originally posted in:The New Dojo
[u]Chapter Four[/u]
[spoiler]Open to the vanguard.[/spoiler]
[u]On The Front Lines[/u]
[u]The City of Khalosh, 11:21 PM[/u]
[i]Silence.[/i]
[i]The Trayven host, accompanied by both the warriors of the Dojo and the Valkyries, had set up groups for their vanguard in order to meet and cluster upon the front line - they would join in humble groups, shrouded by the deep darkness of night and the foliage that grew over their shadows. In the distance, the first members of the charge would see Khalosh, or.. something of the sort. It's walls had been refurbished, a wooden-and-stone gateway now blocking the one entrance into the city. Surrounding the city and encasing it within it's shell was a deep, light blue fog, whisking throughout the skies and air as the city itself was eerie silent..
The only way to defeat the larger force, without starving them out, was a literal surprise charge and a lot of dead captains and lieutenants on the Tribune's half of the battle.[/i]
[i]Then, the siege horn would ring. A deep, booming thing, as those patrols and Tribune archers whom would stand upon the wall walk would suddenly draw their eyes and bows towards the outside of Khalosh. From there - the vanguard would charge out.[/i]
[i]The vanguard would be accompanied by a full-on wall of scutum-wielding troops, charging towards the city in a clustered row. A warning horn would breeze throughout Khalosh, bells ringing throughout the city as civilians, soldiers, and mercenaries alike either retreated from the impeding siege, or would head towards it.[/i]
[i]The iron doors of Khalosh would creak open only for a moment, as a welcoming party of Tribune troops would storm towards the assaulting vanguard. And yet, behind the vanguard..[/i]
[spoiler]For the assault members and vanguard in total.[/spoiler]
"FOR THE GOLDEN LION!"
[i]Freya's battlecry would ring across the impeding chaos, as the armies would make their way towards the walls of Khalosh. Those whom would arrive first would have to assist the vanguard and manage to push forwards, for far behind them, a battering ram had begun progress throughout the road of the forest. The idea was to use such a siege as a distraction - and yet, be capable of eliminating the Tribune's efforts as well.[/i]
[spoiler]For the assassins.[/spoiler]
"...She's a fuсking idiot. Still my sister."
[i]Isabella would murmur, as she had lead those whom wouldn't be attacking throughout a rather.. different area: one of the few recovered tunnel networks that was both kept hidden from the Tribune's scrying eyes, and one that hadn't collapsed after so much time. Such a tunnel was apparently utilized by a mafia boss, according to the information gathered by Natalie, when the first attack upon Khalosh had seemed to be in the works yet kept secret. Isabella would finally bring the assassins up a ladder and into what was an abandoned building. The sounds of charging troops and yells were in the distance, albeit not close to the building.[/i]
"Could've used this place, Tribs. Literally gave up on the tunnel and building, oh well." [i]Isabella whispered, as she then turned back to her small group of mercenaries, murderers, and generally untrustworthy people.[/i]
"Alright.. captains, lieutenants, commandos, majors - whatever's out there, maybe their damn general is - point is, we need you guys to kill 'em off. These Tribune asshats will scatter afterwards.. they're probably wearing white and gold, so they'll be easy to recognize.
Y'all good, or what? You need a quick bathroom break, now's the time. I'm heading down and joining the assault.. even though that fuсking walk through the tunnel is tiring as hell."
English
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"Just.. calm down. W-Where's Niki? She said that she'd.." [i]Whatever Oliver was going to say (presumably "stay with you" to Rose), was cut off as a hammer would suddenly slam into his waist, the head of the thing crushing his armor as he was sent flying. The Tribune's forces, no matter the odds, were beginning one final push against the invasion: supported by flaming archers from above, fire rained down upon the Trayvens, cutting them down. Valkyries were faced against an acidic substance upon the arrows, meanwhile - literally intended to burn through them.[/i] [i]Oliver's attacker had sent the young man sprawling to the side, as they would then face Rose: a hulking golem of a being, of jagged rock and concrete, standing about eight feet tall and carrying a massive club of a weapon. It would rear back, swinging towards Rose horizontally and intending to bring down both her, and a row of Trayven troops, whom either ducked or would try to block out of terror.[/i] ----------------------------------- [i]Athena's final attack had.. worked, supposedly, as the mage's parts flew across the crater that would be left behind, torn entrails and mushy bits following the gore and bloody remains of her outer bits. She was.. dead, for all the assassin knew.[/i] [spoiler]GG, now we don't have to worry about mages slaughtering everyone lmfao.[/spoiler]
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Rose sprinted towards it then, using its own bulk against it. If there was one thing she knew, bigger the target, slower it was. She slid under it then, going between its legs and appearing behind it. /// Rubicon forces where instructed to use hardlight against the arrows with each wave, saving a good deal of them, arrows that did hit where quickly taken out to avoid serious burns. /// Athena would continue, looking for another target then.
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[i]Rose could succeed, as the few men and women amongst her would either be crushed, sent flying into the smoky night air, or avoiding the hammer entirely. The beast would turn it's head, before attempting to then crush Rose as it stomped it's foot down towards the earth.[/i] ---------------------------------- "[i]Acta, non verba![/i]" - [i]The war cry would be shouted by Freya, as the combined forces then delivered a final push of their own, fire and acid amidst their ranks. The Trayvens, perhaps with a renewed vigor, would charge up to the walls, those with ladders beginning to scale the stony fortress.[/i] ---------------------------------- [i]Athena would soon spot another target - targets, actually, that could end the entire siege: men and women, carrying vats of a dark, thick essence to the walls. No doubt that they intended to pour it onto the attackers, and then..[/i]
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Rose scrambled away again, she had no way of combating this thing, now formal way to damage it.... Where was Niki however? // Rubicon forces laid siege to the wall, not climbing or attempting to cross it yet. // Athens stalked forward, jamming a new magazine into her rifle as she followed the group.
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[i]And that was when throughout the chaotic atmosphere, Rose would hear a scream of horror. Not pain nor agony, just utmost terror.[/i] [i]Niki. Somewhere within the city, no doubt, and likely close by.[/i] ---------------------------------- [i]Those carrying the barrels would be unable to locate Athena, yet they would continue onwards yet, towards the walls.[/i]
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Rose's face went pale, as she turned tale, and ran after the scream, ignoring all else to find her. She wouldn't give up, not until she knew the girl was safe. // Athena kept firing, dropping more and more of the soldiers, not faltering in her little goal of stopping them all.
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[i]As Rose passed throughout the mobs of Trayvens, Valkyries, Tribune, and Dojo soldiers - she would hear a distant roar, as the goliath of a rock monster then began to charge after her, crushing members upon all four sides with ease.[/i] [i]The fuсker almost seemed sentient.[/i] ---------------------------------- "[i]Another[/i]?!" [i]A soldier yelled out, as those few survivors would turn tail and run off, yet arrows rained down upon Athena. Though Athena would manage to see the monstrosity of rock and rubble.. eerily familiar to her magic target.[/i]
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Rose ignored it, mind focused on finding her lover for now, racing as she hated to think of what might be happening. /// Athena turned, firing upon the massive thing. Plasma was powerful, but against stone? Different story.
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"ROSE!" [i]Niki's scream rang throughout the air, as the battlefield had begun to grow darker than before. The colossal monster of rock had then looked up at the darkening skies, before the plasma began to shred it's shell, the beast then crashing against the wall and using it as cover against Athena.[/i]
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"NIKI!" It was all she could scream ,as she followed Niki's voice, doing as best she could to track it down. // Athena kept the pressure on it, not even knowing what it was, but kept it pinned either way.
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[i]As Rose came closer and closer, Niki's scream would merely resonate; as if repeated, over and over..[/i] "ROSE!" [i]As she drew closer, Rose felt the battle.. being drowned out almost. It was.. something dark. Something was wrong.[/i] ------------------------------- [i]The beast would take it's chance, slashing at Athena and destroying the wall.[/i]
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Rose was panicking, looking around constantly, not even knowing what to do at this point "NIKI?! WHERE ARE YOU?!" she had to yell it, unable to contain herself. /// Athena kept firing at it, backing up as she did so, melting its surface.
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"[i]I-I can't..[/i] [i]I can't-![/i]" [i]Niki's voice would drift away, almost, as Rose would be enveloped into darkness. She would be traversed, almost, to an alleyway. Alpha was there.. frozen, but there. Everything was there.[/i] [i]Something was very wrong, but.. it would be best to explore. For now.[/i]
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Rose was panicking, barely holding herself together at the moment as she was trying not to break down. Shaking a bit, he hand was rattling her spear, as she looked around the area. Where was Niki? What was going on? "Niki...?"
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"[i]Niki is gone. There is.. only the abyss and I, now.[/i]" [i]A response.[/i] [i]From the shadows, would descend a cloaked figure, her feminine posture hidden away by burnt shawl and tattered robe, and in result creating a hidden being. There was something.. wrong.[/i] "[i]...You can leave, yet. Turn away. But do not return.[/i]" [i]The ghastly thing stood there, it's siren voice speaking smooth and soft. It spoke a warning, almost, as the alleyway would begin to churn and shift for Rose.[/i]
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Rose was going hysterical now, screaming. "WHERE IS MY NIKI!?" She screamed, pointing to herself. She was on he verge of tears.
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"[i]She is not yours to take, nor Trayven's, nor Tribune. Let her go, child. Let her pursue her fate.[/i]" [i]The being had spoken, though she had taken to quickly hiding her hand within the coat of her jacket, only to retrieve a spectral longsword. She would fight.. if necessary.[/i]
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Wet lines trailed down Rose's face then. She was helpless, helpless against whatever the being was. Yet, she was young, naive. And love hurt. "Where is she?! How am I supposed to know she's going to come back, how will I know I'll see her again?!" She was choking down her emotions now, trying not to lose herself to the beING.
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"[i]Let. Her. Go.[/i]" [i]That was all the robed thing would utter, as it then began to approach Rose's being. It's footsteps were the only noise, now, other than Rose's own breaths and her words that left her lips. The being was trying to reduce her to running.[/i]
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Rose wanted answers however, the woman was stubborn. "Why?! I want to know why she's gone, if I'll see her again. And who you are?!" She was slowly losing it now, the threat of whatever the being was wasn't helping.
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"[i]That is none of your concern, girl. A greater power, beyond you and I, is at work! Leave, else you suffer a worse fate than what shall be wrought.[/i]" [i]A greater power.. a worse fate.. those words kept ringing within Rose's ears, as if intentionally. Yet not to drive her mad. Peace began to overtake her, as if another outside force was seemingly interfering.[/i] [i]Character jacking, really. But it is a legit thing.[/i] [i]Soon, the cloaked woman would realize this, as the ringing stopped. She would then begin to approach Rose..[/i]
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Rose was confused beyond reason, as she felt her heart thudding in her chest, unable to even move out of a confused fear and peace. What in the hell was going on? She watched the woman, trying to say something again, but found herself locked up as invading forces where upon her mind. One question rang in her head now; What to do?
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[i]Rose had an idea of what to do when the woman swung.[/i] [i]The woman would rear back, before then swinging towards Rose, her spectral blade aimed for the young woman's neck as if intending to decapitate her in a single blow.[/i]
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Rose shot her shield up, making the sword glance off its round surface, sparks flying then as Rose slammed her spear forward at the woman. It wouldn't be that easy.
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[i]The woman's free hand would drop down, her palm wavering over the spearhead before she would grab the shaft, stopping the thrust in place. The woman would simply push the spear back, and in turn pushing Rose back a little, as she would assume a more combative stance for an approach.[/i]