Nald's Rescue [CLOSED: OOC comments welcome!]

[Antain]

OOC: Last night, Phoenix Rose teamed up with the Sword & Rose Order <> to rescue well-connected civilians from gil-mongering slavers. Over the next few days, I will post the recount here. It was a lot of fun, and we missed those who could not make it. Hope you all enjoy!

 

CHAPTER 1: The Briefing

 

Vaughn sighs as he tightens the strap of his bandolier, looking to Jaques as he places his three silver daggers in their holders on the front before slipping the loose shirt over it. Jaques cleans his claws before locking them in place on his hips. As Vaughn slips and buttons up his vest, he says softly, “Do you think he’ll pull through? Kale, I mean.”

 

Jaques nods. “He seemed eager. It will be fine.”

 

Vaughn was about to say more before Kale’s voice comes over the Phoenix Rose’s linkpearl.

“ 'Ey...Vaughn 'nd Jaques? Flames are gonna make a move. Sendin' in adventurers, leves 'nd everythin'.”

 

Vaughn responds, "Ah...o-okay. So...we'll meet you there in...half a bell? Yes? Or..."

 

"Soon as you can, yea.”

 

Jaques nods to Vaughn and speaks in the pearl. "On our way." He turns to Vaughn. “See?”

 

Vaughn nods with a slight, nervous smile before Kale’s voice is heard once more. "I 'ear you." Vaughn sighs again, starting to fidget. The two Elezen take the rest of their weapons and call their coeurls, Bête and Vakker, and head to the meeting point: Little Ala Mhigo.

 

Once there, they’re greeted by a small army. Vaughn blinks in surprise, bowing to a female Wildwood as she bowed to him. Her companion, a Duskwight, nods to them as well.

 

Kale Aideron looks to Gisilbehrt, visually asking for permission to expound. The Flame Commander nods, and Kale addresses the group, "We'll wait a few more minutes, 'nd we'll 'ead over for a briefin'."

 

Jaques nods to Kale as Vaughn shifts nervously, speaking with a quiet voice, "This...is a lot of..." He smiles lightly to Jaques.

Kale nods. “We'll 'ave everyone make introductions, as well, but no draggin' feet.”

 

The Wildwood, who quickly introduces herself as Ciel Wulfe, speaks. "Do you think we'll be enough? No idea what the situation is like in there..."

 

Aliannera Thornblade, a Highlander woman, flashes a grin toward Ciel. "'Ey, I'm here. That's all we need." Ciel beams with delight at Aliannera, as the Duskwight, Jonathan Grayve, smirks confidently at her.

Kale curls his lips thoughtfully at Ciel. "The Flames stationed at the north 'nd south entrances can always enter to reinforce if needed."

 

Ciel nods to Kale before another woman, a pale-haired battle priestess from Vaughn’s guess, approached. "Miss Mistalv," Ciel greeted, as Jonathan seems to look upon her with concern.

 

Mistalv Arroway clicked her cane against the ground as she approaches the group. "Miss Ciel."

 

Jonathan bowed, " A pleasure Ms. Mistalv..."

 

Aliannera smirks back at the pair, though she turns back toward Mistlav with a raised brow. Her mouth opens to say something, then she stops, thinking on it for a moment. "'Ey Mistalv."

 

Mistalv nodded her head. "Jonathan. Miss Aliannera."

 

Jaques glances about thoughtfully before pulling out a linkpearl. Starting to pass out the newformed devices out between those gathered.

 

Oni De'phor, a Midlander, takes the pearl. "Thanks." He jolts at the chatter of the pearl already in his ear.

 

Aliannera takes the pearl with a nod.

 

Ciel bows courteously to Jaques. "My thanks."

 

Jonathan tries to brush aside his concerns, glancing toward the nearest motion. He accepts the pearl, placing it immediately.

 

Mistalv fidgets with the pearl as its dropped in her hands, taking the moments necessary to fixate it to her ear.

 

Jaques mutters into the pearl once everyone gathered has one. "Just testing to make certain we can all hear."

 

Kale peeks up at the sky to gauge the time, and nods, "Okay, this'll do. We'll get started, Commander." He gives Gisilbehrt a Flame salute.

 

Ciel: "Aye."

 

Aliannera: "Sounds like it."

 

Kale: “Fine 'ere.”

 

Oni: "Aye..."

 

Mistalv: "Crystal clear."

 

Jonathan: "Hm… Testing...ah splendid."

 

Jaques blinks to R’tashana, one of their charges at the Rose. "Ah... greetings." He passes over a linkpearl to Tasha as well, who timidly takes it and looks about nervously, her hopes of going unnoticed dashed by the recognition.

 

Ciel smiles at Jonathan, as he smirks confidently at her.

 

Kale looks around and nods at the crowd gathered. “All right, good.”

 

Felix Drake, a Highlander, walks up looks a bit as if he'd spent the last several days in hell. "So...the Red what, now?"

 

Ciel smiles. "Ah, Felix."

 

Kale picks up a rolled parchment, and unfurls it onto the crate, "The Red Labyrinth...it's a subterranean maze located south of 'ere, and just west of Zanr'ak. Normally, Flame soldiers stationed at either end 'elp travelers get through from the north to south, 'nd vice versa."

 

Jonathan coils arms around Ciel idly, while listening to the others. Ciel is content to lean into that hold, but shifts her attention to Kale's explanation.

 

Kale speaks while gesturing to the parchment, which is a map of the local area and some of the mapped corridors of the Labyrinth. "Several suns ago, myself 'nd Vaughn 'nd Jaques," he gestures to the two Elezen in question, "found a bunch of slavers blockin' the north entrance, 'avin' killed the sole Flame stationed there. We took care of 'em, but 'pparently the rest of 'em are 'eld up inside...with hostages. Cityfolk with proper connections, as it were...the Flames 'ave been watchin' either end to see if they've tried to escape...'nd given the ongoin' conflict with the Amalj'aa, it's down to you hirelings to go in there 'nd rescue 'em. They can't spare the manpower." Kale looks up from the map to ensure everyone is following. Felix just sighs a bit and nods.

 

Jaques speaks over the crowd. "Did the Flames try any sort of contact, or simply monitor since they holed up?"

 

Kale clears his throat. He is obviously withholding information. "The name of the leader is Rissen..."

 

Jonathan bows courteously to Kale. "If I may, Kale?"

 

Felix frowns. "Kale...You didn't answer the man's question."

 

Aliannera furrows her brow a bit. "Tha' kinda wasn't an answer ta' tha' question."

 

Kale holds up a finger, as he gives that further explanation. “There’s been some conversations with the slavers...'ints at connection to a merchant...I'm supposin' some grunts didn't know the meanin' to 'discretion'.” Vaughn frowns slightly. Kale smirks wryly, "That's the grunts of the slavers...lots of posturin', tryin' to look big by 'intin' at their real paymaster...stupid, if you ask me."

 

Jaques raises a brow, "Any idea what sort of 'conversations' and who the merchant is?"

 

Kale nods at Jaques, "Oh, sure...the Flames were just askin' what they wanted, 'nd so on...'pparently, they were 'eadin' south to Cape Deadwind."

 

Oni becomes distracted by something over his right shoulder, but still listens in to the explanation at hand. Felix blinks, glancing Oni's way after feeling eyes boring into his head. "Something wrong, Oni?"

 

Oni paused far too long, but did eventually smile Felix's way, "Sorry. Just been so long since I've seen you last." Oni lightly shook his head to break his own gaze and looked back to Kale. Felix blinks, but just nods a bit to Oni, glancing Kale's way again to continue listening.

 

Kale shrugs, "What works in our favour, is that they won't kill their captives, since that represents lost profit...they'll only kill 'em if they're 'ard-pressed."

 

Ciel speaks up. "Then we must need still use some caution."

 

Aliannera smirks. "So don't run in, axe swingin' an' hittin' off heads. Ye' know how ta' ruin a woman's fun, eh?"

 

Kale smirks confidently at Aliannera before hespeaks up a bit. "When I say 'merchant', you're obviously all thinkin' Ul'dahn merchant. I really doubt you're all incorrect..."

 

Jonathan sighs. "The details may be rather sorted, but the task remains the same. An approach that won't spur their threat..."

 

Jaques frowns as he quietly offs a linkpearl to Felix. "Were they able to discern how many slavers we've got inside?"

 

Kale speaks with urgent haste, "That's the situation. Flames cannot spare men when they can just send adventurers in instead...oh...we're lookin' at ten to fifteen. Any questions before we move onto the plan of attack?" Kale looks like he'd take silence for an answer, as well.

 

Jonathan says, "Our approach, how will we near them without them seeking their slaves as leverage?"

 

Felix clarifies, "How were we getting in?"

 

Kale holds up a finger, indicating he will be answering that. He points at the north and south entrances of the Red Labyrinth, "I want two parties...the first party will launch a frontal assault on the north entrance...the second party wil sneak in the south 'nd rescue the captives...they'd likely leave some of those tosspots with the poor sods to ensure they don't try 'nd escape when they send some of themselves up to repel the assault."

 

Felix rubs his chin, thinking. "Hmm..."

 

Aliannera scoffs. "I ain't good at th' sneakin' stuff, so I'd rather be with th' assault if it matters."

 

Kale nods at Aliannera. "Given they're funded, I'm confident they 'ave access to linkshell communication." Kale Aideron bangs his fist lightly on the crate several times to rally everyone's attention...not that he thought it was waning. "I need volunteers for the southern party on my left. The northern party stand be'ind Aliannera. If the assortment is not satisfactory, I'll switch it up."

 

Aliannera smirks, turning around to face the others. "Who wants ta' come 'elp me cause general madness an' mayhem?"

 

"Pardon me Mistalv," Felix says, stepping by behind her to stand near Ali. He shrugs, "I'm better off in a fight in this plate anyway..."

 

Vaughn glances to Jaques and follows him to Kale’s left.

 

Ciel turns to Jonathan. "What do you think, love? We might have to split up by the looks of it.."

 

Jonathan furrows his brow in thought. Raising a hand a moment, thinking of the previously mentioned shell comm. " I'll help take up the sneak assault...if we run risk of them communicating for help, there's something I'd like to try to quell that."

 

Kale nods to Jonathan. “True, one 'eavy fighter on the southern party wouldn't be amiss.”

 

Ciel smiles. "I shall attend Miss Aliannera's party, then."

 

Jonathan leans in to offer a gentle kiss, brief for the impending urgency. "Do be safe yes?"

 

Ciel smiles, "You as well."

 

Kale waits patiently for Ciel and Jonathon to separate. Jonathan makes a straight face at Kale.

 

Oni shifts something about in his hands that he'd been holding much of this time. "Just put me where you need me, I suppose."

 

Mistalv took in a slow, deep breath, fingers drumming against the top of her cane as she simply stood along without a word.

 

R'tashana strategically places herself behind Jaques and Vaughn trying once again not to be noticed.

 

Ciel gives Jonathan's hand a squeeze and then moves away to the other group.

 

Kale nods at the split of the groups. “North party, I'm with you as well.”

 

Felix blinks a bit, shaking his head. "Who was kidnapped, anyway? Sorry if I missed that... Just merchants from the city?"

 

Kale shrugs at Felix, "Wealthy 'nough cityfolk to be an urgent matter for the army, as it were. Jaques, this was your business originally, can you lead 'em?"

 

Oni suddenly breaks away for a moment to find himself in a party already separated.

 

Aliannera nods at Kale. "Right then. Yer th' boss o' this Op."

 

Jaques nods. "Refugees as well. Pretty much anyone they can grab and sell off."

 

Felix just nods, tapping the hilt at his side. The mention of refugees makes him frown, but... Well, no matter.

 

Kale repeats to Jaques, "You can take the southern party, yea'?" Jaques nods to Kale, as the Highlander adds, “Get yourself to Minotaur Malm, then. We'll 'ead to Nald's Reflection.”

 

Aliannera gives a light shrug. "Don't matter if it's refugee's, merchants, o' th' gods damned Sultana, their folks who need savin', so let’s get ta' savin'." Ciel agrees wholeheartedly with Aliannera.

 

Kale grins. “'Ope you're ready to sweat a bit. Let's move.”

 

Felix laughs. "Eh, when aren't we, anyway? We do live in this damned desert..."

 

Ciel smiles. "A little sweat is good for the pores." She beams with delight at Felix.

 

Mistalv shrugs. "I find it quite the lovely place to relax."

 

Jaques looks to his group. "We can take the aetherytes down to the springs. Everyone been there?"

 

Jonathan nods. "Aye.."

 

Kale looks over his group as well. “Ready?”

 

Aliannera says enthusiastically, "Aye!"

 

Ciel nods to Kale as he bursts into a jog.

 

Oni says dryly, "Can't wait to pick the sand outta our arms later."

[Antain]

CHAPTER 2: The North Flank

 

Ciel prays solemnly as Aliannera glances around the path toward Nald's Reflection, then over to Oni. "'Ey, somethin' about this place feel familar ta' you?"

 

Oni smirks. "Other than looking like the Thal's Reflection, can't say."

 

Aliannera shrugs. "Eh, then it's jus' me." She glances over toward Kale. "Right, where were we?"

 

Kale nods toward the detachment of Flame guards. “Now we wait for the south party to get into position. Standby, I'll inform on the officer on watch.” Ciel takes the opportunity to place a small offering on the altar while they wait. Kale steps over to the Flame Lieutenant in charge of this watch shift. He explains what is occurring before speaking into the shared linkpearl.

 

Aliannera sighs as she chuckles at Kale. "Ah, reminds me o' them old days."

 

Kale: South party, 'ow's your transit?

 

Jaques: "This Johnathan just brought out some sort of magitek.... armour thing."

 

Ciel bursts out laughing: "No need to worry. He likes to tinker with anything he can get his hands on."

 

Vaughn: "It's still....loud."

 

Kale: “What? That new Ironworks stuff?"

 

Felix sounds as if from somewhere distant: What's it look like?

 

Oni looks somewhat confused. "Aren't they the stealth group?..." Kale nods at Oni with an irritated frown.

 

Mistalv: "Big. . . from what I can tell."

 

Kale sounds annoyed: “A Reaper? You're the stealth party!”

 

Ciel: "Love, try not to give us away before we get started, aye?"

 

Oni rolls his eyes. "Nothing purrs quieter than a magitek walker stomping in a cave."

 

Kale has two fingers on his right ear as speaking, gesturing to the others to follow as Felix catches up to the rest. "Sorry about that...Thought I saw someone following us. Dealt with it..." he says softly. Kale steps up to the entrance. An armed Flame private is ready to open the door for the group to charge in.

 

Kale: “Right, we ready?”

 

Felix just nods when Kale asked over the pearl if they were ready.

 

Ciel: "Aye, ready."

 

Jaques: "We're ready at South."

 

Kale grins. “'Ere we go.”

 

Felix taps the seeings empty hilt, not drawing it yet. Kale nods at the Flame private. He opens the door, and Kale charges in first. It is dark inside, their eyes will need a crucial second or two of adjusting. Nonetheless, he shouts loud enough to be heard over the pearl, "FORWARD!"

 

Aliannera grins as she runs forward behind Kale, axe over her shoulder and at the ready. "Free trips ta' all seven hells!" Felix rushes in behind Ali, hand on the hilt of his blade, eyes glancing around to try and gauge what they'd see as they adjusted. Oni gazes in to the darkened space, assisted by the visor he wore. He couldn't see without light, but the aether in the area painted a picture for him, being particularly bright wherever a body or creature lay. He lowered down his polearm to keep at the group's right side.

 

Ciel is the last to run in, allowing the heavies to go first, bringing up the rear. "Kale, you said we'd need a light source, aye?" She takes an arrow and presses it to her lips, giving it just a small concentration of aether enough to set it alight.

 

The first body they are barely able to make out is a grizzled looking Lalafell, obviously one of the slavers serving as sentry on the north entrance. He goes wide-eyed at the group, "Bloody shite...", hopping off his rear and sprinting down one of the corridors into the Labyrinth. He is yelling at the top of his Lalafellin lungs, "Intruders, intruders!". The echo makes it difficult to know which corridor he sprinted down.

 

Urgent, Kale nods at Ciel's suggestion, "Shit, yes, quickly!"

 

"Coming up!" Ciel launches the flaming arrow ahead of the assault party and just off to the side of where the Lalafell went. Wherever it lands, hopefully there's something there which will catch the flame, and maybe give them a little smoke screen for cover.

 

"Well,this will be fun..." Felix mutters, watching the sentry run off, eyeing the various corridors, "Oni, can you see an aether trail, for whatever one he went down?"

 

Oni took to looking around in a quick scan to the bouncing of lalafellian noise about the stone cave. He does spot the illumination of sensed aether in the shape of a tiny form running off. Immediately the hyur sprinted after him without a word, either of his own will or the suggestion Felix made just then. At full tilt, he aims to trip up the lalafell with a swipe of the lance, but not to kill, not yet. Aliannera lets out a grunt at the lalafell, her eyes not quite adjusting as quickly as she had hoped, though thankfully Ciel saw to that as a non-issue with the flamed arrow. She watched as Oni went after him, moving to follow up behind the fellow Hyur as they chased the yelling guard. Felix follows after Oni and Ali, though just a bit slower, eyeing the other tunnels.

 

"If these tunnels lead into each other..." Felix wasn't looking forward to ambushes and being surrounded, depending on how prepared and ready these slavers were.

 

Thankful for the combined efforts of Oni and Ciel to guide a path, Kale nods at Felix and the Elezen woman, heading down that corridor. "C'mon," Kale commands as he dashes after Aliannera, who is tailing behind Oni. Visibility from the burning arrow decreased as they went further into the corridor. Oni's leg sweep connected, but the Lalafell was nubile. He was able to roll with it, flying, flipping, and landing facing Oni with his sword and buckler drawn. Kale was able to overtake Felix and Aliannera thanks to lackof heavy armour, but that might not have been a good idea. Figures charging from the darkness are visible...and there is a rather massive silhouette on its way, complete with thumping of feet. A huge Roegadyn marauder swings his axe in the path of Kale, who is able to raise his hoplon just in time to prevent damage...but not prevent himself being launched back several yalms, "Fuck!" he yells, landing by Aliannera and Felix. TheRoegadyn marauder is indeed massive. He is joined by four other slavers; two Midlander gladiators, and a Seeker pugilist. That leaves six adversaries in total.

 

"'Tis why they call it a labyrinth,” Ciel states, “but I doubt a bunch of slavers would be so intimately acquainted with the place. You're talking organization, there... More time to learn the tunnels than they'd want to take." Wasted breath, because here come the slavers. She draws another arrow and looses it at the Roe marauder, preferably at his neck. Ciel's arrow appears to his the Roegadyn's chest, very near his neck. Instead, the beast of a man grabs the lodged arrow, and tears it out. He spots Felix, roaring, "Ah! Come at us, you Ul'dahn scum!". Bringing his axe overhead, he'll aim to drop a blow atop of Felix.

 

Ciel tsks, "Ul'dahn? For your information, I happen to be Gridanian!" She says this with feigned insult as she nocks another arrow, this time leaving the Roe for Felix and Kale and turning to launch the new arrow at one of the Gladiators while Ali has then focused on her.

 

Felix comes to a halt as their adversaries appear. One massive tree, and other small fry, glanicng at Kale to make sure he was alright. As Ciel looses her arrow, he steps forward, drawing his blade, purple energy spurring to life as the hilt came alive and the blade formed. "I'll take the big ugly one," he said, grinning almost darkly, catching the Roe's eyes with a provoking look and smirk.

 

Aliannera watches as Kale is knocked back by the large Roegadyn, letting out a slight grin as the new foes come into sight. "An' here I thought we'd have a borin' day. Rhalgr grant me strength!" With that the heavily armored Hyur rushes forward, rushing for the two midlanders, axe going in a wide arc to try and catch both. The gladiators raise their shields, initially caught off guard and on the defensive as her axe deflects off both their shields.

 

Oni hardly slows up when the lalafell tumbles and turns about, trying to hit him full ram with all 250 ponze of flesh and metal. If not, he'd just continue going under the force of his own sprint. He did not overlook the arrival of new bodies in his sights, however. Still, a weapon was brandished his way. Lalafell or not, he locked to that target. "Permission to kill", he said out to anyone of his group who wanted to answer, though mostly directed to Kale. Oni's target looks like a fierce little thing, ready to take on the lancer with vigor, hopping to the side to dodge the Midlander's follow through.

 

Meanwhile, Kale gets to his feet, and jogs to join Felix, replying to Oni, "We need at least one alive! But don't risk your neck over it!"

 

Aliannera did not wait long once the attempt for a quick kill was cut off, unrelenting in her assault. She opted to focus one of the midlanders, her axe going for another swipe before lifting it up to bring down on the gladiator. The attempt would likely be blocked, but the intent was to stun them with a heavy blow more than deal a fatal one.

 

Felix scoffs. "Ul'dahn...Right," he says, glancing briefly over the field. Ali had two, Oni had one, he had the Roe. "Kale, keep the remaining two away from Ciel, I can handle this lout," he said softly before the Roe attacking. Overhead swing, pathetic. Felix darted to the side, his blade flashing out to his side as he moved to the Roe's right side, the aetherial blade slashing out at the back of his knee and leg, seeking to try and hamstring the Roe.

 

Oni hears the call just as he drug his spear in the sand to aid his slow down and angle around. He saw through the visor two targets in his twisting about, but the little lalafell body marked "P1" was kept as his focus. He thrust the lance forward to the lalafell's center with strength enough to try and drive him back.

 

The stunning blow by Aliannera throws one of the Midlanders off balance enough that Ciel's arrow lands right in her chest while the gladiator was stumbling backwards. The other one, a Highlander, was a bit more resilient, aiming a thrust at Aliannera after dodging the axe swing. Kale was about to follow Felix's advice and break off to assist someone else...until he saw Felix try to cut through the Roegadyn's leg. It sliced armour, and seemed to make a papercut on the Roegadyn's leg.

 

Kale clicks his teeth, "Fuck, 'e's on pluto...stone for skin, almost...". Kale repositions himself to fight alongside Felix. Meanwhile, Oni's target was pushed back by the thrusting lance, shield up. The little man would slash at the tip of Oni's lance to try and strike it out the way, before charging at the Midlander's shins for a slash or three.

 

Aliannera turns from the one whom was taken by the arrow, glancing to the second of the Gladiator's. Aliannera felt the impact of the blade to her armor, protecting her but the blow halting her continued assault. "Shite, jus' mended this stuff too..." She muttered, mouth turning to a grin, clearly enjoying herself. "Come on then! Try it again!" She yelled, taunting the Midlander Gladiator on. The Highlander gladiator woman had her teeth clenched in the dim light. Suddenly, she threw her shield arm at Aliannera with enough force to launch the buckler with off her limb, aimed as a projectile at the other Highlander lass.

 

Ciel casts a look around. The Roe, the Highlander, and the Lalafell all seem to be occupied, and the female Midlander Gladiator is down. That leaves two others somewhere. She'll look for whichever one is most visible and/or within range and turn loose another arrow. Kale is suddenly attacked by the Seeker pugilist, who was waiting for the right opportunity to strike. Leaving Felix's side, Kale swings his shield at the pugilist to deflect a flurry of punches. The Seeker backflips past the Roegadyn, who Kale slips under to chase after the pugilist. He engages in combat with the Seeker, who is backed up by another Seeker, a rogue it looks like. Kale is able to match their speed somewhat due to his lack of armour, parrying and attacking them in locked combat.

 

Oni stumbled slightly when the weight behind his spear was offset. The tip stuck into the sandy earth. The lalafell slipped into his guard and caught his leather-steel plated boots with the sword. It was enough to strike through and draw blood from the hyur's legs. His reply instead was to anchor himself down with the stuck spear and draw his opposite leg back. The mechanisms within his thigh made an audible click before the limb kicked forward with thrust enough to send a dragoon aloft.

 

"Hardly the first one I've fought like that..." Felix muttered. Well, if the barrier wouldn't break, death by a thousand cuts then. He glances around, just keeping a picture of where all the foes are in his mind before looking back at the Roe. He just kept moving around, so the Roe would either turn and face him and give Kale his back, or vice versa. Either way, he would strike out again, the blade slashing out in a feight aimed at the massive marauder's legs again, before diverting up to try and thrust up into the armpit of his right arm. The Roegadyn dropped the head of his axe into the dirt in time to catch Felix's feint. The beast is able to move back in time to miss the upward thrust...but only barely, Felix's blade slicing past skin, which elicits a roar from the marauder. In counter,like a giant piston, the Roegadyn thrusts the base of his axe's shaft towards Felix, aiming to ram him with great power.

 

Oni's powered kick makes contact with the Lalafell...the little man launches into the air, still maintaining a grip on his sword and shield...he bounces off the Roegadyn's shoulder, and flies towards Kale and the two Seekers. Kale, who has taken some hits, as mid-motion with slicing his shield through the air. The Lalafell makes contact with Kale's hoplin just at the outward swing. The Lalafell is hit and goes flying right back towards Oni, this time, with sword aimed forward in mid-air!

 

Aliannera uses her axe defensively, giving a swing out that caught the shield and knocked it away. With a furious roar the Highlander charges, moving to slam her shoulder into the midlander and knock her down. Aliannera's smash connects. The other Highlander woman is struck back, plastered up against the wall of the corridor, totally exposed for what might very well be a brutal finisher.

 

Ciel finds her next target, one of the Seekers on Kale. This time, the arrow she holds is switched out for another marked with purple fletchings. This one is deliberately tipped with poison which will gradually eat at the Miqo'te's health if it finds it's mark. Ciel's arrow barely misses Kale, but it pierces the side of the Seeker rogue all the same. Alarmed at such a close call, Kale looks at the direction of where the arrow came from...and the sound of Via over the linkshell further distracts him. A vicious punch into his side is the punishment for his inattentiveness, Kale grunting at the impact. He hilt-smashes the Seeker pugilist with his teeth gritted in retaliation, who gives out a whine of pain as she drops to one knee from the impact. Kale finishes her by flourishing his blade to aim it right down, and impale the crouched Miqo'te, extinguishing her aether. The projectile Lalafell is successfully hit by Oni's blunt strike, and the little man is smashed against the wall of the corridor. The impact was so strong that the Lalafell likely perished, the motionless body dropping to the dirt

 

Felix's face was a cold mask as the Roe roared in...anger, most likely. As his blade bit into skin, Felix would push in to try and force the blade up into the Roe's body, only to be struck in the chest by the thrust of the axe shaft. The impact shudders through him, forcing him back several paces as he stumbled to try and keep his balance, the dark mantle dented slightly from the force of the blow. Gritting his teeth at his sloppiness he took a stance again, his free hand pulling something from his belt. A small round marble was throw at the Roe's feet, hitting the ground and emitting a bright, blinding light, hopefully stunning the Roe for a moment as Felix stepped in, spinning to the side again and delivering a powerful backwards stab at the Roe's side, keeping with the momentum of the spin and thrust to come around ad slash quickly twice, again, at his hamstrings.Felix's stab was just about to make a full penetration...until the axe of the massive Roegadyn swung right around, aiming to whack Felix. The blonde Highlander was most likely doing damage, but the drugged up Roegadyn didn't give any impression of weakening.

 

Oni tries to keep up with the spot of light marking the lalafell as he bounced all over. His head turned one way, another, then saw the little body flying right back at him with point extended out to greet him on the return. He was tempted to duck down and let the body fly past, but his fists gripped the lance a bit tighter and readied the drake at its end angled such that its wings spread flat to face the lalafell. He reared back, turned a heel, and took a blunted swing at the lalafell's flank.He runs after the tossed lala, and since there were members of this group still alive, saw to it that even if he had some ounce of life left in him on that drop to the ground, a spear would meet his back a moment later. Dead or not, that motion caused the "P1" target over that body to shift now to a body behind him, though he was busied by the reverse-facing hooks snagging on the lalafell's innards. "Kill more?" he asked again to no one in particular. As Oni scanned the environment, he would see three new bodies turn up at the end of the corridor they entered, catching the group in a pincer attack.

 

Aliannera does not quite deliver the fatal blow that would be expected of her, instead rearing her head back and slamming it forward into the Midlander's own head. She recalled that they wanted one alive, and while not liking to be denied the kill, figured she may as well do it. Besides the headbutt came a violent, plated fist of a punch to the head, making sure they were out. Aliannera successfully incapacitated her target, the other Highlander slumping to the ground unconscious. With that she turned around, keeping her axe at the ready just in case she saw someone in need of aid.

 

Ciel winces in unspoken apology at Kale gets punched, but she's not going to let herself get too distracted either. A second, normal arrow is launches at the Seeker rogue in short order. She would prefer to disable rather than kill, but the arrows will land wherever they land. Ciel's projectile makes impact, but two arrows into the Miqote's body proves too much. The impact from Ciel's arrow kills that rogue, leaving Kale free of assailants.

 

It didn't quite matter if the Roe was slowing. If Felix could just get those damned tendons cut... He abandoned his attack when he saw the axe coming at him. Pulling the blade back, he caught the axe on it, bracing against his blade as the force behind the axe sweep pushed him back around around to the side a bit. He grunted in pain as pain surged through his left arm from the impact, the limb trembling a bit as he lowered it and settled into a stance again...Bolting forward he rushed at the Roe, dropping at the last second into a slide. Hopefully he would pass between the Roe's legs, thristing his right shoulder up to jab the spike into the Roe's groin, before rolling out behind the Roe and back to his feet, turning, ready to slice again at the tendons at the back of the knees if he had time. Just as Felix slid under the Roegadyn to inflict that grotesque damage, a sharp blizzard shot through the corridor, flechettes of ice cutting through the group, bad guys included. The accompanying wind by also throw some of them off. At the end of the corridor they entered, three floating ice orbs distinct of a thaumaturge is visible...it also illuminates two lancers to either side of the thaumaturge. The Roegadyn is indeed on his last legs, staggering ahead towards Kale after Felix successfully slides under the marauder. Kale raises his shield, and prepares for attack.

 

Ciel averts her eyes as soon as the Miqo'te's eyes go blank, but this happens to take her attention well away from their back where the Thaumaturge and the two Lancers come in from. She notices their presence too late, at sharp slivers of ice bite into her skin. She winces and sucks a breath through her teeth, then looks over. "More company." Ali made sure their captive didn't go anywhere, and takes the captive to the Flames back at the north entrance.

 

Oni looks up, waiting for a confirmation to his question, though not getting one wasn't the end of things for him. He had his foot to the body right now in an attempt to dislodge it. He turned around to spot his current target, which was engaged with a roegadyn at the moment, and reconsidered the thought with a shift to the three new forms approaching. A swift rip tears the spear's barbs out of the body, barely, and the hyur takes off after the three new forms with polearm extended. The wave of ice that washed over them had frosted lightly over his metal limbs, but that soon melted under the heat of the internal cores.

 

Felix stands, bringing an arm up to cover his face against the wind, even as ice still manages to slive his cheek and chin. Lowering his arm, he glances the way of the blizzard as Ciel calls out, glancing at the Roe. Okay, Kale could handle that. He moved back towards Ciel, getting between her and the newcomers...before moving forward to support Oni, throwing another small marble at the group that would explode in a flash to blind them briefly and draw their attention his way.

 

Kale looked at the lumbering marauder, spinning his sword in his hands slowly in anticipation of contact. And then the blizzard comes. Kale raises his hoplon to shield his face from the flechettes. The three ice orbs floating around the thaumaturge shift to fire, and their slow spin begins to speed up gradually...faster and faster...one of the lancers step out to meet Oni's charge, the other remaining by the flank of the thaumaturge. In one last effort, the Roegadyn marauder lifts his axe with limping lefts to bring down upon Kale. Quickly, the Highlander dashes in close to drive his sword into the marauder's gut. It was the last straw thanks to Felix's continued attempts. The Roegadyn ends up slumping lifelessly in mid-motion. Kale goes wide-eyed, and quickly seeks to dislodge his winglet before he is crushed...alas... Kale is not able to escape in time, but it's not injury-inflicted. The Roegadyn falls to the ground with a light shake of the earth, Kale's legs trapped. He sits up, trying to wriggle himself free while the rest of the engagement continues. Oni hardly broke a sneer below his mask. Frustrating, yes, but another obstical to get to that mage. Without breaking stride, he held the still lalafell-marred lance forward in an attempt to run the lancer through.

 

Ciel whirls about fully, but there's Felix right there just as she brings her bow up again. She waits for him to charge the incoming group, giving her enough space for a clearer shot. That Thaumaturge is hers is she can just land the shot right. Just as she had when she lit the way earlier, she sets this arrow burning and sends it off for the mage. Let him and his comrades burn.

 

Ciel whirls about fully, but there's Felix right there just as she brings her bow up again. She waits for him to charge the incoming group, giving her enough space for a clearer shot. That Thaumaturge is hers is she can just land the shot right. Just as she had when she lit the way earlier, she sets this arrow burning and sends it off for the mage. Let him and his comrades burn.

 

Felix leaves the one lancer to Oni, having little doubt the dragoon would more than handle the slaver, as he charged at the thaumaturge. Holding his blade behind him, and tucking a shoulder, he aimed to rush in close, just to the side, delivering a strong horizontal slive at the mage. Unless the lancer got in his way, in which case he would swing the blade to deflect and knock the lance away as he tried to ram into him and send him to the ground for hopefully a coup de grace, if all went as plan.

 

It was timed perfectly. Oni's technological assistance meant the lancer that came out to met him did not stand a chance. Not expecting Oni's level of expertise, that lancer found himself impaled by Raiden. And, as Felix charged at the thaumaturge, so did Ciel's arrow, racing past the blonde Highlander. In the face, does the thaumaturge recieve the arrow, her head blasted back before the rest of her body follows suit in slumpling lifelessly. Finally, Felix crashes into the final lancer, but it is likely the enemy was able to cause some damage by holding the tip of his spear out. Either way, he's knocked down, and thusly impaled by Felix's coup de grace before he can rise.

 

Kale manages to clamber from out under the Roegadyn's corpse, picking up his winglet and hoplon. He winces at the blizzard's damage, although the ice had lost its aetheric energy and thus melted accordingly. Slightly battered, his Flames uniform is torn, coming up behind the others, "That's it, that's all of 'em?"

 

Oni drives the lance in to ensure he took exactly what he wanted out of that lancer. He tried to draw back, dragging the body along with him in an attempt to scrape it off. No luck. He shook his head, as a blot of red found its way into his visor's vision. Unsure if it was a splash over the piece itself or a reading on the inside, he tried to ignore it while freeing Raiden from the corpse.

 

"Let'shope so." Ciel pants. She looks to the female Highlander with their group, "Ali is watching the entrance? Let's make sure there are no more coming."

 

Felix grunted in pain as the lancer still managed to stab him in the left shoulder. Grtiing his teeth, he just flicked blood from the blade, looking around for any more, "We should see if the others got the captives out...We can get out of here if they finished their mission." Ciel nods to Felix.

 

Kale massages his side, where he was punched, wincing a bit in nursing his wounds. He watches Oni rather gruesomely try to dislodge the corpse from his spear, then nods at both Ciel and Felix, "I'll 'ead in to try 'nd find the others...the three of you should probably 'ead back to the entrance, watch for stragglers...especially with that branchin' hallway. Aliannera took that woman 'nd 'and 'er over to the Flames." He heads to no one in particular, "Request for 'bout three Flame soldiers to accompany me further in."

 

Oni hears Kale's suggestion and with a body still lodged onto the spear, drags it along with him towards the entrance without really waiting to see if the others would follow. Ciel nods to Kale and starts to follow Oni. On the way, her fingers go to the linkpearl on her ear.

 

Felix just nods, "Fair enough..." After looking around again, he sighed, his grip loosening on his blade as he returned it to his hip, the dark purple aetherial blade fading away. Just giving Oni a look, he shook his head tiredly. It had been a hell of a week, he needed sleep. He followed Ciel, just watching behind them as they left.

 

Kale watches them go. He was too caught up in the mission, but he knew he'd be very grateful to those who came here once there was time to recover from it all. Those thoughts were put aside, as he waits for the reinforcements to join him.