|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:14 pm
Lunch was finished at a leisurely pace. Percy and Marius had a lot to talk about, but that wasn’t unusual. Their topics could have been anything. Art, the letters they received from home, their plans for any vacations, what they wanted to study, interesting research taking place, more about how Dr. Eld probably scared Alastor’s council more than any threat from Devyn. But that was really only because Devyn was a sweetheart and wanted to do what was best. There was some rumor that Dr. Eld had poisoned a bunch of people but any attempt to broach the topic was met with spitting hisses and mocking about how there were better things to do than gossip. Percy was convinced that Dr. Eld was just the victim of people deciding he was too harsh, so made up some mean things to say about him. He was a doctor, after all! He saved lives!
Percy didn’t have too many books to bring back to the office with him, but enough that it would have taken him two trips if he was by himself. And maybe he wanted to help Marius feel like he really was taking his request to heart by letting him help out. Percy did want him to help! Once he had more books to research, they could decide who wanted to do what.
They were about halfway to Percy’s personal set of suites when there was a rumbling in the distance. It would have normally been passed off as lightning hitting something solid -- maybe it cracked a large stone outside.
But there was something off about it. And lightning strikes weren’t usually accompanied by terrified screams.
“We need to go,” he said in a hushed, desperate tone as Percy looked around him, suddenly realizing he’d been enjoying his conversation with Marius so much that he hadn’t noticed the lack of guards. It was likely just a shift change but it still seemed odd. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he knew he needed to get Marius to safety first.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2024 10:18 pm
Marius’ relaxed expression had already shifted into something guarded. He was used to being alert; in Villefort, any explosion could have been catastrophic. He’d have been on edge even if there weren’t screams.
He had questions. A lot of questions. He just knew now wasn’t the right time to ask ‘What was that’ or ‘Why’.
The most important question was a simple, “Where?”
No protest. He could see that Percy was on high alert, and it wasn’t like him to be paranoid about anything but Devyn’s well-being. When it came to himself, he regularly minimized trouble. Marius could sympathize.
But now was not about being performative, it was about being effective.
He looked at Percy expectantly, ready to follow any instruction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 4:14 pm
“Back to Alastor,” Percy said quickly, because that was where Marius would be safe. If he needed to stay and figure out what was going on, then fine. But he would figure things out then.
He set his books down on the floor, pushing them out of the way, and then reached for Marius’ to help set his down as well. They could come back for them later.
Percy led the way, reaching for Marius’ now free hand so he could make sure he was with him.
“It’s probably nothing,” he insisted, even as he desperately clutched at his necklace. “Sometimes there’s fights over research. Or chemistry labs being poorly monitored.”
He was a horrible liar. He knew right away that there was no way Marius would believe him. Except he wasn’t really trying to lie to Marius as much as himself.
“He’s not in there--”
“You’re sure? He was supposed to be back--”
“Do you want to look again? I said he wasn’t in there. Must have snuck out--”
Percy stopped in his tracks before he could round the corner of the hallway towards his rooms. Voices he didn’t recognize and a bunch of banging and the sound of piles of books being knocked over.
He nudged Marius backwards, towards one of the tapestries hanging on the wall. Behind it was an empty space. Unfortunately, even if they were both small, only one could fit.
“Stay--” he hissed desperately at Marius as he pushed the tapestry back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 5:47 pm
‘Probably nothing’ wasn’t severe enough to send Marius back to Alastor. And Percy couldn’t really be afraid of fights breaking out over research. Even if he’d been a good liar, Marius wouldn’t have believed him.
Marius did not want to hide behind the tapestry, and he looked at Percy with a guarded, reticent look.
There wasn’t time to argue or protest, he knew that.
“They won’t be looking for me and I can run faster than you,” he hissed back, but his voice was just a whisper. There were a hundred other arguments he could make but Marius was far less of a target than Percy would be, and they were looking for someone.
He didn’t fight Percy, he just offered a counter plan. He wanted to protect him, it’s what Devyn would want. And Percy could always power up or send Princess out if he had just a second to compose himself.
Marius looked like he was already ready to give up and do whatever Percy decided; he wasn’t going to stress him out more. He just also thought Percy was worth more in good condition than he was.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 6:39 pm
If he had a second to compose himself…
This wasn’t exactly like what happened years before, but it was enough of a parallel to pull out memories he did his best to repress. Worst case scenario, he assumed it was going to be similar to that time--
His heart was already racing, because instead of just himself, he had Marius to worry about. He had every intention of letting Princess rip these people to shreds if they dared lay a finger on Marius.
Percy didn’t have a chance to make up his mind. Because instead of agreeing to let Marius make a run for it and hide himself, a tiny voice announced itself from farther down the hall.
“Percy? Are you okay? Grandfather wanted me to check on you,” a young man around the same age as Marius explained as he shuffled his way towards them. His pale blond hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, and pale blue eyes were hidden behind large, but thin framed glasses. He looked like he was out of breath from running, but was otherwise nicely dressed in a tunic that was very fashionable for Jupiter at that time.
“Celyn,” Percy gasped and frantically looked over his shoulder, before grabbing both Marius and the Celyn’s wrists to put even more distance between them and the voices from before.
“Do you know what happened? What did your grandfather say?”
“He just wanted me to check on you,” Celyn responded in distress, not sure what the additional panic from Percy was for, but it didn’t seem like a good thing. He only had a moment to peer curiously at Marius, but quickly kept his eyes on the path in front of them as he shuffled along. “Something was set up at the front gate. A group of people who were previously expelled from Sessrumnir. At least that’s what the rumors were when I was coming here--”
Now he sounded really out of breath, more so than Percy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 6:42 pm
That was one way to make a decision. Marius didn’t really know how to fight; he was supposed to learn, and the closest he and Devyn had come to bonding about anything was when Devyn had explained why it was important that Marius always carry a knife on him, and he spent some time showing him how to use it before suggesting he have Virgil teach him more.
He had, and though Atrius looked exasperated, he had never said it was unnecessary.
Marius was keenly aware of the weight in his pocket. Percy was too trusting, and if this was some sort of emergency, how did he even know who to trust? A soft, frail, pretty looking scholar that he was on a first name basis with? Of course Percy would lower his guard. Was he carrying a knife, too?
Marius had seen him a few times before, and despite how perfect he was to be a hidden assassin, he still couldn’t seem to find him threatening.
He offered no resistance as Percy tugged him, and he followed quickly and diligently.
Marius did not know enough about the political climate to offer any meaningful commentary, so instead, he listened. To them. To the noises behind them. To everything around them.
Just in case.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 7:02 pm
Percy wished Devyn was there. Devyn would know what to do. He wouldn’t be caught up with being indecisive and confused. He probably also wouldn’t run, which made Percy feel a bit like a coward. He just didn’t have the same strength or skills that Devyn had. All Percy could do was make sure Marius, and now Celyn, were safe.
“Do you know what’s going on?” Celyn asked, his voice full of concern and worry. He had to hold his glasses to his face as they ran down the hall, otherwise they might have slipped down his nose. “Grandfather said the Council was going under lockdown, and to stay with you somewhere safe until things get sorted out,” he tried to explain, seeming rather flustered by everything.
“Alright, just stay with me then. We’ll head to the chambers,” Percy decided, even as his heart raced and he tried not to panic. “They must know more than we do if they’re going under lockdown. Maybe they thought they’d be a target and didn’t want you with them,” he could only guess.
He knew the people on his Council weren’t very skilled at fighting, and they valued knowledge and preserving that knowledge, but he had never known them to be heartless and careless about people they cared about. They must have truly believed that Celyn would have been safer with Percy.
He’d wasted enough time. He let go of their wrists for just a moment and called his power as a Knight. He’d been hoping to get Marius back to Alastor, but it didn’t seem like they would be going that route for a little while.
Princess was called to his side as well, which made Celyn yelp in surprise, quickly flattening himself against the tapestries in the hall.
And while he was feeling confident for a moment, it quickly passed when a heaviness seemed to course through him, like a poisonous energy. Percy winced and lifted his hands to look at them. He didn’t know what he expected to find, but maybe it was habit after the blackrot.
“Something’s not right. There’s a weird energy I can feel.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 7:33 pm
Marius’ attention and concern was for Percy primarily, but it was in his nature to try and help anyone who needed help. Celyn must not have seen Princess enough to know she was mostly harmless. Well, if you weren’t up to trouble. Marius wasn’t sure she wasn’t still waiting for a chance to chew threw his neck after all the trouble he’d caused, but so far, so good.
“Shh,” he hushed Celyn, “It’s fine.”
It wasn’t very reassuring, but they couldn’t be running around and making a lot of noise if something wasn’t right.
“What does that mean?” he asked Sessrumnir. He could assume why Sessrumnir was looking at his hands; he’d seen him sneak looks like that many times while they were in Villefort. Marius wasn’t emotional, he was practical. He wanted a solution and he wasn’t the sort to let fear scramble logic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 7:39 pm
Sessrumnir shook his head and then shook out his hands. Everything seemed normal, but there was something wrong. He could feel the hair on the back of his arms and neck rise.
Princess also seemed spooked beyond being on guard. She growled at the otherwise empty hallway, her ears flat against her head and teeth bared.
Celyn made an attempt to shush himself by covering his mouth with his hands, even if it meant knocking his glasses a bit askew in the process. He looked faint, or like he was going to be sick. He’d clearly never seen Princess up close like this.
“Go,” Sessrumnir gestured to the two teenagers. “That way, we’ll--”
But he could already hear the sound of footsteps running towards them. How?? How could they suddenly know where they were? Unless…
Unless something about powering up had drawn their attention. But how? He could usually only feel another Senshi or Knight’s auras when they were close to him, but he hadn’t heard of normal people being able to feel that.
“That didn’t take long,” a man announced as he rounded the corner with several others on his heels. They were all wearing dark clothes with no identifying markings. They also wore face masks and carried weapons.
Princess wasn’t having any of whatever was going on, and she launched herself forward at the closest person dressed in black, viciously digging her teeth into his arm and making every attempt to rip it from his body.
Except something wasn’t right about that, either. She almost immediately whined in pain, her teeth stuck in some sticky tar that seemed to secrete from the heavily padded arm. She jumped backwards, mouth still clamped around the black padding, but she did her best to use her paws to force it off of her face, whining and whimpering as she did so.
Sessrumnir hissed in distress, but that was okay! He could fix this! He could just recall her to free her from that and send her back out. He did so, letting her return to the fang by his side--
And yelped in pain when a blade caught his hand, along with the chain that held where he housed Princess at his waist, sending it flying across the floor to the foot of a second set of men in black that arrived from the other end of the hall.
“Good evening, Sessrumnir. You’ll need to come with us, and no one will get hurt,” the man promised as he picked up the fang.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 7:48 pm
Marius wanted to tell Percy that when someone said ‘do what we want and no one will get hurt’, they didn’t mean it. If they were willing to hurt them, they didn’t need a reason. They had no idea what destruction had been strewn elsewhere, or if anyone else had been scared.
He didn’t know what was going on but he observed, and tried to draw what conclusions he could. There wasn’t much. They knew how to disarm Princess. They knew how to track Sessrumnir. They were after Percy.
They wore nothing that Marius could identify so he didn’t know who they were or what they wanted, and he doubted that Percy had any more information than he did.
“Where does he have to go?” Marius blurted. “For how long?”
He wasn’t afraid, but he played it up anyway. He wanted information. Time. Anything that might help.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 8:07 pm
While it couldn’t be seen under the mask, it was clear that the man with Princess’s fang was smiling. He seemed to be the person in charge, since the others didn’t seem to want to make a move without this particular man’s approval.
“We’re just going to gather some information, boy,” the man sneered. “This is the largest source of knowledge on this side of the Sol System or something like that. But we’ll take as long as we need, although the sooner everyone here is calm and cooperates, the better. Maybe we’ll be done before afternoon tea.”
Sessrumnir’s mind was racing. On his own, he could fight back, but with Marius and Celyn there, having them get hurt was a risk. Celyn still looked like he was on the verge of passing out, tears in his frightened eyes as he plastered himself against the wall.
“Why don’t you all come with us and--”
“Leave them. They have nothing to do with this. I’ll help you,” Sessrumnir blurted out. He didn’t like the look in the eyes of those around him. It sent a bad feeling down his spine. Especially when his demand was met with laughter.
“And leave behind precious valuables? We’ve spent a great deal of money getting this far. We’d like to recuperate some of the costs. Being the keeper of knowledge and information or whatever epithet they use these days, you should know what holds great value,” the man laughed as he nodded to his companions.
They moved quickly, first grabbing Celyn’s arm since he seemed the most pliable at the moment, and despite him yelping in fright and attempting to pull away, it looked like they were quite skilled in quickly tying someone’s hands behind their back. They made the same movement towards Marius--
“I said leave them!” Sessrumnir yelled now, a deafening boom of his otherwise soft voice. There was clearly magic involved, and if Princess wasn’t going to be able to help, then Sessrumnir would just have to protect the two teenagers on his own. Although he was fairly certain that Marius could protect himself.
Their attackers were clearly startled by the noise. Sessrumnir took advantage of their temporary lack of focus by drawing his stormglass from subspace and swung it hard to push them back. He ignored the pain in his cut hand. There were more important things at the moment.
“Go, take him, I’ll be fine,” he yelled for Marius to go with Celyn while they had a chance.
The man with Princess’s fang looked irritated by their noncompliance and nodded his instructions to the others. They didn’t waste time in all attacking at once, giving Sessrumnir a bloody lip and gouge across his thigh and arm in their attempts at subduing him with fist and weapon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 8:13 pm
For all the knowledge Marius had, there was still much in the universe that he was oblivious of. Undertones and vague threats were lost on him. He didn’t fear death, what else was there?
Celyn was afraid, and Percy. Emotional. Marius had never heard Percy bellow like that, he didn’t think he had it in him. But now he was getting pummeled and practically speaking, Marius knew that a little knife wasn’t going to help against a group of men who moved like shadows and had grips like iron.
He wasn’t surprised that the promise of safety and security was fake. He wasn’t surprised that they were ganging up on Sessrumnir. Marius suspected that they’d stop beating him when he stopped fighting, and he wasn’t going to do that as long as they were around.
He didn’t want to leave Percy. The idea revolted him. He could have thrown up right then and there, but it would have just prolonged whatever this was. Marius grabbed Celyn’s wrist as Percy had before, although with somewhat less gentleness. He didn’t want him to go into shock and slow them down, and there was hardly any point in him running if they weren’t both safe.
Percy could buy himself time if he was alone. He was smart. Probably more so than these intruders–especially if they thought Alastor wasn’t going to hear about this and come tear their heads off. Or maybe Percy’s brother could get here quicker. Marius hadn’t met him and he’d never been in a situation like this, so his instinct was to go to Devyn’s Council and they could handle sending out alerts or contacting whoever they needed to.
They just had to make it to the passageway to Alastor and get help. Ten minutes, tops.
“Hurry,” Marius hissed to Celyn, unwilling to waste any more time or air than necessary.
He didn’t want to leave Percy here alone, but if they stayed–
What good was going to come of that if there was nothing either he or Celyn could do, anyway?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
