Ithradine

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Mentions:@Psyker Landshark@Click This@The Otter

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Captain Reisa glared down the approaching man, one of the unexpected interlopers from the village. Her brows furrowed at his words, unsure what to make of them. She kept her distance but did not take her eyes off Esben "Flattery shall not spare your life." Her eyes darted towards the rest of the group, cautious of a possible trap. Reisa scoffed "How cute. You are in not in the position you think you are...." She paused briefly "I would ask for you name but I doubt you'd give me the right one." There was a bit of playfulness in her voice.

That was when the first shot struck a plate that hovered over her heart. The force caused her to stumble a little as red energy crackled around the impact and her eyes immediately turned to Eliane. Reisa quickly moved her blade in an attempt to deflect the next shot but it came too soon. A small, ornamental piece of her gauntlet was sheared off. Eliane's next shots would not find as much success as she either deflected them fully or dodged out of the way. Despite the situation, Reisa had no signs she planned on backing down.

Red energy sparked along Reiasa's blade with each strike parried and deflected. There was more than physical resistance preventing from Izayoi's strikes from breaking through. She spit in Izayoi's direction with a sick smile showing how much she was savoring this fight "I am glad we are on the same page." She chuckled as her reinforcement were closing the gap "Your name shall be erased from history after you fall tonight."

Her eyes seem to glow with the same red energy that was beginning to envelop her blade as Hien desperately tried to stop Izayoi. Reisa charged without a word towards the two of them with speed that could only be matched by her opponent. One strike, two graves. A blonde blur leaped from a nearby rooftop and a heavy boot collided with Reisa's side that sent her hurtling back towards the ship. A small yelp of pain came from Chisaki as she stood up from the spot where the captain once was "GO NOW! There's no time!" She quickly glanced at Ciradyl, directing her words towards her just as much as she was to Izayoi and Hien. The Viera ripped twin daggers from her chest rig and got into a ready position, but the leg that had struck Reisa shook.

Chisaki was not the only one who had responded to the battle. The few rooftops not completely collapsed and destroyed were being taking up by a rough group of rebels wielding Valheiminan firearms. Gunshots began to pop from the direction where the reinforcements were coming from. Ciradyl weaved her way through her comrades and the rubble to reach Hien and Izayoi "Someone, take him! I got her!" For the first time, Ciradyl's voice cracked and allowed her emotions to leak through. She placed her hands on Izayoi's face, practically slapping with both hands, and pulled her gaze to the Faye "You're not going to leave me a second time! This is not where your story ends! If you die here, I shall be joining you." She frantically spoke, tears welling up in her eyes.

Ciradyl didn't trust her words to convince the stubborn Mystrel enough to get her to abandon this circle of death. She gripped the wrist of Izayoi with a hold that was tight, but tender, and began pulling her back towards their path of extraction. Looking back at Izayoi her eyes shifted to Chisaki and her lips opened up to say something "If you want us to be okay, get out of here! I'm not as crazy as some old samurai." She said the last part like a joke but her expression was cold. Flashes erupted from a distant rooftop and a bullet cut through the air and struck one of the rebel gunmen.

Chisaki was almost certain that she had at least sprained her leg with that kick "Stop shaking dammit." She muttered under her breath as she remain focused on Reisa in the distance. The gunfight was really starting to kick up but it wouldn't last long. Izayoi...Hien...Ciradyl. They were too important to the freedom of Opsrey to let them die or be captured in a place like this. She glanced back at Hien, lingering on him for a perhaps a moment too long, and returned to her ready stance. There was a future she desperately wanted to be a part of, but she was ready if this was as far as she got. She was just a shinobi after all, a person of a thousand faces and none of them real. As Reisa began to recover, her left hand sheathed her dagger and dug into a leather pouch. Four tiny, black bombs were held between her fingers as she got ready to intervene.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

The front half the Proudclad's fractured hull came crashing down the street away from Team Kirin. Tile was crushed, wood was snapped, and glass shattered as it slowly came to a rest. An inferno engulfed most of the wreck as small, sporadic explosions continued to ravage what little structural integrity was left. Oil that leaked from the metal carcass began to ignite the ground around the wreck. A shrill fire alarm began to blare as the fire was starting to take over the district.

Ciradyl's forces that assisted the infiltration team came out into the open to join Team Kirin, knowing full well that there was little point in trying to salvage their personas. A Mystrel man was the last of the freedom fighters to leave the prison, holding his side as he made his way over to the rest. He never managed to reach them as a jagged piece of the ship smashed his body into the wall of the prison, preceded by loud crack and groaning metal. A sharp edge of the shard was lodged deep into his chest, tears ran down his cheeks as he cut his hand on the edges of the rough slab. Crimson blood seeped from his lips as he desperately tried to catch a breath. His head soon drooped as one hand fell to the ground while the other remained on the shard.

Tall flames highlighted a dark figure emerging from the wreckage of the Proudclad, the orange reflecting off the silver plates not tarnished by ash and debris. Their sword was already drawn and pulsed with a red glow. The design of the armor was unmistakable as she cleared most of the smoke from the wreck. Captain Reisa. A faint trail of blood ran from her hairline down her face. Short, auburn hair paired with a pair of ruby red eyes replaced the helmet she had worn in their first meeting. Her expression was twisted into a snarl as she began to walk forward.

"No, there is no way..." Arton said in a sharp breath full of disbelief, eyes widening at the approaching Reisa.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Mentions:@vietmyke@Raineh Daze

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A shot of enthusiasm shown in Arton's smile as Miina's spell seemed to do great work, eliminating or incaptiating a large number of foes "Way to go Miin-" The thunderous fury of the airship's barrage cut off the last syllable and turned what might have been a inspiring moment into a cascade of despair. His shoulders dropped and his smile turned hollow. Fire began to illuminate the night sky, framing the airship in an ominous light. The deafening roar of the artillery was quickly replaced by the distant cries and screams of its victims. Keep focused, don't think. No matter how many time he repeated it inside his mind, his feet seemed to be frozen in place.

Luckily Galahad's voice took over whatever thoughts were distracting him and pressed him back into the fight "Got your back!" Arton fiercely replied and quickly followed the dragoon, moving his shield to block out incoming fire and side-stepping when able. His sword came down on the next soldier in line the moment after Galahad had impaled the man. Arton ducked as an enemy spear swung overhead, catching the haft close to the spear tip before it went out of reach. A quick twist of his wrist and a directed point of pressure snapped the spear tip off to which Arton then used to impale the neck of its owner. After that, he balanced his attacks with Galahad's sweeping motions, picking off the stragglers not caught in the whirlwind of death.

A flash of relief washed over him as they finally managed to regroup with the infiltration team, with Hien in tow. He knew little of the situation here in Osprey but he hoped he was worth all this effort. The reunion hadn't even begun when Eve took off, quickly becoming enveloped in a swath of bright colors. Arton quickly averted his eyes as her clothes began to disappear amidst the chromatic energy, lifting hand to act as a shield.

The sounds of his comrades'reactions made it impossible not to look back. The raw power and force of Eve's new form erased any embarrassment he might have felt. She had a unique appearance before but this was...almost mythical. His mouth went agape as the mega flare devastated the airship, suddenly feeling small in comparison to Eve's power. It was made clear quickly that such power did come at a cost as she began to fall from the sky, no signs that she would recover on her own. He locked eyes quickly with Galahad "Go! I got this covered!" Arton yelled as took up position in the clearing Galahad made, putting himself in the way of as many opponents as he could. "Please, don't drop her...". He muttered to himself as he took a deep breath, the group of soldiers regrouping "...barrier." With that breath, he flung towards the closest soldier, smashing his shield into their helmet and caving it completely in.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Mentions:@vietmyke@Click This@Izurich

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"What are you..?!?" The lithe Faye was flying through the air before she could utter another syllable. Her instinct immediately kicked in and she twisted in air to orient herself. She locked onto a flying monster as she reached the apex of her trajectory. Ciradly quickly nocked an arrow and fired it in one swift motion. It was not a full draw so it lacked power, but the impact nailed its chest and caused it to crash into building. She landed smoothly on her feet, sliding to a stop while retrieving another arrow from her quiver.

She ducked quickly into the nearest cover as a gunshot pinged off the surface next to her. By the time she popped her head out, the shooter had already been taken care of by another member of Kirin. Ciradyl's free hand touched the edge of the flare attached to her hip. Soon. She took the chance to observe the battlefield unfolding around the prison. By now, Chisaki should have regrouped with what capable warriors she did have under her command. It was going well. What wasn't she taking into account?

The faint joy in her eyes went ice cold as the bombardment raked the city, though she did not react much beyond that. It was as much as she expected from their oppressor and nothing could be done for the civilians caught in the blast. They were not the objective. Ciradyl returned to taking shots at the remaining Valheim forces, focusing on clearing the extraction point. Her eyes immediately locked onto Hien as he came into view along with the rest of the infiltration team. They had him.

She could see Izayoi talking to the young girl from earlier and then she started running. What were they thinking? No, what was she? The power that began to radiate off the eidolon was palpable to the Faye. She was taken aback at the form she changed into. She had questions. Questions that would need to wait. She could see Eve was targeting the airship but she couldn't think a way she would be able to damage it. Well, if that was the plan then she better lend her hand to make sure it works.

Air swirled around her feet as she backed to the edge of the rooftop before sprinting towards the quickly rising Eidolon. She leapt into the air, pushing her legs to their absolute limit. Ciradyl reached out a hand and rested her palm briefly on Eve's scaly shoulder "Do not hold back. Let them suffer." A different kind of magic flowed into Eve's body through their connection. This power swirled and mingled with Eve's, acting like a focusing lens. Her fingers were pulled off by the forces of gravity and she began to plummet.

Ciradyl managed to adjust her descent into a cotton canopy that cushioned her fall, putting her on the ground floor with the infiltration team. The flames of burning Proudclad dancing delightfully in her eyes as she witnessed the terrifying power of Valheim's rogue weapon. She prayed to whatever gods were listened that Reisa was onboard and being cooked alive, but she was prepared to be disappointed as usual. Still, she couldn't help the small giggle that escaped her lips.

Her hand moved down to the flare attached to her belt and grabbed it. It seemed like such a pathetic, little firework compared to what just occurred. Chisaki and her forces were likely already on their way. Still, she held the flare pointed to the sky and launched it into the dark-orange sky. This was the mark of a new day. The time for lurking in shadows and hiding in the enemy's den was over.

"I hope you are ready, Hien. This battle is all yours now." She quietly said to herself.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Mentions:@VitaVitaAR@Raineh Daze

Valheim's numbers continued to increase on the outside of the prison regardless of the ones he took down. It was only thank to being intermingled in the ranks of the soldiers that he was able to avoid the volley of gunfire. He had managed to avoid any serious injuries but there was definitely going to be some bruising underneath his armor plates. The enemy was starting to get frustrated with his resilience when the additional reinforcements arrived on the scene. With a swift change, Miina was now in a vulnerable position thanks to the aerial threat. The shouts of the sergeant made his decision easy.

He pushed the muscles in his legs to their limits as a couple of winged beards began to dive towards Miina. Arton slipped his shield on his back as he reached her, arms outstretched. The heavy swordsman collided with the small Mystrel and immediately cradled her in his arms as they hurdled through the air. The gunfire from the einhanders raked Arton's back, his shield soaking much of the incoming fire. He did his best to cushion Miina from the landing, but they both crashed into the side of a building with some force. A warm sensation was running from his shoulder but he couldn't think on it right now.

Arton lifted himself off Miina and latched his shield back onto his arm, shielding them from incoming fire "We need the biggest spell you have. Whatever you got, okay? We'll keep you covered." He gave Miina a brief glance, noticeable dents in the plates of his armor and a patch of leather that was now a darker color than the rest. Bullets pinged off his shield as they stood there. Maybe it would have been smarter just keep fighting and draw their attention through a furious assault, but he wasn't able to make that call.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Mentions:@VitaVitaAR@Raineh Daze@vietmyke

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Arton had make adjustments to his armor and now was nearly as covered in armor plates as Galahad. He had been sitting patiently off to the side watching the crowd walk below when he heard the alarms. Arton jumped to his feet, his shield firmly attached to his forearm and sword already drawn. He nodded at Galahad and turned to Robin and Miina, fierce confidence in his eyes "Robin, fall in close behind me and keep us covered Miina. Let's secure that exit." His hand waved them forward and burst from the shadows they were hiding in and rushed towards a half-dozen guards that were positioned where their other half would be fleeing from.

Their backs were turned to them and the loud blaring of the alarm was enough to mask Arton's thundering charge. He lowered his shoulder and crashed into the back of the closest soldier. The crack of bone and clang of bent metal was barely audible over the commotion. Arton remembered his lessons with Izayoi and didn't hesitate with his follow up. His blade was covered in blood as it pierced the throat of the first soldier to turn his head towards him. There was a violence of action that wasn't present when they were fighting Reisa. He wouldn't let them have an moment to regroup or target Miina that brought up their rear.

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A rush of air whizzed past Eliane and Galahad, faintly glowing with magic, and pierced the chest of a panicking gunner that had his rifle leveled at Galahad. Barely a second passed before they were joined by a blue-haired Faye with yellow eyes, a fox mask covering the majority of her face. She wore indistinct armor typical of Osprean archers during the war "My apologies for my late arrival, I hoped I would be able to make beforehand." the voice was distinctly Ciradyl's. A red wood longbow was clutched in her hand and a wakizashi attached to her hip "I will follow you lead, Galahad." She spoke briefly.

Renzo was fiercely opposed to her joining Team Kirin in this operation directly. His objections were not entirely unfounded but Ciradyl would not let the last friend she had in this world risk her life alone. She had spent enough time operating in the shadows and commanding from afar. She wasn't that skilled in close quarters but few could match her when it came to marksmanship and the materia she possessed only further enhanced it. Her gaze shifted towards the airship and glared at its approach "We will need to leave when it arrives, success or failure."

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Mentions:

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"I think no matter what they'll be ready for us. I mean, he's pretty important and now they know Izayoi is here." It was the first words Arton really spoke since he awoke this morning. In fact, the normally upbeat swordsman had seemed sullen and distracted the entire day "My vote is to attack the detention center. They might expect us but Ciradyl's agents could be our wild card." He shrugged and took the first sip of the tea that had been sitting in front of him. Faint, dark cirlces were formed underneath eyes that seemed to be staring through the teacup.

No rest for the wicked

Crack. A large, wooden beam split that held the ceiling above split in two as the flames overtook it. Snap. He felt a bone snap in his arm as a heavy force collided with his raised shield. Tears from the pain and stinging smoke rained down his face. Still, the shield remained raised but each strike against it brought forth agony. His body trembled trying to maintain its stance. A final strike split the shield in two and sent Arton flying into a wall that crumbled around him. Debris and ash covered him as his attacker approached. Crimson adorned silver armor framed a feminine shape. Bright, eyes seemed to burn inside the helmet. The weight of everything felt impossible to move and more than his arm seemed to be broken now.

The bodies of Team Kirin stood out even in the obscuring smoke. Arton felt every nerve scream as he forced himself onto his feet but all he could do was stumble forward, practically blind from all the dirt, blood, and smoke. His footing betrayed him and he fell against his attacker. Strangely, they seemed to catch him in their arms and proceeded to gently wipe the grime from his eyes. His eyes opened and as they did his attacker discarded their helmet.

Arton woke up from nightmare in a cold sweat, breathing rapidly and scanning the room. Sleep eluded him for the rest of the night.

He took a deep breath as it became clear this was happening and happening soon. Arton thought back on Izayoi's instruction. That nightmare was nothing but a distraction. This was real and he needed to focus otherwise people could get hurt. His conversation with Eve came to mind. That nightmare was fictional but it was reality for many of the people of Osprey.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Mentions:

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Cirady listened closely to the others discuss the situation as she continued to sip her tea and nibble on the pastries Renzo had delivered. He was an incredible asset to the cause working effectively as her second-in-command. Izayoi was the only other person that she trusted more than him. Strangely enough, it was Renzo's fierce loyalty for the Faye that concerned her the most about his character. She saw the small shifts in his expression when Esben mentioned leaving the lord to be a martyr. He held lofty ambitions...but not for himself.

"Renzo is not entirely wrong." Her gaze shifted to Esben "I have a dozen agents on the inside that will be of relevance to this operation, there is only one what would be unwilling to show their face. Their loyalty will not waiver and each is prepared to do what they must." She spoke with confidence and turned her attention to Galahad "The one that won't show their face, they are currently working deep undercover inside the Magistrate. Our intel regarding Hien's capture and execution largely comes from them. They will be able to assist if given the right code phrase but direct intervention is out of the question for them." Hien was needed for the future of Osprey, but her agent in the Magistrate could not be sacrificed. She was not sure which one she would let go if situation became dire.

Her eyes fell on Eve as she took center stage after keeping quiet for this whole time. What she said brought up a point that Ciradyl had to mention, though the idea had some merit to it. Numbers is where Valheim beat them. Green eyes narrowed as Eve's hood came down. A unnatural fusion of dragon and mortal. The venom in Eve's tone regarding Valheim was all that prevented Ciradyl from questioning her right there. She would ask Izayoi about her once they had a moment alone "There is an important piece that I have to bring up. Captain Reisa is not the only predator that walks the streets of Kugane." Her eyes closed for a moment "She will likely be joined by a few of the other high officers stationed here. But..." Vibrant green was revealed once more "...there is a chance a being known as the 'The Revenant' might make its appearance should a fight ensue. Captain Reisa is a murderer...but that thing is a butcher." The first trace of fear since they've met Ciradyl entered her voice.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Mentions:@vietmyke@The Otter@Psyker Landshark

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Ciradyl listened attentively to Izayoi's retelling of her intentional brush of death. A lost part of herself arose that wanted to scold the Mystrel for even entertaining the idea, but it faded quickly. Waves of unpleasant memories bubbled to the surface that were quickly repressed. Her expression seemed almost cold as Izayoi spoke of nearly dying, but that changed when she spoke of her family. The serene calm that seemed so effortless for the Faye cracked, her knuckles turning pure white as the grip on her tea cup threatened to shatter it. She was a fool to believe she had numbed herself to hearing such stories. Ciradyl was about to reply to Izayoi when Renzo finally entered.

A crack appeared on her teacup's handle when Renzo mentioned Lord Hien. Gracefully, she set the cup down before any further damage could be done to it. Now was not the time to relax. Ciradyl remained sitting even as Izayoi shot to her feet, letting the emotions crash into her and situation settle. The Fay listened to the rest of the party, curious to know what their reactions were to this information.

"There are frequent patrols through the main streets, at least two around the city at all times, squads of up to five. With the garrison mobilizing, it might halve that to one around the major roads. They've been cracking down on citizen unrest and subversive groups. Lord Hien was running a more pro-active group and that is how he ended up captured. A quarter of the garrison has already mobilized and that is likely to increase." Ciradyl replied plainly to Esben. She would ask for his name later, though she had an suspicion of what his occupation was. She nodded at his comment at them being expendable. The reality was her group of insurgents lacked the ability to fight head-on.

Ciradyl picked up a pastry and took a small bite as Galahad took his turn to speak. This was it? Was this the moment she had been waiting for? "Lord Hien is a figurehead that the people can rally behind and one of the few left with a legitimate claim to Opsrey. We've had our...disagreements...but he is the leader that will lead the people to freedom." She stood up and placed a hand on Izayoi's back, looking at her friend but addressing the group "I suggest we split into an infiltration team and an extraction team. Captain Reisa will certainly be waiting for us but I have a few agents on the inside that will help us." Her gazed peered up at Esben, then Galahad "I will spare whatever resources, information, and personnel I can. There are...few places I cannot reach." Everything that she had accomplished since the occupation would be in vain if Hien were to be executed. Ciradyl was not fit to lead an rebellion, but she had ensured that Hien would have the infrastructure in place to take back the capital.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Mentions:

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The strikingly beautiful Faye was adorned in a white, silk dress that conformed to her shape like it was tailored for every curve of her body. A body that filled out the dress nicely. Delicate, dainty hands held a cup of bergamot tea that she sipped slowly and with purpose. There was not a wasted motion in every movement she made, handling the simplest of tasks with extreme grace. Such was the scene when they entered, Ciradyl kneeled patiently at the table with tea freshly prepared and hot. A place had been set for each member of Team Kirin.

Her expression hardly changed when Izayoi said her name, looking up at her friend for what could be barely called a smile. The cold and heavy energy that was present in her mint-green eyes when they entered seemed to let up "Izayoi." Ciradyl gently set the cup of tea she had been drinking onto a matching saucer "You look...alive." She replied with some mirth, which was apparently enough to shock Chisaki that she glanced confused at Izayoi. Ciradyl rose from her kneeling position and calmly walked over where Izayoi was sitting and kneeled down next to her side, practically ignoring her other guests.

Ciradyl looked into Izayoi's eyes with a softness that seemed to spook the shinobi even further "When has apologies ever been necessary between us?" The moment she finished speaking, the Faye launched herself at the Mystrel and wrapped her arms around her in a firm embrace. When Valheim invaded...when soldiers broke into her home...when she watched her family be cut down...she had thought she had lost everything. Now her dear friend Izayoi had returned from the grave, a vengeful warrior spirit to help her take down the Valheim monsters.

Chisaki was left speechless with her mouth agape at this shocking display of affection. She had never once seen her mistress like this in the time she had served her. She shook her head and remembered her code. Chisa dropped to one knee with a fist pressing into the ground while her opposite arm rested on her leg, her head down in a reverence shinobi only gave to their master "My lady, I humbly present to you Team Kirin as you've requested." The Viera who had seemed so playful spoke with clear respect and seriousness.

Ciradyl pulled away from Izayoi but still kept her arms around her shoulders as she turned her head towards Chisaki, a noticeable but still faint smile on her lips "You have done well, Chisa. You may excuse yourself and retire for the evening. I shall have new orders for you in the morning." Chisa nodded and stood up quickly, a look of hesitation on her face before she turned to the rest of the party "It was nice to meet you all. Please treat my mistress with the upmost respect." The Viera bowed respectfully and as she walked out of the safehouse she gave Miina a sly wink before disappearing into the city streets outside.

The moment Chisaki left Ciradyl turned back to Izayoi and reluctantly let go of her, standing back up and moving back to her original position at the table and began pouring a few more cups of tea "Please, come in and make yourselves comfortable. Renzo will be bringing out some pastries soon enough." Her melodic voice perked up slightly as a noticeable sweet aroma began to waft into the room.