Magic In The Air

*Ari runs to the middle of the hall and curls up on the floor, hoping th guard will trip on him*

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Kelphy: <Unce, a wizard called Seraph peed on one of the rugs and destroyed one of the library's walls.>

*She bows lightly*

"Wanna end up like your buddy?"

*Samuel taunts the guard before taking another slash*

*The 3rd centurion stops in the middle of the car, looking at him quizzically.*

<Forget the kid! Just back me up!>

*The combined attacks knock the Centurion to the ground.*
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Arthur<...Oh no.>

*An explosion causes the whole castle to shake.*

Arthur<Where is he? Does anyone else know about this? If he's left unchecked...well, I don't like to think about that.>

Kelphy: <I think a knight got a hold of him, but he doesn't seem to be exactly easy to handle... I last saw him at the library.>

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*He swings at one of them*

The hand against his chest made Malus grunt, and his own hand slipped out, holding a card. Within an instant, he was shouting a word. "Laetus!" A bright white fireball popped into existence, just before the knight's eyes, and Malus swiped the card across the knight's face; though it looked normal, the edges were lined with metal, sharpened just enough to leave a nasty cut.

*Surprised, the one he tried to trip ends up actually tripping. He falls on his own sword, which rams through his throat, causing him to accidently kill himself. The last centurion drops his weaposn & raises his hand.*

<Just because I'm a mook, it doesn't mean I don't have a sense of pattern recognition! I surrender!>
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*As the one knight steps back, the other takes his place, grabbing the card with an armored hand, & also aiming a punch at Malus's face.*

OOC: Such a terrible way to go...

"All right, but you can't stay here."

*Samuel moves to the surrendered centurion and drags him to throw him out the car.*

Ari: <Yes!>

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Kelphy: <"To be forgotten is worse than death...">

Malus snapped his head backwards, like a snake, and hooked his leg around the knight's ankle. With a savage tug, he did his best to yank the limb off the ground; if it worked, he'd be ready to floor the knight. If it didn't...he still had a knife.

*As the knight lands on the floor, the other one watches, a hand on his sword.*
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*When they get to the library, they find the knight still there, but most of the library burned & the wizard nowhere to be found.*

Arthur<When you said, 'knight,' I didn't think you were talking about Dagonet....>

*Dagonet salutes.*

Dagonet<My Lord, I fear Seraph teleported out of the castle as soon as he had set fire to most of the library. I tried to slay him, but I believe he's even more powerful than he was when he was a Knight.>
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*Lilith & Thiera take one of the seats on the sides of the cart.*

L"Okay, we should be in Rome in a few hours. Then we can find out what that Senthose guy is planning. But we have to keep a low profile, got it?"

*Samuel throws the Centurion out the cart and takes a seat across from them*

"Again, an area of expertise for me. We can slip around Rome, no problem."

Kelphy: <Oh no...! I could've helped stop the fire... Uncle, who is this Seraph person?>

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*Ari sits on the floor, legs and arms crossed, leaning against the wall, his hood pulled down over his face*

"Low profile seems to be your specialty. What, are you planning to assassinate the Emperor or something?" A man stood in the doorway between the cars, grinning at the individuals.

His eyes shone with amusement and his hair was a wild mess of tangled red. On one hand he spun a golden bracelet on his finger and the other he had against the wall. He was wearing a red toga with golden embroidery.

*Lilith stands up, drawing her katana.*

"Our mission is no business of yours!"
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*Arthur proceeds to tell her what's on Seraph's sign-up form.*

"Oh, there's a mission! And considering your outfits...Arthur? So you /are/ trying to kill the Emperor! Wow what a group. Maybe he's going senile." His grin spread, somehow, wider. But he seemed unbothered by the threat of violence.

"Unless there's something else interesting to do in Rome. I can only wonder. Oh, wait, no, I can ask. What else is there to do in Rome? Going to put graffiti on the walls to the tune of 'Camelot Rules'? You seem qualified for that much."

Malus drew his own knife, staring at the knight, and cocking his head. "You know...this is a pretty crowded place. And people know me here, even if they wish they didn't." He gestured towards the remaining knight, his voice all smooth lies and warm, calming confidence. "You know, if this guy kills me, none of you will ever see a penny of what I owe you. It'd be a good idea to protect your investment, now wouldn't it?"

"Even if any of that nonsense were true, no one in here would be stupid enough to attack Round Table Knights. Well...almost no one."

*The next thing Malus knows, he's been hurled through the window.*
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L"And what of you? Do you mean to say that you're going to Rome to assassinate the emperor?"

Kelphy: <I see... Uncle, do you intend to chase him?>

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*Ari gets up and freaking walks to other side of the car, cause he thinks the guy smells fishy. Literally.*

"Nah I was going to have sex with a consul's wife and frame the other one. Then maybe kill her and a third man intertwined in a bed to implicate further unfaithfulness." He seemed fairly nonchalant, sitting down in the seat closest to the door.

"There actually are plenty of fun things to do in Rome. I just meant fun for /you/. So lessee... you came from Denmark. But clearly Knights from Camelot. So you're on some bizarre quest to recover the cutlery of truth or something. Or slay the Deer of Destiny. Though Denmark to Rome's a big jump, so I have a feeling... hm. Perhaps you missed the mark a little. Usually you people head back home when you're done. So something went wrong. Or something new came up." He leaned back, tilting his head a little.

"Am I close? Come on, tell me I'm close."

Ari: <...T-to getting killed, perhaps.>

*Samuel smiles at the kid's comment.*

"Easy, tiger."

*He turns to the stranger*

"Come on now, can't expect us to be so friendly to a stranger can you?"

T"What are we going to do?"

L"...I guess there's no harm in telling him. We are pursuing a rogue knight named Senthose. Do you know of him?"

"Of him maybe. Name isn't completely foreign to me. Rogue Knights I have heard about. Arthur having problems keeping his people together eh? Sounds like there's no fun for me to have in Camelot then. Funner to make problems when everything's peachy. Mostly."

The man looked at Samuel then clapped cheerfully. "Right! I haven't named myself yet. Hm. I suppose you can call me...Degoth! Yes. I think that sounds good. Degoth Kaotika. I like it. Yes, call me that." His mouth split into another grin, his eyes flashing with mirth.

*Ari coughs and stares at the ceiling*

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Kelphy: <"Oh to be forgotten! Sir Fratley, where art thee, prithee?>

Arthur<Unfortunately, there's no way to know where he fled to, unless he makes himself known. But what's this?>

*He stoops down.*

Arthur<It seems there's a 4th set of footprints in the dust.>

Dagonet<I had been pursuing a petty thief when Seraph attacked. He claimed he was "with her" & Miss Kelphy did not object?>

*Arthur facepalms.*
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L"That's good to know. I think."

*The cars stop in a similar station, but in a very different environment. They're in a city atop a hill. The buildings are circular with domed ceilings supported by columns. Lower in the city is a gridwork of square stone buildings. Cobblestone roads lead to the major locations & a large wall separates the city from the outside world. They came through one of the few gates in this wall.*

L"We're in luck. This is a train for royalty & ambassadors, so the guards wouldn't dare question us, as long as we don't do anything too suspicious."