Zack/S1Lude9

Five Pillars heads down from his room, looking for Soran.

Soran is sitting at one of the tables, clenching and unclenching a hand that has a few scorch marks on it before turning back to the papers in front of him. For once, Syla doesn't appear to be anywhere in sight.

Five_Pillars coughs, politely.

He glances up, blinking a couple of times before smiling slightly. "Hey, Five Pillars. What's up?"

Five_Pillars says "Hows your hand?"

He snickers a bit. "A bit burnt, but nothing serious, thankfully. That kid is quite determined."

Five_Pillars nods. "What's his fate?"

Soran considers for a few moments. "There's no convicing him to join us, and I would prefer not to hold him any longer. I was considering asking Ciel to use her powers to bind him to secrecy regarding this place and everything, then turning him loose."

Five_Pillars says "Can you risk it? He won't break the oath willingly, if he knows what's best for him, but his masters might have no compunctions about sacrificing him."

Soran nods. "That is the problem with that approach. The only other option really, besides continuing to hold him, is killing him."

Five_Pillars nods. "Which will it be, then? At the moment, we're in your domain, and these are your people's lives at risk. So you'll be the one to make this decision."

He considers for a few moments before shaking his head. "If it was anyone but Dendra sent to look into this matter, I'd let him loose. As it stands, he'll be dealt with before we leave." He sighs, frowning.

Five nods. "So be it." He considers a moment. "So. Where do you intetend to go, when you leave here?"

He motions to the map. "Gem. They are no friend of the Realm, so we should be able to get in with no problems. Paragon's closer, but aligned with the Realm, so."

Five_Pillars says "And how will you protect the mortals here? What sort of 'distraction' did you have in mind?"

He manages a grim grin. "The original plan was we were to get far enough way to flare our animas, then to make tracks once the Hunt started moving. However, after hearing that Dendra is the one they deployed here, just my anima will be sufficent enough. So I'll flare it up while the rest of you make your own escape."

Five_Pillars considers. "We could take her, if we worked together."

He frowns slightly. "Just her, possibly. She's /far/ more powerful than our little bonfire friend. With the support she has, however? I'd rather have you five out of her sight before anything happens."

Five_Pillars considers for a moment, silently

He raises an eyebrow slightly at you as he taps the table with his burnt hand, saying nothing.

Five_Pillars says "I see." He considers, a moment. "You know. I get the distinct impression you're not being entirely honest with us."

Five_Pillars says "If you wanted the Lap to be free, you could wade through the garrison."

Five_Pillars says "At least, until the Wyld Hunt come and failed, once or twice."

He manages a faint grin. "Possibly. There's complications with me operating openly, however. That, and my presence would bring down only the best, and in force. Numbers are how we originally lost against them."

Five_Pillars says "Yes. But the Lap isn't what it's all about."

Five_Pillars says "I very much doubt you gathered all of us here and then intend to let us go our separate ways on a whim. And you're not in this to free the lap, for the reaons you've just stated."

Five_Pillars says "I also doubt I'll get a straight answer from you. You're powerful enough toi twist this conversation around and convince me I'm, a chicken."

Five_Pillars says "But I warn you. If you hurt the people that I care about, I will survive. I am not fast, nor particular strong, and definately not smart. And I have nowhere near the command of essence that you do."

He shakes his head. "The Lap is a start. I eventually intend to free the rest of the Realm's holdings here, and then move onto the next region, eventually bringing the Realm down. I also would like to have this place be a haven for our kind where they won't have to deal with evading the Hunt. If you five decide to leave once this is done, there is no problem there." He snickers a bit. "Maybe not a chicken..."

Five_Pillars says "I will live. And I will grow in power. And if you dare to hurt those who are important to me, I will plague you for centuries. No rest. No peace. No surcease. I will hunt you down, and then, I will live on."

Five_Pillars says "Then you're a brave man, or a fool. And perhaps both." He says "But it seems, an honest one, at the moment."

He shrugs. "I suppose the difference between a brave man and a fool just depends on who is looking."

Five_Pillars says "Or on the man himself."

He nods. "Perhaps."

Five_Pillars stands. "We'll go to gem then, and wait for you there. After that, well, then we must decide. But you've kept things from us. Important things."

Five_Pillars says "Like Ciel's admirer."

Five_Pillars says "Do you even remember not being alone?"

He nods slightly. "I haven't divulged the other risks the others bring as well. Ciel's admirer however...is a bit more than just a deathknight sent to retrieve her, I'm afraid."

Five_Pillars says "How long has it been, since you sat table with equals?"

He considers for a few moments. "...Decades, if not centuries. Not until I met up with Syla, at any rate."

Five_Pillars says "One notes that freeing people seems to have been a recent change in priorities."

He shakes his head. "It isn't all that recent. I've had to keep quiet for a while after the last attempt, due to those same compications that keep me in check here."

Five_Pillars stands. "I don't belive you're that incompetant, 'Soran'." He shakes his head, sadly. "We will go Gem. After that, who can say?" He says "But you will find that we five, perhaps, would make better allies, than pawns."

Five_Pillars turns, and walks out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Soran leans back, closing his eyes. "I suppose you'd be laughing right now, Laria." He shakes his head before getting back to work.