The World of Darth [ON HOLD]

[Zulma san]

Louis nodded in silence at Namsu's comment. That estate was indeed beautiful. The Valentine's grounds were open and decorated with fine, yet they offered no protection whatsoever except from the woods on the east side outskirts. That wolf was a queer one. Thinking about gardens when battle was almost upon him.

The vampire turned to Kageko as the child approached. He listened quietly and sighed. He had expected that much from the Blessed, although he had hoped for more time. No new visions had come to show him what could or would be.

He felt discouraged. The Unit had been his life. He had carried it, but it had carried him. He had been a leader, a protector of the Peace for all those decades, even centuries. For what? It seemed that now, nothing mattered to him anymore. Except...except that devil of a woman who was tearing him apart since the first day he had laid eyes on her.
An ironic smirk came to his lips. Namsu was thinking about the gardens, he was thinking about a woman. They were indeed ready for battle! He mentally chuckled, probably sending strange energy waves towards the young human.

"Let's get on the roof." He said gently, patting Kageko's head with a smile.

Now things were going to get interesting. he thought as he crossed the rooms and the stairs until he reached the roof.

She was there already and he smiled at her. A soft smile.
"Good day." he said and walked to her, standing by her side, his gaze scanning the grounds.
"We have a large group about one hour from here." he said without emotion in his voice.

------------
Vincent was in fire. He knew he was right. They had caught traces on their way. He got them. He would question and kill them.
"Sir, there's something strange..." the hesitating voice of a scout said, irritating the proud man.
"What?!" Vincent barked back and slowed the group down, taking the lead with the scout.
"Here Sir." the young man pointed at traces on the ground.
Vincent tilted his head and ordered to halt as he dismounted. That was puzzling indeed. He could see the obvious signs of a fight...between wolves? He frowned.
"Check the surrounding for any diverging path!" he shouted. He was pissed. Rage could be read on his face. Had they parted ways in order to lead him and his men astray? They were losing precious minutes, but he needed to be sure.  

[AzureRed7]

"What a waste of time..." Mira remarked in a frosty tone, she didn't like this one bit. She wasn't normally one to question those of highter status than her but this seemed to be getting pointless. "Would you have me join them?" Mira asked while toying with the cross on her neck. The pale woman was certainly ready for somethine interesting to happen, at least something that would interest her. She would not accept such grunt work though, no, she had to be doing the hardest job in the worst conditions possible.

((Sorry it's short, I barely have an idea of what's going on...))  

[Gareus Fletcher]

Namsu sat down against the wall of the terrace, letting out a murring sigh as he sang nonsensically to himself and tapped his staff to the beat.

"The time to fight is close at hand
We've gotta punch some people up
We'll make their blood soil up the sand
And drink their livers from... a..."

He'd mean to say 'cup' at the end, but a surge ran through his head, an instant hangover, or perhaps the compiled effects of one in a single second. The wolf would have howled in utter discomfort if it hadn't ever happened before, but instead he managed to turn it down to a displeased growl that resonated from both his stomach and chest. He clutched at his heart as the last splash of pain drove like a nail through the beating organ, then subsided. He'd have torn the thing out of his chest if he didn't like the shirt he was wearing so much.

"W-Welp... That's no good..."

Indeed not. A wolf was still a wolf, not matter how thick or regal the clothing, no matter how many plethoras of veggies he ate. He'd deprived himself of the hunt for... Three? He was pretty sure it was three months he'd starved himself. Pain into strength was his motto over those days, bonkers though it had seemed at the time and especially now in the present with the upcoming battle.

Which would bring up another problem. To have starved himself for so long of it all... Would he really be able to distinguish friend from foe when the bloodlust took him...?

Nyeh, he'd manage. And even if he couldn't, it was too late. No point in worrying the details out when you were in 'too late' territory. He waved to Louis and Kageko once they arrived, tipping the front of his hat as the feather in it quivered.

"Hello, all."  

[HeadlessKoko]

Having been too focused on the army in the distance, Kageko all but missed the sudden, violent change in Namsu's energy. Well, she wouldn't say that the energy itself turned violent, just the change was. In truth, she couldn't say what exactly the energy was like, having just noticed it. All she knew was that something happened but without more details, it would be no use of her to talk about it so she didn't.

Before she gave any more thought to what she classified as a useless matter, Kageko returned her attention to Louis, the former leader of Unit. She felt a strange change in energy within him but as with Namsu's was unable to figure out what it was about. This time, though, it was because she had never felt anything like it before rather than because she hadn't had enough time to analyze it. The change was as violent as the werewolf's, but the end outcome seemed gentler, much gentler seeing how Kageko was able to make such an observation even with just a momentary glimpse at Namsu's split-second change.

Regardless, Kageko's thoughts were quickly interrupted when she noticed Louis's head reaching for her head. However, other than an initial flinch, the girl did nothing to stop it. was all she thought as she stopped her instinctive movement away. The pat on the head felt weird and in most circumstances, Kageko would very well have dodged it altogether seeing how she didn't like people she didn't trust touching her. However, her respect for the former commander, even if she had only known for less than a month, combined with everything that had happened in the past few days gave the girl enough reason to not back away. Of course, there was also the battle that would happen not too long from then. That was more important than raising questions from her actions.

The same respect for Louis, which stemmed from a respect for how he led so efficiently, had Kageko nod and follow him up to the roof at a bit of a distance as she put the strange change in energy within the vampire a moment ago into the pile of useless matters. Upon reaching the roof, Kageko went off to the side closest to the approaching army and resumed concentrating on their movements. They were closer now, but not much. Additionally, it seemed like they had stopped, but for what? Unsure, but figuring the information important nonetheless, Kageko reported, "They've stopped," as she continued to focus.  

[Angeles Valentine]

"Morning still, not for much longer" Angeles replied looking towards the east,"then perhaps it will be mourning," she looked over at Louis' report, then Kageko's then looked at where the human girl was looking.

"We can't expect any aid from the other Valentines unless the house is directly attacked," she told Louis without looking at him. His words, his offer, was still ringing in her head, "I propose we stay here until that time comes, although their intentions would be selfish, we could use their help. If the goings get rough, most will flee, those loyal to me will stay, hopefully we'd be able to end it before that time comes. I hope everyone is well rested and fed."

What else could she say? She was no commanding officer, that would be Louis' job to strategize victory from here and order it out as he saw fit. She finally looked back at the vampire. She had worked alone for so long, not even she could know how well she would follow orders, but she knew very well where she would recieve them. She only hoped Leon would even try.  

[Zulma san]

Louis listened to her, to her voice. She was so cold and distant. He knew that if she wanted, she could hear his mind and he thought.
You could still accept my gift, it would make you stronger.
His eyes were into the forest. His back however was still painful, he wished he knew what kind of liquid they had used to hurt him for so long. But at last, he could feel himself healing.

"They stopped?" he echoed.
"Time is precious this is a good omen."

He was thinking, thinking fast as if he was back to being the leader of the Unit.

"I think we are going to turn your estate into a battle field." he apologized without a smile.
"We should use the hay from the stables to mine the land. Fire can slow them down."
It seemed hopeless, yet Louis was starting believing that maybe they could win that one.
"If Kageko is right, they are not enough of them to circle the building. Which means they will do a front attack. So we need to split them."

He turned to Angeles.
"You know the grounds. We need a couple of bottlenecks. We can use fire to lead them were we want."  

[HeadlessKoko]

Kageko listened to the order carefully, as she was accustomed to during her short stint while in the Unit. the girl thought as Louis's own plans sparked ideas of her own. It was a brilliant idea, using harmless looking hay to surprise and herd the men. However, at the same time, . The sole human looked out across the estate. She didn't know it well at all, but she might as well try.  

[Angeles Valentine]

(('tis noontime. No powers during the day razz ))

"I just offered that," said Angeles with a serious expression. It was not due to being basically parroted but because she was now in the battle mindset. This would be new. Vampires she knew, she knew how to track them, hunt them, sneak them, kill them. She could guess where a vampire would go or how he would move in combat because she had spent hundreds of years hunting them, and she herself was one.

She listened to the instructions, an assassin filling in the shoes of a soldier. Fire slowed everything down, save those humans with it's affinity or its opposites. Louis' sounded familiar, but it was a tried and proven affective one.

"Split them up from a frontal attack. Which directions do you want them to go and who do you want there to receive them?"  

[Zulma san]

((lol indeed >.<))
The former leader did not answer her first comment. No time to lose in stupid talks.

Louis was looking at the estate.
"They are coming from the north, we need to force them to come from the east, that way the sunset will be in their eyes and they will have trouble seeing us."

He studied the ground some more.
"Two or three groups in bottlenecks that let at most two warriors pass at the same time."

He frowned.
"Vincent is probably leading them. He is a fire bender. We need to split him from the rest of the group to prevent him from interfering."
He caressed his chin a moment. How to accomplish that?

"Kageko, anything you can be useful with?" he asked as he went on thinking.  

[HeadlessKoko]

Kageko reported matter-of-factly, I can sense auras and so know the exact location of each attacker, but I'm only slightly stronger than a vampire weakened by sunlight. My speed might be useful, but I won't be able to maintain it for long." This was all information that Louis already knew, which was why the girl was so liberal with it. There was a pause before Kageko continued with her idea, assuming that no one else began speaking, "We could create dust explosions. When combined with the already-burning hay that's herded the men into such tight quarters, the effect will likely be devastating. Additionally, the fire of the explosion is likely to be too short and sporadic to be controlled by most fire-users."  

[Angeles Valentine]

"Vincent," she growled, recalling him there at the queen's funeral. She knew little about the Blessed, but Louis was forthcoming with information. Not helpful, to use fire against an human who possessed that element would mean the scrapping of that idea and thinking of a new one, but the child came up with an idea that could work. Distraction tactics could work if the humans didn't catch on to what was causing the explosions. But there was also the issue of the other people in the group. There was no telling what other elements were being controlled.

But then again, perhaps there were. The child had some sort of extraordinary power for a human, she's inquire into it later when death was not about to arrive on her doorstep, "can you tell me the powers of the others in that group?" she asked the girl.  

[Zulma san]

Louis listened carefully to the young human. Her idea could work, especially that very few people were aware of Kageko's unique abilities. A combination of three of the elements: air, earth and fire would make it difficult for a bender to control as the two remaining elements would still have some impacts.

"Good thinking." he said simply to the child.

Angeles's question was a smart one, something he had come to expect from the woman. His gaze which was still studying the Valentine Estate, he needed to memorize it so that he would not get himself lost in it, turned to the white hair vampire. He looked at her profile, almost studying it. So cold... he thought to himself. So beautiful...  

[HeadlessKoko]

Kageko looked at Angeles and reported in the same matter-of-fact tone that she had used before, "Not from this distance. For now, I can just sense their locations. Should I go out and scout?". The last sentence was actually directed to Louis rather than Angeles out of habit. However, judging from the way things were going, the girl was starting to think that Angeles and Louis were sort of equal in authority so she would take a confirmation from either.

Even as she asked, the girl began preparing to head out the moment she was given the positive. A quick touch on all of her seals to make sure they were firmly in place and then a small movement to take her kunai from her belt and hide it up her sleeve. After all that, she would stoop down to redo her boot knots.  

[Angeles Valentine]

Angeles thinned her lips before licking them and looking out towards where the enemy was. She didn't want to send the child out to danger, but they needed recon, "we could send Leon with you to make it safer," she murmured more to herself than the others. She then looked over at Louis, "I'll go find the ranger and bring him up to speed then up here, but I'll leave the call up to you."

She then turned and descended the stairs and began making her way through the mansion. Those she passed on the way she asked the whereabouts of Leon then warned of the attack. All she warned immediately went to their rooms to prepare for battle while the others slept. Those who were awake during the day were the only ones they could trust with voluntary service, the others would not act until the fight was on their doorstep, Angeles was hoping it would come to that.

With teh guidance of her fellow Valentines she located Leon in the stalls, tending to his horse's wounded leg, stretching it out and bending it, "normally I would kill him for such an injury," he said without looking up at the vampiress, "unfortunately I'm going to need him, lame or not."

Angeles looked up at the horse then over at where Alexandria was, "we're getting ready, they're coming. We may send the child to gather some information on them, would you go with her?"

Leon set Samuel's leg down and stood up and looked at Angeles with hard eyes. Angeles felt slightly uneasy at the look but turned away from him and made her way back to the mansion with Leon following, leading him up to where the others were.  

[Zulma san]

Louis hesitated. They needed to know more about their enemies and in that sense Kageko's ability was very useful. However they also needed to prepare the field and the little human was the one with the knowledge of the traps.

As the vampire disappeared, the former leader looked at the child.
"You may go with Leon but prepare some of the traps first. They are about one hour away. Sending you now would be a waste of time. In thirty minutes, if they are in the move, you will go ahead."

The lady vampire was back with Leon. Louis gave him a short nod.
"We will need scouting but first we need traps set up there, there and there." he pointed at the estate. "We want them coming east and by smaller groups, two at most frontal." he repeated mostly for the ranger.

"Questions?" he asked to everyone.