GoldenCat/Countdown06

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Save the Silence

Her roar shook the foundations of the clinic.

Fire dogged Days' heels as he ran, the hat flying behind him and falling over his head as he finally landed... the man on his arms shaking in fear, yelling something lost over the sound of the explosion, as Days turns around...

... and bumps into Moon, rushing towards the fire!

Seventh Moon: Moon slammed to a halt before he could collide with Days, startled by the raksha's sudden appearance. Skidding to a stop, he grabbed Days by the shoulders unthinkingly, reversing direction suddenly to haul him further away from the sudden blaze. It was better now to wait for the others to catch up, but that didn't mean he couldn't try to get some answers out of the raksha.

"Shit, Monkey! What the fuck is goin' on? The fuck did ya do? Where's Red? ...nice hat!"

Child of Wyld Days: "Not mine." Days smirks, even in the middle of all of this. "As for our favorite red-fleshed wander, she apparently decided it was a good idea to detonate violently after a whole fucking murder of crows decided to barge in. I imagine it's a dead thing weapon or a godling or something. Might hafta kill it once things are less flesh-searing."

Days... then pats the man on the ass. "Oh, worry not! I haven't forgotten you!"

Priest: "Fire... explosions... Raksha..." The exposed priest mumbles... and upon the slap, faints.

Ryshassa: Ryshassa catches up soon afterward, her eyes wide and worried... not even bothering to talk, she looks about frantically for some sign of Iselsis's body.

Seventh Moon: "Sheeyit," Moon hissed, letting the raksha go and looking back towards the blazing building, having seemingly heard nothing of the exchange between the monkey and the priest. "She's still fuckin' in there?"

Ryshassa arrived and Moon turned to face her, an uncertain look painted on his face. "She's still in there..."

Alexander: The prince rushes in, light surrounding his form as his muscles take a white-golden sheen, his strength increased to inhuman levels... just in time to hear the tail end of the Raksha's explanation... "Crows? God? Antyhing left?" He asks, all the black feathers - charred, so their original color could very well have been any - falling around them....

Narrator: ... and then, as Moon looks upon the burning, he sees a movement in the flames.

Iselsis, stepping out, covered in flames, once again... smoke coming out of her body with detonated firedust... covered in the shadow of the flames. She takes a step... and then another... getting to her knees... and falling down, face-first into the floor.

And behind her, the flames begin to take a shape...
... and Moon feels the scent, the sickening scent of a thousand birds burning....

As the God screams, the bodies of dead, charred birds forming a claw and falling over Iselsis...

No words in the scream, just the pain of the godling...

Child of Wyld Days: "... no, I don't think there's much less, boss."

Days gawks at it all, especially at Iselsis.

Elizabeth: Elizabeth appears directly behind Alex like an everpresent bodyguard, which was begining to irk her. She wanted to protect him yes, but here she was dogging his heels like a servant... He's a Solar, girl, he can take care of himself

Seventh Moon: He doesn't wait to gawk or stare, despite the great urge to do both, just starts to run. The scent grows stronger, worse, as he runs closer to Iselsis and the flame. Burnt and flaming bits of bird drip like amber and oil out of the sky around them, fill him with the noxious desire to vomit. But that could wait. So could the screaming god. If there was anything left alive of it, the others could take care of it. Moon shrugs off his heavy coat and throws it over Iselsis, mostly to keep the thick material between the two of them as he scoops her up.

"Ya stupid fuckin' multicolored lil'..." he growls at her, launching a verbal tirade against the smoking Terrestrial as he drags her back to the others, heat from her body sending coils of smoke rising from his coat. "RYSHASSA! Get ya ass over here darlin'!"

Ryshassa: "Then why are we waiting here! We need to bring her out --" Ryshassa demands, cutting off when Iselsis stumbles out, smoking and charred...

She gestures sharply to the Caduceus, and the serpent-twined staff floats serenely to her front, its liquid-gold wings beating placidly, not at all reflecting her agitated, worried mood. Her hands do not caress now -- they nearly seize the pulsing gem between the wings, drawing from the life energy stored within; it washes over her in verdant sparks of light, settling over her skin, lightening the layers of bruises inflicted upon her.

Ryshassa falls to her knees before the demon-blooded girl's battered form. Whenever a life is close to death, particularly one so young, Ryshassa feels the weight of sorrow on her shoulders... the sorrow of a life that may be wasted, a life that others will mourn for. Lady Aine would mourn if Iselsis were to die. And Moon and Alexander, and... everyone... everyone who had known and cared for her. It is part of why Ryshassa cannot bear to see anyone die. For sorrow to be multiplied in the loss of a life, when she could very well save her...

She would not allow Iselsis to die.

Child of Wyld Days: "Really, now, I know you're all heroes, but maybe it's a good idea to let her cool some..." Even then, she's approaching the smouldering Iselsis as well... of course, Moon seems to have everything well in hand, though. "Damn it, wolf, be careful!"

  • ... and as Moon stands so fearlessly in the fire, in so fast, so covered, that the fires barely touch his flesh, burning just slightly, tries to drag her away, the dead-birds claw snakes around the unconscious Dragon-Blooded's body, pushing her back to the fire... the roaring louder, actually as wind now.. as it, weakly, full of pain, tries to wrestle the girl from Moon's grasp!

Seventh Moon: Moon jerked, nearly dropping Iselsis as she suddenly snagged on something behind them, and only stubborn minded instinct made him hold on tighter. He craned his head back to see what she had caught on and growled warily.

"Oh like fuckin' hell ya keepin' her!" Moon snarled, mindless of heat now to shove his arms beneath hers and hug the smoldering Terrestrial against him. He braced his legs and threw himself backwards with all the sadly and momentarily mortal strength he could muster. Step by painful step, he dragged Islesis and burning god alike out of the fire, then suddenly twisted himself over the top of the Terrestrial. Furiously, he back-kicked and stomped his booted foot into the blackened spirits claw. "Back off! This is our fuckin' demon-lady, crispy!"

Monev: Moon pushed... and fell back, empty-handed, as the Claw pushed Iselsis back into the fire, too strong, too sure, too powerful for the Lunar to handle, and burning....

"MINE!!! "

The 'e' was a matter of imagination... as it became an inhuman, bird-like sound at the end. One carrying so, so much hatred. Hatred of a proud, proud being that could never believe, in a hundred years, that it could be hurt so badly.

Moon knew the type well.

Child of Wyld Days: "I swear, wolf! Hold tight!" Practically dumping the poor priest off of his shoulders, Snow Monkey is quick to move into position, Air body reacting quite poorly to the intense heat of Iselsis... but Days nonetheless of the mind to keep the girl out of the godling's clutches... of course, once Moon has lost his grip, there was only one course of action.

"Alright, god. It's time to fucking go home."

Heedless of pain, heedless of danger, heedless of anything other than the screaming of his Sword...

... Days strode in to be the goddamn hero for once.

Ryshassa: Ryshassa can only remain helplessly where she is for the moment... watching this bizarre tug-of-war for Iselsis's life. She can be no help in this, not even close to as physically strong as either Moon or the fae.

"No--! Moon, if you need more energy I can spare it for you, just... here!" And she thrusts her hands onto Moon's arm, lending him a few precious, shimmering motes of Essence... just a few, she needed all she could spare to help Iselsis when she was secured... but enough to do something with.

Monev: Monkey jumped into the fire.... deeper into the embers... and there, a great beak opened, sending cinders his way.

It was his scream. The dying spirit.

Mine! She will BURN!

Child of Wyld Days: "You half-cocked son of a bitch... I haven't even had a chance to sleep with her. There's no way I won't have her leave without me getting my due attempt!" Monkey PULLS.

Narrator: She is snow. And thus, fire does not touch the Snow Monkey!
She is strength, and thus, the spirit cannot have a stronger grip!

The spirit screams as monkey pulls, breaking the claw, pulling Iselsis to safety, out of the fire, once again!

"You... you... Monkey! COME BACK HERE!"

Child of Wyld Days: "Oh, grow up."

Monkey withdraws, singed but not burned, angry but also appeased... and above all else...

"I am a champion of the Wyld! You cannot dare order me, lest you tempt my wrath and risk your soul!"

Elizabeth: Somewhere between Moon's desperate kick and Days' heroism, it occurs to Elizabeth that they could, perhaps, use some help. Elizabeth sighs, and stretches muscles she doesn't even have at the moment igniting a wrenching pain in her back as wings explode from her flesh, totally ruining her dress. The wings flap once and stretch as their dull glow grows to shining tendrils of moonlight. Elizabeth motions with one hand, and the tendrils snap forward, grabbing the hand and shoving it back into the fire, away from Iselsis.

Alexander: The little Holysword watches the wings come out... full of blood....

His eyes wide, hand covering his mouth... "LIZ!!"

He turns to her, ready to catch her, to take her injuries...

... but she barely seemed to feel that, and was already... throwing the enemy back.

Sis...

Monev: Monev came after the Monkey, the remains of the birds joining, after Iselsis....

Only to be buffetted aside, into the fire by the Blood Angel's move, all his strength buffetted back by her effortless maneuver. All that power... buffetted aside so easily. Still burning, the God cried revenge in a tongue known only to birds. As the Princess knows such, she can attest this was probably the foulest vocabulary she has heard in... a while.

Seventh Moon: Moon had taken a few steps back from the scene. There wasn't really anything else for him to do. He'd been ready to leap into the fire to make another try, but Days had already strode into the flame to claim Iselsis back. Moon watched silently as Day's hauled the Terrestrial away from the dying god and out of the flame and watched distantly as the other Lunar dealt with the dying god. He slunk somewhat, hooking his thumbs into his pockets, and stuck an angry glare towards the fire as it continued to consume part of the clinic and the god within.

Moon was glad Red was safe, that someone had gotten her out. But that was the second time that day he hadn't been strong enough to hold on to someone who needed him. It stung.

Child of Wyld Days: "Well, darling. I hate to have to cut this affair short, but it seems that my friends here want to have a few words with you... so do be a dear and hold still!" Owl and Serpent extends to its full, staggering ten-foot length, and with a simple downward stroke, Days aims to pin the godling to the ground like a butterfly to a collector's board. "If you're a good boy, you might get to perish quickly!"

Monev: He begins to step out of the flames... dragging with him the birds. Birds that jump through the flames to get to his 'body'... some even alive now. Some coming from behind the group, joining to form the body... a scythe of forming in the air. "I... am... Monev. Knight of Avia. I am the Northern Crow. Scythe of Her Wings.... and I will not be defeated by... flames..." Flames. They still followed him. They could all feel Iselsis essence in the flames that filled him, spread to all his feathers.... even as he tried to deny them, wings of all birds opening to buffet the flames! "I AM THE HUNTER! I SHALL FINISH THE HUNT! "

... and he managed to move, still. Broken by the Blood Angel's wing, burnt by Iselsis' fire....

But he still managed to move, spinning the scythe, trying to stand on the Monkey's way.
All the birds chirped.
The crow's eyes fell on Days.
For a moment, the Monkey saw his death a hundred times.
And between those visions, the scythe tried to edge in front of the staff...

Child of Wyld Days: "I am the Child of Wyld Days."

The staff lands with a screech and a dull thud.

"I am raksha.

Monkey cruelly twists the staff as he presses down with fearsome might.

"And should you survive this, tell your 'friends' all about me."

  • Alexander watches, in almost disbelief of all that he heard... "Avia...? Monev....?"

Monev: The body of birds is brought low, some still-living birds flying away... out of his control, his power fading... barely holding the staff. The only parts that are not birds or scythe are the eyes, shining so powerfully yellow as they look up at the Child... "Child... of... Wyld... Days...." it says the Monkey's name, every word pointed with hate and pain!

Ryshassa: Ryshassa falls to her knees before the demon-blooded girl's battered form. Whenever a life is close to death, particularly one so young, Ryshassa feels the weight of sorrow on her shoulders... the sorrow of a life that may be wasted, a life that others will mourn for. Lady Aine would mourn if Iselsis were to die. And Moon and Alexander, and... everyone... everyone who had known and cared for her. It is part of why Ryshassa cannot bear to see anyone die. For sorrow to be multiplied in the loss of a life, when she could very well save her...

She presses her hands atop Iselsis's body. The purples and rosy pinks and golden oranges of her anima coruscate from behind her, the belladonna butterfly wings fully flared and opened. And the need -- the intense and powerful need to secure her dwindling life, echoes in the Solar healer's mind with the constancy of a heartbeat. Her heartbeat, thrumming in her chest, flushing her cheeks with adrenaline, the undeniable sign that she still lives, and still has life left to give. Again and again. It does not matter how many times Iselsis might fall.

I will bring her back.

This time she needs no more than her hands and her Essence. Just that single connection, skin on skin, she and Iselsis, Iselsis and her. It is enough to simply touch her, to accept the pain, to make it hers, to save her.

And Ryshassa burns, her pale skin reddening then splitting with painful bubbling sores, the top layer sloughing away in parts, leaving raw, singed flesh where they fall. There are no flames, yet she bathes in the thousand hells that Iselsis had inflicted upon herself and the godling, sacrificing the health and wholeness of her own flesh so that Iselsis may be restored.

Seventh Moon: Moon was almost content to stand back and let the others handle things. The healer lady had done something that made him feel a little less hollow and tired on the inside, made the Hound stir out of it's cold slumber. But this thing was nothing. Nothing they couldn't handle without him. Between Red and the Monkey, the thing was already all but dead anyway. He could have just hung back and brooded until the others finished kicking it to death.

But he didn't. Couldn't. Standing around was for working girls looking for a John. But that didn't mean he had to rush in again.

"You ain't king'a jack or shit right now, fucker," he said, his tone flat and dead, as he strode unhurriedly back towards the burning god. "Know what ya are? You're a fuckin' errand boy man."

He was tired. Tired of fighting every goddamn thing that jumped out of thin air and went "Rawr" at them. Maybe it was time for a different approach. He hadn't ruled most of the gangs in the Boil by cracking open the skulls of everyone who wasn't Pack, after all.

"Hell, bet ya don't even rate that high ta the folks you workin' for. Why the fuck else they send ya ass out here ta fight all fuckin' six'a us solo?" he asked, cocking his head to the side and looking down the bridge of his nose as he moved between Days and the half-dead god. "Ya, shit man, ya strong. Almost killed Red. But ya ain't strong 'nough ta take us all down. Seems like ya ain't even been strong 'nough ta finish the job with her."

Stopping in front of Monev, Moon arched his back with a crackle of popping joints and then dropped onto his haunches in a stoop. "Don't know what the fuck they promised ya ta get ya pull off this shit man, but so seems like all ya got outta it is a whole fuckin' mess'a ass kickin'. What they probably knew ya were gonna get. Bet they probably figured ya might just manage to hurt one'a us bad before the rest tore ya a new asshole, y'know? That'll sure as shit leave them one up one less'a us and no you alive ta have to pay."

"I gotta tell ya man," Moon sighed wearily, rubbing the back of his neck stiffly. "I'm sick and fuckin' tired'a this shit. Sick fuckers poppin' up outta nowhere ta cut us. It's gettin' real fuckin' old. Top'a that shit, I been havin' a really, really fuckin' BAD DAY! " The tail end of his words fell apart into a beastal snarl that send a pulse rippling through the air, a wave of ire cold enough to burn. A flash of burning silver eyes burning into the air above him, glaring hungrily down at Monev.

Then, they closed, and Moon gave the god a tired smile. "... but I'll be nice 'bout this man, cause I don't think ya could'a possibly known what the fuck you were gettin' into. Give up. Now. Work for us man. We'll treat ya right, give ya respect and not toss ya out ta the wolves. Or, ya can keep workin' for them. In which case, in the next few seconds I'm gonna rippin' off ya fuckin' head and stuffin' it up ya oversized asshole."

Monev: Monev looks up at Moon... and he is right. Not on the comments on his place, of course... he had been sent as an assassin, as he is, to murder the Priest, before he could speak too much... but... but... maybe that is what Calobis thought? His mistress... Avia... she had never been the same, since... she... had never been the same. Did she care for him like she used to? Did she... think that of him? Did they?

The spirit looks up at Moon... filled with doubt...

He had been already beaten....
By Moon's words, alone.

Elizabeth: As Moon talks, the shining wings of essence fade, leaving only the real articles behind-- spattered in blood and quickly drying to a soft silken sheen. Elizabeth doesn't seem to notice them much as she busies herself tying her dress back up to accomodate them once more. If anyone noticed that particular aspect of her attack, they would be smart not to mention it...

Alexander: Alexander was still in shock after what Elizabeth had done. So much.. blood... but then, things happenned, so fast. Ryshassa pouring her healing. The thing making its body. Days pining it on the ground. And Moon... talking to it? Talking.. to it.

Moon....
Moon, being more of a Zenith than the boy had been so far.
Moon, talking to this emissary of a Goddess and trying to convince him to change sides.
Moon...
... doing what is right.

And so, the Prince did the only thing he could.
He followed Moon's lead.
To do what is right.

"He is right, you know."

The prince says as he walks, at Moon's side, his halo shimmering over his face, the symbol of Zenith burning in his forehead. He was young and bare, but with sunlight about him, he looked like a god. And he offered his hand. "Monev, Knight of Avia. Monev, Northern Crow. I know of you. I have prayed for you. I have seen you. I have danced with your child. Servant of Avia... I have no idea what has led you, or your mistress, astray. But you know you have no chance like that."

"You should not serve the Underworld. It is not on your nature. You have to serve Heaven, Monev. You have to be with us. I am Alexander Holysword. That is my older sister, Elizabeth Holysword. We are the Circle of Light. We are the Circle of Justice. We are the Shades of Eventide!"

He smiled, his smile pure like the sun.

"If you need to serve wings, serve ours. If you need to be a scythe, be our own."
"If you need to choose a side, choose the light."

"It is not too late, Monev."

"You are a hunter for Avia."
"You are the Crow of Whiteshield."
"Fight with us."

He says so, with words of power, with words of sun, with words of heaven.

Child of Wyld Days: The trophy of battle... wasted.

Monkey didn't betray his disgust at this show of mercy, but it nonetheless seethed in his chest.

I'll never understand mortals.

Monev: Monev looks up... Moon had already broken him in. Already shown him it was futile...
And the Prince was there, a beacon of light, showing the way out...
A way out of the hell guarded by the Moon-Dog.

And Monev rose his hand... pinned by Days as he is... to lay the weapon at his feet. "You are.. right, Lunar. You have... my allegiance, Shades of Eventide. As good as it can be... when I cannot turn to Heaven anymore. With my mistress, I have walked the path to the Underworld... I have become part of it. I am... not a God of this world anymore."

Alexander: He goes to one knee before Monev, his hand touching Monev's 'forehead'... whispering a prayer. Shining his light so high, a pillar of light, the image of the knight unable to show up there... but the flames disappear. A solemn, solemn moment, as the sun... as heaven itself... smiles there, as both are taken by white light... by the purest gold. "You are now."

Leonas Du Mistlav: The Dragon-Blooded had just walked in, in time to see the end... to see their words...

Seventh Moon.... I respect you more every time you act.
What is it they say?
An act is worth a thousand words?

I think our greatest hero might be in the shape of that punk....

He brings the best in all. Even the Prince...

Elizabeth: Elizabeth... steps back a bit as Alex turns the Necromancy to light, hoping no one notices...

Child of Wyld Days: Monkey releases the beast, still inwardly sour but outwardly annoyed at the fight coming to an end. "And that, I suppose, is that. Now then, shall we go about making sure there're no more fires lurking about?"

Leonas Du Mistlav: "Well, and there is... something else, as well. Fiona.... her condition is critic." He says, adjusting his essence-lensing shades. No more if formed a helmet, but they still gave him faint awareness to the magic all around him.... "I am not able to stabilize her essence, and those wayward flows can cripple her soul... forever. We need a true master thaumathurgist... there is one in Spire, but he lives accross the city..."

Ryshassa: Iselsis is still unconscious when Ryshassa lifts her hands, the healing completed. She stays with her sleeping form for the moment, but turns her head to witness Moon and Alex subdue the Northern Crow... and transform him, somehow. It is a work of magic at the very least as impressive as her own healing, and she shakes her head in wonder, at the possibilities Solars can make real.

Turning back to Iselsis, she leans down... wondering if she might have awoken now that she is pulled away from the brink of death. "Ah, Leonas..." Ryshassa sees him enter. "Might you... or someone... help me bring Iselsis to a bed?"

The news of Fiona brings a sorrowful cast to her partially singed face. "Iselsis needs help as well, but... how... how long does Fiona have?"

Child of Wyld Days: Any sourness on Days' tongue fades, and he looks towards Leonas with a frown. "Who's been sent to go looking for ihim? If this is critical, time is of the essence, and we have so precious little of it to spare."

Leonas Du Mistlav: "No one yet! It is the first time I am saying this out loud... I realised this mere moments ago!"

Elizabeth Holysword: Someone across the city... Elizabeth could do it... Her totem was strong enough to carry several people... It would be the fastest way...

But she says nothing.

Seventh Moon: Huh.

Moon's tightly clenched fists relaxed and unballed as the corrupted god submitted itself at Alex's feet. He sniffed, pursing his lips thoughtfully as he watched Alex purify the spirit with the fire of Heaven, and finally stretched back up on stiff legs.

It worked.

Good thing too, because that thing probably would have probably killed him if it hadn't. The Lunar smiled slantedly, Ebb and Flow slaking off his fists and vanishing into his pockets. Nice to know though, that things didn't really work that much different here than in the streets. Nice to know that, maybe, sometimes, you could do better than just busting someone's head open.

He looked back at Leonas and the others, debating on if he should offer to haul Red or make a run on that miracle-man, when the Windian suddenly let out a shout that made him pause on making either offer. "Realized what moments ago?"

Child of Wyld Days: "... how far is it?"

Charred, slashed and still radiant, Snow Monkey eyes Leonas, fingers flexing around Owl and Serpent. "How far would we have to go?"

Leonas Du Mistlav: "Fiona." He replies to Moon, "That her condition is not good. The Virdynn did... something wrong, as it latched to her essence. It seems to have opened too much inside her too... it was just... strange. But her soul's a mess... it needs its essence flows corrected. And it is accross the city. Just say whatever the priest told you, and we go. We must make haste, for her sake."

Child of Wyld Days: "Wherever the priest told me... wherever the priest told me... oh!"

Days suddenly remembers that the priest is still on the ground, naked and unconscious. "I do think I remember something... yes! yes, I do! You all might want to turn away for a minute or so, though." With little thought, Days reaches down with both hands, grasps the man's head, and gives it a sudden and sickening twist to the right.

Ryshassa: Ryshassa looks around at everybody gathered. She too is worried about Fiona, and her stomach flutters just thinking that the girl could die or worse while they waited here. But she would not leave Iselsis until she is resting somewhere she can recuperate properly, at least.

"...Anyone?" She looks down forlornly at Iselsis again, doubting very much that she could lift more than an arm. Not that she is heavy... simply... well-armed.

The sickening crack makes Ryshassa look up sharply, and her lips purse in a puzzled frown.

Alexander: He stares, still knelt, his eyes growing to the size of saucers...

"Was that... really nessessary?"

Seventh Moon: "Ought'a be one'a ya winged folk then, y'know?" Moon said to Leonas, but watched Days out of the corner of his eye. Day's warning had only served to draw Moon's attention more to him than take it away. And by the time he realized what the Raksha was going to do, it was too late to do or say anything to stop it.

"SHIT! Fuckin' hell, monkey!" he shouted, moving over to grab the Priest out of her hands. He yanked the man away, but hadn't even pulled him anywhere before he realized just how far Day's had turned his head. Yeah, the man was very, very dead. Moon growled in disgust, tossing down the corpse. "The fuck ya go 'n do that for?"

Child of Wyld Days: "You know, if I hadn't been so loose with this promise, I might've added you to my collection. Ah well, it's too late. Your story ends here, my friend."

Days, shrugging to Moon, promptly picks him up by his ankles and starts towards someplace where he can close matters in semi-private. "It was this or letting him die in horrible agony."

Around a corner they vanish.

There is a sudden sound of tearing, ripping flesh. A bit of a splash of blood. Silence.

Elizabeth Holysword: Elizabeth waits... and waits... and... Oh hell...Fine... She walks over to Iselsis and picks her up as easy as if she were a five year old. She moves to sling her over her shoulder, but pauses, looks at Ryshassa, and slings her other hand under Iselsis' legs instead. "...where do you want her?"

Seventh Moon: "... fuckin' hell."

Moon shook his head and turned away from where Days had vanished. He didn't want to know. He just... did not want to know.

Alexander: "... I do not want to know. I do not want to know. I just..."

The prince covered his face. "Oh god. Raksha."

Ryshassa: Ryshassa is shaken by Days' behavior, but entirely too many worries are crowding her mind right now.

"Forget that!" She stands abruptly, brushing ashes from her white and peony-embroidered kimono. Grasping the Caduceus in one hand she says, "Look. Those of you who can travel fast, please go and do so! Fiona needs your help! And someone else, help me carry Iselsis so she can be properly cared for!"

She knows that she is far from the most intimidating woman, but too much precious time is being wasted. Curling her hands on the serpent-twined length of the Caduceus, she draws herself up to her full -- if short -- height...

...only to find that someone, at least, had done something productive. "Thank you, Princess. Just go back down the hall the way we came, any of the beds will do. The Lilies know what to do to sustain her."

Child of Wyld Days: "... beh, tastes horrid this way." Monkey returns, sans the man's body. His clothes are immaculate, and his posture relaxed---he just got rid of an oath, after all!---... and the back of his palm busy wiping away the last bit of blood from his lips. "I shall endeavor to never swear that again. He was decently-hung... what a total waste." Almost as if he were talking about the weather, Monkey smiles brightly at the group. "Now then! We've a thaumaturgist to track, yes?"

Leonas Du Mistlav: "We do!" He says, rushing out of the room with monkey!

"We will be back, then we can find out... whatever Monev can tell us..."

Since Days apparently did his job for him...

Elizabeth Holysword: Elizabeth feels... a little guilty as she takes Iselsis to the beds... Guilty for taking one job so she wouldn't have to do another. Honestly... I'm not for riding. The girl will be fine

Alexander: "Swear..." The Prince's face is... horror.

"... oh no."

The halo drops.
Together with his jaw.

"You did not..."

Seventh Moon: It did not matter how right Ryshassa was. How dire the situation. How desperate Fionas need. There was no stopping it. Moon reached the same realization as Alex did, nearly at the same moment. He, however, pointedly did not look back at the Snow Monkey.

"... god-fuckin'-damn." Was all he said about that, his skin looking... more than a little green.

Ryshassa: Ryshassa shudders more visibly, sagging against the Caduceus, now that Leonas and Days and Liz have gone to take care of things. "Who... who was that...? The one Days... ate..."

Leonas Du Mistlav: "We do!" He says, rushing out of the room with monkey!

"We will be back, then we can find out... whatever Monev can tell us..."

Since Days apparently did his job for him...

He tried not to think too hard. He tried not to think too hard.
In garrisson duty, in the frontiers, he had met many horrid barbarians of the north...
But nothing like... that.

Child of Wyld Days: "I swore it. It was to be. That is that."

Monkey shrugs. "What can I say?"

Alexander: "... his crotch." He finishes for Ryshassa, holding his mouth, so as to not hurl.

Ryshassa: "His...?" Ryshassa's eyes go wide. She had meant to ask who the priest was, why the fae had been lugging him around in the first place. This revelation is somewhat... different.

She isn't sure what else to do except blush. So she does, quite floridly. "Oh."

Child of Wyld Days: "For the record, terrible. Bastard forgot to wash up."

And off the monkey goes, like a shot, racing down in the direction of what is likely the thaumaturgist's location. "ONWARD! I'll try to hurry!"

Seventh Moon: Right. It was time for a distraction. A big damn distraction. Moon closed a hand around Ryshassa's arm and turned her towards Monev, pointed to the badly injured god-beast.

"Anythin' ya can do for Feathers over there, darlin'?" he asked, keeping his eyes and hopefully hers too fixed on the injured spirit. On the spirit. Not on the trickle of blood oozing across the ground from where Day's had pulled the priest. Not there at all. "While we're waitin', least? Red and the rest kinda left him pretty fucked up and fuck all if I wanna be made a liar of 'bout treatin' him better already."

Ryshassa: "P...please do, Days..." Distracted and quite a bit shaky, Ryshassa's knees nearly give out from under her as she watches the fae leave with Leonas... but before she can collapse, Moon grasps her by the arm.

"Yes... yes. I can. Not.. not very much, but I can." She had given very much to help Iselsis. But she could spare some for 'Feathers' as well. And he had just been an enemy... but Moon had a point, it would not be a good thing to go back on one's word to a newly acquired companion.

Monev: He had been trying to speak, slowly getting up, finally leaving the dead birds to rest.

He tried to say something, in a low voice... but he was not heard. The girl... the great fighter, the great knight wielding fire, clad in black and red, she had hurt him too bad. How long, until he would undo the work of her flames on him? Would he ever? Or was him to be of no use for them, scarred for life, without his wings, now? He could not even speak... until the Monkey was well away... helped by the Prince... the woman wished to help. Pehaps she could...

... but this was not the time. He had to speak. He had to... he had to find his voice! He struggled... and he... did. "You...you... you don't understand. When I came in... they had found out from the Priest about... Calobis. Hekatonkire. He is... he was here, to make a ritual... to build an army of the dead. To break Spire's... final seal... but... now that you beat the General... the purpose is another..."

His eyes look at them, with newfound compassion...
"He is hiding on Aryan's sanctum. And he has already begun a ritual that will kill every living thing in this city not sworn to the Underworld."