The Manipulative & the Subserviant

~Lesalia~

Arelaz<Larg plans to make war anyway, & Goltanna won't back down. But if their claims to the throne are removed, then the only paths left to the throne are treason & Ovelia.>

E"And what then? Do you mean to kill her as well?"

Arelaz<Frankly, that is up to her. But it ought not come to that. She's been prepared well by the church.>

Argath<You speak overmuch!>
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~Dorter~

L"It wasn't the Southern Sky. Of that you can be certain. In fact, I'll prove it. We can go with the mage back to her party. We've obviously lost Folmarv anyway."

OOC: As a heads up, I'm making stat adjustments after the Lesalia Assassination Incident is over.

"What do you mean? What hand does the church have in this?" Mortal asked as she grabbed the crystal.

--

"Folmarv, what business did you have with the head of the Templars?" Sab asked.

Zac smiled, "Nothing terribly important, come now, we should be off. You're in a rush aren't you."

"Right, come, they were by the going through the woods last I was with them."

Sorrel sheaths his sword and steps aside.

*Clyde parries his slash with his own sword, and then backs up and casts Haste on himself.*

*They proceed towards the palace.*

~Warjilis~

*Since he does not have parry, that does not work, but he does manage to successfully cast haste on himself as the blond man shoots the Squire in the back.*
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~Lesalia~

*When they reach the castle gates, they find the guards have been killed by sword wounds.*
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Arelaz<They have a right to know, Argath. The Church--GHLGH.>

*He's cut off in part by that noise he just made, but the noise itself is caused when Argath stabs him in the back. Literally.*

Argath<Common swine do not have the right to anything, & neither do those who consort with them.>

Arelaz<Argath?! Why would you-->

Argath<If you mean to ask why you've been betrayed, I wouldn't bother. Louveria isn't here because she was instructed not to be. There is no plan to avert the Lion War, & there never was.>

*On a lighter note, Mortal gets the choice of every equipment that mage had, every ability that mage had, OR fully restored HP/MP.*
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~Zeirechele Falls~

L"Hold. There's blood running through the river."

*Lilith runs up the hill, takes a look around, & turns back.*

L"Northern Sky Knights. About half a dozen of them, all slain. And near where I stand, the impressions of several knights' boots...and a noblewoman's shoe. I think the Princess has been through here."

*Clyde casts Slow on the knight and follows up by going for another slash with his sword.*

Noct's eyes opened wide, "By Ajora, you're the lowest of the low!" She called to Argath, "Swine should be taken by slaughter, not doling it out!" All this while dancing her Minuet.

Mortal takes the mage's equipment, then goes off to return to the fight.

--

"It seems we were late," Zac said.

"This is horrible, we've missed them, and the Order here has been killed!" Sab exclaimed.

"Calm a little, Lady Sab, and look on the bright side," Zac said, "If the Princess has made tracks she is still alive, and the bodies are all Northern Sky Knights; your party may still live yet."

Sab did calm at that, "You're right."

"I like to think so sometimes," Zac replied with a small smile.

"Right..." Sab let out a small sigh, "What should we do now? Lady Psyche, can you tell where they have gone?"

Sorrel is dead quiet.

"Great."

*The three follow the guy as they really have no other choice.*

~Lesalia~

*Ser Arelaz turns, trying to get a slice in on Argath. Unfortunately, Argath shield-blocks it & runs him through once more. It's about this time when the Stop finally wears off.*

R"You...you...."

*Argath grins.*

Argath<Is this the part where you extoll to me the benefits of nonviolence?>

R"No, this is the part where I fucking kill you!"

*Roatha charges Argath, who blocks the first strike, then gets a sword to the face. He follows up by hitting Roatha with a Sanguine Sword & spinning on his heel to move behind Mortal's back. This is also about the time Taiyo's group files in & notices the knight they've been following is dead.*

Argath<Good, the reinforcements are here! Kill them all!>

Mage's Equipment:

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~Zeirechele~

"I cannot say. The tracks are too confused."
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~Warjilis~

*Mostly out of convenience, he succeeds & the other man kills the Squire.*

The battle is won!

Gil: 4000
JP: 500

*Rhea checks their vitals before they step inside.*

Mimiru:<Reinforcements? Are you our new employer?>

"I knew we were right not to trust the guy. Can't even live long enough to get us out of here. This is the worst job we've taken on since that Behemoth hunt."

Mimiru:<Shut up.>

"And this guy is probably worse."

*Clyde sheaths his sword and turns to the man.*

Clyde: <Now I'm somewhat curious. What did you do to piss them off?>

~Lesalia~

*Rhea's group also arrives on the scene.*

Argath<This is not a difficult matter. When someone of rank tells you to do something, you do it. The task you were hired for was to kill those who stand in the way of the Southern Sky. Everyone in this room is standing in my way, so kill them all.>
==================================
~Warjilis~

*The man pays him.*

<They were thugs hired by the Baert Trading Company. I disrupted one of his paralegal fringe businesses. That is all I am willing to disclose, I'm afraid.>

OOC: The Baert Trading Company is the chief trading business in Lionel. They also have an unproven reputation for opium trade, human trafficking, assassinations, & other mafia activities.

"Who is this maniac?"

OOC: A quick wiki check will tell you the guy is affiliated with the Order of the Northern Sky.

"And is that group at all affiliated with our ex-employer and his regiment of commoners?"

Mimiru:<What the hell are you doing?>

"If you want to continue playing mercenary, we're going to have to change our policy a bit to avoid getting shafted."

Mimiru:<And what policy is that?>

"Cash up front."

While Argath is busy arguing with some random group of people, Mortal turns, and slashes at him twice, while Noct continues her dance.

--

"That is... not good news," Sab said.

Zac put a hand on her shoulder, "Come now, I'm sure it isn't too bad. As I said before, the Princess is still alive, and by the looks of it, your party too. Lets assume that your party was successful here, where would they go?"

"I don't know, I imagine south, to Lionel, and the church," Sab said, "If nothing else, I should make way for Lionel if only to recount what I know to the Church."

Reiter: <It's that guy, Argath!>

Parker: <What guy?>

Reiter: <He's the one who killed that girl!>

*Reiter runs up to Argath and slashes at him as well.*

Clyde: <I see... well, none of my business. With this contract done, I no longer have any reason to be in your presence. C'ya.>

*Clyde turns around and continues walking in the direction he was going in.*

~Lesalia~

<That is Argath Thadalfus to you. Just because your name holds no import, does not mean--

"Your name could be Susan, for all it matters. You're still a dead man!"

<Such base mannerisms. Now, as I was saying...Affeliated with commoners?>

*Argath spits. Roatha pushes Reiter aside, attacking Argath again, but Argath blocks.*

<Don't try to put me on your level. You can't even begin to match a noble lest you've outnumbered him at least 4 to 1. Still, I shall withdraw for now.>

*Argath teleports out. Trying frantically to hit him before he leaves, Roatha nearly slices Mortal's stomach.*
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~Zeirechele~

"That doesn't make sense. Why would your party go to Lionel, unless they were pursuing the kidnapper? What good could the church possibly do for them in that situation?"
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~Warjilis~

*Mustadio heads off in the opposite direction. As Clyde is walking, an elderly knight in black-gold armor with a face visor walks up to him.*

<That was an impressive display, but a bit the work of an amateur, if you don't mind my saying. Mayhap you wish to enter the big leagues of sellswordsmanship?>

Clyde: <That would depend on how much the pay is.>

*Azuma looks at the knights corpse.*

"Think he has anything of value on him?"

Taiyo:<You're not robbing him!>

"Why not? He's dead."

Taiyo:<That's why! It's incredibly mean and I'd hate you forever.>

[I'm sure she's exaggerating.]

"Fine."

"People like him remind me why I hate my fellow nobles."

Mortal dodges backwards, "Damn, he is gone..."

Noctis stopped dancing, "The queen is still in danger, our work here is not over."

--

"If the Norther Sky is dead here, then it could be that it was my party who fought them, so they wouldn't have gone west, and you said the Southern Sky wouldn't be out this far, but with them being seen around, whether real or not, it may cause them to be wary of Goltanna's men. That leaves the capitol, and the church. As a ward of the Church, on this mission by their order, I have a duty to report back to them what has happened. There is a chance they may have gone south, but regardless of that, I must make my way to Lionel as well for practical reasons." Sab explained.