RP:The Cure & A Battle
Part of the Vakmatharas' Jar Arc
Summary: Brennia and Alvina conduct the song into completion that rallies the curses back into the jar and frees Lithrydel from the curses of Vakmatharas, but Orra is not done with her and a near all out war outbreaks while they try to get everyone to safety.
Grand Amphitheatre
The first thing one will notice upon visiting the massive amphitheatre is the amount of detail carved into the stone used to construct it, down to the pillars that hold up the highest seats. The images show various plays that have been performed or may be performed here in the future, along with various musicians and poets, even decorated warriors and elected officials that have come and gone. Stair rails leading to the rows and rows of seats are gilded in gold and the circular stage below is illuminated by a series of small gold lanterns floating overhead and a few more fastened into the stone floor. The stage appears to be set, and elaborately costumed men and women begin moving toward it from behind the painted backdrop made specifically for the play. The audience gathered goes quiet. It looks like the show is about to start.
The amphitheatre has been surrounded by secret security guards all dressed in black suits. Many guild members and some students have helped out in this effort and are placed all throughout lithrydel where those towns are afflicted by this horrendous curse. Brennia’s piano has been fine tuned and placed within the overhang of the amphitheatre to reach the loudest acoustic. An enchanted violin made of crystal, but it was rather long and curved like an archers bow (something futuristic looking almost) and a bow with unicorn hair to play it with is placed next to it for Alvina along with a sheet music stand. Matter of fact, mostly all of the instruments are enchanted to carry sound and some if the sound will get warped beautifully and nearly sound electric. Orbs of magelight decorate the outdoor theatre under the cover of night and a new moon, everything has been researched and timed to be played precisely at midnight. This experiment worked last month in Schezerade, finally curing them of their solar allergy, but the scars will remain for some time. The air is still on this clear night, but one could almost feel the ominous aura suffocating the air.
Brennia doesn’t appear nervous as she maintains that etched look she always has. Seeing Alvina garnered a small half smirk from the avian, but those teal eyes set back on the sheet music to ready herself because even though she is just playing some music this will not be easy. Every bard on the stage with her will have the same song before them to play so everyone in on the same page when midnight strikes. She pushes her shortened black wavy hair behind long pointed hears, sat up straight, cracked her knuckles right when a loud gong like sound rang out to indicate that it was time to begin. A mage was projecting a large meistro illusion in the air to cue all to pick up their instruments and begin… It starts out slow and serene with the piano played by Brennia first and Alvina would join in until all the bards were humming and playing along to the song. Connected by bard heart and the help of Kreekitaka’s contraction it’s able to sound out all over Lithrydel.
Alvina arrived in her usual garb; navy cloak and dress, lined with fluffy Frostmaw furs. Crimson curls are bound in low pins, so they spill across her shoulders in a varied cluster of lengths and directions. Beneath the cloak, the belt of her position among the Bard’s guild guides itself along the invisible sem of her hip bones. Emerald eyes scan the amphitheater. In ways it feels like Rynvale’s, in other ways not so much. It builds a fondness in her heart for the place, marks an internal reminder to visit soon. For now, she has other business. The cursed jar. The plague that took both Emily and her son’s life. The décor brings an otherworldly feel to the scene. The Engineer glides forward on soundless boots to the Piano and Brennia’s side. Without a word, she steps to take up the violin that glowed dully beside the Piano legs. It’s elongated and thick, more like a filled in archer’s bow where string and bow would normally part to space. It’s exterior is translucent, catching color from the surrounding lights and bards in various garb. The bow rolls across the strange strings smooth as silk, ushering forth a matching tone to blend effortlessly with Brennia’s pace. All around the music swells, making its way through the crowded streets or empty trails of Lithrydel’s lush and bountiful landscape.
Kreekitaka was here more as sound technician supervisor than anything else, but he was absolutely going to be here because of how much effort it had taken to make this work. First, there was the raid he'd needed to conduct on one of his undersea neighbors to acquire the hardware in the first place. There had been all the research done and battles fought to acquire the magic needed to actually make the thing work in the air. It had taken an entire team of dinosaurs to haul the house-sized transmitter out of the ocean and across the land, and just setting it up here had required even more finagling. The receivers, fortunately, were able to pick up the signals sent out by the whale-skull-based transmitter with only a minimum of alteration, so the fact that Kree was limited to one magical station was a non-issue. He'd had to have it set up to where Brennia's song was being played into the correct end of the skull, and then the sound was transformed into ulta-low-frequency infrasound which was broadcast across the land to the various receivers specially designed to pick up those frequencies and vibrate in such a way that they transformed the sound back into audible frequencies. As the receivers weren't exceptionally powerful, Kree had also needed to collect several uyeer percussionists to help keep precise tempo to help the various symphonies from different lands stay in sync with one another. But now that the band was starting to play, and the signal was going out, there was little left for him to do but sit back and make sure nothing went wrong with the equipment.
Kanna sits to the side with the other members of the bardic guild, playing a traditional four-stringed lute as opposed to the three-stringed one kept for her travels. She had arrived on this continent far too late to understand the curses plaguing the cities. The image of the witch being burned alive when Bastion had so clearly stated that it was the jar's doing and not hers was all the reason she needed to accompany the guild tonight. Luminescent butterfly wings protrude from a single ribbon tying her hair to one side as she plays; it seems no matter where she goes, the strange creature refuses to leave her side. It remains content to rest in her hair as she plays, the soft tones of the plucked strings giving an almost romantic accompaniment to the sounds of the piano and the violin.
Yoshika had just arrived at the Grand Ampitheatre. He had been asked by Brennia to be there while she performed. Walking in to find others there he pasted many un familiar faces as he wasn't sure what to expect. Hand on his tsuba he stood and waited for things to begin. Looking around Yosh’s eyes darted room looking exit to entrance and for other ways of entering and exiting.
Brennia’s fingers worked nimbly upon the piano and the jar set next to her on a pedestal of its own, but the lid remained off. Slowly the song worked these nearly invisible, shadow-like wisps into the jar until it seemed hundreds were flowing into it causing the wind to kick up around Alvina and Brennia a little. All throughout Lithrydel beings were suddenly unburdened by these curses as it lifts right from the afflicted and shoots off across the lands up to Scherezade where they hailed from all those months ago. The jar seems to teeter just slightly every time one of those things got sucked up into the jar, but a lot of them seemed to hoover in the air still - unwilling to return. Eventually the magelight appeared to dim significantly due to the aura of the curses merging together in the air above them, but it was when Hinder neared Brennia and bent down to whisper something that she looked up to notice.The mass was not getting any larger so this means all of the curses are here, right here and they now need to up the game to force them back into the jar. “Alvina,” she stops playing and switches out her sheet music, “we’ve got this.” The illusion instructs all of the symphonies to stop and for only the one in the amphitheatre to begin. Brennia’s speaking voice carries to all without effort as if she were sitting right next to them, “now, give it all you’ve got.” This final song is also serene, but kicks up in the climax and will force the rest of the aura back into the jar with everyone’s best effort even though the song heavily focuses on piano and Violin there was room for all. The song had picked up by this point and the wind kicks up even more around Avlina, Brennia and those seated nearest to the jar, but this part seemed harmless. Brennia’s sheet music was tossed to the floor and her eyes closed in concentration to continue from memory…. There was a stillness in the air once the song came to a close and when she looked up all she could see was sky dotted with glittering stars and the orbs of magelight. Quickly, she secured the lid over the jar after standing up, but she grabbed the mended jar up and held it close and tucked away under her arm when she heard an unnatural voice, Vermillion. Or… More like the dead necromancer controlling Vermillion and his group of Flewminati thugs, “ah-uh! Miss Smyth… I believe -that- belongs to me.”
Brennia holds the jar out to him, “come and get it… Orra.” Vermillion’s face twists up into a wicked grin as he mentions, “I guess not -all- bards are dumb.” He starts to make for Brennia, but she is flanked by avian secret security guards in no time, “this jar should belong to none! I will be destroying this abomination as soon as I leave here, but come after me, my city or my college again. I will end you.” She slips out a long sword from one of the nearby guard’ sheethe and almost every bard student or guild member follows suit with their own weapons. Even little hobbitess Dewfoot-Barrows is here with a small sword called she calls ‘Prick’ and murder in her motherly eyes. Vermillion/Orra pulls out his own weapon and makes for the band of bards, but this is when all hell breaks loose and there's security guards, city guards, bards and flewminati all melding together in a battle. Brennia makes for Alvina, jar in one arm and sword in hand, “got anything useful in that toolbelt?”
Kreekitaka felt it--that constant worry, eating at the back of his mind, causing him to brood and hide himself away, finally ripped away from his mind. His people were surely free as well, and this was a point of much, much rejoicing for him. No more would he be ruling a nation of cowards. It was time to move forward--the Dinosaur Knights would surely only grow from here. Suddenly, however--a voice! Kree decided immediately that he was NOT going to have this joker suddenly come and try to smash open a jar full of curses again, especially now that he'd gotten his mojo back. He immediately hauled his jawblade from its holster, slammed his potions into his water tanks, and clattered down the amphitheater stairs towards the group of thugs. "You're going TAH!oo have TAH!oo go HHHTHrough -me-!" he thundered, smacking his jawblade on every bench as he went by to charge up its enchantment. Clearly, this was the other reason why he was here. Necromancer-bashing.
Alvina feels a thread being tugged from some indistinguishable place inside her heart. The rooted worm of the curse that had stolen away so many from their homes. With passion, the bard pushes forward. Playing her song of retrieval for Emily, screaming out a ballad of grief for her son. Each emotion tints the strange instrument a different color, the magical core sending off fractal beams to the near transparent exterior. When Brennia speaks her name, she hears it above all else and turns with a nod of agreement. Her bow momentarily leaves the strings, the shuffle of papers takes a breath of time and they are off again. The Guild Leader’s voice fills the space surrounding and Alvina drops her bow back to the strings to begin again. The wings of Kanna’s butterfly catches her attention during a brief rest in her sheet music. Joy illuminates her expression as she goes, willed forward by the hope this gathering has brought her. Her hair and cloak flutters upward, as if caught over a steam grate. The papers are gone, torn to another place but she continues to follow Brennia’s lead. When the song stops, the air is thick and her breathing is labored. It takes a moment for her to register that anyone’s spoken. Vermillion approaches and the hairs on the back of her neck prickle with discomfort. “I don’t quite see how this belongs to you…” She snorts, turning to Brennia, who would know the man’s crimes far better than she. When Brennia comes towards Alvina, asking about her toolbelt, the bard grins. "A little knock out powder never hurt anyone." A small vial is pulled, uncorked, and brandished like a mystical sword of legend sending a shower of silver dust over Vermillion's advancing form.
Kreekitaka slammed into the thugs like a freight train, meeting his first opponent's sword with a colossal diagonal swing of his jawblade, going from high to low and knocking the weapon from the man's grasp before slamming it forward and up to bring its blunt tip towards his face. The follow-through spin was used to both knock him aside and parry another blow from a second man. Kree grabbed the newly-unconscious thug with an empty claw and hurled him into his friends, bowling them over and creating an opening for him to let loose with a shockwave aimed at the necromancer himself, whose thunderous power was only amplified by the amphitheater in which they were stationed.
Kanna closes her eyes during the next song. The emotion that she felt the first time she heard the song scorched the notes into memory. "Give it all you've got!" She hears from Brennia, and her strums pick up pace, still in time with the others. With determination steadfast, she plays for poor Valrae that she never got to meet, for everyone mourning for her that day. Her memory shifts, and she now plays for the injustice of having to fall asleep listening to a bitter man complain that he has to play house just because of Kanna's existence, for the injustice of walking for miles after realizing she was abandoned, for all the injustices that made the former singer turn to the noose, and that led a child to be the one to see her hanging in the foyer. The song is over before she knows it. Her hands are shaking as she clutches the lute, attempting to ground herself to the present. Focus on now. Pale sapphire eyes regard Vermillion warily. She had only heard of him until now, but seeing that condescending smile affirms that everything Brennia told her was true. The plump human rises with the others, revealing twin daggers that were resting in her lap behind the cover of the instrument. Of course, she has no need for the daggers, as she begins to sing a familiar song while avoiding clutches of the henchmen. "Gazing at the distant sky, did you dream that you could fly?" The song of rest causes the enemies to drop down in deep slumber around her, though some of the students seem to be affected as well. "Sorry!" She apologizes, covering her mouth with one hand.
Brennia glances to a long pointy tip to Alvina’s new violin, but when she glitters Vermillion with knockout powder it staggers him and sends him into a coughing fit, “meant a weapon, but” eyes look up at the bow shape of the sharp looking violin just before Vermillion gathered himself once more, Brennia took Alvina’s elbow that was holding the weapon looking instrument and pointed the tip at the assaulter. He was not expecting this and got jabbed in the stomach by short Alvina while Brennia swiftly took the blade of her own sword and sliced a nice section of his wing off, “merde… I was aiming for a wing and an arm.” She said while the man backed away screaming in pain and shouted for all of the Flewminati to, “get the bitch with the jar!” Brennia’s next words were only for the bard's, “note of terror, now!” In harmonious unity all of the bards emit a long and loud note in the direction of the evil doers and they cower, some of them back off, while some fly away.
Alvina shrugs at Brennia in good humor. "Woman, I don't carry weapons. My gift is my soooooong!" Her joke turns into a startled scream as Brennia twists her elbow so her violin breaks against Vermillion's stomach. She's too dazed to add to the chorus of terror notes and finds herself very terrified as a result.
Any in Lithrydel wandering out on this night would feel the calm and stillness of this new moon, the crisp air seems to change as music can be heard in the distance for all around. The skies dark and glittering with stars, leaving one with the overwhelming feeling that all is right in the world if only for tonight. Any and all afflicted by the curses from Vakmatharas’ Jar recover remarkably and get just a moment to enjoy this peaceful night for this is the end of such a terrible occurrence, but gives hope and strength for what’s to come.
Kreekitaka was in and among the attackers--being a melee specialist, he did his best fighting up close and personal. All around him was a circle of battered and bleeding thugs, whose ability to stand up was rapidly being taken from them. Even the smaller shockwaves Kree released were enough to bowl people over thanks to the amphitheater--but there was a moment when that fear seemed to return, even if for a brief moment. "NO!" he roared, blotting out the unnatural fear effect with a rage so violent that if one looked closely they might actually see smoke leaking out of his body. "I DAH!oo noTAH! suffer from HHHTHis again!!" He latched onto the nearest thug before he could get away, lifted him off the ground, and then drove his face into it before dropping his entire 900 pounds down onto his elbow, directly into the man's back. The sound it made was sickening, and no sooner had he completed the action than he was up again and charging after another thug. The men were quicker, however, and the note of terror passed after a brief enough moment--still, it took him over a minute to cool himself down, and he forced himself to stand away from the rest of them while he slowly allowed himself to relax.
Kanna could only hold the note for so long before her lungs gave out. No sooner did she start to take another breath did a hand of one of Flewminati just out of reach from her song grab onto her ponytail, yanking her back to smack her head into one of the stone pillars. She was not entirely unconscious, but the world was spinning as she threw her arms out with no real direction, hoping that the daggers would at least make contact with the one left in her area.
Yoshika drew his sword as the room filled with a foul stench of darkness. The metal against the wood of his sheath made a metal scrape that rang out when he pulled the katana. The people standing in the room before him looked like normal avains and other lively creatures but there was something wrong with them. Beneath the flesh something dark stirred, no he could see the black slithering. These beings were “taken” by something and nothing of what they once were remained. Flaring out his only wing he pulled it back and pushed it forward sending a burst of air at a few of them getting their attention. Heads snapping over at him in an instant the creatures turned to him. Holding up the katana blade facing up and the point sticking out forward with one of his elbows out another tucked in they rushed him. One on one battles are where Yosh excels but he learned how to multitask while fighting bandits and thieves any they seemed no different. The first one to make it way to him swung high and he ducked down and spun swinging his sword upwards as he moved around and to the left, taking his sheath off his hip and in the other hand he used it in passing to pull out the leg of the being. As it was on its way down using the other hand with the katana to drive it into the chest of the darkness poisoned enemy. Bring up both sword and katana he crossed them behind his back to block the strikes coming from the other two that chased after him. The two avains now engaged with him snarled as if they had no comprehension that they themselves were not filthy beast. Slobbering and growling as they stood in a deadlock with yosh for a moment. Closing his eyes and taking a breath he tucked his wing in and pushed back sending the possessed avains back. Swinging his katana left to right and holing it out horizontally he bringing up the sheath to the handle and putting it in up the tsub he had extended the handle by 3 feet. Seeing this they charged him. As they did this he lowered his body but was struck on the chin by a boot by one of them. Falling backwards he swung the sword with the sheath as a handle and removed the legs of his attackers. Standing up and looking at them he took pity. They may not have choose to do what they did but he would never know. They snarled and clawed at him as they used their arms to drag the legless bodies to him. With one swift swing he ended what he thought was a terrible existence for them. Looking around the room he saw that many others began to flee. Joining them he found the bards and followed to where they were retreating to. Looking closer he was seeing an oversized something struggling with someone he knew, Kanna?!? When where and how she got there he didn’t know but watching her having her hair pulled and struggling to stop it put a fire in his fist and katana. Marching over urgently he grabbed the attacker by the shoulder and spun him around and placed himself between the two. “Excuse me you won’t mind if cut in will you?” And with that the being was left with its torso and legs separated after a swing of the sword that both neither Kanna or the attacker could see.
Brennia sends out her speaking voice once more to bards and allies alike, “all retreat to the college, they will not be able to penetrate the enchantment protecting it.” Yes she means Kree too if he will join them. Brennia keeps Alvina at her side or behind her, protecting her along the journey back to the castle for it seems all of small Schezerade had broken out in a small war between The Flewminati (not-so-secret society) vs Schezerade City Guard and most of Brennia’s secret service protection. Keeping the jar secure and Alvina proved a sort of trying task as she just jabs her sword out at any that got passed the guards and advanced on Brennia or her bards behind her. She sees the college in her sights and the path is clear for them to much relief, “run to the entrance,” she tells everyone before handing the jar off to Alvina, “put this back in my office. I am taking it to the Queen of Frostmaw to destroy it.” Brennia stays behind with sword in hand to fend off anymore attackers attempting to come anywhere near the college.
Kanna blinked hard to get the blood seeping from her forehead out of her eye as her vision adjusted. She paused in fear for a moment when another blurred figure stepped in. She looked up to see Yoshika, then to the attacker as both halves fall to the floor. That is... just one notch too gruesome for her to handle. She lets out a shriek that draws the Flewminati's attention back to the trailing pair. Acting solely on adrenaline now, she abandons the daggers and takes Yoshika's hand, nearly dragging him as they avoid attacks on their way back to the safety of the college.
Alvina stumbles with the crowd and Brennia towards the college. She calls random encouragements to those rushing beside, behind, and ahead. A stand is being made and she's in position to fight in it. The jar finds her hands, emerald eyes darting to Brennia's face with concern. "Only if you come back!" She shouts, lips twisting into a frown as she turns away. One final glance over her shoulder at the avian woman and she goes, towards the college - helping any who have fallen so they aren't trampled, to take the jar to the Headmistress's quarters and pray it's foul magic is never again unleashed.
Niall | Brennia wouldn't have to wait long before she felt Niall beside her in the chaos, a sword in one hand and a dirk in the other. He fought like mad to get her, panicked as a cornered rat seeing her in the thick of madness. Who had he ever agreed to stay at the castle again? What sort of lunacy had crawled into his mind? There was blood on his blade already, his forehead too from slamming it into one of the more unlucky Flewminati members who had gotten too close. It ran into his eyes and his beard, made him seem all the more mad for it. "Raven!" He shouts, his blade slamming into a foes. They lock and Niall reaches around with his dirk to slam it into the other man's gut. He lands the bow and releases the dirk, letting it stay in the man's bowels as he runs.
Brennia was guarding the bridge to the castle by now and trying to fend off attackers when she heard the name and felt the familiar presence, “Niall?” She looks up and it’s him… “What are you doing here?” She felt so confused and now her focus was pulled while her memories have been a jumble she’s not really adept with fighting as she used to be. This opens up an opportunity and an avian swoops down and sticks Brennia with a dagger. She was so close to the entrance of her home and her reflexes made her sway out of the way, but he clipped her good and even followed through to stab through the wing behind it. Brennia jabs out the sword wildly in anger with a loud grunt and cut the guys hand off before she fell to her knees, “Niall. Get in the castle! Run.”
Hudson | Kanze East had taken this gig because it related to his lost wife Kam but also because it had seemed a good publicity stunt, and damn have things gone haywire. He’s lost sight of his neighbor (Alvina) in the fracas. He has brought with him, for reasons that may never be understood, a large golden chalice, with which he now assists one of his party members by wailing on a random member of the Flewminati to assist in their escape. Through sheer chance he ends up rallying close to Niall, putting himself back to back with the other man, huge chalice held like a baseball bat. Brennia shouts run, and Kanze looks in the appointed direction. “Let’s go people!!”
Kreekitaka eventually followed, but not because he had any intention of joining the bards inside the college--rather, he planned on defending them along the way. As the procession charged along the pathway, Kree used his jawblade's shockwave to launch himself into the air and then grabbed an enemy avian out of it before using the being as a cushion when his bulk inevitably dragged him back to the earth. He rolled to his feet and started charging up again, ready to snatch another one. To Brennia, who stayed outside with him, he said, "If you mus' go now, I have HHHTHis here."
Niall doesn't know Kanze, he's a more of a Jason Aberdeen kinda guy, but he's grateful to have someone friendly at his back. He'd been distracted though, looking at whatever he was using to club people with, and suddenly Brennia is down. A bolt of white hot fear stabs through him so fiercely his vision blurs. A roar, more animal than man escapes him, and he's on the man who stabbed her. He doesn't hear her telling him to run. He doesn't hear anything but the sound of his own blood as rage pumps through him. With one swing, Niall pushes all of his power through and cleaves through the man's neck. The sound was unlike anything he'd ever heard. It all came rushing back to him as the blood splattered across his face. He'd deal with it later, he compartmentalizes, turning back to Bre. He reaches to snatch her up, haul her to the safety of the castle. "Back up here?" He calls to Kanze hopefully, one hand swinging with his sword, the other hopefully filled with Brennia.
Hudson | Fortunately for Kanze, his chalice is not solid gold. It's plated. So it hits hard. He's banging on guys alongside Niall, and he feels a phantom pain when Niall roars like he himself has been wounded. Kanze misses Kam. He's splattered in blood as he swings wildly to cover Niall who grabs hold of Brennia for their hasty retreat. For the first time since Kam's Vanishing, Kanze feels alive. Bitch, he's a monster!
Kanna crosses the threshold across the barrier and takes a few gasping breaths. The dress she borrowed for the event was just another one of the theatre costumes anyways, surely no one would notice that she wiped the blood from her head on the dark fabric of the sleeves. She sees the commotion outside and realizes her headmaster is still out there and injured. On an impulse, she starts to run to her aid, but lets out a cowardly yelp when an avian throws a weapon that bounces off of the barrier. No. No no no no no no no-- a mantra repeating in her head as she beelines back into the college and into the safety of her room down in the dormitories.
Brennia hasn’t felt this alive in so long and it takes being wounded to snap her back to reality until she remembers her time in death once more. She doesn’t feel like arguing with Niall again mostly because she’s thankful he is here and her free arm drapes over his shoulders while he helps a limping Brennia back into the protection of the college, “help me patch up. Then we must help the rest with their wounds,” even now her gaze is still bored, but knowing her he could see the subtleties of her expression - she was appreciating him. She’s just a pinch vulnerable when she asks him to stay out of help and not out of want, “will you stay tonight and help me?” Teal eyes look up to him sort of apologetic as she saw the blood decorating his face... “Tomorrow I head for Frostmaw.”
Niall is dogmatically focused on getting Brennia to safety now. Nothing else matters. No one else will stop him. He can feel her blood on him, warm on his arm and hand. He's cursing Sven, he's cursing her shoddy protection service, he's cursing the gods damned Flewminati especially. When they finally reach the barrier, he still doesn't feel a sense of relief. He's grunting at people, moving them out her their way to reach a place where some healers have presumably tried to form some small bit of order to help in the chaos. "Here! She needs help here!" He calls, finding her a place to sit. He doesn't settle until she's been seen too. Underneath the blood of battle, some his but mostly not, all of his wounds have already healed or begun to heal. There was a long, fresh pink scar on his breastbone now, visible through the slash of his bloodied tunic. "I'm not going anywhere," He answers, reaching out to touch her cheek. "You couldn't make me if you wanted too."