[center] [img]https://78.media.tumblr.com/a3b148938837c8380c1eb6e43f0d31fc/tumblr_pcvta2YxeN1w6599so1_1280.png[/img] [/center] [hr][center][h1][color=baddab]E N D O F A N E M P I R E[/color][/h1][/center] [hr] Flame Brooks was not among Alistair’s favorite people. Alistair always respected people who could take charge of their lives and stubbornly refused to bow down to their oppressors. Essentially, people who had walked a similar life to himself. Seeing him rest on the floor did not make the haughty young man happy. He had thought that if Flame had done anything else, it would be better than just succumbing to the urge to sleep. Alistair was proven wrong. Flame was able to hear what Alistair was whispering to the few people who needed to hear his plan for it to work. He then stopped Ashton from distracting Talus, made Talus aware there was a plan, and then proceeded to talk about things that even Alistair didn’t understand. Alistair had worked so hard to try to dig out a victory, and yet… But Flame wouldn’t have much time to parade in front of the witches. Talus was no longer distracted and was made aware of the plan. In a flash, he appeared behind flame and drove his hand through the boy’s back. Talus’s arm was emerging from the front of Flame’s chest, covered in his blood. He was able to witness the giant hand turn around and make an “L” symbol over his head as the light faded from his eyes. [center][b][h1][i][color=lavender]DEATH COUNT[/color]: [color=Magenta]279[/color][/i][/h1][/b][/center] With a snap of his arm, Flame’s lifeless body was cast to the ground. [color=baddab]”On the other hand, That is to say the one that went through Flame’s chest, I could just remove them.”[/color] He chuckled. [color=baddab]”I wonder what made flame think I didn’t have the power to do that. The two of you are entirely expendable. Mere pawns of Od Laguna. You’ve served your purpose.”[/color] He turned to look at Ashton. [color=baddab]”And now you can be removed.”[/color] Alistair might not have liked Flame, but he wasn’t happy that he was dead. In the end, he was just trying to help. Alistair was so distracted by Flame’s interaction with the witches that he left Aerith mostly unattended with Chieko. Not like raining down suppressing fire was going to help her case any. Aerith might not have looked very threatening, but Alistair knew she had some fearsome power. If Odessa didn’t like her color, she must have had the power of a witch. He didn’t want to find out what it was, even if he was confident in his ability to use spells. Ashton had just been through a gruling battle, and lost Flame. Chieko looked like she was at her limit as well. [color=gold]"Is that so?"[/color] Aerith took a step closer. [color=gold]"Funny how you only get around to saying it at a time like this."[/color] Her hands were shaking, but she didn’t release the knife. [color=gold]"We have a bit in common. You want to be a hero, I want to be a lover. You see? We both want to be liked."[/color] Her breathing was becoming more ragged. [color=gold]"Why didn’t you ever try to save me?"[/color] Her eyes dropped to the knife. [color=gold]"I don’t know what to do. It seems like whatever I do, it’s always the wrong choice. Is it even possible for me to make good choices?"[/color] She held her head and fell to one knee. Vertti had run up to Flame’s corpse and was attempting to heal him, but it was a futile endeavor. Her magic was too weak to perform a miracle like this. Blue light lept off of her fingertips and into Flame, but it had no effect. [color=lavender]"Come on."[/color] She whispered to flame. [color=lavender]"You have to get up now."[/color] Vertti bit her lower lip. [color=lavender]"Any time someone dies, there’s someone who’s going to cry for them. No matter how insignificant you may think you are, there’s always a pair of eyes who cries for someone."[/color] Her jaw trembled as she watched his unmoving body. [color=lavender]"How many more times is this going to happen?"[/color] The witches looked conflicted. They were talking among themselves, paying no mind to the scene that was unfolding before them. Finally Melancholy stepped out of the group. [b]”We have come to a decision.”[/b] Talus looked away from Ashton, as if he had forgotten he was even there. [color=baddab]”Really?”[/color] He cracked his fingers. [color=baddab]”So who did you decide on? Simply give the word and I’ll make it happen.”[/color] [b]”We have selected all of them.”[/b] Talus blinked once, then laughed. [color=baddab]”That is not how the game works. You must choose one of them.”[/color] [b]”You know I have a flair for the dramatic Talus, so let me explain.”[/b] She marched over to the giant. [b]”Love is not something that you can just force on someone. It’s clear that the canidates in this room are all acting strangely, they wish to force an outcome with all their heart. Since we are unable to come to a decission, we have decided to take the option that will make everyone the most happy.”[/b] Melancholy pointed to Vertti. [b]”We have selected Lady Vertti as the winning candidate.”[/b] Talus was unmoving. His body looked like it was engulfed in a black flame, but even that flame seemed to freeze. Alistair looked between his remaining companions to see what the giant was going to do next. That was when the giant laughed. [color=baddab]”Let me see if I understand this.”[/color] he gestured with his hand. [color=baddab]”You are unable to make a choice, so you’re going to choose the one that you don’t want? The one that made the lot of you construct this game in the first place?”[/color] Melancholy rolled her eyes. [b]”Not to put tooooooooo fine a point on it, but the majority of the rules for this game were made by you. Undoubtedly to exploit us for your own gains.”[/b] [color=baddab]”You don’t seem to understand what I’m saying.”[/color] Talus’s smile turned. [color=baddab]”The lot of you are witches, and yes, we love you very much. Those of us at the high council. We made you ourselves, brought you up, watched you mature for many years, and put you here so that nothing could hurt you.”[/color] [b]”A prison, essentially.”[/b] [color=baddab]”Exactly right, Melancholy!”[/color] The flames on Talus’s head seemed to get bigger. [color=baddab]”You’re pissing off the one person who has complete control over your lives. The fact that you can see [i]anybody[/i] is because I am here to let it happen. So let that sink in.”[/color] Talus stood up straight. [color=baddab]”Do you still want to choose Vertti?”[/color] Melancholy turned away from Talus and looked at the other witches. With a nod, she looked back. [b]”Do I stutter?”[/b] Talus looked around at everyone. [color=baddab]”So this is it?”[/color] He swung his head around. [color=baddab]”I endure the war, I watch my family die, my kind pushed to the brink of extinction…”[/color] He turned to Chieko. [color=baddab]”Watch them sully my name, mock me…”[/color] He turned to Aerith. [color=baddab]”Then they have the nerve to call me a monster…”[/color] He looked to Alistair. [color=baddab]” And then after holding on to-”[/color] [b]”Yes Talus, it failed.”[/b] Melancholy folded her arms. [b]”You orcastrated a game you were sure you’d win, and you lost. Now, make Vertti the permanent sentinel again.”[/b] Talus lifted his hand to point at Ashton, and all of the witches shifted. It was clear that if Talus didn’t do what they wanted, there would be some resistance. The giant mouth turned from a hidious scowl to a twisted smile. He moved his hands over the sides of his head. [color=baddab]”I won’t give you the satisfaction.”[/color] And with a loud crack, Talus’s head turned into a fine black mist betwean his hands before sinking to the ground. Even though there was no wind, his body blew apart into ash. The void shook, and everyone felt their grip on reality weaken. [hr] Alistair had barely regained consciousness when he felt a hand smack him. [color=c1ba46]"Gah!"[/color] [b][color=00ddaa]”Gah!”[/color][/b] It was captain Crunch, kneeling over him. Alistair cleared his throat. He never liked being touched, but again, he couldn’t fault the woman for trying to bring him back. [color=c1ba46]"Where is everyone else?"[/color] When Crunch stood up, he could see that he had been moved inside the Vertti household. Chieko was there, as was Ashton and Mistress Vertti. There were servants everywhere and a few mages trying to heal the wounded. Crunch remained with everyone to tell them what had happened. After crunch came back from the siege, she found most of them thrown about the room. Apparently Mie and Aerith had killed Fritzi, but she had enough power left to unleash one last spell. It seemed to be the reason why everyone in the mansion had been knocked unconscious. However, there appeared to be no lasting damage to the people or mansion. Fritzi’s body was found in the kitchen, allowing the authorities to confirm that elder sibling had died in the siege. Vaux’s body confirmed the presence of archbishop activity in the region, and its ties to the demihuman bandits. Crunch is pretty sure these were two separate groups working together, but wishes to sell the story that the demihuman bandits were just a front for the witch cult and not a separate entity composed of disgruntled demihumans. This would remove the demihuman’s association with the bandits and shield them from even more prejudice. She’s also requested that everyone keep Fritzi’s true identity a secret. She was a beloved member of the comunity, and it would do a lot more good if everyone believed she was killed protecting the mansion. [color=lavender]"That’s going to be hard to sell to Mie."[/color] Vertti groaned. [color=lavender]"I’ll try talking with her."[/color] There were sightings of Aerith fleeing the mansion just a few minutes ago, but no one knows where she is now. [color=tomato]”I’ll take it from here.”[/color] Sandra stepped in front of Crunch and looked at the foreigners. [color=tomato]”You four, follow me.”[/color] None of them felt like moving, but it was a relatively short walk to Vertti’s study. Once there, Sandra locked the door behind them and stepped behind her desk. [color=tomato]”Alistair, Chieko, Ashton, and Vertti. I’m pretty sure most of you know who I am, but I’ll introduce myself again just in case.”[/color] She placed a hand on her chest. [color=tomato]”I’m Sandra Photos. I’m a very accomplished pyromancer who has their own division of cat boys who works under her. But all you need to know is that I am the new Witch of Envy. I know about what you guys did, and I’m really glad Talus is gone now. I’ve waited a decade or two for this to happen.”[/color] She sighed. [color=tomato]”I was seperated from the others because they didn’t want a repeat of last time. The witch cult that is. They tried to seal me away, but I managed to escape and I’ve been opposing Talus’s game ever since. It’s a long story, so I’m just going to get to the point.”[/color] She leaned over the desk. [color=tomato]”I have two goals. One is to stop the high council, and the other is to undo all of the nasty shit Talus did. Where I’m a little conflicted is to what should be done with the lot of you. So here’s the scoop.”[/color] Sandra folded her arms. [color=tomato]”It is possible for me to send you guys back to your old worlds. Sadly, there is nothing I can do for Hiro. Fortunately for Flame, the game ended in time and Wrath was able to save him with her authority.”[/color] And as if on cue, Flame walked through the door. [s]He must have had keys because that shit was locked.[/s] [center][b][h1][i][color=lavender]SUKKAH[/color]: [color=Magenta]278[/color][/i][/h1][/b][/center] [color=tomato]”Which reminds me, I have lost contact with my sisters. Without Talus, they have no way of observing the world at large. His was done without the approval of the high council, and I doubt they will risk following in his footsteps. Especially seeing as Talus failed. But I’m getting off point.”[/color] Sandra leaned across the desk again. [color=tomato]”You can go back to your own world. Your real world with your families and friends, who are probably looking for you. You’ll wake up somewhere and think whatever you want to think. ”[/color] [color=c1ba46]"Or we take the red pill?"[/color] Sandra snorted. [color=tomato]”What red pill? The only other choice is that you can stay here. If you guys like opposing the cult, there’s plenty of cult left to fight. But you’ve already laid the ground work. The high council lost big today. The kingdom is only going to get stronger now.”[/color] She closed her eyes. [color=tomato]”This isn’t something I can freely do, mind you. This is a permanent choice you’re about to make. It’s only been a week so I can easily send you back to your own worlds, but it’ll be a lot harder as the weeks turn into months. So you guys need to decide what you want to do, preferably [i]now[/i].”[/color]