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Everything receded from Ana's mind the moment she crouched in front of the puddle of human related goo. Everything except the problem that lay in front of her, the issue of who these people were, why they had done this. She felt bad for the girl they had apparently taken, sure. But Ana had been a captive for most of her life. She would have rather died then gone back. But that was a matter to discuss with Brianne, who was already more then upset over it. Instead she pulled out her tablet, having replaced the cracked one, and held it over the puddle singed into the floor. As the screen identified and separated the compounds involved, she used her finger to push them to the other side of the tablet in order to keep the main image free as her eyes focused on it.

Nothing out of the ordinary had appeared, on this particular soldier, anyway. There were some drugs in his system, a little bit of alcohol, but given his profession it wasn't that strange. What had been strange was his lack of fighting skills. Had he really underestimated her so much that she had been able to take her out so easily? A frown slipped onto her face as she considered, getting to her feet and swiping across the tablet one last time to make sure she hadn't missed anything. A voice, speaking her name, caught the barest of her attention, and she turned to face Irrin, the frown still on her face. "Nothing out of the ordinary." She replied, her eyes distant as she still considered her own thoughts before carefully putting them aside as well for later consideration. "Perhaps one of us should talk to the medic, the one that had the encounter. She might have some cells from her attacker still on her we could submit to the lab as a sample?"

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Clarity glanced at Crow, a singular eyebrow raising as she looked at the man who had approached her. Did he not see she was busy? Whether or not it was actually true was irrelevant, honestly. She didn't want to be bothered by introductions or concerns when her mind was full of nightmarish thoughts and her hands were covered in blood as she scrubbed yet another surgical table clean. "I know who you are. I would be a terrible commander if I didn't have an idea of who was working under me. At least then when you stab me in the back or mutiny I know who to come find." She looked from him back down to the table, focusing on a particularly stubborn corner. "If you've finished sorting through the patients' medical records, you can start doing the rounds. Make sure they are sleeping, or at least comfortable, and no one is bleeding out."

Clarity turned back to her table squeezing the stained water into the basin before scrubbing once more. She didn't think Crow would argue with her orders, and figured he would leave to do as she said, leaving her back to her thoughts.

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Brianne turned slightly when she heard her title uttered. The speaker was someone she hadn't yet personally worked with, but recognized from the ship's manifest. "I would expect me to be everywhere, if I were you, Miss Roe. That way you will always do your best work and never be unpleasantly surprised." Brianne considered the other female for a moment before turning away. "Do you have a current task at the moment? If not I would ask that you join me. We will be repairing the damage done by the pirates while the Captain plots our next course. Unless you are looking for her. Then I suggest you walk to the bridge, I believe she was headed there."

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Veera slanted her gaze to Kruez, and then away. "Well then, I think we should wait until Solomon is a little more distracted, don't you?" She murmured, her eyes on the flickering lights as they swayed to and fro in the darkness. Vaguely, she wondered what time it was. What was going on elsewhere in the world, as it carried on without knowing of her and Kruez stuck inside this box. It was something to pass the time, anyway. "We don't want him to come back in the middle of all this, now do we?" she asked, somewhat to herself as a rhetorical question while she waited.

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Treasa caught the reins with a scowl, patting the horse on the nose a little nervously. "Not all of us were given sixty years to perfect our riding skills." She muttered, getting on the horse as slowly as possible before following Derrick out cautiously. "No family besides Uncle Alastar. Nothing left there. Might as well have been a witcher." She commented with a little smirk, looking at the road. It would be a long ride ahead of them.

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Alyse swallowed her drink quickly, trying to let the bitterness and rage she felt go down with the alcohol. Some days it worked better then others, but today was not one of those. Glancing at the mage at her side, and then the witcher behind them, she sighed and shook her head. Her instincts had never been wrong before, but this was an odd combination she felt. She wished Ana would have been there, that she could have asked and they could have researched and discovered what it was her body instinctually knew, but her mind couldn't comprehend.

"The human body is a such a strange thing, isn't it?" She commented, staring at the opposite wall as she sipped.

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Luce had only been wishing for the movement to stop, to be back in control of herself. But the moment that Cin touched her, she immediately reversed her opinion. It felt as though thousands of needles had been shoved under her skin, burning and stabbing in a way that she couldn't ignore. Trying to squirm free of Cinead's grasp, she hissed in pain, unable to make any other sentient noise or words despite the enormous weight that felt to have fallen onto her because of the torment. Slowly, her feet continued in the direction they had meant to go, the magic far stronger then she or Cin could combat with mere words or strength of will. She dragged the fairy with her, one step at a time, her arm feeling as though it was about to snap in half. Even if it were to happen, it would be far less painful then what she was enduring now, with him trying to hold her back.

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Yuri's eyes slid over the group with distaste evident on his face. "So this is the group the Nephilim sent to secure my assistance?" He asked, his voice quiet. Upon the sound of it echoing over the walls and chambers, the shadows on either side stood still, listening to their ruler. "All of them murderers. Perhaps that is the best sense of irony I've seen in all my years. After all, the truth always has a way of coming to the surface." His eyes glinted, the accented words sliding over the stone with ease to reach all ears. Leaning back in his chair, hands grasping the rests on either side, he directed his gaze at them now, analyzing them in the same way Gaia had, but with a cold authority and intense dislike. "Let us perhaps ignore that you did not wait for me to beckon you to me. As well as the lack of manners your companion has." His eyes rested on Roxanne for a moment. "After all, it can hardly be expected of Nephilim to have any sort of respect for someone not of their own." He turned his gaze back to Corvo.

"But I cannot ignore that you beg me for assistance when you murdered your own leader in cold blood. Were you advised to do so? By these two?" The twist in his mouth turned deeper, transforming into a scowl. "A good ruler knows to take his advisers' words into thought, but to also know what is good advice and what is bad. If you can so rapidly turn on one of your own, a benefactor who had served your kind well for many years, I can only imagine what you would do to one such as I, once I stopped serving a purpose." Leaning forward now, Yuri rose to his feet, black hair framing his face. "And once my people's blood is done being spilled for your cause. But please, tell me why I should help you. I look forward to your reasoning, murderer."

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Hestia watched the demon with mild interest, twisting her lips as she tangled a lock of hair around her finger. "The longer I live, the more demons remind me of spoiled children. They lose their rationality the instant they don't get what they want. No wonder Father never wants anything to do with any of them. I know I'm certainly thankful I can't reproduce." She caught the ifrit smiling in response, and turned to the door, her feet padding through. "I miss the days when were was respect for the rules. Thank you for the use of your phone." She turned and walked back up to the elevator, flicking her wrist to add an extra barrier to the door. "That should hold him for now. I trust most of the occupants are being evacuated?" The ifrit nodded silently when she turned, and she smiled. "Good. I'll only be a few minutes. And then if Gord can pass this test...well I believe I'll let myself have a little fun, won't I?" Turning, she pressed the button to the elevator, taking it all the way back up to her home. The cat twined around her shoulders, purring even as the hackles along its back raised.

Entering the apartment, she snapped her fingers, recalling the fire from the doors to herself. "Good morning, gentlemen. We have an unexpected guest at our door, and he is not entirely welcome. Given the situation, I am going to seal all of you in here. Should you need to leave, you are free to disturb them. I wouldn't recommend doing so otherwise. They are both alive and breathing, and should be left alone unless absolutely necessary." Hestia wouldn't warn them again. It wasn't up to her to be their babysitter.

"Now then." She turned, and stalked off to her room to get properly dressed, and to re-connect with her family. Private business was best done in private, after all.

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Gaia watched the group separate, taking note of Morrigan's plight as the grass whispered and spoke beneath her feet. It was not up to her to help the fairy, whatever their connection. Though she was disappointed in Nick, and with a sigh, erased his name from the mental list she had created in her mind. It seemed her favorites would now be one short. Hopefully the two she had left would prove up to the task, where their former teammate had already failed. "The folly of youth." She whispered, kneeling down to touch the worrying plants with her fingers. Morrigan was not meant to die, here or now. She would survive. And because Gaia wasn't interfering, didn't mean she couldn't send help. They were family, after all.

Plucking a flower from its resting place, Gaia gently blew onto the sweet smelling plant, the stem and petals turning into butterflies that flew towards the distressed fairy. The rest would be up to her.

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Morrigan paused as Paragon appeared, and then she turned to Nick and laughed. "You're such a joke." She hissed, her hands tightening into fists. "Pretending to care about all of us. Saying you're all making the world a better place. I hope you live to watch it burn. I hope you lose everything. But most of all." She leaned in closer to him, her hair whispering against her cheek. "I hope your friends stab you in the gut. So you know it was them that hated you the most." She turned back to Paragon with a sweet smile, brushing her hair out of her face. "Ironic that I wanted to meet you, to see if we could help each other. Now, however...." She glanced down as a butterfly lit on her hand, and held it up to her face.

The small insect's wings fluttered slowly as she whispered to it, before letting it fly back into the air to join its flock. "Now, I find myself quite disgusted by both of you." Whatever residual magic she had from Gaia's forest sank into the ground, the grass growing tall around her, wrapping around her legs and feet, tethering her to the ground. "I don't believe I'll be going anywhere." Even as it exhausted her, she put whatever she could into strengthening the plants.

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Luce ignored Cin, ignored all else but the slow march forward. She couldn't have said where she was going, why she was going there but for the strange pull that she felt, the magic that locked who she was inside and allowed only the onward walk. She had never been to New York, never left Alicante that she could recall, and besides her inspired walk to Corvo's apartment in order to join forces with him, she hadn't seen much else of the city. She turned onto an older street, what appeared to have been part of the old New York, with cobblestone streets barely preserved and vines growing on the brick buildings. Onwards she walked, the fear she felt causing her to scream internally, but her lips pressed together and unable to make a sound.

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Hestia folded her arms across her chest, watching the demon, his companion, and the two vampires. His words were like oil, sliding over her skin and leaving a greasy stain. She could have dealt with it, could have just let the words wash away and turned him down, then walked back in her apartment and taken the hottest shower she could stand. She could have interrupted him, and simply walked back inside. But then the demon put his damn influence into her mind. Or tried. Really, did he think he was the first to have done so?

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For one wild moment, Hestia thought about holding Gord down, and calling her father right then and there. The two had become much closer since her gravitation to a position of power, making even a Greater Demon happy to call her his blood. She had learned about her mother through him, about their brief, but seemingly happy relationship, her mother's life and death, and some of the memories missing from her own mind. He had learned about her, and come to see her as his true born child. It was an odd relationship, but a working one. And he would not be pleased to know lesser scum had touched his only daughter. But she decided against it. Instead, she chose to deal with it herself, as Gord prodded particularly hard at the barriers of her mind. The cat next to her hissed and arched its back as she stepped forward, her eyes glowing. "I'd say how dare you, but you're a demon. Not known for being particularly smart." Slamming her hands together, the air around them exploded into fire, a cyclone of heat and flame swirling around them. The vampires were incinerated within seconds, never standing a chance. Yuri wouldn't mind.

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The cyclone split into two, one wrapping around Slavko, the other around Gord. "Normally, I would bring you before my father. Give you a fair trial in your world. But you caught me at a bad time." Squeezing her first, she let the pressure eat away at them before turning around. "Enjoy." The door unlocked, and she and the cat strolled inside, shutting it with a finality behind her. Sighing, she pressed her forehead to the cool wall, taking a deep breath to calm the fire that still raged inside of her. She couldn't bring that back into her house. She couldn't afford to redecorate twice in one year. Walking to the phone that the ifrit kept in his office, she dialed a number, and spoke quietly into the receiver. "I have a request."

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Titania strolled through the streets, unseen by mundanes, followed by her small army. She smiled to herself as she made her way to the one place she had never dared. But today was a day for new things, for adventures and bravery and foolhardiness. If she wasn't going to survive, then she might as well do as much damage as she could. And if she did survive, well..no one would soon forget. Coming to a stop in front of the Institute, Titania's smile grew into a wide grin as she looked up at the old spires, the centuries of architecture that had withstood the weathering of time. All it took was a little storm to put things into a new perspective.

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Raising her arms, she let the vines underneath the ground heed her call and grow. Even the smallest of plants could make the difference, and they were everywhere. Truly, her mother had wasted her abilities with trying to help people. This was true power. The earth began to rumble under the feet of the Seelie Knights, who didn't move a muscle. They were trained to withstand such things. Nothing seemed to happen until one of the stones in the pillar cracked, the smallest line in the hardest of material. And then the vines emerged like a green explosion of vindictive aggression from the earth, shattering windows, breaking rock and stone, and groaning under their own weight. As she brought the Institute down, Titania's laughter could be heard amidst the crashing and rumbling as she destroyed the Nephilim's sanctuary, killing any that remained inside. Once the dust had settled, she turned to the Seelie Knights. "Burn it." She told them, before turning away and following the thin tendril of magic that bound her to Luce. She had told Glynda to follow the angel girl, but she didn't trust the woman to recapture her. She would watch, and only intercede if necessary.

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Gaia watched Shadi, listened to his response, and then nodded once. "As you please." She turned to Masque, her green eyes glinting slightly before turning away. "Though I would ask you remain with him, wherever he goes. I shall wait here, until Titania has worn herself out, and the dust has settled. I do not want unnecessary bloodshed on either side, not when some of them might see reason. After all, fear is her way. Not mine." She placed her fingers against the trunk of the willow, glancing to Nick and Morrigan. "We must all abide by our choices, after all." She murmured, before turning to Shadi. "I know how to find you, should I need you."

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Alarick ignored Sien, not because of any ill will against the warlock, but because it was simply a rude question. He hadn't asked about any of theirs, nor why they had wanted them, but they had the audacity to ask him about his? Simply because he hadn't been ashamed to speak his wish out loud? Hearing Ash voice the same question, Alarick paused and turned to him, dark eyes cold. They wandered back for a moment to where Morrigan and Nick were speaking, and narrowed, before turning back to Ash. "Why would I answer you, when you didn't even have the courage or the conviction to speak your question out loud? Do not mistake our shared journey for camaraderie. After this event is over I will be taking my sister and we will be removing ourselves from this situation. You and your associates have already destroyed her life enough." And I want nothing more to do with this. Turning away, Alarick continued his walk into the city pausing as Masque walked up to him. "You are not free. You will choose to remain with the fairy who has claimed your life right, or you will remain with me. But choose quickly, and then be done with it. If you decide to run, I will use all the authority I have left bestowed by my own people and the Angel Raziel to execute you where you stand."

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Alarick turned then, and walked away, ignoring all else. He had nothing to say to them.

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Morrigan felt anger then. How could he be so casual about this? Was it the Nephilim in him? He thought it was okay to know secrets, to find things out, because he was better then them? She reached out, her nails digging into his arm as she dragged him away. "How. Do. You. Know." She hissed, struggling to contain herself. She had kept quiet this entire time, done as she was asked and told and needed and now she wanted answers, and he was acting like nothing was wrong. After this, after finishing Titania and restoring balance, she would take Ash up on his offer, and leave. Go back to her homeland, where it was peaceful and she could hear the ocean. She wanted nothing more to do with these smug Nephilim and their self righteous ways.

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The vampire looked from one to the other, one fang curving out from under her lip in a menacing sort of smile. "Oh yes, you all want, want, want. Like little children, clinging to their mother's skirts, crying for more toys, more food. Never grateful." Sighing, shrugging her shoulders, she turned. "I'll enjoy watching His Majesty tear you to pieces." And with that, she walked deeper into the hotel, towards an elevator. Pressing her fingers to the buttons, she typed in the code faster then the eye could travel. Even if the Nephilim were foolish enough to try and break in, they wouldn't get far. "I've heard Angel blood is delicious enough to die for. Perhaps I'll be lucky enough to get a taste." She purred, glancing back at the group before stepping into the elevator.

"It's not too late, if you'd like to spare yourselves you could stay." She told them with another shrug, waiting for any who wanted to step into the old fashioned elevator before closing the gate and lowering the lift downwards. Once they reached the bottom, she paused before a single, black door, another smile fluttering across her face. "Welcome to His Majesty's court." She pushed open the door, and gestured for them to walk inside before slipping away into the darkness.

Inside was a large courtroom, filled with hissing whispers and glowing red eyes that watched any movement. Shadows could be seen, moving to and fro in a pacing manner, though none moved far enough to touch the blood red carpet that led the way to the throne, where Yuri, King of the Vampires, rested. His hand was nonchalantly placed under his chin, elbow leaning on the chair, as he watched the guests enter with sharp eyes.

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Ana felt Vyle's grip on her arm tighten as Solomon appeared, but she reacted very little except to hold his hand tightly in hers; that way if he did decide to fly at the mage, she'd be dragged along with. It would be a little more difficult to keep from setting her lover on fire, but she had enough faith in her talents that she could accomplish that task. As Solomon spoke, Ana listened without saying a word, her eyes narrowing as he mentioned them, though she didn't turn to Vyle at any point for reassurance. She had to be strong on her own, just as he did. That way they would be stronger together.

"What witchers do we know?" She murmured quietly, hoping Vyle's enhanced senses would hear her voice. Her mind immediately went to Derrick, whom they hadn't seen since after the portal disaster. But a mage...The only two she cared about, she knew were not in his clutches. Who could it be?

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Veera watched Kruez with narrowed eyes, her mind racing through the possibilities as she watched him summon his magic. While it would have its uses, she wasn't sure it would be helpful in this current situation. They could possibly hurt Solomon, yes, but that wouldn't get them out of the cage, and she had better plans then to be eaten alive by zombies as their master bled out on the floor. No, Solomon deserved something much more personal, given what he had done. And she planned to make that happen, whether by her own hand, Kruez's or someone else. Her yellow eyes turned away from the mage to examine the space around them, the room in which they were kept.

"Any chance you can use your magic to get the lock off the door?" She asked the mage, pursing her lips as she peered through the darkness, looking for guards, alive or otherwise.

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Zack leaned his head against the walls of his captivity, listening to the sound of the wheels underneath as they creaked along the road, the noises of the animals that were puling the closed in cage; probably horses or ox. He had no idea where they were taking him, or why, and he had been given no clues as to how he had even been captured. They must have come up from behind me. Or else used magic to make me forget their faces. Zack had always thought it ironic that dopplers were the ones who were feared, but mages carried far more power in their little pinky then dopplers did in their entire body. It was one thing to shift form, but another to create earth quakes and fire storms at a single whim.

Ultimately, his thoughts turned to Tessa. What was she doing? Who was she with? Was she safe? Was she starving? He should put her out of his mind, it was unlikely they would see one another ever again, but a life time spent looking after her was a habit that he couldn't simply get rid of, it seemed.

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Tessa halted as they arrived, her lips pressing together in a thin line as she spotted Matilda in Sigmund's doorway. The mage let her in, either ignoring them or not seeing them. She wouldn't be surprised if it was the former, since none of them had time to announce their presence before he scurried off again. However, she was less then thrilled that Matilda had shown up. The fury she had felt earlier at the girl began to rise again, and she lowered her eyes to the ground, trying to calm herself before glancing back at the two of them.

"I guess I'll do it." She said with an exasperated sigh, seeing neither man move. They always act so independent, until something actually needs to be done that doesn't involve fighting and sex. Stepping towards the door, she rapped on it with her fist, her cheeks flushed from both the effort of not snapping at her companions, and the cold.

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Alyse walked through the town, uncaring if anyone followed. Her breath puffed out in small clouds as she made her way to the tavern, only to pause when footsteps sounded behind her. Turning, she noticed Sweallow, and her facial features relaxed, slightly. "Maybe you're a little more intelligent then I first admitted." She said, as close to an apology as she would get with a stranger. She turned, her blonde hair flying over her shoulder slightly as she opened the door to the tavern and strode in. Almost immediately, she tensed, the hair along her arms and the back of her neck rising. Something was off, someone was off. Turning her eyes scanned the room, but there were too many people to immediately be able to tell exactly who it was. But it was someone here.

"Sweallow, I want you to stay close to me." She didn't turn to look at him, but instead walked to the bar, and sat down as the man gave her the usual drink. "You can put whatever he wants on my tab." She told the man, shoving down the growl that rose up in her throat as the off feeling continued to grow.

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Ana didn't say a word as she watched Vyle work through whatever his thoughts were. He was right; if he wanted to stop her, she couldn't do a damn thing about it. But she would remember, and it would be a long time before she would be able to forgive him for taking her freedom away. In that regard, he would be almost as bad as Milosh. Without the torturing bit, of course. Struggling to hold still when his gaze suddenly swung upon her, she squashed the desire to quail before him and instead imagined her spine made out of the hardest steel, keeping her back straight and tall as she stared back. And then incredibly, he caved.

Teliana blinked, a little uncertain as to what had happened as her brain struggled to process that she had actually won. And when she did, the smallest of smiles slipped onto her face before evaporating. Still solemn, she reached out gently and took Vyle's fingers in hers, gently entwining them for a moment before letting go. "Together." She promised, turning to look up at the ramparts of the ruined castle. It was then she saw a figure, staring down at them. Ana had only seen him once more, but there was no mistaking the awkward shape of his hat, or the sinister aura she could feel even from this distance. "Solomon." She whispered, to get Vyle's attention, but to also remind herself why they were here. It was time to end this, for all the people who had suffered because of him.

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Veera stared at Solomon, unwilling to rise to his taunts. She remained quiet until he turned and left, a small sigh leaving her lips at his departure. She ran her fingers through her hair, and then looked at Kruez. "Well you've remained silent this entire time. What are you thinking?" She asked, her eyes flicking to the doorway the mage had disappeared through before returning to the captive one at her side. "Come up with a way to get us out of here yet? Or simply wondering what we're having for dinner? If we even live that long." Letting one hand rest against the bars of the cage, she studied them, studied Solomon's words, and plotted. Death has not stopped him before...

"What kind of spells do you know? What magic do you work with?" She asked suddenly, lifting her hands from the bars to rub the aching wound on her shoulder as she turned to look at Kruez once more. "Perhaps we need not wait for rescue, if it ever comes. As much as I would like to count on the assistance of my fellow witcher, I cannot." Nor will I ever be able to again.

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Treasa started to follow Derrick, then grinned. "Funnily enough, I was about to call you "Your Highness". Kind of hard to tell the difference in that fancy armor of yours." She shouldered her way past a particularly rude bystander, making a face at them behind their back before carrying on without another glance. She didn't want to start a fight, after all. Not too badly. "And there isn't much to tell about Skellige. A collection of rocks and snow. But it's home. I hope to go back one day." Although she didn't know what she would do when she eventually, if ever, did return. Become a thane and serve the king, perhaps, or learn to eck out a living in the countryside as a farmer or a mercenary. There was always marriage, and a life as a housewife, but Treasa had never thought that would be the life for her.

She stood back while Derrick went up to the horses, still not entirely comfortable with the animals yet. If she had managed to ride them while injured and barely able to stay conscious, then she could do it when she was almost completely herself, right?

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Tessa watched Seth, then Adolin, a small frown on her lips as she walked with them. Seth didn't seem as sure as she was of Sigmund's help, and she wondered if she was being too trusting. The habit had gotten her into a lot of trouble before....but then was she being too trusting of Seth? After everything he had done for her, after everything they had been through, he wouldn't turn on her too, would he? But Bryce had. Bryce had known you for years and he still stabbed you in the back as thought you were nothing. She swallowed back tears at the memory, brushing her hand against the backs of her eyes before continuing on.

"He'll help us. He has no reason not to. If he doesn't, we'll tell everyone that he's helping the Nilfgaardians. Then he won't have a home either." Tessa was surprised by how coldly the words left her mouth, but she meant them. People never gave anything for free, and if she had to take her safety, then she would do it. She was tired of being pushed around by this world.

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Alyse leaned back, a small smirk on her lips at Terra's words. "You don't like the way I've treated you. You think it's unfair, right? Well guess what?" Alyse leaned forward, her eyes sparking dangerously. "Life isn't fair. Go, if you want. I won't stop you. I didn't spend all of my magic and half a day of my life trying to keep you from bleeding out. I have no reason to keep you alive." She took another sip of tea, letting the cup warm her cold hands. "In fact, if you do go, I could win money with your friend, wondering how long it'll take that berserker to track you down, finish what he started. I'd be interested to see how long you would last with an injury like that, and your magic as it is. But you go ahead. Do what you feel your pride tells you to."

Looking over at Sweallow, Alyse let a frown furrow the space between her brows. "You however, are not allowed to leave until I say so. The price of my keeping you alive." Running her fingers through her blonde hair, untangling the strands with her hand, she sighed. "This is why I don't deal with people. You all make such terrible decisions. I'm going to go get something stronger to drink. You can either come with, or stay. And gods help you if I return to find you gone." With that, she grabbed her winter coat and headed out the door for the tavern.

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Luce heard Cin ask a question, watched him move, but she felt too distant to respond, to do anything. Her body didn't feel as though it as hers to control. Perhaps it wasn't. While she and Cinead had made their way out of the Seelie Court, it had been all she could to not cringe away from him, to not break whatever enchantments he had put over them. Perhaps it was the angel genetics, or whatever they were inside of her, rebelling against the demon in him. But then wouldn't she be drawn to him too, because half of him was angel too? Perhaps that was why she was somehow, miraculously still here. But it wouldn't be for much longer.

Whatever Titania's spell had done to her, it had gotten worse. The further they got from her underground palace, the more exhausted she became, until she could barely put one foot in front of the other. But even then the exhaustion turned into something else, something much darker that screamed against Luce's sense of self control. She felt a rush going past her ears, as though she was falling. Her vision blurred as she got to her feet wordlessly, her eyes vacant. Inside, Luce screamed with panic and fear, trying to regain control of herself as she turned, walking to the door of the warehouse and then past it, letting it swing open and shut. Her feet turned northwards, towards an older section of the city. Her body mindlessly moved onwards, even as her mind struggled to force herself to stop.

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Hestia raised her eyebrows at the sound of her doorbell. Moving towards the intercom placed by her front door, she pressed the button, the cat twining around her ankles. She could hear the occasional bang and thump from where Brianne was being kept, but all was quiet elsewhere. Speaking quietly to the operator of the main door, she pressed the touch screen next to the speaker, narrowing her eyes at the group that was gathered outside the door. Not what she had expected, nor what she wanted to deal with at this point in time. But of course, that was when it would happen. She sighed and pulled the robe a little tighter around her body, opening the door to her apartment and whispering to the cat, "Men." With a snap of her fingers, two sparks flew, darting towards the respective doors of Clarity and Brianne. As soon as they met the wood, a wall of flame went up before them. "That should keep those two out until I get back."

With an exasperated shake of her head, she bent down, picking up the cat and letting it wrap itself around her shoulders before walking out the door, closing it gently behind her. Padding down the stairs in her bare feet, she was glad for one thing; the early hour meant the other occupants were asleep. She had a feeling this could get a little messy. Moving into the foyer where the doorman watched the security cameras, she placed a hand on the ifrit's shoulder, once more looking at the entrance view. "This should be interesting. You know what to do." The man nodded, his purple skin, glamoured against human view, shining in the glow of the screens. Hestia turned and walked past, towards the door. Opening and shutting it behind her, she stared at the group, her golden eyes narrowed in displeasure. Inside the foyer, the ifrit pressed one of his many buttons, locking it behind her.

"Well, demon, here I am." Her eyes flicked from Gord to Slavko, and her lip turned up in disgust. "And if you don't make it quick, neither you nor your companion here will be leaving in one piece." The cat on her shoulders hissed, echoing her sentiments. "Well?"

​

Yorick could do nothing but obey. Even as Corvo took him into a room, and pointed the gun to his head, all he could do was stare at the barrel that would bring his death. What a foolish young man. Ruining his chances for everything. And Yorick couldn't even tell him. Couldn't make him understand that the spell holding him this way could be broken, what his death would do to Luce, what it would set in motion. No, he could do nothing but think of the girl who had been his daughter as the gun was leveled at his head, and the trigger pulled. And so the secrets of Luce's origin, of the location of the Mirror, and the ritual to summon the Angel now rested in the hands of one person as Yorick's body fell to the ground. He had failed in his sacred duty, and now his time was at an end.

​

Titania couldn't help but smile with glee as she felt the magic she had left on Yorick's body come rushing back to her, no life force left to hold it in place. Excellent. The insipid Shadowhunters had done as she had hoped, and executed a traitor when presented with him. They wouldn't know now what he had gone through, what she had put him through, in order to keep their secrets safe. And now...she redirected the flow to Luce with an even wider grin, her eyes glowing with excitement. Now, with Yorick's death, she could focus on using the spell on the Nephilim girl. Really, she would have to do something nice for Corvo when this was over. Not only had he made it increasingly easy to execute her plans, handing her Luce and creating enmity between the forces against her, but he had just rid her of one of the bigger obstacles without her having to even lift a finger.

Now, as the court readied for war and her puppet moved through the streets of New York, she turned to Glynda. "I think you would be best served taking ten Seelie Knights, and moving towards the Institute. I had a Nephilim girl who will return there with something of value. See that she and the object arrive back here." Turning away, Titania snapped her fingers, and fifteen more came to her side. The rest would follow when ready. "Let's go for a walk." She suggested with a smile before turning, her skirt swirling around her legs, and striding out of the Seelie Court.

​

Gaia watched the group with disinterest before turning to Shadi. "You may do as you please, my friend. I would let Titania wear herself down before I find her, thus I will remain here, outside of her sphere of influence. You can remain with me, or you can explore the city we have come to. It is your decision." If she knew her daughter, Titania would be working to gain one of the Mortal Instruments, through some means of manipulation and magic. That would only make it better when Gaia took back what was hers, making it easier to acquire what she wanted. So she would wait for a few more hours. After all, what was half a day compared to a thousand years? Mere seconds.

​

Alarick looked at Aethelrick with some distrust before glancing at Nick. He had been acting strangely, and odd ever since they had returned, preoccupied with his phone. It was none of Alarick's business, but it did little to ease the sense of uneasiness in his chest. Deciding to ignore the younger Shadowhunter, as he was being ignored, he bowed once more to Gaia, and strode off in the direction of Hestia's apartment, eager to speak with his sister. Something in Gaia's tone indicated that not all was well.

​

Morrigan turned from Gaia to Ash, her smile gentle. "You should see her, alone at first. She doesn't know me, and she may be wary. I will catch up to you, I have business myself that I need to attend to." She reached up to brush Ash's cheek with her fingers, letting them drop to squeeze his hand, before turning to Nick, the gentle look on her face replaced with one of cold steel. Striding towards him, she purposely leaned in close, invading his personal space as the grass twitched beneath her feet, the residual effects from spending time in Gaia's forest still lingering in her own magic. "You and I will talk. Now." She said, her voice demanding and angry. Something was not right, and she would not rely on others to fix it. She would care for it herself, and then she would rejoin Ash, more confident in her own abilities. She had to be able to do this for herself.

​

Grayson wandered the streets, hands shoved in his pockets. He had hunted all night, and his belly was full of whatever unfortunate victim he had found. Honestly, he couldn't remember, and he didn't care. Today was a new day, and the smell of the fresh air was a delight to his senses, used to the stale room that Paragon had kept him in. Oh, he would get that fairy fuck back, he wasn't worried about it. But all good things took time, and Grayson had learned patience. He grinned as he turned down another alleyway, whistling seemingly innocently.

It was anything but. Five wolves waited for him on the other side of the corner, and immediately bowed when he came into the presence. He looked at them, and then grinned once more, more ferally this time. "I've missed you, my pack." There were murmurs in reply, and then the six of them were off, Grayson in the lead. Today, they would hunt and feast until they were sated. Tomorrow, they would take back the city.



A shadow slipped away from the wall as the group entered. The woman had nails as red as blood, hair a matching color as her eyes glinted in the near darkness. "You thought you could just walk in to His Grace's home without invitation, without sanction?" She whispered, gliding around the shadowhunters with her fangs drawn. "Especially bringing her here. His Grace was right, perhaps. You're simply here to use us for your own purposes. As Nephilim do. Destroy those that refuse to stand with you." Having finished her circle of examination, she stood back, her body languid but her eyes sharp. "What business do you have entering our home?"

Ugh, another one of these. You guys are making my tiny heart fracture just a little more with each word. I'm sorry to see you go, because I know how much work you put into this place, but I know why you have to. Good luck with everything.

I wish I could ask you to stay, but that would be selfish. Best of luck Amaury, I'll miss you.

​

Ana sat with her hands in her lap, keeping them under the table to mask the fidgeting she was currently doing. She hated meetings like this. The reunion with Brianne had been short, but sweet enough for her. Just the right amount of time to make sure they were both unharmed, (mostly, in Brianne's case), and still in one piece before they were separated by the necessities that came with repairing the ship. Ana's expertise had been needed at one of the control panels, where she had to explain the various compounds and elements that were used to make the board itself, before pointing out that a wire had come lose and was stuck inside one of said compounds. A simple mistake even an engineer could have spotted, but currently most of them were off doing other, more important things apparently.

And then she had been called to the meeting. She had little to report, other then what she and Irrin had experienced, but she had let him do the explaining. It was simpler that way. It was interesting that the man wanted to go to Xhan, of all places, but she felt no impulse to comment. Maybe later, when she had time to analyze his facial expressions and voice patterns. It was so much more fun that way, after all. Waiting until the captain left, she glanced at Brianne, and decided to save that storm for later as well. Getting to her feet, she adjusted her shirt against her body, feeling her wings flutter against her back before turning and exiting as well, her mind already swirling on where to get started. Clues....She turned and began to walk towards the place where she had literally melted the pirate who had dared to touch her. Perhaps remnants of his body's molecular make up would give her some place to start.

​

Clarity had gotten very little done before she had been called to meet with Captain Altius, and debriefed. Alexei's concern had touched her, but she couldn't focus on it, not for long without remembering why he was concerned. And that would have set off another wave of panic she was hardly equipped to handle. Instead, she tried to throw herself into getting her supplies together, into preparing for the wounded to arrive. And when they had, time had actually managed to pass much more quickly as she worked to fix burns, sew together gashes, and disinfect other injuries to try and get the crew on their way to one hundred percent again.

The meeting itself, she hadn't wanted to attend. But her input was necessary in order to try and understand what had happened. She had described it as quickly as possible, elaborating where she could but trying not to see what had happened in her mind's eye as she spoke. Afterwards, she had simply fallen silent, staring at the table as she listened to Captain Altius and Irrin talk. She had little interest in what they were saying, other then when she was told to return to her station. Removing herself from the room quietly, she walked back to the medical bay, checking over another patient's vitals before putting something into their chart, quietly typing away on the pad before moving on to the next.

​

Brianne had barely spoken as they returned to the ship. She really had nothing to say, and focused her attention on watching the alien interact with the others and keeping her thoughts safely roaming around inside her head. Once they had returned, she had refused medical attention, instead telling the staff to focus on the others, and walking around the ship, helping to move the injured where she could, and remove debris as she was able. Then she had gone to both debrief and be debriefed by Captain Altius. That had been painful to sit through, admitting her failure in keeping her entire crew safe, and her inability to keep from trusting the wrong people. A mistake she wouldn't make again. Because of it, Captain Altius wanted to rescue the Ensign who had been taken. Brianne couldn't lie, she felt a surge of resentment towards this statement. When Ana had been taken by slavers, when she herself had been captured, there hadn't been a rescue put into place for them. No, they had been left to die. Why would this girl be any more important then them?

Still, she held her tongue. She would not jeopardize her position by openly questioning her captain. That was best served later, when privacy was available. Instead, she did her best to sit still, keeping her face calm, only glancing towards the alien when he commented on her having a secret. "The things I hide would chill you to your core." She told him softly. Ana stood, and she could feel the girl's gaze on her. Brianne ignored it, becoming stone. She waited until the girl had left before she too stood, walking out as quickly as possible. Heading towards engineering, she ignored the pain in her arm, ignored the stares and salutes of those around her. After she had finished helping, she was going to spend a lot of time in that VI room.

Dawn Morning Noon Afternoon Dusk Twilight Midnight
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Hot Warm Mild Chilly Cold Sunny Cloudy Overcast
Breezy Windy Thunderstorm Lightning-storm Snowstorm Drizzle Rain Downpour Light Snow Heavy Snow

It has been several hours now, since the events that have taken place. The weather turned over night, and what used to be thunderstorms have now calmed into quiet rain. The city that never sleeps is coming a little more alive in the beginning light of the dawn. ​

[DOUBLEPOST=1468891813][/DOUBLEPOST]

​

Hestia wandered out of her room, dressed in a simple silk dressing gown, her hair unbound and tumbling down her back and white gold waves. Next to her feet walked the adolescent sized cat, weaving between her legs with a gentle purring sound. As she pressed the button on the Keurig in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a sigh, she glanced towards the room that Clarity was being kept in. There was no noise; good. She grabbed the mug once the coffee was finished brewing and sipped gently, rolling her neck after a moment before setting the cup back down. The cat hopped up onto the counter, its fire paw leaving no footprints as it wandered back and forth, yellow eyes glowing as they examined the room. She vaguely wondered how long it would be before the other houseguests woke. Out of privacy for Brianne, she had closed off the door to her room, and not allowed anyone inside.

What the woman was going through was ugly enough without someone else having to witness it. Sighing as she heard bangs and thumps coming from that particular direction, she ran her fingers over the cat's fire fur, letting her thoughts wander further then the occupants in her home as she debated her next steps. She had received a message in the night, a most welcome one indeed. But it put plans into motion she was not sure she was ready, if she ever would be, to carry out. It wasn't just a matter of her power being drained, it was the people involved, the place, the other powers at play. Leaning her elbows on the counter, she watched as the cat moved towards he and bumped its forehead against hers. A small surge of energy slipped under her skin and Hestia smiled, before taking the coffee cup and holding it to her lips for another sip.

​

Titania let her arm rest above her head, black hair spiraling out from her pillow in a halo around her head. The person next to her was inconsequential; their gender, race and age mattered little to her. All that mattered was that she had kept herself occupied while she waited. Getting up from the bed, she didn't bother stretching as she walked bare foot across the floor, to slide her hand across the water still as glass in the round bowl. As the images began to clear on the surface, she tilted her head, black hair curtaining down one side of her face as she watched the goings on, before waving her hand to a different image. One that made her go still as stone, her eyes narrowing. Whipping around, she stalked out, slipping into a form fitting dress before storming into the court. The vines and plants grew taller, waving erratically as she turned and slammed a fist into the throne of vines and wood, watching it form around her hand into a sword. With a grim smile, she tested the weapon before turning and slamming it into the ground.

The crack was loud enough to wake the dead. She waited as members of her court hurried in, most half dressed, all looking exhausted. They were normally not up at this hour, having spent the night reveling without a care. She strode in front of the place where the half built throne now stood, waiting until the majority of them had turned up before turning and eyeing each of them, eyes glowing with innate power.

"Mother has come to visit. We must prepare to receive her." Ignoring the gasps and whispers, she pulled the sword from the ground, watching the wood turn into tiny particles, similar to sand as they swirled around her, the entire weapon disintegrating. "I have an errand to run first."

​

Gaia stepped through the portal, and into the shade of a large willow tree. As she looked around, it was hard to miss the lights of the enormous city that had been built on what was once rugged rock, tree, and oceanside. She had brought them to the outskirts for one very simple reason; they would be powerless to stop what Titania was going to do in reaction, and she did not need her soldiers injured before they reached the battlefield. Titania had been forever a child, unable to see the end games of her plans. Gaia had failed to teach her, somehow. She didn't know when or where she had failed as a parent, but it was evident in the way her own child had turned against her, had brought this havoc about her, that she would not stop. She must be stopped. Behind her, still moving out of the portal, were the temporary inhabitants of her tribe. Temporary was a strong word, they had been there only a little over twenty four hours. After tending to their injuries and allowing them rest, Gaia had created a portal, set up temporary rule in her place, and returned them to New York.

She would allow them to come with, after this was over. There was little doubt in her mind she would end Titania's rule. As how it would end...that was left to be determined. Turning to look at the people who she had returned home, she let her eyes rest on Alarick, Sien, and Ash in particular.
"I expect to see you all later. I have things I will require of you in return for my service here. And I have been informed of other small matters that will be attended to, after this." She turned to Ash. "You will wish to visit Clarity; she is being kept at Hestia's home. I assume you know where it is. Rhett is with her as well, and Brianne. Alarick, you may wish to accompany him. The rest of you are free to seek out your friends and family as you wish, though I warn you to stay away from the Institute."

Name: Kara Webb

Age: 23

Class: Seraph

Weapon(s): Two short swords

Armour: Light

Appearance: http://oi65.tinypic.com/5y9k68.jpg

Personality: Kara is mischievous and clever. She enjoys getting other people into trouble at their own expense, especially when it comes to using their own weaknesses against them. She has a hard time forming actual relationships, friendly or otherwise, because of a deep seated mistrust that rarely comes to the surface. She also dislikes anything magical, though this is discounted when it comes to animals.

Backstory: Kara was an orphan, left on the streets by a mother that was either uncaring or dead. She remembers little of her life before being picked up by the local street gang, but what she does know haunts her dreams. As a child, she learned to run through the streets unseen, picking pockets and being the distraction for thefts and shakedowns. The older she got, the more skills she acquired until she was the one performing the thefts, shakedowns, and eventually graduating into murder. It was at this point, Kara lost a dear friend because of the gang, and decided to leave before the same happened to her. She found her way to the Guild by accident, but has decided it will provide the perfect cover to get her away from her old life, and into something better.

Base Attributes:
2 Strength
3 Constitution
3 Agility
2 Precision
0 Magic
1 Faith
5 Intelligence
4 Charisma

Level 3 Attribute: Charisma

Level 2 Attribute: Agility

​

Luce shuddered, holding her hands tightly against her chest. Her eyes, half lidded stared up at Cin as he spoke, before she gave a hoarse laugh. "You just had to say hands, didn't you." Looking at his own, somewhat distastefully, she stepped closer, taking it with a hiss of pain. "Although don't feel bad about leaving me behind. I always did want to see what's at that whole end of the tunnel. Maybe Raziel. Maybe mum. Maybe a plate of chocolate chip peanut butter cookies." She bit her lip to cut off her hysterical words, shutting her eyes to keep the tears of pain from leaking.

"Let's just get this over with. Please. If I'm going to die today i'd rather get it over with." It struck her that this seemed incredibly easy, but whenever she tried to analyze it further, her mind felt muddled, and cloudy, and she didn't care, she simply wanted to get out.

​

Yorick shuffled forward, his head bowed, a thin line of drool hanging from his lips. He didn't feel the magic on his back, or the steps beneath his feet. He didn't feel anything at all. Lost in the recesses of his mind, Yorick was closer to being nothing then any holy man had ever become. He had no single thought in his head, except to obey the person who told him to move forward. Something red flashed across his eyes, and he briefly looked up, expecting to see....hair? What was hair? Then it was gone, and he bowed his head back down, uncaring, unfeeling, moving towards Corvo.

​

Gaia analyzed each of the people in front of her, tapping her fingers against her lips speculatively before dropping them, moving forward to whisper in each of their ears respectively as they spoke quietly to her, relaying their requests. There were few who did trust the others with their questions, and it displeased her to still see so much secrecy among each other. But she could hardly make the decision for any of them, could she? Sien requested a bow. She turned her eyes to them, and then reached towards the nearest tree, placing her palm against the bark. The bow molded underneath her fingers as she watched him, her eyes glowing a gentle green, before she pulled it from the wood as if she was pulling a rag from a bucket of water. Waiting for the tree to retake its natural form, she then handed the bow to Sien, her face expressionless, her eyes sharp.

"You will be able to hit any target with this weapon, as long as they are in your sights. However, the arrows will only pin them, not kill. Should you attempt to murder someone with this bow, the pain inflicted upon them will also be inflicted upon you. So too will their imprisonment. As long as you do not move from your place, neither will they." Turning, she eyed the rest of them. "Time is short. Make your requests known, or have them be lost."

​

Alarick hesitated, then stepped forward. "I want to know...." He sighed. He could be truly selfish, or he could try to save the world. But why did that burden endlessly rest on his shoulders? "I want to know how to destroy a Mortal Instrument." Gaia's eyes sharpened on his face for a moment, only a moment, before softening. He stiffened under her gaze, hands clenching at his side. "To destroy a Mortal Instrument, requires sacrifice. All magic has a price, after all." Her voice was soft, but steady as she seemed to gauge his reaction.

"You would need the essence of each race; demon, warlock, fairy, Nephilim, werewolf, and vampire. Combine these, then use water blessed by a holy man, and your stele to draw a rune. The rune of Destruction. It's old, but you should be able to find it in your library." A small smile followed those words, before disappearing. "After this, you will be forced to give something up. Something precious to you. You'll have a chance to revoke the spell, but you won't get another to chance to complete it."

Alarick bowed his head, his mind racing as his eyes stared at the ground. Something precious...Brianne? No...it wouldn't take a life to destroy an Instrument, would it? The tendons in his arm bulged as he struggled to remain under emotional control, disturbed by Gaia's response.

​

Morrigan watched Alarick, uncertain whether she would like to ask her question as well. But Gaia would not tolerate waiting much longer. The plants around them began to wave in an invisible breeze, and though Gaia's control was impeccable, clearly, there was something on the path ahead that was going to be troublesome. "I would like to know a spell to keep someone from dying." She whispered the end, unable to look at Ash. Of all the things she could have asked, or requested, to help him, to help her, this was what she wanted. Gaia's eyes flickered to her, but when Morrigan finally got the courage to meet them, she saw nothing but kindness in the green depths.

"You are so unlike your mother." She murmured, before moving forward, and whispering gently in Morrigan's ear. "Only in your time of greatest need, child. There is a heavy price for that spell. Like most things it comes from the caster. That magic will not drawn your own well of power, but come from your soul. Old magic." She stepped away, and Morrigan released the breath she had been holding, sagging slightly as though a weight had been released from her shoulders. "Thank you." She whispered, brushing her fingers through her tangled hair.

​

Teliana stared up at the imposing castle, shifting from one foot to the other. She wasn't sure what to do now, exactly. Part of her had thought that Solomon would be watching, waiting for someone to appear. She had wondered if he would recognize her; she was a very different person from the woman who had been pinned to the ground by living corpses. She felt a little colder, a little more uncertain. Tentative, even. But, she took a deep breath, and continued to look up at the stone, the empty windows, the half ruined corpse of a building that maybe once had a noble purpose, but had been long forgotten.

Her revere was not long lived, as a dark shadow landed beside her. Vyle. She pressed her lips together, going still as his hand touched her elbow, then receded. She turned her face only slightly, enough to see the barest part of his expression. "Good thing I didn't ask your permission." She replied quietly, shifting away a step before turning to look at him. "You could force me not to. You could knock me out. You could drag me away. Are you going to?" It was an honest question, demanding an honest answer. Vyle couldn't protect her from the horrors of the world, not forever.

​

Veera watched Solomon, her face expressionless, emotionless. Only at the end of Solomon's speech did her lips curve upwards slightly, though her eyes remained dead. "Even legends, die, Solomon. Faces fade, and names are forgotten. If you are remembered, it'll be as a monster. Something mothers use to frighten their children into behaving. A bedtime story." She shrugged, tilting her head back against the bars, her eyes half lidded as they stared at the mage. "But if that's what you want from life, then I won't stop you. In fact, I'll make sure to help tell it."

"Although...I can't promise your head will get to stare at a single other person after I'm done with you. Perhaps I'll let the drowners have it. Or a ghoul. They do so love the smell of the dead, I'm somewhat surprised they haven't completely cleaned through your forces." The smile disappeared. "May wonders never cease."

​

Treasa watched Derrick look up at the skies, letting her eyes run over the crowd. Her skin crawled, and it seemed the hardest thing in the world not to jump off the bridge and try to swim away. As he talked through the options, filling out what they could or couldn't do, she raised her eyes to the dark water, moving sluggishly along the banks. "You're letting me decide?" She asked, her tone only slightly disapproving as she turned back to Derrick, crossing her arms over her chest. It might have seemed a move borne out of attitude, but really she was just reaching for the knife she had stowed in her belt, just in case.

"Now that doesn't seem such a good thing. Letting the stranger to the land, the weather, deciding our fate." She looked up at the sky, biting her lip. "I would bet that what you consider impassible passes, are just knee deep snowdrifts too hard for a pretty boy like yourself to bother with. But me...that's me." She turned back to him, and raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you want me to decide?"

​

"I'll talk to Sigmund. You just get us there." She told Seth with a gentle smile, brushing the snow off her hair. The fine colored flakes nearly blended in with her light hair, and she made a face as her fingers ran over damp strands, some of the frozen water already having melted. "He's a mage...I think. He's rich. He's a friend of a witcher." She looked from Adolin uncertainly to Seth, and then back again. Now that it came down to it, she really wasn't at all sure about anything she knew in context with Sigmund.

"Something's a little strange about him. The witcher sent us here to be safe, but he also wanted us...." She drifted off, brushing her fingers continually through her hair as she followed behind Seth and Adolin, her eyes on the ground, her mind wandering. What had been the connection between the two? Why had Veceslav decided to protect them? Why hadn't they all come with?

​

Alyse raised an eyebrow, then got to her feet. "The gods could have done you a lot worse. Believe me." Her face shuttered for a moment before she turned away, watching Terra come back in with the bucket. Alyse nodded to herself, pleased that the stupid woman had the sense to at least clean up her own mess. "Throwing rocks at a goddamn bear." She muttered, stalking over to the cabinet and pulling out three cups. She sighed, missing Teliana more then ever as she stared at the small fire in the stove, waiting for the water to bowl while she pulled out the tea leaves.

Pouring out the water into the cups, she balanced the three of them and set them on the table before sitting back down, raising an eyebrow at Sweallow, then Terra. "Well you both can come sit down. Don't feel pressured to talk, though. I don't like stupid questions and I hate small talk." She let her finger drift around the rim of her own cup, studying the two guests in her house.

​

Ana looked at Irrin as he told her and the other officer to "stay low." I mean really, what did you plan on me doing? She hadn't let it be known she was a Maraku, keeping her wings firmly tucked against her shoulders. It had become such a habit even she forgot she had them. She was sure on some file somewhere it had her DNA, her bio-signature, everything about her. Brianne would have made sure in case something happened to her that Ana would be taken care of. Though she would resist that stupid idea about psychotherapy with her wings until the end.

Following Irrin into the shuttle bay, she paused, glancing around before looking at the man she had followed as the lights flickered on. It gave her a better view of what had caused him to stop, and what was drawing his attention.

"This is your captain speaking. The biosigns of the intruders have disappeared. Most of the ship's power has been restored but our engines are still down. All engineers report to your stations. Security personnel are to assist the wounded to sickbay. Altius out."

Ana stepped forward, resting a hand on Irrin's shoulder as he shifted. Some people were uncomfortable with death, and she understood that. But it didn't bother her. "You should to help get the wounded to the med bay. I can take care of this with him." Ana turned her gaze to the officer that had followed him, her cold gaze daring him to say anything different. She lifted her hand, trying not to prolong what should be a comforting touch for too long. Because touch wasn't comforting, not to her. Stepping forward, she leaned over the nearest body, a Varun. Gently using her fingers, she closed the dead woman's eyes, before patting down the body to check for identification. "May whatever gods you believed in receive you with open arms. You will fade from remembrance, but your actions saved the lives of others. You didn't go in vain." Finding the identification card, she turned and waved at the officer. "My tablet is broken, I need to use yours. I promise it will be returned." But she didn't say in what condition.

​

Clarity wasn't sure how long she had been lying on the ground, letting her emotions run out of her eyes in the form of liquid tears. She couldn't be bothered to honestly care. The sound of her phone, buzzing against the floor, caught her attention. She wiped her eyes and lifted herself up onto her elbows, reaching across the dark space. "Hello?" She whispered, her voice ragged, every word costing her in the form of pain and effort. Just then she heard the captain over the loudspeaker, announcing that the intruders had left.

Clarity shuddered, slowly getting to her knees, then her feet, the phone still pressed to her ear. "Alexei, there was this guy.." She took a deep breath, trying to find the core of steel that normally surrounded her. "Is the sound of my voice just so satisfying to you that you can't help but long for it every second of your existence?" She tried to cloak herself in her sarcasm, even though it couldn't hide the way her hand trembled. "I have to go." She whispered, ending the call and letting her phone slip into her pocket before walking to the table. She would have patients soon, and she needed to be ready. If not ready, then at least stable. They were counting on her.

​

Brianne had been in the midst of her thoughts, somewhat amused by the alien's mannerisms, trying to command her team, and cataloging her own injuries. During all of that, taking up space in her brain, the alien had grabbed her communicator and began speaking to Winters. It was just as well, really. While the fault lay with her for letting Winters take his entire squad, not leaving anyone behind to guard the ship, she also blamed him for 1) not realizing the error, 2) refusing to split up his squad and 3) not getting back there. Now their pilot and their shuttle was gone, and she would have to make a report to the Captain. Not to mention she had no idea at this moment how to get Yvette back. How stupid had the girl been, to let herself get captured instead of simply shutting the loading dock to the shuttle with Alexei and flying off until they could go back to assist?

Brianne sighed, running her fingers through her hair and looking at her wounded shoulder. It still burned, irritating her and making her angrier, if possible, though she wouldn't let it show. No, she would put herself through the VI of her life when she got back. "Do as the good alien demands, Winters. Meet us here. Hopefully we can get in touch with the Captain and get another shuttle here. We're going to have a lot of talking to do." Pushing down the hot rage that filled her core, she turned and let her head rest against the pillar, not missing the light that had taken the last pirate. This day was anything but normal, and she couldn't help but worry whether Ana was alright. The Maraku could hide behind her blank looks and inability to feel all she wanted, but Brianne had seen the softer side, and she knew the girl would be reeling when she returned. She would have to make sure she didn't do anything stupid.

​

Teliana glanced at Vyle, though he wasn't looking at her. Something twisted in her gut, and then she stood. "I'll do it. He might remember me. It's how you and I met, after all." Gods, but that seemed like forever ago. She looked back out at the castle. "I'm not letting Zephyr be put at risk," she smiled apologetically at him, " and you need to be the one to grab him, Vyle. You're stronger and faster then any of us here. He might not know Selene, so it has to be me." She felt the fire burning in her veins, itching to come out and form a shield. She wouldn't let it.

"I hope you're ready." Then she slipped away, before more could be said. Before she could be stopped. Because frankly, Teliana had something to prove to herself, besides the mission. She had to show her own mind that she wasn't fragile, or delicate. She wasn't spider webbing glass. She was still herself, strong, underneath those scars. Strolling up towards the castle, she paused before the gate. "Remember me?" She asked the stone quietly, her hands balling into fists at her sides.

​

Veera looked up when Solomon appeared, her eyes narrowing at his words. She leaned in close enough to kiss the bears, her face emotionless. "No, I don't. Want to know why, Solomon? Because I'm not weak." She leaned back, her face still blank, her eyes glowing in the dim light. "I'll never be driven to the same depths as you. I'll come out stronger. You'll be worm food, and I'll be a legend."

​

Treasa turned to see Derrick, her lips twitching into a smile in spite of herself. "I don't know how we're going to get anywhere, the women will be all over you." She teased, giving the river one last glance before facing him fully. "I've been waiting on you, actually. Turns out women don't take up as much time as men do, shopping for the latest fashions." She paused, her eyes sparking before she tucked hair back behind her ear before the wind could blow the strands in front of her face. "And for our next move...I know you wanted a job here, but I think we should leave. There's been....some bad things, reaching my ears." She glanced around, noticing a few guards not too far away.

"Lots of...unrest, in various manners." She hadn't seen any hard proof, but the city didn't feel peaceful. The view might be misleading, but the tone was not. Something wasn't right."But I'll follow your lead. I'm a stranger here." She folded her arms across her chest, gazing out at the sea of people, hardly any of whom were dressed practically. Novigrad must not get many pirate attacks, or all these people would be clothed for attack, not as if they were going to a party. She shook her head before turning her gaze back to Derrick with a raised eyebrow.

​

He was in a carriage, now. He didn't have windows, or any doors from what he could see in the black space, but he could tell by the swaying motion that he was moving, and by the sounds that it had wheels, and an animal of some sort pulling it. Where he was going, he wasn't sure. All he could do was put his head in between his knees and hope he didn't vomit.

​

Tessa sighed, before following Adolin back through the streets. With no luck, she wasn't sure what their next move was. She was beginning to tire, perhaps more easily so because of her still healing injury, her anxiety, and the general emotional roller coaster. But she refused to be the first to submit to her exhaustion. No, she would wait for sanctuary, for them to find a place to sleep, and then she would rest her head. Adolin managed to find Seth again, much to her relief, and she went to the other doppler's side, gently squeezing his hand with a small smile.

She had cooled down from earlier, but that didn't mean she wanted to see Matilda again any time soon. The only person who had ever been allowed to tell her what to do had been her parents, and then Bryce. Both were dead, and she wasn't looking for another replacement. No, her heart had been broken enough. "I think Sigmund is our only hope if we don't want to sleep outside." she whispered, looking back to Adolin.

​

Alyse glanced at Terra. "Damn right you will. Second drawer, right side. Water has to be drawn from the well, obviously. And you're lying, but that's fine. I'm Alyse, and you're Terra. Keeps it simpler. I don't care who you are, as long as you clean up your mess, and you do it right the first time." She turned away from what she was doing, noticing Sweallow was awake. "Oh goody." Walking to his side, she pulled over a chair, letting it scrape across the floor before pulling on his arm. "Does that hurt? Make a fist. Wiggle your fingers." She held out her hand. "Squeeze, as hard as you can." After he completed the tests, she sat back, frowning as she folded her arms, twiddling her fingers. "There's some muscle damage that I couldn't heal, but it'll get better over time. Don't use the arm for the next two days, and we'll see where we're at."

Twirling a strand of blonde hair around her finger, she kept her green eyes on Sweallow. "So what do you do the next time you come across a rather large bear?"

In New York City


​

Luce smiled a little at Cinead's question. "Oh yes....yes I do." she paused, and then dropped to her knees, slipping her hand underneath the bed. "I promise, I'm not crazy." Feeling around, she cursed colorfully as her hand slipped, before finally grasping the switch. Yanking as hard as she could, she wrenched her shoulder, gritting her teeth as sweat beaded her forehead. Titania's magic, or whatever she had done to Luce, wasn't helping. She felt tired, weighed down...it was all a ploy to keep her here, perhaps even an illusion, but she couldn't let it beat her. The bed moved to the side, so cliche she wouldn't have believed it, had she not been pretending to be unconscious.

It was entirely possible that this was part of Titania's plan. But she had to try. She needed to get out, and if Cinead was willing to help her, then so be it. She would be a rat in the Seelie Queen's game for as long as it took to survive, and finally chew her way out of the cage. Revealing the oh so convenient storage space, she bit her lip as she hesitated. "I'm going to need your assistence. You'll see. I just need you to cover my mouth. Don't let me make a sound." She waited until he agreed, and placed his fingers over her lips, before she took a deep breath, and pressed her hands to the wood over the store space. The effect was instantaneous, her hands feeling as though a thousand needles had been shoved inside of her skin. She screamed, tears leaking out of her eyes as she kept her hands there, waiting out the spell.

It seemed to take an eternity before it ended, though her hands throbbed. The wood melted away, revealing Cinead's weapons. "There." She whispered. "Now you have to get us out." she pulled her hands to her chest, a muffled sob making its way out of her throat every so often as her hands throbbed, painfully. The worst part was, there was no indication of what had been done. Her skin was unblemished, but it felt as though they were being taken apart inch by inch. Pain is all in the mind, it seems.

​

Yorick did as Glynda bade, his mind gone. Whatever had been left after the long years of being exposed to Titania's magic had been blasted away by her last spell. Even Yorick had not seen such magic before, and he had been caught unawares and unable to defend himself. The once proud, untainted leader of the Nephilim had become so broken he could barely be called a man. As he stepped forward, his mouth sagged open slightly, and his feet shuffled forward, his back bent as if he had aged one hundred years. He paid no mind to anything, or anyone, just stared blankly ahead.

​

Grayson snarled, his eyes flickering as his mind warred. The beast wanted to be free, to tear out this impostor of a leader's throat. But no. He mustn't. Paragon had done him good, despite the trials that had been forced upon him. And when Grayson took control of the pack once more, when he took his rightful place, he would do away with this fairy, take over his network, everything. Because Paragon didn't know how to lead. And Grayson had a clear view on what this world needed.

He stepped back, releasing Paragon before looking to the bodyguard, grinning as his pointed teeth cut into his lips, creating a bloody grimace. "You'll be the first face I eat." he growled before stepping back, his body shivering and the vertebrae in his back cracking as he instinctively tried to shift, and psychologically tried to hold it back. The more the anger receded, the easier it became. "So am I free to go?" He asked, cracking his knuckles as his voice, a little gravelly before, slowly resumed its normal tone.

~~~~~~​

The bartender shrugged at Karl's words. "Maybe, but the risk is great. And in the meantime we're all dying in the streets." He glanced up as Cassandra entered, then withdrew to listen, wiping the table under the vodka bottles. It was tedious work, but it allowed him to eavesdrop with relative ease, especially useful for when his customers wanted to order something.

In Somalia

​

Clicks resounded for Masque, Valister, and Aethelrick, warmth and approval flooding their minds before the presence receded. Gaia looked at them all with a glimmer of a smile, before bringing her hands to clasp in front of her. "Very well, you may now ask your request of me. I cannot grant longevity of life, or safety, or glory, but I can promise information, among other things. Choose wisely, young ones. I fear our time here is growing short.

You may now request one favor or answer from Gaia. If you wish your request to remain secret, PM me here or on Skype. Otherwise simply post with our character's wish. Keep in mind, any such request that could result in death will get a warning, but should you choose to go forward, the consequences will be of your own making. Some wishes may have further conditions to be met, for example a spell may require the wisher to be able to use it, but never speak of it or teach it to another. You will only get one question, so choose wisely.

~~~~~~~
​

The girl watched John, her eyes cold and her hands glowing with power. What would he choose to do? At first, she feared he would take the violent course, as so many others had. It was such an easy answer, after all. And yet, it seemed this world still had surprises in store for her. He laid his weapon on the ground, and the girl smiled, pressing her hands together. "I'm so happy." She whispered, before her form glowed and shifted to reveal a woman, tattoos covering her skin, which was a strange brown color, the texture similar to bark. She turned, and sought out Elizabeth, kneeling next to her and pressing glowing hands to the wound she had created. "You proved me wrong. I have never been happier." She murmured softly, healing the injury completely before getting to her feet. "Please, if you would follow me with your comrade."

The spirit lead them to the village, taking them to a hut on the side. "Gaia will come to you soon. Please remain here." The spirit smiled, then took both of their hands in hers. "Thank you. For giving me a little bit of faith." Then she disappeared, as if she had never existed.

​

​

"Presumably, I would die." Luce responded to Cinead, her grey-green eyes following his movements as his position would allow. "Titania said she didn't need me alive...or I guess all of me." She shuddered, wondering what that could have meant and hoping she would never find out. She held her breath as Cinead paused, and then cut her free. Stumbling slightly, she righted herself and glanced his way before analyzing the room anew. "She would not have done this without knowing what we would plan. So we have to do something unexpected." Walking to Titania's bed, she let her hands graze the covers, her eyes taking in every detail of the intricate stitching.

"We can't be obvious. We can't be predictable." Turning, she looked at Cinead with her best direct gaze, hiding her fear and trepidation. "What are you prepared to do to escape?"

​

Yorick had the mind of a zombie, and the movements of one. Making no noise, he shuffled after Glynda, mindlessly following her wherever she bade him. There was little left of Yorick, the Shadowhunter. And what had remained, was controlled by Titania's magic.

​

"Hard to avoid the woman in her own house, isn't it?" Grayson quipped as he followed Paragon out. Having a pack, having wolves under his command again, it would feel good. Right. He would be restored to his true place, and then he would make the Lightwood bitch pay. Oh yes he would. He wanted to see her on her knees in front of him, begging for mercy. And he wouldn't grant it. He would go after Rhett too. But he wouldn't kill Rhett. He wanted a wolf like that to serve him. To kneel before him. Paragon turned and with little warning, placed his fingers on Grayson's forehead. Just as the words sunk in, Grayson had his hands wrapped around Paragon's throat and was shoving him backwards, snarling as his eyes glowed.

"Do not do that again." He growled, his voice becoming more guttural. "My mind is mine." They had violated his body, his life, his goals. But they would not touch that.

~~~~~~~~~
​

The bartender shrugged noncommittally. "At least we'd be free. Just like the old days." He set down the glass he was cleaning and picked up another. "Yuri's staying out of everything. Protecting his people. Hestia, the warlock? She's watching over us for now, the only thing keeping the damn fairies from poaching each of our hides. The Nephilim have all withdrawn, cept for a handful here. Word is one of them gettin changed into one of us. Happened in a bar down the street." The bartender shook his head. "People have to be more careful, or we're going to be in deeper shit then we can handle."

​

Masque. Gaia's voice entered his mind gently, softly, as though afraid to intrude. Gaia was never afraid, but she didn't understand the need for privacy. If you could find redemption, an eternal cleansing of your sins through the loss of your own life, the sacrifice of your own goals, would you take that chance?

There was a tinkling laughter through Nick's mind, and then a click that echoed through his consciousness.

A click echoed through Sien's mind, along with a slight sense of approval, before both sound and emotion receded, leaving him once more to his own.

A presence entered Aethelrick's mind, neither gently nor forcefully. Aethelrick. You left your brother, your parabati alone for so long, returning when it was convenient to you. Why would you go out of your way to help these people?

Valister's mind was gently penetrated by the forces of Gaia's. Vampire, you have abandoned your people for others. You have come such a long way for so little to gain. What will you do when King Yuri calls for your return, and your friends plead for you to stay?

A sense of approval warmed the recesses of Ash's mind, before disappearing as a click sounded, echoing through his mind.

~~~~~~~​

The little girl raised her face, suddenly still. "You're right. Some things are worth the risk." Her eyes glowed as she pulled back an arm, and with the power of the winds propelling her first, punched into Elizabeth. Had she not been a vampire, the blow would have killed her. Turning to John, she stared at him, her hand covered in Elizabeth's blood. "You can save her if you forfeit to me." She said, her voice dull. She very much expected them to fail, after all, and she had liked Elizabeth. She had hugged her back, and she didn't want to have done this, but it was for the greater good.

"What will it be? Save your comrade, or beat me?"

​

​

"Maybe you need glasses." Ana commented when Irrin said the screen had changed. Whatever the result, it mattered little now. They needed to get to the rest of the crew, and stick together. She turned, glancing at the combat armor with something close to nausea before shaking her head. "I don't want it. I don't need it." She did go to check out the fire arm cases, her fingers running over the hard material as she scanned the racks from left to right. She had never held a gun, not formally. She worked best up close and personal, despite her lighter bone material. Brianne had seen she knew enough self defense to keep from being taken advantage of again.

Pulliing a pistol from the case, she cocked and loaded it before pointing it experimentally at the wall. "I'm good with this," She said as she followed Irrin out.

​

Clarity hadn't truly felt terror before. She had always assumed it was an adrenaline rush, a kind of force that pushed you onward, even to the point of exhaustion. This was nothing like that. It was a bottomless pit, an overwhelming amount of darkness that washed over her like a tidal wave. She couldn't scream as the strange man lifted her off her feet, his hand squeezing her throat. She scrabbled uselessly with her hands, her heart pounding like a rabbit as it faced down a fox, her eyes lifted to the ceiling as she gasped for air, lungs shriveling in her chest as her heart pleaded for mercy.

Mercy it seemed she would be granted. The red man dropped her to the ground, and she coughed, choking and wheezing as she tried to fill her body with oxygen. She looked up to see the red man turn to her, his eyes burning hot. And then he was gone. As the lights began to power on in the deck, Clarity collapsed to the ground, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed into her arms, hair spread like a halo around her shoulders. Her throat pulsed and throbbed, and her body trembled. Even after the man was gone, she knew she would be seeing him in her nightmares.

​

It all happened too quickly. Winters informed her that he had not in fact split his forces, despite her drawing more of the firing power her way, and now the ship was gone. She could hear Alexei in the background as Doctor Saturday appeared before her. Lesser people's heads would have exploded. However, Brianne was not a lesser person. She reached down, pulled Doctor Saturday to his feet, and turned, firing at the people who managed to impale her with another plasma shot. She gritted her teeth as the round began to burn into her side, shoving the Doctor behind her and returning fire. "Winters, we have the life form. It would be nice if you could do as I ask right fucking now and get here to support us before I take more plasma lasers for these two. Pavlov, accompany him. We stick together now, and pray to god there's another shuttle somewhere waiting for us."

And I swear to god, if this mission fails because of the both of you, I will never let you set foot on that ship again. "Crow, cover me and the polite life form please. We need to find cover."

Dawn Morning Noon Afternoon Dusk Twilight Midnight
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Hot Warm Mild Chilly Cold Sunny Cloudy Overcast
Breezy Windy Thunderstorm Lightning-storm Snowstorm Drizzle Rain Downpour Light Snow Heavy Snow

It is now the afternoon. Though the day started clear, thunderstorms have rolled in and covered the land with snow. Horses are easily startled by the crashing of thunder, and the snow makes the roads slippery. Three hours have passed, giving characters time to travel, to rest, or to prepare for war.
​

[DOUBLEPOST=1465955826][/DOUBLEPOST]

​

Teliana crouched on the ground, peering through the leaves at the castle. She, Zephyr, Vyle, and Willow were hidden in the trees, covered by the shadows that the foliage provided. The hours they had spent walking here had been in relatively silence. She didn't like the strange woman, and couldn't bring herself to converse in her presence or with her, let along control the fire that flowed through her veins. Brushing hair out of her face, she stood, letting her back stretch and straightening her muscles in her legs. "So is there a plan? Because if that's where he's holed up.." and that was where the tracks led. She sighed, rubbing her face with her hands for a moment before looking up at the sky. The clouds were ominous, the sound of thundering quickly drawing close, and snow was falling gently.

A flake landed on her cheek, and she brushed it away with her fingers, eyes dropping to her companions. "I'm not sure this is going to be a battle we can win on our own." She said with a shrug. "There's no strategical way to get into the castle without announcing ourselves, and even if we get inside, Solomon will know his surroundings better then we do." She glanced at Vyle, her teeth biting into her lower lip. She had made him promise he wouldn't die on her. But could she swear to do the same?

​

Veera leaned her back against the bars of the cage, her eyes on the ground. She wasn't sure how long they had been there, her and Kruez, but judging by the lack of sunlight, long enough for a storm to roll in. The view of the outside was limited to what she could see through a single window, covered by a flapping curtain. The rest she put together using smaller clues. The thunder outside, for one. Glancing at the mage, her yellow eyes rested on him for a little longer before dropping to the floor, and then shutting. She had tried to enter the meditative state, more then once. She had practiced it enough that she knew she could do such a thing standing, sitting, or lying down.

Veera could not do it today, however. Perhaps it had been her encounter with Aaron. Perhaps it was the connection she and Solomon shared. Perhaps it was the small space. Whatever the reason, she was unable to rest during her captivity. So her thoughts fled, from one subject to another. From what had happened to Veceslav, to whom could have escaped, to where they might be now. And it was driving her absolutely mad. Despite this, she didn't say a word, didn't make a sound. Slowly, silently going insane.

​

Treasa leaned over the side of the bridge, watching the water flow underneath. That water came from the same river that traveled by the Kaer, flowing westward all the way to the sea. It made her desperately miss Skellige; the islands, the trees, the smell of the salt water. This was the closest she had come to home in a long time, it seemed. Homesickness was a weakness, and she shook it off, turning to look for Derrick. They had used the last few hours wisely, resupplying themselves and replacing what needed to be.

She wasn't sure what to do now. She had given him all the money for the monster, feeling he had deserved the larger share. He had been the one to kill it, and save her after all. Save her. She hated the thought of being at the mercy of another person, but the day had been fun with Derrick. She smiled softly as she recalled their conversations, then sighed. But Derrick had a plan, and while she didn't have a better one, she wasn't sure she fully agreed with it. Still, maybe if she remained civil, perhaps he would hear her out. Perhaps they could come up with something better. Watching the snow drift down to the river water, she turned and went to look for her comrade.

​

Zack slowly woke up, rubbing the knot on his head. The last thing he remembered, he had been walking along the brush, trying to catch up to the group. A sudden pain from the back, and he had fallen to the forest floor. Before that...he remembered helping a woman. She wanted to find a mage. Had she been involved? It was hard to say. Hard to say anything at this point. The cell he was in had no windows, only stone walls. No way to guess where he was, location wise. No way to tell time. No hope of finding out what had happened to him yet.

He sat up, running his hands through his bright hair before leaning back against the wall. "Well, this is a shit fest." He murmured, eyes on the only clue to any escape; a cell door that was made of wrought iron.

​

Tessa rubbed her eyes, tired beyond belief. Her back was taking more energy to heal then she would have wanted, causing her to feel tired throughout the day. Snow landed on her pale eyelashes, and she looked up at the darkening sky, wincing as thunder crashed around. Looking up, she could see Adolin not far away. Never far away. They were in an alley, one of the numerous places they had searched for Matilda and Seth. Still, no luck. Novigrad was the biggest city this side of the country, it wasn't unintelligent to assume it would be easy to never find someone in its depths.

Wearily, she got to her feet, and moved to stand next to her new-found companion. "What do we do now?" She asked, rubbing the back of her neck, her fine hair whispering through her fingers. The snow that fell was nearly the same as her hair color, making it invisible when it landed on the strands. She closed her eyes and let it land on her skin, a small smile at the gentle kisses that the frozen water provided.

​

Alyse opened her eyes slowly, taking a deep breath as she stared at the face of the man she had healed. Whoever he was, was still sleeping, his eyes closed and his breathing even. Alyse was glad that her magic hadn't just been wasted on prolonging his life only to have him die. She shifted, then sat up quietly, running her fingers through her hair in an effort to detangle it before slipping off the bed, smoothing her skirts and moving to the door. The sky had darkened, and snow was falling. She pitied any traveler out in this weather, and sighed, turning to look at the two who had taken refuge in her home. "Who the hell throws rocks at a bear?" She muttered, rubbing her arm absentmindedly before moving about her small home.

The bedroom, kitchen, and alchemy station all somehow managed to fit in one room. It was small, but it worked. How long it would with three people, she didn't know. She didn't know if she could stay either. She hadn't heard from her sister in far too long. It might be time to act. But not yet. Not quite yet. Hands lingered over the herbs on the table; they were the ones Teliana had left her. She had no idea if they had worked or not. Teliana had been planning to test them out the day she seemingly disappeared. Alyse could hardly believe the stories of necromancy and vampires that attached themselves to the last known whereabouts of her sister, but she was beginning to wonder. Teliana did have a strange luck, after all.

"Wake the fuck up." She called out, hoping that would be enough to rouse the people in the room. Next, she would start kicking.