Sutoratosu

"And uh.... I....I..." She what? Not even she knew. Never really thought too much of this stuff before, given well.... she was a goddamn drek as far as most people cared. Just some pathetic Mack who lived with her equally pathetic father out in the woods, barely scraping just below the poverty line. No one had ever wanted her like.... well, this before. She'd never expected someone to either. Infact, it had been easy to put it from her altogether, focus on more important things back then. But lo and behold, here it was. Staring her right in the face. Such a twist, it was like one of those crappy, worn novels she sometimes used to convince the old librarian to give to her instead of throw out. Yet, try and be cynical about it though she did, it wasn't so easy to write off as one of those shitty romance stories. Thinking about it, Natalie was the closest thing she had to a friend, period. The one person who'd actually bother to talk to her and whom she could stand talking to, told things no one else had heard, or ever would hear. One of the few she felt even remotely safe enough to drop the snark and the smartassery, let out a glimpse of what she was really like. She could feel herself blushing even hotter now... "Is... is this what it feels like? She already knows me better than anyone else here- hell, she's probably the only one who actually knows me" yet still, something hesitated. The cynical little part of herself. The part that warned her that this would never work. That it sounded too good to be true, because it was, and she was only setting herself up for pain later on. Not for the first time in the four years she'd been enrolled, she wished dad was here to give some of his sage advice. But just as with all the other times that wish was made- he wasn't. She'd have to figure it out on her own... "Can I really not trust even one person like that? Is it really so asinine to just take a chance? So what if it.... if it doesn't work? What do I have to lose, what have I ever had to lose?" Her cynic was swift and blunt as a hammer: Her life. The one and only person she could actually call a friend. Her scholarship. Well, her life constantly teetered on the edge, as far as Arya was really concerned, so that was nothing new. She was used to being alone too, hell, aside from her dad she'd been alone up until Mother Opium so graciously became her benefactor. Beyond even that, in the times when her and Natalie weren't able to talk, which was most of the time, she was still alone. So the change on that front wouldn't be very much either.. would just be returning to the way things had always been. As for her scholarship... well fuck, the cynic was really scraping the bottom of the barrel, wasn't she? Arya doubted Mother Opium would go revoking her sponsorship over this- if anything, Arya was actually doing as she instructed in the first place: figure out what was wrong. To hell with it. There was something here, she may not have known what, but at least it felt genuine. Better to take the chance and risk getting burned, than being too damn afraid to acknowledge it in the first place. Maybe this was some indication that things didn't have to be quite as shitty as they'd always been. And if she was wrong about that, and this was just the way shit would always be... well it's not like she would really be surprised at this point. She took a solemn breath, steeling herself as she looked at Natalie, "I... I never really thought someone would ever want me. Just didn't think about it at all till now, but... I... I think I might feel the same. Never really been with anyone before, but...um.... I'd be willing to give this a chance, if... if you are too..."

Cheryn "The weirdo in- ah fuck.... I forgot Merlin ordered her ass to stay here," Cheryn muttered to herself as she finally stood. She had the use the wall as a guide for a bit, but for the most part she'd recovered enough to not pass out simply from walking. "Well....the younger kids seemed fine when I was in there a while ago. And as disgraced as Charity is at this moment, and as much as she's rightfully guilting herself over it, I doubt she'll make another stupid fuck up anytime soon." Her voice was blunt, her tone almost alright venomous as she spoke of the other woman, before she shook her head. This wasn't the time to get into that. And there was also another matter that she recalled, now that the immediate disaster was over. Taking a deep breath, she steered the conversation back on course. "... anyway, I think they'll be fine, for the time being. And it's true that Meltdown and Accelerator aren't accounted for, as far as I know. If they're up to their own devices... oh gods. Alright, let's find them. Before we do though, Beza was helping me look for you, a while back; we were searching Tailow's room when she got spooked from the explosion here, told her to stay put while I checked it out. Once I've calmed her down and sent her back to the barracks, we can figure out where those two are. "

She blocked out the petty argument in the distance. Just as she tried to block out the stabbing pain that bloomed from the back of her eyes, sliced its way through the general space of her head, before finally ending in the back of her neck- right where the stem connected to the spine. His attack may have been over, but she could still feel the lingering sensation of assault and violation, coating her mind like a foul residue. Memories were fogged, senses were dulled and only now beginng to return to full strength, but most of all... They were horrified. No longer it was it speculation, beyond of a doubt, they had lied to her. They had used her. And they had tried to cast her aside once their purpose was made null, save themselves. Even now, she heard the frantic cries, their whispered nothings, almost indecipherable with the speed they came, but quiet enough that if she really wanted to, she could've ignored them. The jig was up. They knew, Andral knew, and now she did as well. It was plot that mere days ago, she hadn't even imagined as feasible. Yet here they were.... "This is where you've been, all this time?" She felt as though she wanted to scream, to make no end of foul evocations cursing their names and very beings. Yet try as she might, her strength still waned from the madman's hellish fever-dream, and all she could verbally muster was a quiet groan of frustration "This....entire...fucking time. You were with me ,and you were silent... all the times you could've said something, done something, prevent a disaster or at least help me mitigate it... and you did nothing. When I stumbled like a fool, trying to figure out things on my own, you were silent. When I was fighting for my life, being hunted like an animal, you were silent. When Avada was dying right infront of me, and I was too much of a coward to try anything, you were silent then too. What did you pigs ever really see in me? Some hideyhole you could hunker down in? What were you hiding from, why did you lie about time running out, of having to stop what you taught me? Were you just going to let me take the heat of whatever made you run in the first place? Is that it? Was I really just a fucking meat shield? ANSWER ME!" A great, nigh overwhelming silence, washing over her like a wave of static electricity. The beast huddled around her, bodies tensed, looking to one another, uncertain what to do, even if they should do anything at all, with the raw torrents of impulses beginning to arise from her. It was to them as if they were suddenly connected to something far greater, far more ancient, than their mistress had ever been. Faint, but even so, still nigh overpowering. There was no answer. The great presence, seemed to convene amongst itself, deliberated for a few moments...And then it was gone. Shrunk back down to a mere pinprick- try as Lucille might to force it back out, it was like digging through a stone wall with a wooden spoon. "....." The beasts were silent, but backed away as she trembled. But instead of the explosion they all anticipated, there was a bitter, weak chuckle "Silence... why am I not surprised? I followed you pigs, trusted you pigs, and in the end, you were just using me as some pawn. And now that you've been exposed and I want the explanation I'm due, you hide again...." Fuck them. Fuck all of them. And Fuck the madman as well. She'd spent far too much of her life living under the heel of that pig and the Maven's alike, even if she'd only now realized that what her tutelage under the latter was. Infact, she was glad of what she'd done in the fever dream- the bastards were going to up and leave as she was destroyed because of them, eh? Or so they thought... but they'd forgotten one thing. The fools had given her not just their secrets to safeguard, but their own damn essences; and in the process of setting up all their little protections, they'd practically bonded themselves to her, just like she bound beasts. And of course, she had eventually noticed the it over the years, toyed with the connection, fiddled with it, tried to see if she could use it to bypass those protections, even just a little. None of those attempts had ever revealed a back door, but they'd revealed something... If she wanted to, she could play with those bindings like rope, twist them together, entangle them. That knowledge had never been of much practical use though... Until the fever dream. Now the connections they'd made with where as tangled as some vermin's nest. And not a god damn one of them could undo it, and neither could she... It may have also made brute forcing her way past their restrictions nigh impossible, given the connections she once used were about as chaotic as a section of spaghetti code, but.... but try as she might, the damn argument had finally risen to levels she literally couldn't shut out. Head only throbbing even more from the outburst, she had Vera hop onto one of the seats, and take a look at what the fuck they were doing... Only to receive a very vague, roughly converted soundmap as she borrowed the bird's eyes, followed nigh immediately with a wave of sensations that were all too familiar; all manors of tastes and smells, mixing and mingling like some party for divorcees, creating abominable combinations that turned her stomach and threatened to make her heave right then and there. Within an instant, she cut off the connection. The pigeon turned and gazed at her, cocking her little head with confusion. And in that moment, Andral's words again flashed across her mind... Shaking her head, not wanting to accept the obvious implications, she made another go at it, this time using one of the dragons. And this time, coming far closer to almost puking. Teeth clenched, stomach churning like a storm, there was one thing on her mind as she slowly accepted the facts. It mattered not how powerful Andral Co had become, since that fateful night. He would die. And He would die by her hands, and her's alone.

Head back to C12 because my work in this map is done

"No, no, not, really..." she answered "Anything to break the dreary silence of this shit hole will do, at this point." Reinvigorated, she headed off to go inspect the other hall, see if there were any wandroughts there who needed a good shanking as well, and much to his satisfaction, and partial disappointment, all of them who'd been occupying the space were already dead. She caught sight of the girl from the cells though- the rather contrary one who'd been so intent on picking apart any hope at escape. Walking over, she called out, something shiny in her hand "Oi, you there! you can probably put this to better use than me, so here, Catch!" the shiny object she carried was tossed to the nun. Selia would clearly see it was a key, still coated in the blood of it's previous owner... "The mages are the only ones still without their gear, afterall. Once everyone gets their crap together, we're heading up, and putting down anyone else stupid enough to get in the way." C7, Trade the Chest Key to Selia

Not long after she'd moved to back up Rayne, the mercenary closed in. His strike, while powerful- more than strong enough to make Cadence feel a stiff breeze as it passed -was sloppy, unrefined. She moved like a flashing storm of embers, hair and coat blurring with fiery color; before he was even half way through the stroke, she was beside him, and by the time it finished, she was behind him, with an envenomed knife produced from her sleeve. Said knife promptly found a new home in the man's ribs, just below the lungs. By the time he even realized he'd hit nothing but stone, she had the blade twisting, twisting, viciously in his side- but even then the pain he felt was naught but a fraction compared to her ire. Ire that was soon drawn by the spear hurtling her way, forcing her to break off from the mercenary before she could finish the job. "It's rude to interupt, ya know..." The same blade she'd been twisting in his wound moments prior was again her hand, still coated with the man's blood. "But fine... since you insist, his fate is your's instead." Lightning crackled in her fingertips, just the same as her annoyance boiled beneath the surface. She could feel the raw current growing in her palm, ready to blast outwards, but one recollection of her father's words, and she supressed it, instead asking the anima for a different favor. A favor they were all to pleased to fullfill, as their hushed tones filled her ears. Spying the kink they'd found in her armor, the knife loosely spin on it's finger ring, as a small wind whipped up around her- not enough to be useful for an actual attack... wasn't even close to what she'd been conjuring before. But it was enough to guide the blade straight and true once she threw it. And with a sickening squelch, it sunk into the woman's flesh, just below where her strap and her actual breastplate met. Just as it had with the Mercenary, it twisted like a key in a lock once it found her flesh. The soldier grabbed at the wound, trying to stop the knife which was seemingly possessed of it's own mind as it dug deeper and deeper into her flesh, only to hear the whispered voices of spirits, taunting, toying, laughing at her misery... Before there was another light, guiding breeze, and a second blade found it's home right in her eye. Her cries of pain and panic ceased, her corpse slumping to the floor. Satisfied, the girl called off the spirits, turning to the Mercenary "Next time one of you rabble come at me- you'd best make sure it's a killing blow. I'm done playing your games." And as if on cue- he was dead as a doornail, as Rayne descended upon him. "Hmph, excellent timing, Rayne. As always, we make a pretty good team. Now, let's get outta this dump, eh?" C12

"Ah yes, this should not be an issue" Stellio spoke up. He pulled out the wrench he'd found in the armory, before he removed his gauntlets. "You see, in my world, there is a method to this- imagine if you would, weaving a basket, fabric what have you. It's much the same basic principle, instead of using reeds or loose strands, you are taking Mana itself and weaving it inside of something..." And so the lecture began. The light in the room began to fade as Stellio gathered mana and went to work, forming the raw energy into countless strands of darkness that pierced the metal of the wrench, yet seemed to cause it no harm. Throughout the demonstration, the knight took the time to explain how one needed to instill the instructions and information for the mana to act on while they wove it in, and that the latticed, tight structure of the weave would prevent the magic from dispersing uselessly once one stopped. If only his words matched his performance in the actual work though. But, well, it had been several years now since he'd last performed the feat on anything- a few snags here and there were to be expected. But nothing prepared the knight for what the finished product turned out as.... "....What in the goddamn?" He only shook his head, as the enchantment took hold and a pair of...glowing, pink wings sprouted from the side of the wrench, and it fluttered up into the air, aimlessly. But it was not the first bizarre thing the knight had witnessed this day, and he was quick to recover "Ahem, well yes, I may be a bit out of practice, as you can plainly see... but hopefully that was clear enough to give you the basics. Here, try your own hand at it-" With that said, he held out the Hammer he'd found in the armory for the Angel to use. Stellio and Solara have learned to enchant stuff with mana! Uh...well, sorta... look, it's a start, ok? "Hmmmm, for one's very first time, this is impressive. Well done, well done indeed. A nice start..." He commented once she was done. Then turning to Aquila "Well, I do believe you wanted that mace looked at. Care to let her try?"

"I....she's....could it really be?" Words failed him, and so he said nothing more as the others left them be. He took a halting step forward towards the mare, her plumage white as virgin snow. And just as white as he'd remembered it. The moment she heard his voice... she turned. And he saw it...the scar on her left flank just behind the shoulder blade, the one on her leg as well. Wings beat on the air, the mare wasted no time as she let out a joyous neigh. Before he could even blink, there she was, practically knocking him over and nuzzling his face with a quiet nicker. "I'm.... glad to see you too, old gal. I was almost certain they'd.... no, nevermind. You're still safe.... I still have someone left" The mare locked eyes with the knight, then drifted her gaze to the group who'd accompanied him. Then to the door. Then back to him. He said nothing at first, but the look in his eyes, the storm of muddled emotions she could practically feel radiating off of him.... it was all she needed to realize what had happened. Her previous jubilance faded like quick as a candle in the rain, as she consoled him with another nudge. It was all he could do to reach up and stroke her snout, hands trembling even now. "They're....gone, Lenneth. We're the last two left." "I was powerless to do anything but watch...I told them we'd get out of this, yet all I did was fail them, time and time again." He paused. For just the briefest of moments, he was at the healer's side again. The air stank with blood and decay. Just as they did now, his hands trembled- not from causes his own, but rather the withered palm he held in those final moments. Cold, weak, mouth stained with his own blood. And yet with his final breaths, of all the things he could've said, of all the different ways he could have damned him for what had befallen them... he had chosen that instead. "Do you still think that is true, Keiser? Do you still think I am blameless in all this?" He looked into the dying man's face, expecting an answer. Keiser's lips, weak, chapped, bloodied as they were, mustered the last of their strength.... and just as he was about to answer- "huh!? what, wha-....tch" Another nudge, this one so forceful it made him step back in reflex. Lenneth's neigh finally righted present from past, the mare's eyes looking him up and down in worry "I...I suppose I....nodded off, for just a second. Yes, yes, that must've been it" He knew from just a look into those eyes, she didn't buy it. But for now, she let it slide, turning her attention to.... new group. They looked like an even more motely band of misfits, from her reckoning. What really drew her attention was the rogue though- as cloaked and shady as she remembered. With a nigh skeptical tone, she snorted at them before turning back to her rider. "I....don't know what to think of him either, Lenneth. But well, so far as shifty as he seems, there may yet be some actual good in him...." the girl's unconscious body left only injured rather than killed came to mind. It was almost ironic really, had their situations been different and it was mercadier striking the final blow.... there was little chance she would've gotten such mercy. Perhaps it bespoke of some basic decency in the rogue. Or perhaps it was simply a sign of Zantillin's old attachments. Why.... hell, that girl, she'd been shouting about being a retainer afterall, her name was what? Alinda Freja? Alendra Freyja? eh, something like that. It didn't ring a bell for him, but he'd not be surprised if the rogue knew her from... before all this. Infact, given what Mercadier overheard him saying to her afterwards, he was nigh certain.... ... ... ... He shrugged. Whatever. Lenneth was safe, saddled, and in.... much better condition than he could've ever hoped. At this point, he couldn't care less if the rogue and freya girl had been old lovers. And in all fairness, shifty as the little bastard initially seemed, there were other things mercadier had noticed as well.... such as his response earlier. He supposed, it wouldn't hurt to let up on the scrutiny, just a little.... ever so insignificantly slightly... For now. With their reunion finished, the knight lead Lenneth back to the others, staying silent when he found them in the middle of some banter. No point interupting, he figured, they weren't out of this hell quite yet. It may well be the last chance they got... Not that he'd any intention of going down. Yet. There was a debt to repay afterall, and only one way to collect. "Hmph.... perhaps your blood may not be on my hands, keiser... but rest assured, there will be blood on these hands soon. I only wonder how long until it lies on my heart."

O14

"Oh?" Stellio said, choosing to... gloss over the mention of the witch's figure. He was not blind, but there was more to a man than the simple functions of his biology. Even now he could still feel his wife's amulet, stone cold against his skin under the armor. Some fat good it had done her, that night in Rhime "Hmph, how... odd. She didn't seem particularly adverse when we met earlier. Come to think of it- I was thinking about exchanging some old notes for a particular tome. Though she did say she wanted to meet the rest of you lot before finalizing any deals... oh well, by now I'm sure one of you has gotten interested in that mask she had and made an offer- no big loss." "Yes, yes, indeed it wasn't, stellio. As if the book would've changed anything anyway"

"Don't.... mention it...." Cheryn managed through clenched teeth. The fires were dead by now, but she made no attempt to stand, not with the world spinning. On the one hand, she was almost impressed that she'd managed to singlehandedly put out a flame that rampant, with nothing but a couple well placed shields and charms, at that. On the other, her exhaustion right now was... less than optimal, to say the least. Hell, if Calliber wanted, she could've easily tried to pull something, right here, right now, and it would be all Cheryn could really do to throw up a barrier between them... nor would there be any real chance of her managing to catch her again if she took off. Luckily Calliber seemed at least somewhat thankful at the gesture Cheryn had made. But didn't change the fact she had overextended here. Maybe she was just being overly critical of her own progress, maybe it was just a sign she needed to work up new wards specifically for beyond-the-pale scenarios like this. Didn't matter, something would need to be done. And that was to say nothing of explaining all this to Merlin when she returned. But...those were all matters for later. For now.... "Yeh, I guess we... probably should. Don't know what the others might be doing, but.... anyways-" She paused for moment, now that the dizziness and vertigo was beginning to pass "One thing though. Promise me something? That you'll never try.... this again? And I don't mean just the fire, either. Look, if there's anything you ever wanna talk about, anything eating at you, there are... better ways than this. I wouldn't mind listening or trying to help- and I'm sure none of the others would either. Just... just try to talk to someone from now on, okay? You guys aren't alone here anymore... and I know Merlin and all the rest of us would sooner die before we let any of the crap that went on start again. You don't have to deal with this by yourself."

"I see, then little else has likely changed..." The terror knight answered as they walked, something in his voice that was.... hard to discern, "Also, witch girl? What, is there another with us besides Freya? Actually, I do believe I recall seeing...someone far too young to be fighting, earlier. Yes, yes...Do you mean her? The blonde child?"

Dishes. Didn't really surprise Arya. Wasn't that big a deal either, all things considered; what with dad out either trying to find odd jobs or barter whatever he could, she had always figured washing things up was the least she could do to help out. That and it truly was a basic yet essential skill, for those who lacked the luxuries of middle class living. That was of course, assuming they even had a roof and for walls, or cutlery to eat and cook with. Or something to eat at all. "Well, could be worse..." Arya muttered, deftly taking, drying, putting away and moving on to another dish, in a steady, rhythmic pattern "Especially considering...yesterday. Um...about Yesterday, by the way...." She trailed off, face again beginning to flush at the memory.

"Don't think you've been forgotten over there," the knight responded to the other prisoner "I meant what I said just now... now hold still, this shouldn't take but a moment." L15, Break Prisoner A's Chains!

Move to D14 and cast the di, cross the rubicon

Light, fire, sound, and fury all rode as brothers in that fateful blast. Light found his mount unwilling, and his path blocked by the insurmountable walls of fate, but the other 3 continued on, and on, thundering a righteous path straight into Lucille's eardrum- louder than any gunshot, louder than any other expulsion of raw, unbridled energy she'd ever experienced. The raw agony started in her eardrums before slithering insidiously through her head. All at once, her hearing flared like a city on the eve of destruction, silhouetted by the bloom of nuclear fire, and her other senses followed soon after, in a rolling ungodly wave of force. Force which hit her physically as well, as her entire body was flung back from the desk. Several things- small, warm -pelted her... her beast? the remains of her beast? the remains of those in the testing lab? She did not know... she could not know... the world... The world was nothing to her. She still clenched her ears, hoping to somehow end the pain, and through them she felt it- warm, wet, sticking to her hair, running down her cheeks and her neck. The world...was nothing. The sound... was gone. Locked in darkness. Bathed in silence. For the first time in a long time, she was a mere child yet again, trapped in the nightmare of her own creation, shackled by the binds of slumber. Or was it death? It might as well have been death, for all she knew. Surely, the pain and the slick warmth meant only one thing, and that thing was for her, the revocation of almost everything she knew. Everything she had. Everything she was. She lay there, in the corner of the observation booth, curled, shivering, not from the cold, but dread. Something was touching her sides, shaking her, trying to rouse her. Something was washing over her, something.... something nice, something almost soothing. Even with her ears as worthless as her eyes, somehow, someway, she was vaguely aware of the shapes around her. 6. 6 small, tiny signatures. 6 beacons that cried out to her, tried to tie her down with their collective conscious... 6 little panicking souls each with something familiar riding them. 6 reasons to stay she didn't recognize. 6 pleas she turned, and ignored... as the world outside was soon forgotten, and the world within took hold. She still shivered, once her hearing returned. Her beasts surrounded her, working seemingly of their own initiative, the bonds between them reaching out, communicating, coordinating. Like some hiveminded creature. A young dragon's breath cooled and soothed the pain in her skull and ear, and one of them lapped up the dried blood, cleaning it from her face. But she made no move to get up. Not yet. Not after what she'd just heard.... what...what she had seen. Seen for the first time, through eyes that were hers, and hers alone. Eyes that were gone now. Useless and broken again, as they always had been. And eyes that more than ever, after all of it, she was glad she could not use. No amount of revelation was worth the sights of that hell.

"You have a fair point, aye..." The knight nods as he sheathes the weapon "as for the angel and the light, well... from what I've experienced so far, there seems to be no shortage of mana flowing through this world, just as with mine. I see no reason why a Divine creature wouldn't be able to possibly... recreate the processes used in my home, if they knew of similar methodology." With that said, he rose from the small chair- it was barely even a chair, really, just a small wooden slab that barely came up to his shin, with four legs supporting it -and looked at Aquila expectantly, clearly his cue to lead the way "On the subject of divines.... this girl who rose the angel- Freya, you said? The necromancer? Interesting...the ones back home only conjured up wraiths. Are there any more of the things about, or did she only extract the one?"

"Hmmm, I see you lot were up to quite a bit as I explored, then..." the knight said "As for the sword- it's been enhanced by the arcane. In my world, there is a substance which flows freely, fills the air and everything else that is or might be- we call it 'Mana'. Most folks, those who don't take up killing for a living, they'll go their whole lives only knowing the faintest bit about the stuff, only ever hearing it in passing or on the odd occasion. Even as it constantly flows through their bodies like water does through a sieve. Then.... there are others. Those who actively study the flow of our world's mana; warriors, mages, scholars... like myself. We make ourselves aware of the mana flowing through us, and we take strides to trap some of it as it does, let it build up into reservoirs of power we can draw upon... and from this power, we weave spells according to whatever elemental affinities we are versed in, and through those spells, we harness the ability to create and to destroy... like the gods themselves did, before they left us." He finally finished the polishing. The cloth, once white and virgin, came away tainted a thick crimson, before a dark aura overtook, and a phantasmal laugh echoed in the room as some dark god feasted on the blood offering Stellio hadn't even intended to give him. The knight ignored it though, holding the blade up high to inspect it. And as he did, he funneled yet more mana through the metal, resonating with that which was already there and making the black aura expand before Aquila's eyes. "Weapons like this one are relatively common in my homeworld. Arms and Armor which are imbued with both raw mana, and woven spells from mana, during the forging process. This blade you see is no different- I was present when our Commander had it forged... and I personally infused it with the darkness that now calls it home."

The knight's face is stoney and unreadable for a few moments, as he simply stares at Aquila. Eventually though, he finally sighes, shaking his head. "Do try not to become compulsive with it," he said, "It may seem like a wise idea in the moment, but looting it will be pointless if we already have too much to carry; this brig, arcane or not, is likely to only have so much space in it's armory. And with this smithy dead and cold as it is, it will be a while before anyone can begin melting down any excess into something useful... speaking of which-" He took his blade from it's sheath as pulled some ancient stool from the corner, and set it up before the anvil. With a virgin white cloth produced from his armor, he went to work cleaning off the minute blood still left on the blade, despite his earlier cleansing ritual. Aquila might note the nigh unearthly quality of the metal- lined with a thick, pulsating aura, black as sin, nay, darker than black, even, as no end of whispers escaped from it in a haunting, yet magnificient cadence as the knight worked the cloth up and down it's length. "You ever seen a ship that has a smith in it's belly, with all the wood exposed? A fool must've designed this chamber..."

Toss the Heal(30/30), the Barrier(11/15), and the Vulnerary(3/3) into the convoy Buy the Mend-200, and the Energy Ring-500, for Maya Use the Energy Ring on Maya Take the Heal (30/30) back out of the convoy

"Alright...." Already she went to work weaving her way through the many intricacies of the cells she could sense still floating all around the chamber- this time would be different, she told herself. She'd figured a thing or two since her attempt, had some time to think it over, taken notes on why and how she'd failed before. Perhaps she'd been going about it all wrong... maybe instead of trying to act like an outside force pulling them together.... She had to condition one of her bonds to seem like it was one of them, like it was... a core. imitate the very thing the cells were programmed to flock to... She took a breath, focused herself, and began the process of reaching out with one of her bonds and slowly emanating the same types of signals she'd picked up from living aragami... "Here goes....something?" A black mist formed in the testing chamber, high above the heads of those gathered within. Soon it became a ball of shifting darkness, ebony ichor which floated in the air, gradually elongating it's shape, growing larger, denser, until finally the sphere fell to the ground with a wet thud as it slithered it's way out of the room. Before it even crossed the door frame, the steely glint of its head began to peek through, as did the black ridges on it's side. The Crackling pop of it's fangs was the last those in the test chamber heard of it before it disappeared... And in the observation room, it promptly reared it's head. It stared at those assembled in the hall, from Harry to Satomi to Calvera and Jun, before finally it set it's sights on lucille, and slithered up her arm as she reached down to pick it up. "I-I.... Holy crap it actually worked.... I guess third time really is the charm. Uh, well..." "Dnma lirg, you'er ustj ufll of rsruseisp! Onw cis htat tnigh no Od!" a certain steel pigeon squaked from nearby. Lucille simply ignored her as she addressed harry again "I'm... fairly certain most, if not all, of the loose cells are bound up in this guy now... so, that probably takes care of them floating around..." she set the snake down, letting the snake slither onto the desk where it sat, watching the testing chamber where it'd been born mere moments ago "Since that's dealt with, What exactly did you guys have in mind to contain Soma, once you unfroze her or severed her powers or... something? Proditor could probably try to see if there's anything... left of her, while he's doing whatever... he's gonna do. And if there isn't..." She trails off, expression going dark before "Um, no, nevermind... forget it for now. Let's just see if he can reach her, while he's messing with her abilities. And if you want, I can still go in there and scribe the diagram, just encase..."

Stellio had, rather disappointedly, finished his scouring of the armory by the time Aquilla appeared. He tossed the hammer, wrench, and hand-held whetstones on the anvil as he nodded to the other man... and actually noticed the armor "What in the goddamn are you wearing, man?" he asked rather bluntly as he looked the suit up and down. It seemed like some...gaudy fusion of armor not too unlike what they had back home, meshed with all manners of foreign elements that looked they'd been....no...they didn't. Stellio shook his head, of course they had. He didn't know why he was surprised, given the habits of looting fallen foes back home... but well, there was a difference between collecting a decent weapon from a deadman's hands, or removing an enchanted ring or necklace from his person, and outright stripping him down to the skivvies for his armor and leaving his naked corpse to rot under the Valerian sun. Plus it wasted far too much time. Even his colleagues and underlings in the Whitewall had more restraint than that. Well, alright, most of them had that restraint. There were of course always a few footmen hungry for spoils, who wouldn't hesitate to loot down to the skivvies, when an officer like himself wasn't around to keep them in line...hell, sometimes even damn commanders fell to such depths out of greed... "How many...?" the knight sighed, gripping the bridge of his nose "Did you at least leave the poor fools the dignity of their undergarbs and linens?"

In the moments that passed, Lucille took the time to think, reveiw the past few hours, specifically those they'd spent on this world, short as it'd been compared to everything else. As she did though, it didn't take long for her to begin sensing something familiar, something she'd brushed very close with during her studies on the battlefield. "W-wait..." she called to Harry and the others just as they began to consider torching the place "That.... might not be nessacary. I can try to control any ambient cells still floating in the room- made a few attempts earlier, but.... didn't really stick. Third time might be the charm though. And even if I fail to get them under control, I can help keep her from breaking out- all I'd need is maybe a minute to scribe a circuit on the floor, and I could keep her from exiting its boundaries. I can even set the activation trigger for whenever you guys.... undo whatever froze her like this."

Turn 1 Ghost uses her hand razors to make a concealed strike on Officer B! She induces a Spatial Rend in the process, adding her raw magic ability to the attack and slashing up the soldier for [32] Damage, ignoring res! (27 v 21) The officer feels something hot and wet begin to drip down his side, and realizes he’s bleeding! Victoria uses some old fashioned tactics, boosting Walmond and Lambda’s Init by 9! Aurora fires a few golden strands of light at Officer B! (25 v 20) They pierced his flesh like butter, causing the knight to yelp in a very unmanly manner. Soon enough however, he realizes he feels no pain despite the attack…laughing it off, he advances, but what he doesn’t know is that everything but his basic actions have been sealed for the next 3 turns. Officer B attempts to conjure up a fireball to hurl at ghost...only to find that nothing happens due to the spider’s strange magic! He does bleed for [7] damage for his trouble though. Walmond, having received tactical advice from vicky, electrocutes Rampart, somehow granting him a damage boost of [14] for his next 2 attacks in the process and causing Ghost to shake her head and sigh as she mutters something! Lambda meanwhile activates a few mods, voiding the warranty of her base game but boosting her damage reduction by 50% for a ridiculous number of turns! Mira slashes at Officer B, dealing only [7] damage to him as a good half of the blow is stopped by his armor! Officer D conjures a fireball and hurls it at Mira, dealing a whopping [11] damage to her, and inflicting her with a burn that deals…. [2] damage for 3 turns. Soldier Squad A attempts to prevail where their officer failed, all five of them slashing at Mira for [5] damage each, for a total of [25] Empi gives Navin a lesson in affection, which he’ll surely need for Mitsu later! He will gain +11 to his Str or Syn upon completing the following actions: Flurry of explosions, Concussive Blast, Piercing Strikes Soldier Squad B strike at Ghost and Lambda. Two of them strike ghost, dealing [12] damage total, while three strike Lambda, dealing [12] damage to her after her defense mods! Lahmu A attempts to Impale Lambda (5), Dealing a whopping… jesus christ, [0] damage after her defense modifications! Bel Lahmu A also attempts to take a crack at the robotic walnut known as Lambda, pulling off a sick Flyby that deals [0] damage even before her defense mods! The creature roars indignantly as it wheels about in the sky! DT Archer Squad B takes aim at Empi and Navin! 2 of them loose shots into Empi, dealing [22] damage! The other 3 loose shots into Navin for [18] damage! Rampart locks and loads as they pull out heavier weaponry, boosting their strength by (4) for 2 turns! Lahmu B attempts to impale Victoria (1)... it charges towards her with unnatural speed, stabbing into her flesh with the fury of a thousand suns for [18] damage! Bel Lahmu B performs a Flyby on Kino, slashing into her flesh for [10] damage! DT Archer Squad A takes aim at Aurora and Walmond! 2 loose shots into Aurora, but most of the impact is stopped by her carapace, only doing [6] damage total! Meanwhile 3 loose shots into Walmond, who has no benefit of natural armor and takes a whopping [36] damage! Officer A conjures an arc of lightning which he hurls at Mira, dealing [17] damage to her! Officer C decides to complete the triangle, conjuring a spear of ice which he fires at Mira, dealing… [10] damage! The jokes on Mira though, because the freezing cold aura reduces her init by 2! Kino summons her dead sister. We’ve done this song and dance before… Enma attacks officer C, dealing [7] damage to him! Kino follows her sisters attack up for [25] damage! Navin goes absolutely ham on poor Officer C, possibly having a nam flashback as he unleashes explosive punch after punch into his chest, dealing [13] damage 4 times for a total of [52] damage! Officer C is left kneeling and whimpering as he tries to crawl away, his armor hanging off his body in devastated pieces! The Castle fires its cannon at Bel Lahmu A, spewing acid over its form for [36] damage and lowering it’s res by 5! The creature crashes to the ground for 1 turn as a result of the impact and acid coating its wings! STATUS Notes

"Yes, indeed you did. It wasn't forgotten, nor did it go unappreciated- in fact, I do thank you for that, at the least. But so far it seems myself and my fellow prisoners have been spilling the lion's share of guard blood. Besides, what does my, or any, of our opinions matter to you- you hold most of the card's here, afterall, you made quite sure of that.... you control the past, through the secrets you've scrounged up about each of us, the present with the opportunity you've given us here, and you might as well hold the future as well, given the fact of those other two. Do not make yourself out to be the benevolent liberator, who does this simply out of the good of his heart of for the sake of justice and the common decency of man. Your actions in setting this all up bespoke of one who needs to lead through control and coercion, not inspiration. Even if I were blind, I could recognize the fact that I have merely exchanged one master for another this day, all of us have. I simply pray the very hatred for my old one- which even now binds this broken body together long after it's been beaten into submission -is not given reason to extend to you as well." Nothingness. Despite the fire one might expect, behind such words, there was.... nothing. Nothing but inanimate, glacial cold, like the wrath of winter itself given human form. He turned back to the prisoner, and simply nodded as he rested the lance on his shoulder. Contrary to mere moments ago, there was a look of what nearly qualified as reassurance on his face. "Aye, stay behind us, and your days being ground under their heels may soon be over. Our way out of here is just over yonder, and their numbers have grown thin. If we make haste, we can break clear before more show up."