The Dance of Chaos [IC-Fantasy-OPEN]

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Melodie Beauvais, A room

I mentally kick myself over everything I have done tonight and stop my hand from moving to attack whoever this is, right now they do not seem hostile and even so I have a nagging suspicion that I am outmatched. So, I ensure my features are schooled and respond almost lightly while flicking a strand of silver hair away from my face. "A maid in motion outranks a Guard Captain who has no idea what is going on." I proceed on making careful not to lie as I have a distinct feeling whoever this is could through any lie I could come up with. "As for why I am risking my life to save the Princess, I am a loyal servant of the Royal Family, and have been since they hired me over two years ago, they have given me shelter and a job since I lost everything. So why should I not repay that debt by doing all I can to protect the Princess? As for the bloodshed..." I raise a hand and gaze at the crimson liquid staining it. "Desperation and desire for survival can lead one to accomplish near superhuman feats, no? Now, if you don't mind me asking the stereotypical questions, who are you, how did you get in here, and what, if anything do you want with the Princess?"

Illania de Velira, A hallway

I almost casually duck and, while I feel the heat of the blade fly over me, I kick out with one of my feet causing her to stumble backwards and I to wince slightly. Not to self: best not to do that again, this woman is well built. I move in quickly with my flaming blade and score first blood with a slash across the arm but she doesn't drop her weapon. I leap backwards and conjure four small fireballs on the tips of my fingers on my free hand and send them flying at her but she dodges three and blocks the fourth with her axe. I bring the other three around with a move of my fingers and send them at her back and she manages to dodge two of them but the third hits home on her back, causing the smell of burning flesh to fill the air.

Almost ignoring her injuries she sends a slash of fire towards me and I pick up one of the fallen Faith Keeper’s swords from the ground and using my magic and the nature of the blade I cause it to be redirected and it flies into a stone wall leaving an impressive scorch mark. "Is that all the power the Flame That Leads All Astray can give you or is it that you are merely weak?" I ask in quiet contempt as I drop the sword I used to do that.

???, Chovers, hidden in the streets outside the White Citadel

I smirk within the darkness I have hidden myself in, hearing the familiar sounds of battle even from here. No point in making my move now but this allows me to watch and observe what they do in the event of an attack. "Oh Alexis, how I look forward to seeing you again." I mutter to myself in glee, remembering my 'sister' oh so well. I hear the witch's protestations in my mind, her weeping in despair, and I smile all the more. Coming here was indeed the correct decision if she is so upset.

[Tracian Empire]

Somewhere else entirely
A blind boy

A cold and bitter silence followed the last word of the green haired girl, and it had nothing to do with the freezing temperature around them. It looked as if all that had happened had not affected the white haired boy in the slightest. Her horrible shock, her pain, her falling on her knees, her vain attempts to cry, the blood..of course, it wasn't like he could see any of it, his silver eyes not fixated on anything, just looking in her general direction.. but it would have been impossible for his heart to not have been shattered by the sheer suffering of the girl next to him, a girl he had apparently once loved.. but of course, he no longer had a heart.

"We lost each other.", he answered coldly, his voice blank. "Betrayal and blood." Pride almost involuntarily touched his chest, where a scar was the place where the blade of someone he had considered to be his friend had pierced him. "But it matters no more. it doesn't matter who we were, what we were doing, what we dreamt of. The past is just ash and smoke. We can not change it, and it can not change us. What matters is the present, what matters is right now." It was almost as if he was made of the same ice that was surrounding him, his words cutting like an icicle. "We are Archbishops of Sin now. Our souls no longer belong to us, but to the Gods that we have been forced to serve. We are no longer even human. Human pursuits, human emotions, human desires - we can and should only have them when they represent the Sin that we serve. We mostly only live in order to serve the purpose entrusted to us by the Sin we represent. Your heart can't truly belong to and be enveloped by your Sin if you are also held back by a ridiculous concept such as love. "

The boy then remained quiet for a moment, the silence seeming to grow even colder, even more oppressive. It was a complete and utter difference from the boy of only a few days ago, as if he was a completely different person, as if something, somewhere, had changed irreversibly. "And we also can not forget that we serve different Sins. I serve Superbia, and you serve Acedia, and the two haven't always seen eye to eye. We can not even be friends, let alone anything more than that, with us serving rival masters. And Superbia is the foremost Cardinal Sin, the original Sin. It sits at the top of the Seven Sins, and so it is only natural that I, its Archbishop, should lead the others. I can not be seen congregating with other Archbishops, lest I sully the name of Superbia. " It was as if everything had changed. The boy closed his eyes for a few moments, but it was clearly a calculated gesture, since there was no light to keep out of his eyes anyway. "So spare me your rebellion. This is not a situation where you can simply say no, where you can try to deny my just order. We can not see each other anymore, we can not meet each other anymore. It would best for everyone involved and for our masters if we just forget our lost past, and pretend that all of this was a dream." Bleakness and piercing cold.

---

A little later
Somewhere else
A knight and an angel

The Faith Keeper watched her with his pink eyes, the gentle smile still on his face, but as she simply whimpered and did or said nothing of actual significance..his expression was slowly but surely replaced by one of calm disappointment. "You are more important for us and for our plans to might think, little angel... so we have no desire to hurt you. You would never have been hurt from the beginning, if only you would have always done what you were told, if only if you would have always obeyed..", he softly told her, and then sighed. "But your friend.. now your friend isn't important for what we want in the slightest."

While this conversation had been taking place, the knight had been desperately trying to fend off the vicious attacks of at least a dozen crimson armored Faith Keepers, but he was outnumbered, he was exhausted, with only partially healed wounds and with the shocking experience of nearly dying still close to heart. But more than that, there was the shattering experience of having nearly killed someone he had sworn to protect, breaking his fighting spirit into pieces. Even as he was doing his best to protect her, Illari was clearly unable to bring himself to use his magic, so no lightning or sparks of golden electricity left his spear, even as he was overwhelmed. In just a few minutes, his lance had fallen on the ground, and the boy had fallen on his knees, looking with his golden eyes straight as Nysa, as the Faith Keepers pointed their various blades at him. Their leader looked at the knight, and then right back at Nysa again, still smiling. "Let me make it clear for you then, little angel. You either come with us... or your little friend will die."

---

Wyzkia
A castle


The woman had continued to mind her plants, a smile still on her face, and only the sound of scissors being heard even after Alina had finished speaking. A few good moments passed, in what from the girl's perspective must have been a very tense silence, but the woman seemed to have not even been listening to what she had said...until she finally turned around to face the pink haired girl again. Even if her eyes were lowered, she would have still been able to see that Rafal's mother was looking directly and carefully at her, as if she was measuring her. Carefully looking at everything that one could gather from looking intently at someone. But even so, and even with her eyes lowered, Alina would have been able to see that the woman was still smiling.

"Engaged to Rafal?", the baroness eventually said, as if she had only just now realized what this entire conversation had been about. Another pause followed. And then she turned around again and started taking care of the flowers. "That Rafal... I would have said that he is still just a little to young for an engagement, but alas, that is what we should do, members of a ruined bloodline. What worth is blood even if it turns to ash in your veins? What worth is continuing your bloodline if each new generation will merely have to see more and more of your inevitable decline? " She giggled. "Excuse me, I am once again steering away from what we were talking about. You being engaged to my second son..poor him, so many things in his life changing. I always thought that he wasn't fit to be a knight and I wanted him to join the priesthood, but if being a knight and having a wife is what he wants..but for you to not be a part of the nobility.. how strange. I spent most of my life in the ducal court you know? My father was the previous Grand Duke, may the Gods rest him, I haven't always been stuck in this castle. I could have sworn by your behavior that you were a lady from the ducal court itself. Still.."

The sounds of the scissors once again stopped, and the woman turned around again to look at Alina. "Nobility or not, one thing is most important. Why do you want to marry my son?"

[Faal Lot Himdah]

The Forgotten Prince, Az'goxaak
And so, it continues...

"And who are you to dispute what I saw?" Az said as he glared at the crimson eyed man, "A necromancer perhaps?"

After a moment, Az sighed, "You are right, no soul was broken, nor body shattered. After all, hellfire doesn't work like that. It burns body and soul, leaving only ash of the body and nothing of the soul, if allowed to burn completely. A death that even necromancy can't bring someone back from. And that is why you think I am lying. You have not witnessed the hellfire of a Prince, perhaps only that of a lowly demon. A lowly demon's hellfire does not burn completely, it leaves ash of the body and soul. Now, the hellfire of a Prince... that burns completely."

"As for the Prince..." Az smirked, "I got the distinct feeling that he did not want to be disturbed, by anyone. So, take this not as advice, but as a warning. Leave, and return to whomever you serve."

---

Pynus of the Wind, Nym, Yakr Rugma
The Freeman's Drink Tavern, Anselm

---

"eI don't have any, but my partner does..." Pynus said in response to Adelheid, and after the boys had finished their spiel on their adopted brother. As she finished, she reached to her side and drew the Blade of a Thousand Splint' Ars, only for it to disappear and a Loroi to appear standing beside Pynus. Pynus then continued, "While I am one for acting on gut feeling alone, Nym here isn't."

"Yes, so... All you have to go on are rumours." Nym started, looking Adelheid directly in the eye, "As you have said that you haven't had the opportunity to see things for yourself. Not to mention, while somethings you have said are indeed strange, some are less so. Strange lights are relatively common for areas of wetland, and so is the growth of such areas. Wetlands are capable of expanding or moving over time."

"That said, the implied speed of these rumours is concerning." Nym said after a pause, "And so are the supposed disappearances of villages around the area. However, has there been any effort made in tracking down where those living in these empty villages could have went? Perhaps the villagers saw that the Fens were growing, and decided to leave. Basically, has anyone you can vouch for done any investigation prior or are we going in blind with only rumours to guide us?"

Once Nym finished, Yakr spoke, "Yakr also has question... what plan?"

[Remnants of Exilvania]

Anselm
Rural Countryside
"Freemen's Drink" Tavern

Sometimes Adelheid was at a loss when dealing with Leon and Daniel. On one hand they seemed VERY motivated, which was always great. On the other they were naive and likely to suddenly bring up things and explain them when there was little need for it. Like theit words concerning the Black Band. If they talked about things like those, they'd likely get to meet the Black Band much sooner than anyone at this table would've liked.

With a slightly twitching eye, a somewhat confused Adelheid merely told them:

"Aaaalright, I am glad that you are this motivated though I recommend you cool it a little here in Anselm. Boys like you and talk like this attracts a lot of attention, some of which can be entirely unwanted."

The appearance of Nym left Adelheid unfazed. She knew well enough how relics worked, her family having possessed one in better days. A shame they did not anymore. Regardless, Adelheid knew valid questions and criticism when it propped up and especcially when jt originated from something as notable as a relic, these often capable of looking back on millennia of experience.

That said, this Nym's questions and concerns reminded her of her father's, who had voiced very similar concerns in an argument she had had with him shortly prior to deciding on this course of action. She hoped that Nym would be more open to her reasoning than her father had been.

Brushing a stray hair out of her face, Adelheid sighed before saying:

"I have indeed had some investigations in this matter conducted, albeit not as extensively as I could have had I invested all my wealth into this single matter.

Now aside from the usual occurence of hired investigators just running off with their prepayment, I've run into serious problems in my investigations. Those being that my hired help was either never seen again or got politely rebuffed by the Unsterb property guards.

Investigations into the origin of the rumours were also...diffifult. It proved to be quite difficult to ascertain if rumourmongers were actually living in those areas or not since there is no registry of free peasants and their home address, not out here. However, my investigators assured me that the witnesses and victims are believable."

Adelheid proceeded to rummage in her bag again, producing two wax sealed cylindrical containers which sge swiftly unsealed before carefully, as though she was treating something as easily disturbed as air, setting down two more maps. Both of which were smaller than the original map and solely portrayed the Fen.

Pointing at one of them which was notably simpler in its make and carried several markings, indicating safe passages as well as danger zones, Adelheid continued:

"This is a historical relic. Back during the War of the Dying Griffon, maps like these were used by Anselmian smugglers to make their way through the Fen. Several of the paths marked on here may have become unsafe over this timespan but I am certain it'll aid us still in traversing the Fen safely."

She then pointed at the other, most certainly older map that appeared to be on the verge of nearly turning into dust. A faint hue of magic surrounded it, indicating why it had not yet done so. It was a very elaborate depiction lf the Fen with intricate drawings and markings. It showed a road going straight through the Fen as well as a marked ruin smack dab in the center of the Fen and the road. There were also markings for what appeared to be multiple barrows placed throughout the Fen.

"And this is a map from all the way back when Thornrikia still existed so older than the other maps. It's a miracle I even managed to get a hold of it.

If you compare the two maps, you will easily see that the marked barrows on one and many of the danger zones of the other coincide. As do the road and one of the 'safe routes' through the Fen. Given that the Unsterbs continue moving heavy loads into the Fen, the road must still be standing and the destination would likely be that ruin or whatever exists now in its place."

After giving everyone plenty of time to look at the maps, Adelheid carefully rolled them together again and stuffed them back into their containers, letting them vanish in her bag again.

"Concerning the plan, in this circumstance I am of the rather firm belief that no plan survives enemy contact. As such I intend to keep it simple and flexible.

We will first venture to the borders of the Fen abd hopefuly avoid any property guards and try to find firsthand evidence of thr expansion of the Fen.

Regardless of wether or not there will be evidence, I intend to head towards the road as it guarantees safe passage to the center of the Fen and thus to likely Unsterb activity. If there was evidence, we will look out for points of interest on the way to investigate and see if we can't find a reason for the Fen's expansion. If there was no evidence, I hope to head straight to the center of the Fen and uncover whatever the Unsterbs are doing out here.

Should we run into problems, that simply cannot be dealt with and endager all of our lives, I have a little surprise planned that should help us out.

Due to a lack of further information about the situation at the location, making any more complicated plans would be folly as it'd be akin to making information up out of thin air, which can be dangerous when the situation might actually be different.

However, if someone were to prefer a different or more in depth plan, I would very much like to hear their suggestions. It never hurts to address mistakes or issue's in one's own planning."

[Dragos Bee]

Lady Admiral/Warmage Alessia, Kartaran Main Island

The Calarians were in disarray, their collaborators among the other Kartaran Clans discredited, and the Bearpact had risen to prominence with the Lady Admiral's actions in the Night of Three Moons. But with prominence came jealousy, and jealousy created challenges, especially with the Kartarans' noted distrust of other kingdoms and races. For like it or not, to many of the Kartarans, Lady Admiral Alessia will always be a foriegner, one 'tainted' by Achysian ways. Nor did it help that she wanted to bring some of those ways into Highmountain, where she ruled.

All who are slaves by the Calarian occupiers were now to be freed whenever they were rescued, including those not of Kartaran bood. While it was still allowable to enslave said occupiers should they be captured, the Lady Admiral herself mad a habit of buying and freeing slaves brought into the settlement of Highmountain.

If not for the credibility her victories against the Calarians had brought her, including the Drowning of Pekastro, their local colonial capital, this would have raised serious questions about the legitimacy of her rule. If not for the fact that the Spirits did favor her and the Clans which participated in the Bearpact, the strange notions she had brought in from Achysia would have been rejected out of hand. But the true barrier which prevented doubt and discontent from becoming a serious threat was the fact that Lady Admiral Alessia was a Warmage who can drown and freeze all those who tried to remove her by force, protected by a Clan which remembered her youth as a tribeswoman and respected her father's blood.

But to strengthen her people, she needed to pass down her magical knowledge, much of it from books and grimories she had kept on her return trip to Kartara's Main Island. And so all Shaman who came to her for 'cross-training' were welcome to her lodge, which had been enlarged to the point where it was almost a school.

"The Magic of the Oath allows for what is spoken to be made real, for the energy of the universe to be channeled by Mortal hands," she said to an enraptured class, mostly young men and women and a few elders who had learned to swallow their pride. "By channeling this energy, which foriegners call Mana, one can do great things, not just with water and frost, but also fire, air, wind and light. The Kartaran people are masters of water and wind, in touch with nature, and when they themselves channel the energy of the universe, this closeness can allow them to do great things."

And with that, she created a globe of water, conjuring it from Mana alone, then froze it into a spiked ball, then turned it into water again. She then seemed to make it vanish, but in fact, she transformed it into air, which she caused to whirl in her hands, collecting dust until it was visible, and then turning it into pure water again, then air, before dispersing it for good.

"Many of you know the theory already, many of you know some of the methods. But now..." She held out a book, a book containing theory of Magic she herself didn't know or like (coughFireMagiccough), and said, "I will teach you how to use the elements that our enemies believe we shy from. And by that, once I am finished with my lessons, many of you will be able to channel Fire as well as Water, Wind as well as Earth, Healing as well as Destruction and Creation as well - And keep the favor of the Spirits while doing so. Now let's begin..."

At the end of it all, Alessia scored better success than expected, even though she literally had to put out a few fires, fires she was delighted to see were caused by her students' conjuring them by themselves. As she was about to call the class to end, a messenger rushed in, saying, "We've received news of the outside world - Your mother's homeland is rebelling against its overlords!"

So others have used the Night of the Three Moons as well, the Lady Admiral thought. She turned to the messenger and said, "Send word to the various chieftains of the Bearpact immediately - Tell them the news, then have them go to Highmountain to discuss our next moves! And make sure that our Longships are ready to sail at any moment!"

She had already made up her mind, with or without the other chieftains' help, Clan Ice Bear's ships will sail out, trying to find the rebels and those allied with them in order to bring a pledge of support and a request for mutual aid. Was this the opportunity she had to gain vital allies, or was this an overstretch of limited resources. But at the same time, she cannnot truly abandon her other homeland, as no matter who rejected her, she was both Kartaran and Achysian. And her actions were for both nations.

[Fereni]

A little later
Somewhere else
A knight and an angel

Nysa's expression did not change at all, but her voice certainly did. It was deeper, somehow, smoother, and perfectly, unflinchingly still. "No," she said simply, without hesitating even for a moment. "You will die."

It was barely even a second after she finished speaking that the man's head simply... burst. Nothing seemed to have brought it on--it just exploded, with no real warning, a sickening, wet sound filling the air as blood and skull fragments rained down.

Nysa stood up, then, still expressionless, not even seeming to care about the horrific sight in front of her. She turned, and her red eyes locked directly onto another of the Faith Keepers, the one whose weapon was closest to Illari. She raised a hand, and pointed at him.

"Now, you."

This time, instead of the head, it was the arm holding the weapon. Perhaps it was merciful; after all, he at least had a chance of living, no matter how slight. Or perhaps it was cruel, to leave him able to feel the pain. It didn't seem to matter to her in the slightest.

Not once, throughout all of this, did Nysa so much as blink.

"You will all leave here," she said, her face unchanging even as blood slowly poured down it. "You will leave, and you will not return. If you do not leave immediately, then you will never leave this place at all." She looked at each of the remaining Faith Keepers in turn, and for once, her expression actually showed a hint of feeling.

It was pure, cold contempt.

"Get out of my sight," she ordered, "before I stop feeling so kind."

Wyzkia
A castle

Alina couldn't help but flinch at Adelajda's words. "My lady," she stammered, "I... I must... I must be truthful with you." She felt dizzy, and her vision blurred; she was shaking too badly to stand, so she dropped to her knees, knowing that it could at least be seen as a sign of respect, and not complete terror. "The truth is... I was... A long time ago, I was part of the nobility, it's true. I learned the ways of a proper young woman, but I... I failed to live up to them." Her voice sounded so unsteady, so choked up. She thought she might cry. "I no longer... I am no longer the daughter of a noble house. In fact, it was Rafal who asked me to marry him, for... a reason connected to that. I know that I don't deserve an opportunity such as this. I know that I don't deserve him. I told him as much myself... I told him that, but he..." She was crying, despite her best efforts. "Rafal is... so kind. So kind, and so brave. And I am... nobody. Nobody of any worth, that is. So I know that I don't deserve any of this, and I fully understand if you can't accept me because of it. But I beg you... please don't ask me to reveal the full reason behind all of this. I can't speak of it. I can't even bear to think about it. It's too painful... it hurts too much. Please... don't ask me to say it..."

She bowed her head, her body shaking with sobs that she could no longer suppress. This was too much, it was all too much. The one thing she had wanted to do, at the very least, was to make a good impression on Rafal's family, to seem as though she was in any way worthy of marrying him, but she had already failed so horribly. His sister despised her, and now here she was, having a complete breakdown in front of his mother, destroying her one last opportunity to seem like she could ever be a proper wife. How could she be, when she couldn't even control her own emotions? They would know, they would know that she didn't belong in such a place, and they would cast her out... and she would deserve it, of course she would. But still, she didn't want to leave. This was her one chance, even if it was only a sliver of a possibility... this was the only chance she had to find any sort of happiness, however fragile.

But of course, she'd ruined it all. Just like she always did.

He'd been right all along. She was truly worthless.

Somewhere else entirely
A blind boy

"Forget?" Her voice was soft, and almost disbelieving. "You want me to forget?" The cold was spreading out through her whole body, the familiar voice of Tristitia whispering softly, telling her to give up, but she wouldn't. She couldn't. "As if I ever could." Anger was bleeding into her voice now, and she pushed herself back to her feet. "After everything I did for you... after everything, this is what you give me? I had my eyes gouged out and my body sliced open. Do you remember that? Do you even care? I died screaming in agony, the worst pain I had ever felt, all for the crime of loving you. And I couldn't even stay dead. I had to be reborn into this world still loving you! Loving you, even though I knew it was hopeless, even though it only made me feel more despair... When you told me you loved me... that was the only time I'd ever felt happy. And now you say--you tell me to just forget it? Forget about all of it, when it's the most real thing I've ever felt? You want me to forget the only happiness I've ever had?" She was screaming at him, heedless of their position, of anything save the emotions filling her and spilling out of her.

Yet as suddenly as the fury had come upon her, it left, leaving her smiling peacefully.

"But it's okay, my love." Her voice had become completely calm. "I know you don't mean it." Within only a few moments, she'd pulled him into a tight embrace, resting her head on his shoulder and whispering softly. "Because if I had thought you did, I would have already killed you."

Meta closed her eyes, and smiled. "But I understand. I always knew this would happen, really... I knew She would come between us. But I don't care. I don't care what it takes, because I finally have you. I'm never letting you go again, my love. No matter what that means I have to do. If I had to be reborn into this world, then I will take my happiness from it... even if that bitch tries to stop me, I won't allow it. I'll defeat anyone who stands in my way. Even the gods themselves will sleep, if that's what it takes. I am the Sleep Princess, and if I must create a medicine strong enough for the gods, then I will, because no one, no one is ever going to take you away from me again." She laughed softly, and her grip tightened. "I will make my dreams true. And if I can't even do that, then..."

She pulled back, and pressed a small vial into his hands. It wasn't the same one she wore around her neck, but it had a similar shape. "This is my strongest medicine yet," she said quietly. "Even just a few drops is enough... for a sleep that no one can be awakened from, no matter what. I've tested it, and it's without a doubt the most powerful mixture I've created. I made it for myself, but... there is more than enough for two. If we can't be together in this world, if we can't be happy... what we can't achieve in reality, we can certainly achieve in a dream. So if even you have given up, then let us sleep together. If we drink this, then even the gods will be unable to separate us... and in our dreams, we can always be happy." She smiled again, her voice quiet and gentle. "So what do you say, my love? Whichever you choose... if you want to fight back against that interfering bitch, or if you would rather simply dream... as long as we are together, I don't care. Because being with you is all that I need to make me happy..."

[Elysian Kentarchy]

The Last Admiral, The Flame Untarnished

"While we failed to kill Princess Alexis and the arrival of Ekatiz prevented our march on Chovers the Night of the Bloody Moons was an overall success and I am pretty confident the Duivenian Princess will be incapacitated for some time. For now I will be falling back on the secondary plan and will shore up our positions while seizing as much of the homeland as possible." The Maiden recites, conveying General de Velira's message to me.

"I see. Inform General de Velira that while we could not capitalize on the nature of the Night of the Bloody Moons as much as we would have liked we had still managed to launch several successful raids against the Calarian mainland. I split off three ships from my fleet to have them deliver the newest groups of freed slaves to the homeland as per usual, the current plan is to rendezvous between the homeland and Kartara and continue the raids as I see fit."

"Yes, Lord Admiral." The Maiden begins to convey the message to General de Velira's Maiden and I begin plotting our course to the rendezvous. Soon after speaking with the captain of the Flame Untarnished we signal to the other ships and begin moving in that direction.

Soon... soon the homeland will be freed.

[Ceystile]

Chovers, Duivene
Ramey-Ironbright Manor
Alucard Ramey-Ironbright

What are you doing?” A deep laugh caused Alucard to turn her head from where she was lounging on the couch, smiling when her husband walked into the room.
“Modeling our newest pieces, remember? We’re doing the portraits to advertise our new autumn collection today?” Her bright orange eyes went to the canvas and paints Zari had tucked under his arm. “You’ve got the supplies ready, so I assume you remember.”
“Of course I do, we worked our ass off on this collection. I think this one might be the biggest hit so far, Mignonnet.”

“Gold and topaz do make a hell of a combination. Like chocolate and truffles. I mean, you only have to look in the mirror to see that. these ones, they’re so sparkly.” She flashed a wink at him and he snorted in laughter. “You great big flatterer, let’s get to work.” The glimmer of gold jewelry against her brown skin was only high lightened by the fact that she was wearing nothing but the pieces.

“Stay still, why don’t you. I can’t paint when you’re moving like that.” Zari huffed from behind his easel.
“I thought you said “no naked advertising.”
“Of course, the promo portraits will have you all dressed up. This one’s for me.”
“You see it up close and personal, you know. You don’t need a picture.”
“True, but it’s still lovely to have.”

“Don’t we have a client coming over today?” Alucard twirled a strand of her fluffy white hair, Zari tugged his thick black dreadlocks away from his face as he worked. “Actually yeah, but we should have a couple of hours before they arrive. So what do you say about taking that commission from the Church, they wanted new jewelry for the bishops and icons for the altar and golden candlesticks and shit like that. We’d make a shit ton of money, we’d be set for quite a while.”

“I want to, but I have to find a way to not tip them off that I’m a vampire, I certainly wouldn’t want to become an altar decoration.”
“You’re beautiful enough. Don’t worry though, I’d never let that happen. If anybody tries to harm you they’d have to go through my ax.”

[Tracian Empire]

Kingdom of Duivene
Citadel of Chovers
The Two Towers

32nd Floor, Rooms of the Steward, Tower of the Augurs
A mage of crimson judgement

"Oh my..", the Faith Keeper replied in his soft voice, still holding the maid and pointing the tip of his blade at her throat. "But you were severely mistaken. Both I and the Steward are only interested in the Princess' safety. We had found out that the Achysians had prepared contingency plans to assassinate her if they would have failed to kill her on the battlefield during the Night of the Bloody Moons, and we had to act. The Steward has orders from her brother, the King, and the Faith's Judgment would always gladly offer its life and blood for one of the Seven Heroes." The pink eyed man smiled warmly. "You see, this means that you were working against the Princess and her loyal servants, and for a servant in a royal citadel such as Chovers, what you have tried to do would have been treason. But the Gods teach us to be merciful when possible. So then," he continued, pushing the tip of his blade forward so that the maid could feel the cold steel on her throat, "Tell me who sent you here, and I shall let you live. Money is never worth dying for."

A room, the 45th floor, the Princess' Chambers
A warrior and a mage of Judgment

The room starting to shake took the Faith Keepers by surprise, but they quickly tried to react, with the mage starting to chant something of his own. The bard's magic inconvenienced them more than anything else - Chovers was perhaps the strongest citadel in the entire Kingdom of Duivene, so a single bard's magic couldn't have caused one of its rooms to cave in. The soldier also took the opportunity to charge forward, and the length of his blade gave him an advantage - as he forced the cook to parry, and then used his other hand, armed with a stilleto, to stab the unprotected cook right in the neck. However, at the same time, fate struck. The bard's magic couldn't have possibly caused the ceiling to cave in, but it did cause the chandelier above to fall - and it fell right on top of the mage. Seeing this, enraged, the soldier immediately reacted and tried to push forward toward the bard, only for the last dying action of the cook's falling body to cause him to stumble..

A hallway, somewhere else
A fire witch

"Pride and arrogance. What else could we expect from the servants of a flame corrupted by vainglory and hubris?", the woman asked, seemingly unfazed by her wounds or the slight smell of burning flesh. The impressive showcase of Illania's magical powers seemed to be nothing in her eyes. The Faith Keeper did however seem to acknowledge her as a dangerous opponent, as the next moments passed in an oppressive silence, with both of them just looking at each other, not acting. She had clearly realized that her long halberd was putting her at a disadvantage in the hallway they were fighting, so without any warning, she suddenly lunged forward. But while Illania would have probably prepared her blade, attempting to deflect a strike that never came, the Faith Keeper did not use her weapon. She did not grip the shaft of the hallberd with her left hand too as would have been required for a proper swing, but instead, she seemed to now have a small piece of paper, tighly gripped in her left hand - a spell, prepared ahead of time, the chant written on it in blood. It burned through mana like nothing else, and few were able to create and use them - but it was an ace card for others. The paper itself turned into ash in her hand, but a medium sized sphere of golden flames appeared right in front of her - and was thrown with force at the Achysian witch. Even if Illania would have been able to somehow block it in time, the sheer force of the attack and of the subsequent explosion threw her back in the air and into the wall behind, while the Faith Keeper used her weapon and its weight to protect herself from it.

As soon as the bright flames and the deafening sound of the explosion were gone, the Faith Keeper seemed to be on the verge of lunging forward again, ignoring the smell of smoke in the air - but her attraction was suddenly distracted by a sound behind her. She turned around just in the nick of time - barely able to parry the strike.

An older knight had just arrived behind her, wearing an ornamented silver and azure armor, decorated with the emblem of one of the companies of the Sentinels of the King, the Royal Guards of Duivene. His white hair and mustache matched his dark golden eyes, and despite his age, he was very clearly still a formidable opponent. His sudden arrival had forced the Faith Keeper onto the defensive, and a flurry of strikes and thrusts stopped her from using any of her magic, giving the fire witch time to recover. "Now!", he shouted in a strong but still remarkably calm voice, towards the witch..

A room, somewhere else
A maid and two guards

"That is true. The Guards have shown quite a distressing amount of incompetence so far, which only strengthens the Steward's notion that they might be unable to stop an assassination attempt on the princess.", the Faith Keeper answered in a sweet and bubbly voice. "I must commend your loyalty however. Few servants, even among those who owe a debt of life to their masters, would have risked their lives the way you did today." He giggled again. "As for who I am, my name isn't important. Those who decide to serve the Faith to the fullest extent of their existence are encouraged to forget and bury who they once were. I am a humble Repenter, serving under the 4th Petal of the Fourth Scale of the Faith's Judgement, Obedientia. I got in here through the opened door, and I was here when you and your companions arrived with the Princess, but I used an illusion charm to hide myself from your sight. As for the Princess herself, I am here to save her and to put her under the protection of the Faith's Judgement and of the Four Scales."

The Faith Keeper smiled as he grabbed his weapon from the ground. "Now, what would actually be interesting would be to find out who you really are.. but I shall restrain my curiosity here, since I do not think that I will be able to obtain a proper answer, and alas, we are running out of time. So let me ask you a question." A moment of silence followed. "If i were to give you the opportunity to choose between life and death, between running out that door and leaving the Princess with me or trying to fight me and dying.. what would you choose?"

In the courtyard

Blood gushed through the air.

The Duivenian mage's strike had shattered the shield protecting the priestess, and as the Faith Keepers surrounding her were overwhelmed by the maddening assault of the Duivenian soldiers, Eric managed to close, and to deliver a second strike. His blade broke through the shattered remains of magic and might and brutally cut her throat. The gushing blood tainted him and the Duivenian mage who was nearby alike, and the veiled woman fell on the cold ground beneath, her white robes stained crimson, without so much as a whisper.

Her death seemed to shatter the morale of the Faith Keepers, and many of them turned around and tried to run again, in the victorious cries and shouts of the Duivenians. But in this moment of victory, they overlooked something rather essential - the magical circle that the priestess had created was now glowing crimson, seemingly absorbing blood from the pool of red that had formed beneath her body. Crimson like sparks of electricity appeared around it - and then it exploded, with a jade-red smoke. The force of the explosion threw a lot of people, Eric and Eglamour included.

When the smoke cleared - a huge silhouette was standing in the middle of the courtyard. It was humanoid, but at least three times as tall as a human, made from a dark substance that looked like hardened clay, with magical markings glowing a faint red carved on the entirety of its body in complicated patterns. What would have been its face was completely empty, devoid of even eyes. And even if it lacked a mouth, it screamed angrily, moving forward, and punching away five or so Duivenian soldiers, who were thrown into the air and crashed violently into the wall of the tower behind.

Victory turned to panic.

---

A little later
Somewhere
A demon

"Hellfire does indeed have unique proprieties.. and you are right, it would be able to burn a soul and a body entirely..that's what the books said at the very least. I have indeed lacked the honor of meeting a Prince of Hell so far.", the newcomer conceded " But I am not questioning what you saw, I merely wish to.. ask the Prince for a clarification. For even completely burning a body and a soul is death, and some necromancers, can feel the very presence of the act of killing and of death itself. And while there is plenty of death around in this accursed night.. there is no death here." The boy sighed, the chains that were still attached to his cuffs and collar making a metallic, clinking sound as he moved. "I am indeed a necromancer, but I am not only that. I am an Archbishop of the Cult of Sins, serving Invidia, the Goddess and Sin of Envy."

As he said that, the black snake coiled around his left arm seemed to turn into smoke, evaporating. The smoke itself seemed to float towards it hand, where it materialized again into a long scythe, black, with a crimson blade. "And in the name of my master, I am afraid that I must insist. I must talk with the Prince... even if he does not want to be disturbed by anyone."

---

A little later
Somewhere else
A knight and an angel

Illari had come to terms with death long ago. He had started right at it so many times that he couldn't count them anymore, and it's not like it mattered anyway. It was never supposed to be him - from the very beginning he had no right to survive and to live on. Two lives, one death, and his live had been spared because of something as fickle as the flip of a coin, the eternal work of fate. So when the Faith Keepers overwhelmed in, and one stabbed him in the arm, causing him to drop his lance, and then forcing him to fall of his knees, blood pouring out of the wound and over his silver and golden armor - he was calm. But his heart was drowned with sadness and despair and failure not for him - certainly not, but for her. She deserved to live, and she deserved most importantly to live free, away from the darkness and the corruption of the Faith and the pain of the world around her. It was a shame, it truly was a shame, that all that he had done had been in vain.

He was useless, wasn't he? He couldn't have even saved her without that demon, and he wouldn't have died without that forgotten deity. He had even managed to hurt her, instead of protecting her. Maybe this was how it had to be.

But then..

She started talking. And it wasn't just her tone that had changed, but also the way in which she was talking.. it was as if she had become an entirely different person. And as soon as her voiced ceased to be heard, the head of the Faith Keeper closest to her.. simply exploded, in blood and gore. Illari could only look in shock and horror as the arm holding the sword of the Faith Keeper closest to him also burst into blood, the gushing, crimson liquid hitting him straight in the face. The boy could barely hear what she was saying next, desperately trying to clean his face off the blood and to keep it out of his eyes, but her tone, her cold tone.. it was cutting through the air.

The Faith Keepers didn't even wait for her to finish, as they started running, screaming, like little children who had just seen a wolf in the forest. Not even a minute later, the two of them were alone in the dark and eerie forest, with the crimson light of the moons shining above them.

Illari was looking at her with his golden eyes - but they weren't as blank as they had been before. His usual emotionless attitude had a twinge of.. fear in it. Of pure terror even. As they looked directly at each other and into each other's eyes, Illari suddenly tried to stand up, to turn away and to flee, but his body was far too weakened, having bled profusely after already being nearly killed once earlier that night. He stumbled and fell face-down on the ground, but even then he rapidly turned around, still on the ground, but looking at Nysa and trying to back away.

"What.. are you?", he asked, his voice trembling. He had seen countless horrors in the war but nothing.. nothing like this. "You're.. you're no angel.", he continued, finally coming to that realization, but still too weak and afraid to just run away. "Just.. just stay.. stay away.. from me.."

---

Wyzkia
A castle

The old lady didn't move a single inch while the girl next to her was having a breakdown - she didn't even seem to acknowledge that it was happening, let alone react to it in any way. She continued to have a warm smile on her face, and she even started to gently hum the tune of an old chidlren's song while taking care of the flowers in front of her, all while Alina had dropped to her knees, had started to cry, had apologized, had begged.. nothing.

But then, as the pink haired girl finally remained quiet... a few moments passed, marked only by the woman's humming, and then silence.. and only then did Rafal's mother turn around again to look at her. "My dear Alina, there is no need to cry now, is there? If my younger son has chosen you to be his fiancee then as his mother, I can not object. It would be hypocritical for me to do so, since I married against the better judgement of my parents to begin with." Still smiling, the woman sat on her knees right next to her, so as to be on the same level. "This doesn't mean that I would object anyway. I do not know your past, and if you wish to keep it a secret, then there is no need for me to know it. Each person has secrets that they have good reasons to keep as such, and much like a good wife learns not to pressure her husband for those things he wishes to keep secret, a mother in law shouldn't insist too much either, if her instinct tells her that she has nothing to worry about. And that is what my instinct is telling me." She calmly took out a small, white napkin, embroidered with the coat of arms of Rafal's family on it, and she used to gently clear the tears from Alina's cheeks. "You are a fine and polite young woman, and my flowers seem to have taken a liking to you - and they never lie. Especially since the ones you took such good care of are enchanted Loroi flowers - malice would have caused them to dry. I don't know how you failed to live up to expectations, but as far as me and my flowers are concerned, you pass." The woman giggled. "And you must really be a special someone indeed if my son is doing something like this for you. You see - Rafal has always wanted to live up to his father's expectations no matter what. When he was little and we thought that he would become a priest, and even after he became a squire - he always gave his everything to the duty he had, and he never particularly cared about the girls that he met, even as his father tried to arrange a political marriage for him. So for him to have such a sudden change in his behavior? He's always been mature and wise beyond his years. I can trust his judgement too."

Standing back up, she offered her hand to the pink eyed girl to also help her stand, before continuing. "And this, all of it, all that you've said, all your emotions.. there was nothing fake in all of it, I can feel it. I was a lady in waiting at the ducal court in my early years, so I've learned all too well how to discern the poison of lies in people's voices. I don't know why you think that you do not deserve him, but I know that if you are so honest about it and your faults - then that only makes you more deserving of him, if anything. You do not have to say anything, Alina, and there is no reason for you to be afraid. I'll give you my blessing as his mother. You can marry my son."

---

Somewhere else entirely
A blind boy

For the first time.. since their heart shattering discussion had started.. it almost seemed as if the ice-like lack of emotion of the white-clad Archbishop was shattered. As her angry voice shouted, as she mentioned the pain she had gone through when she had been killed, something that she couldn't have possibly remembered, a sin that he carried alone in his guilt and memories, he took a step back, as if he wanted to stay away from her, but at the same time.. his hand moved forward for the briefest of moments, as if he wanted to touch her. He couldn't see her, he knew that she was there, he knew that she was angry and distraught.. but he couldn't be sure. He couldn't believe that he had actually made her suffer like this.

But the blind boy didn't have much time to think about it, as her anger evaporated in a second, replaced instead with a smile that was only darkness for him..and her hugging him. Now this he could feel, and he almost shuddered at the sudden, unexpected contact, but she didn't stop there. She gently whispered to him, breaking apart his lies with ease, and telling him that if she would have thought that he had been serious.. she would have killed him. And even he, the Archbishop of Pride, the most powerful servant of the Seven Sins, a mage of nearly unparalleled magical strength.. could only barely suppress a tremor of fear when he heard her voice like that.

And it didn't stop there either. She continued talking, sunken deeply into her delusions, telling him how she would never let him go, how she would never allow a goddess to take him away, how her dreams could come true and how her medicine could make them both sleep together....

Hearing that, the boy sighed deeply, his icy attitude shattered for a second, but his resolve strengthened again. "That would not be sleep Meta... that would be death. You might not remember it.. but we both experienced it, you and I.. the beginning of it, at the very least. Death.. and death is the furthest thing away from sleep there could be. Death has no dreams, death has no purpose, death has no waking up...you're just lost in eternal torment. Neither of us deserved it, and neither of us deserved to be chained in servitude to deities while stuck between life and death either. And we can not die and pass completely.. not while there are still innocents suffering because of us.. and not while our revenge hasn't been enacted. We didn't just die.. but there was someone there, cutting us, gouging your eyes, and piercing my heart and slowly letting to suffocate in my own blood. Those people.. are the ones who need to die.. and they need to die horribly. Their deaths won't be like falling to sleep, but a thousand times the torment we had to go through. "

He took a deep breath, as if trying to calm the mad beating of a long lost heart, and after another moment's hesitation, he hugged her back, putting his arms around her.. but unlike her, he was cold, his pale skin nearly as icy as the weather around them. "And to do that... I need the power of my Sin. To do that, I need to give in to Superbia completely, and I need to obey her completely. Only then will our vengeance be granted, and only then will the innocents who have suffered because of me be saved. And I need you... I need you to accept that. I need you to let me give in to her completely, I need to let her do whatever she wants. For our vengeance. For our deaths. For our lives. For our future. And for our love. I need to let me do this, and not interfere.. I need you to help me even if who I am might change, and I need you to obey me no matter what changes. Only then can I do what I desire, only then can we be saved, and only then can we eventually.. be together again."

And then again, silence. "If not..then we must not see each other again until the deeds are done. No sleeping, no dreaming, and no living."

---

Most Sublime Republics of Calaria
Kartaria
Pekastro


A lone citadel was standing high on top of a ruined city. The magical floods had caused mayhem and destruction throughout most of the Calarian city of Pekastro, and even if the water levels had descended, the enemy attack had accomplished its objective of damaging the regional Calarian capital. But no floods, no matter how high, could have also damaged the city's citadel, placed on what had originally been a natural hill, but raised even higher through the deaths of Kartaran workers and the genius of Calarian engineers. The citadel was made from white stone, with parts of its fortifications enchanted, and with tall towers that dominated the port, the city, and the surrounding valley. The city held a garrison of around 8000 Cernida soldiers, and it also now hosted a few hundred civilian refugees, with the citadel's commander having refused to accept any more or to stretch the fortress' supplies thin in order to help the citizens of the devastated city.

That very same commander, a middle-aged man, with long, pale purple hair, light blue eyes, and wearing a rather fancy silver and golden armor, complete with an emerald green mantle, was standing on top of the citadel's main tower, looking at the city beneath him through the battlements. The situation for the Calarians was difficult, but not hopeless. The magical attacks and the monster attacks on the Night of the Bloody Moons had mostly destroyed Pekastro and damaged other cities, but several coastal forts and most of the towns and forts deeper inland had survived without being affected much. The Kartarans had not seized the opportunity and had organized no large-scale offensives against them, which had allowed the Calarians to reorganize their forces in order to best defend the most important places, and the rebels had also made no serious efforts to convince the subdued Kartaran clans to join them. The Anselmians had however decided to make a move, and had attacked several naval convoys with refugees heading back for the mainland, but without knowing the exact numbers of Anselmian ships or their origins, only a fool would have sent more fleets to engage. As such, the decision had been taken to keep most of the remaining Calarian ships around Pekastro, combining them into one fleet, while small and nimble galiots were sent in scouting missions both towards the north and the south, to try to keep track of further Anselmian activity. On the land however, it would have been a mistake to abandon the initiative in the hands of the rebel Kartarans, even more so since the Calarians had to prove their continued dominance in the eyes of the subdued clans. So measures were taken to organize small raiding forces from among the garrisons of the towns and forts that could afford it, mostly on horseback, to lead retaliatory raids towards the eastern part of the island, to strike where they were least expected.

This was a setback. But no true Calarian could ever acknowledge the idea of defeat at the hands of barbarians and Anselmian rabble - and once the reinforcements from the mainland would arrive, the Six Archons were going to punish those responsible for these cowardly attacks.

[Dragos Bee]

Kyle Perrin-Palailogos, Arghyo, with NPCs in Duivene

32nd Floor, Steward's Rooms

"All right," the maid seemed to believe the Mage, and leaned her mouth as close to his ear as the sword at her throat permitted, signaling the Mage to lean in closer to hear better, "I'll tell you. The person who hired me was someone from -"

And then she kicked him in the crotch with enough force to knock a person back even with a codpiece, hoping to open enough space to draw out two more daggers and engage in close combat, where his advantage in magic and reach would be massively reduced. Or she could die, but whatever the case, Faith's corruption could not be allowed to succeed in Duivene!

45th Floor, Princess' Chambers

The bard drew a dagger and stabbed the remaining soldier of the Hailarchy through the joints of his armor, hoping that was the end of that and he can go help his fellow spies. Also, he tried to see if the fallen Mage had anything good to loot, some sort of magical item or book which would put him in good stead when the time came to avenge his friends.

The Courtyard

Elgamour was thrown back indeed and having less endurance than Eric, it took a little while longer for him to recover, and by then the 'blood golem' was rampaging through the Duivenian ranks. Taking up his lute again, the young man began singing once more, a mystic song of calmness, of courage, of perserving through panic, all the while trying to make sure that the monster's attention wasn't on him. But one look in his eyes and one can see that he was weary, tired, and that he was spending his reserves of strength.

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Illania de Velira

I crash into a wall and I feel some blood trickling down the back of my head, it is times like this I wish Solomon was here. As I watch the man of the Sentinels of the King, his armor I recognize from the last time I was at Chovers, battle the Faith Keeper I rise to my feet again. When I do so he barks at me "Now!"

No time for something flashy, or to use tactics, only brute force. "I suggest you be ready to leap back." I remark lightly and raise a hand and begin to chant. "Through His Undying Majesty's will, through our hatred towards evil, through the flames of hellfire, I burn you to cinders!" And with those words and my mana a stream of fire erupts from my hand and strikes the Faith Keeper. She screams as she burns and I walk towards her slowly, ensuring that she dies under the force of my fire. I finally stop when her body falls to ground, the smell of burnt flesh filling the hallway, a smell I always hated. I look down at the charred corpse and sigh, once again, someone failed to kill me.

I raise my head towards the man who intervened, look him in the eyes, and say simply and with a neutral expression, "if you are looking for your princess, a maid and some guards ran that way with her." I gesture with my sword in that direction. "If you are here to take me back into custody, I surrender."

Melodie Beauvais

I bow my head and laugh hollowly, cursing myself over the mistake of barricading myself in the room with her, "The guards are free to make their own choice and, regardless of what I do, if they want to leave I ask that you honor that. I however know my choice, for those who kill should also be ready to die." I raise my head and I bare my sword at her, shifting my stance to rely on teachings that I haven't practiced in so long, and say simply. "I am Melodie Beauvais, daughter of Cyrus, a man who was a blacksmith and soldier, and I choice not to leave. Should you wish to take the Princess while she is in this state it will be over my dead body."

Ironic, after what happened I had fully intended to live just for myself, but here I am, throwing myself in the line of death for someone else again. I guess you can't take it out of me no matter how hard I want to leave it behind, how much I want to live a simple life as a maid and forget about the past.

[Fereni]

A little later
Somewhere else
A knight and an angel

As soon as they were all gone, the contempt faded from Nysa's eyes, but she saw, then, that even Illari's normally blank expression had changed. He looked at her with... fear? Why?

"I know not what I am," she said, her voice still deeper, calmer, more controlled. "But know this, Illari: you have nothing to fear from me." For a split second, she looked almost... sad. "You promised, did you not? You promised to keep me safe. And yet, you try to run from me. Why? I would not harm you. Those men were scum, and tried to hurt us both, even tried to kill you, and yet you fear me for ending their lives? You fear me, because I saved you, the same way that you saved me? I do not understand you at all. Why is it that you can kill, but if I do so, you try to flee in terror? Tell me, Illari. I... I do not want you to... be..." Her voice trailed off, and her eyes rolled back in her head, before she collapsed on the ground.

Wyzkia
A castle

Alina waited in silence, expecting nothing but condemnation. She was absolutely certain of it--what else could she possibly receive? Someone like her could never be accepted--Rafal was some sort of fluke, some unbelievable miracle that she certainly didn't deserve. Even without the full truth, she couldn't possibly be deemed worthy of him, especially not if the woman before her ever found out her true past. If she found out about Luxuria, if she found out that Alina was pregnant with the child of a man she couldn't even name--that would be the end of it. And she would surely be questioned further. Why would she be allowed to get away with such a vague story? Why would she--

"My dear Alina, there is no need to cry now, is there? If my younger son has chosen you to be his fiancee, then as his mother, I cannot object."

What? She couldn't have heard that right. It must have been her imagination. Even now, Adelajda sounded so kind, so caring, and it didn't seem to be a lie at all. And she even knelt down next to Alina--it felt so wrong. She shouldn't have been on Alina's level, even if it was only physically, because she was a baroness, and Alina was--she was nothing. Nothing at all.

But she didn't stop there, either. She said Alina didn't have to tell her the truth. She didn't have to admit to her shame, didn't have to talk about the horrible memories and the child that would forever bind her to them, all because--all because Adelajda's instincts told her she didn't need to worry? How was that possible? She had to have been dreaming, or hallucinating, or something, because this couldn't be real. She couldn't have something like this. She already had far more than she deserved, and this... it was just too much. She kept saying those wonderful things, saying Alina was a fine and polite young woman, and her heart ached to hear it, because how could she deserve those words? She had never deserved them in the past, despite trying her hardest to achieve the standards set for her. But to hear them now, after everything she's done... even as Adelajda wiped away her tears, they kept falling, though they were less from sadness and fear and more from total confusion, and even a hint of joy.

The flowers... she knew quite well why they had taken a liking to her. It was her power, no doubt, and the fact that she loved them just the same. She certainly had no malice in her heart, not when she was in a place like this. Any that she could have had vanished immediately as soon as she was surrounded by her oldest and truest friends.

Special, though--she supposed she was a somewhat unique case. She knew that Rafal didn't truly care for her, not in that way, at least, which was good. She wasn't sure if she could handle it, if he did. And she certainly could never develop feelings for him--she wouldn't ever allow that to happen. Since there was no way he could ever return them... asking him to care about her at all was absurd, much less in that way. She knew he was only marrying her because of his kindness, and his feelings of obligation. If it weren't for her pregnancy practically forcing him to do it, because a wonderful person like him wouldn't let himself leave her to the scorn she would face otherwise... none of this could have ever happened.

She felt guilty about it, even though he had insisted; it would, after all, end all chances of him ever finding someone he could truly love. He would be trapped in a marriage that couldn't ever make him happy, not the way he deserved, and it would be all her fault. Gods, she hated herself for doing this to him. Even though he'd said he wanted to, she knew that eventually he would realize he'd made a mistake, but by then, it would be too late, because someone like him would never allow himself to give up on her. It was truly horrible of her to let this happen, but she was so desperate, and selfish, and wanted even a slight chance at happiness, no matter how small.

Adelajda was right about one thing: none of her emotions were lies. But the idea that somehow, knowing she didn't deserve him made her deserve him even more--it was ridiculous. Still, she stood when the woman offered her hand, and hearing that she had Adelajda's blessing to marry Rafal... her tears just kept flowing, and despite her best attempts, she couldn't keep herself from embracing the other woman, clinging to her desperately, sobbing out words of gratitude, saying 'thank you' over and over again, barely even able to think.

She couldn't possibly have been accepted, but somehow, she was anyway. It was so unfair, but she wouldn't reject it. After all, it was what she had wanted.

So then, why... why did she still feel like her heart was about to shatter?

Somewhere else entirely
A blind boy

"Death?" She didn't understand... what was he talking about? "It isn't death. My medicine... I didn't create it to hurt, or to kill. I created it to help people... to let them sleep, so that they never have to worry or fear again, so that they can dream of beautiful things. You know that. I made it because... it's all I wanted, for so long. But I couldn't sleep. I couldn't, because I needed to help people... I needed to save them from all their troubles. And I needed to help you, too, because I knew... you were always the most important person to me. When it was all over, I would sleep then... I have never wanted to end my own life. If I killed myself, then I would have lived my life without a single dream. This medicine will not cause death. I know... what death feels like. It hurts... it's painful and frightening. But the people who take my medicine, they don't feel pain or fear. That isn't death. It's finally being able to truly rest. Even after all this time... do you truly not understand me?" Her glass eyes were stained with red, and she had to wipe it away. "Do you truly think I would ever want to kill all of those people? I am not so cruel... Is that what you think of me?"

She paused, and took a deep breath. "Those people, the ones I want to die... I don't remember them... I don't remember their names, their faces... but I know... I hate them. Isn't that strange? I hardly ever feel hate, but I hate them, even though I don't remember them at all. But they killed us both, they left me unable to get to you, unable to even see you, but knowing you would die, all the same... knowing I couldn't save you. They took everything away from us, so I want them to die. I truly want them to die, just as horribly... to take their eyes, to cut them apart, to make them suffer the way they made us suffer. Far worse than that, even... you're right... those people, they deserve nothing less than the worst torment. And if for that, you have to give in, just for a while... of course I will support you. I will stay with you, I will obey you... Why would you ever question that? After everything... I told you, all I need is to be with you. That's all I need to be happy. I just need to be by your side. Together... we can make them pay for what they did. And we can save those innocents who are suffering, we can give them relief... and then, at the end of it all, we can finally be happy. We can finally be together. That's all I've ever wanted... But if you're going to change, if you're going to become someone else... you might not love me anymore. And I'll accept that. I lived without your love for years, and I can live without it for a while longer. But I do have... one last request..."

She gazed silently at him for a few long moments, taking him in, and then she embraced him again, and kissed him, passionately, desperately, pouring as much of her love and her need into it as possible, trying to communicate in actions what she could not in words.

When she finally pulled back, she still touched him, framing his face with her hands.

"I know too well that you have your own mistress, and I have mine, and our loyalties are bound to them. But if this will be taken away from me, then, just for tonight... just for a little while... let us worship another sin."

[Faal Lot Himdah]

The Forgotten Prince, Az'goxaak
Fine, if fate wants to play this game...

---

"Very well Archbishop of Invidia..." Az sighed and looked Celio in the eyes, "Do not say I didn't warn you..."

As Az finished, a cloud of ash rose up and blew in between him and the two he had been speaking with. When the cloud of ash finally left their field of vision, Az was gone. Not a single blade of grass out of place, nor foot prints in the ash. It was as if he had simply not been there. This of course was false, as this was all an illusion of his making. An illusion that Az doubted they could see through.

After a moment of eerie silence, it began. Hellfire bursted from the ground where the furthest of the Ayb stood. As it bursted forth, it raged and spread in a circle, engulfing the rest of the Ayb before rushing towards Estelle and Celio. Before it could hit the two however, the surging wall of hellfire turned and surged parallel to the two, heading behind them.

A few metres behind the two, the hellfire walls met in a swirling vortex. As the hellfire walls died down, leaving only ash where the Ayb once stood, the vortex surged higher until it two dispersed. Standing where the vortex of hellfire was stood Az, a dagger of hellfire in one hand.

"Fate really does not want me to continue living in secret now does it?" Az said, "First get almost run through by the heroine Princess Alexis of Duivene, albeit because of my own desire for knowledge. Then run into an artifical angel, and forced to reveal myself to her and her guardian. Then, on top of that, have a confrontation with an unnamed deity. And now... this."

Az sighed, "Now, I am not one to listen to higher powers, but it seems fate really does not want me to continue living my peaceful life..."

"So, allow me to properly introduce myself." Az shrugged, "I did not lie that my name is Az... at least that is the name I have always preferred. My full name, well, that is a name that would have no meaning to you. Az'goxaak. The Prince who has been forgotten..."

It was then that his eyes narrowed, "The one who did not want to be disturbed."

At that, he threw his dagger of hellfire at Celio. The dagger was shortly followed by five bolts of hellfire at Celio and five at Estelle.

---

Pynus of the Wind, Nym, Yakr Rugma
The Freeman's Drink Tavern, Anselm

---

"Come on Nym." Pynus spoke up as she finished her drink, "Even you have to admit that she did her research... Well, as much as she could considering the fact that those Un-somethings don't want people poking around."

"Unsterb." Nym said and then looked to Adelheid, "Very well. Consider my concerns dealt with. After all, this is far more researching and investigation than we normally operate with."

As Nym finished she glared at Pynus, who just smirked and shrugged. Nym just sighed and returned to her weapon form in response.

"Alright." Pynus said and stood up, "I personally see nothing wrong with your plan. Nice and simple. Nice and simple plans never go wrong in my experience."

Yakr also nodded, "Yakr not much of plan maker. But Yakr think plan sound good."

[Dragos Bee]

Lady Admiral/Warmage Alessia, Kartaran Main Island

The Drowning of Pekastro was a blow well-struck, but her decision to improve the arcane might of the Bearpact had been a flawed one. Not an innately bad one, but one which will not be judged well by history if it recorded this moment. Another misjudgement was the belief that the other clans would flock to the Bearpact after the Drowning, instead of hanging back out of, she guessed, fear of the Calarians and dislike of a half-foriegn Chieftess. And now, the Calarians were taking advantage of her misjudgement with raids not just against the Bearpact, but also uncommitted clans, further alienating them from her.

Now the only saving grace was the fact that her Shaman-Mages had successfully mastered fire magic, using it in skirmishes and counter-raids against the Calarians. But the element of surprise from that was likely to fade soon, and this time, Lady-Admiral Alessia was not willing to throw away the second period of calm she had brought by unleashng flames on her enemies.

But, and she hated to admit it, her foriegn blood posed limits to diplomacy, and she had to ally with someone who would not let prejudice get in the way of a working relationship. The Galdrsson, the leader of another rising clan, needed to be approached. Problem was, she knew little about him except that he was a reasonable man. So Lady Admiral Alessia kept things safe, sending Clan Ice Bear's best emissary with rich gifts, including fur and fangs from actual Ice Bears, Achysian silk traded from better days, gold and jade and whalebone ivory.

This messenger was escorted by a dozen of her best guards and two of her best apprentices, a male youth which used the traditional elements of water and air and his bride, who used fire and earth. Their words to the Galdrsson were to be simple, but not too curt: Lady-Admiral Alessia of the Bearpact seeks to meet with the Galdrsson on neutral ground to arrange an alliance.

[Ceystile]

Double-Post: Kyle Perrin-Palaiologos, Arghyo, with NPCs in Anselm

Heydekrug City

(Image)

In the city, gangs of street kids were a common source of (potentially exaggerated) information, with six 'patrons' paying them large sums of money at any given time. But few street kids were as loyal to their patron as Filippo de Heyderkrug, and that was important when said patron was Kyle Perrin-Palaiologos. The latter had gone to Heyderkrug three years ago, just after the death of his father, and on the way to a business deal, literally bumped into Filippo as the latter was being chased by constables. Upon seeing the genuine distress in that kid's eyes, Kyle had bribed the guards to 'forget about things', and then invited Filippo for lunch with him in the parish church they were staying, one ran by a lower clergyman Kyle was giving 'donations' to. The two had talked about their lives in Heyderkrug and Arghyo, and Kyle had seen intelligence and ambition in the boy which had impressed him.

The two had kept in touch since then, with Kyle instructing the local parish priest to teach Filippo his letters and basic sums while also keeping him and his growing gang of street kids fed. In exchange, Filippo's gang would provide his network with as truthful information as possible, along with minor smuggling services. But what sealed the deal was Kyle agreeing to trade mundane medicine and healing potions to Filippo, a good more valuable than just gold. Now, Filippo de Heyderkrug, now 16, was leading the largest street gang in Heyderkrug, with eyes and ears among the great and small of the city. From his lair, an abandoned guildhouse refursbished into a home and fortress for children, Filippo enjoyed wealth, knowledge, and security which were rare for any child to have on his own.

Which was why when a girl arrived with one of Kyle's Ravens, the young man knew that The Day and The Hour had indeed come.

Getting up from his leather-covered chair, Filippo read the message attached to the Raven, then said to the girl, "Send a message to every gang with us, Flora - Tell them The Boss wants them to tell our usual clients that all rumors of a planned slave revolt in the countryside within the next few months are horseshit. And by horseshit, I mean completely made up. Add that the countryside is fine. Laugh at all rumors of mysterious adventurers and outlaws attacking bandits and slavers and priests and monks and nuns providing shelter to escaped slaves or buying their freedom in this very city. In fact, any member of our network telling the rich guys on top that those people exist are to be chased into the sewers with dogs, got it?"

Flora nodded, the tan-skinned girl moving out to inform the other gang members, even as Filippo reviewed the escape routes of the repaired guildhouse, then glanced at Kyle's message once more.

Pull the wool over their eyes as long as you can - Then escape.

For that merchant, Filippo will do anything.

Dr. Gabriela Vasile-Steig
Heydekrug, Anselm.
Gray. The sky always seemed gray in one way or another over this town, even when it wasn’t raining. Some days she couldn’t tell if it were from their northern location or if it was because the gods wept for the corruption that ran through this place. But growing up here, one almost got used to it: almost.
There were the typical sounds in the streets, people peddling their wares, children darting around buildings and under the feet of adults, her own cart and horse carrying herself and the twins. Colombe and her twin brother Corvus, two of her fellow doctors and traveling companions...Corvus had once been a soldier for the private army of a Chovers lord, but had decided to quit when his boss “forgot” to pay him just one time too many.

“Are you sure this is it?” Colombe’s lilting Duivenian accent was somewhat distorted by her long beaked mask...masks that had once been the pride of their profession but now tainted by the legacy of those twice-damned Achisian necromancers. “This is a guildhouse, Gabrielle. And it looks like nothing’s been inside ever since Achisia still stood.”
“Some of the street children live around here, they like to congregate near abandoned buildings like this. Some of us come around to see if there are any that need treating, but so far I don’t see anyone.”

“There’s a group over there.” Corvus pointed to where a small huddle of figures, not yet fully grown by the looks of them were on the other side of the street. “Plus we can buy honey from the monks on our way back, it’s a useful antiseptic.”
“So, this isn’t a usual call?”
“No, but these children are people and they need help too. It’s why we became doctors, and I vowed to restore honor to this mask.” Gabriela touched the black beak of her own mask, black instead of the usual white because the necromancers had ruined even that. She stepped down off the horse and rummaged around in the canvas covered cart for her case of medical supplies. Once she pulled them out, she handled the reins to Corvus. “You two stay here, guard the cart. Weapons are in the back.”

“Isn’t that a shame? We’re here to heal people and yet we have to carry weapons around?”
“It is the way it is unfortunately. I’ll go, tend to the kids, come back.” And with a flap of her heavy waxed hooded robes, she was off.

[Dragos Bee]

Dr. Gabriela Vasile-Steig
Heydekrug, Anselm.
Gray. The sky always seemed gray in one way or another over this town, even when it wasn’t raining. Some days she couldn’t tell if it were from their northern location or if it was because the gods wept for the corruption that ran through this place. But growing up here, one almost got used to it: almost.
There were the typical sounds in the streets, people peddling their wares, children darting around buildings and under the feet of adults, her own cart and horse carrying herself and the twins. Colombe and her twin brother Corvus, two of her fellow doctors and traveling companions...Corvus had once been a soldier for the private army of a Chovers lord, but had decided to quit when his boss “forgot” to pay him just one time too many.

“Are you sure this is it?” Colombe’s lilting Duivenian accent was somewhat distorted by her long beaked mask...masks that had once been the pride of their profession but now tainted by the legacy of those twice-damned Achisian necromancers. “This is a guildhouse, Gabrielle. And it looks like nothing’s been inside ever since Achisia still stood.”
“Some of the street children live around here, they like to congregate near abandoned buildings like this. Some of us come around to see if there are any that need treating, but so far I don’t see anyone.”

“There’s a group over there.” Corvus pointed to where a small huddle of figures, not yet fully grown by the looks of them were on the other side of the street. “Plus we can buy honey from the monks on our way back, it’s a useful antiseptic.”
“So, this isn’t a usual call?”
“No, but these children are people and they need help too. It’s why we became doctors, and I vowed to restore honor to this mask.” Gabriela touched the black beak of her own mask, black instead of the usual white because the necromancers had ruined even that. She stepped down off the horse and rummaged around in the canvas covered cart for her case of medical supplies. Once she pulled them out, she handled the reins to Corvus. “You two stay here, guard the cart. Weapons are in the back.”

“Isn’t that a shame? We’re here to heal people and yet we have to carry weapons around?”
“It is the way it is unfortunately. I’ll go, tend to the kids, come back.” And with a flap of her heavy waxed hooded robes, she was off.

Kyle Perrin-Palaiologos, Arghyo, with NPCs in Anselm

Heyderkrug, Filippo

As Gabriella neared the huddled mass of street children, several windows opened, and behind them were children carrying slingshots and shards of metal fashioned into crude daggers. One of them, a girl, said, "Are you a Plague Doctor, or a Necromancer?"

She was disiciplined enough to wait for a response. As Gabriella was a Plague Doctor, the girl would let her in, saying, "You're lucky you're an actual Doctor, grown-up - Boss wants to talk to you."

A couple of bigger, burlier boys would escort Gabriella inside, but not before the children with slingshots and makeshift throwing daggers withdrew, in order to indicate to all watchers that no harm was going to come to her. As she went further inside, the Plague Doctor would find that the interior of the building was being carefully maintained by groups of kids who worked in teams, children who were better-dressed than their compatriots outside, but still recognizable as poor. Surprisingly, they also appeared to be well-fed and even happy.

"Let's keep moving, Doctor," one of the boys said before they continued escorting her to the back of the guildhouse, which was warmer than most of the exterior, and there were sounds of children playing, laughing, and being carefree, although the boys made sure to usher Corvus away from them if she tried to follow said sounds.

Either way, in an office at the back of the Guildhouse was Filippo de Heyderkrug, reading - Yes, reading! - through several documents, saying, "Ms. Vasile-Steig. So you're the real deal and not just a liar like most adults." He then sighed, walked over, and offered a surprisingly clean but still calloused hand, "My name is Filippo. Filippo de Heyderkrug, street kid and leader of the largest group of street kids in the city. And as you seem to be the real deal, we need your help - For two years now, our gang has been rescuing kids from the streets and broken homes and giving them new ones, but we have too many kids and many of them are wounded or sick or have gone through things that would curdle your blood. So you came at a good time."

[Remnants of Exilvania]

Varakhian Sea
Anselmian Southern Fleet
The Sea Gorrila's Ship

The Anselmian Fleet did not remain in the Varakhian Sea for long, the vast majority of its ships turning back southwards after but a few days of raiding the convoy routes between Calaria and Kartara. Profitable days to be sure as the Anselmian fleet had preyed upon ships overencumbered by refugees and thus hardly in a position to offer strong resistance to the numerically superior and efficiently staffed Anselmian vessels which had swooped in and plundered riches, supplies, slaves and even ships from the Calarians in multiple fleet battles and daring raids with the Calarians. Yet the Anselmian fleet commanders were not yet blinded beyond saving by their own greed, fear for their lives and their riches setting in soon and rumours of the Calarian fleet and other military reinforcements making the rounds among the fleet and thus directly causing the decision to retreat back south, lick their wounds and sell their acquired goods.

A few Anselmian ships remained, stubborn, greedy Captains who had not gotten as much as they had hoped they would or blinded by some seething hatred for the Calarians. They would be easy prey for the Calarians and the Admirals had no use for captains who could not follow orders so nobody bothered reigning them in, outsourcing the job of culling them to the Calarians.

The Sea Gorrila's Ship had not gained a lot of plunder when it came to slaves, their one action against a Calarian vessel having left the ship crippled for the rest of the battle and all the Calarians on the vessel that had attacked them having mysteriously died in some way. Weddell had been grinning about it whenever someone on the ship brought it up but Captain Anders remained adamant that the man was a fraud and the former had done little to change his captain's mind, seemingly quite content with being regarded as nothing more than some spindly old man with some skills in the show business.

Their trip would lead the Sea Gorilla's ship and much of the rest of the fleet down south to the naval base the Anselmians had established on a remote island there not too long ago, giving them a secret naval base in the back of Calarian shipping lines from which they could strike. It was here where most ships stayed for refitting, repairs and captured Calarian vessels like the one Anders' ship had towed after itself were repurposed to serve the Anselmian navy in whatever capacity possible or necessary. Meanwhile the slaves and not immediately useable goods were transferred onto undamaged vessels and shipped north again, past the Morizian peninsula and into the Zephyrian Sea and from there to a multitude of Anselmian ports where merchants and slavers already stood ready to take stock of what had been recovered by their crews in the raids.

League of Anselm
City of Heydekrug
Schmidt, Smith & Zmitt Notary

"Mr. Smith is now ready to see you, please enter."

, the secretary said, Konstanze merely rolling her eyes at the reverential tone she put up. Normally it felt pretty damn good when people cowtowed to her but right now she felt like a clown on some ridiculous errand and people bowing and scraping before her absolutely did not make all of it seem any less ridiculous.

Getting up from her seat, Konstanze Unsterb grabbed the small wooden box she had brought with her and entered the notary's office with as much confidence as she could muster for this farce.

Notary Smith was a relatively young man, the youngest among Schmidt, Smith and Zmitt, but he was still a notary who knew his business well and whose signature and stamp meant something to the sham authorities that were in place around these parts. The triple S notary was quite popular in Anselm among the merchants due to their impeccable reputation for being neutral and absolutely dependable...hence why Konstanze had come to them for what she wanted to pull off.

Smith immediately stood up and came around his desk, greeting her with a reverential bow and a kiss to the back of her hand as he quickly sputtered:

"Ms. Unsterb, what an unexpected honour. When I heard you had deigned to visit my office I could not believe it so please excuse the...lack of refreshments and servants to make you feel comfortable. Please, have a seat on my chair."

He guided her into his own chair, letting her sit behind his desk. She glanced at the documents strewn about it but was overall not particularly interested or impressed by what she saw. Nothing out of the ordinary. Meanwhile Smith was expectantly standing on the other side of his desk, his eyes occasionally flitting to the box she had brought with her. Finally, after the silence had become uncomfortable, Konstanze cleared her throat and said quickly:

"I'll need you to draw up some documents documenting the adoption of one Mireille Vermillion by Konrad Unsterb."

Again Smith was overeager to help, nodding quickly before turning to a bookshelf next to him which was stacked with scrolls of paper. Looking for a bit, he finally found what he was looking for and pulled out one scroll, quickly unfurling it and placing it on the table between himself and Konstanze while quickly blabbering:

"Ah, an adoption? Well, this will be no problem, I have some documents already right here, just need to fill in all the necessary details here, here and here and then I will need Konrad Unsterb's signature r-"

He stopped suddenly, wrinkles appearing on his forehead before he looked up at Konstanze and asked with a hint of confusion:

"Apologies Ms. Unsterb but...isn't your father dead? How is he to adopt someone?"

So they had reached the point which Konstanze had dreaded. Rolling her eyes while silently cursing her half-sister, she placed the box on the table and merely said:

"Someone would like to have an adopted sister rather than an adopted daughter so sadly it will have to be my deceased father who adopts little Mireille. Will that be a problem?"

She raised an eyebrow at Smith with her last words while setting bulging leather bag down on his desk. The sound of metal clinging inside of it arose for a moment before ceasing again, leaving no doubts as to what the contents of that bag were. Coins. Lots of them. Smith also raised an eyebrow, the greed visible in his eyes as they fixated on the bag but he appeared to retain some semblance of professionalism as he curtly replied:

"Well, despite your extremely convincing arguments, the law does state that such documents have to be signed by your esteemed father's hand and I feel like this wou-"

Without even looking up, Konstanze opened the box she had brought with her revealing a skeletal arm and hand to be lying within it. The bones were connected to each other through some wires to make sure it remained one hand and one arm rather than a lot of pieces.

"As you can see, I brought my father's hand with me. I assume that will suffice?"

Smith whined almost like a dog, squirming in his suit as he tried to reason:

"Well, you see, that is not how it is supposed to-"

Konstanze's hand fell onto the bag of gold again, slowly drawing it back towards herself. That instantly changed Smith's attitude, the man becoming rather servile immediately:

"-but if I were to add a small posthumous after the signature, everything should be absolutely in order."

Konstanze merely nodded before looking away, playing the waiting game while the notary was busy filling out the form. He asked her once to spell out Mireille Vermillion for him but otherwise they remained silent, no sound other than their breathing and the scribbling of Smith's feather audible in the room.

Which made it rather easy to hear someone approaching. The wooden floorboards started creaking outside and Smith's secretary could be heard faintly protesting before three knocks made the door shake in its hinges. Smith of course immediately rose to his full height, indignation and fear mixing on his face as he shouted:

"No! Go away, make an appointment with my secretary, I am in the middle of-"

He didn't get further as an amused Konstanze cut him off, shouting:

"Come in!"

And her words were heeded as the door immediately swung open, revealing the massive figure of a fully armoured knight stand in the doorframe. She recognized him immediately for what he was, his massive frame giving it away and if not that then the darkened plate armour he wore, with the scratched out remains of the Achysian flame and snake still somewhat visible on the breastplace. It was the Black Knight, one of her half-brother's lackeys, specifically the lackey she had tasked with watching over the border of Arghyo.

The Black Knight rapped his gauntleted hand against his chestplate as a salute before entering, immediately being followed by another figure in a dark robe that hid all features below it and the hood merely leaving a pale chin for someone to look at. This person was already more difficult to recognize but Konstanze had an inkling as to who it was. Only one of her operatives was so careful to cover herself up and so it had to be this Konstanze Kriechgewürm, one of the more special people in her employ.

"Please continue with your work Smith, I will be dealing with this."

, she lightly said to the notary behind her who nodded quickly before getting back to work.

"So, what is it that brings you two to me, at the same time nonetheless? It must be mighty important for even you, the Black Knight to come all the way here."

The Black Knight was the first to step forward, the hulking warrior pulling a scroll from a satchel on his belt and dropping it nonchallantly on the desk before retreating again. Konstanze merely raised an eyebrow at the lack of respect but then again he wasn't directly her underling so she couldn't quite enforce more reverence from him. Besides, he was far too useful to make an enemy out of and so she simply took the scrolls, broke the wax seal and unfurled it, checking what it was that he had brought her.

It contained a long and meticulously documented account of what had passed the border at several of the border crossings. Given Arghyo's seclusion and the inability of her or other Anselmians to be let into the small state, she had set these watchposts up as soon as she got her hands on her father's riches for something that called itself a member of the league yet denied the members of the league entry was not something she intended to tolerate. Not when her goal was to return the league to a time of glory. The Arghyoans were meddlers who intended to meddle with impunity while walling themselves off in their little state, keeping the relationship between it and Anselm quite one-sided and upsetting Konstanze beyond belief.

She had long learned to make connections from information she was provided with but her underlings had apparently decided to make very sure that she absolutely understood the connections they were seeing there, marking several shipments and traveller groups that had passed the border as well as the location they had ended up heading to. Two names stuck out, one being Honeystead Abbey and one being a town called Namenlosen, a name that was all too known to her and a thorn in her eyes that she hoped to correct at the first opportunity for it represented the epitome of the one-sided Arghyoan meddling she so despised. Oh, she was absolutely certain that this was some sort of plot, some long-winded Arghyoan ploy at enlargening their borders or something at the cost of the league while as usual hiding behind their supposed purity and their princesses when it came to their obligations to the league. Certainly with this amount of evidence, she would be able to kick off an official investigation at the very least on grounds of suspected seccession. Yes, she would do it right after she finished up here.

After rolling the scroll up again, her eyes travelled over to Friederike who hadn't said anything yet, motions under her robes making it clear that she was nervousl fidgeting around with her hands. It was rare that Friederike reported in, the woman normally preferring to stay alone and by herself in the alleys and sewers of the city where nobody would see her. That something had caused her to come out and to report to her mistress and saviour was...curious. A well studied warm smile appeared on Konstanze's face as invitingly gestured to the Friederike, asking:

"And you, my dear? What has brought you to me, Friederike?"

Friederike didn't step forward, instead just continuing her nervous fidgeting. It took her a bit before she said in a low, quiet voice:

"There are children in the sewers. Poor, sweet, fearful children. Many more than usual. They come after them with dogs. So cruel..."

Did Konstanze hear Friederike sobbing? Gods, this woman, sometimes she just made absolutely no sense. With her being how she was it was a surprise that she actually cared at all. Still, Konstanze kept the friendly mask and asked:

"And do you know why these poor children are being chased into the sewers?"

It was now that Friederike looked up at Konstanze, her hood now hiding less of her pale features, causing Konstanze to gulp slightly. Knowing better made it all so much worse. She could see the tears streaming down her face from those eyes and wondered what they possibly were?

"I saved a few. They...were even more scared and it was difficult to calm them down again. They were drawing too much attention so I had to help myself. Still...they kept going on about a slave revolt that was decidedly not happening. They were adamant about that. So...I went topside and decided to listen in on more children. I think they might almost all be saying that there is absolutely no slave revolt happening. Curious, right?"

Konstanze slightly cocked her head to the side in amusement. Indeed, she had heard much the same, some of her own birdies also all out of a sudden telling this story. She had found it odd already back then since she technically didn't pay them to come to her telling her a rumour was not true and instead to bring her new rumours and information. The fact that they were apparently all claiming the same thing all of a sudden, when there had been fairly little interest in disproving any rumours or in the rumours in the first place was quite telling.

"So...a slave revolt hu? Combined with what we know about flurry of activity between Arghyo and Namenlosen as well as those damnable monks, I would make an educated guess that they will be erupting somewhere to the south, close to where Arghyo can possibly support them. This will cut badly into farming and resource extraction, that much I can definitely see and the nobles will be up in arms about this...overall a solid plan by whoever made it. They can do plenty of damage and do so with the safety net that is Arghyo and its support behind them.

Arghyo and its support...hmm...

I think I have an idea about how to handle this. Don't do anything for now. Let the other merchants and nobles be blindsided, in fact, I will have some of my associates mention in the Council later that they know from trustworthy sources that there is no risk of a slave rebellion. Black Knight, return to your Colonel and inform him of the situation. Friederike...be so kind and try to figure out who's making all the kids do this all of a sudden."

The Black Knight rapped his fist against his chest again before leaving while Friederike inclined her head before turning to leave as well. However, before she was out the door, the sound of a Smith putting his seal on the adoption papers made her hesitate for a moment, hesitation that saved Konstanze the trouble of dealing with Smith herself as she took the scroll from him and turned to leave, brushing past Friederike in the doorway and gifting her yet another smile, this one however being quite sincere and devilish as she said:

"Please do take care of Notary Smith. We need to make sure that he doesn't cause any unnecessary panic after he heard all of this, right?"

Friederike seemed torn between being unhappy and...hungry...but didn't say anything, instead just turning back and letting Konstanze close the door behind her. She smiled at the secretary before tossing another pouch of gold at her winking her way. The screams on the other side of the door started almost immediately after and after the initial shock, the secretary didn't need anyone to tell her what she was expected to do, simply packing her things, taking the gold and probably going home to stuff it under her mattress or wherever she safely kept her gold. Meanwhile Konstanze left the notary, having politics to attend to.

[Dragos Bee]

Pietro Zen, Elbing, Anselm

When his ship arrived at the city of Elbing, Pietro Zen was immediately sent to the finest slave dealers, those who valued education, skills, and above all, physical beauty. Bathed, perfumed, and sold off with only an electrum collar on his neck, he expected to be used in... Undignified ways, in ways which were worse than death.

Instead, a set of clothes were thrown at him - Clothes slightly less fine than he had worn before as a Nobles' son, and he was told to wear them. After putting them on, Pietro was ushered by armed guards into a secret underground laboratory that smelled of hemp and poppies, and bluntly told, "Make us drugs or be turned into a whore."

What's this? A chance to avoid his body being used against his will? This must be a miracle indeed. Testing the waters, Pietro said, "You have no one else?" A smirk as there was no other response, "Good. I'll make you all the drugs you and everyone else needs, then."

Who knew the road to freedom would open up so soon? The Gods must be smiling on me...

[Dragos Bee]

Roter-Kaufmann Palaiologos and Zed Argentum

Even in the gardens of his adoptive mother's estate, Zed knew that he would never be truly free, not as long as his Cambion blood held him in thrall. He would never be like the other kids his age, able to play around, study, and live their lives as valued and respected members of the community. He was often jealous, but knew that if he let this jealousy become violent, he'd hurt people who did nothing wrong, and the idea of that was more than he could bear. Nevertheless, it grated, the fact that to be safe from himself, he had to be bound by restriction after restriction. Sometimes he felt that Grandmother Millia, Harbinger Millia, was merely keeping him around as a charity case, an object of pity but not a true child -

<You know that's not true,> Roter said to him through their Soul Link. <You're being paranoid again, Zed. The Headmaster loves you, she told me that.> A pause, <I won't lie, though - Love isn't always trust.>

As he swept the floors of Harbinger Millia's home, Zed thought with self-loathing, <She saw me murder people, Roter. My hands were bloody with innocent and guilty alike. She spared me because in the end, there was a scared child underneath it all, but it's been nine or ten years - One day I won't be a child anymore and then what?>

<I'm coming over,> was the voice of his partner. <Wait for me, Zed - I'll cast a few invisibility spells and then I'll be off. Just remember, I love you.>

Truth and sincerity can be felt through the bond. Zed felt greatful like he did every other minute, but another part of him thought, This makes me sick. He didn't bother to hide it from Rote - Too much effort when there was a Soul Link. Besides, Rote always brushed aside such thoughts when he heard them, because he believed it wasn't him saying it, not the real him, the real embodiment of his being.

More cause for gratitude, more gratitude that he, Zed Argentum, couldn't pay back. How he hated it! And he hated himself for doing so, for being a danger to himself and others, for being a monster -

"Zed?" his adoptive mother's voice broke the silence of the garden, where the serene light of the summer afternoon was shining on the flowers. As a butterfly flew by, he heard her continue, "Roter's here. He said he wants to come over for a bit - Are you okay?"

Both of them knew that as Roter was coming over on such short notice, that he was not.

---

Roter Kaufmann-Palaiologos sat across from Zed as the latter's adoptive mother served them tea and cake in the dining room of her home. His first words were, "So, your Cambion blood was whispering half-truths and lies and outright fabrications to you again?"

He saw his partner nod and say, "Yes, Roter. I'm scared, I'm paranoid, just... You've all been so good to me, yet at the same time, I want to be free. I don't blame you guys for the restrictions you guys put on me - They're necessary, but I blame myself."

"You didn't choose to be born the way you were," He gave a strategic truth, one more potent because it was both the truth and perfectly timed. "But what you did choose was to not be a monster. We know that, we respect that, and we value you for that."

Well, at least he hoped Harbinger Millia did. If even half of Zed's fears about her was right -

<I saw that,> he heard Zed say through their link, <Please don't. You shouldn't think that, Rote.> Genuine worry for him. That's why he thought that Zed was better than what the Cambion thought of himself. And sure enough, there was the flash of gratitude again.

"I worry," his boyfriend - what a strange term - said out loud, "I might get kidnapped or lured away by some evil conspiracy and they can try and turn me evil through torture and persuasion and lies. If I am away from you two, I don't know if I can keep myself anchored to the straight and narrow. I know that it's paranoid, but I still fear it as Arghyo has many enemies..."

He impulsively patted Zed's head and said, "Don't worry, love. Whatever happens, we will be able to face it together. That said, there is something I wanted to ask the Headmaster, something not related to us, no offense meant."

His next thoughts to Zed were, <Cousin Kyle is planning something, something it is not okay to even think about in the privacy of our Soul Link. Don't worry, I won't 'out' him, but what he and I had been discussing did give me some food for thought...>

In the real world, Roter was turning to the Headmaster/Headmistress, saying, "Headmistress Millia, I hope I am not asking for anything dangerous, but were you a witness to Arghyo's official founding? I've heard the Principality's official 'founding story' numerous times in the Academy, but if its possible, I want to hear the story from the source. And yes, it's personal curiosity which makes me ask this, Headmistress, if you'd indulge me..."

[Ceystile]

Dr. Gabriela Vasile-Steig
Heydekrug, Anselm.
Gray. The sky always seemed gray in one way or another over this town, even when it wasn’t raining. Some days she couldn’t tell if it were from their northern location or if it was because the gods wept for the corruption that ran through this place. But growing up here, one almost got used to it: almost.
There were the typical sounds in the streets, people peddling their wares, children darting around buildings and under the feet of adults, her own cart and horse carrying herself and the twins. Colombe and her twin brother Corvus, two of her fellow doctors and traveling companions...Corvus had once been a soldier for the private army of a Chovers lord, but had decided to quit when his boss “forgot” to pay him just one time too many.

“Are you sure this is it?” Colombe’s lilting Duivenian accent was somewhat distorted by her long beaked mask...masks that had once been the pride of their profession but now tainted by the legacy of those twice-damned Achisian necromancers. “This is a guildhouse, Gabrielle. And it looks like nothing’s been inside ever since Achisia still stood.”
“Some of the street children live around here, they like to congregate near abandoned buildings like this. Some of us come around to see if there are any that need treating, but so far I don’t see anyone.”

“There’s a group over there.” Corvus pointed to where a small huddle of figures, not yet fully grown by the looks of them were on the other side of the street. “Plus we can buy honey from the monks on our way back, it’s a useful antiseptic.”
“So, this isn’t a usual call?”
“No, but these children are people and they need help too. It’s why we became doctors, and I vowed to restore honor to this mask.” Gabriela touched the black beak of her own mask, black instead of the usual white because the necromancers had ruined even that. She stepped down off the horse and rummaged around in the canvas covered cart for her case of medical supplies. Once she pulled them out, she handled the reins to Corvus. “You two stay here, guard the cart. Weapons are in the back.”

“Isn’t that a shame? We’re here to heal people and yet we have to carry weapons around?”
“It is the way it is unfortunately. I’ll go, tend to the kids, come back.” And with a flap of her heavy waxed hooded robes, she was off.

Kyle Perrin-Palaiologos, Arghyo, with NPCs in Anselm

Heyderkrug, Filippo

As Gabriella neared the huddled mass of street children, several windows opened, and behind them were children carrying slingshots and shards of metal fashioned into crude daggers. One of them, a girl, said, "Are you a Plague Doctor, or a Necromancer?"

She was disiciplined enough to wait for a response. As Gabriella was a Plague Doctor, the girl would let her in, saying, "You're lucky you're an actual Doctor, grown-up - Boss wants to talk to you."

A couple of bigger, burlier boys would escort Gabriella inside, but not before the children with slingshots and makeshift throwing daggers withdrew, in order to indicate to all watchers that no harm was going to come to her. As she went further inside, the Plague Doctor would find that the interior of the building was being carefully maintained by groups of kids who worked in teams, children who were better-dressed than their compatriots outside, but still recognizable as poor. Surprisingly, they also appeared to be well-fed and even happy.

"Let's keep moving, Doctor," one of the boys said before they continued escorting her to the back of the guildhouse, which was warmer than most of the exterior, and there were sounds of children playing, laughing, and being carefree, although the boys made sure to usher Corvus away from them if she tried to follow said sounds.

Either way, in an office at the back of the Guildhouse was Filippo de Heyderkrug, reading - Yes, reading! - through several documents, saying, "Ms. Vasile-Steig. So you're the real deal and not just a liar like most adults." He then sighed, walked over, and offered a surprisingly clean but still calloused hand, "My name is Filippo. Filippo de Heyderkrug, street kid and leader of the largest group of street kids in the city. And as you seem to be the real deal, we need your help - For two years now, our gang has been rescuing kids from the streets and broken homes and giving them new ones, but we have too many kids and many of them are wounded or sick or have gone through things that would curdle your blood. So you came at a good time."

“It’s my job to bring people back from the brink of death, so I guess you can sort of say I’m a necromancer.” Gabriela quipped to the children who’d suddenly sprung up from out of the boarded up windows. “But really, I am a doctor.” When her answer seemed to satisfy the gang, she was escorted inside by a group of larger boys who were clearly the gang’s enforcers. A smile formed behind her mask when she heard the children laughing and playing, it was amazing how they could remain happy even in these circumstances. Finally she was brought before a boy who was perched in a leather chair as if it were his throne, so this must be the leader.

When Filippo introduced himself, Gabriela didn’t even have to introduce herself as the boy seemed to already know who she was. “Some of your comrades are sick? Very well, lead the way.”

Gryffin Archangel
Chovers, Duivene
Meanwhile in the house of a Duke in Duivene, a young blue-haired woman strummed at her lute and sang songs about knights and dragons, rogues and wizards. The glittering crowd seemed enchanted by her voice and the way she twirled about. She was a blue blur in the riot of color and jewels, and she had a small little grin on the corner of her face...as if she had a secret she were keeping from the rest of the party.

[Dragos Bee]

Kyle Perrin-Palaiologos, Arghyo, with NPCs in Anselm

Heyderkrug, Filippo

“It’s my job to bring people back from the brink of death, so I guess you can sort of say I’m a necromancer.” Gabriela quipped to the children who’d suddenly sprung up from out of the boarded up windows. “But really, I am a doctor.” When her answer seemed to satisfy the gang, she was escorted inside by a group of larger boys who were clearly the gang’s enforcers. A smile formed behind her mask when she heard the children laughing and playing, it was amazing how they could remain happy even in these circumstances. Finally she was brought before a boy who was perched in a leather chair as if it were his throne, so this must be the leader.

When Filippo introduced himself, Gabriela didn’t even have to introduce herself as the boy seemed to already know who she was. “Some of your comrades are sick? Very well, lead the way.”

Filippo nodded, then got up to lead Gabriella to one of the wings of the old guild house, one where several sick and injured children and teenagers were lying in beds barely warmed by heated waterskins. The beds were clean, and the room was cleaned of mold and damp spots, but it was ill-lit and the children taking care of their own were clearly ill-equipped to do so through no fault of their own. There was a box of healing potions whose bottles were marked as crafted in Arghyo lying in the corner, and a older girl was writing down every use of said potions, many of which had to be carefully measured so as not to be overused.

"Some of these kids are sick through eating trash. Others are sick because they're near waste and lice, fleas and rats. A few got injured by accident or were beaten by their parents before they ran away, while others were stabbed or clubbed by rival gangs. Ever since I began gatehering the kids of Hyderkrug into one group, I've been using my own money to pay for doctors, both legal and... Not so much. But now you're here and not a liar." Filippo then remembered to be polite, "So, can you bring a few orderlies over, please? And inform the ones you have that we didn't shank you?"

A pause, "Also, a question: How many of the other Guildmasters in Heyderkrug City do you know? I presume you treat a load of rich folk all the time, right?"

[Tracian Empire]

Kingdom of Duivene
Citadel of Chovers
The Two Towers

32nd Floor, Rooms of the Steward, Tower of the Augurs
A mage of crimson judgement

The concept of kicking the Faith Keeper in the crotch was quite a good one, and it did initially succeed, as he staggered back a little, and let go of her, allowing her to get her daggers, but perhaps at this point, the best choice would have been to run away. Since she remained right in front of him, as soon as the initial shock dissipated, he quickly reacted - all he had to do was to push his estoc forward. The tip of the blade pierced through her arm, right below her shoulder, and only stopped in the wall behind her, or more specifically, in the small space between two bricks, effectively pinning her to the wall. Still holding his weapon, but maintaining a certain distance so as to be able to react quickly if she were to use her other hand and the dagger in it, the Faith Keeper smiled softly yet again, as if nothing had happened at all.

"My, my.", the pink eyed man said, "Didn't you parents teach you that fooling others isn't nice?", he sighed, and a hint of disappointment seemed to have been mixed in his usual tone. "Let us talk again then. If you do not want us have a nice and peaceful discussion, let me rephrase my initial question. Who sent you? Or else, I will cut your arm off, and let you slowly bleed to death."

A room, the 45th floor, the Princess' Chambers
A warrior and a mage of Judgment

Probably much to his surprise, the bard actually managed to kill the remaining Faith Keeper. Just as the knife pierced him, he just fell to the ground, taking the knife with him, and not before long, he was laying in a pool as red as his crimson armor. The stench of death was already starting to be felt in the Princess' former chambers, the blue unicorn drawn on one of the walls stained in red, blood and dead bodies everywhere.

The dead mage did indeed seem to drop something just before he was hit by the piece of the ceiling. Not far from his body, there was a small prayer book - with golden covers, and the Crimson Flower emblem of the Faith's Judgment on the front cover. Opening it would have revealed that it was a book of magic, with chants written in Faith Thyrian.


A hallway, somewhere else
A fire witch

Initially, the Sentinel had made no sort of hostile gesture towards the fire witch, despite what she might have expected of him. He had indeed leaped back when she had told him to, and had spent a few more moments looking at the burnt corpse of the once proud Faith Keeper, but he was holding his sword down, and sheathed it back in one smooth motion just as Illania started speaking again. He listened to her, a blank expression on his face, but once again, nothing in his behavior seemed to indicate hostility of even weariness. Instead, he started to carefully look at her, observing every detail of her appearance as if there was a secret hidden there. "How strange.." , he mentioned in a low voice, as if he was speaking to himself. "You look.. familiar. You remind me of someone I have last seen long ago.." For a moment there, he seemed to have been lost in memories, but then he smiled.

"I am not here to take you into custody, my Lady. I know that you are the prisoner of her Highness, the Princess. And since you are within the Tower of the Augurs, in the Citadel of our Royal Family, it can not be said that you escaped. And besides from that, you are clearly an enemy of these treacherous fiends who have dared to spill blood within the walls of our Royal Family, which places you on the same side as me. The past matters not in the heat of battle.", he told her calmly. "As a Sentinel, I am allowed to take whatever course of action I think has to be taken for the protection of the King and his blood. I promise you, my Lady, your actions shall be taken into consideration, but I have to ask you. I require your assistance, since there are many enemies still around. Will you come with me to save the Princess?"

A room, somewhere else
A maid and two guards

"Beautiful.. truly beautiful!", the Faith Keeper exclaimed, excitement clearly present in his voice. "Such valor, such bravery! You might be just a maid, daughter of a blacksmith, and a common soldier, but your courage makes you worthy to stand alongside the most esteemed knights of this proud nation." And yet, he sighed, sadness seeping into his tone. "And yet, as much as I admire your gallantry, in order to bring those who stray from the true path back to the truth of the Gods, those of us who have to deal the Faith's Judgement often have to stray from the path ourselves. But even then, we have to obey, and to pay our role, for sometimes, the path towards the light can take you through the darkest night."

Gripping the handle of his weapon, the Faith Keeper stood up, and in one swift motion, the blade was the unconscious princess' throat.

"Let me give you another choice then. What will you do, when the life of the princess you want to defend is in imminent danger?"

---

A little later
Somewhere
A demon

The moment the cloud of ash had appeared in front of them, Celio quickly reacted, a chant of shadow and a swing of the blade dissipated it, but it was too late. Az was already gone. And then it began. The crimson eyed boy didn't seem to be affected by this sudden display of power in the slightest. He continued to grip his scythe as the hellfire destroyed his undead creations and the living soldiers next to them, but the death around him did not scare him.. it actually made him feel better. This was where he belonged, no matter what liars tried to tell him, no matter what dreams they tried to lead him into. He brought death, and pain, and suffering with him, so it was only natural that he would live among them.

Celio was ready to chant as the hellfire rushed towards them, but it avoided them at the last moment, revealing Az, armed with a dagger of hellfire. The Archbishop remained quiet as he spoke, unfazed by the fact that the Loroi who had been standing before them just a few short minutes ago was actually a Demon Prince, looking at Az with hate in his eyes. And then he attacked.

Celio had been unfazed, but the girl behind him certainly had not. It looked as if Estelle instinctively hated and was afraid of fire, because she was trembling, barely holding her lance in her hands, and it took Celio one look at her to realize that she was in no way able to fight.

As soon as Az had thrown the dagger, Celio had used the blade of his scythe to cut his arm, and as blood gushed in the air, he started to chant. The dagger of hellfire passed right through his blood as it then pierced his chest, but the blood tamed the fires. As his chant ended, the boy fell on one knee, but thorny vines that seemed to be made from that blood appeared in front of Estelle, quickly forming a wall that absorbed the bolts of hellfire thrown at her by the demon.

Of course, no such wall existed in front of Celio, so the five bolts that had been destined for him hit in straight on, creating holes in his robes and spreading the smell of scorched flesh.

Shaking, the black haired boy tried to stand back up, almost losing his balance and falling.. before he rushed forward, in one quick motion, faster than a normal human would have been able to, and before Az was able to react, the black scythe cut him, leaving behind a gash on his chest.

But that final effort was too much. Celio once again fell on his knees, and then just straight down on the ground. For a moment, it looked as if he tried to stand back up again, grasping his scythe, trying to move on and attack him once final time.. but it was all in naught.

It was as if he fell asleep.. and both his body and his scythe slowly started to dissipate in a really black smoke.

"Come on, let us not be hasty.", Estelle replied, apparently unfazed, looking directly at Az through the wall of blood that was now protecting her. "We mean no harm to you, Prince Az'goxaak, nor do we want to be hostile. We are simply here to bear a message. The Seven Cardinal Sins wish to meet with you. You are a Prince of Hell indeed, but you are also a godless you. It would not be wise for you to ignore divine requests.. but still, it is up to you." The woman giggled. "Invidia might not be particularly happy that you killed her toy, but still, the invitation stands. Just tell us your answer, and we will be on our way."

---

A little later
Somewhere else
A knight and an angel

The golden eyed boy was trembling as the angel spoke, his hair and face still stained red in the blood of the corpse that was laying on the ground next to him, and he visibly flinched as she collapsed, unconscious. A few good moments passed in silence in the dark forest, as Illari took deep breaths to try to calm himself down. He slowly tried to stand back up, using his golden lance as a support. He looked away from her, as if he was considering just running away from it all.. but he then slowly, one step at a time, got closer to her. He looked at her, as she was laying on the ground, her eyes closed... and he slowly raised his lance, pointing its blade at her. The smell of ozone spread through the air, as golden lightning swirled around the tip of the blade...and he hesitated.

"I.. I promised.", he whispered, as his usual empty expression seemed to return, his fear dissipating together with his magic. "Maybe in a way.. we are alike."

With that, he let go of his weapon, and the lance returned to floating behind his back. Wasting another moment to carefully look at her expression, he slowly picked her up from the ground, and started running again.

---

Wyzkia
A castle


The baroness simply remained where she was, tightly hugging Alina and waiting for her cries to slowly calm down. She made no further effort to say anything, perhaps instinctively knowing that all that she might have said at that point would have been in vain. She did not know what was causing the girl in front of her so much suffering and guilt, and there was probably nothing she could have said that could have helped. She simply smiled, and continued to accept Alina's embrace while embracing her back, letting her know through that feeling and that warmth that she was there for her. She didn't even try to tell her that there was nothing she had to thank her for, and she didn't want to interrupt her. Sometimes, you just had to let it all go and cry...

But someone was about to interrupt them, unwillingly. The gate to the garden opened out of a sudden, and a girl entered. She was wearing an armor not unlike Rafal's, light and silver, engraved and ornamented. Her red hair was long and smooth, and she was walking with such grace and presence that the very mood in the garden seemed to change. She was holding a pot in her hands, with purple flowers, but she stopped almost as soon as she entered. Her gentle rose-colored eyes glanced back and forth between the old lady and Alina, as a confused expression appeared on her face, but even her confusion seemed to be elegant in a way. it was almost as if someone had taken a princess straight from the books of legends, and just placed her in front of the garden.

"My apologies for intruding, Lady Baroness.", she spoke in a confident but soft voice. "I had come to bring you some flowers and to check how you were doing, but I can return later." Adelajda smiled. "Oh, you are not intruding, young lady. I was helping young lady Alina here with something, but I can ignore such a polite and esteemed guest. Who are you, if I might ask? You seem familiar, and yet I do not recall your name."

The girl smiled sadly. "We met before, Lady Baroness, but you might not remember. I am Anastazja Ankwicz, Baroness of Kasprzycki, and I was the fiance of your youngest son, Rafal. It is a pleasure to see you again." And then the girl looked straight at Alina, still smiling. "My apologies for intruding upon you in such a moment, I did not expect anyone else to be here. It is a pleasure to meet you my Lady. May I know your name and your title?"

---

Somewhere else entirely
A blind boy

I know that you created it to help people, I know that you do not see death as what it truly is. I know that you've wanted just to sleep for the longest time and that you are cursed not to, I know how much pain in brings you, and that all you want is to bring peace and beautiful dreams to others. I know that it is not your fault that you had to suffer, and that you had to die, and that you became enslaved to a Sin, and that Acedia and Tristitia mess with your mind and drown you in a sea of delusions.. I understand you, I know that you are not cruel, and I know.. I know that you love me. I know your hate because I feel it too, and I only feel it grow stronger as the memories of those I want to see dead fade away in my mind. They deserve to suffer, they deserve to die, and they have to die, and that is why I am willing to do this, to throw myself away...and I am happy and horrified at the same time that you can accept it, that you can accept what I will do, that you will still stay with me and support me no matter what. I'm happy, that you would love me no matter what, and I'm sure, that no matter how deep I sink in pride my love for you won't disappear either.. but your love for me is clearly greater than my love for you, for otherwise.. otherwise I should have just thrown all of it away. Revenge, freedom, my sister.. and we could have just been happy together. But I can't... we can't live happily ever after until they are dead and she is free..

All of this was what he desperately wanted to say, but couldn't, and didn't. The silver eyed boy remained quiet as she spoke, just embracing her. And then she kissed him, a gesture of passion and despair, and he hesitated for a moment.. before responding alike.

When they stopped, she was still touching his face with her hands, and she could feel her warmth on his cold body. And then, she told him her request, and he listened...and then another moment of silence followed. But then, he embraced her again, and he kissed her right back, with just as much passion and despair, and love and fear as she had kissed him.

"For you... for you my love.. I will.", he told her, smiling.

Later,
Two Archbishops

The fire was crackling in the fireplace of the small house, and the boy and the girl were lying in the bed. They were so supposed to be dead, but instead they were filled with life, they were supposed to be only feeling sin and yet they were feeling love, he was supposed to be blind, and yet he was seeing. And he was savoring every last moment of it, just looking straight at Meta's face, trying to remember how she looked like, to burn that information into his mind even as so many of his memories were fading away in the endless storm caused by his master. They were holding hands, and just looking at each other, in silence, until Pride finally said something again. "I know.. that I am the one who started this by asking you to accept what will happen. So it might be selfish from me.. but I want.. I want to also ask you something else. To have another request.." He hesitated. "I am scared, that I will even forget who I am. Even now, it's as if some things are fading, no matter how hard I am trying to grasp them. I know that I won't forget my love for you, no matter what, but I afraid that I will forget myself. So i want to ask you.. please promise me.. that no matter how I might change once I give in to Superbia, no matter what I do.. that you won't forget who I was and what I was before. That you won't forget me as I am now.."

[Dragos Bee]

Kyle Perrin-Palailogos, Arghyo, with NPCs in Duivene

32nd Floor, Steward's Rooms

"You've sent so many people to hell... Go there yourself," the Maid said. She raised her dagger one more time, hoping against hope that she can strike one final blow against this Inquisitor -

Then a shift in the wind, a slight whiff of smoke once more, and every spider, cockroach, rat and bat which had made their home in the local area rushed out of thier hiding places and towards the Inquisitor-Mage, trying to swarm him for the brief moment needed for her to throw her dagger at his throat, even as her two allies, the Minor Clerks, rushed out from the stairway, one of them clearly weaving the spell which controlled the vermin, while the other was chanting, forming a barrier of moist wind to protect himself and his compatriot.

Did they stand a chance? Will the dagger hit the enemy's throat?

45th Floor, Princess' Chambers, then the Hallway, Somewhere Else

The Bard glanced at the book, took it, then went off towards the hallway, where he managed to listen in on the last snatches of the conversation between Iliana and the Sentinel, before coming forward, intruding on thier conversation. "Greetings - I'm one of the court bards, Valtonn. I got caught up in the fighting and managed to slay one of those traitorous Faith members when they came after the Princess. Mind if I offer you guys my help as well?"

It's not as if you're in any offer to refuse, Valtonn thought. Not when you need all the help you can get.

[Faal Lot Himdah]

The Forgotten Prince, Az'goxaak
Perhaps an opportunity?

---

Shit... was all Az could think when Celio's scythe finished gouging his chest. Despite his body not being his own, he still felt the pain as the scythe tore through the flesh of the body. The shock was enough to force Az to jump back, and fall to knee at the same time as Celio turned to smoke.

As Estelle spoke, Az stood up, placing a hand on his chest, and attempted to heal what he could. However, due to the severity of the wound, Az knew that his magic would not be able to heal the wound completely. However, Estelle wouldn't know this. So, along with healing, Az employed a basic illusion to make it appear as if the wound was healed.

"It would not be wise for you to ignore a divine request." Az repeated, and then chuckled, "If you knew anything about me, then you would realize that's a pretty poor threat. Ask the Prince of Desire when next you see him about that."

"Besides," Az said as he took a few steps forward, "I wasn't your original goal. Let me ask you, if I went with you, would you stop your search for the girl you originally asked about? If the answer is no, then we have no business..."

"After all, I was here in order to protect her." He finished as he stopped just out of lance reach.

[Dragos Bee]

Lady Admiral/Warmage Alessia, Kartaran Main Island

Yakone of Clan Dolphin

In response to allegations that the Lady Admiral was not doing enough to make good on her promises to stem the Calarian tide, an expedition of 500 folk was sent to take the inland fort of Giacomo's Rise, a structure of stone and wood which was the deepest current foothold of the foriegners in the Main Island. This force was led by Yakone, son of the chieftain of Clan Dolphin, a prideful and vain man who nevertheless knew that victory here meant his own glory. And if that meant using the foriegn elements being taught to the 'Shaman-Mages' by the Half-Foriegn Chieftess of Clan Ice Bear, let it be so.

His men and women had surrounded the fort, digging trenches and earthworks around it to prevent reinforcements from suddenly attacking their rears. His personal guard, two dozen men clad in mail beneath their furs and cloth, with a few even wearing Calarian plate, supervised this, pretending all the while that this was a normal siege where the defenders were to be starved out. Far from it, if the 'Shaman-Mages' would prove their worth today.

Giacomo's rise stood on top of a hill, surrounded by a muddy ditch of its own - Most of the water was deliberately drained to prevent the Kartarans from using that element against them in their assault. Not that it would help, not once Yakone gave his commands to the Shaman-Mages, which now numbered 50.

"Use the lessons you have learned," he said as he, sheltered by a shield-wall of his men, pointed at the fortress' gates. "The gate is made of wood, burn it without setting the rest of the fortress on fire. Same for the watchtowers, they are made of wood too. If the rest of the fortress burns, I will personally have your heads, the Lady Admiral's orders be damned."

The gate burned, so did the watchtowers. And it was done with such precision fire that Yakone had to admit he was impressed. Then he commanded, "Now use the winds to send a message to the rest of our folk - Have them storm the fort while the enemy are still shocked."

He drew his axe, and prepared to join the charge. The fort would be theirs within hours.