The Lion and the Horse

The Reaper stood atop the building as the rain poured down. The Overlord of Gluttony stood near him. Hot steam came from its body as the rain made contact, boiling instantly against the Shadows hot body. 

"When it rains, it pours." The Reaper muttered. 

The Overlord of Gluttony let out a soft laugh from its belly as two shadowy blobs fell from it. The blobs convulsed in the rain, water boiling against them as the creatures within hatched. Two chimera-like beings emerged. The first was like a lion with wings and a blade tipped scorpion tail. It roared, lighting erupting from its body as it did so. 

The second chimera had a horse head with spider's lower half and arms like a gorilla. It bellowed, jets of blue flame erupting from its mouth as it did so. 

The Overlord of Gluttony laughed, admiring his creations. Two Behemoth class Shadows. 

"And to make things a little harder." The Reaper channeled Shadow Nin, three portals emerging on the ground below. 

Three humanoid Shadows rose from it. One carried a curved great sword, the other a long lance, and the last a large bow. Three horse-like shadows emerged as well. The Humanoid Shadows mounted them, readying themselves for the coming battle. 

"That's all you're getting my friend." The Reaper addressed the Overlord. "Even if Six-Seven herself were to come out and fight, you'd still win." He said. "Of course, that's assuming that we don't have any surprises..." He said to himself. 

The Overlord bellowed, shaking the ground around it. 

"Now, for the more important question..." The Reaper turned, facing the distant horizon. "What will you do?"

The Reaper could feel him watching, even from this distance. The Lord of Thorns had turned his attention here, and was waiting. The gaze made him shiver. He turned away, facing the direction of the Sanctuary. Even from this distance, he could feel it. The Voice. It was there. 

"Everyone's Light Nin good?" Rin's voice asked. 

"Good." Rell answered. 

"Wish me luck." Elena said, looking to him with a smile. He nodded. 

"Ready Sis?" Astra asked. 

Astra was crouched over near a car, several other Wind Nin Sisters circling around here. Elena joined them, greeting each with a warm smile. 

"Operation Gluttony is officially a go." Hina said, approaching the group, dozens of Light Nin orbs buzzing around her. "Keeps comms, locate the Overlord. The other squads will start taking up the positions we marked." 

"And we'll be waiting here." Rin directed. 

"Best plan." Luna said, plopping down on a rock, letting her shield drop to her side. 

Rell complied, leaning against a light pole. 

"All troops move out!" Hina's voice echoed in every single Light Nin. 

Astra nodded to Elena and the other Sisters. They all flared their Wind Nin, Air Pushing upwards into the sky. The Sisters soared through the skyscrapers flying past them as they flew in a V formation, Astra at its center. 

"Seems quiet so far." Elena noted. 

"No contacts." One of the Wind Nin Sisters commented. 

"That's how you know they're watching us." Astra commented. "Keep your guards up. 

A screech echoed out, indicating they've been spotted. 

"Look sharp." One of the Sisters said. 

Spikes flew at them, whistling through the air.

"Evade!" Elena screamed. 

They Air Pushed, scattering in different directions as the spikes flew past them. The Sisters bounced off the walls of the city, maneuvering in response to increasing fire from the hidden Shadows. 

"Found one." Elena said, pointing to a lizard Shadow peeking out from the shattered window of a distant office building. 

"Mind if I get this one?" Astra asked. 

"Go for it." Elena responded. 

Astra flared her Wind Nin, suddenly launching forward with the gust of wind. She pressed her feet against one of the buildings and Gale Sprinted, running sideways across the surface of the glass at great speed. the lizard fired at her, causing her to Air Push, launching towards the building on the other side of her. She picked up speed, bouncing in a zig zag pattern between buildings and closing the distance to the lizard. She drew two of her knives, holding them tightly in her hands as she spun through the air in front of the window. She flared her Wind Nin, Air Pushing her two daggers forward. They sheared through the air, burying themselves in the lizard's head and killing it. 

"Nice shot!" One of the Sisters complimented. 

Astra landed softly inside the building, retrieving her two knives before stepping back against the window. She let herself fall backwards, before launching into the air again, rejoining the other Sisters. 

The grass below stirred as lizard Shadows peeked their heads out,  rapidly scaling several buildings in order to take sniper positions. They began firing at the Sisters, forcing them to stop moving and take cover inside the buildings. 

"Elena, draw their fire. Our snipers can take them out." Hina stated. 

"Got it!" She responded, blasting Wind Nin and flying out from her cover. 

The lizards responded, shooting at her with spikes. She twisted expertly through the air, copying Astra's move, but instead of using the buildings, she bounced off walls of pure air.

"Damn, that's Big Sis for you." Astra noted. "She's a genius when it comes to Wind." 

Elena bounced, cresting around a building and causing the lizards to follow her. 

"Good work." Hina commended. 

Hina took position in a far off building, several sniper type Sisters of Bravo and Charlie squad with her. They took aim, barraging the lizards with their Nin bullets. 

Most of the lizards fell, save for one. Elena flipped backwards, before bouncing off a Wind wall, soaring towards the lizard. She spun through the air, swords at the ready, severing the lizard in half like a deadly top. 

"Great job!" Astra commended. 

The Sisters reformed their formation, dashing through the city in search of the Overlord. 

"If I were a big fat Shadow, where would I be hiding..." Elena wondered. 

They rounded a corner, not noticing the Shadow waiting for them before it was too late. 

"Look out!" Astra screamed. 

The Lion Shadow screeched as lighting erupted out from it. It hit two of the Sisters, their screams quickly silenced as they fried, plummeting to their deaths in the overgrowth below. 

"Scatter again!" Astra directed. 

The remaining Sisters shot in different directions. Elena twisted to dodge, only for the lion to suddenly lunge at her. 

"Huh?" Her eyes widened in surprise as its claws closed their distance. 

"Elena!"

She twisted backwards, placing her two feet on the lion's body and blasting Wind Nin, sending the lion flying back as she launched in the other direction. She caught herself against a building, watching the Shadow with caution. 

"It moved so quickly...:" She noted just as Astra came along side. 

The other Sisters were nearby as well, taking shelter on nearby rooftops. 

"That lightning is no joke either." Astra said. "It's almost impossible to dodge, and it kills you instantly." 

A scream echoed on the rooftop nearby, followed by the sound of a horse's neigh. One of the Sister's lit on fire, screaming as she collapsed into a pile of ashes. The horse Shadow appeared, cradling another Sister's neck in his hand. It gave way with a crack, the lifeless corpse tossed aside like trash. 

"What is that!?" Elena pointed. 

"We need fire support, now!!" Astra yelled into her Light orb. 

"Roger." Hina responded. 

"Major, let me help!" Rin's voice echoed in one of Hina's Light Orbs. 

Hina thought for only a moment. 

"Very well. If you can find a position..." Hina started. 

"No need! Patch me through to Elena." Rin demanded. 

"Yes?" Elena talked into her Light Orb. 

"Give me your best position." Rin said. 

"By the two weird duck looking buildings." Elena said, still watching both Shadows. 

"I told you before, there's no way those look like ducks... but all right!" Rin yelled. 

"Astra!" Elena turned. "Everyone else still alive!" We need to take shelter now!" Elena warned. 

"What's going on?" Rell asked, watching as Rin drew her weapon, aiming towards the sky. 

"Might wanna cover your ears..." Mira directed, covering her own. 

"Face the wrath of the strongest sniper!" Rin laughed, an enormous amount of Fire Nin forming around the barrel of her weapon. "Ashes to ashes!"

The very ground around them started to scorch as the air heated up rapidly, the Fire Nin around Rin's weapon growing larger and more violent. 

"Roaring Dragon!" She cried, pulling the trigger. 

An enormous dragon of fire emerged from her weapon, soaring up into the sky at great speed. It arched, plummeting towards the ground some distance away, leaving behind a streak of fire and smoke as fell. 

The Lion and Horse looked towards the sky, watching as the screeching dragon fell on their position. The Sisters quickly dove into an office buildings, rushing through the halls as the explosion shook foundations. Flames danced just behind Astra as she ran. She slid, taking shelter in the curve of a hallway as the heatwave flared past her, burning everything in its path. 

"Everyone okay?" Elena asked over the Light Orb. 

"Mhm." Astra sighed. "That was crazy..." 

The Sisters regrouped, exiting the burning building through a nearby window. There were about four of them left, including Elena and Astra. They readied themselves, prepared to continue. A roar stopped them. 

The Lion and Horse landed on a rooftop nearby. They were badly burnt, the Lion missing a wing, and the Horse missing an arm and a spider leg, but otherwise were still alive. 

"Well, I guess it would've been too easy..." Astra sighed. "Let's finish them off. Elena!"

"Got it!" She responded, following Astra as they launched down towards the roof, landing in the opposite direction the two Shadows. 

"You two continue with the mission!" Astra ordered. "Me and my Big Sis will handle these two." She grinned, drawing two knives. 

"Roger!" They responded, Air Pushing in a different direction. 

"Ready Sis?" Astra asked. 

"Let's go." Elena grinned, readying her swords.