[center][color=#008b8b][h2]Fionn MacKerracher[/h2][/color][/center]
[hr][@Raineh Daze][@Psyker Landshark][@VitaVitaAR][@Krayzikk]
[hr]

Fionn's response to the sheer, freezing sense of [i]evil[/i] radiating off the twisted thing he caught was simply to grasp it tighter, no matter how much that cold threatened to seep through his gauntlet and devour the warmth of his body. The creature's claws thrashed wildly, but fruitlessly, against the rings of steel that covered his arms and chest, hissing and howling its rage against his stern glare. He twisted the dagger, opening the wound further before pulling the weapon back out; had Nicomede's spell not struck when it did, he was moments away from smashing the monstrosity's skull against the floor.

Instead, its writhing and flailing ceased as it screamed again, the holy water penetrating and wounding its form beyond any hope of survival. Fionn contemptuously tossed it back out, landing in the hallway barely past the door itself. [color=#008b8b]"But under the control of the one who engineered the first attack,"[/color] he replied, finishing the court mage's sentence for him. [color=#008b8b]"I take it this attack must mean our fellows have given this necromancer reason to worry."[/color]

Not that he had much chance to take any real pleasure in that thought; he had no way to know whether this curse was just some easily-triggered reprisal against Tili for failure and betrayal, or if the necromancer had skill and knowledge enough to call forth a similar attack rapidly and direct it against them without any sight or mark. He glanced over to Adeforth, looking for the older man's eyes, before turning his head back to the court mage.

[color=#008b8b]"I'd rather not let our enemy give us as much reason to worry, and part of that would be having every possible defense present that we can get, whether it's against any similar curses or any similar such beasts that might be summoned and sent to harry us. Perhaps you could stay nearer to us, until the night's work is done?"[/color] Tyaethe could lead any further exorcisms or brute force her way through any similar problems that might crop up, Nicomede could split between magical and mundane duties, and Fionn and Renar could cover for immediate physical threats; still, having a specialist in magical arts present would be one more base covered, so far as he was concerned.

Whether the mage would agree or not—somehow, Fionn doubted Adeforth would really give him the opportunity to refuse, if he even was the sort to try—Fionn quickly turned to the princesses, where Tyaethe had caught the pair. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the pair—even the elder was scarcely more than a girl, and both of them had been pushed and pulled around, tackled to the ground like an old leather ball. Still, his goal now was to keep them protected, and he'd heard their footsteps coming up to the door to see what was happening. He kneeled down before them, blocking their view of the creature's immolation, his voice low.

[color=#008b8b]"Your highnesses. I understand that you chafe at this lockdown, anybody would, but we need you to curb your curiosity if anything else like this should happen. It's not worth risking your lives over."[/color] Had he not been in place to catch the monstrosity, had Renar not shoved them aside in time, had none of them been able to grab and subdue it in time...the blades that pierced it barely seemed to make that much of a difference in its attack, and it likely would've continued on to savage the princesses. [color=#008b8b][i]"Please,[/i] keep back from anything we're dealing with."[/color]