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Than made no move to stop Kaiori from joining Apollo. What Than paid attention to more than the laughing and the accosting words was the way Apollo said them. Out of his shell may not have been the best description; to Than this was simply the more familiar Apollo that he'd met years ago. It certainly made Than suspect the reserve he'd spoken with during the party was nothing more than a charade. "Are you hiding behind the Queen?" Was the first response Than made when Apollo was done. "That's no path of a King; I'm sure of that. You can spare me the sarcasm, Apollo. I'm not going to wipe my hands and put on a new pair of gloves and pretend there's no blood on them." Than finally turned his front to face Apollo and put his hand down. "I said earlier I had no plan to change your people. That much is true; like I said, I don't really care. But I came with very specific conditions for your change. Best of all, I have several alternatives which won't even require you to stop being a genuine a**!" He chuckled, more amused than anything. "But of course I'm sure that's too much for you. Yes, the only proposals I have require you swallowing your pride. And you've never been able to get over that have you. It's why I was able to ridicule you so easily when you first came to make Kaiori your bride."

"Special. Yeah that's a nice sugary way to put it. You and I have a special bond to: ex-murderer and ex-murdered." Than scoffed at the use of the word. As soon as Kai started speaking Than sighed, frustrated more than anything. He placed his hand on his hip and rolled his neck, hanging his head, bored, to the side while she spoke. There was an uncertain silence after she finished. The next sound to come from Than was him cracking his neck to relieve some tension, before he straightened up again and addressed her. "The hell's wrong with you now?" He began. "Not even a quarter hour ago you were standing by him just as you are now and you accosted me quite harshly. Now, in the same spot, you repeat the same sentiment and make it sound like a whimper. Did my wearing a mask over my face and you over yours make THAT much difference!?" He shouted across the room to her, more pissed off that she'd made such a change in tone more than anything. For the moment, he abandoned his previous decision to address Kai as a stranger. "Or maybe it's the sack of blood and flesh that used to be KB?" He continued, waving his arm toward the mess on the floor. "Does it seem so foreign to you now? I expected such a reaction from your daughter, but you... Do you think things have changed outside of this city, Kai?" The question sounded sincere, and his holding out both arms inquisitively gave it even more of that impression. "Well it hasn't! While you and your children have been cozy in your son's little concrete womb, everything out there is just as bad. And I don't blame you one bit for running away from it all in favor of the life you have now; I myself retreated to the protective shielding of my father's citadel for no insignificant time. And during that time, especially after you came to die right in front of my home, I've been training myself and honing my abilities in preparation for being able to face all of it. I'm not like your son; I can't sit back accomplishing petty feats dreaming one day it'll all be better when I'm in control. I can't make the world better but I can at least fight to keep it from getting worse."

Than paused for a short breather, but soon proved he wasn't done yet. Speech time, resume! "Rights, rights, RIGHTS! It's all about 'rights' with you isn't it!? I don't have the right to try and change the world! I don't have the right to confront Apollo for his crimes! Well guess what, sweetheart." He took his more firm stance. "Gabriel didn't have the right to throw you away! Galette didn't have the right to make you a slave! Apollo didn't have the right to alter your memories and play with your mind! My father didn't have the right to torture you! And I,.... I didn't have the right to be your friend, to try and console you as you did me, to do ANYTHING! But did that make any difference!? Can you stand there now and tell me it meant anything to them, or to any other villain you've ever faced!!?" Than was visibly trembling now, and in between his shouting, whining, or pleading - whatever one wanted to call it - anyone could hear the sound of metal on metal crunching from Than involuntarily clenching his fist too hard. "It didn't have to be me that came here to kill KB. It could've been Dom who came here to kill your daughter. It could have been Truinthil come to kill your son. Hell!" Than turned and pointed harshly to the rest of the room "It could have been Tegral, Xol, or Ceres who did this!! You've seen them do worst on nothing but whim, regardless of what their rights are. They're all right there Kaiori!! Phia lost her husband this way too. What the hell is the point of all this ranting I'm making up on the spot? Nothing is any different than it was before, so to hell with it if you think I can't--"

Than didn't finish his sentence, feeling as if he'd lost sight of what it was he wanted to accomplish part way through his talking. Damn Kaiori! Than had never wanted to spill his guts like this when he came, and here Kai had induced him to do so with so few words. How the hell did she do that!? was the only thought Than had right now. If anything, at least his speech had very much blown any cover Ceres hoped to have, since Than was practically pointing right at the dark corner she hid in while he was trembling.

*Kaiori would be trembling with rage and hurt.* I made a choice to have the children that were forced upon me. I made a choice to try and keep them away from the world I lived in. Yes I know it hasn't gotten any ******** better out there, that's exactly why I raised my family here and yet you brought it all here with you! *She would stamp her feet and build up a pulsing dark matter around herself. She had been there for Than when he needed it, but she needed no one, she needed to be a mother, not the child in need of love and protection. Being taken by surprise by Xol's sudden attack she would be blown back, surprisingly Ceres would catch her. Apollo would stand completely still, taking the hits. Yet every hit would flash gold and no wound would seem to appear on him. Suddenly two cries would ring from the other side of the room. Kaiori and Ceres would both be bleeding from the chest and neck, not complete gashes but rather nasty slash marks appearing out of no where. The blood would run freely from the both of them with seemingly no reason. Chuckling Apollo would hold his ground, a simply sword being pulled from the sash at his hip.* Now who wasn't getting the hint? *Apollo would sneer with laughing eyes, twisting his marriage ring with his fingers, flashing his golden magic.* As I said before, we hold a very special bond, never knew it would affect the other as well but I'll take that as an added bonus. Now then would you like to continue? Or would you kindly let me take my leave. *Kaiori wouldn't be in any shape to protest but she also knew she was already technically dead, but the pain was still there. The blood seemed endless, fresh and red like the eyes of the two women now wounded on the floor.*

Phi barely had time to read her own lover's mind before he flew off to fight the man everyone had been in such disarray about. She was furious at him for the few moments that she saw him attack but once she saw the results she became even more enraged but not at Xol, no, her rage was directed at Apollo now. How dare that filth use such a kind woman as a shield. Curses in all manner of languages flew from her lips as she hurried over to the sides of both Kai and Ceres, kneeling beside them.

"A Little 'elp 'ere! Bandages! Gauze!" She called out to those who remained, the wounds were nasty but she had healed worse. Her gloves were already off and green healing spells were at her fingertips, she was still learning though it it was difficult. Her focus was on the two dying women, no, she wouldn't let them die. Too focused to watch her partner with the loathsome rubbish that was called a 'king', but surely Phia would not stop him now. She might even join in slaying this a**. To use one's loved ones and children to save ones own hind was out of the question to her, it went against her morals and logic. It bewildered her.

With drink in hand she slightly turned her head as she sensed different energies clashing. She watched over her glass as she sipped her drink watching this "xol" character right along and attack the royal family. Seems this place is full of hatred and enemies, and seems they cant even be in the same room for a mere ball before attempting to destroy each other. She let out a Small giggle as she saw the head man of the party known as Apollo so she heard using his wife and another as a human shield. Priceless!

This woman Phia, aiding those her -lover- attacks and seeks to destroy, yea i can see the relationship they have or it wont last as she doesnt seem to have the same thought of mind as Xol. She felt the warmness of the liquor running through her body, as She eyes flashed slightly, as memories of Phia appeared, at a fortress, strapped, then Draekkan, and Sai creating illusions helping in their misery, then flashes to a mansion and Focht and her on the roof joining hands with a war going on around them. She raised a hand gently to her head and rubbed her temple, as She glanced into her cup. Hm she was no better than them as she too shared allies with what would be the enemy of this place. But then is Focht on the dark side? No.

She turned her attention back to the main event watching Xol, Than and Apollo, who would go down first, she studied their attacks from far, perhaps it will come useful later on.

*Apollo would chuckle.* My magic is timeless, like love in a way. However it's never good to grab a ssshhhape shhhifter. *He would hiss, becoming a red snake under Xol's hands and simply slipping through his fingers to the ground. With a deadly quickness the snake would be gone, either still in the room hidden in some crook or cranny or just long gone. It was easy to forget that Apollo was actually a shapeshifter, explaining his usual wolf form and Griffin's dark horse form. Kaiori would heal easily and thus Ceres would heal easily as well. Kaiori would sit up when she could, still wounded but not so deeply.* Thank you Phia. *Kaiori would smile softly. Ceres just as healed as Kaiori would drag herself away from the pair, smearing blood over the floor. The elevator would ding and out would burst Griffin looking totally enraged, much like his mother would often become. Picking up his mother with a soft word of Thanks to Phia, he would rest her gently on one shoulder. Stepping towards Ceres he picks her up as well, more roughly giving her resistance. Turning towards the guests he would bark out.* Get...out....GET OUT! GET OUT!! *Turning in his rage he would enter the elevator and close the doors with a snap.*

((Sorry guys I'd let this go on longer but I'm in BC now for a wedding and won't have much access to computers.))

Watching the scene from her spot near the bar, she had just received her drink. She shook her head at Xol, shame on him for ruining such a good evening by showing his true colors. This brought a grin on her lips. With a spin on her heel she was heading out of the door, before the rush of people. Nodding a farewell to the bartender and the doormen, she was gone in a flash with her drink in hand.