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Grey.

And then a voice: not just any voice but voices, loud and quiet, helpless and accusatory, foreign and familiar. From the grey fog rose a shape, a leviathan from the fog below, deep black scales piercing the thin grey mist as a set of serrated teeth, jowls easily twenty feet spanning rose-

-Deep blue eyes accompanied the shape that threatened to consume-

Snap.

The Head priestess was literally thrown out of her Trance. It was always a strange sensation, even in entirely incorporeal reality, to have utterly and entirely died. An unpleasant feeling that left her shaking, charred hands throbbing painfully. Medea closed her eyes.

The trials. The phoenix. The fog. The festival. Time was closing in too fast with only one inevitable path looming ahead.

Chaos. Neither life nor death.

She took one quivering breath and steadied herself, slowly wobbling out of the tent barefoot, wearing only her simple linen dress. A braceleted hand waved at the closest Famine sentry within her new sanctuary inside the Lair. "We must find everyone, it will be time soon."

*

It took almost no time for all the horsemen to gather, and the honoured warriors, the Lost Clans initiates who saw to their original cause. Though horsemen were by nature proud of their lineage, there had been many in the past who had joined the clans and proved themselves both loyal and worthy. Medea was one of them, and the greatest secret perhaps was that the only surviving horsemen clan leader was as well.

It was time for everyone to prove themselves again, the Colosseum more crowded than usual with all assembled and gathered recruits and long withstanding members. On a special podium to the side was the Head Priestess, the famine clan elder, and the four Protectors, once-Heirs.

Medea rose to speak: the crowd grew silent.

"It is not often that we face such difficult times. Our clan, born of strongest Fear, surviving century after century now faces an inevitable uncertainty."

A low murmur as the Head Priestess paused rather poignantly before raising her hand again to call for attention. "It is the uncertainty of an unknown power, it is the uncertainty of something that threatens to topple the delicate balance we have as those who gather Fear and use it accordingly. It is a blight, seeking to spread and corrupt further until it consumes all, and the one single reason-"

-She paused. For a second it seemed as she was unsure herself what reason. She paused and then put her hand down, knuckles white, clutching at the makeshift granite railing. "A single reason," She repeated, "The birth of something that should never exist. An imbalance in power. The creation of something unnecessary, an influx of uncontrollable elements."

Suspense. Curiousity.

"I speak of Ancients, my children, and the unnatural creation of one, a time bomb currently still ticking. If this comes to pass, I am afraid for our future. This single force will collapse the very structure of Fear and perhaps one day consume us. An infection. A misfortune."

"Now, my children, I burden you with a single task. You must control, keep the Ancient from rising, of gaining power, momentum: their power is one that of misfortune and Insanity. Of a spiderweb frayed and fragmented that threatens to spread beyond what its owner can control. The salvation of our clan, our worlds lies dependent on a singular thread of choice. Those who become consumed by Insanity must be destroyed, swept away quickly, before they are consumed further and thus propagate a chain of uncontrollable reactions, a relentless cycle of ceaseless hunger that will consume everyone-"

A sudden pang as she remembered the brilliant blue eyes. Another moment where the world spinned, where Medea seemed to be practically propping herself against the railing to stand-

-Before she stared in silent horror at something in the middle of the Colosseum that only she could see-

- And collapsed entirely.

Chaos. And then the Famine elder stood up, quickly rapping his staff against the ground. "Medea's words will pass, we will rise to battle this rising Insanity. You will be given the supplies and follow the blight to its homeland to cleanse our path, our future."

He sat down, slowly and heavily, waving his gnarled hand, letting everyone else sort themselves out.

Kiwi stood in the crowd, listening to Medea's dire prophesy. While the small Famine clansman had been skeptical of the Head Priestess in times past, he knew very good and well what devastation Insanity could wreak. An Ancient was even worse. A part of him wondered if the Hunters weren't to blame for this too. If those belly-crawling humans hadn't destroyed their homeland, maybe ... maybe this Insanity wouldn't have been unleashed.

No. What's done was done. Kiwi cast a glance to the crowd around him. Eisheth was here, Faiyum, Heidla, people he cared dearly for. His clan too was safe, and together they were strong. The students, well, ... it was wonderful they were willing to help. The jewelry on Kiwi's wings tinkled gently as he turned, and his hands clasped together as he offered a silent prayer: Oh mighty Queen, please watch over us all. And Totem, please guide me to strength this day.

And with that, he stepped forward.

[Exiting]

Roused from an uneasy sleep, Nergui had followed the others into the Colosseum in little more then a wine colored dressing gown and knee high, fur lined boots. As per usual, even in her state of slight undress, the gauzy, lace lined veil lay over the spider silk of free hanging hair and the downy softness of wings that crowned her head. Sheer drape barely hiding the right of her face and that eerily glowing golden eye.

Any that knew her well, and there were only a tiny few among those that remained of their people, would see instantly that the mare was agitated, and it went far beyond having been rudely awakened. She admired Medea, and if their Priestess called them, then Neru would follow.

No, this agitation was rooted in the very Insanity the priestess was now speaking of. The infection that had plagued the dark skinned priestess of death from the moment their homes had been taken from them. She cringed at the word, features shutting down into hardened unhappiness. Medea spoke of destroying those consumed by the blight, but Nergui and the other infected.. Weren't they on the brink themselves?

Her mind couldn't help but wander as she listened. How long would it be until they were no better off then the poor unfortunate few that were now beyond the grasp of reason. Beyond salvation..

Were they in for the same treatment?

The horsewoman shuddered, slender arms coming up to cross protectively over herself. Thoughts like those were destructive, now was certainly not the time for them. Not if they were going to be marching into battle again, and that was what it sounded like. Clear heads were in order, or at least as clear as the priestess's mind ever got.

The frown the woman was wearing grew more pronounced, and her chest rose and fell as she drew a heavy breath and let it out slowly.

Her lingering upon her own thoughts and concerns ended as their priestess swayed where she stood and then collapsed completely, and Nergui's eyes went wide as she stepped forward automatically. As if she herself would have rushed forward to help the woman. Chaos erupted within the cavernous room, calmed only as the Famine leader stepped forward and called for order, his staff banging loudly against the rock.

When he finished speaking the mare finally glanced around herself at the others that were gathered within the Colosseum, heterchromic eyes landing on those familiar to her before she finally looked away and exited herself, following the crowd.

[Exiting to HH]

Shaheen had joined with the others in the Colloseum, face pensive as she awaited the words that Medea had for them. She hadn't seen the priestess in quite some time, and had to wonder if she was well and truly dead. Yet there she stood, spouting her usual grand speech of enemies to be defeated and glories restored to the clans. Though this one seemed different then usual. For one, it seemed naught to have anything to do with hunters, or humans, but instead some creature that should not have been. That piqued the war chieftains interest enough, and she sat up a little straighter, leaned forward a little more as she tried to focus on what was being said.

It was difficult, however. Her mind tended to wander more and more, lately. The voices were a never ending disturbance in the back of her mind, demanding attention though they told her nothing discernible. Even now as she tried to focus, she could feel herself slipping away, trying to understand whatever the voices were trying to tell her, until a single sentence broke though her haze.

Those who become consumed by Insanity must be destroyed

The chieftain hissed in a sharp breath, eyes darting from side to side in paranoia. Was anybody looking at her? Did they consider her to be a liability, one who would eventually become consumed by insanity and best to be destroyed now rather then later? No. No, she did not survive the fall of the islands to let herself be taken now!

Medea fell, but Shaheen barely noticed, even amongst the cacophony and chaos that followed. She was too busy eyeing her fellow clans mates, suspicious, paranoid, and angry. She needed to get away from them, before they all turned on her. Yes.

The chieftain stood and departed, on her own, keeping her distance from those who would see her dead. She could trust no one except those who were also afflicted now. Where were Senga, and Lifen? She would have to seek them out at some point. For now, she went on alone.

((Exit))

Mmm, the eve of battle~ While Shik had the pretense of looking almost bored, these little meetings actually managed to incite his blood for battle, like a war council planning the destruction of their foes. And this time it would seem that an ancient needed to be stopped.

It sounded formidable. Shik liked that idea very, very much. Epics were not told from the victories over normal enemies after all, but from the extraordinary battles that overcame the odds. In preparation, the horseman cracked his knuckles and smirked, turning to give Shaheen some sort of comment.

But she wasn't there. A suspicious look and a quick departure, that was all.

. . . Those were not good signs. Aaaah, this was going to be another drawn out issue wasn't it. Medea couldn't have meant wipe out their own infected, of course not. It was a ridiculous notion after letting them survive for so long anyway.

But then, Shik wondered, what was it that the head priestess has seen before she collapsed? Was it a vision relating to the Insanity that lied within their ranks, or worse? The executioner frowned to himself as he left for one of the portals, intent on battle but unable to shake an uneasy feeling.

(( Exiting ))

To say she felt uneasy was probably an understatement. The small Scholar just stood and listened quietly with her expression looking stern not that she often looked any other way unless she was alone with her brother or other people she let her guard down around. Anxiously she toyed with a bit of her costume feeling restless until it seemed like it was time to act.

She gave a small respectful bow and then shuffled out uncertain if she was even capable of what she was being asked of. Yuzhi had failed before and so what is to stop her from failing again?

[Le Exits]

A serious face was on the little horsewoman's face as she listened to their Priestess, mismatched eyes watching every little movement that happened and emotion that rippled on her face. She wasn't entirely sure how to feel about it all, the darkness that plagued her mind was definitively a serious thing - something that they all had to worry about, battle through - but to destroy it . . . she worried about the implications that came with that. How far, and what would they have to destroy in order for them to rid themselves of it. She wasn't taken over . . . per say, but it didn't mean she wasn't affected by it. She would have to watch over this.

Sighing a little as the chaos broke out, she was flanked again by taller groups, murmuring to themselves and blocking her sights out - she couldn't tell if any of those she was constantly watching for were around her, due to colours and bodies.

She would see what would transpire.

[ Exiting ]

Her eyes were as wide as ever, but the usual smile dancing on her lips was replaced with a thin, straight line as Jay filed after the other Clans members. As the jewelry dangling around her neck and wrists jangled softly, she gave the room a cursory examination in an attempt to pinpoint familiar faces from the crowd. She thought it would have been simple for her to pick out the white fur of Senga’s wolf pelt or the bright red of Iyari’s long hair, but they were lost amidst the colors of the other horsemen and initiates. The corner of her lips twitched and she reached up to tug at the scarf curled around her neck. Her distracted mind spent another moment to take in the sights and sounds of the filled Colosseum before Medea’s presence drew her attention.

She picked up Medea’s soft voice from above the cacophony, but soon it quieted down as everyone leaned in to listen to the priestess. The warrior furrowed her brows when she attempted to take in Medea’s words. They confused her at first, a string of words that meant nothing to her until suddenly the implications hit her. Something was threatening their future, their survival. Jay pressed her lips together. Fingers curled into tight balls. Whatever it was, no matter how powerful it was, she wouldn’t let it come. Yet, at the mention of Insanity she paused. Once more she searched the crowd for a familiar spot of white or tawny hair while the image of grey tendrils curling on Senga’s face came to mind. “You won’t be consumed…right?” Jay murmured quietly to herself.

The horsewoman lurched forward as Medea fell. She wanted to rush toward the Head Priestess, but she was a speck in the crowd. The priestess was already being taken care of by other soldiers. Her wings rustled restlessly before she nodded her head and turned around to gather her supplies before heading out.

[ exiting ]