DarkheartOne/LogOneTen
Sleep came fitfully, knowing that a threat was fast approaching. Nonetheless, late night gave way to early morning, and the ritual of preparing for bloodshed. There is an exceptionally rare morning curfew for all save the Circle; not a single person can be found on the streets as they make their way to the docks. The docks themselves are cleared, ships moved aside save for those being used for the task at hand. The walls are loaded with gunners in two-deep formation, alert and looking well-trained for sea raids.
Tian's hired mercenaries---looking ready for a good fight---as well as the various archers are already loading up, while the 'special' ship is having its dangerous cargo loaded on, along with the fresh fish Tian requested. Aside from a few salutes and grunted wishes of success, things are... quiet. Even when positions are taken and the waiting begins. The sun rises, making the sea glitter, and the waves gently lap at the boats as they rock in place.
This peace can't last forever.
Deis grimaces nervously, checking his bow and his arrows again, while hopping nervously from foot to foot and looking at the others near his location.
Rio stands on the fore of her ship, looking into the distance. She's clad in her armor, what seem to be her best clothes, and a cape. Her sword is sheathed and on her back, as usual. She pauses for a moment to look towards her crew.
Tian is leaning against a stack of crates, a few meters away from the docked ships and the slow activity. He's half-hidden in the shadows cast by the crates, and the all-black clothing he's donned doesn't make him any more visible.
Laranth is looking over the mercenaries, dressed in unrestrictive clothes very similar to those he wore on the last 'mission'; the large, cloth-wrapped bundle remains on his back.
Dyna is wearing her armor, and is missing her trademark hat. Her hair is tied back in a ponytail, and she has Wizard's Wrath gripped firmly in both hands. The sun glints off her metallic bronze face as she looks out over the sea from her spot on one of the boats carrying archers. Dyna reaches down and gives Breon a firm patpat on his side. "Don't let them push me overboard. It's their best chance.
Breon growls softly, nodding in agreement before he scans about, claws digging into the deck.
Deis peers out of the water, eyes narrowing as he looks around, still jittery, his bow fumbling from his hands. "I... I hope I can do this... I've never... gone and well, err, I've never had the need to try and take a life..."
<Rio> ... West! Are all the men ready?!
<Tian> They're faeries. All you're ending is a blight upon the world.
West smirks, machete in hand. "As ready as they'll ever be, Captain!" Those of Rio's crew capable of fighting let out a group cheer, weapons high.
Dyna looks back at the archers. "Don't be afraid of them. Those arrows will kill them just the same as anything else that bleeds."
<Laranth> He's right. The Fair... well, they need to be dealt with when they emerge. It's different.
<Rio> Good! We are fighting the damned faeries, men! Pay attention and do NOT let them overwhelm you!
A few gulls cry in the skies above, but still things remain quiet. Eerily, unnaturally quiet.
Tian pushes off the crates, shedding his overcoat and leaving it hanging on a corner. He's got a sleeveless black tunic and black pants underneath, with some kind of super-thin armor covering his chest, forearms, and lower legs. Justice gleams in the morning sunlight, and is paired with a mundane steel glove.
<Dyna> Show no mercy, and concentrate on doing your job. I'll keep them away from you!
Rio turns to the ocean again, and takes a deep breath.
"It's.... almost, well... surreal. It feels like we should be going out on some exploration... not turning this place into a battlefield." Deis takes a deep breath and readies himself---stretching a little, but still definatley nervous.
There's a moment of stillness. Everyone picks up on the largish, odd ripple in the water approaching the boats. Dyna, getting a better view, also sees numerous smaller ripples along the surface, moving faster than the larger one. Tian and Deis... realize that a fair number have already passed under the ships, on a path to the docks.
<Dyna> They're coming! Fire if you think you have a clean shot!
<Deis> SOME HAVE PASSED UNDER US!
Tian slams his metal-clad fists together, jangling steel contrasted by musically-chiming orichalcum. He starts running, soon breaking into a full-on sprint, feet pounding against the wood until he reaches the very end of the dock. The world seems to ripple around him, slowing almost imperceptibly, before he launches himself into the air. After travelling almost twenty yards in an inhumanly-high arc, he changes direction and plunges directly downward at the underwater faeries.
Deis sighs and calms himself, taking a steady aim at one of the swimming figures as it enters his vision again---"Please forgive me for this..."---and lets an arrow fly, a whistling sound made as it leaves his weapon. The light-arrow from Deis' new bow darts into the water. There's a sudden rush of bubbles from a short line in the arrow's path, and a few moments later a pair of fishman bodies rise from the water, floating lifelessly.
Dyna holds Wizard's Wrath over her head and begins tracing arcane symbols into the air, which spring to life and begin swirling around her in a circle as she chants. A massive glowing golden swan springs from her blazing anima, unfolding it's wings and screeching threateningly at the incoming fairfolk.
Breon holds close, fur bristling and claws bared as he prepares to defend his charge from whatever may come.
Laranth looks back at the water, expression growing firmer, and turns back to the mercenaries. "They're upon us, men. Have no fear, but brace yourself for boarding! Follow the plan!"
Collective nods and grunts of approval move through the seasoned soldiers; Laranth's words seem to have been taken to heart as they set themselves. A moment later, the waters around them practically explode upward.
Rio... smirks, despite herself. "Well, I was wondering what was taking them so long."
Everywhere, they're everywhere! Tens of them, leaping onto the decks, clinging to the ships, and surging faster ahead towards the docks. Not a vessel escapes boarding, although the barracuda-men seem bewildered as to why the fifth 'trap' vessel is unmanned. Without delay, the monster-men engage the heroes of Creation, a teeming swarm of glistening skin, barracuda-like teeth and long, curved claws. Even then, they almost seem more a unified force than individual attackers...
(Tian, underwater, finds those there to be quite in their element, and they take the fight to him with a swiftness born of the Wyld itself... but they fail to do more than lightly nick his scalp, the Night evading with uncanny grace.)
Rio laughs, her sword flashing out of her scabbard and SHATTERING into a glimmering sword of gold, which dances around her with almost unnatural ease. "I was beggining to think we were being ignored!"
Dyna spins wizard's wrath with terrifying ease and grace, swatting the attacks aside as if they were nothing... not even breaking her stride as she continues to cast her spell.
The single-force army of claws and teeth slash and bite, but find no purchase on Dyna, Laranth and Rio. Dyna finds it interesting to feel teeth shatter on her bronzed flesh and clatter harmlessly to the deck.
Laranth spins to face the fishmen boarders, weaving through them with grace almost supernatural for a man his size, something burning faintly in his eyes. "Now this is the way of it, eh?"
Rio laughs some more, and grips her sword tightly in her hands. "Please, is this it?" Her sword promptly begins spinning in her hands like a golden disc of death. "A BUNCH OF FISH?!"
A fish wheels around to chew on Deis' head, but an arrow (and a lucky hint of essence-fueled dodging) keeps his pretty locks intact. While... Rio unleashes raw terror on the deck of her ship. The air turns a shade of red as the mist flies and limbs are torn apart. What all in said and done, Rio's is blood-drenched... and her section of the Serpent is fae-free.
Rio raises her sword and ROARS, a golden aura building around her. "MEN! SHOW THEM HOW WE FIGHT IN THE WEST!"
Rio stomps her foot into the deck, turns to grab one of the fishmen attacking her crew by the neck from behind, and tosses him against another one! ... and just a second later, she blazes forward, sword lashing out to CLEAVE both fishmen in half as they crash
The fight is being taken to the fish, although more just seem to be pouring from the waters into the ships, replacing those slain by Exalt and mortal. Laranth's mercenaries are fighting well, having used their wands to decimate the first wave before engaging the second claw-to-sword.
Rio makes more of a mess, and the barracuda-monsters nearby pause to snarl and burble at her. They look ready to close in... when a sudden splash announces that the true threat has entered the fray! A heavy, steel-gray suckered tentacle smashes into the deck of her ship, and sweeps towards her with astonishing speed!
Rio's carnage is neatly stopped at the beast jumps on board and rushes her. She quickly turns to the new threat, bringing her sword up in an arc to black it's attack...
The heavy tendril smacks against Rio's blade, which takes the brunt of the blow and prevents her from taking harm... and then it quickly wraps around her, aiming to grip and TOSS.
Rio 's eyes widen... and her sword comes down in a brilliant flash, anima flaring around her openly as she attempts to simply cleave the offending tentacles off.
A quickened attempt to grasp Rio is cut short as the tendril's slashed in half. This provokes a rush of water from in front of the three guarding ships as... a downright immense siaka-head bursts from the water, mouth agape and teeth practically swimming in its mouth. It has no dorsal fin... and it's only half-shark, the other half squid-like.
Old Realm characters swirl around the snake's head atop Wizard's Wrath as Dyna completes the spell, it's eyes burn with golden energy that soon illuminates the hearthstone set in it's mouth as well. Dyna thrusts the staff forward, practically right into the face of one of the fishmen. Death of Obsidian Butterflies, go forth! I release thee!... and then the butterflies for which the spell is named explode from the tip of the staff in a swarm of glittering, black, razor-edged death.
And much like with Rio, the deck of Dyna's ship is soon bloodstained as the butterflies rip through the barracuda-men, leaving them torn and lifeless on the steadily-reddening wood. Her control isn't perfect, and a few of the archers end up with cuts, but none are seriously harmed.
Tian backflips, hitting one fish-man right under the chin and taking the two on either side of him by their 'wrists'. His Castemark ignites and a gleaming emerald wolverine with a hide of fangs appears on the surface of the water, roaring with pure fury. Muted thunderclaps and small geysers of water can be seen and heard from above, along with the light show, as Tian uses his new 'weapons' to carve a path through the common fae.
The water cracks upwards a number of times, sending spray, sand, gravel, and flying fishmen everywhere, some of them smashing onto the docks while the others land back into the water, inert. However, many, many more surge past him, leaping to the docks to press the attack...
... and it becomes quickly evident how well-trained the Guild wanders are; the initial firewand line cuts deeply into the attackers, and the line's two-deep formation suddenly makes sense; like clockwork, one fires while the other reloads.
The attack's still coming on the ships, but only targeting Laranth and Deis; Rio and Dyna have done masterful jobs of beating back any attackers... of course, the things till have to HIT Laranth, and that proves to be difficult.
Laranth continues to weave through the pack of fishmen, almost dancing around their blows; then, between one step and the next, his shortswords are in hand and dancing with him, slashing at fishman-throat-level with the deadly speed of steel wildfire.
His canvas is the deck of the ship, his paints locked within the fair monsters. This brush, twin blades of finest steel, spread paint to canvas and create deadly, beautiful art. One of the mercenaries, a stocky fellow with frizzy red hair, stops to simply bask in the awe of the moment.
Deis grimaces, fatigue slowly showing on his young face; he shakes it off as he eyes the larger of the attackers, and with a shaky hand levels his bow at it, whispering a silent praryer that it hits, and the violence can end.
Another bolt of light streaks out from Deis' Fang of the Sun, but this one seeks out the monstrous shark-beast. It heads right for its mouth... hits one of the swimming teeth at a poor angle, and sends the light-bolt flipping back towards Deis, where it lands an inch from his foot before dissolving... and then the thing ROARS at Deis, locking onto him.
There is a sudden, and vicious gurgling sound uttered from the beast, and the remaining fish-fae pause, almost looking relieved. Their next action is to begin to withdraw from the ships, plunging back into the water. As for the beast itself, it eyes Deis again... but seems to notice the empty ship, eyes glittering with... hunger?
Rio pauses for a second, staring at the monster, and at the way it stares at the fish... and smirks, dashing to the side, picking up the body of one of the dead fishmen, and swinging it towards the boat with all her surprising might. The dead body's blood just flows freely as it crashes down... and splatters against the hull. While the water is already a tad bloody, that just adds to the mess.
<Rio> Come on ugly, dinner is served...
Tian sinks to the bottom of the shallows and kicks off again, propelled high into the air. He lands on Dyna's ship, setting down easily next to the bronze-skinned sorceress, and idly flicks a bit of water off a sleeve.
<Dyna> He looks just hungry enough, to me. Creatures of the Wyld are just a bit too passionate for their own good, sometimes.
Its action is sudden, swift, and undeniably fierce. With a rush of water and a flash of row after row of constantly-moving teeth, the beast nearly tears most of the front hull of the ship off, still taking a moment to crunch down and tear free all that delicious meat it knows has to be there...
<Rio> Deis!
This does little to distract from the fact that the remaining fishmen are moving for the docks with all haste. Apparently this is more a suicide run than anything!
Deis shakily tries to take a few steps back, bow leveled at the beast, knees visibly wobbling,...then gritting his teeth and wondering what in the hell he's doing, he takes a desperate shot into the beast's maw.
Deis' arrow momentarilly streams out, gleaming like the bolt of raw sun-might that it is. The angle is perfect, the aim true. Tearing through siaka tooth and wood, the bolt finds its target.
"Men! Be prepared if they come back, but..." Laranth starts running down the ship, towards the docks... and then launches himself into the air, leaping in an uninterrupted arc from the deck and over the fishmen-infested water. Twisting in the air, he lands lightly facing the fishmen on the Solace-ward end of the docks, and the moment his feet find ground he pulls the large bundle from his back, ripping open the wrappings on one end to show gleaming orichalcum as he drops into a ready stance. ".. I've got this side of it."
The subsequent detonation that Laranth leaps away from is ear-splitting, and the behemoth itself looks to momentarilly be ready to burst outright. However, its skin does not flay, instead tearing at places where the flames and smoke jet out. Numerous tentacles flail wildly, and the monstrosity bodily smashes into the rest of the ship in its agony.
Rio half shields her eyes from the explotion, and GRINS like a fiend.
The soldiers, still preparing for another wave, look Laranth's way almost as one, especially when the weapons come into view. It only lasts a moment, though; they set themselves for battle once the moment of fright passes.
"I love it when a plan comes together." Dyna smiles to herself, the flames reflecting off the lenses of her glasses.
Tian exhales slightly, smoked-glass spectacles shielding his eyes from the glare. "I almost overestimated its intelligence."
Dyna 's anima flares ferociously around her. The massive golden swan re-emerges from the mass of golden light as she gathers it into a ball between her hands. Her castemark blazes brightly as the ball grows to massive size. She winds up... and hurls the massive ball which streaks towards the behemoth like a golden comet.
It strikes! And it most definitely smashes into the monster, sizzling flesh. Perhaps its initial wound has it a bit more occupied, as it doesn't even seem to register the injury.
Rio gazes at the creature for a moment, before grinning widely. Her anima flares around her as she holds her sword forward, and... it shatters once more... and once more, it grows, this time into a ridiculous size. Rio holds the Grand Daiklave firmly with two hands as she dashes towards the fore of the ship, and jumps high into the air, holding her sword to the side as she decends into the monster...
<Dyna> We can't give it time to recover. It might be able to heal itself if we don't kill it quickly.
... and then Rio's anima flares even MORE, taking the form of a great sea serpent. As Rio suddenly turns into a whirlwind of light and Orihalcum, the serpent snaps and bites into the beast as her sword finds purchase into it's flesh, looking as if it were trying to rip it appart
The moment between the wind-up and the actual hail of strikes, the monster manages to turn an eye Rio's way. Seaspray proceeds to get right into her eyes, splshsing from the frothy, bloody mess below perfectly. There is a terrifying moment as Rio is certain that she's going to miss, going to fail.
... and then her strikes practically roll the huge beast over onto its back with a keening gurgle and enough blood to ruin her clothes. Instead of going still, however, the behemoth seems to be going absolutely crazy. Tentacles flail, teeth move and clatter together... and Rio suddenly finds herself within five feet of a set of most curious nodes on the siaka-monster's underbelly.
The tentacles do not strike the two remaining ships in a manner that would destroy them, but both are tipped suddenly and fiercely, enough to send less-prepared sailors and soldiers into the drink.
Dyna manages to keep her balance, not budging from her spot as she shifts her weight to compensate.
Tian shifts his weight as well, balancing on the toes of one foot. He doesn't seem to mind the turbulence.
... and at roughly the same time, Rio gets a disgustingly vile-smelling spray of inky-black fluid that even her defensive manuevers cannot stop. It's almost enough to push her off, but... only almost, and what bit does get into her eyes is quickly blinked away before the burning becomes unbearable. Rio's clothes, however, are almost definitely ruined.
"--ngah! for the--thrice damned--" Rio promptly breaks into a string of curses in Seatongue
Tian winces as he hears what little he knows of Seatongue repeated five times over.
... and then the roar of wandfires and monsters begins in earnest as the remaining fishmen storm the docks en masse, even still a sea of scale and claw and fangs. The Guild wanders do what they can, but those that don't fall either advance or leap ahead, looking for a meal.
Laranth pauses for a moment, inhaling... and then, as the monsters start to swarm, he lines the barrel of the Blessing up with the horde. "Creatures of dream and shadow cannot abide the morning. Let the sun rise on this nightmare!" The firewand erupts in golden-orange flame -- first in a jet, than in an unfolding sunburst of fire, beautiful and catastrophic.
Deis notices things at the dock and grimaces, still feeling queasy after the little mess his friends made; focusing himself, he takes aim at the leaders of the fishman rush, hoping to buy the guild wanders some time to escape.
Deis' arrow cuts through the hordes, pinning one to the stone wall while others either fall or grasp at terrible wounds... but that doesn't matter as there is a sudden, stone-baking wash of heat and Essence that punches a hole through the fishmen's ranks, bright enough to make all nearby look away.
<Rio> --holy.
<Tian> ..I should have stolen more firedust.
Then it passes, and all that remains are scorchmarks, a section of the dock reduced to smoking coals, and a nigh-panicked look of fright on the faces of those Guildsmen closest to Laranth.
<Dyna> ... We should probably leave very soon after this.
<Laranth> ... er. Right.
Deis grumble-shouts in Laranth's direction "Did you even think about the Guild people that might be there?!"
Tian shakes off his daze and glances over at Dyna. "Finish off that abomination. We can use the chaos to slip out under the Roseblack's nose." And with that, he's gone, air and matter rippling unnaturally around him as he takes to the skies once more. He lands on the dock -- specifically on one of the scorched parts, and spends a few moments getting his bare feet clear of the red-hot stone.
Dyna turns and shouts to the helmsman. "Back to the docks!"
West shakes his head. "I'd like to think he knows where to point that thing, boy! Gods help up all!"
<Dyna> ... Tian, it's already dead! Rio killed it!
<Rio> ... Laranth!... That was awesome!
"Then let's get going!" Tian completes the exchange just as he leaves hearing distance.
Dyna breathes deeply and watches the fishmen flee.
Rio grins... and after slicing away one of the thing's teeth, takes a nice, big leap back into her ship
The fleeing has, indeed, already begun; no uniformity this time, only the need to get as far away from these terrible sun-warriors as possible.
<Laranth> -- I'm sorry, Deis, but I had no idea what sort of output it had! I'd never used it before! And... I suppose there's still much to do.
Deis softens a bit. "I-It's okay. I shouldn't have yelled..."
<Dyna> ... Helmsman, get a move on! We don't have all day!
Said helmsman jerks at Dyna's order, and the ship begins to turn back to port, as does the other. The Guild wanders themselves, once they realize what's going on... cheer. It's a very muted one, however, and Laranth gets more than a number of sidelong glances.
Rio idly brushes some ink away from her face. "... West, we ready?"
Laranth tries not to look guilty and a little sheepish; it isn't working entirely well.
West frowns a little. "When are we not ready?" He can only look indirectly at Rio, shaking his head. "Another wonderful adventure, eh?"
<Dyna> Breon, keep your eyes open. All bets are off, now.
<Rio> ... I don't look THAT bad... do I?
Tian looks uncertainly over at Laranth before reaching out and patting his shoulder... once.
Deis looks at the others, a very obvious look of confusion on his face. "W...wait we're leaving?"
"Naw, bosslady. Just your glow." West chuckles. "Old, old memories."
<Laranth> .. I suppose I should pay for the dock.
<Tian> It's not as if we lack funds. And gratitude goes a fair way.. even when they think you're a ravening demon.
If Laranth is looking for a sign of an impending attack, it's not coming... although the wariness is there, and apparently someone's approaching, judging by the sounds of boots and armor.
<Laranth> I should have checked the thing, but it's not as if there was much else to do against those...
<Rio> Share them sometime... come on people! Move!
Tian turns to regard the approaching boots and their owners, adjusting his own prominent and oversized orichalcum smashfist. "I think one dock for zero casualties is a fairly good trade, myself. We did well, I think."
<Laranth> You have a point -- and I question whether they'll approach us about making amends. Nonetheless...
Rio's ship turns into a beehive of activity, West barking orders now and then. As for the incoming people... it turns out to be more troops--elite-looking types with pikes and plate. In the middle of them is none other than Old Steel, who is wearing a somewhat concealing cloak and cowl.
Tian watches them approach, expression casual. "How did it feel to be a leader of men, anyway? From what I could see, you looked like a natural."
Dyna joins Tian and Laranth, placing her hat back onto her head and pulling the rim down to conceal her bronze dissipating off her face as much as possible.
Deis follows shortly after the others, still a bit shaky with the adrenaline leaving him finally
Rio pauses for a second, and grins at West. "Meet you there." That said, she jumps off the ship, hopping among discarded wood here and there, and lands on the dock, next to the others. She is... well, a mess, but seems rather delighted. "Yo."
Old Steel steps forward... and chuckles. "I suppose we owe you all a debt of gratitude."
<Laranth> It was -- well, I shouldn't say it was nothing, really.
<Dyna> How are our Dynastic friends doing?
"Among other things." Tian gives Old Steel one of those insufferable grins that bears a startling resemblance to the siaka they just killed.
Steel snorts. "Highly upset that I ordered them to stay inside for the duration. Besides, I didn't want her escorts getting too nervous, and your kind would have done that effortlessly... which reminds me. She wants to speak to you all. Tomorrow. She's a bit busy at the moment."
<Laranth> Tomorrow? ... I see. Very well.
<Dyna> Understood.
<Tian> Mm.
<Rio> ... well, that gives me time to change clothes, at least.
<Dyna> If it's not too much trouble, keep us informed as to what Roseblack and her friends are doing.
Tian snorts, glancing down at his all-black clothing. "I can't go before nobility dressed for killing .Not that it wouldn't be appropriate."
<Laranth> We'll all have time to become presentable. I should hope, anyway.
"Definitely." Steel hazards an honest smile. "Nobility? Heh. Here, they are allies, not kings. This is not the Blessed Isle, and I won't be run over by even... her." Steel looks suddenly uncomfortable, adjusting his cowl. "In any event... rest. Purchase whatever you need. I will pay for it from my own savings. Enjoy the rest of the day, and thank you all once again." He promptly turns on his heel and rejoins his entourage.
"I promise you won't regret any of this." Dyna takes off her hat and bows her head to Old Steel.
Laranth lowers his voice. "Don't promise he won't regret it -- make sure he won't regret it. But... perhaps not now."
" ... well, that was the idea." Dyna puts her hat back on and wipes some spots of fishman blood from her glasses. "But yeah, I think we all deserve a rest."
Rio sighs, sliding her hands behind her head. "... well, if that's the case... if you don't mind, I need to get into something more confortable and less sticky. Blech." With that, she turns around, heading back to the dock and her ship.
<Tian> Captain Storm.
<Rio> ... yeah?
<Laranth> .. suspect it's time to have an equipment check...
Tian pauses for several beats, waiting until the Guild leader is out of earshot before continuing. "I think we're going to need fast transportation waiting for us after the meeting."
<Dyna> Oh, Tian?
<Rio> Can do.
<Tian> Thank you. Yes?
<Laranth> .. and, yes, it might be best to prepare to run.
Rio grins, and keeps going to her ship.
<Dyna> I'm sorry.
Tian just gives Dyna a puzzled look.
"Things turn out much better when we work together, don't you think?" Dyna gives Tian a little smile as she starts walking away from the docks.
Laranth follows behind Dyna. "Er, if I might ask you..."
"... hm?" Dyna looks over her shoulder at Laranth.
Tian watches her go, shaking his head slowly. He reaches over to one surprisingly intact crate, plucking his long coat off the corner he hung it on, and slings it over his shoulder. "I need a bath."
<Laranth> You're rather more knowledgeable about... this sort of thing than I am. Do you think you could have a look at this?
Laranth gestures towards the bundle on his back. "I'd like to avoid future... surprises."
<Dyna> ... oh, certainly! I'd be happy to help you out.
Tian strides past Dyna and Laranth, eyes focused on the city in front of him.
<Laranth> Thank you.
The streets of Solace are empty, as the curfew has let to be lifted. It's almost... tranquil. One wouldn't have known that Death was at the city's doorstep only minutes before...
- back to Rising Force
