Pick Your Poison

**Date Started:** July 23th, 2021
**Date Completed:** Ongoing
**Previous Role-Play:** N/A
**Users Involved:** User: Starving SKeleton,
**Setting:** Clover Kingdom
**Characters Involved**:
**Green Mantis**: Samson, Izanami, Valerie Silva

## Checkers and Chess

"The village is currently serving as the headquarters of an Anti-Clover military group." Samson said as soared atop his signature broom. He stood atop its shaft, controlling its high speed with slight twitches of his feet as well as carefully flowed magic.

"Really?" A woman, one of his subordinates asked. "Last I checked, I thought Terramore Village was one of the more peaceful towns of the forsaken land."

"I thought so too..." Samson responded. "But Captain Himmler received this mission from the Royals themselves. So there's nothing more we can do...And besides, what better disguise than a small town located on Clover Kingdom's outskirts." But as he spoke, Samson found himself wondering if he was trying to convince her or himself.

Join the Magic Knights wasn't always in his plans. Originally he hoped to just survive in Clover Kingdom doing odd jobs from here and there. Providing for Rebekah and keeping her safe from *him*. That is until he met the woman that'd change his life entirely. A beast in her own rights. A royal nonetheless...but one so powerful and full of might it ignited a fire he hadn't known he possessed.

"Join the Magic Knights!" She'd tell him. They'd spend endless hours sparring, hoping to break their legendary tiebreaker. A relationship formed between the two that spread throughout the Clover Kingdom like wildfire. A member of the legendary Tribe of Solomon and a Vermillion royal. A rivalry as strong as their friendship. In fact, she's the only reason Samson and Rebekah could stay in Clover Kingdom. Although that alone wouldn't have been enough to make him join...

Samson wanted to become strong enough to protect Rebekah and Roseanne as well as the others who he grew to love over the years. The thought of that boy from Kikka brought a smile to his face and quelled his unease. "Whether or not something is up, it's our job to find out and bring it to the light."

"Where's Captain Himmler?" Another subordinate asked.

"He's with the rest of the squad. They went up ahead to serve as a distraction. We're tasked with finding and eliminating the threat."

"I-its the Clover Kingdom's Spirit of Battle!" A man screamed. But his spell-casting was cut short by Samson's muscular arm crashing against his skull. A powerful punch that lacked any magic. Just like all the others, that was. more than enough to quell this area's guards.

*"This is too easy..."* Samson thought to himself. Perhaps that's why he refrained from *actually* fighting...Choosing to knock his opponents unconscious without magic. Samson and his two underlings were before a rundown building.

"This is where the leaders are supposed to be." Samson said to Izanami.

"Senpai, I think we should proceed with caution..." Whispered Izanami keeping a low profile as always, walking ahead of her pair of companions, she dropped her Grimoire from its holder, causing it to float beside her body as it was surrounded by a silver glow, the young Magical Knight said; "Sanson-Sama, I can camouflage us, of course, if you allow."

"Yes ." Samson responded in a hushed whisper. Izanami was one of few who Samson grew close with over the years. Alongside Valerie who he considered second to Roseanne. "If I may ask you Izanami. Between us, doesn't this feel a bit, off?"

"Something really doesn't feel right, so far they have maintained a defensive posture, moreover they haven't shown a third of the aggressiveness that the reports described..." Murmured Izanami as she discreetly nodded her head , maintaining a collected tone with which Sanson addressed her.

As soon as she received her veteran's permission, the pages of Izanami's Grimoire began to pass of their own accord, as if a strong wind was blowing and pushing them along, then suddenly they stopped, and soon after, she recited; "**Permeation Magic: Invisble Bloodlink**"

Covering not only her body, but also her two companions as the spell that had just been cast, making through its magic that the group started to become translucent, acquiring an aspect invisible not only to the eyes, but to any kind of magical detection, thus being able to infiltrate and sneak among enemies without being notice.

Valerie rolled her eyes at Samson’s question. “No, I’m sure all bad guys just instantly run away screaming and get taken out in a single hit.” She said sarcastically. “Obviously this is off, but we won’t know what we’re walking into until we actually experience it.” Valerie had an attitude, but she was right. “With My dream magic, Izanami’s Permeation magic and your body magic, it’s not like we’ll be powerless to stop a trap when it does happen.”

"That's what I've noticed, Izanami." Samson smiled as her magic drenched the three of them. "And that's what I'm afraid of, Valerie. This doesn't feel like a trap at all...But an invasion." He hesitated. Turning to Valerie and Izanami with a troubled look as his eyes were elsewhere. "But you're right. I'm just glad I'm with the two of you."

The two of them. Samson always requested his missions with Izanami and Valerie. The others were so dutiful, they rarely questioned when their captain ordered them to cross lines that should never be crossed. They didn't ask questions. Just proud Magic Knights serving their beloved country. But Valerie and Izanami possessed something within them. Something they shared with the Vice-Captain.

The trio phased through several layers of the cave before them. Sneaking past *guards* and miners alike. The made their way through the tunnels, floating like phantoms in the night until they reached the main chambers. A massive opening lit by shining blue crystals that protruded from all directions. Samson floating down and hid behind a larger crystal. At the center of the chamber were a group of men. Some armed. Others with their grimoire out and ready.

"The Clover Kingdom Magic Knights are here." One said. "They've eliminated all our guards...they're going to kill everyone in the village."

"Those damn bastards! We turn them down and they send their dogs to do the dirty work." The eldest cursed.

"Horder, we can't fight anymore. We have to let them-"

"No!" The old man screamed. "This mine is sacred. It belongs to our ancestors...Those cowards are going to desecrate our ancestral burial grounds just for jewelry? Wouldn't we rather die than face our ancestors after running with our tails between our legs?"

"Y-you're right...We have to fight."

"*Our suspicions were right, the citizens would have no reason to lie, not with such genuine desperation expressed on their faces , they are really taking advantage of the character of our operations to kill innocents and plunder neighboring countries...*" Izanami thought sadly to herself, for already suspecting that something was wrong the girl was not caught completely off guard , on the contrary the feeling that overwhelmed her was the disappointment that overflowed in the girl's eyes even without her saying anything.

"*Helmer-Sama surely knows this, after all he is personally leading the operation,... I can't believe that he is using our commitment to protect the kingdom at all costs, that he is killing innocent people like the bastards who took my parents from me, why just the man I trusted on to bring such bastards to justice is acting like them ? ...*"Izanami mulled over the disappointment that engulfed her, keeping to herself as reserved as ever, although her static posture, her saddened expression and her tear-stained eyes denounced her sadness, although only those who shared her imperceptible state could see her normally.