RP:Defense of Armantium

Part of the The Orb Of Life Arc

Characters: Cerinii, Orikahn, Ilska.

Location: Chamber of the Raan, Armantium

Cerinii had charged forward, wasting no time in her approach to the Chamber of the Raan. Her seat of power waiting for her. As she marched down the once deserted streets, Fermin and Homunculi alike targeted this woman. She would cry out, as she brought her titanium arm across them - titanium cane sweeping at anyone in her path. A few scratches, bruises on the way - but nothing too serious. She knew the more deserted streets, after all. The bridge of glass was deserted, a quick run to the Chamber. She crouched, throwing herself upwards - briefly flapping her wings - and ascending to the middle seat. She quickly sat down, rolling up the sleeve of her right fleshy arm. She pressed her arm down, a brief wince as the blood dribbled down those pinpricks. Her voice boomed across the city, "Troops! Line up, assemble. Advance on both intruders! If you can't kill 'em, you throw 'em over the city walls!" A quick pause, eyes assessing the air before her as if seeing something. "Elite force, line up! Take over the lightening towers, strike down whatever airships are left. Stop those forces!"

Cerinii shouted, "Troops! Line up, assemble. Advance on both intruders! If you can't kill 'em, you throw 'em over the city walls!" A pause of some short time, "Elite force, line up! Take over the lightening towers, strike down whatever airships are left. Stop those forces!"

Orikahn had expected Cerinii's arrival sooner or later. With the discovery of a *second* floating city, the cat's curiosity had quite thoroughly peaked. It was freak enough that one such anomaly be permitted to exist. His mind teems with questions, but articulating them is difficult and takes time. Ah! But here she is now, the senator herself, and a new scent mingles with her already odd variety: blood. Slitted pupils go wide, and the feline stands, thankful to already be in his anthropomorphic form. "Not all is well, Cerinii?" Padded feet carry him silently out of the far shadows of the abandoned chamber.

Cerinii smiled down at Orikahn, "Ah, Herr Khan, wonderful to see you." She paused, "As you can see, the city is in ein state of turmoil. We have been invaded by the Fermin, who so worship ein certain.. Lich Queen." She paused, "The Homunculi are attacking them in retaliation, causing damages. I want both out of the city." She smiled, "Not many fermin are left, only ein few. I trust when they see the soldiers they will cease und peacefully leave the city. I wouldn't wish them any undue harm, but I will expect repairs to be made for any damages caused." She grinned faintly, "Be ein dear und guard the door, please." She winked at Orikahn, before closing her eyes. A green bubble seemed to emerge from the head of the Avian Senator, clearly an illusion of her own doing. A spherical shape, with the city inside. Tiny images of what would appear to be the soldiers, the very few Fermin that remain and the Homunculi. She murmured quietly, "Troops, target the main concentration of the Homunculi. If the Fermin attack you, you have full permission to attack in retaliation. If they do not attack you, please escort them from the city in ein peaceful manner." The tiny images in the illusion seemed to surge forth, ready for battle.

Orikahn does his best to listen intently, absorbing what he can of her rather odd message. Invaders, here, in a floating city? It seemed odd to him, impossible even that such a place would have to fear any sort of military threat, but nonetheless Kahn does as is asked of him. Moving quickly, he takes his post by the door, standing in ambush just behind the frame and flexing his fingers, adrenaline already beginning to seep into his veins. All this talk of attack, not to mention the scent of blood in the air, was starting to get to his head. With any luck, though, he'll be killing something soon...

Cerinii leaned forward in her chair, deep into the illusion now. As if she herself were wandering the streets of Armantium. She murmured, "Reduce power to the lightening towers, keep the homunculi distracted. We do not wish to send them into some rage, make it appear to be ein technical issue." A quiet whirr, a noisy guzzle and a wince followed the words. She cringed, focusing quietly. The troops began marching down the streets, fast-paced footsteps. Killing the homunculi they could see, throwing the weaker ones over the walls and to the ground below. But, a troop of Fermin were caught with a number of door knobs and valuable possessions. "Halt!" The commander yelled, "Relieve yourselves of those objects and leave the city, at once!" They drew their weapons, archers at the back, swordsmen at the front and spellblades in the middle. The Fermin droped all their items, raising their tiny hands up and shuffled towards the exit like a line of criminals. Cerinii smiled, "Good." She paused, her voice resounding throughout the city, "Capture the objects und house them safely, some of those are valuable to our history und are to be protected." She paused, watching some images drop off the illusion. "Losing troops.." But then.. a shuffle outside the doorway, perhaps some Homunculi ready to come in?

Orikahn perks one ear as Cerinii continues, frowning thoughtfully at her words. Keeping his eyes trained on the door, he could tell very little about the battle being waged in the city beyond. Curiosity gets the better of him for a moment and he steals a glance at the orb, though it reveals little to him. Besides, there is motion in the hallway beyond. A visible change comes over the cat. Knees bend, muscles wind like springs, fingers spread, and his upper lip curls, revealing more fangs than just the ever-visible elongated canines, all of them sharp and ready to rend flesh and crush bone. Any semblance of civility that Cerinii may have once recognized in him is vanished, and it is clear that whatever comes through the door, be it friend or foe, will face certain hostility....

Cerinii groaned as another whirr and noisy guzzle passed, the green orb wavering and shuddering wildly. A homunculus wandered through the door, spotting Cerinii immediately. It didn't notice Orikahn, the perfect predator and the oblivious prey. She murmured, "Homunculi driven out. Lightening towers, cease.. all power." She smiled tiredly, the arm of the throne oozing red. She didn't even notice the beast, what with her eyes closed. "One remaining.. Unable to find."

Orikahn need no invitation or further prompt. The moment the homunculus has passed the threshold, Kahn's claws are flashing. With a downward swipe, he grabs the creature by the crown, his middle and ring fingers digging into the eye sockets so claws can hook neatly onto bone, providing the necessary grip for his next maneuver. His trunk winds, and with a forceful swing, the feline throws the man-sized beast into the wall, then into the floor, than against the doorframe, flailing it like a ragdoll and sending thick drop of blood scattering and spattering each time the body lands, his grip on the scull unrelenting.

Ilska appears from the south.

Cerinii could no longer focus, as the illusion crumbled away into nothingness. Some blood splattered onto the base of the ascended throne, onto her legs too. She groaned, removing her arm upwards from the thin spikes that had drained her so easily and quickly. She wavered in her seat before tumbling forth and falling to the ground. A loud thud, and dent in the tiles of the floor. But otherwise, she was just fine and dandy. She said nothing and did nothing in regards to Kahn and the homunculus, it seemed under control.

Ilska felt suspiciously natural here, surrounded by thrones, by royalty. As she presented herself in the past, she maintained a regal poise and even more stately expression; her mouth was pursed into the tinest of smiles, her wintergreen eyes slitted and observant. Her red dress, the material made of flowing organza, was in perfect condition. Her skin, however, was not so--there were upraised scratches on her neck, chest, arms and lower legs. They were still healing from her last encounter with the forest, where everything seemed to be hunting her. The constant violence and confrontation hardened her heart yet again, and she didn't even smile upon entering the chamber, smelling Cerinii's precious scent. Instead, she became defensive and protective. "You were hurt?"

Orikahn scowls and tosses the limp and broken body of the homunculus aside, giving his hand a shake to clear it of the foul and unnatural smelling blood. Something about the creature bothered him, and it certainly didn't smell like something he would want to eat. Silently, he is thankful he killed it with his claws and not his teeth. But what's that? Ilska's arrival is rather unanticipated. Frankly he had imagined more of such beasts that he had just dispatched to come barging in, but certainly not so civil and pleasant an entity. Something tells Kahn that when he was told to "guard the door", it was not to be against the likes of the newcomer. Instead, he resumes his post, though his ears lower in suspicion and uncertainty.

Cerinii inclined her head, "Mmhm." As far as she was concerned, this was a.. delusion, brought about by losing blood. She murmured quietly to Kahn, "Danke, for protecting the doorway. It is appreciated, mein friend." She closed her eyes at this point, attempting to make the room stop spinning.

Ilska closed her eyes briefly at the scent of blood, savoring it, identifying it. It didn't belong to anyone she knew. Slowly, the woman approached the doorway but did not pass through it; instead, she leaned against the frame and stayed there, her eyes peering through, intense and intent. Her full lips were parted to speak, but made no sound, and her small fists were clenched, but her diamond nails struck nothing.

Orikahn recedes as silently as his feline body will allow, sinking back toward the shadows. Cerinii seems to be having one of her fits again. Frequently, he had known her to loose consciousness at the most inopportune of times. Perhaps he had better wait this one out from the shadows. Dissapearing easily into a dark corner, he contents himself to watch and wait.