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 Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:11 pm
She appeared as if from thin air.
Yvoire was on his way to the park. He was going to talk to Reims—or try to. Mostly he thought of shoving him around and punching Riker. He couldn’t do it as Énna, couldn’t afford to get in trouble when Dad worked so hard for his sake, but as Yvoire he could probably get away with it. Yvoire thought it might make him feel better, then he thought it might make him feel worse, then he didn’t know what to feel at all.
Then it didn’t matter. He never made it to the rendezvous point.
There hadn’t been anything in the vicinity. No youma. No agents. None of those messed up Senshi. Not even any bright spots to signify the White Moon, except the distant aura of another Squire. The night was dark and cool, the sky clear, the breeze still. The moon above was nearly full.
The sudden disturbance drew him to a stop, heels clicking along the pavement. She was tall, and bright in her own way. Her pale hair and pale skin were almost luminous in the moonlight, her clothes more gray than black, but wine colored in spots, nearly a match for his own vest. She even wore her hair low, held loosely with a bow.
-
Carnallite came from the Dark Kingdom, leaving the boredom of deskwork behind her. She appeared along a familiar side street, her senses immediately assailed by the aura of a Squire.
She turned and found a thin, fair haired boy wearing the symbol of Ganymede.
He was young, almost certainly school-aged, prancing around after dark in ruffled shorts and sparkling stockings. Sweet faced and wide eyed, he stared at her for a moment as if caught off his guard.
Carnallite didn’t give him the opportunity to get his bearings. She crossed the distance between them before he could so much as blink. One hand grabbed him by the slim column of his neck. The other went to the center of his chest…
And stopped.
She peered into his face—at the curve of his cheek and the tip of his nose, the soft line of his jaw—and got the strangest, most intense case of deja vu she’d ever experienced, though she had no idea where it came from.
“Who are you?” she demanded.
-
She was fast.
She didn’t teleport, but she reached him before any of Yvoire’s instincts kicked in. He struggled for a moment, flinching away from the hand that reached for his chest. She held him tight, her expression stern, uncompromising.
A Captain. He could handle a Captain. Their abilities were different but their power was similar. She was nothing, just an evil witch poisoned by darkness. Yvoire stared back defiantly, swallowing the panicked lump that rose into his throat. His heart hammered away, his pulse fluttering beneath her restraining hand.
Yvoire could be fast, too.
He withheld an answer. While the Captain was distracted by her examination, Yvoire summoned his parasol and sent a stream of molten gold at her.
-
It struck her corset around the area of her stomach. A few drops sprayed higher, landing on her exposed chest. Carnallite hissed at the searing heat and released the Squire, shuffling out of range.
Not useless then, if he was strategic with his magic. The weapon itself wouldn’t do him any good. He was small and he seemed untried, despite his quick thinking. Carnallite wouldn’t even have to use her sabre. She would deal with him as she dealt with all of his kind: exhaust his magic, then go in for the kill…
If she could get over that nagging sense of deja vu long enough to do it.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:12 pm
Reims was anxious. Yvoire wanted to talk to him, which of course he’d accepted in a heartbeat. He wanted to make things right, to beg forgiveness, to prove that he was different. He wasn’t the bully he’d been to Énna or so many others. He hadn’t even been that good when it came to bullying. He’d just been going through the motions, thinking it would be what his brother would need to like him.
But then he met the people who became his friends, and he realized he didn’t need his brother’s approval or love. He didn’t need a mother who only cared about him for the check he provided from a man whom he’d never met.
He wanted -- desperately -- to show Yvoire that everything he was as Reims was the truest representation of himself, and that even though he withheld information when it came to his identity, that he’d never intentionally lied to him.
In the distance, Reims could feel the aura of a Squire getting closer. He sucked in a breath to hold it and settle himself as he sat on the picnic table bench where they’d last parted ways. Maybe Yvoire would want to hit him. Reims would let him. If that was what helped, then Yvoire could do whatever he wanted.
Unfortunately, he would probably never find out what would have happened when they met up, because mid-thought, the aura of a Captain flickered into existence.
Reims was on his feet immediately, panic filling his chest. Captains could teleport, he knew that. He could still feel Yvoire’s aura as he raced through the park, cursing his options. If he powered down to hide his aura, he might expose himself if the Captain saw him before he could power back up. If he powered down, he wouldn’t be as fast on his feet. If he didn’t get there in time--
He knew Yvoire was capable. He had to hold off this Captain until he got there. Maybe it would be like one of those pathetic Negaverse Officers they’d fought before as they tried to get Stirling’s starseed back. Or maybe it would be like that General Zinkenite who only wanted to talk and convince him to join--
Until he could hear the sounds of a fight. Feel as though the air shimmered with magic.
He pushed himself faster than he thought was even physically possible, grateful that he had the stamina built up from cross country.
There wasn’t time to check to make sure Yvoire was okay. He already had his sword in his hand, and he swung it with such force at the Captain that maybe she’d be smart enough to back off. Quote: Squire Weapon: A dull ceremonial short sword of stained glass. When Reims channels his magic, the lust for battle courses through him and his strength is increased, allowing him to hit twice as hard as he normally would. Every time his weapon makes contact, there is an extravagant burst of colorful light from his weapon, as if catching and shattering light even without a light source. This can be distracting but does not cause additional damage. His magic pool lasts for 30 seconds.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:14 pm
The boy kept her at bay with short bursts of magic. Carnallite let him, drawing close enough that a few more drops of the scorching liquid singed more of her exposed skin—this time along her thigh—but never so close that she allowed a direct hit. He was aiming higher, maybe hoping he got a splash of it in her face. When she got too close he swung at her with his parasol.
Not completely useless, but small and weak. He was nimble, at least, and sure on his feet. He moved like someone more in tune with his body than the average layman. Carnallite thought he might have a background in some sort of movement based activity. Maybe a martial art, though he clearly wasn’t very advanced. Maybe dance. He held himself steady, though fear and hatred lit his eyes.
Carnallite was not unaware of the second aura approaching, but she didn’t pay it much mind until it was right on top of her. She turned only slightly, summoning her sabre to catch the glass sword against her own blade.
Another Ganymede Squire. This was one taller but just as young, his clothing oddly dark for a knight. There was a strength to him, channeled through his sword, necessitating more effort on Carnallite’s part to hold him off.
A minor nuisance. At least his face didn’t give her pause.
-
Yvoire held his parasol like one might wield a sword. He could hurt her with magic. If he was lucky, maybe he could stab her in the eye. The point of his parasol wouldn’t pierce flesh without a considerable amount of force behind the blow, but the eyes were a weak spot. Her superior strength and skill wouldn’t benefit her nearly as much if she was stumbling around blind.
Then Reims was there, locking swords with the Captain. Yvoire knew he was coming—he could sense it—but the sight of the other Squire still drew him to a sudden stop.
He still looked like Reims. There wasn’t anything different about him, except that he looked like Riker now, too.
Yvoire didn’t let the anger and hurt distract him for long. They had the Captain between them. They could fend her off together better than they could on their own. He sent another stream of magic at her while her pale, curved sword scraped against Reims’ twinkling glass.
-
Carnallite tsked. The burst of colorful light was distracting, but not enough that she didn’t notice the little blond one making his move. He thought they had her caught, as if she would ever be left vulnerable between two young, unseasoned boys.
She took the stream of gold against her clothed arm. The heat of it seeped through the fabric but didn’t burn. She let them think they had her, let their confidence build, then teleported out of the line of fire and appeared behind the taller one. Carnallite struck quickly, landing a hard kick against the boy’s back.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:15 pm
She was strong, but Reims was almost as tall as her, broader than her, despite being younger, and his magic pushed more strength into each of his blows.
He growled in frustration when she countered him with a sword of her own. But Yvoire was still attacking. He just had to get better footing so he could pull his sword back to swing it at her again.
While Reims didn’t know much about sword fighting, he knew how to handle a baseball bat. And his sword was as close to a baseball bat as a sword could get. Minus being magical stained glass.
He could feel the heat of Yvoire’s magic as it was shot at the woman, and he pressed harder against her blade, hoping for her to lose her footing--
But then she teleported, and it was Reims who was caught off balance. And then kicked hard from behind. With the air knocked from his lungs, he didn’t even have a chance to cry out in pain or frustration as he was sent collapsing to the ground. The heel of her boot had sent lightning shocks of pain up his spine. His sword had clattered to the ground nearby, and he hissed and writhed as he tried to scramble back to his feet.
There would definitely be bruises from that, along with his hands and knees being scuffed up, even though they were covered.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:16 pm
Yvoire gasped. “Reims!”
He cut off the stream of his own magic as soon as the Captain was no longer in the way, concerned about friendly fire. But then the Captain appeared behind Reims and sent him flying. Her kick was strong. Precise. She struck him right where she meant to and knocked Reims off his feet.
Yvoire went to him. He didn’t think about Riker. He didn’t think about the things Riker had said. He didn’t think about the whispers in the hallway at school or the laughter that always joined them. All he saw was his friend—hurt, breathless, attempting to clamber back to his feet before the Captain could reach them. Yvoire put an arm around him and took some of Reims’ weight, holding his parasol in the other hand. He still had magic left. Not much, but hopefully enough.
-
Carnallite let the smaller one help the other boy. She gave them a moment to cling to one another if that was what they wanted. She looked between them, letting the details seep into her memory. Nothing about either of them was familiar, but the blond one still invoked the strangest sense of… something. There was something off about him, like she should know him somehow, but she knew she didn’t. She’d never seen him before, never even read a description of him in a report.
The taller one—Reims?—had lost hold of his sword. Carnallite went to it and caught the glass blade beneath her foot.
“Interesting weapon,” she said. “But you won’t get anywhere with a dulled edge.” Carnallite ground the blade beneath her boot, shattering the glass. “Won’t get anywhere with a pile of dust either.”
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:19 pm
Reims was still desperately sucking in air to refill his lungs when Yvoire ran to his side to help him up. He cast a worried glance up at him, knowing that he’d hurt the other teen horribly in the past, yet Yvoire was still willing to help him.
And Reims wasn’t willing to let Yvoire be in danger or get hurt.
With his arm over Yvoire’s shoulder, Reims got back to his feet. His legs felt like jelly. He was grateful that he could get to his feet at all after that kick.
He glared at the woman with dark eyes, free hand clutched tightly in a fist by his side as she stepped over to his sword. Crushed the glass under her heel.
The hair on the back of his neck rose with disdain for her. She was just playing with them. Underestimating them because they were teenagers.
The blade was now crushed, shattered glass beneath, but with a jagged edge.
Reims felt his mind racing. There was no way they could escape with how she teleported. They had to incapacitate her somehow, or get her to back down.
“Thanks for sharpening it, then,” he snarled.
With a quick motion of his hand, he reached out as if trying to grab for his weapon from the ground beneath her feet, despite the distance between them, and jerked his arm upward.
It was messy and not well coordinated. He had only used the magic a few times before, but it had always followed the motion he attempted to direct it, even if it was a bit sloppy.
He didn’t mind sloppy when the blade was shattered. Following the motion of his hand, the sword shot up from where it was broken on the ground, slashing at whatever body part was unfortunate enough to be in the way.
Reims didn’t wait to see if he’d caused her any serious damage, because now the sword had been tossed up into the air, and he reached up, focusing all his energy he had left to catch it as it was drawn back to him.
Except the moment he touched the hilt, it was no longer a broken sword, but a fully restored broadblade with intricate patterns of colored glass and sparkling gems. A power flowed through him that he hadn’t expected, but desperately needed.
He didn’t have time to look down at himself, but he could feel the brush of fur against his neck from the cape that rested over his shoulders. Quote: Enchanted Weapon: This Enhancement gives weapons an additional magical enhancement that allows the weapon to hover nearby and gives the character a bit of control over their weapon when it's not in their hand. While they may manipulate how and where the weapon hovers (always within ten feet of them, but they can summon it to that range if it is further away) they will never wield it to the capacity as they would if they were holding it. It is incredibly difficult to wield mid battle without extensive practice, as it requires extreme focus to manipulate the weapon beyond allowing it to hover nearby, but under calmer circumstances the weapon can be mentally controlled to some degree. The ability to manipulate the weapon somewhat is most useful if incapacitated or trying to do a surprise attack, when there is time to focus on how to wield the weapon. No matter how much a character practices, it will always be impossible to telepathically control the weapon as if they were physically wielding it. Third stage characters may manage to make loose or sloppy attacks with their weapon but this will be difficult to control in stressful circumstances like battle.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:19 pm
Sudden movement from the sword knocked her off balance. Carnallite hissed as the jagged edge caught the side of her leg, snapping a belt loose and slicing through the fabric of her trousers. The cut wasn’t deep but it was long, blood welling to the surface before she’d even steadied herself.
Carnallite ignored it. The flare of the Squire’s aura was the more important turn of events. She knew the sensation well, having experienced it before. His power seemed to explode—a bright burst in the night.
He stood before her now as a Knight, dark and glimmering, his sword larger than before, but just as dull.
“Interesting trick,” she said.
-
Yvoire let go as soon as Reims seemed steady enough. He watched in amazement as Reims’ power grew, as a sparkling cape settled around his shoulders and his sword seemed to reinvent itself. Yvoire took an unsteady step back, like Reims might need space to come into his own, to fully experience the surge of power.
None of his own inner turmoil had eased, but with an obvious threat to focus on, Yvoire couldn’t let himself linger on petty concerns. There would be time for that later. He gripped his parasol tightly and held it before him, standing beside Reims—weaker, maybe; smaller, certainly; but just as determined, directing all of his anger and hatred toward the Captain.
Pride rose within him, just beneath the surface. Reims was a Knight. Even the part of Yvoire that felt betrayed by him waned at the idea that Reims had gained this power protecting him.
-
Carnallite could’ve laughed. A Knight, or a Squire, or one of each, it didn’t matter. They were young. They were weak. No amount of cosmic power could make up for a lack of experience. A smirk twitched onto her face.
“That sword won’t save you,” she said. “Neither will magic.”
She teleported.
It was an easy skill to learn once she became a Captain. Some were better suited to it than others; Carnallite had been determined that she would be one to perfect the skill. She’d had to learn her limits, then slowly stretch beyond them. It became easier and less draining with practice. Whenever she finally earned the promotion to General, she was sure it would be like second nature to her.
Being a Captain for two years had one benefit: She’d had plenty of time to become proficient.
Carnallite appeared behind the smaller one. She knew Reims would turn—probably instinctively the second she disappeared—so she wasted no time knocking the blond out of the way. He fell easily, cast aside with a kick Carnallite didn’t even put her full strength into. She went at the Knight with her sabre, bearing down on him before he could even fully turn.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:20 pm
He’d expected her to teleport, to try and go after Yvoire. He hated the idea that his new power meant that Yvoire was more of a target. If he could have held Yvoire’s hand and had him become a Knight too, just as they’d become Squires, then he would have.
“Evie!” Reims watched in horror as Yvoire was kicked out of the way, and then as the sharp blade of the Captain’s weapon came down at him before he could even face her properly.
He did his best to counter her. He wasn’t successful as he tried to face her. He heard the tearing of fabric as his new cape was shredded by the sabre, and the cold edge cutting though his jacket across his shoulder and down his back.
Reims was more concerned with getting away than he was about whatever injury he’d sustained, but his legs still felt like jello, and the blade had been too close to his neck for comfort.
He stumbled backwards and swung the unfamiliar weapon to first attempt to block any additional attempts, and then to follow through with trying to strike her. It was larger than a bat, but roughly the same weight.
There was a problem, though. Whatever she’d done to his back, his arm didn’t want to work properly. Even as he held the sword hilt with both hands, his one hand trembled with pain masked by adrenaline.
“b***h,” he hissed at her. “Can’t win by playing fair?” he scoffed. It was just noise. He wanted her attention on him and not Yvoire. Quote: Knight Weapon: A dull, extravagant ceremonial sword decorated with stained glass. When Reims channels his magic, the lust for battle courses through him and his strength is increased, allowing him to hit twice as hard as he normally would. Every time his weapon makes contact, there is an extravagant burst of colorful light from his weapon, as if catching and shattering light even without a light source. The colorful light manifests into glass shards, always directed at his target. There are never more than three at a time, and no larger than his palm, that causes the sensation of moderate to severe lacerations. Players can choose to take lasting damage. His magic pool lasts for 45 seconds.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:20 pm
The kick was more jarring than painful. Yvoire tumbled, skidding along the pavement. He rolled back onto his feet more gracefully than he felt capable of between all the commotion, relying on muscle memory to carry him through.
-
The Knight’s sword was bigger, but Carnallite still had the upper hand.
She cataloged names and reactions. The Squire and the Knight knew one another; that much was obvious. Their names didn’t ring any bells. Evie. No, there was nothing familiar about it. Nothing about him stood out either, just that odd sense of not-quite-familiarity. Carnallite began to wonder if it was magic messing with her head. Did he have more than the molten gold at his disposal?
Reims was the greater threat only because he had more power and a sizable sword that, if used strategically, could cause a fair amount of damage. It gleamed in her eyes on impact. Shards of glass flew at her, nicking her cheek, her shoulder, slicing through the fabric over her flank. Carnallite ignored that, too.
“You want to cry about unfairness when it’s two on one?” she said. The smirk hadn’t left her face yet. For all the strength magic gave him, she could sense the subtle tremors he was trying to mask.
-
Yvoire righted himself. His heart lurched up his throat, but he swallowed it down and sent more magic toward the Captain.
Reims was strong, but he was hurt. Yvoire could see it in his eyes. He hadn’t had the chance to recover from that initial kick. Now his arm appeared to be giving him some trouble. If they didn’t end this quickly, they might both be in trouble.
Yvoire tried to calm himself. He couldn’t afford to panic. The woman was only a Captain. She was strong, she had a blade, she could teleport, but she wasn’t invulnerable.
-
The Squire’s magic struck her side. Carnallite took it, let it seep through her uniform, let it burn the exposed circle of thigh. She didn’t flinch back or tremble. She stayed locked with the Knight, shoving him back. She swung her sabre and met his sword again, took more flashing lights and shards of glass without concern for her own injuries. Pain would come later, when she had the opportunity to notice it.
Then the stream of gold sputtered out. Carnallite knew from the Squire’s quiet gasp that he’d used all the magic he had left.
“You’re all so predictable,” she said, and made to swing again—
—but feinted, coming from the opposite side with another kick at full strength.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:21 pm
Reims cursed himself. Cursed his lack of preparation for-- what? A giant sword? How was that even something he could have predicted? How could he have known he would be using this new weapon? But he still hated that he didn’t know how to use a sword. Not like the Captain, who sliced through the air gracefully and viciously.
He should have trained harder. He should have done more. It wasn’t as though it was a surprise that they’d eventually face someone in the Negaverse who wasn’t a weakling. And he could only do so much with magic and swinging his sword around like a bat.
But they were doing damage to her, at least. She was bleeding. She was hurting. They were hurting too, but other than his shoulder and back, and probably a few spots of bad bruising, they were doing pretty well, all things considered.
Reims stayed out of the way of Yvoire’s magic, grateful for the tag team, at least for as long as it lasted. He swung his sword again to counter her--
Except she didn’t follow through. She shifted to the side and kicked him hard in the side.
Even if he’d wanted to remain on his feet, the force of her kick had knocked him backwards and he crumpled to the ground, along with his sword. He hissed as he clutched his side. He glanced over to make sure Yvoire was okay, hoping he’d stay back. It was clear that she’d been trained… somehow… No normal person just naturally knew how to fight like that.
He would have liked to snark out insults at her, but she’d taken the air from his lungs once more. He coughed. Everything burned. It was okay. They could still stop her.
“What do you even want from us?” he managed to wheeze out, clutching his side now as he struggled to get back to his feet.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:22 pm
“The eradication of the White Moon,” Carnallite said.
She kicked the Knight’s sword further out of the way. It scraped over the ground, a shrill tinkle of glass over pavement. If she’d had a better opportunity, she might’ve liked to admire it. The glass itself was beautiful even if the blade was useless while intact.
“For now, your starseed will do.”
-
Drained of magic, Yvoire watched in horror as Reims fell.
Even the power of a Knight wasn’t enough. How could that be? How was she so strong when she was only a Captain? Yvoire knew the Negaverse was not as ineffectual as some of the agents they’d encountered made it seem, that their ranks were full of fearsome opponents. He’d felt the dark, heavy aura of a Sovereign. He’d heard of the Dark Kingdom, and all the terrible beasts that called it home. He’d watched, helplessly, as an agent plucked Stirling’s starseed from her chest like it was nothing.
But he was a Squire. Reims was a Knight. They were fast and agile. They were stronger like this than they were as students. They had magic. They had the truth on their side. Their cause was righteous. All the Negaverse knew was death and destruction.
“No!”
Yvoire charged at the Captain. He might’ve used up his magic, but he could still fight. He wouldn’t stand idly by while she loomed over Reims, threatening him with the same death that befell Daddy.
-
Carnallite let the little blond crash into her. He was short and thin, and barely weighed anything, his enhanced strength nothing compared to her own. Her sabre vanished, sent back to subspace; with the Knight down for the count, she wouldn’t need it. She yanked the parasol out of the boy’s hands when he tried to strike her with it, then sent a fist into his face.
He crumpled a few feet away. Carnallite snapped the shaft of his parasol and tossed the canopied piece aside. She held up the stick that remained, admiring the sharp end she’d made for herself.
“Stay down,” she warned the smaller boy, “or I’ll make this worse for you.”
Then she plunged the jagged end into the Knight’s gut.
-
“Reims!”
His jaw hurt from the Captain’s fist. His body ached from successive falls. Fear sent his heart back into his throat, but Yvoire refused to back down. He threw himself at the Captain, rained ineffective fists down on her, only to be shoved away again.
“Let him go!” he said, even though he knew the Captain wouldn’t listen, even though he knew she was enjoying their pain.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:22 pm
Eradication was a little extreme, although Reims supposed he shouldn’t have expected anything less. That was what he’d think any evil organization would want, more or less, but they hadn’t had much experience in meeting agents as vicious as this woman.
The suggestion of taking his starseed set off alarm bells in his head, and he was once again alert and prepared to fight her off, even with the pain in his side and back.
He didn’t want Yvoire putting himself at risk for him, and snarled with feral ferocity when the Captain punched him. He needed to get his weapon. He had his hand out to try and summon it back like he had before, but it trembled with pain.
Not that getting his sword would stop the Captain from getting to his starseed.
Or stabbing him with the broken handle of Yvoire’s wooden parasol.
Reims let out an agonized cry against his will, but he wasn’t going to just roll over and let her kill him. He gave up on trying to summon his weapon and instead grabbed for her wrist holding the parasol handle, ready to grab the other if it tried getting close to his chest. His fingers gripped tightly to her wrists. Not dainty, but not too thick that he couldn’t fit his hand around it. He tried kicking at her, hoping to trip her. Maybe he would try biting her if she put her hand close.
It was already dark, but around the edges of his vision it started--
No. Because he was the only one who could stop her from going after Yvoire next.
He could taste something warm and metallic in his mouth. His heart was racing. His hands were trembling. But he refused to just give up. She couldn’t teleport if he had her wrists at least! He hoped.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:23 pm
Carnallite batted his hands away, and when that didn’t stop Reims’ attempts to grab at her, she let him take her wrist while she lifted the parasol handle away an inch or so before plunging it back down into the hole she’d already made in his body.
Blood oozed out of the wound, thick and copious, staining the gray of his vest even darker. Carnallite watched him pale, watched his eyes begin to dim, watched him grow progressively more still…
-
“Reims!”
Yvoire’s face was wet. He barely knew what it was at first; it wasn’t raining and it didn’t feel like sweat. The moisture burned his cheeks and stung his eyes, sliding down his cheeks in thick tracks. His vision blurred. When he tried to clear it he realized he was crying.
Scrambling back up again, Yvoire tried throwing himself at the Captain to knock her aside, but she shoved him back again and again. Desperately, he searched for the other piece of his parasol, like he could wring one last drop of magic out of it if he tried hard enough, but the canopied end was useless, the jagged pieces of the broken end falling loose in useless shards. Yvoire tossed it into the Captain’s face anyway. She batted it away like it was nothing, shoving the other end further into Reims’ body.
Reims was going to die. If Yvoire didn’t do something, Reims was going to bleed out, or the Captain would take his starseed, and it wouldn’t matter that Yvoire hadn’t forgiven him yet because then he’d never have the chance.
Reims’ sword gleamed several feet away, far out of Reims’ reach. Yvoire ran for it. Slim fingers wrapped around the hilt, hoisting it up. He held it awkwardly but determinedly, heart racing, panic swirling through his head. Reims made it look easy. He’d said before that the weight of it was like a baseball bat. Yvoire wasn’t sure if that was true anymore, but he thought he knew how to swing one anyway.
He charged at the Captain with it, lifted it high and tried to bring it down on her head.
-
The sword was nearly as long as the little Squire was tall. Carnallite swore under her breath. She jumped out of range, leaving the broken parasol lodged in Reims’ body. Without treatment, he was as good as dead.
The Squire came at her, swinging the sword wildly, screaming himself hoarse. Carnallite dodged, waiting for an opening. Still, there was something about his face, something that gave her pause. She swore again, cursing her own reluctance. She would find out what it was. As soon as she had him disarmed, the little Squire would be at her mercy.
Heat rose within her, sharp and sudden. It rolled through her like a wave, stealing her breath before Carnallite was even aware of what was happening. She fought through it while she could, dodging another overeager swing of the Knight’s sword, but it grew into an inferno, like flames burning from the inside.
Magic. But who’s?
-
Ganymede made a running leap and tackled the Captain off her feet, taking her to the ground in a tangle of fair hair and not-so-sensible heels. Lucasta jumped from her shoulders just before the collision and landed gracefully on four feet, putting herself between the boys and the Captain. Yvoire gasped for air just behind her, lugging a sword that was too big for him.
They’d been patrolling the area. Lucasta had settled herself around Ganymede’s shoulders in a relaxed drape to focus on concealing Ganymede’s aura when they’d sensed other energies nearby. They’d made a slow approach at first, assuming two Squires would have little trouble with a Captain, until one Squire flared to Knight and the Captain lingered rather than making their escape. Then it was a matter of curiosity—which Captain would be foolish or talented enough to handle themselves in a two on one fight?
It was only when they came within sight that they realized what was happening, and who was involved.
Now that Lucasta’s focus had broken, the aura of an Eternal Senshi flared onto the scene—a bright, sweet comfort against the darkness.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:23 pm
It was a strange sensation. There was pain. There was numbness. He could hear his name called as though across a great distance. His grip on the Captain’s wrist weakened, and he was pretty sure he let out another agonizing cry when she pushed the stick back into his body.
His knees were weak. The streetlights faded and everything felt like it was spinning--
No… he couldn’t give up like this. He didn’t want to give up.
But Reims didn’t think his body would be able to withstand anymore.
He thought he saw Yvoire running at the Captain with his sword.
No, Evie… just run away…
He wanted to yell it, but he couldn’t even do that in his thoughts.
Almost as soon as the Captain released her hold on the parasol handle, Reims felt himself crumple. He did his best to put his arm out to catch himself, not wanting the handle to cause even more damage. He’d managed to avoid that, somehow, but he felt so tired.
He could barely breathe. He kept trying to clear his mouth of whatever metallic liquid was in it. Tears were in his eyes as he coughed, groaned, tried to push himself up-- his arms weren’t working well enough. He was just tired… he just needed to rest.
As everything faded in and out, the aura of an Eternal brought him an ounce of hope. Whoever it was could get Yvoire away from the Captain, or even get the Captain to leave. Good… he didn’t want Yvoire getting hurt even more than he had been.
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Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:24 pm
Ganymede could throw a punch better than she used to. After all, she’d had over a decade of practice. The impact of her fist against the Captain’s cheek snapped the Captain’s head to the side. The Captain writhed under the effects of Ganymede’s magic, but she didn’t scream—a shame, and a wound to Ganymede’s ego, perhaps, but some had more fortitude than others. Or they were stubborn enough to power through. Ganymede punched the Captain again for good measure, then sat back to look into her face, watching her features twist in agony.
The Captain was familiar in the way distant memories were, not because she existed within the most far-reaching of Ganymede’s memories but because the last time Ganymede had seen her they hadn’t been up close to one another. The Captain had been a Lieutenant then, bloody and singed as she stood before the Queen with all the other agents who’d had a hand in Ganymede’s capture, her back torn from Kyrie’s talons.
Ganymede didn’t know her name. She didn’t care to know it. This Captain had been able to subdue Valhalla when she was only a Lieutenant, which made her even more of a danger now than she’d been then.
So without further hesitation, Ganymede wrapped her hands around the Captain’s neck and squeezed.
-
Carnallite hit the ground. She took the fists to the face. The fire within rose higher and higher, until she thought she might not be able to bear it any longer. She grit her teeth and refused to make a sound, glared through the pain at the Senshi that had her pinned.
Ganymede. But where had she come from? Carnallite hadn’t sensed her, not until the second Ganymede collided with her. Now her aura shined brightly, impossible to miss, nearly as overpowering as the fire.
The magic was slow to fade, but eventually Carnallite could do more than suffer through. She grappled with Ganymede as soon as she could move again, prying the Eternal Senshi’s hands off of her throat. Ganymede punched her and Carnallite returned the favor, then struggled for leverage and threw her off. For all her power, Ganymede was not a large woman. She wasn’t particularly skilled either, as far as Carnallite could tell.
-
Ganymede tumbled. Lucasta huffed quietly to herself but made no comment. Ganymede managed to regain her footing quickly enough, landing beside Lucasta more nimbly than she’d been thrown. Together, they took up a defensive position. Lucasta crouched with her fur raised, daring the Captain to come closer. Yvoire cowered behind them, shaking—from fright or adrenaline, or both. The other knight lay where he’d been left. From this distance, Lucasta couldn’t tell if he was still breathing, but his aura lingered, so she knew he wasn’t dead yet.
-
Carnallite swore under her breath and climbed back onto her feet. She hesitated, staring between their faces. Ganymede, the one called Evie, and a cat. The cat she could handle, even if she wouldn’t enjoy it as much. Carnallite liked her chances against Ganymede one-on-one, but having to keep an eye on two others would make the effort far more difficult.
She could call for backup. So could Ganymede. Maybe she already had allies in the area. Carnallite didn’t sense them, but then she hadn’t sensed Ganymede until the Senshi was right on top of her. Now that she saw the cat, Carnallite understood why. Was Ganymede worth the resources? She’d been captured once, but not without planning. Were there any available agents ready and able to assist with a Princess? Carnallite could put in the call but couldn’t be sure who would respond. She could end up with nothing more than useless Lieutenants, so incompetent as to be no help at all. If Ganymede had friends nearby, any agents that responded could be overwhelmed before they were ready.
Was she worth the resources? Were there any available agents ready and able to assist with a Princess? Carnallite could put in the call but couldn’t be sure who would respond. If they were incompetent they’d be no help at all. If Ganymede had friends nearby they could be overwhelmed before they were ready.
The Squire… Carnallite wasn’t sure what to make of him. She looked between his face and Ganymede’s. The Squire was one of hers. Was her arrival a coincidence, or had she known he was in trouble somehow? They weren’t so vastly different, but that could be the magic playing tricks on Carnallite’s eyes. The Squire’s hair was a duller blond, more wavy than curly. His eyes were a darker teal. The longer she looked at him, the stronger Carnallite’s unease ********>,” Carnallite said.
It wasn’t like her to be so indecisive. The longer she considered her options, the greater the chance that she would be overwhelmed. Carnallite dreaded failure almost as much as she yearned for the chance to kill a Princess.
In the end, Carnallite cut her losses. She teleported away.
-
Yvoire waited, half expecting the Captain to reappear nearby. He turned like she might appear behind them, but she didn’t. A gentle wind shifted through his hair, cooling the tears on his cheeks. Only when it became apparent that the Captain had truly gone did he make his way back to Reims.
A sob bubbled up Yvoire’s throat. Reims was bloody and pale, his eyes half closed. Yvoire dropped Reims’ sword next to him and knelt by his head, brushing Reims’ hair out of his face.
“Help him, please,” he begged, urging Ganymede and Lucasta closer.
The shaft of his parasol sticking out of Reims was a gruesome sight. Yvoire nearly reached for it, but instinct kept him from pulling it out. It would hurt and Reims would bleed freely, rather than around the stiff wood. Yvoire could barely stomach it as it was.
“Reims… can you hear me?”
-
Lucasta lingered longer, but the Captain didn’t reappear anywhere in the vicinity. All was quiet, except for the wind and Yvoire’s tears. Lucasta padded over, one ear partially turned as if listening for any odd noise that might indicate the Captain had returned—as if they wouldn't all sense her if she did, unless she came with a cat of her own.
The boy named Reims was in a poor state. Blood seeped through his clothing, welling up around the stick protruding from his gut. His gray waistcoat was stained, and his long jacket. He’d lost enough blood that the ground beneath him was beginning to acquire a sticky sheen.
“He won’t last long,” Lucasta muttered to Ganymede. “He needs a hospital.”
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