The Knights Next Door

[+Sorana]

On 21.8.2020 at 4:56 PM, Wyndlerunner said:

James listened intently to what Shana had to say, pausing for a moment to process the ideas. "I suppose it is a possibility." He said, thoughtfully, "I mean, it's impossible that we're the only Knights Radiant in the world, and you're right- so far we've only reacted to their attacks on us, not initiated." He moved his finger across his chin as he continued to speak. "However, it is entirely possible that other factions of Radiants do exist who have taken a more active stance against the Voidbringers than we have." He sank down onto a kitchen stool, sighing. "I suppose I could ask Doc if he knows anything about other enclaves of Radiants?"

While James considered her words Rob finally returned inside as well. He went into the kitchen, although he had seen them, poured himself some water. Shana moved a little, made sure she could see the door to the kitchen to get up once he was finished inside. His and Cassie's voice drifted over, harmless, softer talk and it was oddly relaxing to see him like this. Maybe James was wrong and Rob simply had a bad day. Maybe. She would talk to him nonetheless, make sure she would catch him once he left the kitchen.

"Yes, maybe." she replied quickly to James realized she had missed the first part of his reply, but getting the part about asking Doc. "You never know how the others act." Hope fully that wasn't too far away from what he expected to hear. "But still - what if there are others, others even Doc doesn't know of? What if they are actively hunting them and they don't know that we don't know and now we have a war, just because of a few individuals fighting each other." She shook her head.

"Maybe we should also look ourselves. See what we can find out apart from Doc's contacts. They always seemed to be very sensible to me, so maybe there is a third party? A party none of us knows about, but who is be it actively or not, making the situation worse, creating a full blown war?

EDIT: (ninja'd by Luna )

Ben spoke up as well, agreeing, suggesting basically the same she had. Or had she even spoken aloud? Somehow it felt a little weird to repeat his words.

"We could go ourselves." she said, "see what we can find. And then we can form an opinion?"

@Lunamor 

 

Quote

Dapper is inactive, so maybe we shouldn't run over and ask his character?

 

Edited August 23, 2020 by Sorana

[Wyndlerunner]

9 hours ago, Sorana said:

"We could go ourselves." she said, "see what we can find. And then we can form an opinion?"

James paused for a moment, the idea swirling around in his headspace. "I suppose a little sleuthing wouldn't do much harm" he said at last, "So long as we make sure we don't reveal ourselves to whoever is behind all this. Who knows how high up the plot goes?" 

In the stories, James considered to himself, This usually leads to trouble for the protagonist, and I've no desire to get anyone killed or see myself die. 

[+Sorana]

14 hours ago, Wyndlerunner said:

James paused for a moment, the idea swirling around in his headspace. "I suppose a little sleuthing wouldn't do much harm" he said at last, "So long as we make sure we don't reveal ourselves to whoever is behind all this. Who knows how high up the plot goes?" 

In the stories, James considered to himself, This usually leads to trouble for the protagonist, and I've no desire to get anyone killed or see myself die. 

Shana nodded. "What do you think about forming two teams for the moment? You and Ben start to prepare everything we need, make a plan, maybe include Cassie and I," she looked over to Rob again, "I will talk to Rob and see if can find something out about this weird mood of his?"

She didn't move though, stayed where she was, comfortable on the sofa for the moment. It was a good place, and it was nice to relax for a moment. To do nothing but speak and think. With a sigh she closed her eyes. Relax while planning how to go on, what to do next. "The new one, the teacher. Can you remember where she was from? Maybe we could start by taking a look at that place."

[Wyndlerunner]

On 8/24/2020 at 0:09 AM, Sorana said:

Shana nodded. "What do you think about forming two teams for the moment? You and Ben start to prepare everything we need, make a plan, maybe include Cassie and I," she looked over to Rob again, "I will talk to Rob and see if can find something out about this weird mood of his?"

She didn't move though, stayed where she was, comfortable on the sofa for the moment. It was a good place, and it was nice to relax for a moment. To do nothing but speak and think. With a sigh she closed her eyes. Relax while planning how to go on, what to do next. "The new one, the teacher. Can you remember where she was from? Maybe we could start by taking a look at that place."

"No, I wasn't even in that class" James said with a resigned sigh, "I'm not really sure what was going on with her though. It certainly seemed odd, from an outsider's perspective, that is." James paced back and forth, frustration evident in his stance, "If only I actually knew anything about the other enclaves, like one would expect a Bondsmith to!" He exclaimed in annoyance. Come to think of it, James thought, Why in the heck would the Nightwatcher direct me here, to an enclave that already had a Bondsmith, rather than sending me to one without one? I know she wanted me to receive some training, but most of what I know I still had to figure out on my own, without Doc's help.

[Eluvianii]

Quote

Mind if I reinsert Ed back in real quick?

Edwin walked in from the backyard. For a moment he missed those times, living in his little apartment, when he only needed to wash seven sets of clothes a week. Now it was closer to seven a day. And that only counting those that were still in good condition. His parents would only believe so many stories about how he managed to rip yet another shirt apart.

He looked around. A few people were in the living room. James, Shana, Ben. They looked serious. He wondered why that could be and then remembered the battle from earlier. What else you genius? 

At that moment Edwin was grateful for his ability to just, let things pass. It wasn't like him to dwell over things too much but that had been really difficult as of late. Now though, he felt good. Fairly relaxed considering what the day had been. It seemed like menial chores were the way to relax in these kind of situations. Either way, everyone was tired from the battle before, it was understandable. Either that or yet another big thing had happened during the twenty minutes he had been gone but, what were the odds?

Edwin slumped on a chair, feeling tired. He hadn't really rested since they came back from the other house, and now seemed a good time. Hope I'm not interrupting anything.

[+Sorana]

Shana smiled at Edwin when he walked over, sat down in one of the chairs nearby. She greeted him with a small wave of her hand. "Do you need a summary?" she asked him before looking over to James again.

"I think that might be an advantage." she said slowly, considering her idea. "They don't know you yet, so they have no idea what to expect. When we start looking around they will trust you, maybe hand over some information we wouldn't be able to gain otherwise." With a slight shrug she extended her hands. "We should be able to find them, I think. Between the teacher and Doc we have enough clues to not start searching blindly."

Hesitation for another longer moment she then sighed and pushed herself back to her feet. "Maybe we can take a look at Doc's letters. See if he mentioned another location somewhere."

With a nod to herself to gather her courage she looked over to the kitchen. "I'll be back." she told him, feeling bad about leaving him like this, but also wanting to get the whole Rob part over with. They had to talk. Better now than later. "I'll talk to Rob, and then come back."

Walking over to the kitchen she smiled at Cassie and Rob, knew that she was interrupting, but also unwilling to push it back even further.

"I hope you don't mind if I need Rob for a moment?" she smiled at Cassie and then turned her attention to Rob. "I'd like to talk to you." she said simply, her voice calm, but earnest. "If you have a minute?"

@I think I am here.

[I think I am here.]

3 hours ago, Sorana said:

Walking over to the kitchen she smiled at Cassie and Rob, knew that she was interrupting, but also unwilling to push it back even further.

"I hope you don't mind if I need Rob for a moment?" she smiled at Cassie and then turned her attention to Rob. "I'd like to talk to you." she said simply, her voice calm, but earnest. "If you have a minute?"

The conversation was going fine and Rob glanced at Shana when she entered, somehow knowing when she asked to speak to him that it would be something serious. Like the Voidbringer, or his reaction. Allowing more of his natural neutral expression to creep in and take over the softness, he stared blankly at her, his friend. Maybe she needed him, though. And he’d always be there for support.

“Okay,” he said quietly and walked forwards, out of the kitchen by a few steps. He thought about crossing his arms, but decided against it. Maybe it would let too much frustration through.

[Lunar Blessing]

Quote

Oooh hey guys... so... I’ve fallen quite behind as I kinda lost motivation for all things writing for a little bit, but I’m back now and I need some help figuring out what’s happening.

 

[+Sorana]

19 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

“Okay,” he said quietly and walked forwards, out of the kitchen by a few steps. He thought about crossing his arms, but decided against it. Maybe it would let too much frustration through.

Okay. Shana swallowed at the reply, unable to snuff out the uneasy feeling in her stomach. "Let's head outside?" she asked and took a few steps towards the door leading to the backyard. Rob would never talk to her, never really talk to her while everybody else listened. If he decided to talk to her at all.

"It won't take long." she added apologetically, suddenly feeling as if she was intruding on something, as if she was forcing him. "Please," she added, another plea, suddenly wondering when she had started to plead her friend for some of time. When she had stopped knocking on his door, opening and simply marching into it, trusting him to understand, that that was her way. He was tense, even she could see that much. Tense and not really willing to spend time with her at all.

Shana looked at him, and then had to look away, suddenly feeling as if it all was breaking apart, as if she was standing there, holding a glass bowl that was about to be shattered by nothing more than a mere breath.

[I think I am here.]

7 hours ago, Sorana said:

Shana looked at him, and then had to look away, suddenly feeling as if it all was breaking apart, as if she was standing there, holding a glass bowl that was about to be shattered by nothing more than a mere breath.

It didn’t take an emotion-reading mastermind to know something was wrong, and at Shana’s voice he found himself feeling kind of sad for her. She sounded so worried, so different from the usual cheery demeanour, but then again, a lot had changed since the recent Voidbringer attacks. Storms, even Rob had changed, both in ways he could notice and ways he had no idea about.

At the “please” he walked forward, followed Shana to the backyard door and opened it patiently, keeping his emotions masked, trying not to let an ounce of feeling, good or bad both, to escape him. Times like these, he needed to be a rock. A safe, solid rock that could deal with anything life threw at it. An emotional rock was a useless rock.

When he was outside, he tried to think of what to ask. Whether something was wrong? Whether she’d gotten update of a new Voidbringer hideout? Whether she’d changed her mind about the captive Voidbringer? Okay, maybe not that last one. So, instead of asking something complicated, he allowed himself the briefest of exhales to steady himself and met her eyes.

“Did you need help with something?” He asked instead of anything fancy, because if there was one thing he could offer as a Stoneward, it was support. “I can do it, I wasn’t doing anything before.”

[+Sorana]

16 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

“Did you need help with something?” He asked instead of anything fancy, because if there was one thing he could offer as a Stoneward, it was support. “I can do it, I wasn’t doing anything before.”

Shana followed him outside, relieved when he asked if he could help her. It was so much like Rob that for a moment she wanted to come up with something, some reason, some task, maybe the whole thing they had talked about inside and ignore everything else. But no, it wouldn't do, wouldn't change anything in the end. They needed to talk and not about her own issues.

"Actually I was wondering whether I can help you." she replied, tried to keep her voice calm and steady. "You seem different." It was vague, but the best she could come up with. The way his face had twisted a little when they had fought at the nearby house. How angry he seemed to be. She spread her hands in a slightly helpless gesture, wishing she was better at this. As good as James or Cassie maybe. They knew how to talk to people, she only knew how to push them away, how to destroy what they had. Just how she had destroyed Rob. How she had scarred him, frightened him with her fire. She should never have followed through, never. Not even when he had allowed her to do so. Not even when he had impaled her, when he had dealt a blow as fatal as hers. Never. But she had.

"I just wanted to ask if you are okay, or if there is something I can do."

[I think I am here.]

On 28/08/2020 at 2:23 PM, Sorana said:

"I just wanted to ask if you are okay, or if there is something I can do."

Rob continued staring at her, even after she finished. Help him. The thought wasn’t new, Shana had helped him plenty of times before. That’s what friends did. With sparring, with debating, with understanding what people meant when they winked at you and all sorts of other things he couldn’t understand, but she could. Still, though. It felt... odd to accept assistance so easily.

“‘Different’,” he repeated. He seemed ‘different’. The sphere pulsed in his pocket. Shana had been the only one he’d told about it, and the first thing she’d suggested was to destroy it. But he’d kept it, so he could ask Doc or James, or better yet, the Voidbringer, for answers. But that last one wasn’t an option anymore, and he knew Doc and James would probably try taking it from, which he couldn’t allow. It was his.

He considered a blunt ‘I’m fine’, but stopped himself. That would be lying. And Rob hated lies. Glancing around to make sure no one else could listen in on them, he took one step further into the backyard, to distance the conversation even more from the house.

“Everything seems to repeat itself,” he responded instead, trusted Shana to understand what he meant in a way he didn’t think he could trust anyone else. He continued staring at her, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice.

“Like we’re characters in a TV show. Live, eat, get attacked, defend ourselves, lose someone, then win. Then gain another roommate. Then, next month, the same. Live, eat, get attacked in a dream, defend ourselves. Then get attacked at prom. And then on the wedding. And then, in a house right next to ours. On a loop. And again, again, again and again —”

The sphere pulsed, and then —oddly— he couldn’t control himself and crossed his arms, resuming a defensive stance at being so open. He’d let go, spoken too much. His father’s voice remained in his head, full of expectations, full of instructions and rules.

“It’s...” he almost gave in.

It’s frustrating.

It’s making me feel powerless.

It’s hurting to see some of our own members die.

It’s hurting to see YOU let Voidbringers free!

“It’s... something that needs to be solved,” he said.

[AonEne]

On 8/26/2020 at 3:30 PM, Blessing of Potency said:

...I need some help figuring out what’s happening. 

Quote

What's the last thing you remember happening? 

"Life is life, I'll manage," Cassie told Rob, shrugging and resisting the urge to rub her hand over her eyes. When Shana stepped in she nodded and gestured for them to talk, watching as they walked off. Her face tensed in worry for a moment, but she shook it off. 

[Lunar Blessing]

24 minutes ago, AonEne said:

What's the last thing you remember happening?

Quote

uhhh. The, I think, first school day that we role played through, I kind of disapeared after that.

 

[AonEne]

Quote

There was a fight in a house in the neighborhood and some new kids joined, then they interrogated a Voidbringer who they then let free. Right now everyone’s in the house talking. Cassie’s in the kitchen if you want to interact with someone.  

@Blessing of Potency

[Lunar Blessing]

On 9/12/2020 at 11:54 PM, AonEne said:

There was a fight in a house in the neighborhood and some new kids joined, then they interrogated a Voidbringer who they then let free. Right now everyone’s in the house talking. Cassie’s in the kitchen if you want to interact with someone. 

Quote

Well. Ashlyn doesn't live with yall... I need a way to get her back into this... let me think on this, I am open to ideas.

 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Blessing of Potency

[+Sorana]

On 29.8.2020 at 3:56 PM, I think I am here. said:

“It’s... something that needs to be solved,” he said.

"It is." she replied and nodded. His stance was defensive and she considered to comment on it, to say something  to make him more at ease but the words got stuck in her mouth. This wasn't the Rob she had trained with, the one who had thrown her into the pool of molten stone. She followed him deeper into the backyard, relaxing a little at the quietness of the air around them. It was afternoon, early evening, whatever you called this time of the day and she turned her head away from him, instead looked over the area around them. The pool, with its even surface. The stones in their silent pattern on the ground, the trees and plants. It was her home.

"A cycle." she repeated his words and then nodded again. "It is one, I suppose." And he was right. An endless cycle never to be broken, never to be stopped. Frustrated she balled her hands. "Don't you think that there is anything that we can do?" she added, heard how her voice shook, her shoulders tense. "I don't want to go on like this. Fight, die, new roommate, fight, again. And again. And again." Her face twisted and she took another step, a quick, harsh one, then turned to face him. "There won't be peace, don't you think? No matter what this Voidbringer claimed, there won't be peace. Because they aren't looking for peace. He only claimed it, so that we, so that I, had to step back, but there won't be a longterm solution, nothing we can work with, nothing we can do to change this mess."

"Because you're right. It's a cycle. An endless cycle full of pain and fighting and more pain and more fighting and another attack and another attack. The teacher, she wasn't looking for peace either. No one is. They all do nothing but see the enemy, but wish, aim for another fight. Because it makes you feel alive. It makes you feel good when you can claim that you fight for the right thing, for the good thing. Why else would some other place actively hunt them? Why else would they actively hunt us?"

Breathing heavily she fell silent, her palms hurting where her nails bit into her flesh. "So we need to break it. Change the board. Do something that disturbs all of it in a way that nobody will even want to fight anymore."

[I think I am here.]

Rob nodded when she repeated his words, took a quick step towards him, face twisted, balled her fists in frustration and continued on. He nodded when she talked about how there would never be peace, nodded again when she said no one was even looking for peace, couldn’t stop nodding and his hands dropped by his sides when he realised she was beginning to understand him, understand the frustration, and a part of him was relieved he had been able to trust Shana enough to speak to her.

The sphere continued pulsing when she stopped, and Rob waited in silence for a few moments. He stepped a bit closer and dropped his voice.

“You know exactly how I feel,” he said, let the words hang in the air. She nailed down the feeling, the frustration at the vicious cycle. His voice seemed harsher to his own ears, but he ignored it and stared deep into her eyes.

“You understand, understand it completely. The Voidbringers are liars. And murderers. And we are too if we stay like this, perpetuating the cycle by only fighting back when we’re attacked. You get it, Shana.”

He couldn’t stop warmth from colouring his voice, and yet the feeling behind it was something else, something more than a simple agreement or friendship, but an emotion the sphere seemed to be driving: ambition. Hunger. Anger at the Voidbringers. Passion at the cause of removing them. Unable to stop his train of thought, he stepped closer again.

“You’re right. Change the board. You...” he stopped for a moment to make sure he wasn’t lying, then continued.

“...Are the best fighter I’ve ever seen. Together, we’re unstoppable. The dream, the prom, the wedding, the infested house next to ours. Storms, we even have to go on opposite sparring teams because of how unbalanced it is.”

He stopped for a moment, mostly to notice the sphere seemed hot in his pocket. “No one else sees it the way we do. No one else is willing to change the board, but we can. Together. And we don’t need Doc or James or Cassie or Ben or Sawyer or Luther or anyone else.”

He stepped back again, falling silent, then nodding to himself.

“Change the board,” he repeated thoughtfully. “World War II only ended because of the atomic bombs, after all.”

@Sorana

Edited September 15, 2020 by I think I am here.

[+Sorana]

There was passion in his voice, an intensity she'd never heard before and yet if felt right, was infectious. Because finally, finally someone understood. Finally someone had the courage to accept that they couldn't go on like they did, that they needed to follow their way and not the one someone else had carved for them.

"We are." she found herself smiling at him. "Together we are unstoppable." It was a good feeling to hear him admit it loudly, to put all cards on this table, to finally start a plan. Not like James who had been cautious, who had wanted to talk to Doc and think about everything twice, thrice. This was about acting. And while she had never heard that much fire, that much passion in Rob's voice before, it stoked the one burning in her chest. Gave it something to burn with, made it burn higher and higher.

"It's not only about the Voidbringers." she added, never looking away from his eyes. Because that was the second fact, the one she had tried to explain to James and Ben, the one they had appeared to hear, but not quite understand. "The problem is on both sides. If that Voidbringer was speaking the truth, then we are as much part of the problem as they are. If it's us attacking them, forcing them out of their hiding place, forcing them to attack us, then it won't be enough to take care of them." She forced herself to open her hands, her next words calmer, more careful.

"If we are talking about changing the board, then we need to take a look at both sides. Find out who is lying, or rather what lies they all speak. And then -" she lifted her right hand between them, closed it again. Slowly she placed her left down below, palm facing the sky. "If we want to change the board, we need to keep both figures in sight. Black and white."

"We need to ensure we hit the places that prevent a peace from happening. We need to find those who are adding more and more oil to the fire that is this conflict." A hardness crept into her face while speaking, while suggesting to turn their powers on all of them, Radiants and Voidbringers alike. Because a part of her knew that the Voidbringer had spoken the truth, at least in pieces. A conflict with only one side acting was no conflict. It was no ongoing war, no year-long battle. If only one side acted it could be a crusade, a short and bloddy wiping out of whoever the agressors decided to fight. But this wasn't what they were dealing with. This was a war and there were no innocents in a war. So in order to change the board, they needed to make sure this board stopped existing. She had to fight, because nobody else would do it. They had to fight to prevent the others from doing it. They needed them, needed them to build up something new on the ashes. They needed their caution, their compassion for the time after. But when it came to destruction, when it came to wiping the board clean and creating a chance to start anew there was nobody better suited for this task than Shana herself. And with Rob at her back, the two of them fighting together-. Unstoppable.

"Or to stay with your picture." She let her right hand move down on her left, opened it, immitating a shockwave spreading out. "We need to make sure we hit the right ones."

@I think I am here.

Edited September 16, 2020 by Sorana

[I think I am here.]

On 16/09/2020 at 7:23 PM, Sorana said:

"Or to stay with your picture." She let her right hand move down on her left, opened it, immitating a shockwave spreading out. "We need to make sure we hit the right ones."

“The right ones,” he repeated affirmatively, found himself visualising the plan they were slowly carving out, a plan of affirmative action, a plan of not standing by anymore, of finding the root of this conflict and obliterating it. And when he looked in Shana’s eyes he could see she meant her words. Her face was hard, and her words were coated in mission and duty. Because it was their duties, as Radiants, to bring peace. At any cost.

She was right. There were liars on both sides. And Rob hated liars.

“So, it’s a plan,” he stated, stepping back and picking up a pebble off the ground.

“See if Doc has any information on other, more radical Radiant groups. Follow that thread and see where it leads. Or go Voidbringer-hunting and use some of our interrogation techniques...” He breathed in a little stormlight and the pebble liquified between his fingers, dripping on the ground. “...to see what they know about who’s attacking them.”

Rob nodded himself, finding himself appreciating Shana’s bravery, at the courage it took to admit your brethren weren’t always right. “You’re a good friend,” he said. “A great friend. I... wasn’t expecting much from this conversation, but you understood me. You’ve always understood.”

He fell silent, then raised his fist slightly in front of him.

“We will bring peace. And we’ll destroy the liars who get in our way.”
 

Quote

As for Doc, Dapper seems inactive. I guess we could go to his office and see some files or something that would give us information?

 

[Wyndlerunner]

James sat down on the couch, hand coming up to rest on his chin contemplatively. Things are beginning to move in a big way he thought to himself, like the leap before the plunge. And to continue down that line of thought, I don't think we all have scuba gear. The thought sent a chill up his spine, and his hand slowly moved to cover his face as he slumped down. Whatever God that may be out there, I know we don't talk much, but I have to know how I can help them. I have to keep my friends safe. I must. The informal prayer left his mind, and he hoped that somehow, he'd find a way to see them all safely through.

[+Sorana]

On 26.9.2020 at 4:09 PM, I think I am here. said:

As for Doc, Dapper seems inactive. I guess we could go to his office and see some files or something that would give us information?

Quote

Sounds good to me.

"You too." she replied and mirrored his gesture, lifted her fist. She held it in the air for a moment, and then touched it to his, the gesture carefully calculated to barely avoid causing pain. "Between the two of us, the matter should resolve itself nicely." A grin touched her lips when she allowed herself to picture the peace, the calm that would come afterwards. She could finally head out with Ben without anybody in their way, without the need to worry again about something like a kidnapping or whatever else their enemies came up next. Maybe they could go on a holiday, all of them together. They only had a short time left before the first ones would leave for college, but this year all of them would be on leave together. To the mountains maybe, so that they could climb or go trekking. It would be awesome to walk a longer trail together with everybody.

"Let's go." she forced herself to concentrate on the situation at hand again. "Doc's been away for a while, but we can take a look around his office." That could even be better than to outright ask him. Doc could be complicated at times, protected what he knew about the other Radiants. For a moment her own thoughts, her plan chilled her body to the bone. Break into Doc's office and sniff through his documents, maybe even his laptop. She wouldn't have done that even a week ago, but now, now it was neccessary. And that was it. She didn't even feel guilty, knew that she should, that you didn't do it, but she didn't. Mostly she wanted to get started on the real part, the fighting. The finding out about the truth and then see where it would lead them. That was important. Everything was nothing but an inconvenience along the way.

[I think I am here.]

6 hours ago, Sorana said:

“Let's go." she forced herself to concentrate on the situation at hand again. "Doc's been away for a while, but we can take a look around his office."

Rob nodded, trying to think of what that would entail. Doc had given him a home, he had led them and had taken care of him when he’d been in a new city, just getting used to his powers. Doc was the adult that anchored everyone here to the real world, had brought them all together in typical Bondsmith fashion.

He provided stability, the foreign voice inside of him spoke. Provided a comfort zone, a safe place. He is the reason nothing changes, the reason we’re in this cycle in the first place! That made sense, Rob thought. After all, you couldn’t destroy the board if you didn’t break some of the rules.

Lightly he stepped back, meandered over to the backyard door entering into the house again, looked back to Shana in a silent question as he slid it open and entered the main living room.

“Hey,” he said to James, who was sitting on the couch, and tried to assume a calm tone. Surely Bondsmiths knew things about each other. “Would you know where Doc’s office is?”

@Wyndlerunner

[Wyndlerunner]

Rob's question broke James out of his contemplative stupor, and a second chill began to settle over him. He was fairly certain he knew what this was about, and wasn't sure he liked it at all. What do I do? he asked himself, I know the answer, but do I tell them? Panic began to settle in, as James contemplated his answer. At last, he turned back to Rob, and answered, "Last door on the right, 3rd floor, just next to the attic ladder."

Well, the choice is made he said to the Nightwatcher. I made a promise that I would help people grow and progress, and in order to do that, I can't always be there shepherding them. The Nightwatcher made a satisfied noise of affirmation, and sent to him, I think you made the right choice James. 

James wasn't so sure, if this was the right path, why couldn't he shake the feeling that he'd just made a terrible mistake?

@I think I am here.

@Sorana

[+Sorana]

Shana followed Rob inside over to the living room. She would have started by simply opening all doors that lead to rooms which weren't occupied at the moment, but asking James made a lot more sense. As another bondsmith he probably knew about things she and Rob had never heard of. And he hesitated. She saw it in the way he didn't reply immediatly, how he considered whether to tell them about the office or not. A wave passed through her body, hot and annoyed, they had talked about this, about finding out about the others. And James had agreed. There was no reason why he - she shoved the thought away, knew that it was unfair. James had agreed to ask Doc, not to break into his office and read through his personal documents.

The feeling left a bitter taste in her mouth even though there was no reason for it. James trusted them, he told them where to go and where to search for their answers. She was overreacting, too annoyed, too angry at the whole situation. She took another breath reined her feelings in. If Doc had lied to them it would hit James twice as hard.

"Thank you." she smiled at him before turning around and walking over to the stairs, leaving it to James to decide whether he wanted to follow or not. He could, he was welcome. But there was no need to. They could do this on their own. She passed the first and the second floor with their many rooms, heard the voices of some of the others living here. Laughter, mixed with someone practicing for a presentation of some sorts. Then she reached the third floor, the one she rarely went to. All of her friends had their rooms on the first floor close to her own and the training room was in the cellar. Just next to the attic ladder. It took her a moment to stop looking for an actual ladder and instead lift her gaze to the ceiling until she found the square area that hid the ladder leading into the attic. Her eyes rested on the door closest to the lid. There. Slowly she walked over, suddenly nervous at the prospect. If Doc found out, and she didn't doubt that he would, he would be annoyed, mildly phrased. Or to word it differently, he would be very, very angry.

Shana hesitated, suddenly unwilling to risk her place here, to undermine to one man who had shown her kindness, who had taken her in, when the whole world had spit her out. The one person who hadn't looked at her weirdly, who had smiled at her scared uncle and aunt and had offered them to let her live here, for a small fee of course, just like any living quarters at a boarding school. She knew that he was in contact with them, kept them uptodate about her grades, about her as a person, but he carefully kept it all away from her, left it to her to establish some contact in a way she wanted to. If Doc asked her to leave. Swallowing she closed her hands and opened them again, wished for another way. You always had a choice. She could tell Rob that this was madness, that they had to sit back and wait for Doc to return, then confront him in person. But he was gone and she knew that it could take him weeks to return. Weeks they maybe didn't have. The Voidbringers knew where they lived, they knew where they went to school. They needed to act. And they needed to do it soon. Otherwise, otherwise there might not be a house standing for Doc to return to.

Gritting her teeth against the heavy, bitter feeling of betrayal she finally placed her hand on the handle and with another deep breath pushed it down and pushed against the door. This was it. Now there would be no way back. The door didn't move. Locked. Shana narrowed her eyes at the lock, at the metal and then, without allowing herself further time to think she inhaled, ripped the metal apart, leaving a hole in the door where the lock had been.

Near silently the door swung open.

@I think I am here. @Wyndlerunner