No. Not at all. Nationality has nothing to do with ethnicity. Dammit Karuta you even explained ethnicity earlier. xD If you're born in Mexico, lived your whole life there, that still doesn't mean you're ethnically hispanic. You could be the blackest black dude to have ever blacked but have lived your life in Mexico. Your ethnicity wouldn't be "Mexican" in that case. Your nationality would be though.
Cin stepped in behind Nick and Alarick, his head tilting upon seeing Masque screaming and crying at the corner. He could not help but smirk. "How pathetic." Cin sneered at the warlock taking a step closer. A knife flashed in the warlock's hand as he prepared to, what it seemed like, cut himself. "Will you not even defend yourself?" The knight looked Alarick's way. "It seems without the shadows and a helpless victim at his mercy this one is no more that a worm. I shall enjoy watching make this one squirm for all the death he has wrought." ~ A newcomer arrived, Ash had paid little attention except for the fact that he had brought the shadowhunter Brianne along with him. He would have to question her about their interactions later. Several werewolves by then had already found themselves forced into the Change by the gashes left in them by Ash's hatchet. The whimpering sounds of what was once a furious pack reduced to that of pups was a welcome change. Still, many remained still determined to overcome himself and Morrigan, along with Brianne, with sheer numbers. Slaughtering the pack was not an option he wanted to take but with every glance he took in Rhett's direction the thought became more and more appealing to him. Ash stepped back. Even with the three of them it would still take too long for them to subdue the wolves and patch Rhett up...who was still bleeding out. If more help did not arrive soon, Ash feared for what would become of his friend. And then the cavalry arrived. How Ash could have known of Rhett's location, he did not know, but the warlock did not seem shaken at all by the threat of facing so many wolves. "No need to make me look bad..." Of course, Rhett had already known the difference in their skill. Sure, he had been a few scraps of his own over the years and had another five years of proper training under Ash, but the warlock had been through centuries of bloodshed. Still, a bit of pride was hurt knowing that he would have been dead if not for someone else saving his ass. He wanted to take out Keller. Maybe it was the loss of blood talking, or maybe it was wolf instinct, but at that moment all he wanted was a rematch with the alpha...and to live long enough to get one. Not long after Ash arrived Morrigan was by his side. She spoke to him, asking if he remembered her. He nodded weakly in response, saving his breath. She did not owe him anything, it was Ash who had saved her life, but for one reason or another she had followed the warlock into battle despite her condition and defended him. She motioned for them to head farther from the pack, taking him to a corner. Rhett faded into and out of consciousness for a moment during the transition. His body had already grown numb to the pain leaving him to wonder if he should have been grateful or worried it was just a prelude to the end. Rhett's eyes focused on the sky as he tried to keep his focus straight. A large pair of wings overhead connected to the body of a person. Their flight was graceful as the being descended. It was an angel come to take him to the next life. Rhett smiled, lifting his head to gaze at the one who was to lead him from the pain. All he could see was Brianne. However, in his mind it barely registered that she was not some angel of death. "Look...a beautiful angel come to take me to the light." He made an attempt to wave at the girl. The strength in his arm failed him and fell back to the ground after only having been raised an inch. "I didn't know you were an angel, Brianne." He squinted, seeing no wings on her. Frowning, he asked, "What happened to your..." His voice trailed off, having already lost more strength in his excitement. Once more, the lines between consciousness and unconsciousness blurred for the werewolf.
Cin stepped in behind Nick and Alarick, his head tilting upon seeing Masque screaming and crying at the corner. He could not help but smirk. "How pathetic." Cin sneered at the warlock taking a step closer. A knife flashed in the warlock's hand as he prepared to, what it seemed like, cut himself. "Will you not even defend yourself?" The knight looked Alarick's way. "It seems without the shadows and a helpless victim at his mercy this one is no more that a worm. I shall enjoy watching make this one squirm for all the death he has wrought." ~ A newcomer arrived, Ash had paid little attention except for the fact that he had brought the shadowhunter Brianne along with him. He would have to question her about their interactions later. Several werewolves by then had already found themselves forced into the Change by the gashes left in them by Ash's hatchet. The whimpering sounds of what was once a furious pack reduced to that of pups was a welcome change. Still, many remained still determined to overcome himself and Morrigan, along with Brianne, with sheer numbers. Slaughtering the pack was not an option he wanted to take but with every glance he took in Rhett's direction the thought became more and more appealing to him. Ash stepped back. Even with the three of them it would still take too long for them to subdue the wolves and patch Rhett up...who was still bleeding out. If more help did not arrive soon, Ash feared for what would become of his friend.
Cin's eyes flashed towards the young nephilim, Nick, believing that the boy should not have come along on such a mission. He reserved his words of judgment on Nick and did as Alarick requested, heading towards the stairs with his blade still drawn. The apartment building, rundown as it was, held little room in its tight corners for a full-length sword to be swung about. Cin sheathed his blade, knowing it to be more of a hindrance than of use to him, and stopped at the second floor. The knight looked up to the next flights of stairs seeing and hearing nothing above him. He went up, floor by floor, making sure each hallway was empty without ever taking more than a step away from the stairs. Checking any more thoroughly would mean leaving the stairway unwatched. The nephilim would check each room if need be. Cin walked back down the stairs, checking the halls once more on his way down, only to stop at the second floor to watch Alarick peering closely at a door. This was it. ~ The Change back into his human self was excruciating. Keller had backed down and just for an instant, he believed himself to be the victor. The growling of Keller's pack told him otherwise. Rhett clutched his bloodied chest only to find that his arm--both arms actually, were in a worst state. His vision blurred, his own blood staining his sight with red, as he struggled to even sit up. He could just make out Keller leaving, limping. "Come back and finish the job yourself you coward!" Rhett's voice was weak and hoarse but he knew the alpha could hear him just as he left his sight. Keller was gone now leaving only his pack to finish him off. Rhett knew he had no strength to escape them. Even if he could stand, he knew he would never get far. "Choke on my bones, you...you..." The last of his strength began to fade. "Der Scheisskerl..." The wolves that surrounded him began to close in. ~ Ash could hear the footsteps of the fairy behind him but he did not have time to waste on scolding her or making the effort to force her to stay behind. Her footsteps grew fainter and fainter as he charged ahead, gaining speed with every step. An abandoned police building was not far off. The scenery looked just as Morrigan described to him. Taking a sharp turn, Ash could already hear the growls of a pack of wolves. For this he was thankful as it gave him a better fix on Rhett...and it told him that they had not begun feasting just yet. The hatchet he owned slipped out of his sleeve and into his grip, the silver of the edge glinting faintly in the light. As he rounded another corner he could see a pack of wolves ready to cannibalize a man who was nearly bloodied and beaten beyond recognition. Rhett. Ash made the first move he could to get their attention and sent his shadow towards the group without any hesitation or thought of what kind of retaliation they would have brought. He had faced worse odds. A wolf, not large enough to have been the beta, was thrown into a wall with tremendous force. The sound of bone breaking was clear. "Heel!" Ash shouted at the pack as if speaking to a dog who had misbehaved.
Blood. Rhett no longer knew if it was his or that of his foe as they tore into each other in attempts to see who would die first. It hurt. He knew it would also hurt the other wolf and that would be more than worth it to him. As Keller bit into him Rhett returned the favor. Had he still been in his human form the taste and feel of bloody clumps of fur in his mouth would have made him sick but now it did nothing to remind him to bite harder. Fur and blood was not enough. Flesh needed to be ripped from the alpha's bones. Spoiler 1754 Ash had awoken finding himself under the shade of lush greenery, the sounds of waves gently pushing their way onto a shoreline filling the air. He made an effort to sit up, wincing in pain but doing so anyway, and looked around. Somehow he had found himself washed up onto a tropical island but, curiously, he was too far from the shore to have made it to the shade of the trees with nothing but the current dragging his body. Ash looked down finding that under his torn uniform were makeshift bandages applied to the worst of his wounds he had suffered. The splinters in his leg had too been removed and it had been wrapped as well. Questions that came to mind were soon answered when a voice called out. "Captain! You're awake!" Turning his head Ash viewed his lieutenant, who had survived the attack, coming his way. "How-" "Lifeboat. As soon as the second British ship showed up I knew we would be needing one to escape. There were no other survivors besides us. You made sure of that, for better or worse." "Why save my life? Our crew died because of my actions." "Because I know what you are. I knew what you were hunting. I was obligated to help you." The lieutenant's French accent faded away to another from a land Ash knew very well. "Ah...another Scot. Aye...and a Downworlder to boot. What vendetta could you have possibly had against a warlock and a nephilim?" "If you're well enough to stand, we can discuss this as we walk." Morrigan had taken her time coming downstairs and just as Ash was about to go back for her to make sure she had not passed out once more a scream came from upstairs. Thinking her to be in trouble, Ash left his study in a hurry only to nearly run into the girl with a look of terror on her face. She was quick to tell him the details of what she had seen in the water. At the mention of Rhett being in trouble, Ash started towards the door, allowing the fairy to describe his location to him. It was a vague and imprecise description of Rhett's surroundings but it was all he needed to make a judgment on where to head. "Please. Stay out of this now. You're not in any condition to fight if there's any trouble." He had not the time to argue with her and left whether she decided to follow him or not. It had been a long time since he had needed to sprint with such speed but even so the warlock was far from rusty. In his mind's eye was the clear image of what Morrigan had told him. Rhett had to be alive. Ash had not trained the wolf for five years and saved his life twice before just to lose him so suddenly and so violently. If there were any other wolves by the time he arrived, there would be death. Knowing time to be fleeting, Ash picked up his pace even further.
Blood. Rhett no longer knew if it was his or that of his foe as they tore into each other in attempts to see who would die first. It hurt. He knew it would also hurt the other wolf and that would be more than worth it to him. As Keller bit into him Rhett returned the favor. Had he still been in his human form the taste and feel of bloody clumps of fur in his mouth would have made him sick but now it did nothing to remind him to bite harder. Fur and blood was not enough. Flesh needed to be ripped from the alpha's bones.
Spoiler Germany, 1999 "Pay up, child. In five hundred years no one has ever left a debt to me unpaid." "I-I lost the thing you wanted me to bring." The artifact which the fairy had instructed him to steal for her was a far more delicate piece than he had anticipated. It broke under his clumsy grip. The boy's large amber eyes stared up at the woman who sneered at him. "This was a task so simple an ape could have done it. I should have known better than to allow a stupid mutt to-" The entrance door creaked loudly as a man in a long blue coat walked in, face hidden in the shadows. Rhett was glad for the distraction and attempted to make a run for it only to be halted by an invisible force. Beginning to choke, he gripped his neck in an attempt to struggle but to no avail. "I'll have to find a more creative use for you then." The elder fairy paid no attention to the man who walked in. Evidently, those who did deals with her were used to this kind of behavior by now. "P-please!" Rhett begged. "That will be enough." Rhett heard the snap of fingers. An instant later, the invisible grip on his throat was gone and now the fairy was making the same motions he had done just seconds earlier to free herself from an overwhelming force, except this time Rhett could see what throttled her. A black figure of the same size of the man who walked in. It was not human nor Downworlder. "The boy will be cleared of his debt to you-" "Yes! Yes!" The fairy cried, struggling to get her words out. "I am not finished." The woman's struggling grew more erratic. "What of your family's loyalty?" The fairy kept her mouth shut, refusing to give the man his answer. Rhett was terrified the man would set his sights on him and so remained still, petrified. "Pity. I will have to take back what is mine then." From the man's sleeve slipped out a hatchet, blade made of iron and the edge coated in silver. "I yield!" She spat out and immediately she was dropped. "Good day to you." The man started towards the door and cast a cold glance Rhett's way, black eyes staring at the boy. "Stay out of trouble. I won't always have your back." Rhett growled in return after having been thrown off. He ignored the coming of Keller's pack, knowing that any distraction would prove fatal to him. His next move would have been to take a bite out of Keller's legs but before he had the chance, the alpha made that same move on him. Rhett reared up, standing on his hind legs, and used his forepaws to grip onto the larger wolf once more. He hated to admit it but Keller was every bit as skilled as Rhett had anticipated, the alpha making several of the same moves he himself would have done. Once more, Rhett bit at the alpha more cautious to keep himself out of the wolf's jaws than to make a quick(and risky) attempt at a lethal blow. Rhett struggled to get his jaws on the alpha's back as he struggled to sink his claws into the wounds he had already made on Keller. If he could slow the alpha down just maybe he would have a chance to kill him. Trying to fight based on sheer strength, Rhett knew he would lose, and as such used more effort to keep out of biting reach. ~ Cin preferred to stand, finding it easy to maintain his balance on the train as it sped along towards their destination. A simple glamour was placed over his blade whenever there was not one on himself to keep from arousing any suspicion. The ride was fairly short for one who had lived as long as he did. The journey may not have made him impatient but the thought of Masque still wandering free gave him reason to grow annoyed. How was it that such an evil man was allowed to roam free all these years? Why had the nephilim not stepped in sooner? No matter. What was done was done and now all that was required of him was his assistance to bring in the killer warlock. ~ Ash shook his head slowly. "Just you is all that I need." He stated after a moment of silence passed when the fairy girl offered her apology. "Thank you for reminding me of that pain." The warlock lowered his voice, turning towards Morrigan and taking a step towards her. "I intend to set things right one day. Not for myself as, you have said, it is already centuries too late but for the others who have yet to face the same kind of tribulations I was put through. This world is unbalanced, unjust, sick. I would be a fool to think I could ever change all of that but perhaps there are ways to make everything just a little bit better for future generations." Taking in a deep breath Ash began to head towards the bedroom door. "When you are stronger, it would do you some good to become a more capable fighter. For now, I expect you to join me for a meal. No doubt exerting yourself has caused some strain on your body." Even with every word she had spat at him just moments earlier Ash did not allow it to change anything. The fairy's shift in attitude towards him was promising and, if she was to be trusted as he hoped, he would become much more open with her.
"Dammit!" Missing the heart was his first mistake. Despite the clear signs that four shots had made their mark on Keller's body, blood already dripping off the man, he charged at him with incredible fury. Rhett dropped his revolver and, as Keller's wolf-form jumped at him, prepared to throw him to the side. Unfortunately he misjudged the force at which the man lunged at him and instead fell to his back. Rhett did nothing to stop the wolf from clawing at his chest knowing they would be just flesh wounds he could walk off. Rhett's hands flew to Keller's furry neck, holding the wolf back from ripping out his throat. "Get off!" Rhett shouted loudly in anger with pain surging through to his very core. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as Rhett kicked the wolf off his body. A familiar pain spiked through his bones as the instinct to kill took over, dulling the pain in his chest, as Rhett too Changed. A black wolf, with red staining his once white patch of fur on his chest, stood before the alpha its teeth bared at the larger foe. Rhett wanted to escape but the pain only urged him on to fight, to kill the one who scarred him so. And so Rhett leaped at the alpha, clawing his way to where he knew the bullets had hit. The more pain he could put Keller in the better. His eyes narrowed at Morrigan the instant she brought her into the conversation. "How could you have known of her?" Ash raised his voice, glaring at the fairy as she continued to hurl more and more words his way all in an attempt to hurt him. No matter how much he would have denied otherwise, Morrigan had struck an old wound that had never fully healed. A long forgotten anger rose up within Ash at the resurgence of memories gone by as he gripped Morrigan's shoulders and spun the woman around to press her back against the wall. Ash's hand rose to strike the fairy. There was a long pause. The warlock took a deep breath, clenching his hand into a fist before lowering it without hitting Morrigan. He turned his head to the painting that lay at the room's far corner, uncovered by Morrigan no doubt, letting go of her arms. "Her death was my doing. I allowed her to believe she was safe during a time of persecution against her kind. If I had not been so foolish to think I could be her sole protector she might still be alive." Stepping away from Morrigan he took up the white sheet that lay beside the old painting and stared at it for a moment, his eyes lowering to the ground as he placed the sheet back over the portrait. "After claiming the lives of all those responsible for her death, save my own, I made this so that I would not forget her face. Ironic how I cannot bear to look at it now." "Why would you dare to bring her up to me? Did you honestly believe I brought you her to take her place? No one can. No one will. I already learned from my mistakes through death." Ash glared over at Morrigan. "I slaughtered armies for decades to bring her justice. What weakness my human half contained was stamped out of existence. At that time I could have never have brought out what strength she had but with you," The warlock's eyes had not softened, "everything can be different."
"Dammit!" Missing the heart was his first mistake. Despite the clear signs that four shots had made their mark on Keller's body, blood already dripping off the man, he charged at him with incredible fury. Rhett dropped his revolver and, as Keller's wolf-form jumped at him, prepared to throw him to the side. Unfortunately he misjudged the force at which the man lunged at him and instead fell to his back. Rhett did nothing to stop the wolf from clawing at his chest knowing they would be just flesh wounds he could walk off. Rhett's hands flew to Keller's furry neck, holding the wolf back from ripping out his throat. "Get off!" Rhett shouted loudly in anger with pain surging through to his very core. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as Rhett kicked the wolf off his body. A familiar pain spiked through his bones as the instinct to kill took over, dulling the pain in his chest, as Rhett too Changed. A black wolf, with red staining his once white patch of fur on his chest, stood before the alpha its teeth bared at the larger foe. Rhett wanted to escape but the pain only urged him on to fight, to kill the one who scarred him so. And so Rhett leaped at the alpha, clawing his way to where he knew the bullets had hit. The more pain he could put Keller in the better.
Rhett cursed under his breath as Keller called his name out. He had waited far too long and missed his chance to shoot the wolf in the back. He had no idea how the man even knew his name but it mattered not as now they were face to face. Keller's body was covered in scars from battles he had won, mementos of the many kills he had made. "Sorry.I didn't realize we needed to take off our clothes. Can you keep your pants on at least? And I'll keep my own clothes on if you don't mind." Rhett knew this was a scare tactic of Keller's but even as he joked he could not help but feel nervous. It was now or never. With no hesitation Rhett unload all six rounds from his revolver at the alpha. ~ Ash stared down at the fairy, clearly the much taller of the two. "Cover? No. I told you before that I was going to help you heal. That is what it's for." She was strong, even in this state, but he refused to be pushed around by his patient. He gripped her hands and removed them from his throat. "Let's not forget that you would be nothing but a corpse made in entertainment for another if I had not intervened. You would be wishing for a quick death because of your shame if I had not reminded you that your life has meaning." Ash yanked on the fairy's wrists to pull her closer, leaning down to stare hard at the woman with pitch black eyes. "How many days, weeks even, would you have spent moping if I didn't push you? Instead of wasting your strength being angry for a change of clothes, which I knew you preferred, I suggest you take a step back and take a look at what kind of strength really lies in you." Ash released Morrigan. "Or do you wish to return to how you once viewed the world? The Morrigan I met at Pandemonium would have not possessed such fire."
Cin nodded at the nephilim. "Warlocks are surprisingly durable. I'm sure losing a limb would do wonders to loosen Masque's tongue. I understand your concern however. I will not slay him if it can be helped." Remaining at Alarick's left side, he followed after the shadowhunter. It was more than understandable why they would want to question Masque. So long as Cin was present to find out the fates of any other killed brethren of his and justice to be done, he was content to oblige the young man leading the charge. During the time that had elapsed since Morrigan passed out, Ash had time to return the remains of the dead, take the fairy back to his abode where he changed her clothing back to the dress which she had arrived in, and administer another dose of medication to the fairy. He briefly stepped outside of the heavily warded abode on an errand he owed to a certain ancient Egyptian vampire. When Ash returned, he sought out the faucet to wash blood that did not belong to him off his hands. As soon as the most important matters had been settled, he had begun work on concocting a soothing salve to place over Morrigan's bruised neck. The scent of rosemary wafted through the air and, though the plant was unnecessary to the treatment, it did produce a most pleasing aroma that he was sure any fairy could admit was...pleasing. He returned to the guest bedroom where the fairy now slept and lightly applied the scented paste to her neck as thoughts of a far more different time back when he learned these methods from another came to mind. Following after the alpha as silently as he possibly could, Rhett snuck by the rundown building and took a look at the area where Keller had wandered to. He ignored the wolf at first and instead focused on finding as many possible escape routes as he could from the vantage point he had. It was not that Rhett was worried about Keller making a run for it but, rather, planning a way out for himself in case he could not land a killing blow and found himself cornered in the lot where the alpha was. He did not want to become lunch for a pack of wild animals coming to the aid of their master. Keller called out to the sky and just for an instant Rhett believed the man to be talking to him, asking for a fight. Luckily, Rhett was wrong and the alpha was just desperate for another to kill...luckily. 'This still isn't ideal...come on you prick, move a little farther away from your pack. They're still just around the corner. You came this far now just move. Moooooove. Move!'
Cin nodded at the nephilim. "Warlocks are surprisingly durable. I'm sure losing a limb would do wonders to loosen Masque's tongue. I understand your concern however. I will not slay him if it can be helped." Remaining at Alarick's left side, he followed after the shadowhunter. It was more than understandable why they would want to question Masque. So long as Cin was present to find out the fates of any other killed brethren of his and justice to be done, he was content to oblige the young man leading the charge.
Rhett's eyes widened as someone stepped out, his brows furrowing as he squinted in an attempt to get a better look at who left the building. There was no mistaking it. This man held an aura of power about him, one of command. Rhett could almost taste the scent of the blood of another being blown his direction. He knew he couldn't get a shot in at this distance. It was too risky. The last thing Rhett wanted to do was take the shot and miss only to have an angry alpha and his pack come after him. 'I'll have to tail him for a bit...see if he gets farther away from that building.' Rhett kept his gun ready, his hold tightening on its grip as he waited for the alpha's next move. ~ Cin drew his blade in a wordless acknowledgement to Alarick the moment he was asked if he was ready. "Use caution, Lightwood. Warlocks have no end to the number of tricks up their sleeves." The knight moved to Alarick's side ready to move out and hunt down this masked murderer.
Rhett's eyes widened as someone stepped out, his brows furrowing as he squinted in an attempt to get a better look at who left the building. There was no mistaking it. This man held an aura of power about him, one of command. Rhett could almost taste the scent of the blood of another being blown his direction. He knew he couldn't get a shot in at this distance. It was too risky. The last thing Rhett wanted to do was take the shot and miss only to have an angry alpha and his pack come after him. 'I'll have to tail him for a bit...see if he gets farther away from that building.' Rhett kept his gun ready, his hold tightening on its grip as he waited for the alpha's next move. ~ Cin drew his blade in a wordless acknowledgement to Alarick the moment he was asked if he was ready. "Use caution, Lightwood. Warlocks have no end to the number of tricks up their sleeves." The knight moved to Alarick's side ready to move out and hunt down this masked murderer.
Gonna build a wall to keep the Sandpeople away and make them pay for it.
The dense scent of the pack grew thicker as Rhett approached the area where he knew Keller and his wolves to be hiding out. He stopped, still a far distance from the decrepit building he could just now see. Rhett watched the leaves of a nearby tree, watching as the branches ever so subtly swayed in the direction of the wind. Obviously, Rhett was not the only werewolf in the area and just by getting near them he would risk getting caught by them taking in just a small whiff of his own scent. He had hoped to have a plan by now but given how many werewolves there must have been in Keller's pack, Rhett had none save for simply observing and waiting to see if Keller would wander off alone. "Why do wolves have to travel in packs?" He whispered under his breath as he made sure to keep downwind of the pack, even at such a distance, to prevent the wind from carrying his scent to them. Rhett took cover by another building in nearly as bad shape as the, what he could now see, rundown police station. He pulled out his phone and aiming to send a text to Ash in hopes that the warlock could come to his aid or, at the least, contact the Shadowhunters. Rhett mentally cursed towards his phone seeing that the screen was black. Dead. As Rhett looked down, he raised an eyebrow, lifting his shoe to stare at its underside to see that the lightest coat of paint had covered it. He looked back to the path which he had taken to get here. The faintest set of footprints could be seen trailing to where he was now. The paint had already dried on his shoes, meaning he would no longer make another trail, but he had already made a traceable path towards himself. "Damn." As Rhett moved towards another building, doing his best to mind the wind, he pulled out his revolver and began removing the bullets from it. The regular kind would not serve him well here. Unfortunately, he had only brought enough silver bullets to fill the chamber a single time. Not nearly enough for an entire pack....but certainly enough to take out one Alpha if he stepped outside. The only problem was, Rhett knew he would have to get closer to take a shot(risking getting too close to the pack) or wait for Keller to head out in his direction(an unlikely scenario). Rhett sat down, peeking around the corner to just get a glimpse of the police building half a block away, waiting to see how things would play out.
The dense scent of the pack grew thicker as Rhett approached the area where he knew Keller and his wolves to be hiding out. He stopped, still a far distance from the decrepit building he could just now see. Rhett watched the leaves of a nearby tree, watching as the branches ever so subtly swayed in the direction of the wind. Obviously, Rhett was not the only werewolf in the area and just by getting near them he would risk getting caught by them taking in just a small whiff of his own scent. He had hoped to have a plan by now but given how many werewolves there must have been in Keller's pack, Rhett had none save for simply observing and waiting to see if Keller would wander off alone. "Why do wolves have to travel in packs?" He whispered under his breath as he made sure to keep downwind of the pack, even at such a distance, to prevent the wind from carrying his scent to them. Rhett took cover by another building in nearly as bad shape as the, what he could now see, rundown police station. He pulled out his phone and aiming to send a text to Ash in hopes that the warlock could come to his aid or, at the least, contact the Shadowhunters. Rhett mentally cursed towards his phone seeing that the screen was black. Dead. As Rhett looked down, he raised an eyebrow, lifting his shoe to stare at its underside to see that the lightest coat of paint had covered it. He looked back to the path which he had taken to get here. The faintest set of footprints could be seen trailing to where he was now. The paint had already dried on his shoes, meaning he would no longer make another trail, but he had already made a traceable path towards himself. "Damn." As Rhett moved towards another building, doing his best to mind the wind, he pulled out his revolver and began removing the bullets from it. The regular kind would not serve him well here. Unfortunately, he had only brought enough silver bullets to fill the chamber a single time. Not nearly enough for an entire pack....but certainly enough to take out one Alpha if he stepped outside. The only problem was, Rhett knew he would have to get closer to take a shot(risking getting too close to the pack) or wait for Keller to head out in his direction(an unlikely scenario). Rhett sat down, peeking around the corner to just get a glimpse of the police building half a block away, waiting to see how things would play out.
Among humans, there's only one race. Using it to replace ethnicity or nationality is wrong. Every human is part of a single race. Every other use of the word "race" is wrong which does lead to some questions on the term "racist". I suppose it's easier to say someone is racist than "ethnically prejudiced".
Minutes before Alarick's party arrived... It was bloody. That was for certain. Rhett made sure to do absolutely nothing to disturb the crime scene, as difficult as it was, during his investigation. Aside from the stench of paint and wolf blood, there was only one other scent that filled the area of Masque's death-scenery. A lingering musk. Rhett's stomach sank when he recognized what this could be. "Dammit. Why did it have to be him?" Finding Masque's trail would have been more difficult and would have required a more traditional(or magical) detective-like approach. At least with a scent, he could track down one murderer before he carved his way through the city looking for revenge. Five years working for Ash led to five years of heavy training from a warlock who knew very much how to end another's life but even with that coupled with Rhett's own prior experience would not be enough. Keller was an alpha who had lived his life killing and there was absolutely no guarantee that Keller would risk everything on a one-on-one fight with Rhett. Still, as Rhett took off in the direction of the powerful pack scent, he had to do something about this. He would worry about what it was when he got close. Cin followed after the nephilim, his hand falling on the hilt of his sword as his pace picked up. At full strength, he could easily keep up with the young men whose runes had granted them strength beyond any mundane. In no time at all they had arrived at the gory mess the murderous warlock had left behind. What he would have given to have the sense of smell of a werewolf to track down the one who caused this. He stepped into the pools of blood, looking down at the slain werewolves at their feet. None of them looked like so much as beta material for a pack. Cin knelt down, checking the wounds of each wolf. He shook his head knowing that finding how they had died would do them little good. Acquiring silver bullets of this particular caliber was not particularly difficult. "He must have a place to bunker down somewhere in the city. Dark. Easy to get to." As far as he could tell, he had not managed to find any blood trails leading out of the area.
Minutes before Alarick's party arrived... It was bloody. That was for certain. Rhett made sure to do absolutely nothing to disturb the crime scene, as difficult as it was, during his investigation. Aside from the stench of paint and wolf blood, there was only one other scent that filled the area of Masque's death-scenery. A lingering musk. Rhett's stomach sank when he recognized what this could be. "Dammit. Why did it have to be him?" Finding Masque's trail would have been more difficult and would have required a more traditional(or magical) detective-like approach. At least with a scent, he could track down one murderer before he carved his way through the city looking for revenge. Five years working for Ash led to five years of heavy training from a warlock who knew very much how to end another's life but even with that coupled with Rhett's own prior experience would not be enough. Keller was an alpha who had lived his life killing and there was absolutely no guarantee that Keller would risk everything on a one-on-one fight with Rhett. Still, as Rhett took off in the direction of the powerful pack scent, he had to do something about this. He would worry about what it was when he got close.
After taking the time to return Morrigan's dress, which was back to good condition, back to Ash's fortress of brooditude Rhett still had several tasks to accomplish. Setting up meetings, collecting ingredients Ash had run low on, buying extra peppers, and organizing things around their little base of operations. Over five years of service Rhett had become quite efficient at doing these things in a timely manner...at least for all but one task. Listening in to local gossip. Ash had no time for constantly keeping his eyes and ears out to look for trouble or important ongoings himself. It was Rhett's least favorite task of all just for the sheer amount of time and effort he needed to invest into doing so. The word around Pandemonium? Nothing. Just talk about the murder Masque had committed and the fear of it happening again. Business was down at the club. It was noticeably less busy. The word around the streets? Talk about the Shadowhunters and how they would react to the Mortal Cup being stolen as well as the second voice talking about being "judged". Idle gossip was unnecessary to him as telling Ash of anything that was not new would easily be seen as a waste of time. If it was not important enough to be deemed worthy of listening to by an old cold warlock Rhett too would ignore such talk. Asking for any information from vampires was always a pain given the tense relations between wolves and vamps, something Rhett did not understand, but the vampires had nothing of import to tell him no matter what clan he spoke to. Dealing with fairies or warlocks, including Ash, was an even more impossible task given their...uniqueness. All they had was speculation on what the Shadowhunters would do in response to the Cup being stolen. Their perspectives, while interesting, were worth little to Rhett since he knew Ash would have already come to those same conclusions on his own. Having just about given up on finding any useful information, Rhett checked his watch and upon finding that there was still plenty of time left in the day, headed to one of the darker corners of the city. Darker than dark. Frustration still itched at the back of his mind at his inability to catch Masque. True, he could have waited for the warlock to arrive at his hideout but, even with the element of surprise, it was still risky. Dying would have served no purpose and there was always the chance that Masque would just know something was amiss and get the jump on Rhett anyways. Psychopaths like that would probably would be able to pull that off. Now that the decision had been made and Masque had still not been caught there was no telling how many more would die. Rhett needed a drink and he needed it now. Luckily, he knew the perfect place to find one. ~ The one known as Alarick continued to surprise Cin with the questions he asked of the knight. They were logical, to the point, and worded not to show signs of being dismissive of his own concerns. Cin clasped his hands behind his back, knowing that he had to reevaluate the situation. "After Masque's attack in Pandemonium, Morrigan went to investigate knowing one of our kind had met her end. She returned with a warlock named Ash with the body before the two left to discuss the matter of a favor she owed him. She was to return after they completed their business but did not." "She would not simply abandon our people or leave on some childish wish to bed another when a union between herself and my brother has been arranged a century ago. One hundred years to run away from her responsibility and she has never done so." Cin shook his head. "The warlock she was with last did not harm her. I am sure of this. Masque has attacked more than one of my people in the past and is currently active in the area. It has to be his doing." ~ Morrigan's anger was expected but even on knowing what reactions she would have against him did not make it any easier to bear. Morrigan was ill and weaker still from their scuffle but at least it meant she would no run again. "Sit. It would do you better than standing about and using your strength to glare at me." He narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched her. "Perhaps when you are stronger you might choose to take retribution for the pain I caused you but I hope you will see reason in my actions before then." He stepped away and paused for a moment. "I know it does not matter to you right now, but I would have released my grip before you even went unconscious if it looked like you would still refuse to fight back. Still, I am sorry for the words I said to you and for pushing you so hard." Before he left, his shadow vanished in the blink of an eye, hiding behind the tree Morrigan used to support herself to keep an eye on the fairy. Ash was not going to leave her alone again. ~ An underground club was just the kind of place that had music Rhett could better stand. The club moved every week to a new location, most of the time it was out of town, leaving it next to impossible to find for anyone unacquainted with a member of it. Of course, with such a secretive club came drugs and just about every kind of illegal deal one could imagine. Rhett took no part of the club's "extra" activities and was perfectly content with just having a drink. "You're that packless wolf who works for that angry-looking warlock, right?" The bartender asked as he slid Rhett's drink across the table to him. "I assure you, if you check my abs, there is a pack." Under the multi-colored strobing lights that this no-name(it literally did not have a name) club was placed in Rhett had never once seen the true color of whatever it was he was drinking. It did have a pleasant spicy aftertaste though. "Yes, I work for him. He's not that bad though. Honestly." "Don't wander far tonight. Keller's pack is in town looking for blood. A lone wolf would be easy to make an example of." "He's still alive? Seriously? I figured a violent brute like that would have died in some alley by someone looking for revenge by now." Taking a swig of strong alcohol, Rhett sighed and shook his head. If one murderer running around town wasn't enough... "Bloody hell!" A girl sitting next to him, eyes glued to her phone's screen, slapped a hand to her mouth. Curious, Rhett looked over to take a peek at what she was watching. Once the video was over, he downed the rest of his drink and stood up. "Put it on my tab. Looks like I have some colorful news to look into."
After taking the time to return Morrigan's dress, which was back to good condition, back to Ash's fortress of brooditude Rhett still had several tasks to accomplish. Setting up meetings, collecting ingredients Ash had run low on, buying extra peppers, and organizing things around their little base of operations. Over five years of service Rhett had become quite efficient at doing these things in a timely manner...at least for all but one task. Listening in to local gossip. Ash had no time for constantly keeping his eyes and ears out to look for trouble or important ongoings himself. It was Rhett's least favorite task of all just for the sheer amount of time and effort he needed to invest into doing so. The word around Pandemonium? Nothing. Just talk about the murder Masque had committed and the fear of it happening again. Business was down at the club. It was noticeably less busy. The word around the streets? Talk about the Shadowhunters and how they would react to the Mortal Cup being stolen as well as the second voice talking about being "judged". Idle gossip was unnecessary to him as telling Ash of anything that was not new would easily be seen as a waste of time. If it was not important enough to be deemed worthy of listening to by an old cold warlock Rhett too would ignore such talk. Asking for any information from vampires was always a pain given the tense relations between wolves and vamps, something Rhett did not understand, but the vampires had nothing of import to tell him no matter what clan he spoke to. Dealing with fairies or warlocks, including Ash, was an even more impossible task given their...uniqueness. All they had was speculation on what the Shadowhunters would do in response to the Cup being stolen. Their perspectives, while interesting, were worth little to Rhett since he knew Ash would have already come to those same conclusions on his own. Having just about given up on finding any useful information, Rhett checked his watch and upon finding that there was still plenty of time left in the day, headed to one of the darker corners of the city. Darker than dark. Frustration still itched at the back of his mind at his inability to catch Masque. True, he could have waited for the warlock to arrive at his hideout but, even with the element of surprise, it was still risky. Dying would have served no purpose and there was always the chance that Masque would just know something was amiss and get the jump on Rhett anyways. Psychopaths like that would probably would be able to pull that off. Now that the decision had been made and Masque had still not been caught there was no telling how many more would die. Rhett needed a drink and he needed it now. Luckily, he knew the perfect place to find one. ~ The one known as Alarick continued to surprise Cin with the questions he asked of the knight. They were logical, to the point, and worded not to show signs of being dismissive of his own concerns. Cin clasped his hands behind his back, knowing that he had to reevaluate the situation. "After Masque's attack in Pandemonium, Morrigan went to investigate knowing one of our kind had met her end. She returned with a warlock named Ash with the body before the two left to discuss the matter of a favor she owed him. She was to return after they completed their business but did not." "She would not simply abandon our people or leave on some childish wish to bed another when a union between herself and my brother has been arranged a century ago. One hundred years to run away from her responsibility and she has never done so." Cin shook his head. "The warlock she was with last did not harm her. I am sure of this. Masque has attacked more than one of my people in the past and is currently active in the area. It has to be his doing." ~ Morrigan's anger was expected but even on knowing what reactions she would have against him did not make it any easier to bear. Morrigan was ill and weaker still from their scuffle but at least it meant she would no run again. "Sit. It would do you better than standing about and using your strength to glare at me." He narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched her. "Perhaps when you are stronger you might choose to take retribution for the pain I caused you but I hope you will see reason in my actions before then." He stepped away and paused for a moment. "I know it does not matter to you right now, but I would have released my grip before you even went unconscious if it looked like you would still refuse to fight back. Still, I am sorry for the words I said to you and for pushing you so hard." Before he left, his shadow vanished in the blink of an eye, hiding behind the tree Morrigan used to support herself to keep an eye on the fairy. Ash was not going to leave her alone again. ~ An underground club was just the kind of place that had music Rhett could better stand. The club moved every week to a new location, most of the time it was out of town, leaving it next to impossible to find for anyone unacquainted with a member of it. Of course, with such a secretive club came drugs and just about every kind of illegal deal one could imagine. Rhett took no part of the club's "extra" activities and was perfectly content with just having a drink. "You're that packless wolf who works for that angry-looking warlock, right?" The bartender asked as he slid Rhett's drink across the table to him. "I assure you, if you check my abs, there is a pack." Under the multi-colored strobing lights that this no-name(it literally did not have a name) club was placed in Rhett had never once seen the true color of whatever it was he was drinking. It did have a pleasant spicy aftertaste though. "Yes, I work for him. He's not that bad though. Honestly." "Don't wander far tonight. Keller's pack is in town looking for blood. A lone wolf would be easy to make an example of." "He's still alive? Seriously? I figured a violent brute like that would have died in some alley by someone looking for revenge by now." Taking a swig of strong alcohol, Rhett sighed and shook his head. If one murderer running around town wasn't enough... "Bloody hell!" A girl sitting next to him, eyes glued to her phone's screen, slapped a hand to her mouth. Curious, Rhett looked over to take a peek at what she was watching. Once the video was over, he downed the rest of his drink and stood up. "Put it on my tab. Looks like I have some colorful news to look into."
Ash headed towards the fairy stopping just inches away from the woman. "I am sorry you were hurt but I needed to see if you were the fairy I believed you to be." He slowly reached for her hand that covered the bruise--the bruise he had given her only to stop short. "At least make an attempt to relax. I am not going to preform any further tests of your character from this point onward. I just want to examine that mark I left you." Regardless of whether she gave him permission or not, he gripped her wrist lightly and tugged with just enough strength to move it away. "That will heal faster if you would allow me to do something about that." Ash took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he stared at the wound he had inflicted. Spoiler 1754 Before Ash lay the ex-Shadowhunter, bloodied and defeated, still alive and gripping his new stump where his right arm had been. "Your damn Clave allowed you to do whatever you believed was necessary. You tortured my wife for days by keeping her in the sunlight while all I could do was watch and tell her lies from just outside her prison that I would save her. You wanted her to reveal the identities of other vampires whom she had known but there weren't any others left for you to kill!" Even as he spoke, the man made an attempt to crawl back away from the warlock only to be kicked in the chest and have the broken blade of Ash's sword press against his throat. "I will not burn you until naught remains as you did my beloved." A flicker of hope burned in the man's eyes. Ash pressed down on the ex-Shadowhunter's chest with his boot and lifted his sword over him, the broken tip pointed straight down at his head. He had hoped a sense of relief would find him now that he had stared down at the man who had taken so much from him and so many others was to die by his hands but, instead, nothing came. "Justice will be done. The threat you pose to the lives of others ends here. Anselm Lightwood, for your crimes against all those you wrongly persecuted, I judge you guilty and sentence you to death." Words that were spoken coldly but words nonetheless. It would not bring back the dead. "Go to Hell you undead-loving warlock! You can't do this! The Clave will have your head!" "Have you any last words?" And the instant Anselm parted his lips to speak Ash plunged the broken blade into the man's mouth. "Tending to this will have to wait until after the remains are returned." Taking a moment to retrieve the cooler Ash eyed Morrigan. She might not forgive him any time soon but he would not allow her words and spite to dissuade him from assisting her in any way he could. He reached for her hand intending for her to allow him to help her walk. "You can spit fire at me after we're done with this." Even with all the anger she directed at him he was glad to see that she had the will to fight and the strength to back it. Ash was almost glad Morrigan was not at full strength yet as facing the woman's retribution then would do more than just sting a little.
Ash headed towards the fairy stopping just inches away from the woman. "I am sorry you were hurt but I needed to see if you were the fairy I believed you to be." He slowly reached for her hand that covered the bruise--the bruise he had given her only to stop short. "At least make an attempt to relax. I am not going to preform any further tests of your character from this point onward. I just want to examine that mark I left you." Regardless of whether she gave him permission or not, he gripped her wrist lightly and tugged with just enough strength to move it away. "That will heal faster if you would allow me to do something about that." Ash took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he stared at the wound he had inflicted.
Cináed's eyes narrowed at the boy who had just tried to shut him out before the older lad kept him from doing so. Nearly every word spoken by the one known as Alarick surprised the knight. Where he had expected a boy with no experience of how the world turned to turn him away in an instant instead was a young man with more than a meager amount of wisdom. Pleased with finding himself proven wrong by the Lightwood boy Cin stepped inside the Institute's doorway. The nephilim's interior design felt quite foreign to the fairy and, no doubt, a warlock would feel more at ease in structures such as these than he did. "I thank you for your hospitality, Lightwood. I am known as Cináed Coldspring, a knight of the Court." He looked at the younger boy who was to lead him to another room before returning his gaze towards Alarick. "I will be waiting for your arrival. Allies are necessary in times of tribulation." Morrigan's remaining strength and will to fight to survive gave Ash hope that she was the one he could--The fairy took off once more after he had allowed her the chance to recover from his hold and so his shadow sped in front of the woman to prevent her escape. Whether Morrigan hated him now for putting her through this or not, she still would die without the medicine he had made for her. Now that she was cornered Ash stepped towards her hoping to get the chance to explain his actions when the fairy called upon her magic. Ash had taken only a few steps before roots sprung from the ground and locked his legs in place. 'Rooted. How perfect.' He was smarter than to struggle against the plant life which she had summoned. A little bit of leg strength in such a small amount of wiggle room he was given would not have made for an easy release from his bonds. Instead, Ash placed his hands on the roots, his palms already beginning to glow red like hot coals as the temperature of his hands skyrocketed. His eyes fixed on the fairy as she brought her magic into use once more. This time, a stick she had grabbed while he had been making an effort to free himself had begun to glow. Every moment he saw her take, however slight, took a noticeable toll on the fairy and even moreso now that she was using magic. Allowing her this small victory, Ash made his shadow stand still as the magically enchanted stick was thrust into its chest. The shadow popped like a balloon only to return to its resting position at his feet. Ash felt a noticeable but small drop in his strength when his shadow was attacked but it did nothing to distract him while he worked on burning his way through the roots. Perhaps if the fairy had been at full strength he might have struggled in the effort but that was not the case, so he did not. Ash was free albeit his pants suffered the consequences as they bore several cuts and burns from his escape. "That will be enough." He called out to Morrigan. "How does it feel to take control? To be reminded that you have yet to lose power over your own fate?" The warlock began to walk towards the fairy. "I had to remind you of your own strength." Ash rubbed his elbow. "I suppose there were wiser ways of doing such a thing but seeing the fire in your eyes, the drive to survive, was..." He cleared his throat before he allowed himself to get carried away. "You could put a Seelie Knight to shame. So, I ask again, "Will you fight for your own freedom?"
Cináed's eyes narrowed at the boy who had just tried to shut him out before the older lad kept him from doing so. Nearly every word spoken by the one known as Alarick surprised the knight. Where he had expected a boy with no experience of how the world turned to turn him away in an instant instead was a young man with more than a meager amount of wisdom. Pleased with finding himself proven wrong by the Lightwood boy Cin stepped inside the Institute's doorway. The nephilim's interior design felt quite foreign to the fairy and, no doubt, a warlock would feel more at ease in structures such as these than he did. "I thank you for your hospitality, Lightwood. I am known as Cináed Coldspring, a knight of the Court." He looked at the younger boy who was to lead him to another room before returning his gaze towards Alarick. "I will be waiting for your arrival. Allies are necessary in times of tribulation."
Spoiler 1754 "Your partner is dead." Ash pointed his blade at the man, finding it difficult to stand still. "Judging by the light of your eyes, he has been giving you something to keep the spring in your step that you had in your prime." The ex-Shadowhunter laughed. "Do I even need to finish you off? You look half dead already." Looking at his reflection in his own bloodied sword, Ash could at least agree with what was said. It did not matter however as he had more than just his own willpower fueling him. It was necessity that kept him moving. The need to avenge those wronged. To bring justice. "The strength of your youth coupled with the experience of your age...it must be more than formidable even if the Clave has disowned you. No stele. No seraph blade. No runes. Is that justice for the lives you have butchered in your search for glory?" Ash shook his head, his grip tightening on his saber. "All they did was toss the knowledge of your actions into the darkest corner they could find and cut their ties with you." "I know you must have practiced this speech for many years now but I do not care for your damned morality." The ex-Shadowhunter rolled over his desk, the only thing physically separating the two and immediately threw the first punch. The force of his blow knocked Ash back onto the floor outside the cabin. The warlock raised his blade to block the incoming sword which had come just inches from his face. "Good!" Ash growled, kicking the man's leg to give him the time and space to get back on his feet. "I will not waste my magic on you. When you breathe your last I want you to know that at your best you could not defeat me at my worst!" Ash watched Morrigan as she let out one of the most vulnerable emotions one could admit. Fear. Every motion she made was that of a dog fearing the whip of its master and the fairy knew that was how she was now. Shame cloaked Morrigan and it almost made Ash pity the girl, if only for a moment. "I cannot make you a promise that I will never allow harm to come to you. I spoke those words once to another and it ended in death. So no, as long as you are with me, I cannot guarantee your total safety but with the state I have found you in..." Ash reached forth to brush the fairy's tangled black locks of hair out of her face to meet her eyes with those of pitch black. "You worry that they would sense weakness in you if they were to see you but I assure you that is not what they will see if you approach them." Ash's voice softened as he leaned his face closer towards Morrigan's. He took a very long moment to choose his next words carefully, knowing every action or word he made would only worsen or cause relief to the girl in her troubled state. "There are no words to describe the disgust they would see in a worthless wretch such as yourself." With no warning his hand gripped the fairy's throat, forcing her off her feet and lifting her into the air. "I was wrong to see strength in you. If something as minor as a single lost battle disturbs you in this way then there is no point in keeping you alive. No point in waiting for Masque to finish the job. The woman I see before me would only die at the next sign of danger. I will not be around every corner to save you." Ash's grip tightened around Morrigan's throat. "If you believe yourself so worthless and undeserving of calling yourself a fairy then just release your grip on this life and maybe you might possess a stronger will in the next." Ash stared into Morrigan's eyes, his own filled with neither rage nor hate but only sorrow.
*googles* Oh. Bad music.
Ash took brief glances at Morrigan, watching as the girl grew more and more uncomfortable as they approached the forest with her even hesitating just a moment to step inside its bounds It was then that he recalled the attack on Morrigan and regretted the decision to allow her to come along as he knew what kind of damage being brought to the edge of death and feeling totally helpless could do to one's psyche. Dying was one things but losing all control was another. Before he could say a word to the fairy she took off in a sprint with such speed that surprised even Ash. Running about with such precious cargo in hand would have been foolish so, instead, he sent his shadow after the fairy while he took a brisk pace to follow after the girl. Luckily, time was not yet of the essence. There was several hours between now and when Morrigan needed her next dose and he doubted she could have gone far in her condition. Still, he could not help but worry for the fairy's safety in the state of affairs everything was heading towards. Spoiler 1754 His uniform, torn and stained with his own blood, felt more like a tourniquet wrapped around his body than something he felt free to move in. Splinters from the crash he had caused were now lodged into his legs but he was thankful that he still had use of them. As he limped his way towards the captain's cabin of the ex-Shadowhunter's ship, ignoring enemy crewmen doing their best to put out fires started from gunpowder and seal breaches in the hull, he felt the balance of the ship sway while its whole support structure creaked. This vessel too was to sink. Ash pushed the cabin door open finding the ship's captain who had just retrieved his sword. Obviously, the man had not expected to engage in a fight until now. The ex-Shadowhunter was in his late 60's, now sporting a thick gray beard he had not worn in the time when Ash had first met him. Despite his age, the man spun to face Ash with sword at the ready with such agility he would not have believed a man of such age to possess. At last. It was time to settle an old score. He had been walking for only a short time and yet even that short of a span felt far too long for him to reach the fairy. Ash's shadow had returned to him and with it the knowledge of Morrigan's location. After what could have felt like an hour to him, Ash arrived by an old maple tree. At first he did not see the fairy but as he began to walk around its trunk he caught sight of Morrigan curled up with her back pressed against the tree and her face hidden by her dark hair and knees. Knowing the sight of it might bother her Ash placed the cooler near the maple tree, slightly behind the fairy but clearly in his line of sight. Ash knelt in front of the fairy, making an effort to keep quiet, and did not say a word to the woman before him. The warlock simply remained silent as he patiently awaited for Morrigan to make the first move when she was ready. A young man answered the door. Cin resisted the urge to call for someone older, someone of more importance. The cold look in the nephilim's eyes was all the knight needed to reaffirm his original belief. Still, there was no harm in merely asking unless all it took was slight annoyance for a Shadowhunter to attack a Downworlder in the light of day. Cin rested a hand on the hilt of his sword that hung by his side, eyeing the young man with suspicion. "A member of the Seelie Court, one of great importance, has gone missing. Morrigan Moonsong. Given the recent deaths and attacks on our kind by the one known as Masque, I would assume one of your kind could be spared to aid me in my search." His eyes fell to the stele Alarick carried. The nephilim seemed more than a little tense. Understandable given the disappearance of the Cup. "You will not find the Cup by simply locking your doors and treating every Downworlder with suspicion. Unless, of course, you would rather turn down the possibility of assistance from a race far more ancient than yourselves in order to locate such a precious object." Once more, Cin made assumptions as to how this conversation could go. There was the typical response he expected where the nephilim would refuse an alliance with a fairy such as himself and there was, the much more unlikely, possibility that a deal could be made. ...And then of course, there was the chance that he would be taken into custody and questioned for even daring to show up during such a "crisis". It would not be the first time such a thing would have happened.
Ash took brief glances at Morrigan, watching as the girl grew more and more uncomfortable as they approached the forest with her even hesitating just a moment to step inside its bounds It was then that he recalled the attack on Morrigan and regretted the decision to allow her to come along as he knew what kind of damage being brought to the edge of death and feeling totally helpless could do to one's psyche. Dying was one things but losing all control was another. Before he could say a word to the fairy she took off in a sprint with such speed that surprised even Ash. Running about with such precious cargo in hand would have been foolish so, instead, he sent his shadow after the fairy while he took a brisk pace to follow after the girl. Luckily, time was not yet of the essence. There was several hours between now and when Morrigan needed her next dose and he doubted she could have gone far in her condition. Still, he could not help but worry for the fairy's safety in the state of affairs everything was heading towards.
Ash nodded slightly, barely paying attention towards Morrigan's comment about Egyptians, his mind distracted by other things. When she asked about what he would do when the other fairies questioned about Morrigan's appearance with him his black eyes flicked her way before returning to the road before them. "They will accept whatever answer I choose to give them." There was a pause and, realizing his voice was colder than he intended it to be he rectified his original statement with, "I can give them the truth. However little of it I can get away with." A voice boomed overhead. Hardly unusual given the grander events that had happened. His phone rang. Answering, Ash took several steps away from Morrigan not to hide his words but to prevent her from hearing the words of the one on the other side. "No. Nothing unexpected. We will meet later. Your methods will be brought into question. By me." A hint of anger was in his voice as he hung up as quickly as he had answered. "I apologize for that interruption. It was a former colleague of mine." He walked forward once more as if nothing had happened. Soon, they neared the forest. The Seelie Knight, Cináed arrived to the Institute's front doors. He ignored every security measure placed before him and the looks of suspicion the Shadowhunters he had seen nearby. Cin knocked on the Institute's door, knowing better than to make an attempt to barge in or, rather, break in.
