There was a large part of Taliya that wanted to slap Amuné for being such a brat and kicking her, wondering where the hell a child got off acting like that. If it weren't for the fact she had to look good for those following her she probably would have too instead of just sneering at the little Ydran. The kid wasn't worth it anyways, the idiot had kicked her in her shinguard and probably hurt herself instead. Rolling her eyes as Ethan continued to blubber and Amuné again tried to act high and mighty she shook her head, sticking a finger in her ear and cleaning it disinterestedly. 

"Look her kiddo, you're our guest here so watch your fucking tongue and don't mouth off to us. Or did you forget the reason you're even alive now is because of us?" Taliya asked as she flicked wax away, looking over at Ethan annoyed, "People die in this line of work, we're criminals as far as the Church is concerned. But we're here fighting against those bastards and the mess they're making, we're the good guys here. If you're so upset about Cedric dying then honor his death and carry on what he was doing, don't sit there blubbering like a newborn who shit himself and needs a new diaper. Shit you're pathetic..."

"You still haven't explained entirely who you are, or what this place is," Nymira pointed out, ignoring Ethan's stifled whimpering and sobbing as she addressed Taliya pointedly, "So you're fighting the Church? Why? Why is it that they're after Magi the way they are, and why are you fighting against them? What exactly is going on in this kingdom?" They had many more questions than answers and she was sick and tired of being in the dark. If they were going to be making allies here in Adelon then she needed to appreciate the full situation, know who to trust and who to avoid. Taliya hardly came across as a woman she'd like to call an ally but she did seem to know a thing or two, and so far no one else had given them any real answers.

"Why? Because they're a bunch of fucking hypocrites, that's why. They use Magi like tools to kill Magi and enforce order, they say they support Magi, but only if the Magi support them, and anyone else is as good as a cockroach as far as they're concerned. We've never had to serve the Church like this before, sure some fought for them but most were let to live their lives how they wanted. We're basically being conscripted or killed for refusing and you're wondering why we're fighting against it? Shit you really aren't from around here are you?" They were going to have to cover the very basics with these kids from the looks of it, right down to how the entire mess started. Taliya hated giving long winded speeches, that had always been more Cedric's style where she would let her fists do the talking for her. But if they were going to be traveling around they should know what was going on, if only to keep them alive.

"Here's the deal, and listen good because I'm not repeating myself here. The Church isn't what it used to be, hasn't been for years. Instead of helping people they're trying to control everything, from Magi to technology, to who you can worship and when, trade, the military, they've got their grubby fucking fingers in everything nowadays. And they're using Magi to clamp down on anyone that doesn't like what they're doing, or they work through the military or one of the companies. The royal family's supposed to run most of it and there's supposed to be separate groups for everything, but its all the Church now. The royal family, the ones who ought to be running the show, are nothing more than puppets with the Church's hands up their asses. Once upon a time folks like us served the royal family if anyone, and now we're all expected to be dogs of the Church."

"I still don't understand why you're fighting. Aren't you weakening yourselves from infighting like this?" Nymira questioned as she looked to Kensen and then Taliya, confusion clear on her face. "My people have lived that way for generations and we've only become weaker for it. It's why I'm here now trying to change that on my father's behalf. You're fools if you're going to continue like this, no one will win."

"Maybe we are fools but that's not changing the way things are. Church's calling the shots now and you're either with them or against them. What happened to Cedric is what happens to a lot of us, it's a story we've heard dozens of times. Get caught, interrogated, and whether you talk or not they kill you, unless you join them. Anyone serving the Church is a spineless bastard, its not living if someone else has you by the balls." 

Were things really this bad out here? Ethan had never expected that any of the rumors he had heard were true, even after Cedric had been taken away. Like Nymira he only found himself questioning the validity of what Taliya was saying and wondering why they were being allowed to do what they were. If the Church was as bad as she was saying wouldn't they do something about people like these? 

"Wh-why haven't they killed any of you then, huh? Why only Cedric?" Ethan asked in a trembling voice, wiping his eyes again on his sleeve and sniffling as he turned to Taliya again, "You said he g-got caught, how? If he got caught then how come none of you have?" It didn't make any sense why all of these people here were able to stay out of the Church's sights when one man was found. 

"We've been wondering that ourselves kid, and we still don't have an answer. It'd be one thing if Cedric settled in an inner city and they found him, there's Church dogs all around them. But way out in the woods? Hell if I know, doesn't make any sense. Only guess is someone sold our teacher out and they came knocking." Had Cedric gone down without a fight? From the sounds of it the old man hadn't fought back when he'd been initially taken and he probably didn't fight back even while in the capital, so what gives? He wasn't exactly the violent type but he had to have known what was going to happen to him, why wouldn't he fight back? Was it all for the sake of this little brat here? To make sure he didn't get the wrong idea of him? Why would he even care?

"So that's the deal kids. The Saints are either ignoring us or they're powerless to help us, and we're getting killed off like flies. Meanwhile the Church is drunk on power and trying to control the entire fucking kingdom, and with the royal family all but useless they're doing to be doing that before long. This 'gift' of yours is probably going to end up getting you all killed unless you do something about it. Though that pretty much means taking on the entire kingdom of Adelon at this point." With a scoff Taliya laughed and shook her head, a whimsical twinkle in her eye as she grinned. "Sounds like a fucking long shot to me but I'd rather go down fighting than tuck my tail between my legs like a bitch, waiting for them to kill me when I don't have a purpose. It isn't living if you don't have free will."

Was that the situation here then? Adelon sounded like it was the verge of imploding, like a clan whose power had stretched to thinly and their hold on other clans was poised to break. But the way Taliya talked about them, having so much control still, it didn't seem like the Church was going to lose that power any time soon. Was there any use in trying to gain allies here then? If so many were against Magi, against anyone who opposed the Church, would she be able to garner support? Her thoughts went back to Norman and she had to question his insistence she continue, his determination that she'd be successful in her journey. How was she meant to succeed when everything was so clearly stacked against her?

"Even so... My clan's survival, my people's survival may rely on finding ourselves allies among the kingdom. If we continue the way we are now we'll kill each other until there's no one left, and I will not allow that to happen," Nymira said, her hands balled into fists and her eyes fierce, locked on Taliya. "Not everyone can be against Magi, there must still be places like Mutebo that exist. I'll simply have to look there then, and my first will be here in this city. I'll ask again: will you take me to meet the leader of this place? If they support Magi then I don't see why they would refuse me."

"No, you're not meeting anyone, Dimuran. Not yet," Taliya answered sharply as she met Nymira's angry gaze with a smile, "See, around here we don't give a shit who you are, where you're from or what you can do. There's a little thing called trust that's as valuable as gold, and nothing gets done unless we know you're someone we can rely on. If you want anything then you've got to prove to us and this city that you're worth it. If you can show you're not going to stab us in the back or be a waste of our time then you've got everything you need, but until then you don't get an inch. Any other questions brats?"