[color=696969][indent][i]I am Brave.[/i][/indent]

This is the greatest lie I tell myself. As the floor rattles, my heart thunders in my hollow chest. I hold it, for fear that my heart may burst from my chest, leaving it truly empty. I try my best to remember my training, decades of training and discipline. My body is my temple, my instrument and my weapon. I release the breath I didn't know I was holding as the door opens, the Golems made from rock and stone enter the room. Their joints grind together, crumbling the stone as dust falls gently to the floor. The sound like rain. [i]Oh, how I miss the rain.[/i] They wait, patiently. They've long given up grabbing me, manhandling me. There isn't no need, I no longer resist them. In the early days, I had, but punishment had been swift. Retribution, tenfold. 

It was never on me, I was never punished for what [b][i]I[/i][/b] did. No, the others were punished. I was just made to watch, and it broke me. Broke my heart and left me like this, this shadow of myself. That shuffled before these two guards, these two I could crush like pebbles. Scatter them like ash in the wind. Instead, I moved without purpose and without guidance. I was but a tool of their bidding. What other choice did I have?

[indent][indent][i]I am Daring.[/i][/indent][/indent]

[indent]The winter's sun blinds my eyes, as I raise a weak and withered arm to try and shield my eyes. [i]Three, two -[/i] I don't even manage to count to one before I feel the thick, firm finger prod into the centre of my back. Causing the wind to rattle around my chest. There had been a time I had killed men for less, I looked longingly towards the outer walls. They had once been much shorter; instead, I had jumped them many times. I had punched my way through them several times more, me and my fellow inmates making our escape. There had been fewer of us each subsequent time. Our resolve never held, until only I was had the courage, the daring, to do what the others would not do. This was when they started punishing others.

I looked to them now, their rags and bodies tattered and torn. In my heart, I knew that I looked just as run down, just as bedraggled as each of them. Though deep down, I wished that I was the worst off. None of them met my eyes, not anymore. It was hard to tell if they understood the reason they resented me, if they [i]knew[/i] my goal in escaping was to try and help them all. That I didn't stop because I kept getting caught, did they understand that I stopped because I could no longer risk it? When I had been punished, I didn't care. I could take it, I could take a thousand times the punishment of the others, but I couldn't take them being punished.[/indent]

[indent][indent][indent][i]I am Hopeful[/i][/indent][/indent][/indent]

[indent][indent]The screech pierces the air; it tears through me. The hair on the back of my neck, my arms and even my legs stand to attention. Stands ready, I can feel the adrenaline trying to pump its way through my body, but I fight it. I take a deep breath. The guards seem oblivious to my change of state, either that or they just don't care as I fight to bring my breathing back under control. In through the mouth [i]One-Two[/i]. Then back out through the nose, a technique I have practised many times. In diplomatic meetings, on the battlefield and in various training and battle scenarios throughout my life. The screech again, the flutter of wings.

I [i]will[/i] not look. I will not grant the satisfaction. I know how I got to be here. I understand the chain of events that brought an end to life as I know it, as the others knew it. It changed everything, and it is all my fault. The guards leave as they push me through a gate. I can feel my frail bones shudder at the impact. I don't give them the satisfaction of a wince, but I cannot prevent a gasp from escaping between my lips. Nobody looks up as I enter, they never do. These, like most of the others, have long ago forsaken me. I pray every day, it is through the need for self-preservation, and not through hate. If they hated me, I don't think I could bear it.

The screech again, this time closer. I look up at the owl, sat perched on the top of a guard tower. It looks directly at me, its piercing yellow eyes. I stare back, my blue eyes dull and withered. Underneath it, I hope she can see my steely resolve. 

Then she does something I do not expect. She winks at me before flapping her wings and rising into the air. My truth shatters, my faith withers. Had I been wrong in my convictions this whole time? This whole time, I had been sure of my jailor, the one who punished me and those around me. Now? Now a fresh fear clawed its way through me. Squirming its way under my skin. If I had been wrong, how much did I truly know?[/indent][/indent]

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[center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019ac6e7-5bfd-7646-a9d7-c7c8a5404b6a.webp[/img][/center]

[Center][color=red]"This is going to sting."[/color][/center]

Sif spat into the paste, finishing the mixture. With two fingers, she scooped up a healthy-sized glob, and before Heather could protest, rubbed the salve into the open wound. The flesh bubbled and boiled, and the stench of burning flesh cut through the aromas of the various herbs like a knife. Heather just stared on as Sif moved her hands to clasp Jackie's shoulders. [Color=red]"Grab her feet before-"[/color]

Jackie screamed. 

Then her entire body convulsed. Heather grabbed Jackie's legs as they thrashed and they bashed. Sif moved one arm across Jackie's chest, keeping her down, while her other han,d with the seasoned grace of a caring mother, moved beneath Jackie's head to hold it carefully to prevent it from bashing against the ground. There was a ring of a bell as the door to the shop was slowly pushed open, Heather turned to shout over her shoulder: [color=green]"Sorry, we're-"[/color] 

Before she could finish, a woman wearing a black jumpsuit with green stripes burst through the door, gun sweeping the room before coming to be trained on Sif's head. Sif looked up for a moment, looking at this new female warrior before returning her attention to her charge.

[color=20B2AA]"Disarm and step away from the woman - [b]Now.[/b]"[/color]

Sif looked at the warrior again with ice in her eyes, seeing the gun waver. This warrior was no better than those she had previously fled; this one was [I]inexperienced[/I]. With these new weapons, the mortals had, which made her dangerous. 

[Color=red]"This woman has been harmed by your own Guardsmen and Warriors. I will step away when her life is no longer at risk, and only then."[/color] The newcomer looked to Heather, who nodded a little uneasily. The weapon lowered slightly as Sif returned her attention to the wound. The flesh continued to sizzle, and Jackie continued to convulse until the flesh around the wound started to shift and move. 

Jackie's scream became a shriek as slowly but surely, the bullet was forced from her body, as if her body were rejecting it. Sif relaxed her hold as she felt the body beneath her go limp, the screaming stopped and her entire body relaxed. Sif smiled down at Jackie as her eyes opened, a strange look crossed her face. Something akin to disappointment as she reached out with what little strength she had for Sif's hand. Sif grasped the womans hand as gently as possible, smiling a soft, caring smile. 

A sadness travelled up to Jackies eyes. [color=FF6347]"I wasn't [sup][sub]exactly honest[/sub][/sup] [sup][sub][sup]with you[/sup][/sub][/sup] [sup][sub][sup][sub]about Thor,[/sub][/sup][/sub][/sup] [sub][sub][sup][sup]in the facility[/sup][/sup][/sub][/sub] [sub][sub][sup][sup][sup]there is[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sub][/sub] [sub][sub][sub][sup][sup][sup]the axe.[/sup][/sup][/sup][/sub][/sub][/sub]"[/color]