The Scarlet Shadow IC

[joseybird]

The girl's eyes twinkle as she listens to the woman rant, her head tilted slightly to one side, so that her golden curls stream down her back in a golden cascade.

And she laughs--a musical, sweet sound of genuine, undisguised merriment which slowly subsides as she hides her smile behind the cap in her hand. She regards the woman much as a knowing child regards a fool hired to caper for her amusement.

[Kyeudo]

Insar

"Would someone be so kind as to tell me exactly what is going on in there?" Insar wispers up at the girls in the window.

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Climbing up would be Strength+Athletics, right? At what difficulty?

[Tengu]

Don't provoke them! They will hurt you if you push them enough!

Expecting trouble, Kadree closes her eyes and inhales deeply, imbuing the muscles in her body with essence. After that, she materializes Vanguard in her hand, though she keeps the gleaming blade out of the window - it could be easily spotted, after all.

Norbo is not with her, of course - he's... somewhere. Probably sitting on a nearby building's roof.

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6 motes to increase Strength by 2 with Strength Increasing Exercise. 1 mote for Summoning The Loyal Steel.

[Jannex]

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Then Mariko would've spent another 5 Personal Essence to reactivate Sensory Acuity Prana; she wouldn't want to go into this situation less than fully aware. I've spent the Essence.

From her vantage point at the window, Mariko takes careful note of the number and positions of the mortal thugs. Another Sesus. So our concerns were right--that's far too much of a coincidence to be unrelated. Either the family has sent another agent in, after the previous group's failure, or our friends have called in reinforcements... If the latter were the case, I'd expect that the three who escaped us wouldn't be far, but where are they--the warrior, the Immaculate, and the other woman? She barely suppresses a shudder, recalling the Dragon-Blooded girl's eerie way of noticing her. Mariko's gaze sweeps across the nearby rooftops and alleyways, searching for the missing Terrestrials. After our last encounter, they would know precisely how much of a force to be reckoned with we are, after we killed two of their number. They wouldn't send a single Exalt to confront us, with only a bunch of mortals as backup. Either the others are waiting in ambush, or she's trying to set us up somehow... Expose us, maybe? Draw down the wrath of the Council?

She nods to Kadree, when the other girl joins her by the window. Gesturing for her to stay out of sight, Mariko turns to descend to where the others are waiting, when she notices Insar scaling the wall below her. When he arrives, she quickly, quietly, and thoroughly details the positions of everyone inside, mortal, Exalt, and hostage.

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Perception+Awareness: (11d10)[2][2][3][6][7][4][7][8][9][4][3](55)

[Tengu]

(I think that's a different Dragonblooded, Jannex - the one with the Warstrider was named Tanime, looked different and was Earth aspect.

And by the way - what are the sources of light in the building? And is there something hanging underneath the ceiling?)

[Jannex]

((Erg. *facepalm* Fixing... Sorry.))

[Cubey]

There aren't any sources of light, but there are ropes, pulleys and similar things at the ceiling, undoubtedly used to transport heavy crates in the warehouse itself.

A bead of sweat appears on the tip of Taeka's face, and falls to the ground.
"I see now. I doubt the mercenaries would come to rescue such a brat like you. Too bad, I wanted to tell them very important things. I guess I will leave then... what's that?" She looks really surprised as she asks the last question, and you hear some rumbling coming from the back wall of the warehouse!

"..." Emerald Star suddenly grimaces and whips out her fans in an immediate move. "Watch out! Something's co..."

Everything is interrupted by a loud, crashing sound! What Margot sees is that something made a hole in the wall in front of her - a huge hole, nevertheless, almost twice the size of a man. To make matters worse, she cannot see WHAT exactly was the cause - there seems to be... something standing in it, but you can't see what it is! It is hidden in a cloud of misty fog, making discerning of any features, or even the most general body shape, impossible! The only exception is a long, green insectoid-like limb, which ends in a razor-sharp blade and points towards you as the cloud unhastily (but imminently) hovers forward...

The thugs inside the building look shocked, and so is the Dragon-Blooded. She, however, has enough willpower to take a few steps to the side, making sure there is nothing but air between Margot and the hidden creature - because you're pretty sure it isn't a human...

(It's about 10 yards from you. Feel free to declare combat actions - it seems it wants to shed your blood. Badly.)

[Kyeudo]

Insar

Seeing Kadree summon her weapons, Insar knows something must be up, and nothing good at that. He'll climb up beside the girls to see what's going on, since no one will tell him anything.

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6 motes on Strength Increasing Excercise
Strength+Athletics-WP:(9d10)[9][8][5][2][8][5][4][1][3](45)

[Tengu]

(Kyeudo - Mariko jumped down to tell everyone what has she seen so far...)

Damn, what's that? Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not friendly!

Kadree pulls herself up to the window's frame, kneels in it, and jumps into the inside of the warehouse, right between the monster and Margot! She stands in a defensive position, holding her weapon high and her buckler in front of her, ready to protect the other girl from danger - concentrating on the creature, but glancing to the sides to see if any of the thugs want to attack, too.

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Another 1 mote on Monkey Leap Technique.
Initiative: (1d10)[9]+15
Action: Full Parry

[joseybird]

Margot's eyes widen, and she gasps a little as she staggers backwards from the thing.

No claws.... She fumbles at her side and withdraws a small punching dagger and holds it out defensively. Just a few feet away, she can see the thug who first addressed her gawking at the thing. She reaches back and pushes at his arm. "Run! Take your men and run!" Then she turns her attention back to the monster and falls into a Tiger Style stance. Despite her earlier bravado, now she looks like she might very well faint.

[Jannex]

((Sorry, Kyeudo; when I read your post, I thought it said that Insar was already climbing up, so I had Mariko update him when he got there. My reading comprehension seems subpar tonight... ))

Mariko's eyes widen in alarm as the creature breaks through the wall of the building on which she's perched. What?! Where did that thing come from, and how did I not hear it coming? Even as the thought crosses her mind, she watches Kadree dive through the window and into the fray below. She glances at Insar. "I'm going to try to get behind it--maybe I can get Margot out of there." She starts out across the roof of the building, her soft-soled boots almost soundless on the rough surface of the warehouse roof, trying to get above the disturbance.

((Actually, question. You described this thing as breaking through the back wall of the building... I thought we were at the back wall, because Mariko didn't want to be seen climbing the walls from the street. Maybe we can clarify?))

[Kyeudo]

Insar

(I assume that my successes are more than enough to reach the roof)

Seeing an oppourtunity, Insar will scale the wall to the roof, racing across the warehouse to the hole made by that thing. Summoning Legacy to his hand with a flash of golden light, the Solar will leap down inside, striking out furiously at the thing with all his Exalted strength. Landing, Insar comes up in a wide stance, ready to defend himself or others.

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Inititive: (1d10+16)[19]
Attack: (9d10)[10][4][3][9][5][6][4][5][5](51)
I'll wait to roll my parries until I need them. One's at 6 and the others at 5.

[Cubey]

Yeah... I forgot you were at the back. At any rate, the creature appeared from the side where there wasn't anyone of you - so in this case, from the left side.
Insar received enough successes to climb as he did, and he also gets 1 stunt die.

As Kadree jumps through the window, the weird monster focuses its attention on her, sliding in closer! But then, Insar strikes forth, dealing a powerful blow - which gets easily deflected by a hook sword that suddenly appears from inside the cloud, supported by a bug-like arm, just like the blade that now aims threateningly towards Kadree!

The blade itself strikes at her twice - each hit strong and quick enough to skewer a normal human, but you are more than just mere mortals... 5 and 2 successes, easily parried.

"Run...?" The man shakes his head in confusion, then smiles in a friendly manner. "That's not why we're here... MEN! Attack the newcomers, NOW!" He shouts loudly, then tries to swing one of his weapons across Kadree's back. 4 successes, but she quickly turns back and deflects the hit with her weapon.
"I'm sorry, but you're not leaving alive..."

At the same time, the door to the warehouse gets kicked in - yes, even though it was barred from the inside! As it flies forward, it reveals the small stature of Iskira, standing in a heroic pose as she is ready to rescue whomever is inside against the monstrosity of the darkness. Emerald Star also runs forward, making use of this opening, her fans placed in defensive positions, ready to deflect incoming hits.

The dragon-blood watches it all in surprise, not doing anything but neither being bothered by anyone. The thugs, however, slowly snap out of it and start to circle you, wielding batons and ugly-looking long knives! It's a wonder how quickly a human's mind can get over such stuff as weird, unseen monsters - too bad it works to your disadvantage this time.

(Next round coming right up.)

[Tengu]

"Damn ingrates! If it wasn't for us, this monster would now be busy shredding you to pieces! You should reconsider your choice..."

Kadree strikes at the man feebly, purposely letting him parry the attack with his swords and grab her blade into their hooks - and then she suddenly pulls back strongly, trying to wrestle them from his hands and send them flying over her head into the monstrosity's direction! If she succeeds, she quickly spins around to face the monster, supposedly losing interest in her human opponent, as if he wasn't too weak to be worth her effort. She also moves a bit closer to Margot, trying to keep all the opponents' attention on herself instead of the scared girl. "Don't worry. Nothing will happen to you as long as we're here."

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Initiative: (1d10)[5]+15

I am doing two disarm attempts on the thug leader, but I'm not sure do weapon accuracy modifiers count for it - these rolls are without them.
1: (11d10)[9][8][7][4][3][10][3][1][8][10][5](68)
2: (10d10)[8][7][9][4][10][10][4][1][3][6](62)

Parry all attacks with Dipping Swallow Defense.

[joseybird]

Margot, seemingly rooted to the spot, nods vaguely. But her lips are colorless and trembling, and she sways unsteadily. She stares mutely at the monstrous thing.

[Jannex]

Mariko drops down outside the building beside the hole in the wall, landing in an alert crouch. Drawing the daiklaive from its sheath at her back, she slips inside, trying to blend into the background as the battle rages around her and draws the attention of the combatants. She keeps her weapon low, trying to take advantage of the mist that shrouded the creature and the boxes scattered about the room to conceal her presence as she works her way across the warehouse floor toward Margot.

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Initiative: (1d10+15)[17]
Declaring full dodge for the round, activating Reed in the Wind (spending Peripheral Essence, but using the Night Caste ability to spend twice as much to avoid adding to her anima) if attacked.

[Kyeudo]

Insar

"We drop in to fix the problem these monkeys cause, and this is the thanks we get? Fine, they can reap what the sow." With that, the big man turns from the monster and charges into the crowd of thugs, sword swinging in huge scything arcs.

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I'll be using Dipping Swallow Defense if attacked. How many thugs are there total?
Attack 1: (9d10)[2][5][10][8][8][10][8][4][4](59)
Attack 2: (8d10)[5][9][8][8][8][6][6][6](56)
Attack 3: (7d10)[5][9][5][5][6][1][3](34)

[Cubey]

Stunt dice first:
Kadree - 1

A green insectoid limb, ending in a hooked blade (you could swear it looks just like the hooked "sword" from just a second ago) strikes from the misty cloud, trying to hit Insar! 2 successes, but he manages to parry almost instantly, his arms quickened thanks to his Charm.
Next, it is Insar who attacks, but he focuses on the thugs - instantly cutting one in two pieces, and decapitating another before he has a chance to react! The third, surprisingly, manages to parry the Exalt's quick hit - but it reduces his weapon into a piece of junk! There is about 20 opponents in the whole warehouse, counting up the ones Insar just killed, too.
Iskira rushes forward, smacking the closest bandit several times with the blunt of her weapon, leaving him beaten senseless!
"I... I do not think they did anything wrong to us. Should not we spare them?"

Kadree is successful in her attempts to disarm the thugs' leader - both of his weapons fly through the air, straight into the weird monster which intercepts the course with its sword-like appendage, making the weapons fall to the ground. "Bah!" He jumps upward and spins in the air, launching a roundhouse kick towards Kadree - but her Daiklaive takes on the impact of the hit (2 successes, parried thanks to the charm).

A bladed limb, the same that parried the thrown (or rather, thrown away) hooked swords, now tries to stab towards Kadree! It is strangely slow though, dropped off-balance because of the flying weapons, and she easily manages to block both attacks with her buckler, even without using a Charm.

"They are murderers - beasts in human skin! Don't be foolish." Emerald Star's face takes on a stern expression, as she spins rhythmically in front of one of the ruffians, cutting her up with several shallow hits - leaving the opponent alive, but heavily wounded.

Just when you thought there wouldn't be any surprises more, a heavy, axe-like blade (like before, supported by a green, thin limb) launches from the cloud towards Mariko - apparently the creature noticed her! It aims too close though, missing her in a rather pitiful attempt.

What is that thing anyway? No matter how close you get to it, your sight isn't able to penetrate the cloud that surrounds it. It is almost like if there was nothing inside...
"I am." You hear a silent whisper... despite all the chaos that takes place in the building, it is clearly audible. "Destined to die today... I will take as many of you with me as I can." The voice is extremely calm and composed, and sounds as neutral as you can imagine. Then...

A loud, agonizing scream shrieks from the creature! The terrifying sound carries with itself whispers of agony and disability to avoid fate. It makes even the smallest hairs on your bodies rise in terror, but your mortal opponents seem to be even more afflicted - some of them, a bit creeped already by the beast's appearance and your effectiveness at dispatching their companions, now are clutching their heads or screaming in terror! At least a half of them is incapacitated in such a way, but others, despite shaking visibly and muttering soundlessly under their breaths, are still standing. Their leader, for example, just twitches and clenches his fists before giving you a very un-friendly, manic look.

As for the Dragon-Blooded, she takes several steps backwards, obviously surprised and at least a bit scared. She tries to distance herself from every other being in this place, as much as she can.

[Kyeudo]

Insar

Partialy fearful that the demon creature may have even greater powers and partial grateful the beast took out half of the thugs for him, Insar wades further into his grim harvest, moving through the crowd of thugs as if they were mere grain and trying to put as many of the brutes between him and the demon as possible.

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I'm only attacking those thugs that can still fight. Still using Dipping Swallow Defense if attacked and I don't care if it tapps my Peripheral Essence. Going glowy isn't going to matter with my six foot long sword shredding thugs left and right.
Attack 1: (9d10)[1][3][2][4][2][9][7][8][9](45)
Attack 1: (8d10)[9][8][8][5][9][1][3][3](46)
Attack 1: (7d10)[4][7][1][6][6][8][7](39)

[Tengu]

"Yeah, they want to kill us right now, and do a living killing people like that! Don't mourn them if some of them die..."

Kadree twitches slightly upon hearing the creature's shriek. Just what is that? A demon, a spirit? Wonder how it looks like underneath that fog...

"You! Stop interrupting me! Go to sleep." Kadree swipes at her opponent, striking at his stomach with the flat of her blade, hoping to knock the wind out of him with the blunt force, then raises her fist, hitting him in the teeth with the pommel! With a fluid gesture she swings Vanguard around once again, finishing by hitting him over the head - once again with the flat part. Despite her words it seems she doesn't like to take human lives herself...
After the attack she quickly raises the weapon high again, getting ready to defend against any incoming blows. She also gets certain that no danger comes after Margot.

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3 attacks, 2 parries - the attacks are directed against the bandit boss and bashing (-1 success), unless he falls unconscious before that, in which case the further ones are directed at the monster and are lethal.

Initiative: (1d10)[10]+15
Attack 1: (12d10)[9][1][3][2][10][5][7][7][7][10][2][10](73)
Attack 2: (11d10)[3][6][3][10][2][10][2][4][6][7][1](54)
Attack 3: (10d10)[8][2][6][5][6][4][8][5][2][9](55)
Parry 1: (6d10)[8][3][9][2][10][5](37)
Parry 2: (5d10)[8][9][6][8][2](33)

[joseybird]

The beast's scream is the last straw for the exhausted, terrified girl. She emits a soft little whimper and crumples in a dead faint. The dagger falls from her limp hand and spins away.

[Jannex]

Mariko curses softly under her breath as she sees Margot collapse. Still, she moves forward. If she can make it to the girl this round, Mariko will scoop her up and carry her over one shoulder (on Mariko's uninjured side), and try to make for the door--which Iskira very thoughtfully opened for us. Again, she tries to keep to the shadows as much as possible, using the boxes and crates scattered about the warehouse as cover, and hoping that the monster's cries have terrified the thugs enough that they won't be paying too much attention to her. She keeps her daiklaive low and ready, in an inverted grip in her free hand, hoping she won't have to use it.

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Initiative, if necessary: (1d10+15)[18]
Strength+Athletics-WP, to carry Margot: (4d10)[6][6][4][5](21)
Dexterity+Stealth-WP: (7d10)[6][10][4][2][3][4][2](31)

Again, activating Reed in the Wind, spending double Peripheral Essence, to dodge if attacked.

Edit: Well, I suck. I guess I don't get anywhere with her this round?

[Cubey]

The thugs who are still up and moving are shaking more visibly... "Ha... hahaha..." Some of them chuckle under their breaths. Their gazes are definitely... well, insane. They lurch towards you, weapons ready to hit, their free hands clenching like if wanting to strangle something.

Insar's wide sweeps leave behind trails of blood, and three corpses of butchered criminals. It also puts him right in the middle of the biggest crowd of theirs - a fair distance from the foggy monster, but also surrounded by more opponents.

Kadree's first hit dazzles the thug leader, sending him reeling and blinking. The second blow puts an end to his misery... just kidding. He's still alive, but you knock him unconscious with no effort. (6 bashing damage/hit)
Your next hit is directed towards the creature - you outmaneuver the weapon-limbs and hit true! You aren't sure what you hit, but it feels hard, like some kind of armor - nevertheless, you inflict a powerful blow! (6 damage)
At the same time, taking advantage of the fact that your attack left your defense wide open - a long, spear like appendage thrusts from inside the cloud, glancing from the breastplate but hitting you right under it, ripping clothing and leaving a bleeding wound in the abdomen. 2 lethal damage.

Next is Iskira's attack, who jumps atop a barrel and leaps from it, her sword aimed forward, ready to run through whatever hides in the fog! Unfortunately, two armed limbs jet forth, their weapons crossed, deflecting the blade.

The creature responds with a strike of an insectoid, bladed arm - an attack which Iskira manages to barely deflect, striking the weapon aside. It doesn't give up though - its next two attacks are directed towards Kadree, thrusting twice in rapid succession. It scores 1 and 2 successes - too slow not to be easily stopped by intervening with the daiklaive. It seems the wound causes the creature to move much slower.

"This is some kind of an evil spirit! It may try to manipulate you, watch yourselves!" A series of Emerald Star's quick strikes leaves her mortal opponent down in a pool of blood. It seems all the thugs who are yet able to fight are focused on Insar.

Two ruffians strike at Insar, laughing maniacally! They score 4 and 3 successes, hitting recklessly fast, with no regards to their own safety. It is so surprising that despite Insar's parrying attempts, he doesn't manage to fully stop the first attack - a jagged knife hits his chest, fortunately bouncing off the armor for no effect. The second attack, by a mugging baton, was slower and therefore no problem to parry.

Finally, Mariko manages to lift Margot up - she isn't much heavier than a big bag of groceries, so you are able to walk even carrying her, albeit not as fast as if unburdened. You try to stick to largest shadows - it is a help that there are so many containers around here, casting enough dark to sneak by.

(Stunt dice: 1 each for Insar and Kadree)

[Kyeudo]

Insar

Now in the thick of the villanous henchmen of the Dragon-Blooded kidnapper, Insar's sword becomes a black whirlwind in his hands. Striking down the maddened thugs as swiftly as he can, Legacy's golden edge slashes through flesh and bone with equal ease, as only an Exalted blade can.

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Inititive: (1d10+15)[9](24)
Attack: (7d10)[7][10][9][5][4][10][10](55)
Attack: (6d10)[9][10][1][5][2][8](35)
Attack: (5d10)[3][2][2][6][2](15)
Attack: (4d10)[2][2][2][7](13)
Attack: (3d10)[10][9][9](28)

[Tengu]

Kadree grins her teeth in pain, holding the wound for a moment. If I didn't have the armor, that'd end bad... She looks over her shoulder to see that the rest of the battlefield is more or less under control now. "Alright, you creep, I have bad news for you - you're not going to take anyone with you today! Should've picked another day for dying!" She runs in several steps, gaining momentum, and leaps at the monster hidden in the fog, faint motes of red and golden essence surrounding her grip and trailing behind Vanguard as she swipes hardly from above! She lands somewhere in the center, hoping to stand at the creature's body, and raises her sword with both hands upside down, stabbing the monster's form! After these blows she quickly retreats by jumping back with a backflip, landing in a low, defensive position on the floor. Her breath is heavy now, the fresh wound clearly giving her a drawback.

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2 attacks with Hungry Tiger Technique (2 motes spend), 3 parries.

Initiative: (1d10)[7]+15

Attack 1: (11d10)[2][3][2][9][8][5][10][6][6][2][7](60)
Attack 2: (10d10)[3][1][1][2][2][4][8][5][4][1](31)
Parry 1: (6d10)[6][2][6][7][6][8](35)
Parry 2: (5d10)[2][9][10][8][1](30)
Parry 3: (4d10)[2][10][9][10](31)

[Kyeudo]

(How many thugs are left able to fight? I want to get the flys out of the way before going for the real monsters. By my count, there should only be three or four left able to fight after that last set of attacks.)

[Jannex]

On her way to the door, Mariko moves past Emerald Star, stopping a moment to whisper to the other girl. "Once we're all outside, can you...?" she gestures vaguely, alluding in ignorant terms to the power of offensive sorcery.

Her message delivered, Mariko sneaks across the intervening space to the door, her feet falling silently amid the clash of blades, despite her burden. Once outside, she glances around briefly to ensure that no one is around to see her, before once again scaling the wall with impossible ease. A plan is beginning to coalesce in her mind, but it relies significantly on her ability to communicate her thoughts to the others quickly, and their willingness to react. Mariko remembers the wet crunch she heard as the monster scored a hit on Kadree a moment ago, and her eyes narrow. The quicker we end this, the better off we'll all be. At worst, Star's magics should eliminate the thugs and at least soften up that creature some, she thinks.

She sets Margot's unconscious form gently down on the rough surface of the roof, and returns to the window through which Kadree entered the fight. Mariko quickly looks around for nearby rooftops to which she might make a hasty exit, before calling down to her friends, "I've got her clear! You can get out of there!"

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Spending double Peripheral Essence (so, total 4) to activate Spider-Foot Style to climb the building again without adding to her anima. Unless she has to dodge on the way out of the building, in which case she'll do that with Reed in the Wind (again spending double Peripheral), and climb the wall the following round.

I don't know how much of this can be accomplished in one round, so Cubey, feel free to modify accordingly.

Init: (1d10+15)[18]
Dexterity+Stealth-WP (if necessary): (7d10)[2][1][7][4][7][8][10](39)
Perception+Awareness: (11d10)[1][7][2][1][2][9][3][1][1][8][1](36) (for observers, and for other rooftops to use for an escape)

[Cubey]

There are only three thugs near Insar - but others, the ones who seemed to go catatonic from the outburst, are slowly rising again! That can't be good...

You guys get 1 stunt die each, anyway.

Insar's sweeping strikes leave nothing but a horrible mess behind, each slice splitting a (possibly) insane thug in two. As such, you are left with no opponents after only three hits. There aren't any mortals left to fight against - excluding the ones that slowly wake up. There's about a dozen of them.

Kadree seems to land on something hard... and a little slippery. Nevertheless, she attacks - but a hooking limb emerges from the mist, hoping to block the powerful hit! You cut through the insectoid arm, cleaving off the armed appendage, and, with an ugly wet sound, run whatever is inside through, impaling across its whole length! The... thing below you starts to shudder, seemingly dying.
Then, a thin green limb, ending in a ludicrously large piece of metal (resembling a head of a sledgehammer) slams from within the mist, trying to smash Kadree's body! The attack is so slow and sluggish, she easily deflects it with no more than a slight move of her blade...

I suppose you backflip out of the creature - just in time, because more limbs emerge from the mist! Each ends with a different weapon-like tip: an axe, sword, a spear, even a... bow? You'd surely be impaled on some of them if not for the quick retreat from the creature's body... which manages to slowly become visible as the cloud dissipates.

"Can't... fight destiny..." A shudder-inducing sigh is heard across the warehouse. You can't catch more than a general size of the creature (slightly smaller than a human being) - when the fog clears to make things more visible, there is nothing left there. Whatever the body looked like, it dissipated into Essence already. Its limbs, sticking out in all directions from the cloud, slowly become transparent and disappear.

As an effect of the last sigh, the thugs who were waking up stopped moving. They seem to be bleeding from ears and mouths... are they dead? Maybe - not discernible without medical examination.

"Phew..." Emerald Star, who was already preparing herself to weave a sorcery, looks relieved. Then, she turns her gaze towards the Dragon-Blooded woman - who was still standing there! She notices that she's being watched.

"So, I see the mercenaries have arrived after all..." She wipes the sweat from her forehead, still looking defensive though. "Would you mind if I asked: what you intend to do now?"

EDIT: Kadree gets +1 willpower for acting according to her Nature. So would Insar, if not for: 1. he has full willpower already, and 2. fighting mortals doesn't actually count as thrusting yourself into danger. Looks hella cool though.

[Jannex]

Nearly biting her tongue on her shout, Mariko watches from the window as the monster collapses into nothing, and the mortal thugs start to bleed from vital orifices. Seeing the immediate danger passed, her breathing slows a little, but her posture remains tense and alert. As her attention turns to the Fire-Aspected woman, Mariko shifts her daiklaive into her left hand, letting one of her throwing daggers drop from its wrist-sheath into her right hand with a flick of her wrist. I wouldn't be able to take her down with a single shot--she might even deflect it entirely, being Exalted--but it would at least distract her, should it come to that. Then, one of the others might be able to get in a clear shot. She watches in silence, hoping she didn't betray her position too obviously. Though her focus remains on the Dragon-Blooded woman, Mariko keeps her senses trained around her, alert for any signs of approach from the rooftops or surrounding alleys.

[Kyeudo]

Insar

To the Dragon-Blood's question, Insar responds. "Probably less than you deserve. What do you want with the girl?" Bringing Legacy up in a defensive stance, blade held verticly and close to his shoulder, Insar is wary of treachery.