Teliana was having a bad day. First Kalak was a little slow on the uptake, and didn't take out the soldiers she had so helpfully distracted. Choosing a few not so nice descriptions of her comrade, one of which rhymed with "ducking bassmole", she managed to dodge all of the bullets except three, two of which grazed her skin, and one that pierced her shoulder. That was only the beginning. As she struggled to control the flow of blood that stemmed from her injuries, she caught sight of an arrow. A d*mned crossbow bolt, to be exact. She threw herself to the ground, grunting as the air was forced from her lungs while the bolt whistled overhead, nearly taking some of her hair with it. And then, just to put the cherry on top of that delicious ice cream sundae, a man fired a lance towards her. "Oh come ON!" She screamed, throwing her hands out in front of her, the sword morphing into a shield. She felt the energy drain dramatically, and stumbled to her feet, sweat glistening on her forehead. "Guess I won't be going on that date." She muttered, her arm shooting out to reform the sword as she narrowed her eyes. She raced across the battlefield towards the two most competent, and therefore dangerous people; Carissa and Reitan. Kala gasped when she was stopped mid-jump, and then smiled up at Timothy as he set her down. "It'll be okay." She said confidently, even as he dragged her to cover. She could see Carissa and Reitan both focusing on an enemy who.."That's gross." She commented, pointing at Ana's weapon of choice. "And it doesn't look very healthy." There was another man darting around the battlefield, but Kala lacked the confidence to attack him just yet. Instead she darted out from cover for a moment to attack another guard, gritting her teeth as his life shoved its way through her veins. She stumbled back towards Timothy, her eyes darting up to the robot. The man's voice filled her head with screams before going quiet, joining his comrade in...wherever they were in her head. "Watch out!" She told the robot, trying to shove him down as another guard took aim at them. Something grabbed her arm, and she whirled, shoving it away from her, breaking contact before the jolt of death filled her body again. The gun pointed straight at her chest, and she hissed before batting it aside and pouncing on him, her hand pressed to his face. The energy left his body quicker that way, and she panted as yet another life was taken. Something was uncurling inside her, purring with each bit of energy captured, hissing as the flow of life was cut off. More. It demanded. And Kala was only too happy to oblige.
Treasa shook her head, pulling her horse up aside Derrick's. "Just give me what you can, if you don't mind. I'll get you the coin for it when we stop, or owe you a favor." She narrowed her eyes. "But not that kind of favor. And yeah, I'm well aware what happens. I dumped all the alcohol I had on it, and yet.." she sighed. "Just whatever you can." She repeated. In the Dungeons of Kazad Doom Chuck shook his head. "Oh I'd bet ya he knows yer here. He just don't care much. Yer not magical, and yer not important enough that he worries yer house will rise again 'im." Another swig from the canteen, another wipe of his sleeve across his mouth. "I hope ya have a soul who cares enough ta spend coin on yer bail. Otherwise, ya might be here a while." He told Talon, not without a little sympathy. In the Streets of Gondor Novigrad The alchemist raised his bearded face as two individuals. "Welcome." he said in an old man voice. "What may I do for you today?" He smiled kindly at them, placing his wrinkled hands on the counter. "I've got fertility potions, good luck charms, and fortunes for love, if that's what you're looking for. There's also herbs for good health, to keep your home smelling fresh, and to keep wounds from festering." The young couple in front of him looked like they had been run through the grindstone.
Titania watched Corvo leave, then returned to her chair, twirling her finger around a poison ivy stem. A small smile played along her lips as she considered the Inquisitor's words and reactions, long after he left. She snapped her fingers, and a small druid appeared at her side, holding a cup of water. Titania took it without so much as a glance towards the tiny creature, staring into the depths of the wooden chalice, which began to grow tiny roses. Usually, bringing life out of death reminded her too much of her mother, who liked to cause wood to suddenly spurt growths of moss and flowers. Today however, she was decidedly uncaring as to whether a small action caused her to think or look like the woman who had birthed her. This night, she had bigger plans and larger things to consider then a simple reminder. She watched Corvo prepare for his attack, setting off into the night. Her finger curved along the edge of the cup as the smile returned to her face. "Let us see your skills, Inquisitor." she murmured. Brianne sighed, shaking her head. "I'll leave it for you, should he find his way here. You'll need it more then I. And I'll have friends with me." She didn't think she could ever feel safe from the presence of the Inquisitor, but Rhett and Creed were definitely a good start. "Don't worry about Clarity. She's been through tighter spots then this and she always manages to come out." The words weren't just to comfort Hendrick, but herself as well. She knew Clarity would be okay, The ifrit's penchant for trouble was only matched by her incredible luck at getting out of said trouble alive. She reached up and kissed Hendrick on the cheek, squeezing his shoulder before turning and leaving. "Get some rest. Next time I see you, we'll have taken our home back." she said with determination, the same emotion glinting in her eyes. She stepped through the house, and back to Rhett and Creed. "Ready to go?" She asked them, her hand on the seraphim blade stuck in her belt. "Rhett, you should probably led the way. I've got a feeling we're in for a long night."
"You are more eloquent then most Shadowhunters I have had the...pleasure of meeting." Titania remarked, resting her hands on the sides of her chairs. Her green eyes didn't move from Corvo's face, studying his every movement. "But no, I have not brought you here to die. Not yet." She raised one hand, resting her chin on it. "I find myself embroiled in the middle of a civil war. Not a place that I care to be, but here we are." She sighed. "I also find myself curious if your skills are going to be useful to me. So, let us kill two birds with one stone." She stood, her dress swirling around her feet, the plants from her chair reaching out as if to hold her back. They stopped just inches away from her skin, wavering as though uncertain. "To my knowledge, you are charged with bringing the rebel Shadowhunters of New York to justice." Stepping towards the small bowl of water one of her knights had placed on the table, she motioned for Corvo to step closer. "It appears your hunt has not been going as well as you might have hoped." Her fingers brushed against the water, rippling the surface. "For here, is one of your prey. Skipping about the city as though nothing was wrong. And look how alone she is." She smiled, a feral grin. "Show me what you can do with this information. Use the best of your knowledge. Impress me." She let the image fade, turning back to Corvo. "May the odds be in your favor." Yorick stared out the window, waiting. Always waiting. He had spent his whole life doing such, and now he hoped to see the culmination of such patience. The photo he had given to the Seelie Queen, giving her all she needed to track down Roxanne, would surely be enough to start Corvo on the path to his most righteous task. May the Angel guide you. He prayed, furrowing his brow. It was almost certain that Alarick had betrayed him now. A shame, to have someone with so much promise fall off the wagon at the last moment, when they were almost to their destination, but life was filled with such disappointments. He wouldn't let one little worry stop him. "Soon." He whispered to the night air. "Soon." "To be fair, Ash, I didn't get into this mess. I took a job, called in a favor from a previous job, and then suddenly this man's pointing a gun in my face." She would have asked where Ash was taking her, but it seemed like a waste of breath. Someplace safe was good enough for her. "Oh be still my beating heart, an extra f*cking minute." She rolled her eyes for effect. "Do you realize what the Inquisitor did to me? I thought my muscles were being burned, torn apart and twisted for hours. Probably took all of five minutes." She cleared her throat, resting her voice for a moment. "I'm glad too. I wouldn't have wanted to face Da. Or Mum. I don't think she'd appreciate my blue. And Da, well...I can't imagine he'd be pleased to find out he's a da." She sighed. But he'll find out one day. I'll make him pay for everything he's done, to all those poor humans. Including Mum. "Gods know it's not my looks you'd miss." She responded, hissing as her body was jolted by Ash's movement. How is it possible that everything hurts? Alarick nodded, though he was still frowning. "And now Nick and Roxanne have disappeared." he sighed in exasperation. "Since the portal needs time to be set up, that leaves us with a few hours." He watched Hendrick cut through the room to disappear into the backroom, and Aethelrick collapsed into a chair. Because that's what we need. More drama. "Meet me outside in five." He told Sien. "We're going to go back to the Institute." He walked up to Aethelrick, not bothering to be polite as he nudged the man's foot with his own. "I'm going to go take back the Institute. Come if you can follow commands this time." he turned to address those left in the room, which was basically Valister, Creed, Rhett, and his sister. "I'm going to the Institute. I expect we'll see you there later?" He addressed Brianne, who nodded, her eyes meeting his own for a moment. "You can either stay here, go with Brianne, or come with me. Your choice." With that he walked out of the room, stopping by Sien. "Let's go. Better be ready with those spells of yours." Morrigan blinked. He apologized. She hadn't expected it, but she was grateful for it. "If you would show me, I will look at them." She replied cautiously, refusing to give an inch. The last time she had been unwary around the warlock, she had been injected with Angel knew what kind of poison, which she had only just recovered from. "That you show you are sorry for what you have done, speaks greater volumes then your previous actions." She murmured, trying to show the warlock that she didn't just want to give up on him. She couldn't be sure why, but she saw something in Masque. She wanted to know what it was. Brianne watched her brother leave before turning to Rhett and Creed. "That sounds like a good idea. My brother and I will need all the help we can get if the Inquisitor is there." She replied, her mouth twisting slightly as she felt a twinge of worry for Alarick. "Creed, you're welcome to go with him, or stay with me. Rhett can lead the way there." She glanced at Aethelrick, not completely unaware of what had happened. "I'll be right behind you guys in a minute." She passed by, giving the strange Shadowhunter a wide berth as she circled around to the smaller back garden where Hendrick was. "I'm going to go with Rhett, and get some back up. Then we're going to take back the Institute so Alarick and the others can get properly armed before they leave." She hesitated. "We'll send word when we get back. I've got a new phone now."
Ana watched as Kalak drew his sword, the weapon glowing red. She fingered the ring on her finger before turning it to the side, the spike sticking into her palm. Clenching it, she barely flinched as the spike pierced her flesh, drawing blood. She let her hand fall to her side, fingers opening as her blood began to coagulate into a shape; the shape of a curved sword. "The battle in sight and all men lose their manners." She sighed before following him out, landing lightly on her feet, sword held out at her side. "You missed a word. I'll give you a hint. The word is please." She murmured to Kalak before strolling past him, her face losing all its humor and taking on a grim expression. "So boys," she faced the soldiers that were scrambling for their weapons, "who's first?" Veera trailed after Ashleigh, keeping a wary eye on the soldiers but otherwise remaining silent. She was too afraid that a single word would bring Alpha back with a roaring vengeance. It seemed to be beaten back for now, but the wolf spirit was never gone for long. She could only hope they would fight soon enough, and Alpha's bloodlust would be sated. Kala opened her mouth to ask Carissa another question, when the woman jumped up, and a shout went through. Kala darted to her feet, startled and eyes widening as the door opened, guns blazing and Carissa strolling out as if she were simply taking a walk in...what did people take walks in? It didn't matter, because Kala gritted her teeth. "Come on Timothy. We gotta help." She wasn't sure why, but that wasn't her concern. Wasn't that what command meant? She ran out through the opening after Carissa, not bothering to wait for Reitan or Timothy. Outside, it was pure chaos. She lost sight of the woman, and whirled, screeching as a man reached for her. Her hood fell back when she ducked under his arms and grabbed his neck with her hands, eyes glowing a bright blue as she pulled her lips back in a gruesome expression, the force of his life leaving his body overwhelming all conscious thought and feeling. It was over all too quickly, and the man fell dead, as she stood there, panting. She turned her eerie eyes on the man's partner, and faced him. Monster. Monster! Evil! The shouts echoed in her head as the man pointed a gun towards her, fingers inching towards the trigger. Time seemed to slow as she watched, heart pounding. You can do this. You were born for this. The calm, gentle voice invaded her thoughts, cutting out the noise of the battle, the man's words as he screamed at her, everything but the pounding in her ears. I believe in you. Kala jumped towards the man, arms outstretched.
Bryce grinned sleepily at Sanderson before raising his hand. "I vote drakes." he said, his voice low. "I want to help people not die." Having spoken so eloquently, he then lowered his hand, letting his head drop onto his chest as he caught a small amount of sleep while waiting for the others in the group to post decide where they would go. Kara's hand knocked against a bottle, and she grabbed it before it fell instinctively, her eyes flashing towards the object. It was a clear potion bottle, stoppered and filled with some sort of green liquid. She sighed, trying to examine it. Well...better then nothing? Kara wouldn't have drank it to save her life, but it was a good thing Ren didn't have to drink it. She turned and darted back out of the house, kneeling down by Ren's side again. "So, I found this stuff. And since it's green, which is the color of healing and spring and good things, we're going to dump it on the wound. No, you don't get a say." She said, frowning. "Since you patted the spider, you get to hope that this doesn't make it worse. And I'll hope too." She added as an afterthought, before opening the bottle, setting the stopper down beside her. She might need the bottle for something after she was done with it. Turning the bottle upside down, she dumped the green liquid towards his wound. "Bottoms up, Spider Whisperer."
I haven't read past chapter 113 I think, but that's mostly procrastination on my part.
Bryce blinked, his eyes doing funny things. Maybe when he had hurt his wrist he had somehow hurt his head too. "I think it's okay. I haven't slept before. I mean..." When was the last time he hadn't slept? It must have been a long time ago, because he found he couldn't remember. "I'll sleep tonight. Or tomorrow. Whatever the next time we sleep is." He waved a hand carelessly, nearly falling over from where he was sitting because of it. "I won't let you beat me." He muttered, nearly inaudibly to the sideburns that taunted him with their well rested curls.
Clarity smirked weakly at Felicia. "It's all part of the package." She retorted, before looking up at Ash. "Rhett would never allow you to profane my body with such chemicals." She told him. "And for the record, I stabbed him in the d-" the rest of her sentence was cut off as Ash picked her up, drawing a pained hiss from the ifrit. "Please, keep talking over me like I'm not eve here." She muttered her arms wrapping around her chest as the pains sharpened. "I love feeling like I'm twenty three again." In spite of the fire behind her words, she leaned her head against Ash, her eyes shutting once more in an effort to ignore the pain that wove through her body. She felt his eyes on her, and without opening her eyes, spoke. "You know it costs extra for house visits. I prefer using my own shower when play time is over." If she couldn't joke about it, then what was the point? Clarity knew that she could be in big trouble. Alarick watched Cin with wariness in his gaze. "Because I want more people to know about this place." He told the fairy with an exasperated sigh before turning away, disgusted. Did anyone besides himself use their heads for once? Not bloody likely, considering the argument that was continuing upstairs, leaving him and Brianne to be the only two Shadowhunters on this floor of the house. Not to mention it was rude that Aethelrick had decided to dump the body of his former parabati upstairs, probably in the nice bedroom. Alarick wanted to bang his head against the wall, but instead he simply walked into the hallway, opening a dresser and pulling out a perfectly good cell phone. Not the latest model, but workable. He tossed it to Brianne as he passed by her, turning his attention to Sien. "So you decided you'll be joining us?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. They would only have a few hours before the group in the house split up. It was quite possible some of them could die while apart. But he didn't need to think about that. "I'm glad. I need someone I can trust at my back. I'm not so sure about that quiet fellow over there." He nodded to Valister. Brianne caught the cellphone, flipping it open and turning it on as she watched Creed and Rhett interact rather awkwardly with a small smile. It didn't take long for her to program the phone with her number, flipping through the messages with a furrow in her brow. Jennifer had sent her something that didn't make sense...but then she hadn't really known vampires to make much sense. Kind of like warlocks and fairies. Perhaps it was the longevity of their lives that drove them insane. Shutting the phone and turning back to the two, she ran her fingers through her hair. "I....want to get Clarity back." She admitted to the werewolf with a nod to Creed. "But that shouldn't be priority. And if I know her, she'll...she'll get out." She always does. "So we should prioritize trying to figure out a way to keep the Inquisitor off our backs. I'd like to get back to the Institute, maybe set up some Runes..." she bit her lip. He would break through those just as easily as he did the first time. "We'll need traps, things to keep him out while we get ready to go on the offensive. Once he gets back to Yorick with what he has, it's going to be a bloodbath." She shuddered, folding her arms across her chest. "Any ideas where we can start with any of that?" She asked both of the males in front of her.
Clarity waved off the man's apology gently before pointing to her own uniform. "Medical." she replied. "And I'm sorry to have made your last day so eventful." She shook her head as she watched the drunk get hauled away. "I believe I've lost any desire to try any form of alcohol." She observed, rubbing her wrists with a frown. "Although perhaps I should invest my time in better self defense responses. Thank you, for helping me." She turned to Rel with a smile. "I'd hate to take up any more of your time before you're deployed. You should enjoy yourself here, if you can. Deployments are not easy for some to bear." Unsure of Rel's rank, Clarity settled for a quick salute before heading back towards the Ouranos. That way she wouldn't offend him, or embarrass herself more then she had already. "I see." Brianne looked at Aeros with a small frown, trying to analyze him. Fortunately for the Ensign, her mind was otherwise occupied. "Well, if you'd like to use it, it's free now." She decided, turning and heading towards the elevator. "Although you should start slow. Too intense of a situation too fast can force your brain into shock. Given that we're deploying soon, I would assume you want to be awake and on your feet for the take off." She pressed the button on the elevator, waiting for the doors to open. "What happens in the VR room, stays in the VR room, Ensign." She finished, glancing at him before stepping into the elevator. Whether Aeros decided to join her on the way back to the flight deck was his prerogative.
By Da's mane, take a joke. Clarity kept that thought to herself, mentally shrugging. She couldn't be bothered to understand the werewolf's irritation, or her login in fixing the outer wounds while leaving the inner. Though judging by the effort it cost her to do every little thing, her muscles might need some untangling. She let her head droop, shutting her eyes as she slowed the breath in her lungs, trying to save herself the energy. While bantering with an angry werewolf might be fun any other day, she might want to save that particular action for a time when her agenda wasn't filled with pain and torture. Ash entered then. She couldn't see him, but she could hear his voice. One of your own? I wasn't aware that I could receive that honor. It pleased some part of her, the part that actually cared what others thought of her. "Alright." She pushed herself to sit up, pressing her lips together against the pain as she pressed the cloth that Felicia had previously been using to wipe away at her wound, against it. "You guys don't have to fight over me. Mom gets me Monday through Thursday, and Dad you get me Friday through Sunday. Don't make me get the judge again." What was with her and parental jokes today? Maybe she had a complex. Morrigan waited for Masque to return, running her fingers around the fragile bones of her wrist. There was no particular reason she did this, other then to avoid looking at Cin and to keep from responding to his prickish reponse. There would be plenty of time to get to know her allies, and get away from Cin, when they searched for the Queen Mother, she was sure. Instead, once Masque returned, his clothes a little more stained and his mask a little more clean, she crossed her arms across her chest. "I'd like to talk to you about my brothers and sisters. About what you did to me. About yourself. Don't you want to know more about me?" She asked, somewhat helplessly. It was true, she wanted to understand what had made Masque the way he was. What had turned the warlock in front of her into the killer that had nearly taken her life. "Please." She added. Alarick narrowed his eyes at the fairy, then jerked his head towards the bodies. "Right. Since you came into my house, and threatened my guests, you can help me get rid of the remains." It didn't escape his notice that Nick had left, and his eyes lingered on the younger Shadowhunter until he was gone from sight, before sighing. "Unless you plan to buy this house from me. Then you can decorate the walls with their blood once we're gone for all I care."
Titania smirked, amused by the show of manners. "Of course. I would hate to keep you from any prior obligations. She flicked her fingers towards Paragon in dismissal, turning back towards her apothecary set. "I too, have matters that await my attention." As she spoke, she waved her fingers over the surface of the bowl of water, the movement of her fingers causing ripples to stir the surface. When they cleared, the face of one of her knights was presented to her. "Call off the search for Paragon. Instead...." She tapped her fingers against the table, her smile growing a little bigger. "Bring me the Inquisitor. Gently, if you please. I need him willing and...somewhat biddable." She blew on the water to clear the image, her slim form outlined by the magically light lamps. Ever the plot thickened, like a bottle of ink, and as always, she was ready to use it to write with her quill. Certainly not Yorick's, the old fool. Not even Paragon's, whatever his plans were. No, she had been plotting for centuries for this moment to come about, and she would hardly have it ruined by anyone. Clarity looked at the pills that Felicia had handed her before gently setting them to the side, sucking in her breath as each movement set off a symphony of protestations from her body. She wondered what she looked like underneath the surface of her blue skin. "I don't have any plans on adding poisoning by human medication to my list of physical shortcomings." She replied to Felicia, letting her head smack the wall behind her as she shut her eyes. "I do not think my injuries are life threatening." Well, within the next few minutes, anyway. "You should tend to your own." Unless Ash didn't get my text, in which case.....goodbye Clarity. She wondered if Ash would find humor in the hypothetical she had asked the Inquisitor out of spite. Will I see my mother in the afterlife? Or my da? Or maybe I won't get either of them. Or both? She wished she could ask someone who had been through it, but unfortunately they were all......dead. "Please tell me that water is filtered." Every word cost her, but she would never let it show. "If it's not filtered, I'll die from the amount of fluoride you humans shove into your tap supply." Alarick looked at Sien, and shook his head. "I have no f*cking clue." he said, his voice emotionless as ever. His eyes however, watched Ash stop to speak with Morrigan before leaving the room quickly. He had no idea how the warlock or fairy had known to show up, but he hoped that whoever had trusted them with the information (he suspected Clarity), knew what they were doing. Regardless, he stepped up to the Seelie Knight, keeping his hands in front of him and his bo staff clipped to his side, but ready at all times. "How did you know to find this place?" He asked Cin, desperately hoping Sien remained to watch his back. They had been through some interesting times together, and right now he wouldn't have minded a whole army of Sien's behind him. "If we're not safe here from the Seelie Queen, even until morning, then it would be best to move everyone to a place that is, or somehow make this place safe." He grimaced at the thought of more fighting before they even left for Somalia, but without knowing what the situation was at the Institute, this was the next safest place he knew of. They had to go back to the Institute eventually, but he would leave that to Brianne's capable hands. "For how long?" Morrigan wondered, keeping her sword just barely from touching Cin's neck. It would be so easy to try and kill him here, to end this stupid charade, but she knew she would never survive the encounter in one piece. She withdrew her sword and slid it back into the sheath, narrowing her eyes at her nearly brother by law. "By all the gods and angels, I swear if you betray us, I will ensure there is no place for you on earth, in heaven or hell." She paused as Ash stepped to her side, speaking quickly, urgently. "You'll only be slower with me in tow. Go, do what you need." She offered him a smile before he turned away, and her gaze turned back to Cin. She wanted to say so much to him, to accuse him, perhaps to just ask why, but it would do no good. He wouldn't give her a straight answer, and she sighed, turning to Masque. "Are you alright?" She asked, a part of her unbelieving that she was asking her almost killer if he was alright. She motioned towards her own face before lowering her hand. "The blood, we can go clean it up if you want, and then perhaps, we can...talk." Perhaps it was too much to chance her luck by being near two people who had so recently wished her harm. She would like the odds better if she only faced one. Brianne sighed, rubbing her temples as Aethelrick departed the....whatever kind of chaotic scene from hell this was to go start an argument with Hendrick. One that sounded intensely personal, and that she could only catch a few words from, thank the Angel. She debated going up to break up the fight, but decided that her intrusion would be unwanted, especially by the new Shadowhunter she had only had a few seconds to talk to. He was a far cry from his parabati, that was for sure. She could guess the subject of their argument, but didn't speculate further then that. She glanced at Rhett, raising her eyebrows at his comment. "Maybe you should go ask for an autograph. He could even sign it in blood." Oh god, did she actually just make that joke? Shaking her head at her own morbid sense of humor, she turned as Creed walked up to her with a casual greeting that managed to force a laugh from the female Shadowhunter. "Hey Creed. Long time no see. Glad you made it here though." She glanced back at Cin, who was now being spoken to by Alarick. To the untrained, or even unfamiliar eye, her brother looked relaxed, as though he was chatting about the weather. Brianne could see he was wound tighter then a bowstring. "This is Rhett. I'm not sure if you two have ever bumped into each other, but since we're here now..." She shrugged helplessly. "I guess we're all stuck under one roof for now." The Institute would be a better roof, and she needed to go back there as quickly as possible, but until she knew who would help, in return for their own room, and who would not, she would remain here and try to keep the peace.
Ana let her head drop into her hands, taking a moment to slow her breath and quiet her heartbeat. "I hope so." She whispered, pushing her sweaty hair out of her face before twisting her arms to examine them. The wounds fared like the ones on her legs, nearly halfway to healed. Whatever Derrick had put on them in Oxenfurt had done her a world of good. When he showed up at the Kaer, (from wherever he was, she thought with a twinge of guilt), she would have to ask him exactly what the poultice had been. Swinging her legs out of bed, she shivered in the cold air, rubbing her arms. "Did you do that all night?" She asked the vampire, raising an eyebrow before moving towards the dresser to search for any sort of suitable clothing. Dresses would likely be scarce at the Kaer, so she would make do with whatever she could find that was appropriate covering. While she searched, she directed more conversation towards Vyle. "What are we going to do now? There's so much going wrong, I don't even know where to start trying to fix it..." As if it's left up to us. But really, it was. Who else was going to try to stop Solomon, or Milosh, or Archon? Who else would try to find peace between the dopplers and humans? She sighed, turning to Vyle with her arms full of clothes. "What do we do?" Veera took the vials and placed them in her satchel, followed by the bombs going into her equipment belt. She gritted her teeth when the final part came, and Veceslav talked about family, of all things. She refused to use that against him, refused to argue. It was futile, and while she was angry she still formed coherent thoughts. Is there a reason I shouldn't be forming coherent thoughts? She wondered to herself, sighing as she took the bracelet, staring at it with little to no emotion. Perhaps a little nostalgic, but whatever Veceslav hoped for her to do with it, she hadn't the first idea. It wasn't her childhood she was missing, just the last few days. And from the sounds of it, she was probably better off not knowing. Slipping the belt into her satchel to mix with the vials and potions, she allowed Veceslav to look at her with all the regret and love and whatever else was in his gaze; she didn't stick around long enough to see it. Turning away abruptly, she raised her hand in farewell before shutting the door behind her. The urge to slam it, to storm out like a teenager, was so very strong Veera almost regretted not doing it. But she couldn't do that to the man who had helped raise her. And she wouldn't. She had to be better then that, at least until the end. Why, she couldn't say. But she didn't question the instinct. On her way out of the Kaer, sighing over her missing horse, she caught sight of Tatiana, waiting on the doorstep. Veera sighed, then looked back. Well, if she was going to have a rough day, then so could Veceslav. And since he had banished her, the responsibility now fell to him to tell Tatiana what had happened. "Hey." She stood there, awkward. She couldn't remember the girl, and it hurt a little, knowing that in the short time they had known each other Tatiana had impacted her life a great deal. "You should go talk to Veceslav." She gave Tatiana simple directions, then patted the girl on the shoulder, every movement stilted. "You'll be okay. And I'm sorry." Turning before Tatiana could force her into conversation, she started off down the road, the winter breeze cold on her face. If she had any luck at all, her horse had started on its way back to the Kaer when she hadn't come back for it, and they would meet on the road. If not, it was a long walk to Oxenfurt. Treasa rubbed her face with one hand, blinking as Derrick's words tried to filter through her exhausted consciousness. "Novigrad...right." She sighed softly, letting her head hang. "It would be nice to get more healing herbs. And possibly a new sharpening stone, if we have the time. The battle against the necrophages dulled more arrowheads then I care to admit." She shifted, the injury in her leg twinging. Glancing down, she winced. She hadn't checked the wound since the day before, mostly by mistake. The burning sensation that lingered on the edge of her mind told her a different story. "Do you happen to have any cleansing materials on you? Not water, but something stronger....like alcohol?" She asked hesitantly, gritting her teeth. As much as she hated to admit weakness. the wound needed more cleaning. And with her lack of sleep, it wouldn't take much to get herself sick. And if she was sick, then she would be dead weight and it would be all too easy for Derrick to leave her behind. "I...have a necrophage wound that needs more rigorous cleaning." She admitted. Gods, if it came down to it she might have to get it cauterized. Good thing she wasn't afraid of fire. Zack was now sitting on his cot, one hand clenched in the other as he rested his chin upon it. There was really only one option now, to keep the rest of the dopplers safe, and guarantee that safety for the future. He shut his eyes for a moment, basking in the quiet silence of the morning. The only sounds to disturb said silence were the birds of the forest, and the quiet murmurs of the men at arms who were on guard. He had them rotating every eight hours in order to make sure they were well rested. Because honestly, tired men were men who made mistakes. Zack stayed there, silently meditating on his choice to make sure it was the only viable option, before getting to his feet as the camp slowly began to awaken with the sounds of food being made and fires being started. He opened the flap to his tent, a proud construct of the engineers the night before, and glanced out. Seemingly overnight, the refugee camp had turned into an actual camp, with most families having a tent to themselves. Those that didn't today, would by tonight. Zack turned away and walked towards the clearing where, soon enough, his council would gather. He would have to get them to agree to his idea before he followed through with it. And he knew none of them were going to like it. Tessa muttered, but sat up, rubbing her hair with her head and causing it to become even more tangled as Seth opened the door for Matilda. Men. She thought to herself, keeping her legs underneath the warm covers until she had to remove them. At least she hadn't taken her clothes off, or else Matilda would be getting a lot more then she bargained for this early in the morning. She yawned as she pointed at Seth to answer Matilda's question before beckoning to Greg. "You can come sit here with me," she offered the little boy. "And tell me how silly my hair looks. Maybe we can figure out how to untangle it together with your bear friend." The NPC guard in Novigrad who until this point was Unimportant The Unimportant Guard, who's name is now Chuck, peered into the dark cell. "You alrigh' in there?" he chuckled as he spoke, giving away the reason his nickname existed. "I can' imagine tryin' to take on Kyle. Shame wha' happened." He took a swig from his canteen, wiping his mouth with his arm guard before laughing again. "I wonder if anyone's missin ye. Tell ya what. Make me a lord, and I might consider lettin' ya go." He pretended to think about his offer before chuckling again, clutching his belly. "Oy, not even a lordship would be worth lettin' ya go and facing our good King Archon's wrath. I'd rather die in me bed, not screamin with me guts out me mouth."
Bryce was standing on his feet when Sanderson and Sebastion both arose. He had been staring at the same spot for the last two hours, hoping desperately that someone would come to relieve him of his watch. It hadn't occurred to the man that Sanderson hadn't asked anyone else to take second, or third, or even fourth watch. It also hadn't occurred to Bryce that he should be the one to wake someone up. Instead, when Sanderson had downed the potion, Bryce patted his forehead, with a "Sleep well, little sideburns." Before taking his position to guard over the camp. And waiting. And waiting. No wonder northerners are so grumpy all the time. Their nights are so long. Bryce walked around a little bit every so often, swinging his arms until he accidentally smacked his hand against the side of a tree. While nursing the growing bruise, he tripped over a root in the darkness, nearly twisting his ankle. After that, the Citrus Worshipper decided that remaining in one place was the best practice. And thus he waited some more, for the replacement watch that never came. This fact didn't dawn on him until the sun was quite literally dawning on him, and when Bryce turned reddened eyes, underscored by the purple shadows underneath his eyes, he realized at last what had happened. He struggled to narrow his eyes, but nearly fell asleep in the process. I see what you've done, sideburns. Keeping Sanderson in late so I would have to stay up all night. Make me tired so I couldn't watch you. Well, I'll show you. He gave away no hint towards the inner thought process, instead leaning tiredly on Sebastion's horse, not really mindful of whether the creature cared for the interaction or not. In fact, the horse was much more comfortable then a tree or a post would have been. "Nothing attacked the camp during the night." He said hoarsely (get it?), his hand accidentally finding its way to Sebastion's thigh. "Sorry. But your legs are quite nice." He told the man before stumbling towards a place by the fire and sitting down. Even for a moment. "I'm ready when you are." He told Sanderson with a sleepy hand wave as his eyes slowly closed.
Veera folded her arms over her chest, her eyes cold. "Fine." Was the only response she gave to Veceslav. She stared at him for a few moments before her gaze switched to a particular piece of cloth on the bed, or a cracked stone in the wall. Anything really, to keep her from looking at the man who had both decided on and would carry out her sentence. Shoving her towards death without swinging the blade himself. He might as well have declared her dead. And if she didn't feel up to the suicidal tendency, then she could feel free to forever wander without a home, wondering when one of her fellow witchers would show up to finally end her. "Do you have something to say?" Her tone was as frosty as her eyes, her opinion on the matter clear. She wasn't one for goodbyes, and this was one hell of a farewell. Tessa shifted as Seth moved, her eyes slowly opening. She smiled sleepily before turning over once more, burrowing deeper into the warmth of the blankets and covering her head to block out the light. "Just a little longer." She whispered, pulling her legs up towards her chest as she tried to soak up the delightful feeling of sleeping on clean sheets, in safety, with the heat of her body lingering on the cloth underneath. She would stay here forever if the gods allowed it.
Who is in control?
Clarity couldn't help but laugh weakly as the Inquisitor canceled out the rest of the Runes, the sound dying in her throat when he stabbed her. She was too broken to scream, despite the pain, but not enough to keep her from taunting him. Nobody had ever called her sane, anyway. "You lose to a wolf." She hissed, the laughter bubbling in her throat again. "My mistake thinking you were something to be feared." She rolled onto her side, clamping her hand down on the wound as best she could to keep the blood from spreading all over the floor. She kind of needed that. Felicia was by her side soon enough, tying it off with something that suspiciously resembled Hendrick's favorite blanket. Clarity was in too much pain to care. "I must have been passed out while he took the baseball bat to me." She muttered, her voice cracked and broken. She wondered if it was possible to tear vocal cords, because if it was, she probably had. She froze when Felicia touched her hair. "Look, you're cute and all, but I'm really not in the mood for foreplay. Maybe later when my body doesn't feel like it's going to cave in." She tried to say it with her usual sassy flair, but now it just sounded like the groan of a dying duck. Close enough to a dying ifrit, I suppose. Forcing herself to sit up, she pulled herself to the nearest wall, gasping with effort. "We need Ash." She said through gritted teeth, her hand once more pressed to her wound, despite the tourniquet. "He's..." She stopped. She couldn't just give the address away. Gingerly, she used her injured arm to pull her phone out of her pocket, swearing as the phone screen revealed itself to be cracked. She must have landed on it when Corvo knocked her backwards. Slowly, painfully, Clarity typed out a message to Ash, using as few words as she could. Inquisitor. Institute. Hurt. Hopefully he would get the message. When Cin began to move, Alarick tensed, then gritted his teeth. While he was glad not to have had to put anyone in danger by fighting, it burned him to see Cin turn on his fellow knights and slaughter them like animals. When Cin spoke, Alarick averted his gaze to his sister, gauging her reaction. He silently vowed to never leave her alone with the fairy. After today, Alarick didn't know if he would be able to trust the fairy who had led danger to their door before erasing it with the brutality of an execution right before their eyes. Morrigan stepped forward, her face strained as Cin spoke. She drew her sword and leveled it at him, her eyes cold as the steel she held in her hand. "Cinead Coldspring, I want the truth from you now." She whispered, her voice soft enough only the two of them could hear. It wasn't her intent for this private moment to be seen by so many eyes, but she couldn't risk Cin hurting Ash, hurting any of them. "Do you intend to harm or betray me or any of those gathered here?" If he couldn't reply, she would allow him the chance to leave. Cin had never personally harmed her, but neither had he stood in the way of those who had done so. She ignored the blood that pooled around her bare feet, the still warm liquid touching her toes. She ignored the newfound allies behind her, and her uncertainty of the one in front of her. She ignored everything but the fairy she now pointed her weapon at, waiting for his response. Brianne wished she could have closed her eyes, sparing herself the sight they beheld. Instead she forced herself to watch, knowing that to show any weakness could result in her death, or the death of those around her. When it was done, she pressed a hand to her temple, hoping that the empty faces of the knights that now adorned her brother's floor wouldn't haunt her dreams. "Whatever happens, he does not come with us." She muttered to Rhett and Aethelrick, her body still tense and wary after the fairy's sudden turn on his allies. But neither did she want him to accompany her brother. She looked Alarick with a helpless sigh, indicating her frustration. Now, more then ever, they needed a way to defeat the Seelie Queen, before she used the quickest avenue of vengeance and murdered all of them.
Veera sat up, sighing as she cracked her neck from side to side. So much for sleep. Rolling out of the small bed, she ran fingers through her hair to quickly untangle it as she got dressed. Truth be told she had time to brush it, time to pick and choose what she wore, but she didn't care. There was no one to impress, (if anything they needed to impress her) and there was really no reason to take longer except for sheer boredom, which wasn't really Veera's way. Stepping outside of her house, she took a moment to adjust to the sunlight before heading off to find Tessa. The first stop was the girl's house, which looked like it had been visited, but without occupants now, she assumed Tessa would be in the eating hall. And of course, she was right. "Come on." Veera beckoned with her head towards Tessa. "It's time." She could have sat down and ate something, but really, she wasn't hungry. Not much these days, anyway. Kala sighed, uncurling her legs to let them hang over the arm of the chair she was in. She dangled her feet as she turned another page in the massive tome, searching for something, anything, that could give her a clue of what to do. It wasn't as though she hadn't ever considered the idea she was now pursuing. She just hadn't ever really had the chance to walk in that direction. She thought of the ones who had dissuaded her, and shuddered silently before turning the page again. She hoped to the gods she would never see them again. If she did, there was a good chance that only one person would be walking away, and it probably wouldn't be her. Zack inwardly cringed as Veera walked in, but said nothing. He could feel Tessa tense up beside him as well, and gave her a sympathetic look as he pushed his plate away. "I'll clean you stuff up." He offered in a whisper as he nodded his head in greeting to Veera. With a baby in his arms, he could that as a perfectly good excuse not to jump up and salute her. Then again, Veera wasn't the saluting type. He glanced at their captain, wondering and not for the first time, how exactly she managed to hold herself so tall with all the people in the city had put her through. No one really talked about it, but from what Tessa had told him, privately, it had been inhumane. How the queen had decided to help those people, even after they killed her father, had been beyond him. "See you later." He told her, trying with a supportive smile to lift her spirits. Tessa smiled in thanks to Zack and got to her feet, saluting Veera a little slowly. She shook out her wrist, trying to liven up her reflexes as she moved towards her captain. "I'm ready when you are." She stated, hands behind her back and standing straight. In truth, she could have used a lot more sleep, and maybe a little more food, but her stomach was in too much turmoil to consider the last. She glanced back at Gale for a moment, wondering if he still planned to accompany her on shift, or if he had changed his mind. She wouldn't blame him. She would blame Zack and Adelina for clearly trying to set her up with someone when all she wanted was her friend back. But she couldn't have him back. So maybe it was time to make a new friend? Shaking her head to clear it of such confusing and roundabout thoughts, Tessa turned back to Veera.
The drunken man and Clarity both turned to look at the intruder on their altercation; Clarity with grateful surprise, the drunk with bleery and reddened eyes. To be honest, she wasn't sure he had processed half of what the other Varun had said. "Why the hell would I want to dance with you? You're a...." The man asked, stumbling back slightly. Clarity tried to yank her wrists free, which only served to nearly pull the unsteady alcoholic towards her. The only thing keeping him from actually touching her with more then his hands was the other Varun, who's own fingers had a hold on the rude man's arm. "If this is how your people pick mates, it's a wonder you were ever born." She observed, gritting her teeth as the drunk's fingers tightened, her efforts to escape only having made it worse. "I don't think he can hear you, sir. Much less understand you're actually speaking a language." She said to the Varun who had intervened. By now the pressure on her wrists was actually starting to bother her, and she didn't want to have to explain any awkward bruising to her commanding officer, nor her crew mates. Time out in space was long enough without rumors flying, especially rumors about her. She stepped inward, using her foot to crush the toes of her assailant before twisting one of her wrists out of his grasp, using the force of the action to pull the other free. As she stepped away, she realized that he was going to either hit her, or tackle her. Neither seemed a pleasant outcome. "Why do people feel the need to drink themselves to a less intelligent state?" She murmured, moving out of the way. Brianne was too focused on the mission to realize she was being watched. Save as many civilians as possible. Defend the colony as long as you can hold out.She had made it to five minutes so far. A record. There was a reason no other crew mates played through this scenario, or tried to beat her records. Somehow they simply knew that this was hers. She had to do this, had to prove that had she been there, ten years older and wiser, she could have saved them. Saved herself. Pointing the gun at another slaver, she narrowed her eyes and squeezed the trigger, hitting him in the back of his skull. He dropped like a ton of rocks, just as she felt a pain in her side. The VR could never simulate injury in the actual amounts, instead just using small increments to let the person know they had been hit. She turned and fired, hitting the attacker in the chest, before taking out his back up. She knew she was screwed when she felt the tingling bloom across her back, imitating the spread of a shotgun. Brianne fell to her knees, temporarily stunned, as the VR room shifted back to it's blank walls. Brianne wiped her sweaty hair out of her eyes and stood, heading towards the exit. It wasn't until she had left the VR room that she realized she had been watched. "Can I help you, Ensign?" Brianne put on her best commander voice, waiting for Aeros' response. She didn't like being watched, not in such a private moment.
Bryce listened to Sanderson's story with all the patience he could muster, his eyes never leaving the green bottle. Whatever it was, it made Sanderson nervous too. Maybe it was liquid fire. Bryce had heard stories about it, terrible stories that gave him nightmares. But Bryce would never admit this, because it would make him less of a man. What, was he really a man? What made him a man? These ponderings would have to wait for a later time, perhaps in conversation with the Citrus God, as he slowly scooted closer towards Sanderson, not even concerning himself with blinking. If he did, the sideburns, the man, the potion, or all three might disappear. He kept moving, inch by inch. Sebastion, the new man was called, seemed to be in his way. No matter. Bryce grabbed the man's shoulder and used his hold to pull himself into Sebastion's lap before continuing onward to the other side. Nothing would keep him from his goal. He kept moving slowly until his hip was nearly touching Sanderson's, as he leaned over, whispering in the other man's ear, "What is that green juice?" Tessa grinned at Rayyad as she rose from the ground, the flower's healing pollen already distributing through the air. it did nothing for Tessa, who hadn't yet been injured, but she knew Conrad wouldn't be feeling the effects of the spider's attack nearly as much. "Can you teach me that trick? She asked, before the hissing and clicking behind her seemed suddenly close. Turning back around, Tessa was met with the sight of a second spider attacking Conrad. Conrad managed to parry the bite, leaving the spider sitting directly in front of Tessa. Grabbing her staff, which she barely used and found cumbersome, she cast Stoneskin. Her mana was desperately low, and she wanted to reserve the little she had left for a true emergency. Tessa used Stoneskin; 5 AP and 3 Mana to make her completely useless unless claimed as a meatshield. Kara took a deep breath herself, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she glanced at Ren. "You stay here. I'm going to.." She hesitated, then straightened her stance, eyes determined. "I'm going to go check in that house quick. If the person who lived there has had to live around these spiders for so long, it would make sense he's got something for emergencies." She tapped her fingers against the hilt of her seraph blade before turning to the house. "Try not to run away on me, alright? I know it's boring in here and all, but really, I can hardly be considered even an amateur thief if I don't turn an abandoned house over at least once." She joked, her tone light, before she rubbed her head, mussing her hair. "Whatever. I got this. I'll see you in a few." Kara for some reason felt trepidation as she wandered back into the small little hut. What she was looking for, she didn't know. She hadn't even really felt any inclination to steal from whoever this was. But here she was, doing what she was only semi good at, and looking for things to take without being noticed. I guess some things never change.
