The Valiant

~Warjilis~

Knight<Right now.>

*He slashes at Clyde. The other one holds out a hand, & rocks emerge from the ground to pelt James.*
==================================
~Yuguewood~

*Magic clouds strike the Samurai, the Knight, & the Geomancer. The former 2 are poisoned, while the latter turns into a frog. In addition, the Knight gets big doe eyes & turns to charge at the Samurai. A giant emerges from the ground & rams its fist into the ground near Mortal. The undulating rocks injure Mortal & Euryale. Mortal is in critical condition before Euryale moves over to her & uses Chakra. After being attacked twice & hit with a chunk of ice, the Samurai gives a retaliating slash. Meanwhile, a shuriken appears out of thin air & launches itself at Noctis.*
=========================================
~Zeltennia~

Delita<That is as it should be. You may call me Ser Delita. As you can see, I am the new leader of the Blackram Knights, and vassal to Duke Goltanna.>
=========================================
~Dugeura Pass~

Orlandeu<I scarce think I've heard a story I believed less.>

Knight<When someone weaves such ridiculous fables, it usually means they're guilty.>

Orlandeu<Do you think so? I've heard that those who plan deception usually put more thought into it.>

"Nobles and circuitous plots, it really never fails..." Zac shook his head, "I feel used... I played the part of an assassin in a political play for power."

--

Noct furrowed her brow and kept on dancing.

"Thank you, Euryale," Mortal said as she attacked the Samurai again.

Iliad smiled and went after the summoner, throwing a fire bomb at him.

Sab, began to charge a graviga on the knight.

*Clyde dodges it and moves back, then casts Slow on the knight. James attempts to maneuver around the rocks and make his way to the other knight.*

~Zeltennia~

Delita<I am not a noble.>

L"Then how are you a Holy Knight?"

Delita<You don't need to know that. You just need to know the purpose of your transferrance. The "Evil Eye" should have been disbanded by now, yet it is not. Since you helped start it, I thought it fitting that you see to its demise.>
========================================
~Warjilis~

*Clyde is indeed slashed across the chest. With the knight's movements slowed down, he's not able to pursue him. The other knight stabs at James when he gets close.*
========================================
~Yuguewood~

*The summoner is too far away and only continues to move back, charging a spell. The Dragoon crosses over to him & jabs at him with her spear. The Samurai, critically wounded, uses a Muramasa, attacking them with ghosts. He is then stabbed in the neck & killed by the Knight. The Summoner way in the back casts Haste on herself. Noctis is attacked again, this time by two invisible swords across her stomach. Upon being hit by a miniature black hole, the Knight shakes her head & glares at Sab.*

~3~

*Clyde proceeds to cast Haste on himself and then slash at the knight. James proceeds to lunge at the knight with his sword regardless.*

Zac furrowed his brow, "I'm sorry? You mean to send Lilith out to kill the people she traveled with? If you're not a noble you sure act like one."

--

Sab charges again. Noct flies away. Mortal begins chasing after the Summoner.

Iliad gets stabbed and splits the damage with the dragoon. He then tries for another Steal Heart, "Hey, ow, there was no need for that. We're on your side here, why don't you go and attack the real bad guys."

~Zeltennia Castle~

Delita<Mayhap I do. But pay it no mind. The fact remains that this "Order" cannot be allowed to continue operating. The objective of Duke Goltanna is to storm Lesalia & imprison the Queen at Fort Besselat. I'm sure you realize that as soon as this happens, the war will turn to an offensive on Zeltennia. Internal strife is a liability that the Northern Sky will take advantage of.>
========================================
~Yuguewood~

Dragoon<How are we even remotely on the same side? That makes no sense at all.>

*She stabs him again. Euryale chases him down & uses Chakra. The Summoner Mortal is chasing already has a big lead on her, so she just keeps running. Her & the other Summoner eventually intersect. The Knight opts to ignore Sab, chasing after Euryale. Soon afterwards, Noctis's magic clouds strike again. The frog starts hopping around in circles, the Hastened Summoner stops moving, the other Summoner is poisoned, the Dragoon is also poisoned, & you can't tell but Vanessa has been stricken blind.*

~2~
=========================================
~Warjilis~

*The knight blocks with his shield & goes in for another stab. The other knight does the same thing.*

Iliad let out a small sigh, "You know, you seem more like a lesbian than the Knight did, so I'm just going to throw a fire bomb at you." And so he did.

Mortal keeps chasing, Noct keeps dancing, and Sab finally uses Graviga.

--

"And what is to stop a Lesalian noble from alerting his home to the coming danger?" Zac asked.

*Clyde is forced to take the hit and counters by using Asura Knife on the knight. James attempts to block the stab.*

~Zeltennia~

Delita<It won't matter if the Northern Sky and the Lionsguard can't fend off the attack.>

Female voice<Ser Delita? Who are you talking to?>

*A young blond woman emerges from the hallway behind Delita. Lilith practically smacks her head off of the ground in her hastiness to bow.*
=====================================
~Yuguewood~

*Euryale uses Chakra again. The Graviga hits the Knight & kills her, but since Euryale is right next to her, she is also critically wounded. Looking enraged, the Dragoon stabs Illiad again. To make matters worse, some giant horned warrior on a horse rides past, slashin at Illiad with a scimitar before disappearing. That one slash becomes thousands of invisible razor blades. Now he is also critically wounded.*

~3, 1~
==========================================
~Warjilis~

*After being slashed by invisible swords, there isn't much for the knight to do but attack again. The other knight just stabs James.*

Reiter: <Believe what you will. But don't complain when our uncle goes batshit crazy.>

Rhea: <Please... we're in a hurry.>

~Dugeura Pass~

Orlandeu<A hurry to do what? The Pass is a strategic point in the war at the moment. Civilians should not even be travelling through here, at least not without a Southern Sky escort.>

Knight<You can't honestly believe these absurdities, can you, Count?>

Orlandeu<No. I simply want to get to the truth of the matter.>

R"Well, for starters, the old guy IS crazy. And violent."

Orlandeu<It is unwise to pick a fight with a Swordsaint.>

R"I didn't say anything about wisdom."

*Parker moves back, over to Roatha.*

Parker: <(Is there any way around this place, or is going through really necessary?)>

~Dugeura Pass~

R"This is by far the quickest way into Zeltennia. Going any other way could set us back by as much as a few days."

Orlandeu<You aren't whispering.>

R"What for? You're right there, trying to keep you from hearing stuff just looks stupid."

Orlandeu<If you were performing raids and assassinations on the Southern Sky, then why were you outside of its jurisdiction? Possibly trying to interfere on the front? Or is there something more?>

Parker: <More like... the fact he didn't do that?>

Reiter: <C'mon guys, it can't be the first time you've seen incriminations like this happen.>

*Clyde attempts to evade, and then uses Koutetsu on the knight. James responds by stabbing back at the knight.*

Zac followed suit, though not with as much gusto, "Princess, what are you doing here?"

--

Iliad splits the damage with her again, and attempts to stab the bitch in the neck, "It would be nice if someone killed the damn Summoners..."

Mortal hopefully catches up to the Summoner she was chasing and double slashes at her.

Noct continues dancing.

Sab begins to charge immobilize on the summoner that doesn't have reflect on it.

~Yuguewood~

*Those summoners are way too far away to cast spells on. Mortal kills the summoner that was staring at her, frozen in silent horror. The other one has little choice but to begin charging a spell & backing away as fast as possible. Meanwhile, Euryale uses yet another chakra, & the Dragoon leaps into the air.*

~3, 2, 0~
==============================================
~Warjilis~

*The knight blocks again & smacks James in the face with the flat end of his sword. The other knight sheathes his weapon.*

Knight<You're not half bad. Can't really say the same for your young friend.>
==============================================
~Zeltennia~

Ovelia<Supposedly, I am to become Queen. Please stand.>

*Delita looks sideways at her.*

Delita<Have I not gotten you this far?>
==============================================
~Dugeura Pass~

R"That is also more-or-less true. It was Baron Grimms who came up with the story that I was a part of a rebel plot. I just used the story against him."

Orlandeu<Seems rather brazen to admit that to me.>

R"Well, aside from that lie, he also admitted to falsely imprisoning merchants, & made a Southern Sky Knight a traitor when she opposed him."

Orlandeu<Of course, I only have your word to substantiate these claims.>

Mortal beings chasing after her.

Sab runs up to Euryale and cracks in the face her with her stave.

Iliad takes the time the Dragoon is in the air to move over to Noct, who closes the distance between them, and stops dancing long enough to give him a potion.

--

"Even the things that are not as they seem are not as they seem," Zac said, standing, "I didn't know you were one for such ambition, willing to usurp your family."

Reiter: <Let us try to prove it to you then. We need to get through!>

~Yuguewood~

*A faerie-person swoops down from behind the Summoner, blasting Mortal with ice chunks while the Summoner flips her off as a final act of defiance. Euryale is so surprised at being hit in the face that she doesn't notice her wounds healing, or think to get out of the way. The Dragoon lands behind her, stabbing her in the back on the way down. A purple crystal emerges from the Samurai. Meanwhile, the frog finally stops hopping in circles. Soon afterwards, a bust (grow up) of a maiden is pressed against it & it glows green, transforming back into a Geomancer.*

~2, 1~
===========================================
~Zeltennia~

*Ovelia looks to Delita, who nods.*

Ovelia<Luveria is not my mother. I was adopted from one of the King's relatives.>

Delita<Kidnapping Princess Ovelia was Larg's plot, & he would not act without consel of the Queen. I merely intend to see their plots put to an end.>

"And replaced with those of the church? As I see it, that is the only way a non-noble could possibly reach such a high position."

Delita<Very astute. But remember what I told you at Poescas: I swim against the current that the leadership of Ivalice is caught up in.>
============================================
~Dugeura Pass~

Knight<Mind your tongue, knave! You are in the presence of Count Cidoflus Orlandeu, Knight Devout of the Order of the Southern Sky!>

Orlandeu<As it so happens, I already had some reason to suspect the Baron. All the same, that does not excuse murder.>

*At this, Seraph starts laughing. He laughs so much that he begins to cough.*

S"You people are always the same, 'Killing is wrong, except when I do it.' What's the difference? Huh? Didn't have the stones to look bad in front of Goltanna? Or maybe you just hoped you could be put in charge of him one day, & quietly sort it out yourself."

R"Amazingly, he has a point. All these years, the Baron has been plotting against his own people, but nothing was ever done about him. Until now."

Sab cracks Euryale in the face again, then moves to get the crystal.

Mortal cleaves the summoner into pieces.

Noct goes back to dancing, this time a Last Waltz.

Iliad throws a fire bomb at the Dragoon.

--

"You'll have to excuse me if I don't exactly believe you," Zac replied.

Reiter: <Sounds like we're almost all on the same page here. If you don't believe him, just come along and see for yourself.>

~Zeltennia~

Delita<Believe or disbelieve, it matters not.>

"And if I put a stop to this Order, it will help the Princess take her rightful throne?"

Delita<I guarantee it.>
=====================================
~Yuguewood~

*The Dragoon drops to a knee, then leaps into the air again. The Geomancer moves onto the grassland, & vines emerge to lash at Sab on her way to the crystal. Euryale moves towards him, smacking him in the face with an invisible fist.*

~3, 1, 0~
======================================
~Dugeura Pass~

Orlandeu<That I cannot do. I have a duty to Lord & country. But I suppose I do owe you a debt of honor. I can have you escorted through the Pass.>

Knight<But, Ser-->

Orlandeu<I will take full responsibility if they try anything sinister.>

Reiter: <The old guy's like a completely separate group. We take no responsibility for anything he tries to pull off.>