Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Imythess, the border between dreams and reality. We hope you enjoy your visit.

Imythess is a creative writing board where you narrate the story of a character in the medieval land of Imythess, on the planet Chaon. Each topic is an opportunity for your character to interact with the world and its peoples by cooperatively writing pieces of a story with other members, one post at a time. We call this role-playing, because you assume the identity of your character as if it were your own.

In order to play, you must register an account for each character you would like to write about, and begin their tale by filling out their basic profile information: Race (human, elf, demon, etc.), class (warrior, mage, etc.), physical appearance, and any other personal details you would like to describe. You are also encouraged to come up with some background history information for what your character's life has been like up to the point at which their story in Imythess begins.

There is no approval process or application required to join, so long as you follow the rules then you are free to write whatever character details you choose. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Create a character now!


If you're already a member, you can log into your account below:


Username:   Password:
Reply
Fever Heat; [P] Rinky 4... IN SPACE!
Topic Started: Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:42 pm (3,791 Views)
Nkiruka
Member Avatar


Her friend's answer to the question made Nkiruka wince. The silence that followed was so unpleasant that the Istani officer's hands started to tremble with anticipation of the consequences that would no doubt follow. Rin would definitely put up a fight, there would no doubt be damage caused to the palace in the process... but instead of the worst, something strange happened. The Sultan was laughing: a ladylike giggle that baffled everyone in the room. Nkiruka actually wasn't sure that she was laughing at first, but when the realization dawned on her she immediately knew that her friend had done a very, very good thing. Even the chamberlain looked like he was having trouble reading the Sultan, until she prompted Rin to continue.

The explanation the construct provided was good, and Nkiruka only interjected once to add some extra information. "We wanted to attack and eliminate the problem at its source. I was on leave at the time and staying in Axerise, so we worked there to make the bait more believable." She found herself staring at a point beyond the Sultan, as simultaneously speaking and making eye contact with the monarch seemed impossible. Haras' gaze was too intense to focus on forming coherent words. After Rin was done, there was a short pause as Ishraq Amin Haras chewed on those words. Nkiruka, realizing they would need to apologize, took this time to bow so far forward that her forehead was touching the ground and she was speaking into the mosaic floor. "We give our deepest apologies for putting your country's peace with the Deep Cities at risk. It was our best option at the time, and was our most successful anti-Rainfall operation thus far, w-which I'm sure you're already aware of."

The Sultan's expression softened into a smile, and she shook her head. The chamberlain took the hint; he must be very good at reading the monarch's body language. "Her Majesty would like to clarify that she is not angered by her recent need to ameliorate the situation with the Deep Cities." Nkiruka looked up and saw the Sultan gesture for her to rise, so she did so -- which was good timing, since she was almost about to make the mistake of rising from the bow on her own. The soldier exhaled upon fully straightening. It felt like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders. The invitation sounded angry enough, or maybe she confused excessive formality for anger. Maybe it was penned by this incredibly rigid chamberlain or something.

Not long after rising from that unusual posture -- it was the first time Nkiruka had ever bowed in her whole life -- an emotionally charged memory flashed behind Nkiruka's eyes for a moment. She recalled Chaitaki's voice trying to persuade her teen-aged self not to join the army. "If you want to bow your head to that villain, go ahead. But know that when you do, you are no longer Chomai and you are no longer my daughter. It is the ultimate betrayal of your own identity and I won't tolerate it." Well, she briefly mused, none of those things mattered at this point because they all had already happened. Then Nkiruka suddenly realized that the conversation had moved on and the Sultan was looking curiously into her eyes, reading her. Nejm was presenting some of the biggest decisions they made in the meeting yesterday, and even though Haras was listening she kept glancing back at Nkiruka for some reason.

The monarch returned her full attention to Nejm's words once it was mentioned that Brigadier General Korzul was still the leader of the project. She looked confused about this. "Nadiyah 'ela Korzul?"

"Er, that is correct, Your Highness," Nejm said, not quite sure how to respond.

A long silence. The chamberlain struggled to read the Sultan's thoughtful expression and draw some kind of comment out of it, and ended up not saying anything at all for fear of making an inaccurate statement.

"Is there a particular thing you wish to know about Brigadier General Korzul, Your Majesty?" another attendee chanced to ask. "Or is it her leadership of the project?"

"But we have a Chomai right here." She gestured down to Nkiruka, who froze with her eyes wide in an expression of completely unrestrained surprise. A question hung on Haras' cocked eyebrow, which the chamberlain picked up on easily.

"Her Majesty is a firm believer in diplomacy. Therefore, she wonders what kind of use this important diplomatic figure has seen if she is not the one heading the project against Rainfall," he elaborated. The Sultan nodded to verify that was what she meant. Nkiruka watched her smile at the extremely uncomfortable group; she probably knew full well what she had just asked, and probably didn't care at all that it was making everyone uncomfortable. Nkiruka's respect for the Sultan increased with the knowledge that she could maintain control so easily with so few words.

Another one of the small group's attendees cleared his throat and answered. "To be entirely honest, Your Majesty, Captain Menai is not well-liked by the Choma people that form a large portion of Rainfall's members. Her... personality is not suitable for diplomacy." Nkiruka looked back and realized the speaker was a colonel who was on her evaluation council back when she was nearly kicked out of the army due to her relationship with Chaitaki. Talk about an unpleasant coincidence, she thought.

"She betrayed them and perverted their religious beliefs," Najm added. That information... crossed a line. Something about the bitter tone of it, the use of the word 'betrayal.' And how did she know about the grafting, anyway? How did she know any of this? A Lieutenant Colonel of the Kirik Jal... those were just scouts. Camel-riders, patrolmen, skirmishers. Why was Najm Rasul even here? "Brigadier General Korzul is experienced, competent, and has great motivation to pursue Rainfall. It only made sense that she lead."

Nkiruka kept an eye on Najm while the Sultan, mulling over this information, turned to Rin. "Tell me about your friend's commanding skills."
Edited by Nkiruka, Sat Aug 18, 2012 7:54 pm.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Rin
Member Avatar


With their contribution, the meeting continued normally and without further incident. The chamberlain kept interpreting the Sultan's smallest twitches and changes in body language, translating her desires for the rest of the attendees. Nejm delivered the rest of her report, sharing the decisions that had been made in the army meeting yesterday. After Nadiyah 'ela Korzul's name was mentioned, the Sultan spoke up again, leaning forward slightly as she asked why the Brigadier General was leading the operation when they had a Chomai present on the task force. Rin frowned slightly, her blue gaze flickering from the monarch to Nejm to her friend. Nkiruka looked completely chocked by the request, although it was a question that the construct had considered already.

The one-eyed Lieutenant Colonel tried to answer politely, mentioning that the tribals considered her a heathen and blasphemer. Rin was surprised when the Sultan responded by turning to her and asking her opinion of Nkiruka's competency and leadership. The girl did not respond immediately, taking almost a full minute to compose her reply. "Nkiruka Menai has a gift for inspiring leadership in her subordinates. I have witnessed her team in action, and they functioned admirably and efficiently. She asks nothing of her colleagues that she would not do herself, and tends to volunteer for the most dangerous tasks herself. It can be quite infuriating, in all honesty."

Nejm cleared her throat softly. "Your Majesty, this does not mean that Captain Menai is fit for command-"

"Her Majesty has asked va-Dromigg for her opinion, Lieutenant Colonel, not yours." The chamberlain's voice cracked like a whip, and the woman's cheeks flushed underneath her eyepatch. She bit her lip and nodded once before looking down at the floor, looking for all the world like she had been chastised. However, Rin thought that she caught a glimmer of resentment and something... darker. An emotion that she couldn't place.

"... As I was saying, I believe that Nkiruka is more than capable of heading this task force. It is true that she is emotionally invested in this investigation... but the same is true of Lieutenant General Korzul. They are both fully committed to Chaitaki's defeat, but Nadiyah lacks the lifetime of experience with the Rainfall Rebellion's methods and tactics." She awkwardly pressed her fingertips together, glancing at Nkiruka for a moment and pursing her lips. "Captain Menai would never ask for this command herself, Your Majesty. In fact, she is probably not pleased with me for praising her so highly. But if you want the Rainfall Rebellion quelled, I believe she possesses just as much merit as the Lieutenant General, if not her lofty rank."

"Your Majesty, I must interject!" The chamberlain's face grew red with anger when Nejm interrupted again, but a slight movement from the Sultan kept him from interrupting her. "If you assign this command to Captain Menai, it will be taken as an insult by the Chomai! If you wish for a diplomatic solution, this is the exact wrong course to take!" She was almost shouting by this point, both fists clenched at her sides.

Rin turned to fully face Nejm, frowning slightly. "Excuse me, but I believe Nkiruka has made efforts to repay the Chomai and return their tribal lands. How could this be misconstrued as an insult?"

The one-eyed woman glared at the construct, her lips pulled back slightly in a expression that was a combination of a grimace and a scowl. "Your understanding of Istani politics are limited at best, va-Dromigg. I do not expect you to understand how demeaning we would find it for one such as Captain Menai to be assigned such a position." She turned back to the Sultan and seemed to realize where she was, bowing her head so deeply it almost touched the floor. "My apologies, Your Majesty, but I believe this would be a grave mistake." Rin tilted her head to one side, feeling as if she had said something pivotally important but had no idea what it was.

Haras stared at her for several long moments, and her vibrant green eyes narrowed so slightly that Rin almost didn't notice it. The chamberlain clearly didn't know how to interpret the slight sign of the monarch's displeasure and waited for further signs from the woman. When she did speak, the single syllable was soft and contemplative. "We?"

Nejm's single eye bulged at the same time Rin gasped in realization. She referred to the Chomai as 'we'! Both women responded to the Sultanwith lightning reflexes. The construct shot to her feet, reaching out and starting to summon a weapon in her hands. The Lieutenant Colonel surged forward off of her pillow, angling her trajectory so that she passed directly between Nkiruka and Rin. Suddenly the air was dilled with the scent of burning ozone. She had no time to react before Nejm was standing right beside her. The woman reached out with both hands, lightly touching the soldier and the construct on their shoulder. It was not a martial blow, and she only had a moment to wonder at the traitor's intentions before her entire awareness was washed away in a surge of white-hot agony.

The electric eel was one of the rarest and most unique animals native to Imythess. They had three abdominal organs that could produce current through a sudden shift in internal voltage without any magic whatsoever. In the right circumstances, they could produce enough electrical energy to kill an adult human male. Thankfully, that was only true in seawater or other conductive mediums. The galvanic charge that passed through Nejm's fingers and into their bodies was momentarily crippling and incredibly excruciating, but it wouldn't stop their hearts outright. Rin felt like she was falling to the ground in slow motion as the false officer sprinted towards the Ivory Throne, reaching up and ripping off the eyepatch as she shouted a harsh phrase in Istani.

From her perspective, it was impossible for Rin to see the mechanical device that had been crammed in the gaping socket. It was a metallic orb the size of an apple, with intricate clockwork gears and magical nodes that glowed with soft blue light. There was a humming noise that escalated in pitch for a handful of seconds as it gathered power in order to activate its primary mechanism. There was a soft click as Nejm hit the bottom step of the staircase that led up to the throne, around the same time that Rin felt her skull hit the ground.

The beam that shot forward out of the weapon was difficult to describe with words. A straight line between Nejm and the throne was suddenly converted into a vacuum, any dust and particulate matter in the air instantly disintegrating. Visually, it appeared as if a thin cylinder of air three inches in diameter was suddenly more clear, as if they had all been viewing the room through blurry lenses up until this point. This only lasted for a few microseconds before there was a roar roar as air particles rushed into the void. The friction produced by that many atoms scraping together led to a spontaneous oxidation reaction. Within a second of the device's activation, the beam had burst into a bright lance of white-hot heat, more intense than any natural flame. Nejm swept the attack diagonally as she charged towards the Sultan, hands held to either side and buzzing with unreleased electric charge.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Nkiruka
Member Avatar


Nkiruka burst to her feet at the same time as Rin and Nejm. She pulled her hand back and prepared to deliver a devastating punch to the mole, but a light tap on her shoulder sent a current of blinding pain surging through every limb. The only noise Nkiruka made was a pained grunt as the ability short-circuited her nerves, sent her crashing knees-first to the floor. After the electricity relinquished its grip on the soldier's body, she couldn't move: only able to watch as the traitorous officer flipped up her eyepatch. All around them, the Royal Guardsmen posted in the antechamber came running, readying their halberds and scimitars that gleamed with magic. The Sultan's expression remained calm. She rose to her feet, gripping the sheathed saber near her right hand. That was when the beam struck the back of the Sultan's throne, sending chunks of ivory exploding every which way. As the beam swept downward it cut a deep gouge into the throne.

The only thing in the room that the infiltrator's brilliant attack paled in comparison to was the speed and grace of the Sultan herself. Utterly serene, she stepped out of the way of the beam's deadly trajectory as she pulled Syel Kasar from its sheathe. The blade came out in an arc in front of her, reflecting the deadly light of Najm's attack. The ancient, curved saber was not made of a material that Nkiruka could readily identify. It was neither steel nor glass, yet it possessed the properties of both. Syel Kasar was, to the officer's surprise, much more humble in appearance than expected -- especially compared to its ornately decorated sheathe. The fanciest aspect of its design, other than its unnatural reflectivity, was the long phrase engraved down the top of the blade in the Old Istani language.

Nejm's all-destroying beam narrowed and closed, losing power just as the Sultan alighted on the second step of the platform nearby. The train of her dress was cleanly severed, but otherwise the monarch was unharmed. Royal Guards broke past the group, and the chamberlain was so outraged that something strange was happening to his eyes, but the Sultan raised her hand to stop everyone from attacking the mole. Nkiruka shakily pushed herself up, grimacing from the lingering pain in her muscles. Ishraq Amin Haras tossed her sheathe aside, letting it clatter in the suddenly quiet chamber. The humming around Nejm began to pick up slowly.

A hint of a smile stretched across Haras' delicate features. "A fair duel requires a negotiation of terms."

The humming became louder, but was cut off by something so sudden and so indescribably destructive that, at first, Nkiruka thought the whole room had imploded.

Practically every inch of the Ivory Palace's antechamber had glass decorations: above, in front and to either side. All of these decorations, so carefully designed and placed, were gone in the blink of an eye -- at least in the form they were originally intended for. Nkiruka inhaled sharply and clambered away from Najm, eyes scanning over the room as a shocked silence fell over everything.

The whole antechamber had been turned, within seconds, into an unmoving vortex of glass. Every little glass object in the room, even innocuous things that Nkiruka hadn't noticed before, had been heated to a liquid, stretched into the tiniest needle of glass, was drawn up and combined with other tendrils until they formed three cohesive walls of glass, each spiraling in opposite directions yet coming together at a single central point. That point was Najm Rasul. Even the colored stained-glass from the walls was visible now as thin streaks of color within the otherwise flawless, clear glass, its red-hot glow cooling quickly. In the midst of all this, those allies within the solid vortex's striking range found themselves trapped, as the glass had parted around them on its curving trip to the assassin before solidifying at chest-height. Nkiruka, who had been on her hands and knees at the time, now could no longer stand up due to the shimmering wall of solid glass above her.

Najm Rasul, the eye of the storm, was skewered in so many places and from so many angles by so many needles of glass that fronted each wall, that she was held up in the air even after her legs relaxed from death. Most of them crisscrossed her neck, leaving her head intact. There was no blood, as the searing heat of the half-molten glass kept it from spilling on the tiled floor. Across the glass Nkiruka saw the Sultan flick her weapon in an expert movement, causing the whole thing to dissolve into grains of white and colored sand at once. Najm's body fell limp to the floor, and the freed Royal Guardsmen rushed up to retrieve the body and check to see if everyone -- most importantly Haras -- was alright.

"Secure the device," the Sultan ordered, still calm as if nothing had happened.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Rin
Member Avatar


Even with her mind befuddled by the shock she had received, Rin had to admire how elegantly and calmly the Sultan responded to the threat. Even though the attack had been spontaneous and lightning-quick, Haras moved out of the path of the destructive beam with casual nonchalance. The energy left a deep, blackened gouge in the Ivory Throne but missed its occupant entirely, only managing to shear through the train of her dress. The monarch did not seem surprised or angry at the betrayal; in fact, the most prominent emotion in her expression was amusement. She drew her blade without ceremony, a curved saber that seemed rather plain considering its wielder was one of the most powerful people in all of Imythess.

The construct had managed to push herself off the floor and return to her feet before the Sultan's counter-attack. It was as swift and sudden as a lightning bolt, and for a moment she wasn't completely sure what had happened. One moment Nejm was standing near the base of the steps, readjusting her aim; the next she was hanging above the floor, skewered by a multitude of needle-thin spikes of glass. Rin glanced around the room, making no attempt to hide her shock. Every glass structure in the antechamber had become molten in an instant and shot forward, thousands of spikes flowing past the rest of the attendees and veering towards the traitor. They had pierced her body from every angle, and although there was not a drop of blood to be seen, Nejm Rasul was unmistakably dead.

A flick from the Sultan's sword was all it took for the glass to dissolve into grains of sand, allowing everyone else in the chamber to move. When the Royal Gaurds moved to touch the device, Rin cried out wordlessly and rushed forward. She was met with a crossed pair of glaives and half a dozen scimitars hovering an inch from her skin. The construct spoke so quickly she was rambling, eyes wide and terrified. "Don't touch it! If you accidentally activate the inner mechanisms, it could result in a catastrophic formation of a vacuum! Nature abhors a vacuum. The unbalance in forces could cause a cataclysmic implosion! You have to let me defuse it!"

Despite her warning, it wasn't until Haras nodded in agreement that the Guards let her come closer. The girl quickly instructed them to lay Nejm's corpse on the floor, ignoring the multitude of puncture wounds covering her body and focusing on the mechanical device in her eye socket. Rin carefully removed the device, her sharp blue eyes scanning its exterior as she mentally dismantled it. She could tell that many of the concepts used in its construction were similar to those behind the monstrous bomb she had unwittingly helped build in the mountains. For several long minutes she sat cross-legged on the floor, disconnecting wires and pressing buttons in a specific sequence. Eventually she let out a heavy sigh and stood up, looking exhausted as she handed the orb to the nearest Royal Guard. "There. It's been deactivated." She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as if she were cold. "A bomb on the magnitude of the one we destroyed... the blast radius could be miles. Matter in that area would instantly be destroy and replaced with a void. The following implosion and subsequent explosion could eradicate the entire city." She walked back to her pillow and collapsed onto it without any ceremony, letting that information sink in.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Nkiruka
Member Avatar


While nobody in the room understood what a "vacuum" was, they had seen the device in action and Rin's short explanation of the aftereffects of mishandling it definitely gave them pause. Nkiruka, pushing herself up to her feet, brushed bits of sand off her legs and shoulders. Rin finished deactivating the strange magical technology, prompting the Guards to take it and the body of Nejm alike. The other visitors, still a bit shell-shocked by everything that had just happened, remained silent. This silence extended to the whole antechamber when Rin made a very troubling statement. Haras hesitated to retake her seat on the throne, instead content to lean with her back against the nearby wall, her hand propped loosely on the hilt of her weapon. Sand slowly cleared from the center of the room, piling up at the edges. She spent many long moments deep in thought. The chamberlain, back to normal, rolled the hem of his sleeve nervously in his fingers.

Oddly enough, it was Nkiruka who found herself breaking the long, tense silence. "Your Majesty, I swear I'll do everything I possibly can to prevent this from happening." She looked to the people around her who seemed a bit startled -- and Nkiruka realized she was committing a serious faux pas by addressing the monarch while standing eye-to-eye. The officer practically fell to a kneel, pressing one fist into the floor, the realization too sudden for her to form a good apology or even see how the Sultan had reacted. The chamberlain, at least, was so used to the insanity of this meeting by now that he didn't care too much.

Against all odds, Haras spoke yet again. She must think this unique situation merited extra words. "Nejm Rasul has been dead for over two weeks."

Confusion fell over the group. Did she mean to say, indirectly, that they were to pretend as if she'd been dead? Probably not. The chamberlain elaborated. "Two weeks ago the il-Makhti found a female's body dumped in the Maelstrom Intersection of Gatish Canal. Her face was broken beyond identification, and she had been stripped of all clothing that would assist in determining who she was. Lieutenant Colonel Najm Rasul began acting strangely around that same time, and she was placed under investigation for unrelated, classified reasons. Through undisclosed methods we determined that the woman we met with today was not Najm Rasul. Her Majesty learned she had attended last night's meeting and, acting against all advisement, placed her own life in danger just to get closer to the suspicious person."

The Sultan gave an almost playful smile at that last comment. This was probably the most exciting thing to have happened to her in months, maybe even years. When he was done speaking, Haras stepped forward, still toting the unsheathed Syel Kasar like it was a natural extension of her body. She stopped in front of Nkiruka and Rin, standing a mere few feet away from them. The officer's heart raced; she kept her eyes on the floor.

"Major Nkiruka Menai will coordinate the special operation against the new Rainfall Rebellion," the Sultan declared. There was the sound of scrabbling feet as people in the back of the room hurried off to contact the relevant people about what was just decided. Haras smiled down at Nkiruka. "Do you know the tradition?"

"Yes," she said. Whenever a soldier of the Army of Istan was taken into direct service of the Sultan, such as for a Sultan-sanctioned operation like this one, it was traditional for that person to receive a superficial cut from Syel Kasar. Similar in spirit to the northern tradition of knighting, it was symbolically intended to be the last cut that person would ever allow themselves to receive without fighting back. Nkiruka, still kneeling, raised her chin and stared at the saber. She forced down the mix of emotions rushing through her and focused on the momentary bite of the blade against her forehead. She didn't flinch. The Sultan raised her eyebrows at the black blood bubbling to the surface, but didn't say anything. The monarch took a step back, pausing as she looked over the small group. Then, a bit unceremoniously, she turned to leave.

"Ah, H-Her Majesty calls this meeting to a close."

Before entirely departing, Haras stopped, acting as if she'd almost forgot something. She turned to look back at them, raised her free hand and waved at Rin. Softly chuckling, the monarch opened a hidden doorway in the stone and disappeared, followed by three Royal Guardsmen. Nkiruka got up, wearing the horizontal cut across her forehead proudly. Forcing back her healing factor, it was traditional to let the all-important slash bleed freely and heal naturally. At least it wouldn't scar; Nkiruka's face was too messed up already. They were led out of the chamber a bit abruptly, and the Istani officer's face became quickly covered in blood. Someone offered her a handkerchief to keep the blood from dripping off her chin and onto her nice uniform, but it was still a bit difficult to see through it.

The palace staff looked at them differently, especially Nkiruka. It was a nice feeling. It wasn't very often that she received looks of actual, albeit mild, respect. They both were urged out of the palace grounds with a slight bit of haste, some of the others in the group nervously mumbling things about debriefing before they all went their separate ways. This left Nkiruka and Rin alone, standing just outside the huge -- and now tightly closed -- gates of the Ivory Palace. Nkiruka started to wipe some of the blood off her face, mostly smearing it (and the makeup) and making it look worse. She blinked a few times at her friend. "Did... did that all just happen? Really? Ye gods." Even her voice still sounded utterly stunned by everything.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Rin
Member Avatar


The rest of the meeting seemed to pass in a rush following the attempted assassination by the Chomai agent, who Haras quickly revealed was not who they had previously believed. The Sultan's chamberlain explained how the real Nejm Rasul had been dead for weeks. Rin found it slightly irritating that they hadn't informed the rest of the guests about the deception, but she understood the necessity for secrecy. The desert monarch was playing a dangerous game. No matter how talented or skilled she was, there was very little she could do to defend herself against a weapon as terrible as the anti-magic bombs the Rainfall Rebellion could construct. The construct felt her stomach twist with disgust. She had already known that her knowledge had made such a device possible, but understanding the theory behind the threat and actually seeing it in action were two completely different things.

It didn't take long for Nkiruka to be assigned as the leader of the task force, replacing Korzul. The girl's lips twitched slightly at that, and she wondered what unfortunate subordinate would be delegated the task of informing the Brigadier General that she was no longer in charge. She watched the slightly barbaric ritual in silence, her fingers twitching as the tip of Syel Kaser glanced across her friend's forehead. The only reason that Rin didn't openly object was because Nkiruka herself seemed honored by the wound that sent black blood oozing down her features. The Sultan left the antechamber soon afterward, but she turned and merrily waved at the construct before gliding out of the room. Rin laughed openly as the monarch departed, waving back excitedly as she sprang to her feet. The rest of the attendees departed swiftly, carrying out the necessary tasks to further their plans.

Rin walked slightly behind her friend as they left the room. It was easy to see that the rest of the soldiers and officials int he palace were treating the soldier with a newfound respect, probably due to the cut still openly bleeding on her forehead. She had no idea what the wound signified, but from the reaction of the passersby it was a great honor to receive a wound from the enchanted scimitar. Rin thought back to the blade, simple and unadorned yet possessing an amazing degree of power. Her lips tugged upwards in the semblance of a smile as a thought occurred to her, but before she could share it with Nkiruka the soldier spoke. Her voice trembled slightly with pent-up emotion that bordered on open awe, and she raised a hand to clumsily wipe some of the ink-black blood off of her face. Rin tsk-ed and waved her hands over her azure dress. The ornate garment shimmered and transformed back into one of the plain, white sundresses she favored. With a quick gesture she tore off a strip of cloth and handed it to the older woman so she could mop up the viscera.

"Congratulations Nkiruka. It appears you have received a promotion, even if it's not quite official yet." She patted her friend on the shoulder, taking her hand away to avoid making the woman uncomfortable due to the prolonged contact. "We should celebrate somehow... but you don't drink, do you?" She tilted her head to one side, still smiling faintly. However, there was a hesitant undercurrent to her words when she continued speaking. "If you don't mind me asking... How do the Chomai celebrate?"
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Nkiruka
Member Avatar


Nkiruka accepted the strip of cloth and used it to fix some of the smearing on her face, hopefully making her look less like she'd gotten into a brawl. Her lips pulled back into a grin. "They would gather that night to eat, sing, dance and tell stories. Everyone in the band who was able to would come." Nkiruka paused, realizing something. She let out a short chuckle as they began to walk. "Or maybe I should be saying 'we' instead of 'they?' The Sultan called me Chomai. I've never actually thought of myself that way before. I like it." Gripping her peaked cap by its visor and slipping it off, the soldier undid her low ponytail and ran her fingers through her hair. "Which is probably the worst thing to hear from someone who's supposed to be their diplomat now. Don't tell anyone I said that." Nkiruka put her hat back on and flashed a smile at her friend just before they entered a throng of travelers in one of the busier city streets, making it difficult to speak to one another.

Chomai. Why not? Ethnically, she was half Chomai. She was raised with all the stories and knew all the old customs. If a bunch of violent extremists killing in the name of their tribe could call themselves Chomai, Nkiruka should be able to, too. ...Of course, she twisted a sacred ritual into a bid for power, committing several faux pas in the process, then joined the government that was responsible for their cultural destruction and openly blasphemed against many of their religious practices. The last one was notable because she was supposed to be a witch-warrior, a religious authority. But, Nkiruka thought, weren't witch-warriors first and foremost supposed to be protectors of the tribe? That was what she was trying to do this whole time. In a way, she really was performing an ancient duty, albeit in a modern context -- and with or without the support of the people she wanted to protect.

Don't flatter yourself, she thought. The witch-warriors of Rainfall were telling themselves the exact same thing. And maybe the Choma wouldn't want her to try to help them. At least she could help Istan City in the meantime.

Nkiruka opened her front door with jingling keys and entered the dark three-room living quarter. She threw her hat on the hook and disappeared into her bedroom to get changed. Reemerging a minute later in more casual clothing, the soldier exhaled softly and pulled up a seat near Rin, too tired to even bother lighting candles or opening shutters. "Well, we don't have a fire to gather around, and I can't sing or dance, so if you're looking for a proper Chomai celebration we'll have to settle for storytelling." Holding a jug of coconut milk in one hand, she occasionally took long swigs as though it was her own personal replacement for alcohol. She paused for a long time, completely clueless as to what to talk about. It remained dreadfully quiet in the room -- her house was always quiet -- for over a minute, if Rin never interjected. Finally an idea came to Nkiruka with such suddenness that she jumped a bit and went, "Oh! Did you ever tell me the whole story of how you broke off from the Grimoire? I was meaning to ask you about it, but things kept happening one after another."
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Rin
Member Avatar


Rin's hesitance evaporated when it became clear that her friend was willing to speak about her people. The soldier had always seemed very uncomfortable with the subject before, and she had had no idea how Nkiruka would react. She smiled warmly. "You are indeed a Chomai, Nkiruka. You have done more for the tribes than your mother ever could." The statement echoed with pure, ironclad belief. Chaitaki might have declared herself as a champion of the Chomai, but the Rainfall Rebellion was doing nothing to help the displaced tribals earn back their land or diminish the prejudice and hate of the Istani populace. Nkiruka, by joining the sultanate and trying to earn back her people's rights in a way that didn't involve terrorism and murder, would serve as an example for the frightened citizens, proving that those of Chomai descent could be trusted.

"Well... After Axerise, I don't think anyone wants me to start another fire, so let's hold off on the festivities until after the Rebellion is crushed. We'll have plenty to celebrate then." They made their way back to Nkiruka's apartment, where the soldier quickly changed into more comfortable garments. They sat in silence for almost a full minute before the Istani asked Rin about her emancipation from the Grand Grimoire. The construct's smiled faded slightly at the subject, her eyes growing overcast. "It... was long overdue. The Grimoire treated me like a puppet."

The construct continued to speak softly, describing some of the disagreements that had developed between herself and the sentient reservoir of knowledge. She spoke of the Rogue Page she had been attempting to defeat when the Grimoire's new champion had interceded: Gregori Mirand. The book had offered to grant her complete freedom if she had relinquished the pages she had recovered thus far, but Rin had refused the proposal. Her counterpart had attempted to retrieve them by force, but she had been able to overpower his attacks and lock him in a temporary prison.

"So, now there's someone else with my capabilities wandering around Imythess looking for pages... But he's infinitely more dangerous." She met Nkiruka's eyes, speaking with unusual seriousness. "He has skin slightly darker than mine, with brown hair and brown eyes and inconspicuous features. He does not look like a threat, but he lacks any emotion or empathy whatsoever. If you stand between Gregori and a page..." She shivered slightly, wrapping her arms around herself. Rin was clearly incredibly uncomfortable about the subject, almost qs if she was afraid of her replacement. "He would kill every person in Imythess for a single page. If you encounter him... Do not engage."
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Nkiruka
Member Avatar


Nkiruka's expression remained unreadable through Rin's story and description of current threats, but the intensity with which she kept her eyes on her was more than enough to show that she was taking this seriously. When her friend was done, the soldier leaned back in her chair and sighed. "We seem to be gifted with the ability to make enemies of the most dangerous people possible," she said, deadpan. "I won't engage. I've fought you enough to know how that would turn out." Moreover, Nkiruka had plenty of things worth staying alive for at this point. A long time ago she used to think she'd live fast and die a violent death before even seeing her thirtieth summer, so thinking about things in terms of "trying to not die" and "planning for the distant future" were taking a little getting used to.

This train of thought led Nkiruka to regard Rin after a pause. "Have you ever considered trying to destroy the Grand Grimoire?" She let the question sit a moment, having to take in the enormity of her own proposal. The soldier wasn't even sure if it was possible. The thing, as she understood it, transcended mortal understanding and existed in multiple planes of existence at the same time. The only power it didn't possess was moving itself, she supposed. For all intents and purposes, destroying the Grand Grimoire would be like killing a god. Good thing gods don't exist, she thought. Regardless of Rin's answer, Nkiruka placed her jug of coconut milk definitively on the table. "In any case, let's hope your enemies don't attack while you're helping me deal with mine." Rising to her feet, she raised a hand in her usual half-hearted sort of wave. "I'm turning in early. Lots to do tomorrow. 'Night."



Loud, continuous pounding on the front door woke Nkiruka up from the middle of a good dream. The soldier, a deep sleeper by nature, was even more sluggish to wake at this kind of hour. She cursed, the pounding continuing, each one helping further remove the fog of confusion from her head. Good dreams were sometimes worse than the bad ones because they were so unrealistic. When the pounding got so loud that it may have threatened to actually put cracks in the door, Nkiruka shouted "I'm up! Stop that!" down the hall at the top of her lungs. The noise stopped, giving her some time to sluggishly slip on a pair of trousers and tunic. The soldier stumbled out the entryway and managed to get her footing back about halfway to the front door, composed just enough to answer it. Nkiruka slid open the rectangular peephole, saw something strange and opened the door fully.

"Who are you?" she asked, saluting on reflex. At the very front -- the one responsible for the pounding -- was a woman older than Nkiruka, a few inches shorter and with slightly lighter skin. She wore desert patrol mail with a flowing, bright red cape that wrapped around so that it covered the left side of her body. Her decorations indicated she held the rank of Colonel despite her seemingly young age. On the street further behind her was a whole cadre of Istani heavy cavalry carrying torches and looking restless.

The colonel glared into the darkness behind Nkiruka. "Peace be upon you, Menai. Get Rinrae Dromigg, too." It was an order issued in a casual tone, like she was so used to bossing people around that it came as natural speech.

"I saw someone almost as highly ranked as you try to kill the Sultan yesterday. You can imagine how I feel about blindly following the orders of officers I've never even met before."

The colonel looked scandalized by Nkiruka's retort, but obliged without comment. "My name is Isra 'ela Korzul, second daughter of Hakim," she said harshly. If Rin wasn't already up and moving to join her friend by then, Nkiruka -- her eyebrows raised in surprise that this was Nadiyah's famous little sister -- would call her over. Now that the comparison was made, Nkiruka thought the two did share quite a resemblance. Isra was like Nadiyah, except smaller and without the scar or constant scowl. Instead of bitterness, the woman had this very subtle unhinged look about her. She was well-known in the army for being insanely paranoid which, combined with her lightning-fast reflexes, made her liable to attack anyone and anything that caught her by surprise. Some stories even exaggerated it to say that she would kill anything that suddenly moves, even allies. Isra 'ela Korzul was one of the real-life people who contributed to the stereotype of Istani colonels being crazy.

When both Rin and Nkiruka were at the door, Isra spoke again. "My sister sent me an ominous letter telling me she was going to Arash'kana Canyon. There is little doubt in my mind she plans to do something drastic. Get your gear together. Gods willing, we will not be too late."
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Rin
Member Avatar


Rin didn't stay up long after her friend fell asleep, sprawling on the couch and dropping into an uneasy slumber. Talking about her counterpart had disturbed her far more than the construct would ever admit, and it kept her from truly resting. The night seemed to take forever to pass, and she was thankful for the insistent knocking on the door finally signaling that she could abandon the pretense of sleeping. The girl sat up, nodding to Nkiruka as the soldier walked past her to open the door. An entire contingent of cavalry was waiting in the street outside, with a single officer who had dismounted to greet them. Rin walked towards the doorway, stretching her arms over her head to limber up the muscles. Apparently, Brigadier General Korzul had not taken the news well when she found out that Nkiruka would be replacing her as head of the task force. The high-ranking officer had left to confront the Rainfall Rebellion on her own, and they were being sent to stop her before she got herself killed.

"I can be ready in a second." The construct whisked back into the living room, snatching up her satchel and shoving her various possessions back into the leather bag. She slung the backpack over one shoulder and skipped past Isra with a small smile and a wave, moving down the stairs to street level. Ignoring the gathered cavalry, she crouched down next to what appeared to be a pile of detritus. "Did you sleep well?" The trash shifted, revealing a pair of glowing yellow eyes in the shadows. Her golem stood up, shaking off the refuse and revealing its full glory. Rin heard several of the soldiers whispering to each other, but the construct paid them no mind. "We need to take care of something. Bad people might come to this apartment in the hopes that Nkiruka will be here. Surprise them."

The cheetah yowled in acknowledgement and bounded up the stairs, sliding past the surprised Isra and into the living room to wait. Nkiruka was ready to depart soon afterward and joined her on the street. The colonel barked out some orders, and two riderless horses were escorted over for them. Rin giggled softly as she walked in a circle around the pair of mounts, blue eyes bright as she evaluated them. "I want this one! His name shall be Dr. Prancer." The horse she indicated was the smaller of the duo, with a brown coat except for a splotch of white fur between its eyes. It eyed the slight girl suspiciously at first, but when she produced an apple from her satchel it quickly warmed up to her. Rin placed one foot in the stirrup and vaulted into the saddle effortlessly, smiling widely. "Let's hit the road!"

OOC
 
I would move us forward to the Canyon, but I have no idea how far it would be, so I'm going to make you do that. Sorry.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Nkiruka
Member Avatar


A sleek horse approached Isra of its own accord, jingling with the chainmail draped over its body, and the colonel climbed onto its back without effort. The contingent of heavy cavalry piled out into the streets. Nkiruka struggled to keep up with the riders, who possessed the almost preternatural skill to travel at full speed even in a cramped, crowded city. Once they were galloping on a straightaway to the gates, Isra at the front turned and barked a halfway incomprehensible string of cavalry jargon over her shoulder. Riders poured from the gate, cramming Nkiruka and Rin's mounts in the center for just a moment. Then everyone fanned out, dark figures bleeding into the scenery of the desert. The soldier realized they were taking a formation around them that was both protective and enabled efficient searching and communication. As she got used to the loud hoofbeats that would become a constant background noise for the next few hours, Nkiruka wondered why Nadiyah was going all the way to the canyon manually instead of by portal.

Every so often the colonel would raise one hand to the sky and fire off two bright beams of light from her fingers, one right after another. At first Nkiruka thought it was just her famous paranoia making her attack things that weren't actually threats, like bats or something. She soon came to realize they were actually a signal of some kind. Maybe it was a familiar beacon between the two light-wielding sisters. Between signals, Nkiruka urged her mount to run faster to close the distance with Isra for a moment. Once she was within earshot even in the noise, she shouted, "Why didn't she use a portal?"

"Because there isn't one!" Isra shouted back. "Believe me, Blessed Major, I tried to open one before resorting to this!"

Nkiruka fell back into formation. She knew it was likely the mage on the other end, the soldier that was supposed to maintain the connection, was probably dead.

Something big was happening down there. Nadiyah must have sniffed it out before anyone else.

The horses were magicked with a physical stasis spell that would prevent them from tiring or becoming hungry and thirsty, but even after that spell wore off the beasts were remarkably hardy. All the cavalry were expert riders, seemingly united in all aspects with their mounts, and they had the best time of it. Even the horses Nkiruka and Rin were using were of a desert breed that could stay on the road for many hours on end, provided they slowed down occasionally. Most of the time, though, the whole group tore across the desert at a gallop. If one turned back they would see a humongous cloud of dust rising from the flat earth behind them. Shortly into the trip Nkiruka had to pull up the face-covering section of her tagelmust to keep kicked-up particles out of her nose and mouth. Birdlike third eyelids closed horizontally over her eyes and made them appear foggy.

Nkiruka glanced at the dust cloud for a third time in an hour, then back at where they were going: a colorful badland lined with needle-like spires and plateaus. A thick band of stars rose from some distant formations, crossing up near one of the moons. Isra was getting agitated, firing off signals more frequently and often checking around them for danger while her mount steered the course. The colonel clearly didn't like all the dust they were kicking up blocking her field of view, and Nkiruka couldn't disagree. A heavy cavalryman softly offered the possibility of them going around the badland rather than through it, so they wouldn't walk into a trap. The colonel was keen on the idea for a while, uncomfortable with the terrain.

"What badland is this?" Nkiruka said, staring into the darkness.

"Five Tongues," someone answered.

Isra wrinkled her nose at a compass. "We're probably an hour out from the town Akal-Maro. Maybe two."

It clicked. "Arm yourselves." Even though Nkiruka had no command over these soldiers, and issuing them orders in front of their own commanding officer was an incredibly disrespectful thing to do, the urgency in her tone and their already existing paranoia was enough for everyone, including Isra, to unsheathe their weapons. Nearby there was a sound of steamwork mechaniks hissing as Isra's brass glaive unfolded and clicked into place. Nkiruka whirled her mount around, frantically checking the rising buttes to either side of them -- and the cloud of dust they left in their tracks. The soldier managed a quick explanation with pauses to check for danger. "This is an ancestral hunting ground. Almost every Choma band would funnel through here on their way back to Arash'kana. One of the first territories parti--"

She ducked. A beam of light shot inches from the top of Nkiruka's head, scorching the frayed threads on her tagelmust. Isra's beam tore into the dust cloud -- destroying the suspended particles in its path -- and struck a dark figure. Shadows bled from the hole in their shoulder. They weren't dead. Nkiruka looked up. Formations rising up at either of their flanks, empty just seconds ago, now had broken outlines: the shapes of heads, hoods peeking up over the rock, the tips of weapons poking up, wrapped in cloth so the metal wouldn't catch the light. Many seemed to be wearing masks. Isra screamed "Shields up!" moments before the sky was filled with a dense cloud of arrows.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Rin
Member Avatar


They left the city almost immediately, the streets clearing in front of them as civilians hurried to get out of the path of the cavalrymen. It did not take long for them to reach the barren wilderness that surrounded the metropolis. They spread out into a jagged line as the crossed the bleak landscape, heading away from any sign of civilization. It didn't take very long for Rin to get bored of traveling. There was very little in the way of scenery in the desert, and most of the soldiers weren't willing to talk with her. They seemed too nervous about the upcoming battle with the renegade Chomai to muster up the energy to talk with a bubbly, antsy artificial construct. It didn't take her very long to find a way to entertain herself: she thought back to the confrontation in the palace, when the Sultan had executed the traitor in a heartbeat. She recalled every minute detail of the encounter, fixing them in her mind.

The task took almost her entire focus, distracting her for hours. When the dust raised by the horses began to irritate her eyes, she brought forth a small telekinetic field to keep it at bay. It wasn't until Nkiruka warned the soldiers to arm themselves that she started paying attention to their surroundings, pursing her lips slightly. It only took a few moments for her sharp eyes to pick out shapes on the horizon that didn't belong to natural rock structures. She was about to cry out a warning when Isra shot out a beam of light that caught one of the figures in the shoulder, spinning them away but not going so far as to actually kill them.

More figures stood up from their hiding spots, appearing from nowhere from behind the nearest spires and pillars of stone. Most of the soldiers were wheeling their horses about and struggling to draw their weapons, cursing under their breath and calling out instructions to each other. Rin looked down at horse for a second, then shrugged and stood up in the stirrups. "Take care, Dr. Prancer." With that she launched herself up out of the saddle a full foot above the stallion. Instead of falling, she hung there, a look of fierce concentration on her face. The air around her feet rippled and blurred constantly as if she was standing on two platforms that were almost visible. By now arrows were plummeting towards them, so numerous that they darkened the sky. The soldiers beneath her were locking their shields together and huddling underneath the steel plate, but Rin didn't seem concerned. She crossed her arms in front of her force, eyes narrowing as she watched the projectiles fly nearer.

When they were so close she could hear them whining through the air she reached out, mentally grasping for the projectiles that would strike her. They froze in mid-air, stuck in place by the construct's will. She could hear other arrows landing among the soldiers, striking armor and shields and mounts and flesh, but barely spared a thought for them. "Nkiruka! Dibs on the right!" Rin twisted her hand and pointed at the rock structures she had claimed. The arrows she had caught twisted to face that direction, arrowheads gleaming in the sunlight. She flicked her finger forward and launched the missiles in that direction, the shafts whizzing as they were propelled through the air. She wasted no time in following after them, flying straight forward a dozen feet off of the ground. Most of the arrows struck rocks and splintered, but a few of the ambushers cried out as their own weapons caught them. Rin raised her right arm, focusing once more on the mental picture she had constructed of the Sultan's blade.

"Syel Kasar."


The curved sword appeared in her grasp, utterly identical to Haras' in appearance. The sand underneath the construct surged into the air as she flew overhead, a miniature sandstorm that grew larger and larger as she closed on their attackers. By the time she reached their ranks Rin was completely hidden from sight, streams of sand spinning around her so quickly the air buzzed and thrummed.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Nkiruka
Member Avatar


Nkiruka didn't think: only acted. The soldier kicked her feet out of the stirrups, pushed herself up by her arms and swung down the side of her horse. The instant her body slid under the beast the first arrows hit, punching into the creature unrelentingly while shielding her. The horse, lacking the cavalry's barding, screamed a horrible, dying sound and, already half-dead, started to run. Nkiruka bolted from her cover before she was trampled, flashing her blades into a wall of steel above her. Falling arrows showered her in splinters, but there were too many in the burst to be fully deflected. She registered the intense bites of pain, steel cutting deep into her shoulders, arms and thighs. It would take a lot more than that to slow her down. Clenching her teeth and snarling at the attackers all around them, Nkiruka sliced off the ends of arrows that were embedded. "Then I've got the left," she shouted back.

Isra sent up a final desperate signal and screamed, "Nadiyah!" Rainfall operatives converged around her cavalry unit, who took a defensive formation around her as they galloped in a constant protective circle. Nkiruka saw this and realized that their main target here was the colonel. They were just benefiting from Nadiyah's hasty actions by letting them finish what they started with Isra. Nkiruka wouldn't allow it to happen. Sprinting toward the wall of steel and horses, she surrendered herself to her emotions. Her pupils dilated.

A dense group of operatives was working on poking holes in the cavalry's defenses. Nkiruka slammed into them like a wall. She knew their fighting habits better than almost anyone now; sometimes no amount of technique could protect against sheer brute strength. She pressed the offensive, unrelenting and completely careless about their counterattacks. One double-bladed strike hit a man's shotel with such power that the pain made him drop his weapon; he died before it hit the ground. The group scattered as quickly as she attacked them, giving the elite Istani cavalry the opportunity to pick off a couple with their spears and glaives.

On her way to attack the archers on the formation to their left flank, a black blur shot past her, trailing splotches of shadow-blood behind it. The skinny figure leaped into the air, lunging at one of the riders. Tendrils of shadow exploded from its back and wrapped tightly around the screaming soldier, killing him before Nkiruka could get there. Its mask was black and white, a familiarity that only dimly registered in Nkiruka's mind. "Komari!" warned the cavalryman next to the one that died. The Komari, a river tribe within the domain of the sultanate, had priests called 'shadow-men' who dedicated themselves to their religion's god of the night. They were rumored to be vicious, elite killers. Evidently those rumors were more than correct.

Isra saw the shadow-man coming for her and reacted immediately, twisting her glaive to face the nearest rock formation. A huge, brightly glowing glyph appeared on the rock, belching sparks. It exploded, filling the air with low-hanging stars filling the battlefield with even more light. The shadow-man made a few inhuman screams and hisses, more hesitant to approach.

Across the bluff, Rainfall operatives scattered at the sight of the approaching sandstorm containing Rin. Expert archers, they knew their range well and could determine the trajectory of others easily. While they fell back, others came to meet the construct. Ten riders rose from the hill on their way to the main battle. Instead of horses or camels, they rode large sand cats. The Rainfall masks a few of them wore indicated they were elites of the remote Rontura nomads. One of them, a mounted archer, fired an arrow straight into the sandstorm at Rin. Wind visibly spiraled around the shaft of the projectile, and it drilled into the current without changing trajectory in the slightest. Other Ronturans readied their weapons and fanned out, prepared to take on Rin from multiple sides at once.

Also mixed in with the group was a familiar Chomai face. He was a short, strong-looking old man in a witch-warrior's mask. Beneath the eyeslits of the mask his eyes were bright silver and slitted like a snake. He crouched among the archers, watching Rin's movements carefully and considering the best time to strike.

In the distance, two short beams of light fired into the sky, mimicking Isra's earlier signals.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Rin
Member Avatar


The first few Rainfall operatives that the construct fell upon truly weren't prepared for her. Streams of sand flew towards each of the men and women, grains blowing through the holes in their mask and blinding them. Rin whipped the saber through the air, slashing through the throats of two men in one fell stroke. She spun towards the nearest group, eyes narrowed slightly to help her peer through the sandstorm. I really, really need to invest in some goggles. The nearest ambushers were fleeing away, trying to put some distance between them and the hidden warrior. Some of the archers attempted to shoot into the storm, but their missiles were plucked up by the whirring sand and thrown away.

They brought new fighters forwards to face her, the tribal warriors mounted on ferocious-looking predatory cats with tawny-colored fur. One of them was holding an odd, recurved bow and eying the storm with a confidence that she found discomforting. When he fired the arrow, it passed through the storm like it was no obstacle at all; wind whirled around the shaft of the missile to keep it on course. Rin scowled and twisted the hilt of Syel Kasar, deflecting the projectile with the flat of the blade. He's my first target... She paused for a moment, spinning quickly to get an impression of the location of her enemies.

A moment later she burst out of the vortex of sand, shooting straight towards the man with the bow. His eyes widened underneath his mask, and he fumbled for another arrow as he tumbled off of his mount. Instead of shying away, the sand cat lunged at the girl with a piercing shriek, raking its claws in her direction. Rin jerked back with a grimace and whipped the carved blade in a vertical slash, cutting deep into the feline's shoulder. She spun past the animal to put its body between her and the archer and heard a thump! as the arrow struck the animal. The construct flicked the blade, summoning the sand back in an obscuring cloud to help protect her from other archers.

However, before the grains completely blocked her vision she saw a flash of poisonously silver irises through the eye holes. Rin grinned maniacally and shouted out a greeting. "I missed you in Axerise!" Her pupils dilated rapidly as she pushed her mind into a berserker rage. She shot towards the nearest operative, a man who responded by jabbing a spear straight towards her. The construct spun underneath the attack, one foot lashing out and hooking around the forward leg of the sand cat. The creature stumbled slightly, which kept the next attack from missing. Rin jumped up, whipping the saber through the air and slicing across the tribal's mask. It sheared through the material and carved deep into the man's face, spraying the ground with blood. She brought her left arm forward, sending a blast of sand straight into the wound and physically blowing him off of his mount.

Rin bounded away to avoid the retaliatory sweep of the sand cat's claws, but she couldn't avoid them completely. They tore three parallel gashes down her right leg that started to ooze blood almost immediately. She grimaced and blocked out the pain, cartwheeling away to avoid a barrage of arrows that had been aimed at her during the brief confrontation. Nine cats, one witch-warrior, and dozens of tribal fighters... Most excellent.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
Nkiruka
Member Avatar


The Komari shadow-man hissed and writhed in pain, but tendrils of shadow still slid from its arms and spine, twitching like prodded worms. "Make your move, brother!" Isra taunted, pivoting on her armored horse and whirling her glaive to face it. He leaped at her repeatedly, and each time was driven off by the long blade edged in light. She managed to slice off several of its tendrils in the process, leaving bloodless stumps that glowed at the edges. That was when the signal was returned in the distance, a series of beams of light shot into the air in a pattern matching Isra's earlier one. This caught the attention of the colonel and even registered in Nkiruka's berserk mind as being important. A few seconds later another signal followed, but was slightly different from the last. Those urgent beams repeated many times.

Isra saw it and, suddenly panicking, charged into the badland, abandoning her earlier misgivings about the terrain. Her cadre scrambled to follow her. Nkiruka straightened from the corpses of several Rainfall operatives that had strayed too close to her and was swept into the pack of people. Protect Isra. Protect Isra. Protect Isra, her limited thoughts repeated over and over. Ripping out arrows that were hindering her joints, the berserker struggled to keep up pace with the swarm of horses and soldiers. The passageway narrowed into a thin canyon where archers rained down arrows and three more shadow-men dropped from the cliffs to wreak havoc.

On the other bluff, the Ronturan cat riders moved to surround Rin. The rattlesnake Chomai circled the fight. After a short time, he did something strange: gave an order. "Stop." It was the first time the witch-warrior had ever spoken in one of their presence, and his voice was clear and firm. Typical of many of the witch-warriors that had fought in the first Rainfall Rebellion, he lacked an accent, even an Istani one. Confused, the nomads hesitantly backed off and lowered their weapons. The rattlesnake-Chomai weaved his way through the circle formed by their cats until he was standing in front of Rin. Behind Rin, Isra and her cavalry were just starting to move.

He withdrew his wicked curved dagger and gave it a few confident flourishes in his fingers, eyes locked on the construct's distinct weapon. "Do you think you're making a statement by wielding that fake, Rinrae Dromigg? Chaitaki Menai would laugh in your face if she saw that." Not bowing or giving any polite gesture, the witch-warrior removed his mask and tossed it carelessly aside. The old man had a trimmed beard edged in gray, framing his distinctly high cheekbones and slitted eyes. "My name is Soludo Jeneta. Ronturans, archers, you're not needed here -- I'm fully capable of avenging the old-soul's injuries alone."
Edited by Nkiruka, Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:28 pm.
Offline Profile Quote To Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Create a free forum in seconds.
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · Dragonspine Mountains · Next Topic »
Reply

Top RP SitesVote for Imythess at Top Site List Planet
Top Site Lists
Misty Woods created by Helena & Cory of ZNR