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Post by Mad-Manx on Aug 11, 2018 1:05:21 GMT -6
NPC
Evren
Behind Ida and Nil, the last, hastily placed explosive strained against it's adhesive. Loosely placed, the package slowly stretched at it's restraints until, at last, it broke away.
The package clattered to the ground with an anticlimactic thud, and for a long moment nothing happened.
Yet the Vindicator's weapons were not known for their stability, concocted as they were from whatever was available to them. Their task group was sent off with the warning that they probably wouldn't explode when bumped. Probably.
Seconds ticked by but something clicked into place, and with a sudden, unmistakable boom the roof was knocked from it's place, spraying dust, hay, and splintered wood into the night sky. The other charges were quick to follow, a series of loud explosions ricocheting throughout what remained of the Dark District.
Evren opened his mouth to object to the citizen's offer, fully intending to make sure they were both escorted to their locations properly before returning to his post. The sudden rumble interrupted his speech and, slack jawed, the Chevalier whirled to watch the explosion arc into the sky, sword momentarily forgotten in his teke.
"What the-" was all he managed to choke out before something hard bowled into his side, knocking the breath from his lungs.
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Post by Mad-Manx on Aug 11, 2018 1:08:31 GMT -6
Eshana vagabond | vindicator "Strong but exhausted."
Post: #7 | Word Count: 406
An almost imperceptible sigh exited Eshana's muzzle as the Chevalier's sword lowered, the stallion appearing to believe -or at the very least, simply not care- their woven story. Perhaps this night could still end without a drop of blood being spilled, although her faith in getting Isolt out of was all but destroyed.
The mare was a strange mix of stubborn and complacent; traits the Chevalier no doubt enjoyed the presence of. If she was taken to Vatros Sanctum, perhaps she would at least be spared the backlash that would surely come once the dust settled and the barracks were reaved to the ground. Eshana knew the Flamen that ran the temple; and though his views were naive, he was a kindly stallion. Isolt would be in good hands.
In a crucial moment she allowed herself to relax, even if only just, believing the worst of their mission was over. Not the first mistake she had made that night.
Somewhere close, a rumble began and a boom that rivaled the previous fireworks rang out. There was no time to think, no time to hesitate; dread had taken hold of her chest and without turning she knew precisely what had happened. Either a mistake had been made, or they had taken too long; the charges had been blown.
Barreling forward before the Chevalier had time to react, Eshana only had time to bark out a a single command before she hit the stallion head on and went down in a tangle of legs and armour; "Run!"
"Leave him," Eshana pleaded momentarily to Adari as she struggled to her feet, her true form flickering through the disguise as stress stripped her of her concentration. She locked eyes with her comrade and found herself praying she understood the request.
Although it would be a cleaner break for them to end his life here, unable to name Valore's attackers, leaving him alive was Isolt's best chance. She had told the Chevalier the truth, even attempted to warn him, and surely not even his comrades would ignore that effort. Even with how close the mare had come to destroying everything tonight, Eshana couldn't bring herself to wish punishment onto her.
The stallion was obviously dazed as he scrabbled across the ground, but reinforcements would surely be there shortly. Even on a festival night the explosion would not go unnoticed, and so Eshana seized the last option left to her; she bolted.
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Post by kerarose on Aug 11, 2018 14:58:14 GMT -6
ADARIVindicator Specialist (Spy) Genuine fear flashed across Adari's features as the charges blew. Oh gods, she thought, looking back at the explosion, the fiery inferno multiple stories high, at least. Ignacio, protect us, she thought, as she recognized that their cover was blown. And please forgive me.
Eshana yelled at her to go, but she was not going to risk being recognized in the future when- not if, but when- she freed her children. If she was marked as a criminal now, she would never be able to come back to New Valore and do the one thing she swore she would not fail at. When the other mare turned her back, Adari ran behind the guard, as if running for the exit, pulled her knife from its sheath, and quickly cut his throat open while making sure he did not see her. She waited a moment longer, making sure he was unconscious and on his way to whatever came next, before turning to Isolt.
"You should have come with us," she hissed. "You could have known freedom, real freedom, without someone telling you what to do." She spat at Isolt's feet. "But no- you had to be all high and mighty. You made us risk our lives today, you made me kill someone because I can't risk identification if I ever want to see my children freed! So you will die today too- I might as well at this point." She stepped close, the bloody knife inches from Isolt's throat, ready to do what was necessary- but then she stopped. Something made her stop that knife.
I might have trained for this, but I don't like killing.
Adari sighed, some of the tension leaving her muscles. "But I am tired of killing. I'm tired of all this. So you will live- but know that if we meet again, if I am freeing my children and you try to rat me out, I will end you where you stand."
Adari then moved her knife from its precarious position, and thumped the handle once, hard, on Isolt's head, knocking her unconscious. She turned and ran as fast as she could towards Eshana, wiping her knife off on some loose fabric, and catching her at the tunnel's entrance. Seeing Nil and Ida nearby, she caught their attention with a quick "Ida, Nil, to me!" and ran into the tunnel, off to freedom once more.
Post 10, WC: 403 |
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Post by Prismaticlysm on Aug 11, 2018 15:04:18 GMT -6
N i L
Ω Aodh | Labor Slave Ω
 "When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt."
~Honore de Balzac Ω
It was hard to keep himself from running, even long after the group had disappeared around the many corners behind him. He said nothing, but kept his teke up around the foals back to keep him in place. By not said foal was a mess, all the stress Nil had put him through was just too much. The stallion hoped that his teke was enough to tell the foal that it was alright, that he was still there. But he was at a loss for words at the moment, and felt like anything he would even attempt to say would betray how he really felt.
As he rounded that final corner, the Hippocampus, Ida, waiting for them. Seeing the familiar Vindicators face was soothing, but it did little for his heart. He dipped his head, his ears folded back. He took in a shaky, is not exhausted breath, before speaking to her. It was easier to talk now that the fireworks had ended.
“...Isolt broke her leg while we were chasing her. We tried to get her to come with us, but she was still stubborn. A Chevalier had come down the street, patrolling. Eshana used her blessing, so she’s disguised, and Adari is putting on an act.” He closed his eyes tiredly. “I’m sure they will be with us soon. I...I am sure they can handle the Chevalier if it comes down to it.” He reopened his eyes and looked back at her, trying to smile. He noticed that no one else was here, just them. So that means, everyone else was escaping below their hooves. He trusted the others to get here soon, but his priority was the foal on his back.
“We should go now. I have to get this foal somewh-” A distant thud drew his attention, his jaw snapping shut. Ears perked, his head raised as his eyes went wide. His heart thudded in his chest. “What was that?” When there didn’t seem to be any more sounds, not a hoof step or a call of, he sighed. “Alright, let’s get out of here.” He looked around for any hint that would indicate where they needed to go. “Er, they told you where to go right?” No sooner had the words left his lips, an explosion sent a tremor through the streets. He stumbled some, both out of surprise and from the shockwave. And it wasn’t the only explosion. Debris flew from a building not too far away, and Nil backed up against the wall he was standing by out of instinct. “We have to go, now!” He shouted, eyes nearly bugging out of his skull, her ears so close to his head they almost look fused. He was terrified.
The sounds of hooves could barely be heard over the explosions going off, and he startled more when he heard Adari’s familiar, wonderful voice ringing out. His heart pounding, he nudged Ida’s shoulder with his nose, before darting off towards where Adari had indicated. A tunnel! Freedom! He could scream right now, if only he hadn’t lost his voice in the terror of the moment.
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Post by Ribbon-Wren on Aug 11, 2018 16:06:34 GMT -6
Ida || Vindicator Soldier
At a closer inspection, Nil looked absolutely awful. He was clearly exhausted, and his teke's grasp on the little foal on his back wavered with each shaky breath. His news was good at least, Ida thought gratefully. The others would be returning soon, and it looked like their mission would be back on track in no time. With Eshana on her way back, Ida wouldn't have to set off the explosives after all! As relief washed over her, she returned Nil's tired smile with her own. It was all going to be okay.
So glad that she was not alone anymore, Ida nearly missed the soft thud of something behind her. Had they forgotten a labour slave somewhere in the barracks?
"I'm not sure who or what that was," She responded to Nil faintly while turning and taking a few steps closer to the barracks to inspect the source. Her eyes strained to find something in the darkness, but she couldn't spot anything out of the ordinary. Regardless, it would probably be in their best interest not to stick around. She had just turned to point Nil in the direction of the barracks when in an instant, the quiet alley was thrown into chaos. The other explosives were quick to follow the first, lighting the Valorian sky with a different kind of firework show.
Before she could register what was happening, Ida found herself sprawled on the ground. Her ears rung, and her head throbbed where she had hit it on the ground. She got up on shaky legs. Perhaps standing in the blast zone of her explosives hadn't been the brightest idea. Stunned, she stood dumbly for a few moments, only faintly registering Nil and the foal pinned against a nearby building. His shouting was only what snapped her back into focus, and she hastily stumbled away from the rest of the untouched explosives. Only the gods knew how soon it would be until they all blew up.
In a flash, Adari rushed past them, heading straight for the smuggler tunnels. She barely had time to register the return of Adari and with Nil at her side, Ida disappeared into Valore's underground. She would soon be free of this wretched place, and they were going home. With all her might, she prayed that she would not have to step foot in the Dark District again for a long, long time.
(Post 8: 404 words)
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Post by mariahwhy on Aug 11, 2018 20:31:28 GMT -6
Isolt | Labor Slave
She wasn't surprised that the chevalier had not believed the urgency of her words, but she was devastated. Tears streamed down her face. How could he not see, even disregarding her words, the criminals that stood before him? As he spoke she shook her head side to side. "No, please," she whimpered. Her stress levels did not allow her to process his offer, and the safety that sanctum would bring in the situation. Her mind took a circular path now. The vindicators. The barracks. The explosives. The vindicators. The barracks. The explosives. "Please go look," she begged, but he had already turned to the others and was giving them instructions. The mule's shoulders slumped to the ground, and she hung her head, missing Adari's words as she repeatedly whispered "please."
The blast pulled her from her plea, her head snapping up immediately at the sound. "NO!" The shrill scream escaped her throat even before the chevalier had time to process what was happening, and carried on as she tried once more, unsuccessfully, to stand. She fell back to the ground, but her eyes never left the skyline now billowing with smoke, perceptible even in the darkness. Isolt's legs scrambled beneath her and she tried again to stand. And again. "STOP! NO!" It was happening it again. It was happening again, and she had known it was happening, and she hadn't stopped it. It was her fault. Her legs trembled as, with great effort, she finally managed to get steady on three legs, and heaved herself to her feet. Only then did her screaming stop, as Eshana and bolted, and Adari cut the guards throat.
"Murderer!" she screamed at her. Her anxiety was too high to allow her any movement forward with her unsteady balance, but she stood firm and turned to face the bay as best she could. "I would never want a life in which I was not proud of my work" she hissed back, the knife to her throat. "A life in which I have to go around pretending I'm not a murderer. You think you are better than the Aodhians, but you have just cost as many lives as the slavers do with their pit fighters. You have killed him, and you will kill so many of those slaves that follow you out now. We are Aodhians, and we can't survive outside these walls. And all those that don't make it or are recaptured and executed..." her face was livid, the hairs on the back of her shoulders stood on end, "-those deaths are on you."
The knife was removed from her throat. "The gods will remember what terrible things you've done, and they will judge you."
And then things went black.
(Post 9: 455 words)
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Post by Artistic Pineapple on Aug 12, 2018 14:28:01 GMT -6
 Reija | Smuggler Closing Post(Art by the lovely Ribbon-Wren)<iframe width="4.700000000000017" height="5" style="position: absolute; width: 4.7px; height: 5px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 455px; top: 5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_52361588" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="4.700000000000017" height="5" style="position: absolute; width: 4.7px; height: 5px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 634px; top: 5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_4927504" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="4.700000000000017" height="5" style="position: absolute; width: 4.7px; height: 5px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 455px; top: 200px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_95067495" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="4.700000000000017" height="5" style="position: absolute; width: 4.7px; height: 5px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 634px; top: 200px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_97049713" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="4.700000000000017" height="5" style="position: absolute; width: 4.7px; height: 5px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 455px; top: 5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_96397761" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="4.700000000000017" height="5" style="position: absolute; width: 4.7px; height: 5px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 634px; top: 5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_79451047" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="4.700000000000017" height="5" style="position: absolute; width: 4.7px; height: 5px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 455px; top: 200px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_76685894" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="4.700000000000017" height="5" style="position: absolute; width: 4.7px; height: 5px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 634px; top: 200px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_32198216" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="4.700000000000017" height="5" style="position: absolute; width: 4.7px; height: 5px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 455px; top: 5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_40261056" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="4.700000000000017" height="5" style="position: absolute; width: 4.7px; height: 5px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 634px; top: 5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_33831753" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="4.700000000000017" height="5" style="position: absolute; width: 4.7px; height: 5px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 455px; top: 200px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_8069850" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="4.700000000000017" height="5" style="position: absolute; width: 4.7px; height: 5px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 634px; top: 200px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_9296820" scrolling="no"></iframe> The explosion shook dust loose in the tunnels, but thankfully, nothing else. Reija took a shaking breath, her ears ringing and tears running from the corners of her eyes. Her fear had been true. Hastily, silently, she helped Nil and the foal into the darkness and safety of the tunnel. Fear rolled off the young horse as she carefully lifted the foal from his back and unto her own for a moment. His eyes were wild and his mouth was open, but no words came out. He was clearly distressed, but now he would be safe.
"You're alright," she told him simply, still too shaken up herself to offer any other words of support. "Take the foal and follow the group. You can see their lantern light. I will follow you."
After helping the Vindicators into the tunnel, she would help guide them all through the labyrinth. But first the Vindicators needed to be taken care of.
Reija feared that if they were captured, the vagabonds wouldn't mind ratting on the smugglers, especially after the hostility of tonight. She couldn't endanger Pax, couldn't endanger herself that way. Debris littered the ground above as the rest of the group nearly dove underground to safety.
Where was the slave mare that bolted? Had the she been sacrificed to protect them all? Her head spun even more, the whole ordeal threatening to slip from her conscious grasp as her tired eyes ached from the stress...
The flowerpot was pulled over the top of the entrance, sealing the moonlight out. The mission had been completed, hadn't it? The labor slaves would be set free... but a great sense of dread and grief hung in the air, despite their success. She couldn't tell which was worse, the secret plan to destroy the entire barracks, or killing a wayfaring slave mare. Both decisions had been made without her or Pax's say. This was no team. The Vindicators did nothing but use our knowledge of the city to accomplish their "mission". They don't care about us. This alliance cannot continue.
Only two words escaped her lips as Reija took up the back of their small group.
They were said breathlessly, quietly, hardly discernible above their hoof falls.
"Damn murderers."
Post #6 | WC 391Thanks for a wonderful chapter everyone! I love you all!
(and I have no idea what's happened to this post) |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2018 8:03:00 GMT -6
Your plot is complete! Stay tuned for a wrap-up journal!20 AP and 20 CS to Eshana, Adari, Eon, Ida, Judas, Isolt, Nil, Reija, and Pax!
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