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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2007 17:30:43 GMT -5
"No, no," Wolf sighed, frustrated that he had not adequately made his point known. "They have no weakness in true night, in perfect darkness. The light of the sun or moon-- and probably any magic drawing upon that light, I would assume --can break that shield of invincibility..."
He trailed off as he realised what he was saying. If they had no weaknesses, then why would they not attack during the ceremony? Unless it was not how he had at first understood it, or they wanted more than sheer destruction...
Not waiting any longer, he vocalized his thoughts. "True night must not eliminate every weakness that they have, otherwise they would attack us, and I am fairly certain they will not. So true night must change them in a way, make them more powerful but not perfectly impenetrable. That, or their goals are greater than destruction alone."
He shook his head in confusion. Time was slowing fading away until the sun went down...
And they were no closer now than at noon to knowing anything. |
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Post by Shadaras on Jan 6, 2007 17:40:43 GMT -5
"Ah. I just hope they attack me first, if they do attack." She grinned. "I'm getting my sword. I don't care if it isn't allowed, I'm getting it." Closing her eyes, Shade concentrated on her Demon-forged blade. In seconds, she held it, it's sheath, and the harness she wore it on. Looking at her shirt, she muttered "Oh, well," as she took her shirt off, glad she had kept her armor on, put Savucu in it's harness on her back, tore a hole in her shirt for the hilt of the katana, and put her shirt back on. "There. Now I'm ready for them."
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Post by Dice on Jan 6, 2007 17:49:38 GMT -5
((OOC: Deus ex machina, Sir Shino  ))
Pyro bowed quickly to the dragon and nodded.
"I assure you I am fine, Lady Fenrix," she said with a small smile. "I had an...incident with my Fire-Sword. It acted rather strangely and broke my will's hold on it. It was then that I realized the power of this darkness that seems to be planning an attack on our castle. Do you know anything of this? What it is--how it can be defeated?"
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2007 18:13:10 GMT -5
Fenrix shook her head and shifted back to her human form. "No. But I feel it, the air is foul, and the winds no longer move the natural way. Its unnerving. The shadows, they are longer." She hesitated and looked at the sword, the metal was still hot. "Do you think that this...evil....has the ability to take away our magic?"
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Post by Tam on Jan 6, 2007 18:20:37 GMT -5
"Lady Tamia!" a shout sounded from the end of the hall before her. "Lady Tamia, wait! What brings you out here?"
Trying not to pant, Tamia slowed to a halt beside Kat, just in time to glimpse a flicker of white disappear around the next corner. Did Sir Shino just leave with the unconscious knight? "I... heard some voices. It sounded like they were upset," she invented, covering up for Oran. She glanced at the knight-mage, who she noticed looked slightly shaken. "What happened? Is everyone alright?"
Out of the corner of her eye, she realilzed that Oran was sitting not far away, watching her. With a flick of his tail, he rose and turned the corner, heading down the same corridor that Shino had just taken.
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Post by Dice on Jan 6, 2007 19:01:35 GMT -5
"And the clouds," Pyro murmured, glancing out of the window to the steadily darkening mass of clouds, moving onward ever so slowly. "It is as though all of nature feels something is wrong..." She was pulled back to the conversation by Lady Fenrix's question. "To take away our magic?" Pyro looked at her sword, considering. The metal was still hot to the touch. "I doubt that it can completely do so. For that which controls my blade is my will, and that, though sometimes I have likened it to magic, is not recognized as such. It is more like this evil...unbalances things--breaks through them, such as my control."
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Post by Kat on Jan 6, 2007 20:16:44 GMT -5
"Sir Shino took Lady Zari away when she fainted. But before she went out cold, she was able to tell us one thing - a scroll in her quarters. It might help us with whatever's coming up soon." Kat fumbled for her moon pendant, which was almost completely concealed in dark purple mist. She let go of it and winced as something that felt like a sharp knife blazed through her hand and up to her elbow.
"Lady Tamia, you must go to Lady Zari's quarters and find that scroll...it's with someone - or something - named Zahaere...Em - Emaya. Then find me again. I will fetch Sir Kit. Be careful, we can't trust just anyone in this chaos. If you feel that nothing's right, get out as soon as possible and find us."
She took a deep breath after saying all that very fast. Then she turned on her heel, ducked into another corridor and decided to find Sir Kit.
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Post by zhunter on Jan 6, 2007 22:17:32 GMT -5
Shino quickly walked down the hall and tried not to ru ninto any people who were on their way to the ceremony which was in ten minutes and all Knights should be standing at ready there already. "I've got to hurry. This darkness business can't postpone our King any longer."
He turned past the main hall and looked down another corridor to find who he was looking for. "Shade! Sir Wolf! Sir Kit!" he cried out as he slid through the tight crowd leading into the Ceremony. "I cannot change the Lords and Ladies' minds any longer! We must attend the ceremony. I have to insist that you all come with me." He tried not to look impacient as he said these words.
"We wil investigate the problem later. Right now we are needed."
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Post by KitClairvoyance on Jan 7, 2007 1:32:38 GMT -5
Kit barely walked more than a few meters when Wolf came rounding around the corner, coming to an almost complete stop just centimeters from crashing into him. He waited patiently as Wolf caught his breath and started to explain what he knew. The information he had gathered proved to be interesting, it confirmed his suspicions of a shadow/demon type threat. Before he could respond to Wolf, and perhaps uncover more of the mystery, Shade came dashing towards them, apparently someone or something had informed her of their presence.
Kit took a step back as Shade and Wolf exchanged words; clairvoyance had taught him that sometimes it's better to stay silent and listen, rather than to speak and not hear.
"Are humans always this brash?" Maya asked when she heard Shade hope for an attack and subsequently began to prepare herself for that possibility. Kit didn't respond to her immediately, he was more concerned with Wolf's assertion that the enemy would not attack directly, and that they would move under the cover of absolute darkness.
"What do you think about Wolf's deductions?"
"Plausible, but his claims that light weakens shadows aren't absolutely correct. It is true that darkness makes demons and shadows stronger, but total darkness actually weakens them. Remember, there must be light for there to be a shadow. If the enemy really is going to act in total darkness, there must be another reason."
"Or he's strong enough to afford that handicap."
"Or that."
"How about demons? How does absolute darkness affect them.. you?"
"Demons.. we ..become stronger in total darkness. Perhaps our shadow friends have allies among the demons. That would explain the timing and the presence of the wraith residue. Shadows prefer not to confront the enemy directly, demons would prove rather helpful to them."
Kit's nerves still were a little high strung from the sheer power of the enemy he had felt earlier, and now it appeared that there was more than one force at work here.
"Lord Wolf, Lady Shade; there's something you, everyone, will need to know. There's more than one-"
He was cut off by the call of Shino. He turned around to see the White knight, whatever it was it seemed urgent. Beside him he could hear Maya huff in annoyance. He knew she felt that the safety of the castle was top priority, not the ceremony itself. Kit himself just wished that he could brief the knights on the threat, before it was a little too late for briefing.
"Sir Shino," Kit called out, "I offer you my apologies, but perhaps it would be better for all of us if the ceremony continue without some of us. We cannot afford to be ill-prepared. The Lords and Ladies will have to do without us."
He turned back to Wolf, "Sir Wolf, you go get crowned. I'll take a few knights and try to keep your head from being taken before the crown touches it. If you permit me to do so that is."
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Post by Kat on Jan 7, 2007 2:29:08 GMT -5
Kat swore fluently under her breath as she wove in and out of the labyrinth of corridors in the castle. No matter how long she lived in the castle, she sometimes got lost anyway, especially when she was thinking of other things besides her mental maps of the kingdom.
She went around, trying to find any sign of the other knights - or any random living creature, to be exact. Drawing her staff and clutching her sword in another hand, Kat slowed down a bit.
There was a rustling noise that sounded like the crinkle of chainmail.
Instantly forgetting about finding everyone else, the Purple Knight followed the noise, the clapping of her shoes echoing throughout the halls. Kat swore again after realizing that she was in a gown, not a magician's robe or armor. But hopefully what she was following was a friend, not a foe.
The rustling grew louder and louder as Kat slowly caught up, with strange, uneasy footsteps mingling into the rhythm, and then suddenly stopped.
Did her quarry stop, or was he or she planning some kind of diversive tactic? Nevertheless, Kat halted as well, and got ready to cast a spell - any kind of defensive spell. Maybe a wall of fire would be nice, so long as she didn't leave any ash marks on the carpet.
While the knight-mage thought of her possible options, she suddenly gasped and felt a pair of hands grab her waist, lifting her so that her toes only scuffed the floor.
For now, all Kat could do was scream as loud as she could before a gauntleted hand slapped her mouth.
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Post by Tam on Jan 7, 2007 3:01:04 GMT -5
"Lady Tamia, you must go to Lady Zari's quarters and find that scroll...it's with someone - or something - named Zahaere...Em - Emaya. Then find me again. I will fetch Sir Kit. Be careful, we can't trust just anyone in this chaos. If you feel that nothing's right, get out as soon as possible and find us."
"Zahaere... but what...?" she started, but the Purple Knight was already long gone.
Frustrated, she grit her teeth to keep from cursing aloud. She needed to think clearly. Lady Zari had obviously been in some sort of danger, but if Shino was taking her to the healers, hopefully she would be alright. Now, this scroll... Tamia would be lucky if she could even find Zari's quarters. And what would she find guarding it? For all she knew, the other knight could have a full-blown dragon keeping watch over this scroll, if it was so important.
Wishing that Oran were here to advise her, she headed off down the next hallway with the sound of slippers slapping at the polished floor, just knowing that she'd be late for the ceremony.
((Hmm... this might get a little difficult, since I can't control Zari's cat... otherwise it would be brilliant to have the two telepathic cats in one scene. ^_^))
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Post by Shadaras on Jan 7, 2007 15:59:05 GMT -5
"Shino, the threat is more important than the ceremony. If Kit has something we should know, then I'm going to hear what he has to say." Shade turned towards Kit. "What were you saying?"
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2007 23:57:09 GMT -5
Wolf stood next to Shade, next to Shino, next to Kit. He had the desire to speak, but he wished not to interrupt Kit once more, as he truly valued his fellow knight's thoughts and did not wish to talk over him yet again. Already, though hardly mere moments had passed, he was feeling down that his haste had cut Kit almost entirely from the conversation.
Shino was demanding-- though perhaps that was too powerful a word for this instance --that the ceremony be begun, yet Kit brought up a valid point in saying that the castle's safety was more important, and so it was.
Yet... if the words his guide had given him were true, the safest thing to do was to be together, not apart, when true darkness fell, and with each second that passed and with each breath that was breathed, the sun sank lower upon the horizon and dared to fall too soon. |
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Post by Tam on Jan 8, 2007 23:53:48 GMT -5
Tamia leaned her head back against the corridor wall, heart still beating quickly from running, and tried to figure out where she had taken a wrong turn and finally managed to get lost. Precious minutes were slipping by, and in all her frantic searching about the West Wing of the castle, desperately seeking Lady Zari's quarters, she had found only one room whose location matched the foggy image in her memory, and had been somewhat distressed when she realized that the bronze plaque on the door read "Lord Frederick the Dauntless" in a fine curly script. She was even more dismayed when she saw the blanket of dust on the doorknob, suggesting that no one, Sir Frederick or not, had entered or left this room for several months... possibly not even this entire corridor, which would explain why the knob hadn't been cleaned by the servants who maintained the castle.
That settled it, then. She was lost. I've never even been down these halls, she growled to herself. What in the world possessed me to think that Zari's quarters would be here?
Her self-deprecating was interrupted by a flicker of movement at the edge of her vision. Startled, she snapped her head around to the source of the motion, trying to believe that it had been nothing more than a wayward rat scurrying out of sight. The knight thought that she had seen something larger, though, and higher up in her field of vision -- perhaps the hem of someone's robe as they slipped around the corner. If this part of the castle was so forgotten, someone prowling around with the coronation ceremony beginning at any minute was certainly suspicious. Under the current circumstances, she couldn't afford not to investigate it. At the very least, if the flash of movement had merely been caused by another knight, she could ask him for directions back to the others.
Tamia hurried to the end of the hallway as stealthily as she could, taking care to stay close to the wall. No sooner had she pressed herself against the cold brick at the very end of the wall did she glimpse another shadow drifting across the floor, just around the corner. Whoever was on the other side was only metres away, and he was not showing any sign of passing on his way. He was up to something.
The knight was steeling herself to turn the corner and confront the trespasser, for better or for worse, when something sharp stabbed right through her dragonhide boots and into her ankle. Pain lancing through her foot, she stifled a shout of alarm as she whipped around to behold the offender. Instead of looking into the eyes of a person, however, she had to glance down at the floor to see none other than Oran, staring back at her, his claws still embedded in her flesh.
He sheathed his claws and stood back when she acknowledged his presence. Foolish child! his thoughts thundered angrily in her head. Have you listened to nothing the knights have been telling you? The shadows are dangerous. He enunciated each word in the statement separately, as if to brand it into her memory. Quickly now, follow me. And don't make a sound. He set off back down the hall like a black streak, paws not making a sound on the stone floor. Dumbfounded, Tamia ran after him, softening each landing made by an orange-slippered foot.
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Post by KitClairvoyance on Jan 9, 2007 8:08:46 GMT -5
Already a feeling of restlessness had built up inside Kit, every moment they spent debating on their course of action was a moment the enemy gained. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. He could feel it in his veins, the enemy had already begun to move both within and without the walls of the castle.
Kit looked at the other three knights present, Shade and Wolf were already waiting for what he had to say, Shino still deliberating on their course of action. Perhaps it was time for him to speak.
He took a deep breath, hoping his words would help instead of harm.
"Okay, there isn't much time for us to speak, already I can feel the enemy moving within our walls. Sir Wolf, you are correct in assuming that our enemies our of the shadows, but you must know that they have an alliance amongst the demons. Demonic forces are slowly gaining a presence within the castle, already they have prepared the castle ground for battle. Wraith residue has been found strewn across the dungeons," Kit paused, wondering if he should clarify on the usage of Wraith residue or not, before deciding that at least Shade should know, "In other words, we are up against more than one foe in this fight. And be warned, whoever is leading the enemy forces is strong, possibly stronger than all of us.." again Kit paused, remembering the sheer terror he felt earlier, "..also.." Kit wasn't sure if he should say this, "..if my readings are correct, at least one of us will be lost to the fight.." He stopped, letting the last sentence hang in the air. How he wished for once his reading was wrong, that the card he saw wasn't The Hanged Man.
As he closed his eyes to calm himself down he saw a flash of violet and heard a scream. Cursed demons, can't you wait a little longer? His eyes snapped open and turned to Wolf, "Our time is up." his voice as ominous as the vision he saw, "You have to let me go with some of the other knights and salvage as much as we can from this. I will not stand here as the enemy moves against some of us, either I go with your permission, or against your orders. You are needed at the ceremony, I am needed below the castle. Do not force me to act alone."
"You're the loyal knight." Maya's voice came, "Still, I agree with you on this one. And perhaps we need not work alone, Lady Tamia is approaching our location, perhaps she can help us as well..even if she insists on bringing that cat with her."
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))
