Dawn of the Third Age/IC Logs/Session 36

~Anshu: The Empress centers herself, gesturing with her spear as she enters Five Dragon Form, the crimson diamond of her anima flashing in the darkness.

~Anshu: She then grips her spear tightly, coiling to strike, but in what direction, who can say?

Brazen_Sand: Brazen didn't say anything, instead he grasped a burst of his flaring anima-body and used the force of the gravity well that he embodied simultaneously to press and forge it into a burning shifting spear, ignoring the pain as it seared even his invulnerable hands.

Brazen_Sand: "Let's do this, bitch."

Brazen_Sand: He called, swinging the spear like a comet around his aura of cosmic might.

Wandering: Wandering uses the distraction to get closer the slayer. Her muscles tense for a moment and then she leaps forwards towards the slayer in a silver blur of motion her claws out streached to latch onto him, even as she moves her essence focuses filling her throat with a nameless substance that will rob her target of his strength

~Anshu: As Wandering lunges at him, the Slayer smirks. His blade comes up warding off her claws, and as she spits her strength-leaching venom, his fan sweeps through the air, pushing it aside with a rush of air.

Brazen_Sand: <Kick his ass, Wandering!> Brazen sent, encouragingly

Nomoe_Hideaki: The mark of the Eclipse burns on Nomoe's brow illuminating the consoles before him with pale gold as he accesses them with preternaturally quick fingers.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Scattered Petals of the Thousandfold Blossom, this is Deliberator Nomoe Hideaki speaking for the Deliberative. Forces of Malfeas have intruded upon this facility, an Akuma and a tainted Exalt. On my authority, you are ordered to commence countermeasures. Bring down whatever force you can on the enemy without impeding the Celestials fighting them."

~Anshu: "Scanning... 3 powerful tainted signatures detected inside the central chamber, all rated at 5+, one rated at 9+. Initiating Eye of Judgement internal purge." A mighty groan and rumble sounds throughout the Titan, and orichalcum blast doors slam down, cutting off all points of egress from the central chamber.

Bright_Snow: With Nomoe working as a wonderful distraction, Snow circles a console in one of the operator pits on the walkway below the Empress and Brazen easily hidden from view. As the spears clash, her tongue strikes out and grabs the ceiling allowing her to shoot up to the walkway and get her sticky climbing paws round the corrupt former Empress her own spear retracting to a bracelet as she does so.

Bright_Snow: Her form burns Silver as the light of Creation fills her, if only for a moment and she secures the tainted Akuma as Wandering fights the bodyguard

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Amend instructions as follows," Nomoe adds tersely, selecting Brazen's form on the internal perception feed. "This individual is to be considered a temporary ally and spared from countermeasures."

~Anshu: Alas for Bright Snow, the Empress's bodyguard is prepared for opponents he cannot see. In a rush of blood-scented wind, the Slayer steps into Snow's attack, her claws skittering off his flesh with a spray of sparks and screech of claw on metal.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Simultaneously a wave of white and gold light runs through the crystalline substance of the adamantine walkway, back toward the fight. Next to Bright Snow, the light surges up from the indestructible floor and against the Empress in forked, piercing arcs, only coalescing into into the shape of Nomoe Hideaki a split second before his stone-crushing fingers reach her.

Nomoe_Hideaki: The titanic force of her presence, that shields her from the attacks of lesser beings, he acknowledges with a small nod even as he unleashes the mantle of his own glory around him. All around reality seems to be bleached of color and substance, except for Nomoe who is crowned with a subtle, beatific radiance as he stands in mid-air, his elaborate hair and robes flying in the wind.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Next to the raging conflagration that is the Empress, and the all-consuming darkness surrounded by a blazing halo that is Brazen Sand, he is a third pole of transcendent might.

~Anshu: The Slayer again interposes himself, catching the Solar's blows on his own body, the impacts thundering like strikes on a gong, filling the sudden silence as the Titan ceases to rumble and move.

~Anshu: The Slayer's anima flares bilious green before being swallowed up by the darkness filling the vast chamber.

Brazen_Sand: "You're very loyal." Brazen said, addressing the Slayer in Malfean-accented Old Realm.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "You are outnumbered," Nomoe states gravely, gesturing to his allies. "And outmatched," he indicates himself.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Surrender now and spare yourself the indignity."

Brazen_Sand: "It's not too late for you to save yourself like I did." Brazen noted.

~Anshu: "Ally myself with traitors and usurpers?" the Chosen of Malfeas retorts hotly, and the Empress motions, cutting of anything else he may have said.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "His Highest Glory Sol Invictus is the rightful Rex Mundi, no less so for having thrown down the tyranny of the Yozis," Nomoe holds against that with a dark look.

Brazen_Sand: "I just think he's a pretty cool guy. Much less rapey."

Brazen_Sand: Brazen noted.

Brazen_Sand: "he fought the Primordials and doesn't afraid of anything."

~Anshu: She addresses Nomoe: "Bold words from one who lay bleeding on the ground at our last encounter. We may be outnumbered, but it is you who are outmatched." Darkness pours from her, the black essence of the Ebon Dragon hiding her even from essence sight.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Throw aside that spear, if you're so sure that you're my better," Nomoe counters.

Brazen_Sand: "Uhhh...crap." Brazen noted

Nomoe_Hideaki: He holds up his bare hands demonstratively.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Or is the reason that you cling to that weapon so that you're too weak without it?" His tones becomes one of cutting mockery at that.

Brazen_Sand: Brazen stomped the ground and a nimbus of Old Realm script layered itself over Brazen's flames and gravity and auras, whispering that allies would not be harmed.

Brazen_Sand: "Hideaki-San, my flames will not harm my allies now." Brazen noted to him

Brazen_Sand: And the Lunars and Nomoe felt the pulling weight and heat lift from them

Bright_Snow: Even as the darkness swallows the empress the colours in Snow's eyes appear to invert, the colour mingling with iris and the pupil turning white. She glances around with her vision following things that should not be.

~Anshu: The Empress doesn't answer Nomoe's challenge from wherever she now is, until she whispers in his ear as she unleashes a furious assault with her weapon: "Why should the bride of the Ebon Dragon fight fair?"

Nomoe_Hideaki: A voice comes from far above, even as a small flame kindles in the darkness: "You thought that was me?" A second light appears high over over the Empress, accompanied by a whisper. "I can't see you coming, true ..." Another light, like a pinprick of light in the darkness. "... but you are *so slow*." More lights appear quickly now, until they are all around as if the Empress was standing under a starry sky.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Between the moment ... your weapon touches my clothes ... and the moment it would ... pierce my skin I can ... cross this chamber three times." Nomoes voice comes from all directions at once. "You'll not catch me this easily."

Nomoe_Hideaki: As the light from the castemarks of thousands of afterimages fill the imaginary sky Nomoe smiles to himself, hidden somewhere among them.

~Anshu: Back where the Empress left him, the Slayer turns to face the Lunars flanking him. His sword, curved and hooked in the shape of a crane's neck, licks out at Snow, the white fluid that courses along the edge burning bright green.

~Anshu: His anima flares powerfully as he pours the power of Malfeas into the strike.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Seemingly without ever having moved Nomoe is between the Slayer and Bright Snow, his right hand almost casually reaching out to pluck the weapon from the air and hold it fast with unearthly strength. Meeting the man's eyes he shakes his head slightly.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Then the sonic boom catches up with him, sending his hair flying. As the Slayer breaks away from him, despite the daiklave's near-indestructibility Nomoe's adamant-hard fingers have left fingerprints impressed into it.

~Anshu: The Slayer pulls his blade back, settling back into a guard position and regaining his balance.

Brazen_Sand: The Empress was quick, but so was Brazen, his footsteps leaving massive gouges in the formerly invincible adamant floors. As he neared the Empress, he seemed to grow out of the darkness, like a monster from it's lair. "What were you going to do with my daughter again?" He said to her from behind

Brazen_Sand: "It's so much easier to fight you now, without your boy-toy to block me."

Brazen_Sand: Suddenly a greenish-white-orange-green-black spear shot at her, as if testing her defenses.

~Anshu: The Empress dodges easily, her centuries of experience serving her well.

~Anshu: Yet her footing is steady and sure, her attunement with the earth keeping her from being pulled in by Brazen's anima.

Wandering: Wandering lept towards the Slayer again her limbs moving with essence enhanced speed to strike a rapid series of blows that the unaided eye would have trouble following as the blows moved onwards they trailed a stream of venom that hisses as it lands on the walkway

~Anshu: No longer tied to the Empress's defense, her opponent slips away like the wind, dacning away and laughing quietly.

~Anshu: Almost as if in response, the internal defenses activate, stringing glowing, thorned vines through the cavernous space, clustering them to impede the movememnts of the Empress and the Slayer.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Turning away from the fleeing Slayer Nomoe glides toward the Empress. "You are a formidable opponent, empty shell, I'll grant you that," Nomoe admits. "Of course, that is to Her credit and perhaps to those who carved you from the remains of Her sustance, not yours." His eyes meet hers as he approaches, a vision of glacial implacability. Only much, much faster.

Nomoe_Hideaki: No misdirection this time, no trickery, only superlative speed and skill. In the blink of an eye Nomoe is on her, following every movement with a precisely mirrored counter sped up just a little. Faster, and faster, and faster until her arms are heavy despite the essence running through them, until the spear in her hands is an impediment rather than a weapon.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Until finally she can't keep increasing her speed further and he reaches through her defenses in a broken-timed triple solitary finger attack against three pressure points, each of them sufficient to overload her nerves and steal all strength from her limbs.

Nomoe_Hideaki: His voice is is little more than a whisper. "I promised you this would be our last meeting. Nomoe Hideaki always keeps his word."

~Anshu: The first two blows pass through her body in a shower of sand and dust, but on the last, he seizes her and holds her fast.

~Anshu: But in the moments before Nomoe's arms close around her, she makes another attempt spit him on the Eye of the Fire Dragon, thrusting toward his chest with murderous intent as he moves to grab her.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Even while lunging forward, his right arm stretched toward the pressure point at the Empress' throat, Nomoe brings up his left hand to slap aside the spear in a move that catapults himself into the air and over the Empress' head. His finger lands first, sending paralyzing weakness into her limbs, then his feet touch down lightly as he comes to stand behind her one hand at her throat.

Nomoe_Hideaki: A few drops of blood fall on the ground next to him from where the abominable weapon cut his otherwise invulnerable left hand even as he turned its blade aside.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Strangely enough the blood is a clear liquid faintly shimmering with gold.

Bright_Snow: Seeing her mate seize the former Empress, Snow's attention turns back to the Slayer and Wandering. Giving a slight smile at Wandering she gestures and her Spear reforms from her moonsilver bracelet. With a roar she charges, using the railing of the walkway as her main foothold.

Bright_Snow: Her blows fall supernaturally fast, a blur of multicoloured light visible for a brief instance even through the darkness. And then she is past and the Slayer and Wandering left behind.

~Anshu: The Slayer is caught in the tangle of conjured vines and unable to break through them

~Anshu: As The Lunar hammers at him, his skin flashes brass in the flickering light of his anima. He survives as his anima flares to its totemic level, portraying a teodojiza standing rampant.

~Anshu: Taking a deep breath, the Slayer draws on the power of Hesiesh, sparking the green flames of his anima to orange and red, trying to burn away the vines impeding his movement.

~Anshu: As the vines curl away he speeds toward the Empress, ignoring Wandering.

Brazen_Sand: Brazen walked towards her, murder in his heart and pain on his mind. No one threatened his little girl. NOBODY!

Brazen_Sand: "Alright, Empress. Let's see if your husband likes you without that big ring on your finger." He growled, then, with a massive talon, sliced through the finger holding the Ring, sawing through bone and sinew in one swipe like it was butter.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Take care," Nomoe admonishes. "Once deanimated the body must still be fit for a state funeral."

Brazen_Sand: Brazen just growled at Nomoe.

~Anshu: As the Ring comes away, the darkness staining the Empress's essence pulls away with it - slowly, as if reluctant to leave - and the dragon coiled at the heart of her anima fades. The Empress gasps as it leaves her altogether.

Nomoe_Hideaki: Nomoe sighs. "She threatened your family, I understand that all to well. She *killed* several of my family only minutes ago and threatened my entire country. That doesn't change the fact that this was once the body of a great hero to Creation."

Brazen_Sand: Brazen stared at her essence

Brazen_Sand: "wait a second...this isn't right."

Brazen_Sand: "There's no Infernal Essence in her...she's NOT an Akuma!" Brazen said, unbelievingly

Nomoe_Hideaki: Nomoe's eyes narrow. "Unanticipated."

Brazen_Sand: He held the Ring to his third eye.

Nomoe_Hideaki: By the grace of his hearthstone his eyes too follow the shifts of the Empress' essence and perceive the change that leaves her as simply a Terrestrial Exalted of incredible power.

Brazen_Sand: "Ooookay, this is awkward."

Wandering: Wandering doesn't hesitate to chase after the Infernal her claws clicking on the walkway as she moves picking up speed as she launches herself onto the Slayers back all four limbs trying to rend his flesh and inject her venom

Nomoe_Hideaki: Nonetheless he continues to hold her. "It will take a greater authority than myself or you to exclude the possibility of trickery. It is after all the Ebon Dragon's singular skill."

Brazen_Sand: Brazen thought to himself. "I think I know a guy..." He said

Brazen_Sand: "Could we take her to Yu-Shan?"

Nomoe_Hideaki: "My men will be here soon - once I disengage the defenses shutting them out, that is - and I'll send word to the Grand Circle."

Brazen_Sand: "I'll hold her." Brazen offered

Nomoe_Hideaki: "No offense, Lord Brazen Sand, but I think I'll keep dealing with that chore."

~Anshu: The Slayer outpaces Wandering's first attack, but the other strike home at last, The poison doesn't even have time to do its work; he skids to a stop in front of the Empress, dead before hitting the floor.

Brazen_Sand: "I'm not going to kill her now. It would be...well, it wouldn't help."

Brazen_Sand: "it's pretty obvious she's not the same as before."

Wandering: "Well finally" Wandering grunts as she stands blood dripping from her claws "Tough bastard" she commented simply and then cocked her head and regarded the Empress"So now what?"

~Anshu: The Empress speaks now, her tone much different from before. "And leaving me alive might help, at least for a time."

Brazen_Sand: "Oh look?" Brazen noted. "She even literally sounds like she's not a puppet."

~Anshu: Where before her voice had been smug and pleased in its cruelty, now it sounded... tired.

Bright_Snow: looks to the two men confused and more than a little exhausted. "Scattered Petals of the Thousandfold Bloosom, purge all remaining Malfean influences aboard your structure bar the ones within 10 meters."

Brazen_Sand: "What the fuck is this thing?" Brazen said, showing the ring, the finger having been burnt to ashes.

Bright_Snow: She hesitates a second, looking at both Nomoe and Brazen both of whom are in ten meters. "Bar of course any necessary for your continued operation."

Brazen_Sand: It seemed to pulse with evil

Nomoe_Hideaki: "With that done open the doors closing off this room," Nomoe further instructs the titan.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Something that, no doubt, will need to be investigated in great detail."

Wandering: "Perhaps Beloved we should find someway to store it? least its taint can effect us?" Wandering suggested "We should secure it and the Empress till we deicde what to do with them both"

Bright_Snow: wanders forward examining the ring. "Possibly a piece of the Ebin Dragon that has slipped his prison, almost certainly something more than that."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Or a vessel for Her to hide her taint in, leaving her clear to conventional sight." Nomoe shrugs.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Do you have anything to say on the matter?"

Brazen_Sand: "We could take her to the Unconquered Sun? If anyone could find out she was untainted, he could."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Do you have anything to say on the matter?" Nomoe asks of the Empress.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "I'll not trouble the Most High over something like this. He justly despises weaklings who come to Him with matters they are capable of dealing with themselves."

Bright_Snow: "Anything is possible, it depends whether the ring is the source of the taint, or if she is an Akuma." Snow glares at the woman, "Either way she is thrice my enemy."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "I'll entertain the possibility that she may be an enemy, though I find it more likely that she remains an instrument no matter what our Charms tell us."

~Anshu: Kaida Vanida laughs mirthlessly. "Nothing I would expect you to believe just now, not that I blame you for that. Without that ring, I am much as I was before. The Shadow of All Things has slaves in plenty, for me to serve his purposes I was built up, given Endowments, but not hollowed out."

Wandering: "So you serve him willing then?" Wandering claws clicked together puncturing her words "Then perhaps we should take steps..."

~Anshu: Her eyes fall upon the ring. "At least, not hollowed out in my own right. That ring imparts his power, all of it that you can hold, to anyone who wears it. It makes you into him, as close as you can come."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "If in-depth examination should give proof to your claim I will apologize for the indignity. However circumstances being what they are you will understand that I cannot even take your Eclipse-bound word for safety."

~Anshu: She looks at Wandering. "Yes and no. When I went to Hell, to him, I sought immortality and power, for its own sake. That was all I could think of. But... I do not like what I am, wearing that ring. For centuries, I was a woman of principle, if nothing else."

Nomoe_Hideaki: Nomoe gives the slightest hint of a shrug and leaves his finger on the pressure point.

~Anshu: "Yes, I understand."

Bright_Snow: "A murderous brutal woman of principle." Snow says.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "One man's hero is another's tyrant, and often both," Nomoe says

~Anshu: "Yes," the Empress says, not arguing.

Nomoe_Hideaki: "Scattered Petals, please locate Lord Samay and his soldiers and lead them here," Nomoe instructs the titan.

Nomoe_Hideaki: He turns to the others. "We are in agreement then to forgo immediate execution?"

Wandering: Wandering shrugs "Aye for the moment at least I agree"

Bright_Snow: "If we must." She sighs, "Which I assume is so, after all you wouldn't bring it up otherwise."

Bright_Snow: "Do you intend to give this to the Deliberative?" She glances around looking through some of the now cracked mountainside, daylight just filtering through.

Nomoe_Hideaki: smiles sourly. "If I must."

Nomoe_Hideaki: "We'll see how the inevitable negotiations go."

Nomoe_Hideaki: */My armies are preparing already. When I tell them I mean to do so from a position of accomplit fait./*