A Martyr is Born
Birmingham, Alabama March 26,2005
Vaughn, the Cardinal of Montgomery, Alabama stood with his retinue before the court and declared his bid at Praxis. Seiko watched on the sidelines in growing annoyance wondering where the Don had wandered off to. She'd spent a great deal of time making sure that when this moment came, there would be much blood spilt, much death dealt.
But the Don was nowhere to be seen.
Vaughn turned to the Seneschal, "If the Prince is not present, then that means you hold Praxis. If so, then we will kill you in his stead." Now Seiko was more annoyed, the Cardinal was stepping beyond the previously advised bounds.
Seiko didn't think, she stepped before the woman whose expression never grew beyond casual and stared at the Cardinal, "That isn't going to be necessary. This situation between you and the Don has grown for months, if you take this city without confronting the Don, your power will not be seen as legitimite. I suggest you wait and do this properly."
"Fine, then I will give the Don fifteen minutes to appear and then I will declare the city mine." Public announcement done, he stepped to the side and gestured for Seiko to join him. His frost grey eyes met her cold dark ones dead on, "Seiko, I don't know if you are a help or a hinderance. In either case.. you will leave this city tonight and never return."
Seiko felt the weight and will of the Cardinal's power press at her mind. She watched him impassively. Slowly the weight lifted and she continued to stare at him, her expression unimpressed. "Vaughn, I realize you don't know much about me, so let me make this clear. Better men than you have tried to bend me to their will and they have not yet succeeded."
Realizing his failure his eyes narrowed, "Then I suggest you don't do anything else that will make me see you as an enemy."
Seiko's smile was more a baring of teeth, "Don't worry, my involvement in your affairs ends tonight."
She inclined her head in a mocking gesture and turned to see the Don and his retinue arrive. She stepped aside as the Cardinal and his fellow Lancea made a showing of force face to face with the Don, the Invictis, and those loyal in his court.
If words were spoken, Seiko heard none of them as suddenly combat began. With all eyes distracted Seiko disappeared from view and watched the proceedings with blood thirst on her tongue. When the Don erupted into stigmata, Seiko turned her attention to the Cardinal who thus far was barely harmed. She carefully used a fang to puncture her wrist and laid two fingers against the flowing redness. She lifted bloody fingers to her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, her eyelids, her lips, and savoured the richness of her blood on her tongue.
She closed her eyes and her hands came together before her and she began to chant mantras, her lips moving, her voice whisper soft as her hands formed symbols and shapes. The power grew inside of her, a scalding in her veins. Her eyes opened and her gaze focused and narrowed on the Cardinal. With her final words, her hands forming the shape of the lotus, she felt the power channel out of her and into him.
The Cardinal was as stone. He could not move or bend his body to his will.
A large, pioneering member of the Unaligned standing nearby, seeing the Cardinal's dilemma helpfully lifted his rifles and began to fire into the Cardinal's head from across the room. The Cardinal was grabbed by his henchwoman and she dragged the stiff frame from the room. A large contingent of the Prince's retinue followed.
Seiko turned her attention to the fallen, bleeding Don and watched as he turned to ash. Seiko had known him for decades. She'd come across him at the lowest moment in his life and saved him from himself. He was not a man who had great respect for women but in Seiko he found a formidable presence and a distant, if not generally amused, ally.
She realized that though she was fond of the young man...she felt more satisfaction with the declaration of the Cardinal's death in the other room than felt sorrow for the young kindred's loss. Now she had to go to New York to report to the childe's sire of his demise. To deliver the letter placed into her hands when she arrived at the Don's side mid-gathering.
She turned her attention back to the ongoing battle as the Invictis and other members of Birmingham's court ensured that every Lancea present died with the Cardinal.
Seiko smiled, her work done.
---------------------------------
(ooc)
The final tally...
Combat: 3 hours
Deaths: 12 (ish)
Humanity lost: 17
Derangments given: 13
And yes, Seiko belonged to the last two groups. *happy dance*
Great game.
Edited to change 'Prince' to 'Don' because..it's not a secret who he is, is it?
Vaughn, the Cardinal of Montgomery, Alabama stood with his retinue before the court and declared his bid at Praxis. Seiko watched on the sidelines in growing annoyance wondering where the Don had wandered off to. She'd spent a great deal of time making sure that when this moment came, there would be much blood spilt, much death dealt.
But the Don was nowhere to be seen.
Vaughn turned to the Seneschal, "If the Prince is not present, then that means you hold Praxis. If so, then we will kill you in his stead." Now Seiko was more annoyed, the Cardinal was stepping beyond the previously advised bounds.
Seiko didn't think, she stepped before the woman whose expression never grew beyond casual and stared at the Cardinal, "That isn't going to be necessary. This situation between you and the Don has grown for months, if you take this city without confronting the Don, your power will not be seen as legitimite. I suggest you wait and do this properly."
"Fine, then I will give the Don fifteen minutes to appear and then I will declare the city mine." Public announcement done, he stepped to the side and gestured for Seiko to join him. His frost grey eyes met her cold dark ones dead on, "Seiko, I don't know if you are a help or a hinderance. In either case.. you will leave this city tonight and never return."
Seiko felt the weight and will of the Cardinal's power press at her mind. She watched him impassively. Slowly the weight lifted and she continued to stare at him, her expression unimpressed. "Vaughn, I realize you don't know much about me, so let me make this clear. Better men than you have tried to bend me to their will and they have not yet succeeded."
Realizing his failure his eyes narrowed, "Then I suggest you don't do anything else that will make me see you as an enemy."
Seiko's smile was more a baring of teeth, "Don't worry, my involvement in your affairs ends tonight."
She inclined her head in a mocking gesture and turned to see the Don and his retinue arrive. She stepped aside as the Cardinal and his fellow Lancea made a showing of force face to face with the Don, the Invictis, and those loyal in his court.
If words were spoken, Seiko heard none of them as suddenly combat began. With all eyes distracted Seiko disappeared from view and watched the proceedings with blood thirst on her tongue. When the Don erupted into stigmata, Seiko turned her attention to the Cardinal who thus far was barely harmed. She carefully used a fang to puncture her wrist and laid two fingers against the flowing redness. She lifted bloody fingers to her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, her eyelids, her lips, and savoured the richness of her blood on her tongue.
She closed her eyes and her hands came together before her and she began to chant mantras, her lips moving, her voice whisper soft as her hands formed symbols and shapes. The power grew inside of her, a scalding in her veins. Her eyes opened and her gaze focused and narrowed on the Cardinal. With her final words, her hands forming the shape of the lotus, she felt the power channel out of her and into him.
The Cardinal was as stone. He could not move or bend his body to his will.
A large, pioneering member of the Unaligned standing nearby, seeing the Cardinal's dilemma helpfully lifted his rifles and began to fire into the Cardinal's head from across the room. The Cardinal was grabbed by his henchwoman and she dragged the stiff frame from the room. A large contingent of the Prince's retinue followed.
Seiko turned her attention to the fallen, bleeding Don and watched as he turned to ash. Seiko had known him for decades. She'd come across him at the lowest moment in his life and saved him from himself. He was not a man who had great respect for women but in Seiko he found a formidable presence and a distant, if not generally amused, ally.
She realized that though she was fond of the young man...she felt more satisfaction with the declaration of the Cardinal's death in the other room than felt sorrow for the young kindred's loss. Now she had to go to New York to report to the childe's sire of his demise. To deliver the letter placed into her hands when she arrived at the Don's side mid-gathering.
She turned her attention back to the ongoing battle as the Invictis and other members of Birmingham's court ensured that every Lancea present died with the Cardinal.
Seiko smiled, her work done.
---------------------------------
(ooc)
The final tally...
Combat: 3 hours
Deaths: 12 (ish)
Humanity lost: 17
Derangments given: 13
And yes, Seiko belonged to the last two groups. *happy dance*
Great game.
Edited to change 'Prince' to 'Don' because..it's not a secret who he is, is it?