[sub]in collaboration with [@agentmanatee], [@Ellion],and [@Shagranoz][/sub]

[h1][center][i][u]"Taking Measure"[/u][/i][/center][/h1]

Phagora, Taran, and Alexina moved down the corridor, back towards the castle's main entrance. Phagora still had to use her sword for balance, but she was learning to block out the pain to an extent. "Wonder how the others did, but the fact that the undead were that thick in there was not a good sign. Lorelai alone should have torn most of them to shreds, and the others were no slouches either." A nervous look came over the half-demon's face. She was still new to the coven, but she'd grown to like many of her fellow members.

Taran walked closely behind her, fliching everytime she lose balanced. Despite what she said earlier, he still felt beyond guility for her pain. It also didn't help that a small echoing voice in his head kept saying that he should have let her burn to a [i]crisp[/i] insiting that it would make him [i]happier than he had ever been before [/i] was scared him was that he wasn't sure where that voice had come from, nor what it was doing in his head, because it wasn't a thought he had ever had before.  [color=708090]"...I hope she is okay,"[/color] said Taran, truthfully, he hadn't thought much of the other since they parted ways. [color=708090]"Phagora, are you sure there is nothing I can do for you?" [/color]

"No. That finger has done all it can, at least for right now, and I don't think there's anyone here with healing powers." Phagora glanced at the pyromancer. "I meant what I said, Taran. Don't dwell on it. Even my father, with all of his power, can't turn back the sands of time." She didn't want the youngster to obsess over his actions. It just wasn't healthy.

By telling him not to 'obses' over it what she really did was force him to obsess over it internally.  When they exited the castle, carnage lay all about. Taran saw a few of the witches, all nursing wounds as bad, if not worse, than Phagora's.  To the far left, he saw Elina, she was missing a leg and seemed to be pass out with Lorelai. To the far right, there lay Vespa's body, clearly unmoving. The rest of the bodies were either unfamilar, thus the enemy, or so mangled that Taran was unable to recognise them. 

 The closer they got to Lorelai, the harder it became to walk. What first started out as bodies every couple of feet, soon turned into a carpet, with then turned into an ever growing, never ending sea of the undeads bodies. 
 
 Finally Taran, Phagora and Alexina were able to reach Lorelai, with Taran making sure to support Phagora every step of the way. [color=708090]"Mistress," [/color]Taran started, then hesitated on what to say. [color=708090]"Mistress, I... How badly are you hurt?"[/color] there really wasn't much else to say. 

Lorelai turned towards Taran.  Her heart swelled weakly at the sight of her three siblings,  they looked a little worse for wear.  Alexina seemed to be bleeding from several wounds,  Phagora looked singed,  and Taran had a hundred yard stare that she hoped would fix itself soon enough.  [color=00aeef]"I... I'm fine,  just a flesh wound.  As you can see the rest of us weren't so lucky."[/color]  She turned back to Vespa's lifeless form.  Her eyes threatened tears again.  [color=00aeef]"Vespa... didn't make it."[/color]

Genoveve had been tending to Elina's wounds mostly, but the appearance of Phagora Taran and Alexina meant she was needed nearer to her mistress... after all if a coup was being planned then Genoveve needed to be sure to protect the drained Lorelai as long as they did not know who they could trust. She hobbled painfully towards the group, trying to make sure and favore her uncracked leg. She smiled weakly looking at them, all seemed to be physically wounded sans Taran who appeared scarred in other ways. She dropped down next to Lorelai before she spoke,[color=f49ac2]"I-indeed we were not all so lucky... Elina is very damaged and will require help moving back to the carriages. My injuries are comparatively minor, despite what my limp would suggest."[/color], she smiled sadly at them and Lorelai. Then she turned to look at Vespa's still corpse and gulped,[color=f49ac2]"And... someone will need to carry Vespa..."[/color], she placed a hand on Lorelai's shoulder as she spoke.

"A sister lies dead upon the ground. I hope her killer suffered ten agonies for every one she did." Phagora's face turned hard as stone, and ice crept into her words. "Medusa knew, didn't she? About the horrors that lurked here? That's why we were caught unprepared. None of you were told. She probably feared the growing power of one of you, and sent you to die so she wouldn't be overthrown. In trying to prevent her fears from becoming reality, she has [i]made[/i] them reality herself! Let Castle Bloodrose tremble, for we are coming!" Phagora turned to Taran. "You're the only one of us here who isn't hurt, so you should carry Vespa's body. Lorelai, you and Genoveve don't look too bad. You two can get Elina into the carriage. We've got plenty of work to do."

Taran could hardly keep up with the rate of Phagora's orders. [color=708090]"Wait, what?"[/color] he said, finally, once her orders had ended. [color=708090]"I'm sorry. I don't mind helping, but you can't know for sure that Medusa knew, you're only guessing," [/color] He felt bad, questioning Phagora after what he had done, but he also wasn't ready to go charging after Medusa on the [i]chance[/i] that she knew that she was sending them to danger. [color=708090]"I think you are just blood thirsty right now," [/color]

Lorelai turned to Taran.  Her eyes held no traces of the Lorelai that was always kind to her younger siblings,  or was quick to share a suggestion or comfort.  These were the eyes that hunted Hector Digard to his grave.  That gazed satisfied upon burning villages and screaming hunters.  [color=00aeef]"Medusa knew,  she knew because I knew.  She sent me here with you Taran,  an unblooded neophyte to the old ways.  With Elina,  who's too frail for war,  and without the resources we needed to ensure victory."[/color]

A gutteral sylable conjured one of her many servitors,  who scooped Elina from the ground and began to walk towards the carriages.  [color=00aeef]"She didn't know the extent of it,  I'm sure.  The crime is the same.  Reyna and her daughters had bad blood and she knew it,  but sent them with me anyway.  For that I'll have her head,  and my vengeance.  Her leadership brought this on us,  and what comes on her as well."[/color]

[color=708090]"You're just upset because  Vespa is dead. I though someone as wise as you would know  that vengeance isn't a reason to fight. It isn't going to bring her back. You're just looking for someone to blame and you picked Medusa,"  [/color]

Lorelai suppressed the urge to rip the boy's head from his shoulders and bathe in his blood for the insolence he'd displayed.  [color=00aeef]"There is someone to blame Taran,  that's me.  I'm killing Medusa in part because of what she cost me,  but mostly before her foolish hatred of me takes anything I might have left from me.  Or leads to more uneccessary deaths."[/color]  She gestured to Vespa.  [color=00aeef]"That could have as easily been you,  or anyone else.  I'll not let her foolishness cost me,  cost us,  anymore that it already has."[/color]

Genoveve didn't want to, but Yeris had her glare at Taran quietly, a false hatred in her eyes as she looked at the young witch. Sh let Lorelai say her peace before chiming in on her own,[color=f49ac2]"M-medusa is one of the most powerful witches in the coven. If-if she had wanted us to be safe she would ahve co-come along, and left someone else in charge of Bloodrose Taran. Lorelai is right, she has to be removed."[/color], slowly she pushed herself to her feet, grimacing from the growing pain in her shin... walking on it so much was not a good idea. Regardless she tried to help pull Lorlelai up after her,[color=f49ac2]"And I, for one, w-will do whatever Lorelai asks of me... now and uhm.. forever."[/color], she smiled at her mistress innocently enough. 

"Mistress Lorelai, when we met, I swore a blood oath to obey and protect you. My life is tied to that oath, so if I am to survive, I must support you in this. But that is not why I do so. My mother taught me that the only friend a witch has is another witch. Any witch who lets a member of their coven die, whether through inaction, incompetence, or corruption, deserves nothing less than the same fate." Phagora climbed into a carriage. "It should not be more than a few days before we return, but that is plenty of time to recover our strength. Let us be off, for the sooner the deed is done, the better."

[color=708090]"I think you are all making a....rushed choice,"[/color] said Taran, although he could tell his argument wasn't really even worth speaking.[color=708090] "I cannot stop you from doing this and I won't try. And...Mistress you know I mean you no ill will and I don't want you to think horribly of me...but...unless I know for certain that Medusa planned this.....I cannot fight her," [/color]

[color=00aeef]"We'll all do as we must in the days to come Taran,  if you were to fight blindly I'd think less of you,  and only then."[/color]  Lorelai ruffled the boy's hair before heading towards the treeline.  [color=00aeef]"I just hope we never meet on the wrong sides of the same battlefield Taran.  I need some time before we leave... to put some things in order.  I'll be back shortly."[/color]  With that she disappeared beyond the foilage.

Genoveve frowned as Lorelai seemingly ignored her hand and simply disappeared. She huffed but decided Lorelai would do what Lorelai would do. She turned to Phagora with a pained smile, [color=f49ac2]"C-could you maybe... help me out Phagora? I think my... shin is cracked and worsening whenever I walk on it... I'd rather not ruin my leg after the battle heh heh... ow."[/color], she leaned against the tree stump, hoping Phagora would help her out.

Phagora's little trinket wouldn't be of much use here. She couldn't use it herself, and since it could only be used for selfless acts, Genoveve couldn't use it on herself, either. That didn't mean she didn't have any options, though. Ripping off the sleeves of her robes, she was able to use a stick to improvise a splint. The bone would mend the slow way, but it wouldn't get any worse in the meantime. Perhaps she could give Taran some instruction in the artifact. That would work. "Get plenty of bed rest and talk to me in the morning. If you have to go somewhere, hop on your good leg as long as you can."

Taran watched as all of the witches went their different ways, exhausted enough to find a quite bench to lay down...forever on. Before he left, he picked up Vespa and placed her gently inside. Honestly, he'd never spoken to the woman before, which was perhaps why he didn't care so much about her death, but it hurt Lorelai and that was enough to make him  morn the loss of the witch.  He shut the cabin behind him, and went to go find a hole to go hide in.