Saifex Tsuchi: Incendiary Bolts (Second Occurrence)

Saifex Tsuchi: <*Making a march for Frostvale's gates*>
Myrddraal Shadowscale: Going out on patrol, Saifex?
Saifex Tsuchi: Yes. For the borderline.
Saifex Tsuchi: Have to make sure Sinspawn don't encroach.
Myrddraal Shadowscale: Would you like some company? Sounds like something rather dangerous to do alone.
Saifex Tsuchi: . . . <*Thinks about the offer*> . . . Would be appreciated, now that you mention it.
Saifex Tsuchi: Last time, I felt I was almost flanked.
Myrddraal Shadowscale: <*Winks*> We'll be able to take on whatever comes our way I'm sure.
While ordinarily patrols were rather short and the soldiers going out on them were back before sundown, or sunrise if they went out at night, Saifex and Myrddraal ventured out far further than most dared to, especially with the sin spawn lurking around the border of Frostvale and Danarium. Though that was precisely the reason they ventured out so far, because nobody else dared to.

Their pace had been fairly quick and they'd made great distance, rarely if ever stopping, but now that night was falling, the two decided to set up camp.

"I'll gather a few logs so that we can have a camp fire." It was a rather quick statement, but then Myrddraal was off with his sword drawn. Luckily they had come just far enough for Frostvale's forest to become much denser, and he was only gone for a few minutes, returning with ample wood for quite a while tucked under one arm, and a rather large log, practically an entire tree trunk being dragged behind him with the other hand.

After he built them up as a nice classic log cabin, he quickly set fire to them, he took a seat upon the make-shift furniture and helds his hands out to stave off the cold.
(Myrddraal Shadowscale)

As Myrddraal gathered up firewood, Saifex found himself a cold rock to sit upon, making it his new post for the coming night. Emerald eyes trailed across the horizon, where the Melym tower stood albeit mangled to some extent due to the many years of onslaught that occured at it's base. In his hands, was his trusty crossbow, bolt already set in the chamber: An arrow wrapped in flammable birch material.

He nodded at the fellow Tiro's intuitive decision to seek firewood, agreeing to it without delay nor reason to deny. It was getting dark, and moonlight could only illuminate the scene to such an extent. He had to strain his gaze to make out movements now, pulling up his bow at the sign of even the slightest of movements.

Lazy hunting? Moreoff cautious guarding...
"We're alittle far from the established borderline, so we'll stay here until daybreak, then we'll be heading back for the main village. Though..." He turned eastbound, using the stars as his compass--
"I believe further east, we might be able to run into a village, though I'm not sure-- I'd prefer not walking into a village full of rebels against the Queen. Sometimes, I can't tell if it's the Empress' side they're on, Seia's, or my own."

He babbled on.
(Saifex Tsuchi)

 Myrddraal's brow raised curiously as Saifex mentioned three factions who the rebels could either be supporting or trying to claw down to their lowly level. Was the tension that was bubbling up the empire's doing, Saifex's, or was it merely the Queen's rather strange and restrictive policies that were put in place going one step too far? It was something to ponder, but either way you sliced it, his allegiance was to Seia and Frostvale.

"Here is as good a spot as any, yeah. Whether it's sin spawn or rebels, I'm sure we don't want to run the risk of wandering into a group of either in the dead of night...though even if we stumbled into a town full of rebels, I'm sure we could easily put them all down if we really had to. Even if I'd rather avoid any bloodshed, if they won't be dissuaded, I will take lives to defend both the law abiding citizens of Frostvale and the Queen...But I'm curious, what do you mean 'your' side?"
(Myrddraal Shadowscale)

"My side?"
He echoed, turning his head somewhat off his mark in the distance, just hardly making movement beside a faroff tree; His gaze half-way turned for Myddraal, although he was not entirely able to turn towards him with his back turned.

"Well, Seia warned me not to mention this on a number of occasions, but I'm sure it's been noted time and time again. Frostvale has been under the thumb of the Empire for too long, and everytime it tries to squirm free from it's idle backside, it's squished down hardly. We suffer death, destruction, oppression in our every capitol of Frostvale. How Jericho could manage... How -SEIA- could manage it... Watching as loved ones was executed for the entertainment of the Empire's gremlins, lead by that impurity Aria... It's sickening."

He gave way to pause, likely to allow the fellow Drakanite to digest his perception. "I defend my cousin the best I can, however, she does not condone my actions for the better of Frostvale. Thus, I am forced to work alone. .." He finally rose from his rock, and pivoted for Myddraal with a blank expression.

"Though, I've been recruiting, soldier." He brought his foot up to rest it upright upon the rock he once sat upon. "I, Saifex Tsuchi, am the face for the rebellion. I seek to break the chains of oppression... I intend on burning this empire down to the ground, regardless if Seia will condone to it or not..."
(Saifex Tsuchi)

Myrddraal blinked several times in disbelief as Saifex revealed something to him which was far better off kept as a secret. There was no question that his loyalties lie with Frostvale, and he'd do anything to protect it, even forfeit his life, but if the empire ever caught wind that the cousin of the queen was leading a rebellion and she knew full well that he was the one doing so, it meant they'd be crushed for sure. This was a secret he wished he hadn't learned, it could either be the end of Frostvale as they knew it, the last bastion free of Yokai and for the most part, imperial forces, or the quote on quote salvation for the entire land, and he was torn about how to react to it.

After taking an incredibly nervous gulp, he glanced around to make sure that nobody had overheard the two of them, then leaned in and muttered quietly, clearly afraid that even more than a whisper would be heard by prying ears,

"You're leading a rebellion against Empress Aria..? Not only that, but you told Seia?! If you are ever captured, it will be the end of Frostvale as we know it. How Jericho and Seia wriggled what few perks they had for us will vanish, and I'm certain that it's entire population will be shackled, chained, and forced into slavery to make an example of us. Not only that, but they'll probably revoke what few rights we have that others don't, being granted sanctuary from yokai for example.

I hope you have chosen your soldiers wisely, because if you fail to take not only her, but her supporters as well down, you will have effectively given us ALL a death sentance. When the empire was first established, I was quite fond of the new laws, but after recent events, such as the releasing of the Sin God and the coercion of not only Ulfdyr but Seia as well, I too now have my share of contempt for both King Dominic and Empress Aria.

Perhaps the time to strike...will be when we take down the Sin God..? Cowardly as it is, we pretend to march with them, then when the battle begins and their forces are occupied, we turn on them and destroy everything in our path? Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak."
(Myrddraal Shadowscale)


Saifex gave a solemn nod back towards Myrddraal, crossbow held off in his right arm and lifted off to his side to ensure a mild twitch didn't send a bolt in the fellow Drakanite's direction. He didn't seemed all too bothered about the unveiling, for he felt as though he could trust this one. The initial intent, afterall was recruitment, if it wasn't obvious already. He just required a setting further away from the general populace to prevent a leak.

"The Sin God, is but merely a sidetrack, a conjuration that they've manifested to redirect our focus. It'll ultimately weaken our forces, and with less military to work with, we'll be damned to what the Empire will folllow up with, considering their constant bombardments upon us already." Saifex argued in his defense.

"Seia knows, as I mentioned before... And not a lick of this is to reach the ears of commoners; Nivis, Civillian, or even close friends... -No one- can be trusted..." He pressed on, picking his head up to glimpse at sparse movement in the distance. He didn't give it too much attention, slowly turning his head back down to prevent panic from being stirred, though, the grip he had on his crossbow tightened somewhat.

Perhaps he saw something threatening, and chose to ignore it so he could get a free shot? It was a very plausible explanation, however, it could leave the question of potential aid needed in such an act?

"As for why I'm asking you, soldier?" Finally, footsteps caught the air, encroaching with great speed! Suspicions were confirmed, it was another person whom happened to overhear the conversation! They beelined for for Saifex, for his Tsuchi cape was practically a homing beacon for rebels against the Queen. In an instant, he gave rise to his crossbow, pulling the trigger to launch a bolt into the rebel's chest, catching him mid-sprint and tripping him unto his back.

A hard glare sustained itself upon the fallen rebel, twitching and straining against the pain induced upon his person. A grunt from his person proved that the shot made it's mark, allowing Saifex to turn back for the fellow Tiro.
"I'm looking for more recruits... And I'm looking at a soldier worthy of supporting the cause, right now."

The bow fell back to his side, at ease, leaving the rebel to squirm at the wooden bolt that impaled his chest.
(Saifex Tsuchi)

As Myrddraal recounted several of the rather aggregious acts that the empire had commited, the execution of an extremely rare full shift capable drakanite, one of their strongest Nivis members, Philomenia's death, the slaughter of citizens and their placement of skeletal minions, all while still listening to Saifex of course, he nodded, a sign he understood the man's reasoning.

"I think that the Sin God is something that everyone in Valmasia has to worry about, whether it's a side show or not, it is important that we leave most of Valmasia's forces in tact so that there is more than just a handfull of Nivis members and whatever remnants of any other armies are left aren't incapable of defeating it.

If it had the power to destroy Danarium on a whim, it could do the same to any other city, and King Dominic of Nostvale seemed to be the only other person who believed it was as powerful as I do. Aria is too blinded by her pride to take it as a serious threat, that much is clear from how she reacted when it was released in the first place, and I think it will be her undoing, but to ensure the demise of both, I am certain that in that final battle, that would be the best time to turn on them and strike."

As he spoke, Saifex's eyes darted out into the sheer darkness of the night, Myrddraal's trailed his, but at first the both of them saw nothing. However as he continued, the pitter patter of footsteps became audible, faint and gentle at first, but quickly closing in and becoming louder. As the shape of a man coming charging toward the two of them became visible, his comrade quickly pelted them in the chest with a cross bow bolt, not giving it a second thought, then turned himself back to their conversation.

For a moment, his eyes lingered on the squirming rebel, but as they fell limp, his gaze drifted back to Saifex, "And I'm a soldier you deem worthy? I suppose the Eques would be the best place to start looking...Both in terms of strength and loyalty to Frostvale, whether it be the Queen, or a rebellion to break free of the Empire's clutches."
(Myrddraal Shadowscale)

"They say Frostvale needs to come out of it's shell." Saifex started, "Others say, it needs to remain as conservative as it always was..."
He continued, "But do you know what I say?" He questioned, expecting to pique Myrdraal's interest.

"I say, we, Frostvale, stay Frostvale. Do you see -that-?" He turned his attention for the tower in the distance; Melym Tower, heralding as the beacon of Danarium.
"That, has been the sight of oppression to Drakanite kind at the hands of Melyms for... How many years?" He asked, not expecting an answer to his rhetorical question, "And now, the empire. You're telling me, a woman and necromancer, backed up with a half-angel that has leveled a portion of Frostvale out of sheer boredom, and conducted several other feats on a massive scale, are going to have trouble with Danarium?" He gave a short pause.

"Have you forgotten they hold power over the ENTIRE FORSAKEN CONTINENT?!" He grew irritated now, which stirred up more movement in the distance, audible to the two of them now. There were more rebels in the distance accompanying the one Saifex shot. However, they were far as of the moment, meaning he hadn't reason to worry too much as of the yet.

"Tilandre... Byson... Nostvale... Alteros... They have power over it all! Their military forces, bases, villages, populace and land.. If they wanted, they could've stormed Frostvale and had us subjugated on Day one. There wouldn't be struggle... Why do you think fear is amuck, and now, you think it'd be wise to -HELP- them? Our enemies? Even if we united, they'd only get the opportunity to stab us in the back." He stated, taking another glimpse at the encroaching figures, prior to turning back to Myddraal once more.

"Know what I say to that?" He asked, "I say it's a stupid, suicidal idea. We could never play that strategy, Seia wouldn't take it up, nor succeed at it. I don't wish to talk down to my own kin, but I wish to clarify that she is still rather new to the monarchy thing. My interactions with her have been revealing in their own sense... I've seen her get things relatively easy, and only recently have I seen her challenged with the hardships. To be blatant, I don't know if she's entirely ready for what follows, and I don't want her to suffer for it.

I don't want her to perish in a rebellion, nor do I want her to be vanquished at the grubby hands of the Empire. Thus, my proposition... We stay out of the war, altogether. We retreat, only to intensify our focus on the borderline to construct... A Great Wall... Similiar, but SUPERIOR to Nostvale's Black Gate...
The Great Wall Of Frostvale... Ryujin's Gate. We can power it's construction with more mining expeditions, double up on workspeed, and ensure no empire nor sinspawn forced break the borderline prior to the walls completion.

...Once it's done, we can see to it, a safer future. No longer will we have to fear the Empire as greatly as we've done in the past... Defense, will be our ultimate strength... Only then, can we push for the offensive."
(Saifex Tsuchi)

Myrddraal's eyes fell to the ground rather nervously, and he curled in his bottom lip to bite on it gently as Saifex retorted with his own argument against his plan. While it had seemed like a good idea when he'd said it, in the end Saifex was right, but even if their forces were diminished even slightly in the aftermath of taking on the Sin God, would Frostvale have had enough time to bolster it's own defenses to withstand invasion..?

A rather hopeless sigh escaped his lips as he nodded once in agreement and conceided, his plan was inferior, and he wasn't afraid to admit it, "You're right, Saifex. All my suggestion would do is get us all killed, then with the Nivis dead, it'd be practically over night that the rest of our citizens were either slaughtered or enslaved...It was a bad idea..."

Though when he brought up the idea of building a great wall, one to surpass even the black gates that either allow or bar access to Nostvale and parts beyond from the Sarab Desert, his ears perked up and he glanced back up to Saifex, with a bit of hope in his voice,

"Building a wall that size would take a lot of time and resources...If we had the refugees from Danarium help us, we could likely cut the time in half...But from an outside perspective it might look like we're the ones enslaving them...Or trying to keep them from leaving...We need to proceed cautiously...Though if we find other rare metals while we do these mining expeditions, we could have Ulfdyr make us a lot of powerful weapons I'm sure...I bet he'd do everything he could to help us after Philomenia's death."
(Myrddraal Shadowscale)

"Yes. Perfect idea." He mentioned, eyes shifting back to glare at the moving figurines in the distance. Suddenly, the mapped terrain that lead to them turned into a targetting range; His bow was risen to aim at one of which that seemed to bob and weave once the sights were placed over him. Another seemed to almost go prone, failing to dodge the Tsuchi's attention once the bow turned for him. Finally, another gave in to the outright urge to charge in, pitchfork in hand, jabbing out for Saifex. Another, came for Myddraal, leaving the two in the defensive.

"Well, this going to be fun." Saifex spoke with irritation, contradicting the nature of his comment. He loaded another bolt into his crossbow, launching one straight into the axe weilding warrior without the speed neccessary to worry about the one that charged for his partner.

Another, once prone, made his dash for Saifex, whom was unable to strike with his bow, for it needed to be reloaded. Instead, he lashed out his left hand, coated in a crimson glove embued with the pyromatic element he weilded to his personal joy. He swiped it across his person, snapping his fingers in the act to conduct a pyrokinetic static that danced about, through the atmosphere.

The generation of such manifestation crackled about, twisting and contorting until it finally sunk into the bolt he fired a moment ago-- Another stray lines of static found itself merging with the white birch wrapped bolt upon the fallen rebel, illuminating an opaque tangerine glow.
"Take cover!" He exclaimed, making a leap away from his seat.

The pyrokinetic technique he preformed, when focused upon the bolts he fired, turned his arrows into bombs, leaving his targets coated with the effects of his incenderary weapon. Fire flared up in all directions, and two, of all the attackers, would've been reduced to small craters hardly surpassing the size of their bodies, respectively.
(Saifex Tsuchi)

It seemed that their uninvited guests weren't content remaining in the shadows, instead they charged forth and attempted to slaughter them then and there. While two were charging right for Saifex, one of them was dealt with rather swiftly as another crossbow bolt buried itself in their chest. The last of them were headed toward him, only a single man, but a threat to be dealt with all the same.

As opposed to simply remaining seated on the fallen tree trunk he'd lugged over to their campsite, he rose to his feet, drew his sword, and charged toward them as well. The very moment that his foe raised their blade high above their head, he used a surge of mana to bolster his speed and not only close what little gap was left between the two of them, but sliced straight through both of the man's elbows with one swing, which effectively disarmed him...literally...and the blade they'd been wielding fell harmlessly behind them.

After he'd done so, the understandably frightened rebel glanced down toward the stubs that were once his arms and screamed in a mixture of pain and fear as each time his heart beat, which was becoming highly accelerated, blood would spurt out of his wounds. Though Myrddraal was merciful and quickly decapitated them, ordinarily he hated spilling blood, but the stakes were too high, if they'd heard anything and reported back to the Empire, Frostvale was as good as destroyed.

However Saifex was having just as much 'fun' with his last opponent, and when the order was given to take cover, he sprinted behind a nearby tree and poked his head out just far enough to see a volley of incendiary and explosive ammo to not only set fire to their foes, but blow both them and the landscape apart.

After the ordeal was over, he stepped from behind cover and remarked, "That was quite the light show..."
(Myrddraal Shadowscale)