Scene #5725: A World Rewritten

Owner	Pose
Dapper Avenger	The warpgate leads out to what appears to be a grassy hill, cool air and the signs of it raining in the past few days underfoot on the grass. Pickets of soldiers guard it, defensive but not particularly strong-looking. They're wielding spears and dressed in archaic bronze armor, Greek in nature to any who'd have familiarity with such. A man wearing similar armored, wearing a blue cloak and bearing curly brown hair and brown eyes, approaches the warpgate. "Aetius. I spoke earlier. Come with me, heroes, the Basileus awaits in his tent." Close inspection (or possibly almost tripping as the ground gets jagged) will reveal that the 'hill' seems to be made of concrete, hollow underneath and held up by a pillar. It greatly resembles a highway, collapsed in half. Further down the hill seems to be an overturned segment, besides which a military campsite has been made. What appear to be large buildings, sort of like skyscrapers, dot past the campsite, lit up, and appear to be where battle is happening. On the hill opposite of where they're approaching is ocean and sea. The campsite seems to be prepped for war. Medical tents are in use, and fighting can be both heard and spotted in the distance, soldiers battling it out. A large red-clothed tent stands among them, which Aetius leads the group to, and is also willing to answer their questions as he does so. Once inside the tent, several advisors in similar blue cloaks are going over a map, with a young boy in a black tanktop, athletic and wearing a red cloak, with red hair out into a ponytail, standing at a head. To any with magical senses or who are a Servant, he radiates it, and appears to be the leader. Unusual faces lead to his eyes perking up, and promptly interrupting one of the advisors to speak up. "Aha! The heroes of the Multiverse, in the flesh! It is a pleasure to meet all of you. I am Alexander, Basileus of Macedonia, King of Conquerors. I plead that you will give me a few minutes of your time to hear me out, as I seek your assistance in a siege on the scourge of Persia!"
Dapper Avenger	Alexander ushers several of his advisors back so the Elites can see the map if they so wish, which correlates to the maps given before. The tent is marked, as are several buildings out in the direction of the skyscraper before. "I have heard great things about all of you, and offer both wealth and diplomacy to you if you would assist me in a siege on a fortress here." He taps the location of near the skyscrapers, speaking calmly and with a polite tone to his voice. The king seems to care not about bringing random strangers into a strategic meeting out of nowhere. "My forces are seeking to take this fortress to allow us a hold in the lands of Darius III, but my reinforcements have been waylaid at the worst possible moment. While we could likely still do achieve this, it'd be at a great risk to my men, and with Darius himself at the fortress, my soldiers could not take it. Therefore, I'd like to request you lead the siege and raid on it and repel Darius and his allies. I have already offered great rewards, and am willing to listen to any other demand!" Despite that, Alexander seems to believe they may have already agreed with him before they even have, and continues. "If so, you will go into the battle and try and infiltrate their fortress. I will lead my men from the rear. Aetius will have you on one of these 'radios' to assist with coordination. So, what do you say?"
Asterios	Even sequestered as he was in the Labyrinth of Crete, it's hard for someone who lived on an island to truly escape from the sea. The small grate that was the only real window between the darkness and the outside world had carried many things into the minotaur's microcosm. Sunlight, moonlight, starlight, the sweetness of the early morning dew, the sound of songbirds, and of course the scent of the great mediterranean sea. Asterios steps out of the warpgate, the enormous minotaur clad not in the trappings of military uniform, but rather in the iron and crimson raiments of war. His red eyes stare at Aetius as he ushers them further into camp, but only for a moment-- the minotaur's attention is quickly occupied with the task of not accidentally falling off what clearly seems to be a modern highway system. Hmn. "This was. A city?" Asterios murmurs, frowning slightly, "Strange. What happened. Here?" There's a beat as he shakes his head and goes to follow the others into camp. He is... Quite a bit taller than these tents. Quite a bit indeed. So much so that he has to duck and slouch to even enter the Basilius' scarlet yurt. "Aa. Alexander of Macedon. Is it?" Asterios murmurs, almost straightening-- but remembering the fact that his horns would probably poke a couple of holes into the fabric, he thinks better of it. "I am. Asterios. You need help, yes?" The minotaur thinks for a moment, then tilts is head. "Why do you... Make this war?"
Hector	"This looks different alright." Hector muses to himself as he drags his feet and spear along the ground, clad in his usual green and red. The spears wielded by the soldiers get a passing glance from the goateed one, although his gaze doesn't linger for long before he glances around some more. There's no question that the warriors are prepared, but there's still a hint of distaste on Hector's face as he follows Aetius to the tent. Maybe it's just gas. Stepping inside and coming face to face with a relative youngster, Hector rubs his chin briefly before peering over at the map. "It's a strongly defended spot from the looks of it. Are these rewards just money, or do you have something else a little more unique?" Like Alexander, Hector would also have a similar radiance for those with magical senses. He gives the boy a knowing look at that, sizing him up for a short while before shrugging lazily and tilting his head back with a long sigh. "... Well, even money would be good. Something to keep my energy levels up wouldn't hurt, either." He glances towards Asterios next, raising his eyebrow for a moment before turning back to Alexander and sizing him up once more to observe just how he answers the minotaur.
Sarracenia	As the others follow after Aetius, something emerges from the warp gate. At first it might look like some kind of wooden seige tower, but as it continues to push forward it is revealed to be a wooden sailing ship...large enough to be a Spanish galleon! In place of sails on its monstrous masts, it instead has large propellers that keep it airborn. Strange plant-men man the deck, wearing helmets appropriate to their ship's style and wielding spears of their own. Riding on the bow of the ship is a beautiful young woman, surely no more than 19, with flowing reddish-blonde hair and wearing a dazzling red dress along with a golden crown. The massive wooden airship moves to a hover over the camp, and the woman disappears below deck before a section of the hull starts to descend, revealing it to be a lift. The woman is aboard the lift, and she is slowly lowered to the ground near the tent that is obviously the war tent. She steps daintily off the platform, then makes her way toward it. "Forgive me if I am late~ I am Princess Sarracenia Sundew, crown princess of the Sundew Kingdom. Is this where the heroes of the Multiverse were requested to report? If so..." She reaches into a small purse around her shoulder and pulls out...a hammer as big and much heavier than she is. She gives it a skillful twirl then forcefully taps the ground with its shaft. "...I am prepared to offer m-..." And then she realizes she is interrupting the briefing and her words trail off while Alexander explains the plan. She listens, then looks over at Alexander. "Excellent!" she exclaims, then motions toward her airship. "I am certain that I can be of assistance, both in the air and on the ground." Asterious's question gives her pause. It is a good question after all, and she is more worried about her public image than she used to be.
Lin	A formal request from someone who's interested in 'heroes of the Multiverse' and 'willing to hire mercenaries?' Lin CANNOT pass this up. Anyone ballsy enough to be described as 'the Great' openly is worth a peek, right? She's one of the last to arrive, because she quite frankly got lost on the way, but she finds the military camp quickly enough. To not raise too much suspicions she's actually wearing some light armor plating over her clothes and has Stormcaller sheathed at her side, lest she walk into a military meeting looking unarmed. That's lead to awkward questions before, and she's not gonna repeat THAT mistake. Her attention towards the map and strategic explanation is FIERCE though. She's no stranger to this sort of conflict, it seems... Perhaps her dad drilled paying attention to this stuff on reflex into her. "Lin, of Grantine Village! Concord agent, and wandering... mercenary." Yeah, she'll go with mercenary. "Infiltrating a fortress and taking it from within? What sort of defenders are in there that's giving you such a hard time?"
Dapper Avenger	The airship causes gawking and slight panic, and even Aetius seems to be off-guard. "That's...I believe the Basileus will be quite surprised to see that." Aetius glances to Asterios as he speaks about the city. "I don't understand what you mean. Are you referring to this hill? It's a relic from the old age. There's many like it, though several have been demolished over time." The spears of the soldiers are plain and simple, though of Greek make. In fact, the soldiers appear just like those of ancient Greece, with men with swords and bows present as well. One is in light armor and is wielding a staff, with several others in similar armor preparing to join the battle. As the group approach and talk to Alexander, he looks out at the tent at the airship briefly, staring at it wide-eyed with a grin. "Aha! A ship like those of the past...the Multiverse is fantastic!" At the questions asked of him, Alexander just lifts his hands up, turning away briefly. "I have a dream. Several dreams. I want to unite this world under one banner, where external strife is brought to a low. I want to build an empire that spans the world. And most importantly, I want to see the edge of the world." He turns back to the map, tapping the sea. "I want to reach the furtherst border of the east, where Oceanus lies, and behold it with my own eyes. I want to leave my footprints at its beach. And to do so, I must fight and I must conquer." Alexander does point to the coast on the map, however. "Besides that, I am looking to make headway into Anatolia. We have no coastal holdings, as all are held by Persia, and mainland requires us to go through the Champions of Providence's territory. Darius and I have fought once before, so it is only common sense that we fight once again." There seems to be excitement in his eyes at that, as if that's his wish. Hector gets a nod. "Besides diplomatic ties, I can offer supplies, a visit to the capital, steeds, or whatever you wish. But I do request an answer quickly." Sarracenia gets a thumbs up. "Excellent! That amazing vehicle should help quite a bit, if you so choose to assist." Lin's question gets a thumb to himself. "I am what is known as a Heroic Spirit, or a Servant, a hero of age's past! Darius III is one as well, as are his allies who are sure to assist. They possess strength beyond that of a mortal, and powerful abilities. I was expecting reinforcements to assist in battling them, but as I said, they were waylaid, while Darius is likely to outnumber me on that regard. From everything I've heard, though, you heroes could easily match up to them! What do you say?"
Lin	"Heroic Spirits!" Lin sounds surprised by this, but she definitely recognizes the term. It brings a grin to her face, but one that's just a tad wary. "Then you better be paying well to give this Darius the Third a rude awakening!" Lin presses, brow furrowing. "Because this sounds like a great challenge!"
Asterios	That! Is certainly an airship. Asterios stares up at the enormous flying galleon with wide, wonderous eyes. Aah, that's pretty cool, isn't it...? He does however nod to Hector and Lin as they appear, but when discussion turns to sealing the deal, Asterios turns his attention back to the man in charge. To see the ends of the earth? To expand an empire? Asterios looks distant for a long moment. Are these worthwhile things to make war over...? But... To unify the world, to bring order and eliminate strife. That will help reduce suffering, yes? Yes. Asterios makes another contemplative noise, then bobs his head. "O...kay," the minotaur says, extending its gigantic, meaty hand in that most iconically agreeable of gestures "I, Asterios of the Concord. Accept terms. We will have diplomatic contact. This will be enough for us, I think. Mmn, though. Also be good to know more about this world. To see the ends of the land. And what lies beyond." "Do not worry about numbers. I can. Equalize also." Asterios chuckles softly, "Aa... Heroic Spirit. Huh?"
Hector	"Hmm... Well, I'll figure it out later. Darius hasn't made an offer to us, so..." Hector lets out another straining sigh as he rests the bottom of his spear on the ground, giving it a light tap and turning to step out of the tent. "Let's get this over with then, hm? If he really has Heroic Spirits of his own, then this should be a decent fight." He chuckles briefly, not seeming too concerned about Alexander's motives. "Just don't forget when we're done. I'll need to find your mana source."
Sarracenia	Sarracenia is somewhat concerned that this guy is a conquerer, but the prospect of causing destruction is very tempting. She hasn't gotten to just blow things up in quite a while! And, this is a heroic spirit, right? Heroes can't be bad guys! So, after a few moments of consideration, Sarracenia nods. "Very well, Alexander. The kingdom of Sundew shall assist you against these barbarians. But, we must give them a chance to surrender peacefully. It is the honorable thing to do." she says, then gives her hammer a twirl. "If they refuse to yield...then it shall be a wonderous battle!"
Dapper Avenger	"Excellent! I agree to your terms, and will find a way to provide you with magical energy. Onwards, then. There'll be communication from Aeticus. I look forward to seeing your great deeds in action!" Alexander once again points to the objective on the map, before Aeticus moves to lead the group out, pointing to the skyscraper in the distance. "That's the fortress. May you succeed in your quest." The path to the fortress is through the battlefield. Soldiers on both sides duke it out, with spears and swords, bows on the Persian side, men on horseback fighting and leading charges. It gets almost strange as the buildings in the distance come to closer view, and definitely tell a story of this world. They're a mixture of modern Earth architecture, tall and wide buildings with glass windows and made of steel, but several have been reinforced with brick or iron, the windows have been reinforced or boarded depending on the building, and magic hums in some of the lights. Several buildings are collapsed, meanwhile, with a skyscraper fallen in three seeming to serve as the fortress's primary building. In the horizon, more soldiers can be seen coming, as if reinforcements. Of course, unless they decide to try and bypass it entirely, there's soldiers to deal with. Forces on horseback, soldiers with spears and swords, and archers firing arrows start to focus on the Elites, moving to try and stop them from advancing through the battlefield. They're not difficult to deal with, but there's a lot of them, and they'll need to thin them down or bypass them entirely to continue. They're not going to just surrender to words, either.
Asterios	There's definitely something more to this world than exists at first brush. What caused all of this ruin, anyway? Who is responsible for all the destruction? And, more importantly... This is a city. Was a city. So then... Where did all the people go...? Asterios chuffs gently as he stares across the battlefield. The wind toussles his snowy white hair as countless soldiers mill into battle positions. Alexander wasn't kidding when he said this was a fortress. Did Darius bring his entire army here...? Asterios shrugs and tears a chunk of concrete from a nearby building. He shoves his fingers into one side to hold it fast, and then /leaps/ boldly into the fray. Why the concrete, though? Why, to block arrows and break spears with, of course! The minotaur hits the ground in the midst of a formation of spearmen who desperately try to stop his descent-- only for their wooden pikes to splinter and break against his cement bulwark. The resulting carnage needs no elaboration; it's exactly what you expect when a minotaur crashes into a bunch of ordinary humans. Once he's done, he wastes no time. One group of soldiers dead, on to the next. And on and on and on and on. He is, after all, a Berserker.
Hector	That sort of deal (vague as it was) seems to be enough for Hector. It's better than the alternative of just looking around aimlessly, at least, so it's time to head towards the skyscraper! With a minotaur, princess, and someone that seems way too excited to be fighting Servants. At least they're not the only things that look out of place out here: There's all that strangely modern architecture making up the battlefield and the fortress! "If it gets too dicey, there's no shame in falling back to a better position." Hector warns his companions before charging into the fray as well, twirling his spear about and dispatching soldier after soldier. He moves efficiently and wastes little energy with unnecessary movements, barely even moving to avoid incoming strikes and arrows before slashing through someone else. He's focusing his efforts on clearing a path for now, occasionally glancing towards the fortress to see if he can spot anyone BIGGER and FLASHIER than the common troops.
Sarracenia	Sarracenia smirks as the charge is declared. She watches Asterios crash into the melee, then hmphs softly. Such a brutish entrance is not fitting for a princess. She makes her way back to her ship's lift and is drawn back up into the flying galleon. It starts over the battlefield...but rather than simply flying past toward the fortress, Sarracenia appears on the bow of the ship again. She gives her hammer another twirl, then... She leaps off the ship! She does a graceful somersault and brings her huge hammer down so that she can stand on it as she plummets through the air. Aiming for an area just a short distance away from Asterios where a squad of archers is firing on him. She gains speed, plummeting like a comet...and she hits the ground like one as well! An shockwave erupts outward from where she lands atop her hammer, sending anyone nearby flying. It is unlikely to be fatal, but it is certain to disrupt formations and further intimidate troops! "I suggest you all surrender no~ooow~" she sing-songs, then grins. "I am Princess Sarracenia Sundew! Standing against me and my allies is pointless!" As she says this, the galleon hovering over her head lets out a series of clicks and clunks, and is suddenly bristling with cannons on nearly every inch of its hull, along with a very large one that is deployed from underneath.
Dapper Avenger	This probably isn't the entire army - there's quite a lot of soldiers, but not tens of thousands. The archers by far outnumber the other soldiers, but the group of Elites are able to handle them - Asterios's shield allows him to block the swarm of arrows, and his strength is enough to tear through dozens of men incredibly easily. Hector's skill with the spear far, far surpasses that of the spearmen, and he manages to blow his way through them. Sarracenia's shockwave knocks several back, and her airship causes a squad to hesitate in firing, as does her cry. More soldiers fire arrows and move to attack, but they're easily surpassed by continuing these tactics, and others refuse to engage, instead focusing on the Greek soldiers. Hector's analysis will find that there appears to be two that stand out - a man in elegant armor and a cloak with a curved sword, and a massive man, about eleven feet tall with dark skin. The two are conversing amongst troops, though getting close or superior senses would be required to make them out. "Your highness, I don't believe this is Alexander's full force." "Hmph. This isn't what I want. Well then, there's no point to give it everything we got. Servant count?" "Unknown, but we intercepted a letter. He's called in additional aid from beyond the strange gates." "Did he, now? Command the troops and protect the fortress. I'll prepare to return to the capital. May the wind have your back, Saber." "Thank you, your highness. I will proceed." Soon after that, the troops begin to split at the elegant armored man's call, as he leads them out towards the battlefield, while the massive man returns to what appears to be their campsite. Saber, the armored man, proceeds to leap upon a horse and draws the curved blade, before rushing into battle. The reinforcements, meanwhile, arrive at the fortress, giving it several more spearmen and bowmen. Approaching the group, the Saber shouts out as he and his forces get closer, pointing the blade forward. "Come no further! I am the Saber of Persia, and I shall not let you pass." With how many there are, some of the group could manage to bypass him, especially the flying ship which they don't seem to currently have an answer for.
Lin	Lin's yet another warrior who has little trouble spearheading her way through the battle lines! She manages to cut a broad swath through warriors, single swings of her sheathed weapon bowling over whole teams! There's surprisingly little blood shed by her though. Since she's perfectly capable of bringing them down battered and bruised but alive, she does so - even if it's a bit slower going! Straight towards the fortress in the distance... One woman, with a weapon still sheathed, leaves grown and armored men in groaning piles. A few broken bones and dislocations here and there, but they're largely intact. And this continues all up until the the Saber joins the battle! THEN she stands up straight and... grins rather wildly. "Alright... now that's more like it! Lin of Grantine! I'll be passing whether you like it or not!" Then, finally, she brings her still-sheathed Reaper Daiklave (which she's been just BEATING people with) up in front of her. One hand grasping it by the middle of the scabbard, her right hand on the grip... Stormcaller is DRAWN, and now free from its sealing scabbard, the Demon Blade's bloodthirst and malice emanates for all to feel. Lin, judging by her face, seems unaffected by the weapon's murderous aura. The other sign of it being drawn is that the skies peal with thunder and dark clouds swirls directly overhead, slowly spreading. A light drizzle begins to fall on the battlefield...
Sarracenia	Sarracenia smirks smugly as troops near her pull back, but as new soldiers move in she frowns and goes into a spin. Like a ballerina she twirls, her hammer held out at full length. Like a twirling top of destruction she starts pummelling her way through the lines. Much like Lin, her hits leave people battered and broken, but never dead unless they are rather unlucky. Right up until the Saber of Persia steps forward. She comes to a stop, then looks up toward her airship before pointing her hammer at the Saber. She also steps back from Lin as she feels that strange aura and witnesses the storm starting overhead. "Stand aside, Saber of Persia! A villain like you won't stop the Heroic Spirit in his quest!" she declares in a strong voice. "Withdraw, and spare your forces further humiliation! We have already proven they are no match for us!" There is a loud sound like a hydrolic lift overhead, and a curved surface with a painted shark face comes into view within the massive cannon overhead.
Asterios	Asterios is basically made of meat and destructive potential. The minotaur charges blindly into the battle, smashing half a dozen men away with each calamitous blow. He is wounded for his trouble-- arrows and spears find their mark, digging into his exposed flesh. But he doesn't seem bothered in the least. He doesn't slow down at all, instead seeming only to gain momentum with each leap and kill. Much like a charging bull, to be quite honest. But he's no mere killing machine. The minotaur's ears and nose are more sensitive than any ordinary human's. He glances up at those two distinct voices. A conversation between commanders...? The giant is preparing to escape? Asterios grunts softly as the horseman rides up to meet them, and... Lets Lin and the others take care of him. A giant must fight a giant, after all...! The only question is whether that swordsman has any trick up his sleeve that might be able to stop him...!
Hector	As Hector takes out soldier after soldier, he slows down a bit to get a better look at the figures in the distance. The armored swordsman is easier to make out (especially as he draws closer), but the giant... He can't quite tell who it is, but the size difference would be night impossible NOT to notice. Between Asterios' hearing and Lin and Sarracenia challenging the Saber, the spearman opts to... ... Pursue the giant! He may not be riding on anything himself, but he's capable enough to break into a run and use various soldiers as springboards to fling himself forward rapidly. He even picks up/grabs a fallen soldier's javelin on the way, rearing back to fling it towards the giant as a sort of warning shot.
Dapper Avenger	As Lin and Sarracenia move to confront him, Saber nods to Lin, removing his cloak. His black hair is braided, and his black eyes are piercing like a hawk's. Sarracenia gets a look of both ocnfusion and outrage. "Villain? What lies has he fed you outsiders?" As the storm brews overhead, several of the troops start moving backwards, shocked by both it and the cannons "If I must fight you, I will. Prepare yourselves." In a flurry of steps, Saber suddenly moves to try and slash the two of them with his blade, aiming for their arms to attempt to weaken their grip on their blades. His movements are rapid, and he seems skilled with his blade, confident in its usage. Spearmen move to flank them, trying to pierce through their sides and backs as they fight Saber. The approach on Darius leads to plenty of arrows being fired at Asterios and Hector, as the king steps away from his tent, two axes on his back. His dark skin bears several tattoos, and he's overall massive. The javelin strikes into his wrist, making a minor but noticeable wound and a grunt of pain, and he tears it out, throwing it back at Hector (though not very accurately, just with a lot of poer behind it). "You must be the outsiders from beyond the gate. Do you come to pick a fight with me? I am Darius III, King of Persia! If that is your choice, I accept your battle." The two axes are drawn, and if Asterios or Hector get into battle range, they're slashed into the torso with them, trying to tear through them with sheer strength. Asterios can pick up something in the distance. It sounds like riding...and a roar?
Asterios	Asterios grunts softly as Hector moves to engage alongside him. Good, this is a surprisingly effective combination; one gigantic beast of a fighter to force the enemy to focus on him, one agile lancer who can take advantage of openings in the enemy's guard. Not that Asterios is particularly skilled from a tactical standpoint. Still, he can tell an advantage when he sees one. "Darius III. I am Asterios. Sorry. Will have to fight you, to break through...!" The minotaur charges first, his own axes braced and at the ready. His opponent goes to try and defeat him with pure, raw power-- that suits the minotaur just fine. He responds in kind, roaring with bestial fury as he lunges, forcing his axes in to lock hafts with the great emperor of Persia. That might be enough to give Hector an opportunity to strike...! But...! Something... Something is coming. Hooves beating the earth. A mighty roar...?
Sarracenia	Sarracenia barely has time to blink much less prepare herself before it seems like the Saber of Persia is upon them! She manages to fend off the worst of the strikes using her hammer's shaft, but her dress is soon tattered and her lightly tanned skin is marred with shallow cuts. "Y-you did not give enough time to prepare!" she exclaims just before yelping as one of the slashes catches her on the cheek. She blinks, then touches it with a gloved hand before letting out something akin to a growl. "Of course you are a villain! No hero would harm the beautiful face of a princess!" she shouts at the Saber before she starts swinging. With graceful steps and more quickness than one might expect from such a large weapon, she twirls in place with the hammer swinging at shin level, trying to knock the legs out from under anyone who gets close. And anyone unlucky enough to be caught with a tripping blow would likely then be hit like a croquet ball across the ground.
Hector	Hector grunts lightly as he comes to realize that the giant is Darius III himself, and he just narrowly avoids taking that return throw to the chest. The metal scrapes against his mechanical arm and creates a sickening scraping noise, and the spearman bends his arm several times to make sure it's still working well enough. "Darius III...? Hm. Wasn't expecting to run into you this soon, but since we're here already..." Leveling his spear towards Darius, Hector grips the weapon with both hands and hops back as those axes come swinging in. He then leaps forward at the last moment while twisting himself around, just barely clearing over the axes while sailing right past Darius and Asterios with a intrigued smirk. "Hector, Warrior of Troy. Let's make this a good fight!" The awkward jump means Hector can't quite strike back at Darius, but it does give him an opportunity to get a better look at Darius and his weapons briefly before landing. With the possibility of something approaching, he also has to settle for being a little less sporting in mid-war murder time. With Asterios moving in to confront the king directly, Hector dashes in fromt around the side to stab at Darius III's side, fully intending to drive Durindana directly into him as far as the Lancer can manage.
Lin	Sarracenia ALSO gets an aside glance from Lin at the 'villain' comment. She turns back to face Saber... and shrugs a little. The gesture's clearly meant to disassociate herself with the villain claim! But with scabbard in her left hand and blade grasped in her right, she adopts a low style and focuses her spirit. Sunlight shines from her skin and her movements quicken like living lightning! "Likewise!" She's quick to rush out and meet his charging assault, sparks flying as their blades meet. Lin's style is a bit less polished, but her movements are quick as a hurricane and that blade of hers is resilient enough to withstand the full force of her strength without breaking! She's briefly put on the defensive after the initilal clash, and the Saber's blade bites into her arm by a half-inch despite her efforts. Blood begins to drun down the arm... but this has done NOTHING to change the gleeful grin she's wearing! "In defense of my client's honor, I tell you that he not brought up deeds or morality into this whatsoever. His path just lies through you and yours! I have no quarrel with you and your men." Which probably explains why she hasn't left a brigade of bodies behind her. But now, the folly of that approach is made evident as the spearmen sneak up behind her. "Tsk!" A glance behind is something she can ill-afford, with Saber in front of her. So Lin hardens herse spirit - and through it, her body. With a fierce kiai she accepts the spears - or rather, rejects them. There's a dull thunk as the speartips strike her flesh and... can go no further. Her face contorts with a bit of pain, but the weapons have failed to penetrate her skin with just that single thrust. "Hah! Was that supposed to hurt?" She roars back at the soldiers, hoping to intimidate them into submission so she can focus on Saber!
Dapper Avenger	"So be it." Saber replies, giving Lin a respectful nod but speaking no further. The hammer is faster than he expected, and manages to catch him off guard, as the croquet ball slams into his legs as he tries to maintain balance. Instead of completely falling prone, however, he catches himself on his blade and flips upright, taking a moment to regain focus. As Lin defends against the spearmen thrusts, they back off, clearly finding themselves outmatched. Lin and Sarracenia both have the perfect avenue for a counter strike, though Saber attempts to force them back with the blunt side of his blade, actually clearly avoiding slashing Sarracenia's face again. Two against one of fearsome opponents seems to not have been what he expected, as he's being primarily defensive. "The famous foe of Achilles and the beast of the Labryinth. I know of you both, though I was not aware you were active. Show me what you're capable of." The double tactic works very well - Asterios and Darius clash axes, Asterios having the upper hand as Darius moves to try and take an axe to slash him through the side. Hector manages to jab Durindana straight into his side already, a sickening sound as it pierces through him. However...he keeps moving. Darius III pulls back, and moves to strike against against the hafts when two things happen. First, a scout approaches. "Sir, Alexander has the upper hand. His forces outnumber ours, and his allies are holding back Saber." Darius doesn't get the chance to reply before something else happens. A massive beast stomps into the battlefield, a composite creature of lion, snake, and scorpion. The sound of a mount changing behind it is clear, as the chimera attempts to escape through the troops, tearing through them. It's going to put a lot of unneeded casualties...and it's being chased by what appears to be a knight in armor, with long blonde hair, a spear, and a bag over his shoulder. His mount appears to be sort of like a horse, but it's made of intricate clay and stone, clearly not organic, and its head shape is...odd. Sort of beaked. "Aha! You can't escape me, you beast! I must have your tail!" The combination of issues leads Darius to make the call. "Fine. Have them sound a retreat. We'll reclaim the fortress at a later date." Suddenly, Darius is leaping backwards, moving to leap upon a horse. Several minutes later, a horn is sound. At the other side of the battle, Saber hears the horn, and moves to take steps backwards. "Everyone, retreat! They'll be too occupied with securing the fortress to pursue!" And as such, Saber moves to retreat, but not turning his back to the others.
Sarracenia	The fact that Saber actively avoids her face after her complaint leaves Sarracenia a bit stunned. So, when the forces more to retreat, she does not follow. She watches Saber pull back, a bit troubled by what he said. He seemed truly insulted to be called a villain, and that could mean that...she helped the badguys! She will have to talk with Alexander later. And with the Saber of Persia if he is so inclined. In fact, she calls out as the Saber retreats, "If you are not a villain...then what are you?!" Just as she says this, that lift is lowered for her again. She steps on, then hmphs and looks toward where she thinks Alexander might be right now. "Misleading a princess...unforgivable if true!" she says as she is steadily lifted back into the sky. As she is now unsure of who the goodguys are, the airship starts toward the warpgate again. It seems the princess and her pirahna plant people will not be helping to fully secure the fortress.
Asterios	"Am Asterios," Asterios insists as Hector strikes his blow. "Not a beast. But am of the Labyrinth. I do not know you, Darius III. But you are... Strong!" Though perhaps not as strong as the Child of the Labyrinth. Asterios' duel is abruptly aborted when the sound of that rampaging beast draws ever closer, however. Darius disengages, the minotaur tracks him with a long stare afterwards. That's victory then. But... Asterios rounds on the chimera, he huffs, tapping a toe against the ground. "Tell soldiers to keep distance," he says into the radio. "I will. Engage the chimera. Can probably survive the poison. Maybe." That's perhaps not the best or most reassuring statement, but Asterios seems confident. He roars as he charges again, surging with tremendous speed to slam his axes into the beast's skull...! "You," he says to the knight over the din. "Take the tail. Now!" Ideally, before Asterios is run through himself...!
Lin	Sensing Saber's reluctance, Lin switches to defensive herself with a scowl of frustration. She wants to face this opponent when he's at his best and fully committed! So she puts her guard up when he comes swooping in and absorbs the blow. She's sent flying backwards, but not so much that she's off-balance! Lin skids to a halt while staying upright. But a few seconds later her spirits surge again as she remembers her duties. "Y-... you do know that sometimes people just come down to blows as a matter of course, right?" She bellows bewilderedly at Sarracenia... The very next moment, Lin raises her blade skyward. The heavens rumble and sizzle... and a bolt flies down from the skies to strike the blade. The electricity arcs and crackles madly along the Daiklave... But just then, the horn sounds. She bites her lip frustratedly... and impales the blade into the ground. The lightning discharges harmlessly. She twirls it a few times to cast the dirt off and slams it back into its scabbard. Immediately, the growing storm clears up.
Dapper Avenger	The chimera is already wounded, and Asterios is immensely powerful already. The tail moves to scrape against his skin, but the knight's spear (sort of more like a halberd) moves to cleave through it, slicing it in half. The blow of Asterios' axes causes a roar from the Chimera, who moves to start retreating, having lost its primary weapon. "I thank you for your assistance! Baskerville Hanzik, fifth of the Knights VII!" He pronounces the Roman numerals as letters. "I must return to this camp to preserve the tail, but I hope to see you again, brave bullman!" Baskerville rides off on his golem after making sure the corpse is down, taking the tail with him, slung on the back of his golem. It probably won't be the last you see of him, even if he's only been seen briefly. With the forces already moving on the fortress, and the Persians retreating, sieging it isn't difficult. Those who wanted such will be given a small chest worth of gold and jewels, and allowed to camp in the area if they so wish, but they likely need not. Once the fortress is set up, Alexander says, he'll call a meeting to speak to them all again, and give Hector the rest of his payment - apparently it's a bit rare.