searching for an answer to such a dire question...

*Manifesting from the shadows between Aatkei and Cumhall emerged a great, unexpected fear striking Kuo on every sense of danger possible within his instincts.*

Veitvaazva, looking at each and one of the outsiders with an opague bloodlust, judged each and every one of the sins they've committed on the First Floor... Kuo *Would* Be confused, accused of an unsaid treachery that disgusted the all-knowing, but instead, he was left gritting his teeth, shaking due to his current state. From the very moment Vaazva first made contact with the bandit, Kuo knew very well he was not a person to be *Fucked* With and despite the relationship between the two previously established, it was all out the window now. He grabbed his dagger, tensely unsheathing it as it seemed a tense battle was ahead. Himself, Cumhall, Tabby, Kovrot, Aatkei, Vaazva, Aazkue, and Zoche-

``The Doctor.``

Kuouo's eyes quickly turned towards the slug, nearly running towards him and standing tall in front of him. For this journey, he'd agreed to act as the doctor's escort, a stand-in guard for the man requested to talk to by Aazkue himself. By all means, despite the changing of the play-field, Kuo had an obligation to protect the doctor for they had a strong, mutual loyalty.

```fix
"... Doc, this is lookin' to be rough."```

He said quietly, his voice only loud enough to be carried by the light breeze as he stood, unfacing the doctor.

```fix
"I dunno what's goin' on, or if this can be solved by any other means. We've been split into sides I never wanted t' take, and tryin' t' make sure Aatkei didn't get hurt seems t've bit me in the ass. More than likely... More than likely, I'm goin' to fuckin' die here. I've managed to rest a little bit but my leg is still a bit mangled. You, you however, yer still a genius doc. You gotta get outta here before things get outta hand and you get hurt, alright? Only you an' Sheto can continue makin' that cure."```

** **
Kuouo bowed his head, unwrapping the splint tied around his leg before tearing it off. The pressure hurt like hell, but it allowed him unrestrained movement — unrestrained, still being limited to pain of course. Although the healing process was quickened by the doctor's intricate work and Sheto's medicine, the pain was only halved. Furthermore, the more Kuo would act on his bad leg, the worse it'd shatter until its worked on by the doctor again.

***```fix
"Now go."```***

He demanded, gripping Infernium tightly as he racked his brain for a solution. His mana and general stamina had managed to recover to a quarter of its stores, thanks to the couple winks of rest he was given in the doctor's office. Compared to Aazkue and Vaazva, coupled with a broken leg, it still rendered him nigh slaughterable - But it gave him a chance nonetheless. He couldn't figure out a way to talk this out, not without a clear cut reason for why Veitvaazva sought to *Exterminate* Him specifically. He'd have to manuever through the bloodlust, at least find reasoning before the impending onslaught of violence. Despite Tabby's warning, Kuo moved about three-and-a-half meter away from Vaazva, looking to ask the all-knowing with dagger still in hand.

```fix
"What is this about? Is it about curin' the Root-Crown? I didn't know it'd destroy the order 'e brought to this degree, hell, was I supposed t' know he'd be the most 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙙 person on the first floor!? You think I shoulda killed a man who doesn't even know what year it is, much less what happened to him last!?"```

Kuouo beared his fangs, stuck in a rut. He didn't want to attack Vaazva, nor let anyone else fall to his attack. Flames began manifesting around him, his mana stores not replenishing, but deepening as his anger and frustration grew. A bright fire grew in his palms, at the soles of his paws, flourishing his tattered cape as he pointed at Vaazva.

**```fix
"𝙄'𝙈 𝘿𝘼𝙈𝙉𝙀𝘿 𝙄𝙁 𝙄 𝘿𝙊, 𝘿𝘼𝙈𝙉𝙀𝘿 𝙄𝙁 𝙄 𝘿𝙊𝙉'𝙏, 𝘽𝙐𝙏 𝘿𝙊𝙉'𝙏 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝙁𝙐𝘾𝙆𝙄𝙉' 𝘿𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝙀𝙓𝙋𝙀𝘾𝙏 𝙈𝙀 𝙏𝙊 𝙀𝙉𝘼𝘾𝙏 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙉𝙂𝙀 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙋𝙀𝙊𝙋𝙇𝙀'𝙎 𝙎𝙐𝙁𝙁𝙀𝙍𝙄𝙉' 𝘿𝙊𝙒𝙉 𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀. 𝙄𝙁 𝙔𝙊𝙐'𝙍𝙀 𝙂𝙊𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙏𝙊 𝙆𝙄𝙇𝙇 𝘼𝘼𝙕𝙆𝙐𝙀, 𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙀, 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙏'𝙎 𝙊𝙉 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝘼𝙎 𝘼𝙉 𝙀𝙓𝙄𝙇𝙀. 𝘽𝙐𝙏 𝙄𝙏 𝘼𝙄𝙉'𝙏 𝙂𝙊𝙄𝙉' 𝙏𝙊 𝘿𝙊 𝘼 𝘿𝘼𝙈𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙂."```**
Vernon
The cat stares pointedly, waiting for something to happen as the bandit gets a few steps away.

*It's not much, but it's better than practically hugging..*

_Wait. **Root-Crown**?_ The cat mentally reflects on the Solar Guardian behind her — *He's the Root-Crown?? What the hell even IS the Root-Crown??*

The cat's aim does not waver, remaining completely steady even as she mulls over whatever-the-fuck is being said. 

Speaking with *Thaumaturgy* Still active, Tabby *Verbally* Asks the question fresh in her mind. **"What the hell is going on and what the hell did Aazkue even do??? I've only heard that name TWICE before even MEETING the guy?!"**

Tabby does indeed aim to shield those who come close — it would be better to be shot non-lethally than it would to get tossed around like leaves in a salad by the confused Aazkue — knowing; or, at the very least, *Assuming* That the deity could very easily kill with what seemed to be his definition of "Non-lethal"
Keri
```diff
- "Fuck." -
```
He muttered- no snarled through gritted teeth, it seemed a million things happened at once, the necromancer was headed straight for him, but it would not pose much of a threat, his entire body was covered in multiple layers of armour, all separated in a manner not too dissimilar to a multi pane window, the spell would need to breach each layer of armour individually before it reached his flesh and before that could happen he would grab her arm with his cybernetic hand, a grip strength 20 times that of a humans, his entire forearm would spin 360 degrees, eviscerating her arm.
But she never even got close enough.
Manifesting in front of him was someone he had never laid eyes upon, a stranger in every sense who hurled accusations to all around, his mind was overcome with confusion but he did not have time to think- he had to *Act* .
His first instinct was to go on the offensive, but he remembered his injured state, normally he could tank the first shot but even now it took immense obstinacy to ignore the stabbing pains in his chest.
So he retreated, he backpaddled with impressive speed, it seemed curiously that the intricate art of running backwards was one he had mastered.
```diff
- "Jesuschristallmightyinheavenabove lend me your fuckin' strength what the hell is going on" -
```
He practically hissed the string of swears as his eyes frantically darted about the battlefield.
```diff
- "If it's any consolation cat, i've got even less of a clue" -
```
For the time being he would not make a move and would only act in reaction, their new opponent had yet to reveal his hand and any hostile action may very well just play into it, and leave Chumall in far worse of a state than he was already in, he couldn't afford to take a heavy hit again- not on floor fucking one.
He gritted his teeth, letting out a sound half grunt and half snarl in frustration.