Neon spent the night tending to Chii, the tiny dragon on the verge of death when she first arrived in the mansion. To Shade's, or was it Itzal's now, credit, he did manage to bring her back alive. Of course she hadn't really expected Chii to enter into the mouth of the lion's den and come back unscathed, but even so Neon had to wonder just how complex Halden's operations had become to challenge them to such an extent. After counting all of Chii's limbs to make sure they were still there, Neon chose to assist in tending to her wounds, the alternative being throttling Shade in his new body until she choked him out. Although stabilized, Chii's recovery was far from over, and her uneven breathing throughout the night kept Neon from truly resting. Waking in the morning with a stretch and a tired yawn, she first checked on the little dragonness' condition before slipping from the bed. Today would be yet another long day, hopefully one without the need to escape from anywhere she shouldn't be, but she was eager to learn what the others had discovered on their own errands. After passing Itzal without a second glance, Neon stopped in her tracks at his greeting. "Oh, right... this is going to take some getting used to." She listened to Itzal's story quietly, Neon thinking back to her own bleak past. It was surreal to see the assassin smile, and honest smile and not the facade he normally used when trying to persuade others. She was glad that his revenge had brought him some semblance of peace. It was such a rare thing in this world, and as she looked at her own hands, stained with the blood of so many, her father's included, she wondered if peace was something she herself would find one day. Neon had spent the night listening to the voices now so often present in her head, trying to separate each from the crowd. They were silent, for now, and she had to wonder if these brief moments of quiet, small reprieves in the storm, were all the peace she would ever know until the day she died. Itzal departed with a final word, but not before Neon let him know that she was, sincerely, glad that he had returned safely... in one form or another... and for protecting Chii. Heading downstairs to prepare for her trip to the council, Neon looked around for the others, eager to hear if they had any more success in swaying the council. ----------------------------------------------------------- Torva's eyes welled at the very sight of Hagumi's forlorn expression, but he held his tongue and sat beside her at the seraphim's beckon. Resting his hands in his lap, he listened quietly as she spoke of love and life... and of sacrifice. He understood it all too well, but even so her words cut like diamond. Torva knew he couldn't provide anything close to the life she could have in Adalrich. Their life wouldn't be one of servants, marble halls and fancy parties. He wanted to believe it would be a happy life, even without those things, but it could also be a difficult life. "What would I do?" He asked himself, repeating Hagumi's question. "I don't know that I can answer that. I already made that decision when I killed my feral father and abandoned my home to go on this quest, but I have a lot more personally at stake. Even if we fail, you have a home to return to, whereas I'll be hunted down and killed like an animal." "I've never had a comfy life, nor been put in a position where I could help others." Torva admitted, rubbing his arms. "I don't know what sort of injustices you could right as a member of the council, but I also don't know if we'll find the cure even if you decide to stay with me. The future is... hazy. It's like running through a dense fog knowing full well you're near a cliff." Torva paused, taking Hagumi's hands in his own, her pale soft skin cold against his fur, "All I can do is be decisive and have faith that I'm doing what's best. I can't tell you what you should do, but as long as you do it with conviction I'll support you however I can." Ears twitching, Torva glanced towards the door and quietly stood. "It sounds like your father is coming to check up on you. I'll see you in the morning, my love." he added before quickly kissing her on the cheek and escaping back out of the window. The morning sunlight cast its warm rays onto Torva's face, awakening him from his slumber. He had somehow made his way onto the floor in the middle of the night, the soft bed too squishy for his own comfort after so many years sleeping on dirt, stone, and wood. Stretching, he quickly dressed and opened the door to his room, sniffing around to see who else might be awake. Hagumi's father was gone, possibly having left for work, and Hagumi was still in her room, just waking up by the sound of it. Her mother was downstairs by the sound of it, discussing something with the servants although the exact discussion was muffled. Choosing to take the opportunity to discuss their next move with Hagumi, he knocked on the door to her room and whispered through the wood, "Your father isn't here, and your mother seems upset about something. Should we go talk to her?" ----------------------------------------------------------- Wandering about, Daren found himself once again lost in the great city, wondering aloud where he should go. "I've found myself asking that same question to myself many times before," an old voice responded unexpectedly. The voice was that of Master Vates of the Seraphim Council, having taking an interest in the strange daeva that had found himself in front of the Council of the Righteous completely by accident. "Are you with that raven boy, Gerome, by chance? It seems there are quite a few daeva popping up in these old streets nowadays" he said with a chuckle, resting gingerly on an ornately carved staff with a blue crystal at the top. "If you seek direction, why not ask the council? Many seraphim have gone to watch the grand inventor's games today, leaving the council with precious little to do, and I must admit I've never been one for competition."