[Log] When Crazed Elves Attack (Part 1)
WHO: Peleps Kaizoku Seki, Gwendolyn, Oswald, Simon Parker, Cathak Lera, Han Su Li, Manah, Crimson Dawn, Markandeya And Company (NPC'd by Peleps Fals)
WHERE: Creation, Thieves' Isle
WHEN: September 14 and 16
WHAT: Gwendolyn and an IPA team meet with Oswald and a Syndicate team in order to get stolen goods back for their respective factions. Little do they know that Seki is playing games with a Prince of Madness, and they're about to be stuck in the middle...
WATCH FOR: "YOU!", The Most Valuable Duck Ever To Exist, Ohshi Angry Raksha, Oswald being Oswald, Seki being Seki, Everyone being Awesome
[Citizen's Band] Old Man Li says, "Oh."
[Citizen's Band] Old Man Li says, "...Duck."
[Citizen's Band] Han Su Li says, "What?"
[Citizen's Band] A loud, demonic sounding QUAAAAAACK echoes over Han's radio.
[Citizen's Band] Han Su Li says, "Oh cra--"
"Lord Seki, are you certain you are aware..."
"Yeah." Seki cuts his faithful seneschal off yet again, cracking his knuckles, wiggling his fingers, and taking a slow, deep breath. The Kaizoku takes his coat off, showing that he's actually wearing his uniform like a real naval officer might, complete with medals, ribbons, and other formalities. Seki places a white cloth over small stone table with an almost reverant air, setting it just so and, finally, placing the board on the table; the pieces are allready set up, Seki sitting in front of the pieces of blue and black jade, while the white and red pieces are left of their own accord.
"Lord, I must protest..."
"Died, I'm taking this seriously." Seki says, pulling his hair back and taking a swig of water. "Believe me. If there's one opponent I'm not going to underestimate..." The Kaizoku picks up his pawn.
Weeks ago,
"Are you kidding me?" An inquisitor of the Ivalican church looks shocked. "The lost artifacts?!"
"Would I lie about this, gov'ner?" A Dancer says teasingly, shaking her hips a little. "Sure as stone, there's a whole warehouse fulla stolen goods that's gonna be sold on auction. If someone could get there before that Creation place's criminal deligates arrive, well..."
"Hrm." Seki murmurs, "Clever fient, ol'man."
Days ago,
"Lord Odin, Lord Odin!" The little Ragnavali wizard trips over himself, prostrating before his Demon King. "My King!"
The enormous one eyed old man craned his head, slightly, looking down at the man. "Speak."
"The tome! The secret diary of Frey! We've found a lead!"
"The diary..." Odin rumbles, "Said to contain all the wisdom of the first King of the Ghosts...rumored to have stolen the secrets of the end of the world from the fates themselves...yes. His rescearch could make our securing the Cauldron all the more...efficent."
"But my Lord, it's off our plane! Won't...I mean, we can't just let them all /know/."
"No, we cannot." The Demon Lord Odin's smile is an unpleasent thing. "Fortunately, I imagine this island of thieves you speak of...well, if my daughter's friends get the idea to quest to the place before all that precious lost knowledge is sold at auction...who would suspect the white knights of the Interplanar Police to have an agenda outside of justice, yes?"
"I only play dangerously..." Seki murmurs, as his Magistrate gets taken by the white side. "Any other way ain't worth the effort."
Tonight,
"Lord Seki, please, eat..."
"Not NOW!" Seki snaps, scowling down at the Gateway board. "This is the most important part of the game, Died Seven Times. My attention cannot be diverted. I've already given you instructions on what to do-so /do it/." The Kaizoku doesn't take his eyes from the board, glaring at it and chewing his lower lip. "Come on, you son of a bitch, move allready..."
The Island of Thieves, located in the near North-West, looks almost peaceful in the night. Those with scrying materials can confirm, however, the presence of a large, sturdy warehouse guarded by a few armed soldiers, just as your contacts warned when they told you of the place.
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "My soldiers and I are going to investigate reports of a warehouse of stolen goods within Creation."
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "Hm? I will accompany you, if you like."
[Fac-IPA] Celene Hunter says, "Good luck."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "Thank you, Lady Lera."
[Fac-IPA] Simon says, "All right!! Let's do this!"
Gwendolyn switches armor modes to Minions.
[Fac-IPA] Ryoto Hikawa swallows. "R-right...."
[Fac-IPA] Simon says, "...eh? Damn it, Leeron, make the buttons more obvious!"
[Fac-IPA] Ky Kiske says, "I am otherwise indisposed or I would offer. Faith walk with thee, Lady Gwendolyn and Lera."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "Thank you as well, Simon. I will be accompanying you alongside several of my valkyries and giants from Ragnanival."
[Fac-IPA] Leeron hmhms. "Oh, I'm sure you and the lovely Gurren Lagann-sama will get used to them in time, Siiii-mon. [3"
[Fac-IPA] Through a distorted voice, Near says, "Yes, good luck everyone. I am sure you will perform admirably in the course of your duty."
If Seki was hoping that the investigative "team" from Ragnanival would come in stealth and secret, this may put a chink in his plans. Vikings and barbarians do not sneak in. They charge, and expect those in-between themselves and their goal to get the hell out of the way.
Footsteps approach from the side, some light, some softly thudding. A small detachment of winged valkyries, armored ten foot giants and axe-wielding barbarians march, led by the princess, a valkyrie with a gold crown atop her head. Princess Gwendolyn is otherwise distinguishable from her troops by the soft glow of the Psypher jewel atop her spear, which acts as a faint torch.
"This is where we were instructed," she whispers to her comrades, Ragnanival and IPA alike. "Demon Lord Odin has asked us to report on anything we recover here, if that is possible." From the tone of her voice, she expects that to be very possible. Why would they doubt the Demon Lord himself?
The only game Oswald would use as a metaphor (assuming he would play games) for what's about to happen is probably... Team Fortress.
The black-armored knight stands at the prow of a small craft, having drifted silently through the night to bump up against the rocky shore. Red eyes flicker in the chill sea spray of the moonlit night. "Move quickly and silently." He whispers to those behind him. "Maintain stealth, and kill who you need to kill. But don't let them raise the alarm, or we might find ourselves in the middle of a brawl." He steps forward out of the boat, keeping to the shadows. "Let's go."
Oswald breaks into a quick, quiet run, the red glow of Belderiver muted with a dark covering. Fast and deadly is the word here.
Someone is standing atop one of the giants. Cathak Lera has her arms crossed underneath her breasts and is scowling as she looks at the storehouse; she has to wonder just what is in there. She then looks down at her ride - and smiles apologetically at the giant she is using as a makeshift steed. "Thank you for the ride," she says, as if she gave him much choice.
She looks towards Gwendolyn, then, and nods her head. Her eyes fall back on the warehouse - and she keeps looking straight at it. "I will do so," she says, her voice quiet.
Well, Oswald's not the only dark knight here tonight. Crimson Dawn's tagged along for the fun. The deathknight cocks his head to the side and then shrugs, nodding slightly at Oswald as he lightly hops onto the ground. The Abyssal is moving from shadow to shadow, his dark clothes blending in perfectly as he makes absolutely no sound while he moves towards the unsuspecting guards. Gotta love stealth-enhancing charms.
As for weapons, well, he's got some, somewhere, but they're probably stashed over that cloak of his...
Somewhere, not very close - no, not close at all, yet - somewhere Outside - there is tinkling laughter. Somewhere, not very close, somewhere Outside - there is no shape. There is no form. There is no here. There is only, for now, the anticipation.
But soon somewhere will be closer, and it will have paid off.
A young woman with blonde hair stands not too far behind Oswald. Her red eyes overlook the area, one hand clasping the staff at her side. The other hangs freely. "A brawl, hmm?" She speaks quietly- she's familiar with stealth... as much as she is familiar with finding herself in the middle of a large legion of soldiers. It is something she and Nowe have both seen on occaision. Of course, after angering an entire legion of knights...? Yeah, that would d it.
As Oswald breaks into a dash, she quickly, and lightly starts to follow. Her steps are quick, and she remains focused on the goal at hand. The staff doesn't look to be too reliable of a weapon, but it hasn't been shown in combat. Not yet, at the very least.
If Simon knew what Seki was up to, it would actually be a point in his favor. He appreciates people who know how to Play.
Of course, right now he's too busy following his boss' orders by tagging along with this 'Demon Princess' chick, and seeing what she and hers are up to. While Gwen and her allies are breaking down the door, a black-clad figure is sneaking through the scrub-brushes a good twenty yards away. He stops, crouches behind the bole of a tree, and sends off a quick tightband transmission to his allies.
[[This is Simon. I'm in position; I'll watch your backs as best as I can. Have at.]]
And then, the demon starts setting up his weapon--a high-powered rifle of some sort. And then, he settles in to wait.
Peleps Kaizoku Seki's role will probably be revealed eventually. It's part of being a well meaning mastermind in a story; the fact that Seki's also a mentor figure to a brave young hero pretty much dooms the pirate, if he isn't careful.
"That a threat?" Seki mutters, pulling a Manse back and to the left. "We both know you won't kill me until you're sure you've wrung everything you have out of me. Which is why I'm going to beat you, in the end, naturally."
That's usually what mentor figures say, right before getting struck down by the great villain in front of their beloved student, catapulting her into greatness...
"Your move."
The island is quiet...apperently, the relitive isolation of the place was considered enough security. It's also small enough that our respective parties will be able to see eachother right, about....now.
The faint blue light illuminates a familiar pair of red eyes. And Gwendolyn holds her hand out to the side, halting her troops.
"Princess?"
"...It is the Shadow Knight," she hisses, "and accomplices. At least, I can only assume." The quiet, analytical thing would be to avoid a conflict. The Ragnanival thing would be-
To point her spear right at the opposing group, glaring and snapping at them. "What business have you here?! Leave us and clear the path, or we shall make a path for ourselves!" Did they get a tip-off of some kind somehow? She only knew that her father "knew," and her father knows many things for reasons he won't divulge...
"Mmm."
One of the Talons is picked up and moved briefly - an unorthodox move. A very unorthodox move, to no apparent purpose. The worst kind of threat. The piece clicks loudly on the board in the silence.
"Perhaps you will. But then, a threat need not only be to you." The tone is conversational.
Somewhere, there is still the anticipation.
"Princess Gwendolyn, I believe that is not quite what one would call a stealth operation," Lera says with a sigh, before she pats her giant on the shoulder. He walks forward, and she draws out her bow - deciding to use her position atop the giant as a nice vantage point. She nocks an arrow, and aims it down at the group in a surprisingly fluid motion.
Oswald is the victim of a sour look; Manah receives a blink, and then...
"You!" she shouts, at Crimson Dawn. "What in the name of the Immaculate Dragons are you doing here, Dawn?!"
Maybe she doesn't follow her own advice.
Oswald turns the corner of the warehouse, only to get a faceful of Raganival.
The Shadow Knight sighs, before he sets himself into a battle stance. "What are /you/ doing here, Gwendolyn? Our business is none of your concern. If you interfere... I will destroy you all." With a pulse of energy, the black covering over the Psypher crystal evaporates, and the cursed sword gleams. The red and blue lights give the location an unreal cast, the two Psypher-wielders limned. It's clear that Oswald has every confidence that he's capable of doing exactly what he said. "Don't throw your life away, Gwendolyn."
Crimson Dawn pauses, mid-step, and turns, blinking at firs the loud challenge from Gwendolyn, then the equally loud yell from Lera. He blinks, then shrugs, turning and waving a hand dissmissively, afore casually tugging the scarf covering his lower face down, eyes locked on Lera in a deadpan expression.
"What, I need a reason to do things now? I just felt like it. So, what are YOU doing here, hmmmm?"
Simon's eyes narrow under the ski-mask, and he brings the rifle's scope to bear on Oswald. /This/ is the knight Agrias was getting so worked up about, hm?
[[Gwendolyn, how reliable was that tip-off of yours?]] he asks, sounding only slightly surprised--usually, archrivals start /shooting/ once they see each other.
Simon crawls forwards a couple feet, the grass around him rustling a little as he does so. For now, he's content to play backup. And maybe get in a little target practice on things that aren't VOID: Bullets.
Manah slows to a stop not too far from Oswald, and she looks from Lera, then to the others... and quietly, she looks around the area. The young woman doesn't talk much. She doesn't seem to be taking too much interest in whatever banter will come about from yelling at another group who seems to have the same idea.
They're not here to kill her or arrest her or cause much other trouble. And as such, she can proably be a bit more unnoticd than usual.
This is why the blonde tightens her grip on her weapon and she begins to slip back towards the back of Oswald's group... then she turns around to start working her way along the building in another direction. She's splitting off from the main group to try to continue finding another way in while everyone's focused on the Shadow Knight.
The situation is not good. Foes and rivales meet each others unexpectedly, the air is tense, thick with hatred and conflict. One would bet that it's going to get even worse bettewn the whole lot of them really soon, if they're even vaguely observent.
That's probably true, but here's another thing completly different!
Out of the blue, the gates--doors? -- of the warehouse litteraly EXPLODES open from inward. A young man flies straight out and past some extremly surprised guards, sliding through the ground painfully by a few metres. The youth is carrying a long, elegantly crafted guan do (A spear, for you english speakers like us) with a long silk sash hanging down almost a yard. This young man staggers back to his feet and before he knows it...
A gigantic, reptilian-looking duck, burning with the infernal flames of the depth of the abysses, burst an even bigger hole through the warehouse and charges straight for the man.
"FOR THE LAST TIME! I DIDN'T RUN OVER YOUR YOUNGS ON THE ROAD!" Shouts Han Su Li as he goes for another dash.
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "Tch... Crimson Dawn /and/--" She stops, to calmly say, "Duck." Then resumes, angrily, "that Shadow Knight!"
[Fac-IPA] Simon Parker says, "Angry one, at that."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "A duck beast indeed. I /know/ the Shadow Knight."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "And to answer your question, Simon Parker, twas the word of my father."
"Cute." Seki blinks, where did that Anathemia piece come from? "Are we cheating openly, now?"
Check.
"I know." The Mad Captain smiles like the preaditor he is, as...
[[Twas the word of my father.]] The princess speaks in a tone that just /dares/ one to question her father's integrity.
Gwendolyn looks to the side briefly, as that young man appears to have aggravated a monster. Well, his fault if he did something foolish. The correct thing to do when one has aggravated a monster is to /slay it./
And she has more pressing matters. "You seem confident that you could slay us all on the spot as you are, Shadow Knight. And the rest of you, we have no time to waste with you." Especially if that fool has damaged any of the artifacts. "If you do not stand down, I will force you!" The Psypher glows a brilliant blue with its wielder's rage, but she waits, it seems, for the Shadow Knight, Deathknight and Manah to make the first move.
And the giants and valkyries remain by her side, all looking to be itching for a fight.
"Han, for the last time, /what/ have I told you about angering duck gods?" Lera says with a sigh to the ramen chef. She rubs the bridge of her nose once, before looking away and back at the Deathknight.
Her eyes narrow. "I recognize your company--and don't think I've not noticed you, Shadow Knight! I remember how our last battle was cut short!"
The bow remains drawn, ready to fire. "We're here on official business. That is all you need to know!"
...Now, see, Crimson Dawn was going to make some scathing reply, or possibly taunt Lera...but, well, Demonic Duck. The Abyssal just stares, eyeing it, then shakes his head, turning back to his CURRENT NEMESIS or at least semi-sassy rival or something. And then hey, he's getting yelled at some more.
"...So."
Crimson leans back against a tree, an eyebrow arched at Lera.
"You're angrier than usual. That time of month?"
Hey, just because he forgot his cutting remark, doesn't mean he forgot how to be an asshole!
"Cheating?"
There is a pulse in the fabric of Creation. The Anathema piece shifts positions to a more comfortable one - and then walks across the board.
"I never cheat. You know that. Rules rearrange themselves for me."
And at that moment, the world shifts.
In front of the warehouse, there is a twist in the world. For a moment, it is as if all things have shifted ninety degrees. Up is left. Right is down. Green is north.
Vertigo.
The world is not as it was. The island and its surroundings are - not real? Not /here/? Somewhere else?
The sky is a whirling mass of colors, some real and some never seen before. The duck roars, spouts flame -
And in a blinding flash it is gone, replaced by a being of terrible beauty. It has the shape of a man, with feathers covering it made of gold and platinum, a beak made of blood-red ruby, eyes apparently made of air made solid. It has long wings sprouting from the back, the feathers shimmering like dew on spiderweb - if spiderweb were made of purest gold. Its feet are long talons, carved from gold and marble. Its hands hold a magnificent weapon, a long spear made of shimmering solid cloud with a blade of brilliant silk. It stands silently in a martial pose, the flames of the duck's breath swirl around it like a corona, before settling around its forehead as a band of solid flame, a gem in the band centered on its forehead, shaped like a silver eye.
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "What is that?!"
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "It is..."
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "A--a Fair One."
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "Be careful!"
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "And... prepare yourselves with iron weapons!"
[Fac-IPA] Simon Parker lets out a low, sickly choking noise. Something hits the ground next to him with a heavy thud.
Perhaps out of instinct, Simon clams up as Gwendolyn mentions the Demon Lord. The appearance of Han and his duck-demon draw the Balseraph's attention, but he doesn't fire--that would be giving away his position for nothing. The stalemate, he thinks, will likely break within the next few minutes, when one of the...
The demon first senses the incoming tempest as a faint cracking of static--like someone's messing with reality's antenna. He rises into a crouch, drawing the rifle up to his shoulder and blinking. It gets louder, and louder, until it's not so much static as /silence/, silence that tears at the chords of the universe and sends shockwaves through Simon's symphony. Simon drops the rifle, and sinks to his hands and knees, still /staring/ at the thing the duck-monster turned into. Does he look utterly astonished, even beneath the mask? Yup.
"I /have/ cleaned battlefields of this fodder myself. Or have you forgotten so soon since leaving the front lines of the Cauldron War?" Oswald retorts sharply, only to glance at Lera. "You should be glad it was. You were losing badly."
And then... duck. Oswald mutters to himself, Belderiver twitching irrationally in the demon duck's direction. "... This is getting ridiculous."
And then reality gets even MORE ridiculous. Oswald staggers, wincing as everything he knows becomes Wrong in various ways, only to stagger to his feet. Ish. He's kinda lurching to the side. The sight of the brilliant, absurdly expensive-looking duck causes Oswald a moment of shock... Before his eyes narrow. "I have had /enough/ of this." The Shadow Knight mutters, leveling his blade...
At the Duck. "You die first." With a howl of rage unleashed, Oswald leaps through the fluid air, his motion stuttering and flickering oddly as he cleaves down upon the metallic canard. Belderiver hungers.
[Fac-IPA] Simon Parker seems to have recovered, but still sounds short of breath. And a little panicked. "A /what/?"
Manah is in the process of trying to find another entrance, when... there's quite a disturbance... then something else going on over the radio. She idly brings her free hand up to the earpiece, making sure to hold it in place, almost as an idle gesture... She looks around, her crimson gaze focusing here and there, trying to watch this and that... when the monsterous duck bursts out from the warehouse. This causes the young mage to jump a bit, bringing her hand to her heart.
Though she doesn't seem to be willing to move too much... when the world shifts.
Knowing the world she's from, and what she's done in the past, this shouldn't be too strange for her... but it is. It's very strange for her. It's very strange for anyone who would have to experience this. That's why she simply stares at the sky for a moment, then... at what the duck has suddenly become. Widening her eyes just slightly, the blonde moves forward, her footsteps light- but she's not charging the duck. She's moving around the group. It seems that she's taking the situation to her advantage and attempting to flank Gwendolyn, Cathak, and whoever else is in the opposing force.
The duck is proving to be a nice distraction.
[Fac-IPA] Peleps Kaizoku Seki says, "'Fair Ones' are one of the names they have on my plane for fairies."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "-How do you know about it?"
[Fac-IPA] Peleps Kaizoku Seki says, "Lera said, 'A Fair One!' a second ago."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "...So the fairies of this plane are monsters as well."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "I have slain many with my spear, though none quite like this. But I will not cower in its presence!"
"I didn't! I met that thing in the Netherworld on my way to the past!" The aftermentioned Han Su Li lets out, using his spear to get back to his feets, completly missing the infernal duck transformation and staring straight at Lera ...and the crowd of other people he didn't noticed. "--Where the hell did you all come from, anyway!? I--" He pauses, feeling that stares goes waaaay around and past him. There must be something going on. Something big.
He turns around and stare at the duckman. Golden duck man. /SHINY/ duckman thingie. Han lower his familial spear, blinkling blankly. Nevermind that the world went absolutely NUTS around him -- there's a /golden, shiny duck man/ in the stead of the murderous infernal dragon duck of earlier.
"...You, sir, are not from the Netherworld, to be sure."
[Fac-IPA] Sauceror says, "Be sure to use Cold Meat against them!"
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "Iron."
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "They will fall to iron."
[Fac-IPA] Sauceror says, "Nono, cold meat, that's what they're weak to. See, they're generaly either Spooky or Sleazy monsters."
"-What...what is that...!" Gwendolyn staggers back, holding her head as her troops murmur and shout in confusion, and then turns to what she thought was a dumb beast. It transforms in front of her eyes, with sorcery she cannot recognize herself, and she stares at it until Lera and that fool Seki identify its form.
A Fair One. The term used for the fairies.
"...-You! Ghost!" For ghosts and fairies are not quite the same, and yet not altogether different. "What business have you here?!" It has the traits she remembers of the fairies of Ringford, magnified-an otherworldliness, bright colors, odd aura, deceptive beauty. She can remember what her father told her of the fairies.
"Beware them all, each and every one. They are decietful and traitorous, mischevious and wicked. The only way Erion will be safe is if they are kept carefully controlled, under the eye of the Demon Lord..."
"What in the..." Lera stares, for a moment. They are not close to the Wyld, she knows - not /that/ close. For a Fair One to be here... It does not bode well. Her eyes widen, but to her credit, she keeps her grip on her bow and arrow. The aim, though, is adjusted. She puts her arrowhead towards him and sucks in a deep breath. "Fair One!" she snaps.
Her blood runs cold; this is what cursed her mother, after all. Manah gets by easily; her thoughts are elsewhere. She swallows.
"I don't know why you're here... but you aren't welcome beyond the Wyld!" she shouts.
Seki's eyes gleam, as the rules of the game alter...
"As consumate a showman as ever," Seki idly tips his glass of water, ignoring the terrified murmurings of his crew. The key to these things is to never let the other guy see you blink, after all, "...glad to see you haven't lost your touch, Lord Markandeya, o'Master of the Gossamer Thread. But you forget."
And then the tile under The Anatema...opens up, sending the piece falling to another level, only to bounce off of the board!
"I don't have a problem with a little cheating. I mean, you can change the rules so that me breathing is illegal so, really, all that counts is which one of us is cleverer at bullshitting the other." Idly, Seki moves his Trieme into position, the same approach he made during their first game, when the lives of then-mortal Seki's family were on the line. "Check, Marky."
...Huh. Well, the duck thing is...some sort of Fairy.
Goddammit.
Crimson Dawn just pauses, looking at it, and then sigh, heavily. Crimson Dawn calmly walks away from Lera, hands tucked under his cloak again. He doesn't have a hand on his daiklaves while he waits, with interest to see how the Fair Folk reacts to Oswald.
"Fair Folk...the only thing I hate more than Seki, Dynasts, and your Mom."
Still, he isn't being overtly hostile. Yet. I mean, that's what Oswald is for.
Oswald's leap is perhaps not the finest idea. With a fluid grace, the world shifts, the duck-man's story writing itself. He is the hero - the star of his own story. And so he shows his skill - in one simple movement, his open palm intercepts the blade, halting it without any apparent muscle movement. A single drop of blood falls from the cut - silvery and insubstantial, turning into a dove as it strikes the ground and flying away. "You will cease your rudeness, mortal."
The creature idly flicks its hand - and sends Oswald flying back five feet. It cannot do this often - hardly at all, for it is a /servant/ - but for the moment, it holds the Sword Grace. "I am Garuda, the Cleansing Hand of the Gossamer Lord. I am no ghost, woman." It spreads its wings and flaps them once, flying into the air - and revealing that the warehouse door has been replaced by an opulent entrance, carved from ice and solid light. "My Lord bids you enter - for while we may not be welcome beyond the Wyld..."
The Garuda points its spear at Lera. From the point, a shimmering thread emits and twines outwards - and then curls back in on itself, shifting...and becoming a three-headed kitten flower, sprouting from the earth, not the spear.
"The Wyld is here - and welcomes you."
There is a tinkling laugh in the Dumb Luck. "Clever, Prince of the Earth! Clever." Lord Markandeya watches the board. "I would not do that, as you have said. The world is a more.../interesting/ place with you wonderful creatures in it...especially you. So many reactions..."
He reaches down and caresses a piece - which shifts, becoming a Behemoth.
No, Gateway has never had a Behemoth piece. It stretches out over several squares - and then curles around the Trireme, hurling it to another level. "But I expected better of you. Have you nothing /new/ to show me...? I become /bored/ with the same again."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "...Lady Lera, what is the Wyld?"
Oswald's eyes widen as he finds his deadly attack stopped instantly. "What..."
He doesn't get a chance to respond, as he is flung backwards, clattering across the ground-that-is-not-ground to skid to a stop. "Ugh..." Oswald says eloquently, rolling to one knee. His expression is equal parts wonder at the strange occurances, confusion at the nonsensical occurrances (kitten flower!?), and glaring at the duck. "What is this madness?" Oswald looks over to Crimson Dawn. He seems to have a good idea of what's going on. Maybe the Deathknight will give a better suggestion on how to deal with this.
This is about when the Trireme explodes. Not a massive thing, just a little combustion of glass and fire powder, designed to take whatever piece tries to grab it out with the little toy. Idly, Seki moves a Legionnare forward, suddenly reverting to basic primary school tatics. "You need to appreciate sublty, my hizzle. Find the small changes in a familiar thing, instead of needing constant easy entertainment. Not only does it strengthen the mind, but..."
Time for the gambit. "Are you aware of how random number generators work?" Now, all he has to do is hope that Crimson Dawn doesn't catch on and screw everything up out of spite.
Han has been in many places, in his life as martial artist has been filled of many incidents that were both sane, insane and something that's in-bettewn. Traveling through time requires you to go through the Netherworld. It's a place that can only be explained like this: Imagine the Ancient Sorcerous Cult of Nuuz erased from time coexisting at the same time with an horrible, hellish, ever-changing labyrinth and filled of tons of people -- and non-people -- of erased timelimes.
Plus, there's a rumour that it is actualy WHERE ninja comes from. It's the truth.
Whatever the case, the Li is likely not as shocked as he should by being in the near-primordial chaos and looking at that this...thing. Person. Whatever, flicking effortlessly that nasty looking dark knight. All he manage to think is... "...So you're /not a furry, at least."
Whether or not it is a surprise to the others that Manah seems to simply step up from behind them, she honestly doesn't care. She's revealed that she's managed to work her way around, away from Oswald and Crimson Dawn. However, for now, she doesn't intend to attack the two of them for the most part. Her attention is focused on the Fair Folk they're up against. "Excuse me," she says quietly, though politely, "but you'll be dealt with once we've all finished with the greater threat."
Quickly lifting her staff up above her head, the young blonde twists it in the air, the two metal pieces striking together from the motion. The young woman is simply releasing a large amount of elemental energy, focusing it through her body and, for the most part, out ahead of her and towards the strange creature.
And the air becomes frigid. Very much so. Large pieces of ice begin to form in the air, the very water in the atmosphere being frozen and gathered together to make the massive chunk of ice that suddenly slams down onto her designated target.
As she told them- she doesn't have iron, but cold is something she can do. Unfortunately, Manah's unsure of whether or not it will be good enough to bring about the intended affect.
Gwendoyln stares, taken aback and confused, as much as she is remiss to admit it in front of her troops. She hesitates at that door, knowing nothing of this 'Wyld' save that it is the domain of faeries. And how would her lord instruct her?
He would tell her to go, and were she to die, maybe he would mourn her for a few words as he did Griselda. She knows this to be true.
She turns to Lera, for this is her plane. "You likely know of the Wyld. If you enter, I will follow..."
"What--?" Lera asks, in alarm, as Manah steps up right next to her - and she blinks, before she nods her head. "Mm. The same can be said for you! But let's handle this, first," she says, before she looks at Gwendolyn. Her lips twist into a frown.
"We can try to resist it, but we may have no choice," she says. "This creature has... powers that are unnerving. Or more accurately, its master."
She turns back towards Garuda. "And what exactly would compel us to enter your master's domain, beast?"
The Bringer of Darkness in the Crimson Dawn just sighs, watching the Fair Folk fling the other deathknight back, and then the thing starts TALKING. The Abyssal just spits, stalking up towards it, dead red eyes glaring right into its face...and then he smiles.
"Tell me, Garuda...That was an impressive trick with the sword...And you're the messenger of your lord? Well then, on behalf of the Bodhivista Annointed by the Dark Waters, the Silver Prince of the West, I, the Bringer of Darkness in the Crimson Dawn, bring my own message from my lord to yours, as an emissary of one of the Princes of the Underheavens to the lords of the Wyld..."Please, when you see your lord again, tell him that his message accepted. Out of our way, if you would."
Whiiiich is about when Crimson Dawn attempts to slam a soulsteel dagger right into the Fair Folk's belly, rip it out, and then slam it straight into the thing's skull, while smiling and exchanging diplomatic pleasantries.
Soulsteel and ice tear into the Garuda, slitting open its stomach and then crushing it beneath ice. The body - dissolves outwards, into a flock of doves. The drops of silvery blood are small doves, the body parts are bigger ones. The flock flies around the group, and from their throats the Garuda's voice comes.
"My lord sees all I see. He knows all I know. He bids you enter - and you will, for if you do not...than this land is ours."
And the doves scatter, leaving only the door, leading inwards.
The trireme's explosion actually brings another beautiful, bell-like laugh. "I appreciate subtlety more than you can know, my Prince. But you - well, perhaps I am wrong about you. Tell me how they work."
Seki has managed to keep the interest of a raksha - though he, of all people, will know that this is likely a mask for the cold anger of the fairy scorned. The raksha Noble's hand moves - and the board shifts slightly, as he makes his 'move' - a change in the environment, raising a "mountain" before the Legionnaire.
"Well, turns out that when you use a machine to randomize a group of numbers?" Seki holds up an oblous, "There's this phenomina where you get long streaks of the same number over and over again. I don't know if anyone's entierly sure why it happens, but in the future-planes, they actually have to un-randomize the number generators they use for games in order to not get a zero or a one sixty times in a row."
"In other words..." Seki flips the coin. "Turns out chaos ain't all that chaotic after all, o'unique and individual snowflake. In fact, I'm willing to bet that you have a lot more in common with your fellow fairy nobles than you really wanna admit, eh?" Seki smiles, then, as contingency three plays off, and he moves his Manse to block the /other/ way for the fairy lord's Emperess to escape. "And I believe that is mate."
Oswald stands, listening to the insanity. His expression is torn... This is not the land he knew. These are not his 'people'.
Most importantly, he can't complete his mission until this strange distortion is gone. And so... He ignores Gwendolyn, Lera, and Han, instead pointing at the door. "Through the door. We need to remove the obstructions." Belderiver leading the way, Oswald leaps forward, charging through that door. He REALLY wants to kill something right now.
"I'd say we had better enter," Lera concludes, before looking at Gwen and Manah. "It seems it poses some threat to this area - and if it falls to the Wyld..." She frowns and looks down. "We are all lost, and many others."
She starts off, then, slowly. "As you say, Fair One. You had best hope this is not a trick." Her eyes move to Crimson Dawn.
She sighs, and sends something by radio.
"...So be it, then. All you who wish to follow me," Gwendolyn addresses her troops, "you may. Those who wish to stay behind may do so. It is your decision." She speaks softly, for once, watching the Shadow Knight and Lera go on ahead.
All of her troops, giant, valkyrie and axeman alike, do follow her, as she steps through that door. She does not charge ahead, holding her staff in her hands and keeping her eyes narrowed.
And suddenly, everyone around him charges that creature -- that summularly explodes into a flock, leave a message and disperse away.
Han Su Li blinks rapidly, seeking to dispel the confusion that came from all that, approaching the group and lowering that lent spear, pointing at the ground.
"So, in other words...we don't have much of a choice, don't we, Lera?"
The Abyssal calmly slides the soulsteel dagger back to wherever he was hiding it, then hmmphs, glancing at Lera and snorting dismissively. And, with that, Crimson Dawn calmly turns and stalks straight through the doorway into the Wyld or stronghold or whatever the hell the goddamn fairies are calling it this week. They're so finicky.
Dum de dum dum dum dum dum. Hey, he's a happy killer in a target rich environment.
Manah simply frowns as she barely hears the words from Garuda. She lowers the staff, then casts a glance towards Lera- the very slightest traces of a smile showing at this point. "Then we will have a truce for now. It will be nice working alongside with you for the time being."
She most certainly is cordial, isn't she?
"But yes," she finally answers Lera's statement. "While I do not know much about the Wyld, or this creature... But I'll have to agree with you." She doesn't say much else before she flips the staff under her arm and breaks into a run. "It's best that we hurry."
Light and quick on her feet, the blonde mage doesn't think twice before she runs through the open doors- she's run headlong into trouble with Nowe on many occaisions. This shouldn't be all that different.
All this while, Simon has been creeping forwards, and listening. To Lera, mainly, since she has no reason to lie to him yet--and she's the resident authority on these things. As Gwendolyn's troops move in, he sneaks in with them, trying to hide himself among their numbers; he doesn't know if the fairies saw him, but if he can conceal himself for a while longer, so much the better.
And as he walks into the unknown, Simon cocks his head to the side and asks a question over tightband. [[Lera... just what, exactly, /can't/ these things do?]] It might be easier to answer than its opposite.
[[They cannot exist... in a world with order - in a world that exists in a way that we know it,]] Lera replies quietly to Simon. [[Or at least, not for long.]] She frowns, before she looks briefly at the cop - and then turns towards Han. She nods her head.
"..." The raksha noble listens, his eyes closed and gossamer threads hanging about him. He listens - and understands the words. "Mate. ...yes. Mate."
And then he stands - and reaches out, grabbing Seki by the throat. "Listen to me, Peleps Kaizoku Seki. AND LISTEN WELL!"
As he says this, the room shifts. No longer is it the Dumb Luck.
Indeed - as the others make their way into the "warehouse," they find this room: full of glory and gold and gems. The room seems to be carved from a single diamond, plated in gold and silken threads, with shimmers of spidersilk hanging in the air like dustmotes. In the room are brilliant pieces of art - living artwork, statues that move themselves, paintings with voices, singing beautiful, wordless hymns - and at the center of it all, a throne carved from light and darkness, mixing in shadow and brightness and blackness.
And before that throne lies a dog, a brilliant dog cut from ice and jade, with eyes of bitten frost and a collar of ruby and frozen light. Standing beside the throne on the left is the Garuda in all his glory - and on the right, a beautiful ape, an orangutan with hair of flame and a face of coal and flesh, with diamond eyes and beautiful jewelery adorning his body. Curled about the throne is a snake with arms, with scales of wood and hair of vines, with eyes that glow a brilliant purple, its arms holding a fan made of leaves and a long knife dripping poison.
Standing on the throne, however, his green skin glowing from within, his long ears quivering with rage, his brilliant brown-white hair a halo about him, his opulent clothing and terrible beauty making him compelling even with his face contorted into unnatural rage - is Markandeya. In his hand is Seki, gripped by the throat and held up off the ground.
"I am NOT your common raksha! I AM MARKANDEYA! You are nothing! It is only because of my /whim/ that you remain alive, that you did not die! YOU ARE ALL NOTHING TO ME!" And with unnatural strength, Seki is hurled into the crowd, a living missile. The world begins to twist and distort as the anger of the raksha shapes it, angles becoming sharper, shadows darkening and becoming more terrible. And worse...
"I would have given you a chance! BUT YOU CHOSE THIS!" Those are the last words - as the world begins to dissolve, almost - the throne room fading...and coming into focus at the same time. The air itself twists about, writhing in anger, as the objects of art warp and shift, becoming monsters too terrible to describe, horrors from the Wyld's depths.
"Y'know, Markey Mark, I got over knocking the board over when I lost when I was, like, three." Seki lies, because he still does it sometimes. And then he's /hurled/....
"...hey guys." Seki looks up sheepishly, finger-waving at friend and enemy alike. "Suprise?"
It is not exactly what Gwendolyn would call a fairy, but it seems that is what this creature is, here in its glittering domain of chaos that gives her the faintest of constant headaches. A dog, an ape, a serpent, and an elf of sorts. And it seems he has found prey, of some sort.
"Funny to see you here, Kaizoku Seki," Gwendolyn addresses the privateer in a slightly cold tone. She turns to the raksha himself, narrowing her eyes. "Twas you who invited us here, was it not? Who said that the world was yours if we did not enter. To what end have you brought us here, and what are you doing with your prisoner?"
"Captain Seki!" Lera shouts in a panic, stopping her charge and staring at him. Both of her short swords are drawn in an instant, and she frowns at him - looking him over desperately, hoping to find him unhurt. But, with the taint of the Wyld so close, who can be sure of anything? She feels her heart sink - a grip of fear, knowing she is so close to what killed her before.
She can't come back a second time.
She looks back at Markandeya, sword raising to point at him. "Fair One!" she shouts, her green eyes narrowing. "What is the meaning of this? Why have we been brought here, as Princess Gwendolyn asked?"
Okay, now, that's rather impressive. Not just impressive, but actualy pretty damn creepy. Han Su Li raises his spear outward, eyes flicking away toward the newly...teleported pirate captain. "I'm going to echo the girls' question and ask what the heck is going on in here!"
Besides complete pandemonium, chaos, creepy horros from beyond and an angry whatchasit--wait. Raksha? Now, that's familiar...but they're not supposed to do this kind of crap!
Everyone asks what's going on. The... /wrongness/ of this world causes pains to shoot through Oswald's mind. His blood thuds in his ears like drums... And he steps forward. The mutations and horrors borne of chaos do not dissuade him... He has walked through the Netherworld and come back. There is only one thing he needs to know. One thing he can depend on.
A hand rises to his face, covering it as he summons forth his Power. The accursed blade resonantes, and the Void comes. Blackness sheathes Oswald, his body fading away into the shadow of Death, his limbs distorting and shifting. His Essence is permeated with deathforce as he transforms to something more... and less... than a man.
The Shadow Demon stretches, and abruptly blurs forward, the elderiver flaring crimson in the light as it cleaves out and upwards for the Noble's throat. The goal is simple: Obliterate this abomination before it even begins.
Oswald switches armor modes to Shadow Demon.
"This?" Seki blinks, smiling sheepishly as he pulls on the lapels of his coat. "Just a friendly game of Gateway! Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, heh..."
Okay, he admits it, he didn't expect Markymark to teleport him in front of the people he hoodwinked. His fault for pushing the wrong buttons. "Well, nicely played! You've been working on your game, haven't you, my Mizzle?" Seki waggles his finger at the fairy king...it'd be a mistake if Seki being impertinant was not very much a part of his relationship with the noble. If he deviated too far from their Story, well...
Slowly, cautiously, Seki reaches his hand into his coat, waiting for a chance...oh, good, Oswald's playing johnny distaction, how nice of him.
"-your boyfriend's kinda dim, innit he?" Seki then mutters to Qwendolyn.
"My WHAT?!" Ever seen a valkryie's feathers ruffle?
Han Su Li didn't, no. Han would be laughing right now if they were all somewhere else.
The chaos rages on as Markandeya takes in the group, his eyes flickering across each of them, looking at them - or through them - or both. And slowly, it begins to calm as the anger on his face...does not so much fade as shift. Anger is an emotion - and raksha treat emotions like clothing. They can easily be changed and stored for later.
But a chance to play with mortals, to learn about their minds? That is rarer.
"Ha! You wish to know what is going on, mortals? Then I will /tell/ you. I grant you welcome to my court." His tone has lost its rage - and his face has, too. Instead, he is back in his normal aspect of Courteous Host - without temper and without hatred.
This aspect is only slightly belied by the fact that the art objects have ceased to twist...but remained in more terrible, if no less ephemeral shapes than they first were. "This is the new freehold of my court, this island - and you, champions of the world...may challenge here, by the Law of Markandeya. Do you choo-"
And then Oswald blurs into motion, leading Markandeya to smile - and the world shifts. Oswald fights friction and physics, as Markandeya Shapes his court, and - suddenly finds himself leaping the /other/ direction, without ever having changed facing, leaping among the crowd.
"-I see that you do. But of course, you're mortals. I could name as my own champion my general, Garuda." The golden duck-man spreads his wings and gestures with his spear. "Or my hunting dog, Madradhura." The dog lying at the foot of the throne growls, its ears perking. "Or my advisor and assassin, Nagaraja." The serpent coiled around the throne spreads its arms and the cobra-esque fan of its neck. "But no...you are not worthy of such things. You will face...my jester. Come, Hanuman."
And the red-haired, coal-skinned ape steps forward, smiling broadly and cartwheeling to the fore. Today's experiment? An understanding of reaction to insult.
WHERE: Creation, Thieves' Isle
WHEN: September 14 and 16
WHAT: Gwendolyn and an IPA team meet with Oswald and a Syndicate team in order to get stolen goods back for their respective factions. Little do they know that Seki is playing games with a Prince of Madness, and they're about to be stuck in the middle...
WATCH FOR: "YOU!", The Most Valuable Duck Ever To Exist, Ohshi Angry Raksha, Oswald being Oswald, Seki being Seki, Everyone being Awesome
[Citizen's Band] Old Man Li says, "Oh."
[Citizen's Band] Old Man Li says, "...Duck."
[Citizen's Band] Han Su Li says, "What?"
[Citizen's Band] A loud, demonic sounding QUAAAAAACK echoes over Han's radio.
[Citizen's Band] Han Su Li says, "Oh cra--"
"Lord Seki, are you certain you are aware..."
"Yeah." Seki cuts his faithful seneschal off yet again, cracking his knuckles, wiggling his fingers, and taking a slow, deep breath. The Kaizoku takes his coat off, showing that he's actually wearing his uniform like a real naval officer might, complete with medals, ribbons, and other formalities. Seki places a white cloth over small stone table with an almost reverant air, setting it just so and, finally, placing the board on the table; the pieces are allready set up, Seki sitting in front of the pieces of blue and black jade, while the white and red pieces are left of their own accord.
"Lord, I must protest..."
"Died, I'm taking this seriously." Seki says, pulling his hair back and taking a swig of water. "Believe me. If there's one opponent I'm not going to underestimate..." The Kaizoku picks up his pawn.
Weeks ago,
"Are you kidding me?" An inquisitor of the Ivalican church looks shocked. "The lost artifacts?!"
"Would I lie about this, gov'ner?" A Dancer says teasingly, shaking her hips a little. "Sure as stone, there's a whole warehouse fulla stolen goods that's gonna be sold on auction. If someone could get there before that Creation place's criminal deligates arrive, well..."
"Hrm." Seki murmurs, "Clever fient, ol'man."
Days ago,
"Lord Odin, Lord Odin!" The little Ragnavali wizard trips over himself, prostrating before his Demon King. "My King!"
The enormous one eyed old man craned his head, slightly, looking down at the man. "Speak."
"The tome! The secret diary of Frey! We've found a lead!"
"The diary..." Odin rumbles, "Said to contain all the wisdom of the first King of the Ghosts...rumored to have stolen the secrets of the end of the world from the fates themselves...yes. His rescearch could make our securing the Cauldron all the more...efficent."
"But my Lord, it's off our plane! Won't...I mean, we can't just let them all /know/."
"No, we cannot." The Demon Lord Odin's smile is an unpleasent thing. "Fortunately, I imagine this island of thieves you speak of...well, if my daughter's friends get the idea to quest to the place before all that precious lost knowledge is sold at auction...who would suspect the white knights of the Interplanar Police to have an agenda outside of justice, yes?"
"I only play dangerously..." Seki murmurs, as his Magistrate gets taken by the white side. "Any other way ain't worth the effort."
Tonight,
"Lord Seki, please, eat..."
"Not NOW!" Seki snaps, scowling down at the Gateway board. "This is the most important part of the game, Died Seven Times. My attention cannot be diverted. I've already given you instructions on what to do-so /do it/." The Kaizoku doesn't take his eyes from the board, glaring at it and chewing his lower lip. "Come on, you son of a bitch, move allready..."
The Island of Thieves, located in the near North-West, looks almost peaceful in the night. Those with scrying materials can confirm, however, the presence of a large, sturdy warehouse guarded by a few armed soldiers, just as your contacts warned when they told you of the place.
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "My soldiers and I are going to investigate reports of a warehouse of stolen goods within Creation."
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "Hm? I will accompany you, if you like."
[Fac-IPA] Celene Hunter says, "Good luck."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "Thank you, Lady Lera."
[Fac-IPA] Simon says, "All right!! Let's do this!"
Gwendolyn switches armor modes to Minions.
[Fac-IPA] Ryoto Hikawa swallows. "R-right...."
[Fac-IPA] Simon says, "...eh? Damn it, Leeron, make the buttons more obvious!"
[Fac-IPA] Ky Kiske says, "I am otherwise indisposed or I would offer. Faith walk with thee, Lady Gwendolyn and Lera."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "Thank you as well, Simon. I will be accompanying you alongside several of my valkyries and giants from Ragnanival."
[Fac-IPA] Leeron hmhms. "Oh, I'm sure you and the lovely Gurren Lagann-sama will get used to them in time, Siiii-mon. [3"
[Fac-IPA] Through a distorted voice, Near says, "Yes, good luck everyone. I am sure you will perform admirably in the course of your duty."
If Seki was hoping that the investigative "team" from Ragnanival would come in stealth and secret, this may put a chink in his plans. Vikings and barbarians do not sneak in. They charge, and expect those in-between themselves and their goal to get the hell out of the way.
Footsteps approach from the side, some light, some softly thudding. A small detachment of winged valkyries, armored ten foot giants and axe-wielding barbarians march, led by the princess, a valkyrie with a gold crown atop her head. Princess Gwendolyn is otherwise distinguishable from her troops by the soft glow of the Psypher jewel atop her spear, which acts as a faint torch.
"This is where we were instructed," she whispers to her comrades, Ragnanival and IPA alike. "Demon Lord Odin has asked us to report on anything we recover here, if that is possible." From the tone of her voice, she expects that to be very possible. Why would they doubt the Demon Lord himself?
The only game Oswald would use as a metaphor (assuming he would play games) for what's about to happen is probably... Team Fortress.
The black-armored knight stands at the prow of a small craft, having drifted silently through the night to bump up against the rocky shore. Red eyes flicker in the chill sea spray of the moonlit night. "Move quickly and silently." He whispers to those behind him. "Maintain stealth, and kill who you need to kill. But don't let them raise the alarm, or we might find ourselves in the middle of a brawl." He steps forward out of the boat, keeping to the shadows. "Let's go."
Oswald breaks into a quick, quiet run, the red glow of Belderiver muted with a dark covering. Fast and deadly is the word here.
Someone is standing atop one of the giants. Cathak Lera has her arms crossed underneath her breasts and is scowling as she looks at the storehouse; she has to wonder just what is in there. She then looks down at her ride - and smiles apologetically at the giant she is using as a makeshift steed. "Thank you for the ride," she says, as if she gave him much choice.
She looks towards Gwendolyn, then, and nods her head. Her eyes fall back on the warehouse - and she keeps looking straight at it. "I will do so," she says, her voice quiet.
Well, Oswald's not the only dark knight here tonight. Crimson Dawn's tagged along for the fun. The deathknight cocks his head to the side and then shrugs, nodding slightly at Oswald as he lightly hops onto the ground. The Abyssal is moving from shadow to shadow, his dark clothes blending in perfectly as he makes absolutely no sound while he moves towards the unsuspecting guards. Gotta love stealth-enhancing charms.
As for weapons, well, he's got some, somewhere, but they're probably stashed over that cloak of his...
Somewhere, not very close - no, not close at all, yet - somewhere Outside - there is tinkling laughter. Somewhere, not very close, somewhere Outside - there is no shape. There is no form. There is no here. There is only, for now, the anticipation.
But soon somewhere will be closer, and it will have paid off.
A young woman with blonde hair stands not too far behind Oswald. Her red eyes overlook the area, one hand clasping the staff at her side. The other hangs freely. "A brawl, hmm?" She speaks quietly- she's familiar with stealth... as much as she is familiar with finding herself in the middle of a large legion of soldiers. It is something she and Nowe have both seen on occaision. Of course, after angering an entire legion of knights...? Yeah, that would d it.
As Oswald breaks into a dash, she quickly, and lightly starts to follow. Her steps are quick, and she remains focused on the goal at hand. The staff doesn't look to be too reliable of a weapon, but it hasn't been shown in combat. Not yet, at the very least.
If Simon knew what Seki was up to, it would actually be a point in his favor. He appreciates people who know how to Play.
Of course, right now he's too busy following his boss' orders by tagging along with this 'Demon Princess' chick, and seeing what she and hers are up to. While Gwen and her allies are breaking down the door, a black-clad figure is sneaking through the scrub-brushes a good twenty yards away. He stops, crouches behind the bole of a tree, and sends off a quick tightband transmission to his allies.
[[This is Simon. I'm in position; I'll watch your backs as best as I can. Have at.]]
And then, the demon starts setting up his weapon--a high-powered rifle of some sort. And then, he settles in to wait.
Peleps Kaizoku Seki's role will probably be revealed eventually. It's part of being a well meaning mastermind in a story; the fact that Seki's also a mentor figure to a brave young hero pretty much dooms the pirate, if he isn't careful.
"That a threat?" Seki mutters, pulling a Manse back and to the left. "We both know you won't kill me until you're sure you've wrung everything you have out of me. Which is why I'm going to beat you, in the end, naturally."
That's usually what mentor figures say, right before getting struck down by the great villain in front of their beloved student, catapulting her into greatness...
"Your move."
The island is quiet...apperently, the relitive isolation of the place was considered enough security. It's also small enough that our respective parties will be able to see eachother right, about....now.
The faint blue light illuminates a familiar pair of red eyes. And Gwendolyn holds her hand out to the side, halting her troops.
"Princess?"
"...It is the Shadow Knight," she hisses, "and accomplices. At least, I can only assume." The quiet, analytical thing would be to avoid a conflict. The Ragnanival thing would be-
To point her spear right at the opposing group, glaring and snapping at them. "What business have you here?! Leave us and clear the path, or we shall make a path for ourselves!" Did they get a tip-off of some kind somehow? She only knew that her father "knew," and her father knows many things for reasons he won't divulge...
"Mmm."
One of the Talons is picked up and moved briefly - an unorthodox move. A very unorthodox move, to no apparent purpose. The worst kind of threat. The piece clicks loudly on the board in the silence.
"Perhaps you will. But then, a threat need not only be to you." The tone is conversational.
Somewhere, there is still the anticipation.
"Princess Gwendolyn, I believe that is not quite what one would call a stealth operation," Lera says with a sigh, before she pats her giant on the shoulder. He walks forward, and she draws out her bow - deciding to use her position atop the giant as a nice vantage point. She nocks an arrow, and aims it down at the group in a surprisingly fluid motion.
Oswald is the victim of a sour look; Manah receives a blink, and then...
"You!" she shouts, at Crimson Dawn. "What in the name of the Immaculate Dragons are you doing here, Dawn?!"
Maybe she doesn't follow her own advice.
Oswald turns the corner of the warehouse, only to get a faceful of Raganival.
The Shadow Knight sighs, before he sets himself into a battle stance. "What are /you/ doing here, Gwendolyn? Our business is none of your concern. If you interfere... I will destroy you all." With a pulse of energy, the black covering over the Psypher crystal evaporates, and the cursed sword gleams. The red and blue lights give the location an unreal cast, the two Psypher-wielders limned. It's clear that Oswald has every confidence that he's capable of doing exactly what he said. "Don't throw your life away, Gwendolyn."
Crimson Dawn pauses, mid-step, and turns, blinking at firs the loud challenge from Gwendolyn, then the equally loud yell from Lera. He blinks, then shrugs, turning and waving a hand dissmissively, afore casually tugging the scarf covering his lower face down, eyes locked on Lera in a deadpan expression.
"What, I need a reason to do things now? I just felt like it. So, what are YOU doing here, hmmmm?"
Simon's eyes narrow under the ski-mask, and he brings the rifle's scope to bear on Oswald. /This/ is the knight Agrias was getting so worked up about, hm?
[[Gwendolyn, how reliable was that tip-off of yours?]] he asks, sounding only slightly surprised--usually, archrivals start /shooting/ once they see each other.
Simon crawls forwards a couple feet, the grass around him rustling a little as he does so. For now, he's content to play backup. And maybe get in a little target practice on things that aren't VOID: Bullets.
Manah slows to a stop not too far from Oswald, and she looks from Lera, then to the others... and quietly, she looks around the area. The young woman doesn't talk much. She doesn't seem to be taking too much interest in whatever banter will come about from yelling at another group who seems to have the same idea.
They're not here to kill her or arrest her or cause much other trouble. And as such, she can proably be a bit more unnoticd than usual.
This is why the blonde tightens her grip on her weapon and she begins to slip back towards the back of Oswald's group... then she turns around to start working her way along the building in another direction. She's splitting off from the main group to try to continue finding another way in while everyone's focused on the Shadow Knight.
The situation is not good. Foes and rivales meet each others unexpectedly, the air is tense, thick with hatred and conflict. One would bet that it's going to get even worse bettewn the whole lot of them really soon, if they're even vaguely observent.
That's probably true, but here's another thing completly different!
Out of the blue, the gates--doors? -- of the warehouse litteraly EXPLODES open from inward. A young man flies straight out and past some extremly surprised guards, sliding through the ground painfully by a few metres. The youth is carrying a long, elegantly crafted guan do (A spear, for you english speakers like us) with a long silk sash hanging down almost a yard. This young man staggers back to his feet and before he knows it...
A gigantic, reptilian-looking duck, burning with the infernal flames of the depth of the abysses, burst an even bigger hole through the warehouse and charges straight for the man.
"FOR THE LAST TIME! I DIDN'T RUN OVER YOUR YOUNGS ON THE ROAD!" Shouts Han Su Li as he goes for another dash.
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "Tch... Crimson Dawn /and/--" She stops, to calmly say, "Duck." Then resumes, angrily, "that Shadow Knight!"
[Fac-IPA] Simon Parker says, "Angry one, at that."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "A duck beast indeed. I /know/ the Shadow Knight."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "And to answer your question, Simon Parker, twas the word of my father."
"Cute." Seki blinks, where did that Anathemia piece come from? "Are we cheating openly, now?"
Check.
"I know." The Mad Captain smiles like the preaditor he is, as...
[[Twas the word of my father.]] The princess speaks in a tone that just /dares/ one to question her father's integrity.
Gwendolyn looks to the side briefly, as that young man appears to have aggravated a monster. Well, his fault if he did something foolish. The correct thing to do when one has aggravated a monster is to /slay it./
And she has more pressing matters. "You seem confident that you could slay us all on the spot as you are, Shadow Knight. And the rest of you, we have no time to waste with you." Especially if that fool has damaged any of the artifacts. "If you do not stand down, I will force you!" The Psypher glows a brilliant blue with its wielder's rage, but she waits, it seems, for the Shadow Knight, Deathknight and Manah to make the first move.
And the giants and valkyries remain by her side, all looking to be itching for a fight.
"Han, for the last time, /what/ have I told you about angering duck gods?" Lera says with a sigh to the ramen chef. She rubs the bridge of her nose once, before looking away and back at the Deathknight.
Her eyes narrow. "I recognize your company--and don't think I've not noticed you, Shadow Knight! I remember how our last battle was cut short!"
The bow remains drawn, ready to fire. "We're here on official business. That is all you need to know!"
...Now, see, Crimson Dawn was going to make some scathing reply, or possibly taunt Lera...but, well, Demonic Duck. The Abyssal just stares, eyeing it, then shakes his head, turning back to his CURRENT NEMESIS or at least semi-sassy rival or something. And then hey, he's getting yelled at some more.
"...So."
Crimson leans back against a tree, an eyebrow arched at Lera.
"You're angrier than usual. That time of month?"
Hey, just because he forgot his cutting remark, doesn't mean he forgot how to be an asshole!
"Cheating?"
There is a pulse in the fabric of Creation. The Anathema piece shifts positions to a more comfortable one - and then walks across the board.
"I never cheat. You know that. Rules rearrange themselves for me."
And at that moment, the world shifts.
In front of the warehouse, there is a twist in the world. For a moment, it is as if all things have shifted ninety degrees. Up is left. Right is down. Green is north.
Vertigo.
The world is not as it was. The island and its surroundings are - not real? Not /here/? Somewhere else?
The sky is a whirling mass of colors, some real and some never seen before. The duck roars, spouts flame -
And in a blinding flash it is gone, replaced by a being of terrible beauty. It has the shape of a man, with feathers covering it made of gold and platinum, a beak made of blood-red ruby, eyes apparently made of air made solid. It has long wings sprouting from the back, the feathers shimmering like dew on spiderweb - if spiderweb were made of purest gold. Its feet are long talons, carved from gold and marble. Its hands hold a magnificent weapon, a long spear made of shimmering solid cloud with a blade of brilliant silk. It stands silently in a martial pose, the flames of the duck's breath swirl around it like a corona, before settling around its forehead as a band of solid flame, a gem in the band centered on its forehead, shaped like a silver eye.
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "What is that?!"
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "It is..."
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "A--a Fair One."
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "Be careful!"
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "And... prepare yourselves with iron weapons!"
[Fac-IPA] Simon Parker lets out a low, sickly choking noise. Something hits the ground next to him with a heavy thud.
Perhaps out of instinct, Simon clams up as Gwendolyn mentions the Demon Lord. The appearance of Han and his duck-demon draw the Balseraph's attention, but he doesn't fire--that would be giving away his position for nothing. The stalemate, he thinks, will likely break within the next few minutes, when one of the...
The demon first senses the incoming tempest as a faint cracking of static--like someone's messing with reality's antenna. He rises into a crouch, drawing the rifle up to his shoulder and blinking. It gets louder, and louder, until it's not so much static as /silence/, silence that tears at the chords of the universe and sends shockwaves through Simon's symphony. Simon drops the rifle, and sinks to his hands and knees, still /staring/ at the thing the duck-monster turned into. Does he look utterly astonished, even beneath the mask? Yup.
"I /have/ cleaned battlefields of this fodder myself. Or have you forgotten so soon since leaving the front lines of the Cauldron War?" Oswald retorts sharply, only to glance at Lera. "You should be glad it was. You were losing badly."
And then... duck. Oswald mutters to himself, Belderiver twitching irrationally in the demon duck's direction. "... This is getting ridiculous."
And then reality gets even MORE ridiculous. Oswald staggers, wincing as everything he knows becomes Wrong in various ways, only to stagger to his feet. Ish. He's kinda lurching to the side. The sight of the brilliant, absurdly expensive-looking duck causes Oswald a moment of shock... Before his eyes narrow. "I have had /enough/ of this." The Shadow Knight mutters, leveling his blade...
At the Duck. "You die first." With a howl of rage unleashed, Oswald leaps through the fluid air, his motion stuttering and flickering oddly as he cleaves down upon the metallic canard. Belderiver hungers.
[Fac-IPA] Simon Parker seems to have recovered, but still sounds short of breath. And a little panicked. "A /what/?"
Manah is in the process of trying to find another entrance, when... there's quite a disturbance... then something else going on over the radio. She idly brings her free hand up to the earpiece, making sure to hold it in place, almost as an idle gesture... She looks around, her crimson gaze focusing here and there, trying to watch this and that... when the monsterous duck bursts out from the warehouse. This causes the young mage to jump a bit, bringing her hand to her heart.
Though she doesn't seem to be willing to move too much... when the world shifts.
Knowing the world she's from, and what she's done in the past, this shouldn't be too strange for her... but it is. It's very strange for her. It's very strange for anyone who would have to experience this. That's why she simply stares at the sky for a moment, then... at what the duck has suddenly become. Widening her eyes just slightly, the blonde moves forward, her footsteps light- but she's not charging the duck. She's moving around the group. It seems that she's taking the situation to her advantage and attempting to flank Gwendolyn, Cathak, and whoever else is in the opposing force.
The duck is proving to be a nice distraction.
[Fac-IPA] Peleps Kaizoku Seki says, "'Fair Ones' are one of the names they have on my plane for fairies."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "-How do you know about it?"
[Fac-IPA] Peleps Kaizoku Seki says, "Lera said, 'A Fair One!' a second ago."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "...So the fairies of this plane are monsters as well."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "I have slain many with my spear, though none quite like this. But I will not cower in its presence!"
"I didn't! I met that thing in the Netherworld on my way to the past!" The aftermentioned Han Su Li lets out, using his spear to get back to his feets, completly missing the infernal duck transformation and staring straight at Lera ...and the crowd of other people he didn't noticed. "--Where the hell did you all come from, anyway!? I--" He pauses, feeling that stares goes waaaay around and past him. There must be something going on. Something big.
He turns around and stare at the duckman. Golden duck man. /SHINY/ duckman thingie. Han lower his familial spear, blinkling blankly. Nevermind that the world went absolutely NUTS around him -- there's a /golden, shiny duck man/ in the stead of the murderous infernal dragon duck of earlier.
"...You, sir, are not from the Netherworld, to be sure."
[Fac-IPA] Sauceror says, "Be sure to use Cold Meat against them!"
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "Iron."
[Fac-IPA] Cathak Lera says, "They will fall to iron."
[Fac-IPA] Sauceror says, "Nono, cold meat, that's what they're weak to. See, they're generaly either Spooky or Sleazy monsters."
"-What...what is that...!" Gwendolyn staggers back, holding her head as her troops murmur and shout in confusion, and then turns to what she thought was a dumb beast. It transforms in front of her eyes, with sorcery she cannot recognize herself, and she stares at it until Lera and that fool Seki identify its form.
A Fair One. The term used for the fairies.
"...-You! Ghost!" For ghosts and fairies are not quite the same, and yet not altogether different. "What business have you here?!" It has the traits she remembers of the fairies of Ringford, magnified-an otherworldliness, bright colors, odd aura, deceptive beauty. She can remember what her father told her of the fairies.
"Beware them all, each and every one. They are decietful and traitorous, mischevious and wicked. The only way Erion will be safe is if they are kept carefully controlled, under the eye of the Demon Lord..."
"What in the..." Lera stares, for a moment. They are not close to the Wyld, she knows - not /that/ close. For a Fair One to be here... It does not bode well. Her eyes widen, but to her credit, she keeps her grip on her bow and arrow. The aim, though, is adjusted. She puts her arrowhead towards him and sucks in a deep breath. "Fair One!" she snaps.
Her blood runs cold; this is what cursed her mother, after all. Manah gets by easily; her thoughts are elsewhere. She swallows.
"I don't know why you're here... but you aren't welcome beyond the Wyld!" she shouts.
Seki's eyes gleam, as the rules of the game alter...
"As consumate a showman as ever," Seki idly tips his glass of water, ignoring the terrified murmurings of his crew. The key to these things is to never let the other guy see you blink, after all, "...glad to see you haven't lost your touch, Lord Markandeya, o'Master of the Gossamer Thread. But you forget."
And then the tile under The Anatema...opens up, sending the piece falling to another level, only to bounce off of the board!
"I don't have a problem with a little cheating. I mean, you can change the rules so that me breathing is illegal so, really, all that counts is which one of us is cleverer at bullshitting the other." Idly, Seki moves his Trieme into position, the same approach he made during their first game, when the lives of then-mortal Seki's family were on the line. "Check, Marky."
...Huh. Well, the duck thing is...some sort of Fairy.
Goddammit.
Crimson Dawn just pauses, looking at it, and then sigh, heavily. Crimson Dawn calmly walks away from Lera, hands tucked under his cloak again. He doesn't have a hand on his daiklaves while he waits, with interest to see how the Fair Folk reacts to Oswald.
"Fair Folk...the only thing I hate more than Seki, Dynasts, and your Mom."
Still, he isn't being overtly hostile. Yet. I mean, that's what Oswald is for.
Oswald's leap is perhaps not the finest idea. With a fluid grace, the world shifts, the duck-man's story writing itself. He is the hero - the star of his own story. And so he shows his skill - in one simple movement, his open palm intercepts the blade, halting it without any apparent muscle movement. A single drop of blood falls from the cut - silvery and insubstantial, turning into a dove as it strikes the ground and flying away. "You will cease your rudeness, mortal."
The creature idly flicks its hand - and sends Oswald flying back five feet. It cannot do this often - hardly at all, for it is a /servant/ - but for the moment, it holds the Sword Grace. "I am Garuda, the Cleansing Hand of the Gossamer Lord. I am no ghost, woman." It spreads its wings and flaps them once, flying into the air - and revealing that the warehouse door has been replaced by an opulent entrance, carved from ice and solid light. "My Lord bids you enter - for while we may not be welcome beyond the Wyld..."
The Garuda points its spear at Lera. From the point, a shimmering thread emits and twines outwards - and then curls back in on itself, shifting...and becoming a three-headed kitten flower, sprouting from the earth, not the spear.
"The Wyld is here - and welcomes you."
There is a tinkling laugh in the Dumb Luck. "Clever, Prince of the Earth! Clever." Lord Markandeya watches the board. "I would not do that, as you have said. The world is a more.../interesting/ place with you wonderful creatures in it...especially you. So many reactions..."
He reaches down and caresses a piece - which shifts, becoming a Behemoth.
No, Gateway has never had a Behemoth piece. It stretches out over several squares - and then curles around the Trireme, hurling it to another level. "But I expected better of you. Have you nothing /new/ to show me...? I become /bored/ with the same again."
[Fac-IPA] Gwendolyn says, "...Lady Lera, what is the Wyld?"
Oswald's eyes widen as he finds his deadly attack stopped instantly. "What..."
He doesn't get a chance to respond, as he is flung backwards, clattering across the ground-that-is-not-ground to skid to a stop. "Ugh..." Oswald says eloquently, rolling to one knee. His expression is equal parts wonder at the strange occurances, confusion at the nonsensical occurrances (kitten flower!?), and glaring at the duck. "What is this madness?" Oswald looks over to Crimson Dawn. He seems to have a good idea of what's going on. Maybe the Deathknight will give a better suggestion on how to deal with this.
This is about when the Trireme explodes. Not a massive thing, just a little combustion of glass and fire powder, designed to take whatever piece tries to grab it out with the little toy. Idly, Seki moves a Legionnare forward, suddenly reverting to basic primary school tatics. "You need to appreciate sublty, my hizzle. Find the small changes in a familiar thing, instead of needing constant easy entertainment. Not only does it strengthen the mind, but..."
Time for the gambit. "Are you aware of how random number generators work?" Now, all he has to do is hope that Crimson Dawn doesn't catch on and screw everything up out of spite.
Han has been in many places, in his life as martial artist has been filled of many incidents that were both sane, insane and something that's in-bettewn. Traveling through time requires you to go through the Netherworld. It's a place that can only be explained like this: Imagine the Ancient Sorcerous Cult of Nuuz erased from time coexisting at the same time with an horrible, hellish, ever-changing labyrinth and filled of tons of people -- and non-people -- of erased timelimes.
Plus, there's a rumour that it is actualy WHERE ninja comes from. It's the truth.
Whatever the case, the Li is likely not as shocked as he should by being in the near-primordial chaos and looking at that this...thing. Person. Whatever, flicking effortlessly that nasty looking dark knight. All he manage to think is... "...So you're /not a furry, at least."
Whether or not it is a surprise to the others that Manah seems to simply step up from behind them, she honestly doesn't care. She's revealed that she's managed to work her way around, away from Oswald and Crimson Dawn. However, for now, she doesn't intend to attack the two of them for the most part. Her attention is focused on the Fair Folk they're up against. "Excuse me," she says quietly, though politely, "but you'll be dealt with once we've all finished with the greater threat."
Quickly lifting her staff up above her head, the young blonde twists it in the air, the two metal pieces striking together from the motion. The young woman is simply releasing a large amount of elemental energy, focusing it through her body and, for the most part, out ahead of her and towards the strange creature.
And the air becomes frigid. Very much so. Large pieces of ice begin to form in the air, the very water in the atmosphere being frozen and gathered together to make the massive chunk of ice that suddenly slams down onto her designated target.
As she told them- she doesn't have iron, but cold is something she can do. Unfortunately, Manah's unsure of whether or not it will be good enough to bring about the intended affect.
Gwendoyln stares, taken aback and confused, as much as she is remiss to admit it in front of her troops. She hesitates at that door, knowing nothing of this 'Wyld' save that it is the domain of faeries. And how would her lord instruct her?
He would tell her to go, and were she to die, maybe he would mourn her for a few words as he did Griselda. She knows this to be true.
She turns to Lera, for this is her plane. "You likely know of the Wyld. If you enter, I will follow..."
"What--?" Lera asks, in alarm, as Manah steps up right next to her - and she blinks, before she nods her head. "Mm. The same can be said for you! But let's handle this, first," she says, before she looks at Gwendolyn. Her lips twist into a frown.
"We can try to resist it, but we may have no choice," she says. "This creature has... powers that are unnerving. Or more accurately, its master."
She turns back towards Garuda. "And what exactly would compel us to enter your master's domain, beast?"
The Bringer of Darkness in the Crimson Dawn just sighs, watching the Fair Folk fling the other deathknight back, and then the thing starts TALKING. The Abyssal just spits, stalking up towards it, dead red eyes glaring right into its face...and then he smiles.
"Tell me, Garuda...That was an impressive trick with the sword...And you're the messenger of your lord? Well then, on behalf of the Bodhivista Annointed by the Dark Waters, the Silver Prince of the West, I, the Bringer of Darkness in the Crimson Dawn, bring my own message from my lord to yours, as an emissary of one of the Princes of the Underheavens to the lords of the Wyld..."Please, when you see your lord again, tell him that his message accepted. Out of our way, if you would."
Whiiiich is about when Crimson Dawn attempts to slam a soulsteel dagger right into the Fair Folk's belly, rip it out, and then slam it straight into the thing's skull, while smiling and exchanging diplomatic pleasantries.
Soulsteel and ice tear into the Garuda, slitting open its stomach and then crushing it beneath ice. The body - dissolves outwards, into a flock of doves. The drops of silvery blood are small doves, the body parts are bigger ones. The flock flies around the group, and from their throats the Garuda's voice comes.
"My lord sees all I see. He knows all I know. He bids you enter - and you will, for if you do not...than this land is ours."
And the doves scatter, leaving only the door, leading inwards.
The trireme's explosion actually brings another beautiful, bell-like laugh. "I appreciate subtlety more than you can know, my Prince. But you - well, perhaps I am wrong about you. Tell me how they work."
Seki has managed to keep the interest of a raksha - though he, of all people, will know that this is likely a mask for the cold anger of the fairy scorned. The raksha Noble's hand moves - and the board shifts slightly, as he makes his 'move' - a change in the environment, raising a "mountain" before the Legionnaire.
"Well, turns out that when you use a machine to randomize a group of numbers?" Seki holds up an oblous, "There's this phenomina where you get long streaks of the same number over and over again. I don't know if anyone's entierly sure why it happens, but in the future-planes, they actually have to un-randomize the number generators they use for games in order to not get a zero or a one sixty times in a row."
"In other words..." Seki flips the coin. "Turns out chaos ain't all that chaotic after all, o'unique and individual snowflake. In fact, I'm willing to bet that you have a lot more in common with your fellow fairy nobles than you really wanna admit, eh?" Seki smiles, then, as contingency three plays off, and he moves his Manse to block the /other/ way for the fairy lord's Emperess to escape. "And I believe that is mate."
Oswald stands, listening to the insanity. His expression is torn... This is not the land he knew. These are not his 'people'.
Most importantly, he can't complete his mission until this strange distortion is gone. And so... He ignores Gwendolyn, Lera, and Han, instead pointing at the door. "Through the door. We need to remove the obstructions." Belderiver leading the way, Oswald leaps forward, charging through that door. He REALLY wants to kill something right now.
"I'd say we had better enter," Lera concludes, before looking at Gwen and Manah. "It seems it poses some threat to this area - and if it falls to the Wyld..." She frowns and looks down. "We are all lost, and many others."
She starts off, then, slowly. "As you say, Fair One. You had best hope this is not a trick." Her eyes move to Crimson Dawn.
She sighs, and sends something by radio.
"...So be it, then. All you who wish to follow me," Gwendolyn addresses her troops, "you may. Those who wish to stay behind may do so. It is your decision." She speaks softly, for once, watching the Shadow Knight and Lera go on ahead.
All of her troops, giant, valkyrie and axeman alike, do follow her, as she steps through that door. She does not charge ahead, holding her staff in her hands and keeping her eyes narrowed.
And suddenly, everyone around him charges that creature -- that summularly explodes into a flock, leave a message and disperse away.
Han Su Li blinks rapidly, seeking to dispel the confusion that came from all that, approaching the group and lowering that lent spear, pointing at the ground.
"So, in other words...we don't have much of a choice, don't we, Lera?"
The Abyssal calmly slides the soulsteel dagger back to wherever he was hiding it, then hmmphs, glancing at Lera and snorting dismissively. And, with that, Crimson Dawn calmly turns and stalks straight through the doorway into the Wyld or stronghold or whatever the hell the goddamn fairies are calling it this week. They're so finicky.
Dum de dum dum dum dum dum. Hey, he's a happy killer in a target rich environment.
Manah simply frowns as she barely hears the words from Garuda. She lowers the staff, then casts a glance towards Lera- the very slightest traces of a smile showing at this point. "Then we will have a truce for now. It will be nice working alongside with you for the time being."
She most certainly is cordial, isn't she?
"But yes," she finally answers Lera's statement. "While I do not know much about the Wyld, or this creature... But I'll have to agree with you." She doesn't say much else before she flips the staff under her arm and breaks into a run. "It's best that we hurry."
Light and quick on her feet, the blonde mage doesn't think twice before she runs through the open doors- she's run headlong into trouble with Nowe on many occaisions. This shouldn't be all that different.
All this while, Simon has been creeping forwards, and listening. To Lera, mainly, since she has no reason to lie to him yet--and she's the resident authority on these things. As Gwendolyn's troops move in, he sneaks in with them, trying to hide himself among their numbers; he doesn't know if the fairies saw him, but if he can conceal himself for a while longer, so much the better.
And as he walks into the unknown, Simon cocks his head to the side and asks a question over tightband. [[Lera... just what, exactly, /can't/ these things do?]] It might be easier to answer than its opposite.
[[They cannot exist... in a world with order - in a world that exists in a way that we know it,]] Lera replies quietly to Simon. [[Or at least, not for long.]] She frowns, before she looks briefly at the cop - and then turns towards Han. She nods her head.
"..." The raksha noble listens, his eyes closed and gossamer threads hanging about him. He listens - and understands the words. "Mate. ...yes. Mate."
And then he stands - and reaches out, grabbing Seki by the throat. "Listen to me, Peleps Kaizoku Seki. AND LISTEN WELL!"
As he says this, the room shifts. No longer is it the Dumb Luck.
Indeed - as the others make their way into the "warehouse," they find this room: full of glory and gold and gems. The room seems to be carved from a single diamond, plated in gold and silken threads, with shimmers of spidersilk hanging in the air like dustmotes. In the room are brilliant pieces of art - living artwork, statues that move themselves, paintings with voices, singing beautiful, wordless hymns - and at the center of it all, a throne carved from light and darkness, mixing in shadow and brightness and blackness.
And before that throne lies a dog, a brilliant dog cut from ice and jade, with eyes of bitten frost and a collar of ruby and frozen light. Standing beside the throne on the left is the Garuda in all his glory - and on the right, a beautiful ape, an orangutan with hair of flame and a face of coal and flesh, with diamond eyes and beautiful jewelery adorning his body. Curled about the throne is a snake with arms, with scales of wood and hair of vines, with eyes that glow a brilliant purple, its arms holding a fan made of leaves and a long knife dripping poison.
Standing on the throne, however, his green skin glowing from within, his long ears quivering with rage, his brilliant brown-white hair a halo about him, his opulent clothing and terrible beauty making him compelling even with his face contorted into unnatural rage - is Markandeya. In his hand is Seki, gripped by the throat and held up off the ground.
"I am NOT your common raksha! I AM MARKANDEYA! You are nothing! It is only because of my /whim/ that you remain alive, that you did not die! YOU ARE ALL NOTHING TO ME!" And with unnatural strength, Seki is hurled into the crowd, a living missile. The world begins to twist and distort as the anger of the raksha shapes it, angles becoming sharper, shadows darkening and becoming more terrible. And worse...
"I would have given you a chance! BUT YOU CHOSE THIS!" Those are the last words - as the world begins to dissolve, almost - the throne room fading...and coming into focus at the same time. The air itself twists about, writhing in anger, as the objects of art warp and shift, becoming monsters too terrible to describe, horrors from the Wyld's depths.
"Y'know, Markey Mark, I got over knocking the board over when I lost when I was, like, three." Seki lies, because he still does it sometimes. And then he's /hurled/....
"...hey guys." Seki looks up sheepishly, finger-waving at friend and enemy alike. "Suprise?"
It is not exactly what Gwendolyn would call a fairy, but it seems that is what this creature is, here in its glittering domain of chaos that gives her the faintest of constant headaches. A dog, an ape, a serpent, and an elf of sorts. And it seems he has found prey, of some sort.
"Funny to see you here, Kaizoku Seki," Gwendolyn addresses the privateer in a slightly cold tone. She turns to the raksha himself, narrowing her eyes. "Twas you who invited us here, was it not? Who said that the world was yours if we did not enter. To what end have you brought us here, and what are you doing with your prisoner?"
"Captain Seki!" Lera shouts in a panic, stopping her charge and staring at him. Both of her short swords are drawn in an instant, and she frowns at him - looking him over desperately, hoping to find him unhurt. But, with the taint of the Wyld so close, who can be sure of anything? She feels her heart sink - a grip of fear, knowing she is so close to what killed her before.
She can't come back a second time.
She looks back at Markandeya, sword raising to point at him. "Fair One!" she shouts, her green eyes narrowing. "What is the meaning of this? Why have we been brought here, as Princess Gwendolyn asked?"
Okay, now, that's rather impressive. Not just impressive, but actualy pretty damn creepy. Han Su Li raises his spear outward, eyes flicking away toward the newly...teleported pirate captain. "I'm going to echo the girls' question and ask what the heck is going on in here!"
Besides complete pandemonium, chaos, creepy horros from beyond and an angry whatchasit--wait. Raksha? Now, that's familiar...but they're not supposed to do this kind of crap!
Everyone asks what's going on. The... /wrongness/ of this world causes pains to shoot through Oswald's mind. His blood thuds in his ears like drums... And he steps forward. The mutations and horrors borne of chaos do not dissuade him... He has walked through the Netherworld and come back. There is only one thing he needs to know. One thing he can depend on.
A hand rises to his face, covering it as he summons forth his Power. The accursed blade resonantes, and the Void comes. Blackness sheathes Oswald, his body fading away into the shadow of Death, his limbs distorting and shifting. His Essence is permeated with deathforce as he transforms to something more... and less... than a man.
The Shadow Demon stretches, and abruptly blurs forward, the elderiver flaring crimson in the light as it cleaves out and upwards for the Noble's throat. The goal is simple: Obliterate this abomination before it even begins.
Oswald switches armor modes to Shadow Demon.
"This?" Seki blinks, smiling sheepishly as he pulls on the lapels of his coat. "Just a friendly game of Gateway! Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, heh..."
Okay, he admits it, he didn't expect Markymark to teleport him in front of the people he hoodwinked. His fault for pushing the wrong buttons. "Well, nicely played! You've been working on your game, haven't you, my Mizzle?" Seki waggles his finger at the fairy king...it'd be a mistake if Seki being impertinant was not very much a part of his relationship with the noble. If he deviated too far from their Story, well...
Slowly, cautiously, Seki reaches his hand into his coat, waiting for a chance...oh, good, Oswald's playing johnny distaction, how nice of him.
"-your boyfriend's kinda dim, innit he?" Seki then mutters to Qwendolyn.
"My WHAT?!" Ever seen a valkryie's feathers ruffle?
Han Su Li didn't, no. Han would be laughing right now if they were all somewhere else.
The chaos rages on as Markandeya takes in the group, his eyes flickering across each of them, looking at them - or through them - or both. And slowly, it begins to calm as the anger on his face...does not so much fade as shift. Anger is an emotion - and raksha treat emotions like clothing. They can easily be changed and stored for later.
But a chance to play with mortals, to learn about their minds? That is rarer.
"Ha! You wish to know what is going on, mortals? Then I will /tell/ you. I grant you welcome to my court." His tone has lost its rage - and his face has, too. Instead, he is back in his normal aspect of Courteous Host - without temper and without hatred.
This aspect is only slightly belied by the fact that the art objects have ceased to twist...but remained in more terrible, if no less ephemeral shapes than they first were. "This is the new freehold of my court, this island - and you, champions of the world...may challenge here, by the Law of Markandeya. Do you choo-"
And then Oswald blurs into motion, leading Markandeya to smile - and the world shifts. Oswald fights friction and physics, as Markandeya Shapes his court, and - suddenly finds himself leaping the /other/ direction, without ever having changed facing, leaping among the crowd.
"-I see that you do. But of course, you're mortals. I could name as my own champion my general, Garuda." The golden duck-man spreads his wings and gestures with his spear. "Or my hunting dog, Madradhura." The dog lying at the foot of the throne growls, its ears perking. "Or my advisor and assassin, Nagaraja." The serpent coiled around the throne spreads its arms and the cobra-esque fan of its neck. "But no...you are not worthy of such things. You will face...my jester. Come, Hanuman."
And the red-haired, coal-skinned ape steps forward, smiling broadly and cartwheeling to the fore. Today's experiment? An understanding of reaction to insult.