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Wings of a Hawk -
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| Enough of this.
Naesala. You and the child empress of Begnion, face me now so that I can kill you. | comments: take flight     |
| Ah, Ike. Fine timing.
Begnion, along with Naesala his wretched band of crows, are our enemies. You were fighting alongside the laguz against Begnion. Naesala and Kilvas were our allies, but they betrayed us, diverting my brothers and me into a hopeless battle while those who remained in Phoenicis were brutally slaughtered.
You looked older in my memory, but it was definitely you. Ranulf was there, too. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| ...What...? Against...Begnion?
I...I can't see myself fighting against Begnion. During the war which I remember being in, the empress lent us military aid to help take back Crimea from Daein. And...I can't see the empress approving of attacking people not involved in war. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| | I have no need to explain myself further. The little empress may not have been in power during the time of the Serenes Massacre, but the incident I remembered comes much later, if your age is any hint. I ask you, what empress is not involved in the war-making of her own country? | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| The thing is, the empress isn't the only figure of authority in her land. She has a senate composed of a bunch of old windbags. These senators have been known to do things when the empress's eyes are cast elsewhere -- I had to fight and kill one such senator who was participating in an underground laguz slave trade.
And like I said, the slaughter of innocents isn't something she'd condone. During the nightmares we had for the past few days, she...she saw fighting all around her and was shouting for it to stop. On the other hand, if one senator thought so little of laguz as to participate in a slave trade, I could see the others being willing to commit such an act. It may not be easy, but at this point, I think the best course is to hold off until more information is brought to light. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| Senators, you say. You have mentioned them before.
Perhaps I have been too rash. I trust you, Ike, and the empress is lucky for that. I will hold back for now.
Though Naesala will still die. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| Again? I had hoped we had reached an understanding...
Memories or not, Ser Tibarn, I cannot allow Milady Sanaki to come to harm. | | (Reply) (Thread) |
| Things change, human. There is no longer any doubt.
Stand between me and the child, and I will remove you. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| | You use the word "human" with such contempt... I would rather not fight you, Ser Tibarn, especially given the ease with which you bested me when last we crossed blades. But I have grown in power since then, and I will use that power to protect Lady Sanaki at all costs. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| Hmph. You choose your masters poorly.
So be it, though your empress simply delays the inevitable by not facing me now. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| A knight has no choice in her master. We serve the crown, regardless of whose head it rests upon.
Would you not at least tell me what Lady Sanaki has done to earn your wrath? | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| Very noble. But which crown do you choose? I am a king myself, from the same world as your beloved empress. The island is home to many rulers.
As for that, consider yourself lucky. I've decided to let her live for now, and for that you have Ike to thank. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| You... You are a king as well, milord? I apologize; I have spoken out of turn.
...Thank him I shall. But... If it is Lady Sanaki's blood you seek in the future, I will always bar your path. Please bear this in mind. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| That's right. No formalities required, but telling you that feels rather pointless.
If the empress is as Ike describes her, there shouldn't be a problem. He put in a good word. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| | It is regrettable, but that is the way of things. She lead her country against us and slaughtered my people while our backs were turned. I cannot forgive her. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| | I have to question whoever the hell is stupid enough to put a child in charge of a country. Does she even understand what she did, or was it a childish temper tantrum? | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| The topic is moot. There are more complexities at hand here than I originally thought, so the child will live for now.
The other will not be so lucky. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| | Naesala is an adult. If he was fully aware of what he did, I say put him to the sword and make an end. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| . . . Hah. Even if I had my reasons, you wouldn't ever listen, would you?
Do what you want with me. Kilvas is safe. That's all I need to know. | | (Reply) (Thread) |
| You would have to have one damn good reason.
Maybe you'll have time to spit it out before I take your head from your shoulders.
*lunging at Naesala now, assuming they're talking face to face*
| | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| [dodging and taking to the air, a bit of a distance from Tibarn]
Tell me, what would you do for your country? | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| *flying up after him*
A king is nothing without his country. It is his greatest burden and his only will.
Phoenicis will be avenged today. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| [keeps on flying away from Tibarn's reach]
Well said, Hawk King. Well said.
Phoenicis may be avenged, but Kilvas will live. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| [Flies back and up, much faster now, then flips and dive bombs down at Naesala, slashing with talons.]
((OOC: I actually dunno if you wanted to play out the whole fight or not. Thoughts?)) | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| [[Action logs are weird with action tags, so switch to third-person prose?]]
[He transforms and swoops away, since he has the advantage of speed. He's also being purely defensive.] | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| ((Sure.))
[Tibarn pulls up and redirects, wasting no time. He shoots after Naesala, following him as close as he can while waiting for an opening to strike.] | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| They play at this game of swooping and dodging for a while, and Naesala knows that he is losing. He may be faster, but Tibarn is stronger, and his speed can only buy him so much time. The wind sweeps past his head and he makes a feint for the right and heads left, and he wonders how long he can keep this up.
He doesn't really care about the result. After all, he knows that death here is but temporary. He suspects Tibarn doesn't, which is all fine by him. His plan is to be temporarily inconvenienced once, and then return, much to the Hawk King's chagrin, and hopefully not die any more times. He supposes he ought to be thinking something suitably as befitting a martyr, but he doesn't particularly feel like it. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| Tibarn shows no sign of tiring; he carries with him the blood of Phoenicis. He can sense Naesala slowly losing his edge--a sloppy turn, a more obvious feint. It's only a matter of time. Just one good shot will be enough; from there, it's all down hill. Naesala will slow and the game will end. Just one solid hit, to the wings or the head or maybe even the breast. Just one.
A screech sounds from his beak as he presses his advantage, his slashes and tears still missing but creeping closer. He doesn't think. He doesn't even feel--no anger, or pain. His instinct drives him, as it always has. A hawk warrior of Phoenicis, his flesh and blood. He sees only his foe. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| He ought to be feeling something. Sadness, regret – any of that. He can’t, though, and he doesn’t particularly care. Didn’t they say that one’s life flashed before one’s eyes before death? All that flashes before his eyes is a canopy of green. He spares a thought for Lenalee, and if he had a mouth instead of a beak, he would have smiled.
Then he drops into the forest below. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| Tibarn watches Naesala fall, blood on his talons and a screech in his throat, this one of triumph. He lands, taking human form, and gives Naesala's body a glance. Just for a second. Then he turns and takes wing again--there is no sport, no satisfaction in tearing apart a corpse. It's done now.
Over and done. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
| But it's not done yet. Tibarn probably thinks he's killed him. Hah. You can't kill a raven that easily -- Tibarn, of all people, ought to know that. But Naesala doesn't care about Tibarn's hastiness. In fact, right now, he's positively thankful of it. He manages to land on something soft, and he doesn't really care what it is at this point. Winner takes all, he remembers, but there's nothing really to take. Then, his world goes black as he gives in to the pain.
It's not done yet. | | (Reply) (Parent) (Thread) |
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Wings of a Hawk -
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