Cursive Eve

[TakodaVega]

By now the world had changed, in old times Magicka was so seeped into Terra that it had laid almost like a thick mist over everything and everyone. Times had changed though, now that the Talosden had taken over and had preached that the world was filled with the creatures of sin and that we, the people, needed to be purified and cleansed of such nonsense.

Magicka was a part of our lives, it was what fueled us and allowed us to live, for some it was so strong that it was etched into our very skin. For years now the Talosden have been ruling with an iron fist over many of the strongholds of Terra. Magicka, as it pulled away from Terra and was supposedly 'cleansed' from the people, soon became scarce in that part of the world, and soon the area would become barren for the People.

Those from the old world, those that had possessed the elements, had long since slumbered. The Talosden could not win though, if they did soon Terra herself would rebel and would swallow the People whole and start anew. The World had already ended in Fire, and last time, it had ended in Ice. Now was our time to save Terra. There are those amongst the People that are marked by Magicka, those who can still save and undo the Talosden's scars upon Terra. That is where our story starts...

☨-☨-☨ In lumine tuo, videbimus lumen. ☨-☨-☨

"We found another one Brother Ulric," came the male as a woman was tossed in front of them. She struggled against the bonds, shackles chaffing her wrists as she felt the overbearing shadow over her. Her brown hair fell amongst the side of face as she rose those defiant blue eyes ringed with a silver lining around the pupil. Why she was there though was obvious based on the glowing marking etched by throat. A Butterfly stood out against her skin, skin that was not skin. She was marked by Magicka, for what purpose, Brother Ulric at the time didn't care. She was among the Tainted. "Take her with the others." The other masked priest nodded grabbing the woman as she was dragged to a larger carriage of some sort and threw her in amongst another small group. Each one was marked as 'Touched by Magicka' in some way. From the immortals to those who were simply mages. Even Angels and harmless Fay had been put to death thanks to the Talosden.

She groaned softly as she pulled herself up from the floor, dragging herself against the wall, her eyes closed before she finally looked out at the others. From what she could see she was the only one with a Marking of Magicka directly on her skin. However, even though she was cursed with the short life, the female was ready. She knew amongst those in the cage with her would be the key to save Terra. The question of course if they would listen to her.

[Dies Irae]

"I don't think you understand your own value here" the hardened voice came, safe behind the wooden desk while the young females hads were being bound behind her "You pig!, how did you know, why would you betray me for these people!" Aries screamed, struggling in the arms of the two pulling her wrists into the shackles, "Simple of course, You valuable to Talosden, they paid handsomly for you" he responded laughing, she'd already lost her scythe, being left in the possesion of her former emplyer, looking up at him seething with anger she kicked out pushing the desk back some, before she was shackled and pulled away "I'll kill you!, I'll kill all of you!" she yelled, her threats were empty at the time, more than that they had cut her clothes to reveal the mark, the burning phoenix almost glowing now that she had learned to control her abilities, being dragged out into the street she still kicked and struggled, before being thrown into the back of the damned truck.

"That one was a pain in the ass, let's hope we don't deal with any more of those" one of the two who captured her said, she had taken to the corner, leaning aginst the wall her hands bound behind her back, it wouldn't be diffcult to escape but she had to wait at least until they were moving so she wouldn't be bound straight away, luckily for her they didn't know she was an elementalist, specifically a fire one. Looking around the carriage she sighed, stuck in a cage with people who had no hope for escape, brilliant, she thought to herself, looking out of the barred window, she was going to get back at him and then she would get her scythe and find whoever thought it was a good idea to ruin her day and kill them to, looking over at the others, she didn't see many marked, besides one with the butterfly on her neck, she was at least thankful hers was in a much more hidden place.

"So..does anyone here have any plan to get out, or have you all resides yourselfs to praying for a painless execution?" she asked hushed but still angry, she'd lost her pay, her job and her weapon and now her wrists were starting to cramp from the awkward position, shifting herself quietly as she slid her arms under her and out over her feet so she could at least have her arms in front of her. She hated waiting, she wanted to brun the shackles off now and just get out of the damned cage. "I'm going to kill that greed ridden bastard if its the last thing I do" she muttered leaning against the wall calming herself down, she wouldn't be able to focus her flame if she was angry, probably would end up killing the others in the cage if it got out of control.

[jinkagai]

His grip tightened around his spear, its butt end digging further in the gravel beneath it. Sweat dripped from his forehead, it itched to no end but there was no way for him to get underneath his helmet, especially with the face guard down. He hated wearing his full armor, even more he hated not knowing what was going on inside, but he had been deemed unstable for this mission due to his minor insubordination in his last meeting with Magicka. Plus, the Talosden needed to make sure the caravan, delivering its newest bunch of what had to be sacrifices, was guarded accordingly. This was the fourth day out, and already they had gathered more people than they had in the past month.

Varza could only stand and wonder what the implications meant, were there really this many more than usual? Or where the Talosden simply trying to make a statement, gathering as many people they could, regardless of power or standing?
The screaming of a woman brought him back from his pondering.

"I'll kill you!, I'll kill all of you!"
He had heard that line many times in the past, though this one had more fight in her than many he had seen in recent times. He smiled to himself as he couldn't resist the thought of a fight between the two...what were her powers...what were her tendencies...the thrill of the hunt. Sadly for him the thrill wasn't a thrill at all anymore, nine times out of ten it was some poor soul to old or too young to really function efficiently at all. No he couldn't think like that. It got him in trouble last time.
His gaze returned to that of the fiery woman, and the phoenix on her leg. He thought he heard the guard next to him make some lewd comment, but he couldn't really tell, nor did he really care. Guards weren't hunters, they were far too naive.

There were barks, orders to open the carriage, to help force the woman inside. The guards moved accordingly, forcing her inside then slamming the thing shut without so much as a second glance.

"Hey you, newbie, I didn't order you to stand around! Get on yer horse and get moving! we're done here!" His 'superior' yelled. He raised his spear slightly then slammed it into the ground before mounting and moving his horse alongside the caravan, making sure to pace himself near a gated window of the carriage.

He was more than curious, but he was also cautious. He always kept the slit in his helmets peripheral vision on the energetic woman. Something in his guy told him that she wasn't the only dangerous one in there.

[Shu]

A man appeared in front of the caravan on the road causing them to halt temporarily. 'Your about to leave one behind!' He grinned and threw a small framed woman on the ground in front of them, he bent over and pulled the back of her shirt down over her left shoulder exposing her pair of dragonflies. 'Wouldn't want to do that now would you?' Her hands were bound together in front of her and her face was now smeared with dirt. As she began to pick herself up she mumbled, 'And you don't want to miss out on your bounty money.'

He heard her and slapped her across the face, 'You ought to learn to show your captors some respect! Eh...Oh well your going to die anyhow.'

He picked her up off of the ground and tried to walk her toward the carriage. She shook off his hand from her arm and walked herself, though before getting in she spit in his face. 'There is a special place in hell for people like you.' she calmly told him as the door was being shut.

She took a seat and waited for the caravan to start moving again. There wasn't much else she could do at this point anyhow, she would have to wait. Wiping the dirt off her face as best she could she looked around for others who were marked. She only spotted two and wondered how everyone else got trapped in there with them.

[Schafflyne]

Ayxect felt a tinge of guilt for having sucked up so much of Terra's flowing magicka strictly for the purpose of murdering the Talosden down the road.

While they were busy rounding up the weak magicka-touched, he took a walk through the forest, storing as much Magicka as Terra would allow him to take, so that he could give extra fuel to his powers, as well as any other magicka-touched that were willing to join the battle.

Assassin tactics were the usual par for a guard or two, but this was a caravan he was waiting for. Ayxect knew he'd have to get a little more messy and break a bone or two before he could free anyone.

Then again, it wasn't like they knew what was gonna' hit them until he took the time to execute each of them, one by one. For now though, Ayxect sat at the base of a tree near the road, his body shivering. He thought it was a good act, pretending to be a beggar. The problem was that the shaking was real- he was holding that much Magicka within him. If the damn caravan didn't get here soon, he'd have to release it all back into the environment, which took time and caution.

[jinkagai]

Another woman shoved inside, another bag of gold loosely tossed about, another man's puny ambition sated once again. It was all so monotonous that, combined with the heat and humidity, actually made Varza sick to his stomach. Of course he had no choice but to swallow and keep on walking. Being a guard was just so mundane. Boring. The hunters also obnoxious, cocky, and a bit careless and classless.

The word "Halt!" snapped him from his musings once again. Of course, being he was off to the side of the caravan, it was rather difficult to see exactly what was transpiring on the front end of the road, especially with his helmet, but his ears worked remarkably well.

"Hey you! Get off the road! Don't you know who we are?! Don't you know what precious cargo we are carryin??!!"
There was no response. The sound of a guardsman sliding off his horse was carried by a slight breeze. Heavy footsteps followed, still no answer.

"Hey beggar. Move!"

Still nothing.

The sound of steel sliding out of a scabbard.

Nothing.

"This is your last warnin...move, or we move you!"

Silence.

Varza gripped his reins. Something was terribly wrong. But he couldn't find the care to stop it.

[TakodaVega]

Scin's eyes honed on the fiery child in the corner, in her mind's eye she could see the power rippling through her, like heat waves. The curse and gift of being one of the Sentinels sent only when Terra needed it most. Not even those of the former years had seen a living Sentinel. Many remained entombed under the seal of Terra. She alone could awaken and summon to the living realm to do her bidding. Scin was no different. She had been given her name because she was what the Talosden had been afraid of.

"Hush, little Niamhshi." Came the woman's voice, Niamhshi? That was old, old words. Ancient even but they were whispered sometimes among the Talosden as from the forbidden words, "Help will come in a way unexpected." She only had one month. One lunar cycle before she return to what she had once been. Already, though she was only a few days old, parts of her form were fading to reveal the true Sentinel beneath. It was starting in the roots, the brown fading into white, which would eventually turn into a the warm dawn colors.

"The others here, they have rescinded themselves to death. Except," her gaze soon focused at the woman who had been shuffled in last, "For her. She is not like us," She could tell, simply based on what her 'minds eye' let her see. Souls were easily read if one knew what to look for.  "Yet she is part of this too," She glanced back to the firechild, "Patience. All will make itself clear soon enough. You'll know when, I promise. And when you do, you two," She looked at the new one before her gaze drifted outside, "Should follow me. Revenge is not here, it is in Kiesla, the home to this forsaken Covenant."

[Dies Irae]

Catching glances between the inquisitive guard for a moment, Aries scowled, how someone could resign themselves to being a lapdog to some leader who did nothing to assist those that fought under him, she in small ways was no different, being a hired mercenary of sorts, looking up from her gaze to the floor of the caravan to watch the next of the captured be thrown into the mobile cell. She was different given her small show of defiance, next was the other who seemed to show some fight, though cryptic in manner of speaking, she felt her voice calm her, something about her voice, her presence it was different to what she was used to. The name she used was unfamiliar 'Niamhshi' she didn't know it, but she had a guess as to what it meant.

"Well when your revenge starts to roll, give me a time and place" she said smirking, she had intentions to get some payback to those who double crossed her, first was her former employer, then she would take the fight to the ones in charge, cut the head of the snake as some would say "Just not before i get my scythe back" she muttered, feeling almost naked without her weapon, staring out of the caravan the limited view of their surroundings was troublesome, knowing when she could melt the binds and escape to get her scythe back was going to be more challenging than she had initially hoped. Catching glances with the two others inside with her before returning to gaze at the floor "Resigned to death...how pathetic" she said under her breath, she would give in, dying a warriors death fighting for whatever purpose she wished, that was how she wanted out of this life, not knelt over a chopping block or helpless on the gallows.

Then came a stroke of luck, the distraction of the supposed beggar on the road, something to keep them away from her for a few moments, adjusting the binds to rest between her hands she closed her eyes slowly, calming herself from the rising anger and concentrating to form the small fireball between her palms, just enough to melt away the shackles and free herself, though she would have to do the same with the lock on the caravan door after they were done, soon enough the metal dissolved to a smoldering mass on the caravan floor, cooling and hardening in front of her, looking to the one she had spoken to earlier she smiled "Did you have your own escape plan or did you want some assistance?" she asked, half serious and half teasing, she was getting tired of the tense and awkward moments the caravan gave, lightening the mood with some joking words was somewhat relieving to say the least.

[Schafflyne]

Ayxect figured he'd be ignored, so that he could initiate a surprise attack, but this noisy guard was quickly making it evident he needed to improvise. His body quaking with the power of Mother Terra, he managed to pull himself up and trudged toward the screaming guard. His eyes looked tired, and his body looked weak, but he was secretly on fire with power.

"Ser, ser, please, if you'd kindly spare me a coin. I'm so hungry." Ayxect acted the part as best he could.

With barely a thought, both the ankles of the screeching guard snapped with a sickening 'crack'. Despite this, Ayxect knew the show wasn't over until he crushed every Talosden lackey in sight.

"Oh my god! Someone help him!" Ayxect yelled out as he pointed and stared in false disbelief, watching the guard scream and writhe at having his ankles crushed.

[jinkagai]

His ankles shattered, his feet no more than blobs of flesh at the moment, and with a look of fear evident on his face, he fell, attempting to grab the beggar, not for any harm, but support. It didn't matter, the beggar knew no more than he, right? The guard missed, grabbing air and falling face first onto the dirt road. It seemed the impact jarred his senses as pain shot up through his entire body.

He screamed. The beggar yelled for help. And every guard ran blindly to his aid. Stupid. They had never seen magic before, not the signs, the shift in wind, the beggar exuding an aura only to the extremely trained eye.

Unfortunately for the members of the Talosden guard, the hunters were out looking for more prey or reaping a reward in the town they just left, and the only 'guard' who had that ability did not budge from his spot, nor did he make any attempt at discerning the situation, or think about calling a warning of possibility. After all, maybe this would put an end to his mundane life.

The guard captain was the first to reach the beggar, and his fallen soldier.

"Medic!" he quickly barked to the man wearing a simple steel breastplate over top chain mail coming quickly up on his right.

"What happened here? Are you injured?" the captain quickly turned to the beggar. He may have been a member of the Talosden, but he was one of the few who did have a general care for civilians, and his men.

Too bad for him he didn't have the ability to hold his men in check, instead of allowing almost everyone to abandon their post.

[Uriel Seraphim]

      Gabriel was shackled to the point in which she had become immobile. Her hands and feet were bound, both separately and together, connected by a heavy chain to her throat and chest. They had found her too dangerous to be released, too dangerous to be allowed something as simple as movement. She could walk, and run if she slouched to an awkward angle, so truthfully, the guards had done an awful job at securing her. Not that she really wanted them to know that.

    The swirls that decorated almost each and every inch of her skin glowed against the darkness .She was not afraid of these creatures, not afraid of dying. But she was truly afraid of losing her determination, truly afraid of losing whatever piece of herself she still contained. They had kept her here for a full month, a full heartless month. No one spoke to her, no one provoked her; no one cleaned or touched her. She supposed that was for their protection though. After all, being in the same room with an angel for too long had rather questionable effects on humans. Her will became their wants, truthful values became their reality. The Talosden did not like the divine powers corrupting their soldiers.

    Yet now, now they had picked her up and thrown the girl into a caravan with the rest of the prisoners. Firstly though, they had been sure to bind her six wings together with starlight-silver. With a fair bit of fluttering however, the stands would hopefully fall away. They were to be executed she assumed. Or at least, that was what she had gathered from the guard's thoughts. She cursed them when they threw her inside the carriage, kicked to the longest extent she could but managed to hit nothing.

    She found a comfortable place amidst the group ant waited until the carriage began to move before fluttering. It took a few minutes before the bands began to loosen, a few moments more before they feel away completely.

"Patience. All will make itself clear soon enough. You'll know when, I promise. And when you do, you two," She looked at the new one before her gaze drifted outside, "Should follow me. Revenge is not here, it is in Kiesla, the home to this forsaken Covenant."

    Gabriel laughed at the creatures words. "Strength in numbers you think? I fear you will not get far with the humans on their horses, and you with not but your feat to carry you away." She smile and unfurled her wings, allowing them to stretch within the small amount of space she had. "Wings often come in handy for such things. I would offer to carry you, but even I cannot manage to hold onto three humans after sever food depravity that has lasted for a full month. One, perhaps, but not three."

"Resigned to death...how pathetic"

    Gabriel laughed again, "Not at all. It is sad that they have given up their most coveted of gifts, but all the same, it is a fact all mortal creatures will one day resign themselves to. Death will meet even you one day child."

    When the caravan came to a stop, Gabriel's eyebrows furrowed. Reality dawned on her of course and her eyes turned on the more powerful creature. "I assume then, that this is your doing." She smiled, "Someone melt away my chains would you? I promise the molten metal will not hurt me. It would be nice not to need to find a rock in order to bash the damned things open."

[TakodaVega]

[As per Shu's Request I'm posting next]

"And here I was thinking you were dead," came the Sentinel's voice as her attention focused on the angel that had, until that point, been silent and still as the grave. Scin's eyes focused on the Archangel on the floor and crossed her arms. "How does an Angel like you end up in the hands of the Talosden?" She glanced between those who were in the Caravan. Most of the prisoners in the Caravan themselves had been silent and basically lifeless save for those who had been added last, or had at least seemed to be paying attention now to the conversation beyond their chains.

Her lips twitched carefully though at the Angel's statement about carrying. "That won't be necessary, I'm fairly sure we will have a good deal of horses available to us soon enough." Scin from her mind's eye could see the pulsing Magicka ahead of the caravan. Soon enough the screaming started and the caravan stopped entirely. "As for Death, it's peace for some when they have tortured for their shorter lifespan." As a Sentinel she knew that far too well. She was essentially awake for a month until and those last 48 hours she would be in her true form once more but once the Harvest Moon rose above the sky, Scin would return to the stone guardian she once was.

"Mmm? The Ruckus outside? Hardly, but some people have more of a will to do things they think is right than others realize." Her gaze switched down to the girl she had mentioned earlier, crouching down to the girl's level, "I am sorry you got thrown into this, it seems some are more about of the Mark of the Chosen, versus the truth." She tilted her head, "You can choose to stay here if you desire, or you can come with us," She gestured to the other females in the room, "If that will help you on your way. The way is hard, and it'll bring about a beginning of an end. However, I think you will find it fulfilling if that is what you wish. It is your choice to choose your path."

Scin carefully lowered her arms till they almost touched the floor before hopping backwards, bring her hands to the front. Glancing between the others she looked over at the woman in the corner who had been talking about her scythe earlier her lips twitching into a small smile, "Some help would be nice," She held her hands out for the woman to burn away her own shackles, and once that had been done she glanced over to the angel, "My doings here are short lived, what Terra defines of my doings here is Her choice, and I do Her bidding and Hers alone." She glanced over at Aries again, "Try and get the Angel and the girl here out of their bindings. I have a feeling that freedom will happen in a much different way than what you have in mind." If the screaming and sounds of feet meant anything, possibly much sooner as well.

[Shu]

Charon had been listening to all that was said inside of the caravan as well as keeping an eye, through a crack, as to what was happening outside as well.  

There were four of them in all who were marked, somehow each managed to have themselves trapped in this cage.  Two seemed to be more like her, marked and with the ability to use Magicka, one an angel.  She had heard that there were angels still amongst them but had never seen one herself. Quite honestly she had thought it more of as a legend than the truth.  She had just been proven wrong.  

The woman with the butterfly on her skin spoke to her, "I am sorry you got thrown into this, it seems some are more about of the Mark of the Chosen, versus the truth." She tilted her head, "You can choose to stay here if you desire, or you can come with us," She gestured to the other females in the room, "If that will help you on your way. The way is hard, and it'll bring about a beginning of an end. However, I think you will find it fulfilling if that is what you wish. It is your choice to choose your path."

Charon still said nothing but decided to not fight and resign herself to death.  She sat in her place and waited.

[Uriel Seraphim]

"In a manner unbefitting of my kind, I assure you. These Talosden ..." she remembered how they had caught her all too well. Exploiting her healing nature, trapping her within selflessness; it was the way of these humans, to turn beauty into decay. She shook her head and tried to shift in order to gain some level of comfort. "...they're despicable."

"We grow fewer and fewer each century. True, a death in this life is no real death for an angel, but it is one we cannot regain." Gabriel smirked, "Soon the purest angels on Terra will be Nephilim bastards born of the defilement of my kind. I hope if such a day arrives I will no longer inhabit this world. Such a thing would be too heartbreaking to bare."  

"I am sorry you got thrown into this, it seems some are more about of the Mark of the Chosen, versus the truth. You can choose to stay here if you desire, or you can come with us, if that will help you on your way. The way is hard, and it'll bring about a beginning of an end. However, I think you will find it fulfilling if that is what you wish. It is your choice to choose your path."

Gabriel listened to the Magicka users words and suppressed the pensive look that lay just below the surface. Where was she to go now? It was an interesting thought. Gabriel knew of very few places left on this world able to hide an Angel of her rank, and even fewer places that were actually willing to help such a creature, even with her appealing abilities.

She turned on her side so that it was easier for the elemental Magicka user to melt away her chains. An angel was much harder to injure than most would assume. The Talosden had merely resulted to beheading her kind and burning their remains. So far, she assumed it had worked, for none who had been captured ever returned.

As most of her kind did, Gabriel could take a charge if she wished. She could become someone's protector while she was still on Terra; devote her life to someone worthy of such a gift. But such a gift could only be given in exchange for something of equal or greater value.

She smiled once her chains were melted away and the hot metal began to burn through the floor. Freedom or life, they were worthy enough gifts, were they not?

Gabriel moved so that she could stretch out her wings to their full span. She bowed her head towards the Magicka users and allowed a solemn grin to seep out across her lips. "In exchange for my freedom, I offer all of you my services as a guardian. I vow to protect those who have gifted me with life, until Terra decides it is my time to return into her greater power." She looked up at them with a quiet look of questioning, "Your quest shall become my own, to see you sucessful will be my only mission in life. Do you accept?"

[Dies Irae]

Aries looked to the angel shaking her head "My death will come on the battlefield, to a worthy opponent who outclasses my own ability, i shall never accept my death in any other way" she muttered as she set to work melting away the shackles of each of the touched and the Angel, leaning back against the wall as she listened to the commotion outside of the caravan, looking back to the three of them before sliding to the locked door they were thrown into the caravan through, she could melt the lock, risk lighting a fire in the caravan while doing so but she would be unharmed and she assumed the others who were touched would be to, her flame was magicka conjured though she hadn't tested the theory she assumed Magicka users would be unaffected aswell, sliding her hand through the bars she smiled at the Angels offer, shaking her head "The world today is dangerous, i'm sure some other soul deserves a guardian much more than i" she said smirking, she needed no protection, she'd lived her life till this point on her own, she wouldn't start relying on another until she absoulutly needed to.

Holding her hands as close to the lock as she could she looked back "If this spreads i suggest you get out quickly", she spoke as she began conjuring a small flame, slow burning and easier to control, holding it underneath the lock, the metal burned easily, the wooden caravans door being singed, keep her focus on the flame she managed to melt the lock away, having to put out several smaller fires on the wood before the task was complete, pushing the door open slightly, seeing most of the guards occupied with their fallen comrade and the mysterious beggar, opening the door completely and stepping out keeping hidden behind the caravan looking back whispering to the three "If you need me, i'll be in the town we just came from, theres something of mine i need to reclaim".

She spoke as she stretched, being cramped up for the time they were, looking at the surroundings, where she could hide, though she wanted to burn each and every one of the guards to a crisp she resist, her part in freeing the others would be made redundant if she failed to stop all of them, or any harm befell the others, choosing instead to move to the forest, keeping out of sight, she didn't care if the others followed, she had her mission, to get her scythe back, she knew it was hanging on his mantle piece, or he was trying to sell it for a small sum, scowling she continued on her way, muttering a thanks to the beggar who caused the commotion that allowed her to escape as she walked, the guards preoccupied she had an easy time getting out of eyesight of that road, keeping a fast pace, she intended to get her weapon, as fast as she possibly could.

[Schafflyne]

Perfect. Ayxect knew his distraction would work, but he didn't think it would work this well. All of his victims were in close proximity, meaning more of his power could be focused into a smaller area. Drawing on the reserved energy stored within him, Ayxect began crushing the guards into the ground. Their armor dented and became concave. The weakest of their bones snapped first, their screams slowly dying away as they tried to writhe under the extreme pressure he was crushing them with. The unsettling sounds of wet snaps and crunches were abundant from the small, perfectly circular pit. With a pleased smirk, Ayxect let up, smirking at the bloody mess before him.

"Filth." He said simply before looking up at the wiser guard, or hunter, rather, with a fierce glare.

Raising the cloth eyepatch, he revealed his glimmering blue left eye and his mark from Mother Terra. Using his power, Ayxect erected a barrier on his skin, just in case the hunter tried anything funny before he could wrap his hands around his throat.

[jinkagai]

"Fun..." Varza muttered under his helmet. This was certainly not an ideal situation by any standards...an extremely powerful user in front, who just killed virtually every guard there...and there were even more users in the caravan, undoubtedly either already running away, or staying, with the intent to kill everyone left over.

It was a strange feeling, was he resigned to death? No...but he did decide one thing that was certainly not in his normal nature. He decided to give up any advantage for running or charging. He maneuvered himself away from the side of the caravan, looked at the "beggar" who just obliterated virtually everyone else, and slowly removed himself from his horse, cutting the reigns and straps, patting its mane.

"Not everyone has to die here...you certainly didn't do anything wrong."

He hit it just hard enough to make it run off into the trees, ensured his sword was sturdily attached, slowly removed his helmet and took a defensive stance with his spear, its tip pointing at the "beggar".
His face was rugged, eyes grey, his hair was matted with sweat and extremely unkempt, and he couldn't help but smirk to himself due to just how ridiculous and stupid his decision was.

Although his focus was primarily on the man in front, he always stayed alert, fully expecting someone else to come in and try to take his life.

[TakodaVega]

Scin eyed the girl, "I hope you change your mind." She said to the girl who resigned herself to her fate before turning her gaze towards the seraphim. "We'll accept, you are honor bound to your word, I have no qualms with your people and you may be able to help us soon enough." The power outside flared just as it did within the caravan. "Don't mind the Niamhshi, those who are blessed with the Fire of the soul will always be as they are."

She waited till the hinges were burned away before she grabbed the girl before she could quite take off. "You'll know where to find us, little Firechild. The light will come back to you soon, and there is a fight like none you have ever fought before." She released the girl and watched her go before jumping from the caravan offering a hand back to the Seraphim, if she took it she would ease the woman down before peaking along the edge of the door towards the fight outside.

'Interesting,' she though to herself as she put a finger to her lips to the angel. They needed the silence for this as they carefully crept on the fight going on outside. "No more souls have to die here, you are quite correct." Those blue hypnotic eyes focused on the one marked by the eye before her hand clutched the arm of the guard who seemed to focused on his opponent. "You are not like the others," she said as she glanced over at the guard, the butterfly that marked her one of the Magicka glowed. "You can help us, if you chose to do so." Her gaze then switched towards the one marked by Terra, "The Eye of the Beholder, how fitting." Came the Sentinel's voice, with his Magicka eye he could probably see through the disguise to the real form she possessed.

She was the Sentinel of Truth. One of the Pillars who saw all. The Beauty of the world, the mark of the butterfly would actually lead to the second mark, the heart enchained marking her the Guardian of the Heart as well. "I hope that we can come to some sort of...arrangement."

[Staria]

A feather light breeze would brush over the caravan, like soft trailing fingers over skin and wood alike. There was nothing overtly strange in the breeze, no telling bursts of magic... Just a soft, curious touch that was easy to ignore as any gentle evening breeze would be. It sank even into the crevices of the armor the dead guards wore, feeling the ethereal chill within the crushed metal only death can give. This was a too familiar feeling and the soft breeze grew still.

A dusty brown figure stood in silence among many brown tree trunks some distance away. Closer... to 'see' the blind half elf would have to get closer...  It didn't move at first, its features  hidden by a floppy brown hat and high collar of its leather jacket. 'Come little ones, Protect us with your quick eyes' It said in a neutral whisper to the rats hiding among the many folds of its loose clothing and then it was off.

Slender fingers soon found their way over familiar branches, moving with a speed only memory and practice could give even to the sight blessed. Long legs carried the tall figure in near silence, the motions more animal then human. It was one with the air so even its blindness could not cause clumsiness as long as its focus was strong. It would pause only in a shadow, and only once it was within range. It was the same distance any other elf could see, the figure choosing hide in a trees shadow. It stood so still it would be almost impossible to notice unless there was movement or you had supernatural eyes.

A small pink nose and black eyes soon pushed up from a hidden pocket to provide the closest thing to movement, sniffing the air gently. In silence it communicated with the coats owner, using small pushes of it's paws to show how many stood there and lived. A frown spread within the shadows beneath that floppy hat, too many. One pale hand with dirt beneath it's long fingernails lifted and the soft breeze returned, slowly sketching the scene in a colorless series of silver lines against black shadows. A beggar, a man in armor that had to be a guard and several women.

Prisoners...? No one needed help, least of all  that a forest child could give surely... Yet something in the scene had torn the wind from the beings touch earlier the way only nature itself could. It had only done this once before.. The wind had forced the scarred soul to a healer when death had one hand wrapped around that slender throat, despite its mistrusting heart. Why would it bring it here? It needed no help...Were they ....alike? Souls of Magic? Had one of them taken the wind?

[Dies Irae]

Aeris mulled the words of the other touched girl carefully, a fight like no other, perhaps it was there she was destined to meet her match and rejoin the fires that fueled the world, outmatched or outnumbered, her flame could use some blood to tame it, after the incidents that morning had welled her anger into a time bomb. Walking the forest she treaded slowly, she was unpracticed in hand to hand combat, wolves and other forest predators may proven to be more threatening than if she could channel her flame through her weapon. Even using her fire like a traditional magi would be a reawakened experience for her. Though in her thoughts she was greeted with a strange yet familiar presence, kindred souls to walk the same path together in a sense, if she had to descirbe it.

Stopping in her place she listened, if she had been gifted with a druidic marking rather than her flame she would have been able to use the trees to guide her senses, but for her it was a more barbaric and reckless approach to find whoever was watching her, "Show yourself coward, either that or i burn the forest to ash, leaving your natural cover to smoldering ruin" she said loudly, though out of earshot from the caravan or so she hoped. The last thing she needed was to draw attention to herself from more than the hiding indivdual she was trying to find.

Conjuring a small yet wild flame in her palm she smirked, "I will not waste more of my time than neccessary", she in her mind knew her threat wa sa bluff, she wouldn't willingly burn her own cover from her captors but she at least knew the one watching would not know that, the small scratching around her was no worry, field mice or at the most rats or rabbits she assumed, but she could feel her target was at least her size, give or take, though she felt the presence it was uncertain on a location, enlargin the wildfire in her palm to make her bluff threat more believable, she smiled as sparks rained to the ground beneath her, disappearing in the air before the reached the ground.