[IC] Heartless Souls: JID. Castle Dour Thread

[Hiss13]

Isolda Grace, Lilith. Time: 1st day of the Year of Rebirth. Afternoon 1:32 PM

"It's something I got used to long ago." There was a point where being regarded as weird or off-putting had stopped getting to her. Isolda had long since forgotten when she had finally gotten used to it. After all, she was no longer able to age. Fear, discomfort and complete violence were all reactions which she had seen time and time again. Living for over six centuries allowed that for the girl who would never age.

Isolda's face warped into one of melancholy. "I've lived among a fair number human villages ever since the day I killed the one who turned me into a Shinso. A large portion of my life was me traveling from place to place, hoping to find somewhere to settle. Though, people never seemed to want that. After all, among humans, a girl who remained looking like she was twelve for multiple years straight was odd. Some thought it to be an omen for someone like me to even exist. The occasional anemia among the townspeople definitely did not help my case. The reactions were varied. Some just simply pushed me out. Others tried to bring on a full-blown witch hunt. There's a point where you lose count of all of that."

"I've gotten used to being on display to the world around me and to the reactions of those around me. Whether that's a good thing or not is something I still don't really know…though I guess you really don't want to hear me ramble about this. It's not like me to do so like this."

[Pyon Pyon Kyuu!~]

Lotus Contiello, Countess Sybil Contiello, Count Heinrich Contiello Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. 3:00 PM

Lotus followed her Countess through the halls, in graceful silence. In her mind she dreamed of the coming festivities. It wasn't so much that she herself was happy, it's that she was imagining all of the complements Lady Contiello would get. That would make Sybil happy, and in turn it would make Lotus happy. She daydreamed of the Count praising Sybil's beauty, and then praising Lotus for the work. Maybe the whole castle would praise her work? Still, she wasn't happy because the dress was beautiful. She would be happy because the dress made the Countess look beautiful. After so many years, Lotus was finally being able to master her craft. Her next dress would have to be twice as extravagant, with quadruple the frills, quintuple the patterns, and a hundred times more gold. It would have to shine brighter than the moon in the outside world.

A warm smile grew on Lotus' lips, as she watched the Countess act like a child around her husband. Lotus found it adorable, the one so many people feared to indulge in love like a little girl. She had to cover her mouth with a grin, stopping herself from laughing. She stood in the hall where she was, smiling softly until she was spoken to.

"Your Lordly Grace, I am Lotus. I am one of the Countess' Servants, a seamstress." She bowed her head low, as she spoke. "I have made several clothes for the Contiello family in the last few hundred years, as well as for the Castle for as long as we've been staying here. I wish with all my heart that my clothing has been to Your Grace's enjoyment and comfort."

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Lotus Contiello, Countess Sybil Contiello, Count Heinrich Contiello Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. 3:00 PM

"Eh, no need to be so formal. I hate formality. It's annoying." Heinrich said. He wasn't trying to sound rude but he really did. "I do appreciate it, though. If it's who you makes me wife look so beautiful you have my gratitude. She is to be a beautiful rose that the world wishes that it could have. But, only I can." the corner of his lips turned up at this into a smarmy smirk. He bowed towards Sybil with a long and drawn out flourish. It would've looked like he was in a play or some sort of show by the amount of theatrics he put into it. "So, would she take my hand in hers?"

"Of course Heiny!~" she grabbed his hand immediately a child like smile on her face. He pulled her close into a lover's embrace and kissed her on the forehead before he pushed her back into a spin. her dress flared up, flashes of crimson everywhere. It looked quite beautiful in motion. Heinrich then brought her back and leaned into her. A typical dance move, they moved lower and lower until he kissed her. It was nice to watch what could be said to be true love right before one's eyes.

"Well then, we should get ourselves in there. We're a bit later than most of the others as usual." Heinrich said. He had checked on an elaborately decorated timepiece he had pulled from one of the pockets on his waistcoat. He tucked it back in after shutting the lid with a satisfying click. "Let 5 tus make our entrance. Come Lotus. We mustn't disappoint."

The Couple headed in first leaving Lotus to follow in behind them. They entered a great dining hall. It was one of the smaller yet more elaborate ones. It was clearly meant to be used for the exact purpose it was now. It was a meeting place for the upper ranks within the Castle. It was a rather modest style, nothing too gaudy or fancy. Paintings lined the walls, mostly those of sceneic vistas or other nature pieces. There was a few of of the previous Lords and Ladies of the Night, though... they were hardly a complete set. Of the 12 there was only 5 that resided there.

The 2nd Lady of Night, Dame Redcliffe, a Doppelganger that took on the form of a human. Flawlessly beautiful... or at least the facade she wore was. She had been the one to take up the mantle after the first Lady of the Night stepped down from the position. It was the only time it had ever happened in the History of the Castle. As a result... little was known about the first ever to rule Castle Dour. She was the greatest Mystery of all time. One lost to the thousands of years this castle stood.

The next was one of the 5th Lord of Night, Bardic Bloodymane, a powerful Beastman. He was that of a Lion and he matched the beast's ferocity and it's regal air. He was one of the best known Night Lords due to his his contributions to not only the castle but to the people around the place. He was fiercely passionate about art and it showed. His Self-Portrait was easily the most impressive of all the paintings in this room. That was saying a lot. The Painting gave both the impression of his regality and his passion. He was an imposing man in the good way. Confident, strong, he seemed to good to be true. Perhaps it was just the idealism that paintings tended to preserve.

The third painting was that of the 8th Lord of Night... also known as the Bloody Week King. His name was Fredric the Purple. The story went he was so bad of a Night Lord that his own subjects killed him after only a week. How accurate the tale was... well who knew? It was typically one that was centered around a lot of jokes within the Castle. It was the common target of silly songs to pass the time, or jokes that would be told in a bar. Needless to say he wasn't well respected. Why the hell his portrait was here was even more puzzling. Who'd want to honor him?

The Fourth was that of the 11th Lady of the Night. The short lived Cassy the Lively. She was a small but feisty Grumman's Kobold. She only lived a short 70 years of life but she was well known by the older members of the Castle and was a beloved Leader. She wasn't the kindest person, she tended to believe more in tough love than anything else. Her vibrancy was well remembered throughout the Castle. She was mostly responsible for the Great Ballroom. She always wanted a place to dance the nights away. As a result, every Benediction day the held a great ball in her honor. In fact, it might be the place Lotus would be at tonight's festivities if she wasn't here.

The Fifth, was of Solomon himself. It was actually surprising to see him again. It had been so long since Solomon actually left the Heart of The Castle. Ever since he had gone mad. A shame really... he once was a kind and thoughtful man. It was easily evident in his portrait here the gentle soul that he was. The artist was amazing in that he could capture that in the face of a skeleton. It was a shame to see how far the 12th Night Lord had fallen. He was once loved, a great successor to Cassy. His initial decision to close the doors was a good one as well. It did save most of the Citizens of The Underdark. However, he quickly succumbed to paranoia. It gripped his mind. It wasn't really noticeable until the others were sure the Free Races were gone. Even still Solomon ordered the doors remain closed. I had been so long they were stuck in these walls. All of it on Solomon's head. Why the Guards still listened to him was really unknown. It was made especially weird with the presence of the tales around Fredric the Purple. Though... it could be that they didn't want to fail like those that served Frederic had that drove them even still.

Around the table was sat a lot of powerful figures, some that Lotus would probably recognize others not so much. In one chair sat the Irritable and short tempered Iidrra. Next to him sat his secretary Lilith, a beautiful demoness. She was usually considered the more level of the two, hence why she handled the figures and the books, where as Iidrra did the inventory and the more physical parts of the job. At the head of the Table sat Lord Cyllis, the self-proclaimed Lord of Blades. He was in ceremonial breastplate covered from top to bottom in golden laurels. He wore a long luxurious cape that matched the gold colour with a warm buttery yellow trimmings and a creamy off-white for the main body of colour. He only carried with him Old Man Summer, his katana. It could be seen on the counter behind him rather than directly on his person. It was rare to see him without his other two sword, Old Man Spring and Old Man Fall... but here he was with but one. He didn't have any discernible servant with him... thought it was probably because there was no way he could fit the whole of the Guard Core in here. Lord Cyllis was well none to hate playing favourites so... that's probably why he refused to select a single solider to come with. It seemed he was the only one to be here on his own.

On Cyllis's left sat Father Babble, the Grand Flan bishop. He looked very silly in a suit. He was crammed in there and blue jelly was poking out every which way. He was shoving his face full of food as well adding to the absurdity of the scene. Anything he could get his little grubby hands on he deposited directly into his massive maw. He was almost never not chewing. Which... was strange since Slime didn't need to chew food... did they? Next to him sat his own servant. A Girl by the name of Barbara. If Lotus was even around in those days, she would know her. Barbara was easily the most well known servant of Sybil's for a long time. She was diligent and hard working. She was always doing something when you saw her. These days she was still pretty well known. Jokingly, she was often called The Babysitter. Her job under Babble was often compared to that because Babble was a unique individual. He often acted much like a child. He was a huge handful. However, Barbara managed it quite easily. Many said it was because Babble was just scared of her, however the bond between the two was deeper than that. He really did trust her, she was almost like his mother in ways. She was wearing a wonderful light purple evening gown. It perfectly matched the light coloration in her skin and scales. She looked very stunning, though... probably not as stunning as Sybil herself.

On Cyllis's right sat Azegeor. He... was a strange one. A Lich Lord. He was very reclusive. Not much was known of the man other than that he was the Head of the Court Wizards. He had been seen even less these days now that Solomon wanted the Court Wizards to remain in their chambers to help repel any assaults on the Castle rather than attend to the throne like tradition dictated. Azegeor wore Dark robes, their coloration so black it was... unsettling to look at. It was almsot as if they were a pocket of nothingness, as if one was looking into the void itself. The fabric they were made of gave it that effect... or at least that what one would assume. However, being a Seamstress Lotus could tell it was definitely that. However, what that fabric was... she wouldn't have known. It was something she had never seen before. It was also studded with some type of white gem stone every few inches or so. They looked like bright twinkling stars amongst the inky black of the robe. Next to him sat old Cannonball Joe. A wily one he was for sure. He was a mage but... one well known for his love of explosions... and very thin line of sanity. He was not very well liked by a lot in the Castle. It was probably why Azegeor had him as the second in command. No one wanted Cannonball Joe in charge of the Court Wizards. So, the position very unappealing to want to try and claim for one's own. After all, You'd have to go through Cannonball Joe to get it. No one... wanted to go through Cannonball Joe. Either way, the Rhino based beastman was probably the dirtiest one there. His outfit was full of scorch marks and burns. He was singed all over. And yet, no one really said anything. After all, No one wanted to talk to Cannonball Joe. He spit into one of the eyes on a pair of goggles he had and shined the lens. He then slapped them onto his face. Woe be to the one who had to sit next to him.

Unfortunately some poor soul had to. Funnily enough... it was a tad literal. A Suit of brilliant white armour sat next to him. It was polished to a sheen of pure brilliance, almost like staring at the sun. It was probably the armour of a paladin once, it at least looked like it. One could ask why one would wear such a thing within these halls, but they weren't wearing it. it was literally them. This person was Redeemer Riika. They were another somewhat mysterious entity. Like Sybil had told her earlier even Riika didn't know who they were. So, little was known about the Paladin. Other than that they were probably the most strict tutor in the castle. They didn't take kindly to those that slacked off, or didn't work to their maximum potential.

Isolda Grace, Lilith. Time: 1st day of the Year of Rebirth. Afternoon 1:52 PM

"I see." was Lilith's only reply for quite awhile. She didn't really know what else to say. She had no idea it was like that for her. It must have been a hard life one one such as Isolda. At least at first... though she couldn't really get used to the fact that she had to live with something like that. It was horrible to think someone could have such a curse they had to bear and there was nothing they could ever do about it. She'd hate that herself. She really didn't want to think about it too much more.

"I'm sorry to hear you had to go through that... I don't even know if I could even begin to understand that myself. I mean for starters I've always been here in these walls. I've grown up here in Dour. It was always my home. I know no other. And I've certainly never lived amongst the Free Races, nor was I one of them once." she choked on her words here... she wasn't really sure how to continue, however she did have an out to this... somewhat uncomfortable situation. Though, she didn't want to seem rude when taking it. "And, I really don't mind. You can ramble as much as you like. Well, if I wasn't late for something. I'm sure I'll see you in the Library again, you do seem to show up nearly everyday after all. Anyway, I'm sorry for having to leave Isolda. But, I hope you enjoy the festivities later. I got a dinner to attend, with... old Sourpuss, master of moldy tomes." she said jokingly. she didn't mind working with Iidrra, but the Illithid really had about 0 chill in the entirety of his body. He was either at 0... or 110. There wasn't much between with him. Lilith quickly gathered her things and waved goodbye to Isolda as she left.

Tempest, Time: 1/1 of the year of Rebirth. 3:00 PM

"So... 3 a clock... that's when the big guy wanted me to start the distraction I believe. Sounds like it's time." The Storm Elemental was tinkering on some mechanical object as she said this aloud. Normally, it would be weird for someone to do this but Tempest had trouble remembering things for long period of time unless she repeated them. That's when she heard a chime from nearby. The Clock... struck three. It chimed three times loudly in succession. Normally, this wouldn't happen. It would only do this on the stroke of midnight, however today was special. It was the Benediction. A perfect time to assassinate a crazy king.

{{The clock tolls for the Old King. His Time has come. Set in motion are the events that will bring about revolution. But, for good or for worse?}}

[Pyon Pyon Kyuu!~]

Lotus Contiello, Countess Sybil Contiello, Count Heinrich Contiello Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. 3:00 PM

"I'll... Try to be less formal, Your Grace." As if she didn't know the meaning of what she just said, she bowed her head low. Again she was having a hard time hiding her smile, it was amusing to watch the Counts be so romantic with each other. Lotus wondered how long they had been together. They were much much older than Lotus, she wondered if love could really stand for that long. She resolved to ask that question when she got the chance.

"I refuse to disappoint you, Your Grace." With this said, she followed after the couple. When she entered the dinning room, she immediately became aware of herself. She fixed her posture, she tilted her head to get her hair out of the way, she quickly straightened out her dress. All of these things she never really took notice were important now! She had to look her best, as not to disappoint the Counts.

She took her seat at the table, looking as emotionless as possible. However, she took every chance she could to look around and she always found something interesting. She took interest in the other guest's clothing, their mannerisms. Even the tablecloth was interesting. After all, this was a completely new experience for Lotus.

[Chevaleresse]

Regent had made his way to the Great Ballroom as the festivities began to pick up, where he had attracted a small crowd of onlookers. While the drake wasn't much for dancing, this was one of the few rooms that he could move about comfortably in the castle proper, and the other large denizens of the fortress seemed to enjoy that fact as well. He was currently engaged in what one might describe as a "pose-off" with a particularly large minotaur, each one flexing muscles, strutting, and generally trying to look as imposing as possible to the other. The observers seemed convinced they were about to fight, and the pair came close to giving the crowd what they wanted; they jumped at one another and crashed their heads together, locking horns and staring one another down at close range. It lacked the tense air of two predators truly fighting, however; neither was actually interested in harming the other.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Lotus Contiello, Countess Sybil Contiello, Count Heinrich Contiello, Azegeor, Lord Cyllis, Redeemer Riika, Father Babble, Barbara, Iidrra, Look, a lot of people k? Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. 3:00 PM

Lotus could hear all kinds of side conversations and small mutterings here and there from the the array of people here. She noticed a scowl shoot at Azegeor from Cyllis quite a few times, though Cyllis remained quiet pretty much the entire time. He wasn't a man for words when they didn't need to spoken at least so many of the denizens of Castle Dour believed. It was really that he didn't care for a lot of the upper echelon of the Castle these days. He watched many of his old friends die and whether away. The trouble of age. The ones he still remembered... probably only the Contiello's were in power at the time he came to find himself in his position. They had been around long before him. He was a wink in the span of their existence. Cyllis wondered if their love was the only thing that kept them from getting endlessly bored in this lifetime. Either way for now Cyllis remained silent.

Azegeor was talking to Cannonball Joe, probably one of few who would. They were discussing something along the lines of explosive ordinance still left in the storage room fro the Court Wizards. Joe laughed, as he began to describe where it all went. His voice was extremely deep, it even sounded nice to the ears. However, nothing else about him was easy on the eyes that was for sure. "Heh, Sorry Aze, we're a bit low of black powder. I was experimenting to see if If I could break out of the Waterways all last month. Turns out whoever built this place was really good at warding magic. There's no way in or out that I can find or make."

"Warding magic? Did you get a good read on it?" Azegeor asked raising an eyebrow... ridge. It was a crazy feat considering her didn't have a face.

"I'm pretty shite at Abjuration. What I do know is that it was pretty powerful. My magic detection was going off the scale for Abjuration magic. It was... higher power than 9. Which means it's not possible for just another to replicate whatever this spell was. Like my explosives didn't do freaking anything to it at all. And you know how powerful my good stuff is. After all, you remember what happened to one town."

"Yea... let's remember that wasn't necessary Joe. Anyway... if it's that powerful. There's still secrets even I don't know about the magic of this place then it would seem."

"Whatever, life isn't my concern. The furthering of the cause is. It's a lot more important. Anyway, I couldn't tell you much more other than it's ancient."

Babble could be heard talking to Barbara like always.

"Hey, Barb what's like... uh... is Riika okay? They aren't eating anything."

Barbara looked over at Riika nervously before answering Babble. Riika shifted her head to indicate it was fine. However, they tried to do so without Babble noticing. After all, it was probably better Babble had no idea that Riika could hear him, so... that was the plan. The body language from Barbara still showed she was nervous about him noticing that. But she sighed loudly, more to relief herself of the stress then anything else and answered the big Slime.

"Babble honey, Riika... is what we call a Soulbound. Think of it like Azegeor in a way. They aren't really biological beings anymore. They don't require food or a lot of what we do."

"Oh, so... Riika is undead?"

"Not... quite honey. A Soulbound is creation of attaching a soul of something once living to an object and anchoring that object to something that can act as a body. Armour is a pretty common choice as we can see with Riika. Though, they can have bodies much like Golems as well. Wood, clay, really anything that can be set into a humanoid form for their souls to take over the form. It has to be familiar enough to their living memories for them to be able to control it. If it's not... well it's not very pretty, let's leave it there."

Babble put his hand up to his mouth. The emotion on his face was something hard to discern. "So... does... does Riika remember how, they died?"

Barbara wasn't really sure what to say. She looked down and then back at Riika. Riika nodded in response yet again. They spoke up this time. "No, I do not. Luckily, it is a memory I have not retained. And yet, it is why I also do not know why I am here myself. So, a fortune and a misfortune."

Babble looked shaken almost. It was clear he wasn't exactly expecting Riika to speak for them self all of a sudden. However what was clear was he didn't really know how to reply. He just, shut down. He looked around wildly trying to find something to do. His hand settled on another nearby pastry and he jammed it into his mouth, chewing loudly. He ate a few more before he returned an answer at all, and even still it was pretty hesitant from him. " I see." Those were really the only words he said before growing silent again for a time.

It was about this time Sybil and her entourage arrived. Seated next to Riika would be Heinrich, with Sybil next to him obviously. On Sybil's other side was where Lotus was seated next to Lilith the demoness who tended to the Library. Perhaps it was better than being seated next to Iidrra. Iidrra was strangely silent most of the time and seemed to be silently steaming to himself as he flipped through what looked to be a ledger of some sort. Definitely good to not be seated next to him. Barbara saw her old master and her eyes lit up as she did. Sybil saw her as well, and well she knew she'd see her today. She walked over to the the woman and they hugged. They exchanged a few greetings and "how've you beens" before going back to their respective places. The scene... it was a strange one. Lotus could really speak with anyone present and they'd probably answer. Though it probably be best to avoid talking to some of them.

Regent, and Hasslehoof. Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. 3:00 PM

The Minotaur was enjoying the sparring match he was having with Regent so much he suddenly stopped and took off his coat. He, now shirtless flexed his muscles like a bodybuilder showing off. "It seems you are a great warrior, a beast of wonderful and great power. So, I, Hasslehoof! Challenge you to Bandudakai!" he smiled while saying this. And Regent would surely know what this was. Minotaurs were well known for their favorite test of skills, Bandudakai, or Battle Dance. It was a warrior's greatest non-violent challenge and a favorite past-time of Minotaurs warriors. It was so well known that most of the Damned races knew what it was and even the etiquette and rules of the Battle Dance. Typically, Minotaur rarely challenged anything but other Minotaurs, and it was a great honor to be challenged by one to Bandudakai.

The rules were simple, each side most continue dancing the entire match. If they ever stop moving for even a split second they lose. Secondly, each participant was challenged to land a blow on the other's forehead or other vital points on their body. They could only do this with primary limbs, so, hands or feet or their equivalent. Tails didn't count. A touch to the stomach was 1 point, a touch to the throat, 2 points. And the aforementioned touch to the forehead, 3 points. The first to reach 3 would win. As said, a simple game. "So what'll it be Drake? I want you to SHOW ME YOUR MOVES!!!!" he exclaimed loudly. A lot of the party goers were stopping to watch all of a sudden. Bandudakai's were typically very intense and were sorta the rage at large parties. Sometimes even tournaments were held.

{{for a comparison of sorts, think of fencing in your world player... it's a little like that just... more movement as you must dance while doing it. It's really not like fencing at all, but kinda? Look It's not a good explanation, but it's pretty close I think. Hopefully that's understandable to you. Feel free to ask me if you are still confused.}}

[Chevaleresse]

Regent raised his eyebrows, or would have if he possessed eyebrows. "I am honored to accept your challenge, Hasslehoof!" He punctuated this with a sound somewhere between a growl and a bark. His referring to the minotaur by name was a sign of his own respect for his challenger; most drakes of his kind cared little for names, the ones taught to communicate in a way that other races understood (like Regent himself) almost invariably referred to others by species, some distinctive characteristic, or a combination thereof (the armored meatless one, the insane hunter of thought, the loud bull-man).

To begin, the big lizard turned about with his back facing Hasslehoof, his tail moving around himself as to not slam into any of the onlookers or his opponent, then hoisted his rear end into the air, placing his back legs just above the minotaur's head as his front legs supported his muscular bulk. This served two purposes; the first, obviously, that it looked quite flashy. The second was something that only one quite knowledgeable about his species might know. Though they were called "argent drakes," they were more closely related to wyverns than other drakes, and this showed in that their hind paws had considerably more dexterity than their front, almost as if a humanoid had hands for feet and feet for hands.

[Shadow Sketches]

Icarus, Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. 3:00 PM in the afternoon

The Great Ballroom was already beginning to fill up as celebrations got underway, dozens of different races could be seen mingling with each other wherever you looked. Some races were being more violent than others, but nothing out of the ordinary for Castle Dour. Icarus had come to the Great Ballroom to busy himself for a while before he went on his little adventure underground.

He could tell this year's Benediction would be good one as already there was an interesting show of power between an argent drake and a minotaur. He had watched curiously from the sidelines for a while, looking as the two flexed at each other to their hearts content. When he heard the minotaur challenge the argent drake to Bandudakai, he almost wanted to stay and watch how it played out but ended up deciding to head off. Before he left, he kneeled down next to Mollie, the pink slime maid, that had been standing next to him and watching the show with Icarus. He grabbed a couple silver coins from a pouch he had on his person and plopped them down inside her pink gelatin body for her to hold. "Bet on the drake for me, all right hun?" Mollie gurgled in confirmation, and Icarus gave her a gentle pat before standing back up and walking away from the small group that had gathered around to watch the show.

He looked around the ballroom to inspect who was here, he noticed some familiar faces here and there but he wasn't sure whether to go mingle or just leave in his search for an escape from Castle Dour. Usually he quite enjoyed the parties that happened on Benediction night but he felt on edge for some reason. After some moments consideration, he walked towards one of the exits out of the ballroom.

[Pyon Pyon Kyuu!~]

Lotus Contiello, Countess Sybil Contiello, Count Heinrich Contiello, Azegeor, Lord Cyllis, Redeemer Riika, Father Babble, Barbara, Iidrra, Look, a lot of people ok? Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. 3:00 PM

It wasn't long before Lotus attempted to talk to someone else at the table. She could socialize a bit right? Get to know the other guests. Her first thought was to talk to Barbara, a servant like herself. But it would be rude to talk to Barbara and ignore her superior.

"Father Babble" Lotus began with a slight smile and graceful look. "What do you recommend to eat? I am not used to this food, so I would like to try a little bit of the tastiest thing. Only what the Father recommends of course." She spoke softly as if speaking to a child, taking the earlier words of Sybil to heart. After all, the last thing she wanted was to offend someone. "What about you Barbara, do you recommend anything? "

[Sutoratosu]

Aurora, 1st day of the 1st month, Year of Rebirth. Approximately 3:00PM

She awoke to the skittering of paws and chattering of squeaks in the darkness. It wasn't uncommon for rats to occasionally waltz right into the den- and to their deaths -as they crawled through the underground looking for food. Not that she was particularly fond of the taste of rat; the things were filthy vermin, after all, and they were small, at that. The sustenance was pitiful compared to just about... anything significantly larger, honestly. But when you're hungry enough, you stop caring, so long as whatever you're wolfing down is edible and help fills the void.

Something sniffed the air around her hand. She waved it off lazily, muttering, "Get out... Leave." with her eyes still shut, trying not to stray too far from the path of slumber even in her semi-conscious state. It was the rat's first and last warning. She had no desire for whatever paltry meal he might provide. The next one would come in the form of her hand clasping around him and snapping his little neck.

The rat however, took the wave quite a bit differently. A quick, angered squeak filled the silence. Fangs plunged down on her hand with force like a vice grip... or at least, they tried to. The force of the vermin's strike came back to bite in the ass when the twin, razor honed fangs snapped like twigs against the glossy dark armor. Blood dripped from it's gums, the beast recoiling in shock and horror as it's eye's transfixed on the pearly white sabers lying broken on the stones.

Aurora gave a sigh. Fast as lightning, her hand shot out. No more of the groggy bit of mercy from earlier. No more opportunity for escape. This was the motion of an apex predator. A being born to kill and destroy, to subvert the natural order and install a new one. The rat had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Her fingers clasped around his fur like vice grips, enameled clamps of black steel as she tried to curl them around the circumference of the... they wouldn't reach. Her fingers... could not curl around the entirety of this vermin's neck. That was enough. She opened her eyes now... the time for sleep was over. She finally took a good long look at what the everloving hell she held captive in her grip. Her eye's widened at the sight.

"My... you're quite the freak, aren't you?" She was already reaching for her spear behind her as she spoke. The furry, nude tailed beast she had pinned was easily at least the size of Sylvi in her beast form. Which made her think for a moment... "Speak your business here."

The rat's only response was a horrified, frantic bit of screeching as tried to free itself from her grasp, gnawing on her forearm with what was left of it's fangs and flailing with all it's might, hoping he could overcome the might bearing down on the scruff of his neck. The thing's crimson, beady eyes looked up and met her own. And in that moment, she saw it. This wasn't a Were-being. There was no intelligence in those twin red orbs. Only a fear that ran as ancient and primal as time itself.

The fear of imminent death.

Oh the things she could've done to that freak of nature... her mind practically raced wild and free with the possibilities. But... what would've been the point? It's not it was capable of complex thought, not like it was sentient. Torturing animals seldom yielded the same level of entertainment the humans or other beings gave. Animals didn't usually shit and piss themselves, or beg and scream for their gods to swoop in and save them with some miracle. And they also didn't try to bargain with her out of desperation or fire back with some witty yet halfbaked quip or insult as they died slowly... they just squealed and squealed like pigs. It was more annoying than anything else, really... and already, she could feel her nerves beginning to fray from the constant onslaught of noise coming from the rodent.

"Time to shut you up." She gave a snap of her wrist, throwing the Dire Rat's head back and exposing his neck, fangs sliding effortless into place as she stretched her mouth wide, pearly razors surging towards the exposed fur and flesh. Until the rat managed to take advantage of the position and death-rolled away to the side... avoiding the bite and breaking her grip in the same motion as Aurora found her self chomping down on naught but empty air. He didn't manage to escape the leg that lashed out and slashed a thick gouge in his side, sending fur flying and blood spilling from his hind leg. Though it seemed not to slow down the beast as he bolted not even a moment later, hauling ass out of the chamber like his depended on it. The huntress ground her teeth in silence as he disappeared around the corner, still sprinkling the stone floors with his droplets of ruby. Her eyes could've practically burned holes in the scampering little bastard, as hard as they glowed in the darkness. "Oh no... run all you like, you're not getting away. Not with that trail, and not when you smell worse than sin."

She grabbed the pearly, white cylinder behind her, feeling the carved characters against the hardened surface of her palm as she tucked into her waist swath. Most beings would never have even thought it to be a spear of any sort unless they'd fought an Arachni acolyte in direct combat. And unless they were either foolish, or powerful, enough to think they could legitimately emerge alive, that was an altercation most would've chosen to avoid if possible. Without another word, she started after the wounded rodent.

[Hiss13]

Isolda Grace. Time: 1st day of the Year of Rebirth. Afternoon 3:00 PM

Standing in the Great Ballroom was enough to show Isolda a cross-section of Castle Dour's residents. It was quite a festive atmosphere where a good number of the residents were cutting loose.

Isolda stood in a corner as she watched the festivities unfold. She held a glass of some odd cocktail as she kept her distance from the craziness of the festivities. As she stood and scanned the area, she noticed a minotaur and a drake started to get into some fight…or some sort of brutish game, at the very least, considering that there were others gathering in the area to watch.

"Honestly…those brutes have zero finesse." She sighed.

[Aurorix]

Crimson Time: 1st day of the Year of Rebirth. Afternoon 3:00 PM

The Ballroom was certainly lively as it is during this time of year. Lots of people eating, drinking, and... fighting? There was a large area of open space which caught the skeleton's attention. It seems as if the Draco from later this day and a Minotaur were mucking around. It wouldn't surprise him if that Drago always gets into trouble due to his lust for proving his strength to everyone. Honestly, it's like he had learned nothing from the encounter from earlier today. Though it's better than doing nothing like himself.

Crimson never liked parties, he could never eat nor drink unless he wanted food and alcohol inside his armor getting it dirty. He wasn't to good with socializing either, nor did he actively seek conversation with people.The only good thing about coming here was to get some time off of work. So he stayed off to the side, back against the wall arms crossed watching everyone enjoying themselves around him.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Lotus Contiello, Countess Sybil Contiello, Count Heinrich Contiello, Azegeor, Lord Cyllis, Redeemer Riika, Father Babble, Barbara, Iidrra, Look, a lot of people ok? Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. 3:00 PM

Babble at first froze. He was still in a bit of a reclusive mood since his earlier conversation went a bit awry. He still wasn't sure if Riika was angry at him or if he offended them. Normally, he wouldn't really care but this was someone he was to work with. That and he didn't know they could hear him. Though, with how close Riika was he should've known better.

But for now it was this new person speaking with him. Barbara didn't answer right away. She asked Babble first, that and she knew if she did Babble would continue to clam up and not talk at all. So, she just watched as it unfolded. "Hmmm, I dunno. But, the roast is quite divine. I don't think we've had this good a roasted beef in some time. I think the new chef is doing wonders. She's better at handling meat than anyone I know!" Babble said. The innuendo was definitely lost on him. Cannonball Joe barely stifled a giggle at the choice of words. The others didn't really pay attention and were minding their own business and talking amongst themselves. "She really is quite capable, I should make her my personal chef. Because all this good food MUUUUST BE MIIINE!!!! *ahem*, sorry, I'm getting off track. What were we talking about again?"

"Lotus asked you about what foods you would recommend Honey." the babysitter reminded him. She had a faint smile on her face, she was glad he was talking again.

"Oooooh, right. Thanks Barb. Where was I? Oh yea." Babble stumbled again before regaining his footing. "But, I believe that once you finish with the more... normal part of your dinner dessert will be what you set your eyes too. Well, desserts I know well! I always wanted to be a baker, but I was never really good at it myself. after all... it's kinda hard to not get bits of myself in the batter being made of slime and all." Babble chortled at his little misfortune. He really did speak the truth. Baking was simpler than this whole... Priest thing. In this job he had to deal with people. People were complicated. They hurt his head at times. He never really knew what to do with them how to act and react. What he did know was that working with things, creating, that was easy. They didn't have complicated emotions to deal with. They didn't have feelings. And it wasn't that he didn't care that people had them... it was that he could never keep track of all that stuff. He was always afraid he'd stick his foot in his mouth. Then he wondered what it would be like to have an actual foot... cause he didn't. Then he wondered why that saying was so strange. "But, I really like these." He said pointing to something on the table. It seemed to be the most out of place item here. There was so many fancy things in this spread, and the most unassuming thing was what he pointed to.

It was a type of pastry for sure, but of what kind was unknown, at least to Lotus of course. It had the distinct look of caramelized sugar crusting it's brilliant outer shell. It was a nice and beautiful golden brown. "Barbara made these, because she knows I like them. They are called Dream Pockets. Silly name I know. But, they are a pouch o pastry typically mixed with many different types of fruit or really anything sweet. While they are baking them, they put a small leaf from a certain flower into the mix with the other fruit and things. The tradition is, that if you are eating it and you don't bite into the leaf that your most dreamed dream will come true. Like a wish! It's not really true. It was a story invented by the Manaket so that the children wouldn't burn their tongues and would eat it more slowly. I still like the story though. And it's pretty fun to try and play."

Babble picked at his pocket and brought out a small good luck charm. If Lotus looked close she would've noticed that little leaves were pressed into it, almost the whole surface was covered in them. They were pressed much like one would do between the pages of a book to preserve them. "I win a lot." It was said with an accompanying grin the size of the moon.

On the other side of the table Azegeor looked to the empty two seats of the Table. The Commander of the Night's guard had yet to arrive. Normally, it would be troubling, but for Azegeor it was a good sign. It meant the plan was falling together. "I suppose Gale has gotten tied up. He's usually early. I think I will go grab our Little Commander of the Night. Hopefully he didn't fly south for the Winter and that's why he's late. I shall excuse myself. Please, enjoy the meal." were the only words he said as he left. Cannonball Joe was rolling with laughter at the joke. To the point Cyllis was scowling at him. It looked like his head would explode. "Goooood one Azegeor. He's a bird... flying south. HAAHAA."

"Glad you liked it Joe." Azegoer said with as much of a smile as a skull could muster. Though, anyone else in the room ((even Babble)), could tell he was only pretending to be nice just by the inflection of his voice. He walked out, his boots clacking on the hard enameled floor. The staff he had jingled with the sound of tiny bells and beads. It was rather... tribal in nature. Strange for a Wizard. They typically didn't believe in the more spiritual beliefs of Shaman or those that believed magic was "alive" so to speak.

((Didn't expect other posts so fast so I'll jsut do a new post.))

[Shadow Sketches]

Icarus, Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. Approximately 3:00 PM

Icarus walked with a purpose down the castle's halls, some new found information filling him with confidence. Earlier, as he had exited the ballroom he had seen a pair of what appeared to be soldiers, their burly appearance and cocky attitudes gave him a clue of what they were. The two orcs seemed to have been slacking off, probably getting ready to celebrate and drink themselves unconscious ((not necessarily in that order)). This wasn't an uncommon sight on Benediction night so the few that were around ignored them, but their topic of conversation had caught Icarus' attention.

"You know, I ain't going to stop filling my belly with food and booze until it all bursts out! See, just cause we're soldiers doesn't mean we can't party tonight like everyone else! If anything, we'll be partying twice as hard than everyone else!" One of the orcs smacked his armored covered chest with a fist, causing it to rattle noisily. He seemed more than ready to join in on the celebrations, but his friend didn't seem as sure.

"Can we really drink all we want? Won't General Cyllis be mad at us if he finds out?" The second orc scratched his chin worriedly, no one wanted to face the wrath of the general.

"Mad? Why?! Shouldn't we be able to have a break, we're the one's defending this castle night and day from attacks! We need...no, we DESERVE a break! Besides, why should that old mantis be mad at us?! I heard that he had disappeared earlier, probably to rest his dusty bones while the rest of us worked..." The soldier had leaned in closer to his companion to whisper that last bit, but by now Icarus had his full attention on the two and was listening intently.

"Disappeared? Where'd he go?" The second orc whispered back, though neither of them were being as sneaky as they thought.

"I heard that he had gone to his old training grounds, but he hasn't used it in years so there's no freaking way he had gone to do any real training. Probably went to reminisce rather than hone his skills."

"Training grounds? I don't remember any training grounds, where is it?"

"You know, the one down in the Waterways. A couple of soldiers know about it but no one really ever goes there since who the hell wants to train in the sewers?! But it ain't hard to see the entrance if you know where to look since it's on the bottom floor where there ain't much , so some of the guys had seen that old mantis go in. Who knows what the hell he was doing, just that he wasn't working that's for sure!"

"Yea! Why can he sleep on the job while we......wait....didn't Cyllis have today off?" This last statement caused the first orc's mouth to gape open in confusion. But he quickly recovered and began going on about how what made Cyllis so special that he got so many off days. Though by this point Icarus had stopped listening, a big smile appearing on his face.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bottom floor was practically empty as everyone was upstairs enjoying the festivities. It took Icarus a bit to locate the exact entrance on the bottom floor but he had eventually managed to figure it out. The door that led to the Waterways had a lock but he easily managed to lockpick it as it wasn't that amazing of a lock, it seemed that no one had thought anyone would bother breaking into the sewers.

He closed the door behind him and was quickly enveloped in pitch black darkness. Though this did not worry him as his eyes quickly adjusted, he practically thrived in shadows and the dark after all. Without wasting a moment, he began to make his way deeper into the Waterways as he began to explore the unknown. To his surprise, it did not smell as bad down here as he had anticipated though his nose was still assaulted by putrid scents every now and then. His steps barely made any sound as his padded boots hit stone, the only noise filling the air was the sound of the flowing water.

After going deeper into the Waterways, he began to hear more sounds in the quiet atmosphere. At first he couldn't quite make it out but it seemed to be.....squealing? Yes, strangle enough he heard squealing and the sound of skittering paws. Then the noise began to grown louder as whatever it was started to get closer. Icarus silently unsheated a throwing knife that he had strapped to his chest underneath his cloak. It was one of three small blades he had hidden on him, he rarely used them as he wasn't the greatest shot but sometimes he needed some range to take care of faraway foes quickly. It wasn't long after he readied his small blade that the one causing all the noise came into view. An ugly rat the size of a wolf was speeding towards him, it's mouth wide open in a frenzied panic revealed the horrific sight of what used to be it's teeth. It seemed to be too absorbed in fear to realize what was in front of it.

Icarus threw the blade as it kept getting closer to him, mostly to put the ugly thing out of it's misery. The blade flipped through the air before burying itself in the rodent's forehead. The rat died immediately but it's momentum kept it's body going before the paws tripped over each other and the rat slid forward on the hard stone, stopping a short distance away from Icarus. He took a step away from the carcass, repulsed by the horrible sight and even worse smell. Before recovering and aiming his gaze forward, trying to pierce through the darkness to see if there was anything else coming. What the hell was in here that could have sent this rat into such a panic?

[Sutoratosu]

Aurora, 1st day of the 1st month, Year of Rebirth. Approximately 3:00PM

From the darkness, she watched it all unfold. The rat's squealing, frenzied path. The sound of steel being drawn, whirling through the air. The final death rattle as the beast slid to halt...and the interloper. She had smelled him long before the rat's death, even despite the pungent scent of the rodent hanging heavy in the air. He may have looked human... but he wasn't. That much she could tell instantly... the scent was too off, too different; after hunting down so many of them during the siege and even before that, she knew what mankind reeked of like the back of her hand. No, he wasn't human. But she knew what he was. She'd been put in not too different a situation by another one of his kind, long, long ago; the hunters who stalked the humans and their ilk, just as her own people did... but did so like charlatans and lazy con artist, used trickery and facades in order to lure them in.

"Do you have any idea..." a hissing snarl echoed throughout the tunnels as it escaped her lips, emerald eyes smoldering like candles in the dark and burning as if lit by their own light, their gaze seeming to pierce right through the rival predator as they stared down from the ceiling. "what you have just ruined, hellspawn?"

[Shadow Sketches]

Icarus, Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. Approximately 3:00 PM

The menacing voice filled the once silent atmosphere of the underground, the sound grated on his nerves and caused every hair on his body to stand on edge. Immediately he began to arm himself, feeling the cold grip of his twin blades in each hand as he he pulled them from their hidden positions underneath his cloak. The quiet rattle of silver echoed off the walls as his chains began to unwrap themselves from his waist alongside his blades. Icarus' eyes scanned the darkness to look for this unseen predator as he began to separately wrap the two chains around both of his arms to be used in battle, the other end of the chains being attached to his blades. "I haven't just killed your pet, have I?" His words seemed to be lost in this pitch black underworld, not knowing yet where exactly should he aim his voice. "If it's any consolation I believe you can find a better house pet than that...thing."

Finally, he caught sight of two emerald eyes glaring down at him from the darkness of the ceiling. It was impressive how well her body had been camouflaged in the dark but now that he knew where to look he began to see the rest of her. A shudder began to go through his body as he realized he might have just walked into the spider's den. He's rarely had any encounters with her kind, but when he did it usually did not end peacefully. He tensed his body as he examined her every detail carefully, watching her every move in anticipation for an attack.

Edited August 3, 2016 by Shadow Sketches

[Sutoratosu]

Aurora, 1st day of the 1st month, Year of Rebirth. Approximately 3:00PM

"Ha, please... pet? that vermin?" It was actually quite disgusting, now that she took a moment to dwell on the thought. The rodents tasted terrible and more oft than not smelled even worse, she already had more than enough scorn for them as mere prey, but to actually keep one as a pet? No. Just, no. Absolutely absurd, a Jumper would make a far better companion, no contest... about as big as that freak of nature, almost, but far smarter, not to mention far easier on the eyes than a Dire Rat... unless of course, one happened to be an arachnophobe. "That rat was no pet, it was prey. prey, mind you, that was probably going to lead me to even more prey... had you not killed it before it could."

She took a moment to examine the hellspawn a bit more closely, unfazed by the glint of silver or jingling of chains. Most of him was hidden beneath that cloak, but she didn't spot any armor, only further confirming her deduction that he wasn't wearing any; plates tended to make a lot of noise afterall. And the glimpses of clothing she caught held no semblance to any uniform Ajax had worn. "Why are you even down here to begin with, Demon?" She demanded, almost spitting the very word with disdain. "You don't have the look or the gear of a soldier. From the roguish attire, I imagine you aren't much of a servant either. Most of you surface dwellers hardly ever come here unless you're lost or trying to hide from something... or up to no good."

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Tempest, Gale Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. Approximately 3:00 PM

"Reinforce the doors! Don't let whatever that is through! We must protect Solomon!" yelled the Falconman to his guards. Men in all sorts of armour scattered in all directions. Many piecing up large pieces of wood and other things to use as cover and setting them up in the long hallway of the Throat of the Castle. They had not seen their foe but they clearly heard the surprise of their now fallen comrades. They only really had enough time to warn them before they were gone in an instant. As a result... Gale had no idea how many they were dealing with.

Though he was about to find out.

Gale heard a mechanical clicking. Was coming from outside the door. or was he imagining it? "Jenson, do you hear that?" he asked the man closest to the area he thought he heard it coming from. The man looked at him for second puzzled and then it dawned on him too/. "You mean that clicking? Do you know what it is Gale?"

"I have no idea, but I really don't like it."

The last words spoken before an explosion tore through the fortified door of the Throat. High Velocity shrapnel fell forward followed by a cloud of black powder and death. The Shockwave amplified in the small area, and it caused a huge amount of damage. Jenson was outright killed as well as 4 other guards nearby. Gale fond himself floored behind one of the barricades. He had been lucky as none of the shrapnel has hit him, but a lot of the others not so much. One unlucky Goblin had a splinter the size of a small spear through his abdomen. He was screaming bloody murder. He tried to remove it, but couldn't since he was impaled onto one of the barricades. There was more crimson and death around in the charred, blasted room. Gale got to his feet, quickly. He had to move. He huffed horribly as he tried to move. While he wasn't gravely injured the bomb had kncoked the wind out of him and has sent him tumbling over the one of the barricades. His legs were filled with the red hot liquid pain. But he didn't have time to care. "FALL BACK!!! FALL BACK TO THE HEART!!!"

He issued the order. He desperately headed for the Heart himself. Whoever, they were facing had yet to show up. At least before him and his men. He didn't have time to get all the soldiers that were downed by the Explosion and just kept moving. He had to seal off the Heart. There was nothing that could take down that door. The warding magic on it would keep an explosion like that from working.

***********************

1.... 2... Hehe 3. Tempest counted as she danced through the guards still left after the explosion. Poor souls. They should've wished to parish in the flames of destruction. However... she supposed they would get to see the Wind of death this way. She moved with grace impossible to that of one with a physical body. Most of her own was made up of raging storms and wind. She was a turbulent mind given form. She surged around destroying those that still remained. Her blades of wind stained with red. She dropped them when she didn't need them anymore, the solid wind falling away, leaving crimson in it's place.

Tempest had worked her way finally, towards the giant sealed door. The one that held the Heart of the castle. She smiled, a horrible arc of lightning across her storming face, cyan blue. "Soon. Soon. If you think that door will protect you... you're sorely mistaken. hehehe HEHEHE!" The macabre laughter, the only thing that was heard though the door.

[Pyon Pyon Kyuu!~]

Lotus Contiello, Countess Sybil Contiello, Count Heinrich Contiello, Azegeor, Lord Cyllis, Redeemer Riika, Father Babble, Barbara, Iidrra, Look, a lot of people ok? Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. 3:00 PM

Lotus listened attentively to Babble. "Well I'll have some roast for sure." She took a quick glance at her Counts, before looking back at her plate. The glance was as if to check that it was still alright for her to be at the table. She took a bite of the roast after cutting it, and placing it into her plate. It was divine! It was amazing! ... Well, not as good as drinking blood, but she could enjoy it! Such a pleasant experience, senses she never used before suddenly roaring into action. Bite after bite, she devoured her food as fast as etiquette and table manners would allow her. She brought a piece of cloth to her lips, to clean off any crumbs from her mouth. After such a suggestion, she made sure to listen to the rest of what Babble had to say.

"Why don't you keep trying, Father?" A quizzical look appeared on Lotus' face. "I am first and foremost a servant of the Contiello family, and shall forever be one. But my trade is clothing making, and I still find enough time to devote to my Goddess. Enough time that she has gifted me with her powers, and made me one of her clerics." She paused to look at Barbara with a kind smile. "Barbara I'm sure you could find some time to teach Father Babble how to cook one or two things. Even being a slime surely Father could cook certain things."

The rest of Lotus' attention was devoted to Babble's next suggestion. The Dream Pocket. Lotus started at the dish, as if looking at something unreal. Some ancient artifact, some forgotten text, some huge pile of money. "Even if it's just a story, there has to be some grain of truth to it right?" She thought for a while. Maybe the pastry did have magical powers. It wouldn't be unheard of, if she could cast magic anyone could. Were there magic chefs? She wondered for a few moments until an idea popped into her head. She took a single Dream Pocket from the tray, and brought it up to her mouth. Using only her vampiric canine teeth, she softly bit into the cake. She made sure not to dig her fangs to deeply. Then, she sucked on it as if it was the neck of one of her victims. The suction brought the sugar and fruits into the servant's mouth, where she then ate it normally. Slowly, she ate it carefully drinking the insides and eating the outsides. She performed this way until the good luck charm fell out. Lotus mentally cheered. My dreams will come true. She thought. Lotus turned her gaze to the Countess and the Count. I will keep serving the Counts, I will keep working as a seamstress making the lady look beautiful, and I will make everyone proud. I will do this forever, for the end of all eternity.

[Shadow Sketches]

Icarus, Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. Approximately 3:00 PM

A smile slowly crept onto his face, something about the notion of her being upset over losing the chance to hunt for rats was amusing to him. Arachi's were usually thought of as proud and dangerous creatures to be feared and respected. But here Icarus had found one that's occupying her time in the sewers hunting overgrown rats for sport, how far has this spider fallen from her web? "My apologies, huntress. I had not realized that the rat had become such a prestigious prey that the loss of hunting one and it's ilk was something to mourn over. I must say, I am surprised to find one from such prestigious race to be hunting frightened mice. Times have grown tough haven't they?"

Raven black curls fell down his unhooded face as he inspected this newly found stranger. The part of her that was human was extremely beautiful as all Arachni's human halves were, but one couldn't forget the deadly intent with every one of the spider's movements. His whole being was wary of her, he knew just how crafty these predators were. One small cut and he could find himself with a deadly toxin coursing through his veins, he didn't plan to give her such a chance. For now, as long as she remained at a distance he could keep her from injecting her poison into him. "Well since you already obviously know what I am then you should know, my kin is known for being 'up to no good'...I am not a soldier nor a servant." He slowly performed a mock bow, never taking his eyes off her. "I am Icarus, my business here is merely to explore the unknown..." His eyes slightly looked down at the rodent's carcass and back at the Arachnoid, "...and it seems the unknown has some interesting things hidden within it to share with me."

[Sutoratosu]

Aurora, 1st day of the 1st month, Year of Rebirth. Approximately 3:00PM

There was no amusement in those eyes, unreadable shards of light piercing the darkness. "Indeed they have grown tough," she said, voice slow, measured... smooth as silk. but the malice was still there, still lingering just beneath the surface, barely enough to pick up. "but not so tough, that I'll sit here and listen to your mockery. You think you're so safe down there, don't you? So untouchable, so free to bite your thumb as much as you like. Yes, yes, there was a man of not too different a mind here, just this morning. A man who liked hurting little girls. A man who liked firing quips just like you do." The snarl began again, faint, low... almost not there at all. "He thought distance meant safety as well... well, he fired one quip too many, let me tell you. The next thing he knew, my fangs were in his shoulder and his arm was limp by his side... oh the look on his face. He learned I was no mere Huntress, in time... but by then it was far too late."

"So go on, Icarus, keep it up." The flash of a manic smile accompanied the invitation. "afterall, I'd be happy to let you meet that man, and he can tell you aaaall about what it's like down here in the dark...if you're so curious."

[Shadow Sketches]

Icarus, Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. Approximately 3:00 PM

His eyes stared back at her, two soulless black holes codly meeting her gaze. "It seems to me that you are the one that believes you are comfortable down here below the earth. I don't know who you are or what 'man' you are talking about, nor do I care about your petty threats." His smile widened to reveal one of his sharp canines, his demonic tail slowly slithered free from the cloak and into clear view. The thin tail swaying in the air behind him hauntingly. "But do not compare me to any of your helpless prey from before, I will not be one to run away or beg for mercy. I will not get on my knees and cry to the heavens, nor wish for a savior to come and rescue me from your clutches. For I am no man..."

[Dread: Used] A menacing aura began to be emitted from the demon, his tail's motions began to get more frenzied behind him, slashing at the air furiously. The air around them seemed to turn suffocating, as if it had grown a violent nature. Shadows seemed to dance around them threateningly, as if they wanted nothing more than to jump out and absorb anything they touched into oblivion. His two eyes glowed a blood filled red and duplicated, another pair appearing above the first pair and gazing directly at the spider. He seemed to double in size, the cloak billowing around him caused by non existent wind. His clothing got more ragged and and his chains and blades became covered in dried blood. His mouth began to be filled with sharp teeth that looked like they were as lethal as daggers while goat horns the color of obsidian pierced through his scalp. The blood covered horns twisted and extended beside his face so the horns pushed downwards but would then go up so the sharp tips pointed upwards. The tribal tattoos that were once unseen began to expand throughout his body, covering the left side of his face in black waves and arcs.

"...I am darkness itself." His voice was now raspy and filled with power, a terrifying smile of dagger sharp teeth covering his face. Just by standing there he seemed to emit powerful wavelengths of fear and horror. Any small critter near them began to scatter away as fast as their tiny paws could carry them, loud squeaks of primal terror signaling their retreat.

[Sutoratosu]

Aurora, 1st day of the 1st month, Year of Rebirth. Approximately 3:00PM

Nothing showed on her face. No panic. No register of terror or horror. Neither of her twin hearts even skipped a beat as she gazed at the being before her. All that came, was the stone cold reign of silence. Whether this was illusion or not, it didn't matter. She had sworn an Oath long ago. A Pact... sealed by blood and bone... backed by sight and acknowledgement of divinity. A pact that... forbids balking at such spectacles. Even with all of those who had helped forge that pact long since dead, the terms of holy service hold firm (Heart of the Mother). No matter how big this Hellspawn grew, no matter how much intimidation he tried, whatever he could do... was surely nothing compared to the wrath of a Goddess who desired the blood of every last Free Race-born man, woman, and child on the planet.

She held his gaze for a moment longer. The manic smile faded... and with it, the burning light of her eyes, as if candles snuffed by swift hands and deft fingers. She kicked off the ceiling without a sound, tumbling towards the stones and righting her body in one quick, seamlessly fluid motion. She raised her head, steady, slow. The hardened layer of leather she'd not bothered to take off after this dawn shifting with her body. Locks of copper blonde obscured most of her face save a single, scrutinizing eye as she seemed to stare not at the Demon, but through him. She held a strange stance, the Acolyte did: shoulder turned to the opposition, standing tall on all eight legs, rising to full height. Her fangs slid into view of their own accord, twin sabers larger than all the others, jutting down from the upper jaw.

"I see..." she muttered, barely enough to even be heard. "Then that... takes the fun out of it. The humans were a lot like you too, on the battlefield. So full of grandiosity, so intent on resisting. It wasn't until the venom started flowing that things actually got interesting."

She drew the white cylinder at her side, fingers whirling the device in a single deft spin as she did so. The change was nearly too sudden to process... one moment, nothing but glossy bone carved with script, the next... script roared to life with subdued, emerald life, cylinder elongating... and becoming shaft. And shaft giving way to tip, just as the luminescence faded. A mere blunt object, no more. Now, Her Spear, the spear... called sting. A Double Pronged, bladed head, steeped in venom, the language of her people emblazoned into it's very being from root to stem.

This... was the spear of an Acolyte. Crafted of the bone of it's wielder, inscribed with solemn oath, blessed under divine witness. pearly white, fragile in appearance.... yet strong enough in durability and performance to surpass even steel. As much apart of an Acolyte as arm or a leg... capable of being controlled just like an arm or a leg. A thing of unnatural beauty. A thing that few ever got to see, and even fewer ever got to tell about.

"You say you're darkness incarnate? Come and prove it."

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Regent and Hasslehoof. Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. Approximately 3:00 PM

"Alright then! LET US BEGIN!!!" The Minotaur exclaimed as he bowed deeply. A long and drawn out bow at that. At the end of it he quickly jumped into action and began his dance. He was following the music that the Ballroom was giving them thus far. So... since it was in the middle of a slow dancing song this would be a tactical battle. One of slow pace. At least for now. Hasslehoof waltz around as if dancing with a partner, though his partner for now was a ghost. He did all the proper flourishes and what not as if he was really ballroom dancing. It was... a strange sight to behold. He kept dancing around waiting for not only Regent to begin dancing himself, but for the Drake to take the first move as well.

[Shadow Sketches]

Icarus, Auroa, Time: 1st Day, of the 1st Month, of the Year of Rebirth. Approximately 3:00 PM

He gripped his weapons more tightly, his body tensing in preparation for a bloody fight between predators. His tail slithered upwards until it was next to his face, the tip had seemed to transform so it looked similar to the head of a serpent. It now had a mouth filled with tiny sharp teeth but no eyes to speak of as it hissed threateningly at their opponent. "Be wary of what you ask for, huntress..."

Without wasting another breath on talking, his body burst forward as he began to close the distance between them. His monstrous form getting closer but hard to focus on as his agile body moved side to side, making a hard target to aim at. He was confident in his speed and maneuverability, combined with the frightening illusion it would be hard for the stony faced spider to land a hit. Once he was close enough to the long legged spider, he threw the blade in his right hand towards her chest, the chains beginning to unravel from his arm as the blade pulled the silver along with it. Watching the blade and chain carefully as it flew towards their target with calculating eyes. The sharp steel cutting through the air as the noisy rattle of metal filled the dark tunnels.