Guild's War 4: Operation Popping Daisies

[Terra]

Mage Manor

“The castle library?” Zephyr repeated. He considered asking for more specifics on how the castle library was supposed to help in this situation, but it was clear that the librarian wanted to be left alone.

“...Very well,” said Zephyr. “Thank you very much.”

He swept out of the library and headed outside to the gazebo where the portal resided. As he walked toward it, however, a faerie appeared in front of it from out of nowhere.

“Azalea,” said Zephyr, secretly glad that he was able to remember her name, as they hadn’t spoken much before. “You just arrived from the castle, yes? I was just informed by a stranger in dark clothing that someone - a woman, apparently - is raising an army of the living dead. I was about to head to the castle library to find out more, on the librarian’s advice. Would you tell anyone you meet about what I heard? Even if it turns out to be a false alarm, it certainly cannot hurt to let others know about the possibility of danger. Thank you.”

He walked into the portal and focused on the password in his mind.

Castle Kestrel

Zephyr stepped out of the portal and strode down the corridor toward the library.

Then he heard a very familiar voice shouting -

“You make me sick!”

Celestial. The Archmage. What was she yelling about?

He turned around and started following her voice, walking past the throne room - where a woman who was very obviously not the king was sitting on the throne...

Oh.

Oh.

It didn’t take very long for Zephyr to put two and two together.

He briskly walked to Celestial’s side, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“Need any backup?” he asked her.

[icon]

Just outside of Brassport

Eli Clenman looked around, janitorial pack on his back, and headed down the road, glancing placidly at the fields and houses as he passed them.

The janitorial higher-ups'd given him two weeks off of work- "for his excellent duty and service to the city," they told him. "Go on, enjoy yourself! Take a ride down to Tabloid Town, or perhaps up north to that old ghost town, it's a great tourist attraction! You've been working too hard, Clemmens, it's about time you relax and enjoy yourself," and with that they'd left him with a slap on the back and a short vacation. Apparently they failed to see that he enjoyed himself most when he was, in fact, working hard.

He liked cleaning, it was true. Not just the end product, as most people would say, but the actual work itself. He liked for things to be clean. So he cleaned them. It was simple, is all.

Eli was a good two-thirds of the way through this thought when he heard the crash. It was a good distance away, if sound was any judge, but as a thin trail of smoke started to rise he decided to see what it was. He quickened his pace along the road, then turned towards the smoke, now closer. Glance left, glance right. With nobody in sight, he gripped his janitor pack and hopped the small fence to the field, deciding to risk it and see what the commotion was.

[Gelquie]

((Castle Kestral))

Gelquie was mostly stunned throughout the entire conversation, not liking what Miss Jensen was saying one bit, but also shaking her head at Krisseh's foolishness. Still... The Underdeep is back? In that form? While there's a whole zombie army after them? Gelquie wasn't sure how things could get any worse.

Then she heard the sound of a Spacefleeter.

Contrary to Celestial's orders, Gelquie didn't move right away, and wanted to hear what she had to say. Despite the situation, she couldn't help but let out a small smirk when she heard Celestial shout at Amneiger... Until she saw Miss Jensen again and realized that she was only saying that so that she wouldn't hear. She inwardly groaned. She didn't want to disobey orders, but she also desperately needed to talk to her about this.

Uncertain of what to do quite yet, Gelquie hung towards the side of the room and tried to stay out of sight or of interest to Miss Jensen. But she wanted to keep an eye on things, at least for a short time.

[Huntress]

Castle Kestrel

"Do we know any back ways in? I'd rather not charge in with swords drawn until we know what eldritch abomination we're facing this time."

"I don't like front doors in the first place," said Hunty, awake again and feeling a bit more rested. "Too many people who might ask questions. There's a kitchen door round the corner." She nudged the blarf, who obediently ambled off.

There was a kitchen door. There were also two zombies standing guard. They looked up at the blarf's looming hulk with a mixture of eat-me-I-dare-you-defiance and a fair bit of concern. Hunty stared back.

"Can we pass?" she asked.

"What for?" one of the zombies replied in a dusty voice.

The captain scowled. "Um... sightseeing? Looking around? Take me to your leader? Really, I'm not too sure myself, we're sort of playing it by ear here."

The zombies, having been proper soldiers in their life, looked at each other and passed an executive decision. "Leave your weapons and your beast. You may enter."

They left the blarf curled up on the edge of the orchard, but the zombies took no notice of the meepitgang coming along. Bloody Mary sniggered to himself as they walked in.

"Where to?" he asked. "Cos this here is the kitchen and I wouldn't say no to that pie I'm smelling in the pantry back there."

"I figure we should find out what the deal is first," said the captain, marching straight through the kitchen. "When I see zombies on the loose, I can't help but get a bit inquisitive. We'll keep going all quiet-like until we find someone who knows more."

As it happened, though, the winding hallways of the servant wing were deserted up until they opened into the throne room and the slim blonde woman sitting on the throne there. Her ice-blue stare fixed on the pirates at once and the captain figured there was no point in bailing now.

"There are zombies standing outside," she said flatly.

"Those are mine," said Miss Jensen, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah. Good. Just wanted to make sure there weren't unsupervised zombies running around. Highly irresponsible, that. Who're you?"

"I'm the new leader of this land," said the woman.

Hunty scowled. "Man, you burn through those fast. Don't think I've seen you with the Knights before."

"I'm not with the knights."

Silence fell like a hammer.

"It's a coup," Bloody Mary whispered, hunched up on Hunty's shoulder. "A zombie coup."

Miss Jensen smiled a wry, haunting smile at them, the smile of someone who was secure in her current position and content with the way things were going.

"I know you," she said, having done plenty of research before the advent of her big plan. "You're the pirate captain. And you," she nodded at Zylaa, "are the pirate weasel. Your involvement with this land is small, your interests in it almost nonexistent. Do you wish to fight me? Or would you rather join me?"

[Pixie]

Ellen, not having been officially made a mage, did not know the password. She was afraid she wouldn't made it through the portal. Being stuck in the castle alone with the madwoman who used her couldn't end well. On impulse, for fear of being left behind, she through her arms around Azzie the second before she went through. She intended to teleport with her.

It didn't work out as planned. The wise manor was just as suspicious of a tag-a-long who didn't know the password as the girl infected by underdeep. She felt herself ripped off of Azzie rather painfully, before Azzie even really had a chance to notice she was there. She crashed into the floor of the cell where Krisseh and Tiger where imprisoned.

The impact left her aching all over. She probably would have broken a leg if she didn't land on her back. She sat up.

"So this is Mage Manor? Guess I should have known the password before jumping through the portal. How do we get out of here? And where did the barefoot girl with the white hair go? I tried to latch onto her but I got sent here instead!" She exclaims, standing herself back up.

((Guys... I'm new to this... what exactly is the Underdeep?))

[Tiger]

Tiger had heard about the underdeep, but not very much. It wasn't something the mages seemed to like discussing, and Tiger was loath to disturb the people who'd taken her in with uncomfortable questions.

"I don't think the manor's going to let me out, either." Tiger shook the cage bars. Small chunks of dirt and stone dropped from the ceiling just over her head. Swatting the gravel away, Tiger spun away from the bars. "And underdeep or not, your leg's not going to heal itself."

Out of nowhere came the girl who had joined them in the middle of the games. Tiger leapt back in surprise, one hand immediately wrapping around her swordblade. "Ellen?"

Tiger listened to the girl's explanation, and winced. "One of us should have told you before sending you through. I wasn't thinking." She sighed. "Azalea's probably in the grand hall. Maybe outside the manor itself. Hopefully she realizes something's wrong - or..."

Tiger flexed her fingers until mist began to form around them. "Ellen, if you have any potion that would...I don't know, melt the stone or the bars, now would be an excellent time to use it. If you don't..." She started to twist the mist, pressing it into the shape of another bird. "I can send a message to someone to come let us out." But she hoped Ellen would come to their rescue. Already she could feel the prickling in her fingers that came with using a dangerous amount of magic. A horse, a songbird, a snake, a songbird again, now a mynah...

[Zylaa]

Zylaa followed her captain into the castle, leaving most of the weasels asleep on the mattress-- one particularly alert one hopped onto her shoulder, though, as she followed Hunty into the kitchen.

"When I see zombies on the loose, I can't help but get a bit inquisitive. We'll keep going all quiet-like until we find someone who knows more."

"Once we know more, we probably won't have time for pie," Zylaa pointed out, not expecting a reply.

So when they discovered Miss Jensen sitting on the throne-- Zylaa, of course, recognizing her instantly-- her incongruous thought was and that pie smelled so good.

"You're the pirate captain. And you are the pirate weasel. Your involvement with this land is small, your interests in it almost nonexistent. Do you wish to fight me? Or would you rather join me?"

Perhaps it was lack of sleep, perhaps it was Miss Jensen's infuriating, probably well-founded confidence that led Zylaa to speak up.

"With all due respect, ma'am, I'm wearing pirate clothes and am very obviously a weasel, so forgive me for not being entirely cowed by how well you know me." Zylaa liked the phrase 'with all due respect,' as it conveniently glossed over those times when no respect whatsoever was due. "If this is a standard world-domination plan you're going for, with a zombie army as a bonus, what would we stand to gain by joining you? We don't have to fight or join this new takeover, we could simply set sail for far-away countries."

[Lord Hayati]

Mage manor Jail:

Krisseh suddenly facepalmed. She was Made of jelly. She could easily slip through the bars!

"tiger, let me help..."

using her slippery and wobbly body, she managed to squeeze through the bars, despite them becoming almost fully sealed. It was an advantage to having a delicious body.

From there, she hobbled up the stairs, up to the main area. Of course, it would take a bit to get to the library, due to the fact she was underdeeped, but she had to get there.

Surprisingly, the manor seemed to be not as dangerous as she expected it too. it only threw 2 dead ends, which she quickly found out. Still, she had to go on 3 limbs, and not two, due to her torn foot.

At last, she got to the library.

"Librarian... There are some mages stuck in the jail. Can you please help them out?"

she gulped. the Librarian was a scary person.

[Fraze]

((The aforementioned field somewhere in Dunburrow))
Hellas and Alabaster considered their orders. They had been instructed to gauge their opponents' strengths and weaknesses, in order to formulate a more effective battle plan. However, they had also been told to finish their march as quickly as possible.

They arrived at the same decision.

Hellas lifted his shield, then drew his sword and pointed it at Draco. The blade shone in the moonlight.

Several battle mages threw fireballs at Draco from different angles. Hellas let out a war cry, and dashed at him. In a single unbroken motion, Hellas slammed his shield into Draco's face, and brought his sword upward, cleanly severing Draco's right arm near the shoulder.

Hellas grabbed the fallen sword, and tossed it away. An unarmed zombie picked it up.

--------

((Castle Kestrel))
After listening to Zylaa's queries, Miss Jensen glanced briefly at her clipboard. "Money," she answered simply. "I will not offer untold riches, because the kingdom's budget would not support it. However, I can pay you enough to keep food and supplies for--" she paused for a moment, with a puzzled expression, "--whatever it is you do.
"In return, I need you to make sure that the other Guilds do not interfere with my plans. The Knights and Mages are a lost cause in that regard." She looked directly at Huntress with a wry expression. "However, I believe that you can do something to prevent Spacefleet from meddling. If you can keep the Ninjas, Mercenaries, and Steampunks from becoming involved, then I will increase your pay, but Spacefleet is my primary concern."

[Pixie]

"Your songbird gives me an idea." While Krisseh slipped through the bars, Ellen shifted into the shape of a small bluebird. It was one of her more efficient forms, since she practiced it extensively. She liked singing and flitting around, even if flying gave her vertigo. She slipped through the bars easily, and hovered by the lock. She stuck a claw into it, and tried to pick the lock.

Mage manor did not fall for it. The lock gave off a sharp magic pulse, from a safeguard spell a mage must have set on it. Ellen recoiled from the pain and she shifted back into her human form. She took off, staggering and groaning after Krisseh, and made it to the library before safeguard spell sent her collapsing on her knees.

[Draco]

((Field of Dunburrow))

Draco dodged the fireballs with ease. But he wasn't expecting the shield slamming into his face, followed by the loss of his arm. It happened in seconds. He dropped to his knees, digging his left sword into the ground for balance. He gritted his teeth to keep from screaming out.

"I told you this was going to get us killed! Now look!"

Draco responds quietly, under his breath, barely audible unless you were to face to face with him.

"Be quiet... You didn't come up with anything better."

"That's because I knew you couldn't handle it! Maybe I could, but not you! You are a fool!"

"Tsk... Why do I always end up in these situations. What a poor leader I am..."

"Ok, that's enough! I'm taking over here!"

"What? NO!"

There was little change to his outside appearance, except for his eyes darkening a bit, but inside the roles switched. Draco looked up, ignoring Hellas, instead looking at the zombie that took his sword.

"I will be getting that back."

Letting go of his left sword he reaches down and picks up his arm. Placing it against where it cut, it seemed to fuse back. He winced as if it was being cut off again.

"I would love to stay and fight some more, but I think I need to rethink things."

With that several smoke bombs go off around him and the zombies. Several noises could be heard from within the ranks. When the smoke clears the one who took his sword laid on the ground in pieces, as well as a few surrounding it. Draco could be seen running away in the distance.

He retreated back in the direction of Mage Manor. As he ran the darkness from his eyes retreated. He sheathed his swords, then he held his right arm.

"This hurts like it was just cut off!"

"That's because it was! And you thought I was stupid."

Draco curses a few times as he runs.


---

((Castle Kestrel))

Dragus followed the mages to the portal. He never used it, but was informed of it and it's password. Letting the others go through he stepped into it. In seconds he appeared outside Mage Manor. He looked around and saw the others were gone.

"Did... Did they leave me behind?"

He scratched his head and walked to a door, knocking on it. When he got no response, he checked to see if it was locked, it wasn't, so he opened the door. He looked inside, then back at the manor itself.

"Uhh... I mean you no harm... Please don't kill me."

He slowly places a foot into the manor, then sheepishly walks in. He let out a sigh of relief and began walking around, hoping he could find people.

[Kristykimmy]

Kristy quickly followed Azzie to the portal, though a bit reluctant since she had never been to either of these places, nor used the portal before. However, staying here didn't seem to be a good option.

She decided to stop and wait for Celestial, she turned back to the throne room. Despite being unarmed, she didn't want to leave her alone. Someone else was with her now, she noticed.

"Celestial, I'm gonna wait until you are ready to go, okay?" she called out to let Celestial know that she was there, in case she could be of any help.

Not that she expected Celestial to need her help. If there was something the Archmage couldn't handle it was seriously doubtful an accident prone blonde was going to be able to help any.

[icon]

(A different field, just north of Brassport)

Eli Clenman made his way through the field, lighting the lantern on his janitor pack to see where he was going. The bit of smoke from the crash site had all but faded now, but he could still see where he was going.

He reached the reasonably-sized crater which the unidentified object must have made and slid down into the center, pulling his goggles over his eyes as protection. Alright, smoke means it was probably hot from impact, it might still be... let's see what we've got here, was the thought which entered his mind as he inched closer, lantern showing what he could find, getting a better look once the smoke cleared.

It was an odd-looking thing; that was definitely metal it was made of alright, but it wasn't much like metal he'd seen before. A small, compact shape with two protruding... arms, for lack of a better word. They each had several odd, rectangular panels which attached at perpendicular angles.

Overturning it cautiously, he saw letters on the side of the central shape; IX, they said. A few stubby mechanical legs moved around as it struggled to upright itself, beeping. And was that an eye in the center? This was right unusual.

Eli had heard stories of the mysterious technology around this place, the people who could make metal travel to the moon and stars. Spacefleet, they were called. Could this be one of their possessions?

He looked up at the night sky, then down at the machine before shrugging and picking it up. He then made his way back to the road with machine in his arms, then turned and headed back to Brassport. Someone there would probably know what it was, and if not at least the scrap metal would be worth something.

Vacation could wait; this was new.

[Amneiger]

((Outside the throne room of Castle Kestrel (I think >>)))

"It's okay," Amneiger said to Celestial as quietly as possible. "I don't trust her. Too many things here that ring alarm bells." There were a lot of things that definitely showed Miss Jensen wasn't on the level: sneaking in here as part of an event instead of honestly coming in, that speech about looking for a challenge, and she was only talking about conquering the kingdom instead of the business of ruling it.

"Commander Fraze would probably want me to get more information while I can, though, so I'm going to ask her a few more questions. If she thinks I'm not going to be immediately hostile she might be willing to tell me things. You can try hiding and listening in she says something interesting."

Amneiger stepped back into the throne room. "Sorry about that," he said to Miss Jensen. "But I'd like to know how I would know you don't have hostile intentions towards Spacefleet. And I'd also like to know what you plan for Dunburrow once you've conquered it."

[Fraze]

((Castle Kestrel throne room))
Miss Jensen watched as Amneiger reentered.
"Very well, these are both valid questions. Simply, I have no feasible way of traveling to Spacefleet. As you might have noticed, my forces are entirely ground-based. Any possible invasion plans would be an unnecessary waste of both my time and my resources. Of course, this is not to say that I cannot retaliate against attacks that your organization might make."
She looks down at her clipboard, scanning her finger along several lines. "As for what I plan to do with the kingdom, of course I am going to rule over it. The economy is stable, so there is no reason to interfere there. The judicial system can remain intact, but the armed forces could use some restructuring, which I have already begun. An undead army is infeasible in the long run, so I plan to phase out the current troops with living ones gradually, as suitable knights and soldiers become properly trained.
"I believe that the national crop production can be increased by reallocating some resources; it's amazing what fish entrails can do for a harvest, and the coastal fishing villages aren't using them anyway. I also have plans for territorial expansion. There is some abundantly fertile farmland to the east and south, and rich mineral resources to the north."