Teliana caught the butt of the rifle in the bullet wound on her side and gasped, dropping to her knees. This move luckily saved her from the first round of fire, only giving her a few more graze wounds as she threw up her shield, covering her head with her hands and silently screaming on the inside. "Do you guys have to BE such BASTARDS!?" She screamed into the floor, as the guns clicked empty, only to have the remaining fourth, (yes she miscounted earlier) open fire to keep her down while they reloaded. "I am SICK of your CHEAP SHIT!" Her eyes glowed, not yet fully releasing the extent of their power as she struggled to think of alternatives. Even if she did use them, it would only work on one, and she would be paralyzed, fully ready to be the easiest target practice these soldiers ever had. She was going to have to get creative. And maybe die. But hopefully not. She'd like to at least sleep with one more attractive man before she went. Just one more, sweet baby Jesus. She prayed as she slowly crawled towards the nearest soldier, the one whose brain was now decorating the floor. Grabbing his gun, she rolled, crying out as several other bullets struck her body, before lying flat on her stomach, and firing at the the remaining soldiers. With any luck, she would hit some of them, or all. When the clip was empty, all fifteen bullets spent, she threw the shield back up, then drew her arm back and punched. Instead of shattering like glass, the blood shot forward like tiny, liquid bullets. She wasn't sure if it would actually hurt them, but it had torn through sheets when she had practiced in the past. And sheets were like skin, right? The loss of energy was immediate, cold sweats covering her body as her vision swayed. "I could use an adult." She whispered, trying to tether her grasp on her consciousness. Kala snarled as the disk cut her arm, grasping the wound with her clawed hands. Her form flickered as her dropped to one knee, a hiss filling the air around her as the injury steamed. Shoving her hands into the ground, she screamed at Kalak in a rage fueled panic before leaping up towards him, eyes glowing with a brilliant blue light as her blackened hands reached for the demi god. Small wings sprang from her back, though they were too insignificant to do anything...yet. You will be MINE. The voice in her head whispered as she bared her teeth. The light around Kalak had grown to a brilliant size, causing her desire to follow suit.
Veera headed towards the tracks, though when Keenan spoke she spared a glance his way, analyzing. Was he going to follow her now? It was a strange thought, and one she didn't have time to consider whether she cared for or not. Her eyes narrowed as she turned, leaning down to touch the dirt that had been disturbed when the undead walked through. "You've seen what's left of the ones left behind" She murmured in response to Ellyn. "They don't feel pain. Losing a limb will not stop them. They have strength untempered by fear or caution. No self preservation. They are his slaves, completely and wholly. From what I have seen, at least." She frowned, getting to her feet. "You're right." She told the knight. "These are more recent then the tracks we followed. We should be able to catch up within a few days." Turning back to Kruez and Keenan, the frown back on her face, she addressed them next. "You two don't have any obligation to keep following. You can return to the Kaer, or go to Oxenfurt and see if the survivors need help rebuilding. The necrophages had almost overwhelmed the town when we left. This is my quest, and mine alone." Turning back, she nodded to Ellyn. "I would say the same to you, but you are apparently seeking the mage for retribution as well. While I cannot say you would be welcome, I will not stop you from accompanying me, or vice versa." With that said, Veera took off in the direction of the tracks. She made a small noise of surprise as Derrick pulled her, gently, to her feet. Staring at him, she leaned heavily against the witcher as they walked towards the horse. "I thought for sure you'd leave me. I'll only slow you down." She murmured as they reached the animal. She looked up, swallowing, before letting Derrick assist her in clambering up the saddle clumsily. Once atop, she gripped the saddle horn tightly, taking a few deep breaths to quell the sea in her head. Once that was done, she reached over, cutting some of the leather off the saddle and wrapping it around the body of the stirrup, tying her leg to the saddle. It was crude, and it wouldn't hold very well, but hopefully it would be enough to get her to where they needed to go. She did the same to the other side, and then turned to look at Derrick, her eyes searching his face. "I wouldn't let him touch you." She said finally, probably one of the highest compliments she had ever given to a male. "I'll follow your lead, Derrick." And there was the third highest. Tessa wanted to retort to Seth, a well of frustration growing inside her chest, but she bit her lip, cutting off her response as he turned and walked into the crowd. She started, then turned, her eyes traveling up to Adolin's face. He hadn't immediately started walking with them, and she could see his thoughts were far away, perhaps with the person he needed to protect. She stepped towards him, her hand reaching towards the other doppler before jerking back hesitantly. Steeling herself, she did it again, taking his hand and gently squeezing it. "I want to avenge them too." She murmured, her eyes burning with both tears and anger. "I've lost everything because of the hatred of humans." Tugging his hand gently, she pulled him towards her as she followed Seth towards Matilda. "But you said so yourself. We have to get to safety first." She glanced back at Adolin when they reached Matilda. "I need your help." She told him, dropping his hand. "We need your help." Seth wouldn't like it, but Tessa was done running. She had finally found a place of hope, a new start, and now it was being ripped from her again. Her mother, her father, the man who had looked after like a brother, her home...it was all gone. This wouldn't be taken from her too. "Please." Now wasn't the time to ask, but Adolin's eyes carried the same drive that Bryce's had, before he had changed. She wanted that same passion, and she wanted to point it at the people who had destroyed her life so many times over. She wanted to make them feel what she had felt. And I will.
Clarity made a small noise of surprise when Alexei grabbed her, though she didn't waste time in scrambling into the hatch. It was narrow, and she kept her head bent so as not to hit the ceiling. "I think you scared him off with your talk of seating arrangements." She commented as Aeros declined to come with them, heading there the conventional way. "Men. Always comparing size." She winked at him before beginning to make her way forward, unknowing and frankly a little uncaring if it was the correct way. What would the captain do, throw her in the airlock for saying she got lost? "I was talking about the chairs of course. For the seating arrangements." She looked around the hatch, stopping in her movement for a moment to examine the pipes. "You know how all of this works?" She asked, a little amazed. She had ridden ships in the past, but never really understood how to tinker with them. Or honestly, what any of the parts were called. "I'm impressed. Men with knowledge are always more attractive then those without." she grinned. "Keep it up and you might have a shot with Airman back there." Brianne tapped her fingers. 91% was a good enough probability that most other commanders would have fired, and asked questions later. Brianne was sorely tempted to give the order to Ritter to fire upon them, but she held off. Pirates might have hostages, or civilians on board. They might also have information, perhaps pertaining to why the Coalition had ordered them here. "Ritter, attempt to open a comms channel with the vessel. Order the rest of the crew to prepare for battle, on stand by. Just in case. Pilot," she addressed Yvette, "hold our position, but be ready to apply evasive maneuvers should they prove unfriendly." She glanced towards the girl, then frowned. "Where is your co-pilot? Ritter, can you also contact the secondary airman and alert them to our necessity of their presence on the bridge?" She paused. "Thank you."
Veera stepped in front of Keenan and Kruez, though she spared an admonishing glance towards the latter. "I've been tracking a mage named Solomon. He has an uncanny ability to be able to raise the dead, and control them completely." She raised her eyes to Ellyn, frowning slightly. "Myself and him," she jerked a finger at Kruez," have been following Solomon's trail since Oxenfurt. He," this time the finger went towards Keenan, "just recently met up with us. What do you know?" Veera looked around, uncertain where to start. The stench of death covered everything. "Are there any survivors?" Treasa looked up at Derrick, biting her lip. He was so eager to go...she placed her hand on the ground. "I can't get up." She said truthfully. "If you want to get a move on, you could leave me here. I'll catch up when I can get on the horse." Much less find the horse. She knew she would probably be dead as soon as he walked away, but she was in no way going to beg for help, and though it irked her, it wasn't in her ability to pull herself from the ground. Her eyes felt as though there were immense pressure behind them, and her skull felt like it was going to crack. "I'm sorry. I'm just a simple human." She gritted her teeth, then sighed. "Never mind. It was good fighting with you, Derrick." Fully expecting him to leave, she slowly shifted her legs to stretch out in front of her, easing into the position gently. Letting her eyes shut, she prayed to the Goddess that this wasn't one of those long term things. And that this wouldn't end in her very likely death. At least, if another of those cow things showed up, it would likely be quick. Tessa hesitated, then released Adolin. He could have made her, she was sure those blades weren't just for show. She didn't apologize for what she had done, hoping he understood. If he didn't....maybe she would apologize later. "That's Se-" he came running up, scolding her for leaving him. "I'm not a child." She told Seth flatly, but she had to acknowledge that both men were right. They should get out of here. Running again...."Seth, we're going with him. We can find Matilda on the way out, but she knows the city better then we do. She could probably make her way to safety before we even had a clue where to start searching." It may not have been the safest assumption for Tessa to make, but having grown up in Oxenfurt, she had known the best alleyways and the safest, or quickest paths to home and back. She thought Matilda would have the same sort of knowledge, and that associating herself with them would only put her in more danger. If all else failed, she could hide with Sigmund. "Can we go?" She asked, trying to keep her eyes averted from the stage. "I don't...I don't want to see that again." The sight would already haunt her nightmares. She didn't want it to bother her during the day too.
Luce stared at the door in the hallway, then sighed, dropping the incredibly heavy bag with a thunk. She waited another moment, enjoying the last few minutes of peace and quiet, before knocking on the door. Yorick had said that Corvo would be here. He hadn't given her false information, but lately...she frowned. Lately something had been off. And she wasn't supposed to be here, but who would stop her? Knocking on the door, forcefully, Luce picked the bag back up with effort, and a heavy sigh. Just when she had thought she would get everything she ever wanted, of course all the cards had to come tumbling down. Hestia gently pet the small cat, made completely of fire, as she gazed up at the skylight. It wasn't yet dawn, but Hestia didn't need sleep. Not right now, not when for the first time in centuries, things were finally starting to happen. She smiled as the fire cat purred, arching its back in pleasure. The doorbell rang. She hadn't been expecting anyone this early, but well, the early bird got the worm, or some such mundane thing. Gathering the cat in her arms, Hestia wrapped the dressing gown around her body a little more tightly before going to answer the door. "Yes?" She opened it, viewing the vampire and werewolf with slight curiosity, her yellow eyes glinting against the flames of the creature in her arms. "What can I do for you two?" Yorick stood before the Seelie Queen, his eyes watching her nervously. "We just need to retrieve the Cup, after which you'll have the location of the Mirror?" He shifted nervously, though his face was slack. It felt strange, to have the conflicting desire to be calm, and to worry at the same time. Luce had elected not to come with, against his desires, and he worried for her, though he was angry she hadn't obeyed him. But Luce rarely completely obeyed him....such contradictions in his mind. He decided to remain calm, and stopped shifting. "I've gathered most of the ones required. Just need the warlock Masque and the one they call Creed. It wouldn't hurt to have Clarity, just in case the one we have dies before.." Titania glided over to Yorick, gently caressing his face with one hand. "I will ensure you have everything you need to summon the Angel." she soothed him, watching as his face slackened. "If you require a warlock, I have a better one in mind. Ash...he has taken something precious from me. His associate, has taken something else. I mean to make them both pay. Then you can have him for your...sacrifice." She smiled, lowering her hand and brushing the rest of the powder off discreetly. "But I don't see Luce. She didn't obey you." Titania shook her head. "I would like to see her..." Not all hope is lost. She had forgotten about the Nephilim girl until the last moment, but it seemed hope could still be regained. Now if she could only find the Cup and the Sword.....She turned, her dress sweeping around her bare feet. "Yorick." She purred, walking up to him again. "Tell me, sweet Shadowslayer, who was the last person to have the Mortal Sword?" Clarity sighed. "You know, Brianne does have her own line. If you wanted a booty call, you could have left those images out of my mind." She turned, walking the phone over to the girl. "It's someone called Paragon. Said he wants a hot date." She couldn't resist trying, just to see Brianne smile a little. And to needle Rhett. She glanced at the werewolf, one eyebrow raised. "Might as well give your competition some room." She murmured before stepping back, allowing Brianne some privacy. Brianne took the phone from Clarity, raising her eyebrows, but not replying. She didn't know what to say to Rhett. He was trying so hard, and it had been a mistake, but underneath the grief and the depression, she was angry. And she feared what would happen when that rage was let loose. The one place she could be locked up safely would be here. She couldn't trust any other walls to harbor her, any other chains to hold her until she was calm again. Pressing a cool hand to her forehead, she shut her eyes for a moment, before pressing the phone to her cheek. "This is Brianne." She tried to project some strength into her voice; after all, Paragon wasn't necessarily an enemy, but he wasn't a friend either, and she didn't trust him as far as she could have tried to throw him in her current state.
Clarity blinked as her phone rang. She looked up at Rhett, a frown on her face, and then down at her phone, which was now in her hand, before sliding her finger across the cracked screen, and holding it up to her ear. "Hello?" She asked quietly, one arm wrapped around her still healing ribs. "How did you get this number?" Alarick gazed at the jungle, distinctly aware of how far they were from New York. And Brianne. He glared at Ash though, attention taken away from the magnificent jungle for a moment. He glanced at Nick, before turning back to Ash. His reply, though was cut off by Morrigan. Morrigan looked up the giant forest with amazement, and no shortage of reverence. She didn't quite hear Ash's words, but the tone of voice indicated it wasn't as nice as he could have been. She felt his hand on her own, and twined her fingers around him, giving him an admonishing look before turning to look at the others, Alarick most of all. "What Ash meant to say, is that it would be best if I speak to her first. No doubt, from what I've been told, she will want to talk to everyone, but since I am of her kind, and she saw me Seeing her..." she turned back to look at the jungle as some birds flew over head. "It would be best to not startle the Mother of Fairies." She didn't let Ash lead her, but walked along side him, noticing with gratitude that Alarick followed. Hopefully her words had gotten through to the Shadowhunter. He looked most upset when he had arrived, but Morrigan knew it was her place not to ask what was wrong. She looked for Masque, smiling when she found him. "Come on." She motioned with her other hand. "I'm sure there will be lots of things to sketch inside the forest." The werewolf sighed, then took the clothes, pulling them on quickly. "I suppose, don't want everyone to be jealous of what I got." He winked at the werewolf. "Can look, but you can't touch." His muscles twitched, a slight side effect, but perhaps getting into a fight would fix the urge. It certainly didn't seem like a bad idea. "So, Doc. What's the plan then?"
Teliana couldn't help but shriek as she was met with, instead of Rose's not so friendly face, a hail of gunfire. She shoved her open palm out in front of her, creating the blood shield to stop most of them from hitting her. The spray was too severe to create a large enough space to cover her entire body, and she winced as a few grazed her legs before dropping to her knees, the rest of her hoping the shield would hold. AK-47's, by the sound of the rapid fire. Thirty bullets per round. Roughly seven guns. So.... She gritted her teeth as her concentration wavered and a bullet made it through, lodging in her right side. She focused the rest of her attention on the shield, keeping it up until the gunfire finally died. And then footsteps. Hold it together, Ana. Just a little longer. She let the field drop, and looked up as the first soldier approached her. Her decolletage was in danger of revealing itself much as her chest heaved with effort. "Well hello boys." She purred, her arms shaking. "It's been a while since I've had three of you to myself." The blade shot out from her hand, glistening in the dim light. "I like it this way. I don't have to share." She darted forward, sword swiping in to cut the man through the belly. She disemboweled him quickly before turning to the one on the left (god she hated the left) and tackling him just as he pointed the gun at her face. It discharged, the bullet shooting through her left arm in a spray of blood. She gritted her teeth and turned the gun on the man, blasting him through the chin and watching his brains spatter the floor before rolling, her sword flashing to a lance as the other man turned his gun on her. She stabbed him through the throat before he could do serious harm, though her leg was burning. She didn't dare look at the injury as she stumbled to her feet, panting. "Who's next?"
Treasa mutely shook her head, raising her gaze to stare at the monster with a sickening feeling in her stomach. "Just lie and say it's a leshen. Most people have never seen one and won't be able to tell the difference." She sighed, lying on her back to try and quell the spinning. "Either way, I'm afraid I won't be much use." Concussions varied, at least in her case, how long they lasted, and she wouldn't trust her hand with a bow until the spinning and headache stopped. "At least not for a while. How far do you think we are from the city?" She covered her eyes with her arm, wincing at the pain as she accidentally touched the bump on her head. "Maybe someone nearby as a healing remedy for head wounds." And maybe I'm a witcher. Still, if she could get back on her feet half as quickly as Derrick, it was worth the thought. She refused to be simple meat fodder all the way to the capital. Tessa tried to yank herself free, before the man's words managed to penetrate the fog of terror and desperation that surrounded her brain. Nevertheless, she turned, trying to ignore the hand that was still on her shoulder. Her cheeks were streaked with tears, and her eyes wide, but they burned with a combination of fear and defiance. "I just ran from that!" She pointed at the stage, her voice cracking. "Why do you think the dopplers rebelled in Oxenfurt? Because of that! There weren't no king, no, it was the city guard! The commoners, and the merchants, and the rich! They would take bets on how long the doppler could last with all their silvery jewelry pressed against them!" She grabbed his arm by the wrist, using the self defence skills taught to her by Bryce to wrench it off, and with the intention to twist it uncomfortably. "So I ran here! Now where will I run to?! Have you an answer to that? Not everyone can just find a home anywhere! Not everyone can just leave the little they've got and try to start over!" She was crying again, she was ignoring the danger around them, and she didn't care. How much more could she lose before she had nothing left?
Clarity frowned when Rhett shut his phone off and put it away. Clearly the werewolf didn't think it important, but the ifrit always made a point of answering her own device, if only to see who the hell it was and how the fuck they got her number. Then again, Rhett wasn't an attractive ifrit with enough knowledge to make a library. Maybe a small library. She turned away as Rhett tried to reason with Brianne, knowing it would do little good. The Nephilim had always been stubborn, and she would continue to be until her dying day. Becoming a werewolf wouldn't change that. What Rhett didn't see, what she couldn't make him see, was that Brianne understood everything he said, and knew it. But she was clinging to the one thing that had never betrayed her, the one idea that she had always talked about and adored. And it wasn't Clarity's place to make him see. Alarick reached up and grabbed the back of Nick's neck, pulling him closer. He guided Nick's forehead to rest on his own shoulder, refusing to look up. He rested there with his friend, letting them both release their grief within their sphere of silence and solitude. They remained there for thirty minutes, until at last, Alarick felt a little more in control. He stood, composing himself for a moment before clasping Nick's shoulder. "Thank you." he murmured, before using his stele to erase the runes and step forward. Sien must have gone ahead, and so Alarick followed the same path, Nick in tow as they made their way to the safe house. "We're here." He murmured, stepping inside and shutting the door. Brianne averted her eyes from Rhett, though she didn't pull his hand from hers. "I'm staying. And if you force me to leave somehow, then I promise you, there will not be enough apologies in the world for me to forgive you." She murmured, her voice empty. "I'm not leaving my home. Not yet." Her voice had taken on a pleading tone. If Rhett did indeed decide to force her, there would be little she could do. The virus was weakening her body, breaking down the angelic components of her blood and twisting them into their own, demonic origins. Her cheeks were slightly flushed as the fever began to build, and her eyes a little dazed, but she retained her mind, for now. "I can only forgive so many transgressions." She finished, before letting her head bow. "And I can't let go. Not yet." A single tear slipped down her cheek, spotting the couch before she pressed her hand to her head, the ache in her skull growing more quickly then the fever. Grayson snarled, but acquiesced the doctor's request, and lifted himself from the ground, crossing his arms over his bare chest. "I knew you must have missed my voice, Doc." He responded, his voice low, and filled with anything but humor. "So what's the topic today? The weather? Current events? I'm afraid I won't be good at either. How about...the things I'm going to do when I get out of here? That sounds nice. Oh yeah, I've got some plans." He walked, naked towards the cell door, a feral grin on his face. "With these upgrades? New York won't stand a chance." ~ In the Safe House, the eight strangers gathered. Representing nearly every race of the Shadow world, they waited for the portal to open as the warlock placed the finishing touches on the gateway. The oval shape rose from the ground, allowing even the tallest of them to walk through without having to bend. It showed nothing but darkness, giving no hint as to what was on the other side. One by one, each of the strangers walked through, guided only by a (small in some cases) sense of trust, and their own desires. Ash and Morrigan are the first, followed by Masque. Valister, Sien and Aethelrick follow, leaving Nick and Alarick to bring up the rear. As they step into a small jungle, seemingly thrown up in the middle of the desert, the portal slowly shrinks back into the ground, disappearing behind them, and leaving them to their fate.
Tessa bit her lip as the man was revealed to be a doppler. She knew they had another form, a true form, but she never used it. Bryce had trained her how to remain in her chosen form at all times, and unless she was severely wounded or dead, she might never change back. It made her feel more accepted, more human. Which was all she wanted to be. But here was Archon, talking about them as if they were bad. Her eyes widened when he mentioned Oxenfurt, and she began to tug on her hair nervously, squeezing the hand that held Seth's. It was only when the nooses were put around the necks of those poor people that she finally understood. "No no no no!" she let go of Seth's hand to barge through the crowd, trying to...she didn't know. Do something, keep those people from dying so horribly. There was no conventional way she could have stopped them, or even made it to the scaffolding in time as the guards pushed the dopplers off, one by one. Her scream was lost in the crowd's cheering as she witnessed death for the first time in such a brutal, staged fashion. They weren't people, anymore. They were objects for the amusement of those around her, and she pressed a hand to her mouth, unable to tear her eyes away from the jerking bodies. Her stomach roiled in revolt, and she was quite certain that if she had eaten, she would have been sick by now.
Clarity glanced at Aeros, who looked quite bemused. She grinned, about to respond to his offer when the man stuck his head back out of the ceiling. "You should have seen the man who asked me to hold the door open for him. But what can I do but spread my knowledge through the world, hoping to keep others from making the same mistakes as I have. Poor Uncle Varys. That doorman took him from us too soon." She sighed, as if weighed down with grief. "I couldn't even begin to tell you about cousin Archer. He was trying to fix a water pipe, and they turned the heat up in the building...you could smell him for days." Her eyes slid up and down his body appraisingly, before she turned to Aeros. "Thank you for your offer, but I must avenge cousin Archer. You're welcome to come with, of course. It's been a while since I've been in between two men." She grinned, then turned to Sparky. "I would be honored if you would lead the way to my path of vengeance, Sparkles."
Bryce was jolted from his sweet dreams by a sharp smack across the face with something hard. Unsure of whether he wanted to open his eyes, he did so anyway. If there was something to be faced, then he would face it like a man...whatever that meant. But upon prying his exhausted eyelids open, it was not what he expected to see. Aedan was facing the "dead" drake, horror on his face. Bryce felt terror rising in him as well. The Citrus God had promised the drake was no longer among the living...but yet that was clearly not the case. Had he lied? Had he not known? Bryce didn't know, and he couldn't afford to know as he slowly stumbled to his feet, hands reaching for his weapon. Whether or not the Citrus God was a fraud, it didn't matter. He had been kind to Bryce, and he needed protecting. The age old fury was slow in reaching his mind, but when it did, the citrus loving man let out a roar and ran towards the undead monster with his weapon raised, swinging it down to bring his rage down on the creature's head, his vision swaying slightly. The only thing keeping him on his feet was the beserker rage that fueled him to attack. Bryce stepped forward like a boss: 1 AP Bryce swung his battle axe like a boss: 8 AP Tessa's eyes flicked to Kara, before giving the girl a quick nod. She would trust that Kara would help her keep Rayyad safe, because what else could she really do? Hearing the uncertainty in her friend's voice, she turned and gave him a reassuring smile. "We won't let them find you, don't worry." She said confidently. "You and I know how to disappear in the forest, and our friends know how to fight. It'll be alright." Her eyes drifted beyond, to the inner parts of the city. "Let's go get this done, then." She was rather anxious to be out in the sunlight and fresh air again, after having spent so much time in the gloom and darkness of the caves. Kara sighed with relief as Tessa decided to trust her. At least someone had their head on straight. "I agree with Tessa. If that thing is going to end your attachment to this place, then let's do it. No one deserves to be a slave." She murmured the last part before turning, folding her arms across her chest. "Then we should look for Shyra and Arval. I don't like the idea of them wandering around, lost." It had been terrifying for her, and she wasn't even afraid of spiders. Not that Shyra was, but she looked like she could be. And Kara would bet her pretty eyes that Arval was secretly afraid of the dark.
Teliana smirked as Reitan wandered away. The wonders of having a beautifully sculpted chest. She skirted the edge of battle, hoping that Kalak was enough to keep them occupied as she turned and darted towards the troop transports in the middle. Along the way, her blood shot out of her hand, forming a lance somewhat similar to Reitain's as she stabbed a soldier through the stomach, whirling it to cut another's throat before continuing on. Her legs were trembling by the time she arrived in the middle of the madness, but she was smiling. It had to be one of the bigger three, and of those three, only one had a door open and was clearly empty. She turned to the other two, and approached the one in the middle. So I'm in the middle of the middle? She shook her head and opened the door, peering inside. "Rose?" She whispered, sweat and blood caking her hair and her face. "Please say I made a good but obvious choice and you're in this one?"
Alarick leaned against the wall of the alleyway, before sliding down, one shaking hand pressed to his face. It was too much, all too much. The Inquisitor, Brianne almost being captured, Aethelrick showing up and causing the entire past with Hendrick to explode in his face, Brianne being turned...How could one person handle all of this? That was beside the Seelie Queen apparently becoming Enemy Number One, Roxanne's disappearance, and Yorick's eventual interference. On top of all of that, he was losing his sister, his twin, the other half of him. He heard Nick's voice, and took a deep, shuddering breath, struggling to pull himself together in front of the man. It wasn't fair, though to treat his friends as he had, his comrades, and not expect them to want to know the truth. And they would know soon enough, one way or another. He raised his face from his hand, eyes red rimmed and cheeks damp, voice husky; "There was an accident at the werewolf den. The counter measures weren't enough. Brianne got infected." He had seen her hand. He knew there was no hope. "Everything I've ever done has been to protect her. To give her a life worth living. And it's all been for nothing." His voice quavered, but the words needed to be said. "I've always been there to protect her, and the one time I wasn't...it's all been for nothing." He bowed his head, shoulders shaking, completing the picture of utter defeat. I've failed her. Morrigan shook her head, smiling gently at Masque. "If I can make it, you'll do fine." She said, though she left out that he had been the reason she had been weaker. Although Ash's antidotes should have taken care of that. Turning to the warlock, her gaze softened further, as she reached out to gently twine her fingers with his, squeezing before letting go. "Perhaps we'll bring new meaning to the word." She whispered softly, tucking her hair behind her ear and staring out the window. It would be dawn soon. None of them had gotten any sleep, but being none of them were mundanes, they didn't need rest as much. Certainly at some point, but not right now. She was sure the two Shadowhunters accompanying them would demand a break at some point. They would work it out. It would be fine. At least, that was what she told herself. Brianne felt Rhett touch her, but she barely acknowledged the connection. Her mind moved sluggishly, as though she had just woken from a long rest. "I'm staying here." She said quietly, staring at the floor. "I'm staying here until Alarick and Nick get back, until Roxanne decides to return, and Aethelrick and Hendrick come. I'll leave when everyone else is back home, and not a moment before." She pulled her hand from his grasp, shivering as a slight chill ran through her before getting to her feet. "I'm staying." She repeated, glancing at him and then away. It wasn't smart to push away the only sense of hope she had of surviving this, but she couldn't help the pain or fear she felt, the prick of betrayal and guilt for feeling that way. The only thing she could help were her actions, and while it would be easier to walk away, she was still bound by her honor to protect the Institute and the other Shadowhunters until she could no longer hold a seraphim blade. Which at this point, was only a matter of hours.
Clarity looked up. "You know, I could sue you for stealing my catchphrase." She commented, grabbing the wrench. She didn't hand it back to the man yet, staring up at him with luminescent eyes. "And you should know better then to ask a lady to hand your wrench back. She might have an intense fear, even hatred of them. A single crescent wrench, in fact, might have been used to murder her entire family and bash her own skull in while she slept. Perhaps with that wrench she hunted down the murderer with single minded intent, until she found him, and made him swallow it." Clarity stared at the reflective metal before smiling up at the man, her face giving away nothing. "And maybe that's why she doesn't have that wrench in her hand now." She offered it up to the man. "After all, the struggle is so very real."
Clarity turned, smiling. "Isn't it obvious? I want to commandeer the ship, and steer it into the nearest planet. For the glory of the sun god." She waved a hand. "No, I'm kidding. I'm looking for the med bay. Which apparently is not here. Clarity." She held out her hand now, eyeing the newcomer. "And you are?" Brianne cautiously took a seat in the swiveling chair, uncertain in her movements. "Thank you, Ouranos. I am Commander Lightwood. As you know." She cleared her throat. "Is there any way to ascertain the origins of the ship? Is it possible it could be a Coalition or civilian ship that has taken refuge in this system from an attack, or under an emergency signal?" She leaned forward, staring intently at the screen. "See if you an identify the ship without alerting them. If there is still a high percentage they are not Coalition, then prepare the crew for a possible attack from an unknown quantity."
"Well how about we change that metaphor into reality?" Ana suggested, smashing her sword against Reitan's lance. She raised an eyebrow as her eyes lifted to his, and then she smiled. "I'm sure I could find a way to make it worth your while." She pressed up against the lance, her shirt clinging to her body in a rather revealing way, allowing only the top of her chest to show. The rest was up to Reitan's imagination. "We could just part ways amicably. I could use a rest, and you could help your friend. Say you defeated me. No one needs to know." Her voice dropped to a whisper as the blood sword disappeared in the blink of an eye and she grabbed Reitan's lance, her fingers brushing his. Veera watched Ashleigh mount her horse before drifting to her side. "For now." She responded, eyes staring straight ahead. She didn't look for Requiem or Anthem, knowing they wouldn't be far behind. Just like a faithful dog. Maybe you'll be asked to smell out the enemy as well. Veera ignored Alpha, though her eyes flicked unintentionally to Ashleigh, wondering if the demi god would ask her such a thing. Kala heard Timothy's voice, but her rational side urged her on with the darker side. It was a new feeling; acceptance. You can do this. The kind voice whispered in her mind. Protect your friend. You can do this. She landed on the ground in front of Kalak before reaching for his arm, intending to disembowel him. Her rational mind protested, quietly, that she didn't know what that meant. The darker side responded that she would soon see.
Kala stared as the man twisted Timothy's fingers to the point of nearly breaking. "Mine." She whispered, her nails growing longer. "Mine!" Her pupils began to leak into her irises, turning them black. "Mine." She hissed as she crouched, her hands brushing against the ground before resting there, the fingers elongated, the joints crackling as they shifted. Kala felt no pain, however. All she felt was cold rage. "Mine!" She screeched, leaping towards Kalak with her arms outstretched, black irises full of hate and mouth opened wide in a nearly silent scream.
Guess who's Faithin' across the rooftops now?
"I must have amnesia, because I don't remember ever giving you permission to touch me." She didn't stop running, didn't look for Kruez, didn't care at this point if they kept up. She also found it best to not tell Keenan she did have memory loss. Nothing that far back, but it wouldn't help her case. "You could at least respect what I want, but that would be too much of a stretch for you. So here's a hint. Don't touch me again." At this point, she had arrived in the village of Pontarsfork. Or what was left of it. Her yellow eyes narrowed, and she slowed her pace to a crawl, looking down in the dirt. It was faint, but she could read the signs of what happened here, telling her the story of how these people....well, died. There was the smell of the dead, as she had warned Kruez, but it was far fainter then she had anticipated. That could only mean most of these people had become fuel. Clenching her hands, she slowly walked forward, taking in every detail of the tracks as she followed the ghostly footsteps of Solomon, and his undead army. Zack wished that the movement of a great amount of people could be as simple as moving a small number. Unfortunately, it was not so. They could not afford to leave a single tent or trace of their remains. While Lila and the Guard Commander took those that were ready and moved deeper into the forest, Zack and Riel stayed behind with those who were not yet ready. Riel was sweeping up the fire pits, erasing tracks, and throwing brush over their campsite in an attempt to cover their existence while Zack flitted from family to family, trying to hurry them along. They had decided, in the short ten minute discussion, that splitting up their forces would be best. This way, if one were caught, it wouldn't doom everyone. Torture was another matter, but Zack would only cross that bridge when they got there. We need horses. He bemoaned, as one of the very few donkeys was loaded with as much as the poor beast could carry. He shouldered a pack, as did Riel, urging people to finish their remaining business quickly. Riel would take the lead, following Lila and Angeal's path, while Zack would cover the rear to make sure no one fell behind. It was going to be a long journey. Tessa jumped as Seth touched her, hand going to her blade as she wheeled around, one hand on her attacker's arm. She sighed when she saw it was only him, and relaxed, letting go. "He doesn't ever leave Novigrad, and I've never left Oxenfurt, so..." She turned back to face the king, waiting for her rapidly beating heart to calm down. At least to a more nervous tempo, rather than erratic. "This isn't going to be good." She murmured quietly.
