Brianne didn't think she had ever been so glad to see Roxanne in her life. That the girl was in a jovial mood told her Hendrick was nearby. She smiled in spite of herself, readjusting her grip on her stele before moving to stand next to Roxanne. "I think we can handle them." She told the other Shadowhunter, narrowing her eyes at the remaining enemies. "I'll take the one on the left, and you take another. We'll have to leave the third for Hendrick." If he was using his bow, he would be trying to find a vantage point. Might as well give him one less target to worry about. Brianne slid to the slid, slashing upwards and out. The wolf jumped back before lunging forward as she yanked her arm out of the jaw's reach before moving in to attack once more. Her blade nearly landed its mark, but the wolf was wounded, and much more cautious. She paused, wondering if perhaps the creature could be reasoned with. The second she let her mind wander, the werewolf snatched the opportunity to grab her arm in its jaws.She punched it in the side of the head before the teeth could break through her leather clothing and skin, landing another blow to the animal's side as she stepped back once more.
Teliana let her feet swing off the roof as she slowly ate the sandwich. The bread was dry, the peanut butter stale, and the jelly far from her favorite, but she didn't bother complaining. Isn't the point of bitching being heard by other people? She wondered to herself, finishing off the rest in a few bites before licking her fingers. There wasn't another soul up here, well, besides the pigeons. And they had their own complaining to do. She pulled one leg up to rest her arm on, staring out at the horizon with narrowed eyes. Another dawn, another day. Same old, back to business daily grind that became her every day life. Weekends off? Forget about it. Day shifts? That was a heavy nope. She got to her feet, stretching her arms out behind her before pushing them up into the air, balancing on her toes for a moment before settling back down on the balls of her feet. "Maybe I should get a desk job." She spoke to herself as she started walking across the roof, arms swinging at her side. "Yeah, just a nine to five, staring a the same walls, the same wooden table, the same paperwork." She paused, turning back the way she had come. "Nah." Breaking into a run, Ana jumped off the edge of the roof, rolling when she hit the ground below in order to keep her legs from taking the entire weight of the fall. Rolling back onto her feet, she darted forward, jumping up and grabbing the drain pipe before using it to scale to the next level. She didn't mind this life so much. Alarick raised his head as Colton began to cough again. The sound would have gotten on his nerves when he first arrived, but now he had bigger things to worry about. Like when the doctor would come back, and exactly what he was going to do with Alarick. Or Colton, for that matter. Alarick's cell mate didn't look as though he had long for this world, and while Alarick hadn't known him long, he didn't want to see him die. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something that would comfort them both, give them both a little more heart, but then he pressed his lips together, leaning his head back against the wall. There was nothing he could say. It had been two months, two long months of hell since Alarick had first come. He had carved out a single mark for each day on the wall, to keep track of the time. Two months since he had made a single stupid mistake, something that would likely cost him his life. It would do no good to brood or to wallow in self pity. When the doctor came back, Alarick would ask for something to cure a cough. Fake it, if he had to. The doctor seemed more invested in keeping Alarick alive at the moment than Colton. He waited until the other boy finished coughing before raising his arm to rest it on his bent knee. "And they say war is hell."
Ash left with Rhett in his arms, the fey girl trailing after him with a couple of worried glances thrown her way. Brianne turned her attention to the matter at hand, the five werewolves in front of her that were circling ever closer. She backed up a couple steps, taking a deep breath, and waiting. Neither side broke the silence as both waited for the other to make a move. Finally, one of the wolves, a more impatient enemy, lunged forward, starting the attack. She dodged to the side, stabbing him in the side before whirling in a circle to side step the assault of a smaller female wolf. The fey girl, even Ash had nothing to worry about from a few scratches and bites. But Nephilim were not immune to the demon's disease, and one bite had the power to forever change her future. She ducked under the lunge of a third and rolled forward, gutting it with her stele before whipping around just in time to slam the blade of her stele in between the snapping jaws of the female. The force of the attack knocked the Shadowhunter to the ground, the wolf piling on top of her. She elbowed the wolf in the face, nearly losing her hand to the snapping teeth, before stabbing the Downworlder in the throat. That left three more, all of whom were descending on her quickly as she pushed the bleeding body off of herself.
Kala peeked out of her hood, looking at the passersby with blue eyes that shimmered like sapphires. Having fed recently, she didn't feel the need to attack any of these people, but the voice, the solemn stern voice in her head had told her, shouted at her with fear and anger that she was not to go near people, any people, anywhere. Funny, she didn't hear the voice now. The other man had decided to remain with them, leaving her with conflicted feelings. On one hand, he had been quiet, and seemingly kind. On the other, he was a person. And bad things happened when she was around other people. Instead she heard a voice that sounded like thunder, and she squeaked, grabbing her hood and yanking it over her head in an attempt to hide. When that didn't feel sufficient enough, she clambered out of Timothy's arms and resorted to hiding behind him, her hands tentatively touching his metal elbow, shaking as she beheld the strange figure before them. He spoke like a person...but he was not a person. He was something scary, something beyond her. And yet she felt drawn to him by the dark whisper that sleepily called to her. No no on ononononoono. She pushed it back, pressing her forehead against Timothy and doing her best to remain as small as possible. "I want to go home." She whispered. Home? Where is that? Whatever it was, wherever it was, she wanted to be there, instead of here.
Kara's eyes widened for a moment as Alice dumped water on Ren, and then she started laughing, so hard she had to hold her stomach. She tried to muffle the sound by putting one hand over her mouth, but it didn't do much to stem the tide of giggles that nearly choked her. Shyra was talking, but Kara couldn't hear over the sound of her laughter. She managed to stifle it for a moment as she got to her feet, her leg stinging before the giggles turned to laughter, small bouts here and there as they walked along. Every time she looked at Ren's face it would start again, but somewhere along the walk to the three tunnels, the laughter turned to tears. Kara stopped walking, letting the group go a little ahead as she rested her leg, her fingers touching her cheek and coming back wet. Since when have I turned into such an emotional mess? She wondered, wiping her face on her sleeve. Since Ren decided to kiss you. And you kissed him back. She flinched away from her inner voice, standing on one leg with the toes of the other barely touching the ground. It had been fun with Ren, flirting and joking and playing around. But now things were different, and she didn't know what to do with this kind of different. "Good job Kara, you fucked up again." She muttered to herself, glancing at the group. They were debating on which tunnel to go down. As if splitting up was a good idea. She found she didn't care what the others chose, and leaned back against the wall, awaiting the decision. Tessa stepped forward, unease crawling down her back at the tone of Rayyad's voice. She took a deep breath, unable to identify the smell that seemed to permeate the air, before following Rayyad carefully, her hands slightly outward from her sides to keep her balance. It felt like being blind, so far down without light. No wonder the animals that lived in caves didn't have eyesight; they didn't need it. Her heart beating quickly, she sent a simple prayer up to the gods to watch over them before continuing, making sure Conrad was staying with the group as well.
Veera propped herself up on a nearby rock, shutting her eyes as she let her head fall sideways on her shoulder. "I'll take third watch." she murmured before falling into a deep sleep, troubled by faded pictures and blurry faces that had no meaning to her, but tugged at her like a lost child. Alastar turned his blood streaked face to her, asking if it was socially appropriate. She sighed, motioning towards his beard. "You might as well go clean it out in the stream." She commented. Checking the cloth pressed against her wound, she reapplied the pressure. Veera and Veceslav were asleep, leaving only herself and Derrick awake with her uncle. He hadn't yet responded to her comment, and she sighed. Maybe she was being a bit hard on him, after all she had only heard stories. It wasn't unheard of for women to claim to have slept with a witcher for the status or the attention. It had even happened to Uncle Alastar a few times, although she kind of doubted he would turn down that last woman.... "I'll take first watch." She offered to the witchers, before pointing at her uncle with her free hand. "You. River. Clean. We don't need the next passersby to think you ate a bear or something." Teliana smiled softly. "Once I get my strength back, I'll be able to save myself." She lowered her eyes to where Vyle's fingers brushed against her arms. "What about your witcher friends? Could we not stay with them?" The fear that had momentarily calmed began to rise again. She wanted to be behind walls, several layers of walls, as far away from Milosh as she could be. He could still be in the city for all they knew. Vyle couldn't stay with her forever, every moment of every day, and when he left, what if Milosh struck again? What if he continued what he started? Her breath hitched at the thought of being strapped down to that cold table once more, and she shut her eyes, trying to keep the recent memories from invading. "I was going to ask if we could have Zephyr accompany us, as thanks." She murmured, keeping her eyes shut as she spoke. "He needs to be taught how to defend himself....if they come back..." When they come back. Suddenly the walls felt as though they were closing in around her. What if I'm dreaming? What if I'm still strapped to that table? She took Vyle's hands in hers, squeezing them gently. No, this has to be real. It has to be. "I don't want to be trapped there again." She said to Vyle, looking up at him. "I don't want anyone to have to be trapped there again."
We should have stayed in that cave.
Ana glanced at Carson, her eyes widening slightly at the evident pain he was experiencing, but she did what she was told, without comment. Don't get used to it.She thought to herself as she ran forward. Her hands came together in front of her, creating a small fireball that grew larger with each second. She blew on it, forcing it to spin as she approached the body. Pulling her arm back, she hurled the ball at the body, an audible grunt escaping her mouth from the force her body had exerted. "Take that, you son of a bitch." She said as the fire burned into the side of the body, the spinning flames grating on it and stunning it at the same time. In retrospect, she probably hadn't needed one of her most powerful moves, but she needed release somehow. Taking a step forward, she pushed her palms out, creating a half shield of fire. Running forward once more, she jumped into the air, using the shield to grate the Heartless into the ground. She landed with an oof, stumbling back to keep her balance as the Heartless twitched, and then collapsed, its body dissipating. Kala glanced back at Destiny, who had started to speak but stopped, then Lumen. "Take us there then. Please." She remembered as an afterthought, pulling up the hood of her cloak. The sun was too bright here, and everything was too.....nice. She didn't want to be in this world a moment more then she had to. Hopefully, this place would have answers for her, of some sort. Hopefully she would be one step closer to finding her sister. And if she wasn't, then there was always plan B.
Alarick followed Nick in, his wary eyes sweeping the apartment. The shrill cry of the warlock sent a rush of adrenaline through his veins as he searched for the source. Cin turned to say something, but all Alarick had eyes for was the gleaming weapon Masque had picked up. He darted around Nick, jumping forward and grabbing for the knife. By the Angel, I should have let Brianne do this. She was the more compassionate one. But then again, perhaps it was better he was here, as he removed the weapon from Masque's possession and held the warlock's wrists in his hands, careful not to let their skin touch. The way he was acting...it was as though he was a child. Brianne really should be here. But he was the one who had come, and so he would be the one to somehow deal with....this. Cin's words finally penetrated the cloud of instincts and action that had surrounded his brain, and he spoke without taking his eyes from the warlock. "No one is going to harm him. Unless you try to run." He spoke quietly, voice soothing. At least, the best he could do to make a soothing tone. "Now I have to look you over to make sure you don't have any injuries or weapons, and then I need to put a rune around you to keep you from casting magic. Once I do that, no one will look at you, I give you my word as a Shadowhunter." He paused, trying to wrap his mind around this strange situation. "I have to do this whether you cooperate or not. You can make this easy, and I'll get it done quickly, or you can struggle and I'll get those fellows to help me. So what's it going to be?" he asked Masque, his voice still soft. Brianne's stomach flipped on itself as Paragon carried her through the air. For being the descendant of an Angel, she had a strange fear of flying. Never the less, as she landed safely on the ground, whipping her stele out, she glanced at the fairy Paragon had just saved. And then beyond that..."Rhett!" Her hand clenched the handle of her blade tightly as she gritted her teeth. Of course you'd say that. Even as you're dying. "Sorry, those wings were on loan." Brianne replied to Rhett, swallowing past the sudden dryness in her throat. She didn't have to look far to see Ash, wielding his hatchet as proficiently as any warrior of legend. By the Angel, he's old enough to be one. She glared after Paragon, but stepped in front of the two behind her just in time to cut down another wolf, its blood splattering her clothes. "Ash, I can cover you!" She called to him, tossing her hair out of her face. "You have to save Rhett!" She didn't think it necessary to admit her backup was a little farther behind her, but hopefully, (she hoped), they would catch up quickly. She was sure they were both pisssed, but Rhett's life was worth it. "If you don't do something, he's going to die!" She shouted, cutting back another wolf who was trying to sneak around to snatch a bite at Morrigan. What was the deal with the fairy, anyway? Morrigan had flinched as Paragon landed on the wolf, dispatching it quickly. "Wait!" She called after him, her heart tugging as his wings extended and disappeared. She couldn't help the jealousy, but she wouldn't have minded fixing the confusion as she realized she couldn't place Paragon at the Seelie Court. But...there were no outcast fairies, none for a hundred years, and those that hadn't made their way back to the Seelie Queen's good graces didn't live here. They certainly wouldn't have helped her out. As the other fairy disappeared, Morrigan was dragged from her thoughts by Rhett's voice. Even she, a stranger to battle, could tell he was fading fast. It was no surprise, but it hurt her to know she could do next to nothing. Kneeling besides his fallen form, she tore most of the skirt off of her dress, drastically shortening the clothing as she pressed the cloth to the wounds on Rhett's chest. "Just stay here, okay?" She murmured, her face tight with worry. She hadn't know the werewolf very long, really at all, but he was such an innocent soul that it hurt to see him in such pain. "Just stay with me. Ash will be here soon, and the..." He had called her Brianne. Judging by the runes that glowed on her skin, she was a Shadowhunter. "Brianne is here too. You'll be okay." She hoped the words weren't just a comforting lie. Grayson paused, the members of his pack snarling around him as they formed a protective circle. "I wouldn't doubt that." he called to Paragon, his eyes narrowing in defiance at the mouth of the gun that no doubt carried silver bullets. If this fairy knew his name, he obviously knew what he was, and was targeting him for something he had done. Which, to be fair, there weren't a lot of hobbies he indulged in. But they hadn't eaten any fairies yet. "But why would you murder me? For simply embracing what I am?" He swept his arm around the werewolves that surrounded him. "We are literally transformed by the disease we carry, with no choice or say in the matter. What can you do as a werewolf? Be a drug dog?" He snorted, eyes flashing. "Vampires are allowed ways to feed and curb their appetite, yet we are not offered the same. What are we supposed to do? Try and suppress ourselves when the wolf half is just as prominent as the human half? I don't see the vampires doing the same. And wolves need to hunt. So what would you have me do, fey?" One of the wolves left his side to try and gain some ground on the form in the sky. Grayson let him go, keeping the attention of the fairy with his words.
Veera blinked. "Uh yeah, sure." She turned and attacked one of the dark balls in the air. A margarita sounded good, especially after this. One margarita? Make it ten. She laughed to herself, as she slashed her keyblade through the dark mass, watching it disintegrate before attacking another Shadow. Why stop at ten? Why not go twenty? Alcohol poisoning here I come. After this, anyway. Heartless Kill Grand Total: Shadow: 131 Dark Ball: 17 Injured Heartless: Shadow 1; 2 BP left Total Experience Gained Veera: 720 EXP (54 Shadows, 4 Dark Balls) Xara: 675 EXP (45 Shadows, 5 Dark Ball) Aislinn: 710 EXP (6 Dark Ball, 44 Shadows)
Grayson let Rhett's words slide off him like water off a duck's back. At least, he tried. It did sting, that he couldn't finish the goddamupstart, but, as his father used to say, self preservation first, honor later. Can always trick people into thinking you have honor, but you can't trick death. His thoughts were interrupted by his sensitive ears picking up the sound of bones crunching. His pack wouldn't do that. They would tear flesh, rend muscle. He half turned, ears figuratively pricked as his beta stood by his side. Both wolves listened, and heard it; the sound of fighting. "I do believe it's best we leave this place." His beta suggested, too quietly to be heard by any ears other then Grayson's. "You are in no shape to fight." The undercurrent of words was there, but neither of them said it, for the caution of being overheard by the wrong ears. The pack is expendable, but you are not. "Let's go then. I grow tired of the stink of this place anyway." He leaned heavily on his beta out of sight of the pack. Two more wolves flocked to him, helping to take the weight off his weakened legs as they quickly exited the abandoned police station. Only after they were gaining distance did Grayson realize they left the human boy in the basement. He glanced sidelong at his beta, who smiled, the tips of his incisors peeking out from underneath his lip. Ah, good. They didn't need any witnesses spouting out nonsense about their hunting techniques. It ruined the fun. And Grayson was planning on having plenty more of it, once he healed. The bird rested on Morrigan's shoulder as she darted through the alleyway towards the abandoned building. She heard Ash's voice, harsh against the snarls and growls that followed. "Go, little one." She commanded to the bird as she reached for her sword instinctively, swearing when she realized it wasn't attached to her hip. She really needed to fix that. Clenching her hands, she looked around, mind working quickly as the level of growling increased, raising the hairs along her arms. Chirping drew her attention to a trashcan, where the blue bird perched. She stroked its head gently before peering in cautiously. A glint of metal caught her eye, and she reached in carefully, pulling out what at one point would have been a metal pole of some sort. Force had caused the metal to snap, creating a sharpened spear. It was rustic, but she gently thanked the bird before reminding it to flee the carnage that was about to occur. Ash was already battling the werewolves with his shadow, drawing their attention away from Rhett, obviously the weaker threat. She felt bile rise in her throat at his appearance, but kept it down as she slipped around the edge of the battle to stand next to him. "Rhett, do you remember me?" She asked cautiously, hands reaching forward, anxious to help. Her fingers fluttered uselessly just above the torn skin and ligaments as her eyes widened. There was so much damage. How could someone recover from this? "Rhett, it's Morrigan. Let's go, before-" She whipped around, instinct driving her as she shoved the spear through the throat of one of the wolves. It stared into her horrified eyes before choking. She tried to wrench the spear out as the werewolf made a gurgling noise, but her arms shook too hard. "Fucking Angel's tits." She swore as the wolf stumbled back, yanking her only weapon from her hands. Well, not her only weapon. Hello unconsciousness, my old friend. She whispered the words of magic, calling the vines from the building. They began to weave towards her, braiding against each other to form a barrier. She waited with baited breath, hoping the magic would be enough to keep the wolves from reaching her or Rhett as she gently motioned for him to back up. "Let's just....rest here." She suggested, pointing towards a corner of the wall, her hands shaking as the magic began to take its toll. "Just keep quiet, and maybe they-" She paused, the hair on the back of her neck rising. A wolf with amber eyes licked its lips, saliva dripping from its teeth as it approached her. "No." She said firmly, standing in front of Rhett with her arms at her sides, hands clenched. "I won't let you." Her stomach roiled as her mind tried to grapple with the notion that she had just taken her first life, and was about to take another. Or attempt, anyway.
Veera slipped off the horse and dropped onto the ground with a soft groan, tenderly stretching her leg out. She peeled her blood stained pants past her knee and grimaced at the sight that awaited her. The kneecap had swollen to twice its size and was discolored, a bruise forming around the edge. The wound itself was clotted, the blood sticking to the cloth of her clothing. Instead of treating it, she lay on her back and took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut. This was going to hurt. "Let me help." The girl, Treasa, sat down beside her, her own injury as of yet untreated. "Here." She handed Veera a strip of cloth to bite on and grabbed the knee, bracing it between her hands. "On the count of three?" Veera narrowed her eyes, and nodded, letting out a breath as she relaxed for a moment. "One." Treasa wrenched and Veera's scream tore from her throat, muffled by the cloth. She lay back, sweat making the blood stick to her skin as she waited for the pain to become bearable again. Treasa watched Veera for a moment before turning to her own leg. She glanced at Derrick, green eyes glinting in the sun. "The lady friend's name is Treasa, in case you didn't catch the bear of a man shouting it earlier." She jerked her head in her uncle's direction as she rolled her pant leg up, exposing the raw wound. "That's my uncle Alastar, Bear Witcher." She hissed as she prodded at the injury before grabbing a flask sitting next to her. With the witcher's immunity, she hadn't offered any to Veera. Not to be stingy, but with an injury from a necrophage, she needed all the help she could get. Pulling out the stopper, she breathed slowly, then dumped the clear but strong smelling liquid on her leg, gritting her teeth. "I can't imagine anyone's heard of me. I'm not a witcher, nor particularly powerful. And I haven't slept with most of the women on this side of Skellige." Grabbing one of the arrow heads, she counted to three in her head, then began to use the shaft to cut away the top layer of shredded skin, avoiding as much muscle as she could. It hurt, but she bore the pain well enough. She had suffered worse. The wound began to bleed anew, and she poured the rest of the flask over the injury before grabbing a second scrap of cloth and pressing it against the wound, waiting for the blood to clot. "I can't imagine there's anything either of us can offer you, conversationally, that would make us more interesting." She finished her reply to Derrick, watching out of corner of her eye for her uncle. He hadn't disappeared on her before, but it never hurt to be careful. Zack wiped his forehead before moving onwards. It was bloody work, moving through the city. The necrophages were out in full force, and Zack got to see the damage that the battle had done to the city. What bodies were left were being devoured by ghouls and alghouls while looters tried their luck at stealing what they could. Compared to the pandemonium earlier, it was nearly dead silent. The thought of what happened to the creators of those battle cries earlier made Zack shudder. He quickened his pace, his bodyguards following as they made their way through the streets. All too soon, they arrived at the church. It still burned strong; likely the embers would smolder for months. Zack looked up towards the spire, unable to see the body atop it from this position. Likely the spire would be the only part of the church to remain, the stone column cracked from the heat of the fire but still strong. Just like our spirit. He thought back to the people that awaited his return to the camp, and sighed. He had let them down. This was not how this was supposed to have happened. "Go see if there are survivors before they are given a worse fate by the ghouls. I will remain here." The two dopplers looked at him, but Rael nodded, his eyes sad as he turned away. He understood. It had taken some time, but he had accepted the truth, and he would grieve Fiel and her poor decisions, and move on. At least, Zack hoped he would. He waited until they were gone, out of sight, before turning back to the church. A pyre, as it was. "All you ever wanted." Zack cleared his throat, feeling his eyes ache. "I didn't realize what giving this power to you would do. I thought I understood how downtrodden you felt, how small and insignificant. I thought you could move past personal vendettas, past what the witchers had done. This was supposed to have been peaceful. I wanted to meet the witcher, with our numbers, to show her that we weren't all monsters. That we are people too. And you-" He cut himself off, rubbing a hand over his face wearily. "I should have known. Gods save me but I should have known. After what you did to Tessa, I think I realized, but I didn't want to. I didn't want to think you could have done something like that to her. I wanted to wrap my hands around your neck myself. She almost died, and you...you didn't think. You were supposed to send her away, not shove her through death's door." His emotion caused his voice to crack, and he paused, clearing his throat again. "I realize now, she is gone. Part of my punishment for my sin, for allowing you to do...this," He swept his hand back, over the destroyed city. "I'll likely never see her again, never stand at her wedding or watch her children grow up. Never know her fate. I have to stay here, and rebuild. Retake what was once ours, and what will be, but this time, do it right." He let his form shift for a moment in the one that was far more comfortable, like a fitted glove on his skin. "Ironic that even though you've died, so has this face, this name." The real Bryce stared into the fires that still burned in the center of the church, some of the beams on the roof yet left untouched. "For the rest of my life, I will have to wear your face, use your name." Silent tears made their way through the sweat and blood on his face. "No more fitting of a punishment could there be invented." "I won't let what you did ruin us. We may fall down, we may stumble, but we will get back up, and I will fight until my last breath to make a safe place for us. Something you couldn't see far enough ahead to do." As his form slowly shifted, amber eyes looked for the last time into the sky. "You always said you wouldn't be significant. You proved us both wrong, but at what cost?" Zack turned, rolling his shoulders as he slowly adjusted to his form; his new form. "Goodbye, Zack." He whispered, his back to the flames as he walked away, towards Rael and the other doppler, towards the people that counted on him, and towards the uncertainty of the future. His mind went back to the last time he had seen Zack. "Bryce!" The doppler with such distinctive color ran up, gasping and out of breath. "Bryce we can't find Tessa! I think the witchers took her!" "Calm down." He felt a thrum of fear at the thought, but pushed it away. "Tell me what's happened." "Tessa just disappeared! Seth went one way and I went this way and we just can't find her! Damn those witchers!" Zack had tears in his eyes, rage twisting his face. "Zack, we'll look for her together. It's possible if they've taken her, they know who I am and are doing it to target me." He grabbed Zack's shoulders, holding him firm. "I need you to help me. It's the only way to ensure our future." If only he had known. When he had searched the city as Zack, and come up empty handed, he had returned to the spot where he and Zack were supposed to meet, and exchange information before changing back to their original forms. One hour passed, then two, and Zack hadn't showed. Bryce began to worry, and started searching the city for the younger doppler. What if he had been right? what if Zack was lying dead in a gutter somewhere because of him? It became all too apparent what had happened, but Zack couldn't bring himself to believe it, right up until he watched Zack, masquerading as himself, selling mages to the witch hunters. And judging from their conversation, he had been doing this for far too long. "I played right into his hands." When Zack had run into Tessa, he had been so overwhelmed by relief at her safety that he hadn't had time to warn her, to tell her. His emotions had taken over his mind, and she had nearly paid the ultimate price. Watching her bleed on the street, thinking he had done that to her, nearly destroyed Bryce. He could only watch Seth comfort her, feeling unworthy of even standing there. To this day, and for the rest of her days, she would think it was him that did this to her. "If the punishment fits." He whispered to himself as Seth took her Zack and the dopplers made it back to their camp without any more interruptions or delays. He made a decision, then and there, and knelt on the grass, scribbling out a letter. Quickly addressing it, he gave it to a female doppler. She looked at him, listened intently to his instructions, and then took one of the horses salvaged from the city and left for Novigrad. The letter had a single name written on the envelope, and as he watched her leave, he felt all of his hope go with her. One last chance to make right the damage that had been done, and he blinked away the tears before turning back to the people that watched him. "Let's get these tents finished."
Alarick glanced at Nick, frowning slightly. "Do you have psychic powers you have yet to bless us with?" He asked, turning back to look at the entrance. "Our orders are to apprehend Masque. Seeing as he has murdered several Downworlders, I will withhold my judgement on whether or not he deserves mercy. For now, we simply need to capture him and get him back to the Institute." Alarick stepped inside the apartment building, scanning the area quickly. "Cin, take the stairs. Sien, the watch the back door. Nick, with me." He stalked forward, punching a button on the elevator. As the doors opened, he stepped inside, waiting for the younger Shadowhunter to follow before letting the doors shut, and pushing the button for the next floor. The only intel they had been able to gather was that Masque didn't live on the ground level. We'll just have to go floor by floor. He thought with a sigh, hand on his stele just in case their luck prevailed. "Nick, stay in the elevator. If you see him, do not engage by yourself." He glanced at the man to make sure heard before starting forward. The halls were quiet, but not quiet enough. Alarick pressed his ear to the first door; nothing. He debated breaking in, but then pulled out his stele and carved the rune for Sight into the wood. The door vanished, giving him a vision of what was inside. Nothing. He went on to the next, and the next. Finally, as he carved the rune into the wood on the door at the furthest end of the hall, he saw what he wanted. The warlock. Jerking his head silently, Alarick motioned for Nick to come over to him. They would need to work together to take this one down. Hopefully Cin and Sien were close by, working their way up their respective entrances. The more the merrier, after all. Brianne vaulted over a fence, feeling her runes glow, warming her skin as she used their power. She glanced up at Paragon, flying above them, the frown on her face identical to the one her twin wore half a city away. "Take me, please." The mannerism added as an afterthought. She jumped onto a crate, using the force of her speed to ricochet off the wall and reached out, grabbing Paragon's hands with her own. It wasn't particularly graceful, but it was quicker then stopping and losing momentum. "Hendrick, Roxanne! Keep your backs to each other when you get inside, and try to catch up as quick as you can!" She called back, her mind fuzzy with worry for a moment as she considered she was leaving them behind. But I have to save this life. I have to make up for the one I failed. With that thought, she nodded to herself and held tightly to Paragon, hoping by the Angel that he wouldn't drop her. Stay behind? Less likely. Ash couldn't have it both ways. Either he liked her spirit, or he was telling her what to do. And Morrigan was sick of being told what to do. She darted behind him, quickly losing the warlock as he moved faster then she was able. She paused, and reached into the air. A small bluejay settled onto her fingers, soft chirps emitting from its chest. She stroked it gently, whispering to it before letting it fly free again. The blue jay focused in on its target, the warlock darting between people, carts and cars. She set off after the bird, confident in the creature's abilities to keep up with Ash, even if she could not. Her mind turned to Ash's reaction. He seemed to actually care for the werewolf. She hoped for Rhett's sake, and her own, the werewolf would be okay. She had a feeling she didn't want to see a grief ridden Ash. Grayson felt his body quivering underneath the weight of the pain and depletion of strength. He was losing blood, Rhett was losing blood. With a shake of his massive head, he tossed the werewolf into the nearest wall and backed up, jaws dripping with blood stained saliva. He regarded the other werewolf with a feeling as close to respect as he could get. Rhett was the first real challenge he had in years, and the guy had a set of balls on him that would have made Grayson's father proud. But the wolf couldn't show mercy, not even to someone as inspiring as the underdog. Grayson limped away, Changing as he walked. He grabbed the spare clothes that his beta offered and began to dress, not even looking back at Rhett. "He's all yours." He muttered, leaning a little on his beta as the werewolf helped him walk away. His pack might as well have some fun, it would be selfish to share. Grayson would never admit that he had nearly lost to Rhett, and probably would have if he had tried once more to take down the werewolf. I need to get stronger. There's only one way I know of doing so. Several other werewolves grinned and Changed, circling Rhett as they growled and snarled.
And I'd like for you to shove it up your a- Veera turned and pressed her forehead against the cool wall, shuttng her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Hush, little one." She sang softly under her breath, the old lullaby calling forth memories of gentle times, with soft blankets and warmth and sun. "Don't cry, little one." Alpha protested, ramming up against the barriers she was slowly putting up. "Sleep with me, little one." She whispered, opening her eyes and staring at the floor as the wolf inside finally quieted. Battles had been her antidote to the mental poison, keeping the bloodthirsty beast at bay by slaughtering enemies. But just like a drug, her tolerance was slowly rising. How long before she turned on her allies? Gently banging her head against the wall, clenched her fist and drew it back to punch at the wall, needing a release for her frustration. Just before her knuckles hit the siding, she stopped and sighed. Getting upset would only free Alpha faster. She needed to go see Ashleigh and get this over with. Then maybe focus on barricading herself in her room until she was called to fight. She trudged up the stairs, accompanied by a headache and aching jaw from clenching it too hard. Stepping into the same room as Ashleigh, she stood at attention, ever the soldier. Alpha would have sneered at her obedience. "The female was too much of a threat to let escape. I pursued her in order to keep her from reaching the enemy, or otherwise harming our allies. I engaged the girl in battle, along with a robot companion that seems to accompany her. "She transformed into something I have never witnessed the likes of when Requiem harmed the robot. The injuries sustained to most of his armour are from her. The rest are from the robot, which also appears to be programmed with fighting abilities, though he seemed to be doing his best to simply calm the girl. I found an unlikely ally in a passerby, who performed a calming ritual. Somehow, it managed to transform the girl back into her human form, but at that point, Requiem was too injured to engage in any more combat, and I was forced....no, I chose to let her go. Anthem arrived to help Requiem, and thus we arrived here." She narrowed her eyes. "I understand that my actions had consequences on others, and I shall not endeavor to repeat them." At least, not when you're around to have me followed. Veera, for once, agreed with Alpha's sleepy voice. It was a mistake to let the girl go, and if she had been alone, if she could have been quicker, she could have taken out that...monster, before the robot had ever arrived. "Is that all?" Veera asked Ashleigh, keeping her gaze averted from the other female. "I have to find out how to contain you until I want you out." She told Alpha, who growled quietly, but didn't outwardly rebel. "Don't forget you let one of your pack fight your battle for you. Take injury for you." Alpha sneered softly, the distaste more then a little obvious. "At least I did something. You couldn't even be bothered to help Requiem back. Useless." Alpha yawned, curling up in a corner of Veera's mind. "Let me know when you're ready to act like a true wolf again. I have no use for cowards." "How can there be so many people in one place?" Kala muttered to Timothy, pressing her face away from the humans and into Timothy's chest plate. It wasn't the most comfortable of positions, but it kept her from having to see the strange faces and hear the even stranger noises. This is bad. You're not supposed to be around people! They'll lock you up, poke you, prod you! Kala wrapped her hands around the randomly produced teacup, biting her lip. She had no memory of being around other humans, so where did these thoughts come from? These fears? It was the same voice that had appeared to her in the darkness, calling her back. Who are you? She wondered, peeking up at Timothy for security. What do you mean to me? Why are you in my head? "Timothy, we shouldn't tell them what I am. Let's just lie and say we got lost." She hadn't thought of asking the same of the bearded stranger, and cursed her absentmindedness. "I'm scared." She whispered, trying to pull more of her hood over herself as if she could disappear in the swathes of cloth.
Clever. Grayson howled as he used gravity to fall onto his back, attempting to crush the werewolf that had previously tried to get a grip on his back. They were similar in weight and height, but the force of a full grown werewolf would make even a Nephilim pause. Or break a few ribs. Grayson struggled to his feet, each movement becoming harder then the next. Desperation mingled with his anger, making him a far more dangerous foe. Things didn't look good for either wolf at this point, but Rhett only had to lose his life. Grayson had much much more that had been gambled in this fight. He charged one last time, feigning a bite at Rhett's forelegs before using his shoulder to try to knock the wolf over. Afterwards he rolled to his feet and clamped down on Rhett's fur, shaking him back and forth. He had been aiming for the neck, but at this point the world was a messy blur of flying fur and flashes of blood, coupled with the burning pains growing in his chest. He didn't have much more time before the silver would force a painful Change back to his human form. Morrigan rested her chin on her knees as Ash walked out, eyes staring ahead. "How are you any different from my parents?" She muttered, shutting her eyes for a moment as their images popped up in her memory. "You want fire, you instigate me. You want a breakfast companion, you order me. What's next, a bed warmer?" She waited until he was out of the room before flopping back onto the bed, her hair spread in a halo behind her as she stared at the ceiling. "I wish I knew what to do." The words barely had any tone as they left, no more then whispers uttered into the air. Almost a prayer, if she had the weakness to believe in a higher power. Sitting up, she waited until the light dizzy spell past before heading towards the bathroom. She had no need of it, but the sudden urge to be near running water was too overwhelming to resist. Whenever she had problems thinking in the past, she would run to the nearest river or stream. Seeing as that wasn't an option here, the faucet would have to do. Morrigan turned the water on full force and pulled up the stopper, so that a pool would form. It only really worked if the water was hitting other liquid. She didn't understand why. She closed her eyes as she listened to the sound, clearing her mind of everything except for the problem, and focusing on it. What do I do? Well, she could try to run. She would make it a few hours before her need for the poisonous antidote that Ash provided would force her to inevitably collapse. If he didn't simply track her with his shadow first. So that left staying. She could either stay a captive, and do as he ordered, let him continue to control her, or she could break free. The first option was safer, easier, but the second called to her. She had slowly gained freedoms over the centuries, but she had never truly been free. Maybe now was her chance. After he cured her, she could disappear; to China, or Europe. She could be anyone there, as long as she could throw up a glamour. Well, it seemed her choice was an easy one. Bide your time, and then slip free. No marriage, no contract. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror before reaching into the pool of water, creating a small cup with her hand in order to splash the cool liquid on her face. Her head started to buzz, but she ignored it, reaching for one of the hand towels, before shutting the faucet off. As she dried her face, Morrigan wondered what Rhett was doing. The werewolf had been kind to her, if a little standoffish, and she wouldn't mind having a friend who wasn't going to drive her to commit murder. She glanced down at the pool, and found she couldn't tear her eyes away. The buzzing grew louder, unable to be ignored as her face drew nearer and nearer to the surface of the water. Yellow eyes, the same as her dream stared at her, the giant wolf snarling as it leaped towards her. She blinked and the image zoomed back, showing the wolf jumping on a man...She gasped, unable to move as she watched Rhett throw the wolf off, yelling something before Changing. As the two collided, she tried to look away, heart in her mouth. What fresh hell was this? Rhett was struggling when the two were separated, and circled each other. As the large wolf jumped back towards Rhett, Morrigan screamed, certain that it would be death for the kind man. Her hand slipped on the basin, and she stumbled back as the hold was released on her. She pressed her hands to her mouth, staring at the water that covered the sink, the water now crystal clear. By the gods and angels. Then she tore out of the room, searching for Ash. If what she had seen was true, then Rhett was in terrible danger.
Veera glanced at Veceslav, seeing the same exhaustion haunt him. They were holding strong for now, but for now much longer? She clucked to the horse, pushing forwards and trusting her male companions to keep her safe. Making her way through the city, she vaguely remembered to turn left instead of right, and forward after. But she didn't know how she knew that. The headache behind her eyes only grew, and she winced, slinging her crossbow back in its holster to press one hand to her temple. It didn't relieve the pain, but it helped block out the light of the hazy sun as she and the horse led the charge down the twisting and turning roads of Oxenfurt. She was going to have to question Derrick further, about what exactly they had been doing, how she had lost her memory, what she had been doing here.....The necromancer, for that was the only thing she could think to call him, had recognized her. Had said the entire battle was her doing. That couldn't have been true, could it? Why would she cause the death of so many, for what gain? Her headache only grew with each passing thought, until it transformed into a migraine. Even the sun in her eyes caused her blinding flashes of pain. She pressed her hands to her eyes in an effort to block it out, no longer paying attention to whatever was happening around her as lights flashed behind her eyes. Treasa smiled a little at Veceslav's rough humor, but made sure he went up by Veera before continuing to shoot her arrows into the oncoming horde of the necrophages. At least she would have something to do during watch tonight; making new arrows always made the time go faster. She put a shaft through the skull of a charging Alghoul before turning back for a second to make sure the rest of the group was doing okay. Which Veera was not. The female witcher was pressing her hands to her face, blind to the threats around her. Derrick and Veceslav did an admirable job of keeping the ghouls off of her, but they were going to become overrun if they didn't make it out of the city. She aimed at a ghoul jumping towards Veera's leg and shot, making the shot through its eye. As it slumped down, she felt a pain in her own leg and turned. The resulting drawn arrow went through the ghoul's neck, causing it to gurgle as it fell. She looked at her injury and swore quietly; it wasn't bad by any means but gods did it hurt. Alastar will have a hissy fit. She turned before anyone else noticed she had paused and fired off another arrow. A short time later, thanks to the miraculous powers that be, they made it out of the city, sloshing through the muck of the city water towards the farther shore. Veera's route had taken longer, but it had given them a break from the murdering hordes that braved the necrophages, leaving them with, well, the necrophages. Treasa winced as the water seeped around her wound, shaking off the annoyance of pain as she stepped onto the bank. They could make camp with the dopplers, but that might give most cause for worry, and they had the injuries of their own to contend with. Might as well let the witchers have some secrets. She helped guide the horse away from the burning, rotting city, and towards the grassy knolls by the forest. "Here?" She asked Alastar and the other witchers, sticking the bottom of her bow in the ground as she patted the horse's neck. "Well you're a friendly fellow." She murmured, smiling softly. She had always had a soft spot for horses. Ana opened her mouth to reply to Zephyr when the man in question burst into the tent. Her heart nearly stopped as he approached her, looking ever the same, besides a little more bedraggled. Before she could reply to him, he swept her up in his arms, hugging her tightly. Ana hugged him back, ignoring the protestations of her healing wounds as she pressed her face into his shoulder. The moment was over quickly as he pulled back. She hesitated before nodding in reply. Something's different. She remembered vaguely the rage with which Vyle had come from the sky, tearing down the witch hunter in front of her. She remembered the look on his face, the touch of his hands on her own as she cried. She thought she had seen something in his eyes, something she had wished to be true, but....searching his face, she bit her lip. It wasn't there now. Maybe it had been a dream, a hallucinogen of her own wishes transferred to life by the nearness of her death. "Zephyr saved me." She nodded towards the aforementioned mage with a small smile of thanks. "I'm sorry we couldn't stay. We were attacked by a woman. Someone adept at killing mages. Something drew her away...or I'm not sure if we would be here." She looked down at her shaking hands, clenching them to hide the lack of fingernails. A constant reminder until they healed, it seemed. "Are you alright?" She asked the vampire quietly. Tessa settled down, waiting for Seth to lie next to her. When the mattress didn't move with his weight, she looked up, then sat up. What....Glancing around, she saw him on the ground next to her. Oh for the sake of the gods. She swung her legs out of the bed, stepping carefully over Seth as she dragged the blanket with her, draping it over him lying down next to him, her head resting on the same pillow. "You won't leave me, and I won't leave you." She reminded Seth, grabbing the hand that wasn't wounded and entwining her fingers, silently marveling at how small her hands seemed compared to his. She scooted in closer until they were nearly touching, but not quite, and shut her eyes, a small smile on her face as she held their entwined hands in between them, resting on the pillow between their faces. With Seth so close, knowing he would protect her, she finally fell into a peaceful sleep. Zack was busy assigning watches when one of the healers from the infirmary came rushing up to him. As he listened to what she had to say, he could only swear silently, keeping all emotions off his face. The god's own joke. "Attend to Zephyr, if he allows it. Leave the v-leave the man and the woman, if she doesn't wish for help, we shall not force it upon her." He responded, patting the healer on the shoulder. Turning back to the maps and scrolls, he sighed. He had one last thing to do, and it needed doing before the dark came. It was already afternoon, and so, collecting Rael and one other, he left one of the older dopplers in charge, instructions should things go wrong, and headed back for the city. There was someone he needed to say goodbye to.
Veera was still asleep, her hand gently clenched around the sheets. She didn't dream, hadn't for a while, but her sleep wasn't all restful. Soon she would be forced to wake to go patrol the boundaries with Tessa. Soon, but not now. Tessa opened her yellow eyes and yawned, her sharp teeth glimmering in the small shards of light that managed to pass through the window. Shaking out her fur, she stretched, rump in the air for a few moments before climbing off the bed and shifting back. She could have used a longer nap, but her stomach was rumbling, and she wouldn't get any more sleep while her body craved food. Grabbing some clean clothes from the hamper, she threw them on haphazardly before running fingers through her tangled hair. She grabbed the maneuvering gear from the floor, buckling it to her waist as she left, braiding her hair out of her face as she walked towards the kitchen. The smells coming from within were delicious, and she opened the door, albeit somewhat cautiously. "Room for one more?" she asked quietly, tossing her finished braid over her shoulder. Zack watched Adelina work with a small smile on his face as he cradled his children. The door opened, revealing his now fouth favorite person in the world. "Always." He replied with a smile, nodding towards the seat next to him. Tessa sat on the floor in front of him, wordlessly holding out her arms. He handed her Zarron, her favorite. As she cradled his son gently, he frowned. Tessa would never have said it out loud, but she was lonely, he could tell. Their late night talks had turned into nights spent with his arms wrapped around Adelina, and forages into the woods had turned into opposite patrol shifts. She still smiled at him, and waved whenever her arms, or his, weren't full, but there was a new-found melancholy that had attached itself to his friend. "Think Veera will forget about you?" He asked jokingly, whispering over the head of his daughter. Tessa mutely shook her head, pursing her lips. "Well at least you can spend the hours before in good company." He tried to cheer her up. Kala giggled helplessly at Galadorn's antics, then sighed. "I'm going to go into my room. And I'm locking the door." She walked up to him as he worked, her hands lightly resting on his shoulder before she withdrew. "I'll eat with you when I'm finished." She hesitated, then stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his chin, the highest part of the centaur she could reach without a step stool, or him leaning down to help her. "Sorry." She whispered as she pulled away, stepping back into her bedroom, and true to her word, locking the door. Regardless of how much she lo-trusted Galadorn, she could never condone another being to watch her feed. It seemed....abhorrent. Hell, ever since they had returned, a slow pit of self loathing had been growing, mingling with the guilt of her actions to cause a depression of sorts. She managed to keep it down, pushed away, but every so often, especially at times like now, it would surface, reminding her what she truly was. She sat by the sill, opening the window, and remaining perfectly still. After a few moments, a small sparrow landed. Quick as a snake, Kala snatched the creature and pressed her lips to the feathery chest, her eyes shutting as the heart beat wildly for a few moments, then stilled. She set the small body gently on the floor, pressing her fingers to her lips as she beat down the guilt once more. When her eyes opened, they glowed a little more brightly then before. She knelt down, her shaking fingers gently brushing the feathers down before she cradled the tiny body in her hands. Grabbing a matchbox from the plethora she kept in her dresser, she placed the tiny being inside, shutting it and grabbing a match from a fresh box. Lighting it, she set the occupied one on the window and set it on fire. As it burned, the breeze carried away the smell of burned feathers and meat. The wind was flowing away from the village, so no one should know. She had been careful for a lot longer then this, she wouldn't allow herself to get caught now. Waiting until the evidence was gone, she inhaled and gently blew away the ashes, leaving only a scorch mark behind. Getting up, she pressed her hands to her cheeks and took a deep breath before exiting the room, hesitating for a moment; feeling lost. "I'm done." She whispered, grabbing her hood from its place on the chair and yanking it over her head, pulling it down so her face was hidden. Her favorite hiding mechanism.
Teliana rolled her eyes, keeping it hidden from Carson as she held her hand, palm out, and momentarily pressed her hands together before moving the second palm out, making a small blade of fire. You might be cute, but you have no sense of humor. She kept that thought to herself as she darted forward, sliding underneath the hand as it tried to grasp for her before stabbing it with her fiery blade. She managed to somehow keep her feet underneath her as she used the force of her slide to jump into the air, defying gravity while she flipped over the hand, contorting her body until she was once more facing the earth. She pressed both hands to the blade, the fiery blazing hotter as she drove it down onto the wrist of the hand. The Heartless disappeared, the tendrils of darkness curling around her skin, making her shudder. The blade stayed in her hand as she turned, just in time to see the glow of Carson's wounds. She narrowed her eyes against it, biting her lip, suddenly unsure. She took a step forward, then another as fear tightened around her heart. He had mentioned the runes before, but this.....This frightened her. She darted around him, eyes focused on the body of the heartless as she slid around it, whipping her leg out to move in a semi circle instead of straight ahead as she stabbed at it. She would have to confront Carson later. He was right about one thing; they needed to kill this before someone got hurt. Kala glanced sidelong at the girl, already regretting her decision. "Kala. Keep up or get left behind." She replied brusquely as she strode onward. "Lumen, is there anything in this world that would explain where the victims of lost worlds go?" She called behind her, keeping her face looking forward. If there weren't any clues, she didn't care to stay. Each day that kept her from Ana was another that her sister might be lost to the same darkness Kala had embraced. If Ana was dead, if it was all for nothing...she wouldn't think about that.
Veera looked back at Aislinn and shrugged, twirling her keyblade carelessly. "This is hardly the worst of it." She replied, removing another Shadow from the picture before gripping it once more firmly. "I've wandered in darkness for days. Quite frankly I don't even I remember what the sun feels like, or looks like." She turned and took out another Shadow with a thrust of the magical weapon, smiling grimly as it dissipated. "So now I finally get the chance to do something other then staring at the moving walls, wondering when this torment will end. Would you want a break?" She shrugged once more before attacking another Shadow. "I'm good to keep going until they're gone, and then I want to get the hell out and find some sunshine." Heartless Kill Grand Total: Shadow: 127 Dark Ball: 14 Injured Heartless: Shadow 2; 1 BP left Total Experience Gained Veera: 665 EXP (53 Shadows, 3 Dark Ball) Xara: 675 EXP (45 Shadows, 5 Dark Ball) Aislinn: 645 EXP (5 Dark Ball, 42 Shadows)
Alarick remained silent on the train ride. It was an hour walk, or a five minute stay on the tram. Whatever the case, he was mentally cataloging the complaints, racking them up to form a list that he was going to berate Brianne for. Why they didn't have their own mode of transportation was beyond him. In Alicante, technology failed to work past the barriers that encircled the entire city. There they used horses, his preferred method. Here...it would be hard to get a horse through the streets that were stuffed full of cars, let alone the noise pollution. He hoped the Institute was warded against noises on the outside, or he wasn't sure he was going to be able to get any sleep. He had cast a rune of glamour over himself and made sure the others had done so as well before they got on the fast moving line of metal and steel. As it screeched to a halt, he sighed, rubbing his temple. That was the fifth time it had done that in the last two minutes. Thank the Angel they were the next stop. It did give way to the problem of transporting Masque back, however. He didn't want to run the risk of losing the homicidal warlock on the train, but the walk would be far more dangerous in case any of Masque's supports, whomever they were, caught wind of what was happening and tried to free him. I wonder if either of them know how to hotwire a car. He managed to keep his smile hidden, but his eyes glinted. Grayson howled in pain, using his teeth to grab the scruff of Rhett's neck and shaking him, trying to pull him off. The wounds burned, the burning beginning to spread from the bullet holes themselves to other parts of his body. On the edges of his perception, he could sense others arriving, and standing back. Good. His pack was a hard crew, and they wouldn't respect an Alpha that couldn't defend himself from his own enemy. Even if that enemy had used silver in an attempt to even the playing field. He threw himself free of Rhett, and circled, growling deep in his throat as his blood dripped to the floor, his paws leaving prints in the crimson. This was clearly not Rhett's first fight either. He snapped his jaws, intimidatingly before halting, tail swishing. It was too bad Rhett had chosen the wrong side. He could have been the beta, easily. Snapping his jaws again, Grayson lunged at Rhett, moving to clamp his teeth around one of the opponent's forelegs. For that long moment, for those terrible few seconds that passed, it wasn't Ash that held her against the wall, poised to strike, but her father. The will of iron that had been so recently forged started to bend and wilt, unable to hold against a fear centuries in the making. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, feeling slightly nauseated after he let her go, preferring to remain leaning against the wall in case the strength of her legs failed her. They always had in the past. Every bitter word of Ash's explanation, every sentence smashed against the walls her anger had built up. She could feel the tendrils of rage slipping, and desperately grasped for them, for anger gave way to pain and sadness, and she could afford neither. "You're centuries too late." When she finally spoke, her voice cracked. She cleared her throat, putting more strength in the tones, removing the fear, the pain, any trace of that little fey girl crying in the corner. "I'm not some science experiment, cobbled together to make amends for the past. I'm not a path to redemption." Morrigan's eyes might have been dry, but her heart was bleeding, and she doubted the wound would ever be stanched. Ignored maybe, but never closed. "I'm just me." She intoned, the last tendrils of anger slipping away as she stared at the portrait, the face of the woman forever lost. "And just me is not enough to erase the pain of the fallen, nor is it enough to put any hope in a future." Removing herself from the wall, she stepped towards the bed and sat back down on the mattress, curling her feet underneath her, tucking her hair behind one pointed ear. "The Seelie Queen made mention of it." She answered his earlier question with a softer voice, her hands moving towards a strand of hair as she began to braid it, keeping her fingers occupied. "It was the talk of the Court, for a time. It was...." she stared at the black strands that contrasted against her pale skin. If she stared just closely enough, she could see the poison moving through her veins like small spiderwebs. It sickened her. "It was not my place to say such things. I offer my apology." She had become so much like those she despised, and that sickened her too. She had to be better then them, or what was the point? Brianne's mind started working in overtime as Paragon mentioned that Grayson was fighting another wolf. A victim that wouldn't go quietly? Or one of his own? It didn't matter. A Downworlder was in danger. "I'm going to go on ahead." She interrupted the conversation, her eyes like shards of obsidian. I won't let another soul fall victim to that sick bastard. "Hendrick, Roxanne, follow with Paragon when you're ready. I'm going to circle around and try to damage Grayson while he's distracted." Her mouth set in a grim line, she skirted around and set off, hoping against hope she wouldn't be too late. She hadn't arrived in time to save Masque's latest victim, perhaps she could make up for it by saving this one werewolf.
