COUP DE GRÂCE - SIEGE PART II

[Thomas]

June 11^th

The Rogues have invaded Agrabah.

Musket ready, Thomas crouched by a granite column by the entrance of the infirmary, listening anxiously, dreading what might happen if the Rogues reached them. A way off, he could hear the creak and thud of trebuchets launching stones and casks of burning tar. The morning air was dark with smoke and smelled the way a pot did if it had been left on the stove for too long. The sounds the people of Agrabah made as they ran were not human. The Rogues were no doubt slaughtering them like foxes killing chickens.

In accordance to Shan Yu's shouted orders, the doors to the palace had been barred shut. No one was to enter or leave the palace without the overseer's sanction. Thomas thought that was cruel - people were fleeing for their very lives - but Shan Yu's tone had a finality he dared not question. In a time of great crisis, Shan Yu may lop the head from his shoulders just as easily as one may cuff a dog. Thomas knew it was impossible to save every person in the city, and that Shan Yu was trying to keep the palace fortified. If the palace fell, then Agrabah was lost. And if Agrabah was lost, then there would be no more Blackblood Legion. Just like what happened with the Freedom Fighters.

TOING! TOING! THWPING! The trebuchets launched another round, the onslaught much louder than the last. The mighty columns that held up that high ceiling trembled. Over the noise, Thomas heard his comrades shouting encouragement to each other as they prepared to defend the palace, but he could tell by the look on their faces that none of them were confident of victory. 

Thomas's head swam, and the room seemed to move around him. The prospect of hand-to-hand fighting scared the shit out of him. Thomas can shoot a gun, of course, but that was long-range. His only experience of fighting was when the class bully had beaten him up in grammar school. 

"We're all going to die."

TOING!

[Tucker]

Tucker’s front paws rest on the windowsill as he watched the chaos outside the palace walls, brown eyes narrowed in almost challenge as the building shakes and he pushed off standing back on all fours, trotting over to Thomas.

“We’re not gonna die. We have plenty of ammo and fire power from the ships and whatever else the troops have in our arsenal” Tucker says, trying to assure the young man flashing him a determined smirk. “Hell, Mal can turn into a giant dragon and just torch everyone if she really wanted too” He circles around Thomas as he talks before finally sitting down at his side.

[Shan-Yu]

Shan Yu was one of the first overseers on the scene, as Nasira scooped up their now cat-sized leader in her arms, and he snarled with pure contempt, catching the last of the Rogue king and his assassins as they retreated from the ruins of Maleficent's room. . The noise of the battle between Maleficent and Jenn had awaken a good majority of their soldiers, but it was far too late for them to stop what had already began. With a brief nod to their leader and Nasira, Shan Yu stormed out of the room and past the other overseers, as Hayabusa screeched loud enough for all to hear as Shan Yu bellowed his orders to the Legion, while standing in the blood of the fallen guards just outside of Maleficent's room.

"Demolish them all! I want no survivors!"

Corson's gaze met Alastor's, and the two demons grinned malefically. They were all too glad to oblige, as the two of them galloped out to the courtyard to await the first wave of Rogue soldiers that had pierced through one side of the wall. Alastor then raised his nose to the air, inhaling deeply as Corson raised a brow in curiosity.

"What is it?" he asked.
"Those unicorns. They're here." Alastor said, mouth curving into a grin as his fangs grew ever larger.

-----

Dr. Facilier was left to his own devices, as Alastor left his side with Corson. The witch doctor was perfectly fine with that, as his mind raced with a million thoughts. Where should he go first? How did that gypsy king and his minions get past those guards virtually unnoticed?

He clenched and unclenched his fist, as he looked up towards the ceiling of the palace.

Mortaray...this is for you, wherever you are.

As if by divine intervention, the exact bargaining chip he wanted bounded in front of him, crimson gaze full of concern and curiosity.

"Overseer Facilier, what do we do? The Rogues, they're breaking through the wall!" Mekonnen exclaimed. A smile spread across the witch doctor's lips, as he gently patted the lion on the head, gesturing for him to come along with him.

"No need to worry, dear Mekonnen. We will have the upper hand in this battle." Facilier said, as the pair walked past Thomas and Tucker, on their way to the front lines. The shadow man turned on one foot as he spotted Tucker sitting down at the young soldier's side. His violet gaze glared at the two of them, as he paused in his step.

"Last I checked y'all, demolishin' enemies didn't include bein' as useful as a steerin' wheel on a mule." Facilier growled, waving his cane in a gesture from the two of them to the courtyard.

"Asses up! Get out there and destroy those motley Rogues!"

[Morren and Esca]

Morren couldn't help the fact that she was shaking. The sounds coming from the gates and the trebuchets and Shan Yu's orders had caused the young woman to devolve into a state of panic. This was a new experience for her and it was terrifying. The wolf at her side was also unease, pacing and barring his teeth at both the other canine and whenever there was a particularly loud noise from above them.

"Are we?" she couldn't help but ask in a small voice. Thomas seemed so sure that she didn't have the courage to correct him even if Tucker did. Subconsciously she tightened her grip on the wood of her bow, hoping that the feel of the wood in her fingers would help to ground her and not cause her to break down completely.

Someone had to stay in the infirmary and guard it that was the only reason the two of them were not up fighting with the other members of the army and for that Morren was thankful. Soon there would be wounded soldiers to tend to and that would help her mind focus on something, anything else. She didn't want to imagine what carnage was unfolding above from the terrible noises she was hearing.

Beside her, Esca let out a chilling howl.

-------------------------

"C'mon, with me!" Emily called to the other Rogues.

One of the walls of the palace had been demolished through a lucky strike by one of Belle's ingenious siege engines and now they had their chance to try and break through. The mission to subdue Maleficent had been an amazing success and they had everything to fight for. The Blackbloods wouldn't stand a chance without their fearsome leader to issue orders or worse from what she had heard of her magical powers.

The young woman had been one of the first through the breach, hoping that by being at the forefront of this battle it would make up for her missing the Blackbloods attempt to do the same to them. They'd all get a good amount of revenge on them now and the Blackbloods would have no one to blame for it but themselves. Like they really expected them all to just roll over and take such a brazen attack on their home.

Pay back was indeed a bitch.

"Which one of you wants to try me?" she called out mockingly, spreading her arms wide as if to give them a free shot if they had the courage to take it "We're coming for you and you can't stop us!"

[Lucas]

The young lion was not ready. Not at all. Lucas had to grip the ground below him to not be blown off his paws. He snarled. What was going on? He had been residing in the palace and heard yells. Were they being attacked? he raced over to the source and found many Blackbloods, such as Thomas or Tucker, or even Shan-Yu. His question was answered as he saw what was going on. They were being attacked. Well, wasn't that just peachy? Lucas leaped into action almost immediately.

When he got closer, he realized it was the Rouges that were attacking. Oh boy, not good. He noticed a gaping hole in the palace wall. He leaped through it. Had he been a tad bit arrogant as to just stroll out? Probably, but Lucas didn't care or take notice. He scanned the approaching enemy and watched. This was not the day he was expecting. Oh, but how thrilling.

[Nereus]

    Crap, crap, crap! This was a bad situation to be in! Some enemies (the Rogues, they were called?) were invading Agrabah, and they brought the big guns with them! Whatever they were using had every one in one heck of a panic, herself included. This was a lot bigger then anything she had experienced before, but goddamn it, if push came to shove, someone was going to end up with a few bite marks in them!

    She could smell the blood of those fallen already as she hid in some idle archway some ways away from one of the fountains, since she was sleeping before this whole thing started. She could definitely hear one of the overseers yelling at the other soldiers, because they were the big bosses for a reason, besides the main lady in charge, of course. These rogues hadn't breached into the palace, she thought, more like hoped. 

    Nereus then decided it was probably a good idea to join up with some fellow soldiers, because it was better to be in a group when fighting, at least on the surface world. The mer-creature then started a run which ended up being on all fours for her, but to hell with it, it was faster, and made her endeavor towards someone, anyone else out there that was a fellow soldier. 

[Nasira]

“We have run out of time,” Maleficent noted scathingly as Nasira’s hand flew to her mouth.

The golden onion domes of the besieged palace reflected a scene from Hell itself. As the pale yellow gold of dawn crept across the sky, black smoke rose and spread, penetrated only by the flight of flaming arrows and other projectiles. The whole city was ablaze where casks of burning pitch had exploded, closing in on itself as though the huts and hovels and shopfronts were made of old parchment. Nasira then heard the crash of wood on wood and the groaning on hinges that told her that they’ve brought a battering ram. The door was reinforced, but it was not as structurally sound as a wall. It would not hold for long.

The rhythmic pounding of the suspended log suddenly cleared Nasira’s head. They had to move. So she fought back despair and made herself think. 

After a moment’s indecision, Nasira gingerly laid a hand on Maleficent’s shoulder, a gesture that was meant to be more supportive than intimate. But - infuriatingly enough - warmth spread through her like a ray of sunshine despite the dragon’s jet-black scales being cool to the touch. Damn it. Not now.

Nasira bit her lip as she weighed her next words and gathered the courage to say them. In a tone of a forced calm, she said, “Forgive me.” 

Maleficent reeled back, but Nasira expeditiously took the cat-sized dragon in her arms, afraid the rest of the ceiling was going to give way. Nasira held her tight and lifted her off the ground. “You’re hysterical,” a stunned Maleficent breathed as one of her wings jabbed the vizier's chest like an accusatory finger.

“I know.” Nasira would never dream of defying Maleficent, but here, she had to make an exception. There was one thing Nasira feared more than the queen's wrath.

Maleficent huffed and gave no further sign of protest.

“Demolish them all! I want no survivors!”

A look of tired resignation came over Nasira's face. Clopin was a rat with a dozen escape routes to his hole. They cannot hope to cover all of them - especially while fending off an attack they could not hope to win. Nasira could have wept.

Again, she suppressed the feeling of hopeless despair. Shan Yu was as capable as they come, and she had a job to do.

“Let’s go,” Nasira said, standing. Following was not something Maleficent was accustomed to, let alone being held like a kitten. Yet she allowed herself to be carried without complaint.

They only made it a few doors down when someone blocked their path. Nasira suddenly found herself short of breath, as if she had been punched in the stomach. She staggered back in horror. Maleficent’s lip curled in the beginnings of a snarl.

“YOU.”

[Kijana]

Protect the cubs, protect the future of the pride. Kijana was huddled in the medical bay as the rumbles of explodes ring out. The young male was huddled underneath a table his front legs hovering around the small cubs of Queen Sarafina, they would be useless in battle at such a small age and since he was a medic in training it was his job to look after the younger members of the pride.

“We’ll be fine you guys” Kijana says, looking down at the few month old cubs a tad smaller then himself.

[Thomas]

Thomas bit the inside of his cheek and gave an impatient huff. Tucker meant well, but Thomas could not help but feel annoyed every time someone brought up that unfeeling monster. Thomas had not seen the sultana for months, but he was unable to let go of his anger toward her for mortifying and starving him. 

Using a carefully controlled tone, he retorted, “Then where is she?” 

“Last I checked y’all, demolishin’ enemies didn’t include bein’ as useful as a steerin’ wheel on a mule.”

Thomas felt his face flush. Great Caesar’s Ghost! Did Facilier hear him?

“Asses up! Get out there and destroy those motley Rogues!”

“Y-yes, sir! Right away, sir!” Much to his chagrin, Thomas’s voice came out in a terrified squeak. He scrambled to his feet. 

“Are we?”

Thomas’s chin quivered as he felt a sharp pang of guilt. “No! I-I mean-” He took a sharp breath, struggling to get a grip on his emotions.

“…I don’t know, Morren,” Thomas confessed lamely, his eyes downcast. “I just don’t see how we’re going to make it. The Rogues have us surrounded.”

[Maul]

Frei the pteranodon was circling the air above. She was looking for easy pickings. Being fairly simple, she didn’t understand much in the way of battle tactics, but she did have hunting instincts.

A yellow eye focused on a brownish shape below. The lion seemed pretty isolated, which instantly read to her as “target”. She flapped her leathery wings to change direction before folding them against herself to dive. Most apex predators never thought to look up, for they had nothing to fear from the skies. Of course, most apex predators outside Fantasia had never met the terrible reptilian flying beasts of the old times. Frei was strong enough to carry one - possibly two - adult humans and still fly, so she estimated she could pick up the weird furry thing.

Once she got in close, she curled her spine forward and spread her talons like a giant eagle to grab Lucas.

~*~

A shrill breath sounded as the spikey beast hefted aside a metal grate. Maul came alone and with her own agendas. It’s doubtful she would have ever actually taken any orders from her so-called Rogue allies anyway. The demented hybrid sought nothing more than the sweet satisfaction of the stench of hot blood. But Maul, given a chance, would sooner go for easy prey.

That’s why she followed her nose to the smell of sickness -- weakness. Unkempt claws clacked upon the floor of the medical ward.

Maul walked among the beds in the dark. There were a few soldiers still there at the back of the chamber, healing from previous ventures. Her ever persistent smile seemed to grow, so much that it looked as if her lips might just rip. Pale glassy eyes pointed out to either side, disturbing in their vacantness. For now, the yet undiscovered Maul had her pick of first victim. Her mere presence seemed to emanate a feeling of wrongness -- an instinct that something is amiss.

She zeroed in on the sound of panicked breathing. The soldier seemed unable, or unwilling, to move as the wolf-sized beast came to the foot of the bed. The cot creaked as she jumped up, dead focused on what she’d come here to do. Tiny pupils affixed to the front of the human’s throat.

She paused for a moment, hovering overtop. Like a snake, her jaws flew open and she thrust forward.

((things are planned for maul, so i would appreciate it if she wasn’t interfered with much))