Chapter 22: When In Rome

[Tristan Tuzanic]

Tristan had been filing through the arena, looking for rebels or rebel conversation, when one was discovered. He quickly joins other guards and soldiers to secure the area around Cephrien by holding Manala powered flares. He takes one and holds it as well. He doesn't recognize Cephrien at first due to the disguise, but, since the High Priest said his name, he looks more closely and indeed it is the demon that Tristan had encountered in London no too terribly long ago. Tristan remains quiet but is prepared to use his own powers should Cephrien try to escape. Really, he doesn't care that much, but, for some reason, he wants to impress the High Priest. He wouldn't want to fail at something and look bad. So, instead of complaining or acting up, Tristan diligently conforms to what is expected of him.

[Master Scrag]

The fighting in the higher rows of the arena catches Master Scrags attention as well as the attention of some of the spectators. It is unfortunate when such things interrupt the entertainment, but most of the spectators seem too enthralled by the fight between Calithin and Dinari and a T Rex to care that there is another conflict in the back rows. Scrag keeps a cautious eye on the situation, but leans over to Kaschei with his orders.

"The fights will continue no matter what happens in the back rows. We will pay it no mind and expect that the spectators will not either. Make no mention in it in announcements. It is a matter beneath our care." Scrag orders Kaschei.

The Master then sits back and continues observing the fight. He is mildly impressed that Dinari can at least use some Manala attacks. Many business leaders don't bother to learn any attacks and instead depend on bodyguards or Manala guns. Although Dinari is an idiotic, obnoxious person, the Master at least has some respect for the fact that he at one time attempted to learn Manala energy manipulation.

[Malak Al-Dabaran]

Malak was seated next to Cephrien when all of the trouble broke out. Some of the spectators moved over when guards moved in with the Manala energy torches, so, Malak attempted to move anonymously with the other spectators. He didn't think that those people would know him, at least not by appearance. So, he did his best to hide among the others in the crowd. Now...it was time to get out of there. It was too dangerous and he was not capable of fighting. Not in the least. To make matters worse, he felt like he was coming down with a cold. He felt warm, but maybe it was from being in the sun all day. Malak tried to sneak off to a public restroom so he could further plot his escape.

[darian]

((And now time to catch up))

Darian remains silent and watches as the infernal gorgon turns his dinosaur to stone, followed by a few spectators. "Shouldn't have looked her in the eye..." Darian thought as the gorgon was subdued and taken away. The next fighter is a rebel that he had a hand in helping capture; not directly of course, but he had still been part of the operation and so he decided he deserved alittle credit. Darian allowed his defenses to slowly fall one by one, actually looking forward to seeing this fight. Had Darian been paying alittle more attention, he may have noticed the pressence of rebels.

Since that was not the case, Darian watched as Lucio pranced about the giant mantis with almost shameful ease. Seriously, a giant mantis? What happend to the terrifying creatures? Apparently there were some weaklings that actually cared about the loss of a few nameless people. After Lucio managed to beat the mantis without so much as a scratch, Darian lost interest again and was now slightly agitated. He was alittle interested in seeing the fight between some of the Blessed; though until then he scanned the crowd.

Darian had suspicions that some of the Socialist rebels may come to try and break their comrades out. Though he started to believe this less as if that were the case, then it could have happend already. "No. They're not that stupid..." Darian thought as someone caught his eye. Darian's mask zoomed in more and adjusted for his eyes until the form of Ceph came in crystal clear. Next to him was another one from the meeting. Darian could potentially take one of them out at this distance, but he did not want to disrupt the festivities just for a couple of rebels.

"Exscuse me, I must go inform the guards to keep a couple cells open." Darian murmered to Scrag; flipping his cloaking device on before he dissappeared from sight. Knowing Ceph's ability to phase through things, Darian knew that if anything he would try to break one of his comrades out from one of the cells. "Not on my watch..." Darian thought determined as he headed down for the cells.

[Charon Dejardins/Asphodel]

Asphodel knows that Cephrien is in trouble now, so she stays hidden in his pocket. She would come out, but she thinks it would only make matters worse. She listens to Cephrien's heart and it seems to beat a little faster. She feels a little afraid herself. She can hear the voices of guards and what she thinks is a Priest out there. This won't be good. There is nothing she can do either. For a moment, she wishes that she would have stayed home with Charon, but, it is too late for regrets now. Anyway, she has to be a brave little fairy. Cephrien and the other rebels need her.

[Lehti Itajumala]

Asphodel's attempt to hide deeper creates a small movement. Most people, especially a Priest who was on the verge of a great accomplishment, wouldn't have noticed it. Not so for Lehti, his observant eyes caught the movement, and a plan formed very quickly in his mind, as he knew now exactly what was happening. "Rule one of any mission you might get caught in, Cephrien. Don't bring anything that can be used against you. You brought a friend, Cephrien? A little fairy friend. Who is now a weakness. 0-7, marksmen. Turn and set, small aerial target." The two closest marksmen turned and set their sights on the small bulge in Cephrien's pocket. "And now, little fairy, if you attempt to escape, or Cephrien fights, you will die. How 'bout it, demon?" A sad look crossed his face, before being exchanged for a sudden hardness. For once, the voice at the back of his head might be useful. "I'll make you a deal, Cephrien. Your freedom for the fairy's. If you surrender with no fight, I will make my men stand down and allow the fairy to fly away, safe and sound." He raised his sword so it was pointing accusingly at Cephrien's face. "So, Cephrien? Will you kill your fairy friend, or will you save it?"

[Charon Dejardins/Asphodel]

"You're really mean!" Asphodel states after poking her head out of Cephrien's pocket. "Don't listen to him. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself." Asphodel proclaims bravely. Even if there someone targeting her, she won't let Cephrien forfeit the fight on account of her. She won't take this anymore!

She flits out of Cephrien's pocket and darts toward the priest...flying through the air at her full speed. She knows she is small and moving so fast, maybe the person will miss. She flits and turns suddenly to evade any firing at her. Then, she flies straight up, up up up, so that the sun might block their ability to target her. Her hope is to make an escape so that Cephrien doesn't have to worry about her.

[Calithin Crest]

I want to tell Dinari how useless he is, but I'm very out of breath from running so I don't. My plan is so good and he's messing it up! I can't believe this! Agh! I feel sweaty, exhausted, and frustrated.

I take advantage of the fact that the dinosaur is focused on Dinari for the moment and run back to where I dropped my saber. I pick it up and try to think of something I can do. The only thing I can figure is that we have to go for one of the arteries. Hit it where it counts and let it bleed out.

The only artery I can really reach on such a massive creature would be the popliteal, located near the knee joint... And even that is easier said than done. I try to run up behind the dinosaur, but it's tail proves to be a constant block and danger.

"Dinari, try to use another energy attack and cut off it's tail!"

[Archer Aylmer]

"I feel... About as good as I ever feel. I haven't seen Heikki in a minute though. He's probably somewhere being sick. Good of him to volunteer himself for this. Hopefully it's not for nothing and our plan actually manages to have some impact."

It would be a terrible shame if the Socialists didn't get sick after all. I hate wasting time and energy for nothing. The thought of this makes me grimace a little, but I don't dwell on it.

"But yes, Freida... Um... Is covered. Mission accomplished. I... Took care of it. She should be fine."

[Dinari Dollar]

"Okay, I'll try..." Dinari states. It is hard to concentrate with the dinosaur chasing after him, but at least it is slowed down a little by the pain of losing an arm and the blood loss that involves. Dinari remembers watching the movie Jurassic Park and from it learning that T-Rex's can't see you if you stand still. That they have poor vision or something. So, Dinari does his best to run behind the dinosaur, then stand completely still against the wall of the arena. The dinosaur turns around, but, looks for signs of movement. As the T Rex searches for Dinari, he tries to make one last energy attack. A small ball of green energy appears in his hand. But, instead of throwing it at the tail, he decides he will go for the neck, since the dinosaur would be far less effective...if decapitated. So once again, he doesn't listen to Calithin. He isn't much of a team player at all. But he was never taught to work on teams...for the most part. When the energy is ready, he throws it at the T Rex's neck. The slice of thin, rectangular energy in the shape of a dollar, soars across the arena to the dinosaur. In the blink of an eye, it cuts the dinosaur's head clear off.
Blood splurts everywhere, and for a moment, the headless dinosaur lumbers around without a head until eventually it just falls over.

[Calithin Crest]

"Okay well you should have just done that to begin with then huh smart guy!"

The area around the dinosaur fills with dust as it falls down dead and I get dust in my eye, which just annoys me even more.

"This is ridiculous..."

Angrily, I go up to Dinari and kick him in the shin. This is for him being a really awful fighting companion, and also payback for hurting my shoulder earlier.

"There."

[Dinari Dollar]

The crowd starts cheering and Dinari waves and smiles..until Calithin kicks him in the shin. "Ouch." Dinari replies. His clothes are still riped from the time he expanded his body in the Hyperinflation move, so he will have to change. "Come on, we made a great team. We defeated the T Rex. Don't be so sour." Dinari says to Calithin and pats him on the shoulder again with his strong gloves. "Oops, heh! We didn't die, so you should be happy. Everyone is cheering!" Dinari encourages him. They walk out of the arena together so that the fights can begin again, but Dinari feels quite proud of himself.

[Calithin Crest]

Ouch. I frown. Dinari is like... A ridiculous little imp that is super difficult to deal with. I walk several feet ahead of him, not wanting anything to do with him right now. I don't even care that we won our fight, if he had listened to me... We could have... Won it better.

"You can never touch me again! I didn't just say that! I remember stuff like that! Not ever! You have lost that in your life. You're lucky I don't saber you."

It doesn't matter to me that 'saber' cannot be used as a verb. This is no time for grammar!

"Jerk..."

Once we're out of the colloseum I look down at myself and notice how beat up and ragged I look. I debate whether to go back to my hotel or just deal with it and watch the rest of the fights... Ultimately I chose to stay and head back up to the stands to retake my seat with the others.

[Lehti Itajumala]

"Called it." Lethti sighed. Raising his left hand, an orb of fire appeared around Asphodel, stopping her in her tracks. He floated it back to him, letting it hover over his hand. "And, with that, dear fairy, you made it impossible for him to win. Now there's no way for him to make a distraction in order to get you away so that this would become a fair fight. He would have found a way, I'm sure. But now you've taken the choice out of his hands." He sighed again, shaking his head. "You see, my dear, it is just such reckless people as you who make things so hard for those who are actually skilled in the ways of war." He looked up and noticed Tristan for the first time. His file flitted through his mind and he smiled. "Guardsman Tuzanic, please create a small vortex between me and the rebel. And hold it open so that, in case our friend here does something stupid, I can throw the fairy in." He looked directly into Cephrien's eyes. "The deal is still on the table, demon. Your surrender to free the fairy. I will take an oath on the Father himself that she won't come to harm by me or any of my men. In exchange, you must surrender all your weapons, and allow yourself to be chained and led away to a cell. What say you?"

[Dinari Dollar]

"Jerk?" Dinari asks. Now, he does for a moment feel a little bad. It seems that he has upset Calithin. He would probably apologize but he is distracted by a vendor selling cotton candy. He goes to buy some, but he is given it for free since he won the fight and the seller is a fan of Allmart. That makes Dinari happy. To make things better, someone comes up to Dinari and offers him some clothes. It is a Manalist guard who noticed that Dinari's clothes were ripped in the fight. Dinari changes his clothes into the clothes provided for him by the Manalists, which seem to fit well and are even his style. He couldn't ask for anything better.


After a while, he returns to sit with Calithin...but leaves a seat between them to observe the no touching rule. He notices there is a fight going on behind them involving some Manalists and a rebel.

Dinari looks back to watch that.

"Want some cotton candy, Calithin? It's blue flavored..."