[hider=Unworthy] Whatever reaction Rodias would have expected, he clearly wasn’t ready for the one given by those around him. Graft’s words confused him, Salem’s angered him, and Kaldorna’s, while meaning well, absolutely crushed his confidence. …Now he realized his inadequacies. Now he realized, once more, that he was completely unfit to lead. Droledge’s visage being replicated in Socrates reminded him of his charisma, of his strength of character, of his boisterous personality that made people want to be around him and listen to him not because of title, but from sheer attraction to him as a person. Rodias...wasn’t that. He never had been. He’d just been the only one who couldn’t let go. The most stubborn and foolish of all the Sable Lords who, upon his throne, had allowed his foolish pointless orders to kill one NPC, get another lost out there somewhere, and have his entire leadership style in question. But really, calling it leadership was a stretch of the imagination to begin with. Right now, it was clear to anyone watching that Rodias’s refound bravado disintegrated once more; his eyes meeting the closed lids of Ratta’s severed head. [i]...When did he bring this here?[/i] This grim reminder of his failure that had clung so tightly to his hand? Rodias wasn’t sure, but he would gingerly place Ratta’s head upon the table. Salem’s words made him question everything he’d known about his friends. They weren’t like that… right? Rodias would place his face into a gloved left hand, before saying: [color=f7976a][b]”...You’re right, Salem. Ratta’s resurrection comes first. As for the matter of a council… I’ll consider it. … I’m sorry for wasting everyone’s time. You’re all dismissed. Salem, see to the retrieval of Isolde. She is listed as alive in the registry, so she may simply have been petrified by Morgan. That is all.”[/b][/color] With Ratta’s remains in hand the dhampir’s steps would carry him to the cathedral, the most fitting place for the resurrection of someone in a classic RPG fashion. That and, frankly, Rodias needed a break from this all. He’d never been a religious man; After all, who was in a world like the one he’d come from, where lives were determined by profit margins and the elite might as well be gods with how untouchable they were from repercussions, responsibility, and consequence of the ruined world they’d created. But just this once, the most unlikely of people knelt and prayed as Ratta was resurrected. A silent prayer offered in solace as Rodias struggled with his overwhelming guilt and inadequacy. A prayer that something good could finally happen. Ratta’s resurrection would be swift, taking no more than a bit of time on Rodias’s part and a healthy amount of gold from their coffers to reconstitute her material form. She would be nude initially, but her equipment was part of her existence and would reform with her, every part of her corpse disintegrating as the dullahan was reborn upon the altar. But when she would open her eyes in search of the only person who could have revived her, she would find nothing. Rodias was gone from sight. [/hider] [hider=Friends ‘Till The End] For one such as Morgan, the cold of the north was irksome and troubling. At least until she entered the crystalline palace that Ardion called home. Stamping her feet as she walked with haste, she would walk past the surprisingly warm halls carved of ice, shimmering slightly with the grace of the candelabra hanging overhead. Before she could set foot into the equivalent of the Climax Hour however, she would suddenly find herself being hugged from behind, a small body pressed against her back that made the girl’s hairs stand on end. Well, slither on end as they turned into snakes from the shock. [color=BDB76B][b]”Morgie~! How’d it go? Did you find anything exciting out there?”[/b][/color] A light, chirpy voice would ask, almost childish in its tone as slender arms kept a surprisingly good grip on Morgan, despite her snake-like tail pushing their face and torso away. [color=9370DB][b]”HUH!? L-Lemme Go! I don’t wanna play around right now, Celeste! Where are you putting your hands anyways?”[/b][/color] Morgan would shout, furiously spinning around before knocking the girl away from her, the [url=https://i.imgur.com/evZOozC.jpg]chipper youth[/url] not seeming to mind much as she gracefully landed on one foot, smirking at Morgan. [color=BDB76B][b]”Just wherever I want, as usual. You’re the one always talking about [i]urges[/i] that Ardion supports, right?”[/b][/color] Morgan would furiously turn about, opening the door. [color=9370DB][b]”Shut up. You already know that I can beat you. Creepy ass old man…”[/b][/color] she would mutter, before slowly peeking in the door that led to Ardion’s throne room, looking sullen to see it empty. [color=9370DB][b]”...He’s not back yet?”[/b][/color] she asked, sounding very disappointed. [color=A52A2A][b]”I am afraid not. He has been gone for quite some time,”[/b][/color] a voice from the ceiling would say, as the loud skittering of legs would signal to Morgan the presence of another one of her comrades overhead. Craning her neck up to meet his eyes through his helmet, the arachnid knight would bow his head as best he could while up-side-down before leaping to the ground, metal clattering against his armored hairy body. [color=A52A2A][b]”Are you well, Morgan? You look like you’ve been in a fight. Have you encountered someone strong enough to pose a threat?”[/b][/color] the arachnoid would question, to which Morgan would hurriedly wave her hand dismissively. [color=9370DB][b]”No way. Just some dumb guild NPCs got the drop on me. Thanks for your concern though, Araneus. ...Oh yeah, you aren’t going to believe this! I found-”[/b][/color] [color=F0FFFF][b]”A real player?”[/b][/color] a voice would ask from behind Ardion’s throne, [url=https://i.imgur.com/ZrqfqBd.jpg]a soft-faced young man emerging from behind it, a pair of fox-like ears twitching from atop his head as he smiled at Morgan.[/url] [color=F0FFFF][b]”Welcome home, Morgan. How was your walk? Am I right? Did you find someone like us?””[/b][/color] Morgan would childishly puff her cheeks out at being interrupted. [color=9370DB][b]”Uh, yeah, yeah I did Kohaku. He’s a rogue, like me, and he’s somewhere around the 70 range.”[/b][/color] [color=BDB76B][b]”Sounds weak,”[/b][/color] Celeste would say, idly sitting in the air atop a leather-bound book, floating over and ruffling Morgan’s hair. [color=BDB76B][b]”Was he handsome? Did he break your wittle heart?”[/b][/color] Morgan would swat Celeste’s hands out of the air, hissing. [color=9370DB][b]”Stop! My hair is worth more than your life, old man!”[/b][/color] she would shout, before Celeste floated up-side down, placing a finger on her lips. [color=BDB76B][b]”Just shut up and tell us about him, before I start [i]REALLY[/i] harassing you for being so cute.[/b][/color] Morgan sighed, before turning to her companions and beginning to explain, in full, her account of the battle at Gothika... [/hider]