Fantasy Ain't No Rest for the Wicked Pt. 2

[Aridis]

Blair didn’t look at Abel as he wandered off. Remembering had nothing to do with her current fear. Whether she had her abilities before the amnesia struck or not, she was aware of the consequences going forward. For a moment, she thought about being honest. The Horsemen already learned about her ability to see spirits, so anything more probably wouldn’t be too shocking for them. They might even find a use for her other powers.

The problem came with how much she could trust them. While they had been traveling together for awhile with no active hostility, as far as she was concerned she was still riding with the title of “Hostage.” They had yet to run into any Virtues, so she didn’t know how the scenario would play out when they did. Everyone had been tolerant of her so far, if not outright kind, but how long would that last? Would it be worth it to keep a trick under her sleeve just in case things went south? Would the secrecy be enough to ensure her survival?

She pushed the thoughts down for the time being. There would be plenty of time to think when they were back on the road. Blair finished packing her things and went out of the cathedral to grab Dolly. Unlike Stepper, her mare wasn’t so bonded to her that she’d come running with just a whistle. The poor horse was skittish from the ghoul ordeal, too. It was a miracle that she hadn’t run off during the battle. Fortunately, all it took was a few snacks and some soothing words to calm her down again. Dolly was still anxious, but she was tolerant enough for Blair to throw on her saddle.

The thought of bolting while everyone was distracted crossed her mind, but only for a moment. If Connor was still set on keeping her around, she wouldn’t get far even with a head start. Blair remembered how fast Stepper moved from their first encounter.

Wanting to be a little helpful, Blair then went after Sisceal’s horse. His steed seemed to be just as mythical as him, if not more, so she wasn‘t exactly sure how to interact with it. But damn, she was going to try. Blair had one more apple in her bag, which she offered to his horse with careful movements. “I know I’m not your rider, but he’s a little worse for wear at the moment. I’d like to help him a little, if I can. Would you be kind enough to let me saddle you for today?“

Would simply talking to a fae horse work? Fuck if she knew, but it was worth a shot.

 

[Axeykins]

The beast eyed her carefully. He was a gigantic steed of glossy pitch black with an unkempt curly mane. It was clear this thing barely let it's own thief of rider take care of it properly beyond basic necessities. It was a miracle alone that he let Blair approach him. Listening to her words intently. Perhaps he was afraid of what her touch could do after being so close to the ghoul incident? Though nothing special intelligence wise for a horse he still sensed full well what she could do and was not trained to go against this one. He was only trained to be antagonistic against the white haired man with the weird eyes.

Sisceal took this chance of Stryker being still and at ease to toss his saddle up on the creature haphazardly. With an uncomfortably long struggle and a pained moan he tossed himself up onto the thing as well. Immediately having to lean against the horse's neck in agony for a while but he was up on it. The tall priest looked terribly small atop his mismatched steed and crumpled into a ball. "I am not that- Gods' damned helpless." His words hitched a moment as he battled pain. "If y'all want to move now I'll move now. Just keep me from fallin off this damned thing and we'll be fine for a while. I can rest on top a him and he'll follow that's one thing I can promise. Brute as he is he doesn't like being left to the wilds. It'll be enough until we get to the next refuge."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oiy! Old man you think we can cut em off at a pass? Or can you do anythin' to get us ahead?" Thea called out to the wagon she knew was following close behind her. At this point she didn't even have to look. She knew full well with her deal and how her patron was he was always going to be close. "You know I want to get to him first. Test out some of the new toys you've been working on and the damage they can do. If they don't kill 'im now then we got work to do." Her tone was full of venom as she pressed her horse to go faster. Not a soul was going to take the sweet cold sting of iron and steel of revenge from her.

 

[Worthlessplebian]

The moon peered down at the Horsemen and Hostage with graven judgement, a bright jewel amidst the sea of inky blackness. Abel turned, crossing his arms as his lambent eyes picked out the ruination of the abandoned Church, the gray, dust-riddled rubble littering the entrance and interior. It sent a surge of disappointment through him. An emotion he so seldom felt, but it pricked at the edges of his mind nonetheless now. He tilted his head up, yellow eyes shut tight in the hard shadows of his face, letting the cold night air within his lungs at last. The mephitic rot of Julian's ghoulish remains so potent they poisoned the very air within the holy house — Abel's own efforts surely souring matters further, but the comfort is that he is inured to his own dreaded miasma.

Abel cast a glance over his shoulder as Connor accepted his suggestion to traverse then recline in the midst of nature's stronghold. It is an outre decision, Abel allows, but one that obfuscates by virtue of expansiveness. Blair came into view and Abel followed her with his eyes as she moved, belongings draped on her back. Her legs shifted unnaturally as though the bones beneath her baleful pale skin had been pulverised. Abel imagined a faint crunching sound as she stepped, the thought irritatingly reminding him of the pain washing through his limbs and chest like a rushing, river of roaring fire. The palliative balm of his adrenaline receded entirely, leaving Abel moored in ache.

The Horseman of Plague shouldered his kitbag, he clapped once and whistled through the cloth that rested on his features. The sounds of equine hooves thumping and clacking against the raw, grassy dirt became apparent, overtaking the hissing wind, coming up over the hill. Stert, Abel's steadfast steed, approached. Bowing its head in subtle, animalistic relief, the horse stomped once proudly. Abel lifted his gloved hand, caressing the well-kept mane. Abel uttered softly to his companion, the searing yellows of his eyes dragged to Stryker's reluctance of Blair's touch. A puzzle with no certain answer; was it an innate fear of Blair or the decaying presence of the ghoul that lingered over them like a noxious pall of black smoke.

Abel's breathing rasped against his throat, he mounts his horse and twists the reins. "You've my word, Sisceal." Abel promised, voice possessed of a glacial coldness that found its home within his chords once again.

Deeper into the nocturne's dark embrace, the moon's blaring glare barely visible through the tree cover, their forms muddied by the lengthening shadows of leaved branches. Hidden from the pale disk of moonlight, the Horsemen established a camp within a cramped clearing, trees towering above their heads. As the rest prepared the site, Abel moved with his hand splayed to the ground, describing a circle around them and their horses. A deep, faintly green gas loosed from the palm of the Horseman. The gas lingered, slowly rising up as Abel then paced to the centre, raising his arms up. He brought his arms down in a swift, snapping motion, dispersing the gaseous walls far from their camp, painting the terrain around them. "There, that'll ward off the animals. It'll leave no trace of mana as well. And anyone else'll want to steer clear of the nostril-burning stench." Abel remarked, sitting down on a craggy, cold rock. "Did any of the crackers survive?"

 

[Karcen]

Abigail did more than just gather her stuff when she entered to church before leaving. She was not as kind as others while she might not seem it she did think she might be the most vicious against those that annoyed or wronged her. She wanted to plant a few traps and tricks that might slow people down or kill them. Abigail took some of the blackened wood from the cooking fire and used it like chalk. she drew the sign of her patron known as the yellow sign in a few spots. The yellow sign was like a sickness when you saw it , it wormed it's way into your mind and caused obsession and madness. It took time to work, but it was a good way to deal with people you couldn't go after directly. Abigail didn't just put them in the open but rather decided to hide them about to make it look like she was trying to keep something else hidden. Abigail then wove illusions over the signs hiding places to make it seem even more like she was trying to hide something and not setting a trap. she made sure these were were just convincing enough to make it look like she tried, but not enough that they would actually go undetected. Abigail also decided to weave another spell though this one would be more stubble to deal with any tracking on the group. She knew the general direction the children of Yig the venomous serpents might be congregating at. She wanted to send their hunters out after the snakes and if they killed any their father would be very much angered. The illusion was one that would cling to the senses and make whatever senses they used to track them say they needed to head in the way Abigail guessed the snakes would be forming their mating balls.

With her tricks set up Abigail got her stuff and called her horse that wasn't really a horse and followed the others. The camp that Abel made did make Abigail worry it might be showy, but his power had kept him alive so far so she didn't think it would draw to much unwanted attention. Still places with no animals were more suspect than those with them. Abigail could weave an illusion to help keep people lost, but she had already set up to much at the church and if anyone had followed them they would be expecting an illusion. Right now it was better to let them waste time looking for traps that didn't exit. " Hopefully the virtures are more set on getting us than they are caution i could use a bit of sleep" Abigail said not mentioning the tricks she had left for their pursuers, though the others minus Blair would likely know she would leave such things.

 

[Soviet Panda]

Connor could not be more relieved at Abigail's and Abel's work. He could not be certain it would work, and if it did it might not work perfectly, but it was better than nothing. And when Abel requested some crackers, Connor was more than happy to check through his saddle bag. He found some hardtack, though thoroughly crushed by now, and threw them to the Horseman of Plague. "Hope you don't mind it being a little crushed," he said jokingly as the bag arched through the air. "I'm looking forward to some sleep to, Abigail. Might not be comfortable, but it'll do."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I'm not that old," called out a gruff voice from the wagon as it impossibly pulled closer, revealing the mule to be seemingly made of metal and clicking rhythmically with it's every move. The driver of this wagon was also shown to be a man of somewhat diminutive stature, though making up for it in bulk and long salt and pepper hair and beard neatly tied in place. And though he was annoyed with Thea's tone of voice, he still pulled out his compass. The needle was spinning wildly, but lingered in a general direction.

"Hm, they're trying to hide. My compass isn't calibrated to get through whatever they've put up but it'll set us on the right path. I think."

 

[Aridis]

"You know best, I suppose." When Sisceal came grumbling about his usefulness, Blair just stepped back with a shrug. She tried. And if her efforts made things even a little bit easier, or at least not more difficult, that was good enough. She walked back over to her own horse and hopped onto the saddle, then followed the rest to their next destination.

Blair wished that she could say that the trip was blissfully uneventful, but her own brain sabotaged that. After the ghoul incident, her paranoia shot up. She could now look around a little more freely without risking exposure. She kept a closer eye on their surroundings this time around, paying special attention to any glowing movement that signified a soul was nearby. Just about all that she could see were only natural inhabitants of the desert. Nothing ghoulish, nothing particularly ghost-like or threatening. Most importantly, nothing that made her skin crawl just by being in the general vicinity. Even so, she couldn't get herself to truly relax until they actually made camp.

It didn't help that her hip kept clicking every time Dolly took a step. For a while, she could ignore it, as it didn't actually cause her any pain. However, the constant clicking and grating against bone was getting awfully annoying. The fact that nothing was actually hurting prevented her from linking the sensation to any serious injury. The fall from earlier probably just knocked her leg a weird way, and it would sort itself out when she could get proper rest and not move for a few hours. Until then, she had to tolerate the irritating clicking.

When they finally settled down the second time, Blair was quick to hop off of Dolly. Unlike in the chapel, this time she chose her spot based off of what was most convenient, instead of the most protected. There was no starving revenant around this time to hunt her. All the same, as soon as the camp was properly set up, she sat herself down in her own little area and stayed put.

 

[Axeykins]

Sisceal was slumped over most the ride to their next resting spot. Wrapping the reins around his wrists to keep more firmly in place as he laid himself out over the horse. Thankfully it was an unnaturally gigantic beast, highlighting further he was definitely not the original owner of him. The damn beast acted like it as well. If not for the eye of his companions and the creature's fear of being alone in the wilds, he'd be flat on his back in a heartbeat.
The moments he was passed out the various cuts and bruises started disappearing from his flesh until it was as though they never existed. His skin weaving and sealing itself back together right before any curious eyes. Broken bones made sickening pops and snaps as they worked themselves back into place.

Fortunately by the time they were starting to settle in he wasn't entirely patched up but well enough to look youthful once more and walk around with only a slight old man gait. "Crushed tack all we really got? No jerky at least or at least another can of beans?" He rubbed his gut disappointed for their loss back at the cathedral. Making himself a cozy little spot to curl up in near the fire. "Bit of seeds and I can grow us something fresh. I've got the juice left for it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A direction is all I need." Her white hair flared up into blue and green flames as her horse blazed on even faster. Keeping an eye on which way her dwarven patron was aiming them. She was itchin for this moment. It was so close she could almost taste it.
Soon enough you could say she could almost smell it. A foul odor emanated from a grove they were about to go through. Something she'd never encountered before. The young woman slowed her pace greatly and stared out into it. It felt off. "What's that contraption of yours say about this place? I still don't have the hang of sensing other types of weird magics or forces. Something doesn't feel right about it though. Makes me think we're close"

 

[Worthlessplebian]

In the darkened grove, hidden from the moon's blaring glare, the harsh, cold wind willowed through the camp. For a moment, Abel imagined a sensation playing to him, carried by the gentle hands of the chilling gust. The biting wind passed again. Abel looked about, blinking the harsh, yellow orbs. Amber embers and the crackling ripple of the campfire caught his attention, before the wind died down to a soft sigh as if it imparted intimations of a danger perilously close to their reprieve. The Horseman of Plague clenched his hand, shifting slightly on his rock. He said nothing, not now, not until he was certain.

Then he heard a crumpling sound. Though he had not been glancing in Connor's direction, with reflexes that would've stunned most duelists, Abel's hand had shot out and caught the bag of hardtack. The crumbled feeling beneath his fingers had not been promising. Snapping open the receptacle, Abel's expression impassive in the darkness, but his gleaming, yellow eyes furrowed at the sight. He doffed one glove, reaching within, he cupped a handful of the pulverised crackers then lifting the hand through the obscura-haunting his face.

Abel sighed and shook his hand of the crumbs. "I know." Abel replied, voice firm, even, cold. Sisceal's outre abilities have proven indispensable in the past, but now, no value can be gleaned without the proper furnishings for them flourish. "I'll hunt. Get us something to eat. Find some water too, make it potable. It'll hold us over until we can restock properly, whether by town or nature can be decided later."

He shifted again, rolling his shoulders and inspecting the wrapped wound on his arm. "By the way, hone your guard. I suspect we're not at the end of our troubles for this evening. And the Night is young." Abel cautioned.

 

[Karcen]

" not my problem I can actully stay in cities" Abigail shot back though her tine did say she was joking. Though yeah she was more used to hotels than camps. She needed plenty of people for the king, and cults tended to be easier to find in cities.

Abigail looked to Blair she had apprently known how to deal with the ghoul so she had some ability. The question was what was it and who from. If it was a learned skill then she wouldn't just do it naturally. Abigail was curious and noticed a good excuse to talk with her.

" nice spot you found here though I doubt you want to share " Abigail said though she moved in regardless until she passed Blair and to the small hole near her. A snake hole where likely some serpent was waiting fir the big things outside to stop moving so it could leave.

Abigail weaved her spell and made a hissing sound which was just for effect. The snake a rattle snake under her charm cane up and moved up onto her outstretched hand.

" want to pet it, just don't hurt it children of yig are vest not harmed during their seasons ?" Abigail asked holding her snake covered hand out to the other girl.

 

[Soviet Panda]

"This 'contraption' doesn't say a damn thing. I designed it to point to what you wanted, and pointing it's doing." As they came to a stop, the mechanical mule even now prancing in place with the rhythmic click of it's joints, the dwarf paused to grumble, peer, and even give the device a good slap against the palm of his hand. "We are either very close. Or, as I think more likely, he's on a different plane, possibly dead. But, I so very much doubt the latter. If you'd give me a damn moment to make some adjustments, I'll give you a better answer. Go look around, find some water, something to eat, I don't care. Just leave me be until it is done."

Getting up from his place as the driver of the wagon, and still annoyedly grumbling about his device needing to be adjusted further, he disappears into his workshop. Not long after, the red light of a fire is seen within it's impossible depths and a faint trail of smoke emits from the stack before a loud bang and several curses erupted from within before returning once more to silence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Whatever's out there, can go fuck itself." Connor said bluntly to Abel as the Horseman of Pestilence inspected his wounds. For his part, Connor could feel the bruises forming on his body where Sisceal hadn't bothered to fix him up completely. In a couple hours, he knew that he would be very sore. On top of that, they were dangerously low on food, and he could feel his stomach protesting at the thought of a night without food after having coming so close. Alas, what was he to do?

"Keep an eye on things, Abel. Make sure Abigail doesn't make our little ghost seer join any cults. I'm going out to see what I can rustle up." Contrary to what most would expect, Connor could be very quite when he wanted to be, and so slipped out of the camp with one of his revolvers and his trusty knife in search of some protein. He very much didn't want to be to loud, but with all the trees around the sound of his revolver should be muffled well enough for anything following to hear.

 

[Aridis]

Any minimal ease of mind that she had was graciously dismissed by Abel's warning. Of course, they couldn't just rest. Of course, something else was likely to come after them before the sun rose. They could hope that the thought was just paranoia, but it was best to not let their guards down regardless.

Blair was so focused on their surroundings, that she didn't process that Abigail was intentionally headed in her direction until the woman spoke up. And immediately, she was hit with confusion and wariness. Was the Horseman just being friendly, or had she done something to draw attention to herself? In a moment of doubt, Blair ran over every little interaction and movement to try to remember if she had done anything suspicious in the last few hours. Nothing came to mind, other than the whole fiasco at the church. "I'm not in the habit of being territorial, if you wanted it."

She didn't flinch when the rattlesnake was presented to her, despite the serpent being venomous. Abigail's actions just added several new layers of confusion, however. Not knowing how else to react, Blair caved and did reach for the snake. She first double checked to make sure that her gloves were secure, so that she didn't accidentally hurt the poor creature. Her movements were slow and deliberate, so as not to scare it. "If it's alright, sure."

 

[Axeykins]

Thea let loose a very loud irritated grumble. "I ain't got a moment if he's plane jumping or already dying! Just use that damned thing to come find me if I get lost in there. I know you ain't leaving without me we or letting me die in there. We got a deal that both of us need paid off. I plan on using the flames you gave me to find him one way or another just watch. Bet you ain't seen something like this before with em." She was as stubborn as the father she went on about despising so much. The impatient girl hiked up her shotgun over her shoulder and headed in without another word. She knew some tracking secrets from her grandpapa. With a touch of her own magics of course to send up a flaming bird high enough to see silhouettes in this strange fog it'd be a challenge, but one she was willing to take on. Keeping low to the ground to avoid making too much noise she crept along slowly and silently.


"Well. While you two are off gathering something to keep our bellies filled and Abby is um, making friends to show our guest, I gotta go see a man about a horse" One painful spine popping stretch and the priest was up off the ground again. Hobbling outside of the boundaries of the camp. He wasn't going far, just deep enough into the protective area to have a little privacy.


Lot of familiar creatures. Deer, rabbits, boar, all unmistakeable shapes even in this mess. Then a bit farther ahead a weird bright spot. Two odd blobs she didn't recognize on the move going deeper in away from it, one on the move near the edge of the bright area, two in one place dead center of it. Weird enough to check out if she could. Hopefully it would be a clearing for a break from the stench that followed the deeper she went. A bandana across the face hardly even blocked it.
Damn it all. She couldn't bring her bird down too far or it became as blinded as she was crawling through it. She was starting to hope that her patron would be able to actually find her in it. Was he handy enough for that? She couldn't tell how long she had even been in there. Minutes? Hours? The blobs were moving at normal speeds but that could all have been an illusion.

Then she saw it, the unmistakable faint glimmer of fairy shite not too far ahead, caught out the corner of her bird's eyes. Might be a chance might not but she was itching to see if it was him. He always had that following him around since she was in nappies so it was worth taking the chance on it. Even if she didn't have the right bullets from her patron yet she could do some damage, keep em in one place.
A snap of her fingers and the bird gave out a loud shriek in the direction it was hovering over. Gun at the ready she shuffled forward quickly and quietly. Her heart pounding as a faint figure grew in the darkness. Raising the gun up to her shoulder she stared down the sights, aiming to what she assumed was a head. She swore she could see that damnable hair color they shared at this distance.
A few feet closer and features of a face started to appear. Thea still couldn't tell for sure and didn't care to be sure. All she needed was glint of the whites in their eyes as she pulled that trigger.


"Abby?" Sisceal hardly had time to react to the shrieking of a freakish bird overhead before catching a mere glimpse of a white haired woman. He had even less time before catching a load of buckshot directly to the face that sent him right back into camp.


"Dammnit." Thea looked down at him disappointed as she loaded another shell in. "Shoulda waited like he told me to if I woulda known it was really you this time. Least I got here first."

 

[Worthlessplebian]

A sudden silence fell on them as Connor ventured away from the warm, soft glow of the campfire. It was a blessed comfort. Abel breathed, letting the cold of the night's wind quench the fire in his lungs. A small part of his mind wanted to recline, to loose the tension that wound his muscles like a taut rope, but he could not afford it, not now at least. If he was alone, with nothing but the pale disk in the sky and the winnowing wind at his back, then he could have rested. His obligations meant otherwise.

Instead, for a moment, he inclined his head to the night sky, dominated by the jagged stars, allowing the moon to pick out his angular features, once obscured in darkness. His eyes closed, shut loosely. A soft breath was loosened from his lungs. The silence was broken by the cawing of a raptor circling above, throwing a faint, shimmering shadow as it passed by the clearing's opening. The horseman's eyes snapped open and he surged forward.

Abel, however, realised what happened a second too late. A shotgun blast resounded, following the death knell that was the bird's ululating shriek, it rang throughout the camp. The weapon flung Sisceal's body back, deeper into the camp, blowing streams of bright crimson and chunks of pale, fae-meat in his wake.

He snatched the revolver from the holster. The moonlight played across the length of the silver barrel, drawn on the woman as her shotgun clicked shut with a fresh shell. The hard shadows hung heavy again around his face, yellow eyes burning like suns in the night sky, lightless, but infernally hot. His finger already coiled around the trigger, still restrained by the Horseman's discipline. "Drop it." Abel ordered coldly. The very air seemed to still, as though it were choked by a mephitic, malicious, odious presence — the work of a strange consciousness stirred awake.

 

[Karcen]

As soon as the shot went off Abigail was gone to everyone she seemed to have vanished. One moment she held the snake and the next the snake was on the ground and Abigail. in the moments that everyone's attention was on the shot horseman and his shooter she had weaved her spells and even her own allies were being affected by her illusions. Abigail wasn't sure if even a shotgun point blank would keep one of them down, their patrons didn't really like them dead and death was only a minor thing to most of them. Right now the important thing was dealing with the shooter before she decided one of the wasn't enough for her, though it seemed personal.

Even as Abel spoke his order an Abigail appeared next to the woman gun at her head " You should do what he says " she said before another Abigail appeared on the other side of the woman her gun also at the woman's head " I'd hate to shoot a pretty little lady so soon after meeting her " Abigail teased as there wasn't a way to tell which if either of the two abigails was the real one.

 

[Soviet Panda]

Hother was not one to rush things, but being a master craftsman, smith, and everything in-between, it was simple work for him to recalibrate the device to find the wayward father his beneficiary was looking for. Busy admiring his handiwork as he exited his workshop turned wagon, he bumped into something hard and metallic. Looking up, he found himself staring down the barrel of a loaded revolver. "Oh," was all he managed to get out as he jumped in surprise. Patron though he may be, he did not fancy being shot.

"I suggest," the man holding the gun said, "you come with me."

 

[Aridis]

One moment she was being offered a friendly little rattlesnake to pet, the next everything was descending into chaos.

At the sound of the first gunshot, Blair automatically threw herself to the ground to get out of the way of any wayward bullets. The snake that Abigail had dropped landed right in front of her. It shook its tail and threatened to strike her right in the face, but ended up disappearing back into its burrow before it actually made good on the threat. A second later, she finally managed to process what was happening. Sisceal had been shot, Abel and Abigail were both aiming their own weapons at the shooter, and the culprit was a young woman with white hair. It didn't take a genius to put together the fact that this woman was solid flesh and bone, and not just another specter.

With everyone's weapons raised, it was pretty damn obvious who the only non-outlaw in the group was.

Sisceal had boasted about being able to take a bullet to the head a few times in their travels, but seeing it was a completely different beast. With his brains shot everywhere, Blair couldn't help but doubt his claims. He was already weakened from healing everyone, what if he was too tapped to regenerate this time around? His soul still matched the vessel, though. So at least his ghost wasn't wandering off quite yet. Though, the longer she looked back and forth between Sisceal and the current threat, the more she noticed something. There was a glimmer in the way their souls glowed and moved that was similar. One was without the uncomfortable fey influence, and had another attached to it, but the bases were similar enough to catch her attention.

For the time being, Blair kept her mouth shut. It was probably best to let the professionals handle things. She didn't fancy the idea of pissing off another stranger with a gun.

 

[Axeykins]

She cocked her gun again and aimed it down at the man writhing in pain on the ground. A sour look on her face as she was soon surrounded by others and their barrels all aimed at her. "Course you got a posse. Jackass." She spat at him. A bit of her blue green flames flaring up as she turned her attention to who was around her. Her bright green eyes scanning each of them thoroughly assessing if she could take em or not. Or at the least get another shot in. A man mostly covered with burning golden orbs focused on her, flirty sounding woman with white hair kind of like hers and an odd aura about her and a girl giving both her and her paw a good staredown like she was seeing a ghost or somethin. None of them seemed normal though to her great disdain.

Angrily giving Sisceal a kick to the hip area she dropped her weapon to the ground in compliance. Close enough to grab if she needed though, she wasn't going to leave herself that stupidly unarmed. "Least give me another shot at 'im. I don't have the right bullets on me but I want to get it in before that Virtue man and his friends get to all you. Maybe help you drop some dead weight by converting him to a corpse?" She scoffed. "Saw em coming this way and you bein the only ones in this direction tells me they're not on a warpath for no reason. Spectral hounds out and all. Been on one myself for a good while. Finally got close and lo and behold someone was trying to end my old man first. More seriously this time than the usual rumors. Now I don't got a grudge against any of you for runnin, but I can't have that. So if you'd kindly let me get that in I'll leave ya be." Thea offered a polite looking curtsy. Her frustration was ever growing with the delays. Though unfortunate to her she was unawares of the situation her patron was getting into now as well. The young woman was buying time for him to get there as best she could. Her mind racing of how to bribe her way out too if needed. "They're not too far off from here. Lost thanks to some weird happenings but bet you they'll be attempting to regroup and try pinching you in tomorrow if they can. Saw em trying to send out birds too to others so you may want to plan round that with a marked map a your hot spots if you want to see one. I 'borrowed' it."

 

[Worthlessplebian]

Abel's revolver still trained on the mysterious woman squarely on her chest, throwing her a pointed look as she realised her predicament. For a moment, the glare of her teal flames silhouetted her form, leaving nothing but her jade eyes gleaming in the cold, empty night. Her fire roiled away into bare wisps, stolen away by the moaning, frigid wind. The figure resolved itself in the soft, amber glow of their campfire — a woman, plain in height, but animated as though she were a marble statue beneath the moon's blaring, silver gaze. Her alabaster hair hung about her shoulders, dangling chords of quartz. He inclined his head slightly. Her eyes smouldered, turbulent like a burning ocean in an emerald thunderstorm.

Even before she revealed it, her lineage had been obvious. Some children do so resemble their parentage. The Horseman of Plague turned his revolver away, letting it fall beside him. Though the gesture appeared amicable, the threat of sudden reaction still loomed about him, as if his yellow orbs were blinding flashes of lightning covering grim, slate clouds scudding with merciless precision and decisive, detached brutality. "You get two." Abel gestured with his other hand to the splayed body of Sisceal, doubtlessly alive, but writhing in the ruined pain of his misfiring nervous system. Abel cursed the fae-festooned man, muttering darkly.

He approached slowly, the hard dirt crunching beneath his boots, gun still in hand. "I suggest you scramble fast once you're done, you and whoever else is part of your posse," Abel began, he suspected that she hadn't been alone, but keenly aware of people with her proclivities, she likely outpaced her allies in pursuit of her father. Driven by the need to mete out her indignation in full measure. And she would brook no distraction or interference. But he did not know how many, or how close they actually were to them. "the Virtues won't hesitate to simply unleash the fury on whoever is closest to us, as I'm sure you know." His voice rang about the campfire, a chilling sound against the crackle of the fires beside them. "And if he does get up from this, which I've no doubt he will," His head shifted to Sisceal on the ground. "He only has himself to blame."

 

[Karcen]

The girl Thea was very wordy, was sge waiting for something? She wasn't waiting for her father to die as Abigail was sure even death would not hold him with his face patron. She could be buying time for the virtues but no one was that stupid as no way she would be let go. Did she have back up? Well if it was and there was a fight the virtues would be more likely to catch up to them all. It would be a shame to let those bastatds get another cute girl.

The two Abigails on either side of Thea vanished with another appearing back near Blair though it was impossable to tell if this was the real one. Abigail did feel for the girl, deadbeat dad and all, but well she knew what vengence was like and that the moment you got it all you had left was debt. " They want what you do " Abigail said with a smirk " Vegence "

Kill and be killed hate and be hated do violence and have violence done onto you. That was the cycle that it seemed couldn't be broken. Abigail had suffered, and so she made others suffer until somone she hurt came to get her or she defaulted. If she had known what her vengence would cost Abigail honesty was sure she would have still made her pacts. Still there was a bit to much aginst the dad in question. While Abigail didn't really take a super intense interest in the others she had gotten some of his story and well mistakes were made but no one blamed the root cause.

" As much as I like to agree with cute women, which I have to say if we had met sooner you might have found your dad faster, but I do think your missing out on the two people that shaped your deadbeat dad here. " Abigail gestured to the form of the slowly healing horseman " The fairy queen who you should be happy isn't mad about the child of hos infidelity running around " the word infidelity was said almost sarcastically given what the fae folk had claimed him young so no one but them would think he cheated " And the man that strove to make him end his life by his own hand " Abigail shrugged " But hey I'm not you, I would trade away anything for a parent back even if they just ran off " that was more vulnerability than Abigail liked to show. She performed being the crazy scary cultists that thought only of herself and her fun, but well what else did she have to think about?

 

[Soviet Panda]

A small figure stumbled into the light of the fire, followed swiftly by Connor. "Oh, Thea, glad to have found you. Ah, I see you've found your father, but have failed to actually do anything permanent. I think. Anyways, our contract still holds, and I'd assuredly like your assistance in returning me to my cart so I may uphold my end of the bargain."

"Awfully chatty all of a sudden." Connor said as the dwarf spoke his part, who's arms were raised well above his head. "Do we got this all figured out then? Am I shooting him now or later?"

"No no no, there's no need for any shooting. Certainly not me, I'm just a simple craftsman contracted out by my client to make her, her..." he bobs his head back and forth, searching for the words to use, "hunting equipment? Yes, hunting equipment. A slayer of monsters that one, so you should all best watch what you do. No sudden movements, or you'll end up like your erstwhile companion."

 

[Aridis]

Why couldn't a single interaction the horsemen had be normal?

With the threat of being caught by a stray bullet having lowered significantly, Blair finally pushed herself off of the ground. Abel's allowance of "just two" more shots caught her off guard. She had to remind herself once again that technically, Sisceal could survive it. While it wasn't a certified death sentence for the man, each hit was definitely going to hurt like a bitch. Not to mention, it would set him back on healing by a significant amount. Blair wasn't about to jump in physically to save him the pain, but it did seem a little excessive. If it came to some actual shots being fired off, she'd happily stay in the back and far from further injury. "If the Virtues really are that close, though... Won't handicapping him further be detrimental?"

When Connor returned with his own captive, her blood pressure spiked significantly. Once again, she was cursed to see something completely different than everyone else. Whatever Connor had brought back wasn't human. What she saw was difficult to describe, mostly because she couldn't quite focus on it. It's soul--if you could call it that--didn't fit the vessel in the slightest. Just staring at it too long made her eyes cross and her head feel like something was trying to break it from the inside. It was one thing to see the traces of a deal on a mortal soul, it was another to see what that deal attached them to. It was so bad that Blair had to divert her gaze to the ground just to get rid of the terrible pressure inside of her skull.

"I don't think shooting him will work the way you want it to." She warned in a strained voice. "It's er-- I don't think he's quite human."

 

[Worthlessplebian]

Abel's head shifted, throwing his hard, wicked yellow gaze at Abigail. It had been an unexpected degree of tenderness from her, his eyes furrowed slightly at the revelation as though he noted it within an unseen booklet. He felt the grip on his revolver loosen, enshadowed deeper by the roaring campfire like a murky spectre, born of the coiling shadows, silent in its graven judgement. Blair had immediately followed, her soft voice knifed through the flame's crack and the wind's howling. The Horseman of Plague nodded. "He'll be tied on my horse's rump, and Connor or I or Abigail can lead his horse." Abel answered, words issuing from the deepest portion of the shadows clinging to his features, not turning to look at Blair.

Then came a sound — the crunch of leaves, dirt being crushed. The slow shuffle of feet through nature's subdued beauty. Abel's arm snapped up, drawing his revolver on the source of the disturbance, his other hand snatching his second revolver from the holster strapped 'round his shoulder, levelling the barrel at Sisceal's offspring. From the total darkness, two figures coalesced in the weak light cast by the flames. The shorter figure lurched into the sight, forced into their presence by Connor fast behind him.

He heard him speak, voice blighted by wicked deception and haughty trickery. His features, obfuscated by the twisting shadows about him, upturned into a snarl. Backlit by the lambent glow, the former lawman stepped away, letting the flow of light uninterrupted in their camp. Pacing slowly, revolvers still trained on their targets, to Connor and his captive, the yellow eyes glared at the shorter figure then glancing to Blair, suffering from an invisible, writhing influence within her. "I agree." Abel allowed. "Spare the screed, Blacksmith, we've heard enough from your contractee." His voice, ghastly, frigid as the sea's black depths.

"If you're going to shoot, then shoot. Because I've almost changed my mind." Abel warned Thea. He wondered if Sisceal would hold this act against him later, or would the fae-bound vagabond thank him for not harming his daughter, Abel always suspected that Sisceal possessed a burning affection for only a few souls — this might have been one of them.

 

[Axeykins]

A little snort of a laugh escaped her. Least some around here were entertaining. One would take him off her hands and the other was concerned about his well being. "Go ahead and try at least, he keeps me waiting for the right thing to finally take out the old bastard. Can't be that damned hard to make something to kill a fairy's bitch. I'd give the Jackass away in a heartbeat at this point if I could too sweetheart, but it's a mercy you got to choose to be around him and not have him as a father." She gave him a solid kick to check if he was still alive. A slight bit of movement and a groan...dammnit. As if she'd be so lucky. "I'm not worried bout upsetting that damn lot by removing him from this life. That stuck up fairy bimbo doesn't care this is a game to her, she'll just get another plaything. She could get y'all out of here in a heartbeat if she wanted. I've seen the remnants of her spells round here she made a safe haven nobody could get into." Thea spat venomously. "I've had to deal with her illusions keepin me from getting to him faster on top of him running off in the first place. Hurtin my mama. Cowardly, cheatin piece of shit. Nine whole years he's been gone. Do you know how that feels? Seeing his mug plastered on wanted posters all over too every damnable town I crossed. Meant he was still alive. Not even my grandpa could catch him and he's madder than I am. Fixin to send him straight to the box again if he ever shows his face, maybe worse"
She glared at Abel as he lifted his gun to her again. Though not quite the level of glare she gave her patron when seeing him escorted by yet another man right into the clearing. Her hair and eyes swiftly changing to a brilliant blue and green blaze. "It's your fault the right ones aren't ready yet! Pulling stunts like this isn't going to help either. Ya couldn't have tried to hide? He's just another old shit my dad's been round for years. Bet he's got more greys on his head than you got in your beard." She took a jab at the one she assumed was Connor. Only one of the four she remembered the name of seeing as he just by happenstance was the one she heard through her travels that her dad had been around longest. Biggest mystery in the universe to her why he'd hung around so long. Why any of them did honestly.


There was a soft gurling noise from the shredded horseman on the ground before he rose like a zombie from the grave. One hand holding part of his face together while the other held an ethereal glow as he held it out toward his fellow horseman. Not the first time he'd threatend to use his true abilities at one of his companions but this time his tone through the wounds was serious."Get that gun away from my girl I'll share some a these bullets with you Abel. I mean it." Sisceal winced as he spat out one of them through the side of his cheek. Goddayum she'd been working on her aim. Got him right across the widest part of the scar on his face where the skin was thinnest, exposing part of the jawbone. Rest of the spread hitting the forehead and eyesocket. He'd be proud if it didn't hurt like a sonuvabitch. "Thea." He groaned, his one good eye at the moment swiveling to stare at her with a mixture of relief and sadness. "Babygirl I c-"

"Shut it! You don't get to act like you care now!" She gladly took up Abel's offer of another shot without a lick of hesitation. Her hand moving to the center of her chest to pull a hefty blunderbuss from Gods know where, she had nothing there to begin with. Swiftly delivering another shot to the old priest's chest. Her face cold and unflinching as he made a wheezing gasp, reaching for a moment before grasping at it. She knew she didn't hit the right spots. She just wanted to shut him up again and take what she was offered. Dropping the weapon soon after with a that sour expression returning once more. "Last one's anyone's here. Waste a bullets for me to take a second if not even fires can finish the job. We done here now ya old fartbag or are you going to shoot me? Y'all don't exactly have much time now do ya? My offer still stands, favor now since you let me least get another hunk a metal in em"

 

[Karcen]

It seemed that theater wasn't really that intrested in listening also not particularly bright given solving the issue was obvious to Abigail. Well not many would think the way she did. Still there were rules that the wise could use to git rid of fae. The fact that her father wasn't going to die was in truth a blessing to Thea. A beauty she might be but she had sold herself for all eternity and it was best her contract could never be collected. Thea also didn't notice she was a toy as well Una needed someone to make sure her joy didn't end just like the demon with his comics. They were all contributing to some ones entertainment.

" I see you get by with your looks " Abigail sighed as she easily saw the issues and of course self centered no one has suffered but me. " You won't kill him till you kill her. You are to much fun to allow you to have your vegence.she will just keep bringing him back so the story of you two won't end. "

The fae like demons did enjoy their stories a soul was no fun if there wasn't something going on. A forbidden romance, a struggling marriage, a flight to crime, and finally a vengeful daughter.

" Really his life would make great entertainment for a fae. One with enough power could easily set up the peices. I mean killing a fae is actully mot all that hard just like your dad here would be easy enough to kill. Yet you don't or can't do either. Why is that? cold forged iron wasn't exactly hard to get and that would take a fae or their servant diwn and likely wouldn't take more effort than getting a lead bullet made. The patron likely didn't want to reveal the hard to get part as what was needed could be used aginst most patrons and many people.

To perhaps show the power of influence one could hold Abigail reached out with her own. She had been only making illusions so far but yhe king in yellow let her do so much more. She snuck into the girl's heart and implanted two ideas. The seed of doubt a worry a fear that what Abigail now did in secret had already been done before. The second idea she placed was an ember of passion. The girl was lovely and Abigail decided to see of the fires of wrath might turn to a blazing passion namely towards the horseman of death herlself.

 

[Soviet Panda]

"And, as you should well know, I'm not at my peak when I am out in the field. Perhaps you shouldn't have gotten impatient and ran off ahead. Has nothing I've told, taught, and modified about you actually stuck?" He jabbed an accusatory finger at Thea. The girl had the audacity to blame him for getting caught up in his work in helping her. But a cough from his capture reminded Hother where he was, and his hands once more returned to above his head. But that didn't stop him from giving a curious look towards Blair who had figured him for what he was so quickly. "How peculiar. A Curio I haven't seen in an age." He grumbled into his beard as his appraising eyes ran up and down the girls lithe form. But he said no more, not loud enough to be heard from so far away at least. But judging from the waggling of his beard, he was still at least speaking with himself.

Connor stared nonchalantly as Sisceal threatened them with his powers. If it came down to it, he bet he could take the old preacher. But it did take a lot for him to keep an expression of calm indifference as his daughter, or whoever she was, fired what appeared to be a second shot into him from a very well hidden weapon. Sam would have a field day writing that part, he didn't have much of a fondness for Una or her plaything and relished when he had the chance to make him the fool.

"Would someone care to tell me what this apparent 'favor' is? The way I'm looking at it, we're the ones doing the favor by not pulling the trigger and being done with it."