Tanis Six, 3,520 years after the Battle of Tanis.

[albatross]

There is a flutter of motion like the beating of a hummingbird's wing and several things happen all at once.

Mikalah drops her whip of thorns and transforms into a huge hundred foot long snake, she strikes while in the midst of her transformation, so that a coldly beautiful woman lunges at the demon commander but a giant snake hits it, entangling and sinking fangs into its neck. The demon commander rakes the snake with its claws and bites it with its own fangs, but quickly ceases as Mikalah's poisonous blood touches its demonic mouth and fingers. The demon commander tries a spell to undo the effects of the poison, but at that moment King Talon and his Queen, and Duke Etienne and his Duchess leap forward. One strikes each ankle from behind with strength boosted by magic and kokyu chi. And one strikes each shoulder, combined with the snake to topple the demon commander into the portal.

Even then the demon teatters but does not fall into the portal, it totters on one leg, leaning backwards, about to fall.

Ora ignores the standard bearer a moment and leaps forward to help trip the giant demon, shifting some of her chi to give her strength to move mountains [dice=20]+13

And misses.

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[shiivster]

Aki drops her blowgun tube and pats the side pouch containing her little sister, she knows the others need a helping hand.

she charges at Ora and does something odd. she runs up Ora's large boomerang and launches her tiny body in a tiny flying body attack. her mind is asking Yumi to lend her strength to hit and shove the large demon thru the portal using the last of her chi she will impact the things back with a positive blast of chi, using all but 1 for herself, as she hits with a flying tackle [or hopes to]

strike - [dice=20+3]
damage - [dice=4+8] +8 = 17 total
[[additional out of formating damage is from the 4 points of positive chi doubling against the neg chi of hte demon]]
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[thorley]

Bellephoebe casts Spinning Blades and instead of using the buzzsaw mode simply fires them as a volley into the back of the demon's knee trying to knock it over.

I was unaware it was at the portal.

Bellephoebe doesn't have the PPE left to duplicate the demon as she wanted to at this point so she opts for the next best thing. She casts "Magic Warrior" (page 135 magic book) she doubts the demon has the time to actively try and disbelieve it, and even so that would just halve the damage, and it's not damage she's after.

She commands the Magic Warrior to assist throwing the demon through the portal. It has a supernatural PS of 30, which while low compared to some of the other warriors present here might be enough to shift it.

Strike:
[dice=20+5]

( tackle demon through portal while it's off balance )

If the magic warrior goes through the portal, it doesn't matter. It's a temporary part-illusionary construct.


[rand=11401862461201817775187062634166660448977160236186500926197215329]

[thorley]

Well, maybe if the demon is parrying too many people or doesn't have a dodge left. Otherwise, maybe Ora and Bellephoebe should start some kind of club. :/

Any way it goes the Magic Warrior will be there for a bit, it can try again if it survives long enough to get another shot.

[albatross]

The demon commander tries to regain its balance, but King Talon, his Queen, Duke Etienne, his Duchess, and Mikalah shove the thing harder. Aki's attack threatened to topple it and Bellephobe's magical warrior is dragging it as well. Furious at her earlier mistake, as Mikalah's snake body wraps up the demon's legs, Ora strikes again [dice=20]+13

Fakir and his minions and the nuns are killing lots of demons now, but still the commander won't fall through the portal. The standard bearer is coming at Bellephobe.

Mikalah shouts something at King Talon, and he shouts out a name. An Adarock appears and gives the demon commander a light shove - one handed. Scrambling for purchase the demon commander tries to grab anything in reach. The demon commander manages to drag King Talon, Queen Sarah, Duke Etienne, Duchess Hananel, Mikalah and the Magic Warrior through the portal.

The two couples step back out, but no one else.

Seeing their commander disappear, the demons try to flee and Fakir and Talon's minions give chase to hunt them all down.

Etienne, Ora and Talon kill the standard bearer. The Queen and the Duchess start to move about the wounded, healing them. There are dozens of dying nuns and bunny girls and hundreds more are dead.[rand=13636650051921606690734529867768359767119307070972716678474098444]

[thorley]

Bellephoebe will collect whatever PPE she and batteries she can and will assist with the healing (she has many fine spells for this, it's one of her things as a support character). If the energy is availible she can actually perform resurrections on the recently dead, fairly intact corpses without losing a PE point though that would take a while.

[shiivster]

Aki, having seen 5 people she remembers and one knight she doesn't, and then only 4 come back, she steps back and says a few words over the portal and goes to pull her knife, then realizes that she broke it in a demon's spine.

*she will now move over to where the large warbird lays dead and caresses its large beak. she will whisper a prayer for him to soar the skies and be foreever free and to hunt at will. she will see if there are any loose feathers not covered in lots of gory bits and will gather them up for something later. she simply cradles the ugly head and mourns the brave soul that his old cantankerous self was. only if there is a chopped talon, will she take it to create a new blade, otherwise she will rise and walk away.

[albatross]

Aki finds a huge warbird talon that would make a fine knife. The great bird warrior is at peace, still clutching the eye of a demon.

Now that the battle is winding down, Bellephoebe is able a acquire another PPE battery from the bunny girls. Several of the nuns and bunny girls, as well as Queen Sarah and Fakir are able to resurrect some of their comrades. However, most of the nuns and bunny girls lose a PE point to do this, so they only bring back the bravest warriors who are still relatively intact.

Tesla also goes around healing, though his powers cannot resurrect anyone. Ora joins him, helping to move debris and demons, her Chi is exhausted.

[shiivster]

Aki will go rest on a large rock that will accommodate the 2 remaining birds. she has become attacked to the small messanger bird, the the larger male has proven to be a decent friend. she fears that if she leaves this world now these two birds will not be happy where they travel.
(once she levels to 3rd, she gets a second companion and a third at 5th)

her fingers carress both bird heads and she studies what the others are doing. she will offer bits of dried meat to the birds and to Yumi as she emerges to look about and noms some dried meat as well.

*she can do nothing more other than tend to the animals she can, then stands up and moves over to Fakir. she wonders why he stole the stuff in the first place. maybe he will tell her now, then once they get the medicine, maybe they can go back home.

[albatross]

O.O.C.: Before I forget, the fight against the demons (I was gonna call it The Battle of Tanis, but there is already a 'Battle of Tanis' in some character backgrounds... so maybe the Battle Against the Old One's Demon, or something)....

Anyways, its worth 3,000 experience points.

[albatross]

After the battle has wound down and those who can be healed are taken care of, Mikalah's ship lands and nuns and bunny girls set about honoring their dead and destroying the remains of the demons.

King Talon and Fakir withdraw for a few hours, to discuss more than a hundred years of history. While they are off talking, a young coyle emerges from the ship and makes his way over to the portal where he sits down, staring into it.

Eventually, Talon and Fakir return and they go stand beside the coyle boy. One of Fakir's minions uses telekinesis to move Mikalah's short sword, never touching it, over in front of them. Fakir takes off Mikalah's katana and lays in down beside them.

"Do you think she could come back," the boy asks, "because it is her spell?"

Fakir hesitates. King Talon says, "If anyone would be able to, it would be her. Yet, she knows how to time travel. If ever she escaped wouldn't she return to this moment immediately?"

The boy nods.

Fakir picks up Mikalah's katana, "She is not dead, and I am her swordbearer. I will keep this until she returns." He turns to King Talon, "There is a debt of honor here... Mikalah made a sacrifice, we must attend to her responsibilities." Talon nods. Fakir waves over a nearby bunny girl, "Find Faye."

Soon a dark skinned girl with black cat ears and a swishing tail appears, she is dressed in skin red skin tight vinyl. "Faye is my most experienced warrior," Fakir says.

Talon summons a nun, a fierce looking one. Talon and Fakir look at both of them. "Watch over the boy for Mikalah, " Talon says to them. They nod.

"Take her sword," Fakir says, "She would have wanted you to have it."

The coyle boy reaches out both hands to Fakir, who shakes his head. "Not this one. Her other sword." The boy shivers and regards the sword on the ground. He knows touching it might mean his death. He picks it up. Nothing happens and someone hands him a leather sheath, and a case and a backpack so it won't inadvertently touch anything.

"And now," says Fakir, "We shall address our unfinished business...."

*****

[albatross]

Fakir looks out and uses magic so his voice and King Talon's can be heard clearly. Forty-two of his bunny girl minions gather round, while Faye and the young coyle and Talon's chosen nun teleport away. There are seventy-three warrior nuns assembled as well. And of course Bellephoebe, Tesla, Aki, Dryzh, Romidus, Streetwise, Sapphire, Ora and their animals.

"Long ago," Fakir addresses his minions, "Your ancestors served my father. Later when I rescued them they swore an oath in blood to me: to restore my knighthood and reconcile me to my father's friend King Talon. Your oath is fulfilled, you are free."

A girl with hair the color of the setting sun, though its slowly changing and the sparkle of the first star can be seen in it and yells, "Its not over! Don't leave us behind! King Talon's world is still in ruins."

"Nonetheless, if you follow me any further it will not be because of your oath."

At this point the bunny girls mutter and whisper for a while. Fakir waits patiently. They aren't the brightest creatures after all. Eventually the all start yelling, "We go! We go!"

Fakir doesn't look pleased. "This mission is not well suited to your kind. For the loyalty you've shown me I'll allow you to see it through to the end."

"We are going to return to the Fallen world. To a time before the fall of course. There is a hidden kingdom, sealed by magic and we'll go back in time and change an event. My father and King Talon went to this secret kingdom to retrieve a bride for the emporer's heir. After comparing our notes, we believe this is the best event to change the past. We will select a new bride, and save King Talon's world."

"There are several challenges. The hidden kingdom is sealed. We won't be able to use time magic inside. Getting in will require great sacrifice. Once inside, the denizens of the hidden kingdom will be on their home ground. They will try to manipulate us into bringing back a bride of their choosing. Even without their machinations, the correct choice is not known."

......

[shiivster]

Aki listens and is actually confused by what has been said. instead she is followed by the sleek companion as she makes her way to the young boy . . and studies him for a moment. 'i to was young and lost teacher. from me to you. gift . . so you know all not gone. teacher lives here and here . . *touching his head and then over his heart*

'knowing teachings she give, you make her gifts alive. to share and keep giving is goal of all teachers to student. this is feather from old warrior there. *points at her fallen companion* 'his gift to me, be true and do what heart love. he big old warrior. not able to hunt, but battle came and he fly to battle and battle hard. now he at peace. peace come to you too. remember gifts given to you from teacher and friends. heart will heal. little sister say unhappy leave and you will run again . . '

*her long speach finished, she will give the young coyle a hug. she leaves one of hte feathers she had gathered with him, and will head off again . . returning to the others again. Yumi squeaking and sniffing at the odd body before continuing along to settle on a flat rock and will start rubbing the talong against it. slowly grinding it down into the thin blade she needs. the shavings are gathered and kept and then she will study the handle of hte knife she picked up and will compare the talong and will slowly figure out how to attach the two and make a weapon.

only when her group is ready to travel, will she move along with them, but she studies the 2 birds. she looks at the coyle and looks at the larger bird and wonders if she should ask if the male bloodhawk would want to stay with him and the female nighthawk travel with her, but figures the birds will speak their minds on their own

[albatross]

Mikalah's ward takes Aki's gift and words thoughtfully. He is still in shock and grief, barely believing she is gone.

The messenger bird flits about listening to Fakir. The bloodhawk flies over to Ora's shoulder for a scrap of meat.

Fakir walks over to Aki and waves over Bellephoebe. He glances at Tesla and Sapphire. "I have a favor to ask. And in return I will return a vaccine to your world and to Romidus' world as well." His magic voice is still on, so the whole crowd can hear him.

"To break into the Sealed Kingdom we will need to sacrifice one person for every eight we bring." Fakir let's that hang on the air for a minute, various bunny girls are already stepping forward, their loyalty much stronger than their brains. The nuns recoil in horror. Talon says nothing.

"However, I think Tesla and Sapphire would be able to bring some people through without them dying. If they agree to stand in one of the magic circles to break some of my troops through the seal, then I'll get vaccines for both planets." Fakir looks at Aki, then looks to Tesla and Sapphire. "What say you? If you are worried about them you can come along, but once through the seal you be caught up in our mission."

Sapphire nods, "I owe you my freedom. I'll do it." Telsa shrugs, "Eh, why not?"

[shiivster]

Aki studies him. 'you said after demon cleared. now is something else stop medicines. why change word? wing sibs are pure heart and do what need done. ask hunt, they hunt. ask message, she pass message. ask scout, him hunt. ask go battle, even oldest spread wing and fight and die.

'i not understand the change word now. not sure if you keep word after that. another delay over and over. i question your word of honor. you are like leaf in wind, whisper and change direction when want to. not way to be. i not want to go, but must. need see what other way word changes too'

*stands her ground against the being that could snuff her life force out without a thought. the hand on one hip and the other one points a finger at him and jabs and waves as she speaks her mind bluntly. its clear she is very annoyed, and her belief in animals being truthful is now firmly set in cement. and in her eyes Fakir just became rotting leaves in her eyes, she has no choice BUT to follow and keep pestering him about his honor until the medicines are returned