Lord of Azure Flame: Chapter 19: To catch a Priestess

[Dark Sage]

"It's...a tough decision. I'll try to get Reika to buckle down for her own good. But Morgan, that girl was so frightened. And I haven't seen her before the ball. Did you cast her out? Without her memories? If so, that was unnecessary and cruel. Though it depends on the people she was working for I guess. Who are they anyway? And on another note, where are Reika and I headed?"

[-Cynthia-]

"She either left us or was kidnapped shortly after altering her memories, I am not sure which. She is working for Septimian Reformists I believe, who want to confiscate the Crimson Weapons. You two will be staying with the larger group I imagine, the smaller group doesn't make very good bait the more people are added to it." Morgan replied to Alferis.

Edited September 15, 2010 by -Cynthia-

[Snowy_One]

"Maybe you should focus on the biggest idiot here first." hissed Esphyr in response before turning about. "Whatever. I don't work for you anyways. Alf, I'm going to find Aiya, or someone else... or take up knitting. Being about someone who tries to justify mind wiping and human bait sickens me."

[riariadne]

Conrad approached Morgan, and spoke up, "If it's not a problem, I'll go with the smaller group as well. I know it's best to keep it small, but I think it's imperative that we recover Daranau while taking as few casualties as possible. And to be blunt... I think a team that's supposed to work as bait should have someone who can take the assault if necessary."

Chase quitely reviewed the plan to himself. ... I trust Morgan, but I don't know if I like this plan. What if we fail? Then they'll all die...

Edited September 15, 2010 by Lightning

[Dark Sage]

"Ok then...Morgan was there another option besides mindwiping? Because you seem very cold and ready to sacrifice anyone here if you think it furthers your goals. It's not so much that that bothers me, since you do have to choose us as a whole vs one of us, but if you couldn't find another way, are you sure you weren't trying hard enough? It just doesn't sit well with me, wiping someone's mind. There has to be a better way of keeping order or the like without doing that."

[Phoenix]

A sack of Potatoes

Lev casually strolled up to Morgan and again tapped her shoulder to get her attention. He didn't much care for the current conversation seeing as it involved the very girl he was sent out to find. All this mind wiping drama was also starting to agitate him. All he could do to hide his agitation was smile. With a slight lean favoring his right shoulder and the bag, he spoke softly to Morgan.

Lev: Mission Accomplished.

Searching

Iso walked through the streets as people began to come back down from the insane events of the morning. The gossip was everywhere. Shamans gone wild, red fire and lighting, and monstrous wolves. Iso sighed in dismay but was thankful that the city was at least still standing. Now if only he knew where to look for her. It wasn't as if there would be a sign. She didn't know he was coming to find her, did she?

[Script]

Luc Altair

Enough useless time had passed that Luc had given considerable thought to moving. It would be risky, but at this point it may have been riskier to stay put than alter any plans made out of earshot. Luc took off down one of the halls. He would have to take the long way around to find anyone else.

[-Cynthia-]

"Well, knocking her unconscious and dragging her around would have been rather risky considering our fugitive status. I suppose I could have just killed her instead, but I imagine you would consider killing her worse." Morgan replied to Alferis.

"I think the small group has gotten small enough, keep in mind that if we make it too large, we will discourage the demons from attacking." she said to Conrad. "Good job." she whispered to Lev.

[Dark Sage]

"It would....I don't know. Don't you at least feel bad about wiping people's minds? Ehhh....Anyway, how are you getting the warping power anyway?"

[Phoenix]

Warping Power?

Lev: Warping power? ... okay what'd I miss?

Not too far from the castle Shamus was sprinting through the streets trying to catch up to Levski. He couldn't let anything happen to Kamilla, he just couldn't! Lev would pay if anything happened to the poor girl and Shamus would see to it!

[-Cynthia-]

"No, no I don't." Morgan replied to Alferis. "Stephanie from the Ivanko mercenaries has agreed to help us, she apparently will be able to warp us all to the group's location."

[Script]

Luc Altair

Luc had to quickly increase his pace if he wanted to be anywhere in a reasonable amount of time. He wished he could remove his cloak because of the way the blasted thing slowed him, but the cloth was rather effectively attached to his count armor and he couldn't lose it without losing some effective defense. He had to endure.

It took a bit of time to find his way around the lesser halls before he saw signs of the group again. He really should give them a name, just calling them the group was getting to be a tad bit an annoyance. But anyway, Morgan and Levski and a few others were there as well. Excellent, the perfect place to ask.

Luc walked up to them and spoke. "Ah, would anyone care to inform me as to when we depart?"

[Dark Sage]

"Since the Ivanko mercs are already helping us anyway, it would be nice of we could recruit them. But are you sure it's possible to be able to warp that many people? At once?

[Phoenix]

A Priestess Did It

Lev: So Stephanie's gone and gotten herself a warp staff, huh? A bit odd that Ixion would lone us his only means of fast travel. Wonder what he's up to.

He shrugged and then glanced over as Luc appeared.

Lev: No idea actually. Just as well too, cause I need to figure out what to do with this thing before we go.

He quickly picked the bag up off his shoulder and slung it over the other, giving his right shoulder a chance to rest. Irina then came walking by and casually waved to everyone. The look on her face was completely nonchalant.

Irina: I'm off to get ready.

Lev: Alright. By the way, Kiev is outside guarding the pink one.

Irina: Okay.

Lev: (Hmm. Better see what's going on with her before we go too.)

[-Cynthia-]

"The smaller group will be leaving once Isotov finishes whatever business he has here. The larger group will be leaving shortly after that I expect, though I do not have a destination in mind as of right now." Morgan replied.

[Snowy_One]

Having put distance between herself and the wench Morgan, Esphyr found a corner unto herself. She didn't know what to do. Already today, she had woken up drunk with her clothes on backwards next to Alf, met with Jace and been a catalyst in a group schism, had Damian leave her, and be involved if indirectly with Morgan's own lack of respect for human life and wellbeing. She didn't know if she was to cry, scream, commit suicide, or... well... ANYTHING! She kind of wished things would be simpler and easier to say the least though, but that seemed like a ever more distant dream.

[Dark Sage]

"You haven't answered my question. Is it even possible to warp that many people at once? How is this going to work? I never heard of mass warpings before," said Alferis, a little annoyed.

"Oh yeah, fair warning. I'm Reika's bodyguard, so I can't let you mindwipe her without fighting you. Just keep that in mind."

[Snike]

Unamused fencing partner

"... Are you day dreaming, or are you fighting?," Derek asked, easily parrying any of the blows that were directed at him. "You were better last time. Don't tell me that was a one-time thing."

[Snowy_One]

Kaileen - On her way to the Septimian Capitol

Traveling by foot was always a long and arduous process. The average human being moves at about 2.3 miles per hour when on foot, and children often function as dividing factors in such speed. Such was the case with Kaileen and her child. To be fair, the small boy was being well behaved and keeping pace, moving beside his mother as best he could. Yet there is just such a difference between how fast a child and an adult move that no matter how fast Kaileen moved, she knew that she had to slow her pace lest the boy be left behind. Despite this delay, the pair were making oddly good time. In the space of one hour, they had managed to move three miles, and in the space of three, they had managed far more than normal. Either their feet were being blessed by the goddess, or Kaileen was not letting on all she knew about how to use a staff. Never the less, soon they were half way back to the capitol, and it wasn't even time for lunch yet!

[Script]

Luc Altair

"I take it travel and battle plans have progressed rather far without my notice," Luc noted. And what was in that bag? Luc thought, but that could be answered later. Now, he would like to hear the full details of the plan.

[-Cynthia-]

"Ixion has apparently granted the power to Stephanie." Morgan replied to Alferis. "As for the memory modification, we can deal with that matter when it becomes relevant." Morgan replied to Alferis. She then explained the plan to any who had not heard it previously.

Edited September 16, 2010 by -Cynthia-

[Script]

Luc Altair

"A bold plan. But relying so much on this Ixion to provide for us, doesn't strike me as the wisest choice. But I shall yield to you on that, you obviously have more experience with such things. Though I have my doubts about the selected group that we would be using as enticement, personally I feel that the group should be either fully defensive-minded or fully mobility-minded rather than a balance. Though at the very least, we'll need to prepare acceptable mounts for all in case things do not go as planned." And things never go as planned, Luc bitterly thought. Leaving Charlotte with such a small group also led to the possibility that Jace would go after her again. "I also suggest that we should all leave as one, then have the enticement group break off. I'd rather not have any spies in the city report that so few of this group have left separately."

[-Cynthia-]

"I would not say I trust Ixion, but I do not believe he was lying in this circumstance. And he does have Stephanie to back up his word, and she seems relatively trustworthy. As for leaving as a single group, that seems a wise enough plan to me." Morgan replied to Luc.

[Phoenix]

OOC: Oiii I was not looking forward to writing this just yet but plot demands >_<

Five Months Later

Iso walked the streets alone surrounded by crowds of people moving ever closer to the castle to get a good look at what was going on. The sights had returned to him at last and the dark abyss was gone. Strangely he hadn't noticed until he finally thought about it. He could finally see again but it was the last thing on his mind until just that moment. He quickly headed over to a store and stood by the window as people passed him. He was wandering aimlessly and he knew it. That was no way to find who he was looking for. It never had been.

Up on the same rooftop as before Miranda leaned back against the chimney and kept her hand over her heart. The awful feeling had faded but now she sensed something else. The same weapon she'd been carrying in fact. She didn't say a word and instead walked forward looking over the edge of the building out over the roofs. She let out a slight grin before rubbing her fingers together. As the fingers slid over one another several bolts jumped along her hands.

After a moment, Iso had grown tired of simply standing there hoping to figure out where he had to look. He still had no idea where he needed to go to find her though, and that's when something made him jolt! He turned to face what he was sensing and saw a tiny red spark on the window! As he reached out to touch it, the spark vanished! He could still sense it though and looked down at the ground as the presence raced off into the crowd!

Iso: Oh no. Here we go ...

Iso dashed after the energy dodging and shoving passed people to keep up! After a few minutes of running he was finally led away from the crowds and into less active areas. His sprinting was getting him a lot of attention from commoners however. Once he was finally clear of all the prying eyes he was led into an alleyway! The energy finally slowed down and then raced up the wall of a building! It finally stopped and settled on the roof. Iso had no idea what was up there, but he had to find out.

When he opened the alley door into the building, he found that the place was mostly dark and uninhabited. It seemed to be a simple inn of some kind. He headed all the way up the stairs and then came into one of the bedrooms looking for a window. He opened the window and crawled half way out of it to see if he could find a way to the roof. Before he could determine the reach, he heard the door to the room shut rather suddenly! He hauled himself back into the window to find Miranda leaning up against the door, her arms and legs crossed.

Miranda: Are you ever lucky I'm on your side. Any of those other demons and you would be in some serious trouble.

Iso: I needed to see you.

Miranda: ... about what?

He became perplexed at her response. She was acting normally, but after being dead?

Iso: So even the fact that you're back from the dead hasn't changed you ... even a little bit?

Miranda: I'm still dead. I was only truly alive when I was human.

He hung his head and sighed. Personally he was happy to see her demon body or not, but he felt like apologizing for what he'd said.

Iso: ... I'm sorry.

Miranda: Don't be. How I came to be has little to do with you. So then. What did you want to see me about?

What? He didn't have any words to explain what. He merely walked straight up to her and pulled her in for a hug, his arms again wrapping over her shoulders.

Miranda: Ack ... dammit, man. You know I don't like hugs.

Iso: They make you feel restrained I know but ... ... this is all I can say to tell you how I feel.

Miranda: Message received. Now let go. The first one was a freebie. This time you're going to get hurt.

He sighed again letting go and gave her a mixed look of apology and joy.

Miranda: Say ... did you get that message I left you? The one about not trying to get rid of Proxima?

He gave a confirming nod. She looked in another direction with her eyes and then came back to him with a follow up.

Miranda: Before orrr ... after ... I died?

Iso: After.

Miranda: ... well that was pointless th-

Iso: It wasn't pointless. I agreed to do it. I decided to keep Proxima. Once the headmaster got rid of the fragments in my head the tome stabilized. It wasn't so bad after that. I barely remembered what it was like to have a stable tome before then. I was almost happy and the only thing that could have made it better was if ... ....

She tilted her head at him and giggled a bit.

Miranda: ... was if what?

Iso: Was if ... you were there ....

Miranda: ... I would have been off reading somewhere.

Iso: Mmgh.

She then walked over to the bed and sat down before motioning him over to do the same. once he sat down, she leaned up against him and rested her head atop his shoulder. Before either of them said anything else she took his right hand and started examining it with both her hands.

Miranda: So really, why did you want to talk to me?

Iso: Isn't it obvious? I ... after everything that happened-

Miranda: We ran around for awhile, made sport of the demons, started sleeping together, I died, and that was the end of the story. Not much happened really.

Iso: That wasn't the end of it, Miranda.

Miranda: It was for me. You know that saying "Dead men tell no tales."? Well dead women aren't listening.

The heavy sigh and slump that followed made her chuckle.

Miranda: I know what you're trying to say, but don't agree with you that it's a big deal. For all intensive purposes I'm still dead.

Iso: Still dead?

Miranda: I know you. There's little more you're going to learn from me, and you certainly can't try with me what you were going to try with that TISME teacher. Not with this body. Well not that you can't try but ... you have enough problems to deal with. You don't need me adding more.

Iso shook off his blush and leaned away a little.

Iso: You know about Katie?

Miranda: ... oh yeah.

He didn't know what Miranda was going to say next, but he braced himself just the same ....

OOC: And that concludes the first IsoxMiri episode. Stay tuned for backstory fill ins and more Miranda logic.

[Dark Sage]

Meanwhile...

With a flash, Geraro and Njordenka found themselves back at the fortress in the room where it all began. Hurrying from the room, Njordjenka headed right followed by a left turn and headed straight until he saw a big man with a boar's mask in front of the door. He wore plain brown clothes, but carried a decently sized axe on his back.

"Yes?" the boar masked man asked.

"I'd like to make a report to Lord Ferris. It is of a matter of much urgency."

"Yeah. You ain't supposed to be back unless you got some good info. Find anything?"

"No," Njordjenka said quickly. "But it has to do Geraro. Inform Lord Ferris if you will."

"Ohhhh.....Yeah don't worry. I'll tell 'im," the boar masked man said with dawning comprehension, turning and heading into Lord Ferris's office. After a minute or so of waiting, the boar masked man headed out the door and gestured for Njordjenka to go inside.

--------

Reika

Wandering the castle a little, Reika stumbled a bit, clutching her head and rubbed her arms, trying to feel warm. There wasn't really much to do except ask Morgan what was going on, and Reika was too pissed off at her about last night to talk to her.

What the hell did she do to knock me out anyway? she wondered in bewilderment. So focused was Reika thinking about everything about the ball last night that she didn't noticed Esphyr huddled in a corner until she nearly tripped over her.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Edited September 16, 2010 by Dark Sage