Overview & Main Roleplay

The golem struck ground as Oromis evaded, leaving behind a small crater. Then Oromis struck at the golem! It brought its arm up for defense.. the intensity of the attack shattered some of the rocks that composed its arm, and also seemed to disrupt the magic channeling between the body and its arm. It took only a few seconds though, for this arm to reform and reattach, the magic aura swirling about it again. It let out another bellow; not nearly as pronounced or loud, though it still managed to carry an echo on the night sky.


As Oromis retreated into the fort, the Golem was about to give chase when Lance confronted it. Slowly, the golem turned its head towards Lance.. Beneath its glowing blue eye, the rocks seemed to crack.. forming what looked like a creepy, jagged grin. It seemed to point its rocky fingers at his sword, then pointed down at the ground. If Lance was any good at charades, he'd understand the Golem was trying to tell him to put that itsy bitsy sword down. 


@Trombone Geek


@Inheritance
 
South Yunakai--


When Oromis suddenly rose and stumbled from the table, Edwin raised his arms and shouted victoriously, "I win!" he declared. He then leaned over against Cecile, perhaps leaning farther than he anticipated due to his own drunkenness. "So what do I get, Princess?" he asked, reaching his arm over and placing it on her thigh. He hiccuped, and Cecile pulled away; she was somewhat disgusted by the strong scent of liquor on him and his touchy behavior. 


"Princess", he mumbled while trying to reach for her again. Cecile climbed to her feet and gently pushed Edwin, sending him to the floor collapsed. It didn't take much to knock the drunken man over, and once on the floor Edwin passed out. There were already a several other soldiers knocked out on the floor. 


It was then that a large explosive like sound drew the attention of Cecile and quieted the remaining men. The Rose Princess hurried in the direction of the sound with a look of alarm on her face. She knew that not long ago Oromis headed outside and could be in trouble. Cecile rushed out the main exit, pushing through the doors and charging into the open. She stopped immediately in her tracks, though, upon seeing the gigantic figure of the golem, and a stumbling Oromis heading her direction to the fort.


Now Cecile followed the eyes of the golem; they led to Lance. Cecile looked back to Oromis and the monster a couple of times while trying to decide what to do. He hadn't noticed her yet, but she didn't know how to attack a large rock. Cecile drew her wand and readied it, casting no spells yet while waiting to see what the golem would do. Cecile stood in front of Oromis; the only thing between the king and the golem. She was nervous about its potential strength, but still hadn't been seen as he was already focused on Lance by the time she got there. Cecile tried to make eye contact with Lance, to hopefully communicate and assist. Could he handle such a beast?!


@Trombone Geek @DemetrioMachete @Inheritance 
 
Lanister would jump to attention quickly, signalling for Aizen to follow, as he raced outside, confronting the Golem in front of him. Now, he may not like Oromis, but that didn't mean he would let someone die if he could prevent it, and now that Lance and Cecile were getting involved, time was of the essence. Lanister would jump up towards the roof, before looking towards Aizen. "Aizen! Get it's attention, and I'll pelt it with magic. We'll wear it down gradually, then strike it hard!" Lanister said, readying his magic. He would then begin firing lightning bolts at it's back. These bolts were meant to kill it: They were meant to damage it's rock-hard armor.


Instead of normally accepting this in a joking matter, as was per Mizuki's attitude, she would do something COMPLETELY out of character: She grabbed Ferris, and turned her back towards her. There was a defiant glint in her eye. "What I do, Ferris, is my own damn business: You haven't been alone for over two centuries, with no-one but stupid humans to talk too, I HAVE! "She said, before shaking her head. She went back to being her meek self, and she was rubbing the back of her head. Her pride demon blood had shot out in that small moment. "S-sorry, sister..."


What she said, however, rang true: Mizuki had not been around other demons in the kingdom of Bathelon for two centuries. Therefor, no-one could know how she would react....or how much she had changed. Before, Mizuki had led a coalition of demons to aid Ferris and Chalondra in an attempt to take Gallica Pass, after destroying the front-lines during the first raids. However, this Mizuki seemed a lot more...different than the one that fought in the raids.


Natha would sigh as he saw this, before extinguishing the fire in his hand, and looking towrads Kalamitat/Maeve. "You may not have reason to trust me, whoever you are in there demon, but so long as you do not threaten my life, I mean you no harm....I may hate demons, but you are not the demons that stole my throne and my home.....I am not the same person I was years ago, and I will not bring harm to you, unless you do to me. "He said, before offering his hand towards them. Natha and Yaro were CONSIDERABLY different: Though they both fought for a kingdom, Natha did not let himself become consumed by anger and rage, where as Yaro had been bent until he broke completely.
 


Chalondra merely stepped to the side as the doctor walked in, before striding closer towards the bundle. She knew she'd likely cover him up to protect him, but that merely brought a small chuckle from her. "Such a beautiful child....You must be so proud of having one in this world....But this world is rife with danger and conflict. A lover leading a rebellion, a rebellion of your own in progress in the Rose Kingdom....my my, if anyone knew of this child, he could be an easy target. "She said, before laughing at something internally. "Do not worry, I am by no means interested in harming the child......No, what I have is the power to allow you to protect this innocent thing yourself..."She said, 


She would then close her hand into a fist, as her smile was still evident on her face. "Your magic is weaker now.....it was expended when you gave birth to your baby.....but what if you could have it without having to be pregnant....?"She said. She would then take a few steps back, before her hand would be enveloped in hell fire. This woman was a demon!


Chalondra would simply keep her eyes on the flames. "Allow me to introduce myself to you, Lady Welder.....I am Chalondra Mazoku, second in command of the Clan of Mazoku, at your service. In return for your.....hospitality, accept this as a gift. "She said, before the fire would disappear, as she would open her hand towards Prudence. Inside would be.....a ring. However, this ring let off an aura of potent demonic energy.


@Enuky @Trombone Geek @DemetrioMachete @Inheritance
 
Aizen nodded at Lanister's orders, vanishing from sight as he stealthfully approached the golem. To get its attention, Aizen readied his grappling hook, swinging it about like a lasso before tossing the hook at the golem. With a small chink, the hook gripped into a gap of the rocks. Feeling something on its boulders, the golem turned around, ready to yank the rope, when a bolt of lightning struck it with much intensity. The blue glow of its eye flickered briefly, before the entire thing fell apart, bringing with it the sound of a landslide.


Did it work, though..? Was this golem dead? Aizen soon found his answer to be 'no', as the Golem's aura resparked within seconds and the boulders reformed. They seemed notably more cracked than before. The hobbit felt as though he could piece something together from this. What if the golem was hit by another spell..?


With another blaring bellow, the Golem went on the attack again, this time going after Lance. With a single step forward, and the raising of its arm, the Golem swung its rocky arm down!


@Enuky


. . .


Klaus stepped in casually, taking quick notice of Chalondra. 


"Oh, tzi suo akhai." [Oh, it's you again.] Heinrich spoke in Abyssal; native demon tongue, to Chalondra. He blinked as he glanced at her, she didn't seem as eccentric or as jovial as she was before Prudence had her little scrape with death. Was it just a façade..? Klaus hoped not. There simply weren't enough happy screams people in this world. 


The doctor showed little interest in talks of the infant. It wasn't his, after all. He looked over at the little bundle, shrugging as Chalondra implied protecting it.


"Are you sure you aren't just going to eat it?" Klaus asked her, tilting his head. "I am certain everyone in here has considered it at least once. Between you, the Witch and me, a doctor, I'm sure we've all eaten a baby once before.. or considered it at least one time." 


As the ring was produced, Klaus squinted upon it. That was indeed a hellish ring. Even from this distance, Klaus could feel the dark tendrils of its presence.. albeit only to be melted by his divine radiance when it tried to grip his heart. He took Prudence aside, whispering to her.


"There's a looooot of spooky mojo about that ring.." there was urgency in his whispers. "You put that on, the sudden flood of demon presence will overwhelm your senses.. it might just drive you insane. And.. be honest. Do you really want to be more like me?" Heinrich had always assumed he got on Prudence's nerves with his eccentric demeanor.. that question was meant to disuade her from putting the ring on. Klaus had a... better idea...
 
@DemetrioMachete


~Valpurina Council Room~


In the council room, deep in Valpurina, a meeting was happening at this time between the Three Grandmasters, and their hands. Each hand of the grand master was five chosen masters, each representing a finger, and thus they were the Inner council of the city. The only one not present was Master Lanister Xhast.


"When was the last time that someone from our order left it's guidance, and took control of a nation?! This must be dealt with!" Master Zevren Catharis, a member of the assassins, said, speaking of the civil war inside of Yunakai.


"I agree. Yaro Azarus's actions have forced our hand. We need to have this dealt with before dissent spreads further in our ranks. " Master Rajanna Prive, A Eldritch knight, said. With the number of assassins having left the order, it left them severely short-handed.


"Our numbers were dwindling before due to the Rose Kingdoms actions, but now this....We need more skilled hands in the field, with operational freedom. "Master Kathar Vardiss, an Arch-mage, said to them. 


Amalyn would be in deep thought, the Grand-master's glowing eyes closed, before speaking. "I know this will generate debate, but in this time of crisis, I say we forgo the trials and promote Lanisters Apprentice to Master Assassin, and make him the Silencer. "Amalyn said, A Silencer was the weapon in the hand of the Wilting Rose Assassin. They were just below the council members, and given almost as much freedom as they were. They only answered to the council.


Rajanna would speak up in dissent. "That is simply preposterous! We cannot set aside our most hollowed traditions and regulations!" She said, furious.


Zevren would look towards Rajanna and speak. "In this time of need, why do we hold back Lanister's chosen Successor?" Zevren said, speaking of the private matter, in which he deemed that Aizen would eventually take his place.


Rajanna would snap back. "I think we've seen just how much Lanister's judgement is worth!"


Kathar would think for a second. "Hmm... Lanister has been requesting this for a month now. "He said, before continuing " well, Aizen is a cunning Assassin, and one of our best agents....But he lacks the proper skill in magic, his training has only just begun." He said.


Clementina would speak up. "True, but we must show that Aizen has dealt with worse than the trials." Clemetina said. "Surely he passed a Trial of Loyalty, following us instead of the Rose Lands when they betrayed us and sided with that whore Kuvira. Also, he passed an arduous Trial of Skill in dealing with the invading forces of the rebellion. "She said to the others. "-and he has continued to past every test of courage this war has dealt him."


Zevren would nod. "It would seem he would have, but one trial to face. The Trial of Spirit."


Kathar would nod. "Facing the Room of a Thousand Mirrors."


"-and that it what concerns me!" Rajanna said, speaking up. "To walk the path as one of our Assassins, one's spirit must be strong! That requires discipline, and he has often questioned the motives and morals of our organization, has he not?..."


Clementina would just close her eyes fore a second, before speaking. "Didn't you question us as well, when you were younger, Master Rajanna?"She said, before continuing. "This is a just debate....But in this time of war, we need every advantage in the field we can get.....Aizen's time in the Order has been Unorthodox.....So his trials shall be as well. I trust in Master Lanister's judgement. "She said, before speaking up.


"Master Assassin, and Silencer of the Wilting Rose, he shall be."
 
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Lance didn't lower his sword, but instead he adjusted his stance, his left (dominant) side facing the golem with his weight spread evenly between his slightly bent legs. In this position, he could easily move any direction he chose, and his size was enough to outmaneuver the huge and clumsy being. He didn't look towards Cecile for fear of drawing the golem's attention to her, but nodded his head ever so slightly, carefully sidestepping to the right and turning the golem to face away from the girl.

That was when, suddenly, things went wrong. Distracted momentarily by Aizen's sudden spell, Lance returned focus to the golem too late; it had recovered and attacked! Unfortunately, the swing collided with the Bathelonian king's head, his attempt to dodge too slow. For a moment it seemed he would fall unconscious, but instead he rolled to the side and returned to his feet, shuddering. Already left somewhat unstable by the thoughts that had risen unbidden earlier that night, Lance growled as he whirled to face the golem with bright yellow eyes ablaze with feral rage, his body already elongating and shifting into his monstrous beast form. He would suffer extremely from his head injury after the battle, but at this very moment all of his being was intent on tearing the golem to bits for daring lay a hit on him!

The moon parted just enough and for once the party was able to get a good look at Lance's werewolf form. He was much taller and more broad-shouldered than before, though still with a slighter build than Oromis. Russet fur covered the beast's body besides an area around and on the back of his neck, which was black; and his eyes had changed from their enraged yellow to a softer (although still angry) brown. With his hackles raised, the wolfish Lance almost looked like he had a mane of sorts, the black fur sticking up prominently. (Basing it off of the maned wolf, I love their appearance!)

The creature paused for a brief moment, then leaped at the golem with a terrifying snarl. In a sudden fit of violence, it was tearing through the stone being's chest, towards its enchanted Heart; destroying or severely damaging this would essentially kill the golem. Gravel and chunks of rock flew about as the wolf ignored the various scrapes and wounds it received. If there had been blood instead, it would've been a possibly traumatizing sight.

After a short while, Lance had reached his goal. The beast pulled one arm back and brought it across in a powerful swipe; with a loud, ear-grating screech almost like nails on a chalkboard, the once-flawless Heart was clawed deeply. What remained of the golem fell to bits, and with his rage exhausted Lance began to shift back to his human form. His body seemed to resist the change.

Dignity spared by the existence of the loose and slightly torn pants Lance had chosen to wear that night out of fear of shapeshifting, the Bathelonian king came out of his previous state in a daze, until he noticed the group and golem remains around him. His head felt oddly clear, and this fact along with the sight around him unnerved Lance. He sat there for a moment, scowling at the ground, before swiftly getting to his feet and leaving towards the fort without another word. It was if the violence had made his previous doubts, regrets, and sorrows disappear, and unclouded his mind; he didn't like suffering by those feelings, but this new development was much less preferred. 

///

Ferris tensed when her sister grabbed and spun her, coolly eyeing Mizuki. Feeling rather hollow that day, Ferris decided what little emotion she felt on the matter wasn't worth pondering on. When Mizuki apologized for her outburst, Ferris just shrugged and turned back around, leaving to her room. She didn't mean to be rude to her sister, but she really didn't want to put up with this sort of thing today. The Ishikawa couldn't help but wonder if all those years among humans had affected her sister.

///

Kalamitat growled with distrust but stopped screaming; Maeve remained curled for a few more moments until her headache disappeared, before taking Natha's hand and letting him pull her up. 

:If he makes a move to harm me, I will kill him!: the demon warned, but it retreated away and remained silent.

"Please teach me, Natha. I'm tired of being at Kalamitat's mercy," Maeve said with a sigh. She felt slightly guilty about the fear still drifting in her mind--the aftereffect of the golden demon's panic--but Kalamitat was a demon and deserved no chances. Not after the incident with Yaro in those caves where she and he had once been friends.
 
 
Oromis


During all of this, panic indused adrenaline, which mixing with his intoxication, made him able to flee with suprising coordination. Once he was inside the fort, he just sat in a corner panting,  drinking water,  and trying to focus. 
 
Suddenly, someone would speak up. "I've had my eye on that lad since he came in. Good head on his shoulders, if he's willing to ask questions others are to afraid to ask. Besides, he'll need all the support we can give him. I think we all remember our time in the Room. I certainly do. And if he isn't a man cut from the right cloth, I can always handle Yaro myself." The owner of the voice would state. He was a tall man, even seated, his head towering over the other masters easily. His flesh was sunken and sallow, giving off an almost feverish glow that seemed a sharp contrast to the pale pale blue of his eyes. A huge capotain hat sat on the floor beside his seat, revealing his almost hairless head. The most strinking feature was the fact that even here, in the heart of Valpurina, he appeared to be armed to the teeth. Master Yoren Usher of the Assassins sat a little higher as he began to speak again. "I agree with Clementia on this matter. I trust Lanister enough to know that he has made a good choice in apprentice. But before becomes the Silencer, I shall train him myself." It wasn't a question.


@Andraus
 
@Dalamus Ulom


Grand-Master Osuin would nod, before looking towards his two fellows. "I am hoping you are doing this for a good reason, Master Usher, and not because Master Lanister is your former student.....Regardless, You're our most experienced Teacher in these matters, and Lanister respects your teachings.....So be it. Master Usher, you're to head towards Amberjack using the Moon-gates, and link up with Master Lanister. There, you shall prepare Assassin Aizen for the Trial of the Spirit. "Osuin said, the elven monk standing.


Grandmaster Amalyn would stand herself, dusting herself off, before the woman would look towards Usher. "If you can, Persuade Yaro to step down peacefully.....He is simply misguided, and I would rather have him re-educated here, then face the executioners block by that Fool Thornton." Amalyn said, before stepping out of the room. If there was one thing that can be said, the Wilting Rose took care of their own.


Grandmaster Clementina would clap her hands together. "A Silencer hasn't been chosen in almost a century, and only ever in extreme emergencies.....Having one with us will allow us to strike without having to go through the normal process, and if you teach him Yuron, He'll become the best we have.....May Lady Morganna guide your steps. This meeting is adjourned!" The Vampiress would say to the rest of the council in the room, as the masters began leaving.


@Trombone Geek


Natha would help her up, before closing his eyes as they walked. He had to choose his words carefully. "An early lesson, and one that should be common sense, is that Demons feed on negative energy and negativity in general....To relieve that negativity, and thus weaken the demons direct power source so it cannot as easily overwhelm you, Speak of what is bothering you....I may not be much in the way of the sympathy, but I can empathize with a lot, and I will offer guidance in the best way I can." Natha said, hoping this would help her in freeing herself, and allow him to learn more about who he was travelling with.


"Another deterrent is to focus on positive things or healthy goals....Positivity strengthens your soul, and thus gives you more control than the demon. Though the goal is to work 'with' your demon, you must first master yourself." He said to her, and would wait for her to speak.
 
South Yunakai--




While Cecile had hoped to prove useful in some way against the golem, Lance did as she should have expected and kept her out of the conflict. She found herself feeling somewhat guilty for being relieved... She wanted to assist on one hand, but on the other she was glad to be protected. She wondered what the others would think of her if they knew this, and watched on as Lance's werewolf tendencies took control of the situation. It was painful to watch; she knew Lance hated this resort. 


However, it proved to be successful. The wolf like beast was able to destroy the golem, and no sooner was Lance heading for the hills... leaving Cecile standing there with only Lanister and Aizen. Oromis had already made his way back into the fort, she noticed. The princess considered going after Lance, but decided that he likely needed space... and she should try to be useful elsewhere. She looked around and back towards the fort before turning to Lanister and Aizen.


"We have some cleaning up to do", she said and gestued for them to follow her back into the fort. Inside, Cecile instructed all soldiers who were still awake to begin assisting the passed out soldiers in returning to the barracks. One reason Cecile preferred drunken soldiers was because she found they usually offered her more respect, and were more wiling to do as she instructed. Some of the soldiers groaned in complaint, but all who could began to move, lifting their comrades and slowly making their way to the barracks. 


"Help with Edwin", Cecile said to Aizen. Cecile went to King Oromis, who was awake and sitting on the floor. She was glad to see that he was drinking water, at least.


"Come on", she said as she pulled him upwards, letting him lean on her shoulder if necessary. 


Cecile had a soldier prepare a place for the group to sleep. Naturally, there weren't many private rooms available in a military fortress, but Cecile and King Oromis were given a small room probably intended to house medics. The rooms were side by side from each other. Not far from this area, the rest of the group was given the medical wing to sleep in. It was clean and it wasn't in use, and it provided enough beds for the remaining guests. The rest of the soldiers went to the general barracks, and Cecile had fresh water laid out for them as they awoke. They would need it in the coming morning.


Oromis and Cecile made it to his room, and she helped him enter and reach the bed. She didn't like the man, but she was still willing to assist the drunk. "Take it easy", Cecile said, hoping he would get a good night's rest. She left his water by the bed, and left him there to rest.


Cecile stepped out of the room, gently shutting the door behind her. The princess decided she wouldn't sleep until Lance returned... so she waited there outside her and Oromis's doors. From the medical wing, she could hear Edwin grumbling at Aizen . "You... better not leave...", he hiccupped, "princess,...troll". Half asleep and drunk, he still considered her safety after all. 


. . .
​


 
​


Prudence instinctivey hugged her baby closer when Chalondra brought up his safety. It was an issue she hadn't considered until then, but the demon was right. Now that her Alfio was an Azarus as well as an heir to the throne he would be targeted. Indeed, even the female telling her this could not be trusted, she reflected while eyeing Chalondra with a look of uncertainty. 


She turned Alfio away from Chalondra when her hand suddenly caught flame, alarmed by the sudden spell. However, she quickly turned back as the flame dissipated and revealed a ring with a good sized, red gem in her palm. The ring was radiating demonic energy, something Prudence's body quickly detected and began to crave. She was staring into the gem as if in a trance when the doctor pulled her aside and expressed his concerns in a whisper.


She listened to what he said and tried to shake the craving for the source of energy from her mind. She wanted it terribly... to feel such power again. Her body wanted it, and just being exposed to the ring's energy was enough to trigger the cravings. 


However, she knew the doctor was right; she had witnessed the effects of depending on demonic energy for power. After nine months of hiding behind the strength of dmeonic energy, Prudence was left extremely weak. She didn't want to depend on such energy again, and knew that she most needed to develop her natural abilities again. She nodded to Klaus before turning back to Chalondra, "I have the king for our protection", she said confidently, "and I cannot go against his wishes", she added knowing he wouldn't be comfortable with her using the ring. For now at least, Prudence wasn't desperate enough to go to such measures. 


@Andraus @Trombone Geek @DemetrioMachete @Inheritance 
 
Oromis


He was up early. Very early. Though had a bad hangover, he was up around 3, observing nobody else was even on guard. He was furious....he could only remember flashes of the night before, but he knew the jist of what had gone down. He had shown weakness,  not for forfeiting the contest, he didn't care about that-he had shown weakness because he was helpless, and needed others to clean up his mess. But.... HE DIDN'T!!! HE HAD DONE EVERYTHING alone,  and he didn't need to rely on anyone else. That was stupid of him to get drunk. Stupid! He let out a roar of rage, and threw a chair a good 50 feet into the sky. With a snarl,  he shot a firebolt at it, absolutely destroying it. Burnt ashes fell around him. The only thing he did well, was rejecting the advances of that princes. What about that...it had danced across his mind in his sleep,  short as it was... Well,  he recognized she was quite gorgeous, and she once may have liked him in some sort of way....but he knew from day one not to accept the advances.


Come now,  he knew himself well enough to know that he would only mess it up,  because once he was passionately locked onto something,  he protected it with his life. But...nothing was more important than his own life, if his father had beaten anything into him... The heart was the weakest thing in the human body,  it destroyed even the greatest of men, tore them apart,  distracted them, broke them.... Therefore,  he knew not to let anyone close,  else he may become to attached-and therefore,  he knew he needed to ignore everything his heart told him. 


So, up before dawn,  Oromis busied himself throwing chairs around and shooting, or just shooting in general, occasionally crying out in rage. He began shoving those thoughts away,  thinking of the state of the country...his country? He still didn't refer to himself as King Oromis...sometimes he didn't respond when they called him.  He didn't feel like a king,  because there was no victories to celebrate with him. No victories....because he was weak, and that needed to change. The heart,  his heart, made him weak. 


@Enuky @DemetrioMachete @Trombone Geek 
 
Aizen only nodded to Edwin as he demanded he not leave the princess.. and so he stood by her, waiting for Lance to show up so she'd be comfortable enough to sleep. 


"...Freaky occurence, yeah?"  he asked of Cecile, recalling the Golem attack. "There isn't much I know about Golems.. but I do know they're not just made in the wild. They're artificial.. meaning someone sent that golem to kill us." the bigger question was who, though. Who had the magical talent to create golems, and was a large enough supporter of the Resistance to send them after this army? 


@Inheritance @Trombone Geek


. . .


"That a girl." Klaus beamed proudly upon his witch friend, patting her head twice, smiling at her decision. "I intend no offense to you, madam, by refusing your ring, but I like to think myself a wise doctor. I know how to whip ol' Prudy back into shape." he caught himself.. trying to correct what he said. "Oh wait.. you're probably younger than me.. heheh. So you wouldn't be ol' Prudy." all he could do was chuckle at his mistake.


@Enuky @Andraus
 
Lance had returned to the tower he'd sat in before Oromis was attacked, and he stared at the horizon listlessly until he heard the shouts of rage and noticed the chairs Oromis was flinging into the sky and burning. Quietly, Lance decided he was tired of brooding on the feeling of liberation that had come with his transformation and its violence, and he finally made his way to the room their party had been given to stay in. 


Cecile and Aizen were waiting just outside the door. Lance was too tired for conversation, so with a wave and a forced smile the king slipped around them and into the room where he collapsed onto the bed. He felt sorry for brushing the Rose princess off like that, but all he wanted to do right then was sleep.

///

Maeve narrowed her eyes at Natha's hand but accepted it, rising to her feet and crossing her arms to listen to his words. She felt as if he was trying to pry and was uncomfortable sharing this info with him, but if it would help..

"I'm tired of being unable to help others, but more than that I'm tired of being unable to help myself, being stuck at the mercy of my own problems and letting them control me like so many others do. Like Yaro does still. I hate it!" The number one cause of unnecessary martyrs and cliche brooding was a high number in Maeve's book of dislikes. As the assassin spoke, she paced restlessly. 

///

After a few hours of resting, the entirety of the Order of the Raven and anyone in their command gathered their equipment and left the barracks after a quick reminder of where they were going and what they were doing. To avoid detection, they all left in groups of three and spread out around the city, each taking different ways out of Amberjack and circling around before heading towards their positions. This took a while, due to their large number, as they outmanned the Wilting Rose agents that had been accompanying Lanister (20 men) three to one.

Because of this, Yaro's strategic genius, and other factors, the Resistance seemed fairly confident they would win this world-changing war.
 
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Yoren scoffed lightly at Osuin's concerns. Despite the grim man's appearences, he quite often brought in many recruits for the Wilting Rose from all across Morganna. In his nearly six decades of service to the Wilting Rose, he had brought in a solid fourty-eight recruits. Fourty-eight men and women, loyal to the end. And he had seen almost all of them die.


 He would nod at Amalyn's request. That's how they always played it. Try to take them back home willingly. Makes the rehabilitation process easier if they're willing to go through it. They rarely do. And that usually leads to someone losing a head, namely the defector. As he thought this, Yoren wondered as to what Thornton was even doing as of late. And of course, thinking of the boy made him think of the girl, the little he knew of her.


 Then, as Clementina would speak, he'd give the faintest hint of a smile, and say, "Please, Clementina, you flatter me," though it seemed she hadn't heard him. Clementina was the only person still alive who had known him when he had been a lad.


 Yoren would wait patiently as the other masters would file out of the room, until finally, he was alone. In a single move, the tall man would stand and snatch up his hat. Taking a moment to dust himself up and straighten his clothing, he would place the large capotain atop his head before heading out the door, ducking slightly to avoid the doorframe. Going deeper into Valpurina, Yoren would quickly head to his home, collecting the few oddiments that he needs. After a few minutes, he would go on to the Moon-Gate. The Moon-Gate of Valpurina was probably the best looking of all the still functional Gates, made from hand a natrual archway hand carved with magical symbols and runes. Focusing on where he wanted to go, the nearest gate to Lanister, he would step through, an odd tingling sensation passing over his body as he did so. Looking around, he would find that he was inside a small, empty cave. Looking back, he found that he had passed through a stone doorway, with ornate carvings around it. Proceeding out of the cave, he would see that the cave was located in a stand of poplars near a small fort with unmortared walls. The rough stone wouldn't help the fort if it were to ever be attacked, as a man could easilty climb up using the stones rough surface. "Lanister's nearby. Same for the halfling." Yoren muttered to himself.  He decided to head down to the fort openly. Made no matter who owned it. Stepping out of the trees, he would head towards the road. Suddenly, he would hear a loud roar, and see man built like a bear tossing a chair into the air. Pulling out one of his pistols, he would draw closer to the fort, now noticing a large pile of rubble that did not seem to be from the fort, and seemed to give off a smell of magical residue. A golem. Or what was left of one. Yoren had a knack for being able to smell magical residue left in the air. Always seemed to have a salty, almost electric smell to it, with hints of cherry. Never understood the cherry part, but that's magic for you. Finally, Yoren was in earshot to the man. As he would put away his pistol, Yoren would speak. "Hail, good man! I am looking for two young men. Perhaps you may have seen them?" he said. "One is a man going by the name Lanister, and the other is a halfling by the name of Aizen," his scratchy voice would be loud enough for those inside to be able to hear him speak, aswell


@Inheritance @Andraus @DemetrioMachete @Enuky @Trombone Geek 
 
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@Trombone Geek @Enuky  (YOU are going to love this.....Maeve is SO going to hate Sotha Sil, Yaro's deceased brother, SO MUCH after this)


Natha would listen to this, and ask her about things that seemed of little importance: Yaro's family, his brothers actions, the state of Yunakai at the time, Troy's murder, and various other things that seemed of little importance at the time. But before long, Natha would begin....laughing. He would sit down at a stump, and look towards her, before pulling out a small thing from his pack: A handmade chessboard. He would sit next to the stump, set up the pieces, and begin speaking. "Maeve...I know you're going to hate this, but this was completely out of your control.....for you see.....You were being played from the very beginning." Natha said, before setting up the pieces. "The biggest hint? Sotha's own words: May the hell you find, be one of your own making...."


"You told me Sotha Sil was an outspoken enemy of Kuvira's family, and that it was rumored he was planning a revolt?....the rumors were half-right: He had a revolt already set in motion. "Natha said, as he began moving the pieces. "One thing that pointed to that was Sotha Sil waited until Yaro left before he began playing....The Demons in the South, how could he have not known about that? He controlled the southern trade routes." He asked, and it was noted that Sotha Sil traveled to the South frequently, but that was assumed because it was his territory. However, what Natha mentioned was true, Sotha wasn't an idiot, he payed close attention to detail as the head of House Azarus. 


"So he had forces set in reserve.....and at the time, Yunakai was just getting back on it's feet. He made it public several times that what the Royal Family and the Monarchy Loyalists were doing was wrong....and humiliated them, thus increasing his allies and gaining status....and painting a target on his back."He said, before he moved another piece. "Amberjack.....why that city in particular? He made it public there that Kuvira was making him squeezing them hard for taxes...and thus lead to more rebellious thoughts among the pirates and poor. "He said, placing a rook in a spot.


"He knew how Yaro acted, how he felt.....and he knew what would happen if he became a public enemy of Kuvira....At the time, Sotha knew of the plague and instability between the kingdoms. If Bathelon was going to send anyone to the Rose Kingdom, going through Yunakai was predestined...So he counted on Kuvira going to the Rose Kingdom. "He said, and it made perfect sense. 


"It was bound she would join in the events of the plague.....and given what people knew about the old king, Him being removed from play was necessary, either by assassination or other means....Do you really believe the king would leave that easily? Either he was trapped or killed, whichever came first." Natha asked her. "-Now Kuvira was in a position to garner more security and power for her kingdom, so a political marriage was obviously in the best interest for all....But then Sotha's own pawn came into play: His own brother Yaro. "He said to her.


Natha would then move Queen piece forward. "Sotha knew his death was coming....he counted on it. After his families murder, given that Yaro had training from two groups of Assassins, it was inevitable that he'd learn the truth on who killed them.....Sotha knew how he'd feel, and Yaro danced to his tune perfectly.....A brother that lost his family, learning the truth about his families murder, and the condition of his kingdom: How else was he going to react?"Natha said, before moving another piece.


Yaro, grief striken, acted out in the only way anyone would expect of him...


"Then, with so much chaos afterwards, someone was bound to do something stupid. Kuvira would be forced to do the only thing she knew how..."


Kuvira killing Troy and the Azarus family...


"-and then, things would get real nasty. Like a perfect pattern laid out in front of you.....you were all in apart of it....and trapped by it."


The revolt in Rose Kingdom, Kuvira's Murder, the Royal Families Assassination, the Rebellion in Amberjack.....


"-and at which point, all Sotha needed, was for Yaro to act EXACTLY how he is now, and for the demons to keep their word...."


Sotha KNEW he was going to die. He aided the demons to take the throne, but his death was coming sooner than he'd expected. He gave special orders to his loyal coalition, told the demons to stay in reserve until a rebellion was in full motion, preparing for the proper time. Yaro, now a king, stood with a strong chance to take over the kingdom, and place the Azarus family on the throne


"Then the Demons reinforce his rebel army..."


He would move a bishop over towards the Queen. The King was now trapped.


"Then ALL the pieces fall into place...."


It was clear as daylight now: Sotha Sil, even beyond the grave, had played these people for fools from the very beginning, From Kuvira to his own brother Yaro....His last words would ring clear to Maeve, as well as the victorious smile he wore on his death.: 'May the hell you find, be one of your own making.' How right he was....


Chalondra would flip the ring in her hand, before it would vanish, the smile never leaving her face. "Of course, Prudence dear.....Just remember, the offer still stands if you ever need it.....But listen to me, you have your king!" She said cheerily, before stepping out. She had seen the signs of demonic magic addiction on her face, and she knew that Prudence would eventually cave. She would then whisper to herself. "What do you know.....that Humans plan actually worked perfectly......If he was any better, he truly would have been a perfect demon...."


@Dalamus Ulom @Inheritance @DemetrioMachete 


Lanister would step outside, walking with Aizen, before seeing who yelled. Then, he would do something Oromis, Lance, Cecile, and even Aizen had not seen before....He knelt before the man, a show of fealty and respect, something he had not done to either the Rose King, or to any king in particular. "Master....It is so good to see you, Master Yuron! "He said. This man Lanister's master?! No wonder the man showed so much respect towards him! "But what are you doing here, Master? Did the Council send you?"
 
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Yoren would look down at the lad, before lifting him back up too his feet. "I could have sworn that my first lesson to you was that I ain't someone ya bow to, Lanister. I also distinctly remember my accent not being THAT bad, for you to mangle my name as such." Yoren sounded cross, but a look at his face would reveal the faintest hint of a smile on his sallow face. "Aye, the council sent me. Thought a wiser head might be able to handle your old student. Then there's the matter of your apprentice..." He would say, as he would take a look at the halfling. "Apparently, they wish for him to become the Silencer. But he's got ta face the Room," Yoren said this quit enough that only Lanister eould be able to understand what he said. "But anyway, this must be your apprentice no?" He said as he turned to the young halfling, changing the subject before Lanister would be able to respond. Taking a deep whiff, he would gag a little. "My god, Lanister, the boy absolutely reeks of magic! Funny, as the council said he had no skill for it." Finally, the gigantic man would speak directly to Aizen. "So you're Aizen?"


@Andraus @DemetrioMachete @Inheritance
 
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He saw them start their exchange,  so he left back to his room. He made quite a noise as he shoved past soldiers into his room. He walked to his door,  but stopped. He turned towards the princess' door. He figured he should apologize for last night. So he went and knocked on her door...then...


Turned,  and huried back into his room. Foolish of him,  and rash. If he went in there,  he risked getting emotionally involved with any of these people. "STUPID!" He growled,  a bit louder then he hoped nobody heard or saw him walk in...especially the girl. @Enuky @Andraus @Dalamus Ulom
 
South Yunakai--



After a brief exchange with Aizen, Lance returned, but Cecile and Aizen were both cold shouldered. Cecile was still waiting outside of her door for him, but it seemed Lance had nothing to say.  Lance could only wave to them and hurry past, causing Cecile to awkwardly wave back. She said nothing, and just as quickly as the king returned the door was shutting behind him. 


Cecile crossed her arms, "so much for waiting", she said to Aizen, not expecting him to understand her disappointment. "I believe I will sleep now...", she added. Without another word, the rose princess slipped into her room and climbed into bed. She quickly drifted to sleep, as she normally did. Aizen was left outside the door.


When a new guest arrived, Cecile didn't hear it. She slept through any sound Aizen might have made joining him and Lanister. It was a bit later there was a knock at her door, but like usual Cecile was not alert enough to quickly respond to it. 


Cecile began to slowly stir from beneath the blankets, and after not hearing any further knocking, went right back to sleep. If he was an enemy she'd already be dead, but of course the thought of Oromis being there didnt cross her mind. The Rose princess needed the rest. After all, a tired Cecile would be a burden to everyone in the coming dawn.


. . .
​


 
​


Prudence felt an emptiness in her belly when the ring vanished, and resisted the urge to snatch it up before it did so. But it was gone. She couldn't help but notice the demon's unusual smile as she turned to leave. She wouldn't forget her offer, she reflected.


The witch sighed and relaxed her hold on baby Alfio. It was nighttime now, and she was beginning to feel sleepy. She shifted the baby to look at him, and then turned back to the doctor.


"I think it's time for us to rest", she told him. In the morning, she would have much to do. Prudence getured for Klaus to follow, and headed through the manor and to Yaro's bedroom. 


"Would you make sure our guests are... accounted for?" she asked Klaus as she made Alfio comfy and slid into bed with him. She didn't particularly trust all of the others who were present. "And tell the king that we've gone to bed", she said. 


@Inheritance @DemetrioMachete @Trombone Geek @Andraus
 
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As Chalondra left, Klaus waited briefly, before turning to Prudence.. 


"To see you in this state is nothing short of sorry.. but who knows, maybe a good night's sleep will return some of your strength. It's been a rough day for you. You gave birth, you died.. you came back from the dead and suddenly you're flooded with all these new faces. Go on and sleep.. I'll do as you have asked." Heinrich bowed as he walked out of the room, making sure to shut the door behind him. Now, he would wander around, ensuring all presences he was aware of were accounted for. Other than himself, Yaro, Prudence, Mizuki and Chalondra, were there any others? What about those two that were at the beach earlier? Who were they.. Shaz and Syniad? Were they still here? Room by room Klaus would check.. where was everyone?


@Enuky


@Andraus


@Trombone Geek


. . .


Aizen simply nodded his head as Cecile dismissed herself to sleep, not reacting to Oromis' rage.. alcohol usually brought chaos with it. He was only glad that he wasn't pressured him into drinking. 


The halfling grew aware of a new presence.. one Lanister bowed to. Aizen almost did the same, until he heard thst he wasn't one to bow to. Instead, Aizen stood at attention, as Yoren came to speak to him. 


"I am Aizen, sir." the halfling spoke to his superior calmly and politely. "Indeed.. Sir Lanister managed to teach me the ways of magic.. but as of now it lacks proper control."


@Dalamus Ulom
 
Yoren would wave him off slightly, and say, "I'm no knight, so save your 'sirs' for when you meet one, lad. I prefer to simply be called Yoren. If you so wish, you can call me Master or Usher, but that seems a bit to stuffy, personally" The old man said. "Well, I'm going to be accompanying you lot, so I'll aid you in any way I can in your studies." Yoren promised the halfling.


@Andraus @DemetrioMachete
 
Oromis


Well he really couldn't sleep. His eyes kept shot open after perhaps an hour...so he got up, and did what he hadn't done in years. Practiced. Not just with combat, but practiced the abilities of what he could do with his magic. He began to make lightning orbs, and had them fly around the room. He tried compacting them, expanding them, changing their colors, making figurines and making them dance. He formed Ice Sculptures, he breathed fire. He began to enjoy himself and forgot the past night. He kept having guards bring him tea and water as he flushed the night before out of his system. It had never happened. @Enuky @Trombone Geek @Dalamus Ulom @Andraus
 
Lance had always been a restless sleeper, and those nights after his return to Bathelon had been haunted by vivid nightmares. After the begin of this second journey, the dreams had blurred a bit, and this night all Lance was able to feel from them was a faint fear as fuzzy shapes danced around. It was a relief to not suffer for one night, until everything sharpened into clear focus. Something felt off about this specific part.

"Hello, Lance Crowsmith. It's great to see you're discovering your true self at last," a voice said, and an overwhelming demonic presence invaded his mind. It was so strong that it probably alerted the others in the group to its being there, but walking into the room would reveal nothing. Lance realized that his dreams had turned lucid, and that someone had actually broken down his mental defenses with such ease that he hadn't even realized it. The fear he'd felt beforehand was almost crushing at this point.

"I don't know what you mean," he replied, struggling to keep his voice steady. He resented how easily the intruder had brought him to his knees all but physically. The king felt a vague sense of the demon grinning.

"Of course you don't," it mocked. "I've seen the cruelty you've been dying to release. I'm quite impressed, really; I thought only Ishikawa demons were capable of such a delicious need for bloodshed. Oh--Looks like my time is up here. But first, let me give you a warning." The speaker appeared in front of Lance suddenly, an intricate and wickedly curved dagger in its hand. The room around them came into focus, and Lance shuddered at how close the demon stood to Cecile, almost leaning over the innocent, sleeping princess. 

"Don't fight against us," it said with a sudden harsh tone, taking the princess's hand and turning the palm up, nicking a shallow line on the center of the palm. Lance hoped that it was only a figment of his dream, but the princess would probably be awoken by the burning. The wound, minor as it was, would scar; and it was unlikely any demon would be willing to attack Cecile specifically now that the demon had marked her as her own eventual kill.

"Buh-bye!" As the dream faded, Lance jolted awake. (Just gonna leave it there :) )

///

Maeve was stunned with disbelief. Yaro was how he was now at the hands of his older brother, the very being who was supposed to protect him! One of the people he was taking revenge for. "And how the hell was that supposed to help me think positive thoughts?" she growled, glaring at Natha. "How do you even know this?" She knew her anger was unnecessary, and the negative feeling was probably accelerated by the presence of Kalamitat in the back of her mind, but she couldn't help but wish she could raise that traitor from the dead and kill him over and over and over again. 

Of course, Yaro was so blinded by similar feelings that he saw Maeve as nothing but an enemy now. So what did it matter? Sotha was dead, and Yaro was already jumping off into the abyss. Anything she did would be useless, and not bring her back into Yaro's good graces. Of course, she didn't want to ally with him anymore anyways, not after realizing that the demon forces from earlier might've been allied with his rebellion. It seemed probably, judging from the human messenger she'd barely glimpsed and more felt.

 
 
South Yunakai--




Cecile awoke to a sharp, burning sensation in her hand. She twisted around and grumbled as she became aware of her surroundings. There was no sign of any demon now, but she could hear a masculine voice she didn't recognize conversing with Aizen just outside the door. She looked to her hand with a look of confusion; it was bleeding and burning from what looked like a small cut... 


The princess did not scream or become overly concerned, deciding that she must have been bitten by something. An insect, or a rat-- now a look of concern came to her and she hurried out of bed, afraid that there could have been vermin sleeping with her. She had no idea just how much worse the situation actually was. 


She crept across the floor, quietly opening the door a small crack to get a look at the stranger, Yoren, before opening it further. 


"I think I've been bitten", she whined to Aizen. "And I can't sleep here if there is a rat", she added. 


@Andraus @DemetrioMachete @Dalamus Ulom @Trombone Geek @Inheritance
 
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Oromis


He heard the princess complaining outside, but decided not to do anything. He had finally gotten a bit tired, so he simply got into his bed, and slept. He thought for a second before he slept...why was he even here...he had a war to fight! Oh right...he was helping this girl get some curse off or something. This was taking a long time, but he needed the allies...Damn this situation. He made a fool of himself the night before by drinking so much, and then showed how helpless he could be when the Golem attacked. About that...Strange, his master taught him that a golem was immune to magic...he thought this might have been some atronach or a elemental of sorts. However in the end, he needed this-and very quickly fell into a deep sleep. @Enuky


@Andraus @DemetrioMachete @Dalamus Ulom @Trombone Geek
 
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