[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/BjtZNtv.png[/img][/center]
[color=ed1c24]Location[/color]: Basement entrance, Stritzel's Estate, Western Kindeance.
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Veronica waited for the rest of the infiltration team to gather... well, those she could see anyway. The bear sisters offered her a beaded bracelet, their wording implying it to be some sort of sight enchantment, but the vampire shook her head and handed it back. [color=ed1c24]"There's no time for me to figure out how to use this properly. It's better off in your hands; I'll stick to what I'm familiar with."[/color] Besides, unknown magic could be finicky, and she had no idea if it might interact poorly with her darkvision.

The metal compass coming alive prompted her to pull it out again, nodding quietly at Jazdia's message. [color=ed1c24]"Understood."[/color] She closed the compass and put it back in a hip pouch.

She took a quick headcount, nodding in acknowledgement of Varya and Solomon's presence, as one of the sister bears (she had trouble telling which until the other mentioned her name - Lily) warned her about the redheaded woman, now confirmed to likely be the same mage that captured Cedar. [color=ed1c24]"I'll keep that in mind then,"[/color] the vampire replied, her mind whirling. While she didn't carry any poisons on her unfortunately -something she'd perhaps be well served rectifying later, there were several less kind ways to disable a mage. Depending on the skill of the caster, of course. Her instinct would be to quite literally disarm the woman if given a chance, as she wasn't entire certain there was another way to safely restrain her. Though, that would probably kill her from blood loss regardless, so maybe she was best served going for a killshot instead. It's not like they couldn't take other prisoners, and sometimes, you just had to weigh risk against reward.

Veronica's gaze flicked to Solomon, who had finished reemerging from the shadows, nodding at his report. [color=ed1c24]"So, quite possibly thralls, as I had distantly theorized. Or perhaps something else, though no other possibilities leap to mind... That sort of working doesn't seem like Delving's magic, however..."[/color] Her brow furrowing, the vampire's thoughts went down darker paths. [color=ed1c24]"Perhaps it is the redheaded mage's doing?"[/color] Grimacing, Veronica let out a quiet sigh. [color=ed1c24]"I hope some can be taken as prisoners. If they are merely victims in all this, it would leave a bad taste in my mouth to kill them unless absolutely necessary."[/color] She shook her head. [color=ed1c24]"I suppose our backs are clear for the moment, so we'll leave it to the rest to handle themselves."[/color]

Glancing down at the basement below and hearing the echoing -and admittedly mildly humorous- conversion ringing out from somewhere within, she nodded. [color=ed1c24]"On which note, I'd like us to take as many live prisoners as possible."[/color] It wasn't her usual modus operandi, but the presence of potential mind manipulation making unwilling participants of some of the guards cast things in a new light. Oh, she was sure it wasn't all -or even most- of them, but it never hurt to be sure. [color=ed1c24]"As for the mage and the bear? We try not to fight the bear, but don't hesitate to put him down if he tries to fight us. The mage... As much as I'm sure picking her brains would be valuable to the King, we have a mission to prioritize."[/color]

[color=ed1c24]"Alright..."[/color] If she was still alive, Veronica was certain her blood would be pumping with anticipation, as she reached back and unstrapped a blood-red scythe the size of a sickle, which was already starting to grow in her grasp. [color=ed1c24]"Two guards at a door, directly ahead and to the left -the north. The basement is otherwise empty. Let's make this quick and quiet."[/color] Her gaze flicked over the group, whose capabilities she still didn't know too well aside from Solomon, as the scythe finished growing to its full massive size, the familiar weight of the head now swung up to rest on her shoulder. [color=ed1c24]"I'll take point,"[/color] she gestured, [color=ed1c24]"and run across the room to draw both their eyes and fire -if they have any ranged weaponry. I'm going to circle around them, come at them from the east. With any luck, they will both be so occupied by me that they won't see any of you coming until it's too late to react."[/color]

Pausing, Veronica let them digest that for a moment, before adding, [color=ed1c24]"This should take them down as swiftly and safely as possible, and it should be broadly applicable enough to work, no matter your skillsets."[/color] She nodded, smiling confidently in her ever-presently close-mouthed way. [color=ed1c24]"I'm confident in my evasive abilities, so make the most of my distraction and don't worry about me."[/color]

Stepping down the basement steps, she paused at the corner, right before she would pass into sight of the guards and the doorway they were posted at. Crouching down, she adjusted her hold on her scythe, letting it trail behind her, placing one foot on the stairs as a brace, much like a track runner would a footstop at the start of a race. She shot a brief glance behind her at the rest of the team, giving them time to prepare, before launching herself forward explosively, sprinting low to the ground. With the proper leverage to hit nearly her top speed -without overworking her muscles- right out the gate, Veronica was a brown-cloaked flicker of brown, red and black, as she cleared 13 meters in a second, 26 in two and edging towards 40 in three, straight down the center of the storage room (or as near to it as she could manage). Her run was already beginning to turn ever so slightly northward in a circuitous movement, but her roundabout pace meant it would still be critical moments before she could fully close the distance. And for that time...

Her Sight bloomed, the near future spreading out before her, as she prepared to dodge or deflect anything that might come her way, her grip on her scythe shifting in her left hand to make sure it was both readily usable and -more importantly- intimidatingly visible, angling to catch the light of whatever torches might be present to really emphasize the presence of the glinting reaper's blade, doing her best to elicit as much attention and fearful focus from her targets as possible.