Zack/Session4

It has been about two and a half weeks since your flight from The Lap. It seems Dendra stuck to her word, since you weren't ambushed during that time. As the rise of the sun sends rays of light across the camp, awakening the lot of you while Soran and Syla begin gathering up their things.

<Number Ten Camel> Hrmm. I hope there's a village soon. Running low on meats

Diamond, it should be noted, has yet to return.

Scarab stretches, blinking her eyes a few times at the stinging sunlight that hits her face. She is slumped by the only shade tree in the oasis, a stunted one at that.

Five_Pillars is already awake, his old, but tough body finishing a morning Kata. As he comes back to the camp and dons his armor, he smiles cheerfully, as he makes his morning rice and water.

Syla glances over at Camel. "There is one near here, if I remember correctly. We should be able to stock up there."

Number Ten Camel gets up, swigs some water, his great white cloak swathing his form. "Let's move."

Five_Pillars nods, as he finishes his brief and regular morning repast, and his tea, as he loads up his camel again.

Soran nods as he finishes helping Syla. "Alright. Everyone set then?"

<Scarab> ...pheh. I really hate the desert... I hope that village you're speaking about isn't far.

Syla giggles a bit. "We've got plenty of desert to go before we reach Gem, Scarab."

Five_Pillars says "It's peaceful." HE finishes packing, walking alongside his camel for now.

And so you begin to move onwards towards the south, deeper into the deserts. Soran hms a bit as he walks, glancing back at the others. "You think we'll find Diamond at the village?"

Scarab shrugs to Syla, and grabs her things. She may not like it, but she doesn't grumble overmuch either.

Five_Pillars says "Not if he doesn't want to be found."

Soran nods once, sighing. "I suppose so." Syla winces slightly. "He still has the gem, too."

Scarab frowns.

Five_Pillars says "Soran doesn't need it anymore, does he?"

Soran shrugs. "I don't believe so. I can't be sure though, at this point."

Number Ten Camel mounts up, twirling his firewand in one hand.

<Number Ten Camel> Care to point a direction, spirit?

<Scarab> It won't be impossible to find again, if you're worried about that.

<Scarab> I STILL want to know why he left so rudely, and in such a condition. he's asking for trouble out here if so...

Syla eyes the firewand. "Careful you don't set that off, kid." She nods as the winds kick up around you all for a bit before she points. "That way." She begins walking in that direction, shrugging at Scarab. "We can ask if we find him, I suppose."

Number Ten Camel pulls the light cloth of his wrap about his face against the wind, just a strip of dark skin showing, inset with his purple eyes.

<Number Ten Camel> Onwards, then. Keep an eye out, this far north, city scum can survive long enough in the sands to bother travellers.

Scarab mounts her camel she was walking alongside, and sets her headscarf into a fully wrapped position against the sand that kicks up.

Five_Pillars attunes himself to his clothing, as it cools him. He can walk all day again, if need be.

Number Ten Camel clucks his tongue, and his large camel plods forwards.

Five_Pillars walks through the desrt, with his camel with no name.

As you march on through the sands, the sun continues to rise. As it begins to near noon, however, the light seems to become a bit darker, as a few wisps of mist can be seen in front of you, growing a bit more concentrated farther along your path. It isn't moist, however. The sand crackles under your feet, and there is even more a lack of desert plantlife than before.

Scarab concentrates on controlling her mount and following the group as they proceed. But she is not so focused on this task that she entirely misses the scenery change.

Five_Pillars frowns, as he tastes the air, holding up a hand, and turning his practiced eyes upon the terrain. "Wait one moment."

<Number Ten Camel> Unsettling.

Soran and Syla stop as well, frowning as they glance around.

Number Ten Camel slows.

<Scarab> This air is.. strange.

Scarab comes to a halt, jostling in the saddle a bit as she does so.

Soran crouches, taking a bit of the sand in hand before letting fall back towards the ground. "More than just the air..."

Five_Pillars opnes his eyes to the flows of Death Essence, as he examines the region.

Syla shakes her head. "The village wasn't like this last time I checked on it..." Meanwhile, to Five's eyes, the place is loaded. To the brim.

Scarab looks down from her mount at the parched dunes underfoot and hmms softly. "This place looks more parched & lifeless than usual."

Five_Pillars says "Death." He looks down at his feet, and then back and them forward. "A shadowland" He hisses.

<Number Ten Camel> A what?

<Scarab> A...shadowland? Isn't that where you said Tanoi came from?

Five_Pillars says "This one is new. And small. A place where the dead can cross intot he realm of the living. And the living can wander unawares into the underworld."

<Number Ten Camel> Well, that bites.

<Number Ten Camel> Especially without a big bag of salt.

<Five_Pillars> Five looks around. "Exactly. We don't want to be here when Night falls, or we'll be in the Underworld."

Soran curses. "Indeed. Something happened here." He glances over at Syla, who merely nods. "Probably the village. Want to take a look?"

<Number Ten Camel> Do they die if we stab them?

Five_Pillars determines the time of day with his anima.

<Five_Pillars> "Again? Sometimes."

<Scarab> ...this is suddenly not sounding like the best idea.

<Number Ten Camel> No worries then.

It is mid morning.

Scarab sighs, as the heroic line of thinking takes precedence. "...of course, if there are any clues at to what those deathknights are doing in the area, it would be foolish not to check."

Five_Pillars says "Lets move on into the village, and find out what's going on." He keeps an eye on the village, and as they draw near, he scans for essence signatures of living beings, and more importantly, exalts.

Number Ten Camel adjusts his sword in it's sheath, and plods on.

Soran and Syla continue on as well with just a glance towards each other.

Scarab snaps her superhuman senses to attention, now on edge and alert.

Five_Pillars looks around, the essence flows easily visible to his eyes, as he takes advantage of the wind to see which flows with it, and which move against it, his eyes black with the essence of deat itself, turning that dread energy against it's corruptors, those who dare to profane death.

As you continue the walk, while the sun continues to rise, the village comes into view. Even from here, parts of it look ruined, though the center near a watchtower seems to be just fine, along with a few buildings near it.

Five_Pillars blinks. "There are exalts ahead. Several of them." He strengthens his body. "I suggest, you all prepare for a fight, though I can't know what kind of Exalts they are, most of them aren't friendly to us."

Number Ten Camel hmpfs, screwing a bayonet onto the end of his firewand. "Let's not hang about then, if we're going."

Scarab draws her thin knife in one hand, narrowing her eyes. "I'll bet you it's her down there somewhere."

Soran nods. "Syla, draw back for now. I'll get in touch with you once we're in the clear." She nods once, glancing at you all. "You all better come out of this place, got it?" With that, she fades into nothingness, as the wind spirit retreats.

Number Ten Camel shrugs, foolish spirits meddling in the affairs of Man

<Number Ten Camel> I hope it isn't Laria. She's wicked with that blade.

Soran nods once as he begins walking. "How many exactly, Five?"

Number Ten Camel rides forwards, on the look out for people leaping out.

Five_Pillars says "Five. Along with assorted mortals and undead."

Five_Pillars says "This is going to be a bit rough."

Five_Pillars says "Everybody ready?"

Soran nods as his grand daiklaive takes shape in his hand, held in a loose grip. "I'd prefer better circumstances as far as the seals go, but I'm fine."

<Scarab> Beating the odds is what I do best.

Number Ten Camel remains silent.

And so you continue to approach the ruined village, Soran taking the lead as he frowns. More details can be seen as you approach the town. It isn't long before you begin spotting bodies of people, a few looking quite recent.

Five_Pillars says "Soran. Laria will be here." He says "Do you want to face her? We need someone to police these bodies and consecrate them, lest we begin fighting walking dead and hungry ghosts as well."

Five_Pillars says "Four Exalts."

Soran glances over at Five with a pained look before nodding. "As much as I'd hate to leave you, I'd prefer not to face her, yes."

<Number Ten Camel> Or they hide well. No matter.

Five_Pillars says "Then pray for the dead, Soran. And for us, as well." He assumes the Water Dragon's Mantle, as his castemark begins to glitter.

He blinks before nodding. "Strange that." He nods once as he heads for the bodies. "Luck to you, friends." He keeps his blade at hand however, just in case.

Number Ten Camel pushes on, impatient.

<Scarab> Hmph. Do what you must, Soran. You need to end up in Gem alive... and so do we.

<Number Ten Camel> Climb the tower, Scarab. You'll want the suprise.

Soran nods as he splits from the rest of you, beginning to do what is needed to be done to preserve the dead. And so you continue on, leaving him behind.

Five_Pillars says "There's an exalt in the tower already."

<Number Ten Camel> Even better, stop them shooting me, kick them out the window, then make your move.

Scarab looks around quickly at the dead and the ruined portions of town. "The high ground shall be mine. Scaling such a structure is not a problem."

Five_Pillars nods to Scarab. "Go then" He raises his voice loud, as he yells into the ruined town. "THE UNCONQUERED SUN IS HERE TO JUDGE YOU, INTERLOPERS! MAKE WHAT PEACE YOU MAY, FOR THE TIME OF THE WRATH OF HIS CHOSEN FAST APPROACHES!"

Number Ten Camel adjusts his balance, centering himself, relaxing his legs and letting instinct and practise and Essence command them.

Only the silence of the dead greets Five's proclamation.

Number Ten Camel nudges his mounts side, and rides forth, patience seeming a little worthless now.

Five_Pillars leaves his mount behind striding forward on foot, his castemark flickering.

Scarab nudges her camel into a fast gallop directly at the watchtower, kicking up a cloud of parched earth as it gathers speed. Using the impulse of the charging mount, she then leaps from it's back into the air, sailing through the devestated environs with the graceful swoop of a crane. She waits until the last second to spread out her arms and sticks tightly to the tower's outer wall!

And so you enter the town proper. There are more bodies strewn about, both of the living and what must have been zombies at one time. Weapons are strewn about, as are a few body parts.

Five_Pillars readies his claws, the frost tracing delicate patterns over the blades.

Then as the rest move in, something becomes apparent to you all. A long stake of wood set upright not far from the tower. While not eye catching in itself, what is attached to it is. A corpse of someone who was once Diamond of Summer. His limbs have been cut off, and hang from his body, attached only by his intestines. He has been drawn and quartered as well, and the rest of his organs are artfully draped around his body.

The rainbow gem that he had when he left has been placed where his heart once was, glittering in the pale light as the sun reaches noon. The body is held in place by a straight blade that has been stabbed through his throat into the wood behind the body. A somewhat...familiar blade, at that.

Five_Pillars stares for a long moment. And then his face twists into a grimace of hate, and his razor-edged claws, made with steel and sweat to be perfet, and enchanted further with the power of his sorcerous art, slash into a nearby cart, scoring clean through the wood. He says nothing, his face contorted to be almost unrecognizable from the genlte monk he usually appears to be. He yells then, an animal, inhuman cry as he turns his face to the heavens.

Scarab is unfortunately, by the wonders of her abilities, offered a spectacular bird's eye view of the fallen God. All of the death she has seen and cause have never prepared her for such a barbaric and twisted mockery of life.

The cart, for the record, goes to pieces.

<Number Ten Camel> Rest in Peace, Diamond. Now where's the guys who did this?

Scarab chokes out Diamond's name a few times, as she struggles not to fall off her sheer perch from the shock.

There is a laugh from behind you as Tanoi drops down from a roof, landing with ease with her blade and shield at the ready. "Right behind you. I didn't have the honor of finishing him, I'm afraid. My sister took care of that, along with the... presentation."

<Number Ten Camel> Ah. Crap.

Five_Pillars whirls, the watery essence seeming to fall of him in a fine mist as he reserves direction towards the target, for the moment, of all his hate and rage. He roars again, as he rushes up to her, striking once, twice, and then again, as he manuvers around her. Four and five times he strikes, behind her now, and with his sixth and seventh strikes he drives her back towards the group and their waiting blades.

She smiles as Five charges, her anima of black flames beginning to engulf her as the castemark splits open and begins to flow with blood. "You didn't learn." Five's first strike meets only air as she explodes into thousands of shadows, swirling around the entire arena in that instant. "Ciel perished to this, and Diamond didn't fair all that well either. Why do you repeat their mistakes?"

Sharp laughter rings through all of your ears before cutting as the shadows all converge on one point, right in front of Five's chest, before a savage slash is levied against his chest to counter the first assualt!

Five_Pillars smiles, as his anima roars to life, a pillar made of jade materializing to protect him from the attack, as he relentless presses on, each attack pushing her one step closer to the others, who are waiting for her. "I am no young fool." He snarls. "And I /will/ be your doom." His hammers on her like the relentless waves of the ocean, battering her even as he drives her back, not even notcing the slaight trace of blood across his own forehead.

Scarab mutters curses to herself between frenzied breaths, knuckles white against the unforgiving stone as she faces it instead of the strung up corpse & the deathknight. She knows what she has to do... to fight darkness, attack from the darkness itself.

She reforms, raising an eyebrow. "Excellent. You might actually be a challenge." Then her blade snaps up almost instantly from the strike against Five's pillar to deflect each of his. She whirls as he moves behind her, kicking up the sands around them as her anima roars as a bonfire of death.

Each strike is knocked away as she laughs. "But not nearly enough."

She snaps her own blade into action against Five, still grinning as she strikes multiple times. Six...seven...eight times the soulsteel screams through the air, hungry for Five's lifeblood.

Seven times the blade strikes against him.

Five_Pillars stands tall, his anima flaring, and five slowly rotating pillars, one for each of the magical materials orbiting him. He smiles. "You cannot win. My soul is stronger than your blade."

Number Ten Camel lifts one leg, pushing off against the pommel of his saddle, to back flip and balance on a ruined spur of a rafter from a nearby buildling.

Number Ten Camel frowning, he swings his firewand, the bayonet cutting a swathe of thatching loose from the roof to fall about the duellng pair, as it falls he lines up a shot. and takes it

She blinks just a bit in surprise at falling roof before she snaps her blade into action as the flames approach. It whirls faster and faster, kicking up wind and dirt around you as she tries to bat the flames away with both blade and wind.

She emerges from the flames unharmed, but the tatching around both her and Five catches aflame easily enough.

Silence comes into view for Scarab as she climbs, perched on the railing atop the watchtower. She's been watching the battle intently, and now, she glances down at Scarab. Waggling her fingers in a small wave, she blows a kiss to the climbing ninja lady, then leaps off the railing, launching herself through the air toward Five and Solitude. She falls almost like a mote of drifting ash, light and graceful, and lands lightly behind Solitude. Her swords already flashing as she hits the ground, she aims her swords viciously at the other deathknight's back in a whirl of soundless metal.

Solitude smiles as she whirls, her shield catching Silence's first strike and knocking it away. With her second motion her spinning blade is brought up to knock away the second!

The second attack is knocked away.

<Five_Pillars> Five roars, as he sweeps around for another brutal series of attacks, swirling the dust around his acy claws as he strikes at her, again and again. But the blows are but shadows and dust, and not real attacks, as he dust and burning cinders from Camel's unorthodox attack blind her, he brings one, true attack at her, with all his rage and hatred.

She grins as Five brings all of his fury against her, eager to test her own abilities. She whirls away from Silence as the spinning blade cuts through the smoke and ash, revealing to her Five's true assault and letting her bring her blade up to parry as her anima flares even brighter.

She knocks the blow off course from its original target, as it smacks against her breastplate away from any vital areas. "Impressive. When I kill you, I'll make a point of suggesting we hunt down your shard to make into a suitable servant like Ciel."

Scarab is momentarily staggered as the cloaked combatant whirls past her and joins the battle below. She seems to be an ally, and perhaps an opportunity at that! With a keen eye and reflexes of the arachnid, she flips upside down and lets fly a single shuriken at the woman known as Silence, screaming through the air with golden power trailing it. But, this is not her true target, for the projectile bounces off the twin swords of the mysterious fighter with a loud clang, sending them on an entirely unanticipated trajectory right into what seems to be Solitude's blind spot as she trades words & blows with Five Pillars!

She blinks in surprise as her anima flickers before she whirls, bringing the blade up to knock away this one as well. "I'll be dammed. Tricky little bastards."

She blinks as she bleeds from a slight wound before offering a salute towards Scarab's form. "Excellent!"

Silence stabs a single sword toward Solitude, taking the opportunity when the other is saluting. Except it doesn't. fucking. hit.

She bats it away, winking at Silence.

Number Ten Camel fishes a tiny pouch, snapping the soldered tie, and reloading his firewand with a steady eye.

Five_Pillars roars with rage, and fury, as he points to the sky. And the Amazing flying leper boy.

Number Ten Camel looks up

<Number Ten Camel> FUCK OFF!

As if on cue, a loud howl piercing the air around you as the sky becomes dominated by a flare of anima. A child is visible, engulfed in the form of a black barghest which howls along with it. He seems a bit too high up to just fuck off though, as he hangs.

Number Ten Camel throws the pouch of firedust straight up at the kid, hopping back off the rafter, slinging his firewand, and drawing his sword, standing improbably on the head of his mount....

The red pinpricks can be seen as the howl is joined by booming laughter. Then he's right in Camel's face with the skull smashfist making right for the poor kid.

Number Ten Camel spins on the ball of his foot, golden arcs telling him just where to put his sword!

Number Ten Camel grits his teeth, his eyes watering...

The skullfist is deflected into the ground, causing it to crack and crater as dust flies everywhere. The kid looks up at Camel, blinking. That's the second one who didn't go smashy!

He likes these toys!

<Number Ten Camel> Headbutting with someone else's head? How ghoulish. Any last words, my oppenent? Before you recieve your last rites?

He looks at Camel before barking a couple of times.

Silence raises her blades again and cuts in close to Solitude, slashing again at the woman.

Solitude for the most part ignores Hound and Camel as she brings her own blade up to knock away the deathknight's attacks.

She flows from defense to attack in an instant, lashing out four times against Silence with her own blade of souls before she whirls to bring the last three strikes to bear against Five, looking to topple the pillar of the Circle.

Silence disappears in a burst of shadows, dancing around Solitude's blade easily and reappearing once she's turned her attention to Five. Silence re-forms as somewhat of a sight, with the blood-red armour coating her body and a hollowed black circle evident on her forehead, pleeding profusely. She meets Five's eyes as she reappears, then looks again at Solitude, intent on the other deathknight's next move.

Five_Pillars lets his armor and his strength of spirit block each attack. "Is that the best you can do?" He smiles, his face a rictus of hatred and cold, cruel vengeance, as he embodies Ice, sharpest and most lethal of the forms Water Takes. He's glowing like a bonfire, his five gleaming pillars of the magical materials forming around him, oddly, the Soulsteel one is furthest forward as he smiles.

Scarab growls low after Tanoi salutes her, feeling a deep sense of anger and an urge for justice welling deep within. This is one challenge the Camel Spider rises to, resolving to give death's champion another run for the money! A bonfire of purple-hued Solar light erupts from her body, propelling another deadly shuriken down into the fray. The furious assault seems to go straight to the feet of Tanoi, striking harmlessly at the soulsteel greaves that guard them. However, it is by no means stopped dead, rather it bounces directly up into the black eyes of the deathknight, granting her a most painful vision indeed of the Unconquered Sun that she has spurned!

She brings her blade up, spinning it yet again as Scarab's second attack comes out of the smoke and the ground as well apparently. The flames of both her anima and the burnign roof wrap around her blade as it whirls while she lets out a cry to the Malfeans.

The attack is barely deflected, richochetting off the blade and her shield. She tosses off another salute toward Scarab and turns back to the battle at hand.

Five_Pillars moves with ease, the cares and worries of righteous rage fading, as the orichalchum pillar dims and the soulsteel pillar comes into prominence. HE moves with the grace of razored ice, as he dances forward a little, then back, before spinning, his claws scooping up ashes and cinders as he spin, tossing them in a great gout at his foe, before, he deliberately and cruelly hamstrings her with both claws in a single fluid motion.

Her form flickers into shadows as Five strikes. What follows isn't the fearsome counterattack though, but just a blade that dances among the flames of black and red with the grace of a shadow to delect the assault.

And the attack is deflected.

Five_Pillars turns as he finishes, to taunt the boy. "Your mistress is a whore." He keeps it simple, for the simpleminded.

Scarab pants at this abnormal exertion, realizing that her scarf can no longer hide the burning, empty circle brand on her forehead. Fortunately, the dead tell no tales to the Hunt...

The boy just blinks once at Five before shrugging at him as he turns towards Camel. He barks a few more times before his anima kicks up around him, snarling at Five. Then the kid lets essence flow into his fist as he lashes out with a punch right towards Camel's camel!

The kid strikes the camel in the side, sending it flying away from him and into the wreckage of a cart about eight yards away from him. He barks some more, grinning from ear to ear.

Camel himself finds himself without any footing. Oops.

Number Ten Camel has a go in a minute, so he'll land then

<Bull> "Leave this place!" Bull charges at Hound, leaping over burned or burning bits of village, and drives his open palm at the boy's chest, then runs by him, leaping onto a wall, and jumping off of it, leaping over Hound and swinging a heavy foot down at his head. When he lands, facing away from Hound, he does a beack handswpring and vaults his feet int the kid's frontside again, lands on his hands, and swings an elbow over his head to come down at the bad guy's neck. "You will never hide from me, abomination."

The kid whimpers a bit as he gets pounded left and right by big guy.

Five_Pillars says "Flee back to your masters, abomination. Your essence fades. Your swordarm falters. We are more numerous, and this battle is ours." His anima flares to it's iconic level as he prepares hismelf to draw strength from another of her attacks.

Solitude frowns as she notices the new interloper. "Not /another/ one of you." She growls before she turns her full attention towards Five, narrowing her eyes. "Maybe so, but death eventually takes all, Five Pillars. All will experience the bliss it brings. Some sooner, and some." Her blade blurs as she lashes out seven times against Five. "Sooner!"

Five_Pillars stands like the ocean, letting her tire her arm agaisnt his depths.

Five_Pillars says "Not today."

<Five_Pillars> His anima flares like unto the sun, stymiing each of her attacks.

She growls as she watches Five take every hit, keeping her blade at the ready. "You certainly live up to your name."

Number Ten Camel was caught by suprise at the attack on his mount, and his cloak billows as he falls, landing on Hound's outstretched smashfist. He snarls.. "WRONG CAMEL!" As Bull punches the kid, he gets an idea...

Number Ten Camel hisses, and suddenly, Hound seems caught in the grip of an immense scorpion, of pale gold, his sword is like a claw slashing across the face, before he flips back bouncing off a crumbling structure that snaps as he kicks off, arcing overhead..

<Number Ten Camel> CAUGHT IN THE CLAWS! THE RAT IS STUNG BY THE TAIL!

Number Ten Camel zooms down at the poor kid, burning brighter than he has in days, his sword pointing straight down as the anima totem strikes with him!

The kid shrieks in pain as the two strikes open up two nasty looking cuts, blood beginning to fly as he trashes.

Number Ten Camel skids across the dusty floor, low with gauntleted hand sparking as he slows back down...

Scarab begins to realize the wastefulness of trying to attack the whirling wall of blades that is Solitude, and turns her desire for Diamond's vengeance to a softer target. With another upside down backflip against the sheer wall, her weapon belt births a deadly golden razor, hunting down the sadistic young squire. A hum of rent air follows in it's wake, filling the ears of the whimpering death-child with a whisper of impending doom. This is unfortunately not a warning from the Malfeans, but the harbinger of the immense sonic boom that follows, bowling him over with pain not once, but twice in rapid succession!

The kid screeches as another wound is opened on him.

Silence turns at the screech and considers. With a last glance at Solitude, she turns and runs toward the boy. She descends upon the poor kid in a haze of flashing blades, pummeling him with attack after attack.

Scarab shivers once as she channels more power than she ever has previously, the raw essence around here erupting into a life of it's own. The coruscant image of a giant Scarab beetle now clings to the wall, etching it's iconic symbol into the side of the watchtower, a lasting mark of the battle of the Gods that has taken place here this day.

The kid is pummeled, but not hurt.

Silence pushes herself harder after the first flurry of attacks, her swords singing as she moves with superhuman speed and hits him again and again and again.

Five_Pillars roars savagely at Tanoi, then turns, as he spins towards the boy, crossing the space between like a flash flood, as he closes with the poor, poor child, playing at being a deathknight. He grins as his claws rip into the boy like shards of jagged ice, moving like the brancing river, with eight attacks, in quick and lethal succession, pressing the boy into the rapidly forming Circle of death which surrounds him as the boy becomes the target of the combined wrath of many times his age, numbers and prowess.

This time the kid shrieks some more.

Tears flow from his eyes as Five adds his own strikes to the melee.

Tanoi's eyes widen as the entire group descends upon the child in a fury. Her anima flickers for a moment before she grips her blade. "You bastards..." The next instant she pushes off from the ground, charging headlong towards you all with a scream. "Leave the fucking kid alone you dammed parodies of perfection!" She springs in the air up and over Five to land beside Hound.

<Five_Pillars> Five says "What's the matter,Zack/Tainted One?/ You should fix your dress. Your Solar spark is showing." He spits. "You sold whatever nobility you once had, LARIA."

<Number Ten Camel> To raise steel, it to open the doors to death. If you cared for the boy, you'd have kept him away.

She snaps her blade up once, with just a nod towards Hound. Blood is sent flying as her head whirls, taking all of the Circle into account and marking each location. The flames of her anima spring up with a rage unseen yet, engulfing all of you within it. The next instance, the flames themselves lash at you as she howls, her own arms and blade disappearing from sight.

Number Ten Camel twirls the humming iron camel tail that is his blade, confidently tapping the arcing fury away from his form, frowning at his cloak getting tattered though..

The kid eeps as Solitude whips that blade around like no one's business, bringing up his smash fist to knock away one of her strikes.

He deflects it, panting.

Bull gets a massive gash across from his hip to his opposing shoulder, as some of his essence leaks out along with a ton of blood.

<Bull> "You brazen whore. look at the mess you've made."

Silence watches as Solitude comes toward her, nonplussed. She seems to explode in a pyre of Essence and shadows that grows, hungrily engulfing everyone within a spear's throw around her. Solitude's sowrd passes harmlessly through where her body used to be while Silence's blurred form dances and wheels around the strike. She coalesces once more after a few moments in the centre of a chilling sphere of darkness that's somehow blinding, the black, bleeding mark on her forehead glowing a malevolent red.

Number Ten Camel makes a diving roll to behind Hound, dodging the storm of Tanoi's blades, with his sword he slaps Hound on one side of the face, then the other..

<Number Ten Camel> Hey BOY!

Number Ten Camel kicks sand in Hound's face as he turns around.

<Number Ten Camel> DIE!

Number Ten Camel backhands the boy, like a red-headed stepchild, but with a big metal glove

He gets jostled a bit, admist the storm.

<Number Ten Camel> Dammit

Bull leaps into the air, just a couple feet up. nothing fancy, and comes down with his fist aimed right at Hound's head. "You will cause no more harm!" Bull hops back, lowers his shoulder, and charges Hound towards a wall, leaving another mark on the boy's soul as he slams into the scorched masonry. grabbing The boy's neck in one hand and leaving a golden handprint on it where he marks the soul again, he holds the boy's head in line for massive right fist to the head. "You should never have come here, child."

He chokes some, blood flowing freely now.

Bull feebly slaps the little boy

Bull 's Essence coalesces into a great golden bull

Silence scores him with her swords, narrowing her eyes in determination. Her blades fly at him again and again as she whirls past one of the pillars of Five's anima. Her cloak siwrls over him as she moves like a black cloud, momentarily blocking his view of the grim circle around him, leaving only the deathknight in his field of vision.

The kid howls in pain, reeling.

Scarab calms her inner turmoil, focusing on the energy surrounding her and shaping it to her will for righteous vengeance. The icon of the beetle roars, as it's master readies a dizzying array of shuriken. Six times does the banner flash, as each leg of the insectoid fires out in a shower of golden Essence-laden arcs. The glorious swarm of blades converges swiftly and inexoriably towards the death-child, allowing but a brief second of dim contemplation of his fate, before the buzzing maelstrom overtakes all of his senses!

He collapses.

Scarab cries out. "Steal my Circlemates' lives, and I shall steal those of your loved ones in return! An eye for an eye is the law of the sands!"

Five_Pillars reaches out with his claws, reclaiming the water that is the boys life, with a prayer. "Go back to the shadows, witch. He has been cleansed of the taint which marked him in this twisted parody of life. We will grant you the same mercy is you insist. Soran still hold shope for you, however, and so shall I."

The kid perishes.

Five_Pillars quietly and smoothly ends the boys life, with a muttered prayer for his soul, as he pulls the body into an embrace, his claws sinking into it's throat, as he holds the body protectively, like a real child once more. "He is no longer your master's plaything."

Somewhat peacefully.

Bull drops to a knee and puts a hand on the boy's chest with a sigh.

Number Ten Camel is unreadable, his face covered by his wrap.

Solitude stands there before she goes to a knee, blade driving into the ground beside her as sobs suddenly wrack her soulsteel clad form.

<Bull> "MY name is Bull. I... need to tend to these wounds."

Number Ten Camel draws back his sword, ready to strike Tanoi down...

Scarab has a distant glow of satisfaction, as Five Pillars brings her threat to it's fufillment. It is a just and fair tradeoff, to her at least.

Five_Pillars says "There is hope for you yet, Laria. Soran will forgive you" He holds up a hand to Camel. "You can /be/ who you once were."

Number Ten Camel makes a muted growling noise, not attacking, but not lowering his sword either.

Bull performs excercises while moving his hands over the wounds on his body.

There is the sound of footsteps behind Camel, before Soran's own hand grips Camel's arm and moves it down.

Silence looks around at the strangers standing with her and withdraws, stepping back away from the angry Solars. Especially since they've just been joined by another one.

Number Ten Camel acquises, stomping over to check on his mount.

Soran glances over at Silence. "Deathknight. We'll speak later."

<Number Ten Camel> If we cannot give up our fates, what makes you hope for her!

Bull seals the gaping wounds and exhales deeply.

Silence glances at Soran and arches a brow, tapping her throat lightly.

Five_Pillars says "All of us can choose. And all of our choices have value" He looks at Soran. "An ally, she was to us. She remains such, until proven otherwise. You and Laria have, I beleive, things to discuss."

Scarab begins scampering up the watchtower to it's highest point, appearing as though more of a lighthouse with the Solar atop it.

Soran raises an eyebrow at Silence before turning his attention to Camel. "Because of her reaction to Faithful Hound's demise."

<Five_Pillars> Five sighs, as his years seem to come rushing back to him. "Let us bury the dead, and burn them, and salt the graves with whatever stores the village might held."

Scarab spies someone standing on the roof overlooking the former battlefield. That someone being Ciel.

Number Ten Camel points his sword across the marketplace to Laria. "If she is set free, and attacks again, I'll not hold back!"

Scarab uses her superior vantage point to survey the entire town for any more threats, and immediately focuses on the figure of Ciel, letting out a loud gasp.

Five_Pillars says "Nor shall I. But though she granted no quarter, I grant it to her. That is the difference between us."

<Scarab> Ciel!

Soran nods once towards Camel. "I understand." He crouches next to Laria, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. She continues sobbing, before Ciel speaks. "You've lost your way, sister."

Five_Pillars whirls, the dead boy still in his arms, as he gathers his essence around him, preapring for a mighty work of essence.

Bull just watches for awhile, taking in the names and faces of these people. "Is anyone wounded?"

Number Ten Camel cleans his sword on his now tattered cloak with fierce strokes, before helping his mount to it's feet, fuming.

Silence looks over at Solitude, her face expressionless. She turns away after a moment, her crimson armour starting to move. it surges slowly upward, along her body, the bright blood being reclaimed by seeping in through the corners of her mouth.

Number Ten Camel looks up at Scarab's cry. "Where, Scarab?"

Five_Pillars says "Ciel" His tone if flat and level. "One of us here is Lost."

Scarab grits her teeth and takes a running leap from the pinnacle of the fortification, landing on a collapsed rooftop and running over several unstable beams that somehow support her weight, in an effrot to reach where she stands.

Ciel glances over at Diamond's body before smiling slightly as she returns her gaze to Laria. "Indeed. I'll be taking her back now."

Five_Pillars says "You shall not." He says "She is no longer a servant of the darkness."

Five_Pillars ignites his anima to it's full iconic splendor. "Begone, Fallen One."

Soran gets to his feet, grand daiklaive already in hand. "As Five says."

<Bull> "Please go away, whoever you are. let the people come back to what little you've left of their homes."

Number Ten Camel twirls his sword into it's sheath, unslinging his firewand, and biting off the wire holding another pouch of firedust shut..

Silence looks down at the one they keep calling Laria, ignoring the one they continue to call Ciel. She gazes at the sobbing deathknight with an odd mix of pity and bemusement on her face, largely ignoring everyone else's reactions.

Ciel gives Scarab a slight glance before she reaches into her robes and pulls out a strange looking object. It is most definitetly soulsteel however. "She has allowed the favorite to perish. The Mask of Winters has something in mind for her, for this failure." It suddenly flares, and then you are all blinded for a moment. When the flare fades, both Ciel and Laria are gone. Scarab arives where Ciel was just at that moment.

Five_Pillars cast Emerald Circle Countermagic!

Scarab can't quite stop her momentum in time, as she falls face first to the shattered roof in what ends up as a quite failed lunge for Ciel, getting only air instead. Oof.

Scarab slams a fist into the shingles, knocking a few off in frustration. "Damnit."

<Five_Pillars> Flare sof Emerald Light burst forth from Five, as his anima flares, each pillar becoming, for a moment, a pillar of emeral fire, the pillars streatching protectively around the group.

Bull remains where he was. everyone is so jumpy.

Silence squints a little in the flare. The anima flares are getting annoying.

The pillars bend and twist against the spell effects, seemign to hold for just a moment. Then each shatter in turn, sending shards of emerald fire flying all over the place.

Soran stands there as his daiklaive thuds against the ground, wordless.

Number Ten Camel spits out the wire, cocks his loaded firewand. "Snakeshit"

Five_Pillars growls. As he hugs the boy to his chest. "We saved one."

Bull pokes around one of the buildings for a razor

<Number Ten Camel> That's a fucking bitter apple to harvest.

Soran shakes his head as he picks the grand daiklaive. "We've lost one to them. And another to their machinations." He turns towards the stake holding Diamond. "Help me take this down."

Silence sheathes her swords and glances up at the shadowy sky. Hm.

Number Ten Camel walks over to Diamond's remains, and helps Soran.

Scarab just sits on the rooftop awhile, catching her breath. She looks at her hands, which are still glowing somewhat fiercly. "...jeez, I look exactly like Diamond."

Soran and Camel manage to get him off the stake. Soran looks at the jewel for a moment before sighing as he tucks it away. Ciel's blade, however, he smashes with his grand daiklaive without a second thought.

Five_Pillars sighs, as he removes the instruments of war from the small boy, who, in death, finally looks peaceful, and with that savage sneer gone, is nowhere near as ugly.

<Number Ten Camel> Hmm. I've seen that sword before..

<Number Ten Camel> Where?

Five_Pillars says "Ciel's."

Soran spits. "Ciel's blade."

For the record, it is still not far past noon.

Scarab sighs once and gathers herself up, hopping down to the ground to join her friends. It's right about now that she actually stops long enough to study the two new arrivals.

Bull walks out of a building. "Anybody have a razor? I need a shave."

<Number Ten Camel> Hmm. Perhaps I was harsher to Laria than needed, then

Bull finds a razor.

Bull shaves quietly

Silence is dressed in her normal clothing, now that the armour is gone, her gloved arms crossed over her chest.

Scarab looks at Bull, quirking an eyebrow. "Well you're a mighty strange sight. But thanks for the help."

Five_Pillars says "You fought well, Stranger." He nods to the girl. "Why did you aid us?"

Soran lets his blade disappear as he looks at Bull before grinning faintly. "Another like us..." He then turns towards Silence, waiting for her answer to Five's question.

Number Ten Camel gathers bits of ruined carts and doors to make a small fire.

<Bull> "You were aiding me, before I even got here. how could I not try to help?" he shaves up the side of his face, removing the stubble of his sideburns, and moving onto his not-bald-enough head

Silence glances from Scarab to Soran to Five, her voice coming out as a rasping whisper. She says carefully, "I wasn't aiding you. I was fighting her."

Scarab walks over to where the collapsed form of Diamond lay, looking down for a long moment.

Number Ten Camel busies himself putting on a small kettle to boil, to angry and sad and confused to deal with strangers.

<Bull> "which is what I would have ended up doing if you weren' here. I come on behalf of those few remaining townsfolk that fled from.. them."

Bull nicks the top of his head and winces a little. "shit."

<Five_Pillars> Five considers. "The realm will hunt you, as it does us. And you will have no friends in the world of the dead, after this." He looks at her, fro a long few moments. "If you will give us your word" He looks at Bull "And you as well" He continuyes "To always be honest and true to us, so long as our paths move in the same direction, we will let your enemies be ours, and offer you what aid we may."

Five_Pillars offers his hand, reaching out in midair.

Soran manages a faint grin as he watches Five.

<Bull> "Just to you?"

Scarab mutters aloud, focused on the body still. "Idiot... why did you walk away? I would've had your back..."

Bull shakes his head. "To limit honesty and Truth to one group is a small task. one that I easily swear to."

Diamond's body doesn't offer any insight to that particular question.

Five_Pillars says "By whatever names you hold dear. By the mandates of heaven, and the auspices of the exalted and all the gods and spirits who bear witness."

Five_Pillars nods, as he hold sout his hand, to Bull and Silence. "Then come swear."

Silence suppresses a small snort.

Soran glances at Silence. "Out of curiosity, which of the Deathlords did you serve?"

<Bull> "And you, friend, swear to never bring ill intent to bear upon my shoulders?"

Bull looks at five

Silence glances at Soran, eyeing him thoughtfully. "Someone you've never heard of."

Soran grins. "Try me. I've been around since the First Age, child."

<Five_Pillars> "Not by my own will, or if I can prevent it."

<Five_Pillars> He nods, and looks at Silence, pointedly.

Scarab folds her arms in frustration. "I warned you a pretty face would be the death of you. Your dream isn't dead yet, though." With that, she turns around, not willing to bear the sight of the desecrated corpse any longer.

Silence gives Soran a shrug and looks at Five's hand. "... this does not supercede my current oath, old man."

Soran watches Silence for a few more moments before nodding slightly as he goes to tend to Diamond's corpse.

Bull reaches forward to clasp hands and says "It is sworn"

<Five_Pillars> He says "Then do us the honor of telling us when you can no longer keep it, and You will no longer be bound" He holds out his hands, one to each of Bull and Silence.

Scarab sighs once as Soran passes, remaining quiet.

<Bull> "If I may."

Soran begins gathering some wood for a pyre, frowning.

Silence lets her gloved hand brush that of Five, then backs off once more, still more than wary of him. And the others.

Number Ten Camel leaves the kettle to get up heat, and gathers more wood.. "Are we going to burn them all?"

Soran nods once.

Bull flares his anima up and speaks in a thousand voices at once. "So it is sworn on this day, and these conditions that have been agreed upon are now sacred and sanctified, recognized by the thousand souls before and after every moment." His voice returns to normal. "To be perfectly honest, I'm eclipse."

<Number Ten Camel> Hrm. Scarab, Five. Could you gather up the bodies?

Five_Pillars blinks. "Ah."

Soran glances at Bull, blinking. "I see."

Five_Pillars blinks the raidance out of his eyes. This walking mountain is an eclipse? Heh. Full of suprises.

Silence just looks at Bull.

Number Ten Camel busies himself with the simple, if grim tasks ahead of him, pushing his worries and confusion aside for later thought.

<Five_Pillars> He nods, as he draws his hand back, and says "In a moment." He carefully prepares the boy for death, removing the sintuements of war, as s the boy is burned, with the perrenial snarl gone, he is not so ugly, after all.

Five_Pillars then works to gather up the bodies and such, and buries himself in the work. Later, perhaps, he will have time for words.

Scarab shrugs. "I suppose I'll help." She then stalks off to begin the grueling and somewhat macabre task of gathering the corpses. You think you can hear her muttering about the dead getting off easy.

Bull piles corpses onto his shoulders and hauls them around to where they need to be

Silence watches for a moment, then disappears.

Five_Pillars helsp as well, as he salts the earth with what he found in the village stores, and the local thaumaturges place, as he builds a barrier for the dead in the earth.

Soran assists as well. And so the dead from the assault on the village have a funeral, as does one of the two comrades you have lost. The boy has been spared, but Laria and Ciel have eluded you all. And so, we end.