04-20-2020, 12:00 AM
April 13th
Telopec Palace, Huaxtumba, Xiomeran Tribal Domain
"We have to go," Tlalmaxxi said, grabbing a bag and handing it to Tonauac. The ten-year-old boy took the bag, his face confused. "Mother, what's going on? Why are we having to leave the palace?"
"I will explain later, Tonauac. But please, just hurry," Tlalmaxxi replied, as the boy hurriedly began stuffing clothes in the bag. "We must leave now, Princess," Opacan, the Shorn One who was the family's bodyguard, said, looking out the window of the bedroom. As Tlalmaxxi reached the window, she saw the reason for Opacan's warning. Five armored personnel carriers had just pulled up to the gates of Telopec, the summer home of the Crown Prince and his family. With a mechanical roar, one of them surged forward, slamming into the gates. As the shriek of bent metal resonated throughout the courtyard, and the sound of gunfire from the Palace defenders rang out, Tlalmaxxi grabbed her own bag. "Tonauac, we have to leave now."
"But I can't find my tablet or my - " the boy said, only to stop talking in fright as an explosion shook the room. "Now, now, now," Opacan shouted, taking the rear as Tlalmaxxi picked up her son and began carrying him. The three of them ran down to the first floor of the Palace, where ten more Shorn Ones were waiting. "We have to go out the back way, and to the tunnels," Opacan yelled. Before they could move, the doors to the grand entryway burst open.
Fourteen Imperial Army soldiers rushed in, led by a sergeant. "Princess Tlalmaxxi. You and your son are detained, on orders of the Provisional Imperial Government," the sergeant shouted.
"Is that so? Well, think again. You are not taking my son," Tlalmaxxi swore. She pushed Tonauac to a pair of Shorn Ones. "Get him out of here," she shouted, as the pair grabbed Tonauac by each arm and began running. Tlalmaxxi looked at Opacan, as the soldiers raised their rifles. With a nod, Opacan made a gesture to the remaining nine Shorn Ones. They quickly darted forward, finding cover behind walls and furniture as the soldiers began opening fire. Tlalmaxxi ducked behind a rather nice example of Second Restoration-era furniture which was, due to the impact of bullets, becoming less nice by the second. With a hand gesture, Opacan told Tlalmaxxi to head one way, while he went the other.
The Shorn Ones began returning fire, while advancing closer to the soldiers with each move. Before the soldiers quite knew what had happened, the Shorn Ones were on them, switching from their rifles to their daggers with lightning speed. As his men fell around him as if stricken by lightning, the sergeant desperately raised his rifle towards Opacan, who had his back turned. A sudden sharp pain radiated from his heart. Tlalmaxxi looked over the sergeant's shoulder, her own dagger firmly implanted in his back. "Like I said - you're not taking my son," she whispered in his ear as he fell.
"Nice to see you didn't let your ASI skills go soft since you became a Princess," Opacan said calmly as Tlalmaxxi retrieved her dagger. "Quickly now. The palace guards will only be able to hold them off for so long."
One of the Shorn Ones had suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder in the attack. He picked up his rifle. "I will remain behind," he said. "Your injury is not that serious," Tlalmaxxi replied.
"It is serious enough to slow you all down, Princess. You cannot take that risk. Let me be your last shield, please."
Tlalmaxxi nodded, gently touching the Shorn One's face before turning to leave. "I am humbled by your bravery. Thank you for helping to save my family."
As the rest of the group bolted for an escape tunnel, Opacan turned to Huacoatli, the Shorn One who was remaining behind. "Your name will be engraved in the Hall of Chuaztlapoc for all to remember you. Be sure you die well."
Huacoatli nodded, taking a place behind a shattered table and preparing to be the rear guard. Tlalmaxxi and Opacan ran for their lives, as the last Shorn One at Telopec prepared for his last stand.
---
Chuaztlapoc, Itotemoc Tribal Domain
"We must prepare to defend this place."
Etlahuatzitl, the highest ranking Shorn One remaining alive, looked at the other Shorn Ones gathered in the great hall. "We are all that is left of the Shorn Ones, and possibly, all that is left of those who support and follow the Empress. We must serve as a place to rally and gather those who would stand in opposition to this criminal junta and their usurpation of power. Their actions are against the gods, and against the people. If we do not keep this place safe, and create from it a refuge for those who will fight the junta, all of Xiomera will fall."
The Shorn Ones gathered in the hall, along with their spouses and their children, listened solemnly to Etlahuatzitl. The Shorn Ones who had escaped from the battle at the Palace of Flowers stood in front, in a place of honor. They bore the wounds and scars of that battle, but showed no sign of being ready to surrender.
"We know they will come for us. Chuaztlapoc must not fall. And it will not. If Xiomera is to be saved, that salvation will begin here. Let the gods shine their will upon us, so that we can cleanse this land of evil."
Outside the great hall, the fortress and camp of Chuaztlapoc prepared to take in those fleeing the takeover of their country.
Telopec Palace, Huaxtumba, Xiomeran Tribal Domain
"We have to go," Tlalmaxxi said, grabbing a bag and handing it to Tonauac. The ten-year-old boy took the bag, his face confused. "Mother, what's going on? Why are we having to leave the palace?"
"I will explain later, Tonauac. But please, just hurry," Tlalmaxxi replied, as the boy hurriedly began stuffing clothes in the bag. "We must leave now, Princess," Opacan, the Shorn One who was the family's bodyguard, said, looking out the window of the bedroom. As Tlalmaxxi reached the window, she saw the reason for Opacan's warning. Five armored personnel carriers had just pulled up to the gates of Telopec, the summer home of the Crown Prince and his family. With a mechanical roar, one of them surged forward, slamming into the gates. As the shriek of bent metal resonated throughout the courtyard, and the sound of gunfire from the Palace defenders rang out, Tlalmaxxi grabbed her own bag. "Tonauac, we have to leave now."
"But I can't find my tablet or my - " the boy said, only to stop talking in fright as an explosion shook the room. "Now, now, now," Opacan shouted, taking the rear as Tlalmaxxi picked up her son and began carrying him. The three of them ran down to the first floor of the Palace, where ten more Shorn Ones were waiting. "We have to go out the back way, and to the tunnels," Opacan yelled. Before they could move, the doors to the grand entryway burst open.
Fourteen Imperial Army soldiers rushed in, led by a sergeant. "Princess Tlalmaxxi. You and your son are detained, on orders of the Provisional Imperial Government," the sergeant shouted.
"Is that so? Well, think again. You are not taking my son," Tlalmaxxi swore. She pushed Tonauac to a pair of Shorn Ones. "Get him out of here," she shouted, as the pair grabbed Tonauac by each arm and began running. Tlalmaxxi looked at Opacan, as the soldiers raised their rifles. With a nod, Opacan made a gesture to the remaining nine Shorn Ones. They quickly darted forward, finding cover behind walls and furniture as the soldiers began opening fire. Tlalmaxxi ducked behind a rather nice example of Second Restoration-era furniture which was, due to the impact of bullets, becoming less nice by the second. With a hand gesture, Opacan told Tlalmaxxi to head one way, while he went the other.
The Shorn Ones began returning fire, while advancing closer to the soldiers with each move. Before the soldiers quite knew what had happened, the Shorn Ones were on them, switching from their rifles to their daggers with lightning speed. As his men fell around him as if stricken by lightning, the sergeant desperately raised his rifle towards Opacan, who had his back turned. A sudden sharp pain radiated from his heart. Tlalmaxxi looked over the sergeant's shoulder, her own dagger firmly implanted in his back. "Like I said - you're not taking my son," she whispered in his ear as he fell.
"Nice to see you didn't let your ASI skills go soft since you became a Princess," Opacan said calmly as Tlalmaxxi retrieved her dagger. "Quickly now. The palace guards will only be able to hold them off for so long."
One of the Shorn Ones had suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder in the attack. He picked up his rifle. "I will remain behind," he said. "Your injury is not that serious," Tlalmaxxi replied.
"It is serious enough to slow you all down, Princess. You cannot take that risk. Let me be your last shield, please."
Tlalmaxxi nodded, gently touching the Shorn One's face before turning to leave. "I am humbled by your bravery. Thank you for helping to save my family."
As the rest of the group bolted for an escape tunnel, Opacan turned to Huacoatli, the Shorn One who was remaining behind. "Your name will be engraved in the Hall of Chuaztlapoc for all to remember you. Be sure you die well."
Huacoatli nodded, taking a place behind a shattered table and preparing to be the rear guard. Tlalmaxxi and Opacan ran for their lives, as the last Shorn One at Telopec prepared for his last stand.
---
Chuaztlapoc, Itotemoc Tribal Domain
"We must prepare to defend this place."
Etlahuatzitl, the highest ranking Shorn One remaining alive, looked at the other Shorn Ones gathered in the great hall. "We are all that is left of the Shorn Ones, and possibly, all that is left of those who support and follow the Empress. We must serve as a place to rally and gather those who would stand in opposition to this criminal junta and their usurpation of power. Their actions are against the gods, and against the people. If we do not keep this place safe, and create from it a refuge for those who will fight the junta, all of Xiomera will fall."
The Shorn Ones gathered in the hall, along with their spouses and their children, listened solemnly to Etlahuatzitl. The Shorn Ones who had escaped from the battle at the Palace of Flowers stood in front, in a place of honor. They bore the wounds and scars of that battle, but showed no sign of being ready to surrender.
"We know they will come for us. Chuaztlapoc must not fall. And it will not. If Xiomera is to be saved, that salvation will begin here. Let the gods shine their will upon us, so that we can cleanse this land of evil."
Outside the great hall, the fortress and camp of Chuaztlapoc prepared to take in those fleeing the takeover of their country.
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