Post by The Headmaster on Sept 17, 2013 21:40:48 GMT -6
Varana burst through the doorway. "Sir!"
"Varana." She had her magic-powered tablet with her, that was good. "I want the first and second years to begin fortifying the Academy and engage standard defense procedures. Any hands that can be spared go to help speeding the third through sixth years on their way. I want Imperials either with their squadrons or on the wall, learning from the generals. Beastmasters, Shadowseekers, Blades, Mesmers, Reapers, I want them all on the ground with the main fighting contingent. Knights will go to the medical brigades and assist there. Blacksmiths and Entrepreneurs can go and assist with the artillery battalions. I can't give much more instruction until we actually get there."
"Of course, sir." She quickly spoke into a sleek com unit in her ear, sending out his instructions to all teachers. With a few taps on her screen, projectors flared throughout the building, each classroom listing its assigned position.
The doors of the school opened before the Headmaster, revealing a night clouded by storms, lightning flickering every so often.
Completely unfazed by the storm, he strode out, the wind sending his trench coat flapping. Standing at the ready were the two Silent Shadows that were prepared specially for Varana and him whenever there was an emergency of this level.
Looking to the skies above the Academy, he could already see the first few outriders of Operation Nevermore beginning to pour from the stables. Swinging himself onto the saddle, he glanced at Varana to make sure she was alright, then kicked his lizard into motion.
It appeared to fall off the edge of the mote, sharp and swift as an arrow, gaining speed in a sharp dive. The Headmaster pressed himself down against the beast, forming one aerodynamic shape. It leveled slowly, retaining its momentum as it shot through the air, riding silently on the storm-scented wind.
At last, he arrived at the second wall of the Silver Mote. The first wall's gate had, in fact, been broken, and not far past it lay the corpse of the humongous Arubi. Directly above the second wall's gate, the Emperor could be seen with his generals.
The Headmaster instructed that his Silent Shadow come down to land by the procession. It touched down lightly, and the Headmaster was already off its back. He waited until Varana had safely landed, offering a hand to help her down, then turning and striding away to the Emperor's procession.
"Your Highness," he greeted, giving his brother a short bow. The Emperor replied with a nod. "I'll need a tactical report."
One of the generals stepped forward. "It's not good. There have been a series of coordinated attacks on our defenses-"
"Which are weakened, because apparently my generals are too imbecilic to know how to defend a wall," the Emperor snapped. "Your brains have atrophied with the time spent lazing around my palace. You are here to defend Atlantis!"
Suddenly, a low-flying Nemisi dove towards the group, carrying a Lasher in its talons. The canine Mistling howled, its passenger reaching out venomous vines to rake the generals, headed straight for the Emperor. The generals fumbled for their weapons.
The air seemed to turn to crystallize into a diamond as the Headmaster, so fast he was a blur, jumped in front of Varana.
BANG!
Two shots, so close to each other that it sounded like one.
The air returned to normal, and the Headmaster was standing, hair ruffled by the breeze, with both pistols pointed where the Mistlings had been before, smoking. The Nemisi had a bullet hole through its forehead, and the Lasher's carapace had been drilled straight through its most vital part, right in the middle of its body. They plowed into the stone next to the party as the Headmaster opened his eyes.
Pain flared through his head, spots of light dancing in front of his vision, invisible to everyone else. His muscles relaxed, made sore by his quick movements.
The Emperor smirked. "It looks like you are as deadly as ever, Headmaster."
He was cut off as the whole wall shook, rumbling ominously underfoot. The generals exchanged horrified glances.
The Headmaster strode forward to the edge of the wall, standing with his toes dangling over the edge, looking down on the giant beast that battered at the gate, even larger than the Arubi that had charged the first gate. His brother came up beside him.
"We seem to be in a spot of trouble. Care to lend us a hand?"
The Headmaster nodded, putting his pistols back in their holsters and carefully taking off his glasses. Folding them, he held them out. "Varana, ensure that these stay undamaged. You may also want to keep an eye on my brother."
As soon as his glasses were safely in the Principal's possession, he gave a curt nod to the Emperor. "I'll be a moment."
And with that, he fell.
"Varana." She had her magic-powered tablet with her, that was good. "I want the first and second years to begin fortifying the Academy and engage standard defense procedures. Any hands that can be spared go to help speeding the third through sixth years on their way. I want Imperials either with their squadrons or on the wall, learning from the generals. Beastmasters, Shadowseekers, Blades, Mesmers, Reapers, I want them all on the ground with the main fighting contingent. Knights will go to the medical brigades and assist there. Blacksmiths and Entrepreneurs can go and assist with the artillery battalions. I can't give much more instruction until we actually get there."
"Of course, sir." She quickly spoke into a sleek com unit in her ear, sending out his instructions to all teachers. With a few taps on her screen, projectors flared throughout the building, each classroom listing its assigned position.
The doors of the school opened before the Headmaster, revealing a night clouded by storms, lightning flickering every so often.
Completely unfazed by the storm, he strode out, the wind sending his trench coat flapping. Standing at the ready were the two Silent Shadows that were prepared specially for Varana and him whenever there was an emergency of this level.
Looking to the skies above the Academy, he could already see the first few outriders of Operation Nevermore beginning to pour from the stables. Swinging himself onto the saddle, he glanced at Varana to make sure she was alright, then kicked his lizard into motion.
It appeared to fall off the edge of the mote, sharp and swift as an arrow, gaining speed in a sharp dive. The Headmaster pressed himself down against the beast, forming one aerodynamic shape. It leveled slowly, retaining its momentum as it shot through the air, riding silently on the storm-scented wind.
At last, he arrived at the second wall of the Silver Mote. The first wall's gate had, in fact, been broken, and not far past it lay the corpse of the humongous Arubi. Directly above the second wall's gate, the Emperor could be seen with his generals.
The Headmaster instructed that his Silent Shadow come down to land by the procession. It touched down lightly, and the Headmaster was already off its back. He waited until Varana had safely landed, offering a hand to help her down, then turning and striding away to the Emperor's procession.
"Your Highness," he greeted, giving his brother a short bow. The Emperor replied with a nod. "I'll need a tactical report."
One of the generals stepped forward. "It's not good. There have been a series of coordinated attacks on our defenses-"
"Which are weakened, because apparently my generals are too imbecilic to know how to defend a wall," the Emperor snapped. "Your brains have atrophied with the time spent lazing around my palace. You are here to defend Atlantis!"
Suddenly, a low-flying Nemisi dove towards the group, carrying a Lasher in its talons. The canine Mistling howled, its passenger reaching out venomous vines to rake the generals, headed straight for the Emperor. The generals fumbled for their weapons.
The air seemed to turn to crystallize into a diamond as the Headmaster, so fast he was a blur, jumped in front of Varana.
BANG!
Two shots, so close to each other that it sounded like one.
The air returned to normal, and the Headmaster was standing, hair ruffled by the breeze, with both pistols pointed where the Mistlings had been before, smoking. The Nemisi had a bullet hole through its forehead, and the Lasher's carapace had been drilled straight through its most vital part, right in the middle of its body. They plowed into the stone next to the party as the Headmaster opened his eyes.
Pain flared through his head, spots of light dancing in front of his vision, invisible to everyone else. His muscles relaxed, made sore by his quick movements.
The Emperor smirked. "It looks like you are as deadly as ever, Headmaster."
He was cut off as the whole wall shook, rumbling ominously underfoot. The generals exchanged horrified glances.
The Headmaster strode forward to the edge of the wall, standing with his toes dangling over the edge, looking down on the giant beast that battered at the gate, even larger than the Arubi that had charged the first gate. His brother came up beside him.
"We seem to be in a spot of trouble. Care to lend us a hand?"
The Headmaster nodded, putting his pistols back in their holsters and carefully taking off his glasses. Folding them, he held them out. "Varana, ensure that these stay undamaged. You may also want to keep an eye on my brother."
As soon as his glasses were safely in the Principal's possession, he gave a curt nod to the Emperor. "I'll be a moment."
And with that, he fell.
NIMIA
