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Aspax, Basin: Desolate Ash: Arclop Palace, Time: 3:10 PM
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Cauli proceeded further into the palace. Some of the Purified members ventured out to see what was happening but were quickly blown away by the explosions. With a sense of urgency, Cauli moved swiftly, pressing his back against the wall as he cautiously peered around the corner.
One of the members attempted to retreat but was abruptly sent soaring into the sky, surrounded by sparkling stars.
Cauli continued to move stealthily, making his way through the backdoors. He thought to himself, 'And we're in!' As he explored the labyrinthine interior, he searched for the room he needed.
"Come on, where is it..." Cauli muttered quietly, scanning his surroundings. Eventually, he stumbled upon the room he was seeking, which was labeled as 'Cargo.'
Cauli pushed the door open slowly, revealing a room filled with crates and barrels. He sneaked in, trying not to make a sound, and started searching for the wine cargo.
As he inspected the crates, he couldn't help but overhear some chatter from nearby Purified members who were talking about the recent explosions outside. They seemed puzzled and alarmed, unaware of Cauli's presence.
"Did you see that fiery motorcycle crashing into our stuff? It was like a crazed comet!" one of them said, clearly baffled by the strange occurrence.
Another member responded, "And what about those explosions? It's like a series of fireworks, but we didn't light them."
Cauli seized the opportunity to locate the wine cargo amidst the chaos of their conversation. He finally found it, marked with the label "Wine Supplies for DW."
With the cargo in sight, Cauli knew it was time to grab it and get out of there before he was discovered.
As Cauli was about to make his move, the door swung open, causing him to back away and hide amidst the nearby cargo.
A woman entered the room, her spiky black ponytail and crimson gi, and a black belt making her stand out.
She wore a black wristband, which seemed puffier and larger than her hand, and a heart locket. Her azure eyes had a predator-like quality to them.
The woman hummed a little tune as she moved around the room, searching for something. "God, it even smells here... why did my sister decide that she should hire these weirdos..." she muttered to herself as she continued her search.
Unbeknownst to her, she walked right beside Cauli, who kept his mouth sealed shut as he watched in silence.
"Go away. Go away. Go away," he muttered to himself, recognizing the strength in her legs and realizing she could cause serious harm.
The woman sighed, as if she was about to melt, before finally spotting what she was looking for: the Wine Cargo.
"Ah, there it is! Well, Quartz and I are going to be drunk tonight! Hope that the romance show Quartz suggested lives up to the original series..." She mumbled to herself.
As she effortlessly lifted the cargo, Cauli couldn't help but notice her dragon tail – majestic with an azure pattern, resembling a mix of a fish and a dragon.
'Is she a hybrid...?' Cauli wondered as the woman left the room, a cheerful smile on her face.
Cauli let out a relieved sigh as he emerged from his hiding spot, carefully carrying the cargo, which was almost the same size as his body, with only his head peeking out.
He whispered to himself, "Oh, thank God... Okay, it's time to move. Slowly."
With painstaking caution, Cauli began to shuffle bit by bit, ensuring the cargo didn't tilt or fall off as he made his way out of the room.
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Aspax, Basin: Desolate Ash: Arclop Palace: Main Area Time: 3:30 PM
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Meanwhile, outside the abandoned palace, Don and Layla found themselves surrounded by members of The Purified. They had been captured due to Don's loud voice and an accidental mishap.
Layla expressed her frustration, "Can't believe we got caught because of your squeaky voice and an accidental prick."
Don argued back, "I couldn't even see that one! Ugh, fine, whatever..."
Layla pulled out her guitar, a magnificent instrument made of mahogany wood and enhanced with powerful enchantments.
Its strings never broke, and it produced captivating melodies that could influence emotions.
Don readied his weapons, including his steampunk crossbow, a stylish and unique weapon that used a steam-powered mechanism to fire modified bolts with special effects. It featured advanced optics, and a gear-driven reloading system, and could come with utility gadgets.
With their backs against the wall and surrounded by members of The Purified, Don and Layla knew they were in for a fight. Don swiftly assessed the situation, his eyes darting from one adversary to another.
"Shortstack, I've got the ones on the left. You handle the right side. Remember, lethal takedowns are necessary. We don't want to end up massacring all of them," Don strategized.
"I wish I could punch you in the steel face," Layla muttered as The Purified let out battle cries and charged at them.
"First Chords: E7," Layla strummed her guitar, releasing a mesmerizing tune.
"Why the hell did you even bring a guitar?!" Don yelled out as he engaged with one of the members who attempted to strike him.
Just before Don's knee made contact with the opponent's stomach, the strike accelerated unexpectedly, surprising him. He realized he was covered in a yellow melody and aura.
Layla's voice reached him, "First, I like to hit people over the head with this thing. Second, I can support you from the sideline!" Layla smirked as she flipped her guitar around and smacked it over the head of another member.
As Layla and Don continue to fend off the members of The Purified with their skills, they're mostly easy to fend off as both of them are in similar strength.
"Get off!" Don swiftly incapacitated one of his adversaries with a well-placed blow and turned to Layla, "Shortstack, you're like a one-woman band with that thing! Keep 'em distracted!"
"Third Chords: ERRRR!" Layla grinned as she used her guitar to create a soundwave that disoriented their attackers.
"You've got it, Steel Face! But remember, I can do more than distract! Second Chords: C!" She strummed another chord, creating a protective barrier around them for a brief moment.
Don decided to change things up as he modified the ammunition on his crossbow. He examined his arrow as the bullet point started disassembling and attaching to the shaft, with the bottom of the bullet point glowing yellow.
"Alright, time to kick some ass!" Don shot the arrow into the wall, and it bounced away toward another Purified member.
It pierced through his shoulder and kept bouncing, causing panic among The Purified members who threw their arms around and tried to hide.
Layla struck another person with her guitar. "Oh cool, we can escape," she remarked.
"Come on, let's go get my ba— I mean, Cauli..." Don almost let that slip as they ran into the palace building.
The fallen Purified member on the ground spoke into the radio, "Intruders escaping... need backup..."
The man on the receiving end got the message and pressed the red button on his desk, "Intruders...again?" The alarm started to go crazy.
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