[center] [img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjcyLjcxMDUwZC5jM1YwWVdkaGNtRWdWMmx1Wkd4bFlXWSwuMAAA/gds-infinity.regular.png[/img] [h2][b]And[/b][/h2] [img]http://i.imgur.com/71jZImS.png [/img] [/center] [color=6ecff6]"Not five hours ago I nearly lost a brother, nay, may still lose a brother! Not by lording it over a neutral, but by finding a cult trying to sacrifice YOUR. PEOPLE! Neutrals! To try gain some twisted favor from Alithe's wastes! Maybe your memories are too short but I assure you mine is not and it has always been this way"[/color] Shertul responded in equal anger. [color=DimGray]"That's sad, of course, but it has [b]nothing[/b] to do with me! I was not sacrificing the girl, nor have I ever sacrificed anyone. I will not be killed for another person's crime!"[/color] While he spoke, the hidden third eye opened upon Shertul's forehead. All of his distortions were visible now. A woman in the crowd gasped. [color=DimGray]"Oh, please. Are you even surprised at this point?"[/color] A few relieving chuckles sounded off, at least. One of his normal eyes winked. [color=DimGray]"The cold-hearted one is right,"[/color] he confessed to his audience, [color=DimGray]"I am what I am completely by choice. It's magic."[/color] The chuckles turned to narrowed stares, and the half-horse swiped her sword through the air as if she could cut it. A warning. [color=red]"I knew it! Monster! Abomination!"[/color] Each word was punctuated by a swelling in her chest, as if she was going to huff and puff and spew fire. But the Fleshspinner ignored the centaur's posturing, turning on her like a cornered rodent, all claws and teeth and venom. [color=DimGray]"Have you [b]ever [/b]seen what the Wasteland does to a soul? Have any of you ever seen what it can do to an innocent? Think of it: I was but ten years old, a starving child in the horror of Alithe's lands. I was smaller then than I am now. I never stood a chance at life, until the Fleshspinner mages took me in, taught me how to survive. I became what I am so I would not die." [/color] Such shock ran through Windleaf that her hooves even reared up a bit. A mental vision assaulted her: an emancipated child forced into distorting his body to survive. Defying nature... simply for the right to life, the most natural thing of all. She had never before been made to feel sympathy for an [b]unnatural[/b]. The Fleshspinner's eyes darted between the warrior and Kaezira [color=DimGray]"And so would you."[/color] He met the stare of every face in the crowd, and some of them even returned his gaze. [color=DimGray]"Each. One. Of. You."[/color] But the angel's eyes were locked into the farmgirl's. [color=skyblue]"Just... go."[/color] Windleaf's voice boomed with such force that Shertul almost thought he felt the ground shake. [color=red][b]"No!"[/b][/color] What was she denying? Shertul's story? His release? Her pity for him? He didn't know, and neither did she. But it proved not to matter. Before he could get himself in any more trouble, the farmgirl took her pet monster's hand and led him away from the Nephilim, the centaur, the crowd, and the execution. [hr] [center] [center] [img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjcyLjcxMDUwZC5jM1YwWVdkaGNtRWdWMmx1Wkd4bFlXWSwuMAAA/gds-infinity.regular.png[/img] [/center][/center] The brave centaur glared swords at the disgusting "Fleshspinner" escaping, but did not give chase. It was not the time. She came to Wellborough for supplies, not hobbyist monster-slaying. Fittingly enough, supplies were still the last thing on her mind. She was hoping to find the Institute, but it seems the Institute found her. Truly, Espeeria must be smiling on her today, for two Nephilim to simply appeared before her- one even came in a bolt of light from the sky itself! Even more fortunate, she was already given the perfect opportunity to prove herself, [b]and [/b]to frighten away some scampering little abomination. Perhaps she did not need Raziel's aid at all: clearly, her Gods were watching. She stopped just short of a gallop, for the sake of dignity, yet still she sped her way to the warrior and the wizard-angel. With the sort of straight-line bowing motion that could come only from years of military service, Windleaf introduced herself. [color=Red]"I am Sutagara, a warrior from the tribe of Windleaf. I will be straight to the point: I need to be led to the Institute. I [b]need [/b]to see it's library."[/color] She had that forceful-but-respectful tone most ex-soldiers could never shake-off speaking in.