RuneScape Forum Archive | Fall From Grace

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2020

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But eventually they made it out, finding a room similar to that of the very first room they stepped into in this castle. A beautifully embroidered carpet laid at their feet, familiar symbols of Solasúian culture appeared all throughout its cortex. Portraits of former holders of the seats of power adorned the walls, and statues at each corner of this near pentagon-shaped room.

A spiral staircase stood at the back of the room, reaching upwards to the next floor and beyond that. But just off to their right was a small little decline, like a ramp heading downwards. That ramp led to a room, the room which the group sought. They could make out at least three voices, and by the sound of it, they're as armoured as the previous knight.

"—fathoms deep over his head," a voice of male Solasúian could be heard saying, frustrated and pouring with steam. "I swear, if Lord Balor doesn't cease his insanity soon, I will."

"Best mind your tongue," advised another voice. "State the obvious if you wish, but if you start making threats, you'll be having a meeting with General Gallows very soon."

"Try telling that to Celene," the male Solasúian bolted back. "She was a soldier, pledging her body and loyalty to the Imperial Kingdom. But then she dies in service, not to a sword, but to her station collapsing right beneath her feet. She was a mother of two -- two! No child should have to reduce a parent to ash, but they did. And do you know our Earl's response to such a careless waste of life? "Oh, accidents happen," he says, "we'll stop at nothing to ensure this tragedy never repeated." He has done nothing since then, it's as if he thinks this death perfectly acceptable. His head lingers too high in the clouds, cascading with sunshine and rainbows."

"Worst yet, he probably concerns himself more with that damned statue over the lives of his soldiers," another knight came into the conversation, adding fuel to the fire. "I'd be dumbstruck if we're even a thought upon his mind."
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10-Sep-2015 19:25:33

Jul

2020

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The three knights carried on with their conversation, continuing the fiery discussion. Hanging just outside of it was the group, strategizing a way to effectively take out the knights in the least noisest way possible. The five made a circle, turning to each other to look for suggestions. "Any saggesti'ns, fellas?" asked Calvin in a near-speechless voice, praying that the Solasúian knights were too busy listening to themselves talk to listen in.

"I could distract them," Daevarro very silently threw his hat into the arena, boldly setting forth and making a suggestion as was asked. "I could generate a smokescreen around the room, giving you an opening to go in and take them out."

After hearing Daevarro quickly speak his mind, the group turned to the young man in perplexment. He could "generate" a smokescreen? Such a suggestion felt as though familiar to Raphael, quickly recalling an unexplained fog which devoured the threshold back at Lumbridge. "I do recall a strange fog at Lumbridge," mentioned the silver-haired heir, turning towards the dark-robed youth. "Was that your doing?"

Daevarro nodded his head, confirming Raphael's hunch. Upon being answered, Raphael thought of many possibilities such an ability could provide. It could bring many benefits, open many opportunities. "Hmm..." thought Raphael, pondering momentarily. "Yes, I suppose that's an option."

"I dunno 'bout all dat..." spoke Calvin in doubt. "Ain't their d'tective senses gonna hone 'n on us?"

Telvern pondered the idea, shaking his head in rejection. "No, it's quite the opposite," the genius stated, denying Calvin's belief. "A Solasúian's sense of impending danger relies solely upon their visional sense. If their own eyes are incapable of seeing in the fog, then their sensory detection should share in this disability."

"And you're certain of this?" Raphael asked Telvern, turning vaguely in his direction.

"Quite certain,"
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10-Sep-2015 19:27:32

Jul

2020

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"Let's give it a try then," commanded Raphael, looking outward towards his dark-robed ally. "Daevarro, use it whenever you're ready. Once the fog has enveloped the area, Calvin, Libitina, and Telvern will go in and take out the soldiers."

"Wow Raphy, makin' us do all the work," Calvin jokingly responded to the plan, smirking mirthfully. "Ya jus' the lil' ov'rlord, ain't ya?"

"You three are far more experienced at killing Solasúians efficiently," Raphael returned, not catching the wind of Calvin's humorous tone at all. "Sending either me or Daevarro in would be foolish."

"Yeah... s'pose so..." the social assassin grumbled to himself, dismayed by Raphael's lack of understanding his playful attitude.

The group then silenced, permitting Daevarro the ability to think without temptation. He closed his eyes, the world and all that filled it began to vanish from his acknowledgment. The image of the room and its inhabitance filled his mind, the exact location of every detail perfectly represented in his head.

As the young man began the process of exiting this world and into a world all of his own, Telvern, Libitina, and Calvin all took mental photographs of the setting as well. The exact position of the knights would remain unknown, since they were unable to see them without exposing themselves. But such as the case of dealing with the Solasúian kind, all things are left to sheer skill and luck.

Raphael looked on as Daevarro's mind began to flee this world, having allowed the young man to make his escape at his own discretion. But in the back of his head, Raphael needed him to do it now, for the danger loomed overhead like famished crows circling above a field of crops. Much to the leader's delight however, Daevarro expended little time despite this courtesy.
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10-Sep-2015 19:28:24

Jul

2020

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The knights continued their rather heated trade of words, but they began to realize something peculiar going on around them. It was odd, immediately halting their voices as they all took notice of this change at the same time. The environment surrounding them seemed to be getting strangely dark looking, and such dark mist was rapidly growing in intensity.

Their vision obscured, their eyes widened. They tried frantically to comprehend this shadowy mist, focusing their supreme vision to puncture through the dark. But alas, such a task was simply impossible. They pulled out their weapons and closed their visors, shuffling their heads all around the place. "Wha—!?" furiously spoke one knight.

But suddenly, they knew exactly what was going on. A pressure in their head, their Solasúian senses alerting them to the death that drew near. It was a reaper dressed in black, slow and vicious, blending into this environment as if they had become the air itself. The soldiers dashed to make an effort, to save themselves.

But it wasn't good enough, for death had found them much quicker than anticipated. The three assassins teaming up for this attack, each with their own soldier that they were responsible for. A heavily armoured foe before them would be a harsh dance, and perhaps a fatal one for their infiltration.

Truly unlike Libitina, Calvin and Telvern had to exploit the vulnerabilities in their steel-clad giant's armour. They followed in her exact step, looking to the parts of their body not under protection. Be it beneath the arm, the groin, or through the eye-silts of their visors, the two found some kind of work-around.

Once the attack ceased and the damage was done, the assassins very quickly pulled open the knights' visors and pressed their hands over their mouths. The pain-filled grunts and screams were silenced, their deaths without witness but their murderers. They quietly and gently laid them down upon the floor, this place that would be their deathbed.
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10-Sep-2015 19:31:42

Jul

2020

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But the knights didn't want to just give up on life, they wanted to fight, to live on. They were savage and restless, trying to desperately to fight them off even as their blood pooled. But the assassins quickly relieved them of such desire, finishing them off with one last, merciful strike. Their hands released and opened, their bodies stilled and emptied, their eyes darkened and faded.

The struggle to survive steadily dwindled, tapering off into the thick silence of death. Taking notice of this happening, Daevarro allowed his mind to return to this earth. His moment of placidity too meeting its end, and his shadowy fog exited as a result. It broke apart as quickly as it was born, allowing all the ability to see once more.

Raphael and Daevarro swooped into the room once the dust had settled, seeing the work of the black-robed shadows. The broken, bloodied bodies of the knights was enough to make a man sick, the smell of death infesting the air. Libitina forgot all about this, the visuals of the world blurred. She focused towards their exterior, beyond the mere sight of blood and murder.

She could still hear the Solasúians peacefully sleeping away, oblivious that such a rest shall be eternal. She could not make out sound that drew her attention, but still... They flirted more and more intimately with danger like a moth flying too closely to the flame, making the assassin push for a haste.

But no, she couldn't advocate it, learning from experience that haste ultimately leads to failure. So she put aside her need to hurry, rising up onto her red-stained feet. As she had to all other of her victims, she hulled up the body of the fallen. Telvern and Calvin did the exact same thing, though the former seemed to be having a bit of a difficult time with it.
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10-Sep-2015 19:33:21

Jul

2020

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The furtive genius' malnourished, near-skeletal body struggled, quivering as his face went red. It was a rather sobering moment for Telvern, truly knowing now that he was not exactly the stellar, fit man he once was when he last stood at the side of the black robes. His life had completely fallen on its head, a world of blackness that deprived him of any and all care or concern for his existence.

But then he felt his burden alleviated somewhat, turning his steely gaze to his right and finding Raphael aiding him. But make no mistake, Raphael's help wasn't to help Telvern, but help the mission along. Raphael didn't turn in the genius' direction, spoke not a word to him, nor did he even attempt to acknowledge Telvern. Nevertheless, he was grateful for the assistance.

The group turned to eastern half of the room, their eyes peered down a slope in the ground. A smooth ramp was the path, a path which led to a thick, wooden door. Without further delay, the group headed down into the abyss. Their feet stepping down the incline, being careful not to slip and fall.

Just as the last door they encountered, Libitina got up close to the door. She placed the side of her face up against its timber skin, breaching the room with her ears. Her hearing thoroughly examined the room, scanning the airwaves. There was not a noise to be heard, save the squeak of mice running amok. She then very carefully pushed the door open, keeping her blade at hand in case of any surprises.

The small room revealed before her eyes, feeling as the dust-drenched air cascaded into her lungs like a shower of snow into a bucket. The group took their first steps into this stone-brink underbelly, finding the place fairly hollowed out. There were a few boxes here-and-there, and multiple barrels stacked like a pyramid in the far back.
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10-Sep-2015 19:34:04

Jul

2020

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But that was not what truly drew the eye, that glory was reserved for what resided at the heart. Locked away like a cardinal in a birdcage, an iridescent, beautiful, lustrously red woman stood there. She awaited escape, release, so that she might display her elegant splendor for all of the world to see. But to the dismay of all who lived, she was bound to this place like its prisoner, stuck behind frigid, rusty iron.

The group stood before the ruby-red statue, gently laying to rest the bodies of their enemies upon entering. Once such somber business was dealt with, they turned their attention to the objective at hand. Libitina approached the door into the cage, predictably finding the door locked. Her red eyes peered backwards upon her comrades, those who awaited her word. "It's locked," she informed her allies, not to anyone's surprise.

And even without a question or suggestion, Daevarro knew exactly what to do. He had to stand in the light, withstand the mass of weight upon his shoulders. He was capable of this, he had done it before. But now with their goal right before them, the stakes were set to a much high bar. He repeated that familiar animation, kneeling down before the door.

He pulled out the tools of the trade, sticking them inside of the opened wound in the iron. He twisted and turned his wrists, skillfully and methodically approaching this lock. An ache in his wrist or a snap of his pick would prove fatal, but such a reality was entirely possible. It was a tense fight that this lock was putting, already proving a challenge greater than the last.

But Daevarro's resolution would not allow his hand to falter, he was absolutely bound and determined to do this, a will carved into his mind like a scar never fading. A laborious, repetitious task, setting the pins in place. The young man's attention devoted completely and utterly to this, unable to take notice of that which grabbed everyone else's attention.
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10-Sep-2015 19:35:30 - Last edited on 10-Sep-2015 19:36:25 by Serene End

Jul

2020

Serene End

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It was the sign of Libitina's glowing red eyes turning towards the door, her ears hearing a strangeness in the air. It was enough to create a sort of concern, but they'd rather not discuss it. No, they wanted to keep the air open and quiet so Daevarro could focus on his task at hand.

The strenuous battle lasted a minute or two more, but it seemed the dark-robed young man gained the upper-hand. Like the hero's comeback, Daevarro could feel himself battle back all that resisted. The single click of a pin nestling into place was like the triumphant sound of the trumpets roar, able to twist the lock clockwise and open the way.

"Nice, shady!" exclaimed the social assassin, pumping his fist with excitement. "Yer jus' the lil' blessin' 'n disguise!"

"I do what I can," Daevarro replied humbly, standing up onto his own two feet. The door opened, allowing all to get up close and stare upon the Lady of Wine's wonder. Calvin's hands fell behind his head, whistling provocatively as he admired the gorgeous woman represented in this stunning statue.

"Wow, dat drawin' don't do 'er any jus'ice..." expressed Calvin in an almost mournful tone. "No wonder why the Earl's so crazy 'bout 'er, she's-a catch 'n' more!"

Raphael entered the cage, staring up at the woman displayed in the lustrous red stone. She shined radiantly yet so gently like the moon upon a distant ocean, her beauty celestial and song-worthy. The leader then peered outside of these iron bars, his purple eyes finding Libitina investigating the barrels at the far back of the room.

That pyramid of those heavy, large barrels stood over Libitina's head, just one of them was nearly her height. Their wooden bodies coated in a thick shroud of dust and cobwebs, so covered that it appeared like they were garbed in robes of white. Her eyes scanning the obviously ancient barrels, her knifelike sense of smell able to detect a rather strong odor that burned her nostrils like acid.
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10-Sep-2015 19:38:36

Jul

2020

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Still, that feeling of uneasiness and paranoia lingered on in her heart, pushing her off the cliff of patience and down into the valley of haste. Libitina swiftly pulled off the barrel at the top of the pyramid, lifting it up and carrying it with relative ease. She hauled the barrel over as fast as she could, leaving certain members of her party rather off-put by this need to very quickly get this done.

At the iron door, the stolid assassin placed the barrel down rather briefly. Regardless of whatever opening there may or may not be, Libitina didn't feel the need to bother with it. And the moment she placed it down, the assassin launched a left hand directly towards the crown of the barrel. This sent a sense of surprise and question within those standing in her presence, a blow without hesitation, without pause, and one backed by the might of a Solasúian.

Her fist punctured through precisely into the barrel's body, feeling the wine swallowed her arm whole. Quite an incoherent, senselessly forceful action taken on her part, adding to Telvern's belief. She wasn't thinking clearly, acting disembodied and out-of-touch. He crossed his arms, spectating further as if he were watching an important experiment unfolding.

Her brutal action came as a surprise to Calvin, typically expecting a much different, more subtle approach out of Libitina. Stranger yet, he noticed as her face actually flinched as the pain of the blow pulsated all across her hand, as the acidy liquid drenched her injured knuckles. It was a thoughtless way of opening a path to the liquid inside, given that one could find a much simpler way in.

She yanked her hand out from the crudely-carved mouth, her face tightened up and grimaced like she had eaten something extremely bitter. She tried her best to not display the pain, but her right hand could not agree with such an concealment. It reached across her body to meet together with her injured hand, revealing the truth about her affliction.
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10-Sep-2015 19:40:05

Jul

2020

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But she knew she had a job to accomplish, attempting to shrug off the pain. But that was when she was stopped, finding Calvin's hands putting up resistance against her efforts. His hands gripped the top of the barrel, forcing her glowing red eyes up to him. "'Ey, relax, would ya?" he advised her in a whisper.

"Our mission is primary," she answered quietly, suffering lurking in her voice. "...It matters not how it is done, only that it is."

"Yeah, sure," Calvin found agreement in, but then shook his head. "but it ain't gonna do anyone any good if you get hurt in the process."

Recognizing her face twisted in pain, Calvin's cool pale blue eyes then scrolled down upon Libitina's left hand. Through a mixture of two shades of red, Calvin found her hand wounded and spasming with pain. "Look, see?" Calvin pointed out with ireful concern. "You've already hurt yourself."

Calvin thoroughly examined her hand, such a pale, deathly form radiating with much warmth. From the corner of his eye did he see such a silently strong reaction, seeing her face twitched with pain with each touch of his fingers. Upon the end of his scan, he released her hand with a sigh, looking back at her. "You might-a broken it," Calvin diagnosed, then gently did his lips lift into a smile. "Guess punchin' a barrel ain't such a good idea, huh?"

Libitina remained quiet as Calvin's angry care washed over her, finding him removing his dark leather jacket. A nice, white frilled shirt found just beneath, one of which he took his dagger to. He cut off a significant portion of his sleeve, revealing a rather strong, well-built arm beneath. He began to carefully wrap that torn cloth around Libitina's wounded hand, taking his time to do it properly despite the mission.
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10-Sep-2015 19:41:32

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