Exalted: Orgiastic Triumph of the Chosen

[HookerBoots]

Ivory Dawn had managed to pull herself out of her meditative state when the sun slipped below the horizon. She stretched, feeling her muscles pull and ache after having been in one position for so long, and groaned a little. It shouldn't feel that good to stretch. She walked to the door of the room, her eyes adjusting to the dim light again. It was time to grab the others for dinner, if she could find them.

Her trek to gather the group took her past where Tri and some of the priests were setting out the meal, and waved at them. "I'm on the prowl for the others! I'll bring them back soon." Assuming she could find her way back here. Maybe Gunesh would be back and she wouldn't have to worry.

Walking down the hallways, she caught the sound of Tor's voice, and Cunning Starfire's purring tones through a door. She stopped and listened for a second, then almost blushed. She didn't want to interrupt, but it sounded like they were almost done. So she paused for a few seconds, hearing the voices reach a crescendo, then waited a little more. Finally, hoping she wasn't wrong, she tapped on the door. "Tor, Starfire, it's dinner time, if you're hungry." She paused, listening to the sounds of rustling fabric and footsteps on stone.

When the door opened, she wasn't surprised to see Cunning Starfire, clad in a sheet, with her bright red hair a mess, poking her head out. "Very good, thank you," the dark-skinned woman said with a small smile. "We'll be out in a few moments."

Ivory Dawn nodded, smiling at her and making an effort not to let it seem knowing. "Great! I'm going to get the others, and we'll all meet there, then." She waved and headed down the hall again, hearing the door click shut behind her.

Her wanderings brought her - whether by luck or instinct - to a garden. She heard footsteps that she thought were Scarlet's, and a voice that she could pinpoint as Roaring Winds's, and then . . . her feet started to fly.

She rounded a corner, just in time to see the tableau frozen, Scarlet poised with her blade ready to strike Roaring Winds. She stops, uncertain of what to do. If the red-haired girl was going to kill him, she wouldn't have stopped, but Scarlet tended to react badly to unanticipated stimuli.

Well, Hell. "Scarlet. It's all right." She took a step forward, hands spread. "Put your sword away, and we'll all head inside and talk about things calmly." What was she saying? Maybe it would help? "Roaring Winds, are you all right? I can take a look at that cut later on." Why did she feel so damned awkward?

 

[Kinkerhell]

Scarlet heard Dawn's voice dimly, as if at a great distance. There were words, and she understood that together they formed sentences. Ivory Dawn was trying to tell her something, but Scarlet's brain simply didn't process it. Slowly, she turned her head and gave Ivory Dawn a long, unblinking stare, and there was nothing human behind those strange topaz eyes.

She turned back to Winds, still moving slowly and precisely, still unblinking. He hadn't reacted, but she could practically see his muscles jumping, hear his blood singing at the chance of combat.She knew, because her own blood had joined the chorus as well. She want to fight and kill and rend, prove that this Lunar, as big and tough and powerful as he was couldn't hurt her, couldn't hurt her friends, him or any of his damned Luna-blessed kind. As emotion and essence stirred between the two, Scarlet's swords began to sing, violin and cello, playing an overture as if in anticipation of the conflict to come.

Power crackled on the air, magics of death, destruction, change, defense, and skill, all yearning to be unleashed. The essence build-up between the two was almost palpable, as the essence of death met the essence of change, and whispers of witch-wind stirred the grasses and flowers and flickers of corposant and silvery fire danced in the air.

For a long moment, the tableau was frozen, an eternity wrapped in an instant. Then the clouds parted, and the moonlight shone down in white beams, turning dust and ashes into dancing clouds of silver and ivory. The shadows grew few and deep against the moon.

One ray fell fully upon Roaring Winds and his tattoos shone bright, taking in the light and making it their own, until he seemed garbed in strands of argent fire. Across from him, standing in the one place where no moonlight fell, the shadows deepened around The Scarlet Star, and her eyes shone fiercely in the darkness.

Then the two exalts moved, both feeling the perfect moment at the same instant, and the battle was on.

Winds set himself for an attack, but as fast as he was, Scarlet was faster. She whipped her left blade free and attacked, high and low and high again in blindingly fast horizontal strikes, advancing as she attacked. Her blades were a black and silver blur, and Winds could do naught but retreat before her. She pressed her attack and he darted and wove to escape their path. She smiled as he retreated, and smiled wider still as she felt Dirge connect with something solid. She saw Winds lurch to the side and started to thrust with Lament, but never got the chance.

Turning his sideways lurch into a controlled fall, Winds went down on one hand and both feet, and then he sprang forward. One instant, she held the advantage, coming on like a razored hurricane, and the next she was backing away frantically, her blades forging a wall of soulsteel in front of her, for Winds had taken the initiative.

Now Scarlet was locked in combat with a monster, and for the first time since her exaltation, she knew fear in combat. The thing in front of her was massive, outweighing her at least four to one and standing a good three feet taller than her own lithe form, with massive claws and jutting jaws. It was a horrible, awful, beautiful, deadly meld of man and lion, impossibly strong and as fast as Scarlet herself. His claws seemed to come from every direction, and Scarlet struggled to interpose her blades between the monster and herself.

Once, twice, thrice her black blades turned the slashing silver of his claws, but the fourth strike eluded her parry, and Scarlet heard her armor tear. At the same time she felt a fiery brand draw a line across her stomach. She dropped back a pace and snarled, a wordless sound of fury. The shadows around her seemed to dance and caper at her anger. She drew upon her own aspect and became a monster herself, every bit as terrifying as Winds.

Her skin flashed whiter than white, taking on the texture and appearance of polished marble, stark white with black lines all across it. Her eyes, always lit, blazed to a furnace-like intensity, shining a harsh golden glow that was a parody of the exaltation her soul had once carried in another age. Her hair's red deepened and began to flow unnaturally, more like blood into perfectly clear water than strands now. Her fangs grew long and needle sharp, reflecting the silvery light from Winds' tattoos in a pair of ivory crescents, and behind her, it seemed that there was a shadowy presence, just at the edge of sight.

Scarlet, now in the fullness of her aspect, returned blow for blow and showed no fear. She went into an elaborate attack, her blades weaving and twirling, coming from unexpected angles. As the moved, their tone changed, and the violin and cello were replaced by the sinister wailing of a balalaika, and every blow was as the crash of symbols or the beat of drums. Her armor, gloves and stockings joined in the chorus, playing a frightful, awful melody, the musical equivalent of the combat playing out in the once-tranquil garden.

Scarlet came on fast and hard. She gained one step, two, a third, a fourth...and then Winds set himself and would be moved no longer. Try as she might, she simply could not get through his defenses in any meaningful way. He was as skilled with his claws as she was with her swords, and his mass, his strength, and his speed combined into a towering bastion of martial skill, and she could no assault it. Now and then, one of those great black blades would slip through, to caress an arm or lick a side, and Winds had a dozen minor wounds in the space of a dozen seconds, but none of them were threatening, or even impairing. Nor was Winds idle as Scarlet attacked.

His claws flashed as fast as Scarlet's blades, and while her twirling, weaving pattern could deflect many of the blows, it could not hope to turn all of them. Here, a claw got through and left four parallel lines on her left side, driving a spike of pain into the death-exalt. There, a darting snap of the monster's massive jaws tore cloth and skin from her right shoulder. A well-placed kick caused her thigh to spasm, making her falter long enough for a backhanded slap to slip past her defenses.

Leaning back away from the slap, Scarlet bowed her body until it was parallel to the ground and all she could see was the sky and the sweep of the Lunar's arm. She knew, somehow, that another attack would follow it, and so she kicked of with both feet, turning her lean into a backward flip, arms out and legs trailing her in a graceful arc, that took her a yard and more above the follow-through from Winds' other claw. She landed and immediately attacked, the staccato ring of her weapons against his claws building to a constant wall of noise.

The battle raged on, and Scarlet began to realize something. Winds had had enough opportunity to kill her by now, and yet he did not. He could take a great deal of damage in that form, and if he didn't mind one or two sword strokes connecting, he could have borne her to the ground and slaughtered her. Why hadn't he?

Another two dozen blows passed between them before she realized the answer. He needed this, needed it as much as she did. They were both predators, and the other was an unknown quantity. This was more a test, a contest, than mortal combat. She, too, had had opportunities to kill her opponent, such as when he was off balance after her somersault. Something had stayed her hand, but only now did she realize it.

He was hers, and she his.

Oh, not as lovers perhaps, not even as friends yet, but they were inextricably bonded by the nature of the power they carried. Scarlet had no interest in the man-monster romantically, but perhaps as a partner...maybe something could be worked out.

She was jolted out of her reverie by a strike that grazed her temple, almost knocking her to the ground.

First she'd have to get through this fight, apparently.

She righted herself and came on again. Clearly what she was doing wouldn't impress him enough to stop, but she knew no other way. She was fast and strong and graceful and deadly, but she wasn't skilled. What could she do? To buy time, she launched into another series of attacks, then defended, then attacked again, then defended again. In thirty seconds, more than half a hundred blows were struck between the two, and not a single one landed. Scarlet cursed inwardly and attacked again, thinking hard.

This time, though, the attack was different. Her hands twisted slightly, and their grip on her sword hilts changed. Her blades suddenly felt lighter, righter than they had before. She attacked, and this time it was perfect.

Her attacked was a staggered barrage of blades and pommels, designed to baffle the enemy. It was very complicated, very difficult. It was also half as old as the world, and Scarlet knew that she had never learned it, nor anything like it. This knowledge was coming from inside her, but not from her. No matter. She let her body do what it would, and was rewarded by one, two, three good hits on the Lunar, two pommel strikes to the head and one good slash to the thigh. For a moment, she thought she had him.

Then Winds roared like his namesake, and threw her twenty feet with a single swing. She crashed into the wall of the temple and landed heavily. Out from her, Winds staggered and shook his head. They were both panting, both bleeding, both sweating. Struggling to catch her breath, Scarlet cried, "Hold!"

She fell to one knee, propping herself up with one sword, and it was a long moment before she could lever herself upright once more. "Hold." she said again. "Peace...brother. Peace."

 

[SwordsOfTheDane]

"So be it," Roaring Winds rasped, too quiet for any but himself to hear. She had made her intentions clear in that very movement, and now he would make himself known to her. He was not to be ignored.

He felt the world around him blend into itself. His eyes citrine and cat slit, the world ceased to matter. There was a pressure in the air, the distinct taste of essence build up. The air around the two charged, unseen arcs of energy flashing around them. He felt, scented, knew. The essence within him twisted and curled, reinforcing himself. The two exalts matched each other for an eternal second.

NOW!

The two flashed into motion, Scarlet immediately pressing the attack. Winds' gambit was too slow. He hadn't the time to complete the transformation before the beginning and all could do was dance back from her savage flurry. He felt his teeth elongating and the familiar burning though out his body. There was a flash of pain in his side and he folded with it. Dropping to the ground, He'd had enough.

NO, WAS TOO SLOW, BUT SO WERE YOU

In a second, through every crease in his skin, every muted line in his musculature, tears marred his sculpted body. His body swelled under his skin and the rents widened. Hair lengthening, jaw jutting and ears pointing, he was rapidly becoming something horrible. With a final fleshy ripping sound, like rending wet leather bag full of meat, his skin shredded off of his body. Inside a thin silver and crimson mist there was something, part man and part beast, thick white fur covered the entirety of his body. His hands and feet were tipped with glinting silver claws, with sliver fangs to match. Along his arms, hips, shoulders, around the larger muscles of his torso and along his spine and ribs great silver and bone plates extruded out of his skin. The two wounds he had suffered were already beginning to close, much too rapidly to be anything but magic.

The next second was all his own. He felt more than anything as though he was in ecstasy. He flashed and lashed out with both his arms and his legs. Moonsilver and Soulsteel sang against each other. She managed to deflect every furious attempt at striking her, but that only encouraged him. She'd been smiling only a second before. He could smell her fear, it was intoxicating.

He lashed out harder and faster, a glowing silver blur to her blacklit wall of blades. One, she deflected his left, forcing it high and wide. Two, stopped dead a sweeping kick to her chest. Three, an upward rake turned low. Four, he managed to land a raking slice across her belly with his left foot.

She snarled at Winds and it was furious thing. He could hear both their pulses in his ears, beating out raging tempos. Scarlet pulled on her powers more, showing more of what she held within her. It was horrifying, bestial panic screamed at him in edges of his mind. It was in the same moment one of the most beautiful things he had yet to behold, such perfect predatory prowess. He tasted her fury, her might, it was delicious.

She whipped the great black blades at Roaring Winds with renewed vigor molded through fury and essence. He fell back onto the defensive, blocking what he could. Sometimes the parry was imperfect directing the blades into one of his argent plates, other times all he could do was redirect the blades to slide along his pelt leaving shallow bloody rents in his skin. Once he had to force his own shoulder out of it's socket in order to allow the angle for the blade to be deflected off of the bony pauldron forced back with a meaty pop.

Winds own efforts were just as rapid. He thrust his claws furiously at the tiny woman, occasionally landing a glancing blow. After sliding around an overzealous slice that would have floored all but the most hearty of creatures Winds felt his neck and jaw muscles react to instinct rather than his will. Barely reasserting himself in time rather than clamping down on her throat and ending things in a dazzling fountain of gore and orgasmic violence he redirected and tore her shoulder shallowly. He was not there to kill her. He bent his knee and lashed out with his leg to catch Scarlet in one alabaster thigh. When she spasmed he quickly rose and delivered a rising backhand to the side of her head.

Winds, as Scarlet fell back from the strike, moved to land another blow. He was surprised the moment she back-flipped away from him. Once she landed she was upon him again, and all Winds could do was defend himself from her onslaught. He noticed something after deflecting and being deflected dozens of blows, she realized as much as he did. He himself finding he did not want to strike her down to assert himself as the dominant so much as to she that he was not going to submit to her. They both knew they were the others, and they would not kill each other.

Winds seized the split second pause Scarlet made as everything clarified. He smacked her across the temple. Scarlet immediately counter attacked, but it was different, more professional, more skilled. She smacked and slashed at him, leaving bruises and blood in her wake. He felt like she was about to make a coup-de-gras, and all he could do was attempt one final push. He lashed out and grabbed both of her wrists as he twisted between the twin blades as they sliced shallowly into his flanks. With a furious roar he twisted around, spinning on his heel before releasing the tiny woman towards the temple wall.

"Hold." Scarlet said, it was a distant but clear call. He felt his breath rasping in his chest. He could smell both of their bloods mixing on the ground. He tried to refocus, in case it was a trick. His mind would not clear, muddled by fury and fatigue. He stamped towards her, his claws retracting slightly. His pelt melting away, revealing a mere tattooed man in a shredded robe. He looked tired and satisfied, glowing with power, his eyes almost slits and his wounds closing. She spoke for peace and he was alright with that for now.

"You fought well my mate, I am proud to be bonded to one with such prowess as yours." He looked genuinely happy. "If you need, I would be honored to help you to where your wounds may be tended. I just need time and mine will see to themselves." He felt different, as though all of his anxiety had melted, or more accurately, been cut away. He had learned more than any amount of words could have taught him about Scarlet.

 

[Armphid]

Tri was carrying a basket of bread to the table, wrapped in cloth to keep it moist when she heard screams and cries of alarm and panic. The blond dropped the basket and ran out into the hallway, "What is it? What's going on?"

One of the younger women all but ran into her, "Oh, Resplendent Sun! It's awful! A Lunar Anathema is attacking one of your guests! The pale girl with the red hair!"

"Fucking hellfire," Tri swore, making the nun gasp a bit. She'd never heard the Sun's priest curse before. "Go tell everyone to get to their rooms, now! Stay inside until I give the all clear!"

Tri pushed past the startled girl and broke into a sprint. Whichever Lunar was attacking Scarlet was more than she could fight with her bare hands. She needed Passion in Daylight. Which she had left in her quarters, feeling safe.

She was just a stupid slut under it all, wasn't she? If Scarlet was hurt, she'd never forgive herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Gunesh stared at the walls of the manse; as did everyone else going about their business on Temple Street. Music, beautiful and vibrant and unnatural poured from one corner of the structure's garden along with a bloody red tinged darkness that illuminated area as if it were a scarlet sun were either rising or setting behind the walls. The streets and walks in front of the manse were red as if fresh blood was spilled on them. From beyond the walls came the roar of some great beast that rolled out over the street.

That was when people started to run inside yelling and calling out for the town watch; a few shouting Gunesh's least favorite a-word.

He ran down the street, plucking the windblade from his belt and tossing it ahead of him, channeling power into it. The golden chevron shook and suddenly unfolded and expanded into a gleaming gold flying wing perhaps five feet in span. He leaped on it; his feet immediately finding and adhering to the magical placements that would keep him mounted on it no matter the maneuver he took.

Gunesh launched into the air, unslinging his fire wand as he did so. Whoever was attacking his new home was going to get all the hell he could blast down on them. But it would mean nothing. Even if they beat back this mysterious enemy, they'd already lost.

The alarm was up, and with the rumors already around town it wouldn't be long until they arrived.

~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Far from Temple Street, a pale young woman with snow white hair was perched atop the proudly flying flag of the Realm over the manse of the satrap. Her Mortician's robes were gone, though she wore the silver bracers still, in place of them was a tantalizing and terrible breastplate of a dark, dark metal that seemed to have an unhealthy sheen. Faces would occasionally be seen in the few flat surfaces, contorted into screaming expressions. She bore a voluminous cloak with her as well; seemingly tattered yet radiating power, and her wicked daggers were in her belt.

Her legs are arms were mostly bare, as if the chill of the Northern night could not touch her; femininely smooth, shapely and appealing. Her boots were the same terrible metal as her breastplate and were stylized into curving, clutching claws that actually moved to grip and hold her in place on her high perch.

First Alabaster Frost's eyes gleamed as she swept her gaze over the town. He'd lost her, that man, and she'd pay him for it once she found him. He was clever and had realized very quickly that she was far more than she seemed. She'd actually learned very little from him; but enough. The one they were looking for was here.

But where? Now that she'd lost him, she had no lead to follow. There were rumors of-

There was a shout below and she scuttled down the flagpole to the dome like a great bat instead of a woman. Her eyes narrowed as she men and women in the local livery speak rapidly to the posted legionnaires at the manse's gate, one of whom went running back inside.

She hissed softly, "Have you given yourself away? Sloppy."

~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Tor burst out into the gardens, clad only in the pair of trousers Gunesh had given him to replace his own ruined pair back at the farmstead. Hope was in his hands, the blade gleaming as brightly as though it were lit by a flame from within. The young man's body surged with unnatural strength and his eyes blazed with fury.

He'd heard the temple's tenders calling to one another as they hid and told him to do the same. Scarlet was being attacked. By Roaring Winds.

He saw them ahead of him; Scarlet was on one knee in front of a wall, bleeding and breathing heavily. Roaring Winds stood in front of her, also bloodied but smiling broadly, his robe in tatters and his face happy and proud.

Tor charged; he did not scream, he did not bellow, all of his focus and fury was for killing. Sound would take energy away from that. He would cleave the bastard who had DARED to harm Scarlet in two.

A dark shape speared into him from the side and sent him spilling over into a bed of herbs. Hope rang like a dozen pure-toned bells as it flew out of his hands and onto the flagstones of the garden path. Tor snarled and lashed out at his attacker; hearing her grunt as he wrenched them both forward, tumbling through carefully cultivated pots and sending them crashing over. Then he saw who it was that had tackled him.

Tor came to a a rest with heavy thud on a patch of grass, staring up in disbelief. Cunning Starfire was atop him, releasing his arms as she saw recognition in his eyes, "Stop, Tor! Leave them be."

"Starfire, get off of me! He's trying to kill her!"

Cunning Starfire snorted softly, "It is between them, my Tor! It is part of the bond. If it is to the death, then so be it. It is their choice." She hoped Roaring Winds would do them all a favor; and he certainly wouldn't if Tor ran in and shortened him by a few feet. He struggled to rise and she pushed him down again hard, snapping, "Listen to me, boy, and leave her!"

Tor's eyes went flat and he stretched his right hand out towards his fallen weapon. Hope flew from where it had fallen and slapped into his hand as the young man pushed himself up and swung the blade in a terrible arc.

Cunning Starfire's eyes went wide and she threw herself back into a flip, flying away from the Dawn Child as his weapon slashed through the air where she would have been. She came to her feet with wide eyes that showed a half dozen different emotions at once; anger, fear, shock, grief, relief, and more. The night wind ruffled her red hair, ending now just at the base of her neck; the rest of it lay on the ground between her and Tor; sheared cleanly off by his grim scythe.

Tor rose to his feet and pointed the weapon at her, "Never try to stop me from helping someone I care about again! Or anyone else! It's not your place!" He turned to start again towards Scarlet and Roaring Winds.

Cunning Starfire's head tilted to one side and she snarled, "You arrogant child!" Her fingers flexed as if they ended in claws and her nails suddenly burst into wicked silver talons. "No, I won't stop you. My Tor. You won't have to worry about her or any of this a-"

"Hold on, Scarlet!" Gunesh flew, literally, into the garden. Whatever Cunning Starfire had been about to say was lost to the startling nature of his appearance. He skimmed along the inside of the walls on a golden v-shaped semi-circle of shining orichalcum and his fire wand was trained of Roaring Winds. "You've got until the count of ten to explain what you were doing, wild boy, before I-"

"Everyone, stop!" Tri's voice rang out over the whole garden, the Zenith putting all of her personal and supernatural presence behind it to bring this to a heel before it got out of hand. More out of hand. She was clad as before in the plain blue robe, but now bore Passion in Daylight in her hands. She walked out to stand beside Ivory Dawn, shaking his head at the sight before her. "Scarlet, honey, are you all right? Roaring Winds, please step back from her. We will," and she gave Tor a firm look, "hear what you have to say but right now...I think it would calm everyone down if you gave her some room."

Sun save her. First the drama in the baths and now this?

 

[Kinkerhell]

"Oh for gods' sake!' Scarlet snapped. She slid her blades home in their sheaths and stood straighter. She started walking toward the knot of Exalts, then changed her mind and headed toward Roaring Winds instead. Stopping before him, she reached up, way up, and clapped him on the shoulder. In a carrying voice, she said, "Thank you for your offer, but my wounds are of little consequence." She let her hand fall and stared up into his great golden eyes. "You have impressed me as few have impressed me. Your skill is beyond compare. Regardless of how our bond may hold itself, I would be proud to fight beside you."

Then she realized that the garden was lit with a sanguine light, that of a sunrise or sunset, coming from behind her. Looking quizzically over her shoulder, she saw that her banner had flared again, during the fight. She reached up to touch her forehead and it came away bloody, the smears on her palm marking a ragged sunburst.

"Oh, damn." she whispered, as the enormity of what she'd done struck her. They were in a city! How could she be so stupid? She swore sulfurously in Old Realm, High Realm, and Low Realm, a blistering string of profanity that was mostly self-directed. She turned to the others and paused, blinking in surprise.

Starfire's claws were out, and her hair had lost about two feet of length. Her eyes flickered over everyone, stopping momentarily on Tor's scythe, which had a few strands of red still clinging to the blade. Her eyebrows rose almost to her hairline. That...that must be quite the story. She'd apparently missed something while gravity was reasserting itself and claiming its toll on her body.

Scarlet stepped away from Winds and toward the others. In a small voice she said, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that I was..." she gestured vaguely behind her. "I didn't mean to cause trouble." She turned to Gunesh. "How long before they get here?" He gave her a grim look and she nodded. "Right. Alright, I'd better talk fast."

Taking a deep breath, she said, "Roaring Winds is not to blame for this. He surprised me, I attacked him, he defended himself. Then we began testing our limits. I didn't mean for it to get so out of hand, but it has. Now we need to deal with it."

She turns to Gunesh. "Lord Tepet, if you have lamp oil or anything similar, I'd like to borrow a flask of it. Anything sticky that will burn would do."

She turns to Tri. "This is your home, and I'm sorry for bringing trouble into your house. I'll try to get rid of it. If you have a cape, preferably black or red, I'd like to borrow it, and I can't promise you'll get it back. Also, if you've got black ink or dye, or that horrid stuff that monks use to scrub stone floors, a flask of that would help as well."

Next she turns to the lunars. "Your tattoos are way too obvious. They'll be looking for Exalts, and you two are a dead giveaway. It might be best if you headed into the forest for a day or so. After that, they should be done looking if this works."

She swivels her head to look at Tor. "Torasin, the guards are coming, and they're looking for an 'anathema.' We're going to give them one. Go put Hope someplace hidden, and go out and find the nearest patrol. Bring them here. Tell them any horror story you want about me, but tell them that I came out of nowhere and attacked the temple."

Lastly, Scarlet turns to Ivory Dawn. "Milady, I'm going to need a victim, and you're as pretty as they come. You're most likely to engender sympathy if anyone sees you in distress. When Torasin brings the guards, you're going to play the victim, and I'm going to be the horrible monster."

She looks to each of them. "This is my fault. I'll deal with it. When the guards get here, they'll attack me. I'll slap a couple of them around, then," she pauses and closes her eyes for a second. Her Scarlet Wings flare to life, first as sheets of crimson essence that slowly congealed into red-feathered wings. "Take off. I'll doing a few showy and impressive things, then fly south. I'll change my appearance and circle back tomorrow. If it all goes according to plan, it should keep the temple and the circle out of the line of fire."

 

[HookerBoots]

Ivory Dawn tapped her fingers on her leg. This was just a fine mess, and Scarlet would fix it, would she? Never seen a Wild Hunt, obviously. "Fine," the dancer snapped, her hands already moving to tear the robe she'd put on, and grab a few handfuls of dirt to grind into it. She'd have to borrow a dagger and rough herself up more - everyone knew anathema didn't leave you without marks.

As she worked, making herself look like the victim of a vicious attack, she spoke. "But when this is resolved, we're going to have a talk, you and I, about being under cover and what, exactly, that means." Her makeup completed, Ivory Dawn strode over to where the others were standing and grabbed the scythe from Tor's surprised hand. In two quick slashes, she'd torn the robe even more, and made shallow slices in her skin, the blood welling up bright red against her pale skin. "Ah, Sunfire, that burns," she whispered, thrusting the weapon back at Tor.

As the group watched, she shook her head, closed her eyes and concentrated. After a moment, a tear slid down her cheek, then another, until she was crying openly. "Let's go," she said, her matter-of-fact tone at odds with her distressed appearance. "I want this over with."

 

[Armphid]

Gunesh was moving at Scarlet's words, "We've got lamp oil. And don't call me "Lord" or "Tepet" again. I told you to call me Gunesh before." The tall man ran back into the temple to fetch what she wanted. They needed to hurry. The guards would be here soon, with any Dragon-Blooded the satrap chose to send, but the Immaculate Temple of Cayir was on Temple Street too. The Immaculates would be here much, much sooner.

If it took ten minutes they'd be extremely lucky.

Tri went without a word and her face was bleak. This ruse might work for now, it might buy them some time. But she knew what would happen and what she and her comrades in the Sun's worship would have to do.

"Don't order me, you little bitch," Cunning Starfire snapped. Her tattoos vanished a moment later, her skin appearing perfectly unmarred. "We have magics you've no idea of." But she'd find out. "You'll get them out of this, you think? And then you'll lead another disaster right onto them all. And they'll let you, the fools."

She turned and spat, "Good luck, Torasin." She said his full name with deliberate finality. "Be wiser next time." And then her form blurred and shrank and a dark furred bat flapped off and away into the night.

Tor stared after her dumb founded. That...he'd...he hadn't wanted to...

It was during his shock at her abrupt departure that Ivory Dawn pulled his scythe away and sliced her garments and herself. Tor felt an angry frustration growing in him as he took the weapon back. All he'd managed to do with it was drive away his mate and have it injure a friend. Such poor use of Scarlet's gift.

He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve any of what he'd been given.

Tor nodded numbly and jogged off to hide the scythe and then go to the gate. As he ran, he plucked up a jagged shard of pottery from one of the planting pots he and Cunning Starfire had broken in their tussle. He reached back as he ran and stabbed it into the wound in his back, grunting as he re-opened it. He'd have to look the part as well, after all. And it was a small part of the penance he needed to pay for his failures.

He passed Gunesh as the other man was coming back out into the garden. He carried a dark cloak of his own, two flasks of oil and a pair of ink vials. They nodded but exchanged no words. Tor grabbed the top of the arched entrance into the temple and pulled himself up to deposit Hope in the long gutter that went along the lower edge of the manse's roof, laying the blade against the roof. The best he could do with short notice.

He could hear Tri speaking within, only catching snatches of the words. "..try to lead them off but...won't last...must all go or they'll..."

Tor fell back down, feeling blood seeping down his back. Time to go. He ran for the manse's gate and past it, out into the street. There were lanterns lit and coming in the manse's direction already, and a mass of figures wearing robes and bearing staffs, spears, and fighting chains.

He waved at them with both hands, "Help! Help, please! It's attacking her, it's terrible! Anathema! Anathema!"

How wretched he was that this was all he could do.

 

[SwordsOfTheDane]

Roaring Winds puzzled over what had happened. He felt guilty that those fool Terrestrials had decided to involve themselves. Everyone spoke to him accusingly and it angered him, but now was not the time to indulge in it, his indulgences had caused this. He closed his eyes as Scarlet layed out her plan, as rough as it was. He did not even open his eyes as his sister stormed off. Winds wanted to smile at it, but kept it hidden, it was not the time to spite the child. After a long moment, he opened his eyes.

"We should fight." He took a deep breath, knowing full well the entirety of the circle may chase him off at any time because he was apparently far too alien to them. "Running will only encourage them, that their Anathema prey fears them. Their egos will swell, they will hound more, they will be like hounds who've scented the fox." He looked around at the circle, he was the newcomer and his ways were not theirs, He thought for a moment of shifting into a great beast and leaving a wake for the Hunt to follow away from the temple, something that would immediately pull attention away from here.

No, I doubt anyone would allow for that gambit...

"I can handle many of them," he looked over to Scarlet. "And you are a master of your arts. Torasin, if his zeal to attack me is any indication, should also be able to easily vanguard this place." He stopped for a moment. "Forgive me, It is not my place to make such assertions given the situation." He stamped his heel into the ground, a nervous habit he can't remember where he'd learned. "Scarlet, I feel that splitting up may simply allow us to be picked off one at a time. A pack of wolves is strongest... to... geth...er..." His voice trailed off. He suddenly was very aware of how alone he was in the group of exalts. His sister had left and to the best of his knowledge the rest hated him and would likely toss him to the Wyld Hunt as a scape goat to pull the heat off of themselves. He felt cold for the first time in years. "If, if it is decided, I will go. Either to the forest, or to lead them away, I am the outsider, least is lost on me."

 

[Armphid]

"Don't be so damn dramatic," Gunesh offered. He was kneeling, helping Scarlet get her costume the way she wanted it. "Personally I think it would be a waste to send you away when you can probably take some small and inconspicuous form instead. If what I've read and heard about Lunar shape shifting is true. I'd have said the same to Cunning Starfire." He held up one of the flasks of oil, "I don't know who you think we are, but we just don't abandon people."

He looked up at Scarlet, "Is that how you want it?" Then he looked back at Roaring Winds, "Don't think we want to run, but fighting here would get a lot of uninvolved people killed. There's also the fact that they're going to show up with soldiers, as many of them as they can get, and numbers will wear down any of us. Unfortunately, this is almost the worst case scenario for trying to fight them."

Triumphant Mantis was returning, "The others are ready with their story." She looked at Scarlet and then reached out to take the girl's hand and give it a squeeze. "Be careful. The Dragon-Blooded can be a lot more dangerous than you might think. And please, come back to us."

 

[HookerBoots]

Just around the inside corner of the gate, Ivory Dawn paused. Tor was screaming for help, and the others should be doing whatever it is they needed to do. She glanced over her shoulder, and saw nothing . . . but if this was going to work, she couldn't doubt that the others would do their part and not stand there like fools jawing over things.

She didn't really want to think about what would happen if the Hunt found out she was lying to them.

Taking a deep breath, she banging her arms against the wall around the Temple, hard enough to hurt, then dragged them, giving her scrapes all over. And then she screamed, high and piercing and terrified, the tears still running down her face. She screamed again, shorter this time, and started running in a panic - just another kind of dance, wasn't it? - out the gates.

Her elbow brushed Tor's chest as she dashed past, and she kept screaming, "RUN! Anathema! Dragons, run away from here!" She dashed forward, almost crashing into one of the men in the lead of the group. "Thank the Empress's glory, I was so afraid, please, please help us!"

The man she'd ran into stopped, as did most of the group with him. "What happened?" he asked gruffly, his hands steadying her. "Is it truly Anathema?"

"I don't know for sure," she gasped, her body trembling, "but it came over the wall - I was visiting a friend, and it came over the wall!" She closed her eyes, as though trying to block the memory from her sight. "Like some kind of wild creature, it just came and . . . and . . . and . . . ." Here she broke down in tears, falling forward onto the man's shoulder.

The group around her was murmuring, uncertain and worried. The man she was leaning against as she 'wept' was not. "That is a terrible tale, miss." He patted her back, and then lifted her head with one hand. "We will take care of it," his voice filled with pride and smugness, "The Satrap has joined with us, and will be here shortly." He looked at the group, then back at the Temple, eyes almost greedy. "Together, the Empire and the Immaculate Order will find and eliminate the Anathema that attacked you."

"The Satrap?" she gasped, her eyes wide. Oh, that was bad. There were already Dragonblooded here, but if the Satrap showed up . . . bad bad bad. "Really?"

 

[Kinkerhell]

Scarlet, now wearing the grand cape with its edges now torn up by herself and Gunesh, turned to Tri and softly put a hand on her cheek. "Don't worry about me. Appearances and breakdowns aside, I'm tougher than I look." She smiles briefly, a fleeting little thing. "I'd have to be, wouldn't I?" She watched Ivory Dawn take off running and turns to the circle as a whole. "I'll be back as soon as I can, I hope."

Scarlet took three steps back and drops into a crouch, counting off thirty slow seconds. She needed to give Ivory dawn a bit of a head start. She counted thirty more. Finally, she took a deep breath, flexed her wings, and jumped straight up, beating her wings downward as she came off the ground. She shot upward with fantastic speed, the wind making her borrowed, tattered cape and shredded silk armor pop and snap. Her banner followed with her, making it look as though a bloodied sun was rising in Cayir.

Up, up, up she climbed until she was a hundred feet above the ground. Then she spun once, unfurling her wings to their full expanse. Her voice boomed out, as loud as she could make it. "Where is she?!" Her glassy soprano had been replaced by something more strident, lower, and more piercing. "Come back, little mouse! You cannot outrun the hawk!' she laughed then, a sinister, half-mad thing, and swooped down toward the avenue in front of the temple. She could see Ivory Dawn already, but she needed to give everyone time to react.

She dropped down to just above head level a thousand feet down the street from Ivory Dawn, Tor, and the group of men surrounding them. Gliding easily, she shot above the stall awnings, people, carts, and various devotional sculptures and statues, still calling out for her prey. She drew up and dropped to the ground twenty feet away, landing lightly, her glass heels ringing slightly as she landed.

Cloaked, cowled, and with her anima blazing red and her eyes shining yellow, she knew what an impressive figure she must cut. The light refused to illuminate her face except for the small bow of her mouth, with curled up into a slow, lazy smile, showing her long white fangs. Deliberately, she slowly drew her swords, the blades making low moans, like a pair of pleased lovers. As she drew, her smile became an O, and her small, pink tongue slowly ran over her cherry-red lips.

Cocking her hips, Scarlet said in a breathy voice, "Oh, what's this? The little mouse has found friends? How delicious." She bit her lip suggestively and asked, "Can I play, too?" An arrow was sped from somewhere within the ranks of guards and Dirge came up to slap it aside, shattering the shaft and sending the head off into the darkness with a glassy chime.

Scarlet pouted and cocked her head. "Now, that wasn't very nice." She was playing for time, and she knew it. Further down the street, she could see another group of men coming. She couldn't make them out very well, but at least one of them was carrying the paired jade daiklaves of an immaculate monk. She smiled. It wouldn't be long now.

"Well, since you won't come play with me, I guess I'll just have to come to you." Suddenly she darted forward, less a run and more of a gliding jump, and she was among them, her dread black blades flashing. In her defense, she did try to keep from killing them. The first guard she got to got a pommel to the forehead. The second got a glass spike in his thigh, and the third and fourth were both slashed badly but hopefully not fatally. The fifth, however, was too fast for his own good. He drew a firewand from somewhere, and Scarlet didn't have time to be fancy, because that was one thing she couldn't parry. Her blades both rotated across, the lead one removing his hand at the wrist, and the trailing blade cutting his throat.

The others had all backed away from the ferocity of her attack, but that wouldn't last long, and the immaculates were coming, probably along with a wyld hunt. She turned to the currently stunned group of soldiers. Raising her blade, Scarlet licked the blood from the groove and smiled. "Pathetic, like all your kind. You and she aren't even worth the trouble. Perhaps the immaculate order would be more worthwhile." her voice is pitched to reach the monks coming up the street as well. "But no one should ever have to work on an empty stomach." She pauses for a seocnd, as if thinking, then purrs. "But all of you are here. Is there no one at home? My companions will be so happy to discover that!"

Scarlet laughed again. "Worry not for your friends and servants, Satrap's dogs. Those you left behind tonight will die quickly at least. The temple of the immaculates, however, will be forever despoiled by the sounds of rape and torture. Their idols will be cast down, their nuns violated, their acolytes and servants murdered. And it shall be tonight, if it has not already begun!" Her voice booms out on the last line, almost deafening in its intensity. Turning, she beats her wings and flies upward into the night, her anima banner starting to fade. When she gets high enough, she turns and glides off, headed for the large, somewhat ostentatious building that presumably housed the immaculate order, making it very obvious which way she was going.

 

[SwordsOfTheDane]

As Scarlet took off Winds made a low reverberating sound, more a growl of frustration than just annoyed anxiety. He did not like this, it was foolhardy and it banked on the Hunters not wanting to canvas the manse for clues. He turned to Tri, walked over to her but kept his distance. "I will be up in the gutters, if anything goes poorly, I will make sure you can egress. Otherwise, once they have lightened their alert I will be off for a three days. I apologize once more for bringing trouble upon you." He took a few quick steps before leaping onto one of the inner walls. "Shout if you need me." He hopped again intending to land on the roof hand first.

His body rippled and melted, liquid flesh rapidly contracting and concentrating until he was little more than a field mouse with white fur. He ran along the shingles of the roof until he came to a stop near where Tor had deposited the golden scythe.

If things go poorly, I feel the boy may need this in very short order.

He popped his head above the edge of the gutter every few seconds to observe the garden and utter a small squeak.

 

[HookerBoots]

Ivory Dawn cowered with the rest of them as Scarlet swooped down, threatening and frightening. It wasn't entirely an act - even though she trusted the girl, it was hard not to cover your head when something dove at you. Which was very, very clever on Scarlet's part.

As Scarlet swooped off, ostensibly to aid her fictional cohorts in the rape and pillage of the Immaculate Temple, the group around Ivory Dawn stopped, gaping, even as the other group made their way to scene. "Men!" snapped the man she'd been leaning on, "Back to the barracks! The Satrap is here, he can handle the rest while we take care of what's ours!" The men he was commanding didn't even wait for him to finish is speech before they broke and ran back the way they had come, as well as a fair number of the Monks that were with the Strap.

And it was clear which of them was the Satrap, as the group drew closer - there were only two people in the group on horseback, and one of them was a woman. The man was clad in red jade armor, his dark hair swept back from his face in a carefully constructed style, eyes a deep hazel. He was handsome, and very well-built, but there was a scornful expression on his face that marred it. The woman at his side had the same eyes and features, even more attractive than his, but pretty rather than handsome, marking her as close relative, perhaps a sister or cousin, and wore a robe, accented with bracers and jewelry of green jade, with what looked like a large red and gold tube strapped to her back.

Ivory Dawn stood in the street, her face streaked with tears and eyes wide with fear as they strode closer, saying a silent prayer to the Unconquered Sun that Tor would have the sense to get back into the Temple. In fact, he'd dove for the cover of the Temple when Scarlet appeared, feeling more miserable than ever, leaving the two women alone out there. Inside, he lay on the ground just out of sight of the street, relishing the pain in his back as small punishment for his inability to do more.

The Satrap's horse pulled to a stop in front of Ivory Dawn's cringing form, looking down at her curiously. "The bravery of the Immaculates seems to be a bit overstated, leaving the victim of a vicious attack alone," he said mildly, his voice low and pleasant, a little amused.

"I . . . I'm honored, Your Excellency," she stammered, trying not to draw in on herself any more than she already was. Ivory Dawn curtsied and looked down at the ground while trying not to study the woman with him, who had peered at her curiously, then began looking at something near the copper-haired dancer that wasn't there, her head tilted as though she were listening to something. "I mean, that . . . that thing . . . ." she shivered dramatically, wrapping her arms around herself.

He nodded, eying her from head to toe. "I see, it must have been very trying for you." He reached down, one hand stroking a a piece of hair from her face. "You've been very brave. Quite a trait in one so lovely."

Ivory Dawn had to stop herself from cringing away, and instead just looked confused and worried. "Thank you, My Lord. I don't . . . I don't know where it came from, just . . . like magic!"

The woman next to him nodded suddenly, then leaned over, pressing a hand to his shoulder. "Rilak, we can't take the chance those fools fail - it might come back for her." She looked back at Ivory Dawn, her face unreadable.

The satrap nodded slowly, his eyes traveling over Ivory Dawn's body again. "Yes, we can't take that risk. I won't let you be harmed again - let them do their work, and my palace will be your safe-haven until things are resolved." He extended a hand to her, clearly offering her a ride on his horse.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuckity fuck. "I am . . . humbled, My Lord, My Lady," she breathed, extending a trembling hand to his. Maybe she'd be able to escape later on. They'd have to leave town fast afterwards, but they would probably have to do that anyway. The Satrap pulled her onto his horse, settling her in front of him, holding his reins with one hand and her waist with the other. "Back to the palace," he called to the guards surrounding them, "Monks, you can stay here - keep this place secure, if you can muster the courage." As he turned his horse, he looked back at them. "Stay outside, however - this is a matter for the Empire's Law, not your religious fanaticism. I'll be back later to check up on it, but now I have one of my subjects' needs to tend to."

The attractive woman pulled her horse next to them, looking at Ivory Dawn again. "It's very good," she said softly. "We'll take very good care of you, mistress."

 

[Armphid]

One of the Immaculates scowled at the satrap as he pulled away, "The business of the Immaculate Order is that of the Scarlet Empire! We will do as we see fit for the Hunt! It is a spiritual matter, Lord Satrap."

The satrap pulled his horse to a halt. He looked back over his shoulder and quirked an eyebrow, "That's a matter of interpretation of religious doctrine actually, young man. Rilka."

The lovely young woman who was staring at Ivory Dawn waved a hand negligently. "Go ahead and play then."

There was a shimmer and a massive creature suddenly appeared behind the monk who had spoken up; it was a great shaggy beast with four limbs and red fur, spines jutting from its back. The front two legs were arms almost as long as the rest of its' body combined, with huge hands and rending claws. They grabbed the monk and pulled, the man screaming as he was torn apart. Another materialized in front of the group of monks who had remained and lashed out an another member of the group.

The satrap nudged his horse along as the screams and meaty tearing sounds rang through the night. His sister brought her horse alongside his and a few moments later the demonic apes were loping alongside before shimmering and vanishing at another gesture from the sorceress. The satrap looked down at Ivory Dawn, "I find religious discussions so tedious. Don't you?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Gunesh had his fire wand trained on the gate and his eyes were hard. What the hell was that? Had Scarlet had to fight?

Then Tor came running back and waved him forward. "It worked, but we hit a snag." He looked around, "Where's Tri?"

"Getting everyone ready to go," the artificer answered. "What the hell just happened out there?"

"The satrap showed up, I think," the peasant boy answered. He was walking to where he'd put Hope. "He told some of the monks to stand guard but that he was going back to his palace. He ordered them not to come in here and talk to anyone. They disagreed and he had them killed." Tor shook his head, "I don't know what they were, the things that did it. Furry man things that just appeared out of thin air."

"Demons," Gunesh grunted, walking beside Tor. "Cynis Rilka is a sorceress. She's probably got a few demons hanging around her for protection. And other things." He shook his head, "But that's all to the good."

"Except that he took Ivory Dawn with him." Gunesh stopped short as Tor jumped up to grab the lip of the roof and haul himself up to it. "He said he couldn't take the chance that Scarlet would come back to get Ivory Dawn, that he'd have to protect her." The former peasant pulled himself up and blinked as he saw a mouse sitting near his weapon. He waved a hand to try and shoo it away before picking up the haft. "She's with him now."

"...The Gods must hate us," Gunesh ran a hand through his hair. Damn it! "Everything's going wrong tonight."

Tor jumped back down. "Looks that way. I'm going to get my armor on and then...then I don't know what. But I drove Cunning Starfire away, and I let Scarlet fly off into danger, and...I can't just let Ivory Dawn go too. I won't fail everyone."

Gunesh frowned and then sighed, with a nod. "I know the feeling. Get Tri once you're armored up, all right? We'll make a plan together. I'll get word to Scarlet." He looked around then and called out, "Roaring Winds, you want to make good, I think we could use all the hands we can get for this."

He then walked into the manse. Doing this out in the open would only attract more attention. Gunesh walked into the dining room and saw the table, still arrayed for a dinner that would never take place. He laughed, a dark and humorless thing. Then he spoke a few words in Old Realm, his hands moving to form a precise pattern of gestures. Power swelled around him and flowed up and about as he willed the power of Creation to do his bidding. There was a burst of light and a glowing being floated in front of him, no larger than his hands and gleaming with iridescent color. "Carry this message to the Scarlet Star," he told it, "They are well distracted but the satrap took Ivory Dawn back to his manse. We are making a plan to recover her; try to get back tonight or at dawn tomorrow if you can."

He gestured and the cherub shot off to deliver his message, unstoppable and unerring.

 

[SwordsOfTheDane]

The mouse near Hope hopped up and ran along the gutters before bounding down to the wall and into the garden. As it scampered past Tor it blurred and expanded like a bubble on boiling stew before it started to resemble a man, resolving into Roaring Winds and the tattered remains of his robes. He stopped for a moment to speak to the youth. "We will get her back, Rising Sun."

He took a few brisk steps before stopping, seeing Gunesh weaving some sort of magic. He watched the entire practice before approaching. "I am here and ready." He did his best to keep himself totally impassive. A familiar excitement was tingling in the pit of his stomach, the backs of his legs and the crooks of his arms. It was a hunt. He knew that this was not hunting down Raksha or their thralls. it was not even a hunt proper. This was a rescue mission first, a slaughter second. His eyes were cat-slit, essence held in check by his will, waiting to let slip and rewrite his very form. His body burned that same sensation of continuous and omnidirectional movement within his skin. "All of my abilities are at your command, as you know this terrain best, Gunesh. When and how are we going to approach this?" He was antsy and he knew it.

"I would think that the sooner, while their world is spinning still, would be best." He offered. "Though I will defer to your judgement."

 

[Kinkerhell]

Scarlet led the guardsmen, immaculates, and attached Dragon-bloods on a merry chase. Once she was sure they were on her trail, she alighted on a rooftop, eyes and wings glowing, cowl still down, and waited. When they were almost upon her, she took off again, down to the next turn or wind in the street.

The entire time she laughed, still that strange, sinister chuckle that would have been far more at home on some moustachioed villain from a romantic play than a small, slender woman. She spurred them on with mockeries and threats, twice getting too much of a lead and having to double back. On those occasions she would course just above their heads, voicing catcalls and denouncements of the immaculates' skill, progeny, and ancestry.

Slowly she led them toward the guard barracks and the Immaculate monastery. The two were near one another, but the monastery was further away, past the barracks and the inns, taverns, and whorehouses that always sprung up like weeds near any military holding.

Several times, she was attacked by archers, javelin throwers, or the occasional confident knife-thrower, but no harm came to her. She slapped them out of the way with her blades, baffled knives with her cloak, or simply drifted out of the way. Her banner was dark by the time she reached the barracks. The broad avenue that led straight to the barracks gates was relatively clear at this hour, and the forerunners of the group could plainly see her perched like a monstrous, beautiful gargoyle atop the gates.

It was there, as she crouched down, bracing herself with both feet and one hand, that she received Gunesh's summons. In another life and place, she'd had friends skilled in the basics of sorcery, and they delighted in using this spell to carry messages. She cocked her head, listening to the wind whisper Gunesh's words to her, then nodded to herself. She would have to act fast.

Turning, she drew both vials of lamp oil from where they had nestled between her small, pert breasts. She looked about the grounds for likely targets. Most of the buildings were made of stone but one, a shed that was probably an armory or larder, was made of wood, probably built later. There was also an outdoor workspace of some sort, with anvils, a small forge, a grinding wheel, tanning racks, and other accoutrements. It had wooden posts holding up an awning, and a wood roof covered in thatch. These would do. Neither would do too much damage, but people confronted with a fire weren't usually thinking rationally.

Swooping down into the street, Scarlet plucked a torch from a sconce outside a particularly seedy-looking brothel, then reversed her course and soared over the gates. The guard would be here in a minute or less, but that was far, far too long to stop her. She flew over the workshop first, pouring oil into the thatching of the roof, then flew across to the other building, where she hurled the other vial against the planks of the roof. It shattered nicely and Scarlet came down, skimming across the rooftop and trailing her torch in the runners of oil, which caught easily.

She arced upward and turned, lightly tossing the torch into the thatching of the roof of the workshop. In seconds, both were blazing merrily. She rose, directly over the courtyard of the barracks, and let out one last laugh as the guard reached the gate. Then she turned and shot in a crimson arc toward the monastery.

It took only seconds for her to cross the intervening distance, and she came to earth behind the great stone building like a sable thunderbolt, going down on one knee. She looked around and saw that she'd landed in a pretty, well-tended garden very similar to the one at Tri's temple. She lowered her cowled head, then, and called upon that constant upwelling of dark power she carried within her, which had been bolstered by the events of a few hours earlier. She felt the tide rise in a wave, and as it crested, she let out an unearthly howl.

The bloom of power scythed across the garden in an ebon flash. Nightbirds dropped from their perches, struck dead, and there was a sudden cascade of leaves and flower petals as they dropped to the ground, already dried or rotting. Every plant went from green to brown in an instant, smaller ones turning gray and collapsing into small heaps of ash. The grass became yellow underfoot, and crunched under Scarlet's delicate stride as she rose.

Two acolytes came out into the garden to see what was the matter, and the looks of surprise and horror on their faces would have been comical under other circumstances. As it was, Scarlet understood, but her cheeks burned under her cowl at being the object of their terror and revilement. They stumbled backwards, literally falling over themselves in their rush to get in the door. They slammed the great iron and wood doors shut behind them, and Scarlet could hear the sound of a bar being dropped into place. Working quickly, Scarlet found a few large rocks in the garden and heaved them through the nearest windows, then used her blades to mar the face of the door with a few heavy sword strokes. She cut down the floating silk banners of the temple to either side and walked over them, grinding them into the ground.

It wasn't much, but it should be enough. By the time the hunting monks arrived, the acolytes and nuns would be in a panic. Some would run, and thus wouldn't be able to be found. Hopefully, the monks would fear them dead or taken, and have to search the sprawling grounds for their bodies. Between that and the total destruction of the garden and marring of the monastery's facade, it should serve to occupy them long enough.

Turning, Scarlet flapped her way over the back wall of the garden, then let her wings fade out. She retracted her fangs, as well as sheathing her swords. She set off down one of the narrow alleyways, weaving deeper into the area until she found what she was looking for.

The man was drunk and nearly insensible. He wore the ragged, filthy remains of what had once been a brown and green light cloak, and a tattered naval uniform. He had a large, stained canvas sea bag by his side, filled with an assortment of odds and ends.

The drunk vagrant didn't even see Scarlet approach. Normally, she would have found a better way to do this, but their wasn't time. She stepped up behind him, quietly, then viciously hit him in the back of the head. The man went down like a backstreet whore, and Scarlet immediately stripped the grubby cloak from his shoulders. She put it on, draping her own cloak, which was considerably warmer as well as materially less odorous, over his supine form. Stripping off her gloves, she tied one around her head, the gauzy material across her eyes as though she were blind. It impaired her vision a little, but not terribly.

Then she emptied out the sea bag, feeling a strange sense of sorrow as she spilled this man's meager life all over the cobblestones. Into the now empty bag she threw her swords, stockings, shoes, and a few of the more worthless oddments this man had to cover them from casual inspection. She turned to the downed man and shouldered the sea bag. She really did feel bad. Grimacing, she reached down and pulled a small pouch with what money she had to her name, a few small round obols of jade, really, and gently tucked it under the man. Her conscience assuaged, she began heading back to Tri's temple, stumbling occasionally, walking with a bit of a hunch, and muttering to herself like a good, respectable crazy person.

 

[HookerBoots]

The ride back to the Satrap's manse was relatively nerve wracking for Ivory Dawn. Rilka kept eying her like she expected something to happen, or as though she were a delicious last meal being served up. Rilak kept stroking her waist in what he clearly thought was a soothing manner, but just made her more and more certain that this evening was going to go down a path she wasn't at all sure she wanted. Well, she could out-fuck almost anyone, and even if they decided to take turns, she was pretty sure she could wear them out and sneak away before dawn.

As they passed into the property of the Satrap's manse, the sorceress pulled her horse up and dismounted, handing the reins to a servant who gave her as wide a berth as he could without being offensive. "Rilak, I'm going to go inside and check a few books. I'll meet up with you and our . . . lovely guest when I'm done."

"Very well," he said, hopping off of his horse and lifting Ivory Dawn off as well. "We'll be in . . . ."

Rilka smiled at him. "The usual place, of course." She pressed a comforting hand to Ivory Dawn's shoulder. "Please, don't fret. My brother and I know how to do right by the victims of Anathema. You've been very brave, and we'll reward that appropriately." With that, she turned and walked into the house, her body moving sinuously under her robe.

When she was gone, the Satrap turned to Ivory Dawn and beamed. "Come, mistress. We'll get you set up properly." He started to walk forward, but then stopped as though he'd forgotten something. "How foolish of me!" he said, shaking his head. "Of course you're too shaken to make it as far as we need to go." In a smooth motion, he'd swept her into his arms, carrying her like a bride into the house.

~ ~ ~ ~​

The room he took her to was about what she'd expected: A fairly sparse bedroom, very little in the way of furnishings save the bed, a chair, and a plush rug. She was surprised that there was a chair, to be totally honest, but he took her over to the bed and set her down there, pulling off his gauntlets and sitting next to her. "Well, you've certainly had quite a night," he said amicably.

"Yes, My Lord," she said meekly, trying her best not to roll her eyes. At this point, it was a foregone conclusion that he was going to try and seduce her, and probably get his sister involved. She almost wished he'd get it over with, frankly, because at least then she could get on with the rest of her evening.

It was also possible he'd be a good fuck, as well. And it had been almost a week . . . . Don't get distracted.

Deciding on a whim to take matters into her own hands, she looked up at him from under her eyelashes. "I don't know how I can thank you, My Lord Satrap," she breathed, wrapping her arms around his arm. "But I'm so terribly grateful. I've heard terrible things about Anathema, and almost as bad about some of the Immaculates."

He laughed and wrapped an arm around her waist, tugging her body against his. "They are both quite harmless in the face of the Empire's might," he said, lifting her chin gently. "And rest assured, you are quite protected from both within my walls." He bent his head and kissed her, arms wrapping around her slender waist. She kissed back hesitantly, trying her best to make him think she wasn't just glad things were starting to get going. The jade of his armor was pressing against her almost painfully, however, and the feeling of it rubbing her breasts through the material as well as the warmth of it on the cuts she'd made was very stimulating.

She made a small sound as he pulled back, but Rilak quickly moved forward again, this time pressing her down onto the bed, stretching her out onto the mattress and kissing her again, harder this time, his hands moving to the tears in her robe and ripping them open wider. As she felt his hands start to stroke over her bare breasts, she heard the door open, and looked in feigned shock to see Rilka standing there, her eyes surveying the scene. She looked behind her and stepped into the room, saying, "Oh, please, don't let me interrupt."

The dark-haired woman strode over to the side of the bed, looking down at the swaths of pale skin exposed. "Honestly, Rilak, you should be more thorough," she said, reaching down and gripping the edge of the one of the tears. With one smooth, practiced gesture, she tore most of the garment away from Ivory Dawn, one finger trailing along the expanse of warm flesh. "I'm sure you've gathered, mistress, that my brother and I have a . . . special relationship." She smiled in what was clearly supposed to be a winning fashion. "Would you mind terribly if I joined the two of you?"

It was almost funny, really. There was no way for an ordinary person to say no, since these two were the authority in this city; there was even less of a chance for her to say no, since she was trying to get both of them to the point where they wouldn't notice her leaving. "Of course not, My Lady," she said softly, stifling a moan as Rilak's hand found its way to her pussy. "You are both so . . . ahh, so gorgeous, and I'm so very grateful . . . please."

"Good, good," cooed the other woman, her hands going to the fastenings of her robe and parting them, revealing a smoothly curved form that, in this light, had a very faint green tint. "I do love helping my brother entertain guests," she said, leaning forward and pressing her mouth to one of Ivory Dawn's breasts.

 

[Armphid]

Gunesh listened to Roaring Winds and nodded, "I definitely want your input on the plan, so thank you." He gestured to the table, "Take a seat, we should wait for the others. Normally I'd agree with you about striking now...but there's a few reasons why we should wait at least until tomorrow."

He ran a hand through his hair, "Ivory Dawn's clever and very cool, odds are good she'll be able to seize a chance and slip away on her own. If we bust in after her now, we could be going in and wasting all of Scarlet's work getting them looking another direction." He shook his head, "I also want Scarlet back here to help if she didn't go too far. We're going to need all the power we can get for this."

Gunesh then sighed and leaned against the wall, "But there's another reason as well. The Dynasty, and my family, function best under pressure. Right now they're on alert; they're focused and prepared. If we go right now, we'll actually be playing into their hands."

"But damned if I don't want to do it," he sighed again.

Tri came into the room, dressed more for business once again. "They'll start leaving tomorrow in small groups, so we should have the place to ourselves in two days if we wait that long." The blond looked determined but weary. "Are we going now?"

The sound of Tor's armor, though it was far less than a normal set of the same would make, announced the youth's presence before him. He came into the room and walked up the table. "It's not my place, but...I want to go now, but we don't know what we're doing. And we should wait for Scarlet and to see if Ivory Dawn can get out on her own." His storied armor gleamed in the magitech lights that illuminated the room. "But we're going to make our plan and hit them within a day either way. That sound fair to everyone?" He shook his head, "If not, then you make your own plan because I'm going to him then then or sooner either way."

 

[SwordsOfTheDane]

Winds listened to Tor, silently nodding his ascent to a plan of swift action. "I would agree that the sooner we act, the better. As long as they do not have someone who can discern what I am, I could likely scout where they took her. Maybe allow for helping her escape." He shifted his weight before sitting in a chair. "I feel that we should indeed be at our greatest capacity before we decide to storm a manse. Scarlet and I through opposite methods could make storming easier." He turned to Tor. "I am unfamiliar with your combat abilities but I'm sure you are more than skilled, to be able to take on a Raksha by yourself in such youth."

Roaring Winds sat back an mulled the whole situation over. The Hunt was roving the streets looking for Anathema. Scarlet was away. Ivory Dawn was taken by the Satrap. The Satrap and his Sorceress, She would be a problem. The Sorceress. His eyes widened, pupils almost eclipsing his irises. He did not turn to look at Gunesh, but he was clearly speaking to him. "Did you say Cynis?"

 

[HookerBoots]

It had become clear within a few moments of Rilka joining them that the brother and sister had done this often, and had turned it into almost a game. Every time Rilak's hands moved over one part of her body, Rilka would move hers to another part. It was near-constant stimulation, and it was all good. Ivory Dawn's apparent willingness to let them do as they wished seem to surprise and embolden the two Dynasts; they were fondling her breasts and fingering her pussy with abandon, taking turns sucking on her neck and breasts as they went.

She was so close, terribly near her release, when they both seemed to sense it, and stopped. She lay on the bed, the shreds of her clothing around her, as they stood up and started to strip as well. If she hadn't been so aroused, it might have been more off-putting to watch siblings take of each other's clothes, hands sliding over warm skin as they pulled of pieces of armor or skimpy underthings. Ivory Dawn writhed on the bed, trying not to seem as eager for them to touch her again as she was. While this was a ploy on her part, it didn't make them any less good at what they did.

Finally, as the last scraps of clothing were removed, she gasped, "Please . . . please, touch me again?"

Rilak laughed, stroking his large, hard cock. "I think she likes us, sister," he said, teasingly. "So needy, now that she's had a little."

"Don't be silly, Rilak," his sister said, moving to the foot of the bed. "Of course she is." She crawled onto the bed, between Ivory Dawn's legs. "Go on, then, give her something else to do with her mouth while I get things ready for you."

As she leaned forward, her breath just breezing over the copper-haired woman's pussy, she smiled up at her. "Don't worry, pretty one," she cooed, one finger slipping over Ivory Dawn's lips lightly, making her gasp. "You'll get filled, and return the favor I'm doing you before we're done here." One finger slipped between her lips, just the tip filling Ivory Dawn for a second before pulling back. "And I bet you know how to eat a pussy, don't you?" she asked rhetorically as she pressed her lips against the Solar's clit and started to lick at it.

Any response Ivory Dawn would have had was lost in a gasp, which quickly turned into a muffled moan as Rilak stepped over to her and slipped his cock between her lips. He groaned as she slipped her tongue around the head and began sucking, letting him twine his fingers in her hair as he began to fuck her face. It had been a while since she'd been used like this, a beautiful woman's face between her legs and a hard cock in her mouth. It felt amazing, so good to be taken this way.

And as close as she'd been before they started, she quickly reached the edge of the cliff and dove off of it eagerly, her body convulsing and trembling as Rilka licked and sucked on her clit, two fingers working in and out of her soaking wet pussy the whole time. Her cry of pleasure was muffled by Rilak's cock, but that was all to the good - he could feel the vibration of her moans and cries, and bit back a moan himself, one hand gripping the wrought iron headboard hard enough that he might have left finger prints on it.

When her orgasm finished, Rilka's method changed, turning instead to licking up the sweet, sticky juices that had gushed forth as Ivory Dawn came, hard, on her face. "Mmmmm," she murmured, pulling her fingers out and licking them clean. "So sweet," she cooed, lapping at the bare slit again, laughing softly as Ivory Dawn's hips bucked up to meet her eagerly.

"Rilak," the sorceress called, her fingers still toying with Ivory Dawn's wet cunt, "I think our playmate's ready for your cock." She thumbed the tight nub of the other woman's clit for a moment, listening to the sounds the beautiful dancer made with a pleased smile.

He nodded, his breathing very clearly measured and paced. "I think . . . I'm ready for her as well," he said, tugging her head back by the hair until his cock was just outside of her mouth. "Dragons, as good as your mouth was," he said softly, rubbing the head of it over her lips, "I can only imagine how your cunt will feel."

It was perhaps a little disconcerting how easily and smoothly they traded places, Rilka crawling up over Ivory Dawn's body, their breasts brushing against each other as she moved, pausing for a second to kiss the other woman deeply, tongues wrestling for a moment before she continued her path. Rilak moved to the end of the bed, tugging Ivory Dawn's legs to the edge before lining himself up with her hot, needy hole. "Are you ready, Rilka?"

She looked back at him, her knees on either side of Ivory Dawn's face with a smirk. "I'm always ready for this," she said, lowering herself slightly until she felt Ivory Dawn's mouth open and her tongue snake out to touch her pussy. "Oh, yes," she breathed. "Do it, Rilak! Fuck her, give her that cock."

He grinned at her, then pressed his hips forward, filling her with his thick cock in one stroke. The pale Solar's back arched, her hands going to grip Rilka's hips as she groaned into the Dragonblooded woman's body. It was hard to focus, the feel of her pussy spread wide by the Satrap's substantial cock, the scent of his sister's pussy in her nose, and the knowledge that this was terribly illicit making it easy to lose herself in the act.

Well, maybe that was all right. It wasn't like one hard round of fucking would wear any of them out.

In a moment, Rilak started to move inside of her, thrusting in and out of her pussy with a roughness that would have hurt a regular woman. To Ivory Dawn, it was just right, grinding against her and slamming his hips against hers firmly enough to bump her clit with every thrust. "Ahhhh, mmmmmmmffff!" she gasped into Rilka's cunt, her tongue slipping inside of the beautiful sorceress's hole and starting to thrust in and out, using the same rhythm that Rilak was using in her pussy.

She wanted to make the woman riding her face cum, and cum hard, using her nose to rub against her clit as much as she could before bringing one hand up and around to stroke the hard little button more easily. Rilka was moaning, one hand wrapped in a mass of copper-colored hair as she rode the dancer's face. "Fuck, eat that pussy, you hot little slut!" she crowed, her hips grinding against Ivory Dawn's face. "Good girl, taking both of us, loving every second, aren't you?"

Rilak laughed, one hand on Ivory Dawn's hip while the other toyed with her breasts. "Oh, she likes your dirty talk, Rilka," he panted, thrusting into her even harder as he spoke. "I felt her twitch when you called her a slut!" He pushed into her, grinding his hips against hers for a second before resuming his rhythm again. "Such a hot cunt, needy little bitch," he breathed, pinching her nipple.

 

[Kinkerhell]

It took Scarlet a little over an hour to get back. If she'd stuck totally to her role, it would have taken longer, but she took a great many alleys and by-ways, and whenever she found herself in one that was deserted, she broke into a dead sprint, using her not-inconsiderable speed to hasten the journey. These occurrences grew more frequent as she got further from the barracks and monastery, which were currently drawing crowds due to the destruction and the fire.

As she returned to the temple, she looked around and saw that there were no obvious watchers, but that didn't mean there were no watchers at all. She circled around back, to the garden wall, and delicately hopped over it, her lithe, light form making no sound as she landed. Once inside, she dumped off the filthy cloak and replaced her heels and swordbelt, then strode into the temple.

Scarlet followed the sounds of Tor, Tri, Gunesh, and Winds' voices to the room in which they sat, debating plans and problems. "I'm back." she announced. She crossed to an empty chair and sat, crossing her ankles. "The barracks is on fire and the immaculates are going to have a hard time quelling the panic of their acolytes." She looked around at the rest of the circle. "So, has there been a plan formed in my absence?"

 

[Armphid]

Rilka laughed, a high and cruel kind of laugh, "Of course she did! Dirty bitch, you're a whore for those Venus worshiping weaklings, aren't you? Taking any cock that passed by, hmm? Licking every cunt offered to you? Pretending to be pious but just being a vacuous fucking cum dump?"

The hand in Ivory Dawn's hair suddenly yanked hard, jerking her gorgeous face hard into the Dynast's molten sex. Her mouth and nose were both buried in the Wood Aspect's cunt, filling her senses and airways with the woman's scent and little else. "Show me, bitch! Make me cum and you get to breathe again!"

Her brother laughed then, "Gently, Rilka, our slut's had a hard day." Despite his words, he was fucking her harder now too. A mortal woman would be screaming not in joy but in pain and fear, he was slamming her furiously, almost smashing her head against the headboard with the rock of her body as he pounded into her silken heaven. "And her night's just getting started."

He took one of her plush, full breasts in each hand now; both squeezing and using them almost as handles to assist in brutally ramming his hard thickness into Ivory Dawn again and again. "Oh, yes, my pretty pale slut. A long night of pleasure for us all, and enough to cum to fill a dozen fucking times!"

Rilka's hips were bucking back and forth wildly, "Goood little bitch! Drink...it all down, you gutter trash tramp!" She shrieked and her back arched, head going back and her hair flying madly, starting to tremble as she rose out her climax on Ivory Dawn's face.

At the same moment her twin thrust himself deep into Ivory Dawn and growled out his own joy, his hips still pumping as his cock swelled noticeably inside her before blasting spurts of heavy, thick, hot cum into her. He released her breasts after roughly twisting each nipple again, sitting back on his knees. "Oh, yes, Rilka. She's quite a prize, this slut. We're going to enjoy her."

"I know, dear brother." The sorceress shifted off of Ivory Dawn's face to lean down and kiss her. "Sweet thing. Did you like that? You took it all SO well." Her arms moved past Ivory Dawn's head and slipped into slots on the headboard. She kissed her again, long and hard, and her hands moved as she did so.

There was a clink of metal snapping and locking tight as manacles closed on the sex stunned dancer's wrists.

"How will you take this...Sun Child?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Tor's head rose as Scarlet entered and his eyes went wide with relief. But he just nodded and closed his eyes with a smile, "I'm glad to see you again." There was more, a lot more, that he wanted to say. But he didn't even know where to begin. "We've eliminated more plans than we've made," he said with a frown.

Gunesh nodded, "Which is all part of planning an assault." If only they'd had more time for the kid to read the book. But time wasn't on their side; probably never would be. "Nice work, Scarlet. Come on over and see what we've got."

The now forgotten dinner had been pushed aside and a map of the city, as well as a hand drawn map of the satrap's palace were covering most of the table. Gunesh tapped both pages, "Tri and I have been scouting out the city and manse as much as we could since we met up, bribing servants, that kind of thing. So we've got a decent idea of the layout."

Tri tapped part of the map, "We've got a few competing plans at the moment. One would be having Roaring Winds assume a small form and slip in behind the sentries at the spots here or here. Then he could take them out fast and quiet and let us in."

Her hand moved to another entrance, "However, there's also a place here where no servants or troops are allowed to go. Only the satrap, his sister, and their military commander go in his area. We're sure it's being watched and guarded, probably by demons, but we're also confident we could take them out and get inside from here pretty easily. Especially with so many of the people who'd normally be at the manse out hunting Anathema thanks to you." She looked over at Gunesh, "Gun thinks that it might be a way to stack the odds in our favor too; he's assuming there's a weapon or prisoner there that the satrap doesn't want anyone to know about or get their hands on."

Gunesh nodded, "I'll admit it's conjecture, but there's not really any other reason to warn everyone away like that."

Tor flushed a bit but then spoke up, "I also had a thought of using Gunesh's flying thing to just, well, drop me right in the main courtyard here and light up as bright as I can. Their forces are depleted due to the Hunt to the point that I could buy a lot of time on my own, and even draw out some of their stronger fighters while the rest of the group found Ivory Dawn and then hit them from behind."

The former peasant's hands clenched under the table as he spoke. He wanted that, he almost needed it. He had to redeem himself in battle for his failures tonight. Tor forced his fists to uncoil and looked at Scarlet first, and then Roaring Winds, "What do you think?"

 

[Kinkerhell]

Scarlet looked at the map and thought hard. All of the plans had merit, that was for certain. The trouble with the first one was that she herself was about as stealthy as a rapidly-falling brick. Quiet wasn't something she did well. The third plan, while certainly more her speed, fell victim to the same problem as the first plan. She just didn't learn how to be invisible. Also, with Rilka being a summoner of demons, there was no way of telling what would be waiting for Tor if he went in alone.

"I like the idea of hitting them where they've got no mortal guards. If that's a weapon, excellent. If its a prisoner, well, we can either free the poor soul or not, as the situation warrants. Killing any demons or elementals first will help us later on. Best to hit them while we're fresh and leave the mortals for later." She shrugs. "Its the best way to do it, I think." She turns to Winds. "Thoughts?"

 

[SwordsOfTheDane]

Roaring Winds gave a solemn nod. "The summonings will be an issue in any event." He looked over at Tor, a proud look on his face. "Torasin, I feel that any plan that immediately surrounds us with hostiles, no matter how bold, is not the best one, rather it should be used as a last resort, and even then a pair should be dropped." He looked at the map, thinking to his past, what would the Swords do? "Rather than a very small form, I could use my Spirit Shape, to hopefully pull what guards are left from the manse." He pointed his finger to the front of the manse. "I can't imagine that they would expect a Snow Lion to decide that their post was a feast." He traced his finger away from the manse. "I am hardy enough that a running battle with a sizeable number of them would not be a problem. It would allow the four of you to go in hopefully unmolested. From there, I would see to either immediately rescuing Ivory Dawn or to seeing what is in that cordoned off section." He looked around the room.

He puzzled at the map for a moment, the manse was large, and they were only five Celestials. His voice dropped for a moment, "If we had more I might suggest hitting them from three or four sides at once," He picked up again and pointed to the forbidden area. "If we all assaulted this entrance at the same time, and from there had Torasin, Scarlet and I continue to reave towards where Dawn is. Meanwhile Gunesh and Tri should see whats in there."

Winds looked around the room the each of the Exalts in turn. "Thoughts, concerns, criticisms? I feel the sooner we act, the better."

 

[Armphid]

Gunesh shook his head, "They see an animal that's not supposed to be there, something noticeable like a Snow Lion, they'll know what you are." He smiled ruefully, "The Scarlet Dynasty has some experience with the Lunar Exalted, sadly. But once they see you then we'll have the forces sent out after Scarlet called back double quick and have to fight through a small army to try and get out."

The Dynast looked around the table, "We're going to have to show what we are if we have to do a lot of fighting in there but we have to try and delay it or we'll get buried. No matter what is going on, they'll pull together the second any obvious "Anathema" show up."

Tor frowned and then shook his head, "And we don't have enough people to split up, at least not at first." He leaned over the table, "Once we're inside, we might have to, but we'll be improvising from there anyway." He sighed, "I was wrong to suggest splitting up before. I think Scarlet and Gunesh are right. I'm for their plan."

Tri let out a breath and then nodded, "That's a majority. And people who I trust to understand tactics much better than I." She gave her assembled comrades a winsome little smile. "We should take a little bit of time to rest and grab anything we think we might need. I want to go quickly too, but rushing won't help us. An hour? Or is that too much time to wait?"