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[b][u]Phillis Circus: Big Top – Onstage [/b][/u]

Oh gods, he didn’t mean to hurt her [i]that[/i] far! Lute’s eyes widened in horror and he faltered, barely even making the attempt to dodge Isabella’s attack. However, Aria stepped up to his place and deflected the knife, and the two women swiftly engaged in a deadly dance of blades. The image of the acrobat’s bloodied form flashed before his eyes and Lute remained rooted to the spot, staring at the hand from which the errant bolt came from. It took all of Delilah’s efforts to rouse him from his reverie and set him to the task of covering the illusionist’s blind side. 

When Isabella finally fell, the two guilders relaxed their pose and then glanced around to scope out their previous target. Lute was still distracted by what had transpired between him and the acrobat, and was absentmindedly tweaking with the scraps of cloth covering his chest wound when an unfamiliar sensation overrode him. He watched, perplexed, as his blood-smeared hand moved itself from his shoulder… At least until Vance’s control completely took over. Delilah, for the most part, was outraged about her refuge- Lute’s mind- being invaded by a complete and utter stranger, and was screaming obscenities even as the virtuoso faced Aria. To her credit, the illusionist seemed to sense that something was wrong and asked Lute about it, only to be met with the sight of her friend raising his fists up to his cheeks in an informal boxing stance. He was no warrior, but it seemed as if all those moments watching those no-holds-barred brawls in Thaum's taverns held its effect.

 “I- What? T-this isn’t a side effect of using- Wha-! Watch out! Move!” As he warned her, the virtuoso’s hand moved of its own accord and shot a screech at Aria, quickly followed by a jab. The attempt was but a warble at first before returning to its usual power, evidence of how Delilah was [i]still[/i] trying to resist the puppeteer. However, thanks to her bond with Lute, it seemed as if she would just have to watch and wait while some snooty longhair abuses [i]her[/i] powers while she kept only a token control of it. It didn't mean she had to like it.

Regardless of whether or not the illusionist dodged or resumed the offensive, Vance didn’t seem to leave loose ends seeing that Lute’s free hand once again pulsed with energy as the sounds around the pair lessened in volume. “[b]NO![/b]” That single word was deeply entrenched in anger and horror.