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Post by Umi on Sept 26, 2012 15:47:03 GMT -5
((going to work on introducing my newest character, Arashkya, and the city of Drango. Feel free to jump in at any point, this is open for everyone. I don't care how much or little you post, just so long as we're having fun!))
The morning air was light and wet as the sun crept through the snowy mountain peaks. The city was slowly stirring from it's sleep, yet the small reptiles slowly moved about, yearning for the warm patches brought by the sun. Arashkya had been up for at least an hour already. She had been preparing the temple for worship. The monks were in prayer already and things like public preparations were left to the females, the priestesses.
"Bless this day, and may cold and warm blooded brothers and sisters be blessed by the creators." She gave a warm welcome to the people standing outside of the temple. A small crowd, filled with both human and draconic citizens of Drango.
The people bowed their quiet respects as they entered the temple for prayer.
Down below into the city, busy activity could be seen down at the docs. Ships were pulling in and loading up to set out. It was going to be another fruitful day of trade.
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Cory
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by Cory on Oct 9, 2012 18:28:03 GMT -5
A comparably small pirates vessel was passing by the docks of Drango. It had been sailing fast but its speed now waivered, as the opinions of the crew waivered; on whether to stop in Drango for some rest/relaxation or to just keep going straight to Lulana without stop in order to deliver their cargo asap. Their cargo being a person. That person being quite dangerous and also their prisoner. That prisoner being Xion. As to how exactly she wound up captured and prisoner was a long and semi-convoluted tale. But now the pirates were vey much intent on taking Xion to Lulana, hence why they were passing Drango, to present Xion to Vendisa herself. The pirates thought Xion would likely wind up getting sentenced to the Isle of Solitude.....again. Unless Vendisa decided something worse, but what could be worse than the Isle of Sollitude? Death? Had it really come to that? Though as far as Xion was concerned it would be a cold day in hell before she ever went back to the isle of solitude.
As they passed Drango, that pirates had been debating their course of action for awhile. "That prisoner is too dangerous, and we could always just came back to Drango after we drop her off" the pirates ultimately decided. "See you later than" someone said. "Okay" a piriate replied. ".....Wait, didnt that sound like.....!" the pirates turned around to see that Xion had escaped and was now flying towards the beaches of Drango, via crimson butterly wings made of blood, that poured out of a self inflicted wound, on her back. "god damn it" the pirates muttered.
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Post by Umi on Dec 19, 2012 11:02:09 GMT -5
((very sorry for the insanely late post!! been busy and the usual. I'll try to stop that nonsense))
She went about setting up the temple for the daily worshipers as they bustled in, and making sure that things would be in order for the afternoon prayers.
Once things were arranged as she liked, she left the temple to continue her daily chores. Today she would be in charge of gathering food from the market to feed the monks for the day. She gathered her skirts and strapped a basket to her back and started the trek down the roads carved into the mountain face down towards the lavish market that spanned across the side of the beaches.
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Cory
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by Cory on Dec 26, 2012 14:23:22 GMT -5
(( I apologize in advance, I had no idea this post would wind-up being so long. ))
Those aboard the small pirate vessel quickly assembled on the deck. One of them tending to the mast, another quickly steering the vessel in pursuit of Xion. "it will be our asses if she gets away" the highest ranking pirate onboard shouted. Xion flew through the air like a torpedo aimed at the beaches of Drango. She cringed as she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. She knew why when she saw the spear fly past her after having scraped her across the shoulder. Xion looked back towards the pirate ship. One of the pirates stood at the very front of the ship, another spear materializing in his hand. Vendisa wasn't a fool, the 4-man crew of this particular vessel had been specifically chosen to be able to counter Xion. she dodged the next spear since she saw it coming. "This isnt fast enough" the highest ranking pirate shouted. At which point another pirate ran and leaped off the vessel. Before he hit the water he turned it to ice, and with that ice he created a path through the water leading after Xion, a path which he quickly glided across with ice skates made of ice that he had crafted. Flying took effort, but gliding across ice was almost effortless. Which explained why he was catching up with her so quickly. Using the water vapor abundant within the ocean breeze, he crafted deadly-sharp icicles which he blasted at Xion. At the same time, the spear wielding pirate had materialized a dozen spears which he had sent Xion's way with marksmanship like aim. If Xion dodged the spears she would be hit by the ice, and visa-versa.
Xion decided to dodge the icicle bombardment. Though now directly in the path of the spears, Xion had to react with the use of her full speed. The blood that formed her butterfly wings as well as the blood from her shoulder wound would all be used by Xion, all of it flowing to her grasp where she would reform it into a chain-whip. Xion spun around and lashed the whip at the volley of spears. The spears would become entangled within the whip, at which point Xion lashed the whip in the direction of the barrage of icicles. The spears would collide with the icicles, and the whole lot of'em would be sent flying in the direction of the ice manipulation pirate. That pirate, upon seeing crapstorm coming at him, abruptly stopped creating an ice path in the water so that he could raise a wall of ice infront of himself, which the spears and icicles collided with. Xion, being unable to keep herself in flight without the wings, now fell into ocean. Once underwater, her perception of time seemed to slow down for a few minutes as she watched the colorful variety of fish. Though one particular fish became attracted to the scent of Xion's blood, a dragon serpent. Meanwhile above the surface of the water, the ice manipulating pirate glided in circles on a path of ice he had created. And the small pirate vessel still steadily approached the beaches of Drango. "you think she's drowned?" the spear weilding pirate asked. "If i've learned anything from Xion's history with us pirates and Vendisa, its that Xion would never die that easily. She aint dead, and we know she's still headed for Drango. Though who knows why..." the highest ranking pirate in the group replied. "This is starting to seem like too much trouble, lets just kill her. Or rather let me finish her. I'll freeze this part of the ocean and everything within it like popsicles, including Xion" the ice manipulating pirate said. "Remember the whole point of this is her containment until we bring her to Vendisa...." the highest ranking pirate of the lot had been in the middle of saying before being interrupted. "But no one said permanently crippling her was out of the equation" the fourth pirate said, finally stepping forward. He walked past the one he had interrupted, and then pushed aside the spear wielding pirate as well. Taking a position at the very front edge of the small ship's deck. He would take out a strange weapon, one of a handfull that he had on his person under his overcoat. It was the most advanced and new weapon tech that the government had painstakingly created, and the pirates stole from the government easily. A gun, more specifically a sniper rifle prototype. With practially unhuman aim, he fired into the ocean. Moments later that part of the water started to become red. "Childsplay" the gun toting pirate said. "guess i'll go retrieve her" the ice manipulating pirate said. While he was making an ice path towards the area of red water, they would hear a roar. The dragon serpant would rise out of the water, revealing its titanic stature, as well as Xion standing atop its head. The dragon serpant had indeed been attracted to Xion's blood, but the attraction wasnt a predator-prey thing, it was pure attraction itself. Xion now sported a bullet wound in one of her shoulders, thanks to the gun-toting pirate, and the blood from that wound flowed down Xion's side and onto the side of dragon serpant's head. Causing a look of both lust and rage in the dragon serpants eyes. "Bullshit..." the gun-toting pirate exclaimed. The gun-toting pirate tossed the sniper rifle aside and took out a prototype machine-gun from under his overcoat. The spear weilding materialized a dozen spears and sent them flying at Xion, at the same time that the gun-toting pirate started firing the machine-gun at Xion. In response, Xion called upon all that blood pouring out of that bullet wound in her shoulder, forming it into the shape of.... "No you dont!" the ice manipulating pirate exclaimed as he blasted a beam of ice. It wasnt aimed at Xion herself, but at her blood, which upon impact caused the blood to freeze solid and become brittle and unweildable for Xion. Her eyes widened as the frozen blood shattered into diamond-dust. The ice manipulating pirate blasted a large beam of ice at the dragon serpant, which the was countered by the dragon serpants fire breath. The intense flame and ice collided. Meanwhile Xion quickly used more of her blood to form it into the shape of a bladed-fan, which she used to block and delfect the barrage of machine-gun bullets that the gun toting pirate had fired at her. It looked almost as if she were sort of dancing around the bullets, even cuttint one of the bullets directly in half with the bladed-fan. The two halves of that bullet passing by either side of her face, barely missing and cause a thin cut on each of her cheeks. The spear wielding pirate clapped his hands, and in responce the dozen spears merged and became one gigantic sized spear, aimed directly at the dragon serpant. Xion leaped off the head of the dragon serpant and, using quite a bit if her strength, flipped and then drop-kicked the front of the spear. The spear flipped downwards as it broke to pieces and fell into the ocean. The wave of water from that impact went in two directions. One side of the wave collided with the small pirate vessel flooding it and causing it to sink. Though the three pirates onboard had boarded a smaller escape raft which now traveled in an arc around the dragon serpant and towards the beach of Drango. The other side of the wave went right for the ice manipulating pirate. Just as his ice beam was about to overcome the dragon serpant's fire breath, the wave knocked the ice manipulating pirate off his ice trails and right into the water. He would spit out some water and regain some composure on the waters surface, just in time for the dragon serpant to blast a huge fireball at him. With no time to react, the ice manipulating pirate was killed on the spot, incinerated to ashes. Xion herself had wound up underwater again, and had headed towards Drango's beach. She really didnt want to involve the dragon serpant any further. Though it seemed intent on following her. Xion crawled out of the surf and onto the beach at last. She rose to her feet and turned towards the oncoming dragon serpant. She wanted to tell it to leave, for half a second Xion even entertained the idea of sending the dragon serpant to find Umi, in order to deliver some manner of message. But Xion wouldnt the chance for any of that as she watched the dragon serpant get hit with a spray of bullets in both its eyes, courtesy of the gun-toting pirate. The dragon serpant roared one last time as it died and sunk beneath the waves. "Damn it!" Xion said under her breath as she bit her lip. The small escape raft collided with the shoreline and the three pirates leaped on the beach. The gun-toting pirate tossed aside the maching-gun, and pulled a magnum prototype out from under his overcoat. "What's in this for you guys? A high five with Vendisa?, the underwhelming joy of being a queen's in-the-dark pawns?" Xion asked. "Get on your knees" the gun-toting pirate said coldly, as he abruptly shot Xion in the gut. Xion fell to her knees as she spat out blood. The gun-toting pirate took a couple of steps towards Xion and pointed his magnum at her head. "Cool it now" the highest ranking pirate in the group said. "One of our comrades is dead because of her. She deserves it!" the gun toting pirate exclaimed. Xion's eye averted. "Werent we told killing her was a last resort option if there was no other way?" the spear weilding pirate said. "Yes but....at the same time...its not completely clear what Vendisa's reaction to Xion's demise would be" the highest ranking pirate there said. Xion now looked back at the three pirates standing before her. "I dare you" Xion told them stoicly. Rage flashed in the gun-toting pirates eyes as he pulled the trigger. However, his bullet hit sand. Those who knew of Xion's abilities had knowledge of Xion's incredible speed, but even those people still underestimated just how fast Xion was really capable of being. "What the hell!?" the gun-toting pirate shouted in utter confusion at Xion abruptly being nowhere in sight. Suddenly the gun-toting pirate saw something black infront of him, and he would fire multiple shots from his magnum into the black. Though he then realized that the black of Xion's leather overcoat, taken off and thrown at him in order to distract and blind him. The gun-toting pirate gasped when he suddenly saw Xion at his side, some of the blood from the bullet hole in her gut was being weilded as a dagger by Xion, which she used to slash at the gun-toting pirates artery in his neck. Her bullet ridden black leather overcoat fell aside, as blood spewed at full force from the gun-toting pirates neck like a water fountain. The gun-toting pirate fell into sand-turned-red and died. "all you did was give me more places to bleed from" Xion said at his corpse.
The spear wielding pirate materialized a spear and threw it at her. Xion reshaped her blood into the form of a spear and threw it, causing the two spears to collided and ricochet off each other. The spear wielding pirate materialized another spear, but then changed the spear into a battleaxe and charged at her. Xion raised an eyebrow. She gathered the blood that she had prior put into the form of a spear and changed its shape to that of a mace, which would clash against his battleaxe. After their weapons collided a few times, the pirate leaped back. The battleaxe he wielded would momentarily flicker back to spear before changing into a chain-sickle. He would whip the chain portion of his weapon at her blood-mace, entangling the mace and yanking it away from her. Xion glared. "How dare you wield Umi's weapon as if you even have half the skill as she does" Xion said coldly. "At least Umi remembers me" the pirate replied mockingly. Xion's eyes went cold. The blood-mace that the pirate was bizy yanking back, would be returned to liquid form by Xion. She would make the blood return to her and change into the form of a bow. From which she would draw more blood from her wounds to use as multiple blood arrows to fire at the pirate. The pirate used the chain portion of his weapon to knock away some of the arrows, and then the sickle portion to cut in half an arrow that nearly got'em. "You'll have to do better than...."the pirate was saying until he noticed the rather large shadow he was suddenly standing in. While the pirate had been bizy deflecting the arrows, Xion had changed her bloods form from a bow to an oversized mallet. "Distraction, " Xion said. She swung down the mallet in order to crush the pirate like an ant. The pirate's chain-sickle flickered back to a spear before becoming a large shield, which he held above him to protect himself from the mallet. He might of saved himself for the moment, by Xion kept swinging down that mallet onto that shield of his, the impact harder with each hit.
The pirate changed his shield into a lance which he pointed directly upwards so that the next time Xion swung the mallet down, it would be broken in halves by the lance. "Ha!" the pirate exclaimed. Xion kept hold on the handle of the mallet, but as for the part that got broken, Xion let it return to liquid blood form, so that it rained down on the pirate, temporarily distracting him and obscuring his sight, before coating the pirate in the blood. But while the pirates vision was obscured, Xion changed the mallet's handle into four kunai that she held in her left hand, and four shurikens which she held between the fingers of her right hand. Xion threw the shuriken at the spear-wielding pirate while she threw the kunai at the highest ranking pirate present. Almost as soon as she threw them, that higher ranking pirate unsheathed his sword, used it to deflect three of the kunai and block the fourth at the exact angle necessary to send it colliding into all the shurikens. Thereby keeping both pirates unharmed. Xion was stunned and stumped. Even though the spear wielding pirate was still generally coated in her blood, he had at least gotten in out of his eyes at this point. "As i was saying, you'll have to do better than that!" the spear-wielding pirate exclaimed. His lance would change into a shuriken, and a few dozen more shuriken would materialize around him. "Face it, as far as Vendisa is concerned, i'm the new, improved, and down right superior version of you" the spear-wielding pirate said, as he unleashed a few dozen shurikens at her. Xion looked alarmed at the sight of so many spinning instruments of death coming at her.
Xion dramatically increased how much she was bleeding from her wounds, and fashioned that blood into the form of an oversized chakram. She started spinning the chakram, while using it to deflect some of the shurikens, though a couple would get passed causing minor cuts on her arms/legs. But when the chakram was spinning fast enough, Xion jumped onto the inner circle. Akin to a hampster on wheel, except this wheel was more like a giant buzzsaw/wheel combo. She went directly into the path of the spear wielding pirate, deflecting and cutting apart his dozens of shurikens along the way. The pirate was utterly shocked and baffled. He materialized another shield infront of himself, but the shield would be split in half by the chakram. At this point the higher ranking pirate interfered, sticking his sword at the perfect angle to block her giant chakram and sent it flying upwards into the air. While in the air, Xion changed the chakram in a large scythe. She would spin and swing the scythe in a large arc at the higher ranking pirate as she fell down, both the downwards momentum and the force of gravity assisting/adding to the strength of the strike. Her scythe would collide with the higher ranking pirates sword, causing a tremor and the ground under the higher ranking pirates feet to buckle a bit. The spear-wielding pirate was sorta confused. "So you're just ignoring me now?" he asked. "You're already dead" Xion replied. "How do you figure that?" the higher ranking pirate asked while his sword clashed against her scythe. Xion looked towards the spear-wielding pirate, and then took control of her blood that was coating him. The blood would take on the form of a guillotine, with the spear-wielding pirate secured at the bottom of the guillotine's frame. "What the Fuck! I thought you could only manipulate your blood in the shape of weapons?!!" the spear-wielding pirate said. "that is a weapon" Xion replied. "Get me out of this thing!!!!" the spear-wieling pirate screamed frantically. "And about that comment you made before, about what you are to Vendisa. If anything....you were just rebound" Xion said coldly. The blade of the guillotine came down. The spear wielding pirate was dead, his body limp and his head rolling in the sand. Her blood that was in the shape of the guillotine would splatter afterward.
Only one left. Xion leaped away from the higher ranking sword wielding pirate. She would then change the form of her blood from a scythe to a katana. And also would control the flow of her blood so that she bleed incredibly slowly from her wounds. "You can still leave, just leave me alone and go away. That was always an option" Xion said. The sword wielding pirate considered her words, but also noted how pale Xion had become. "You've used up too much blood. If i left now, my comrades deaths would all have been in vain. Besides, why would I leave now when all I have to do is out last you" the pirate replied. Xion bit her lip. That was always the risk with her blood manipulation powers, that she would use up her entire body's supply and succumb to anemia. Either by being too flashy and wasteful by using too much for any single action, or by letting a fight become too drawn out. This was definitely a case of the latter. Even worse was that she had no idea what this pirate was capable of, all she had figured out was that his ability was dangerous in its subtly.
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Post by Umi on Dec 31, 2012 13:03:26 GMT -5
((Holy crud muffins!! Think that's a long enough post? lol But worth the read. It was great! "Xion pops up from the water riding a water dragon who seems to be in love with her. Pirate’s reaction? 'Bullshit!'" XD love it. Also, love the homage to Umi. ^__^))
The morning was going as smoothly as any other. Merchants were bustling about their wares and their stalls, calling out to would-be patrons as they raved about their own merchandise being the better than the last merchant. As if in unison, pedestrians and consumers flocked about the market busily spending their earnings from the previous day on all that the market had to offer. And it offered a lot.
Though the market was vast, it was also very organized. The north would host the various spices and herbs collected from different lands and continents. Some from hidden forests and other said to come from barren deserts. It was hard to determine the truth about the items, but it was just as hard to not be drawn in by their mystery. The eastern side of the market contained pottery and other small trinkets that one could decorate their homes with. Things like plants and small pieces of furniture. All beautifully crafted and painted. The western market was usually the busiest. It contained samples and collections of the finest fabrics and clothing. Silks, velvet and finely spun cotton, dyed in the most beautifully array of colors. Deep reds, blues, yellows, greens and purples filled the eyes of any who passed. Mixed with those stall were others of brilliantly shiny and tantalizing jewelry and small weapons. Golds, silvers and more jewels and gemstones than one could count littered the items. Finally in the southern area of the market one could find rare foods and drinks. Fish was definitely a primary item, as Drango sat in a thriving area of sea life. It was surprising how much could be collected for trade given that the sea was littered with dragons and serpents. The Drango market was beautiful and miraculous, a feast for all of the senses.
Arashkya made her way elegantly through the bustling crowd as she worked her way to the southern market. She was after some fresh fish and vegetables. It didn't take long for her to hear screams and busy talks of blood and fights. Quickly she made her way to the market's edge to see what was going on.
From atop the hill, looking down at the beaches she could see a small group of men and a small girl fighting. The amount of blood was intense. Her heart sank immediately as she looked on in horror. It was hard to make out details of what was going on. All she knew what that the once white sand was stained red, and if she focused hard enough she could see the now rotting corpse of the once beloved guardian of the bay.
Seraphi, the guardian serpent that protected the Dragons' Sea from threats was lying dead in the bay. It's once beautiful blue scales now stained with blood. It's face no longer discernible. Arashkya had helped the monks raise and train the beautiful creature. She could no longer make sense of anything. A morning that had started out as any other had become one of the most horrible in her life.
Arashkya ran down from the market and made her way to the blood stained beach.
"You there!" She shouted as she saw the small girl turn more pale by the second. "Are you alright!?"
She stopped as she spotted the other man. He looked blood-thirsty, and Arashkya was certain that it was him who had caused all of this devastation. The sword he wielded against the girl was proof enough for her.
Standing firm, she looked at the both of them uncertain what to do and instead waiting for a response from either. From her wrist one would be able to see small heat waves and orange sparks emit from the bracelet she wore.
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Cory
Junior Member
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Post by Cory on Jan 3, 2013 16:13:23 GMT -5
Both Xion and the pirates attention focused onto Arashkya.
Xion stood there looking paler than a ghoul, except for her various wounds. Which included but werent limited to: the self inflicted stab wound in her back she had generated the butterfly wings from in order to fly towards the beach earlier, the scrape on her shoulder, the bullet wound in that same shoulder, the cut across each of her cheeks, the multitude of gashes on her arms and legs inflicted by the shurikens, and the gunshot wound to her gut. Her clothes were also torn and tattered. Though since she took off and used her overcoat during the fight, all Xion was wearing now was a black bathing suit top, a back mini-skirt/shorts combo (with appropriate undisclosed undergarment underneath), and black leather boots that were went almost knee high.
'am i alright?' Xion repeated the question in her mind. Xion had been so bizy defending herself that she hadn't noticed something before, but she noticed it now, the cries and screams and rage filled shouting of the people at the edge of Drango's marketplace. Xion looked past Arashkya and at those people, focusing on them for a few minutes. Then Xion took a good look at her surroundings. The once beautiflul white shores of Drango, were now sullied with corpses and soaked in blood. Soaked in Xion's own blood, littered with corpses that Xion was responsible for putting there. Xion's bullet-hole ridden black leather overcoat lay somewhere in the sand, though closer to Arashkya's position. Xion would look at at the bay. Once a gem to behold, the dragons sea was now littered with the wreckage of a destroyed pirates ship, chunks of ice, ashes of the dead, pools of Xion's own blood, and the rotting corpse of the beloved dragon serpant Seraphi whose face was now bullet-ridden and mutilated beyond recognition. Xion averted her gaze from the horrors surrounding her, a look of overwhelming guilt filled Xion's azure blue eyes. The last thing that Xion had ever intended was to bring such horrors to Drango or its denizens. But intentions paled in comparison to results. She felt it was her own fault, that she was the cause of all of it, that not a single bit of these horrors would have occured if it werent for her presence here. Just as its been for Xion in the past. It was starting to seem as if disaster was all she wrought wherever she went. She wondered if this was all Vendisa could see when she looked at Xion. Her grip on the blood-katana she held would loosen.
The pirate glanced over at Arashkya. Though he paid more attention to the heat waves and orange sparks that were being emitted from her bracelet, as opposed to anything the woman actually said. The pirate would momentarily glance back at Xion, and his thoughts would shift to the past.
::flashback:: Somewhere within Lulana. A pirate wielding a sword entered a chamber where Vendisa was. In her presence he kneeled and lowered his head. "What is it?" Vendisa asked. "My Queen, Its about the moon" the pirate said. Vendisa looked towards the pirate with a serious look. Though no other pirate in the room had much idea what this about since it was a coded message. Vendisa ordered everyone else to leave the chamber at once. And then she locked the door behind them. "Go on" Vendisa said as she started to circle around the kneeling pirate. "As you're aware, since her, still mysterious and unexplained escape from the Isle of Solitude, Xion has remained almost entirely hidden under the radar, aside from her occasionally appearances at the coliseum on the isle of Kritt. But that's changed, though both the purpose and the abrupt timing of this change remains a mystery" the pirate said. "Get to the point" Vendisa said.
"We've discovered that Xion has violated multiple pirate laws all at once. She specifically targeted and boarded the vanguard vessel of your fleet without any captains consent, murdered the entire crew, dumped all the wealth they had accumulated for you into the sea, and then fought and defeated and interrogated the captain of that vessel, before assuming control of that vessel for herself" the pirate said. "And let me guess, she's now headed straight here. dont worry Xion isnt any threat to me, just a nuisance...." Vendisa said with a briefly distand look in her eye. "No, she isn't headed here at all. Hence the urgency of this report. We suspect she only obtained this info from the captain she interrogated and now has prisoner. But Xion is now on a heading directly for the current location of the sun" the pirate said. Vendisa stopped in her tracks.
The queen would take a locket out from her one of her pockets and opened it. There were two small but skillfully crafted portraits within the locket. One of Xion, the other of Umi. "No offense, my queen, but if this were anyone else you would have already ordered their most gruesome execution for any single one of those crimes. I don't understand this hesitation" the pirate said. Vendisa walked right up to the pirate and back handed him. "I'm assigning a team of specially chosen pirates for you to lead under your command to go after Xion. You will depart at once. And make sure that weak willed captain who Xion interrogated is fed to the sharks. Then capture and bring Xion here to me" Vendisa said. "Capture?! we aren't we just getting rid of her???" the pirate exclaimed. "Do as i say" Vendisa replied in a cold, calm, menacing voice. "....I will never again allow an eclipse." ::end of flashback::
As his thoughts returned to the present, the gaze of the sword wielding pirate shifted from Xion to Arashkya. He would turned towards Arashkya, while returning his blade to its sheath. "I apologize for the current situation. I am but a humble pirate, sent on behalf of my queen in order to capture this rotten criminal" the pirate said as he pointed at Xion. "Don't let her appearance fool you, don't let her youth guide you to pity, don't let her gaze corrupt you. Just look around you, and what she has done to your home and my team, my friends, and it should be made plain as day the severity of her evil. Her capture is whats best for everyone. So I ask of you, and of your people of the proud and independent city-state of Drango, to either not interfere in her capture, or to aid me in capturing her" the pirate said loud enough for both Arashkya and the Drango citizens in the market to hear.
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Post by ssjhunterkiller on Feb 22, 2013 13:49:07 GMT -5
“I’m not sure if I should be proud or angry, that my people can’t even tell the difference between us.” The words came out of the darkness followed shortly by the tell tale sound of a flintlock pistol going off, immediately followed by a thud as the body of the double hit the table. “Apparently I need to keep a closer eye on these things that are just supposed to be for my own protection.” With a soft sigh, the Pirate Queen, the REAL Pirate Queen stepped out from the shadows, slipping the gun she had just used back into it spot, while keeping a second gun pointed directly at the chest of the guy that had been talking to the double. “Now, I’ve been gone for quite some time……….and when I finally get back, I find that someone who is supposed to pose as me, has actually been doing her job well, TO well in fact. And this leaves me with a problem, a…….fairly big one. Because you see, I really want to shoot you right now, but, since you seems to have knowledge that I need right now, I can’t do that.” A soft smirk crossed her lips as she approached the man and pressed the muzzle of the flint lock up against the bottom of his chin. “Now, you’re going to be a very nice little stooge and tell me everything that has been going on. Starting with, who this Xion person is………and why the fuck was she so interested in it?” She forced the man over towards the desk that her double had been sitting at kicked the body out of the chair and onto the floor. “And now I need to get someone in here to clean up this mess.” Careful to keep the gun pointed directly at him, she took a seat. “Now, I believe you had something to tell me?” She leaned back in the chair a bit as she listened to the guy spin the tale as quickly as he could. “Now the question is………..why did this person want to stop Xion from getting to Umi? And the better question is why the fuck did she have a copy of my locket?” She gave a soft sigh and closed her eyes for a second. “Well you told me what I wanted to know……..unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a future for you.” Without even opening her eyes, she pulled the trigger, sending the led ball right into the man’s chest. She remained still for a few seconds, listening to the sounds of the man cough up blood in an attempt to stay alive a little longer. Only when the room returned to a still silence did she finally stand. “Over the last eighty years, I’ve done nothing like what this person was ordering. Yet no one thought to question it……..I’m afraid I’m going to have to start being the Pirate Queen full time again. A shame, I was enjoying being an average merchant. No matter, I’ve still got a few hundred years left to do it again. But this…….” She looked down at the map that the pair had been looking over. “…..requires my immediate attention.”
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Post by Umi on Feb 22, 2013 15:44:33 GMT -5
Arashkya stood the same, firm and almost a bit regal. Her pure white garments flowing about her in the sea air and the golden accents of them glimmering in the light. Her bracelet continued to glow warm as she slowly made her way towards Xion. Her clothing dragged through the blood stained sand as she closed the distance between herself and the young girl. Slowly her garments absorbed the blood, and her clothing turned to a beautiful gradient of deep red to white, almost like it was meant to be that way from the start. What was scary was that her clothes were not wet and remained dry in the process.
“Sir, I do not know who either you or this child are. But as a high priestess of the temple I cannot allow you to harm her any further.”
She looked at the pirate with a very certain eye. She believed strongly in the words she spoke. The people on the docks and pier looked at each other with worried eyes. There was a deep secret in their knowledge. As much as Arashkya was loved for her devotion and beauty, she was also respected for much more. The older spectators seemed to stand a bit taller as they watched Arashkya cross the sand. The sight of her clothes and her demeanor did not startle, but actually seemed to encourage them. Seraphi might have been slain, but the protector of Drango lived. And she would not let them down.
As she reached Xion, she looked down at the girl.
“Fear me not, child. I know not what has transgressed until now, but I can assure you that I will not allow harm to come to you while you are on the beaches of Drango.”
With that she placed a comforting and almost motherly-like hand on the Xion’s shoulder. Within an instant a bright flash of golden light filled the air around the two of them. The air was hot and warm and felt as if it would burn them alive down to the smallest molecule. But just as the thought of that feeling would come into being, Xion would realize that this light was not hot at all. And that her body felt warm, safe and right. Arashkya’s eyes would glow amber as smoke and fire seemed to emanate from them. The air circulated around the two, making it seem as if they were in a small whirlpool of warm and fire.
“No harm will come to you while you are on the beaches of Drango.”
She repeated once more before letting go of Xion and turning her attentions back to the pirate. Xion would find her skin pink with life once more. The fatigue and ache and wounds from her body gone, as if having never existed in the first place. Arashkya, looking at the pirate, eyes no longer burning amber but instead a cool grey hue, stood tall.
“I will ask you once, stranger. Please take leave of these beaches and this city. If needed we will be happy to provide you with any means of transportation or provisions you need for your journey. You are not welcome here.”
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Cory
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by Cory on Feb 23, 2013 15:37:26 GMT -5
(( gosh darn it, sorry this post is so long, they never seem all that long in my head, sigh ))
The pirate looked on as Arashkya started to approach. His gaze shifting from her sparking bracelet to her clothes. He was astounded and left speechless, by the way Xion's blood seeming flowed into the dress itself, like it had always meant to be there, and yet the dress itself remainded unsullied. 'Was this some sort of secret draconic magic at work' the pirate wondered.
Xion had been distracted by her own guilt, until she felt something in her blood. She was very sensitive in regard to her blood, whether that blood was still inside her or not. As if Arashkya was casting some sort of temporary guilt-ridding spell, Xion looked up and focused on the woman approaching her. Yes her blood in Arashkya's dress was what had got Xion to pay attention, but it was Arashkya's demeanor that Xion really focused on. That air about Arashkya, a powerful presence in any room, an absolute certainty about her that few possessed. As if this woman was the center of the universe by divine birth right, it all reminded Xion of someone else. For a split second, when Xion looked at Arashkya she saw Vendisa. "stop it..." Xion mumbled to/at herself while Arashkya briefly addressed the pirate. 'So she's a highpriestess...' Xion thought. The high priestess and the pirate queen, opposites who were someow the same, like two ends of the same spectrum.
Was Xion delusional in this train of thought. She glance back at the Drango denizens at the edge of the market, who Xion noticed were no longer screaming and shouting and such. The crowds demeanor had changed as well, and Xion felt that it was proof she wasnt being delusional at all. Since the people in the crowd were seemingly affected by and noticed the same things about Arashkya that Xion had. When Arashkya finally stoped right infront of her, Xion looked up at the woman with transfixed eyes.
“Fear me not, child. I know not what has transgressed until now, but I can assure you that I will not allow harm to come to you while you are on the beaches of Drango.” the woman said. Xion's thoughts were pulled by those words....
:: Flashback :: On a ship somewhere out at sea, the pirate queen kneeled down next to a barely-not-a-toddler Xion. Being careful not to touch Xion in the process. "Lose your fear, i'll never allow any harm ta'come to you." the pirate queen promised Xion. :: Flashback's end ::
And suddenly it was as if Arashkya's spell, so to speak, was starting to break. At the sound of the high priestess's words, Xion's gaze averted, no longer transfixed in the slightest. "Lie...." Xion said softly almost under her breath. When Arashkya went to touch her, Xion abruptly stepped back a few steps, the look in Xion's eyes was alarmed but relieved that she had narrowly avoided the physical contact. But despite how narrowly Arashkya's fingertips had just barely avoided touching Xion's bare shoulder, the bright flash still surrounded and engulfed the two of them. "What...what is this...!?" Xion said with dread as she looked into Arashkya's now burning eyes of ember. Xion couldnt see outside the golden light, and she started to feel the heat as she if were about to combust. Xion's eyes widened as she gasped and her head jerked back. 'Stupid! How could I have let myself get caught this way like some amatuer..... i'm too weak and exhausted to get away, there's nothing else i can do.... like before.... but this time it really is the end of me, isnt it Umi...." Xion was thinking. :: Flashback :: Xion awoke choking on sand and surf. Her eyes opened to behold the sight of the shadow of the person dragging her up the beach. Had she been saved from a near drowning? She to brush some of her hair out of her face but found that her wrists were bound, her ankles too. Now alarmed, she struggled to free herself from her binds and from the person dragging her. Xion found that her body hurt all over and she was in a weakened state. At full strength ripping out of these would have been an effortless task. But evidently she had been beaten or tortured or both. And whoever was responsible knew enough of Xion's powers to make sure they didnt make her bleed while incapacitating her. A challenging task to say the least. And needless to say, whoever was dragging her wasnt saving her from a near drowning or from anything else. The grasp of the person dragging her tightened before throwing her onto a spot where the sand was dry, though uncomfortably hot. Xion turned onto her side and looked up, only to be blinded by the sun. She squinted until her eyes adjusted and started to focus on the person walking away. Apparently the goal of the person that had been dragging her was to dispose of Xion like trash. "Where are you going" Xion demanded. The person stopped and turned around. Her memory upon waking had been fuzzy, but now at the sight of this persons face, Xion's recollection of all the events that led up to this moment returned to her with crystal clarity. Xion's eyes widened. "Vendisa!" Xion exclaimed at the sight of the pirate queen herself standing before her. "Welcome to the isle of Solitude" Vendisa said.
The significance of the facts that 1.) Xion had been taken to the Isle of Solitude of all places, and 2.) that Vendisa herself had personally escorted her here, had not alluded Xion. "Why are you doing this?" Xion asked. "I know full well how your curse works, so we made sure you stayed fully clothed and that we avoided direct skin-to-skin contact with you. The point being that I remember what happened, which is why you're in this situation. So don't get your hopes up about me ever forgetting, and don't insult my intelligence with any more stupid questions" Vendisa said. "But this.....is going too far. I don't deserve this" Xion said. "With what happened to Umi because of your actions..... I'd kill you, if I didn't want you to slowly suffer and wither and rot away on this hell forsaken island" Vendisa said. "Please. This is me we're talking about" Xion begged. "Umi is precious to me, the sun in my world, the most important thing in my life. Then there was you, who at first I thought.... but no, you were really the dark side of the moon. The only consolation in all this is that Umi wont remember what happened, and she wont remember you, Xion, at all. I've given the order to pirates far and wide to never speak of what happened, or about you, not even to speak your name. It will be as if you never existed Xion" Vendisa said, before turning her back to Xion once more and starting to walk away again. Xion struggled trying to get free of her bindings; trying to get up on her feet. "Wait!!!!!!" Xion shouted frantically.
Vendisa made her way to the shore and with the flick of a wrist the extremely tumultuos, unpredictable, and deadly ocean currents that surrounded the Isle of Solitude instantly calmed. Vendisa then boarded a raft which would sail away in the direction of Lulana. Vendisa was eager to check on Umi. And yet Vendisa couldnt help herself from eventually looking back. When she did, she saw that apparently Xion had managed to somehow undo her bindings and then limp her way to the shoreline. From the edge of the water, Xion stood there looking out at the sea and watching Vendisa, until the moment Vendisa looked back. At which point Xion started limping/wading into the water, as if intent on swimming after the pirate queen. With another flick of Vendisa's wrist the calm waters surrounding the Isle of Solitude reverted to their naturally violent state. Though Vendisa had added one temporary addition. A Tsunami of biblical proportion. It was headed directly at the Isle of Solitude, directly at Xion. When Xion saw it she stopped and simply stood her ground. Afterall, what was anyone supposed to do against such a force of nature. Xion looked upwards noting the hundreds of birds flying away from the Isle of Solitude as if it were the apocalypse. Moments later the Tsunami swallowed up Xion. :: Flashback's end ::
'I'm so sorry Umi, but maybe this is whats suppose to happen, maybe its for the best if i were to be burned away. Seems like everything would be made so incredibly simpler for everyone else,... if i were merely ashes in the wind' Xion was thinking. She closed her eyes as she was encapsulated by the golden light and embraced by the warmth and heat. But to her surprise the burning never came. "No harm will come to you while you are on the beaches of Drango" Araskkya said. Xion heard this voice at first as if it were far away, but then it sounded soothing. Xion had focused so much on the voice that she almost hadnt noticed the golden glow fading away, or the warmth coming of off herself and Arashkya like smoke. Xion looked down at herself astonished, at how all her wounds were gone and her bodies blood supply restored. Xion let go of the blood katana she had been holding, letting it liquefy and splatter into the sand. "Why?" Xion asked Arashkya softly, though only at first. "After every horror i've caused on this beach, what you're doing doesnt make any sense" Xion said.
"Indeed it doesnt" the pirate said, looking at Arashkya. "What you're doing is nothing short of insanity. I dont think you understand the choice you are making, but you will regret it" the pirate said. The pirate had considered attacking them, but against both Arashkya and a fully restored Xion, it seemed a bit suicidal to him. "If you're actually going to offer me transport, then i require a boat, so i can return to Lulana" the pirate intended on reporting what had occured to the pirate queen, but it wasnt all he intended. "But, high priestess, you should now consider yourself, your people, your race, and Drango itself, and enemy state of the pirates. Perhaps, high priestess, its only at the end of you that you'll realize Xion wasnt worth it" the pirate told them. And he wouldnt say anything else. If they really did provide transport he would start to make his leave.
Xion couldnt help but feeling responcible for this as well. She considered whether they should kill this pirate instead of letting him leave, or if Xion herself was the one that needed to go......
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Post by ssjhunterkiller on Feb 26, 2013 14:13:09 GMT -5
One of the main reasons I’ve been able to keep my power for so long, is keeping people happy with my leadership, and angering the people that control one of banks of the choke hole that protects the bay is not what I would call keeping people happy. *The soft voice seemed to be carried across the wind since there wasn’t another soul on the beach with the trio* You have my apologies for letting things get this far out of hand. I was a fool to trust the responsibility of my station to anyone less than myself, but that has changed, and the mistakes made by those that could only pretend to be something far greater than they are will be rectified, be diplomacy, cannonade, musket, sword and blood if need be. *A patch of the ocean water just beyond the sand suddenly turned and inky black and slowly a form started rising from it. Within just a few seconds, the full form of Vendisa stood there, not a drop of water on her.* Another reason is, that the wind and the oceans themselves are under my complete control. *Slowly, but with deadly intent, she lifted her right arm and pointed it towards the pirate, as she did a strong wind picked up, kicking up sand which created a visible tornado that surrounded and lifted the pirate a few inches off the ground. Just as slowly as she had lifted her arm she swung it out to her side and turned her back on Xion and Arashkya, using her abilities to swing the trapped pirate out over the water.* This is normally where I’d give you the chance to atone for your misdeeds, but I have foreseen that I will need to forgo my usual methods to regain that which has been usurped from me. So…..in a way, some of you are getting what you want, a Queen that holds true to the violent and merciless ways that you fools think a pirate should embody. But what you don’t realize is that with those methods, creating what I have could never have been done in the first place, not to mention thrived for as long as it has. *As she spoke, part of the ocean water started snaking up around the trapped pirate until he was totally covered in a bubble of water.* It is your fortune or misfortune to be the first casualty on my path to correcting things. *She remained as she was, her back turned on Xion and Arashkya as she watched the pirate struggle helplessly against the water until his body began twitching violently and then stopped moving completely.* I must ask forgiveness for all the lives that must be lost to correct my foolish mistake. *She dropped her hand back to her side and the water returned to its natural state, falling back into the ocean with a splash, and taking the body with it.* May your flesh feed the creatures of the deep and you live on in them. *Vendisa turned back to face the pair remaining on the beach and walked right up to Xion, taking Xion’s chin in her right hand and tilted her head up then moved it to the left and right.* Now just what is so special about you that someone felt the need to soil my……..well I can’t exactly say “good name” being what I am, now can I? *She gave a soft laugh and released Xion’s chin before turning to Arashkya.* Please priestess, forgive any trouble that fools have caused, if you inform me of any damage done, I shall see that reparations are made.
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Post by Umi on Feb 27, 2013 20:22:49 GMT -5
When Xion refused to be touched by Arashkya's hand she became worried that the Phoenix Birth would be wasted. The spell needed direct contact to work to it's fullest. Because of the pull-away Xion would find that though she was healed, it wasn't too her full potential. If anything she was now at 60%.
She heard the confusion and plea in the girl's voice, but still did not turn back to her. She was focused on the man in front of them. Listening to his needs she simply bowed her head.
"You will get the boat you need. Drango and it's people will not be harmed by your threats. This land has a long history with Lulana, of which I'm sure you know little of."
Arashkya was about to turn her attention back to the child when she heard the voice come from the sea. The voice was old and tired, though she was sure that must have been due to the ancient seas that it came from. Soon she could see the dark silhouette of the drow. The priestess stood firm as she listened to the drow woman. Before she knew it, the man who had been standing in front of her was being thrust into the sea.
"I trust that this man was of your lands? You call yourself queen but have yet to introduce yourself."
She watched as the man was killed and tossed into the depths of the sea. Internally she made a small prayer for him. He might not have been welcome, but he was still a living and breathing form of life. And that made him worthy of even the smallest prayer.
She closed her eyes momentarily, finishing the prayer. When she opened them Vendissa now stood just in front of her grasping Xion. The bracelet once more began to glow red and orange with warmth, ready to protect the child.
It wasn't until the drow released the child and turned to Arashkya that her nerves calmed even the slightest.
"Reparations? I'm afraid that there is no replacing the lives that have been lost this day. Drango has lost a beloved guardian, and it's beaches are covered in blood. We are not worried for this. The rains will clean the sands, and the death of Seraphi will only aide to feed the other creatures in the Dragon's Sea."
She waited a moment before continuing.
"The city of Drango only asks that future disagreements of these kinds, when in relation to Lulana, be kept on the sands of Lulana."
Arashkya then turned back to Xion and gave the girl a small smile and a nod, as if silently telling her all would be well.
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Cory
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by Cory on Apr 11, 2013 19:25:25 GMT -5
At first Xion felt like she had been fully healed by Arashkya's power. Moments later Xion realized she wasnt quite fully recovered, only mostly. Xion sighed. Mostly would have to do. Besides, Xion knew better than to expect the world to present her with optimum conditions in any scenario. During the minute or so that Arashkya was paying attention to the pirate, Xion had walked over to where her overcoat was. While Xion considered whether it was best to let Arashkya deal with the pirate or if she should take care of him herself, she was wiping as much sand off her leather overcoat as possible and putting it back on. Xion was about to say something, as she zipped up her overcoat, but then Vendisa's voice whispered in the wind around them.
Xion could recognize that voice anywhere. She knew instantly who it was. Just hearing it took her breath away. As Vendisa rised up from the water, Xion's heart skipped a beat. The last time she saw Vendisa flashed through her mind. Quickly followed by all the important moments since. Like pictures in a scrapbook. Being brought to the Isle of Solitude, the tidlewave, the things that happened to Xion while on the Isle of Solitude, the moment Xion escaped from there, etc. Xion offen wondered what would happen the next time she saw Vendisa. Many a night she had played out varying scenarios in her dreams. Such as; Vendisa recapturing Xion and sending her right back to the Isle of Solitude, Vendisa forgiving Xion and letting her rejoin the pirates, Xion attacking Vendisa in a fit of rage/despair, Xion getting on her knees and begging for forgiveness, Vendisa killing Xion on the spot, Vendisa showing up with Umi, etc. However, before any such scenarios could present themselves, Xion noticed something. Certain things that Vendisa was saying, the way Vendisa reacted to and disposed of the pirate, it wasnt quite adding up. Xion felt quite clearly that something was very off.
Xion looked around at everyone's shadow's for a moment. Vendisa'a shadow, Arashkya's shadow, her own shadow. Then Xion looked out at sea for any signs of another boat or ship. No such luck, and nothing abnormal about the shadow's either. "No Umi..." Xion mumbled under her breath as she sighed in disapointment. Though this disapointment wasnt all that much of a surprise. Xion snapped out from her own thoughts and shadow gazing, to find Vendisa approaching them now. For a split second Xion considered that Vendisa was really approaching Arashkya. But Vendisa's eyes were fully on Xion now. If Vendisa was approaching for the sake of killing her, well that would be understandable to Xion. But Vendisa didnt look like she was about to attack anyone. Xion took a step back, but Vendisa's approach continued. "what are you doing!?" Xion wondered outloud. Xion kept retreating back from Vendisa but then suddenly Vendisa was upon her as if the wind itself had willed it. "What are you do.... No!!!" Xion exclaimed as Vendisa took hold of Xion's chin.
Xion's eyes widened, her pupils super-dilated. Her body glowed with a purple aura, and within the purple glow the markings of her curse became visible all over her skin. This would only last a minute or two. Afterwhich the aura and the markings disappeared. After Vendisa had let go, Xion took a few steps back. She held the side of her head with one hand as her eyes returned to normal. Xion seemed to be in a state of slight confusion. The last thing Xion remembered was herself and Arashkya still talking with the pirate, and Arashkya healing her. And now suddenly the pirate was nowhere to be seen and Vendisa was suddenly standing there. Xion now had no idea what had transpired inbetween. She gasped in a mix of shock/confusion at the sight of Vendisa being so close, and in her surprise had muttered Vendisa's name. Xion did about five or so, rather agile, backflips in order to put some distance between herself and Vendisa.
Xion could feel the hole in her memory. While she no longer knew how it had happened, or how much time she was missing, Xion had enough experience with her own curse in order to put some pieces together. That, this time, the casualty of her curse were her memories of Vendisa. "No....wait...somethings not right" Xion thought outloud. When her curse takes effect, one of two things occurs. The curse either devours all her memories of the person that touched her, or the curse devours all of that persons memories of Xion. But either way, its always ALL the memories. No exceptions. And yet this time, her only memories of Vendisa that were missing were the ones on this beach. The rest of her lifetimes worth of memories of Vendisa were still intact. "Thats impossible...." Xion thought outloud. It could only mean one thing, for Xion it could only lead to one conclusion. The Vendisa that Xion had known throughout her life, and the Vendisa that stood before them on this beach were two entirely seperate people. And Xion had never met this 'Vendisa' before, which is why only her memories of her on the beach were missing. Xion kept her distance but glanced towards Arashkya. "There's no need to worry about an introduction from that woman. Because she's just a dupe, a fake, an impersonater of the real Pirate Queen. Vendisa has always had quite a few of them around, and she's just another one of'em" Xion said.
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