August Krasnow
Determined Individual
"Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici."
Posts: 291
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Post by August Krasnow on Oct 11, 2011 0:53:36 GMT -5
A fleet of Empire airships move into Tzen territory, flying the banner of Lord Noel. The ships cast long shadows over the town, like daggers piercing deep into the flesh of this spec of a town on a map. In the eyes of the new Empire, it was a slap in the face to their once expansive power -- sitting at the edge of the Southern Continent, mocking them.
Lord Noel's flagship stopped just off the coast as the fleet moved closer, reaching land. Their holds opened, releasing a battalion of Magitek armor and soldiers that spread out from the landing zone towards the town under the cover of the airships above.
On the bridge of the flagship was Lord Noel watching his forces advance with a satisfied smirk, commenting periodically how this would be over before the sun hung high in the sky. Scoffing at the idea of Tzen's Mage Knights abilities against the might of improved Magitek. Sitting off, at a tiny table, playing a game of chess against himself. He played black, white played first. Kings pawn forward, followed by blacks bishop pawn. As the Lord boasted about his clear superiority, August simply groaned and brought white knight to f3 then moved black kings pawn forward.
"I wouldn't claim your victory just yet, you haven't even completed your opening moves." August commented offhandedly. "'Never underestimate your enemy' and all that rubbish."
Noel snorted and turned back to August, looking quite annoyed much to August's delight. "Mr. Krasnow -" "August is fine." "Mr. Krasnow, you are simply here as an observer and only because it was at the behest of the Empire's council. Unless you have something of actual constructive input to add, then remain playing your little board game while the real men fight. If we need your silly little experiments, you'll be the first informed." "Whatever you say, Lord Noel. I'm not the commander here." He shooed the man away with several quick flicks of his hand. "Now, if I may get back to my 'little' board game?"
By the time Lord Noel returned to viewing the battle below, his Magitek forces have just engaged the Maga Knight line and Tzen support forces and militia.
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Post by Book of the Twilight on Oct 11, 2011 1:47:53 GMT -5
(OOC: Ah-hyeh-eh August, you play Lord Noel very well) www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASj81daun5Q&feature=related::The Mage Knights took the front lines of the battle with footsoldiers looking on as the Magitek's were deployed. Sir Bryant stood at the front of his brigade, surveying the oncoming invasion with his icy blue eyes. Kaworu was at his side. Next to him was Nyx, weaponless or so it seemed. Bryant and the rest of the Mage Knight captains were recieving orders telepathically from their commander, the Black Knight himself:: Bryant: Flarestar Brigade, take the lower ground in blitz formation. Rockslide Brigade, take the ridge on the east and assume Scorpion formation. Eagle-eye Brigade, take the high ridge and provide cover. North Wind Brigade, we take Crescent formation to hold this position. No imperial scum gets into our boundaries, understood? ::He threw his fist in the air:: Bryant: Valor and Freedom! ::The other Mage Knights echoed his call and broke for their formations. The Magiteks continued advancing, their great steel frames, a symbol of an old invading scourge whose shadow had covered this continent for far too long made cracks in the ground they walked on. But once they stepped into the boundary, thunder rolled across the sky as thick dark clouds began to spread over the battlefield. Rain began to fall as the Eagle-Eye Brigade took control of the skies:: Bryant: Steady... ::Thunder cracked again, and this time lightning struck the battlefield, staggering the Armors:: Bryant: NOW! ::The Flarestar began their assault first, the young men of the brigade launching fierce spells of fire while the girls used wind magic to direct it, directing the flames with accuraccy into the weak spots of the armors as well as whipping them into great walls of fire to cut off their movements. The magitek's raised the blasters on their arms, firing with all the might worthy of the military they served, but the Flarestar's wind users could re-direct those as well, and the Rockslide brigade had begun throwing up barriers of their own. They used techniques similar to the Flarestar. The boys of the brigade would use earth magic to ram powerful spikes of rock and earth into the sides of the armor just under the arm while the girls worked their magic to grow wild vines from the spikes, snaking their way into the armor and strangling the unfortunate pilot within. The ones that got through the first line, it was the North Wind Brigade's job to deal with. The girls danced into the fray, using their power over water to bend the rain from the storm to their will, worming it into the crevices of the armors, flooding them out while the boys had the task of freezing it, rooting them to the ground with ice. The pilots whose magitek's had been immoblized began to abandon them and enter combat on foot, drawing their assault rifles. Bryant, who was proficient with both water and ice magic, and therefore in no need of a partner, stepped to the front and drew his twin curved short swords:: Bryant: Now show these pigs how the North Wind howls! ::He charged head first into the fray, blending swordsmanship and magic in a beautiful and deadly dance, swinging his blades at those who got too close, throwing up walls of water to protect himself from bullets and then sending them shooting out in daggers of ice, aimed to kill:: (OOC: Man if war was actually like this, could you just imagine the spectacle we'd be making of the middle east right now?)
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Kaworu
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Post by Kaworu on Oct 11, 2011 9:35:22 GMT -5
Kaworu took a defensive position with Nyx next to him as to ensure her safety. He withdrew his bow and took aim across the field at any pilots exiting their immobilized Magitek suits and fired arrow after arrow, each one affixed with a lightning spell.
"Just stay by me here and you'll be fine" he said to Nyx.
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Post by Guinevere on Oct 11, 2011 14:01:47 GMT -5
::Kaworu took aim with his bow again at a pilot emerging from his armor only to find that two shurikens struck him in the leg and arm, immoblilizing him and bringing him low to the ground. He turned to where Nyx had been standing to find she was already gone. A glance toward the field saw her whirling about the battlefield, in and out of the ranks of imperial soldiers like a living whisp of smoke. Her weapons appeared from nowhere; a pair of twin sais one instant, and a polearm the next, and then a chain whip, then into dual tantos, and she wielded each changing weapon with the grace of a dancer and the efficiency of a master::
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Kaworu
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Tabris
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Post by Kaworu on Oct 11, 2011 20:00:19 GMT -5
Kaworu could only chuckle before he ripped out the shurikens, then wincing in pain. He thought to himself
Hmmm, seems like she is no weakling. May as well join the fray.
With that he entered the fray of combat with his katana, slicing down Imperial soldiers, making his way towards Nyx.
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August Krasnow
Determined Individual
"Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici."
Posts: 291
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Post by August Krasnow on Oct 12, 2011 3:23:16 GMT -5
Lord Noel's brow was sweating profusely as the battle reports begun to pour in, though he could plainly see from the bridge's observation platform that Tzen's defenses were substantially larger than he had predicted. The Magitek had begun to fall, and quite quickly against the Mage knights and the field commanders. Magic flung back and forth, explosions rocked the ground. In the sky, lightning and high winds were disrupting the air fleet - one vessel had already lost power and was preparing to crash land while another was reporting a fire in the engine compartment.
"Having troubles, your Lordship?" August mockingly asked, glancing up from his game with a pawn in hand. "No-" Noel caught himself before he yelled, then cleared his throat. "Just a set back, call in the reinforcements." "Aye-aye sir." Spoke a subordinate. "Command the fleet, begin bombardment of their vanguard - target those damn spellcasters already."
The remaining air fleet redirected their cannons, launching a volley of fire and raining death upon the second and third lines of the Tzen forces. Their hulls opened and, like bees from a hive, feel more armor jetting into the thick of battle.
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Post by Book of the Twilight on Oct 12, 2011 17:48:43 GMT -5
::As the aerial support rained down upon the Tzen Regime ranks, the Mage Knight captains called a retreat, or at least what appeared to be a retreat::
Bryant: Pull back! Get onto the High ridge!
::Most of the Knights and those that followed them had joined the Eagle Eye brigade on the high ridge when Bryant spoke to their captain::
Bryant: Selena, have your brigade re-direct the storm. Target their aerial fire. Ground-Storm technique. My brigade will back it up. Just make sure it keeps raining. Selena: Yes sir. Eagle Eye Brigade! Ground Storm!
::The Wind mages called on focused gales and tornadoes to throw the fire from the air off-course, and right where they wanted it, blowing craters into the battlefield below where the Magiteks and other soldiers were still lumbering around , hampered by the explosions. But rather than targeting the armors themselves, they seemed to be repelling them into the walls of the valley below the ridge they were on, the same valley they had been fighting in only moments ago. The walls of the valley now resembled more of a canyon, one that was flooding fast with the downpour of rain::
Bryant: North Wind Brigade, finish them!
::All at once, the water cascading down the sides of the valley walls halted in midair and began to pool, building and building into a roiling rip-tide while the Mage Knights kept it suspended::
Bryant: RELEASE!
::And then it came rolling down the valley, crashing onto the imperial army, sending their magiteks off their feet and into the tide, helpless to escape::
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August Krasnow
Determined Individual
"Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici."
Posts: 291
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Post by August Krasnow on Oct 16, 2011 22:46:09 GMT -5
Lord Noel slammed his fist onto the communications panel, screaming orders to dead and dying troops. Tzen's magic proved too much for the technology of the Imperial forces - their armor sank to the bottom of the new sea and those unfortunate souls caught in the current of the rushing water were quickly swept out to sea, lost forever. Fiery tornadoes licked at the airships still flying, forcing them to turn abreast to the torrential onslaught o of wind and water.
Upon the bridge, the crew were at a lose, words failed them as they watched on in horror at the massacre befalling their comrades in arms. Lord Noel stood on in silence as the tsunami swallowed his pride and honor, washing it like so many soldiers out to sea. August sat on, with a playful smile, relishing the dramatic turn. Knowing all along that this, in the end, would be the eventual result.
"May I, your Lordship?"
Lord Noel just threw him a disheartened wave as he huddled over his command station.
"Excellent, have your remaining troops retreat to the shoreline and bring us just a little bit closer. I'll give you the signal when I'm ready."
As he spoke, he stood from his game and departed the bridge, heading to the hold.
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Post by Book of the Twilight on Oct 16, 2011 22:58:31 GMT -5
::At the sight of their retreat, Bryant let his own spell die, signalling the others to do the same::
Bryant: Drain it!
::All at once, the water swirled together in a whirlpool and sank beneath the earth. The clouds parted and the storm cleared. But the airships still hovered over their airspace::
Bryant: Hold your positions men.
::His eyes scanned the sky, looking for any sign of attack::
Bryant: It's gotten very quiet now, and I don't like it.
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August Krasnow
Determined Individual
"Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici."
Posts: 291
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Post by August Krasnow on Oct 18, 2011 0:52:41 GMT -5
As the fleet fell back to the safety of the water, the flag-ship advanced towards Tzen. Larger than several of the regular members of the fleet combined, it sweeps over the land, blotting out the sun and casting the area in a dark shadow. The rumble of its engines shake the very earth below it, like a long drawn out, but subtle quake under the battle-field and the town itself. As its hull rested over the heart of the Tzen vanguard, it came to a stop with a rattling roar. It lingers above, shifting uneasy like a bird of prey, waiting for the right moment to strike.
A bright light emits through the break in the hold, the doors creaking open, blinding the ground with all the light of the sun.
*Crash*
*Crash*
*CRASH CRASH CRASH*
Metal cages fell from the sky, their contents spilling open as they hit the ground and what came forth was a sea of twisted spectral abominations. Unnamable beasts from the non-Euclidean planes, scuttling and ichorous, of swarthy hues. Like beast sown of numerable other beasts: dog, cat, octopi, and other indescribable creatures of the most unimaginable and incredible variety. Moving across the field like insects floating above the grass, zipping through the Tzenian lines, sowing discord and chaos in the ranks. Ripping and tearing, no ounce of fear or apprehension found in their gibbering cries. Then came the real horror held within the confines of the ship.
Descending from the hold was a large creature, the size of a dragon with two feathered wings of contrasting hues. It had the twisted face of what appeared to be once a lioness with a stringy mane of green hair. It’s tail is segmented with armored plates, very much serpentine, with four cacodaemoniacal arms – one in particular stands out from the rest. It’s color disjointed from the rest of the fiends body, crossed with the rivers of stitches and patch-worked flesh. Adorning the body is the elaborate fixtures of burned seals and tattooed runes; and riding upon its back as it slowly reels down is August himself. In one hand he had a tiny black book, from which he read chantious words, the other a dagger, which was head high over the back of the neck of the beast and another scarring sigil.
As he muttered blasphemous incantations, the sigils and seals became a glowy iridescence, growing ever brighter the closer they came to the ground till August plunged the dagger into the mark on the neck and the creature sprang to life. The lines that lowered the creature to Gaia ascended, August clasping tight as they sprang back up towards the hold as he let his project run free.
The ground beneath the beast opened up and fire poured out wherever it passed over, spewing forth shadowious flames and flickering icy tendrils. The vanguard would, neigh, cannot repulse such a creature. The beast, Typhon, is a tank of flesh and magic like none-other. And from its arms, it spread death and misery.
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Post by Book of the Twilight on Oct 18, 2011 1:49:46 GMT -5
::The Knights were quick to jump back into battle, but these beasts were foreign to them who had lived on a secluded part of the continent where these monsters had almost never reached. They had been trained expertly for battles where their opponents were men and machine, but not these ungodly creatures that were flesh and yet so unnatural. The very sight of them seemed to demoralize not only the Knights, but the footsoldiers as well. Bryant fought back to back with Nyx, having to rely mostly on ice now that the flagship of the Empire was interfering with the storm the Eagle Eye brigade was trying to call back::
Bryant: Stand your ground man! What in the hell are these things?
Nyx: Demons. They have no blood, nor vital signs. They usually contain a weakness somewhere, but these are not like others. These were made by man. So tell your men to hack their limbs off instead.
::Bryant and Nyx circled the demons weaving in and out of the hoardes of them, slicing their limbs and other appendages from them in efforts to immobilize them. Then the horror of horrors descended on them. Bryant froze mid-spell as the creature began to crawl its massive repugnance along the battlefield, consuming enemy and ally alike in its wake, footsoldier, Mage Knight, and Demon, none were immune to its cloud of destruction::
Bryant: Gods help us.
Nyx: Typhon...
::Nyx's experience against this creature had taught her it relied heavily on a master. Her eyes allowed her to catch the last glimpse of the puppeteer just as the cable reeled him back into the ship::
Nyx: That creature is mighty, but it is only a puppet. You must have your men concentrate all of their efforts on him, but stick to defensive magic and barriers only. Offensive spells will only give it fuel.
Bryant: Where are you going?
Nyx: To cut it's strings.
::Then with that she was gone. Using the shadow of the ship to turn into black mist she whirled into the air towards Empire's flagship. The shadow wrapped its end around one of the cables, materializing back into her hand followed by the rest of her. Three shurikens whistled through the air from her hand toward her target who remained hanging from the other cable. But she wasn't surprised to find that all three missed their mark completely, though to the naked eye he appeared not to have moved an inch. Her black eyes centered on August::
Nyx: We all believed you dead. What are you doing here?
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August Krasnow
Determined Individual
"Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici."
Posts: 291
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Post by August Krasnow on Oct 18, 2011 2:32:33 GMT -5
“Nyx?! How nice of you to join me.”
August hung by the wire, left foot clasped in a stirrup on the wire and left arm pinned around it. The wind and motion of the vessel above caused both Nyx and him to sway gently in unison to each other. Back and forth, back and forth, eyes locked and cold.
“Visiting Tzen were you? I’ve heard its quite lovely this time of year – and if this weather is any indicator, I’d say they were right!” He shouted over the roar of battle and wind.
His right hand still clasped the little black book, which he brought up to read quickly from. The pages whipping in the breeze, held barely apart by a solitary finger against the inner-spine.
“As for myself, just doing a bit of field research. Dead men have to keep themselves busy with work and hobbies, else we’d really become deceased. How about yourself? Still having that spat of trouble with your amygdalae? You know, I’m quite a brilliant doctor, perhaps I could fix that for you. Since we’re old friends, I’ll give you a very special rate.”
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Post by Book of the Twilight on Oct 18, 2011 2:45:17 GMT -5
::Nyx threw some more shurikens, their aim being the book in his hands before she herself swung toward him with a long rapier poised held forward to pierce him::
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August Krasnow
Determined Individual
"Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici."
Posts: 291
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Post by August Krasnow on Oct 18, 2011 3:04:21 GMT -5
August stood stoic as the shurikens struck the book and quickly dissipated into smoky vapor. In that next instance, August gingerly used his weight to swing the cable he hung from away from Nyx's attempt at an attack - failed and flawed as it was. Her rapier missed by several yards, jabbing at empty space.
"Why such the hostility? Ok, you've convinced me, I'll fix you up free of charge!"
Between speaking out, he muttered unintelligible words from the little book, his mouth moving, forming whispered words. He swung back, like a pendulum, passed Nyx's own swinging wire.
"All I need to do is pull back that supple face of yours and cut through that delicate little skull beneath. I can assure you, I'll be far more gentle than... what was it again? A stone?"
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Post by Book of the Twilight on Oct 18, 2011 3:09:07 GMT -5
::Nyx hooked her legs around the cable and bent backwards, suspending the upper half of her body upside down as she swung her rapier for him again, this time aiming for his neck::
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August Krasnow
Determined Individual
"Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici."
Posts: 291
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Post by August Krasnow on Oct 18, 2011 3:29:09 GMT -5
Nyx's rapier was met by, upon the return swing from August's wire, not his neck or head, but by the book he carried. The rapier went much the same way the shurikens had gone, exploding into a cloud of smokey black vapor. The shadow weapons completely dissolved in the face of that single, little book. "Are you quite through?" August asked, sounding perturbed by the interruptions. He really had to concentrate on this next section within the pages. All these distractions were tediously unnecessary. And they just kept coming. [glow=red,2,300]Shoop-bee-doo-shoop-shoop-bee-doo![/glow]
[glow=red,2,300]Shoop-bee-doo-sho-.[/glow] Came the irritating sound of a phone's ringtone. He shushed Nyx as he switched supporting arms, freeing his other hand to manipulate the little piece of technology. "Hello? Ah, how are you!?... No!? Really? So soon? That's very disconcerting to hear... Of course, Tricuetical is here, after-all, to support you and your allies. It is our pledge and contract, none the less... I have to finish up a tiny business matter and I will be right over. Yes, same to you. Good-bye." He looked back to Nyx as he swung back past her, "Sorry about that, business is all." August then returned the phone to his pocket and resumed his wordless reading and mouthing of strange incantations.
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Post by Book of the Twilight on Oct 18, 2011 3:46:55 GMT -5
::Nyx's expression didn't change the through the entire exchange. Then again, when did it ever? A tanto dagger appeared in her hand this time, and then she swung much the same as she had before. But just as it was about to connect with August where he would assuredly block with the book and disarm her again, she swung higher, past August and slashed cleanly through the wire which fell with an ear splitting shriek. August's wire fell with him still holding to it, and Nyx jumped after him, taking hold of his shoulders. Blackness swirled around them as they became shadows, swirling about each other in the air like two snakes attempting to bite one another. Then they reached the ground where they rematerialized. She positioned herself on top just in time to slam him into the ground beneath her::
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August Krasnow
Determined Individual
"Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici."
Posts: 291
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Post by August Krasnow on Oct 18, 2011 15:00:49 GMT -5
They fell, plummeting like eagles locked in combat, twisting and turning, swirling with wisps and waves of willowy black surrounding them. All the fall, August chants his incantations in low whispers into the ear of Nyx. Poisoned words, even for a sorceresses witch such as her. They were near the ground now, wrapped together in their decent, when he spoke the final verse of that blasphemous poem from which his mouthed spoke in whispers. "Lape zodiredo Noco Mada, Hoathahe I A I D A!" Then, Nyx's body wrenched in pain of a poison crafted specially for her. As they struck the ground, a flash of fire in the design of an detailed seal that spread out from under them at the very instant August's back connected with the tips of the grass and weeds. It swallowed them both whole. The ground opened up near where they would of landed and out spilled Nyx, thrown free of this new portal and sent into a tumbling roll, wrapped and strangled in the wire August had been caught up in. Then came August, expelled from the portal far more gently, plopping out onto his feet with a smug grin. He adjusted his glasses and sweater-vest, and approached the fallen Nyx. Within Nyx's side, peircing her liver was a silver knife, riddled with sigils and runes, causing it to burn to the touch in such a horrific manner that trying to pull it out caused even greater pain to erupt throughout her very fiber. From around the wound, black blood slowly spilled out, thick and oily. The knife itself would feel as if it was draining her magic shadows into it, ripping them from her being - she was dying, slowly and was truly helpless. "The bloods black." He knelt beside the wound, running two fingers through the black ichor. He holds it up for her to see. "That means knife is in your liver, you have about twenty minutes to live" wiping her blood on her forehead, tracing something, "That is unless some good Samaritan were to wander by, pull the dagger from your gut and feed you a bitter potion." His hand clasped the hilt of the dagger and twisted it. "Sadly, there is a Typhon between your allies and you." In the distance, Typhon ripped through the Tzen lines, throwing soldier and knight around like little toys. "Well look at the time, have places to go, people to see." Another line from the ships hold reeled down beside August. He took hold of it and it slowly rolled him back up towards the vessel. "Farewell Nyx, maybe we'll meet again!" He waved her goodbye then ascended into ship above.
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Kaworu
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FFT Veteran
Tabris
Posts: 155
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Post by Kaworu on Oct 18, 2011 15:01:16 GMT -5
Kaworu, busy cutting off limb after limb of demons, noticed the two fall and slam into the ground. Quickly he made his way over to their location, however it would take him some time as the Mage Knights were busy dealing with the demons and Typhon. As August took his leave in the distance, Kaworu noticed that Nyx never got up which concerned him. The demons felt endless and Typhon was not making matters much better as the cursed monster made easy work of the Mage Knights. Still Kaworu pushed on to her location.
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Post by Vincent on Oct 20, 2011 2:58:52 GMT -5
"Tresk, hail the lead ship."
From the south, a tiny spec shot out of the sky, growing ever larger. Another airship approached, the Hijrah, swooping in and blasting past the Empire fleet. They hadn't opened fire yet, and the Hijrah were keeping their guns at the ready.
"Lines open, captain." "Lead ship, this is the Hijrah-" "Captain Kumi - how unexpected." Lord Noel's voice replied back, sounding amused and cautious. "Noel? Fancy meeting you here." "The same, Vincent. Here to assist the Empire - perhaps restore of that honor to your family name?" "Can't say as I have, heard there was some commotion here. Thought it might of been you behind it. I was hoping perhaps we can negotiate some sort of cease-fire and save these people some much undo grievances. Seems by our instruments, your forces have taken quite a little knock to the jaw. Not counting that big thing down there. Doubt you have enough strength for an occupation - much less taking me on." "Is that so, 'captain'? I hardly believe your small vessel poses any threat against the Glorious Dawn-" "So that's what that overblown hunk of metal is called? Kinda pretentious - however, I have no desire to test the strength of the Empire today. I'm offering some of my family's lands and holdings if it'll convince you to back off Tzen today. Frankly, how I see it, you can accept that little morsel and leave with a moderate victory, or you can continue to test your luck. Choice is yours." "You drive a hard bargain, Vincent. And how do I know you'll make good on this deal?" "You don't, suppose that's a gamble you're just going to have to take. Only one way to find out."
There's silence over the radio for a long, drawn out minute.
"We're pulling back but I expect payment, promptly. And so help you gods, if you default on this I will hunt you down personally." "I'm quaking in my breeches. Expect to hear back from me in a few days once I have the papers drawn up. Oh and please call back that big-ol dog of yours you got flopping around down there. Hijrah out."
The Hijrah begun circling the plains leading to Tzen, around the battle field, waiting for a clear spot to touch down once the demon-creatures and remaining imperial forces had pulled back to safe distance.
((Whenever you wish to get Typhon outa here, August. Also, Kaworu, Iole wants Nyx to remain gravely injured. If you beat me too it, don't heal her entirely. But by all means, stabilize her.))
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