Arn fought not only with his concentration to keep the Aether focused on his young lady’s neck, but he fought with the desire to stop this action on her.  Regardless of the reason, he hated having to harm her or bring pain upon her.  The magic threads pulled and expanded as he tried to control his own output of magic and the flow of it.  Too much and he would crush her neck, too little and the goal would not be achieved. 

His eyes began to fill with liquid compassion and shame.  He was being no better than the black haired witch who had harmed poor Eilis.  Yet he knew that she needed to be free from this version of her.  Even if he was never forgiven, he would not allow his protegee to continue to be this dark force.  He would not kill her but he would not just stand idly by. 

When her dark eyes fixed on him he could do little else than whisper [color=0054a6]“I am sorry”[/color] as tears began to spring from his eyes.  The Master Mage collapsed to his knees just as the girl fell unconscious.  His chest shuddered as he tried to gasp for breath in between slight sobs.  He looked at her small form.  Like a rag doll which had been played to hard with.  

He was weak from his expenditure of magic that had been required to so carefully manipulate the forces of the Aether in such a manner.  Also, he had never attempted to do such a thing.  He would normally excite or harness the raw energies of the magic threads.  All he had to do was provide a direction for the destructive forces and unleash them.  This time however, he needed to basically use his own power to block off the flow of magic just enough.  It was like pouring drops of water into a small glass while carrying a 50 gallon bladder full of water on your back.

The mage moved forwards on his hands and knees slowly.  Tyrhallan and the witch the least of his worries.  His eyes could only hold the crumpled form of Eilis in his gaze.  Only when Uille’s voice boomed in authority did Arn look in the direction of the trio.  Still, seeing that there was nothing that would threaten Eilis immediately, he continued his pilgrimage until he reached the poor girl.

Her body had cuts and tears were the bindings were.  She was not bleeding profusely but she looked as if she had been very efficiently carved. He clenched his teeth in anger and frustration.  He knew she was still alive due to the soft rise and fall of her chest in the now torn green dress she had worn.  

The battle mage lifted her head and placed it on his lap brushing the disheveled hair out of her bloody and yet still oddly beautiful face.  A few drops of his tears landed on her face and ran to mingle with her slightly bloodied wounds.  

Arn could hear what they were saying.  The black haired woman called Eilis an abomination.  He had seen a terrigying sight but he was convinced that this corrupted form had been a product of her torturous time in the convent.  His anger was now directed towards the witch as she turned to look at him.

A man who had considered himself no more than a weapon could not accepte that people considered the girl in his lap as nothing else.  ‘She deserved better than that.  She deserved a full life surrounded by friends and family.  Even as a person who had seen war and suffering, Arn believed that life was meant to be lived to the fullest.  Perhaps that is why he was so committed to her freedom and protection.  He wanted the rest of her life to whipe clean her beginning years. 

[color=ed1c24]“The wisest thing to do…and the most merciful is to end her life. Right here. Right now.” Scylla ended looking at the three men for a moment before she sighed.
"The choice is yours gentlemen. Do the right thing."[/color]

Arn placed a gentle hand upon upon Eilis.  He set her down gently and then stood over her protectively.  His voice was calm but cold and as deadly as a sharp blade.  [color=0054a6]“No one will touch her.  You make her out to be certain death to the world.  Yet you or yours did not do her the mercy of ending her life as you claim.  You wanted to use her.  When she would not be your pawn you sought to end her.  She attempted to leave that cursed life behind.  It was you who triggered her turn to darkness.”[/color]

His eyes narrowed.  [color=0054a6]“No one will touch her.  She is stronger than all of us here.  She is stronger than the destiny you would thrust upon her.  She deserves a chance to live a life that does not have you or your damned beliefs in it.”[/color]

His eyes started to glow.  [color=0054a6]“No one will touch her.”[/color]  He said again.  A warning to any in the room.  He knew that Tyrhallan would consider the implications of the benefits of ending Eilis's life.  Indeed, had the master mage not had such a deep connection with the tattooed beauty, he himself might have considered carrying the sin of her death.  Unfortunately for all of them, she had caused a change in him that overruled even his most logical of thoughts.