[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/597506252599328805/1088678313150644284/Ingrids_Header.png[/img][/center]
[color=8882be][b]Event:[/b][/color] Metropolis but at the docks and a cave.
[hr]
So many shifting feelings inside of Ingrid at the moment. The fight started and ended so quickly that adjusting was rather difficult. She rubbed her jaw where that pain was but mere moments ago. She got herself to come down from the high that a fight gives. 

Seems Maura was meeting up with that Ash fellow. A Sanguinare. [color=8882be][I] They're not all evil but the ones at the top? Probably.[/I][/color] Ingrid's eyes laid on Maura, [color=8882be][I] and she wasn't going to tell us anything. Not the meeting, nothing. I don't even know about the Nikanese women or who it could be. How much had she done already?[/I][/color] Ingrid couldn't give Maura any more trust. Give an inch, she takes a mile. 

But now wasn't the time for that. No, she had the ability to speak to Wu Long more openly, Maura [b][I]will[/I][/b] be dealt with later.

Ingrid just gave a simple question, [color=8882be]"What is the harmonious order? I know of some things involving Sanguinares and I'm not a supporter, that's for sure but I know nothing of the order you seem to represent."[/color] 
She followed it with a general statement to the group at large, [color=8882be]"Can we just speak openly before what could be a deadly battle?"[/color]

Ingrid found most of Wu Long's plan agreeable. The true color of things comes out in the details though and those she had some thought about.

She nodded along to the first and second points, nothing disagreeable there but she wanted some guarantees for people like Yong and Yin, people who have already suffered and need to be compensated.

Ingrid was very aware of what a large nation had to face. Eskand was essentially a continuous fall and now even the base is split in 5, you fall to the mercy of others just like they did when Revidia discarded them. She didn't know about the Jiang Dynasty but they could be worse than the current. a day to day governance makes sense but Ingrid leans toward taking even more power away, If a family is to set to be the ruler of all time, then they should be held responsible by the government as well. [color=8882be]"I think you should take even more power away and give it to the public servants. That is just my general thought."[/color]

Ingrid was not sure about the dragons acting as custodians. They could easily turn into the blackguard and turn corrupt but saw no immediate need to bring it up.

Now sanguinaires. That was difficult. Ingrid was aware that they can, at the higher levels, be great manipulators and terribly hard to remove. But Ingrid didn't believe for a second that [i]all[/i] sanguinaires were exploiters any more than a slave owner or a bad businessmen who throw people onto ships only to work or die. And that Ash fellow, even if he had knocked me out, admitted the issues.[color=8882be]"Now I can't say I disagree with expelling the ones connected to the government but eliminating all feels short-sighted. I believe that some are just people trying to survive. Or like that of Ash that seems to be wanting to do good. I think it would be foolish to turn him down when you [i]know[/i] who you are up against."[/color] 

Ash did bring up an interesting concept, who were they? Thinking of the murals in Zaqoria, they presented it as 2 sides, one the sentient creature minus the Eaiko, Meerami, and now Oguraq versus a beastman known as Heart and the Sirrahi. We know the sanguinaires fought against them but the 'them' could either represent something above the sirrahi and the sanguinaires, like the all-knower that Sileen and One talked about briefly. Though Heart did have a negative reaction to it being brought up. Maybe the sides flipped? Those battles were long ago so it was possible.

Ingrid liked the idea of a strong merchant class here, if anything to act as another competing interest against the ruling class. The strength of the military was most likely needed with how they were very expansionist before and to protect themselves from such another insurrection but that was covered by Maura for the most part so she will stay silent and side with her. Feels disgusting even thinking that.

Ingrid let others speak before her because she didn't know much, she had opinions, that's for sure but she had only focused on the personal cost of these people fighting for the country and they have already lost plenty.

Finally, after listening to Maura, Abdel, and Niallus, she suddenly shot her head backward after someone entered from where they came. She sighed in relief that it was Yalen then turned to finally let her opinions know but start by making Maura more aware of what sanguinaire are. 

[color=8882be]"Maura,"[/color] Ingrid tried to grab her attention, [color=8882be]"Since you seem to be uninformed of sanguinaires, let me. They [i]feed on people.[/i] I mean that literally, they suck blood from other people. Now let me preface that they have to do this to survive and they don't need to kill someone though they can. Their vitality is much stronger than the average person's. Though those seem traits are not the thing I believe Wu Long is worried about, No I think his worry is that they can seemingly live [i]forever.[/i] And that they can take in the blood of others to empower them greatly over time. Ash could be centuries old and still not have aged. And from my own studies, I believe the Twin Emperors are among the oldest and strongest of them."[/color] Ingrid spilled most of what she knew on them, saving some over-specific information. [color=8882be]"Granted I didn't know there were sanguinaires, particularly in control of this country, I'm only now aware,"[/color] Ingrid added to cover herself if the wheeled lady wanted to come after her for knowing things that her peewee brain didn't.

After giving what Ingrid thought was a thorough enough breakdown of sanguinaires, she moved on to magic for the people. [color=8882be]"Wu Long I have to agree with you that magic should be returned to the people but I have some concerns."[/color] Ingrid paused before continuing, [color=8882be]"We have all seen the lack of magic here in common people. Yet I want to put on the table what failing that magic exam could mean for people like Abdel, Yalen, or anyone with a difficult manatype. If you are 'normal' and fail for any number of reasons like social standing, background, or even if the instructor didn't care for you in particular, you can't use magic. But for people like Yalen and Abdel, you might be taken away and stripped of your rights, even killed in some cases."[/color] Ingrid wanted to let that sit in for some. It wasn't dissimilar from the refuge she heard about here and there but here they could try and guarantee that change. Wu Long wanted, no, needed the support and they should ask for this. 

[color=8882be]"While you all were searching for information the night after the first fight, I stayed at the inn. I met with Yin and met Little Yong. Let's just say they spelled it out what it was like to be oppressed, stripped of your magic use. It was hard for them but Yin and her father could manage. But Yong. He undergoing the painful transformation to a powergazer."[/color] Ingrid looked at Yalen, [color=8882be]"It's why I asked for the pain relievers. That child has done nothing wrong but be born yet his family worries that when the time comes he will be either taken or killed. He is sweet boy who is just as annoying and curious as any other child."[/color] Ingrid set her eyes on Wu Long, [color=8882be]"How then Wu Long? How do you plan to not only change the system but to fix the people who have been broken by it? The people who were stopped because they didn't meet the exact standard the previous system wanted. The families that have lost children to never see them. The normal people who so desperately believe that magic users are dangerous that even when used to save the lives of multiple should receive punishment."[/color]

She let her statements stand there for a few moments, [color=8882be]"I'm not asking for you to know everything or even be able to fix it immediately but please. Take them into account or else they will be the reason ReTan breaks for good."[/color] That was all Ingrid had to say at the moment.

Ingrid said what she wanted. It wasn't perfect nor eloquent but this was the first time she got to speak her mind with someone of actual importance to Retan as a whole. With the ogauraks safety at hand and someone named Vel Ingrid's straightened herself up, [color=8882be]"I'm willing Wu Long."[/color]

Ingrid didn't expect Maura not to go but a part of her was relieved. One less person to watch over and one less person to watch out for. The other part though was concerned. The inn was supposed to burn down tonight. A part of Ingrid wanted to let her figure out and barely escape but that's a different level of petty, too petty. No, Maura has connections that could help Yin and her family. 

[color=8882be]"A quick moment Maura,"[/color] Ingrid walked towards Maura. She tried not to be intimidating but at the end of the day Maura was tiny and Ingrid was huge. [color=8882be]"There's more happening at the inn than you know. Just..."[/color] Ingrid paused like it was painful. [color=8882be]"Please be kind and generous to them. They need help and I have nothing for them right now."[/color] Ingrid made her request, trying to let her guard down and be genuine. It irked her to ask, let alone have to rely on her but she was going to be there and Ingrid wasn't.

The arrival was shocking and Ingrid had been ready to fight but she adjusted quickly as Trypano took the lead. She resigned herself to be a silent background character for now as she believed that Trypano had done a stellar job. Her natural shutter at what Trypano did might have added to the realism of it. Though Ingrid was not sure [i]if[/i] it was real or not. 

They were given permission to go after them but Ingrid didn't do more than look towards where they should have headed. Just as the lowly background person. She would go when the group did. Though Ingrid can't lie and say that she was concerned for the big fuzzballs that stayed already laid there.

Just as Ingrid told herself, once she saw someone in the group go in she did as well. Especially with it being Yalen. Hell knows no fury like an angry Jocasta. 

Ingrid was more than ready for a quick turn in events this time. With Yalen suppressing the watching eyes Ingrid turned to the portal with the white guards. She was originally just going to blast but she had a different, much more Benny idea. 

[color=8882be]"Backing up!"[/color], Ingrid said as she retreated further back. She applied the ghost powder to herself to try and hide herself. A wicked smile appeared as her infinity loop started to ignite. The [b]boom[/b] came to her mind. Portal and nuke, a match made in heaven. But distraction is needed.

[color=39FF14]"Yalen, can you trick them?"[/color] Ingrid asked, hoping that he could make it seem one of theirs is charging a nuke. 

[color=39FF14][I]Cataclysm... Let's destroy them![/I][/color]

Ingrid managed to stay out of the fight as she sneakily charged her spell. No one has gotten majorly injured so she just kept chugging along. Trypano offered her some special concoction and with how things were going Ingrid chugged that vial, [color=39FF14]"Is this like test 21 at this point?"[/color] Ingrid said excitedly.

The viscous liquid clung to her throat. It wasn't just alive but it was like it was moving in Ingrid. She coughed but it don't move. And - Eshi - the [i]texture![/i] She hated it. It was scary, to be honest. She trusted Trypano would give her something mostly safe in a life-or-death battle but she felt like it was pulling her focus. With a Cataclysm building, a moment of lost focus could mean the death of her allies, let alone herself. [color=8882be][i] What the hell is this?![/i][/color]

She could see that Yalen was being aimed at but what could she do in the moment? She had started and committed to this.

Whatever Ingrid had drunk had done little more than make this the riskiest spell she had ever casted. Her focus seemed to wane with the slightest distraction. Not the ideal situation to be casting what is considered the strongest spell in atomic. Even with the difficulties, Ingrid prevailed. 

[color=8882be][i]Not that there wasn't any other option...[/i][/color] Golden Monkey was merely toying with them. The White Guard were numerous and if it wasn't for the lack of available energy would destroy us. Ingrid could see her lover and friends getting demolished but couldn't even do anything in her state. She misjudged it.

Her hope to end the fight neatly with an atomic blast was misguided. It limited her too much and left her teammates without an ally. One that [i]could've[/i] limited the Black Guard. She cursed her shortsightedness and it seemed her judgement came to reap.

A sudden pulse ran through her body. Her eyes dropped and her body fell. [color=8882be][i]That damn Vial![/i][/color] It sapped the energy out of her. Like she had exerted herself too much. Ingrid and her mana strained to keep conscious and in control of her own magic and that's when she saw it. The White Guard has finally noticed her. The spell was near completion and they had noticed. 

Barely able to maintain focus, consciousness, and control, Ingrid prepared for what was most likely the end of her ill-conceived plan. [color=8882be][i]If the worst comes then I need to at least get away from my allies.[/i][/color]

The tides of battle continued to crash against Ingrid and her teammates. She had grown accustomed to the curse the vial gifted her. At the same time, its strength radiated in her, [color=8882be][i]an odd feeling to say the least.[/i][/color] But the tides still shifted, her spell had still gone unnoticed by the hoard of skilled White Guard and no one laid unconscious on the floor. Yet people were at their limit.

But like a lightning bolt, Vel and Rikard joined together to strike Golden Monkey. It actually hurt him. The being that they had been only recently able to perceive was done a wound. Ingrid filled with a sudden burst of glee, [color=8882be][i]Yes Rikard! We can do this![/i][/color] It was a bright moment in what could only be described as a slow defeat before.

But that was a façade. He had been toying with us still. Even after our strongest attempts, we were nothing more than paltry entertainment. He showed us. He showed us what true power was. A spell Ingrid had never even heard of, so far into the mastery of Arcane that it shined just as bright as Lor itself and it held more power than any Detonation she had casted before.

There was no wind-up, just pure unadulterated power. And it came at Ingrid. She had proven herself just strong enough to get the attention of another monster. The Eskandish mercenary on her first mission that slew VVysen. the Demon that rained blood on the world, and now the Black Guard, Golden Monkey, that she can only compare to Lor. She faltered.

She panicked, her composure was compromised in front of such overwhelming force. Her mana couldn't do all that she wanted. [color=8882be][i]Control the nuke, defend, run, hide.[/i][/color] They couldn't do it all so They did none. Everything or nothing. But her teammates had not missed a beat.

Kaureerah miraculously held him in place with some kind of illusion and kinetic magic. Rikard tore the air apart one more and struck like the legends of Sweyn Thunderspear. But it still wasn't enough he still had more than anything Ingrid could muster at her best. 

And there they were, Niallus and Trypano. Her lover sent an Arcane blast to fend him off until Trypano conjured a wall of flesh to block his path, stopping him fully. Ingrid had failed but her teammates, the ones that matter most to her here, they lifted her up. They created the room she needed to make that initial mistake into a chance. And then when Wu Long appeared.

The opportunity to strike was now and Ingrid made haste. She hurled it to the portal as the Exemplar sent the Black Guard towards the portal. Ingrid had remembered that Lucky Dragon resided on the other side. Nor forgotten what her rumored powers were, [color=8882be][i]Please Reshta, I know you love her but if you could love me just a little more. Please Penny.[/i][/color] Ingrid launched it with all the force she could muster. 

She shouted out, [color=8882be]"Please! Slow him down even if it is a moment!"[/color] Ingrid pleaded with her battered allies to pull out the last bit of energy they had and work through the pain. [color=8882be]"Make this [i]worth[/i] something,"[/color] Ingrid muttered  a small prayer

But Reshta isn't just about luck. If you make something more likely, Reshta will favor it. Ingrid wasn't sure how exactly Lucky Dragons ability worked and honestly there were a few other abilities being used here that stumped her. Vel in either a moment of bloodlust or stupidity, put a bomb behind Golden Monkey. And he rolled off of it. The Cataclysm was going to collide [I]inside the cave.[/I]

What would have been instant death was prolonged by some temporal, [color=8882be][I]who's I'm not sure but thank Oraff for them.[/I][/color] People rushed to the portal, Ingrid being one of them. However an unknown speed resided in her. Fast enough to get not only herself but Trypano out as well. Everyone had made it out, Skugs included. 

There was no moment of relief for Ingrid as she held Niallus in her arms. He never left Ingrid's sight. Every wound she saw and gasped at, knowing she couldn't help him. Tears fell as she used her binding to try and patch him up. What composure Ingrid had shown vanished when she saw her lover injured so severely. 

Niallus was of course fine after some healing, nothing permanent was done. Ingrid weakly joked about his collarbone breaking again. But underneath it all, a growing feeling had taken hold. [color=8882be][I]We failed to take down one as a group, what about 10 of them?[/I][/color] It was laughable to think we could do more. Ingrid held it in for now, this wasn't the place to talk about it.