As the resistance soldiers continued their arguing, the compound's alarms began to go off. "An unknown ship has entered our airspace. I repeat, an unknown ship has entered our airspace." The voice on the intercom stated as the soldiers began hurrying their way outside, the masters casually following behind.
Soldiers at the turrets began to aim their guns at the possible hostile approaching ship as they awaited their orders to fire. Others waited behind the snowy trenches, their Frostkiller (a cold lethal substance that seeps into the victim's body and freezes them from the inside out) pistols and rifles at the ready.
"Hold your fire!" A commanding voice shouted as Master Rudon, a half-human, half Elfarin (A race of elf-like beings) quickly made his way out of the compound's entrance.
The ship was now in full view, sporting the crest of the Laurentia royal family - the ruling family of the planet of Hyria whom were all devout followers of the Joieux. Stepping out of the ship was a young lady, Princess Katia de Laurentia, heir to the throne. The resistance soldiers saluted the approaching princess as she tossed her coat at one of them (who swore that he'd treasure it always).
"My lady, what brings you here?" asked Master Rudon as he quickly made his way to her side.
"I've come to see for myself just what the resistance is up to." Princess Katia responded in a pleasantly calm, yet strangely unnerving tone. "After all, my father has heard the rumors of what the Jolli are building, so I had to see if it was true." she continued as she made her way into the compound.
"I'm afraid it's true my lady. We don't know what exactly it is that they're working on, but they're protecting it with a type of Kristma, so it can't be good for us." Master Rudon replied as they made their way into the planning room.
"Or perhaps...it can?" Master Krinkus stated as he and Master Hollen also made their way into the planning room.
"What on Polaria are you babbling about?" Master Hollen asked, as Master Krinkus stepped over to the resistance's holographic viewer.
"A hunch, if you will." Master Krinkus replied, as he looked toward the entrance to the room where the resistance soldier who had sent the transmission from earlier was standing. "Come down here and tell them what I heard you tell another soldier during that little shouting match earlier." He continued, as the soldier made his way down to the table.
"Well, the only reason I even knew there was a barrier was because I was trying to make out what the Jolli were even building. It was a strange shape to be sure, but it looked strangely like a bell. When I tried to get closer, that's when I hit the barrier." the soldier explained, as the masters outside of Krinkus looked confused at the statement.
"A bell? Why on earth would they be building something like that?" Master Hollen asked, as he took out his Merrymaker for a puff.
"I think, Hollen, that you hold the answer in your hands." Master Krinkus replied, as both Hollen and Rudon looked at the Merrymaker in his hand. "What is the purpose of Merrymakers? To relax us, as a form of instant gratification if you will. As we all know, the Jollis' main goal is finding a way to subdue us into being their willing servants once more. Perhaps what they're building is a type of giant Merrymaker for that end." Krinkus explained, as Rudon seemed somewhat unconvinced.
"But how would they even know about Merrymakers? They're something that only the Masters and their select few know about. The Jolli would have no way of knowing about them." Master Rudon explained, as Hollen thought to himself.
"Isn't one of the select few in our Grand Council?" Hollen asked as Master Rudon seemed confused by that statement. "Yes, but why would that--" he started, stopping mid-sentence. "Wait, do you think the Grand Councilor...?"
"That's exactly what I think. We can't deny that something has felt off about him ever since he first became Grand Councilor, which is why we used the boy to get close to him. If what we're hearing is correct, Grand Councilor Claus is the only one that would make sense. He would have complete access to a Merrymaker and its secrets, as well as the resources to pull something like this off." Hollen explained, beginning to take a puff of his own Merrymaker, before realizing what he was doing and throwing it at a wall in disgust, shattering it.
"I mean, I really can't argue with that. He's always been a bit queer of a character to where I was convinced he had Jolli blood in him. And with how quickly he's amassed power already, I wouldn't be surprised if he was even a Jolli Lord, let alone one of the more powerful ones." Krinkus replied, as Rudon still seemed somewhat unconvinced.
Princess Katia seemed disturbed, as the masters took notice. "Lady Katia?" Rudon started, as Princess Katia shook her head. "No, it's nothing. I just felt a disturbance." she replied, as the masters looked around with puzzled expressions. "Strange, I didn't feel anything." Master Krinkus replied.
"Jolli forces are heading toward us!" a resistance soldier shouted as he quickly made his way to the planning room.
"What?! How in Polaria did they escape detection?!" Master Hollen demanded as Master Krinkus seemed unusually calm. "I think the more pressing question is why we didn't feel their presence, but our Princess did." he stated, as Rudon nodded in agreement. "Indeed, but now is not the time to ponder over that. For now, get everyone to their battle stations and prepare to fight!" Rudon ordered as the soldier saluted and made his way out of the station screaming out the master's orders to the soldiers.
One by one, soldiers boarded their ships and took flight as they took to the skies, battling the Jolli forces. Other soldiers at the turrets fired at the Jolli's Mammoths: frost constructs that shot beams of pure light from their eyes. If hit by this light, the victim would suffer a similar outcome as if they'd been hit with Winterbliss dust. The resistance soldiers in turn wore a unique type of goggles that would block out the pure light, firing their own Frostkiller at any soldiers.
Meanwhile, the masters took to the field, fighting off hordes of Jolli Merrymen, making a game out of slicing each of them with their Canes (which, when gripped by a Joieux user would produce a type of blade. Hollen's being a Scythe, Krinkus' being a pike, and Rudon's being the most unique of the three of them; a cane that split into two and turned into deadly chakrams that would always return to him).
As soldiers and masters alike fought the forces, one particular resistance soldier resisted the call to fight. This soldier's purpose was unknown from the others, his motives hidden from the sight of the Masters. Not a normal member of the resistance, Merin Noel had still kept up his disguise throughout the entire affair, finding ways to eavesdrop on many a conversation including the one between the masters and Princess (who had hidden away in the compound, knowing the Jolli's visit was to find her).
Merin was uninterested in taking part in any of the fighting as he explored the base, unsure of what he was looking for. For some reason, however, it was as if Grand Councilor Claus' voice had reached his thoughts, as he recalled memories of time that he'd spent with Claus. The goodness of Claus was gnawing at him like a dog, pushing at him, his blood unsure of whether it wanted to be black and thick like tar, or red and sweet like cinnamon.
He could feel himself struggling more as he made his way into one of the compound's quarters, falling to the ground immediately upon entry as he was clutching his chest as if having a heart attack. "Are you...okay?" a strangely calm voice asked as he looked up to see the Princess looking at him with concern.
Slowly standing up, the urge was becoming too much for him. Without realizing it, he had grabbed the Princess and subconsciously called forth his Kristma power of light as he touched her. The Princess had a horrified look on her face as she started to let out a scream, but it was immediately silenced as the light overtook her completely.
As the light disappeared, the Princess' unusual look of pleasant calm yet strange sense of unnerving was replaced, now looking more like a genuine state of peppiness and calm, to an almost unrealistic degree. It took a moment for Merin to realize what he'd done; he'd turned the Princess herself into what he thought a now unwilling slave for the Jolli. The Princess, however, simply kept a smile that would never disappear as she nodded gracefully to Merin as she looked to him.
"Thank you, stranger. Now I am truly free." the Princess stated in a voice as tranquil and pleasant as her own state of mind as she used her Kristma power and produced a mask. "May this protect you in the future. Now I must take my leave." she continued, as she disappeared in a flash of light.
"This is fighter Al Mo Humbug, I'm pinned down by the Jolli forces!" one of the fighters called out.
"I'm on my way to you Humbug!" another resistance fighter called out.
The pilot known as Al Mo Humbug continued firing his guns at the approaching Jolli, to no avail. "Dammit, I can't see with these things!" he shouted as he pulled off his goggles.
"Humbug, put those back on this instance!" Another resistance fighter commanded, but his command came too late.
In mere seconds, one of the Mammoths from below shot its beam of light upward as it hit Al Mo Humbug's ship. In an instant, Al Mo Humbug felt the dark veil in front of him fade away, replaced only by the desire for peace, love and sugarplums as well as the desire to make others feel the same.
"Dammit!" the approaching resistance fire shouted. "I've got no choice, I'm sorry Al." he added as he fired shots at Al Mo Humbug's ship, blowing it up and killing Al Mo Humbug instantly.
Wintermoot, aka Al Mo Humbug...a simple resistance fighter was converted by the Jolli, and given a mercy killing by his comrade.
The Adventurer chose to explore the base. By choosing this, they accidentally converted the Princess to the Jolli's side. But in a stunning turn of events, was given the item of
a mask. When used,
the mask will give the wearer instant protection for 1 night. During the next night, along with their scenario, the Adventurer will be given the choice to keep the mask and use it, or give it to another player.
As always,
nobody will know who has the mask, nobody can reveal they have the mask, and the mask-holder can't reveal when they've used it. You just get to be burdened with the knowledge that such a mask now exists, and the Adventurer will be burdened with the task of giving it away, or using it the next night.
On that note,
it's back to base for the next Planning Phase! Now that we've lost a good soldier, we need to get together and get a win for the team.
We'll make a battle plan, and then get ready for the next battle at 8:30AM PST on 12/10/2018.
Until then, let's get voting! The Mizer Mines demands some workers!
Also,
@Syraj @Holiday Mones @Wintermoot @Fortis Scriptor @Gerrick Keep in mind that you must vote for a person from now on, as you've used your No Vote.
@taulover @Elbbsas @North Remember to vote this phase, or face the penalty.
Good luck everyone!