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Post by LancerZero on Aug 29, 2008 1:55:47 GMT
The Mist reappeared, forcing the party into a barely-repaired airship to get above it. After a scuffle onboard, they lost control and crashed into a mountainside where they were captured by Vix. At this point, Vix was motivated by her parents' souls being held captive by their employer, hereafter referred to simply as "E". They made their way towards South Gate to get transport to elsewhere, but wound up in a sort of robot factory, and took an airship from there. Declan's father had apparently ordered a small army of machines produced to overthrow Lindblum, so Declan pretended to be him and ordered the army instead to a distant land. She had sabotaged the other airship, which crashed shortly after takeoff. Its crew was taken hostage by slave-drivers, where Serylis was tortured fairly extensively. To make a long story short, they killed the slavers and escaped. Vix ordered her airship to land near Gizamaluke's grotto for the night. She had decided to countermand E's orders after uncovering a few key deceptions he'd undertaken; her orders were supposed to set in motion a massive insurrection all across the Mist continent. Instead, she aborted it. E had planned ahead, however, and loosed several assassins and bands of magical creatures to track down and kill the wayward dark knight. Vix knew this, and to keep her new allies from getting caught in the crossfire (and to test their loyalty) she left in the middle of the night. When the others woke up and discovered what happened, they followed her tracks into Burmecia. They very nearly caught up with her in the desert city of Salem Dao, but she eluded them (and E's assassins) and made it to the grounds of a monastery. This particular monastery was a haven for the undead and other sorts of beings and creatures that tended to not do so well in the outside world, and whose efforts she'd sponsored for some time. Turned out, however, that her lieutenant was mistakenly attacking it. He wound up assigned as a slave to a thief for punishment later. The party found the pilot Vix had used when he returned, and after beating off a reptilian bounty hunter intent on catching Vix, they flew to the monastery and landed on the roof. There they were confronted by strange creatures they dubbed Mistaurs, whom they defeated. This story begins the night before the party was to leave for Lindblum to warn the Regent about the Mistaurs, and to report on the fall of South Gate.
That's the prologue. I'll link to character bios in chapter one. Feel free to comment on important bits I left out, or silly bits I left in.
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Post by drake on Aug 29, 2008 2:56:47 GMT
W007!!11!!
Only Comment that needs be said.
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Post by LancerZero on Aug 29, 2008 4:53:39 GMT
In the middle of the night, Vix decided to end it.
No more delays, no more hesitation.
But she still couldn't end it alone...she crept into the room neighboring her own, swift and silent as the Mist itself. Then she paused briefly, as a part of her wanted to simply use some sleeping weed and take her intended target with her unawares. No, she chided herself. That's the old, paranoid self speaking. If I can't trust him to come of his own volition, then why should I bother at all?
So she leaned down and shook Valedec's shoulders, clamping a hand over his mouth as soon as his eyes opened.
"Shh!" she whispered urgently. "Now, listen closely. You remember the attack we fended off yesterday? There will be more. Many more, unless someone who knows the cause stops them. I do, and I shall. I would greatly appreciate your aid in my efforts, however...you have certain strengths I lack, and I trust you more than most. Nonetheless, the choice is yours. I will not retaliate in any way if you decline - you have my word on it. So, think quickly, and answer quietly."
Valdec's first thought was, I'd like this dream a lot more if she was wearing a lot less. Just wear a smile, sweetie... But as his foggy mind began to finally process what she'd said, and her armored hand continued to clamp over his mouth, he figured it out. It's real...Vix is real, and she's really deadly serious. He nodded slowly to indicate he understood, and she reluctantly removed her hand from his mouth, as if she expected he would scream or something.
Choices, choices...I stay here and fly out with the others tomorrow...or sneak out to be the sole companion of the dark knight whose career I've half-followed since I first picked up a blade. It's crazy, but it's also a once in a lifetime opportunity. And those don't come along every day.
The rune knight nodded again, more sharply. "I'll go." He thought he caught a glimpse of a grin on her face, but it was hard to tell in the darkness.
"Good. Bring your weapons and armor only. I will provide the rest. Be as quiet as you can. Meet me in the hangar in half an hour." And with that, she rose from Valedec's bed and left the way she'd come, leaving the nezumi to wonder what'd gotten into the fox.
The monastery's hangar was never deserted - a population of undead mechanics made sure of that. But, it was quieter at night. Most of the time. This time, however, there was some kind of fuss going on over a small, two-person training craft that sat perched on its launcher like a forty-foot long bird of prey. And, as he expected, Vix was in the middle of it.
"Excellent!" she exclaimed to one of the technicians. "My pilot is here. As I told you before, we're going to fly some high-altitude recon, see if we can spot any trace of where those damnable Mistaurs may have gone to. Have you loaded the supplies I requested?"
"Aye, Dame Arkelith. All loaded and ready to go."
By this point, the rune knight was close enough to see that Vix was quite enjoying his confusion, and concluded that it was unlikely to end anytime soon. "Um, Vix...you know I'm not the greatest pi-"
"Oh, don't be so modest!" she loudly interrupted. She clapped him on the back, pulling him towards the cockpit. As he swung closer, she growled, "Play along or you'll ruin everything." He gave a terse nod. "Good. Now get in the cockpit and act like you know what you're doing. I happen to know you have at least basic flight training, so it shouldn't be too hard."
Why the hell are we stealing a ship? That chick is hiding something...like that's anything new. Wonder who's after her this time? Memories of the previous night's attack flashed through Valedec's mind...he gulped, placed his weapons and armor in the vessel's storage compartment, and strapped himself in. What have I gotten myself into?
Okay, so chapter one is short. So sue me! I wanted to get them into the air. Next one will be considerably longer; I hope to have it done by the end of the weekend.
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Post by LancerZero on Sept 1, 2008 6:30:43 GMT
Chapter 2
As Valedec looked over the cockpit controls, he scratched his head. Frowning, he pushed a button that should have started the engines...instead, there was a flash from each wing, and a shower of masonry falling from the hangar's opposite wall as a pair of the craft's hidden cannons fired. The rune knight winced, looked around to make sure nobody was hurt (and that Vix wasn't about to strangle him), and continued his examination of the controls. Without touching, of course.
"Vix?"
"What?"
"Would you kindly tell me what the hell kind of airship this is so I can fly the damn thing without killing us both?" Much to Valedec's surprise, the dark knight was actually smiling when she entered the cockpit.
"I had wondered if you would ever notice."
"How could I not? Instead of starting the engines, I made a pair of new windows in the hangar! Look!"
Vix made a show of leaning over Valedec's shoulder to look. "Off the mark. We need to calibrate the cannons - but not to worry. This craft has plenty of other weapons. You see, this is my personal airship. It is made for two because I cannot pilot an airship to save my life. Mikhail is usually my pilot. I serve as gunner and overall commander of the craft. That will not change with you as pilot. Understand?"
The rune knight rolled his eyes. "Like there was ever any question as to who would be in charge. I kinda guessed. So. Is there anything else you’d like to tell me about your toy?”
She was completely silent while she sat down in her seat and buckled herself in - Valedec was sure she did it slowly just to annoy him. “It’s ludicrously fast, well-armed, and moderately well-armored. Ton for ton, it is more than a match for any flying craft on this planet. However, it took Mikhail years to master…I estimate you have about two minutes once we’re airborne before we are intercepted.”
“Lovely. And the button for ‘go’ is…?”
“Green lever on the center console.”
“Thanks.” He pushed the lever lightly forward, and the craft leapt ahead like a frightened rabbit. Only a jerk of the joystick and a healthy amount of luck saved them from running into a parked airship on their way to the hangar’s lone exit. Undead technicians and mechanics yelled, screamed, and hurled themselves from the craft’s path as the rune knight throttled up. Seconds later, they burst from the underground hangar and into the twilit sky.
Valedec threw the little ship into a sharp break, followed by a series of barrel rolls, as soon as he felt they had enough altitude. He was denied the pleasure of hearing Vix squeal in surprise, however, so he concentrated on the vessel’s performance. She wasn’t exaggerating; this thing IS fast. Wish I had more time to get used to it…assuming she’s not just being pessimistic, of course.
She wasn’t.
“Incoming, three ships from abaft!” the vixen yelled. “I’m going to the dorsal turret. Give me a moment.”
Valedec muttered a curse under his breath as he caught sight of, surely enough, a trio of those strange mistaur ships. It took some measure of restraint to keep from going evasive, but he held it steady until Vix called out that she was strapped into her turret. The center target was still coming dead on, but the other two were changing course…one going high and one low, bearing to either side in order to flank the fleeing airship.
Since Vix was in the dorsal turret, atop the craft, Valedec nosed over, rolled, and yanked the stick back, trying desperately to keep the mistaur vessel in his sights. He overshot, and didn’t even get close enough to fire. Meanwhile, the vessel shuddered as the dorsal turret sent slugs into what the knight could only hope was an enemy ship, instead of merely piercing the sky. That was really stupid of me…I can’t fight these guys!
He kept pulling the stick back and shoved the throttle to the stops. The turret kept firing, which told him that they weren’t falling far enough behind for his liking. Putting the ship’s nose back on the horizon, he slew back and forth until he spotted the remains of the broken Gate to Alexandrian territory. The craft shook and rattled as the speedometer kept its steady climb towards the far right. Still, the turret barked and spat lead, and Valedec cursed again. What’s it gonna take to ditch these guys?!
It was then that he spotted a flight of dragons heading north. No way…that would be foolhardy, idiotic, and…and…and is probably our only chance. I don’t know what those mistaur ships can do, but I know we can’t take them on. He ignored the vessel’s protests at the demands he was placing on its frame, and broke hard over to follow the specks soaring on the thermals. Holy hell, I just hope these are the right kind of dragons…please?
Vix stopped firing, either giving up on hurting the mistaur ships or seeing what Valedec was up to. As they finally got close enough to make out the colors of the flight, Valedec cheered. Greens! Never expected to see any this far above the treeline, but I’m not about to complain! We may survive this yet… He tapped a rudder pedal and caressed the joystick, trying to pass just in front of them. Want to be sure they get a look at what’s chasing us - and hope they decide to help us. At least they won’t attack us, like reds might.
He could never have predicted what would happen, however, when his foes saw the dragons. “They’re breaking off!” Vix crowed as she re-entered the cockpit. “I told you my airship was fast, did I not?”
Valedec nodded, allowing himself a grin for their freedom. “So you did. Now, where to?”
“It would appear that you hazarded a guess…and you were incorrect. Turn us around. We shall catch the nighttime thermal updrafts from the Cleyran desert, and the-” The dark knight was cut off as an unseen force suddenly rocked the airship, shoving it towards the mountainside, even as a furious voice echoed through both of their heads:
You bastards! It’s your fault they’re all dead!
The two knights had just enough time to experience a few seconds of horror before their airship smashed into the mountain below, splintering age-old ice formations. They were unconscious and gravely wounded as the battered wreck slid down the glacier to a small plateau. They were nigh unto death when they were discovered by a small raiding party.
Considering the being they had angered, they were fortunate to be alive at all.
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Post by Robshi on Sept 2, 2008 23:16:31 GMT
Nice work Lancer! This is quite interesting so far...I wonder what powerful being Vix has managed to infuriate?
Looking forward to the next chapter! I wonder if anyone else will write some stories continuing the ROER2 timeline? Are you gonna write about what happened with Edsel and the rest of the party and the Mistaurs in the Chocobo forest sometime?
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Post by LancerZero on Sept 8, 2008 4:00:26 GMT
Chapter 3
The first thought that floated through Vix’s head as she regained consciousness was I am really, truly tiring of my airships getting blown up… The second thing she thought was, My face hurts. The third thing she thought was, Why does it feel like I’m strapped down? Then she opened her eye and saw that she was. Trying not to panic, she tried to move her hand down to reach the dagger sheathed on her thigh - only to have a hand stop her.
“Sorry about the straps,” Valedec told her. “You were thrashing around a bit earlier, and we were worried you might hurt yourself. If you’ll stop trying to get your dagger, I’ll unstrap you, ok? I‘d recommend against sitting up right now, though. We both got hurt fairly badly in that crash.” Not looking at him, she hesitated…then slid her hand back up. Just as he’d promised, the straps were unfastened a moment later.
“Wait a moment…’we’? Where are we, and who…and…by the gods, what happened to your eye? That looks like no crash injury I’ve ever seen,” Vix grimaced in spite of herself when she finally turned to look at him. It looked like some kind of wild animal had clawed out his left eye - she couldn’t see the eye itself due to the patch holding some bandages over it, but the bloody scratches above and below it didn’t bode well. Other than that, he seemed well enough - a few lumps in the borrowed robe he wore told of bandages elsewhere, but he was sitting up and seemed to not be in any major pain.
“Heh…well…when I said you were ‘thrashing around’ I really meant you were attacking anybody who came close to you. But you were bleeding, and would’ve died…I was still conscious, and since you knew me, I volunteered to try to calm you down so they could treat you. I, um…I stroked your hair, y’know, supposed to be a soothing motion…and you kinda didn’t take well to it.”
The dark knight gaped. “I clawed your eye out? Surely you are not serious!” However, it is fortunate for him he did not do that while I was awake…
Valedec turned his head to one side, and shrugged bashfully. “Naw. You messed it up a bit, but it’ll be all healed up a few months or so from now. Probably. And I wound up head butting you to make you stop.”
“Though I can hardly control my unconscious actions, I…I am sorry, Valedec.” And this time, I actually mean it. I’m glad I brought him instead of one of the others…given my past record with them, I rather doubt they would accept any apology of mine.
“It’s okay. Now, I guess you probably wanna know where we are and stuff, right? We’re in a stone hut in a highlands village not too far from where we crashed. I don’t remember its name, and even if I could I probably couldn’t pronounce it. The local patrol leader who found us happens to be an old acquaintance of mine, and she’s made sure you and I are taken care of discretely.”
Vix’s eyes narrowed. “How discretely? My employer…whom I shall henceforth refer to as…Itzal, has eyes in many places you might not expect.”
“I know,” he sighed. “Well, we did kinda make something of an entrance. Hard to disguise that. But she’s kept prying eyes away. The only ones that have actually seen us are her and her patrol, which is made up of five other soldiers.”
The dark knight tried to sit up again, but wound up only getting halfway. “Damn! We must get moving again. Or something could…something…Valedec, did you hear a voice before we crashed?”
“I sure did. Something about us being bastards and killing them all. You heard it, too?” She nodded. “I have no idea what it was. Honestly, I thought it was just my conscience playing tricks on me, but if you heard it then it can’t be that simple.”
“I must agree…at least it did not feel like Itzal’s presence. We must ask this friend of yours when she returns.”
Several minutes of uneasy silence followed, during which neither Valedec nor Vix could think of anything pertinent to say. So Vix closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, and Valedec lay back down on his bed. For awhile, at least…until the rune knight’s curiosity got the better of him.
“So, uh, Vix…what’ve you been up to since we last met? Seems you’d gathered quite a motley posse together, and I can only guess that this Itzal guy is a good deal worse than that rogue mage I helped you kill that one time.”
“It is a lengthy tale. I wouldn’t want to bore you.”
“Uh-huh. Sounds like Vix-speak for you’d rather not talk about it.”
“And if it is, what then? Do you think to force it out of me somehow?”
Valedec swore he detected the slightest of grins on her face, but it was hard to be sure. “I wouldn’t dream of it, Dame Arkelith. Now seriously, I’m all ears, and very curious. I’d like to know what’s happened so I can have some idea of what we’re up against. If I’m gonna be your partner in this quest, I need to know a few things.”
“…very well. I have helped sow the seeds of revolution in every kingdom on the Mist continent. This was a number of years ago, when I was younger, and naïve enough to believe my father’s visions of an eternal utopia of undeath were workable. I convinced my father to set the project aside, yet the framework remained, the cult of undeath in place…
“Until Itzal came along with an offer we could not refuse. Either we would work for him, or he would reveal our location and deeds to the brotherhood of paladins. Our defenses were formidable, and my parents were impressive in combat, but we knew we couldn’t stand up to that…and organizing the cult in our defense would only have alerted our foes.
“We always planned to turn on him in the end, but he got my parents before we could do so, thus forcing my continued cooperation. That is, until I discovered that the pendant in which my parents’ souls were supposedly being kept was nothing more than an eavesdropping device. With that knowledge, I was forced to assume my parents’ untimely demise, leaving me no further reason to cooperate with Itzal.
“I aborted his scheduled revolution. I can only guess he has something to do with the sudden appearance of these ‘mistaur’ creatures, and that they are a form of reprisal because he cannot control the cult. That much, at least, we were able to do. Thus, the cult of undeath is not actively hunting us. Yet, they will try to kill us if they find us, because they think I have betrayed them.
“What’s more, Itzal has put a large bounty on my head, so we can expect to encounter bounty hunters at fairly regular intervals. He may also have spread rumors that I am responsible for the appearance of the mistaurs, which would put us in danger from militia and soldiers. Essentially, there are none we can fully trust.”
“Except each other,” Valedec corrected. He waited for her to agree; she gave a half-nod, which was about as good as he’d hoped for. He lay back down with a sigh, putting his hands behind his head. “Well, that certainly jives with what little I know of recent events. Wish I’d known just how deep in it you were.”
“Would you have decided differently?”
“Nope. I just wish I’d have known. It’s no wonder you’re touchy, even in your sleep. Sounds like three-quarters of the Mist continent is after you, and now, by extension, me. So what’s your plan?”
"Hmph. Glad you're so nonchalant about it..." The vixen turned her head toward the ceiling. “To reach the Forgotten Continent as quickly as we can by any means necessary.”
“And then?”
“And then we shall see. I rather expect I know where Itzal is holed up, but I do not know for certain. We must take this one step at a time, each step is difficult enough without borrowing trouble.”
“Hm! A surprisingly pragmatic approach, Vix.”
“How is it surprising?”
“Because it’s coming from you instead of me.”
“What are you talking about? I’ve always been a pragmatic person!”
“Who likes to plan every little detail,” Valedec teased. “Anyway, I - ah! No need to throw biscuits!”
“Haha! Got you on the face! I told you I was pragmatic. That was completely unplanned, I have not planned for your response.”
Was that…was that an actual laugh, and humor, coming from her? Smirking, he just lay back down and replied, “No, that was spontaneous. And now, I am going to be the pragmatic one by getting some rest so I’ll heal faster.”
“Hmph!” Vix scoffed. “Coward. Fine, go to sleep.”
Valedec chuckled, rolled over, and obeyed.
The first three chapters have all been from Valedec's point of view - the next few will be from Vix's, and you'll find out a bit more about why she's suddenly being almost a reasonable being. =P
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 17, 2009 3:01:21 GMT
Chapter 4Every motion, every word Vix had to force herself through was a tiring exercise, leaving her feeling like a fish swimming through mental sand. Surrounded be people I don't know but who obviously know me, and forced to trust in their good will. Valedec thinks highly of these "highlanders", and I have come to respect his opinion in such things, but overcoming a lifetime of institutional paranoia is not easy. She grimaced, and rolled the word over and over in her head. Paranoia. How much of it was learned, and how much assumed? Did my dependance on Shadow magic truly turn me into such a-"Vix?" Valedec's inquiry broke her train of thought, and she shook her head. She was still sitting on her bed, but fully armored and armed now. Valedec, too, was armored and armed - and sitting next to her. "Of course. What again?" "I was just telling you what that highland officer told me, and you sorta...went blank. You alright?" Vix turned away, frowning. "Yes, I am fine. Would you repeat it?" Stop worrying about me!"She's got their fastest transport with an understrength regiment of their dragoons ready to take us to Lindblum harbor. The transport will drop us off short of Lindblum, and we'll walk the rest of the way by cover of darkness. I've seen these guys operate, Vix. If they can find cover on a rocky, exposed hillside, they can sneak us into the harbor. Not the whole regiment will be with us directly, of course; three-quarters of them are for a handful of diversionary actions." The fox turned back to him - careful to hold her head back to avoid the awkward accidental muzzle-touch - and nodded. "Right. And remind me why they are doing all this for us?" "Because the officer - L-something - thinks she knows of some of Itzal's past work and wants to do anything she can to help stop him." "Fair enough. And why were you sitting next to me instead of on your own bed just a few feet away?" "Um...well, you see, I wanted to make sure...Okay, I don't really know. I just felt like sitting next to you." "At least you're honest. Now get up, if you please." "No knife? That's progress!" "Don't push it." But it was said with a ghost of a grin, even as she shoved him face-first into his own bed. He tumbled and rolled nimbly to the other side, unsure if she was being playful or not, and eyed her quizzically as he got back to his feet. "'EY!" a strange voice yelled into the room. Vix's hand leapt to her thigh sheathe as Valedec jumped in surprise. It was a brown-furred nezumi with blonde hair, both ragged from the harsh mountain weather, and the odd scythe-spear she held - known as a mauler - meant business. "If you two're done with yer rompin', the engines're runnin' an' daylight's a-wastin'. C'mon!" "You might've knocked, Lira," Val complained as he dusted himself off. "Aye, if it'd been locked. Now c'mon ya lowlan' sloths!" With that, she ran towards the source of the gathering roar outside, leaving the door she'd silently cracked. Outside where, in a large couryard surrounded by hemispherical rock domes, was a very ugly but sturdy-looking airship. The nezumi known as Lira waited by the door, gesturing for them to hurry their respective posteriors. Vix bristled briefly at the officer's attitude, but took a few deep breaths and forced it down before jogging towards the waiting craft, rune knight in tow.
I know this is an awfully short bit after so long a hiatus, but I wanted to get it down while I figure out what happens next - probably what'll occupy my mind at work tomorrow Please forgive my rusty writing skills, btw, I hope it doesn't pain the eyes! Or head. Or anything else, for that matter. EDIT: Also, sorry to skip ahead, but it just would've been a rehash of what Vix just told Val, except she'd be telling Lira. And scenes like that get pretty tired pretty fast, so I chose to just skip it this time.
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 19, 2009 6:51:01 GMT
Chapter 5The airship's corridors were reasonably wide, but with steel bars bracing the structure every couple of meters. Amidships supplies were stored; aft, the crew quarters; forward, the bridge and a pair of officer's cabins. The upper deck was all gunnery and the lower deck was all engineering. A simple layout that reflected the highlanders' preferred practical, modular construction techniques. And it did not work in Vix's favor. She and Valedec boarded the ship, and as soon as they were in, Lira rushed to the bridge, leaving the two of them alone in the empty area amidships. She frowned at Val - not a full scowl, but close. "I was most assuredly not 'romping', by the way." "Vix..." he sighed. "What?" "The last thing you have to worry about is me thinking you're getting all mushy on me. I know you better than that. If you actually WERE falling for me, I'm pretty sure you'd do something crazy obvious, not some flirty stuff." "...perhaps my recent company has lacked your discretion. It might also be that cover story Lira gave us to use...I still find it difficult to believe you had no hand in it." "C'mon now, Vix. When she mentioned subterfuge I thought of cameoflaged suits and moving by cover of night, NOT walking around in broad daylight pretending to be a happy couple. You might recall I protested, because I'm not sure this is exactly your forte." "Not my forte? It is the most absurd idea I can recall hearing in recent weeks, and that is saying something!" "I know, Vix. I mean no offense - I mean, I've always thought you were beautiful - but you just don't strike me as the, uh, relationship type." "You think I'm...?" she forced her startled face at the first statement back into a frown at the last one. "I mean, what do you mean, the relationship type? You don't think I'd make a good lover, is that it? That I'd stab sooner than smooch, kick sooner than kiss?" "Well...to be perfectly honest, yeah. You were standoffish enough when I was younger, but you've been downright prickly lately. Can't say that I really blame you after what you've been through, but..." Much to the rune knight's surprise, she lowered her head slightly and shook it, staring at him out of the corner of her eye. "No, you're right. And you did not even see me at my worst...I am working on it, Val. I truly am. You have no idea what it has been like all these years, depending on my command of the Shadow to survive...it has warped me. It is like awakening from a nightmare - much of the perceived danger was but a hallucination, I know that now. But that does not stop me from wondering how many of the monsters I have seen could be real, after all." Did she actually just call me Val? He thought of several things he could say, but nothing seemed quite right...so he took a hesitant step towards her, making sure she wasn't going to kick him in the groin or something. She didn't raise her arms so he could hug her around the waist, but nor did she step away. So he gave her a brief hug, even hazarding a little squeeze, before stepping back again. "There's a lot riding on your shoulders, Vix, but you don't have to carry it all. That's why I'm here - to share the load so it's not unbearable. To help you fight off the monsters that turn out to be real." "I mean no offense to you personally, but how can I trust any one person that much? Even someone I have known as long - albeit off and on - as you? I do not even trust Mikhail that much." "I've been in a bad spot before, surrounded by enemies...and I entrusted my life, and the life of my sister, to a near-stranger with shadow magic and a big sword. And she hasn't let me down." Vix's mouth opened, then shut again long enough to actually smile before speaking. "Touche." She opened her mouth to say something else, but instead her eyes widened and she snarled, "You!" at something behind Valedec. The rune knight's survival instincts kicked in, and he braced his shield - which was slung over his back - before throwing himself backwards into whatever being had invoked such sudden hatred from Vix. The force of the impact jarred him to the core, but he also heard the distinctive sound of an armored body hitting the bulkhead behind them as he spun back around and drew out his hammer. Vix had already drawn her daggers - the quarters being too tight for a greatsword. The foe was a teal-scaled reptilian woman, clad entirely in silver armor, with red cloth hanging from her finned hears, a mace from her belt, and a shield on her back. But she didn't look scared...just out of breath from getting slammed. Indeed, she actually chuckled. "Lira told me you'd be onboard, but I didn't expect to see you so soon. I take it you remember me?" "Oh yes," Vix growled, "I do indeed recall how you and your associate tried to kill me and everyone with me. Now, I advise you to speak quickly before we destroy you utterly. You know you cannot possibly ready your weapon before your facial structure is rearranged by my friend's hammer, so do not even try." "While I do apologize for interrupting what appeared to be a tender moment, I had already stepped into the hall and was going to be spotted if I stayed or heard if I tried to leave. I chose the former." Blushing furiously at the realization that the bounty hunter had been listening to such a private conversation, Vix moved the point of one of her daggers to a few inches in front of the enemy's neck. "You still did not answer my question! Why are you here at all?" Unfazed, the blue mage gestured at Valedec. "Do you not think introductions are in order first? My name is Nekrisia Fenotmai, and I do things and do away with people on occasion for large sums of money. Who might your ally be, former prey of mine?" It was all Vix could do to resist the temptation to start slicing. "His name is Valedec, and he is here to help me. He will start by smashing your face in a most irrevocable manner unless your next words answer my question." Nekrisia rolled her eyes and sighed. "Very well. Spoilsport. I finally tracked down the one who put the bounty on your head...and I don't do jobs for beings such as he. You have nothing to fear from me anymore, dark knight. As it happens, by way of apology for taking on a sour contract, I have come here to offer my services to you for free." "She's tellin' ya tha truth, Vix," came Lira's voice from behind. Vix very nearly sliced open Nekrisia's throat in surprise. "Do NOT sneak up on the person with a dagger to someone's neck! And did she mention to you that she tried to kill me when she asked for passage?" "Aye. But she's an experienced fighter, an' she'll be posin' as yer hired bodyguard." Valedec leaned over to whisper in Vix's ear. "Lira may not seem like it, but she's a great judge of character. If she says this Nekrisia is on the level, I trust her." One side of Vix's mouth curled up in a brief sneer as she removed the knife from Nekrisia's neck. "If he believes you...I suppose I'll let you live...and I'll have you know, bounty hunter, that I am a dark knight no longer. Which does not mean I will hesitate to kill you if you are deceiving me." it was not without hesitation that she sheathed her daggers, but sheathe them she did, all the while keeping a hand on a dagger and an eye on Nekrisia. "And why are you here, Lira? I was under the impression you were the pilot." "It's on auto - I just came back to tell ya you two get to share the other officer's cabin. Might as well be workin' out sleepin' arrangements now...gonna be a few nights we hafta spend at inns where we don' want folks ta be questionin' yer stories." Vix looked over at Valedec. "I'll just sleep on the floor," he offered. Unless we wind up staying at one of those one-room, eight-bed country inns...but we'll just cross that bridge when we come to it. Or just ford the river and avoid the bridge altogether. "Remind me, Lira, why we have to use this particular cover story." "Because if ya claimed to be soldiers the guards would want papers we can't forge well enough, an' no disguise is gonna make ya look like siblings." "Not even adopted siblings?" "Nay! Tha main reason in any case is we've got everythin' prepared for the newlywed couple routine because a couple days ago we got it all set up for a real couple...who happen ta be in the pay of the Burmecian crown. They'll be hidin' in a safe house fer the duration, an' the only difference is the lady's a she-wolf an' not a vixen. Easy fix, though, not an obstacle." "Wait...I do not recall agreeing to having my fur dyed!" Vix protested, finally backing away from the bounty hunter. "Sorry Vix, yer kind's not exactly common, an' tha crown couldn't come up with anythin' else in such short notice. Yer both lucky we had anythin' ready so fast." Nekrisia grinned at their discomfort as she turned to walk back to the crew quarters. "And be sure to get any 'romping' out of the way onboard the ship...groundside, I will be standing guard outside your door." If looks could kill, the bounty hunter would have died a thousand deaths.
EDIT: Dur dur, doing some backreading and found out Vix already knew she was no longer a dark knight. So I had to edit some stuff in there, and add a bit of conversation to a couple of parts. Mainly the middle.
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 20, 2009 4:41:42 GMT
Chapter 6
The black-cat samurai wandered the empty corridors of the old warship, absently cradling her non-functioning arm. It's so weird not having Ketal around...I'm sure he'd have a running commentary going on the many different forms of stink in this part of the airship. Eww. Of course, she was in one of the ones that'd been scorched by black mages during the previous war...alerted by the sound of metal on metal, she switched directions and soon located Jessabelle's chosen quarters. Which did not stink.
The dragoon had already removed her armor and was laying down on the bottom bunk; so Kali knocked on the open hatch until she lifted her head. "Hey, um, mind if I room with ya? I..."
Jess interrupted her with a nod as she let her head plop back down to the bed. "Sure thing. Just watch your step, I kinda left my armor right by the ladder."
"Thanks!" She dropped her pack at the foot of the bed, dropped her armor next to Jess', and leapt atop the bunk above the dragoon with a sigh. "Oy...what a long coupla days, eh?"
Jessabelle chortled. "You might say that...I wonder if my parents will even believe half of what I write to them?"
Before Kali could reply, there was a knock on the still-open hatch; Drake leaned through it and cleared his throat. "I hope I'm not disturbing anything, ladies, but I've finally found out where Vix went, or at least, where she said she went, and we're going to go after her as soon as the engines warm up."
"Just the three of us?"
"Four actually, since Dan is coming. None of the vampires want to come, they say they'll conduct their own search, so off we go." And off he went. A few minutes later, off the battered warship went, hovering unsteadily over the monastery as Drake and Dan fixed a few last-minute glitches before soaring at last high into the mountains.
After a nice, uneventful evening meal, Valedec and Vix were led to their cabin by a grinning Lira. The cabin was a simple affair: a cold, hard wooden floor, a bathtub, a wardrobe, a chair by the door, and a single bed. Once they were inside with the door shut, Lira tried mightily to suppress her grin.
"An' now, after watchin' ya the last coupla days, we've got a list of things you two've gotta be able to do to pass as newlyweds at our stops. And aye, we ARE stickin' with the itinerary. None of the folks you'll meet've seen the real couple in the last few years, and none're more than friendly acquaintances, so ya don't hafta feign deep personal knowledge or old friendships or anythin'. But you DO hafta be believable newlyweds, because we think some of 'em have information we need, an' if they don't believe you're the amorous couple they've been correspondin' with, they won't talk."
"Seriously?" Val asked, eyebrows raised. "A test?"
Vix shrugged. "I cannot imagine that it could be terribly difficult. What is the first task?"
Lira sat down in the chair, crossed her legs, and smiled. "Strip to yer skivvies, both of ya."
Both knights' jaws dropped. "What?" they demanded simultaneously.
"You've gotta be comfortable with each other, an' you won't be sleepin' fully clothed."
"So you are suggesting we share the same bed during this whole thing...while clad only in our undergarments?"
"Aye. Would ya rather me ask ya to do it nude? Did'na think so. Now take it off, both of ya, or I'll do it meself!"
"Is this truly nece-"
"Do it or I turn this ship around! I'll explain more later, but fer now you gotta trust me an' do as I say."
Vix crossed her arms. "I refuse to remove a single article of armor OR clothing until it the purpose of this part of the exercise is explained to us."
Val noted she said 'us' instead of 'me', but was unsure of its import.
Lira sighed. "I knew ye was stubborn...a'right. We think they're gonna try ta send someone ta sneak in an' look through yer stuff. Ya need to stop 'em - the real couple're trained fighters, though not as good as you two. But who's gonna believe yer innocence if ya leap outta bed fully clothed? Nay, yer gonna be sleepin' together in yer skivvies till yer onboard yer ship in Lindblum harbor."
"So...you want us to sleep in the same bed in our underwear so IF somebody breaks into our room, we can beat 'em up and kick 'em out in righteous indignation...in our underwear?"
"Yep, you've got it!"
"Disregarding the absurdity of it all for argument's sake, why do we have to do this in front of you?"
"C'mon, who d'ya think dressed an' cleaned yer wounds after the crash? I've seen ya both in less'n yer undies, so no need t'be shy."
"Still sounds like a thin excuse..." Vix muttered to Val. Louder, she continued. "Very well, then." And, with great ceremony and aplomb, she removed her breastplate, sword belt, boots, and greaves before stopping. "Go on, Val. I'll not continue until your progress is abreast of mine."
"Huh? Oh." The rune knight took off his own breastplate, sword belt, boots, and greaves, followed by his pants and tunic. "There. This is now the most awkward moment of my life." But not ALL bad, he admitted to himself as he watched Vix fold her own pants and tunic next to her armor. Somehow I didn't expect lace. "Alright, we now both feel like strippers. What next?"
"Next, ya stop bein' embarrassed. I'm not askin' ya to do the WHOLE newlywed routine, not even askin' ya ta bathe together, just ta not act like a pair of schoolkids in tha locker room. Go on, lookit each other till ya stop blushin'."
"That's the dumbest idea ever. It's like asking someone to keep lifting a rock until it stops being heavy." In spite of his protests, he did as he was told. Honestly, how am I supposed to react in a situation like this? I don't know if it helps or hurts that Vix is every bit as fine as I thought she was...
"No, you're not done yet, I still see red on ya...keep starin'...HEY! Step away from me an' get that hand away from that thigh sheathe, missy! Now, movin' on...no, I didn'a say ya could get dressed again, did I? Go on, hate me now, you'll thank me later. Now, gimme yer clothes. I don't trust ya." Reluctantly, the two knights - finally getting more angry at Lira than shy at each other - did as they were told.
Vix crossed her arms over her chest. "I fail to see what purpose our remaining in this state serves."
"Simple." Lira stood up and cracked the door, their clothes in her arms. "Now ya hafta stay like this all night!" And before they could stop her, she darted out and slammed the door shut again, shutting them inside with a lock she'd had put on the door during dinner...and cackling all the while.
"Why you..." Valedec lunged for the door, but stopped with his hand on the knob when Vix grabbed his wrist.
"Do you really want to chase her through the ship in your boxers?"
Instead of turning the doorknob, Val locked it. "Dammit...oh, but she's a crafty one. I should've seen that coming."
Vix walked over to the bed, and sat down in front of it. "In all honesty, given our prevailing circumstances up until recently, this is really not so bad. I've been tortured, burnt, and blown up...I know, leave it to me to see the bright side of things."
Before replying, Valedec strode over to the wardrobe and flung the doors open...revealing empty space. "She didn't even leave an extra set of bedding. She never intended to let me get away with sleeping on the floor. What IS it with her? Either she's the weirdest matchmaker ever or she's crazy."
Vix snickered at that. "Truly, Captain Linenpants, from the way you were staring at me a moment ago, I cannot imagine you find this circumstance so disagreeable as you pretend to."
He shut the wardrobe, and raised an eyebrow at her as he sat down with his back against the wall, right across from Vix. "Could say the same for you, Miss Lacy...you weren't exactly scowling the whole time you were staring at me."
She shrugged, and smirked. "Guilty. What of it?"
Val shook his head, and sighed. "So, we're stuck here. Remember when I said it was the most awkward moment of my life? Nope. THIS is."
"Are we going to spend the remainder of the evening being angry at Lira, or use it constructively?"
"What did you have in mind?"
"Not what you are no doubt thinking. I speak of a good night's sleep. I, for one, am exhausted. In your survey of my body you no doubt noticed several scars that are yet fresh...the healing process continues, and leaves me drained. And it appears you have even more wounds to rest off than I."
Valedec nodded. "Sounds reasonable."
She hadn't waited for his reply - she was already crawling underneath the bed's one, threadbare blanket. He walked over to the chair and was about to sit down when Vix barked at him, "Don't be absurd. Come here and get in bed with me!"
"Say what?" he froze.
"This bed is small but there is room enough. I'll not have Lira wind up asking some even more ridiculous stunt of us because she thinks we have not done enough...that, and I don't need your chivalry. A kind thought, but wasted. Now come here...but do not get any ideas. Your back to mine or I shove you to the floor."
"Got it. Also, please remove your thigh sheathe."
"I promise not to stab you, so long as you promise not to grope me in the middle of the night."
"Really, Vix..."
"Oh, alright! Fine." She tossed the sheathed weapon over by her sword. Val crawled into bed, true to his word, and put his back to hers. "Val?"
"Yeah?"
"Your feet are frigid."
"Sorry. Better?"
"Quite."
After a few moments of tense silence, Valedec spoke up. "So, how should we get our revenge on her?"
"I wondered when you'd ask. I have in mind an elaborate plan involving a service elevator, two pies, and a large bucket of freezing water. Interested?"
Ironically enough, in discussing how they would exact their vengeance on Lira, they were doing exactly what she wanted them to do: loosen up. The dragoon, who had been listening with her ear to the door, grinned as she finally walked across the hall to her own cabin. I'm good, she thought to herself. Make 'em nearly naked to distract 'em, then get them to work together on something. Just like swim class, but with higher stakes. Nonetheless, those two'll be a team by the time we land. Don't knock my methods till you've seen the results...
After setting her alarm to ensure she'd be up before the two knights to give them a wakeup call - and make sure one hadn't killed the other in the night - Lira curled up in her own bed and went to sleep. The ship was silent save for the whisperings of the night watch.
The whole scene is really not necessary - I could accomplish the goal of having them learn to work together in many different ways. But this idea occured to me, and I thought it would be both funny and fun to write. =P I find the mental image of those two staring daggers at a smugly grinning dragoon highly amusing. It's very hard to look scary when you're in your underpants. XD
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 20, 2009 15:51:43 GMT
Chapter 7
Early the next morning, Lira roused herself minutes before her alarm was set to go off. Humming quietly to herself, she went through her usual shipboard morning routine - calisthenics, quick bath, fresh uniform. A quick glance at the timepiece on her cabin wall told her she was still ahead of schedule. Time to go see what the night has wrought! Haha.
She greeted the new shift on the bridge, then unlocked the door to the other cabin. Wanting to observe them briefly before waking them, she cracked the door open just enough to squeeze through, and stood there silently as her eyes became accustomed to the dim light provided by the lone, nearly burnt-out candle atop the wardrobe. Aww, they've got their arms around each other...I knew they'd take to each other. So adorable. Wait...is that an open eye?
The two "sleeping" knights flung themselves at the dragoon without a word, and before she could react to the fact that they were obviously very much awake, they had her wrapped up with her arms at her sides in the blanket, on the floor. And before she could ask what the hell they thought they were doing, Vix spoke.
"I...I think it's a thief, darling. What shall we do with it?"
"Well..." Val stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Burmecian law would dictate the removal of a limb for such a crime, but we aren't IN my homeland. And, vile though this creature may be, we cannot in good conscience kill it."
"Oh, I know...but nonetheless, we cannot let it go free without teaching it a lesson, now can we?"
"Certainly not, dear. Ah! I have an idea." He reached back around to his side of the bed, and drew out a dagger.
"No blood, remember - t'would be a shame to stain this fine rug."
"Never fear, no blood will be shed."
Unable to reach her short sword, and wanting to wait and see what they would try before she started trying to kick them to the floor, Lira lay still as Valedec leaned down over her. He grabbed a tuft of her hair, and sliced it off.
"There! Now, if we are again beset by a thief with a terrible haircut, we will know it is a repeat offender."
"And thus, be able to act in a more...vigorous manner in our own defense," Vix continued. "Now, begone, fiend, lest we change our minds!" She wedged her toe beneath the burmy burrito and gave it a shove, sending Lira rolling towards the door. Without the knights holding it together, it came apart, freeing the dragoon as she reached the entrance.
"Actually, don't leave...we still want our clothes back," Vix called after Lira as she got to her feet.
She turned towards them, a smile spreading across her face. "That was perfect! Teamwork, coordination, an' a believable enough act. Hells, I even bought it fer a bit. Ya've passed me test! Now lemme grab yer goods from my cabin. Be right back."
"You were right," Val offered as soon as Lira had left. "That WAS immensely satisfying."
Vix cackled, resting a hand on his shoulder. "The look on her face! Oh, I shall treasure it in the days to come...I would have taken more of her hair, though."
"Yeah...but we DO still have to work with her."
"True, I suppose. Still..." She removed her hand from his shoulder, and snaked it around his arm to snatch her knife back. "I'll be taking that. You were holding it wrong, by the way. If she had been a real thief and fought back, you would have been sorely at a disadvantage."
"I haven't exactly learned much about knife-fighting. I can handle a sword or mace, and that's about it."
"Then you are in luck, because I happen to be more skilled at it than my usual weapon of choice would seem to suggest. I shall try to teach you what I know after breakfast." Lira cracked the door again, tossed their clothes in, told them to hurry to the galley for breakfast, and closed it again.
"I'll do my best, but maybe next time you should be the one with the dagger. I know a bit of unarmed combat from my time at the monastery, and I doubt I can learn enough in the day or two we have to get good enough with a dagger to best what I learned there."
Vix shrugged. "At any rate, I am glad the dagger was not in my reach. Old habits die hard, and I believe I may have reached for it once or twice in my sleep. Stabbing you would probably not have made the desired impression on Lira."
"Heheh, probably not. Which is why I strapped the sheathe to the bedframe on MY side. I think it was your idea for having our arms around each other that really reeled her in, though. Hook line and sinker!"
"Well, it was YOUR idea to slice off a bit of her hair. I was merely going to threaten her - I think that cinched it, really."
Meanwhile, Lira, who had been listening just outside the door, grinned as she finally left to eat breakfast. We'll do just fine, I think. Now I just need a bandanna to tie on my head...my hair looks awful.
Lira was so pleased with the results of her efforts that she failed to notice a strange shadow as she passed the supply area on her way to the galley.
Revenge is sweet, is it not? Amazingly enough, this airship might actually make it to its destination! That'd be just about a first in RoER history. Unless there's snakes. Snakes on an airship. Maybe that's what the shadow is? Who knows!
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Eudemic
Moderator
Your Local Sword-Fighter
Posts: 302
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Post by Eudemic on Apr 20, 2009 17:08:42 GMT
Enjoying it, LZ. BZ!
(I'm available if you ever need to consult someone about the particulars of fighting with knife/stick/mace/sword/unarmed/etc.)
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 21, 2009 16:26:59 GMT
Chapter 8Valedec wrinkled his nose as he and Vix walked aft on their way to eat breakfast. "Did Lira mention any exotic casters on the ship, Vix?" "No. Why do you ask?" "There's something weird on this ship. Part of my training as a rune knight, I can sense these things...maybe somebody just picked up an artifact they shouldn't have touched or something. Hard to tell." Nonetheless, he kept watch out of the corner of his eye. He'd learned long ago not to take such feelings lightly...a quick glance told him Vix agreed, as her hand was on her dagger's hilt. "At any rate, I do hope you understand that you shall have to trade your hammer for a sword by the time we make landfall. Knights may wield hammers, but genteel nobility makes use of bladed weapons." "And no shields, I know. You'll have to downsize your own weapon, too, you know." "That bothers me little. Actually, I think what may be the most annoying thing is the clothing I will be forced to wear. I am unaccustomed to such large quantities of fabric. I will look quite like a circus tent." "Naw, I bet you'll make it look good. You may not have the background, but you know how to carry yourself....something I still have trouble with. Honestly, why can't rich people just walk like normal? Besides, all those folds of fabric in your dress will make it easy to hide a few weapons - no such luck for me in my attire." "Ah, but a one-handed blade is PART of your attire! You have no need to conceal anything. And as for walking, you must merely saunter rather than swagger, stride rather than stomp. Keep your shoulders back and your chin up, and you will be fine." As they passed the supply area, Val saw a flash and sensed the intense flare-up of energy that could only precede one thing...he grabbed Vix by the waist and yanked her to the floor with him, and a large fireball flew from the darkness to rip a hole in the bulkhead where she had been. Another followed immediately after, even larger and targeting them where they lay helpless on the deck. Except that this time, Valedec had time to prepare his runes...the runes tatooed on his face and back flashed and his hands produced a semi-transparent shield that deflected the fireball back in the direction it'd come. There was a muttered curse in the shadows, and the flash of the fireball's impact revealed a squat figure sprinting deeper into the hold. The noise quickly brought soldiers from the galley, and a certain reptile. Valedec drew his hammer and shield from his back - he'd brought them along to practice with later - and led the way. Vix nodded tersely, and wisely kept behind him as they crept through the hold together. Lira directed a squad to scour the exterior of the craft for possible escape routes, and another to reinforce the bridge to ensure the failed assassin didn't just take over the ship and crash it instead. Lira herself, accompanied by Nekrisia - who'd nabbed a torch - followed the two knights. Master said she was guarded by a vampire swordsman, not a rune knight! the would-be assassin groused to himself as he scrambled to stay ahead of his pursuers. Was s'posed to be an easy job, make quick work of her and escape in the confusion...I HATE rune knights! Of course, all mages did. Rune knights could absorb magical attacks, reflect them, or amplify THEN reflect them...and as a result, many rune knights specialized in hunting down rogue mages. Good thing I do have a backup plan. Though it's morning, time to say goodnight, Vix Arkelith. All I need is one spell...can't dodge this one. He then realized he'd shuffled into a corner to avoid the torchlight...he had only a moment before his presence would be discovered. Just enough time.
"There he is!" Nekrisia's torchlight revealed a short black mage in the final stages of casting a spell. The huntress froze her targets feet in blocks of ice, and Lira hurled her mauler with a yell, impaling the caster. He stopped casting, and a gurgling sound could be heard as he laughed. "Too late...I did it..." Vix's fur stood on end as a familiar groan came from the ground behind her...it was one of the black magic spells her father had shown her, and the sound was not easily forgotten. A decaying, hooded skeleton rose from the gathering mist on the floor and raised its scythe to strike. The skeleton could not be stopped by any normal means, she knew... Perhaps it will miss - it does miss sometimes. But that hope shrank away as the weapon, covered in the innards of previous victims, swung toward her... Instead of the sickening sound of rending flesh, however, it was the sound of a weapon hitting an impenetrable barrier that filled the room. It was Valedec's reflective shield again - he'd prepared it as soon as he saw that the mage had been casting, as a precaution. He stood between the reaper and Vix, and shoved it back into the ground. The mage was still conscious, and knew what was coming. "No...no! No, I can't fail! NOOO!" The skeletal figure rose up in front of him, and lopped off his head without preamble before disappearing into the floor. Vix took a deep breath - she'd been holding it since she recognized the spell being cast. "I had no idea the Death spell could be reflected...I thought for certain my end was at hand. Not to mention the fireballs...thank you." So overcome was she by the mere fact of her survival that she enveloped the startled rune knight in a crushing hug and even gave him a peck on the cheek. "Now it is I that owe you." Lira and Nekrisia might have protested that they helped too, but they were both too busy examining the remains of the assassin. The dragoon spat upon the floor in disgust. "Only thin' worse'n a mage is a mage that's an assassin." "Quite..." the bounty huntress absently agreed. "This appears to be the same sort of black mage that originally assaulted Burmecia and Lindblum years ago. I was under the impression that their production had long since ceased." "Nay," Lira shook her head. "Jus' the mindless ones. Means this li'l guy was workin' fer someone. An' though I'm glad Vix is still livin', I wish we'd gotten to ask this fella a few questions." Nekrisia stood in silence, deep in thought.
Vix, having recovered her senses somewhat, released Val and made herself stop smiling. "I, um...I apologize." "Whatever for?" "For letting my emotions get the better of me." Val chuckled, "No need to apologize! It's okay to be ecstatic when you escape certain death, you know. I think I hugged you once after you saved my tail year or so ago. Remember?" "Yes, I remember...except you did not kiss me, yet I slapped you so hard I nearly dislocated your jaw." She lowered her head and ears, ashamed at the memory. "So you did...but, you really were a different person then. Not like you are now, or when I met you. No hard feelings, eh?" "Oh? And how am I now?" "Well...here's the thing. I don't know that it's so much that you're a different person, as that you're finally letting yourself come out of that spiked shell you used to hide under. Y'know? Not so repressed anymore, more free to be, well, YOU. And I like that...and I'm not just saying that because you got excited and kissed me." "Truly?" "Truly." He wrapped his arms around her waist - and a few seconds later, he grinned. "See? No slap this time!" She pulled away and slapped him, but it was a weak, playful slap, and Val just laughed at her. She let him see her smile before turning and walking over to the other two women, relieved that nobody could see her blush at her own emotional display in the relative darkness of the supply hold. I must admit I do feel a bit better now...Val is not the only one I have mistreated, though. Someday, I shall have to track down all of those adventurers that accompanied me these past few weeks, and apologize to them. I can only hope they will be as gracious as Val...though I doubt it. He knew me from before, knows that THIS is who I am...they only knew me as a wicked, heartless dark knight.
But for now, there are other matters to tend to. She stopped just short and knelt by the corpse. "They may have expected Mikhail to be with me...if Valedec had not been by my side, and reacted quickly, the first fireball might well have killed me." "Aye, yer a lucky gal, you are." Rising back to her feet, the dragoon yanked her weapon out of the mage, and held it casually over her shoulder as she walked back towards the galley, dripping mage blood as she went. "My troops'll turn the ship inside out. If anythin' else is hidin', they'll find it. Now c'mon, let's go eat. I'm still hungry."
By the by, I checked and Death actually IS reflectable, awesomely enough. And the spell Nekrisia cast is indeed an FFRPG Blue Magic spell, Frost. Just thought I'd mention that. =) Also, for the curious, this airship is just a day from its destination now - and Drake's old warbird is only a couple of days behind it, due to the speed upgrades he described back in RoER2. When Lira's ship lands, I think they may run into a few familiar faces. EDIT: Half an hour after posting, lots of BIG edits, including a large section of added dialogue. Still not totally happy with it, but I think it came out okay.
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 21, 2009 23:49:25 GMT
Chapter 9
The ship's galley was not large, considering the number of people it had to serve; but by this time it was nearly empty, most of the troops having finished their meal and gone back to work. The room was full of the clatter of dishes in the sink as the troops assigned to kitchen duty set about cleaning them. Most of the tables had already been cleared and wiped clean; only a handful remained, and at one of them sat Vix, Valedec, Lira, and Nekrisia.
"Here is what disturbs me about what happened: somehow, this black mage was able to sneak onboard a higland military transport." Valedec took another bite of oatmeal.
Nekrisia shook her head. "I disagree. That little mage was a powerful one; as Vix can no doubt tell you, Death is not a spell for amateurs. I know that may seem like a minor point, but consider the larger tapestry: this character goes to the time and trouble to either create or hire a powerful black mage with no real defenses if he were to fail. I suspect this means that either Itzal was supremely confident in this mage, or did not seriously expect him to succeed."
Vix wiped her mouth, and finished off her juice. "To me, the latter of those is the most likely, and reminds us with whom we are dealing: that he can afford to make use of such a being in an assassination attempt he does not believe is likely to succeed, just to remind me that he is after me...and that he has far more resources to call upon than I do. Oh, I'm certain he would not have minded if it had worked, but if anything, he is a careful planner. He does nothing without meaning, and always has several backups. This mage was a clumsy attempt, regardless of how close it came to succeeding." She glanced meaningfully over at Val, then went back to her food.
Lira nodded. "Well, we weren't lookin' fer magically-concealed assassins when we inspected th'ship. That was my fault. I shoulda made sure it got a more thorough look-over. It's been done now, though, and I s'pect we'll be safe enough till we land tomorrow 'morn. If you ladies're right, we can expect more serious an' better-informed attempts before long after that. This Itzal fella obviously sees ya as a threat, Vix. Fer that matter, we've gotta watch out fer totally non-magic assassins targeted at Val now, too. I'm assignin' a second guard to you two fer the duration: me."
"By-the-by," Val began in between bites, "Who's our first contact s'posed to be?"
"A minor noble family in the highlands near Treno. I know it's a mite outta the way, but THEY have contacts in Treno we need...lotsa cult activity there, it bein' dark all the time."
Nekrisia frowned. "Vix, were you not the instigator of these cults? Why, then, do we require so much additional information?"
"Because I've found that Itzal has already deceived me several times; I have no reason to trust that my information is genuine. What's more, since my refusal to initiate hostilities, I have no idea what they might be doing."
Lira gathered her bare plate and bowl on her tray and stood as she spoke. "Meantime, I've gotta brief me troops on developments...an' 'less I miss my guess, you two've got some sparrin' ta do," she indicated Val and Vix. "Nekrisia, how's yer 'coon pal doin'?"
"Still a little under the weather, but he will be ready and able to assist your own archers when the time comes."
"Good. Let's get to it, then!"
Dan peeked into the room he'd been told Kali was using for exercises. She was just stretching around, and wearing an ordinary blue tunic and grey slacks - but the katana in her hand and the number of stab holes in the nearby barrel told of what kind of exercises she was doing. "Hey Kali, mind helpin' me with something?"
"Hm? Sure! I'm not that good with machines, but I can try." She wiped her brow with a handy piece of cloth, and sheathed her sword, placing the weapon atop the barrel.
"Naw, it's nothin' technical...just a stupid valve I can't reach."
"Alrighty then. Lead the way! Though, um, just out of curiosity...why didn't you ask Jess? She's in the cabin near the engine room, and this is the other side of the ship."
"She's writin' in a journal or somethin'. I was gonna ask her, but I just asked where you were instead. She seemed pretty tired, too." Dan ducked underneath a piece of the upper deck that'd been bashed into the corridor - at least nothing was dripping from it.
"Ah. Can't say that I blame her...Ketal insists I snore, and these beds aren't exactly comfy."
"As close as you two are to the engines, I don't think it's yer snorin', if you do. Probably the beds. And the smell." The mechanic wrinkled his nose for emphasis, and Kali sighed.
"Yeah...smells like war. Have you ever been in one before?"
"Nope, just a garage mechanic in Lindblum before this. You?"
"Not really. Warzones, yeah, but no war. Still can't forget that smell, though..." The rest of the walk was in a silence that was equal parts sadness and awkwardness. Nonetheless, it only took them a few minutes to reach the noisy engine room. "Anyway, here we are! Where's this valve thingy?"
The engine room was expansive, obviously designed for a team of mechanics rather than one person. Dan had managed to make do till now anyway, with Drake doing his share when he could, but the old mist engines had a valve that had to be bled and Drake was busy. And unfortunately, Dan was just too short to reach the toggle switch on the pipe that fed the bled-off mist outside and the bleed valve at the same time.
"It's right there," he answered, pointing to a large wheel a good two meters from the toggle switch. The black cat jogged over to it and positioned herself to turn it. "You're gonna want to turn it the other way...yeah, just like that."
With one eye on the gages, Dan motioned to Kali to open the valve. Slowly, the gauge's pressure reading rose, indicating the gathering mist in the pipe. Dan had to wait until it reached a certain level to be sure the pipe would actually empty itself; it didn't have a self-purging system like the newer airships.
The pressure finally reached the proper level, and Dan flipped the switch. The pressure went back to normal operating values, and Dan flipped the switch back to feed mist into the engines. "Thanks Kali, you can close the valve now." The hissing continued. "Kali?"
"It's stuck open! I can't get enough leverage!"
"Wedge a pipe in the hole!"
"Where? I don't see any extra pipe!"
"I've got a nice long section of pipe just behind ya - grab it or THIS one might blow!"
She finally found the pipe, wedged it in the valve wheel, and yanked again with her one arm. This time, it turned, spilling rust from the stem as it went. Catastrophe had been averted; Kali and Dan both breathed sighs of relief - and leapt about three feet in the air at the sudden, loud laugh that came from the door to the engine room.
It was Jessabelle, laughing so hard she was almost crying. "Wedge my pipe in the hole before it blows....heehehe...omygawd!" She doubled over in a fresh fit of laughter, barely managing, "Drake says - hehe - he says he's found a - ha! *snort* Oh wow...sorry guys." She wiped an errant tear from her eyes, still grinning, before continuing. "Yeah, Drake found a crash site."
Kali just looked over at Dan. "Didn't this Vix person leave in an airship?"
"Yep."
"Do you think...?"
"We're a bit far if she really was just patrolling, but there's only one way to find out!" Dan double-checked everything to make sure nothing was going to explode in his absence, and rushed to the bridge with Kali and Jess in tow.
By the time they reached the bridge, Drake was easing the old warship down about half a mile from the readily-visible charred wreckage. After a bit of up-and-down motion to ensure he wasn't setting down in a snowdrift, he gently reduced throttle and let the craft touch down.
Though not many details of the crash site could be seen from the bridge, two things were immediately apparent: it had been a small craft, like the one Vix was flying; and it had been a very violent crash. There was no trough behind the crash to indicate some kind of attempt at landing or shallow descent; just an impact crater in the mountainside. The sky was clear, and the slope featureless save for a few caves.
"So," Drake began as he shut the engines down completely, "Who all brought their coats and snowshoes?"
Lame joke, I know, but I couldn't resist! =P A pretty tame, slow chapter, but it'd be sorta weird if something crazy and dangerous happened every single one, right? Gotta have a bridge or it's all just random explosions and stuff.
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 23, 2009 3:50:59 GMT
Chapter 10
The practice room was technically part of the supply area, but it had been cleared out to allow the soldiers a place to hone their skills and – just as importantly – give them something to do. Aside from galley duty and the like, there was little that the ship's own crew didn't take care of. So the room, which measured fifteen meters on each side, had been cleared, cleaned, and decorated with weapons racks. The weapons were not real, of course; they were made of wood, mostly, but could still deliver a nasty blow in the right hands. There was a rough circle that had been marked out with red paint, with a smaller white circle denoting the middle for sparring matches. The whole room was rarely used for a single match, however; instead, it was full of soldiers pairing off and forming small groups to practice together.
Thus it was when Vix and Valedec entered the room; they grabbed some padded armor from a rack near the door that was reserved for more intensive matches, and left their bladed weapons at the base of the rack with the soldiers' swords and maulers. Valedec's heart was racing; I've seen her fight, but never gotten to train against her...I hope I don't embarrass myself TOO badly.
For the first match-up, Vix selected a pair of wooden shortswords, one for each of them. “To warm up, we may as well begin with something you are familiar with.” As she spoke, she used a strip of cloth to secure her hair in a long ponytail. “And do not expect me to go easy on you; quite the contrary.” The soldiers knew when to take a hint; that, or Lira had told them to vacate when the two VIP's went to train together. Regardless, the soldiers filed out.
When they had gone, Vix handed him his sword, then put her free hand on his shoulder and lowered her voice just a bit. “Tomorrow, we embark on a very dangerous task with very little protection compared to the forces arrayed against us, and I would have you know something, in case some foul fate should befall either of us: I have become quite fond of you of late, you see...a feeling which has been developing since well before I understood what it was. If I am to ensure your ability to defend yourself, I must engage you with every conventional technique at my disposal, to be sure you are ready.”
Val's eyes nearly popped out of his head, and he nearly dropped his training sword – as much in surprise at what she said as the place in which she was saying it. “Wait, um, go back for just a sec...did I just hear you right? You're not just messing with me to distract me?”
The former dark knight rolled her eyes, and took a step back. “That sounds more like something I would have said...no, I am not 'messing with you'. You said that you expected me to do something 'crazy obvious'; and is not stating my feelings for you so boldly and directly crazy obvious enough? Besides, I am most comfortable with a weapon in my hand,; I am free to speak as I please. What's more, I am unashamed. I have felt nothing but hatred and fear for so long...” Still thinking it must be some kind of trick, the rune knight eyed her curiously. “I see...um, if you're gonna say it, could you be more specif-ow! Hey, I wasn't ready yet!”
“A real opponent will not wait for you to prepare. Now defend yourself!” She lunged at him; with desperate speed, he parried and sidestepped her, then the two began circling each other, trying to find an opening. “What's the matter, embarrassed of me? We are alone in this room, Valedec. And as to your question of specificity...well. Allow me to admit that the coming days and nights might not be entirely feigned.”
He rushed her with a short slash, and she countered with an upward-arcing blow that intercepted his own, sending it wild. Val backed off before she could get off a counterattack, considering his actions and words. “I'm anything but embarrassed of you. And 'might not be entirely feigned'? From you, that's a shining compliment.”
“I am confessing something I have told no other; do not mock me!” She scowled, and tried to sweep his feet, holding her blade high to fend his off. He hopped over her leg, and nearly pegged her on the side as she withdrew.
“I'm not mocking you!” Val protested, shifting into a more aggressive stance. “By the gods, Vix, if we're gonna make public confessions, then I've got one for you: I've waited years to hear something like that from you. Years!”
Her ears went down, and her guard went up. “Years?”
“Yes! Years!” He leapt at her this time, feinting high and stabbing low into her gut – she barely parried it, and he felt the training weapon scrape lightly across her padded armor. “I've always admired you for the things you try to do for those everyone else tries to exterminate like vermin...your courage and audacity in setting up something like the monastery. For your fighting prowess, for your keen mind and sharp wit; and your physique, but you already know that.” Vix whirled, ducked his weapon, and slashed at his unprotected side; he threw himself to one side and thrust again at her middle before she could recover. She was as quick as he was, however, and managed to hop back just out of his reach. “But after all I did for you, asking nothing in return, I was met with nothing but amusement, disdain, or outright contempt!”
He was going all-out now; this time Vix was the one on the defensive. It appears I was incorrect...he does still harbor resentment towards me, and I cannot say that I blame him. He drove her back with a series of wild blows – startled by his sudden abandon, even Vix had trouble parrying them. Then he grabbed her sword-arm's wrist, spun, and ducked, throwing her forward over his shoulder. She landed with a grunt, and before she could roll out of the way found herself staring at the point of Val's wooden sword. He didn't move, and neither did she.
“I...I do not know what to say, Val. I have already apologized for my past behavior; what more can I say? What would you have me do to make amends that I have not already done?”
Val sighed, and moved his sword away from her face. “I don't know.” He rolled his shoulders to loosen them, and strode stiffly over to the weapons racks. “What next?”
“Daggers. Two each.” He found them, and tossed two to Vix. She caught them both. “I still cannot understand one thing, Valedec. Why do you still care? Why did you keep trying, accompanying me every chance you had, even knowing I had become possessed with shadow, and might well have killed you because of your affection?”
Val grinned, but it was a grin devoid of humor. “I hear some guys will do some pretty crazy stuff for a girl they've set their heart on.” After a bit of fumbling, he settled on holding his left dagger horizontally, and his right vertically. Vix held both vertically. “Oh, I dated some in your absence, but couldn't ever stick with anyone. I gave up on trying that after a few months, and just tried to keep track of when you visited the monastery so I could be there, to see if you'd let me come with you on your next adventure.”
“But for heaven's sake, why me? While I was a dark knight I was a rather detestable creature...I cannot imagine that you actually found me enjoyable company.” She whirled and slashed at him with the reverse side of her right stabbing blade, while thrusting down at his left arm. He parried the slash, and dodged the thrust – but barely. He backed away, trying to figure out a way to get her.
“Why do mountaineers keep climbing the highest peaks, which kill more often than not? Why do sailors return to the sea time and again, in spite of the number of ships the oceans claim each year? What draws a pilot to the skies, the realm of angry dragons and pirates?” He shifted his grip, holding both with the points forward. “Who knows? It takes dedication, a strange obsession, and a certain measure of insanity.” He stabbed at her right arm, missed, then dodged to the left...and she stabbed his side as he passed. They traded daggers for longswords and shields, and began again.
“That makes no sense,” Vix protested. “A mountain conquered is fame and glory; the sea gives up its riches to those who seek them; and flight grants complete freedom from the constraints of terrain. How can anything I offer compare? You are one of the few who believes in my cause; you have saved my life even more than I have saved yours; and you understand me like no other.” Holding her shield in front of her, she decided to probe his defenses with a quick slash, followed by a thrust; the slash met his blade, and the thrust met his shield.
Val shook his head. “No, I think you DO understand. You're exactly right; it makes no sense for me to keep running into the dragon's den to get chewed up again. Yet I cannot keep away from you. Why else would I agree, in the middle of the night, to accompany you to parts unknown, where the only certainty is that my life will be in constant danger? It's maddening sometimes!” He slammed his shield into hers so hard that she stumbled, and reached around to thrust at her vulnerable side. She knocked the blow aside with the edge of her shield, but barely. “And to hear those words from you now awakens all those hopes I'd locked away. And that's why I've got to know: are you serious about this?”
“Depends.” Vix slashed wildly at his head – he parried it with his shield, which left his shield arm raised...and himself vulnerable to getting shield-slammed in the belly by her. “How serious are YOU?”
The slam knocked the wind out of him, but he kept his wits and hooked his own shield on hers, hurling it – and her - roughly to one side. She fell, pulling him down on top of her...but it was his blade that found her neck, stopping barely an inch short. “Serious as a slit throat.”
She grinned. “That's about as serious as it gets. I suppose, then, it is fortunate that I'm as serious as...well...look down and see for yourself.”
A quick glance revealed that while if the blades had been real he would have killed her, he'd have been quite unable to father children afterwards. Val grinned, this time a genuine grin, as he moved his sword away. “Though it's close, it's hard to say which is wor-”
“I am quite certain it does not matter,” Vix insisted, and yanked him back down for a kiss.
Note: After all the awful stuff Vixie has had to go through over the past two years during her tenure on RoER2, I figure she deserves to have someone nicer than Mikhail to talk to, among other things. =P
I'm both excited and nervous about this chapter - up till now it's all been a mix of innuendo and hints - though many of them were painfully obvious - that VnV were going to wind up coming together in some way. In this chapter they actually come out and comfirm it, and I've tried to ensure the way they do it is consistent with their personalities...and I'm nervous I didn't do a good enough job. >.> Which is why I started writing this as soon as I got home from work at 11:30am, and have been editing it off and on ever since I finished writing it at around 3 or so pm (it's now 10:45pm and I've only just finished)
EDIT: Big edit...removed the troops from the practice room. I think - hope - it reads better now.
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 24, 2009 4:24:31 GMT
Chapter 11Thankfully, there were some old greatcoats left in the ship...and there were some that were even in decent shape. Kali and Drake both found ones that fit them well enough, but poor Dan and Jess – the latter being very skinny and the former being rather short – couldn't find anything quite right for them. They wound up looking almost comical. Jessabelle had to fasten a belt around her coat to keep herself from sliding through the coat's neck hole, and Dan had to roll up the sleeves...and deal with the tail of the coat dragging on the snow. Snowshoes were nowhere to be found, but it didn't matter; the snow was hard-packed, as there had been no recent snowfall. The demihumans' clawed feet worked well enough on the slippery surface, so they trekked forth from their ship towards the crash site. It was a quiet walk; even Kali was sufficiently occupied by not slipping and falling on her rump that she said nary a word. But before they could even reach the site, they were stopped by the sight of a small green dragon emerging from one of the caves near the crash. Though small for a dragon, it was still large enough to eat a person in one bite. The tautness of the neck muscles and shortness of the horns told the knowledgeable observer that this was a young dragon indeed; merely an adolescent, after centuries of growth. Jess and Drake unslung their spears, Kali drew her katana, and Dan picked up his wrench and wondered how he was supposed to harm a dragon with it. But the creature did not attack. Instead, it strode slowly over towards them until it was about ten meters away, then lay down, staring at them. After a few tense moments of absolutely nothing happening, the party heard a voice – and all knew it came from the dragon, though it was impossible to tell which direction it had come from. “Well? Are you guys going to kill me, or what? I don't know how much easier I can make it for you. C'mon, gimme a spear, I'll stab myself.” The tone at last gave the gender away: it was a female dragon, and she sounded as young as she looked. Kali, being the most gregarious of the group, was the first to recover from the shock and speak. “Why would we do that? It's not like you're attacking us or anything...not that we want you to, y'know. I mean...why are you even talking to us?” “I know, I know...'mortals are beneath us', whatever.” The dragon twitched her tail in agitation, leaving long tracks in the snow. “Anyway, if you're here about this little airship, I tore it from the sky cuz I thought the person responsible for the return of the Mist was on it. I was wrong; she wasn't the one, and I'm going to be in a mess of trouble when my mentor finds out what I did. He's always going on and on about how greens should be gentle creatures...but then, HE didn't lose friends to the Mist when the ground decided to start crapping it out again. So anyway, like I said, go on. Take your vengeance...it'll be less painful than yet another lecture from the old windbag.” The four companions looked at each other...this was completely out of any of their experiences. Drake lowered his spear first. “Why would I take vengeance? The woman you tore out of the sky, as you put it, has been responsible for quite a bit of trouble on my part since I met her, all I want is to be paid back.” “An' she might be the only one 'round that knows anything 'bout what's makin' the Mist come back,” Dan offered...and this most definitely caught the dragon's interest. “She does?! Why didn't you say so? She can't have gone far, c'mon, hop on my back! ....come now, I'm not going to hurt any of you! If I can find out what's causing the Mist to return, I bet I won't get in any trouble at all! Hop up now, there's no time to waste.” In spite of the sheer insanity of the situation, Kali wasn't about to miss out on the chance to ride a dragon. What a story that would make to tell Ketal! She sheathed her sword, and climbed up her tail. Jessabelle shrugged and followed. Drake, however, shook his head. “No offense, but if it's all the same to you, I'll take my airship; I don't think there's enough room on your back for all four of us anyway.” He fished out a small black object from his pack, about the size of a stack of dinner plates, and tossed it to Jess (since Kali only had one good arm to catch with). “Here, you can communicate with me using that, just don't use it too often or it won't be able to recharge, and its range is only a few miles.” He shot the two girls a strange look, then turned to walk back to the airship. Dan looked between the dragon and the distant airship, and finally shook his head as well. “Sorry, I think Drake's gonna need me. Where we goin', anyway? Any idea where Vix might've gone to after the crash?” The dragon pointed at a plateau high above them. “Some highland dragoons came and took her away; they have a village up there. I'd have gone to make sure this Vix person was okay, but the hillside was crawling with dragon killers...Oh! And you may call me Fern.” Dan ran off after Drake to tell him about the village's location, and Fern again warned her passengers to hang on tight. Once she was reasonably sure they each had a firm grip on some part of her, she took a running leap off the side of the mountain, delighting in the terrified shrieks of the girls on her back. She laughed to herself as she turned towards the plateau, soaring skyward. Then they saw the village...it was a humble-looking place. A simple collection of stone hemispheres set into the ground. The air transport that sat in the middle was nearly as large as all the village's buildings put together, and it was rising rapidly into the air. Immediately Fern tucked her wings to her side and dove away from the village and its airship, at last settling into a circle beneath the plateau. “Why'd you run from that ship, Fern?” “Your friend is on it, alive and well...and so are lots and lots of dragon-killers, the savages! No way am I getting close to that thing...” “Can you follow it?” “Can I follow it? Can I?” she huffed indignantly. “I could fly circles around that stupid tub all day long! ...at a safe distance, of course.” Jess turned to Kali. “What do you think? You up for spending some time riding dragonback?” “I think if Dan's right, she's our best hope for finding out what's going on. We need to go after her. And besides...” Kali's face split into a massive grin. “This is awesome! I mean, really, I'm riding on the back of a freaking dragon, chasing a giant airship with a dark knight over the mountains so we can try to save the world. I'm having the time of my life!” The dragoon chuckled. “I gotta agree. Alright then Fern, let's follow that ship and see where it goes!”
The girls' radio message reached Drake just as he was lifting off. He waited for Dan to return from tending the cantankerous engines, and told him what they'd found out. “I say that since they have tabs on Vix, we continue on to Lindblum to warn the Regent like we planned, but you're here too, and it's not just my decision.” Dan idly tapped his wrench against the bulkhead while he considered the options. “I dunno...you an' I've been around Vix more, shouldn't we be the ones following her?” “Maybe, but it'd be hard to hide the fact that we were following them in this airship, it's much easier for a single dragon to be inconspicuous than a battered old warship.” “Good point.” Dan frowned, then twirled his wrench around and nodded. “Then I s'pose we go back to Lindblum. The Regent's gotta know what's goin' on out here.” And with that, the party split in two: the youthful green dragon carried the dragoon and samurai to chase after Vix, while the two grease monkeys headed to Lindblum to tell them what was happening elsewhere on the continent.
I seriously doubt anybody remembers Fern; I made her a loooong time ago for a totally different story that never got finished, and have been trying to find a story to write her into ever since.
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 25, 2009 3:43:26 GMT
Chapter 12Just aft of the bridge was a small room that had once been the lair of the navigator; but the dragoons had turned it into a war room of sorts, walls festooned with maps and notes. Lira had been waiting in the small planning room for long enough that she was startled when Valedec and Vix actually walked in. She sat up with a start, nearly knocking the stack of maps off the table. “So? What d'ya think of Val's abilities?” “I am satisfied.” “Then so'm I. I've gotta ask, though...you two seem t'be in quite the pleasant mood fer almost getting killed this morn.” Val just grinned. “Sparring can be invigorating exercise, and we happened to be a good match-up, too.” The dragoon shrugged. “Anyway, here's our first destination: Treno.” “You do understand that I am a wanted woman in Treno, yes?” Vix asked. “So? You'll be in disguise,” Lira retorted. “I am merely pointing out that should the disguise fail, there will be more than just cultists chasing us. Continue.” “Alright. Yer contact'll be the head of the local chapter. He likes to find his visitors himself...so jus' do whatcha do, get a room, etc, and he'll find ya. Just be sure you're ready when he does...he's a sly vampire, they say.” “I know him,” Vix stated. “Unfortunately, that means that I must take a backseat in this encounter...if I speak too much he may recognize my voice, and I shall have to try to repress my normal mannerisms. He is indeed a sharp observer; that is why I put him in charge there. I am, however, confident that Valedec can handle it...and if for some reason he cannot, I will replace my usual dagger with a wooden stake.” “Jus' remember, you two, the idea is to get info....NOT to kill 'im, scum though he may be. Got it?” The two knights sighed, but nodded.
Treno was one of the few major cities that remained virtually unaffected by the Eidolon Wars years ago. It was still perpetually shrouded in shadow from a combination of a nearby mountain and strange magic that was still not wholly understood. Theft was still a major problem on its streets. And yet, its character was still energetic enough to attract visitors of all kinds, from street thugs looking for new stomping grounds to nobles looking to participate in the Tetra Master tournament. “You are stunning tonight, darling,” Val told her; then, in a lower voice meant only for her, “And I'm not just saying that.” Vix was scowling mightily, not being used to wearing a frilly dress complete with a corset...and her skin still stung a bit from the dye they had to use on her fur to make her look like a wolf instead of a fox. Her features were still more delicate than a wolf's, and her tail a bit fluffier, but looked the part well enough. At least I was able to have my dress in dark violet, with black trim...I don't think I could have stood it if it'd been baby blue or, heavens forbid, pink.To her companion, she muttered, “I had damn well better look stunning...full plate is more comfortable than this clown suit.” Valedec was considerably more comfortable in a conventional black tuxedo with coattails...and an ornamented sabre at his belt. It was made to appear entirely decorational, but Lira had assured him it was quite deadly and sharp. Arm in arm, they walked the streets of the darkened city, taking in the sights and stopping occasionally to buy a souvenir, like any of the dozens of other visiting noble couples. After a few hours of this, they were ready to call it a night...or day, or whatever. As they were walking back to the inn they'd reserved upon their arrival, along one of the stone causeways that rose above the canals, Vix felt the bag of souvenirs she was carrying wiggle. She whirled, and sent a solid right hook at the nose of the would-be pickpocket. It connected, and sent the robed figure sprawling on the cobblestones. The figure recovered quickly, and leapt to its feet – only to be stopped in its tracks by Val's drawn sabre. Stuck between an angry Vix – now armed with a jeweled stiletto knife – and the sabre-wielding Valedec, the thief chose instead to make a flying leap into the canals and pray they wouldn't land face-first on a boat. The two knights waited until they heard a splash, then sheathed their weapons and continued as if nothing had happened. The handful of other would-be thieves that had been silently tailing them decided it might be wise to seek weaker prey.
As soon as the door to their room was shut, Vix practically ripped off her dress and corset, muttering curses at the offending articles of clothing as she did so. “When we are done here, I shall burn these and dance merrily around the flames. I think they were specifically invented as a sophisticated form of torture for female nobility, I swear it!” Valedec was much more leisurely, taking the time to fold every piece of clothing. “I don't know...I actually sorta like this penguin suit. I've never been wealthy enough to wear one.” “Bah!” Vix scoffed. “You men have it so easy with your suits and tuxedos...” He put an arm around her shoulder, and lowered his voice. “Next stop isn't quite so fancy as this one, and we'll talk Lira into giving you a nice one-piece dress...with no corset, or tent frills to trip over. I promise. And if I fail to talk her into it...then I'll wear a corset myself.” “You wouldn't!” “Oh, but I would. Because I want you to be comfortable, and try to enjoy this a little.” “I doubt you would truly torture yourself in that way merely because I have to...but a nice enough sentiment. Now, if you do not mind, I am going to do some stretches before we get in bed.” “Mind if I join you?” “Why?” “Well, why not?” Vix shrugged, and sat down cross-legged on the floor. Val sat across from her, and copied her position. He kept his eyes on her, mimicking every motion as best he could. “I had no idea you liked to stretch before bed...I usually do it when I wake up.” “Stretching before slumber clears the mind and loosens the limbs after the day's stress and stiffness; in the morning, it gets the blood flowing, and loosens the limbs after night's stillness.” A few positions later, she got up, went to the bed, and slid under the covers. “Now, if you are ready....?” The rune knight double-checked the door lock, and the windows before joining Vix in bed.
Not an hour later, right on schedule, a cloaked figure appeared in the window...in spite of the locks, they opened at his touch, and he stepped inside. Before both of his feet had hit the floor, two knights armored only by their underpants were confronting him with bladed implements. He just laughed, and held his hands up. “You must be Bregolien and Xanadelle. So good to finally meet you in person – I must admit, your hearing and reactions are much faster than I had been led to believe. May I have a seat?” They both nodded, and placed their weapons next to the bed. Valedec, as planned, was the one who spoke. “Please excuse our lack of attire; we-” “No, no need to apologize,” the stranger assured them. “Though you may not think it, I remember newlywed bliss...many, many years ago...At any rate, I understand. Before we begin, by the by, I would like to congratulate you for engineering that little fiasco up at the Arrakis monastery. It failed, technically, but not due to any fault in your planning.” Vix blanched, and struggled furiously to figure out what their contact was up to. Either he is lying to get us to prove who we are...or he is simply congratulating us and we should accept it. Making the wrong choice will result in a fight. I do not like our odds in such a fight...and taking too long to choose is as bad as choosing the wrong one! Her heart pounded in her ears as she waited for Valedec to choose their answer. “Interesting that you should claim knowledge of an event whose news could not possibly have preceded our arrival. Not only that, you should know as well as we do that the undead involved where Arkelith's minions.” Vix breathed a small sigh of relief; she couldn't have done better herself. The man finally threw back his hood...he was human, and indeed a vampire. He was quite bald, with a white beard and narrow, intense eyes. And he was smiling a humorless smile.... “A cagey answer...you are quite correct of course, I have no idea whether it failed or succeeded. And I suppose it's a credit to my operational security that you had no idea it was I that duped that idiot vampire swordsman the Arkeliths still employ.” It was all Vix could do to keep from trying to strangle the man then and there. Valedec, fortunately, was more in control of his temper...though when she looked at him, Vix could tell that he was as furious as she was. “Now that we have exchanged pleasantries, then, perhaps we can get on with business?” “Quite. I see no reason why not. Now, what is so important that it had to said to me in person?” “Simple. We wish to know what is going on. Our orders to initiate the attack on Burmecia never came. Instead, strange mistborne centaurs came flying in living ships to attack.” The vampire's eyebrows furrowed. “That IS disturbing...the Master assured us that we would be his instrument, not those...things.” “Then you know of them?” “Precious little, save for that they are the Master's creation. If he is employing them, it is because he no longer believes we can get the job done, and that is disquieting, to say the least.” He stood, and sighed. “I wish that I could give you more information, but that is all that I know. I must ponder what you have told me, and send scouts to confirm your reports. Thank you for taking the time to relay this to me; thanks to your dedication, it may yet be possible to salvage our movement. Now, enjoy the remainder of your night; I have work to do.” Before either Vix or Val could figure out the proper way to bid him farewell, he had leapt from the window...and though they stuck their heads out of it to try and find him, they couldn't see where he'd gone. After half an hour of trying to sleep, they got dressed and returned to the transport to relay their findings to Lira.
Dun dun DUNNNN! What will become of this vampire in the end? Who knows! But I can tell you this: you haven't seen the last of this unnamed foe.
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 26, 2009 1:22:17 GMT
Chapter 13Less than a hundred meters from the highland transport's landing spot outside of Treno, a green dragon and her two passengers hid in a stand of trees right next to the most likely path for anyone returning to the ship to take. Fern, in spite of her size, camouflaged remarkably well even in the sparse foliage. Jess spotted them first. “There they are....I think...from what Dan told us she's not the type to dress up, but I think that's her. I guess the guy is probably Valedec.” “Yep, I see them too,” Kali confirmed. Holding her katana's pommel to make sure it wouldn't poke into the soft ground and make her trip, she crouched lower in the bushes. It wasn't long before they could hear their voices. “How could you say that?!” the woman demanded. “That man is the one responsible for the attack which, had it succeeded, would have killed you as well as your brother and sister!” “I know, I know,” the man began, in slightly more hushed tones than the woman, “But if we go back and kill him now, it will put the Treno underground in an uproar...and catapult someone else to power. We know this man. I think we can use his own confidence against him...but if we do that tonight, we could spoil any chance of getting to the root of this and figuring out what the hell's up with those mistaurs...and maybe how to prevent similar attacks here and in Lindblum.” By now the woman was close enough that they could make out the woman's features; she looked like Vix and sounded enough like her, but the fur color was all wrong. The man, however...the red runes on his cheeks betrayed his identity. “Perhaps...” the woman replied. “But this does not rest easy with me. We should kill him tonight, then make haste to our next stop. We can travel faster than the news of his demise. Let us return to the ship and arm ourselves properly, then steal away in the night to do the deed.” “I think not,” a deep voice sounded from across the path, and far closer to the pair. Shadows rapidly emerged from the grass and surrounded the two. Kali counted six...steep odds for the two. “Guys...” she whispered. “That can't be Vix; it's a wolf. But that is Valedec, and even if it wasn't, we gotta do something.” “Not at this range,” Jessabelle shook her head. “I need to get a little closer...then I can distract them while you close to melee.” “Ahem,” Fern corrected, “But I think I might be able to make this a bit easier. Here's how...”
Vix cursed her own stupidity, and palmed her stake in her left hand even as she drew her stiletto with her right. I should have guessed they'd be tracking us! Gritting her teeth, she looked over at Val, who'd drawn his sabre. He looked back at her and shook his head once. Damn, no mages or adepts, either...all thugs or warriors. And me with no mist magic to back me up. Just my mother's training... They went back to back, and prepared to fight. But something strange was happening to her stiletto...a familiar feeling coursed through her arm, and the slim weapon became shrouded with a destructive veil of shadow magic. But...I forsook the Mist, and the powers it could grant. How can this be? Nonetheless...who am I to question? If I truly retain my powers as a dark knight...then perhaps this is not as hopeless as I had previously believed.“Did you honestly think I would not notice your runed cheeks, sir? Or your fluffy tail, madame? The real Xanadelle complained incessantly about her rat-like tail, about how similar it was to her new husband's. Also, sir, when you confronted me you held your sabre in the wrong hand. I had only to follow you, and wait for your self-incrimination to be complete.” He drew his own preferred weapons – a short sword, and a long knife. “Now that you have so willingly obliged me, if you lay down your weapons, I will favor you with a quick death.” The old flames burned in Vix's eyes and voice as she snarled, “Have you no idea who I am, cretin? I will kill you slowly, piece by piece, tearing you limb from limb until you beg for mercy. Then I will rip your heart from your chest before impaling it with a stake.” The vampire laughed. “Big words from the lady in the frilly dress. What about you, rune knight? Any last words?” Valedec smirked. “You only outnumber us three to one – I almost feel sorry for you.” Their opponent sighed. “More trash talk. I had hoped for something more enlightened – but no matter. Your dying breaths will serve.” He gestured to his five guards, and they moved in. Flow of shadow, don't let me down now! She closed her eyes and plunged her stiletto into the ground, willing the dark energy she'd instinctively imbued her weapon with to do her bidding...a wave of black flame swept out from her, engulfing their six foes in the blaze for a few seconds.
Valedec managed to recover from his surprise quicker than the guards did, and took advantage of the distraction to kick a guard back and slash at another; the latter went down, a long red streak across his chest. Still five left – but two of those were slashing blindly at the air. The rune knight's face erupted in a feral grin. Vix, my girl, I don't know how you got your abilities back, but you just saved the day. Two of the other guards were closing in, trying to get the dark knight before she could stand. Valedec thrust his blade at them...and a six-foot spear skewered one of the two, hurling him to the ground, dead. A second later an armored dragoon landed where he'd stood, drew her spear out with a splurch, and asked the other assailant to move away by pointing the bloodied weapon at him. He unwisely declined, and got a sabre in his side for it. Thus discouraged, he tried to flee, only to meet his end on the tip of the dragoon's spear like his companion. Vix and Valedec both whirled, looking for more opponents, but the fifth guard was already fighting with a one-armed cat...and the vampire leader was pinned to the ground by the foreclaws of a huge green dragon. With a yell, the dark knight plunged her black blade deep into the fifth guard's back...his bones went brittle and his flesh turned to gelatin as Vix poured her own life's energy into the blow. The samurai leapt back as the body fell to the ground, then sliced his head off, just to be certain. The cat wiped her katana on a guard, then waved. “Hi! Dunno if you remember me, or met me, but I'm Kali, this is Jessabelle...and our big green buddy is Fern. You're Valedec, right?” “Yeah...how'd you...what're you doing here? And a dragon?” “Long story,” the dragoon piped up, “We'll tell you later. First, we've got to deal with this guy here.” “Quite so.” Vix bared her teeth in a predatory grin – tendrils of blood stained her teeth from the 'darkside' attack she'd unleashed a moment earlier. “Allow me...” cleaning and sheathing her stiletto, she held up her stake for the vampire to see. “I do not believe we have been properly introduced, underling. My name is Vix Arkelith. I once selected you for this position. I raised you from a lowly, common thief to the position you hold today. Now that you have quite ruined our plans, and revealed your own duplicity, I will take a great deal of pleasure in watching you die.” “My...my lady! I assure you, I had no idea it was you, I knew only that you were not who you pretended to be!” The shock on his face was mirrored at least to some degree on the dragoon and samurai. “Oh, please. If you ever had any intention of serving me, you would never have done anything against the monastery. You envy Itzal's power, and wanted to curry favor with him by killing me the moment I fell into disfavor because of my rebellion. No such luck for you...here, Val. The pleasure is yours.” She handed him the stake, and stepped back. With the three women – and one dragon, watching, the rune knight knelt by the old vampire, holding the stake like a dagger. “You tried to kill my sister, my brother, my friends, myself...and the one I love. You lure the unsuspecting into your web, the down-on-their-luck, the orphaned, the alone...and then you make them like you. You are exactly the sort of creature I have dedicated my life to hunting, and eradicating. You are the sort that makes it so difficult for people like my sister to lead any sort of normal life. You are the sort I despise more than any other, and you aren't going to escape. You're going to die.” Valedec held his arm back, and plunged the stake deep into the vampire's heart. He looked up at the knight with his mouth agape in shock, and Val heard at least one gasp from someone behind him. “What? You expected me to say something like, 'but if I killed you I would become like you'? Hell no. You came after me and mine; you die, rotten blood-whore.” By the time he was done talking, the former leader of the Treno chapter of the death cult was nothing but ash. He kicked the pile, scattering the ashes, and ground his foot into what was left of the pile. Turning back to the watching warrior women, he dusted off his knees. “C'mon. Let's get back to the ship. We need to get moving before the power struggle to replace this tool begins.” “You did the right thing, Val,” Vix assured him, taking his arm in hers. “I know I did.” “And I am aware that you know. It's just...surprising. I was actually rather expecting you to not kill him; but I'm quite proud that you did. You have removed a blemish from this world. Most that I've known that called themselves 'heros' would have lacked the moral confidence and fortitude to do the same.” “We both know another will just rise up and take his place. But yeah, one less is one less, and I couldn't let him live.” At about that time, he noticed they were alone. “Aren't you two going to come with us?” The dragoon and samurai were on the dragon's back, and the former called out to them, “We'll meet you at your next stop – we need to deliver a message first! Where are you going?” “Nonsense!” Vix retorted. “We can send a courier, or deliver it ourselves. You have obviously gone to some trouble to track and assist me; why leave now that you have found me?” “Um...you guys headed near Lindblum by any chance?” “It is our next destination.” “Oh! Well, that works, then.” Kali hopped down off the dragon, displaying surprising grace for a one-armed cat. Jess followed...but the dragon obstinately remained. “C'mon Fern, they won't hurt you!” “Uh huh...sure, tell that to the corpses of my grandfathers! These louts moved in and began the slaughter! I wanna help you guys, I really do...but I'm not touching that airship.” “Fern..” Jessabelle began. “You do know that I'm a dragoon too, right?” “Yeah, but you're a lowland dragoon. Your kind is different...you revere dragons, instead of seeking out one to kill as a rite of passage!” The dragon shook her head in a very human gesture. “Nope, I'm not comin'. I'll follow you, maybe, but that's it. Sorry.” Without another word, or waiting for anyone to say anything else, she took to the sky with a mighty flap of her wings. “Wait!” Kali called after the dragon, waving in the direction she'd flown. The rune knight shook his head; not much point in calling after the dragon when she was already out of sight. Together, the two knights resumed their walk to the waiting transport. “Say, Vix...if you didn't think I was really going to kill him, why'd you give me the stake at all?” “Because you deserved to be the one to choose his fate.” “Well, thank you. I feel better knowing he's not around to order a follow-up attack. Also, what was that shadow thing you did back there? I thought you weren't a dark knight anymore.” “They are both common abilities for a dark knight; the second one actually wounds me a fair bit, however, in exchange for being able to tear the enemy asunder.” she shrugged. “I am just pleased that I could still do it. I can only assume that my command of shadow magic is entirely separate from my dealings with the Mist.” “Well, that first move saved us, blinding two of our attackers. Otherwise, they'd have gotten some good blows in before our friends here could interfere.” The other two women ran up beside them, having given up on getting Fern to return. “Also...Kali, Jessabelle: how'd you two track us down so easily?” “I wouldn't call it easy,” Kali cut in. “It was pure luck we were flying up when we saw you board that thing and fly off...if it hadn't been for that we'd never have found you. I've got a question for you, Vix – Dan said you were a fox. So does he just think you're hot or did you dye your fur?” Vix snickered, “Dyed, of course, in an attempt to disguise my identity. I am rather well-known to certain sectors of underground society, and this is the only way for me to move about...relatively...unopposed. Thankfully, however, it should only be necessary for one of our remaining three stops.” Valedec nodded. “The Lindblum contact is supposed to be a much easier person to deal with. Unless something utterly insane happens, we should do just fine there.” He moved his arm from around Vix's arm to around her waist; she leaned against him, and for the first time that night, they both let themselves relax a little.
Dunno about you guys, but whenever someone DIDN'T kill the big bad guy I always wanted to slap them. Well, most of the time. Anyway, though I have no idea how many of you are still reading this, I hope you're enjoying reading it as much as I'm enjoying writing it. Has Val just jinxed their chances in Lindblum? I guess you'll hafta wait and see.
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 26, 2009 20:53:18 GMT
Chapter 14The antechamber to the throne room of Lindblum was usually a serene place. Finely decorated as one would expect the Regent's waiting room to be, its quiet fountains and brightly-lit interior was calculated to put guests at ease. But at least one petitioner was anything but at ease. “ WHADDYA MEAN, HE ALREADY KNOWS?!” an orange-skinned dragoness roared, blond hair wild over her horns. Her target, a simple court messenger, cringed and held his hands up over his face in a universally recognizable “please don't hurt me” position. The dragoness' companion, a nezumi clad in a black, red-lined gakuran, put his hands on her shoulders and tried to pull her back. “Serylis...we both heard him. He said the Regent already-” “I know what he said!” she snapped. “I just can't believe we've been through getting shot down, captured, nearly killed, and tortured to deliver information Cid already has! UGH!” She whirled and stormed out of the antechamber, much to the visible relief of the diminutive messenger. Declan shrugged at him by way of apology, and ran after the angry bantam dragon. “Sery, honestly, we both knew he might already've found out. We both agreed we couldn't take the risk of him NOT finding out, though, and went anyway.” Now passing the royal docking area on their way to the air cab, Serylis sighed, shoving her unruly hair back in place. “I know, I know...but now what? Terry's off getting drunk to 'sample local vintages', Tristan's not flying in 'till tomorrow, most of my old unit is deployed to hold the line near South Gate, and the Regent doesn't need anything we know.” “We could head down to the harbor today, see if any of the other half of your unit are there.” “Naw, they won't be shipping out for another few days, and like any soldiers with family, they'll be spending every last hour far from the harbor with their loved ones. Leaves us high and dry, without anything to do,” she groused. Oh, I can think of a few ways to pass the time. Probably wisely for the moment, however, the magic knight kept all but one of those to himself. “Well...are you hungry?” “Ha! Am I ever not?” “I know a place that'll serve raw meat, and-” “All I needed to know!” Cheered by the prospect of raw flesh, she bared her teeth in a grin as they reached the cab stop. “Except...do they serve... pickles?” Serylis guffawed as Declan groaned and rolled his eyes, and they got on the air cab to the business district.
The unnamed highland transport's structural braces creaked and groaned in protest; the cobbled-together ship was under far more strain than than it was designed to undergo on a regular basis. Lira had the engines running at over 100% to get them all as far away from Treno as they could get...and to get to Lindblum before the Treno cult could organize a message to warn the chapter there. Kali and Jessabelle, having already told their story, were resting after their long flight dragonback. While exciting, sitting on the back of a huge creature holding onto a scale or wing root for dear life while thousands of meters over the ground was also tiring. Meanwhile, in the planning room, Lira covered her face with her palm as Valedec and Vix recounted their story. “So Breg's left-handed? He never tol' ME that! An'...err...I never thought he'd notice the tail, t'be honest.” The two knights just stared at her. “What?” “We want to know more about the couple we're supposed to be imitating.” “I already toldja all I know! ...they've been undercover fer years, so you're undercover undercover...she's the quiet one...he's never wit'out his hat in public...she does 'er hair ta cover one eye...she rolls her 'r's a bit...he clips 'is words when he's mad...nothin' new. An' now ya know he's left-handed an' she doesn't like her tail.” “How are we going to hide the runes on my face this time?” Val demanded. “You said they wouldn't be a problem – but he knew what they were. And even if I CAN fool them into thinking they're just regular tatoos, seems a little weird for someone interested in the death cult to have the runes for 'peace' and 'healing' on their cheeks.” “Now that's a bit tougher,” Lira admitted. “I dunno. Tell 'em someone did it while you were in Treno as a prank or somethin'.” Vix sighed. “Another thing: if you ask me to wear a corset to this next meeting, I shall find a way to fasten it over your face instead.” “Hey now! No need fer threats. Fashion in Lindblum's more modern, I'm told. I've gotcha a nice, one-piece evenin' gown ta wear.” The dark knight nodded, satisfied that she'd be more comfortable next time around. “What of Kali and Jessabelle? And yourself and Nekrisia? Will we be permitted to have guards this time?” “Aye, but only two openly. Since yer 'husband' is from Burmecia, makes sense fer Jess an' I to be the two, while Nekrisia an' Kali follow at a distance.” Valedec nodded, and rapped his fingers on the table. “Say...could Nekrisia carry an extra shield for me, and a greatsword for Vix, in case things go belly-up again?” “I can't see why not. Jus' remember, she'll be a ways back, so you'll hafta hold yer own fer a bit if anythin' happens. At least this time we get ta station guards near the dockin' area, which oughta help if a quick getaway's called for. Things'll go smoother this time, I promise.” Lira really ought to've known better than to make promises about the behavior of factors that were well out of her control.
A bit shorter than the last few, but I had to set the stage. Perceptive minds who were present in RoER2 can already guess at what's going to happen, I think.
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 27, 2009 15:49:39 GMT
Chapter 15“The Fanciful Tonberry” was one of the business district's many restaurants...but the only one that boasted twelve different types of meat, cooked in every way imaginable. It was one of those semi-casual eateries, where one could dress nicely without standing out, or come in reasonably decent clothing without being turned away. Like many restaurants, weapons had to be checked at the door, though armor could be worn provided it was searched for hidden implements. It also happened to be Serylis' favorite place to eat in all of Lindblum. “How did you know I loved this place?!” she exclaimed to a pleasantly surprised Declan as soon as they were seated. “Oh, just a lucky guess,” he assured her with a smile. “Oh man, I haven't eaten here in soo long...but they still have all my favorite meats!” Serylis, eyes bright with excitement, scanned the menu rapidly as her companion leaned back and grinned.
“I'm afraid your retainers will have to wait outside,” the hostess informed a pair of unhappy knights. “Though we can still bring them some appetizers, if you like.” Lira and Jessabelle shook their heads, and Vix gestured them to come closer. Nekrisia and Kali, standing in line nearby, leaned in to listen. “There is an orange dragoness inside. She is violent, aggressive, and very dangerous...and I doubt she harbors any goodwill towards me. Her escort is a wild card; a reasonable individual, but I have no idea what he might do. She is a fighter, he a magic knight. If they recognize me, we may need backup in short order.” The dragoons nodded, and took up guard positions outside the entrance. As they were led in to be seated, Valedec sought out and sized up the pair Vix mentioned. Geez, that dragon girl looks like she hits like a truck...hard to tell much about the other guy, but he doesn't look scrawny either. At least I'll be able to nullify his magic if things go wrong...just need to hope I'm a better swordsman. And a faster runner than that dragoness. Much to Vix's dismay, they were seated just a table away from Declan and Serylis. She chose a seat that put her back to them so they couldn't see her face – even dyed, they might have recognized her – and ordered some water to drink.
Declan wasn't sure why his eyes were drawn to the couple that'd just walked in; there was some reason at the edge of his consciousness that wouldn't quite come to surface. She's wearing some kind of silky evening gown, and he's just in nice slacks and a shirt...no armor. He definitely isn't familiar, and I'm pretty sure she isn't either. He shrugged, put it off to his memory loss, and went back to the menu...but kept one eye on them, still trying to figure out what was bugging him so. A moment later, the waitress brought the couple their water to drink, and accidentally dropped a cup behind the woman. After apologizing profusely, she ran to get a towel to clean it up. “Hey Serylis...” Declan quietly began. “Anything seem weird about those two over there?” The dragoness finally looked up from her menu, and saw the pair for the first time. “Not really. Why?” “I don't know...probably nothing. Just thought one of 'em might be someone I knew.” A moment later, having finally made her selections, Serylis folded up her menu and set it aside. She idly ran a claw through her hair, and looked off to one side. “By the way, I wanted to...thank you...for..for last night, y'know.” “Oh.” Declan pretended to look at his menu again to hide a bit of blush. “It was nothing, really.” “Nothing? Look, I know I'm a bitch to stand up to, but you did when I needed it, and made me say some stuff I needed to say and think about stuff I needed to think about. So thanks. And don't say it was nothing or...or I'll be unhappy or something.” “Just glad I could help.” As luck would have it, Declan's averted eyes caught sight of something strange with the wolf lady's tail...the tip of it had gotten wet from the water that'd spilled, and some sort of black dye was dripping off, revealing an odd coloring...it looked like a fox's tail, but with only the barest hint of white at the end, as if it had been cut off. Serylis looked up as Declan tapped her hand, and pointed at the couple. “Wasn't Vix missing the tip of her tail, too?” The dragoness' eyes widened, then narrowed, and Declan began to wonder if he should've pointed that out. “I'll settle that question,” she assured him. There were gallon jugs of ice water at each table; even as Declan tried to speak up to stop her, she took the one that'd been placed at their table, and walked over to the couple. They looked up at her as she approached. Perfect. Serylis “tripped” over her own chair, and flung the contents of the jug on the wolf, drenching her entire top half...and more importantly, washing the dye from her face and part of her hair. “Ooops, how clumsy of me.”
Vix gasped in shock as the frigid water poured over her, then blanched as she realized that her disguise was utterly ruined. She shot to her feet, fists clenched. “Do you have any idea what you have done?” “Yeah, exposed a fraud. Does your friend here know what you've done, Vixie? That you sabotaged my airship and tried to kill us all?” “Rubbish!” Vix snapped. “I ordered the service bots to drain half your fuel reserves, so that you would be forced to land before my ship, and be unable to track-” “Well guess what? They drained ALL of it!” With a snarl, she swung the jug at Vix's head with all her might – only to be greeted by a face full of ice-cold water as Vix showered her with her own jug of the stuff. “Serylis, don't!” Declan called out, getting up from his seat. She shook the water off, and growled...her two targets were already halfway to the door. She charged, bowling over a waiter in her haste, aiming to tackle the doused vixen before she could escape. At the last second, however, Vix's rune knight escort whirled and ducked in between the two...the dragoness tried to leap over him, but he grabbed one of her legs and sent her crashing to the floor next to the weapon check-in area. By this point the patrons were getting as far away from the four combatants as possible – all except for a one-armed cat and a reptilian woman. They joined their charges at the door, grabbed their weapons, and dashed out the door while Serylis scrambled to her feet. Declan arrived mere seconds later, handed the dragoness her battleaxe, and grabbed his own broadsword. With a nod of thanks, she rushed out after the four. Declan sighed, and followed.
Outside the restaurant, Vix soundly cursed her luck...no sooner had she left the restaurant than her contact came into sight, walking towards them. She tried to think of something, but it was far too late. She'd been spotted, and moreover, identified. And to think, I had begun to believe it could not get worse.The leader of the Lindblum cult and her bodyguards were drawing their weapons and rapidly approaching. Vix gestured to the two dragoons, as well as the samurai and blue mage, to take care of the threat. As per the plans they'd made aboard the airship, the four of them moved out, ready to cover Vix and Valedec long enough for help to arrive. On Nekrisia's way past, she gave Vix her greatsword and Val his shield and sword. “Use them well; we will be occupied with your cultists friends for some minutes, at least.” Now properly armed, the four faced off. Vix's greatsword acquired its usual black veil; Declan's longsword burst into flame; and Val's shield shimmered. Serylis and her huge axe were intimidating enough on their own already. “You have just put us all in danger!” Vix snarled at Serylis, who just laughed. “Like you never have? I've been looking forward to this...” “Fool! Are you truly beyond understanding the gravity of the situation? Stand down!” “Like hell!” Meanwhile, Valedec stood across from Declan. “We don't really have to fight, you know. I think if we can get the ladies to sto-” “Yeah, that's not happening. Look at them. I have to fight you, so you can't help Vix. And you have to fight me, so I can't help Serylis. So let's just go ahead and get this over with, shall we?” The rune knight sighed, and nodded, reluctantly raising his sword and shield. “Might as well. Have at you, I guess.”
It was Serylis that swung first. Vix no longer had the power of the Mist enhancing her strength, but she was as nimble as ever, and ducked under the blow even as she counterattacked. Her wet dress hindered certain movements, though, and she missed. The dragoness' clawed foot rushed forward to meet her face – it met her hilt instead, making her stumble back into an empty oxcart. Vix attacked while she was off-balance, bringing her greatsword around in a quick arc, trying to draw blood without leaving her defenseless. She nicked Serylis' arm and still parried her next swing aside, but couldn't parry the flaming breath that scorched her own left arm. Cursing her carelessness, she dashed around the oxcart, causing the dragoness to cleave its yoke in two instead of Vix's neck. Serylis roared, yanked her axe from the shattered wood, and ran after Vix. The dark knight thrust her greatsword at her opponent, making the dragoness interrupt her own swing to leap back...not quite far enough. The blade's tip buried itself in Serylis' thigh...unfortunately, that only seemed to make her more furious. Acting completely against any sane expectation or instinct, ignoring the four-foot blade in her thigh, Serylis resumed her swing...still holding onto her sword, Vix couldn't dodge the next attack, and the battleaxe bit deep into her unarmored side. Gritting her teeth in pain as the dragon gloated, she decided the time for games was over. Even as she fell to her knees, she levelled her shrouded weapon at her opponent. A stream of darkness whipped out to encircle Serylis, lashing at her mind and forming a cloud as it tore at the very fabric of her body. It didn't work completely, but the nightmare shrunk her to barely half her usual size. She slumped to the ground, briefly unconscious and at the dark knight's mercy.
Meanwhile, the magic knight and rune knight were at a stalemate. Everything Declan could do to enhance his attacks was negated by Valedec's shield; and Valedec couldn't pierce Declan's defenses with swordsmanship alone. So he kept defending himself, hoping Declan would tire before Vix needed his help. Didn't work; Vix yelped in pain as Serylis' axe scored a hit, and Val knew time was up. Summoning the magic he'd absorbed thus far into his own blade, he thrust it at Declan; a white-hot scimitar shape struck the magic knight, using his unspent magic against him. He wasn't dead, or knocked out, but he was severely weakened by the force of the blow. “Sorry,” Val apologized with a salute, and rushed to help Vix. The rune knight blanched when he saw the blood oozing from Vix's side. She was leaning on her sword now...without a word, she leaned over on her unhurt side as he pulled a potion from his pockets and poured it over the wound. Jessabelle and Kali rushed to the scene; “We've got 'em on the run, Lira and Nekrisia are chasing them down,” the dragoon explained. The one-armed samurai didn't stop moving; she intercepted Declan before he could take Vix and Val while they were down.
Though drained and wounded, Declan clearly saw Vix's spell put Serylis into a slumber. Forcing his legs to move, he staggered towards her unmoving form as quickly as he could...only to be stopped a few meters short by a one-armed samurai. “Would you shove off already? I don't care about hurting your friends, I just want to help Serylis!” Though she only had one arm, her swordsmanship was superb. She easily parried Declan's now-sluggish attacks while her companions disarmed Serylis and finished patching up the dark knight.
Not a moment too soon, as it turned out. The dragoness woke up seconds later – without a greatsword in her leg anymore – and stumbled to her feet. “You little...” She looked frantically for her axe, especially when she saw Declan in his weakened state. She was interrupted by the return of Lira and Nekrisia. Panting, the mercenary blurted, “She is returning, and with many reinforcements. We must flee!” Undeterred, Serylis snapped off a piece of the oxcard she'd practically smashed a few moments earlier. “On a cold day in hell! But first, Vix, you're gonna pay...I'm gonna-” “What? Kill me?” Vix growled. With Valedec's help, she stood, and pointed her sword at Serylis. “Think on this: I could easily have killed you whilst you were incapacitated. Instead, I had you disarmed. In a matter of moments we will be set upon by a small army of death cultists that we are ill-prepared to fight off. So you can either join me, even if only for survival's sake, and we sort out this misunderstanding later; or you may continue to oppose me, and die. I have spared your life this once, I will not do so again.” “And why should I believe you or your cronies?” “I care not what you believe, if you delay us, they will catch us before the Lindblum Guard can interfere. Now, we depart. Make your choice.”
It wasn't that line of logic that persuaded Serylis to cooperate, though; it was the wounded magic knight that still fought for her, though it was apparent that, weakened and magic-less as he now was, he couldn't defeat the samurai if she pressed the attack. If Serylis resisted, there would no longer be any reason for the black cat to hold back. “Heal Declan and I, and we'll sort it later.” “Why should I believe you will not turn on us instantly?” “I'm not stupid, and I want him to live, okay? Just do it!” Vix nodded, and motioned to the reptile. She held her silver shield to the sky, and a series of shining white opalescent motes of energy shot from it, healing Vix the rest of the way...and, as promised, returning Declan and Serylis to good health. Sure enough, Kali lowered her katana, and Declan finally lowered his sword as well. Valedec returned his attention to Vix, double-checking her wound...it still looked fairly gruesome, but it was sealed. He nodded tersely at the dragoons – and blue mage – in thanks. “Lira, got an escape route?” “Aye. Wit' me!” She sprinted into an alleyway while Nekrisia raised her mace...it glowed, and flashed, blinding anyone who didn't avert their eyes in time. Lira dashed from the alley. “That oughta confuse 'em, heheh. C'mon!” She weaved through the blinded crowd in the direction of the air cab terminal. Valedec grabbed Vix, who allowed him to carry her; though her wound was healed, she'd lost a good deal of blood, and she knew she couldn't afford to slow them down now, though she still hated being carried like an invalid. Together, the ungainly party followed Lira towards the terminal; by the time the crowd regained their sight, they were long gone. Lira led them through the air cab terminal, then through some Eidolon War wreckage and into a long-forgotten tunnel where they could plan their next move.
For the curious. Abilities used: Vix: Nightmare. The Dark Knight levels his sword at his victim, summoning a cloud of blackness to rise around it. The blackness saps away 100%, Armor Shadow elemental damage and carries a 30% chance to inflict Curse (4), Mini (Unlimited), Poison (Unlimited) and Sleep (4) statuses; this CoS is flat and not modified for the target's Defense or M. Defense. Roll separately for each status. Valedec: Shellburst Stab. The Rune Knight's energy gathers on the ground for a moment, before it rises up in the form of a cruel, curved white and red scimitar blade. Stabbing upwards, the attack shreds the target's life force, as well as it's magical power. The target takes damage to it's HP equal to the current amount of MP it possesses. This damage ignores the target's Armor rating, but can not pass 9999 points of damage, even if the target has more than that many MP remaining. Runic. The Rune Knight uses their weapon in conjunction with the runes on their back as a sort of magical lightning rod, focusing a spell's own magic power into their body to replenish their own spent spiritual power. Runic absorbs the first spell cast with the Rune Knight as its target, whether cast by from friend or foe, and the Rune Knight gains the MP used to originally cast the spell. Use of Runic lasts four turns or until a spell is absorbed. Unfocused spells and Summoned monsters can not be captured by Runic, causing the ability to remain active until a different spell comes along. Jessabelle and Lira: Reis' Wind. I think we all know this one. Nekrisia: Flash. A blinding white light engulfs the Blue Mage’s enemies, causing intense pain to their being for (4 x MAG) + 1d8, M. Armor Non-Elemental damage and has a (lvl+50)%, M. Defense CoS of inflicting Blind (3) on the targets. White Wind. A dazzling constellation of pearls hovers around the Mage, radiating waves of bright light to restore (Caster's Current HP) HP to all allies. Unlike other Recovery spells, White Wind cannot be reflected. I didn't realize till after I'd matched up Dec and Val how uneven a matchup it was. If it was the first ability used, Shellburst Stab would be an insta-KO. And since the magic knight's enchanted attacks count as magic damage, it can all be absorbed or reflected by Val, leaving Dec with only basic attacks. Some of them could get through if Val had been attacking, but since he was defending he could just refresh Runic every turn and be invincible to every magic attack Dec could throw at him. The FFRPG system is not exactly balanced for PvP action, apparently. =P
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Post by LancerZero on Apr 28, 2009 22:31:27 GMT
Chapter 16
The party continued down the dusty, rubble-strewn tunnel for what seemed like ages, their way lit only by one of Nekrisia's seemingly endless supply of torches. After nearly two hours of crunching cockroaches and other unsavories underfoot, they reached what appeared to be a dead end in a small chamber with a ten-foot ceiling. Lira grinned at everyone, stepped forward, and leapt. At the apex of her jump – which stopped just short of bashing her head – she shoved a very normal-looking brick a few inches in.
On cue, a section of wall swung into itself, revealing a narrower corridor beyond. “No booby traps, I swear!” Lira assured them as they marched into the beckoning darkness. This time the dragoon brought up the rear, wedging a rather large stone into place to prevent anyone else from using the secret door. By the time she rushed back ahead with Nekrisia, they'd reached their intended destination.
On the whole, it was a rather shocking sight after spending so much time trudging through dark passageways obviously lost and neglected. The narrow corridor – barely wide enough for one to walk facing forward – opened up into a room that was a good ten meters on each side, with curtained openings into six other rooms.
The main room was decorated with very simple but sturdy stone furniture, including what appeared to be a small kitchen with running water. There was a sitting area with long stone benches, an eating area, and what looked like a storage area, with cubbyholes in the walls.
“Welcome,” Lira began with an expansive arm gesture, “To th' home o' the joint Lindblum/Burmecian resistance! After tha mages got kicked outta our home, some o' us came here ta help Cid's folks, an' this was where we stayed. Those six doors lead into bunk rooms, by the way. Plenty of space fer us. No food though, 'cept what we got with us, so it'll only be good long enough fer us ta rest up 'fore we go the rest of the way down ta the beach. That's right, this tunnel goes that far. Now that we're all here, an' safe, I'm thinkin' there's some discussin' ta do, eh?”
“Can we get a fire going first?” Val asked. “She'll never admit it, but I think someone's cold.”
“Aye, if we had anythin' ta burn. Here,” Lira pulled a bundle from her pack, “Have a blanket. Jus' the right size fer snugglin'!” she added with a wink. “I got two more, if anyone else needs one. No?”
Valedec and Vix were the first to take a seat on a stone bench, wrapping themselves together in the blanket. The latter chuckled through her clattering teeth as the former gasped as her still-wet and cold fur touched him. Declan and the still-shrunken Serylis took a seat across from the two V's; the two dragoons and the samurai took the third bench.
Being a self-proclaimed master of glibness, Valedec was also the first to speak – though if he'd waited just a few seconds longer, Kali would have probably burst into song or something. So it's just as well for the sake of the party's collective hearing that he spoke up when he did.
“So! I guess now that we're all done trying to kill each other...I hope...some introductions are in order. All 'round. I'll start. My name is Valedec Logan Capella; Val or Valedec are both fine. I'm a rune knight, Dad's a smith, Mom's a runeforger, sister's a vampire, brother's a monk. My sister owes her continued existence to Vix here. She and I – Vix, that is, not my sister – have traveled together off and on ever since. It's been rough sometimes, but saving fresh undead from a desperate existence is a cause that hits close to home for me. Also...Vix, do you wanna, er, tell them? Since you know them?”
She grinned. “Oh, most assuredly. First, in case any were in doubt, I am Vix Arkelith. Second, that Valedec remains in one piece is as much a testament to his own resilience as it is to the fact that I have always had something of a soft spot for him,” Vix added, watching Declan and Serylis' faces carefully. “And now that I am free from the influence of the Mist, and no longer required to lead a solitary existence...you see, Valedec and I are what you would call 'together'.” She leaned her head on his shoulder for emphasis, and he tightened his arm around her.
Watching the faces of the pair that'd been trying to kill her a few hours ago was as rewarding as she'd hoped for. By all those stupid paladins hold dear and holy, I have never seen such shock on those faces! It was all she could do to keep from laughing out loud as they struggled to form words.
Serylis snorted smoke; it was Declan that first managed. “Like, um, together together?”
“Mm-hmm.”
After belching more smoke, Serylis finally managed to speak. “Wait wait wait...so you mean to tell me that YOU, the last person I'd ever imagine being able to be even remotely intimate with anyone, the one who'd rather share her bed with a venomous snake than another person....has... a boyfriend?”
“Who doesn't seem like some creepy goth serial killer sociopath?” Declan added for good measure.
By this point Vix was quite on the verge of losing control, and snickering quite loudly. “Oh, I daresay a serpent of some sort may become involved!” With that, she finally lost it and guffawed, joined by Val, who had by now figured out that these two knew her terrible Mist alter-ego, and was enjoying their surprise as much as his partner was; Jessabelle, who couldn't resist a dirty joke; and Kali, who couldn't not laugh if somebody else was.
If that line had come from anyone else, Declan and Serylis would be laughing too. But they were too in shock at the surreal sight of Vix appearing to show affection, humor, and – most shockingly – managing to do it all without threatening anybody's life.
“Okay, really, who the hell ARE you? Cuz you're sure not the Vix we knew.” Serylis demanded.
“Hm-hm-hm....right, right. I already told you both, but I may as well repeat it for everyone's benefit. You understand what Mist is composed of, yes? The dregs of lost souls. It is not a pleasant substance, and when it manifests, it is not easy to deal with and often quite dangerous. So you can imagine what it is like to be an avatar of the Mist's will, to have it to some extent inhabiting your body and heavily influencing your actions.”
“So you're saying you're not a homicidal maniac by nature? Fooled me,” the dragoness scoffed.
“Hmph! You are rather violent yourself, madame,” Vix pointed out. “At any rate, yes, that is the gist of it. I was only a Gatekeeper for a few years; long enough to develop a number of bad habits and a bit of a temper, but nothing I am not able to combat and conquer with the right help.” A quick glance over at Val, and she continued.
“He has known me since before then, and stayed around through my transformation into the wretched being you two knew, and now into something else. I am no longer who I was, but nor am I the same as I was before then. However, there are those that are Gatekeepers for far longer, and lose themselves completely. My father is one such person. I ask for no sympathy; but it is a part of who I am. Imagine me at my worst; then imagine being raised by such a one. I was fortunate that my mother was a more 'normal' person; a blademaiden with darker leanings. As you can imagine, I spent far more of my time with her than with my father.
“I won't bore or horrify you with the details; I prefer not to dwell on them, at any rate. What is important is that I wound up serving a true maniac to save my parents, only to discover that they are dead or free. So now I am trying to find and kill him. Incidentally, he is also the cause of the Mist's return, the Mistaur attacks, and the undead invasions that have been occurring. Next?”
“Wait!” Declan broke in. “You mean, all this time you knew?”
“Yes, but as of when you and I parted ways, I was still in his service, so I could not tell you. He is called Itzal – though I am quite sure that isn't his true name – and he has been behind more of this world's recent strife than you might guess. That is why Valedec and I are trying to reach our ship in Lindblum harbor: the last place I know Itzal has been is the Outer Continent. Now that you all know, can we continue?”
After a revelation like that, silence naturally filled the room. None wanted to have to be the ones to follow such a tale...except the (socially) fearless Kali.
“I'm Kali Sou! I'm a samurai...but...my other arm kinda got paralyzed by a lich. Stupid lich. Anyway! I can tell stories and sing and dance and stuff, but I'm not near as good at it as Ketal is. No special history here; I'm from a small village nobody's ever heard of, and I've done lots of traveling.” The black cat elbowed Jess after a few minutes of silence.
“Oh! Um...I'm Jessabelle Ambrosia. I've got an overprotective paladin brother, and my parents live back in Burmecia. My dad's a smith, too, and my mom's a bard. I helped Kali and Ketal out of some trouble in Burmecia one day, helped them escape and, well...the rest, as they say, is history.” She shrugged, then looked over at Lira.
“Ach, me? I'm nothin' special. Name's Lira, no surname. Normal dragoon trainin', some travelin'...I know some folks here an' there, I've done some stuff, and been 'round the block a few times. No need ta harp on it. Next!”
“As you guys probably heard Vix say already, my name is Declan Tribal, and I'm a magic knight. I don't remember...much of anything, really, about my childhood. Or, um, past. But I do know my father's name is Jecht, and I'm trying to find him. Not much else, really...” his voice trailed off, and he glanced over at Serylis. She shook her head slightly, and he nodded once.
The dragoness crossed her arms over her chest and snorted. “Guess it's my turn....name's Serylis Fireheart. I'm an ex-Lindblum Centurion who also farms. I enjoy killing things and eating raw meat. No family to speak of. I'm trying to find Jecht, too; he and I fought together as centurions years ago. Make sure my supply of things to chop up doesn't run out and we'll be fine. And I might mention I'm usually about twice this size, if anybody happens to have a potion...?”
The ever-resourceful reptilian bounty huntress had been standing behind the benches, out of sight...at least a couple of people jumped when she spoke, having forgotten she was back there. “I have one.” After tossing it to Serylis, she cleared her throat. “My name is Nekrisia Fenotmai. I am a blue mage and bounty hunter of some repute. My history is unimportant for now, save for the way in which it concerns you all: I tried to kill Vix several times for what turned out to be an illegitimate contract. By way of apology, I am at her service for a time.”
Lira clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. “Now that we all know a bit 'bout each other, business. Four o' those six curtained-off rooms're bedrooms with space fer six people each. They've each got some spare uniforms an' light armor if ya need 'em, and a bathin' tub with runnin' water...hot water, too. See, we ran our pipes near some boilers that power that underground rail system Lindblum's got...so we get warm water!”
The prospect of a warm bath brightened the mood of the room considerably, and the dragoon smiled. “The fifth room's the infirmiary, but I s'pose ya can sleep there if ya want. Sixth is weapons storage – might still be some here, after all this time. I brought some basic rations – enough fer me over nearly a week, but 'tween us all...”
“The other dragoon and I also brought food.” Nekrisia broke in. “We have enough for all of us to have two meals, which should be all we require during our stay here.”
“Good, good. That's that then! I s'pose might as well pick yer rooms an' wash up 'fore we all eat, eh?” Nobody had to be told twice. Vix and Valedec went into the first room; Serylis and Declan shared the second; Kali and Nekrisia entered the third; and Jess just stood there in front of Lira. “Aye, what is it lass?”
“Can I room with you? I've always wondered about the highland dragoons, and I was hoping to ask you some things, if that's alright.”
“Aye! Sure, sure. Go on, you go in an' get ready first. I've got some maps ta go over.”Lira waited until the room was empty before pulling the sheet of paper from her pack. I know a couple of ya won't like where we're headed...
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