In The Name of Love

~Limberry~

"I can do no such thing. This is my first day on the job. I can relax once Limberry's government is rebuilt. Hopefully."
====================================
~Lesalia~

"As though you have a say in the matter. Although, if this takes much longer, I might need to put up some help wanted signs in the local taverns. So just make this easier on both of us--well, just me, really, & turn around."

*He teleports next to Dawn.*
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Vanessa<That one was just weak!>

*She tosses a fire bomb at the dragon, healing most of his wounds. It heals the rest with its own fire breath. Way up on the top of the staircase, the archer's body yields a blue crystal.*

Dawn backs away and Divum throws a punch at Senthose's smug face.

--

Mortal furrows her brow, and hacks away at the dragon again, praying that maybe, just maybe, some Blizaras will pop out.

"Don't have to sugar coat the truth," Noct said, as she went back to dancing a Last Waltz.

--

Zac let out a small sigh, then smiled, "You won't be able to do any good if you wear yourself out. You've had a long journey getting here, perhaps you should relax just a bit before you start another."

~Lesalia~

*Senthose falls over. He laughs as he uses Shadowbind on Divum.*

"I'm impressed. No one's ever gotten the better of me like that before. I almost feel bad for killing your wife as you watch. Almost."

*He stands up, dusting himself off.*
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*One ice crystal does emerge while slashing the dragon. Vanessa, of course, firebombs it. Euryale approaches Mortal.*

Vanessa<So now I know you're a fool as well as an arrogant noble.>

E"Are you sure you're okay with...this?"

*She indicates the dragon.*
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~Limberry~

"That is out of the question. I have to figure out what I'll do about the church, & Besselat."

Sab finally uses graviga on Vanessa, as Mortal slashes the dragon again. Noct is dancing.

--

"You bastard! Please, leave her alone!"

"Divum! Do something! I'm scared!"

--

"And you will," Zac said, "Whether you take a break or not."

~Lesalia~

<Let's not take any more chances.>

*Senthose uses Shadowbind on Dawn as well.*
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*Vanessa screams & drops to the ground, dead. The dragon begins to run towards the door.*

~3~
==================================
~Limberry~

*Lilith sighs.*

"As I keep explaining to you, I have no time to rest."

Mortal's eyes open wide, "Vanessa?!" She ran over to her body, and cradled her in her arms, "Wake up!"

Noct felt kind of awkward, to say nothing of Sab. "She was a bad guy..." Sab said, trying to defend her actions.

"Shut up!"

--

Dawn looks terrified, "N-Noctis!!"

--

"I didn't call for you to take a break that time..." Zac said, "And if you honestly don't want to take a break, there is precious little I can do about it."

~Lesalia~

*Euryale walks up to them.*

E"Mortal, what are you doing? She was trying to kill us just a second ago. We tried, but the more we try, the more she hates us. There's nothing more we can do."

~2~
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*Senthose jabs her in the chest with 3 fingers. Dawn gasps & slumps over.*

<And now we play the waiting game.>

~3~
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~Limberry~

"Indeed. Now, I suspect that Dycedarg will attempt a siege, but I'm not sure where. Besselat didn't suffer many casualties, so its defenses are still pretty strong. But it's not easy to get to Zeltennia directly. So he might strike Limberry first, thinking our defenses weakened--as they are--then continue upwards."

"But I don't want her to die," Mortal said, "I... She doesn't deserve death." She looked up at Euryale, tears welling in her eyes, as she continued to cradle Vanessa in her arms, "Please, Euryale, help..."

Noctis looked up the stairs, "Did you hear something?"

Sab was too distracted by Mortal to even acknowledge Noct.

--

Divum begins openly weeping, "I beg you, please, don't do this."

--

"What an ass," Zac said. "So, any ideas on how to boost defenses?"

~Lesalia~

<I already am.>

~2~
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"I...but she...oh, fine."

*Euryale takes a rigid stance with her legs thread apart & thrusts an open palm towards Vanessa.*

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

*Whatever that is about, beams of red light enter Vanessa's chest & she gasps before opening her eyes.*
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~Limberry~

"Not at present. We could lay traps in the marsh, but I worry about our own troops' passage between Besselat & Limberry. Not to mention hapless travelers."

Mortal smiled, and hugged Vanessa, "You're alive!"

Noct kind of just puts her hand on Euryale's shoulder in a "I know this must be hella fucking awkward for you" way.

--

"Stop, please, I'll do whatever you want," Divum said, "If you take her from me do you truly think you'll get your way?"

--

"Traps seem ill advised for the very reasons you listed," Zac said. "We could ask for reinforcements from Besselat."

~Lesalia~

"I always get my way. The only variable is how many corpses I have to toss aside to get it."

~1~
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*Vanessa shoves Mortal away.*

Vanessa<Get off of me!>

"Senthose has been gone for quite a long time. I'm beginning to get worried."

Vanessa<As you ought to be. He IS an assassin, if memory doesn't fail you.>
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~Limberry~

"Perhaps. We could station them in the Marsh, as a sort of secret reserve."

"That sounds like a good idea," Zac said.

--

Mortal stood up, and wiped her eyes, "He teleported away some time ago. I'm not sure where he went."

Noct seemed to have an epiphany, "Father!" She literally flew up the steps and began making her way to her parent's room.

--

"I will see you burn for this," Divum said, "But not before I make sure everything that brings you happiness turns to ash."

~Lesalia~

*Once free, Vanessa runs out of the door. Euryale begins making her way up the stairs at the same time as Noctis, but she lags behind because she can't fly.*

<Oh, you're SO scary. But mayhap you are not just barking after all...mayhap I should kill a few more of your kin, until you finally understand your position?>

*Noctis arrives in time to see this exchange.*

~0~
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~Limberry~

"I shall attend to that post haste. What do we do when the Church comes for the Stone?"

"Mother!" Noct let out, "What have you done?!"

Mortal and Sab arrive on the scene not long after. Mortal steps into the room and says, "We've routed your forces, Senthose, you won't win today."

--

"There isn't much we can do," Zac said, "They're built on faith, maybe they'll believe us when we say a creepy, shape shifting man came in and teleported away with them."

~Lesalia~

*Euryale palm thrusts towards Dawn.*

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

*Dawn coughs. And so does Euryale. On account of the fact that Senthose has teleported & grabbed her throat in both hands.*

<You just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you? All you had to do was keep to yourself, let the stepmother die, your paramour would get the inheritance, I'd deliver on my threat, & everyone would live happily ever after. You've impeded me for the last time. Come. Let us take a little trip.>

*He teleports with Euryale to parts unknown.*
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~Limberry~

"Mayhap...either that, or we could play ignorance. Claim we knew naught of the Stone."

"EURYALE!" Mortal ran out of the room, and looked towards where the previous battle took place to see it she could find her.

Divum rushed to Dawn and wrapped his arms around her, "Everything is going to be alright, my love."

Dawn coughed a few time, "It took you long enough... I thought I was going to die."

Seeing that Dawn is no worse for wear, Noctab joins Mortal out in the main hall to see if they can find Euryale.

--

"Do you think you're good enough of an actor to fool the church?" Zac asked.

~Lesalia~

*The entrance hall just contains the mess from the earlier battle, including the petrified Gryphon Knights & the busted down door.*
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~Limberry~

"Are you saying my acting is bad?"

"I'm saying I've never seen you act," Zac said.

--

"We need to find Vanessa!" Mortal said, rushing down the stairs.

Noct looks mortified, "Mortal! Euryale was just taken! How could you--"

"Vanessa is the only one who knows where to find Senthose, and she was last seen fleeing with a giant dragon! She'll be much easier to find than Senthose!"

"Oh, that makes sense."

~Limberry~

"You want the truth?!"

*Lilith stands up, knocking down her chair, & slams her fists down on the table.*

"YOU CAN'T FUCKING HANDLE THE TRUTH!"
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~Lesalia~

*When they get outside, they find a small crowd staring up at the roof of their house. When they look up, shielding their eyes from the glare of the sun, they can see what looks like the silhouettes of a woman swinging 2 swords at a much more voluptuous woman, who is trying her best to dodge.*

"What truth?" Zac asked, confused.

--

Noct grabs Mortal, and supermans them both to the top of the mansion.

Sab waits at the bottom.

~Limberry~

"I was acting."
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~Lesalia~

*As it turns out, it's too high for her to fly even halfway there, & she begins to slowly fall back down after getting a good glimpse of Euryale being stabbed in the chest & stomach.*

"Oh... It was very method, I give you credit on your art," Zac said with a small chuckle.

--

Mortal is now horrified and looks for a way to get onto the roof. Noctab begin searching as well once Noct explains to Sab what was going on up there.

~Limberry~

"Much appreciated. But I fear we do need to take a break from this meeting. I have...other obligations to he city's people."
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~Lesalia~

*Around back, they find a rather anachronistic-looking fire escape.*

"Certainly," Zac said, "Best we not keep you from your duty."

--

"Quickly, everyone up the plot-device!" Mortal shouted, rushing up the fire escape.

Clyde: <Does it look like we are?>