I think pointing out how Andoian seems to be unwilling is good, but the rest I'm not so sure since Jamie doesn't really know much of the City so the references won't have much of a emotional punch.
Instead, let's use something he clearly hates and compare his actions to them. It ain't exactly a 100% comparison due to the differenr goals of corporate to Jamie, but by drawing parallels to their knowing callousness towards the harm they do to people who can't fight back, it'll hopefully upset him enough to keep him off balance and maybe even start to think about what he's doing.
[X] Plan: Flightless Birds
-[X] Let Kal'tsit continue to savage Andoian, you'll switch focus to Jamie and continue to duel him.
-[X] Use chains of light to prevent him from running away from your sword's reach, grapple him if necessary to keep him from sundering the arena.
-[X] Ask him if he's realized Andoian isn't exactly a willing partner considering how he hasn't put his all into this fight, and ask him to consider what kind of man Adam must be to put someone through so much pain for a cause they don't believe in.
-[X] Then again, he must already know considering he's willing to do the same at a much larger scale, against victims much weaker than Andoian. Can't make a omelette without breaking a few eggs right? Just like those fat cats up in their high towers, he doesn't mind how much innocent blood he sheds as long as its all worth it in the end. No wonder his EGO is a flag, he's just a goose-stepping foot soldier hiding under it.
Just curious when will we meet up with heavy after he escaped from prison(sorry for asking, I'm just excited for the hijinks that would ensue if he's back in our party)?
I think pointing out how Andoian seems to be unwilling is good, but the rest I'm not so sure since Jamie doesn't really know much of the City so the references won't have much of a emotional punch.
I believe Sieg's been given a basic info package on the various apostles, given that Roland was stalking Jaime for some time, and Jaime had been told a lot about the City by Adam, although we don't know exactly how much. Still, even if he doesn't strictly know what the 'Head' is, the context isn't difficult to grasp.
I think your plan is workable, but we don't necessarily want to put all our bags into one rhetorical package - Jaime could well just not believe us about Andoian and Adam, and we can't exactly bring out the power points of evidence. If that hook doesn't bite, then we want to hit on some other stuff that might also work.
I also just think that the point raised in the previous update was that Sieg's attempts to talk with him were troubled by a lack of investment into the overall issue of Kazimeirz, so tying the argument into something he feels strongly about as well might make him more passionate and genuine. The Turb office is everything to Sieghardt, and it's clear Jaime also cares deeply about the Pinus Slyvestris - striking that point just feels right to me.
Logical arguments won't work here. We must speak from the heart in order to pierce through Jamie's faith and resolve. Only then can we reach his heart and make truly doubt the cause he's pledged himself to.
Scheduled vote count started by thenew on Sep 2, 2023 at 8:27 PM, finished with 39 posts and 11 votes.
[X] Plan: Skewered In Place
-[X] With Amiya soon to make her entrance, time is on your side. You just have to keep the terrible trio from making their escape until enough reinforcements pile in, which changes the fight's paradigm. Adam's ability to heal is no longer a major concern given that you don't need to kill them immediately, so you and Kal 'merely' need to focus on Andoian and Jaime.
--[X] Dr. Kal'tsit will continue to handle the Sankta gunman while you engage with the Flagbearer, applying enough pressure to ensure he cannot 'sunder the arena.' The goal is explicitly to disrupt his focus, as with Adam in the ring you almost certainly cannot deliver an ending blow; continue to work with Joe to obstruct visibility, launch stinging ranged attacks, and whatever other utility the handy symbiote can offer.
---[X] Should it prove necessary to block their escape, and you are capable of it, unleash Mirrored Light.
-[X] Adam's flinch and Andoian's agony tell you everything you need to know. Jaime wasn't supposed to form an EGO, doing so must have given him some degree of independence from the Fragment's mind-control. Although the man's motivations are bound in context you don't understand, you can at the very least shed light on the nature of his Devil's Deal, and speak from your own heart. At the very least, it's another way to tug his focus from Adam's assigned task. A battle is no place for a reasoned argument, but there are a few key points you can hit between the clash of blades.
--[X] "Haven't you ever looked your partner in the eyes? The 'Mark' is no blessing, it's a contract that binds you to the Fragment's will. That's the fate you sought to inflict on your friend and my charge! That is the nature of your patron!"
--[X] "By the City's sake, man, you run an orphanage! You have the power of an EGO, and the only thing you can think to offer those children is the madness and death of a world in chaos?"
--[X] "You cannot out-evil the Head! You never can! What matters in the end is your comrades and friends, and you have forsaken them for a devil in disguise!"
[X] Smash Jaimie through his own winds, towards Arabella and out of the Arena, if you can manage it. They seem focused on keeping things outside, and you can already smash through anyways.
-[X] Tell him the Mirrored Knight had some sort of plan to help the infected, and that Adam shouldn't have to worry about losing the fight when his team is unkillable. Does Jamie think that the new guy would try to hide a working plan from him, to keep global distortion on track?
[X] Plan: Flightless Birds
-[X] Let Kal'tsit continue to savage Andoian, you'll switch focus to Jamie and continue to duel him.
-[X] Use chains of light to prevent him from running away from your sword's reach, grapple him if necessary to keep him from sundering the arena.
-[X] Ask him if he's realized Andoian isn't exactly a willing partner considering how he hasn't put his all into this fight, and ask him to consider what kind of man Adam must be to put someone through so much pain for a cause they don't believe in.
-[X] Then again, he must already know considering he's willing to do the same at a much larger scale, against victims much weaker than Andoian. Can't make a omelette without breaking a few eggs right? Just like those fat cats up in their high towers, he doesn't mind how much innocent blood he sheds as long as its all worth it in the end. No wonder his EGO is a flag, he's just a goose-stepping foot soldier hiding under it.
[X] Plan: Skewered In Place
-[X] With Amiya soon to make her entrance, time is on your side. You just have to keep the terrible trio from making their escape until enough reinforcements pile in, which changes the fight's paradigm. Adam's ability to heal is no longer a major concern given that you don't need to kill them immediately, so you and Kal 'merely' need to focus on Andoian and Jaime.
--[X] Dr. Kal'tsit will continue to handle the Sankta gunman while you engage with the Flagbearer, applying enough pressure to ensure he cannot 'sunder the arena.' The goal is explicitly to disrupt his focus, as with Adam in the ring you almost certainly cannot deliver an ending blow; continue to work with Joe to obstruct visibility, launch stinging ranged attacks, and whatever other utility the handy symbiote can offer.
---[X] Should it prove necessary to block their escape, and you are capable of it, unleash Mirrored Light.
-[X] Adam's flinch and Andoian's agony tell you everything you need to know. Jaime wasn't supposed to form an EGO, doing so must have given him some degree of independence from the Fragment's mind-control. Although the man's motivations are bound in context you don't understand, you can at the very least shed light on the nature of his Devil's Deal, and speak from your own heart. At the very least, it's another way to tug his focus from Adam's assigned task. A battle is no place for a reasoned argument, but there are a few key points you can hit between the clash of blades.
--[X] "Haven't you ever looked your partner in the eyes? The 'Mark' is no blessing, it's a contract that binds you to the Fragment's will. That's the fate you sought to inflict on your friend and my charge! That is the nature of your patron!"
--[X] "By the City's sake, man, you run an orphanage! You have the power of an EGO, and the only thing you can think to offer those children is the madness and death of a world in chaos?"
--[X] "You cannot out-evil the Head! You never can! What matters in the end is your comrades and friends, and you have forsaken them for a devil in disguise!"
3.24 - Rise And Serve
You have very little time here.
You push your mental acceleration to its greatest possible speed, almost completely freezing the world in place. You could observe each individual wingbeat of a hummingbird on this level of mental acceleration, count the droplets of rain falling from the sky, count the revolutions of a bullet as it left the chamber and sailed through the air…
And still have more than enough time to spare.
You'll have one hell of a headache tomorrow, but that's neither here nor there.
…alright.
You can think of-
"Hello!" interrupts someone you recognize.
Your former friend.
The Voice.
"...that's pretty harsh, you know!"
If your entire body wasn't frozen, you'd roll your eyes. You're not a huge fan of betrayal.
Well.
It wasn't really betrayal.
You were just an idiot.
You thought the Voice really did have some sort of good intention. But you guess all that combat advice and the help she provided in getting inside the head of other people was… a poisoned gift, after all.
The second she could, she stabbed you in the back.
How interesting it was. Were all her actions in Lungmen, every word she said, just a calculated manner of leading you to send Capone tumbling off the edge and into her waiting arms?
Of course, you can't blame her for destroying his psyche. That was on you.
Even if you did take him in afterward, it was still your mistake, and one you have yet to fully atone for.
But you can't hear her words without doubting, not anymore. Even if she helped you before, you cannot forgive her. You wonder- was it all in her plan? All that time? Gaining your trust, feeding you slivers of useful information...
So she could take you to the Library? You cannot blame her for that. It was your decision to challenge an Impurity. But you wonder. Had she been planning it? Were you manipulated to go there?
So she could put whatever plans she has in motion?
Atop your corpse?
Atop the corpses of your friends?
You cannot know.
Her voice is sickening, now. It is still warm... but you cannot let that warmth wash over you. Not anymore.
You don't want to hear anything she says.
You just… tune it out.
You won't change. You won't tumble off the edge, and you will not attain this "resolution" the Light offers. You will not listen to her.
You despise betrayal.
You take a deep breath. Not a real breath, a sort of mental re-establishing of boundaries. A way to get your shit back together.
Okay.
You center yourself.
Think.
Just think.
With Amiya coming soon, stalling is the best possible option. It might not be possible, though.
If the rabbit-eared CEO of a Terran medical megacorporation has the resources and training available to the ultra-rich of your dimension, she will be a fearsome combatant indeed- and you have many reasons to believe Amiya is far, far more than some corporate figurehead.
If Amiya gets here, you will send this situation from a twinned duel with you versus Jamie and Andoain versus Kal'tsit and Mon3tr with Adam supporting them both, into a full-blown three-versus-three. If she can tie down the wind manipulator, you can wield the Current and prevent Adam from healing them.
As Andoain is being essentially used as a chewtoy by the black beast your superior wields, it can be safely be stated that the only thing holding you and her back from smashing those two to rubble is the unlimited healing Adam is granting them.
Honestly, that is really annoying.
So.
Your goals are twofold.
First, impede Jamie from sundering the arena. Second, cut off their escape routes.
Adam likely wants to destroy everything around him so that so he can escape. Thus, you shouldn't be letting him achieve that objective, obviously. Keep applying pressure and slam your boots on that armored face.
With Joe, disrupting his concentration is easy. You can't land a killing blow very easily- his armor is very sturdy, and Adam's healing is really good. But you can certainly keep him from even having time to think.
You wonder if chopping his hands off would prevent him from releasing whatever devastating attack he plans to release.
And should it be necessary…
You have one last card you can play.
It will take everything you have. Every last drop of your energy. You will place everything you have in this attack. Your trump card. Rarely do you put it in practice. You wielded it against the Arbiter- though her unbelievable toughness allowed her to continue onwards after it.
"Mirrored Light."
Death, or glory.
Time resumes.
Your body moves with blinding speed. You are no longer a blur- you are a flash.
It is still not enough.
Your body moves faster.
It is still not enough.
Your body is the wind.
It is still not enough.
Your feet press on the ground for one second as you dash towards your enemy. The ground cracks and shatters under the force of your passing. Your tail reorients yourself to make your body's weight move around in just the right way.
And the same occurs with your next step. And the step after that. And the step after that one.
Your hand moves- and you plant your fist on Jamie's face. The metallic shell of E.G.O defends against your assault- and it crumbles.
The fist does not slam through the metal, but the force carries on anyway- turning the inside into mulch with one overwhelmingly powerful strike. Jamie does not even have time to gasp as you fling him into his own storm.
Adam's hand moves- and the pile of flesh you made his head into reforms almost instantly.
Before he can react, though, you land another hit.
Heal, then. Come on. You dare him to heal.
You hit him again. A drop of blood falls from the eyeslits of his helmet. He lurches backwards.
Heal. Come on. Can't you heal? Can't you get back up?
All you can hear is the pained gurgling of your unfortunate victim, as you proceed to step around his body. Each strike shatters a limb or renders organs to pulp. A sword runs through his neck, filling his throat with blood.
You let your instincts take over. The thrill of the hunt whispers in your ears.
A sweeping kick to unbalance. He takes a step back, evading it, but his movements are already slugging, blunted by pain.
You move to a different stance and bludgeon him with your-
With your tail?
...with your tail, you realize. It flies through the air and slams on his stomach with the same force of your fists, if not an even greater one. The muscles... controlling the tail is different from usual, but you've worn additional limbs in a pinch and when you were younger- it really isn't that different.
If anything, the sense of naturality- the sensation that this tail was always here, that you should know exactly how to use it, and that you do know- is the biggest difference between this and a regular implant.
As the new limb hits him, the knight recoils and trembles. That thing is heavy. No matter. You continue pushing onwards.
Every time Adam moves, he heals.
But you simply wound him harder.
Every attempt to react is punished. Joe bites, spits, stings and vomits poison, launches talons aimed at his eyes, at his irritable skin, at the interiors of his fragile human body.
You wield your body as a weapon and your weapon as a part of your body. Your tail proves useful- it throws off your weight, it can be used as a weapon, and it is long enough to reach the floor- perhaps it could wrap around something.
Your body is barely visible, such is the speed you are moving at. Each crushing strike would have made a lesser man into a splatter against the wall, into chunks of brain matter and free-floating muscles in the air.
It is a testament to how powerful and resilient the Apostle is that he is still alive.
Jamie collapses to the ground, overwhelmed by pure agony.
"Hhhh…haa…" he spits out, eyes bloodshot. The wind's howls grow ever stronger. It is as if the storm itself is saturated with his wrath.
Now, for the second part.
Undermine his confidence.
You recalled- right now- one particular little tidbit of information. One that Roland gave to you about the Apostle's habits, when he was trailing the guy.
"You run an orphanage, don't you?" you whisper out. "I'm a bit curious. What's your plan on this? Are you just going to let them Distort? Going to have a little home full of kids trying to kill and eat each other? How responsible on your part, buddy. What great parenting."
Blood drips from the slits in his helmet. A disturbed eye gazes at you.
"That's what you offer to them? Chaos and misery? A world on fire? A partner that is clearly just enslaving people to his will? Ask the Sankta how much he likes the big plan. I'm sure he's a huge fan." you continue. "You dropped your friends for this? It's sad. I'm sorry for them. They're the only thing that matters, you know. It just..."
You sigh.
It's exhausting. You're annoyed at this. At this puppet in front of you. Trying to get into his head is difficult for you- you truly are lacking in much of the context. But you find yourself... divorced from these events. Even if you did have the context, you suspect you wouldn't truly... feel it.
You wouldn't truly sympathize with him, not right now. You're just... not in the right state of mind for this sort of sympathy.
But you've got to keep going.
"You just can't beat those people at their own game. I don't believe you'll build anything worthwhile. The Head- I'm sure Adam told you about them- the K.G.C.C, the Adeptus... it's no different." you continue on. "You cannot surpass them with those methods. And even if you did... if you sacrificed everything you loved- everything you built... was it even worth it?"
"Y-you-" Jamie says, trying to stand up.
He spits blood again- and the winds gather around him, a thousand sharp blades. They will cut anything that gets close to shreds.
Adam is behind him all of a sudden. He is maintaining the healing effects, but his attention is on something outside the arena.
The wind's howling is muting all sound, but you can hear his lips.
"Jamie…" he says. "Please. Just… just trust me. I can't give you a retort, not right now. But I promise to you."
He pauses for one second.
The look in his eyes is sincere. He truly does believe that what he is doing is for the best.
How exhausting.
"I'll make it all right. We'll make it all right. We'll make it better. I can compromise. I can give you anything you ask for- I can make them safe. I will not give the gift. I will not give anyone the gift if you do not wish for it to be given." he says. "...Andoain… I can fix this. Just help me."
You try to say something, but the windblades leap at you and you're forced to dodge.
"Please trust me." he says, offering his hand.
Jamie…
Jamie takes it.
Damn it all.
It doesn't matter if you can disturb his will, plant the doubt. You realize it now.
Adam's got him. Hook, line, and sinker.
"Now… throw me," he pleads.
…what?
"Six o'clock. Throw me. She is here!" he repeats.
"...I… I see." says Jamie, despairingly. "We truly don't have any other choice…"
You look around yourself. The winds continue to howl. You... you did make an unfortunate assumption that undermining his mental state would have weakened his powers. But it doesn't seem to do so. The storm is raging still, and if anything, the desperation of its wielder has made it even more fierce.
But- he's trying to escape. And you can't let him do that.
Joe releases a blast of red fog, covering the two just as the windblades subside. You're immediately upon Jamie. You look behind for just a second- and Kal'tsit gives you a thumbs-up. Andoain is firmly pinned down to the ground by Mon3tr.
That's another one gone-
Jamie tries to grab onto you- the wind is forming a weapon. But-
It's not aimed at you.
You can't grab the Current and activate it in time. Though you immediately paste his brain with the flat side of your sword, the gale still moves anyway. It doesn't care if its host's mind is mulch. The storm moves regardless.
No matter what.
Even if you power through the power of a natural catastrophe, it won't care. It will not even react. It is not a living thing. It is a circumstance, an occurrence.
And thus... you can't do anything to stop it.
You could use Mirrored Light- but it will take everything you have. Even if it's just for a few seconds afterwards, it will leave you completely open.
You're sure, with all your heart… that it will land. Even with this E.G.O active… it will land, if you wield it against Adam.
But you can't afford it. Even if you land it, even if it manages to wound him, perhaps kill him, you're not really sure you won't be killed afterward, in that brief moment of absolute and complete vulnerability.
And so, the wind moves.
It catches Adam, and tosses him.
It's more of a catapult. Or more a ballista. It catches his wings and flings him at the direction he asked- damn it, the fine control.
The wind around you, the storm blocking everyone- it dispels immediately.
The Librarians- and Beats- were pinned to the ground- the storm was focusing specifically on them. The Doctor was carried by his bodyguard in a bridal carry, and she was kneeling on the ground. Arabella was making her way towards you, same as Amiya, both dragging their swords across the ground, using it as walking sticks of sorts.
But most importantly- someone is standing there, at the exit.
A young knight, with strange, cobbled together armor, and red hair. The look in her eyes is one of utmost surprise. In the stands, other knights.
Adam is one inch from her, wings outstretched, reaching out with his hand. You can't hear what he's saying, not from this far, but again, you can read his lips.
The meaning couldn't be any clearer.
His hand touches her forehead.
"Got you."
The world is awash with light.
You hear the sound of a bell.
Many, many, many miles away…
Inside a room.
Inside a room watched over by soldiers and guardians.
Inside an infinite expanse.
Inside a shell of pure and utter hatred.
Someone stirs.
Is it that time already?
So it is.
Three of twelve.
Each one important. Unique. Priceless.
Each one unimportant. Replaceable. Expendable.
It was the second who decided the third. The fourth has yet to be truly decided.
It is unknown who it is. It is known who it is not.
Perhaps the fifth is to be this very being. It is a miserable path for it. But it does not care. It is already in such a state.
How interesting.
The light subsides. Jamie is kneeling on the ground, breathing heavily. The storm has vanished entirely. The night sky is visible once again.
You turn around and look at Kal'tsit. Andoain has stopped moving.
In the stands, these knights- you remember now. Pinus Sylvestris. Pinus Sylvestris lays on the floor, completely out of it. Lying unconscious, like puppets with their strings cut.
The Librarians stand tall.
And in the sky…
You see a man.
Eight wings hold him aloft.
His face is twisted inhumanely- a black beak bursting out of where his mouth should be. The beak and many feather spread across the body seem to tear their way through flesh to come out, and his eyes are pitch black.
His legs are the sharp talons of a black hawk, and his hands have transformed into claws of white bone marred by red lines.
Has Adam been consumed by the Abnormality? Like Abram was before?
Things happen too fast for even you to react- in less then a second.
With a grunt, Andoain once again tears his way through his own flesh to pry himself free of Mon3tr's grasp. Wisps of purple light whisper around his body.
You turn to look at Jamie.
His eyes…
Are of the same color.
They are dull. There is little of the willpower you saw yesterday. Only a mindless fanaticism remains… but his E.G.O is still there.
The girl stands in the center of the arena. Her eyes… are just like these of the other Apostles. A cross of faint golden light stands behind her head.
Adam releases a furious cry.
You sense Abel's presence returning once again.
"E.G.O Corrosion." he says. "There is no human mind in there. Not anymore. Not until his emotions fall back under control…"
You try to answer- but words fail you. And then- the storm resumes.
But before the winds can fall upon you once again- one person falls near you. One person manages to crawl towards you.
You turn around to see…
[ ] Beats. (The glass is cracked and one of his fingers is bent at an odd angle, letting out sparks, but the screen shows a smile. He nods at you, waiting for his command. It's like it was before. You and him- fighting together again.)
[ ] Roland. (The Black Silence's face is twisted into a rictus of fury- his mask has been torn away from him. It's somewhere around the arena. Maybe even tossed away. His black sword is ready.)
[ ] Amiya. (The crystals are covering her arm like protective armor. She's combat-ready, preparing to fly at her enemy. She is looking at Kal'tsit expectantly.)
[ ] Arabella. (The winds have torn off half her face. The sole remaining eye of your fellow Fixer stares at you, awaiting. Her hands are claws, holding onto a blood-red blade with unyielding strength. Her mouth is watering already.)
[ ] The Khaganquest. (The torn limbs have not been reconstituted- but they have been replaced by shadow appendages, tentacles of black fog coalescing into replacements that, if not suitable, are at least workable. It has no eyes, but you know that it is looking intently at Jamie- with complete and utter hatred.)
They cough out something incomprehensible, and you gaze upon the newcomer. Kal'tsit looks at them, then at you.
"I apologize for being unavaliable. I think... I think I've found my footing." mutters Abel. "The storm won't sweep me away again. Now. What's your plan?"
What's the plan? Well...
[ ] Write-in.
Status of Self and Allies: Sieghart: You're still here. You'll have a headache tomorrow, but for tonight, you're in top shape. Kal'tsit: She's here! Unharmed, too. Mon3tr: Back on its feet... tail... floating appendages... claws? Anyway, ready to rumble. Abel: Connection has been re-established!
Enemy Status: Andoain, the "Guardian Apostle"
- Grade: Grade 1
- Condition: The life has departed his eyes. Sieghart's Note: What little shreds of independence I saw not long ago are gone. What is left is an Apostle. No more, no less.
Jamie, the "Scythe Apostle"
- Grade: Star Of The City
- Condition: The life has departed his eyes. Sieghart's Note: Again, another shell. The shell of a human's E.G.O is being wielded by an Abnormality... isn't this the exact opposite of what's supposed to happen?
Sona, the "Scythe Apostle"
- Grade: ?????
- Condition: The life has departed her eyes. She looks young... Sieghart's Note: She- she was caught in one second. That's- that's all it takes?
Adam, Corroded Prophet
- Grade: ?????
- Condition: Undergoing corrosion. Sieghart's Note: E.G.O Corrosion. Again. Because fuck you. Fucking Ayin at his bullshit again.
Amiya has a neat trick thanks to being an empath. If she synchronizes enough with someone, she can copy their moves just like how she copied Ch'en's and her sword Chi'Xiao's. It requires really digging deep into them however, but she can do it while fighting so we just need to give her time.
Even without it however, her ability to unwittingly connect to the memories of others can prove really useful hear for getting a read on Adam and co.
She's the Third. The one that can stab Adam in the back is the Twelfth.
It seems that the Apostles lose their wills completely when Adam is Corroded. That's the only reason I can think of for why Flametail is instantly whammied when Jamie took a while to even trust Adam.
That's going to result in an awkward conversation for the Apostle group once everything dies down if they manage to get away. Not that Adam and Jamie are in a position to appreciate that right now.
Well, that could've gone better. I really thought we could've pulled something off with Jaime, but it just didn't pan out. Sieg's just not in the right headspace to connect with him (and Carmen's appearance certainly didn't help). I suppose it's also good to know that EGO's don't work like I'd assumed, and the line between them and a Distortion is clearly thin.
... Shit, he wasn't talking about Amiya earlier, he meant Sona! Adam never intended to escape, he just wanted another Apostle to power up further and try to turn the tables on us - although I doubt the Corrosion was part of the plan.
It's best not to dwell in self-recrimination, but I can't help to try and think about what we could've done differently. In retrospect, instead of trying to talk to Jaime more, we should've picked up the hint that Sieg simply couldn't do it, and directly attacked Adam after overwhelming the knight - possibly with Mirrored Light. Perhaps we also underutilized Kal'tsit. Maybe Monst3r's in-game True Damage could've hurt Adam? No way for Sieg to know about that, though.
Nothing to it but to live and learn, but I really do hope there's some way to undo the 'Apostle-fication,' because Sona's the one paying the price here.
As for plans, time is still on our side. We know Sieg can hurt Adam, so he should be the one dueling WhiteNight.
Kal'tsit and Mon3tr continue to use Andoian as a chew toy and keep Jamie busy while they're at it (It's Mon3tr, it manhandled Andoian so adding Jamie to the equation ought to be a stalemate at the least), while Amiya handles Sona and if we're lucky or fortunate, find a way to dig her out of WhiteNight's spell with her powers.
We keep stalling until reinforcements come and Mlynar and Linette arrive to tip the scales in our favor.
Attrition wise, it's a losing game since one side has infinite heals and revives, but I'm banking on Amiya finding something or our reinforcements beating WhiteNight's face in for our victory.
Alright, time to focus on the board as it is. We had a strong early lead and blundered it away in the second round, but the fight's anything but over, and that Adam has Corroded provides as much an opportunity as danger.
This is a decently tough choice, since they're all obviously useful. Arabella's the easiest to count out, she's not in good shape and doesn't bring anything to the table Sieg doesn't have. Beats is similarly banged up, but his synergy with Sieg is very high and it'd be cool to see him in action.
The appeal of both Turb Office members is their familiarity with Sieghardt, allowing for easier teamwork and planning. If our plan involves working closely with others instead of another set of duels, they should receive serious consideration. Nevertheless, power-ranking wise they're probably at the bottom of the list, which says volumes about how stacked the cast is here.
The only Librarian present would be Roland, the Black Silence. As a fellow Color Fixer, he's absolutely nothing to spit at. That being said, he's also unfamiliar with both Kal and Sieg, and I'm struggling to think of anything super special he brings to the table that could work well here. He's probably someone we could throw at two of the Apostles and expect him to tie them down for a round, and it's hard to say whether he or Amiya is the strongest single combatant available.
Khaganquest is the wildcard here. Distortions are, as a rule, dangerous but unpredictable fighters, and he previously got bodied by Jaime. We bring him in, Tola's absolutely going for Round 2 - and it'll probably go a lot better for him. Not to mention the fact that not picking him probably means Khaganquest will be doing something else, which is worth consideration if we want to help the poor man.
Finally, we have Amiya, the sort-of protagonist and poster-girl for Arknights. As the Sarkaz King, she's got some crazy, Out-of-Context powers up her sleeve, and it's worthwhile to consider what could happen if she's involved here.
The big change in the situation is twofold - A, that both teams have gained a member, and more significantly - B, that Adam has Corroded and is now in a form truer to classic WhiteNight. As we can see, the Apostles are now "Guardians" and Scythes," meaning they'll act more like the LobCorp counterparts. Jaime still has his EGO, but I'd imagine it will be less effective stripped of his will ... maybe. My guesses on this mark haven't been doing great, so let's not bet money on that occurrence.
Given that Sieg currently has the only known method of hurting Adam, the rough plan seems to be sending him up to fight the rat bastard while our two teammates tangle with the Apostles.
There's also a bunch of other folks running this way, but presumably those two will be able to punch through the Storm. I'm now rattled on the belief we can play for time, but I don't think Adam has any more cards to pull out here? We'll have to see what his Correded form can do, but it's worth nothing that both Sieghardt and Kal'tist are functionally entirely fresh.
So, is Sona dead? Because, in LCorp, WhiteNight instakilled blessed nuggets without any possibilty of preventing it. (Apart from starting new game, that us)
