Corpus Rahkshi

IC: Shield

Shield's eyes went wide. He stopped struggling and looked directly at Kat, in fear. "Y-you didn't, it's not true." 

IC: Exxan - Team Backstab (Farsholt Village Lighthouse).

I looked up at Kat, eyes wide. "You weren't supposed to kill him!" She hadn't, of course. Fang would never have forgiven her for it. But it was a nice ploy and I wished that someone had thought of it sooner. "Now they'll never cooperate."

IC: Stronghold/Backstab/Lighthouse
"Actually I'm not surprised. Everyone on this team would love to kill someone."

But wait. How new was he, and did he know about Exxan?

"So Shield. Do you know this striped Rahk?"

IC Kat:

I was glad Exxan had caught on.

"He wouldn't talk, so I had to keep to my word," I said, flashing a look at the smaller Rahk.

IC: Lucid

Lucid considered plunging Vaalku into a wretched nightmare as punishment for his total lack of respect, but decided he wasn't worth it. She stormed off, taking flight and landing on the roof, overlooking the Causeway. Tonight the stars were bright... She lay on her back and stared at the array of gleaming points, trying to read the messages they held, but could find none.

IC: Jayar

"Okay..." Jayar signed and held the book out for Grossh to inspect his message. Obviously Hoto was nervous about something... What was it now? They were out of the crowds, the heat was only mildly uncomfortable, and there was a vast array of splendid food set before then by their gracious host... What had happened to the Hoto who has raced into the school, unbearably excited to meet their guest? Did she have some secret alternate reason to be melancholy that she hadn't told him of?

Was she... Lying to him about something? After everything... Certainly not. Right...?

Concerned, Jayar asked, "What's wrong, Hoto?"

IC: Shield

Shield wasn't listening to Stronghold. His eyes went moist, a single tear dropped from his left eye. "I...." He couldn't say anything. Root was his only friend, and his hero! Shield couldn't take the sadness of his death

IC: Exxan - Team Backstab (Farsholt Village Lighthouse).

"Hopefully you're smarter than your friend was," I crouched back down in front of Shield, "Are you?"

IC Kat:

"Now.... Unless you want to share his fate, I suggest you give my associate the information he needs. He will be lenient."

I leaned in close, staring deep into his eyes, the fang necklace jangling around my neck.

"I will not be."

IC: Shield 

"I....I..." Was there any point in keeping these secrets? Root was gone, he might aswell leave his team. He just sat there, wordless.

IC: Exxan - Team Backstab (Farsholt Village Lighthouse).

"Here's the deal I'm offering you," I looked Shield right in the eyes, making sure he was focused on me, "If you tell us everything we want to know, we'll let you take your friend's body and leave."

IC: Sidonas - Visorak

Karz, the trees around him, as well as the one he was on, we're starting to fall. "Recoil!", Sidonas called to her, "Now would be the time to assist me, I have a rather unhappy opponent challenging me!" As the tree crumbled, Sidonas fired off one bolt towards his combatant and jumped to the closest thick-looking bush near him, hoping it would cushion his fall. When he fell it shook him a tad bit, but he ignored the pain as best he could. Sidonas dashed, trying to hide in the greenery. "It will take a lot more to defeat me, and by the looks of it, your skill will not be enough currently!"

IC: Shield

Shield looked Exxan. ".....I....it's Sliver." Shield said, shame and sadness in his eyes.

IC: Recoil

Recoil aimed, and waited.

IC: Exxan - Team Backstab (Farsholt Village Lighthouse).

Karz.... I got to my feet and backed off a few steps, "Okay, next question: what's her plan?"

IC: Shield

"She's sent out scouts in twos to scout the area. I think she is planning to snipe you guys if you get close." Shield said, his face dull and grey.

IC: Hoto - Malebranche

"J-just a little nervous, I suppose," she grinned back.

They had promised to be honest to each other. She had to keep that promise. No more lies. "I... I left the staff he made for me in the Infirmary," she admitted. 

She tried to take a deep breath to calm herself, but her legs still shook beneath the table. She needed the motion anyway to see. Hoping to solve two of her problems at once, she innocently asked, "So... what looks good?"

IC: Fang - Visorak Jungle (Team Backstab)

I'm not going to be angry. I am not!

He easily dodged the hastily fired bullet, then turned back to watch as the Rahkshi fell from his hiding place. It was that thief, and it sounded as if he had friends.

Fang moved in on the last place he saw the Rahkshi. Venom was already beginning to glow with heat as he sliced into the bush.

"Perhaps you are just running like a coward," he seethed. "You hide in the underbrush like a worm, firing your pathetic darts, too afraid to face me!"

I am not angry...

IC: Recoil

There you are... Recoil fired, aiming for Fang's head.

IC: Sidonas - Visorak

Sidonas, ducking behind a tree trunk, laughed mockingly. "My friend, make this easy and surrender. And to call me a coward? You wish to duel in the open Fang? Here I am. Recoil? Shoot him." Sidonas stepped into the open, drawing Hook. "You call me a theif, let me show you how little that describes of me. And that was not necessarily thievery, just a simple prank."

IC: Fang - Visorak Jungle (Team Backstab)

The shot echoed through the forest, and Fang was ready for it. He had not forgotten about the thief's ally. He ducked low to avoid the ball, then returned a high blast of plasma to keep Recoil down.

The thief seemed to be done hiding. All the better. Fang took a few steps back, positioning him between himself and Recoil. Venom was readied once more, glowing red hot as he raged. The words were meaningless. He had yet to prove himself worthy of a better title.

"I will not surrender to the likes of you," Fang hissed. "Perhaps my sense of humor is lacking, but breaking into the personal possessions of others goes beyond a joke."

He swung the heated blade towards the thief's weapon arm, mostly to test his defenses.

"I am not laughing."

IC: Recoil

A blast of plasma fizzed past her head, causing her to duck. She then loaded the launcher.

IC: Sidonas - Visorak

As Fang swung his blade towards Sidonas, he raised Hook, which was locked into weapon mode. He quickly blocked the attack and shoved Fang back with Hook, preparing for a fight. "Eh, I get that it will take more than bringing in some fruit and standing up against torture to show that I am not usually a thief, and I get that. But Fang, hear me out. Yes I moved some items around, and I am sorry for doing so. I get that I am not the most trustworthy person, but I mean no ill-mannered will to any. When we get back to the school, let me prove it." Sidonas kept Hook level to his chest as he spoke. He figures it kind of strange and funny to be talking about trying to be kind while in a duel, but it mattered not what the situation, he just wanted to show to those that knew of him that he was more than a simple thief.

IC: Fang - Visorak Jungle (Team Backstab)

He only took a half-step back before pressing back in with renewed force. Plasma began sliding down the blade, threatening to slice through the strange weapon.

"This isn't about your crimes, thief," he hissed. "This is about an assignment we are not going to lose. You may retreat at any time. It will spare you injury."

IC: Exxan - Team Backstab (Farsholt Village Lighthouse).

"Excellent.... it's been far too long since I played chess agaisnt my sister." I picked up his battered shield and axe, and hid them behind some rubble. "Find something to tie them up with," I told the others, "blindfold them, gag them, then throw this one in the cellar with his friend." I smiled at Shield, who was probably now starting to realise that we'd lied about Root being dead.

"They can have a nice long talk about how evil we all are..." 

IC: Sidonas - Visorak

As he saw plasma begin to slide down Hook, Sidonas quickly slid back, his crossbow ready incase he needed to fire. "Friend, you may have more ample fighters, but you forgot: Doublecross has more people, and some of those, including myself, who are great strategists and thinkers. I have mapped out every scenario, every plan. Strategically speaking and intellectually speaking, Doublecross has the upper hand. Even if you do defeat me, which yes, there is the higher probability of than the reverse outcome, there is no way you can get me talking. Fang? By the way, I am not one to retreat, not now, not ever." Sidonas grinned. He was bluffing as to knowing every scenario, as he had not had time to plot all of them out, but he would have to hold his ground until Fang captured him, by some chance he defeated Fang, who he believed to be better of a fighter than himself, or if he created a distraction to let at least Recoil escape, possibly Sido himself too if he had time.

IC: Fang - Visorak Jungle (Team Backstab)

Fang took a few steps back as well to observe the situation. He was still protected from Recoil's shots, and there did not appear to be any other attackers.

As he stepped forward again, flourishing his searing blade, his face showed a cruel smirk. "Very well. I have given you fair warning. Let's see your upper hand now."

He had the advantage in every way. He was taller and stronger, his reach was longer, and his blade could easily slice through most things put in its way. It was time to use that advantage. Fang charged forward, swinging his blade as if for another strike towards the thief's weapon, but at the last second bringing it down towards his legs. He would have difficulty being so brash after he had been cut down to size.

IC: Zelnos | House of Grossh

He took one of the seats offered and reflected on what Grossh said. Much to discuss... probably about Corpus. We will have to be careful with what we say...

IC: Grossh stroked his chin and considered Jayar's words as he read them on the notebook.

"I did not consider that as an issue..." He snapped his fingers at the apprentice who'd ferried them to the city, who'd been standing nervously off to one side, "Juleeka, head to the storerooms and bring me a Rau. If we don't have one you have my permission to delve into the petty cash and find me one from the market."

She bowed once and left, hurrying a little to be away from the trio of guests.

"In the meantime, is there something wrong with your friend? She seems a little out of sorts."

IC: Venom - Empty Dorm Wing

Then perhaps we should escort him to the infirmary instead of making plans while one of us continues to bleed out on the floor...

IC: Illusive - Empty Dorm Wing.

That may be for the best, I agreed. You tell him. He doesn't understand me.

IC: Venom - Empty Dorm Wing

Venom nodded before turning back to the other Rahkshi.

"If what you say is true, then we should get you to the infirmary before continuing our discussion," she said.

IC: Shield

They had tricked him. He had fallen for their tricks. "NO! YOU LIAR!" Shield yelled, attempting to get up.

IC: Exxan - Team Backstab (Farsholt Village Lighthouse).

"Stay down!" I warned, swinging my foot out towards Shield's face. I didn't want to hurt him, but if he wasn't going to cooperate....

IC: Shield

And down he went. His head hit the floor, and he stayed down. 

IC: Exxan - Team Backstab (Farsholt Village Lighthouse).

Shield didn't seem to be trying to get back up, so I focused my attention back onto helping the others. "Era, could you please go back to your position? I don't want anyone else sneaking up on us." She nodded and started heading for the exit while I began pulling the dead, decaying ivy down off the walls.

It took a few minutes to braid the strands together, but once it was done I had a sturdy, tightly-coiled rope that was long and thick enough to properly bind a rahk's hands. "You guys do the same to the other one," I told Kat and Stronghold, as I bent down to tie Shield's hands behind his back. "The vines are dead, so he shouldn't be able to control them, at least in theory...."

IC: Shield

Shield coughed, sobbing with shame. "Please, just let us go." He begged. He was no hero anymore. He was a fake.

IC: Exxan - Team Backstab (Farsholt Village Lighthouse).

"Sorry, I can't do that," I tightened the makeshift rope around his wrists, securing his hands firmly behind his back, "I don't want you running off to warn your little friends about what we're up to." 

____________________________________________________________________________

IC: Era - Team Backstab (Farsholt Village Lighthouse).

Nodding to Exxan, I headed out of the lighthouse and returned to my position, crouching down amongst the decaying ruins of a different building to where I'd last been hiding out. I felt bad about the injuries I'd given those two rahks, but I knew not to worry about it. This was just an assignment. It was nothing personal. They weren't going to die. 

I did what I had to do. Just like I'd always done....

IC: Jayar / Malebranche

"Ah," Jayar said to Hoto, nodding. He had no way to know for sure that there wasn't anything more, but he would trust what she said. As for what looked good, "Well... everything, really"

Of course, Grossh' solution was obvious. Though, unfortunately, it would take away the advantage of being able to speak completely freely around Grossh. For now, though, they retained that advantage, and as Jayar raised his book and quill, he asked Hoto, "What should I tell him? Probably best just to come out and say you left the staff, he'll notice eventually..."

IC: Nightmare-Gym--> Hall--> Courtyard

Nightmare decided he needed to discover more of this School, first things first, go check out what is going on in that Courtyard...

He ran back to the Courtyard.

OOC: Nightmare open to interaction

IC: Shield

"I-I won't hold this against you. I-it was well thought out." Shield said. There was no need to. He was no hero anymore. It was nothing personal, and Exxan wasn't trying to make him feel horrible.

IC: Exxan - Team Backstab (Farsholt Village Lighthouse). 

"Good," his hands were tied, but I left the other cord I'd made dangling from my hand. "Just for that, I'll let you go down the stairs before I tie your legs together. But if you try to run I swear you'll have knife in your spine before you make it two bio." 

IC: Shield

Shield nodded, and scrambled up. He then walked down the stairs, past Exxan, not looking at Root.