Lord of Azure Flame Chapter 21: In Destruction's Wake

[-Cynthia-]

The Beginning of the End

"You're attacking the Zaftran capital right? I learned that much. Still, that doesn't explain why you're doing it, or why you need a bag of magic tricks. The Ivanko Mercenaries should be strong enough to stand on their own merits, unless things really have gone to the dogs." Xenia said, crossing her arms.

Death and Dying

Tristan looked away as Conrad knelt over Vera's body. He thought the general would at least want his peace with his dead family member. Will I ever see Mother and Father again? Dead or alive I wonder? he thought to himself.

[Script]

Luc Altair and the Fargo

Conrad has arrived had begun his grieving. Luc looked away. Watching someone mourn was always a perverse affair he thought. But, they would still need to put this to rest. "General," he began. "When you wish to begin preparations, please inform us. Fargo can help."

"Huh," the other cavalier looked at his Captain. "But I can't burn anything in this weather."

"Digging Fargo," Luc informed him.

"Oh, oh yeah, right."

[Balcerzak]

Slipping easily and gratefully back into Arrin's arms, Tessa snaked one of her own around the mage's back and squeezed him reassuringly. "Yeah, we are. We're all gonna be alright. But, silly, you don't need to be thanking me for helping you. How could I not?"

A bit of a pause, and a small sigh before she resumed, the previously light tone of her voice replaced with something more serious now. "I do need you to promise me something though... No more of this splitting up, no more of this 'everyone important to me running around in separate groups', forcing me to try to make choices, or to just get torn up inside when I can't. Can you do that for me? Promise to stay by my side always, and to try to get your sister in on this as well?"

Edited November 7, 2010 by Balcerzak

[Snowy_One]

"Confident in your sanity then? Smart words for someone who set fire to a village." shot back Esphyr. While she had not known Vera at all and was not a major fan of Halton, the one thing she was most certainly not was a fan of Reika! Much less of badmouthing the dead. Turning her back, she looked at the body. "My leg still hurts something fierce, but if we're gonna bury her, I volunteer. Not merc-like, I know, but still. Should at least make a proper marker for her too."

[Phoenix]

The Reveal

Ivanko: I carried that thought around in my head for some years myself. Argued with my older brother about it quite a few times as well. "We're Zaftrans, we should be strong enough to defeat the enemy with our own hands." ... the inherent flaw in being a mercenary company and not a country is that we can't amass a large enough force without the bloodpact. Even with that, if our numbers swell past a certain point, a point where we can threaten the balance of power among the big three as people sometimes call them, both unwanted friendliness and aggression come our way and lead us off the path.

He stood up from his chair leaning forward over his desk slightly while he continued.

Ivanko: Ixion's power will open the door for us. That is when our strength comes into play. Twenty-five hundred men came under my command in twenty-five years. I won't throw them away like pawns against a ten thousand man army held up in the continent's most heavily fortified super fortress. Halton's forces could not even breach those walls, but those who come with me will be able to fight the enemy head on and in force. They won't be mowed down by ballisticians shooting from behind the safety of an impenetrable wall. Ixion is going to level the playing field which is why I funded his education and training. He's working to make our final mission a battle we can win. What authority he holds isn't unjustified, Xenia, only obscure.

Peter: (Whoa ... we're going to take on the Zaftrans directly ... and beat them all? B-but that's crazy. I thought we were just going to maybe sneak up on them and rough them up or something. Get them to start focusing on rebuilding. There's nothing Ixion could do to bring down fortress walls, they're resting on the top of a mountain summat! Furthermore, even the chimeras he's already made are little more than super soldiers. They won't last much longer than the regular ones if they're just eating ballista bolts like the rest. What's he planning on doing about all of that?! Furthermore, why the heck are we going to try to beat the army?!)

Actions

Viveka: (Why the hell do the crazy people have to be here right now?)

Conrad: (I don't have anything to say to them about this. No words to explain how I'm feeling right now, and no reason to do so.) ... I suppose now is as good a time as any.

As he stood up he opened his eyes and continued.

Conrad: I'll honor her as I do everyone else in my life ... by my actions.

Viveka: (General ... is he going to be okay? I mean he seems fine but ... I don't know.)

Edited November 7, 2010 by Phoenix

[-Cynthia-]

Revelations

Xenia listened carefully to what Ivanko was saying...and burst out laughing. "Ivanko, I always thought you were crazy, but I never thought you were this crazy. You're attacking the Zaftran capital fortress head on? That's a suicide mission if I ever heard one. We're just a small group of mercenaries, rescuing people's kitties from trees - figuratively speaking of course. You really think this kid's tricks are going to get us inside? That is one hell of a gamble."

New Resolve

"I suppose I'm guilty of not caring about Tora myself, aren't I? I never even asked you what had happened there; I was so wrapped up in my own problems. It is hard to think in someone else's shoes, isn't it? I thought Elyisima and Halton would care about what happened with Jerdon but they figured it didn't concern them."

Charlotte gave a heavy sigh and continued. "What happened in Burgosas was terrible, but in a strange way...it gave me hope. Hope that the world would finally see what a threat Jace is, he doesn't just want to stop at Jerdon or Septimus, I think he wants to control everything."

She took Helios's hand and raised herself up. "You are right. Even when it appears there is no hope, it is all we can do to try. Eric...he always told me to keep going, to stand up for what is right. So I will. For him, and my parents and everyone. Let's do what we must." Charlotte said, walking back towards camp. As she did, she took one look behind her towards the horizon and whispered "Je suis désolé." Tears streamed down her face, but she continued to walk back towards camp.

[Phoenix]

The Purpose Behind It All

Ixion shot her a slight glare.

Ixion: If you don't like it, you could go with the three hundred IMs supplementing Jace's forces. Theirs doesn't seem like a suicide mission.

Ivanko: Heh. Perhaps I am crazy to take such a gamble, but if I can win ... then Zaftra has a future and the people will have their country back. I don't care about vain glory or anything like that, but to ensure Zaftra is restored to power I'll have to do it with my own two hands.

Ixion: ... hm ... to clarify ... we bypass their defenses, and take the throne. If you know your history it should be obvious that every living member of the emperor's blood line will be killed to legitimize the take over since ... only blood relatives of the previous emperor have right to rule. If all of them die, then as always, the leader of the opposing faction steps in and claims the throne. (Given history and royal tendency to breed like rabbits to secure their throne, I expect there to be a pool full's worth of royal blood spilled by the time this is all over.)

Ivanko: Right. Twenty-five years and it seems that we're finally ready to shut them down once and for all. I don't care much for fancy titles, but when all is said and done, I will be the Emperor of Zaftra.

Ixion: (And I will have kept my promise ...)

[Snike]

Shame

As General Conrad grieved over his niece, Derek felt a wave of guilt wash over him. Sure, Vera was pretty haughty, but regardless, she was one of his comrades' relatives. He shouldn't have let his anger get the best of him... After all, if Dani was in Vera's place... No, let's not think about what he would do. Grimly, the cavalier began to look for digging tools, as to bury the bodies. If they were found, after all, that would raise questions.

[Script]

Luc Altair and the Fargo

"Use my halberd as a digging tool," Luc told Fargo. "Just set me down somewhere nearby."

"Um, yes Captain." The cavalier did as he was told. Luc sat upon the wet ground while Fargo hurried over to Thunder and retrieved Luc's primary weapon. Once the man returned, he began digging. No one had told him where to dig however, so it was more or less random.

A Paul

Ugh, he shouldn't nearly be this slow. Looked like the excitement of all that running really did catch up to him. Good thing he didn't need to deal with that demon, probably would have died.

Just up ahead, Paul spied the signs that he was getting close. "Found you," he muttered under his breath and sped up. It didn't take long to catch up to their tail ends. Jeez the younger generation were sure sloppy. "Oy! Wait up you two! You really expect me to deal with you if you're running away like that!?"

[Dark Sage]

"Woman," Reika hissed at Esphyr backing away. "I don't give a rat's ass about what you think of me. Even if I am crazy, she was stupid and crazy, I'm surprised she lasted this long, now shut it or else." With that, Reika walked past them and finding a nice spot, she curled up on the ground, keeping her hand near her sai as she closed her eyes.

Demons infiltrated here twice already. We get idiot generals from Halton talking about invasions and getting herself killed. What makes everyone mourn over people like that? Feh....guess I should find a partner to practice the sai with. Need to learn how to fight swordsmen with it. Guess that blonde girl is better for that. One thing is certain, she won't try to kill me.

With that, Reika quickly fell asleep, though not at all deeply.

Edited November 7, 2010 by Red Magister

[Snike]

Suit Yourself

"Sorry 'bout that, sir, but I'm running a bit late," the man in the dress garb said, increasing his speed a small bit upon hearing Paul's voice. "Pay's awaiting."

Elsewhere

"... May the Goddess shine upon you," Henry said, as he was led to the guest room, for the time being. Once inside, he went onto the seemingly translucent object called a "bed", and lied down, surprised by how soft it was. The man tried to fall asleep, but, seeing as his vision was not obscured by his eyelids, had to resort to examining everything above him in detail, while attempting to remember what happened before he awoke just over a day ago.

[Inactive Account]

Tessa's words gave Arrin a pang of guilt for being gone so much recently. "Of course I'll stay," he reassured her, holding on a little tighter for a moment. "I won't leave. And I don't think Kelas will, either, and..." He wasn't sure what to say. He would stay, he wanted to stay, he just wasn't sure how to express it. He couldn't come up with anything... He sighed, and just sat for a moment, closing his eyes, letting the cold retreat a little. "You're my friend. I won't leave," he added, very quietly.

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Finally the cart-horses were stopped, and Amari gave them a chastizing snort. No unnatural enemies were about, so there was no use in panicking... She did hear something, though, not coming from the camp. It wouldn't be a bad thing to have reinforcements, if something was about... She trotted towards the source of the sound, knowing that either the wagon would follow, or it would continue on its own way.

It wasn't too long before she found the source of the noise, though it had stopped making noise: the small healer from before had left the camp, and was now curled up under a tree some ways away, asleep. She nosed at him, trying to wake him up: this was no place to sleep.

------------------------------------

The cat reluctantly wormed its way out of the saddlebag where it had been hiding. The bag was in a tent; the tent was shelter from the rain. Curiosity aside, the cat was most definitely not leaving the tent.

Instead, he investigated the occupants of the tent. He did not see the Boy anywhere; perhaps someone else had moved the bags. The Boy's sister was there; it was probably her doing. That one smelled like magic, but was not the Boy; that one smelled like flying lizard. There was even a lizard in the tent, but the cat was not worried, because it was not so very much bigger than him, unlike most flying lizards. Also some big eggs, which he didn't quite understand. Birds had eggs. Humans did not have eggs. Maybe lizards had eggs?

Oh well, he had to keep looking for food, or the Boy, or something warm. There was another little human. He smelled recently of horse, but less recently of dust and the place with long corridors: probably not a food provider. They were all asleep anyway. He returned to the lizard and the eggs: that was the warmest part of the tent. Slightly bored, he gave the lizard an inquisitive sniff.

Edited November 7, 2010 by Kiryn

[Mercakete]

A small, gurgling growl steadily rose from the hatchling. He smelled something unfamilliar nearby: something disgusting-smelling. Was this what an enemy smelled like? Whatever it was, it was close by. The familliar human had taken care in protecting the eggs. Now the bigger wyvern and the familliar human weren't around, so that made them his territory and he had to look after it. He wasn't hungry. The somewhat-familliar human had given him some sort of somewhat-tasteless food. It was still food, so he had eaten it, but it wasn't nearly as fun to eat or tastey as the goat from before had been. Whatever this new enemy was, though, it was getting too close to the somewhat-familliar human and the eggs! Even if the eggs were all wrapped up, they had to be protected like the bigger wyvern had shown him! So, a sneak attack would be best, the hatchling thought.

When the cat drew close again, the hatchling suddenly struck out with his small, pointy teeth, as he wriggled out from the covers around Irina and himself, learning to keep his balance on his feet from when he had been running around Burgosass. He hissed at the cat threateningly, flaring his wings dangerously. This was his territory!! And no weird, fuzzy enemy was going to take it!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Beau grumbled under his breath about the nudging at first, then remembered where he was. Surprised and wondering who or what had found him, the young heir jumped back, letting out a sudden, quick shout. However, his leggs tangled in the scarf and so he quite simply fell back, sitting involuntarily.

"Wa-aah!! Oof! What--?" he cut himself short when he saw it was a horse. His first thought was to check for a rider. There was none on the mount's back. Beau shifted his eyes in a short search for the missing rider. Nothing. "Huh. Are you a wild horse, then?" he muttered with some confusion as he untangled his leggs and stood up.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh? Now where's the horse going, I wonder?" muttered the merchant to himself as he watched Amari leave. Then a thought struck him and he called into his cart, "Hey, in there! You alright, boy?"

ooc: Phoenix, cue rider from attacked town at any time you'd like. They're closer than anyone else at this point.

[Inactive Account]

The cat weighed his options carefully, completely calm as he backed up, hissed, and fluffed out all his fur. The lizard looked pretty big, but that was only with its wings open... and maybe there was an opening. The cat pounced at the wyvern's chest, looking to knock it over and teach it not to bother cats.

-------------------------------------------------

Amari snorted and turned towards camp. Well, the cart hadn't followed, and she couldn't stay here all night. If this human had sense, it would follow her. She paused, indicating with a bend of the neck that he could ride her if he wanted; it would be faster.

[Mercakete]

The hatchling wasn't so sure about this opponant. It intruded, but it was suddenly much larger! This would be difficult...but! He was a wyvern! And he was defending his territory! Whatever this thing was, it didn't even have wings! Maybe it was food...but it smelled disgusting! He'd just kill it.

With a tiny roar, the hatchling snapped at the cat with lightning speed (similar to a snake-strike), raking his little fangs across the cat's face, aiming for the eyes but only biting the cat's nose. Like heck he was going to let go. The hatchling began flapping his wings, wishing he could take flight but instead just focussing on flapping. It was good for something, he figured, even if he couldn't lift the orange thing off the ground.

Edited November 7, 2010 by Mercakete

[Inactive Account]

The cat gave a furious yowl and threw himself forward, planting all four paws on the wyvern's chest in an effort to make it fall over backward and let go of his muzzle. The nerve! The indignity! Oh, and it hurt a little, too... he batted at the wyvern, demanding in meows that it let go.

[-Cynthia-]

Apparently some Haltonian assassins had killed the madwoman claiming to be a Haltonian general. Morgan stepped outside to observe the scene. Someone was burying the corpses. Conrad seemed rather distraught, Morgan vaguely remembered something about him being related to the general, so she supposed that was the cause. She approached the various people on the scene and began to speak.

"Let's end the meeting and decide what to do in the morning. It is late and we are injured, we will have better judgment when we are more alert." She decided against mentioning Conrad's emotional state as a reason for ending the meeting as offending him would impede the group's progress.

[Script]

Luc Altair and the Fargo

Morgan had come out of the tent and put forward the suggestion that they should resume their meeting in the morning. It was a wise plan with the current situation. "Agreed," Luc said.

Fargo kept digging. Remarkably well for something that wasn't a shovel actually.

A Paul

"You really think you're gonna get paid if you lead an enemy spy straight to your camp?" Paul shouted at the fleeing assassins.

EDIT: An=/=and.

Edited November 7, 2010 by Script

[Balcerzak]

When Charlotte acknowledged some measure of guilt for never considering his circumstances, being all too caught up in her own, Helios was taken a little aback. That response had been most unexpected, and unintended, and... just what was that feeling? He couldn't manage to put words quite to it, and then the conversation continued, to the recent affairs at Burgosas, and Jace. The Brute was the kind of man, Helios could gleam, that he simply couldn't tolerate; indeed it wasn't just the legend or the rumors, but the situation had been made abundantly clear today in fact. He found himself nodding to the cleric's words on the subject.

As he finished helping her to her feet, the princess seemed to him to be filled with a newfound sense of purpose, and the prince mused that somehow, against all odds, he must have done something right. As they walked back to where the group had settled in, he mentioned something that he had heard before having gone to make sure she was all right.

"That man from Directus, Fargo, had been shouting that they'd put a tent up for those who were wounded to gather in," the camp was now coming into view, and he pointed out the one in question. However, something else caught his attention, as there was a small knot of people clustered around over near a second tent. "Though, it looks like something else may be going on."

~~~~

Tessa sighed out a little in relief. While Arrin seemed to have hit a loss for words, his feelings came across pretty clear. He wouldn't be leaving her, not if he had anything to say about it. Emboldened by her success, she moved onwards to the next topic. "Have you... given any thought to what you'll be doing after all this is is through?" Leaving a fair pause for the change in subject to settle in, she continued on, "I'm sure you have, and I suppose you'll be back to looking after what happened with your teacher won't you? I was wondering... I was wondering if you wouldn't mind having me along to help out with that..."

[Mercakete]

A rumbling growl emitted from the hatchling's throat as he began to pull on the muzzle with the strong muscles in the back of his neck, then began jerking his head this way and that - the way young wyverns tore tough flesh from bone when feeding. The hatchling figured it could also be a battle tactic as he tried to rip the cat's ugly, hairy face off. He did not like being on his back, especially with the heavier creature putting its weight on his chest. It was getting hard to breathe, so he was fighting even harder, flapping his wings, whipping his tail and digging his tallons into the cat's fluffy belly. Above all, he was not letting go of the cat's face. He was going to tear this thing to shreds! Withn a sudden motion, he slashed with his shap tallons - which had previously dug into the cat's belly - down the feline's soft flesh. With the terrible wound in place, he began kicking and scrating with his tallons, trying to further the wound.

ooc: not-so-fun fact: a weak point on a cat is its belly. That is why cats generally hate having their bellies exposed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beau looked at the horse curiously. (It wants me to follow it... Why? What good or ill might come of it? And...does it want me to ride it? Absolutely not! How would I even climb atop its back? My robes are too heavy and I'm too small to mount it without help. ... Well, I'm lost. I only hope this isn't a horse trained by bandits...) With a sigh, he began following the horse but made no move to mount her.

[Inactive Account]

OOC: why you tryin' to kill the kitty ;_;

The cat was distressed. All of the humans here were asleep, and he was starting to get hurt now. How was he supposed to make the lizard let go? He sidestepped off the lizard, flattening his poor clawed belly close to the ground, and batted at the lizard's face, trying to get it to release his muzzle. What had he ever done to the lizard, anyway?

----------------------------------------

"Of course," Arrin replied. "I'd like it if you came with... though it likely will be somewhat unpleasant." He sighed; all this time and he'd made no progress in finding out who had killed his teacher, instead having to concentrate mostly on staying alive. "After that... I thought I would return to TISME to finish my studies and continue her research, but I'm not sure. What's to say her research will still be relevant after all this? I need to figure things out, certainly... What were you thinking of doing after this?"

----------------------------------------

Amari continued on her way, making sure the small human followed. She was only doing this because she'd seen him healing Kelas' group; they might want him around, she wasn't sure. Noting a convenient tree stump, she paused beside it, attempting once more to get the boy to ride and speed things up.

[Phoenix]

OOC: Not-so-fun-fact: Irina's generally a heavy sleeper ... but she can't sleep through this sort of thing.

Holy Wyvern

Small noises became louder and louder to Irina as she began to stir into consciousness. The little one wasn't holding onto her anymore. She suddenly sprang up in a near panic wondering if he'd wandered off out into the rain only to find that a potentially worse situation was unfolding right in front of her! A cat she couldn't remember at the moment was going at it with the very hatchling she was supposed to be protecting.

Irina: Hey! Both of you knock it off, NOW!

She came closer bringing her hands to them but wasn't sure how to separate the two. She wasn't experienced with cats and the little one seemed determined to not let go.

Irina: Come on, I'm here now, just let each other go.

Not far away, Iso rolled over to his side facing away from the noise and started mumbling.

Iso: If it's not morning yet there shouldn't be any noise, so knock it off ....

[Mercakete]

The weird, furry thing seemed to have sumbitted, lying pittifully near him. Also, the somewhat-famillair human had awoken and was trying to communicate something. The bigger wyvern was better than him at trying to figure out what humans meant. Still, the fight was over and he had defended his territory. The furry thing was still batting at his face a little, though. That was probably its way of begging for him to let go. What a victory! What a glorious battle between wyvern and...thing! The hatchling finally released the cat, flipping onto his feet and giving him one last, warning growl before backing up nearer to the eggs and the somewhat-familliar human. This was his territory and he was letting the furry thing know it.

ooc: I like cats. The hatchling is just being the hatchling. I never break character, even though I feel sorry for the kitty. ;_;

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(This certianly is an intelligant horse.) Beau noted the stump, figuring it was no coincidance that the horse had stopped right next to it. "Alright, then. I'll try, but I'm not sure I can pull myself up with all this weight," the young priest warned the horse, wondering the next moment why he was talking to an animal. Putting those thoughts asside, he climbed onto the stump. Trying to better his chances, the began wringing his sash and robes. Gathing his resolve, Beau pulled himself up onto the horse's back. (Finally.) Uncertian of exactly how fast this horse was intending to go, he held onto her neck, hoping he wouldn't fall off as soon as she began to run. His clothes still held water since the rain was still falling - though not as heavily as before - but he was lighter than a few moments ago.

Edited November 7, 2010 by Mercakete

[Inactive Account]

Finally released, the cat gave one last, defiant yowl, and pelted out of the tent. It was obviously a hostile area, and the rain was better.

...Actually, the rain was fairly despicable, the cat decided seconds later. The horses and the big lizards were obviously not right in the head, to be staying outside in it. Or possibly they were just too big to go in tents. Either way, silly.

There was another tent up ahead, but he was not sure if all tents were hostile or not yet. He ducked inside and hid in the corner, observing its contents. It looked like only the Boy and the little yellow-haired human were here at the moment, but there might be lizards, lurking. He sat and listened and sniffed for a bit; if he did not hear or smell any lizards about, he could go and let the Boy fuss over him.

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Amari took off at a medium trot, being careful not to jostle too much. It wasn't too long before she found the camp again, and stopped before the entrance of the quietest of the tents. She'd done enough exploring of the area, the thought; time to drop off this boy and then stay with the herd for a bit.

[Mercakete]

When the furry thing yowled at him, the little wyvern felt obligated to roar back. He did, even though the furry thing had already left. With a sniff of pride, he turned around to face the somewhat-familliar human, lifting his nose in pride and victory. A small, muffled chirp came from his throat as he sat there, waiting for praise at his good job of defending his territory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, you're from here," muttered Beau before slipping off of the horse's back. He didn't like animals much, but he could stand horses well enough and this one had impressed him with her intelligance. Unsure of how to thank her, he simply pat her neck a bit before slipping into the teant they were near. He would have to ask for shelter for a night and hope that the merchant didn't mind his basense to much. Also that said merchant would wait for him to return with help.