15[20:17] Once Stranger's iron dome is in the air over Nexus, the fever dreams of the Undercity weaken and fade. A few people even awaken to the news of Elegba's rout and Nessun Dorma's demise. [20:17] 14Mediocre news, but better than not waking. [20:19] 13Is it, though. [20:19] 14Yes. 15[20:20] Keldar, Stranger, Xia Lan, and Xu Sim gather in the center of the infirmary tents, the locus of all information coming and going from the war effort as injured Lookshyans and the matte white medics of the Seventh Caduceus stream in from the southern front. [20:20] 13Fair enough. [20:21] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar paces. "But we did see it burn? The thing that did Dorma in?" 15[20:22] The rout in the south brightens the morale of people grappling with the simultaneous news of the Guard's strange predicament at the city gate and the brutal siege warfare between Thorns and the bulk of Cethleann's forces on the banks of the Grey. [20:22] 14Stranger: "We did." [20:23] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "But no indication of how many more of those they got - or how long it'd take them to regenerate one?" [20:23] 14Stranger: "Strategic intelligence is not really what thistledown does." [20:24] "We do know that Cethleann's fifth column manuever is more or less thwarted. We can focus just on the walls." [20:24] 13Xia Lan: "Fairly wide focus." [20:25] "Better than also having to hustle backwards." [20:26] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Our main concern in the east is their sorcerer. Sorcerers. They've been pelting my men with bullshit for a day already and I ain't gonna put up with a second." [20:27] 14Stranger: "We'd have to ride out into the fog to deal with them?" [20:28] 13Xia Lan: "How many of us, and when?" [20:28] "It's the best use of us, with the iron up." [20:29] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Ride out or sneak out. Red Tien guesses they've got at least a dozen spellcasters out there. None of 'em as nuts as, say, one of the lunar anathema, but they're all working together." [20:31] "There's not going to be much sneaking from me." [20:32] "I've never been much for stealth, myself." [20:32] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Could just be me, then. 'course, I can also just march out there with the Guard. Whether that ends better or worse than me creeping out by my lonesome, I dunno." [20:33] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Or, we triangulate the position of their circle or cabal or whatever they call it and use our last shot of thistledown." [20:33] 14Stranger: "What if we march out there with the Guard, you circle by yourself, and if it all goes sideways you join us and take command?" [20:33] "Because we're not dropping that iron." [20:34] "It's not even enough to get most of the sleepers awake." [20:36] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Don't think we'd gain enough by your distracting them with the Guard to make it worth risking the Guard. I'd sooner sneak out myself, and call down the iron if things go really bad... 'cept for what you just said. Hrm." [20:37] "Well, we can't just let them sit there throwing spells. At some point it'll take a daring gambit." [20:39] 13Xia Lan: "How many of us can we spare? I mean, taking them out seems like a priority..." [20:39] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Here's what I'm thinking: I sneak out to slit some throats, and if it goes south one of you standby to lead the Guard out after me." [20:39] 14Stranger: "Tsuka." [20:40] "Tsuka will lead the Guard out. We'll assist." [20:40] "He's got the credibility." [20:41] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar nods. "True enough. Might not even take any of you - I'll put it through the Codex if things are so bad that I need anathematic backup." [20:41] 13Xia Lan: "He-- call me first." [20:43] <@Ferrinus> 21Keldar nods again. "Alright. He's technically with the Apples, after all. Could take the Guard in a pinch, but I'm sure Khelendros has his own problems." [20:43] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar nods again. "Alright. He's technically with the Apples, after all. Could take the Guard in a pinch, but I'm sure Khelendros has his own problems." [20:53] 5Xu Sim hasn't said a word. He's been meditating. Even the Twice-Refined Princess has to give up trying to rouse him after a while. He rises, wordlessly, and rapidly assembles three small pouches. He summons Dawn Guard messengers and quietly gives order to throw the pouches far from friendly lines across each of the fronts. [20:53] 5Scratch that. [20:54] 5He hands one to Keldar and keeps two for himself. "Firedust, iron oxide, rosewood ash. If we are discovered, they should suffice to cover our escape." [20:55] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Nice. And good to know you're coming with - you can point out lines I shouldn't step over, runes to scratch out, kinda thing." [20:55] "Indeed. And," 5he brandishes the Skullclamp - "I have a present for one of their generals." [20:56] 14Stranger will set up at an advantageous parapet with the Codex, ready to act as the operator. [20:56] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Whassat?" [20:57] 13Xia Lan is... guard duty, then? And ready to rush out after Tsuka, should needs must. 15[21:01] The two pairs split up - one preparing to creep through the mists toward the bulk of the eastern army, with Stranger and Xia Lan supporting a harried-looking Tsuka at the city gate. 15[21:01] The first thing he says after embracing Xia Lan is "Is it true about Nessun Dorma?" [21:02] 14Stranger simply meticulously prepares the tea. [21:02] 13She's still hugging back. "Yeah." 13Only then does she let go. [21:04] 13Xia Lan: "He died a hero. But--" [21:04] 5Xu Sim: "Under questioning, the neokorboros that tried to abduct Vladok called it a Skullclamp." [21:06] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "So what's it do?" [21:08] 5Xu Sim turns it here and there under the light, examining it again. He doesn't hide his irritation at not having an answer - yet - nor his eagerness to find out. "I'm looking forward to finding out. But if that neokorboros was confident enough in its power to just slap it on Vladok in the middle of his own lair, surrounded by friends and allies -" [21:08] 13Unsure of what else to say, she simply pulls him in again. "Stay safe, okay?" [21:09] 14Stranger: "He will have us to ensure that. Now come, sit down; have some tea." [21:09] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Hmm, well, long as it doesn't give the subject untold power or something. Now, here's the plan..." 12What follows is shop talk - lines of sight, routes through the mist, etcetera. [21:10] 14Perhaps the most impressive thing is he's doing this with one hand; the other is splayed across the Codex, laid out at his side. 15[21:10] Without answering Tsuka looks out at the gate, where the Guard are setting up. His gaze quiets the cheer they let out at Tsuka and Xia Lan's embrace. [21:12] 5Xu Sim has few comments or questions. He is as well-at-ease as a man who has just woken up from a long and refreshing sleep. [21:12] 14Morale is morale, but they do love to be reminded when their heroes fuck. [21:12] 13Wow. Crude. [21:13] 14So it goes. [21:13] 14How do you think Stranger made such easy peace with the Crows? [21:14] 5By fucking each and every one of them? [21:14] 13Honestly, for all you know they haven't progressed past chaste handholding. [21:14] 13WOW. [21:14] 14Well, that does give insight into recruiting the blood apes. [21:15] 13*repeatedly slamming eject button on this conversation* 15[21:25] Keldar and Xu Sim creep out, ranging wide to the south as they approach the eastern mists. The ground is unsteady beneath their feet, and Keldar finds his expert knowledge of the local geography somewhat at odds with what he and his partner are seeing. That hillock should be over there, this minor tributary should be curving the other way-- movement stops them in their tracks. As they creep forward, they cross the gaze of a coconut-sized reptile's eye floating in a languid, amoebic pool of water. In the mist behind it is the distant crackle of fires; Keldar concludes they've reached the far edges of Ardua's muster. 15[21:26] Depsite the cheering, the mood at the eastern gate is sour. Keldar's gone, leaving this well-liked but resented Tsuka as his replacement - not even a member of the Guard! - and half the soldiers are dwelling on having had to cut a comrade down earlier that day. More are nursing injuries from those same lost comrades. [21:27] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar glances towards Xu Sim's position, then whispers into the codex. "Bearing on the sorcerers?" 12He's prepared to go without, but might as well check. [21:28] 14Someone's going to have to boost morale. [21:32] 5Xu Sim narrows his eyes and casts his gaze about. [21:33] 13Xia Lan's able to, if Tsuka asks her. But maybe he wants to rally the troops himself...? [21:41] 5Xu Sim carefully notes nods and silently points out to Keldar the locations of a variety of elementals and sorcerous constructs that they will likely have to avoid. "More sleep-inducing mists," 5he whispers. And then he casts his hand East and extends a single finger, pointing towards a scintillating patch of sky. "They work their magic where the world wanes." [21:42] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Hmph. Well, I'm going to reach their circle and cut it down regardless." 12A faint line of reflected light traces its way across his armor as he speaks - then he moves out, as planned. [21:44] <@Ferrinus> 12How is Keldar managing to move so quietly, and keep such a low profile, despite being clad in a superheavy suit of gold and silver armor? It's hard to explain. Part of it's the native flexibility of moonsilver. There's also something about the way the metal's catching the light but giving little back - the glow's cut and diffused by the mist, and tends to just look like normal [21:44] <@Ferrinus> 12wyld-adjacent chromatic aberration unless you're looking right at it and know what it is. 15[21:51] Tsuka looks back at Xia Lan before setting his face and approaching the troops, arms up. "A month from now none of you will need to know my name. I'll be working alongside you, a peer among brothers, rebuilding our city. All of us are here, fighting for Nexus, fighting for the second chance Nexus represents to all of Creation and every soul inside. We fight for that promise. We fight for our lives! And we- will- prevail!" He's not an orator, and it shows, but what shows more brightly is his passion, his conviction, the unignorable intensity with which he reaches out to his command. "Where will you be in one month's time? Imagine, and it will be so!" [21:53] 14Good lad. [21:53] 5Xu Sim, clad in soot-streaked white, draws a kerchief about his face to dampen the sound of his breathing. He creeps like a spider through the camp outskirts. [21:54] 13It takes all of Xia Lan's restraint to wait until he's back to whatever serves as their space to almost tackle and kiss him. Let them whoop again, who cares. She doesn't, not now. [21:55] 14Sipping the tea. [21:57] 13Shut. 15[22:01] Tsuka's skin is hot to the touch; there are embers in his eyes. "We're gonna win," he says, with finality. [22:02] 13Xia Lan: "We are." 13And she finally believes it. [22:02] 14From outside the tent they're in: "We'll be needed quickly." [22:04] 13Ugh. Mood killer. "In a minute." 13To Tsuka: "Ready?" 15[22:04] Tsuka kisses Xia Lan one more time. "I am now. Let's go." [22:05] 14Once they emerge: "Keldar's been marked, but Xu Sim is still unseen. They're making a play. We need to advance upon that play's conclusion -- regardless of which outcome." [22:06] 13Xia Lan's out after Tsuka with enough time to be considered chaste, and also to smooth her outfit. "How many of us are heading out? The whole unit, or..." 13she gestures to the three of them. [22:07] 14Stranger: "All of us. We're pressing an advantage." 15[22:10] Across the battlefield, well past the enemy line, Keldar and Xu Sim trek through the mist, doing well to keep to it and out of the areas kept clean in and around the ranks of elementals by makeshift braziers of violet fire. From time to time they press themselves flat and still as a thin membrane of white light traces through them orthogonal to the ground. Keldar, in particular, takes great pains to evade this, but his erratic stopping-and-starting draws the attention of a blue-skinned being with a flaming red third eye, set in a crown of fire. He withdraws his hands into cerulean robes and begins chanting. Not long after, four identical voices join him, and four identical faces flank him to the left and right. Above their third eyes their shaved heads are tattooed with a symbol, a hand-like shape radiating five rays upward from a single point beneath. 15[22:11] "INTRUDER! BY THE THRAN!" 15[22:11] How do Xu Sim and Keldar react when the latter is made? [22:13] 5Xu Sim presses himself to the ground - he knows that there's no way he's been spotted, yet. [22:13] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar presses his lips together tightly and narrows his eyes in the classic expression of disingenuous contrition, but then he relaxes into a grin, detaching himself from the wall he was pressing against and smoothly brandishing his blade. "Y'know," 12he says, "It's really on you that I even made it this far in this getup." [22:14] <@Ferrinus> 12His brow flares with dawn's fire as Terminus spins once in his hand. The tip traces a faint contrail through the air. [22:17] 14Stranger, to Keldar over the Codex: "We're in position. You just say when." [22:18] "He looks familiar..." 5Xu Sim mutters to himself. "The one who acts as five? The high tower... another world... a silver son?" [22:18] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar mutters into the codex while stearing down the blue sentinels: "Cooouuuuld be shortly." [22:19] 14Stranger signals to Tsuka. It's time to get everyone in position to move. [22:19] 13Xia Lan's ready. [22:19] 13And also clinging next to Tsuka. But there's only so much space, you see. 15[22:26] Keldar is swarmed from all sides! More tidemare elementals congeal out of the mist, and hundreds upon hundreds of short, slender crystalline figures tear their way through the ground. Behind Keldar, that amoebic eye roils forward, digging psuedopods into the earth and siphoning quartz up from beneath the soul to encase its wildly rolling eye in a massive, wicked-spiked carapace. [22:26] <@Ferrinus> 12Then Keldar's eyes flare with golden-white light, and he gets his own third oculus, this one drawing itself on the silver shield that he pulls apart from his golden daiklave. Entreaty's power surges up and down Keldar's body, fortifying the warrior's frame with martial essence and sending streamers of golden-orange fire crackling backwards from the corners of his shield and the edges [22:26] <@Ferrinus> 12of his armor's joints. "Come and get it." [22:28] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar said that last bit into the codex, too, so everyone knows what's up. 15[22:41] The Dreamer's four third eyes flare bright, and the color is echoed in the heart of each tiny crystalline figure. [22:42] 5Xu Sim takes a deep breath and slips to the side, where he slinks deeper towards the camp to try to spot the enemy general, or his other sorcerers. [22:50] 14Stranger's up already. "We're moving. Tsuka, lead them out." [22:51] 13Weapons out. No longer draping herself over Tsuka. Let's go. [22:51] 14Drinks the full cup of tea in one go, tosses it away. [22:51] 14Let's ride. [22:58] <@Ferrinus> 12To the credit of the raksha legions, they actually do come and get it. [22:59] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar's seriously embattled, swamped (though not destroyed) by an onrush of impossible foes. The only reason he hasn't given any ground is that he's completely surrounded - there's none left to give! 15[23:10] The sorcerer's eyes flare blue, and eight hands clasp together. Keldar suddenly feels unsteady on his feet, legs wobbling like they're giving way. 15[23:10] Then he looks down. [23:15] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar's eyes flash - metaphorically, this time - and he looks back up even as he begins to sink. "Oh, yeah? Yeah? Cute. I'm coming over there and cutting you apart." [23:16] <@Ferrinus> 12Gleaming crystal claws scraping at his shield and armor in vain, the mercenary takes a step forward. Then another. Then- 15[23:17] Xu Sim tiptoes around the melee, doing well to stay out of it and evading notice through the mist thereby. He draws closer and hears some chanting and past that, an argument in the Old Tongue. A sonorous, bassy man's voice intones, with incredulity: "Did you just draw that?" 15[23:28] A woman's voice, aged, irritated: "What does it matter? I drew it. I could have drawn it any turn." 15[23:28] The man: "But you drew it this turn." 15[23:29] He adds: "When you get lucky like that there's nothing I can do. Again." 15[23:29] The woman: "Yes, master." [23:35] 5Xu Sim silently rises from the muck directly behind the entity known as Ardua. With a savage grin on his face, he clicks the Skullclamp at the base of the creature's head. 15[23:45] The clamp latches onto Ardua's skull with a wet pop. His body seizes, scattering cards and candles from the table. His slate-haired opponent rises from the table, hand straying to her sword, but when Ardua's body dissolves in a splash of water leaving only an angular cerulean living brain clamped to the implement in Xu Sim's hand, she hesitates. 15[23:46] Her eyes flicker. Across the battlefield a hundred yalms away, everyone shudders and the mist starts to thin. [23:46] 13... 15[23:46] Suddenly the armored woman snaps back to focus, and offers Xu Sim a curt salute. 15[23:46] "Master." [23:46] 14Well. [23:46] 13... [23:46] 5Xu Sim pauses for a moment. Then, with a spray of water from his mouth, he laughs a shrill laugh. He doesn't stop. [23:46] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar, knocking one of the crystal men aside with his shield while gritting his teeth and simply walking through a tidemare, slows briefly as he notices everything ebbing around him. 15[23:47] Down below the surface, Keldar sees the various monstrosities freeze up. The Dreamer lifts his burning eyes to the surface, wincing in pain. [23:48] 5His voice cracks in between bouts of laughter. "Lay down your arms! Ha ha ha ha! You serve Xu Sim!" 15[23:48] If Xu Sim peers past the table, he'll see the mist pulling away on many elementals and monstrosities, as well as the bizarre and fierce men and women who crackle with sorcerous power. 15[23:48] One by one they kneel. [23:49] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Holy shit." [23:49] 14This is...the good outcome. One supposes. [23:49] 13Xia Lan: "Sun almighty." [23:49] 14Under his breath: "Fuck." [23:49] "Ah, ha ha ha!" 5The sorcerer, exultant. [23:51] 14Stranger: "Give us direction, oh sorcerer." [23:51] 5He turns, slowly, to face the other members of the Circle. "Ha!" 5he holds Ardua's brain, still gently wriggling and dripping water, aloft. "Ha! Ha!" 5Xu Sim wiggles it a bit. [23:51] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Guess you keep what you kill. Xu Sim! Get these fuckers out of my way, I wanna dry off." 12Keldar shoots a contemptuous look at the giant gem-encrusted eyeball before stowing his sword and shield at his back and stomping westward to rejoin the Dawn Guard. [23:51] "DI [23:51] REC [23:51] TION." [23:52] "Because we can't fucking stay out here." [23:52] 5He clears his throat and looks sheepish for a moment. [23:52] 13Let's fucking go. [23:52] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar's got it. He addresses the Guard in a booming voice as soon as he's clear of the tidemares and crystal men. "About face, back through the gate! We'll retake defensive positions and then figure out what to do with these freaks." [23:53] 14Stranger: "So long as we don't keep them under the iron, if we want to keep them." [23:53] <@Ferrinus> "Tsuka." 12Keldar adds the last bit with a stoic nod at the young Terrestrial before drawing some small circles in the air with a gauntlet. Unless something's up, the guardsmen should soon be returning to their still-being-patched fortifications within Nexus proper. [23:53] "Hold," 5Xu Sim commands the freak legion. He hurries towards the rest of the Circle. [23:54] 5Once closer: "We should attack, surely we could collapse at least one of the flanks with this force!" [23:54] 14Stranger: "This is a flank." [23:54] 5Xu Sim: "This was the center." [23:54] "If we drive south we're in no man's land. If we drive north, we're interfering with Thorns." [23:55] "Do you want to help Thorns?" [23:55] 5There's a twinkle in Xu Sim's eye at the prospect. [23:55] "I don't." [23:55] <@Ferrinus> 12Keldar: "Not a bad plan. I could move the Guard through the city to, say, reinforce Lookshy - then we storm out as you sweep along. Assuming the ground's navigable at all." [23:55] "Reinforcing Lookshy would be my call." [23:57] "Nessun Dorma died in the south... but Sevenfold Scion is in the north." [23:58] 13Xia Lan: "...split up?" [23:59] 13Who is Xia Lan to deny Xu Sim his calling, after all. [00:00] "Who am I to deny romance." [00:01] 5Xu Sim nods. "They won't expect a counterattack like this, in two places at once, right?" [00:03] 5Xu Sim, to Keldar: "Remember what I learned about the Wailing Wall. Once its rider dismounts, it'll go into a frenzy and you can lead it wherever you want, bait it into their lines, whatever it takes." [00:04] "Thralls! We strike north!" 5He waves the skullclamp about in a circle for effect, before securing it to a place on his belt. Important thing, this. [00:04] 5strike it [00:04] 5strike that 15[00:07] NEXT TIME: Winter [00:08] 13Xia Lan: "I'm with Xu Sim." 13There's a harsh glare, daring anyone to tell her not to. [00:08] 5He mouths: "Thank you." [00:10] 14Stranger: "So it goes." [00:10] "We need to move fast." [00:10] "Take your new people and run." [00:10] 13A nod. A look to Xu Sim. [00:11] "Thralls! We strike north!" 5He waves the skullclamp about in a circle for effect, before securing it to a place on his belt. Important thing, this. [00:11] 13Wow. Way to repeat a - ah, hell. [00:13] "Xia Lan," 5he says softly, "Should I deny doing this for personal reasons? Is this... a mistake?" [00:14] 13Xia Lan: "If I told you to hold back, I'd be a liar." [00:15] "I went north for a reason. Let's make it worth it." [00:15] "Stranger thinks it's a mistake." [00:16] 13She just looks at Xu Sim blankly. [00:16] "Do you?" [00:17] 5Xu Sim: "No. But he's a wise man. Maybe he knows something I don't." [00:19] 13Xia Lan: "Idiot. You can lose more when you're doing the 'right' thing. Defend what you need to." [00:19] 13She looks stricken, briefly, but covers it well. [00:23] "You speak from experience, then. I'll follow your advice. But I'll tell you the real reason I'm afraid." [00:24] 13She looks over, eyebrow raised. [00:25] "Go on." [00:25] "I can protect people. I can cure a plague, rescue a neighborhood, save an army from being crushed by the Emissary's wroth. But protecting a person? I didn't save King Novak the Shepherd, or his friend Nessun Dorma. They both died on my watch." [00:27] "It's a war, people die. It's a royal court, whatever. It's a violent world and people die all the time. But the ones I care about? Too many of them..." [00:29] 13Xia Lan: "It's -- yeah. But there's still regrets." [00:30] "Care about those without crowns. I'm going to make some tea." [00:30] "So you should protect her. I mean." [00:30] "What are you doing without her?" [00:30] 13The same look across her face. [00:31] "She's a good woman," 14he shouts over his shoulder. "But you already know that." [00:34] "Well, it's not so simple, you know," 5he stammers. "There's all sorts of implications. And not just for me. I'm trying not to be selfish." [00:35] 13Xia Lan: "Take it from someone who knows: that doesn't make it any better." [00:35] "Let's go save your girl, yeah?" [00:36] 5He nods. [00:36] 14And away we go. [00:36] 14Feels good.