The Unsettling City (under new management)

[AnCatDubh]

"That is the thing, for sure. He's got an army that could wipe out any of them, and the military know-how. If all the others banded up against him, they could probably take him down, sure, but that would require them all cooperating together, something that hasn't happened in ages and ages," she said, "In any case, he's not in any position to march on the living world, and marching on his brethren wouldn't be favorable to their masters, so he's left being political and keeping his forces trained." He tail swished a bit in the grass, and she sighed. It would definitely involve Haven if there were an Underworld invasion somewhere, even if it was more as back-up for the powers that were in place of the area being attacked. Regardless, Roaven's shoulder would be tapped for recon and intel and, to put his Clan's specialty into use, taking out key targets.

Happily, no such thing seemed to be in the works,so there was little need to worry.

[Roaven]

"Their masters?' Roaven inquired. "I wasn't aware that a Deathlord answered to many other than themselves." He mused. "Or are we speaking of a divine level here?" Really it seemed more prudence than anything else. He would certainly triumph in open conflict, so none of the others would meet him there, if they had any sense. Barricade in their walls, strike at his supply line, hit and run, the superior force could be defeated with the right tactics, and it wasn't really a war that either side would benefit from. As long as there was no possibility of the mortal world being marched on either, things were safe. Ish. "I'd say you at least get to retire soon, but I can't imagine it'll be any easier watching others walking into danger, knowing you could help." It was the kinda thing that he dealt with when it came to the Hunters, and he didn't even know them that well. "Mayhaps we should pick a brighter topic."

[Zetsubo-Chan]

She seemed to be relieved and breathed easier, When he stated that being weird was okay. It's not every day that happened. Well, now it was pretty much everyday, living in haven. They had some weird people. But still, she felt like she fit in there, if only a little. She wondered what he meant when he said he wasn't normal, but she wouldn't press on it. She knew what it was like to have a secret and not wanting people to know about it. She just smiled, And responded, "Thanks, that really helped."

She was really glad to have him here, it would have been normal to be left alone, and she wouldn't minded that. But social interaction was better, even if she didn't always seek it out. But he gave her an out and she had to think on it a bit, before eventually shaking her head. "No, it's fine. It's not like it's not a book I've already read. Sometimes I just like to revisit old stories that I've really enjoyed. I think I'd rather have a new story." She said with a nod. And then she thought about it for a second and quickly amended, "Not that I think you're a story for to me to read or anything." She brought a hand to the back of her head, and awkwardly laugh.

[AnCatDubh]

"They answer to beings called Malfeans, slain Primordials who have their tombs around the bottom of the Well of Oblivion. The Blood of the Word was a Primordial being, so that should give you a rough idea. You could call them quasi-divine at the least," she explained. She rubbed at a temple and frowned faintly. Mff...felt like a headache was coming on again. "I don't think either Eli or myself will ever truly retire. We're trying to step back so that the, ahem, 'younger' generation can have their go at protecting things, but there's always going to be something that pops up that will require more direct involvement from us and the others of our generation...bleh, I hate using that word, but it's closest one to get the point across."

[Roaven]

"Mm, well, remind me not to get on their bad side. Bad enough being stuck with a Deathlord." Roaven muttered when Isa explained the concept of the Malfeans, which, uh, not that he was an expert or anything, Mal generally wasn't a prefix attached to anything...well, good. "And I know what you mean, at any rate. You'll never know the glory of staying out of the spotlight." He smiled, if only slightly. "Harder now that I actually have some power, but it was pretty nice, and still is, having no one expect anything out of you. Keeps my schedule flexible. Well, when I'm not working." He hardly got much rest, at any rate. Though it was there when he needed it. "....he doesn't have a tomb anywhere, does he? Blood of the World, that is."

[Lady Lai]

Rimm watched him eat a bit, and not cling to a lot of the Sake. She probably shouldn't either just in case. She poured another tiny glass of the stuff, but tried her tea, and found it to be highly enjoyable. "This is rally good. As for Entrees...combination Lo Mein and steak tip s sound good. What about you?" She responded as she watched Mishka duck under the table to grab the piece that he was trying to offer her. She snorted a bit, very cutely but didn't seem to have any problems in eating the thing.

Roaven

Darren seemed to have a system down as well, pouring out a small amount of soy sauce and dipping each of the sushi pieces he picked up into a small amount of it before popping them into his mouth, washing them down with his tea and occasionally a small sip of sake, though he saw fit to pace himself. The choice of a sushi restaurant seemed to be a good one given how well Mishka was taking to the food, and he would even see fit to offer the little fluffball a piece of sushi, a spicier one, this time, though certainly not the spiciest that was on the plate by any stretch. "So, what do you think for entrees?"

[AnCatDubh]

"Ah...I have no idea if there is one," she replied after a startled moment, but then she frowned and said, "Although...all those chunks of it got eaten up afterward...I think that was the work of the Dark Girl though. So...I suppose not." She shrugged a bit and then quipped, "The days of not knowing the glory of being in the spotlight have long since gone by for me. I'd have to go into hermitage for a couple hundred years for that to happen, probably get called the Sage of the Forest or whatever depending on where I went."

[Livian DoUrden]

It was weird, her response. "I'm glad I could help then, in some way." He hadn't been expecting that at all, but glad that mentioning he wasn't normal either helped a lot. Aedan was more than prepared to sit at the other table, but then she mentioned that he could stay and made another silly response. "I didn't think you were referring to me as a book or some sort of study material. You're fine." He stated and sat down to join her, finally. Ohhh it was good to sit down. "That's better. Well now, what is that book about? Also let me know how you like the Latte.." He finished up in response, looking around a bit, making sure the shop was just about ready to close.

[Roaven]

"Well, seeing as how we're at a Sushi place, I think I'm just going to get a nice variety platter for mine." Darren decided, looking over the menu. "You're of course welcome to snag some choice pieces of it, if in exchange I can try a bit of what you get." He offered. That way they both would get a bit more variety, and since they were splitting the bill anyway, they might as well both get to enjoy the entire breadth of the meal." He offered a grin to Mishka, but tempting as it was to pet the little fluffball, he figured he should keep his hands clean. "Besides, I have a friend of mine who might want to come out this way sometime, assuming he's into sushi like I think he is, so I figure I should scout out their offerings." He explained, glancing back down at Mishka once again. "She's like a food processor. Just chops it all up." He mused.

---------

"Mm, well, I'm sure if you retreated to live a hermit's life, you could swing a much more flattering nickname than that." Roaven assured Isa, for whatever that was worth. "Maybe dress yourself in leaves and become a forest goddess." He teased her. "Or I can teach you marksmanship and turn you into a ranger." He noted thoughtfully. "Anyway, the problem I see with your retirement is that you're teaching a lot of students, sure, but as useful as a bunch of mages running around is, or potentially destructive, as they've demonstrated, you need an apprentice. Someone with high potential to turn into another Archmage. Until you get someone on path to that level of power, you're going to be needed." He shrugged. "That's my uneducated opinion, anyway." He was hardly qualified to speak on the matter, but there was his two cents. "Eli is easier. No shortage of people running around and hitting things."

[Ixor Firebadger]

Evan could almost see the hackles rise. "what do you know about me...?" she asks, almost n a growl. His proclamation of the knowledge of her tolerance was a bit unsettling, especially for one that would prefer to deny the heritage that gave her the ability. She liked being able to drink, she just preferred not to flaunt the reason why. Besides, that sort of thing could get her in trouble, too.

Kevin was lounged in a chair when they get back looking all sulky. But he wasn't alone. And he was rubbing his jaw, which looked like it was going to have a nice bruise, shortly.

Kat and Terrence had come out of hiding and were standing over him looking like they may have just been lecturing him.

[AnCatDubh]

"Forest goddess, riiight," she said with another delicate snort. She then sighed and said, "My students are apprentices, but you are correct I don't have on picked out to be chosen as an heir of sorts. Even so, I'd still be needed even with someone trained up like that. What it boils down to is how long it will take for people to remember who you are." She then chuckled sardonically, "Besides, if I do train up an heir and go into retirement, I might end up having to come out of it if they go Evil Overlord."

_________________________

Evan help up his hand placatingly and said, "Enough to know that you've run away from someone or something, that you don't exactly like what you are, and that you could quite easily rip me apart if you felt like it. While I am capable of defending myself, the only real thing you have to worry about from me is whether I'll kick you out for being late on the rent or for leaving a mess all over. I won't pry into your business, though I am all ears if you wish to say anything."

_________________________

Terra paused just inside the door, a bit surprised to see the duo there. A second reflections said that she really shouldn't be, since that text message she sent could have gone to Kat's phone, or even both Kat's and Kevin's. It was certainly beyond her ken as to just how the cell service would handle things with two sets of identical numbers floating about.

"Welcome back," Terrence said to her and anyone else who came along back to the Traveler's Quarters. He frowned slight and said, "You look like you could use some more shut-eye, Terra."

She shrugged and replies, "Love to, but there's more important things right now." She eyed Kevin, wondering if that mark on his jaw was from her or one of the other two.

[Roaven]

"Nah. You could kick back on a beach somewhere." Again a brief struggle to refocus himself from any swimsuit mental images. "Rogue mages fall within what the Hunters are willing to go after. Uh...I dunno how well they'd do 'alive', though." He conceded. And if it did come to death, said overlord's heart would probably be part of the price. "It would certainly be a step in the right direction, I figure. So, you mentioned the Blood of the World being consumed? What happened with that?" He didn't seem entirely convinced that it was over and done with.

[Hat-tori]

Artemis panted. There was blood everywhere, mostly his.

A missing arm was a setback, sure. Not quite as bad as the ruptured lung. Or the broken leg. He fell back against a wall, panting. Just a little time... That's all he needed. He could hear the thing stomping around nearby. Diplomacy had failed, and he was losing blood fast...

[Lady Lai]

"I understand. I wanted to go with something I knew. The Sushi is always a surprise for you never know what you're going to get." She answered for it was true. Plus she wanted steak and wanted more meat to feet to Mishka, though she was about ready to spill the beans about her companion as well. Though more on that later. Mishka was a bit of a bigger deal than Rimm's other pressing issue. Rimm wanted to mention that when they got all of their food though.

Mishka did chop it all up, the light smacking of her little jaws were quite cute. Well...smallish. They weren't as small as they use to be since the last time Darren had seen them. Eventually Mishka was going to be bigger than a house cat...and someone was bound to notice it. "Yes she does. I'm surprised she's even taking food from someone else other than myself. That's a huge symbol of trust from her.." Rimm stated, for Mishka entrusted Rimm to know if something was bad or potentially poisoned.

[Zetsubo-Chan]

The girl smiled awkwardly, dropping her hand down and grasping at the muffin in front of her,her sleeve dropping over the table, before she brought it to her mouth to nibble on it. She was glad he appreciated her... Appreciation? Eh, anyways. At least he didn't seem to question her weird sense of humor. Or didn't say that he questioned her weird sense of humor. Either way it was alright to her. Hm, the book? Well, it made sense that the conversation would turn towards her book. "It's your basic hero quest book. Set in high fantasy. It's the type of story I enjoy. Someone getting cool powers or weapons and learning how to use them and control them and typically get the girl." Sometimes, she wished she was in one of these types of stories, then she might not be so awkward. Oh well. She sipped lightly on the latte, before nodding. "It's really good, Thanks." She said with a slight smile, bring and hand to her cheek, the sleeve bending back on itself and dropping, coming just inches off the ground.