[Waver follows behind, keeping his back to Iskandar's as much as possible as they go through the maze of construction supplies. So many opportunities to be blindsided - it's a little ridiculous to count how many ways the beast could appear out of nowhere to maul them and its a lot anxiety inducing. He bites his lip nervously. They don't want a battle in here. The shinki immediately cuts off access to the first floor as soon as they're up to the second with a borderline enhanced with a Bounded Field.
The cat won't be able to get through, but Waver has manipulated its permeability to allow them to pass unhindered in both directions. The humans on the other hand can pass into the first floor from their escape from the third if that becomes a necessity, however no mortal will be allowed to go up and get caught in their battle.
The second floor holds much more promise as a battlefield. Wide open spaces, little to get in the way of magic or movement, and despite the danger of being knocked out of the building due to lack of any barrier, the wind whistling through the air is a boon as well. Waver can manipulate it to catch either of them if they get thrown into trouble and there is always the option of weaponizing it as well.
The third floor is... problematic. It's more shielded, yes, but the presence of the homeless means that their options are limited as long as they have unknowing bystanders that can get caught in the crossfire. The scaffolding the cat is hunched on isn't potentially reinforced enough for Iskandar's weight... hell, it might not even hold Waver's, slight as he is compared to his god. There's all the detritus of survival scattered about... and look, there is a fire to warm against the chill of the air, bodies huddled around it.
There's the cat... and that looks like all the people...
Waver mutters under his breath, slashing with his fan to dome a Bounded Field reinforced borderline over the people. His first priority is to make sure the cat can't pounce from above into the crowd... or bound down and off a wall to launch itself into the masses at an angle. His second priority is to keep the field permeable to the smoke and the smoke alone - it's no good to cage these people in to protect them, only for them to suffocate.
The cat's tail lashes fire, there's a growl that rattles and echoes, and glowing eyes swing to face them as the beast coils, starving fury writ in every tensed muscle. But it's a cold rage. Instead of leaping at them, it stares, another snarl rumbling up in its throat.]
It'll come. But it knows why we're here.
[The beast has survived this long - it's learned its own brand of feral cunning. Patience. Waver feels like it's looking for an opening to flank them, as he brings down the fan again to start cutting off the exits. He leaves the ones that lead to dead ends for the last; tempting opportunities for escape leading only to being cornered. The other hand of his is raised, with fingers tensed to snap - just in case the cat doesn't attempt to flee and instead attacks head on.]
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The cat won't be able to get through, but Waver has manipulated its permeability to allow them to pass unhindered in both directions. The humans on the other hand can pass into the first floor from their escape from the third if that becomes a necessity, however no mortal will be allowed to go up and get caught in their battle.
The second floor holds much more promise as a battlefield. Wide open spaces, little to get in the way of magic or movement, and despite the danger of being knocked out of the building due to lack of any barrier, the wind whistling through the air is a boon as well. Waver can manipulate it to catch either of them if they get thrown into trouble and there is always the option of weaponizing it as well.
The third floor is... problematic. It's more shielded, yes, but the presence of the homeless means that their options are limited as long as they have unknowing bystanders that can get caught in the crossfire. The scaffolding the cat is hunched on isn't potentially reinforced enough for Iskandar's weight... hell, it might not even hold Waver's, slight as he is compared to his god. There's all the detritus of survival scattered about... and look, there is a fire to warm against the chill of the air, bodies huddled around it.
There's the cat... and that looks like all the people...
Waver mutters under his breath, slashing with his fan to dome a Bounded Field reinforced borderline over the people. His first priority is to make sure the cat can't pounce from above into the crowd... or bound down and off a wall to launch itself into the masses at an angle. His second priority is to keep the field permeable to the smoke and the smoke alone - it's no good to cage these people in to protect them, only for them to suffocate.
The cat's tail lashes fire, there's a growl that rattles and echoes, and glowing eyes swing to face them as the beast coils, starving fury writ in every tensed muscle. But it's a cold rage. Instead of leaping at them, it stares, another snarl rumbling up in its throat.]
It'll come. But it knows why we're here.
[The beast has survived this long - it's learned its own brand of feral cunning. Patience. Waver feels like it's looking for an opening to flank them, as he brings down the fan again to start cutting off the exits. He leaves the ones that lead to dead ends for the last; tempting opportunities for escape leading only to being cornered. The other hand of his is raised, with fingers tensed to snap - just in case the cat doesn't attempt to flee and instead attacks head on.]
The only question now is how'll it come at us.