[Cal] Return of the Enigma: The Fists of the Pure

The first of the Pure come for the shard that Cal was purported to hold, though it's no longer with her. A little emote battle ensues (though I wish it'd have gone on longer and not ended this way, barely got to emote XD).
Characters: Caliah, Kaien, Zhiang, Ellysandra, The Pure

Library
Compared to the rest of the castle, this room has been infused with a dim
interior. This semi-darkness provided by this windowless room protects the
book from damage and other extremities. The only light provided comes from
the soft glow of mage lights hung strategically through the room and the
small mage fire burning brightly within the marble fireplace to the east of
the room. The large fireplace gives a gothic grandeur to the room, and
above hangs a painting that depicts the God of Knowledge. Despite this, the
light barely seems to shroud the room with visibility, giving it a heavy
atmosphere that bears a silence and tranquility. The walls are papered in a
deep wine color that enhances the ambiance of the room. Lining the walls
from ceiling to floor are massive bookshelves of oak filled with books, tome
and scrolls of every shape and size covering a wide range of subjects. The
floor has been covered with a thick and ornately designed carpet made from
soft oranges and deep reds. Scattered throughout the room are various
stuffed chairs and couches made from a plus, red velvet. To one side of the
room sits an oaken desk covered with various books and trinkets. The double
doors to the west lead to The East Wing.


[Exits: (west)]
( 2) A large barrel of a strong, purple wine is here.
A thick iron frying pan is here, waiting to be used.
Oaken bookshelves line the walls from floor to ceiling.
A dark oaken desk made to match the bookshelves.
A soft crimson couch, placed near the fireplace.
Several comfortable crimson chairs are placed sporadically about the room.
A small woman wearing a large, black hood is here, breathing softly.
Kaien is here, idly reading by the oak bookshelf.

[Caliah is conferring with Ellysandra on the matter of the shards, and Zhiang enters quietly]
a small woman wearing a large, black hood says to Caliah in common, drawing closer, 'Ah... A misdirection... Something I'm quite familiar with too.'

Caliah says to a small woman wearing a large, black hood in common, in a cool, clear tone, 'It's a shame that the original isn't here...I believe it's close enough to it to mislead the unwary.'

You are now seen as:
Caliah is here, floating in the air, leaning against the couch, speaking quietly with a small woman wearing a large, black hood.

a small woman wearing a large, black hood says to Caliah in common, tilting her head slightly, 'I've heard of quite a number of such shards. I do not know if they are false leads as well. It was spoken in Seria Square in Yanna's hearing.'

Caliah says to a small woman wearing a large, black hood in common, in a cool, clear tone, 'I don't know why they didn't think of this sooner...seeing as those who hold shards are in danger, not just from the Pure. Ah...I do believe I have a key that might be useful.'

Caliah clears her throat and holds up a golden key.

A small woman wearing a large, black hood carefully examines the key.

You give a golden key to a small woman wearing a large, black hood.

a small woman wearing a large, black hood says to Caliah in common, in a soft voice that carries, 'What does it do? Or open? Or close for that matter?'

Caliah says to a small woman wearing a large, black hood in common, with a thread of amusement in her voice, 'The key to the Palace.'

Caliah says to a small woman wearing a large, black hood in common, in a cool, clear tone, 'Seiran and I ah...amused the guard.'

A small woman wearing a large, black hood chuckles politely.

Caliah says to a small woman wearing a large, black hood in common, in a cool, clear tone, 'Please return it to this bookshelf once you're done...if you wish to explore the Palace that is.'

Caliah says to Kaien in common, wryly, 'I was after wine.'

a small woman wearing a large, black hood says to Caliah in common, clearing her throat, 'A most interesting thing, indeed. Was there something that was needed then, from the Palace that I should undertake to, *ahem*, borrow?'

Kaien chuckles at your joke.

Caliah says to a small woman wearing a large, black hood in common, shaking her head, 'No...I do believe there are a number of hidden passageways leading to and from the various rooms. There is one accessed through the barracks that we explored at length...'

Caliah ponders, then takes out a piece of parchment and a charcoal-stick, beginning to draw a diagram on it.

You put a thick piece of jagged glass perforated with cracks in a bag made from An immense blue dragon hide.

From the west, you hear a loud knock coming from the door.

You are now seen as:

Caliah is here, floating in the air, leaning on the bookshelf, quietly drawing a diagram on a piece of parchment.

The door to the west opens.

A bald human male with eyes sewn shut has arrived from the west.
A bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed has arrived from the west.

A bald human male with eyes sewn shut quickly crashes through the door, kicking it open with his powerful legs as he storms into the room and glances around, blindly looking, yet aware.

Caliah opens her mouth, then shuts it swiftly, straightening and gazing at the strangers with narrowed eyes.

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says in common, coldly, his voice hollow, deep, 'The shards.....'

Kaien closes his book and sets it back in the shelf, glancing at a bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed and a bald human male with eyes sewn shut before standing next to Caliah.

A bald human male with eyes sewn shut hisses deeply, throat shuddering as he widens his stance, bending his knees and clenching his hands into fists.

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says in common, quickly, mouth sputtering with spit, 'Give them to us. Or perish.'

Caliah says in common, in a cool, clear tone, 'Are you aware we do not hold all the shards, sir?'

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says in common, idly, 'The rest will be ours soon. Do not worry.'

A bald human male with eyes sewn shut slowly steps foward, perking his ears as he glances over at your general direction.

Caliah folds away the paper and pencil with quick economy of movement, giving Kaien a quiet glance.

You are now seen as:
Caliah is here, floating in the air, observing the bald strangers warily, keeping his distance from them.

Caliah says in common, in a cool, clear tone, 'Do you know which of us has this shard you seek?'

Bending his legs at the knees, a bald human male with eyes sewn shut leaps towards Caliah, extending a leg out as if to kick, aiming without sight, guided by instincts alone.

Zhiang slides into action, like water falling down a mountain, directing his open palm towards a bald human male with eyes sewn shut's midsection.

A bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed glances over at Zhiang and moves quickly to intercept, tumbling forward before springing off the floor with her palms, aiming both her feet at Zhiang.

The bald man's movement is marked by a hiss from Caliah's throat as she gathers herself, pivoting on her heel and raising one bent leg, forming a heavy barrier in conjunction with her elbow.

Caliah says in common, through gritted teeth, 'Take the shard from here!'

A bald human male with eyes sewn shut grunts as bodies collide, his legs impacting against Caliah as he nimbly bounces off and onto his feet. He lands silently, glancing up, eyes narrowed as he darts forward again, releasing a flurry of punches.

Without stopping, Zhiang tumbles forwards, out of the way of a bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed and increasing his velocity.

A bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed emits a muffled growl as she lands from her attack and brandishes a sinuous whip from the folds of her robe. With a flick of her wrist, she unfurls it, cracking it to life. Eyes focused she unleashes it towards Zhiang, as if aiming for his legs.

Reaching into his coat, Zhiang pulls a double edged dagger out and hurls it towards a bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed.

A bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed twirls her whip into a spiral, parrying the thrown dagger as the tip latches onto the weapon's handle. She flicks her wrist again and sends the ensnared dagger flying towards Zhiang.

Stepping away from Caliah, Kaien reaches for the arms of a bald human male with eyes sewn shut.

As the man impacts into her raised knee, Caliah recoils, using the man's force to swivel smoothly, out of the range of her opponent's jabs. She lashes out with a low, forceful kick, her armour-clad shin aiming to impact just behind the [man's] knee.

Zhiang removes a wide-brimmed straw hat with a green band and uses it to ensnare a double edged dagger, the blade sticking almost all the way through a wide-brimmed straw hat with a green band.

A bald human male with eyes sewn shut struggles Kaien's grasp as he pauses and ducks under, twisting his body and pushing with his legs as if to swing Kaien over his shoulder and towards Caliah's kick.

Zhiang says to a bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed in common, in a low, sonorous tone, 'Hmph. Your technique is flawed. Your spirit is weak.'

Zhiang sends you an OOC message saying 'They're stealing the wine! Kill them! Kill them all!'

Zhiang wields a double edged dagger.

A bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed steadies herself, closing her eyes as she gestures deftly with her hands. Magic flies as she releases a flurry of conjured daggers at Zhiang, the air whistling as the cloud of blades pierce through it.

Zhiang falls flat on his back, smoothly rolling backwards into a low crouch.

Zhiang extends his left hand, shimmering motes of light coalsecing around it. He unleashes a blinding jet of prismatic light towards a bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed.

The daggers pause in mid-air, controlled magically as a bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed gestures. The blades spin and then fly downwards, heading to Zhiang.

Kaien pushes at a bald human male with eyes sewn shut's shoulder as he is thrown, angling his legs in a jump, falling unsteadily over Caliah's leg.

Zhiang tries to roll out of the way, daggers piercing through his coat, tearing it to shreds. A few splats of blood splash onto the ground.

Zhiang makes a choking sound of pain.

A bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed tries to grunt but fails, her lips muffled by the sewing as she falls back, the light searing her arm and shoulder, burning the flesh and revealing blood beneath the torn robe.

Drawing herself up short, Caliah scissors her legs, twisting up from the ground, her heel passing just over Kaien as it whips at the bald man's head.

Zhiang clutches at his side, panting.

Zhiang says in common, in ragged tones, 'Who are you? Why does your technique seem so familiar?'

A bald human male with eyes sewn shut stumbles from Kaien's efforts and towards Caliah's kick. With a yell he is flung backwards, the kick colliding with his head with a thick thud. He rolls back, pausing from being disoriented before rising, his nose bloody.

Kaien pulls a polearm from his back strap, crouching low as he glances toward Zhiang.

Without looking away from a bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed, Zhiang springs at a bald human male with eyes sewn shut, his dagger poised to stab him in the belly.

A bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed narrows her eyes, sewn lips twisting into a smirk as she runs twoards Zhiang, conjuring mystical blades with both hands, brandishing them deftly.

Someone slides silently from within the confines of the shadows, apparently manipulating the light cast in the area to create more dark areas that fluidly move.

Gracefully following through, Caliah pushes up from the floor, using the momentum of her rotating legs to spring upright.

Uttering a quick word, a bald human male with eyes sewn shut takes to the air, levitated magically. He rises to the roof to a far corner. There his arms twist and snake through the air, as he chants. Orbs of fire erupt from the air and rain down towards Caliah and Kaien.

Caliah says in common, controlling her breathing, 'What do you mean their technique is familiar...? I thought those who taught you were....'

Raising both fists to the air, Zhiang conjures forth a wall of water, directing it towards a bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed.

Someone deftly evades the orbs spewing forth from the air, making some arcane gentures with her left hand, causing some displaced energy to shimmer around Caliah and Kaien.

Kaien grunts as the flames hit his skin, dodging to the side, to swing the tip of the polearm at a bald human male with eyes sewn shut's head, twisting it to swing low at his legs.

A bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed leaps towards the wall of water, crossing both her blades as she slashes an opening through it. She sails through and lands, silently. Twirling her swords as she stalks closer towards Zhiang, eyes bloodshot with frenzy.

A bald human male with eyes sewn shut falters, the magic draining his own enchantments as he lands on the ground, stumbling while ducking to avoid Kaien's attack yet is swept onto his back by the assault on his legs.

Zhiang stops using a double edged dagger.

With a twirl of shadows, someone extends a right hand towards Zhiang and displaces some energy that shimmers about Zhiang.

Zhiang waits for an opening, and hurls a double edged dagger at a bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed once again.

A bald human male with eyes sewn shut pants loudly, pushing himself back while on the floor as he backs himself into a corner. Sweat covers his face.

A bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed grunts, as the dagger lodges itself into the left part of her stomach. She continues her dash unwavered, her frenzy overcoming her as she spins at Zhiang, slashing with both her swords - their edges crackle with energy.

Zhiang follows through behind the dagger, with a flying kick.

Flinching back as the barrier flows over her, the crackle of magic and scent of burning filling the air, Caliah crosses the room swiftly, picking up one of the iron pokers in its ornamental stand by the fireplace.

A bald human male with eyes sewn shut struggles to stand, but his hands find no support for him to grasp. He pushes further against the wall as he opens his mouth.

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says to Caliah in common, panting, 'Enough!'

You send an OOC message to a bald human male with eyes sewn shut saying 'damn, I was going to impair his hearing :P'
a bald human male with eyes sewn shut sends you an OOC message saying 'Lol, then you can't interrogate!'

Kaien holds the polearm low in front of him, glancing over to Caliah.

Zhiang skids to a stop, planting his free leg on the ground and dragging it there. He perches there unsteadily.

Someone pulls the shadows more tightly about her, folding darkness like a cloak.

A bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed follows through with her attack, spinning on one leg as she continues, her left sword aimed at Zhiang's lower half, and the other aimed at the upper half.

Caliah says to a bald human male with eyes sewn shut in common, her lips pulled back in a snarl, 'Call off your companion!'

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says in common, panting, as he catches his breath, 'She is not for me to control....only for Power.'

Zhiang's planted leg bends back, pivoting his entire body around, narrowly avoiding the blades. He brings his other leg crashing down towards a bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed with tremendous force.

A bald human woman with her mouth threaded closed grunts, muffled, as she is thrown back, falling into the fireplace. The flames quickly consume her as she writhes in pain, robes catching fire as flesh burns. She flails wildly and then falls still. Dead. (o_o)

A bald human male with eyes sewn shut shakes his head, exhaling as he wipes sweat from his face using the folds of his robe.

Zhiang collapses to one knee, planting his hands on the ground, a fine trickle of blood leaking from his nose and mouth.

Zhiang sits down and rests.

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says in common, shuddering as he finally rises to his feet, 'Mercy....then?'

Caliah says to a bald human male with eyes sewn shut in common, dropping the poker with a clatter, 'You are bold, to come into Lorvalis demanding such of us...not that it was unexpected.'

The door to the west opens.

A large man wearing a hood of woven ashen white raven feathers, etched with a tauren rune raises an eyebrow.

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says to Caliah in common, chuckling dryly, spitting blood as he wipes it from his mouth, 'We know the shards are here. Do you think we will stop?'

Caliah slides a quiet, concerned glance to the others before returning her attention to a bald human male with eyes sewn shut, cold fury still writ on her face.

Zhiang slowly rises to his feet.

a large man wearing a hood of woven ashen white raven feathers, etched with a tauren rune says to himself in common, in a low tone with a heavy eastern mountian accent, '...Be coming to be resting on the couch because my hammock be smelling funnie and I be walking in on something.'

A large man wearing a hood of woven ashen white raven feathers, etched with a tauren rune mulls over the idea.

Caliah says to a bald human male with eyes sewn shut in common, in a cool, clear tone, 'Even if you send an army, I care not. You are aware that the Enigma holds one of the shards?'

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says to Caliah in common, spitting blood still, licking it off his lips, 'It is a matter of quantity. Whomever holds the most...he may come after us if he wishes.'

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says in common, coldly as he blindly straightens out his robes, 'And the Enigma holds three.'

a large man wearing a hood of woven ashen white raven feathers, etched with a tauren rune says to himself in common, in a low tone with a heavy eastern mountian accent, '...Crazy scarecrow man be having too many I be thinking.'

Caliah says to a bald human male with eyes sewn shut in common, flatly, 'You waited this long for others to do the work for you, didn't you. You'll find that not all those who hold the shards are easy meat. If you take the shards in Kyvorr's name, what's not to say the Enigma will slay your god as well?'

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says to Caliah in common, clenching his hands into fists, 'Our god is already dead....but we shall bring him back with the shards, then absolute power will be ours.'

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says to himself in common, pausing as he shakes his head, 'No...they know too much....I will be punished...forgive me...'

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says to himself in common, placing hands on his head, as if in pain, 'I'm sorry! PLEASE....I see...'

a bald human male with eyes sewn shut says in common, exhaling as he extends his hands, 'Forgive me Kyvorr....have mercy....please...'

a large man wearing a hood of woven ashen white raven feathers, etched with a tauren rune says to himself in common, in a low tone with a heavy eastern mountian accent, '..Boom?'

A bald human male with eyes sewn shut quickly retracts his hands, darting them into his chest, as he pulls out his own heart. He pauses, glancing at it blindly and then crumbles. Dead.

Specks of blood hit your face as someone rips through a bald human male with eyes sewn shut's chest
pulling out his beating heart.
You hear a bald human male with eyes sewn shut's death cry.

Zhiang says in common, flatly, 'An odd way to repent for one's sins.'

A large man wearing a hood of woven ashen white raven feathers, etched with a tauren rune grumbles and shakes his hood a few time muttering about crazy goat's arse.

Zhiang takes a few steps back, stumbling into the wall, and slumping down.

Kaien walks over to Zhiang and begins to bind his wounds.

Zhiang still has a few of those daggers stuck in his side.

Zhiang stops using a long leather coat.

Zhiang wipes a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.

Zhiang says in common, flatly, 'Huh. I was rather fond of this coat.'

Caliah says in common, in a cool, clear tone, 'Are both of you all right?'

Kaien says to Caliah in common, nodding faintly, wrapping bandages around his own arm, 'I'll be fine.'

With a wrenching pull, Zhiang removes the daggers embedded in his side.

Zhiang stares disinterestedly as the daggers disintegrate into dust.