Exposed cloth clung to her, stained a darker shade from her time out in the rain. Mud caked her boots and began to soil the hardwood floor the longer she remained stapled to the door. She was dressed quite simply, adorned in dark greens and blues, with a large weapon concealed in thick cloth tethered to her back. Throwing knives lined her right thigh and the hilt of a dagger peaked out from the folds of her left boot.

Isabeau paused a moment, taking in the hulk of a man before her. There were a few options, and accessing what sort of person he was would tell her which would be the better play.

She lowered her hood, glancing him over shamelessly. A grin sparked along her face. "I am sure she told you a good many things about me, all of course to serve her own purpose." She said, avoiding Regina all together.

His was a game of strength ... or chicken. But she had no intention of pecking first. Still, risks had to be taken. She move gracefully through the grand room, lavishly decorated, accented in golds and reds. Even the bath oils he was supplied with had to have cost a fortune, she inhaled deeply as she passed him, taking in the hint of lavender. She crossed over to the table, cluttered with enough food to feed a militia.

"I see she hasn't lost her taste..." She muttered, allowing a finger to trail over the edge of the place setting, decorated with fine dinnerware.

She had already invaded his space, interrupted his bath and meal. She could have played the pompous bitch and pressed against him while passing, picked at his food as she came upon the heaping display. But he wasn't her enemy, at least not yet. And it was as clear as day that she was painted as his.

"The way I see it, you have two options." she turned to face him, the jovial look dissipated as quickly as it had sprung. "We can enjoy each others company a moment, I can tell you my side of the story, if it's even something that interests you, or ... , she reached down and slipped the dagger from her boot, casually rotating it within the palm of her hand. "... we can do this the hard way. While you have no reason to trust me, I will tell you, I am not your enemy here, nor do I have any desire to fight you. But the choice is yours."

Short, simple and sweet... enough, despite the lack of niceties and grandiose. There was no nonsense, no bullshit. She needed to establish her position without awaking the sleeping giant that had rested within each tensed muscle. Her eyes sparkled as the candlelight flickered through the room, not with fear or hesitation, but with that of purpose and determination.

@Zero Hex

The door fitting flush against its finely crafted wooden frame, the lioness-woman turned her attention down and unto the two knightly men who had stepped forward into the room; handling the elven blade still at the ready, she remained where she was. Yet, before she could so much as beg a question that now grated at her conscious, Sir Hepburnberg provided his apologies on behalf the small woman, accompanied by a slight bow of the head.

“I apologize for my halfling friend for her lack of etiquette, her boldness is not meant to irritate I assure you.”

The huntress returned the gesture, proving to mimic the motion with a surprising amount of grace; she was not so lacking in the customs of mortals as she may had seemed at first. It was not a surprise, one could reason though - between the scarring that visibly consumed portions of her and her apparent age, she was clearly more than familiar with the works of men and those alike them.

Golden gaze lingering, she proved to turn to look in Regina's direction before she so much as moved. The halfling had been on and about an intruder, which still struck the old warrior as a bit perplexing. The wards should have more than protected the entirety of the house, even from an attack within. Sakaala had no doubt about what they the wards were, in that while she was a sorceress, wizardry was not entirely as distant a cousin to it as mortals often touted; the magic was still of the arcane source, not that god given or the more obscure like those shadow or stranger.

As quickly as the psychic had escalated things before, she did so again now by proclaiming she was certain it was this "Isabeau". It was all the former ranger had come to hear as of this day, and while the source did not seem reliable as it was often in the throes of fierce emotion, that same emotion played itself out as legitimate belief; there was no doubt the halfling woman found herself convinced of what was transpiring and that much was apparent to the company of the two men and monster.

Again before they could so much as respond, she set upon rambling, asking of what they could do, asking of magic, saying the intruder was hiding, then just as quickly proclaiming a search was needed. It was all more than enough, the assault of incoherent train of thought, to draw the anger of the lioness.

"Enough." She said firmly, gritting her teeth and silencing the exchange. While not a forceful growl to her voice, it was a demanding one.

"The entirety of this house is warded by the works of a paranoid wizard. If there were such an intruder, no less this 'Isabeau'," The ebony flesh that lined her jowls flexed as she formed the words of the common tongue, "We would be more than aware, if not perhaps dead ourselves."

The lowering of her sword settled in as it then became idle by her leviathan belt which still bore shrouded, curved, tribal blades upon her hip. Each movement the leonine form made was thoughtful as she tried to outthink the situation at hand; all the details were becoming muddied by the paranoia and emotion. Both could get any aspiring mercenary adventurer killed, and the thought of it drove -

"Diagorides." The huntress uttered, at first to herself, "Diagorides, Hills - did you summon him as well?"

Shaking her head side to side with a lightly snarled exhale, "No, you never mentioned him earlier." She answered her own question as her memory provided insight and wisdom on the matter when she reflected upon it.

"Lady Genevieve can more than handle one 'witch', should she already be there, as any wizard prepared to fight is oft to win." The silvery blade tapped the side of her golden furred legs, of which were like finely detailed works of animal muscle and fur. "There is more at work here, but we are not about to abandon anyone."

"We need find the large man, then we can begin hunting for the source of this matter." Speaking as she was, she looked from Regina to Sir Hepburnberg and then Sir Erran.

It was a simple matter really, as their force only multiplied when together, and a lone intruder now matter how powerful would likely just be overcome by sheer numbers. No less careful to remove any notion of it, the aged huntress did hold legitimate concern for the burly man - not because she thought he would get himself killed if the assassin was present, quite the contrary, but because he was the only other true mercenary here. Someone else with enough wiles and experience in the bloody trade to have the senses needed to avoid pitfalls and dangers that others would ignore...

@Belwicket@Jon Y@vietmyke@Zero Hex@IcePezz@ArenaSnow

Ajax continued to grin as the intruder made her way into his current lodgings, and he took stock of the situation while carefully turning to keep her well in his sights, and as she'd stepped closer, well in his reach. No reaction to the barb about the halfling, whether she didn't care or would rather not show it, he couldn't say. If she'd been there to kill them, she would have either fled or tried to murder the nude and unarmed man, foolish as that thought was where he was concerned. No reaction came from the burly man when she moved in and commented on the amenities, but when she reached down, well, that was a different story.

It wasn't anything overtly physical. He didn't lunge towards her or anything of the sort, but it was a slight bend at the knees, a twitch of the hip, a nigh-imperceptible increase on the tension of the shoulders and a harsher locking of the jaw. It was much as when a predator bares its fangs and prepares to pounce, every fiber of their being standing on end with but one purpose. The atmosphere in the room screamed that Ajax was ready and more than capable of punting the now more vulnerable intruder into a smear as she reached for her weapon. He didn't, however, and the moment passed as Isabeau straightened back up to try her hand at bravado.

"Hah! Bold words, I like that, but we both know a fight between us wouldn't be sporting so put your toy away", he said dismissively as he turned his back for a moment to retrieve his undergarments. Shameless as he was, he had still been born a man with some degree of human social norm instilled in him and his nudity had gone on far enough. "You'll excuse my covering up, but I doubt we have time for "enjoying eachother's company". By all means, do make yourself comfortable and tell me about my current employer and this quest. It all sounds to me like any old story, but even the blind could see the woman is downright sinister".

@IcePezz

The mage finally found his prey, detecting her as she by chance came in his direction. He could feel her anywhere - it was a distinct feel. Perhaps not to most, but one with his training had to know differences. The sage was most certainly different. It was time to strike

Immediate scanning of the area revealed rather tight defenses - save one section. A section that appeared quite sloppy in the making. While the rest of the defenses would be nearly impossible to dismantle without revealing himself, he figured he could make his way through that section. He came towards where he felt the weakness to be strongest.

It was a wall, to be exact. Great, now I've got to walk through walls... There were spells for it, of course, but nothing that wouldn't immediately cause a distraction, and certainly nothing non-magical that wouldn't make a ton of noise. At least, that he was good at. He went with the last of his options - not a very good one, but a step up from detection, he reasoned. He walked up to the wall closely, keeping care to not draw averse attention with his cloaking, and half a minute later completed a lengthy incantation to remove a small hole for him to climb into. It was a risk of detection, especially considering the amount of magic presences he felt in the area, but there was no turning back and he had his talisman as a last resort if things went south.

He kept very particular care of his mental defenses and cloaking himself - he noticed at least two magically aware presences and one actively seeking mind. They were unlikely to find much - he hoped - and his mental security would not be an issue, but it still left him apprehensive to be walking in the den of magic users just upstairs. All this he thought as he made his way slowly into the household through the all-too-small entry, and he took every mental precaution to mask himself. He hoped the rogue had not messed matters up - he wouldn't be detected if they weren't aware, but given the lateness of the day when compared with the activeness of the house's occupants - he suspected the worst. Nonetheless, he made his way through the 'cottage' - noting the irony of the name as he observed the furniture alone worth the sum of a wealthy lord's fortune - towards the northern towers. She would no doubt be capable of noticing him even with his cloaking, but he would be too near for her to do anything about it given the fact the others were back on the other side of the building.

He moved with a purpose and a will, ready to come upon the sage's door...

"Hah! Bold words, I like that, but we both know a fight between us wouldn't be sporting so put your toy away"

Her eyes narrowed at him, but only for a moment. She didn't particularly liked being mocked. Typically, those who underestimated her never lasted very long. But there was some truth to his words, and as his massive form turned away from her to fetch his clothing, she saw it etched in every muscle and scar. The way that he moved, the way that he spoke, he certainly had brains, which was more than she could say about most who came up against her. Still, what a marvelous sight it might have been, her heart ached for a real fight.

She lowered herself into a chair, sat at the head of the table that would soon be devoured by food if it were left for too long. As he continued to speak, she reached a hand towards the golden chalice overflowing with large, plump blueberries, savoring the taste of each as she slipped them into her mouth.

"Her story is a very simple one. One of greed and betrayal. She wants the power for her own. She killed Jeltheor for his power and for the fame it would get her. Whether or not she actually has intentions of using the keys to destroy the evil on this plane, I can't say for sure. But I do know it isn't her only goal. She wasn't always like this, it is mostly the work of the artifact which she holds so preciously dear. When I confronted her ... came to her about destroying it ... well, I could show you my scars, but then I would have to get naked." she smirked, shoving another berry between her lips.

She knew it wouldn't be long until a search party was arranged. It wasn't the smartest idea to linger for much longer and at this point, her plan to steal the second artifact from Genevieve was starting to fall apart. But she needed them to know. And if her visit tonight could chip away at Genevieve's plan, it was all worth it.

"I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced though. If she's told you so much, I'm sure she must have mentioned my name. But it is quite unfortunate, I do not know yours."

@Zero Hex



She moved frantically through her room as she made her way through. Fancy trinkets and clothes were tossed about carelessly as she came to a large wardrobe on the back wall. With the touch of a finger, a secret draw slid open from underneath, exposing a midsized chest. She threw the lid open and let out a long sigh of relief as she saw the stone, safe and sound where she had left it.

It was in that moment that she felt him. She knew there was an intruder on the loose, but she had expected Isabuea .... No, it wasn't her who she felt ... the Magi! Her brows wrinkled, her jaw tensed, her blood boiled with anger and anticipation. He wanted a fight? She would be sure to give him one. Returning the chest to it's proper place, she spoke softly, enchanting the wardrobe then turned to face the door.

Whatever magic she could throw at him may not be a match. But there was one that people often forgot. She had command over everything in that house. Every brick, every layer of wood, even the staff was forced to do her bidding. One word was all it took.

"Open!" she yelled to the large oak door. With force, it burst open, revealing her foe on the other side.

@ArenaSnow

The story wasn't particularly exciting or revealing, just like he had figured, and he was still essentially where he was when he agreed to take the quest. Doubting the authenticity of these artifacts and quite convinced his employer was off her rocker. Not like he trusted this one much, but perspective was nice. He had more or less made up his mind to destroy the much sought after object if there was any truth to it, the less magic the world had to suffer through the better. "I've shown you mine so you have to show me yours sometime" Ajax said as he finished wrapping his loincloth around his legs, regarding the showcasing of scars and the necessary nudity of such an act.

"But again, I doubt we've the time. I can't say much about my partners but at least one seems competent enough to organize a search and I'd rather not get into a fight with them so early into the quest. You'd best be leaving". He turned to face her as he motioned towards the window. "Ah yes, Isobel or somesuch I believe?. I am Ajax Diagorides of a land called Erimai". Ajax was not terribly good with names and would often get them wrong, when he didn't do it on purpose to incense someone with an overblown ego. It was hard to tell when he had honestly forgotten and when he was being obnoxious.

"I'm sure we'll be seeing eachother again in less hostile territory".

Ionathan was just about to tell them about his encounter with Isabeau but Regina began to launch herself into a mixture of questioning and rambling, he was used to this sort of behaviour from criminals and reprobates who would try to bribe and worm there way out of an arrest but not from Regina. He was going to let her get it out of her system when Sakaala cut her off who then analysed the situation. Ionathan said nothing while Sakaala voiced her analysis, he was always brought up through his parents and through training to speak when spoken to.

"We need find the large man, then we can begin hunting for the source of this matter."
Giving a curt nod Ionathan looked at Sakaala’s sword, touching his own hip he knew he nor Emil had a weapon. He had received hand to hand training in both the army and the guard and had the confidence and the skill to take on any pleb but not Isabeau or Genevieve depending on who he would side with.
Looking round at Sakaala, Emil and Regina he hoped he would not come to blows with any of them.

“Very well, lead the way.”

@Belwicket @vietmyke @AdamantiumWolf @Zero Hex @The Harbinger of Ferocity @IcePezz

The small halfling- was as always, filled with energy. She spoke of the traitor Isabeau, whom had been mentioned earlier that night, but more importantly that she had entered the home of the sage. The halfling seemed ready for a fight, and asked him and the others if they were prepared. Emil looked at himself rather sheepishly- he had not been anticipating a fight, and as such wore no arms or armor. He felt rather bashful actually, as a warrior he should've been ready for any situation.

Emil was jostled out of his thoughts as the huntress- the beastwoman Sakaala growled for Regina's speech to end. Interrupting her increasingly agitated rambling with solid logic and rational. The Huntress was also the first to realize the massive man Ajax was not with them. The huntress expressed the need to find the large warrior that was Ajax- a sound move. Consolidating their strength would only be better for them should they come across.

"It would be in our best interest to find the fighter Diagorides," Emil agreed. "When you summoned us, I did not anticipate it to be for the purpose of hunting someone down. It appears neither I nor Sir Hepburnberg are properly armed for this task."

With that, the group began to locate Diagorides- their first place to check being his room. Which was, surprisingly easy enough to locate in the house, since the group of them had been housed in relatively close proximity to one another- it would only make sense for guest bedrooms to be in a specific wing of a house if it was built specifically to house large amounts of guests. As they approached they walked down the hallway, Emil was almost certain he heard Diagorides' voice coming from the his room. He couldn't make it out very well, and the footsteps of their group in general made a bit too much noise for him to make out any words. Emil began to slow down, his steps quieting as he did.

"I... I believe I hear voices coming from Diagorides' room." Emil said quietly to the others.

Regina wordlessly pressed her ear to the door. She knew Ajax's mind was blocked from her prying and figured anyone else in their would either have their mind blocked as well or would get really mad at her peeking. She heard the voices clearly enough. "A female voice? It doesn't sound like Genevieve or anyone else in our group." She looked back up at Sakaala with a shrug. "Aren't we the only other girls? I guess he could be talking with one of the maids." She looked back at the door. "Unless any of you can hear better than me, which I guess at least one of you could, I say we interrupt. Unless any of you think otherwise." She raised her hand to knock, waiting only a few seconds for a response. If nobody stopped her, Regina would knock loudly.

She dipped her head to the large man, the grin ever still plastered on her face. Finally someone with charm and wit, enough to even rival her own. Nothing much was gained or lost on either side, and she was thankful for that, especially where her own life was concerned. "If what you say is true, then I've no doubt someone will come this way soon enough." She rose from her chair and started towards the window. "Your company was certainly a pleasure, and I suppose I am indebted to you for sparing my life" She smirked, glancing back at him one more time before shoving the long, luxurious red curtains to the side, exposing her way out of the cottage. Her palm spread wide, she reached a hand towards the window, the fibers of the protection spells sparked as her flesh pressed up against the glass. There would be no way out through here. "Dammit" She smoothed her hand over the wall, sifting through thoughts, trying to discern another way out.

She paused a moment, hearing voices in the hallway, just beyond the door. Just then there was a loud knock, Isabeau whipped around with wide eyes, staring deep into fates plan. She giggled softly. "Now either the gods despise me, or they are trying to help me along. I wonder who that could be." There was no time for a plan to work, they knew someone was in the room. "I am sorry my dear, but you'll have to play along in order for this to work."

She swiftly walked towards him, pulling her dagger from her boot once more.

@Zero Hex

"Ajax Diagorides bows for no man, and I'd rather actually die before I let anyone think me bested without reason. Move aside and be ready to flee", he said as he positioned himself about half a step away from the window. Slightly profiled, feet about shoulder-width, left leg forward, right back. He took a deep breath and exhaled through the nose as he extended his left arm to measure the distance between himself and the wall. Proper distance is very important when it comes to maximizing impact in a strike, after all. And since he didn't know just how strong the building and its sorceries were, he was going to hit them as hard as he could.

It really did not take long, even with that preamble. How long do you take to practice a punch? Rather than tense up and make his muscles bulge and strain for show and intimidation, Ajax's entire body seemed to relax as he bent back at the waist in a way that would've been far too telegraphed to be practical in an actual fight, placing all of his 300 or so pounds of weight firmly on his right leg. His massive right hand was ready at about jaw height, fingers only half balled up. The looser your body, the faster and snappier the blow. And then, it happened. A savage, wordless warcry, more animal than man, and Ajax let loose.

All of his impossibly powerful muscles collaborated, from the toes up. He pushed off his right leg, transfering his impressive bodyweight to the left as he took half a step forward with it to further set his girth in motion. The waist and torso snapped explosively counterclockwise, propelled by the power generated by the legs and adding to it. The left hand retracted to act as a counterbalance while the right hand, powered by the right shoulder and given a bit of extra oomph with a twist of the elbow and the wrist, launched forward ramrod straight and with untold might, fist clenching only on the moment of impact.

For a split second, Ajax's entire body was as if carved from primordial stone as his every fiber went into this one blow. It was, truth be told, little more than a basic straight right. The second punch you learn in boxing, but still one of the deadliest weapons in its arsenal. An exagerated, telegraphed version, not of much use against a moving, resisting opponent but wholly focused on hitting as hard as possible. And Ajax could hit hard. With a deafening impact, his granite fist crashed against the wall and the spells within and blew them all right out of the building, exploding chunks of masonry to the wind and creating a thick cloud of dust within the room.

The blast knocked down the many tins and trays loaded with food and the jugs and bottles of wine with a chaotic clattering that added to the sudden pandemonium, and depending on the wind the closest townspeople may have well heard the house on the hill suddenly lose a wall. "I'M UNSTOPPABLE!" Ajax roared as a spray of rainwater washed over him. It was most certainly no act as the massive beast of a man roared, lost in the joys of strength. It was time for his companions to burst into the room, and it was time for Isabeau to leave in the commotion.

@IcePezz @Belwicket @Jon Y @vietmyke @ArenaSnow @The Harbinger of Ferocity

The two men wisely agreed that the search for their missing member was the most important approach if the intruder was about the premises of the manor. One less body in a skirmish, particularly one so versed in and scarred by conflict, was an advantage the enemy could not be permitted; the sort of thing that would get all others involved killed. This the leonine woman had seen before, that men in their times of greed and want of glittering gold would divide amongst themselves, only to fall prey to the perilous traps of the delve they dared.

"When you summoned us, I did not anticipate it to be for the purpose of hunting someone down. It appears neither I nor Sir Hepburnberg are properly armed for this task."

"If the man Diagorides is any proof, a sword is not what makes one dangerous." The rumbling voice answered denoting her confidence in the two as men of valor and battle to fight even unarmed.

Setting the massiveness of her padded palm to the door, she opened it once more, this time being sure to lead with herself than the rest; she doubted that they without their arms and armor could take a surprise blow. To the huntress' pleasant surprise, nothing drove itself toward the enormous mithral breastplate that encompassed her bust immediately, allowing her to peer down the hall. Each end, to her eye, appeared clear and as mundane as any other night within the Lady Genevieve's manor.

The four moved through the ornately decorated hall, across the sweeping rugs and the stonework below them. The pause that followed tightened the grip around the deadly keened blade that rested within the hands of Sakaala, whose ears twitched and cupped toward the sound of voices - almost reaching out toward them. One was familiar, of no lacking in the brashness associated with it, but another was almost seductive... undoubtedly feminine and different in pattern than that of any others they had heard prior.

"I... I believe I hear voices coming from Diagorides' room." Sir Erran uttered lightly, certain to keep his tone subdued.

Looking across her shrouded shoulder, the tattered ebon robes that made up her appearance, she offered a slight nod without a word.

The look within the battle-torn monster's eyes had changed, as they had become unblinking things of primal focus. That which was still alit with sight, the golden one, was the stare of a killer set to end life just within reach. The blinded eye? It remained as a phantom of days past, bearing the same focus but clearly without the sight that should have accompanied its clouded depths. All of the predatory power that made her people before a living element of this world, as monstrous to men as they were, lived again in the thrill of the prospect that the prey could have strayed to the hunter.

Returning her attention from the brief moment to the door itself, the halfling remarked again, but soon set to place her knuckles rapping to the door.

The end result, wherein the bestial sorceress had set herself ready to enter the room from the safety of the edge of the door, was that the entire building shuddered and tremendous stonework heaved itself apart just beyond. The resulting concussion that resonated throughout the ornate halls as a wall exploded into the courtyard outside was accompanied by the shattering of plates, clatter of metal, scattering of glass and tumbling of further stone. The pleasant news, if there was to be any, was that she heard the triumphant roar of the mercenary fighter, which soon overcame all the chaos and the storm outside which now filled part of the exposed room.

There was but a twitch to the numb hand that bore nothing but its leather and iron adorned gauntlet, not from the eruption of the manor, but born of the sudden rush of cold which filled the veins that were latent within the beast-woman's form. Her jowls had mouthed words, an utterance of old that over the storm of destruction could not be heard by common ears. The time to move was now in the fleeting moments and she did not delay.

With a hastened motion, her action fed by arcane magic, she delivered one clean blow upon the door, which began to fall away from the bite of the sword that carved through it. Following through, returning the hand to the ready and free of the weapon, she turned and drove her enormous form's weight into the elbow; the footwork, despite the enormity of her pawed feet, moved with astounding grace for their size - almost as though she danced upon them. The force that was the huntress body met with the door, of which still shuddered from the unnatural speed of the blow earlier, and the room was exposed in a cascading shower of splintering wood.

The moment of unmatched, mystic alacrity faded and she set herself, blade at the ready into the void without hesitation.

@Belwicket@Jon Y@vietmyke@Zero Hex@IcePezz@ArenaSnow

As the door practically exploded outwards, the mage quickly took a few steps back. To be hit by a mere door would not hurt the false structure of his golem, but he did it on reflex. He took a good look at his enemy. 'Young' was a word that could describe the appearance, though the mage knew full well that was a false assumption – a false overlay, like that of a witch. A fair fight would likely be taxing, and he could not rely on the house's size to count in his favor, particularly after the door. He opted to remove most of his cloaking on the spot, a move that would undoubtedly leave a strong imprint that could be detected by any magic user paying attention – but it would spare him resources to settle the matter quickly.

"So you are the corrupted one. I will end this quickly." True to his word, he brought out the talisman and mentally activated it, focusing it in the direction of the mage to channel a thought-spell designed to neutralize her powers and with any luck put her unconscious. A potent talisman indeed, though he did rely on not being interrupted by a counterattack or a demonstration of agility by the sage to escape the worst of the effects.

The spell would have the side effect of filling the entire area around him with invisible crackling energy that to any magic user would shine as a beacon of power. Again, something which he hoped to avoid the side effects of and finish the engagement quickly. He hoped the spikes in magic use he detected in the house along with considerable noise would be shielding enough for him to go undetected, though he rather doubted that.

Regina knocked loudly, expecting an answer from the man or his guest. However, instead, she heard nothing but what sounded like an explosion going off in the room. She began focusing, read to blast the door off its hinges with her telekinesis, only for her to be distracted by a thunk of a blade against wood. Looking up, she saw Sakaala readying to burst through. She moved quickly to allow the lioness to break down the door without tripping over the halfling before watching her move both terrifyingly and gracefully. Once Sakaala had the door down, Regina ran and jumped up, using her psionic powers to lift herself above the beast woman's shoulders, 4 daggers floating above each hand. She surveyed the area with a frown. "What happened?" she asked, looking at Ajax. "How did the wall break? Do you have explosive muscles?" Seeing the room was, for all intents and purposes, clear, she floated down in front of Sakaala, sliding her daggers in their sheaths. "Seriously, though, what did you do to your wall? And who were you talking to?"

Ionathan had already stacked up by the door ready to enter and when Sakaala sliced her huge yet elegant sword through the wood and Ionathan went through. His guardsman experience from raiding gang hideouts and smugglers dens kicked in, he scanned the room. Taken aback by the destruction seeing only an overjoyed Ajax marvelling at a large gaping hole in the wall where the rain and wind came through. Did he do this? If his punches did this to wall what would they do to a human head?

Ionathan immediately went to the hole and looked out but the rain and wind made it hard to see any movement outside.

“Room clear” Ionathan said out of instinct as he turned away from the hole, picked up a chair that had been overturned tucking it in to the table to bring some sort of tidiness back to the room and returned to his companions. Waiting for Ajax’s answer to all of Regina's questions.

@Belwicket @vietmyke @AdamantiumWolf @Zero Hex @The Harbinger of Ferocity @IcePezz

"I missed", Ajax said somewhat disgruntedly at the floating halfling to answer three of the five questions she threw at him in the span of a few seconds. He surpressed a smile as he cleaned out the chunks of wall from his fist and took stock of the chaotic situation around him. He didn't like the airs his employer put on, or really any sorcerer he'd ever met, so he derived a good deal of enjoyment from to the damage to her property. Not to mention his general enjoyment of a good ruckus. In many ways he was as simple a brute as his looks implied.

"We had a disagreement over matters of courtesy", he continued. "I do not take intrusions and challenges lightly". The best lies are the ones that had some truth to them, and the things he had said were quite true. He held no real ill will towards these people, not even the tiny nuisance questioning him, so best they learn some one simple fact early: he was not to be trifled with.

"As I can see." Sakaala's heavy voice followed in the wake of the other two who had found their way into the room as well. The blind warrior-arcanist providing a simple smugness to her approval that at least the surprise engagement was driven off, if only for a time. It begged questions that needed answer, like those of as to how the intruder had crossed the enchanted boundary which seemed to be intentionally warded against her doing so, but for the moment the lack of the threat was a welcome change... as was the strongman's destructive might. There was no doubt a use for a man who could reduce masonry to rubble in this world and she better than most was aware of it.

Yet, Regina's habit of being directly in the way continued, to which the enormous leonine form prompted her to step sideways gently with the flat of her sword to the small woman's shoulder seeing as she had returned to the ground, levitating no more and sheathing her collection of knives. It was a motion of caution, one that spoke on an unspoken length; interposing one's self between the bearer of a sword and what could have been another was not a wise tact, at least not for those who intended long lives for themselves.
Stepping beside Hills now, surveying the absolute destruction that was everything from the shattered plates to jagged wood, the Huntress idled no further seeing that the quarry had escaped - for now.

"I have little doubt that the lady is well aware of the now gaping hole in her home," The strong, animal jaws curved as her imposing figure found itself to the gap, a paw-like hand stroking over its rain drenched surface in assessment while more pattered down, "But as her guests it might be wise we bring forth what transpired here before she does."

Shaking off the rainwater of the previously investigating hand, its associated arm soon returned limp beside her body - inanimate once more. It was in her expression, as she turned back to the rest of the collective, the three men and the halfling, that she had more upon her mind but evidently said nothing of it; safe to say, it seemed to be clear upon her scarred features the disappointment that the foe would be allowed to evade.

@Belwicket@Jon Y@vietmyke@Zero Hex@IcePezz@ArenaSnow

Genevieve stood her ground for the moment, every muscle in her body tensing. It took every bit her of to stall, to try and endure the power shown by the Magi. “What …? Not confident enough in your abilities to fight me like a man?” her strength waned with every word. As the magic left her body, she slumped against the large wardrobe behind her. Her eyes trailed over the talisman a moment, taking in every groove and crack, twist of metal, every hue and hum. “That is an interesting toy you have there, young man. Do you even know the true capabilities of its power?” she growled, her voice growing intense as she fought to keep conscious. Her skin had wrinkled, becoming powder white and spotted with age. Silver sparked through her hair and a hunch added to the woman’s slump.

Her hands fumbled behind her to the tables beside the armoire, trying to find something, anything to use against him. She couldn’t let herself be taken out like this. If she could stall long enough, the others in the house should be able to feel his power, to sense him. She wondered if he was the intruder Regina spoke of … if so, what had taken them so long to get to her?!

Her fingers passed over odds and ends left on the table from previous rituals performed, stones, bones … and then … her only hope. With whatever strength she had left in her, she grabbed the large bell, identical to the one in the dining hall but larger in size, as if used to wake the whole house. She shook it frantically, spouting out some sort of spell... an amplifier of sorts. The bell emitted a loud ring, but as Genevieve spoke, the volume and pitch grew, begging the house to creek and cry, calling to anyone near. It wasn’t long before Genevieve was on the floor, left completely unconscious, and the ringing had stopped. But, not without doing a bit of damage, not without awaking the enchantments that surrounded the intruder. Wood splintered up between him and the crone and the floor groaned beneath his feet. An ominous breeze blew by him, and the surrounding temperature dropped a few degrees or ten.

@The Harbinger of Ferocity @Zero Hex @Jon Y @Belwicket @ArenaSnow @vietmyke

The past few moments had been a blur for Emil. He had followed Ionathan's lead and stacked up against the door, unarmed, but determined to prove his worth to his comrades. There was some shouting, followed by a noise akin to shattering stone and splintering wood. The beast woman, seeing as subtlety was no longer necessary drew her blade and quickly cut down the door, stepping through where the wooden barrier once was. Ionathan quickly entered, followed by Emil, with admittedly a bit more hesitation, and the flying, floating, levitating halfling.

Fast forward to the current time, and Emil found himself staring at Diagorides, half of his body covered in a fine coat of powdered stone and splinters, and a large gaping hole in the room, the pouring rain clawing at the edges of the now open room. The floating halfling had her daggers drawn, and appeared prepared to pepper the enemy with blades, but instead peppered Diagorides with questions, which he answered in a manner that could only be described as succinctly.

"I would have thought a siege weapon had struck the wall, had it not been for the fact that the rubble seems to have gone out of the building instead of inwards." Emil mused aloud, more to himself than the others. Diagorides strength was, immense, to say the least- part of Emil wondered if Diagorides was truly as human as he claimed himself to be. The man's training was no doubt rigorous, but what human was able to break through stone as efficiently as a trebuchet without even scraping his knuckles? Surely the human body had limits, did it not?

Sakaala suggested that they report the intrusion to lady Genevieve, their host. It was a sound plan as any, and Emil was inclined to agree, until he heard the sound of a bell ringing throughout the building- it grew louder and louder as well, as if it had been amplified. The sound appeared to be coming from another portion of the home.

"It appears that someone is trying to get our attention-" Emil spoke, "That, or perhaps another quarry has entered the home."

Emil began making his way back out of the room, and down the hallway towards the source of the ringing- pausing only to wrench a pair of weapons off of some decorations in the hall- a gilded longsword from a suit of armor, and one of two encrusted halberds hung upon the wall above it. Passing the sword to Ionathan, Emil hefted the halberd, testing its weight. The weapon was balanced somewhat poorly- it was a decoration more than it was an implement of death. Despite the fact that the weapon was clearly weighted to hang properly instead of deliver considerable force to the point of its spear or blade of its axe, Emil was confident that he could wield it moderately effectively, at least until they had the chance to retrieve their actual arms and armor. He spun the weapon in his hands, once slowly, hesitantly, as he adjusted himself with the balance of the weapon, and a second time, more swiftly and confidently.

"In the face of Diagorides' destruction of her wall, it is my hope that the lady will not mind us borrowing these ornaments." he said calmly as he advanced towards the source of the bell.

There was a short pause after Ajax made his reply that made Ionathan smirk, the blunt and evasive response was made by criminals in interrogation and Ionathan knew that they would get very little information out of him through persuasion. Just when he thought that the situation was under control and that he could soon get back to his room and finish off his now cold chicken breast, a bell began to ring. As the bell got louder and louder Ionathan winced, Genevieve either really wanted to see her young maid, or she was using the bell as an alarm to warn others.

"It appears that someone is trying to get our attention-that, or perhaps another quarry has entered the home."
A nod from Ionathan showed his approval, despite his youth and inexperience Emil had shown he can keep a cool head making a solid judgment even as these odd events were happening around him.

Ionathan followed Emil out of the room guessing that he was heading towards the room where the bell was tolling but stopped by some suits of armour, borrowed their weapons and gave one to Ionathan. Bowing his head in acceptance of the offering he held it firmly in his hand. Heavier than it should be but sharper than he expected, Ionathan wondered if Genevieve had the sword sharp so that she could animate the suits of armour into killing automatons.

With the sword in his hand he made a figure of eight with his wrist, then raised the sword in salute. With a nod of satisfaction, Ionathan then turned his head.

"Regina. Can you sense anything?"

@Belwicket @vietmyke @AdamantiumWolf @Zero Hex @The Harbinger of Ferocity @IcePezz