68 replies to this topic

[Khallos]

Nodding, Leo turned to Yildun's bodyguard. “Khallos, I know you have strict orders to guard the Ambassador, but I’m giving you a choice. Stay here, or you can come out and help us against Koridai.” With that, the dwarf gave a quick nod and sprinted out of the doors to join his soldiers.

Khallos took a moment of thought, then shuddered and saluted Yildun while loosening his sword from its scabbard.

"Khallos, your people need you, fight outside for Calatia, I will be safe here." Yildun told him.

"I'm afraid I can't sir, even now nothing is finalised. I will not compromise the mission, not while we stand on the brink of victory. Besides it seems we now have the Virattian Royal Guard on our side." Khallos replied.

At this point Khallos signalled an attendant standing concernedly by a doorway in the room.

"You, fetch me my mail and weapons. Now!"

Quivering, the man replied awkwardly, "I'm afraid I can't sir, it'd be a breach of major etiquette. You were left unarmed for a reason, and this isn't changing, even now."

"Damn you to hell! Gah!" Khallos started pacing around a concerned Yildun in frustration.

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

It had been at least 3 minutes now and no news apart from the sounds of battle. All of a sudden an acrid smell filled the air.

Khallos could hear screams and shouts in the local tongue, but could make none of it. Yildun turned to him,

"they're screaming...fire!?"

Khallos turned and then realised smoke was pouring from some doors in the palatial rooms leading off the throne room. Glancing at the main doors leading to the exit and the battle, Khallos grabbed Yildun by the shoulder and yelled,

"Ambassador if this isn't a trap something is wrong with the world, but we either leave now or have our lungs turned to ash."

As Khallos reached the door Jenkins suddenly walked through and jabbed the offguard warrior in the chest with a metallic instrument. Khallos flew to the floor in an lightning fueled explosion, jarring his head violently against the tiles. Jenkins stepped on, and then swiped at the Ambassador catching him in the arm as he dodged backwards. Unfortunately for the desperate looking traitor nothing happened apart from cutting his bicep.

"Blast, out of charge it seems," he muttered.

"Well Ambassador, you have achieved so much and have come so far from our frozen home only to fall at the last hurdle, a real tragedy for the Kingdom," Jenkins stepped down and whipped Khallos' sword up and then advanced towards the retreating and defenceless Yildun.

"Yes, you fool," he coughed, "it would be a mercy compared to that interesting 'thunder-baton' I managed to pick up locally, it gives the most agonising of shocks before killing your heart they say. And how I wish you could feel its energy, because oh how I despise you, you and the Kingdom in your romantic arrogance to keep fighting order, peace, honour, justice and righteousness just because you cannot accept the Goddess and her innumerable benefits."

Yildun retorted, "You are a traitor Jenkins and though I may die my work is near done, Koridai will never set foot within Virrat without meeting a wall of blades."

"Don't worry Ambassador, that won't take much effort," as Jenkins tossed the diplomatic documents into a room that was now glowing with flame. "I would explain how Koridai will subjugate this pathetic Kingdom and make every citizen see the benefits of the worship of the almighty Goddess! I do value my life however and believe that now would be a good time as any to escape so without further a-argghhhguuh."

A large brass and steel axe head was embedded into the back of Jenkins' skull.

As he sunk to the floor he managed to whisper, "...why?"

"Because duty called, and oh how I've longed to kill someone you treasonous bastard!" Khallos propped himself up on the large ceremonial axe after he wrenched it from the body of Jenkins. It was blunt, as fitting for a weapon in a throne room, but the force at which it was swung made more than up for it.

"Come Ambassador, it's time we left this hell hole," Khallos gasped as he leaned down and picked up his sword. "And you," seeing the attendant from earlier."Get my damn weaponry, now!"

The servant hurried off in fear ignoring attempts to halt the spread of the fire.

Yildun quickly rushed into the nearby flaming room and came out with the singed document. Grabbing Khallos by the shoulder and helping him out, he gave his thanks

"Khallos you have saved my life again, and now we as one the mission as a whole. Please call me Yildun, we've been through enough for at least that." They both grinned as the servant came out behind them pushing a trolley of Calatian weaponry and headed outside.

Edited by Khallos, 23 January 2010 - 09:41 PM.

[Ken the Wandering Soul]

It watched them. Though none of the Calatians had seen it sinced it had first viciously attacked, it had seen them. It followed from a generous distance when it could and when none looked, it hid close by.

It had been a senseless beast. Confused. Lonely. Rejected by it's pack for being the threatening oddity it was. It had nothing to live for except to excercise it's extraordinary power, to kill.

Then it smelled Her. The only reason it--he stopped killing. Becuase he had detected Her scent on Yildun. The wolf did not even know who She was, except that She was what he wanted. What he desired. What he loved. Somewhere deep in the wolf's soul, knowledge of another life began to make itself known.

And so it followed Yildun. Because Yildun was his only possible link to Her. And he had to find Her. He would not be complete until he found Her.

With the fires beginning to consume the place, he became that much closer to revealing himself.

[Crimson Lego]

With the help of the Virratian soldiers, the battle was finally being tipped in the Calatians’ favour. Having managed to drive most of the Koridaians away from the Royal Palace, the Vikings and the Virratians were able to create a perimeter of their own and held their position against the imperial assault. Unfortunately, it seemed that the Koridaians were pulling back from the battle and into the core of the city. Worrying for the lives of civilians, Captain Moloch and the Virratian Guards charged after the crusaders, leaving the Calatians to defend the palace by themselves.

Good way to prove ourselves, thought Leo as he paced around the courtyard. It seemed that Moloch was confident enough to allow foreigners to defend the core of his nation. If we win this, we’ll definitely have a treaty. Leaning on his axe, the dwarf was relieved to see the 6 members of the Baker Team return. “Report,” he said

Mellish spoke up first. “Sir, the Koridaians are having a hard time gaining their footing. There seem to be too many streets in Vatenbaer for them to get a foothold.”

Smiling, the dwarf nodded. “Continue.”

Taking a breath, the soldier was about to reply when Leo saw something orange flickering the distance. Is that…fire? Realizing which building it was, the dwarf gave quick orders. “Mellish, Jurgensen, get to that building and get Lucas out of there!” A moment later, he heard screams in the palace and knew enough Virratian to understand what it was. Fire. It seemed that the Koridaian agent was doing his job well.

As his 2 men ran off, Leo himself charged back into the conference room just in time to see Yildun and Khallos exit the conference room. Sighing in relief, the dwarf ordered his men to help put out the flames while he talked to the ambassador. “Are you 2 alright?” he asked concernedly.

“Never been better,” replied Yildun with a weak smile.

Nodding, Leo’s thoughts turned to something else. “Who was it?”

“Jenkins,” responded the diplomat.

“Got it,” murmured the dwarf. He now remembered everything about the man, from the insubordination in the small town in Calatia; to the protesting on the ship; and now this. Lucas and Yildun almost died from this guy. I should have listened to Khallos. Nodding numbly, he turned to see Moloch rushing up the stairs.

Gasping for air, the captain looked down at the dwarf. “Good news, General. My men have successfully split the Koridaian force into 2 groups; we should now be able to take them down more easily.”

Smiling, Leo put away his axe. “That’s good to hear, Captain.” Pausing, he spoke again, this time with caution. “What do you think of signing the treaty with our Kingdom?”

[JRPomazon]

He just kept his barrage constant from the top of the building he climbed. One arrow after another, one target hit but not necessarily a fatality. It didn't always had to be this way, but it was now that Lucas did not care all that much whether his target lived or died. Just get them down and out and get their focus on him. It was simple to grasp. The fire below began to consume the building he stood on, the smoke rising and obscuring his shot. However, it was already too late for him to withdraw. Despite their desperate situation, the Koridians did not pause their barrage on him from below, arrows flying through the air hoping to get a piece of him and the structure was surrounded by smoke. The only thing that would save him was a mad dash and a leap of faith. Lucas knew he wasn't really all that lucky to begin with.

Lucas and the fire were well acquainted. He met the fire a couple of years ago, in the woods. They came from the sky. From the ground. From homes and shops. From the bodies of his friends. He was reminded of how his dorm was ravaged by flames. The "blessed" fire of the goddess Chikara. All he could do is run from the inferno, hoping his pace was enough to keep him alive. Maybe the only thing he had been doing ever since that day was running. But the flames finally found him, here in these foreign lands. The fire had chased him across land and sea, mountains and valleys and here they were once more. Only this time, Lucas had nowhere to run.

Save me . . .

His thoughts began to wander, the soothing rythmn of shooting arrows no longer calmed him from the danger he was facing. The terror was undeniable.

Save me like you did back then.

Save me like you saved those people in the stories.

The Viridian Knight, the Typhoon King, Emperor of the Gales . . .







Jordan . . .




The fires consumed the rest of the structure, the young man name Lucas was taken by flames.







Or so it seemed. No one really knows exactly what happened on that rooftop. Lucas had lost consciousness. The only thing anyone saw was a fiery building collapse and a powerful wind that quelled the flames created by war the moment after. Away from the eyes of the city, a woman carried the young man on her back. She was a woman only by shape, her true appearance obscured by her gray cloak. The two left the city behind, their destination elsewhere.

But to those who did not know any better, the young man Lucas became a sacrifice for the Kingdom of Catalia.

Edited by JRPomazon, 03 February 2010 - 05:37 PM.

[Crimson Lego]

Chuckling at that, Moloch sheathed his blade and surveyed the dwarf intently. “Between you and me,” he said softly. “I had a short talk with our president during the battle, and informed him of the circumstances. He seemed pleased by the way you stood up for our people…and wants to talk to you personally.” Standing back, a 6”2 corporal stepped forward to take Moloch’s place. “May I present Keiwan Abaddon, president of Virrat.”

Realizing who this was, Leo shook hands with the man. “It is an honour to meet you, President Abaddon.”

The man nodded, smiling. “And the same to you, General.” Crossing his arms, Abaddon then turned to Yildun. “Ambassador, I appreciate the fact that you and the Kingdom of Calatia have offered to make the treaty with Virrat. In fact,’ added the president. “I’m ready to start finalizing the treaty,”

“Yes, of course…” responded Yildun, glancing at the document in his hand. Sitting down at a table in the courtyard, the diplomat unrolled the parchment and began pointing at signing spots.

Leaving the 2 to talk, the dwarf saw flames erupt in the distance, then suddenly disappear from the wind. No. Sprinting down the stairs, Leo hoped that what had happened did not. This couldn’t have happened, he prayed. The ambassador also seemed to have realized what happened, but knew he could not leave.

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

To Leo, it had all ended.

In the shock of having watched their foreign but loyal comrade die, the Vikings had responded with a blast of anger the Koridaians had not seen before. Blasting straight at the imperials, the Calatians were able to clear the building with fierce fighting. The members of the Virratian Guard were left to pick off the survivors while some of the Vikings attempted to retrieve Lucas’ body. Unfortunately, the alcohol from the bottle seemed to strengthen the flames, making it difficult to extinguish it.

After 15 minutes of continuous water, the remnants of the building were finally extinguished. Having driven the Koridaians to the outskirts of Vatenbaer, the Calatians now focused their efforts on clearing the rubble to the center of the building, hoping to be able to find Lucas’ body. Many in the Virratian Guard were horrified at the way the young adult had died, and that a member of the expedition had done it. Though this would have disrupted a typical diplomatic mission, it did not in this one. The Vikings and Virratians worked together in silence in the attempt to rescue a fallen comrade.

Finally, having managed to clear much of the rubble, Leo found himself staring down at….nothing but the stone foundations of the building. No body. Nothing. For a few moments, the dwarf searched in vain for Lucas’ body, but was unable to find anything. Did the Koridaians take him away before we got here? he pondered.

Behind him, a grim member of the Baker Team approached his superior. “Sir.”

Turning around, Leo nodded. “What do you have, Jurgensen?”

The man held out an object wordlessly, and then stood back. Looking down and taking the item, the dwarf recognized it as 1 of the arrows Lucas kept in his quiver. It must have fallen out of his hand when the fire started. Gripping it tightly, Leo and the Calatians began trudging back to the Royal Palace, silent as death.

Approaching the table, Leo was at least glad to see that Yildun had shaken hands with President Abaddon, whom went inside the palace to see the damage done by the fire, and was approaching the group of Vikings. “It’s done,” he said proudly. “At least formally.” Looking at their expressions, the ambasador’s smile fell. “Dead?”

The dwarf shook his head and held out the arrow. “Can’t find his body; must have gotten incinerated.”

Nodding, Yildun handled the arrow with care, and then placed it in his shoulder bag. “What about the supplies?”

Leo shrugged, not caring much about anything anymore. “We’ll drop them off at the town; maybe his friends will pick them up.” He had not mentioned the Seer to anybody else, but if Tiresias still had his eyesight, those men in gray would be at the town to pick up the goods.

Oddly enough, many of the Calatians present had never seen the General in this sort of state before. What affected the dwarf the most about losing Lucas was not the fact he was a foreigner or that his death could have been prevented with punishing Jenkins. No, it was the fact that he was only 18 or so, and that he had his whole life still ahead of him. And that was something the general could not accept in war: kids dying in wars that never should have happened.

Collapsing in a chair, Leo gazed at the skies, wondering where Lucas' spirit was now, or if he would ever forgive himself for letting bastards like Harold Jenkins walk free.

ooc: Few more posts and we'll probably be done.

Edited by Leo Crimson, 25 January 2010 - 06:29 PM.

[Ransom]

He had been watching. Watching the entire time. Disguised first as a pirate, then a Virratian citizen, and the master stroke, Moloch's "new" butler. he had heard every conversation, every negotiation, and seen every battle. And now in the shadows he travelled, crawling through the slums of Vatenbaer, looking for the sharpest and most desperate lowlifes he could find.

"3 gold pieces a month" he would say, "and free passage back to Verden after three years service, to live a rich life in Koridai."
Beggars, barkeeps, prostitutes, corrupt nobles, anyone useful he could find that was desperate enough for his offer. With such a last minute spy-network, one had to go with whatever worked. But he knew it would be enough. His taste in men suitable for service never failed him. You just knew the type of man that would kill his own mother for a scrap of bread, knew the type of girl who would lead rich men into dark allies and slit their throats. These were the ones he wanted. The thinkers, the observers, the ones who could wait for the right time to strike.

Why was he there? Three of his men were already planted in different locations of the city, and these new recruits would report to them in the coming months. But he had always liked giving the Empire's dirty work a... personal touch, and this was no exception.
After all, it was delegated subordinates that had ruined everything.

And as a result the Calatians had done it after all. A healthy alliance with one of the two most powerful nations outside of Verden.

And where had Koridai been? Why helping them along, naturally. Calatia's negotiations we're already doing well enough, but who should arrive but Captain Gall and his company to save the day and open fire in the middle of a foreign civilian street.

Peaceful negotiations. That's what the Quadrate had commanded. Peaceful. But apparently even that was too hard for what was supposed to be a token military force. One expected better of Koridaien soldiers, and it was hard to understand how a mistake like this could even ever be imagined.
He would have sliced off the neck of Captain Gall himself if that dwarf's axe had not already claimed the honour.

Fools. he would have to report this to Lord Steel, or even the Magnus. Incompetence like this could not be ignored, and all future possibilities of it being repeated, eliminated.

Luckily, the blow to Koridai was not so great as it could have been, his networks telling him that all had gone well in Vildmark. A seemingly more desirable alliance in any case.

Gurns was the last beggar that he hired. A scrawny, gaunt old man with clever fingers and a sharp look in his eyes. He was also the first to question the motive behind the offer.

"So wots it to you eh?" he said with a toothless grin, "Wots all dis shit matter for?"
By the man's excellent common he must have been from verden, apparently an immigrant.

"Why are you here Gurns?"

"Fer da waters of course sir." The twinkle in his eye gave away his sarcasm, but also that he would not be moved.

"So whats your answer?"

"A'course sir, no sane man turns down 3 quid a month!"
The toothless grin again.

"Can you read?"

"Yessir, since i woz a lad sir."

Gurns was handed a note with his complete instructions which he began to read intently. When he looked up, his new employer was gone.

The network already spreading across most of Vatenbaer, it was time to return to Koridai and the Empress. With the evening sun coming down over Virrat, the man they called The Claw exited the city as he had entered it, unnoticed and unheard.

[Crimson Lego]

A day had passed since the incident in Vatenbaer, and the Calatian expedition was finally getting ready to leave back to their mountain homes in Verden. A few of the Virratian diplomats would also be traveling with the Vikings to see what the environment of the Kingdom was like. Meanwhile, Yildun and President Abaddon had finalized what was left of the treaty to finalize and shook hands. Finally, the last of the gifts were exchanged between Calatia and Virrat. While those that the mountaineers gave for mostly used for cooling buildings down and for other various tasks, the Virratians handed over some of their technology. Both Khallos and Leo received bolt-action rifles; while they were quite slow, Captain Moloch assured them that they were quite powerful in their own right, and only used by the elite of the Virratian military.

Loading some ammunition into his rifle, Leo gazed around at the Royal Palace. Most of the conference room had been destroyed in the fire caused by Jenkins’ alcohol-based grenade, but it was slowly being rebuilt. The surviving Koridaians had surrendered and were brought to the prison. Examining the dead, the dwarf thought he had found the leader of the squad, one of the ones he had killed himself. Gall, Arthur. Gripping his axe tightly, he gave it a kick and walked back to the Virratian convoy.

Clambering in, Leo gazed at a remains of a burnt down building in the heart of the capital city; once in flames, now a mouldering ruin of concrete. Lucas. The youth’s corpse had not yet been found by the Virratian Guard; the only possible explanation the dwarf could come up with was that the Koridaians had shot him down, taken his body, and allowed Jenkins to light the structure. Which means they could have deposited it anywhere, he grimaced. Sighing, Leo lowered his rifle and letting it fall to his side. The mission was done; that was the important thing. Bobby, Erik, and a few other vikings fluent in the language of Komitaa had been sent to Vildmark to keep an eye on the empire's dealings there; hopefully, they would soon be able to dig up some good info.

Climbing into 1 of the caravans, the general heard somebody approaching and recognized the footsteps. “Good job,” he said softly.

Yildun merely shook the dwarf’s hand and took a seat next to him; Khallos stood nearby. “I know how you’re feeling, Leo, but remember this: Lucas died fighting against Koridai. You may not like it, but that’s how 6 or 10 or 70 others died as well. They did it with honour.”

“Yes but,” replied Leo quietly. “Lucas didn’t even want to come along with us at that village. I…forced him into it because I thought he was an imperial spy.”

The ambassador was silent for a few moments as he digested the information. “That wouldn’t have made a difference, Leo. I or somebody else would have made him do it anyways, or at least aid us in one way.” Clapping the dwarf on the back, Yildun spoke 1 final time as he got up. “Don’t let deaths cloud your judgment; that’s how a lot of officers go down.”

Not exactly feeling completely self-assured but more confident, Leo got up and noticed Moloch rushing over. “What can I do for you, Captain?” he asked.

The man offered his hand. “I’d like to thank you for helping Ambassador Yildun get to Vatenbaer alive so that he could sign this treaty, General. It means a lot to President Abaddon now that we’ve got a trustworthy ally.”

Smiling back, the dwarf knelt down. “In case I didn’t mention it,” he whispered. “Koridai has already formed a treaty with your enemy Vildmark. Tell that to the president; he’ll know what to do next.”

Stone-faced at the sound of their enemy country, the captain nodded and headed off. “Thank you for this vital information, General. I will see to it that President Abaddon receives this info. May we meet again in the near future!” he called as he ran off.

Waving back, Leo sighed in relief and took a seat on the edge of the caravan. Holding his rifle, he read the mission log he had handwritten over the journey. 14 casualties. Nearly all of them dead by the hands of Koridai. Sighing, the dwarf rolled it up and put it aside. It was time to return to Calatia.

It was time to go home.

Edited by Leo Crimson, 07 February 2010 - 01:05 PM.

[Steel Samurai]

OOC: I'm going to assume you guys are done, then.

[Crimson Lego]

ooc: Time to wrap things up here.

Within a week of leaving the southern coast of Virrat, the Calatian expedition that had set out from Snowpeak Ruins almost a month ago arrived back in their beloved Kingdom; the technology of the Virratians had played its part. Utilizing a caravan equipped with the advanced technologies, the Vikings began to lead their guests back up north to the capital of Calatia. Most of those on the trip were shivering due to the cold temperature of the Kingdom, and realized how much longer their food would last in this kind of environment.

Retrieving his bear back from the port, Leo rode alongside the carriage, gazing back at the oceans behind them. Another life. The continent of Komitaa seemed so far away, and yet the dwarf knew that nothing would ever change his guilt. Turning back and riding up towards the mountains, Leo vowed to avenge the death of Lucas upon those that had caused it. At least Jenkins is dead. The body of the former corporal had been laid on the Alliance ship the expedition had charted from Andiel, which was then blown up.

True to his word, Leo ordered his men to leave behind a good number of supplies at the town where they had first encountered the group of Koridaians; he also gave the citizens a heads-up that only those in gray would be allowed to take them. Resting there for a day, the dwarf knew that Tiresias would find them sooner or later. Good to hear he’s still alive. When they were getting ready to leave, Leo noticed that the supplies had disappeared; he had no doubt where they had gone now. To his friends.

After another long journey, the Calatians were finally approaching the capital in the mountains. While Yildun chattered away to Captain Moloch and the other Virratian diplomats about Snowpeak, Leo’s thought was focused to the east. There will always be war. For as long as there were 2 realms fighting for power, there would always be fighting, death, and bloodshed. How could Chikara possibly think she could fix all that by using spies and sending diplomats to foreign nations for war treaties? True, the Kingdom was doing the same thing, but in Leo’s mind, they were fighting for survival at the moment. While Koridai enjoyed the luxury of the desert, the Calatians had been forced in living in the mountains.

Not that he was complaining much; the winter had strengthened the dwarf’s mental ability and allowed him to concentrate more during blizzards and such. Adrenaline always helps. Sighing, Leo pulled on the reins and followed the expedition back up into the mountains. The people of Snowpeak awaited them, and he had no intention of delaying his return back to the grand castle at the moment.













Mission accomplished.