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Message: <blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 5054579" data-attributes="member: 3285">City Under Siege: Part 4c – Get Them Guns Blazin’!Oppius stabbed one of the Inferno’s crew.  “Do we have a plan to get off this ship or was this a suicide mission?”Quintus skewered two men with his longspear.  “Would it matter to you either way?”“Not really,” said Oppius.  “I was just curious if I was throwing my life away on the deck of this stupid ship.”“Get down!” shouted Hervius from behind them.They knew better than to ignore the sorcerer’s command.  Lightning streaked over their heads, frying several of the advancing crewmembers.  But more were coming.“It’s done!” shouted Hervius.  “But I used up too much energy…”“What?” asked Oppius.  “What does that mean?”“It means I only have enough energy to perform one hop,” said Hervius, his features grim.  “And there is no platform within distance for us to relocate.”“Yes there is,” said Quintus.  He pointed at the other airship, which was a few hundred feet away.“That’ll do,” said Hervius.  “Mundai ianua!”They were suddenly in the hold of the Judgment of Nier. A deafening explosion from the other ship caused the few crewmembers down below to run upstairs, ignoring the legionnaires who had just appeared in the far corner of the hold. “Great,” said Oppius.  “You just teleported us into the holding cell of the enemy.”In the cell next to them was…“Attalus?” said Quintus.  “We just killed you.”Attalus val’Virdan was in bad shape, slumped on the floor, with a bloody nose and black eyes.  The crew had taken their frustrations out on him.  “Doppelganger,” he coughed.  “Ever since…the Battle of Semar.”Tertius waved his hand over the lock to their cell and it opened.  “We have to get out of here.”“And do what, exactly?” asked Oppius.  “Jump?”Quintus gritted his teeth.  “We have to land this ship.  Hervius?”Hervius shook his great maned head.  “I’ve no more energy left.”“Tertius?” The horn blower bit his lip.  “Not even enough to create a spark.”“Then we’re screwed,” said Oppius.  He drew both of his gladiuses.  “I’m not going down without a fight.”“There may be another way,” said Quintus. He pulled an amulet from out if his armor.  It was the Mentagi.“Attalus,” said Quintus.  “You are val’Virdan.  My bloodline is not nearly as pure as yours.  Grasp this and remember your true heritage.”Attalus grasped the Mentagi just as the crew above deck returned below to their duties.  The first to discover their presence died with a warning still in his throat at Oppius’ gladius.  The second died in the same fashion a second afterward.But there were too many even for Oppius.  A startled cry above them warned of intruders.“Shield Attalus!” ordered Quintus.  Sparkling motes of light wafted from the Mentagi crystal, engulfing Attalus. The legionnaires joined in a protective huddle, shields at the ready, in front of the holding cell.  The Judgment of Nier’s crew crept cautiously down the steps to investigate. Gaius Phillipus was the captain.“Give up, Quintus,” said Gaius with a smirk.  “You’re surrounded.”Light pulsed from within the shield wall and then faded.  Quintus slowly stepped out, lowering his shield and spear to the ground. “I, QUINTUS AURELIUS VAL’EMMAN, CLAIM THIS SHIP IN THE NAME OF GENERAL MENISIS!” His speech finished, Quintus folded his arms. There was a shocked pause.  Then the crew burst out into laughter. “That’s very funny,” said Gaius.  “Fighting to the end, is it?  Then I will give you an honorable death.” He drew his gladius and stalked towards Quintus.  The gap in the shield formation burst forth a sizzling gout of flames.  The blast disintegrated Gaius, blasted through the three men behind him, and tore through the hull of the ship.  The shield wall separated, and the reborn Attalus val’Emman stood wreathed in flames.“As the new captain of the Judgment of Nier,” Quintus shouted, “I order you to land this ship in Enpebyn!”</blockquote>

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