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 Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 3:37 pm
--- ❀ Exposure ❀ --- March 16th, 1411
Miss Felicity Wickes (X Purple--Platypus X) with her Caedos, Claudia , Mr Jin-Ho Kyon (NeonMace432) with his Phasmas, Blaithe & Lady Sage Estratus with her Infitialis, Sloane.
In Shyregoed, the mages headquarters, within the room in which Jin-Ho was ambushed. She really had no business being here and she should probably make an exit... That was what Felicity kept saying to herself in her head; a mantra that her conscious was repeating over and over, urging her to think of the friends that she had made amongst the mages. What kind of repayment for their kindness was this?! Spying... It was despicable. Jin-Ho especially deserved better than this. Even from the first few words they had exchanged he had shown a soft heart towards her. They had been friends, more than friends even. Not lovers – no, she was never going to fall in love again, her heart was still raw and tender from her past love – but best friends. Many times they had wandered throughout the mage’s lofty halls and the snow strewn streets exchanging smiles that nobody but he could drawn from her. Yet overriding this faithfulness to her companion was the overriding loyalty to her faith.
Creeping around the mage’s headquarters like this was the best way that she could serve Obscuvos. Her observations on previous trips around the castle had already been noted down and fed back into The House. They knew the crude layout, the rough routines, who to avoid and who could be easily felled or slipped past... She knew all of this had been useful to her god and his workers and that eased the pain of her betrayal.
And anyway, if she faltered even for a moment she had her devilish little flower to pinch and prod her back onto the ‘right’ track.
The room she had just entered had been specifically requested for exploration by the priests: Something about it being pivotal in a planned infiltration. Nothing serious but they would appreciate if she could aid them. Obviously she had not declined but due to her growing guilty conscience it had taken her a week or so to build up the determination to act upon this mission...
It was a well sized room – not huge like some of the castle’s grandiose halls, but large enough for her footsteps to resonate a fair amount against the stone flooring – but every inch of the walls were covered in various oddities. Snippets of all sorts of cultures: vases, statues, paintings, miniature carvings, pieces of jewellery, calligraphy. Felicity gaped; it was a feast for the eyes and she wondered briefly what on earth Obscuvos desired with information on such a room. Seeming to sense this wonderment and confusion Claudia dragged a pointed finger across the woman’s paper thin skin.
“Don’t question our lord... Just... examine and do as you were told...”
Nodding, Felicity proceeded to walk into the room, between the tall cabinets – fascinated by the objects from all over the world... So fascinated in fact that the first step into the wet puddle didn’t register...
“H-huh?” She glanced down... Half expecting to see a puddle of thawed snow formed due to a maid foolishly leaving a window open. But of course, there were no windows – they were at the heart of the castle far away from the outer walls.
And melted snow isn’t red.
Felicity screamed.
Claudia paused for a second and then, very slowly, a grin formed on her face.
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 12:50 pm
Indeed, melted snow was not red; nor was it still warm and continuously seeping from an open wound.
Unconscious, Jin-Ho layed still against the cold stone floor. His skin had become pale from blood loss and extremely low temperatures as his shirts had been strewn across the floor in tattered rags. His body had stopped its involuntary shivering now that his consciousness had left him only minutes earlier. He had lost a lot of blood, but remained alive as if it was sheer will power kept him going. The man was not a warrior, but neither was he a quitter.
The scream, despite its lack of effectiveness on the mage, had put his Plague back on guard. Blaithe had fallen asleep accidentally, hidden underneath the cabinet to the far side of the room. She had meant to keep watch over her beloved Grimm in case of anything happening, and neither did she have the need, but sleep had overtaken her in the wee hours of morning from habit of her Oji's sleep schedule. Still, the scream had startled her awake, her focus slowly adjusting on the new figure with them in the room just above Jin-Ho.
And the smell of sweet, decaying roses.
"Dia! Feli!" Blaithe exclaimed, scrambling out of her shaded cover. She adjusted the brightness of her skin, allowing herself to be seen once more. Carefully avoiding the large puddle of blood, she clung to whatever part of her Grimm that she could handle. "O-Oji was attacked! He needs help, Feli!"
Frantically climbing onto Jin-Ho's shoulder, Blaithe grabbed onto what was left of his shirt.
"Please! Please, go find Slo! He'll help...!" she pleaded, her voice tainted with worry and fear. She had no idea what would happen if she were to lose her Oji, nor did she want to think about it. With her size, she was practically useless, and the realization of this was beginning to dawn on her. Jin-Ho's warning earlier that morning had stained her memories.
She was to stay there.
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Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:28 am
The flower’s smile soured as soon as the yipping brat that belonged to the wounded Grimm made her presence known. If it wasn’t for her stream of high pitched pleads to Felicity Claudia reckoned she could have delayed her Grimm long enough to reduce the man’s chances of being saved. Check his vital signs, look around the room, and don’t go for help until you know what the situation is. The wasted minutes that the caedos could have wrangled out of the situation could have been measured in the blood leaking rapidly from the man. Claudia didn’t hide her contempt for the pipsqueak any more. All the false smiles and forced polite utterances of conversation were a thing of the past now that the gloves were off and she didn’t have her Grimm to protect her. She hoped to Obscuvos that the man would die, severing the emotional ties that Felicity held to him and his mage kindred and more importantly to the flower; leaving Blaithe to her cruel whims.
“S-sloan-ne?!” Felicity gasped, clawing at her clothes and moving uselessly around on the spot. “F-find Slon-ne. Yes... I’ll g-get help-p!” She was delirious with shock. Her shoulders were rocketing up and down whilst her whole body convulsed – unable to act upon the simple message her brain was trying to put forward. Go. Get help.
Yet at the same time a thousand and one doubts clambered through her mind. She had been sent to this room for a reason. The House had sent her. Oh Obscuvos what should she do? This was his work... In his anger he had struck out at this non-believer; this remnant whom Felicity should step over; ignore; spit upon; burn. Yet at the same time she recognised him as a friend – one of the few people in this world who had shown her true kindness. She had hoped that one day she could convert him. Reveal her honest beliefs and bring him to her god... Maybe it was still possible though! Having experienced her Lord’s might he may be willing to leave his false beliefs and come into The House!
Shivering she scuttled from the room, mumbling prayers under her breath to her glutton god – willing him to spare this man, for she was certain in his heart she could sow seeds of belief. She could save him; both his physical body and his eternal soul!
Claudia was not going to help her Grimm in the slightest. She knew the stunned woman would take an impossibly long time to find the correct person and even when she did the flower knew how Felicity acted around Sloane even under normal circumstances. She was a nervous wreck, his fearsome appearance – oh so handsome to the flower – made her quake and stutter even worse... Already highly shaken it would take her an impossibly long time to get her message across to him; leaving Claudia with more than enough time to have a little.. fun... with Blaithe.
Floating down on her umbrella-like skirt of petals Claudia landed with a giggle in the congealing puddle of Jin-Ho’s life blood. Raising one foot gently then splashing it down like a child playing in rainfall a grotesque smile crossed the flower’s face as the chamber door clunked shut behind Felicity.
“Blaithe,” she sighed the girl’s name, grinning. “Little useless Blaithe... What happened here? Did Oji get hurt?” She sniggered, walking towards the panicked little phasmas; each step splattering a little more of the red liquid up her leafy legs. “Did he scream Blaithe?” She paused, cocked her head as though trying to listen to the echo of Jin-Ho’s agony reverberating around the room. “I bet he was like a little girl...” A cruel laugh escaped her lips. Mocking. Cold. This all felt so good to the rose.
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Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 10:31 am
The tiny Phasmas, still in shock, payed no heed to Claudia as she descended down onto the floor; the poor girl's attention still close on her Grimm's. His breathing was shallow and surely painful beyond all belief with the sword still planted firmly into his rib cage, but he was still breathing and that was the most Blaithe could ask of him. He couldn't leave her...
Her head turned upon hearing the splash in the man's blood, her worried and tired expression morphing into disgust and confusion as the once seemingly beautiful flower danced in the crimson liquid beneath her feet in what looked to be pure rapture. The smile on Claudia's face sent shivers down the Phasmas' spine as she stood up onto her feet. Even at her tallest, she was dwarfed by the rose, and what confidence she once had was shattered underneath the Caedos' feet with the blood of the girl's Grimm.
"D-Di--" Blaithe's voice shook as she watched and listened, the flower becoming more and more evil in voice and appearance by the second. "Clau-audia..."
Her features contorted once more, reliving Jin-Ho's screams of agony and the horrible laughter of that woman before the end. She had been so useless and Oji had practically protected her with his life.
"N-no... he was strong! Oji was strong, he protected me!" Her mouth twisted into a frown, fists clenched into tight balls at her sides. Still, she held little confidence in the lone presence of the flower, wishing that there was someone here with them. Claudia's intentions were thick with despicable thoughts and plans, and Blaithe was beginning to get nervous.
"Oji is stronger than you'll ever be!"
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:19 am
A peal of laughter rang throughout the cold stone walled room. The pathetic little being was almost cute in her loyal defence of her human partner. Jin-Ho stronger than her? Did she not understand the fact that her Grimm, whom she foolishly placed upon a pedestal, was one man, compared to the legions of supporters that The House had. Perhaps she was naively stating that Jin-Ho was physically stronger than she, but all the evidence to back up Claudia's superior stance was right in front of them: the human, bleeding to death, with a cultist blade wedged between his ribs. The colourful splat was like a child who needed scolding for their ignorance and gleefully, Claudia took the role of the teacher.
“What you see before you is a warning.” She cackled maliciously. “The House should be feared by remnants like you and your pathetic Grimm.” She began sauntering closer to the girl, each step causing an intimidating splash in the blood to match her half-crazed grimace. “We are strong. Strong enough to cause tremors of fear to rush through your backwards brains. Cooped up in your icy castles you cling to your magic and the superstitions of your history whilst we are amassing more believers by the minute! We look to the future, work to bring about the day where our god – greater than any shallow hypocritical idol dreamt up by ignorant past generations – can consume the world, destroying filth like you and re-birthing those who believe into a new, perfect, world..”
A religious zeal was overtaking her now and it almost felt as though the eyes of her crow headed deity were staring at the scene unfolding within the castle, his gaze urging her on and pushing her closer and closer to completing his will. She was almost towering over the minuscule girl now. She felt the taint swirling aggressively through her tiny black veins.
“Just look at you...” She pinched a glowing white cheek between cruel black fingers. “So tiny...” She flicked her fingers, getting Blaithe directly in the face. “I would almost say you're stunted...” She giggled and turned, as though she was finished insulting the poor little phasmas, but her apparent disinterest was just a rouse. She snapped back round suddenly and struck Blaithe with all of her malignant might – the girl was only small and the blow from the much greater plague knocked her over.
Ever more joyous at the situation, Claudia's glee was deadly when spliced with the disgust she felt towards the mage's plague. “And look at you... Deformed and disabled... Maybe someone should wrench off your other leg and give you matching stumps? Being so unsymmetrical is so ungainly; it only highlights your ugliness..”
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Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 12:17 pm
"N-no! You're wrong!" Blaithe exclaimed, crawling backwards slowly as if to get away from the crazed flower; once so beautiful and respected. Fear had now taken over as the larger Excito stood over her tiny frame, every fiber wishing that this were just a horrible dream that she would wake up from at any second. Alas, as each moment went by, there was no waking. Jin-Ho was not rising from his deathly slumber and the demented rose still tormenting her with her talk of lies and filth.
The pinch of her cheek stung as Blaithe tried to pull herself away, only be be clawed at with full force and thrown back. A tiny shriek rang as she hit the ground, her face oozing with black taint that now stained her colorful clothing.
Had she the ability to cry, tears would have poured from the tiny Phasmas as she tried to regain the breath that had been knocked out of her. "Y-you're the one who's ugly..." Once again, she attempted to pull away from the Caedos, but her body ached and the scratches on her face stung angrily. While the rose's poison held no effect otherwise, she could feel it aggravating the wounds. Grimacing, her frown grew as she glared at Claudia.
"You're nothing but a bully and a believer in false deities! There is no proof of your god! You're just mad!"
She huffed, the flower's threats of destroying her 'leg' ringing in her ears. She surely had the power to do it, and Blaithe became more and more frightened by the moment. Never before had she felt such pain... and her dear Grimm must have gone through much worse.
"How can you even do this? Are you that sadistic?!" Blaithe coughed, clutching at her side, refusing to turn away from her attacker.
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 10:51 am
Claudia scoffed at the cripple. "No proof?" With an obnoxious grin on her hand she strode closer to the felled Grimm. "Is this not proof enough for you Blaithe?" Almost mimicking a graceful curtsey Claudia hitched her skirts up and swept her body downwards to wipe a palm in the darkening pool of blood. "You really don't see it - you're weak and worthless. So was your Grimm. So is this whole stupid fellowship." She waved the blood smeared hand at the surroundings, flicking tiny droplets through the air. "It's only a matter of time until we can purge you all from this world. It's the will of Obscuvos."
She thought it would be impossible to feel this level of rage. The paintbrush plague was just so unbearably impossible to deal with! Her terrified expression; the way that she was cowering on the floor, clutching at her wounds; Claudia wanted her to fight back... She wanted validation to vent her hatred physically. She was so pathetic sitting on the cold stone floor and allowing the flower to walk all over her. It sickened Claudia. There was however one thing that the girl had said that triggered a flare of aggression in the caedos. Claudia was the ugly one?! Her blood stained fingers curled into a fist. If Blaithe thought that there was any way that was true then Claudia would fix that opinion for once and for all.
Feet patting menacing across the distance between them Claudia advanced on her floored foe. "Ugly?" She stopped when she was standing right over Blaithe and placed one green foot on the phasmas' chest, pinning her. The thrill of such authoritative power raced through Claudia's body and she increased the pressure she was exerting on the other girl. She wanted Blaithe to squirm in pain, to be like a disgusting pinned colourful butterfly. "I think not Blaithe..." She raised a fist to slam it into the stupid glowing globe of the other plague's face. She would beat her to a pulp - the elegance of subtle violence had dissipated, Claudia was content to descend into a brawl..
Before the fist could descend the door to the room swung open with a crash and Claudia's head flicked demonically swiftly to the figures at the door. Felicity had found Sloane. Suddenly a wave a nausea rushed through Claudia's form, making her head swim. If Blaithe told Sloane about their allegiance with The House who knew what would happen to her and Felicity... They could be imprisoned or worse... Killed.
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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 10:23 am
She was mad. Absolutely insane.
Blaithe pushed herself away as the rose danced in her Grimm's blood, menacingly striding closer once again with that evil look on her face. Prattling on about proof and how blind the phasmas apparently was, the situation hadn't completely dawned on Blaithe until the rose was upon her, pinning her down by the chest with one foot on her wooden peg.
She struggled, the pressure on her chest beginning to become far more painful. It wasn't until the rose shifted her weight onto the wooden leg that Blaithe leg out a scream, the wood breaking in a sickening crunch. The joint it had been connected to twisted painfully, pushing itself in an unnatural way to accommodate the force. Once it was no longer attached, a sharp ache remained as Claudia leaned her body forward, her hand a fist aimed for her face.
"STOP!"
As Blaithe yelled, the door swung open, allowing the bright morning light in and almost blinding her. Claudia had turned her back, shock painted so deliciously on her face. Unable to remove herself from under the larger Excito's foot, the Phasmas wriggled as much as she could, but still to no avail. Breathing had become difficult and her vision was becoming dark. Almost as if on instinct, Blaithe thrust her arms forward, her head turning away as she yelled. A bright, white light burst between the two of them, suddenly throwing Claudia off as it forced space between the two. Forced against the ground harder, Blaithe became unconscious as soon as the light had been dispelled, leaving Claudia thrown and the petals of her dress singed and blackened. No smoke lifted from the burns, but the act itself had almost taken an entire, large petal.
The sudden, bright light had barely awoken Jin-Ho, but his eyes flicked uncomfortably as his consciousness slipped again. He let out a pained moan as his arm tried to move, but he had fallen back into the dark sleep almost as soon as he had awoken. His skin had paled even more since the woman left, looking almost as if he were already dead.
He didn't have much time without aid.
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:09 am
Heavy, steely footsteps approached the door and the sound of wood and metal being haphazardly scraped heralded the return of Felicity with an armored companion. His mismatched eyes drifted across the scene before him as he paused for but a second to drink in all of the misfortune that had befallen this single hall.
The North Base was compromised.
Sloane's gaze fell upon the colorful speck, coated in a dark layer of red with injuries of her own, and the pale flower with a black smudge upon her beautiful, pure petals. Before them, their main object of worry; his Lady's assistance lay in shambles, wounds leaking with no sign of stopping. The only thing that didn't cause him to lose all of his blood then and there was the blade, still locked in place through one of his arms. What a strange way to stab someone...
Everything in the vicinity was disheveled, wrecked. Blood spatters, strewn papers and furniture. Jin-ho was fading fast, and Sloane wasted no more time observing. "Get the Plagues," he ordered of Felicity, carefully stepping around Blaithe and Claudia and into the thick wet red of Jin-ho's pooling blood.
Retracting the armor on one hand, Sloane leaned down and gripped the hem of the injured man's shirt, using the bare one to snap his fingers loudly in front of his face or tap against his cheeks. It would be horribly painful to stay awake, but if they weren't careful he would fade while unconscious. "Wake up," he growled before grazing the side of his face with his palm, giving it a loud slap, "Kyon, up!" It wasn't until there was even a quiet sputter from Jin-ho that Sloane hefted the man up as carefully as he could, trying his best not to jostle the sword in any one direction. It would have been so much easier carrying him if it were removed but it was too dangerous right now. His life was on the line.
"This way," he told Felicity without giving her a second glance, immediately kicking the door open further and exiting. The Infitialis, now with the bloody and dying man in his arms, couldn't wait to see if she was following or if she had the two Excitos in tow as he asked. It was now or never that they needed to get to the infirmary and all either of them could do was hope he didn't die on the way there.
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 10:09 am
Felicity's mouth felt raw and dry and she could only mutely obey the instructions given to her by the sword Plague. She couldn't bear to look at the limp form of the man who had helped repair her shattered confidence. Yet at the same time she couldn't help but catch a glimpse of his pale limp form and the bright arterial blood that had bled all over him. Even as she felt light headed and squeezed her eyes shut it dripped noisily onto the cold stone floor as Sloane carried him away. Taking a deep rasping breath she set about her task - her brain was in a complete mess... She felt sickeningly responsible. She wanted to run away and hide. But the better part of her knew that right now she needed to help in any way possible.
She was surprised to find Claudia and Blaithe separated, both on their backs flat on the floor. "C-claudia? B-Blaithe?!" On closer inspection Blaithe looked as though she had been put through the same kind of state her Grimm had been through: thoroughly battered and unconscious. Claudia did not look any better off either - a twist of smoke rising from her dress... Had the assailant come back to finish off the job? Carefully picking up the paintbrush she began to turn to call to Sloane and warn him. However a voice slashed through the tense air before she could open her mouth.
"Don't!" Claudia's voice dripped with venom. Felicity looked back at the flower plague. She had propped herself up and was radiating unspeakable anger. It made the Grimm quite intimidated. "Put her down." Felicity drew the wounded Blaithe closer to her chest - protectively. "Put her down now you idiotic b***h! Look at what she's done!" Claudia gripped her dress, tugging aggressively at it and thrusting a tattered petal towards the woman. "I want her to die! Give her to me! Now! Let me at her!" Despite clearly being wounded the caedos staggered towards Felicity with her fingers curling into claws and scratching at the air in front of her, itching to tear into the other Plague.
"W-what have you d-done?" Felicity couldn't deal with this... It seemed as though her precious plague had done this to Blaithe or was involved in some way. As if it wasn't already traumatic enough with her close friend on the verge of death. To have her Plague become a violent murderer was too much. "No! I w-won't let you!" She choked, snatching the rose with her free hand and standing up. The caedos squirmed and tried to get away but it was no use: the Grimm had a tight hold of her in her bony hands and was already swiftly running to catch up with Sloane. The flower wouldn't dare say anything foolish in front of him... It would get them both killed for sure... The truth would out eventually when Blaithe woke up but Felicity wasn't thinking about that - she just wanted to fight back the nauseas sensation in her stomach and pretend this was all a nightmare.
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:09 pm
The medical wing was two floors up, and Sloane was keeping a steady pace. His long legs enabled him to sprint so quickly that Felicity had to run full out in order to keep up and from the sound of near silence behind him, he figured she was having difficulty with that. Hushed voices were all the sounds he heard from the woman, no doubt speaking with her own Plague, though the words were far too muffled and his attentions elsewhere.
One glance over his shoulder as he rounded a corner told him that she was following him after all, and Sloane continued at his fast pace while attempting to be as careful as possible of Jin-ho's wounds. Occasionally he would speak to him, try and get the scribe to respond vocally, but when there was silence he would bring him back by gripping his arm with his bare hand. Understandably, each response from the mage then was a yell but it was better than him losing consciousness and sinking into death.
Ascending the stairs was the worst of the trip, each hurried step jostling the poor man and the blade embedded in his side. "Hold on, Jin-ho..." Sloane muttered every now and then, attempting to give comfort and an assurance for his safety, but there was no telling what would happen from here.
Humans were so fragile...
The heavy door swung open with a thrust of Sloane's armored boot. The mages inside gasped, all medical personnel rushing to the knight and the wounded man in his arms. He assisted them in placing Jin-ho on the nearest empty bed after it was stripped of its covering. Red instantly began staining the white sheet beneath him and they set to work on cutting his shirt away before the real procedure could begin.
Bottles of alcohol, cutting tools, a black of wood for his mouth so he wouldn't bite off or swallow his tongue. Everything was assembled, and as soon as it was, several mages began shooing him out before Felicity even rounded the corner into the room. His eyes met with the fragile woman's as he stumbled out of the room, blood messily smeared all over his hands, armor and face, and just before the door slammed shut behind him, a perfect glimpse of the scene was open to her.
And then the scream. Muffled through the thick wood of the door as well as the block now resting in his jaw, but the sound still broke through and caused Sloane to stiffen. She shouldn't be here to listen to this. Blaithe shouldn't be here. "Come," he beckoned gently, reaching out for her shoulder to turn her away from the infirmary so they could return to a place of silence. Now that he was being tended to, Sloane wanted to know everything about the situation... His gaze drifted down to Blaithe, so small and unconscious in Felicity's hand, as they walked side by side. Once they were somewhere more calm, he would relieve the poor woman of the extra burden.
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