Sorana

"Don't worry about being brought down by pain." Leila replied quietly and remained by his side when he sat up, looked around. Sitting back she crossed her legs in front of her on the ground and looked around the place Luna had brought them before turning her attention back to him. "Not if it's a pain like this." Her skin still crawled in memory - to experience this for longer than the blink of an eye- another danger, apart from those hunting them. The energy itself was enough to hurt them given the right circumstances. Her eyes rested on her book for a moment and she wondered what would become of her, if she ended up one of the victims. Would her remains hurt, echo the same way? The thought was unnerving, even more so that nobody would continue with their chronic if she vanished. Not until another took her place and to train a new god wit hthis danger looming ahead of them - better they all stayed alive. Her eyes returned to the cave-like structure, around them. "Fascinating." She whispered and found herself smiling. What a beautiful twist. Teleported away from the field of pain to regroup and form a plan. Plan how to stop, how to possibly kill humans. Uneasy she opened her book again and reread the last sentences, the last pages. She didn't really dislike humans, they were so short lived and their creations were fascinating. Usually she tried to help them along, to inspire those trying hard and to collect and preserve their creations. But in the end - what happened was awful, terrifying and if they acted slow, merciful, they would all die sooner or later. It wasn't like they had a choice and she didn't value their creations enough to change her mind. They had to act. Quickly and strong. The moment you showed weakness you were as good as dead. She lifted a hand and a scroll unfolded itself in the air behind her. Letters appeared on it, when she had it show her thoughts. Find those held captive Ensure this never happens again She didn't say anything, instead she looked over at Caeli, waited for her to speak. If Balhaan though it important it was, and while time was important, especially considering those in captivity, they had to take the time to collect themselves and form a good plan. And so she could wait until Caeli had spoken, and then maybe then would be a good moment to start planning. They would help nobody if they rushed into a trap and got themselves imprisoned as well. @ZincAboutIt @Nathrangking @Dr. Dapper

"I don't know." Sagitta frowned. "Price maybe would, but how am I supposed to know?" She made a vague gesture with her hands. "Like I said they influenced my memories and they didn't leave their signature." She remembered the way Price had looked at her, how he had tried to protect her, to save her and sudenly she wished that he was here. He would know what to do, what to say, how to behave. She was the wrong one for this situation, the wrong one to deal with it. Shaking her head remained sitting, although she wanted nothing more than to get out of this house and back to things she understood. "And I don't know who Tion is. Maybe I knew, but if that was the case I forgot."

Althea inclined her head towards the DA representative. "Then I will leave this cave to you." She said calmly before turning around and walking towards the exit. It felt strange to leave it all behind for the DA to use, but then - it had been the best possible option, by far. And if ACE were worried about it - well, let them bargain with the DA on their own. She wouldn't mind them receiving their share, but she wouldn't be the one to bargain on their behalf. I agree. I would like to capture a few more of these animals. She replied to Max before turning her attention to Wes. Quickly she wrote down a name and offered him the slip of paper. "If you really want to take a look at another department, call my assistant and tell her, I sent you. She will take care of everything else." A tiny smile touched her lips, nearly invisible despite the slight softening of her face. "And if you don't want to, then you can always stay where you are." Do you have any plans what to do now? She resumed talking to Max. Do you want to take a look around the cave?

I'm glad this is back!

Leila remained calm while Caeli's temper surged and then ebbed again, quietly admiring the passion behind her words and gestures. Passion was a beautiful thing. It was strong, so strong that it alone had the potential for another chapter to start. And yet, despite the beauty unfolding itself in front of her eyes she could feel the worry coming along with it. Their weaknesses. They had found their weaknesses and destroyed them and when they couldn't they had decided to hold them in captivity until they discovered their weak spot. It was a silent worry, but it was strong, a silent terror wrapping itself around her. If they had a way to find out, a way to catch them, then they all were in great danger. "I doubt that talking to them will really change something." She added her own opinion and made a vague gesture with her right hand. It rarely did over the course of humanity. And these, whoever did this, they sounded like fanatics. Whatever it was that they were looking for, power, control - to divert them from their path would be difficult. "But we can leave them a message, a warning, maybe a few words once we freed those belonging to us." Words were the pillar or everything, they were what shaped the world, what shaped the actions of those living upon it. She added another sentence to her current chapter, made sure she highlighted Caeli's wonderful outburst and the gentle way Sangus proposed. It would be important to remember. For all of them. "There is often folly in the things that..." She looked up when Balhaan spoke again, curious to hear what he wanted to add, but instead he dropped to the ground. Book vanishing Leila dropped to her knees next to him, reached out for his shoulder despite the spasms rocking his body. "Balhaan." She adressed him softly. "What is wrong, dear friend?" She spoke the words quietly, but they were strong and she felt their power vibrating in the air around them. Pain, agony. Her eyes glazed over when it raced through her for less than a heartbeat, only the fracture of a breath. He was a god, she had no power over him and his, unless he willed it. But for now the short impression was enough. "It will disappear." She annouced, wordlessly offering him her strength to take if he willed so. @Nathrangking

Mike observed Xanas as he adjusted the dials, his back rigid as he looked back down towards the shelf now and then. Nothing, there was nothing there. He strained his eyes, left Xanas to his work for the moment and tried to see if he could see anything, make out some movement, but still, nothing changed. Frustration grew, followed by fear. He brushed his hand over his arm, no scales, no fur. Only his own skin, marred by a few scars. And yet, it had been there. He knew that it had, he had seen it. He had seen it with his own eyes. He turned back to Xanas, careful to keep his back to a wall in case the thing returned and forced a smile on his face. It was no option to leave the motivators on the table, instead he reached out for them, took them in his hands. They were cool to his touch and he was about to pull them over his hands when something Xanas had said registered. "A gifter?" He asked quietly, his eyes flickering down to his chest. "Do you mean I can give them away? Be alone?" Fox, Snake, if it worked, if he really could gift them to someone else, then he was free. They wouldn't fight for control anymore, wouldn't try to claw their ways into his mind, wouldn't kill each other. He would be free and his life, his soul, they would finally be his own again. Hope blossomed in his chest so strong that he could barely contain it, could barely hold himself back from slipping the motivators on and give them a try right here and now. But he couldn't. Who was he supposed to try them out with? Xanas? The slithering shadow? And yet - if it was true, really true, then he could go back. He could apologize to his superiours, see if they were willing to forgive him. He could maybe look for Bella, see if he could mend that rift and he could go drinking with Wes, spend some time with his friend. And all of that, because of Xanas. Mike found himself smiling at the man, a small shy smile that came naturally to his face while he waited for his reply. Maybe he was right. Maybe for once he had met someone who really only wanted to help him.

A war unlike any that has taken place in millenia. Leila hurriedly flipped her book to a new page, let history write itself for a moment and started to write notes. Her smile vanished when she took in his words, knew that unlike the younger gods, when he said millenia, he was refering to the same amount of years as she did. She watched him take off, somehow relieved that somethings hadn't changed, that he still had his energy, his drive to do something. He was a force she could count on, one of the few who had watched civilizations rise and fall with. Mortals hunting gods, a new pantheon, these news alone were worth a tale, a new chapter. A dangerous story whose first pages weren't even completed. Of course she would go. She had to. There was no way, to leave him alone. She reached out for the arrow, grateful for a quick way to follow him. Her own paths were longer, twisted and rarely tended to lead her to a single, defined location. The arrow changed in her hand when she send a little bit of power inside and the familiar turmoil of war wrapped itself around her. Blood heated by battle, bodies shaking in fear and terror, the incredible sense of triumph - Leila shot through the air, tightly holding on to her book. Balhaan. She had missed him, geniously missed him. When she approached their location, she could still feel the terror, taste the deed that had left it's trace here. Silently she stepped up, already writing before her feet had touched the ground. There was enough left for her to grasp the strongest impressions, the injuries, the confidence that turned into fear and panic. The way his power and leashed out and then, finally, his end. Only when she had finished writing did she look up into the faces of the others that had gathered here. "I greet you." She said quietly and dipped her quill into a little bottle of ink that floated up at a silent comand of hers. "For those that don't know me. For now you can refer to me as Leila. I am an old friend of Balhaan's." @bees? @ZincAboutIt @Dr. Dapper @Darth Woodrack

Nodding Wita took a step back. It made sense. A part of her recoiled at the thought of taking them out, but he probably was only refering to knocking them out for the moment. "I have no experience with that." She admitted. "I will lead them here and you take care of them?" Without waiting for a reply she walked around the corner, forced herself to focus her thoughts on the task at hand. She hadn't come far when the first man noticed her and she stopped, tried to feign surprise. She wasn't sure if she managed, but it didn't really matter. Hopefully the shadows surrounding them covered most of her face and made it hard to read. "New cleaning staff?" She asked as if she had a good reason to walk up to the tower at this hour and mostly because it was the only thing that came to her mind. The man fully turned towards her and she flinched back at the sight of a gun in his hands. "Intruders." She whirled around and ran back the way she had come, her steps echoing on the paveway. A shot echoed though the night and something touched her arms like a gentle breeze, but she continued to run. After a heartbeat she heard another shot, then a curse and then the fast steps of at least two men running after her. When she neared the corner she didn't slow down, instead silmply ran several steps past her friends, hoping that the men wouldn't notice the trap. @I think I am here.

"Balhaan." Leila smiled at him, glad to see her long-time aquaintance. For a moment she was silent, extended her senses a little. The air was tense, as if shivvering around Balhaan, around this place. She knew that something was coming, or maybe was happening at this very moment. Or maybe nothing worth of writing down would happen. You never knew until you were there, until you saw. Figuratively spoken, it wasn't like she could be everywhere. Or at least not in person. "It's been a while." She looked him over fondly, her smile widening at the memory of how many stories he had helped to create. And here he was again, on time to a meeting. The air tasted like possible history and that alone was reason enough for her to be here. "Did I miss anything vital?" She asked, her voice and face serious while she opened her book and closed her fingers around her quill. Word were covering the pages, more and more appearing the second, without her doing anything. It was one thing she liked about this age. Nearly everybody good read and write and the moment something was written, it belonged to her. "And please, feel free to update me on your way." Excitement leaked into her voice at the thought of a new chapter, or a new tale to be strung and told by the fire late at night. "I don't want my tardiness to keep you."

Mike stared at Xanas, tried to follow the words he spoke, the way he referred to him, the he liked him. He opened his mouth as if to reply and then simply closed it again, unable to condense his thoughts into one sentence, or a row of sentences that made sense. He deserved power because he didn't want to have it? He reminded him of himself. His eyes remained on Xanas, but the man started to ignore him, sat down at his computer and Mike uneasy shifted his weight to another foot. Go and call your friend. He supposed he should do it. When he checked his device he saw that Wes had already contacted him and he found his thumb hovering over the image of his name. Call him. Call him and tell him - Mike grit his teeth, remembered the way Wes had run off. Better not force a call on him now. If he appeared too pushy then Wes would run away again. Leave him. He read through the few words again and then looked up, only to find Xanas had gone left him behind. Surprised Mike paused, hesitantly looked around to see if there were others approaching him, if this was the trap he had been lured into. But so far, it was silent and so he finally touched his finger to Wes name. I'm in the alleys. He typed hastily. Met some strange people and Xanas took me here. That probably wasn't the best description of his situation, but it had to be enough. Would you like to meet later? Once he let me go? If he let him go that was. I am He started another sentence when a soft, rustling sound made him look up, whirl around. Nothing, the air was empty behind him, only the room cast in shadows. Mike slowly put his device away and reached for his daggers, body alert. There. Something moved down below. A long strip of darkness, slithered over the floor, slowly nearing the wall, the shelves. Sweat covered his hands when he looked back at the computer, but still no Xanas. His eyes darted back to the shelf where he had last seen the darkness and he frowned, when the darkness was gone. With a grimace he lifted his daggers, in a defensive posture and then slowly moved until his back was to a wall. Heart beating quickly, his eyes darted around waited for whatever it was to appear again. Seconds seemed to strech into eternity until he finally lowered his daggers again. It was gone. A movement in the corner of his eye made him whirl around and he jumped to the side, instinctively trying to avoid whatever it was. Whilring around he lifted his daggers again, face drawn in concentration only to see Xanas. Awkwardly he straightened and hastily put his weapons aside again, blushing deeply at his reaction. Jumping at shadows. Xanas had to think him a real coward. And yet the memory of that long piece of darkness slithering over the ground, Mike forced a smile on his face to hide the way he was still shaking slightly. @I think I am here.

Leila snapped her book shut and looked up. Meeting right. She had a meeting to go to. Strechting in her stool she closed her eyes for a moment felt around the world, all these bright minds writing and composing. Smiling she chose a random one and gave them a little nudge. Their eyes brightened and they leaned forward, as if struck by an idea. Hopping out of her stool she picked up a huge, old tome and a quill and started to walk towards her door. Her eyes moved over an old scroll, she had discovered it hidden in a tomb only a few days ago and she found herself picking it up, marvelling at the old, forgotten language it was written in. If she left this one for some human to find, it would cause a huge disruption, change what they knew about the ancient society fundamentally. Shaking her head, she carefully placed it in a glass cube, made sure it was well protected and waved it goodbye. You couldn't trust most humans with something like that. They would cut out little parts to try and guess how old it was. Shuddering she finally turned around. No, it was better she kept it here, in her place, her library. Better to keep it away from their prying hands. When she finally neared the meeting place, she somehow suspected that she was late. So incredibly late, that she wasn't even sure if there was anybody still left for reconaissance.

Sagitta paused and then sighed. "The ones I met, some yes, but Tion no." She suppressed a shudder when she recalled the behaviour of the man, god. "Or maybe he's simply a strange person." She added quickly, suddenly unsure if she was the right one to judge whether a god was sane or not. The were gods and she was a soldier. Putting the matter aside she focused on the question. That one was a little easier. "And yes, they used their powers. One of them influenced our memories and they-" she paused, unsure how to phrase what happened. "One moment we were in the wilds between cities and the one next miles away in a city. Me, Price, Zura and the gods that is." Looking down at her hands she sighed before continuing to speak. "The wars are bad, just as they have been the last couple of years."

Mike nodded quickly when he finally understood a part of what Xanas was talking about. So many terms he had never heard or maybe never cared to learn about, there was no way to distinguish between them now. But in the end two messages were clear. If he wanted to reach out for Wes he needed Xanas help and the man was indeed offering him power. Mike tried to understand enough of the part inbetween to look for a catch for anything that might lure him into a trap and swallow him whole. But there was none. At least none he could see. "So..." he started and then lifted his device again. "Let's start with that one." It was the harmless part, and it also diverted his thoughts from the other one. A motivator. "But why?" he blurted out. "Why would you give me a motivator, why give me these?" his hand closed around the medallions. "I know you said, you want to help, but if you do, why me and why-" his fingers brushed over his spikes again. If he only wanted to help, why did he belong to these monsters that did nothing but ruin other people's lives. @18th Shard

Unvoluntarily your eyes move over his body again, look for scars, for any obvious signs of the process. There aren't any. You need a moment to place his answer, it makes no sense at first, seems like he simply hung it in the air for nothing. Only then do you realize that maybe, maybe he told you this because you are missing some small detail, a little piece of information that makes it impossible to see the whole picture. Exhaling you finally take your eyes away from him, remember the beautiful skin of his body from when he changed. There no scars. None, but the one he has on his shoulder. "They did a good job then." you reply, your voice even again, calm and sure. You like it when your voice sounds like that, it makes it seem as if you actually were in control. But you aren't and you have no idea what to make of this change in topic. "I picked you, because you were a bright light in the tavern. Admit all those drowning their sorrows and fears your behaviour spoke of a sharp mind." You fall silent don't add the rest of it. It had been a gamble and you lost it. There is no point to spill that part as well. Slowly you walk over to him, close the distance until you can easily reach him with your hand. "You wear that body well Sloane. It suits you. A beautiful body, for a beautiful soul."

Surprised Wita turned her head to him, pausing close to the corner. She nodded, but there was nothing but the strip of light and the soft murmor of the wind. Still she trusted Marcel, believed that he would know, that he wouldn't stop her for no reason and so she smiled at him. "I can show them my pebble?" She offered, because it was a beautiful pebbly. Maybe they wanted to take a look at it and then Marcel could take over, get rid of them. Hesitating she turned around her axis, looked around at the dark night. The horizon was already turning a dark grey. Dawn was coming. Slowly but as sure as it came daily. She liked to sit outside and watch how the sky changed it colors over the course of hours, how it started dark and then turned grey, finally a light blue until it sometimes turned a vibrant mixture of red and orange and yellow. She took a breath and eased on her storing, cleared her mind, an uneasy smile on her face. "We've got about an hour till sunrise." She stated, her voice low. "Can you take on two? Otherwise we maybe could cause a distraction outside and then slip into the tower while they are preoccupied."

Attayl didn't move when Nerin beckoned her back, although she hunched up her shoulders a little more. She wished that Brillin were here, that she wasn't alone with the two of them, with the stares and the gestures. She'd seen it often enough to know what it meant, knew that Nerin had made her decision already. And Lance, Lance would destroy her. He was just like everybody else. All masks and faces, parading around never looking at those twice he didn't think he could use. She was nothing but a whore to him, and maybe that was the only reason she was still alive. Her fingers closed around the counter, tight, so tight that it nearly hurt while she forced herself to stay where she was. She would return to the table on her own terms, when she thought it right. Not when she was commanded to do so. Waiting she found herself gritting her teeth after a while, wishing that something would happen, that one of them got up and did something. I'm not a whore anymore. She told herself, repeated the words again and again. I can be more than that. She had to. If she didn't, if she stayed. Then she would end up like one of those young, burnt out women begging in the streets. Bodies used up, faces painted with cheap make up. Not young enough to entertain the rich ones anymore. Just good enough for everybody else. I'm not a whore anymore. She repeated although the words felt stale, nor did she straighten up to really face them.

Shana watched Rob attack and started to move herself. He'd targeted the woman and so she turned away from her, her eyes moving towards a man walking towards them. He was carrying something ressembling a sword in his left hand and she didn't take the time to try to identify it. Instead she started to move. Behind her a cry of pain carried through the house, probably the woman, although she doubted that she was out of the game by a single hit. Then she concentrated on her own enemy. Glad that she and Rob had trained to fight empty handed Shana inhaled stormlight, let it propell her on, her movements faster and quicker than before. She wasn't as good without a weapon as she was using one, but there was no changing that now. Instead she delivered a blow to the man's side, barely avoiding the blade flickering out in her direction. Shana found herself grinning at him, taking another step, as he was her partner at a dance.

Attayl watched Nerin for a moment and then silently got up. She knew she'd overstepped had known the moment she had spoken but in the end. Lance was right. It wasn't her place, it wasn't her decision. She headed over to the bar, drowned the remaining whiskey in her glass and then set to clean it. There were obviously secrets in the room, secrets she wasn't part of and so she simply looked at the glass for a moment, contemplated their words. Words about fighting, about the need to fight. But there was no need. They only needed to make sure that everybody knew who the parlor belonged to and everything would be fine. Unless... unless Lance used the parlor to get rid of the gang, for whatever reasons he had. Nerin knew, and she was expected to be quiet, nice and polite and behave. Just like she always had been. Attayl turned the glass around in her fingers, not looking away from them. She had thought Nerin a friend, someone she could rely on, someone she could maybe help. But in the end here she was again, nothing more but a tool, expected to do whatever it was told. You didn't fight the gangs. You just didn't. It was suicide. If this was a tale, then she would kneel down in front of Nerin, offer her life for hers, follow her into the fight blindly and without knowing what was going on. Her fingers tightened around the glass and she grit her teeth. This was no tale. And for once, she wanted to decide what happened to her, to her body. She would stand by Nerin's side, but she would do it as an equal,or not at all. "I won't do anything until I know what is going on." She stated quietly, instinctively lifter her shoulders to prepare for the blow that would come, that had to come. You didn't defy. You just didn't. And she'd just done it the second time within minutes. "I'm not stupid. I know that there is more than you let on."

The woman tilted her head back and laughed. "You poor little mice. Had no idea who she was, had you?" She wiped an imaginary tear from her eyes and then shrugged. "Fascinating. And here I was, hoping that you have some answers for us." She reached around a corner and retrieved a sword that obviously had been placed there for her to reach it easily. Lifting her voice she called out into the house, although the other Voidbringers near to the door drew weapons the moment she did. "The mice are here and ready to be dispersed of."

Attayl had looked up when Lance entered the room, but she kept quiet until Nerin had arrived as well, and they were all sitting together at the table. Wordlessly she stood up and fetched more glasses as well as a bottle, and deliberatetly placed them on the table between them. "What do you expect?" She asked Lance while she poured him a drink. "That I start crying at the sight of a bloody head?" She rested her eyes on him, for once not looking away. She had cowered her whole life had served those in power only to stay a life and here, in this moment she found herself looking up. "Do you really think you idea is so original that nobody ever did it before?" Sitting down again she lifted her own glass and took a sip, taking her time. Her eyes never left his face and she found iritation dripping into her voice. "You can stop playing your game." She informed him, growing tired of his parading around. "I know how this works. You need to maintain your facade in front of the others. You'll stay here for a while, make sure everybody on the streets will know. Throw a little flirting into the mix, preferably with a happy end as that will give you some more leverage." Her hand flicked out towards the door. "The head as a symbol of power, same as the paint you leave on the walls around the place. You need to establish yourself as protector, need to demonstrate that you are the stronger horse around, or the others will prey on you." She took another sip, the alcohol warming her insides. "Stay here for a while if you need it for your presentation, but then you can leave. You were the one who dragged us into this conflict, don't try to be the benevolent guy that helps us out now." She could leave if she wanted to. Her ties were cut. She could leave this place behind, leave it all behind. Later. Once she made sure that Nerin was safe. Leaning forward she put her mouth close to his ear, lowered her voice until it was barely a whisper. "And if you hurt her, instrumentalize her, I will hang you up from your intestines." @Invocation

Temeria flinched the light surged towards her. Instinctively she lifted her hand, shifted her feet and readied herself to defend her life. Her arm passed uselessly through the light as it flowed towards her and she could only stare, fear spiking for a short moment when she wasn't able to keep up, to really understand what was happening. "Radiant." She heard the spren crackle in what could be a happy way, but she wasn't entirely sure. Her eyes darted towards its face, as the light covered her for a moment, touched her skin and then moved on, into her body. When she saw it's grin she calmed, somehow knew that it was right, that it was good. She felt strong and glorious, better than she had in years. Aches she barely noticed anymore seemed to vanish under the storm that rushed through her and it took her a moment to realize that she was laughing. Her hands still held on to the spren, but she tightened her grip a little, the fear that it would leave her behind gone. It would stay. She knew it, knew it with every inch of her body. It would stay. Her own little friend. A soft glow covered her skin, but she could already feel the wave of light pass over her, its effects subsiding. Something had changed, fundamentally changed, although she couldn't really place her finger on it. It was just - something. Awed she looked at the spren only now noticing the changes in its figure. It look incredibly close to human now, it's face defined, it's figure shaped like a little man. "What is your name?" she asked it, lifting it up a little to be able to better see its face.