[i]"So, it begins again, does it?"[/i] [i]"Once again you play second fiddle, though... Impressive."[/i] [i]"I pride myself on that power."[/i] [i]"That was sarcasm."[/i] [i]"I'm sure."[/i] [i]"..."[/i] [i]"Think they can do it again, only to us this time, Lilith?"[/i] [i]"Not a chance, Typhon."[/i] [i]"Good. Because I lost to that bitch princess and her band of merry misfits once... I don't intend on doing so again."[/i] [center][b]Amazonia Imperiia[/b][/center] Kraith, Traxilus, Garren, and Count Richelieu would arrive quickly in the Amazon Jungles, through a mix of Mage's Guild teleportation and a quick ride by boat over the blood sea and up the river into the heart of the jungle. It would not take long to find the Amazons, especially with Imperial guides, and their meeting spot, a small area of less densely packed jungle. Here, there were several campfire spots, tents, and more that littered the landscape between trees and shrubbery. A place easy to hide, but also easy to be ambushed in. Along the entire route the party traveled with Queen Alexandria, a woman known for her down to earth mannerisms. Her red hair was easy to spot in the jungle underbrush, as was her rather coarse yet refined mannerisms with the Imperial scouts. For this occasion she wore the full decorative armoured uniform, though kept a collar around her neck, one which many said allowed her to control her lycanthropic powers, despite how aged the leather seemed to be. Around the meeting area was a loose set of guards, both Amazon and Imperium. As for the meeting site itself, General Florence and the Queen of the Amazons awaited at a large and crudely manufactured table, likely produced by the Imperium right there in the jungle itself. General Florence was an aging general, wrinkles on his face and grey, short hair, though he wielded the full heavy leather suit of Imperial gear with pride. As for the Queen, her dark brown hair and light blue eyes with slight wrinkling around the eyes gave away the same impression of age and wisdom. Beside this table, and its chairs, was a roaring campfire, where the princess waited, arms crossed, a mixture of irritation and hesitance in her eyes upon spotting the newcomers. Like her mother she had dark brown hair, though with a set of brown eyes, and as the fire crackled and spat out almost as venomously as she seemed to wish to with her own mother, it revealed the naturally fit and attractive form underneath the tight leather armour. Amazons were, after all, a people known for living on whimsy and carnal lust or rage, due to their relatively short life spans, and perhaps due to their culture itself. Alexandria looks to the party members, a bit of concern in her steps shown only to those of the party. [b]"Your first goal should be to acquire as much information as you can... Whether you start with the princess, or the queen and the general, really, it is up to you."[/b] The princess looks Alexandria over with a raised eyebrow, though, one quick glare and matching growl from Alex at the princess stifled whatever thoughts the princess had in mind. [b]"These people are known for being... Aggressive and sultry, while the Imperium is known for being calm and highly disciplined. Keep this in mind... Remember, we're here to find out if the Queen is in fact under demonic influence. After that, if you need guidance, or assistance, come and ask. It's what I'm really here for."[/b] She then looks at Florence and rolls her eyes as he smiles respectfully. [b]"Besides, I had enough of Florence the first time I met him... I could [i]really[/i] use an excuse to get out and about."[/b] With that, Alex goes and stands by the meeting table, arms crossed. At this point, the available options were many, and Alex had given her suggestions as to what to do. Though likely the meeting would start in a few minutes, so the more time the party spent asking one person questions, the less time overall they would have for the others... Unless they split up. There was, of course, the rest of the camp as well, including various veterans, huntresses, and more that could potentially be spoken with. The only question now, was what would the group do first... [center][b]First Blow[/b][/center] The trio of Maher Adonai, Thailen Vicariss, and Erasmus took the same route initially as the Amazonia Imperiia team, they split off, taking a smaller vessel crewed by Liverian Witch Hunters mid-route as they traveled for the blighted lands south of Tuleria. The best way to get as close as possible to the cathedral without fighting through hordes of the near mindless undead was by boat. Thankfully as they approached, a fog started to roll over the blood sea, something normally not possible, yet, there it was. It slowly covered the coast line, growing thick and covering the approach of the trio. The mages of the crew felt something off about the entire affair, but it didn't stop them from completing their mission of delivering the trio... Even still, on occasion, Erasmus would find most of the mages near him, trying to repress the unnatural chill running through them using his unique penchant for drowning out magic. Indeed, even the fog seemed to give way wherever he stood. Quietly, the trio had been sent out by row boat onto the shore. Maher Adonai was given a simple flare gun, a black powder charge that shined brightly, even cutting through fog with magical bursts of energy. When they needed to retreat, returning to the coastline and firing the shot would be all they would need to do. As the row boat departed, the true depravity of the situation started to sink in. The ground wasn't simply dead, the roots occasionally writhed with dark energies, the normally benign undead roots now seemingly producing the thick fog that stuck to their clothes. The occasional distant, unholy wail of creatures that supposedly had no functioning lungs left, the constant feeling of being watched. Even as a small gecko sped past the group, one couldn't help but noticed the open rib cage and missing tail. Nothing in this land lived, and slowly, it was becoming dangerous to even be here. Yet, finally, a single flare shot up from the boat. Green in colour and making a high pitched noise, a similar flare was shot up a few seconds later, deeper inland. That was likely where Wren Vesper was waiting. Yet the path ahead was shrouded in fog. They could always charge forward, to try and reach Wren Vesper before any undead could reach her, or take it cautiously, try to prevent any surprise attacks or ambushes on them... Though it would take longer. [center][b]Royal Blood[/b][/center] The City of Liveria, capital of the kingdom of which it is named, remained quiet as Rayne Walker, Auric, Jason Drake, Ceann, and Rayvon Krayvitch arrived. The group would find most of the city's streets quiet, nearly deserted, with most people preferring to remain indoors in such solemn and worrying times. As they walked through the city to reach their destination, stone gargoyles, unmoving, unflinching, sitting atop stone structures would stare at them. The city's walls and main gate even was littered with them, literally glaring at anyone daring to proceed near the city... Rumour has it that some even came alive at night, though, in the capital of the Witch Hunters, this surely seemed like a falsehood. As the group approached the large palace, they would find themselves ascending a large flight of stairs, grey, lifeless, and yet intimidating. At the top were large doors, guarded by a pair of heavily armed men covered head to toe in chain mail, and wearing helmets that obscured their faces. They seemed almost as vacant of life as the stone around them... Yet, one figure stood out, curiously looking at the two men as she tapped her lip and left foot in unison. [url=http://th05.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2012/056/f/2/silvernai__sheira_by_telthona-d4qp4uo.jpg]Mikan[/url] made no effort to hide her nature, constantly teasing the party in every which way as they rode on horseback from the capital of Renalta to the capital of Liveria. Childish almost to a painful degree, yet flirtatious and full of an almost comedic touch, this woman's attire even seemed designed simply to catch attention when she wanted it, or evade it when hiding in shadows. Here, with the guards, her high pitched tone contrasted heavily against the unchanging, unmoving, uncaring environment. [b]"Hiya! Name's Mikan, meee-kan, me-kan, got it? Okay! We're the blades sent to help your king! Courtesy of our queens."[/b] The guards seem perplexed for a moment before shaking their heads and stepping aside, knocking on the door in a certain pattern. The doors open a few moments later, and with a wink, Mikan motions the party inside, giggling as she too enters the royal palace... It took only a few minutes from that point, and a few irritated guards being pestered for directions, to find the main throne room. There, a single, bright light shined in on the center of the room, revealing only the metal boots and the bottom of the large and luxurious throne upon which the Crown-Prince sat. Beside him sat his daughter, a teenage woman, also obscured by darkness. It seemed intentional, then, that a single falcon stood between the king's feet and the group as they entered. It stared at them, non-stop, almost entirely unblinking, and while the room seemed suspiciously vacant of guards, one could tell that the dark corners of the room likely held any aid the king needed for surprise assassins. Mikan bows her head, then gets down onto one knee. [b]"I am Mikan, and these are my compatriots..."[/b] The Crown-Prince seems to look over each of them, before asking one, simple question. [b]"What, are your names... And why did you choose to volunteer to come to a kingdom which openly disdains the one you work for."[/b] His eyes seem to hesitate on Rayvon for a moment, before moving between the rest. It seemed, then, that how the party introduced themselves would help shape what the Crown-Prince might share about the murders thus far... At the very least, it would appease his curiosity, likely a healthy thing to do. [center][b]The Hunt For Diana[/b][/center] As with the First Blow and Amazonia Imperiia teams, they boarded the same vessel, and departed midway across the sea after the First Blow team on another vessel. The crew, in fact, was doing a favour for a certain woman... The Felidae, as it was called, owed one of the queens of Renalta a favour, and a journey that would normally take longer than the other two was cut in half, and made safe, even as they docked in the treacherous ports of Southblood itself the crew made all the reassurances it could that Trom, Nadira Adonai, and Hector Thanos would have the disguises they would need to avoid catching the eyes of the especially conniving assassins looking for a little revenge against the Queens. Thus it was that the trio was left in Southblood, with one last favour acquired by Mikan asking her two mentors for a favour... A lead. An agent of the Crescent Sisters would be waiting for them in a large and burgeoning inn, one that bragged about once having the Queens of Renalta and Sarah Darkhammer in the same place at the same time. The city of Southblood itself was made out of sandstone, with sandy streets and merchants everywhere. Even the rooftops, flat instead of curved, served as places for merchants to set up shop, or to redirect foot traffic away from what could sometimes be choked with business. Yet, even still, what should have been simple was not anymore. Upon disembarking and being left in the port by The Felidae, they couldn't shake the feeling of being watched over, almost... Protected. Within a minute of the crew leaving them to their business, Nadria Adonai would find a note in her pocket, one she hadn't had prior to reaching the docks. It read simply to travel into the eastern quarters and go into a weaver's shop known as the Crescent Sisters' finery... Yet their original destination would take them into the western quarter to reach The Queen's Inn. One thing was for certain, at least. This city was obsessed with celebrities.