[b][h3][color=ABABAE]Rhy̢thmia L̛ap̢şe҉u͘s[/color][/h3][/b]
[i]In what remains of the Grand Hall[/i][hr]She'd managed to get Pachel's attention and relieve some of the pressure from her fellow Technologist. That was good. When the woman's body hit the ground, Rhythmia didn't bat an eye - she kept focus on the two men. It was only natural that there would be people falling from above after all, though most appeared to have already fellow given the state of the Hall. However, Pachel didn't seem to think the same. The woman was dressed in dark clothes, red-headed - [i]Ah, it's her.[/i] Rhythmia held no sympathy for the women, but her identity explained Pachel's intense reaction. With the force of his gate letting up, Rhythmia swiftly stood and began to make her way over to separate the two men, but force if necessary, but...

She didn't make it. Before her eyes Kothlin rose up and killed the Mageborn Lord. What was he thinking? Was he so full of adrenaline he was running on base animalistic instinct like the Beastmen he appeared to loathe, or was he... did he [i]really[/i] want to sacrifice everything the North had strove for over the years, and just this morning, on a chance at war?

She clutched her weapon, then a surge of mana took her consciousness again.

She awoke much more quickly this time.

She stalked over to the scene where Pachel and his mistress lay dead, surrounded by dozens of other corpses as the tower crashed back into existence. 

Well, she supposed in the back of her mind it wasn't "a chance" at war now, especially when he made his declaration. When he met her eyes and claimed that her house would be part of his war, her eyes blazed with anger while her heart froze over. 

[b][color=ABABAE][i]"What are you doing?"[/i][/color][/b] the Lapsean woman hissed, grabbing the front of Kothlin's power suit with such force that it dented it's metal frame before she bodily dragged the taller man's face down to her level. [b][color=ABABAE]"Lapseus wants no part in this... We [i]do not[/i] want a war."[/color][/b]

[color=d29e4d]"Mmh. The South doesn't care. Pachel is dead, and a Northerner did it. You'll be accused regardless of what you do. I promised your sister a quarter of my land if she helped,"[/color] the man rushed to explain, struggling in her grip.

[b][color=ABABAE]"You..."[/color][/b] Rhythmia couldn't argue, because he was right of course. The deed was done and over with. Even the bomb would probably be blamed on the North, especially now. She didn't like it, she felt hot emotion course through her veins, ones she hadn't felt in years but made the experience all the more painful. With disgust, Rhythmia rattled Kothlin around in his broken cage of a suit and shoved him away from her. Her eyes bore into the man before her as though he were the most grotesque of shit-eating insects, then she took a breath and her gaze flitted over to Reina and her daughter. Her eyes landed on Tina, whom Melodia had told her was promised to their house in just such a scenario. The short haired woman beckoned her over. The girl approached, curious.

[color=d8cfbe]"Lady Rhythmia,"[/color] she says deferentially, [color=d8cfbe]"How are your limbs treating you? If you wouldn't mind, I have some ideas for..."[/color] she stopped as soon as she saw the look on Rhythmia's face. In turn, upon Tina's reaction Rhythmia let her expression soften just a little, laying her hand on the girl's head and guiding her away from the scene. The Lord spared Reina a stern gaze, and one last time she faced Kothlin with a withering look.

[b][color=ABABAE]"...do not regret this."[/color][/b] Her words were hard, a threat even. She turned away, leading the Lapseus' new 'acquisition' back toward the tower's interior. She still had to find Melodia, and now explain the situation to her. Despite the surge of energy and the collapsing of the stone, she still felt that her sister was alive. Although, no longer in the 'mana bubble,' she'd definitely be needing some help. Vati appeared to be alright - the bodyguard was helping that other redhead up when he caught sight of Rhythmia's return and made his way back to her side. He looked at Tina curiously but didn't dare question the Lord when she was still so tense and ill at ease. The group was silent as they focused on finding and collecting Melodia before leaving Harrow's behind.