The Manipulative & the Subserviant

OOC: That is the correct assumption. I can't ragequit this because I more or less knew what I was getting into when I joined.

"Putting the pressure on me to look into the church... I feel like my business is going to crash and burn" Sorrel sighs and says outloud to no one in particular.

*Both of them sprint after the male thief.*

Noctis shrugged, "I'm just along for the ride," She said, "You lead the way."

Mortal nodded, "Agreed, I don't have anything to do in Dorter."

--

Zac, Sab and Iliad follow after him, in that order.

~Balias Tor~

*And so they go south. When they reach Balias Tor, they see a female thief, a male archer, & a male summoner on the other side. All are wearing green. Another male archer is standing on the mountain range in the center of the river.*

Thief<Ser Baert is dead?! Are you sure?>

Summoner<Aye. He was probably felled by that boy & his stone.>

Thief<This is...who will pay our wages now?>

*One of the archers turns to notice the group that just walked up.*

Archer<Looks like we have ourselves a few volunteers!>
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~Warjilis~

*The thief, being faster than either of them, slips into an alleyway & keeps running.*
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~Eagrose~

*Of course, his peeps are gone, since he already ordered them back to Lesalia. Dycedarg mentioned that it would probably be easier to remain secretive if he went alone.*
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~Lionel Castle~

*At the top of the audience chamber, the cardinal's dead body is lying out on a table. Another old man in a red robe is looking it over. He's balding & has a white goatee.*

<The surrogate plot will have to be enacted sooner than expected.>

*He looks up when everyone barges into the castle.*

<And we have more invaders. Heheh. Maybe there really ARE heretics trying to destroy the church.>

"We're not trying to destroy anything," Zac said, "We just want answers."

--

Noctis lets out a sigh, "A roving band of thieves... how cliche," She moaned, "Look you fools, do you not see the scary looking, battle scarred woman with two swords? What makes you think we're easy targets?"

~Balias Tor~

Archer<We have the high ground.>

Thief<Besides, hard or easy, it's worth it. I can tell by the looks of you, you're a Lesalian noble. Once we win this fight, we'll have all of the money we'll ever need! Ludovich can rot!>
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~Lionel Castle~

<Answers? You seek answers with guns, swords, & daggers?>

L"He has a point there."

R"Yes, I do! So tell me where Gustav's company is, or I'll force it out of you!"

<Gustav? He died years ago. Wiegraf killed him. Don't you listen to the news postings at the bar, boy?>

R"Lie to me at your own peril."

"Let me know how the high ground suits you when I dance you to death," Noct said, going straight into a Polka.

Mortal just now realized she was called 'scary looking', but decides that there are perhaps bigger issues than Noctis being slightly insulting, as she is wont to do. Mortal begins to chase down the thief in an attempt to cut her into three pieces.

--

"Perhaps he is telling the truth," Sab suggested.

~Balias Tor~

*Euryale grabs Mortal by the shoulder.*

E"See the river? We should try to find a better way across. Otherwise, it'll slow us down, & hinder attacking. Actually...one of us should really stay here, to protect Noct."

*Not giving a fuck about any of this, the thief jumps into the water while the one archer shoots at her, & the other fires at Noctis.*
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~Lionel Castle~

<Yes. Perhaps you are unwell.>

R"Don't listen to him! He's just trying to get out of this by turning us against each other!"

L"You're the only one trying to start a fight, Roatha."

R"Damn it, not you too!"

<Roatha, is it? I see...that explains much. What happened in Lesalia was such a tragedy. But that was the Southern Sky. Well...a rogue branch of the Sky, I am sure. No fault of the church's, & certainly not of that a dead man.>

R"You should stop speaking before you say something you'll regret."

"You go, I'll stay here with Noct," She said, taking any excuse to not have to go into deep water.

--

"How can we trust you?" Zac asked, "It would not be the first time the Church has lied to us. I'm more inclined to believe Roatha, angry as he may be, over you. Even on our way over to this place we were attacked by your dogs."

~Lionel Castle~

R"Finally! Someone gets it!"

<Well. The faithful are sometimes hard to control. As we're seeing here. Alright, it cannot be avoided. Why not tell you? You'll be able to spread the news to no one when you're in the other world. Gustav is at Nelveska Temple, looking into lost technology on the church's behalf. Weapons to use in the upcoming war.>
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~Balias Tor~

*Euryale nods.*

E"I'll go that way. I can take out the archer on my way."

*After she says that, she jumps into the shallower end of the river & starts wading to the hill. Seeing a bronze-skinned Amazon wading towards him, the archer about shits a brick, firing off another arrow at Noct & running downhill.*

Sab looks horrified, "So, it is true!? But, but why!?" She was a bit panicked, "This goes against the very teaching of the Church! Our Gospel isn't one of war for self gain!"

--

Noctis is not amused with arrows being shot at her, and switches over to Mincing Minuet.

Mortal just kind of waits there for the thief to come ashore.

~Balias Tor~

*She does not. Instead, she stops in the water, several feet away from Mortal, gesturing to her shirt.*

<Aw, man, now it's wet! Look, you can see everything there! I must look really stupid right now.>

*Meanwhile, Euryale starts climbing that hill.*

OOC: I think I'll stick with this interpretation of how Steal Heart works.
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~Lionel Castle~

<The Glabados Church is nothing but century after century of lies. Perhaps you've heard of Ajora's Holy Stones?>

*He reaches into his robes & produces a fist-sized green gem.*

<Oh, they have great power all right...but it isn't godly.>

"I would have much rather gone to defend the city than strain ties with my second best client" Sorrel sighs deeply.

*They still run after him regardless.*

Mortal just kind of fidgets a bit, looking more at Euryale than the random thief.

Noct is too busy with her Minuet to notice either.

--

"What are you talking about?!" Sab asked as she began to question the very foundations upon which she built her life.

~Balias Tor~

*The thief puts on a sly smile.*

<Say...you. The pretty one, with the white hair. Why are we fighting, anyway?>

*Euryale gets into a punching match with the archer. He loses very quickly.*

~3~
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~Eagrose~

*No one answers him as there's no one TO answer him.*
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~Warjilis~

*And he, in turn, runs into the tavern.*
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~Lionel Castle~

<Actions speak louder than words, yes?>

*In blatant defiance of what I said earlier, the stone is blue, & flashes blue. Several pained-looking specters then enter the stone &, in a bright explosion, the man is consumed & emerges as a monster with the stance of a minotaur, 2 behemoth-like horns emerging from its shoulders, limbs like Coeurls but thick & powerful, & a face like a bird mask made of metal, with a mane of feathers stretching down its back, culminating in a tail with flames on the end. Fire also extends from its wrists & ankles. Its eyes appear to be just empty pits of blackness. It is, however, covered with realistic eye markings.*

Cherub, the Eyes of Flame<Feel no need to hide your horror. Should the mood strike you, cry, scream, or beg. In fact, I encourage it! I've not been in my body for a thousand years, & it would please me greatly to be serenaded once more.>

OOC: Yeah, Cherubs don't give me much to work with regarding a title, but I'm pretty sure that's the Lucavi's name.

Sab goes right to serenading the fucker as she lets out a horrified shriek. Iliad tries his best to calm her, down, but she is still just kind of standing there, shaking, "What ARE you?!" She asked horrified.

Zac had already drew his pistol, "Nothing good, that much is certain," He backed up slightly, "Ready yourselves, I feel the time for talking has come to an end."

--

"Because you want our money?" Mortal answered, "Are you going to come out of the river, or will I have to go in after you?"

~Lionel Castle~

<Not quite, but for you, that hour comes soon. My formal title is Cherub, the Eye of Flame.>

R"I see...so that monster that revived the Corspse Brigade at the Sand Rat's Cellar...that was Gustav wasn't he? That's how he's still alive?"

<Aye, the one you call Gustav has joined the ranks of the Lucavi.>

L"Lucavi? The demon group is real?!"

<Oh ye of little faith. How about you tell me just how real you think we are after a little taste of Hell.>

*He opens his beak wide & an eerie shroud covers her & Roatha. Lilith slumps as she falls into a deep sleep, & a dark spirit of some kind is lingering around Roatha.*
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~Balias Tor~

*She giggles.*

<How about you come in after me? Maybe we can have a little wrestling match.>

*Meanwhile, Euryale is being shot by the other archer as she jumps into the river & starts swimming to the other side.*

*Reiter strikes Azuma again, and Parker slashes at Mimiru with a chance to blind her. Rhea uses a Potion on whomever has the least HP.*

"Well I guess I better move out. Wonder if Duke Larg will let me borrow one of his horses?"

*Azuma attacks with a Sleep Sword that doesn't actually put anyone to sleep. Taiyo continues with the dance.*

Mortal furrowed her eyebrows, and mumbled something about hating water before making her way over there, "Listen, if you don't want to fight then just leave."

--

Sab casts haste on herself and Iliad, who lobs a fire bomb at Cherub.

Zac shoots a barrage at it.

~Grogh~

*Reiter is like, almost dead again. And the sun is beginning to set. Again. With exhaustion beginning to set in, attacks begin to miss more often, & moves are generally more sluggish.*
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~Balias Tor~

*She swims to the side, edging away from Mortal, but staying out of the deep water.*

<Oh, I don't want to fight, but I still want the Gil. That's why you're going to do the fighting for me. Pretty please? <3>

~2~
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~Lionel Castle~

*Cherub tanks every attack with no apparent wounds or lull in motion as it descends the staircase. Roatha also hits it with a Fire Bomb. Part way down, it stops & points a finger at Iliad, shaking with rage & pure black magickal energy into its finger. Lilith falls over, curling to use her hands as a pillow, but grimacing in her slumber.*

~2~
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~Eagrose~

*He is still alone, & horses don't exist anyway.*

*They both barge in after him.*

"Against Euryale and Noctis? Are you out of your mind?!" Mortal replied, frowning as she scurried away into deeper water. With obvious apprehension, Mortal begins to wade into the river after the thief.

Noct is still dancing.

--

Iliad launches another fire bomb at him, and Zac goes for an Arm Shot to stop Cherub from doing whatever it was doing. Sab begins to chant for a Graviga.