Under the Open Sky (CWMGQ Spinoff)

It's all about risks. The risk of being spotted weighed against the risk of being too slow. What stands out in your mind is the need to not be late. If you're driven back by strong demons it would sting that you weren't strong enough, but if you are late it's only your own fault.

You say as much, "We need a direct route. I'll keep you safe, we'll have to run inside before the UD figures out where we're headed."

Cook's response sound skeptical, "Uhh, that's ...risky. More bloodthirsty demons than I can count are streaming towards Moral High Ground right now, enough to just trample over everything if a leader spots us."

"If I can't get there in time it won't matter if we were quiet." you make a decisive turn to your right.

The pair following you doesn't say anything, but you see the distortions of their stealth flickering behind you. They keep pace behind you quietly for a few minutes at the pace you set.

There's something ahead of you. You drop your speed and extend a thin part of your Panoply above you to get a wider field of view. The ground around you is cracked stones, if it wasn't for the rain's steady increase you might worry about throwing up a dust trail. Scattered pits show where artillery fire left it's mark. Ahead a short wall of rocks is piled on both sides of a shallow trench, past a shorter section of wall you saw a marching figure (Chaos).

"Enemy footsoldiers ahead, trying to get a precise count." you say quietly.

"It's always too many," Shah interjects, "either blast them or bypass them."

"Got it." you draw back your Panoply and dart forward.

"Don't have too much fun. Time limit, remember?" Cook transmits.

"Head East. I'll shoot them while running that way and we'll hop over the trench when we reach the end of them." you explain.

And so you do. Flying back and forth, high and low, to catch the line of demons with bursting fire. You allow a handful to flee from your wrath to save time, and find yourself at the end of that particular column quickly. Behind you nearly two hundred footsoldiers and half-a-dozen short Ground Commanders lay still in death.

One of the musket carrying troops had landed a shot on you. The heat and impact had stung, but been ineffective. You feel a deep well of power within you slightly activated from the attack, making every move you make that much faster and more through.

A part of you wants to fly back and let the survivors strike you to see how strong the effect would get.

(Combat Report: 219 Demon Footsoldiers killed, 5 Ground Commanders killed. All via Collateral Damage and Multi-Shot.

No elites have noticed.

Ceaseless Warrior: +1 Attack per Turn

No allies injured or equipment expended.)

"It's clear. We can cross." you transmit.

"We could have just hopped over their heads at any time." Cook sends flatly.

To the north of you another section catches on fire. You suspect things are going well for the Magical Girls fighting there.

With the intensifying rain masking your sounds you lead your group closer, through some kind of bunker. Gangs of demons run from underground rooms through trenches, the pockmarks of exploded shells are thick. You send brief statements back and forth with your companions. Part of you itches to start fighting everything, but you strongly feel now is not the time.

The speed you're traveling at slows only slightly from your efforts to sneak past this bunker, you're soon within sight of a sturdy wall. Trenches run every-which-way near the wall, most leading to dead ends. Eerie lime-green flames dance around spikes on the walls (Life) and you somehow know that the flames will seek you and your companions out if you get close.

Above the gates you can see there are tall towers of stone rising into the sky. Darkness magically clings to them, obscuring whatever might be inside. Past that, to the south, you see a dark sphere rising into the sky, steam rising off it and cracks glowing a hot red.

Time is of the essence. You have to figure out a way to get past the wall and into the dome.
----

Situation Numbers:

UD Organization: -4 (Heads will roll)
How well UD Command is working. Goes up by one each 'unit' of time. Better organization means they react better to what's happening -- either shutting down their offense or throwing elite forces at where they think Summit is located.
UD Cohesion (South No-man's-land): 9 (Keep a sharp eye out)
How well local UD forces are reacting. This is specific to an area, and adjusts how well they accomplish their tasks. Magical Girls are extremely effective at reducing this, but note that low cohesion doesn't do a damned thing to help against Dark Magical Girls. ...Not that there are Dark Magical Girls around, no siree.
Noise (Milidia approach): 1 (Did you hear anything?)
How much notice Summit has gotten. Mostly local, but some sticks. Entering a region overtly is quite noisy, but it can be reduced by sulking about. High noise plus organization triggers boss encounters looking specifically for Summit.
Threat: 5 (North No-man's Land is a mess -- mostly due to Monster Keeper)
How bad the UD Command thinks the situation is. High threat will cause them to draw back forces and close the gate into the Lava Dome. Goes up when regions have low cohesion and when Magical Girls overtly attack areas.

Equipment:
Invisibility Vial - 1
Primal Fire Grenade - 1
Frag Grenade - 16
Flashbang - 8
Silent Grenade - 2
----

[X] Plan?
-[X] Blast a way for Cook and Shah to use, then try and lose pursuit on the UD's front doorstep.
Sets Noise in the next area to 1d4 plus [Cohesion]. High chance of triggering a battle turn to protect your stealthy teammates.
-[X] Make some trouble for the UD. (May select multiple non-overlapping actions)
--[X] [SHAH] Have Shah call in artillery to hit the wall and disrupt the local UD.
Lowers Cohesion, increases Threat. Makes it easier for Summit to avoid fighting when intruding into the next area.
--[X] [SHAH] Teleport Grenades to mess with the flames on the wall.
Makes it easier for Summit to avoid fighting when intruding into the next area.
--[X] [BACKUP] Call in some Magical Girls to wreck face.
Lowers Cohesion, uses extra time, increases Threat sharply. Makes it easier for UD to 'guess' where Summit is.
--[X] [BACKUP] Have Death Squad Eta "Immortals" conjure and throw a rock golem at the wall to use as a distraction
Lowers Cohesion. Less suspicious than MGs showing up. Actually fairly weak. May rouse stronger demons.
--[X] [SUMMIT] Trench Fighting.
Slightly decreases Cohesion, increases Noise. Powers up Ceaseless Warrior.
--[X] [SUMMIT] Use Ordnance to blast the wall and disperse the green flames.
Increases Noise. Makes it easier for Summit to avoid fighting when intruding into the next area. May rouse stronger demons.
--[X] [SUMMIT] Use Elsewhere to trigger the flames and dodge away from them.
Chancy. Attempts to draw out leaders and defeat them in detail. Sharply raises noise, may heavily reduce Cohesion.
-[X] Wait for an opportune moment.
--[X] Stay put
Reduces Noise. Chance to fail if Organization or local Cohesion is high enough.
--[X] Look further south.
There's bound to be a weaker point somewhere. Spends time, but gives an easier fight if caught. May reduce Noise after intruding into next area.

----

+50 EXP 219 Footsoldiers killed!
+50 EXP 5 Ground Commanders killed!
+15 EXP "Nobody will notice if there's no one to notice."
+10 EXP Minimum noise entry.

381 + 125 = 506 Total EXP

[X] EXP Plan?

Skip to the End, Please.

This whole special mission thing isn't as interesting as I had hoped. I'm just going to give a list of likely outcomes and let the thread pick between them.

[X] You're too late
-[X] Back to base
-[X] Join battle
"The way is closed."
Summit and Co are hiding in a bolt-hole within sight. Two dozen Magical Girls and the Fairy Death Squad were shredding the army when the gate irised shut. There's no helping it, you can't complete the mission assigned.

There are a couple of powerful-looking demons that are attempting to run for the hills. Picking them off might be productive.

(Threat Failure at the Staging Grounds region -- choose between heading home and fighting. Grenades expended, but you still have the invisibility spray. +150 bonus EXP)

[X] The Furies
But these are wingless, black, and all their shape
The eye's abomination to behold.

Summit drew too much attention at the wall, now nine deadly nightmares are howling for your blood. Kite them and keep their stunning curses away from Black's group to the north.

(Noise Failure at south No-man's-land -- chased by nasty effect-spitting nightmares that are a nightmare for MGs without fear immunity. All Equipment available, thankfully it takes more than supernatural terror to make elite Counter Force troops to lose their cool. Starts with Summit outrunning a big critter before having to pay attention to the Furies. +75 bonus EXP)

[X] Bloodsport
"Fight! Fight! Fight!
The Staging Grounds have become a brutal fight between demons as Summit provoked hundreds of demons to attack her and then teleported away when engulfed. This was going well for you until a Magical Girl grabbed Shah and Cook and introduced herself as Star Lancer (Light, Darkness, Legend).

She promises that they will live if you perish fighting her, but that she will otherwise kill them before hunting you down. You have the distinct impression she means every word, the demons present are hastily calming down and avoiding her.

(Too many actions at Staging Grounds -- Boss Battle! All equipment expended. Gets an introduction where you can make plans. +150 bonus EXP)

[X] Twins of Duality
[REDACTED] Welcome to Hell!

(Inside Lava Dome -- Mystery box! Gets an introduction where you can make plans. +300 bonus EXP)