The Coming of Shadows

[Flarecobra]

(OOC) Don't worry. I've got a back-up ready to go.

[Astral Harmony]

OOC: Make sure you PM me if you need to play along, but not too soon. Clitonna needs to wind up at an inn in that village as well as there being enough time for Lilemi and Ferra to bury the bodies of Ashgand, Grant, and Fugurd. After that, I'll set up SlayTechs and magic for the three girls and then it becomes Final Fantasy X-2 in The Coming of Shadows.

[Flarecobra]

(OOC) Well, Kazi doesn't live in town so.....

[Astral Harmony]

OOC: Phew, I was wondering when someone was gonna post here. For a second, I thought we lost this one. Hit me up with a PM if you have any ideas of where the story'll go or if you want my team and yours to meet and how you want it done. Otherwise...I'll probably have my group seek revenge in the Gelti Empire. It might mean joining the Free Alliance but I dunno quite yet.

Clitonna woke up in a comfortable bed, then shot out of it just to look at herself in the mirror. Nothing was out of place except that she wasn't wearing her usual armor. She frowned as the memories of last night slowly began to invade her senses. The death of Fugurd by being speared with Grant's Silver Javelin. The death of Ashgand by the very same means. The death of Grant by being sliced into four horrid chunks by Clitonna's own hand. The most horrifying aspect was that Clitonna couldn't find any remorse...any regret...any need to pray for their souls or even the desire to slit her own throat for what she had done. All too quickly, she had come to terms with what she did, and picked up the Ebony Twilight sword and her armor, carefully polished and laid out. She dressed herself, sheathed the sword, and ventured downstairs where Lilemi was manning the bar.

Clitonna: "This is a self-service inn?"
Lilemi: "Clitonna!"

Lilemi literally flowed from behind the bar into Clitonna, nearly knocking her over. Clitonna hesitated and then slowly wrapped her arms around Lilemi.

Lilemi: "Oh, God! You're alive! You're really alive!"
Clitonna: "Of course I'm alive, Lilemi. Grant wouldn't have hurt me even if he was possessed."

Lilemi stayed in Clitonna's embrace for a little while longer and then separated from her.

Lilemi: "Are you hungry or thirsty? I can prepare something really quickly for you."
Clitonna: "Yes, that'd be perfect."
Lilemi: "Yes."

Lilemi went back behind the bar and began to make a hot drink for Clitonna.

Clitonna: "This is just too weird."
Lilemi: "What is it?"
Clitonna: "I'm only a little surprised that I'm acting normally, but when it's you acting normally, I...well, I just dunno what to think."
Lilemi: "It's because I don't know what to think. Honestly, all I can think about is how relieved I am that you're still with us."
Clitonna: "Thanks, Lilemi. How's Ferra taking it?"
Lilemi: "Not good, but better than I had hoped. She seemed a little out of it, too."
Clitonna: "I can imagine why. After all, I loved Ashgand before, too."
Lilemi: "... ... ..."
Clitonna: "Sorry, Lilemi. I just had to say that."
Lilemi: "It's all right, but...what do we do now?"
Clitonna: "With Ashgand's intellect, we had some kind of plan. With Grant's friendship, I was motivated to keep going. With Fugurd's strength, I believed that we'd be okay. Now they're gone. All dead."
Lilemi: "Yes, but we shouldn't give up hope."
Ferra: "Yeah, the Gelti Empire needs to pay for what's it done to us."

Clitonna and Lilemi looked at Ferra who just stepped in.

Lilemi: "Ferra."
Clitonna: "Ferra, are you all right? If you need to strike me, don't worry. I won't defend myself."
Ferra: "Why would I attack you? None of this is your fault. Chocolate's the one who has to answer to me."
Clitonna: "Yes...she has a lot to answer for."
Ferra: "I went to go check on the graves of the guys. I had a good cry but I'm all right now. Besides, we've got more important matters."
Clitonna: "Matters like what?"
Lilemi: "Grant's family. Ferra and I talked about it. If Chocolate wasn't lying, then Grant's family is incarcerated in the Imperial prison."
Clitonna: "That's right. Shit."
Ferra: "We have to find some way to get them out of there."
Clitonna: "Hell, we need to get them out of the Gelti Empire, period. They're family members of a 'traitor.'"
Lilemi: "Clitonna!"
Clitonna: "I'm sorry, but it's the situation. It's not good, but I don't think we have time to go sugarcoating stuff."
Ferra: "She has a point, Lilemi, but I highly doubt even three badass girls like us can somehow cross the border, break into the prison at the Capital City, and escape with a defenseless woman and two little girls all the way to the Free Alliance borders."
Lilemi: "Why the Free Alliance borders?"
Clitonna: "It's closer than taking them all the way to the Non-Commital Zones here, but Ferra makes a point. Lilemi, I don't want to sound rude, but did we get all the money from our three departed friends?"
Lilemi: "Yes, I did. It's to save Grant's family, so I think they won't mind."
Ferra: "We want to hire mercenaries or something?"
Clitonna: "Yes. I want to start in and around this place, and if we fail miserably here, let's go for some fighters of the Scourging Bladesworn mercenary forces. Ashgand was a good man, and I'm sure they'll charge us little to do a mission like this, regardless of the risk."

[Ryu Kurai]

Kirrass shook his head. "Bodyguard? No. Are you hiring me?" He said, wondering what a human would need to guard against, besides other humans, drakes, and...Oh.

[Flarecobra]

"Well, For some reason I'm getting the feeling that we're being followed, and I'm not that much of a fighter." Kazi said.

[Ryu Kurai]

Kirrass shrugged. "Ssssure, I'll do it. All that I asssk issss enough money for food and a place to ssssleep, and I'll be fine." He discreetly slid his tail into the empty part of his stinger.

[Astral Harmony]

Clitonna, Lilemi, and Ferra were on the road again, having left the village with no luck. It wasn't that there weren't any fighters among the populace, but that after seeing what the girls were dealing with, and knowing what Clitonna was capable of, they just chickened out. Now the three girls were content with walking towards the border.

Lilemi: "No luck. Maybe we can find allies in the Gelti Empire?"
Ferra: "Perhaps. The Border Guard can't stop us from breaking into the nation...especially with this."
Clitonna had a copy of the paper that Ferra was referring to.
Clitonna: "And I always thought I'd be on the front lines when the war started."
It was a paper documenting the state of unrest between the Free Alliance and the Gelti Empire. Looks like things have finally gotten started. Clitonna was wondering when she'd see a paper telling her this.
Ferra: "Defenses will be weaker at the capital city..."
Clitonna: "But it will still be too strong when it's just us girls."
Lilemi: "Can we get stronger in any way?"
Clitonna: "Yeah. Actually, I've got a plan."
Lilemi and Ferra stopped and looked at Clitonna. Clitonna stopped and looked at them.
Clitonna: "What?"
Ferra: "Out with it."
Lilemi: "Yes, let's hear it."
Clitonna: "We're going to be using the war to our advantage by forcing the capital city to devote more of its military to protecting the borders and villages. We're going to have to slaughter a lot of Geltis."
Ferra: "I've got no problem with that."
Lilemi: "It's for Grant's family, after all."
Clitonna: "With what we're wearing now, nobody who doesn't know us will be able to tell with we're Gelti or Free Alliance. We're now mysterious warriors who will help the Free Alliance open holes in Gelti's defense."
Ferra: "It's a good strategy. I give it a 6."
Lilemi: "That doesn't sound very good."
Ferra: "Without good intel on the situation, my grade for it will never reach 8, so it's better than it sounds."
Clitonna: "When the Free Alliance breaks through the borders, the village and cities will have to devote their armies to stopping the incoming Alliance forces. We help them advance until the capital city weakens itself in order to stop the invasion."
Ferra: "So this is why we're going in the dangerous direction. I get it all now."
Clitonna: "I can take and dish out blows with the best of them. Ferra, sweep in and pick off the wounded and dominate the slow. Lilemi, you're long range support. We understand our roles, right, girls?"
Lilemi: "I'm ready!"
Ferra: "For Grant's family!"
Clitonna: "Excellent. We should be hitting the warzone soon. Let's get ready, girls."

[Flarecobra]

"Ok, if you want, you could stay at my place. It's not that far. And I guess I'd better tell you something. I'm not exactly what you think I am. See, I'm a va....." her words were cut off when a crossbow bolt suddenly struck her in the back. Turning around, she saw the third guy from the bar, and his his hands was a crossbow aimed at her.

"You bitch! You paralyzed by brother! Now you're going to get it!" he said, and let off another bolt, this time it struck her in the chest. She just looked at it, and said "Regular bolts? You've gotta be kidding." She said, then closed her eyes, then a second later, a black flame appeared in her hand. "DARKFIRE!" she said, as the flames spread out and engulfed the guy. A couple of seconds later they dissapated, and the guy collaped on the ground. He was still alive, but quite burned. Kazi walked up to him, knelt by him, and said "Just so you know, I can be quite dangerious when pushed. Just remember that." He looked at her, gave a quick nod showing that he understood, then slowly got up and limped off. She walked back over to Kirrass and said "Man I hate having to do that." while pulling out the bolts that were stuck in her.

[Ryu Kurai]

Kirrass' jaw dropped a bit, but it looked more like an icy grin to the casual onlooker. "Hmm. You know, you're assss toughly built assss a drake. What are you, anyway?" He said, more interested in how this human woman took a crossbow bolt to the back and the chest, threw a magic spell at her attacker, and lived, only complaining about having to take time out of her day to lay somebody out.