Topic: The Knight's Foul Deed - Anton (Read 124366 times)

Drakilian · « **Reply #300 on:** March 16, 2016, 07:39:49 pm »

"You can't even walk!" Basilio exclaims, "you expect to kill one of my rivals? Alone? I've already lost..." Basilio's voice trails off.

"No. You will not go. My word is final, even if I need to twist it into your mind," Basilio storms out of the room.

Eken stays behind, his eyes still on Anton.

Not Aman · « **Reply #301 on:** March 16, 2016, 07:44:27 pm »

Anton looks at Eken.
"I can not return in failure, Eken." He says simply.

Drakilian · « **Reply #302 on:** March 16, 2016, 07:54:36 pm »

Eken waits a moment longer, then nods. He steps over to the desk in Basilio's cabin and takes a seat. He reaches under the desk and drags out a heavy chest, and unlocks it. He pulls out a massive old wooden mug from inside the chest then closes it quickly before Anton can see what else is in there.

He throws it to Anton - who cannot catch it. Still, it lands by his head.

Ennius leans back into his chair and props his feet up on the chest.

"Fill the mug with your blood."

Not Aman · « **Reply #303 on:** March 16, 2016, 07:56:27 pm »

Anton frowns, but follows the black man's idea, slowly moving his arm over the mug, and biting it.

Drakilian · « **Reply #304 on:** March 16, 2016, 08:05:29 pm »

Anton feels uncomfortable as the Beast starts clawing at him, as much of his remaining blood leaves his body and goes into the mug.

Eken stands up then, with a groan, and walks over to Anton. He picks up the mug and sets it on the stand, then pulls the desk chair beside Anton's bed.

He pulls up his sleeves and sits back down, resting his hands on Anton's stomach

"You're going to make me a promise now, and if you break it I'll probably kill you."

Not Aman · « **Reply #305 on:** March 16, 2016, 08:07:03 pm »

"Which is?"

Drakilian · « **Reply #306 on:** March 16, 2016, 08:09:01 pm »

"That you'll have your memory of this event altered so that Michael was the one who healed you."

Not Aman · « **Reply #307 on:** March 16, 2016, 08:11:39 pm »

Quote from: Drakilian on March 16, 2016, 08:09:01 pm

"That you'll have your memory of this event altered so that Michael was the one who healed you."

Anton looks incredibely confused.
"Why?"

Drakilian · « **Reply #308 on:** March 16, 2016, 08:12:24 pm »

"No explanations before you agree. Besides, it won't matter much will it?"

Not Aman · « **Reply #309 on:** March 16, 2016, 08:15:02 pm »

Anton nods.
"I suppose so."

Drakilian · « **Reply #310 on:** March 16, 2016, 08:23:19 pm »

Eken lays a hand over Anton's wound and closes his eyes.

Much to Anton's surprise, a third eye shoots open on Eken's forehead, massive and red and, until then, completely invisible. Anton feels power begin to flow through him, his wound knitting itself closed, the poison clearing from his veins.

By the time Eken is done, Anton is completely uninjured. Not even a scar remains from his wound, like there would normally be.

Eken looks very pale and very weak. He reaches over and downs the whole mug of Anton's blood almost instantly.

"About six hundred years ago I caught Michael's eye. He found me to be a fascinating mortal, moreso because I refused an offer to be sired by him. He taught me Valeren, the Discipline of the Salubri - both the Warrior and Healer paths. I would continue to keep this a secret. You will tell no one. Now go. You have maybe an hour before Basilio returns and looses us all into the city."

Eken gets up and leaves through the cabin door.

Not Aman · « **Reply #311 on:** March 16, 2016, 08:31:33 pm »

Anton nods, not bothering to worry about what he just heard. He'll be forced to forget it anyways.

He heads off the ship. He needs to find Brother Joseph, they have much less time then expected. He'll move quietly through the city, keeping to the edges hidden with shadows.

Drakilian · « **Reply #312 on:** March 17, 2016, 03:19:03 pm »

Summoning nightshades and boosting his Dexterity with what little blood he has left, Anton manages to sneak off the ship without being noticed - or if he was, the ship's ancient crew leave him be.

After refilling his massively depleted Blood Pool on helpless city-folk, Anton makes his way back to the Hagia Sophia.

The moon will set soon. He judges that he has less than an hour of night-time left. Less than half an hour before Basilio figures out he's gone too.

His senses not being the most acute, Anton is unable to spot Joseph anywhere nearby. Perhaps someone else might have?

Not Aman · « **Reply #313 on:** March 17, 2016, 03:22:24 pm »

Anton quickly heads to the sewers. If there is one person who'd know where anyone in this city is, it's Malachite

Drakilian · « **Reply #314 on:** March 17, 2016, 05:56:45 pm »

Just as Anton considers summoning tendrils to help him lift the heavy sewer grate, he hears a voice come from behind him.

"Need a hand?"

Malachite is waiting for him, standing with his hands behind his back, chin up - all tall proud military strength.

Not Aman · « **Reply #315 on:** March 18, 2016, 01:26:39 am »

"Ah, Malachite, wonderful." Anton says. "My servant has gone wandering. Would you happen to know where he is?"

Drakilian · « **Reply #316 on:** March 19, 2016, 10:03:35 pm »

"Does Basilio know you're here?", Malachhite says, pointedly ignoring Anton's question

Not Aman · « **Reply #317 on:** March 19, 2016, 10:37:08 pm »

"No. But it should not matter, Sir Malachite. I have a duty."

Drakilian · « **Reply #318 on:** March 19, 2016, 10:40:54 pm »

"A duty to your sire, yes?"

Not Aman · « **Reply #319 on:** March 19, 2016, 11:02:28 pm »

"A duty to myself, Malachite. I agreed to do this. I shall do this."

Drakilian · « **Reply #320 on:** March 20, 2016, 12:19:29 am »

"And if I should decide to bring you back to Basilio?"

Not Aman · « **Reply #321 on:** March 22, 2016, 03:41:38 am »

"I doubt I would be able to stop you, Malachite." Anton admits.

"But I would certainly try."

Drakilian · « **Reply #322 on:** March 23, 2016, 10:02:22 am »

Malachite cocks his head.

"And why would you risk fighting me and my three children to honour your sire in a fight he would be furious if he knew about it?"

Anton's eyes inadvertently dart out, searching for the Three - Malachite's infamously ugly childer who he kept as retainers in Constantinople to help him with his duties. Andreas and Heldric had originally been intended to be a part of the Three, but Andreas made mistakes and Heldric proved more promising than a simple servant.

Naturally, he sees nothing, but he knows they could be standing less than a hair's breadth away from him, fangs at the skin of his neck, blades hovering in front of his eyes. Each of them possessing the same epic strength Andreas has displayed.

The odds aren't looking too good.

Not Aman · « **Reply #323 on:** March 23, 2016, 10:56:54 am »

"I'm not doing this for Basilio to pat me on the head, Malachite. I'm doing it since I must do it. I have an obligation. I don't care if I'm hated while doing it or not."

Drakilian · « **Reply #324 on:** March 23, 2016, 08:40:28 pm »

Malachite takes in Anton's words, and then nods.

"It is good that you have such purpose. Basilio has raised you well, and might resent you for it. I trust you will keep Eken's secret?"

Not Aman · « **Reply #325 on:** March 24, 2016, 01:09:11 am »

"Of course." Anton states. "I don't understand the need for it, but the words will never leave my lips."

Drakilian · « **Reply #326 on:** March 24, 2016, 01:13:57 pm »

"I would explain but it would really be a waste wouldn't it? My Three will find you when you're done, if you're still alive. They will make sure you don't run, and I will join them then to take your memories. Good luck."

Malachite gives Anton directions to Gabor's haven, and then blinks out of sight.

Not Aman · « **Reply #327 on:** March 24, 2016, 02:23:33 pm »

"I will be returning to here afterwards. There is no need to fetch me." Anton says to the watchful eyes 100% left behind.

He'll then proceed to brother joseph, feeding on the way, and doing the requisite things you do before attacking an elder that rivals your sire. (Bloodboosted stats, nightshades, shroud, and dark steel tentacles coating the body)

Drakilian · « **Reply #328 on:** March 27, 2016, 02:26:37 pm »

Anton succeeds in summoning a wide variety of abyssal entities and tools to help him in the coming battle, including two ephemeral beings that hang listlessly in the air like clouds of ink in stagnant water. They follow him, floating along with deceptive speed through the shadowed tenements of Constantinople's infrastructure.

Not Aman · « **Reply #329 on:** March 27, 2016, 03:03:05 pm »

Anton smiles softly at his shadows, as the abyss, and all of it's denizens, comfort him, reaffirming his conviction and zeal.

He quietly hunts foward to Gabor's haven, sending one of his shadowed to bring Brother Joseph to his side. He needs the pacifistic monk for whatever Kine Gabor has corrupted.

Drakilian · « **Reply #330 on:** April 02, 2016, 10:36:41 am »

Anton does not find Joseph outside Gabor's abode.

The place is located in part of the famed city's rich district, normally a bustling area at all times of day. Tonight it is silent and empty - Anton feels ill at ease, even cloaked as he is in his shadows. The building he is looking for is conjoined to two others, all owned by the old prince of Sophia. If Gabor has guards watching from the walls, Anton cannot find them.

Not Aman · « **Reply #331 on:** April 02, 2016, 03:08:51 pm »

Anton sends his shadows to search the walls. They are probably more reliably quiet and perceptive then him anyways

Drakilian · « **Reply #332 on:** April 08, 2016, 01:59:47 pm »

The shadows writhe up the building and pour in through the windows. Anton closes his eyes and wraps himself in darkness, keeping his attention focused on the hearts that he sent into the manor.

After about three minutes he feels one of the hearts stop beating. He feels the other react at the first's destruction, and within another minute it comes back to him. He feels the shadow transfer images into his mind. A bloody hallway, bodies slumped in the corridor. A mangled scream that cuts off almost as suddenly as it started. A sudden flash and terrible heat. Flight, back to the master.

Anton opens his eyes and looks at the building through his changed eyes, taking note of the smoke that has started to rise from the rooftop. Strange.

Not Aman · « **Reply #333 on:** April 10, 2016, 10:01:33 pm »

"Fire. Of course, Gabor is a Koldun." Anton internally mutters, thinking. His servants did not see any ghouls or childer aside from their killer, which suggests a small amount of guards, if any.

What and how many entrances arr there

Drakilian · « **Reply #334 on:** April 10, 2016, 10:05:20 pm »

A very large number, the building is more ornate than secure.

Not Aman · « **Reply #335 on:** April 10, 2016, 10:09:44 pm »

Anton sends off his wave of shadows to cover him, as he moves to enter. Gabor already knows he is here. Making a scene won't matter much.

He'll have two of his nightshades form togheter into an illusion of a Hungry Shade, and the others into his replicates, as he heads inside.

Drakilian · « **Reply #336 on:** April 11, 2016, 11:10:02 am »

As Anton's shadows pour into the manor, he marches up to the front entrance and strikes it once, then twice, then a third time - the manor door splintering with each hit. Another strike snaps the lock and then Anton kicks the doors in, his shadows silencing everything for him.

He hears a chittering sound inside and then a sudden squealing. He notes that his remaining heart has captured a deformed, insect-like thing with its tendrils. As he walks past it Anton summons a long hand-and-a-half blade and as he walks past it he casually cuts the thing in half.

Other than the small ghoul his entrance goes seemingly unnoticed.

If Anton didn't know any better he'd say the place had already been raided.

Not Aman · « **Reply #337 on:** April 11, 2016, 11:55:21 am »

"Disgusting things." Anton mutters, encased in his darkness. It is weird that there was only that, however. Certainly should have far more. Did Basilio already send the crew? No, Gabor would not be around in that case, most certainly.

Knowing that Gabor is [wherever his heart sent], Anton heads there, letting the darkness envelop everything, and heading foward. He'll have his heart set behind him. Cant let that get destroyed as well.

Drakilian · « **Reply #338 on:** April 11, 2016, 07:09:59 pm »

Moving through the Manse, Anton encounters the bodies of several more slain ghou's - they appear to have been butchered by an exceedingly skilled swordsman, the nature of whom Anton cannot be certain. He follows the trail of blood and bodies to the smell of smoke and burning. He comes across a hallway filled with raging flames that pushes him back as surely as an impenetrable wall. This must have been where the blast that destroyed his heart came from.

Not Aman · « **Reply #339 on:** April 11, 2016, 08:50:13 pm »

Certainly not the work of Basilio's crew, Anton realizes. But definitely an attack on the fiend. He walks around te flames, trusting in his nature to extinguish any flames that come close. He keeps the heart in close contact, letting it look for his foe (specifically, moving blood), while he keeps his shadows following.

Drakilian · « **Reply #340 on:** April 17, 2016, 10:25:26 pm »

Anton backs away from the fire, struggling all the while to keep his fear of the fiery death in check.

He finds another hallway that runs parallel to the first just a few meters away, and goes down that instead - aiming to traverse the burned area and continue to investigate.

It is for his disappointing lack of perceptive skills that he does not notice the heavyset schlacta covered in grease and small clay pots standing guard outside a wide set of double doors.

The thing runs into Anton's phantasm and then beats itself, breaking the clay pots and setting off a sudden explosion, destroying the shadows Anton had summoned (save for his tendrils), and blocking off this second hallway.

Not Aman · « **Reply #341 on:** April 17, 2016, 11:26:39 pm »

(OOC: including the heart?)
Anton quickly turns away from the fires, and looks for another path, while resummoning his nightshades, and then, if time permits, his shrouds.

Drakilian · « **Reply #342 on:** April 18, 2016, 07:54:24 pm »

(Heart's fine, since it wasn't what triggered the explosion and Anton kept it behind him).

Anton finds no third hallway that would allow him passage through the fire - howevwr a quick search uncovers a stairway upstairs. Moving quickly up the stair he finds a hall that runs, judging from the smoke pouring up through the floorboards, on top the second burning hallway,

Running down the hall while resummoning his nightshades, Anton skids to a stop. This second hall appears to also be a balcony overlooking the centre of the manse; and there he sees....

Oh God.

Joseph hangs, nailed to a wall with what seems to be splinters of metal, a broken hilt jutting out from his right knee. His abdomen has been split open, and his organs lay in the grass before him. His ribs have been spread like a flower in full bloom, revealing his heart - which appears to have stopped beating. Blood is everywhere.

A short, severe looking Bulgar wearing fine clothing and a bear fur cloak stands in front of Joseph, seemingly alone in the room. His long hair is streaked with grey, his brown eyes glower beneath bristling eyebrows and his moustache is carefully groomed. The overall effect is that of barbarian royalty. He is armed with a dagger and a sabre.

He is untouched by Joseph's blood.

Not Aman · « **Reply #343 on:** April 18, 2016, 08:15:12 pm »

So that's what happened to Brother Joseph...

Disgusting fiend. But reacting in pain would be what the Bulgar would want. It's what Anton's emotions would want. But they never held any control over Anton, not now, not ever. Give the fiend no satisfaction. Anton makes sure to act first (with willpower).

Anton quickly lets his nightshades shift, focusing two on creating the illusion of Basilio (two of them, separate parts of the balcony) while letting the others coat Gabor. The tzmisce will want revenge, which will mean he will focus on his nemesis first, hopefully. After, he'll let his own tentacles attack, as he summons other tentacles onto the bulgar, to grab and contrict him. Whatever shrouds he has (if he has?) are also sent to suffocate the fire koldun.

Drakilian · « **Reply #344 on:** April 23, 2016, 07:08:37 pm »

Gabor looks up at the Anton and his phantasms.

"So you've finally come, eh you bastard? It was stupid to send in this fool alone. Send in a single man to kill me? He was one of those vaunted crew members of yours wasn't he? A waste."

Anton is surprised to hear the resignation in the Bulgar's voice.

"I'm so happy I could cause you this last bit of pain before you hand me over to Noriz like you did Demenaus."

As Gabor speaks Anton acts, summoning four tendrils around the Tzimisce - only to watch in stunned silence as the Tzimisce draws his weapons and moves with stunning speed and power, weaving around the attacks and dissipating each of the things with a single cut of his blades - which Anton notes are red-hot.

Having destroyed the tendrils, Gabor leaps up from the ground floor to the second floor, his hand grabbing the railing and splintering it when he throws himself over, landing with a roll by the nightshade Anton had made of Basilio. With a roar Gabor stabs through the shadow, the nightshade recoiling from the heat of the blade.

"More tricks? Where are the assassins Basilio? Where's your obsidian fist? Your crew? Did you come here alone? Do you think so little of me?"

Not Aman · « **Reply #345 on:** April 24, 2016, 10:07:21 pm »

Seeing his dark steel destroyed as if an afterthought, demontrating a clear superiorty of strength, ancient gears turn in the Ashen Knight's head. For he was not always under the tutelage of the Abyss, nor always banished from the Above. Before the Lord brought him to Via Noctis, his mentor always had said;

"Et Fortier Nobis" Together We Stand

If Anton would want to defeat Gabor, his personal strength won't be enough. Not nearly.

He'll quickly move his shadows, now to form two hungry shades from the abyss, to try and slow Gabor down. His heart will summon tentacles as a matter of course, as well as shrouds to aggravate the fiend. Anton wil head to Brother Joseph.

Drakilian · « **Reply #346 on:** April 25, 2016, 03:59:50 pm »

At the appearance of the two hungry shades, Gabor takes pause. Levelling his sword and eyeing the two demons carefully.

The nightshade attacks Gabor with tensrils that the Tzimisce swiftly evades, before spinning and chopping the tendrils with his sword. The tensrils dissipate as they would have had they been real, and Gabor presses his attack against the illusion, temporarily foiled by Anton's efforts.

The Lasombra leaps down while Gavor is distracted, summoning a shroud as he jumps to muffle his fall.

He steps across the room to Joseph's still warm, dead body, and sinks his fangs into his own arm, then pressing the bleeding wound up to Joseph's lips. Blood begins to trickle into Joseph's throat...

"What's this? Ha! Oh the arrogance, he didn't even come himself!"

Gabor practically appears behind Anton, and smacks him across the face with the flat of the burning blade, the near-molten metal searing his flesh, tearing him from Joseph.

"What are you then? An apprentice? His welp? A fitting end for you then, to die to my sword."

Gabor raises the burning blade, and then brings it down. Anton is certain that he is to meet his lord when a sudden blur flashes into the way of the blade, and Joseph, ruined body and all, appears, gripping the hilt of the broken sword with both hands, holding the burning sword back, struggling with the clearly more physically powerful Gabor.

Not Aman · « **Reply #347 on:** April 25, 2016, 04:22:13 pm »

Anton tenses, his hand instantly raised to the burnt flesh, knees on the floor. He looks to the monk, and feels the pangs of guilt instantly. This... it was wrong. Sure, he could rationalize it all away. He was considering doing so already, even before this. He needed another to pursue his goals, and it could never have been someone corrupt. A foundation so fragile in the begining would of had to fall. And anyways, the Monk had already shown his sins, which he could not, would not, ask forgivness for.

But that was not what was not weighed out before. This was an act of desperation. But it was done.

With Gabor held up by the exTemplar, Anton summons his darksteel to envelop the Tzmisce, to restrict his everymove, and to squeeze the unlife out of him. Now.

Drakilian · « **Reply #348 on:** April 25, 2016, 08:00:33 pm »

Shadows spring to life, coming from the Tzimisce himself this time! Tendrils come from his nostrils and the folds of his clothing and immediately grab at his arms and his legs.

Gabor jumps back and destroys the two tendrils that sprouted from his nostril with a quick swipe that singes the hairs of his eyebrows, and makes to cut away the rest of the tendrils when Joseph rushes him with his broken sword, metal bits still embedded in his joints grinding away at his flesh as he moves.

The templar moves with a fierce brutality that Anton would have never expected of the pacifist monk. He has the practiced stance of one who fights not with graceful movements, but with deadly efficiency.

Joseph stabs at Gabor while the Tzimisce makes to cut away a tendril that is envelopping his left arm - Gabor's blade darts abruptly away from the tendril and catches Joseph's broken hilt of a blade, while he flips the similarly fire-touched dagger in his constricted hand and then throws it through the tendril, destroying it in turn.

Joseph swipes at Gabor again and the tzimisce drops to the ground, simultaneously cutting away at the tendrils binding his legs, and then rolling out of the way when Joseph brings his broken sword down onto the space where he'd been so hard that he shatters the delicate, blood-covered tiling.

As Gabor rolls over he puts a single hand to the floor and twists himself upright in one swift motion, rotating as he does so and bringing the sword rapidly down towards Joseph - only to have his killing blow stopped by Anton's tendrils; new ones having been summoned to stop the bulgar's devastating attack.

Seeing that Gabor is unable to keep up with the attack being carried out on him, Joseph takes advantage of the moment and stabs at Gabor with his broken sword like it was a dagger.

The bulgar sidesteps the thrust and steps close inside Joseph's guard, at the same time letting the tendrils constrict him and forcing his burning sword onto his left arm. The templar attempts to move around Gabor and put him back in front of the dagger, following his movements with a practised eye, but the Tzimisce's weaving proves too fast for him.

The burning blade sears Gabor's own flesh, which initially seems to be a good thing - until Anton sees that Gabor lets it sink so far into his own arm that it burns the tendril holding his left arm in place - destroying it. Gabor's left arm then darts out and he seizes Joseph's clearly visible heart through the flowered ribcage he'd made of Joseph's chest, ripping it out without so much as a moment of hesitation. Joseph, deprived of the seat of his vampiric power, collapses on the spot, paralyzed.

With a rapid movement Gabor makes to spear Joseph's heart on his burning sword - and Anton acts again, throwing nightshades forward to confuse the swordsman while new tendrils form to grasp and then break his left arm. Before they can do so, however, Gabor... melts. The Tzimisce turns into a pool of blood before Anton's very eyes, and the tendrils splash uselessly through his now liquid form. The sword also falls into the pool of blood, which sizzles violently and creeps rapidly away from the blade.

Not Aman · « **Reply #349 on:** April 25, 2016, 09:20:17 pm »

Anton moves in quick, grabbing the molten blade, and quickly trying to melt the blood. He'll direct his nighshades to move along, along with his heart to direct it's own tentVles to harass the Tzmisce. He womt be getting away.

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Author Topic: The Knight's Foul Deed - Anton (Read 124366 times)