Virginia nodded, her eyes widening with delight as she took in the pure lightning strikes. "It is my dear Mosi," she explained to Mary. She could not fault her for not knowing such a detail - she had not been present at Mosi's funeral rites. It was an exhilarating sensation, to see such a force in the midst of all of this chaos. To a Crypt, the present conditions were paradise. It was the perfect day for a wedding, a funeral, a Mamushka! Oh, to dance amongst all of this calamity! It was a tantalizing thought and Virginia wished that she could remain here and bask in this place.
"Mary, I must ask that we follow it," Virginia requested, her eyes dancing with joy and intrigue. She knew that Millicent was in danger, but every fiber of her being told her that they just had to investigate this. Millicent had time. Elizaveta was likely dead. But this? This is a sign. "If you wish to continue on, I will ask that I be allowed to pursue by foot," she then added. She doubted that would be fast enough but she wasn't going to pass up on this chance. There was something there - she just had to find it!
Maeve Brennan
Location: Kirkpatrick House Skills: N/A
Think of the devil and he shall arrive... Maeve couldn't help but smile with slight amusement. Just after she had decided that she did need to discuss some matters with the bumbling parson, he arrived at the Kirkpatrick residence. She smoothed out her clothing as best as she could, grabbing what her brothers in law called her glorified stick - she did carry it with her at most times, finding it had a variety of uses - and she exited her room at the house. The conversation downstairs was too muddled for her to make out, yet if it turned out to be interesting Maeve had no doubt that it would be repeated on a later occasion.
She made her way down the stairs, creating a small mental map for herself of the house based on what she had witnessed thus far. Of course, she was curious as to what exactly the parson wished to speak with Lady Kirkpatrick about. Had he been versed in Irish signs, she would have communicated to him in that manner that she needed to speak with him privately herself, once he was done speaking with Lady Kirkpatrick. Instead, Maeve resolved to see if she could join the meeting like a shadow. There was also the possibility of Lady Kirkpatrick's favor system - perhaps that would be a better arrangement for dear Roisin. "Fancy seein' yer again round 'ere, Father Blair" Maeve quipped softly.
Cecily slowly sank to the ground as Natasha was placed inside of the body bag, the blood on the street leaving behind evidence of the sorry tale. Had it not been someone she knew, she would have been reminded of Locard's Exchange Principle - that everything leaves behind a trace, even death. But all she could do was take shallow breaths, almost sounding like she was about to heave but it was from tears. Natasha had died. Someone she knew for only a few days and had traveled to Mexico just to keep an eye on her bullet wound...had died. Her hands were shaking as Cecily gripped her sides, trying to will herself not to spiral. There was the man on the phone to talk to. He needed to know what had happened.
"I'm so sorry..." Cecily stammered, her arms shifting to be around her knees as she curled into a little ball on the pavement. "Sh-sh-she didn't make it..." What else was she supposed to say? Despite working in forensics, it was never her job to inform a loved one that someone had died. The uniformed officers would do that - the detectives or whoever they passed the job onto. Her hands were shaking and she dug her fingernails into her ankles, whether in an attempt to hurt herself or to focus or just from instinct wasn't clear.
She took another shuddering breath, pulling out her own phone. She could barely hit the correct letters as she typed out a message to Roy: I don't know what to do -Rogue. Natasha had just died in front of her and that was the best she could do, the most she could focus.
Location: Jakobsen for President Campaign Center: Jakobsen's Office
Guin felt relieved that the voice didn't seem to return, though Jakobsen was being an asshole and she wished that she was hallucinating him. Her jaw dropped and she laughed slightly as Future Carolina explained that Jakobsen was going to have a mutant child - sometimes, the universe had a twisted sense of humor. It probably wasn't the appropriate time to laugh, but really, the man who nearly wipes out the mutant race got busy and created one? Especially since mutant genetics indicated that the father passed down the gene - so odds were, Jakobsen had a dormant X-gene in his body. It was karma at its finest.
Of course, her attention was ripped away from all of that by two major developments: 1) Muscles lifted up his shirt and damn was he fine 2) although she wasn't a medical expert, it looked like internal bleeding. She tried to focus more on the cause, but she couldn't figure it out, her mind deciding not to think as fast as it could and instead just look at those gorgeous, well defined abs that Muscles had.
Her heart clenched though, hearing that there was an attack at the Tower. Her father, boyfriend, and brother figure were all there, as well as other friends she had made at X-Mansion. What if something happened to them? She knelt down next to Muscles, flipping off Jakobsen as she did so, and she started to examine his wound close up. It might have been because her mind was distracted, but she couldn't think of where it had come from. There certainly hadn't been any activity in this office to explain it. "What happened?" she asked him, looking at him with concern - and fear. What if this was when he died?
"...Well, pretty sure younger me has a piece of metal or something in his side, not positive though."
"Wh-what?" Guin stammered, her eyes widening. She hadn't imagined the butterfly effect would be this aggressive. Yet she started to panic - what if both Muscles and her Pietro died? The injury looked serious. "Crap, shit, what happens if you die?" she couldn't help but ask, her eyes watering slightly. She was tunnel visioning on the Pietros.
"...Well, if I just get killed, nothing happens, however if it is because of this injury, or I fade out of existence it probably would mean my counterpart died."
Although Guin knew the logic behind that and it was what she expected, it didn't help her at all. She didn't even pay attention as Folly went over and kicked Jakobsen in the balls or anything else that was going on. The closest she had ever dealt with death had been when she was just a little kid and her dad flew up into a wormhole. "No. No you are not dying, damn it!" she snapped. "You listen to me, Muscles - I did not play on my phone in bioengineering courses for you or Silver Balls to die right now. So I'm going to patch you the fuck up and we're going to shove a stick up OMEN's ass until it pops out their metaphorical eyes."
"...You do realize patching me up won't effect him in anyway right?"
"It means you can run me to him and believe me, it'd be faster than waiting for Happy to come with a car. New York traffic is a bitch," Guin muttered, her mind racing. She took her shirt off, wearing a sports bra underneath so she didn't particularly care, and she used it as a makeshift bandage. Ideally, she'd need to stop an artery on the inside from bleeding to fix it, but this would do for now.
"I don't think I'm going to be running anywhere..." he said, wincing slightly in pain.
"Well you're not allowed to die. You have a wife waiting for you," Guin pointed out. "And if she's anything like me, she'd snap if you died."
"Trust me, she already said I couldn't die..."
"Good."
Folly Valeska
Location: Jakobsen for President Campaign Center: Jakobsen's Office
Folly didn't take very kindly to people treating her friends like garbage. After Allison insulted Mary, she had stomped on her foot - a mild reaction from the young psychotic mutant. But hearing Jakobsen have such a disregard for Pietro's life, her temper flared and she charged at him, kicking him as hard in the balls as she could. She hit her target and smirked with satisfaction. While she was sane, it didn't prevent her from committing acts of violence. "It's a good thing you won't be needing those family heirlooms anymore, given your fiancée getting pregnant," Folly quipped, alluding to his babymaker that she had just given a solid beating to.
From a logical perspective, she knew that beating up Jakobsen wasn't going to help matters - but she was more emotional than logical. She always had been. It was why she had been chosen a long time ago by a man she hoped to never see again - and given the nickname Wrath. Her anger drove her and her main regret was that she hadn't killed Jakobsen during her years as a serial killer. She wouldn't lose sleep if he died. She turned to go and help Future Pietro, only to notice that Guin was already kneeling down next to him.
"Let's go," Folly said, her thoughts flickering to Jakobsen's fiancée again. Maybe all they needed to do was hold her hostage. "I have someone I want to pay a visit to..." Besides, the people at Stark Tower needed help. And this, she was convinced, could help them.
Dean Kesseli
Location: Stark Tower - Top Level (Floor 93): Home Theater Room ---> Main Area ----> Sidewalk
Dean nodded, looking at Damon. He didn't know the guy, but he knew that freaking out and mutant powers never mixed very well. It was one thing if his powers went on the fritz - he was just a glorified dodgeball player - but others had dangerous abilities that they had been born with. "Hey, um...I don't really know you man, but just take deep breaths. My science teacher this year said that can trick the body into releasing hormones or whatever to calm us down," Dean advised, messing up the explanation a bit but he was technically right. Unfortunately, Stark Tower wasn't the most calm environment. JARVIS was playing the Care Bears movie on the big screen and Dean was about to shut it off when he heard a loud crash.
"Um, stay here," Dean advised. "I'm going to go check that out - but think happy thoughts and whatever you do, don't Hulk out," he told Damon, before taking off at a run. While he wasn't a speedster, he was quicker than most people and was able to perceive speedsters running. Noticing the sentinels, Dean's heart stopped and his blood seemed to chill. Pietro was getting people out of the way of the debris, but as Dean zipped around making sure everyone was accounted for, her noticed a few that were missing.
"Crap...It's always the hot ones..." he muttered, realizing Allison and the others left. "Hey, I'm gonna go get Allison and the others - they're out there without any real weapons against these things, think they went after Jakobsen," Dean explained, dodging sentinels as he raced outside of Stark Tower and hit the sidewalk.
Present Day - S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy: August 23rd, 2020 - 9:00 A.M.
Rewards
If you received a skill reward, please edit it into your CS within 48 hours or it will be considered lost in a drunken haze. Skills indicate where they should be placed as well. IC wise, Fury has not yet revealed who will be taking over as the Beta Team Leader, but there's beginning to be a rumor at the academy that Phase Three is cursed. Rivera turned out to be HYDRA, Nikolova died from unknown causes, and Johnson went home for a medical emergency. Agent Kelley was assigned to go on a mission to Latveria and some are saying that he'll never come back.
Griffin Lee:
Mission Strategy (Specialty Skill)
Power Control: Level 3
Maria Smith:
Stealth (Specialty Skill)
Power Control: Level 3
Niah Bautista:
Pistols (General World Skill)
Power Control: Level 3
Arcturus Hale:
Agility (General World Skill)
Power Control: Level 2
Sami Rhodes:
Staff Fighting (Specialty Skill)SKILL LOST
Power Control: Level 2
Sparky:
Mission Strategy (General World Skill)
Power Control: Level 2
Dominika Novikova:
Hand to Hand Combat (General World Skill)
Power Control: Level 2
Tinley Abercrombie:
Baton Combat - Dual Wielding (Specialty Skill)
Power Control: Level 2
Cassandra Reed:
Combat First-Aide (General World Skill)
Power Control: Level 2
Training
You should know the drill, same message from last time repeated here:
Alright guys, it's training time. This will be the last round of training. This training will take your characters one week of IC time - in real life, you will have 10 days to complete these collabs. So remember, day 10 you need to have your collab up, day 11 it's kicking time. Once all of the collabs have been posted, I'll see what control over your powers you've learned or if you've gained any skills.
Training facilities are located in Building 2 of the Academy, home to Operations. In your collabs, it's just you and your trainer in the room. Most of you are being trained in groups, so trainers, play off of that! You have 10 days once more to get through the entirety of the collab. This is also a good time to contact me and request changes to your character's possessions. After the training rounds are done, we'll be jumping back in with our first mission.
Walnut looked on without much interest as a woman collapsed - at least, she assumed it was a woman. Titian's comments caused a slight bit of amusement for her, but she didn't pay much attention to Kindle's plight. The giant seemed to be relatively interested in attending to the situation anyways. The only thing that could potentially interest Walnut further would be if it did turn out to be a man - would the giant drop him like a sack?
Another second later and her attention had snapped back to the man with the raven. Her eyes widened in horror, watching as the bird seemed to be sticking its beak in his ear! Images of the raven plucking out the man's brain and feasting upon it filled her mind. Then would come more birds to pick away at the dead body, feasting off of it. And he didn't seem to be alarmed at all! She found herself enthralled by the man, just as much as she was fearful of the damned near pigeon that seemed to be his pet. Walnut was shocked that others didn't seem to be reacting to this monster in their midst.
Her attention was once more yanked away from the beast at the sound of a sharp whistle, as servants seemed to emerge from the greenery. They went off to attend to the carriages and horses, yet Walnut's eyes were on the beautiful contraption and its master that came into view. She wanted to sit as far near its conductor as she could, in order to learn what she could about it, yet the first six seats had already filled so she settled for the seventh. She overheard one woman make a comment that she wished to arrive in one piece - but if she couldn't appreciate the machine's beauty, Walnut wouldn't have particularly cared if the woman arrived in seven to eight pieces.
Location: Prometheus: Lower Floor: Medical ---> the Galley ---> Single Bottom (7): Fitz Skills: None
Fitz was still just staring at Cyril in shock. He wasn't certain if the man was daft, deranged, or some combination of the two. There was a certain naiveness to him - which was saying something if Fitz noticed it, given that he himself was incredibly naive in comparison to the standard member of Anisa's crew. Cyril didn't seem to acknowledge Fitz's outburst and the timid engineer didn't even notice himself that he had said a complete sentence void of stammering. Uncertain of what else to do and with a socialized respect for medical authorities, Fitz followed Jahosafat up to the galley.
He observed, still stunned from the exclamation and staring slightly at Cyril, before he determined himself to be free of medical care as the doctor left with a strange blonde woman he hadn't met yet. He assumed that she had some connection to the naive and bumbling racist with the puppet. At the screaming, Fitz jumped and snapped out of the semi-dazed trance of confusion he had entered into. His heart began to pound furiously and he was regretting ever so slightly picking this ship. He doubted all ships were this crazy. He tapped his fingers incessantly, trying to calm himself down as he watched the fighting from a distance with horror.
"Wh-wh-what?" Fitz mumbled, hearing Anisa's announcement and seeing her there in person. It wasn't a direct question to her - just shock at the turn of events. He didn't know what else to do and he went back onto the lower deck, heading for Daphne's room. He didn't know why he was going there - he was tapping his fingers on the side of his head as he went, his thoughts a blur he wasn't able to keep up with.
Location: Museum - Main Area ---> Vera's Office Skills: N/A
Nora nodded, following Akhmed back to Lady Munn's office. She hadn't walked far enough to glimpse outside and see the smoldering body, though she noticed the slight scent of smoke and recalled the news of fires sweeping throughout the city. It had been the circumstances under which Peter had died, hadn't it been? She didn't even think to be worried for her near grandmother's safety, certain that Neema would keep calm and carry on as she seemed to be excellent at doing. However, she heard Mosi explain that she had a mild burn. Could it have been from the fires? Or had she been branded as well?
Nora made a mental note to see how cats reacted to Mosi - and if a cat would orchestrate a near fatal incident for her as well. "I can aid him," Nora offered softly. She could understand the pain and need to see a doctor, but she also was worried that if she was correct, the cat would attempt to kill him once more - unless she stood near him. She also couldn't help but wonder if she herself would feel some averse reaction to him. Had anyone heard her thoughts, they likely would have thought her to be mad.
Present Day - The Castle: December 22nd, 12,507 - 9:00 AM
The first riot broke out in the southern section of the Ramblings at 5 o'clock, not too long after the sun had fully set. As is often the case with these things, it's hard to pinpoint what exactly triggered the rioting. The only casualties were in the Young Army, with Young Army medics removing the bodies from the scene once the riots had been quelled in the area. Per protocol, a large pit was dug on the roads outside of the Castle, near the Farmlands, for the bodies to be disposed of in.
The second riot lasted from 10 o'clock to 4 o'clock in the morning, terrorizing the northeastern section of the Ramblings. Citing anger at their new Witch Queen and the murder of an innocent boy near the Hole-in-the-Wall Tavern, the rioters accidentally set the Winking Duck tavern ablaze, igniting the ample spirits inside. Silas Carlan, estranged uncle of Nera Hawthorn, Lucian Periculum, Crown Princess Luna's tutor, and Halvor Odinsen, the Northern Trader were among those who perished in the flames.
The stores in the Centre Ramblings Market were looted, with poor Frances Pickerin, the last remaining Wendron Witch (other than Queen Valda), being tossed out a window by the angered citizens of the Castle. She wasn't the only one thrown from the windows - those who remembered the previous crimes of the Young Army, already angered with their unauthorized implementation of martial law, were also tossed out by angered mobs. The poor Young Army medics spent less time helping their fellow soldiers than they did dragging their bodies back to camp.
An entire group of the Young Army soldiers - those older than the age of 17, as the children were largely spared - were locked inside the practical room of the Ramblings Players and pelted with rotten food. And yet, with Field Marshal Puck being mysteriously absent and Deputy Hunter Amarantha stationed at the Palace, some of the younger soldiers deserted, slipping into the Ramblings Orphanage and pretending they had been there all along. It was likely for the best that they did, as Castle residents ran to the rooftop gardens of the Ramblings and pelted the fleeing soldiers with anything they could find.
By the time the dust settled, 75% of the Young Army was dead or otherwise unaccounted for. Only 3.75% of the Castle's population met a similar state. The Palace Guard had valiantly defended the Royal Family, keeping the riots and mobs from storming the gates of the Palace. There were several attempts by the rioters to do exactly that. In the morning, it took a coordinated effort between the Ordinary Wizards, the remnants of the Young Army, and the Palace Guard to restore the impacted areas of the Ramblings.
The Hunter of the Young Army was unaccounted for, as was Puck. Regardless as to whether she had been anticipating it or not, Amarantha was now the highest ranking officer in the Young Army. It was hers to command. @BlueSky44: Valda's sleep was constantly interrupted throughout the night. Early in the morning, she had to meet with the Palace Guard, the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, the Castle Alchemist, and other officials to discuss the riots. Fortunately, the coordinated effort managed to repair most of the damage, though there was structural damage to the Ramblings that would need to be seen to. Emperor Taj sat in on the meeting, remaining mostly silent. The news that Peter Wylie had perished was troubling - it could spell the outbreak of war with the Eastern SnowPlains.
In the Throne Room, at the present time, Emperor Taj went over to Valda, sighing slightly. "My sister just finished inspecting the damage at Port - it seems the two Covens collided and wiped each other out nearly completely..." he told her quietly. "The device used to kill your mother...It was there."
@BlueSky44: Sylvi's night would be a difficult one. Her room at the Ramblings was near the source of the rioting, but luckily, her door was only tried a few times and no one managed to break inside. The most annoying thing would have been the ghosts that were constantly fleeing. As a Spirit-Seer, she'd be able to see them all. One of them was muttering something about how they were going to ruin all of the cabbages!
In the morning, members of the Palace Guard were patrolling the Ramblings, looking for those who had instigated the riots. The Winking Duck Tavern won't be operational for a while, but as a bard, she has a right to enter Wizard Tower and knows its password. Perhaps a change of scenery might do her some good.
@FantasyChic: Myth and Bruce easily had the best nights of anyone at the Castle, aside from perhaps the CHS at the Manuscriptorium. But he is a matter for another time. Bruce's residence in the Ramblings is located in the dead middle, untouched by the riots. Bruce's bedroom connects into the living area/kitchen. The room closest to the front door remained unoccupied - it's where his sisters tend to sleep, as only one of them is usually there at a time. In the room over, Marya and Medea spent the night, the twin speedsters sleepily oblivious to the activities happening elsewhere in the home.
In the morning, Bruce told Myth that he would be back shortly - he just needed to handle a custody dispute. She was welcome to stay as long as she liked and he warned her that although the twins might pretend to not speak English, they were fluent in it. They just couldn't read or write it.
@mnkee: Asha had made hot chocolate with cinnamon in it for Lyra, hoping that it would soothe her after the brutal death of Puck. As a person who dealt with Magyk and lived and breathed it, Asha had seen troublesome and gruesome things before. She had failed spectacularly as well and could empathize with Lyra's feelings of guilt and horror due to her own experiences. She had offered to spend the night with Lyra to comfort her, but ultimately ended up using the Ancient Ways to return home. She and Emperor Taj had returned early in the morning by the Ancient Ways, assisting Queen Valda and the people of the Castle in dealing with the new mess.
As the sun rose in the Castle, there was a soft knock at the door. "Lyra?" Asha called out softly. "Are you decent?" she asked. Mavis Moll's gift was still in Lyra's room, which Asha had helped to restore mostly through Magyk, though the Fyre from a dragon was hardly an easy thing to undo. It itself had Magykal properties.
@LadyRunic: Fendrel had walked with Rhys for a while through the Smugglers Bolt, but the man's mind seemed disorganized. He would constantly go back to fawning over his daughters, speaking at lengths about how they had their mother's hairs and his grandmother's spirit. If Rhys didn't know the precise reasons behind the names of each member of the Royal Family before, he certainly did now. Yet at one point, Fendrel just gave Rhys a smile. "I enjoyed this walk," he said, before he vanished.
Rhys' street was relatively untouched by riots, yet a majority of those who lived there provided the material for the riots. They were the instigators, traveling to the Ramblings where the Young Army presence was the greatest. Tom, his prisoner/patient, hadn't made any effort to escape but he had carved into the walls with his fingernails, now caked with blood. ESREN MADE ME DO IT was written over and over again.
@Dragoknighte: Atkin was told to remain in Wizard Tower once they had returned. Arya would have preferred to tell him to stay on the 21st and 20th floors, yet she doubted he would actually listen to her if she requested that. She also decided to make the (likely horrible) decision to allow him to access the Pyramid Library without supervision. Regardless as to what Atkin had decided to do that morning, there would be breakfast and tea waiting for him downstairs, where Arya and Rowland were talking.
Oh, but there is one small detail of note... Atkin's Magyk? Well, erm....He's basically giving off the scent of catnip. On a massive scale. But he himself can't smell it. Only the cats can. The minute he opens his door, every single cat in Wizard Tower will pounce on him. (Thirty one cats. You're welcome).
@KazAlkemi: From Cuyler's boat, he will be able to see the riots at the Ramblings clearly. The gates were ordered shut on his end, with Young Army and Palace Guard sentries keeping anyone from entering or leaving through them. In the morning, most of the Northern Traders were refused entry into the Castle, under an explanation that it was unsafe to enter and the gate would resume service the next day. However, Cuyler will receive a message rat and a shiny purple badge - the symbol of the ExtraOrdinary Wizard - to allow him to enter and leave the Castle as he pleases.
Of course, not all of the Northern Traders were accounted for. Halvor Odinsen didn't make it. He never came back. His closest friend among the traders, whom he had traveled with to the Castle, was going into fits of planning the funeral with outbursts of painful sobs. Some of them are blaming the Queen for allowing this to happen. Others the Young Army, reasoning that nothing good could come of them. A few are whispering about what this could mean for the relationship between the Castle and the Land of Long Nights.
@KazAlkemi: Amarantha, oh boy... For every four people she knows in the Young Army, three of them are dead or missing. Maybe they deserted. Maybe they participated in the riots. Either way, it's not a pleasant morning for her. She was asked to participate in the planning early in the morning with other Castle officials, in order to determine a response to the riots and ensure the streets are safe. For now, that task is over.
A messenger will have informed her all the other high ranking members of the Young Army were gone. Puck is still missing. At any rate...She's now the Field Marshal of the Young Army. Your organization is in tatters. And maybe, having a conversation with Queen Valda about next steps would be a good idea... At least they were kind enough to give you a spare room in the Castle, not too far from Lyra's.
Arya Rincewind
Location: Wizard Tower - 20th Floor
Arya had not gotten as much as sleep as either she - or Cuyler - would have cared for. As the Castle's ExtraOrdinary Wizard, she had risen three hours earlier in order to meet with members of the guard and other ranking officials in regards to the riots that had broke out. From what they could determine, the casualties had largely been members of the Young Army. A portion of the Ramblings had become ablaze - home to the Winking Duck Tavern - and a few had perished in the fire. Among them was beloved bartender, Jack Hudson.
"Rowland, it's like the Castle is imploding," Arya admitted quietly, taking a drink of her cup of tea. She wished Cuyler was there with her.
Rowland nodded, his tea seemingly stirring itself as lumps of sugar floated out of the tin and splashed into the cup messily. He hoped that the young ExtraOrdinary Apprentice would sleep in. He had already confirmed that all of Atkin's family and close friends had survived the violent riots from the night before, a stroke of luck given that they largely resided in the Ramblings. Of course, not everyone had been so lucky.
"Have you heard from Athelyna? She's still in the Lagoon, yes?" Arya asked, skirting the painful truth. Of Rowland's apprentices, one had perished in the rioting that evening. Peter Wylie's mother lived along the path connecting the Palace to the Ramblings. Her house had caught ablaze and Peter risked his life to save her. While Mrs. Wylie lived, Peter had not been so fortunate.
"I sent Trevor to confirm," Rowland explained, referencing his falcon. He took a weary sip of his tea. "As much as this demands our attention, there's also the matter of the Queste... I spoke with Alther and he will let us know if a Gathering is called."
Arya's stomach twisted, fearing for Atkin's safety. She had no doubt that all of these events were connected somehow - the Queen's murder, the rioting, the return of the Queste. The danger it placed Atkin in caused her to regret asking him to become her apprentice after catching him inside Wizard Tower. "You believe this all to be connected as well," Arya said. It was a statement, not a question.
She bit her lip. She had asked Thalia if she knew by what means the late Queen had died - and the Time Dragon informed her that Queen Meliscente had been aged to death. "I have my suspicions about the representatives from the Big Wild Land... Why reach out now, of all times?" Arya asked, taking another sip of tea. "Millenia of isolation and refusals of even a trading relationship with the Castle... They know something to do with Queen Meliscente's death, I am certain of it."
Rowland raised an eyebrow with a chuckle. "Do you mean to MindRead Emperor Taj?"
"...Perhaps that is what it has come to...I cannot risk the safety of the Castle for the sake of manners."
Rowland was about to say something, when he noticed a pawing at the front door and he opened it. In ran Atkin's brand new cat friends and they tore up the stairs, heading to the apprentice's bedroom and pawing at his door. Arya couldn't help but laugh as they served to cut through the tension that had been building. "He never told me he wanted a pet cat so badly..."
Myrus Silvers
Location: the Palace - Infirmary
Becky had remained in the infirmary with Myrus throughout the night, administering various potions and drawing heavily upon her talents in Physik. She could look out the window and see the riots throughout the Castle, the occasional building bursting with light - perhaps catching ablaze, she did not know. Her duties were to the prince and it was a good thing that Becky didn't leave him, as he ceased breathing in the middle of the night and she was barely able to revive him.
He had not yet stirred, but Becky had placed a cold compress on his head in hopes that he would soon. His eyes closed, Myrus found himself trapped in a prison of his own mind. Memories and reality were converging into one and Becky stared at his hand with awe, noticing that in real life, he had turned his sheets a soft pink glow.
"Myrus Marcellus, what are you?" Becky murmured to herself, grabbing a broom she had repurposed for just this job. She yanked the blanket off with the end of it, tossing it into the corner of the room where it promptly exploded. Wiping the sweat off of her brow in relief, Becky fetched the eleventh blanket thus far and tucked the young prince back in.
"Valda...She's going to kill you..." Myrus mumbled, still unconscious. "Golds is coming to get you..."
"No one is going to be killing anyone," Becky scolded. She then went over to Crown Princess Luna, ensuring that the young girl's temperature was no longer fluctuating wildly. Luna's message rat had returned early the previous evening, informing her that they had been unable to locate Golds and that her message would be refunded to her in store credit.
"Now you two rest up - I imagine the Queen will be expecting to have lunch with her siblings, not coffins."
The Badlands: Port Witch Coven Safe House/Antonije's Observatory
*The Port Witch Coven is where it says Simon's observatory, up in the slate quarries*
Fleur, Witch Mother
Constance, Adult Witch
Bernice, Adult Witch
Three unnamed adult witches
Marya Magnisky, Young Witch - missing
Medea Magnisky, Young Witch - missing
Jezebel, young witch
Nine unnamed young witches between the ages of 4 and 17
Two unnamed young warlocks between the ages of 4 and 17
italics indicates only the GM can control this NPC
It was a relatively uneventful night for the Port Witch Coven. Some of the children had night terrors and went to the adult witches for comfort, afraid of the sounds coming from the wilderness of the Badlands and missing the comforting ocean waves. They mostly quieted down after Constance conjured up the equivalent of white noise, placing a spell on their room to give them the sounds of the Port. Of course, the older ones had different terrors - nightmares involving Wendron Witches coming to kill them, with the Palace Guard supporting their terrorism.
"Any minute now, he'll arrive," Jezebel mused at breakfast, eating a piece of fruit. Bernice had gotten them for everyone. It was one of the perks of being a witch.
There was then the sound of hooves as a rider entered the stable on a black stallion. Yet when he emerged, it wasn't the man that Jezebel had predicted - instead, it was Antonije Magnisky, the legal owner of the observatory. He loved inventions and machines, preferring to live apart from society and tinker in peace. His siblings used to sneak out and stay with him after they had been adopted by separate parents, yet that had ceased when Marya and Medea joined the Coven.
"Wow, thanks for the heads up," Antonije muttered, though most called him Tate. It was easier for them to say. "Really appreciate it, assholes." He had a soft accent, similar to Marya and Medea's, that identified him as from the Eastern SnowPlains originally. He had various strange gadgets strapped to a belt on his person and goggles obscured some of his silver blonde locks from view.
Location: Ville au Camp - Peter's Grave ---> Salem Mass, 1692 ---> Ville au Camp
The fog rolled over the edge of the water in the distance as Belladonna stood next to the still fresh grave of the poor deceased Peter. The woman had spent the last four months taking James to various places and helping him to find himself, she hoped that he was able to also put some doubts to rest about what he did was the right thing even if his methods were still in question. She had a new student today, the lovely Andromeda. The girl had lovely skin, there was just something about its paleness that she could respect.
Andromeda couldn't help but have some mixed emotions about working with Belladonna. She reminded her of her own timeline, of the people she had left behind, and the questions that were never answered. Had her brother made it out alive? Did he finally find redemption and serenity? Was her father's spirit resting easy? Yet she knew that she'd just go mad if she spent all of her time asking those questions to herself. She had enjoyed working with Giouse far more than working with Nancy - she was a history nerd at heart. And as she approached Peter's grave, Andromeda gave Belladonna an uneasy smile.
Belladonna smiled coolly towards Andromeda as she came towards the grave. "Terrible morning to you my darling. I do hope you are well rested. We have a court case to attend to today, should be very stimulating," she said in a nearly giddy voice as she pressed her palms together in front of her chest. There was an air of glee, morbid glee, to the woman this day. Motioning towards the burlap sack against the tree she continued. "You must change, I know the attire is so horrible but we do what we must," she said with a sigh as she looked down at the cape that covered her. Pulling it back slightly it revealed that the woman was dressed as a puritan. "I despise wool.."
Andromeda raised an eyebrow. "...Are we going where I think we are?" she asked, examining Belladonna's attire and then the mention of a court case. Combined with the fact that the elder Paradox was so giddy over this and Andromeda still thought of her as a witch, there was one moment in particular in history that came to mind. "But this could be worse - Giouse's trip he took me on resulted in a sun burn," she mused, grabbing the sack. At least the puritan garb would protect her from the sometimes irritating star in the sky. She went off and changed quickly, coming back wearing the appropriate garb. She braided her white hair as well for good measure, figuring it'd already stand out enough on its own.
Belladonna waited patiently while Andromeda got changed and situated. "Oh don't you worry, we won't be visiting Salem during your timeline. I have picked something very special for you." There was this lilt to the womans voice. It was odd. Such a intonation on most would bring happiness, a feeling of warmth. Not from Belladonna. This lilt, while mirthful, was ominous. Perhaps it was just because it was coming from Belladonna's lips, perhaps it was something more. One could never tell. She liked it that way. "Do not worry about the sun, it is raining this day when we arrive. Positively dreary. It is quite lovely." Turning she began to move towards the portal. She did so enjoy traveling.
Andromeda noted that supposedly, Salem had a different history in various timelines. She had assumed the split was in the modern day, but perhaps that had been egotistical of her to assume. Not everything could happen in the 21st century in America, despite what movies and films suggested. "Sounds wonderful," Andromeda replied, mostly due to relief that she wouldn't need to worry about a sunburn. She couldn't help but wonder what exactly Belladonna wanted to show her or what she was supposed to take away from this, but it was also strange to think she'd be so close to her home and temporally, so far away.
"Oh it will be darling." The woman sounded positively giddy with cool excitement. A portal found and stepped through. Belladonna had not lied when she said it was raining. Out in the woods. Trees tall above them with gray skies beyond that which let cool droplets of water fall to the earth below. There was that quiet tapping as the droplets hit the leaves and the ground. Belladonna found it very pleasant as she looked around and took note of their location. "Should only be about an hours trek to Salem from here."
Andromeda looked around, taking a moment to breathe in the air. She wiped at her eyes for a moment, afraid that tears would fall. Whereas she couldn't say which way exactly she'd have to walk to get back to the place she was born, the general landscape and scenery just felt right to her. The woods of Massachusetts had a drastically different feel to them than the grounds of Ville au Camp did. "What direction do we need to walk?" Andromeda asked. She couldn't help but want to place where they were, to know which paths would take her towards other familiar towns.
"East darling," the elder Paradox said as she began to walk. "You had just an interesting time line and while things are not as chaotic during this time, it is still a very trying time for our kind." There was a glance in Andromedas direction and a slight pull to the corner of her lips into what could have been thought of as a smile. "But from every tragedy strength is born." An understanding was in that cool voice of hers as they made the trek, having to cut through the woods for a while before a worn and well beaten path was found that they could follow.
"Our kind?" Andromeda inquired. She knew her father's family history all the way back to the Civil War - anything much before that had been lost to time. Yet she couldn't help but feel that Belladonna was implying that her family had been practitioners of witchcraft far before her brother had come along. Our kind didn't make sense to her in the context of Paradoxes. Her mind continued to spin and try to extract each piece of information from this. "Do you mean witches?" she couldn't help but ask, wanting to know for sure, as she continued to follow Belladonna and the path.
"Yes, of course dear." There was the confirmation as Belladonna kept walking down the muddy beaten path. The rain increasing and clinging to the wool capes. "Though it seems every time and every timeline calls us something different. Those that can tap into other sources of power. Witches, demons, the Trained, Mutants, oh the list does go on and on," she said with a wave of her hand as the tree line broke and one could see a wide spans of open fields before a small town rested off in the distance. "Oh Salem, such a lovely little village though I must admit that I do prefer it in the late twentieth early twenty-first century along one particular time line. Very festive."
Andromeda looked into the distance, seeing Salem come into view. She had been born there. It always struck her as slightly curious that she hadn't been born in her hometown of Coventry, but her father had insisted that Salem was the place to be at the time. Like her brother, he was more on the spiritual side of things. "I'm not a witch though...Or anything close to one, unless being a Paradox counts," Andromeda explained. "Walter was the one that messed with forces...I just traveled and looked for the bizarre, thought there was a beauty to them..."
"Women my dear. Women with free thinking minds and hearts." There was a clarification to her statement though it was still most likely a bit perplexing. "And yes, the bizarre has a beauty unique to it. It shows a breaking of bounds that much of this world doesn't take either by circumstance or design." Walking down the road they finally came into the village proper and Belladonna made a beeline for a building at the end of the road. It was a church. "The days before separation of church and state."
"Oh," Andromeda said, feeling a bit awkward. As much as she knew that she needed to get past Coventry and everything that had happened, her mind went straight to witchcraft being real and everything that had happened - rather than considering that in this timeline, magic and other things like that seemed to just be fiction. She spotted the church at the end of the road, following Belladonna and she had to hold her tongue to herself - sometimes, she could've sworn people in her own time period forgot about that.
The doors pushed open and inside was a riot of yelling and accusations and anger and fear. Belladonna slowly moved over towards a pew and had a seat, making sure she slid far enough over for Andromeda to have a seat as well. A poor woman was on the so called stand, no chance to speak as more and more accusations came towards her. She was attractive by that days standards of beauty and most of the accusations were thrown towards her because she could read, or was not married, or a number of other factors that had nothing to do with witchcraft but were attributed to it. She was being held responsible for the thoughts and actions of men around her. Belladonna sat stoic as she watched.
As she sat down next to Belladonna, Andromeda wasn't sure what she felt - beyond nauseous. She had read all about the Salem Witch Trials, having spent a fair bit of time in the town that was her father's namesake. It was troubling that those same factors, those same insults that were ultimately turned into accusations, were not unheard of in her own timeline. As much as things changed, they still remained the same. She couldn't help but wonder why Belladonna was showing her this - she knew that the Emendators had been clear with them. They couldn't change anything. But it was sickening and heartbreaking to have to watch this.
This wasn't a trial, it was a parade of madness. Yet, what happened next wasn't in the text books. The woman on the stand narrowed her eyes. Apparently she had had enough of this. The candles flickered and then roared to life as they grew in length. "Witch!" various people in the room started shouting. The flames of the candles bent and came to the woman on trial, burning away the ropes which bound her hands. "Bride of Satan!" others called out, along with many other terms they yelled in anger and fear. They tried to come for her but as they dove, they were caught in midair by an unseen force and flew back, hitting the walls and landing in crumpled heaps on the ground.
Andromeda's eyes widened with fascination. "So in this timeline...witches were real?" she whispered to Belladonna. She knew that they were real in her own timeline, though she couldn't remember if the supposed witches at Salem had been actual witches or if it was just mass hysteria. And even though she had seen a lot of powerful events that were essentially just magic, driven by demons and witches, it still took her breath away to watch. Though she didn't know why Belladonna had taken her here to see this - but she couldn't help but wonder who the woman was.
Belladonna nodded and turned her head as the woman left the building while mass hysteria broke out, people fleeing for their lives. Rising calmly she looked at Andromeda and gave a soft smile as she cupped Andromedas cheek in her cool fingers. "Everything Bizarre that you adored does and so much more." Letting her fingers slip she turned and exited the building. Outside the woman stood there, the rain beating down and suddenly it stopped. A man with eyes so dark they seemed hollow stepped out of the shadows and towards the witch.
"Leave my domain before I make you," he told the witch. She looked frightened for the first time and vanished, there was a feeling of something zooming by them. Then he spotted Belladonna and Andromeda. "Field trip?"
A shiver had run down Andromeda's spine as Belladonna cupped her cheek. As she followed her outside, she couldn't help but keep her eyes on the witch. Yet she felt another shiver as she turned and saw the mysterious man, looking at his terrifying eyes and presence. The skin on her arm stood up on end and she couldn't help but wonder if the witch had ran past them like the Flash or Quicksilver. "...Yes?"
"Oh this one speaks, you have a brave one with you," he said as he started walking towards them. Belladonna smirked as she held out her arms and embraced the man. "How are you Bella?" he asked. Now that he was closer his eyes still showed nothing but one could tell he looked to be Native American, his dress fitting of one beneath the long black cloak.
"Marvelous darling, just marvelous. Please, let me introduce you to Andromeda Aldrich. Andromeda, this one is known as Naumkeag," she said introducing the two.
"Aldrich? Oh brought her home to roost?" he asked and then grinned slightly, it was unsettling. Holding out his hand. "You are probably confused," he said as the crowd ran out of the church. Turning his head he flicked his wrist and the world seemed to stop, everything but the three of them.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Naumkeag," Andromeda said - half to be polite, a little bit to practice pronunciation of the name, and then a little more because she was generally fascinated by the man...whatever he was. She doubted he was a simple human and her mind started running through the names of various creatures she had encountered. Had it not been for the bit of - she assumed magic - she would have guessed that he was a hunter. Of course, time seemingly stopping caused a little bit of panic within her. She had died in a very similar situation. "...And yes, I am confused," she admitted. "I know my family roots can be traced back to Coventry in the late Civil War period but...I always assumed my father's fascination with Salem was because of its history with witchcraft," she added.
"Oh really? Well, that is just because it is...." he began but he caught a look from Belladonna that cut him off. "I'll let her explain, it was nice meeting you," he said as he turned towards the church after kissing Belladonna on the cheek. His wrist flicked and it looked like time was rewinding itself. The elder paradox couldn't help but shake her head as she motioned for Andromeda to follow her back the way they came.
"Let us be on our way and I will explain as we walk," she said as she pulled the hood of her mantle back up as soon as they go far enough away they stepped into the rain once again. "He is what is known as a Concret, an Elemental in general terms. He looks over and watches this area. Every place on earth has one. The higher the population the closer they are together. Currently he watches over all New England, by the time we reach the twenty-first century he only patrols this one town."
Andromeda hadn't heard of Concrets or Elementals before, yet it wasn't at all surprising. Even in her timeline, she only had scratched the surface of the paranormal. This was a new timeline, one fresh with possibilities - as far as Andy was concerned - and with different lore than what she had become accustomed to. "Does Ville au Camp have one?" Andromeda asked. She imagined that it had to, given Belladonna's description, but she felt it was something she should have noticed by now if it did.
Belladonna nodded. "In this time line but she knows better than to cross over into the Emendators home. There is an... understanding," she said with a lilt in her voice. Glancing over towards Andromeda she smiled slightly. "This time line is unique. So many things exist. Vampyres, Weres, Witches, Ghosts, Wyghts, Inuits. Daemons are a personal favorite of mine. Yet they still live in hiding for the most part. Some know of them, most do not."
Andromeda couldn't help but smile slightly. The terms were different yet they felt familiar at the same time. In a way, it was comforting to know that things like that could still be out there, even if it wasn't her own home. Her mind was buzzing with more and more questions, especially as to why some timelines were called certain things - how one could be singled out as the main one - and so forth. She also wanted to know more about the Elemental that guarded the area of Ville au Camp - and she couldn't help but feel a bit of pride knowing it was a she. "Sounds like home..."
Belladonna stopped and turned to face Andromeda, her hands coming out suspiciously quickly. Grabbing the young Paradox by the shoulders as she locked eyes with the girl. "Listen to me darling and listen well. Home is where your family is. You brothers and sisters, the Paradoxes. Your mother, aunt, and uncles, the Emendators. That is home. No matter what you have been through before this life, this is your life now. This is your family now. I am your family. That is home. Where they are, is your home. You will feel a draw to them. Here," she said in a rather maternal voice, like an older sibling, as she touched Andromedas chest right at her heart. "Only they will ever understand what you have been through."
Andromeda stared back at Belladonna, her heart beating quickly. She understood what Belladonna meant - but to her mind, she could have multiple homes. The rooftop looking up at the stars in the desert was her home. The cheesy hotel in Coventry was her home. The study hall in her dormitory at college was her home. Ville au Camp was her home. "I get that - but I can have multiple families," Andromeda said softly, not trying to be rude or anything. She was having some trouble letting go of her life from before.
"Dear Peter thought so, as did Drem, they are both dead now because of it." Belladonna wished that there could be more than one home or family but in this life she had seen what it had done, when connections were not cut, when love wasn't severed. When loyalties were split. It drew them to them. Belladonna inhaled slowly and her dark eyes widened. "Run.." she whispered.
She didn't have time to ask more questions, though the mention of Drem and Peter brought them to mind. They had died because of the Destruere, Andromeda recalled - or at least, she was fairly certain she remembered that was the truth in both cases. As Belladonna told her to run, Andromeda's eyes widened and she nodded. "Which way?" she asked, not certain where they were supposed to run to.
Belladonna was barely able to motion which direction with her hand before she was grabbed by an unseen force by her leg and drug backwards. Her face hitting the ground as her long nails dug into the earth as she was pulled back at an astounding rate. The hem of her gown seemed to start to melt around her pale calves. There was a sound in the air now, like the rumbling of digestion through a stethoscope. Belladonna seemed to vanished and a flock of ravens exploded from where she had been. The flew up and enveloped Andromeda, pushing and leading her towards the portal with their beaks and talons.
Andromeda didn't need the ravens to tell her twice, figuring that it must have been one of Belladonna's abilities as she took off at a run in the direction of the portal. Had it been a coincidence that the Destruere came? Or was her attachment to her old life the reason they had decided to ambush them? Her heart was hammering and she wanted to ask that question - that was what she did, she asked questions. She questioned everything and looked for more things that didn't seem quite right. Her mind was never still.
The ravens pushed Andromeda,keeping her shielded at the back. Batches of them would get knocked left and right. The portal came into view and the turned their attack towards the area where they kept getting hit from. Once Andromeda was through they vanished and a thick fog formed over the area that swept through the portal before it collapsed and cut the connection between that time and home. The fog got denser and denser, pulling together until the form of Belladonna could be seen standing there. Blood stained brightly on her pale skin, her dress in shreds, her cloak gone.
"...Was that because of me?" Andromeda asked tentatively. She took off her own cloak and handed it to Belladonna. She hadn't known first aid before and she certainly didn't know any now, but she figured it was the least that she could do for her. "Are you alright?" she then added, looking at her with worry.
Belladonna looked towards Andromeda and started to look over the young Paradox. "You're home, I'll be fine." There was a slight look of relief on her features as she saw Andromeda was alright before turning and heading towards the mill. She needed a new dress.
"I'm glad you're fine - or will be fine," Andromeda said. She took a quick glance at Ville au Camp, thinking about what Belladonna had said - that this was her home. These people were her family. She took a breath and shut her eyes. She brought to mind images of her brother, her father, her mother...And then she imagined letting them go. When she opened them again, she took off after Belladonna, not certain if the lesson was over or not.
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