ßєlly σƒ τhє ßєคsτ - ค fคnτคsy rρ {o/a}

[Aisu Fan]

I'm not a fan of puppeteers but I've a nagging fear

I'm fine with changing status quo, but not in letting go

someone else is pulling at the strings

Now the world is being torn apart

Something terrible is going down through the entire town

A terrible catastrophe played by your symphony,

wreaking anarchy and all it brings

what a terrifying work of art!

I can't sit idly, no, I can't move at all

I can't sit idly, no, I can't move at all

I curse the name, the one behind it all...

I curse the name, the one behind it all...

✗ ₡ƸŁҎђǀ $ƮǀɌŊ ✗

Why are you looking at me like that, stop it.. Chocolates and sweets, but also all sorts of meat, can I eat that?

Discord, I'm howlin' at the moon
And sleepin' in the middle of a summer afternoon
Discord, whatever did we do, to make you take our world away?
Discord, are we your prey alone,
Or are we just a stepping stone for taking back the throne?
Discord, we won't take it anymore, so take your tyranny away!

It didn't take much to put the agressive Celphi back into place, a harsh tap against the side of her head made it clear that the behaviour she was putting up would not be tolerated. Oh how much did she want to tear the man in front of her called Avain into tiny pieces, but she had made a promise to the captain, one wich was even worth more then the pride of being mocked by another strong presence. If her word was not trustworthy then it could harm the start of a friendship she was desperately seeking. "Ouch, yeah I know what we're here for, you don't have to remind me of that. If cappy tells me to protect you then I will, until I spit out my last breath." Things started to became formal about the matters at hand once more, things that couldn't interest her in the slightest since it was about the male's companions and the threat around them. That's what Celphi thought but in truth her lack of attention was far more simplistic, the waitresses were constantly walking around with drinks and meals. Every whiff of it made the girl's head turn, not being able to follow the conversation by the constant interruptions of alluring scents. The only thing stuck in her head was that the flintlock was of great importance to both Adrianna and Regina, that was the only thing wich she had to keep in mind.

Their first evening together got disrupted though, Celphi raising her nose when the sweet smells got mingled in with a more disgusting yet familiar smell. There was no chance to raise up from the chair as a yelling man stumbled in, an undead following after with its teeth sinking into the man like she would've done in a roasted pig. Her hair furled up while reaching for the pole of her spetum, only Avain was more prepared then the silly 'pup' and shot the undead into nothing more then a red splatter. The bang of the gun if it could be defined as such hurt her sensitive ears, eyes glaring defeated at more then one front in reliability compared to this so-called worriesome ally. There was not much time to linger on thoughts of rivalry for Adrianna had moved aswell as beckoned her over to go outside, jumping up to follow immediately with a soft "This is not over yet.." rolling from her lips.

Along the way there were some undeads coming out as she bashed the bottom of the silver pole against their heads and chest, keeping them at bay for fighting them would take too much time. It was wiser to not waste any of that on these things and just protect the person that was entrusted to her, that included the flintlock in the whole package deal. The further they got the more of them appeared aswell as Celphi soon found herself starting to cut the heads of decaying bodies instead of merely getting them out of the way. It was long enough to keep her out of Adrianna's reach, turning to find her standing in tears with a man who seemed to have came out of nowhere. It clearly wasn't an enemy but the heavy emotional aura could be felt coming from them, making it clear that any intrusion would be unwanted. To the best of her capabilities she started to keep the undead at bay to prevent them from disturbing, thinking that they would come back to the situation at hand soon enough. What she didn't expect was for them to disappear, eyes widening as she rushed to the spot they were last seen. "Nonononono this can't be happening, dangit Regina won't trust me with anything after this."

With nose pressed down against the ground she started to sniff, raising it up in the air to try and get a grasp on both of their scents, being more familiar with Adrianna's then the mysterious man wich just appeared. Together they formed a trail of wich way they traveled though and her eyes ran over the rooftops, wondering what could move so swiftly yet silent enough for her to not notice even if the chaos had filtered it somewhat. With a few slahes and more heads flying she jumped onto the rooftops much more noisier, slipping and trying to keep balance on the unwelcoming footing that she had traveled on too often lately. That and having to keep making sure to stick on the trail made it hard to catch up, taking more time then when being able to move freely.

By the time she got at the scene the first thing that caught her ears were the words 'let me have the woman and her item and I will leave you and your little lover be' wich made no sense at first, but with the position of the four people it became clear even for the simple mind. The new woman was also a new sight as more unknown people seemed to pop up, only.. She recognized that boy's silhouette, the undeads plus his appearance were easy to put together as the tragedy in the village was far from forgotten. All the build up of the day, the insults, the underestimating and even being belittled got turned into feelings of rage towards the necromancer. He had to die tonight for all the lives that were taken, not only tonight.. Not only yesterday. But for all the sorrow she could only imagine others would've had in the past.

Again the unfairness of this world came to light as the boy sunk in the shadows, with the item she had promised to protect. Her plugs popped out as the focus of anger had vanished, ripping at the shirt she was wearing in frustration. No longer having a target her eyes fell on the only 'enemy' left at hand, the mysterious woman who had handed that monster the flintlock and whom still was a threat for the other part of her promise. With a few footstep to get closer to the scene Celphi managed to get out a couple of sentences on a normal tone of voice, a clear shivering in the throat that gave away how much effort it took to keep it from shouting out. "Sir I don't care who you are.. But do me one favor, get Adrianna away from here. She is in no condition to fight and I don't want to be a total disgrace when Captain Reggie comes back."

Her arms trembled heavily as black bangs formed underneath the eyes like the time with Papa only this time they didn't refrained from spreading out further. Like a single line of mascara that had run out and then smudged by a hand the black markings went vertically down to her cheeks, hands gripping into the pole with tension written all over the girl's body. "If you understand then.. Get out of my way already!" Celphi kicked herself up as the roof cracked underneath her feet because of the pressure, reappearing above the three of them when she brought down the spetum inbetween them with a loud crash. It cracked through stone with so much ease that it bursted large chunks around them, making it into a distraction for the two of them to get away in the ruckus. The real attack would come now as she dashed towards Genevieve, vanishing a few meters in front of her as four Celphi's slashed downwards with no intentions of holding back right off the bat. The impact would be strong enough to shudder through the entire building, letting it creak and shake in its foundations. Her last loss against the undead had made another stain on the pride she treasures so much, now fully fed there were no excuses. Sweat evaporated from the arms as soon as it appeared, burning away all the resources she had been stacking up for the day in a rapid rate. "Don't even think of turning your back on me, I'll rip away your limbs with my bare hands and fangs you hear me?!"

₪ Status ₪
I'm here right now: Solera - Tavern
Who is near me: Adrianna, Donovin, Genevieve
What I am doing: Losing my nerve
Anything hurt: Not yet
How I feel: Angered, violent, uncontrolled
Thoughts: I'll kill you for what you've done
OOC: Dang took way too long >_< No time to check on small details gotta get up in less then 5 hours

[Kikiro16]

❇ℳєʀcєɴαʀץ ℒєαɗєʀ❇
My beauty doesn't make me a damsel but it certainly makes you a fool.

And she danced through the wood
Like a gypsy girl should
And she laughed in the face of the fire
Under the black velvet skies
With the moon in her eyes
Head held high, tambourine held higher

And she laughed at the fools
Who played by the rules
And she wondered just what would've been
If she set them all free
Into her fantasy
Free to dance through the woods again...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

The strong grip on her hand was surprising but her head was still spinning. The appearance of a dark-haired boy, who smelled so strongly of darkness that Donovin didn't really need to push her back, made the whirlwind of events all the more confusing. Her feet moved of their own accord and, despite the fact that she was still more than a little upset with him, she managed to give a bit of a squeeze back in return. She didn't agree with what he said but they could argue later. Rather, he could go argue with a wall while she blocked his frustrating butt from touching her until she passed out from exhaustion. Why on earth did she have to fall for such a mule-headed man? It was positively absurd! The thought was so sudden that she couldn't quite fully register the significance, which was likely for the better considering. Still, she was distracted enough to actually gasp in surprise as Genevieve moved, quick as lightning.

She felt the rush of wind against her back but was in no position to even attempt to react before the vamiress suddenly skipped back out in front of her. Shock paled her face as she watched the blonde waving the flintlock around as if it were nothing. Even with her magic weakened, the seal was still firmly in place, Fey magic created by her grandmother that was much stronger than anything she could create on her own. No one should be able to touch the gun without her permission. Yet, Genevieve stood there with no ill effects apparent. Though Adrianna had no love for others of her own race, the woman's explanation cause bile to rise in her throat. It was...revolting that someone like that was using Fey blood in such a way. Despite how she felt about Donovin, she wasn't particularly a fan of vampires in the first place. That knowledge made loathing all the worse.

She watched in numb horror as the one thing she had tried to protect slipped from her grasp. Her only hope was that the necromancer did not have some immunity against Fey magic as well. Watching everything play out, the item slipping from her grasp and Celphi's sudden appearance, she felt like a bystander in some grand farce. She could do nothing but stare, gripping Donovin's hand as tightly as she could in an attempt to keep on her feet. Her magic was useless. Her attempt to protect the flintlock had failed. She couldn't even escape the rooftop to protect the city. It suddenly seemed very clear that she was nothing but a burden. She had always tried to be the one to protect others, yet here she was being protected. It made her feel all the more useless and burdensome.

Celphi's rash words did nothing to quell the spiraling feelings that were pulling her down. If anything, it only made things worse. As if to prove the other girl right, she felt her body start to shake from the tension. It took her a moment to realize that it was likely due to the drain from her spell and she quickly released it, letting her relax in a small way. Still, she couldn't quite understand why she had gotten so weak so quickly. She had felt fine earlier today. She was fairly close to physical peak just as she had stepped out to start helping. Yet, she was visibly weaker now, little more effective than a full blood human. It didn't make any sense. She glanced at Donovin, wondering if he would run again. Celphi, much to her displeasure, was giving them a chance to run, though it was slim. Whatever he chose to do, she didn't want him dying on her account and she hadn't missed the look on the blonde's face. Genevieve would kill them both if she got the chance. As Celphi made her move, she tried to tug her hand loose from his but failed. "Please...don't die for me..." Her plea was little more than a whisper but she doubted he would miss it.



{ Obscenely Over Caffeinated: Craptastic...but done. Frost...that flintlock will shock the crap out of V if he touches it, you know. Just thought you might want to amend your post considering the seal and all. }

And she danced through the trees
For those who believed
She was one with the earth and the sky
In a moment she's gone
But her memory lives on
Like a shooting star through the night

I can see her in you
Kindred spirits are few
When you find one you hold on for good
If you lose your way
If your path goes astray
She will lead you back to the wood...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

Location: On the rooftops

Company: Donovin, Genevieve, and Celphi

Temperance: Exhausted

[P A N Hurley]

Donovin didn’t need any more of a hint to get the hell out of there, than the one the wild girl had given him. The second she appeared, he gathered Adrianna in his arms and leapt from one roof to the other before dropping to the ground outside of the walls of the huge city but he didn’t stop there and instead of going back to Hollow’s End where he knew Genevieve would look for him first, he headed toward the coast. His mind raced and his heart was pounding, but he kept going as if Genevieve was right on his tail. He knew that look on her face. She was pissed off, about what, he didn’t know exactly but he didn’t want to find out. The way she looked at Adrianna and even teased her made his blood boil and made him scared at the same time and he felt like he only ran so fast to shake the feelings from his body. A few moments passed and Donovin suddenly turned south and kept going until a village appeared in the distance. It was small and remote, but it would do for his purposes….

He slowed down to a human’s run, still carrying Adrianna effortlessly, and walked into an inn where a tall and skinny man with a balding head and a upturned nose glanced up at him from his seat by the fireplace. He glanced at Adrianna once, then sighed and stood from his seat to shuffle toward the door as a fat tabby cat that had been curled up next to him yawned and then followed lazily. He closed the door and then surprisingly, traced several runes along it’s frame while he muttered something under his breath.

“Well, havent seen ya in a while...heh. Either way, everythings the same. Room will be a pound or so a night. Pick any one ya like, or ya usual one, they’re all charmed anyway jus keep the noise down. Reed will be up with fresh linen, Sam with breakfast, an we got some pigs out back you can use ta take care of yer uh…thirst. Also got some tonics for the lady. Help her get back her strength.” The man shuffled from the door to the window and completed the same task of drawing runes around it’s edge then turned to stare at Donovin.

“Well? Go on. Whoever ya runnin from won’t find ya here. My ear and eye sight is going a lil but magics still strong. .”

Donovin nodded a thanks and still carrying the Fey, he shifted her slightly and produced some coins from his pocket which he gave the man, then proceeded upstairs. He was silent the entire way just like before, until he came to a room at the end of the hall overlooking the road outside. He preferred rooms like that facing the direction the sun rose in to ward off any other vamps that may be coming his way, or to atleast see them coming. It didn’t hurt that he could also bolt out the window if need be. He placed Adrianna to sit on the bed as gently as he could, then went about checking over the room.

“You pissed her off you know…by not shaking her hand. She’s a real stickler for formalities but it was smart of you not to….considering what she was thinking.” He grumbled as he slid his hand over the doorframe and tested the lock on the door as if it would do any good. He crossed the room to the window and did the same then before drawing the blinds then glanced at her and shook his head.
“You’re a mess.” Donovin moved to fill a basin with water and found a washcloth which he used to wipe the blood and gore off her face, neck, and arms from the undead she’d killed. He was very quiet as he worked and avoided looking her directly in the eyes for a while, until once again he spoke.

“By the way, I didn’t abandon you, you know. I just…took a break.” He said as he squeezed out the cloth and then wiped at her hands slowly and carefully. He understood why she was upset, and even though she might not feel in the mood to hear it, he had to explain why he did what he did.

“Regina made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, and honestly, I should have listened to her and stayed dead, but I couldn’t. And I know you don’t want to hear this but I’m saying it anyway. I would do it again. I’ll leave, and you’ll never see me again. I know it’s hard, and it hurts, but it’s necessary. If I had just stayed gone, Genevieve wouldn’t have taken any real interest in you. You’d be safe…sure, you’d be hurt, but you’d live…but since I’m an idiot and I have a problem with authority, she will hunt us down and she will try to kill you, and probably succeed. Now, remember how it felt to watch me die, and picture it from my end. I will live forever with the image of her killing you burning in my head -because god knows Gen won’t be merciful and kill me too no matter what I do. So don’t you dare ever tell me not to die for you because when she comes for you, I’d prefer to die than live with that.” He dropped the bloody cloth in the basin and placed it on a table by the bed then pulled up a chair in front of her and sat down. He seemed angry now, but his voice was still gentle.

“Now, I’ll admit to walking away but you can’t blame me for that. You came to me crying about a man you were in love with four years ago. A man you’re still in love with. How the ******** did you expect me to react to that?”


Donovin Edward Stevens

Mood: Angry, Panicked, Calm
Location: About 50 miles outside of Solera in an unknown village
Current Desire:Answers
O.O.C:

[Kikiro16]

❇ℳєʀcєɴαʀץ ℒєαɗєʀ❇
My beauty doesn't make me a damsel but it certainly makes you a fool.

And she danced through the wood
Like a gypsy girl should
And she laughed in the face of the fire
Under the black velvet skies
With the moon in her eyes
Head held high, tambourine held higher

And she laughed at the fools
Who played by the rules
And she wondered just what would've been
If she set them all free
Into her fantasy
Free to dance through the woods again...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

She didn't fight when he gathered her up in his arms. She didn't protest as he carried her at a dead run. She barely even paid any attention to where they were going. All her mind could really register was that he was there, he had come for her. She wasn't dreaming and she wasn't delusional. She could really feel him holding her. Even through everything, even with her hand in his, she half expected him to vanish again like a wisp of smoke. Her eyes finally wandered to her surroundings as he slowed and walked into an inn in the small village they had come to. The keeper seemed to know Donovin better than she liked, especially considering the connotation of his words. Then again, she couldn't really be upset about that. She simply ignored the flare of jealousy and let him carry her up to the room.

When he sat her on the bed, she had to fight back the urge to grab hold of him again. Instead, she folded her hands in her lap, slowly drawing circles on the fabric of her pants as her eyes refused to raise up to his while he spoke. His comment about her being a mess finally earned a small smirk but it faded quickly. Even as he gently cleaned the filth from her face, her neck, her arms, and her hands, she kept her gaze in her lap. Her mind swirled through so many things but kept coming back to the one thing that had hit her so hard earlier that she hadn't known how to react. Despite her apparent lack of attention, she heard everything he told her. It made sense, now. He was trying to protect her. If she had been thinking clearly, she might have realized it in the first place. But she hadn't been thinking clearly. She had been...devastated. And now she was being inconsiderate. That brutal pain, reliving that moment over and over again for all eternity, would be so much worse for him.

His question was met with her continued silence, her eyes still downcast. She wouldn't snap at him, not this time. She would tell him the truth, all of it, and she would tell him calmly. She didn't want to watch him walk away again, though she knew he very well might. He deserved to know her motives. "I wouldn't have sought you out crying if I was still in love with him." Her voice was soft, weighed down with regrets and touched with sorrow. "Yes, I loved him dearly back then. I thought I still did for a while after he left. I realized after that first year or so that I was fooling myself. I was just clinging to that excuse to make myself feel better. I knew, if I ever found him again, all I wanted was the answer to a single question. I just wanted to know why. As much as it hurt when he left me, I don't think I ever really wanted to really see him again. I was running from a grief far worse."

She took a steadying breath, desperately trying to hold herself together long enough to get through the one story she had never told anyone. There had been rumors around the city but only the doctor had known the real story. "Brandon was never very doting or open with me. I was young, full of crazy dreams and wild as the day was long. He was my teacher and my closest friend. We never told anyone what was going on but it never bothered me. And then, I found out I was pregnant. I was so happy...but...I don't know what happened." Even with her head down, the tears still came, trickling from her eyes to drip onto her hands in her lap. She didn't want to cry in front of him again. She didn't want him to think she was trying to garner his pity or make him stay with her because she cried. She didn't want to manipulate him with her tears. That was the last thing she ever wanted.

She tensed visibly, sniffling and biting back the tears until they finally stopped. She reached up a hand to wipe her eyes clear and slowly relaxed a bit, finally looking up from her lap. Still, she didn't look at Donovin directly. A sad smile touched her lips briefly but she turned towards the window, unable to keep the pain from her eyes. "I stopped working. I stopped almost everything, picking up a few menial jobs here and there that wouldn't put any strain on my body. I thought everything was fine. Then, I went to bed one night and I woke up screaming. The pain was awful. I had to wake up the doctor. I still don't really remember how I got there by myself. He put me on bedrest and told me not to get out of bed unless I absolutely had to. A week later, the same thing happened, only I lost the baby. By then, I had been showing and everyone around town knew. They started saying things...bad things...and then he disappeared not long after that."

The seconds ticked by for another long pause until she brought her gaze to rest on him. Though there was still pain and sorrow in her eyes, there was a hint of relief as well. She had never really told anyone about the hell that she had suffered because of that loss. Everyone had always thought it was Brandon that she had grieved so heavily for. "I took the title as mercenary captain and I buried all my feelings in work, devoting every waking minute to wearing myself out so I could sleep. After a while, I numbed myself enough that I could function normally and I started looking for him. I wanted to know why he left. I wanted to know why he never once tried to comfort me. I wanted to know why I had spent so long devoted to a man that was never anything more than occasionally kind to me. When I saw him sitting there, after all this time, I realized I already knew the answer."

Slowly, a smile tugged her lips upward. It was a far cry from the bright smile that had once graced her features but at least it wasn't so sad. "Yes, you had every right to walk away because I never told you everything. For that, I'm sorry. I was scared to face that again, scared to relive all the pain and grief that I've never really dealt with. Not that that's much of an excuse. I tried to remind myself that you would leave eventually. I knew that from the start. I didn't think it mattered whether I told you anything at all." She paused, still trying to swallow down the lump of emotions in her throat. "But it does. I don't want to make you suffer. I don't want things to be like this. But I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay, as selfish as that is. I know that's more than I deserve to ask of you. But, you know, it's a lot easier to watch a childish fantasy disappear than it is to watch someone you love walk away."



{ Obscenely Over Caffeinated: And...yeah...things... }

And she danced through the trees
For those who believed
She was one with the earth and the sky
In a moment she's gone
But her memory lives on
Like a shooting star through the night

I can see her in you
Kindred spirits are few
When you find one you hold on for good
If you lose your way
If your path goes astray
She will lead you back to the wood...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

Location: Village

Company: Donovin

Temperance: Emotionally Drained

[E for Eris]

Genevieve Bennett
"I've come to take back what is rightfully mine, and then some..."

tab tab Genevieve titled her head at the necromancer and then waved as he disappeared. She wasn’t at all ignorant to the sudden change in his voice, nor the change in his physical appearance but she showed very little signs that she too much cared about it. Deep down though, she was somewhat shocked. The voice she’d heard was ancient, a being she’d only met once in passing, and if he was here, she could only guess why. Solera was quickly becoming a mecca for the ancient and the evil and she smiled at the idea of finding out just who else lurked in and around the cities shining walls but she was willing to wait to find out. For now, she had other matters to attend to. Turning slowly, she returned her attention to the two lovers before her only to find that a new player stood between them and her. Genevieve tilted her head at the girl, appearing very much like a child as the blue in her eyes dimmed and returned to their natural honey hazel if only for a second. “Who are y--“ she managed to blurt out before the girl suddenly attacked. Genevieve blinked and quickly jumped skipped back as the roof gave way beneath her delicate feet, and then as the girl came down and struck the building again, she held her arms up to shield herself from the large masses of stone and debris that broke from the structure and exploded everywhere. Genevieve managed to dodge several boulders as they flew in her direction and then quickly took several skips back as she dodged and pivoted out of the line of attack of each of the four clones of the girl. The last girl, she delivered a swift kick to the torso that appeared subtle enough, but sent the girl flying yards away from her. Finally able to breath, she jumped to another roof and landed in a cat like crouch. The vibrant blue in her eyes had suddenly returned and she glared at the girl who snarled at her from a distance away.
tab tab At first, Genevieve looked as though she might respond with a snarl of her own, but then she glanced down at the rocks that had settled below and coming out of her crouch, she moved onto all fours and peered over the edge of the building she was on. Once again, the child-like demeanor reappeared as she glanced up at Celphi with a “you’re in big trouble” look and pointed down. “You better be careful next time, you almost hit some people down there… someone could have gotten hurt you know.” she appeared serious for a few seconds before she burst out in a fit of giggles and pushed herself to her feet. She looked past the girl for Donovin and Adrianna and wasn’t at all surprised to find that they were gone, but annoyed that the girl had let them go. “Who are you again?” she titled her head to the side and sized the girl up from where she stood. The markings on her face should have seemed familiar from her readings, but she couldn’t think of what creature exactly would exhibit such a reaction in the face of danger and as if that wasn’t enough, the girl smelled rather odd. Earthy and strangely like a male though it was clearly obvious she wasn’t. “Huh.” Genevieve muttered to herself and crossed her arms.
tab tab “Well, I suppose it doesn’t really matter who you are now does it….” She disappeared as she spoke and appeared behind the girl. “You let Vinny get away with his little pet and I don’t appreciate that.” Genevieve grabbed a hold of the spectrum and yanked it out of the girls’ hand sharply while she delivered a sharp kick to the back of the girl’s spine, throwing her forward. Twirling the spectrum in her hands, she regarded it casually before tossing it back to the girl. “I hardly think you’re worthy of my time considering how rude you were just a moment, barging in here like some kind of hero, but fine. Have it your way, though if we are going to do this, may I suggest we make it into a game…you know, otherwise, I might get bored.” Genevieve took several steps forward then began to pace back and forth with one finger on her lips and her other hand resting against her hip. She walked like this for a moment then her expression lit up like the fourth of July and she grinned widely.
tab tab “Oh I know! Let’s make it a game of Red Light, Green light. Have you ever played it? I turn my back to you and that’s the green light, and you try to get as close to me as you can but if I turn around, that’s the red light and if I catch you moving then, you lose. And to make it even more fun….” She bared her fangs now as she grinned and kicked off her shoes so that she stood atop the roof barefoot. “If you win, and you can successfully reach me before I catch you in the act, you get to “rip me limb from limb”.’ she made quotation marks with her fingers in the air and then put her hands behind her back. “But, if you lose, I get to take a bite out of you and then go find someone else to play with. Fair enough?” Before she could get an answer out of the girl, she laughed playfully twirled around so that her back faced Celphi, and then closed her eyes. “Red Light.” She called and reached up to play with several strands of her hair that had fallen loose from her up-do. ’Let the games begin’.



Location: Rooftops of Solera
Company: Celphi
Mood: Annoyed but Playful
Wants: Nothing

[E for Eris]

Narration

tab tab Meanwhile, the battle in Solera seemed to have been coming to an end. With the help of the Champion and his golemn’s as well as the efforts from the Solerans, the city’s defense was enough to banish the undead that had plagued its streets. A majority of them left with the disappearance of the necromancer but those who lingered were quickly put to death by the hands of a citizen or guard, human (and surprisingly) nonhuman alike. As the action died down, those remaining might find that several species had made themselves known during the fight… It seemed that Avains’ call to action had spurred a movement, a revealing of those lurking and hiding as humans amongst the other civilians. At first all species stared at each other in an awkward silence… until a particular guard called out the obvious. “NONHUMANS!” Suddenly, the threat was no longer that of the undead who had only recently been vanquished, but rather each other. Though all people remaining called themselves citizens, there was a quick division among them with the human’s on one side and the nonhuman’s on the other. Voices were raised as well as weapons and it seemed that another war was about to be had…one that might very well end in massacre…

_________________________________________________________

tab tab Syrus’s water attack took the Hydra completely by surprise. The sharp tiny needles that poured down from above had it rearing its head back as the pirates’ weapons made their mark with deadly accuracy. The beast let a horrible groan in pain, all of its eyes having been impaled in some way causing complete blindness, but though the beast was hurt, it was far from down. In retaliation, it blindly struck back with several of its heads lashing forward like a snake in an attempt to catch Syrus. It made several hits, some close to the pirate and others far from him, but all causing some serious damage to the structure surrounding him. His house was all but destroyed now, which ironically allowed it to fit into the rest of Hollow’s End, and open for the Hydra to press forward. The people, having caught on to what was terrorizing them in the night, scrambled around in panic without so much of thinking about the pirates’ safety which was a good thing for them at least. After the Hydra’s sudden tantrum, its heads reared up again as if gathering together for another strike but instead of lashing out together like last time, each mouth opened and let out a hazy gas from deep within its maw. To the unknowing citizen, it would come off as nothing more than a swift fog rolling in from the sea, but upon contact they soon realized that the fog was poison that melted and burned the skin upon contact and stopped the heart within seconds of inhalation. The beast coughed out the poison, turning this way and that, clouding the visibility of anyone near it in a matter of seconds and while it did so, one of its heads gave pause. Hidden amongst the cloud of poison spewed out from the others, it snaked along the broken floor silently and slowly, brushing against the remains of Syrus’ possessions and quietly gathering his scent but it didn’t stop there. Suddenly, it flicked its tongue out and began to bury its nose into the rubble until it pushed enough aside to reveal the dagger that Syrus had fought so cunningly for…and without flinching, the thing licked it up and swallowed it without a second thought before rising up from the shadows of the fog right before the pirate with a horrid grin on its jaws.

[E for Eris]

Narration

The drake groaned in agony but scrambled away from the scene, though it was reluctant to leave the pirate alone by himself. Though it was only a few days old, it knew enough of the beast that had attacked it to know that the Hydra was a thing of legend that leveled towns with great ease at a whim. So then, what chance did the pirate stand against the thing? Still, before it could completely decide it was ushered away just as a very familiar being dashed in front of it. Hurriedly, it followed after her, until it caught up to where she’d stopped at the edge of the city overlooking the battle ahead. Blood poured from the wounds the beast had made, and they stung, but the drake still managed to remain upright if for nothing else but to preserve its’ pride. “Typical” it whispered as it glared at Nenet in cat form. “A beast arises from the depths and all the cat can do is run to save herself. Are you good for nothing? Will you only stand by and watch him fight till his last breath so you can steal what little that thing hasn’t devoured?” it hissed at her angrily. Its words came out sounding labored and its breath shallow, but it still had enough energy to scold the girl for being such a coward.

[Exoskeletor]

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The battle raged on down below and even with her heightened vision, Nenet could not makes heads or tails of what was really going on down there. A flash of sword here, a scream from the beast there, and then a cloud of dust would blossom and obscure her view entirely. Where had such a monstrosity come from? It smelled like death itself, even from this far away the scent of it threatened to make Nenet wretch. Her nose wrinkled in disgust, fangs glinting out from beneath her upper lip. What would become of them if Syrus was not victorious? Surely the beast would not stop there. It might move into the rest of Hollow's End. It could destroy everything. Well, Nenet could always slip back into Solera, as she'd done a hundred times before. There she would be safe...hopefully. In fact, it was probably best to head there now, lest the fight take the obvious turn and leave Syrus bleeding in the ruin of his home.

As Nenet turned to rush into the forest and flee to safety, a ragged breathing caught her ear and unfortunately her curiosity. Ears swiveling like satellites, Nenet searched the cliffside until she caught sight of the pitiful source. The drake was bloodied and bruised, the coppery smell of its wounds infecting the air. Nenet's hair stood on end as it approached, the creature still set off her instinctual urge to flee and her back arced in preparation to run. But the drake did not attack her, she doubted it even had the energy. Instead, it chose to reprimand her like a father might his disgraceful, craven son. “A beast arises from the depths and all the cat can do is run to save herself. Are you good for nothing? Will you only stand by and watch him fight till his last breath so you can steal what little that thing hasn't devoured?” The cat growled, ears pressed flat to her head.

Nenet couldn't speak in this form, but she could damn well understand everything the creature said. Instinct urged her to remain in cat form, but Nenet managed to slide into a semi-human form despite the chill and the need to flee the horrendous beast down below. Her ears remained pointed, eyes slitted and narrowed, nails sharp as knives, and a tail flicked out from beneath the bedsheet she'd used to cover herself in the last moment. "Well, if it isn't the pot calling the kettle black, I don't see you down there attempting to charge to his rescue either. Though I don't think you'd be much use..." Nenet hissed back. She was well aware that she was a coward, she never claimed otherwise. One thing was always for certain, if there was a fight nearby, Nenet could be found stealing away from it. There was nothing for her in a battle, nothing save for the great chance of injury. Why bother? There was no point and no money to be made until after. So she always came back to pick up the scraps.

"I may not be good for fighting, but I am not good for nothing." she added, eyes never leaving the battle down below. "What would you have me do? Run down there and swat needlessly at that thing?" Nenet's lip curled at the very idea. "I am no fighter, beast. And, if you recall, I have only met your dear Captain Syrus this morning. I owe him no allegiance, though I owe him something." Nenet hissed that last part, still bitter over what had happened in the pirate's room not long ago. "What makes you think he deserves to be saved? Look here." Nenet pulled her long, white hair aside to reveal the bruise on her neck, an ugly black smear in the shape of Syrus's fingers. "He's no hero. Nor is he a good man. The only reason I'd mourn his rotting corpse would be to lament my loss of gold and the loss of one more man who knows his way around in bed."

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Location: Woods
Company: No one
Form: Human / Cat / Half

[Ethereal F R O S T]

Ethereal F R O S T

No, this would not happen. Not while he stood. Avain disliked the slaughter of innocents - Talan had given him the order to defend the city and that was an order he could obey, even if it meant defending the city from it's own citizens. Espada finished wiping out the last few zombies that stalked through the Alley as the artificer stalked out of it and into the streets. He grit his teeth and lifted his pistol into the air.

"Enough!" Avain's voice rose above that of the rabble and the sound of thunder rumbled through the city with an explosive shot from one of his guns into the air. Ignoring the startled screams coming from many at the abrupt display of power The Champion of Talan strode out into the street between the two sides, the humans and the nonhumans, his eyes narrowed with rage and the sigil adorning his hat glowing in the light of the fire, or perhaps just glowing. He strode confidently through the darkness, escorted by his mechanical companions - all of whom had their weapons drawn and ready to cover their master should this crowd became hostile. Fury almost rolled off the man in the long coat, his teeth ground together sharply and his grip on the grips of his pistols was iron. This xenophobia was sickening, ideals that went against the very foundation of the man who had raised him from childhood, the man who gave him the power to stop situations like this. If Solera fell into a civil war it would make his master's plans that much more difficult to accomplish. Avain turned to the people of Solera, his actions had spurred them into action, his actions would quell this disaster.


"These people fought to protect you and your families, yet you so readily turn against them?" Avain growled, the Nonhumans were no better, and where were the Mercenaries watching this town? "To think you Solerans are so pathetic that you will turn on your own so soon after facing a real threat that you worked together to defeat!" He strode between the two forces with narrow golden eyes; the street peeling around him as he walked. He lifted a hand to allow the sigil adorning his hat to blaze in the night.




"I am Avain Ragnos; The Steel Titan and Champion of the Hundred Banners" Several individuals in the crowd took a step back, both from sensing the seething power seeping from this man and others from the reputation. Golems also stepped from the shadows coated in the blood and vicera of the Undead. Avain's forces suffered almost no casualties during the battle; the weapons and teeth of the undead had no effect on their stone bodies and their stone weapons bore devastating effect against the fleshy creatures. "As of this moment, the people of Solera are under my protection - all of them." Those stone soldiers arrived and stood at attention before their master... The Citizens of Solera had the nonhumans in the city outnumbered, but so long as there was earth, there was more materials to make more Golems and the Steel Champion stood between them with his golem army. "I... we will not stand any attempts for Genocide..."

Just as Avain said this, the sound of wings could be heard over Solera, and men began falling from the sky. Cloaked figures landed here and there amongst the people and others stepping out from their hiding places while the dark-clad winged beasts flew overhead and swooped just in over the ground. In no time at all these figures drew weapons . These figures bore no uniforms, no sense of unity save for the sigil they wore on the clasps of their cloaks and adorning their many weapons. These were the soldiers of the Hundred, elites of elites and hand-picked by their warlord. Avain glanced up at the last Wyvvern sailing through the air and the figures dropping from their backs. The Men and Women of the Hundred stood proud... they had arrived late to help against much of the infected force, but just in time to enact the occupation of a weakened Solera if needed.

Avain spoke up, those golden eyes narrowing as he glanced at the "Guards and Mercenaries of Solera, I give you two choices, enforce order and stop this riot, make them throw down their arms... Or We Will!" The Threat from the Champion was clear; Either the people would surrender, or there would indeed be a massacre, but the Hundred would be the ones to emerge victorious regardless. To punctuate this threat Avain threw his arms down and the ground under them shook, Solera itself swaying to the power of Avain's Rune. This Champion was no kind of person to trifle with, and their standing force made it very clear - the Hundred could easily take Solera in this state if they needed to.

[P A N Hurley]

Donovin waited patiently for an answer while he replayed the information he already knew in his head. Thomas's warnings and the doctors written words spun around and around and taunted him like a game until she spoke. His attention snapped to her and he had the urge to say something in response to her first few words, but he grit his teeth to keep himself quiet and let her continue.
He watched her carefully. Noting every deep breath she took, the way she spoke, the way she kept her hands folded but twiddled her fingers underneath. He looked for signs that she was lying as she spoke, monitored the beating of her heart and looked into those eyes whenever she managed to look up. Part of him had hoped she would lie. He admitted that he had hoped to hear the tell tale sound of her heart beating faster, or notice her mind scrambling to piece together the webs of a lie, but she was honest with him and to some degree, it both relieved and hurt him. Now he had a question...why hadn't she told him?

She began to cry and he remained unmoved because he wanted the answer to all this as well, and then he got it. She held on, hoping for comfort from the loss of a child, only to realize that she was living a one sided dream. She wanted that life, a home, a family, and that b*****d hadn't...and at the slightest opening, he took the opportunity to deal the final blow and ran. Donovin studied her face, her tiny smile, and wondered if Brandon had stayed if she could have been happy. They could have tried again if he cared, he could have made her happy, but he didn't and Donovin understood why she was the way she was. And, he finally got his answer. She never told him because she was scared he wouldn't care. She was scared he would leave and none of this would matter. She'd practically convinced herself to believe that he didnt care about her or her past at all. Donovin frowned and part of him wished it was true. He wished he didn't care and that he could just walk away but he couldn't. He was the one sitting quietly now, letting her story seep in as he gazed out the window. Finally, he sat up and took a hold of her hand. Gently he kissed it and held it in both of his.

"Anna, stop reminding yourself that I'm going to leave. I'm not him." he said simply. "I'm not going to string you along into some fantasy only to shatter it and continue to drag you through the pieces until you bleed and I'm not going to just walk away from you without ever giving you an answer to why." he took a deep breath and looked down at her hand in his then looked back at her.

"s**t, I'm stupid and reckless and sometimes I have a temper and I'm a pain in the a** but I would try. I would try a lot harder than anyone else not to ever hurt you in any way. I understand you wanted a home and a family and he wasn't there to even give you one of the two, but I could try if that's what you wanted. I mean, ********, Genevieve could rip you out of my hands at any time but if it made you happy, I'd do anything you asked. If you want a home, I'll build you one, if you want children I'll find a way. We can adopt or something and Nat can be our oldest if you want even though that harpy is a serious pain in my a**." he laughed and shook his head then was serious again.

I'm not just here because you owe money for that time I helped you with a hell hound sometime back, or that time I saved your a** from the pirate, or because of our deal though I tend not to forget about those things... I'm here because I want to be. I love you, and I can try to give you what you want but you have to stop being scared of what might be. I know he hurt you, horribly, but he's a small, tiny, horribly insignificant part of your whole life. Don't compare me to him. Or do, if you want, but remember that he left and never came back to you. If I ever leave, like I did before, I'll always come back to you, for you, and only you. That's the good thing about being a vampire, we're annoying and we're not that easy to pick off." he grinned and reached up to wipe the remains of her tears away then pulled her onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her lips before looking at her again.

"I can't make you any promises other than that I'll try. If that's enough, I'll let you be as selfish as you want and I'll stay as long as I can. Deal?" he asked.

Donovin Edward Stevens

Mood: Calm
Location: 50 miles outside of Solera
Current Desire:Nothing
O.O.C.: N/A

[Kikiro16]

❇ℳєʀcєɴαʀץ ℒєαɗєʀ❇
My beauty doesn't make me a damsel but it certainly makes you a fool.

And she danced through the wood
Like a gypsy girl should
And she laughed in the face of the fire
Under the black velvet skies
With the moon in her eyes
Head held high, tambourine held higher

And she laughed at the fools
Who played by the rules
And she wondered just what would've been
If she set them all free
Into her fantasy
Free to dance through the woods again...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

The silence was killing her. It was all she could do to stay still and not bolt for the door herself. She had laid everything out on the line, her past, her present, and her heart. And he simply sat there, staring out the window. It seemed like forever before he finally moved and it was all she could do not to jump in surprise when he took her hand. The gentle kiss he placed there sent a small shiver down her spine but she didn't dare move. Confusion was the first thing to register as he began speaking, followed quickly by shock. Of all the things she had expected, understanding was the last on the list. She knew very well that he wasn't Brandon but she also knew he had much more reason to leave. Yet, he sat there assuring her that he was not going to.

As he continued, it seemed as if a weight was slowly lifting from her shoulders. He now knew the extent of her brokenness and fragility but he was willing to try. He was willing to make an effort for her sake even with all the pain she carried. It was more than she could have asked. Not even that, he wanted to give her the things she had always wanted, things she thought would forever be out of her reach. A simple life, or at least as simple as it could get for a pair so strange as them. It dawned on her somewhere as he spoke that he didn't realize she was too human to live as long as he would but she stamped the thought out of her mind. She wasn't going to let her doubts and worries about the future ruin this moment. She had done so far too often with him and it wasn't something she wanted to repeat.

His laugh brought a small smile to her lips and she would have made a rather sarcastic comment concerning how old he thought she was if Natalia could be an adopted child but he continued. At every turn, he seemed to be surprising her. Though he said them quickly and had more to add, those three little words rang so clear in her mind and repeated themselves over and over. I love you. Even as she had come to realize that she was falling for him, she had never expected to hear those words, much less their meaning, returned by him. The weight lifted fully from her and she had the odd sensation of weightlessness wash over her. She almost felt giddy. The feeling only intensified as he carefully wiped her tears, drug her over into his lap, and kissed her. She wondered idly how she had ever lived without realizing this feeling, knowing real love from both sides of the coin.

His question brought a soft smirk to her lips and she couldn't help a bit of mischief. "Selfish as I want? I suppose it would be in my best interest not to recap how often I've tested your patience while trying to avoid being selfish, right?" She giggled quietly but nodded, leaning in to return his kiss with one of her own before snuggling closer into his arms. As strong as she could be on her own, she rather liked the way she felt almost delicate in his embrace. Come what may, this was where she wanted to stay. Right here with him. "It's more than enough so yes, it's a deal. And in return, I will try to stop agonizing over silly things. We both have to try, otherwise it's not going to work." She sighed softly, contentment filling her in that moment. The only thing that finally broke through her mind was that, at some point, they would have to leave here. It was an annoying thought but something they would have to face eventually.

She glanced at the window and mentally ticked off the time. With Donovin's speed, they could make it back to Solera before dawn if they wanted but it wasn't really worth it. While she was worried about the town, she was more worried about a particularly frustrating female vampire that was out for her blood. She was still recovering and Donovin couldn't fight properly if he was overly worried about her. Pulling her eyes up, she let the matter fade. For now, she could just enjoy the peace with him. "You don't have to give me anything, you know. A home, family, those things can wait. As long as I have you, I'm happy."



{ Obscenely Over Caffeinated: FINALLY! }

And she danced through the trees
For those who believed
She was one with the earth and the sky
In a moment she's gone
But her memory lives on
Like a shooting star through the night

I can see her in you
Kindred spirits are few
When you find one you hold on for good
If you lose your way
If your path goes astray
She will lead you back to the wood...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

Location: Village

Company: Donovin

Temperance: Happy

[P A N Hurley]

“And that’s all I need to hear.” Donovin smiled and kissed her one more time before he stood up and placed her back on the bed, tucking her in like he had done the last time he’d come to her aid. He didn’t say anything but they both knew she needed her rest. As much as she could get before the sun rose anyway. He glanced at the sky outside the window, feeling dawn approach quickly, and figured now was the time to grab a bite. Adrianna could sleep in the meantime.

“I’m going to go…eat. I’ll be back.” He mumbled and kissed her hand gently before he turned to go, pausing only at the door to look back at her. “Remember, don’t worry, she won’t find us here and I won’t be long. Get some rest, and by the time you wake up, I’ll be back.” He smiled a little but knew she’d worry anyway as he walked out the door. He moved quietly and slowly down the hallway, listening for any other signs of life inside the inn but the innkeepers’ charms were strong enough that he couldn’t tell if they were the only ones there, or if others lurked behind the closed doors...but that was probably a good thing. Donovin meandered his way back down the steps and easily found his way back to the parlor where the old man sat stroking the fat cat in his lap. He stood off to the side, but he knew the old man was aware he was there.

“I know you don’t usually care to know who people here are hiding from, but I thought you ought to know that it’s Genevieve. My creator and an elder. Now, I don’t know how strong you are, and I don’t doubt your magic. But she’s pissed….majorly pissed off and crazy. I mean, this b***h will burn this whole town down for shits and giggles and feed on every last living thing here and make a game out of it because she can. She’ll dance in everyone's blood, and rip apart everything you love out of spite and boredom. You can’t keep her out forever, she’ll find a way in here… and it’ll be war on your doorstep…and I don’t want that, but I have no where else to hide Anna. I just want her to be safe…no matter what it takes. I just wanted you to know.” With that off his chest, he turned to find the stables and pigs the innkeeper had mentioned.

Donovin Edward Stevens

Mood: Determined
Location: 50 miles outside of Solera
Current Desire:Nothing
O.O.C.: N/A

[E for Eris]

Natalia. Vita. Pierce

Daughter of a Harpy, creature of darkness
Citizen of Solera, the shining town,
Well... aren't we quite the contradiction?

tab tab The first thing Natalia noticed about the dark haired man she’d been lead to was that he was incredibly handsome and just as charming. He had a fierceness about him, but there was also kindness in his eyes when spoke, and it shocked her to some degree. She hadn’t exactly expected kindness, not after the night she’d been through, though she had to admit that it was a little refreshing. Natalia glanced at the guard who quickly introduced her to the man he’d called Brandon before taking off, and them she looked up and followed quietly after the man a little ways until they were out of earshot. At his remark, she glanced down at the wound which was slowly bleeding through the makeshift bandage she’d slapped around it, and then back at him. “It’s fine. I’m fine.” She managed to murmur, though the growing tenderness around the wound suggested otherwise. She’d have to see to it soon, that much was apparent, but not now while the city was being torn apart from the inside out. Natalia looked around at the carnage that littered almost every street, and as she glanced at several lifeless bodies of guards and citizens who’d died in the attack, she could acknowledge that part of her felt guilty for letting the undead in…and the other part just didn’t give a damn. Nat looked up once more at Brandon and frowned.

“Sounds like you know her pretty well.” Natalia thought out loud just as a guard came running up and interrupted. She watched and listened as they interacted, but paid them little attention. Her mind was torn between ignoring the pain growing in her side, and trying to figure our where Adrianna could be. She idly wondered if the woman was locked in battle somewhere, or laying face down in a pool of her own blood like so many others, but she quickly pushed the thought from her mind. She was okay’ she told herself, she was probably just busy, like Brandon suggested. Natalia’s attention was once again drawn to Brandon at his next hushed remark. “I trained her better than this…”

“Wait…you trained Anna?” Suddenly it dawned on her who he was. Brandon Lafay, former mercenary captain…. She remembered now why he’d looked so familiar. It had been years since she’d seen him or heard talk about him. Her mother used to fawn over how handsome he was when her father wasn’t around, and she’d always mention gossip about the man and his supposed love affair with the female mercenaries, but Nat cared very little for gossip back then though she didn’t deny that she’d fawned over him once or twice when she had been younger. She simply smiled next, not knowing what else to say in the presence of an infamous mercenary who’d protected Solera for years before suddenly disappearing, but happy that Adrianna hadn’t forgotten about her. She worried about her just as much, and she silently hoped she was okay and that they would be reunited soon….after all, Nat was quickly growing out of allies in this world to turn to especially now that her parents…

She bit her lip to prevent the tears from appearing and simply nodded at Brandon and took the lead. She couldn’t think about them now, couldn’t stop to mourn. She’d have to push through now and make it through the night and then there would be time to let herself feel the pain of loss later, but for now, she had to be alert. A loud shot made her jump as she ran toward the infirmary and she paused just long enough to see a man in a strange hat join the fight, followed by several golems that accompanied him. She was almost mesmerized by the sight but was quickly drawn away from it by Brandon who ushered her into an alley between two buildings.
“Can you help with the fire?” she heard him ask as she glanced at the inferno that raged in the night. Dark clouds billowed up from the burning building and the flames threatened to jump from one structure to the next despite the efforts of the people struggling to put it out. Natalia stared and shook her head. “I don’t know….it’s-“ but before she could finish her sentence, she was grabbed by her hair and yanked back. Natalia let out a startled scream as she was dragged out into the open, and thrown to the ground like some rag doll. She hit the ground and stared up into the face of a guard who’d pounced on her only to realize who he was; the only one she’d left alive during her rampage, the one who knew what she was.

“You, Avain Ragnos. You expect us to protect things like this girl!? Beasts, MURDERERS? Ha! Captain Brandon, This girl is a nonhuman, a harpy! I saw her massacre those men at the gate, don’t let her charms work on you.” He yelled as he pinned Natalia down and pressed a hand to her throat. “Monsterous scum. You let those things in! You killed those men!” Frantically, she kicked and struggled against him, but when his knee pressed into her wound, and the pain of it ripped through her, she found it hard to move. Everything after happened too quickly. She felt her mind reel from lack of air, saw the flash of a dagger in the guards’ hand and felt him bury it up to the hilt in the same wound, and heard other people screaming and yelling. Someone, perhaps the man from before with the golems, yelled somewhere, and she thought she heard the sound of wings and the ground shake, then somehow, she could breathe again and the only sound she heard was gurgling. Looking up, she realized that she’d managed to cut into the guards’ throat, piercing through his armor right to the flesh beneath. He stared at her in shock as he choked on the blood flowing from the open rip in this neck and then toppled over. Natalia pushed him off of her and stared as he bled to death on the cobblestone road right in front of her, then slowly and painfully, she looked at Brandon and the others who witnessed the whole thing.

Though her blood poured from her side, she managed to get to her feet, the guards’ blood dripping from her talons and shirt. She didn’t know what they would do, but someone screamed and she heard feet rushing toward her and suddenly, features formed on her arms. Her body changed and she grew wings, long and black, right before everyone's’ eyes and before they could react, she shot into the air and was gone; leaving nothing but a tuft of midnight black feathers behind...Not even a few miles away but beyond Solera’s boundaries , Natalia crashed to the ground, breaking through the bare branches of trees and foliage before hiding the ground hard enough that the air in her lungs escaped her almost instantly. She lay in a heap of feathers, branches, and twigs scattered all around her, as she gasped. She wanted to push herself to her feet, but she couldn’t move. The pain had become too unbearable and the slightest movements almost sent her spiraling into unconsciousness. Still, she reached down with shaking hands and pulled the knife from the wound the guard had reopened. She couldn’t even scream as it slid out of her and dropped to the ground, and so she simply lay there, shaking from the pain. The last thing she saw was a male figure coming towards her before she blacked out.

[Aisu Fan]

I'm not a fan of puppeteers but I've a nagging fear

I'm fine with changing status quo, but not in letting go

someone else is pulling at the strings

Now the world is being torn apart

Something terrible is going down through the entire town

A terrible catastrophe played by your symphony,

wreaking anarchy and all it brings

what a terrifying work of art!

I can't sit idly, no, I can't move at all

I can't sit idly, no, I can't move at all

I curse the name, the one behind it all...

I curse the name, the one behind it all...

✗ ₡ƸŁҎђǀ $ƮǀɌŊ ✗

Why are you looking at me like that, stop it.. Chocolates and sweets, but also all sorts of meat, can I eat that?

Discord, I'm howlin' at the moon
And sleepin' in the middle of a summer afternoon
Discord, whatever did we do, to make you take our world away?
Discord, are we your prey alone,
Or are we just a stepping stone for taking back the throne?
Discord, we won't take it anymore, so take your tyranny away!

How fast this woman reacted towards the brutal attack left Celphi baffled for a moment, being able to coordinate through the debris aswell as anticipate the follow up.. Did she even anticipate it, or was it just in range of her own physical abilities to respond to it in time. The kick had left a small bruise for a few seconds before vanishing from sight, nothing that would take a high toll from her body but it gave enough evidence that she was more then capable to inflict more hazardous wounds. Hesitating to get back up tot talk back the girl got up anyway, brushing off the rubble from her shoulder while no gaze was given to the impact her body had left on the landing "Why you.. I don't tell my name to dirty ha-" Again she found herself unable to react to the speed of this woman, getting no stable footing on the rooftops either as the feet was kicking her around the upper area like she was nothing more then thrash. Grinding and faceplanting over stone wasn't doing much to her body as the grazes seemed to heal up quite nicely, only the impact clearly being visible on her attire as they turned out rugged and torn.

Her alpha status got harmed by the fact that she was being used as someone else's punching bag which would have been the trigger to a more reckless ferocious style of fighting.. If not for that one remark, the sign that fortune did shine on the oblivious ones every now and then. If she had known that Celphi actually was a guy or had known her for just a few minutes, it would've been fairly easy to provoke an attack aswell as finding out how to manipulate her, but she hadn't even seen her for more then a minute. How could she've know that the belittling attitude together with the mentioning of irritation for letting the other two get away would actually achieve the opposite of what she wanted. There was still rage and build up tension within Celphi that was dying for a good beating, only the assault on her pride drew out the stubborn goat who simply refused to play by someone else's tune. "Are those the rules? No altering, if I move when you're looking at me I lose and if I reach you instead I win?" A small ominous grin would be the start of a contest that neither of them were waiting for, Celphi dropping down into a lotus position. She only spoke when the woman wasn't facing her, not knowing if lip movement was counted in the rules. "You know what sucks, you're simply too fast to win this game and I don't like losing. But unlike someone I have no urge to go somewhere anytime soon.." At the second time she would turn around Celphi sat frozen in the same position, the only difference being that she was flipping the finger at her. "Just a heads up but if you break your own rules, don't think I'll let you get away to find them even if you speed up your pace. Sure my footing inside these walls ain't noteworthy, but when you enter the fields or the woods you're meat is mine.. I've gotten your foul scent in my nose, I don't mind going berserk outside. Out there you'll be lucky if they even can find parts that can be identified as a limb."

It was hard to stay put, the fighting spirit inside urging her to dash in and take the risk. She hushed down the words but they kept coming back, 'kill her, tear her, rend her, show her that you ain't weak, are you going to be such a wimp, you afraid of her? How pitiful, get up, fight damnit, weakling, go for it, she's showing her back to you, ultimate disgrace.' The words didn't get her to move as she was comforting herself with the fact that this would irritate the other party aswell, together with the benefit of holding up her pride would be enough. Nonetheless the story in her mind was easy to read, eyes staring in anticipation at Genevieve every time the woman turned around. Muscles tensed like she was waiting for the woman to be done with her. "The town will be cleared soon. What will they think when they see us up here? Dawn is coming, can you really waste time on me? I ain't worthy of your time remember, yet you ain't smart enough to create a game without loopholes. I won't let you have your way.. Go on run, live with the knowledge that you couldn't outwit a fool."

₪ Status ₪
I'm here right now: Solera - Rooftops
Who is near me: Genevieve
What I am doing: Getting my fur rubbed the wrong way
Anything hurt: A few minor bruises and grazes, nothing serious
How I feel: Violent, Tense, Supressed rage
Thoughts: I don't have to fight.. I don't.. I can't give in, just keep her here.. Don't fight.
OOC: A bit late but it's there atleast x_x

[Ethereal F R O S T]

"Tsk, Tsk" the male figure spoke before the girl had a chance to slip into unconsciousness, crouching before her and gently running a hand through her long black hair after she passed out and examining those black feathers before a blinding flash of light would herald their departure.

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Another Time, Another Place
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When Natalia awoke, she would find herself in a location far different even than the one she had collapsed in. She lie on a large blanket, covered with a set of heavy robes that seemed to be handmade from the tatters of several other garments. Despite the almost patchwork nature of the robes they were nice and warm and unbelievably comfy, smelling of herbs and spices and radiating the gentle heat of the fire nearby. Around her were tall trees; she was in the middle of the forest - far away even from where she had crashed... yet, it wouldn't feel like she had been dragged or carried, in fact she might notice the suspicious lack of horrible pain from the injuries she had received the night before... mostly because they were no longer there, her skin had somehow mended itself overnight or at least while she was out, but still had bandages wrapped around them from the stranger's attempts to stop the bleeding. Before her was a simple fire with a pot suspended above it and a man - the stranger she had seen and heard before sitting on a log idly stirring the pot with one hand and supporting his chin with his other. When she finally began to stir he would look down at her with his good eye.



"Good mornin' sleepyhead" The man at the fire smiled over to her. He was handsome, looking only several years older than Natalia herself in his mid twenties; with a mess of wild red hair and wearing clothing that Natalia might recognize as those of a gypsy fortune-teller. He wore a simple outfit, a white tunic with billowy sleeves and a red vest bearing many patches and repairs, various rags and pieces of cloth mended holes in the clothing. More importantly though he gazed at her from across the fire through a single silver eye... his other was covered with bandages forming a makeshift eyepatch across his right eye, and bore a long straight scar across his left eye. The oddest thing about the man however was the chain he wore across his chest bearing seven keys to some strange locks.

The man offered Natalia a soft, genuine smile and showed her his hands to show her that he was unarmed (save for the ladle in the one stirring his stew) "Stay calm, you are safe here, we are at the home of someone we both trust, and no one can hurt you here" Indeed behind him was what seemed to be a simple home built partially into a tree... the home of Adrianna's friend, Hawk. Avain continued to abuse Hawk's cookware and firepit, smiling to himself as he cooked the leftover elk he had dug out of Hawk's favorite hiding spot and humming gently to himself while she regained her strength. He wouldn't stand or make any movements towards her - if she ran away she wouldn't get very far as the same spell that kept out any potential intruders would also keep her in. Instead he offered her no reason to flee from him, only humming gently and occasionally taking a sip of the hot stew he had prepared (which smelled delicious). Eventually his gaze would return to her and he smiled once more. "You were hurt badly during the attack on your city, by the wayward guards no less, a shame what humans do when they encounter something they do not quite understand" Alek shrugged and took another sip of the broth he had prepared, looking back to introduce himself.

"My name is Aleksandr Varrus, I am a good friend of Kellian - Hawk as you might know him - and I am here to help you, little harpy" His tone was still friendly, indeed he seemed completely unmoved by her black feathers where a normal human might be panicking. Indeed he seemed a little too calm for the situation... but was also radiating genuine warmth and kindness towards the wayward young one - much as he had when he approached Hawk so many years ago. Talan had ordered him to secure her, and that he did, it was fortunate that Solera's bigotry made it easier even if they were likely making Avain's job that much more difficult. "I imagine you might have many questions young one, feel free to ask now... we have a meeting to attend later"