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Post by Brea Cao-Wei on Mar 5, 2012 6:51:58 GMT -5
1000 Years ago...
Brea Cao-Wei wandered through the capital city of Santo-Luce alongside his friend and companion, Quentin Warz. They were escorting Nathan Firefly who was acting as an envoy for Kain Angelo and the Saints, hoping to bind the Santo-Lucians to their sworn enemies, Nerezza in order to beat back the encroaching armies of Duo. It was a mission that in all honesty shouldn't have included Brea and the Itan-Sha, they were effectively the paramilitary wing of the Saints and held no gods whatsoever. As such, to be walking through the capital of the most religious city in all of Allorum was seen as a bit of an insult to a lot of it's inhabitants, but they knew the reputation of the group, they saw the swords at their waists and the bands on their heads and kept their distance.
The reason behind the involvement of the Itan-Sha, or Heretics as they were more widely known, was to make sure that the negotiations did indeed happen in the way of the Saints and Nathan. They were under orders that if things appeared to head South and the Santo-Lucian generals and politicians showed a stubborn approach to their offers, they should draw their swords and remove any problems that may slight them. The Itan-Sha were here to make sure that at the end of the day, the Santo-Lucians would side with Nerezza.
Their group consisted of Nathan Firefly, Brea Cao-Wei, Quentin, who was mageborn and one of Brea's closest friends, Crasa Alderi, who had been taught alongside the two boys and finally, Alta Frei, a swordsman who had helped train Brea, Quentin and Crasa and as such, was one of their closest friends. Then there was 5 of the rank and file soldiers of the Itan-Sha, bringing their numbers up to 10. The rank and file were merely unblooded recruits, but Brea thought that the political process would be a good start for them.
Approaching the castle, Brea called out "Here I have Nathan Firefly, trusted man of Kain Angelo, of the Saints. To negotiate alongside Santo-Luce!" He crossed his arms and tapped his foot before turning back to the others. Now they had to wait.
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Post by Nathan on Mar 5, 2012 23:35:34 GMT -5
Nathan played his part perfectly, holding himself high while giving a presence of power and authority. No one was foolish enough to make a Saint wait, they were highly respected people.
Nathan stepped into the throne room, it was already filled with Generals and top Politicians, had got the word in advance that a Saint would be coming they had assembled quickly to hear what Nathan had to say.
Nathan had brought in a couple of the Itan-Sha, their mere presence was something of a forceful smack to everyone's faces; no one expected to see one of them here. He glanced around the room, meeting the eyes of everyone before he sat down and smiled, "Let's get started."
He went on to explain their situation, presenting it in the utmost terrifying way possible (which wasn't hard), so when he brought in the solution they would be more inclined to accept it. Disgust is what occurred next, at the idea of abandoning country and falling back to Crepusculum to fight with their most hated allies was causing an outrage.
"...Crowd control, please?" Nathan asked, looking over at Brea, he simply wanted them to be silent so he could continue.
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Post by Brea Cao-Wei on Mar 6, 2012 3:18:15 GMT -5
Brea nodded at Nathan and then to Alta, the other swordsman that he had brought in with him. She nodded back and both unclipped their swords from their belts and touched the end of the sheathed weapons to the ground. Raising the swords up in unison, they tapped them against the ground, and again, and again. Their bangs increasing in volume steadily. Once again in unison, they started muttering.
bang, Bang, BANG, BANG, BANG
Went their swords.
kami korosu, Kami Korosu, KAMI KOROSU, KAMI KOROSU, KAMI KOROSU
They shouted.
Silence fell in the room as the politicians and generals looked across at the Itan-Sha with shocked expressions on their faces. The pair had effectively just been chanting 'Kill the Gods'. But It had the desired effect. The pair had bland, deadpan faces on which shot down any complaints before they arose.
"Please continue, Mr Firefly." Said the orange haired Alta.
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Post by Akuma Shuen on Mar 6, 2012 13:39:24 GMT -5
Quentin was resting his back against the wall outside, with his arms crossed against his chest and his eyes closed. He was listening to the goings on inside, the signal for Quentin to bring in the other 5 soldiers alongside himself and Crasa was the sound of Brea and Alta both drawing their swords. Next to him, Crasa was lightly kicking a wall "By the blades Quentin..." She said with a heavy sigh "I am bored to death!" Quentin simply chuckled.
Back in those days, he didn't wear the armour he wears now as the Knight of Night. He wore the same attire as Brea, and a headband with a metal plate adorned his forehead and pushed his hair back over his head so the spikes seemed more to point up into the air than rather forwards. "Patience, Crasa." He said smiling warmly at his friend, back then he didn't wear his neckscarf either, his mouth was pretty much always on show.
"Brea and Alta will signal us through if they need us. For all we know, we may not even be needed!" Crasa simply groaned "Oh by the blades!" She cried "Don't even let me think about the prospect of not killing anyone whilst we're here!" A couple of the other soldiers chuckled, along with Quentin who patted Crasa on the shoulder "Suck it up!" He said, tauntingly "You'll have plenty to kill when we go up against Duo!"
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Post by Nathan on Mar 7, 2012 15:55:33 GMT -5
"Thank you," Nathan nodded to Brea, looking back at the group, "Let me make some clear: within a couple months you all will be dead, rotting in some ditch as everything you know crumbles to the ground. So make a decision, you can fall back with us and fight, or die holding onto your land and power... your choice."
It went on for awhile, eventually, most of the group agreed to listen to the Saints words. Almost everyone that is, but like Kain had predicted, the people with the most power were not eager to let it go.
This included Generals, some politicians, and the King himself, "Excuse me...?" Nathan called out to the group, "Those who have agreed to the plan, please leave."
Everyone listened to Nathan, standing up and leaving the area quickly. Nathan gave everyone one last chance by carefully explaining all the terrible ways Duo would kill them... that did it for two Generals, they got up and left with everyone else, leaving only the King, two Generals and two high ranking politicians.
"Oh well..." Nathan shrugged, getting up from his chair, "Brea? It's your turn."
"W-What?" The King stammered, "What do you mean by this?"
"Well... you're going to hold up the process, so the way I see it, you're going to die a month from now in your throne or you're going to die now..." Nathan smiled, everyone probably believed he was bluffing, "Anyway, it's out of my hands now. Have fun guys!"
He tapped Brea's shoulder before he stepped out. Glancing over at the puzzled guards he simply smiled and said, "We're trying a new form of diplomacy.... I think it will be very efficient."
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Post by Brea Cao-Wei on Mar 7, 2012 16:00:48 GMT -5
One guard seemed to catch wind of their plan early, and charged forwards towards Nathan's back as he left, Brea was quick to react however and swung his still sheathed sword outwards into the guards unprotected throat. Knocking him to the floor, gagging and choking, clutching at his neck. Both Brea and Alta then unsheathed their swords in unison, sending the signal for Quentin, Crasa and the others to charge in. The first thing that Brea did with his sword unsheathed was stab it through the neck of the man on the floor, putting him out of his misery before he could go through any more pain.
A second guard was charging Alta with a spear, but the fluid fighter swung her blade up, parried away the strike and twisted round, slashing her sword across the man's neck and ending his life swiftly. She edged closer to Brea who gripped his sword in two hands, no there was but six guards left and then those who still remained after Nathan's explanation. It was then, that Akuma and Crasa burst in.
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Post by Akuma Shuen on Mar 7, 2012 16:12:59 GMT -5
Crasa had been lightly tapping her head against the wall when Nathan, most of the generals and politicians and some guards left the room, it was then they heard a mans grunt and then the signal. The sound of two swords unsheathing. Quentin nodded across and both charged through the door that Nathan had just left through, with the recruits trailing behind them. Quentin already had a ball of dark magic charged in his hand and instantly released it, killing off a guard as soon as he entered.
Crasa charged forwards with a large two handed katana gripped firmly in her palms, and slashed it outwards towards a guard who jumped back, before bringing his own blade down towards Crasa's head. Quentin held out a hand and his own katana appeared in his grasp, rushing forwards his sword met the guards, quickly blocking his strike. Crasa took the opportunity and impaled her own sword deep into the man's gut, he coughed up some thick crimson blood before giving up on life. Crasa pushed him off of her blade. Four guards left.
Quentin nodded at Brea, he, Crasa and Alta could take the guards. He knew that it should be Brea who charged forwards and finish off the King. Breaking off towards one of the guards, Quentin swung his sword at the mans side, but it was parried swiftly, rolling with the block, Quentin brought his blade down at the mans other side and caught his armour, biting through he wounded him. The man grunted and threw a fist at Quentin who dodged the blow, pulled his sword free and thrust a palm into the mans face, before charging magical energy through it. Killing him instantly.
Crasa was closing in on her own target, the man managed to take a swing at her with a spear, but she parried the blow upwards before swinging her blade at the weapon, snapping the spear in half, she spun around so her back was to the man and thrust her sword under her arm. Impaling him right up to the hilt. He wouldn't go down without a fight though. In his dying throes, he thrust the broken shaft of the spear into Crasa's unprotected shoulder, and she let out a cry as she let go of her blade, and the guard fell to the ground dead.
"Crasa!" Alta and Quentin cried out in unison, Alta couldn't help her now, she was busy with her own guard who was attacking her viciously with a large poleaxe. Dodging blows left and right, she eventually saw an opportunity, diving underneath a horizontal strike, she swung her blade at the man's legs, slicing his feet clean off at the ankle. The man fell to the floor howling and Alta quickly gained her composure and stood up, raising her blade she looked down at her victim. The man was trying to crawl away "Mercy..." he cried, tears streaming down his face, when Alta's expression didn't change, he became more hysterical "Mother!" he cried "Moth-" Alta's swinging sword swiftly silenced his cries. Giving her time to twist around to see Brea's actions.
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Post by Brea Cao-Wei on Mar 7, 2012 16:34:42 GMT -5
Brea was already charging forwards as the recruits forced the last guard onto the ground, swinging a sword down on his neck, they removed his head as Brea's foot touched his back. Using him as a spring board, he soared through the air towards the King, the politicians and the generals as the man's body collapsed in a heap on the ground. Landing in the midst of them, Brea confidently swung his sword out to the right, instantly slashing across a politicians' throat, who grasped at his swiftly bleeding throat. Bringing his left hand up to grasp the grip on his blade, Brea brought it town on the general in front of him, who was struggling to unsheathe a sword at his waist. The blade cut through his shoulder and halfway through his chest before the Itan-Sha swordsman pulled the weapon free.
The second general charged at his back with his sword drawn, but as Brea pulled his own weapon free, he brought his arm back without looking and caught the man on the jaw, as he stumbled and turned, Brea spun around and swung his sword at his back, slashing right through his armour, the man groaned before collapsing onto the ground dead. The last politician had fallen onto the ground in a pool of his own urine "Mercy!" He called out "Mercy! Mercy!" Brea granted it to him, bringing his sword down on the mans head, he ended his life swiftly and painlessly. And then that left the King...
He had a sword drawn and was facing Brea, locking his eyes onto his he snarled "You will go down in history as a dark, dark spot." He said, as the pair circled one another "I will die here but it I shall go down in history as the last of my line. You will go down as the one that ended it." He spat at Breas feet. "A heretic!" He added venomously at the end. And then they charged one another, the contact was short, they exchanged a few blows but Brea swiftly knocked his blade aside, and reaching out with a free hand he grabbed the Kings neck, before pulling him onto his blade the older man gasped and gripped onto Breas back.
"At the end of the day..." Brea whispered in the Kings ear.
"I'll be alive. And you'll be dead."
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Post by Nathan on Mar 7, 2012 16:54:47 GMT -5
Horrified, that's how one could describe the faces of the politicians, generals, and guards that were listening from the other room. Nathan tapped his foot as the fighting went on, waiting for it all to stop before turning towards the door.
"Congrats everyone," Nathan said happily, "You'll all live to see us free the world from Duo!"
He pushed the door open, letting everyone see the horrifying scene. He stepped past the dead bodies casually, approaching the dead king, taking the crown from his head, "Don't worry, your people will be in a much better place now that you're gone."
He simply nodded to Brea before going back to the horrified crowd, finding a young politician and pulling him from the crowd, "I've heard of you, smart, influential, well guess what? You're the new King."
He slipped the crown onto his head, tapping it on to the shocked young man, "Now, order your armies and people a full retreat to Crepusculum, King Frexton."
He turned around from the shocked man, knowing it'll take a moment for him to process it all. He stepped over to Brea, glancing around, "Everyone okay?"
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Post by Brea Cao-Wei on Mar 7, 2012 17:01:19 GMT -5
Brea looked across at Crasa, ignoring the crowning of the new King. Upon hearing Nathan ask if everyone was okay, he moved across to the downed warrior, who was being tended to by Alta whilst Quentin went around and made sure that everyone was very much dead. Crouching down next to her, Alta took her head in her hands and looked across at Brea, her mouth a grim line. "We need to get the shaft out now, as well as any splinters, before the wound becomes infected." Brea simply nodded, reaching up to his head, he untied his headband and handed it to Crasa, who took it in her mouth and bit down on tightly. "I apologize..." He muttered as he gripped the wooden shaft.
The screams were horrendous, despite their muffled sound thanks to Brea's headband. It was a sound that would never leave Brea and he would always remember it whenever he thought of his friend. Tossing the splintered shaft aside, he thanked the blades that there were few splinters actually lodged into Crasa's shoulder, using a dagger he had to pry them out, which led to more screams, and tears streamed down his friends cheeks before he was done and she spat out his headband. "Quentin..." She gasped, her eyes rolling around the room "Where's Quentin?"
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Post by Akuma Shuen on Mar 7, 2012 17:03:40 GMT -5
"I am here." Quentin said as he crouched down next to Alta. Crasa quickly grasped his hand as she gave a low groan of pain "By the blades Quentin..." She breathed, her eyes still rolling from left to right from exhaustion "By the blades you better not let that happen to me again..." Quentin gave the smallest of smiles as Alta shifted Crasa's head out of her lap and into his "I won't." He said with a small nod "I'll stay."
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Post by Brea Cao-Wei on Mar 7, 2012 17:11:04 GMT -5
With that, Brea stood up, and picked his sword up from the ground. Cleaning it of blood he slid it smoothly into it's sheath and reattached it to his waist before approaching Nathan and giving him a small bow "All of those who opposed you are now dead." He said bluntly, glancing across at Quentin and Crasa he frowned, it was dangerous for personal relationships to permeate the Itan-Sha but then... He looked across at Alta briefly before turning his attention back to Nathan "All of us are fine, Crasa will live, but I am not taking her to Nerezza with us. 'Nor Quentin, he will wish to make sure that she is back to full health before fighting against Duo. I will call forth some recruits to fill their roles."
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Post by Nathan on Mar 7, 2012 18:14:07 GMT -5
"Of course, of course!" Nathan nodded, "Besides, it might be best to have someone here to make sure everything goes smoothly."
Nathan nodded while glancing back at the new king, he shrugged, turning back to Brea, "Let's just hope history will be kind to the actions taken today..." It was a false hope of course, he knew Itan-Sha's name would be further trashed because of this act, "Anyway, we'll set back off in a couple hours... no time to wait."
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