Fantasy Dappled Light [Closed]

[Melpomene]

"It's just Ivan. Ivan Leonas," Lucan said through gritted teeth. The Branches were able to call him Lil Lucan all the wished because they were his brothers in arms. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall, his eyes shooting a wearied look at the cobbler. He did not really want to be in the presence of another, but he would be willing to put up with it for the time being. As long as the others knew how to keep their mouths shut about more private matters.

His eyes shifted over to the father who had stepped in and simply took his old seat, seemingly unbothered by Prissy ignoring him to sniff at Lucan, who simply curled his lip and looked away. He let his hand rest in his lap as he looked up at the cobbler and nodded his head.

"Memory served me right, Steffan," he said as he looked up at Lucan. " Lil Ivan and I met, briefly, back in Solvit... It was nothing special, I just never forget a face, let me tell you." Lucan looked at him for a moment, then he turned his gaze away, seemingly pleased with the little lie . Perhaps it would not hold forever, in truth Lucan did not need it to. He would like Gwaine to know, after Hilbes was stormed, that it was him who had done it.

"Don't need tea or shoes," Lucan grumbled. He ran his hand through his hair.

"I'll take a cup, if you please, Ava," Brean called back as he rested his feet once again, very grateful to have some semblance of warmth back. And he would be able to slip shoes on his feet soon enough that Brean could call that day a good one.

"Now Ivan, what brings you here to Hilbes?" Brean asked. Lucan, very happy to be back on topic.

"Reamun's manor, I was hoping to see it from the inside." He glanced to Steffan. "Was told there was some nightly fine relics hidden in there."

"Mm... Never took you for the suicidal type, but I suppose the death of Ersetu has brought out parts like that in people." he hummed. Though, perhaps, this could bring a change Brean himself was unable to bring. It was exhilarating, in a way, to hear it now. And as he looked up at Lil Lucan once again, he had a good feeling what he wanted to do, and Father Brean was happy to help make sure he succeeded.

 

[Lucyfer]

Steffan grunted. He wasn’t soon to question the father’s uncanny ability to recognize a face, and with the plans this Ivan had in mind, he wasn’t terribly surprised that Brean would want to help. Stealing from the Renascence sounded exactly like something Brean might support, just out of sheer spite, if nothing else.

“He was an eccentric,” Steffan shrugged it off. He supposed it might be dangerous to hear any bit of this, if they were caught, and traced back to his shop. Hopefully, that wouldn’t be the case.

Ava moved around them, up the stairs to the room he had in the second floor of his store. It was just easier that way, after all. He could hear her humming a bit as she went about finding the kettle to start warming up the water for the tea. It didn’t take her long to set it, and return downstairs while it was heating up, returning to the actual storefront.

She’d heard what was said, easily enough, “Any particular relic you’re looking for?” She inquired, “There’s plenty of easier places to rob,” Captain Terst would keep him out, and her soldiers. No question about that. Although, he was likely aware of that threat to his plans – no doubt why he wanted information on the manor and how to get into it.

As if there would be some secret passage.

Which, of course, there were.

Reamun had centuries upon centuries put into that manor, and likely only he knew all of its secrets. The Renascence were still catching up, in that regard.

Prissy soon tired of sniffing around the boots of the stranger, and went back to her window perch.

 

[Melpomene]

Lucan snorted at Steffan's description of Reamun. "One word for 'im," he grunted out as he rolled his eyes. His hand tightened on his arm. The day which Reamun had stepped out was memorable. The sight of him as he stepped forward, his flesh burning in the sun, setting fire within the light, yet he took it all as though he was happy to feel the light of day for the first time since he began his eternal existence. It was horrific, in a way, to watch him burn along with the tree, laughing and smiling as though this was the only purpose which he could think of having for himself.

Eccentric was far from the right word. Insane, was a better one. Gwaine was quickly joining him, in Lucan's mind.

"Plenty of places to rob, I am sure, but I don't think they would have what I am looking for," Lucan said as he took in a sharp breath, his eyes turning to the cobbler once more, but he quickly shook his head. "No one else would, actually. I am looking for some of Reamun's personal journals."

Brean let out a low whistle. "Quite a feat, my boy, quite a feat indeed." Once a thief always a thief, eh? Brean wished to say, but he did not. Not only to keep Lil Lucan's little secret, but Brean feared if he pushed the man too far he might actually whip out his gun, damn the consequences. He had always had a bit of a temper on him back in Solvit, and though he had seemed to somewhat mellow out, Brean was sure that rage was now being directed elsewhere.

"Well, Lil Ivan, you have your work cut out for you."

"I know that father, I know," Lucan said, a sigh escaping his nose as he realized his nickname could not be escaped.

 

[Lucyfer]

Journals.

‘Information.’

Ava’s eyes lit up, and she lifted on her toes briefly in excitement, hands clasping together in front of her chest immediately. “You want information!” Obviously. “You want to know about what he did!” She was assuming that. He could have wanted any number of things, goodness knew what Reamun knew in his long life.

Reamun knew a lot.

These weren’t just any ordinary relics – these were the kinds that could change the world, and not everyone had that.

“Okay.” Ava wasn’t even arguing it any longer, and Steffan lifted his head from his work to give her a curious look. “I’ll help, Lil Leonas, but on the condition I get to read the journals, too.” She said.

“Heh.” Steffan wasn’t surprised by that, and went back to work, his own question answered.

He realized the journals would be a goldmine for her work, at trying to reverse, or heal, the damage of what was happening since Ersetu was burned. She thought it was connected. Steffan still didn’t know what he believed one way or another, but he wouldn’t be surprised if there was something useful left behind.

 

[Melpomene]

Lucan frowned, his hands tightening on his jeans as he cast a level stare Ava's way. He attempted to keep his surprise off of his face most of all, as that had hardly been the reaction he had expected from her after all this time.

However the question as to why she wanted to read the journals was what was ringing through his head. He had never been the type which was terribly good at reading people, that was always his brothers around him, at the very least they ended up being very good at reading Lucan himself. And now Lucan was stuck in a precarious place in which he was faced with the risk of unraveling what little of a plan he had.

"What do you want to read them for?" he asked.

"Now, Ivan," Lucan once again shot Brean a glare. " Don't look at me like that, boy, I just think you should know that Ava would not have befriended me if she was against your cause." he winked. Lucan still frowned, but he turned back to Ava with a newfound thoughtful look.

Brean leaned back, he was walking a fine line, he already knew, but the boy wasn't stupid and neither was he. They were not friends by any means, but Brean felt a certain kinship to another who was also a remain of a shadow.

He was not going to let Lucan leave and give up the little bit of life he had to reclaim just because of some petty distrust.

 

[Lucyfer]

Ava couldn’t quite contain her amusement, a trill of laughter following the exchange of Brean and the Little One, as Ivan seemed suspicious of her intention, “Oh, unlike some, I have nothing to hide,” that was a bold-faced lie, seeing as she hid her very nature, but that was besides the point.

She raised one finger as she got her amusement under control, “Everyone in town – okay, that’s an exaggeration – most in town, know that I’m looking into the Rot, as I’m calling it,” and as many in the academy were calling it, “which may or may not stem from the loss of Ersetu, we’re trying to stay out of the whole debate and focus on the fact that things are dying too quickly, and mutating.”

That was the truly worrisome thing, though mutations still seemed less frequent than the dying. “Reamun had lots of interests, lots of knowledge, and Captain Terst won’t let me look at any of them, which is rather unusual,” she had a rather strong will to resist, which caused Ava to lower her finger, shift her weight to one leg, and fold her arms over her chest, “So I want to see them, because they might help my own research, and hinder the Rot. Maybe stop it.” Her arms left their folded position, so she could lift them in a shrug.

Steffan chimed, “It’s true – she’s with the Academy. Graduated in medicines,” he waved it off. That was some time ago, and he was aware of how young she looked, so he didn’t add how long ago it was, or how long she’d been at the practice. After all, a few of her more recent years had been spent traveling as a minstrel, rather than studying. He assumed she got some practice on the road. “Workin’ with a few others in the Academy on the Rot, but the Renascence won’t let them look at anything of Reamun’s. She ain’t the only one who’s tried to peacefully petition for access.”

 

[Melpomene]

Lucan's face did not change, he fought the urge to bite his lip, as he was told he was prone to do when he fell deep into thought on anything. His fingers tapped against his arm in a rhythmic beat, uninspired by anything he had heard before. There was an alliance to be made if everyone in the room spoke true, one which may have only lasted for the time he was in the town of Hilbes, but an alliance nonetheless, something he had been sorely missing in his time spent wandering from town to town. There was a lacking of people who wished to step up and do anything against the Renascence, no matter what they believed. Because if the Branches had fallen, then what was the point of their attempts? Lucan grimaced, looking down at the dusty wooden floors beneath his leather boots before he slowly nodded his head.

"Looking for an end to the Rot, hm?" he asked quietly. "If the Captain is so secretive, I would have to believe there is something of note." he let out a breath through his nose, but felt a certain swell of confidence. Brean was not wrong. Once a thief, always a thief, and his nature was rearing its ugly head yet again. He was good at sneaking, at sticking to the shadows and showing up where he was unexpected. "High hopes..." he said.

"Really think you can bring an end to this without Ersetu?" Brean's brows furrowed. Such a thing was unheard of. Without Ersetu, the world was supposed to die. The end times had come, the day of reckoning had come and passed and now they were living the wake of a shadow. There was supposed to be no reversal, no looking back, no begging for forgiveness anymore, as the deed had already been done and now they had to live with the consequences of their failure. The father tapped his finger against his knee and lowered his head. "I ain't against going and hitting them where it hurts... But this may be a losing game."

"And what you're doing isn't, father?" Lucan asked, looking just beneath the brim of his hat. "Ain't that what all of us are doing if we decide to keep on living? Prolonging the inevitable? Unless this is just how things are supposed to stay."

"Didn't mean to cause any ill will." Brean lifted a hand, a wrinkled weather beaten hand, in a manner which denoted surrender. He let out a tired sigh. "I s'pose prolonging the inevitable is all we have without Ersetu. Our penance for failing it, hm?"

Lucan fell silent then, his jaw locking in place before he turned his heard sharply back towards Ava.

"Sorry, Lil Ivan." the Father murmured. "But can't deny the truth."

"I ain't anything anything father, now, you can look at them if you are going to do what you say, I don't want any funny business and I can draw this gun before you can blink if you think you can get your hands on them to do anything other than stop this Rot." he let out a heavy breath. "But... I would like your help, Ava of Hilbes. I need to get into that manor. And if we are on the same side as you seem to say, then I would humbly ask for an alliance while I'm here."

 

[Lucyfer]

As Lil Ivan thought, Ava rocked forward on her toes, her hands moving behind her back as she stared up at him imploringly, waiting for his response to her interest in this. It came, eventually, and she could see – could hear – the hope he spoke of there in his voice. Her smile only broadened to hear it.

Of course, Brean was not hopeful. He couldn’t be – trying to live, to work around, Ersetu, wouldn’t be something he would be happy with. But Ava wasn’t so pessimistic, and it seemed this stranger wasn’t, either. Still, it was with sympathy that she looked upon Brean as he expressed that hopelessness, that things could only be prolonged – not salvaged, not saved, not restored.

‘Isn’t that life?’ Prolonging the inevitable – every breath anyone took just prolonged life. How did Father Brean make that sound so…depressing?

She wouldn’t think of it that way.

“There’s no needs for threats, Lil Leonas,” she teased, “Although I can’t promise that stopping the Rot is all I’ll do. I mean, what if there’s a really good recipe in his journals? Would it be terrible if I wanted to make it? Would that be so offensive you’d have to shoot me for it, hm?”

“Ava,” Steffan couldn’t quite mask his amusement with her toying with the man. He still thought she shouldn’t go that far with it, though. The man did have guns, after all.

Ava just giggled, but tried to somber up her expression. She held up a hand, “I solemnly swear I will not do any harm to the documents we find, and you will get to keep them. I may make word-for-word notes of some parts of the journals, though, if I think they’ll be useful.”

“Do you know how to get into the place, if you can’t talk Captain Terst into letting you in?” Steffan asked, glancing up.

“Mmm, I’ve put some thought into it,” that much was true. “I know Captain Terst’s schedule. And I’m sure the others aren’t that difficult to talk to, and I know a few of the side entrances.” Ava wasn’t thinking of stealth and shadows, of going entirely unnoticed. She didn’t know that. She was always in sight.

She was just thinking of how to avoid the one person she knew she couldn’t get around. “Captain Terst tends to keep a schedule of early morning – like, still dark, morning, to late evening.” Dawn to dusk, more or less, except more into the night on the dawn side of things.

 

[Melpomene]

Lucan let out a long sigh as Ava continued to tease him for his threat. He could already tell she had no trouble with making herself tiresome to work with. However, she was one of the only options that Lucan had waiting for him, it was unlikely he would find any other that happened to have her knowledge and her ambitions. "Fine, fine!" he waved his hand, practically dismissing the threat altogether with it. "I am sure a Vampire has some recipe in his book, yes," he bit out. "And if you happen to find this amazing recipe that is inside of a vampire's notes then you can make it without getting shot, I can promise you that much."

It was decided then and there that Lucan could not wait for his time in Hilbes to be done. He did not much care for being teased and poked fun at, he did not like it when he was still down South and he did not like it in Solvit with the Branches. He doubted he would learn to love it with Ava and her incessant need to try and undermine every attempt he made at intimidation.

Brean was snickering in his chair, his head turned away as he watched the exchange, but Lucan could practically see the green eyes shining with mirth. He let out a slow breath through his nose, once against attempting to mask his irritation. It was something he was always told to work on, how easily it was to get him wound up and angered because of small things one did to make him frustrated. He needed to concentrate on the makings of a plan.

"Terst would be our biggest obstacle, from the looks of her..." Lucan said lowly.

"No doubt," Father Brean shook his head. "Woman's built like a mountain, she's captain for a reason. You don't want to fight her if you can help it, I would say you better be in and out before she knows you're there and then you best high tail it out of here, because if she gets any word that you were in that manor, hoo boy, she'll let loose the hounds I bet, like you would not ever believe."

Lucan nodded. It was a likely story. He could not see much frightened him after the burning of Ersetu, it was hard to frighten a man that was forced to look death in the eye, especially when that beast happened to be a man that had seemed larger than life not long before.

However, Brean soon looked down, his brow wrinkling as thought came, one which had at first been forgotten and pushed aside because of the excitement of someone new, yet old. The idea of the Renascence meeting such a hit.

"Ava, why were you in Reamun's manor before?" Not to mention long enough to know of entrances. Reamun may have been eccentric, but he did not know why Reamun would open his home to some random girl for so long, even if she was as sweet as pie.

 

[Lucyfer]

Ava was desperately trying not to descend back into laughter as her terms were agreed to. She had to bite her bottom lip to keep from that, but it was obvious that everyone, except Lucan, was amused.

She was still biting her lip as she nodded her agreement about Terst, trying to keep it together so they could formulate a plan. None of them wanted to come to blows with Terst, and Ava didn’t want to get on her bad side. She toed the line closely enough as it was. The fact she wasn’t entirely convinced she could talk Terst down was another problem with that, and well – she couldn’t hide behind Lucan very well.

He wasn’t big enough to hide behind.

‘Don’t laugh!’ She just bit her cheek, letting her lip go.

And let herself be distracted by Brean. “Hm? Oh—my father had business with him,” she answered, and waved it off, flapping her hand in the air, “I got to know him a bit from that, it’s a terribly boring story,” except, of course, it wasn’t, “you don’t want to hear about it,” and that had the inflection, the command, that no, no he did not at all want to hear more about it.

And if he did, “Tea! I’m forgetting the tea!” And she whipped right around to rush up the stairs and get tea, because she still wanted her tea. “I’ll be right back!” she called from halfway up the stairs.

She owed at least two of them tea.

Steffan grunted, and offered out one shoe to Brean at that time, “Check this – not sure about the tightness. Left foot.”

 

[Melpomene]

Brean did not question the story further, mostly because he was unable to. He was new to Hilbes, at least in comparison to the other two. He assumed the others were born and raised there, and he would have to assume that Ava had studied at the academy before Ersetu had been burned. How long before, he could not tell. He had never seen her father, nor had he thought about it. She looked young, far younger than he.

Perhaps she was closer to Lucan's age, to Brean they had begun to blend. It was hard to discern one youth from another, but Lucan now, certainly had years placed on him. The last time Brean had seen the boy was right before the burning of Ersetu and while he had certainly been stressed then, it was more obvious now with lines beginning to form around his mouth and brow, and a few strands of silver popping out from his dark hair, now that Brean could see it more closely. When Lucan reached up and plucked his hat off of his head, roughly wiping sweat from his brow after the fact, it became more obvious. The follies of age were simply another one of the inevitabilities which man was forced to face, it was not fair to see someone who he knew to be so young already begin to suffer from its effects, however.

Brean turned absently to Steffan, humming in recognition as he slipped the shoe on to his foot. It had been so long since he had actually worn shoes, but the feeling was not foreign, more like an old friend he had been separated from for a long while. He could remember a time he did not like shoes but now....

"Perfect," he said as he let out a breathless sigh, thoroughly distracted from whatever Ava had said. He wiggled his toes in it, it felt nice. "Thank you again, Steffan." he may be able to make it through another year now. It would not do well if he became an amputee as well as a beggar, he did not have the money for prosthetics.

"Know her father?" Lucan asked as he fiddled with some loose thread on the brim of his hat, seemingly half interested. Brean shook his head.

"No, I only came here two years ago." Lucan absently nodded, letting out a grunt to let him know his words had been heard, but nothing more, seemingly lost in thought.

 

[Lucyfer]

Ava still heard the question that Lucan tossed to the Father. It’d be poor timing to reveal she had, maybe, one secret to keep. Not because she necessarily wanted to, but because people were needlessly afraid of what they didn’t understand – and what they wouldn’t understand was her. Ersetu’s leaves would tremble to know that among the flock of sheep walked something inherently more vicious than a vampire.

Vampires took blood.

Sirens took limbs.

But she tried not to – or kept to animals, really. Mostly.

She should probably eat before she went to Reamun’s home, lest the guards look tasty in the inappropriate fashion.

She hummed to herself though, keeping occupied with pouring the tea into cups, and balancing it all carefully on a tray as she returned to the ground floor, offering a cup to Steffan, and one to Brean, as well, before moving the tray to a mostly-empty table and sipping it.

Still good.

“All right, give it back and I’ll get it finished up,” just had to secure the stitching, and then move on to the other shoe. Steffan kept his hand out for the shoe, as Ava took up a place near the window again.

“I don’t mean to be rude, Lil Leonas,” Ava said from her corner, “but seeing as what we’re looking to do is get into Reamun’s manor, and given your acquaintanceship with the Father here, how likely is it you’re going to be recognized? I think I can get us in, but things get…messy with recognition.”

 

[Melpomene]

That was something Lucan had truthfully never thought about. Hilbes was closer to Solvit, making it more popular destination for people leaving the capital, not to mention Hilbes was home to the once infamous Reamun. It would likely be a popular destination spot for many travellers. Lucan could get away with going under the radar if he was far from Solvit in a place where people are more likely to only, possibly, know of his name rather than his face. But, he was never the type to stand out, at the very least. At the very least, in comparison to Gwaine he did not stand out, as most people's eyes were always on him.

"I... I don't know..." Lucan rubbed his chin. "Father--"

"For Ersetu's sake, kid, look at yourself. You know what you were, even people don't recognize you directly, they'll know something is up." Brean gave Lucan a once over and grimaced. Lucan, even if he was not the most popular Branch, was certainly a distinctive one. As he spoke, he handed the shoe back over to Steffan so he could finish it up. "You may not have been very big compared to others but... come on, I remember the little boy--"

"I am not a little boy," Lucan snapped, his uncovered eye narrowing.

"With an awful temper--"

"Watch it, father."

"Who could shoot down a target from further than I could see. You aren't unnoticeable. Even if no one knew what you were before... They'll feel it. You have that aura about you." Brean lowered his voice. "Ain't that different from his, you know. Ain't that different. People remember you when they meet you, Lil Ivan, I sure as hell did."

Lucan let out a sigh, he lowered his head and nodded. "But how well would you say people would recognize me specifically and not just my aura?"

"Hm. Made a bit of a name for yourself before you left but... most people likely had not seen you face to face." Lucan nodded, then he turned back to Ava.

"Then I suppose there is a chance I will, at least, be partially recognized."

 

[Lucyfer]

The Little One had been someone before. Perhaps Ava had no idea of who ‘Lucan’ was, but Brean did, and given they were going to an area inhabited by the Renascence, that wasn’t a good thing. That could spell trouble, and he admitted that he could be recognized. “Hmmmm.”

She crossed one leg behind the other and rocked back, glancing up at the ceiling, “My general plan was just to walk to a side entrance and convince them we had permission to get in. It tends to work.”

Steffan could only chuckle as he went back to work on the shoe. Ava wasn’t wrong. Of course it tended to work.

“But if you’re going to be recognized as someone they know, who they don’t like, that might be problematic. I mean, there is an entrance through the Academy that goes underground because Reamun didn’t like the sun – okay, he liked it, he just burned – you know what I mean – but its guarded.”

“You haven’t tried to talk your way through before?” The cobbler didn't sound like he believed this.

“Well, I may have," Ava directed her attention to Prissy, who came to her once she extended her hand, "and I may have gotten in, and Captain Terst may have thrown me out shortly afterwards, but that was a bit ago, I’m sure they’ve forgotten,” she was sure they wouldn’t care when she started talking, or maybe she’d just sing them to sleep – except she also didn’t want to do that around an unknown, but she was getting impatient.

She could admit that to herself. “It was an innocent misunderstanding, with Terst completely misunderstanding I’m trying to help.” She huffed, cross with the memory. “But still, if we act while she’s sleeping, probably no one is going to risk her wrath to wake her, and we’ll have more time to look around! And with a hood or something – dress? – he won’t be recognizable!”

 

[Melpomene]

"I am not wearing a dress." Lucan crossed his arms over his chest. "'Less you want the damn ugliest woman that you have ever seen."

"You have a fine figure for a dress," Brean said into his lap, quickly pretending to rub his lip afterwards with the back of his hand to keep the illusion of a straight face despite the very dark glare which was being casted in his direction. For a moment, he thought Lucan may just whip out his guns and be done with the whole lot of them, deciding to risk doing it on his own. Luckily he was smarter than that. And he did not seem to be quite as blood thirsty as he tried to act. Rather than threaten any violence this time, he simply let out a huff and turned back to Ava.

"I'll wear a hood." he said with a sigh through his nose. "Maybe a bandana 'round my face, tell 'em I was in a mining accident or something and got real injured and that's why I am constantly so covered up. "

"Mm... that would work, might impede your sight a bit, though."

"'slong as we don't need to fight, that's fine. And if we do... well I don't think it would matter whether they recognize me or not by that point." Brean nodded in agreement then his eyes flicked up to Ava.

"Now you've... snuck in before, hm?" that was a bit boggling, but he decided to push on. "And Terst did not hurt ya, hm? Must be a bit nicer than I thought." He doubted she would put up with them sneaking in to steal notes, however, that would certainly start a commotion. However, with the underground method they did have a chance to get in without causing too much trouble.

"If she's asleep, they'll try to deal with things as quietly as possible, as long as you aren't being too much of a nuisance."

"In and out-- Ava, I assume you know where he kept his notes?" Lucan asked. It would be best if they did not spend half of their time sneaking around aimlessly.

 

[Lucyfer]

Ava knew the dress thing wouldn’t fly, but oh, the reaction was precious. She wanted to encourage him with the thought he’d make a very pretty girl, but that would probably make things worse, so she left it at that – and the Father’s comment on his figure, which had Steffan choking on his tea.

Poor Lil Leonas. A hood and bandana would work, though.

Ava pressed a finger to her lips as the Father asked about her visit, humming, before she dropped the finger and shrugged, “Well, I didn’t sneak in…I convinced them that I should be let in, and I think that’s why Terst didn’t do much,” Ava admitted, looking down.

She hadn’t tried after that.

“I thought I might just avoid being seen by her but, well, it didn’t work.” She’d talked to the guards, sure, and they let her through, but other people saw her, and word got around to Captain Terst, and she was shown the door.

The Captain was at least genial. That much could be said for her. Her rank was deserved likely for both her skill, and her disposition. “But I don’t really know where he keeps his notes. I have ideas, but…we’ve said Reamun’s eccentric, right? Though if they’ve been found, the Renascence may have moved them somewhere normal, like a study, or something. I’d want to look in a study or lounge first, anyways.”

 

[Melpomene]

"If you did it before, we may be able to do it again," Lucan said. "As for the notes..." Leave it to a vampire to be so convoluted about where they put their things, even when it came to something as simple as notes. Though he supposed that up until the burning, there truthfully was a need for him to keep them out of plain sight, in case he had any Vampire friends coming over to visit him. Though, Lucan doubted his popularity among the Vampires now that he had burned Ersetu and had sent a vast majority of them into hiding.

"If they haven't found them well... you may have a search on your hands," Brean said. "But, if they have, like Ava said, it is probably in his Study. I imagine they're planning on making the... heresy in them one of the foundations of their new belief. If it is there, they would want it preserved to show the sacrifice Reamun made."

And likely, they would want to burn an Bark of Ersetu they got their hands on. It would do them well to lose something of theirs. Even if they had led the revolution against Ersetu, they were still new and in that way weak.

"We can't spend too much time inside there, though," Lucan shook his head. "I would like to get in and out without lighting up the night."

"True, though I am sure the people of Hilbes will find some violence and bloodshed exciting."

"People always do," Lucan said, hooking his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans. "But I would prefer not to waste ammo. Now, Ava, when would you say is the earliest when can make an attempt?"

 

[Lucyfer]

“I would also like to get out without a fight. I don’t think Captain Terst will be as nice a second time,” Ava noted, even if Brean thought it would be exciting, or enjoyable, to others. She didn’t want to upset Captain Terst, but she knew the woman wasn’t soon going to listen to her about actually wanting to help, and the more time wasted, the less time they might have in general to do something about the state of things.

Necrosis did eventually reach a point of no return.

Ava didn’t want to think that had happened just yet with the world. Didn’t even want to think it could happen, but…well, she couldn’t deny it entirely. It was possible.

“But for timing…four after the fall seems to be the earliest, but we may want to wait until five after the fall.” Though Ava hadn’t exactly done any spying, she was around enough to hear, and notice, and her hours were terribly irregular as it was.

Terst, naturally, was not irregular.

Steffan clicked his tongue. “It’s not my place to say, but I’d say wait until five after the fall. The guard itself is pretty set around then, and I don’t see Terst moving about.”

“You’re awake?” Ava was surprised.

Steffan shrugged. “Don’t sleep much.” Tried to. Stared at the ceiling more often than not. It got harder to sleep in the cold.

 

[Melpomene]

"Mm." Lucan hummed as he nodded. He glanced out the window at the sun which was still steadily rising in the sky. It would be a bit before the fall, but that would give them enough time to prepare. A bandana was already in Lucan's inventory, it was good for when he was riding through dusty places to keep it from kicking up in his face. It tended to add a hardness to his face and eyes which made people more cautious, intimidation could, possibly, help them with the endeavor, though it would likely be pity that would line their hearts if they give them the sob story that he was stuck in a mine collapse and was cursed with marks on his face.

"Are you both sure?" Brean asked after. He stood. It was a sudden worry that gnawed at him as he saw the resolution on their faces and in their words. The knowledge that this was truly what they were doing, a truthfully stupid and reckless thing which he was helping them with. "This ain't a game, remember that."

"I think I know, father," Lucan said, he lightly tapped a beat on his arm, his chin tilted up.

Brean raised his hand. "Yes... I know you do... Neither of you are fools but, this is a dangerous game. One's religion, their hatred of Ersetu, things like that run deep. The haters of Ersetu search to burn and destroy all that once had existed. What you are posing to do, to them, may very well be heresy."

"Call me a heretic then," Lucan said as he pushed off of the wall. "I'm damn well sure of it."

Brean stared down the boy he had known for years before. He remained still, as did the air around him, only the pieces of dust floating in the rays of golden sunlight were dancing about. Then he nodded his head and turned to Ava. "You two take precautions, ya hear? A shoot out would be entertaining, but you all be sure to come out of there alive-- can't do nothing if your dead, hm?"

A dry laugh escaped Lucan's throat. "Lived through worse," he said as he ran his hand through his thick dark hair. "Gotta butcher here? I could use some jerky or somethin' before I try anything." He had run out on the road a day ago and was feeling more than a little hungry, though his diet had taken a hit since he left Solvit and it showed in just how slender he had gotten.

 

[Lucyfer]

“Mmhm!” Ava gave one, single, sharp nod as Brean questioned if they were certain. It was obvious that Lucan was, up to fighting if it came to it. Ava would prefer to avoid that. She never considered herself a fighter, and never would. Her strength came in her voice, and while she’d definitely had to defend herself before, it wasn’t strength that saved her.

In a fight with bullets, in something as chaotic as that could be, she didn’t think she’d last very long at all.

She lifted her cup of tea to sip as Lucan and Brean spoke on. There was a clear history here. A similar trauma. Of course, as they were both so tied to Ersetu and that history, that was apparent, but she wondered more at who Lucan had been – and even, who Brean had been, even if his history was perhaps a bit more straightforward.

He’d been a Root, after all, from Solvit itself.

“There’s a very good butcher,” Ava said, “If you let me finish my tea, I’ll show you. I need to get something to eat, anyways.” Something fresher than jerky. That was hardly satisfying at all, just a terrible, salty, stub of meat. No blood at all. Far too dry.

‘Oh.’ She realized how awkward that might be to get food. They knew her, of course – not what she was. They probably assumed she cooked the meat she got.

Well, no one really had to know otherwise. Still, a flush touched her face as she wondered, “Where are you planning to spend your time, anyways?” She could head back to the academy, wait things out, once the shoes were done and paid for, but she wondered – they would need a plan to reunite, wouldn’t they? They couldn’t hang around together all day.

 

[Melpomene]

'May Ersetu help me...' Lucan thought as Ava stepped forward, offering to show him the way to the butcher. It was likely a good idea, regardless of whether he could find it himself or not. Ava would be standing side by side with him when they snuck into the manor. And he knew nothing about her other than what little information she gave now, perhaps she knew the manor better than anyone else, but he could still use a chance to get more of a read. He worked alone, usually, in fact, this was the first time he had anything close to a partner for something in over a year since the burning of Ersetu.

He let out a soft sigh before he solemnly dipped his head into a nod, prepared for more bouts of teasings. Hilbes would be over by the end of that night and then he could leave them all behind after she had the notes she wanted.

"Dunno, maybe the tavern, have on-?"

"Damn right, we do, Charlie is the best damn barman you'll ever meet." Of course, Brean only said that because Charlie would give him a free drink every once and a while, though those were few and far between and now essentially never. It was still a nice enough gesture that Brean still remembered it. "Eh, wouldn't mind letting me get a coin for a few drinks, wouldya, Lil Ivan?" Lucan absently tossed him a coin.

"Would mind even less if you stopped calling me that," he grumbled. "But how do ya feel about meeting outside the Academy, perhaps? If that's how we are going to get in, anyway. And then after that..."

"May Ersetu help you," Brean said. "Do me a favor and live through the night."

"Been doing that for quite some time, father."

 

[Lucyfer]

A tavern was a typical location, and Ava laughed aloud as Brean immediately interjected. It was no surprise that he had a suggestion, though at that thought, her laughter petered out, her expression turning a bit more solemn, even if she tried to maintain the smile. She knew she had given him coin herself that was spent in the tavern.

Still, it was a meal. It was a drink. Necessities, even if not the best necessities. “I do like Charlie’s,” Ava opted to add. Charlie was nice. His clientele were nice. When she went there, she usually didn’t leave alone. It’d been that way even before it was Charlie’s, though. That spot was simply a good spot.

“I can meet you outside there. I’m sure he can show you to the tavern and anything else, after I take you to the butcher.” She said, and looked to Steffan, “You know how much these will cost?” she gestured at the shoes. One finished.

Steffan did a bit of math in his head, sighed, shrugged, “Material cost would be about 5 foxtail,” leather still had its price, stacked leather in particular, “That’s all I’ll charge you for.”

“Thank you, Steffan,” she dug in her pouch and produced the coins, laying the silver on the table, before deciding to finish the tea.

She could take her meat to the academy, once she’d shown her strange new partner in crime to the butcher. “Try not to wear them out too soon, okay, Father? I’ll bring Lil Leonas back in one piece!” There was a moment’s temptation to grab his hand, as she would so many others, but on that, she opted not to, and the step close just turned to an easy spin around him as she made her way to the door.

 

[Melpomene]

Lucan briefly wondered if it was, perhaps, a good thing that Brean was stuck as a beggar as if he had too much money he may kill himself with the amount of alcohol he would be able to afford. It was this lack of wealth which was oddly enough keeping him alive. Then again, perhaps he would not be locked away in such a constant cycle of drunkenness, only becoming sober by force, if it was not for his current position.

"Good days, father, don't drink yourself dead until we meet again," Lucan said.

"Hm, with these coins I would have to really try to die then," Brean chuckled before he turned to Ava. "Thank you, again. I'll cherish them while I have them. Do me a favor and you children make sure you don't get yourself killed, hear?"

"Try not to," Lucan said as he waved back, stepping out into the rising sun. It had warmed since the morning, though not considerably. The chill was not as bad, to the point that Lucan absently began to unbutton the top of his shirt to let the warm raise touch on his collarbone. More people were beginning to come out, likely to do their day to day business, some gave Lucan a passing glance, but luckily it seemed he was not interesting enough to actually question or stare. That meant he blended in well enough, in the town at least. Perhaps being with Ava would help that, maybe people would assume he was a friend.

'Not a big chance on that one. When the sun dies, maybe.' he thought bitterly. For a moment, he wondered if he could just go into the Manor by himself and figure it out. However, he quickly decided that would end badly and likely even if he got the notes he may well be sending the town into a riot of guns and violence. Despite all that had happened, he did not want to see the townspeople fall to bad fortune because of his rash decisions.

"Mm, you went to the academy, right?" Lucan decided to speak, might as well curb curiosity. She did not look much older than a sapling, so she could not have been out of the academy too long before the burning, she may have even still been there during it. But there was something off about her, which he could see but not clearly. "Heard 'lot about it in Solvit, never came to see it myself. As good as they say?"

 

[Lucyfer]

Ava nodded enthusiastically to the ‘not dying’ part. She had no plans of it, and with that covered, she strode out the door. She would hold it open for the Father’s friend, and took the lead towards the butchery. It was still far too cold for her liking, but she would endure it. She had been enduring it for a while, and still kept forgetting a cloak or something to wear out.

Her own fault.

It didn’t cross her mind that people ought to be staring at Ivan, and she considered asking a bit more about him, when he spoke first.

She couldn’t help but chuckle at her own instinct to break the silence having been stolen from her. She thought he would have enjoyed the silence and likely been annoyed by her questioning him. Oh well. “Yup – studied medicine and the like,” even if she made her hobby and wealth on music, more often than not. “It’s served me well, so they seem to know what they’re doing,” she agreed.

She knew how well the Academy was praised outside of Hilbes. After all, Reamun had a name even before being…well…infamous for destroying Ersetu. He had funded it and looked in on those within it. He encouraged the development. He likely had used it for his own learning, at times – thus the underground passages. “I can do a bit more than bandage a wound, if that’s what you’re trying to find out – it’s why I’m looking into all this, and others of us are, too.”

She spun around, walking backwards, hands behind her back.

She knew the way well enough, “I guess you can’t say too much, can you, if I asked you directly about what you did.” She had some ideas, of course. “So tell me what you’re good at. What you’ve been up to, hm…lately?”

Obviously, traveling.

There was more to it than that.

 

[Melpomene]

At the very least, if what Ava said was true, she may have been qualified to look for some type of cure to the rot. How she would do it? Perhaps that all depended on what they found within Reamun's notes. He had figured out how to kill Ersetu with that unholy fire he had brought forth, even if he was not actively looking for a reversal, he would have had to come across something, and the man was eccentric, as Ava said. Perhaps he did thoroughly research how to reverse it just to make sure that no one could.

"Hm... Y'all are more hopeful than most." Most people had capitulated rather than attempting to fix. They hoped the Renascence was in the right and that the world was only dying because of the sudden change that had been made to it. At the very least, apparently these academics were making an attempt.

Lucan quieted when the conversation turned towards him. For a moment, he mulled over the answer he wanted to give. It was expected, as he was as much a stranger to her as she was to him. And how was one supposed to go into some crazy near-suicidal mission if they could not even come to trust one another? He brushed a loose strand of air from his eye and shrugged, gesturing to the road that led out of town.

"I have just been going from one town to the next..." he glanced around, no one was really listening to him, even if they thought he was interesting simply because he was new. "Been seeing about Renascence leaders across the towns. Wanted to see how far their reach goes..." and how many he could take down. Some of his antics likely had gotten to Gwaine already, that was something which Lucan would have to deal with later. Lucan was sure Ava had figured some things out about him already, even if he was not necessarily open to sharing them. Brean had done enough to see between the cracks of mystery. But nothing was completely revealed.

"I can shoot a gun." You can steal as long as some blond ass doesn't stop you. "I can go undetected, good at... getting my hands on things." he shrugged. "Can do a backflip, among other things, but not really good at much else." He never really had to be. "There's not much to me, I'm afraid. You probably had a more interesting time in your academy than I have had in my life." That was just a plain lie, though he was hoping it may take the topic off himself, it was hard to speak around a very obvious hole that he had no doubt she wanted to definitely feel. Not to mention, he was terrible with conversations.