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Celine tilted her head as if to contemplate this offer. Finally, she sheathed her blade and sighed. "I don't exactly have much choice I suppose," she relented. Of course, the first chance she could get, she was going to go to the other members. Hopefully Fiora. Keeping with her ruse, the knight clasped her hands nervously behind her. "So then, what now?" She was nervous in putting the sword away, but she had to at least make an attempt. She was already thinking of the words to cast Aegis, wanting to have any advantage she could if things turned ugly.

Celine's back stiffened a bit at hearing about going to the leader. Where was their leader? She was pretty sure she didn't need to be anywhere near him, given her orders. She hadn't gotten to see all the carnage outside due to her earlier traveling through a secret passage, and the sight caused her to focus on Bane instead. "Who ordered you guys to do this...?"

He's right, orders are orders, she thought bitterly to herself. She had to find a way to get out of there...but if she just ran, he'd most likely catch her.

Standing ready, Mer'loct stared back at his foe as he readied himself for the fight. Hearing a clash of swords from an opposing room, the lieutenant charged at Mer'loct. Meeting and locking blades Mer'loct gritted his teeth and feigned backwards offsetting the knight's balance. Taking a quick swipe at him Mer'loct almost caught the lieutenant in his first attack but the man quickly fell to the ground and rolled away, just ducking low enough to dodge Mer'loct's attack. Springing to his feet they locked eyes again.

"You're better than I anticipated. Care to become a mercenary? You could join us." The knight asked lying through his teeth to hopefully gain an ally.

"Sorry." Mer'loct replied. "I don't work for the King." When he spoke his answer he rushed in for an attack, seeing the surprise on his enemy's face as he realized he was found out. Swiping his sword upwards with both hands the kngith went to block the attack but wasn't ready for the impact he was knocked onto the ground from the sheer force of the blow, his sword flying back across the room behind him. Standing over the 'mercenary' with his sword at his foe's throat Mer'loct wondered what questions he should ask from his new captive.

((I'll wait there for Dominic's entrance))

"Hey, I asked if you like jokes!" Bane snapped, unaware that a few miles back Celine made a break for it. He looked back and saw her running. "H-HEY! GET BACK HERE!" But she already had a good head start. He began to take off after her and noticed a few mercenaries standing around. "STOP THE GIRL! DON'T LET HER GET AWAY!"

Like a rock that was thrown in the water and it rippled as it skipped across the surface, so was the command issued from Bane. There was now a flurry of men after Celine.

Dmitri snuck into the courtyard and watched as a few men passed by, unaware that they were chasing after a survivor. Dmitri waited until he was sure it was clear before he moved again. He managed to get to the Ivory Tower and seeing the squires cut down the way they were had caused Dmitri to feel ill and as if it were his own Order. Dmitri pressed on and entered the Tower, his head spinning slightly from the sight and smell from within.

He spotted three men not to far away. Two were engaged in battle and one was on the sidelines. Unaware that Dominic or Mer'loct were allies, Dmitri pulled forth his Blood Sword and charged toward Dominic.

"YOU FIENDS! HOW DARE YOU ATTACK THE ORDER OF VIRGO!!" He cried as he tried to swipe Dominic from behind.

Tsunaimei watched on in horror as remnants of Virgo were mercilessly slaughtered in their flight from the attacking band of mercenaries. A fury unlike anything Tsunaimei had ever experienced before immediately sent her through the roof as she let out a roar loud enough to be heard even within the cathedral despite the mass distance between them. "What the hell is going on here?!" She yelled, speaking to nobody in particular. Taking in the scene, Tsunaimei was able to see that this was a well thought out assault. Whoever was behind this knew exactly what they were doing and had vast knowledge of Virgo. An intense blue aura surrounded her as she raised her fabled sword Excalibur into the air. She was met with survivors running towards her from all over. A measly group of around 50-60 members of Virgo, mixed between rookies and members of the White Phoenix, had flocked around the returning Vice Judge. About half of them were injured. "Those able to fight I need you to defend the wounded and rally any other remaining survivors that you can. We need push back the attackers. It seems that both the Ivory Tower and the Cathedral have been overran. Our first objective is to take back the Tower and form a defensive stand their. I know what I'm asking of you is far too great but know this: our home stands as a beacon of hope for Ivalice. And it is our sworn duty to defend it! Show them the fury of the Phoenix! Charge!" Tsunaimei ordered while trying to rally her comrades. Taking the lead she made her way over to the Tower while her small band followed closely behind. The Holy Knight made quick work of the few mercenaries guarding the entrance to the Tower. While giving out orders, Tsunaimei spotted two people off in the distance going towards the cathedral. The sapphire clad holy knight squinted as she noticed one of them seemingly running towards the tower. Quickly turning her mount towards Celine, Tsunaimei took off after her hoping that she could get to her in time before the other man could. Luck was on her side as she got in between Celine and Bane and stopped. Her brow furrowed after realizing that it was Bane. Doing a double take at each and then focusing back on Bane. "Bane?! What are you doing here?" Tsunaimei asked shocked to see the infamous sell sword within the area.

"Oh yeah?! Just wait till she gets here! She'll wipe the floor with you guys! You'll see! I hope she gets here soon..." Kayla said as her voice trailed off at the last sentence. Kayla stuck her tongue out at Gwynn for good measure. She noticed a blue shimmer of light flash momentarily and looked outside the door as best she could. "What was that?" She wondered.

Tsunaimei hopped off her mount and firmly gripped her sword. She walked up to him with a glaring stare. The Holy Knight wasn't exactly thrilled to see the sword for hire and the way he spoke told her that something in his story was aloof. Especially when he asked about her trip. Tsunaimei took the chance to look over at Celine but quickly returned her attention to Bane. It took her a moment to recognize that the girl running away was Celine. "Start talking..." Tsunaimei demanded.

Kayla let out a gasp when she saw the fabled Judge of Virgo make her presence known. The red headed Squire had heard the rumors about Fiora. Ranging from who she was as a person all the way to the many possibilities of her supposed 'death'. Kayla was in complete awe. "Sister?! What?!! You mean you're related to this jerk?!!" Kayla asked bluntly.

Tsunaimei saw that there were a small bunch of mercenaries closing in on Celine. Grumbling under her breath, Tsunaimei turned around and fought back the enemy. It took a little longer than she had hoped for to dispatch the group. Which gave Bane a small window of opportunity to either try and run away or be so bold to attack her from behind, if he was foolish enough to do so. Tsunaimei looked at Celine and gave the Knight a nod. "It is good to see you too, Lady Celine. Are you harmed in any way?" Tsunaimei asked. Her dark brown eyes gained a fiery look in them signaling that the Holy Knight was rather perturbed to put it mildly. "He's one of them?" She repeated furiously. "Even if he did see fit to guard you, that won't excuse him for his actions otherwise. Celine, I suggest you take my chocobo and help hold the line at the Tower. Now go." Tsunaimei ordered in a calm but stern tone. The enraged Holy Knight then turned back towards Bane to get some answers. "Bane!!! You'll pay for this!" Tsunaimei swore as she walked.

Wailing in pain the enemy lieutenant could barely think of anything other than the sword piercing his shoulder. "It's a company based out of Igros! We have nothing to do with the military! They told us to leave no one alive that had seen us! That even the children were being trained, that we should treat them as soldiers."

"All of you look to clean cut, so uniformed. None of you even have tattoos. What company has that kind of organization to keep things so strict? Sure seems like military to me. What's the name of the company you're here for?"

"What? Um... the name? They just give me money man. Why would I care about the company's name?"

"So you're a leader in the operation here but you don't know who you work for? I don't buy it!" Yanking the sword out Mer'loct Stabbed it downwards through a different part of his shoulder elongating the wound he'd made from the first stab. "Another lie and you'll be missing your arm. What's your goal here.... what was your name?"

Screaming louder this time he couldn't believe the pain could get worse. Then he heard the question. "Jerice! My name's Jerice Leraul. The company was called the Golden Hawk Mercenary Band!" He said his voice shaking from the pain, some tears beginning to stream down his face. "Our goal was to find some rock or something. A jewel with some symbol on it."

"Well Jerice you just told your first truth, let's try to keep that streak going. Who paid for the attack on Virgo?"

"I don't know! They just sent me in with twenty or so knights to ransack the place and find the rock." Jerice answered quickly.

"Very well.... Have you found the stone yet?"

"Not that I've heard no. But those men were about to report to me."

"Where's the man who's in charge of this attack? Your direct superior. There were more than twenty soldiers attacking this place. Who else is in charge?"

"He was going to search the Cathedral building, I was in charge of this one."

"Are there any more of your people inside the tower?"

Jerice paused a little, giving away that he was lying already. "No. We'd only just arrived here because of the resistance."

"The resistance?! You mean the children you were cutting down?! The field was bare by the time I arrived, you've had plenty of time!" Yanking the sword out viciously Mer'loct looked down at him again. "I told you what would happen if you lied to me again , this wound could have healed in time and you may have even been able to wield a sword in a year or so... but you chose this." Bringing the blade down flat across Jerice's shoulder Mer'loct severed the man's arm. As he wailed and squirmed on the ground Mer'loct pressed his blade to Jerice's throat. "This is your last chance and this is the last thing I'll ask you. Have you ever come across a man in black with three blades on his back, fights with a mask of a red demon over his face?"

The pain intensifying more than ever it was blurring Jerice's vision. Then he felt the cold, wet steel of the blade against his neck and he heard the question, not at all what he was expecting to be asked. "What? No... who-"

"Thank you Jerice." Mer'loct interrupted him, having all the answers he wanted, knocking Jerice out using the pommel of his sword across the dome of his skull. "Hope for your sake you don't bleed out before you wake up." Standing up and turning around he looked to the Virgo knight to see if he needed help with his would-be attacker.

((Edited))