Featuring: Paleclaw, Caprice, Conri, Kalenzo
Yuurin Paleclaw, one of the Four Ministers of Khlin, plots against his own colleagues even as the battle in the government building makes its way to his office. With Conri's assistance, Caprice turns against the puppetmaster, throwing him off guard. He is then challenged by Kalenzo, who proves himself far superior in terms of puppetry and murder.
[6:43 PM] New Age Retro Hippie:
January 26th - Shishinden Central Archives
C
Yuurin Ningyotsukai Paleclaw sits at his late colleage's desk, finishing up some paperwork while his soldiers die outside. Sheltered within a labrynth of arcane barriers, the oligarch had no reason to concern himself with the peasants' petty violence. As much as he resented her insufferable attitude, Lady Flamewing was one of the greatest warriors in the Amian Region, and with her leading this battle the rebels' defeat was assured. Even if that ragtag band of misfits somehow managed to slip through the walls, they would only be playing into the scientist's pallid, spindly hands. And besides...he had much more pressing affairs to resolve.
Paleclaw's razor-thin eyes pore over the final scroll in the pile. Its cover is sealed with a six-eyed sigil - the mark of the Fell Dragon - and all the lines within are wrapped in riddles and codes. This is the last of this room's treasures, the 「Karakuri Okuden」 - A summary of the Bluefang Clan's research on enchanted robotics.
"Ohhh, Bluefang, you beautiful idiot...you picked such a perfect time to die on me." Paleclaw rolls up the Okuden, and, along with the rest of the papers, slides it into the mechanical mouth of a strange, white-hulled contraption. He gives a maddening grin as he continues to address the dead man.
"Now your family's secrets are mine. Heeheehehahaha....."
Of course, there was still work to be done. He'd have to keep an eye on Bluefang's successor, the Kuzunohas, even Flamewing herself. But the rebellion was over, and the spoils went to him. With this, the Paleclaw family could finally develop the world's first artificial humans. An obedient workforce to replace the unruly commoners entirely. An undying army rivalling even that of Freyzenwald's little princess. A population of puppets, with no other desire but to serve their rightful masters for eternity.
"EEEEHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
[6:56 PM] New Age Retro Hippie:
https://soundcloud.com/calvin-miller-46438316/khlin-theme
The minister's mad cackle was cut off by a sudden click, and the fading of the violet veil sealing off the room from the outside world. Looking up from his seat, Lord Paleclaw sees a mob of mercenaries preparing to storm the chamber.
"Ohhhh~, over already? It matters not..."
He places a small, crystalline marble in a slot on the dais, and recites a forbidden incantation to draw a dim light from the gem. On the wall in front of him, just above the entrance, a medieval recording display flickers to life. Images of each of his foes, fighting for their lives in the prison, flash before his rapidly twitching eyes.
"That's right. I've already analyzed each of your moves. Try and lay a scratch on me now, hehehehaahahahah...Everything is going according to keikaku. Zenki! Gouki!"
An elite ninja appears on each side of him, in a puff of smoke. Paleclaw wiggles his spindly fingers at them, as if directing a pair of puppets.
"....Dispose of these pests."
March 14, 2017
[1:05 AM] sheepies4ever:
As Angard flew back toward the now unblocked room, Caprice's limbs flung against Angard's wings, desperately seeking the familiar sensation of landing and release. The anarchic smacked her free palm on her skin repeatedly, staining it with the residue of her facepaint. Quite suddenly, the wyvern descended, and Caprice so eagerly leapt off that she landed on her knees. She struggled to get up while Angard and her rider moved to fight alongside someone else.
"Rise up to the challenge," Came a pure, penetrating voice from behind Caprice. She stayed remarkably still, entranced by the song. Vivianna circled to Caprice's side as she continued to sing, and then took the anarchic's hand and pulled her up. Caprice lurched forward to regain balance, but remained focused on the singer. The young woman sang a final line, gesturing to Paleclaw's chair.
Following the singer's hand and stepping forward, Caprice found herself in the presence of her maker. Envigored, and utterly undeterred, she hardly paused before beginning to bolt straight ahead. The song had struck a chord of intent. With a mighty leap, Caprice front-flipped, flying over Paleclaw's head. Shooting her legs out behind her in mid-air, the anarchic booted the man from his throne. Quickly, she pulled her legs back in for a landing, side-flipped into position, and struck him with her shuriken with the same finesse he'd demanded.
"Mine," she enunciated clearly; her tone was commanding.
[1:35 AM] New Age Retro Hippie:
"What, what, what?! Who is---This can't beeee!!"
Paleclaw's technological trance fails to forsee Caprice's assault, and he is thrown abruptly from his seat of command. But before he hits the ground, a web of translucent threads extending from his numerous rings drags the mechanical tiger-wolf beneath him, and he straddles it as he lands.
"Caprice!" Paleclaw sneers at his creation. "You half-baked, defective derivative doll! You're no better than those miserable peasants...so I'll treat you just the same!"
The puppetmaster flings a spiked, flaming star into the monster he raised. As it singes her reanimated flesh, he pulls it back with sheer force of will into his hand.
"....you should never have left that prison, wretched thing."
[9:10 PM] Storm:
A faint shimmer of light and the large black furred wolf standing over the corpse of the fallen ninja returned to the humanoid form of Conri. A small scroll had fallen out as Conri dealt the killing blow. What’s this? Conri bent down to pick up the scroll and store it for later, the battle around him demanded his attention. Or did it really? In fact he hadn’t done much at all. See, they don’t even need you. It’s an army, strength of numbers. You work better alone. They’re making you worse. Ever since you joined up with these amateurs you’ve gone soft, like them. Remember what Master Blint taught you, distance yourself work in the dark alone. Relationships are ropes and love a noose. Don’t be bothered making friends. A perfect killer has no friends. Only victims. You’re a monster in their eyes and a disappointment in his. Conri shook his thoughts from his head, the battle had progressed around him, his allies awaiting the last of these ridiculous walls to be dropped. All that was left was the leader of the west wing troops.
When the wall did finally drop the momentary pause ended and the battle returned. The beat of wings, the smell of blood and a fragile voice singing through it all. Sitting upon a throne in his mechanical creation was none other than the twisted maniacal Paleclaw. Conri couldn’t recall ever meeting the man face to face, but had heard some nasty rumors about him and the reputation the Paleclaw family name held.
Conri rushed forward, the stones upon his cufflinks shining a bright purple light. He watched as one of his allies kicked Paleclaw from his throne. Seizing his opportunity Conri’s mind raced, figuring out where the mechanist would land. He leaped into the air, transforming mid jump into the demon wolf once more. “Gotcha” he growled in his wolf form, landing right at the base of the mechanical tiger-wolf. Without a moment’s hesitation he leaped at the man’s throat.
March 22, 2017
[9:16 AM] New Age Retro Hippie:
"wHAT--"
Paleclaw leans back from the wolf, yanking the strings back to make his own monster move away - but it was too late, and a claw tore into his embroidered robe before he could retreat. The shuriken sails back to his hand, missing Conri on its way.
"Gouki, what are--"
But as he turned, Paleclaw sees that the ninja has just been cut down. On the other side, an eldritch void swallows up the ashes of what was once his other bodyguard, leaving no trace.
Paleclaw screams.
[11:48 AM] Squatter Demon:
Kalenzo watched the entire scene unfold before him, a line of blood trailing down the side of the man's face as he waited. What was he waiting for? One might ask. His proper cue to act, to set his mind into motion, of course. Standing near one of his cloaked comrades, he narrowed his eyes on him.
Paleclaw, disputably one of the finest minds in Khlin. Kalenzo thought, analyzing the man's expression with a look of disgust crossing his. A man of many titles... The White Tiger, The Shuriken in the Autumn breeze, The so-called "Economic Genius" of the Khlinese Oligarchy. The artist continued, pursing his lips and resisting the urge to spit as he rattled off each and every one of the man's titles to himself.
The situation before him continued, the battle flowing like water with Jean cleaving cleanly through one of the ninjas with his axe and Sula utterly annihilating the other with some sort of strange abomination of magic. Nevertheless, it had evoked a scream from the clan leader that sent a pleasing tingle down the length of Kalenzo's spine. A grin and a laugh twisted the man's face as Caprice only added to the clan leader's dismay, majestically flipping over the mechanist and drop kicking the man out of his seat as Conri proceeded to tear into him.
Stepping forward, Kalenzo continued to let loose a bout of strangely hearty laughter.
"Ah, Paleclaw! One of the oh so mighty four fangs of Khlin!" He exclaimed, sticking out both of his hands to his sides before looking at the white haired puppeteer with a proper shit-eating grin. "You know, for quite some time now I've looked forward to this moment. The moment where I'd... finally get to repay you for all of what you've done for me and my family."
[12:03 PM] New Age Retro Hippie:
"Who?!" While his machination continued clattering back from the wolfskin, Paleclaw looked over the strange laughing man with one eye, while plotting an escape route with the other.
"Subject One-Three...no threat, too slow...It sounds like you've heard of me. I imagine this must be a noteworthy accomplishment for one of your stock?"
He shrugged, as distressed as he was disinterested, and prepared to ride away. "Goodbye."
[12:21 PM] Squatter Demon:
"Tch. I suppose it is, but don't think you'll be getting away like that." Kalenzo reassured, taking a step forward before drawing back the string of his bow with one of the men he had grown to despise in his sights. ...Your first mistake was finding yourself against a fellow puppeteer.
"I will not be ignored, you hear me!?" He exclaimed, letting the arrow fly towards the taut strings that had controlled the man-made beast.
[2:45 PM] New Age Retro Hippie:
Paleclaw grins, not even bothering to dodge. "Tch...your aim is even--"
And though the arrow misses both him and his mechanical mount, it manages to sever every single one of the strings that connected the two. The lacquered joints crumple to the floor in an impotent heap.
"OhhhhHHHHHHHH?! What's this?"
Paleclaw watches the arrow fly into a wall, then jerks his head back to survey the damage.
"So you know about them too...Splendid! Magnificent! Ehehehahaha!" The puppetteer starts clapping his hands together feroiciously, cutting his finger on the tip of his own shuriken.
[3:03 PM] Squatter Demon:
Kalenzo let out a satisfied "Hmph" before drawing another arrow and taking a bow. It was the least he could do for his audience's maddened applause before it was finally time for their Curtain Call.
"Well of course, as an ardent puppeteer myself I know how your machines work- I know full well how they tick." The virtuoso responded, nocking the arrow and drawing his signature weapon's string. "It's a bit sad that I have to kill you now, I think we would've been the best of friends."
[3:10 PM] New Age Retro Hippie:
"EhehehehehhAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!" Palclaw clutches his bleeding abdomen in agony and amusement, finally ending his fit of laughter. "How amusing, One-Three! You really think you've won. A mere peasant!"
His expression suddenly darkens to a dead-eyed sneer. "I'm afraid that your master isn't the only one with the secrets to perfect sovereignty." Paleclaw hangs a blood-dripping finger over the maw of the machine, wiggling it out at Kalenzo. "And you don't even come close."
[3:32 PM] Squatter Demon:
"Excuse me," The bowman answered curtly, his eyes narrowing as he stared down the shaft of his arrow. "I don't believe you understand the situation you're in. The power is in my hands now."
Tch. Nothing more than a waste of my time... Kalenzo thought, But what is he getting at? Am I missing something? No... he's done for, this is his end.
"...Farewell Paleclaw, be sure to say hello to my teacher in the depths of hell." The bowman concluded, letting go of his bowstring and watching his arrow fly through the air almost as if time itself had slowed down. A smirk found itself on the man's face once more as he enjoyed the show, confident enough in his abilities to not draw another one of his self-proclaimed heralds of perfection.
[3:42 PM] New Age Retro Hippie:
A drop of blood lands in the jaws of the tiger-wolf. The master moves only his mouth:
"Kiku te, 「Byakko 」!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9minv0O8rlI
And without a single string to guide it, the beast rears up and swats the arrow aside. Its eyes glimmer like lanterns.
Then Paleclaw throws a shuriken away from Kalenzo, to the other side of the hall, and the mechanical mount springs at its prey with the velocity of a raging warhorse.
It tackles him to the ground, but its hind legs continue to run and it drags the archer across the tiled floor at a dizzying pace.
The shuriken strikes a faraway switch, and a colored wall of light forms behind them - isolating them from the rest of the army.
"Don't worry...."
Paleclaw leans down from atop the charging contraption, savoring his foe's response. The shuriken sails through the shield, and back into his string-free hands.
"I'm going to make your death...absolutely enlightening!"
March 25, 2017
[10:07 AM] Squatter Demon:
Kalenzo's narrowed eyes went wide at the sudden movement of the beast, simply swatting aside his arrow as if it were a mere plaything in the arms of a child. His breaths hastened and his hands moved on their own as he pulled back the string of the Curtain Call, only to exacerbate the situation as he realized there was no arrow to fire.
The bowman had been too slow with his reaction, his entire body being tackled to the ground as the arrow was half-way out of his quiver. The impact of his head against the tile knocked the man out of his bewildered daze and with what precious little seconds he had, the artist planted both of his hands on the sides of the machination before it had began snapping it's jaws at his face. With gritting teeth, he was dragged along the ground, moving farther and farther away from the main group as Paleclaw had taunted him.
A puppet, able to move without strings?! He thought, getting a good look at the machine as their travel came to a screeching halt. Wasting no time, Kalenzo shoved the automaton off of him and kicked it away for good measure. With slower and heavier breaths, the man stood himself up and wiped some blood from the corner of his mouth.
"You know Paleclaw, perhaps I underestimated you." The archer spoke, the same corner of his mouth curling into a maddened smile. "However, that doesn't change the fact that I will be the one that kills you on this day!"
[10:19 AM] New Age Retro Hippie:
Paleclaw winced slightly as the automaton's back slammed into the ground. But before Kalenzo can even finish standing, the clockwork creature is already on four legs. A flat, lifeless voice echoed out from its mechanical maw, which lowered in preparation for another charge:
"No one will harm my master."
But the next attack came from Paleclaw himself - a swirling star of flames sailed towards him once more. As it passed, the strange beast lunged at Kalenzo in an attempt to topple him while his guard was down.
[10:53 AM] Squatter Demon:
The first time the beast had lunged certainly came off as a surprise to Kalenzo, but not this time, the virtuoso had learned and he would make sure that Paleclaw wouldn't get another chance. Diving out of the creation's way, he nocked another arrow before pulling back the string with target in sight.
Everything was right, the scene was set, this arrow wouldn't miss.
...Wait, it can talk? The fellow puppeteer thought, surprise crossing his expression as the beast flew past him.
In that moment he hesitated and wondered: How could Paleclaw make the puppet talk? What was he hiding in that mind of his? What are the secrets behind his technique? As these questions flowed through the Kalenzo's mind the sound of a shuriken hurtling towards him snapped the bowman back into focus, thankfully before it had buried itself into his neck. However, the cost of hesitation was more than just a few singed chin hairs. After the landing, the man's heart sank as he stared upon his weapon with a look of horror...
His string had been cut.
[11:45 AM] New Age Retro Hippie:
This time, the tiger-wolf dove away from the wayward arrow, rather than blocking it - leaving Paleclaw exposed. But its arc had been thrown off just enough, only slicing the puppetteer's chin.
But Paleclaw didn't move, putting all his force of will into his weapon. And, as if pulled back by an imaginary thread, the Flame Shuriken reversed its course, swooping back at Kalenzo once more before stopping in a midair spin.
"Do you understand now, peasant?! It is useless..." Standing back in a wicked slouch, the oligarch glowered victoriously at his helpless prey. The mechanical mount lunged past him again, swiping with its claw.
"Useless!"
The shuriken sliced at him once more.
"Useleeesssss!!"
And the blade and the beast came from both sides, crossing paths in perfect synchronization.
March 26, 2017
[12:27 PM] Squatter Demon:
As the beast lunged at him once again, Kalenzo dived away and rolled. What else could he do? Dare to challenge the mech's power? Perhaps under different circumstances, but this situation didn't call for any profound strategy. The only thing on the artist's mind in that moment was a desperate need to survive and live to see another day.
As the shuriken veered back, Kalenzo stopped himself before meeting it head-first. Watching it spin in the air would have been enjoyable if not for the fact that it was mere centimeters away from claiming the bowman's eye. Kicking himself back, he felt powerless before the man as he scrambled to his feet while the oligarch prepared his next attack.
The next few moments came slowly, the man's quickly panicking eyes darting between both the mech and the shuriken as he figured there wasn't a way out. With this in mind he stumbled backwards, using his bow as some sort of a shield to stop the blows.
[1:11 PM] New Age Retro Hippie:
"Does it hurt??"
Though every blow against the short bow seemed to hammer at him harder, the assault eventually let up. But it had pushed Kalenzo even further back from his adversary, who continued his mocking interrogation.
"No, tell me: Were you the one who took my Caprice? To usurp me with my own discarded tools?"
[1:42 PM] Squatter Demon:
The bowman let out a series of grunts for his answer as he blocked the strikes, eventually letting out his held breath as they eased back.
"Why yes, I am the one who took Caprice under my wing," Kalenzo answered between breaths, a sly grin on his face as he placed his pointed fingers on his chest in an almost boastful manner. "I had figured that I'd succeed where you had failed."
Walking forward, the man cast aside his shortbow with one hand before unsheathing his teacher's knife with the other. Pointing it at the mechanist, he continued.
"But enough talk, you've shown me quite a good time. It would be quite rude of me to not reciprocate the gesture."
[5:26 PM] New Age Retro Hippie:
Paleclaw sneered anxiously at the knife, still almost totally certain of his victory. The mechanical mount stayed just out of reach of the walking man, and the shuriken spun in place, ready to cut him down if he took another step.
"Know your place, peasant! You don't even deserve to stand in the shadow of my brilliance! Even the scraps are--"
[7:10 PM] Squatter Demon:
The mechanists words would be cut off as Kalenzo slung an arrow from his quiver, hoping to catch the man off guard. Breaking into a sprint not a moment afterwards, the artist's eyes locked onto the oligarch with his intent to kill as clear as day.
"Oh, I know my place!" The bowman exclaimed, drawing another one of his arrows and gripping it as if it were a weapon. "And it's making you into my finest work yet!"
[8:21 PM] New Age Retro Hippie:
Shocked at the man's sudden burst of speed, Paleclaw reached for another blade, far too late.
"..no..."
His tiger-wolf followed behind, yet again too late.
"No, no no no nonoNONONO!"
The Khlinese lord threw a Dual Shuriken from the hip...too late to stop the closing act.
March 28, 2017
[1:41 AM] New Age Retro Hippie:
[8:47 PM] Squatter Demon:
Even as the Dual Shuriken made contract with Kalenzo's arm, the only harm it had inflicted was causing the man to drop an arrow. But at that point it didn't matter, what mattered in that moment was ending the battle here and now.
Halting momentarily, the artist delivered a swift kick to the oligarch's side before jumping on the man and delivering stabs wherever he could as he drove his opponent onto the ground. While lacking in finesse, the action was more than satisfactory as Kalenzo plunged his teacher's knife into Paleclaw, each stab filled with a burning passion, seeking vengeance for all of the pains of his early life in Khlin.
Slowing his assault on the Khlinese leader, the man noticed that his victim was still alive and only hanging on by a thread. Taking what little seconds the Mechanist still had before he'd perish, Kalenzo leaned forward and made one last statement to Paleclaw.
"You know, that beast of yours seems quite handy... I think I'll take it as well."
Givving the oligarch a chance to respond, the virtuoso ran his blade into the man's forehead as his final words escaped him.
[8:57 PM] Squatter Demon:
Their impromptu battlefield grew silent, the only interruptions being the sound of the flame shuriken clattering against tile floor ground and the mechanical beast falling apart as it kept running towards Kalenzo.
...That was it, he did it. He killed Paleclaw. He killed one of the esteemed four fangs of Khlin. Sitting on top of the fresh body as it bled out, the man looked up before taking a deep breath. In that moment, Kalenzo's maddened grin curled into a satisfied smile.
[9:02 PM] New Age Retro Hippie:
"Hhhhh-hha....I...see..."
With the last of his will, the bleeding man muttered through the agony of his countless fatal injuries. With the last of his strength, he lifts a finger toward the stack of scrolls jutting out of the mount's detached stomach.
"...all is....as it should.....be...."
And Paleclaw fucking dies.
[9:10 PM] Squatter Demon:
=====End RP=====
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