Bel'tha'go

[Sigma Annihilus]

Ran'Ku cocked his head to the side, placing his taloned hands on his hips as he eyed Kasumi, "Oh what's the matter, sweetheart? Don't trust me?", he said in a very snide way, chuckling with amusement as he spotted Sable glaring him down with Mable cowering behind her sibling. "Sable and Mable, as I live and breathe! Long time.", the dark born said as if addressing long lost friends, walking past Kasumi as though he couldn't care less about the weapon she were brandishing. Sable began to growl in a deep harsh manner, his glare becoming more feral as Ran'Ku approached, "Not another step. You stay away from my sister, you madman!", the Second hissed with anger coating his already harsh tone. Ran'Ku stopped and crossed his arms, "Well... Someone woke up on the wrong side of the crypt today. You can't really tell with this Umbral form, but I'm frowning right now.", he said, his choice of words and mannerisms seeming to still be a bit crazed but to a much lesser extent than he once was. Ra'Sha and Noxx'Zus stood on the cliff edge, looking out over the sands at what the Marshal had pointed out. An translucent rippling effect, similar to water upon throwing a stone, surrounded the Kehjani civilians as they attempted to run in fear, a large group of around 500 Soldats appearing from active camouflage with their carbines leveled at the civilians. "Just where do you all think you're going? You were not given orders to retreat, so I would suggest you turn back around and charge that line!", one of the Soldats shouted threateningly at the civilians, the other Kehjani soldiers closing in on the civilians menacingly with their carbines aimed. The Highlord's intense stare flared bright, looking to Noxx'Zus as he spread his angelic wings, "I'm putting a stop to this. Kehjani or not, those people are terrified and obviously want no part in this.", Ra'Sha said with strong resolve, the Steward nodding in agreement as the Highlord dove off the plateau, the rushing wind flowing up under his wings causing him to soar out over the sands towards the commotion.  

[Selene Shepard]

Kasumi

Kasumi glared even more.
" considering who you are, yes i don't trust you."  

[Sigma Annihilus]

Ran'Ku looked at Kasumi with his empty eye socket over his left shoulder, "Hmph, You have NO idea who I am, NO idea what being a dark born means, and NO idea what the Crimson King's influence has done to me. The Mantle is off my shoulders but the essence remains.", he said in an echoing growl, his previous jovial demeanor melting away. As Ran'Ku turned to face Kasumi, his glowing yellow right eye narrowing in a menacing fashion, a small pinpoint of baleful crimson light flared into existence deep within his empty left socket, "Confundi...ab...Concedo...", a deep guttural hiss echoed from Ran'Ku, the sickly voice superimposed over his own as black fog began to roil off of his Umbral body. "I would remain quiet, Ran'Ku. We can help you if you would let us.", Noxx'Zus eloquent voice spoke from behind the dark born, the Steward standing behind Ran'Ku with a violet pearl coated dagger in his right hand's grip and an intense gaze fixed on the dark born.  

[Selene Shepard]

Kasumi

Kasumi shock her head.
" He dose not want help Noxx'Zus, otherwise he would have asked a long time ago. "  

[Sigma Annihilus]

Ran'Ku's body expelled vigorous plumes of black mist, the fog enveloping his body and fading to reveal he was gone. The dark mist seeped out of the sand further in the atrium, Ran'Ku's Umbral body forming out of the fog clutching a curved smoky white crystal blade in his right hand and a curved red crystal blade in his left, electric static crackling off the former and red flames licking off the latter. "Once again, sweetheart, you are wrong. The truth is no one CAN help me now. The Mantle exists, His whispers still find my ears. For a brief instance I could think clearly and then it was torn away when I resurrected. The Crimson King commands me and I must obey.", Ran'Ku said solemnly, as Noxx'Zus walked up next to Kasumi. The Steward sighed, undoing the knotted buttons of his purple robe top and removing the coat, revealing his surprisingly fit and muscular upper body with a large tattoo on his back that depicted a yin yang style sun, the left half black with yellow sunbursts and the right half yellow with black sunbursts, another tattoo of a black handprint surrounded by a ring of needles on his left bicep, "We CAN help you, Ran'Ku. But, I can see you must first be made to believe. I am truly sorry for what has happened to you and Highlord Ran'Ke both in your childhood. It was unfair that you two were subjected to these prophetic events but they were the Will of the Divine and out of our hands. And, I apologize for what I must do now, but you have left us no other choice. You may have been a good student to my Shadow Hand technique but are no match for my Shadow Sun ninjitsu.", Noxx'Zus said, a hint of remorse in his voice as he drew his second dagger from it's sheathe with his left hand.  

[Selene Shepard]

Kasumi

" Noxx'Zus are you sure about this?"
Kasumi asked with concern.  

[Valmeero]

Hob materialized in a burst of shadow and marched up to the Highlord, oblivious of the tension all around him, and thrusted a claw up at his face "Oi! I 'ave summ'in to say to you, and you bet'er listen up! I've 'ad it up to 'ere wif all this back stabbing and suicide missions I've put up wif. Me boss can go bugger 'imself fer all I care!" spittle flew from his mouth as he shouted up at the Highlord "So I'm 'ere to try an put a wrench In 'is plans. Me boss is a right b*****d called Val, 'e was a student 'er school," he jabs a thumb over his shoulder towards Kasumi "and 'e used this war to get in Keh'Jan and get on tha flying monstrosity up there to unleash 'is master, the primal force of of Darkness. An' I figure you might be the one to stop 'im and 'is apostles." Hob turned and began to walk away, but stopped and turned back "oh, an' one more thing, FECK YOU!" and started to point to everyone around him "feck you, feck you, feck you," he paused at Mable "you can go bugger yerself!" at Ran'Ku "you can kiss me arse." at the Marshal "I don't know you, but you can go bugger yerself too!" then he flipped everyone the bird "Feck you wankers, I'm going home" opened up a portal to the shadow plane, and left  

[Sigma Annihilus]

Sable eyed the dark imp as he boldly made his statement, letting out an annoyed snort while Mable peeked out from behind her sibling. Noxx'Zus listened to the darkling but kept his attention on Ran'Ku before him, briefly looking to Kasumi from the corner of his eye, "I am. Though you didn't know him as long as we have, you've had more than enough experience with Ran'Ku. Tell me, don't you find it odd that after this supposed resurrection, he returns here and doesn't try to kill his brother?", the Steward said, paying close attention to the Ran'Ku's single glowing eye. The dark born's body tightened, his glance wavering as his body begins to lurch forward, seemingly against his will. Noxx'Zus closed his eyes, removing his face mask and taking a deep breath of the evening air while exposing his black fanged teeth, "Something isn't right, I don't think he wants to be doing what he's being directed to do.", he said, sliding his right foot back into a stance while holding his left hand out with one of his daggers held underhand, the other in his right pulled back and held overhand, "I may require your help. I know what Ran'Ku is capable of, I taught him everything about the Shadow Hand style that he knows, but I don't know what the Crimson King is capable of. Whoever or whatever is making him act against his will is clearly powerful if he can pull a soul back from Judgement. We need to weaken him substantially so that I may help him.", the Steward said, opening his eyes to glare at Ran'Ku while gritting his dark fangs as the dark born begins to charge him with both his smoky white and red crystal blades extended to his sides.

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The group of terrified Kehjani civilians slowly backed away from the Soldat unit blocking their path, the men shielding the women and children as the Soldats glared down their carbine sights with an azure infused gaze, "That's good, now turn back and do what you were ordered to do. Charge into that line and break their ranks.", one of the front line Soldats said menacingly, the civilians shaking with fear as they carefully stumble back towards the awaiting defense line. A bright flash from above blinded the Soldats while startling the civilians as Ra'Sha dropped from the sky and slammed into a kneeling position before the battalion of Soldats, standing to his feet with an intense glare, "Who are you to force innocents into this conflict?", the Highlord bellowed over the crowd of Soldats, their carbines now aimed at him. The Soldat giving the orders to the civilians stepped forward, his eyes burning with a bright blue glow while similar glowing cracks pulsed across his face, "The Colonel has given them their orders, they will fight and fall as Kehjani...", the Soldat said, pulling a Caelium plated pistol from a holster on his right hip and aiming it at Ra'Sha's heart, "Or they die as traitors.", he said threateningly. Ra'Sha narrowed his glare as he took a single step forward, the Soldat immediately pulling the trigger of his pistol and firing a solid crystalline slug into the Highlord's chest. Though, the wide grin on the Soldat's face quickly melted away as the projectile shattered across Ra'Sha's diamond-like skin, his brow furrowing as he lunged forward at the Soldat with his golden clad arm pulled back to strike. The Soldat stumbled back, "What..?! Damn it! Switch to EnNull....", he managed to blurt before the Highlord grabbed the man by his face and lifted him off his feet, letting out a roaring battlecry as he slammed the Soldat into the ground hard enough to nearly bury him. As the battalion moved to eject their clips, Ra'Sha beat his wings, kicking up a large cloud of sand behind him as he dashed forward at inhuman speed. The Highlord swung his armored arm in a strong open palm style as his armguard began resonating with a ringing chime, the front line of Soldat's scrambling for their EnNull clips on their belts before Ra'Sha delivered a powerful open palm strike into a single Soldat's gut but sending a concussive shockwave out through the ranks of the battalion and disrupting their formation, sending a large swathe of them crashing through the sands. The Highlord stood out of his strike stance and glared angrily at the rest of the Soldats still standing, now staring in terrified awe at the angelic Highlord, "You will NOT sacrifice the lives of innocent people for your mad Colonel's war!", Ra'Sha roared in a very aggravated tone, tightening his unarmored hand around his sword hilt on his hip.  

[Selene Shepard]

Kasumi

Kasumi pulled her sword from its sheath, the blade surrounded by red fire. " Well then, I guess I get to test the new sword. "Kasumi said before she charged Ran'Ku as well.  

[Sigma Annihilus]

Ran'Ku's charge soon became a full sprint dash directly at Noxx'Zus, the glowing crimson pinpoint in his good eye flaring brightly as he neared until Kasumi charged into his path. Ran'Ku stopped into his next step and pushed back using the built up speed of his sprint to flip through a high backwards arc, "Two against one... Hardly seems fair...", he commented, putting a spin on his body as he began to descend before flinging his smoky white crystal blade at Noxx'Zus like a boomerang. The sword spun end over end at very high speed as it cut through the air above Kasumi, the Steward bringing his daggers in to catch the blade as his was about to make contact, the blade refusing to slow down as it spun like a saw against Noxx'Zus' guard. The Steward planted his stance as the spinning blade tried to break his guard, his muscles tightening as he swung his daggers up against the blade to knock it into a seemingly harmless overhead arc, "You will need to do better than that.", Noxx'Zus said as he went to reset his stance, a faint whirring sound from behind him catching his attention before Ran'Ku's crystal blade cut across his right shoulder, the wild spinning sword's flight path winding back around to Noxx'Zus as he hastily brought up his guard, his wound bleeding a viscous black blood that turned to dark smoke as it touched air. Ran'Ku chuckled with amusement while his smoky white blade pursued Noxx'Zus as if of it's own action, gripping his red crystal blade in both hands, "That should even us up just a bit, eh?", he mused, the crystal sword in his grip beginning to crack and reshape, the blade becoming thinner and longer with a slight curve like a katana as a pulsing glow like flowing magma filled the semi-transparent red crystal blade. Ran'Ku brandished his burning sword in a two handed grip, the pinpoint of crimson light within his eye falling upon Kasumi, "Alright, sweetheart, let's go.", he hissed, his voice amplified by an unholy tone superimposed over his own.

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Ra'Sha flared his angelic wings to their full span, holding his glowing gaze on the battalion of disorganized Soldats before him, "None of you want to be fighting this pointless war, do you?", he called out to the civilians behind him, the crowd staring at the Highlord in awe. Ra'Sha looked over his shoulder, "Go to the defensive line, they will protect you. Go now and I can promise you will be safe.", he said with an amplified resonance, looking past the crowd of civilians behind him to the Templars on the defense line. The Templars began to wave the Kehjani civilians to them in following with their Highlord's order, the group of terrified civilians slowly moving towards them. While the Kehjani civilians moved closer to the Templars, the Aegalorean Riot Officers' honed battlefield awareness alerted them to the air beginning to ripple on their flanks, "Watch their sides, Officers!", one of the Riot Officers called out, the company of Aegaloreans aiming their battle rifles to the Templars' flanks as Soldats began to come out of camouflage, unloading waves of burst fire into the enemy ranks, "Contact!!", a commanding Riot Officer called out to his comrades, the Templars directing the Kehjani civilians drawing the SMGs and pistols the Aegaloreans and Kasumi gave to them to return fire as the Soldats began to fire on their selected targets.  

[Selene Shepard]

Kasumi

Kasumi closed her eyes. " May the Fire Goddess guide my blade and end the life of my enemy." Kasumi said in a small prayer and ran at Ran'Ku, her hair trailing behind her as a flurry of white. Kasumi touched the tip of blade to the ground and swinged it up, sending a fire ball to Ran'ku. As it hit him Kasumi stared to swing the sword, cut and slicing Ran'Ku.  

[Sigma Annihilus]

Ran'Ku tightly gripped his burning blade's hilt in both hands, setting his footing before thrusting his glowing crystal sword into the oncoming fireball, "Fire Riposte... The Desert Wind nomads used to have a saying, 'fight fire with fire'!", he hissed, the vile presence in his voice giving his tone a malevolent quality as he brought his blade in to swing against Kasumi's following strikes, the fireball's flames seeming to travel slowly down the crystal blade as he positions his strikes. With each clash of their swords, a burst of blazing flames washed off of Ran'Ku's magma blade as though using her fireball's power against her, "It would have been foolish to study only one style. Noxx'Zus should have known better, sweetheart.", he said with a chuckle as he blocked Kasumi's attacks with a blazing flourish of fire from his strikes. Noxx'Zus tightened his guard as the smoky white blade spun into his crossed daggers, "Damn it... I thought he had forgotten the Desert Winds...", he muttered, sliding his left foot a bit to the side as he managed to push Ran'Ku's spinning blade off to the right, watching as it arched around to try and seek him out again. Noxx'Zus quickly looked around before he saw an opening, "Fight fire with fire, eh? There is more than one way to use that, Ran'Ku...", the Steward muttered to himself as he gave a fanged smirk. Noxx'Zus waited for the whirling blade to make a full arc before black smoke started to rise from his body, "Wait for it... and... Shadow Jaunt!", he said as the sword began it's rebound at him, his body disappearing into the mist only to reappear further along the atrium closer to the city gates, the blade still following him as his gaze fell upon Ran'Ku's exposed back.

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The Templars moved into the crossfire between the Aegaloreans and the Soldats, returning fire themselves when needed as they surround the Kehjani civilians, "Move with us and don't stop!", one of the Templars called out over the sounds of gunfire combat, the men of the group nodding to the soldiers trying to save them while helping the women keep the children calm. More Soldats began to step out of camouflage, adding to the chaos of the battlefield as the Templars defended the group of terrified civilians. A loud thundering sound cut through the noise as one of the Soldats bearing down on the civilian group is nailed in the chest by something heavy traveling very fast and slammed hard into the ground, the force of the shot staggering several of the Soldat's comrades with a small tremor to open a path for the civilians to retreat, "It's not a Hammer of God for nothing, boys. I've given you a path, take it!", Marshal Stadt's voice echoed through the Aegalorean's visors and the eyepieces worn by some of the Templars. As the Templars escorted the Kehjani civilians through the defense line to the cliff wall, a group of Soldat's appeared out of camouflage around the side of the plateau, "The other battalions are in place, we go up and take them out from behind while their commanders are preoccupied.", the ranking Soldat relayed to his subordinates, the other Soldats nodding in acknowledgement. The group of Soldats held out their left arms pointing up the cliff, a miniature harpoon attached to a small wire cable launching from under their sleeves and embedding into the stone further up the plateau. The Soldats began to run up the cliff face as their arm winches began to retract, pulling on a small switch as they neared where their harpoons landed to cause their retraction speed to double while jumping off the cliff face. The speed of the Soldat's winch retraction slung them higher up the plateau's side as they leaped while the harpoons were wrenched out of their resting spots, the Soldat's aiming their arms and firing the harpoons again to climb the sides of the plateau with ease.  

[Selene Shepard]

Kasumi

Kasumi glared and stared to move furiously, her attacks becoming more and more aggressive, landing a few blows.
" Do not call me sweetheart!"
Kasumi growled out.  

[Sigma Annihilus]

Ran'Ku held his sword's hilt tightly with both hands as Kasumi's attacks became more aggressive, quickly falling into a defensive posture while trying desperately to counter her strikes. Even with all his effort to defend, Ran'Ku was still caught by several slashes to his upper left leg and right shoulder, the gashes glowing with burning flame momentarily before snuffing out as black mist arose from the open wounds, "Why you pitiful little...", he growled angrily while seething from the pain of her attacks, his voice wavering suddenly as his body seemed to tighten up, his good eye wavering as the pinpoint of baleful crimson began to flicker, "Good... Keep it... up... sweetheart.", Ran'Ku struggled to say with a tone that resembled forced begging, the vile presence that was in his voice sounding more distant as his own body defied his will and continued to fight. Ran'Ku groaned as if holding back an immense pain, the crimson light returning to his eye as he began to growl in fury, striking back against Kasumi's attacks with more ferocity to return the wounds she bestowed to him while his burning blade expelled roaring flames with every strike. Noxx'Zus positioned himself a ways behind Ran'Ku as the whirling crystal sword sped through the air at him, "Have to time this just right...", the Steward muttered as the spinning sword neared. Noxx'Zus focused as the blade pursued, black fog rolling off his body as he closed his eyes, "Shadow Jaunt!", he muttered just before the blade made contact, reappearing out of a puff of dark smoke behind Ran'Ku. As the dark born went to look over his shoulder, Noxx'Zus placed his left hand on Ran'Ku's left shoulder with a fanged smirk, "I'm sorry about this, old friend, but it must be done if I am to help you see clearly again.", he said, Ran'Ku's good eye widening in shock as Noxx'Zus delivered an open palm strike into Ran'Ku's right side, "Hand of Death.", Noxx'Zus muttered as his strike found it's mark, Ran'Ku's eye wavering with a shocked expression. Noxx'Zus pulled his right hand back from his strike as Ran'Ku's body seemed to stiffen, finding that he is unable to move, "What... did you do?!", he growled, glaring over his shoulder at Noxx'Zus. The Steward eyed the whirling blade as it adjusted it's flight path, now hurtling through the air at Noxx'Zus from behind Ran'Ku, "I paralyzed you with a special Shadow Hand technique. I taught you everything you know, but not everything that I know.", he said calmly, black fog rising from his body as the crystal blade spun closer. Noxx'Zus body seemed to displace as the blade cut through where he stood, the Steward appearing next to Kasumi as Ran'Ku's smoky white blade plunged into his back, the dark born bellowing out a scream of anguish as he was pierced by his own sword, dropping to his knees while still unable to move his body, "Damn... you...", he growled, sitting on his hands and knees as a viscous black blood dripped from the blade that stuck into his back. Noxx'Zus looked to Kasumi as Ran'Ku tried to fight against his paralyzing technique, "Without the relic itself, he isn't nearly as strong as he was when he claimed the title of Crimson King. But, the new Crimson King's will is strong, he has to be weakened further, and as he cannot move right now perhaps you would like the honors, Highlady.", he said with a smirk.

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The Templars managed to lead the civilians through the chaos of battle to the plateau wall, the Aegaloreans moving to close ranks around them, "Alright, any of you who feel that they can help us fight back, fall in with the Aegaloreans. The rest of you, help the children up these cables and get inside the walls.", one of the Templars shouted over the gunfire, some of the men nodding before looking to their wives and children. As several men took the Kehjani carbines from their children and joined the defense line, the women began helping their children climb as Luka spotted them from above. "Templars, give me a hand!", the Marshal shouted over to one of the ballista teams, the Templars manning the siege machine nodding in acknowledgement before hopping off the large Caelium ballista. The ballista team began to help Marshal Stadt pull on the rappelling lines to help the children up the cliff face faster, the other ballista team and both of Luka's tanks providing covering fire against the mech drones swarming through the air.  

[Selene Shepard]

Kasumi

Kasumi nodded and walked over to Ran'Ku, sword in hand.
" Oh this will be of great pleasure."
Kasumi said and stuck the blade into his left shoulder, pulling it out and placed it in to the other shoulder.
" Hows that Noxx'Zus?"
Kasumi said as she pulled her sword out, the flames cleaning the sword of any blood.