The Inquisition [Concluded]

[Zack]

Yes, as well as anything that has value.

so you accept |x| where x is a non-zero integer?

[Csargo]

so you accept |x| where x is a non-zero integer?

Pretty much yeah.

[Askthepizzaguy]

Is cake considered an integer?

[seireikhaan]

For tonight, Kagemusha was acquainting himself with the royal gymnasium. It was a wondrous building, just off the east wing, with high, vaulted ceilings and an open roof which collected the moonlight, which reflected off the pool below. At the moment, Kagemusha was currently upside down, performing reverse, standing push ups.

"179, 180, 181..." The burn felt good after a long day of dull argumentation. "182...." With a grunt, Kagemusha heaved himself up for a last, 183rd repetition, before allowing himself to fall to the ground on his back. "Ah... a new record. Excellent, excellent..."

His reflection on his performance was broken by applause. Kagemusha sat himself up and saw two figures in the doorway from the east wing.

"Well done, that was quite a show," the hooded figure on the left commended. "Don't you think?" It asked the character to his right, a man with flowing, white hair and a white robe that seemed to glitter in the darkness.

"Of course. How can one soar without taking the leap?"

"Well said, I couldn't agree more," the first one continued.

"Well, not to brag or anything, but that was a personal best. Always good to push one's self to new limits, eh?" Kagemusha asked in a boisterous voice.

"Yes, I think we tend to agree," the hooded man responded. "But, sometimes," he continued, with a glance at his companion. "It is necessary to be pushed by others." He withdrew a straight sword from his hip, and his companion unsheathed a long, curved sword that glittered in the darkness. "So please, allow us to see how far you can go!"

The two broke from the doorway at a breakneck pace at Kagemusha, who scrambled to his feet. Each one lunged at him from each side with their weapons.

"Hup!" With a grunt, Kagemusha dove forward, flattening his body out as he passed by both weapons narrowly, tucking himself into a roll and righting himself as he turned around to face his assailants. A scuffling could be heard from behind him, and Kagemusha allowed himself a moment to glance behind himself. Two more individuals, each armed with short swords, flooded into the gymnasium.

"Fear not, we shall aid you!" Cried the one one left as they ducked in front of Kagemusha.

"Ah, the sinful gather themselves to us, it seems," the hooded man proclaimed. "All the easier for divine wrath to sweep you up as the tides." He and his companion advanced on the two guardians. The hooded man brought his sword upon his opponent, who attempted to deflect the blow with their own blade, but the force of his strike rattled it from their hands. The white-haired man weaved himself up to the other, flashing its elongated blade in a flurry. The second guardian panicked at the sight and attempted a brutish overhand strike, but their attacker shot its offhand upwards and made a quick jab at the guardian's elbow. The guardian cried in agony as a wave of pain shot through the joint and dropped their blade.

"Tsk, tsk, we've not even had to look down from the nest, nevermind taking the leap," the white-haired man taunted.

"Flee! This is my fight," Kagemusha whispered to them. "Death in battle is glorious, suicide is not!"

The two glanced at each other before nodding and taking off at a sprint. When the opened the doors up, another three individuals rammed their way past them.

"Haha! Excellent! Yes, bring more!" The hooded man proclaimed. "Crash upon us like the tide upon the cliffs, and be broken!"

They took up their place in front of Kagemusha, each armed with a blade of their own, held in two hands. The white haired man grinned as he gazed upon the figure in the middle. "How very... amusing," he noted. He looked to his compatriot and raised an eyebrow, asking an unspoken question. He merely nodded in response.

The two made their move in a flash. The white haired man flew with blinding speed at the guardian in the middle, flashing his glimmering sword as he raised it for a strike. The guardian made a clumsy movement to parry the strike, only to receive a crushing kick to its midsection, sending it flying past Kagemusha, who stared in wonder that anyone could deliver such a powerful blow. The guardian on the right attempted a strike of their own on the white-haired man, who hopped backwards off one foot to evade the attack.

"Enough!" Kagemusha stood now, visibly angered. "No more shall be hurt defending me. Your quarrel is with me. So, face me!"

"You have grown your spine again?" The white-haired man asked. "You, simpleton," it gestured to the guardian on the right. "Give him your blade. Let him face his examination in proper." They gave Kagemusha a confused look, but he gave them a stern nod. With hesitation, they gave him their longsword.

"Criminal scum," Kagemusha began, moonlight glinting off of his forehead in from the open roof. "You face your judgment now. In the name and authority of Emperor Kavehir, I, Kagemusha, will purge you from this world." Without hesitation, he opened the battle with an aggressive movement towards the white-haired man. He struck at him with a short strike, pulling back when it was evaded. He attempted a second strike, but the white-haired man seemed to simply flow backwards, having little trouble evading. He feinted a third strike, before weaving back to the hooded man, catching him by surprise and tearing a slice through his hood as the attack was narrowly avoided at the last moment. A short, wavy mop of black hair spilled out from the ruined hood. He snarled and counter-attacked, sending Kagemusha backwards to evade the attack. Unfortunately for Kagemusha, there was no retreat from his second foe, and a slice from a shimmering, curved blade caught him in neck. Kagemusha collapsed to his knees, grasping his neck and gasping for air.

"Pity," the white-haired man spoke, his eyes suddenly gentle. "You were on the wrong side of this conflict. A shame your loyalty was wasted." He looked to the room, noting the absence of the protectors of earlier. "It is unfortunate for you that more were not made of such stern stuff. Find peace, noble warrior."





It was morning, and Emperor Kavehir, for once, was subdued as he gathered the nobles for the inquisition to be commenced once more. "We are down another noble soul, it seems," he proclaimed to those gathered. "We have lost much. Yet, we must remember, that justice demands sacrifice. My father will be avenged. Those slain will be avenged. We shall rid the realm of this injustice, and then, and only then, can we begin to remake this world in the light of peace. Until that time is come, however, we must march on. So come, let us continue."





Alive:

Askthepizzaguy
Autolycus
DCmort
Edse
El Barto
GeneralHankerchief
Golden1Knight
Ituralde
Johnhughtom
Landlubber
Montmorency
Myddraal
Nightbringer
Sooh
Visorslash
Zack


Lynched:

Abstain (D1)
Andres (D2)
ACIN (D3)

Killed:

Csargo (D1)
Bsmith (N2)
Ironside (N3)
Kagemusha(N4)

Attacked:

Ironside (N1)
Golden1Knight (N2)
Montmorency (N3)

[GeneralHankerchief]

What.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Two attackers, working together, on Kage, who had two sets of protections.

First set failed because of numbers.

Second set failed for reasons unclear.

Full disclosure: I was part of one of the protections. Whether I was part of the two or the three is unknown, but the way my feedback PM was worded (can't quote directly as per rules), it's extremely likely that someone else in my group is a liar and/or imposter.

All three of us CC'd orders. If we were part of the two, that means someone either bailed, whether voluntarily or forcibly. I'm kind of hoping forcibly, as a voluntary bail on a target who the scum (presumably) knew was going to get hit is almost too easy. If we were part of the three, then my best guess is that one of us is a third-party role who can't work together with my group and was unaware of this until now.

My prediction is that I was part of the group of three and was working with somebody who wasn't who they said they were.

Vote: Sooh

[Kagemusha]

The town is infested with mafia. I was in contact with rather limited set of people, but who knows whom they talked with. Thanks for the game everyone!