[color=00aeef][center][h1]Chres Sansus[/h1][/center][/color] Interactions with [@Elevation], [@SonofJet], [@HokumPocus], [@Jerkchicken] [hr] Álmos was the first to leave his room, followed shortly by Hark, who seemed alert and wary. Chres looked to Álmos, he had no interaction with this one yet and wasn’t sure what to make of him. How Chres chose his words in response to Álmos’s question would be critical in determining who the others would look towards to lead. As such, Chres decided a white lie was best. As such, he decide to bend the truth. He would tell them Karina came up with the plan. He needed to make sure the burdens of leadership did not fall onto his shoulders. [color=00aeef]“Karlie came up with a plan to take to the roofs.”[/color] Chres said, being careful to use the name Gin had given Karina last night. He wasn’t sure how willing Karina was to share her identity with the others. Especially with Hark, the royal bodyguard. Revealing her identity was a decision for her to make, not Chres. [color=00aeef]“I can get us up there by weaving platforms with my heat constructs.”[/color] Chres continued. [color=00aeef]“We can also use them to get from rooftop to rooftop. We were thinking we might be able to fake our deaths by burning down the building... I don’t suppose any of you can make illusions?”[/color] Chres asked the last part hopefully. Sil’s voice entered Chres’s head before he got a response. [color=a2d39c][i]Chres,[/i][/color] She said. [color=a2d39c][i]My new friend sent me on a super important mission to throw stuff at the mean lady outside. If I don't make it back alive, tell my new friend that... that he could really use a good bath... with extra puddles![/i][/color] Chres’s perked up in alarm. [color=00aeef][i]What?[/i][/color] Mean lady? The Sightless who had just spoken outside? Oh no... [color=00aeef][i]Wait Sil! Come back![/i][/color] Chres thought to her urgently. The Sightless was just talking. Talking would give them time to escape. Antagonizing the cult might only cause them to act sooner. [color=a2d39c][i]No time![/i][/color] Sil replied. [color=a2d39c][i]I need to beat the game![/i][/color] Chres’s hand instinctively moved to cover his pendent in an attempt to make Sil vanish before she could cause any trouble. However, it was already too late. Outside he heard the Sightless’s words end abruptly in a fit of coughing. He figured Sil must have already done what she had set out to do. Chres cursed loudly. [color=00aeef]“Octavio! DB!”[/color] He shouted more urgently. [color=00aeef]“Wake up! I think we're short on time!”[/color] Chres looked to Álmos and Hark. [color=00aeef]“My familiar just did something stupid."[/color] He said with a shake of the head. [color=00aeef]"Álmos, Hark, can you gather the others while I go and pre-”[/color] Chres’s words cut off in mid-sentence. In his mind, he heard Sil scream in pain, and then... silence. [color=00aeef][i]What was that-[/i] [/color] Chres began to wonder. He felt Metal Glass pendent go cold against his chest. Chres’s eyes widened in realization. [color=00aeef]“No...”[/color] He said barely above a whisper. Without another word he rushed to the window at the end of the hall. He could barely make out the Sightless below. She had on what could only be a glove painted with shadow metal paint. Chres's breath quickened as his heart rate began increasing. [color=00aeef][i]Sil![/i][/color] Chres thought urgently. Nothing. [color=00aeef][i]Sil![/i][/color] Still no answer. An itch began to crawl up the back of his neck. [color=00aeef][i]No no no no no...[/i][/color] His wife lay dead at his feet. [color=00aeef][i]No, please![/i][/color] Her dried blood caked to his fists. [color=00aeef][i]Please... Please, no![/i][/color] Chres’s heart was racing. His breath rapid. He saw some of the cultists grab a few torches. [color=00aeef]“No...”[/color] Chres whispered. Everything around him seemed to dull as the memories beckoned him. [color=00aeef][i]Calm down... I need to calm down...[/i][/color] A part of him thought vaguely as it fought to keep the memories at bay. [color=00aeef]“Not again. Please, please no...”[/color] The guilt... The self-loathing... The numbness deep inside... [color=00aeef][i]She’s not her... remember... remember Chres![/i][/color] [color=00aeef][i]That's right, she's not her.[/i][/color] Chres closed his eyes, his breathing beginning slow. His heart was still pounding. His body still shaking. [color=00aeef][i]She was made to look and sound the same. That's it. Nothing more.[/i][/color] [color=00aeef]“I’m fine...”[/color] Chres said softly more to himself than to the others. [color=00aeef][i]They only hit her physical form with the glove... not the actual pendent...[/i][/color] [color=00aeef]“I’m fine.”[/color] He said again. This time more loudly. His heart rate had slowed down, though he was still a little shaky. [color=00aeef][i]She'll be back... The magic simply needs time to recover, right? She’ll come back... I think... I hope...[/i][/color] [color=00aeef]"I'm sorry."[/color] He said, gathering his wits. He glanced out the window as he spoke, in time to see a torch flying right at him. Chres dashed out of the way as the torch crashed through the window and onto the floor. The black flames began licking the floorboards, lighting them aflame. Chres vaguely heard a few other windows shattering. Probably more torches. Chres looked towards the flames, feeling its heat. His shadow stretched unnaturally towards the light. Moving in the black flame's orange glow. It almost seemed as if it were dancing to a song. Looks like they need not start a fire after all. The cult had been nice enough to do so for them. On the other hand... [color=00aeef][i]We need to move...[/i][/color] Chres thought to himself. His mental state had not yet recovered fully. Smoke began rising from the flames and filling the halls. It threatened to suffocate them all. [i][color=00aeef]We need to move now![/color][/i] He thought more urgently.