Let the Flames of War...Ignite!

[Donovan Siroaki]

With the initial wave of gate-side Ignisian troops thinned and dispersed, the Crepusculum soldiers quickly encroached upon the Port-side town, swarming the enemy troops and dispensing a merciless and unbridled slaughtering. It was a take no prisoners mentality that drove the spears, swords and arrows of the Crepusculum troops, as this was there only chance to press the advantage and bring about change for the Kingdom that they believed in. As a Twilight soldiers spears was pulled from the body of what was the last standing enemy at the gate, their attention turned to those that resided by the pier and shoreline. Their minds to absorbed by the task at hand to mourn their few fallen allies, they rushed toward the remanent foes, arms at the ready and spirits invigorated by the victory that was soon to come.

Charging ahead of the Twilight soldiers, Donovan too could feel the rush brought on by the inevitable victory that was quickly approaching. Looking in the distance, Donovan could see the Ignisian archers knocking arrows on their bows; their target, Zeke. As they loosened the projectiles, Don directed the deadly shards from his blade in front of Zeke, and turned them into a vicious swirling mass that atomized the arrows upon impact. Retracting the shards to his hilt, Donovan called out to Zeke, "Repost before they can fire again! If we can get rid of their distance fighters, then the shore is ours!"

[Zeke Omoihake]

Zeke gave only a quick smile towards Don before shouting back at him. "Tell Musashi to hit the ground!" As his inital victims hit the floor Zeke reverted the blades back to their ink form. He had at last learned the secret to expanding his close range power. He could undo his physical creations and suspend them as the same portrait they had been born from the first time. And as they hung in that form they did not tax his mind, until he chose to recreate them once again.

Thus as Zeke left the black slivers of energy hanging in midair he began to twirl, each rotation bringing the chains swirling around his body. As he felt each chain's hook touch the suspended image he brought it back as the same blade. Now in full momentum Zeke was a whirling dervish of hardened steel, each swing getting his attack closer to being ready. The dock-based soldiers saw an oppourtunity in what they believed a foe outranged by their arrows, and cocked their strings in one deadly motion.

However they had only the time to ready their arrows before Zeke spun around one last time and released the chains. Due to the power of his swing the blade launched at the unsuspecting archers in a violent spray. The few that hit were sudden and merciless, each Ignisian soldier having only a moment to cry out before silence took them.

Zeke breathed out heavily from exhaustion at wielding the weighty weapon, and slumped over turned to see their handiwork. The battle was all but over. What few soldiers remained of the Ignis forces fought back with fevered desperation, but they realized their folly only by the piercing glint of steel that sundered their bodies. The day was all but won. All that was left to do was wait for the rest of the Twilight forces to arrive.

[milicia]

In her flagship the Crescent Queen Lunestise stood at the stern and watched eagerly as each gust of wind brought the Ignisian coast closer and closer into view. Amist the glow of the Fire Kingdom's horizon, Milicia saw the billowing smoke of destruction at the port city of Rakush. "My loyal men and women! That smoke is a herald of much. It marks the end of our safe voyage, and the reassurance that our men have not failed us. But more than that it marks the beginning of our victory against the evil that would oppress us. Enjoy the remainder of our trip in relaxation my warriors, for the next time we rest with be in the lush ruins of Fira Tower!" Her voice boomed with valor and confidence, and it filled the bodies of everyone on board. As each person looked skywards and saw the distant smoke they cheered out and shouted as if they had already won.

Milicia turned back to the sea, enjoying the fruits of her speech as the joyous cries of her men carried to the other ships where the remaining men and women echoed alongside them. As the seamen docked the ship safely, she descended the walkway behind her most trusted and saw her squad awaiting her. In order and only a few missing in number her men saluted her. Well, a least those that were her men. To the end Zeke, Donovan and Musashi sat relaxed, chatting with one another.

She played with the idea of marching up to them and lecturing them on their lack of etiquette, but knew she needed them still and their hard work was the only reason the plan had gone off so well.

"Make camp for tonight men. We leave for Ignis' capital tomorrow." She moved up towards the three warriors, her expression eerily pleasant. "You have done well all of you. My thanks to you. I had expected more casualties than this, but you are clearly stronger than I had thought. I do hope your strength will carry us the rest of the way."