Abysmal Souls Chapter 6

[Nanami Touko]

Andy

"That's..." he glanced at Noel for a moment, then back to the man. "That's quite bold..." I'm unsure why anyone would try to stand up to Noel. I know I wouldn't be able to... Andy couldn't really do much else, shirking back to one of the walls. The girls were good enough at handling whoever this was, so he could only wait for him to say something.

Horatio

Carrie followed along, as hoped. Good, don't have t'ask her t'get into the cart. "Yeh, she'll be fine, jus' needs t'rest and get rid o' that nasty bump. That boy... Archen was it? Yeh, whatever, he hit her pretty good." He shuffled himself up against the wall, relaxing. The cart finally began to move, and that, at least, made him smile a bit. "As for me sayin' shoo, I don't mind bein' funny, once in a while. I guess I'll jus' have t'shoo you some more, eh?" He left her with a smirk, enjoying himself now that the fight had died off. Pretty pointless, that was. No reason t'fight is no one's makin' any money.

Adrian

He felt another set of tears coming on, but he sort of sniffled them away. He had to get himself to stop being such a wreck all the time. "Oi" ... That's Gideon, right? He tilted his glance over at him, surprised anyone wanted to talk to him after that display. "You ain't gonna pout the whole trip over a shouting match, are you?" Adrian let out sort of a defeated chuckle, quiet and short. It made him smile a little bit, though. "Yeah... that's the plan. S-Stop pouting, that is." Great show, kid. "Really shouldn't get so depressed over everything. Gotta be... more of a man, y'know?" He forced that line out, feeling the utter hopelessness of it.

Shaking back another ridiculous set of tears, he found himself suddenly accosted by Mel. "Let me see your hand" "Wha--?" Almost amused by her approach, he pulled his hand away a bit. "It's not really in a state to be seen, Mel. Gotta let it heal, and all." He still sounded defeated, and he cursed at himself inside for it, but there wasn't much stopping Mel. She already had his arm in her hands, handling it like she would any metal. "Ow! Geez, be careful, would you? I probably broke a few of those fingers..." An annoyed look overcame his face, but he felt better than he did moments ago. At least he could try to get his mind off of the fight, now. "Mel, just... hands off... the hand. Please."

Amera

Why can't I stay mad at hiiiiiiiiim?! Gideon had given her the most defeated look he had probably given anyone, and she didn't want him dealing with Adrian alone, especially with Mel still about. She turned and glared at Giselle for a moment, sticking her tongue out her in a playful show of displeasure, before sliding on over to Gideon and the other two. She sighed and rolled her eyes at Gideon, giving him a slight smile. Adrian had already been accosted by Mel, so there wasn't much she could say or do. "Adrian, just... don't let yourself get too down over it. I'm pretty sure even Gideon wasn't the strongest when he was younger. You'll... you'll get there." There, that's good enough. I think. He seemed to reply with an 'ow', which made her peek over at Mel. "Mel, don't be so rough! That looks... wow, that actually looks pretty bad..."

Reynor, and surprisingly Bea

"What?" Lunaria looked like she was about to freak out, and Reynor didn't have the slightest of what to do. "Reynor... the roof broke... please... run!!! Arghh!!!!" Punctuation! Reynor dove out of the house, expecting blasts of fire to follow after him. Something awe striking caught him in the corner of his eye, though. Not twenty feet away, Beatrice was huddled under a tree. Shit. Wait, she's still alive! This is good, but... she's got to run, too! He made a hard turn, slipped and fell, but got up and bolted for her right away. "Beatrice!"

Someone had shouted her name, and the voice sounded familiar. "Reynor...? No, you..." There was a form running at her in the rain. She couldn't make it out because of how dark it was, but she did know that voice.

He slid in next to her, panting for breath and grabbing her arm. She could tell it was him now, and she was almost overcome with joy. "You're alive... you're alive!" Finding herself latched onto him in a hug, she heard him urging her up. "Come on, come on we've gotta run, now!" He pulled her to her feet, looking for the best way to run off in.

[Anti-Social Meta Knight]

Gideon

The kid was almost crying...it was pathetic, but Gideon couldn't feel any contempt for him. He was just emotional. "Yeah... that's the plan. S-Stop pouting, that is." "So stop," he said matter-of-factly. "Really shouldn't get so depressed over everything. Gotta be... more of a man, y'know?" Gideon rolled his eyes - that line was hopelessly cliched and just plain stupid. "What does that even mean? Being a man, I mean." Against his sleepy impulses, Gideon forced himself to sit up and look Adrian in the eye, catching a glimpse at his hand in Mel's lap. "Don't break him, lass," he said quickly before looking at Adrian again.

"Let me tell you something, kid," he said, his tone more serious than was his norm. "And I mean it in the nicest way I can manage when I say this, but you take everything WAY too seriously." He kept an eye on Mel as he spoke - he wasn't sure whether he would have to intervene with her apprentice medicine. "You gain nothing from beating yourself up, and you lose nothing when a shouting match happens. Shit, some of the things I seen you brood over really don't matter. At all." A part of him expected to be berated by Amera about this later, but if it worked, it worked, and he was getting sick of watching this kid lose his cool over nonsense. "You don't need to be more of a man. You just need to pick your battles."

"Adrian, just... don't let yourself get too down over it. I'm pretty sure even Gideon wasn't the strongest when he was younger. You'll... you'll get there." Cold as ice... He wanted to say something to that, if only to validate himself, but it didn't seem too smart to him. "You're probably closer than you think you are," he added after a bit of a pause as he tried to get comfortable again. Hopefully no one else would start something...

Melanie

Throughout Gideon's little manliness speech, Mel was inspecting Adrian's hand - and ignoring his requests for her to stop. "It's not really in a state to be seen, Mel. Gotta let it heal, and all." "This isn't the way a hand should be shaped," she mumbled inattentively. "The bone structure is off...not by much, but still..." Her voice dropped to a concentrated mumble. It took Adrian flinching to draw her back to reality. "Ow! Geez, be careful, would you? I probably broke a few of those fingers..." Mel gave him an incredulous look. "Um, yeah, that's why I'm looking at it." She shook her head and went right back to inspecting, unconcerned with what he was saying. "Mel, just... hands off... the hand. Please."

"Shush," Mel said without looking up. "Almost..." With a swift motion, she took his hand in both of hers and pressed down on his second knuckle, which resulted in a soft crack after a bit of pressure. "There. All done. Sorry if it hurt." Grinning, she backed off and withdrew her hands from his. "Bandage. Anyone got one? If he moves his hand around too much it'll pop back out and he won't heal properly." No immediate reaction came, causing Mel to scowl at the people inside the cart. "Come on, come on! I know there's one in there!" she barked, clapping her hands authoritatively. "We're on the clock here! Let's go! Bandage! BAN-DAGE!" She looked back at Adrian and wagged a finger in his face. "And don't you move that hand until it's bound. I'm not doing that again." She resisted the urge to shudder. Fixing people wasn't the same as fixing metal - the way bones clicked was creepy to her.

Giselle

During the man-talk, she just kept quiet and listened. The big man was making sense, but it was clear to her that he wasn't much of a talker. He wasn't dumb - just not orator material. Still cute, though. The kid would be if he didn't suck the life out of the room... 'course, he's fucking the Witch, so I'll keep my distance. I like not having scorch marks.

She felt heard the crack and sighed quietly - at least the girl was as willful as she remembered. Once she started demanding a bandage, Giselle feigned searching for a moment to appease her; after a few seconds, though, she decided it wasn't worth the effort.

Lowell&Seilynda

Picture two people traveling and imagine a lot of awkward silence.

Done? Good. Congratulate yourself, because you know what they're up to.

[Nanami Touko]

Adrian

Adrian made sure to listen to everything Gideon had to say. At this point, he was almost a role model. And he'd given Adrian some thinking material. "What does that even mean? Being a man, I mean." He blinked at the question, still listening but thinking to himself. What does that mean? No, no, what does that mean for me? I want to be able to protect Carrion, and fight for myself... so I just have to figure out the best way to do that. I doubt it'll be that simple, though. Mel continued to fiddle with his hand, and he shared Gideon's sentiments. "Don't break him, lass." "Yes, that, please don't." He was worried. He knew how Mel handled things. Especially physical things. Or, he had an idea from the few days he'd known her.

"Let me tell you something, kid, and I mean it in the nicest way I can manage when I say this, but you take everything WAY too seriously." Gideon didn't have to say it for Adrian to realize it. Even he realized how obvious it was, but only after the fact, in most cases. Mel continued her picking and prodding, so he did his best to ignore her and continue listening. "You gain nothing from beating yourself up, and you lose nothing when a shouting match happens. Shit, some of the things I seen you brood over really don't matter. At all." Even though it was true, and obvious, it still stung a bit to get put so harshly. Guess he's not one for tact. Can't blame him. "You don't need to be more of a man. You just need to pick your battles." He nodded, still a bit absent minded, though he still heard everything. He was in a much better mood than a few moments ago, at least.

He glanced at Amera, who seemed to be enjoyed her spot against Gideon's shoulder. I wonder what makes them so happy together. I wonder if Carrion and I will ever have something like that... More motivational words brought him back out of his thinking, catching the end of whatever Gideon was saying, "You're probably closer than you think you are." Finally, a smile broke through his blank face. "Yeah... at least, I hope ssssssssfuuuuUUUUUU...!"

He should have been paying closer attention to Mel, who had shoved the bone in his finger back into place without him noticing. He bit his tongue to stop from cursing, not wanting to bother anyone else with any bullshit from him, as Mel continued with her pleased expression. "There. All done. Sorry if it hurt." "Yeah... thanks..." He kept his teeth clenched while she wandered off for a bandage. "Sometimes I wonder... if all her screws are still in, y'know?" He aimed his question at Amera and Gideon, but he was more so just venting a bit of frustration at his hand, which was in more pain than before, now. "And don't you move that hand until it's bound. I'm not doing that again." But even in the pain, he knew that she was just being herself. So, trying to take Gideon's advice, he sighed, and chuckled a little. "Yes, doctor."

Amera

Gideon was being a bit harsh. Perhaps too harsh, but eventually Adrian seemed to perk up. Phew... thought I'd have to stop him, there. I'd think of trying to teach him tact, but... I don't have much myself. She turned and took to resting against Gideon's arm for a moment, trying to get comfortable herself, but Adrian let out a small yelp. Sliding herself off of her pillow, she saw that Mel was continuing to be herself. "Mel! Careful, honestly. People aren't contraptions that you can just push around. At least warn him, next time." She didn't raise her voice so much as she simply sounded a bit annoyed.

Seeing Mel chipper, and hearing Adrian chuckle though, she dropped her own seriousness. "Hey, Gideon...," she said, turning her head up to face his, "I guess I have to try being less serious, don't I? Ahaha... Now, don't move. I need a pillow for the rest of this trip, and your arm doesn't have anyone else on it." She propped herself back up against his arm, letting Mel do her thing as she searched for some bandages.

Edited March 6, 2012 by seph1212

[ReformBlade]

On the road to destiny

The noises, the conversations and the voices of those around Arcen seemed to elude the man. He seemed to be deep in thought, something that had Aiduen worried. He's never this quiet... "Hey, Arcen, is something up...?"

OF course something's up! He wanted to shout, to yell over everything and make himself heard, but he didn't. Instead, Arcen simply shook his head without looking back to Aiduen, "Nah, I'm just tired. You know how it is at night." he said quietly, "Really wish I could go to sleep about now, but that won't be happening..." Not with all this damned noise and movement. God dammit, why are we even here? Because of some stupid promise I'll bet. One that nearly got her killed and she still sticks by it... I can't stand it. Why does everyone defend this horrible person? It doesn't make sense, no, it CAN'T make sense! They're all being deceived, and my sister is falling for the trick too. But what can I do...?

It was extremely obvious to Aiduen that he was upset, even if he didn't show it outright, and this worried her. "Do you wanna talk?" she asked simply

"Not really, I can barely hear myself over this rain and thunder and noise. Sorry sis, not right now, I suggest we try and rest up as best we can. OK?" And with that he simply leaned back, his gaze fixated on the outside, the clouds above. Aiduen tried to do what he said, but she couldn't help but feel like she did something to make her brother act so weird. Pulling her cap down, she also leaned back, pulling away from everyone else. Maybe we just need to calm down, maybe tomorrow he'll talk...

[CT075]

Therese

"So, Therese, where's that girl who was with you in Pravna?"

Therese knew that the man couldn't see her face, but she turned her eyes down anyway, lips set into a grim slash. "Yeh mean my sister? Hell if I know, she's pr'bly still in Pravna or sum'thin." It troubled her to be completely unaware of her sister's situation. Whoever had gotten her into this situation could just have easily gone after the less-able member of her family: Rina. Unfortunately, there wasn't a whole lot that could be done to remedy that.

"And what the hell were you doing with a goddamn assassin, anyway?"

Therese laughed, a bit forcibly. "Tha's a long story, tha' is. I didn' know he was an assassin, an' I pr'bly wouldn't've cared if I had." The last statement was a lie, but it wouldn't hurt anyone. That is, unless this man who claims to be with the Crimson Witch actually knows something? But then, why would he save me...?

It would do no good to dwell on it.

"A'ight, yeh've made me spill my story. Wha's yers? Why're you out 'ere, instea' of wi' tha' mangy ol' group of yers? They get sick've yeh and send yeh way ou' here ahead o' the team?"

The little alone girl

Rina gladly got up and followed Teis. Her small size made it easier to weave through the men's legs.

Shortly afterwards, once the group was outdoors, she trailed along a bit behind Teis. It wasn't that she disliked the group (well, she did SOME people...), but all this action and excitement was too much. All Rina wanted to do was to find her sister and go home; this journey had lasted far too long.

Of course, that was when a few men, cloaked in black robes, jumped out of some alleyway and grabbed her. She screamed, once, and started struggling. Again. Once more, then everything went blank.

Edited March 10, 2012 by Camtech

[Rapier]

Rine, the forgotten one

After seeing Adrian yell at him, he swore to himself that they would be fighting and the worse would really come. Swallowing his desire to facepalm, he focused on defending himself if anything were to happen... Except nothing happened and Adrian left - luckly for him, as he didn't have the sympathy of anyone in the wagon and there was nothing protecting the mage from Arcen's steel and Adrian's fist.

As the rain started to get stronger, he decided to move into the wagon. He stopped to look at Carrion's body, still laid on the ground, but Rine didn't dare to touch her - or even get close. With nothing else to do but wait for them to get inside it too, he turned his head and sighed.

Currently, he's only been watching the group, still afraid to screw up just like he did minutes ago.

Asviel, clad in blue

The Anri was right, a quick glance in the sky could tell anyone that it would rain, and that it wouldn't be a brief and light rain - from the looks of it, it could be a thunderstorm comming. Yet, the thought of rain didn't bother her at all. The only thing that mattered was to get inside Shuthra and seek refuge here. With a brief laugh, she answered, "Well, sometimes rain isn't that bad, and it's also your only chance of taking a bath, isn't it? I really wouldn't.. mind the rain, at all...".

Losing her sudden cheerfulness, sadness took her over once again. After getting to Shuthra, what would she do? Nothing else from her life remained, and it was imperative that the girl should start a new one. But all she could feel was emptiness and sadness. Going after her brother or doing something about it wouldn't bring her father back, nor would make things get back to normal. So... What? Ignatius remained as her companion for some time, but he'd disappear soon enough too. And then, the girl would be alone.

Without even bothering to think much about it, she said, "We don't need to rush. I-I mean, it's not like we have a motive, right? ...". The quick glance into the sky made her notice just how stupid that was. "Well, maybe we have, but... I just wanted some time... Truth is, I don't know what I am supposed to do after I get there. I... I need to straighten my head, but I can't. I really... can't."

OOC: Sorry for taking so long. My routine's changed and I'm terrible at organizing my time, plus my grammar isn't that good. =P

Edited March 8, 2012 by Rapier

[und34dmuffin]

Kore

The man who smelled of blood and death had decided that his best bet would be to take the advice of the man and bugger off. And then hide out of sight for a while. He watched the people enter the cart as the rain made his scent wash away, much to his internal disappointment. With a flourish seen by no one but himself, he pulled up his hood, and began to follow the deep tracks of the wagon with his black clothes keeping him muddy but almost unnoticeable in the pouring rain.

[NagafenOfIlivikitty]

-Obelia-

Obelia's smile is something that matches her mothers, but that's not really what's on her mind at the moment. What matters is that Ken is smiling again and that's what she set out to achieve. Giving his hand a squeeze, pale finger squeezing equally thin ones, almost amused at the feminine quality they have, Obelia lightly moves herself, falling into the seat by Ken with an audible clank, She smiles at his mention of what they must do and offers an agreeing nod, glad to see vengeance or anger have not consumed her friend in his entirety.

'True justice is indeed what we must seek, even at the lowest of moments for ourselves. If you ever feel yourself come close to letting sadness consume you, tell me, alright? You aren't the only one who has let… drive, shall they say, consume them.' At those words, an odd guilty look flashes across Obelia's features, something troubling her but she smiles again soon, as if the look was a temporary oversight.

-Langley-

'This isn't gonna end well if you don't tell us why, kid.' Langley, having been quite calm so far, none the less understands why the spectre of a missing relative haunting them could make her quick to get things 'messy' as it were. So her tone now has a slight edge to it, though as the boys mouth opens, she pauses, noting Noel's own frozen moment.

'You'll never leave, will you? My grandparents disappeared one day, they just did and all they found in their homes were scraps of torn clothing, blood. And claw marks across the walls. You think that there aren't any human slaves? You don't HONESTLY THINK-' he raises his voice and Noel admittedly hasn't expected this, Langley noting her silent posture, 'THAT ALL OF YOU DAMN, INFERIOR SUB-BEINGS, DON'T ACT AS 'TERRIBLE' AS WE DO?!?' His eyes are angry and wild, yet something wet seems to be burning their vision. This boy has grown, but grown so full of anger. So when Noel speaks, Langley is surprised enough to jump at the interjection.

-Noel-

'You think that gives you an excuse?' Her voice is low, cold. She has no sympathy for him, though her clenched fists and beginning to shake frame say something somewhat different. 'You honestly think that because your grandparents may have been taken by an Anri, maybe as slaves, you think because you never got to meet them, that gives you some sort of right to judge?' His angry features are frozen by the words as if in rapt attention to poetry, hanging on each syllable but out of fear at her darkening features. She continues, advancing a bit and Langley's hand twitches, casting a worried look back to Andy. She has honestly never seen her friend this… 'Charged'.

-Carrie-

'Arcen. Archen sounds like your slurring arching.' Carrie's smile remains, her good cheer returning after witnessing the rather violent predeceasing events. If she so much as focuses on the tree that's been set on fire, she fears her mind will have to take a short reality break. So for now, she is quite content to rest her back against the side of the cart opposing Horatio and fix him with a beady stare. 'I could shoo if you like, unless you're slurring chew just for fun.' Carrie smiles once more before her eyes close and her breathing begins to take a more relaxed turn.

-Ellandra-

Still a tad red, Ellandra's form grabs the back of the cart, rubbing her throat as she hauls herself onto it. Speaking is rather like learning to ride a bike, in that it can hurt, it's best to take some time out before jumping straight in and if she could somehow find the equivalent of a 'bicycle helmet' for her throat, she'd wear it. But once we move away from the fact bicycles may not exist in this reality, let us instead focus on her, mirroring Carrie, curling with her back against the wagon's side, closing her eyes. It's always good after a fresh dose of embarrassment to sleep it off because usually, you forget for half a second what embarrassed when you wake. With that futile logic in mind, Ellandra's eyes clamp tight shut and she tries to return to a form of rest.

-Zwool-

'I must say, when I woke to hear such banging on the door this early, a dragon anri lying on his back clutching a book was not what I'd hoped when I opened the door. Call me old fashioned, but I'd have preferred the milkman.' One of the elder librarians, his face a cragged and slightly more bewildered then annoyed set of features, stands in a rather snug, if overly long violet robe, not exactly becoming but in the middle of the night, becoming isn't really what you go for. He folds his arms with an amused expression and Zwool, eyes a bit hesitant and cheeks flushed in a form of rather typical embarrassment, stand quickly, brushing off himself as the librarian asks, rather quizzically. 'So to what do I owe such an ear-' His voice is stopped as Zwool eagerly, maybe a bit too eagerly, holds up the scaled book, eyes bright with curiosity. The librarian looks at the book, then him with an almost shrewd stare. 'Well, you're a thief or I'm sorry, it's a bit odd to get donations at this time of day.'

'N-No! I'm not… well, I guess I…' Zwool seems to hesitate, but the librarian, with an absent sigh and yet a slightly weary smile, turns and begins to walk inside. 'Maybe after you incredulously deny it a few times, you'll follow me inside and explain what it is you want. In the meantime, I'm going to get something warm to drink.' He heads inside and soon after, once Zwool's surprise and indeed, incredulous thought wears off, he hesitantly looks around, before following inside.

Edited March 9, 2012 by NagafenOfIlivikitty

[Shin]

Ken

'True justice is indeed what we must seek, even at the lowest of moments for ourselves. If you ever feel yourself come close to letting sadness consume you, tell me, alright? You aren't the only one who has let… drive, shall they say, consume them.'

"Quite right, Obelia. Let us move forward, I'm quite sure Sophia and Alyssa would prefer to be somewhere warmer."

He took up the horse's reigns again and urged it forwards. They were close to town ahead, finding a place to stay was their task for the night."

--------------------------------

Lunaria

Lunaria had worked herself into quite a frenzy. The rain had really pushed her over the edge and Reynor's disappearance had enraged her further - having completely forgotten she urged him away only moments ago.

Breathing heavily, she began searching frantically. Had something happened to him, did someone hurt him? Had somebody taken him. Someone had made the rain hurt her, it was obvious. Just like the pirates had those years ago. She hurled a ball of fire upwards, as if she were hoping to destroy the clouds themselves.

"Reynor! Where are you! I'll kill them all, don't worry! Hahahahaha!"

The thought of punishing her enemies was too great for her, she couldn't help but laugh, even with the torrential rain.

Edited March 9, 2012 by Dokutayuu

[Jaybee]

Danyon

"Yeh mean my sister? Hell if I know, she's pr'bly still in Pravna or sum'thin."

Well, she's got a sister? And so young, too... The hell was she doing, leaving her alone? He wasn't alert enough to notice the change in Therese's tone, yet he still decided not to inquire further.

"Tha's a long story, tha' is. I didn' know he was an assassin, an' I pr'bly wouldn't've cared if I had."

"Really? You didn't know he was an assassin? That's... interesting. And even if you knew, you would have thought it was fine?" He was speaking in a much harsher tone now, remembering what Horatio had almost done the day before, and...

"A'ight, yeh've made me spill my story. Wha's yers? Why're you out 'ere, instea' of wi' tha' mangy ol' group of yers? They get sick've yeh and send yeh way ou' here ahead o' the team?"

"You'd find it obvious by now that I... detest assassins. That disgusting filth tried to hitch a ride with Carrion, and I... didn't exactly like that. Told them I'd run ahead before them, and so here I am."

Sophia

"Let us move forward, I'm quite sure Sophia and Alyssa would prefer to be somewhere warmer."

She smiled, turning back, Alyssa now sitting on her lap. "Thank you, Ken..."

[Caliban of Sycorax]

Lucretia

"So, Lucretia, how's that absinthe treatin' you?"

Hearing Aurelio mention the absinthe made Lucretia stumble the slightest. "Uh, good--really good." She smiled, and hiccuped. "Damn. It's never treated me like this before."

She put the glass down and merely sat there, letting the drink take effect.

"Aurelio, what are you planning to do after we rescue Lunaria?"

[Shin]

Aurelio

"Aurelio, what are you planning to do after we rescue Lunaria?"

Now, that was an interesting question. He hadn't really thought that far ahead, although he had a couple of ideas. He took a sip from his drink, and thought for a couple of seconds.

"Well, if things all go to plan, there were I few things I'd thought about. I'd like to get Keyes back from those bandits, I've been past it a few times over the years... and Astarte haven't done a thing about them. There were just too many of them for me to handle."

He paused for a little. It had been nearly ten years since he'd escaped Keyes. If only he'd have been a little better, perhaps then things would have turned out differently. The mass mutiny of his squad had really set him back, but it made sense, Aurelio's family had been one of the few that had escaped. But would Lucretia really want to join him on such a dangerous journey, he wouldn't want to put her in unnecessary peril.

"Even if I could never get it back... me, you, your old man and Lunaria, I wouldn't mind if we settled down somewhere. Wandering around for ten years really takes it out of you. Heh, first I work in a kitchen, now this... maybe I'll be a woodcutter... haha!"

He felt that he had forgotten something. Rina had gone back with Teis, hadn't she?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ken

"Thank you, Ken..."

He smiled, the incident was still on his mind but he had people who he cared for around him. That in itself could relieve the pain.

Edited March 10, 2012 by Dokutayuu

[ReformBlade]

New Location Ahead

The road ahead seemed ominous in the night, more sinister with the thunder sounding and the rain pounding seemingly ceaselessly. They weren't getting the full brunt of the downpour, but it was still hitting on the wagon pretty hard. The path itself got bumpier as they neared the mountain path, filled with a few twists and turns that Grant couldn't even see half the time. He was thankful that the horses were at least not as blind as he was in the current darkness, or at least their instincts kicked in much faster. Either way, he had to slow down his pace after too many close calls, Clyde panicking at the situation as a whole. Deep down he wondered what was ahead of him in life, but nothing concrete came up, he had no idea what to do, who to go to, where to go... nothing. The prospect chilled him but it also inspired him deep down.

When the wagon came out of the mountain pass, the group was greeted by a very small settlement. Two buildings, albeit fairly big ones, and a rather small dock with a few large boats here and there sitting and waiting, tied up. The smell of the ocean pervaded the air as they approached at a slow yet measured pace in the wagon. Unfortunately there was no real designated place to keep the wagon, and as such Grant had pulled it up to the side of one of the buildings, unsure of anything about either building beyond his assumption of one being a lodge... hopefully. "Alright, I'm gonna go see what's what. Personally never been here before, so I'll go make sure we can get everything underway here." Grant said to the group in the back. Taking one glance, he held his gaze for a moment, unsure of what to make of the odd looking crew he had been chauffeuring. Shaking his head, he grabbed Clyde and almost started dragging him until the kid picked up his pace, "Ow, what the heck, you could've just asked me to move you jerk!" Grant wasn't listening, instead he was trying to deal with the reality of the situation: The kid was an assassin and a troublemaker, though the knight admitted it'd be a tough pill to swallow. In fact he wasn't sure what he'd do with the kid if he said all of that and was shoo'd out. Slowing his pace for just a moment, he looked at the kid, rain drenching them both. "Let me ask you something. If I let you go, what would you do?"

"I just got kicked out of the only life I knew. I'm goddamn fourteen years old! You honestly expect me to just know what to do? I don't know! Maybe I'd be a beggar, or maybe I'd find someone with enough pity to take me in, or maybe I'd just be a pickpocket for the rest of my life, start up a new group. I don't know, and frankly I don't see why it maters, I assume I'm going to die soon enough anyway, I know where they operate and I know names and faces. To be even more honest, they're not that amazing at what they do, but I've witnessed their murders, I've taken part in some of them." Clyde was getting heated, but he was also getting tired of this. "I'm not trying to say I liked it, it was the only life I knew, being abducted and all. Can you believe they told me that they stole me? I'm only fourteen and even I know better than that! Now you know what I screwed up so bad earlier. But I don't want to bother talking about this... I've been thrusted yet again into a new life. A part of me wants to cry, another part wants scream."

Grant let the kid vent, if only to let it out of his system as he stared unblinking at Clyde, unaware of the downpour for the moment.. He did feel for him, but he still had a hint of paranoia, and yet, at the same time... Carrion wasn't the pure evil I thought she'd be... maybe this kid isn't a gremlin either. "I'll tell you what. I'll give you an offer." Grabbing Clyde by the shoulder with one hand and pointing at his face with the other, "You come with us for a little while, you help us out until we're done here, I'll let you go do whatever. If you want to stay I'll make sure you'll at least have food in your mouth."

"I don't have much choice here. I'm still tied up. And I don't really wanna deal with any of you right now. The amount of bias that's sure to be held by all of you, while I'm sure it's understandable and I won't say anything is wrong with it, it's not a very welcoming idea for me to stay. On the other hand, I'm a damn prisoner. I don't have a say. As such, do whatever you want, my life is forfeit anyway."

"Then it's settled. You're going to stay here with us, and if you behave we'll let you go."

"Did you listen to anything I just said?"

"Yes and I don't give a shit. We need help, I don't think they'd be against another hand helping out. Just know that there will be someone watching you, most likely me, at all times." Grant undid the kid's bindings, taking a leap of faith that nothing bad would come of this.

"Whatever..."

And with that, they went inside the closest building they had stopped at, and were greeted by an older woman who seemed a bit surprised at the sudden entrance. "Oh dear, what brings you folk around here at this time of night, especially with all this bad weather brewing?"

Grant smiled and tried to explain, "We're traveling, I've actually got a pretty big group outside waiting in a wagon. We were wondering if we could borrow a boat? To go to the island down south that is..."

The woman's demeanor changed at the mention of the island, like a sudden chill came over her. "Oh you don't want to go down there, nothing but death and trouble, doom and gloom... It's not worth it, and I won't accept money knowing that you're going to throw your lives away like that!"

Holding his head low for a second before engaging further, he walked to the counter so he could keep his voice down. "I know exactly as it sounds, and I'm not arguing that it's not dangerous. Thing is, we're looking to bring the crimson witch into custody on the orders of the Archmage or sage or whatever of Pravna. I know that sounds silly, but it's the truth. And really, if I want to throw my life, our lives away, what's it to you? We're all set on this, they all know the danger, hell, I've been through worse danger and somehow fate let me walk out alive. Now I'm sure you've seen your fair share of terrible things in life too, I'm not claiming special privileges here. What I am saying is our lives are our lives, and I assume you own your own life. They're not connected, your life isn't in any way tied to ours, so let us borrow a boat, your cheapest one I don't give a shit, and we'll go take care of death island. At worst you're down a shitty boat, at best you're going to be responsible for lending a boat to a group of heroes and no more lives will be thrown away to this witch. Now, doesn't that sound good, ma'am?"

She frowned at the knight, wanting to tell him off and never to return, but there was some sense in what he said. Or maybe it's just too late at night for me... I should have gone to bed and said we're closed here or something. "Alright. Fine. My hands are clean here, this is your decision. There's a boat on the far left side of the dock, take that one. She's seaworthy but she's not very steady. And I still recommend, regardless of whatever you're doing, to not go out in this weather. Simply too dangerous, even you should know that. Just look outside and listen to those crashing waves, it's a fisherman's nightmare! Or perhaps their greatest challenge, depending on how you look at it... There's probably not enough room to fit a whole group of ya, but I can make special arrangements if you want to sleep here in the lobby until the storm finishes up. No food though."

"That would be much appreciated. And thanks. I'll make this up to you."

"Just end the nightmare on the island and that'll be enough. Otherwise I'll forget you even existed."

"Alright you heard her, go get some rest or whatever... I'll go tell the others." Grant said as he stepped out into the rain again. He tapped the backside of the wagon and spoke up. "Hey, the rain is gonna make it hell to cross the sea right now, we're gonna wait it out. The lady in the building over there is ok with us taking a breather, so let's just take whatever we can with us and stay in there for now. We leave whenever it lets up, just to remind everyone!"

Clyde took a seat on the floor in the corner, huddling himself up as he wondered what was in store for him. He had no idea they were going to go after the crimson witch down south. It seems my life really is forfeit...

Safety First

Ignatius powered on, the exhaustion only hindering him slightly. The rain wasn't helping, but at least he was able to minimize just how much rain was falling on him by darting under anything he could. Asviel continued to talk to Ignatius, which was more than the wolfman could ask for. "We're in no rush, this much is true, but there's also no need to stay around these parts. They're rather dangerous if you don't know what you're doing, you know." And she went on about needing time to think about what to do, "There's plenty of time for you to think once we reach town, child. It's fairly close, but these mountains are hard to traverse in some places, even for me. There's only so much I can grip, and with the rain making the ground slippery, I will have to slow my pace down and follow a more standard path. Have no fear, this is merely a delay, nothing detrimental in the slightest. As I said, we're close by, and the town of Nishtam is fairly open to others. If you explained the situation in depth, I'm sure someone can help you out, perhaps the mayor of the village can. I actually know him if you'd like me to introduce you to him. We're not... on the best of terms, but I respect him and he respects me, and that's enough for me."

[Caliban of Sycorax]

Lucretia

"Even if I could never get it back... me, you, your old man and Lunaria, I wouldn't mind if we settled down somewhere. Wandering around for ten years really takes it out of you. Heh, first I work in a kitchen, now this... maybe I'll be a woodcutter... haha!"

Lucretia laughed, a little too loudly. "Oh, damn. That absinthe is stronger than I remember," she said as she called the waiter and asked for some water, "I may be not in the best fighting mood tomorrow!" She laughed as she drank the water.

"It's been so long since I've been home--but nowhere near as long as you, Aurelio. It's been about seven for me." She sighed. "I heard my mother had gone back and killed everyone in my family." She leaned her head down. "I haven't even been able to visit their graves."

Julius and Gabriel

"Time for bed," Julius yawned, "we should wake ourselves early enough to talk to your brother." He said as he stood and headed to the stairs, Gabriel in close pursuit.

"Do you have the documents?" He asked. Julius held them out with his left hand as they headed upstairs to bed.

[Shin]

Aurelio

"It's been so long since I've been home--but nowhere near as long as you, Aurelio. It's been about seven for me."

"That's still a long time, too long. We can head up there once Lunaria's safe, I've never been to Miyako, and I'm sure there must be at least a couple of people you know left."

Lucretia's journey must have been just as hard, if not harder than his. At least he didn't have anyone hunting him down like an animal. He had been worried sick about Lunaria and his mother, but he had never feared for his own life. How was his mother? There was no mention about her with Lunaria... no, she couldn't possibly... he knew there was something she wanted to tell him...

"Aurelio, what do you think about your father?"

"Eh, he's OK I guess. He's not around much, but I guess he's my old man. Can't change your family."

"Oh... Aurelio... your father... nevermind..."

He'd always wondered what she had meant, but he could never figure it out. His attention was again on Lucretia. Normally, she was pretty stunning, but the drink was starting to suggest that stunning was an understatement.

"I heard my mother had gone back and killed everyone in my family ... haven't even been able to visit their graves."

The mood darkened, even after all this time, it clearly still hurt her - a lot. Aurelio put his arms around Lucretia.

"Lucretia. I won't let anything that horrible happen to you again... ever. If anyone even thinks about hurting you in any way, they'll have me to answer to."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ken - skipped forward a bit

At last the group had found an inn to stay at. It hadn't been easy, many of them were full. Ken turned to Obelia and Sophia.

"Obelia, Sophia, we can rest here for the night. I've booked a room for the three of you. I hope that you two do not mind sharing."

Edited March 15, 2012 by Dokutayuu

[und34dmuffin]

Kore

The insane, mud covered mage walked onward, the pouring rain making it hard to see anything else other than the deep wagon tracks in front of him. He muttered about the problems with having weather that wasn't always clear and sunny, and quietly added that whatever one of the gods existed was going to have to answer for that. Kore stumbled at that point, by divine retribution or just plain bad luck he could decide as he hit the mud, covering his face with the gooey brown substance. His temper didn't improve at all as he drew his knife, hoping fervently that some unlucky group of bandits would attack him, just so that he could make someone else's day as miserable as his own.

[Jaybee]

Elune, much later during the night

She couldn't get any decent sleep, nightmares continuing to wake her up. It was late, roughly around 3:30am - She needed to at least get out.

She slipped out through the front door, casually walking through the streets. At this time, with no one around... It, to some extent, felt peaceful to her.

Or at least it was, until the hilt of a sword smashed into the back of her head.

Sophia

"Obelia, Sophia, we can rest here for the night. I've booked a room for the three of you. I hope that you two do not mind sharing."

"Sorry, but are the beds large enough? I'd like some extra space for Alyssa, if possible... Even if it's a double bed, that's alright."

[CT075]

Teis

A shriek pierced the night, but it was fast and short-lived. Teis doubted anyone else had heard.

What was that?

"Unh..."

Ormis stirred. Teis took this as a sign that it was okay to drop him, which he did.

Teis arrived to… nothing. A series of empty alleyways and crates to be shipped off in the morning. There was apparently nothing that could have caused the noise, as a quick check soon showed. It bothered the knight, but there wasn’t a whole lot he could do about it; only thing to do was to find a place to wait out the morning when the ships left port.

The only other thing that he noticed was wrong was the lack of Rina, but it wasn’t too out of the question that she had stayed at the bar; she might have left on her own. Teis (rather uncharacteristically) ignored it and merely went to go find a room for himself (Ormis was still snoring just outside the bar).

Therese

"You'd find it obvious by now that I... detest assassins. That disgusting filth tried to hitch a ride with Carrion… …and so here I am."

While Therese didn’t personally agree with him (the man had just attacked Horatio out in the street for no real reason), it wouldn’t help much to get into a fight with her only real defense against the other horseman.

“Tha’s fair enough, I guess. Let’s jus’ get t’ the damn town an’ find a place t’ hole up while yer friends arrive, okay?”

((crappy post but whatever))

Edited March 22, 2012 by Camtech

[und34dmuffin]

Kore

He did not have long to wait, his lone figure almost like a beacon screaming out to all the men who turned to banditry as an easy target, with the sodden black robes, revealing his very skinny frame. The knife, however, looked almost uncomfortably sharp in the dark night, flashing brilliantly white-blue only as the lighting struck. Kore grinned, and pointed the dagger to the woods on his side, and spoke out through the rain, his voice almost lost in the wicked storm. "Come out, little fools who want my money. Or are you scared?"

Several large shapes appeared from treeline, all carrying some utensil of destruction, ranging from a makeshift club to a very nice quality sword that looked like it had belonged to a solider. The largest, a brute covered in leather armor and wielding an axe, grunted a reply to the mage's taunt. "Little man is going to die now."

The ax-man charged without warning, the lighting flashing as the blade of the evil looking ax of the bandit swung around in a destructive chop that would take the skinny mage's head clean off. The light from the energy that lanced though the air illuminated the area once again, revealing some sort of gleaming metal mask under Kore's hood, the knife blade flashing in almost unison as it buried itself into the big man's throat. The masked man leaned close, and whispered to ax bandit who's life was quickly leaking out. "No. You're going to die now."

The bandits threw caution into the wind as they watched their fellow die so swiftly, and leap forward into attacks, no cries of battle being uttered for fear of alerting the guards of the close town. Kore withdrew the knife as he carelessly pointed the palm of his free hand at his thieving attackers, while working the blade of the knife out of the big man's corpse. A second later, the relative silence of the attacks was replaced with strangled cries that were soon cut off as incredibly sharp icicles replaced the pouring rain for the unfortunate souls. Their death was certain as the bodies steadily ceased to look human, and more like ground meat, which Kore looked upon distastefully as he removed the now blood spattered mask. "I'll toss them in the woods, I suppose. Free food for the animals."

With deathly calmness, he manipulated the ice that had skewered the men into spider-like legs, and dragged the bodies away, one ice spider taking the man to fall to the knife. Kore watched them leave, and set off toward the closer town, in a much better mood than before. The blood behind him began to meld with the earth, the red mingling until it was indistinguishable from the brown mud.

[Nanami Touko]

Andy

Andy didn't want anything to happen anymore. Both of them, the boy and Noel, were getting ridiculously angry at each other. But what can I do? What, step in between them and stop them? ... no no, brain, don't make me do that. Andy, you know you can't do that! Or can you? But what if Noel just swats me away to get to him? She's strong enough... oh Gods, what do I do? Noel was advancing on the boy, so he didn't have much time to think, as much as he wished and prayed he did. He closed his eyes, and let his body move for him, placing himself between Noel and this boy. He was shaking, as he creaked open an eye, the scary anri towering over him. "P-P-Ple-e-ease... l-let's just..." He had to look away from her for fear of her glare shattering his entire being. "L-Let's just... t-talk about this c-c-calmly..." Run, you fool! Move! Something! This is what they call being frozen from fear, isn't it!? Oh Gods...

Horatio

"Arcen, yeah, that kid..." He took a good look over at Arcen, not particularly caring if he was caught gawking. He sort of hoped the boy would catch him. A part of him enjoyed the anxiety that was exuding from the boy, and getting him worried about something else might cause some fun. He didn't seem to notice, though, which brought Horatio back to Carrie. "Oh, yes, shoo if you want. Seems like things might be gettin' a bit too much for ye t'handle. But, you're a strong girl, I'm sure you'll b'fine. Won'cha?" He smirked at her, letting himself take her looks in again as she appeared to doze off. Might as well relax a bit m'self...

~

Grant shouting over the rain startled Horatio into waking, shaking himself a bit and cracking open an eye to stare at the emerald knight. "Buh... better get movin', then..." He nudged Carrie with his foot, hoping that would be enough to wake her up so that they could get inside. The rain was sounding like it was coming down in buckets. Glad we've got a nice warm room over our heads, tonight...

Amera

Amera was knocked awake when the cart stopped, groggily sitting up from her resting place of Gideon's arm. "Whuzzah...?" There's a house... and there's Grant. Okay. She shook her head and slapped her cheeks lightly, wanting to wake up as fast as she could. She was about to hop out of the cart, when she realized how much it was raining. "Eeek... watch out, there." As she looked over, she noticed Gideon fast asleep. A small smile crept onto her face, as she nudged his cheek, in an attempt to wake him up. "Gideeeoooonnnnn, waaaake uuuuup~" He's almost cute when he's sleeping. Almost. Grant had come back, and issued everyone an order to get out of the cart. Amera decided it was best to wait for Gideon and the rest to wake up before moving.

Adrian

Having found a bandage for his hand, he found himself unable to sleep, like everyone else. He was still thinking on what Gideon had said, and how he had acted. If you wanna stop crying then stop crying... right? ... right. Just... just stop. It made him smile, despite how simple it was. At least he knew that there were people here who cared about him. In some way. It almost felt like a family. Sort of.

~

Despite staying awake, he mostly zoned out, only coming back in once Grant started shouting over the rain. "Hey, the rain is gonna make it hell to cross the sea right now, we're gonna wait it out. The lady in the building over there is ok with us taking a breather, so let's just take whatever we can with us and stay in there for now. We leave whenever it lets up, just to remind everyone!" "R-Right!" He shouted back, almost unsure as to what had happened. He had caught the gist of it. He glanced at the rain, and then at the houses. Seems like a nice place. Much better than sleeping in the rain.

But then he glanced at Carrion's body, still limp and out cold. His happiness faded, as he shifted his way over to her. All sorts of emotions wanted to overtake him, but he sighed and kept his composure. "If you wanna stop crying, then just stop crying..." he muttered it to himself as he slung Carrion's arm across his shoulder, carrying her out of the wagon and over to the house. He made sure to hurry, because of how hard it was raining. Once he was finally inside, he quickly asked for a room with a bed, and set Carrion down on it, sitting at the end himself. She'll be fine... she really will be fine.

Reynor and the terrified Beatrice

Maniacal laughter shot through the rain and the thunder, almost making the storm worse. "Reynor! Where are you! I'll kill them all, don't worry! Hahahahaha!" "Shit..." "Shit? Reynor, who is that?!" Bea's eyes widened as she figured it out herself, recoiling back from Reynor. "It's that witch, isn't it! Have you been keeping her safe this entire time?! DID YOU SEE WHAT SHE DID TO EVERY--" "Shut up!" A quick dash from Reynor, and Bea felt a sharp pain in her stomach, glancing down at Reynor's elbow. She fainted, both from the pain of the hit and the anxiety of the situation. She probably knows where we are now... He hoisted Beatrice onto his shoulder and darted further into the woods, starting to feel how tired he was. He could only hope that Lunaria would either lose them, get lost, or calm down. Somehow...

Edited March 30, 2012 by seph1212

[Caliban of Sycorax]

Lucretia, the only person worth posting for until the next day

"That's still a long time, too long. We can head up there once Lunaria's safe, I've never been to Miyako, and I'm sure there must be at least a couple of people you know left."

"You'd be surprised," Lucretia replied. The drink in her made her feel more and more drawn to Aurelio. He'd been there for her even before she knew her father was alive; he was the one who saw her defeat her mother in combat.

She looked down to the ground--it hurt her to know that she couldn't visit her family's graves. She was never extremely close with her grandmother or aunt, but she still respected them. Looking back, she knew that her mother had resentment towards them--if anything, that made her respect them more.

"Grandmama, why does mommy not like you or Auntie Alexandria that much?"

"I wish I knew the answer to that, Lucretia."

"Do you not love her, or me?"

"I love you both, dear. I want you to know that, no matter what, I will always be here for you..."

She was snapped out of her reality when she felt Aurelio's arms around her. "Lucretia. I won't let anything that horrible happen to you again... ever. If anyone even thinks about hurting you in any way, they'll have me to answer to."

She realized that she had been crying. She had never felt her grandmother's presence since she fled home, mostly because it was her mother's presence she was so afraid of encountering. Since her mother's death, she never really thought of her grandmother. Maybe that's what I need.... to see if I can talk to her.

Finishing her drink, she remembered Aurelio's words. "If anyone even thinks about hurting you in any way, they'll have me to answer to."

"Do... do you mean it, Aurelio?" She asked, cautiously, although she knew the answer to that. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt warm inside--not just from the alcohol either.

She turned to face him once again, staring straight into his eyes, and pressed her face to his.

[Shin]

Aurelio

Her face against his, it was a very special moment. For a little while, he could stop worrying about reaching Lunaria, something he'd return to the next day, and enjoy the present time.

"Lucretia, let's head back... together."

--------------------------------------------------

Ken

"Sorry, but are the beds large enough? I'd like some extra space for Alyssa, if possible... Even if it's a double bed, that's alright."

"I'll do my best to sort something out. I'm sure the owner would be happy to accomodate for a child, even if I had to pay for it, there would be no trouble. I apologize for having a room to myself, but I don't think it would be proper of me to share with two ladies such as yourselves."

Stopping the wagon in suitable place, he waited at the side of the carriage, in case any of the three needed help getting down.

---------------------------------------------------

Lunaria

A sudden panic hit her. Maybe Reynor was badly hurt, or worse... No, that couldn't happen. She'd never forgive anyone who had hurt Reynor. The rain showed no signs of letting up, the island still under its constant barrage. It was strange, normally the rain terrified her, working her up into a mindless frenzy, but she could feel herself slipping back.

So cold...

She felt dizzy, her balance started to fail her. Had she worn herself out? She fell backwards onto the wet grass. Her body wouldn't move, she stared upwards;

"Little brother... where are you?"

[Caliban of Sycorax]

Lucretia

She almost regretted feeling Aurelio break their kiss. She felt warm and safe with Aurelio, no matter the situation.

"Lucretia, let's head back... together."

She looked at him for a moment, wondering what he had just said. Suddenly it had clicked in her mind. She kissed him again and stood, leading him by the hand.

"I love you, Aurelio... more than anything or anyone who has ever come into my life." She said.

[Jaybee]

Elune

She had been carried into a small, nearly dilapidated house. She was tied down to a table, but her head was still ringing after that whack from the sword, and she could barely struggle against her bonds. Three men were nearby, seated around a smaller, round table.

A: "You sure this is the one? Doesn't look like an assassin to me."

B: "She had knives on her, and a crossbow. Even if she's not the real one, the officials won't really give a damn. And by the we get found out, if we get caught in the first place, it'll be too late."

A: "I see... what did they want for her again? Dead or alive?"

C: "They didn't say anything, though I think they'd like the... pleasure of having her alive."

A: "... The hell are you talking about?"

B: "Don't be so goddamn dense. You know what those Lushian guards do to those criminals they really hate - Hell, we've all seen it before. He's saying, if they're gonna break her anyway, why don't we get some fun out of her first?"

Danyon

“Tha’s fair enough, I guess. Let’s jus’ get t’ the damn town an’ find a place t’ hole up while yer friends arrive, okay?”

Damn, she's... agitated. Probably has to do with her sis... He gently wrapped his good arm around her waist, pulling Therese towards him slightly.

"Hey... Your sister will be fine, alright? I... I haven't seen my sister for 10 years now, but if anything were to happen to her, I'd immediately rush to protect her. ... I know how you feel."

They finally began to near the town late at night, and Danyon's arm was getting worse. He could barely move without his arm screaming in protest.

"Ow... It's worse than I thought..."

Sophia

"I'll do my best to sort something out. I'm sure the owner would be happy to accomodate for a child, even if I had to pay for it, there would be no trouble. I apologize for having a room to myself, but I don't think it would be proper of me to share with two ladies such as yourselves."

"Aww, that's sweet... Thanks, Ken." She slowly slipped off the wagon, carrying Alyssa in her arms throughout.

"Hey, Obelia! What are you waiting for? Come on!"

[ReformBlade]

That night...

"Alrighty then... As long as everyone knows, I'm calling it a night." Taking what little he had on his person, Grant went back into the building and decided to rest up against a corner in the lobby. He was comfortable enough and couldn't complain. "Hm..." he mumbled, "I've had worse." The wind pattering outside put the knight's mind at ease as he drifted off, thinking of better times than these.

Arcen and Aiduen had different plans, though. "Listen... Aid, I'm just gonna kinda... stay out here tonight. It's sheltered enough and I'll be plenty warm, don't even begin to argue this, I just want to be away from the others for at least a little while... ok?" Getting up while shaking her head, "It's fine... I just hope you understand that I've forgiven her already. Maybe it's a mistake, but... I don't see it as a mistake. She needs help, and I can give it to her, it's as plain and simple as that." Taking her belongings, she didn't look back as she hopped out the back. "I'll see you in the morning..." The man sighed and held his head in his hands, mulling over what he did that day. What happened? I miss the black and white days...

The witch stirred in her unconscious state, but nothing else of note was going on with her. Her breathing was normal, though she had worked up a tiny sweat during the worst of her nightmare.

Even later, in the early morning...

Riding through the storm, his destination even closer, Pralken brought his horse to a halt as he tried to bring them both into a makeshift shelter. "You're doin good, horse... Just a little further and you'll be done. Perhaps for good, perhaps not, that remains to be seen... You know" He looked up towards the foliage, a few drops sprinkling onto his face, "I sometimes wish I could be like you animals. Carefree, majestic, powerful... but you are simpleminded. Though I can't say that's a downside, in all honesty. Or perhaps you're even more intelligent than we are! Maybe you're waiting to strike, or perhaps you're just playing the role of observer... Hahaha, look at me, tyring to be philosophical with a damn beast of burden! Aaahaha... haha. Heh..." It occured to Pralken that this was some of the most light-hearted talking he'd done in years. "Where did the time go? Ah..." Facing the ground, the man wept silently, the past catching up to him quicker than he could handle.

Sliding down a rather slippery and somewhat dangerous (for Ignatius) mountain side, the duo found themselves look at a nearby town. "And there you have it, child. Your refuge for the time being..." He thought to himself that maybe he shouldn't have spoken, perhaps she was asleep still.

The rain had begun to let up, the sun's rays just barely noticeable coming up from the north I mean East. It was a rather peculiar sight to behold, the rain falling down with seemingly no clouds and the sun rising up in the distance. Grant hadn't slept much and decided to take a walk, stopping to take the picture in. "An act of god? Or something much simpler and less profound...?" He mused to himself, not minding the dwindling downfall.

Stirring in her sleep, Carrion seemed to have woken herself up. For better or for worse, though, remained to be seen. Groaning, she sat up and began rubbing the back of her head. The splitting pain she felt made her wince and cringe for a while until she got as used to it as she could. It hurt to move her head around at all at the moment, so she kept movement to a minimum. Of course, the pain brought back the memory of what had happened earlier, and all Carrion could do was stare in disbelief at the visions. "Why did... how... No, no why would I do that, I just... Oh shit, what have I done? This has to be a joke!" She began mumbling to herself. To her surprise, she wasn't angry. No anger, no sadness, nothing so base as that, she only felt disappointed in herself at the events and how she unfolded them. Laying herself back down, she stared at the ceiling, her eyes fixed on nothing in particular. She didn't even care where she was now, she had no cares in the world right now, so disappointed was she.