2018-07-15: Not So Easy Prey
- Log: Not So Easy Prey
- Cast: Layna Manydays, Talise Gianfair, Tethelle Cirdian, Sephilia Lampbright, Seraph Lanval, Havel Bladewall, White Knight Leo
- Where: Somewhere in Meribus
- Date: July 15, 2018
- Summary: Layna Manydays is in the jail! Or is she? The Fox Company springs its trap on Captain Bladewall!
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
Layna Manydays had been troubled. This was pretty unusual for Layna, who almost always seemed to be in good spirits. Seeing this, her friends had prepared a scheme, a scheme to draw in the source of her troubles so that they could deal with it, well, at the source.
It probably wouldn't be that easy, but it was better than sitting around doing nothing.
And so, over the next few days, a rumor had begun to emerge. Althena's Guard had cornered Layna, subdued her, and then arranged for her to be brought to Pentagulia by a seaside highway stretch.
That brings us to today, and said land route.
A wagon moves down the trail, bearing the emblem of Althena's Guard. Sitting in the back of it is none other than Layna Manydays herself, her arms and legs bound by manacles and a hood drawn over her face.
...This is primarily because the wide grin on her face would completely give away the game. The manacles themselves are a little more subtle - they're poorly made, so that the application of heat will break them in short order. And hidden beneath the ones on her wrists are her bracers, ready to provide said heat at a moment's notice.
The trap is ready to be sprung...but will the bait be taken?
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
It is rare that Talise sees Layna in a deep blue funk. Usually that's her job.
And before her, usually it was Ida and Rosaline's jobs. It worried Talise enough that she went out of her way to help take decisive action and try to relieve the source of the dispute.
And that's why the magon moves down the trail with a pirate on board and a couple of guards on it.
"This doesn't fit right," Talise mutters for the umpteenth time as she adjusts the breastplate she's wearing. It's meant for a man; men don't come with her upper-body proportions, and she had to get the blacksmith to modify things. The tabard and helmet are less of an issue but still unfamiliar to her.
She's dressed as a member of Althena's Guard today. She doesn't even have Rastaban visible on her person. Instead, there's a large two-handed sword slung over her shoulder, with a hilt plated in copper. It's the one she stole from the mines of Azado.
Looking back towards the wagon, she glances at the large horse she's riding on, giving it a small, assuring pat. She's not the only one with a horse, mind: Benedict, the Company's courier, is also in Guard livery today, and riding just to one side of the wagon, head bowed as he minds his scrying spells to warn the group of impending trouble.
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
Layna's not the only one in the wagon.
Part of the 'disguise' plan was Tethelle's, and of course she wasn't going to ask anyone to take risks she wasn't willing to. But she stands out a little bit on Lunar and so she's decided to stay out of sight.
At the moment, Tethelle is actually in the covered wagon, out of sight. Anyone looking in the back sees barrels being moved from place to place along with Layna hanging out in the uncovered section; this is because Tethelle is actually sitting inside one of the barrels, as sometimes it is good to be short. She still has to hunch down uncomfortably, though, because there's a long, narrow box sitting half-on top of the barrel. Layna could look at it, if she moved her hood.
Tethelle is taking advantage of being out of sight and forced to remain quiet to meditate. The uncomfortable position bothers her not at all; she's had to meditate through pain and muscle strain, and squeezing down low barely even registers as a problem. It also lets her remain alert to sounds.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy is in disguise too! She's the smallest Guard ever! "At least you have armor at all," she says from her spot driving the wagon--anywhere else it'd be too obvious the girl is not a practiced rider. She indeed doesn't have armor on under the livery. This is because she's too tiny!
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.
That whole sitting around doing nothing is Lanval's job anyway, divine layabout that he is. (He must be fearing for his job security if Layna also sits around and does nothing.) He sure looks like he's enjoying himself, lazing about inside that wagon as he lies near the 'captured' pirate Layna herself. Since most can't see him, he's key for if something starts to go really bad in there.
He takes another sip off that gourd of his. It's great that he's not a corporeal being like a mortal human over there, he's so relaxed and easygoing that his very presence would basically break the entire masquerade on sight.
He opens one eye half-lidded in Layna's direction, as if to better gauge her going into all this. Doubt? The muffled chortling suggests otherwise.
"Mmmmph." He grunt-murmurs as he miraculously finds some way to slouch even more.
<Pose Tracker> Havel Bladewall has posed.
The bait will be taken.
Havel Bladewall has come alone. The captain is, in no way, subtle. He strides down the road, walking down the highway, and not trying to not stand out: he wears his big red coat, bare chest with a stomach wrapped in bandages, and his powerful frame striding and cutting a figure against the sun. He looks down, and his lips curl back into a big, wolfish grin.
"You there!" he bellows, looking up at the wagon -- and the hapless guards. His eyes shift, looking over the members of the Guard -- or, rather, the impostors. "I hear you've gotten yourself some fine cargo, aye?"
He punches his fist into his palm -- and the big, armored shield-gauntlets on them shake slightly. He looks up, and that wolfish grin is on his face. "You'll be handing it over to me, unless you mean to die today."
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
Layna doesn't speak. It'd give things away if she were to get all chummy with what were supposed to be her guards. But even if she wanted to, she doesn't have the time.
He's here.
Layna can tell he's here before he even speaks. She knows. She's familiar with the way he moves. She's sure the others know, too.
It's a little difficult to make the necessary gesture with her hands bound, but she manages it. Flames erupt, quickly melting through her bindings. Wind sorcery shifts some down to free her legs...and once she's ready, she leaps out of the wagon, casting aside the hood as she flies, and lands in front of Havel.
"Took you long enough, aye? Thought we'd get all the way to Pentagulia before you'd show that mug o' yours." Layna remarks. There's a grin on her face, but it's not the sort of someone greeting their rescuer.
There's a predatorial look to it, not too different from Havel's own.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
About thirty seconds before Bladewall shows up, Benedict looks up from his focus on his scrying spell. He nods up towards the group. "Here he comes," he says quietly.
Talise nods, but doesn't draw her weapon. She does, however, look back towards Sephilia with a quick flick of her fingers. A signal that, yes, they've got their man.
Kamina comes over the horizon--
Wait. Hang on a minute here.
Havel Bladewall comes over the horizon and issues a threat. Reining in her horse, Talise brings the convoy to a halt. "Oi, oi," she calls back. "You're talkin' pretty big for a guy who doesn't even know what he's up against. How about you shut your mouth and listen up?"
Layna says her piece - the piece that Talise wanted listened to in the first place. As she listens, Talise slides down off her horse, discarding her helmet. It hits the path with a clatter and rolls away.
Drawing her sword with a twirl, Talise begins to move out to one side of Bladewall, moistening her lips. "I think you're starting to get the picture now, aren't you?"
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
The barrel shifts slightly.
Tethelle hears the disturbance from outside... but she doesn't immediately join the attack, letting Layna take the lead as flame bursts from her hands. Instead, she moves it slowly and subtly, tilting it onto the rim and letting it roll gently further to the back of the wagon. The box on top miraculously stays on top.
And then Tethelle rises from it, vaulting out, the box in her arms. She lands on the ground, still cradling the long, narrow box as if it was important to her. "I think you may be a little outnumbered," she says. "You could consider surrendering."
She does not seriously expect this offer to be taken up.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.
Lanval hears the murmurs and the agreed-upon signals. His part of it may or may not have been to roll out of the wagon like he was about to lean out of it to begin with and collapse onto the ground in a heap of drunken water elemental as some sort of humorous background happenstance as Layna comes out grinning and posturing.
Lanval rolls back and forth from where he lies before he gets up and follows suit in a gait that seems like an insult to the concept of 'walking,' 'keeping balance,' or much of anything, really, careening about ahead (mostly) while he has another hit of his gourd.
He has a bit of quiet laughter as he (eventually) lines up in lockstep with the rest.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy pulls Chauncey out, embiggening him, and points at Havel. "You're gonna learn a lesson here!"
<Pose Tracker> Havel Bladewall has posed.
Havel pauses in both his approach and his demeanor, when he realizes that he has been had. His eyes widen, darting between them, but then the confidence comes back. His expression and his stance straighten out, as if it was a painting that went crooked and then straightened. "Heh..." He laughs, once. "Maybe the wolf hasn't forgotten its fangs completely. Eh, Layna?"
He looks to Talise, then to Layna, and then to Tethelle as she vaults out. His chin lifts. "Surrender," he says. "No. No surrendering. I'm done with surrender. The thing I hate most... is when they grovel. When they beg. I'm a sea wolf."
He turns and looks Tethelle in the eyes. The upturned corners of his mouth are nothing like a smile. "If you don't want to suffer, do not surrender. Here's how this plays out, because you lot have done your best to piss me off."
He turns his head, slowly, over Sephilia and Lanval, before he looks at Layna. "I'm going to kill your friends, one at a time, and they can die knowing that you're a liar, Layna."
He rushes in, charging not for one of them, but for the wagon. He does an uppercut punch -- which throws the wagon into the air, sending splinters of wood chips flying, and tries to throw Tethelle, Sephilia, and Lanval flying away from the wagon. Then, Havel turns, swinging one forearm around. A crossbow bolt flies out of it, screaming towards Talise's neck. Then, he spins, and throws a massive punch right for Layna's solar plexus.
GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Layna Manydays with Heightening Bash! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Talise Gianfair with Boarding Action! GS: Havel Bladewall has completed his action. GS: Talise Gianfair critically Guards a hit from Havel Bladewall's Boarding Action for 23 hit points! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Sephilia Lampbright with Jettison the Knave! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Tethelle Cirdian with Jettison the Knave! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Seraph Lanval with Jettison the Knave! GS: Seraph Lanval takes a glancing hit from Havel Bladewall's Jettison the Knave for 69 hit points! GS: Layna Manydays takes a solid hit from Havel Bladewall's Heightening Bash for 140 hit points! GS: Mighty! Statuses applied to Havel Bladewall! GS: Tethelle Cirdian critically Guards a hit from Havel Bladewall's Jettison the Knave for 24 hit points! GS: Sephilia Lampbright guards a hit from Havel Bladewall's Jettison the Knave for 68 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
The sword Talise borrowed from the Azado mine is heavier and more brutal than Rastaban, hefty enough that she dubbed it Earthsplitter - but it has a couple of advantages to it that don't immediately show through.
"Yeah, trust me, I'd believe Layna long before I believed anything you say, bud," Talise shoots back at Bladewall - but soon enough he's doing something she doesn't expect. Namely, shooting a crossbow at her.
Talise almost forgot she had one of those - but the defensive lessons she learned fighting the Guard see her through. She takes a step back and flicks her sword upwards, and with a sweep of the blade, knocks the crossbow bolt up into the air. She surges forward -
The bolt spins, comes down, and the butt of it clonks her on the head. "Ow," she grumbles before shrugging it off. The bonk on the head ain't shit. The bonk to her dignity is a little more problematic.
Sweeping out to one side of Bladewall, Talise sets her jaw and watches the way he moves. "You know, you're exactly everything I hated about growing up a pirate. I bet you don't actually give a damn about anything other than the murder and revenge." She darts forward, swinging that heavy sword of hers upwards, then bringing it down in a broad, chopping cleave intended to carve a big trench in the dread pirate.
"What do you even have against our friend!" she shouts as she swings.
GS: Talise Gianfair has attacked Havel Bladewall with Earthsplitter - Dividing Blow! GS: Talise Gianfair has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia is glad that Chauncey was already embiggened, because he does a good job of absorbing some of the blow. It still hurts, she's still sent flying with her plushy pal, but she's not near out of the fight yet.
"Chauncey, we're going to show this guy who the liar is! CHAUNCEY CHOP!" The plush doll obliges his friend!
GS: Sephilia Lampbright has attacked Havel Bladewall with Chauncey Chop!! GS: Sephilia Lampbright has completed her action. GS: Havel Bladewall takes a solid hit from Talise Gianfair's Earthsplitter - Dividing Blow for 92 hit points! GS: Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Sephilia Lampbright's Chauncey Chop! for 83 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
It was all worth it, just to see that look on his face as the gears turn in his head. He recovers quickly enough, but still. Layna glances to the side as her friends back her up, and then to Havel himself.
"No, never." She replies, shaking her head. A part of her feared they may have been dulled lately...but, well, the influx of events were keeping her sharp.
He speaks of surrender, and how events will play out. Layna doesn't flinch.
"We've been hearing a lot of that lately, Bladewall. But a liar, aye? Well, that wounds me deeper than any blade you've got." Layna replies, rolling her neck. She shoots Talise a grin for sticking by her side.
Havel begins to move, much faster than a man of his size has any right to. It's only by being used to his movements that she's able to follow him, but it doesn't help her avoid the shattering blow to her mid-section.
She doubles over...but looks up at him with a grin, and retaliates with a punch of her own, aiming to slam it right into something vital.
She'd never admit it to him, but she'd missed this.
GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Havel Bladewall with Scuttle the Prey! GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
"You should know what people do with mad wolves, then."
Tethelle does not seem particularly intimidated even when Havel turns his attention on her; she stands strong, unarmed except for that box she is still holding. "It isn't proper to have a battle when we haven't introduced ourselves. My name is Tethelle Cirdian, priestess of the Sword - and there, now you may try to kill me. But I warn you, you won't have been the first!"
When Havel throws the wagon, Tethelle is caught by the upward draft from the mighty uppercut - but she remains in place. The box does not; she releases it, and it flies upward, into the air. She leaps to meet it, grabbing the whole thing and swinging it downward at Havel in a two-handed club as she drops.
The box shatters on impact - with Havel, with his guarding bracers, with the ground. It reveals Tethelle's sword, which she picks out of it and sweeps through a dramatic arc, ending in a guard position.
GS: Havel Bladewall critically Guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Scuttle the Prey for 22 hit points! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has attacked Havel Bladewall with Crate Crasher! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has completed her action. GS: Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Tethelle Cirdian's Crate Crasher for 64 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.
"Shure hashn't," Lanval says in accordance about 'forgotten its fangs,' but it's lost in the muffling of his slurring voice. He may have sauced up a bit too much prior to this. He hears out the fearsome man's words. How many threats has this Seraph heard between mortals, over the years? There's only so many ways to arrange words and convey meanings that--
Somewhere in all that, Havel smiles and looks his way. That chilling look that could give anyone pause. You see so many mortals come and go, one would reason, when one of such presence and character comes along...
"Heeeey," he tries to call for Havel's attention - unsuccessfully - because he is muffled out by the sound of a wagon getting punched right out. It's a flurry of destruction, and nasty splinters.
Lanval leans with one of the wood planks that fly out to swipe him, spinning and turning with the sign's movement. It's not a clean parry - the tip of it bops him in the face towards the end of the spin and shoves him over onto the ground closer to Havel's feet.
He continues to lay there like it might've knocked him out cold, one hand on the rope to his gourd. The gourd is lying somewhere beyond Havel. On the other side... Lanval.
He gives it a good tug, threatening to strike it against Havel's heel and imbalance him. Somehow, the little gourd - if it makes impact - feels as though it is a far, far heavier thing, like someone were ramming a cannonball into one's ankle and not a hollowed out vegetable.
"Ahhh, take it eashy," the drunkard lying on the ground dares to say to one of the most feared pirates of recent-to-present-day-Lunar.
GS: Seraph Lanval has attacked Havel Bladewall with Testing Those Sea Legs! GS: Seraph Lanval has completed his action. GS: Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Seraph Lanval's Testing Those Sea Legs for 79 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Havel Bladewall has posed.
"She's a pirate, just like me. Maybe she lies to herself--maybe she says she isn't another wolf--but I know better," Havel says. "She took my ship, and I mean to take it back--aye, and my crew with it!"
Havel roars that last part out, and tries to catch Talise's sword -- but it goes past his guard, past the armored forearm, and into his side. His coat and the bandages about his waist are stained -- bandages red, the coat just darker -- with the resulting slash. Chauncey, however, bites onto his other forearm.
He shoves that forearm into Chauncey's mouth, and then there is a pop when the blade mounted in the forearm snaps out. He tears it upward, trying to split open the stuffed fox's head, and then pull his arm backward. The other swings out, trying to backhand Talise away.
Then his forearm swings up, and Layna's punch slams into it with a spray of sparks. It makes his forearm rattle, but he swings his own punch around, throwing it right for her neck and chest -- trying to pitch her away.
"Then I need to TRY HARDER!"
He turns to Tethelle now, and his eyes narrow. "I've broken swords, girl -- I'll break whatever sword you worship!"
The box shatters when it hits -- and her sword swings in, and he only stops it from cutting into his very skull by raising the blade in his forearm to block it. Sparks fly, as he swings his arm down -- and fires a crossbow bolt for her midsection.
Then, he turns, and looks at Lanval, just as Lanval tugs on the gourd -- and he stumbles forward. He turns, aiming down at Lanval, and fires a crossbow bolt for the drunken Seraph.
"Damn drunkards!"
GS: Havel Bladewall has spent 3 Combo on Headshot! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Sephilia Lampbright with Slaughter the Prey! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Talise Gianfair with Bash and Buckle! GS: Havel Bladewall has spent 4 Combo on Gatling! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Layna Manydays with Shatter the Decks! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Tethelle Cirdian with Boarding Action! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Seraph Lanval with Boarding Action! GS: Havel Bladewall has completed his action. GS: Tethelle Cirdian takes a solid hit from Havel Bladewall's Boarding Action for 113 hit points! GS: CRITICAL! Seraph Lanval takes a glancing hit from Havel Bladewall's Boarding Action for 114 hit points! GS: Hyper, Quick, and Shield! Statuses applied to Havel Bladewall! GS: Talise Gianfair critically Guards a hit from Havel Bladewall's Bash and Buckle for 28 hit points! GS: Cover! Statuses applied to Havel Bladewall! GS: CRITICAL! Sephilia Lampbright takes a solid hit from Havel Bladewall's Slaughter the Prey for 249 hit points! GS: Hyper, Quick, and Shield! Statuses applied to Havel Bladewall! GS: Layna Manydays takes a glancing hit from Havel Bladewall's Shatter the Decks for 123 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia screams in horror and despair as Chauncey is dismembered. "Y-you MONSTER!" she sobs. "Chauncey, buddy, hold on!" The badly damaged fox stands, mauled, but swings his arm around in a lariat, aiming for Havel.
After the doll's charge concludes, he topples forward. Sephy shrinks him, and, diving for cover, huddles over his tattered form protectively.
"I'll fix you, I'll fix you, I promise, I'll fix you up," the girl sobs.
GS: Sephilia Lampbright has attacked Havel Bladewall with Lordly Lariat!! GS: Sephilia Lampbright has completed her action. GS: Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Sephilia Lampbright's Lordly Lariat! for 110 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
"You don't deserve a damn dinghy if you're gonna go around acting like you do!" Talise roars back at Bladewall.
When he swings at her again, the big half-Beastwoman drops a hand off her sword and slams her palm into Bladewall's. Her gauntleted hand meets the fist with a heavy thud, the momentum of the impact sending a shock up her arm, but she's able to bear it and smack the infamous pirate's hand away from her.
At which point he goes after the last person Talise wants him to go after. Her eyes widen as Bladewall lands a crushing hit on Chauncey. Stuffing flies as the fluffy fox suffers the beating of a lifetime.
Rage threatens to take over. She inhales. Remembers how this went against Ghaleon. Reminds herself that Uncle Piet was right.
And she does something else first. She steps between Sephilia and Bladewall. A current of power races up Earthsplitter's blade as the ingrained earth enchantment begins to pulse to life.
"You'll regret that, kid," she growls, before taking a long step forward - and she swings.
It is not just one swing. It's a series of swings. The huge sword in her hands is heavy, but Talise lashes out with slice after slice, the blade dancing through the air like a stinging hornet, slashing in a series of rapid strokes coming in from all around - until she rears back, raises the weapon --
"HOOOOOOOOAHT!!" she roars before bringing it down.
The enchantment fires - and she attempts to slice through Bladewall and to the earth. And when the blade touches the earth, it splits - and chunks of rock burst forth to assail him all the more.
GS: Talise Gianfair has spent 3 Combo on Headshot! GS: Talise Gianfair has attacked Havel Bladewall with Cascading Steel Dragon! GS: Talise Gianfair has completed her action. GS: CRITICAL! Havel Bladewall critically Guards a hit from Talise Gianfair's Cascading Steel Dragon for 50 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
"...Aye, I'm a pirate. But not like you. Never like you." Layna replies. Her fist collides with solid steel, but she doesn't stop moving. She aims to get out of range before he can strike at her. She doesn't quite succeed - he manages to clip her and send her reeling back, but she isn't quite sent flying. Still, he's made some distance between the two of them.
"But here's the kicker, Bladewall. My ship, my crew? They're far away from here, where you can never touch 'em. I guess that means you can hardly consider me a pirate...but if it means not bein' compared to you, I guess I can take that, aye?" She remarks with a grin. She then immediately makes use of the distance that had been made to recite a spell, shaping the winds into a blade that she sends hurtling toward Bladewall.
"Hang in there! We're still with you, lass!" She calls out to Sephilia. She starts to edge closer to her, but doesn't make any motions just yet. For now, she keeps an eye on Bladewall's movements, ready to do what she needs to do.
GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Havel Bladewall with Cutlass Gale! GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
"You don't even know who she is. How could you ever hope to hurt her?"
Tethelle drives her sword hard in the attempt to hit Havel, pulling back only at the last moment when she realizes that he is not going to strike back in a similar manner. The crossbow bolt strikes her, not digging as deeply as Havel would probably like - it doesn't stick, but draws a line across the side of her waist. It's certainly enough to cause her to stagger back.
The pain is eye-watering. Tethelle shuts it aside, pushing it down into a part of her that doesn't seem very important right now; a blademaster needs to be aware of their injuries but not let it control them, and she can tell that it hurts like a bitch but isn't life-threatening. Which means she can pay attention to it later.
Tethelle adopts a formalized, stylized stance. She moves her sword and body in almost dance-like movements. It looks almost random, but a good swordsman can see that it offers her surprising mobility, and a very good swordsman can see how she's using her movements to defend herself and leave herself an opening no matter which way she moves.
She takes advantage of several as Havel is pressed by other combatants, incidentally keeping him from following up against Sephilia - Tethelle is putting herself, and more importantly her sword, repeatedly in the way. "And you may have a bit of a problem finding the ship," she adds.
GS: Tethelle Cirdian has attacked Havel Bladewall with Reverse Edge! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has entered a Reflect stance! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has completed her action. GS: Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Cutlass Gale for 75 hit points! GS: Havel Bladewall critically Guards a hit from Tethelle Cirdian's Reverse Edge for 21 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.
Drunk as he is, there's an unmistakable flourish of intent and skill as he yanks the gourd back. He throws it up into the air above him with a silly, dumb smile on his face, rolling onto his side and supporting his head in the other hand as he catches the gourd and opens that big dumb silvery beard-covered mouth of his--
--in time for a crossbow bolt to end up going through his mouth. There is a flash of aquamarine from his eyes as some of the gourd's contents spill from sheer surprise. He rolls over facing away from Havel, and presumably the gagging-like noises are of him being rid of the bolt.
Or he had too much to drink.
Probably both.
Really does look like that bolt should've gone through his throat, that there'd be a splash of crimson on the dirt road. There isn't? He wipes his mouth with his sleeve as he stands back up. So maybe that didn't spear out his throat and leave him writhing and dying but he sure didn't look like he enjoyed any part of that.
"Mmmmph. Ahhh, hey," his tone is more conversational rather than confrontational as he ambles backwards - back turned, open, vulnerable! - towards the dread pirate captain as he knocks back a drink.
...While leaning back, further and more limber than anyone of his build ever really should be able to...
Threatening to bonk him in the shoulder with the gourd while he's still drinking from it. He never gets around to following up that 'ahh, hey' business, whatever conversation subject he was trying to start. Mabye whatever's in there is that good.
GS: Seraph Lanval has attacked Havel Bladewall with Leisurely Lunge! GS: Seraph Lanval has completed his action. GS: CRITICAL! Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Seraph Lanval's Leisurely Lunge for 66 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Havel Bladewall has posed.
"HA! Glad you finally noticed!" Havel bellows back at the sobbing Sephilia, before he gets punched by a fox. He swings back his arm again, and then smashes repeatedly for Chauncey's mauled head with an armored fist.
Talise comes rushing in, though, and the half-Beastwoman forces him to divert his attention. His eyes widen, bloodshot and frenzied, and the big man swings up his huge armored gauntlet -- and Rastaban slams into the gauntlet, sparks flying, and a groove cut. He gets pushed backward.
But not to the earth.
"NOT HALF BAD!"
"You went and lost 'em, is it?" Havel spits back at Layna. The wind slams into him, slashing into his coat and his side. And then, he turns back at Chauncey--
--and finds Tethelle in the way, and has to fend of blow after blow from her. He spits down onto the ground. Then, he swings his fist down -- and punches the earth. A shockwave blows outward, trying to throw Layna, Tethelle, and Talise all back from him and off their footing.
Which is when that gourd gets him in the shoulder, knocking him off balance. Havel turns, and gawks; he thought Lanval dead. He tries to correct this with a mighty right hook aimed for his chin.
GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Sephilia Lampbright with Heightening Bash! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Layna Manydays with Avast Ye Swabs!! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Talise Gianfair with Avast Ye Swabs!! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Tethelle Cirdian with Avast Ye Swabs!! GS: Havel Bladewall has spent 4 Combo on Gatling! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Seraph Lanval with Shatter the Decks! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Havel Bladewall with Bladewall's Legacy! GS: Havel Bladewall has entered a Reflect stance! GS: Havel Bladewall has completed his action. GS: Layna Manydays takes a solid hit from Havel Bladewall's Avast Ye Swabs! for 0 hit points! GS: Disrupt! Statuses applied to Layna Manydays! GS: Layna Manydays loses a Combo from Interrupt! GS: Talise Gianfair takes a glancing hit from Havel Bladewall's Avast Ye Swabs! for 0 hit points! GS: Disrupt! Statuses applied to Talise Gianfair! GS: Talise Gianfair loses a Combo from Interrupt! GS: Sephilia Lampbright takes a solid hit from Havel Bladewall's Heightening Bash for 136 hit points! GS: Mighty! Statuses applied to Havel Bladewall! GS: CRITICAL! Tethelle Cirdian takes a glancing hit from Havel Bladewall's Avast Ye Swabs! for 0 hit points! GS: Disrupt! Statuses applied to Tethelle Cirdian! GS: Hyper, Quick, and Shield! Statuses applied to Havel Bladewall! GS: Tethelle Cirdian loses a Combo from Interrupt! GS: Seraph Lanval has activated a Force Action! GS: Seraph Lanval takes a solid hit from Havel Bladewall's Shatter the Decks for 255 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia shields Chauncey with her own body, the ragged plush dropping to the ground as Sephy screams in pain, crying out at the bludgeoning. Then, almost crawling away, she rolls onto her back, revealing something she hasn't used since arriving on Lunar: The Foxtail.
Which she unloads, wailing incoherently, at Havel.
GS: Sephilia Lampbright has attacked Havel Bladewall with Foxtail Fusillade!! GS: Sephilia Lampbright has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
He's not dead. Of course he's not dead. Talise can't help but wish she'd brought Rastaban, in some ways. Earthsplitter handles differently; it's a good weapon, but one crafted by the Guard, not by whatever arcane hands made Rastaban in the misty days of prehistory.
Wheeling away from Bladewall, Talise comes to bear for another attack, but the shockwave catches her off-balance. She staggers, backpedaling quickly to try and cut clear of the worst of it, but it's hard to be quick when you're the one person in the party who tends to wear heavy armour most of the time.
There are other things she's noticing, though. The most important among them is that Sephilia Lampbright is crying.
Sephy is crying and she has to do something about it.
"Leave her alone," Talise snarls. Her voice practically seethes in her throat.
Eyes narrowing dangerously, Talise hurls herself forward. She can hear Sephilia firing away behind her. But she again positions herself between the girl and Bladewall, hurtling towards him with Earthsplitter whirling. She sweeps the weapon out to her right --
And then reaches out with her left arm, pivoting to attempt to slam her elbow violently into Bladewall's solar plexus. She isn't holding back; she's attempting to stagger him.
And if she can hit him, she'll bring her sword back around with a grunt and a bunching of her shoulders - and Talise will attempt to outright cut his head off.
GS: Talise Gianfair has attacked Havel Bladewall with Infinitely Rippling Waters! GS: Talise Gianfair has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
The shockwave pushes Tethelle back, though she manages to turn the sudden movement forced by the impact into part of her unusual stance, letting her keep it without missing more than a step. It's still enough to push her off balance, and her sword is out of line from where she wants it for several sweeping movements, leaving an opening that Havel can take advantage of if he's fast enough.
But Tethelle covers this up by going on the attack. Now several yards away, the edge of her blade seems to shimmer with white fire as she builds up chi along it, and her sweeping arcs are accompanies with lashes of martial power that leave contrails in the air behind them.
She is trying to draw attention - away from Sephilia, away from Lanval, toward herself long enough for them to recover or get away. "And found new allies while she was travelling," she says. "Unless you think I crawled out from under a rock in Meribia?"
Tethelle's eyes narrow as she watches Havel, cranking up the speed of her assault as Talise comes in from the side. She has to find that opening...
GS: Tethelle Cirdian has attacked Havel Bladewall with Comet Blade! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
Layna sends Talise a grin for being able to knock him back like that...and then she shrugs back at Bladewall.
"Nay! I know right where they are. It's me that got lost, aye?" She remarks with a chuckle, and then sends Tethelle a grin.
"...But I'd say getting lost has done me some good, aye." She agrees.
It's around this time that Havel slams a fist into the ground and sending her flying backward. She manages to catch her footing, but it still ends up breaking her momentum.
...Still, she knows when it's time to capitalize on her position. She recites an incantation and draws her left arm back, where her bracer erupts into flames. Wind begins to wrap itself around her hand before she hauls it forward in a massive punch, sending a powerful, long-distance shockwave of wind and flame hurtling right toward Bladewall's midsection.
GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Havel Bladewall with Boom About! GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.
In this exchange, Lanval is initimately aware with the playbook of a bar brawl. He sure looks, sounds, and acts the part of someone who has spent far too long in any number of them. He's watched who knows how many mortals exchange drunken, or not-so-drunken, fisticuffs. He risks being in reach of the dread captain from the position of one who probably has never been punched in the throat by a mortal himself.
The right hook comes in, and Lanval sways with a grace and poise that shames these very words because they have to be described as so, leaning back further, further, and further as the fist looks ready to graze across a bulbous belly.
The angle of the hook goes much lower than he thinks. It brushes against and through a silvered beard and straight into the chin, and Lanval gurgles to another flash of aquamarine as that dumb placid smile contorts into something almost cartoonishly exaggerated.
There is a lack of weighty sound to hearing him hit the soft earth, rolling along as the carried momentum of that hook hurls him well away from the rest. He's not seeing stars! He's seeing the current time of day, as he lies almost motionless.
He watches as Sephy struggles to hold her friend together, as Talise refocuses her rage, Tethelle continues her impressive swordsmanship as she defends Layna's character and her more vulnerable friends' persons (himself included!), and Layna holds her own against her very past.
"Mmmph." He sums that up as he has a contemplative drink - he seems a bit too stunned to do anything else other than drink.
...What does he do other than drink when he isn't, as sorcerous powers and even another one of those weird fire magic rods that fling tiny pieces of metal rage all about him.
GS: Seraph Lanval has entered a Reflect stance! GS: Seraph Lanval has activated a Force Action! GS: Seraph Lanval has attacked Seraph Lanval with Quick Swig! GS: Seraph Lanval has completed his action. GS: Riposte! Statuses applied to Seraph Lanval! GS: Seraph Lanval heals Seraph Lanval! He gains 100 temporary hit points! GS: Havel Bladewall takes a solid hit from Havel Bladewall's Bladewall's Legacy for 0 hit points! GS: Hyper! Statuses applied to Havel Bladewall! GS: Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Sephilia Lampbright's Foxtail Fusillade! for 70 hit points! GS: Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Talise Gianfair's Infinitely Rippling Waters for 123 hit points! GS: CRITICAL! Havel Bladewall takes a solid hit from Tethelle Cirdian's Comet Blade for 166 hit points! GS: Hyper, Mighty, and Shield! Statuses applied to Tethelle Cirdian! GS: Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Boom About for 119 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Havel Bladewall has posed.
The Foxtail fires, and Havel only just guards it with his armored forearm. It still dents it inward, and burns it black. He grits his teeth, and then turns his attention towards Talise. His eyes narrow at her for a moment and his lips curl back into a snarl. "Or you'll do what?"
He aims his arm at Sephy. He fires the crossbow inside -- and sends a crossbow bolt flying towards the crying girl, and then Talise is on him. She rams her elbow into the pirate's solar plexus, driving the wind from his lungs. His second shot goes wide, the bolt slamming into part of the cart. He manages, though, to deflect her slash on one of his huge forearm shields.
Then, he slams his armored gauntlet down, slamming his fist for Talise's face with all of his might. "She should have found stronger allies, then!" he roars to Tethelle, turning to face her -- before he can follow up on Talise or Sephy. When he turns, he gives her an opening; her blade rips through his side, with a splash of blood. This is when he slams forward, and rams his forehead down for her nose, and throws a brutal punch at her stomach.
Which is when Layna's own punch slams into his rock hard abs, and burns away at the bandages. He howls in pain, stumbling backward, and he swings out a backhand. Then, he turns, and swings his other fist down. He tries to punch her in the stomach--
-*KA-CHEK*
--and the spring-loaded blade bursts out, trying to impale Layna through the midsection point-blank. At the same time, his other arm swings to the side -- and he fires a crossbow bolt not for Lanval...
...but for his drink.
GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Sephilia Lampbright with Boarding Action! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Talise Gianfair with Bash and Buckle! GS: Havel Bladewall enters a Counter stance! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Tethelle Cirdian with Bladewall's Wrath! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Layna Manydays with Dead Men Tell No Tales! GS: Havel Bladewall has attacked Seraph Lanval with Slaughter the Prey! GS: Havel Bladewall has completed his action. GS: Layna Manydays takes a glancing hit from Havel Bladewall's Dead Men Tell No Tales for 94 hit points! GS: Talise Gianfair guards a hit from Havel Bladewall's Bash and Buckle for 90 hit points! GS: Cover! Statuses applied to Havel Bladewall! GS: Talise Gianfair enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Tethelle Cirdian takes a solid hit from Havel Bladewall's Bladewall's Wrath for 122 hit points! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Tethelle Cirdian! GS: There is no attack from that player in Talise Gianfair's queue. [#-1] GS: Talise Gianfair has activated a Force Action! GS: Talise Gianfair used the Force Action Protect! She takes Havel Bladewall's attack on Sephilia Lampbright on herself! GS: Talise Gianfair has activated a Force Action! GS: Talise Gianfair guards a hit from Havel Bladewall's Boarding Action for 79 hit points! GS: Seraph Lanval takes a solid hit from Havel Bladewall's Slaughter the Prey for 156 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia snatches up the ragged Chauncey and dashes into cover behind the remains of the wagon. Moments later, a healing glow emanates from where she's hiding, surrounding Lanval!
GS: Sephilia Lampbright has attacked Seraph Lanval with Healing Light!! GS: Sephilia Lampbright has completed her action. GS: Sephilia Lampbright heals Seraph Lanval! He gains 200 temporary hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy also makes a note to thank Talise and everyone for trying to protect her...
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
Talise isn't a happy Talise. She powers close to Bladewall, intent on dealing some serious damage - until he attempts to break her nose.
Rolling her shoulder, she swings her upper body into it instead, taking the blow just above the collarbone. There's a heavy 'thud' and the sound of something giving way. Pain shrieks through her as her collarbone cracks beneath the impact. Staggering backwards, she clenches her teeth -
But there's something more important. The crossbow fires -
And Talise leaps to the side. The crossbow bolt winging towards Sephy hits somthing else.
It punches through Talise's armour and buries itself in her midsection. Staggering back, she presses one hand to her stomach and coughs wetly, doubling at the waist and nearly dropping her sword.
"Sephy," she manages through clenched teeth. "Get Chauncey back to the wagon, okay?" She sounds like she's trying to keep from throwing up.
With a grunt of pain, Talise straightens herself out again. Her teeth click briefly together. "You know what gets me the most about you?" she grunts at Bladewall as she hefts her sword again. "That you don't even give a shit. I think you kind of like watching my friend cry.
"Stunning that you can be that sadistic about it and think we're still going to let you walk out of here a living man," she spits.
Talise lunges back into battle, bleeding from the midsection but with her eyes on the enemy now. Whirling her weapon, she plants a heel and lashes out with the flat to try and slam it into Bladewall twice, aiming to sweep him off his feet with a heavy blow.
GS: Talise Gianfair enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Talise Gianfair has attacked Havel Bladewall with Ultra Shining Gimme My Combo Back! GS: Talise Gianfair has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
Layna starts toward Sephilia but Talise gets there first, lashing out at him. Layna begins to charge forward, to try to cover the distance between them...but he's waiting for her. He backhands her and sends her stumbling back, and then sends a punch out for her stomach.
Layna tries to move...but his blade catches her, stabbing her right through. Her eyes open wide in surprise and she stumbles back, falling to one knee.
A hand goes to cover her wound as she watches Talise, empowered by her rage at what this man has done to Sephilia moves in.
It looks like Layna's been debilitated by pain...
At least until she draws her revolver from her side, aims quickly, and fires a shot - a shot directed right toward the center of those bandages she burned away just a moment ago, with a pained grin on her face.
GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Havel Bladewall with Rapscallion's Revolver! GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action. GS: COUNTER! Havel Bladewall strikes at Talise Gianfair with a counter attack! GS: Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Talise Gianfair's Ultra Shining Gimme My Combo Back for 89 hit points! GS: CRITICAL! Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Rapscallion's Revolver for 64 hit points! GS: Cripple, Disease, and Poison! Statuses applied to Havel Bladewall! GS: Hyper and Quick! Statuses applied to Layna Manydays! GS: Havel Bladewall has been weakened by Disease! They take 0 damage, and burn off their temporary hit points! GS: Talise Gianfair guards a hit from Havel Bladewall's Counter Attack for 121 hit points! GS: RUIN! All positive status effects and temporary hit points purged from Talise Gianfair!
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.
He's had a lot of thoughts about the whole scenario once Layna was able to get everyone together to discuss the problem. From where he lies, getting his bearings again, he tries to recall what it is everyone just said around one another. What's got this Bladewall fellow worked up, if...
Just as he goes to have another sip, Havel shoots the gourd. The gourd and its accompanying rope fly free of him, well off, into a distant tree, leaving Lanval empty-handed.
His lips quiver. Both eyes open, half-lidded. A crying, frightened Sephy looks in his direction and casts her Goddess-given healing magic, as though - in spite of her own emotional traumas - she still wants to see to the well-being of her friend.
Everyone is, moving in accordance to defend one another - verbally and physically alike.
The calming light's warmth spurs Lanval to rise up again, and start staggering back. He works up that laughter of his. Instinctively he brings a hand up towards his mouth to drin-- oh yeah, his gourd's over in that tree. He wipes his mouth like he just had a drink anyway.
It's very silly, what with all the heightened emotions around him. His eyes remain half-lidded, little gleams of aquamarine as he ambles along towards Havel...
And just sort of tries to shoves him, seemingly half-heartedly, as he staggers past - if he can even get past him.
"I'm tellin' ya... ya'd shure better take it eaaaaaashy," Lanval slurs, voice trending downward, "shure make it eashier ta get ya all shorted out..."
GS: Seraph Lanval enters a Counter stance! GS: Seraph Lanval has attacked Havel Bladewall with Carefree Stroll! GS: Seraph Lanval has completed his action. GS: Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Seraph Lanval's Carefree Stroll for 73 hit points! GS: Havel Bladewall enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: 2 Combo gained from Boost! GS: Talise Gianfair has activated a Force Action!
<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.
Layna had a lot of guts to even think of a trap like this. Althena's Guard could easily confirm that no, they didn't have the dread pirate Manydays in custody--meaning that this had to be someone using her name and reputation for a scheme of their own. When a few Guard scouts spotted a wagon emblazoned with counterfeit heraldry, the nature of the scheme became a bit more obvious. Leo's solution: set a trap around the trap, and wait to see who takes the bait.
The sound of a horn-signal echoes across the road. Bushes rustle. Magical illusions fall away, revealing Guards with swords and pikes at the ready. And where would they be without their supreme commander? A particularly large rock dissipates into nothingness, revealing the form of White Knight Leo, who straightens up to his full, considerable height. To say he looks like he's been through hell is putting it mildly--his hair is a bit scraggly, as though it received an emergency haircut, and bandages wrap awkwardly around his forehead and the base of his horn. More of the skin on his face and neck looks like it's recently-healed.
Leo just barely prevented the assassination of a major political figure yesterday, and he isn't amused. "YOU'RE ALL UNDER ARREST," he bellows.
This might be an issue.
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
Tethelle ... does not grin at Havel. She appears deep in focus, almost a meditative trance as she moves faster and faster, switching between stance position so fluidly that it's barely obvious they are stances anymore and not a movement as natural as breathing.
Though her breath is coming a little more ragged now, as it turns out. Her injury aches, and Havel's constant battering at her isn't helping; she can't hold him off forever. Tethelle manages to avoid having her nose broken by a quick jerk backwards, but she can't avoid the fist, and that almost breaks her momentum entirely as she staggers back under its force.
But as her upper body sways back, she turns it into an overhead chop downward at Havel, sweeping it horizontally as she cuts downward. She uses the momentum of her great sword as a weapon in its own right, sweeping huge arcs at Havel and trying to constantly press him away from the others. Back, back, back, and every blow with all her strength behind it. If she can keep him busy, or even better, hurt...
"I think she's found a far better ally than you would ever be!" Tethelle's eyes open fully. She hasn't lost her focus - she's transformed it.
GS: Tethelle Cirdian has activated a Force Action! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has spent 3 Combo on Headshot and Gatling! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has attacked Havel Bladewall with Whirling Juggernaut! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has completed her action. GS: CRITICAL! Havel Bladewall guards a hit from Tethelle Cirdian's Whirling Juggernaut for 160 hit points! GS: Hyper and Shield! Statuses applied to Tethelle Cirdian!
<Pose Tracker> Havel Bladewall has posed.
"You'd risk your life for that whelp!?" Havel spits down at Talise. He is incredulous -- and yet, more telling, he doesn't understand. Confusion is written all over his face as he looks down at her. She swings her blade for him, trying to trip him -- and he threatens to pitch forward. He stops, though.
He may be off balance, but he grabs for the back of Talise's head, and tries to slam her face into the side of the wagon. There is a faint red-purple gleam in his eyes, as he turns to look back at Layna. He expects her to be bleeding out; dying. He feels a pang of regret at that, which surprises him.
Something stirs within him.
Something else, too. It's a bullet. He stumbles backward, bleeding from the waist, and gawking at her. The laughter of Lanval is a surprise, even as he stumbles -- gleams of magic helping -- when Lanval shoves him. He is ready to retaliate -- he turns, and the momentum of Tethelle's great sword meats him.
A massive bloody gouge is torn into his chest with her first strike. It will scar -- and that stands out, even as he blocks her second.
Then, he looks, as magical illusions of bushes, trees, and rocks fade away. His eyes meet a pair of tired eyes. Realization kicks in. "One of the Four Heroes! By the mariner's forgotten rhyme!" Havel shouts.
He shoves backward, with his armored gauntlet. Then, he reaches to his side, pulling out a small white stone, shaped like a feathered wing, from his pocket. He throws it into the air.
And he vanishes, in a burst of light.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy lets out a sob of relief. Cradling the tiny, broken Chauncey, she staggers out from behind the wagon. She looks the worse for wear herself.
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
Tethelle sweeps her sword through nothing as Havel vanishes. Well, if she's lucky he at least felt that as a tingle.
Sword still in hand, she looks from Guard member to Guard member. She's bleeding, her everything hurts, most of the others aren't in any better shape...
"Thank goodness you've come!" she says, with surprising brightness given everything. It seems a little forced. "We had been intending to ambush the criminal for you and bring him in - you see, for the bounty? - and I'm afraid it got a little out of hand. I am a priestess, and I take responsibility in this."
Tethelle flips around the amulet she wears. On the back side is a simplified version of Equites' symbol - a sword with swept feathers like great swings. It's not the same as the symbol Leo wears - his is point down, hers is point up, and the wings aren't shaped quite the same - but it may hold him at a distance, especially because she's presenting it upside down (and thus, from the Guards' perspective, in the same orientation as Leo's).
Fun fact: Tethelle has not ever spoken to Leo and has no Althenian bounty.
Second fun fact: Tethelle is expecting this to work for exactly long enough for the rest of the party to get a head start. She's not that good a liar. The only reason she's done as well as she has so far is because she has, technically speaking, not really told a lie.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
That look.
The first look she got from him was cathartic, but this one...
...Well, it brings back some memories. Memories that she felt would've been best left buried.
"...Don't look at me like that, old man. You knew it was gonna be like this, one way or the other." She mutters, lowering her revolver. A hand goes back to her injury. She's bleeding pretty bad - she'll probably need a bit of help.
Which makes it all the worse when she hears the sound of a horn echoing all around them, and illusions fall away. The Guard is here, and not only that, so is the White Knight himself.
...Layna grins, and laughs to herself. They had a feeling that they might show up, but she didn't expect Leo to look so thoroughly done with everything.
It kind of hammers home that he had his reputation for a reason.
...And then she looks up, staring right as Tethelle as she tries her bluff.
...Layna's too dumbfounded to say anything about this right now.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
"She's my friend, you fetid blatherskite," Talise snarls as she plants her heel to follow up -
And then Bladewall grabs her by the head and hurls her into the wagon. She's not expecting that; the tall woman ends up smashing through the side of the wagon, landing with her legs twitching in the air for a few seconds.
"Of course, you realize this means war," she says, her voice muffled.
With a sigh, Benedict rides forward from behind the wagon and grabs Talise by the legs, yanking her out of the wagon and back to the ground. "You alright?" he asks. "You'd better make this quick, there's--"
'YOU'RE ALL UNDER ARREST'
"--There's Leo," Benedict says delictely. "That's why."
Talise looks up towards Leo with a hiss of breath, widening her eyes with surprise. He gets a clean look at her - in her forged Althena's Guard uniform, with her face clearly visible, a stolen Guard-issue weapon in her hand.
"This just got awkward," she understates colossally.
Sheathing her sword, Talise darts over to where Sephilia has landed and sweeps her off her feet, cradling her in her arms. She boosts herself up into her saddle and pulls the girl close, burying her face in Sephilia's hair.
"Don't look at him," she whispers to Sephilia. "Don't even say anything. Just don't even."
Unlike Tethelle, Talise's face is known to the Guard. She got a poster for beating up Amelia's men in Vane not so long ago.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
"She's my friend, you fetid blatherskite," Talise snarls as she plants her heel to follow up -
And then Bladewall grabs her by the head and hurls her into the wagon. She's not expecting that; the tall woman ends up smashing through the side of the wagon, landing with her legs twitching in the air for a few seconds.
"Of course, you realize this means war," she says, her voice muffled.
With a sigh, Benedict rides forward from behind the wagon and grabs Talise by the legs, yanking her out of the wagon and back to the ground. "You alright?" he asks. "You'd better make this quick, there's--"
'YOU'RE ALL UNDER ARREST'
"--There's Leo," Benedict says delictely. "That's why."
Talise looks up towards Leo with a hiss of breath, widening her eyes with surprise. He gets a clean look at her - in her forged Althena's Guard uniform, with her face clearly visible, a stolen Guard-issue weapon in her hand.
"This just got awkward," she understates colossally.
Sheathing her sword, Talise darts over to where Sephilia has landed and sweeps her off her feet, cradling her in her arms. She boosts herself up into her saddle and pulls the girl close, burying her face in Sephilia's hair.
Unlike Tethelle, Talise's face is known to the Guard. She got a poster for beating up Amelia's men in Vane not so long ago. "Just don't say anything," she murmurs as she reaches into her pack. She moves her hand to her face and then looks up again.
"Yes, please excuse our ruse, fine comrade!" says LADY CHLOE ALEXANDRE in her green ballroom mask. "It was to be a fine ruse, but alas, alas! Ho-ho-ho!"
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy says nothing but starts working healing magic on Talise, shielding the glow from sight with her body.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.
Somewhere after that shoving, Lanval closes his eyes again. He exhales again, moving about like there's little care in the world... and then all the illusions fade off, and there's Guards all around. Havel seems to have the right of it - get the hey out of there.
Lanval falls to his seat as Sephy, scared and hurt, is cradled by her biggest sister. More than ever, though, he looks... really worried. The ambient laughter comes to a halt as both eyes re-open half-lidded to look and consider just how surrounded they are, hand stroking at his beard as Talise and Tethelle start running a desperate gambit to bluff.
...
He's blessedly silent.
<Pose Tracker> White Knight Leo has posed.
Several of the Guards nearest Bladewall react with trained precision. The magus of the group twists her hand into a gesture of power, and the air around him starts to chill, atmospheric water condensing into ice. Two more of the Guards wind up to throw a weighted net--
But it's too late. Bladewall's spell goes out without a hitch, even as the net sails towards him. It falls on empty air.
Tethelle's bluff instantly gets Leo's undivided attention. The White Knight steps forward, favoring his right leg. "A priestess," Leo says. He knows that face from somewhere, he's sure of it, but he can't put his finger on it. A swordswoman, obviously. Filgaian? "That man was Captain Bladewall. He's a known brigand and murderer, and he seems to have made it abundantly clear to you." Then, LADY CHLOE ALEXANDRE shows her face. Leo seems to calm down, just a hair, nodding respectfully (if somewhat grudgingly) at the noble swordswoman. "Nevertheless, it's good to see righteous citizens doing their part."
Leo then turns back to the wagon, frowning ever-so-slightly. "Just remember that impersonating agents of the Church is not an honest act."
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
It actually worked?
Tethelle was expecting to distract his attention for a few moments and maybe confuse some of the guards. She wasn't expecting him to actually accept it. Maybe 'Chloe Alexander' helped. This leaves her a little at a loss. She didn't think her acting skills would be so important.
Well, she's not going to press her luck. "Yes, I understand," she says. "I don't think we'll be using that plan again! but if he was out here, we thought he wouldn't hurt anybody in a town..." Tethelle is honestly not quite sure what to say after that.
"So, we will... be on our way, then. And out of your way."
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
That...worked? Layna can't believe that worked. She's glad it does, so - she's not in any condition to run away, and is probably going to need some medical attention before too long, bleeding as she is.
She's just glad that Leo hasn't gotten a good look at her face yet. It's probably her hair. Well, she's not going to ruin this by talking - that much would probably give everything away.
Still...while this may not have gone quite as they planned it, she does feel like a bit of weight's lifted off from her, and it's not just the bloodloss.
Layna shuts her eyes and smirks to herself. She hauls herself to her feet with a grin and makes her way back to their wagon, as damaged as it is from Bladewall's initial assault. She spares a glance toward Lanval...and offers him a quiet nod.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
Oh my dear sweet goddess, Talise thinks, he actually bought it.
Outwardly, Lady Chloe Alexandre cracks a big lopsided grin back at her old foe from the tournament on the Blue Star. "Always happy to assist in rounding up such devilish do-badders, my noble comrade!" she calls after him. "I can't possibly get enough justice! Ho-ho!"
Then Leo turns away and Talise winces and presses her hand against her arrow wound. Things hurt and she doesn't feel good.
She guides her horse, with Sephilia in her arms, back to the wagon. Only when she's out of Leo's line of sight does she lower her mask.
She throws Tethelle a look of utter awed disbelief.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
"'m sorry" Sephilia mumbles into Talise. She seems to be shaking with silent sobs.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.
Lanval doesn't call any attention to himself as he sits there, as the White Knight himself seems to go along with the ruse. Half-open eyes look to the Guardsmen still present, who still might be casting looks. The vast, vast majority can't see him. There probably isn't any among the Guard who can see him.
It's been a great time. Lanval thinks. Just like that, it almost could've come to an end!
He watches Sephy try to hold herself together under such incredible emotional duress. This would normally be the part he'd get up and move towards her, reassure her all's okay... but his eyes don't leave one of the Guards retrieving the empty net. Is it because they're kinda-sorta facing his direction? It's probably a coincidence.
It's times like this, between all the drinks, the laughter, the running about and seeing all those things I never got the chance to see...
He tries to take a drink. Where's his gour-- oh. Right.
...It is going to end one day. Could've been today. The next few days, we'll go back to all the fun we've been having... but...
Lanval stays seated where he is even as others may yet move to the wagon, as though he didn't want to inspire or coax the imagination of anyone present who might yet notice that he is there.
I need their help. They're the only ones who can. I can't keep taking our time together for granted.
He looks back out to those Guardsmen that may still yet linger and watch.
The sooner I go back there with them...
...
...For now, best I don't worry them. They got enough mortal worries to deal with! When the time's right...
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
"I'm sorry, Sephy repeats, over and over.