Faith in the Spirits Arc 1: To Align the Stars

[Ursali]

Well, things had finally gotten interesting enough for Alriana to do more than internally muse about the information that had been presented to them. In fact the lizard almost regarded much of the conversation up until this point as unnecessary information: this Sarasin was quirky, they were changing course slightly, things would likely get more dangerous, haste was a priority. None of it changed what she was going to do. She would go where the Tigers went and fight anyone that got in the way; the reasons for those fights mattered not so long as the Tigers made it out alive. 

Back to the commotion at hand Gean had crumpled to the ground, but the others were already fussing over her, and Versaris had nearly jumped up onto the table as soon as the messenger had given only a description of the thief's magical abilities. Apparently it was enough to drive Versaris into thinking it was the Lufirian princess behind the theft, though as he went through his logic and Tio chimed in, it left the whole matter incredibly nebulous and she had a hard time following what she should or shouldn't think about the matter. Whether the princess was at fault, or just being setup, or if she was even the culprit... There was also the matter of Gean, and what she'd just said. Versaris had said she was an important person in Lufiria, like Alvira was, but she was this important? She was reading her words like she knew something about the princess. Her curiosity was peaked, and she was wont to act on it.

The lizard stood and, rather than walk around to Gean and attempt to be subtle, extended herself over the table using her tail, talking at her normal volume. "You know the princess? Versaris said you're an important person in Lufiria... Does that make you royalty, Gean? Or do you just know about this?"

[Nanami Touko]

Shit. This was the sort of social faux pas that Versaris had been worried about when he'd mentioned this vaguely to Alriana, but he didn't like to lie so he couldn't have avoided telling her something back then... Given that Sixteen had just gone off on the smallest things, it didn't quite surprise him that Alriana's filter was lacking. It was unfortunate, but as Gean had already asked to speak with Tio and himself later, maybe it was best to lay this all out on the table now. "Actually, Alriana, Gean... Perhaps it would be best if you explain all of that right now. I'm not going to lie, I hesitated to mention the princess with everyone present, but it wouldn't do for some of you to be uninformed when we're all getting stuck up in this mess... So rather than spill secrets behind closed doors, Aegean, I believe it would be best for you to tell all of the Tigers, not just Natalya, about your relationship with the royal family." It would probably hurt her, but they were too deep in the information soup to get out without sharing everything and trusting each other...

 

[scorri]

Everything that had been going on between him and Siorel was forgotten as everything suddenly began to happen all at once. Gean almost fainted at the news that apparently it was one of Lufiria's princesses involved in all of this and all of a sudden Cin flashed back to their moonlight talk. The fear she had when talking about her past coming back to haunt her, that she would be the reason her friends would get hurt. And then there was pressure, first from Aly, then from Sari. Both pushing her to reveal her past to the entire group, including three strangers. Cin frowned, frustrated, almost angry, and spoke up, a slight tinge of his emotions in his voice. "Look at her. She's clearly not ok. Her past is her past, she should share it when she's ready. Pushing her now isn't going to help anything. Let her have her rest. If she wants to share with everyone later, she can, but now in front of everyone and three people she doesn't even know hardly feels like the time."

[Nanami Touko]

"Life isn't fair, Cinaed, and we're all wrapped up on this now. If Gean knows something that could save the life of anyone else present, she can suffer the indignity of sharing it. I'm sure she'll get over it with a nap and some time to calm down... As for the strangers: one of them is coming with us, and the other two are trusted by the Evokers. If we can't trust the Evokers and those they collaborate with, we can't trust anyone." He was this close to dropping the information himself, but it wouldn't hold the weight or even authenticity coming from him over her. Why Cinaed was getting so defensive of her about this was beyond him. This wasn't about their personal feelings anymore, WAR was a possibility, and not just some armed conflict between groups, complete and total country devastating war. Maybe Cinaed hadn't read up on the history of how bad the collapse actually was. He shot the dragon an annoyed glance, but didn't say anything else to him. I see that we once again butt heads on something like this... I might be too jaded, but you're still too soft. This has gone far beyond our personal feelings.

Edited September 6, 2022 by Mel the DM

[Bluemask 96]

Gean just gave a long sigh before smiling at Aly, who was wearing her usual look of curiosity she also went ahead and raised her hand to quell the upcoming argument between Cin and Sari. "Well I guess I won't be getting that rest in. Can you take me too a Seat Nyx? I'll take that glass of water as well Miria."

Once Gean had made it to her seat and taken another swig of water she closed her eyes to gather herself before starting. "This was bound to be revealed at some point, and the decision makers of the group already know, but this trip has taught me that fate has a different timing than I do, and it's easier to ride the wave than swim against the tide. To answer your questions Aly, yes I do know princess Shiva, we were inseparable friends for the first ten years of my life, until I had to leave." Gean paused, the memories from the past banging at her heart, but she needed to press on, there were things to talk about.

"Good morning everyone, Aegean Florence Levion here. My aunt and uncle, Serena and Jeremiah, are both very influential members of Lufiria's upper echelon, one is the Grand Cleric, the topmost healer in the country, and the other the Head of Intelligence and Royal Advisor. Through them I was close friends with princess. My family was also framed for an assassination attempt on Lufiria's royal family 10 years ago, which is how I ended up in Glacies."

That was the brunt of the truth, laid out bear and there for everyone. Now it was time for the actual knowledge to impart. "Now a lot of my knowledge is not up to date, so Versaris can correct my shortcomings. I'm still on the fence if it's actually Luc- Princess Shiva, from what I can remember she was a gifted mage but specialized solely in fire magic. That being said, Lufiria would never let her her go alone, especially not my aunt or the princess's mother General Rosaria."

Gean took another drink of water before continuing. "This is my guess, and we can all laugh at me if I'm wrong, but I think there are multiple members of Lufiria's higher-ups out and about, it would make the idea of the princess being here more plausible. In fact I believe a number of us have met two of them at this point. Am I right Sari?" The two dancers knew of her, and there had to be a reason.

Edited September 6, 2022 by Bluemask 96

[Nanami Touko]

"She doesn't use her fire magic anymore," Sari corrected, the only thing wrong about what she said. "Not after the incident. Jeremiah spoke to me about it once and only once because I pried too hard out of curiosity... Thank you for sharing with us, Aegean." He huffed, giving Cinaed one final glance. "You are very correct about the higher ups being present... Chris and Marianne that we met on the boat aren't just travelling performers. As well as Jeremiah... He's coming to find us. I informed him about our location back on the boat because I desperately need more information, and he'd be the one to have it. Aegean, I'm warning you, he's... He's probably going to try and take you back. I don't inherently agree with that, but you should be aware. You should all be aware... He isn't a man we can fight against, so if it comes to that, just..." Versaris sighed. It was much better to have this out, even if it didn't answer anything.

"Gean..." Alvira stood up next to her, about to touch her shoulder, when her head started splitting. "...!" She didn't flinch or say anything, gritting her teeth with her mouth closed and slowly letting her arm down. Ten years ago... Assassination attempt... Why does... Jeremiah...! My head hurts, so bad...! Ugh! What am I missing!? What did I forget!? Aaaahhh...! This, is just... Urrrghhh...! She did her best to ignore the pain; this wasn't her moment. Letting them know it was happening wouldn't change anything, anyway...

[TheRoon]

Gean certainly had a lot of support in the wings, she was able to rebound enough to explain herself once she settled in her seat. Aly certainly was blunt, Renais had to admit. 'Gean royalty? Nonsense, she doesn't fit the type...' But as soon as Gean began to explain and introduce herself that thought had immediately crumbled. A lot of information came out right away, and some of it was relevant to Renais. "...Jeremiah?" Her eyes widened at that name. "I know that name, he's after my sister...and we met before we left Glacies. He's...he's your uncle?" This all felt very strange to Renais. Gean was a royal, friends with a Lufirian princess, and framed for an assassination attempt. Jeremiah was her uncle, and the head of intel. It was very much information overload, almost to a frustrating point. Worse yet... '...something feels off, it's...it's almost like there's an itch in my head that I can't shake...' The pinkette couldn't help but bite her lip as she tried to process everything, and settle that odd itch on top of that somehow.

[GoldsbroTSG]

Gean got herself off the ground and took the water glass. After a bit, she... dropped a few bombs.

Gean was a noble, chased out of her home. A noble from Lufiria, no less. Miria wasn't really sure on how to take in everything that was happening. Gean was an acquaintance of the suspected princess, and someone named 'Jeremiah', who's after Gean. Someone In-- Versaris claims they stand no chance against.

Miria couldn't help but stare at Gean, she didn't really... have her own input towards all of this. She understood needing to run from home, but... what Gean probably had to go through...

There weren't any words from Miria as she approached the girl in her seat. The girl wanted to just... hug her sister, but felt it wasn't appropriate at the moment. So instead, Miria just lightly patted Gean's head. She tried to offer the usual kind smile.

[Billy12510]

Well,  today was proving not to be a dull one. Aegean had just laid her cards on the table, clarifying what she had told Syndra and Nyx the night before. All this because the thief of Escaflowne was allegedly Lufirian royalty. It didn't make sense to Syndra though, how would a pegasus rider be able to get through Islexia without causing some kind of disturbance?  They'd have had to gone in by sea or through Vega. What mattered ultimately though was that they had made their way in, and the repercussions of finding her had dire consequences.

 

As for Aegean's tale, Syndra couldn't help but feel a level of sympathy for her. After all, she knows what its like having to escape from the place she called home due to circumstances beyond her control. It was a bandage that needed to be ripped off, much like the one Syndra had to do, but now wasn't the time for such a thing. "Thanks for sharing that with us Aegean. I understand that had to be difficult for you to keep private for so long."

[MRDRHAWK]

Saiga snapped to attention as soon as Sarasin gave him the order, and gave him a decent enough salute. Maybe trying to give him one wasn’t the right thing for the current climate of the room, but it was a matter of respect. “Aye aye, boss! But, uh, you’re sure this is a good idea? I heard about the scuffle with the knights, but if this puts them against the military…”

Well, he could always ask for hazard pay - he could get two new saddle bags in that case! Still, Saiga was hesitant solely because danger meant lots of fights to be picked, and that meant blood. And while he wasn’t… scared of it, sometimes the sight did make him queasy. Which was a hell of a thing for someone gifted in healing magic, but Saiga figured it was just a little prank played on him by those above. “Well, even if it is dangerous, at least I can help patch them up with my healing staves. Hopefully they don’t think I’m some big heavy hitter or anything just because I look like the kinda guy who likes swinging around a big heavy sword for kicks.”

---

Nyx really didn’t know what to think, anymore.

Gean decided to come clean - fully, to her at least - and give her life’s story. She noticed the lack of mention of her folks, but she did mention her aunt and uncle. Some fancy healer lady and a spy, big whoop. Nyx really didn’t get it, but she kept her mouth shut for once, knowing now was really not the time for that. Maybe later, she could ask Gean about her family, if it was so important.

No, the real kicker was when Sari brought Marianne up, and Nyx began to realize the sheer potential fucked-up-ness of what she’d done on the boat. “Well, fuck. Good thing I didn’t piss th’skinny lad off an’ steal ‘is girl on the boat, then.” She quipped, albeit tinged entirely with panic. 

“Look, Gean. No matter wha’ ‘appens, we’re ‘ere fer ye, aye? So don’ ye worry yer lil’ head, kiddo. Mom’s stickin’ wit ye, no matter what.”

---

Tanya knew this would be a lot to take in, but she hadn’t expected all this. First, a member of the Levion family turned out to be right under her nose, which was bad enough potentially. But when Versaris mentioned Jeremiah, and what getting Intelligence involved may have meant for her, her blood ran cold and she took a few steps away from the group forming around Aegean.

”Oh. Oh no. Nononononono. God, please don’t bring Intelligence into this…” Tanya began to mutter to herself, hoping nobody could hear. She wasn’t about to mention that that meant her Papa might be coming for them too, assuming he was still working for them after all this time. And if that was the case, especially knowing how this group could operate…

Well. Things suddenly got very complicated.

[JakezuGD]

Since there was nothing to go to with Ferid being unaccounted for on that route, Elisa just turned her attention to the rest of the group, where Aegean was set up to deliver some heavy information to the entire group. And the not entirely similar reactions from the people around her only made things feel more confusing. "Did Iseria know this was going to happen when she hired this group specifically?" she asked with a pointed glare toward Versaris. "And can we please stop acting as if the two strongest mages outside of Lufiria aren't in this room? I don't care what kind of crime she's suspected for, if a Lufirian agent tells me they're going to take away one of our employees outside of their jurisdiction, I'm going to say no, and if he doesn't take no for an answer, I hope he's ready for an early cremation!" Hearing it from the obviously inexperienced and curious Sixteen was one thing, but having the supposedly very knowledgeable intelligence officer effectively question her abilities was downright infuriating, especially after the brief lightshow they put on last night.

Tasha very nearly intervened with all the attention being put on Gean, and the only thing stopping her was that she'd agreed to speak. Much of what was said had been said to her already before, though the clarifications were important, and pertinent to their situation. The more surprising thing was how people reacted, especially Elisa, even if she was mostly responding to Versaris's claims about Jeremiah rather than anything else, but the strawberry blonde hadn't yet sounded or looked as angry before... Being ignored or belittled gets under her skin, huh. Still, they wouldn't be able to make any meaningful conversation if people got heated. "Alright, calm down, I'm sure he didn't mean it that way. If he's the head of intelligence, that means he'd avoid direct combat and strike preemptively, right? Meaning we wouldn't be given a chance to fight conventionally, which is where your strength is. And, you know, just a warning to everyone else?"

Elisa's face softened while listening to Natalya, cooling herself a little with a deep breath before she'd get a response from the man. "Okay, I get it. Sorry. I don't need to... Get so defensive anymore."

[Nanami Touko]

"You met before..." That made enough sense from what Javier had told him. The man had been right behind them, just missed them on the boat, which was why he was so far behind now, having to wait for another for passage. Why he was looking for Renais' sister was beyond Sari, but he was too, so maybe they could share enough information to narrow something down. "Mmm..." While thinking about that, the more awake Evoker blew up a little, leaving him shocked.

"I... My apologies, I suppose? With all due respect, Elisa, I've seen your magic once, and while incredibly impressive, I've known this man almost my entire life. Frames of reference, you know? Maybe you've got some cards you've yet to play that would even the playing field, but as far as I'm concerned, Jeremiah could be in and out with someone down before you could send a fireball after him... If things turn south regarding Aegean, it's not going to be a direct confrontation." This wasn't going to be something honorable. Jeremiah could hold himself in a one on one fight, of course, he was properly trained with the sword, but like Versaris, he was a man of quick, decisive strikes, not allowing any counterattack. If he wanted to avoid the Evokers, unless they spent all twenty four hours of the day with Aegean, there was a high chance that he could.

"In any case... I don't have anything else left to share. It's all on the table... So like I suggested before, unless we've pressing things to attend to, I suggest we collect ourselves and begin back on our trek." He sighed and idly picked up his glass of water, downing it quickly. He'd have to talk to Aly about secrets after all this, but he also wished to have a moment with Renais, for several reasons.

"Hey!"

Versaris jumped. Sixteen had snuck under the table to his side while things were being discussed, looking down at her with confusion. "Wh-What?"

"What's this Jeremiah guy look like?"

"Er... He's, lean, dark hair, green eyes... Always wears a green jacket. He's got a unique necklace that's unmistakable, decorated with a pink and blue rose, and a crystalline ring on his hand... Why?" Sari couldn't fathom why Sixteen was asking him for these details.

"Oh... That's Jeremiah? Wow... I'm not worried, then. I'll just turn him to stone again~" Sixteen smiled and wagged her tail while Sari's eyes went wide in confusion.

"Wh-- Again!? When did you the first time!?"

"Well... Maybe ten years ago, now? A long time ago. He tried to kill me, but Del got in the way, and I had the chance to use my magic on him. So I'll just do that again! It wasn't super hard to make him a statue, hmhm~"

Versaris was dumbfounded. What did Sixteen-- that meant Alriana was involved as well. He looked back at her, unsure of what was going on.

Meanwhile, Alvira's splitting migraine was getting worse. The more Jeremiah was talked about, the worse it got. "I... I, n-need to leave. Excuse me." She turned and walked out of the room in the most controlled manner she could, but it was clear she was shaking. As soon as she hit the door, she took off in a sprint and threw herself out the front door, collapsing onto the ground and throwing up, a claw grabbing at her head. "Whyyy...!? Urrhhhghh...!" Memories were flashing in her head, it hurt so much, she didn't know what to do! A scene was playing in the forefront of her mind. A fire dragon, one she knew she recognized, but also didn't at the same time, a face that she loved, but without a name she could place! Why!? Why, who, who are you!? Who is that with you! Why is he-- ahh! She began to cry as things played out, the other dragon with him brandishing a sword and stabbing him. Then the fire dragon turned and ran right at her, picked her up, and kept running... "Wh-What... What is... I don't... D... D-Dad...?"

[Bluemask 96]

Gean rubbed the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes once more. The reactions to her past were... mixed to say the least. Some she expected, some she greatly appreciated. Others... would need some careful evaluation. "I would greatly appreciate if we one, avoided trying to fight my uncle, who from what I can tell, has been to our base AND is on his way to our current location, and two, avoided trying to turn my uncle into a statue. Besides the obvious reasons of he's my family, causing harm to a high ranking member of Lufiria would make this entire journey we've set out on very pointless and ruin any chances of success we have for Glacies as well." Gean had a feeling that when it came to Sixteen, a warning like that would fall on deaf ears, but it needed to be said anyways.

The crew were giving their support for Gean, which was somewhat soothing, however Vira's quick retraction, and then leave of the immediate vicinity was not unnoticed by Gean. She was still too worn out from shock to give any sort of chase however, and knew that if anything Tasha would make sure the dragon was ok. "I think we're done here for talking at. If at all possible Tio and Elisa, I'd still like that brief moment of rest before we leave, and that should give us some time to process things, and for Lady Tio to return to the land of the living in full. Lord Sarasin do you have a room I can borrow?"

[JakezuGD]

Elisa's outburst aside, this Jeremiah certainly had proven to find good opportunities already, given how he'd managed to find Renais and speak with her in the brief period of time between Versaris and Tasha herself leaving their home to find a ship and their general departure. And on top of that, Sixteen had apparently escaped from the man years before. More personally concerning was how Alvira excused herself while looking unsteady on her feet. Of course, Natalya couldn't just overlook that they were heading into the midst of several raging storms to dodge if they were planning to complete their mission without getting tangled up in too much, and the prospect that Gean could be taken away against her will... but as the lady herself said, enough had already been put on their table that any more would just make things harder. "Well, now we know what's possibly in our way, what we have to try and stay out of, and what might happen whether we like it or not. Our course is set, and if nobody has any particular complaints, we'll get going once our fair employers deem us ready." ...And I have someone to look after.

Tasha didn't wait a second after declaring her part of duty done and went to follow her girlfriend. First only a brisk walk, breaking into a sprint as soon as she was clear of the main hall. She wasn't exactly sure where Alvira had gone, but a quick look outside found her in front of the mansion, collapsed on the ground. "Vira! Vira, what's going on? Are you..." Her ears caught the sobbing, any rational course of action going out the window as she kneeled down behind the dragon, giving her a silent, soft hug, as much as doing so like that might have pressed on the tail and wings.

The strawberry blonde Evoker scratched her head with a sigh, looking where Tasha had just gone, thinking about what had been said. If Sixteen could use her magic to petrify Jeremiah before, he couldn't be that hard to deal with... but that line of thought was better cut off before it started. They weren't here to pick fights with Lufirian officials, they were trying to find out what was happening in Lufiria in the first place, that mission only having become more urgent. "Then, you're going to tell us everything you do know about him, so we can avoid surprises as much as possible. Either way, I think we all need some time to think about everything that's come up in the last few moments." She finally took a seat beside Tio, deflating into it and looking almost as tired as her wife was all of a sudden. "Hey, Tio... Pick out some food for me. I'm hungry now."

[Nanami Touko]

"Ta... T-Tasha..." Alvira stared at her, but it was almost like she was half staring through her. "I... I'm... Everything th-thing, that's getting talked about my head, it, it hurts, it hurts so badly, I can't...! I keep... Ahhh...!" She shivered, clutching her head, huffing and panting. "I keep seeing something!? Like a memory...! I... Hhhnnn, ghhh, it's..." She bit her lip, shutting her eyes, trying to help herself. "T-Two... Dragons! I, I think one is my, my dad!? I can't, I-I, Ighhhnn, I see his fff-f-face, he... He's so familiar, the other one he s-stabs him, and then he... He rushes to me like I'm, watching it all and we run away and, I... I... c-can't..." Alvira's breathing slowed down until she slumped against Tasha, the pain in her head too much to stay conscious any further.

[JakezuGD]

Things just couldn't get easier to understand, the tiger not able to make heads or tails of Alvira's panicked description of what she was seeing in her head, only trying to pet her in a futile effort to ease the pain she was going through. "I, I don't get it! Why is this happening? J-just try to power through it! Vira? Vira!" She gave the now silent dragon a little shake, and feeling her completely unresponsive, rushed to place two fingers on Alvira's neck, listening closer for a breath. Okay... She still has a pulse, and she's breathing... I've heard of pain shock before, but without any physical injury? What the hell is going on here? In any case, she needed some form of medical attention. Getting her folded up to carry back inside wasn't too difficult, but how could Tasha begin to figure out how to make this better? The dragon would have to wake up first, and then, they'd see if her head still hurt as much...

[Xinnidy]

Things... were definitely getting hairy for what was supposed to be just boring talk. First, Versaris says the pegasus rider (which Üllr was accused of being in cahoots with, he still remembered that), was supposed to be royalty? From Lufiria? Seemed to be the place they were headed, after all. So finding this person might be part of the job? At least Üllr assumed so.

It was followed by a chain of escalating reactions. 'Gean' collapsed and spoke of her connection to said royalty... and honestly, as much as Üllr tried to assess things, the names just blurred. It was too much to process at once, especially for someone whose life was simpler in its cruelty.

That said, one name was good enough to stick to his memory. It certainly was having an effect on *multiple* people as it were.

"Jeremiah... he tried to kill you, Sixteen? What was he doing to you?" Üllr couldn't help the curiosity, glancing at the mounting reactions among the group, before starting at Sixteen and Versaris again. "He sounds like a bad person." Perhaps it was a faux pas, but at this point Üllr felt like he heard enough to judge this person.

[Nanami Touko]

Versaris gave Üllr a look, but didn't say anything. Even he was unaware of why Sixteen and therefore Alriana would be on Jeremiah's hit list. Maybe the girl knew...

"No idea!"

Versaris flinched. Scratch that plan...

"He didn't say anything... He and a bunch of other people showed up at the labs one day and started cutting everyone down. They didn't talk or respond to protests or pleas or anything... I still don't know why he did it. The only reason I survived was because someone jumped in front of a strike meant for me, and Alriana is alive because Grelbiria took her away right before it happened. Maybe she got tipped off! I'm just glad that someone I knew from back then survived~" Sixteen rattled off a bunch more info, leaving Versaris further confused.

The incubus sighed, glancing at Alriana once more, shaking his head. All the answers lie with this Grelbiria. Either they died with her, or she's alive somewhere and we can find her to get them... I just wish I had a single lead. There was too much going on for him to ask Tio or Elisa to weigh in on this and Natalya had ran off after Alvira. "What a mess..."

[Xinnidy]

"Hmm..." Üllr didn't have much to go on, Versaris seemed just as stumped on the tooic. Sixteen, on the other hand, offered sone guesses, weird as they were. "Just started cutting down, after using you?" He clenched his fist.

"Bad guy. Not worth the trouble." Üllr seemed content is his statement, crossing his arms. "Be careful with him. I'll be careful too." It seemed like versaris was quite overwhelned as well. Ignorance counted as bliss, in this case.

[Mercenary on the Winds]

Tio had been about to respond to Aegean's request when--of all people--Alriana approached Aegean and asked her the obvious question. Oh boy.  Forcing Aegean to speak wasn't high on the list of things that Tio wanted to do right at this moment, but with everything that was starting to happen the more information at their fingertips, the better. Cinead and Versaris were butting heads again, but Aegean seemed poised to take the initiative. 

Everything said had confirmed the information that Versaris had exchanged with her, except for the part that she was related to this Jeremiah that she'd been hearing about. The information about Princess Lucille was intriguing but there was something that Versaris clarified that was much, much more pressing. Tio shook her head and glared at Versaris. "Come again? This Jeremiah is possibly coming to take Aegean back to Lufiria against her will, and you just told him where we were? And I'm only now learning of this?" Tio's hands flailed about for a moment as if she is trying to pluck words out of the air, before she gave up and just deflated back into her chair. "I. Stars above, this was not the morning I needed all of this dropped on me. You're also saying that the silver haired man on the ship was one of Lufiria's higher ups? Perhaps that explains why I couldn't explain what i was feeling from him, and why the woman's magic was so polished."

Tio looked over at Versaris. A warning coming from him held a decent amount of weight. Especially considering that Versaris had been trained personally by this man, but it had been the 2nd time in quick succession that their presence had been overlooked. "Elisa, dear! Settle down. There's no reason to be upset; we don't know what exactly he's capable of." Tio sighed, being overlooked was rather annoying for their level of power and skill, but it certainly wasn't malicious. Elisa always took it worse than she did. She looked at Versaris, "We'll take the threat seriously, but I would appreciate at least some belief in us." Then Sixteen threw her two cents in, and apparently had dealt with the man before. She'd hit him with her magic, but she also mentioned that the only reason she was alive was that someone took the hit. It could be surmised that her hitting him was entirely a factor of surprise. Alvira had left the room prior as well, in some form of distress. The moment Natalya saw an opening she was gone, likely after the fleeing dragon.

Everything seemed to quiet down some, but now Tio's head was pounding. Elisa plopped down next to her, now seeming just as tired as she was. "Elisa... I know it's bothersome to be overlooked, but Versaris wasn't doing it on purpose, and like he said, he doesn't have a full scope on our abilities. He's much better versed with this Jeremiah." Tio gently expelled the breath in her lungs before letting her head hit the table. "Give me... a moment, and I'll grab you some food." The spread of food was definitely reminding Elisa of darker times. At this point Tio didn't think that she had to keep an eye on her, but Elisa preferred having the assistance.

---

There was an immense amount of information that was going over Sarasin's head, but he could grasp the scope of things. It wasn't his place to speak up; being one of the three that the dragon had mentioned as being unaffiliated. There was a noticable tension in the room now, the gravity of the new situation compressing them all to where even the atmosphere felt heavy. 

"Did something happen?"

Sarasin didn't flinch despite Favio's sudden appearance. 

"The gravity of events had been magnified some. The Tigers will require a little more time to grapple with what has been set before them." Sarasin turned and took the bag that Favio held, checking what was inside. He clicked his tongue again, "I'd almost say this isn't sufficient, but alas. Neither I or Liste are made out of gold." 

Sarasin watched as Renais left the room, fortunately, in the direction of the other guest room. "Well, I suppose that settles that." The man looked at Gean before fixing his glasses, "If you follow after the rose haired girl from before--to the left--you'll find the guest room. You can rest there, ask if you need anything else." The thud on the table pulled his eyes over to the Evokers. Natalya had vacated the building, leaving them as the next rung up unless the Tigers had a sub-commander. "Favio can take you if you need a guide there. The room has a piano should you wish to make use of it." He bowed to Aegean and the others, "My apologies for the shocking details, but I suppose it is better here in the den of a mouse then the maw of a lion. I need to speak with your employers, and so I will take my leave from you."

Sarasin nodded before moving to the chair across from the Evokers. "I don't suppose that there--"

Tio put a hand up, causing Sarasin to pause. "Less words. Please."

Sarasin cleared his throat. "Any other ways I could help?"

Favio snickered in the background. 

Edited September 8, 2022 by Mercenary on the Winds

[TheRoon]

Everything was happening very fast. Gean was royalty and Jeremiah was her uncle, apparently Sari may know about him too from what Renais picked up from her voice. Versaris seemed to be a little tense on top of that. All things considered, while Gean had issues of her own and Renais was concerned for her, she couldn't help but realize a potentially dangerous man was after Liza. Normally she wouldn't be as worried, but with Liza's apparently injury... "...." Renais turned her eyes to the side as she bit her lip and tried to beat back such a grim outcome. "...alright Gean." This would be the part where Renais would tell Gean she was there if she needed her, but she found no words to deliver her message. She simply nodded her head at her friend and walked off. 'I need to clear my head...this is quite worrying. Liza, please be safe...please...' Renais had no real destination in mind, she just wandered down a hall and tried to collect herself.

[GoldsbroTSG]

And that was that. Several people already vacated the dining room, like Renais and Alvira. That left not many people remaining as people began to disperse. Miria scratched her head, thinking about what to do next.

It was then that Sarasin explained about how his assistant could show Gean to a room to rest. That sounded like a good idea. However...

"I guess that settles things right now. Anyway," Miria lowered herself towards Gean's chair, and without warning, scooped the fellow Tiger into her arms, without a second thought. Almost seemingly... too easy for Miria to pull off considering the size difference between the two. "Mister Favio, if you'd be so kind." She spoke with a smile as she started walking towards him, Gean almost like a princess being cradled in Miria's arms.

[Mercenary on the Winds]

Favio nodded at Miria, and then at the cradled girl in her arms. "Of course. Follow after me." Favio took the lead, his footsteps much less ghost like now that Miria and Gean were to follow. Ironic that the two that had interrupted his conversation with the "Empress of the Underworld" were to be guided by him elsewhere. Favio internally chuckled at repeating the name Empress of the Underworld. It was true that Nyxied was a prolific figure in the Hecatian Underground. Never once caught, and truly a force to be reckoned with. Given enough time, she likely would have found her way into the Axios Hall. Though, she, like most others in the Underground were little more than puppets. Even the Empress took her orders from somewhere, even she hadn't realized it. Favio sighed, it was no longer his place to worry about the Underground. That was left with Celine, and the proper knights, and if anyone was going to bring them down, it would be her.

He led the pair down the hallway towards the guest room, but once they arrived. Favio found the pink haired girl standing in the doorway just staring at something. "Miss Silvavolke? Is something the matter?" He glided up next to her, and scanned the room in case someone had found their way in--like the merchant from earlier--but the room was empty, save for the furnishings. Though, the cleric's gaze was fixed on a particular object in the corner of the room. Sarasin's ancient piano. Its age showed in its splintered wood, and dull coloration, but Sarasin went to great lengths to keep the piano in good working shape. Something of a final request from his mother; for him to never stop playing, and to never let the piano out of his sight. He relaxed, before gesturing to Miria, "There's a place where you can lay her down over there. A fair amount of resting space for a number of you. I'll remain outside if you need anything; Sarasin won't require my presence back in the hall." He glanced back at Renais who seemed to remain transfixed on the piano. Perhaps someone needs to keep an eye on her. 

[TheRoon]

Renais didn't realize her wandering lead her to the same room Miria was taking Gean to rest. When Favio called out to her, she turned to him and nodded. A bit surprised, but receptive at least. "I'm fine, don't worry..." She spoke, and her eyes drifted about...to a piano. Ah, the one thing she searched for almost desperately. "...." Yet here she was, a bit hesitant to play it. Her mind seemed like it was at war with itself. Part of her wanted to run away from it, given what she saw during the battle. If she played it, she may remember more of that awful scene. On the other hand, her body yearned to play it almost desperately. It almost felt like she was about to see an old friend again, even though it was just a piano. "...mm..." She tightly clenched her hand into a fist. 

'No matter what will happen...I will still be Renais Silvavolke. Always, and forever.'

Her mind was made up, and she walked toward the piano slowly. She pulled the seat back and took her place. She looked over the keys, they were old but still very much intact and taken care of well enough. She had to admit, it was very well built. She raised her fingers to the keys and brushed them over, and then she tapped one partially on accident. "!" It made her flinch a bit, but she kept her composure. After another few moments, she put her fingers in position. '...this stance seems...professional. I knew it, I have played one before. But...how skilled was I?' Only thing left to do was let her fingers do all the work. So, they did just that. Shockingly, despite Renais not being able to remember how to play a piano, she still managed to perform a rather mysterious, yet enticing melody. After another moment, she kept playing on. It was eerie how good she was at this, she even had a smile on as she played. 'It's all so familiar. It feels like I'm back home...with my sister...wait...sister?' She paused for a moment. 'Wait I remember...that's...not my sis-' Her eyes went dark and...

BANG!

Out went the cleric, her face hit the keys so hard it made a loud unsettling tune which rang throughout the room, while Renais laid there completely motionless...

[Bluemask 96]

Gean was aware of two things as she was hoisted from her seat. The first was that she was more drained now than when the Tigers were fighting the knights, which was saying something. The second thing was that she knew Miria wouldn't have let her down even if she had the strength to move. She gave up any notion of resisting that she should have had and let herself be carried as they followed Flavio down the hall.

Gean took a look in Renais' direction, but kept silent as she was brought into the room and placed in bed. She had to hand it to Sarasin, he spared no available expense in making sure his guests were comfortable. Gean was settled in, now came the hard part: trying to calm the mind enough to sleep. Then... notes, music. Someone was playing the piano, and whatever melody it was, it managed to help lull the Clouded girl. She was almost asleep when the music stopped, and a loud bang forced her eyes open once more. Looking forward she found a spot of pink face first on piano keys. "Well, there's another problem on our hands."

Gean groaned as she sat up. As much as Miria might protest, she wasn't gonna be able to sleep like this. "Hey Favio, can you go get Either Tio or Elisa. Renais needs medical assistance. Miria, bring Renais over to the bed please." With that Gean scooted over in the bed so there'd be enough space for two people.