Log:The Sound of a Heartbeat

The Sound of a Heartbeat

OOC Date: August 22, 2022
Location: Delaya
Participants: Nora Frayus as GM, Aryn Cortess, Wil Eastim, Ulani Kalgaav, Ban Iskender, Bors Thul, Ejnar Celchu, Corto, Kye Keraz, Kalkat Eastim

Summary

The ambushed partygoers set about to reclaim Castle Frayus from the mercenaries that have invaded it.

Log

[ Nora Frayus (Nora)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Within the walls of Castle Frayus, hostages have begun being gathered.. Among those who were not killed in the initial siege of the Delayan home are primarily civilians -- men, women and children unable to fight and fend for themselves. One by one, the sith-hired mercenaries begin to tie off their wrists and push them towards the long brick wall opposite the heavy front doors. Some sob. Others plead. Some stand defiant until met with the blunt-end of a blaster rifle. Regardless, all of them end up bound, kneeling, and pressed to face away from a row of mercenaries guarding the front doors.

"Is been quiet most the night. You sink they surrender? Panteer make it easy an' quick. Lady got cash and a mean streak," one of the mercenaries says. She shudders and checks the the sights and safety on her blaster rifle, tipping her head to the side as a she spies a young woman whispering to a child beside her. She chuckles a nice, deep belly laugh and turns her sights towards the child, the plasma condensing coils hissing and whining and trembling with anticipation as they spool up and ready for fire.

--BANG--

A massive, thundering boom echoes through the central chamber, causing the mercenary to swivel her blaster rifle towards the door. "The kark izzzit?" she asks, while the other members of the firing line scramble to lift their rifles to train towards the shuddering wood.

--BANG!!!--

Outside the door, in the pouring rain, a collection of partygoers-turned-warriors has gathered at the door. At the front, smashing his leg repeatedly into the door, is Corwen Frayus. He gives the mercenary her answer.

"I am count Corwen Frayus!"

--BANG--

"You've invaded my home."

--BANG!!--

"But we've killed your friends!"

--BANG--

"AND WHEN THIS DOOR COMES DOWN..."

--BANG... crackk... craaaackkk--

--CRASH--

The door comes tumbling down, and Corwen Frayus bounds through the toppling structure and hefts his blade six inches deep into the skull of the mercenary who likely now regrets her question.

"You're all going to die."

[ Aryn Cortess (AC)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Stand aside, my Lord, and leave the door to me," Aryn says casually, disengaging from the combat with a subtle twist of wrist and reorientation of her weapon. The humming blue blade is kept at her side as the barefoot blonde, soaked from the rain, closes the distance and lifts her weapon to bear. In one smooth motion, the door is penetrated by her lightsaber, its blue tip appearing on the other side as the elements surrounding the blade begin to glow an orange molten and steam.

Aryn holds the blade in place with both hands, twisting it slightly and listening to the door as she worked the blade to dislodge whatever locking mechanism challenged their path inside.

[ Wil Eastim (Wil)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Waiting for the door is a little nervewracking. Not that Wil Eastim lets it show. He keeps his nerves in check as he has for the entirety of this violent encounter. He waits mostly patiently as the lord of the house starts trying to kick the door down, the only sign of his antsyness being the bouncing of one foot, his heel slapping lightly down onto the ground until it's clear the door is about to fall. When it does, the ensign lifts his rifle to his shoulder and advances through the opening, staying out of the way of the light sabers and taking aim at some of the mercenaries remaining within the home. He's an accurate shot, at least, unless he was aiming at an entirely different soldier of fortune. But he hits one of them instead of one of the good guys.

[ Ulani Kalgaav (Ula)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The door comes crashing down and the cavalry, late or just in time, crash in behind it. Ulani sees the lines of armed enemies and beyond that, the line of hostages. Rifle still in both hands, Ulani doesn't fire and instead instincts take over. "Cover me!" She shouts and bursts into a bare-foot sprint towards the enemies.

Like a horrible, blastery game of Red Rover.

It's an akward but effective gallop that gets her breezing in between two hired thugs and breeching beyond them. Halfway between the hostiles and hostages, a burning pain rips through her right leg accompanied by the smell of seared flesh and burnt fabric. Ulani all but topples forward, catching herself on the wall and slinging her rifle to free up her hands. "I have you, I have you." She assures the first person she comes across; a young woman in her teens whom she is trying desperately to untie. "We'll get you out."

[ Aryn Cortess (AC)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

As the door tumbles down, the Alderaanians make good the promise of violence issued by the Count Frayus. Among that number is the rain-soaked princess, who carefully steps inside to attack one of the elite mercenaries hunkered down in defense. Upon seeing the sapphire blue of a lightsaber, they append a table, flipping it toward Aryn who slices through its center, parting it. A dainty step forward, and Aryn closes the distance with a masterful stab, sliding the blue blade in through the chest piece of the soldier's armor, then removing it with a graceful tug. They fall, and Aryn pursues another of the guard, who has already run from the reach of Aryn's lightsaber. She says nothing as she pursues, being mindful of those around her who may need help.

[ Ban Iskender (ban)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ban Iskender steps through the portal as it is kicked and slashed open, green sword alight and raised vertically in brief salute. A hasty reach to intercept a bolt bound for Ulani falls short and the swordsman resolves instead to draw as much fire as he may, while the bold few dash for the bound prisoners. He cuts down one with a lunge that the most deadly of mercenaries had almost evaded, but the tip of Ban's sword took the slain in the throat. A swift recovery and parry, before a final cut fails to catch another.

[ Bors Thul (BT)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Clad in makeshift armor taken from parts in the armory and from the fallen, Bors may not be dressed nobly but he certainly doesn't look any less so. Stacked up with Corwen and company until the door then joining people streaming in, adjusting his blast vest with one hand and marching purposefully for the line of mercenaries.

Ula rushing ahead raises his head, requesting cover he can't really give... Because sword.

The hand of the shooter whom had struck her leg went off first, the Lord Thul upon the rapscallion with a vengeance - second cut across the belly pouring ichor to the floor before the third is the thrust of his blade - tip going through temples in a spray. "Ula! Ula dear, status!" The blade is pulled hard to one side, keened edge cutting through eyes, orbital sockets and nasal bones before he is making his way for the redhead.

[ Ejnar Celchu (Ejnar)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ejnar moved with purpose, stopping at the doorway before it was put down. Pyretta isn't far, the Blonde not straying too far from her partner. "This breach will be tough bottle neck..."

Pyretta glanced towards him, he hand around her deactivated saber, "Yes. It will be."

The door crashes down and Ejnar doesn't waste any time charging just behind Frayus. He bounds and leaps only for him to catch his foot on the body of a dead mercenary and go tumbling down the hallway.

Luckily, Pyretta is not far behind to help pick him up, her blue blade snapping to life with a hiss. "Come one you cluts..."

Ejnar just groans as he attemtps to pick himself up.

[ Corto (Ct)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"Let's go," rumbled Corto.

There was no time for pontificating today. Waxing lyrical about the nature of human greed and the misguided topics of vengeance and fury, well, we could be here all day. But time moves inexorably and time spent thinking is sometimes time spent wasted.

So the Drifter ran.

Being a big feller, his additional bulk slowed him, but that's what the Force was for. The still wind whipped up and gripped him, sapping the fatigue from his legs and providing him a backdraft of wind to propel him forward. He barrelled straight through the crowds of mercenaries, lightsaber held behind him like the most awkward Naruto run ever, his left arm wrapped around the head of one of the unfortunate interlopers who promptly found themselves clothesline-from-hell'd straight to the ground. With a quick one-eighty pivot, the lightsaber was raised and the Jedi stood as a wall between himself, Ulani Kalgaav, and the prisoners to be rescued.

"Come on then," the Feeorin dictated, a traditional declaration of war as old as history itself. "Show me what passes for fury among yer misbegotten kind."

Appropriate: https://youtu.be/bvBXokCYw9s

Dissonant: https://youtu.be/CN5hQOI__10

[ Nora Frayus (Nora)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The foot-breached door injects an element to the opening skirmish and subsequent melee. Ulani and Corto run for prisoners who seem elated to see them. A young child yelps as her would-be savior (betrothed to House Thul, thank you very much) catches a bolt of blaster fore to her leg. Relieved, then, when Ulani manages to stumble forward. The smell of scorched skin stings her nose, but she looks relieved to see the brave woman regardless. "Thank you miss! Th-they.. they," she tries to speak, but no words come out. Whatever the little thing is trying to say, it isn't good.

"They mean to kill us. All of us," a man says to Corto as he's being freed. The Jedi and Alderaanian allies drive a wedge of steel, kyber, and plasma into that firing line. Many of the mercenaries emulate Aryn's quarry, makign their way towards winding stone corridors that lead elsewhere through the castle in the chaos and confusion that follow immediately after the hostages begin to be fried.

"My Lord," a woman says to Corwen, who is cleaning off his blade and scowling as he surveys the front. "Elwsyna," he responds, a flash of relief washing over his normally hardened face. Countess Adni reaches out to embrace the womanHe seems to be pleased she's still alive. "Your husband?"

She offers him a single shake of her head.

Lady Luci Frayus has pinned one of the mercenaries to the wall. Her first cut drew blood from the side, and she's currently trying to plunge that blade between their ribs. Harder and harder she pushes, tiny, feminine sounds of strain coming from her throat as she speaks. "Where... are... they?"

The mercenary will never answer. Luci drives that blade and it strikes true, and the mercenary falls limp onto the floor beneath her.

Luci Frayus' question is answered soon after, as heavy bootfalls begin to ring out from all directions, growing louder with every step. It seems backup has arrived.

"Alderaanian ratsssss," one particular voice cuts through the crowd. "Should've glassed this whole system instead of that rancidddd little rockkkk."

[ Aryn Cortess (AC)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The Elite guards intending her harm are countered with a practiced defense stance that is in place to intercept the bolt fired her way. The bolt meets her blade and she's angled it to the ground in a shower of sparks and dust. Recovering from the stance, Aryn attacked twice, but the Elite soldiers had the sense to retreat further, leaving only the air to be bitten by the length of humming blue blade.

[ Wil Eastim (Wil)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The room is getting uncomfortably full of mercenaries, hostages, liberators, and now this big dude. That can't be good. And so once Wil has fired at his first victim, he turns and lets loose at Kin'tal the Merciless. That doesn't go well, his shot flying wide. Wil seems...surprised? Disappointed? Both? But he remains undeterred. "I think we should shoot the leader." he thinks because he cannot order. That's not for him to do. Ultimately it doesn't matter as the others start focusing their attention on the mercenary leader as Wil takes aim for another shot should it be required.

[ Ulani Kalgaav (Ula)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Doing her best to ignore the shot to her leg, Ulani fumbles with the bindings of the paniced woman. "We won't let them," she interjects so quickly at the end of 'they mean to kill us' that the two phrases are inappropriately overlapping. As she continues trying to untie people as quickly as she can, she spot Corto with her and gives the older man a nod. He has the same idea.

Bors' voice calling her name cuts through the din, pulling her to turn around, looking frantically for him. "Bors? Bors, where are you?" She gets maybe two seconds to look when the big mamajama of a leader -- that /is/ the leader, right?! -- starts storming through with bad intentionss. "Stay behind me!" Shouted to the hostages behind her, Ulani limps a bit forward and pulls her rifle to bear; opening fire on the big guy. Nothing like hostile action to take the baddies' attention off the innocents.

All the while... "Bors?!"

[ Ban Iskender (ban)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

In the chaos of the confined firefight, Ban is struck by a blaster bolt and staggers backward a step, but seems to have taken no true harm from the burning plasma. Green eyes scan the unfolding encirclement, blade shifting smoothly in several reflexive parries until his gaze fixes upon a particularly large foe stepping through the ranks to open fire on the helpless. The gentleman steps to intercept, sword raised in salute and brought down with precision, cutting through the upraised blaster and most of the monster's hand in its passing. Ban strikes at the hulking foe twice more, slashing into the armor over one shoulder and raising a spray of sparks. "If I might command your attention," he voices with smooth dignity chilled by deadly intent.

[ Bors Thul (BT)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

His foray into protecting lady love is met with a bright red glare across Bors's vision, wed to a physical kick that turns his head to the right. Snapping so quickly his vision begins to gray and there is a new pain, his body warning that he needs to do something or it's nap time to keep his neck from breaking.

"MOTHER..." talking hurts, his face hurts, the vicious black line of burned skin limned in angry red at the edges from just below and behind his ear and along his jaw, the flesh around it blistering and the bone of his chin exposed on one side, "FFFFFFFFF" eyes popping and his speech slurring from the damage to tendons and the swelling already coming.

So he spins on one foot, a mix of courtly instruction of dance and his formal training in manner of the sword. Normally to put your back to the enemy for any reason is foolhardy at best - but his pirouette lets him keep conscious and on his feet in one. Sort of. He stagger-stumbles, "FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF" blade slashing wide across the arm of another of their assailants, "FFFFFFORGIVE THEM..." teeth clenched and his cross slash is well wide of the mark.

"FfffffFFFFATHER... DAMNIT!" the third cuts the leg from the mercenary at mid thigh, putting them on the ground. "I shouldn't have complained about the leg so much." another stagger step, fighting for balance.

[ Ejnar Celchu (Ejnar)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

It doesn't take too long for Lord Celchu to recover himself, his head only spinning for a moment longer as Pyretta helps him up. "I'm alright." He assures her, looking up to where she deflects a shot aimed for him. Mercs start to pour into the hallway, a rather large looking meanie coming down the center. "Suppose we should join the merge?"

"Let's do it..." Pyretta says with a nod.

The pair move together almost as one, side by side. Ejnar's blade shimmers in the flat lighting of the hall as it carves deeply through the closest Marc. Twice the blade slices, once across the chest, second across the throat before it's pointed tip finds a resting place inside the right pectoral of another Mercenary who screams in pain.

Of course they came upon Lord Thul and Ulani in the Frey. "How are you two fairing?" Asks Ejnar as he rips his blade from his opponent and flicks the blood from its edge. Pyretta's own saber hums as it deflects another blaster bolt and then slices through someone. He notices Bors' Leg. "Let's stick close together see if we can't find her Highness to mend you. It seems Lord Ban has challenged the large fellow up ahead."

[ Corto (Ct)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"Well now, that ain't sportin'," but to be fair, Corto, what about this was? "But, ain't no worse than that one time on Ord Mantell where I found m'self in a strider nest durin' matin' season."

Eschewing fancy stances and clever footwork today, Corto and his beat-up ol' saber moved up and down the firing line, that faded blue weaving a defensive wall between him and the hail of blasterfire coming their way. Those who came too close (note: Feeorins being so tall, they have a massive reach, and when your saber is a janky shotgun complete with pistol grip it's only extended further) found themselves undergoing forced mitosis. Being two-legged non-amobieac creatures, the mercenaries expired pretty quickly under the weight of their new sudden division. Lightsabers don't mess around.

"Ain't right to eat 'em afterwards though, so, not quite the same."

[ Kye Keraz (Kye)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

For his part, Kye had been wounded at the 'reception' below, so he was in treatment for awhile when he steps out, a Sonn-Blas SE-44c pistol in hand, and his eyes flashing murderous intent at the mercenaries. While suppressive fire kept him hidden behind an overturned table for a little while, the poor Chelinwood turned into splinters and pieces the more they shot at him, he decides to lean away and fire twice at the closest mercenary. The first one flies wide, the second, well, that shoots the mercenary right in the gut. It's a nice shot -- not too shabby. Could do a bit better.

He peers over the edge of the table, and trains his gun on that same mercenary to finish what he started. But there's likely to be return fire, so let's see how he does now.

[ Kalkat Eastim (Kitkat)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Chaos reigns supreme as Kalkat flanks Wil in a tattered evening gown riddled with holes and smears of dark matter that is best left unidentified. Her eyes are wild in their sockets, flicking here and there with the inability to settle upon just one of the fallen. Strips of material are in her hand, likely torn from her own attire, and she is hovering over a prone man with a large wound in his side. He is unmoving - she continues to tend to him, gritting her teeth as she binds his side.

Her eyes slide over the others - and there are so, so many others - that it is clearly evident that a mental manifest is being made. "Wil, you better keep them back!" she calls to her brother, eying Kye as he suddenly appears on the scene.

[ Nora Frayus (Nora)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The creature that skulks down the central corridor of House Frayus is an imposing creature. The blaster rifle beneath his arm is hot enough that it warps the air around it. Little ripples, like heat off the sand in a desert, indicate that it has just finished firing moments ago. They were too late to save them all. But there were more to be saved. The hulking creature continues his approach towards the group of Alderaanians being besieged on all sides by mercenaries, but stops briefly in a doorway.

The sound of screams within erupts as he flips open the safety of his blaster, a dull whine ringing out from deep within as he prepares to fire!

-whrrrrr-

The blade of Ban Iskander's lightsaber slides through, cleaving his blaster apart, and slicing off his opposite hand. A surprised roar sees the beast throw what remains of his blaster rifle to the ground, and stomp towards Ban with EQUALLY MURDEROUS INTENT.

Corwen Frayus hefts his broadsword across the creature's back, delivering a crack to its armor and causing him to stagger forward. But those deadly eyes remain on Ban. The fun wrecker. The blaster destroyer. The pretty one.

"C'mere, little rat," he growls.

Ejnar, Bors, and Ulani are near enough to the hostages that they can feel and hear them cry out amongst the chaos. But the booming voice of a Feeoran nearby talking about the ethics of post-battle cannibalism hushes a few of them, who turn to look at him, perplexed and horrified.

Though the mercenary horde has thinned, more level blasters toward Kye Keraz, Wil Eastem, and poor Kalkat. If Wil's job is to keep them away from her, well. Big brother might about to be in a small spot of trouble.

The elite mercenaries near Aryn Cortess have given the woman wide berth, but still angle their blasters in her direction, but they've left a clear path directly towards Kin'tal.

[ Aryn Cortess (AC)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Aryn instinctively ducks beneath a volley of blaster fire, avoiding certain death at /just/ the right moment. Then she springs forward, slashing once, then impaling with her graceful follow-up. The technique proves fatal for one foe, and as another retreats further, Aryn attempts to call upon the Force to take hold of them, but all she manages to do is conjure up a comforting breeze!

[ Ulani Kalgaav (Ula)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Attention now split between the lumbering figure definitely meant to clear a room and the yells of pain from Bors, Ulani's stomach plummets into her feet. "Come, come! You have to move!" She starts ushering the hostages away, pointing towards Corto -- that impressive height of a man with the glowing sword is difficult to miss. "Go! I'll cover you!"

And cover Ulani absolutely does. She calls out towards the mercenaries: "Hey! If you want them, it'll have to be through me!" And she opens fire on them. Big words for a small woman, but she's all kinds of fired up. Which is about the only thing that is keeping her from panicing when she strafes over to where Ejnar and Bors are. "By the Mother and the Father! Bors, my love, I am here. I have you, I have you." And she moves intently in front of the severely injured Thul nobleman to shield. "Lord Ejnar, are you still well enough to fight?"

[ Ban Iskender (ban)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ban Iskender sniffs sharply once when the foe bids him 'c'mere'. "Here I stand, sir: come forth and fall." The Jedi duelist stands his ground when Kin'tal advances with such rage. Once, and twice the gentleman slips an enraged blow, on the second pass, his green blade flashes and the offending arm falls to the ground with a thud. For a moment, Ban regards the Merciless foe, briefly curious as to whether the other will fight on. When he does, Ban simply nods and slashes once more.

While not emotionless, the gentleman is possessed of a stoic dignity in battle, and the rage of his opponent makes the foe predictable. Ban chooses the presicise instant and angle which will allow his blade to pass cleanly across the creature's neck, above the cuirass, stepping to one side with a deft turn in the next instant to allow the corpse to fall unimpeded. A short nod is given to Count Frayus.

[ Bors Thul (BT)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "Ouh... oo know." jaw trembling with pain and nerve damage, when he responds to Ejnar, left eye half closed from his cheek swelling - but somehow he has kept his monocle held before his right eye. Dignity -must- be maintained, after all. "Shopf inna bahk uv huh faife. Hat hol wawwa'nud." eyes blinking rapidly, resisting the urge to shake his head to try and clear it. Because that will inevitably hurt.

He doesn't get the chance to make that mistake anyway, when the blaster bolt chews through the light thermo-kinetic weave on his arm. Setting fabric on fire, scorching skin and cooking muscle in addition to just kicking the man to the ground, "AHHHHK!" coughing. There's an attempt to lift his arm, only to find his hand numbed and his sword on the ground. Then he recognizes he is laying on his back, staring up at the ceiling - which appears to be spinning.

"Huhn... ha..." words, the last great mystery of the day it seems. Another cough shakes him and the option to just be still and play dead is looking like the absolute best of ideas.

[ Ejnar Celchu (Ejnar)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

There is a sharp pain and then heat as Ejnar collapses, catching himself with his free hand and of course Pyretta catching his other keeping him from falling completely to the ground. He looked down and saw the melted smoking armor along with charred skin and blood just above his left knee. A blaster wound. It wasn't his first... probably not his last, but it was a pretty bad one. He let out a roar before struggling back to his feet.

"Can you continue?" Asked Pyretta. Ejnar looked to her defiantly and nodded. She gave hims a stern look but nodded in approval.

Ejnar turns to hear Bors' responce and then get shot again. Thankfully Ulani arrives. He nods to her, "I'll be alright." He looks down at his sword and then turns his wrist. He lets the sword drop to the ground with a clank. Pyretta gave him a confused. He squeezes both gauntlented hands tight, the leather of the gloves stretching. Then there was a click as electricity erupts from his hands violently.

Those that knew Lady Winter Celchu knew her abilities in the Martial Arts. Swords were one thing but some strengths were concentrated more in hand to hand. That's what Winter was best and... and thus so was her son.

Ejnar craned his neck, sucking in a breath as he tested his weight on the injured leg. It would do. He looks back to Ulani and Pyretta, "Watch out for the Captain then, yeah?"

He ran into the Frey, jumping and smashing his jolting fist into the face of one of the Mercs. Blood, teeth, and spit went everywhere as electricity wrapped around the enemies body. Then her turned and landed an uppercut into the gut of another, sending them flying back into the wall.

[ Corto (Ct)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Today, on 'Will it blend' we ask, do mercenaries blend?

The answer is, of course, yes.

Soresu is not exactly the flashiest of forms. In fact, it could look downright lazy when practiced by a master. The Drifter was no master, at least he always said he wasn't. But the old blue beam barely moved to intercept incoming fire and occasionally dart out like an uncoiling lothsnake to behead or be-limb a particularly brave mercenary. Save the big ticket enemies for the younger folk, and stay focused on the mission. And with that, not a single threat ever got close to the prisoners, which was exactly how Corto liked it.

[ Kye Keraz (Kye)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Oof. Wood splinters around him as he manages to avoid getting shot thanks to cover once again. Kye's hair is now peppered with tiny little pieces of wood, while he's checking the power pack of his blaster. It seems okay. He lowers himself again, in time to barely duck under a blaster shot meant for him, and he shoots at that mercenary once, causing him to fall back into one of his buddies. Then, aiming at the next target's chest and thus the former target's head, he fires again, striking both and killing one. One injured, one killed. That's good enough for the Corellian trader.

There are a lot of Jedi wielding swords and cutting people around him but he doesn't seem phased by that. He does, however, seem phased at seeing one Eastim get shot, and moreso at the one without any weapons getting shot -at-. "Kalkat, Wil, find some safety!"

When the smoke settles, and he sees that one dead merc, he is at least satisfied.

[ Kalkat Eastim (Kitkat)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Kalkat raises her head from the man she is bandaging just in time to see her doom approaching like Monday morning. She goes absolutely still.

"Crap," she says, piously.

Large green eyes look down the barrel of a blaster weapon that begins to hum in earnest. Thinking no more of her patient, Kalkat utters a curse and scrabbles away, just as the wounded man explodes into particles of flesh and atoms where she once knelt. "I'm a terrible doctor, I'm a terrible doctor," she announces loudly to anyone within earshot, moving across the room to where more of the injured line the walls give great groans of pain and even greater looks of skepticism at her advance. "I'm here to help!"

The woman nearest Kalkat flinches back.

Stopping abruptly, Kalkat reverses direction and scans the area - there, Bors! She races over. Lucky him. "I---" Over her shoulder, Kalkat gives Kye a quick look of consternation. "It wasn't even a flesh wound! I'm okay!"

[ Nora Frayus (Nora)]=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Count Frayus returns Ban's nod shortly after ripping his own blade through one of the last standing mercenaries within range. The others soon begin to fall. Kye Keraz' marksmanship, Princess Cortess and Corto's sabers, Luci Frayus tiny little dagger, and Lady Nora's sword. It's been a long, grueling night that's taken its toll. Ejnar, Ulani, and Bors are all injured, with Lord Thul having taken the brunt of the pain. Countess Adni Frayus rushes to their side, dropping to her knees as the last Mercenary body falls. She looks up towards Pyretta, and then to those around.

"Lord Thul is injured gravely! He needs urgent aid!" she calls out.

Corwen's jaw works as he turns to look over his shoulder at the price his allies have paid for winning the day. It is... a heavy cost. And as his attention turns to one of the many rooms in the periphery, he sees stacks of bodies -- unmoving -- and has some color drain from his face.

"My chambers is just up ahead. There, we will send word for immediate reinforcement. We will survive this night for those who did not," he says. And with heavy footfalls, Count Frayus moves down the corridor towards the round door at the end of the hall.

It is the same room that Corwen invited her friends in all those months ago. When he briefed them about the voices in the woods and in the dark. When he admitted to needing their aid. It is the room where Nora lost her first tooth, proudly showing how she pulled it out herself, floating in a small puddle of her own blood. It's the room where Countess Adni and he would lie out and watch the rain while the girls slept, and where Lady Luci built herself a fort of blankets and fairylights four winters ago.

How time does fly on by.

Luci Frayus moves in front of her father quickly as they reach the end, and Nora moves quickly behind her. "Luci, wait, we don't know what's--"

And when they push the door open, there stands House Frayus' most loyal guards. Absent, it would see, amidst all this hardship.

"And just where were -YOU-?!" Luci says accusingly, and marches into the doorway with her dagger pointed accusingly outward.

But something is very, very wrong. Corwen and Adni both know this.

Which is why, before Nora and Luci can make it inside, a count and a countess -- a father and a daughter -- push their little girls out of the way.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-