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The Emperor's Palace
Topic Started: Apr 25 2014, 07:34 PM (115 Views)
May Sparrow
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[ *  *  * ]
The palace was large--the walls were tall and thick, and a mist hung over the courtyard which overlooked the kingdom. It was almost out of a picture book, so surreal and beautiful one could hardly believe they were here, in this palace, ruling over it with an iron fist.

It felt good to be in charge.

Jo looked over the balcony, lost in thought as her palms pressed into the cool wood. It had been easy,far easier than she had ever expected, to be placed as head and emperor of the kingdom--the planet?--and even now with all the pieces in place for victory, she could not quite believe it.

Dexin had informed her of the planet's status before their arrival. In layman's terms, the planet worked on a feudal system, with emperor at the head. The emperor was rarely seen and was worshipped as a god among men, and the people believed it was these emperors who kept the planet in balance. Even in death, past emperors would keep the planet thriving, their spirits fueling the world around the people. It was why the shrine of dead emperors was blessed, and opened only when the emperor died, so that their body would join the rest in peace.

The people believe that was the source of the planet's fidelity--that shrine. It was with ease that both Dexin and Jo came to the conclusion that the rift energy was there.

But how to get to it?

Naturally, since the emperor was never seen, the obvious answer was to pose as such. Pose and quickly die. That meant, of course, having the correct person to pose. This automatically left out Tori, who was clearly a woman, and Nevermore, who Jo would never trust to handle such an issue. Dexin, for his part, wouldn't fit the bill due to his dramatics, his appearance, and just the fact Jo wouldn't do that for his ego.

This left herself, Cecil, and Herod, and while the two men were possible candidates, she didn't trust either enough to give them such a position.

And so it was with some hesitance that Jo made the preparations to remove the emperor already in place, whose face had never been seen. One evening as the sun set on the planet a corpse in rags appeared in the fields where the men worked and by that time, she was in place.

Part one of the plan finished. That just left her appearance to the people, and her death. To this she had to place her trust in Tori, who she'd begrudgingly allowed to be empress. There was uncertainty on Jo's part in this plan, mostly due to Tori's shaky temper and trust since she'd discovered her son was one of the so-called Heroes. But Tori was closest to her in this time, and they'd agreed together.

Speaking of the Heroes...

They'd yet to appear, but on this planet was another problem altogether, one Jo'd prefer to do away with before she crushed this place. There were rebels, those who meant to overthrow the emperor and rewrite the Mandate, giving people more power than they knew what to do with. It wasn't just an irritant--it was a threat to Jo, one she had to handle before her "passing". God help her if she had to deal with both the Heroes and the rebels at the same time.

Until then, however, she would wait, and try to enjoy the time she had as a ruler and a leader of the Contracted. For now, she'd bask in it. She'd never been so treated at home, never been so pampered. She'd go soft at this rate. But it.

It was nice, being treated like she was important. It was calming, for her.

"I think I'm gonna miss this, a little," she said to no one in particular, a hand pressing to rub her chest through the silk garbs they'd given her.

If there was anyone around, she didn't notice, still lost in the view.
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Wings
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In a different part of the palace, Tori was garbed in rich, silk clothing. Attendants had styled her hair in a beautiful bun and were hand-feeding her delicacies as she lounged on a feather-soft pillow. However, if life kept on like this, she'd soon get bored and fat. she was already feeling a bit bored, too, so the extra pounds was not far off, right?

With a wave of her hand, Empress Tori sent the attendants away and told her personal servant to lead her to Jo. She wanted to talk to someone and maybe work off a few of the sweets she'd stuffed herself on over the last few days.

Arriving at the emperor's wing, the brunette walked in like she owned the place, picking up on Jo's emotions and heading to the balcony. "Good afternoon, Emperor," she said with a polite bow before walking up to the railing and peering over. "It's a nice day, isn't it? What are your plans for this week?"
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LordGruffat
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[ *  *  * ]
It was very peaceful, and tranquil. The imperial gardens were bathed in dappled light and covered in cherry blossoms. Small... ducks? floated in the water, peacefully preening themselves. Dexin couldn't stand it. Everything in this place seemed fragile, what was the point of beauty if it couldn't defend itself. "Pathetic" he muttered under his breath, then turned back towards the palace. In the trees above him, six shadowy figures slipped through the branches and followed him inside.

He made his way to the Emperors hall, still tailed by the six shadows. Normally he would have a couple of bulky ferinus as bodyguards, but he had reasons for stealth. Though he he han't let on to it at the time, his paranoia was triggered when Tori slew his mover ferinus. It was possible that the harpy simply had a fit of bloodlust, but Dexin was not about to take that chance. He had made a mistake in telling Tori about her son, but knowing where the teams weakest link was certainly helped.

For now, it suited him to appear vulnerable. With luck she might risk a direct attack and make her removal justifiable. He didn't dare make the first move however, espacially after what happened the last time he had team killed. With a flourish Dexin strode into the hall "Greetings my leige. I have been around the castle's perimiter and all is quiet. I have however heard that the peasant folk are going to be holding some form of celebration today. They will be firing off rockets in a few hours. I was thinking that a large gathering like that might draw out our friends in the rebellion to spy or recruit. I would like your permission to send some of my eyes and ears down into the city. we might find the lead we've been looking for."
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Edicus
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Nevermore lumbered into the throne room after Dexin had made his appearance, he disliked the distinct lack of naval capabilities the land locked empire provided but was highly impressed in their selection of....sa-ke'. Supposedly made from rice, he didn't know too much about that but the taste was surely divine.

"No sign of the meddlers, so far. Your parade is almost ready to be set up, the natives are still attaching flowers to it, how odd.-"

He was suddenly cut off by Cecil's entrance.

"There truly doesn't seem to be any way into the crypt unless you appear dead. I, with Dexin's aide, helped remedy this problem, but you still should probably greet your subjects. Festivals are about the only time of year these people see their monarch."

A devilish smile curled across the side of his face. "They should at least get one last party before it's all over for them".

Nevemore growled at being cut off but he really didn't have anything else to add, he took a swig from one of the hourglass shaped sake' bottles and headed off for the kitchen to get a bite to eat.
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May Sparrow
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[ *  *  * ]
At the sound of her teammate's voice, Jo glanced over her shoulder with a thoughtful hum. Tori, at least, looked happy and calm, and she'd clearly basked in the treatment offered, truly looking like a queen should. It was comforting to know they were not at odds with each other. After a moment she returned to the view, before replying.

"I'm not quite sure the formalities are needed in the privacy of my rooms, my Empress. But. I'm hoping we can take advantage of the weather for the ceremony."

As they were joined by the other members, she let each have their say, her expression one of boredom as Jo instead seemed to study the mountains, and the faintest trace of fog. She was thinking, really--trying to connect the ideas into one coherent plan.

"Dexin's correct--the festival is an opening for trouble, and in honesty I would not risk it. So here's what I'm thinking."

She turned and faced them, hands neatly behind her back.

"Tori and I will be in the emperor's litter. Dexin, I want Ferinus on every corner of every intersection we pass--not large ones. We don't need people panicking. Cecil, I know you're a combat figure--I want you behind the litter. Cast warding on it if you can--hell, cast a spell that keeps the people from quite seeing our faces, if you can. I wouldn't be too surprised if the Heroes showed up--I want them to at least be caught off guard."

They, at least, had never seen her face, and Jo intended to keep it that way for as long as she could. They needed to last through this parade, that was all.

What else, what else.

"Once we've returned to the palace, we're not wasting any more time--we've done our research. Time to clean up, yeah? We'll set it for dinner. How long does that draught last?"
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Wings
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When Dexin walked into the room, Tori's gaze hardened and she glared at the scientist, keeping a sharp, cold eye on him until the rest of the team mates joined him. She turned back to look at Jo. "Oh, but I just love being called Empress. It just reinforces my high standards," the brunette stated matter-of-factly.

"And we should participate in the parade. I wouldn't mind being worshiped for a change. After years of oppression and being looked down upon as scum of the earth, I deserve some respect." Though her tone of voice was light, a hardness crept into at the end. Damn elves.
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LordGruffat
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[ *  *  * ]
Dexin quietly watched Tori's glare. Oh yeah, she was planning to kill him. He gave a stiff bow to Jo without lowering his eyes. "Certainly empress, I believe I know the perfect ferinus for the job." With a flick of his wrist he silently gated back his hidden bodyguards and brought forth dozens of shadowy orbs. They formed into a small army of spidery bat monsters. As they appeared, they flocked to the walls, folding up into small huddles on the walls.

"Adorable, aren't they? There little nightmares can hide almost anywhere in the city. They are physically frail, but they can fire high accuracy sonic bolts that destabilize anyone who hears them. Their attacks can't be seen, and anyone hit will just seem to have completely lost their balance."
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Edicus
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Cecil watched the bat ferinus for a few moments, remarking in the elegance of their design, but too many legs for their ability to fly he felt. "The drout will last about a half an hour, long enough to prove your death to the temple guardians, and gain access, then when the doors close it should just be you and the heart."

He paused for a few moments as he walked to the other side of the room examining some of the decor. "As for the warding, my magical specialties are not in the defensive nature, more the offensive ones. I'll do what I can though, also for the cosmetic changes.." he made a flick of his wrist over Tori's face, and instantaneously anyone who tried to look at her directly found everything peripheral to be far more interesting, though with focus eye contact could be maintained.

"I can put a hex to filter peoples perceptive abilities, it'll work great for the crowds, the float will surely be interesting enough for them to gaze upon."
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