Champions of the Corrupt IC

[Taria]

Sentari ducks, her dagger clenched tightly in her hand. Aiming near his abdomen she tries to land her strike below the protective armour as she plunges the dagger in with both hands. If this is successfull and he winces or stumbles backwards, she will follow up by leaving her weapon lodged and throwing shards of ice at his unprotected face. Meanwhile... Blaire isn't doing much complicated thinking at all. The squirming of the man beneath her is annoying, she slashes at his face, at his abdomen, at his groin, anyplace to get him to stop moving. The other men around her are bothersome as well, she hisses and lashes out at them whenever they get too close. She giggles dementedly as she splashes her hands in her victim's bloodied burning clothes as if it were a puddle of spring water, a gruesome perversion of what one could imagine a child would play like.

[napsii]

Adele remained steadfast. Krenko had some titanic words to speak, but she knew he was a coward. Crime, by nature, was cowardly. To hide in the shadows, stabbing others in the back and causing havoc to crown yourself a false king was truly shameful. True strength, her father had taught her, came from rising to lead others fairly and justly. Her hand skulked more visibly to her water blade, the icy sword ready to flourish and strike the mob boss down as his words proceeded onward. She grit her teeth invisibly, feeling hate kindle in her. Overthrow her family? This man's cowardice knew no bounds; vermin could never silence her family, but if what he said was true, then the incident many years ago had...

But, just as she would have decapitated Krenko, one of his subordinates rushed into the room and interceded. Adele paused with surprise, and then thought a silent prayer to Ceraile, the goddess of oceans who was frequent in Kveyna's culture. Jason Agroma? She remembered hearing about him... he seemed an enforcer of sorts. Nevertheless, his arrival was a miracle. Adele could have fought her way out of here by her lonesome if required, but luck seemed to favor her. She relaxed into a battle stance, drawing the hilt of her water blade. With a shimmer of energy and flowing water, a razor-thin blade flourishing from the crossguard. The water was sculpted with fantastic precision in the likeness of a straight sword, the surface seeming solid as steel, if bound by an invisible scabbard.

Knowing this was not the time to pursue Krenko, she turned toward the door with her blade close to her body and quickly proceeded out, her steps muted and her graceful walk making her seem as a spectre or a spirit of some kind. She had no intention of getting into a fight, but figured it may be necessary and so kept alert.

[TheDaughterOfHades14]

Claire sighs. "Well. I guess I understand. I wouldn't want you to be punished." she says quietly. Later, when she is thrown into the prison, she hits the ground fairly hard. "Oof! Ouch that hurt!" she shouts. Claire stands up and rubs her bottom. She does her best to cover her chest. She then looks around to see is anyone else is in the cage. "Anyone in here?" she calls out.

[jayjaycaps]

Rayn: (Back Alley District)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

As the boy's head is submerged in your water bubble, he refuses to give up. Still dragging you down into the earth, he holds his breath. Not one to be bested, he continues to drag you down, managing to get your entire leg submerged before letting go. You feel the grip on your ankle fade, and you are no longer being pulled down.

His arm shoots out of the dirt, covered in mud. He desperately claws at his face, failing to remove the water. As he flails around, his eyes beg you to save him. So do you save the boy who just tried to literally bury you alive, or let him drown?

Shelby, Dax: (Back Alley District, Old Diner)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The twins roll their eyes at each other. "Sure. Whatever you say lady." "Well Doc, how's it coming?" The doctor makes a few more tweaks with a pair of tweezers, and a few more sparks fly. Sitting back, he nods his head to Mr. E. Tentatively, he raises the mechanical hand, marveling the wonder. The ring finger twitches, and the whole hand whirs and buzzes. Slowly but surely, the fingers close, making a fist, then open finger by finger. The doctors sighs and relaxes in his chair, while Mr. E continues to play around with the hand. "Amazing. Simply... Amazing." Mr. E muttered under his breath.

"Fantastic, E! Now you can get back to work, right?" "Lots of work to do. Gotta pay off that debt, right?" They both whip around to look at you, intrigued by your discount. They both shake their heads when you mention paying off the debt for Mr. E. "No no no my dear! This is... A different sort of debt. One only our good friend E here can pay off!" "Ain't that right, E?" They both reach over and slap Mr. E's shoulders, drawing his attention back to the twins. "Oh. Right my... Debt." Standing up, Mr. E shakes Shelby's hand with his mechanical one. "Thank you, Shelby. It was worth every penny. I'm sorry I doubted you." And with that, he and the doctor leave the diner, leaving just Shelby, Dax and the Flimflam Brothers.

"Well brother, we really should get going as well." "That we should, brother. Lots of places to go, people to see!" Standing up, they both bow deeply, taking off their hats. While bowed, Flim slips a piece of paper into Shelby's pocket and whispers into her ear: "Jered sends his regards, ma'am." Standing back up, they link arms, and half waltz, half dance out of the diner, leaving you two alone.

Hermes: (Heart District)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

You can see the asylum looming ahead, it's tall white and gold sight bringing back many unpleasant memories. You can see in front of the door is two guards wearing some heavy armor.

Wait.... These guys don't look like normal guards. They seem... Upgraded. They have heavier armor than the normal guards, and larger, rectangular shields. They still carry no weapons, save for a small dagger strapped to their chest. They have no helms, letting you see the stern, unwavering vigilant look on their faces. So, how do you approach the situation, "Wind Valley" style?

Sentari: (Back Alley District, your brothel)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

You easily duck under the flaming right hook, and thrust at the Walker's abdomen. Your dagger hits his unprotected flesh, cutting deep into him. He cries out in pain, loosing control of the fire in his hands. The fire spreads up his arms to his shoulders as he moves away, hoping you'd hold onto the dagger. No such luck however, as you leave it stuck in him and fling ice shards at his face. Seeing this coming, he crosses his arms in front of his face, blocking the ice attack. The shards melt before they even touch him.

Blaire continues to claw and mangle the poor Fire Walker, who has now caught completely on fire. His hair, back and legs are ablaze with a fire he can't control or manipulate. It's rather ironic, really. Dying by fire, while being a Fire Walker. He continues to panic and flail about, screeching for his life. In his blind hysteria, he punches Blaire in the jaw from below, knocking her off balance. His legs wildly thrashing keeps her off balance even more, until she eventually falls off of him. She's still on fire, but now no longer has a meat shield. The other Walkers around her immediately converge on her, kicking her while she's down. They occasionally have to stop to beat out the fire on their pants, but it's a small price to pay for what she did to their comrade (who's still on fire, wailing behind them.).

Back with you and their leader, his sleeves have burned off, leaving him with a red vest and fire arms. And a dagger lodged in his side. He promptly pulls the blade out with a sickening shlick, wincing in pain. Holding the blade in his flaming hands, he melts the blade into liquid iron. A cruel smile forms on his lips, looking back at you. Without warning, he whips the boiling hot metal at you!

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Sentari: Healthy.
Blaire: Still on fire. Getting kicked while she's down.

Fire Walker Leader: Stabbed in abdomen. Arms are on fire.

Fire Walker Minion: On fire. Severely Mangled. Will die soon.
Fire Walker Minion: Healthy. Kicking Blaire.
Fire Walker Minion: Healthy. Kicking Blaire.
Fire Walker Minion: Healthy. Kicking Blaire.

Adele: (Market District, Fire Walker Club)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

As you walk through the dark passage, the sounds of combat can be heard. The dance music still plays though, it`s deep beat resembling that of a heart. Over it you hear shouting, swords being drawn, curses on families being placed, weapons slashing, oaths being spoken, explosions, and something about a certain person`s mother, and her diverse sexual history.

Eventually, you reach another door, one you had come through mere moments ago. Thankfully, it had been left open by whoever had run in to Krenko`s room. You open the door slowly, unsure of what to expect on the other side. Once open, you can survey the entire battle.

On the side with the main entrance, a group of 40 or 50 guards have formed a semi circle around the door. They all wield large rectangular shields, all with a golden rising sun as an insignia. They all also wield swords, hammers, maces and spears made of pure white light. White Walkers, you conclude. Taking a second glance, you notice that these aren't the same guards that lost you in the market. They wear even heavier armor, and their insignia doesn't `t match. Riviana`s symbol was a gold sun, not a rising sun. In the middle of the semicircle stands a man, wearing heavy plate armor, much like those around him. He wears a white cape with gold trim, and a helm to cover his face. You can`t hear him from where you are, but you can tell he`s shouting.

The Fire Walkers are fighting back, but have no real collective objective, other than kill the invaders. Red robed men have formed a mob surrounding the men as best they can, preventing the guards from advancing. They throw themselves at the circle, but are quickly cut down. Walkers farther back in the group cast bolts of fire towards the invading force, but white sheets block the attacks. The new comers have the firepower, but the Red Men have the numbers. You deduce that with your help, either side could win. Who do you help?

Claire: (Heart District, Prison Cell)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Standing in the cell, you can see only one guard on the outside with his back to you, guarding the door. Behind you, a voice answers your question.

"Well well well, lookie what we've got here brother of mine!" "I say brother, would you just look at that!"

Turning around, you see two men standing behind you, dressed exactly the same. They must be twins, based on how similar they look. They approach you, each with a sleazy smile on their faces. They remind you of snake oil salesmen, and con artists.

"And what might you be in for, deary?" The one without a mustache asks. "Petty theft? Larceny? Vandalism? Grand theft auto? Assault? Battery? Third degree murder? Public urination?" "More like public indecency, if you ask me brother." The one with the mustache chimes in, noting your lack of suitable clothing.

[MiscChaos]

Seeing the asylum looming over her causes her to have to stifle a shiver due to the bad memories she holds. Then a twisted, unstable smile breaks across her face. Maybe she should see this place torn to the ground for what they've done to her? Each and every doctor she can remember strung up on razor thin wire to slowly cut themselves apart with their own weight? Every patient that mocked her, everyone who believed she was delusional when she spoke of her past life, maybe she should like them suffocate? To gasp for air that isn't there, begging for her forgiveness in the silence they should've had in front of someone like her in the first place? She doesn't know yet, but the thought of doing any and all of those sends her smile straight into slasher territory, her face a mask of killing intend to anyone unfortunate enough to gaze upon it.

When she spots the guards and their heavy armor, her smile, if possible, gets even wider. If she was in her right mind, she may have tried to find quiet ways inside, conserve her energy for future battles. But she's psychopathic at the moment, so she pulls her curving knife out and creating a vacuum in front of her and a tailwind behind her to boost her already impressive speed. Once that's done, she dashes to the left of the leftmost guard, aiming to lob the top of his head off before he even knows what's going on. For the rightmost one, she sends a volley of razor winds for his face, aiming to cut it into as many pieces as she can. All the while, that slasher smile, the smile that drools bloodlust, still graces her face.

[Icaelus]

Rayn started to get a bit worried. Did the boy know that she had been bluffing and didn't actually want to kill him? Of course, her own cold front was pretty much much an act, but it was one damn well played. You had to have different ways to gain victory over your opponents if you weren't just going to kill them all.
The Earth Walker still stubbornly pushed on, dragging her leg even deeper in until it was fully submerged. Damn it. Did she really have to kill him?
"Hey, don't be stupid! You'll die, damn it!"
Rayn cursed, clutching at her buried leg, trying to excavate it from the floor without much effect. The earthen vice holding her leg suddenly loosened and let go and Rayn looked up from her efforts to dig out her leg in surprise. Seems like the guy had finally given up, instead turning to clawing at the water to try remove it. That wasn't going to work without Rayn's intervention, however.
The girl sighed in relief as she drew her muddy leg quickly out of the earth. That had been close. Luckily the boy hadn't been that stupid to continue trying to bury her. She slowly walked over, raising a hand and making a gesture to the sphere of water, which promptly swirled over to her leg and washed off all the mud. She made another flicking motion and the muddy water rushed back over to the gangster, binding his hands and legs as the water froze into ice.
Rayn stepped up to the the now-breathing Earth Walker and turned him around. The ice spikes were still lodged in his back. She pushed him over, onto his front and yanked the icicles out, melting them down into water and letting the water seep soothingly into his wounds. With a small gesture, the water froze up.
"That'll stop the bleeding.."
She muttered, turning the boy onto his back this time and beginning to search his pockets.
"Sorry about this. Can't live off nothing, y'know?"
She grinned at him from under her bandanna as she drew his coin purse out of his pocket and emptied it into her own in front of his very eyes. A little payment for the very cold first-aid, hehe.
"And yeah, I'm off. Keep outta the gangs, okay?"
Rayn roughly shoved the empty coin purse into the boy's mouth and ran out into the alley in the direction she had thrown her water canteen earlier, collecting it on her way. Best get out of this neighborhood..the rest of the gang were still probably hunting around for her. And she didn't exactly want to meet them.

[Zender_Solarheart]

Shelby's a tad confused by how the Flim-Flam brothers apparently think she'd pay off Mr. E's debt for him. She was really just going to cut a bit off of his bill so he wouldn't have to pay as much, but it seems she was misunderstood. Before she could even correct that, however, they're already heading out, one of them slipping her a note, and saying that...Jered sends his regards?

Wait...Jered?! Jered's alive?

Shelby can only gasp in shock, and stand there for a long moment, tuned out to reality altogether. Those two know Jered? How do they know him? How long have they known him? In fact, how has she not found her dear brother by now? A torrential vortex of thoughts and questions cloud her mind, preventing concise thought for a good 5 seconds or so...

Then, Shelby remembers the paper slip they left her. For a second, she's afraid to look at it, fearing it could be a last will and testament, or something of the sort. Soon enough, however, she musters the courage to pull the paper out of her pocket, and read it carefully, though her heart is pounding in her chest the whole time.

Anything Dax may have said to her between when Flim mentioned Jered, and when she's done reading the note, will not have been heard. The mere thought of Jered being within her ability to find has consumed the whole of her attention.

[TheDaughterOfHades14]

(You've used those characters before. Something brothers? Flim-flam?)

Claire blushes. "Uh. Hello sirs. How are you two doing this fine night? I hope you are doing well." she says as she begins to slowly back away. She swallows her saliva as she hits the back wall. "Uh, sirs, you two wouldn't happen to have any spare clothing would you? It's getting a little chilly." Claire says as she tries to cover up her chest.

[napsii]

A truly disgusting battlefield... if it can even be called such. thought Adele as she stalked through the dark halls of the club, all her senses on high alert.

Blood and magic was starting to mix with the outrageous scent of alcohol, sweat and drugs that had already wafted over the atmosphere and the noblewoman needed to stress herself to not cringe. Many grasslands, deserts and oceans in this land were residence to the sunken remains of great warriors and heroes, but this place -- evidently dirty and chaotic -- was more like a butcher's shop than the great, almost romantic battlefields of the ancient times. It was almost shameful to know that men were indeed falling by the minute here, sacrificing their lives for meager coin in the service of an evil man. As much as Adele wanted to ponder their motives for fighting(after all, the psychology of criminals was always a mystery to her) the procession of armored men and the patchwork army of Fire Walkers who opposed them demanded her attention.

They are not government soldiers. she recognized of the white-armored men immediately, seeing their emblem. It was astounding to see so many White Walkers in one place, much less militarized for the purpose of war. Bodies and gore already decorated the floor, but the men bearing the insignia of a Rising Sun possessed the obvious upper hand. Their arms seemed superior even to the city guards, and their discipline reminded her of Kveyni's own military. A private military of some variety? But not mercenaries. she thought, placing her water blade at the ready. The match that came to mind was a paladin order of sorts. Owing allegiance to no government, but rather their own virtues, Adele had heard of such groups who fought for their own motives, and not coin. Strange that they assault such a place, nonetheless.

I cannot be certain who they are, but the Fire Walkers are nevertheless my enemy. she considered internally as she stepped toward the rear lines of the mass of Fire Walkers, eyeing the white-clad man in heavy armor whom she guessed was the soldiers' leader.

Not wanting to brood, though, Adele thought that she might seize the element of surprise and so leapt forward into the Fire Walkers' ranks, brandishing her blade with grace and wondering if she were fighting to help the white-clad men, or just to sate the anger that she now felt for Krenko. Her water blade sliced through the neck of one unsuspecting Fire Walker like steel through paper, emphasizing the deadliness of her water blade. Before the fountain of blood could sully her clothes, she dashed further into their ranks, decapitating another Walker with a great flourish and spinning into a pirouette in where she removed three more heads, by now strafing the rear lines of the Fire Walkers so that she might disrupt their loose formation. Adele was quite the whirlwind, but her face remained impassive as she swung her blade left and right, catching most of her targets by surprise as it seemed the gleaming presence of the white-clad men would demand their attention more than merely one woman.

After cutting through an enormous swathe of the Fire Walkers with only her water blade being colored deep red to show for it, Adele at last flipped backwards into the distance, raising her sword in a swirling mass of water which she quickly slammed into the floor,a parchment-thin sheen of black ice erupting from the tip of the sword to crawl across the ground like a torrent of water across a coast, its slick, watery surface seeking the footholds of the many Fire Walkers and probably sending them tumbling to the ground below each other as the wave of ice slid beneath their boots, upsetting their balance.

At last, Adele pulled her water blade from the floor, the blood blended into the water separating and dripping to the floor like from the mouth of a fountain.

[Reaver]

"Back on the job, with more heads to collect. Life doesn't get better." Razajin couldn't be happier and nothing beats killing a contract except hunting them down. He takes a few steps into the market enjoying the smell and knowing this place might turn into a bloodbath at any time with him at the center. He stops at several stalls to get good vantage points and mark alleyways he could disappear through. Razajin stops at one stall in particular that he knows a lot of fire walkers shop at. He dropped his hands on the counter, almost smashing some of the merchandise. He gives the clerk a bloodthirsty grin while eyeing the person as if he was ready to burn the place down. "You wouldn't happen to know a fire walker friend of mine called James Veega would you? He's late for a very important meeting and I was hoping he passed your stall. Of course if you haven't seen him I wouldn't mind and definitely wouldn't follow you home, kill your whole family and slice your neck for wasting my time! Zero chance of that happening!" Razajin cracks his knuckles a few times making sure the clerk knows that he means business.

[daxtinator396]

DDax watched the proceedings in clear confusion as everyone quickly left but the case that bothered him the most was those shady brothers who seemed to really get to Shelby with whatever they had said. He wwalked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder gently as she looked clearly shaken,"Miss Shelby are you alright?" He said as she read the note that was supposedly placed in her pocket by the brothers as they left but he wouldn't read over her shoulder out of politeness and then waited a few moments for her look of numbness to pass before repeating his earlier query.

[jayjaycaps]

Hermes: (Heart District)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

As rocket towards the hapless guards with tremendous speed. Unfortunately for you, these guys aren't as defenseless as the Water Walkers you had cut up earlier. They see you in the nick of time, the left guard ducking to avoid your knife. This causes you to run straight into his shoulder, knocking the wind out of you. It doesn't hurt for long (The sheer force of the impact sends him stumbling back as well), but causes your second attack to weaken significantly. You manage to cut the right guards face, but no more than a few paper cuts.

Regaining their composure, the guards quickly look you over. "Hermes! The escaped patient!" Recognizing you, in both of their right hands materialize six foot long spears made of pure white energy. White Walkers. "Hermes, by order of Paragon Jason Agroma," There was that name again! "You are under arrest for the following charges: assault, battery, resisting arrest, assaulting a guard, attempted murder, murder of the sixth degree, resisting a government sanctioned holding, attempted escape from a government sanctioned holding, escaping a government sanctioned holding..." He continues to list all of the crimes you've committed so far in Riviana, while assuming a battle stance. They stand together, shields in front, spears ready. "Throw down your weapon, and place your hands behind your head. Come quietly, and we might not beat you too bad for what you did here earlier." The guard finishes with a cruel smile. Last chance to give up!

Rayn: (Back Alley District)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The Walker didn't resist while you bound his hands and legs, instead lying there like a limp rag, gasping and panting to regain his breath. He didn't protest when he was flipped over, instead wincing in pain as the shards of ice were removed. He also shivered as the water seeped into his wounds and was frozen, the ice making a temporary bandage.

He was flipped over again, this time so you could search his pockets. Having nearly regained his breath, he only starred straight up into the sky, no doubt thankful for his life. As you empty his wallet, you collect a decent sum of money (550). Looking down again at him, you find his eyes fixed on you. Although he says nothing, his eyes seem to say Thank you. You jam the purse into his mouth, and quickly flee the scene.

Picking up your canteen, you find it to be empty. Coming out of the alley way and into the more open street, to your right you hear the sounds of several male voices shouting, and several smacking sounds, most likely emitting from people being beaten. You could investigate, but you have no water, having wasted it all on bounding and healing the Earth Walker. You also feel the onset of Elemental Sickness set in: a headache has begun to form, and your eyes feel strained. Keeping them open feels uncomfortable.

Shelby: (Back Alley District, Old Diner)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Reading the note, it's written on old, very old paper. It also seems to have been written with a quill and ink. The writing is sloppy, smudged in a few places, but you can make out what it says.

To my dearest sister, Shelby,

1620 Backblood Row, 8:00 pm. No weapons.

Your loving brother, Jered

You recognize the street name, but not the address. It's somewhere around here, in the Back Alley District. Looking at the clock on the wall, it's far to early now.

Claire: (Heart District, Prison Cell)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

(Why yes, I have used them before. The Flimflam brothers!)

The twins smile their big, sleazy smiles. Something about them seems off, though you can't quite put your finger on it...

"Why we are doing absolutely marvelous this evening, my dear. Aren't we, brother?" "Absolutley, brother of mine. But something tells me you are not, eh, miss?" The mustache one elbows you jokingly in the rib, again noting your usual attire. "Extra clothing? I'm afraid we are all out my dear. But you know, we could get you some." "Maybe even get you out of this cell a little early." The two add nonchalantly, as if lending clothing and busting people out of prison is something they do every day. "We could do all that for you..." "For a price." The twins speak in unison, the air becoming tense and more sinister. Their smiles turn from sleazy to just plain scary. You also don't like the way they said "price"...

Adele: (Market District, Fire Walker Club)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

You cut through the Fire Walkers, as most of them have their backs to you. Those who do turn around promptly get their heads lobbed off.

Their battle quickly turns into a war on two fronts, one they are losing at an alarming rate. Those who turn to fight you either die by your hands or the attackers; those who fight the older enemy die by the newer one. Their inevitable defeat turns into an utter rout, most deciding it isn't worth it and running, scattering and disappearing somewhere in the back of the club. The slower ones trip on the ice you laid out on the ground, one of them landing at your feet. He looks up at you, rage in his eyes, as he prepares to barbecue your leg. A pure white spear is flung into his back before he can so much as toast your ankle.

As the literal smoke clears, it's obvious who won.The white guards still hold their ground, still ready to fight whatever's left of the decimated Fire Walkers. Their bodies lie all around, clogging up the otherwise beautifully designed entrance to the club. The circle parts in the middle to let the bigger man through. Under his helm he scans the scene, eventually resting his eyes on you. "Clear the bodies. Arrest the survivors."

His men immediately set about their task, grabbing two or three limp corpses as a time and dragging them out the front door. Meanwhile, the leader continues to stare at you for another five minutes, as if deciding what to do with you. Eventually he looks down, and you hear him sigh. "Lady Adelphia Kveyna?" He calls out to you, carefully picking his way across the bloody and icy floor. "I am Jason Agroma, Paragon of Riviana. I was told I would find you here." Now up close, you can see just how much bigger Jason is. He towers over you, his loud and deep voice commanding your attention. Just listening to him makes you want to bow, salute, or do whatever he says.

Razajin: (It's about damn time! Market District)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The attractive, busty brunette from behind the counter casts a disinterested sideways glance to you. "Yea, sure you would pal. Look, if you ain't buying, get the hell out." Well,that went well, didn't it? She turns her head back to her wares, faking a smile and showing a little too much cleavage, trying to help a rather excited male customer pick out the right necklace to buy. It seems not even your death threats are enough to pull this woman away from a sale!

[MiscChaos]

Hermes mentally curses as the wind is knocked out of her and she struggles to regain her breath while the guard goes on about the charges she's racked up. But the time they're done yammering, she's good to go, though she can't help a whistle.

"That's not a bad amount of crimes for one day of freedom. Don't think 'resisting holding', 'attempted escape from holding', and 'escape from holding' belong in the same crime sheet though. Just narrow it down to escape." she says, deranged smile still on her face. "A little insulted that you told me to surrender though." White walkers, Fire walkers, Earth walkers, an opponent's an opponent and she won't back down from any of them. She readies her knife and charges towards the unscathed guard. On watch for his spear, she runs right at his shield, planning to jump off of it, over the guard and cut the back of his neck deep enough to hit his spine and paralyze him. If the spear comes out before she's ready to jump the shield, she'll dodge to right and slip behind the shield to cut his neck deep enough to cause him to bleed out.

To keep the other guard busy, she creates an area of high pressure with him as the center and then increases the wind's gust speed. This does three things: 1) Makes it harder to move due to higher air pressure; 2) causes air to move away from him, making it harder to breathe; 3) create a small tornado due to the increased wind, though it's a weak one since she skipped steps to make it happen. That should make it a bit harder for him to interfere with her fight with the first guard.

[Reaver]

Razajin scowls as the shopkeeper seems completely unfazed by his threats. The city has changed a lot more than he had thought. As much as he wanted to tear her insides out and strangle her with them, killing too soon in the market might scare his contract off. However contracts come and go but reputation lives on. If word was to get out that some cunt working in the market stopped him from gathering information, he would never get a contract again. Making up his mind, Razajin slowly pulls out one of his daggers. Not caring who sees, he slides over the counter and presses his dagger against her back while his other hand grips her shoulder in a vice like hold. Razajin takes another step forward, letting the knife rip through the clothing and put pressure on her spine. He can almost feel her skin give way to his dagger but he holds back for now. "I want to know where James Veega is, you stupid shopkeeper. Clearly you don't know who I am but I get paid very well to kill people. I don't care if you live or not but you better tell me what I want to know. The things I could do to you right now would make you scream for mercy and by the time help came, you would be dead. So just save me the blood and time and tell me what you know before my blade gets very personal with you." He adjusts his hold on the handle and he feels a few warm drops of blood on his hand. "But you better think fast because my blade is starting to sink into your skin." He chuckles and tightens his hold on her shoulder, painfully squeezing her bone through his hand. To anyone else it would look like a man embracing a woman from behind... With a well placed dagger hidden by the high counters, jabbing into a lady's back.

[KnightVanilla]

Feeling his jar making sure it wasn't too damaged he looked at the thugs in front of him more pissed off than before. With the wind at his back, Garth charged the two other Thugs. Reaching them he hits them back and forth between. Not letting up till they they were fell down on the ground unable to move. Even going so far for any low blows or broken bones they could space. The speed of the swings would be increased with the wind helping him push his staff along the way he maneuvers it. Waiting for that one man in the distance to shoot the damn Ice ball already. Garth would easily leap over it with the wind pushing up and toward the thug that shot the ball. Ending the fight by landing straight on him and having the shaft shoot down on the guy.

[Zender_Solarheart]

The contents of the note give Shelby all sorts of bad feelings. Backblood row is in the Back Alley district, where the chances of being assaulted spike up exponentially, so why would Jered want to meet there? At night time, on top of that? Add how it told her to not bring any weapons, and the whole thing reeks of "trap." However, there's no guarantee that Jered won't be there...and after spending years in search of him, could she really pass up the chance to finally see him again?

...no, she can't. It might get her into trouble later, but for her dear brother, Shelby's willing to take the risk. Besides, it's not like she can't defend herself without a weapon; Jered taught her how to use her Walker powers as well as a sword, and knowing his skill with his own powers, she feels confident that she can take them. Still, it wouldn't hurt to have some insurance, in case it does go horribly wrong. Turning to Dax, Shelby asks something of him that she's not too sure he'll accept, but still feels the need to ask.

"I'm okay, Dax, for now...but at 8 o-clock tonight, I may or may not take a turn for the worse." Shelby shows him the note, letting him read it to understand what's going on. "I won't force you to come along...but if you're willing, could you hang back while I attend that meeting? Like I said, you don't have to...and I'd hate for you to be harmed on my account..." She can't help but look off to the side, nervous about what might transpire tonight in that "meeting." She also gets the feeling that Dax is going to decline anyway, but there's no harm in at least asking, right?

[daxtinator396]

Dax gives her a polite.nod as she talks and she seems to be alittle better at least. Something still bugged him about the whole thing though and he was going to get to the bottom of it that's for sure! He read the offered note quickly and froze at the sight of her brother's name in bold lettering upon the small slip of paper. It couldn't be! He looked up earnestly and heard her proposal and answered,"I'll go with you. If only so I can help you find your brother. I also don't want to be there alone at night with those shady brothers being involved somehow." He said with a distrusting frown.

[TheDaughterOfHades14]

Claire tries to move away from the two brothers. She rubs her rib a bit and keeps her eyes on the two. "Uh, no thanks sirs. I don't want to break any laws. I'll be fine here I guess. So, uh, if you two don't mind. I'll be doing my best to sleep now." she says. She walks over to the furthest corner from the two men and sits down. Claire covers her chest the best she can and closes her eyes, but every once in a while she slightly opens them to check on the two men.

[napsii]

Adele kept her blade in hand. The white-clad men, their intentions yet unknown, could still be a threat to her.

In this city, it is not clear who is friend or foe. she mused glumly. Kveyni was of the same character, in truth, but Rivana's populace was desperate. And in desperation, they turned to deception -- to betraying one's friends, and targeting the innocent. Her heart beat with sympathy for the men she had just slain, but she looked ahead with no regrets. Had she not weighed the battle in favor of the white-clad soldiers, their demise would have been certain. Her father would have not accepted such an excuse, but the circumstances demanded that she cast herself with this lot -- the lesser of evils, as it stood. She picked her way gracefully over the mounds of bodies, her face impassive and her weapon at her side. Blood had sprayed onto her slim overcoat, but as if guided by an invisible wind, it dripped from her to the floor until none remained.

Adele did not like cleaning blood. Its water content made it malleable with great effort, but it was an imprecise art and to her knowledge, had never been mastered by anybody. She was compelled to, however, seeing the helmeted man. It was tradition -- even superstition, perhaps -- to never approach another in conversation drenched in blood. Besides the obvious courtesy, it was supposed to bring about ill fortune from the spirits of the recently vanquished. In any case, she did not want to linger and so she approached the tall man with muted steps. She waved a hand and the ice dispelled, soaking into the beautifully-wrought floor. She paused a careful distance from him, ignoring the soldiers milling about her as a contest of patience began to drag on. Her racing heart slowed with deep breaths, and by the second he had deemed to speak, Adele had collected herself.

Jason Agroma. He considers himself an enforcer of the law in this city, I believe... she thought. The sorry state of the police in Rivana was something her parents had lingered on, and they had touched on the strength of extrajudicial justice. It wasn't entirely clear to her what Agroma's true mission was, but she decided to approach him in kind nonetheless.

"Yes, I am Adelphia Kveyna. I am sorry we could not meet under more amiable circumstances, Sir Agroma." she said. It was hard to be formal with so much blood and gore glazing the earth.

"Thank you for your assistance... although, I find it hard to relish in so many deaths." she remarked, deciding to let Jason unravel his own intentions before she made any assumptions.

[jayjaycaps]

Sentari: (Back Alley District, your brothel)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

You easily duck under the flaming right hook, and thrust at the Walker's abdomen. Your dagger hits his unprotected flesh, cutting deep into him. He cries out in pain, loosing control of the fire in his hands. The fire spreads up his arms to his shoulders as he moves away, hoping you'd hold onto the dagger. No such luck however, as you leave it stuck in him and fling ice shards at his face. Seeing this coming, he crosses his arms in front of his face, blocking the ice attack. The shards melt before they even touch him.

Blaire continues to claw and mangle the poor Fire Walker, who has now caught completely on fire. His hair, back and legs are ablaze with a fire he can't control or manipulate. It's rather ironic, really. Dying by fire, while being a Fire Walker. He continues to panic and flail about, screeching for his life. In his blind hysteria, he punches Blaire in the jaw from below, knocking her off balance. His legs wildly thrashing keeps her off balance even more, until she eventually falls off of him. She's still on fire, but now no longer has a meat shield. The other Walkers around her immediately converge on her, kicking her while she's down. They occasionally have to stop to beat out the fire on their pants, but it's a small price to pay for what she did to their comrade (who's still on fire, wailing behind them.).

Back with you and their leader, his sleeves have burned off, leaving him with a red vest and fire arms. And a dagger lodged in his side. He promptly pulls the blade out with a sickening shlick, wincing in pain. Holding the blade in his flaming hands, he melts the ice blade, turning it into water, then into steam. He looks back at you with determination, having discovered this won't be as easy a battle as he had thought. Setting himself in a defensive stance, he dares you to attack with with his stare.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Sentari: Healthy.
Blaire: Still on fire. Getting kicked while she's down.

Fire Walker Leader: Stabbed in abdomen. Arms are on fire.

Fire Walker Minion: On fire. Severely Mangled. Will die soon.
Fire Walker Minion: Healthy. Kicking Blaire.
Fire Walker Minion: Healthy. Kicking Blaire.
Fire Walker Minion: Healthy. Kicking Blaire.

Hermes: (Heart District)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

You run up the guard's shield, narrowly avoiding a swipe from his spear. You vault over him, and slash at his neck. His heavy under armor clothing protects him for the most part, but you still make a decent gash across the nape of his neck. Blood starts to pour out immediately, as he grunts in pain and stumbles forwards, wiping himself around, spear outstretched. It slashes across your stomach, cutting a line across your clothing a making you bleed. The wound isn't deep or terribly painful, but still.

Meanwhile, the other guard is preoccupied with the minor tornado you made. His armor is so heavy however, that it has a minimal effect on him, other thank making it hard to breath. Realizing what you are doing, he puts his shoulder down and charges you, spear tip ready to skewer you!

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Hermes: Cut across the stomach.

Asylum Guard: Gash across the back of his neck.
Asylum Guard: Charging Hermes.

Razajin: (Market District)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Without missing a beat, the woman sighs again. Casually, she calls off to the side. "Oh, James. Someone here to see you." From behind you, you hear three sets of heavy footsteps stopping behind you. You feel a hand on your shoulder, a very, very big hand, crushing your shoulder. "Is there a problem here?"

Garth: (Market District)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

You punch the two thugs furiously. Your punches are fairly weak however, and the two quickly block, then punch back. You fall onto the ground again, with the two looking down on you. Lifting a heavy boot over your face. "End of the line, pal." And with that, he brings the boot down on your head, knocking you out.

You wake a few hours later, face in a dirty puddle. You have several bruises all over your body, and you seem to be missing your wallet. A note has been written on the wall beside you in ice. Consider yourself lucky.

Shelby, Dax: (Back Alley District, Old Diner)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

You both have about two and a half hours to kill until the meeting. Outside, you hear several footsteps in unison, moving towards your location.

Claire: (Heart District, Prison Cell)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

The brothers raise an eyebrow at each other. "Really? You'd rather stay here? Claire, we wan't to help you." The twins sit down beside you, each putting an arm around your shoulders. Suddenly, your thoughts become cloudy, harder to focus on. Perhaps leaving wouldn't be so bad after all?

"And besides, who knows who else might get thrown in here with you. I know a lot more people might try to take advantage of your situation, Claire." The more you thought about it, the more it made sense. You nearly got raped before, and anyone else who ends up in this jail cell might try to rape you again. But something about the way they smile still puts you off, makes you feel uneasy...

Adele: (Market District, Fire Walker Club)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Jason let out a small grunt, noting the bodies around him. "Do not worry about these men. They will not be missed, and unfortunately, many others will fill their places. However, you are not the main reason I have come here. This is a rather large front for one of the local gang's drug smuggling ring. We came here, hoping to either capture the gang's leader, or at the least disrupt their business. It just so happened that you were here as well. Which reminds me..." Jason clears his throat, his voice becoming more monotone. "Lady Adelphia Kveyna, you are here by summoned to the Riviana Palace, by order of Her Majesty, Queen Elspeth or Riviana the Third." A summons? From the Queen? Finally, your back on track on your mission!

Kiku: (Back Alley District)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

You manage to make it to your friend's house without making a scene. From the other side of the door, you hear footsteps, followed by sever bolts and chains unlocking the door. It swings open a few inches, another three chains keeping it locked. An eyeball peers out from the door, looking to see who knocked.

"What, what what? We ain't buying! Who's there? I... Kiku!" Slamming the door shut, you hear the last chain unlock. It flies open fully this time, revealing your old friend on the other side of the door.



She wraps her arms around you, squeezing you in a big hug. "It's been too long, Kiku! How are you! Wait, what are you doing here? You didn't get stabbed again, did you?"