447/Maiden of the Skies
From Multiverse Crisis MUSH
| Maiden of the Skies | |
|---|---|
| Date of Scene: | 18 August 2014 |
| Location: | Ivalice |
| Synopsis: | Coming on the tail end of the decision to give Burmecian refugees sanctuary in Ivalice, Alexandria decides to bring its own brand of diplomacy to Limberry courtesy of the Alexandrian air fleet and the Red Rose. Though the diplomat herself has a respectable reputation, it's certainly not for her skill with a pen... |
| Cast of Characters: | Tomoe, 129, 151, 152, 307, 347, 493, 513, Ziggy Grover, 541 |
| Tinyplot: | Of Stones and Sins |
- Ultima (129) has posed:
Limberry, Capitol - It has been some weeks, since a closed door meeting took place in which the Marquis Elmdore was requested to provide sanctuary to Burmecian and Cleyran refugees fleeing from Alexandria. There have since been quiet rumors that the Marquis had begun to take in refugees... but given the existing Burmecian population in this border area it has not been an easy thing to determine the truth of.
Until, a few days ago... when Burmecian royalty were spotted outside the nearby castle. Since then, the news has caused quite the furor amongst the Ivalician population... with people on either side of the proverbial isle over the implications. Some believe that the Marquis has lost his mind, inviting yet more war into an already suffering nation. Others see it as yet another example of nobility ignoring the needs of the commoner for the sake of politics. Though the Marquis is a man with respectable reputation... the event has served to show that even a hero as pious as he is not above criticism. There has been little in the way of official word from the Marquis himself however...
It is mid-day, and the sun hangs over a cloudless sky of endless azure. The cobblestone streets of Limberry's capitol city are very busy. Being that this is, in fact, a merchant city - there exist virtually every sort of denizen here native or otherwise. Burmecian, Viera, Hume, and Moogle are by far the most common sights to see... but it is not too odd to see the occasional Bangaa or Seeq as well (Races: [1]. Located, conveniently, by the sea - the market place is by far and away one of the best places to see such abundant variety amidst the pitched tents, sprawled blankets, and market stalls. Many are the sea-faring vessels here as well, and a abundant smell of sea mixes with scents of cooked local and foreign produce as well as incense. The sound of gulls crying, hawkers selling the latest news and rumors, and people haggling for deals adds to the complex tapestry of sensations to be acquired here.
It is but one part of a much larger metropolitan landscape, but it is a significant one indeed.
And it is here that an unusual sight takes the market by surprise. Heads turn skyward as shadows encroach, people gasping in awe at the sight before them...
...Awe, and fear.
A large, rose-colored airship with many spinning rotor blades keeping it aloft flies in flanked by several smaller crafts. Flying above it, the Alexandrian banner. Within moments gasps turn to screams as a violet magical portal alights upo the center of the marketplace... and out of that shimmering violet portal come a small legion of female knights accompanied by humanod figures clad in black robes and brown steepled hats with glowing yellow eyes. One of the humanoid figures hurls a magical ball of flame at a nearby market stall setting it ablaze...
...it has begun.
- Faruja (152) has posed:
It's been a trying two days, and Faruja is happy to arrive in the good Marquis of Limberry's territory. After a little mishap involving teleportation, an angry fellow Inquisitor, and nearly putting one Ziggy Grover in prison? He needs the break. Thank /Faram/ for his lackey Strawberry and actually turning on radio identification.
With an agreement between men, Ziggy Grover is now dragged along to the lovely city of Limberry itself. He owes the young man a proper burmecian drink, after all that.
On top of that, the rat decided to offer Ainsley along. Still planning their vacation, he figures the good lizardess might like to actually meet some of his countrymen now that they're not entirely stuck in tents and makeshift camps. Politics aside, he could hug the Marquis, even if he's well aware of the motives behind the man's decisions.
Right now, the Burmecian is in the marketplace, pointing out various people he knows.
"...And...by Faram! SISTER ANNIE! Lord be praised, 'tis been bloody /years/! Ye art alive!?" Before he can usher his lover and new-found unionite-ally over to the smiling Sister-rat, a shadow looms above. Portals.
Faruja's eye goes wide. The Alexandrians truly have come. His face twists in a snarl of hate, growling aloud as he switches linkshells.
"THE FARAM-DAMNED ALEXANDRIANS ART HERE! GET THE BLOODY GARRISON ABOUT! ATTACKING FROM THE MARKETPLACE! INQUISITOR'S ORDERS!" Snarls the rat, hopefully to the local garrison!
Even as he then radio's his allies, the Inquisitor locks gazes with the Black Mage. Memories of a burning city run through him. Last time, it was nothing but fear. Now? Nothing but hate, rage, and condemnation.
In Mullonde, the stone shines.
-<RADIO: 2>- Faruja snarls out, "The damn Alexandrian Heretics art attacking the city! They brought their Black Mages, and the airship! If any of ye art hearing me, get down here IMMEDIATELY and start KILLING THE BASTARDS!"
-<RADIO: 2>- Tomoe says, "Black Mages?"
-<RADIO: 2>- Ziggy Grover says, "Um... is it okay if I just incapacitate them and ask questions later?"
-<RADIO: 2>- Finna says, "It's not gonna be pretty if I get serious. You sure you can handle it?"
-<RADIO: 2>- Allyn says, "lets get serious Finna. I think we can handle it"
-<RADIO: 2>- Faruja says, "The unholy, unliving kind, yes! Do as ye wish! JUST GET THESE HERETICS AWAY FROM MINE COUNTRYMEN!"
-<RADIO: 2>- Allyn says, "be there as soona s possible Faruja!"
-<RADIO: 2>- Finna says, "Mhm! Coming!"
-<RADIO: 2>- Tomoe says, "Drones by magic? Okay I don't have to hold back for once then."
- Ainsley (151) has posed:
Ainsley had not expected war to fall upon the Burmecians or Limberry so quickly. In fact, when she was invited with Faruja, she was not adorned in the armor she normally wears when she visits his world. And she was almost sure it would not turn into a situation where she would need to be cautious. She was terribly, terribly wrong.
The smile that lit up her face a moment ago is replaced with shock as the forces of Alexandria show up. Her eyes widen, and emotion floods into her oft-neutral features. She winces from the rage and hatred that comes from Faruja, because she knows what it means and what danger it has for him. She reaches out to touch his arm and looks up at him meaningfully.
And then she turns, and draws a pair of daggers from her belt. She doesn't leave home without them. She sweeps her gaze in search for any Black Mages approaching innocent people, and rushes to try to get non-combatants out of harm's way. For whatever reason, this time she is not so eager to leap into the battle, more concerned with waving the panicking sorts toward cover and finding safety for them.
-<RADIO: 2>- Ainsley says, "I am trying to direct the innocents to safety."
- Ziggy Grover has posed:
That Ranger Green had been about to be tossed into the dungeons before the discovery that he, uh, had Union Identification via radio and did NOT have to take off his suit in order to get at his regular ID was a relief; he wasn't terribly sure just how pleased Inquisitor Cecilia would have been to be confronted with the answer to 'boxers or briefs?'
So getting out of the dungeon was a good thing, though Ziggy wasn't terribly sure just what a good burmecian drink was, given the nature of his host. A cream cheese smoothie? Cottage Cheeseshake?
However, the commotion and screaming and the portals dropping out...
Well, Ziggy really didn't have a choice, since ducking and running -now- wouldn't be helpful.
So the first thing he does is dive into the middle of the crowd. A radio cry confirms that he should, like, just not worry about hurting people or things, and, so...
"RPM, GET IN GEAR!"
The three story explosion behind him as Ziggy morphs into Ranger Green causes him to put his hands to his hips. "Neverr thought I'd be glad for one of -those- morphing energy discharges," he says, nodding his head firmly. DAMN RIGHT.
- Finna (513) has posed:
Finna has a ways to go fromt he warp gate, but she comes out of like a BULLET. In human form, but her ordinary huntress outfit's been streamlined for warmer climates, showing more skin and midriff... wait, maybe she's just trying to instill a few nosebleeds? hard to say.
Her expression, though, really doesn't lend well to making anyone smile. It's a fierce and predatory WARFACE, with too-sharp teeth ferally on display. She reaches the city's borders and takes a flying leap over any gates or walls, soaring about ten feet over them, and then landing on roofs. She sets about dashing towards the distant fires, leaping from roof to roof and avoiding the panic on the ground blow...
When she finally stops, it's overlooking the marketplace. Then...
"What am I, an attack dog? ... if so, you guys are about to be dog food." She's not normally a fan of the straightforward approach, but trickery can't easily stop a bunch of soldiers running through different streets, out of each other's sights!
Magical senses will tingle and shiver from what she does next. Silver light leaks from her whole body, gathering in a thick aura rippling with darker blues-purples and bits of white. Through it, the mark of the crescent moon blazes in silver upon her forehead. Lines of some glittering silvery material appear, tattooos of Moonsilver that declare the legend of Jubilant Gale's rose of Stewardship in a language none here can read.
A beast is waking up, and being released from its shackles. Finna's body enlarges by a full two feet taller and half that wider, all her limbs thickening and strengthening with compact muscles. Her clothing vanishes, replaced with thick layers of white fur adapted for the arctic. Fingernails grow into claws, her head turns vulpine and extended maw sprouts rows of predatory teeth, never mind that the Fox is an omnivore.
For the Deadly Beastman Transformation, all things are optimized for War.
Finna raises her head and unleashes a fierce, howl. not a wolf's, and not a noise foxes usually make, but there's no mistaking what it declares: The Hunt is On.
As Finna prepares to pounce, the thick aura of primal Lunar power that's built up around her tightens and shifts, becoming a cloaking aura of swirling shadows and silver fire. It's as though the massive anthropomorphic fox has become an expression of raw, savage beast-fury that needs no race to identify with.
With a blood-curdling snarl, the Beast of the Moon leaps down into the market place, aimingg to pounce, savage, rip, and tear every enemy in sight.
-<RADIO: 2>- Finna grrrrrrrrrrghhhrwl. "The direct approach it is. Deadly Beastman Transformation!"
- Marrik (541) has posed:
Thing is ever since Marrik went to Invalice he got interested in the local culture, where Faruja came from and this seemed like a relatively nice place. Even the dead seemed restive and he didn't bother disturbing them. After all novody knew what he was, so why provoke?
Oh right. He looked up from his food to see a giant airship parked overhead. Deep sigh before he tapped his left breast pocket. "Hey Sparks wake up."
"Mrphwha?" Sparks poked her head out of the pocket and grumbled before perching on his shoulder. Time to make a few calls see if he could learn thing or three."
So panic, massed hystaria, lots of traumatic flashbacks, and Marrik frowned up wondering how he'd fight this thing. Then he noticed the portal open. "OK now THAT I can do" He pulled a wooden rune carved staff from his pocket and made ready. All while casting his mind out to contact the dead. <I know I am a stranger to these lands, and what I ask is going to be tough for you to stomach, but I aim only to protect this town. Will you help?> Unlike before he wanted to ask first, hoping that would offset the effects of his spellwork once begun.
-<RADIO: 2>- Marrik says, "Faruja you on this thing?"
-<RADIO: 2>- Faruja in a barely controlled snarl, "Correct. Ye come to assist?"
-<RADIO: 2>- Marrik says, "Getting sick of airships."
-<RADIO: 2>- Marrik says, "What's with the floppy hat? priority target?"
-<RADIO: 2>- Faruja says, "Quite. Destroy the hat-wearing mages. And if ye can, debilitate the airship. If they art forced to retreat, their remaining forces shall be easily driven out."
-<RADIO: 2>- Marrik says, "On it, hold on the zombie army. I'll try unraveling them."
- Allyn (307) has posed:
Not too far behind Finna, the large wolf comes through the same waygate as the other shapeshifter, he glances around to asses the situation and then stops for a few moments at the transformation that Finna makes. He blinks, mouth hanging open for a few seconds and then he blinks again. Wow, he didn't know that she could actually do that, but then again, lets see. He snarls at the people that dare attack here, baring his fangs threatening and though he doesn't usually take a form like this, since Fianna has, it seems that this might be the best time to use it.
He shifts and becomes a large humanoid wolf, though he doesn't have the imposing aura that Finna might be giving off, still it's rather fearsome. He throws his head back and howls and then he lopes after Finna to join her in the fray! "Lets get them!" he growls.
- Ultima (129) has posed:
One would expect a reaction as explosive as Faruja's, given that these -very- monsters are the same ones from his people's nightmares. The very dolls that were responsible for turning Burmecia, and even the nigh impenetrable Cleyra - protected by whirlwinds of supernatural force, into a wasteland. It is with that same cold, unfeeling, precision that they begin their work of destroying everything in their path - hurling magical assaults all around and quickly turning a sizeable portion of the market into an ocean of fire, smoke, and chilling screams.
The Black Mages, mindless as they are, do not attempt to prevent Ainsley from attempting to rescue civilians directly. But, she may find, that the smoke that begins to pervade the area where she is does not make it particularly easy. That nor the fireballs that whiz past her on their way toward their intended targets. Panicked, screaming, people tend to be especially excited at times like this as well. If she tries to, she may however manage to take down a mindless doll on a rampage or two on the way!
Unfortunately, as lifeless dolls are wont to do, there is no display of fear as Tomoe attempts to scatter them. But as one or two go down, she herself suddenly becomes priority... with the cloaked automaton collective turning to conjure frigid spells and launch them upon her from several directions!
The morphing grid explosion that ensues after Ziggy runs for cover to change, hilariously, sends a nearby market stall and an accompanying Black Mage flying through the sky! The flaming table projectile smashes into two of the automatons, crushing them utterly, and the third falls neatly on top in the backdrop!
Finna and Allyn's team attack nets them two more mages altogether and a dame knight (Soldier Pic: [2]), their bestial fury ripping through the dolls' magically bound structure and scattering robes into the wind! The Dame knight falls, grievously injured but not yet dead... attempting to crawl away from the pair.
Marrik would find there are plenty of long and recently dead here to answer his call. Both from this incident, and prior wars at this border area as well. The sea, even, is rich with their energy... mayhap from a sinking ship not long past...
It doesn't take long for defending soldiers to arrive here - unlike with prior incidents. Men in women in armor, robes, clothing of steel, leather, and cloth - knights, mages, summoners, priests, all. Everyone immediately sets to work helping civilians and staving off the influx of soldiers and dolls who even now continue to pour forth from the rose-colored portal. This was, apparently, not an unexpected outcome.
...But then...
...another opens nearby. For several moments, nothing escapes... but then... voices.
- Ultima (129) has posed:
"...Yes, your highness! I will go and ensure that the battle - UNGUUFF!!! AHHHH! NOT THERE! PLEASE!!!"
- Inside the Red Rose,
Inside the expansive, lavish, redwood interior of the Red Rose... furnished with lush scarlet carpeting with gold trim... and arrayed with countless examples of her Majesty's taste for the finer things... a pair of knights stand beside one another before a portal in the floor center. One, a slender yet voluptuous brunette woman clad in white... the other a very rotund man, with brutishly unattractive features dressed head-to-toe in silver mail. She has him by the ear lobe, other hand firmly upon her hip... as he flails madly. Oh, and she's apparently stepping on his foot too.
"YOU will stay here to protect her Majesty! I will personally take care of this business. Do we understand one another?"
A quivering, almost childlike whimper escapes him, "...MmmmmmMMM! Y-y-yes mistress...!"
"WHAT?!"
"YES SIR, MA'M, SIR!"
A clank comes a moment later as she releases him and he falls to the ground face-first. She strides toward the portal, "...Wonderful!"
- Back at the Market -
The silhouette of a woman appears through the portal, and soon out steps... General Beatrix of the Alexandrian Army. She casts her gaze about, before drawing a beautifully ornate blade.
"...Resistance is futile! Alexandrian Order will be established here. Those who refuse... will know death." (Beatrix: [3])
- -<RADIO: 2>- Goffard Gaffgarion says, "...Loathe as I am to disturb your righteous fury," the words 'righteous fury' are /dripping/ with sarcasm, "I fear I must put an end to the escapades of your little band of merry misfits this day."
Goffard Gaffgarion (493) has posed:
Up there... from the airship! It's a bird! It's a plane!
...Actually as the black speck moves closer, one can see that it is indeed a bird. More specifically, a black chocobo. As it nears, trailing a loud, sharp "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK!", the rider can be seen. The Elites here might or might not recognize him, but those who have interacted with him before will be able to easily tell who he is.
...It's Goffard Gaffgarion.
The black chocobo, Melody, zooms down from the airship like a raptor diving, legs tucked under, head down, wings folded back against her sides. Gaffgarion too has his head down, leaning forward over her neck to minimize air resistance. As the bird nears the ground, she pulls up out of her dive, extending her wings to catch the air like a sailcloth unfurling, slowing her descent.
She doesn't quite land, leaving her legs tucked under, but gets near enough to the ground that Gaffgarion can leap from her back, landing amongst the Alexandrian troops dropping from the portals. They aren't attacking him. He's not attacking them either. Furthermore? He seems to have fewer qualms about turning his back to them than he'd have if he were fighting them.
Seems the Ivalician sellsword has indeed thrown his lot in with Queen Brahne's troops here...
- Marrik (541) has posed:
Marrik frowned at the constant influx as he hefted his staff. Energy, to him seen as black threads, traced out to find the portals. Best chance right now would be to cut off further troops and resupply. The runes on his staff glowed pale green as he twirled and twisted, causing the black threads of his magic to twist and turn. Given infinite time he could find the chinks and cracks in the msgic used and pry it apart even if it were an activly mantained spell. Now? Under fire and pressed for time? He spared a small effort to cause the ghosts nearby to seek out corpses to fly to. <Go to proper bodies. then come. Defend your mes! Defend your families!> A thunderous drumbeat soundee, possibly mistaken for thunder save for the clear skies. As Marrik stook there as an easy target vainly hoping to force the portal closed it sounded, and again and again until it seemed less drum and more collosal heartbeat.
Soon...
-<RADIO: 2>- Marrik says, ".....i'm.... going to try closing the portals."
- Ainsley (151) has posed:
A mage or three get cut down in their attempts to strike at the people Ainsley is protecting. She lashes out with blade and spell, making her best effort of defending the masses. She is in no mind to go toe-to-toe with the whole of them, focusing entirely on keeping the noncombatant folks alive and unharmed. It is a lot harder than it looked.
She grimaces as a few people are struck by spells and injured as she's attempting to protect them, unable to move fast enough to deflect everything. Once the people have surged away from the battle at hand, however, she returns to Faruja's side at a quick sprint, sliding to a stop. The battle's eye is where Goffard and Beatrix have emerged to make themselves known.
Her eyes focus on Goffard with a hard disapproval in particular. A scoff is given in his direction, because she just doesn't feel it worth giving more than what she said in response to him over the linkshell.
"'Alexandrian Order' is a farce!" she shouts at Beatrix, "This is war, oppression and chaos, and you are blind if you don't see that!"
But in truth, the best she can do is put up her daggers in preparation of a fight, sticking near Faruja so that she can act as a shield for him for however long that she can manage.
- Ziggy Grover has posed:
Whoa. Who's the one-eyed lady? Ranger Green's satisfied pose at the hips shifts to a quite obvious head-swivel towards the General. Usually, the swarms of quite identically-dressed grinders could be halted by fighting one's way to the BOSS. And if that wasn't -Boss-, who would be? At least she wasn't whistling 'Farmer in the Dell'.
Leapfrogging, pulling out his Turbo Axe in the process, the Green Ranger bumps into an Alexandrian soldier, brings his helmet backwards to try and headbutt, and makes his path towards Beatrix. Hey, he wasn't discriminating...! Except against Evil.
-<RADIO: 2>- Ziggy Grover says, "... whoa. So who's the one-eyed lady?"
- Faruja (152) has posed:
A touch upon his shoulder, and Faruja turns to Ainsley. He freezes, and takes a long, shuddering breath. There's simply too much hate and /fear/ for his people to drive it all away. But he visibly calms, somewhat. Can the rat truly keep his emotions in check, with what little remains of his home being threatened?
"Let us save them, and drive these knaves back." He clutches his cross as Ainsley gets to work, the rat concentrating.
Even nature itself comes to the aide of his people, courtesy of Finna and Allyn. The impressive warform of the great fox-woman-Exalt, the angelic entry of Tomoe, and the massive wolven bulk of Allyn fills the rat with hope. He has powerful allies. This won't be like Cleyra, or Burmecia. A glance to Ainsley once more. No, he'll not lose everything, not again. Farja's tail lashes.
And he's certainly not as weak as he was back then.
Smoke and chaos reign, and the rat finds confirmation of the locals gathering in defense of their city. Good. The arrival of the General has the Burmecian very nearly charging for her on sight. He stops, collecting himself. One doesn't win so many victories, ruthlessly so or not, without being /good/. Ainsley comes to his side.
"We drive her back, and the army scatters like wind."
"...Order, General? Tell me! What sort of 'Order' involves slaughting innocent civilians!? Destroying a city kept hidden beneath sand, that hath never even so much as laid a claw upon the soil without for over two hundred years!? Ye lot art not more than bandits, brigands, and HERETICS! As Faram as mine witness, ye shall die as them! Ye took one home from me, and ye shan't take the one I hath seen for mine people! Mine name is Inquisitor Faruja Senra of the Church of Glabados! Pray that Faram forgives ye, for I hath none left for thine people!"
With that, Faruja closes his eye. Magic flares from the rat, and the wizened form of the Lightning-Esper Ramuh appears. Raising his staff, a thunderstorm rolls in, primal lightning crashing down upon the invading army, and most specifically, Beatrix.
-<RADIO: 2>- Faruja snarls, teeth grinding. "...The General herself. Methinks her head shall shall adorn the Keep towers nicely."
- Tomoe has posed:
Tomoe does seem to have made some progress she's a tatget now and they start launching ice upon her she can't evade them all she can not evad ethem all at all. Soon she seemingly encased in ice, is it over? It might be hard to tell as the Salamander seems to be frozen in place. A moment later there seem to be something happening as there's an explosion of fire coming from her which takes out the ice freeing her senidn shards everywhere and may even be setting the mages on fire!
- Finna (513) has posed:
"i've got your back if you've got mine." Finna announces Allyn's way. She's sparing little mercy for the Black Mages, for they seem to be mindless, but the dame warriors are... well, she doesn't TRY to rip their heads off or anything, and won't go after people who flee or go down and stay down. There's no ripping throats out or finishing them off.
But if they die from getting swatted, kicked, gut punched, or bit around the middle and tossed into a stall, that's their fault. Oops.
The beast of the moon tears through the streets, scattering everyone in their path. An amorphous, four-legged BEAST, defined by only having fangs, arms, legs, and claws... few other features can be made out through the hazy, shifting shadows clinging to Finna. None who didn't know it was her to begin with would even be able to tell this thing is female.
And the unknown has this way of spreading terror all its own.
The creature, loping down the streets on all fours, comes around the corner of a marketplace street... and ends up face to face with Goffard Gaffgarion. Its tail is raised and alert, and its form takes up half of the street... blue, then purple, then silver glowing eyes stare down at the man...
-<RADIO: 2>- Finna says, "You. Can. Try." (To Gaffgarion)
-<RADIO: 2>- Finna's voice is a deep, snarling thing.
-<RADIO: 2>- Goffard Gaffgarion sighs. "My dear lady, /do/ please not take this personally. I have no quarrel with any of you. If you leave now, this need not come to battle between us all."
-<RADIO: 2>- Ainsley says, "Do not give us that 'I am only a mercenary' drivel."br /> -<RADIO: 2>- Faruja says, "...Betraying thine own country, Goffard Gaffgarion? This shan't be forgotten. I shall ready a noose with thine name writ upon it personally!"
-<RADIO: 2>- Goffard Gaffgarion civilly, "...Is the term 'sellsword' unfamiliar to you, good priest?"
-<RADIO: 2>- Finna says, "Get in my way, and don't worry, I'll knock you through a wall very impersonally!"
- Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn will always come to Faruja's call for aid, plain and simple. The ratman is pack to him and well, pack always protects packmates and whatever they might hold dear.
He nods to Finna at her words, "Of course, I've got your back." he tells her, she is pack too, especially after that talk they had not too long ago. Though, unlike Finna, he's not in the habit of letting a fallen foe foe go unless it has decided to flee, but he doesn't have time to finsh off the dame warrior, no he can be as cruel as nature can be said to be sometimes.
He takes off at her heels, trying his best to keep up with his fellow shapeshifter and once they have come face to face with Goff he snarls down at the man, he glances to Finna and bares his fangs a little, "This is why humans disgust me." he tells her.
- Ultima (129) has posed:
The shimmering portals respond to Marrik's magics, if not readily. They waver, continuously, cutting out briefly once in the struggle and forcing the Alexandrian army to cease advancing... for a few moments. But... Eidolon magic is no feeble thing... and soon they open again. Albeit yawning consideriably less than they were. He has, at the very least, managed to slow the influx...
Tomoe's unexpected escape does indeed succeed in setting nearby mages ablaze, and sends at least one soldier screaming into the ocean as well! As Beatrix takes notice of this fact, feeling the dark magic in the air - she seems unamused. "..You there! Cease tampering with..."
Ainsley's shout comes, and the brunette with long, silken, curly strands turns a hard one-eyed stare at Ainsley. "...Order can only be established through strength! Strength of conviction, strength of heart, or strength of arms! Chaos always preceds Order, surely as night becomes day..."
Alexandrian soldiers do not adapt well to such unconventional tactics from strangers wearing garish green clothing the likes of which they've never even seen before! Ziggy's headbutting, charging, beeline for the General sends barely armored Alexandrian Soldiers skidding across the cobblestone pavement one after another... and soon he finds himself squarely in front of her. She casts a side-long glance at him, from Ainsley, as she hears the sound of armor striking pavement... then turns away again. ... Only to do a double-take and narrow her one good eye. "...Y...", she starts, "...what are you, a court jester?"
And then, Faruja comes with a much more long-winded version of Ainsley's speech, and she just waves her hand flippantly like a limp noodle, "...I won't repeat myself. I am sorry for the sacrifices your people were forced to make, but..." and with this she takes a few steps forward... hefting that elegant blade with inlaid crimson onto her right shoulder, "...Alexandria, too, has her own problems. My loyalty is to my Queen and people..."
She falls into a combat stance, blade held aloft before her, "...and I am a soldier. I will do as I must. ... You are quite correct also..." She narrows her good eye further whilstt staring pointedly at Faruja, "...fell me, and my army with me." Her blade begins to glow subtly, and swings it wide... "...But that won't happen."
"Pray. Now.", is all she says before leaping out of the way of the very same thunder strike the utterly fries four nearby soldiers. The General leaps into the air, turns a flip, and shouts... "Climhazzard!", the executes several precision strikes upon the air... turning it crimson with concentrated magic. In the space of a few moments, there comes an enormous explosion of intense magical energy from her vicinity that expands in waves....!
- Marrik (541) has posed:
Marrik saw one of those shadow faced mages get cut down, yet when he tried to pull it's life he felt.... Nothing. The animating energy was not life in the classical sense. It had more in common woth what was stubbornly holding the gates open in spite of his assaults. Whatever was holding the way open was actively resisting his efforts and he found it hard to counter.
Yet as horrible as people dying was, it provided him with a way to gain the upper hand, or at least more muscle. All that liberated life energy, that closest to him anyway, was funnled along lines of force towards him only to be in turn sent out to bolster his Call.
He has cried out to the people of this land and they were answering. God, Farem, or the Universe be damned. Generally ghosts do not like invaders, and these were the worst sort by the collective whispers and cries. Unlike his last fight they had an organized ground force that dumped into the middle of the city, but the portal had not opened until the airship parked. Were they using that to get a line of sight? Marrik snorted in anger as he relented on the portal to send black tendrals of decay to the airship itself, targeting the most likely weak points his limited knowledge could think of. It was not elegent, or refined, but with all of the death in the air he had power to spare.
All this while he funneled power to the dead as they bound into any available body to use. It was slow as they had to adjust to working something not them. Unlike before he was calm and aware of his surroundings. Maybe it was the dead actively aiding in defending the last bastion of these people against an enemy that had hunted them to near eradication. Maybe he was deluded and already falling under the weight of numbers he was trying to call forward. No matter. Marrik was asked to defend this land and defend it he would.
The thunderous drumbeat continued to sound as the ghosts long and newly dead not able to find bodies swarmed towards the invaders, shrieking and howling as they sought to disorient and disrupt the invaders. He had power to spare and perhaps even more dangerously he was unafraid.
He took a slow measured breath as his spell reached its terrifying apex. Bodies both long in the ground and newly strewn in the streets started slowly to move. Eyes glowed pale green as the spirits within oriented themselves.
"By my blackened hands the Dead shall rise."
-<RADIO: 2>- Marrik says, "Your kin have come to your aid Sir knight."
-<RADIO: 2>- Faruja says, "...Vengeance from those...I see."
-<RADIO: 2>- Finna says, "... N-necromancy! ..."
-<RADIO: 2>- Marrik says, "I brought some friends to the party. They're on our side."
-<RADIO: 2>- Finna says, "I have never seen it used for the living's aid... before seeing you."
-<RADIO: 2>- Ainsley pained, "The Quetzal do something similar with their honored dead."
- Goffard Gaffgarion (493) has posed:
Goffard pauses as he notes not one, but /two/ beasts there in his way. This wasn't in the contract either. A lesson to always account for the Multiverse in his business dealings! "...Mmph. And I without skinning knives," he comments wryly. But then. They're beasts. They're furred. And fur burns. So...
His shield arm is brought back in a clawed gesture, curling back into a fist. "Destruction of nature, gather in flame!" he growls. And then he extends his arm, palm aimed in the direction of Finna and Allyn. Might want to watch out, it's going to get a little warm...
- Ainsley (151) has posed:
Ainsley is propelled backwards by a surge of energy! She's flung well into the air and lands heavily into a stall of vegetables, sending greenery flying everywhere! She cries out from the impact and gasps when she gets up to a stand again, leaning against the shaken structure with one hand. Her eyes, watery from the pain of the blow, stare at Beatrix.
She climbs out from the debris, and pulls Nom de Plume, her Abstractum, out of its case -- an ivory white glasses case that snaps closed with dramatic effect before she slides it back into her pocket -- and set the pair of glasses on her nose. "Nom de Plume," she whispers in a gentle tone of voice, "Shift Abstraction." The command is given. And when she does this, an ensuing surge of blue light accompanies it, and markings form around her eyes and down one of her arms, a strange script of blue glowing runes.
"Let me see your loyalty's truth." She gives the unspoken command to use Conceptual Sight on Beatrix. Behind the command, she tries to pierce into the woman's concept to find anything, even a single clue, that will shake the woman away from this tragic path of war and slaughter. She tries to do this not just for Burmecia's people, or for Faruja, or for Limberry, but for Beatrix herself, and the people she must defend. Surely there is some way she can convince the woman that this is not the story she wants to write for her descendants, or for the world that has to deal with her rulers.
Surely, her Concept of loyalty does not have to mean leading her people into darkness at the behest of any corrupt tyrants.
She feels she has no other choice. Fighting is not an option for her anymore. She must try to strike at the heart itself and shake it so that she can create true understanding. Even if she is only speaking to someone who has convinced herself that there is no other way. After all...
She doesn't want to see another warrior misguided by their connection to their kingdom.
- Ziggy Grover has posed:
"Clown jester? I beg to differ," Ranger Green begins, holding up a finger in a wait-a-minute gesture. "Just because I talk a lot doesn't mean anything. I'm just wearing this for, you know... chicks. Of which you seem like a fine... whoa!"
When Faruja's strike hits, though, Ranger Green pulls his arms back and holds his arms up. "Whoa, whoa... hey, I'm trying to, you know, turn her back from the dark side! Besides, I don't really want to hurt a lady..." he calls out, a moment before the -wave- hits home.
Flying backwards, flipping in the air with sparks flying, Ranger Green lands onto his belly, lifts his head like a beached seal, and winces. "... though she most -definitely- wants to hurt me." Using his power axe to stand up, Ranger Green dashes forward, leaping and somersaulting through the air to bring his axe down on the General's sword. "Besides, I'm not much for prayer. That's the rat over there, and..." He tilts his head, as though listening to a radio message, and then nods his head affirmatively. "...I'm guessing I have to get out of the way before -he- sets his spell off on you... OK, CHEESE TIME!" And he spins and leaps forward, arms flailing before the explosion goes...!
- Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
Ainsley's glasses flare with a sudden, brilliant blue light, rushing with energy. "BLUESHIFT ABSTRACTION" They speak in a brief monotone. "CONCEPTUAL SIGHT" The glasses attempt to bore straight into her concept with invasive perception, trying to let Ainsley see even the tiniest scrap of disloyalty... And... Finds nothing. There's still a lot of ambiguity in the concept, details that can't be found.
"Ghhhh... Ainsley, we do not have adequate power." Nom de Plume says, with a regretful, straining sort of tone. Lines of vivid blue suddenly run up and down Ainsley's face, a spiderweb of symbols extending out from the eyes and over the head and face...
Come on, Ainsley. That can't be ALL of your willpower, right? What's your motivation here, what are you protecting and why do you care to stop this woman? What's certain here is that Shift 1, the Inscribe Shift, isn't enough for this.
- Finna (513) has posed:
FIRE. FIRE, you've gotta be kidding. Finna growl-yelps at the sudden heat. Her fur's burning, her skin's boiling and blistering. THAT HURTS. THAT HURTS AN AWFUL LOT. She writhes and thrashes for several moments... but the thing with Lunars is that if something's a weakness, swap it for something that isn't.
In a matter of moments, the fur recedes - a fact barely visible through the shifting lights around her - and is replaced with thick, crocodilian hide and chitinous spines jutting from her back. THAT won't burn so easily. The fire is extinguished.
She can just hope Allyn is similarly clever.
Because for now, she takes a flying leap through the air and comes DOWN with a clawed swipe on Goffard and his bird!
"Coin means so much to you... why?!"
- Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn howls in pain as his fur catches fire from Goff's spell. He doesn't writhe quite as much as Finna does, perhaps he is used to things like that happening to him more than she is? But that doesn't mean that just because he's used to it, that it still doesn't hurt like heck.
His fur smolders once he gets the flames but yeah, maybe that's not quite a good idea to have fur when something can burn you. He shifts his humanoid form into something a bit less prone to catching on fire, he's not doing it because he's noticed Finna do it, but he too becomes more of a humanoid crocodillian, including his head.
He hisses at Goff and instead of attacking with his claws, he opens his maw and tries to chomp down!
- Tomoe has posed:
Tomoe knows she's fighting lifeless husks and this makes her not hold back anything of what she has, nay. She's going to go all out here her naginate contiunest to be put to use as she launches herself into the black mages ranks she'll slice them she'll dice them. She'll even aim to bisect them. Those who have not seen her fight in ALO or SAO might be a bit shocked about how good at being brutal she is. Given she generally holds back a good deal against living self aware foes most of the time.
"You will fall you souless puppets!"
She shouts out before another round of attacks, she then starts chanting applying some magic to the mix sending rays of light trying to strike down the down thes souless weapons of war with enough fury that Faruja might be a bit taken a back.
- Ainsley (151) has posed:
What is at stake? That is the question that hits Ainsley's mind.
The Burmecians. Faruja's heart and soul. Limberry and its people. The history of this world. She refuses to see another stain of blood, if she can help it. In the very depth of her soul, she digs out a piece of willpower that had hidden from her, smothered by something beyond her understanding. And as she does this, the red color of her eyes bleeds out and is replaced with an eerie BLUE as if her body were reacting to the Blueshift.
A surge of power pours off of her. Her body crackles from head to toe with raw mana energy. Her mouth cracks open in a silent snarl... Her instincts find something foreign, blocking her attempts to progress, and her concept buckles the obstacle like a steamroller, all at once. She pushes past doubt, past her own being.
She grabs her Inner Power with all her strength ... and pulls it out of the void it was in. She won't let her uncertainties stop her any longer.
She desires the power to see the truth in the heart of her enemies and stop short the records of tragedy.
And through it all, the tension melts out of her face and something Happens.
- Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
Ainsley exceeds the limits of Category 1 Shift, now reaching a full Category 2, Halo Shift. The namesake halo forms behind her back, a stone construct styled in mesoamerican carvings of a scholarly sort, a strange mixture of cultural symbols. The stone-like construct flares with a brilliant blue light and begins to become the focal point for Ainsley's concept suddenly bearing down even more on reality, trying to FORCE perception of the concept.
The search query remains the same. DISLOYALTY. DOUBT. CONFLICT. The glasses strain and make soft, struggling noises to try and achieve the effort that might be necessary to find Ainsley something, ANYTHING within the concept to capitalize on and to negotiate with, and hopefully defuse this horrible threat. The halo itself churns and whirls with strange geometries alongside the pulsing blue vivid shining around Ainsley's face, and especially her eyes, obfuscated under the blinding light that comes from the glasses.
- Ainsley (151) has posed:
Ainsley's whole body becomes a blurry silhouette, smudged by the power that is pouring out of her all at once. All that anyone can see around her is a terrible blue light from her eyes and the halo, like an angered Mayan god about to speak their words of judgement down at someone.
When she speaks, it is filled with the tremors of Sight. No one can doubt that she has seen what she is speaking of, and that she speaks with all of the weight of her heart.
"General Beatrix. You have been deceived by your own heart. The world can always be saved. Do not give in to the darkness that surrounds you or you will only continue to be its pawn. What you bring now is chaos. The Nobles will never be satisfied with their prizes. The People will starve. Their families will never know prosperity. People will fight unendingly for ideals that can never be reconciled. And worst of all... Loyalty like yours will become a thing of the past to be ridiculed by betrayers and forgotten by those it would have protected. Find a new path. I implore you. It is never too late for Hope's glow to save your people and those who compete with them."
The silhouetted woman's words come to a halt, and she stares only piercingly at Beatrix and waits for the answer. Whether it is understanding, or the retribution of her conviction in the form of a sword strike.
- Faruja (152) has posed:
Climhazzard's powerful energies slams into the rat, the male teleporting away just in time to avoid being cleaved in half. when he reappears near a market stall, he's bleeding down the chest and left arm, the male's robes torn. No armor today, the rat too wasn't expecting such a bold attack!
"...And so ye hunt us down, take everything from us, all for thine bloody-minded Queen. HOW DARE YE! Save thine apologies for Faram and thine Queen before He tosses ye both into the Abyss! Curse thee, thine House, and thine Liege! May Alexandria and its kin rot upon the shores of strife that ye hath sailed from!" Comes the rat. Faced with this woman who dares apologize and play up his people's heartless slaughter, he simply can't contain his fury. He knows the dangers.
But there's simply too much pain, anger, and fear to calmly fight. Only the presence of friends, and the presence of Ainsley keeps him from giving into the intoxicating lure of Judgement.
Faruja's eye spies a barrel with a peculiar symbol on it. It's a rare thing to see in Ivalice; oil. In a wooden barrel, no less. So /that's/ where Strawberry's been getting the stuff for her experiments. The rat smirks, bleeding from his wound, and kicks the barrel towards Beatrix. Drawing his Blaze Gun, he aims, and a curtain of flame spews forth. Not for the General, but for the oil barrel at her feet.
Bad timing. The Green Ranger goes charging for Beatrix just as the flame hits. Oops. The rat quickly gets on the radio! But too late!
Ziggy goes flying in the resulting explosion! No words for the green ranger, the rat too busy snarling to talk. But he's nothing if not helpful; Ziggy would feel the weight of gravity itself pulling away, as if trying to slow down his involuntary flight through the air! Oh yes. He owes you /two/ beers now Ziggy. Inuquisitors are bad for your health it seems.
But any remorse is utterly halted as Faruja watches Ainsley Shift. He's never seen one before, and his eye goes wide, very nearly blinded by the light spilling from her.
She's beautiful. A flying blue angel offering an ultimatum of peace, and Hope, even to the one he hates so much. Faruja teleports by her side, floating protectively. For a brief moment his hate is quelled in favor of the thought that, perhaps, just perhaps, this war could be turned aside by the will of a woman he loves.
At least if it fails, he'll be damned if he's not here to protect someone who casts the highest of pearls before swine.
-<RADIO: 2>- Faruja says, "Ser Grover! Be wary of the General's blade! She is the most skilled warrior upon the Mist Continent! Stand back, and I shall...A...Ainsley?"
- Goffard Gaffgarion (493) has posed:
Gaffgarion grins as he sees that the fire had the intended effect. Except then suddenly... crocodile-people. Leaping at him. But the thing about giant crocodilian beasts leaping at one. They tend to be pretty easy to spot. Gaffgarion is not exactly what one would call a speedy one. Instead he meets both their charges with his shield, throwing his body weight against the shield at the impact of the body on his shield.
Ow! And another ow! Finna's and Allyn's strength and mass send painful shocks up his arms. Thankfully it does no major harm to him, but Faram did that hurt! And it's not something he's eager to do again. He gives a hiss and gets some distance before considering Finna's words.
"Nothing else in this world-- or any other-- is trustworthy. Naught else lasts," he states with certainty. "Friends abandon you. Those below you betray you with the slightest pressure, and those above throw you to the dogs if it pleases them. Coin may be cold comfort, but at least it is /some/ comfort."
He's done expositing now. He raises his blood-red sword and leaps to attack Finna. He can't attack Allyn at the moment, he's only one man and can only attack one target at a time. If Gaffgarion's attack hits Finna, Allyn may have something to be glad about... that sword draws away the lifeforce!
- Ultima (129) has posed:
Beatrix clacks to the ground, heeled boots first, as her opponents go flying in every direction. Ziggy's comment draws a bemused expression from the woman General, "...chicks?" A curling lock dances low, briefly obscuring her eye... but she pushes it away. "...you are a farm hand then?" Completely serious, 100% dead pan. An incredulous curling of the lips follows, "...What are you...", then the axe strike comes and she parries with a shrill clashing of steel against steel! Sparks fly, but as an axe is wont to do against a blade... it breaks past... cutting the fabric of her clothes and cutting shoulder beneath as well!
And rise, the dead do. The Alexandrian Soldiers don't take well to things they've slain getting back up - but the Jury is out on whether or not that means fear or resentment! There's definitely a mix, with some leaping and charging to attack the fiends, and some seeming in a very real state of doubt... forcing their commanders to call out to them in barely restrained fury! Fury as much caused by the resistance, as the show of cowardice. ... The dark energies do not readily penetrate the ship though. As they wander skyward, a sheath of energy colored like the gate becomes apparent and crimson mixes with black against an azure sky. It's like oil and water....
Tomoe's furious magical spell meets with success again, riddling the ground with the bodies of both dolls and soldiers both dead and wounded. As the remaining dolls become aware, through some means, of the threat she poses... four more wade in with hands alight with sparks... intent to try and fry her with a collective Thunder spell. It's weak, as these are only Class C dolls, but in numbers it just may hurt...
Ainsley's words catch Beatrix's ears... much like she had Steiner's earlier. There's a briefly whirling of the head, curling locks dancing wildly as she levels a stern stare at Ainsley. Her lip curls, slightly, but it takes her a few mmoments to find her words... even as she turns and moves to a new vantage point in an attempt to prevent Ziggy from getting behind her, "...I see perfectly clearly! I see suffering everywhere, suffering even I cannot with my own strength hope to abate in its entirety! But if I can only provide for Alexandria...", it's clear Ainsley has managed to nerve her a bit - if for no other reason, the woman general isn't just telling her to shut up. It is as though she were steeling her own resolve. ... But it draws her attention so severely, she fails to see Faruja's barrel rolling in and fails to hear a word he says. "...If that means I have to bring chaos here..."
-PONG- .... -KRAKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM--
An EXPLOSION OF unholy heat and flame roars through the area where Beatrix stands... several more nearby Dolls and soldiers are caught in tne ensuing explosion... blown away helplesly by a force that would rightly kill any man!
...But...
...as the smoke clears...
- Ultima (129) has posed:
-Clack-, -Clack-, ...
Beatrix is no -man-. She emerges from the explosion, her clothes blackened and skin red with burns. Portions of those precious, carefully cared for curls are aflame. And she simply lifts her sword and cuts them free from her own head. Her eyepatch too is thoroughly destroyed. In it's place, a very heavily scarred, glassed over, eye. A cough comes, a wrinkling of the nose, and then she speaks, "...I won't be bested by such dirty tricks..."
She falls into another stance, blade at the ready and subtly glowing... then... sparks of electricity fly from it. She charges Faruja down... "...Thunder Blade!" ... and takes a few very carefuly aimed swipes!
- Marrik (541) has posed:
The dead rose and turned on the Alexandrian army. Marrik's orders were simple; if it's Alexandrian, kill it. He would give no quarter given this war he saw as pointless had nearly driven an entire people to cultural if not actual extinction. The energy from those dying went to keep the zombies moving, leaping, stabbing, and otherwise acting as the spirits in command of the bodies would expect. It was expensive to invest so much mana that ectoplasm would replace damaged or missing limbs and muscle, but this was perhaps the one situation where Marrik could afford it..
Yet he had to spare attention to defend himself. A Mage, short and wearing oversized clothes blinked as a fireball fizzled just before Marrik punched it, using raw kinetic force to give the blow enough power to send the construct into a pair of soldiers hard enough to not only kill it but knock it's companions over. A sword blocked by his staff was countered by a spell augmented headbutt that sent the poor woman crumpling to the ground only for her life energy to feed his magic.
"SURRENDER." His voice boomed across the sky. "LEAVE THIS LAND AND IT'S PEOPLE." His voice rolled and echoed, surely loud enough for the airship overhead to hear. "THIS LAND AND IT'S PEOPLE ARE NOT WORTH THE LIVES OF YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS. I ONLY OFFER THIS ONCE. LEAVE YOUR BLOODY AMBITION OR BE CONSUMED." It was an offer he made out of blind hope someone commanding would see what was happening and make this stop, but confronted by seas of the dead all at Alexandrian hands, it was hard to keep faith there would be any reasoning with the enemy.
At some point while punching his way through soldiers he picked up a hat belonging to a mage and stuffed it in his pocket. "Sparks." He huffed, having to deal with a coordinated attempt at boxing him in. "Eyes in the air?"
The doll sized pixie shot skyward. She knew magic that let her whisper and it find Marrik's ear. She called out where Beatrix was and Marrik pointed that out as a priority location. They were to stay away from Beatrix unless it was to dogpile to keep her from landing a killing blow and clear out any troops they found. She noted other notable events as the happened, but Marrik was both having to defend himself and keep feeding the dead. He couldn't protect himself if it wasn't for the fact these dead, even if temporarily, had minds and could act on their own.
Yet with as much as his dead could do the enemy pressed him, forcing him to focus on the enemies in front of him and reminding even with the power he had he was not invincible. Nor was he able to do another working against the ship overhead.
- Finna (513) has posed:
"GRYyyaaaaghh!" The Blood Sword's a rather unique experience for Finna, who's never been struck by something quite like that before. It rakes a nice gash into her side, making her flinch away. Blood leaks from the wound... but only for a few seconds. The wound seals up instantly, but she seems to have been slightly dizzied.
As for the stolen life... there's something really WEIRD about this Life. It's extra dense, extra primal, and extra REAL, as though mortal lives were pale shadows, candles and embers compared to bonfires. Within Lunar Essence one can taste evolution, dreams, a deep love, primal wildness and the hunt, and more. It tastes somewhat damp, and like a chilling night breeze on a warm summer night. That, and much more.
But if Gaffgarion receives any of that, he'll have to deal with Finna before appreciating the novelty. Because she's now pained, and ANGRY.
"Betrayed by all... or betrayed others yourself? A pity that's the lesson you learned from the world..."
The creature draws back a clawed hand... and LUNGES!
... From five directions at once? No, wait, only two are real... Claws of the Silver Moon rake for the man's armor at tremendous speed, leaving silver contrails!
- Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn hisses at Goff when he sees the sword attack hit Finna and he roars in anger for someone attacking his friend. The large crocman creature glares coldly at the man that dared attack his friend. "Ah, but Finna and I do not betray each other, we help each other and trust one another to make sure that the other stays safe.."
He doesn't say much more though as Goff's attention is on Finna at the moment he shifts his tail into that of a scorpion's tail and stinger and tries to sting Goff with a paralyzing venom.
- Ainsley (151) has posed:
Ainsley sees that Beatrix won't give up the fight that easily, but she isn't attacking /her/ in specific. But she is, however, attacking Faruja! The lizard girl, as blurry and uncertain as her form seems to be, does turn and take offense to Beatrix's actions. A hand reaches out, and electricity surges across the lizard woman's body... and then zaps out from her fingertips toward Beatrix to try to harm her as a consequence for targetting /her/ rat.
- Tomoe has posed:
Tomoe has made quite the rampage she does restin herself upon the living but the dolls get her full wrath, autoboted weapons? AIs were growing in number as weapons in her world. After SAO? She hated the concept and she was more than taking out some of that upon these dolls that's when she gets blasted with bagic and uit's pretty ugly the thunder spells strike her she screams the feed badck is too much and when it's over she's looking alien. Half her face is gone and everywhere the lightning has struck her is the savme horrible red gridlines. She turns to them and again attack iaming to cut the dolls down without mercy, if any living personel get in her way she will restrian her self upon them.
- Goffard Gaffgarion (493) has posed:
Truth be told, it's unlikely Gaffgarion received any of it aside from what usually happens. The sword was only made to absorb blood and transfer its energy to its wielder. It wasn't made to absorb memories, or dreams, or magic. Her blood very likely only fueled his continued attack, and he makes no indication that he felt anything from the strike aside from what he normally feels.
Of course, that might be because he doesn't get the /chance/! An angry Finna in the form of a large crocodilian man-thing is a fairly distracting thing to have to deal with. Suddenly he is literally sliced at five ways to Sunday! He can't tell which is real, but two slice deeply into him, having found gaps in his armor! He emits a growl and falls back.
"When 'tis the only lesson the world teaches, that should not be so surprising, my lady," he replies. Suddenly Allyn is swooping in with a sting attack! And what's what Gaffgarion gets for getting distracted with trying to fight from on top of a soapbox! A coldness seeps into his limbs, and he suddenly finds them too heavy to lift. With a grunt, he falls to a knee, catching himself on his sword as he swears vilely.
"Might have... known." But there is a smirk there. "You fight foul. I approve." Thankfully he doesn't need his hands to whistle! A sharp whistle and the black chocobo swoops down from the sky again, alighting near him. She seems to examine Gaffgarion, tilting her head first one way and then the other. Then she begins to flap her wings. Magic gathers around her and as she spins, falls upon her and Gaffgarion. This seems to loosen the hold the paralysis had on his limbs. But he's not going to be able to attack /this/ soon, not to worry.
- Ziggy Grover has posed:
That the timing was just a bit off, well, no worries. At least he didn't -crash- the way he usually did when sent flying, instead being able to tuck and roll. And... hey, the swordswoman was distracted by all the spells going around, and she didn't seem to be taking him all too seriously. So ... once more unto the breach, and this time... quietly! Even if Being Nice to a Lady meant... ATTACK FROM THE FRONT! TURBO AXE!
- Finna (513) has posed:
"That we do!" Finna hops away as Allyn comes in, ready to defend him in case Gaffgarion has some kind of riposte in mind for Allyn's tactic. But that's not what happens. Gaffgarion's staggered... and in comes a chocobo?
Finna, rather than taking the immediate moment to attack, actually observes for a few seconds. Oops. But she had NO idea what to expect from this world?
"If it's straightforward and honest you want.... tooooooo~ bad! ... I've not much fairness to spare for someone whose only loyalty is coin. Stand for nothing, and what do you expect?"
That's when... some kind of massive THINGS protrude from Finna's back. They're long and vaguely paddle-shaped, but details are hard to make out through the silvery light... still, it's obvious enough once they start moving. Up, down, updownupdown-VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!
Hummingbird wings. And somehow, incredibly, they manage to lift the great beast off the ground.
She springs forth with a nasty-looking uppercut and only just manages keep the claws OUT of the way of Gaffgarion's face. But if that strikes... it'll send him upwards about his own height. But that's when things get messy, if so!
For, like a bolt of silver lightning, the beast zip-zip-WHACKS her prey like a volleyball, and higher into the air, somehow outmanuevering and blitzing about... only to end the assault with a massive foot to the chest and driving STRAIGHT down towards the street for a colossal impact!
... Aimed more to take the wind out of Gaffgarion than inflict mortal injury, but well, only because he's pretty damn tough!
- Faruja (152) has posed:
Chaos. The opposite of Order, Justice, Faith, and Righteousness. The things that Faruja Senra has based his entire life upon. Ainsley offered the General a choice. A choice of Order and peace for both their peoples, or destruction.
She's made her choice. Faruja just spits upon the ground as she walks out from that burning hell of flames, rushing him and cutting a brutal slash across his chest. Blood from the nezumi splshes upon her blade, and the rat is shoved back.
"Well then! Let us dispense with 'tricks' and end this! BY THE GLORY OF GOD AND FOR ALL THAT YE HATH SLAIN UNJUSTLY, LET MINE POWER GIVEN ME BY THE LORD BE THE INSTRUMENT OF DIVINE RETRIBUTION! FEEL THE PAIN OF MINE PEOPLE!"
As Lightning from the transformed Ainsley shoots forth, the rat pauses just once as he reaches for a watch. He spies Ziggy moving, and ducks to let the man work his magic.
Faruja Senra, however, cannot help but find himself laughing somewhere in his heart as he watches the Green Ranger walk up to the woman who just survived an exploding barrel, and begins to flirt with her.
Distract her? Faruja asked for it, and he gets it as Ziggy speaks:
"So... I like the cut of your sword. Want to get a smoothie with me? Flynn does really good smoothies, but you have to watch out for the durian..."
It's only then does the rat rush forward, crushing his time piece. Good enough, Ziggy Grover. Good enough.
"TIME IS STOPPED!"
A grey sphere of pure Time Magic explodes into being, time itself ceasing to flow. Up this close, perhaps even distracted by Ziggy, the rat walks rushes right into the face of the Alexandrian General.
"....By mine hands, shall retribution be done!" Sharp clawed hands streak in the greyness of halted time for the heart and forehead of the General. Claws try to pierce skin...but only just. Magic burns, and he concentrates, trying to read the woman's gravity, and flow of time.
The spells are simply; a Haste, and a Slow spell. The former aims for the woman's heart, spell after speeding spell cast in the frozen time as he simply tries to weave enough spells around that sensitive organ to send it beating beyond what her blood vessels and heart valves could take. Meanwhile, her very brain would be assaulted by slowing magics cast quickly, one after another, layering and trying to cease the very functions that keep her alive; breathing, thinking, and all the survival instincts a warrior needs to live.
"...Time is in motion."
The spells take their effects all at once as time returns to its normal flow.
-<RADIO: 2>- Faruja says, "...Ser Grover, excellent! Distract her."
-<RADIO: 2>- Ziggy Grover says, "Distract her with ... what?!"
-<RADIO: 2>- Faruja says, "Thine axe bites keenly, and ye art fluid of mind and tactics. I trust what I hath seen of ye. For Faram and Burmecia!"
- Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn takes up the defensive position for Finna when she moves back in to attack Goff again. He shrugs a little, or at least seems so, "No one said I had to fight fair. We are pack,w e fight as one.. and don't they say all is fair in love and war? I don't think this is love and it's most definately a war." Then it's his turn to go on the offensive again, he lugnes at Goff and tries to slash at him with a clawed hand.
- Goffard Gaffgarion (493) has posed:
And suddenly Gaffgarion is being knocked around! If he had knowledge of the sport, Gaffgarion would probably wonder if this is what a volleyball felt like. And at the end, he THUDS to the ground with a loud, painful CRACK! That could be the street, his armor... or bone. Hard to tell. But it seems like he can still move, as with a quick motion, he rolls out of the way. He's just gotten to his feet when Allyn zooms past him, slashing deeply into his leg and taking that leg out from under him.
"You misunderstand me," he notes. "You fight exactly the way I expect. You do what you must to live. As must I..." This time it's Allyn that he turns his attention to. Raising his sword, he speaks, the words seeming to echo up from somewhere deep beneath him, "Master of all swords, cut energy!" And he swings it down, aiming the point at Allyn.
Growling seems to fill the air. Above the shifter a great eye appears, opens. From it falls bloody red energy. As it touches the ground, with a great snapping sound it becomes a blade that stabs up, into the eye. The eye closes and then both it and the energy disappear.
- Ultima (129) has posed:
Marrik and Tomoe's combined efforts, as well as the efforts of Ivalician forces, are taking their toll on the limited number of forces Alexandria had been able to bring to bear. Perhaps only one ship full was arrogance. It wouldn't be a first for the Queen of Alexandria. It is questionable what value this victory to the citizens, however, as the market... and their livelihoods lie in smoldering ruins...
...Beatrix is heaving, at this point, herself. She had not expected this much resistance... perhaps She Who Felled a Hundred Men was beginning to lose it. That, or, ...
Her resolve was wavering.
She rebounds after striking at Faruja, one good eye fixed on her own blade as the one with glazed over appearance, scarring running from brow to cheek bone, looks blindly ahead. "...am I losing it...?"
A voice resonates from the nearby portal, still flickering behind her. "...Shall I come to your aid, M... Ma'm General... Sir? I can surely gives those fools a thrashing in name of the...!"
Beatrix's right eye twitches, head snaps arounnd, "...What are you still doing there, you incompetent...!"
"..."
Suddenly, Ziggy.
The General's disarmed alright, but for all of the wrong reasons. Her head whips rightward, as the man she mistook for a strange farmhand approaches. More strange words, her eyes widen momentarily in disbelief... lips part, but no sound escapes. Then her eyes shrink again. This feels familiar...
- A Week Ago -
"...Ahhhhem!", Steiner clears his throat, attempting to seem nonchalant as he walks up behind her. All several hundred pounds of him, rotund, yet, firmly muscular frame encased in gleaming silver steel. She's staring into a mirror, grooming... his squinty, slanted, eyes narrow in determination. "...I have the status report you requested, my Lady General!" He salutes, stiffly, and holds the pose as he faces away... but she doesn't bother to look.
"...Yes, and...?"
Steiner's mouth opens, but no sound escapes... except an almost impercepable squeak. ... He clears his throat again. "...P-perhaps... you... you would like to take a seat w..."
She takes a seat at the vanity table.
"...Right there."
-Now-
Ziggy and Ainsley's attacks hit her in short order, one after another, drawing her from her thoughts. She nary even sees Faruja's attack, but it is felt... the General staggering away and... collapsing onto one knee with labored breaths and clutching at her breast in way not natural for the damage thoose two attacks should have done. But it's all baring down on her, like a noose about her neck...
- Ultima (129) has posed:
..even so... "...you... fools..." She struggles, against her own body to rise from her knees. Only sheer resolve is driving her now. "...even should... you best me...", she gasps out... and extends her blade forward with unsteady hands... "...Your troubles are only just beginning."
She briefly makes several more cuts at the air, these having no immediately visible effect. After having done that she breaks into a brief kata, fluid and moderately elegant for one so weakened, that looks almost like dancing. But as she spins in place for the final movement, foot sliding across cobbestone pavement... rose-colored energy manifests upon the air and blows about like petals on the wind. "...Cherry... Blossom..."
The moment these words roll off of her lips, the energy begins to whip around violently as though caught in a sudden whirwind. All who are touched by these petals may see themselves getting carved to pieces just before the energy explodes outward!
- Marrik (541) has posed:
As the armies continued to clash Marrik was breathing hard. Never had he fed this deeply or had this much raw Power. Not even in those last moments before the gate that was to bring his grandfather back was unraveled and he somehow ended up here. He was tired. His stance more defensive as he slowly relied more and more on zombies to keep him safe. He couldn't spare thoughts for what any of the wounded his new at!y drug clear of the fighting thought of cursed and unquiet dead saving them, and he could care less.
Sparks continued calling targets and through her eyes up high Marrik was trying to save what could be saved, either by direct murdering enemy troops, to hauling the wounded away, or even using the dead as mobile walls to screen off non combatants. He gave silent thanks to those spirits who directed the undead hands. He would have lost himself otherwise to the corruption working directly with unlife risks whenever used.
Eventually he was whittled down to leaning on his staff for support. Directing so much traffic was taxing, and even though the battle was going far better than it had any right to, it was still taking a toll on him no matter how few the physical wounds. Sparks flew back to his shoulder and patted his neck affectionately. "You're doing good ya lunk. Just hold on a bit more." Marrik nodded tiredly. Sleep would be good, and right now he didn't care if anyone wanted to burn him at the stake. That would be tomorrow's problem.
Already those not directly fighting were dragging bodies out to be sorted. Alexandrians were drug to the city walls, to be joined by those reanimated into Alexandrian corpses. Defenders were drug or walked to cemeteries or open parks before laying down. Spirits would be loosed from their temporary shells when their jobs were done. Marrik took his newly gotten hat and turned it over in his hands after he sat down. The fighting was still going on and would be for some time, but most of his forces had shifted from aggression to cleanup and he found a place to sit so his mind wouldn't cave in. Which would be bad in case he needed to direct traffic more than he already does, or really with zombies of any sort up and about. He'd never hear the end of it if they ended up going to their relatives or something a week later because he forgot one.
Then he looked up at that ship and stood. Tired and exhausted as he was his rage at what just one ship had done to these people grew and shaped as he took all of his magic not committed already and honed it to a pure lance of necromantic energies. it sucked in light as it became a physical manifestation in his hands just before he hurled it at the vessel. One last volly as a parting gift. Full to the brim of the stolen Life he had been feeding on. Whether it succeeded or not wasn't important. He had done what he could. He was tired now. Exhausted even.
-<RADIO: 2>- Marrik says, "Did they have to send /half their gorrum country/ when they wanted to invade?"
-<RADIO: 2>- Marrik says, "The dead will clean up. I'm gonna go find somewhere to drag off to so I don't just keel over before they're done."
-<RADIO: 2>- Marrik says, "Faruja. torch me later. arrest me. at this point too tired to care, but last request. lemme get some sleep first."
-<RADIO: 2>- Faruja says, "...Nay time right now. I hath a General to slay."
- Faruja (152) has posed:
The Cherry Blossom falls, exploding and rending fur and flesh alike. Faruja is thrown back by the force of the attack, sent flying through a burning stall. Coughing and bleeding, robes all but torn to shreds, the rat grasps for his cane. His body barely responds as he forces himself to his feet, glaring hatefully out at Beatrix.
A bitter laugh escapes him. "...I wouldst concentrate on thine own troubles, /General/. For by this act ye hath sewn the seeds of thine own destruction, and that of thine liege's entire House. Ivalice's problems art for its Children, not for invading little would-conquerers. Ye art more pathetic than the Archadians."
Then, Faruja waves his hand, concentrating as he looks back to the burning wreckage of so many lives.
Powerful magic flows, and water bursts into existance. Strangely, it's touch is hardly felt by those allied to the rat. Yet, it douses flame and rushes onwards towards the straggling Alexandrian forces. The great bulk of the esper Leviathan roars out, and quite simply seeks to crush Beatrix beneath pure water pressure and the force of its falling tail.
- Finna (513) has posed:
"No you don't!" Finna screeches, silently hoping Allyn's tough enough to take that one, because it looks bad. An unearthly snarl erupts from her throat as she drops down to all fours again. Every bit of her body shivers and shakes, but not with fear... instead, anticipation.
All this time, she's been holding back, but Gaffgarion seems intent on continuing like this...
If that's what he wants, then so be it, she figures.
She tears up the ground as she runs - almost LITERALLY. Sparks fly from cobblestones and paving of any kind as her claws impact and dig in to give her better footing. As she comes barreling in, those claws whip out again and again like a silver tornado, rending the air so hard it whistles and screams ... with Gaffgarion caught in the middle of it all. The wings withdraw, and Luna only knows what she's replacing them with.
The answer might come if a particularly POWERFUL blow of more fist than claw strikes, one with enough power to send Gaffgarion flying backwards. The thing is that if he does... he won't be getting far.
A silvery tether, of sticky, silky, spidery sorts, extends from the offending hand, the other stuck to Gaffgarion's armor... and like a bungee cord snaps BACK to amplify a final kick that's aimed to send Gaffgarion Allyn's way for another strike!
-<RADIO: 2>- Finna says, "Grrragh. What's this armor MADE OF?! A mountain?!"
-<RADIO: 2>- Allyn says, "hey Finna we need to team up more"
-<RADIO: 2>- Finna says, "Having fun at the weirdest times, huh?!"
-<RADIO: 2>- Marrik says, "As a heads up if i nod off someone make sure i wake back up. still zombies out there on cleanup. i need to," Yawn, "supervise."
-<RADIO: 2>- Allyn says, "...yeah it is an odd time hmm?"
-<RADIO: 2>- Marrik says, "In happier news I found a hat. I like my hat."
- Ziggy Grover has posed:
For a moment, Ranger Green reads the expression, and...
"Uh... just... surrender, will you...?" There's a certain compassion in his voice.
And then the cherry blossoms lash out. Sparks fly from his suits as Ranger Green is sent flying backwards, skidding across the ground until he grunts.
"I don't want to..."
The axe is left on the ground, though, as he staggers to his feet. "Surrender, please!"
And... holy hell... a Giant... WHAT?
As the Leviathan's tail comes crashing down, Ranger Green dives towards the General, trying to pull her out of the way...
- Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn howls in pain as he takes Goff's next attack on him, well that was rather painful, but he's made of sturdy stuff, at least he wasn't in a winged form this time and didn't have the use of his wings messed up as he usually does in fights like this. He watches Finna go in for revenge though. Hey he likes this teaming up thing it seems.
Then Goff comes towards him thanks to Finna and he moves to meet the man, with both of his claws and a bite for good measure. Maybe it'll at least send some kind of message.
- Tomoe has posed:
Tomoe is doing quite a number on the Dolls, she rips into them slicing dice, bisecting and justy not stopping. There's too many to think about and the enemy forces are still coming, however there's just this level of mental wear upon her bit. She has nothing to say and just feels very tired, very worn out and wonders about should she even be cut out for this...
- Ultima (129) has posed:
Alexandria had been overconfident. That much is certain. There now exists virtually no vestiges of the small force which had been dropped here. Apparently a few hundred was entirely too few. What few there, turn finally to flee for their lives as even their General succumbs to defeat. And as for her, ...
There was too little time, as the after-shocks of the Leviathan attack hits.
Quickly hitting his rev morpher, holding on to Beatrix, Ranger Green presses The Teleport Button.%rThere was a desperate -humming-, something sounding off-kilter, and then Ranger Green and Beatrix disappear in a green flash...
... and a pair of green boots with gold-trimming is left behind...
It's about this time, that a very large man encased in gleaming silver steel lumbers from the portal. He staggers out, massive heft nearly knocking over an Alexandrian Soldier as she attempts to pass through. He eyes her back side, eyes narrowing, his expression has 'coward' written all over it. He lumbers out toward the gathered lot, pulling a claymore from his back as he points accusingly at each person in his field of vision in turn. "HAVE AT YOU! I shall make all of you pay for..."
"...for..."
His eyes lock on Ziggy standing near the broken dockside... nearly naked except for his helmet and a pair of black and green boxers. Ziggy looks in his direction as well...
Steiner does -not- give him time to explain himself! "H-HOW DARE YOU!!! UNHAND THE LADY GENERAL YOU, UNCOUTH, SCOUNDREL! I'LL BURY YOU SIX FEET UNDER!"
You can practically the clouds of white hot steam pouring from the brute's ears as he sheaths his claymore... only to run and snatch Beatrix from Ziggy's arms and thunder toward the portal like his ass were on fire!
He turns, giving one last look to those gathered... snorts... and then, "...You'd best be coming! Keeping the Queen waiting is an excellent way to get stranded!", he adds to Gaffgarion quickly before stomping back inside.
The portal will be open for perhaps ten to twenty seconds more, then it winks out of existence... and the Red Rose slowly begins to depart...
- Goffard Gaffgarion (493) has posed:
More being tossed around! Claws, wings, fist-- at this point he doesn't even know. At this point all he knows is there's pain, and there's a lot of it. From seemingly everywhere at once. Being flung between the two shifters is definitely an experience he doesn't want to repeat! However, there is an opening, if he but takes it.
See... to chomp down on Gaffgarion, Allyn will have to expose his mouth. And when one's opponent isn't completely down and out... exposing the mouth is a bad thing. Due to his positioning, he won't be able to bring to bear a full-strength attack. But Allyn might just bite down on a really sharp sword that likes to drink blood. Ow!
Whether through this or Gaffgarion just plain /kicking/ Allyn off him is anybody's guess. But, with Beatrix down and the Alexandrian army in full retreat, staying here is pointless. He was only hired to support, not to take on the whole damn place himself. Also there's Steiner's words to consider. So a retreat is in order.
Whistling sharply for Melody, he quickly swings up to atop her back. There's time for him to make a parting comment, though. At least. Not here. Instead he heads towards the portal, heading through, chocobo and all. That might be a surprise for whoever's on the other end.
-<RADIO: 2>- Goffard Gaffgarion surprisingly calm, "...You fight well. We may next meet upon opposite sides, or upon the same side. Fate does not allow us to choose our adversaries. For what 'tis worth, my hope is that we are on the same side next."
-<RADIO: 2>- Finna says, "Hrmph. Mercenaries. Going wherever the wind called coin takes 'em..."
- Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn binks as Goff takes off when a retreat is called and he looks to Finna and looks her over to make sure that she's not too badly injured. "You are alright?" he tilts his head at her as he calms down some and shifts to his human form for now. He's looking alright.
- Finna (513) has posed:
Finna's still aglow. If Allyn didn't see her take this strange, anomalous form.. there's a good chance, he wouldn't be able to recognize her. If he doesn't see that happen next time, he probably won't then, either. Her shape continues to give off a layer of light and shadow that obscures her features, including any wounds. And most of her expression.
But she still grasps at her side... "He got me a few times... but I'll be alright... in a couple of hours. A good night's rest! ... How about you?"
She doesn't seem to be shifting back right now...
- Ainsley (151) has posed:
In the wake of the disaster, a sense of magic can be felt from one direction. As Faruja and the others are swept up in the chaos, Ainsley is left alone, with Nom de Plume deactivated and her head clouded with the surge of energy that was the Level 2 Shift.
The abstractum is sequestered away in its case, and as she looks down at her body she squeaks.
Ainsley appears to have grown to a height of about five and a half feet, and her eyes have changed from red to a sky blue color. She holds perfectly still and stares down at herself until someone snaps her out of it, utterly frozen with surprise and a bit of fear.
-<RADIO: 2>- Ainsley murmurs, "Tonight was... quite an experience."
-<RADIO: 2>- Allyn says, "I'm fine got a few injuries and a little scorched but I'll be fine in a day or two"
![[2]](http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130331033315/finalfantasy/images/6/66/Alexandrian_Soldier_Artwork.jpg){kind=link}
![[3]](http://www.game-art-hq.com/wp-content/uploads/Beatrix-Final-Fantasy-Art-Tribute.jpg){kind=link}