Bryce just followed along, keeping to himself because he was a manly man and he didn't quite understand the concept of making friends. Although he had spoken with Anthea earlier, and that had gone well. But regardless, he just followed Sanderson with his helmet on to hide his face and keep anyone from catching his eye and forcing interaction because that's what manly men do. Kara watched with a slightly bored expression on her face as Laurentinus and Conrad bantered back and forth. "All men are the same." She announced with a sigh before leaning forward and shaking Tessa awake. "Wake up Princess, they're fighting over you. Might as well be awake to watch it." She sat back, crossing her arms across her chest with a smile. Tessa jumped slightly when Kara woke her up, then blushed and apologized before pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her cloak around herself. It wasn't as effective as hiding in the bushes, but it worked, for in here and right now. She peeked over her knees at the girl who had woken her, who was watching with a smile. What does she mean, fighting? In the wild, animals did that over territory, or mating rights, or food. There was no food here, and even though the carriage was slightly cramped, it wouldn't make sense to start a fight about territory. That left mating rights. "You both might as well look elsewhere because I'm not producing children anytime soon." She muttered, hiding her face once more behind her legs. This earned a laugh from Kara, and a warm pat on her knee. "You're adorable. I'm going to stick with you." The girl told her, causing Tessa to blush a little. What strange people these were.
Kala jumped as a second person came into the scene. This one though, was human. Or, human looking. But she could feel the life that his body held captive, and in spite of herself, her mouth went a little dry. "Uh, uh." Her body was screaming at her to grab the man and drain him of every speck of energy he had. But that was wrong. That was why she was here. Where people weren't supposed to be. But they were. Bad bad bad. So bad. She gripped her arms tight enough to create bruises in her skin, her skin beginning to perspire as she resisted, with all her strength, the desire to kill the man Timothy was talking to. But she could only resist for so long. "I won't do it!" She finally yelled before turning and fleeing, against every instinct in her body, away from the pair. It was safer this way, safer for them, and safer for her mind. Because while her body might be sated, it was her mind that had to remember the killing. Pressing her hands to her ears, she ran for who knows how long, until she smacked into something solid, and cold. Looking up into dark eyes, she realized at once she had made a very terrible mistake. Veera had been focusing so much on the two people she was herding behind Ashleigh she didn't even notice the third stranger until the girl had literally run into her. A very strange and unlikeable feeling ran through her. A feeling like something had latched onto her soul, and tugged. She didn't like that. Not. One. Bit. Turning on the girl, she ignored the frightened expression, the shaking of her hands, or the trembling of her body. It was her eyes that spoke the truth, and they held a predatory hunger. One that clashed against Veera's own alpha instinct. In that moment, her mind wholly forgot the two she had focused on, forgot Ashleigh, and her NightHawk. Alpha snarled in her mind. She kept her entire attention on the girl in front of her, hackles figuratively raised. She circled the girl, who was backing up. It had gone deadly silent between the two of them, the air filled with tension as Veera drew her sword and the girl's hands clenched. She had no weapon it seemed. That did nothing to ease the sense in Veera's mind that this girl was incredibly dangerous. It was the girl who struck first, eyes black with rage and a terrible hunger as she jumped into the air and bore down on Veera, hands outstretched.
Remy twirled his bo staff, eyeing the strangely costumed woman. "I wouldn't think she was much of a lady if she needed me to fight her battles for her." He retorted to Harley Quinn as he glanced quickly at Rogue to make sure she was okay. She had taken a hit, but she was tougher then nails. And then, of course, the Joker appeared. Great. Even the voice in his head sounded sarcastic. He fell back, providing defense for Rogue if she needed it while she recovered from Harley's attack. He wouldn't want to get in the middle of such a loving reunion. Wait. Who was he kidding? Remy ran towards the Joker, whirling his staff before slamming it down toward the green haired man's head. Rogue wouldn't appreciate him beating up Harley Quinn for her, and besides, the Joker was far more dangerous then Quinn could ever be. Spoiler "I must be hearing things, for a moment I thought you were telling me what to d-" The rest of Canary's words were cut off as the bike tore away, leaving her to cling to it for dear life, and its driver far behind. She found she had no control over the vehicle, and simply held onto the handlebars, the wind pulling her hair from her face and sending it streaming behind her back as she narrowed her eyes against the stinging pain it induced. She had no idea who the Skeleton man had thought would heal her, but she hoped they weren't too far away. Canary had been trained to overcome fear, but it was hard to do when you had no control. Selina had just been minding her own business, trying to decide whether to join the X-Men in their battles, when out of the blue a "blue" (she giggled to herself) bolt nearly hit her. Thank goodness for her cat like reflexes, which helped her jump away from the dangerously close laser. "How rude." She purred, unfurling her whip with a snap as she landed back on the ground. "It almost looked like you wanted to hit me." She looked up to see Blue Beetle, still aiming at her, still diving towards her. A smile curved the woman's lips, as she crouched low to the ground. "You should know better then to tease a cat." Her leg muscles bunched, and she jumped into the air, yanking the whip back before snapping it towards Blue Beetle with the intent to wrap it around his arm. "You might get scratched!"
You guys are all awesome, and as such, accepted.
The StorySan Francisco. Hong Kong. Nepal. London. No matter where you go, you won’t see them; not unless you already know. Oh, you don’t? Well let me explain. Humans have been protected for years by the Nephilim, angels that descended from heaven. And no, they don’t have wings. They’ve been half human for centuries. The Nephilim, or Shadow Hunters, as they came to be called, stalk the streets at night, looking for those that prey upon the humans. And when they find them, it isn’t pretty. But there aren’t just fallen angels that walk the streets, looking out for you. Oh no, everything you could think of, from warlocks to witches to werewolves walks this earth, and while most ignore or even cater to the humans, some look for a little excitement, for a hunt. Downworlders, as they’re called, don’t have it easy. They have to follow the rules the Shadow Hunters have set, avoid the Nephilim’s attention, and pray for mercy if they fail. They don’t have the privileged life of the Shadow Hunters, and some like that just fine. Others don’t. Right now, it’s been pretty good. Peaceful, even. But that’s all about to change. Because someone just took one of the Mortal Instruments. The only thing helping us keep the balance. Now everyone is looking for it, trying to find it. Because whoever holds the Mortal Cup, holds the power to change the balance of power in the world. So, are you going to help us find it? Restore things to what they once were? Or will you look for it to keep for yourself, and hold power over men and angels? Or perhaps, you just don’t care. Perhaps you’ll sit by, and watch to see who wins. What will you do? Races Nephilim, also known as the Shadow Hunters. Half human, half angel. They are the only ones able to put runes on their skin, and carrythem without dying. The Nephilim have watched the mortal realm for centuries, appointed by the angel Raziel to control and preside over the demons and Downworlders. They can’t perform any magic besides the runes, and look relatively human. They have faster speed, more resilient bodies, and the skill to sense demons, in whatever form they come. Despite their enhanced abilities, they are still mortal, and susceptible to anything a human would be. Warlocks are also called Lilith’s children, warlocks are the offspring of a demon and a human. This isn’t usually a pleasant occurrence for the humans. Each warlock has a trait that marks them as inhuman. This could be bat wings, cat eyes, a lizard tail, furry skin, anything you can imagine. They are also sterile. Most warlocks are born with the inherent skill to use magic. Those that are not, are ifrits, and have no magical powers. Warlocks are immune to most known diseases, and are immortal. They are weak to holy water (which has to have been blessed in a church), and rowan wood. Vampires are also called Children of the Night, vampires were once human, and have been infected with a demon disease. They are immortal, appear pale, and cry blood instead of tears. In order to become a vampire, you would be bitten by another, who would become your sire. When the sire is killed or dies, all vampires created by that one can feel pain. Vampires are also sterile, and cannot be tracked by any magic. They have heightened speed, strength, and accelerated healing abilities. As they grow older, they become stronger. They are weak to sunlight, fire, and holy water. They can use encanto, an ability that can mesmerize humans and Nephilim in order to compel them. Werewolves are Children of the Moon, werewolves are humans infected with a demon disease that allows them to Change. Under the light of the full moon, the Change is forced, but as they grow into their powers, they learn to Change at will. Werewolves possess enhanced speed and senses, especially when they’re Changed. Their wolf jaws are powerful enough to bite through a chain link fence, but they keep their human eye color during their time as a wolf. Werewolves are mortal, and weak to silver. New werewolves are created by a wolf biting a human. The wolf is responsible for their newly created child. Fairies, or the Fair Folk, are suspected to be the offspring of both demons and angels, carrying the maliciousness of the former and the ethereal beauty of the later. They possess human souls, but are immortal and have few physical weaknesses. They are unable to lie, but find many ways to manipulate this and use it to trick Downworlder and Nephilim alike. They enjoy making bargains, with offerings that come at a terrible, unsaid price, and are weak to iron and salt. They have a true name that they guard very closely, the knowledge of which gives great power over the one who uses it. Demons are malevolent beings that can travel between worlds and destroy everything they touch. When they are killed, they return to the Void, waiting for their turn to be let out again. Demons are weak to any physical damage, but also to the runes placed upon the Nephilim’s blades. There are too many species to keep count, so if you desire to be a demon, it is up to you to choose the type. The Socierty There are four Kings and Queens of the Shadow Society. Should one fall, and none appropriate take the highest place of society, the most appropriate sovereign of a different race will intercede as substitute for the time being. Each new King or Queen, however they are elected by their people, must also be accepted by the other three. Titania is the Seelie Queen, and wields power over every fey creature, from mermaids to imps satyrs. She did not come to her throne in the traditional sense, and is as feared as she is respected. Her rule has been in place for over a thousand years. Yuri Sckolov is the Vampire King, and thus rules every creature that falls into the blood-drinking, undead variety. There are rumors this at one time included zombies, but if it's true, the vampires aren't telling. Yuri took power from the previous Queen by murdering her, as is appropriate by vampire standards. He is just, but quick to render punishment, and he's not afraid to dirty his hands to keep his people safe. Yuri has been sovereign for eight hundred years. Hestia Sunspoke is the High Warlock, holding court over all the warlocks and ifrit alive. She was voted into her position of power after the previous ruler decided to retire. She is kind and patient, and is the most willing of the Ruling Four to do other species favors; though they do have a price, seen or not. Though she is much older, Hestia has only ruled for the last one hundred years. The Alpha of New York is currently contested by three individuals; Grayson Keller - A vicious born werewolf who leads through cruelty and fear. He is the killer of the Alpha, and under his brief tenure the Pack became monsters that would hunt anything. Rhett Alban - One of the turned werewolves, Rhett has long served the warlock Ash as repayment for certain deeds. It is only recently he took interest in uniting the wolves of New York to save them from slow annihilation. Felicia Blackwolf - A turned werewolf who was kept from society for most of her life. Only after she killed her master was she allowed freedom, and the chance to seek more power. Her future ambitions include changing the laws of the Pack. If no decision is come to, the Three Rulers will decide upon the victor, or methods that can be used to achieve victory. The Accords The Accords are rules for the Shadow world that have been in place for the last three hundred years. Negotiated between the Nephilim and the Downworlders, the Accords will be simplified below. The full link is here . Downworlders are beings with souls, and have the right to a fair trial, protections as human beings, and are able to adopt human children. The Nephilim will serve as the governing force of the Shadow World, though Downworlders are required to govern their own kind, unless the problem warrants Nephilim intervention. Warlocks are allowed to perform demon magic, especially when helping a Nephilim. Both Downworlders and Nephilim are forbidden from revealing the nature of the Shadow World to mundanes, unless in the direst and most absolute of circumstances. (Redundant of #2), Downworlders have the right to govern their own affairs internally, without the interference or oversight of other races. (The vampire/werewolf feud stays between them, etc. Any Downworlder or Nephilim who breaks the Accords without just cause and reasoning is considered rogue, and thus void of any of the protections. RunesBecause there are too many runes to name, they will only be called by the abilities they give. Each rune can only bestow one ability; Agility, Healing, Binding, etc. Only Nephilim can bestow runes upon themselves, and only four at a time. Runes will last for twelve hours at a time before they must be remarked. There will be exceptions to these rules as permitted by me. Current Weather Dawn Morning Noon Afternoon Dusk Twilight MidnightJanuary February March April May June July August September October November DecemberHot Warm Mild Chilly Cold Sunny Cloudy Overcast Breezy Windy Thunderstorm Lightning-storm Snowstorm Drizzle Rain Downpour Light Snow Heavy Snow Rules for the Mundanes (Finally, I know) You can have as many characters as you can keep up with. At the moment, this will be story driven. I’m working on a way to add missions. You don’t need to complete the story to be involved. If you’re going to do something that could dramatically alter anything, please run it by me first. This is combined with rule #11. There will be certain situations, approved/created by me as the RP owner, that involve inevitable death. When this is not the case, please have the owner's permission to maim and otherwise murder their characters. No godmodding. Please and thank you. If you can't keep up with the RP, please notify me and don't leave other participants waiting for a reply for weeks. Keep it appropriate by KHV rules. I am going to ask a commitment of posting twice a week for each character. If you are involved in the story and will be gone, please let me know in whatever way you can. In order to keep the RP somewhat in tandem with the original story, it is forbidden for any of the races to kill each other, unless sanctioned by the Clave. This doesn't mean you can't, it just means if you choose to do so, there are dire consequences. Like being burned alive. No human characters. I may change my mind on this one with just cause. You can create temporary NPCs for your post, but if you kill any humans you will become a target for your own race and the Nephilim. Besides the use of magic and magical creatures, this RP is to be as realistic as possible. That means no bullsh*t escapes from bad situations, no deus ex machina unless approved by me. Expect consequences for your actions. This is combined with rule #4. Any such inevitable death situations will be run by me first. Rules are subject to change, and RPers will be notified. Character Application Character Name: Age: Gender: Race: Appearance: Backstory: ( Please limit to four paragraphs. ) Weapons: (Nephilim must list steles as their primary, but may choose a secondary.) Magic: (Warlocks have a limit of four powers. Fairies can choose five, and demons two. For all other species this is N/A). Other: (Vampires may list their sires, werewolves their creators, and warlocks/ifrits their animalistic characteristics. Demons may list the master demon they serve, and the fairies, their position at the Seelie court.) [DOUBLEPOST=1453305081][/DOUBLEPOST]Character Name: Morrigan Moonsong Age: 357 (human years). Gender: Female Race: Fairy Appearance: ~ Backstory: Morrigan has served as an informant for the Seelie Court for centuries with her parents and brother. She used to find human, and Downworlder life quite fascinating, but the years have not been kind to her curiosity, and as a result, Morrigan has slowly become more cynical. Her family has survived countless centuries of persecution, discovery, and loss. As one of the remaining old bloodlines, she has special status in the Seelie Court, and is given leave to do nearly as she pleases, without breaking the Accords of Peace with the Nephilim. She has a long standing betrothal to one of the knights at court, longstanding meaning the last one hundred years. Weapons: She carries a thin sword. Magic: [*]Beastspeak ~ Morrigan can talk to animals that are calm and accepting of her presence. [*]Growth ~ Morrigan can, to a certain degree, control the plant life within five feet of her physical body. [*]Clairvoyance ~ Morrigan can use pools of water and a personal belonging of someone to see them for a short time. She can see only them, and only a small amount of their location. [*]Moondreams ~ Morrigan uses the light of the moon to enhance her power. Only works on the full moon, and after the night is over Morrigan is drained and tired. [*]Nightlight ~ Morrigan can set her sword alight with the light of the moon, doing enhanced damage to her enemies. Only lasts for one attack. Other: Morrigan is one of the informants, basically a spy, for the Seelie Court. Once she retires, she will become a duchess. Character Name: Brianne Lightwood Age: 24 Gender: Female Race: Nephilim/Werewolf Appearance: Bloop Backstory: Brianne was the second child, and only daughter, of the prestigious Lightwood family. She spent most of her early childhood in Alicante, the capital of the Nephilim, learning to fight demons and studying runes. In her teen years, she was sent to the Institute in New York in order to be taught how to put her skills into real scenarios. Before she was an adult, she was taken on missions into the city, and quickly rose to become one of the new stars of her generation. While the rest of her family urged her to return to Alicante and become involved in politics in order to help the family fortune, Brianne stayed where she was needed, protecting the human race from demons. Luck helped her receive the Headmaster position at the New York Institute, where she hands out missions and watches over the Nephilim and Downworlders. She still ventures out, but most her days in her young adult years have been spent behind a desk, or in front of a computer monitor. Brianne hopes to change that. Weapons: Primary will be a stele. Magic: N/A. Other: In New York, Brianne has absolute authority, but also absolute responsibility. Let's make her life difficult. Character Name: Clarity Age: 122 Gender: Female Race: Ifrit Appearance: Bleep Backstory: Clarity was born with the curse of a warlock's appearance, but none of the magical abilities. She was fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, in her case, able to understand her predicament from a young age, and seek out help from a warlock, who cast glamours over her in return for services. Clarity was trained by the best to hunt and find her prey, in addition to reading and writing skills that are somewhat rudimentary. In her nineteenth year of life, her mother passed away, allowing Clarity to use the woman's body to find the identity of her father. Clarity began to hunt for the demon who had sired her, having only a face and a name, leaving it to become her sole purpose in life. She's nearly reached her target, only to have him slip away. With each passing year, Clarity grows more desperate to attain her goal, for no one can assure her how long an ifrit has to live. This desperation has caused her to form alliances and friendships with various people. Clarity can be persuaded to do nearly anything, for the right price. And where her father is concerned, there is no action that cannot be done. Weapons: A single katana, along with some throwing knives hidden in various places on her body. Magic: N/A Other: Clarity has blue skin, because of which she moves around only at night, or with the help of glamours purchased from warlocks. Character Name: Luce Hemmingway Age: 28 Gender: Female Race: Nephilim... Appearance: ~ Backstory: Luce grew up in Alicante, the Lightwood twins among her peers. She excelled in her studies as a Shadowhunter, but instead of taking a position in the outside world, elected to remain behind and serve the Clave. Having no memorable family name, Luce worked hard on her skills to mark herself in the annals of history. She has served Yorick faithfully until this point, and considers Corvo her main competition for his affection. Weapons: Luce uses her seraphim blade, and a sniper rifle for distance shots. She inscribes each bullet herself. Magic: N/A Other: B)
Kara leaned to look out the window, shoving her head outside to smell the fresh air. A tree branch nearly smacked her in the face. She stuck her tongue out at the stupid thing and returned to taking in the nature sights. She hadn't ever dared to leave the city, so this was great. Natural and pretty and-A tree branch smacked the back of her head. She withdrew the vulnerable limb, cursing quietly as she rubbed the injury. Yeah, she would be okay taking it in from here. Tessa let her head roll back on the seat, staring up at the ceiling. The rolling of the carriage made her sleepy. She didn't much care for the feeling, preferring to remain wide awake around strangers. Perhaps they would let her walk? Before the thought left her mind to escape her lips, she felt her eyes shut, and her head lolled conveniently to the side, resting on Conrad's shoulder.
Veera kept quiet on the road, keeping a watchful eye for anyone who might report to Veceslav. The old man had always had his ways of hearing whispers of goings on in the lands, and she wouldn't be surprised if he had already received word of their work earlier that day. After they had arrived, and stepped inside, Veera murmured her thanks. "My home wasn't much either. And while Kaer Morhen is where we gather, it is not as much of a home without a family." Yes, the witchers could consider each other their family, but it was hard to do so when they disappeared to the far corners of the earth often enough. "Thank you, again ser, for your hospitality." She strolled to one corner and set her armor down. She and Aaron would have to take turns keeping watch. It wasn't that she didn't trust Raymond, she was more distrustful of who might have seen them. Veceslav was a force to be reckoned with, and while she planned to strike quickly in order to do as much damage as she could, she knew she wouldn't outrun the old man forever. She might be the White Wolf, but he was the Alpha. Turning away from the other two men, she grabbed the amulet around her neck, gripping it tightly enough that the edges nearly pierced the skin of her palm. "Please, brothers and sisters, aide me now." she whispered, shutting her eyes tight. She had no doubt it wouldn't work, but nothing like a little faith to help tide over a desperate moment. "Please." If their amulets were spelled with the same magic, it wouldn't be so far fetched to think that magic could connect them, could it? Veera's fear and desperation have caused the magic in her amulet to call to its siblings. Any witchers will be able to hear Veera's plea and choose whether to answer the call. Ana had the sudden, but strong urge to beat her head against the nearest solid surface. Which at this point, was a tree. A very solid looking tree. Teliana wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she was afraid of the witchers. After being treated so poorly, who wouldn't be? She lived out of the way, far away from anything to do with them for a reason. She had tried to help Zach for a reason. Her hands clenched into fists, and she turned on the tree, fire growing underneath her fingers and heating her palm until it swarmed up her arm, singing and burning the sleeves of her dress. She tossed it at the tree, growling as she did so, to create a burning pyre. She didn't stop tossing the fire until she was tired, and the tree had burned to ashes. Then she turned, focusing as she held her hands out, calling up the portal out of the ground. "Let's just go. And if I don't make it out, then you can have my death on your conscience." she told Vyle. She didn't look back at the pile of ashes she had created as she stepped through, landing on the solid stone of the one place she dreaded above all others. Kaer Morhen. "I don't think they're the ones who paid it." Zack muttered, thinking back to the mutilated bodies he had helped clean up. He remained silent the rest of the way, until they reached Bryce's office. The door remained ajar. He glanced back at Seth, worry in his eyes. Not good. "I don't think he would leave it like this." Poking the door open, he stopped, then pushed it wide. "Damn." The secret passageway lay wide open. Clearly whoever had walked through it, hopefully Tessa, hadn't bothered to close it back up. Zack turned and grabbed one of the swords from the handily ready weapons rack. It was iron, and wouldn't do much damage, but it was more for his confidence then actual killing that he took it before setting off down the dark passageway.
Zack blushed slightly when Adelina touched his hair, but refused to move until she had turned away. Only then did he remember to breathe. And then Adelina returned, tears in her eyes. Had it not been her speaking, he wouldn't have believed the words that fell from her lips. He hadn't known the king personally, but his presence had always been one of kindness and strength. "Adelina.." He didn't know what to say, or do, honestly. Flame, making a deal to kill the titans? What was Tessa thinking? The bird had only brought back news of the king's death. That meant everyone else had to be okay. Instead of trying to find an answer, or trying to meet her heartbroken gaze, Zack pulled Adelina into a hug, wrapping his arms around her. "It's going to be okay." The words were meant to reassure both of them when he said them, putting as much belief as he could into them. He remained silent for a few moments, taking the added liberty of smoothing her hair with one hand as he rested his chin on the top of her head, staring at the peaceful scenary around them. "Tessa is strong, and I have to believe that she will survive without me there to protect her. Going off alone to find them would be foolhardy, and the city is going to need us if this news spreads before Flame gets back." Kala bowed to Flame, biting her lip to keep from speaking. Did she trust these people? No. To be honest she didn't really have a reason not to, but she didn't. "I'll respect your orders, Princess." She murmured as she straightened, leaning back against a wall to watch the exchange between Drake and Flame. Love was a weakness, and Flame was greatly softened by the male scout. It made Kala only a wee bit upset, to know that her friend might pay the ultimate price for her love. She hoped it wouldn't come to that. But, the future was never certain. Tessa raised herself out of her grief just long enough to notice a second person. Akari. She wanted Tessa's help with something. Carrying the body? Tessa felt a well of anger, but swallowed it. What right did they have to touch the king? If anyone, Flame should have been the one to order the command. But Flame wasn't here, and Tessa knew the other part of her anger was fear, the fear of Flame's reaction when she and Akari brought her father's dead body. It was something she didn't want to face, but something she had to. "Fine. You take his head." She didn't want to see his face, cold and set in death. She didn't want to see any of this. She had to be strong, for herself, for Flame, and for Zack. He needed to trust that she would return. And she would. She picked up one half of the king's body, waiting awkwardly for Akari so they could take him back to his daughter, and then to his resting place.
Tessa fell to her knees, stunned momentarily before getting back up. She growled, clenching her gloved fists before launching a martial arts attack on the new enemy. She didn't care who he said he was or what he looked like, she didn't take kindly to anyone who attacked her. Remy felt a little tired, as though a tiny part of his health had been chipped away. He yanked his bo staff out of his belt, and pressed a button, making it elongate before running towards the enemy, with the intent to attack. He wasn't sure yet if he wanted to kill. Kara snarled as she felt some of her energy disappear. "How dare you?!" She shrieked before using Aquakinetic Combat.
Sanderson was clearly too excited to notice Bryce's words, and maybe a little overenthusiastic about hunting. Bryce's father had been the same, considering the killing of animals a sport. Bryce couldn't say he agreed, but at this point, he was willing to do nearly anything to regain his honor. So he wouldn't look at it as killing the drakes, (although when the wooden man spoke up about nonlethal ways, he hoped Sanderson would take the offer under consideration), but as saving the townspeople. Honor, it seemed, could cut both ways. He put his helmet back on his head, blinking a few times to acclimate to the tunnel vision the metal hat produced, and waited to follow Sanderson. Kara shrugged, finishing off her food before stepping up towards Shyra. She listened, or tried to. But there were a lot of words involved with what she was saying, and it was kind of hard to keep up over the happy song her stomach was singing to her mind about how happy it was. No shit. Her mind complained. A happy song equals happy? She ignored that little blip and stepped into the carriage, taking a seat by the window. Hopefully there wouldn't be too much squishing together. Tessa stood awkwardly, unsure of how to respond to Conrad. Shyra saved her from coming up with such a response by summoning a servant, to summon a carriage. Privilege wasn't something she had ever witnessed, and she didn't really have room in her mind to understand it at this moment. "Perhaps it'll come to us with time." She suggested, moving from one foot to the other, before stepping towards the carriage. She took a seat across from the strange girl that was still chewing on something, and stared up at the ceiling, letting her thoughts run into each other like fighting goats.
Thank you!
Kai's House: Hallway Tessa shivered, rubbing her hands along her arms. That felt...odd. Or maybe she just needed another hit. She tripped over her own feet heading into the bathroom, and stumbled, grabbing the wall for support. Well...that was clumsy. She managed to get into the bathroom, and close the door, staring into the mirror with her hands gripping the sink. Another shiver ran down her spine, but this one felt....good. Great, even. Like something was tickling her nerves. She shut her eyes, enjoying the feeling, until she opened them and saw that her hair had changed color. She shut her eyes quickly, and then opened them again. Her hair still remained....green? "No. No no no." She pinched herself, and then looked up again. "Oh my god." Her eyes flickered between their dark green and a violent red. It was actually...pretty cool. She must not be hallucinating, unless the drug was spiked. This was not normal. This was cool. But...she didn't like the green color. Maybe it could be purple? Purple and red were a cool combination.
The voice was so soothing, sweet and soft. It felt like a lullaby that Veera had always known, but couldn't place. Sleep. Sleep might not be a bad thing. And the nice voice did say that she was safe. That it was time to sleep. She didn't remember Kantya having walls, but maybe they had been built while she had gone away. It had seemed like a such a long time. Her eyelids fluttered, and her head turned slightly to the side as she slowly drifted into the numbing, black void, leaving Karen to her work. Kala shrugged, eyeing Flame's concerned face. "It sounded like a familiar tune, but I couldn't place it, Your Highness. It almost seemed like some sort of song. Perhaps they have magic here? If they do, we need to be very careful." She moved closer to Flame, eyeing the streets and alleyways around them. "I know you said you made a deal with these people, and you know that I trust you with my life, Your Highness, but the word of one guard doesn't equate the opinion of the entire people. There could be some here who will do you harm, regardless of their orders. I don't want that to happen." Zack grinned at Adelina's exuberance, and boldly wrapped an arm around her waist. "Well, then hold on tight!" Using the other arm, he triggered the maneuvering device and shot through the air, nearly running into a nearby tree. "Shit!" He swore, angling his body and Adelina's so that he pressed his feet against the trunk, and neatly bounced off. The rest of the ride was much smoother as they passed the houses and citizens of Kantya, drawing some attention but paying no mind to it, until they had reached the edge of the city. He angled himself once more to pivot around the edge of the trees and shot upward, planting his feet on the small platform. The deck he had built with Tessa was a circle, six feet away from the tree with a railing around the outer edges, except for the part he had landed on. The roof was currently a work in progress, only a few boards that had been pressed against the tree. Most of the cover was due to the leaves, sheltering from the blazing sun or most of the rain. In this case, the sky was clear, thanks to luck. "What do you think?" Zack asked as he left go of Adelina, making sure she had solid footing before stepping away. Tessa ran along the rooftops. She was too nervous to enjoy the feeling of being free, choosing her on path to race on, her own speed. She was too nervous to pay attention to anything in her surroundings, barring that of her next few steps. It didn't take long for her to fall back to where they had originally entered the city, and the king had left them. Tessa exhaled shakily as she looked around, uncertain and afraid. He had gone...this way. She jumped off the wall before her maneuvering device sprang into action, clinging to the stones as she swung forward. It took only one more to land on the ground. The grappling hook caught when she tried to retract the line, and she jolted backwards. In order to compensate, she arched her back, flipping through the air until she landed, roughly, on her knees. Wincing, she got to her feet, and looked around. There weren't any signs of the king, or anyone else. It was time. She sat, crosslegged, and slowly inhaled. Exhale, inhale, and exhale again. Reaching into the recesses of her mind, she found the tiny spark she had pushed down for so long, and helped it grow. Getting to her feet, she shook her coat, catching her reflection in a nearby puddle. Yellow eyes stared back from the white wolf's face. Her face. She wagged her tail experimentally, and shook herself again. It felt so strange, but good. Almost like stretching a muscle that hadn't been used for so long. And the scents. It took a moment for Tessa to figure out which was which, a moment to find the king's. He smelled like Flame. She took off, bounding down the path. There was another scent here, growing powerful with each step. Something wicked. Tessa pulled up, her heart beginning to pound. The wolf was excited, but the human was frightened. Something awful had happened here. And when the stench of blood filled her nose, she howled into the air, the howl turning to a scream as she shimmered back and fell to her human knees before the body of the king.
Veera hesitated. Was this too good to be true? She was tempted to think so. First a half crazed mage showed up, giving her the keys to the kingdom of her goal, and then disappeared without trying to kill either her or Aaron. They had managed to get out with their lives, undiscovered, and get clean. And then this man showed up, offering them shelter. Maybe it was a trap. Or maybe, just maybe, the gods agreed with what she was doing, and were showing their support through good fortune. Veera had never been much of a believer in faith, but today might just be enough to change that. "We would be in your debt if you could house us for the night." Veera replied, adjusting her armor before dropping her hands. Although if this is a trap, I pity your fate. "It would be best if you would tell no one. We are not the most popular of guests in this city." Teliana halted in her angry march to go back to her home. "Kaer Morhen? Are you joking?" She turned, her cheeks flushed with the effort of trying not to yell and attract any kind of attention. "Do you know how mages get in there? No? Let me tell you!" She stepped back towards Vyle, poking at his chest. "They get invited. Because witchers like to fuck. Get it?" She poked him once more for good measure. "I'm not becoming a whore because of your enemy." But, she did owe him. It was her fault that Solomon had escaped. "Did he give any hint towards where he was going? I can portal us there. But I would not risk my safety or my life to stroll in among the witchers." Zack tried to rub away a streak of blood on his face. Him? Take care of Tessa? Not what he had in mind, but at this point he was just glad Seth had agreed to help. "She wants to find Bryce too. She would look for him." Zack stopped, and looked at Seth. "What do you mean it's not safe for Bryce? He's killed a witcher before, whatever or whoever did this, he can handle them." It was Tessa who didn't know. Even Zack, who didn't know much of anything, knew that the girl was naive, and wouldn't be able to protect herself from the unknown danger. Which was why Seth was supposed to be with Tessa. Point. "If we can figure out where Bryce went, we'll find Tessa. The only thing I know is that Bryce has an office, in the eastern part of town." He started towards that way, though if Seth had a better idea, he was willing to change his direction.
Veera narrowed her eyes to slits, then nodded at Ashleigh's words. Better to kill them now. Alpha whispered in her head. Dead wolves can't kill you when your back is turned. Veera shook her head to clear it, and possibly shake Alpha's words out of her mind. She didn't need that, not right now. "You heard her. Move." She took a position behind the man and woman in order to herd them towards the ship, following Ashleigh. Up ahead, she could see the woman hunched over something in front of her. Perhaps controlling her other Nighthawk, perhaps watching the battle. Veera was anxious to get the taste of blood in her mouth, but she would stay with Ashleigh. There would always be other battles, always other kills to make. "Coffee? What's that?" Kala asked, bemused. To be prohibited from doing things...that was a lot like laws. And laws had punishments when they were broken. She knew that much. Well, she wouldn't make her new friend be punished. She would keep him from doing that stuff, because he had been nice to her, and showed her tea, and made sure she didn't break her back falling from the tower. Oh wait..the tower. "Timothy, I don't know what to do." She sat down, pulling her hood further over her face. "I don't want to live here anymore. There's no life, no food. I'll die here if I don't get out. But how do I get out? I thought the tower would have shade, and food, but people are just killing each other, the silly things. I just want to go to a place that has more life then death." Until she spoke the words, she didn't realize how truly sad being here made her, in this desolate wasteland. How alone she had been. Guess she hadn't had time for those thoughts before.
Tessa turned slightly. This man was not Shyra, clearly, but someone else. She tilted her face, then extended her hand from the cloak. "Tessa." She murmured. When their hands touched, she shivered, wrapping her other arm around herself. A strange sense of deja vu settled over her, and she found herself staring at their hands, trying to recall where she had done this before. She hadn't met this man, she was sure of it. But while her mind steadily denied the idea, her body told her that it was true. If there was one thing she'd learned from living in the forest, it was that the body's instincts were stronger, and usually more right then the mind's reasoning. "Where have we met?" She asked Conrad, withdrawing her hand and pulling it back beneath her cloak, using the cloth as something of a shield. She didn't like uncertain things. Among the animals and plants, uncertainty was a surefire way to get you killed.
Veera checked to make sure the girl, Xara, was keeping up before following the man. Xara seemed uneasy, but it could have just been nerves. Veera herself was too excited to leave to darkness to really pay attention to the warning signs. All until the pod. Something about it spoke to her. This was not what it seemed. Despite the tightening in her stomach, she kept walking as if nothing was wrong. Because there was something bad about this man, and she wasn't sure that she could take him on with just little Xara at her side. But that all ended when the old man summoned his keyblade. Instinct, an unused mother's intuition, whatever it was made her step slightly in front of Xara, her own weapon fitting into her outstretched hand. "Let us leave, and you may just escape unscathed." She intoned, her brow furrowed and her mouth set in a grim line. "Leave the pod with us as well." They would have to find their own way out. The disappointment hit her just as the anger that this time may have been wasted. She would have to deal with that later. Or maybe now, if she managed to punch the life out of the enemy in front of them.
Bryce watched the three figures, clearly the leaders, walk in different directions. So he had to pick one to follow, eh? Well, that was nontraditional. But he wasn't here to question their leadership skills, he was here for redemption. Well, he was more of a hunter, and one of the fellows walking away had mentioned something of the sort. Bryce went after Sanderson, clearing his throat in order to get the older man's attention. "I was wondering if I could sign up to follow you, sir." He said, saluting Sanderson. "It would be an honor, sir." He really should probably work on toning down his military instincts. Tessa rubbed her face and sighed. She refused to go on any trip that involved the slaughter of animals, no matter what kind of danger they posed. She couldn't do it in good conscience, not with where she came from. So that left the woman, or the second male. Woman it is. She decided, feeling that maybe having a female as a leader might somehow help her integrate easier into the social circles. She went out to the stables, where the woman seemed to have gone, checking for her amidst the smell of hay and horse. "Um, hello?" She called out, unsure of where the woman had gone. "I'm looking for Shyra? I'd like to go with you on your expedition." Kara watched the man walk away, before sticking her tongue out at Aston. That would show him. She turned to walk away, pausing. Missions? Already? Well that put a dent in her plans. Kara quickly walked up to the so called brunch table, grabbing two rolls and a handful of grapes, before walking away. As she stuffed her face as quickly as possible, she kept an eye out. She certainly didn't want to follow Aston, after the way he had treated her. Never mind that he had caught her doing something illegal. He had been mean! Sanderson had been nicer, but Kara hadn't really killed an animal before. Besides a pigeon. And she didn't know how she felt about that. So, Shyra it was. She went out to the stables, where another woman already stood. Not Shyra, but someone who wanted to go along too. Kara watched her as she continued to eat quickly, and waited for Shyra to appear.
Tessa looked around, getting the feeling that she was being watched. Upon searching the room, she found nothing, but the feeling lingered. She stepped further into the room, tugging her cloak closer around her body, as though hiding. Whatever the feeling had been born from, it appeared not to exist any longer. Feeling a little lost, Tessa moved to one of the corners of the room and sat on the floor to wait. After Kara used her godly skills of deception and agility to dodge Aston, she hit something comparable to a brick wall. Tumbling backwards, she looked up to stare into the face of a large and very emotionless man. The only thought that her mind could produce was, damn. As the man spoke to her, she shivered, feeling as though she had run into a slightly bigger problem then the one she had before. Less pointy, much bigger. That was all erased as yet another figure came into the picture. He offered a hand to help her up, showering her impromptu and failed escape with praise. She blushed as she took the hand, letting the man pull her up. Then he offered her a place to stay. To stay. "Sounds too good to be true." She answered him bluntly, the blush fading as she considered her predicament. "But I suppose I could give it a shot. If there really will be food." And a bed, oh gods a glorious bed. She had almost forgotten what that felt like. "If he", she pointed at Aston, "promises not to try and attack me."
It felt....warmer. As if a blanket had been draped over her body. Her chest didn't hurt, but it kind of..itched. She tried to raise her hand to scratch it, but her hand wouldn't obey her. Well that sucks. She tried again, to no avail as the itching grew worse. Her ears picked up the sound of a strange song, something she hadn't heard before. She forced her eyes open, and stared up into the face of someone who seemed peculiarly familiar, and yet her brain couldn't quite connect who she was. "That itches." She whispered, before coughing, her chest heaving with the effort. And yet, it was somehow easier to breathe. What the hell? "Where am I?" she asked. "And who are you? And what are you doing?" This induced another bought of coughing as the warm feeling spread. Zack watched as Adelina talked to the bird. "That is so cool." He commented with a grin as the bird flew off. And then he got a sudden idea. "Have you ever been to the edge of Kantya?" He asked, his grin spreading into a big smile. "I could take us there." Good thing he always carried his 3D maneuvering gear. "I've got a special place there, where I like to sit and think. I promise, it's perfectly safe." He hadn't ever seen a titan there, anyway. Kala blinked before replying to Gale. "Yeah, I heard a whistle, but I figured it was you guys. And when I went to follow the sound, no one was there. That's when I saw the flare." She frowned. "You guys heard it too? Do you have any idea what that was about?" Her expression was one of puzzlement, though she wasn't concerned. Not yet, anyway. "I haven't seen the king." she answered Chrono's question, a little impatiently. "But I believe her Highness asked for someone to search for him. Any volunteers?" When she glanced past Flame, the light inside was brighter. The healer she had failed to notice before was fixing the injured soul, sure enough. Kala couldn't say whether she was disappointed or not. But perhaps it would be better to have another able warrior, if they would have to fight titans. She wondered if she could steal their life force too. They might have a lot of it. The thought nearly make her vomit; she was still much too full from the previous life she had taken. Tessa bowed her head. No one else was volunteering, and..."I'll go." she murmured, bowing to Flame before turning to leave, avoiding eye contact with everyone. Was she scared to go back into the city alone? Hell yeah. But someone had to do it, and this might be her moment to help someone. Besides, once she found the king he would be able to protect her, if she ran into trouble. She jumped into the air, the 3D maneuvering gear latching onto the nearest building and yanking her forward. She could do this.
