The Newcago Court

[Brightness Random she/her]

Brightness had been sitting down to relax with a mug of soda and a novel when the assassins struck. She had been quite absorbed in The Way of Kings when Winter's cry of "Assassins!" had rung through the court. Within moments, the ball went from a party to a full out brawl that several civilians were smack in the middle of.

 

One of the men in black crashed into the table Brightness was sitting at, knocking over her root beer. "Colors!" she swore, scooping up her precious book and tucking it away in her cloak. "Why is it," she asked herself in exasperation, ducking through the crowd towards the perimeter of the room, "that every single time I try to relax there's an attack on the palace?!"

 

From her place near the wall, the duchess could now see a bit more of the battle without being trampled. "Now for the real question," she mused, fingering her novel, "do I make sure all the non-combatants get out to the Newcago streets safely or stay and summon my shardblade?"

[Redbird he/him]

Now this seems more like a proper party!

[Queen Elsa Steelheart she/her]

The Queen gasped as the first bolt almost hit her in the head, but Winter had saved her. Queen Elsa made a mental note to reward the wolf later for her bravery.

She summoned her shard blade and stood on a massive block of ice that she had made come out of the ground.

 

"ALRIGHT! I SAID ENOUGH!" 

The entire room silenced with the Queen's yell. She turned round and froze the assassins in a block of ice. They looked more like popsicles than assassins now. Queen Elsa walked towards them, face almost red with anger, Her ice shoes sound echoing across the silent room.

 

"It's one thing to disturb a royal ball, but its a whole different thing to disturb a Queen's birthday and attempt to assassinate her! What in the name of Newcago Icicles do you have to say for yourself? How dare you!"

[ostrichofevil he/him]

Maleril Tekil materialized in the ballroom, holding several small Spikes.  He had heard the news, and he was eager to be of service to the Dark Alley; he had neglected his allegiance for too long.

 

"Queen Steelheart!  The Dark Alley is offering its help!  Would you like these assassins Identified?" he offered, eagerly holding up his Aluminum Spikes.  "I can perform my foolproof Identity test; there is only a 3% chance that the assassins will lose their Identities due to Hemalurgic decay…"

[Queen Elsa Steelheart she/her]

The Queen turned around. "That would be an excellent help, thank you. I was just thinking on how I was going to identify them. Do what you must. What is your name?"

[ostrichofevil he/him]

"Maleril Ostrin Chalev Tekil, milady," Maleril answered.  "Let's start with this one," he decided, walking over to a particularly angry looking assassin.  "Don't worry; this won't hurt a bit!"

 

He jabbed one of the Aluminum spikes deep into the assassin's thigh, ignoring the cries of pain.
 

"Now for step two of my Identification process… Someone!  Get me a walrus!"

 

A nearby attendant quickly obliged, bringing a rather grumpy specimen.  It looked up in distaste at the strange metal tusk moving towards its head.  It had had a bad day; first it hadn't been able to find any food, then some ugly humans had kidnapped it.  It didn't even want to think about this new trouble--

 

The walrus's pondering was interrupted by the Spike entering it's eye.  "Never mind where that walrus came from, it is now time for step three of my patented Identification process," Maleril announced.  He then turned to address the walrus: "What is your name, and what is your purpose here?" he asked, startling everyone around him; they must have thought he was mad.

 

The answer came out slowly:  "I am Mitch the walrus, and I am here to--"  The spike suddenly glowed brightly, than stopped.  The walrus paused before continuing: "My name is Aryund.  I don't know why I am answering this, but it might have to do with the shock of being in a walrus's body.  We were sent by the Parshendi to kill Queen Elsa Steelheart in revenge for the lost war."

[Redbird he/him]

Hey! That's a waste of a perfectly good walrus!

Also what did Elsa ever do to the parshendi?

Edited March 24, 2015 by Redbird

[ostrichofevil he/him]

Hey! That's a waste of a perfectly good walrus!

Also what did Elsa ever do to the parshendi?

There was recently a war against the Parshendi; i think…

[18th Shard he/him]

Xanas stepped out into the ballroom in a burst of light, Aon Tia fading away. "Queen Elsa, there appears to be some unidentified... ah, you found them!" He looked at Winter viciously growling at one of the assassins, Maleril interrogating a walrus. He sighed. Again... I thought we found that narwhals were better for that! Xanas stepped toward one of the assassins, flaring Allomantic brass and Feruchemical duralumin. "Some people don't know how to interrogate assassins." He turned toward the suddenly complacent assassin and said with a friendly voice, "So where you from, pal?" The assassin smirked. "Scadrial, duh. Where do you think we learned to use aluminum?" "Oh, I don't know. I mean, you should know that that wouldn't bother Queen Elsa, and most her court are Epics." "I know that. We didn't want the wolf getting any ideas." "So how exactly were you planning on killing Elsa?" "Poison, obviously. It's in the punch." Xanas dropped the assassin on the floor, carefully sticking him there with a Full Lashing,  and walked over to the punch. He picked up a cup and gulped down the drink. "Yep, poisoned. Aluminum phosphide, so undetectable. Tastes awful though, so they added... is that Tears of Edgli? These guys are well funded." Xanas sat down next to the assasin and pulled out a piece of soulstone. "Now for some advanced testing," he said, tapping speed and chizeling away at the rock.

Edited March 24, 2015 by 18th Shard

[Redbird he/him]

I just realized I have not made some sort of entrance or introduction, should I?

Edited March 25, 2015 by Redbird

[Voidus]

Voidus let the rest of the Dark Alley try their own interrogation methods, he'd had his chance last time Newcago had been attacked so he owed them some subjects for their own research. Plus he wanted some more taco's.

He sat down in a corner and began pulling tacos out of a nearby shadow again.

[Redbird he/him]

Redbird began conspicuously preparing a zinc spike, a lack of mental stability might make them more forthcoming with what they know. That and being spiked, albeit non-lethally.

[ostrichofevil he/him]

Maleril suddenly understood.  The assassins' Aluminum weapons were not just for protection against Allomancers; they were Hemalurgic spikes, just like the ones that he had used on the walrus!

 

"Winter!" he yelled, "the Parshendi are trying to steel Queen Elsa's Identity!  She will needed to be guarded at all ti--

 

The Aluminum blowdart took him in the arm, the powerful sedatives knocking him out in a matter of seconds.  He last conscious sight was that of the once-hidden Parshendi assassin making his escape.

[Redbird he/him]

Redbird quickly tapped zinc, steel, and pewter, throwing a handful of aluminum and obsidian blades, slashing and disabling the legs of the fleeing parshendi. He then rushed over to Maleril," He seems to be okay, although he may be out for a while."

" We need to clear the area, check for any other assassins." He said as he began searching the ballroom.

[ostrichofevil he/him]

Lady Eris EsNaan rushed into the room.  She surveyed the scene, before looking down to see Maleril on the floor.  However, she had heard Redbird's announcement, so she ignored him and joined the search.  Compounding Chromium, she looked in several seemingly random places; hopefully, her luck would help her to find any hidden enemies.

 

While she didn't find any assassins, Eris did find a single bead of Lerasium.  She quickly fed it to the grumpy walrus in the corner.

[18th Shard he/him]

Xanas looked up and smirked as more assassins fled. He held up the soulstamp and pressed it onto the dazed assassin next to him, glancing at a stopwatch. "Not corrupted by Ruin completely, I see. Tainted though." He held up a hand absentmindedly and doodled a circle than completed Aon Daa. The assassin who was sneaking up behind the ice columns was immolated instantly. Really? he thought, not hiding in Shadesmar. Come on, make this a challenge. He walked over to Voidus and handed him two spikes. "Warform and a birthday in Tanatanev." Xanas grabbed a taco and walked away, looking for another assassin while eating the taco. These are really good. We need to have these more often. He nodded to Elsa and walked into the doorway.

[Queen Elsa Steelheart she/her]

"Well, that seems to have worked." Winter shrugged. "I'll interrogate this one for further details." Winter slammed a fist with Compounded pewter into the ice. The ice splintered apart, shards landing on the ground. The assassin tried to run, rather fast in fact. Winter was on him in a moment, grabbing him by his shirt collar. He kicked out but Winter's steel sped her up fast enough to dodge it.

"Now, you." Winter hit him in the arm, shattering it instantly. "What do you know? I want to know everything."

"Nothing." He replied too quick, obviously trained to withstand interrogation.

"You want to tell me. It'll be in your best interests if you do." The wolf was growling inside of Winter. She wanted to show the assassin what place he was in for attacking the alpha. Alpha? Winter wondered. Who? Who did he attack? Winter turned to look at the Queen. Oh, right. Her.

"I won't tell you nothing." The assassin spit in Winter's face. Winter's teeth were out and she bit his arm.

"Queen? Should I take him somewhere else?" She asked the Queen. "To be more thorough. I wouldn't want to stain the floor."

Elsa looked at Winter. "You may take him wherever you like, preferby even the dungeon. She glared at the assassin." She turned to the rest of the people, that were not taking care of the assassins. "Thank you for remaining calm, the party will continue as normal. The situation is being taken care of." She then turned to the people taking care of the assassins. "If you need a spot to take care of them properly, you can use the castle dungeons. Thank you."

[ostrichofevil he/him]

"You're welcome," replied Lady Eris, waking Maleril.  They took charge of the nearest 5 assassins, leading them down to the dungeon.

[Queen Elsa Steelheart she/her]

Queen Elsa smiled and nodded to the band who began to play a beautiful waltz. She returned to her spot where she had been standing before and began to talk to more people again. 

[Queen Elsa Steelheart she/her]

A giant 6 layer chocolate cake began to be wheeled out of the kitchen. The Queen's birthday had finally arrived.

[ostrichofevil he/him]

"Queen Elsa, you should check for poison first; who knows what the Parshendi have planned next?"

[Queen Elsa Steelheart she/her]

"Thank you for the warning. I didn't even think to check." The servants put the cake back and started to create another one.

[ostrichofevil he/him]

Maleril snuck down to the kitchen to eat a large slice of the delicious, albeit poisoned, cake.  He barely managed to stay conscious; he obviously hadn't used a large enough spike before burning the pewter.

 

EDIT - Accidentally said "spike" instead of "slice" 

Edited March 31, 2015 by ostrichofevil

[Queen Elsa Steelheart she/her]

Even above all the beautiful music, Queen Elsa began to hear moans from the kitchen. She excused herself and went down there to check it out.  The moans become louder and louder.

[Queen Elsa Steelheart she/her]

Winter and Queen Elsa slowly opened the grand doors of the castle kitchen. She gasped as she saw the poisoned cake with a enormous bite taken out of it, and Maneril lying on the floor moaning. They had finally found the source of the noise.

Queen Elsa walked up to him. "Maneril? Are you alright?"