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The Celestial Empire (Romance of the Three Kingdoms-ish, Updated 12/09/05)
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<blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 2425146" data-attributes="member: 15043"><p>A short update. Hopefully in return for decreased size, I'll be able to update this SH more frequently while I'm taking my classes.</p><p></p><p><strong>The Duel...</strong></p><p></p><p><em>Calm... calm Nayu...</em> the sorcerer repeated to himself as the older scholar stalked towards the center of the room. Nayu cleared his mind, honing himself, focusing evermore on the approaching man. When his eyes met the staff Sho-Ti held in his hand, Nayu felt a slight heat wash over him. For a moment he panicked, thinking the scholar had launched a pre-emptive spell, till he realized no force was trying to break into his mind, or assault his body.</p><p></p><p><em>His staff... it must have an affiliation to fire...</em> Nayu realized slowly.</p><p></p><p>“As the wise council and scholars of the land have been unable to determine the guilt, or innocence of these,” he distantly heard the Empress intone the ancient words, “a duel has been recognized to determine the will of Heaven. As such, each party must state what they wish from the other should they triumph.” It didn’t take an eagle to see the glint in her eye as she looked at Sho-Ti’s imperious figure surrounded by imposing robes.</p><p></p><p><em>If he is so powerful himself, why does he place magical fire within his staff?</em> Nayu thought as the ancient words continued to roll across the hall. <em>Surely he realizes that he wouldn’t need a staff to back him unless...</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>...unless he thought I was that much of a threat...</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>...now that I’ve figured that out, how can I use it to get him to back down? I don’t want to kill a scholar of the Empire... it might cause discontent when I take over.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>If I take over...</em> he corrected himself. <em>If this kind of stupidity is rampant in the capital, I might just rethink things...</em></p><p></p><p>Nayu’s eyes flashed momentarily towards the side of scholars that had been arguing for him, their eyes downcast, or raging towards the Empress. It was clear what they felt about <em>her</em>, at the least. </p><p></p><p><em>Maybe I won’t have to worry about that stupidity soon...</em> he thought, feelings his magic building as his mind conversed with the planes. Carefully, he picked his spell, and held it in his mind, waiting.</p><p></p><p>“State your claim should Heaven side with you,” the Empress asked the elderly scholar.</p><p></p><p>“The life of this traitor and his friend!” Sho-Ti’s hand rose, its gnarled fingers pointing towards Nayu’s heart.</p><p></p><p>“I claim the most prized artifact held by the Imperial scholars,” Nayu said quickly, before the Empress could even ask. <em>Maybe that will give him pause... People might freely toss their lives away, but they likely won’t toss away the belongings of something larger than themselves...</em> he remembered an old adage of his father. <em>Let us see what Sho-Ti is made of.</em></p><p></p><p>There was a slight pause, before Nayu saw the older scholar give an almost predatory smile. “You do not wish to even claim my life in return for yours?” the scholar asked, his hands already pulling out a rolled wooden tome.</p><p></p><p><em>Great... he didn’t buy that bluff... </em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Well, no one has explained the rules of this duel-to-be to me, and I don’t need to read from a book, so I see reason to let him prepare... that's my best chance of taking him out!</em></p><p></p><p>The room flashed blue for a second, as Nayu’s hand lashed out, a stream of void, utterly black and sucking in all light around it, slammed into the scholar’s chest. Sho-Ti stumbled backwards under the assault. As the Empress and other scholars rose, some to shout belated warning, others just to witness what had happened, A second black bolt lashed out from Nayu’s other hand, catching Sho-Ti about the head. For a moment, the older scholar was surrounded by swirling, whirling blackness, before finally, mere seconds later, Nayu lowered his hands (a quickened <em>enervate</em>, followed by another <em>enervate</em>). To the surprise of everyone, Sho-Ti did not react, but instead hung barely in the air, like a poor shanty about to collapse under its own weight.</p><p></p><p><em>And now to finish this,</em> Nayu thought, using the momentary pause of shocked calm to walk to the stunned scholar, and take his staff from him. Nayu swung once, catching the stunned man in the stomach, and sent him sprawling to the ground unconscious.</p><p></p><p>And bedlam ensued.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Emperor Valerian, post: 2425146, member: 15043"] A short update. Hopefully in return for decreased size, I'll be able to update this SH more frequently while I'm taking my classes. [b]The Duel...[/b] [i]Calm... calm Nayu...[/i] the sorcerer repeated to himself as the older scholar stalked towards the center of the room. Nayu cleared his mind, honing himself, focusing evermore on the approaching man. When his eyes met the staff Sho-Ti held in his hand, Nayu felt a slight heat wash over him. For a moment he panicked, thinking the scholar had launched a pre-emptive spell, till he realized no force was trying to break into his mind, or assault his body. [i]His staff... it must have an affiliation to fire...[/i] Nayu realized slowly. “As the wise council and scholars of the land have been unable to determine the guilt, or innocence of these,” he distantly heard the Empress intone the ancient words, “a duel has been recognized to determine the will of Heaven. As such, each party must state what they wish from the other should they triumph.” It didn’t take an eagle to see the glint in her eye as she looked at Sho-Ti’s imperious figure surrounded by imposing robes. [i]If he is so powerful himself, why does he place magical fire within his staff?[/i] Nayu thought as the ancient words continued to roll across the hall. [i]Surely he realizes that he wouldn’t need a staff to back him unless... ...unless he thought I was that much of a threat... ...now that I’ve figured that out, how can I use it to get him to back down? I don’t want to kill a scholar of the Empire... it might cause discontent when I take over. If I take over...[/i] he corrected himself. [i]If this kind of stupidity is rampant in the capital, I might just rethink things...[/i] Nayu’s eyes flashed momentarily towards the side of scholars that had been arguing for him, their eyes downcast, or raging towards the Empress. It was clear what they felt about [i]her[/i], at the least. [i]Maybe I won’t have to worry about that stupidity soon...[/i] he thought, feelings his magic building as his mind conversed with the planes. Carefully, he picked his spell, and held it in his mind, waiting. “State your claim should Heaven side with you,” the Empress asked the elderly scholar. “The life of this traitor and his friend!” Sho-Ti’s hand rose, its gnarled fingers pointing towards Nayu’s heart. “I claim the most prized artifact held by the Imperial scholars,” Nayu said quickly, before the Empress could even ask. [i]Maybe that will give him pause... People might freely toss their lives away, but they likely won’t toss away the belongings of something larger than themselves...[/i] he remembered an old adage of his father. [i]Let us see what Sho-Ti is made of.[/i] There was a slight pause, before Nayu saw the older scholar give an almost predatory smile. “You do not wish to even claim my life in return for yours?” the scholar asked, his hands already pulling out a rolled wooden tome. [i]Great... he didn’t buy that bluff... Well, no one has explained the rules of this duel-to-be to me, and I don’t need to read from a book, so I see reason to let him prepare... that's my best chance of taking him out![/i] The room flashed blue for a second, as Nayu’s hand lashed out, a stream of void, utterly black and sucking in all light around it, slammed into the scholar’s chest. Sho-Ti stumbled backwards under the assault. As the Empress and other scholars rose, some to shout belated warning, others just to witness what had happened, A second black bolt lashed out from Nayu’s other hand, catching Sho-Ti about the head. For a moment, the older scholar was surrounded by swirling, whirling blackness, before finally, mere seconds later, Nayu lowered his hands (a quickened [i]enervate[/i], followed by another [i]enervate[/i]). To the surprise of everyone, Sho-Ti did not react, but instead hung barely in the air, like a poor shanty about to collapse under its own weight. [i]And now to finish this,[/i] Nayu thought, using the momentary pause of shocked calm to walk to the stunned scholar, and take his staff from him. Nayu swung once, catching the stunned man in the stomach, and sent him sprawling to the ground unconscious. And bedlam ensued. [/QUOTE]
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