The Manipulative & the Subserviant

~Lesalia~

E"Hold on, Noct took a nasty hit, I should heal her."

*As Euryale moves closer to focus her Chakra, Roatha announces that he needs to get a few things ready, too. When he comes back, he has two swords & a couple of throwing weapons strapped to his belt.*

R"He's not getting away from me this time."
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"First rule of magicking: Pick a target & hit them HARD."

*Two blobs of green venom out of the sky, bludgeoning two of the Lionsguard knights. As they move forward, they're countered by the Southern Sky Knights. A third Southern Sky Knight teleports in behind Astarte.*

"If it isn't the mastermind himself."
========================================
~Dorter~

*"Eve" blushes & talks as she walks along.*

L"Judging from the sounds of things, you have a time-sensitive mission too. I think it's only prudent that we help each other. So I'm going to let you guys in on two secrets I've been keeping. One, my name is really Lilith Psyche. Two, I have concerns that the purpose of this seemingly random violence might actually be to mask an attack on Orbonne Monastary. There are...certain parties who would love to see the royal family lose its most capable heir."

Astarte took a step away from the Southern Sky Knight and looked him up and down.

Sab stopped walking and turned to Lilith, "How do you know what has happened? Who are you?"

"'Has happened'?" Iliad asked, "Are you saying Orbonne has already been raided?"

Sab cursed under her breath, "I shouldn't have said that, but now that you know you know why I'm in such a rush. I have to alert the Order."

--

"Thank you for the healing, Euryale," Noctis said.

Noct and Mortal took time to get things in order as well, "Right then," Mortal said, "Lets go get this villain."

Sorrel rubs his nose and sighs.

Reiter: <We should go.>

*The girls nod and they run off in the direction Roatha went, Parker waving to Sorrel as they take off.*

~Dorter~

L"It was just a suspicion, but apparently it's been confirmed...was it Lionel?"
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~Lesalia~

*One of the knights slips past, but is promptly struck down when the new Southern Sky Knight slashes the air & hits him with a lightning bolt. The other Southern Sky Knight similarly slashes the air & one of the black mages' chests is surrounded by darkness. The other Mage begins charging a spell & moves away while the knight in purple armor slips behind the Lionsguard knight & stabs him in the back, killing him. The ninja hurls a shuriken at him. Roatha, Euryale, Noctis, & Mortal enter behind lightning-sword & looks towards the Templar.*

R"...Father?!"

*Upon seeing them, the man in the back teleports several paces back. Seraph also moves back, gathering green energy.*

<That's right, boy. I told you I could control the remnants of the Brigade, if I so wished.>

S"Woo! Free-for-all!"
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*Roatha is nowhere to be seen. In fact, the entire main street is strangely empty.*

The battle is won!

Gil: 35,000
Sorrel: 400
Parker: 400
Reiter: 300
Rhea: 600

*They exchange apprehensive looks.*

Rhea: <What do we do now?>

Reiter: <I'd feel bad leaving in the middle of this mess...>

Parker: <But we don't know the parties here. Hell, if we were to inform ourselves, we might even find out we just helped the one we should've attacked.>

Reiter: <If we consider what we were told to do, we kinda did. Which means our side is picked, at least for now.>

*They proceed towards the palace, weapons drawn.*

Sorrel cuts them off, "My loyalty lies with the crown."

Astarte decided to act and fired an Umbra at the ninja while trying to keep up with what was being said.

"Perhaps, I am unsure," Sab admitted, "There was a tussle outside that I was not a part of, I cannot tell you who attacked. What I do know is that a man kidnapped the Princess, and made his way North through Dorter. When we came through he apparently left a trap for us. I broke from my party at the edge of the woods to the East so that I may warn the Order to what has happened."

Zac's eyes opened wide, "So not only has Orbonne been attacked, but the Princess has been kidnapped as well."

Sab blanched, "St-stop asking me questions, I'm not good at keeping secrets."

--

Noctis begins to Polka as Mortal rushes down a Knight to double slash him.

~Lesalia~

*Gustav parries the first slash, but is hit by the second. A spirit enters the ninja & his eyes become obscured by blackness.*

R"What are you even doing with Gustav? You always said the Brigade was just, but he betrayed you all! He even tried to kill me once!"

*One of the Southern Sky knights turns around.*

Ser Arelaz<Who fed you that fairy tale? Sounds like something Dycedarg would say.>

R"It's the truth, I'm certain of it!"

Ser Arelaz<There is no time to discuss this. You need to get out of the palace before more guards show up, & we need to locate the Queen.>

*He heads back towards Gustav as the Death Knight kills a Black Mage with a Sanguine Sword. Gustav retaliates by teleporting near Noctis & hitting her & Roatha with a Judgment Blade, which causes the latter to stop moving. Seraph just leans back against the wall, folds his arms, & watches.*
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~Dorter~

L"This is hardly the time to keep secrets. What ill intent do you suspect us of? Kidnapping the Princess? In any case, this building in front of us is a recruitment office, there should be a representative from the Order within who can speak with you."
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~Warjilis~

*A young man with blonde hair runs onto the harbor; a knight, an archer, & a squire hot on his tail. He runs up to the first person he sees, which is some dweeb who looks like a Red Mage.*

<Ser! You look like the mercenary type. Could I ask you to take the role of bodyguard for the next, say, 20 minutes?>

Astarte was confused and was now unsure of who to attack. She raised her hands again and fired an Umbra at Mortal.

Mortal disregards Astarte, though she makes a mental note to stab her, and rushes off to help Noctis, who herself, pranced away from Gustave before switching over to a Mincing Minuet.

Once Mortal was within range she doubled down with a Rend Weapon.

--

Sab shook her head, "I don't know what to suspect, I certainly didn't see Orbonne getting attacked, I have no idea who is trustworthy, you even suggested Lionel may be behind this, which is ludicrous, but how am I to know what is true? I can only go by what I know, and of that, I have already told you everything." Sab said before ducking into the building and recounting the information she was need required to.

Iliad looked at Lilith, "Why do you suspect Lionel in all of this? Why are you so against the church?"

*Clyde looks over at the man and then at the crew chasing him.*

Clyde: <Hmph.... looks like trouble. Maybe even more than I feel like taking care of today; I'd need to be paid a fairly high price. What's your offer?>

~Warjilis~

*The archer knocks an arrow as the boys file in front of her, on either side.*

<How about...five thousand Gil per head?>
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~Dorter~

L"What do they have to gain by protecting the Royals? Should Dukes Larg & Goltanna go to war & kill each other, the Atkashas are the last obstacle standing in their way of total control over Ivalice. And a two-year-old prince is ripe for indoctrination. A faithful, but strong-willed princess in early adulthood, less so."
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~Lesalia~

<Humph. You seem to have broken my sword. Very well. Argath, Seraph, Arelaz...I leave this to you.>

*He teleports out & Argath chases down & kills the other mage. The ninja tries slashing him across the back, but misses both times. So Roatha's father stabs & kills the Lionsguard knight headed for Seraph & Astarte. The other one succumbs to poison. While the third Lionsguard Knight turns to Mortal.*

Knight<Be you friend or foe?>

"Dad, what the Hell are you doing?! You just killed a Lionsguard!"

Arelaz<We came to slay the Queen. I should think her lackeys should not be beyond my reach.>

"Indoctrination," Iliad shook his head, "This all makes for a fanciful tale, but I have yet to see the truth in any of it."

"Try taking your hands from in front of your eyes then, you blind fool," Zac said, withdrawn from the conversation, arms folded, and leaning against the wall of the recruitment center.

Iliad tucked his hands in his pockets, "You're all beyond a lack of faith, you literally see faults and cracks in the Church where none exist. And for what? Because you don't believe in the gospel? Your lack of belief is not tantamount to proof of their corruption."

"No one is implying that but you," Zac said, "Now calm down, we're in public, you wouldn't want to slander our names. We're all church goers here."

--

Sab continues warning the Order about all the shit that has happened?

--

"We are here to protect Lesalia from these invaders," Mortal said, before chasing down Argath and attacking with two swings of Rend Speed.

Noct continues her Minuet.

*Clyde has a small smirk on his face which fades before it can be seen.*

Clyde: <In that case, stand aside. I've been waiting to test out my new gear, after all...>

*Clyde walks in front of the man and gets into a battle stance, his hat hiding the expression on his face.*

Clyde: <Dunno what this guy did you piss you all off, and quite frankly, I don't care. Just doing this for the money, so please don't take it personally.>

*Underneath his cloak, his right hand shuffles around for something.*

Astarte fired her Umbra at Noctis, hoping to bring her dance to a halt.

~Lesalia~

*The spell misses & Astarte is short on MP.*

Knight<All of you? Because your friend seems quite chummy with one of those knights.>

*Euryale, whom I'd literally forgotten about, punches the ground, a shockwave impacting Argath. He restores his health by putting that knight into critical with a Sanguine Sword & Ser Arelaz moves in behind him to attack him.*
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~Dorter~

*Sab is informed that the Order has already seen a Southern Sky patrol in the area, figured they were up to something, & is on the case.*

L"Yep. Every Sunday I drag myself out of bed to be told I'm going to Hell. It's a grand old time."
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~Warjilis~

*The knight stabs at him & the Squire moves toward him & slashes as the archer & the blond man start having a shootout. No, seriously, the blond man whips out a gun & fires at her.*

"Yes, all of us!" Mortal called out, slashing twice at Argath.

Noct continues dancing, like a boss, making a mental note to ask Mortal to stab Astarte sooner or later.

--

Zac smiled, "Agreed, I honestly can't think of a better way to spend my Sunday mornings than in service to a 'Saint' that advocated, and carried out genocide."

"You're taking things out of context," Iliad said, "And who are you to judge?"

Zac shook his head, "I dare say I'm within my right to judge. Ajora gives us the gem, 'Do not judge, so that you will not be judged', yet the church sure loves to brand people heretics. If that isn't judgemental, I don't know what is. It is by Ajora's word that I should be this way, open to determine what the Church is for myself, not by what it tells me it is," Zac explained, "Or should I listen to the church over Ajora... who tells me to listen to Ajora anyway."

--

Sab thanked the knight, and left the building, "They are already sending a unit out to investigate."

*Clyde sidesteps the stab, which in turn also avoids the squire's slash, and unsheathes his sword in one quick motion, attempting to slash the knight across horizontally.*

~Lesalia~

*The ninja attempts to take down Argath, but he finishes him off with a Sanguine Sword as Ser Arelaz kills the last Lionsguard Knight. Euryale uses Chakra on Roatha & the stop finally wears off. In an unrelated note, at the back of the room, one of the Mages' bodies emits a pure light that turns into a blue crystal.*

Argath<There. Now the fight is a bit more...organized. And I can finish off all of this filth.>

Arelaz<Wait, Argath. Let us try reason first.>

Argath<Why not? No harm in enjoying the folly of others.>

Arelaz<You must realize, the Parliamant of Nobles, corrupt though they surely are, chose Goltanna over Larg for a reason. The Queen imprisoned a great number of political opponents during the 50 Years War & the Brigade Rebellion. Additionally, we have strong reason to suspect she killed her husband with mossfungus poisoning.>

E"And that's why you side with Goltanna?"

Arelaz<The uniforms are a ruse. Goltanna is little more fit to rule. We seek to take the bite out of both lions.>
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~Dorter~

"Is that actually what they said? Because I heard, 'we are already investigating.' And that makes no sense. If they had already suspected an abduction plot, why did they make no move to secure Orbonne? Also, the Southern Sky has nothing to do with this, there are no other patrols this far towards Eagrose."
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~Warjilis~

*He actually is hit with the slash, but he manages to hit the knight. The knight then slashes at his arm & the squire gives the knight a potion. Mustadio dodges another arrow & fires again, critically wounding the archer.*

The crystal caught Astarte's eye and she began quietly making her way across the room towards it.

Reiter: <You might wanna step aside.>

Parker: <I think you missed the part where we just decided we weren't against the crown?>

Reiter: <But if you're interested in convincing us to proceed with our revenge, we'll be more than glad to take you down.>

*Reiter steps back and adopts a battle stance.*

Mortal is distracted by the shiny crystal and makes a bee line for it.

"You mean to start a war! And why, because you see the queen as unfit? Surely there is a better way than this, and the lives it will cost!" Noctis shouted.

--

"Perhaps the group is impersonating those of the Southern Sky to implicate Goltanna," Zac suggested.

Iliad shook his head, "You really do see everything as part of a circuitous plan to incite war, don't you?"

"I'll take my world view over yours," Zac replied.

"Regardless of any of your world views, I should return to my party, I have to help."