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**TheBlendercat** · 02-27-2013, 03:14 PM

Xeonph found a crack in the Knuckle's armor. She was obviously tired, after trying to hit a target moving as fast as he was with a sluggish battleaxe. There was a crack between the helmet and chestplate, right on her neck. She swiped her axe at him, and he flew backwards, then shot forwards, his blade outstretched. It found its mark, and the blade sunk into the armor. The Gerudo uttered little more than a grunt as the life left her boddy and plummeted backwards, crashing and sending up a cloud of sand. He stood, crouching over the blade, and heard the call to surrender. He couldn't believe his ears, but he saw Rhykim's troops standing down. He paused. He could keep fighting, but... no. It wasn't worth it. He stood, letting his shield fall off his arm, leaving his blade protruding out of the fallen Knuckle's neck. He didn't step back, though. He raised his hands, albiet half-heartedly.

**Kairu** · 03-02-2013, 10:36 AM

When everyone stood down, the Gerudo backed off. Akbar approached the middle where the ragtag army and Rhykim were. Akbar was in front of Rhykim, looking up at the large brute.

Akbar: "Good boy, Imperator. Strip them of their weapons and imprison them put the Imperator and his... pet in the special holding cells. Put the others in normal cells."

The Gerudo did as instructed and Rhykim played along. He knew that even if Amaya and Nyx were late, he's still preserving more lives by surrendering, or so he thought. Then next thing to happen was that both Xeonph and Rhykim took a blow to the back of their heads, causing both men to black out.

Several days had passed until either one woke up. The first being Xeonph. Rhykim woke up a few hours later and after being told what kind of cells they were, Rhykim was glad that he did recruit Xeonph. His assassin training allowed Xeonph to observe and get ahead. The men waited until Akbar paid Rhykim another visit, impressed he was awake so soon.

Rhykim: "Where am I?"

Akbar: "You both are still in Falldell. Both cells have been locked with a magical enchantment to prevent brute force from getting through. Too bad you don't know magic, Mr. Big Guy."

Akbar was now taunting with Rhykim. After all, Akbar had nothing to fear. His enemy was locked into a magic cage like the barbarian he thinks Rhykim is.

Rhykim remained composed. He figured that Akbar was wanting Rhykim to berserk and instead he did everything he could to be patient.

Rhykim: "And what about my soldiers? Are they being treated properly in accordance to the terms of war established by our former King?"

Akbar: "Of course they are!"

Akbar said lying to Rhykim and Xeonph.

Akbar: "What kind of man do you think I am?"

**TheBlendercat** · 03-02-2013, 10:54 AM

Xeonph grimaced, sitting in the cell. He didn't know much of the specifics of the cell, as he himself had to admit he was a bit uninformed on the subject. What the man was saying didn't register much in his head. He just wanted to know where his sword was. It had been quite reliable. Sighing, he tuned back in to the ongoing conversation. It seemed to have finished(tell me if I'm wrong Kairu and I can edit the next part). He waited until the leader seemed to be out of earshot, then turned to Rhykim, speaking in hurried, harsh whispers. "I didn't exactly pay attention to that, but I heard some about this cage being enchanted. So there's no possible way that we could escape... And I don't know about you, but I doubt the soldiers are being treated by these terms of war, whatever they are."

**Kairu** · 03-02-2013, 02:19 PM

Rhykim turned to Xeonph. "There is one way for me to get out of the cell. Despite my size, I have been known to be covert from time to time."

**TheBlendercat** · 03-05-2013, 03:52 PM

Xeonph attempted to cover a snicker, which he failed at miserably. "Sorry. I just can't picture somebody of your... stature as being covert. I mean no offense. Either way... is there a way for both of us to get out?

**Kairu** · 03-05-2013, 05:10 PM

"Without the use of a true magic wielder, no. Let's hope Amaya and Nyx stay on track and succeed in their mission. If not, might as well get comfortable," Rhykim's tone illustrated a sense of disappoint and concern.

Meanwhile all of this was going on, Akbar had setup routine execution of his prisoners. He had no intentions of obeying the old laws, much like Rhykim. Now with his only obstacle eliminated, Akbar's focus was to sieze the Logata throne and restore his idea of "peace". It was this point he just signed a document allowing the use of mass graves. He had a special place prepared in the distance where he was burying some of the dead soldiers and burning others.

**TheBlendercat** · 03-06-2013, 08:30 AM

Xeonph sighed at what Rhykim had said. If this was true, it seemed they'd be here a long time. He walked around the cell, looking aimlessly and pointlessly for the chance of any sort of secret passage or exit.

**Kairu** · 05-08-2013, 11:31 PM

It had been quite awhile since Rhykim and his forces were captured by Akbar's forces. Rhykim didn't mind, but his patience wore thinner every day. Although he didn't like using his magic, he felt that it was now a good enough time as ever. By now Akbar and his Gerudo women are lowering their guard on the prisoners and breaking out should be relatively easier compared to the first few days.

While Xeonph momentarily looked away, Rhykim 'phased' through his cell, which to the untrained eye looked like he walked right through the bars. When he was cleared of the metal restraints, Rhykim teleported into the shadows behind the Gerudo guard, who quickly became alert of the prison break. Xeonph's attention was also grapped by the guard's reaction.

The guard searched the area, oblivious to Rhykim's blending into the shadows. The most the guard ever saw in the shadows was a faint, "familiar" shadow out of the corner of her eyes, nothing to be worried about. The guard was still just long enough for Rhykim to get behind her and snap her neck, a quiet, clean, and efficient kill. He threw her into his previous hiding spot. It made her less noticable to anyone passing by the area.

Rhykim then moved in front of Xeonph's cell door. He looked at the locking mechanism for a clue, and fortunately, barely visible, was a small carving of fire. "Stand back," he commanded quietly. When Rhykim felt the Dracos had cleared enough away from him, Rhykim conjured a fireball and used it to melt the cell door's lock. With ease, the door opened. "Keep quiet and stick to the shadows."

Rhykim put one of his makeshift necklaces around Xeonph's neck. "This will help keep you hidden. Make no sudden movements and you're virtually invisible. It becomes less effective in full light, so stick to the shadows. Go and clear the area of any guards and make a path for any survivors to flee. I'm going to find our troops."

With that said, Rhykim returned to the shadows and began moving out to the other prison block for non-magic people

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 08-11-2013, 04:37 PM

*Amaya, Narus, and their army arrive from Aggressive Negotiations*

Amaya frowned as her group approached the desert fortress. She halted her forces, then crept closer with Solar to look it over. It had been attacked, she could tell. The walls were damaged, and several bodies still littered the ground outside. But Rhykim's flags were not flying above it, and Gerudo were going about their daily business inside. "Master Rhykim isn't the ruler here," she muttered to her cheetah. "He must have lost the fight."
"But did he die as well?" Solar asked.
Amaya shook her head firmly. "No. I can't put my finger on it, but something whispers to me of his survival." She headed back to where her Stari troops awaited. "Master Rhykim appears to have failed in his attack on the fortress. I need those best at reconnaissance to infiltrate and see their defenses. I need to know where they are strong and where they are weak. How many they are. How many of our kinsmen they have captured.
One Stari stepped forward and saluted her. "General," she said. "I can enter without being detected easily. They will not know I am not of them."
"How so?" Amaya asked, raising an eyebrow.
The Stari grinned. Suddenly her features changed, shifting and distorting until Amaya saw her identical before her. The Stari then shifted to appear as Rhykim, before changing into a Gerudo. "I am Zariel the Rakshasa."
"Excellant!" Amaya said, grinning savagely. "Go then, Zariel, and tell me what I need to know." Zariel bowed and departed, her cheetah grumbling about being left behind. "As for the rest of you, make camp, but keep from being seen. We do not want those savage women from knowing we are here."

**Kairu** · 08-25-2013, 09:29 PM

Rhykim continued through the shadows avoiding patrols. He eventually saw something through a window. Several Gerudo women passed him taking no notice whatsoever to Rhykim. What Rhykim saw was his fellow soldiers being summarily executed, bodies being hauled by wagons, the Imperator's flags burning and all around savagery. "Curse those women!" Several Gerudo nearby looked around thinking they heard something, but dismissed it shortly after.

After standing around for a few minutes contemplating on what to do, Rhykim decided it was best to leave. The sense of time passing for him was obscured, likely due to the magic-enhanced cages Xeonph and himself were contained in. However, Rhykim wouldn't flee until Akbar, the Gerudo Rebel Leader and newly, self-proclaimed ruler of Logata, was slain, and Rhykim swore upon his life that he would see to it that Akbar didn't live to see tomorrow.

For now though, he returned to his cell and 'posed' as though he was still a captive.

**Shadow wing** · 09-04-2013, 03:29 PM

Narus sighed. "what's taking him so long?" he muttered. "Patience," Felgrand said. Narus sighed again, stood up, and walked over to Amaya. "So we're to just sit here until your spy returns? How do we even know if he's still alive? Security is going to be pretty tight around here, what with Rhykim around," He said. "I do believe you have made a tactical error in only sending in only one person."

(sorry it took so long to post; my internet's been wigging out.)

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 09-05-2013, 10:17 AM

Amaya looked up from sharpening her sword as Narus approached. She raised an eyebrow. "I don't remember you being so dumb to the gender before, Jiro. Couldn't you tell the shape-shifter was female? And anyways, she'll be fine. She's Stari after all, or have you so little faith in your tribeswoman?" She bared her teeth in a feral grin as she continued to sharpen her sword, the keening shriek of whetstone on metal causing a delightful shiver to run down her spine. The song of war, she thought.

It was only a few minutes more before a Gerudo entered the camp. She made her way straight to Amaya before dropping the guise, and Zariel stood before her, smiling. "General, I bring your report. The commander is being held prisoner in one of the enemy's cells with his Draco assassin. The rest of his troops are being executed and hauled away to be thrown deep in the desert, where the carrion birds might feast on their flesh. They burn his flags and take trophy's from the slain. They are a savage race, lady, and heavily armed. But they celebrate with little regard to the threat that awaits them here with you. They are vulnerable, and their numbers are only slightly better than ours. With our better skill with the bow, our magical abilities, and our cheetah allies, we will crush them with ease."
"Excellent," Amaya said. "Then we shall use their negligence to our advantage. We will strike shortly, before the sun has had a chance to rise and reveal us. We will use the shadows that have long since been our allies to slip close to them and destroy them before they have a chance to prepare." As always, the blood-thirsty Stari woman had little need or desire to come up with a plan, simply desiring to crush her enemy with all her savage strength. "Ready the troops! We must be quick and silent if we are to rescue Master Rhykim and destroy these wanna-be archers!"

**Kairu** · 09-05-2013, 10:57 AM

Rhykim had began spending a large portion of his time meditating. He had taken the time to purge his mind of all thoughts as well as think on all. For an average person it was a difficult thing to comprehend, doing to opposites at once. He looked back to his brother's death. Henry had told him the Goddesses were real, if you opened your mind. Although Rhykim could move freely in and out of his cell, he felt no need. His anger was being fueled by the inevitable betrayal of Akbar, but he wasn't going to charge in without a plan. He decided it would be best to attempt opening his mind to the Goddesses. Perhaps he would gain better wisdom by doing so, maybe even enlightenment?

As Rhykim sat on the floor cross-legged, eyes closed, his mind suddenly disconnected from the meditation. It rapidly changed into a series of images flashing too fast for anyone to make sense of it. Briefly Rhykim recognized the buildings of Falldell, burning to the ground. The sun beginning to poke over the horizon. Another image showed bodies lying everywhere. Rhykim couldn't tell which or how many belonged to whom, but there would soon be a battle, he deduced. The next image Rhykim could understand was Akbar. He laid upon the ground, his body twisted and contorted in unnatural ways, fear in his eyes. By image's imprint, he was killed in his sleep, completely unaware of the battle that raged around him. Rhykim could also feel Amaya and Solar next to the large brute of a man, sword drawn and bloodied from the now evident slashes across Akbar's entire body.

The final image, one Rhykim felt completely unnerved by, showed nothing but a large woman. She had three, long, flowing locks of black hair and apparent flora acting as a censor for her body. The woman wore long, leather, knee-high boots. The woman's voice was cold and sharp, which completely threw her persona and general appearance off. The woman didn't speak, she was only laughing wickedly and with sinister condemnation. The woman sat in what seemed like thin air. The surroundings became apparent, showing the courtyard to a castle he didn't recognize. Before her, were three bodies. Rhykim recognized the first two, Nyx and himself, the third was unclear. He was a man, short and stocky with short, thin, black messy hair. His outfit was colorful and decorative. Hunched over the man was a woman who had a deep connection to the third man. She wore an outfit similar to the man's, but far less decorative. She had a short, shoulder-length ponytail. She was still mildly pale with a slim, balanced body.

The large, wicked woman continued laughing as she watched the other woman cry frantically, her voice audible but the words obscured. The black haired woman telepathically removed the crying woman's rapier, moved it high in the air, pointed it right at the girl, and threw it at her. The rapier's blade cleared all the way through the girl's chest, centered perfectly through her heart, the hilt stopping the entire sword clearing the body. The girl didn't even know what happened. She screamed out in pain and collapsed. The scene began to fade with a man yelling "Malina!" and charged after the large demon-like woman.

Rhykim woke with a quick shock. His mind began to flood back with all of the thoughts that were put on hold and then all of the new ones that claimed to be his death. He simply sat there, his eyes wide with fear and realization that he was still truly mortal and that someone out there managed to mangle Rhykim's body apart.

**Shadow wing** · 09-07-2013, 11:30 AM

Narus was about to comment that he couldn't be sure of a shapeshifter's gender when they could freely change it, when the person in question walked into the camp and delivered her report to Amaya. "Ready the troops! We must be quick and silent if we are to rescue Master Rhykim and destroy these wanna-be archers!" Amaya yelled.
Narus rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. "She can be such a handful sometimes," he muttered. To Amaya, he said "You are aware that, as son of the chief, I technically outrank you to the Stari? Whatever." Narus glanced at the sky, then turned to the assembling troops. "Alright, listen up! We only have an hour or so before the sun starts to rise, and when that happens, the Gerudo will know what's going on, so we need to hit them hard and fast," Narus shouted. "Now we're going to be splitting into two groups. You," Narus gestured to a group ", will scale the walls with me and take out the sentries quickly and quietly. Then we'll lower ropes for the rest of you to climb. After that, we will proceed to move through the fort and take command. Only use your powers for small, quiet attacks; we don't want any Gerudo to see them and raise the alarm prematurely. Once the alarm is raised however, cause as much chaos as you can to confuse them. Let's move out!" The Stari quickly ran off to follow his orders. Narus started to follow, but paused next to Amaya. "And one more thing," He said to her, and leaned in close. "If I find Rhykim first, I will kill him on the spot." Leaving her with that thought, Narus ran off with the other Stari.

**HyrulianBlackcat** · 09-08-2013, 09:53 AM

Amaya glowered at Narus as he took over command of the Stari. She didn't mind too much, she preferred to work on her own rahter than lead, but she would have preferred he not point out that he outranked her in the tribe. While that was technically true, Rhykim was the supreme leader of Logata, and the Stari had sworn their allegiance to him. Since she was his second-in-command, she would actually higher ranking than even the cheif of the Stari. She outranked Narus. But as always, her tribesman couldn't see the bigger picture.
Her glower turned to an angry glare as he told her he'd kill Rhykim if he found the Imperator. "As if you could," she muttered. "Master Rhykim is so much stronger than you, and you don't even know it." She turned to Solar and the other cheetahs, all of whom would have to be left behind for Narus' plan. "When the alarm sounds, I'll make sure the gates are opened for you to join your partners. Until then, stay hidden near-by." She dashed after the other Stari and quickly selected a small handful to stay near the gates to open them. "The cheetahs are our best advantage. Without them, the Gerudo will out-number us by far too much." she told them. "So make sure those gates are opened in time."
Sneaking into the fort wasn't that hard. Narus' group had a little difficulty climbing the walls, as the sandstorms had smoothed them, but the Stari were talented at the impossible and supremely difficult. They used their abilities to help each other up the stoney surface until every single one stood on the wall. The group Amaya had picked out quickly made their way to the gatehouse and secured it, while the rest of the Stari fanned out, splitting into small groups that quickly dispatched of any that spotted them. Amaya teamed up with a fire-manipulator and the shape-shifter Zariel as she searched the fort for her master.

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