The Zodiac Brave Story

~Lionel~

*Mortal obtains all of Aliste's Spellsword abilities; the Iaido abilities Kiyomori, Kiku-Ichimoji, Murasame, & Masamune; & the Save the Queen. Sab obtains Aim up to 4 & the Artemis bow. The Time Mage fucks off, running along the castle wall to the back of the castle.*

OOC: I'll save the end-of-battle stuff until Bremondt's dead.
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~Brigands' Den~

*The group crosses Mandalia Plains without incident & find the pier leading to Brigands' Den, where they spy an old fisherman with a canoe, a fishing line, & a white beard extending to the middle of his chest.*
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~Nelveska Temple~

*When they arrive at the temple, it's to find that a man in black robes with shoulder-length black hair & a female ninja with long, black hair in a ponytail are already scouting out the entrance. The ninja turns around.*

<Who are you? You do not look like nobles, or anyone who might be here to foil our plot. Mayhap you've come to join it?>

Safian:<That must be out guy.>

*The group approach the man and Cassandra clears her throat*

Cassandra:<Excuse me sir, we're here to deal with the ghosts.>

Azuma: "Treasure seeking. Who the hell are you and why do I believe you'll interfere with our good day?"

~Brigands' Den~

<Well, it's about damn time! You know, one of the last battles against the Corpse Brigade took place out on that fort. That's why they call it Brigands' Den...used to be, it was used for fishing.>

*He gestures out to a vague building shape on an island hidden behind the channel's fog as he climbs into his boat & picks up an oar.*

<Well, get in.>
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~Nelveska Temple~

Woman<I suggest you scurry away right quickly, if you value your lives. We are an ex-Templarate Knight & an infamous assassin.>

*At this point, they might notice that the man, who has not turned to face them, is holding a note & staring intently at designs on the wall.*

Man<I see. The temple was built around an older structure. It is as he said.>

*The group all get in the boat*

Safian:[He seems very rude.]

Azuma: "Well, I don't know what that is nor do I care about your occupation. We're coming for treasure and we're leaving with it."

~Nelveska~

*The woman turns to face her comrade, who digs a large, blue gemstone out of his robes.*

Woman<Can you activate them yet?>

Man<Yes, it's simple enough.>

*Large, powerful bolts of blue electricity shoot from the stone & into the depths of the temple. Moments after this ceases, there's a heavy rumbling from within, & a sound like a stampede of Behemoths heading for the outside.*
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~Brigands' Den~

<I can hear ya back there, young'n!>

*Safian jumps in surprise, while Cassandra and Namond start laughing*

Safain:<S-sorry.>

The trio raise their weapons.

Azuma: I bet it's some kind of ancient evil.

~Nelveska~

*Out stomps a trio of what can only be described as giants made from iron, each bulky behemoth of a humanoid shape around twelve feet tall. Even as the duo steps back to make room for them, another trio files out. One in particular steps forward.*

<Construct 1 assuming control of Work Squad 87-B. Awaiting identification of Master.>

Man<That would be me, correct?>

*The woman looks wildly between him & the Iron Giant.*

Woman<Ah...affirmative?>

Man<As my first order, whenever I am not around, you will follow this woman's orders. If neither of us is present, you will follow whatever standing orders have been given. If you have no standing orders, you will power down. If another user begins to take control of you, you will self-destruct. Are we clear?>

Construct 1<Affirmative.>
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~Brigands' Den~

<Well, have fun! I'll be back in an hour to collect your corp--bring you back to the mainland!>

*After dropping them off, the man begins to row rapidly away. Meanwhile, an eerie wail issues over the fort. At the left edge of the roof appears a White Mage. A second White Mage appears in the doorway, & a 3rd on the right rampart. A thief appears next to this one, & a second thief on the left rampart. All of these figures are translucent & floating above the ground. Should you look into their faces, you will see an expression of misery, but emotionless eyes. All mages are female, all thieves male.*

Zac and Lilith are totally in Southern Zeltennia, unless I missed a post...

--

Mortal tries not to appear to happy at such a somber scene, and motions towards the castle, "We should continue on. There is more to be done."

OOC: Seems you did. You never responded to this one:

~Zeltennia~

"Do you expect to meet much resistance?"

Delita<There may be a few Northern Sky stragglers who haven't heard of Dycedarg's & Zalbaag's deaths. Other than that, we should be safe. To be perfectly frank, your role here is more for show. Ovelia will be expected to have a Royal Escort.>
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~Lionel~

*Inside of the castle, they meet no resistance for a while. Just before someone says it's too quiet in here, they stumble on a hall filled with knights who have just fallen over, either spread out on the ground or slumped against the wall. Beowulf goes to check one.*

E"Are they...."

Beowulf<Unconscious, probably by a drug. Like as not, this was Aliste's doing. But I doubt he could have gotten to Bremondt's personal guards. We'll still have to fight our way to him.>
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~Nelveska~

Man<You 2. See to it that no one enters this structure & lives to tell about it. I have business to attend to on the other side of the country.>

*The man teleports away with the woman & all but 2 of the robots.*

"Good to know," Zac said, not exactly thrilled with traveling around 'just for show'.

--

The scene initially scared the shit out of Sab, as she thought it was just a hall of dead bodies, but she maintained composure, and followed along.

Azuma: "Looks like we're gonna have to get through you two if we want to make our trip worthwhile."

Mimiru: "Should be interesting."

~Nelveska Temple~

*The Constructs just stand by the entrance, not moving or saying anything.*
=================================
~Lionel~

*The group bursts into the castle's oratory to see Bremondt, an overweight man with mostly grey hair in purple robes with a white front, atop the stairs. Around him are a pair of samurai, a pair of ninja, & a mystic in each far corner. One unit of each gender. Bremondt takes several hurried steps back, his eyes wide as saucers.*

Beowulf: Bremondt! I come for Reis. I shall have her relinquished at once!

Bremondt: B-Beowulf! N-no! C-come no closer! K-kill them! Kill them all! You'll...you'll have whatever reward you wish! Gil - or...or jewels! Wealth enought to...to last you all your days!

*The guards exchange glances and ready themselves to fight.*

Beowulf: Reis...you'll soon be safe.

*Euryale has already begun Summoning.*
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~Limberry~

*Lilith bows slightly.*

L"Lead the way, Your Highness."

*They walk out of the city in silence for a while.*

L"So...earlier, when you said that Ramza was in the castle church...why did you let him go?"

Delita<I suppose it makes no difference if I tell you. I suspected that he would move to stop his elder brother & the High Confessor.>

L"And you didn't want to murder Lord Dycedarg yourself?"

Delita<Why should that matter to me?>

Taiyo hangs back while Azuma and Mimiru approach the entrance.

Azuma: "Open sesame."

Cassandra:<Reassuring.>

*Safian points at the figures*

Safian:<A guess it's go time.>

*Namond nods and the three slowly approach the fort*

Zac tried not to judge the man who let a guy kill his brother.

--

"Guards won't save you, swine!" Mortal yelled as she began running after Bremondt.

Noct began dancing a Forbidden Dance, and Sab began charging a Graviga on the male Mystic.

~Lionel~

*Guards save Bremondt, as the 2 samurai file onto the staircase, blocking it. They each hold up their katanas, using Masamune & Kiyomori. The ninja who file in behind them also get the benefits. The Mystics are well too far away for Sab to use spells on.*

<The d-dragon from the desert too?! How did it find its way here? W-why does it stalk me across the continent?>

"Do you really have need to ask that? You transformed her against her will, then attacked her for no reason."

<D-don't be ridiculous! It's just a bloodthirsty animal, it has no will or reason!>

*Bremondt begins casting a spell, then retreats back to the edge of his oratory. Meanwhile, Beowulf approaches the stairs, using his drain attack on one of the Samurai.*

Beowulf<Will you not accept the truth, Bremondt!? Reis does not love you, nor ever will she!>
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~Nelveska~

Construct 6<Warning: All humans, approach no further. If any human approaches, we will be forced to switch from Guard Mode to Destruction Mode, and destroy all humans on this island.>
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~Brigands' Den~

*The White Mages all begin casting spells. The one in the doorway quickly teleports to the top of the fort. Meanwhile, the thieves lazily drift after them from behind, drawing their knives.*
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~Finath River~

"Why would you expect Ramza to kill his brother?"

*Delita turns to face her.*

Delita<I tire of this game. You are trying to tell me that you know who I am, & of my circumstances. But you know much less than you would like to believe. Such as the source of the late Lord Barbaneth's malady.>

"Are you suggesting that Lord Dycedarg poisoned his own father?"

Delita<No, I am telling you that is how Lord Barbaneth died. There is no uncertainty. After the war's end, you can journey to Eagrose & see the mossfungus on his tombstone for your own eyes, as Zalbaag surely did.>

*Suspecting he is unfamiliar with exotic poisons, Lilith leans over to tell Zac what Delita is talking about.*

"(Mossfungus is a poisonous mushroom that grows out of the corpses of its victims. It is odorless and tasteless, and its symptoms resemble a fever. They say that when it grows on a grave, it is an omen that the family's bloodline is about to end.)"

*Safian casts Fire3 on the closest White Mage, while Namond shoots another. Cassandra draws her sword and charges at the thieves, using Weapon Break*

Azuma: "Wow. That's pretty severe and a major overreaction. But we have treasure to find."

Mimiru punches the construct she's in front of with Secret Fist. Taiyo begins dancing the Polka.

Mortal uses drain on the other. Sab begins charging Hasteja on Euryale. Noct is dancing.

--

Zac whispered back, "I come from a family of nobles. I'm not familiar as a botanist, but I have come across it before."

~Nelveska~

*As the Constructs did not wait for them to be right in front of them, this proves super ineffective. Once Taiyo's dance activates, their eyes glow red.*

Construct 6<HOSTILITY DETECTED. SWITCHING TO DESTRUCTION MODE.>

*Ports in their stomachs open, revealing several guns. One fires a series of purple lasers at Taiyo, the other does the same attack at Mimiru, taking a lot of health out of them.*
==================================
~Free City of Bervenia~

"Your family keeps mossfungus?"

*They emerge in the next town.*
==================================
~Lionel Castle~

"Don't insult Mortal!"

*Euryale summons Golem. One of the samurai swings a sword at Mortal, sending angry ghosts ripping through her. The other uses a sword that dispenses healing rain over them. A ninja jumps down & slashes at Beowulf with a sword & a flail. Beowulf blocks the flail & counterattacks.*

Bremondt: N-no! That's...that's not true! Reis is but deceived! It is you... your lies that blind her heart! When you are gone, it will all be different! There's...there's naught you can do that I cannot. I can buy her aught and all she wishes. She'll want for nothing!

Beowulf: 'Tis your mind that is deceived, you who deceive it! Love is not a thing for goods or gil exchanged! Reis would never open her heart to a man such as you! My living or dying plays no part in it!

*As orbs of holy energy rip through Mortal from below, Euryale runs to back her up. The mystic to the left falls asleep, while the other is poisoned. The haste status of the ninja attacking Beowulf goes away, same with the male samurai.*
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~Brigands' Den~

*One of the White Mages hastens herself & the White Mage next to her. The other White Mage casts slow on them, prior to being shot, while the third hastens herself. The thief's knife breaks, so he just punches Cassandra in the face. The other thief gangs up on her, stabbing her in the side.*

Mimiru falls back to beside Taiyo, using Chakra.

Azuma gets in front of one and opens with Rend Power.