Fantasy Hunter's Moon: Ascendancy [IC] [CLOSED]

[Worthlessplebian]

Rajko's brow was raised, not out of surprise that the archivist was a supernatural, but that he was a dullahan. "Keeps a good head on his shoulders then. Most of time, anyway."

Rajko obliged, similarly shoving his hands away in the pockets of the long, black coat. His head turns to hers when she glanced as if he expected her to ask him something.

A contemplative murmur is heard before he answers. "Yes, mystical artifacts seem to be possessive of undead entourage. I doubt we'd find waterlogged corpses, decompose quicker in water. Skeletons are more likely. Although... If we're particularly unlucky, perhaps we'd find a possessed were-crab." The last comment had not been serious, but after inspection, it didn't seem all that implausible as much as he would like.

The water seemed so vast, yet suffocating. Further adding to Rajko's reservations about it.

"Say," Glancing at Claire. "Have you encountered such things? Aquatic beasties, I mean."

 

[Infab]

"And you are?"

The man in the white suit smiled again, looking to Azathor. "Lucas Konstantinov, at your service." he said, giving them an ever so slight bow. "Third head of the House of Konstantinov." As the winnings were given out, bets were taken yet again. Lucas made his choice, betting on red. Soon, he shifted his gaze back to Azathor and Sebastian. "And just who might you two be?" he asked, "A bit rude to have only one party introduce themselves."

Nearby, Kirill stood from his table. Gathering his own winnings with a smile on his face. That was the most he had won in a long time. But his attention would soon be shifted to where his master's aura now was, standing nearby at a roulette table. As he looked over, he also noticed Azathor's demonic aura as well as Sebastian standing near Lucas. A look of surprise appeared on his face, but he quickly looked away to hide it. Had his master taken an interest in the demon and young Daristeinian?

"Say," Glancing at Claire. "Have you encountered such things? Aquatic beasties, I mean."

Claire raised an eyebrow, thinking back on what all she had encountered over the years. "Hmm..." she breathed, eventually glancing back to Rajko as they walked. "Well, I've encountered sirens. Voices are beautiful, but they tend to be pretty hideous. Lure men and women alike. When you're close enough, they attack you and eat you. Trick was to either sing back louder, to drown it out, or use cotton balls to prevent yourself from hearing it."

 

[Worthlessplebian]

"Well, I've encountered sirens. Voices are beautiful, but they tend to be pretty hideous. Lure men and women alike. When you're close enough, they attack you and eat you. Trick was to either sing back louder, to drown it out, or use cotton balls to prevent yourself from hearing it."

Rajko thumbed the brim of his hat up. "Quite the adversaries." Putting some thought on the subject. "Their song would've reached my ears quicker in part due to my heightened hearing. I've ample tools to combat them at the very least." Thinking back to Solomon's insistence on mastering his voice. His eyes squint in contemplation, before relaxing with an answer. "I doubt we'd find them near the cove. Unless there exists an inland or coastal species."

Wonder where the soldier and the demonling ran off to? The thought popped into his head, but went as soon as it came.

He and Claire were likely heading back to the Inn, informing the others. But an interesting detail was remembered seconds ago. The locals made mention of a theatre. "After we return to the Inn, I'll peruse the local theatre. See if any of the plays catch my eye." monotoned Rajko his plan. They had oodles of time left since he was fairly certain they would not leave without Cassandra.

 

[joshuadim]

Azathor kept his gaze leveled on the man who introduced himself as *the* Konstantinov, trying to make sense of this. His intrinsic suspicions only grew as he wondered why the head of a vampiric house deigned to go out of his way to interact with the two of them. His gaze bounced for a moment towards Sebastian, who was already moderately inebriated, as he wondered if this was a dangerous situation or not. When asked for an introduction on his end however, Azathor believed that Konstantinov likely knew *what* he was already through aura alone. However, Azathor gritted his teeth with closed mouth for a moment before responding: "I don't give out my name without caution." Azathor replied, "Why would I have any reason to trust a chance meeting with a vampire lord, when I don't believe in coincidence?"

 

[K0mori]

Sebastian burst into snorting, ripping laughter in a way which Azathor had never seen out of the normally reserved young man. He raised his hand up, motioning them both to pause so that he could get a word in, but he could barely gather himself long enough to get it out. "That- that is exactly what I said when Kirill..." he stammered before finally dragging himself back to level ground. "Anyway, I am Sebastian Ackermann, and this is Azathor. And you are my good luck charm, mein Freund!" he said to Lucas as he clutched his fist-fulls of chips.

 

[Infab]

"I don't give out my name without caution." Azathor replied, "Why would I have any reason to trust a chance meeting with a vampire lord, when I don't believe in coincidence?"

The smile on Lucas' face shifted into a simple smirk, as he eyed the demon in disguise. The smirk shifted to a grin, however, when Sebastian chimed in after a bout of laughter and holding his hand up.

"That- that is exactly what I said when Kirill..." he stammered before finally dragging himself back to level ground. "Anyway, I am Sebastian Ackermann, and this is Azathor. And you are my good luck charm, mein Freund!"

"I have that effect at times." responded Lucas, with a snort. He then looked back to Azathor. "Coincidences do happen, Azathor. I wanted to play some games, and had noticed your aura earlier, so it drew me over to this table."

He slipped a hand into his coat, drawing a cigarette out of his pocket and slipping it between his lips. "And you're not being very cautious if you're letting your aura just blaze for the world to see." he muttered, the cigarette wiggling briefly as he drew a match from another pocket. A quick flick followed, Lucas dragging the head of the match across the table's edge quickly to strike it. And as soon as he lit his cigarette with it, he waved the flame out and tossed the used match into a nearby ash tray.

His blue eyes shifted again to Sebastian afterwards. "So you know Kirill?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Remarkable fellow. Talented with a rapier, though he rarely gets to show it. Likes to entertain by letting people stick him instead."

As he finished, he turned his head about. Looking directly at Kirill and smiling. A simple two fingered wave settled the other vampire's nerves. But Kirill noticed Lucas' eyes shift about afterwards. Looking to six different locations around the room quite quickly. To others, his eyes looked as though they were simply wandering about as he turned to look back at Sebastian and Azathor. Kirill knew what he had been looking at, however.

There were six certain vampires scattered about the room, blending in amongst the other supernaturals. All staring at Lucas and those near him. All ready to attack if given a signal. Lucas' paranoia in full force.

Kirill didn't give them away, simply smiling as he watched Lucas. If he did, it was highly likely he'd be the one killed instead. Eventually, Kirill moved towards the bar. He needed a drink after all this. Meanwhile, Lucas spoke up again as he looked back to the two.

"So! What's a demon and a Daristeinian doing all the way out here on Grimtham Isle? Fleeing the war? Or sight seeing?" asked the pureblood, exhaling a puff of smoke afterwards. The roulette began to spin again, after everyone had placed their bets. The ball bouncing around, tink-tink-tink. "I'm sure Kirill has told you why we're here. The war, of course." added Lucas, as his attention shifted to the bouncing ball.

"I doubt we'd find them near the cove. Unless there exists an inland or coastal species."

"They like to hang out around the coast as well, since food can easily just walk to them. Some may have begun using the cove as a spawning area, since its been abandoned for so long. I'll depend on you to listen out for them. If you hear any singing, let me know and we can pick them off with rifles." replied Claire, glancing back to Rajko. "I'll get some cotton balls in the event we need them."

"After we return to the Inn, I'll peruse the local theatre. See if any of the plays catch my eye."

"Alright. I intend to make a few more stops before returning to the inn for the night, so if you would like to just go ahead to the theatre, you can. I won't mind." she stated, "Needing a few essentials. Black powder bullets, mainly, but I'll look and see if there's anything the rest of you might could use."

 

[joshuadim]

Azathor's glared down to Sebastian after giving the game away on his identity, his brow furrowing and nose curling in response to this as he made his annoyance very clear to the soldier. However, he returned his attention quickly towards the vampire lord sitting near them. Azathor decided that he would chastise Sebastian later for his carelessness. "Visiting. Touring the sights." Azathor replied with an unblinking gaze towards Konstantinov. It was a definite lie, but one that the demon prince played straight-faced and without hesitation as if it were a truth he held onto dearly. He absolutely would not spill the details on what their true mission was as his own paranoia kicked into full gear. Was this an elaborate ruse to bring in a sense of false security by the enemy? Azathor couldn't help but think so as he steadied his breathing as he would just before a fight, thinking that this is where things might go.

"And my friend here," Azathor then said, giving a pat onto Sebastian's shoulder, "Has finally won a bet. So we should be going before he loses his winnings back to the house."

 

[K0mori]

Still snickering as Azathor brought his wrathful gaze down on him, Sebastian sarcastically half-raised his hands in surrender. However, he clearly hadn't taken the warning seriously, and only a moment later, as Azathor tried to create a cover story, Sebastian snorted with laughter, repeating to himself under his breath "besichtigung" with a shake of his head.

As Azathor clapped him on the shoulder in an effort to bring an end to the conversation, Sebastian brushed him off arrogantly. "Oder," he said to the demon's dismay, "I could tell you what we actually came to do, provided my good luck doesn't end with that last spin!"

 

[Worthlessplebian]

"Alright. I intend to make a few more stops before returning to the inn for the night, so if you would like to just go ahead to the theatre, you can. I won't mind." she stated, "Needing a few essentials. Black powder bullets, mainly, but I'll look and see if there's anything the rest of you might could use."

Rajko nodded agreeably to Claire's suggestion. "Perhaps, I will." The inquisitor stopped all of a sudden. Embraced by the black coat's slenderizing shape, the form ruffled slightly as a simple, leather wallet was pulled as if from nothing. "While you're perusing the local establishments, stop-by a herbalist or similar and ask for Menthae or peppermint. Dried, minced leaf. It should not be too expensive. I have need of a refill for my smoking herbs." He handed the exact amount necessary, based on his past experiences of purchasing these things, normally he'd do it himself but the theatre proved more enticing to him at the moment.

He pulled away from Claire, saluting off goodbye to her accompanied by a soft smile.

The path to the theatre, rather the Peltragow Royale, had not been a mystery to Rajko, still he had been leisurely. No sense of urgency befell him, why would it? And even if there was, he wouldn't permit spoiling his approaching entertainment. It had been an exceptionally long time since he had been to one; life's cruel machinations, wide and suffocating, ensured that he rarely had a prolonged rest. From training then hunting as a loner to embroiling himself within the Order's covenant, the solemn-faced man could only intake in small pleasures. This indeed proved to be a rare opportunity.

Arriving at the Royale, Rajko had been giddy with excitement - most evident upon his face. He turned in astonishment. Marveling at the establishment. "At last, fine amusement." He spoke aloud. He waltzed inside, less cautious as he waded through the people in the coatroom from the building's front. The drama room's entrance shone like a lighthouse beacon amidst everything, but Rajko still took note of the other areas. A tavern and gambling hall, the citizenry certainly weren't starved of bacchanalian revelry. But that didn't draw him, he almost made a straight-line for the theatre when he heard familiar voices again.

Abruptly the tall figure shrouded by a black coat ceased. An inattentive man slammed him from behind in a vein similar to hitting a brick wall. "Apologies..." scowled the inquisitor. The man from behind gulped down any umbrage and circled Rajko. Two fingers crept up to hold the brim of his tapered hat. The werebat's eyes closed with chagrin, one half of his nose pushed up in disgust. The man moved modestly with the appearances of a man unburdened. Like many of these gambling-addicted whales. His shadow stretched behind the shoulders of Azathor and Sebastian, he stood over them with a cross-armed stance. He looked to them both before gazing at the mysterious stranger at their table.

"Why," spouted Rajko with a ribbing undertone. "is it not obvious? A daemon, not a lowly one either, a Daristeinian soldier, not on the frontlines, and now an inquisitor here could only be doing one thing. I need not state the eye-gouging conclusion." Waylaying their conversation was Rajko's primary goal. "I take it, Azathor here," slapping the daemon's back. "Tried to obfuscate our dealings here as much as possible. A commendable effort, but uncorroborated due to cheekiness." He looked down on Sebastian before returning his gaze to the vampire Lord in front. "I spotted Kirill on the way here. Similar scents, however you carry yourself different." He could tell through the overbearing smells in the room and through flowing cigarette smoke. "Higher station, eh?" Squinted eyes were painted by shadow from the hat's brim at the vampire. It was easy for Rajko to suss out that this man-no, vampire was part of the caravan that he met days ago. "So are you going to introduce me to your new друг?" He gestured with the top hand of his crossed arms towards the vampire. "Rajko Sottaks is my name."

 

[K0mori]

The offer has barely left Sebastian's lips when seemingly out of nowhere, Rajko butted into the conversation, putting on the same overly-jovial air that he had displayed back at the Obsidian Lighthouse. Sebastian had been in a serious mood at the time when Rajko had dismissed his thoughts on Camille's predicament, and he was no less insulted by it now that the setting was actually appropriate.

"Ah, it's you," he sputtered. It was all he could manage at the moment as his mind raced. Since he had told Kirill about the church sending him and the others to Grimtham, Azathor's lie would quickly be uncovered and make both of them look bad. And since this vampire clearly had some influence on the outcome of the roulette wheel, Sebastian wanted to be in his good graces. Now with Rajko in the room, he had two of his so-called companions making things unbearably awkward. Dammit, both of you... I'm finally winning and this is how you act?

And he knew that Rajko had come at the worst possible time, since he probably thought Sebastian was going to mention godly artifacts or something along those lines, but even seeing double, the boy wasn't that stupid. He had planned to mention the demons at the sawmill, and then ask Lucas to keep quiet about Azathor, as he had helped the church in quelling the threat. That, he hoped, would satisfy the vampire's curiosity while giving him a sense of trust, even if one didn't exist.

At least, that's how he saw it playing out in the haze of his imagination. Now, however, reality was setting in that he wouldn't be making another cent tonight thanks to these two killjoys.

He finished his current drink, setting the glass down on the edge of the table, and coughed into his hand. All at once, a Tiger awoke inside him as the green and red felt on the table in front of him became a blur, his head snapping back to the stupid tricorne hat on the werebat's head, and with a windmilling turn of his upper body he threw an absolutely wild haymaker that connected with Rajko's cheekbone, as the inquisitor had looked to the left just in time to receive it.

 

[Worthlessplebian]

Rajko's eyes only briefly drifted to Sebastian when he sputtered, the inquisitor had largely ignored the youth's physical presence after that point, however did keep him in mind. He wondered what manner of lie or, rather the more pragmatic option, half-truth the boy would try to cook up and feed to this vampire. Whatever Sebastian's preconceptions are of Rajko's thoughts, the man didn't underestimate the lad. But a little, hazy imagination would not be enough to pull the wool over a vampire's eyes.

The best course is to neither confirm nor deny and simply avoid it. The least amount of information given, even if said information is false, the better. The uncomfortable quietness which had settled on the table did not go unnoticed. Now who's making this awkward?

Unfortunately for the inquisitor, his thought only barely finished when he saw the soldier's head snap to him out of the corner of his eye. His head only mildly tilted to see him fully, instead catching a direct blow upon his cheekbone. The "stupid" tricorne hat flew off his head, revealing the short, sharp hair of the werebat. Not enough time for his neck to limp or roll with the haymaker. So unexpected was the punch that Rajko took one to two steps back.

The casino-goers turned in shock at the sound of knuckle meeting cheek. A blur befell the werebat's vision as his hand confusedly swam up to shield his injured cheek. It cleared quickly, yet his brain still jostled from the force. Pain seeped up from the impact, like a crack spreads across a dam. He winced from the sensation. A warmth spread from inside his cheek and Rajko felt it in his mouth as well. His tongue knew what it was: blood.

That stimulus grounded Rajko, acted as an anchor. The revelation that he had just been punched was liberating in a strange way. His eyes gleamed not with fury or wrath, but contentment only because he had just been given cause to retaliate or if he wanted, he could goad the younger man into attacking him further. That was a wild action after all, not befitting the so-called reserve attitude which Sebastian became so renowned. The alcohol might be getting to him.

This had been an entirely unintended outcome of which Rajko could only partially accredit to himself. Hand drops to the wayside. A grin of bloodied lower teeth flashed briefly before Rajko spoke in a frighteningly calm voice. "Well, satisfied?" was the inquisitor's question. He probably won't attack again: the lad isn't stupid, you know.

 

[K0mori]

"Verdammte Fledermaus, why don't you get bitten by something that minds its own fucking business?" Sebastian spat, practically steaming from the ears. He was so inebriated that it apparently didn't occur to him that a blow like that would have knocked an ordinary man out cold, and that if he tried it again, it would probably go very poorly for him. And he probably would have tried it again, too, if not for the big-bodied security men working for the casino and Lucas Konstantinov's bodyguards closing in within seconds. Once he was grabbed by his upper arm, the realization of what he had just done settled in, and without a word of protest he allowed himself to be escorted out of the establishment, leaving all of his chips behind.

 

[Infab]

The arrival of the Inquisitor caused Lucas to cut the man a look, but what came next was far more enjoyable. Watching Sebastian spin about, laying a hell of a hit to the cheek of the inquisitor, Lucas grinned for a few moments. But the grin was erased as the large security guards for the casinos quickly sprang into action and escorted the young soldier out of the building. Without his chips.

Lucas also noticed his own guards starting to move in quickly, but he glanced about at them which gave them pause. Nothing to worry about. He wasn't being attacked, only standing adjacent from the actual incident. After Sebastian was gone, he looked to Azathor and Rajko. "Not the worst reaction to an inquisitor that I've seen. Still, quite funny." he said, adding a laugh in afterwards.

He then noticed that the roulette had stopped, and that he had won yet again. "Ah! Another win." he said, motioning to the roulette spinner to begin handing out the winnings. And once he had obtained his, he motioned again to Sebastian's left over chips as he looked to Azathor. "You should take those and cash them in. Give the money to your friend. Also..." he said, before taking half of his newly won chips and sliding them over to Sebastian's pile. "Cash these as well, and give it to him. A gesture of good will, since you two seemed to have ruined his night."

 

[joshuadim]

Azathor was about to speak his mind until Rajko appeared and, in turn, antagonized Sebastian to the point where the man threw his fist with a solid blow to the inquisitor's face. Such a turn of events was so sudden that the demon prince was caught off guard as he simply watched in silence, mouth slightly agape as he tried to muster some words but failed as bodyguards swooped in quickly towards where the soldier stood. Azathor almost went for his blade but realized quickly that the man was simply being escorted from the building, leading to Azathor to loosen his stance as the tension quickly passed once Sebastian had exited the premises.

However, things were not done as Lucas spoke about Sebastian's chips to which Azathor gave a faint nod. He did his best to collect the large quantity of chips as to not spill or drop any of them before walking over to the exchange to collect the cash earnings. Unlike most men here who would lose with what they came in with, Sebastian would at least come out with a hefty profit. A not-insignificant stack of bills was given to Azathor before he left to search for Sebastian. It didn't take long for Azathor to find the man as he hadn't wandered far, being somewhat inebriated, and Azathor quickly caught up to him.

"Here." Azathor said as he brandished Sebastian's money to him, "Your winnings."

 

[K0mori]

"We still have that wallet, right?" Sebastian said, taking the money and quickly ascertaining that there was more than what they had taken. He stuffed most of the bills into the wallet and pocketed what was left over. "Take it inside and leave it with the doorman. Say you found it on the ground, or something like that," he explained with a hiccup, shoving the leather item back into Azathor's hands.

Having gotten a better look at Sebastian up close, it was obvious that he had been tossed out rather roughly once the security men had him out of sight. His clothes were dirty and reeked of stale water, and there was a fresh scuff on his cheek where it had hit the pavement minutes earlier. "I'm going back to the inn to sleep this off," he muttered before lighting a cigarette and staggering away on rubber legs.

 

[Worthlessplebian]

It needn't be said that most men couldn't withstand a direct haymaker to the cranium. Despite Rajko's ironclad facade, he knew that another hit like that would've landed him flat on his arse and his head in la-la-land. The hurled expletives from the soldier were drowned out by heavy footfalls as casino security escorted him in a not-so subtle manner. Other persons moved, likely the vampire lord's entourage. Rajko bent down to pick up his hat only for his fingers to slip against the edge. An after-effect of the blow. The second attempt was more successful as he replaced the hat on his head.

He glanced at Lucas who spoke to him and Azathor, but frankly Rajko had tuned out the vampire lord. He waved over a waiter to request a napkin, towelette or anything to dry out the blood in his mouth. Biting, metallic taste, Rajko never cared much for it, bat-form made it tolerable. Rajko mused whilst wiping down his teeth. His attention returned when Lucas called out another win. He followed along the conversation. Prudent, he would've made a similar call.


Rajko left a second or two before Azathor had gotten up to cash in Sebastian's winnings. He went back to his original task, theatre with a pain-pulsing, bruised cheek.

 

[joshuadim]

Left with the wallet in hand, Azathor took a moment to look at it as Sebastian went off to go back to the inn. It was rather surprising to him that, despite being somewhat drunk, the soldier took the time to put back the amount of money that had been in it originally so that it could be returned to its original owner. Despite having his night ruined, Sebastian had taken the distinct opportunity to carry out a rather selfless act. A though passed through Azathor's mind that he could simply take the money out of the wallet and use it to cheer the young man up after having played a part in douring the mood in the evening, but decided against it. It would dishonor the soldier's intentions to go behind his back, and so Azathor went to the doorman of the establishment instead.

"Found this on the ground." Azathor explained, handing the leather wallet over to the well dressed service worker. "I think its owner will be happy to see it again."

"Hm? Oh, good find sir. I'll have it stored for safekeeping inside, hopefully the owner comes for it."

Azathor gave an approving grunt before walking off to head back to the inn that everyone else was staying in as well to end his night venture out. He made a note in his mind to speak with Sebastian in the morning.

 

[K0mori]

The Abyss​

Having reached the Hollowlands with her newly formed unit and Cassandra at her side, Mariette surveyed the dilapidated cityscape of Sheol carefully, remembering the time she spent as a scout at the bottom rungs of Tariun's uprising to help her judge the defensibility of her surroundings. In the time since the rebellion had moved its headquarters from the northern wastes to this former capital of the Abyss, a great deal of restoration had been done out of necessity to make the city suitable for an army to make its home. Having gone over basic assignments with the strongest of her new lieutenants on the way over, Mariette was freed of the burden of finding accommodations for each and every soldier within her ranks; the officers would speak with those responsible for distributing food and other supplies for those under their command.

She stopped in an open square and rolled her head about, a dull pop in her neck bringing her a bit of relief from her travels and resetting her chain of thought. She turned back and took a look at Cassandra, before closing her eyes, as if in pain. "...There will come a day when the Abyss will not be an anarchy of conquest, ma chère," she suddenly said, softly. "This Hell will exist to conquer hope itself, as it once did, as it is meant to be- but first we must dispose of the usurper, the one who orchestrated the injustice which confounds all the realms, centuries after the fact."

Cassandra stopped for a moment, surprised by such a deep and unprompted statement. "Of course..." she said, uneasily. "What brought that on?"

Mariette looked at Cassandra for a moment, and then closed her eyes, as if in pain. "Because, I don't want you to go," she replied. "I can see your sins... Just like Camille, but then again, nothing like her."

"Well, yeah, mine have got to be a lot worse than hers," the pureblood replied, a bit uncomfortable. "But you know that they need me; especially the humans- Sazak is out there somewhere, and Camille can't run away fast enough on her stupid human legs," she joked.

"She can't run from you, either," Mariette said, a bit more sharply, "and while we both know that you have plenty to answer for, I don't think you quite grasp the magnitude, Cass. I was, and am, able to love you because the arc of eternity allows an infinite accumulation of suffering, so that some day, thousands of years from now, you will have answered fully for all that you have done. Likewise, I can carry on with my own soul, tarnished as it may be, because I am at peace knowing that I am forever damned."

Taken aback, Cassandra tried to temper her anger. While Mariette was right about the danger she posed to the ones she was traveling with, she felt it was exceptionally blunt to say so out loud, especially after she had followed her back to Hell to be together for one night. But while she didn't say anything, Mariette could tell that she felt insulted, and immediately, Cassandra regretted not heeding her words more carefully. Her demon lover took a step back and raised a clawed hand, a terrifying look in her eyes. With the snap of her finger, Cassandra felt the same momentary headache, the loss of balance- the indications that Mariette had cast a hex of illusion upon her.

But that wasn't all she felt. A deep chill ran over her body- a crawling, implacable horror. She looked down at herself, and saw something she could not see, and felt that which could not be felt. A darkness, dripping from within and without, currents churning on invisible oceans of evil. It was an entire lifetime of sin, just as Mariette described. The overwhelming sense of doom which fell over her came with the bitter knowledge that this is what Mariette knew of her now. All the murders, the thefts, and the wanton violence and destruction. Crimes of wrath, and lust, and greed, and gluttony. She wanted to scream.

And then, all at once, it was gone. Mariette had snapped her finger again and taken the sensation away, before quickly embracing the pureblood. Cassandra nearly fell limp in her arms. "My love, I fear now, every moment you are gone, that I will not see you again, and that I will have released all of this sin back into the world. I fear that it will only deepen the wounds caused by infernal meddling in the mortal realm. I want so badly to trust you..."

"...And if I stay here, you wouldn't need to trust me. You would simply have me," Cassandra replied, holding back tears of shock and dismay. "Mariette, I want to stay."

"Oui?" Mariette said, a fleeting moment of joy erased as she sensed that Cassandra would not stay, despite her wishes.

Cassandra shook her head. "I want to stay, but they really do need me. Adona can see everyone's fate and he knew that mine involved taking this journey in the mortal realm. And Undite- you know that if she thought I would turn on the others or run away to be a killer for hire again, that she'd have stepped in. The gods know that these are desperate times and if they had anyone better than me, they would use them. I promise you, though, I'll be back, as soon as we've done our job, and I'll help you fix the Abyss.

"...Things haven't changed, really changed, then," Mariette said, a sad smile on her face. "It is all exactly the same as when you left the first time, all except for what I can perceive." She finally released Cassandra and beckoned her to follow. "Then let us make the most of this one night we have together. I will show you where I have been keeping all the special things you've sent me since you went away. I've spent so little time here enjoying them..."

Cassandra followed her, relieved and suddenly so very grateful to be loved despite what she had now seen of herself. But she also knew that Mariette had given her a subtle warning: don't come back unless you're prepared to stay forever. Cassandra knew now, more than ever, that being with Mariette again was all that she really wanted.

 

[Infab]

Later, the next morning...


"Cotton balls?"

"Yes, cotton balls. To stuff in your ears in case of sirens." responded Claire, cutting Cassandra a glance as she stuffed what was left of the fluffy white wad into a pouch on the side of her horse.

"Ah, sirens." muttered Rebecca, whom was nodding along. "Aquatic creatures, using their beautiful voices to lure in prey. They use shorelines for spawning, and we're going to a cove that might be in use."

"Spot on, Saint." said Claire as she turned about. "If we have to engage any, I suggest using ranged weapons and taking them by surprise. They're surprisingly fast in close quarters."

Jayden, standing near one of the other horses nearby and clutching his rifle. "H-How fast?" he soon asked, looking between the members of the group that were standing outside the tavern.

"Fast enough to rip your throat out before you could react to their charge." stated Tariun, standing in the doorway of the tavern. "So do be careful, please. I'd honestly hate to hear of your untimely deaths."

Cassandra grunted, soon reaching over and mounting her horse. She felt refreshed after the night she had spent in the Abyss with Mariette, and so far, she hadn't seen any hallucinations. Perhaps a quick trip to the Abyss was what she needed? Though she would have rather stayed there. Far from the mortal realm and everything going on, and with her beloved.

Claire glanced to Cassandra again, mounting her own horse and taking it by its reins. As the others mounted their own horses, she took a quick glance at her map before tucking it back away in her coat. The sun was barely up, slowly rising above the green fields and farmland to the east. Citizens of Peltragow were just getting up to go about their days, though several fishermen were already preparing to go about their usual jobs down at the docks. Claire had spent most of the early morning watching them, simply gazing down at the docks and out at the bay beyond. The ships floating silently, waiting to begin their journeys out into the open water.

Rebecca, meanwhile, had been dwelling more on the death of yet another god. The gods were being systematically slaughtered, an apocalyptic scenario. Would the remaining three survive this ordeal? How would they stop literal godkillers? She breathed a sigh as she sat upon her horse, a hand resting on the pommel of her sword. They would figure things out. They had done so before, in the face of the impossible.

"Let's get moving. We'll head north through the city and past the duke's estate. Once we're outside the northern gate, we'll move to the northwest and hug the coastline till we run into the cove's entrance." stated Claire, looking to the group before turning her horse about. Rebecca and Cassandra were quick to follow, with Jayden in tow.

 

[Damian0358]

Once affairs at the Obsidian Lighthouse had calmed down, Xiaòzhou decided to retire for the day and headed for his quarters. As per his usual, he engaged in his daily rituals in a timely fashion, before beginning his rest. As he rested, he kept watch on all auras in the area just in case, but thankfully, the night would pass calmly into the morning.

With everything packed up once more, the hermit was basically ready to continue on with the others, listening in as relevant matters surfaced. The matter of sirens made him curious, given his limited experience with them. He nodded promptly, akin to Rebecca albeit in a far less distracted fashion, and as everyone began to slowly follow Claire, he floated up forward by her to ask a question.

"These sirens you mentioned," he began, "they sound fast, but I'm curious over how far they can leap from the sea. Depending on the answer, once we arrive by the coastline, I could fly up high and provide visual on them without coming to harm."

 

[K0mori]

"Ah, sirens." muttered Rebecca, whom was nodding along. "Aquatic creatures, using their beautiful voices to lure in prey. They use shorelines for spawning, and we're going to a cove that might be in use."

"Ah, yes, sirens," Sebastian repeated, sarcastically imitating the saint's casual familiarity with the supernatural ocean-dwellers. What, Sebastian? They're a fixture on the coastlines. -Gasp- You mean you've never been!?

He irritably yanked on the straps of his gear to make sure that nothing would fall off Dantès during the ride before giving him a reassuring pat. As poorly as he felt, he wasn't about to take his frustration out on a horse. He climbed up into the saddle and looked down the road toward the duke's estate, annoyed with the ongoing chatter. While he had slept deeply after arriving back at the inn the previous evening, he awoke feeling clammy and sick, and really just wanted some peace and quiet. But even then, he wouldn't know what to do with himself; he had too much of a headache to read, and smoking yet another cigarette just made him want to gag on his own spit.

He unscrewed the cap of his canteen and took a deep drink of the chilled tea inside; Tariun's kobold had some ready and waiting for him when he finally shambled out of bed in the morning. It was mixed weakly and tasted herbal, the soothing sort of drink that would ease a rotten stomach after a hard night. I must have come stumbling in like an ass, Sebastian concluded. He couldn't believe that he had actually punched Rajko. Unlike his past confrontations with Cassandra, of which he still felt justified, this was an instance where Sebastian wished he hadn't been so stubborn.

Still, it wasn't all bad. He had some money now, and could afford a shave and a haircut whenever they had another break from the mission. He could also trade his paperback books for some fresh reading material. He just needed to resist the urge to spend all of his earnings on smokes and liquor.

"Don't worry, Jayden," Sebastian said with a glum, half-smile. "You heard Madam Desrosiers last night- we're all going to Hell when we die. If a siren gets you, eh... We know some folks. I'm sure they can just reach in and pluck you out," he bitterly joked. He avoided looking at Cassandra, whose presence had reignited his anger toward those same capricious "folks." The powers-that-be in the universe seemed intent on shielding her from consequence. He would ask her what the Abyss is like, but no matter how bleak, it simply wouldn't be enough for him.

 

[Breadman]

Royland looked at the small cotton balls in his palm. Rather than throw them away, the knight simply put them away in a pouch.
"I appreciate the concern you show, but handing these to me seems ill advised." He spoke to Claire "My nature makes me immune to that particular mind-bending." He neglected to point out the fact that beneath the helm he was a skull, but she didn't need to be reminded of that again.

With a motion of his hand, he summoned his steed from the nether. He halted his step as the thing looked 'sick'. It wasn't a good looker from the start, but it didn't look like that before. The usual magic that hid the creature's true nature had faded. The binds between him, Lozon and the Abyss must be damaged somehow if the fell horse looks like that. Appearances mattered little for these things as it could still travel as it always had. He climbed on top and joined the rest of the party, just in time to hear Sebastian make his joke.

"The Abyss is not set in your futures just yet. I'm sure Jayden would be of little interest to the demons that inhabit the Abyss should he end up there." His words of assurance were said less for Jayden's nerves and for him to hide his annoyance. Sebastian had reached the point of many other recruits he tutored for the Inquisition. The hard cynicism in breaking out as they coped with the gravity of their work. He would get over it. He hoped at least.

 

[Dmaster]

Camille had spent her night casually discussing matters with Royland. From the mundane of her idle thoughts and comments to the grave circumstances of their mission, it did well to help ease her mind slightly. Seeing that there was not much in the way of work being done that day, the huntress elected to retire early and get some actually decent sleep for once. That meant she was entirely none the wiser to whatever tension took place between Rajko and Sebastian, or whatever hijinks the soldier and Azathor got themselves into. It was just as well, as she was certain to put a rather dour outlook on things after what Mariette had disclosed.

The rage she felt toward the gods would gradually subside, and the huntress was not one to let such judgment stop her from doing what was needed of her. As she said, the reasons she fought were not to secure a spot in a pleasant afterlife.

In the morning after she had gathered her things, she squinted at the cotton balls placed in her gloved palm with a frown. "Sirens are quite outside my field of expertise, so I am guessing that their songs only affecting men is a misconception?" Camille asks the saint and Claire, yet nonetheless pockets the items. From there she begins to pack things onto her still unnamed horse, giving it a pat before her head turns to Sebastian and his bitter comment.

Royland's reply was not very uplifting, and certainly not what Jayden needed to hear. After all, for the bulk of his life he had lived normally and likely encountered very little involving the supernatural, divinity, and demons. "Just because some of us are hell-bound does not mean you shall be. Foolish the gods may be they have no reason to damn souls who have lived peacefully as I am sure you have. At least not any longer," she spoke to him, not even trying to plea her own innocence in matters.

 

[K0mori]

Sebastian's faux smile eroded as Royland set into "reassuring" Jayden. He had obviously been joking when he suggested that even the innocent bystander would be dragged off to the Abyss when he meets his end, and once Camille started talking it only darkened his mood further. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. It was only the beginning of the day and he was already beginning to daydream about going home to Daristein once the mission was over. He would be happy to never see a drop of blood again in his life, if he could help it.

---
​

Mariette gazed at the empty plane beyond Sheol's walls at the hazy shapes of the terrain in the distance. She remembered how she had looked at the same wasteland from the opposite side, when Sazak thought her a broken toy and had her disposed of in the Hollowlands. Although it proved to be a wider prison, she thought that it meant freedom at the time. That was the difference between being merely lonely, and being truly alone. Cassandra's departure, no matter how necessary, struck at her heart like a burning thorn, as terribly or worse than their first separation.

There was nothing for it except to pour herself once more into her work. Those who felt honored to join the ranks of Lisykna would soon learn how furiously exacting a commander could be.

She clenched a fist. Sazak's followers will come to fear my reckoning.

 

[Infab]

"These sirens you mentioned," he began, "they sound fast, but I'm curious over how far they can leap from the sea. Depending on the answer, once we arrive by the coastline, I could fly up high and provide visual on them without coming to harm."

Claire glanced to Xiaòzhou, as he moved up next to her. "They can leap a few meters without momentum on shorelines, and they try not to stray far from the water. Out in the water, they can leap great distances with the right amount of speed." she explained, "But I doubt we'll be getting close enough for them to leap at us in the first place. Just have to stay vigilant and keep an eye out. If you'd like, you can act as an aerial scout again."

She then glanced back to Camille, as the huntress commented on the sirens as well.

"Sirens are quite outside my field of expertise, so I am guessing that their songs only affecting men are a misconception?"

"They affect everyone and everything in listening distance, though they can change their harmonics to affect specific targets. Its quite a strange thing to bear witness to." replied Claire, "Best we all use the cotton, save for our vengeful knight."

The topic of conversation behind her soon shifted to the Abyss and the idea of already being damned, even though the Saint had stated before that Mariette was only able to see their sins and not their virtues. To a demon, everyone was damned. To an angel, everyone was blessed. You had to pay attention to see if that was true or not in either case, and, in the end, everyone crafted chose their own fates. At least, that's what Claire believed. Even if the gods were involved, you ultimately were the one to choose if you played along or defied destiny.

The group continued along through Peltragow, passing through slowly populating streets and by shops that were beginning to open up for business. Eventually, the number of shops began to dwindle as they neared the large patch of land that belonged to the Duke and their estate. It had been three years since the Estate had burned to the ground, after the battle that had occurred inside. During that time, the charred remains had been cleared away and a new building was being erected in its place. Similar to the older one, but brought up to more modern standards.

As they passed, by the fence surrounding the compound, most of the building seemed to be complete. There were people outside giving it various coats of paint, adding the finishing touches to the structure. It seemed the new Duke of Grimtham was also there, standing outside the structure's entrance with his wife and eldest son as they spoke to the work crew's foreman about modifications. As Cassandra looked on the structure, a few unwanted memories began to seep back into her mind. Bringing Valeria and Wesley to the estate, tossing Valeria (and later Wesley) in the dungeon beneath the structure, helping Major Archer try to kill them under the Duke's order... going completely insane after drinking all of the Romanov blood she had on her. She sighed, looking away from the structure after a moment.

But another thought popped into her head afterwards, after her mind hung on the word blood. "Claire, have you topped off your blood reserves?" she soon asked, speaking up. Claire paused, tugging on the reins of her horse to get it to stop. "...No, I haven't. It slipped my mind, honestly. I need to do that." she soon muttered, glancing back to the pureblood.

She then looked to the others. "Continue on to the north gate. Wait there, and I'll catch back up to you. I'll seek out a local butcher or something." she said, looking between them. But Cassandra soon spoke again. "I know a doctor that would be helpful enough. I visited him from time to time to make some purchases." she said, "I'm sure he'd be more than happy to assist."

Claire eyed Cassandra for a moment, before soon nodding. "Alright. I'm watching you, though." stated the enforcer. Cassandra shrugged in response, before swinging her horse David about and moving back in the direction they had came. Claire followed afterwards, as Rebecca continued on. Leading the group onwards to the north gate.


The office-slash-home of Doctor Sullivan Cropper was a rather interesting little place, not too far from the estate but situated just to the southeast of the compound. A wide street stretched down away from it, leading around a curve and pointing back towards the waterfront district where Tariun's inn was. Cassandra and Claire dismounted their horses, with the former stepping up and giving a pattern of knocks on the door. Two knocks, a pause, three knocks, a pause, and a final singular knock at the end.

A moment later, the door opened. "Ah!" said an elderly man on the other side, a pipe jutting from his mouth. "Been a while since I seen Lady Bainbridge standin' in my doorway! Come in!" he said, turning about and hobbling back into the front entrance. Cassandra smiled as she entered, while Claire's eyes wandered about the room. It seemed cozy. The kind of cozy you'd prefer during cold winters. She imagined it'd be kinda hot during the summers. Too much wool.

"It certainly has been a long time, Doctor Cropper." said Cassandra, as they followed the doctor into his living room. "I'm here to make a purchase, if you'd oblige me. My friend and I are short on the ol' red stuff. Do you happen to have some that you could part with?"

The doctor scratched his balding head, glancing towards the back of the house. "Yes... Yes, I might. I'll have to go and check. Please wait here. I'd rather you not disturb the patients I have in the back rooms." he said, eventually turning to look back at the pair. "Nasty accident down at the docks a few days ago. Young man fell onto a railing, messed up his back something terrible. He's resting at the moment, across the hall from a young woman with the consumption."

"Don't worry, Doctor Cropper. We'll remain here." said Claire, giving the man a nod. He nodded back, before turning about and hobbling back through the building towards where they assumed his storage room was.

As they waited, Cassandra looked about the room as Claire had before. "Certainly a well kept place. I wonder if the missus is still alive?" she muttered to herself, as she slowly strolled around the living room. Eventually, she noticed a sword mounted to the wall. A rapier, complete with a scabbard. An interesting decoration choice. She moved closer to it, eyes tracing the blade.

Suddenly, it hit her. That blade was familiar. That sword was familiar. Her eyes widened. And Claire watched as the pureblood quickly spun about and moved back towards the front door. "Cassandra? Where are you goi--" she managed to get out before Cassandra stepped out the front door, closing it quietly behind her. What the hell?

Eventually, the old man returned with several sealed jars full of blood. "Here we go! I have six jars. Three for each of you." said the doctor, "Various donors..." He then noticed Cassandra was gone. "Where did Lady Bainbridge go?"

Claire scratched her head and shrugged. "I believe back out to check on our horses. I'll take those, sir." she said, drawing out her wallet and pulling some bills from within it. "Payment for services rendered. Please, keep the change."


Despite Claire's questions, Cassandra remained silent on her actions at the office. All the way to the front gate of Peltragow, she remained quiet. Focused on putting distance between her and that office. Her mind was abuzz, though. Why did it have to be that office? Why the hell is it there?

Eventually, they arrived at the gate, finding Rebecca and the group silently waiting for them. "Alright, time to venture forth." stated Claire, trotting past them as they arrived. And with Claire at the lead, the group proceeded out the gate. Passing by soldiers guarding it and people traveling in and out into the countryside.