[center][h1][b]Collab between Pezz and Skycera[/b] [color=mediumpurple]Nia[/color] [color=00aeef]Chres[/color] [color=f49ac2]Princess Lys[/color][/h1][/center] Interactions with [@jamesyco] [hr] [hider] Nia experienced the journey back to the basement as though her mind were wrapped in fog. Try as she might, she couldn’t overcome the influence of Milaine's power which kept her obedient to her last command. The two accompanying her showed little remorse as they roughly shoved her along. The binding around her legs had been loosened enough to allow small awkward steps but it was a slow and arduous walk. She was vaguely aware that the path they walked was different to the one she had led Chres. Another entrance perhaps? She tried to memorize it but holding any thought was like grasping water with her fingers. At last they came to a thick wooden door and, after an awkward descent down rough stone cut steps, Nia found herself in what she thought may have once been a wine cellar. The barrels had been cleared and in their place were long rows of cells. Slowly, the group began to make their way onwards. [hr] Chres breathed out as he righted himself mentally. At random he picked a door and opened it. A long room with cells. Some empty, some not. No monsters, and… Chres froze, there were people in the room. Carrying a woman bloodied and… Nia? One of the men carrying the beaten Nia met Chres’s eyes. He raised his hands. Knives rose from his jacket and shot towards Chres. Shit! Chres shut the door. The knives bedded into the wood with a loud clunk. Through the door, he could hear shouts. At least one of the men was chasing after him. [hr] Nia raised her head dully as one of the men escorting her moved suddenly. She thought she caught a glimpse of a vaguely familiar figure before they disappeared back behind the door they had just opened. [color=mediumpurple]“Chres…?”[/color] She muttered thickly. She should help him shouldn't she? No.. she had to go to Xyrlos. Her aunts words compelled her to continue on. She took a few more labored steps forwards before realising she didn't know which way to go. The other person guarding her had stopped as the first had given chase and now he seemed to be weighing his options. Was Xrylos through that door then? She turned and began to amble onwards after Chres but a hand stopped her. [color=mediumpurple]“I have to go to Xrylos”[/color] she mumbled, trying to push onwards despite the hand keeping her in place. [hr] Chres wedged a chair between the door and the handle. Would that hold them? Unclear. He wasn’t sure what they were capable of. Plus the door was made of wood. They could possibly break through it. Especially if the Divergent did him dirty again. No, he couldn’t rely on the door holding. He would have to find somewhere else to run- He hesitated. Nia had been bloodied and beaten. Had she told them he was here, or had hurt her because of what he had done. Punishing her, to -he looked towards the door leading to the room of monsters- become one of those things. His heart raced. He had to force himself to look away from that door. He couldn’t think about those things now. He had to focus on the issue at hand. A crash came at the door, followed by a loud crack of the door splintering. Chres cursed. That door should not have cracked so easily. He had to act quickly. Perhaps he could catch this one off guard. Thud and crack. Hatchet in hand, Chres stepped to the side of the door from where it would open. Another thud and crack. There was a rhythm to the man’s ramming. Chres could use that. Thud. CRACK! This time the door seemed to shudder. It would not last another ramming. Chres kicked aside the chair. Put his hand on the handle. Counted for half a second, and then swung open the door right before the next ramming. Caught off guard, Chres’s attacker ran through the opened doorway. Chres caught him with a hook to the neck, threw him down to the ground away from the open doorway. Jump on top of him, hatchet raised. [color=mediumpurple][i]Try not to kill anyone, they’re truly not bad, really.[/i][/color] Nia’s words swept through his head. [color=00aeef][i]DAMN IT![/i][/color] Rotating his grip mid swing, Chres ended up breaking the man’s nose with the butt of the hatchet. The man screamed trying to shove Chres off of him. Chres pushed back, this time smacking him across the side of the head with the flat of the hatchet. The man groaned, seeming dazed. Another smack and the man went unconscious. Better than dead, but still not great. Chres groaned. Was he really doing this now? Exhaling, Chres returned to his feet. The other man hadn’t chased after him yet. He cautiously peered out beyond the doorway, ready to pull back if anything should come flying at him. Nothing did. The man was still there with Nia. Blade to her neck. “You were the one who got away, aren’t you?” He said. Chres didn’t reply. Instead his eyes focused on a figure fluttering in from the basement entrance on the other side of the room. A ferret with wings. Chres cocked his head, brow furrowed. Sil? She didn’t usually use that form. “Don’t act all innocence!” The man said, mistaking Chres’s tilted head as a feinted gesture of ignorance. “We know that the two of you were working together.” This time it was Sil’s turn to cock her head as she hovered in mid-air. She looked towards Nia, perhaps wondering whether or not she should recognize the girl. Chres made sure to look away from Sil. Perhaps her ferret form was good thing. She could actually nip people in that form. Frowning, he looked at Nia. The woman seemed dazed. [color=00aeef]“Nia.”[/color] Chres said, hoping that she was conscious enough to hear him. [color=00aeef]“Whatever you do, don’t use your powers.”[/color] Now was not the time for a cocky Nia. The man smiled, “Aw, wonderful. So you do know her?” He pressed the knife to her neck. “Drop the weapon.” He growled. Sil looked from Chres, to Nia, and back. She opened her mouth to speak. [color=00aeef][i]Don’t![/i][/color] Chres said through their mental link. [color=00aeef][i]Not one word, Sil.[/i][/color] [color=a2d39c][i]Not even two?[/i][/color] [color=00aeef][i]No. But I do have a game you might like to play.[/i][/color] “DROP IT!” The man shouted! “Now!” Chres complied. The hatchet fell to the floor. “Get on the ground! Hands on your head, or else I slit the traitor’s throat.” Chres lowered to his knees. His hands behind his head. [color=a2d39c][i]What kind of game?[/i][/color] Sil asked inquisitively. [color=00aeef][i]I called it… bite the bad man.[/i][/color] “I said on the ground! Face down!” Sil smiled. [color=a2d39c][i]I think I like this game.[/i][/color] “I SAID-” [color=a2d39c]”Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper Speeeeeeeeecial PUDDLE ATTACK!”[/color] Sil shot towards the man like a bullet. Her newly named attack earned a groan from Chres along with a face palm. The man, however, jumped and snapped his gaze backwards. “Super special what-” Sil latched on to the man’s face. Biting and clawing. “Ow-ow-ow! Get it off! GET IT OFF!” He fell backwards, dropping the knife and letting go of Nia. Nia staggered free as the man released her. Maybe it was the bizarreness of the situation before her or maybe her aunt's influence was simply wearing off but she found her head clearing a little. She still felt compelled to find Xyrlos but now that compulsion felt more like a heartbreaking longing than an all consuming need. The act of resisting was strenuous and she actually felt herself breaking out in sweat as she snatched up the dropped knife and slammed it pommel first into her escort's temple. There was a crack as he fell limply to the floor. Retrieving his hatchet, Chres rose to his feet and frowned as he watched the dead body bleed out. [color=a2d39c]”Take that-and-that-and-That-and- Oh… he’s dead.”[/color] Sil fluttered happily off the man’s scratched and bloodied face and transitioned back into her fairy form. She hovered hesitantly in the air, looking to Chres and then Nia. She didn’t seem to acknowledge the blood on her hand or on the floor following what she had intended to be a non lethal attack. Instead she limped onwards towards another door. She had to get to Xyrlos, had to fill the gnawing desire to do as she had been told. [color=00aeef][i]Where is she going?[/i][/color] Chres wondered. He approached her and put a hand on her shoulder. [color=00aeef]”Nia?”[/color] He said hesitantly. Nia paused at the touch and turned. Her eyes were somewhat unfocused though she seemed to come back a little as he said her name. [color=mediumpurple]“Chres?”[/color] she asked, her tone confused [color=mediumpurple]“What are you doing here?”.[/color] She blinked a few times and raised a blood soaked hand, smearing it across her skin as she rubbed her face. She didn’t even seem to acknowledge this however as she turned towards the door once more. [color=mediumpurple]“I was…”[/color] She trailed off, once more seeming distant [color=mediumpurple]“I was just going to see Xyrlos. I need to see him. He’s going to fix me”[/color] Chres furrowed his brow. Xyrlos? Why was that name familiar? Something about a scholar turned wretch came to mind. Fixed? Chres paled. Another step. Another monster. [color=00aeef]”Nia, we have to go.”[/color] He said insistently. The princess. Had the princess been among those things? [color=00aeef]”This is not somewhere I think we should stay for very long.”[/color] [color=mediumpurple]“I know, I know”[/color] Nia nodded and again put a hand to her head [color=mediumpurple]“It’s my au-”[/color] her voice died off as she tried to force out the words even knowing they wouldn’t come. [color=mediumpurple]“I’ll be fine”[/color] she said at last though she didn’t feel it. If Chres hadn’t shown up then she would have gone like a lamb to the slaughter. Then again, would Milaine really have let Xyrlos experiment on her? What if it was just to scare her… No. She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind before the emotions could show. If she began to think about that now she would break. She looked at her hands, her blood soaked hands, then in shock, touched her face. More blood. Don’t. Think. About. It. In desperation she searched her pockets and produced a blindfold, quickly pulling it on before retrieving her other belongings from the man she had… The unconscious man. As she stood once more, she almost began to absentmindedly walk away again and it took a determined force of will to turn instead toward Chres [color=mediumpurple]“Where now?”[/color] she asked, her voice deliberately steady and level. [color=00aeef]”I-”[/color] He hesitated. Questions swam through his mind, but now was not the time to address them. His eyes then flicked towards the way back up. As much as he wanted to leave this place after what he had seen, he could not. There was still work to be done here. [color=00aeef]”I haven’t found her yet,”[/color] He said turning back the way he had come. [color=00aeef]”Instead I found…”[/color] The monsters flashed through his mind. Skin dripping like liquid from the hands and face of an elderly man. A woman bent unnaturally backwards. Her ribs jutted out like daggers from her chest. [color=00aeef]”…Other things…”[/color] A shiver ran up his spine. He had to shake himself to force the images away. [color=00aeef]”Can’t leave until I find the princess.”[/color] He continued. Sil zipped up inches away from Nia’s face. [color=a2d39c]”The Princess has been kidnapped!”[/color] Sil exclaimed helpfully… or well… unhelpfully. [color=a2d39c]”So she’s probably off somewhere napping with kids. All snuggly wuggly like.”[/color] Nia took a step back in surprise as she seemed to notice Sil for the first time. [color=mediumpurple]”What are… Who…?”[/color] She looked to Chres and then to the tiny stranger before her. In another time she might have admired the tiny fairy-like being but in this moment stress kept her from distraction. [color=00aeef]”Her name’s Sil.”[/color] [color=a2d39c]”I can introduce myself! Thank you very much!”[/color] [color=00aeef]”And I often find it best to just ignore her.”[/color] [color=a2d39c]”That’s right!”[/color] Sheagreed enthusiastically. [color=a2d39c]”It’s always best to…”[/color] She paused with a frown and placed a finger to her lip as if still in the middle of piecing together what had just been said. [color=a2d39c]”wait a sec…”[/color] [color=mediumpurple]”Right.”[/color] She gave a singular nod of her head [color=mediumpurple]”So we find this Princess and get out of here”[/color]. She began to look about the room as though seeking any indication of direction. The ache to continue the way she had been led still pulled at her and perhaps there was something to that. Perhaps someone as important as a Princess would be wherever they had been taking her? [color=mediumpurple]”Let’s try this way?”[/color] she indicated the door she felt drawn too. Was this a good idea? Or was this just the effect of Milaine’s power still trying to push her to fulfill the order? As if second guessing herself, she cast a glance between Chres and his strange, tiny companion. [color=mediumpurple]“Unless you two have a better idea?”[/color] [color=a2d39c]”IIIIIIIIIIIIII, have several. But according to this little puddle-”[/color] She said, pointing to Chres, [color=a2d39c]”-I’m just someone who should be ignored.”[/color] Chres just shrugged, He figured the Sil’s childish attitude practically made his case. [color=00aeef]”Lead the way.”[/color] He said to Nia. Sil gave him a pouty look, but other than a passing glance, he gave her no further acknowledgement. Nia pushed open the door and cast her echolocation into what seemed to be a long corridor. Lanterns hung on the wall which would probably provide enough light for her companions to see by. A number of other passageways led off from this one and gave her pause. Which way to go now? She had felt drawn to this door only because she had been led towards it by the guards. Now without reference, she began to feel more uncertain. All the same, she pushed on, choosing a path at random and leading Chres and Sil forwards. The basement was quiet but not silent and somewhere beyond them her sensitive ears picked up something that might have been the murmur of distant conversation. She did her best to guide them towards it. [color=mediumpurple]“I think I hear people ahead”[/color] she whispered to Chres. [color=mediumpurple]“I have no idea if it’s your princess or more… um, Crazed but it might be worth a look?”[/color]. Chres nodded and reached for the door. The door slammed open, knocking away his hand and slamming into his face. [color=00aeef]”SON OF A-”[/color] The sooner he got out of this Divergent the better! Sil fluttered up to him, smiling with glee. [color=a2d39c]”Knock, knock.”[/color] She said. Chres shot her a glare. [color=f49ac2]”Oh. Hello Chres.”[/color] Came a familiar voice. Chres looked up to find the princess and… someone else. The princess frowned as she looked down on him and his bloodied nose. [color=f49ac2]”My that looks like it smarts. Did they go and throw you in one of those cages too?”[/color] she asked. Shoving down a frustrated retort, Chres shook his head. [color=00aeef]”I got separated from the rest when they suddenly attacked me. They told me they already had you. So I came down here looking ”[/color] [color=f49ac2]”Ah. How, um… noble of you.”[/color] She said off-handedly. The halfhearted comment earned her a raised eyebrow from Chres. [color=f49ac2]”Well, as you can see the rescuing is done.”[/color] She motioned to the man with her. [color=f49ac2]”This is Peytr”[/color] Her gaze flicked to Nia. [color=f49ac2]”And she is?”[/color] Chres looked to Nia, suddenly wondering just how much information to divulge. [color=00aeef]”Oh… She’s-”[/color] [color=mediumpurple]”Nia, we met upstairs”[/color] she finished, returning Chres' look through her blindfold. She didn’t know these other two and couldn’t be sure how they’d react to who she was. Lys arched an eyebrow but said nothing. As if to quickly gloss over the point, Nia glanced back the way they had come. [color=mediumpurple]”If that’s all of your people then we should probably start looking for a way out, I’d rather not get stuck down here”[/color] As if to further Nia’s point, screeches, cries and… other sounds, began to grow from elsewhere in the basement. It was only a few at first, but it wasn’t long before the cries became chorus. The cries made Chres’ heart go cold. He had a feeling he knew what that was. Lys furrowed her brow. [color=f49ac2]”What in name of-”[/color] [color=00aeef]”When I came down here… I found… things.”[/color] He looked to Lys and Peytr wide eyed. [color=00aeef]”Nia’s right. We have to go. Now!”[/color] Frowning, Lys met Chres’ gaze, and then nodded. [/hider]