[IC] The Five Senses - Second Arc (Accepting New Players!)

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For Recaps, you can visit our Discord:
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Look under the 'Story Thus Far' category to view a recap on the first and second arcs.

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Year 4256
47th day of the month Olfaccium.
Late Summer
Nation of Sight - Horizon’s Dip
Early Morning

The sun rose upon the large crater known as Horizon’s Dip. Nearly a mile in size, Horizon’s Dip was an unusual landmark which scared the northern central lands of the Nation of Sight.

Based on marks of erosion across the crater’s surface and sedimentary samples taken by the Nation of Hearing’s scholars, Horizon’s Dip had once been a crater filled with water. Now, that water had largely disappeared into reservoirs beneath the crater’s surface. The only water that remained were tiny trickling streams that flowed and pooled towards the crater’s center, which then drained out into channels beneath the surface. 

For thousands of years Horizon’s Dip has been pooling water into its deep underground reservoirs yet the crater remained largely dry land. Where all the reservoir water went, nobody knew, though some theorized they emptied far out in the depths of the ocean. Perhaps shooting out from underwater vents beneath the ocean’s crust.

Over the years, the crater had become a settlement to some, and a prison to others. Along the steep slopes of the crater, many colorful buildings and houses had cropped up in a chaotic cascading fashion. People lived along the northern slopes. Many of them were workers at the prison centered atop a hill at the bottom of Horizon’s Dip. 

It was an ancient prison, built upon mysterious ruins from long ago. Ruins of strange dull blue stone that was too straight and perfect to be made by any tool known to man. Ruins that had been built over and turned into a castle of sorts. Ruins that held strange powers. Powers that could neutralize a magic weilder’s ability to wield magic. They were ruins perfect for imprisoning the Crazed.

None of these things, however, were what made Horizon’s Dip unusual. What made Horizon’s Dip unusual, was perpetual shade that coated the crater in one form or another. A shade like being under a cloudy sky in the day time. A shade never fully pierced by street lamps at night. 

It was one of many similar ruins across the land of Saencila. The area around these ruins were known as Divergents. The Nation of Sight housed four such Divergents total. Each with a prison town built to lock away the crazed. Each with its own individual quirk that seemed to defy the natural way of things.

Much of the population chose to steer clear of Divergents. Their unnatural nature brought with it much superstition. The Priests of Senses called them pockets of evil that tainted the mind and senses gifted from God himself. Others viewed them as bad luck. Regions that drew ill will and angry spirits. 

Whether or not that were true, such superstition seemed to hold merit. For when within a Divergent, bad luck seemed to happen at a rate higher than chance. Bad luck such as the immediate breakage of newly purchased objects within the day they were purchased. Early onset arthritis at the age of 16 - 20. The inability to obtain winning streaks when gambling. Or even the stubbing of one’s toe on a tiny stone outcropping from the ground just a few centimeters.

Stairs were features that no buildings had in a Divergent. They were just too dangerous. Too many people tripped and broke a leg. Instead, rough ramps were constructed when people needed to reach new heights. Ramps that were not too steep. Ramps equipped with ample railings. 

Scholars had varying views on just what Divergents were and where they came from. Some theorized them to be places where the fabric of reality grew thin. Others believed them to have once been places of mystical worship which have since become defunct. Yet still others believed them to be akinned to the Distortion - a theory that Cult of Insight was known to reject wholeheartedly. 

Regardless of their theories, there was one consensus that all scholars had. A Divergent was no place to live. Too much bad luck for a civilization to thrive. 

So it was an abnormality, in Saencila, to find settlements around a Divergent. An abnormality that the Nation of Sight was alone in. Regardless of superstition and facts, Divergent Ruins and their magic quelling powers were just too useful to not be harnessed for the imprisonment of Crazed.

Horizon’s Dip was the original of such prison towns. It was a prison town that all other prison towns in the Nation of Sight were modeled after. A prison town run by Lord Ru’Tev. A family with much history and influence across the other three prison towns in the Nation of Sight.

So as the sun rose upon the crater known as Horizon’s Dip, its beams of light unable to fully penetrate the shade as per ushe, one wouldn’t be wrong to think that today would be just an ordinary day in the prison town. However, that way of thinking would be wrong. For today, a group of Pactmakers and a princess woke in the town. The group of them having only gathered two weeks prior.

These people were here on a mission given to them by the Empire of Touch. A mission of investigation to see if this prison town had anything to do with the Crazed attacking their lines. A mission of politics to gain influence with the Ru’Tev family so that similar investigative teams could gain access to the other three prisons in the Nation of Sight. 

As the sun rose ever higher, the people of Horizon’s Dip rose from their beds and set out to work.

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Chres
Tayla

Mentioned @13org@Fetzen@JerkChicken

“Wake up, you drunken fool!” Came a muffled voice.

Splash.

Chres snapped awake, sputtering and coughing from the bucket of cold water washing over him. His head throbbed like there was no tomorrow. His mouth, tongue and lips bone dry. A pool of vomit stained the left side of his shirt which had long since crusted over with bits of hay glued onto it.

With a groan, Chres opened his eyes. Though his vision was still blurry, he could make out that this was not the room at the inn that the army’s gold had purchased for him. Indeed no. This was a stable. The sound of horses and the smell of dong attested to that.

Senses. He did it again, hadn’t he? He had drank himself into oblivion with his new drinking partners Týfurkh and Jen. Except this time he had foolishly decided to stay behind when his partners had called it a night.

A girl giggled right beside his ear. Chres flinched. The sound of her giggle made his head feel like it was going to burst.

“Hurray!” The girl said, talking in quick succession. “Puddles! Puddles! Puddles! Puddles! Puddles! Puddles! Puddles! Waaaaaaaaaaaahhhhooooooooooo!!!!” 

Chres’s familiar, Sil, zipped around his soaked body, flying left- right- up- down- 

“Senses… Sil…” Chres groaned

sideways- backways- 

“Sil.” He said more insistently.

circles- zigzags-

“Sil!” Chres snatched Sil out of the air. “Please stop.”

“Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii can’t!” Sil said in a jittery voice. 

Even when snatched out of the air, the damned familiar wouldn’t stop moving. Her sporadic movements made Chres’s entire hand shake.

“Too! Much! Coffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!”

Chres sighed, exasperated. “Coffee?”

“Special type of brown puddle!” She said in a rush. “Akai gave it to me!”

“Akai?”

“Yes! Akai!”

“Why?”

“Because! Coffee! Gives! Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Energy!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“I know what coffee does! Thing is, Sil, you’re a familiar. You can’t drink coffee.”

Sil suddenly stopped moving. “Oh, really?”

“Yes, really. Coffee does nothing for familiars.”

“I see… well in that case I’ll just be normal broken Sil then.” She said with a smile.

“Normal, broken Sil?” Chres repeated.

“My mind. It’s broken. Just like yours!” She exclaimed happily. “See? Normal!”

Chres frowned. What did she mean that her mind was broken?

“I SAID, WAKE UP!” Came a voice behind Chres.

Chres turned in time to catch a glimpse of Tayla as she dunked a second bucket of water onto his face.

Once again Chres found himself coughing and sputtering, as an excited Sil shouted “Hurray! More puddles!”

“Pluck out my eyes, Tayla! I’m already awake, damn it!”

Tayla smirked at him. “I know.” She said as she dropped the bucket to her side. “That was for wasting so much time talking to the familiar.”

“For talking to Sil, you mean.” Sil corrected her happily.

“Oh?” Tayla said as she eyed Sil. “It has a name, does it?”

“It does!” Sil exclaimed with an overjoyed expression. “It does have a name!”

Tayla couldn’t help but smirk at the response, but the smirk was quickly smothered in a second.

“Get up, and get dressed into something clean and decent. If you don’t hurry, we’ll miss him!”

Chres grunted and struggled to his feet despite feeling on death’s door. As he rose, his head collided into a bucket of feed hanging above his head. His hangover compounded in pain as Chres doubled over in a squat. His hands clutching his head. Damn Divergent luck!

“Fucking hell! Couldn’t you have thought to warn me?” 

Sil rolled over in laughter as Tayla smirked. 

“There was a thought.” Tayla said. “I simply chose to keep my mouth shut.”

Chres eyed her in annoyance before relenting. “Come on then.” He grumbled, “Better not delay much longer.”

Chres and Tayla made their way down Horizon’s Dip. Chres now sporting some clean clothes. Much had changed since the Battle of Shimmertown and the pactmaker’s second encounter with the Being. For one Chres’s entire purpose had changed. Due to the pact, Chres could no longer seek out a miserable death to scar the world’s memory of him. For now, he knew the world would have no memory of Chres upon his death.

And so Chres drank.

Unable to rely on others' memory of a miserable death as punishment for his deeds, Chres was left with one other option. To find out what he ‘didn’t understand’ about his wife’s predicament and hope that whatever he learned exonerated him. However, finding out what he didn’t understand of a dead woman was like asking someone to fix a statue that you just smashed into a billion tiny pieces. Just where do you even start?

And so Chres drank.

Furthermore, what if he found out that he did deserve punishment? Just what would he do then? How would he punish himself when his best option was now void?

And so… Chres drank.

When Chres had stopped drinking, it was not because he had been a drunk, but because of one terrible night and deed he did when he just happened to be drunk. He had stopped drinking so as to make sure that he wouldn’t forget. He had stopped drinking to make sure he couldn’t escape the thing he’d done. Now that he had started drinking again, he had done so for all the reasons he had forced himself to stop.

Chres shook his aching head as he and Tayla walked down the winding stone walkway which navigated through the haphazard buildings that cropped up along the northern slopes of Horizon’s Dip. They stumbled once or twice, on small outcroppings of stones that somehow managed to catch the tip of their boots when taking a step. Such things were expected with the bad luck common in the Dip. For that reason they had made sure to take the trek slowly.

Their caution paid off, though not entirely. While they made it down the slopes without injury, someone had decided to empty their chamber pot out the window just as they were happening to walk by. For the most part, the worst of the disaster was avoided. Although the splattering did reach their boots.

Tayla tsked audibly at the mess.

“This is what I get for helping a lousy drunk.”

“Lousy drunk! Lousy drunk!” Sil repeated happily as she zipped to and fro.

Chres merely grunted, hand to his head. Gingerly he moved ahead of Tayla while stepping around the mess at their feet. 

Tayla frowned in frustration, as she hurried to keep up.

“You know, over the years, I’ve seen a lot of useless men. But the ones like you are the worst of them.”

“I know.” Chres agreed in a calm and quiet voice.

Tayla scowled. “Men like you have no regard for the people around them. They slink off in the middle of night, drowning themselves in ale. Senses be damned if something should happen to us in your drunken stupor! Senses be damned if we actually need your help!”

Chres grunted. What else was there to do? Afterall she was right.

Tayla’s frustration mounted.

“No self respect. No dignity. Walking around smelling of yesterday’s stink.”

Chres simply nodded.

Tayla’s eye twitched in response.

“Why are you even here, Chres? Why even bother?”

He shrugged. “I’ve asked myself the same question quite often lately.”

Why even bother? Chres didn’t know. Because Karina had asked him, along with the other pactmakers, to come on this latest mission of hers? A mission to investigate who’s behind the recent Crazed attacks? No that wasn’t why. He had started to respect Karina. To maybe even respect their growing friendship, if their current forced relationship could even be called a friendship. But Chres had not come here for her.

Had it been for the reward? The Empire had offered Chres and the other pactmakers a generous reward to ensure their loyalty for the mission. Plenty of gold, half in advance, the rest after mission completion, and even a favor from the Empire that is within reason.

No. Chres thought. That’s not why I’m here either.

Then why was he here? Not for loyalty. Not for his ‘comrades’. Not because it helped him with learning what he didn’t understand about the situation with his wife cheating.

“Because,-” Chres found himself saying. “-being here is something.”

Something other than the sinking abyss that had become his mind.

Tayla frowned as she took a moment to chew on his answer.

Chres rubbed his aching forehead as they continued on their way. His mouth was still parched. And the sun was too bright, even with the Divergent’s unnatural shade.

“Here.” Tayla said, offering Chres one of her many waterskins. “Should help with your hangover.” 

Eying the waterskin, Chres met Tayla’s eyes. “I don’t n-”

“Take it.” Tayla said more firmly as she shoved it into Chres’s hands and walked ahead of him.

Frowning, Chres took a swig of water. Then, realizing just how parched he was, he ended up downing nearly half the skin. The entire time, Sil hovered next to him, cheering him on.

“Yeah, Chres! Eat that puddle! Show it who’s boss!” 

Chres ignored her, of course. Tayla, however, smirked as if amused.

“Thanks.” Chres said, when he finished.

This time it was Tayla’s turn to grunt.

For a minute longer, they continued like that in silence.

“If you thought so lowly of me, why did you come to find me this morning?” Chres said, breaking the silence.

“Not ‘thought’.” Tayla corrected. “I still ‘think’.”

Chres frowned. Her recent gesture of kindness seemed to suggest differently.

“Little Miss Princess asked me to look for you.” Tayla answered after a moment

“Do you mean the actual princess who has been traveling with us or do you just mean Karina?” 
 
“Who do you think?” Tayla asked with a smirk.

“Karina?” Chres answered.

Tayla only continued to smirk.

Aside from the pactmakers and the soldiers that Karina had hand picked to come with her, Karina’s father had required Karina to bring another person along in their travels. Chres didn’t think much of it, until Karina revealed later that this person was actually Princess El’lysael, the Princess to the Nation of Sight. Apparently the woman had run away from the palace to assist the Empire in overthrowing her father. 

The revelation was a shock to Chres. The woman certainly didn’t look like a princess. Her hair had become a tangled mess and she donned common traveling clothes. Her clothes weren’t even neat and clean. They had become worn and wrinkled. Not to mention that they were splattered in mud, because apparently the girl would take every opportunity she got to jump into a bit of mud along the road.

But now, the oddity seemed to click into place. The girl seemed to be reveling in her new found freedom. Finally free of the chains that society laid upon her. Of course she would take the chance to jump into a pile of mud! Of course she didn’t bother to make her hair prim and neat!

Lys, the name she asked them to refer to her by, was to be their secret weapon. Their way to have an air of legitimacy with Lord Ru’Tev. To convince him to let the Empire into his prison for investigation. Their way to sway him to the Empire’s side while bringing the other prison lords along him.

So far, their secret weapon wasn’t being taken seriously. Lys was being stood up day after day. Today, however, was going to be different. Today, the Pactmakers were to work together to force Lord Ru’Tev to speak with Lys. Even if it meant cornering the Lord.

“You know,” Chres said. “Karina doesn’t like it when you call her princess.”

“Tough.” Tayla said flatly. “You don’t get me without the sass.” 

Chres sighed. An action that earned him a look of annoyance from Tayla.

“She asked me to join her on this mission, which must mean that at the very least she was willing to tolerate my sass to some degree.”

“Yes, but where do you think she will draw the line?”

“I could very much ask you the same question about her and your drinking.” Tayla shot back.

Chres frowned and nodded, accepting the comment.  Tayla tsked.

“Honestly. Where’s your backbone?”

Tayla sped up, forcing Chres to increase his pace. Eventually, the two of them had reached their destination. A tavern with a name that only made Chres all the more aware of his pounding head. A tavern known as ‘The Hangache’. 

Chres suspected that the name served as a comfort to the people. A purpose similar to the inn they were staying at. An inn known as ‘The Ill Omen’. It was a name the locals hoped would ward off the bad luck common in a Divergent.

Lord Ru’Tev was known to dine at The Hangache on occasion. Particularly the morning before heading out on travel, and the morning after he returned from said travel. And it just so happened that Lord Ru’Tev had left on leave five days prior, only having arrived back the night before.

Chres entered the tavern’s back entrance. Tayla however hung back to guard the exit. They were the last of their group to arrive. Everyone else was situated elsewhere. Everyone except the princess that is. Every time Lord Ru’Tev spotted her, he would high tail it in another direction. Same for Karina who had already tried approaching the man a number of times. Though admittedly he did seem to avoid her to a lesser degree. As for the others, including Chres, they were not on the Lord’s Radar.

Chres took a seat in one of the back corners. When the serving girl stopped by, he made sure to order a small ale. An action that he was sure earned him a look from Karina. The white haired woman stood across the room in the shadows.

Chres took a sip from his ale, and gagged. There had been a hair in his ale. A hair that was now in his mouth. Damned Divergent luck. 

Pushing the ale to the side, Chres took a look around the room. Lord Ru’Tev had not yet arrived, it seemed despite Chres having arrived late. Well at least he wouldn’t get too much of a verbal beating for his tardiness.

He sat there waiting for a little over three minutes before Lord Ru’Tev entered the tavern through the front entrance. The man took a seat by a window and ordered his usual meal. Sitting alone, Lord Ru’Tev dug in.

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Karina Frost

Princess El'lysael's disguise, or 'Lys' as she preferred to be called was unbelievably good... especially considering how the princess seemed to have a rather... 'unique' desire for freedom. Unlike most other members of the court.
Despite that, if one paid close attention, there were still some small details that might give a hint to her true origin. Unconscious movements such as the way she ate, how she walked and behave herself, which was why Karina was so cautious regarding when she would use her presence as their secret weapon. Even though Karina herself would probably not have believed she was the princess if she didn't know in advance, she didn't want to draw too much attention to the princess's disguise.

To make things even worse, Karina's current group, while definitely not 'unskilled' by any means, seeing what they've been through, but it was still far from what a proper group for infiltration and espionage would be.

Their group had enough problems on their own, besides the presence of the princess... Mainly Tayla, regarding when exactly she drew the line between her 'trust and loyalty' towards Karina and her own interests and Chres's... unstable behavior. While Karina did know that Chres had his own inner demons to fight against, she was getting tired of seeing him drown his sorrows on alcohol every single day, continuing with his self-destructive behavior without any regards to those around him.

She knew better than to expect them to act like trained soldiers, but she hoped they wouldn't cause her any more problems than the ones she already had.

Regardless of the internal problems on their group, the investigation wasn't exactly going well. Lord Ru'Tev seemed to be actively avoiding them in a rather strange manner... Something that made Karina's instincts tell her that there might be something more going on that they weren't aware of. At least yet...

"You are late, Chres." Karina said as she looked to Chres as he arrived with Tayla, her stare lingering on Chres for a while, especially as he asked for another ale...

"Good job, Tayla. Thank you." Karina said offering Tayla a nod of approval before her eyes turned to Chres once more.

"And you still reek of alcohol... Ugh..." Akai said, rolling her eyes as she looked at Chres, before she turned to Syl.

"Why don't you try coffee instead of alcohol? Syl seemed to enjoy it when I..." Akai began, before immediately stopping herself, not wanting to let others know that she was the one that offered coffee for Syl, curious to how would she react to it.

"Lord Ru'Tev already knows my and Lys's faces and he seems to be quite cautious regarding us. He won't accept talking to us unless he has no other option... Which might be just exactly what we will have to do..." Karina said in a low tone as she spotted Lord Ru'Tev entering the tavern.

"We need more information on what exactly is happening before we can act..." Karina said to herself as she went to a table a bit far away from the Lord, keeping him and the group in her sight but trying not to draw the Lord's attention to her.

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Chres
Tayla

Mentioned @13org

Tayla shrugged when Karina thanked her. As if it were no big deal.

"He smells like puddles!" Sil corrected.

Chres frowned and eyed Akai. "Coffee, huh?" He said. "Gives me energy, huh?"

"And super it's delicious!" Sil said happily.

"Familiars don't have taste." Chres muttered.

"None what-so-ever!" Sil agreed proudly.

Tayla smirked as she slinked outside the room. There she guarded the back entrance.

Chres nodded as Karina took her place, just before Ru'Tev entered and started his meal.

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Týfurkh

Týfurkh, for the past few days, had felt somewhat besieged by feelings of guilt whenever he had looked at Chres and the man's obviously deteriorating state. He had had no real idea about the inner problems of their companion, so he had happily joined Chres on the first few drinking occasions.

From a purely objective point of view, the idea of even trying a race between them about who'd be lying under the table first was outright ridiculous given the sheer difference of their physique. Human's including himself however did not always act rationally and Týfurkh now felt like he should have known that very much beforehand. He, in a somewhat intoxicated state, had still been mentally present enough to watch how Chres had gone way beyond any reasonable limit, and he had done so even repeatedly. They all were suffering from the aftermath now.

Apart from Sil maybe... But Týfurkh also wondered at which point Chres' familiar would start to call Chres' increasingly frequent piles of vomit 'Puddles!' happily as well.

The first thing that Týfurkh managed to do in the Hangache was to get himself a headache as he crashed into one of the ceiling beams on the way in. Nothing really new per se, but the rate at which this happened had at least doubled since they had entered this town. People had built ramps instead of stairs, but nobody had thought about cushioning the pillars -- or just the whole damn ground they were walking on, preferably. Those individuals living here... once they left the area, they must have felt like the luckiest persons in the whole world just by no longer experiencing five mishaps a day. Would the divergence itself just cease to exist one day out of sheer 'bad luck' ?

Chres would find himself silently covered by Týfurkh as the latter placed himself on the same table, but not on the neighbouring seat. There was no more drinking spree going to happen, at least not here where such a thing could doom their mission. The giant 'just' needed to think about a good approach about how to stop Chres from ordering one ale after another. Wrestling the tankards out of his hands maybe ? Or 'accidentally' stomp on Chres foot so to draw his attention away from the alcohol ? If there was one good thing about the divergence, then it was that one could just blame it for pretty much everything. It was an accident!

Yet, as Týfurkh thought about it, he had what felt like a sudden inspiration. What if he spent his foot stomp on  Lord Ru'Tev instead ? An 'unfortunate' accident that was just bound to make the man talk to him at least. Some others of their party could then offer assistance with whatever painful thing was going on afterwards and thus get a foot into the Lord's door.

A very daring plan, but to Týfurkh, it felt less odd than just trying to confront their target with some attempt of small talk directly. Should he talk to his companions first or just pull through with it, claiming to be a completely separate individual if things went wrong ? So far the Lord -- hopefully -- did not know they all belonged to the same bunch.

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The surface of the bowl's contents was pierced by a large spoon, and soon a greedy clump of food made its way across the table from one visitor's plate to the other.

"Say ah-"

The lump of mashed peas hung from his outstretched arm, wobbling. 

"Idiot."

The glob fell on the table with an undignified splat. Even food wasn't safe. 

"Hmph. Suit yourself. Honestly, this constant air of misfortune makes me feel as if I'm being toyed with. We're the rogues of the group, Lynx, we're the ones whose presence slips in with the night wind and sky. Now those very same forces of nature we conceal ourselves with are against us!"

He banged the sanded end of the spoon on the table. It was big and wooden, something a person wouldn't gouge themselves with on accident. 

"Steady yourself. You are attracting attention."

The lynx familiar sat on a chair across from Octavio. Unlike his traveling partner, he had no need nor desire to eat, so his eyes rested on Octavio's food with disinterest. 

"Sesh the one sitting like a human in public," Octavio retorted. He ate with delicate movements, but didn't swallow before speaking. It brought to mind the attitude of arrogant royalty. "When did that start, anywaysh?"

"You are not the only one undergoing change. I wish to be seen as an equal non-human. It will not be possible depending on the circumstances, although engaging in social behaviors such as attending a tavern could help."

With the admission came the opportunity to mock the familiar. He was right, however. Octavio's life had been a series of acts and masks meant to take the blows in place of whatever his true self was, a concept that extended to his powers. Their new party had come to see Octavio in a more piercing light than anyone had, barring a particular old friend. What Lynx was doing in front of him felt similar. The others had accepted Octavio's role within the group, so he met Lynx's declaration with a silent acceptance. 

"Well... we still don't have a halfway decent proposal for how we're going to convince that man." His voice lowered. "He's neither an arrogant fool nor a woman looking for love, so this isn't exactly within our direct line of work."

"Tidy the spoon."

"Come again?"

"I said to tidy it. Place it along the side of your plate. Straighten your back after."

He hesitated, but did as he was told.

"Perhaps the nobility traveling with us will not be enough. Perhaps we need another. One who wants their grace to be visible."

A familiar wry smile crackled along the corners of Octavio's mouth. "A return to form amidst change."

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Karina Frost

The moment Chres' eyes met with Akai, she let out a fake smile, trying to feign ignorance about 'the incident' involving Sil and Coffee.

"Ha ha... I wonder what this Lord Ru'Tev likes so much about this place to come here... right?" Akai said, trying to change the subject of the conversation as she turned her face away from Chres.

As Lord Ru'Tev entered and began ordering his meal and preparing himself for his usual routine, Karina, once again, looked towards her team. Truth be told, it was highly unlikely one would think they were all part of the same group. At least that was a positive point of having such an... 'unique' cast of members to their group. 

"Týfurkh, Octavio, Chres, Tayla... If we want to avoid using more... forceful methods, the time to act is now." Karina said in a low tone to her team as she nervously waited. 

Should none of them move, Karina would have to risk use some more coercive methods to speak with Lord Ru'Tev, although it would be preferable if they found another way to discuss... One that didn't drew so much attention to them.

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Týfurkh

It was time to put a plan into action! In a moment when the Lord was not looking into his direction, Týfurkh rose from his chair and started approaching him from behind. It was a challenge to both make it look casual and to keep his footsteps halfway silent. He could feel the gaps opening between the floorboards as he stepped onto them and almost stumbled over one of those himself, but soon the distance between him and his target had been reduced to an appropriately small magnitude.

The Lord was on his way to the counter, but the position right ahead of him became occupied by another patron who happened to be just a tad quicker. This forced Ru'Tev to make a turn to the right towards the next free spot there, thereby causing his and Týfurkh's paths to intersect.

His chance! It seemed that in its neverending effort to cause as much discomfort and unhappiness for everyone in its range, the divergence sometimes just had to make compromises that actually caused other people to experience luck...

Týfurkh would have had enough time to notice the Lord's turn and to stop briefly or to just evade, but why should he when his goal was the exact opposite ? All it took was to pretend some terribly underwhelming reaction speed as if impaired by some degree of intoxication. Ru'Tev could maybe hear some noise from behind, but it was too late anyway. The man's right foot was buried beneath that of a walking tower just before the whole of the latter slammed into him. An outcry of pain and Týfurkh was convinced that his little maneuver had worked out perfectly. Maybe even a little too perfectly as he had been under the brief impression of something cracking slightly underneath his boot.

"I am so sorry! Have you been hurt ?" he adressed Lord Ru'Tev loudly, jumping back a bit. 

Týfurkh expected a barrage of accusations and curses. He definitely would enjoy neither that nor the fact that half the tavern had already turned their heads towards him, but it was just a 'small' accident that the Lord had provoked! If Ru'Tev would just happily ignore this, he was probably also capable of surviving all eternity by just ignoring his death!

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Tayla

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"MOTHER F#$%-" 

Suddenly alert from the scream. Tayla poked her head inside. Their target, Lord Ru'Tev, had collapsed on the ground cradling his broken foot. 

Tayla smirked. Well, there was no way he was escaping from them now.

Abandoning her post, she walked up besides an amused Chres. The man leaned back in his chair and downed a sip of ale. 

Tayla frowned. What had been the point of giving him one of her flasks of water if he was just going to drink soon after?

"What happened?" She asked.

“Our good old tin man crushed the good lord's foot.” Chres said smiling.

Tayla raised an eyebrow. A lopsided grin on her face. "So you going to jump in then?"

“Nope.” Chres said as he took another sip of ale. “I think I'm good here.”

Tayla sniffed. Her head rose in disapproval.

Chres eyed her, frowned regretfully, then opened his mouth as if to walk back on what he said... But, Tayla was already gone. The man wasn't worth another second of her time.

Tayla rushed up besides Týfurkh and grabbed his left arm with both hands. Tugging his arm downwards, she hugged it between her chest. Acting as if she were Týfurkh's significant other.

"M-m-my foot..." Ru'Tev stuttered. His eyes were wide and he looked as if he were moments away from going into shock. "Pierce my eardrums!! My foot... it's broken!" 

Tayla, snapped her head towards Lord Ru'Tev and gasped. "Honey! Look what you've done!" Releasing her grip on Týfurkh's arm she tossed it to the man's side. "See?! This is what I'm talking about, Love Bug. Your tin can isn't the fashion statement that you think it is! It's just a bulky mess that gets in the way of me and your supple skin." Tayla said, flashing Týfurkh the sweetest smile she could muster. 

It was a smile that didn't fit her face. In fact, she could feel the corners of her mouth and eyes twitching under the stress of faking it.

"Fucking hell!!" Lord Ru'Tev shouted at Týfurkh. "Are you daft? Do you not know that we are in a bloody Divergent?! What are you thinking wearing that thing in this place?"

Tayla pushed Týfurkh aside playfully. "That's what I keep telling him!" Tayla said. "I mean how are we even supposed to keep the mood going when things get spicy? It literally takes him an extra 30 minutes just to get undressed!"

"To get undress?!" Ru'Tev sputtered seeming dumbfounded. "Bloody my Senses. Do you two louts not know who I am?"

"An... unfortunate victim?" Tayla said trying to play dumb. "Taken to his knees by our everlasting love?"

"Everlasting Love?!?!?!" He said exasperated. "No, you imbecile! I'm the lord of this town and prison!"

Tayla gasped, clasping her mouth with both hands. "A Lord?! For real?! Oh Honey, Remember? You were just telling me a second ago how you always wanted to meet a lord in person! And look, here we are!"

"Senses woman! What is wrong with you? Do you not realize what this means? With the snap of my fingers, I could have your 'Love Bug' tossed into a cell for negligence. Everlasting love be damned! You better start acting your place before I tear that love in two!"

Tayla released a second gasp and fell to her knees in a bow. "My Lord, I didn't realize you had such power! Please, your greatness, forgive me and my big, lovable Teddy Bear. He's just a big, dumb, idiot after all. A big, dumb, idiot who likes to over compensate with an oversized bow."

Placing her palm to the side of her mouth, Tayla whispered just loud enough for both Týfurkh and the Lord to hear, "Don't judge a book by its cover. His really is just a tiny pecker."

Lord Ru'Tev turned flushed in the face. "Are you Crazed woman?" 

He looked around to the other patrons in the Hangache. "Am I the only one here who thinks this woman might be Crazed?!" He asked the people in the tavern.

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Tayla
Týfurkh

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Týfurkh did not know at this point which kind of shock was more drastic for him: The fact that he apparently had hurt the Lord quite a bit more severely than intended, or Tayla's quite dramatic intervention. Honey ? Love bug ? Teddy Bear ? Týfurkh's mind was stunned enough at this point to not really notice the subsequent 'Big, dumb idiot' anymore -- which probably was not that bad a thing after all.

Stuck somewhere between an outraged Lord Ru'Tev, now paying a lot of attention to put it mildly, and Tayla whom he really hoped was just doing the theatrical performance of her life, Týfurkh took a bunch of moments to settle into the new situation and find his words again. He definitely had not expected things to 'escalate' this quickly.

"Crazed ? Oh please!" he exclaimed towards Ru'Tev, trying to give his words the attitude of an indignant husband. "Of course she is not! She just has a different opinion about my clothes! She thinks it is a bulky mess, but I think it is one of the best things you can do while in a divergence! Everyone can step on anybody's foot at any place, or you could just ram your toes against some solid thing at any time! Neither of these events will bother you much if you wear protective boots, which is exactly what I'm doing!"

“Oh, of course!” Ru’Tev spat sarcastically. “How silly of me! Why hasn’t anybody living in this hole thought of that?! Oh wait, I know! Heat exhaustion for one. Or worse yet, taking a tumble down the hill of the crater, denting their armor, and getting impaled from within. Concussions. Sudden overexertion. Having a stray knife veer of course and stab them in-between the metal plates of the armor. Geez, I wonder how many times we’ve seen any of that happen here?”

Whether Týfurkh was truly convinced of his words ? He didn't really feel like being to tell that himself, he just kept going based on spontaneous ideas. "I seriously apologize for what has happened, but I beg you not to put all the blame on me. You just turned around so quickly I couldn't stop in time, and that would have happened to other people as well."

No, he absolutely did not want to go into the prison of this damn place. He'd rather enjoy listening to Sil talking about puddles for days on end!

"See! Just like I said. Just a big, dumb idiot with -and I can’t emphasize this enough- a very tiny pecker." Tayla made a gesture with her hand just to further emphasize her point about Týfurkh’s alleged tiny pecker.

Lord Ru’Tev looked at her mouth agape before looking back at Týfurkh. “Are you sure she’s not Crazed? You know I lock those people up, right?”

”How dare you! Of course she is not crazed! She just has difficulties to admit that anything else than a very tiny pecker would be way too much for her to handle, so she always tries to divert the focus away from herself. Also she can’t keep her bubbly mouth, Isn’t that right ?”

Týfurkh pointed his head down into Tayla’s direction the same moment as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders to squeeze her against him a bit. A not so gentle bit to be honest for he wanted Tayla to suffer that small bit she absolutely deserved! 

Tayla winced from Týfurkh’s tight squeeze but forced a smile on her face. She then reached up and smacked him on the back of the head. Of course, in order to do so, she had to do a short hop. "Honey!" She said, looking aghast. "Watch your mouth! This is a public space!"

She then quickly turned her attention back to Ru’Tev. "But yes. These are things I’m working on." She said, giving a smile as sweet as she could muster. 

At this point, the giant realized he, theoretically, could have very much disposed of her by just giving the Lord’s question a positive answer. What kind of a dick move would that have been though ? And it was too late for it anyway, now he had very much joined the boat and Lord Ru’Tev could declare both of them to be crazed quite happily, he thought.

”One question, if you allow for it: If the divergence is so dangerous and so much of a nuisance, why do you run a whole settlement inside of it ? Couldn’t you run that prison with the minimum amount of people absolutely necessary and keep the rest out of this place ? Then, from time to time, you could shift duties so it’s not always the same people who have to bear the burden ?”

The Lord eyed Týfurkh in annoyance, as if wondering whether the man deserved any further attention from him. At that moment the serving woman approached Ru’Tev’s meal in hand.

“Um… my lord…” She said hesitantly. “We have your meal ready.”

Ru’Tev blinked. “Senses woman, am I just surrounded by Crazed? Have you not seen my foot? Go and send for the doctor already!”

The woman hesitated. Looking from the meal in her hands to the lord. Ru’Tev sighed. “Just put on the table.” he said.

“Yes my lord.” She said with a slight bow. After placing the meal on the table, she said, “We’ll send for the doctor at once!”

Lord Ru’Tev, grumbled and grabbed hold of the tableside to help hoist himself up onto a nearby stool.

Releasing herself from Týfurkh’s grip, Tayla moved forward to assist him.

Lord Ru’Tev eyed Tayla and sniffed but accepted her assistance. “At least there are manners in there somewhere.” He grumbled.

He then eyed his food, took a bite, and then glanced back in Tayla and Týfurkh’s direction. He frowned as if dismayed to see that they were still there.

Sighing, the Lord relented. “The prison is built on top of ancient ruins. These ruins have strange magic nullifying properties which have an area of effect. With effort, we have found ways to reroute this effect to areas of our choosing. However, the further we route it from the ruins, the less effective these nullifying powers become. Therefore we have no choice but to build the prison at the heart of the Divergent. There is no other way around it.”

The Lord took another bite before wincing from the pain in his foot. He looked back to see that Tayla and Týfurkh were still there. The lord groaned and put down his utensils annoyance. “And you both are still here!” The lord looked up towards the ownership of the Hangache. “Will somebody please remove these people from my presence? I believe they’ve spoiled enough of my day already.”

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Karina Frost

While it was true that Karina did hope for someone to do something, she wasn't expecting for Týfurkh to act in the way he did. With her eyes wide open in shock, Karina watched, speechless as Týfurkh completely crush the poor Lord's foot. Even though Karina was watching from a distance, she couldn't help but wince as she heard Lord Ru'Tev's loud cursing.

"It's definitely broken..." Karina muttered to herself with a sigh. She was almost sure where that absurd situation would lead them, should no one interfere. The Lord would probably charge Týfurkh with assault and imprison him... Maybe even worse.

She was about to get up before Tayla suddenly approached Týfurkh and Ru'Tev. Even Karina got a bit disoriented by the way Tayla approached like a tempest, with a flurry of words and questionable statements. It was no wonder that Lord Ru'Tev could barely think properly, considering the pain and how overwhelming was Tayla's approach.

Surprisingly enough, despite the chaos that both of them had created, or maybe precisely because of that, Lord Ru'Tev seemed to be willing to answer some of their questions, starting by the reason for why the prison was built in the middle of the divergence. Was he lowering his guard for a moment, overwhelmed by so much happening in such a short amount of time?

Knowing that it might be the chance Karina was waiting for, she discreetly called Octavio to her side.

"The Lord might be able to avoid a few of us, but he cannot avoid popular pressure..." she said in a low tone, with a smirk.

"I wonder what would happen if the people started get curious about how effective is the prison in holding the Crazed and what exactly can assure them that they are safe if the crazed decide to rebel..." Karina continued, clearly hinting at Octavio to use his ability to rile up the people from the bar and maybe encourage them to ask the right questions.

"He won't be able to run away without giving some answers and even then, after being pressured like this, he might be more... willing to cooperate with us if we end meeting him up afterwards..." Karina finished, waiting for Octavio's input on her little scheme.

Akai, who was hearing Karina's scheme, couldn't help but let out a surprised expression, followed by a mischievous smirk, finding all that quite amusing.

"Aren't you quite good at scheming yourself, Karina? I am pleasantly surprised! This will definitely be fun. Maybe as much as watching that guy's foot being crushed by Týfurkh!" Akai said with a giggle.

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Sil
Akai
Karina Frost

mentioned @fetzen@HokumPocus

"If you ask me, Týfurkh is the one who deserves to get his foot crushed. Not Mr. Nice Lord." Sil said suddenly, having zipped over from Chres’s table.

"Can you believe the nerve of that -what was it she called him? A tiny pecker?-" Sil paused. Head tilted to the side as if pondering the meaning of the phrase. 

The pondering lasted only a second. With a quick shake of the head she continued, "I mean, how dare he swoop in on Icy-rina’s whittle puddle poo like that!" Sil said while pounding her fist into her open palm.

Akai couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as she heard Sil, trying to understand her reasoning as she suddenly came nearby, saying that Týfurkh was the one that should have his foot crushed.

"You mean that arrogant, round little guy that keeps refusing to talk to us?" Akai asked, looking at Lord Ru'Tev.

"Considering the way he talks, I am sure lots of people around wanted to have Týfurkh's courage and do the same." Akai said, laughing.

The moment Sil finally explained why she thought that Týfurkh should be punished, Akai had to try her best to not just burst into laughter.

"Maybe that was the reason Karina was so invested in bringing Tayla to her side back then, right Sil?" Akai asked, her face turning bright red as she continued to try to hold the laughter.

"I never knew you had such a taste, Karina! I was almost certain that you were more of a domin-'' Akai said, teasing Karina as she tried as best as she could to hold the laughter with her hands.

"Can familiars be frozen solid? I wonder if they get hypothermia..." Karina said, interrupting Akai and throwing a sharp, cold look towards her, whom despite that, still couldn't stop laughing behind her hands, despite trying to hide it a bit better.

"Hey! Don't you blame me! Sil was the one who said it first!" Akai said, raising her hand in protest.

Sil sighed as she hovered over to Karina’s side and patted her on the shoulder sympathetically. "It’s okay, Karina. There’s no need to freeze Lynx. Akai and I both support you and your taste buds. Tayla will come around… I’ll make sure of it.” Sil said with a wink.

“As for Tiny Pecker there-” She pointed her thumb at Týfurkh and then put her hand to Karina’s ear and whispered, "-Don’t worry. He’ll get what’s coming to him.”

As Akai saw Sil going to Karina's side and gently patting her shoulder and comforting her, Akai simply couldn't hold it in anymore and was literally just rolling on the floor, laughing.

"Sil, Sil, just... Wait. Just hear me for a second..." Karina said, pleading for Sil to stop and hear her, especially as Sil mentioned that Týfurkh, or "Tiny Pecker" as it was apparently his new nickname, was going to get it.

"There is no... 'coming around', nothing to 'support' and there is definitely no 'me and Tayla'..." Karina said, with a heavy sigh as she held her hand to her face and tried to explain to Sil that it was all a misunderstanding.

“You mean, not yet there isn’t.” Sil said with a wink and a smile.

"Akai, I don't know how or why, but I feel this is somehow all your fault..." Karina said, looking to Akai with a sharp stare.

Unfortunately for Karina, Akai had just completely lost it. Her intimidation attempts weren't enough to make Akai stop laughing.

“Sssssssssssssshhhhhhhhh.” Sil shushed Karina as she slowly floated away back towards Chres’s table. “Don’t worry. I got this.”

And with that, Sil was gone. Assured in her mind that she had the right of things.

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Chres
Tayla

There was a particular sort of exasperation that would overtake actors hidden backstage. Every fumbled line drove the dull knife of a feeling further, leading to grit teeth and forehead sweat until it was finally one's turn to perform. Octavio wasn't one to show irritation so openly, so he settled on a grin that certainly looked real, but felt as if it would make a creaking noise if one got too close. Ru'Tev, their target, the man they were meant to sway through shared repartee, stepped on and involved in improv comedy regarding... the colorful world of human anatomy. The steps he took towards Karina's table had a heft to them. 

Octavio exhaled a draconic puff of breath at her words. "The stage's actors are already in motion. Fortunately I'm here to intervene." He leaned a bit closer to her. "I believe the proper terminology from someone of your background is a pincer movement."

Not wanting anyone, illusion or companion, to take his place in the spotlight, he approached the now injured lord in a series of strides only found in fine men who traveled across smooth floors and not the wilderness. Octavio's facial features spoke before his words, a grim frown that demanded the lord's attention. His robes and armor were no longer that of nobility, yet Octavio's armaments retained a lightness and dignity to them. Only mild changes to his typical script would suffice. 

"M'lord, it is splendent luck that we have met, yet everything but misfortune for what may come. I am a traveling priest representing the land and her people, a mender of the harm brought about by Divergents."

Lord Ru’Tev groaned audibly as the latest addition to his growing list of morning annoyances approached him. 

“Pluck out my eyes.” The Lord cursed with a hiss. 

“Another Priest of the Senses? Today? At this very moment?” He grumbled under his breath.

”And in a tavern, no less! How scandalous.” A bemused Tayla chimed in.

Lord Ru’Tev eyed her sharply with a look that would silence anyone. In response, Tayla held up her hands innocently, smiled, and retreated back to an empty table with Týfurkh.

Turning his attention back to Octavio, Lord Ru’Tev put on a smile that did not meet his eyes. 

“Greetings Reverend. How nice to see you on such a… pleasant day. I must say, for a people who like to preach about the sinful act of living in land that scorns The Lord of Senses’s fortune, you all certainly do like to show up here quite often.” He said, as he painstakingly raised his broken foot and set it on the chair positioned across from him.

"Sin must be quelled where it is most wicked, m'lord. And I cannot speak for my brethren, but when in a region as rife with misfortune such as this, venomous drink and sultry women are naught but obstacles." Octavio fired a glare at Tayla as he spoke. In response, Tayla returned a mocking smile. Lynx had opted to keep his distance, but perceived the two members of his party the way a man would see two alley cats fighting over a fish bone.  

Octavio's hand made a flourish in the air without shame, as a pair deft from twirling knives could do the same to scripture. "This day is anything but pleasant, m'lord. Calamitous acts around these lands are growing more severe by the day." One of his hands made a partition around his mouth. Tradition dictated that one lowered their voice in tandem with the movement, but Octavio spoke much, much louder. 

"Men of the faith and the nation's people speak of growing unease. They say even the prisons could start to pose a threat."

More than a few heads turned at Octavio’s words. Instantly, the Lord’s mood shifted. His gaze almost seemed to darken. And… was that a murderous look in his eyes? Was it suspicion? Or did he just not appreciate people touching on topics that threatened his position and livelihood?

As soon as it appeared, the cold atmosphere seemed to vanish. He turned to Octavio, and took the man in, along with the strange familiar accompanying him and sitting awkwardly in a chair.

“A traveling priest with a familiar that appears to think its people?” Lord Ru’Tev said coolly.

He eyed Octavio for a minute before stating, “You’re referring to the incident.” 

A little over a year ago, Horizon’s Dip had experienced its first jailbreak in centuries. Due to a malfunction in magic nullifying equipment, at the dead of night, many Crazed managed to breach the security of the prison. Free from their bounds, many Crazed escaped Horizon’s Dip and fled into the surrounding lands. While several of these Crazed were quickly captured, many remained on the run to this day. 

The jailbreak had resulted in massive collateral damage to the surrounding settlements including many settlements in the neighboring Empire of Touch. It was well known that the Empire had used this jailbreak as his excuse to invade the Nation of Sight. Some even believed that the Emperor somehow orchestrated the event! A theory further supported by the investigation that followed after. 

“Perhaps you were unaware,” Ru’Tev continued, “-but the failure to our equipment was an act of sabotage. Any threat that this prison might pose is one caused by external interference-” Ru’Tev eyed the priest intently as if to emphasize his point, “-not one born of negligence. This prison… it is what keeps you safe.” 

Lynx shifted his weight but said nothing. The clashing of so many personalities made him want to scurry off, yet he resisted.  

"What keeps us safe, m'lord." Octavio turned a foot and slid his leg with the movement, allowing onlookers a better view of his body and the spectacle it was opening. The worst case scenario for most street artists was their audience walking away, but the main event had couldn't quite manage that with a broken foot. 

"Fate is a cruel but patient guide.” His voice projected across the tavern. “She teaches us to expect the unexpected, to never let one's guard down or become accustomed to routine. If it has already been, external interference may happen again. Fortunately, there is a possible solution, a provision of sorts..."

Lord Ru’Tev chuckled softly at Octavio’s words, as if laughing at an inside joke. He cocked his eyebrow, a bemused smile on his face. 

“Ooooh? And what might that be?” Ru’Tev said, humoring Octavio.

The bulge on Octavio’s throat wavered. He hadn’t expected the Lord to acquiesce so readily, even if his words had a concerning undercurrent to them. 

“A state of unity among the righteous. Through cooperation we’ll see to it that the prisons remain sturdy and her prisoners inside. Things have been unfortunate enough as of late, so a more proactive approach would be most useful.”

This time Ru’Tev flat out laughed in Octavio’s face. “And what are you going to do to secure these prisons, with mechanisms that you know nothing about? Will you bless them under the lord? Pray away the ill fortune? Or do you plan to preach to the prisoners and magically un-craze them?”

Lord Ru’Tev waved Octavio away with a chuckle. “No.” He said. “It's the most crazed thing I’ve heard all day! The church offering to help us?! The people they call ‘sinners’ just because we live here, sacrificing our luck day in and day out, to keep miserable hypocrites like you safe? 

“But we aren’t safe!” Chres shouted from the back of the tavern. 

Everyone in the tavern, including Lord Ru’Tev craned there head in an attempt to make out the person who spoke up. Only with Lord Ru’Tev’s current limited mobility, he was unable to make out Chres. Chres had made sure of it by positioning himself behind another group of patrons before speaking up.

“What was that?!” Lord Ru’Tev challenged the unwelcome interruption, in a voice that sounded like half a growl.

“My daughter, she was murdered that night when the prisoners escaped. Chres growled back. “They snuck into my home and murdered my little girl!”

Mouth twitching, Lord Ru’Tev started to speak but was quickly cut off by another of the tavern’s patrons.

“I hear one of them Crazed slew all of Ms. Hayeth’s goats that night for no particular reason sides just being there. ‘Sploded them he did. Was a right mess.”

“They killed my brother who worked at the prison!” Said another. “He was on duty that night. Just doing his job.”

“Perhaps it’s time for a change!” Chres shouted. “Perhaps it’s time for any kind of change!”

“Enough!” Lord Ru’Tev slammed his fist down on the tavern table. An act that somehow managed to give Lord Ru’Tev a giant splinter. Though given the misfortune common to the region, perhaps the act of getting a splinter from what should have been a largely smooth surface was unsurprising.

The lord drew in a deep breath and cursed as he turned over his hand and worked to pluck out the splinter. Dropping the splinter to the floor, the lord breathed out and rubbed his brow with his thumb and forefinger.

“All I wanted today was a bit of peace and a nice meal to go with it.” Ru’Tev spoke. “But considering where we all live, perhaps that was too much to ask for.”

The Lord lowered his good hand and turned to the tavern’s patrons. “Sabotage or not, you are right to be upset. The incident did all of us harm… Harm that, perhaps I’ve either been too busy or too foolish to address. You all sacrifice to keep this prison and settlement running. We all have sacrificed to keep things in order.”

Lord Ru’Tev paused. He looked down to his hands. “We all have sacrificed.” He repeated.

Slowly he balled his hands into fists. “My own family has sacrificed… My very brother… Locked away by my own command… Trapped in his cell to this very day… A constant, painful reminder…” 

Lord Ru’Tev raised his head and looked back at the tavern’s patrons. The remorse he held faded from his face. Instead, it was replaced by the faintest hint of a smile that crossed his lips.

“Reparations are in order.” He said. “Monetary reparations…”

The words lingered in the air. Some of the patrons began to whisper excitedly.

This was not a good situation for Octavio to find himself in. Coin was to men what seed was to birds, and he consciously resisted the urge to examine the man’s clothes for these reparations he spoke of. It was worse then, he knew, for the rest of the tavern. Their emotions were about to swing in another direction if he remained quiet. 

“Lives which have been lost will never be repaid for in full. I urge the rest of you onlookers to ask yourselves: What is more important, letting oneself recover from the pain of one tragedy, or preventing another from shattering our lives once more?”

He wondered if a shady priest rejecting gold seemed uncanny. In another life he would have found a way to involve himself with these reparations the lord spoke of, but he had a party now. A lot of them. People with morals too, to his chagrin. 

“I believe it is time to address this harm, Lord Ru’Tev.”

“He’s right!” Chres roared channeling his own grief and anguish to sell his words. “My little girl is dead! This man’s brother is dead! Countless others are dead! Perhaps a bit of coin will buy Ms. Hayeth some new goats, but our friends and family are still dead! Who’s to say it won’t happen again?!”

At this point there seemed to be a divide in the tavern. Some seemed keen on accepting the money, while others were against it.

Chres further pressed the issue. "It is not money that we need, it’s action!”

Some cheered to this, while others hesitated as if worried that agreeing with Chres would hurt their chances of getting coin. The tavern grew rowdy. The situation was starting to get out of hand.

“QUIET!” Lord Ru’Tev roared. The arguing stopped. Heads turned to Ru’Tev. 

Before continuing, the lord shot Octavio with an accusatory glare. “It is clear to me that we are not all of one mind here. While reparations are still on the table, you people are the ones we rely on to make this settlement work. It would be foolish of me to not take your desire for change into consideration. However, I implore you to understand that the Faith of the Senses is not the way. People like this priest shun our people. They will not support us in the matter we require…”

Lord Ru’Tev hesitated for half a second, his pride seeming to hold his tongue. Finally, he relented with a sigh. “I will… use my clout with the royal family to look into better solutions.”

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Karina Frost

Upon hearing Octavio's reply to her plan, Karina couldn't help but let out a satisfied smirk. She knew that there was no one better for that task than Octavio himself. In silence, she watched as Octavio entered the stage and the play began to unfold. Taking the role of a Priest, Octavio began raising concerns about the current situation and especially, the safety of the population who lived near the prison.

It didn't take long until murmurs started echoing through the tavern after the other patrons heard such valid concerns being raised by the priest. The very moment Karina heard the murmurs start, she knew that Octavio already had the other patrons' full attention. Fortunately, be it due to the pressure or the chaotic situation he was in until now, Lord Ru'Tev's words did little to nothing to alleviate the worries that were raised by Octavio.

The very last piece in the puzzle came from a single voice coming from somewhere in the tavern, a single voice that was raised in a staged outrage caused by the situation. Chres's voice echoed through the tavern stirring up the emotions and feelings of the other concerned patrons.

One voice, even if staged, was enough. Chres' growls, were like a spark igniting oil. His was the first one, followed by another random patron, then another and another. The moment Chres mentioned the word 'change'. Lord Ru'Tev should know exactly where the situation would go if he didn't do anything right now and as such, he had no choice but to slam his fist on the table before he addressed the concerns of the other patrons.

With all eyes and ears on him, Lord Ru'Tev opened his mouth again after a moment, giving reason to the concerns raised, before he quickly tried to control the situation and lessen the damage to his image by offering a monetary compensation for everything that happened. Like any other Lord, Ru'Tev was sly enough to know how to 'control' the normal people. Unfortunately for him, Octavio and Chres wouldn't let things go his way.

Even if Octavio and Chres weren't successful in making all the patrons agree with them when they mentioned that money wouldn't bring back those who died, the number who did was enough to make it impossible for Lord Ru'Tev to ignore. That very conflict of interests between those who wanted money and those who wanted action, in the end was what made Lord Ru'Tev finally give up...

After a deep sigh, with an already exhausted expression, Ru'Tev said exactly the words Karina wanted to hear the most...

“I will… use my clout with the royal family to look into better solutions.”

That was Karina's cue to act. Her time to take her role on the play Octavio had started. Slowly getting up from her seat, Karina walked towards Ru'Tev, not caring about hiding herself anymore.

"What an opportune timing, Lord Ru'Tev." Karina said as she approached Lord Ru'Tev, stopping just in front of him.

"I couldn't help but hear the commotion... I believe I can help you with your... predicament." she said, looking at him with a satisfied expression.

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Karina Frost
Lord Ru'Tev

Lord Ru’Tev’s eyes fell upon Karina as soon as the woman spoke. The man’s mouth twitched in annoyance. His eyes narrowed in suspicion in realization regarding the trap he had been snared within. 

For a second, his eyes glanced toward the Tavern’s entrance, as if hoping to see the medic pop in at any moment. With no medic in sight, he then looked back to Karina, exhaled, and forced a smile.

"Lady Frost, am I correct? What a pleasure to meet you! You sure are a ways from home, aren’t you? Although I suppose that’s nothing new to your people." Lord Ru’Tev stated nonchalantly.

"You know, Lady, this is most unusual. If you had wished to speak with me, might I suggest you send my people a request for an audience? After all, I am a busy man." His smile widened as he spoke the words.

Karina's smirk wasn't affected by Lord Ru'Tev's words and snarky comments. Both of them knew how bad the situation was for him right now and how much worse it could become. She still had the upper hand in that conversation.

"I see you still remember me, Lord Ru'Tev. Impressive, considering how adamant you seemed to be in ignoring my and the princess' requests for an audience... I was starting to think you was actively trying to avoid us... But I am sure that isn't the case. Otherwise, that would mean you had absolutely no interest in searching for any help until now that you were forced to face the population and hear their voices..." Karina said, her smirk even more apparent as she was sure that would wipe the smile off his face. Especially since the patrons were all hearing their conversation.

"Regardless of what were your intentions back then, we are here once again to offer our cooperation. We believe that the people deserve as much safety as you have yourself in your guarded manor, Lord Ru'Tev." she continued, inflaming the moods of the other patrons even more by insinuating that the Lord himself was much safer than they were.

The crowd muttered briefly.

"You mean the well guarded mansion dangerously positioned atop the prison which I act as the warden to?” He asked, brow raised. 

He eyed Karina up and down, taking the woman in. The lord appeared to relax in his chair. This had become a battle of politics. That was something Lord Ru’Tev could do.

"Fine then, if you insist on doing this here, so be it.”

Lord Ru’Tev turned to the tavern’s patrons. "My subjects. Context is required to understand what you are hearing here. This woman, Lady Frost, is daughter to The Mirage, Viktor Frost. The High General of the Empire’s army. She has come here to me by The Mirage’s own command.”

Mutters again broke out through the room.

"Furthermore she appears to have an imposter at her side walking around and claiming to be our very own Princess El’lysael. And even if this imposter just so happened to be the real princess, I would think that would make her a traitor, would it not? Either that, or a prisoner… And you-”

Lord Ru’Tev turned back to Karina, a gaze of confidence in his eyes. "-her captor.”

Whispers spread like fire throughout the Tavern. Suspicious gazes turned towards Karina.

"Have you ever stepped down from your castle to see the filth that runs below it? You might be safe atop your castle, but for the people below... That might be another story. After all, I am sure most of your guards are too worried keeping your mansion, high atop the prison safe." Karina said, still confident despite Ru'Tev's words.

When Ru'Tev turned towards the patrons and 'exposed' her as the 'daughter' of Viktor Frost, Karina's expression didn't change. Instead, she merely waited for him to finish before she began speaking again.

"You will refer to me by my full title, Ru'Tev. I am Lieutenant Colonel Karina Frost. I come here as an envoy of the Military of Touch." she said, raising her voice so all patrons could hear. The tone on her voice changing ever so slightly. That, coupled with the fact she dropped his title as a 'lord' was a delicate warning to Ru'Tev.

"Do you think the Military of Touch would send a high-ranking official without a very good reason? The rumors that we heard about coordinated crazed attacks proved to be concerning enough to warrant dispatching a high-ranking official to assist in this issue. An issue that might be grave enough to threaten all nations." Karina continued.

"Despite that, you 'conveniently' refused to meet us. Again and again... You should be careful, Ru'Tev... your actions might be misunderstood by some as being rather suspicious... Almost as if you are trying to hide something by avoiding us like that..." Karina continued.

When Ru'Tev mentioned the princess, calling both her and Karina traitors, even saying the princess was being kidnapped, Karina couldn't help but let out a satisfied expression. Ru'Tev made quite a gamble by trying to expose her like that... Unfortunately, the girl accompanying them was indeed the real princess.

"Your words, Ru'Tev. Would you care to repeat them? Accusing a high-ranking officed of the military of touch of being a traitor and kidnapping a royal is already a very serious issue... But accusing someone of royal blood of being a traitor would be enough to warrant an execution... Wouldn't it?" Karina said, with a dangerous stare as she looked towards Ru'Tev.

"But even an execution might not be enough... After all, revealing the princess' identity so openly when she is on a dangerous mission, endangering her own life might incur the wrath of the King himself... I wonder what he would do if he knew his dear daughter was put into grave danger due to the words and actions of an insolent Lord, who doesn’t respect those with Royal blood…" Karina said, shrugging as she provoked Lord Ru'Tev even further.

Lord Ru’Tev raised his eyebrow upon hearing of a coordinated crazed attack. This appeared to be news to him. Such events were rare and often unheard of. The suspicion was still there, but less certain.

"An execution?” He said coolly. "Is that how they do things where you're from? The enemy is at my doorstep and you think it wrong of me to question the company she brings with her?”

"Princess El'lysael, would you mind approaching this insolent lord and prove your identity?" Karina said, turning back as she looked towards the princess, making a discreet bow and extending her hand towards the princess, with her palm facing up, similarly to how one would escort someone important in a social event.

The tavern fell silent, the only sound, the drumming of fingers upon a tabletop in the far corner of the room. Lord Ru’Tev turned his gaze towards the sound. A fair young lady of age 17 sat in the corner. She had made sure to properly prepare her appearance for today, but had refused to wear anything too formal. 

Lord Ru’Tev narrowed his eyes in suspicion as the girl glanced wryly from Ru’Tev to Karina and back again. The lord opened his mouth to speak but was immediately cut off by Princess El'lysael, or Lys as she preferred to be called.

“Well milk my mother,” Princess Lys cursed, “this whole conversation has been a right mess hasn’t it Lord Ru’Tev?”

Whispering broke out among the Tavern’s patrons. Ru’Tev raised his head ever so slightly as the girl’s crase language and turned his attention back to Karina. "You honestly can’t expect me to believe that this girl-”

“Really Ru’Tev? It’s only been like what? Only a little over three years? Do you really not recognize me, or have I grown so… womanly… that your eyes don’t make it to my face?”

Lord Ru’Tev blinked, as if caught off guard.

Lys raised her brow. “You showed me around the ‘safe’ areas of the prison. I rudely asked if I could see your brother in his cell, but you politely turned me down. Said it was ‘too dangerous’.”

Lord Ru’Tev narrowed his eyes and gave Lys a good stare, then… recognition. Lord Ru’Tev turned his eyes back to Karina. His expression, now serious.

"Princess El'lysael… Does your father know you’re here?... With such… company.”

“He does not.” Lys smiled. “So far as I know, at least.”

"So, you’ve joined forces with the Empire then? Turned away from your own people?”

This comment wiped the smile from Lys’s face. She rose to her feet, looking more regal than one ever knew she could. 

“Never!” She exclaimed. “It is my father who has abandoned his people! Fighting a war he cannot win. Allowing the Cult to rule in his stead.”

Lord Ru’Tev frowned at this accusation. He had of course heard of the Cult assisting the King in the war, but to say that they were the ones ruling right now…

“When my father loses this war,” Princess Lys continued, “The Empire will need someone to rule in his stead. Someone who can bring the people with her. By assisting the Empire, I do not betray my country, but rather I cleanse the stain my father’s latest actions have made upon the throne!”

Lord Ru’Tev put his hand to his mouth contemplatively. "Why is it that you people are here?” He asked.

“I believe my friend here mentioned it already. They are looking into a series of  incidents. Incident involving multiple Crazed. Crazed who have been attacking Empire supply lines in an unusually coordinated manner.”

Lord Ru’Tev looked back at Karina. The distrust was still there, but he now seemed willing to listen.

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“I must say, Lord Ru’Tev, this tour of your prison has ended up being far less exciting than what I imagined it to be as child.” Princess Lys dully said, as she and the pactmakers made their way through the prison.

The lord, whose foot had now been healed by a touch healer, eyed the princess nonchalantly before setting his gaze back to the door ahead. 

“Not unsurprising. When you tell a child that they can’t see or do something, its not uncommon for that child to imagine an experience to be much more exciting than it actually is.” He said while opening the door ahead of him.

“This batch of prison cells you might find more interesting, however.”

“Oh?” Lys asked curiously as she craned her head to sneak a peek of what lay beyond the door.

“But first,” Lord Ru’Tev said as he passed through the doorway. “We must take another climb upwards.”

“Oh.” Lys stated in dismay as she looked at the winding rampway. The princess was starting to miss the flat footing provided by a stairwell. 

Tayla, audibly groaned at this which earned her a frown from both the Princess and the Lord.

“If you want,” Lord Ru’Tev said coolly, “you could stay behind. I still owe you and your… love bug… an empty cell for the assault on my foot this morning.”

Tayla raised her hands innocently. “Don’t mind me.” She said with a sly smile. “I was just groaning about something else.”

Lord Ru’Tev arched his eyebrow, unconvinced.

“You’re more than welcome to lock up the fat one though.” Tayla continued, her smile deepening. “Afterall he was the one responsible for your assault.”

Lord Ru’Tev’s frown deepened. He quickly eyed the giant before beginning his climb up the ramp.

It was an arduous climb. To save space, they had constructed the prison rampways to be steeper than the other ramps throughout the city. However, that also made the rampways more dangerous. To compensate for this, multiple flat landings were constructed throughout the climb. That way, if someone did stumble down the ramp, then at least they wouldn’t fall far.

“You know,” The princess began as the group began the climb upward, “I could have sworn I saw lifts at the entrance of your prison, while waiting for you to assign and attach the metal bracelets. Why is it that we aren’t taking them?”

The metal bracelets that Lys had been referring to were a pair of tight fitting bracelets that the group had been forced to put on before entering the prison. Apparently, it was prison protocol to fit all staff, visitors, guests and prisoners with such bracelets. The bracelets were color coded to signify your purpose in the prison. In addition they were specially designed to be tight fitting and fashioned with a lock.

The bracelets were designed to be difficult to be removed without a key so as to help identify escaped prisoners and to prevent them from stealing bracelets of a different color. According to Lord Ru’Tev, a good number of their prisoners were able to change their appearances at will. Hence the need for a bracelet to differentiate them from the staff.

Lord Ru’Tev smiled softly at Lys’s comment. “It wouldn’t be much of a tour if we just took the lifts all the way through, would it?”

“It still could be a tour.” Lys retorted. “Just one with much less climbing.”

“One could also call it pay back.” Lord Ru’Tev said slyly. “Pay back for my own… discomfort… this morning.”

This time it was Lys’s turn to smile. “Fair enough.” she said.

After Lord Ru’Tev’s foot had been healed up, the man had finally granted the Pactmakers the audience they had long been seeking. Lord Ru’Tev had been unnerved by the news of Crazed organizing. The last time that had happened, war and uprisings occurred all over the land. Of further concern to the Lord was the fact that these Crazed somehow seemed to not be leaving a trail of dead bodies in their wake. Angry Crazed who did not appear to be going insane was a dangerous thing to have.

“Do you have proof of this?” Lord Ru’Tev had asked. “Proof that these attacks were indeed carried out by Crazed?”

Unfortunately the Pactmakers did not have any concrete proof. Only the accounts of high ranking soldiers that had reported seeing known Crazed magics being wielded during the attacks. However, it was noted that this was the reason for why they were here. For if their investigation revealed that evidence that Crazed were gathering in numbers, then this was a threat to more than anyone nation.

Lord Ru’Tev nodded at that. There was logic in those words.

“I will send out the letters you are requesting to the other Prison Wardens.” He told the Princess and Pactmakers. “I will admit, I had already heard similar reports from the other prison towns of Empire soldiers requesting access to investigate the prisons. I can’t guarantee that they will all listen to me, but I suspect at least one or two of them will. As far as what I can do for you here… at the very least I can offer room and board in my guest suites, as well as a tour of the Prison and permission to interrogate any staff or the prisoners that you wish on the morrow.”

“Why not allow my friends to interrogate them today?” The Princess had asked.

“Preparation is required for these things.” Lord Ru’Tev stated. “Proper protocol is to be followed in this building to ensure its continued security.”

After the Pactmakers were treated to lunch, Lord Ru’Tev had begun his tour. He started at the bottom floor and slowly worked his way up, showcasing the magic negating ruins of old which the prison was built on top of. The ruins themselves were nothing special, just strange dull blue stones that had been enshrined and sectioned off. 

What was more curious were the strange lines extruding from the stones. Wyres, Lord Ru’Tev had called them. A magical technology that the Nation of Hearing were known to be experimenting with. Apparently, using these ‘wyres’, The Nation of Hearing had long ago discovered that they could transport effects from magical objects to other locations. 

He noted that this was the place that had been sabotaged during the prison break. With several wyres having been cut. Since then, the wyres had been repaired, and locks had been added to prevent access to the room.

“When my ancestors learned of this technology, they immediately saw its potential.” Lord Ru’Tev explained as they left the room behind. “They built this prison using this magic, and it forever changed our Nation. Not only making it safer, but also giving us a slightly more humane way to handle the Crazed. My family has always been the innovators in the field of Craze capture. Even to this day we innovate.”

The Lord then took the packmakers to an open balcony and waved his hand to a tower at the perimeter of the prison. Similar towers lined the entire perimeter of the prison.

“These towers, The Nation of Hearing call them transmitters. A very new magical technology which builds upon the wyres I showed you. Using these towers we have created a perimeter along the prison in which they will transmit a signal to special objects within a perimeter. Receiving objects will create the magical effect being carried over by the wyres connecting to the towers. Or at least that is what they are supposed to do…”

Lord Ru’Tev frowned. “Kinks are still being worked out.” He said. “But with this technology we hope to further better the conditions for imprisonment. Right now prisoners are restricted to a cell including the prisoners that haven’t fully gone insane, but with this technology. But with this innovation, we could change the way family visitation works. Perhaps even allow the more sane prisoners to move about or assist with the more menial chores, such as cleaning and cooking.”

The Lord turned to the Pactmakers proudly. “Of course, this only can happen after we are able to work out the kinks.” He said.

From there much of the touring had been trivial. He showed them prison cells. Introduced them to staff who worked in the prison. Showed them where the prison food was prepared. Things like that. 

At length the group reached the top of the rampway and entered another section of the prison full of prison cells.

“This-” Lord Ru’Tev began. Somehow the man was not out of breath despite the climb. “-is the Top Sector. The sector of the prison where we house cells without a magic nullifying effect.”

Chres frowned as he heard this. His guard immediately going up. Eyes glancing left and right as he stared at the prisoners in the cells.

“Not all Crazed have abilities that require immediate negation.” Ru’Tev said. An amused smile crossed his face as he caught Chres’s obvious unease. “Besides, at this height the ruins magic nullifying ability starts to weaken.”

Chres relaxed only just a little. He looked at the cells and frowned. Many of the prisoners looked exactly like Lord Ru’Tev.

One of the Ru’Tev’s rushed to the cell bars frantically and reached his hand out to Karina. “Princess El’lysael! Princess El’lysael! This man’s a fraud! Do you remember me? I’m the real Ru’Tev! Please! You have to help me! You have to release me!”

Many of the other prisoners looked up. Several of them turning into Lord Ru’Tev. 

“Princess!” Some cried.

“Help me!” Others cried.

“I’m the real Ru’Tev! No, I’m the real Ru’Tev!” 

“You bastard!” Another cried. “You damned bastard!”

Some of them reached out to Karina like the first. Others reached out to Tayla. Still others reached out to the actual Princess.

Lys took a step back. Unnerved by the scene. The actual Lord Ru’Tev frowned. A concerned look on his face. 

“Come on…” He said hesitantly. He seemed almost as unnerved as the princess.

They left the area full of mimics and turned a corner. 

“What in the senses was that?!” Princess Lys asked, her heart racing. 

“Chameleons.” Lord Ru’Tev stated. His hand to his mouth as if in thought. “They are common amongst Crazed. They can mimic other people using light, or even make themselves look like people who don’t even exist… The first one… the one who approached Karina… That one was… my brother…”

There was a moment of silence after that. 

“Do they always act like that?”

“Yes... but not like that...” He said. “He shouldn't have known that you were here, Princess. None of the prisoners should have. Letting loose such information is dangerous... The only people who should have know that you were here, princess, was me and… my staff…”

Lord Ru’Tev frowned. “Something feels wrong about this... My staff are normally good at being discrete. For whatever reason, someone on my staff let it slip to my brother that the princess was here."

He eyed Karina, a grave look on his face. “Perhaps, Lieutenant, there's a clue here for you after all...”

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Karina Frost

Even though Karina didn't enjoy the metal bracelets, she obliged when it was asked her to wear those. Especially when she heard the explanation, about how it served to identify runaway prisoners, since some of them could change appearance. A fact that did made Karina a bit worried.

When Ru'Tev heard more about the news about coordinated Crazed attacks, despite neither Karina nor anyone from her group having concrete proof, not only he ended up believing, which was already a huge relief to Karina, but he also said something that was very worrisome... He had already heard other reports of similar situations happening... Which immediately told Karina that it wasn't an isolated occurrence.

"The fact that this isn't the first report of coordinated crazed attacks tell us that this is definitely not an isolated occurrence... We might have something very dangerous on our hands, Lord Ru'Tev..." Karina said with a serious tone as she continued following him in the small 'tour' through the prison, including reassuring them that he would offer them a room for them to stay for the night, before interrogating the staff and prisoners on the next morning.

When the princess asked why would Ru'Tev not allow them to immediately interrogate the prisoners, Karina couldn't help but agree with Ru'Tev.

"He is right, Princess. The fact that the prisoners can change their appearance means that there is no such thing as being 'too' cautious when dealing with them." Karina said with a serious tone.

Karina heard in silence, paying close attention to Ru'Tev's explanation about the 'wyres' and the technology his ancestors developed, using those mysterious stones and lines, especially since that very technology seemed to be the cornerstone of that prison.
Regardless of the peculiarities of that technology, such as the unknown origin of the 'wyres', it was undeniable that if fully understood, it would be an extremely useful technology to have. Not only for the prison, but Karina knew the Military would also love put their hands on that technology, should them be able to fully understand how the wyres worked and how to reproduce them.

The tour of the prison had proven for it to be quite secure and at least until the present moment, they had faced no issues of any kind... Or at least until the group reached the top floor. According to Ru'Tev's explanation, the top floor should house the prisoners who didn't need immediate restriction of their magical powers and weren't as 'dangerous' as the ones on the lower floors but what Karina saw and heard when they arrived there told her a different story...

The very moment they stepped in the top floor, the prisoners suddenly lunged at the bars on their cells, trying to reach out for them while claiming to be the true Ru'Tev and pleading for their help... specifically the princess.

Observing with a worried expression, Karina simply gave a step back, aiming to avoid one of the crazed that was trying to reach for her, but for some reason, she ended misjudging the distance, causing the crazed to get a firm grip on the sleeve of her coat and promptly ripping it off her coat, the moment he tried to bring her closer to the cell's bars.

"What is this?!" Karina said with an angry expression as she gave a step back, looking towards the crazed, who was transformed to look just like Ru'Tev.

Normally she would have never made such mistake such as misjudging the distance from the cell's bars, but for some reason, it was exactly that what happened.

"Unbelievable..." she grumbled, looking at her now ruined coat, before taking it off and folding it to carry it over her right arm.

"These... 'chameleons' as you call them... They can be incredibly dangerous. You know that, don't you, Lord Ru'Tev? With some information and their ability to transform into others... They can make for perfect spies or even infiltrate positions of power..." Karina said as she looked to Ru'Tev, still visibly irritated for what the Crazed had just done with her coat.

"Such as the prison staff. As you said, they shouldn't have known that we were coming here. It doesn't seem they know exactly who the princess is, as many of them called me and even Tayla while asking for help. But still, the fact that they were able to get such information so fast is a serious breach of security." Karina said with a very serious tone.

"I fear this entire situation might be more dangerous than merely a few isolated cases of the Crazed carrying organized attacks... If they are organized enough to have information networks..." Karina said as she looked to Ru'Tev, with a very grim expression and tone. Both she and Ru'Tev knew very well how dangerous it would be if there was a Crazed uprising or something like that.

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Tayla
Lord Ru'Tev
Princess Lys

Interaction with: @13org

“For the record,” Tayla smirked as she leaned against the wall right next to an arrow slit. “-that batch of prison cells were just as dull as the rest.”

A sudden strong gust of wind howled through the opened arrow slit bringing with it a white and green gloop of… something… which flew in from the outside. The gloop splattered across Tayla’s mouth and neckline. 

Outside, a flock of geese could be heard flying overhead.

“HOW THE F-”

“Such a thing would be difficult, Lieutenant.” Ru’Tev stated, quickly cutting Tayla off as she freaked out in fit sputters and coughs. Though he ignored her, his eyes seemed to light up with glee at the girl’s misfortune. “We test the staff for Chameleons daily.”

“Ew-ew-ew! Is it in my mouth? Oh my god!!! It’s in my mouth! Eeewwww! I can taste it! I can…” Tayla retched onto the floor, emptying her breakfast.

“Though with a bit of bribery or extortion… I suppose such a thing is not impossible…” Lord Ru’Tev said as he continued to ignore Tayla’s outburst.

“You know what’s impossible…” Tayla said sickly from the floor. “That slit… it’s barely wider than my wrist… And the poop… It practically flew at me at a horizontal angle…. Like… how does that even work… How the hell... even… Oh god… there’s more…”

Princess Lys grimaced. Her brow raised as she watched Tayla empty her stomach yet again. “So are we just like going to continue to ignore that and not help her? Is that what’s going on here?”

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Týfurkh

For the vast majority of their introductionary trip through the vast prison, Týfurkh had remained almost remarkably silent. Part of this certainly was because he had to guide -- or rather drag - a certain Chres behind him so the latter wouldn't do anything very predictable, but no less stupid. Another part of this however was simply because he was boiling internally. Something quite outrageous was going on here, but unfortunately all of those sharing this assessment seemed to have come to the conclusion that he was the one responsible for it and not just yet another of its victims. Just how many open insults would he have to endure before he'd either try to abandon the pactmakers no matter what that fancy being had said, or at least start beating the shit out of Tayla due to sheer frustration about her demeanor ?

So far however, he had managed to silently drop all thoughts about exacting verbal revenge: He could have reminded the others that he was not the one breathing heavily after going up all those ramps despite the fact he was probably larger than Tayla, fancy princess and Karina combined. He could have asked the Lord whether this experimental wyres could be reconfigured so to suppress the urge for alcohol instead of magic or just given a rant about how one could dare to call a facility 'safe' that, in its core, relied on things one did not even understand. Or he could just have slapped Tayla right in her face when she had mentioned 'the fat one' and asked for his imprisonment.

Then it happened. At first, Týfurkh didn't even realize what had truly happened to Tayla and honestly suspected something serious. Once he became aware of the true culprit flying over their heads however, it felt more like even the divergence had seen the need for some compensatory justice. He straightforwardly decided not do anything and just let Tayla vomit out their guts, hoping that his demonstrative lack of effort would be enough to destroy any of these absurd 'love bug' theories!

Yet, the more time passed and the more Lys asked for someone to do something, the more this felt wrong, too. Maybe this would turn out to be a wasted opportunity if he continued that way..

"Well still better than not helping her, but putting up this accusatory tone about others not helping her, isn't it ?" Týfurkh snapped back at Lys as he stepped forward towards Tayla. It was hard, but he just had to swallow this vengeful comparison off the odds of his giant feet hitting the Lord's feet as the latter made a sudden move against the odds of bird poop hitting Tayla's slit of a mouth. No... true revenge was made not by adding insult to injury, but by letting the facts speak for themselves.

"Hold still!" he addressed Tayla with a strong voice so she'd be able to hear it despite all the regurgigating sounds and the screaming of hers, but it was more of an announcement of what he was about to do next than an order for whose successful execution he'd wait. Instead, he reached out for the woman's head and tried to hold it in one place and direction suited for the undisrupted flow of whatever might still come out of her mouth. And that even though, given her panic, it might need the force to crush a thousand love bugs for this...

"Someone make him- or herself useful and get water!" he shouted towards the others. "It got into her mouth!"

Was there any piece of cloth he could use ? Poop in her mouth would come out by spitting eventually, but he needed to make her get rid of that ugly feeling on her face! Well, he knew he had cloth on his body, but only beneath his armor! Tayla however... She wouldn't realize a small piece from the lower end of her clothes missing, and even if she'd be able to understand the good cause it had been used for, right ? It was quite easy to use his foot to wedge in one end between it and the floor she was now resting on and to use his other hand to rip off a piece.

"Close your eyes firmly! I'm going to wipe your face clean!" Given that water was still to come, spitting on the piece of cloth would have made the cleaning all the more effecting, but also all the more provocative. So Týfurkh decided to do it the dry way by just adding some more pressure as he started swiping away the poop trails the best he could, still holding her head.

Good thing your 'love bug' isn't behind bars yet as you requested. And should you ask for that a second time after this, I'm just gonna slap your face into oblivion! Týfurkh thought. Yet at the same time he knew that Tayla was just part of the problem. Someone else had made up this entire, stupid love triangle story, and he needed to find out who...

If only the magic suppressing properties wouldn't still be somewhat present. He could have used his magic to help cleaning her teeth! A blast of wind right into her mouth maybe, or some very high frequency vibration ? Of course there was serious potential she'd feel either seriously hurt or seriously sick afterwards, but it really wasn't like she wasn't already doing that.

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Hidden 12 mos ago → 12 mos ago Post by Pezz570

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Pezz570 Self Proclaimed New Age Boomer

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Pezz570

Self Proclaimed New Age Boomer

601 posts

in 2226 days

Seen 12 hrs ago

Bio

Tayla
Sil
Chres

Interactions with @13org@Fetzen

Mentioned @jerkchicken@HokumPocus

“The hell?” Tayla said, taken aback. Her back stiffened at his touch. She froze. The memories of abuse flashing through her mind. She blinked. That was then, not now. She breathed, and with effort quieted the panic. 

Now all she felt was confusion and… maybe just a bit weirded out… Was the man a masochist or something? The thought weirded her out further. Perhaps taunting him had been a mistake…

A little ways away, Sil zipped her way over to Karina in a panic.

“Oh puddles! This is bad bad bad bad! Icy-rina! That was your chance to sweep her off her feet!”

Chres rubbed his head awkwardly as he noticed that nobody else seemed to want to make an effort to help. More likely than not, most of them probably didn’t care to help Tayla. But as Týfurkh continued to ask for water, Chres eventually relented and pulled out his flask of flavored water.

“I got-” He started, but then hesitated.

Wait... Was this his flask of water or was it his flask of ale? He opened the flask and took a swig. Nope it was the flask of ale. He took a second swig of ale before putting it away and pulling out his other flask.

Sil zipped frantically back and forth in front of Karina. “What to do? What to do?” She said.

“Got the water r-” Chres started as he raised his flask.

“THAT’S IT!” Sil shouted excitedly. She then zipped back to Chres and snatched the flask out of his hand.

“I- Wait- Sil! That’s too heavy for you!”

Too late! Sil fell towards the floor under the weight of the flask.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!” She yelled as she flapped her wings fervently. 

Sil halted her fall just inches from the floor. “Can’t… let… him… win….”

With visible effort, she hovered the rest of the way to Tayla with the flask. 

“Puddles courtesy of Icy-rina.” Sil said with a smile. “You had her really worried there!” She then looked back to Karina and gave her both a wink and a thumbs up.

Tayla raised her brow. “The hell?” She repeated even further confused. Dumbfounded, she spared a confused glance in Karina’s direction.

The hell is wrong with these people? Tayla wondered.

She looked back to Týfurkh. “Thaaaaaanks…” She said awkwardly after getting cleaned up. 

What was a woman to say after an ordeal like that? “I’ll just…” She took a slow but noticeably large step away from Týfurkh and Karina and towards Octavio and Jen. “Yeeeaaaah…”

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