"You were supposed to, Kalak." Teliana resisted the urge to facepalm yet again, narrowing her eyes at Sophia before raising her hand in farewell as she turned and walked out, following Kalak out of the room. "Don't get your hopes too high, Jayce." She called back, letting the hand wave a little before dropping it. "Disappointment stunts the healing process, or so I've heard. Wouldn't want your sex life to suffer." She thought about pointing out to Kalak that Ashleigh was in fact, right there, but there was a better way to handle things. "Kalak sends his regards." she told Ashleigh as she walked by, barely concealing a grin. She strolled past Kalak onto the ship, winking at him as she walked by. "Ashleigh said hi." Regardless if the woman said so or not, the reaction was all she ever needed. Veera glanced up, her eyes narrowing at the sound of her name. To be honest, she had been listening to the whisperings of Alpha in her ear, and hadn't been paying much attention to the proceedings at all. Why do you want me? You don't sound like you care. Veera lifted her head a little more, analyzing Ashleigh as the woman appraised her in return. She sighed as Jayce volunteered her for the position, and stood up straight, letting her arms drop to her sides. "You shouldn't let him push you around so much. You're just a piece of meat to him. A wolf so low he doesn't care what happens. You're Ashleigh's shield, and what is she to you?" Veera shrugged inwardly, her mouth twisting before she replied, "I'll do my best." She walked to Ashleigh's side, standing behind Requiem and Anthem. Which of course, only gave Alpha more fodder. "You're even less important then the wolves with no song. You. Are. Nothing." We're going to fight soon, isn't that good enough? She replied curtly, her face blank of any emotion or sign of the inner battle that blazed. Alpha grumbled, but quieted, momentarily appeased with the taste of bloodlust. Kala smiled at Timothy, patting his elbow gently. "You're a good friend, Timothy." She whirled as Jaden entered, eyes widening in surprise and a little bit of fear. The way he spoke....she pressed her hands to her mouth avoid making any sound until the commanding man was gone before letting her fingers drop. "But no one can touch me." She whispered, her eyes terrified as she stared at the people in the tent. "No one." She waved a little to the Andaran Prince, a shy smile on her lips. "Bye Quiet One." She said, tilting her head as her chest hurt, just a tiny bit. What was that about? She shrugged, then remembered that she had been scared. Because her secret would be found out. "Don't touch me, okay?" She asked Reitan, pressing the sleeves together where her hands were located. "And don't let them touch me. I'll just wear this. It's great!" She raised her arms, and then dropped them when the jacket nearly revealed...things. "But it's okay. Really. Let's not listen to the scary man. Right Timothy?"
Titania watched some of the fey slowly waltz around the court. Her face showed no amusement, nor her eyes any warmth. She happened to know the pair on the left were planning to get married, sealing their families' fortunes for another five hundred years or so, while the couple on the right was having extra marital affairs. In truth, the Seelie Queen cared for none of it. As long as they upheld the beliefs, her beliefs, during the light of day, in the cloaked darkness of night they could do what they pleased. If only all of them could learn that lesson so well. A knight stepped up to her, kneeling and bowing his head. Only his neck moved as he raised his eyes to meet hers from the lower position. "My Queen, the warlock and Morrigan Moonsong have departed, and gone somewhere. We were unable to follow." The Seelie Queen raised an eyebrow, but did not speak. "We have also detected the presence of the Inquisitor in New York. He appears to have gone to the Institute." Yorick, you never were one for patience. She sighed, a barely perceptible sound. "Nephilim are so like their mundane counterparts, even if they pretend otherwise. Such foolish creatures. Only we and the warlocks are truly forever." A plant began to drift from the complicated network of vines, curling around her wrist like a favored pet. She stroked it, her magic feeding it to a larger size. The knight watched her, a slight nervousness entering his gaze as the couples stopped dancing to hear her words. "My knight, you have done well." The Queen purred as the vine rubbed against her skin before snaking its way up her arm. "You will dispatch a knight to bring Cinead Coldspring to me. Inform him I have not the patience to wait. You will then take five more of your knights and hunt down Ash and Morrigan. Bring them both to me, and anyone they are with. I want this to be a lesson they will not forget in two thousand years. Also..." She paused, stroking the vine as a purple flower began to grow. "You will take five more knights, and send them to hunt for this...Paragon I have heard so little about. I wish to speak with him. Let the Inquisitor handle his business." She waited until the knight had bowed and left, before turning back to the plant, which had sprouted another flower. "So the games begin." She whispered, stroking the poisonous petals with a finger. Clarity glanced over at Aethelrick. "You know, you're kind of a dick." She told him, raising an eyebrow before carrying on her walk. Worrying about money....what a foolish man. She wasn't worried about the money, or where they were going, or who they were visiting. She was worried about who was chasing them, and exactly how she was going to get out of this one. Ash and Alarick had her back before, and even Brianne had helped to pull her out of a scrape, but....Brianne would never condone something like this. Either she's locked up too, or she's unable to prevent it. Alarick clearly didn't agree with the move either, or he wouldn't have warned her, but that didn't mean he would openly help her. Even Ash wasn't a sure method of protection. And while Clarity hated to admit it even to herself, she needed protection. An ifrit was hardly a match for any Shadowhunter, let alone the Inquisitor. She wouldn't have minded meeting him under peaceful terms, just to see what exactly made someone Inquisitor, but now she just wanted to crawl into bed and hide under the blankets until this all went away. Or else punch everything in the face until it left her alone. "We're visiting a newly made friend. No matter what you pay me, I will not protect you if you harm them. I think I prefer Hendrick." She told Aethelrick, hiding her frustration. Things were already tense enough, and he had to act like werewolves were the bad guys when he came to her for help. "And you might want to consider changing your opinion. If we're going to get Hendrick, we're going to need friends." She told him before strolling in to Felicia's residence. She stared at the werewolves for a moment before turning to the newly made Alpha herself. "I'm glad to see your plans have worked, so far." She said, her expression softening. She had liked Felicia; the girl had a core of steel to her that Clarity admired. "But I'm afraid I need a favor. And it won't be easy." She jerked her head. "This is part of the favour. Aethelrick, meet Felicia, the currently uncontested contestant for Alpha of New York. Felicia, Shadowhunter Aethelrick." Morrigan turned curious eyes to Ash as he cut himself off, but she didn't ask. If he thought it pertinent, she trusted him to tell her. She smiled as he reminisced while they walked. "I miss the sea. I miss the smell of the salt, and the spray on my face. We left my home country when I was very young, perhaps twenty or thirty. My parents followed the Seelie Queen to America, where she established the New Court. Eventually, everyone else came too." She sighed, her eyes flicking to the shadow that disappeared ahead of them. "I've traveled to the sea on the east coast, a few times, but it's not the same. The grays and blues of the ocean are dead, here. Not like in Ireland, where it's green and blue and alive." Her gaze turned to the people on the street, watching them come and go as they ignored her and Ash. Not because they wanted to, but because the magic took away their choice, forcing them to see the fairy and warlock as invisible, or rather, not seeing them at all. "I want to go back, some day." Morrigan admitted. "There's an ache in my soul for my homeland that has only grown with the time I've spent away." She wondered vaguely what had become of their castle. Most likely a ruin now, that the locals told stories about and tourists visited for a good time. Her gaze turned wary as Ash opened the door for her, but she stepped inside anyway, looking into the spacious entryway carefully. The house was far from bare, furnishings covering the rooms in tasteful decor. She poked her head in the adjoining living room before wandering the hall to the stairway, her bare feet nearly silent on the wood floor. "A safe house?" She whispered, touching a picture frame on the wall. "This looks like someone's home." The photo was a painting, a drawing of a place called Alicante. It looked absolutely enchanting, and Morrigan found herself enraptured by the glass buildings that reached into the sky; unbeknownst to her, the wards that kept everyone but the Shadowhunters out. Brianne glanced at the Inquisitor before quickly returning her gaze to her work, lest she cut another finger. "I can't imagine there are many brave enough to date an Inquisitor. Your position is supposed to strike fear of judgement into the hearts of lesser Shadowhunters. Doesn't leave much room for romance." Her lips pursed as she pressed the sharp edge of the knife against the flesh of the fruit, the juice staining her fingertips. "I doubt you would recall my presence. I was barely twenty one when I received my assignment to come here, and lead the Institute. But I remember you there, at the ceremony." She set down the knife, popping one of the slices of fruit into her mouth before sighing with relief as the sweet flavor hit her tongue. "Food tastes so much better when you're starving." She commented, grabbing a second before stepping out of the way, allowing Corvo to take what he would like. "You congratulated me, before I even knew what I had been awarded. I thought it had been a commendation for my last mission." She shook her head. "I still don't understand exactly how I came to be here." Talking normally, it helped Brianne forget what the Inquisitor had almost seen, what he might still see. She found herself relaxing, even if a little bit. "My parents were torn between furious and proud. I think they had several matches lined up for me. Carrying on the family line, grandchildren." She shrugged. "I was just happy to have an escape from that future." And now that set of chains has fallen onto Alarick's neck. "But now that I think on it...I suppose I understand a little of the loneliness. We're put on a pedestal, further away from our brethren, and given command. They have to follow us, trust us, remain loyal. But at the end of the day, they can go get a drink, laugh and joke together. We can't do that, lest we lose respect. Or am I mistaken?" Brianne looked up at Corvo as she grabbed another strawberry, biting into it and chewing slowly. Her finger had stopped bleeding by now, thank the Angel.
Kala sighed, resting her head against Galadorn's back. "Marriage has changed her." She commented, her hands clasping tightly around the centaur's midriff. "Here." She slid off his back, bouncing slightly as she hit the ground before turning to Galadorn with a small smile. "I know the way better then you do, even after all this time." She turned and led the way to the royal library, climbing the shelves with a sense of ease as she grabbed various books on magic, species, and some that just looked ancient. Whatever she was, it wasn't common. She had never met something like herself. "I guess we just start with some of these?" She sighed, running her hands over the dusty cover before opening a book on magical creatures. Zack pouted. "But you got them all night! I've only had them for a little while!" Still, he handed back Zelina, choosing to spend a little more time with Zarron as he finished his meal. "And I think it's an excellent idea that you go with Tessa. She needs someone besides Veera to watch her back. Not that Veera isn't capable, but..." He sighed. "I would feel better, alright?" He admitted, glancing at Tessa as he said it. He couldn't get rid of the protective need to watch her back, no matter if he was with Adelina or not. Their relationship would never transcend what it was, that of a brother and sister, but he was slowly realizing he would not be able to watch over her forever. His life was slowly pulling him away, and he couldn't resist it forever. Tessa smiled a little at Gale, and then blushed at Zack's response. "I didn't realize I'd signed up for Single's Weekly." She muttered under her breath, running her hands through her hair before beginning to braid the nearly white strands with quick, neat movements. "If you really have nothing better to do then go with me on an extra patrol, then by all means." Tessa replied to Gale, steadily ignoring Adelina and Zack. "It would be nice to have company that's not just me and Veera." She liked the older woman, but Veera was intimidating, whether she meant to be or not.
Veera kept her face blank, and simply nodded, when Veceslav was finished. She couldn't bring herself to say anything, not when her heart was breaking in her chest and her mind was slowly shattering. He might as well have put her to the sword, but being unable to do it himself, he would let her blood stain someone else's sword, someone else's hand. She stood, limping out of the room, taking one last look at Veceslav's figure, illuminated by the fire. She opened her mouth, but really, what could she say? Turning, she walked out the door, shutting it behind her. Her room was not far from here, and she slowly made it to the familiar surroundings, making sure to lock her door behind her. Getting out of her armor was a slow task and she took her time in polishing and cleaning it before setting it aside. Each movement she made was methodical, familiar. It may well be the last time she would have an opportunity to do so in such a safe place. She could have curled up in the bed, but instead she went to sit in the window, watching the birds fly by and the clouds slowly move through the sky. "Well..." Treasa shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. She had never had to comfort Alastar, not even when she had brought him the news of her mother's death, not even when her own nightmares drove her screaming out of sleep, or when he had nearly broken four ribs trying to protect her from a rather large cave bear. She remembered comforting her brothers when they fell and scratched their knees, and tried to draw from that faint memory. "Maybe it's fate, then. If you hadn't been picked up to become a witcher, if you hadn't been strong enough to survive, then you wouldn't have met your true family, and you wouldn't have the happy memories with them that you do." She paused, smiling a little cynically. "Though I suppose you wouldn't have met me, or Alastar, Could have done without that extra trauma." NPCS only but they aren't important enough for their own banner. Group Alpha and Beta had combined, but they had suffered severe casualties. The two scouts held the hedgemage in between them as they limped back towards the camp. The poor sod had been knocked out after the last of his energy had gone to defeating the Water Hag. The tents slowly grew larger as the group trudged back, defeat evident in their faces and posture. They hadn't even been able to salvage the bodies. Group Charlie was headed out of the city. Despite their weapons being at the ready, they didn't attack the necrophages around them, and the reciprocal was true. The warrior led with the little girl on her back, her eyes narrowed and her mouth pressed in a thin line. A little while before.... "No. I don't understand." She held herself high, eyes ablaze with contained anger. "You're a witcher, an order gifted with legendary powers. You're supposed to protect us from this, save us from this, but instead," her lip curled with disgust. "You're aiding this." She turned. "We will go peacefully, but only because I am thinking about the safety of my people over my own selfish desire. You might want to consider doing the same, the next time you are offered such." They were nearly out of the city, and she turned her head to look for Group Delta. "Press your face against my shoulder, child." She commanded, her breath hitching in her throat. "We are going home." Group Delta was no more. The sight that had met the woman's eyes was not a pleasant, nor welcome one, as she gazed upon the bodies of her comrades, being feasted upon by the necrophages. She could do no more to save them then they could for her if she was attacked, and she knew this. It was still a bitter pill to swallow as they carried on, towards the safety of the campsite, with more then just scouting information to offer.
Bryce wasn't amused by the man on the horse creature. He seemed...not nice. And he called them citizens. What kind of a person did that? Bryce looked to Sanderson, and his muttonchops, to respond. And Sanderson did. Bryce turned to look at the man, his face saddened. "We're colleagues?" he asked softly. "Not friends?" Clearly, he had overstepped his boundaries here. For Sanderson to consider them less then friends, well...Goodbye, suspicious sideburns. We can no longer be wary of one another. He turned his sad gaze to the stranger. "I'm Bryce. I am a colleague." He intoned, suddenly depressed. "If you want to rob us, you might as well take everything. It's only for colleagues, anyway." Before Tessa could point out the fact, Rayyad stumbled into the left over web. She cringed as the eyes appeared, the giant spider slowly coming towards them. "Men." Tessa swore, rushing forward to grab Rayyad and pull him away from the enemy. "I swear, I would have gotten into less trouble with Kara around." She looked around for Conrad, hoping the warrior was as prepared as she; as much as she was ready to defend her friends, she wouldn't be able to withstand the damage like he would. Kara meanwhile, was patiently waiting for answer when Shadowweaver fell to its knees. She rushed towards it, hands hovering above the spiders hairy body as she cringed, the ear piercing wail nearly rupturing her ear drums. "What's wrong?!" She cried, desperately wanting to do something, anything, other then watch her newfound friend suffer. That was when the voice echoed in the chasms above her. "If you want to fight us, then fight us! Don't hide behind Shady! It did nothing to you! Don't be a coward and hurt my friend!" She yelled up into the ceiling, furious. "I don't know who this Rayyad is, but I bet he's better then you!" She didn't actually know, or really think that (it was poor practice to judge someone before meeting them, she found), but she just wanted to make the strange voice, whoever it was come out and show himself, not make Shadowweaver suffer for his apparent penchant for drama.
Teliana wanted to, and did, facepalm at Kalak's response. "Men." She muttered, raising her head back up to look at the three people who had just filed into the room. The musical soldiers, and Veera, who looked less then pleased. Ana raised an eyebrow, but kept her comments to herself. Veera was a little too obsessed with family and pack and belonging for her taste. "So, can we get going?" Teliana turned back to Kalak and Jayce, stretching her arms above her head before crossing them in front of her chest. "Just because some people don't have a decent sex life, doesn't mean that I want mine to suffer." Veera for the most part ignored those around her and drifted towards an unoccupied wall that she could lean against, broodingly. She didn't really have much to say to anyone, and Alpha's words were keeping most of her thoughts busy. Kala hesitantly took the jacket, pulling it on beneath her cloak while revealing as little of her skin as possible. She zipped it up, the sleeves dropping well past her fingers and the hem of the jacket itself falling to her thighs. Still, it covered what it needed to, and she smiled sweetly before holding out a hand, covered by a drooping sleeve. "Thank you." She said, taking Reitan's hand and shaking it. Which was not the easiest action to manage with the sleeve covering her hand, but she did the best she could. "You can be the giving one, now. And he can still be quiet." She motioned towards the Andarran Prince. "So who's our enemy? I don't think I have any enemies. Maybe the sun, but that's only because it burns my skin after a while. The rain is cold, and wet, but that can be fun." She frowned, tapping her sleeve covered hands together as the hood of her cloak fell back. "That woman was kind of scary, wasn't she?" She murmured, eyes darkening for a moment.
"There will always be monsters, and there will always be a need for monster slayers." Veera disagreed with a sigh. She didn't stop to ponder Veceslav's earlier statement; he would make his decision and she would have to simply carry it out, whatever the case. "The monsters may change shape and size, and they may carry different faces, but they will always exist." She stared into the flames. "So what are you going to do with me, then?" The question hung between them, intensifying the tension in the air. She raised her eyes back to the only man she could ever call father, one eyebrow raised. "You know as well I do that what happened," whatever it was, "cannot go unpunished." Treasa kept quiet as she listened to Derrick's explanation, looking at him occasionally to try and gauge how much of what he said was honest. It surprised her to find that she believed everything he had said, although it would take a lot of begging to get her to admit such a thing. It also gave her a point of view she had not previously considered, and it left her a little...sad? "Do you honestly believe your life is pointless?" She asked softly, her fingers lowering to tangle in the horse's man as she thought about what the witcher said. "You save people from terrible fates, and sometimes leave them for the better. You keep us all from being overwhelmed with the despair. It's not...." she pursed her lips as she searched for the words. "It's a sacrifice. You choose to walk in the dark so that some of us can feel the light. It's....noble." And since when did I become so soft? She had, without knowing let her walls down while Derrick spoke, and revealed innermost thoughts. Not even Alastar knew why she so desperately wanted to become a witcher. The strength, the speed, the immunity, yes all well and good. But why force a child to step into the dark, when her soul had already been tainted by it? "Perhaps you won't die alone." She rubbed the horse's neck gently. "Perhaps one day we'll all find peace." And perhaps the gods will come down and make the rivers run with wine.
"You're paying me to take you to Hendrick. And should you harm these allies of mine, I will make sure that the only thing he finds is your body in the river." Clarity replied as she started off down the alleyway. Speaking of bodies...She sighed, her grey eyes scanning the Nephilim behind her. "Depends. On how loyal you are to the Clave." On one hand, it would be far better to keep him ignorant just to be sure he wouldn't shoot her in the back and drag her bleeding carcass to the Shadowhunters. On the other, they could very well be out for him, and this was why he came to an ifrit, never mind a very well versed in espionage ifrit, to see his long lost parabati. That he had been separated from someone so close to him, that he defied the Nephilim order to return to Alicante, and he hadn't gone straight to the Institute.....she sighed. Damn her instincts for telling her to take such risks. "For some reason as I've yet to completely identify, the Clave has decided I need to be hunted. As I have not broken the Accords, I suspect it is going to be less then a friendly chat." She peered around the corner, checking the street before motioning to Aethelrick to follow. "We are going to an acquaintance of mine in order, which will help you get to Hendrick in the long run." She glanced back at Aethelrick. Was it possible that the Clave had found out she was helping him? Just what was he mixed up in? She pulled out her phone one last time and sent two messages; one to Felicia and one to Hendrick. Expect company. Morrigan's face tightened in worry for a moment before smoothing into a sheet of glass. "Several Downworlders?" She asked, the tension remaining in her voice as she stepped outside. Her thoughts went from Ash, to Rhett, to the woman who had been hunting Grayson Kellar; Brianne. Was she the one who was hunting? Or had she been the warn to one them? Right now, it didn't apparently matter. Morrigan turned her face to the sky to feel the last rays of the sun on her skin, closing her eyes for a moment and enjoying the finality of the warmth before the sun disappeared behind the tall buildings and descended below the horizon. "So, where do we go then?" she asked, her arms crossing over her chest as though to shield herself from the inevitable pain she was going to face. If Ash was being hunted by the Clave, and she was wanted by the Seelie Queen...was it truly coincidence that those two things happened at the same time? A disturbing thought, and one that was not going to go away easily. Brianne narrowed her eyes. He had phrased the request as a question, but they both knew it wasn't truly a question at all. For some reason, the thought flashed through her mind to wonder what Ash would say in response. The warlock was as duplicitous as a fey, and could avoid falling into any sort of trap involved in wordplay. Alarick was the same, on a lower level. She wished her big brother was at her side, stepping in front and taking charge, as he always had. But he wouldn't always be able to. "I'm sure that should it be within our ability to, we will be able to provide assistance." She said finally. "Although I must admit I'm uncomfortable promising any amount of help without knowing exactly what I'm walking in to." She shrugged. "Perhaps it's because of one too many bad dates." It was entirely plausible, anyway. "Hendrick is resting in his room, recovering from injuries sustained in battle." She sighed, crossing her arms. "Nick is with Alarick on official Clave business, I'm sure they'll done soon finished. Roxanne...." She frowned. "I've actually no clue where Roxanne has gotten to." She would not reveal the nature of her difficulty with the girl, nor the details of their altercation. Even if it was a mistake, she couldn't stop herself from protecting the Shadowhunter, believing still that perhaps she could be saved. "So, if you don't mind joining me in the ktichen, I would like to hear about these matters you acquire assistance in." She put emphasis on the word as if she doubted the validity of his claim. "I've not yet eaten, and I don't think it's polite to let your stomach growling interrupt conversation." She stepped inside the tiled room, rummaging through the fridge for something, anything, that required little effort. A box of strawberries caught her eye, and she sighed, taking them off the shelf before shutting the stainless steel door. Checking the fruit for mold, she washed them quickly in the sink and shoved them onto the counter, opening the carton and grabbing a knife to cut the tops off. "I remember you, from Alicante." She murmured, not entirely sure Corvo could hear her, as she began to work, the rhythmic motion soothing her frayed nerves.
Teliana frowned at Vyle, but didn't comment as he gently picked her up and took them both over the wall. She couldn't resist stroking the gentle velvety-ness of his wings before they vanished. She glanced up at him, frowning once more before grabbing his hand. "Come on, Vyle. You're smarter then this." she teased him gently, walking on the dry grass. Part of her stopped thinking about where they were going, and focused on the deadened landscape. She wanted spring to come so badly; it was the time of rebirth, of life, and growing beauty. A prelude to her favorite season. She stopped at the edge of a valley, several larger forms moving below. From here, they looked like a herd animal of some sort. Turning, Teliana offered a hesitant smile. "You found me, in one tiny forest. Then again, in the doppler camp. You shouldn't have to work so hard to enjoy my company." She stepped up, pressing her lips to his cheek quickly before turning. "Go, do what you have to do. I know they aren't people, but the only people here are our allies and well...me." She twisted a strand of hair around her finger, then unwound it. "At least, until I can travel a little better, this'll help, right? I just want to help. And since bad things happen when we're apart..." She shrugged, suddenly nervous. What if she had been too presumptuous? Veera watched the range of emotions that played across Veceslav's face, her stomach sinking slightly. His reasoning for her actions didn't even make sense, not to her. A single doppler, torturing someone? How had that driven her to commit genocide? Whatever the reason, it wouldn't be alright, as Derrick and Alastar had said. Neither of them were here, and Veceslav's word, whatever it was, would be final. The gods were cruel to her indeed. "Tatiana isn't strong, or quick, but she is brave. She's traveled with strangers, refusing to give up to find Aaron and be reunited. From what you've said, she's been through many things, and is still nearly wholly sound in her mind. She will want revenge for her brother, and by providing her with the gift of witcher strength, she'll be able to sate her desire. We need to replenish our numbers, Veceslav." The last part came out as a whisper. It was her fault they were short one person. "Perhaps you'll be able to do better by her then I." she murmured to him. Treasa glanced at Derrick, cautiously optimistic about his good mood. Perhaps this wouldn't be such a bad journey after all. "Is it sad that I already miss him?" She sighed. "We've been together for so long, sometimes I forget there was a time when I didn't follow him around." She was quiet for a short bit, fiddling with the reins of the horse. "Is it so terribly lonely, being a witcher? He tells me that before I came along, he almost never traveled with other people. It seems like it would be.." She hesitated, afraid to use the wrong words and break the tenuous bond she and Derrick seemed to be building. "It seems like it would be isolating." She finished. "I always thought that I would be able to convince Alastar to let me take the Trials, and become one of you. Then we could travel together, and he wouldn't have to worry that a drowner bite would give me a fever." It had happened more then once, and she wasn't keen to repeat the experience. She glanced down at the necrophage wound on her leg, and sent up a silent prayer to the gods that it would remain clean of bacteria. "Perhaps that's why he won't let me." She finished. "Because then we would have to travel alone." And the Mancy Pants NPC Club Band Group Charlie watched the witcher with suspicion. "You were at the camp." The warrior holding the girl spoke, shifting her grip so she could shield the girl from an attack, if necessary. "Why are you wallowing in the dirt with these...monsters?" Her eyes were wary as they moved around the street, taking in the sight of the necrophages before turning back to Alastar. "I thought witchers were monster hunters. Yet here you are, on their side?" She felt a small face press into her shoulder, but her heart would not, could not soften. If she wanted this little soul to live, she had to remain on guard. The others in her group closed around her, their ears metaphorically perked as they waited for Alastar's response. "Good thing I wasn't asking permission, then." Tessa responded to Seth, her eyes lighting up as his fingers brushed against her cheek. "I won't do anything stupid if you won't." She laughed gently, feeling lighter then she had, even previously curled up in his arms. "Because I'm not going anywhere." She knew the futility of the sentence even as she said it, but it still felt good to have that sort of conviction curling around her heart, promising to never leave this man that touched her as though she was made of glass. "And neither are you." She whispered, her fingers reaching up to caress his cheek as he kissed her. Somehow, her arms found their way around his neck, and despite her naivety and inexperience, Tessa decided to just go with it, for once. She had nearly died, stabbed to half death by someone she had loved. How many more chances would she get at happiness before the gods decided to rip it away from her again? She didn't want to have regrets, caused by fear. She wanted happy memories she could think of when she passed from this world to the next, and she wanted those happy moments with Seth.
Clary didn't move, keeping her arms wrapped around back of the chair, but the hair on the back of her neck rose. A parabati? She lowered her gaze, staring at the tops of her forearms. This is more then I bargained for. The legendary relationship, exclusive only to the Angel kin, was not something broken over trivial means. "I know him as Hendrick because that is what he wished to be known as." She stood up, the chair flying out from under her. Before it hit the floor, she caught it, spun it, and shoved it hard enough against the table that the wood rattled. "I've changed my mind. We leave now." Her tone of voice brooked no argument as she grabbed her katana from its resting place along the wall, before taking the two knife sheaths. Lifting up her shirt, she exposed her midriff briefly as she used the band to strap the knife to her stomach before shoving the other in her boot. It mattered little that Aethelrick saw her do this, she had three more in other hiding places that she could use against him if need be. "I hope you've brushed up on your pack manners." She tossed at him as she dropped her shirt, curled her fingers around the keys, and jerked her head at Aethelrick. Once they were both out, she locked the door behind her before heading out the fire escape. Climbing nimbly over the railing, she dropped to the ground. "You are going to owe me a lot more money." She hissed, glancing one way before the other down the alleyway. "Felicia, you better be ready, wolf girl. I'm calling in that favor." Her stride was paused by the buzzing of her phone. Alarick. She unlocked the phone with a swipe of her finger, and then stared. And stared some more. Her hand shook a little as she forwarded the message on. If I'm wanted, I have no doubt you're on the list too. I'll meet you there. She added, pressing send and sliding her phone into her jean pocket. This day couldn't get any worse. Alarick lowered his eyes, masking his emotions as he stared at the floor. His arms almost involuntarily crossed over his chest, fingers tapping against his arm as Nick's words floated through his mind, repeating themselves. What made Brianne more important then all of them combined? She was his sister, and more then that, his twin. They had shared a womb, a birth, a life. Before Brianne accepted the position at the Institute, they had always been together. Sometimes he was almost convinced they were two different halves of a soul; he calculating, pragmatic, and cold, while she was reckless, emotional, and as fiery as a warlock's wrath. He raised his eyes to look at Sien, then Max, kneeling on the floor, and finally Nick. For all that he hadn't known Nick for very long, as the other Shadowhunter had stated, he was right. Brianne would never hand over the Downworlders. She would never yield to Yorick's vision, and she would fight to the death before she let any of her friends fall into that fate. "You're right." His voice was gravelly and rough; he cleared it before dropping his arms. "You're right, Nick." He used his stele to quickly disband the rune on the door. "I'll deal with Yorick. Tell him you stormed off, that I'm going to talk you into it. That'll buy us hours, maybe. Get Hendrick, and Roxanne if you can. Tell them what's going on." He unlocked his phone with the other hand, quickly typing out a message and pressing send. "Max, you're going to stay in here with me, for now. For your own safety. Sien, you go with Nick. If you find Hendrick or Roxanne, hide with one of them. Better yet, get everyone gathered into one place." He looked at them, all of them. "If we're going to rebel against the Clave, I'd at least like us to have a minimal chance of surviving." Another message sent, he started on a last one. "I sent you a text. Roxanne and Hendrick too. It contains the address of a building. A safe house I have. We'll meet there. And Nick?" He paused, looking at the mirror. In a few seconds, he was going to have to pass off the hardest lie of his life. "Thank you." He glanced at the younger Shadowhunter with a small smile. Alarick's Texts You are going to be hunted by the Clave. There is a safe house at this address. 445 Silver Avenue N New York, New York We meet there. Trust no one. "Things wouldn't have turned out any differently." Morrigan leaned against the wall as she braided her hair, gently appraising the warlock's actions. "Fate has a funny way of course correcting itself." She looped the hair tie around the still damp ends of her black locks, a few strands falling loose to frame her face as dark eyes lingered on Ash. "And you're not foolish enough to believe the Queen hasn't already sent out people to find us, watch us." The thought forced goosebumps to rise along her skin, but she ignored them as she looked down at her clothing. It was makeshift, a long sleeved shirt she had dusted off from one of the drawers in the back, and some sort of tight fitting pants. They held no pockets, and clung to her form, leaving little to the imagination. The shirt dipped past her collarbone, the fringe on the bottom dropping to her thighs. The pants themselves hugged her waist, following her slender legs down to her ankles. She still wore no shoes. Despite the material offering very little in the way of protection, it allowed fluidity of movement, and she was far better at avoiding attacks then taking the brunt. She tied the cloth belt attached to her sword around her waist, before tossing her braid over her shoulder. "You do not have to come with me." She said suddenly, her eyelashes sweeping low to cover the irises that burned with such strange emotion. "The Seelie Queen is well known for finding weaknesses and using them against her victims. She didn't learn this skill on her own." And as terrifying as her sovereign was, she couldn't imagine what her mother would be like. No wonder the humans worshiped her as a goddess. Brianne's lips twisted into a poor mockery of a smile as she took Corvo's hand, gently shaking it. "You'll have to forgive me, Inquisitor Eismauer. I've been long away from Alicante, and my memory of the proper manners and form has faded." She pulled her hand back, her face gentling. "I do not mean to be rude, but I mean it when I say we have no reason to expect any welcome company that is not also in the presence of myself or my brother. We have not received reinforcements here for some time, and with the recall of Shadowhunters, well..." She let the sentence drift as she pressed her bleeding thumb surreptitiously to the side of her pants to stop the bleeding. "May I inquire as to why you are here?" She asked, her tone calm. She was neither afraid of this man, nor his reputation or his position. He was just another figure head, albeit one that was standing in front of her and not on the other side of a mirror. Her thoughts flitted back to Rhett and Valister, whom she hoped were escaping. She could easily explain away their presence, but it would avoid complication if they just remained out of sight until she had figured out what this...Corvo was doing here.
"Our leader has commanded it. And it is for the betterment of our people." Despite speaking the words he had been told, Alarick didn't find himself completely convinced. He wouldn't call himself friends with Sien, or Clarity, or any of the others, but they were more then just allies. There had been that one time when he had pulled Clarity from the jaws of a demon, and another when she had nearly lit her apartment on fire trying to keep him from being bitten by a rabid vampire. Sien had never failed to be at his side and watching his back, though the mutual trust ended when either side received their end of the bargain. Still, it was a relationship that had been cultivated through countless battles, blood and sweat, and it was not something he wanted to lightly throw aside. Then there was Brianne. She would never forgive him, but if she didn't do this, if they became hunted by their own kind...He would not let his baby sister fall prey to the same torture he had seen inflicted on others. "I have to protect Brianne, Nick. Do you understand what they will do to us if we don't obey? What they'll do the our friends in front of us if we don't agree?" His face was emotionless, his voice barely controlled, but a tempest of emotion raged inside. Someone was going to lose, coming out of this. But which was the bigger price to pay?
Clarity lifted her hair over her shoulder, letting it fall down her back before turning her back on Aethelrick. "There is always something you don't know. You're just lucky that what you don't know now isn't going to kill you." She strolled into her tiny kitchen, grabbing a cup from the sink and inspecting it for dirt or left over food. She had been in the habit recently of eating ramen in glasses instead of bowls, to save on dish washing later. In reality it didn't make much difference, but to Clarity the difference between washing a bowl and washing a cup was clear. "And I don't do favours for strange Nephilim with no street credit." Leaving the cup to its fate in the sink, she turned towards the mini fridge, letting the frigid air wash over her as she grabbed the bottle of juice and drank straight from the plastic container. She was the only one living here after all. "I'll have to go out in a bit, but you're welcome to stay here. As long as you don't answer the door. Or the phone. Or look out the windows. Actually, maybe don't move at all." She set the juice back in the fridge, tapping the counter with her nails as she thought. "Actually, you're coming with me. I don't know what my lingerie sells for, but I imagine it's a hefty price. And since you didn't pay me enough to break in to the Institute, yes. We'll give Hendrick an hour, no more and no less. Gives us time to chat." She stepped back to the kitchen table, a small round thing with only two chairs, and pulled one around, straddling it as her chest leaned against the front. "So tell me. Aethelrick, just how is it that you came to know dear old Hendrick as Cyrus?" Brianne grimaced at the thought of eating werewolf, but flashed a grin in Rhett's direction as he followed her inside. "You know, if you're going to keep making contemporary culture references, I'm going to have to question our friendship." She didn't allow herself to dwell on the fact that it was a barely forged relationship, but instead chose to be grateful for the small moment of happiness, however fleeting. And fleeting it was. The barrier rune was dispelled, the chimes twinkling in Brianne's mind. But Alarick was already back with Nick, Hendrick upstairs, and Roxanne was hiding somewhere. That meant....cursing by every Angel's name she knew, (and she knew quite a lot), Brianne grabbed Rhett's arm and yanked him away. She could hear footsteps now, an unfamiliar tread, and it forced the hair on the back of her neck to rise. The Shadowhunter turned, but the footsteps cut them off from the entrance. She instead tugged the werewolf back, through the outer door as she yanked her stele out and quickly cast a Rune for silence. Rhett's footsteps would still be loud, but she would just have to hope his werewolf instincts kept him hidden as her magic did for her. Pulling him up the backstaircase that would eventually lead to the rooftop garden, she practically dragged him across the hall, and to the room that Valister yet awaited her in. Slashing her thumb on the stele, (she didn't have time for subtlety), she pressed her bleeding finger against the nearly invisible barrier, knocking it down. "Rhett, Valister. Valister, Rhett. I know werewolves and vampires hate each other but right now you have to get the f*ck out of here." She whispered urgently, her hand trembling as she let go of Rhett's. A year ago? She would have never let either of them in here. She had gotten too complacent, too arrogant with her position, thinking no one would come and go without her knowing. "Sorry." She added before dashing back out of the room, taking a moment to catch her breath before descending the stairs and going off in search of the stranger's footsteps. Only a Nephilim would have been able to dispel the barrier around the Institute, and only a Shadowhunter would navigate the Institute with such knowledge. She could only pray to the Angel Rhett and Valister took her advice and left. Her brother? She would never have cared about his reaction. But with the Shadowhunters being called back to Alicante, this was no mere soldier. This was someone important. In her haste, she forgot to dispel the Rune of Silence as she searched for the intruder.
Tessa sighed with relief as Conrad didn't press the issue, and followed him to the statues. The ground was bare in front of them, dry and dehydrated. She knelt, running her fingers over the dirt, frowning. It called out to her, aching and painful. She swallowed, reminding herself that she was not the one who was dying of thirst. "Everything deserves a chance to live." She whispered, pushing life into the dirt with her fingers. As the grass began to grow, she sighed, feeling a little better with something green and not trying to kill her in her surroundings. She moved on to the next patch after the grass had reached sufficient height. It might not be helpful, but at least she was doing something and it wasn't drawing a giant spider towards them or getting poisoned. Kara followed the giant spider willingly, talking to it about anything and everything as they strolled along. She slowly lost her wariness of the darkened caves around her as she spoke, laughing at her own jokes and smiling as she imagined the spider to slowly warm up to her. When they reached the small hut, Kara paused, before patting the hairy creature on one leg. "We'll be right back." She promised it with a genuine smile before entering the little house. It was quaint, and much nicer then anything she had ever owned, or really slept in. "I wonder who lives here. I wonder when they'll be back." Kara gently lifted up the coverlets to make sure there indeed wasn't anyone hiding underneath them before letting it drop from her fingers. "I wonder if Tessa and Conrad were here." She poked her head back out the door to talk to the spider. "Are Tessa and Conrad nearby? With whoever lived here?"
Yorick, previously known only as "Old Man", clasped his hands in front of him, customary cane gone. Gone along with it was the pretense of the tired old man, one who could barely keep up with the events around him. No, he was more, much more. Alarick had known all along, but it was time to show the Shadowhunters of New York the real reason they were needed, the real reason they had to remain while the other Institutes closed and the Shadowhunters returned to Alicante. "Is he unharmed?" Yorick asked, eyes narrowing when Alarick hesitated to answer. "Mostly." came the response. Yorick sighed. "This is what you get for working with Downworlders, young one. You are so wise, and yet have so much to learn. They can be trusted only as long as they have use." Yorick turned away from the mirror in which Alarick faced him. "Are you alone?" He finally asked. Brianne was supposed to have joined her brother. The soft hearted girl needed to be convinced to let go of her tenderness towards the lower species of their world. "She's dealing with a matter as Head of the Institute. She sends her apologies, and Nicholas Nightwine in her stead." Ah, perhaps for the better then. If her own Shadowhunters were turned against her, then Brianne would have a hard time rejecting the change that was upon them. "Very well." Yorick gave none of this thoughts away. "Then I will issue the orders formally to you, Alarick, and allow you to pass them on to her at your lesiure, however. They are to be followed with as little delay as necessary." He cleared his throat, drawing himself up. "We require the presence of any and all Downworlders that have fraternized with the Shadow hunters of New York. This includes Ash the warlock and Rhett the werewolf, both of whom Brianne has been seen with. We also require the vampires Valister and Jennifer Shag, Clarity the ifrit, Creed Hollowblood, and of course, the warlock Masque." "They will be staying with us indefinitely, in order to help us find the Mortal Cup, and bring us one step closer to our goal; finding the Angel's Mirror." Yorick's eyes gleamed in a nearly fanatical way, but he kept his face expressionless. "Failure of any one of the Shadowhunters to produce these people will be considered treason of the highest, and the Inquisitor will be authorized to terminate them in any way he sees fit." Clarity glanced at the man who had appeared at her residence, before yanking out her phone. "I don't like this. And I don't like you." She warned, her voice heavily accented. Despite her travels all over the world, she had never seemed to be able to leave the language of her birthplace behind, and with it, the tint that it lent to her vocals. "But if what I've heard is true then.." She sighed, sliding her thumb across the screen to unlock it before typing out a quick message, and pressing send. "Why come to me?" She slipped the phone back into her pocket, turning it on silent. It didn't matter if she received a reply, or none at all. It didn't change what she was going to do, or the plans of the person in front of her. "I've no desire to become entangled in the wars of Shadowhunters and Downworlders. Neither are concerning to me. My only concern is finding my father." She folded her arms across her chest, her light blue eyes glowing as they examined the man, Shadowhunter, in front of her. "So, why come to me? How did you even know of me?" She asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Alarick's gaze flicked upwards. Yorick could assume that he was looking at Nick, gauging the younger Shadowhunter's reaction to his words, when in actuality, despite that being what Alarick wanted to do, he was looking at Sien, and hoping the warlock understood that it was very important to keep his mouth shut. By the grace of the Angel, his friend had somehow managed to escape the notice of the Clave. Despite his loyalty, Alarick had no desire to drag Sien off to Alicante, never to be seen again. "To be clear, Master Yorick." Alarick turned his warning gaze on Nick, hoping that the intuition he had seen in the younger man wasn't just a lie, and that he could sense what Alarick was unable to say; keep Sien's existence a secret. "You're going to keep the Downworlders named, all of which are our allies, in Alicante?" Indefinitely. Yorick nodded, his face smug. Alarick wanted to punch him. It had been hard enough to let Brianne give him her old friend, the werewolf girl. Alarick still saw the horror on her face every time he closed his eyes. Brianne still didn't know, still asked him about her. How could he do that to her again? "Why does the Angel's Mirror require their sacrifice?" Alarick felt his voice turn to steel. He didn't know what to do. His loyatly to his sister and his loyalty to the Clave were tearing him apart. Giving up these people would keep Brianne safe, but their blood would forever more stain his hands. "Their deaths will be the difference between us receiving the Angel's blessing, and Raziel granting our wish, and failure." Yorick's voice hadn't lost any confidence, but it had gained wariness. "We will become holy warriors once more, with their sacrifice." Yorick continued, as though trying to convince Alarick once more of his side. Alarick frowned. "We need a moment." He waved his fingers over the mirror before dropping it to the table, and staring at the three in the room; Masque, Sien, and Nick. What do I do? Brianne laughed, though inside she winced as each movement clearly pained the werewolf. "That is what people normally do. I have a special voicemail set up just for rescue thank you notes." She turned as Hendrick appeared, speaking to Rhett. She had almost completely forgotten that Ash had sent Rhett along to help her companion, and gently played with one of the flower petals, listening with an intent stare on the ground. "Masque will get a fair trial." she responded, shifting before laying the flowers on the ground next to her. "I can't promise what his fate will or will not be." What was it that they immediately jumped to murder? No matter the circumstance, Brianne felt uncomfortable with execution. There was honor in dying in battle, with the ground under your feet. To go to the afterlife on your knees, powerless....She shivered. Her spirit would never be able to rest with such a death. After Hendrick disappeared, presumably to sleep, Brianne looked up at the barely darkened sky, reminding her that it was later then anticipated. She lazily traced the air with her stele, replacing the barrier rune before sighing. "I haven't eaten yet, and I'm starving. You're welcome to come with, or the barrier rune will let you out. Won't let anyone in, but everyone can go." She said with a small smile. "But my stomach demands sustenance, or I'll probably try to snack on one of those flowers." Not forgetting to grab the bouquet, she stepped up, before extending a hand to help Rhett up.
Veera settled for resting her cheek on the cool surface of the table, the contrast in temperature with her skin helping to calm the raging headache. "Derrick said that I....well he wasn't sure, but something happened with Aaron and I after we arrived in Oxenfurt, and it had to do with that mage, Solomon. He thinks that Aaron and I.." Started a war? Murdered innocents? Got Aaron killed? If she could have wept, she would have. Instead she forced her yellow eyes to remain on the flickering flames. "He thinks that Aaron and I killed a lot of people, civilians. Solomon helped, or reanimated them, not sure. Afterwards, I followed Derrick to retrieve the mage, Teliana, from the witch hunters." "At some point, he let one of the companions go. I wanted to kill the doppler, I couldn't guess why...." She exhaled, trying to release the pressure between her temples as she lifted her head, massaging it with her fingers. "Derrick wouldn't let me, and we fought. I tried to kill him." Disbelief colored her voice, but also shame. Derrick wouldn't lie, he hadn't lied, as much as she wished it weren't true. "He bested me, and knocked me out. And..." the pain was nearly excrutiating, and she stopped talking, all her attention drawn to the migraine that now pounded through her skull. "I hope he's alright." she whispered. "But my idea...well..." She looked up briefly, the fire's reflection in her eyes. "Tatiana should join our ranks." Treasa shook her head. "At least bandits don't know how to torture. They have to take their best guess." she muttered, guiding her horse, well Derrick's horse, with her knees. She blinked, her eyes widening as he readily agreed to exchange Hawke for his own after they made camp. Is this a trap somehow? Are you hoping to get in my good graces? She began to tense up, anxiety and anger whirling in her stomach until she forcibly clamped down on them. Just give him a chance. You upset him before. Don't push away the only person who's willing to protect you. Because no matter how much Alastar assured her they were all dead, no matter how many times she had counted their bodies, she still remained unsure all of them were dead. "I could think of much better company." She gentled the tone of her voice, her lips twitching. "But I could also think of much worse. You haven't been traumatized until you've seen Alastar bathing in the river." And the NPC band Group Alpha was in the fight of their life, cutting through drowners as they tried to cross the river to safety. The hedgemage tried to keep up, but a slap from one necrophage's hand smacked across his face, leaving a trail of blood to fly through the air, as he went down to one knee. The scout backed up, trying to defend the single magical person in their group as the rogue darted on the edge of battle, backstabbing and cutting her way through the fringe. Desperate, the scout rolled through the river bed to escape one attack, leaving the mage completely open. His hands closed on something other then dirt as he scrabbled to his feet, and he pulled the iron dagger from the stony bottom, throwing it to hit the attacking drowner in the back of the skull. Group Beta had spotted Group Alpha by this point, and rushed forward to join their comrades in battle. The drowners increased in number, keeping the odds from turning in favor of the humans as the apprentice threw an acid bomb, splattering several of the necrophages before the scout joined her comrade at his side, just as a croaking filled the air, and she dropped to one knee, her face covered with burning mud as a Water Hag appeared. Group Charlie had run into a small group of ghouls and alghouls, and were dispatching them with the ease of many days of practice. Why had they bothered with this small group when it could have been easier to run away? Well, the small child strapped to the back of one of the warriors was answer enough. Somehow she had been missed by the marauding bands of murderers and looters, and the stench must have covered her scent from being discovered by necrophages as her parents lay their dying bodies over her to protect her. At least, they assumed the two women were her relatives. They hadn't gotten the chance to ask, several hours too late by the looks of it. Group Delta was resting in between disposing the bodies of the necrophages. They hadn't lost anyone in the battle, though it had been hard won. As a collective, they would give Group Charlie the benefit of doubt and wait thirty minutes more, but no longer. If the members of the third group yet remained, (and it was hard to believe they hadn't when they were the most experienced group) they would have to find their own way back to the campsite. Group Delta needed healing, water, and rest. They dared take none of that here.
Treasa followed after Derrick, her face twisting for a moment. "I hope they did." She murmured, thinking of Alastar. "What happened to Teliana, anyway? She looked..." She had that same look in her eyes. "I'm sorry." She realized after a moment exactly what she had asked. "That's entirely none of my business." At least the mage had Vyle to look after her. Even the smaller, younger mage seemed to exude a protective sort of emotion over the female. She looked at Oxenfurt as they made their way past the burning outskirts of the city. "I'd always heard stories about Oxenfurt, the Church, the University. Magical places to a little girl growing up in the country." She sighed, unable to keep a little wistfulness out of her voice. "I wish I could have seen it before they sent it to hell." She pulled up alongside Derrick, leaving him a few inches to lead but keeping abreast in order to stay aware and ready for any enemies. Her bow lay across her lap, ready for quick use. "Before we go our separate ways, that horse is going to love me." She declared, eyeing up the animal with something close to desire.
Teliana shook her head gently, her tangled hair falling into her face. "Anywhere is better then there." She replied, brushing the strands out of her vision before looking up at the vampire. Something passed over his face, a spasm of sorts. She took a step towards him, frowning. "Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?" He seemed hesitant, as though the distance between them was... Oh. Oh. "Zephyr, will you go pick out rooms for us?" She asked the younger mage quietly. "We could all do with some rest, and then tomorrow I'll start teaching you." If you even want to be taught after what I just did. "We'll be along shortly." She grabbed Vyle's hand, ignoring the tension thrumming from the vampire as she towed him out of the courtyard, and through the keep towards the gate. In all her years, granted they weren't as many as the man next to her, Kaer Morhen hadn't changed. She waited until they were at the gate, before pausing. "You're going to have to fly us out there." She said, looking up at the high walls. "I don't want to mess with the mechanism for the gate, and it'll take longer then needed." She wrapped her fingers around Vyle's and squeezed, feeling a little more like her old self. "I trust you." Veera slumped in the chair, grateful to take the pressure off her knee. "Derrick informed me of what he thought transpired. And I believed him." She glanced at Tatiana, uncomfortable with revealing mentioned events in front of someone who was, to her, a stranger. "I don't know why I did it, Vec. I don't know what kind of person I was in those days, even though those days only just happened..." She sighed as the headache returned and rested her elbow on the arm of the chair, her head in her hand. "We should probably talk about it in private. Since..." Since it will be you that decides my fate. Glancing at Tatiana, she blinked as an idea suddenly popped into her head. It wasn't particularly kind, but being a witcher wasn't about being kind. It was about the betterment for the masses, not the feelings of a single person. "And there's an idea I would like to broach with you." she finished, returning her yellow gaze to the Crow. Treasa felt her lips twitch in the beginnings of a smile, but clamped down on it before the expression became too obvious. "I've never met a horse that doesn't like me." She responded, but provoked no further argument as she grabbed the reins of the offered horse, gently letting it nuzzle her hand with its soft nose before rubbing its face. She liked horses, always missed them when they had to trade the creatures in for a place to stay, or food. Alastar, due to his size, had never seemed particularly keen on the animals. But she liked them. Perhaps it was from being born and raised on a farm. She pulled herself up into the saddle, steadying the horse underneath with a soothing sound. "Aren't we going to have to go through the mountains to get to the Kaer?" She asked curiously, turning around to face Derrick. "That doesn't sound...enjoyable." Or particularly survivable, if his wound took time to heal. Tessa watched as Sigmund left before turning back to Seth as he spoke. "You know I worked in a bar by myself, right?" She murmured, pressing her palm over his for a moment before curling up next to him, her fingers gently tracing the bandaging of his injured hand. "And you're not going tomorrow, because you are not well enough to go tomorrow. If you do go tomorrow, then I'll be right beside you. And if you sneak off," She stopped moving for a moment, turning her face on the pillow to meet Seth's eyes, "then I'll just have to wander around this strange city until I find you." She smiled gently. "I guess you're just stuck in this house with me for a day." At this point, she felt like she could sleep for an entire day.
Kala glared at Zahariel, his appearance not intimidating in the least. In fact, without the hood, he looked like a doll. Or a statue. "You're making me upset. But not upset. You're...." she struggled with the words, trying to identify what she felt. "You're full of yourself." She finished, crossing her arms. She still remained close to Timothy, growing more confident that the robot would protect her should something go wrong. He hadn't let her down yet, right? "I think I want to hit you." She announced, grabbing at the folds of her cloak as they began to open. Whatever rules of society she did or didn't know about, being naked in front of strangers seemed like a bad idea regardless. "Frustrating!" She nearly yelled, clapping her hands over her mouth as a smile grew on her face. Zahariel was leaving, apparently done with their group, but she couldn't help laughing in delight as her hands dropped once more to the edges of her cloak. "You're frustrating!" She laughed some more, all other negative emotion gone as she was filled with excitement at having discovered, or perhaps rediscovered an emotion. "And you're..." she scrunched up her face as she pointed at Reitan, her other hand keeping the red cloth folded around her body. "You're.....quiet! And..." she paused as she examined the Andaran Prince from afar. "You're quiet too." This confused her, and Kala fell quiet once more, contemplating. Could people be more then one thing at the same time? How could she tell them apart if they were the same thing? "Timothy, I need clothes." She whispered, leaning on her robot friend. "Can we go find some? I have to think about the quiet people."
Alarick glanced back at Mas-er, Max. "The werewolves?" Alarick sighed as Nick got back in the car, deciding to ignore the younger Shadowhunter for now. They had taken long enough, and in his haste he had decided to make it take longer. "Max, I can't pretend that it wasn't disturbing. I was brought up to...." What had he been brought up to do? It wasn't as though his actions, since joining the Clave, had been anything indicative of his beliefs. He hadn't treated life as though it were sacred, and he hadn't treated everyone the same. Brianne would not be pleased, if she ever found out. "I'm more of a fan of things that capture life, without capturing life. Like what you're drawing." He gestured towards the pad that Max held. "That way, you don't have to worry about forgetting, or hurting someone." He straightened with a sigh as his phone vibrated. A strange number had left him a message, and as he read the contents, his brow furrowed. "Nick, change of plans. You're helping me contact the Clave and getting Max set up. Sien, it' possible you're going to be needed at the Institute, if you're up for it." he reached around for his bo staff. "You should, as I believe they say, 'Step on it'. And please, don't hit anyone else." ~Minor Time-skip to catch them up to Everyone Else~ As they pulled up to the Institute, Alarick had Nick pull around to the back entrance. He didn't want to take Max through the entirety of the building to reach the safety of the detainment room. He got out of the car, bo staff still drawn as he helped Max out before escorting him inside, assuming that Nick and Sien were following. The barrier surrounding the Institute had been taken down, presumably by Brianne. That she had left it down was either worrying...or gratifying. Either way, it made his job easier, and he hauled Max inside, taking him to a white walled room that had a couch, a bed, and a small nightstand. "Right." He placed barrier runes around the room, keeping them all in as well as any eaves droppers out, before pulling out a small mirror. This one was a replica to the one that was placed upstairs in the library, and Alarick traced the runes over it, the surface wavering before revealing the face of Old Man Yorick. "I take it your mission has gone well?" his voice was crackly, the reception of the spell not nearly as good on a smaller surface area, but still useable. Morrigan shivered, then stilled under Ash's attention. Her mind kept racing back to those piercing eyes, the stare....What have I done? And yet there was no backing out. The Mother of Fairies had seen Morrigan, just as surely as Morrigan had seen her. If she did not seek the Great Queen out, it would only be a matter of time before she herself was sought. And whatever Ash promised would disappear. She waited until Ash pulled his hand away, before speaking. "I don't think we should meet the Mother of my race dressed in blood stained clothes and..." She patted her hair with her hand, a little self conscious before lowering her arm. "We should clean up. And then.." She hesitated, unused to having her opinion matter, but it needed to be said. "We can't do this alone. We need assistance. Or we'll never find her." She looked up at Ash, begging him to understand, to think about it or at least consider, for a second, that they needed friends. Her intuition railed against her mind that the Mother should be kept only to the fey. Some part of her knew that they needed to show strength, and unity, or they would not return. "Do you have a shower?" She asked after a moment, letting her gaze slip to the floor. She would need to search the house for better attire, as well. Brianne couldn't help but smile. Rhett had always been endearing, ever since he and Ash had stumbled into her life. He was the warmth and light to the cold and dark that Ash embodied, the yin to the yang. Despite his words, she couldn't ever imagine Rhett leaving Ash's side. "I'm no Angel, only a descendant. And some Nephilim have allergies, but I'm blessed enough not to be one of them." She gently took the flowers from Rhett before outright laughing. "Peppers are fine, Rhett, and you could have called, you know. Sit down before you wreck Ash's hard work." One hand around the...bouquet, she patted the stone next to her with the other. It was such a contrast from the conversation she had just carried with Hendrick, she found her mind in a little bit of a whirlwind. Out here in the sun and the wind on her face, it almost felt as though that conversation had only been a bad dream. But it hadn't. "Just don't take on another Alpha without backup, next time. Not everyone is as honorable as you are." She looked down at the random assortment of flowers with amusement and gratitude. They hadn't been the first she had received, but in such a way? Definitely. "Doc, when you say it like that, you make me go weak in the knees." Grayson gritted his teeth as the needle was plunged into his skin, the muscles rippling and contracting painfully. He didn't bother to stop the screams this time as he was wheeled into the room, the door shut. Changing had never been so painful, but it was as if his body carried the same desires as his mind, to resist the doctor at every turn. But did it have to be so painful? Screams turned to howls as his body slowly gave in to the serum, forcing him into his animalistic state. He snarled at the door, trying to get his feet underneath him as his nails scrabbled on the tiles.
Veera looked helplessly at Tatiana before down at Veceslav, who was starting to finally wake up. Both were asking so many questions, questions that had hard answers and were even harder to answer because she didn't remember. She felt a gentle relief towards Tatiana, and besides the girl knowing her name, she took this to mean she had known the woman previously. Frustration was building, though and as Veceslav got to his own feet Veera let her own collapse from under her, the effects of the potion fading and her knee no longer able to sustain her weight. She looked up at her mentor with exhaustion and pain on her face. Why has this been left to me? Why can't I just catch a break? Tatiana had the excuse of worrying for her brother, but she had failed to realize that all of them, with the exclusion of Vyle and Zephyr, were worn down and battle weary, not to mention injured. Veceslav had been inconveniently unconscious for Derrick's talk, and it was slowly dawning on her she was going to have to tell him exactly what the other witcher had said, but without the presence of his, or Alastar's, or Treasa's support. "The portal has clearly vanished. No one else is coming." She directed at Tatiana, biting back annoyance and exhaustion. "Ana did the best she could to get us through, but we've appeared to have lost the others along the way." She looked back up at Veceslav, silently pleading with him to take charge. She couldn't do this. "Veceslav, this is Vyle, Ana, and Zephyr." She didn't know if she, or he had known them previously to her..she pressed a hand to her head. "I'll explain what Derrick told me, but I can't..." I don't remember why I did it. Treasa swallowed a sob, wrapping her arms around herself as though it was all that kept her from falling apart. "If we ever find him." She murmured, glancing at the city of Oxenfurt. "If that's how portals work, I never want to go in another one again." She paused, glancing back at Derrick. "You're concerned for me? After how I treated you?" The bewilderment was evident in her voice. She shook her head, arms dropping as they reached for her bow. "I'm no glass doll. I would have been a witcher, if Alastar hadn't forbidden it." Her voice gentled. "Your concern is appreciated." She checked that the bowstring was taut before looking around. They were alone, for now. "So what do we do, Master Witcher?" The title held a trace of mockery to it, but was tempered into a teasing tone as she turned to Derrick. "I'm hoping we can remain together until I can at least find my uncle." she hesitantly admitted. To admit that it was because she was afraid to be alone...she would have to lose both her hands first. Tessa blinkd in surprise, watching as SIgmund sent Matilda and Greg somewhere else with a flick of his wrist. Fear hadn't yet penetrated the amazement she felt at watching such an action. She quickly moved over to allow Seth room on the bed, glancing at him with a concerned frown. "You won't go tomorrow. You'll go when Matilda says you can go." She declared, glaring at Sigmund as if to challenge him to say differently. Mage or not, she wasn't afraid of him. She didn't need to be afraid, with Seth by her side. "And I'll help him." She decided, crossing her arms over her chest as if daring either male to stop her. "That way you won't have to work as hard, and I do have some skills." All thanks to her brother....she blinked away the memories that were sure to haunt her for a long time yet. "Thank you Sigmund." It was grudgingly said, but genuine. "For helping us." She would wait until he left to crawl in next to Seth. She felt protective of the other doppler, as though some force was going to tear him away the second her eyes left him.
