On one of the many districts of the city, one previously known for being a slum and inhabited by those not beholden to vangelism but unable to leave the city, the Mazdakii struck gold. In a single year, most of the Warden, Incubi and Succubi population who came together under the flag of Mazdakism alongside a significant base of the population (those who followed their king when he ascended to Godhood,) and created their own cathedral. With no King to deny them, and only a fractured council to monitor the infrastructure, which they largely paid for, a building about half the size of the Grand Cathedral was erected where the poor, the Mazdakii and those not beholden live free of the rule of vangelism. Those who have fled the older religion seek asylum here, as hundreds of individuals of all races have come here under the Mazdakii flag, from all walks of life and pasts. Here is a place where one can be forgiven and reinvent. While unofficial, they have gained massive support from the populace, even some of those whom are not Mazdakii but rather are Vangelists who understand why they left.
Michael gave the people the backhand of god, and Antony struggles against his love for them, for Raphael, and for those who turned their back on him just as his father had before.
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 9:42 pm
The halls were packed as Sophia made her way inside of the main hall. Once there were few who would willingly renounce Vangelsim openly but every day, more and more flocked to its banner and heeded the call to gather. They came from all walks of life and every denomination. Many gave up their whole lives to join the movement while others arrived with nothing more than the shirts on their backs. Outside, street carts and tents were pitched on the fields outside and inside the faithful huddled together.
Sophia turned into another hall, less crowded than the main hall. Young men and women sat in rows, all in varying types of armor wielding every weapon under the sun. While not official, they called themselves the Mazdakii Battalion. They all had various backgrounds but came together to defend it in more ways than just prayer and thought. A few of the other warriors nodded to her as she entered and she returned their nods. There were very few formal ranks, but the new members respected the older members. Sophia had been one of the first to join the battalion, and as such, she stood in a position of relative authority. Sophia made her way past a group of older soldiers standing around a low fire, joining them as they all stood in silence. It had been this way for several days. With the growth of Mazdakism in popularity, word had begun to spread of an inquisition by the Vangelists. It was no longer a question of if, but when the war would start.
Not every day do the people in the city get to see the soldiers marching. Even less usual was to see them moving on a location within the city, so of course word would hit the wardens, incubi, and succubi in the red borrough a long time before they reached them. Regardless, Vera marched on with the other higher ranked soldiers. She may have been a novice, but she was recognized as strong in the faith, and a very strong contender for Solaris, Uriel, and Samael by the people. She herself knew not if a mark was in her future, but did know her faith was deep, even if her respect for tradition was not. A Commander to her left held a flag and a decree from the top brass of the Holy Army of Vangelism. Vera held her katana drawn, eyes keen for any sign of danger. Her hand was steady, as was her breathing. Some of the soldiers had uneasy feelings towards the decree itself, and were conflicted on going full aggro on their former brothers, especially those who prayed to Antony directly, but this was the only choice when the city was being seperated. In their minds, peace was far and away, especially since the last god to leave and split Vangelism nearly ended the world.
When at last they reached the Borrough, they looked at the massive church with heavy hearts. It was beautiful, masterfully crafted even if smaller than their own. Vera's eyes fell on the camp as the Commander called for halt, and the few hundred strong force formed lines, knights at the front, marksmen and magus at the back, and the rest filling out the center. Vera stayed at the Commander's right hand, as he stabbed the flag into the ground and held the decree out. His voice was booming, boosted by the holy power of a mark of his own, the first level of Antony's mark in fact. "By order of the powers of Vangelism, and the council of Fraxen, all heretical worshippers have been presented an ultimatum. You will leave this city, and take your heretical worship with you, you will abandon this false worship and cast it out before returning to Vangelism, or you will force our hands. A response is expected immediately. Silence will be treated as a declaration of cessation, and a request for a rain of holy fire." Expecting the worst, the man drew a greatsword, charged with lightning and let the shoulder guard, along with the number four, appear on his body to show he was serious. Vera gulped, expecting the worst herself.
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 5:31 pm
The moment the Vangelist forces had left their cathedral, word was already on its way to the Red Borrough. The sound of bells and trumpets had filled the air the moment word arrived, followed by screams of fear as civilians fled their camps outside to rush inside the protection of the main hall. It was in the middle of this chaos that Sophia found herself. Several of the senior warriors were rallying troops outside and the older men and women were shepherding people inside to safe areas. Sophia pushed past them, entering into the armory which was now one of the busiest parts of the cathedral. She jumped atop a stack of crates, taking control of the situation. "Listen up, the enemy will be here any moment. I want every man and boy able to wield a weapon to be armed and sent outside for battle. Archers will take up positions in the back ranks and on the walls of the church. Wardens will form the first rank of the infantry, followed by any other warriors. Mages will take up position near the keep. Our objective is not to defeat the enemy but to defend this keep above all. No Vangelist will enter these halls while any one of us yet breath, do you understand?" The response was almost immediate as hundreds of men let out roars as i they had already won the battle. Sophia herself seemed to radiate light from her person as she stood above them all in the armory.
She jumped down from her position atop the boxes, grabbing several members of the battalion, instructing them to take up positions inside the inner sanctums and to barricade the vaults below. With so few members of the battalion in the cathedral, it was a risk to send a number of them away from battle, but the security of the cathedral was more important. Sophia watched them walk out of the armory, letting out a sigh as she looked around at the men gathered around her. Most looked like they had never seen a battle in their entire life and others looked like they had seen too many. Some were shaking, with excitement or fear, she couldn't tell. But behind it all, she could see a fire in their eyes. Regardless of how they felt or how many battles they had fought, every single one of them would fight to their dying breath to defend not only the cathedral, but their beliefs. They were all here for the same reason and there was nowhere else they could go now, especially with an army marching towards them. Sophia walked over to a small boy, resting her hand on his shoulder. He must have been about fourteen years old, barely old enough to grow hair on his face, let alone die for his beliefs. She looked him in the eye before checking his armor and his straps to make sure it was all secure. She was surprised they made chainmail small enough to fit him in the first place. The young boy returned her gaze and smiled before following the flow of men out of the armory. It was nearly empty by the time Sophia began to put on her own armor. The members of the battalion kept their own gear in a separate area of the armory, with each member having his or her own locker.
Sophia sat down in front of her armor stand, running her hands over the chainmail skirt. It was damaged and bent and in several places rings were missing, creating small holes in the armor. Her bracers, greaves, and shoulder plates were all dented and had lost their luster long ago. Slowly, she slid on the chainmail, pulling it around her her body. Carefully, she tied her greaves in place, pulling on the worn leather straps until they were tight. She slid a vambrace on her right arm, leaving her left arm open. Finally, a pair of shoulder plates, adorned with eagles found their way onto her. She reached into a basket, pulling out an old tabard, emblazoned with Raphael's sigil, draping it over her armor. Her final addition was a massive tower shield, as large as she was. She turned to the last few people in the armory, nodding to them. Many of them were older members of the battalion, taking their time preforming a time honored ritual. They all had their own ways of getting ready for battle, be it praying, polishing their blade one last time, or even passing around a few, choice, prebattle drugs. As she left the armory, most of them stood up, following her out. The main hall was much calmer now, most of the refugees having fled deeper inside.
Outside the hall, most of their forces had assembled. The vangelists would be greeted by row after row of Mazdakii. The members of the battalion made up the second and third rows while less trained conscripts formed a pike wall in the front rank. They would bear the brunt of the first wave while the veteran troops would mop up. Sophia flew over them, taking a place in the front rank next to a group of older men who formed what counted as a governing council. Unlike the council of Fraxen, they didn't send others to do their bidding. Each of them stood in the front row, in gleaming armor, spears in hand, leading by example.
In the distance, Sophia could see the enemy arriving. They marched in formation, a gleaming wall of armor and flesh, descending down on her and the cathedral. They marched in tight formation as if parading through the streets. But all Sophia could see was the individual sitting next to banner holder. It seemed that Vera had chosen her side. As the Vangelists streamed onto the field, it seemed clear that they hadn't thought it necessary to bring forth their full might, bring only a few hundred soldiers with them. And despite this, they had the audacity to stab their banner into the ground and make demands of the Mazdakii. Before they had even finished their 'official' proclamation, boos had erupted from her lines. They were not at all impressed by their foes fancy marching and shiny armor.
Their response to the decree was simple and immediate. A single arrow sailed through the air, hitting a knight near the commander, killing him instantly. Cheering sounded off from Sophia's men and the sound of swords banging on shields filled the air. They were hungry for a fight, not decrees from old men and weak gods. Sophia took several steps forward, turning to address those that were gathered nearby. "Listen up. In a few moments, the enemy will descend upon us. They mean to kill us because we will not follow their gods. This will not be an easy fight. Our enemy is well trained, well equipped, and many of them are battle hardened. They will fight savagely. No matter, they will not gain an inch. We will hold their army here, and then we will break them. Maria teaches us that in this world it is kill or be killed, and I don't know about all of you, but I have many more battles in my future. Let us make Dominus proud this day and destroy not only their army but their dream of bringing us back into their fold. Let us show Alistair our power." She returned to the line, facing the Vangelists. With her shield in her left hand, she raised her right into the air. "Infantry form up for advance. Archers, notch arrows." And now, she waited. The moment she dropped her hand, their lines would begin to advance under a hail of arrows, but only if the dropped her right hand. Silently, she prayed to herself and for her men. Raphael, grant me the strength to lead my people through this battle. Dominus, let us shatter their lines and show them we cannot be broken so easily. Nathaniel, give me the knowledge necessary to overcome my enemies and outsmart them this day. Overhead the skies would seem to rumble, as if in response and in part due to every warden in Fraxen preparing to unleashing a torrential downpour of lightning. One thing was certain, neither side would leave the battlefield unscathed. While the Mazdakii had numbers in this fight, the Vangelists had an actual army. An interesting battle was in store.
All this time, Sophia could do little to avert her gaze from Vera. She would hopefully come to her senses, or Sophia was going to beat some senses into her and drag her into the cathedral herself.
The arrow sailed past the commander, and it would appear that it struck the knight and killed her on the spot. Vera raised an eyebrow and turned her head ever so slightly, watching her fall. Almost as quickly as she hit the ground, he rose right back up. The barbaric cheers drew naught from Almira, and only the ire of her allies. The Valkyrie who'd been hit snatched the arrow from her chest, letting the wound heal rapidly as the commander continued the decree. He rolled it up, tossed it aside and turning his head to his adviser in Almira. She puffed from her nostrils, shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders. It couldn't be helped. They were spouting off at the mouth, bringing their weapons to heel and forming up alongside each other. Almira stepped back as the Commander held up a hand, closed into a fist. Near the back of the infantry a bright green light shined brightly, slowly moving backwards and widening. They had tried diplomacy. As expected they had failed. Was it really so much to hope that they'd just kow tow? Perhaps. Everyone on the plane were such proud people, and any would die for their beliefs in Fraxen, in all of Fronta. Almira lamented that she would be forced to march into battle against those once held in fraternity with her. She was right, however, and not just because she felt like it.
Following the likes of Lilith and Alistair, known abusers of power and corruption, was on the same level of idiocy that following Kaminae and Zachariah, and one can see with their own eyes how that turned out for them and their followers. It was beyond time for diplomacy now, and the vangelist didn't need bravado, or reassurance to know the gods would be in their weapons as they struck.
The green light tore open a hole in dimensions the likes of which were rare and dying out now with the patron of their marks dead. This soldier, however, had atoned for his master's sins and now bore her power in the name of Antony. The small hole pushed backwards, opening it's circumference nigh on a hundred fold as the mark weilder pushed his power to the limit. Looking through the hole, the Mazdakii horde could see plenty more of the vangelist horde, and as the portal moved backwards the men moved forward, filling out their lines with the full brunt of the Vangelist armies. Nephilim charged to the front, each of them clad in heavy armor, some made of dragon bone, some crafted of some kind of marriage of technology and plate armor. They held forward shields, holding a blade or a polearm in their off hands or even putting their full body into their shields. A golden aura of energy surrounded the line itself, engulfing them in a combined barrier wider than the line itself. Behind it, the commander barked orders to the army, Marksmen and Siegemasters at the back, Magus of all walks just ahead of them. Vera was aside the other knights, Grandmasters and assassins who'd heeded the call to come. "March Men!" The Commander roared suddenly. The energy barrier dug up the very ground ahead of the line, charging in a formation like an arrowhead with the mixed races and classes moving in a staggered approach right behind them. When the lines collided, and eventually the energy barrier fell under the opposing assault, their would be hell in the form of magic and bullets flying from the vangelist side.
Vera herself added an element of chaos to the battle. An element that Sophia would know all too well. Her mouth barely opened wider than to blow the pollen off of a daisy. She barely exhaled louder than to whisper. But across the battlefield in the ears of every single one of the Mazdakii the voice of the Banshee would echo. The Wail of Dread had begun to assault them all, making doing anything more taxing. Her blade was primed in her left hand, a pistol in her right. Catastrophe would reign over all this day.
Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2016 11:35 pm
It seemed that war was now impossible to avoid. Sophia hated war. It did nothing but brew chaos, especially during a battle. Even the best laid plans fell apart upon contact with the enemy, creating a chaotic scene played out on a grand scale. Sophia gritted her teeth as the enemy commander's portal opened, allowing the rest of his army to arrive on the field. However, it was too late to back down now. If they fought, they could win. If they surrendered, they would be cut down like wheat during a harvest. The time for words had long since passed and it seemed that the only thing the enemy wanted was a clash of steel and blood. It seemed that she and Vera would have no choice but to fight each other after all. A pity. Sophia had always hoped that Vera would see reason and abandon that age old ideals of Vangelism and join the modern world. A scream shattered the air as Sophia prepared to give her troops new orders, almost causing her to stagger. Regardless of their past relationship, Vera would be made to pay for her vocal performance.
As the enemy's shield formed around their front line, Sophia dropped her hand. For a moment, nothing would happen as the battlefield grew quiet in tense anticipation. Suddenly, the sky would erupt as a wave of lightning crashed into the Vangelist front line, followed quickly by hundreds of arrows and spells as the Mazdakii began their bombardment of the advancing enemy. The Vangelist charge met a solid wall of steel, unyielding despite the numbers pushing against them. Sophia was part of this wall, barking orders as quickly and loudly as she could. "Phalanx. Spears behind, push up. Prepare the reserve unit and alert the medics to prepare to receive wounded." Sophia hoisted her shield into the air, slamming it into a Nephilim that had wandered to close to her, shattering the bones in his face, spewing blood into the air. "Hold fast and stand firm. The Enemy thinks they can break us here. Let us show them how wrong they are. Let us send them to be with Elessia." The Mazdakii line would seem to surge forward, as if renewed and refreshed by some strange energy.
Sophia pushed back yet another Nephilim who was trying in vain to break through her shield. He attempted to take a step forward and was cut down as a pair of Wardens on either side of Sophia swung at him. For all their numbers, the Vangelists would not break through the Mazdakii lines. Already, dead and wounded were piling up on each side but it would seem that the Mazdakii just took less damage than the Vangelist horde. It mattered little, each side would throw all they had into the fight and both sides would leave broken. "Mazdakii, three steps backwards march!" The entire Mazdakii line would push back the opponent they were fighting, taking three steps backwards to create a buffer between them and the Vangelists as a white truce flag appeared from behind the Mazdakii line. Sophia would take a step forward, yelling towards the Vangelist commander and Vera. "We can fight and destroy our armies here or we can settle this in the ancient way. You accuse us of being misguided and criminals, so I invoke the right of a Trial by Combat. Our Champion against your Champion. If we win, we gain equal rights and a seat on the Council of Fraxen. If you win, we leave the city of Fraxen and those that stay behind convert. This mass slaughter accomplishes nothing and I am growing tired of killing your people." As she spoke the last line, a cheer would erupt from behind her as her bloodied army prepared for the enemy to respond. Sophia threw down truce banner, taking just another step forward to occupy the open space that was forming between them. She reached up, wiping the blood from her face that had accumulated, setting her shield in front of herself, the eagle detaching from it, soaring into the sky.
β’ Vigilance [ Passive ]: With such a large shield, it is difficult for any tank to have good visibility on the battlefield, and it is nigh impossible for them to see everything. Instead, the Eagle on the shield will detach itself, taking flight to circle above the user, granting them 360 degree vision. While the Eagle is in flight, everything it sees is transmitted to the user's mind through Resolve.
Bastion of Hope B Rank per post Sophia yells out some inspirational quote, radiating energy from her body that applies a one rank damage reduction to all her allies for one post. While Sophia is the Bastion of Hope, she is unable to use any other skills that require energy.
β’ Surging Electricity Passive Lightning is an unstable element. Even the user can barely control it fully. Electricity is constantly running through the user's body, charging their muscles. This discharge of electricity extends to weapons and ammo to make any attack they dish out a lightning elemental attack.
nuβββββββXXXβββββββXXXβββββββXXXβββββββ numineLET NO POWER ` COMPEL YOUβγ*TOWEAKNESS! bad apple
xxx nΓβGOD β°OF(ORDER)*β£LORD OFβTHE SECOND PLANE! by numinex for the food chain do not steal! c:THE DEMON, THE KING, THE GOD
As had been said a thousand times over by the people of the Mazdakii faith, a God should not interfere with the actions of mortals below, but by nature Gods were inherently intertwined with mortal life. The line blurs, to a point of non-existence, when mortals slaughter one another by the thousands in the name of a God who does not wish to create strife. And particularly, when a God's invested interests fall so heavily into the realm being marred by this conflict of religion; for in this particular case, Raphael believed Fraxon to be His land, regardless of the system of beliefs that currently ruled. Most people in this Great Kingdom, whether Mazdak or Vangelist, loved and served under Raphael in his days as Emperor West, only recently passed.
His nephew, Gaston II of House Gilletti, sat on the throne. Yet somehow, few could decipher the desires of their Lord, whether they saw him as their religious authority or as a man they admired in life but refrained from worshipping in ascension.
Raphael, God of Order, had no intention or desire to rip away at the strings that made his people what they were: a unified Fraxon. And so, before the precipice of a massive battle, he would emerge. The sky tore apart before the soldiers' eyes, and thunder crackled from above just as energy rose from below. From above and beneath them, the vicious roaring of a God would ignite thunderously as the march of a thousand steel-cladded boots could be heard in the distance. A gate opened at the flank of each army, and threw it poured forth Legions of warriors so refined in their form that one could hardly categorize them as mere mortals. For they were not - the bulk of them were made up of Impure Apparitions, Desire Demons, the faithful dead of Fraxon, and other ascended beings brought forth to eternal life and great power by the Lord they so triumphantly worshiped. The man who had led them to a harmony in accordance to their own beliefs, they remained to serve; and as he rose in status, so too did they.
Demons, almost all of them. But different than others - not evil or vindictive by nature. Not beastly. Instead... graceful.
They were known as Raphael's Phalange, and where he went, so too did they. Evidence of the order he could bright; demons who were civilized to the point of extremity. Calm. Collected.
Aside from their Lord, no shouting could be heard. They were quiet. Watchful.
But as they arrived from massive, molten gates, the God of Order descended from a bolt of Lightning formed in the skies. At his back, feathered wings painted black revealed him as he was in life; a demon redeemed by good deeds. His head had little hair, only remnants of dark locks buzzed to his skin, and he wore a crown of thorns yet one that did not puncture his flesh or make him bleed. Everyone would know immediately who was before them; he wore four sigils on his armor, one on each shoulderplate and two merged into one another at his chest. The symbols of Fraxon, Aramil, House Gilletti, and Mazdakism itself.
He looked around at both armies, turning his head each way to bring them into view. Then, finally, the Lord spoke.
"People of Fraxon - what do you believe that you want?" He asked them. His voice was low, but booming; everyone present could hear him perfectly well. His voice traveled across miles. "Is it that you long for the return of West, for me to rule as your God-King? Or is it something different entirely? An absence of place - a desire to change the world in order to give meaning to your life? I cannot decipher, despite being a creature of desire, what exactly these desires are that lead your heart to war. To inquisition against your own people - those who have stood together since Lensley of House Genesse brought magic to the realm of man, and pushed the Pagan Lords from this Kingdom we call home. Fraxon was the first Kingdom to have ever been, and it has remained united since its founding. Never before has it been so divided . . . and yet it is precisely divided by the people who claim to wish to bring it together. In faith. Some of you want the echoes of the angels to ring in harmony within the Kingdom, as they did before; for that voice to be hegemonic, as it was since the days of House Saintivelle. Some of you want for change - you believe the angels failed you. You want . . . me, for you believed in me as Emperor, knowing that I was one of the greatest Lords to ever rule. Yet little do you all realize that the angels and I have been in accord since the days of my youth. I do not need for the blood of Vangelists to decorate the halls of the Kingdom I call my home, nor does Antony wish for the status quo to decimate those who have found a new voice in my calling. He and I have been in accordance since I'd first set my eyes on the East, and it was He who brought me to the throne of this great Empire, just as I had helped him to once again unite Vangelism under his throne."
He paused for a moment to view those around him. Examined their faces. Some were terrified, considering he'd brought his army. Some were enamored. Some were surprised. The variety of emotions circling in this place was vast.
"Antony and I shall always be one in spirit, and so too should our followers. We are not enemies. Have you all grown so bored of the war with Vaet Nocturnum that you turn your blades and your metal monstrosities to your own brothers and sisters? That you engage in civil war, not understanding the consequences that shall be wrought? There is no war more bloody and more harmful to all involved than one against your own people. You are all fools to display such eagerness to hurt your own kind. Turn back now. Go home. Forget your bloodthirsty ambitions. Work with the pen instead, and direct your beliefs to a field of combat dominated by intelligence and logical merit. If you truly wish to change your Kingdom, then do so with civility. You are all Fraxonian. You know what civility is; you have embodied it since the day your ancestors first crossed into this vast Kingdom we all adore. Embody it now." And with those words, he remained silent. He observed. He would see just how the people of these lands would examine his words; as the words of God, of the Rightful Lord of Fraxon, or as... the enemy.
Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 11:16 pm
As the sky ripped open and West's army emerged, the Mazdakii forces knelt down, going to their knees. Where once had been jeers and shouts at the Vangelists, there was now utter silence, the only sounds coming from the dying left on the field as they took their last breaths. Sophia herself remained standing, although she lowered her shield and head as West approached. It was truly an awe-inspiring sight as his army took the field, followed by his own entrance. His was just as magnificent as the stories made him out to be. The man who became a God. However impressive he was however, he was breaking one of the core tenants of the religion he himself was a part of. He was interfering the affairs of the mortal world. It was to be expected though, he had been mortal, and mortals were fond of picking favorites, in this case Fraxen.
In all actuality, they had relatively the same goals. Sophia had stepped forward as a way to quickly end the bloodshed. Although, his methods were much more dramatic and ultimately more effect than her own. Already, the Mazdaks were kneeling in respect, and if the Vangelists were smart, they would soon follow suit. "I thought that Gods weren't supposed to intervene, however, you are right. There are bigger threats to Fraxen, such as the real heathens in Nocturne and there is also word of a plague. For us to fight among ourselves only serves to divide us, making us weaker." Turning away from West, she faced the Vangelist army, throwing down her shield. It was a symbolic gesture. Any one of them could strike at her, but she hoped it wouldn't come to that. After all, there was a God present, with his immortal army. "We will lay down our arms if you will do the same. We're already surrounded by enemies, we don't need to give them reason to attack us."
β’ Vigilance [ Passive ]: With such a large shield, it is difficult for any tank to have good visibility on the battlefield, and it is nigh impossible for them to see everything. Instead, the Eagle on the shield will detach itself, taking flight to circle above the user, granting them 360 degree vision. While the Eagle is in flight, everything it sees is transmitted to the user's mind through Resolve.
β’ Surging Electricity Passive Lightning is an unstable element. Even the user can barely control it fully. Electricity is constantly running through the user's body, charging their muscles. This discharge of electricity extends to weapons and ammo to make any attack they dish out a lightning elemental attack.
Out of everything humans have done, this has earned to be at the top of the list. Millions of people bearing arms just for their own religious belief and out casting the the other because of what they believe is god, and in god's name , and the one true god; it is all the same. And Unfortunately Ezekiel has been part of the distasteful war. The Mazdakii and Vangelists are fighting for their beliefs, which their is no harm in that but using their god as an excuse for war is a complete insult. Ezekiel is only fighting for his stay in this Kingdom; why should he a Warden, should leave just because of a few people disapproving his beliefs as well as others.
Eziekiel was outside the building keeping any Vangelists out and Getting Mazdakii in. As though Eziekiel is a Warden, this war grows tiresome and needs to be ended. How many bodies have dropped to the ground and how many people have suffered and will have a troubling life. This war is sure as hell not worth it. Many of his fellow Mazzdakii have fallen and there were many more Vangelists than there were Mazzdakii. The Vangelists are extrememly determined to purify the city even is it costs them their lives. Respecting but also foolhardy, "If any of u wish to not die, leave not. If you have families, go home. Your beliefs wont matter if you're dead."
After his sentence Ezekiel and the rest that are left guarding this holy place was prepared to take down those who would invade the Red Borrough, and then all of a sudden a catastrophic lightning strike hit the ground in the area of this sacred ground. Wardens are capable of such a thing but this kind of lightning seemed completely out of the ordinary. There was no possible way that this was a Wardens doing, in fact not even something that can be done my any being.Countless followers on both sides seemed to be in an uproar from this event that has occurred just now. Ezekiel flies instantly to the direction of the lightning that has created a chaotic event in this holy place.
The lightning that shook the ground took form of a winged man. Ezekiel couldn't believe it. A man that can become lightning that is also winged with a crown of thorns. "By the gods, it's him." He lowered himself from the skies, listening to his speech of how arrogant we were all being and how we should help this country. Ezekiel is still lost on words, of all time, of such convienience, a god, his god that he worships come down and makes a command to all Fraxonian. "Out of millions of people,countless worshipers, to see YOU in this life-time, is such a great honor"
Ezeikel lowered one knee to to the ground and bowed his head.
β’ Warden's Wings Contrary to the name, the Wardens do not have wings. Even so, they are the only race with flight that truly rivals the angels. They can fly passively, without any drawbacks, as far as can go without risk to their health. As such, many have compared them to a storm, high in the sky flinging lightning to the realms below. There are many theories as to how they obtained such perfect flight. Some say it's from their Valkyrie ancestors, but their flight is in fact superior to Valkyries. In truth, the diluting of angelic blood sparked a hormonal shift in the descendants of the Valkyries and Nephilims, resulting in one of their latent abilities coming to full fruition.
β’ Surging Electricity Passive Lightning is an unstable element. Even the user can barely control it fully. Electricity is constantly running through the user's body, charging their muscles. This discharge of electricity extends to weapons and ammo to make any attack they dish out a lightning elemental attack.
Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2016 8:17 am
The beauty of battle stole the hearts of many a bard, and consumed the minds of men as far back as time was recorded. For Vera, this was a truth she no longer feared. It was in carnage that she bloomed like flowers. The shield of energy held as long as it was intended, staving the first line of projectiles easily before being broken against the mazdakii line. By then the vangelists had already launched their own volley of bullets and magic into the opposing side. The sounds of lighting and shields cracking against jaws was almost drowned out by a single voice. The living airhorn did not relent for a single second; rather as the celestial bronze maces crushed jaws spewing blood free from incubi and warden alike the debilitating sound pierced her opposition to their very core.
Vera herself pierced them in a more literal sense. Lithe frame and dedicated movements were difficult to follow, a single bullet could be followed by a blade on a moments notice. Metal scraped against metal, a masterful parry of a sluggish swing. It needed refinement, practice that wouldn't come as his arm was freed with a deft slash down his centerline. Most of the combatants lacked form to begin with. Trained soldiers are such uninspired warriors. Vera was not known for traditional bravado as her counterpart always was. She was, instead, a different kind of show off. Her wailing neutralized the advantage Sophia mustered, slowing them down significantly as it had all of her opponents. Thisnwailing was instrumental in her ability to remove heads from the foolish.
Time passed before Vera was made aware that someone had called for a halt to the festivities. Vera heard Sophia joke about killing her men Vera closed the sound of the banshee wail in response, Tossing the head in her head at the white flag, staining it white. "The feeling is mutual. Why let this end on a traditional note. You have abandoned tradition and fellowship already." Vera replied wiping blood from her weapon onto a cloth plucked from a mazdakii corpse as she stepped forward. "But if you are so eager to be put down allow me to oblige, old friend." The venom in her words were lost as a bolt of lightning ripped the world itself and the sounds of a world breaking army filled her being with awe. It was short lived when she saw who it was.
His words were pretty, his stance to be expected. He could not understand why his actions were condemned by so many. To consumed with himself. But at the end of his speech there was something of a response. A god had stepped onto the field of battle and spoken his peace. He, however, was not the only God with a vested interest in this struggle. Vera felt heat like reassuarance at her back, as did her allies on the field. A light brighter than even raphaels lighting shined from the sky accompanied by a sound like an ongoing explosion. As it grew nearer, this sound intensified into a sound like hundreds of Wing beats. Faster than a missile a bright light crashed close enough to the Raphael that it may have been considered a threat had he even intended it or posed a threat to begin with. The light faded, and there mere inches from Raphael was a smug smile known to all, flowing golden hair and fair skin. Behind him and among the vangelist other smaller light balls bursts into angels as well, clad in Lower versions of his golden and ice blue armor. His wings, white and full, folded in around him and his golden eyes looked directly into Raphaels. The moment was intense. Neither seemed daunted but Uriel, God of Knights as it were today, seemed almost pleased to see Raphael. He spoke in a way only the two could hear first, choosing his words carefully. "I too once turned my back to Vangelisms true path Raphael." His smile held as he regarded the incubus. "You have come far. Once I considered you, Antony considered you a boon to the third plane. I could agree with you, to a fault. I could hear your words." He stepped away, turning to his people, his angels here in force as well but all of them with askance views of the Mazdakii. His voice now boomed with the power of god as he addressed his equal, his foe. "You preach that we fight with the pen, and we have. Your people respond poorly to words as an arrow wound in the chest of a nephillim can attest. You preach of civility when your people strike first, when they ignore summons from on high to discuss our situation. This inflammation is born as much from our zealotry as your people's ornery attitudes. What's worse... You preach Vaet Nocturnum the true enemy, yet you willingly throw in with one of its progeny. You take the high ground as you lay with Lilith, allowing her to exact her desires on the plane as she SO chooses. You have created a mockery of everything we stood for Raphael, you've thrown in with monsters who only joined you to see their twisted desires bare fruit. You allow the demon king Alistair, no better than Zachariah, to rule in hell and twist and bend mortal men and women. You yourself pledge not to interfere and yet here you stand. If the first three of your ilk do not keep to your own tenets how can you claim we are wrong to push you or of the crown jewel of Vangelism. Tell me Raphael, what sets Lilith and her lust for debauchery and destruction, high on the chaos of Nocturne and Alistair who profits from devilish deals and preying on the troubled and weak apart from Vaet Nocturnum? Even Maria drew power from hell heaven and axiom alike!" Uriel drew a blade from the light itself and stabbed it into the ground before turning to point at Raphael with his smile gone. "I love you as Antony did. Even when I fell I loved you. But how do you justify evils such as your newfound comrades and condemn our eternal enemy? You and your ilk are no better!" His words carried with them the weight of an entire people, and chorus of angels present and in the first plane sounded off roaring at him. Uriel was not pleased to hear they agreed. He wanted war as much as he wanted unity. He was just as angry as Raphael.
nuβββββββXXXβββββββXXXβββββββXXXβββββββ numineLET NO POWER ` COMPEL YOUβγ*TOWEAKNESS! bad apple
xxx nΓβGOD β°OF(ORDER)*β£LORD OFβTHE SECOND PLANE! by numinex for the food chain do not steal! c:THE DEMON, THE KING, THE GOD
(Sorry for the long delay. Will try to be quicker next time!)
As Raphael made his desires clear, an array of followers came to meet him. Sophia, devout Mazdakist and follower of Raphael in life... and Ezekiel, a Warden, a man he did not know much of - though he knew that he alike many of his people held a deep level of respect and adoration for the God of Order. It was a mutual kind, and as the man bowed, the God placed a firm hand upon his head. "Do not fret as such, young Ezekiel," he spoke, "It is I who am honored by your devotion. To see so many serve so valiantly in my name, even as I've passed from the mortal realm, is inspiring." He looked to Sophia, nodding his head slightly as if to relay that she was included in this inspirational group.
She did raise a strong point - Raphael had, for all intents and purposes, interfered in the mortal realm. It was against his word. But he had a far stronger rebuttal.
"My primary duty is not to be self-glorified as an ideological bulwark. Isolationism within our realm is the goal, however... life isn't so simple. I would never be so content as to watch millions die in my name, whilst cowering in the Extinction of Want and not allowing a single peep to escape to the third plane, all for the sake of isolation. Axiom, and the people within it, are my first priority. Order is my priority. Particularly, of course, in Fraxon - the place of my home. The place I had ruled, and brought to greatness. I will not allow it to crumble. If that requires a visit to this world, then that is fine. There's nothing in our tenets barring my visit, anyhow - only direct, bloody intervention."
He was sure to explain himself now. Even though he was a God, he was also a diplomat, a chancellor. He would not merely dismiss Sophia, but help her to understand - this was his Casus Belli. Keeping order in Fraxon was what gave him the right to "interfere", something that he would normally avoid.
For reasons exactly like... this.
Uriel.
As Raphael appeared, so too did an angelic admirer. A man he had respect for - someone he saw eye to eye on in many different aspects. Someone who... frankly, would have been an eternal brother if Raphael had joined the pantheon of Vangelism rather than the crude Mazdakii. But his decision was made, for reasons that Uriel clearly did not understand. He questioned Raphael, publically, citing Lilith and Alistair as points of weakness; citing that Maria drew power from hell.
The God of Order stopped him there.
"I also draw power from the Lower Plane, Uriel," he retorted, "Yet I am not evil, and you would not call me as such; you know I am not. It is due to my demonic heritage that I must dwell in that realm, one that breeds power in a demon's blood. But why do I dwell in hell? Is it to corrupt mortals, and bring them to the slaughter, like the demons would? Like Lukhan, Catherine, Cayenne, Makath, and so many others? No. You know that is not the case. While Lilith may as well be Lukhan's more vindictive sister, Alistair and I are something different. You do not know fully of what you speak." He hesitated to say that he had merely used Lilith to gain the wells of Zachariah's power, but indeed he had, and he would seek in due time to remove her influence from the Lower Plane.
But Alistair - he was Raphael's beloved. He was a man of immense power, wisdom and fortitude. And his intentions were not ill. They were simply . . . his own.
"Alistair seeks to guide others down the path of ambition. And yes - their soul may be taken in the process, but is that so different than your methods, or my methods? All of our followers are with us in the afterlife. He merely secures his early on - and that is their own choice. The Mazdakii are all about choice, Uriel. I gave these forces the choice of whether to fight alongside one another like brothers or to lead their nation to the slaughter. They, now, are choosing to wield the power of the crown rather than the authority of tattered rebels. Order, Ambition, Debauchery, Wrath - these are all things born of choice. The Mazdaks are not meant to merely be the pure and holy, but to embody virtues native to man. And to that end, we do well. The good among our people, our flock, chose me. A man they know to have intentions of harmony and purpose. Would you seek to turn them away from me over the legitimacy of Lilith? You must realize, Uriel, that I do not love that demoness; I carry nothing more for her than a sliver of due respect. I do, however, love the people of Fraxon, and I love the angels - including you. I love the loyal and the proud and the brave; the strong, the wise. In my position of power, allowed to me only by the people who adore me, I can empower all of these tenacious followers. Do not doubt my inegrity, as I have never doubted yours."
CEOxJOE
Chastiefol of Sloth
Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2016 7:46 pm
Sophia felt the warmth of another God fill the air. He would finally appear only a few feet away from Raphael and herself, flanked by his soft little angels. As Uriel introduced himself and began to speak, Sophia spit on the ground near him. His words were cheap and his entrance was cliche at best. Anyone could see that the battle was over, his appearance serving only to inflate his own ego. But it wouldn't have been good for his reputation to skip out on the war that he had egged on from behind the scenes.
"We did respond poorly to your words. But your words did not give us a choice. It gave us an ultimatum. You still haven't learned why we rebel against you. We choose to rebel against you. We choose to meet you on the field of battle. We choose not to follow you and your ilk. Understand?" Sophia turned to her army. There were no ranks. No one had ordered them onto the field. They had armed themselves of their own accord, just as they followed her orders because they choose to follow them. "Finally, we made the choice to fire the first shot since your words left little room for negotiation. And now we choose to stop fighting. I wonder what you will choose to do?" Sophia picked up her shield, pulling it tight to her chest as she inched closer to Raphael. She had after all just treated a God like an ignorant youngling. Most of the army behind her had risen up, most clutching their weapons, not sure what was about to happen. They were tired but they still stood ready, waiting to see what choice Sophia and West would make and how Uriel would respond to them.
Sophia listened as West spoke to Uriel. Even as a God, he still cared so deeply for his people. He was right to intervene in the battle and it was wrong for her to call him out on it. In all actuality, his arrival had probably saved all of their lives. "I'm sorry for earlier Raphael, I did not mean to be disrespectful. You have as much right to be here as any one of us. I was wrong to recite the tenants of your own religion to you. Thank you." Sophia turned to Uriel one last time. "Perhaps your arrival is for the best. There are greater evils in this world. The heathens in Nocturne still live freely worshiping their devils and demons. And across the ocean, monsters ravage the land under the command of a set of mad gods. On this field, we have the largest army in the world. We can kill ourselves here, or we can vanquish our real foes and unite the world, bringing real order and a future for both of our peoples. You fear us because we are new and different, but that doesn't make us your enemies. After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Sophia approached Uriel, extending her hand. This would either be the beginning of something glorious, or the beginning of the end for Fraxon. Regardless, what would happen here would go down in history.
β’ Vigilance [ Passive ]: With such a large shield, it is difficult for any tank to have good visibility on the battlefield, and it is nigh impossible for them to see everything. Instead, the Eagle on the shield will detach itself, taking flight to circle above the user, granting them 360 degree vision. While the Eagle is in flight, everything it sees is transmitted to the user's mind through Resolve.
Bastion of Hope B Rank per post Sophia yells out some inspirational quote, radiating energy from her body that applies a one rank damage reduction to all her allies for one post. While Sophia is the Bastion of Hope, she is unable to use any other skills that require energy.
β’ Surging Electricity Passive Lightning is an unstable element. Even the user can barely control it fully. Electricity is constantly running through the user's body, charging their muscles. This discharge of electricity extends to weapons and ammo to make any attack they dish out a lightning elemental attack.
This has become a frantic moment for everyone on the battlefield, as it needed to me more of it. The atmosphere is more heavy than when everyone was killing each other. "That is a mighty good question Sophia, which I want to know myself, but first thing is what is going to happen now? we going to continue fighting this war" Eziekiel stood up facing Vera's direction. "Being at war with one another, the countries defenses has weakened. I don't know about you Vangelists, I would like to stop with this war and fight for a greater good. Raphae, " he bowed while saying his name with all respect"Will you lead us in returning this country to order?"
β’ Warden's Wings Contrary to the name, the Wardens do not have wings. Even so, they are the only race with flight that truly rivals the angels. They can fly passively, without any drawbacks, as far as can go without risk to their health. As such, many have compared them to a storm, high in the sky flinging lightning to the realms below. There are many theories as to how they obtained such perfect flight. Some say it's from their Valkyrie ancestors, but their flight is in fact superior to Valkyries. In truth, the diluting of angelic blood sparked a hormonal shift in the descendants of the Valkyries and Nephilims, resulting in one of their latent abilities coming to full fruition.
β’ Surging Electricity Passive Lightning is an unstable element. Even the user can barely control it fully. Electricity is constantly running through the user's body, charging their muscles. This discharge of electricity extends to weapons and ammo to make any attack they dish out a lightning elemental attack.
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 7:55 am
Uriel did not change how his expression held Raphael as he spoke. When the mortal Raphael spoke, Antony had regarded him with love and respect. Uriel had never looked at Raphael with interest: they were of two different disciplines. But seeing him now, seeing what became of Fraxon before his ascension, Uriel felt a sort of odd fraternity between them. It was for this reason that the blade stabbed into the ground between them was not one of animosity, for this reason he didn't bash a shield into the God's army and scatter them against their own castle. The words carried along the winds into his ears, and he could do nought but acknowledge that the first statement was true. Raphael was a creature of hell, a born monster in fact. Like all of his kind, Uriel harbored deep, ingrained hatred for him initially. It was quite literally by the graces of Antony and Samael holding the irate Uriel at bay that he didn't wipe away the god, then King, of order.
As it were now, he was glad that he hadn't allowed Elessia's influence to override him too deeply. Raphael was a powerful god, this was known to all in every pantheon. Was he so powerful that Uriel wouldn't take arms against him? Of course not. Uriel was second in combat prowess to only Zachariah, and occasionally to Solaris on her best days, within their strength levels. What Raphael had that gave Uriel pause was true purpose and duty. And yet still, he did not understand why not just Uriel, but a great many of the Angels were more than cross with Mazdakism. Samael had been called for council, wise as he was. He saw not only evil in the heart of Lilith, but in the madness of Korvah, in the dark heart of Zachariah, still beating within Alistair. Solaris, naturally, wanted to crush demonic bones below her feet as always. Antony was not so ok with those three specifically either, but there he diverged, as did Samael, in how they though of this issue. Raphael was no evil, and this could not be clearer to Uriel, even as Samael showed him that in his heart, Raphael was a Lawful Good to a fault.
"Raphael," he began when he finished speaking. "I lend you the benefit of the doubt as much as we all do. Your integrity, your very composition, is like mine, and neither are above criticism. If I had been criticized earlier... Elessia may have fallen before such damage could have been wrought. I have spoken in error, to simply assert that hell itself, and it's existence is a problem." He pointed downwards, sending an echo of his mind to petition aid from another Goddess to illustrate his point. A light seemed to tear open the ground, showing the monsters in Alistairs domain, the souls eternally damned, forced into his service, forced to do his bidding because of the very mortal ignorance Vangelism often attempted to protect them from by exterminating his ilk. A flick of the wrist, and the domain of Catherine became evident, with souls in an eternal hunt, running, fighting for their lives, unable to ever fight for their freedom. The hunters were those who chose her and been chosen in return, and this would be clear to Raphael. Another change in view showed Lilith, laughing evilly while standing on a man drained of all semblance of awareness,Drawing power from the third plane, from the utter chaos of Nocturne.
"You seek to establish order among the lower plane, to make the world better. A demon you were born, and a demon you remain; however you are not a Vaetian masquerading as a new religion in order to gain strength and influence. You carry for her respect? You see no difference between I and Alistair, than he and yourself? We will not see eye to eye. Choice is powerful. Choice is what gave us Kala, Narathos, Kali and Malacai. Choice led my brother Zachariah to his downfall, and choice let him stay there until he was nothing. Choice leads Catherine's followers to her arms, to the jaws of Vaet Nocturnum you all, as well as I, seek to destroy. But what is the point of it all if we allow the same evils reign under a different name. You and I see the world through different lenses. You and I could both have fog in our view, but I simply cannot be moved from this stance. However," he remarked before a somewhat brave mortal approached. She could never see how much of an ant she was to a god, but he humored her as if she, too, were an equal. Her words drew a raised eyebrow from Vera and Uriel both, two askance glances among many. "There was more than one opportunity for both sides to meet civilly. We became irate after summons were ignored. Zelaous is a fair word to describe us," Vera said, now approaching at the side of Uriel, who turned his head to see a Banshee beside him. His heart softened and he looked to Rapahel. More demons turned to the path of light, more evidence he was wrong at first to lump them into a single pile. "The ultimatum came far later." Uriel held up a hand, allowing Sophia to continue. "As I have said my bit on the note that your demonic, twisted pantheon-mates are on the opposite sides... I will not let this rest forever. However, I will table this for now, and instead hope that Antony is right to trust in you Antony." Vera felt him move her to the forefront with his wing, beckoning her to take Sophia's hand. Vera seemed to turn a bit red, just a smige in the cheeks, before taking the hand and agreeing, on the behalf of Uriel to pull back on hostilities. "So long as the blade remains here, consider me appeased, and Vangelism off your neck. But Raph... the day of reckoning for them is approaching. You cannot protect Alistair from his self forever." With that, he gave a grim look, and was gone in a burst of light.
