trans_9 | The Feast of blades [Open]

Erhart was quite intrigued by the Sensorium demonstration, so he immediately starts utilizing it for his own needs, creating a huge scene from one of the many battles that grace his roll of honor. In this case, the battle of Carrion Gulf, third year of the Torment crusade.

It was a manufactory world. All large buildings with huge smoke-stacks, clattering conveyor belts, and downtrodden citizenry. And then Chaos came, turning the citizens into frothing cultists, and populating the world with the dark reflections of Erhart, the Chaos Space marines.

His fighting company rides the lighting, bombarding the planet in ceramite and steel drop pods which crack open like eggs, disgorging black-armored paladins like himself inside the capital. Bolters roar from friend and foe alike as the defenders of the faith, and the defilers of the faith square off, ripping into one another at range.

"INTO THEM!"

Erhart roars, through augmented external speakers, before thundering down the assault ramp of his drop pod, and decapitating a corrupted Chaos Marine with a two-handed swing from the Black Sword, the crackling of the power blade drowning out even his battlecry for a moment as it bites through armor, flesh, and bone.

And so it begins....

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Saber found herself examining his armour; she had never seen anything quite like it. It seemed almost more machine than armour to the King of Knights. But her manners dictated that she not stare; it was rude. Fortunately, the potential for a test of her skills as a swordswoman caught her interest, one of the few pleasures in life that she allowed herself.

"I would like that," she replied in her straightforward manner with a hint of a smile. "Before I found myself here, I fought in a very different sort of war, without conventional battles. Rather, strong opponents faced each other in single combat."

"Ah. Duels. Some Xenos fight in this way, such as the brutal Orks, and some of the other races which have some modicum of honor in battle. My role as the Emperor's Champion is to challenge the exemplars of our foes to such a fight, and slay them."

He considers for a moment, and adds, "Amongst the Sons of Dorn, we have a tradition of non-fatal single combats amongst our own ranks during a great gathering which takes place once as century, known as the Feast of Blades. I could show you some of the past victors of the Feast as a possible opponent, as well."

He will look directly into the King of Knights' eyes at this point and ask her, "This war you fought. Were you the victor?"

"Ah, that is not unlike the tournaments which were frequently held in my kingdom," Saber reflected. In fact, she had officiated over more tournaments than she could recall off-hand. Many times she could not help but wish she had been able to match her skills against those of the competitors, but as king, she had no choice but to simply watch.

"However, this war was different. The combatants are legendary heroes throughout time, none were conventional opponents and even the weakest were stronger than many I faced during my lifetime. However, our objective was to slay each other until only one Servant remained, and that Servant would be the one worthy of the Holy Grail."

There was the briefest flicker of sorrow in her eyes -- a remnant of her failure to save her kingdom -- before she quickly suppressed it. "It had not yet concluded... I was about to face the final Servant before I awoke here."

"The Holy Grail? That sounds like many of the legends of my time as well. Such as the Red Grail of the Blood Angels, or other chalices that are venerated by the various chapters of Astartes, or the saints of the Imperium of Man."

He notes the grief, but does not ask about it, feeling it would be improper at this moment, only saying, "You will get a chance to face your last test. We will put things back, just as my forefather did after the Siege of Terra."

"it is an artefact which is capable of granting any wish," Saber explained. "I had sought it to save my country, however..."

It's rather difficult to save a country after the entire world that country was on was annihilated. While she hadn't abandoned her wish, she would first have to find a way to undo the destruction of that world.

It always surprised her to find someone with the same basic goal... there were many who had simply accepted their homes were gone forever. It was something Saber could not accept... and it was a relief to find she was not alone.

"That is my hope... but perhaps by saving my world, I will save my kingdom as well."

Erhart looks at her for a long moment, moved by the nobility of the sentiment, and nods.

"It is something to hope for. As long as we live, and fight, there is still hope. Something to grasp with both hands, as we would the hilt of a blade.... For now, we must be content to bring light to the darkness of the space we are traveling through."

He pauses, touching one of the wax-seal attached parchments on his armor, as if remembering something.

The Feast of blades [Open]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject