With Beast I step onto the roof of the mansion looking out at the burning jungle.
"Saint heat seeker."
She's here...I'm not shocked the leader of the actors is always... in the right place at the right time. Divination i believe.
"It would appear Han Li Caster as well as 5 other saints are on their way."
I raise an eyebrow
"Only 5?"
She nods "their mission is to capture you. Not kill."
I scoff almost offended by the idea they would only send 6 saints.
"They want my ability to move citadels. The midnight actors guild will not need to get involved i will deal with the saints myself."
She nods, her actions are always so slow and careful. It makes her all the more ominous.
"I am aware. Do remember they have prepared for you. Quite well in fact."
Of course they have. I really can not be really shocked by it. That was how we hunted in the dark city, preparing. Unlike the horrors of that cursed city I am fully aware their coming.
After a few hours I sit on the steps, waiting. After a while I turn my head up.
"Well? Are you just going to keep watching me? Let's just get this over with. I promise I won't kill any of you"
I slowly stand as 6 figures come out from the burned jungle. Caster reaches his hand out
"■■■■ look... we don't have to fight, there really isn't any need to do so. Valor has wronged you i know of that, so why don't you just join song? You can't survive alone, everyone knows that about the dream realm."
He has a almost hopeful expression on his face. Its odd, there's both hope i will and that I won't. Not that it matters, my choice is clear and one I can't stray from.
"You've brought only 5 saints with you. How weak do you think i am? Not just that but you are also a new saint as well. Shameful."
I summon a halberd, the one I've been using for ever so long ever since Antarctica. From shortly before the fall of falcon scott. Its something that will forever haunt me.
A flurry of sparks fly around casters hand. A look of sadness on his face, there's a hint of relief. He hoped I wouldn't join, not because he wanted to fight me but because...maybe now hes moved past thinking of the sovereigns like gods, and like the egotistical fools they are. I step forward as a rope finally makes its appearance. I step to the side just in time to only get both arms tied up. It will be a problem I'll admit it. I duck under a grab but my position seems to reset and I'm grabbed.
"Just come peacefully."
I tilt my head
"Thats your awakened ability isn't it? How unique"
I active the enchantment on my halberd and it turns into a swarm of beetles. He let's go disappearing just as hes the beetles get to where he was. I step forward making a set of ice skates as I do.
I move foward just as the saints do. Their fast. Too fast, it would appear Caster is like the rest of us in a way. A ascended ability that can buff allies. Likely speeding them up, quite the ability. I duck under a slice to the head
"You fool we are meant to take them alive"
His tone is quite hostile, not for the other saint disobeying their orders.
"Do you really think we can take a saint who lives in god grave alive?"
I'm glad the beetles are holding Caster off as he's the only real threat here. I push upwards jumping over another slice. Like a dancer i slide around around fast strikes of a sword, arrows as well. I lift my leg stopping a blade using a stake. My aspect seems to be weakened by these ropes. Not weakened enough as create a tail to block a attack from the back. It wraps around one of the Saints arms and I fling them into the next closest saint. I skate to another right through flames, with the tail I knock the spear away and with a spin I slice open their chest. My head spins 180 and i bite down on a arrow stopping it. I crunch down breaking the arrow. I jump back near the gate of my citadel. I glance back at the citadel then I jump far into the air. I hear a soft hum, like that of someone intrigued by something they haven't seen before. And a whip sword strikes out from the roof, cutting the ropes and some of my arms as well. My body turns to ice forming into something else... a shadow spawn. I land on the ground on all 4s, would it be 6s, looking at the group of 6. My voice comes out in something closer to a growl because of my new form
"Well then wasn't that quite the unfair fight? It is only right to make it fair"
Over with Storm i lift a mug, I don't drink but apparently the midnight actors guild does. I can pretty well guess most are incredibly drunk as they've made up about 3 different songs, one of them about how hot the song sisters are. At the seishan verse I felt dread elbow me. For some reason, probably because we actually know each other. I wouldn't set the two up. Not a good fit.
"How about a toast to good bear"
The group cheers
"To good bear"
"beer idiot"
"Hey bears are good too"
"Nobody asked your opinion"
"to good beer!"
"Fuck yeah good beer!"
I laugh taking a long drink of juice. The guild had been the one to bring the beer, well some of its beer some of its also apparently some kind of mead. The one that made it currently lives at the mansion. I think they've been using the wine cellar. Their all so close maybe even almost as close as the fire keepers. From what I've learned about them all of the masters undertook the same second nightmare together. It really is a odd thing to know.
With heart. I tumble back rolling until a vine catches me. I slowly get up resting on one arm, the other is broken horribly. It hurts. It hurts so damn much. I can barely move, maybe even think. I fall back down. I cant stand. I don't think i want to. It hurts, it hurts too much. A whole cluster vine blocks a hit from the fallen devil. Then two hands grab me by my shoulders pulling me up and over someone's shoulder. I dangle like a sack of potatoes as I'm quickly gotten to the healers. I hate this. Why me, why anyone, its all so useless and annoying.
With sun
"Ascended ko- what the fuck."
Two eyes turn to me in the dark of the tent. What in the gods names is he doing? Why is he making tiny crosses, why are there rats nailed to them? He looks at me in the dark his completely black eyes reflecting only a small amount of light. He looks just as unwashed and as dirty as always. He needs to learn how to take care of his hair. It could have been pretty but no its patchy. Maybe by him ripping it out
"Your being called.... judging by this display i will have to ask for you to be given extra time on field"
I turn and I quickly leave before he can say anything. I myself am quite odd but he is truly another level of weird. He always does things like that, I'm not sure why and I don't want to know.