IK vs PA (Round 2) 2v2

[Enigmatic Immortal]

This battle begins at Midnight Monday evening!

The following match up is:

Tainted Bushido & Morus vs The Phoenix & Rayse Valentino!

[Enigmatic Immortal]

You have two weeks, GOOD LUCK!

[The Phoenix]

Things were not going so well for Phoenix Ascendant’s efforts against the Ixian Knights, not that that was a terribly surprising outcome. Failure had been all but expected in a conflict which essentially boiled down to a fresh group of adventurers and their reluctant allies combating a formally trained army. An army, he noted, that was currently holding its own against both of Corone’s actual military powers. There weren’t many gamblers that he knew of who would bet on Phoenix Ascendant given those odds.

And that was completely ignoring what Elisdrasil knew about fate working against him.

“So this is it?” Rayse casually questioned. Both he and the contractor had spent the better part of five minutes watching the long chain of barges slowly pulling its way up the Bradbury River.

Elisdrasil broke his vigil long enough to cast an annoyed glance at his companion.

“You know the Future Sight isn’t that specific. We’ve both agreed that this is the most obvious fit for the vision that it gave me.” Divining the future was a tricky process. While he generally let his Future Sight direct him to where the eddies of destiny were strongest, it was possible to seek out a specific topic along a specific path. Either way, the visions he received usually requires some interpretation.

“Lucky us,” Rayse replied.

Elisdrasil sighed. Rayse, he had learned, wasn’t a man to waste himself on half-measures. It seemed that the native Salvaran either couldn’t be bothered enough to care about something or he cared so much that he threw himself fully into whatever it was that piqued his interest.

Unfortunately, Elisdrasil wasn’t on the best of terms with the contractor following the abysmal failure of their attempted ambush in Galstaff. Not only had the two of them been forced to flee without inflicting any real damage on the Ixian Knights, but they had lost a pricey cargo of alchemical fire arrows in the process. Well, he thought, lost wasn’t so much the word Rayse had used when berating him. It was more along the lines of ‘wasted’ and by wasted he meant blown up with nothing to show for it.

But that wasn’t the entirety of the fallout that had come from Galstaff. Though Rayse refused to utter more than a few words about it, he had apparently been the target of an assassination attempt while the two of them had been separated. Since Rayse had been loathe to discuss the topic, Elisdrasil had just written it off as the man’s violent past catching up with him. Opposing this theory had been Rayse’s insistence that there was a turncoat in Phoenix Ascendant who had sold him out.

Another area where Rayse had been right and he had been wrong.

When the two of them had used a bit of Rayse’s magic to contact Phoenix Ascendant’s forces in Vorsport they had been made aware that a shipment of rare magical texts and Raiaeran historical tomes had been hijacked by the Ixian Knights. Elisdrasil had wanted to chalk it up to another run in their streak of mounting bad luck but analysis from Rayse’s contacts showed that the Ixian force had been directed by none other than their mercenary general Taka, the man who had just successfully taken Gisela from the Rangers. Taka’s forces had apparently known exactly when and where to strike to retrieve the shipment, something that they could only have known if someone had told them the shipment’s particulars by either one of Rayse’s smugglers or by a member of Phoenix Ascendant. Rayse had made it pretty clear on which side of that line the responsibility fell.

“The moon is shadowed,” he muttered, watching a blanket of darkness sweep across the river valley. “Now’s our best chance.”

Not waiting for a confirmation from his associate, Elisdrasil slipped over the hillock and down towards the river bank. It had been a humid night and the moisture in the grass silenced their approach. As they approached the barge chain Elisdrasil noted the shadowy figures of Ixian sentries patrolling the decks. At the head of the column, an Alerar made steam vessel hauled the entire procession upstream with a slow, steady pace, but at the end there was little disturbance aside from the gentle lapping of the passing current against the barge’s low slung hull.

Having used his future sight to track the missing shipment, Elisdrasil and Rayse had watched the barge chain being loaded and departing from a small port near Gisela. Sneaking on board then would have been too dangerous for the two of them, so they found themselves in the middle of some unnamed valley, swimming to catch the end of the last barge as it passed quietly in the dead of the night.

[Rayse Valentino]

Eli had some nerve. Some goddess-damned nerve. First he turned the arrow shipment into a smoldering magical mess, then he had the gall to let this happen. Rayse never expected Phoenix Ascendant to win, hell the fact they came this far was nothing short of a miracle, but bringing him into so many of these problems was really annoying. Right on schedule, one of Eli's close allies went missing after they both returned from the botched ambush, but Rayse had no time to be smug when it was revealed that he decided to take a sizable portion of Phoenix's war chest with him. That was money that Rayse already considered to be his. There was also the matter of the turncoat, who Eli insisted knew nothing of Rayse's identity. Whether that was true or not, the contractor was more than happy to lay blame regardless.

For him, this wasn't about Corone or money. It was personal.

So that's why he swam like an asshole over to the damn last barge, just barely managing to pull himself up against the current. Behind the steam ship pulling them, these barges were relatively simple, but he wasn't sure of their exact structure. He had little time to assess the situation, so he hid behind a large stack of crates. It was too dark to tell the color of the boat, and from what he could tell there was only one large deck area with various stacks of crates, likely intended to obscure the cargo or, well, be the cargo. The problem was that Eli's portion of this mess could've been in any one of these connected barges, which were linked together using large, thick chains between the boats. Even Rayse doubted that his explosives could pierce through it, and even if they could he had no idea which one actually contained what they needed. This was a mess. Their only hope was to stop the ship leading them, but due to the number of guards, including General Taka himself, they couldn't simply swim up to it. There were also no access points since it was a larger vessel, whereas the decks of these smaller barges were nearly level with the water. Only a thin side that rose up around it kept the river from flowing in.

The knight guarding the last barge stood plainly at the front, looking to his front guided only by the light of the moon. The brief period of clouded sky made him completely blind, unable to see the trespassers. The moon emerged once more, but in this cloudy sky there was no telling when he would be lightless once more. The secret nature of this transport made the risk of light too great. There was another knight on this last boat, who was patrolling the sides and keeping watch along the shores. It was this one that turned an unfortunate corner and fell into Rayse's grip. The contractor quickly brought his knife up and slit the man's throat before a single word came out, then catching his body and laying it softly onto the wooden deck.

The timer had started. They had very little time to cross all of these barges, avoiding or incapacitating the enemies before the steam ship in front was alerted. The security from one barge to the next was higher, likely indicating the importance of cargo closer to the steam ship, but if they were coming from behind then likely the attack would be unexpected... or so they hoped.

[Tainted Bushido]

The water train moved down the river with a steady pace, the lead ship steadily chugging against the waters current as large wheels on either side of the boat pushed it further towards Ixian Castle. The Puffs of steam that powered the turbines pushing the wheels continued unabated. Figures moved about the boats steadily checking on cargo, while occasionally talking with each other. Each barge was nothing more than a flat wooden board with a rim that extended up, guarding the plates from being flooded by water. The results were much the same, the rather oversized wooden boxes with their railing that extended no farther than waist height. The men had only been on the river for an hour or so and already boredom reared it's ugly head on the ship.

Three figures were on the barge closest to the front ship that made the entire journey possible, and it was clear to see one was not trusted. A man wearing a porcelain mask and two swords on his hip crossed his arms as he looked back toward Gisela, the way he had come. The battle for the city had been brutal, with many people injured on his side, but when word from Ranger High Command had filtered in from Underwood, Taka had been vindicated and the fighting had been put to an end. As he had promised Sei when he left Ixian Castle, Gisela was firmly under Ixian Knights control.

So, when they had received word that there was a shipment of valuables under control of the enigmatic Phoenix Ascendant, Taka had taken efforts to secure the shipment. The caravan had shown up where it had been described and he had taken the shipment with prejudice. To say anything more on the matter was unnecessary. What was necessary was the almost insane level of paranoia that Taka had put into ensuring the shipment would reach Ixian Castle. The ronin had already felt the sting of betrayal once within the past few months and was loathe to let it fall again.

So, when their informant tried to take his pay and go, Taka had insisted the man ride up the river with him. The Elf had blanched under the treatment, going so far as to protest, and the argument sounded fairly logical. However, when Taka drew steel and began cutting into the man's neck, it didn't leave him much room to argue. It was then Taka had let his disdain for the elf be known, not because he was an elf, but because he was a traitor.

As far as the ronin was concerned, the man should have died, but that was not the western way. For Tak,a he had to bite down on his eastern sensibilities and let the snake live. The only punishment he could put upon the man was insisting he be there to deliver the goods to Ixian Castle. The hint of amusement in the General's voice told the Elf everything he needed to know. There would be no weaseling out.

So there they were standing on the ship even as the moon waxed brilliantly in the sky. The pale light cast a definite glow on the porcelain mask, and played with the ronin's hair, casting them a brilliant white. There was no mistaking the ronin for anyone else, such was the glittering brilliance. He moved his head only slightly, drinking in the deepening shadows as they clung to his men before he closed his eyes, "I do hate these missions."

"It was your idea to come yourself. We both know Lady Orlouge didn't need you to personally carry the medical supplies from Gisela here," The man replied as he looked at the Elf. To the credit of the Phoenix Ascendant betrayer he did not look as nervous as either man figured he would be. He seemed to be stoically accepting his punishment, and if he was all perturbed by Taka's rude treatment of him, he didn't let it show.

"I am not here for her benefit," Taka replied firmly. A hint of annoyance entered his tone which brought a wan smile to Erikson's lips.

The former caravan guard shook his head before he said, "You sure bringing the kid on the ship was a good idea? I mean I know he said he had business with Sei, but during a war that's a dangerous opening..."

The Dark Blade shook his head and chuckled mirthlessly before he spoke, "Perhaps he will have a chance to prove his convictions before we reach our Lord. I would....dislike being proven wrong on my judge of character." He then shot the elf a dirty glance before he spoke, "I will not lie, I hope we reach the castle quickly. I do not wish to be distracted from my duties any longer than necessary."

"That makes two of us boss," Erikson replied before he playfully slapped the elf next to him on the shoulder. The boat chose then to lurch over a particularly shallow bend in the river, which caused the man to almost fall over, even as Taka barely moved. Erikson managed to stumble a step despite his sense of balance, such was the strength of the bump. Both men looked back over the barges seeing the reactions of the other men even as the ronin relaxed his posture, letting his hands drift to his waist in idle boredom.

[Morus]

Through a heavy haze he hobbled hastily towards a twilight-touched thicket, the same one Morus had seen countless nights before. Its endless black tendrils seemed to stretch in every direction; shadowy claws that tore the earth asunder as silent wooden wardens kept an eternal vigil. A small stream of clear cool water trickled through, defining the only true boarder the forest had. As the boy drew closer, a savage weariness wore on his limbs, as if some phantasmal weight bid him rest. Unnerved, though unfazed, he moved forward still to the only glimmer of color in the inky sea before him. A rose lay abandoned amidst ashen brush and branches, colored in the most splendid red imaginable. The sickly sweet smell of it hung heavy in the air, palpable on the tongue and inescapable in its wretched potency. As the boy crossed the ankle-deep brook, a sudden chill ran through him. Cold as it was, it tempered his resolve to iron, beckoning him onward towards the lone flower.

The rose, in all its radiant resplendence, sounded a silent siren's call to him.

"You always come to the same place," a strangely familiar voice whispered in the distance. Morus knelt near the fallen flower, a queer fascination overcoming him. As he plucked it from the ground, its hidden thorns tore deep into his hand. Blood red ran down the green stem and flecked itself, unnoticed, upon the petals.

"We all go to the same place in the end." The boy never bothered to face her, but he could picture her flowing white hair and gown rustling in a dead breeze. Her eyes were deep honey pools, her skin an alabaster pale. Soon, the sweet scent of mint began to compete with the stagnant rosewater. She gripped his shoulder and lifted him effortlessly to face her, gently taking the sullied flower from his hand.

"It will all end soon," she smiled. Some how, her smirk twisted in the boy's gut like a knife. He tried to recoil, but her hand kept him firmly in place. "Everything ends. And always in ash." Her free hand stretched out, pointing to the once a dense and darkened forest. All that was left were the charred bones of trees still smoldering with embers. Smoke ruled the sky, choking the air around him. Morus responded with wide-eyed silence, but she knew everything he wanted to say. "You can try to stop it all, but that's all you can do." She drew closer to him, with a face he had never seen but knew so well.

Bells rang in the distance, strong and hard and fast. Their furious tolling caused the scene all around him to break apart.

***

Morus awoke that morning in the burned out remains of a small hovel just outside one of the more populous towns in Corone. Within a few hours, he had found himself in a rundown tavern, and a few more passed that had him recruited into the Ixian Knight's cause. It wasn't difficult convincing the boy. He had always been assured of the validity of the prophetic nature of dreams. When a kindly looking soldier had approached him at a rickety table, reciting the same tired words posted on doors and trees across the city about ending the senseless civil war that plagued Corone for years, the urchin had jumped at the chance to join.

And so he found himself at the front of a train of barges, bound down a long and winding river towards Ixian Castle. As plumes of steam bellowed high in the night sky, a shiver ran down Morus' spine. Soon, he would meet the man that controlled the Ixian Knights. Sei was more myth to him than real at the moment, but if even a smidgen of what the smallfolk said of him was true, no purer force for good could be asked to end the strife that bled the land dry. The boy took a few quick puffs at his pipe to calm his nerves, and watched with a hidden eagerness as they merged with the great cloud tower that came from the chip.

Taka, the man who the soldiers deemed their leader, made him uneasy. Earlier, before they'd taken the ships and all their cargo, he had seen the general nearly slit the throat of the who was responsible for informing them of the entire operation. And he had heard whispers from the other men, of the demon-fierce way Taka had fought to secure everything on board. Though not privy to the contents of the boxes, including the one he sat cross-legged upon, the boy had been allowed to stay aboard the front runner. Perhaps it was for his own safety, as he had sat a hapless observer while the ships were commandeered.

"I have never killed a man," he thought solemnly. It was a grim thing to admit when traveling with an army, else he'd have muttered it aloud in the drowsy monotone he was accustomed to whenever attempting the waking dream. He was no fighter, no true soldier, but he still felt some desperate, vain need to help. The face of his father's corpse, the shrill shriek of his sisters screams, they all still haunted him whenever he slept. But the bandits that burned his childhood were not monsters of legend. They were men, made cruel by war and desperate by the lack of battles. The sooner this ended, the better he would feel. "At least I hope."

With the sweet taste of hashish on his lips, he thought back to the morning he woke up from that grizzly dream, in the skeletal remains of that home.

Though all may end in ash, some things began in it.

[The Phoenix]

Water streamed from Elisdrasil’s leather body suit and pooled around the Raiaeran’s feet, mixing with the sanguine fluid gushing from the guard’s severed neck. He watched dispassionately as the life fade from the Ixian. Whether the man had had a family or had been a loner, whether he laughed or cried or loved or had ever known the warmth of a child in his arms mattered little now. There was nothing left but a cold shell of empty meat that had once been a man.

Elisdrasil pitied him, but he wouldn’t waste time or energy lamenting the death of an enemy.

“The chains should remain taut as long as the prime ship keeps making way,” Elisdrasil hissed to Rayse. He made to gesture the contractor forward but stopped himself short. It was one thing to direct Rayse in matters of Phoenix Ascendant’s financial direction, but telling the man when and where to fight struck him as unnecessary. The corpse on the deck was proof enough of that. Instead Elisdrasil plucked his war mask from his belt and placed it firmly over his face and moved up to the next barge.

True to his word, the chains remained firmly solid as Elisdrasil and Rayse perched near the barge’s lip, feeling the gentle bob of the waves rhythmically slipping under the hull. From what Elisdrasil could see silhouetted against the backdrop of the night, the second barge only had a single patrolling guard. It matched up with what he remembered seeing of the barge train’s crew back in port. There weren’t too many Ixians on board, perhaps only a dozen regulars, and most of those would be sleeping in the passenger barge two ship’s ahead. Pulling the night watch wasn’t generally seen as the most desirable duty, though this evening’s events would prove that assumption wrong.

The two stowaways waited patiently, listening to the call of the river birds and the sound of the waves on the shore, until another shadow cut the moonlight and they could safely slip across without being seen by the second barge’s guard. The moonlight reappeared only seconds later, but by then Elisdrasil and Rayse were hidden amongst the stacked supply crates. It wasn’t the first time that the Raiaeran had wished he had had time to procure a new crossbow after he had lost his old one in the fight against Zerith. Being able to just shoot the guards would have made infiltrating the barge train a much easier thing to do.

Elisdrasil and Rayse waited amongst the stacked crates until the guard’s patrol route took him by them again. As soon as he passed Elisdrasil slipped out of the shadows behind him and grabbed the guard in a hold which clamped around the Ixian’s throat, ensuring his silence. He kicked out at the back of the guard’s knee, preventing the man from gaining any leverage until Rayse could bring his sharp blade to bear once more. Elisdrasil waited for the Ixian guard’s body to go limb in his arms before slipping his body silently into the dark waters beneath the barge.

It took considerably longer for the clouds overhead to obscure the moonlight enough for Elisdrasil and Rayse to slip to the third supply barge, but their patience rewarded them by delivering the third barge into their hands as surely as it had the previous two.

“Two down barges down,” Elisdrasil whispered, gently laying the third dead guard’s still form upon the deck. “Only the passenger barge left.”

[Rayse Valentino]

Everything was going smoothly, except for that bump in the river that nearly caused the duo to expose themselves. The guard on the last barge was taken out in a similar manner as before, with Rayse not skimping on the details. Although I really wish this damn elf would stop talking. Eli was pretty good at making his thoughts known in the most quiet sound possible, or even mouth movements if they were close enough to actually see each other instead of just two shadows that were slightly more familiar than the ones patrolling the boats. This wasn't the first time the contractor snuck in somewhere so dangerous, and he had a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn't be the last. He remembered that fateful night at crime lord Bale Kenrick's with his uncle, Teric 'Bloodrose' Barton. He had been roped into a particularly gruesome job, and he swore that he would never do anything like that again after the job was done.

Some promise that turned out to be. The passenger barge was slightly larger than the others, having an elevated deck and a lower deck. More crates littered both decks, but it was also the most populated boat short of the lead ship. Rayse had brought his traveling bag with him in order to keep his equipment dry, but abandoned it one barge in and stuffed his pockets with his usual assortment of mini-molotovs and throwing knives. The whole time, He was silent, thinking about whether or not this was worth it. There was a traitor to be dealt with, money to be retrieved, but like this? He could always do it later after the war, but the fact that it would likely mean the defeat of Phoenix Ascendant struck a dull nerve with him. Business was never about winning or losing. At the end of the day, the winners were the ones with the most coin in their pockets. Likely, it was Eli's divination that bothered him. The one about him and Saint Denebriel, the late Forgotten One. If the elf was right about seeing that, what else was he right about? Was there actually some truth to the Ixians being a link on a chain of destiny that leads to ruin? Was it possible to interfere with fate itself? He often called those that bow to no governments, who change the world around them as the Fateless. Simply by exerting will upon the world does it change irrevocably. Maybe he was wrong about them.

Maybe they had fates, but they were impossible to comprehend.

At the passenger ship, the duo once again used the clouds to obscure their crossing the giant chain that linked the boats. However, it was now impossible to take out the guards one at a time. There were multiple now, near each other and likely others they couldn't see below the decks. Rayse wanted very badly to just torch everything; to point his finger at the steam ship and watch it go up in flames. The fact he couldn't risk taking a smoke increased his frustration. He could only be patient for so long without a smoke, but he had to confess to the soothing nature of the river, of the swaying trees along the shore. The gentle breeze spoke of a peace unknown to this country for some time. It was at this point that the two split up, one going to the upper decks and the other going to the lower. Rayse opted for the lower, sneaking around and entering through the back. Try as he might however, he couldn't stop the squeaking from his footsteps. He wasn't a master of trespassing which apparently was inherited by the elves. A guard turned the corner, thinking it was another patrol, but before he could make a move Rayse put his hand over the man's mouth and stabbed him in the gut. He made a guttural sound, wrapping his arms around the contractor in a desperate attempt to push him away.

The contractor's cold stare persisted, and he twisted the knife, the rush of pain causing the man's knees to buckle and hit the wooden floor hard. Rayse then ripped the knife out of his flesh and slammed the handle into the guard's head to knock him out. Shit, shit, shit! That was going to raise some questions. Around the corner were some bunk beds, likely with guards that heard all that. Eli and the guards on the upper deck likely heard nothing, and hell maybe he already made his way to the steam ship, ambushed the leaders of this operation, and they were good to go home.

Well, it didn't hurt to hope.

[Tainted Bushido]

The sounds of battle echoed down the halls of the barges lower levels, careening towards the bunks where the remaining Ixian Knights made their stay. Though there was an order for high alert, it never stopped the men from finding any convenient way to slack off. Still noise was one of the few things the guards couldn't slack off on. So, when the sounds of one of the guards falling hit the ears of one of the guards he raised an eyebrow.

"Jones, did you have too much to drink again? I wouldn't let the General see ya, you know how strict Taka is about-"

The scene before him was of a grisly murder, and his eyes widened upon seeing the man hunched over Jones, now long dead. Were it not for the training the men had, he wasn't sure if he could have raised the alarm, but since the trainers were diligent in getting the men to yell during their exercises, he finally understood. The yelling wasn't to help them keep count of the sword forms or the close combat forms they were being taught.

It was so when shit like this happened, they could yell.

And despite the fact that Jonathon Hunter may never see another day he yelled out. He became the clarion call bringing the fury of the Ixian Knights down upon the intruders who had already claimed several lives that night. His cry was echoed by another man, as the sounds of metal upon metal rang through the hull, guards everywhere on alert, even as the call to arms rang through the ship. One voice joined another, joined another. Much like the Ixian Knights at the beginning, each person, each voice rang clear to fight back against the encroaching darkness threatening to kill them.


~*~

Taka heard the calls even as his eyes narrowed dangerously behind the mask. Erikson stiffened at the sudden apprehension he detected in the general before Erikson grabbed the Elf traitor pulling him back from the rear barges. Heading towards the lead ship the Fallien sniper shouted to Taka, "Give them hell General!"

The Ronin hadn't heard him, instead he was immediately off his foot hitting the chain between the barges with a casual grace. Using them for a springboard he landed with a heavy thud heralding his arrival as the sound of his katana Rengoku leaving its sheath sounded off. His eyes scanned the darkness for a target, even as the clouds finally began to clear from the sky. The moonlight filtered down upon the barges once more, giving the General an ethereal glow as the light shined off his mask and hair. Rengoku similarly shined in the moonlight as he carefully positioned the blade to shine a light into the darker parts of the ship.

"Fan out, groups of two. Find the intruders and kill them quickly. We will use them to set an example for other would be bandits," Taka shouted, his Akashiman accent filtering across the ships as the crew bellowed the orders. He almost felt at home, fighting n a ship traveling across the ocean. His footsteps padded softly across the wood, as his sandals left hardly a sound, and his own light feet made it so he didn't clomp noisily across the ship. His eyes ever searching he spied the boy who had come with him to Ixian Castle and called out, "You there, if you wish to help I would suggest forming up with me or another soldier. If you wish to stay back, head for the steam boat with Erikson-san!"

[The Phoenix]

Two of the Ixian guards stumbled out of the bunk house in a half daze, summoned by the alarm screamed by their companion. Raiaeran steel sang as Elisdrasil’s curve blade left its scabbard and dispatched the sleep stunned men in two quick, clean strokes. At his count that was six bodies lay behind he and Rayse, almost one-third of the barge train’s compliment. While the two of them were relatively safe at the moment, as the rest of the Ixians would still be waking and scrambling for their gear, their mission would be over entirely too soon if they didn’t find a way to keep it that way.

Thinking quickly Elisdrasil bent down and plucked the sword, scabbard and all, from one of the twitching guardsmen. Holding his own blade loosely to give him some maneuverability, the Raiaeran reached out and slammed the port side door to the living quarters shut directly in the face of the nearest approaching guard. This sent a chorus of alarmed cries throughout the sleeping room’s interior, but they amounted to little as he turned the latch to seal the door and slid the stolen weapon through the bars to ensure that it remained sealed. It wasn’t a permanent solution by any means, as they would still have access to the lower deck where Rayse was. But he was less concerned with the god-slayer’s ability to fight a group of basic guardsmen in close quarters than he was with being swarmed by those same guards and therefore being unable to stop the steam ship.

Despite frantic tugging from the guards inside, the makeshift brace held firm. Satisfied that he’d at least bought himself a couple of minutes, Elisdrasil once more gripped his curve blade tightly and slipped to the barge’s forward deck. All thoughts of swiftly putting an end to this excursion faded from the sword mage’s mind as he caught sight of Taka directing the Ixians’ efforts, effectively putting himself between Elisdrasil and the steam ship. He knew little of the masked Akashiman, but knew that the man had successfully conquered the City of Gisela in under a week, something the Coronian Empire hadn’t been able to do in a generation. Still, all that that had proved was that Taka had had a large army at his beck and call and had had the tactical foresight to let them do what armies did best. Here and now he was a single man with little backup, most of which was currently sealed away and had to go through Rayse to be of any assistance.

Elisdrasil had little doubt that he could silence the Ixian ‘general’ once and for all, but he hoped that he could do so before the rest of Taka’s men arrived to make up the difference. Silently, he shifted his grip on the hilt of his blade and moved forward to strike.

[Morus]

A cry rang out in the bleak night air, before it was joined by another and another. Soon a symphony of alarm shattered the silent serenity the twilight cruise had enjoyed. Black shadows on either side of the river took off in flocks, their midnight songs twisted into frantic squeals. As the clouds broke overhead, moonlight radiated down to clear away the haze of dusk and smoke that blanketed Morus. His heart pounded furiously in his chest, begging him to action. The boy slid from the crate he sat upon, though a clumsiness still hung heavy on him. His eyes, sharpened by the sudden illumination of the ship, wearily scanned his surroundings. Through sluggish lids he desperately searched for some task or enemy to pursue. A cold sweat broke over Morus as his fearful mind created all sorts of paranoid and horribly vivid scenarios.

"Bandits, or the enemy. Perhaps a man overboard," the youth found his mind running a mile a minute. He rubbed his dry, red eyes, closing them for what seemed like hours at a time. Faded pictures of Ixian Knights, men guarding the barges, floated in his vision as bloated, red and slick with sinew. He shuddered with each grim face of men he had grown fond of.

The waking dream, a murky and intoxicated state, always gave some small sliver of tidings to guide the boy along. Though the sweet pipe dulled his movements, he found all the information needed in the revelations behind his heavy eyes. Something very quiet, very fast, and very deft at killing had taken the boat unawares.

The boy saw an agile form deftly hop to the passenger barge just behind the languid, smokey behemoth that dragged the boats through the water. His white mask shone even at a distance, as the now familiar General Taka stood proudly on the moonlit deck, giving him an aura expected of some mythic hero from a bygone era. The general shouted clear commands with a voice like iron at whatever men could hear him. Though the seas ebony tendrils rattled against the side of the boat, Taka's voice sternly carried on the wind. When Morus finally realized he was being ordered, he nearly leapt at the anticipation that welled up inside him.

Padding over to where Taka stood, Morus couldn't help but feel a strangely eager unease.

"Killing is not so hard," he repeated to himself, again and again in his mind. He had nearly reach the general, and found his mantra calmed a far more abhorrent one. "Dying is not so hard."

[Tainted Bushido]

Taka felt more than heard the approach of the other warrior. His was an inky darkness, hidden from the purview of others and it was more the void he left behind him that Taka felt, rather than the actual presence. It unnerved the ronin slightly to feel such a presence, but the Dark Blade knew this fighter was not aligned with any of the elements. His path was one that was to be part of the divine. If that was the case, then taka would surely send him on his way. He didn't move, didn't flinch nor give away the fact he knew the warrior was approaching before he slashed out, nearly catching the other man off guard.

Another Elf faced him, giving the general a feel for the warrior that had come for his life. He tilted his head in minor curiosity, elves had seemed to be his opponent of choice in this war for Corone's soul, rather an odd coincidence. An Elf Ranger had held the City of Gisela before it fell, and now one came to take his life on a ship. Still the assassin was quiet and stealthy, perhaps why he had come so far without raising the alarm. The ronin merely gave the man a nod before he spoken his voice louder to cover the muffling effect of his mask giving it a hard edge, "I am Taka, the Dark Blade and the Right Hand of the Ixian Knights."

He then moved toward the elf opening with a swift blow once more, hounding after the man with slash after slash, trying to throw the man off guard and testing him, seeing how well the Elf could defend himself as he continued, "I am told that in the gaijin lands, it is customary to tell one the name of their killer. Who am I fighting?"

The General wasn't going to wait for a reply as he finished his onslaught, bringing the blade down and back, parallel to the ground, ready to strike out at a moment's notice. His Eyes watched the man for any sign of treachery, hidden behind the mask. He had only now come to find peace in his soul, and with the battle that Soul waxed strongly, to the point that Taka could hardly hold his chi back. He had come to notice that since his second trip to Akashima that he had become more like the ocean, implacable and always moving. His movement was fluid and sure, his confidence oozing from every strike. Taka had lost his doubt and in its wake he had become stronger, much stronger.

He now had a reason to live on, with the revelation that Sachiko was still alive. The peasant woman had been tainted by Taka's attempt on her life, and it bound them through the oni that ran through both of their veins now. It filled him with a brutal efficiency, an economy of movement that threatened to overwhelm anyone who was less than skilled with the blade. Even his mentor Hoturi had taken notice of the increase in Taka's abilities. The Ronin was now ready to take his place as General, and this was in Corone would prove that, one way or the other.

Such was his focus on the battle before him, that he had completely missed the attention his new recruit had given him.

[Rayse Valentino]

Actions approved.

So much for the peace and quiet. With his knife at the ready, Rayse was now facing down three especially perturbed knights, attempting to cut him down at the same time. In such close quarters, he had little room to dodge, so as he lunged forward and sliced through the neck of one of the guards, another guard's blade and entire body passed through the contractor as if he wasn't there. Flames appeared where the man passed through, his face in shock as he stumbled and tripped into one of the bunks. As Rayse reformed, watching the man attached to the slit throat fall to the ground clutching at his neck, he spun around and dug his heel into the third guard's hands, who relinquished his grip on a sword. The blade went flying across the guard's quarters and embedded itself into the wooden wall. While taken back, the man did not see this as a reason to stop his attack, so he came in with a wide hook, which Rayse grabbed in mid-air and stepped to the side, twisting the arm around behind the man's behind. He groaned in agony, and the contractor kicked him into the guard who fell onto the bed. I don't have time for this shit!

Turning his gaze to the exit, he leaped over the bleeding guard and escaped up the stairs. The exit to the lower decks took him to the side of the barge near the front, within view of the chain that connected it to the steamship. While it was difficult at this point to remain hidden, not all of the torches had been lit just yet, allowing him a moment's notice to crouch a few steps down and look around. Unfortunately for the elf, it seemed most of the Ixian attention was focused on the upper decks. However, some of the forces had moved to the steamship proper from the passenger barge, likely expecting it to be the ultimate target. With Eli intercepted like this, perhaps they thought they were dealing with the full extent of the attack, which means they didn't know about Rayse yet. Well, for at least a few seconds, because the guards he knocked down earlier who weren't bleeding out were charging up the stairs after him. Fishing into his pocket, Rayse produced a couple Damascus throwing knives and let them fly down the stairs. The guard in the lead saw them coming and ducked down, letting the knives fly harmlessly over his head and hit the unsuspecting second guard in the face, who fell back down the stairs in an unceremonious manner. The lead guard looked back toward his ally briefly, before turning around with renewed rage to pursue the contractor.

Of course, there was no contractor to be found. Rayse used the opportunity to run to the edge of the barge and jump, his body turning to flames. The wisps of fire that once constituted his being traveled to the steamship in the blink of an eye, retracing his figure and filling it in with flames before the sharp reds, bright yellows, and full oranges of the fire disappeared in favor of Rayse's normal colors. With his momentum preserved, he landed on the deck of the steamship, avoiding a certain pesky General and his pet mercenary. The fiery invader had only a rudimentary knowledge of the steamship's interior from common sense and Eli's divination, so he figured his best bet was going down the stairs to the boiler which encompassed the entire lower decks. His flashy entrance to the deck of the steamship was not entirely received well, as a couple knights who responded to Taka's order were there to make sure Rayse made no further advance. The contractor had to get through them to get to the stairs leading down, and while the wide open surface deck provided ample opportunities for him to slip through, he simply had no time. Whether Taka would return to deal with him or worse, manage to kill that goddess-damned righteous elf, was Rayse's primary concern. Letting his boss die was equivalent to letting this entire ship, and all its valuables, burn down. Only the leader of Phoenix Ascendant knew the true value of the artifacts on board, and all the while it was possible that these treasures represented a lot more than Rayse originally thought.

With that in mind, Rayse once again produced an item from his pocket, this time a tar-based mini-molotov. It was the only one on him, and luckily it was one of the few non-flammable tricks up his sleeve. There was no risk to burning down the boat with this. He lit it by willing a flame on his thumb and threw it at the feet of the guards, charging into the black, choking smoke that spread all over the deck. The contractor ran through it while holding his breath, avoiding the beleaguered knights in the darkness of the fetid smoke. He finally managed to take a breath as he hit the stairs, almost tripping as he went down the stairs as fast as he could.

Wood was quickly replaced by metal as he entered the boiler area, seeing the arrangements of pumps and pipes, including the large machine that ran this thing. It was a fairly spacious area with the exception of the boiler itself, and Rayse was not alone. Down here as well as Erikson, and nearby was... a familiar face. It was an elf, and it only took a split-second for Rayse to piece together the face with his memories. He remembered seeing him with Elisdrasil in Boomtown when he first entered Vorsport. The divination was right down to the letter, as retribution was at hand.

"You're not getting one step closer," said Erikson, pointing his crossbow at Rayse.

[The Phoenix]

Sharpened steel sang as the samurai’s katana met the sword mage’s curve blade, parted, then met again as they wove an intricate and deadly web. No stranger to the blade dance, Elisdrasil easily matched Taka’s opening forays, expertly turning the Ixian general’s sword aside time and again. He watched the contours of the ronin’s movement, tracing the lines of each swing and thrust that the Akashiman made, judging the man just as he was being judged. Though the two swordsmen used vastly different styles of swordsmanship both seemed fluidly matched against one another but Taka’s mannerisms told Elisdrasil the conflict meant much more to the ronin than it did to him. To Taka he was the antithesis of everything the ronin’s organization stood for. Yet to Elisdrasil, Taka was merely an obstacle.

One he would shortly be removing from his path.

Elisdrasil pulled back at the same time as Taka but, unlike the ronin, let no words slip from behind his mask. He was unsure what exactly Taka was seeking, as if knowing his identity would somehow matter after the next few minutes. Instead of replying, Elisdrasil took the time to shake his long wet hair from its clinging perch. His long blade bobbed even more gently than the sway of the barge while he looked on in surprise as Taka’s over eagerness to fight left him blind to the young man seeking his attention. While there were those who would hesitate at the sight of a boy barely out of his youth on the field of battle, Elisdrasil was not among their number. Being raised in the midst of the Corpse War changed many perceptions one held about the nature of violence.

Spirits of the Phoenix guide me, he thought as he tightened his grip once more on the hilt of his blade. His movement was slow and purposeful, orchestrated to leave Taka and the boy with no surprise to his intentions. When he moved, it was in perfect time with the ship’s rhythm, riding the forward bob of the waves towards his enemies. If he could do this right, Taka’s ignorance of his adolescent assistant would give him the leverage he needed.

The curve blade came up swiftly in a high slash which would have ridden up the ronin’s steel breastplate and into the tender flesh of the man’s neck if he didn’t have the sense to bring his blade up to block. And then, at the apex of the strike, when Taka’s attention was most likely to be engaged, Elisdrasil whispered the command to unleash the magic blinding light from his blade.

The whistling blade flared to brilliant life before Taka, banishing the darkness surrounding the trio for a split second with its intensity. But even that was just a diversionary tactic, and Elisdrasil instead kicked forward, trusting his momentum and Taka’s distraction with both his blade and the flash to kick the general off balance back into Morus, an act which would hopefully leave them both defenseless and with which he would quickly and lethally deal.

[Tainted Bushido]

Taka should have seen the kick coming. He had fought foreign enemies often enough to know that they didn't fight like his kin in Akashima.The kick bowled him back a few steps causing him to bump into the kid, and it was only his training on a ship that prevented him from tumbling backward. Barely keeping his balance he barely got his feet into position to block the follow up swing as his eyes regained focus, hs blade plunging agianst his chest as he grunted, holding the blow from bowling him over.

A blink cleared the balls of light from his vision as it cleared and he shifted, pushing the blow to the side. Carefully getting his balance back, the Dark Blade held his ground, holding the Katana before him as he felt a low growl issue from his lips in frustration. His eyes glowered balefully at the elf before him, even as he fought to put his emotions beyond him. He knew better than to bottle them up, and as he flexed his wrist the sword cut cleanly forward. His slice forced a bit of distance between the two of them, before the sound of a second sword entering the fray could be heard and Taka crouched low, entering the first stance of the storms eye style.

He wasn't sure what he could do to stop the elf from overwhelming him, nor that the elf couldn't just flash him again with that distracting light. Instead he was going to go for the end, as he prepared to start a hurricane of blows. This time being mindful of his partner he said over his shoulder, "See if you cannot take advantage of him while I hold him in place..."

Taka then stepped forward to engage the elf once more, determination clear on his face...

[Rayse Valentino]

The pipes clunked and the ship creaked. The three individuals standing in the boilers of the steamship were all there on different sides, but fate conspired to place them here tonight. Rayse stood still, looking at the crossbow-wielding man whose clothing did not match the knights nor the Generals. He had blonde hair and darkly tanned skin, and Rayse could pick up on little clues in his accent, no matter how slight they were. He wasn't like the others, and because of this perhaps he had some use. The contractor was taking deep breaths, tired after straining himself through so many pesky Ixians. The traitorous elf was silent.

"I know you think you're hot shit with your little toy, but likely everyone behind me is dead," said Rayse.

Erikson shook his head, "Lord Taka will not fall so easily. Now, put down your weapon and get on the floor." The elf started to take a few steps back, but Erikson shot him a glare, "Don't move! One more gesture like that and I'll take you out myself."

Clearly the caravan guard was in no mood for either of them. The suspicion fell largely on the traitor for this surprise attack, and Erikson fought back the same urge that Taka felt when dealing with turncoats. Rayse sighed, seeing no other way than to plow through yet another righteous knight. He held his blood-covered knife in front of his face, putting one foot in front of the other as he prepared to make a dash into Erikson. The caravan guard's actions spoke louder than his words as he fired the crossbow, instinctively reloading with another bolt while keeping his eyes on the contractor. The projectile flew right through Rayse, leaving a fiery trail as it passed through the flames which would otherwise be part of his body. However, Erikson did not count on the man's speed, and as he prepared his second shot, the contractor had already closed the distance, pushing the crossbow aside as it fired into one of the pipes that ran through the boiler room. Steam escaped from the pipes, and the whole ship started to shake. Erikson tried to maintain his grip on the crossbow as it was almost knocked out of his grip, but Rayse had used the momentum to transition into a strong right-legged kick that hit the caravan guard in the side of his head. The man stumbled sideways and hit the other side of his head on one of the large pipes. Rayse wasn't sure which injury knocked him out, but he was definitely not pointing any crossbows at anyone anytime soon.

Throughout all this, the goddess-forsaken elf had run away. Other pipes were starting to burst, slowing down the steamship to a crawl as the malfunctions started to grow. Rayse found himself chasing after the elf, finally cornering him into a dead-end storage room. There were more crates here, and the elf had counted on a window, or hatch, or any sort of opening that would allow him to escape, but he picked the wrong room. He was unarmed due to being a prisoner as well, completely at the contractor's mercy.

"I remember you," said Rayse. He walked into the room, twirling his knife at the tip of a finger. "Back in Vorsport. You were at that bar- Boomtown."

The elf grit his teeth, "And so were you."

"It bothers me that you know so much about me and I can't return the feeling. Maybe you can tip those scales back into my favor."

The elf spit at the ground, "You're after the treasures. I should've known a bastard like you would kill so many people for petty money."

Rayse was annoyed by the callous tone of the traitor, but somehow managed to maintain his composure, "You really don't have to die tonight. Just give me what I want and you're free to go, I promise. After all, what the hell are you trusting these idiots for? You think this stuff is better kept in their hands?"

"At least they have a reputation for safeguarding artifacts. I know that the prophecy is important, that what we do is important for the world, but to throw away our heritage? Elisdrasil has lost his way. He has become consumed by his divination."

Rayse sighed, catching his knife in his hand and rubbing his thumb along the length of the handle. Eli and this traitor were really too similar- obsessed by some absolutist ideology. This whole ordeal was a scathing reminder of how much he loathed to deal with elves. The contractor started walking forward, his eyes turning dark and with a frown forming on his face. A Salvaran criminal held certain principles. The greatest crime in Knife's Edge was being a rat. The ones who sold out their comrades were considered lower than scum. They were far greater pariahs than thieves or murderers. He was never going to keep his promise even if the traitor talked. His word meant nothing to someone like this.

I wonder if Eli saw this far. I wonder if he knows what I'm about to do.

[Morus]

As Morus ran to the general, he couldn't help but feel a shiver of awe run through his back. The Ixian commander engaged the stealthy intruder with an ease the boy had never imagined possible. With each clang of their moon-silver swords, his heart skipped a beat. For a moment, he felt the once burning, inexhaustible energy in his legs cool to an ember and a cold slimy sweat coat him from head to foot. "This is madness," he thought as blood rushed to his head, warming him against the chill air. At some distance, the boy swore he saw a shadowy figure consumed by flames fly to the steamship towing the barges, only to take shape again when its fiery tendrils licked the banisters on the lead boat. He rubbed his eyes, if only to check if he was dreaming.

War was more chaotic than he could ever imagine. The stories and songs of great heroes had never prepared him to face the fear that dwelt deep within his heart, nor steeled his resolve at all the voices of alarm now silenced. A new, darker smoke began to form on the lead ship, though the fire that fueled it refused to spread.

Had his wide eyes not caught the sight of Taka again, Morus would have taken his chances in the river. Instead of routing, the Ixian Knight's brave stand gave him some standard to meet and a common foe to fight. But as he charged to the general's side, a blinding light erupted from the elven infiltrator's sword. The urchin gave a sharp cry of pain, even before Taka had been knocked on top of him. Morus felt his body go limp for a moment, as it crumbled beneath the weight of strong arms and iron will. Even after Taka had rose, Morus fumbled about the floor of the deck, trying to keep some paltry bit of dignity. His hands gripped the splinter-ridden floorboard, as he was unable to gain traction on the sea-soaked railings. The boy again was amazed by the general, who seemed recovered from the searing blast that made his own eyes blurred and staggered. But with that simple order, more a stern request, Morus knew what he must do.

The boy smiled a grim, sightless grin. A year ago, he had been powerless to face the horrors war brought. Impotence had prevented him from saving his home and family, but he was helpless no longer.

Giving up on being able to stand, he stayed on his hands and knees and tried to get his footing just right against the railing. His feet caught the the bottom of it, his toes bent just on the passenger barge's flood. Excitement and that queer, familiar energy filled his legs, and soon he let off a mighty blast from his soles. Though strange to use the ability through his lower half, he went flying none the less. Low the floor, Morus became more missile than lad as he careened towards the legs of the maskless blur in front of him.

[Rayse Valentino]

Rayse took a deep breath, walking away from the bloody elven body he left lying on the floor. Droplets of blood fell from the tip of his knife, which he just barely held on by the tip of its handle. It was dark in the storage room, the only light coming from the hallway where a few torches were lit. The only thing left was helping Eli and securing the rest of the convoy. It was then that he heard a huge blast, the sound of a pipe bursting from the boiler area, rocking the steamship once more and tipping over one of the stacks of crates nearby. The crate fell to the ground with a crash, spilling its contents all over the wooden floor. Rayse's eyes caught the contents immediately, a fire being lit in his eyes as he spotted the scrolls rolling across the ground. They're here!

He was about to walk up some of the goods to inspect them, but knew he didn't have time for that. The closer this ship go to its destination, the more danger that befell this mission. He ran out of the storage room and found himself back in the boilers. Water was dripping from the walls, and a steamy scent of something burning filled the air. Erikson was still unconscious on the floor, which meant he wasn't getting any information out of him. It was unfortunate that the elf was so adamant about keeping his lips shut, because Rayse never did find out if he was behind the assassination attempt. Their conversation made him think that he didn't know anything about it. In retrospect, it didn't even make any sense. Not even Eli knew about his abilities, how would a random Phoenix supporter know? He put the unanswered questions into the back of the mind as he ran back towards the staircase that lead up the deck.

Along the way, he spotted the two knights he ditched with the smoke bomb. Without hesitation, they charged at him with furor in their eyes. Rayse tightened the grip on his knife and maneuvered around their attacks, slicing one throat while elbowing another. The man with the slit throat fell to the ground with a thud, while the contractor had other plans for the knight he knocked back. He dropped his knife and grabbed him by the neck with both hands, pressing into his neck while the aura of fire covered the contractor's body. Rayse was heating up, and the aura grew to become fire itself, engulfing both of the men. However, this fire did not burn either of them.

The knight put his hands on Rayse's, but the contractor reminded him, "The only reason you're not burning to death is due to my will. Give up or you'll spend your last moments in agony." His breath being cut short by Rayse's grip on his neck, he let go and let Rayse speak further. "I'm not going to ask twice: Unhook the chain that connects this ship to the others. Do that and I'll make the fire go away."

The knight could only nod, the shortness of breath starting to manifest as blueness in his face. Rayse let go, allowing the knight to breathe again, but the two of them still appeared to be on fire. Begrudgingly, the Ixian guided them to Erikson's unconscious body, where he fished out a key chain from the former caravan guard's belt. Then, they walked back up the deck and over to the chain, the whole time Rayse keeping a close eye on the man's movements. The chaos of the passenger barge was still visible, but as the knight saw the flames lick his body, threatening to devour him, he knew he couldn't resist.

Or so Rayse thought.

As the knight leaned down to press the key into the socket, instead he jumped forward, hoping to put out the flames by falling into the river. An enraged Rayse jumped after him, but not before letting the full extent of his fire burn the knight, causing the Ixian to scream out in pain as he let go of the key chain. The Ixian fell into the river, but the contractor just barely manged to catch the keys with one hand, as his other hung from the chain. Pulling himself back up, he made his way back to the steamship and unhooked the boats with the proper key. It was unfortunate that Eli was still on the barge, but sometimes you had to make a few sacrifices. He wasn't planning to take everything, of course.

Just his fair share.

[The Phoenix]

Damnation, Elisdrasil cursed, leaping back with a broad sweep of his sword to deflect Taka’s counterattack. He’d hoped for more from his assault but frankly the Raiaeran would take what he could get with the Ixian general. Besides, a lurching clank from the steam ship anchored just ahead let Elisdrasil know that Rayse had made his way up to just where the contractor was needed the most.

Using his superior speed, Elisdrasil put distance between himself and the Ixians, keeping a critical eye on the way Taka spoke over his shoulder to the youth. Apparently the Ixians thought that there opponents were complete morons because only an idiot would so brazenly discuss strategy with one another, Taka literally turning his head over his shoulder to speak to his companion. When Morus bunched up and launched himself, just in time with Taka’s renewed attack, Elisdrasil was ready.

Thankfully the Raiaeran’s training had taught him to be incredibly lithe and athletic. It was no effort for him to cartwheel away from the youth’s rocketing attack, an act which had the benefit of putting the boy in between himself and the charging general.

“It appears that I’ve attracted your attention long enough for my man to loose your stolen goods from your lead ship,” he finally broke the silence, swiping his curve blade out to keep the ronin back a pace. Behind the Ixians, across the chain between the passenger barge and the steam ship, Rayse had just finished unhooking the chain and was currently beginning to gain distance from the rest of the freely drifting supply barges.

Making a sudden break for the opposite side of the barge, Elisdrasil darted away from his two combatants, weaving his blade around him in a practiced series of arcs as a warding measure. “While there were only the two of us who boarded your vessels this evening, another two score of my men will be here sometime shortly after dawn. I will give you till then to evacuate the rest of your men safely. Anyone left aboard will be put to death without hesitation.” Having reached the opposite lip of the barge, Elisdrasil stopped long enough to offer a salute to Taka with his blade.

“Maybe we shall be able to continue this another time general,” he swept the salute down and hopped up onto the railing. Whispering the magic command of his blade once again, Elisdrasil disappeared over the railing in a bright flash.

[Tainted Bushido]

Taka watched the elf run. There was no other way to put it other than that and Taka was more than certain that the elf felt he had won with the loosening of the barges. The general shook his head as the man went and sneered behind his mask his eyes focusing intently around before he turned back to the knights on board. The looked at the general obviously afraid. and the General only shook his head and sheathed his blades, "He's bluffing. If they truly had those numbers they should have assaulted with them rather than this farce. Taking the steamship only hurts them in the end since they will be bled dry for every step they get on his ship."

Taka began issuing orders as he felt the anger rising in him. Someone had gotten to the steamship and his rage kindled as he saw it leaving upstream. He then looked back at the knights and spoke, "Set off the flare. They won't get far, and we're close enough to Underwood to have reinforcements. We needn't win, only endure. They won't get what they're after..."

While he knew they had kept some of the artifacts on the steamship Taka was no fool. To place all the items on one ship was a game that would certainly be a losing proposition. So, the General had devised a countermeasure. He had spread them out, amongst the medical supplies that Lady Aislinn had asked for. The result was that the ships looked brimming, and they were, but not all of it was gold. At best the Phoenix Ascendant had gotten a few herbs and bandages, along with a small amount of the fortune the elf had given to the knights.

Taka shook his head dispelling some of his anger as he looked upon the retreating steamship. He was concerned for his lieutenant, but he could only trust Erikson to survive at this point. The elf had betrayed them, and Taka could only hope that he got the just reward of all traitors. His eyes moved back to him men before one of them held in his hand a large tube. Much like the Akashiman fireworks this tube contained metals that when burned in the air gave off a bright color. His only had to wait for the reinforcements from Underwood and then the Phoenix Ascendant would truly regret messing with the General. To assume that such an important figure had committed himself to an act without securing his safety was as ludicrous as it was arrogant.

It seemed Taka would be meeting with the enigmatic elf in the future and as he rested a sandal on the lip of the barge and watched the steamship leave he whispered softly, "Believe you have won today, but know you only delay your downfall. I look forward to our next meeting, for I will not hold back."

[Morus]

Morus rose unsteadily, gripping a nearby crate for support. His face was bloodied and rubbed raw from his tumble across the floor of the barge, but the wound didn't hurt half as bad as the indignity he had just suffered. As the boy's small calloused hands plucked small splinters from his cheek, he stared at General Taka with a wide-eyed astonishment. Half-blind from yet another scorching burst of light that had erupted from the elf's sword, he could not truly comprehend what just happened.

"The only truth to the tales war I've read," he sighed, "is the constant verbal spars."

Some how, the Ixian Knights had lost their lead boat and now found themselves stranded on the ink black river. The barges began to slow to a crawl, while the general lit of a signal he had kept for the occasion. No doubt his words were meant to encourage Morus. There was truth to what he said, but the boy couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt cut deep into his gut when he thought of his failed attack, so effortlessly dodge by the nimble infiltrator. "If I had gone across with Erikson, like the general suggested..." Truthfully, the urchin doubted he could have stopped their embarrassing defeat by going with the lieutenant. But for one brief and beautiful moment, he had felt a power within him he had never known. If only for a short while, the bile of shame that constantly spoiled the boys pallet had receded.

With a shrug, the boy sat cross-legged on the barge once again, withdrawing his pipe from the folds of his black and tattered tunic. The moonlight that was left allowed his soar sight to catch the last faint trails of smoke that erupted from the steamship's smokestack. The coastline had fallen quiet all along him, and only the sounds of Ixian reassurance and war stories remained. He ignored them, for now, soured as he was. Desperate to find a match, the boy tapped out the pipe's remains.

Only to get a handful of ash.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

2v2
You guys involved in this had a very engaging story, filled with four unique styles of writing, making this a pain in the ass to judge down the middle, but it was a rough and tumble battle. For simplicity, I already averaged the two scores each player got, and so the points you see will be the average between both players for their side. This is going to be close guys, and I’m not going to lie about how hard it was to make the choices I made. You know how to reach me, have fun.

Let the judgment begin.

Story –
IK (7) Now this is an interesting little read. Taka has a snitch, and he’s being proactive. He’s not the little ronin that could anymore, he’s now going out and kicking ass and taking names. I like this. And his battle with the phoenix was a bit eccentric, but my style of fight enjoyments made me feel at home when engaged in it. Morus, your character had a late start, but when he jumped in, he did well, the actions he did though were a bit overshadowed by Taka, but not by much.

PA (6) The story had an interesting turn at the start, as both warriors fought had agendas and reasons for being there. I edged you guys out in the lower end because while it was clear what your goals were, I never got the sense that this was your focus.

Setting –

IK (6) Morus you had the best setting in the group, and you touched upon it enough to help bring you up, but otherwise everything felt like a back drop on your side with generic, already been used lines. (Looking at you Taka)

PA (5) Rayse was the torch here, as Phoenix had a good start, but always dropped. It felt a t times you noticed it was, and added a bunch in, and then went on with life. Spread it out like butter over bread and try not to cluster it all at once.

Pacing –
IK (7) No complaints at all here. Solidly done. A bit more tension would have served you well.

PA (7) Same deal as the IK.

Persona –
IK (7) Got a good sense for all of you here. Taka you shined the brightest for your team. Morus, you did well with what you had, and you made your character anything but an awkward player on the board. Well done to both of you.

PA (5) Rayse, you carried the flag again on this one. I got a lot of passion from your character, a lot of vigor and what makes Rayse such a suave bad guy that everyone loves to hate. Yet Phoneix, I just…could not find myself seeing Phoneix as anything more than a card board cut out…You just had no real emotions that spoke to me, but forced feelings if anything.

Communication –
IK (5) Very good use of communication with NPC’s, but with each other….eh, not so much. You are a team, you should work a little closer together. You guys did good

PA (7) You too worked like a well oiled machine when it came to communication with each other, and also with your foes as well. Excellent work to both of you, especially Phoenix in his duel with Taka.

Action –

IK (7) Solid performance by you both you have done well in your battles. You both have a lot of experience battling, so I have nothing much to offer for both teams.

PA (7) This is just a carbon copy paste of the IK side, though please note….Cartwheels? Those can be tricky. Cartwheels to dodge an attack, pretty hard. Cartwheels while being attacked while on a boat? Stretching it. Taka’s skill makes me think he deserves a bit more credit than to simply….Cartwheel away…

Mechanics -

IK (7) Typos, Typos everywhere gents. Proofread, more on the Taka end. Nothing to bad though.

PA (7) Yep, Typos here too, more on the Phoenix end. Fine comb gents, Microsoft office or word pad can’t catch ‘em all.

Clarity –

IK( 6) There wasn’t any issues I had with you guys at all until the battles started, and that’s where you took a turn for the worse. Having to re-read several battle lines was difficult and it really took away fro my understanding of the events going on. Simpler descriptions, followed by use of setting to bring the action together, will make for easier, but more vivid battles.

PA (6) Kinda in the same boat here as the IK. You guys did a great job, but when the swords were swinging and the action was picking up your guys started getting crazy and I had to scratch my head at least twice on every post. The advice I gave them applies to you.

Technique –

IK (6) You guys had a great thing going, and it’s Morus who carried the team using his more advanced techniques. I really enjoyed his parts of the story due to his heavy handed imagery and helped the IK squeak of the basic styles of you other three. Taka, you are hitting a strut that could easily be improved upon, take a new route.

PA (5) You both have a rather basic style to your writing, Phoenix moreso. It uses a few techniques, but never attempts to integrate, more than say ‘Hey look at this shiny trick I did.” You need to branch out more, which I’ve seen your other accounts do, Phoenix.

Wildcard
You all did a well done job, and the battle was rather well played, I’d be curious to see what you would have accomplished if it wasn’t under a time constraint. All of you should get together and do this again, it was a fun ride and a great read.

IK – 3 due to penalties for Morus not posting in time.
PA – 6

Total =
IK - 61
PA - 61

This battle is a draw