Night Falls on Daeor [Rosinderian Uprising ~ Open Thread]

[Coda Mardopangi]

With a mighty rush of the Clever West Wind, the cockroaches swarmed into the sky like an armada brandishes its fist at the sun. He was blotted out within seconds, swallowed by the hungry maw of deplorable Asian cockroaches. The roar of gossamer wings ominously gave harbinger to the city of Daeor – unconditional surrender or virulent plague.

Thunder cut the air like the edge of a knife while droplets painted Daeor’s industrial veneer – the proverbial heart of the Renovatian Invasion. Rain mingled with the scent of silt and clay, ash and birch, stone and wood.

Turquoise hair billowed flippantly into the abyss, staring down with condescending looks at Daeor’s grand floating fortress. “Go back,” she cried. “Go back to your metal mountain!”

Coda Mardopangi’s brow furrowed with astute resolve as cockroaches swam over Daeor by the millions. Rather than summon a horde, the weather mage had chosen Valucre’s natural armistice by controlling the Clever West Wind and its torrential rains due to the mountains and deep valleys that made Rosinder’s indigenous landscape burst with pride despite her dark horizons.

The weather mage was tactically imbalanced but frowardly tactless. An adept of Julius Aldoid, Coda mysteriously vanished from the History Books over 60 years prior when she nearly obliterated her teacher. Primarily concerned with dark offensive magic, Coda was said to have been stamped out by Juli Aldoid in that duel. Little did they know, rather than blotch her superior's good name, the mage grew reclusive and secluded herself in the Wastelands north of Terrenus. A native of Rosinder, it had taken an immense passage of time for her to return home. By the time the onslaught had solidified. Rennovatio had all but finished its full scale invasion, leaving the lightning to convulse inside of her veins.

Roaches brought their filth into the city. Clouds of chitin bathed the city into chaos. Panic would reverberate through the electrical systems as denizens might not be aware that they had made a wrong turn when they did not hermetically seal the city. It was already too late. The roaches flattened themselves paper thin and skittered into every nook and cranny until the buildings were crawling.

Coda stared with brazen eyes of brass, lightning soon becoming the only light to testify to the ebbing vengeance on her chiseled face. The wind howled. The rain persisted. The sun was blind. But the weather mage was still dissatisfied.

Holding her arms aloft among the cloud of cockroaches, the swarm threatened to decimate the entire control and operation of the city.

[|°ὺ₯₳ↄĸJONES]

Home land security. Red lights pulsated, indicating the scanning of several system checks, accompanied by clicks, beeps, and the activity of machina. Pop-up screens flickered like butterflies across several HUDs which cast a heavenly blue tint upon the darkness clad hangar several stories up within the castle that symbolized Daeor. 00101001 Alert. It would have been merely a minute or two after the first signal was received of the biblical invasion would the seven Primal Units have taken off to evaluate the situation at hand.

Mindless drones? What did they feel when they seen the swarming of creatures, and the the fleeing denizens they were suppose to protect. Both Renovatians and Rosinderians terrified as the terrorist set out to ruffle the feathers of a great nation.

Unit one, two, three, and four. Initiate 'twilight-sky.' An orchestra of beeps graced their digital ears, and soon after, all of the units called forth would scramble so it seemed, taking to the skies at mach speeds. Leaving sonic booms in their wake while searching for heaven above the swarm and clouds. 3 units remained on the ground, watching as the bugs began to infiltrate buildings and means of transportation. It was looking ugly, and the Scouts that watched through the video units installed within the Primal Guardians were considering desperate defensive tactics.

twilight-sky in effect; 2 turns till initiation.

[Inalitalllane]

"Your Aces, kid," came the calm, resolute words of the young female.

Black organza and tatters shifted as the lanterns that hung about her hips glowed with fireflies. In gossamer synchronicity, their wings flapped as the horde of roaches swallowed Daeor. Like a great floating mountain, it imposed overhead. Coda advocated, her voice articulate and stern. There was no turning of the head. The slow gait of an apathetic black clydesdale trotted to the top of the rocky craig and bent its neck to graze because it was too tired to yawn. The cockroaches harmed him not -- nor did they harm his bearer. His mane was wild and carefree and his coat was long and oily as though his frame was both slothful and insatiable concerning grass. The horse was a glutton, to be sure; so gluttonous, in fact, that you could not see its polished golden horn beneath its carefree mane because its head was enduringly bent to devour oats and seeds. He also did not care that his rider was not a female. Neither that he was not a virgin.

Enunciating slowly and inbetween elongated dipthongs, her palm came to rest over the mane of the unicorn while the repugnant sound of cockroaches reverberated overhead. "Remember what I taught you. Lightning strikes from the ground up. Feed the fire of your synapses and of your nervous system into your feet. Push it along the foundations of the Earth as your nervous system is no longer connected to your body. Feel your mortal energy disconnect and become omnipresent with the flow of the Universe. Feel the cull of the North and the South poles curving the fields into elipses. Feel the dissonance as the nervous system walks beneath the amass of that rotten, ungrateful, barbaric monolith. Let it go...let it travel. Feel the air become scalding and sharp with electricity. Feel the sound waves bounce and carry and amplify. Remember, walk beneath the city with your detached nervous system and flare your aura - and may the Earth adjoin with Heaven."

The soft bree and whinny of the clydesdale unicorn sent little cockroaches flying off in uncontrolled wisps. They were absolutely destroying the electrical systems and defiling any and all forms of mana and magitech with their chitin corpses. "The cockroaches will bring down the city in a matter of moments. Absolutely overload their energy supply, Aiden. The fervent dedication of a righteous student will come forth in his work, so show me what you've learned."

Olive eyelids squinted as she tried to anticipate their attack. "We've not much time. Once you strike the city, get into that energy supply. Become one with it as you have studied under me. You are the lightning. You are energy. You will transcend into the power of that city. Do this for me, Aiden, and you will become your own sorcerer."

Again the unicorn whinnied and stamped its foot while Coda pet the mane of the horse; some dark inevitable fate awaited her -- it was ever-present in the sadness of her smiles and subtle farewells. "We've not much time."

[Malum]

Aiden sat straddled atop the mighty steed beneath him. Though his teachings had forced into somewhat of a more mature persona, he remained, at heart, a quick-wit foul mouthed ruffian. It was likely because of this that he did not hold an equal appreciation for his means of transport as Coda did. At least it was black, Aiden could deal with black.

Beneath him and towards the fortress before him lay a sea of insects, nasty little cretins marching their way to devour from the inside out. Coda spoke to Aiden, but words were lost here and there to distraction of the menacing swarm that left the child deep in Aiden a tad unnerved.

“Lightning, sorcerer, time. You got it Miss.” Aiden replied to Coda’s winded lecture.

Though the attitude was no front and a strong part of Aiden’s character, he took everything his teacher said very seriously. He was grateful that she had allowed him to realize the potential in his abilities and bring his talents to fruition. Generosity of that magnitude warranted gratitude, and most importantly, debt.

Aiden looked to the fortress. Lightning, eh? He thought to himself. For a man with his talents it would seem a simple thing, but alas taming the most devastating strike in nature is no easy task. Aiden dismounted the mighty unicorn and touched his feet to the ground, squishing a cockroach or two. It would be easier to focus is power if he could touch the ground whose charge he must control.

A stern look washed over Aiden’s face as he kept his gaze fixed steadfast on the large structure in front of him. From within his body flowed a concoction of mana and controlled electrical synapses that focused themselves to the ground and travelled towards the city as invisible current. Slowly the charge of the ground was manipulated as Aiden read the storm clouds above. Crackling sounded from between the clouds reminiscent of clashing blades of monumental proportion.

Attack. The charge difference created between the ground beneath the target and the clouds formed a perfect column in spatiotemporal synchronicity as a column of air began to ionize. The crackling clouds increased in amplitude in a dissonant crescendo of suspense and tension. In a fraction of a second, illuminescent discharge shot from the structure to the skies above in a column of devastating electrical display. Anything within the column would be instantly fried at an impressive 30,000 degrees, leaving anything capably of combustion in flames and fusing any contact points in uncanny heat. However, intentions grew deeper than that, knowing full fell a lightning bolt wasn’t enough to tear down such a massive structure. Instead the gallant display of natural destruction was channelled to obliterate any form of electrical signalling as the current travelled throughout the surfaces and crevasses of the fortress.
Sweat beaded off Aiden’s forehead.

“I thought you’d let me warm up first.” He scoffed with hints of fatigue in his voice.

[.Observer]

~Day Eight; Since her arrival~

Payne stared at herself through the mirror for one moment, glancing at her new uniform. She grumbled softly at the bright red outfit she was now bearing. The clothing was too much for her, she just had to end up in some strange place. No wonder she never used teleportation, she couldn’t get from point A to point B. It was like asking a monkey to not throw poop at you, just a bad idea! She tugged on the silk cape that hung around her back, the little hood resting on her slender back. She finally sighed and reached down to rip at the skirt, her fingers clawing into the material and ripping till the skirt barely went past her mid thigh. She rose her hands up to the tight little white tank top clinging to her slightly endowed torso, gazing down towards the soft fabric in the mirror. She shrugged helplessly at not finding a way to fix it. Pulling the clips of the cape around her neck together, she latched the golden bolts. She took a deep breath, and concentrated on her point of direction.

One… two… Three! Jump!

She felt her body being torn piece by piece, particles ripping apart her form and slamming her elsewhere. She landed with a large thud in the background behind the two magical beings. She stood up quickly and dusted off her cape as it was the only part of her to get scraped from the landing. There was a low hiss behind her, noting Muhr, her Anima weapon, was not a fan of her following a clan of magical beings.

She walked up behind the two mounted beings, and gazed at the show going on in the sky. Her eyes lit like an ocean under moonlight, she seemed entranced into the electrical and insect infection phenomenon swirling above her. She gazed towards the woman, wondering if she was the leader, it was clear when the male spoke it, as it answered her question with quick deduction.

She wondered if she should have waited for orders to join, her cape swayed as a small breeze swooped past them, her hood was pulled over her head, hiding her obsidian shoulder length hair. Without reason, she smiled as she spoke aloud, “Payne, at your service! I can disable magical and physical retaliation from here, if you wish it!” Her aura sparkled as her hands zapped slightly, the bolts of lightning that fired from overhead was still leaving discharges and new charges of summoned energy in the air, causing her body to absorb the the leftover.

She waited for any answer to the question; she could curse and jam the ability fields if necessary. As a red mage, she was skilled in small parts of her class. Magic was medium, where physical was just a bit stronger. The charges of power was rushing through her veins, lighting her insides on fire, she felt so much alive while channeling the power in the air. Every single being gave off some sort of emotion, positive or negative energy; each could be accumulated and used against them. It just so happened, so much magic was in the air already, that she could summon her abilities with relative ease at this point.

She turned her head towards them, pulling her hood back, her smile was serene. She was a few years’ young, but she had monstrous power, power that exceeded way more than she would ever need. Choosing the cast of a red mage was the best particular suggestion one could have given her. She would wait Coda’s command.

[Rapture]

Sure the mages would have all the fun casting ambivalent lightning strikes. Or hurling great balls O' doom at the huge floating construct, of monuemental proportions. However Rhezzo took comfort in the fact that perhaps he was the only fighter among them. Who would've thought, someone who was contrarily opposed to magic. Would find there way among the masses to fight. Even though he'd been recruited to this cause, Rhezzo knew somehow he could afford to make a difference. Despite his loss at the cave in eastern Genesaris, Rhezzo was hopeful for the future.

Standing steadfast behind the three mages, he watched with a nearly apathetic face. His jet-black hues would observe the structure. Seeming to measure it up for a weak-point. Any normal man starring down a grand fortress might've turned the cheek. Was it courage or foolishness that drove him to move to stare this damned thing down. Not exactly being a fan of technology, nor magic. He knew that everything could be brought down -no matter the make or size. "I certainly didn't expect this, the quirks of being a hired blade right?"

Looking down to the Ravenbrand, he smiled thinking of his friend Kai. He may not have liked the past couple days ago. What with forfeiting the tournament and all. He decided fighting for a reason, then personal gain was pointless. Besides these people seemed decent enough, not that he was in any-way a patron saint. His hand lurched for the familiar handle of the Ravenbrand. As he began to feel his aura spiral around him. The essence of it would begin to flow around his sword. Something about that fortress had been a bit worrying. It was quiet, a little too quiet.

Anytime silence followed in the wake of a multi-story flying fortress. Burning and corpses were sure to follow, this being what history taught oneself. Rhezzo could feel the energy of his aura fold and compress around the length of Ravenbrand. Still coursing as every inch of his aura was used to charge a very special attack. Of course this was to make sure that an attack wasn't launched. However at the same time it dawned on him, that perhaps it wasn't a good idea to be sitting ducks.

"I hate to say it, but perhaps it would be best that we keep on our toes. So that flying hunk of technology doesn't bear down on us."

Walking ever faster he began to keep his eyes on the fortress. It was foolish to stand ground and let the thing hit you point. With whatever kind of armaments it had onboard. Knowing this thing at any time was sure to unleash utter hell. He hoped the mages could understand what it was he was thinking at this point. Otherwise it definatly looked like they were on the losing side of this fight. Still Rhezzo kept some faith to him, that this mission could be won.

Bichun Ray 1 of 2

[Julius Aldoid]

They came over the hill and walked among the lines, the lacquered shells of their armor glistening even though flecked with dirt. Each figure that stepped from the tree-line was distinctive and in no way similar to the one that walked beside it. Each a different color, there ornate full plate uniquely encrusted trinkets, seals, writing, cloaks of silk and complex pattern-work trailing some, others hoisting full flags from upon their backs, and each armed with strange and exotically baroque pole-arms. Had one merely stopped within one's presence, one might think that someone had gifted you a marvelous but gaudy statue, some flamboyant caricature of knight from a far off place. It was a dazzling spectacle, and with them carried the scent of incense and strange bloods and just being near one filled one's heart with bolstering and safety. A small force, five hundred strong, stood poised behind the line of mages. A small stipend, each bearing the same intricate seal, and as the light caught them, an opalescent ink hid etched within their lacquering shimmered for a moment, speaking of an arcane purpose.

One dressed in navy, a helm like a pope hat and hoisting a tipless lance, which looked like some manner of heirloom of some decadent, over-stylized king, stepped from the set. He wore a rosary wrapped around the other arm, brazier venting incense into the air, and wore what looked to be a peach colored robe formed of a banner one was more likely to find in a hall of honor.

He stepped behind Coda, and placed his hand upon her shoulder, for He was her guard on this day.

“A message for you ma’am,” his voice plain, with the ghost of some accent, “ ‘your wish is my command’ he said.”

Without a study of the arcane, it is hard to describe what occurs within such a Custodian's armor. With it, the strange arcana within them activated and with all the complexity of Byzantine adaptation of an ancient puzzle box, a mystic aura cascaded around this figure, the very flow of the arcana redirecting in his presence. His form seemed to tap a deeper well, some stranger, odder current, and merely being with them in such a state, the area around bent to the flow of the arcane. The trees seemed to take on the forms of figures, faces to be found in stones, and the wind seeming to sing. Like bitter tea, these beings seemed so heavily stooped in occult rite that had lesser mages been upon the battle set, they would have been overshadowed by those that sought to protect them. The pressure of the arcane current would grow as the other Custodians followed suit, and being in such great presence seemed to only increase the concentration of the flow upon such an area. But as with flow, so too ebb- and within the city of Daeor, there would be a strange dishallowing. As the daggers that were spells and summons sought to pierce the bloated figure that was the city, it carried with something else now- a poison. A poison to the bastard arcanotech and the bitch of technology.

In the presence of Custodians, the arcane workings of the mages would cause technology to falter, almost as if its probability of failure rose.

Another custodian stepped to Aiden, and so to Payne as well, and even to Rhezzo. All three mages so too would be affected by this deep infusion of arcane- their forms shifting- the same ornateness of the Custodian's armor lacing into their clothing, and deepening their magic. And if these were the singers, the remaining Custodians formed a chorus. Could one look upon the Arcanum, or delve into the Empyrean, The Nether, The Astral, or Immaterium, one would think they were looking upon a star formed of interlacing seals. The roaches in their frenzy would swarm greater, some breaking off only to explode and their shards regrow into twenty more. The plague had become a pestilence, and with every spear of lightning, they would now scream with a fury like a lance forged of a dragon, a life to the strikes, devouring the woeful city.

Such was their way.

[Inalitalllane]

POSITIVE MORALE BOOST - 25%

Billowing into the wind, an arm protectively moved in front of the Red Mage who was so eager to take part in the casting. “Steady,” answered Coda, as though her mind pierced the aching want of the Red Mage. “I know you want to bring them down, but there is a special purpose for you.” The weather mage watched as pestilence overtook the heretical city.

The roaches seeped into every system, corrupting it by bursting into dozens of the little bastards. A plague now overtook Daeor as chitin and cilia were upon every surface short-circuiting magic and machine alike. Their reach was unstoppable.

Electricity flashed in her vindictive eyes; Aiden had struck, and with Mardopangi’s zealous body language, he would know to keep striking. The turquoise locks flowed into her hair like curtains while thoughts carried her deep into the dolor of hearts. Swinging herself astride Aiden on the black unicorn, she signaled for him to dismount and keep attacking the city with cataracts of lightning.

The cavalry had arrived. Below her were the magicians and soldiers she had begged for; all of them looking to her for a cue.

“Sorcerers! Conjurers! Augerers! Mediums! Mages from Red to Black, hearken closely to my words, for they may be my last!

A year ago from this day, Renovatio invaded our home with gilded promises of advancement. Our ‘uncivilized’ society was not only a scourge unto them, but our primal heritage was apparently a stain upon every Valucrean nation.

And so, without asking, they came. Without parley, they stole our land under the guise of progress; they poisoned our water supply under the oath of innovation; with blood on there cogs, they harnessed and perverted manna from the sacred mouths of magical rivers. They imprisoned our mothers, brothers, sisters, fathers and comrades for holding steadfast the virtues of the arcane! They shadow our skies with citadels while portraying the illusion of peace. But we are not to be deceived. Their so-called Messiah lies upon a sanguine bed in a sanguine tower where he insists upon the hollow promises of wishes to his people.

Tonight, he will grant mine. He will die by Retribution’s hand!”

At this, there arose a great war-cry. The Custodians beat their lances into the earth or swung them about in the air. “Har-oo!” they called in unison.

“By my hands!

“Har-oo!” said they, and raised their lances.

By your hands!

“Har-oo!” the wailed, stomping their feet.

“By Fate’s hand!”

We mages of Old Rosinder -- we ancients before the reign of the saint-king -- had our being in magic’s flow. We struck not our kindred, but still the king of Rosinder muzzled our tongues, bound our hands, and caged our bodies.

I do neither beseech nor implore you to fight for Rosinder! Not for Arthur Terces in his Hallowed Halls. Not for Gavin in his foxhole! Where are your heroes? Where is your king!? Where are your allies who swore fealty to you!?”

The witch was all but screaming now, her eyes welling up with tears as she looked at her army while the unicorn jumped from rocky precipice to rocky precipice. “But I! I have not abandoned you! Today, the chronicles are rewritten! The maps are redrawn! The tomes are dusted off and our people – once persecuted by the blind prejudice of the Church of The Crimson Lords -- will step off of the gallows and into the history books!

No, today, you will fight for magic itself! For the belief that one must protect the beauty and wonder of this world. That magic is neither harnessed nor manipulated nor perverted for the sake of oppressing her people. That it flows freely and benevolently to all races. That it is not a sin to uphold the hallowed life of this world! We do not use magic! WE ARE MAGIC!

So fight, my dearest compatriots! My oppressed people! And I swear to you, by dawn, these trespassers shall cast themselves into the rocks and crags begging for death to release them of our onslaught!

Show them no mercy! Fear neither death nor torment, for this reckoning has waited for ages! It has been fuelled by the cries of tormented generations! Whatever they unveil; be it weapon or horror, you never hesitate! You never cease! If your limbs are severed, curse them with your tongue! If your voice is quelled, exterminate them with the fury of your hearts! Bring it down! With every ounce of magic within you, burn this empire into the ground!

The Day of Daeor has fallen! The Night now comes! Ride with me! Ride with me to victory!”

The sigils of the arcane swarmed her slender form as Alrión, the black unicorn, reared with its rider charging lightning bolts between her glaives. It was going to be one hell of a night.

[.Observer]

Payne exhaled through her teeth, her body was on fire. The entirity of her form felt like it was going through a melt down. There was sweat pouring from above her forehead, little droplets running down her cheek. Though it was unclear if it was tears through the hood, her body was rippling with so much life right now. The energy in the air was like a giant mess of dust ready to be vacuumed right into her body. Each time a stroke of lightning strucked the fortree, fourty percent of the charged particles went right into her form. The power was relentless, it was malicious to her mind.

"Calm down, sweety. Calm down." -- The weapon upon her back spoke to her mentally, stroking the child-like hair from her form. -- Payne was curled up inside of her mind, her body rocking back and forth on the sandy beach. The water brushing against her feet, her body draped in thin garments. She pressed her hands to her faces, and small sobs echoed the world.

Aqua energy was beginning to pulse violently off of her, the power was so damn beautiful and so god damn evil. The attacks were becoming malicious, the strokes were becoming harder. They whipped right through her body, causing power to explode about her form. The magic was an amazing view in her eyes now, her mind had finally shifted, no longer seeing through mortal eyes. She was gazing upon the strings of pure energy.

As Coda stood there, her voice echoing, her mood set. She had an aura about her, and the aura was moving in the air and curving right down into her own form. Aiden's did the same, the emotions coming off of him, the energy being casted. Even the third mage that joined them, Rhezzo, the emotions and his charge was drawing into her body. When the Custodians were near her, she felt the icy shrivel of their boost. The increasing of their magic, the final break in her thoughts.

--Control began to wither

Payne was curled tighter in a ball, the sandy beach had been completely destroyed. Tornadoes and volleys of magical energies were a maelstrom in her mind. They were all connected to her aura, this was way too much. She never asked for this. It was the same fear she felt when encountering that angel, it was destroying her mind.

"I always have to save you, don't I?" -- Waited... a heartbeat, time ticked... Nothing. "Guess I do." Muhr chuckled, a male form appeared behind her in the sand. He leaned to place one hand onto her shoulder, and sighed softly.

--The wind from the pressuring energy into the sky whirled like a mad gust as present time returned to Payne's eyes. The gust blew past them removing her hood, exposing her long raven hair. The sea blue eyes now a glazed icy stare. She reached upwards with her right hand, and grasped her sword. Slowly she unsheathed the weapon of her Anima. Pulling the weapon to her side, she lifted her left hand up. Immediately as so much energy was charged through the air, particles of vast phantom and cosmic energy began to twist and twirl above her palm. The spinning orb of aquatic and obsidian lightning expanded as the orb grew bigger. The energy was charging through her sword's tip! The weapon was placed infront of her at her side, as energy was being torrented in one direction from the fortress into her sword, swallowing the left over energy of emotions, magic gathering, energy consumation.

The aura around Payne had shifted, turning from a light blue to a navy color.The orb continued to grow, the energy becoming undetctable as it expanded forward. She lifted her hand up, "I wait the final ingredient, Mages."

--Calamity from the Heavens *1 Turn - 10 Magic stacks*

[Inalitalllane]

OOC: Due to the elongated nature of our wait, I am going to start taking the city. Those of you who are with me whom wish to accompany me, I deeply appreciate your beautiful writing and all of the help you've given. :3

[duo.]

They sky began to darken as bolts of lightning cut through the sky, stabbing the ground and surrounding buildings of Daeor. The night became disquieting, and an unsettling scene began to unveil. Where the thunderous thrums of magic and might abraded the bosom of Daeor, there was almost nothing. Not a single white hot hole in one building or another, save for the ground itself. The dirt was cracked and warmed by such an impressive elemental onslaught. The difference- primal alloy was not in the sedentary matrix. Unlike steel or mithral, primal alloy did not conduct electricity- magical or otherwise- instead, it absorbed and diffused it.

Cockroaches that were scattered through the city, not unlike the resistance, were of little significance. It was not beyond the city of Daeor herself to neutralize their existence with nanomites. Every crevasse or seam these miscreant insects were able to find themselves was fully capable of creating veritable anti-bodies from any surface of the city itself. It was not beyond Daeor to become a sea of liquefied metal to drown these well-wishers of Rosinder.

The three primal units reconnoitered, requesting backup from the Templar devision. It wouldn't be long before their chess pieces were in place. To say it was already too late to save or even defend the city of Daeor was to completely and utterly disrespect the will of Primus, for that, this uprising would be squelched. Without tactical prowess or foreknowledge of their enemies, this Resistance unfortunately found themselves knee-deep in primal steel. What was their mettle without proper action? It was a tremor in time, not unlike the one that churned the city of Daeor at its core some five hundred feet below the surface of Renovatio.

"The Twlight Sky is in place. Await orders."

The very city itself resonated, perhaps it was an ominous sign. Would the Primal Guardian units have organs or nervous systems, anxiousness would most likely have been the term used to describe their feelings at this moment. In the stead of emotional expression, they remained stoic, standing ever-vigilant atop of their wondrous city- whose boundaries were vastly altering in shape and scope. It wasn't long before a sloped wall encompassed the entire city-state.

[Twilight Sky complete; one turn until activation]

[- hacknslash.]

As it's fairly apparent that metagaming runs rampant within Daeor, a simple-minded creature such as Judas Narcoli refuses to exist during the outrageous turmoil of virtual cock stroking and the horrid attempt at someone DMing a portion of Valucre that they hold no dominion over. Good riddance, Aoyn rejects gone wild.

[Julius Aldoid]

A man in a tuxedo stood quite patiently at a doorway within an endless hall. His spatted wing-tips pressed into the welcome mat he had laid out on this particularly special door. Enter one, and he could be relaxing at the beach. He had to go though this one though. There would be no surf there.

He fixed his collar. The ceramic plates that had insinuated themselves over his tux were quite uncomfortable, and he let out small grumbles of annoyance. He checked his pocketwatch again, it informing him that his defensive systems were fine.

“You invented it, Sir. Should have made it out of pillows if you wanted it comfy,” said a voice beside him. A hand pressed upon his shoulder, but to turn and look, there was no hand. Such was the nature of Cartographers. It was this unit that served him at The Battle of Blaurg - The Helldivers. They would be the spearhead of his escort. Four platoons of Guardsmen would guard the doorway back, and many more would come spilling into the city. Nexus links would be fully active, and all units would be armed with Loci wards to counter any terrain manipulation. There would even be a mechanized unit to cover their escape, and if necessary, three Ultimus Guards would be primed to betray their blood oath just to enter the city to wreak havoc at his command. He would have their support, as well as Tälï with him; and even his guard Caliban with five Custodians - his personal entourage, as it were.

But that did not make the armor he wore any less itchy...

His every artifact on his person was primed. Blessings had been made to Janus, Dantalion, Hashem, Dionysus, and at least a third of the Lesser Key of Solomon. He went over all of the rites in his head. Just wished he could have some Bavarian Cheesecake right now.

“Um, Master,” another hand now upon his shoulder. He turned and stared at his doppelganger: his familiar, Holo-Juli, an ever-willing decoy, “What are we waiting for?”

Julius smiled quite big. “Savoring it, is all. I knew King Fred of Rosinder. Good man. Ungodly powerful mage. He was one of the Magi Council of the First Order just as I was ranked as a Magister. Great Man. Could have crushed their entire army with a breath of his lungs. No guff. I miss him. That and just,” he stopped a moment, staring at the door.

“I remember when the invasion came. If I had stood, perhaps it…Coda was right. She was always right. But no use for that. So yes!” his eyes began to light up. His white tuxedo swirled with color, iridescence flowing into the entirety of his form. He withdrew a crown, and slid it onto his top hat.

“This one’s for you, Fred. Coda, consider your wish granted.”

He walked to the door in front of him, and turned a key into the lock.

“Are you ready, Tali?” asked he, turning to the woman beside him.

---

Daeor, as he had been informed, was a shining pillar of golden metal, while the city below was choked with pestilence. To its rulers, magic was a tool, and because of it, though they might make claims of seeing a flow, they were blind to how ravaged their city was. To them, the land was there body, and they were its spirit. But this was no city. This entire place was one big weapon. The people in it were hollow shells. What were their names? What were they but filler to make the land seem like something more then just a petty leech.

They sought to control the lifeblood of Rosinder… and such would be their downfall.


The flag of Renovatio might fly high upon the floating sanctum, but there was no mighty engine of Renovatio beneath them- just the rage-filled heart of Rosinder beating strong. They were out of their element. No manner of planar lockout was possible from their end. Gavin Terces, The High Summoner of Rosinder, had been quite respectful in that regard - granting Julius the specifics of the land’s planar data. And just as Renovatio had trespassed in during the war, Julius would use The Law of Rosinder to trespass right back. For all their shining glory, the nation was petty edifice. They sought to enslave magic. Julius was one with it.

Even had they the security against his door, security is never totally infallible, and control was an illusion. Was that the purpose of Twilight Sky? Well, sadly, it wouldn’t account for much. And who better to send in when illusions were present then an illusionist?

Upon a crossroads, just outside the mighty palace, a doorway opened and nothing stepped out. This nothing looked about and walked forward, opened its cloak, and a shadow forming in the gap that alluded to at least something. It walked forward, and, amid the street, jabbed a lance into the ground, a flag of Rosinder flowing upon its hilt. It was a totem.

Six figures faded into view. Rust colored armor coating them. They looked like they would be better suited as engineers, or maybe deep sea divers then any sort of warriors. They, along with their flag, quickly disappeared again, the signal to move given.

As Juli stepped upon Daeor soil, he shivered in revulsion before affixing a smile across his face. A grand illusion had weaved its way in the city. If he had to guess, an illusion, already present, had interacted with the aura the Custodians were sewing. He saw it perfectly.

There was no gold in the city. Every inch of their land was coated in roaches. People stood in the streets gawking with there mouths open, allowing pestilence to flow into them. To think, a horrid disgusting wave of decay-eating filth that they could in no way perceive was now coating them, devouring them, and climbing into their orifices and wounds. People were falling all around them, but in turn, were being swallowed up into the illusion. How? As the roaches had been empowered by the aura of the Custodians, they became spell-touched. They became coated in the illusion that was present, and in turn became the illusion.

What was the illusion? That they had nanomites at all. Someone had pulled the old Cincinati Shuffle on Renovatio. It was all an illusion. There gates were left unmanned, and because of it, there city had gone to the bugs.

And as a man rotting flesh left the palace, blind to how horridly infested his land was, a battle within his palace began to rage. The people of Rosinder had had enough- and that included their palace guards. War would erupt within their halls, a strong contingent of Resistance-loyal Guards overtaking their armory and waging a war against their palace defenses. They had had two years to insinuate themselves into their walls, and those had two years to find them, and failed. Even now, they transmitted that data to the Resistance, and it would be known to all among their ranks, transmitted over The Nexus communication array.

His stave clicked against the ground, squishing an unseen bug, it a strong ash timber traced with metal bands. Even past the pestilence, Some manner of metal coated the city. Normally, it would likely be quite powerful, rising up against its invaders. The loci ward of both the flag and his own stave ensuring that there would be no such petty bending around he or his people. It was inert. He quickly replaced his top hat once he had passed through the door - a dense fog flowing out of his coat, the shadows of it quickly bending and warping until it seemed like there was nothing there at all. Dreamland spell. Not even their auras would appear. In a city covered by a blindspot, they were the most unseen part.

The door shifted, bending, growing wider. Massive man sized spiders made of stone, Velocipedes, crawled out, covering all points of the area, including the sky. Entropic barriers quickly put into place, a whole private mana line being tapped so that they didn’t even have to worry if Daeor tried to shut off the tap.

A strange figure hovered out of the door. His skin the color of white washed granite, likely the texture as well. His eyes were like rough rubies, rolling in their sockets, of which only one could be seen. He hovered over the ground as a ghost, the figure carved in the form of the Djinn.

“Can see us even if they wanted to. Even if they knew the illusion was present Caliban, we would still be unseen.”

Behind him stood a figure mirroring Juli himself.

“This place… is awesomely disgusting Master,” chirped the Holojuli, stepping out as though he were on parade, his stave a baton to lead floats. Such float quickly followed- a whole fleet of guards quickly rushing out, forming some manner of statue around the flag that had been set, and following them, five ornate Custodians, Each one standing roughly twice the size of a man, .


“So long as we stay in pestilence, they will not be able to detect us. My presence here assures that. Not even scan magic can see thought them, as I have tapped the illusion already in place, and the Custodians further empower my magic. We are even defended against counter-offense by The Loci wards, which I trust everyone is wearing!”

Everyone gave an “OK” gesture. Holo-juli tapped a nearby guard right in the rear as he ran past with his foot, informing him to “watch his ass”.

And so, as far as Daeor knew, nothing had happened. The street sat empty, and their ignorance told them the irreparable damage to their city already wrought wasn’t really there at all. Just went to show how far there technology had gotten them.

[Malum]

A warmed palm rose to wipe Aiden’s brow as he looked to see comrades join him and Coda in their festivities. Mages, swordsmen and the Custodians all gathered for the sake of the uprising. To this, Aiden was left at ease knowing he would have the backing required to undergo such a task, though to him, it was all too fantastic of a display.

To Aiden, stepped a Custodian, and within his presence the form of the lightning elemental began to flicker and flail in a gust of arcane influence. To this, his energy swelled and his garments forged into Custodian armament. Looking down at his newfound protection and arcane empowerment, his eyes wandered up to look bewildered at the custodians and his fellow mages. Beneath the commanding cries of Coda the Custodians chanted with conviction so booming, Aiden had scarcely heard such a sound outside of the thunder to which he was master.

“Really...” aiden spoke to himself as he looked at the Custodian in disbelief.

He turned to look at the fortress once again, his face was of a man whose fate was known and paid in demise, a notion Aiden had little trouble coping with, but demise never matched wits with a man so tenacious. There seemed to be little to no damage as a result of the phenomenal crash of lightning that fell upon the fortress of Daeor. Aiden reasoned it was not conductive, this, of course, was an obvious deduction if not for illusory trickery. However his wit would serve better to derive a solution and so the gears within his skull began to turn and think as he looked to Coda.

“I’m riding in..” He spoke to her, uneasy of the consequences of standing ground. To what his bravery owed its sanction was debateable, he had hoped it was courage and strategy. In reality, it was likely a thick skull, young heart, and the iron will of his commander. Sometimes the latter is enough.

Beneath Aiden’s feet, sparks flickered and his form began to rise atop a small column beneath each of his feet. The charge in his boots and legs had taken place of the clouds above and he was now floating on miniature columns of lightning that flickered and danced away from their columns as they continuously produced electrical energy, moving Aiden in minute circles as to use up as much of the molecules beneath him for such a cause before they ran out.

Now empowered with the strength of the Custodian armour that swelled with Aiden’s power and, in turn, fed him with the energy needed to maintain prolonged periods of magic and elemental manipulation, he was ready to spearhead the fortress and take out any minions/obstacles they were to place before him.

“You!” Aiden commanded the force of Custodians behind him “Rise!”

Beneath the Custodians brewed a concoction of magic and electricity that engulfed the ground beneath them and began to elevate them. With the use of the arcane empowerment endowed to him, Aiden bestowed his force with the ability to ride like he, not upon steed nor beast, but light!

With that he advanced, flying beneath column of lightning at incredible speeds. His palms were opened and flickering with electricity as the clouds which had created his primary lightning bolt had yet to dissipate, and for good reason. Behind him, two hundred and fifty strong rose from the ground and careened towards the floating island with Aiden at their front.
Upon touching ground, Aiden kept his forces atop a thin sheet of electricity to avoid the liquid metal that had been pouring out into the city.

“I’ve seen smarter wits in the minds of drunkards.” Aiden thought to himself, and shot a hand out to face the ground. His left palm began to flicker and discharge as the nerves and cells in his hands radiated with electrical impulse so vivid, it caught the heavens attention. With that, he realigned the static charge in the air around him and once again called upon the surge of electricity that boomed from his arm and shot into the ground at the liquid metal. If their metal bore a magic so bold as to defy the laws of nature, so to did Aiden's lightning grasp the reigns of magic to counter such blasphemy. The force of the blast nearly blew the mage back as he fought to control the surge of electricity and guided it to the base of the fortress where it would meet the foundation with devastating heat and charge. The web of electrical charge spread towards the fortress like an eclipse woven with threads of lightning. If there were combustibles, they would combust, if there were machines, there would be dysfunction, if there were guards, there would be death, and if Daeor thought their chances to defy Aiden, his master or the resistance...There would be desolation.

[sunbreaker_]

War. He knows war.

Even this war, plagued as it is with magic adulterants, is no strange thing to him. He stands abreast of the oscillating streams of mana, in fact, so as to have a better vantage point.

After all, there is no honor in chronicling battle from without.

He is nigh-imperceptible; should he be found, however, it will be standing not a dozen paces behind the party of the woman called Coda.