Aftermath

[oneiros]

"Oh for crying out loud, why are these folk so stupid in the face of a clearly superior enemy!" Azir swears under his breath, clearly exasperated at the actions of this silly woman.

[BSR - this is more than likely (by now) a limit break issue. Since rolling 5d10 and getting 1 success is almost assured, I'll assume that puts me up to 10 and therefore... cue Heart of Flint! ]

Having borne witness to this councillor's idiocy of going up against two Solars, there is a flash of steely resolution as something snaps inside the Doctor.

"Deal with them. Capture them if you can, kill them if you have to - it's the only expedient option now. You'll also have to pursue the others. I should be respected enough by now to be able to convince the remaining military that something untoward has happened here. If any survive we'll stage a trial and execute the lot for treason, conspiring to bring down Maluka or some such. Then we can start again with a more reasonable council."

He turns on his heel and stalks off hurriedly in search of his 'friend', Commander Essellee, mentally preparing the wheels he will have to set in motion to achieve the desired ends...

[oneiros]

[okay, I'll wait until later before continuing Azir's line and to give K & F an opportunity to intervene if they want]

[bravesirrobin]

[Which charm is that? The trap door basically shuts as soon as one of you steps into the room, through the broken remains of the door.

I had assumed it was Kairos who went first. If Ferric goes first he may have a chance to use the charm. But only one of you will have line of sight before it slams closed.]

[missdixievoom]

The door finally gives way to Ferric's hacking, and he stumbles through just in time to see the scene described above. With startlingly fast reflexes he never knew he had he brings his blade up, draws his arm back and then sends the daiklave flying straight towards the back wall of the rapidly closing hole [Iron Raptor technique]. With a satisfying juddering noise, it lodges several inches deep into the wall. The trapdoor is prevented from closing.

[Learned Hand]

[we now have 2 possible timelines. Which are we favouring?]

[bravesirrobin]

All the people take the same actions as before. The only difference is that the trapdoor is no longer locked.

The three remaining members of the council don't exactly know who can brainwash them - they will treat either of you the same.

[Learned Hand]

Kairos bursts through the door, barely noticing the daiklave brusing his ear on its way past. He ignores the 2 men cowering in the corner, and simply ducks past the annoying woman as he sprints towards the wedged trapdoor.

When he gets there he kicks it open. He sighs, reaches down and grabs the collar of the last council member, manhandles him out of the entrance and tosses him roughly to one side, before shouting down the opening.

'We're here to negotiate our surrender and consequent peace you bloody fools! Now, will you come and accept our surrender or do I have to chase you down and surrender to your unconscious bodies?'

Without looking around he raises his arm and punches annoying-woman (who has in the meantime approached him and raised her sword) in the face, sending her sprawling.

[if there is no reply, Kairos will draw his sword and begin to pursue them. Also, do I need to roll limit? (limit break condition = being frustrated or backed up against a wall)]

[bravesirrobin]

As Kairos reaches into the trapdoor there is a startled scream and the woman at the top of the ladder falls away. Kairos makes a desperate grab but comes away with only tunic. There is a thump as the body hits the floor, the flickering light at the bottom of the short shaft isn't quite enough to tell on the condition of the person. But it is worryingly still.

Kairos makes his plea, but all he hears in response are running footsteps.

[oneiros]

Having outlined a sensible and efficient course of action to his companions, Azir comports his face into a stern yet worried demeanour as best he can and sweeps out of the palace calling out to the few guards remaining as he does so, "To me! The city is betrayed! The councillors have betrayed us and now flee like cowards!"

His determination and assumed authority radiating from him, shored up by resolve and fear, he pushes the front doors open...

[continued in "Inside Maluka"]

[Learned Hand]

Kairos runs after them

[bravesirrobin]

[Yeah do the limit thing]

The annoying woman drops like a sack of potatoes, clearly unused to the physicality of the situation she has been thrust into.

Kairos climbs down the ladder rapidly, despite the not too great height, he's worried about landing on top of someone and causing himself an injury. He steps over the unconscious body on the floor, his eyes adjusting to the gloom. Having no other source of light he activates his caste mark, illuminating the tunnel ahead of him.

The walls are dry brick, but look solid enought, the tunnel seems to wind, and the whole place is dusty and thick with stale air. The light doesn;'t seem to penetrate as far as it should and the footing is just unsuer enough to worry Kairos. Still, the footsteps echo down the tunnel from ahead of him and he sets off as fast as he feels is safe. Whoever he is chasing has a slight headstart but it can't be too long.

The tunnel seems to have been designed with a chase in mind, as it seems to head in a single direction, but with just enough of a curve to prevent people seeing to far ahead. Kairos can't tell whether he is gaining or losing ground, but he isn't out of the running yet. After what seems like no time at all though he is brought up short as suddenly the tunnel divides ahead of him.

The two remaining men in the council chamber look at Ferric, who has been left alone by his two companions. They look at his daiklave, firmly wedged in the trapdoor. Cautiously they pick up their swords from the floor. Though they still look somewhat unsure, clearly they have reevaluated the situation.

One of them asks, to no one in particular, "What happens now?".

[Learned Hand]

Using his forehead as a primitive searchlight Kairos ducks down to the ground and notices, with satisfaction, the footprints scoured into the dust; dust which had apparently been undisturbed for months, if not years.

He runs on, following the prints.

[bravesirrobin]

The dust has been kicked up, and moved around a lot by the rapid movement of whomever Kairos is chasing. Though there aren't clear footprints, there's certainly no difficulty in working out which way someone has gone.

But still Kairos has the dilemma - as there seem to be tracks leading in both of the two directions.

[Learned Hand]

Grimacing, he shoots off down the corridor which appeared to have the greater number of tracks. He checks the floor once he about 100 metres in to check that he hasn't been the victim of some diversion before carrying on.

[he'll repeat if there's another fork]

[bravesirrobin]

Not having quite enough experience to tell which is the side that is more recently or more heavily used, Kairos is forced to choose at random. But he knows that if he picks too slowly the lead of those ahead will be too great.

He chooses, and acts. Flying down the left hand fork even faster now, as he needs to make up time. He is lucky not to stumble, and though he suspects he can hear the sound of footsteps growing slightly louder, it's hard to tell.

The ai, as well as the floor begins to be slightly damp, and the air no longer smells musty. Rather there is a wet mouldy smell to thinks, and the footsteps are matched by dripping water. Again, paying little heed to his own safety Kairos rushes onwards, with the slight slips and stumbles failing to derail the pure energy of his mental commitment to cotinuing forward.

The wet, smelly corridor is relatively brief - Kairos reaches another shaft, though much taller this time. And about half way up, only a little way ahead of him now, is a man climbing the ladder. He's breathing heavily and is clearly exhausted, but notices Kairos below him, and puts everything he has into another burst of speed.