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They stood there: six of them triumphant. One was dead for certain and two were missing. The ground was littered with bodies and parts of bodies. Ingrid had sucked the flames dry once but residual heat had reignited them and and a few still guttered in the ruins of buildings. People huddled together and cried, looking upon the alien youths with fear and barely-concealed reproach.

Trypano spoke up, giving instructions to Ismette, perhaps knowingly. [color=crimson][b]"Given the destruction we've drawn more than our fair share of attention from the majority of the island. Perhaps you and Benedetto should go de-incentivize any gathering pirate crews from interfering further in our work."[/b][/color] Yet, many of the people who shrunk back in fear, who sobbed over burnt houses and dead bodies, were not pirates. A town like this needed other sorts to run as well and even pirates were people, after all. Ismette looked at them uncertainly.

Indeed, the group looked about to tear itself apart. Nerio backed away, uncomfortable, begging his leave to go see to his crew. Desmond, meanwhile, turned angrily on Benedetto for the latter's mockery of the dead and spat angry words at him. He was joined, after a moment by Ingrid. [color=8882be][b]"You should be respectful to the dead Benedetto. If not for your enemies then at least for your allies. Speaking ill of the deceased only lowers you to that of a scoundrel and you are not that."[/b][/color]

There was a pause and a palpable silence, for all knew that to play with Benedetto was to play with Eshiran himself. His power was of a truly inhuman nature. Slowly, he turned to them with dead eyes, his face a paper mask, his head slightly tilted. 

[hider=What do you know of death?][color=00a99d][b]"And what do you know of death, [i]mercenary?[/i]"[/b][/color] There was a bitter, raspy chuckle. [color=00a99d][b]"What good is it to speak words over a body once it's dead? What comfort is it to the people whose lives we've destroyed?"[/b][/color] He gestured at the wreckage. [color=00a99d][b]"Whose [i]loved[/i] ones we've killed? Will it change how Eshiran takes them?"[/b][/color] He turned to Ingrid with the same cold, pained, dead look. [color=00a99d][b]"And [i]you[/i], you [i]don't[/i] think I'm better than that, so speak truth or shut the [i]fuck[/i] up. You think I'm an [i]animal[/i]."[/b][/color] For a moment, a sort of dark glee flashed through his eyes. [color=00a99d][b]"You think you're [i]better[/i] than me 'cause you pump your deeds full of righteous words and 'respect' and prayer to Gods that don't exist."[/b][/color] He took a step towards the others and his face was hard. [color=00a99d][b]"That's where we're different. Life is struggle and violence. The strong step over the weak. Some do it with swords and magic fire, but most do it with words and laws and that fucking [i]faith[/i] that lets them put their boot on your neck while you just [i]take[/i] it!"[/b][/color] His eyes flashed and it was clear that he was bubbling beneath the surface. [color=00a99d][b]"I [i]know[/i] I'm an animal and I'm proud to be one. I take what pleasure I can. I laugh at death before it can laugh at me, and I [i]never[/i],"[/b][/color] he snarled, [color=00a99d][b]"let [i]anyone[/i] or anything put their boot on [i]my[/i] neck. Never again."[/b][/color] 

He went still and there was a buildup of energy so sudden and fantastic that it seemed almost a dream. [color=00a99d][b]"You wanna do something for these people? Shove your 'respect'. Lift the rubble. Put out the fires. Heal their wounded so some other rich fuck can come along and kill them someday. See if I care."[/b][/color] When they looked up, great mounds of splintered wood, stone, and plaster hovered above them. These were set down roughly on the ground and the first raindrops began to fall. They fell fast and Benedetto's energy faded. He stood there, chest heaving in the rain as the stray fires winked out and steam rose. [color=00a99d][b]"She was weak,"[/b][/color] he pronounced of Wvysen, turning to glance her way. [color=00a99d][b]"Good, but weak, and now she's [i]this.[/i]"[/b][/color] He gestured at her body and shook his head tightly. Turning back to the others, his words were cold. [color=00a99d][b]"She never should've been here. Neither should most of you. Those people you killed were defending their home. That [i]princess[/i] you protect is no hero: no victim. You're just too [i]stupid[/i] to see it."[/b][/color] For a moment, he glared at her prone form, but he turned his eyes back on the others. [color=00a99d][b]"Now go play-act at being heroes somewhere else,"[/b][/color] he sneered. [color=00a99d][b]"I'm not saving you again."[/b][/color] With a crackle of energy, Benedetto rocketed off into the night sky, streaking away like a comet.[/hider] 
Whatever their reactions to Benedetto may have been, these were not allowed to play out. A small, weakened voice called to them from shore, where Onarr was waving and asking for assistance. At almost the same moment, Princess Amelia stirred and sat up, rubbing her neck as the massive spongy cushion began to deflate. [color=bc8dbf][b]"[i]Eshiran[/i],"[/b][/color] she cursed, [color=bc8dbf][b]"Thank you for saving me. I swore I wouldn't be that sort of princess... What'd I miss?"[/b][/color] Then, she saw Wvysen and her eyes widened. She crossed herself. [color=bc8dbf][b]"Oraff-Zept! Is everyone okay!?"[/b][/color] She started to clamber off, pulling kinetic energy as she went. [color=bc8dbf][b]"They did this: the Maria Nera's crew! I [i]recognize[/i] that one."[/b][/color] She pointed to the Chemical mage and her voice rose in righteous anger. She freed herself from the cushion and stood, still a bit woozy, but face full of steely determination. [color=bc8dbf][b]"I know where they hide, those bastards. We need to find them before they cause any more harm."[/b][/color] 

If the aftermath of their life-or-death struggle had been frustrating, sobering, and desperate, the group now had a decision to make. They would likely need all of the strength that they could muster to fight the Nera's crew if that was indeed what they desired to do. Yet Penny remained missing and Onarr was in need of not-insignificant healing. While Benedetto's rain had drenched the fires, there remained a severe human toll and now Nerio was nowhere to be seen, perhaps seeing to his crew. Ismette looked at the others uncertainly. [color=6ecff6][b]"I would... rather not use my magic to harm,"[/b][/color] she said quietly, [color=6ecff6][b]"but I can... help with whatever else you need."[/b][/color]

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Meanwhile, on a beach far but not so far away, a young woman lay unconscious in the sand, covered in soot and blood. Some fifty meters distant from her, gouts of black smoke rose into the night sky and a stout building lay in ruins, decorated with bodies and guttering flames. A ship, just around a rocky head of land, groaned in a sheltered cove, and people began swarming out of it like ants: [i]furious[/i] ants.

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