Voyage Through the Multiverse (Ended) [IC]

[Demincia]

Secrets of the Raven
Dawn and Celeste Elissa


Celeste shifted her weight slightly, now leaning on her hammer. "You think that will work? Honestly believe it, or just trying to sell it to me?" she asked. "I may not have been here very long, but I've seen plenty. And I don't like what I've seen." She glanced at Dawn, who didn't meet her gaze.

"The last fight alone was a disaster, frankly I'm surprised you've made it this far. There was a horrendous lack of communication, there was nothing resembling preplanned cooperation, it just seemed to be an exercise in who could get themselves hurt the worst. If one of you isn't charging at your foes with reckless abandon, another is trying plead for peace." She looked down at Elizabeth directly. "I've heard that today isn't the first time that someone's had to save your life recently. It seems to be a frequent occurrence.

"But it isn't just this group specifically, it's your race as a whole. Shortly after I arrived, I accompanied you while you pleaded for help from other humans. It wasn't a totally successful endeavor, some of your kind would prefer the death of their world than to unite as one force."

Dawn couldn't say that she disagreed with her sister's points, but she chose instead to keep quiet which seemed to only annoy Celeste more. "This is your endeavor, and yet you won't speak in their defense." the Spacecrafter accused. "So quick to ignore an oath sworn long ago, but now that you've been proven wrong you stay silent. Don't tell me you're embarrassed, Timewalker."

[Korhal IVV]

Shadows of the Empire
Galactic City?

The scuffle ended as swiftly as it began, and it was quite fortunate that it ended the way it did; had one of the Haeresi been killed or injured, all fifty of the mighty psychic warriors, supported by Terran troopers and Panzer-Sturmeter combat frames, would attack the Sith Lord as one. It was a fortunate slice of fate that the Grand Admiral and Chief Haeresi intervened at exactly the same moment when the three were pooling their potent psychic potential as one mighty force of flaming soulstuff and mind energy, as had they succeeded, they could have, assuming that they critically met their mark, dealt considerable damage. Now, the Sith Lord went down to Coruscant’s planetary surface within a Kilka Diplomatic Shuttle, which was an expensive, unarmed transport ship that had extremely powerful energy shielding and Stalinium plate armor, making it almost impossible to destroy with standard starfighter weapons, making it the ideal diplomatic ship for use by the envoys, diplomats, and ambassadors of the Terran Federation. In this case, it provided a comfortable and extremely durable transport for a Jedi Master, a Grand Admiral, a Chief Haeresi, a Starseer, and four Haeresi Warlocks, who were tasked with protecting the aforementioned from any potential assailant, no matter how low the risk for an attack was… or was it?

The Andromeda and the rest of the starships of the Solar Dragons stayed on high orbit as the diplomatic shuttle left the Andromeda’s dorsal hangars. They maintained a formation that faced away from the planet, and the captain of the Andromeda, Captain Yasoru Yamanami, was given explicit orders to be ready to defend the planet should an enemy attack force suddenly come in; Grand Admiral Yi Sun-shin was known for always preparing for the worst, and in this case, he thought it wise for the fleet to be ready for an attack, never minding the fact that this was the capital of the galaxy.

They came down to the planet itself, and witnessed the warm exchanges between a certain Leia and Han Solo. Unlike his usual armored regalia, Yi Sun-shin came down wearing a purple robe; the standard garb of a Terran aristocrat, to be particular, one that inhabits the highest spires of the great void scrappers of Terra, which reached all the way to low orbit. The robe was filled with numerous golden images of Chinese and European dragons, Japanese tengu and yokai, and the occasional sailing ship. The Chief Haeresi came in with his usual garb; black coat with grey scarf and a matching black hood. The Starseer wore her white and gold robe as always. Then, they came to the presence to the Chief of State herself. The Grand Admiral expected a civilian leader like that to be appropriately dressed for her role, and she was. As Mon Mothma remarked at her being impressment at the Terran forces being able to extract information from their prisoners, the Chief Haeresi, Siracyuse Thordain, inserted in, speaking of how his compatriots extracted useful information from the captured TIE pilots. “My colleagues are masters of interrogation and diplomacy, if anything.”, Thordain said as he motioned towards the four Warlocks that accompanied them. “I have heard that an order somewhat like us once existed here, correct?”

“As for the information we got, it’s all in here.”, Aurelia said as she set down a holo-projector. It depicted the data they extracted with incredible detail. “I am not very impressed by their non-hyperspace capable fighters. Ours are immensely superior to theirs.”, Aurelia went on with a hint of contempt.

[Naval Monte]

Secrets of the Raven
Ashwood Manor

Elizabeth was silent for a few seconds as she put her hand back on her hip. "Both really. I believe that this whole mess can be fixed and I want to convince you that it can." She said as she glance at Dawn as well who avoided her gaze.

When the last fight was mention the witch winced as memories of it flashed before her. "That was an ambush and you two know that we do not have the power to always see forward in the future, so of course we were unprepared for it." When the group's lack of cooperation and communication was brought up along with everyone's reckless or are pleading peace. The witch sighed as she couldn't think of a way to counter that argument.

"Fine, we need to improve our team dynamic. But just to remind you that we literally just got new members yesterday so of course we wouldn't be working as efficiently together sense we are still strangers. As for charging in recklessly I will admit that I might have lost my cool there but I had a spell prepared to get out of harm's way but I couldn't use that because the witch froze me in order to "save" me. As for her pleading to the enemy I might have to break that habit or teach her that in this world not many people are that merciful." Elizabeth scratched the back of her head. "Just what else I need to do, babysitting a witch who is idealistic to a fault."

The witch was looking more exhausted the more she realize just how much of a mess the group is after the fight. Jackie's increasing descend into madness already put strains on the group but now her absence has made Kyle snap and he is starting to go mad as well. Liz felt betrayed as she felt that the fight against the Emissary help improve their teamwork but seem that was temporary, assuming that sense of comradeship with the three was even there at all?

The witch look up the ceiling. "My whole race is a giant mess but do not judge all of them just because some are cowards or selfish bastards, or nihilistic edge lords. Some believe they can escape the end if the world by running away into the rifts and I say let them because we don't need cowards like those. Some are threaten into inaction because the Crimsonites are threatening their loved ones. You two may decry their reason for not joining due to that but I won't. You may think that sacrificing friends and families for the world is a decent tradeoff and in some cases those sacrifices have to be made, but if you can find a way to avoid making that sacrifice while saving the world than it's great sense you can have the best of two worlds. What we need to do is find a way to protect the people these guys fear to loss and they will join."

Her expression took a much harsher look. "The ones that want the world to end for whatever reason should just be ignored. As for uniting then into one group it's difficult because past attempts to do so fail usually because those that tried to form such coalitions without it being a temporary measure against a common enemy usually try to restrain and force the other groups to follow their ideals, some to the point that the rules of the coalition makes some members into outlaws. We need to show that the Crimsonites are truly a great threat to make them unite, to put them at the same level ad abyssal infestation or extradimensional incursions."

The witch moved away as a golem walked by carrying a vase with plants in the vase. "Right now most think the cult won't succeed because there are many cults that want to restart the world into their paradise and most are nowhere close to achieving them, we need to show them that this group isn't following the usual trend and might succeed." The witch explained as she had her arms at her side. The witch began to pace left to right as she placed one curled finger to her chin.

“We just need to get evidence and for that we might need to pay the Fates a visit sense if we show them that the Fates believe in the Crimsonites as a threat that would help get more people on our side. More importantly if we let them know that this group was willing to attack the Usher thats could either give us more allies or scare people off, so we will have to be careful on sharing that one. Andarta alone would be a good linchpin to hold the coalition together as her power alone would make anyone will to kill a powerful rival like that work with us. With AEGIS and the Order on our side we would get some bonus legitimacy points too.”

The witch would contuine on with muttering out her ideas as she placed in front of the two sisters. "Wow she does the same thing I occasionally do. The apple didn't fall far from the tree it seems." Alex thought in amusement as she watch her daughter. She was going to let her try to convince the two goddesses to stay alone and only join in if it seems that things arenot working out well.

[Demincia]

Secrets of the Raven
Dawn and Celeste Elissa

Celeste didn't appear to be moved by Elizabeth's promise to rally her people. Instead, it might have even been having the opposite effect. "What makes you so special, that your kind should be saved? You aren't the first species to be threatened by extinction, especially by your own hand. Why should you live when the others have died? I've watched more races die out than you could dream of. Races that I liked far more than your primitive kind."

Dawn considered just scrapping everything, not calling in Celeste, possibly not even coming over in the first place. This endeavor was more trouble than it was worth, especially since her faith seemed to be misplaced. It was a tempting option, as she wasn't a fan of this embarrassment. She noticed Celeste's gaze was burning into her, but she didn't return it or answer it. She had no other options to offer up for why this situation was worth seeing out.

[Naval Monte]

Secrets of the Raven
Ashwood Manor

Elizabeth bit the nail of her thumb as her words seem to have the opposite effect on Celeste. Warping her arm at her chest just below her breasts the witch was now nervous that she was going lose the two goddesses. "Shit! Come on Liz think of something before you loss them for good!" as Celeste make it clear that she has no love for humanity and that she has seen many races die out and ask why humanity, particularly the ones in this universe, should be treated differently compared to past species whose extinctions they saw. "Expect you already got involved this much with our race." Elizabeth said, looking at the two as she brought the other arm to cover the other. "You may not want to be here but you saved my life when you could have just let me die. But your involvement was small compared to your sister."

Elizabeth look at Dawn. "You told me that you can't get involved as much with the affairs of mortals, that it was against the rule. But you chose to disregard that the day you came here personally. You chose to speak with me and stay in my group, you chose to save my life when like your sister you could have just let me die. You even out up with my bullshit requests and I thank you for that. Whether you want to admit it Dawn you are already on the edge of breaking that non-inteference rule. Can't you just for this one time break it? You already did so much here and do you really want to erase all the progress you made in here and just give up and leave?" The witch said calmly as she walked close to her.

"This choice is yours Dawn, you can decide whether you feel that you see any merit on staying or not. Neither me or your sister can decide that or force you to leave. But I would appreciate it if you decide to give birth this group and humanity a second chance and help us." The witch placed her hands on top of her chest, where her heart was. “What will it be Dawn?” Elizabeth said as she tilt her head slightly to the side.

[Slenderman The CreepyPasta King]

Shadows of the Empire
Galactic City?

The scuffle ended as swiftly as it began, and it was quite fortunate that it ended the way it did; had one of the Haeresi been killed or injured, all fifty of the mighty psychic warriors, supported by Terran troopers and Panzer-Sturmeter combat frames, would attack the Sith Lord as one. It was a fortunate slice of fate that the Grand Admiral and Chief Haeresi intervened at exactly the same moment when the three were pooling their potent psychic potential as one mighty force of flaming soulstuff and mind energy, as had they succeeded, they could have, assuming that they critically met their mark, dealt considerable damage. Now, the Sith Lord went down to Coruscant’s planetary surface within a Kilka Diplomatic Shuttle, which was an expensive, unarmed transport ship that had extremely powerful energy shielding and Stalinium plate armor, making it almost impossible to destroy with standard starfighter weapons, making it the ideal diplomatic ship for use by the envoys, diplomats, and ambassadors of the Terran Federation. In this case, it provided a comfortable and extremely durable transport for a Jedi Master, a Grand Admiral, a Chief Haeresi, a Starseer, and four Haeresi Warlocks, who were tasked with protecting the aforementioned from any potential assailant, no matter how low the risk for an attack was… or was it?

The Andromeda and the rest of the starships of the Solar Dragons stayed on high orbit as the diplomatic shuttle left the Andromeda’s dorsal hangars. They maintained a formation that faced away from the planet, and the captain of the Andromeda, Captain Yasoru Yamanami, was given explicit orders to be ready to defend the planet should an enemy attack force suddenly come in; Grand Admiral Yi Sun-shin was known for always preparing for the worst, and in this case, he thought it wise for the fleet to be ready for an attack, never minding the fact that this was the capital of the galaxy.

They came down to the planet itself, and witnessed the warm exchanges between a certain Leia and Han Solo. Unlike his usual armored regalia, Yi Sun-shin came down wearing a purple robe; the standard garb of a Terran aristocrat, to be particular, one that inhabits the highest spires of the great void scrappers of Terra, which reached all the way to low orbit. The robe was filled with numerous golden images of Chinese and European dragons, Japanese tengu and yokai, and the occasional sailing ship. The Chief Haeresi came in with his usual garb; black coat with grey scarf and a matching black hood. The Starseer wore her white and gold robe as always. Then, they came to the presence to the Chief of State herself. The Grand Admiral expected a civilian leader like that to be appropriately dressed for her role, and she was. As Mon Mothma remarked at her being impressment at the Terran forces being able to extract information from their prisoners, the Chief Haeresi, Siracyuse Thordain, inserted in, speaking of how his compatriots extracted useful information from the captured TIE pilots. “My colleagues are masters of interrogation and diplomacy, if anything.”, Thordain said as he motioned towards the four Warlocks that accompanied them. “I have heard that an order somewhat like us once existed here, correct?”

“As for the information we got, it’s all in here.”, Aurelia said as she set down a holo-projector. It depicted the data they extracted with incredible detail. “I am not very impressed by their non-hyperspace capable fighters. Ours are immensely superior to theirs.”, Aurelia went on with a hint of contempt.

"Speaking of the Jedi order," The disguised sith began,"My name is Dakoolon, the Bar'senthor and Jedi Master of the Jedi Order and President of Zakuul, i will need o talk to this era's Jedi grand master ASAP as to limit the amount of people knowing of my presence." When the data came up Dakoolon stated, "halve that number and you'll be in the ball park, according to the information i got from their prisoner at least." He then said, acting ashamed and sounding sorrowful. "They had orders to exaggerate their numbers as much as possible from their boss without making it seem like they were lying. That is a classic imperial tactic from my time period, misinform and distract the enemy from their true numbers and plans. Doubling the number also made my era's republic waste resources and time recruiting up to that number while the Sith Empire attacked supply lines and such."

[Skylus]

Ganon, Issun, & Ammy
Dead Man's Party
The Magnate

"Huh. Well, that guy was weird. What'd he say about the second floor? I think we should go up there. Whaddya say, Ammy?"
The SUn Goddess nodded uncertainty and started to head for the hallway.

Madison Goodwill
Ashwood Mansion
Secrets of the Raven

Madi had left the weapons room and had wandered around the house for a bit.
Then she started to hear yelling and went to go investigate.

Madi found Liz, Celeste, Kyle, and Dawn all standing around yelling at each other, and some other things.
"Can someone please explain to me why all of you are yelling at each other, Diana is half dead, and why does everyone appear to be leaving?"

Madi then did a double take.
"...Oh, hi, Mr. Phoenix. How's it going?"

Link Farmanne/Douglas Forester
Onroute to the Senate

"So. How are you dealing with all of this?"
"Honestly, I have no idea. I suppose that I'm in shock, being that I'm in a flying metal carriage of sorts...."
Doug nodded and looked out a window at ...well, a massive city.
"What's funny is that there's stuff that we haven't even invented yet. We're working on some things but..."
He shook his head and grinned.
"Look at how organized everything is. That's the end goal for the Revel Project. my superiors want to rebuild certain sections of Hyrulialus, clean them up, you know. But with the possibly war...I dunno."
"What war?"

Doug turned around and took a seat nearby Link.
"Just before I got sucked into one of those portal things, Ganon showed up, along with his Dark World army. To make things worse, the surrounding nations, Hydialia, Skylus, Holodrum, Subrosia, Calatia, and Labrynna; they might have decided to attack Hyrulialus already."
"...I thought we had good relations with them?"
"Maybe for your era, mine's a bit complicated."

The shuttle landed and everyone exited the shuttle, only to be greeted by several people.
Everyone was introduced and taken to Mon Mothma’s office.

[Naval Monte]

Shadows of the Empire
Republic Executive Building- Chancellor's Suite

The office that the group found themselves in the circular shaped Chancellor office suite as Mothma took a suit began the stainless steel desk. Behind her was a panoramic view of the Galactic City, with its gleaming towers of metal defying gravity and reaching to the heavens as gravity defying flying machines flew by.

The red interior color that once symbolized Palpatine's residence was now replaced by the blue of the New Republic. Reliefs and statues depicting individuals and events of galactic history from both the times of the Old Republic and the new can be found in the room.

While the room was impressive Curse looked at the room with anxiousness, his eyes darting around in the room. The VERITAS systems attached to tactical masks and helmets also detected anomalous energies within the room albeit the energy signature was faint. What the esper and machines were sensing was the faint trace of Palpatine's force signature and the remaining trace of the dark side if the force still lingering in the room. A small presence of the sith lord and former galactic emperor still present even in death.

Yet Mothma did not sense the dark energy still infesting the room, her attention was preoccupied with the Grand Admiral. "If you're referring to the Jedi than yes. They use to be present on Coruscant back in the times when the Old Republic ruled the Galaxy, before they were purged by the Empire for treason." She told him, a hint of sorrow was heard from her voice.

As the holo-data was given to her the Chancellor grabbed. "I also have this to deliver." Han gave Mothma and Leia disks containing all of the information he manage to gather fro. his mission. "I'm surprise you made copies Solo?" Mothma said, impressed by his foresight. "Well I don't want a repeat of the last mission I was on." The exasperated smuggler replied, not enjoying the fact that particular past mistake was being brought up again.

"The Tie series aren't known for their quality. The Empire was known to focus more on quantity over quality and to be cheap as possible with most of their equipment, this even extended to the people working in the Empire." Han told the Grand Admiral. The admiral would get the feeling that the former smuggler was speaking from experience which he was as a former imperial. "My ship was able to evade and it gun them and she is much older than the Ties used by the Empire and the First Order." Han boasted as a smug grin form on his lips.

"Yet our missiles and jets had to save you from some of those Ties." Sato said to the smuggler to deflate his ego somewhat. Instead Han gave the woman a glare as he reply with. "You mean when you guys almost shot me out of the sky." Sato merely shrugged to Han's accusations. "At the time you were flying in restricted air space and our automated defense systems were responding to an unidentified flying object in our air space. You had your force fields to protect you from our missiles and more importantly because you were fighting against our enemy we determined you were not a threat. The fact you are here now is owe to the fact that we admit that we made a mistake on shooting you and corrected it." The director coldly stated, not entirely winning the smuggler over with her statement but getting him to drop the subject for now do to more pressing matters.

After Dakoolon told her about the days most likely being exaggerated to deceive New Republic intelligence and his request to see the Jedi Grand Master the Chancellor would thank him for warning her of their trickery. "Unfortunately, Luke Skywalker fled with his order to an unknown world after the First Order tried to destroy the Jedi Order when they were on Yavin IV. So far our best spies have failed to locate Skywalker's location. What do you mean by the imperials of your time and what are you? I never saw your kind before."

Sato would turn her sight to Mothma speak up. "We require ships as our people lack a sufficient navy to defend ourselves from the First Order in space. Infact we had to flee from our planet to prevent them from using orbital bombardment on us again." When Mothma asked what planet they come from Sato was silent for a while as she debated on how much of the truth should be revealed?

"Our people were stationed on Zakuul, but it was not our home world. In Fact we were on the world to explore new systems and colonize new worlds for our people. Our ships unfortunately are not built for warfare and we are rather new to space warfare. Right now we wish to keep our home world a secret until we are prepared to be known to the greater galaxy. But for that to happen we both need adequate training and ships to deal with space based conflicts." Sato explained as she chose to go with a half truth, telling her enough but not mentioning other matters like them comm g from other universes.

Though thinning on it now I might have to do it as anyone else will do it." indeed the first to mention that was Papyrus. "WHY ARE YOU BEING VAGUE ABOUT YOUR WORLD COMING FROM ANOTHER UNIVERSE HUMAN? IF WE NEED THEIR HELP HIDING THAT WON'T HELP US IN THE LONG RUN." The skeleton saw Mothma give him a confused look. "Excuse me but what is he talking about and how is a skeleton talking?" Han sighed. "It's a very long story and I think it's best if they explain it because I'm still trying to warp my head around some of the things they told me."

[Slenderman The CreepyPasta King]

“great, more walking on eggshells identity wise for me.” The disguised Sith thought. “What I mean by the imperials of my time is that, from what I gather, there have been multiple incarnations of the republic, and empire, throughout the ages. I was apart of the first iteration of it.” Dakoolon explained. “At least before the eternal empire attacked and I became the leader of a resistance made from both the Sith empire and republic to take down their emperor, who was also the Sith emperor, who wanted to consume all life in the galaxy. As for what I am, my species were the Sith. But I am guessing that I am the only one left alive as there weren’t that many even back in my time.” Then he turned to Han and said, “and you, you couldn’t have told me that the current Jedi order was in hiding when we were still on Zakuul? If I knew I could have had the zakuulian extranet look for any sightings of force users throughout the galaxy.”

[Demincia]

Secrets of the Raven
Dawn and Celeste Elissa

Celeste scoffed at Elizabeth's attempts to sway her sister. "You're playing with fire, human." she warned. "These are agreements older than your star. They're a part of the fundamental laws of nature." Whether she was actually cautioning Elizabeth or Dawn wasn't clear, but Dawn glanced up at her.

"We're not in our universe, are we?" she asked, and Celeste's expression managed to turn even more dour.

"You'd be making a terrible mistake, the likes of which even you might not be able to undo. Consequences above either of us." Her grip on her hammer tightened. "Don't tell me you haven't even thought of how your decision would affect both of us. You know this won't end well, and I refuse to allow you to bring me down with you if you truly wish to throw everything away for a backwater planet in a foreign universe."

Dawn stood, and her razor appeared in her right hand. "What do you mean by not allow?"

Celeste stood firm. "Don't make me do this. If you really want to do the right thing for this world, you'd leave it be. I can take us both back, and it would be the end of it. I don't want to drag you out if I don't have to."

[Naval Monte]

Secrets of the Raven
Ashwood Manor

Ehhh. Hi. I guess you're here as well." Wright said to Madi, grateful for the distraction away from the fight. "Is Avarice and the others from your group here as well?" The defense attorney asked as he wonder if he would see them again and warn this group about Avarice and her hunter encase both are present. "As for what is going on well I just joined but..." Wrightnwad interrupted by Alex who began to tell Madi everything that occurred before the attack and after.

As the two sisters began to fight the witch knew that things would quickly spiral out of control unless she interferes. "Ladies stop fighting! Look we can argue about whether certain traditions should be upheld or not but right now the only ones who are following it or even be punished for breaking them is you two and I'm sure none of you want to fight or punish the other don't you? "

Elizabeth stayed quiet for a few seconds to let her words get into the goddesses heads. "Right now we are standing at a possible turning point that vcn help us out an end to this case. If you stay can stay with us a while longer we will see the end to this case and you two can go home.but for that to happen I need you two stay here and not set off a domino effect that would end with this group tearing itself apart."

---

Shadows of the Empire
Republic Executive Building- Chancellor's Suite

Mothma looked at the sith with a skeptical look. "I can believe you on being a critically endangered species but you will need to provide proof on being around to see the Old Republic in past incarnations." The chancellor told the sith lord.

"Well he manage to get the old computers in Zakuul to work again and he knows a ton on the Force so he might be telling the truth. Though most of the evidence for his story is back at Zakuul and right now we can't go back there without fighting with the First Order." When the sith asked Han why he didn't tell him sbkht the jedi around the smuggler would reply with."I did told you that before and even if you listen I doubt those old computers would find Luke."

[Demincia]

Secrets of the Raven
Dawn and Celeste Elissa

Celeste sigh and stepped closer towards Elizabeth. "Let me make it perfectly clear, since you seem to have trouble understanding." she said, her voice low. "I don't care about your group, I don't care about your world. It's not our concern." she said glaring at Dawn. "I don't take any pleasure in your race dying out, but neither does it trouble me. It's part of the natural order of the universe. To interrupt that would have serious implications for the future."

She moved passed Elizabeth and stood in front of Dawn. "If we leave now, there will be nothing that cannot be excused. The same can't be said if you go against everything we stand for and stay here." She paused a moment before continuing. "I don't know how father would react to you abandoning the central tenant of our existence, but I know that I don't want to find out. I beg you to give up this foolish crusade of yours. For everyone's sake."

[Slenderman The CreepyPasta King]

Secrets of the Raven
[b][u]Shadows of the Empire
Republic Executive Building- Chancellor's Suite

Mothma looked at the sith with a skeptical look. "I can believe you on being a critically endangered species but you will need to provide proof on being around to see the Old Republic in past incarnations." The chancellor told the sith lord.

"Well he manage to get the old computers in Zakuul to work again and he knows a ton on the Force so he might be telling the truth. Though most of the evidence for his story is back at Zakuul and right now we can't go back there without fighting with the First Order." When the sith asked Han why he didn't tell him sbkht the jedi around the smuggler would reply with."I did told you that before and even if you listen I doubt those old computers would find Luke."

“You’d be surprised on our tech back then, sure a lot of it was helped along by repurposed rakaten technology, at least from their tech we found, and I don’t know what happened to it once I went into hibernation, but considering that from what I’ve seen of it today, I’d say it regressed and only recently began overtaking my era’s technology. And considering that the Zakuulian network runs through Iokath, a synthetic planet made by beings older and more technologically advanced than even the rakata, that had a stranglehold on the entire galaxy and any rebellions that popped up were quickly squashed.” The Sith explained.

“Hell, from what I gather the eternal empire hooked up their network with it so there’s an amazing chance it’s still running. Not to mention that the last time I was on Iokath, and the only beings even on that planet were full blown AI droids that exterminated all life in their empire, and nearly killed me and even outright killed some of my allies, some of which were some Sith running the empire’s affairs, on top of that the planet itself had force detection hardware, and 10,000 credits say they worked that hardware into their network, and therefore on all of their terminals. Get to a terminal, start a search for large amounts of firce users, and there’s a chance that they’ll be found. Though I don’t know where they would have put it on corosaunt. And Iokath’s going to be a bust as going there is all but a death sentence, getting to one will be nearly impossible.”

[Menschenfleisch]

Secrets of the Raven | Kyle

"You can send me home? Dawn, Celeste - if you can do that, then I'd be really, really thankful. Once I acquire Jack, of course."

So, what was happening now? He didn't care. He really, really didn't care. His mind was preoccupied, consumed by something else that needed to be done. He imagined flight paths, trajectories, estimated coordinates. What? Where was he going with that train of thought? He snapped back to reality, trying to maintain composure. It felt wrong, it felt horrible to not be out there. That fight with Diana, that conflict - it had been the first moment in ages that he'd been able to align himself. He needed something to do, something that he could be assured was the right thing to do. He blurted words out, almost unconscious as he said them.

"We'll fight! Weiss, we'll duel. You wanted to bring Diana down, right? Well I have something to say about that. You and me! Courtyard, now! I want to show you that I'm not to be trifled with - that we're not messing around anymore. So you're going to learn not to get in my way, understood?"

He huffed and breathed, taking in a lungful through his nose. He needed focus, needed a task. So he was going to fight, and gather information. Learn about someone he knew he might one day have to clash with. Alexander and Elizabeth, leaves of the same branch. To defeat one was to defeat all others. He needed the intel, he needed to know where he stood. So unsure, so unstable. He needed to be doing something, not just standing here! He nearly sprinted toward the door, throwing it open.

"Come on! This charade ends now!"

[Naval Monte]

Secrets of the Raven
Ashwood Manor

Elizabeth glared at Celeste. "And I don't give a fuck about what you think or what is suppose to be the natural order of things. Actually sense it is a group trying to bring about the end than it won't be consider the natural order sense from what I have gathered from you two mortals shouldn't be messing with the universe like that." Elizabeth pointed out, her hands clenching on her arms.

"The future isn't that important because it isn't set in stone, it can be changed now." When Celeste tried to convince Dawn to leave here by using the threat of her father's reaction to her defiance the witch would state. "If your father is so against you helping mortals he would have dragged your ass out of here the moment you thought of saving my life Dawn. Your father either doesn't know or care about how you deal with mortals Dawn."

Alex chose this moment to speak. Using her powers she distorted sound vibrations so only Dawn can hear her. "I can tell you want to help us Dawn because most gods don't agree to help mothers reunite with their children or help families and kids for that matter. Can you truly leave this world and let the families whose lost their children to the cult not get the justice they deserve?"

Alex was confident that Dawn was not the type to just abandoned humanity so easily. It was hard understanding her but Alex had a gut feeling that Dawn was not like other gods who are quick to abandoned humanity once their use was done, the fact she spends her time helping them with no other price besides possibly money gives her some hope that her instincts are right.

Yet her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when Kyle challenged her to a duel due go wanting to bring Diana down to the basement herself with Elizabeth. "You are joking right?" The confused lich tilt her head to the left. "Why should I accept your duel for the most flimsiest of reasons? The only charade ending is your reliability to this group."

---

Shadows of the Empire
Republic Executive Building- Chancellor's Suite

Sato used an implant in her brain to send out a cyber telepathic response to Hex, September, and Deimos "Remind me to never share confidential information to the suppose president of Zakuul.
That walking calamari would expose not only everything we told him but our personal secrets as well" the director stated, not at all a fan of the fact that Dakoolon might be too trustworthy to give away too much information to people. But right now she find that potential liability useful for them and so did Mon Mothma.

"If this planet is as dangerous and useful as you claim it to be we might need to use the technology store in there to not only help find Skywalker but to improve our technology. There is also the third objective of preventing the First Order and Imperial Warlords from claiming the planet. However if Zakuul has a piece of Iokath's technology then we must regain the planet from whatever fleet the First Order has sent to the planet before they can reclaim and study it."

She looked at Sato. "Besides, I need to help your people regain the world and help your navy. But exchange I request your people in helping us with the terminals." Sato agreed with the arrangement. “What ships will you be giving us?” Sato asked. Mothma showed a few holographic projections, Sato's eyes narrowing when she saw the image of the Dreadnought-Class Heavy Cruiser.

“We will give you for now surplus of ships both common throughout the galaxy and those from past wars, mainly the Clone Wars but a few from the Galactic Civil War. I'm afraid due to security reasons we can't give you any of our more latest equipment.” the woman sounded genuinely torn on it being able to help the group as much besides selling old and ubiquitous ships to them. Yet Sato didn't look to upset on the selection.

“It's alright ma’am. We just need a few ships while we are making our own. Besides we might have to change some of the systems in it to fit with our own systems as we might not have the necessary materials to both mass produce some of the equipments within the ships but to use them to replace damaged equipment and to maintain still working ones for long. It's best if we replace them for our own as we can easily fix and maintain our own technology ”

[Demincia]

Secrets of the Raven
Dawn and Celeste Elissa

Celeste narrowed her eyes at Elizabeth. She twisted her wrist, slamming the shaft of her hammer across the witch's gut. "You ungrateful, arrogant little insect." she said, setting the end back down on the floor. "You don't understand anything, but try to argue as if we were equals. If it weren't for my sister's unexplainable mercy, I'd have cast you into a black hole and be done with this useless exercise." She looked straight at Dawn.

"I'm tired of waiting for you to come to your senses. I'm leaving. Enjoy your stay here, however long it may be." she said, then turned and started to walk away. A rift opened up in front of her, but before she could step inside it Dawn drove the pommel of her scything into the floor, causing the house to shake.

"No you aren't." she said flatly. Celeste stood in place, and the rift closed. The Spacecrafter turned in place, looking unamused.

"Do you plan to stop me?" she asked, with the same tone as her sister.

"If I need to." was all Dawn said, not moving a muscle.

The two maintained eye contact for a few tense moments, before Celeste finally broke the silence. "So be it. But when father wishes to know why we've suddenly discarded everything we've stood for, I hope that you will be as brave as you are now."

The hammer disappeared from her hand, and a rift appeared in front of her. "I will be in the basement when you need me. Just make sure it's necessary." she said before disappearing into it before it closed.

[Naval Monte]

Secrets of the Raven
Ashwood Manor

Elizabeth felt the air rush out of her body ad the staff of the hammer hit her gut. The witch doubled over and held her stomach. "You fucking raging twat. I swear if you weren't a fuckin goddess I'll curse your stuck up arse." The witch spewed out in rage as she rubbed her stomach. As Celeste was getting ready to leave the witch was going to throw one last insult to her but Dawn prevented her from leaving the world, keeping her with the group.

When Celeste left to go down in the basement Elizabeth turn her attention to Dawn"You really want to make your little sister suffer by being surrounded by us monkeys don't you?" She said with a slight teasing tone in her voice. "But thank you for staying, but I'm not sure if keeping your sister around would do us any good. No offense but she seriously hates humanity and I'm worried about what she might do to someone if left alone for too long."

Elizabeth soon turn her attention to Kyle as she glared at him. "What the hell is wrong with you? First you create an international incident and threaten to join the fucking Crimsonites, now you are challenging people to a fucking duel while I was trying to keep this group together?" Elizabeth pinched the bridge of her nose as she took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to surpass her rage. "We do not have time with your angsty bullshit Anakin. Either cut it out with this crap or I will have to beat some sense into you!"

[Menschenfleisch]

Dead Man's Party | Avenoir and Mnemosyne

Marcus listened to the man's explanation of things with quite a bit more interest than seemed necessary. He leaned forward, squinted his eyes, seemed to focus on minutiae for far too long. And when he'd heard all that there was to be said and the door was closed behind them, he began to fidget and mutter, restless as could be. Certainly, either Czernobog or his history had not been kind to his mind.

"So that's it, then. We need to find these seven sins and find a way to kill them. Might be hard, considering how they appear to operate. If they're attacking us from afar, with our own flaws, then we need to make sure we don't fall for as long as possible. Come up with what we think our greatest sin is, maybe."
"Well, there's one thing that's a little more important, in my opinion. Something that needs to be worked out."
"That being?"
"Why'd he close the door on us? Surely he should've ushered us out. What a neurotic bastard!"

Polly, meanwhile, sniffed the air a little. She was unsure of what the unpleasant aroma was. Gas? Bacon? Charcoal? It was hard to identify, and even harder to really make out amongst all the other smells in the hotel. It was supposed to be a luxury estblishment, after all. Practically everything had hints of lavender and perfume.

"Yeah, you're right. I do smell something fishy."

She bounded up the stairs, a little of her old energy returning - but not her incredibly dedicated personality.

"Let's go check it out! Maybe we can find some info about what's going on here!"

L-Fel | Cassia

Cass opened her eyes, looking up into the detective's face.

"I wasn't asleep."

She leapt off the bed, invigorated and wearing a completely different outfit from last night. Casual shirt, pants, puffy jacket. Nothing like the half-military dress she'd gone to bed in yesterday.

"So! Let's get going! University of Iowa? You want me to fly you there, or are we taking the scenic route?"

[Rostavykhan]

Dead Man's Party
Miria

"Yes, Ma'am!", Said Miria, hopping up to follow Polly. Just as she hit the floor, however, she stumbled, and paused.

"Ma'am"? Really? Miria shook her head. That was what she was used to calling her Mistress, when they ran around working. Maybe it was just the way Polly gave the order, or the way the hotel seemed to remind her of home a little bit. Maybe she was still a little tired. She told herself it didn't matter, and after her little hiccup, Miria kicked back into high gear, running behind Polly. "I can grab my gear, and see if I can't look around and find something neat!"

She still wanted to check outside, but if Polly felt it was important to check upstairs, then she didn't mind putting her own plans off. Maybe it would turn out to be important....maybe.

Katya

While the two girls ran upstairs to investigate the strange smell, Katya led the rest of the group down, chatting and planning.

"Our flaws? Hmmph!"

Katya seemed oddly dismissive of Marcus's suggestion, almost like she was trying to avoid talking about herself. What flaws did she have, anyways?

Well...she knew one or two, but like hell would she be sharing them willy-nilly. As good an idea as Marcus had, Katya tried to gloss over it so that she wouldn't need to worry too much. "I believe these individuals are closer than we think.", She said, thinking aloud. "There must be some way that we can lure them out. Perhaps we can bait them into revealing themselves, and then apprehend them? From what we've learned, it's probably safe to assume that they're not very powerful on their own. They rely on their targets ignorance of their powers, after all."

Then again, maybe baiting them would be harder than she thought. Ammy and Ganon didn't exactly blend it, and then Marcus and Polly had that red-eyed friend of theirs. They all stuck out like soar thumbs, especially with their ragtag appearances, let alone their obviously abhuman qualities. "You two", Katya said, nodding towards the wizard and the wolf goddess. "Do you have any ideas? Marcus suggested something, but you two have been awfully quiet on the matter until now. You're the eldest hear, and our most experienced, so I would certainly appreciate any insight that you could provide."

[Prusselanden]

L-Fel
"I heard that they have complementary breakfast here. We'll head down to that, and then, I guess, to wherever Alemayahu wants us to go." Jules yawned and prepared a briefcase for their travels. "I actually haven't been given that much information on this case, and I know only as much as you guys. But...I guess I have more value as a witness than I thought. Though I don't know why."


She handed Aestus a room key. "Just in case I'm not with you when we get back, you can use this to open our room. You slide it in." She made a motion with her hand.

Jules then turned around and opened the door, waiting for Aestus to exit the room as well, and locked the door behind them.

Meanwhile, Alemayahu went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and tent to her hair.

"I'd appreciate it if you can stay with us. In case something happens, your abilities will come in handy." She walked out and started to get dressed. "We'll stop at our rental care facility and rent a car first, then head onto U of I. Now come, breakfast is waiting. I know you don't need food, but I'm starving."

She also handed Cass a key. "This is yours to access our room. You know how to use it, right?"


Hospital L-Fel

"Looks like I'm out of commission for a while." Fred sighed. "Look, since I can't get out of this bed, I need you guys to do me a favor." The old zaetgeschlager grunted.

"Yes sir?" Ackermann positioned her chair to face him, eager to fulfill his request.

"Find out where those things from yesterday came from, and put a stop to it."

"Are those what we came for?" Ackermann asked.

"Yes. Apparently, they come from a facility called L-Fel. Only...." Frederick turned a bit paler. "Time told me...there's also something else going on in there. Something that has the ability to distort the chronal line. She us to investigate, only I didn't expect to fall so early in the mission."

"Why don't we bring in the whole team then?"

"Let's see-Chapeau! Bring the whole team here." Frederick commanded. However, the hat was silent.

"Maybe I should put it on your head first." Ackermann took Chapeau and put it on Fred's head.

"Chapeau, bring the whole team."

Still, it was silent.

"It must have swooned." Fred frowned. "So we only have us until Nadir Shah decides to transport the west team here. You two should start by gathering info at the attack site."

"Roger that!" Ackermann grinned. "Come on Irwin!" She grabbed the Australian's arm and dragged him to adventure.

[Demincia]

Secrets of the Raven
Ashwood Manor

Kyle stood there, halfway to the door. And slowly, staring at Elizabeth, huffing and standing near the foyer, he... well, he stepped back. He stepped back, took a deep breath, and put a hand to each side of his head. There he stood, enraptured by the carpet. He twitched, went side to side slowly and methodically, trying to keep something buried inside. To him it was a battle of desire and need, a conflict that he was not even able to acknowledge. How could he? Seeing it, believing in it, would destroy him. What did he stand for? What was he fighting for? He believed that he believed in nothing. But did he? That mindset was borne of a cruel world. Not this one; merely a harsh state of affairs.
He let out an anguished sigh, and stepped forward, arms to either side.
"Yeah, yeah. You're right."
He mumbled through the side of his mouth, still casting his gaze toward the floor. His suit was silent as the night, and smooth as a flower's petals. It moved unnaturally, too silken and smooth to be anything organic. And yet, it seemed to fit him better than any body. He looked efficient, able to coordinate every joint and rotor with the dexterity of a master. He'd grown beyond flesh, and 'regressed' into something else. So what was it? He knew precisely what. He was his old self, finally stripped of compunction to act out of kindness or morality, out of allegiance or spirit.
He believed in home. And so, he believed in Jacquelyn.
His hand came up like a flash of lightning, an instantaneous flicker through the air. A hard metal barrel was pressed to the bridge of Elizabeth's nose, two iron prongs sticking like accusatory fingers into her face. He was calm, utterly neutral. His face held no hatred, his movements held no malice. He simply went from having his arms by his side, to a gun to someone's head.
"You're right. You're going to have to beat some sense into me, if you don't want me to kill you right here, and right now."
He looked around, like a wolf amongst hostile sheep.
"Celeste and Dawn don't even fucking care, do they? You guys are removed from this. It doesn't matter to you. Madison? She got here yesterday. Why the hell would she intervene? The only two people here who have been taking control are you, and Weiss. So, here comes a doozy. Why should you be telling us what to do, when what you did nearly got us killed?! Jacquelyn's been taken, and you're sitting here in your fancy mansion, reading cookbooks and discussing oranges! What the fuck is wrong with you!?"
He didn't budge an inch, yet the weapon seemed to dig further into Ashwood's skin. It was like a burning scar, a seal of molten iron. A reminder, a screaming warning against moving or resisting.
"Maybe I should be taking someone else's orders. Maybe, we need some new god damn management! Maybe I'll shoot you dead right here, and drag your soggy corpse to The Crimsonites. Because you know what? I don't give a shit about you, Elizabeth. I haven't cared one bit for your selfish shenanigans, or your gallivanting around this city like it's your playground. You talk tough, and act like a child. You're just like Jacquelyn; but you don't even have the excuse of thinking this is all a story! What have you done in these past few days? What have you done, besides lead us from pointless meander to pointless diversion?"
He stood there, amongst a silent crowd.
"Answer me!"

When Kyle turn his back from the door the witch kept her eyes on his movement as he placed his hands on the sides of his head and swayed slowly. Even when he said that she was right Elizabeth did not feel a sense of triumphant in his admission, for something sounded off with his voice.

This feeling of something being amiss would be reveal as Kyle would suddenly be right in front of her, the barrel of the gun right at her nose. "In retrospect, maybe threatening to kick the ass of a esper super soldier and assassin was a dumb move." was what her mind told the witch but she would never sat it out loud to give Kyle the satisfaction of hearing those words coming out of her mouth.
As he threaten to kill her and bring her corpse to the Crimsonites, call her out on her actions and her leadership skills. The witch gave the marksman a defiant glare as she spoke. "Keeping you idiots alive. You bloody sods wouldn't have last along here without being trying to reign you idiots in because so far we are lucky that we encountered the Ushers and manage to live to tell the tale. My pointless meandering has gotten us results hasn't it? We found out that the cult is targeting people who saw a ritual of theirs, we found out the Fates have them stuff, we figured out their plans and who are their members. More importantly we got a few powerful groups on our side. You can question my leadership and my action all you want, but you can not deny that they brought results." She told him as the artificial workers stopped working to see the commotion.

"You're right that we have been nearly killed but we have preserve regardless of the odds sacked against it. My and Weiss are the only ones who know how to get people to give a shit about something, a skill you and your girlfriend lack along with everyone else." Elizabeth can sense Weiss summon her phantom crystalline weapons and pointing them at Kyle. Wright was as still as Liz. The man was barely breathing as he was worry that Kyle would kill the woman.
Elizabeth knew that right now she has a good chance of either being saved by the others or dying, yet if she doesn't defuse this she will see this group fracturing far sooner. "You make it sound as though it would be easy to appease the Crimsonites? How quickly you forget that you killed many of their henchmen and just now you took one of their top agents. Also they need Jackie fir their plans and how certain are you that Andarta or the others would give her back one they are fine with their plan? Isn't it likely that they would kill you once you are no use for them and Jackie dies after their plans are complete? You believe that just because Andarta has more power than me that she can make your wish come true when it is more likely for her to play you like a damn fiddle."

Kyle stood still, and his eye twitched. His fingers were like stones, stiff against the trigger; giving no sway to either side. He knew what was happening, understood what was at stake. He was usually so in control, so what was wrong with him now? Was he beyond the materialistic logic that he'd grown accustomed to? Was he trying to do something else now? Perhaps he didn't have an answer yet. Perhaps he was yet to find something worth being a hero for; something worth holding morals to achieve.
"You make it sound so noble, keeping us together. You think we would've been in this mess if you hadn't been in that alleyway?" his voice broke, though his anger covered it up like quicksand. "Me and Jack could've been together. We could've continued and done what we'd always done best. We could've been friends. The Ushers, the cult, The Fates, we could've fought them together. And if you hadn't been there, Andarta would never have taken notice. She wouldn't have... she wouldn't have taken the only thing that I've ever cared about. She wouldn't have stolen Jacquelyn from me. Her delusions, her nightmares, I could've helped. But I invested all my trust in you, thinking you could find a solution."
He gestured vaguely at the roof, the barrel twitching to the side for just a single, transient moment.
"I believed in you, Elizabeth. I thought you could be different! I thought you could inspire me, make me see what humanity could be, devoid of expectations and loss. Back home everyone knew who I was. Everyone thought I was a monster, a hero, a martyr. But you're like me; too much, I suppose. And that faith, I see now, was misplaced."
He wheeled around, marching forward and pushing the woman until she was against a wall, though he lowered his gun just a bit; though only to aim at Alex.
"Put those miserable things away, before I blow you all to hell. I know what your game is. I know why you want me to stay; why you haven't killed me in my sleep, or poisoned my drink. You want me to help you. I'm just a tool to you, aren't I? Like Terry, like your forger pal. People you can turn to, reliables that you can always extract from, and never give back. I've seen how you treat your 'friends', how you act around the people that you know. You're a parasite. I am too; and parasites can't feed off each other. At the very least though, I know what I am."

Dawn sighed. The very act also seemed to completely stop time around her. "Why do I even bother?" she asked aloud, with no one to hear. She touched the very tip of her scythe's blade to the gun Kyle had. It quickly rusted then crumbled into dust. She walked around and pulled Liz out a few feet and placed her in the middle of the room. Dawn leaned against the wall, inspecting her reflection in the blade of the Razor. Time suddenly started again.

"You know, after what I just did I would have hoped that you would at least wait a while before disappointing me." she said to no one in particular. "You're making my sister's opinions look more and more appealing by the minute." she used her sleeve to wipe something off of the weapon.

With her back pressed against the wall the witch only grew more infuriated as he accused her of using people for her own benefit, calling her a parasite just like him. In a way he was right that she needed him and Jackie like the others but she wasn't using them simply as tools. Sure she didn't want to get to attached encase they do return home or due but she still wanted to get to know them enough to be colleagues. Looks like that is impossible now.

Before she can tell him off she suddenly found herself free and in the middle of the room, hearing Dawn speaking. "Fucking hell, of course he had to start acting this way when you needed to regain some faith in humanity." The exasperated witch said. She looked at the artifical workers. "The fuck you all looking at? Get back to worker you lazy bastards! I'm not paying your worthless asses for standing around and doing jack shit." The servants resumed their work quickly.
Alex still had her weapons pointed at Kyle which right now Elizabeth knew was only going to make things more tense now that Kyle was without a weapon. "Put away the damn weapons now short stack. If you want to kill Kyle then do it at your duel." Alex looked at her daughter and after a few seconds made her weapons vanish. The witch turn her sight to Kyle.

"Tim got screwed over because of you guys, but mainly your girlfriend burning his house down. What happened to Terry was not my fault that was his parents!" She shouted. "I may have taken some people for granted and maybe for some I do come just to get something useful. But I will not allow you to say that I don't give a shite about the people I care about. There isn't a fkr day where I wish I can do do things differently to make amends for the terrible shit that happened to them, to make up for lost times that I could used better. "

The witch took a few steps closer to Kyle, moving her hand close to where she hid her knife encase she needs to use it to defend herself. "I don't care if you believed in me or if I broke whatever faith you had in me. Right now I can less if you think I'm a saint or scum because just like you need Jack to get back home you need me to understand how this world work and survive. So you can either gamble away your life on hoping Andarta will take you in like a mangy stray or try to tolerate me long enough to see your precious Jackie again and your home world?"

Kyle threw a glance at Dawn, knowing what had just transpired. He was trading on thin ice. So be it. What else could he lose? In a way, he didn't really believe that he could get her back. In a way he sort of wanted to prove to the world that he shouldn't have had so much thrust upon him. For some bizarre reason he thought that if he lost, broke enough things, the universe would stop treating him like a martyr and start forcing those responsibilities on someone else more worthy. Or at least, someone who wasn't him. Who was he to judge Elizabeth? Who was he to tear their relationship down, just because he didn't respect her? He knew why. He'd been cheated. He'd earned his victory- his happily ever after, fair and square. So why wouldn't the universe just relent?
"Jacquelyn burnt an apartment building down. You created an incident which got our whole neighborhood torched! And Terry? Oh, man, the way his heart would flutter when he looked at you. I could feel it, the perspiration seeping from his pores, the way his eyes twitched. He fucking cared about you, Elizabeth. He cared about you more than anything else in the world. It's painful, falling out of love. It's the worst kind of pain - one you can't defend against - when you see someone you thought you knew dying. He saw you, and he felt that agony. I wonder why he couldn't stand still around you? I bet you left him there, on the curb, to find his own path. I bet you gave up after that night. And how do I know that? Because it's always one night. It's always one night that finally makes someone snap. I've had that, Elizabeth."
He put a palm to his chest and hardened his stance.
"Yesterday, I lost everything. My home, my friends, my memories. And here I am, still trying to set things right. What about you? You feel guilty, and yet you do nothing to make amends. Saying sorry isn't enough. Action is what makes the world go around. You're not a fighter, you're an orphan drunk on self pity and cheap wine, clinging to memories of a childhood gone wrong, romanticising a past that was nothing but horseshit!"
He approached and loomed, feet slamming into the carpet.
"You say that you want to make things right? Then do it! Get off your ass and throw yourself in there! That's what I'd do; that's what I'm doing. Even if it kills me, even if I have to break myself down, even if I lose I'll still be trying! I'd rather burn with hope, than bleed with whatever pathetic imitations of emotion that you fill yourself with day and night. You have nobody. No mother, no friends, no life to return to; I have something to go back to! A world to save, a world that Jacquelyn needs to save! You think I'm doing this for myself!? I'm fighting for seven billion people, bystanders in a war that wasn't theirs to own! I have a plan, a goal, someone that I love. Who do you have, Ashwood? What the fuck do you have besides the same excuses and the same damn routine!?"

"What? Terry loved me?" The stunned Elizabeth asked, her surprised expression showed that she was not aware of his feelings for her. Just as she thought before retrospect was a bitch. There were probably signs that pointed to his feelings for her but she ignored them, before she was in love with someone else to realize them and afterwards her own sorrow clouded her sight and mind to the possibility. Elizabeth look down st the floor as Kyle kept throwing insults at him.

Of course those words were not enough as he then twist them to make it sound like she left him after the group broke apart. Once more he accused her of not trying to make amends for her past, that she was clinging to a past that she romanticized to the point of it being a fantasy. Stating that she was not setting a nothing right and had nothing to return to.

The servants once more stopped working as Kyle began to verbally latch out on Elizabeth. The witch was still but everyone would see her twitching. "Get out." She said slowly. When she finally look up at Kyle he saw not only a gaze of pure hatred but tears forming on her eyes. When she blinked that was when they began to slide down her cheeks. "All of you get out of my fucking house!" She shouted.
"I made a terrible mistake taking pity for you useless fucks for being migrants lost on an unfamiliar world. I shouldn't have accepted you all in my case. I want all of you out or else I will force you all out." She looked at Weiss. "You too short stack. I don't care if the Order technically owns the land this place was built on, this place is my home and I want you gone like everyone else."

She looked at the servants. "Again you fuckers aren't doing your damn jobs." The constructs resumed their work again as the witch saw Wright approaching her. "Elizabeth I don't know much on what has happened or what is going on but I think you need to calm down right now. Yelling at us to leave isn't going to make things better for you or for anyone. Right now we can't let emotions direct our actions and the fate of the group you tried to maintain." He said to her in a calm tone, trying to make her see into reason.

Unfortunately he only seem to set her off more. "Oh look at the yankee here trying to take in charge if the situation? How about you keep your nose out of this Wright." She snapped at him. The witch looked at Dawn. "If you still think joining this group was a mistake then you can leave now." She told her. This man Phoenix take a heavy step forward and point his finger at Elizabeth.
"HOLD IT! DAWN DO NOT LISTEN TO HER!" he shouted in a commanding tone. "In her current state I believe we need someone else to lead the group until Ms. Ashwood is at a reasonable state to lead." Those words only made the witch spit at the ground in front of him. "Fine. Kick me out of the group. I'm sure you all will do swimmingly without me." As Wright was going to tell her that was not his intention the witch was beginning to walk out of the living room.

Kyle grabbed his coat, shrugging off the insults. He felt something twisting in his sternum, just underneath the heart. The sensation was unfamiliar, and yet he remembered it clearly. Two years ago, under a willow... and also under much better circumstances. He stood in the doorway, feeling his throat tighten. He couldn't control it, for some reason. Neither could he control that stinging in his eyes! He rubbed them like he was scraping paint off a wall, and walked into the daylight; pausing only to leave a single, croaky message.
"You can..."
He cut off, and shut the door.

Dawn pushed the rounded pommel of her scythe against Elizabeth's chest. "I've done things for you that you haven't even realized yet." she said, her voice low. "You don't get to beg me to stay one minute then demand that I leave the next. I'd advise you to move passed this incident and get a grip on things." The scythe vanished from existence again, and Dawn stood arms akimbo in front of her. "Go on, yell and scream as much as you like, but it won't fix anything."

Elizabeth stopped when she felt the pommel on her chest, her glare now directed at Dawn as she blocked the way. "Sorry you wasted your time doing things for this dysfunctional mess of a group. How do you expect me to control this group when I have two people who want to leave, one who wants to do whatever she wants, and another team mate kidnapped. I don't think I can keep this group together Dawn. I can keep fighting the inevitable but eventually something is going to happen that will make it fall apart."

Alex was watching the scene while Phoenix stayed with Madi, trying to yell her everything that happened

Dawn stood firm in her position. "So you're just going to give up? Turn tail and run, waiting for your death? I must say, that's below even Celeste's expectations." She shook her head. "That sort of behavior I would expect from the Rinpheir, but not from your race. Don't tell me that's the human spirit, stand up for your race!"

Elizabeth turn her head away from Dawn as she chastised her for wanting to give up, saying that her behavior was more expecting from an alien race she has no idea about and that this was below Celeste's expectation. "I don't care what your sister expects but if you want me to still lead fine. I'll do it just so she won't brush about how I'm showing the true nature of humanity or some shit."

Dawn sighed. "No, if you're only doing it for her, it isn't worth it." She turned and faced away from the witch. She ran over different scenarios in her head, trying to decide on what to say. She decided she might as well go all or nothing, it wasn't like she had much to lose if it went poorly. She glanced at Alex out of the corner of her eye. "I wonder if your mother would have been as quick to give up?" she questioned aloud.

Elizabeth twitched at the mention at her mother while Alex looked at Dawn with shock. "What is she doing?" Alex thought as she began to rub her hands nervously. Elizabeth copied Dawn as she stood arms akimbo to her. "My mother doesn't have anything to do with this mess Dawn." The witch told her. Alex still rubbed her hands and as she heard Elizabeth speak she stopped and asked. "But do you think she would have given up if she was in your position?"

The witch turn to face Alex. "Now you're following her lead? Just great." The witch's shoulders sagged as she let out a frustrated sounding sigh. "No. I don't think she was the type to give up." Alex took a few steps to close the gap between the two. "If she wasn't going to give up then why should you? You did so much to show you are not just her daughter, that you can surpass everything she did in her life. You and her both have that stubborn Ashwood spirit that makes your family do the impossible. Are you going to tell me that spirit is going to be extinguish over something as mundane as this?"

Elizabeth stayed silent. The lich looked at Dawn as she was thinking what else the goddess was planning.

Dawn stayed with her back to Elizabeth. "Good, I take your silence as acceptance. Perhaps now we can move passed this incident and press on?" she asked. "Dwelling on the past is useless to those who cannot change it." She turned back around, arms still behind her back. "I believe we have a mess to clean up now, unfortunately. Hopefully it does not multiply."

Elizabeth sighed. "Right that. First I need to place Diana in the secret room to keep her safe from Kyle. After that we need to think of a way to spin the mess that we are in to get other people to direct their rage at something other than each other. Preferably at the Crimsonites." Elizabeth looked at Alex. "What about his challenge?"

The lich was silent but Elizabeth felt the room getting colder. "When he returns I will accept it. That esper nearly ruined your efforts on keeping this group together, tried to kill you, and is willing to betray us. I will teach him why he shouldn't cross a witch." Elizabeth let a smirk firm on her lips. "A shame I would be too busy to see that." Elizabeth turn to Dawn. "So which matter should we attend to first?"

"Are there not better uses of your time than stooping to his level?" Dawn asked, looking at Alex. "I would think there are. Either kill him or ignore him, do not make a spectacle of giving in to his challenge to an honorable duel." She turned to face Elizabeth. "Yes, once she is dealt with we can proceed. Lead the way." she said, motioning towards the basement.

"You're right. I need to set up the alchemy lab, observatory, and ritual chamber. After that I need to attend to some other matters. But first I will accompany you all down to the basement." Alex told Dawn. Elizabeth instructed a few golems to carry Diana away she lead the group to the basement. The group would find the basement door was within the same hall leading to the kitchen and as Elizabeth pulled up the metal leveler that acted as a lock she pushed the door open, the metal hinges emitting an eerie creaking sound.

As the door open a dark aura would engulf the group as they felt that down in the darkness something was gazing up at the group. But neither Elizabeth or Alex were deterred as the two began to climb down the wooden stairs, the wood creaking in protest on the weight place on it. Candles within lanterns flickered on to reveal the stone walls and floor of the basement. The group saw a large gray room with crates with many hallways leading to different rooms.

The two walked through the hallway. The sounds of their footsteps echo through the hall. The two would keep until they stopped as Alex stared at a wall. "How did it go again?" Alex said as she tried to recall something. Alex stepped forward and began to press on a few blocks, pushing them deeper into the wall. She did this for a few minutes but soon the exact blocks were in the wall would loosen and Alex would push it forward to reveal a room.

The room within once more had a lantern hanging above to illuminate the room but where as the others had candles this one had an orb of ghostly light. The room had only a wooden chair, an empty closet, a bed, and radiator. "I found a few journals that talked about this room." Alex explained to the group. The golems would walk in and place Diana on the bed.

Elizabeth would enter the room and look around. "You're sure this room wasn't touched?" Alex nodded. "Like I said, the Order left the basement largely alone." The witch looked at the lich. "How many secret rooms did you find?" The lich shrugged. "A few but I won't be surprised if there are more I don't know about."

Dawn watched Alex enter the combination with questionable accuracy. Surely she has to have started to question things by now? she thought. She looked around at the room's... accommodations. "Charming." she commented. "I'm sure you have a perfectly tame explanation for why this appears to be an ideal kidnapping hideout?" she asked, though she didn't expect an answer, even if she got one she doubted it would be totally honest.

A soft voice spoke from the darkness behind them. "Is it always this difficult to sleep in this house?" it asked.

Dawn didn't even need to turn around to recognize the traces of an accent. "Ah, I do apologize about the tremor. Unfortunately it was necessary in the moment." she said.

Lilith stepped forward into the group. "So I heard." She looked into the room and just sighed. "I see it has been an eventful day."

The two Ashwoods as expected said nothing to why the room seem to be the perfect hideout to store a kidnapped victim. Both soon to fidget around as they try to think why the room exists. When Lilith spoke up the two were glad for her arrival as it saved them from the awkward moment they were in.

"Yeah sorry about that Lily, there was drama going on up stairs." Alex looked at her daughter when she gave Lilith that nickname. "Right now we are just bringing our new guest to her room. Mostly for her protection due to current events." Elizabeth told the vampire. "The existence of this room can not be known to the others got. More importantly Kyle can't know about it because he would most likely kill Diana in here. Wright and Madi would ask way too many questions about why this room exists."

Lilith didn't look at either of the two witches as they spoke. "Well, Dawn asked why it exists and you did not provide her with an answer. I will insist that you do though." she said, her hand feeling her crucifix through her shirt. "I am far too old and have seen too many unpleasant things in my life to let it go like that." she said. Dawn raised her eyebrows at the vampire's insistence, but didn't interrupt. "I have seen conditions similar to this before, and their purpose was both horrifying and disgusting."

Both Elizabeth and Alex were now fidgeting again as they tried to think what to say. Alex sighed. "This room was used depending on who was in charge at the time. Your fears of it being used to hold kidnapped individuals sadly is true as some owners did that. However a few used it as secret bed room or an additional ritual chamber. A few even just ignored the existence of the room. So far this room was used differently depending on who was in charge. Some pages talk about how it was made to resemble a pocket dimension called "The Empty Room" in order to summon it for whatever reason." Alex explained.

Elizabeth looked around the room. "I was in the empty room and yeah this place is somewhat similar to it, bit the room was white instead of brown and gray bed the lightening back there was better." Alex jolted in shock when she heard that Elizabeth was in there. "How long were you trapped in that room?" The witch frown. "Honestly for three days because I found a way out."

Lilith frowned. "I had feared as much." she said grimly. "I have seen enough holding cells to know when one is in front of me."

Dawn's head turned a small amount at that. "Holding cells for what?" she asked.

"Now is not the time to discuss that. Nor do I want to." Lilith said leaving the room. "I wanted no part of what I saw, or with those who were responsible for it. It was a long time ago."

Dawn felt that the woman would be extremely reluctant to elaborate further, though she knew enough to be able to make an assumption of what she meant. "As you wish."

Alex was now more curious and suspicious on the German woman before her. She knew that the woman won't speak and right now she can use less conflict from the group so for now she will not investigate too much into Lilith. Elizabeth walked up to Lilith as she left, placing her hands on her shoulder. "Are you okay Lilith? Sorry if that room brought back terrible memories. I know things look very bad but if we place her anywhere else she would escape. We can't have her bleed out so we are going to heal her but once she is healed she would have a much higher chance of breaking out and right now we need the cult to think she is no longer around." The witch explained to the vampire.

The witch stayed silent for a few seconds as she thought on what to say. "So you find a nice place for you to sleep in? Found a coffin lying around in this subterranean wonderland?" She would ask. Back in the room the golems left and Alex looked at Diana. "You think you can heal her enough so she won't bleed out or you prefer if I do it?" The lich was playing with her hair, a clear sign of her either being in deep thought or nervous about something or simply bored. Yet the fact she keeps glancing out the door shows that she was not feeling bored.

Lilith sighed. "It is fine. Like I said, it was long ago. Long before you were born." she said. "There are... coffins here?" she asked, looking around. "Oh dear. No... I prefer them to be... unused. Finding one secondhand is not something I wish to do."

Dawn looked over at Alex. "Tell me, which has you more nervous?" she started. She nodded her head towards the unconscious woman. "Her," then she motioned towards the door, "Or her? If you wish for me to lure Miss von Brandt away for a period of time, it can be arranged. Though I do hope you have some better scenery planned..."

Elizabeth shrugged. "I remember once finding a room similar to ones you would find in a morgue with a furnace close by. My family experimented with necromancy so of course they would have rooms like that. I'm just guessing with the coffins." She told her. She gave the vampire a slight pat on her shoulders. "But as long as you're fine than I'm glad because I can use less drama today." She gave the vampire a smile. "Maybe we can find you something to act as a coffin because I'm not sure if I can get you one. Not after the attack Kyle made on the Merchant's Crossroads."

Alex looked at Dawn as she still kept playing with her hair. "Both honestly but right now von Brandt is my main concern. I think we can have a park or any location that would not make her feel tense be the perfect scenery. Right now though I rather not pursue her after everything that has occurred." The lich look down at Diana. "How do you feel about our current predicament?"

Lilith was not used to people touching her, and seemed slightly surprised by it. "I assumed the coffin suggestion was a joke. In light environments they are useful because they stop any sunlight from getting in, but this basement is perfectly shielded from the sun. Any form of bed would do." She glanced back towards the small room where Diana was held. "Well... perhaps not any..."

Dawn looked at Alex suddenly. "Wait, you are concerned by... Lilith?" she asked surprised. "Why is that? I meant nervous about Elizabeth's reaction or her finding you out prematurely, but now I'm curious."

Elizabeth chuckled. "Pretty much but hey who knows what you will find in this place. I remember hearing from my mom on there being old emergency rooms encase someone tried to attack us. Maybe you can use them?" The witch suggested.

It was Alex's turned to be surprised, but soon she began to laugh. "Oh wow, that is finally got you surprised?" The witch laughed for a while, but once she stopped she took a deep breath and sigh, her mirthful expression gone. "I'm worry about what sort of woman my daughter is seeing. I mean I don't know much about her and now I'm hearing that she has seen holding cells before? I mean maybe she was kidnapped once and the other times she tried to save people trapped in them, but a part of me cannot help but be worried about the other reason why she would be familiar with holding cells. But seeing from her expression when she saw this room I doubt she placed people in them."

Alex walked to the wall and turn around so her back was against it. "Still, I rather get to know more about Lilith to know what my daughter sees in her."

Lilith looked at Elizabeth with a slight amount of concern. "There are... panic rooms? That seems grim, even to me." she said. "But I suppose that I am not in a position to be choosy, there are seldom other opportunities when you find one."

The more Alex told Dawn, the less she understood. "Seeing?" she asked. "She is... seeing Lilith?" She looked back at the door the pair left through. "Neither of them mentioned it to me, and while Lilith has been very reticent about most of her personal details I would have expected at least something from Elizabeth." The redhead rested her hand on her chin as she thought. "How did you find out? Did they tell you, or did you discover it?"

Elizabeth gave Lilith a grim expression. "Considering my family was once wiped out by a group of people who were suppose to be their allies a panic room is unfortunately necessary for us. Our reputation also doesn't help nor us being a family of mages. Just like how vampires comes with the risk of both rivals from your kind and human hunters wanting you dead us mages have the same concerns." The witch explained. "Let's see if we will get lucky on finding once such room." The witch began to lead her through the hallway.

In the room Alex placed her palm on her mask and let out a sigh. "I forgot that you don't understand human euphemisms as much." She moved her hand down to her side. "I suspect that the two are together because not only are some of your words but also some of Elizabeth's pointing to that direction but the fact that just now she left the room to be with her after she showed distress in being in here."

Lilith followed Liz down the hall. "Vampire... hunters? Rivals? I do not know what vampires are like in this world, but that does not sound anything like mine." she said walking behind her. "We do not attack each other on principle. Very rare is it that one vampire would take the life of another."

Dawn stood in place as Alex thought aloud. "Interesting. I will have to take your word for this, as you know connections such as this are foreign to me." She thought back to their conversation in the forest. Lilith didn't seem to be especially troubled about anyone in particular the attack on the group, but perhaps she was merely suppressing her true emotions. "I was under the impression that she had kept her personal life secret from everyone and that she was being exceptionally open with me, but it seems that apparently I was mistaken.

Elizabeth went past several room and was silent as Lilith spoke. "In this world there are not only different types of vampires but some have formed their own societies that are not only competitive with the other vampires but with members of their own kind. The usual reasons are of course power plays, ideological clashes, resources. It's surprising how alike vampire and mage societies can be at times."

The two would hear something tapping against the pipes coming from somewhere in the hallway. "Looks like the ghosts want to remind us that they are still here." She told Lilith as she turn to face her, giving her a mischievous grin. "Are you afraid of ghosts Lily?" The witch teased as the tapping continue

Back in the room Dawn just told Alex about Lilith opening up to her. "Really? She told you about her past? I'm not sure if she did the same with Elizabeth. Maybe she talked to you because she knew you would keep a secret like how you are keeping the secret of my identity from the others?" Alex suggested. "I think we should heal Diana now. Of course we will have to decide what to do once she wakes up."

Lilith listen to Elizabeth describe her world's vampires with a frown. It was so different compared to her own. "That sounds awful. We do not have anything like an overarching society, but there are large groups of vampires that live together. There is nothing for us to compete for, and no reason for anyone to seek power because it does not exist." When Elizabeth teased her about ghosts, Lilith only sighed. "I suppose it would do no good to remind you that my name is not Lily?"

Dawn shook her head, "No, she didn't talk about her past much. Only in very vague terms, like that she hasn't always been who she is and that this life was forced upon her against her will. Nothing that you could really consider a secret, other than she's older than she appears to be, though she did not elaborate about what the difference is."

"Ahh, you don't like my nickname the you?" The witch said as she chuckled. "Well in here there is powers and resources to fight for. But right now that isn't important because I think we found one of the secret rooms." The witch saw a series of bricks with scratches on them. Like with Alex she pressed on them and they slide in deep. Just like with Alex it too her many tries before the wall came loose and Elizabeth open it to reveal a Victorian style room filled with chairs, a couch, table, a tub, dresses and cabinets and ice box, a sink with both a toilet and tub and finally a bed. "So what do you think of this room?"

Alex began to ponder more on just what Lilith is. "She was forced into what she is? You mean something made her into a shapeshifter? Honestly her being older than she appears wouldn't be too surprising because that is pretty common for everyone in the occult underground."

Lilith looked around the room. "Compared to where I come from this would be considered modern." she said. "And well off. It will do fine." she walked into the room, examining the furniture. She paused at a mirror on some drawers. "Is this a normal mirror, or will it start speaking to me if I ask it questions?" she teased, looking at the reflection of the room in it- from which she was absent from.

Dawn glanced at Alex. She still didn't know the truth about Lilith. Perhaps that meant that Lilith didn't want her to? If that was the case, then it was not Dawn's place to reveal her secret. "I don't know anything about the circumstances, other than she said that at one point she was a normal person, and now she's the one you saw a few minutes ago. I haven't been told what happened, who did it, or why it happened."

Elizabeth lean her side against the door frame and cross her arms together on her chest as she watch Lilith walking around. When she made the joke about the mirror talking to her the witch laughed. "Who knows? Maybe if you admit who is the fairest one in the town it might give you an answer." Elizabeth teased back. Looking around in the room the witch will admit that it was nice but as she looked at the lamp with the ghostly looking orb she would ask. "You want anything else for the room?"

Alex sighed. "I should have seen that one coming. If I ask Elizabeth about this she would get suspicious so just like revealing myself we will need to wait for the right time to ask her about Lilith. But in the mean time we can build her trust to us so she can be comfortable around us and to help improve cohesion with the group. In fact we need to do this with the other members as well."

Lilith looked over at Liz leaning on the door. "If you judge fairest by complexion, I would win by default." she said with a smile, holding up a deathly pale hand. She followed the witch's gaze to the lamp. "Oh, the lamp is not an issue, I can see in the dark just fine without it. Though I do not know how it works." she said, hovering a hand near it, slightly hesitant to touch it.

Dawn frowned at the mention of getting the entire team together to build trust. "I am not sure that would go entirely well. You saw what happened upstairs. Several members would rather not have any interaction with the group at all, which would complicate cohesion building exercises." She thought for a moment, she hadn't seen her sister down here, so she wondered where she had disappeared to. Perhaps she vanished into another rift?

"No argument there, though Weiss might fight you on that sense she is a ghost." The witch said to her as she to had a smile on her face. When Lilith went to the lamp Elizabeth walked over to it and showed her the dial, twisting it to show the vampire how to adjust the brightness and how to turn it off and on. "When it's on just don't touch the glass but everything else is safe. As for the room I meant bringing in more modern appliances but I think you won't care for them too much." The witch turn to face her after returning the lamp back to its original brightness. "You know you should smile more often. You look far more prettier when you do."

Alex took off her mask as she too frown. "I agree that a full team cooperation exercise will never work but we still have people that are willing to work with other people. If we can get them to cooperate and coordinate well we can at improve not only morale but our fighting capabilities if the cult tries to attack us again." Alex explained to her as she pulled down her hood, pulling her hair out of the hood and letting it spill out.

Lilith looked around the room again. "Many things that are modern are still... uncomfortable to me. Things changed so much since I was a girl, it is impossible to keep up with them all." When Elizabeth suggested that she smiled more, Lilith looked back at her. "Ignoring the potentially insulting part of that, I am afraid you cannot get your wish." She smiled wide, and her fangs glinted in the light. "Someone is liable to see, and it would be very difficult to explain in a reasonable way."

Dawn leaned on the wall. "Our cooperative team is us, Elizabeth, Lilith, Madi and Phoenix." she said flatly. "Out of those six, if your suspicions are true, Lilith will have no issue working with the team. Madi and Phoenix referred to each other by name earlier, suggesting they know each other and are more likely to work with each other. The biggest hurdle for the team there is the fight they had before, a fight which Elizabeth caused." she said, even though she was hundreds of miles away.

Elizabeth nodded. "Right it as I suspected. If you want I can help teach you how to use some modern technologies of you want? As for the smile well..." Elizabeth gave the vampire a mischievous one. "You can smile only for me? Just like how I kept your status as a vampire a secret maybe I get to keep just how lovely you look when you are smiling." The witch said to her, both flirting and teasing her.

In the room the lich moved away from the wall and began to once around. "Yes we might have to ask those two about that and what Wright meant by Avarice sense it seems there is a being with that name that he wanted to know was in this world with Madi. As for Elizabeth hopefully her apologizing should help as I suspect she only caused it due to the earlier fight with Kyle and your sister. Speaking of which where is she? I know the basement is big but I figure she would appear by your side the moment you enter the basement?"

Lilith seemed slightly apprehensive about modern technology. "I have made it this far without it, I do not believe there is a reason to become dependent on it now." Elizabeth started coming onto her more, and Lilith felt the necklace under her shirt again subtly. "Perhaps I can try though there would need to be a reason to smile, of which we seem to have few."

Dawn frowned slightly. "I was referring to the even earlier fight where Elizabeth tried to kill Madi because Liz thought she killed the Raven, but hopefully Madi is a forgiving person." She was hoping that Alex wouldn't bring up Celeste, but she did. Dawn hesitated, but finally answered. "She's... I don't know where she is. I was wondering that as well, but if she does not wish to be found she will not be."

"I guess we don't need to focus to much on modern tech if you don't want to. But you do need to know how to use the more important ones like the phone I gave you. As for needing more reasons to smile I think I can find more reasons to make you do so love." Elizabeth walked to the bed and began to feel the covers and pillows before checking on them for any signs of filth or bugs. Surprisingly the bed like most things in the room was in pristine condition. "So Lily. What were you doing during the attack from high yesterday and today?" The witch asked as she began to set the pillows and covers back in place.

Alex was shocked at what she heard. "She fought against Madison!" Looking back she did notice the slash marks but back then she thought it was something else that harmed her, not Elizabeth. "Did she used the cursed knife and should we be worried about your sister's absence?"

[Demincia]

Lilith frowned slightly at the mention of the phone. "I answered it, what more do you want from me?" she asked. She was glad Liz naturally changed the subject for her. "Dawn found me while I was clearing my head. I talked with her, and then her sister arrived. They are both interesting... people? Beings? Entities?"

Dawn sighed, slightly regretting bringing it up. "Yes, and it has been settled already. Elizabeth did not seem to be concerned about any lasting effects from the incident, so I would not be either. As for my sister, I doubt it is anything serious. She is either in some remote place far away from everyone or in another dimension of her own creation."

"People should suffice sense they hate being called gods and anything associated to that title." Elizabeth would turn to Lilith. "I think your getting better at controlling yourself sense Diana was bleeding from everywhere. You want anything else or are you satisfied?"

Alex gulp, yet still felt some relief from Dawn's words. "If she was not worried then it means the curse already did its effect and it isn't being delayed for the right moment. As for your sister so long as she doesn't try to repeat her stunt from earlier we can't do much with her. Right now I think besides treating Diana we should find Elizabeth and Lilith and leave here."

Lilith sighed. "I would not say better, it was not pleasant. There was a reason I left the room after such a short amount of time." she admitted. "It was not entirely because it reminded me of... Certain things. It is easier when it is one person, but I would rather not endure it at all if I can help it."

Dawn nodded. "I hope you have a way to heal her that will keep her under. If I try she'll wake up with no memory of anything that happened and will have suddenly went from introducing her fiance to being kept in this hovel." she cautioned. "As for Elizabeth and Lilith, if your theory is correct would it be wise to start opening every door to find them?"

Elizabeth frown. "Again sorry for that. But I need to try and fix the mess Kyle left is in. I will say that I'm glad you weren't with us during those two attacks because I think you would have lost control back there." Elizabeth noticed that one shelf in the room had books. "Looks like you have something to do in here if you want to kill time. I wonder what else the room has in here?"

Alex nodded. "I can heal her with a potion that would also make her docile enough not to freak out too much. I can make it after fixing up the alchemy lab, or we can have Madi heal her. Actually bring her here to do just that when you can. As for her fiance we need to find him as he might get people to help find his lover." When Dawn mention on finding the two by opening every door in the rooms the witch blushed at the implications she was suggesting. "R..right. let's get moving then." The witch walked hurriedly, putting on her mask as she did so.

Lilith looked down at the ground. "Dawn told me what was happening, and Celeste confirmed how bad it was. I wish I could help in some way, but I would only end up being a bigger danger to everyone involved." She looked at the books on the shelf. "Yes, perhaps we will have to find any secrets this room hold."

Dawn crossed her arms in front of her. "It's a better option that me hitting her in the head and giving her brain damage so she stays quiet." she said, most likely not serious. Hopefully. "You were the one to suggest it." Dawn said when Alex realized the consequences of her suggestion. "If we find them along the way good, if they find us later that's fine. I've seen more than I care to ever remember already."

Elizabeth frown but said nothing as she walked to the shelf to look at some of the books. "Interesting, some of these don't exist in this world. I think they came from other worlds." She said as she looked at the selection, spotting a few grimoires in the collection. "Look what I found." Elizabeth took out two books, one titled Carmilla and the other Dracula.

Alex gave the goddess an odd look. "Let's not dig ourselves into a deeper hole shall we. Right now let's focus on finding those two before we being ourselves into yet another awkward mess." The two would open every door they see to check inside but each room would turn up empty as far having a witch and vampire in them.

Lilith held up the copy of Dracula. "Vlad the third, Voivode of Wallachia. Known to people now as Vlad the Impaler, or Vlad Dracula. I have heard stories of him" she turned it over and examined it. "His cruelty was well published in the Germanic lands. He caused many to be afraid of vampires, and rightfully so. After years of suffering because of him, someone broke the ultimate rule and killed him." She handed the book back. "No one claimed to be the one that did it, even though no one would pass judgement on them. No one deserved their fate more than Vlad Țepeș."

Dawn followed Alex, even though she had previously advised against exactly what she was doing. "Remember when I said this might be a bad idea in case it gets awkward? I'd just like to make sure that was still fresh in case in comes true." she said. "I don't want to answer the question of their relationship that way."

As Lilith explained about what she knows about the man who inspired Dracula one thought was on Elizabeth's mind. "Best not to tell her that Vlad is still around as a vampire. Albeit one against his will just like her." Elizabeth placed the copy of Carmilla back in the shelf in case Lilith went into another rant because of it. "So you ever saw any vampires trying to score like Dracula and Carmilla? Because I've dealt with wannabes like those."

Alex heard the warning and thought about heeding it but the lich kept going. "I just want to make sure they are safe because there are things lurking in the hallway." Almost as to reinforce Alex's statement the two would see a dark mass move from one door to the next. "See what I mean. Of course they are bound to act as guardians but the magic holding them in place is old so either me or Elizabeth will have to check if the bindings are still holding on."

Lilith shrugged. "I tend to not spend much time with other vampires. Not all of them share my feelings towards our... condition." she said. "There are those who see themselves above humans now that their abilities have been enhanced, and the cost as minimal." She pulled her cloak closed around her. "Or worse."

Dawn watched the figure pass by. "Is that not something that should have done first, before people came down to take up residency in the basement?" she asked. "If there is a chance that something is horribly wrong, is it safe for people to be down here unattended?"

Elizabeth frown when she saw her Lilith was like when it came to other vampires. "If it makes you feel better some of the vampires in this world feel the same way as you." She told her as she moved close to Lilith to get another book. "I think you might find this one interesting." She gave Lilith a copy of Pride and Prejudice.

Alex shrugged. "I was given a sudden noticed of you guys moving in, I didn't have enough time to say up the wards. But the magic in this place has hold for generations so I'm confident that it will hold now. I will still do a check but I believe it is safe to be here." The two would stop as they see pebbles being thrown at the wall. "I wouldn't worry about that. That is just the spirits either trying to get our attention or playing around." The two would see a raisin being thrown at the floor in front of them. "Where on Earth did that come from?"

Lilith looked down at the book. "From what I hear, this is about a woman named Elizabeth who learns about the downside to making judgments quickly." She tucked it into her satchel under her cloak. "Coincidental, or a cry for help?" she asked, then smiled. "We shall see."

Dawn knelt down and picked up the raisin. "Maybe the spirit was expecting chocolate chips?" she said. "Or maybe this is a warning from an angry vineyard spirit, and we're all going to die. Well, not all..." she added throwing it back.

Elizabeth was not amused by Lilith's joke. "Ha Ha. Nice to see you are still capable of making jokes Ms. Von Brandt." Elizabeth took out another book, this one from the Sherlock Holme series. "It's been a while since I saw the original books for Holmes. I think this one might be the one made into the movie staring the Golden Avenger himself."

Alex saw the raisin being thrown back. "Regardless of what it's telling us let's find Elizabeth before something else happens upstairs." The lich began to walk forward but after she took a few steps would be hit on the head by a raisin. Rubbing her forehead at the strike she looked down at the piece of dried fruit. "What the..." before she can finish her sentence more raisins were being thrown at the two.

Lilith smiled again. "Despite a crippling disability of being German, I still have something resembling a sense of humor." She motioned for the door. "Should we rejoin the others, or are you planning on hiding down here too?"

Dawn looked down at the raising as well. She looked up towards the end of the hall and summoned her scythe into one hand. "I think it's too late to beat something else happening." she said. "Unless this is an elaborate joke."

Elizabeth gave the vampire a smirk. "I figure you would like the company? But right now I'm needed more on the surface, I can't leave those guys alone for a few minutes without some sort of drama occurring." Elizabeth said with exasperation. The witch put the book back and began to walk out. The two would walk through the hall until they heard noises coming from ahead. "Sounds like something is going on. You think it's another fight or they are just having a party down here?"

With Alex she chanted a few words and as she swung her hand at a wide arc several of the raisins would combust into flames and be reduced to ash. "If this is a joke than I'm not laughing." The witch would chant another spell while tracing a few symbols and once she was done and strike her finger through the air and pointed up at the ceiling the raisins would have their course be pulled around the two as Alex lead the way.

As the witch kept moving forward the raisins would become a less encountered sight until they are gone. "Finally! We are far away from that annoying spirit." The one would throw her head back, relieved to have gotten away from the raisin barrage. The two would hear two footsteps approaching them.

Lilith followed Elizabeth out of the room. "There is worse company to keep." Her enhanced hearing picked up voices before the witch did, though she was not expecting it to be good. "Something tells me that it is not a welcome committee." she pulled her hood up over her head. "I hope it is one that we can avoid."

The Timewalker followed Alex down the hall, not interfering with the raisins. The pommel of her scythe gently tapped against the floor as she walked. When the pair heard footsteps approaching she readied her grip on the weapon. "It seems that we may not make it out of here without a fight after all."

As the footsteps got closer Alex would channel her magic and was prepare to unleash a blast of frost until she saw that it was Elizabeth and Lilith. "Oh it was you two we heard. I'm glad to see you two are safe." She said as she dismiss her spell. Elizabeth looked at the two battle ready women. "So what is going in with you two?" Alex just waved her hand. "Nothing. Just a spirit annoying us." The group would hear a loud metallic groan and soon see a pipe be knocked loose and hang above Alex, raisins pouring on top of the lich.

The group said nothing as a stream of dried produce fell on top of Alex until it became a small trickle and finally a few drops until it stopped. Alex was silent as Elizabeth tried her best not to laugh. "Not a word from any of you." Alex turn around and began to storm off from the group, muttering to herself loudly on how to get back at the spirit.

Lilith didn't say anything when the fruit poured on Alex, but Dawn was not at risk of retaliation so she was free to speak her mind. "Not a word? Even for something like that?" following the lich. "Come on, be raisinable. I mean reasonable." she teased. "Now that we found these two we can get out of here." She glanced back at the witch and vampire. Perhaps there was something to Alex's theory? "When we get back upstairs, you'll forget all about it and feel grape. I mean great."

Alex quickly turn to face Dawn to give her a vicious glare, the room getting colder. "I will banish you to your realm if you keep it up." Another pipe broke and this time water came down on Alex, which began to freeze due to her power. As the water pour down more raisins followed until both the water and fruits ceased, the pipe moving back in place and fixing itself.

Alex phase through the ice and said nothing as she kept on walking, ignoring Elizabeth laughing at the spectacle. "You know what this day went from absolutely terrible to grape. I mean great." She said as she kept on laughing, holding on to Lilith for support as they followed Alex out of the basement, unaware how that action would be perceived by the lich and time goddess.

Dawn decided that the lich had suffered enough today, and didn't compound it by joining in this time. "Sie tun mir leid. Kann ich Ihnen weiterhelfen?" she offered. She helped Elizabeth walk out of her natural inclination to help others without even considering what someone would think. Dawn noticed, but said nothing though she did look at Alex to see if she saw it too. She raised one eyebrow, curious about the sudden display.

Elizabeth thanked Lilith for the help, unaware that both Dawn and Alex were watching them. The lich wanted to ask about the sudden display but choose not to both due to needing the right time for that question and wanting to leave the basement. The group would reach the main room and see the stairs. "Finally we can leave here. I will check on the bindings later once the spirits are dormant." Alex began to walk up the stairs when she screamed. "SOMETHING GRABBED MY ANKLE!" the lich shouted as she floated up and flew up to the surface.

The lich did not see the rat coming down, the source to the thing that touched her. Elizabeth looked down at the rat as it looked up at the group. "Looks like you have a room mate Lilith." Elizabeth teased. The witch walked forward to the stairs, checking on the gaps between the steps she took out her lighter and lit it to cast light in the shadows.

"I don't see anything hiding in the dark so I think we're safe to climb up." She told them as she got on the steps and began to climb up. Looking at the sigils keeping the things in the basement, finding their condition. to be still good to keep the spirits contained.

Dawn stood in place and watched Alex fly upwards after being touched by a small rodent. "Hmm. Seems a bit dramatic." she said. "If it's suddenly a race..." she started, before vanishing from in front of Liz and Lilith and reappearing upstairs a few seconds before Alex materialized. Lilith dissolved into a cloud of smoke, but immediately reappeared. "Sorry, I forgot." Instead she walked up behind Elizabeth.

Now back at the first floor Elizabeth looked at Alex. "I didn't take you for the type to be afraid of rats?" The lich looked at Elizabeth, her expression of shock covered by the mask. "A bloody rat! Of all the things to make me freak out it had to be a bloody rat!" The lich threw her arms up as she floated away ranting. Elizabeth turn to Dawn. "So Diana is safely locked up? Also what was that about the bindings?" The witch asked, not aware of the possibility that the spirits down in the basement might break free from their ancient bindings.

Dawn shrugged. "Don't ask me, she was the one responsible for it." she said, nodding towards Weiss. "I was just along for the ride. Also got nothing to do with the bindings, really not my department." She leaned her scythe against the wall. "Also of all the people to be afraid of the possibility of a ghost, you?" she asked, looking at Alex. "Really?"

Lilith pulled her hood tighter as sun came in through the windows. "What now? I assume there is no rest for the wicked?"

Alex turn her head away from Dawn. "In case you haven't realize as a ghost that means other ghosts can touch and harm me. So it is reasonable for me to fear other ghosts." Alex would see the servants still working in the remaining furniture. "I will set up a few rooms. Once they are done I will check on the binding and call in additional reinforcements." Alex told the group before leaving.

Elizabeth walked to a wall and lean against it. "I don't know. I'm thinking of trying to relax again because I need it after being thrown into a terrorist attack, being used as a hostage, and nearly being killed. I seriously need a vacation after this case." The witch complained.

Dawn watched Alex leave the room. She hoped one of those rooms was going to be used for what she thought, but she was starting to slowly lose a bit over time. "Vacation. Hmm. Not my style. I'll skip if it comes." she said.

Lilith stretched her arms. "Perhaps I can actually sleep for once, if there are no more interruptions then." she said.

Dawn looked outside. "In the middle of the day?"
"Yes."
"Interesting. Whatever works."

"You're missing out Sunrise. I think a vacation can help loosen you up. Make you more sociable and get your euphemism to fit in correctly... hopefully." The witch teased as she got off the wall. "I'm gonna fix my trench coat and put on some duplicates of my regular clothes and go out. Just enjoy some me time." Elizabeth rolled her shoulders. "Oh I got some healing potions to heal Diana so I better give her that."

The witch turned to Lilith when she stated to sleep through the day. "I wouldn't mind joining you there but sadly my nerves are still to shot up to allow me to sleep as easily. So I'm going to enjoy this day and do nothing but have fun and relax. Starting now I'm no longer a detective and I'm not after a cult. If someone from the occult underground comes knocking tell them I'm busy and I will deal with them later." She told the two.

Dawn noted that Elizabeth openly stated her wish to join Lilith, but her inability to do so. She would have to tell Alex later that she was apparently correct in her assumptions. "If you are going down there with her, I shall go too for safety." she said, holding out her hand as her scythe jumped from the wall into her grip. "She will likely stay unconscious but I do not like unneeded risks."

Lilith eyed the two with a slight amount of disapproval, but didn't say anything. She wasn't a fan of this situation but it seemed like there was no alternative. "I will return to the basement, away from the light." she said. "And the commotion."

"If you want to join go ahead. I rather have someone watching my back anyway." Elizabeth look at Lilith. "Don't worry We'll make sure not to hurt her or cause a commotion." The witch walked to the living room and once there too a look at the now filled room. Placng her hands on her hips she let a smile form as she was glad to now make the house feel more livable. She went to her suitcase and took out the vial containing the green liquid. Turning to face Dawn the witch would say. "Oi, mind giving us a short cut so that spirit that bothered Weiss won't try to target us?"

Dawn looked at Elizabeth for a few moments before she answered. "Fine." She said, grabbing the witch's shoulder before they disappeared from the living room and were standing outside of the hidden room. "Do what you must. Weiss also planned to do this, so unless you want to overdose your captive you should tell her that you got to it first."

Elizabeth stumbled a bit due to the sudden jump but once she saw the entrance she set herself right and began to push on the blocks to open the door. "Thanks for the warning. I will tell her not to heal Diana when I see her." Elizabeth enter the room and took out both the vial and a syringe. She would let some of the blue liquid be drained into the syringe. Elizabeth went down and rolled up Diana's sleeve to inject the the substance into her veins. She would do it a second time and after finishing her work she would her up and walked out of the room. "Done. Now let's fast forward our exit before that spirit gets any funny ideas on messing us." The two would see a raisin being thrown at their spot, landing in front of them. "Where are those raisins coming from?"

Dawn stood by the door, ready to help in case something went wrong. Nothing did though, so she just stayed where she was. She wasn't really interested in keeping this captive alive but she wasn't about to interfere and kill her, at least for now. When they left, another raisin appeared. "Interesting. I threw one back earlier, before we found you. The first one we saw. It came right back. They always went for Weiss, never me. Even when the pipes burst, they always hit her and only her, did you notice?" She knocked the raisin back down the hall with her scythe.

The raisin came back just as quickly as Dawn threw it. "Maybe they don't like seeing another ghost entering their haunt and are telling her to get out? Some ghosts can be very territorial about haunts sense it gives them shelter and protection from other wraiths, specters or reapers, as well as a place for them to rest and heal from whatever damage they sustain." Elizabeth explained as she kicked the raisins back. Only to see it return back.

The two would soon hear another noise followed by seeing red and blue flashing lights coming from the darkness. The source of the noise and lights would reveal itself to be a wind up toy robot. "Did the spirits do that before when you were with Weiss?"

"If it was only about ghost on ghost violence, why would it start with us?" Dawn asked. When it came back again, Dawn was tired of the game. "I've had enough of this. Either whatever is doing this stops, or I deal with it myself." she said firmly, tightening her grip on the staff of the Razor. She watched as the small toy neared. "No, that never happened. Nor do I like it." She gripped the scythe with two hands now, ready to swing it at something.

"Maybe it's bored?" She said as she kicked the raisin again, this time it did not return. "Looks like you scared it off." She said as the toy kept going forward. "That thing will stop on it's own eventually. Let's get out if here before the next spirit starts getting funny idea." Elizabeth began to walk through the halls to find the exit, the two not encountering any strange happenings save for a few taps, moving shadows, cold spots, and odd smells. As they reached the stairs they saw a few pale skin people in Victorian clothing gathered around talking in hushed whispers. When one if them noticed the two the others turn and vanished. "Well looks like we saw some of the spirits living in here. I wonder what they were talking about?"

Dawn followed Elizabeth out, when they saw the spirits. "Probably about our group, since they can apparently see us." She let go of her scythe and it burned up, disappearing. "If need be, we might want to have Lilith speak with them. I don't know how old she is or how old they are, but there might be some common ground between the two." After mentioning the vampire, Dawn decided to try to get more information out of Liz. "Speaking of Lilith, she left the room in a hurry. Are there lasting effects?"

Elizabeth frown when asked the question. "Right now she was just reminded of something terrible from her past but all she needs to be away from it and not think about. But she is fine now." The witch told her, hoping that she was right about Lilith being fine. "Maybe she can talk with them but we might need Weiss help to get them to come out sense Lilith can't see ghosts like me and her." Elizabeth began to climb up the stairs and reach the surface. "So want to dig up the past of this place to figure out what the hell is going on with the raisin ghost?"

Dawn crossed her arms and looked down at Elizabeth. "Have you forgotten who I am?" she asked. "Digging up the past is quite literally my specialty." she said. "Or more accurately, a very small part of my overall specialty." she added quickly. "Raisins seems like a strange hang up for a ghost. In the pipes as well? I doubt a sane person is involved in that."

"Maybe they are crazy or maybe they aren't human to begin with. That is why we need to investigate more if this place to see what else this manor holds because I'm not knowledgeable to all of the secrets in here." Elizabeth told her as she brushed aside a lock of her hair. "But speaking of ghosts I have some suspicions on Weiss. I think there is more to her story than some random journal. Also the fact that she protected me as much during that fight. I'm important to her and she most likely needs me for something, but I don't know if the reasons are benign or malicious. Do you pick up any any odd signs from her and do you think she us possibly planning?"

Dawn raised her eyebrows at the question. She was in a unique and awkward position now, having to choose to either lie for Alex or tell Elizabeth the truth. She decide that it was best to not go back on her promises, at least not now. "Most people would be grateful for that much protection. I seem to recall just about everyone in the group saving your life at some point. I wouldn't read too much into it, at the risk of looking at the teeth of a horse gift." she said. "Or maybe she's looking to steal your body and use it as her own." she said sarcastically. She glanced down at the witch. "Personally I'd have chosen someone taller though." she teased turning away.

Elizabeth gave Dawn a glare for the short comment but said nothing else to it as she just rolled her eyes as she placed one hand on her hip. "It's look at a gift on a horse's mouth. But you are right that everyone had saved my life once. But with Weiss... I don't know... I just feel something about her." She moved her hand to her chest just over her heart. "I feel like we've met before. That our first meeting wasn't actually our first." Elizabeth said softly, lost in thought as to why she felt that way with Weiss.

"You're telling me that the leader of a shadowy organization that wears a mask to hide her real identity and can change her appearance might have pretended to be someone else? Say it ain't so!" Dawn said flatly. "You're really overthinking this now. She could have been any number of people you met during this quest of yours, checking in on your progress. There were hundreds of people in the nightclub, she could have been in the crowd." Dawn motioned towards the stairs. "Let it go, you're supposed to be relaxing, not getting paranoid about the people that are actually helping you."

Elizabeth placed her hand down and seem to relax somewhat from Dawn's words. "You're right. She might be a masked leader of a secret society with unknown motives but right now her motives align with ours and she has proven herself a valuable team player." The witch admitted as she crossed her arms. "But of your teasing was right of her wanting to possess me than you are wrong about her wanting me height." She gave Dawn a smirk. "It's obvious that she concedes that out of the two of us I'm the sexier one." She brought her hand up and made it go through her hair before flicking it.

"She needs to wear a mask were my face looks lovely regardless if I'm using makeup or not. Plus I have a body that is to die for. I don't blame her for wanting a piece of me, if anything I would feel flattered." She said as she erupts into laughter at her joke. So caught up in her laughter that she didn't see Dawn's reaction to the joke.

Dawn leaned to one side, watching Elizabeth flatter herself. "Or maybe she wears that mask because she just doesn't want to hurt your feelings?" she said. "I'm the last one to ask to compare attractiveness in any race, so I think I'll pass. Though I'm told that some people prefer the shorter the better." Dawn didn't really want to think about the implications of Elizabeth's jokes, and hoped Elizabeth would forget about them if the time came. "Unless you want to rate anyone else in the group, I think we should get moving."

Elizabeth seem to scoff at the remark about Alex wearing the mask to not hurt her feelings. "Sure, you defend your friend's honor all you want. But don't forget that we're both short. But you are right, you're not much of an expert when it comes to this sort of things. Or much on how us humans work. We'll get someone else to do it like Wright. But I'll save that for later. Right now I have a trench coat to fix before I step out." Elizabeth began to climb up the stairs and head for her room.

When she enter the room she ignored the new furniture and went to the bed where a box containing knitting equipment was found. She went to the closet and took out her trench coat and sitting on the bed she began to knit and fix her coat.

"How can I forget? I have eyes." Dawn said with a smirk, following the witch. "Of all the uses for magic, you have to do this by hand?" she asked, watching Elizabeth go to her room. When she was inside, the Timewalker went to find Alex to tell her what she learned about the situation downstairs, and also to warn her about Elizabeth getting more suspicious of her as time goes on.

"I can't use magic to fix everything. Besides this us a simple fix." Elizabeth will tell Dawn before she left. Now alone she was left alone to dwell on her thoughts. She thought about Weiss and her feelings towards her. Of Kyle and not only what he said to her but how much of a threat he is now to the group. Hiw to keep the group itself together long enough to deal with the Crimsonites and how to defeat them and how get the disperse cults on their side to work together and how to use Kyle's ecrew up to get more on their side.

Elizabeth stopped knitting to place her hands behind her to support herself to lean back and look up at the ceiling. "I seriously need a bloody vacation after this case. Maybe go to a beach or amusement park or resort. Just somewhere far away from here and where I don't have to think about the paranormal." The witch said to herself. The witch remove the coat from her lap and walked down to the living room, returning back with a radio. Placing the device on the counter she turn it on and it played music as she resume her work on the coat.

When Dawn arrived into the room she would find a room with mostly stone walls and wooden floors like the rest of the house. But the items within and the energy within told her that this room was not an ordinary one. Though for the previous occupants they would find an alchemy laboratory to be a regular room to find in any house.

The walls of the lab were unlike any other room in the site. From top to bottom, it had been inscribed with copper chisels, formulae of containment, order, and protection.

The previous Ashwoods in the distant past had prepared this room over sixteen painstaking months, using various convergence events, and stored Aether where necessary. This room was the Alchemical equivalent of a bomb shelter, and the only place they dared to work any significant research in the field of alchemy.

The walls were lined with tables, containing several decanter-reduction systems, wind-flow apparatus, a few burners, and even a fine earth separator.

Mounted on one wall was a solid wooden holder, which contained heavy staffs or croziers of different materials. One of brass and wood, the other of cold iron and lead, another of copper and ceramic. Across from the crozier stand was a set of three concentric circles set in the floor. The first was polished, inscribed copper, the second was cold iron, the last was the finest and most delicate gold. The materials for the last circle had been transmuted from pure Azoth to common lead, then to gold.

Dawn saw Alex standing in front of the circles holding a black iron staff with twin ivory serpents wrapped around it and ending with a ruby orb with golden wings a staff made to resemble the mythical caduceus, or the staff of Hermes. Alex was unmasked and her hood was down. She looked up at Dawn as she told her about Elizabeth. “I see. So not only will my presence in the basement cause problems but I will have to reveal the truth far sooner than expected.” she said as the wind flowed through the apparatus and pinwheels began to move due to a strong gust that manifested in the room.

"So it would seem." Dawn said, leaning one shoulder against the wall. "I told you she would begin to figure it out for herself eventually. I've convinced her to put it aside for now, but any more special treatment or insider knowledge is liable to make her start asking questions again, and the more I deflect the more suspicious she'll get." The redhead glanced back towards the rest of the house. "Either you have to tell her, or wean her off and treat her like one of the others. I'm afraid you can't have it both ways. She's too smart for that."

Alex was scraping the bottom tip of her staff against the ground as Dawn told her that she need to decide what to do with Elizabeth. "I will tell her the truth. She needs to know the truth that I'm here." She said to Dawn. Alex walked to the equipment along the wall. She adjusted several knobs, and the liquids began to bubble, already taking on a soft glow.

"What is Elizabeth planning on doing? Depending on where she us going I might try to talk to her somewhere in private." She moved away from the equipment and walked to another table, picking up a copper circlet, inscribed with various symbols occult organizations had cribbed from ancient alchemists, Arcanists, and Sorcerers in centuries past.

“Tell me what else did she saw about me and what did you find about her and Lilith?” she asked as she played the circlet on her head.

"She went to a bedroom, alone. I believe she's claiming that one for herself. She said she had to repair her trench coat and replicate her clothes." Dawn reported. "As for Lilith, after you left she mentioned that she was going to sleep again, and Elizabeth said that she'd gladly join her there, except her nerves are still to bad to think about sleeping. While I was still standing there." She pushed off the wall and stepped closer. "Make of it what you will." She looked down for a moment, then back up. "Are you doing it alone, or do you want help?" she asked.

Alex didn't react much to Elizabeth repairing her clothing. "I didn't need to know she was alone in the bedroom but I'm guessing that coat is either her favorite article of clothing or it has sentimental value. Probably both." She open a desk in the table and room out a simple iron circle, flipping it in the air like a coin and catching it on the top of her hand and slamming her other hand on it.

She would be glad to have done that as Dawn told her she wanted to sleep with Lilith in the bedroom but couldn't due to nerves. Dawn would see Alex turn her head quickly to face her with a blush on her checks. "You're not pulling my legs right? She actually said that!?" The ghostly mother's blush would only grow as she began to think on just how far their relationship was.

When Dawn asked if she is going to do it alone or if she needs help the witch took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to calm herself from the revelation she learned about her daughter's dating life. "I can use some help but if I have to do it alone I will. I will not allow anything to get in my way to confess to my daughter what I should have told her years ago." Alex removed her hand from the iron circle and tossed it on the air again, catching it once more.

Dawn placed her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "If you truly don't believe me I could take you back and show you, though I think that would be overkill." she said simply. "Trust me when I say I know what I heard. I told you what she said, nothing more, nothing less." The redhead sighed a little. "I will assist you, if you would like. Perhaps at least she will believe it is true if she hears it from both of us. Though I do not plan on sticking around for what happens afterwards. You get used to that sort of thing in my line of work." she said.

Alex was motionless as she contemplated her words. "I need to finish my ritual in here. I want to banish any negative energy that might have slip through any cracks in the seals and to strength the old seals. It won't take long. Especially since you will walk out the door and future me will walk out with the ritual completed." Alex said to Dawn as she grabbed her staff. "For this one I need to do it alone. But once I'm done here I will begin our plan."

Dawn nodded, right as the iron circle was in the air and Alex began to move her arms. To Alex, Dawn simply ceased to exist, nowhere to be found on the mortal plane anymore. To Dawn, it was as simple as blinking your eyes. She was standing outside the door, a fraction of a microsecond before Alex would come out.

The door would open with a creak and Alex would come out; her hair a mess and her clothing rumpled up and sloppy looking, the witch was leaning on her staff as she was taking a deep breath. "I'm so glad I did the ritual. Something tried to get in through a weak point in the bound field in the manor." The sorceress told the red head. "It almost got in but I manage to banish it and seal up the gap before it did." The witch used her staff as a walking cane as she left the lab.

"I think it was a demon that tried to get in and a powerful one. I dare say it was a demon lord. I don't know why it tried to get in but I rather not have a demon lord intrude upon my house without my permission." Alex told her as she walked off to the living room and sat down on the couch. "I will let my double deal with the other rooms. She is bound to return with team she accompanied to help fight in that war that AEGIS dragged themselves in." The older Ashwood eyes widen before slapping her forehead.

"Crap. I forgot to yell the others about the back up I called in." She created several copies of herself that left to tell the others of the news. "So now that mess will be taken care off what do we do while we wait for Elizabeth?"

Dawn's eyebrows raised a little. "Wait? I assumed that you would make use of this opportunity of her being alone, not to wait around for it to slip by again." She looked the lich up and down. "Also, might I suggest.." she trailed off, circling one of her hands in the air towards Alex. "Not looking like you've been in a fight? If you show up like that with me behind you, someone might assume I did it."

Alex laughed at the final sentence that Dawn said. "Obviously Red, the last thing Ellie needs is to worry about us plotting to murder the other for some reason. Plus I can't let her see me looking like a mess." The lich got up and began to fix her clothing and her hair. "As much as I like to do it now and I agree now is a good idea I think after the day she had me throwing the bomb shell that I'm still here might not go well. Yet who knows when I will get an opportunity like this again." The lich frown as she walked to a mirror hanging on the wall to fix her hair.

Dawn sighed and looked away. Maybe Alex was right, and this wasn't the best moment. "Today was hard, yes. Though opportunity is not guaranteed in the future." she said. "What if the unimaginable happened to either one of you, and you never get another chance?" the redhead asked. "Every opportunity you pass on has a chance of being the last one you'll ever get." She walked to the window and stared out of it. "I can't claim to be an expert on how humans experience emotions, all I know is that time is fickle, and tomorrow is never certain."

Alex was still struggling on getting her hair to behave ad Dawn told her about the dangers of waiting for too long. "I know that Dawn. I know that this is my best chance to tell her but you saw how she was like after the fight with Kyle. I'm just worry that if I tell her now she will snap again." Alex told her as she seem to be glad with her hair now tamed, only for some strands to stick out again. This made the witch annoyed as she began to fix her hair again.

Dawn kept looking out the window. "So be it." she said. That was twice now that Alex had backed out. As the opportunity slipped by, so did a little bit more of Dawn's hope. "Then what shall you do with what remains of the mandated relaxation?" she asked. "Miss von Brandt has retired to the basement, Elizabeth is upstairs. Seeing either of them is out of the question."

"Sadly so." Alex finally was done with her hair. "You know Dawn, I'm not trying to back out on purpose. It's just the universe keeps on conspiring against me on getting the right time to tell Elizabeth the truth." She went silent as she debated with her self on whether to truly back out again or stay on course and tell her. "But you know, if tonight doesn't prove itself to be the continuation of the battle from last night I might tell her then. That assumes the gods will be merciful on us. Of course why would they start now right?" She let out a soft chuckle at the dark joke at their expense.

"Maybe we can set up the observatory or talk with the others? Or maybe we can set up traps against Kyle when he gets back." She said harshly. "I know I shouldn't sink to his level but I can not let what he did slide so easily. He threatened my little girl and I will show him why that was the biggest mistake of his life."

Dawn remained with her back to the lich as she stood at the window. "Do as you wish, soon I will have other matters to tend to." she said. "I would caution you against retaliation, though I know it would be pointless." She turned her head just slightly to see Alex out of the corner of her eye. "Even in death, you are still human after all."

[Petrokovia]

Shadows of the Empire

Recreational Bridge, CAV Corona

Bloodfyre watched in confusion as Avarice ripped her arm open, rearranging blood vessels in an attempt to become a man.
"Lo, the vessels of your blood matter not. If thou seeketh manhood, thou needst to focus on genitalia."

Ty spat up some of his drink in laughter.
"Actually, there's a lotta people who might disagree with you on that."

The knight looked at the badger, confused.
"Art thou not a man?"
"Yes." Ty responded blankly.
"And doth thou have a virile member?"
"Uh... what? You mean a dick? Yeah."

Bloodfyre looked at Ty, even more confused, and looking for the pokemon to explain himself. Ty sighed, hunching his shoulders. He tapped the side of his temple with his hand.
"Gender is up here, man. Maybe once you're acquainted with technology, we can catch you up on some cultural stuff... Seems you're behind the times."

---

Captain's Quarters, MUS Kongou

There was a harsh buzz across the room.

Tadayoshi opened his eyes, finding Kongou already awake in his arms. The man rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and looked over to a phone on the wall near his desk. He looked around more, soon realizing that he was lying on his back, on a couch outside of the bedroom door, and around the corner to his office. Kongou stared at the man with a smile, while lying on his chest.

The phone gave another harsh buzz.

Kongou smirked subtly.
"Are you not going to answer?"

Tadayoshi sat up, and gave a quick hop out of the couch, gliding over to the phone and picking it up. The call was from the bridge, based on the little light indicator at the side.
"Yo." he said, somewhat groggily.

"Were you asleep?" Terrell's voice came over the phone.
"Uh... Yeah, a bit. So, what's up?"
"Pepper says we're about to make the last jump, since Han's already arrived."

The Cornerians had let Han go ahead of them, rather than making a single jump directly to their destination, to avoid the confusion of a never-before-seen extraversal fleet suddenly appearing at a populated cultural center.

"Ah, right. I'll be down soon."
Tadayoshi hung up the phone, and turned to the door.
"Time for more diplomacy... Hopefully General Pepper takes the lead. I don't have the energy for this right now..."

Kongou floated over to Tadayoshi, standing in front of him.
"I am sure everything will be fine."

Something about Kongou's reassurance made the man smile.
"How so?" he teased.

"Call it intuition, but when we are together, there is nothing too difficult."

Tadayoshi chuckled.
"Uh, thanks..." he said appreciatively. "But I'm not nervous or anything. Just tired."

Kongou thought for a moment.
"Oh, maybe I can make some tea before we go! There should be plenty of time."

---

Coruscant Orbit

The Cornerian fleet, including Kongou, made their last jump, arriving in orbit around Coruscant. The ships transmitted identification signals, then let Han do the talking to explain their situation.

It wasn't long before Tadayoshi, Marguerite, Kongou, General Pepper, and several adjutants were on a shuttle to the capital. Upon arrival, they were escorted into a meeting room, without much time to appreciate the view. However, the Cornerians seemed to pause in their steps for a moment; the place seemed to be a far cry to the lush, perfect balance found on their homeworld, instead being a somewhat polluted city as far as the horizon.

Well, their... Engineering must be advanced... General Pepper thought, trying to hold in a cough.

The group eventually made their way into a private meeting room, headed by none other than Chancellor Mon Mothma, a stoic and elegant lady whose every word and action seemed tailor made for running the large republic.

General Pepper took off his sunglasses, introducing himself to the room.
"May name is General Cornelius Pepper. I am the Prime Minister of the Republic of Corneria, as well as the Commander in Chief of the Cornerian Armed Forces. It is a pleasure to meet, though I do wish the circumstances were a little less trying. In fact, as long as talks of aiding AEGIS are in place, maybe we can work out a diplomatic relationship between our governments while we are all here. You see, AEGIS has just agreed to join an alliance that is headed by Corneria."

The general cleared his throat, which was slightly hoarse from the air outside; while not particularly bad by the standards set on Tadayoshi's world, the air felt thick and was more difficult to breathe for the Cornerians.
"As for ships, we have agreed to lend a temporary detachment to AEGIS, as well as one of our shipyards, in exchange for a mutual defense pact."

[Naval Monte]

Secrets of the Raven
Ashwood Manor

Alex let out a sigh. "I don't wish to fight either but in this occasion I must. Not only because he threaten my daughter but I have personal reasons for why I can't just ignore his actions and words. I have heard words similar to what he said and I have people who were like him before and it is those individuals I can't stand." The lich told Dawn as she walked away from the mirror, stoping right in front of her back and looking at Dawn from the corner from her eye.

"You know, calling me human isn't as much of an insult. Sense there are people who treat both wraiths and mages as people who toss aside their humanity once they changed hearing that you still see me as human is actually reassuring than insulting. So do think of a new insult dear." She said as a small smirk form on her lips. She turned her back to her. "Well better get the observatory and ritual chamber ready before my second team arrives. You do whatever it is you do when your alone. Just don't set my house on fire." Alex said jokingly as she began to walk out of the living room.

---

Shadows of the Empire
Republic Executive Building- Chancellor's Suite

"It's a pleasure meeting you General Pepper. I never heard of Corneria but I got a feeling you will explain why there are no records of your people despite helping people with their own navy." Sato was the one who began to explain to her about the multiverse and the rifts. How most people in the room came from different universe and how the Union was made to help other civilizations from any threats that might emerge because of the rifts and the emerging boom in multiverse travel.

"We have plenty of evidence to provide you proof to our story if you require them." Mon Mothma was silent as she and Leia gave the group stunned looks. Both women asked Han if what they heard was true. "So far I saw enough to point to them telling the truth. If they were lying then this is would be the most elaborate con in galactic history." The smuggler told them as he slid his hands into his pockets.

Sato cleared her throat, not due to it being hoarse as the air quality in Coruscant was much better than back on Earth, but mainly to get their attention back to her. "I believe for the time being we should keep the truth ad to our origins a secret from the public until we are sure on how they would react to the existence of the multiverse and to prevent your enemies from exploiting the knowledge as well. In the meantime we can say publicly that we come from the Unknown Regions or Wild Space."

While Sato seem think the idea was reasonable Mon Mothma seem to have problems with the prospal. "I'm not sure lying to our people will benefit us on the long run. I think telling them the truth much sooner would be much better than if they find out by some unknown alien civilization invading the galaxy using never before seen technology. There is also the fact that if you all come from different universes you most likely have technologies that are different from each other. The Unknown Regions cover story can only get you so far before it becomes to implausible to be believable."

The chancellor turn her sight to the canine general. "As for your proposal, while the idea of joining this union sounds tempting I want to know what are the goals of your organization, the rules you abide by and requirements for joining it?" The woman asked in a crisp manner.

"I need to know what my government will be getting involved in and how joining this union can benefit both our governments and peoples in the long run." The woman waited to hear what the general will tell her, to see if the New Republic has a place in this Union?

[The Palmetto]

L-Fel
Hotel

“Well, alright. Do you want to ask her about it? This is probably something you should know,” Aestus asked Jules, walking out of the room with her. He had previously trusted Ale, but not telling them where they were going was a bit worrying. Aestus was a bit surprised that Jules was so trusting of this, but he himself had been apathetic just a day ago. Now that he’d gotten into some action, he was taking this a lot more seriously, and now wanted to act accordingly.

Aestus took the keys that Jules gave him, and dropped them to a fiddler crab. They struggled for a moment to carry them, but then hurried away to stash them off in Aestus’s armor. He had a lot of things stashed off in his armor like that. He should probably should check to see what he hadn’t taken out, but that could be saved for later. Right now he was focused on whatever trouble he had found himself.

Hospital

Irwin was somewhat starting to think Frederick was insane. Maybe it was him, but seeing a pale man on a hospital talk to a hat with no response made him a bit suspicious. But he still trusted this man with his life, so Irwin figured he would trust his life on this man. Even if it involved a magical hat. He nodded, and was about to slowly walk out until Ackermann dragged him.

“Hey! Take it easy lad!” He told her, ironically, chuckling at the same time.