Ketrus/C1S3

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The Circle has freed Nakia, the Twisted Reins, a former sorceress long dead. They leave the contagion town of Conquest only to happen across their Twilight companion, Aimless Key, pursued by ghostly soldiers on horseback. Defeating them, and their undead reinforcements in a lengthy battle, the circle journeys towards the source of her trouble and their portal out of the Underworld: a small shadowland centered around an ancient fortress.

Arriving at the fortress with their animas blazing, they are greeted not with battle, but with base humility. The fortress is, in fact, a manse from their previous lives in the First Age, still guarded by the ghostly soldiers who lived to serve the previous incarnations of the Solars, long ago. In an Age past, during the Usurpation, a necromantic security protocol killed the soldiers, raising them as ghosts, and made itself a concealed shadowland so that none could claim the fortress of the Exalted who claimed it as their own.

After deciphering some of the magic of the damaged manse-fortress, the Solars send their still-loyal troops to restore Nakia's tunnel, destroyed in their journey to the Underworld. Then, they take a week to make council and decide upon what to do next.

Session Three

Within what was once a community center for a town of the long dead, now torn to ruin in its role as a battleground of the Exalted, the Circle and their Lunar companion confront a vision of beauty unfolding before them. The ghost of Nakia, dragon-blooded sorceress, is at long last free from her imprisonment within a wire cage of soulsteel.

She is more lovely than even Nadira, all six of her eyes still closed. She speaks, and it is as if an autumn sunset had come after a tiring day. It nearly lulls one to sleep with its beauty, whispering, "Where are the punk-ass bitches that did this to me?"

Ibis looks a little unsure of the situation, still catching up with her breath for the most part.

Platinum Storm offers two blinks before he offers a formal bow. "I believe at least one of them is... non-existant anymore, milady."

Platinum Storm speaks in Old Realm, of course.

Iron Soul , whose armor has been reduced to hanging scraps, leans again the door frame. Golden flames continue to burst out from his scarred body, only his cracked helmet still in place, covering his head. "Okay, we got her. Let's go."

Ibis looks a little dull compared to Iron Soul, her muted silver aura throbbing and ebbing slowly. "I'm with him." she says, "Not a big fan of this place."

Platinum Storm is for the record is a glowing beacon of white and gold light, raging about him like a bonfire would. Likely offering more than a little illumination as well. Other than that he looks rather relaxed, despite the fight with big, ugly, and Obliviony.

Nadira glimmers with a whitish-blue glow, adjusting her bow on its carrying strap over her shoulder.

Ibis says, “I mean it! If we don't hurry, that township is doomed... we can't mess around here!“

Mira peeks her unhooded head through the doorway, looking sheepish, "Um. Hi gramma. They got one of them."

With that, the sorceresses six eyes open, bursting into flame, each one a glowing ember. "MIRA! You dare to show your face after your cowardly betrayal, you dare to speak to me after fleeing before our enemies?" Taking in the scene around her, Nakia adds, "And in doing so, you bring the wretched Anathema to my rescue ?"

Her feet lightly fall to the ground, and she smiles warmly. "My dear, that's the first intelligent thing you've managed in over a hundred years! Let's go."

Platinum Storm straightens, sparing a glance towards Mira for a moment before his attention's back on the sorceress. "... more and more surprises. If I may ask though, where? The way we got here is rather unaccessible at the moment."

Ibis suddenly looks a tad sheepish, clearly having forgotten the entire problem relating to getting out.

She blinks, one pair of eyes after another. "What do you mean, 'unaccessible'?" Mira quietly disappears.

Nadira toes the ground a bit, restlessly.

Platinum Storm takes note of Mira's disappearance, tapping a finger as he folds up his staff and tucks it back behind him. "As in it is currently blocked by no small amount of stone and various other things. Just a bit of trouble we encountered on the way."

"... my tunnel?" The air, already chill with the storms of the Underworld, seems to get several degrees colder. "You collapsed the tunnel that consumed five entire years of my life in its making? Pray tell, did you also lay ruin to my Manse and the priceless treasures within, or did you stop your defilement with the corpses of my ancestors?"

Platinum Storm lets out a sigh. "The chamber with the pieces of a blade and the stone of the Manse was untouched, at least. The goods within the tunnel are part of what's blocking it, I suppose."

"So you /did/ stop with the corpses of my ancestors, then? Thank goodness." Clearing her throat, she floats up once more, and calmly leaves the room. "Restless bastards are the reason it took me FIVE YEARS."

She adds, as an afterthought, "You're fixing it, by the way."

Ibis butts into the conversation, pointing a hand towards the inky black ocean that makes up the underworld sky. "Excuse me," she begins, "But we'll be too happy to make him fix it if we can find another way outta here."

"Has my town died yet?"

Platinum Storm says, “Getting there. We're here to help stop it.“

Iron Soul grumbles. "If it had, we wouldn't be wasting our time here."

"Pity. The ugly rude man is correct, in that we would have a handy nearby shadowland of surprisingly large size, if it had. We have a bit of a journey ahead of us, in that case."

Nadira says, “How far?“

Platinum Storm steps on after the sorceress ghost, falling into thought for a moment. "I'd prefer the long walk, to be honest."

Ibis looks dejected, but shoulders her gigantic spear and takes a step forward. "I'd prefer to get there as quick as we can, lest everything die..."

Platinum Storm says, “The quickest way involves all of them dying, however.“

Iron Soul turns away from the doorframe, leaning against the wall now. "Then we pick a direction and move. Flap your mouths while walking, if you have to."

The former sorceress slowly, gracefully exits the building, not seeming to notice the devestation in the large gathering room. "Does it really matter how far? You cannot rest, or eat, or even drink the water in this place. You will follow me until we come to another shadowland, then you will follow me until we come back to my town."

Nadira sighs. "I suppose not. I just hope someone survives all of this, and the longer it takes the worse things will be..."

Iron Soul watches as the many-eyed sorceress leaves the building, then turns and grabs the soulsteel cage with a gauntleted hand, cramming it into a pouch as he walks out and begins following.

Platinum Storm raises an eyebrow at Iron Soul's direction with a hint of a grin before following the ghost on out. For once, possibly mercifully, he's silent.

She comes to a short stop, once outside, and takes a brief look at the scattered rubble and crowds of ghostly peasants searching high and low for something they do not know how to recognize.

A single drop of blood hits her face, before she looks up with a stern countenance. Upon her scowl, the rain of blood splits and seperates high above her head, falling around her but never /upon/ her, as if she had set an umbrella twenty feet above her head.

Platinum Storm reaches back to adjust his cloak again. "And back into the rain of blood." For a moment he contemplates his pipe, though decides against ruining it.

Iron Soul looks at the pitiful ghosts, as he once again raises his shield to cover his head from the ran. "Want to make them follow along? It's not as if we could hide, anyways."

Nadira throws the hood of her bloodspattered cloak over her head.

Fayul has joined #exalted

Platinum Storm offers a shrug. "Just release them back to their false lives here."

Taking a long look around, Nakia at last sets upon a destination, and /flies/ down the road at a speed the fastest horse might envy. She is on the outskirts of town within seconds, and her voice calls out quietly from far away, "Come now..! are you just going to spend all day complaining about the rain..?!"

Ibis gives a noncommital grumble as the blood-rain pelts down, reaching for her cloak which... isn't there. "I continue to have a bad, bad feeling about all of this."

Platinum Storm bites out a rather unfriendly word in Riverspeak before starting after Nakia at a less leisurely pace. "That's what makes it so thrilling!"

Nadira says, “It's been a bad feeling ever since we set foot in that manse...“

The rings on the fingers of the Solar Exalted tremble slightly, but only for a short moment.

Iron Soul rolls his eyes, behind his helm. "Guess they wouldn't be able to keep up anyways." He takes a deep breath, then begins a fast stride.

Platinum Storm spares a look at the trembling ring in mid stride.

Nadira follows along, muttering something about collapsed tunnels under her breath.

Hoofbeats hit the ground harshly, beating sickly purple blossoms into pulp and petals in the bloodstained muck. A rider on a iron horse tears toward the circle, dodging to this side and that as arrows zing past her face. The figure turns for half a second, and a gout of silvery fire reaches out toward her attackers, falling far short of the mark.

Platinum Storm blinks, looking rather surprised. "Well I'll be dammed. How the hell did she manage to get down here?" A grin spreads across his face as he speeds it up a notch. "Maybe this will pan out after all."

One hundred, perhaps one hundred fifty yards behind her, a dozen or so figures on horseback fire another volley at arrows at their fleeing quarry as their mounts crest a small hill to the southwest.

Platinum Storm says, “Or she can be neck deep in it.“

Ibis takes a wary step backwards. "I'd like to ask," she says waveringly, "What or who...?"

Iron Soul stamps his foot down, grinding his momentum to a halt, as he turns to see what's unfolding. "Always something. . ." he mutters, as he ignores the sorceress and fully puts his attention on those chasing his sibling. Shield held before him, he storms ahead.

Nadira turns, seeing the commotion and follows Iron's lead.

Platinum Storm is suddenly a rapidly moving storm of white and gold, running recklessly towards the forming fight at full speed. He seems to not care about the fact he is a walking beacon of Solar glory, but hey.

Nadira whips her bow from its carrying rack with one arm and draws an arrow from her quiver with the other, meeting the two in union before her, drawing back and launching a volley at one of the pursuers.

Nadira puts an arrow into the shoulder of one armored warrior, but the ghost just snarls and ignores the wound that managed to penetrate the armor he wore to his grave.

Iron Soul storms forward as his fellow siblings burst into action around him, but his sister is too far off, and he has not the agility of the others. He notices a large boulder nearby.

Iron Soul pauses for just a moment, he sheathes his daiklave and stands before it, shield held in both hands. With a sudden *BOOM*, he bangs the shield against the rock, bouncing himself off it and backwards, high up into the air, even as the rock crumbles.

Platinum Storm continues along on his mad dash, serpent-sting staff whipping itself free as he starts to laugh.

Ibis sucks in a breath, murmuring something quietly to reassure herself of the situation, and gets down on her haunches like a professional sprinter. With an explosion of dust, she bolts forward after Platinum like a heavy-metal rocket.

Platinum Storm begins to slow his space, staff whipping to the left and the right as he prepares for the coming fight.

Aimless Key positions the horse right underneath Iron Soul, wheeling up on it and spinning it around to face her attackers. As she does this, she launches gracefully from the horse, flipping over once and brandishing her flame pieces menacingly at the oncoming enemy as she lands lightly on her feet, sending red-spattered muck into the air.

Nadira touches an arrow down half the length of her bow, momentarily flashing a spark of light, before firing at one of the pursuer's horses, hoping to knock it over and colliding with another horse. She then launches two more at other pursuers.

Aimless Key positions the horse right underneath Iron Soul, wheeling up on it and spinning it around to face her attackers. As she does this, she shifts forward on the horse, aiming the orichalcum inlay on her flame piece at the oncoming foes.

Even as three of his underlings fall from their horses, arrows sticking straight through their corpuses, the leader of this band points his finger at Aimless Key and barks a command. All ten of the riders, him included, draw their bows and prepare to fire as one.

Iron Soul continues to blindly fly backward, just beginning to descend, as he looks down in time to see Aimless Key pass beneath him. He dips forward, angling his drop straight down, and lands with a gold-bursting crash, shield-first into the ground.

Iron Soul 's legs still up in the air, he cranes his neck up to look at Key. "Good to see you, sister. Didn't need to bring your trouble /with/ you, though." With that, he pushes off from the ground and flips, landing hard and facing the approaching riders, keeping Key behind him, his unsheathed daiklave leaving a golden arc in the air, ready for hell.

Aimless Key kicks the horse forward, "Well, sorry about that. It wasn't actually my choice. I found your horse, though!"

Ibis jams one foot in the groud and comes to a perfect, dead halt. Filth-stained gravel sprays for yards as she turns around and grabs Platinum around the waist and hoists him up as if he was naught but a doll. "C' mon !" she shouts, altogether not unhappily.

Platinum Storm lets out a yelp of surprise as one moment he's running and the next he's being grabbed by Ibis. The protests are minimal at best however as he points at the apparent leader. "Take off the head and the rest will collapse!"

Ibis says, “Take off the head, eh? How you feel about flying?“

Platinum Storm says, “An enjoyable experience until the landing, my dear. Are you offering?“

Ibis says, “If you don't mind on landing on the guy in charge and taking him to pieces with my help.“

Platinum Storm says, “I'd be delighted.“

Ibis takes a few steps back and twists to one side, hoisting Platinum carefully. "Sorry," she mutters, a brilliant white circle flaring on her forehead with a light the Underworld doesn't see too often. She takes a few loping steps forward and hurls the poor, beaten Eclipse into the air towards the Rider's leader!

Ibis takes a few stumbling steps forward after the fact, thrown off-balance. She steadies herself on her spear.

Platinum Storm just offers a jovial salute before he once again is turned into a living and breathing missile. Once again his cloak is whipping about, his anima burning a path of bleached white dirt between the Lunar and the head rider. A click as the staff is detached into its sections... and then contact. Three wild soundless slashes of white hot essence strike and then the Exalt is past, the 'thock' echoing moments after.

Platinum Storm is the first to crest the hill, sailing past his target after the assault, and thus he is the first to see that these riders are -not alone-.

Even as the ghost behind him falls to the ground in three pieces, his coordinated assault falling apart under the pressure of the Exalted attacking from all around him...

... Platinum Storm is confronted with the unwelcome image of three massive yeddims, dead and rotting but moving still, marching slowly in his direction. Atop each is a platform hosting another thirteen ghosts each, and below ride thirteen more on horseback, each carrying a wicked spear, decorated in the imagery of the Underworld.

Platinum Storm rolls upon landing, getting to his feet rather quickly. "...Key! Who the hell did you piss off?!"

Platinum Storm sounds more like an exasperated parent than anything else.

Iron Soul 's stance shifts as Key rides off ahead. "Of all the. . ." He plants his daiklave into the ground and grips his scraped-up shield, rearing back with it. The cords of muscle in his arms tighten, and then he launches it, like a massive frisbee.

Iron Soul 's shield spirals and spins through the air, just barely missing Key as the air is pushed out before it. The metal shield slams into the head of one of the riders and flies off, directly into the midst of the released arrows, scattering them in all directions save the one they want, before the shield embeds itself into the dirt.

The poor soldier targetted loses his shot, the arrow flying high in the air as he is knocked backwards, off his horse. His comrades fire, but only half of their arrows make it through the flying barrier Iron Soul has so thoughtfully provided for the charging Twilight.

Aimless Key drives the horse ever forward, calling forward in response to Platinum Storm, "I didn't even SHOOT anybody!" Her voice is plaintive and whiny, every bit the teenage daughter who doesn't even know what she did wrong, "...YET!" She calls again as the iron horse crashes through the ranks of the horses, /phasing/ as two arrows pass through her and she shoves her orichalcum-studded weapon right into the passing ghost's chest, "I have had it with you /people/!" She makes the last word into a curse, even though it shouldn't be, as she pulls the trigger, sending Solar Flame flaring into the poor benighted ghost.

The ghostly riders scatter and flee, riding back towards the main group and abandoning their position on the hill that seperates the column of troops from the Celestial Exalts.

From behind Nadira, Nakia comments idly, "Your companions are most excitable." It is notable that she is holding her spear at the ready, her stance indicating a form of martial arts that Platinum Storm might recognize.

Nadira smirks. "Yes. That we are." as she vaults forward with tremendous force, to catch back up to the battle.

Riderless horses scatter in every which way, running randomly from the carnage.

Aimless Key watches as the riders flee, coughing and wiping blood from her brow. Her clothing is completely drenched by the blood-rain at this point, leaving only a dark brown as the predominant colour. Blue eyes shine out from her pale complexion however, as she draws drenched-to-black hair from her eyes, "Well now, where'd all these come from? All I did was a little trespassing... Hey Plat', want a lift?"

Aimless Key says, “Preferably in that direction. Away.“

From atop the hill, Platinum Storm can see movement amongst the enemy soldiers, and hear the whispers of distant calls and drums.

Stelafk is now known as Stelas

Platinum Storm spares the approaching troops a glance for the barest of moments before heaving a sigh. "You realize we have to probably go through them to get out. How'd you end up /down here/ anyways, Key?" Then he's frowing, springing onto the horse behind Key. "Right. Move it. Nice horse, by the way."

Iron Soul yanks his daiklave free, and then begins stomping forward. Stomp-stomp-stomp. He comes up to his embedded shield. With a stomp of his boot, the shield pops up into the air, and Iron Soul grabs it with a heavy arm. He sees all his comrades far ahead, and a small army even farther. The wars always seem to call him. Stomp-stomp-stomp.

Ibis flattens herself against the hill and peeks over the edge, fastening and unfastening one of the moonsilver clamps on her gauntlets. "There's an awful lot of noise..." she wonders aloud.

Aimless Key chuckles, "Well, after you had the ever-so-good graces to nearly drop a tunnel on my head, I figured I might try finding another way around!" Manuvering the horse to take advantage of the nice hilltop, she slides off, holstering her weapons as a bow falls from a shoulder and an arrow is nocked, "Well, unless you think you can talk to them, I'm gonna start shootin'."

Platinum Storm makes a face. "I just took apart one of their commanders and a fair few others got torn up. I have this odd feeling we're past anything but the painful sort of diplomacy."

Nadira links back up with most of the rest of the circle behind the hill. "So, what's the situation now?" she asks, peering ever so slightly at the oncoming threat. With her keen eye she takes skillful aim at the drum of one of the drummers, firing a deflective shot that trails a wisp of Essence behind it as it arcs through the air, then fires a volley at one of the leaders.

Platinum Storm says, “Angry group of troo- oh well then.“

A drummer falls from his perch, screaming all the way down to the ground. It's a fairly long scream.

Ibis folds her arms and rests her chin on them, watching.

The ghostly leader takes one in the stomach, but doesn't seem to mind. There's another murmur, the wind carrying a distant bark and a change of orders.

Aimless Key says, “Situation? I think I pissed someone off, Nad'. Possibly a Nephwrack or someone. I hope not a Deathlord, but you never can tell.“

Platinum Storm says, “If you pissed off a Deathlord you're paying for dinner. For a year.“

Ibis squints.

Ibis shuffles a little and cups a hand over her eyes, "They're all notching arrows and... that guy's pointing around a lot.

“I think if we provoke 'em any more, they're going to let us have it.

Platinum Storm peers, tapping a finger on the iron horse. "Well, they could only take getting shot at for so much longer. Do we just wait then?"

Nadira says, “Well, what are we supposed to do? Pretend we're not here and hope they go away?“

Nakia laughs, in the voice of a waterfall. "A Deathlord? No, never, never in the Empire of Aki while my corpus still draws some semblence of breath. You have insulted the ruler of this land, perhaps by visiting the broken castle southwest of our location?"

Platinum Storm is suddenly looking for Nakia, having thought she was left in the dust in all this.

It is noteworthy that she is behind Platinum Storm, laughing from over his shoulder.

Ibis says, “Well,“

Aimless Key says, “...That sounds about right. *she sighs* It really wasn't my fault! honest!“

Ibis rustles back down the hill a little, propping herself up on one elbow. "Unless we can get the leader out for a one-on-one for freedom, I kinda want to run away. Or around 'em."

Ibis licks her lips and says quietly, "Or right into them, busting heads left and right. . ."

Aimless Key says, “Well, I tried the running away for a while, Hasn't really worked so far.“

Aimless Key blinks, "Hi, by the way. I'm Aimless Key. Supposedly I hang out with these nuts, but they keep trying to lose me."

Nadira says, “Because this happens.“

Nadira crosses her arms.

Aimless Key says, “That's no excuse to drop a tunnel on me.“

Platinum Storm quirks an eyebrow at Nakia. "...interesting." Then he's looking over at Ibis, shrugging. "I suspect only if their commander was a moron they'd go for that."

She plants her spear in the ground, and the blunt end of it draws blood from the obsidian soil as if she had struck a living vein. "The pleasure is mine. I am Nakia, the Twisted Reins, ghost of a sorceress much more powerful than you, Anathema."

She asks, casually, "Tell me, what did you sacrifice?"

Ibis holds out a hand, "If you will," she says warily, "let's try to figure out how we're going to do this." as Nakia skewers the ground.

Aimless Key grins wryly, "A secret. Even I'm not sure what it was. And you?"

Ibis tunes out of the mindless conversation, trying to hone her mind onto the fight ahead.

Aimless Key says, “Alright, a good question. I don't suppose there's something defensible over thataway?“

"The sanity of all my children, and their children's children." She smiles wickedly.

"Hey!" Mira seems offended. Also, she is hiding behind a horse.

Aimless Key quietly asks Platinum Storm, “That's going to explain a lot later, isn't it?”

Iron Soul finally reaches the others, and takes a long second to compose himself, before he begins gesturing with his blade. "Storm, take the horse. Falcon, prepare to run like the wind. You two will run down and around the hill, left and right respectively, and comes crashing into their midsts at the same time."

Iron Soul turns to the others. "Key, Nadira: I'm going to rise up and draw their fire. /AFTER/ they attack, rise up from the hill and lay waste to them." He turns to the last one present. "Sorceress. . .do what you will."

Platinum Storm gives Key a bit of a nod, eyes motioning towards Mira as an example. Then Iron's on the scene and it's all business.

Nakia laughs again, and floats up to Iron Soul with a /look/ in her six fiery eyes. She traces one fingertip across the rim of his face mask. "What I /will/, Forsaken? What if I desire something other than a fight?"

Platinum Storm says, “I suppose things get rather awkward for our relationship.“

Ibis grabs her spear just under the head props herself back on her feet, shaking dust and dirt out of her hair while Nakia acts the fool. "Sounds fine." she says, "I was gettin' sick of waiting here. Plat, stop talking and get ready!"

Ibis grins like an excited little girl, "We've got work to do."

Iron Soul 's posture is like his namesake, unmoving and cold. "Then so be it."

Nadira says, “Right. Let's do this.“

"HAHAHA!" Laughing maniacly, Nakia sweeps herself into the air and flies over the top of the hill. There's a short, pregnaunt pause, then the sound of arrows hitting icy shields as her hair dances, catching each and every one of four dozen arrows between her six protectors.

Platinum Storm stretches out an arm, other one holding onto the staff. "Right right. And here I thought women were supposed to make men... well then, that's handy."

Iron Soul rises up atop the hill, standing next to the sorceress, the flames around him rising up high into the sky, tongues of fire licking out from the eyeholes in his helm, the blazing banner broadly displaying a massive blade, ready to drop on the tiny undead below. "PATHETIC WRETCHES! YOU CANNOT TOUCH ME!" He broadly opens his arms wide, welcoming their attack, daiklave and shield gripped tightly.

Nakia steals only a little of Iron Soul's raging thunder, as she reaches out with one hand to pinch his arm and say, "Fortune be with you, spawn of Hell and Hatred."

Iron Soul 's eyes remain concentrated on the coming attacks, but inside his helm, his right cheek twitches, ever so slightly.

With that, she laughs and retreats back behind the hill.

Ibis rises up behind Iron Soul as he burst into his entire totemic glory, and she changes. And she becomes for the second time that day, a horrible beast taller than a man, as broad as he in all his armour. But a silhoutte in Iron's anima, she opens her wicked, curved beak and gives a cawing shriek that splits the air for at least half a mile around. A punctuation without words to his taunt.

Platinum Storm raps his staff on the iron horse's rear, barking out a single word. "YA!" With that there's only dust left in his wake as Exalt and mechanical steed move as if in flight. The green cloak, bleached white even with the rain of blood is abandoned. Arm wraps come loose, both revealing only the gold hallmark of the Sun in bracer and breastplate. As staff is whirled above his head he appears a golden eye of the white storm, just far more deadly

Aimless Key draws the arrow back, "Once more onto the breach, then!" She rises up, takes a quick moment to aim, and lets lose a single arrow, rather unimpressive,really, considering. She's not in her element here, and it shows. But at least she's trying!

Nadira draws a target arrow and touches the side of the tip against her glowing caste-mark, imbuing the arrow with such Essence that it glows brilliantly, the light travelling down the shaft and illuminating the fletching. She notches the arrow, causing the bowstring to faintly glimmer, before popping up from behind the hillside momentarily to level a shot at the same leader as before, screaming through the air leaving four helix-spiralling trails of white-blue fading in the air behind as the arrow penetrates through the armor of the leader, sparking shards of white-hot Essence.

Ibis grabs the top of the hill in one of her gigantic, gauntleted talon-hands and propels herself off of it with enough force to leave the tip nothing more than a pile of expanding dust and rubble. In time with Platinum's advance, she shoots down towards the enemy force at breakneck speed, flying.

One leader looks down, unsure whether the display before him has caused him to wet his pants, or if it's simply a spurt of blood from an open arrow wound.

Surprise! It's both. He falls to the bottom of the platform silently.

Despite the fear in their eyes, the surviving commanders marshall their forces into continuing the advance. The horsemen surge forward, readying spears, as the archers atop the yeddims knock another round of arrows.

Iron Soul watches as the arrows rises up the hill toward. He shifts his daiklave to the side, then snaps it back, creating a golden wave that slashes the air before him, knocking away several arrows. Another snap, another golden wave, more broken little arrows. Then a golden wave arcs up, and with it a massive swing of his shield, battering arrows aside like errant twigs.

And the incoming wave is reduced to nothing more than kindling, as Iron Soul proves himself every bit the equal to some centuries-old flirt with an overly-phallic weapon.

Platinum Storm continues to spur his mount onwards, laughter echoing over the hoofbeats of iron upon bloodied dirt. A nudge here, a twitch here, and the horse is directed to ride right past two ghostly horsemen. Platinum gives it a moment's thought before going with simplicity. He holds his staff out to clothesline one rider, then whips it around to repeat on the second as he passes.

Ibis skims the outer line of troops and gives an almighty flap of her wings, soaring past the nearest Yeddim. She circles it once, and makes a dive on it's head, spear-first.

And two ghostly riders fall from their mounts, knocked from their saddles and from conciousness as their corpuses slowly dissolve.

Platinum Storm doesn't pay them much mind, staff retracted as horse is sped on. As the return fire begins to descend he's shifting in the saddle, aiming to let each arrow by with an inch or less to spare.

Sending a moonsilver lance straight into the brain of a normal Yeddim would probably kill it. In the case of a zombified Yeddim possessed by a nemissary?

... yeah, that still does the job. The spirit finds itself ejected, its strange arcanoi failing it and depositing an all-too-real body twenty feet from the ground, just under the Yeddim's chin.

It falls, with a scream, and snaps its neck on the unforgiving surface below.

The Yeddim's eyes roll up in its head, and...

Ibis pays it no mind. There's work to be done, after all.

Aimless Key lets out a low whistle, "Just where'd you find him, Nad'? Useful mother."

... stays utterly still, its legs too large and stable to simply collapse.

Nadira erupts into a bonfire of blue-white rays visible for miles as she plunges another shot of holy goodness into another leader.

Aimless Key draws another arrow and plinks it forwards towards the foes, "You know, Nadira. You're gonna have to learn me how you do things one of these days. This just isn't that effective." She sighs slightly, then remembers seriousness, and battle, and all that.

Iron Soul smiles as his circle (and the Falcon) tear into the enemy, but he is not one to idly stand by and wait by the sidelines. Before he even realizes what he's doing, Iron Soul tosses his shield to the ground and leaps upon it, riding it down the hill. The going is bumpy, and more than once the shield seems to hop, dirt and bloody grass strewn here and there.

Iron Soul swiftly shifts his legs as the shield hits the bottom of the hill, reflexively kicking a leg out, launching the shield out from a hooked toe. As it flies out to collide with one of the riders, Iron Soul storms ahead, charging the lot of them.

Nadira shrugs. "I don't know, I just do it. Become the shot."

Aimless Key slumps, "...Not effective at all."

As if to illustrate the difference, Nadira's arrow lodges itself in a leader's eye, while Aimless Key's... well, it's pretty aimless. It teaches a whole lot of sky /exactly/ who is boss.

Nadira says, “Perhaps if you'd practice instead of rooting around in musty ruins, you'd be better.“

The spearmen coverge upon Platinum Storm, their weapons seeking him out but always effortlessly blocked as he weaves from side to side. One almost catches him, almost, its wielder pushing his horse past its breaking point before leaping into the AIR to attack him from behind...

... but he is knocked from his flight by a spinning shield, and falls to the ground in a clatter, quickly finding himself trampled by his own troops.

Ibis folds her wings in and drops out of the air like a stone, feet smashing into the ground with an impact that splits the Earth for dozens of metres around. "Go down!" she shouts in her hoarse mockery of a human voice, wrapping both gigantic, feathery arms around the dead creature's leg.

Ibis explodes with a freezing cold silver light that fills the air with the glory and brilliance of the full moon as she arches her back, shaking with the strain of this ludicrous, impossible task. The laws of physics take a good hard shot of High Realm Vodka as the tiny figure on the ground erupting like a pale white volcano upends the Yeddim corpse from one leg.

Platinum Storm leads the horsemen chasing him on a merry path by the the stalled yeddim, though a frown creases his brow as a few make to break off. "Now that just won't do..." A shout and yank and he's brought the horse around to double back, obliterating any sign of risk from the Yeddim's shadow with his own anima as he makes straight for Iron Soul, grinning as dust and essence are left in the wake. "Get ready to duck and move it, brother!"

Iron Soul looks to the enemy around him, then at his approaching brother. He runs toward the iron horse, and then at the last second, drops down and digs his offhand into the dirt, shoving himself forward. As the shadow or the iron equestrian passes over, Iron Soul's blade slashes at the legs of the horses following Platinum Storm, before Iron drops to his side.

Platinum Storm gives the iron horse one last rap of encouragement with his staff to speed it on, still bearing down on his fellow Solar... and then suddenly the storm is a white comet soaring overhead, golden flecks of trickily light left in the wake of the Exalt before mount and Solar hit the dirt again and ride on.

One fang of horsemen almost catches Platinum Storm, pressing him from both sides, before he suddenly takes to the air in a prodigious leap! The riders can't realize the significance of this before a long flash of orihalcum beneath them relieves their horses of their legs, sending them crashing to the ground all around the slowly rising Iron Storm.

Diverting to either side of the rolling corpuses, the formation of horsemen remaining breaks and reforms ahead of Iron Soul, losing valuable seconds in their pursuit of Platinum Storm.

He leads them, glowing like the Sun long forgotten to this grim realm. The light of his anima even blots out the dim shadow of a falling Yeddim, just long enough for them to ride right underneath it as it falls. Screams from above warn them too late, and they are buried beneath tons of long-dead flesh as archers go flying from the fall.

Ibis looks at the fallen Yeddim, turning slowly. She is enshrouded in a gentle nimbus of pure, white light. For just a brief moment, it rains, and not the bloodied perversion of nature that occurs down here, but a genuine clean, pure rain. Ibis's forehead blazes so brightly, it leaves glaring afterimages in everyone's eyes for minutes.

Aimless Key closes her eyes, "Concentrate..." With a shout, she lets another arrow fly towards... well, someoene who's left!

Nadira launches another arrow, fletching faintly bleached from receiving a touch of the Unconquered Sun's might and Nadira's aura, at another leader.

Aimless Key's arrow finds his shoulder, and as he grasps to remove it, Nadria's bisects his forearm to find his heart. Stunned, the warghost stumbles towards the edge of the platform...

... and dies there, slumping against the railing. Huh, so that thing does work, occasionally.

Iron Soul cracks his neck as the enemy ride forward on massive yeddims, ghostly forms hissing and muttering dark epitaphs, stinking of death. Iron Soul pauses for a second, his helm tilted down, before stomping a foot forward, once again lifting his shield up into the air, to be snatched by, and strapped to, his arm in a second. "Time to have at it, spooks."

Iron Soul swings his daiklave and shield in an interweaving pattern, leaving no space for any arrows to get through.

Platinum Storm just continues to laugh as more arrows pepper at him, aiming to bring the horse alongside one of the other yeddims as once again the Eclipse dances without moving from the saddle.

Ibis stares down the arrows that fly towards her. The loser in this case, is obvious.

The arrows shot towards Platinum Storm are deflected and dodged as easily as a child's slap, the arrows aimed for Ibis simply melt and burn, her raging anima consuming them utterly.

Iron Soul knocks six of his out of the air, but the last, that blessed last shot finds its mark and hits him on his exposed chest, its tip digging into the flesh right above his heart...

... and bouncing off, as if it were a pebble.

Two each, the archers that did not shoot the Exalts... instead shoot their Yeddims, a signal they recognize as a last resort. Shambling with an unpredictable speed, they try to /trample/ Iron Soul and Ibis.

Ibis braces herself, wings spread out wide. Her boots dig into the ground, and an enormous predatory falcon blazes into existance above and behind her. She meets the Yeddim charge head-on.

Iron Soul watches the massive behemoth stomp toward him. . .and walks toward it. As the massive foot rises up, Iron Soul digs his feet into the ground and places his blade above his shield, held tight. "I can take it if you can. . ." he mutters, as he raises his blade, the massive foot descending.

The massive feet descend upon Ibis and Iron Soul simultaniously, each carrying thousands upon thousands of pounds of weight above them. With a rush of air and the sound of thunder crashing above them, they fall like a rockslide.

... a rockslide that simply... stops, as it hits Ibis's claws, her anima raging around the sides of its foot and cooking it like a pan above a fire. Her claws dig into the flesh as easily as they would a boulder or a rice paper door, inexorable strength tearing through skin and sinew to give her /purchase/.

Within a moment, /she/ is the one in control, and the Yeddim is at her mercy.

Ibis says, “Not today.“

When you cannot catch the rockslide, you split into two. His daiklave set before him, Iron Soul meets what would be his death with a razor-sharp wall of steel and orihalcum. Against such opposition, the foot might go left, or it might go right, deflected to either side. It is not so fortunate.

The Yeddim's foot is sliced in half, falling to the ground in a massive splash of gore that spills to the ground for twenty feet all around Iron Soul, who is revealed standing in between two seperated halves of a Yeddim's foot.

The foot has gone both left /and/ right, and Iron Soul is in the middle, standing underneath it as if it were a tent.

Platinum Storm lets out another ya as he rides up alongside the Yeddim Ibis has stopped cold, tossing the Lunar a respectful salute before whispering to the iron horse. "Head on back to your mistress. I've got work to do." Then he's reached up to grab a loose harness and let the speed help /swing/ him up. Booted feet hit the yeddim's side as he hangs on with one hand, running up to meet the men riding face to face with a grin.

The Iron Horse whinnies in compliance, and races towards the hilltop...

... stopping right by Iron Soul, sticking its head inquisitively underneath the cloven foot.

Iron Soul shakes the blood and gore from his helmet for a moment, clearing his eyeholes, as he bends down low. For a moment, he looks like a little pebble. And then that moment is gone, as Iron Soul leaps upward with his sword leading, a golden torpedo driving straight up and through the yeddim's leg. In an explosion of gore, the dawn bursts forth, amidst the archers.

Iron Soul 's body is soaked and stained with blood, golden and afire, as he delivers doom among the archers, glorious and terrible and merciless.

HuwST is now known as Huw

Ibis sinks into the ground another foot or so with a lurch, and a cracking noise. Blistering streams of white-hot energy pulse and ripple along her arms as she strains ever-harder to keep the Yeddim at bay. Against something this huge, it looks like a losing battle.

Iron Soul soars up through the leg, cleaving aside bones the width of his waist with negligent swipes of his daiklave, before bursting into the /meat/ of the thing. Digging through two stomachs, the gore is washed off his body in a wave of acid that sizzles at his hair and fingernails before it too is washed off by a renewed bloodbath.

Emerging among the archers, they, as one, jump over the edge of their platform, falling to a /relatively/ painless death.

The zombified yeddim slowly falls to the ground, taking Iron Soul with it.

Meanwhile, Ibis digs herself into the ground, contesting the raw weight of the beast above her with Luna's own unopposable strength. There's another crackle of thunder, as it pushes downward, but she holds, a pillar that could withstand the weight of the heavens themselves.

Aimless Key draws back her bowstring yet again, whispering to the Least God of the arrow, promising it great fortune if only it will guide the arrow right into the Yeddim's eye. The fact that the arrow will probably break doesn't enter into the promise, of course. She releases it with a call, the mark on her forhead erupting into brilliant golden flame!

Born with a terrible case of near-sightedness, the least god agrees cheerfully, and delivers the projectile straight into the poor beast's eye.

Nadira erupts with the silouette of a pale, ghostly wolf behind her regardless of the angle you're looking at her in a flash, as she loads three arrows guided by Essence onto her bow and launches them at the head of the Yeddim, with ferociousness to stop the beast once and for all.

There's three flashes of light, the essence behind the shots visible long after the arrows have disappeared. They shoot straight THROUGH the flesh of the Yeddim, at the joint of one knee, at the skull, and at the heart, leaving narrow holes that burst forth with fountains of blood on either side a moment later.

Ibis feels the pressure above her start to slack, as she finds herslef holding up the lower half of a yeddim's leg, the rest of it collapsing beside her.

Platinum Soul, meanwhile, frantically engages his grip meter, caught on the furry side of a falling beast.

Iron Soul shifts his weight as his yeddim collapses, adjusting his footing just in time to stand triumphantly over the collapsing beast, mirrored by the one with several holes in it.

Ibis just kind of gives the leg a little push and stands back. The rhythmic pulse of Luna's fire begins to lessen, slowly.

Finding himself unable to keep hold, poor Platinum Storm is sent flying through the air, landing roughly in the saddle of an iron horse that got its Master's in Ballistics back in the First Age.

Aimless Key grins at Nadira, "Well, that was exciting. Shall we go make sure the boys are okay?"

Platinum Storm blinks a couple of times, finally taken completely aback. A glance towards the horse, and the idle question of which god or spirit is in charge of his luck.

Nadira nods. "Hopefully they're alright."

Above Aimless Key, Nakia sips at a cup of tea she retrieved from the local Contagion town. "Quite. We've a ways to go, yet."

Iron Soul leaps down from the (re)dead yeddim, bathed in gold and drenched in red. He pats a hand down to his pouch for a second, then looks over the others. "Any injured?"

Aimless Key takes off at a run, placing her bow back over her shoulder, dashing as fast as she can out toward the rest of the circle. Oh, and the Lunar.

Platinum Storm says, “Surprisingly enough... nope.“

Aimless Key shouts, "HEY!" She calls as she gets within shouting distance, "EVERYONE STILL ALIVE!?"

Nadira follows, checking the damage done to the scene. "Well, that's good. Now, I wonder how we get out of here now ..."

Ibis loses coherent shape for a moment, and reverts back into a human being again. She looks relieved. By this token, she also looks extremely worn by now.

Iron Soul shakes his shoulders, sticky and slick blood splattering to the sides. "Good. Then let's keep moving. The longer we're here, the more situations like these we'll have to deal with."

Platinum Storm slides off the horse, giving it a grin and a pat as Serpent's Fang is quickly tucked away once again. A gust of chill wind brings his cloak around, allowing him to redon it as he tightens the armwraps. "More or less! Who else did you piss off?!"

Aimless Key says, “I dunno! Maybe ask our friend the sorceress!?“

Aimless Key looks questioningly back at said sorceress.

"Well, on top of your doubtlessly countless enemies in Creation, you have most likely /upset/ whichever blasted fool Deme has assigned to guard the broken fortress that will serve as your method of returning to the land of the living."

Ibis says, “And it's in which direction?“

Platinum Storm yawns. "We're getting it out of the way now. We'd have pissed him off trying to get back, wouldn't we? I mean, they did want you locked up."

"The way we were /going/, where they were coming /from/. Follow the tracks. Isn't that what you animal-people /do/? Inspect some scat, or what have you."

Aimless Key points at the direction the hordes came from, "That way."

Platinum Storm glances at himself. Then at Iron Soul. Then at Ibis. Then at Nadira. Specifically, the iconic animas in full swing. "...I hope he entertains, whoever he is."

Aimless Key says, “Oh, I'm sure he'll be entertaining.

”I mean he threw me the most lovely party.”

Platinum Storm says, “And those were all jilted suitors.“

Platinum Storm offers a light shrug, beginning to walk.

Iron Soul cracks his neck, shield and blade hefted up. "Party on. Let's go." He moves forward.

Ibis doesn't wait for anyone else, and marches off in the aforementioned direction.

Aimless Key poses, making a very sexy drowned rat, "What can I say, those who didn't want me, wanted an introduction to Nadira here."

Nadira snorts. "Badly enough to die for the chance."

Iron Soul walks next to Aimless Key as the traveling commences, quietly talking occassionally.

Aimless Key shrugs, "Well, it's not like they had a lot to lose." She jogs until she catches up with Platinum Storm, "Which reminds me." She leans over and plants a kiss on his cheek, "Thanks for returning the whole saving-my-life thing. We'll have to do it again sometime."

Iron Soul does the hush-hush talking AFTER the disgusting kissing part.

Aimless Key makes sure to give Iron Soul a kiss too, equal opportunity life-saving and all.

Iron Soul notedly keeps his blood-soaked helmet on.

Platinum Storm lets out a laugh, waving his hand. "Ah, I'm certain we'll end up in debt to each other before all is said and done. Someone will take offense to me or you'll crash another party."

---

Thirty minutes later, the Circle follows Ibis up to the fortress, broken as promised. The near side of it seems more or less in decent repair, but on either side, the walls have collapsed entirely, leaving only half of it or so standing.

On top of that standing wall, though...

... are approximately five hundred archers, between each twenty a ballista. Below, there are another twenty zombified Yeddim ready to march, and two hundred ghostly horsemen in formation before them. As the Circle clears the dead forest surrounding the fortress's clearing, one of them rides forth.

He's bearing a white banner, an ancient sign of Parley.

Platinum Storm says, “You must have made quite an impression.“

Aimless Key says, “I didn't DO anything.“

Platinum Storm says, “Even better. Let's see what they want.“

Aimless Key says, “I just approached, and then there were arrows.“

Ibis drums her fingers along her leg, playing along with the whole deal. She shifts her weight from foot to foot, spear sliding across her back.

Iron Soul looks over the ruin and armaments, looking for good structural weak points. He'll leave the talking to his siblings.

Platinum Storm urges the horse forward, hand quickly working off his bleached white cloak to make an improptu truce flag in return with his serpent sting staff. He doesn't rush the horse or anything, content to cover less ground in case they need to beat a hasty retreat back.

The horseman stops, one hundred yards from Platinum Storm, and its rider dismounts. He falls to the /ground/, and crawls towards Platinum Storm. Slowly, but surely, he approaches.

Platinum Storm stops at the same point, dismounting as cloak and staff are returned to their spots. The grin is gone for now, a serious mask regarding the horseman as the Eclipse strides forward. Possibly even imperiously.

When he is within twenty yards, the man kisses the ground every time before and after he moves a limb. When, at last, he is within ten yards, he stops, and shouts at the ground with all the military bluster of an experienced, earnest soldier.

Nadira steps up, standing a few yards behind Platinum Storm, looking on the whole happenings.

"GLORIOUS SOLAR MASTERS! I AM YOUR LOYAL SERVANT JAKEAL, SERGEANT-AT-ARMS! FOR MILLENIA I HAVE AWAITED YOUR RETURN, GUARDING YOUR STRONGHOLD! I BOW TO YOUR WILL, AND OFFER MY SOUL IN APOLOGY FOR ANY MISDEEDS AGAINST YOUR CIRCLE!"

Ibis gives a low whistle.

Aimless Key , privately, holds her hand to her forhead, quietly bitching herself out in approximately 3 different languages.

Platinum Storm offers only a blink as a sign of surprise, staring down at Jakeal as he clasps his hands behind his back. Time to think fast. "It is heartening to see that you've remained loyal for all this time. Truly, any misdeeds can be forgiven due to... misunderstandings, especially in light of your devotion."

Iron Soul just stares from inside his helm, trying to determine just what sort of crazy trick these ghosts are trying to pull.

"I HAVE SLAIN FIFTY-SEVEN INTERLOPERS SINCE YOUR LAST RETURN, MASTERS! NONE HAVE ESCAPED OUR VIGILANCE, SAVE YOUR EXALTED COMPANION! AGAIN, MY SOUL IN OFFERING! PLEASE FORGIVE US, MY INFINITELY-PUISSANT LORDS! MAY THE HEAVENS BOW TO YOUR WILL!"

There's a shout, echoed by a thousand ghostly voices, "MAY THE HEAVENS BOW TO YOUR WILL!"

Nakia quietly adds, "See? I said he was a blasted fool."

Platinum Storm spares the assembled soldiers a glance before returning his attention towards the prostrate ghost. "You are forgiven, Jakeal, as your successes far outweigh the failure... not to mention it is in fact fortunate that you failed. Forgiveness would not be so quick otherwise." He spares a glance towards the others, gesturing for them to approach. "I trust that my companions and I will be treated appropiately now that you're aware of the situation?”

Iron Soul storms forward at Platinum Storm's gesture, still looking skeptical, still ready to fight every last ghost there.

"TEN THOUSAND SLAVES WOULD BE SACRIFICED IN CELEBRATION, IF ONLY WE HAD THEM, MY LORDS! UPON YOUR COMMAND, WE WILL PERFORM ANY SERVICE, SLAY ANY FOE OR FRIEND! PLEASE! GIVE US YOUR COMMAND, OUR LORDS, AND MAKE OUR PURPOSE WHOLE ONCE MORE!"

Aimless Key steps forward, blinking as her mind calculates possibilities, but trying her hardest to look regal.

Ibis massages her temples, "Stop shouting..."

"YOU... I..."

Rising, he takes a jade knife in his hands, and skewers himself in the stomach, falling to the ground and dissolving.

Platinum Storm ...blinks.

Aimless Key says, “...“

Several hundred yards ahead, another horseman begins to ride forward.

Aimless Key says, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I think we have a problem.“

Ibis raises her tired, tired head and starts to eye up the place for hostiles.

Aimless Key kneels quietly to take the Jade knife.

Platinum Storm glances at the others, muttering. "Mind what you say. They're /devoted/."

Aimless Key says, “No kidding.“

Nadira shakes her head.

Upon seeing the inscription set into its hilt, Aimless Key...

Iron Soul squints down at the dissolving body, then looks up to those approaching. "If they want someone to command them, or if they want a fight, we'll give them either." He strides forward to meet them.

Platinum Storm says, “They... want their old masters back, brother. To command them.“

Aimless Key whispers, "Not their old masters."

Aimless Key says, “Alright, first let's get out of this wet, and see if this tower is at all safe as a resting point.“

Platinum Storm glances at Key, letting the horseman approach. "...you get that feeling too, huh?"

Aimless Key says, “If it is, we need to have a private discussion.“

The second man follows the same procedure, crawling at one hundred yards, kissing the ground at twenty, and stopping at ten. "WE FOLLOW YOUR ORDERS FOREVER AND ALWAYS, MY LORDS! WE HAVE BEEN COMMANDED TO SPEAK UP, FOR YOU COULD NOT HEAR US! WE HAVE BEEN COMMANDED TO OBEY THE LUNAR EXALTED!"

Aimless Key speaks out, "We can hear you now, and we thank you for your devotion. You may speak in a normal tone. Use your best judgement for when a shout may be required."

"At your command, my most terrible and beautiful lady!"

Nadira turns to the others. "So, are we going to stand around or go check this out?"

Platinum Storm chuckles as he whispers to Key. "Nice one." He speaks up as well, nodding. "For now, allowing us to enter will be a good start."

Iron Soul looks to the ghost, then to his circle. "The people above don't have much time left. We can sort this out later."

Ibis breaks her quiet spell, "I agree with your brother Iron." she says, slowly.

"You will allow us to guide to you to the hearthstone chamber, then?! When last you left us, you said you would be returning, and that when commanded, we would show you the way!"

Iron Soul begins walking to the ruined keep, letting the ghost rush to catch up. "Indeed. Get to it."

Platinum Storm says, “As my brother says.“

He turns, crawling and kissing the ground until the twenty yard point, then rising to his feet and marching at a brisk pace. He passes his ghostly horse, leading the gathered Exalts and their ghostly companions on foot.

Mira whispers to her grandmother, "So the monks were right, then?" Nakia scowls. "The best lies are founded upon terrible truths."

Both of them stay back, behind the Exalted, and do not follow.

Ibis is the first to make some noise about that, "Aren't the ghosts coming? I thought this was their mess to solve."

Platinum Storm spares them a glance back, raising an eyebrow.

"Attend to your palace, 'most puissant lords'... and be quick about it. We passed the boundry to the shadowland a minute ago, but rarely are such coincidences... coincidences."

Platinum Storm nods, a hint of a grin flickering. "Truer words were never spoken before. This shouldn't take long." Then he's walking.

The soldier ahead of you shouts, at a slightly quieter volume, "If it pleases you, we will deliver our required status report on the past two thousand years of vigilance, my lords!"

Aimless Key says, “Do you have it in written form?“

Iron Soul pauses in his stride, but doesn't turn around. "We didn't wade through gore for nothing, lizard-bloods. We've got some /living/ people to save. Either get to fixing the land with us, or get to telling us how. The 'palace' doesn't need me."

"In seven volumes, my infinitely wise and perceptive lady! If it pleases you, I will summarize!"

Platinum Storm waves a hand at Iron Soul, focusing for a moment.

Aimless Key nods, "A summary would be useful."

"Upon the night of your most wretched and terrible betrayal, your loyal and zealous servants struck down three dragon-blooded commanders that attempted to comandeer the palace security system! Upon your regrettable, and /distant/ deaths, the necromantic final protocol activated! Your loyal servants were slain to the last, and a shadowland erupted to conceal your holdings from Creation. We have been preserved as planned, ready and awaiting your command!"

"We repelled the investigation of three advance scouts of the Empire of Aki, before the Empress herself came to make treaty with us! We agreed to non-aggression, and have maintained peaceful relationship with the outside Underworld for the past two thousand years! Those few Creation-dwellers that have stumbled upon our location have had their souls recycled into the Fortresses's power source!"

"It is regrettable that we have been unable to make effective repairs to your fortress without outside materials, my endlessly beneficious masters! Damage caused by the dragon-blooded traitors has only been 22% restored."

Ibis rubs the back of her neck incessantly.

Iron Soul crosses his arms, impatiently waiting, though his eyes once again find themselves studying the structural intergrity of the place. . .for wholly different reasons than before.

Platinum Storm winces, for the barest of moments. "I see. What are the capabilities as it stands... and what would it be capable of when fully restored?" He continues walking, mind churning quickly to figure out how fast to deal with all of this.

In response to Iron Soul, the ghost of the ancient sorceress meerly says, "It will take me -days- to analyze their curse, my dear man. Do not fret over a single hour or two."

"You have nine hundred ninety nine loyal troops, and we have secured grave good ammunition and weaponry sufficient to repel a Class 3 Incursion! As a gift, the Empress Aki donated the undead yeddims and herd of ghostly horses that secured the treaty binding us to non-aggression!

Iron Soul pauses a moment to respond to the sorceress, or to what he's just learned of this place. . .but he can't. He just silently walks, helmet tilted low.

Nadira hrms, glancing around, trying to comprehend the meaning of all of these developments.

Platinum Storm taps a finger on his wrapped bracer, eyes shifting towards the others. "Well... this is a fair bit to take in."

When Nadira scans the line of archers up above, she notices something that she hadn't the time or liesure to take in during the previous battle... all of them, each and every one down to the last inch, they're all holding the bow in Nadira's stance. They're perfect. The only variance at all, is that the men adjust their stance due to the lack of breasts.

Nadira pauses.

The guide does not respond to Platinum Storm's comment.

Nadira muses for a moment. "Quite a strange coincidence."

Platinum Storm says, “Beyond weapons, what else is stored here? Texts from those times, perhaps?“

Your personal effects, and the records of our vigiliance, have been faithfully preserved to the best of our ability! I am unable to say what remains in your personal storage, most benevolent lord, for your servants are not permitted access!

The hearthstone chamber has sustained no damage, and the core functions of the fortress remain functional as well!

Platinum Storm says, “Which consist of?“

With that, he passes the lines of waiting troops, as each and every one bows before the approaching Exalts. Even the Yeddims descend on their lower feet, and close their eyes as they dip their heads in reverence.

Platinum Storm is trying his very best to keep his expression schooled during all this, though the utter devotion is somewhat unbalancing.

Unmatchably wise Lord, the abilities of your fortress are also not permitted knowledge for your fervently loyal servants! The indication array shows no damage to core functions, whatever they may be!

Aimless Key nods, "You will have to show me to this indication arry, as well as the storage, in due time."

Platinum Storm chuckles. "For now, the chamber."

"Of course, my most superbly cute and well-endowed lady!" In a flash, Aimless Key seems to remember ancient self-image problems.

Platinum Storm politely coughs, trying his best to hide a grin.

Passing through hallways of carved stone of little ornamentation, ascending stairs and entering vault-like doorways, the last of which is at least twice as thick as Iron Soul is tall, the Circle comes to the hearthstone chamber.

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Your guide waits outside, bowing prostrate as you enter.

Platinum Storm passes the guide with a nod, continuing on.

The room is a perfect sphere, with a platform extending from the entryway into the very center. There, the platform widens from a size allowing only a single person to pass, to a circular platform that can easily hold the gathered Exalts, and the strange table besides.

The table holds what was, perhaps, once a hearthstone. It's grey and cracked, fallen into several pieces. Around it, there are five pedestals, upon each mounted a crystal, with Old Realm runes engraved all around them.

Iron Soul idly glances around at the runes and the crystals, no idea what any of it means.

Platinum Storm lets Key take the lead for that bit, peering at the stone pieces curiously.

The wall of this strange sphere is a dusty grey, and there is no visible light source, but the flaring animas allow everyone to see quite easily.

Aimless Key lets out a low whistle, "That is... some impressive stuff."

Nadira says, “What?“

Platinum Storm says, “What've we got?“

Aimless Key says, “A switch to reverse... all this.“

Platinum Storm blinks. "...all?"

Aimless Key says, “Right back into Creation. Lickity-split.“

Platinum Storm says, “What happens to the ghosts out there?“

Aimless Key says, “Nothing directly. Maybe it fufills their purpose, maybe whatever brought them back is elsewhere. Maybe they just 'naturally' wanted to serve us that much.“

Iron Soul places a hand on the table. ". . .I don't like ghosts. If this can bring `em back to life, good. If it erases their existence. . ./good/."

Platinum Storm waggles a finger. "Mira and the sorceress, we still need."

Mira and Nakia remain far, far away. The sorceress has more sense than to enter a stronghold of the Anathema.

No matter what may come, she wants no part in it.

Aimless Key says, “It won't do anything directly. Creation can have some nasty effects on Ghosts, but nothing huge. Mostly they'll go immaterial during the day.“

Platinum Storm contemplates. "Maybe once it's been figured out we can hit the big reverse switch? Unless there's a way to create a small shadowland somewhere near."

Aimless Key says, “Creating a shadowland is easy.

“ Doing it in a way that won't have me killing you... that's tha hard part.”

Platinum Storm says, “Without the usual requisite misery and slaughter.“

Platinum Storm shrugs. "Let's get our new friends to clean out the tunnel, get back that way, flip the switch afterwards."

Ibis says, “Go before we have a new shadowland made out villagers dead of thirst.“

Platinum Storm says, “Quite. Think we could give them the order and they'll get it done while we get back to the land of the living?“

Aimless Key says, “Absolutely. Just make sure you specify that they come back and do the watch thing when they're done.“

Nadira nods. "We need to figure things out before doing anything rash, but we have a village to save as well."

Aimless Key says, “A mite literal-minded, these folks.“

Platinum Storm says, “Easy enough to handle. Anyone else have problems with this idea?“

Iron Soul leans on the table. "Let's just get it done. If the sorceress needs days to figure it out anyways, let's just use the time we've got well."

KB has joined #exalted

Platinum Storm nods, stepping out and glancing at the guide. "We need to depart for some time still to finish what originally brought us down here. However, we have a task that needs doing to expedite matters afterwards."

Grovelling, they accept their labor gladly, as if you had offered a starving man bread.

Platinum Storm proceeds to describe the task in question, namely the clearing of the tunnel. Warning is given about the hungry ghosts residing within, and that nothing is to be disturbed more than needed. Once their task is done they are to return to their duties of the watch, and the Exalted will soon return to uncover more.

within minutes, the entire army is marching out of the stronghold armed with as many shovels and tools they could find, towards the nearby manse that will serve as a portal to Creation.

The townspeople halfway in between consider this the most memorable interruption to their endlessly dreary half-lives since an hour ago.

Returning to Creation with their ghostly guides, the Celestial Exalted come once more to Nakiahl, this time with a sorceress who can supposedly help them find the key to banishing the Curse of the Drought.

Blinking her fiery eyes two... three times, she flies up to the roof of the First Age structure at the heart of the town, and points at a brick forming the front-left-top corner. "Cast Emerald Countermagic here."

Aimless Key shrugs, looking to Platinum Storm for a quick confirmation that this one is trustworthy.

Platinum Storm steps back, giving Key a slight nod. There is a slight debt she's incurred and all.

Aimless Key closes her eyes and brings her anima up in all it's terrible glory, reaching out to the spot, closing her essence around it like a fist, and then /squeezing/....

There's a brief, muted flash of black energy, and a soft crackling sound. "There you have it," she says, wiping her hands together as her spear floats nearby in waiting. "Curse broken. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must return to the Underworld and smash all seven of the King of Deme's sexual organs. He already has six other plaguetowns, he had no need for /mine/."

Ibis says, “Eh? Eh? W--“

Ibis looks left, Ibis looks right.

Ibis says, “That's it?“

Platinum Storm coughs. "Don't forget to write."

"I'll tell you about it later." With that, she dematerializes, and Mira follows closely after.

Aimless Key says, “Please do write, in fact! I long for conversation with long words!“

Iron Soul looks to where the soreceress was. "Wish she wouldn't. . ."

Platinum Storm gives Key one of those looks.

Nadira shrugs. "Well, we can find out. How about we check to see if things are improving?"

Aimless Key gives Plat a stunning smile.

Aimless Key says, “So, did anyone notice the six other plague towns comment?“

Nadira says, “Yes... but how about we talk about that later, after we make sure this place is cured?“

Platinum Storm says, “Of course. We need her /back/ to deal with those too. I don't even know where they are.“

Platinum Storm goes to take a gander inside to see how things are faring.

Aimless Key says, “Great. Guess we check this one out, then head back to our new fortress?“

Platinum Storm says, “That'd be the idea, my dear.“

Iron Soul doesn't waste words, instead going inside the buildings to check and see that that lizard-blooded ghost wasn't jerking them around, and just escaped.

Platinum Storm looks for that alcohol spirit that was helping out before.

It is as she said. With joyful tears in his eyes, Reckless Draught thanks the Exalted for saving the town--"Look," he says, pointing, "They're regaining their color, and my ale is actually improving their health! The slow decay is gone!"

Aimless Key quietly looks around at the bodies for nasty plaguey spirits. And she glows a little more, but she's already a bonfire.

Seemingly unphased by the presence of anathema, he goes on to describe the symptoms of the Drought and the sudden nature of their recovery.

Halfway through a short, hurried lecture on the role of facial pores in magical diseases, his eyes roll up in the back of his head, and he collapses to the ground. Asleep.

Aimless Key says, “... Lets get him inside.“

For the first time in over a month, Reckless Draught, perhaps-too-compassionate grandson of the gods, snores and dreams of Great Forks.

Platinum Storm says, “...and risk waking him up?“

Aimless Key says, “At this point? He's sleeping the sleep of the very, very tired.“

Aimless Key says, “Nothing short of Sorcery could wake him up, and I'm all out of juice.“

Platinum Storm says, “Fine, fine. I'm foisting him off on you if he does wake up though.“

Aimless Key says, “Whyever would you do that? You should just tell him a story, he'll be asleep in no time.“

Iron Soul looks over the people for a little longer, then leaves, before they notice the glowing, blood-soaked man standing around them. He approaches Ibis. ". . .thanks for the assist, Falcon."

Platinum Storm gives Key a cool look. "I could make it about one of your more embarassing moments."

Aimless Key chuckles, "Come on. We all could use a nice clean blood-free river."

Aimless Key looks over at Ibis, "And by the way, who is she? Not that I mind the help, but introductions might be in order."

Ibis blinks a few times and raises a finger, looking at Iron and Key. "As long as I have safeguarded anoth-eeee~rr..." and she just gives up, the exertion of wrestling with a 39-ton beast catching up to her. She falls asleep next to the god.

There's thunder, an all too familiar sound, but it precedes the gentle and welcome rainfall of Creation's nourishing tears, joyous as Reckless Draught's, and the dry town of Nakiahl is relieved from its long Drought.

Platinum Storm says, “...Suppose that'll have to wait too. Let's get 'em inside and then get something not blood soaked on.“

Session End

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Ketrus/C1S3

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Dramatis personæ

Summary

Session Three

Session End

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