[b][center][h1]The Cult[/h1][/center][/b] [@fetzen][@13org][@Jerkchicken][@HokumPocus][@Typical][@Elevation] [hr] [i]Whack![/i] Tayla's vision blurred. Her body collapsing to the floor. She felt a warm liquid fill her mouth, but found it had no taste. The liquid ageusia had taken its toll. Her magic nullified. Tayla struggled to get back to her feet but was quickly pushed back down. A foot pressing down against her back. "Stubborn stubborn... She is quite stubborn..." Sightless to be De'laire said more to herself than anyone else. " De'laire's foot pressed down harder causing Tayla to cry out. "Should I hold back?" De'laire mused aloud. She reached down, grabbing Tayla by the hair. Slowly, she pulled her head back. Far enough to expose her neck. "Sightless Nieffar may scold me. He wouldn't like it if I damage her..." Tayla gasped. Her battle from early had made her weak. Everytime she tried escaping, De'laire simply exerted more force. As things stood now, it was getting hard to breathe... [color=a187be]"De'laire!"[/color] Sightless Syella's voice... [color=a187be]"What are you doing? Drop the knife! There will be no killing our own!"[/color] "Hm?" De'laire hummed absently. "Sightless Syella? Forgive me, but have I done something to upset?" [color=a187be]"The knife, De'laire! Drop it! Now!"[/color] "Knife?" De'laire asked with a tilt of the head. "Oh yes, yes... the knife. Mustn't kill the girl now... Sightless Nieffar would be most displeased." Tayla heard a clang at her side as the knife hit the ground. The woman released her grip on Tayla's hair and relinquished some of the pressure on her back. Tayla felt her blood still. [color=c4df9b][b][i]Senses![/i][/b][/color] She thought. [b][color=c4df9b][i]De'laire had been about to kill me! Did the Crazed woman have any sanity left?[/i][/color][/b] Yes... the woman did have some sanity left. After all, Tayla was still alive... [color=a187be]"What in the name of the Unseeing is going on here?!"[/color] Sightless Syella demanded. [color=fdc68a]"Punishment."[/color] Came a voice from the 2nd floor overlook. There Sightless Nieffar stood watching. [color=a187be]"Punishment? Death is no proper punishment for the acts she committed!"[/color] Sightless Syella exclaimed. "Is it not?" De'laire asked absently. She had taken to scratching rigorously at the corner of her right eye. Her scratching drew blood. A sign that any day now this woman would be Sightless. Any day now she would feel the itch on her eyes... [color=fdc68a]"No, my dear De'laire. I fear Sightless Syella is correct. Does one kill a sister just for acting against the family, even if it is to satisfy her own selfish interests?"[/color] De'laire merely shrugged. She had shifted to scratching at the corner of her other eye now. "Mine tried to kill me..." She said. [color=fdc68a]"And now she's dead."[/color] Nieffar stated. [color=fdc68a]"The ultimate price for such transgressions. A price our little Tayla here does not yet deserve."[/color] [color=a187be]"Funny then how I needed to interfere."[/color] Sightless Syella spat. [color=fdc68a]"Sightless Syella,"[/color] Nieffar continued. [color=fdc68a]"I'm a man of practicality. I knew you would interfere, and so I let you interfere."[/color] [color=a187be]"Is that so."[/color] Syella replied. [color=a187be]"Well forgive me Nieffar in not seeing the practically in your lack of actions. Were you simply saving your breath for later?"[/color] [color=fdc68a]"In a way, yes."[/color] Nieffar said. [color=fdc68a]"Tayla's actions begets punishment. Our children died because of what she did. Her defense does not deserve any of my breath."[/color] He made his way down the steps, his lips curving into a snide smile. The wounds on his legs must have mostly healed as Nieffar was no longer limping. [color=fdc68a]"But a Sightless ignoring commands coming from Sightless Vetius? That is a matter deserving of my breath."[/color] Syella gave the man a leery gaze. For a moment the Sightless said nothing. Her gaze turning to Tayla. A frown of disapproval across her face. Nieffar his approach approach stopped at the bottom of the stairs. [color=fdc68a]"Would you like to explain yourself to them?"[/color] Nieffar said quietly, nodding small crowd of clan members who had funneled into the chamber. They stopped at the entrance not quite sure what to make of the display. [color=fdc68a]"I'd rather you didn't."[/color] Nieffar continued. [color=fdc68a]"As far as they're concerned, their friends died because the Pact Makers attacked us."[/color] Syella folded her arms. Her frown deepening. [color=a187be]"Let her up De'laire."[/color] Syella said at length. "Hm?" De'laire hummed. Her gaze turned downwards. "Oh, yes yes! You're referring to the one beneath my foot, aren't you?" De'laire took her foot off Tayla and stepped aside. All the while De'laire muttered to herself. "Of course she meant that one." Tayla thought she heard the woman say. "Of course she did..." Tayla rose to her feet and bowed her head appreciatively. Syella looked her over disapprovingly. [color=a187be]"I expect you to still be here when I get back. We will speak further once I'm done."[/color] Tayla nodded and watched the two Sightless leave. She felt cold, and not just because her clothes were still damp from the rain. [color=6ecff6]'Why did you join the cult?'[/color] The white haired princess had asked. Why? Because they had given her something she never had before. A place where she felt she belonged. A place where she people actually respected her. Tayla made her way to a nearby bench, careful to tread lightly on her bruised foot. Tayla knew pain. She could deal with pain. The disappointment though... the disappointment and... Smit... Smit... her heart felt heavy in her chest. Why? Why should should she feel bad about him? Tayla had known that this would happen sooner or later! She knew she couldn't trust the man. Who cares that he wouldn't meet her eyes! Who cares if he sold her out! Of course he sold her out. That was the sort of thing any sensible person would do. He didn't owe her an explanation. But then why? ... Why did it hurt so much? Tayla saw the white haired princess. She stood there, like a shadow. The woman's image loomed over her. [color=6ecff6]'Why did you join the cult?'[/color] [color=c4df9b][b]"I hate you."[/b][/color] Tayla whispered. Now, more than ever, she needed this woman to hate. [color=6ecff6]'Why did you join the cult?'[/color] She said yet again. Talya curled her legs up onto the bench and buried her face in her arms. She hated the woman. Hated that the woman pretended to care. [hr] [color=fdc68a]"You're playing a dangerous game Syella."[/color] Nieffar said, a smug smile across his face. [color=fdc68a]"Sending that reckless girl on a mission which as far as I can tell served no further purpose other than to give the enemy further intel on ways to fight us. You cost us believers, Syella. Sightless Vetius will be displeased."[/color] [color=a187be]"Why is it that you find me so intimidating, Nieffar?"[/color] Sightless Syella asked. [color=a187be]"Is it because the followers I brought respect me while yours fear you?"[/color] Nieffar's eye twitched at her words. However, he quickly smothered his irritation. [color=fdc68a]"Syella, Syella. You don't intimidate me. I would just like to know why you feel it necessary to put this entire mission at risk. Just what exactly were you trying to achieve with all of this?"[/color] Syella frowned, eyeing the man. [color=a187be]"You may have been give charge over the task of converting this city, but does not mean you are privy to everything that I do."[/color] She replied. Nieffar's expression darkened. His smile turning to a frown. [color=fdc68a]"You,"[/color] He said elongating his annunciation, [color=fdc68a]"don't get to talk back to-"[/color] [color=a187be]"Would you rather I leave?"[/color] Syella continued, standing her ground. [color=a187be]"Leave you one experienced Sightless fewer?"[/color] The words angered Nieffar. Syella could hear the man grinding his teeth. [color=a187be]"They will follow me, you know? The ones I've brought over to the Insight."[/color] [color=fdc68a]"There are plenty more people in the city to fill in their ranks."[/color] Nieffar growled. [color=a187be]"Ah, so there are."[/color] Syella agreed. [color=a187be]"Do you think they will turn on you too?"[/color] Nieffar's good arm lurched. His fingers extending into sharpened tendrils ever so slightly. The Sightless stopped himself, however. He was far too aware of how a Sightless attacking one of his own would look to any onlookers. [color=fdc68a]"You know, just as well as I, that the people who attacked us weren't normal."[/color] He said. [color=a187be]"No, they won't."[/color] Syella agreed. [color=a187be]"Someone planted those people in our ranks. People easy for us to overlook. Such a thing is dangerous."[/color] She did find it odd how their life essence appeared so dim. [color=a187be]"We can't be at each other's throat with enemies like that around."[/color] Nieffar said nothing. His angered expression turning to frustration. He knew he couldn't have her as an enemy right now, and that infuriated him. [color=fdc68a]"Someone needs to take the fall for this."[/color] Nieffar said through gritted teeth. Syella remained quiet. She knew what this meant. It was an eventuality she had anticipated when assigning this task to Tayla. [color=a187be]"You're right of course."[/color] She said quietly. [color=a187be]"Others may think the pact makers attacked us first, but the people who went with Tayla know better. We will need to put the blame for this incident on her. This way we can justify the lie."[/color] Nieffar nodded. [color=fdc68a]"Confinement."[/color] He said. Syella's expression turned grim. [color=fdc68a]"We'll lock her up for a few days... Give her time to think about what she's done."[/color] [hr] The cult had a ceremony of sorts that night. A ceremony that drew much of the people in town. They had food there. Food for anyone who would stay and listen to the cult's preaching. Many played along. After all, how else would they eat? Others, however, they actually listened. At the end of the ceremony people were invited into the the Cult's makeshift church. Those that entered join the cult's cause. Some did it out of curiosity. Others did joined for the food. Regardless of their reasons, there was one thing none of the new recruits could deny. The Cult's God had a visible presence in the world. One far more obvious than the Lord of Senses.