The Jade Arenas of Heaven: Poison Desires [IC]

[trollthumper]

The shifting assassin quivered under the mental assault, but managed to hold its composure. It rounded on Changeling, assuming a fighting stance. "I am nothing," it said in a voice like rasping stone, swinging forward with a cutting blow that missed Changeling by inches. "Do what you would. You will stop nothing."

---

Meanwhile, back inside the banquet hall, the room fell silent as Mad Dog leaned over Totem. After she was properly restrained, he managed to create an airway to her trachea and keep it open with a folded sheet of calligraphy paper, also provided by an attendant. Once it was in place, Totem began inhaling rapidly through the tube; her face still appeared to be in rictus, but she was in no danger of immediate death.

"Get this woman to an infirmary!" shouted Guan Yu. "And nobody let your eyes up! Once I find who did this, I'll feed them to the most overworked, underpaid bastards in Di Yu ten times over!"

[Aoiroo]

Moving under the blow she pushed forward missing the would be assasin yet again but not giving up.

"You are not nothing, you are evidence, evidence that there is greater forces a foot. You will not obtain your goal, I will see to that."

Moving foward she prepared her stance defensive yet open so that she could greatly and swiftly end the conciousness of this person and take them back to be questioned.

[trollthumper]

The clay warrior's flesh briefly turned black, creating a harmonious blend with the night. The blade missed its body, though it seemed to wince at the close strike from the barbed thought. It came forward like a locomotive, charging for Changelling. "I am unimportant," it said as it aimed for the fae enchanter. "Just another soldier." The blow missed Changeling by a country mile, the glamour around her confusing the clay warrior. "What matters is the victory. That is all that is important."

[Aoiroo]

Changeling slipped under the strike and paced as she began her own,

"You are not a soldier as this is not a war. It is a misunderstanding, a conflict at bet. What is happening here is not worth lives, any lives, especially not those of a soldier."

Faster than a whip she slashed deep into the golem's shoulder while she pushed in close to her ear,

"Do not underestimate the value of your life, a real soldier is one that lives long enough to see their victory reach fruitation. Or more likely, see a compromise which ends the war before it can esculate to the point of no return."

[Dariusprime]

"Properly restrained" in this case meant Fulcrum. Despite Totem's quite respectable strength, the giantess easily held her still as Mad Dog performed the emergency tracheotomy. The power mimic struggled mightily but to no avail. Once the makeshift tube was in place, she relaxed somewhat, but Fulcrum kept firm pressure on her limbs just in case.

Guan Yu had the right idea, and Fulcrum gently loaded Totem onto a waiting stretcher with the assistance of the attendants. Knowing how unstable her condition was at the present, Fulcrum accompanied her to the infirmary. She spoke softly to her along the way, attempting to sooth her pain and disorientation as best she could. Ironically, this far from home, Fulcrum probably knew Totem the best of anyone here. She just squeezed her hand and helped wherever needed.

The situation highlighted a lingering vulnerability in Fulcrum's skill set: first aid. She'd been CPR compliant several years ago, but work and hero work had sidetracked her from further training. In fact, on the way to the infirmary, she realized even her CPR was two years out of date! Then-and-there she swore to learn more medicine! Who knew when it would save a life!

[Lone Star]

Mad Dog removed the sanitized gloves, and wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead. He was glad for his medical training, and it came in handy during an emergency. "I think she'll be okay, Guan Yu. If it would please you, I would volunteer to stand guard for you. The others appear to be occupied at the moment, but if you're attacked, I'd like to be able to defend. So, what is your decision?"

He tried to address the emperor with as much respect as possible. "If...you think it would help."

[trollthumper]

"At this point, we could use all the guards we can get," said Guan Yu. Worry crossed his face. "Whoever has done this has not just broken the rules of the tournament or the edicts of hospitality. He has defied an order from the Jade Emperor himself. While that will mean a harsh sanction once he is found, it cuts both ways. The orders of the Jade Emperor are as much absolutes here as the laws of physics below. If one is broken, it... may reflect poorly on the Emperor."

---

The clay warrior went silent once more, diving towards Changeling. But the illusionist's fae manners made her a hard target as the assassin struck at empty air once more. "You are made of deceit," it said. "Such a useful quality."

[Aoiroo]

Sideswipping the would be killer she took her sword and slashed through her just as easily as before,

"My deceit is nothing compared to the lies you are telling yourself. I am but a reflection, you want to feel pain for your cause to make it mean something. But pain is meaningless, death is meaningless. Living is the only thing that has meaning. Living is growing, is changing and when you change, your world changes with you for better or worse. Whatever change you mean to bring to this world will only have meaning if you are living to see it."

[trollthumper]

The phantom blade bit deep into the warrior's head. Its knees folded up from beneath, causing it to hit the ground hard. Before Changeling's eyes, the soft, malleable clay of its flesh began to harden and pale, like it was caught in some invisible kiln. The clay soon cracked and broke, until all that was left in the yard was broken pottery. A fog-like wisp emerged from the body, dashing away on the wind.

Three attendants, carrying long swords, barged into the courtyard not three seconds later. "Are you hurt, miss Changeling?" asked one of them.

[Lone Star]

Mad Dog heard the fighting in the courtyard, and decided to stay put until the combat had ended. "We should probably see what happened. If the assassin won, I'm more than capable of a fight." he said, cracking his knuckles and tightening his leather gloves.

---

When the two were in the courtyard, a pile of broken clay was all that remained of the would-be murderer. "Wow, looks like you really got 'em, Changeling. It looks like you're safe for the moment, sir." He stood by, waiting for the others to arrive. Mad Dog stood in the "at ease" position: a habit left over from his Marine training. His body looked relaxed, but his eyes were constantly looking around for signs of danger or other potential assassins.

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum floated into the courtyard a few moments later. Totem looked to be stable in the infirmary, and the matter of the assailant still needed to be handled. Seeing the dining area mostly cleared, she followed the last known path of the attacker only to be surprised at, well, how little distance it made. Changeling certainly did have a workout though!

"Everyone okay?" asked Fulcrum with the ease of someone known for that question. She checked over each person visually before hovering before the pile of clay.

She patted Changeling on the shoulder and said, "Good work. This...is her attacker?" Leaning down, she examined the remains of the golem. "What happened?"

[Aoiroo]

"They are planning something, I am not sure what. Tell me what you think of it."

And like that the scenery shifted around them and step by step everyone saw exactly what Changeling did from her point of view. Her walking down the hallway after the assasin, the conversation when he met with his master, and the fight afterwards, every word in perfect clarity.

"It sounds like they are trying to put suspicions on someone who should not be suspected."

[trollthumper]

"Either that, or just sow chaos," said one of the guards. "The attack on a guest of Tian reflects poorly on both Guan Yu and the Jade Emperor. If the man behind these puppets is not found --"

"He will be." The crowd turned to find Guan Yu, marching out into the courtyard. He picked up one of the fragments of the dismembered warrior, studying it closely. "I recognize this work. Alchemists supposedly built these as tomb guards, to protect the dead against hungry ghosts and other perils of the afterlife. And now they've been sent to Tian to sow discontent amongst the righteous dead. Such a petty little blasphemy." He turned to the heroes of Freedom. "I think we can say that festivities are at an end for the night. You may need some rest. We will have the guards on alert, but events must continue apace tomorrow. We must not let this bastard think he's won."