Emiliah Coraline, and Vivian?

As Coraline lay in the simple bed in the Witch's Paradise, she tossed and turned. In her sleep, her face took on expression of discomfort and pain. Her breathing was ragged. Her witchmarks were glowing.

Coraline stepped into what seemed like a sanctuary, but it was to some god she'd never seen before. The cobbled stone walls were covered in tapestries depicting some of the greatest battles in history, they focused not on the glories of battle however. They lingered instead at the cost, broken bodies, burning mass funeral pyres, the faces of women and children twisted in grief and agony. Six short stone pews sat near the entrance. three to a side they flanked a walkway to the dreadfull altar. The altar - a small thing seemly carved from the bone of a creature to large to have walked the earth in recent memory - was pierced by the spear end of a large wicked scythe. Even here, in the dark, the curved blade seemed to gleam in some unknown light.

Coraline made her way carefully to the altar, her eyes peeled for any signs of life or movement. The chill in the air deepened with each step, by the time she stood before the blasphemous fixture her breath could be seen hanging in the air. Suddenly the chill abated in a rush of air centered behind the scythe. From the shadows gathering there came a skeletal arm, it grasped the blade and pulled it free from its rest. She stood before the long shadow of death, Charon's eyes were formed of a blue light, and possessed of a singular and impossible apathy. Coraline recognized the being, it was the same one she and the rest of the hunters encountered in the cathedral. The same one that took Flint and Liz.

The shadow spoke as Coraline drew her blade, backing away slowly. "Coraline Toph... so much squandered... that is your legacy isn't it?" It approached slowly, the blade of its weapon dragging menacingly along the floor. "Here you are, amongst people who don't trust you, unaware that you stand in the shadow of Dragons. Join me, and you'll live another day. Perhaps you'll yet understand what you are, and what purpose you'll serve in the oncoming darkness."

Coraline tried to speak, but it was as though something was keeping the air in her lungs. She couldn't talk, only listen in silence to the angel of death.

"The curtain is opening Coraline, for the final show." The shadow halted several feet from the huntress. "Dragon crosses Rose for the last time, as Red moves to cover Black."

"You care for this little band of ignorant fools? Their gods are children, their steel false protection. Their end is here, with me in this cold darkness. The Digards may try their chants, Emiliah may pierce me with the Spear." With that coment, the injury sustained from that very spear flared, more pain shot from it in every direction across Coraline's body. Charon's laugh was composed of the screams and sighs of those long dead, its form shook with a strange mirth. "You can't kill death... only delay it. You know that don't you?"

"If you want them to live, then you'll need to do something for me Coraline." It extended its blade towards her, as if to offer it up. "Take this to your realm of light and warmth, and give it to Lorelai Von'Strauss."

Coraline shook her head defiantly. Charon stepped closer and took the knight's throat, squeezing it. She couldn't breathe. Death brought Coraline closer and looked her in the eye, "You will serve your purpose in my grand design."

Charon threw Coraline back, but there wasn't a ground there like before. It was a chasm, there was no light. She fell for what seemed like an eternity. Then, as the bottom came into view, it was filled with the bodies of soldiers, hunters, and witches. They all wore the sigil of Arcadia. Coraline looked around, she was no longer in a casm, but in the sky. She plummeted toward the ground. Looking straight ahead of herself, she saw that she was going to land on her old childhood home. It was burning.

Just as she made contact, Coraline's eye shot open. She sprang up from her bed and gasped. Sweat had soaked through her sheets and wetted her hair. She took deep breaths and looked around. "Just a dream..." she sighed and started to collect herself, "Just a terrible dream..."

Coraline pinched the bridge of her nose and took another deep breath. She realized she was back at the Witch's Paradise, how did she get there? Did one of the hunters take her? If so, she would have been thankful. Perhaps her display of agression toward Charon showed her allegiance. Coraline saw her plate armor on a table opposite to the bed, both of her longswords were set against it as well.

When Coraline got out a bed, she stepped toward the table to gather her things. That's when she noticed the curved blade. The one from her dream. Charon's blade. She was frozen, it was no dream. She was experiencing a communion with Charon. Coraline looked herself in a mirror, her witchmarks were faintly glowing and getting dimmer by the second. "Lorelai Von'strauss..." she mumbled to herself and looked over to the blade again.

She shook her head like she had in the communion and put on a tunic to cover up the bandages around her stomach. She wondered if one of the tavern's maids had seen to her injury. It didn't matter, she would thank whoever did it. Coraline left her room, leaving her gear on the table, and stepped down the stairs to the lounge area of the tavern.

Emiliah had spent the whole morning drilling Bobby one everything he knew about Charon. The creature who now haunted her night terrors. There were dark circles under her eyes from spending so much time worrying about what a creature, such as Charon, existing, meant for the world. Along with worrying about the now missing Flint and Liz.

Which is what she was dealing with today. Trying to find where in the world the creature had sent them. She tried not to think about the fact that they might still be trapped under the Earth, or that it was quite likely that they were....No, she didn't want to think about it. Liz was her first real friend in a long time and Flint was...well, Flint. He couldn't be dead...It was just too impossible.

Even though she had no idea where to start, Emiliah planned on searching today...and tomorrow...and every day until she had the answers she was seeking. The tavern had been her last stop and just has she was about to leave she spotted...Coraline, or...whatever her name was.

Despite the....witchhunter having done nothing on the hunt, Emiliah still felt uneasy about being around her and was suprised that more didn't share her feelings. The only thing that kept her from attacking her in the tavern was that the last time Emiliah attacked her, was because a demon lord told her too. That in itself was a thought that Emiliah didn't want to think over. Surely all forms of evil were on the same side, so it didn't make scenes that...Charon wanted Coraline dead enough to have Emiliah attack.

Instead of dealing with the thought of it, Emiliah chose to pretend to not see the witch, and walked past her to get to the front door without saying a word.

"Emiliah! Hi!" Vivian bounced into the taver just in time to see Emiliah attempting to make an escape. "... I take it the hunt didn't go as well as you'd li-"

She never quite finished that sentence. A bolt of adreneline shot up her spine as she spotted Coraline. The witch marks... well, marked her as a witch, but she was here in the tavern, and no one was killing her, or restraining her, or interrogating her, or making her breakfast (what?). Her mind searched for an explanation, and after she was satisfied that she'd find none she elected to simply ask.

"Uh... Em... Who's that?" Vivian indicated the object of her current conundrum.

Coraline had spotted Emiliah and immediately got another spike of pain from her bandaged injury. She had a strange sense of deja vous, it unsettled her. "Emiliah." she called out to her.

Coraline stepped up to the other huntress and the stranger just as her identity was questioned. She smiled to Vivian, "Ser Coraline Toph of Arcadia." she answered and then looked to Emiliah, "I need to talk to you."

She might have been able to ignore Coraline had she not been blocked by Vivian. She didn't mind the girl, really, but at this moment should would have strangled her happily if it meant she could have made it to the door before Coraline caught her. Besides...the hunt was the last thing she wanted to talk about at the moment. "Hey...Vivian," Said Emiliah slowly and before she could introduce the other, Coraline introduced herself.

"Well, I don't think we have anything to talk about, so, if you two don't mind, I really have somewhere that I need to be," said Emiliah, trying to push past the two hunteresses.

Alright Viv, two problems. One, witch-thing: not sure what to do about that, seems nice, but I'm probably wrong. Two, Emiliah's being weird: That I've got a pretty good handle on, let's start there. Vivian placed a gentle hand on Emiliah's shoulder and spoke softly. "Hey Em? You don't look so good, maybe you catch me up over some food? We can find someplace quiet. I'll help with whatever you've got up next."

She flashed her signature grin at Coraline as she looked over to her. "I'm Vivian! Pleased to meet you... um. I'm sure you probably know this but... did you know you were a witch?"

Coraline raised a brow at Vivian and nodded, "I did, yes."

She looked back to Emiliah, who was making her exit, and spoke, "Lorelai Von'strauss."

The tavern went silent and looked her way. She looked back to them but didn't pay much more mind to them. Glancing back to Emiliah, she spoke silently, "I have something of hers... Charon gave it to me." Coraline looked back to the stairs and gestured to her.

"I'm fine, Viv, it isn't anything I can't handle. And if it is, you know that you'll be the first person I go to," Not really, but she couldn't think of anything else to tell the huntress.
"You expect to tempt me with a child's tale," Said Emiliah, narrowing her eyes at Coraline. "Everyone knows that Hector destroyed the Von'strauss' years ago, any left would be too weak to cause a problem," She tensed when she heard Coraline speak the creatures name aloud, as thought doing so would have him power. It might have been her imagination as well, but for a second it felt as though the smoke had returned, only to fade a moment later. Still, Emiliah could help rub her mouth to check for the black tar.

"But fine, if we must talk, let's go outside and you can show me...whatever it is you think is to important," She nodded to the door. "You first,"

Coraline nodded and stepped outside first. She spoke quietly to not draw any more attention than she already might have, "I know you don't trust me, Emiliah..." she started, "But we're both caught up in the same mess regardless on how we feel about each other."

There was a silence as they walked. Coraline took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, "My witchmarks, they aren't for show. I thought I had control of them but... Charon used them to commune with me in my sleep."

Coraline had come to Seren's Folly because of some far fetched rumor that something big was about to happen. She had been convinced during her hunt the previous day that the rumors were true. "Charon said he had a 'grand design', and that we were all a part of it. He mentioned Lorelai Von'strauss. And then gave me a sword."

The knight slowed her pace a bit as she was stung by more pain from her injury, "He gave it to me in my sleep, and when I woke up, it was in my room. The weapon was as real as anything we wield. Charon told me to deliver it to Lorelai."

Coraline continued, "Think back to the hunt, Emiliah. Charon wanted Flint and his brother. Digards, he didn't care about the rest of us. The Digards defeated the Von'strauss coven ages ago and now death himself is commanding me to bring a weapon to the most notorious of them all. Lorelai Von'strauss is alive, and I think she might have your friends."

"There are a lot of....I don't even know what to call them...Red flags perhaps?" Said Emiliah, crossing her arms as the witchhunter told her tale. "Look, like you said. I don't trust you, I don't trust witches,"

Emiliah watched as Coraline, who was clearly in pain from a wound that Emiliah highly suspected was the one she had given Coraline. But she wasn't about to feel bad about stabbing her, nor was she about to feel bad that the witch was in pain not yet anyway.

"Now, let's just look at what else you told me. If Charon wanted to give it to Lorelai so badly, why did he even bother with the middle man? Why give it to you to give to her? Why not take it to her himself?" Emiliah took a step closer to Coraline, still holding the same spear she had used to stab Coraline earlier. "Which means that he wants you to physically go to her and," Emiliah stopped, taking a quick breath. "And if she does...have my friends and you have a sword to lead us to her...well, it just all sounds a lot like a trap," A trap she'd be willing to risk if she felt like her friends really were at the end of it.

"All this is, of course, assuming that I believe you in the first place. Which I don't," Emiliah could tell that she was being a little unfair to the witchunter, but, at the same time, she was about to go trust her with a very good reason.

Coraline shrugged, "Believe what you will. I've lived my whole life being doubted, I'm sure I can tolerate a bit more. But of course it's a trap. For you, Vivian, or any other hunter that goes there. But I might be enough to delay the trap, I am a witch after all."

She paused and thought back to Charon, "As for why he wants me to bring her the blade, I don't know. But I'm sure there's an answer I wont like. I am going to deliver the blade to her, though. Well... A fake at the very least."

Emiliah could feel her drive to...fight what Coraline was saying, slowly dying. Because, deep down, she wanted to know where her friends were and she wanted to know that they would be able to come alive. "Sounds like the hunters have been cruel to you your whole life. So, tell me this and based on this answer alone, I will decided if I am going to trust you or not," Emiliah paused, trying to think of the best way to phrase this question. "Why are you...siding with us and not with them? I'm sure the witches would love to have you fight for them and would welcome you with open arms, yet here you stand. Why, be honest,"

The answer came immediately, "I'm siding with the hunters to show them the error of their ways. Even if it means I bleed because of them."

Emiliah wanted to argue, to say that there were no bad hunters. That, mistakes that were made were human error, and that couldn't be helped. She had met more than a few 'unkind' hunters through the years. Her father would call them the "need to retire" lot. The ones who would use their statuses to get away with things civilians would be punished for. " What are you suggesting we do then," said Emiliah, almost as though it was causing her physical pain.

Coraline smiled when Emiliah asked for a plan of action. "First, we're going to need to find a smith capable of making identical copies. And then... You're going to have to trust me on this one, Emiliah, I need to perform a ritual."

" No!" said Emiliah alarm. "I will never let you put magic on me," in a moment, Emiliah's shields were back up.

The knight shook her head quickly, "No, not on you!" she looked worried that she might have dismantled the cooperation she tried to form, "I need enchant the replica blade so, magically, it appears the same. If it has no magical essence to it, Lorelai will know immediately that it is a fake. But to do so, I need to summon a familiar and..." Coraline sighed, "Sacrifice it."

Emiliah relaxed slightly once the knight admited that she was not the magics intended target. "I..I can't believe I'm even considering this," she finally said, mostly to herself. "My brother is a fair black smith, we can take the sword to him,". Emiliah seemed to be hesitating on what to say next. "I...I am not saying that...I am going to...do this plan, but it will take a while for a sword to be made. Especially if it has to be identical to this one..So, I supose we could start there,"

Coraline nodded, "Agreed. We're also going to need to find a way to track Flint and Elizabeth. Did you see Flint's wolf at all? Does he have anything I can use to track with? While we wait for a replica, we'll need to gather as much intelligence as possible." Coraline looked back to the tavern, "I'll go grab the weapon, you find something of Flint's. His wolf would be the best find."

Coraline turned to leave, but she stopped and looked back, "Emiliah, thank you for hearing me out." she smiled.

"Uh. Yeah. No problem," clearly still uncomfortable with the situation, but she was slowly warming up to it. After Coraline had left, Emiliah decided to see where Vivian had wandered off to.

_{in collaboration with @Ellion}



Alyssa strolled happily through the gloomy woods for... the sixth day straight? She was getting tired of sleeping on the ground, but each step brought her closer to her goal. Her sister was out here, somewhere. Alyssa wondered how old the other witch was, a wrinkled grandma? A young maiden? In the end it didn't really matter, but it was about the only diversion that could be found in the miles and miles of woodlands she'd trekked through.

Looking up at the stars she laughed wryly. "At least it isn't raining."

Lotte awoke first wondering if Ash had wet the bed again because of how damp it felt. Instead of opening her eyes, she streatched out, seeking the confort of one of her sisters warmth...only to feel...leaves?

Sitting up sharply, Lotte found herself not in the twin church bed she shared with Ash and sometimes Abby. But in the middle of the woods. A few twigs fell from her hair as she tried to rememeber what lead her to be there, but...it was just a lot of blackness, as though her brain was trying to make it difficult on purpse to rememeber how she came to be there.

Lotte walked a few steps in either direction, alway a hundered before stopping, turning around and walking right back where she came from. It was a trick she used to use on the farm when she'd get lost. Usually, she just needed to change her point of view to find herself. But...it wasn't working this time.

On about her fourth track, she noticed a woman walking about twenty yards away. Letting out a breath of relief, Lotte took off towards the woman, catching her just as she mentioned the rain. "Yeah, that would put a real damper on things," She looked at the woman before finishing up "Hi, I'm Lotte...do you know where I am?"

Alyssa turned with a small start towards the small girl that had interrupted her thoughts. "Oh!" What was a little girl doing this far from civilization? She didn't look like a savage forest-dweller. "I'm Alyssa, and you're about four days travel from the nearest town."

Pinching Lotte's cheek she giggled. "Aren't you cute! What could you possibly be doing all the way out here?"

"Four days? From what town?" How was it possibly that she had traveled four days from the nearest known town (none the less from her town). Lotte made a face, bushing the womans hand away lightly, before pacing around, trying her best to remember. "I have no idea what I am doing out here...but if you figure it out, or if you could point me in the direction of the church near Dothseberg, that would be lovely,"

"Dothseberg!? Ooooh I see now, you're that Lotte." Alyssa grinned brightly. "I don't suppose you remember a tall black shadow? With a weird voice that liked to play with people? Mighta gone by Charon?"

Lotte felt her face turn a bright red and looked down. " The preacher says that Charon doesn't exist and that I am evil to make up such lies," She dug her bare toe into the dirt. "But I know Charon is real, he promised...me....something....if I did....something . Lotte's face crinkled up in consentration as she tried to recall what it was that ....Charon had done. But...she kept coming up blank. "...Oh well, so...can you help me get back ho-to the church?"

"The preacher" Alyssa spat with derision "is a sycophantic moron that still believes his infant god has real power. We both know better little one, I've spoken to Charon too."

"I can take you home, or back to the church. You'll have to pick though." Alyssa grinned as she pointed the direction she'd been heading. "That way lies someone like us, my sister. She'll understand your gifts and help you grow. I think she'll make a lovely mommy for you dear. Or you can rejoin a world that will never understand you, and hate you for it."

Tilting her head to the side Alyssa awaited the girl's answer eagerly. If she had the gift after all that would mean her legacy isn't in quite as dire straights as she'd believed. "What'll it be kiddo?"

Lotte stared at Alyssa for a good long while, biting her lip as she tipped back on her heals. Truthfully, she'd rather wander these woods the rest of her life then every return to that church. The nuns were mean, and quick to cane and the preacher always called her evil. In fact, the only thing she'd be going back for were Abby and Ash. On top of that, this woman who also knew Charon to not only be real, but have talked with him herself, was offering her a chance to meet others like her.

Lotte opened her mouth and then closed it again before speaking. "...I...would like to come with you to meet your sister...but....do you think she'd help me let my sisters know that I am okay. Abby has probably already worked herself into hysteria and Ash has probably been crying since she noticed me missing,"

Alyssa shrugged, but then nodded grinning. "She probably would, you're cute after all. I'd imagine if she can bind demons to her will that easily then she'd probably find some way to let your sisters know." Lotte's sisters were probably dead, but she didn't need to know that. Alyssa didn't particularly want to be the one to tell her either, sympathetic is not a word anyone would use to describe her.

Alyssa gestured again in the direction she'd be heading before turning to continue her trek. "Come along then, let's not keep Lorelai waiting too long. She's not a terribly patient woman after all."

Lorelai?" said Lotte, tipping her head to the side, thinking the name over before chasing after Alyssa. After a moment of walking behind her, Lotte reached out and took Alyssa's hand, giving her a wide smile.

Alyssa grinned back at Lotte. She really was too cute, Lorelai would either eat her tongue for power, or fall in love immediately. For Lotte's sake she hoped for the latter. "Yup! The new matriarch of our bloodline little Lotte."

They continued in companionable silence for several minutes before Alyssa broke the silence again. "I lost my family a decade or so ago. We're not so different in that regard Lotte. Lorelai's the last family I have, and you as well I suppose. I'm allowing myself to hope. To hope that she's as powerful and wise as we need her to be."

Lotte kept smiling as they walked, even as Alyssa talked about losing her family. "It is okay if Lorelai isn't what you need, we can always be a family. We can go get my sisters and...do whatever it is that families do,"

"We could...?" Alyssa fell silent. She'd never given much thought to what would happen if Lorelai wasn't... whatever it was she expected her to be. Family huh? Looking down at Lotte Alyssa smiled. She supposed that could be fun, rewarding even. Anything beat the crushing loneliness she barely kept at bay most nights. "Yeah, we'll do that. You, your sisters, and me. That wouldn't be bad would it? I dunno what families do either, we'll have to figure it out together." Alyssa's smile was more genuine that it had been in years.

"If Lorelai does work out, we'll have a huge family, and a nice house and an orange kitten named...Tree...Well, we can work on the name," Lotte had taken to skipping at this point stopping every once and a while to pick up a rock or look at a flower.

Alyssa nodded grinning as her eyes followed Lotte's skipping. It was a pretty dream, not one she dared hope for herself though, reality had a nasty way of grounding such high hopes. "My! You've got it all planned out don't you? Will we live near a lake? Maybe with some woodlands nearby?" She giggled. "You'll spend your days running and laughing, and minding your new mommy of course. Learning magic over dinner and after nighfall. Won't that be lovely?"

"New...Mommy?" said Lotte, stopping her skippinh for a moment and narrowing her eyes, as though trying to recall something. But then she shurgged and went on skipping. "Are you my new Mommy? You can be but I think you are too young and pretty to be a Mommy, more....like a big sister!"

"Why thank you. I'll try to be the best big sister I can!" Alyssa laughed. "Lorelai would be you ne-"

Alyssa fell silent as she spotted a woman in the clearing they'd come to. The aura of demonic energies meant this could be none other than Lorelai. She'd come so far in seach of this woman, so it was strange that now that she finally stood near her she was frozen. What now? Her voice was small as she turned to her companion. "There she is... I wonder if your pretty dream will come true after all."

Lotte was still a few yards in front of Alyssa, doing her little skipping dance, but she stopped head in her tracks when Alyssa pointed out the woman across the clearing. Lotte tensed up, like a deer who sensed a preditor, then she took off running, towards Lorelai. Stopping right in from of her. "Hello Ma'am," she said, curtseying, beaming the whole time. "You're Lorelai, aren't you?" she asked, before rushing forward and wrapping her arms around Lorelai's waist in a hug.

Lorelai's eyes widened as a small figure bolted across the clearing towards her. Before she could gather her thoughts she was being hugged by... a little girl? Who evidently knew her name and was elated - for some reason - to see her. She returned the hug briefly before kneeling down to the girl's height. "Yes I am dear. And who might you be? What brings you out here alone anyway?" She looked around for signs of her family.

"I'm Charlotte Celeste Smart, you can call me Lotte, everybody does," Lotte looked out the corner of her eyes, trying to find the best way to answer the question. "Um, I don't really-- you I guess! And I'm not really alone...I mean, I guess I was when I woke up, but then I met your sister! Alyssa!...She...was...behind me?" she said, looking around, confused as to why Alyssa hadn't come with her. "She....is really excited to meet you! said Lotte, taking Lorelai's hand and pulling her back towards the treeline.

Alyssa swallowed her apprehension. She'd come all this way for this, she wasn't about to just freeze up and look like an idiot before her last remaining kin. Stepping into the clearing she smiled at the two. "I'm Alyssa Von'Strauss, and I've been searching for you a long time sister."

Lorelai was stunned. Sister? All her family had died, burned at the stake during Hector's purge. Pulling Lotte to her side she prepared for what might be an ambush, she'd made plenty of enemies over the years, and Alyssa wouldn't be the first to come for her. "Speak in the tongue then."

Alyssa opened her mouth and pledged her oath of service in that blackened speach. Lorelai's skin rippled as she heard someone else speak Dragon's Tongue for the first time. She broke into a bright smile as she replied in the same, accepting the other woman's oath. "And little Lotte here? What of her?" Lorelai relaxed her protective grip on the girl.

Lotte felt as though her skinned tickled, as though someone had let out a breath of air acrossed it as her new 'big sister' spoke. A lot of what she said didn't make any sense. Well, the words made sense, but Lotte couldn't figure out what Alyssa was trying to say " What...is...a matriarch?" she asked, then looked up at Lorelai "Am...I welcomed too?"

"Y-you understood that?" Lorelai was stunned for the second time today. Alyssa simply nodded grinning.

Lorelai knelt again to look the girl in the eye. "Do you want to be home with me? Would you like to come live with me and learn about your heritage, and share in all the things I've learned?" She'd never dared to hope that such a thing could happen. A sister was a rare enough thing, and she was elated to have one. A daughter however? Someone to pass on her legacy to, someone to make the things she'd done take on a meaning they'd woefully lacked before?

"Would you like to be a... family?"

"Of course I understood, you were talking right infront of me," she said giving Lorelai a semi-exasperated. Lotte seeemed to think Lorelai's offer over for a moment. exasperated"Will...you make me go to church? I don't like going to church." Lotte felt a warm bubble of happiness swell in her heart and then her stomach as she looked at Lorelai. She could tell that this woman was...good for her. She felt...right. Like...coming home.

Lorelai grinned, her heart soaring. Even her spirit was reinvigorated by the presence of her kin, the corruptive pain twisting in her flesh weakening until it was hardly noticable. "No church, I don't like it either." She drew Lotte into a hug. The only thing that could've made this moment better would be sharing it with Vespa, but her love wouldn't want her dwelling on her loss when new purpose presented itself.

Standing she took Lotte's hand. Smiling at Alyssa she gestured towards the carriages. "Come, we've much to talk about and I'd like to introduce you to my coven."

Lotte took Lorelai's hand and did a mixture of skipping and hopping back towards the carriages. "Oh...Alyssa said...you might be able to....help me...contact my sisters, I'm certain that Abby has worked herself into a fit, she is such a worrier. And Ash...is either crying or hasn't noticed me.....being gone yet,"

Alyssa grinned with pride as Lorelai nodded. "Of course, you'll have to wait until we get back to my scrying equipment though, then I'll be able to contact them no problem. They could even come live with us if you'd like." Alyssa cringed silently at Lorelai's carefree offer, if Charlotte had been contacted by Death... odds were not in favor of her sisters being alive.

"Okay!" She paused for a moment, thinking a question over. "...Can I....Can I call you mom?" she asked, barely keeping the excitment out of her voice.

Lorelai pulled open the door to her carriage for her two new companions. Turning to Lotte she answered the girl's question only after choking back tears of joy. "Yes you may dear, and if it pleases you I'll refer to you as my daughter then."

" I'd like that a lot,"

_{in collaboration with @Shagranoz}



Lorelai rested her back against the black satin of the upholstered carriage bench, more of a lavish couch in truth. The past couple of days had been hard on her, harder still than losing her family. Vespa had fallen, and with her Lorelai's heart, yet she'd found family. Family was a mixed blessing.

She'd been prepared to give everything she had, all she was, to balance the scales of vengeance. Having something to fight for could fill a person with the will to do things they'd never thought possible. To Lorelai though it would be the ultimate cruelty to have to spend so much of herself that there wasn't enough left to be loved, or to love.

Lorelai's eyes followed Lotte as the girl moved about the cabin of her carriage, a small smile curving her lips. For Lotte, and Alyssa, she'd bring down mountains and count the cost when the rubble settled. To be a witch at war was a terrible thing, but she was no stranger to the horror of taking life.

Phagora looked at Lorelai through half-closed eyes. Her mistress had been so much happier when she saw Lotte and Alyssa. It was a change like night and day. For a second, she thought Lorelai would call off her campaign of vengeance rather than subject her sisters to war. But only for a second.

"Lorelai. I've heard an interesting rumor. Apparently, you came into possession of an old holy sword somewhere. Any truth to that?"

Lotte stopped her wanderings as Phagora entered the room. She'd been enjoying herself quite a bit these past few days. Lorelai was nice and had a ton of different things to look at. "Hello," Lotte chirped at Phagora, before taking a seat next Lorelai. "What do you need a sword for?"

"Lotte, there's something you need to understand. There's lots of people who don't like me. Who don't like us. Just because of who we are and what we can do. I wear this sword to warn them to stay away. If they don't, I use it to make them stay away."

Lorelai thought briefly of chastizing Phagora for her words, but they were true. It was an unfortunate fact that man feared what he did not understand. Instead she turned to Phagora. "Yes, I've come into the possession of a few. Most notable - and likely the one you're refering to - is Hector's blade, although it can hardly be called 'holy' any longer. Why do you ask?"

"Yeah, I know," she said, a small frown crossing her face. "Priests hate us a lot," She then shook her head, banishing the thought, before smiling and resting her head on Lorelai's shoulder. "But I know that you and mom and everyone else will help keep us safe,"

"Indeed we will." Phagora turned back to Lorelai. "Excellent. I needed someone who had experience with desecration rituals." She brought out her magic finger, being careful to shield it from Lotte's innocent eyes. "This once belonged to St. Gertrude. It's got powerful healing magic, but the holiness... well, it doesn't agree with me. I need you to strip the protection, while keeping the healing magic intact. Can you do that?"

"Hmm... Let me see." Lorelai took the relic gingerly from Phagora. Turning it over in her hand the mere touch caused her skin to prickle angrily against the consecration of the hollowed article. "Spontaneous reflection of divinity, that always makes the desecration more delicate. Better usually to trick the relic into doing something abhorent to its design. I actually might have just the thing."

"You said it had healing magic? Did you discover how to awaken its properties?" Lorelai asked, removing some of her divination tools from amongst her luggage.

"Yes. The Ruvina's were kind enough to leave some documentation behind them. It reacts to pure thoughts. Love, kindness, yadda yadda yadda." Phagora rolled her eyes and the mere thought of emotions like that. Sure, even though she was a demon she could experience them, but they weren't exactly a big part of her personality. She took a deeper look through the papers. She hadn't had time to do so before, with all the wild events in Castle Ruvina. As she reached one particular passage, her eyes went wide.

"How thoughtful." Lorelai let out a wry laugh. "Love and kindness are pure? That's the funniest thing I've heard it quite some time." She finished laying out her tools. A bowl cut from ruby, her ritual dagger, various candles, and small jars containing inscense. She turned back to Phagora just in time to see a look of surprise cross the woman's face. "What is it?"

"Apparently, the rest of the corpse is located in the fortress of Valleta, on the island of Malta." Phagora's face fell as she slumped back in her chair. "Headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller." A sigh escaped the blonde witch's lips. "I guess that's one artifact we won't be getting our hands on anytime soon."

"I don't see why not." Lorelai smirked. "There's a reason men fear the sea. Malta's one island surrounded by the cyclopean embrace of the deep dark, things lurk there in the abyssal depths. Dagon, Lord of the Depths, would be all too happy to assist any bid we made on the relic."

Phagora was shocked. Yes, Lorelai and her summons were powerful, but this was taking arrogance to a level akin to Satan himself. "You do realize that the last time the Hospitallers were attacked in their home, they threw back forty thousand Turks? Do you really think that even Dagon, with all his might, could do what an entire army could not?" She shook her head. "Lorelai, wherever you go, I shall follow. But I beg you, do not throw your life away on a suicidal mission."

"We're not looking to defeat the Hosptitallers Phagora." Lorelai's smirk remained. "Dagon and his kin will provide a mighty distraction you see, and the Turks hardly had the advantage of mobility that the amphibious demons will be afforded. From there we simply have to aquire the relic and make good an escape. A daring deed to be sure, but certianly not beyond our grasp."

"True, but it will still be difficult. We can't afford to dally about on territory like that. Perhaps a seeking spell, one that will make the finger search out the rest of the body." Phagora chuckled as a soft snore escaped from the sleeping Lotte. "Do you know any such spells?"

"I know one that hunts bloodlines, I think it could be adapted easily enough." Lorelai stroked Lotte's hair, smiling softly. "The question is, do we have any idea what the rest of the corpse would do? It's alot of investment without knowledge of the prize."

"The Ruvinas never finished their investigations, but it seems that the whole body amplifies the healing effect significantly. There's a little spot in here, pure speculation on their part, but I think this would be of particular interest to you." Phagora smiled. "The Ruvinas thought that the entire body might, might even be capable of performing resurrections, given an intact corpse." Let that fire Lorelai's imagination, she thought.

"I... I find that dubious." Lorelai hesitated as her heart thudded against her chest. She dared not hope for something like this, but could she stop herself? Time would tell. "If that's any indication of its might though it would seem we'd be remiss not to snatch it up with war darkening our doorstep."

"Most definitely. A power like that could turn the tide of any battle."

[Trigger Warning: Blurred Consent]

_{in collaboration with @Ellion}



Alyssa stepped out of the carriage into the cold night air. She'd said something about relieving herself, but the truth was she just needed some space. It had only been two days, but Lotte and Lorelai were already settling into a comfortable rhythym of mother-daughter bliss.

That was probably for the best, Lorelai needed a legacy after all, and Lotte needed her wisdom even more. That left Alyssa however as the third wheel. She wasn't regretting introducing the two, but being left on the outside after all these years left her heart a little bitter. Letting out a frustrated sigh Alyssa set out to pace the camp and clear her head.

Taran was taking another one of nightly walks, a habit he had picked up since the discussion of Medusa came to ahead. He wasn't an outcast, not really, but he also found it awkward to always be around witches planning a battle he wanted no part in.

With most of the witches injured, or otherwise busy, he almost never ran into anyone, until tonight. Walking towards him, in a frustrated manner, was....Lorelai's sister...or something. He was never quite able to understand the explination given about the newest witches, one still very much a child. Not wanting to be rude, Taran gave her a slight wave. "Hello... Alyssa, I'm Taran...I don't think we've had the chance to be...introduced yet,"

Alyssa tilted her head at Taran, didn't witches usually keep their cockslaves on tighter leashes? No matter, she'd never been the biggest fan of the practise anyway. "Taran huh? Well met then." She extended a hand. "Who's are you anyway?"

Taran took the woman's hand a shook it, stopping mid shake when she asked her question. "Belong to?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm...afraid I don't understand. I don't think I belong to anyone...unless the covent counts as a person,"

"Not a cockslave then?" Alyssa's confusion deepened momentarily, before she broke into a wide grin. "Ah! A male witch! You must be a popular stud then, keeping traveling witches warm and all that. I almost envy your position."

"Why do people always insist on using that word," groaned Taran, pulling his hand back. "Yes, I am a male witch. No, I'm not a 'stud' and I don't--- Never mind, I don't have to tell you...any of this," He said crossing his arm. "But, what I did come to say is...that I am happy you and Lotte were here to help keep Lorelai's saddness at bay. Having Lotte around gives her less of a chance to morn. So, thank you, it is clear that having a family is very important to her,"

Alyssa bit a tongue laden with questions for the boy. She hadn't the fainest clue why he would resent the opportunity to lay with so many witches, most of them were easy on the eye, not a one a wrinkled sage. "I meant no offense Taran, and yes... Lotte's prescence focuses my sister, reinvigorating her will against what must be done."

The bitter sentiment that it was Lotte's doing, and not hers, roused her ire. Alyssa decided to torment the young witch a little. "So, you're telling me you've never... you know?"

Taran was about to leave the conversation when Alyssa asked another question. "Ever...? What! No, of course no and ...why am I telling you this stuff..again?!" By now his face was a bright red color. "And for another thing, why do you keep asking?"

"It's just curious is all?" Alyssa approached slowly. "What's wrong with a little... curiousity Taran? Haven't you ever... wanted to?"

"No...Never...Of course not," He said, taking a few steps back for every step that Alyssa took foward, until he walked into a large pine tree that was set just outside the circle of camp. "It is for breeding and I have no need for a child at the moment,"

"Oh Taran, it's for so much more than breeding." Alyssa's grin broadened as an idea began to form. "You've no need for a child...? What if someone else had a need?"

"Uh, I...haven't....thought about it," he said, trying to slide to the side to escape the corner he had backed himself into. "I mean...I suppose I ....would?"

"You would? You'd provide me with a child if I asked?" Alyssa's eyes twinkled with barely repressed malevolence as she moved to bar the boy's escape. "Just like that?"

"Uh, I don't know. Yeah, I guess if you needed a child. I mean, in theory. But surely you have...other...uh...options," he could feel his heartrate picking up and all exits closed for him.

"Mabye I do, but not quite and good of options Taran." Alyssa began undoing the clasps on her robe. "You see, as a male witch any scion of our union would be a witch, doesn't every witch want a witch daughter?"

"I-I guess?" He said, real panic setting into his voice. "I-I mean, it...could be a boy right? I mean," He watched as Alyssa undid her robe. "Ah...Right here....you'd want to do it...right here?"

Alyssa arched an eyebrow. "Its not like your tent is soundproof anyway right?" Her robe finally fell to the ground, revealing her silken undergarmets. "Might as well be here, and if it's a boy you get to keep it. A girl would be mine."

"I-I mean, I know it...isn't...but," at least I wouldn't feel so exposed but he couldn't figure out a way to phrase what he was saying with any amount of self respect or dignity. "A- What if someone ....sees," He said, he voice small, however, one look at Alyssa's body and his mind started to melt. "A-and....would...would my daughter know me and my son know you, o-or would you just...abandon him?"

"We're not getting married Taran." Alyssa ran a finger along the boy's jaw lightly. "You're getting me pregnant, for the purpose of producing a child for one of us. Do you understand that? I want a daughter, you I'm sure have use for a son. Now can we dispense with the questions and get to the fun parts? Me'thinks the boy doth protest too much."

Taran felt his breath catch as Alyssa's finger found his jaw. In a flash, both of Taran's hands were holding Alyssa's single hand. "L-look, I'm s-sure you are w-wonderful and I-I w-would like to help you out, but I-I need to think about this first," said Tara, trying to keep the begging out of his voice.

"Thinking time is over Taran." Alyssa shuddered as one of the many succubi slid through her body and down her arm. The pressure faded as it jumped across her hand to take residence in Taran's flesh. "Give in to the demon lust, and let what will be, be."

Taran didn't even get the chance to scream when...something latched itself to his arm and vanished. For a second, nothing happened, then suddenly the urge to rip the rest of Alyssa's
clothing from her body, hit him like a ton of rock. It took all his will power to stop from jumping her right there. "W-what did you...do?" he grunted, closing his eyes so as not to see her.

"Not a thing dear. That's just your instincts speaking." Alyssa's undergaments joined her robe on the forest floor. "Why struggle against a desire so sublime? Give in, you know it's right." Her voice took on a honeyed tone as she spoke not only to Taran, but to the succubus in his flesh as well. Weakening the former's resolve as she bolstered the latter's will.

Taran finally opened his eyes, glaring at Alyssa. "I...know I don't want this," He growled, but with that statement, the last of his resolve vanished as he took a step closer to Alyssa, planting a soft, slightly misplaced kiss on her lips.

Alyssa grinned and whispered. "What you wanted never mattered Taran, and it never will."

[fade to black]

_{in collaboration with @SunsetRoses, @Shagranoz, and @Ellion}



Lorelai made her way through the small tangle of underbrush on her way to... something. Charon had contacted her last night speaking of a gift he'd left for her here. While demons often left her gifts their Lords usually wanted payment for their services. So to have Death make an offering to her out of the blue was curious, and Lorelai wouldn't have risen - or fallen - as far as she had if she didn't give into curiousity on occassion.

"It's probably just a dead body, maybe carved with your house sigil." Sousiel piped up next to her. "Maybe Death is trying to seduce you? Seems to be fashionable this season. Lexi, Gen, even Elina's made a pass at you in the past week."

"I... Shut up Sousiel." Lorelai flashed her familiar a small glare. Alexina and Gen sure, but Elina's indescretion hardly counted. "Let's just see what the Old Man's left me huh?"

"Fine, but if it's a love letter written in human flesh you'll have to reply, and I'll laugh." They finally came to the clearing that had been indicated in Lorelai's dream. Sure enough in a circle of brimstone layed two figures.

"What have we here?" Lorelai approached them. Inspecting the circle she was surprised to see it was a warding against hunters, and turned inward as to trap the man and woman.

Elizabeth woke suddenly at the sound of dry leaves and twigs crunching beneath someone's foot. Leaves and twigs...by God they did it. She bit back the sigh of comfort she felt rising from deep within, her body tensing though she wanted nothing more than to relax and drift away. The woodsy scents calmed her, the steady breeze hitting her face making her feel alive again. She was no longer trapped underneath the surface, her she was, above and practically unharmed. Taking a steady breath, she turned her attention away from the sun’s beams that were shining brightly on her. She squinted, her breath held as she looked around.

Liz’s gaze found Flint, and her heart throbbed. Her memories flashed, almost too fast to keep track of, causing her head to pound alongside her heart. She thought of the disagreement they had had, the demon's sweet words that had lulled her into an ever-present euphoria-she shuddered thinking about how the demon had manipulated her, using her weak heart. She also remembered her last, and most vivid memory of him. He had just returned alongside Fenros, and Andri. They had managed to send the group back up to the surface, at least, that's what Liz silently prayed for.

Liz's eyes flitted furiously around the area, she had no energy to pull herself up, and thinking of those footsteps she knew she shouldn't shout for them. “Flint,” she managed, her voice hoarse and weak. “Flint where are th-” she was cut short by a woman's voice, and she had to brace herself to stop from turning a ghastly white. Her attention shifted, and she found herself looking into eyes the color of a fire's wispy smoke. For a color so plain, like grey, Elizabeth found no trouble in seeing the wisdom and experience hidden behind those eyes. In spite of herself, she trembled. It was a momentary reaction, but it was there. She had just showed weakness to a witch, she was dead in the water.

A small smirk curved Lorelai's mouth. So the huntress knew some measure of what she was in for huh? She stepped closer to the pair. "So... I've got myself a Digard boy, and... who might you be?"

Lorelai let out a small chuckle. "Where are my manners? My name is Lorelai Von'Strauss, as I'm sure you've surmised I'm a witch. Not some small one to make prey of either. So shall we exchange pleasantries while I figure out what to do with you pet?"

Elizabeth licked her chapped lips, suddenly they were too dry for her to open her mouth to speak. She cleared her throat, aching to find her voice, though she knew her tongue had froze. She stared desperately at Flint, hoping the intensity of her piercing eye was enough to wake him. When her foolproof plan failed, she knew she was on her own. , but when the witch called her a pet she needed no further help. In the drop of a hat, her tongue had defrosted.

Now, Liz was suddenly aware of her heavy armor, and the chain whip that still dangled at her side with a small jingle when she shifted her weight. Just as she was about to lunge, the sense in her pinpointed the weakness on her body, her shoulders. She let out a barrage of useless, petty curses, all kept in her mind. She had no chance fighting, so why not entertain the witch she had in front of her? “I'm Elizabeth, Elizabeth James. I'm sure you won't waste time with my name, however, seeing as you'll probably like to call me ‘'pet’ more than anything. Nice to meet you, Lorelai.”

"Well met Elizabeth, is Liz alright? Maybe Beth?" Lorelai arched an eyebrow at the woman's anger. Good to know she still had spirit at least. "Well Elizabeth, we seem to have a conundrum before us don't we? I don't really want to make you my pet, and I'm sure you don't want to be one either. I'd also prefer not to kill you, but when that Digard boy wakes up he won't leave me a choice will he?"

She pressed a knuckle to her chin in contemplation. "What should we do?"

“Oh, Liz is fine of course Lorelai. Might I call you Lore? Such a pretty name.” Liz's tone was slathered in honey, but she wouldn't even try to hide her sarcasm. Mimicking Lorelai, she stroked her chin in thought. “Well, killing me wouldn't be too fun, don't you think? After all the hell I've been through. May I ask why Mr. Digard waking would cause you to go to such extremes?” Liz knew irritating the witch was probably the worst thing she could do, and asking questions wasn't helping. Liz could no longer contain herself, she was tired and irritable, and if death came her way it would be blissful compared to making a deal with a witch.

“I also wonder why a witch would want to compromise with a Hunter like me? You must be at the bottom of the barrel, aren't you? Maybe it's just your kind soul, no that can't be it.” Liz's voice was a toss up between teasing and taunting, and she managed to crack a thin smile.

"I'll let... Flint? I thought I recognized his face. Tell you that." Lorelai's eyes narrowed at the girl's tone. "And Lore will suffice Liz."

"Would you put aside your stupid petulant hatred of me for a moment. Perhaps just long enough to help me find a way to save your life?" Lorelai smirked. "I'm far from the bottom of my barrel, and I wouldn't say I have a 'kind' soul. I just don't particularly want to kill you, and yet I can't simply release you. Perhaps we could strike a deal you and I? Nothing too odious I assure you."

Petulant? Maybe. Stupid? That could probably be debated. Liz shrugged and picked herself up off the forest floor, so she could eye the witch without looking up to her. Once she stood, she struck her usual pose and smiled charmingly. “I believe I can do just that, Lore. A deal with a witch, how curious. I have my own terms, of course.” she glanced back down at Flint’s sleeping figure and her features softened.

“What are you offering, madam? Though I know very little about witches, I'm sure that you and I have two very different definitions of odious. I think that if you can agree with my terms though, I'll stretch my understanding of the word a bit further.” Liz cocked her head to the side, uneasiness blossoming wildly in her gut. She pushed it aside, keeping her charming smile plastered on.”You first.”

Lorelai watched the woman's expression as she look towards Flint's unconcious form. There was something there, perhaps a gap that could be bridged between them. Time to lower the mask a touch Lorelai. "My love was slain two days ago, by a rival witch that was supposed to be my friend. See, not so alien am I?"

Lorelai's eyes saddened. "I'm old now, and under other circumstances I'd just let time kill the hag. My love... she wouldn't want me putting myself at risk, but you see I've much to lose." She paused a moment, her eyes hardening with resolve, before continuing. "My sisters are at risk, and I'll need vengeance. Assist me in this... and I'll let the Digard boy go."

“The age doesn't show, but I'm sure you've got no time for compliments.” Liz’s tone had shifted drastically, a bit more somber. She had no way to tell if the witch was lying or not, but the sadness in the woman's eyes was true. Liz thought about what she would do if someone close to her betrayed her, how she would do anything for revenge. She nodded slowly, her mind solely focused on Flint. “Flint, he's a good man. He deserves nothing less than undying loyalty, love even. He needs to go back home to find both of those things.”

Liz cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. She fought back a frown, and stared hard into the eyes of Lorelai. “I shall help you, as long as he stays safe. I hope to never understand the feeling of losing someone I love, at the hands of someone I trust.” Liz searched the witch’s eyes, looking for a sign of compassion or any other emotion. “Promise me one other thing, though. That you won't enchant me, and that you'll trust me to do your petty tasks on my own.”

Lorelai nodded solemnly, her hand went to her ritual dagger. "You'll understand if I need assurance. Not an enchantment, but a binding oath."

"I swear to be generous, fair, and kind during your term of service. To allow you to operate as you need to the ends of defeating our now mutual foe, and to release Flint Digard from my harm, unless he threatens my life. I swear this on the life blood of Vespa Ruvina, may my own flow out to join it if I stray in my obligations." Lorelai drug the dagger across her palm, she didn't even wince at the small pain as blood bubbled up from the wound, as well as an acrid black smoke.

She gently tossed the dagger to the ground near Elizabeth before meeting her gaze again. "Now, please speak your oath, to serve faithfully for the term of our time together, and we'll have an accord."

“Of course, if it were me I wouldn't dare leave it up to will. Assuring my loyalty to you is the best way, the smart way.” Elizabeth nodded, pride straining to break free and show in her features. She wasn't just the useless girl she thought she was, she was being a help, to someone. A witch, but still someone.

Liz watched Lorelai cut her palm open, and it lit a curious spark in the back of Liz’s mind. When Lorelai tossed her dagger to the forest floor beside Elizabeth, there was no hesitation as she swooped down and picked it up. With a final smile in Flint’s direction, she pressed the tip of the dagger into her palm.

“I swear to aid you in you-our quest, until I am no longer needed. I vow to serve you faithfully, so long as my life is not threatened by you. I swear this on the James’ bloodline, and if I am to break this vow my own blood shall flow in retribution.” With those last words, Liz slid the dagger across her palm. She winced only slightly, before the pain was nothing more than just another wound to be healed. She tossed the dagger back over to Lorelai, the ghost of a smile dancing on her face. “It's a pleasure doing business with you, Lore. Now, what's my first task?”

Flint groaned as his eyes slowly opened. He heard the muffled sounds of someone speaking. His body was sore from being tossed around like a rag doll by charon. He shifted his sprawled arms closer to him as he winced with his head pounding. "wh....Where are we..." he croaked as he pushed himself to his knees, finding his bow next to him.

He gripped it in his left hand before looking up to see Liz with a bloody dagger, her hand dripping with blood. He then saw....Lorelai Von'Straus. All of a sudden, his pain went away, his drowsiness gone and his eyes wide. Lorelai...the woman who killed his parents.

With a sudden reflex, he pulled an arrow from his bow and nocked it and pulled back within a second. But with his anger and this not being the bow he normally worked with.... The bot itself snapped right in the middle. Leaving him kneeling with an arrow in one hand and the broaken bow in the other.

He didn't Hesitate, he dropped the bow, reached behind him and gripped his silver dagger, he jumped to his feet and lunged at Lorelai. His arrow snapped as it hit the wards first, and soon his hole body came to a stop as it was now pressed against the invisible wall. Suddendly the parts of his body touching the ward started to burn from the constant touch...Yet he didn't pull away as he pushed with all his might, as if his unnatural brute strength could break it.

His eyes never left nor blinked while he glared at Lorelai. "What are you afraid witch? That you had to put up a ward?"

Elizabeth felt like pulling out her hair as Flint woke and lunged at the wards. She thought back to the deal she had made just moments before, and squeezed forcefully between Flint and the wards. She gasped as they burned her, she wondered what it was doing to Flint. Using all of her leftover strength she pushed against him, the strain wrinkling her face. “Flint! Stop! If you don't threaten her she can't hurt you!”

Elizabeth shut her mouth as quickly as she said those words, praying she didn't just break her vow with Lore. “Flint,” she urged. She was surprised to find her voice weak but calm, like a mother talking to a child. “Please step down, now is not the time for violence. You just need to leave.” She buried her face into his chest, and held him tightly. It was both a means to calm him, but also to stay away from the wards. “You'll harm yourself.”

Flint didn't want to pull away, he was so close, he could do it he could push through. But he did finally snap out of it when he saw Liz being burned and pulled her away as she burried her face into his chest. He never looked away from Lorelai as he said, "I'm not leaving, why are you protecting Lorelai, Liz?" he narrowed his eyes at Lorelai and said, "What did you do to her?!"

Elizabeth moaned out loud as she was released from the ward, she had no time to worry about the throbbing pain in her back and the smell of burnt flesh, Flint was still ticked. Using him as a support so her knees didn't buckle, she stared hard at him. “Lore...Lorelai, didn't do anything. We both agreed on something, and now you're free to go.”

Liz grabbed his shirt, fistfuls of the cloth tangled in her hands. “You aren't made of steel, Flint. Stay away from the wards, stay away from Lore. Go back to Seren’s Folly, I'm begging you.” She wanted to tell him everything would be all right, and that Lore could be trusted because of their little deal, but she couldn't. If Flint threatened Lore, she could attack him. Liz glanced down at his broken bow and shook her head warily, he couldn't win against her, unequipped and injured. She couldn't even help him fight.

"Flint Digard." Lorelai watched the scene with a mixture of amusement and apprehension. She wanted to honor her deal with Liz as best as she could, and the Digard boy was far from the top of her to-do list. "You were younger the last time I saw you, maybe not in the face. The eyes betray it though."

"I'll have to thank Charon one of these days for the gift he offered me with you, but unfortunately I've had enough Digard blood on my blade for this century so I elected to cut a deal with Liz instead." Pressing her will against the warding circle, Lorelai opened Liz's way through. Gesturing for her to step across Lorelai cast an evaluating gaze at Flint. "I don't suppose you'll just let me leave in peace will you? I really don't have time to play with you today."

Flint Shook his head. "No Liz... I'm not leaving you here with her. Why would you make a deal with that woman?!" He held her in his arms as he looked back tot Lorelai when she spoke up finally. His eyes narrowed, and even though he was still angery as hell...his mind began to clear enough to not be stupid and rush into battle with the woman...If he had his bow maybe. But his father, who was the greatest swordsman he knew, fell to this woman.

"I nor my brother will never stop hunting you, to finish what our father, and our ancestors aimed to accomplish so long ago." He gripped his dagger tightly feeling helpless in this situation. If only Fenros were here...

"Blah blah blah, ancenstral whatever." Lorelai rolled her eyes. "You're no dragonslayer boy, and neither is your brother. Just give up and move on. I'm nearly done with this world anyway."

Turning to Liz she tapped her feet. "Now, Liz, shall we? I believe we have work to do don't we?" She extended a hand, ready to pull her though the barrier. "Let's get you out of that circle and I'll send Flint here, unharmed of course, back to Seren's Folley."

“Flint it's okay! She needs my help, and I vowed to give it to her. Stay at Seren’s Folly, tell Emiliah that I'll be fine if she asks. And tell Coraline to stay here, she seemed a bit on the fence about staying with hunters.” Elizabeth took Flint's head between her hands, and she lifted herself up to brush her lips against his forehead. “Stay safe, Wolf-boy.” She muttered in his ear, as silently as possible.

With that, and a final pat on his shoulder, she grabbed Lorelai’s hand and allowed herself to be pulled through the ward. On the other side, she kept herself from sneaking glances at Flint. Instead she turned to Lore, and did an awkward curtsy in her armor. “I do in fact believe we have business to attend to, Lore. We'll discuss my first task once he's back to Seren's Folly, safely.”

Lorelai nodded. "Good bye Flint, hopefully forever, but at least until next season." She made a claw of her hand facing up. A small flame burst into being atop each digit. "Seren's Folley, make sure he's relatively unharmed."

The flames - a pychopomp in truth - danced off her fingers to carry out her will. Taking spots around the circle, equidistant from each other, a line of flame ran through the air between some of them, forming a pentacle of fire once it was finished.

The area inside the pentagon formed inside the perfect pentacle darkened as Lorelai's mouth opened. From her small frame came a thousand throated chant as she pushed on the borders between worlds. Finally Flint fell into the abyss as the ground beneath him gave in to Lorelai's will. With a snap and a rush of air everything returned to normal as Lorelai waved her hand and released control of the binding.

She surveyed the now empty circle with a satisfied smirk. "Let's get back to camp shall we? I'll need to know your skills and background if I'm to put your talents to the best use." Lorelai turned to Liz briefly before turned back towards the halted caravan. "For know if you could simply ensure that no one tries to kill me, or at least succeeds in the task, that would be lovely."

Elizabeth couldn't help herself, as the dancing flames bursted from her fingertips, she turned around to see the process. Averting the eyes of Flint, she watched with a distinct fascination as the pentagon darkened. It made her jump as the seemingly delicate witch spoke with a thousand voices, allowing an abyss to swallow up Flint. Hopefully, he was sent back to Seren’s Folly.

“Amazing,” Liz muttered in awe. Since they were now partners, she didn't feel as though keeping her opinions on magic was necessary. Lorelai seemed satisfied, so why couldn't she feel the same? “Why do you need a bodyguard, when you have skills like that?”

Elizabeth realized that the witch may just want her companionship, so none of her other friends would die. She bit that back as it threatened to leave her tongue. “Skills...well I'm good with a chain whip. It's my father's weapon, so he taught me quite a bit. I come from a royal background, so I have plenty of court skills. Honestly, if you wanted a bodyguard you should have picked Emiliah.” Elizabeth chuckled at the thought, shaking her head. “She would have attempted to take your life though.”

"Those skill may be more valuable than you think." Lorelai offered the huntress a small smile. Liz didn't display the fear, or close minded hatred, of magic that most in her proffession held. A good start then. "Navigating the unsure political landscape of this coup may be delicate, and delicacy has never been one of my strong suits. I'm more the 'get the job done, examine consequences once the dust has settled' kind of woman."

"As for needing a bodyguard, you're correct. I personally have little need for one, but I have people precious to me that may." Lorelai offered Liz her waterskin, surely the woman was parched. Considering whatever had transpired to leave her in Charon's clutches wasn't likely pleasant. "If and when the time comes, I may have to entrust their safety to you skills and prowess. For now though, why don't you just tell me about yourself?"

Elizabeth returned Lorelai’s small smile. Their partnership would have to have a foundation of trust, if it was going to work. Of course, Liz would always be a bit on the uneasy side, seeing as none of the other witches made a blood contract. “So, you're the one staging the coup? Or are you the one defending your coven from a change in leadership? I know a bit about coups, I've seen shifts in power happen very often.”

When offered the waterskin, Elizabeth greedily grabbed it. She took dainty sips however, before handing it back and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She had confirmed her suspicions of being a bodyguard for the other witches in Lorelai's clique. “Well, as long as they don't use me as a plaything I won't mind protecting them. Is it true you witches dance naked around fires?” Her eyes displayed laughter, but her tone and face were serious.

“I'm a Lady of course, from the family James. My father was a Hunter turned Lord, and I wanted to be a Hunter too. My mother didn't agree, but here I am now.” Elizabeth rushed through this, the same explanation she gave to everyone else. She had never been one to flaunt her royalty, and she didn't want to be a snob in front of her new partner. “What about you, I've heard plenty of how muderous you are, of course. Now I'd like to hear your side.”

"Murderous huh? Is that what the stories say?" Lorelai smirked mildly. "It's true enough I suppose, I've razed some villages in my time, killed hunters for sport, even slew Hector Digard. That by the way explains Flint's reaction."

"Those were my younger days though, and I was an angry young witch who'd lost her entire family. It doesn't excuse my actions, but may serve to shine some insight into my motivations." She sighed. "Nowadays I just want to hold on to my new family, help some younger witches not make the same mistakes I did."

"As for dancing around fires naked, If the occassion calls for it. You'd be surprised how often witchcraft calls for some form of nudity." Lorelai flashed Liz a mischevous grin. "I wouldn't worry about being used as a plaything, most of my companions are wiser than to play with my things. Not that I view you as a possession of course, but some of them will, and that's enough to dissuade them."

Elizabeth nodded in understanding, a look of realization overtaking her features. “The hunters...we view every death of a witch as a good thing. You lost the rest of your family, and the nation danced. When you retaliated, mainly because of your grief, they vowed to hunt you down and kill you. Now you have a new family, and the hunters wish to kill them too.” She rubbed her temples, feeling conflicted. She was supposed to hate witches, just like the rest of the people out there. However, she couldn't bring herself past curiosity.

“It's just so silly, because our community is riddled with magic. You don't see us killing them, do you? It's as if not signing allegiance to the towns make you a public enemy.” Elizabeth was surprised by what she had just said, and pressed her lip into a thin line. The more she relaxed however, the more she believed her statement.

“Sorry, I shouldn't get into it. You must be quite familiar with the other witch’s bodies then, aren't you?” Elizabeth giggled as she wiggled her eyebrows. The thought was enough to make a shy girl's face redder than a tomato.

At that moment, Phagora came up. The blonde witch smiled as she saw Elizabeth. "Yet another new member of the coven, eh? Tell me, girl, what's your gift? Mind control? Teleportation? Or something more... esoteric?"

"This is Elizabeth James, she's a hunter." Lorelai gestured to her new companion. "She's found her way into my service for the time being, I expect her to be treated fairly. We share a common goal after all."

Another shape appeared from behid Phagora, as Lotte came skipping up behind. A tiny mouse sticking just out of the top of her closed fist. "Mom! Mom! Look what I caught,"

Lorelai's face broke into a grin as she spotted Lotte. "A mouse huh? You'd better be careful, lest Sousiel eat it." She ruffled the girl's hair laughing. "I'll tell her not to if you want to keep it."

Elizabeth froze, falling a few steps behind Lore as she saw the otheother witch. She smiled coyly, and did a small curtsy to be polite. It was when the small child showed up that she relaxed, it was charming to know that Lorelai had a child to care for. Looking closer at the child, she noticed that the girl had been Charon’s so called child. Liz had volunteered to stay, to be her plaything.

Elizabeth tensed, two thoughts running through her head. Mat killing the redheaded child, and her sister crying, begging for the girl to be returned to her. “Hi...I'm Elizabeth.” She croaked, trying to find her voice. “What's your name child? Is Sousiel your pet?” She had to play it off, but she found herself struggling miserably.

"Hi!" Chirped Lotte, "And no silly, Sousiel isn't my pet, she is Mom's, And I'm Lotte and I am nine years old and Sousiel isn't going to eat my mouse,"

"Of course dear, she'll behave herself." Lorelai looked between Elizabeth and Lotte. Evidently this wasn't the first time they'd met, she made a mental note to ask the huntress about it later. Lotte seemed none the wiser, as if she didn't remember. That was likely a kindness, and Lorelai wasn't about to make the girl remember.

Phagora, on the other hand, wasn't anywhere near as chipper. Her voice turned to a dangerous low growl, fire in her eyes. "Lorelai, were it not for the oath I swore you, I would challenge you to a duel here and now, and I would not be satisfied with first blood. You say that Medusa is mad, but what of you? Taking a mortal enemy into our midst, and expecting naught but her own words to bind her?" She shook her head in disbelief at Lorelai's actions. "I will not harm her, but neither will I trust her, unless she does something to prove her honesty. She could well pour lavender oil down my throat while I sleep!"

"Then let it be said this is the first time your oath saved your life, let's look forward to more of that in the future hmm?" Lorelai smirked at the blonde witch. "As did her oath save hers, or did you think I brought her here unbound? Free to do whatever she pleased? Surely your opinion of me isn't that low is it?"

Elizabeth growled back at the other witch, just as fiercely. Obviously she hadn't expected to be accepted, but this was just bitter hatred. “I'm the untrustworthy one, how interesting. The only thing holding you back from attacking your friend, one you should respect, is a lousy vow. She brought me here to protect your hide, and I will take no less than respect. I don't care if you acknowledge me, but you shall not spit on me in this way.” Her words dripped with venom, and she squared her shoulders. She wouldn't-couldn't-fight the blonde witch, but she wouldn't take this sort of treatment.

With that, Liz relaxed, a smile coming to her face. She walked up to Lotte, a bit cautious. The girl seemingly didn't remember anything, and Liz wouldn't be rude just because of the things a demon cohersed her into. “Ah, Lotte. That's a pretty name, may I see your beautiful rat?” She held out her hand slowly, to pet the rat held tight in the child's grip. “I can show you how to care for

Lotte blinked a few times at Liz, pretty oblivious to the semi-hostle enviorment that she was standing in the middle of. "Think I can take care of a rat," She said tipping her head to the side. "It is easier than taking care of a human and the humans I care about aren't dead yet" She gave Liz a dazzling smile "But if you wanted to come play with us, I think it'd be okay,"

"If she is bound by magic, then that is a different story. I apologize for making presumptions. To... to both of you." The others might not have realized it, but they had just witnessed a miracle akin to the Creation itself: Phagora not only apologizing, but apologizing to a hunter. Phagora looked up, half-wondering whether the sky was about to catch fire.

She gave Lotte a warm, friendly smile. The little girl had grown on her in the past couple of days. So pure, so innocent. Phagora idly wondered just how much she knew about her family legacy. "I could maybe train him to do a few things. Roll on his back, squeak on command, things like that."

"That's fine, this time. Don't make a habit of it." Lorelai's smirk broadened into a smile. Turning to Lotte she grinned. "Looks like you'll have plenty of playmates huh? What a lucky young lady."

Turning to Liz, Lorelai held up three fingers. "Three names you need to know. Lotte Von'Strauss, my adorable adoptive daughter. Alyssa Von'Strauss, my little sister. Elina Ruvina, my late sweetheart's last remaining kin." She gestured towards her carriage, moving in that direction. "Those are my weak points, and the people I most need to survive this. Not that all of my coven-mate's lives aren't important, but some you hold higher than others."

Elizabeth smiled gently at Lotte, this little girl could grow on her if she wasn't careful. “Of course you can, Lady Lotte, I'm sorry I doubted your abilities. However, I would love to come and play with you soon.” Elizabeth straightened, and turned to the blonde witch. With a curt nod, she accepted the apology.

Lorelai addressed her, and she paid attention respectfully. Lotte, Alyssa, and Elina. Easy enough. She figured she could remember those three names, and protect the people they belonged to just as well. When Lorelai began walking, she followed, looking ahead at their carriage. “Of course, I can do that.”

Castle Bloodrose was an imposing ediface. It's towers reaching into the sky like the fingers of some impossibly vast god. In better days witches worked, studied, and played in the comfortable embrace of its grip. Confident that their home was unassailable, and would stand for all time.

The sun was just kissing the mountain behind the witch's haven when the black caravan finally arrived back home, casting long shadows in the intrepid witch's approach. The tension that had been building within the castle, and in the hearts of its occupants was nearly palpable. Some cast their gaze up towards those mighty digits and wondered if they might be reaching up towards heaven in one last petition for peace. A petition that ultimately would go unheeded.

The grand black iron gates swung open for the first of the black carriages. Witches had gathered in the courtyard just beyond to await their arrival. A tremble went through the crowd as the caravan came to a halt. The first door opened, and from the dark confines of her carriage emerged Lorelai Von'Strauss.

She was clad in her black succubus skin ritual garb, and bore her blade before her like a staff. With a snap of her fingers a dozen servitors sprung from the earth, and began the work of unpacking the witch's belongings. All they while she kept her eyes locked with her nemesis, Medusa Bloodrose, who'd come out to the balcony over looking the courtyard to greet them.

"The Dragon returns!" A small spell allowed Medusa's voice to carry through the courtyard. "And with her our champions. Look well sisters, upon some of the finest witches to call the castle home."

A nervous cheer went through the gathered witches. Some had already chosen a side; Those with Lorelai stood near the gates, those with Medusa had gathered near the stairs beneath the balconey. Others stood between them, hoping they'd not be forced to make a choice, or at least hoping to avoid the bloodshed.

"A feast in their honor is being prepared, in three days we'll gather in the grand hall and hear stories of their exploits!" A small smirked curved Medusa's lips. "Untill then I bid you let them rest... they've surely earned it."

Lorelai nodded up to the unspoken agreement. A three day peace before the war began. Her sisters would need their rest, and she'd use the time to focus her sickly spirit on the task before her.

Medusa turned and stepped back into the castle just as the sun dipped behind the mountains again. Bathing the castle and the witches that called it home in darkness. How many would live long enough to see real light again? Whose banner would fly when the dust cleared? Not even the prophets of Seher could tell you that.

The curtain was opening for the final show, as Dragon crossed Rose for the last time in a long and mostly forgotten history. The souls of witches that deserved better caught between two giants poised to destroy one another.

_{in collaboration with @Meiyuki, @Ellion, and @Wildeyes}



Saen was poised at the gates, her head lightly resting on her coils. She gazed at the returning witches through half-lidded eyes. "Welcome back, Lorelai. I trussst your mission was successful? At least more so than mine. And some new members of the coven, too. Fresh blood is always welcome here, so let me be one of the first to greet you at your new home."

"We suffered a casualty, Vespa's blood preserved our sister's." Lorelai said grimly. "If you'd excuse me I should put her things in order."

Saen glanced at Lorelai with a dour look. She knew how close Lorelai and Vespa had been, and decided to let the witch have her space. Moving back into an alcove, she let the other returning sorceresses through.

Ang, who had been hoovering near Medusa, made her way towards Lorelai. It was clear, even from her lack of care towards human emotions, that Lorelai wanted to pass without much fanfair. So, of course, she made a point to introduce herself. "Hello, Lorelai is it?" she said, quickly. "I am Angharad Seher of the Seher clan. Medusa has told me much about you, although she failed to mention you had a child, an adorable one at that," She gave Lotte and almost hungry once over, before giving her attention back to Lorelai.

Lorelai stiffened at the look Ang gave Lotte. She'd had some small faith that Medusa would leave the girl out of their conflict, but that dissapated in an instant. "Seher are you? How's Grethu?" Her voice carried a hard edge amidst its forced cheer as she addressed the witch.

"Dead and rotting in some cave last I check," said Ang, shruging it off as those she cared more about the weather. Ang's eyes flicked over the girl once more before giving a little bow. "Well, I won't delay you further, it is obviouse you could do with a bath and perhaps a good night sleep," she said, turning to walk away.

"Good night." Lorelai said stiffly, she'd kill Ang later. For now she needed rest, and a plan. "I'm sure the rest of you can get settled, come by my room of you need anything." She turned to address Liz and Phagora before making her way up the steps and into the castle, with Lotte close behind her.

Phagora was the next one inside. She gave a small curtsy, then introduced herself. "A pleasant day to all of you. I'm Phagora. Lorelai found me out on the road and decided to take me in." Which was true, insofar as it went.

Upon hearing her name, Saen sprang into action. "Phagora, there's something you need to know. A hunter is here, named Mat. Apparently, you killed his father, and he's been swearing revenge ever since."

"I've killed a lot of fathers. You'll have to be more specific," Phagora said disdainfully. Still, she gave Saen a soft nod. Information that could save one's life was always welcome.

Alyssa bounced up to Phagora and Saen grinning, she'd caught the tail end of their conversation. "Killed alot of fathers huh? Isn't it wonderful to have a wide seleciton of enemies?" She looked Saen up and down. "I haven't seen a lamia up close in ages, how wide does your hood get? If you don't mind me asking."

"I'd rather have a few really good enemies than a whole bunch of mediocre ones." Phagora smirked at Alyssa. "Besides, I hear the Von'Strausses have more than their fair share of bloodthirsty foes."

"We Von'Strauss wear our enemies like badges of honor." Alyssa laughed. "And hoard them like gold. Occassionally even steal them from other witches if the supply is low enough."

Saen let out a deep hiss, the lamia equivalent of a belly laugh. "Let me show you, then." Saen spread her hood out as far as she could, Her neck scales stretched to the limits of comfort, which in her case, was about three feet. She folded them back in slightly. "A useful party trick, but no more."

"Quite the accessory too, your scales are quite lovely." Alyssa struggled to find the correct phrasing for her next question, eventually just deciding to blurt it out. "Do you ever milk yourself? Your venom of course not... uh? Do you even?" Her face turned a shade of pink, perhaps blurting wasn't the proper choice there.

Saen opened her jaws a little bit, just enough for Alyssa to see a few amber drops of venom leaking from the tips of her fangs. "I don't need to, little one. I spend about an hour a day hunting, and these fangs aren't enough to kill some prey on their own."

"I should probably give you my name huh?" Alyssa let out a small sigh of relief as Saen glossed over her blunder. She extended a hand in greeting. "Alyssa Von'Strauss, and might I get yours?"

"Von'Strauss? Of Lorelai's blood? She must have been overjoyed to find you were still alive. In any case, it is truly a pleasure to meet you, Alyssa. I am Saen." The lamia took the offered hand in her own and gave it a hearty shake.

"Saen. Lovely." Alyssa grinned. "Oh yes, Lorelai was quite pleased to find me and little Charlotte still alive. I think the girl's a distant cousin, but she bears the gift nonetheless."

She let out a small laugh. "Quite protective my sister is, I think she's already close to killing Angharad over some of those ill-advised looks she gave her new daughter. Enough about that though, tell me, what do you do?"

"I'm Medusa's resident artifact purchaser. Whenever word comes up that another coven is putting their treasures up for sale, I'm there to negotiate a deal. As for my magic..." Saen put her hand on Alyssa's forehead, and spoke into the other girl's mind. This is what I do. Alyssa would feel a light touch on her psyche, but she didn't dare go any further without being invited. She had some standards, after all.

Alyssa shuddered at the gentle invasion, while Saen didn't traipse all the deeply into her mind she got the sensation that the witch could have if she had wanted to. Her eyes were wide when it ended. "That's... awesome! What all can you change or look at or..." She grinned sheepishly. "Details please, for short."

"If I wanted to, I could see your innermost thoughts and memories, and take them from your mind. With a little effort, most mortals would never even know I was there, though I can't hide from fellow witches."

"And yet I've always found the Von'Strauss gift fascinating, myself. The intense study and discipline it must take to enslave beings of ancient power and incalculable cruelty... I've wanted to learn a little of that craft, but never found the right time to ask Lorelai."

"As within so without." Alyssa spouted the rehearsed phrase nodding. "The Von'Strauss believe that one must master their inner demons before attempting the outer ones, as such the lessons are nearly as brutal and cruel as the twisted beings the aspirant hopes to tame."

"Perhaps when all this... buisness is finished I could teach you." Alyssa winced as she gestured to the witches already gathering into groups to plot or gossip. "Who will you be joining? Out of curiousity."

"I do not wish to say," Saen replied respectfully, which was answer enough, given who she was speaking with. "But enough talk of ill tidings and plotters in the night. If Medusa wants to have a feast, we shall need fresh venison for the table, and I shall ask you to join me on the hunt. It can get lonely in these woods, and we need not worry about spooking our quarry with our voices."

Alyssa's shoulders fell slightly, it really wasn't difficult to determine Saen's loyalties considering her name already spoke for hers. She'd be left to hope they were never forced to confront each other. "I'd love to, I'll need to get to know these woods better anyway." They had at least the next three days to enjoy each other's company however, she'd make the most of it.

"I'll make sure my bow is in top shape tonight then." She favored the lamia with a bright smile

"That's good to hear, Alyssa. Meet me on the path outside the castle gates tomorrow morning. I'll need some sunlight before we go." Saen went outside to the castle grounds, basking in the beautiful golden rays of late afternoon sun.

Alyssa sighed as the turned to Phagora. "A shame... I was just starting to think we might make excellent friends."

"Friendships can survive wars quite easily. It's happened before, and it will happen again. The friends themselves, on the other hand... there's the trick." Phagora's voice turned gloomy. "It didn't have to be like this. If Medusa had just given Lorelai a reason to trust her, this could well have been the strongest coven in the world. A coven that could make the greatest of kings tremble in terror at the mere mention of the name Bloodrose. Instead, it's going to tear itself to bits. What a pity."

"The best way to keep a friend is to be there for them. At the very least, you can be there for them as they pass." Alphonse's voice surprised the two women, he hadn't even been a shadow, just standing silently behind Phagora.

"Were you born this gloomy? Or did it take time?" Alyssa turned, frowning at Alphonse after her small start. "You and Lorelai both, god, would it hurt you to crack a smile once in a while?"

Phagora nearly jumped out of her skin as Alphonse spoke. "Alphonse, have you been behind us this whole time, just watching us? I'm not sure whether to be impressed by your control of your shadows, or disturbed that you were stalking us. Perhaps a bit of both?"

Alphonse's face cracked into a grin. "oops, there you go, now there's no getting rid of it." Alphonse winked at Alyssa. "And, no, Lorelai has retired for the night, so I thought I'd take a stroll. Sorry if I surprised you, the conversation seemed interesting and I thought I'd hop in. I've always wanted to see a trembling king."

"Well I suppose that puts a damper on the primary topic of our discussion." Alyssa winked at Phagora. "How best to kill a one-armed shadow assassin, although I suppose you'd have the best insights into that wouldn't you?"

"Well, in any case, you could try warning us next time. I, for one, would appreciate it. Tell me, Alphonse, why did you come to this coven? There are few enough warlocks out there, and all the ones I've heard of live alone. What made you think differently?"

Alphonse stared at Phagora for a long minute. "Wait. you mean I could live by myself? Avoid all this coven nonesense? Be my own man?!" Alphonse disapeared into a shadow. There was a long pause as the two women watched the spot where he had been standing before his voice arrived from behind them both. "Actually, I've thought about it, but I wouldn't last long on my own, I'd starve without any one to disapoint or infuriate. But really, life outside wasn't good for me before the Coven found me. I was the weird kid who didn't have a dad. Food was scarce, and mom was a little crazy. Frankly, when I was taken in it was a blessing. They discovered my talents and helped me refine them into something that I can be proud of." He held up his stump. "And of course, it's never dull around here."

"Hmm, so you're a coven success story then? I've never had one, the very idea that a witch would share her wisdom and expertise is a little odd isn't it?" Alyssa looked between the two. "I mean... why assist future rivals?"

"I guess I'm somewhere in between the two of you, then. I was part of a coven since birth... if you can call two witches a coven. It was just me and my mother, and she was deep into the dark arts. Murder, blasphemous rituals that would make even Lorelai's head spin, the whole package. She had a bounty placed on her head of a thousand gold coins by the Doge, but it was time that collected the reward. Then my father's voice appeared in my head, telling me he had lost me in a game of chess, of all things, and I was to pack up what few things I had and head north."

Alyssa nodded, the fact that Phagora's upbringing was probably horrible completely lost on her. The dark arts were cool as far as she was concerned, she merely envied the opportunity to learn some of the more coveted blasphemies and rites.

"So, that's my story. Mayhem and depravity since before I could stand, with the occasional act of spiritual cannibalism thrown in for variety."

"A game of chess huh? Maybe I lucked out on the no dad thing. I should have introduced myself to you sooner, with a back ground like that, I get the feeling we'll be cooperating quite a bit in the future."

"Speaking of my sister's strange ability to gather people for no apparent reason, do either of you know anything about the island of Malta?" Alyssa asked. "She was looking over some maps on the way here, with that focused look of hers."

Alphonse raised one eyebrow as his grin shifted into a smirk. "Paladin strong hold? Full of sacred relics? Attracts Turks like Lemmings off a cliff? Never heard of it."

Phagora turned to Alphonse. "Oh, no. She roped you into this scheme of hers? Gods, help us all." Looking at Alyssa, she said, "While we were at Castle Ruvina, I learned of an item with incredible healing powers. Maybe even enough to resurrect the dead, body and soul. Your... sister... seems to have gotten this crazy idea that we can do what an army couldn't and steal it. I knew the loss of Vespa hit her hard, but this... she's blindly grasping at straws, Alyssa. You need to talk to her."

"You want me to talk her out of it?" Alyssa's eye widened, clearly not thrilled at the duty being thrust upon her. "The woman razed villages for kicks! I don't really want to know what she'll do to me if I even think about telling her she can't try to resurrect her love... Do I really have to?"

She pointed to Alphonse. "Make him do it, he's got better odds of running."

Alphonse rubbed his chin with his still attached hand. "hmmmm, it would mean less work. Then again, a completed saint could probably repair my arm." Al waved his stump arm about to accentuate his point. "Aaaaand, Lorelai get grumpy if she doesn't involve me in enough suicidal quests in a given month, so I'd rather not skip out on this particular one. Unless.....I had some more incentive?" Alphonse regarded either of the women, seeing if either would come forward.

Alyssa sighed, narrowing her eyes at Alphonse. "Fine, I'll talk to her. Tomorrow though. If she kills me, try to remember me fondly. Thank Taran for the roll in the dirt too, never did do that." She shrugged. "I'll either convince her to call it off, or make sure she's got a decent plan. That's the best I can manage."

"Two things, then. One, good luck, Alyssa. We need a sane leader of this coven, and Lorelai at least has a chance of getting to that state. Second... if she does kill you, could I have your magical gear? You've got some pretty neat stuff in there."

Alyssa nodded, rolling her eyes. "Sure, but you'll have to share with Lotte."

"Wait, wait, wait, you had a roll with Taran? Innocent "Not before marriage" Taran?" Alphonse affixed her with an incredulous, inquisitive leer.

"Yeah, he's a weak willed, nubile baby donor. I didn't see a pressing reason not to." Alyssa grinned with pride. "It took a bit of convincing, but the innocent ones never really know what to do with themselves if you get a little aggressive."

"huh. Good for him, I was worried he'd never make his way out of his shell." Al's expression returned to his normal smile, though his eyes did not shine quite so brightly. "So what's this about a hunting trip?"

Lorelai smiled at the sleeping Lotte, stroking her hair softly. The newest addition to the Von’Strauss legacy. She wondered in her own mother felt this way. On one hand she was delighted to finally have someone to pass her knowledge down to, on the other she wept for the strength their shared legacy would require. All mothers hoped for strong children, but very few would enjoy the knowledge of how strong Lotte would have to become.

Lorelai sighed and leaned over to scoop up Lotte’s pet mouse, who was sleeping comfortably near the girl’s head. Lotte needed a familiar, and Lorelai was the only one left who knew how to forge one. She checked the would-be familiar, and was satisfied that she spell she’d placed on it the day previous had absorbed enough of Lotte’s essence for the task.

She walked into her rarely used walk in closet, a whispered word triggered the candles along the walls, filling the room with flickering light. Sousiel stood against the back wall, blood dripping from a small cut in her palm.

The wall pulsed a deep red, recently infused with Sousiel’s blood. This was the reason she rarely used this closet. A gateway to the inferno, responding only to her familiar’s blood, stood now ready for use.

“Mistress, are you sure now’s the best time? You haven't even rested yet, I worry.” Sousiel handed Lorelai her blade and cloak.

”Time will not wait for me to heal. Ours is a legacy of iron Sousiel. I cannot waver.” Lorelai tossed her cloak around her shoulders and fastened it in the front. ”Pandemonium yawns open, and I’ll make my way to the forgemaster soon enough.”

“You have a month before night ends Lorelai.” Sousiel tip toed to peck her mistress’ cheek. “Be swift.”

With a nod Lorelai pushed against the wall with both her hand and will. Her hand slipped through, and everything went dark. She floated as a disembodied mind through the vast dark between worlds. A mortal mind might have gone mad, no light, no sensation, and no sense of time, but Lorelai was accustomed to these journeys. Constructing an elaborate mental palace she strolled through its hallways while she waited.

She felt a tug, and with an act of will she woke. Her eyes opened in a desert of black sand. Looking up she could see the bottom of the world overhead. Stretching from horizon to horizon, it was a vast ceiling of rough red stone, punctuated here and there by massive stalactites. Twisted demonic figures skittered across its surface, predating on one another with inhuman abandon. Before her Lorelai saw her goal. A black iron tower stretched into the sky as far as the eye could see.

The Iron Gauntlet of Pandemonium. There she would find the forgemaster. She squinted her eyes against the scorching wind and pushed on. How many of her clan had made this journey before her? Did her Grandmother walk this path with the would-be Sousiel in her arms?

”What’s it like? Sousiel spoke in her mind.

”It’s… amazing.” Lorelai replied aloud. ”I’m walking in the footsteps of my forebearers. I can almost feel them around me, such powerful wills.”

”That’s what it takes to tame demons, both within and without.” Sousiel sounded pleased. ”Push on Mi’lady, I’m here with you.”

Lorelai did, she walked for days under the unabating infernal heat. It became apparent on the third day that walking wouldn’t be an option, so she called to the great devourer worms swimming through the black sands to bear her forth on their backs, and they couldn’t refuse. She dined on their flesh, and drank their bitter blood for hydration. Feeding the would-be familiar from the rations she’d prepared instead of herself.

A week passed before she found herself before the vast tower. Her house emblem was seared in the center of a large set of steel double doors. ”I’ve arrived.”

”Tell me what you see inside.” Sousiel seemed excited.

Smiling wryly Lorelai pressed her hand against the doors. Heat radiated suddenly from the Draconic image as it turned a deep red, then the doors swung open slowly. Lorelai stepped inside, her boots sending echoes through the vast interior. She found herself on a long bridge over a chasm, the tower was hollow then? Looking down she could see a faint red glow, and when she stopped moving she could hear what sounded like metal striking metal in a steady rhythm.

She was formulating a plan on how she was going to get down there when a sudden wind sent her cloak whipping about her. It bore voices, screams of the damned. It bit as winds bite, but at her will not her body. Lorelai pressed the screams out of her mind. What was this howling wind?

”Zephyr, voice of the damned, it hunts you mistress. Someone has come here before you.”

Lorelai couldn’t bind what she couldn’t sense. The winds, Zephyr, were too chaotic to pinpoint. Each time she tried to open her magical senses her concentration was broken by a chorus of screams in her mind, and the physical winds were threatening to send her toppling over the edge.

Lorelai was losing, and quickly. Her ritual dagger opened her palm. She was in the middle of a spell to bolster her will when she noticed something curious. The wind whipped greedily around the small blood splatter on the ground. She still couldn’t gather her will, but it was nearly concentrated enough to bind. Suddenly a thought occurred to her.

”Mistress!? Sousiel protested impotently as Lorelai pooled up blood in her palm and leapt from the edge of the bridge.

The wind gave chase, a face appearing in the center as it gathered its strength. Lorelai was already well out of its range of influence however, and her mind was finally clear. As she plummeted into the dark she mustered her will in a scream of dominance in the Dragon’s Tongue, here in the abyss Lorelai was royalty and this Lord would bow to the crown.

Zephyr realized its mistake too late. It desperately attempted to discorporate enough to diminish the bindings, but already Lorelai’s will wound coils of domination through its essence.

Looking down Lorelai saw the stone ground rushing up to meet her, and demanded that Zephyr bear her aloft. The raging winds nearly peeled the skin from her face as they slowed her descent, and by the time she reached the ground she landed as lightly as stepping from a carriage.

Looking around she saw sconces with lit torches, the walls bore cells that contained twisted grey humanoid shapes devoid of facial features. They stretched pleading arms through the bars towards her as she made her way to the sound of the forgemaster’s hammer, Zephyr reluctantly falling into step behind her.

It took her several hours to find her way through the labyrinthine prison. Zephyr quickly dealt with the few small threats that lurked in the darker corners. Finally she found a door with an anvil crudely carved into it. With a breath she steeled her will and pushed the door open.

On the other side was a massive vaulted room. Its walls were decorated with ornate weaponry too large for any human to wield. Shadows danced around the room from the light of the vast bed of coals. Working the forge was a giant. nearly twenty feet tall, long knotted grey hair cascaded down his back and shoulders. His skin was a burnished bronze, scars covered his impressive musculature.

He turned to face Lorelai. His voice was deep and booming as he spoke. “Ah, another Von’Strauss here to grant their daughter a playmate, it’s been so long. Mistress, tell me please, what's become of your house?”

Lorelai responded grimly. “We only number three now, purged by Digard’s paladins a decade ago. I am Lorelai Von’Strauss, I come on behalf of my daughter Lotte.”

“Lorelai?” The giant mused. “Sousiel’s mistress then. We expected great things from you Lorelai, did you become great? Or is your blood thin and feeble?”

”I’m in no position to speak of my greatness, I’m at war. Let the victor’s allies extol their praises.” Lorelai removed the tiny mouse from her pouch. It was terrified, but unharmed. ”My blood still runs thick though, and hot as hellfire.”

“We shall see, it will be needed after all.” The giant reached down and gingerly plucked the mouse from Lorelai’s hands. Turning he retrieved a bowl and placed it in front of Lorelai. ”Blood for the tempering, your Grandmother’s was mighty, we’ll see if you’re her scion in truth or not.”

”I suppose we shall.” Lorelai opened her forearm with her ritual dagger. Blood wept from the wound, trickling down her arm and into the bowl. After a minute the giant stooped down to retrieve the blood, and Lorelai applied her healing poultice to the cut, sealing it nicely.

Lorelai wished she was taller, as the anvil stood too high for her to see what the giant was doing as he worked. She could see magic gathering in torrents though, as the forgemaster performed whatever artisanry it required to create a familiar.

Suddenly his craggy face broke into a surprised grin. “Dragon’s blood! There might be hope for the Von’Strauss after all! Burns with a mother’s insane rage too.” Lorelai arched an eyebrow as she elected to save her questions for the end of this process.

Several minutes passed, until finally the giant wiped his brow. “It’s finished, Zehir is its name. Make sure Lotte treats it well, it’s one of my finest works.” Stooping the giant deposited a small girl with mouse features on the ground in front of Lorelai.

She checked over the unconcious girl, and once she was satisfied everything was in order she draped her cloak over her nude form. Looking up at the giant she posed the first of her questions. ”Tell me forgemaster, what is a Dragon? My family calls themselves dragons, but I’m starting to think there’s more to it than that.”

“And you wouldn’t be wrong mistress.” The giant chuckled jovially, sending reverberations through the room and Lorelai’s frame. “What do you think a Dragon is Lorelai?”

”I’d always assumed it was a reference to the serpent in christian mythology, and demons as a whole. After all, Dragon’s tongue is the language of demons not dragons as far as I know.” Lorelai mused.

“Close, but tell me. What did the serpent do in the story?” The giant asked.

”Tempted Eve into original sin, with the forbidden fruit.” Lorelai responded simply, wondering where the giant was going with this.

“Correct, the sin of knowledge. Terrible wisdom is the crime of witchcraft. With that dreadful knowledge the two were forced from their naive realm of dreams, to forge their own destiny through the dark and blood of reality. They were confronted with their inner demons, and struggled against outer ones.” The giant sat, getting comfortable as he continued his story. “So, would you say the serpent uplifted or damned them?”

”Life without reflection is not life. Cruelty begets understanding and strength. I don’t know that you can uplift someone without damning them in part.” Lorelai frowned. ”Where is this going?”

“Yes, the point. Sometimes I forget that mortals value their time more than we denizens of the pit.” The giant let out another small chuckle. “The point is, who is the bearer of dreadful wisdom that forces man to confront reflections of the darkness that lurks within them?”

”You mean…” Lorelai trailed off.

“Yes. The Dragon is not some beast that lurks down here, or some metaphor to aspire to.” The giant continued grimly. “You are the Dragon, and each fallen Von’Strauss is a serpent that could have been, but never was a Dragon. Follow your feet to the end of your path Lorelai. Spread your wings and breathe your flames.”

Lorelai nodded, still stunned at the giant’s revelation. Scooping up Zehir she left the room, the giant’s laughter echoed behind her. ”Sousiel… bring us home.”

”Yes mistress.”

Taran slipped away from the caravan weIl before it reached the castle, not wanting to talk to anyone, and really, not wanting to return to the castle at all, knowing what would happen in just a few days time. Instead he held back, waiting for the fanfair to die down and for everyone to dissipate before heading inside. After a while, he finally manged to find the nerve to enter the castle. Instead of heading to his room, like he wanted to, he found himself heading to Medusa's study, book in hand.

He knocked three times before entering, not really sure what the purpose of his visit was at the moment. "Evening Mistress," he said softly, entering the room and closing the door behind him,

Medusa looked up the reports she'd been reading, smiling softly as the spied Taran at her door. Setting her spectacles to the side she gestured towards an empty chair. "Taran, how was your trip?"

Taran wasn't sure what to say. How was the trip? He murdered a boy who was only trying to help. He nearly killed Phagora. There were now a thousand blood thirsty voices screaming in his head, telling him to burn nearly everyone he met. And...and he met Alyssa..... But he didn't want to think of that, he didn't think he could even phrase what the ...instance was. "It...It was....eye opening," he said, choosing not to meet her eyes at that moment. "I was able to finish your books Mistress," he said, holding up the books she had lent him before.

"Eye opening huh?" Medusa elected not to press Taran for more, at the moment. She wished Taran hadn't gone, but how was she to know he'd find Lorelai just as she was departing? Perhaps she'd been remiss, but there was nothing for that now. "They're quite dense reads aren't they? I promise they grow on you, hopefully you found them insightful at least." She patted the last empty space on her desk.

"From...what I understood, yes, they were very insightful," he gave her a small half smile that faded a moment later. "I suppose you are..very busy and I don't want to take more of your time Mistress," With that he walked towards the door and pulled it halfway open before...stopping. Unsure if he wanted to stay and ask the question that was most bothering him or to simply walk out and hide under his rock.

"Speak Taran. Something eats at you." Medusa's voice was softly encouraging. "Be it a question, or something you want to share. I may be busy, but if I couldn't make time for my covenmates amid my work I wouldn't be much of a leader would I?"

Taran turned back to face Medusa, his mouth opening and then closing it a few times, trying to find a way to make his question come out in a way that one could take meaning from. "Did...Mistress. Did you know...what it is that we faced and sent us...anyway?"

"I had... some idea yes, but not of the specifics." Medusa sighed in legitimate sadness. Her finest blunder, acting in haste instead of trusting Lorelai in something the woman knew better than she did. "I knew Reyna wouldn't part with the knowledge willingly, but to the magnitude of the threat? I'm not a seer, but perhaps I should have been more mindfull of the Ruvina matriarch's reputation. Our sisters where dying though, what else could I have done?"

" I...I don't know Mistress," said Taran, he wasn't sure what he hoped to gain by asking his question, only that he didn't get what ever it was he was looking for. "If you don't mind Mistress, I'd like to ....go to bed, I'm not used to road travel," With that, Taran pushed the door open and walked out.

"Good night Taran." Medusa whispered to an empty room.

---

_{Hours later.}

Alyssa strolled through the darkened hallways of the castle in seach of Taran. The boy had slipped away quietly during all the commotion of their arrival, which was annoying, but a very Taran-like thing to do. Her familiar sniffed the ground in front of her, a small black dog Uriel was good for tracking and little else.

She let out a frustrated snarl. Make a friend, just to find out they would be joining Medusa. Her luck wasn't holding up all that well. Between that and Lorelai and Lotte getting along so damned famously she was getting the distinct feeling of being left out in the cold. Taran couldn't do that to her though, she wouldn't let him.

Uriel stopped in front of one of the many, identical, wooden doors in the long hallway that made up the witch's dormitories. Alyssa didn't even bother with knocking, pushing open the door and stepping inside. "Taran, pet. I've brought some wine and my troubles, you'll be enjoying both tonight."

Taran had been trying to sleep. And by trying, it was more like...replaying everything that had been said to him over the past few days, about... what side to pick or not pick. And that was only to keep his mind from thinking of...Alyssa, who always seemed to be creeping into the shadows of his thoughts.

He had just banished another thought of her when his door slammed open and the devil appeared. He lept from his bed, taking his blanket up from the bed to cover his bare chest. "I...don't drink. Get out," he said, his voice started out low and almost like a growl, but cracking slightly towards the end.

"Excellent, more for me then." Alyssa flopped into the desk-chair that each room contained, ignoring the second part of Taran's utterance. She survyed his troubled face, frowning slightly. "What's gotten to you?" She poured the first of many glasses of wine she intended to drink that night.

You. The war. You. The voices. You "Nothing," he said, glaring at her from his far away corner spot, he was slowly trying to inch away from her, closer to the door. If only to stop from feeling so trapped. Not that he wanted to leave. This was...his space. "I'll t-tell you again....get out," although his voice was slowly losing what little confidence it had. It sounded closer to begging.

"This room's in some serious need of decoration Taran." Alyssa drained the glass and began pacing the small room. Her hand traced the sparce bookshelf, his desk. She looked at the bare floor and walls. Turning back to her spot she poured yet another glass. "Maybe you wouldn't be so glum of you had some pretty things to look at hmm? A rug here, some figurines maybe. I dunno, seems to be a waste to have your own space and not fill it up yes?"

"I'm not..glum," he said, defensively. He was at the difficult part now, where he'd have to slide just past to woman to be on the side closest to the door. " What is it that you want Alyssa," he finally said, "Besides .I've already given you what you wanted.

"'What is it that you want Alyssa'" Alyssa puppeted in a mocking imitation of Taran. "I'm just looking for company Taran. Now stop being glum, which you are, and start holding up your end of the conversation before I get nasty. So, what's up?"

"I don't want to talk to you! he said, shouting, not because it would help, but because it would make him feel better. "Why don't you go ...drink with your sister, or Al, or anyone else? I'm sure they'd love to talk to you,"

"Al is busy doing my sisters damned bidding, same with Phag, and Liz. Lorelai herself is of course in mourning and entirely too busy playing with Lotte." Alyssa's voice was low and dangerous, her eyes narrowed into malevolent slits. "Oh, right, the other friend I made I may have to kill in a few weeks too. So tell me Taran... do you think you have sole claim on a bad week?" She trembled with a mixture of rage and sorrow.

Taran almost felt sorry for her, almost. But then he rememeber why he wanted to get away from her. "Well, I am sorry you've had a bad week and you don't have any friends but...that doesn't mean...I-I care okay?" He had managed to by pass her and was now slowly backing away towards the door.

"Yeah... I guess I can understand that. I mean, here I am right? Tormenting you instead of spending time with the family I've searched for nearly a decade for." Alyssa took a seat, bypassing her glass in favor of the bottle. She drained nearly half of it before continuing, her voice trembling. "Now Lorelai's off to war, I wonder if I'll ever just get to talk to her like I dreamed... or if she'll die before I get the chance."

She sighed. "Give me some time to compose myself then Taran, and I'll leave you alone. I'll just roam the hallways with my thoughts for company."

Taran stared at the girl. He had to keep reminding his heart that she had wrong him...or...it was all very confusing. But he did not, no matter what, he shouldn't...let the fact that he pitied her play in part in how he treated her. All the same. "Fine... a few minutes," he said, reaching down to pick up his wayward shirt and pull it over his frame.

"Thanks." Alyssa wiped a stray tear from her cheek. Before the silence in the room could get too deep she spoke. "So... what is troubling you? I mean... aside from me."

"Nothing I care to share with you," grumbled Taran, pacing the room slightly.

"Come on Taran, I'm not gonna tell anyone. You might as well get it off your chest." Alyssa took another pull from her bottle. "It's the least I can do right?"

"If I was going to talk to anyone, it wouldn't be you," he said again. His mind flashing towards Sam, then Phag, then...what Medusa said. The voices were easy to ignore, they were only whispering right now. "But....I killed...someone and...it wasn't just," he said, saying what he felt was the safest thing to discuss. After all, mostly everyone knew what he had done already.

"Your first?" Alyssa nodded in commiseration. "Some witches play it tough. I mean... sometime's killing is part of the job. Either to save yourself or... for a myriad of reasons really. The worst is when they're a bystander, caught up in something they hadn't earned... I'm sorry Taran."

"Y-you're the first person who said that," he said, looking at her. "Mostly everyone else likes to go on and on about how I had no choice or how is was my duty or how I saved my sisters. What they don't understand is that...well. I did have a choice and I choice me over them,"

"It's always a choice. I hate that talk of duty." Alyssa scoffed. "But, for what it's worth, I think you made the right one. Not all the choices we get to make are good ones. Killing's always amongst the worst."

"I take it you know about that? Taran had stopped his pacing, and was now standing at the foot of his bed. "Do...do you think you can leave now? Please?" He wanted to tell her to get out, but it didn't quite come out right.

"More than I'd like to yes... Von'Strausses are hunted like animals, for the sins of our mothers." Alyssa stood, wobbling on her drunken feet. "I hope you don't get forced with that choice again, but with the current climate I'm not sure it'll do any good. My sister and Bloodrose are determined to kill each other after all, with us caught in the middle." She stumbled slowly towards the door.

"I thought if any was stuck to one side of the war, that'd be you," He said, taking a slight step back to give her as much access to the door as possibly. Taran then paused, looking at Alyssa, then figuring it was as good of time as any to ask "You're not...pregnant...are you?" He silently prayed the answer was no.

"Well... I should be. The fertility spell took root after all." Alyssa mumbled audibly. She turned to Taran, a strange glint in her eye. "Why? Are you hoping for a bouncing baby boy?"

"Not with you," he said, snappishly. He felt his stomach grow hollow at the thought. Could he really leave any child of his with...her. Boy or girl? And could he really stand to be around it, knowing that a part of it was Alyssa."Perhaps with my wife yes, when this all just a...forgotten...memory," He said finally.

Alyssa's eyes flared in anger as her mind regained focus. Bile rose to her throat as her mind formulated a fitting punishment for his numerous insults. Dominating the boy's body hadn't been enough had it? Then his heart and mind would be next. Alyssa roused Yserora from her slumber in her flesh. Yserora, the Maven, made an orchestra of the heart strings of mortals.

"It's too bad I'll never be anything other than that mistake you made isn't it?" Alyssa drew close enough to pat Taran's cheek, grinning in pleasure as Yserora jumped gleefully across their brief connection. This would be punishment enough.

Taran knew what was coming the moment Alyssa's hand came towards his face. He remembered the way his body hungered for her's more than words could explain. The lost of control, He reached out his hand and grabbed at her arm, the only part of his body that managed to call fourth his fire, leaving an angry hand-print burn on her skin before another shadow lept into his skin. "W-what did you do?" he demanded as he clawed at his own skin, trying to get the thing off of him.. But it was too late. He closed his eyes waiting for emotions and wants that didn't belong to him to start forming.

Alyssa hissed as her flesh burned, her anger boiling over as she examined the angry red imprint left behind. "You thought... with everything I made you do. That it would be wise to treat me so?" Alyssa tittered madly. "You should know not to play so carelessly with fire by now Taran."

She sang to Yserora in Dragon's Tongue. A sweet, yet poisonous love song. One born of chains and bondage, with no escape in sight. Alyssa wanted Taran to weep before defying her again, and wouldn't be satisfied until it was so.

Taran could feel...something inside of him. It almost purred as Alyssa spoke words he couldn't understand. Then the something sunk into him until he couldn't tell himself from the thing. After a few moments passed, Taran still didn't open his eyes. He had a feeling and a fear about what he would do or...feel when he opened them and saw Alyssa.

"Taran?... I'm cold." Alyssa said with a faux whimper as her lips curled into a pout. "Would you... warm me up?"

Taran shook his head, trying to block out her voice. But ever her soft words threw his heart into a flutter and sent butterflies skittering through his stomach and left him with a vauge, untraceable happiness that caused a stupid smile to creep onto his face. Without his concent, his eyes shot open and he saw her.

seeing her was a thousand times stronger than her voice alone and in a moment, he felt himself walking over to her. Taking her face in his hands, he looked down at her. "You're freezing," he agreed, reaching down to take her hands, noticing the burn on her arm, he felt a thousand spears of guilt his him at once for causing her pain. "I've hurt you!" he cried, "I am so, so, so sorry,"

Alyssa smirked. "Yes, you have Taran." She pulled away and moved to sit on the edge of his bed. "What will you do to make it up to me? If I ever decide to forgive you that is?"

Taran sunk down to his knees as he approached Alyssa, looking up at her from the floor below."Anything, anything to make this right," he said, his voice filled with sorrow. "I... I know I don't burn, but...surely there is something else you could do to me? Or...Or anything Alyssa, please, please, please forgive me,"

Alyssa grinned. She had plenty of ideas, and all night to try each of them. She hiked up her skirt. "I think I know where you can start."

_{in collaboration with @Meiyuki}



Lorelai and Medusa took their tea in one of the many out of the way gardens. Assistants and servants moved about with nervous energy, carrying stacks of papers that required their mistress' attention.

"So this is really how it ends between us?" Medusa asked during a lull in their responsibilities. She set her cup on its small plate and turned to lock eyes with Lorelai.

Lorelai sighed. "I suppose so, although it needn't if you were willing to step down." She turned away, casting her gaze over the flowers and trees. "I don't see that happening however."

"Nor do I." Medusa replied. A silence hung between them for some time after that, neither witch willing to be the first to break it.

Rebecca made her way into the gardens. She moved quickly; a servant had told her that Medusa was having a quiet tea with Lorelai, and it gave her hope. If the two witches were willing to have such a moment together, it meant there was a good chance they might be willing to talk about settling their differences.

Eventually, she found them under a pavilion, just sitting there silently. She cleared her throat. "Erm, Mistress Medusa, and Lorelai, if I may be so bold to presume. Would you mind if I talked to you both for a little while?"

They turned in unison to look at the intrepid witch that had interupted their afternoon tea. Medusa gestured to one of the empty chair near their empty table. "Please, have a seat Rebecca. Lorelai, this is one of the members I was telling you about, joined while you were away."

Lorelai offered the lich a small smile. "Well met then Rebecca, what can we do for you?"

"You know what you can do for me? You can make a strong coven, together. You can set aside your differences. You can stop acting like a couple of angry children and make peace!"

Rebecca's voice slowly rose as she spoke. "There are several hunters in Seren's Folly who are at least willing to consider sponsoring peace talks between you two. They know about the war because I told them. You know how desperate someone like me would have to be to involve hunters in coven business. Please, at least think about it."

"Have we been acting like angry children Lorelai?" Medusa arched her eyebrow as she turned to the witch. "And here I thought we were struggling to keep the coven strong, even with your lost faith in my leadership."

"That's what I had thought Medusa." Lorelai kept her eyes on Rebecca, her mouth curving into a smirk. While the witch's play was irritating in the extreme, possibly even dangerous, Lorelai couldn't help but be impressed by the woman's boldness. "You see Rebecca, a strong coven requires a strong and united leadership. I can no longer abide Medusa's."

Lorelai paused to sip from her cup. "What then, would be your solution to that? This isn't a matter of petty differences, we both believe the coven would be better off under our leadership. Neither of us will be satisfied until it is so."

"Then find a way to share power. I've heard some covens run under a council rather than a single witch. Perhaps that would work well." Rebecca paused for a second, taking a cup of tea from a nearby thrall. "You see yourselves as trying to keep the coven strong, but all I see is a coven that's tearing itself to shreds in a civil war. I... I don't want to see anyone die, Lorelai. Not you, not Medusa, and not anyone else."

"A council is a lovely idea, until war darkens your doorstep Rebecca." Medusa replied, her voice finally betraying a measure of her anger and irritation. "Something comes witch, and when it gets here we'll need one strong vision. Democracy seeks the popular choice, not truth."

Lorelai nodded. "I understand your concern for your sisters, I share them after all. Medusa and I have already agreed to grant amnesty to the opposing faction when this is over, they're our sisters too." Lorelai leaned forward. "What would you suggest Rebecca? That would leave the coven with a single leader, and minimize the bloodshed? We can't settle for a council."

"I've had the same premonition myself, Medusa. That's why I'm trying to bring everyone together. I fear we will need every witch, and every hunter, when the storm comes down upon our heads."

"If councils cannot function in time of war, then use it only in peace. Let the war be decided in a series of duels to first blood, or other contests. The winner becomes the sole leader should war threaten us. It allows all involved to prove their skills, and yet be assured of keeping their lives."

"I'd be satisfied with just one duel, a contest of wills between me and Medusa." Lorelai turned towards her nemesis. "The victor claiming the 'prize' of guiding our coven through the darkness to come."

"And while that might be simpler." Medusa rolled her eyes. "A leader is not simply measured by the might of their will, nor the strength of their blade. A leader needs the faith of her coven as well. This needs to be decided by a contest that not only reflects our individual strengths, but also the respect and faith we command amongst our sisters."

"And thus our impasse. We've spoken at length about how to settle this with a small measure of civility, with minimum blood from anyone other than ourselves." Lorelai sighed as she turned to Rebecca. "But alas, we can't seem to find a solution that satisfies both of us. Even if we were to elect for a series of duels or contests as you say, who would chose the matches or games? We cannot find an objective party in any of this, because as far as we can tell none exsists that either of us would trust."

"Not among the coven, maybe, but have you tried talking outside it? There was one hunter who seemed at least somewhat open to the idea of talks, but he wanted to meet with you beforehand. Perhaps there are others as well. I think you should at least speak with him, see what he has to say. What all do you have to lose?"

"We each stand to lose more than you think." Lorelai pressed her fingers to her forehead in thought for a moment, before turning to Medusa. "I say we go to this meeting, the hunters will already know of our presence in the region. I doubt they'll have any solutions to our problem, but what harm could come of it?"

"A great deal, if it turns out to be an ambush." Medusa gave Rebecca an appraising glance. "So be it, bring this hunter, and no more than two of his fellows. We'll attend this... meeting of yours."

"We shall meet tomorrow at noon, in the cemetary at Seren's Folly. I must take my leave now, to return and tell him of my success, such as it is. And Medusa, Lorelai?" A glistening tear slid down Rebecca's cheek, a tear of joy at what she had achieved so far... and a tear of fear at what would happen, should she fail to bring this to a successful conclusion. "Thank you."

"Save your thanks for when we've all made it through this, for better or worse." Medusa smiled softly. "The night's still young."

"Indeed." Lorelai nodded solemnly. "Good luck and God's speed Rebecca, while I doubt we'll find peace, you've shone a small ray of light on this. Nurture and defend it, and we'll see what will come."

_{in collaboration with @Whoami and @Ellion}



Lorelai found herself in the realm of man again. She handed the still unconscious Zehir to Sousiel, who surveyed her mistress in relief before silently heading to her adjoining room to inform the new familiar of her new existence and responsibilities.

Lorelai made her way slowly to her bed, smiling softly at Lotte's still sleeping form. Every Von'Strauss needed a formidable familiar, hopefully they'd enjoy each other. Just as she was about to change into her nightclothes she felt a chill in her spine as a familiar voice echoed in her mind.

"Mistress... Did you enjoy my gifts?" Charon spoke, his voice composed of last breaths and sighs of regret.

"Quite. Liz is fitting in nicely, I ended up letting Flint go. Oh, and Lotte is... Thank you." Lorelai couldn't find words adequite enough to describe her feelings towards her new daughter.

"And my blade? Did you get that or has Coraline delivered it yet?"

"Your blade!? You sent that here!?" Lorelai's mind reeled. That was a gift grander than any she'd recieved.

"Of course, your descent nears mistress. I hope you'll remember me fondly. The witch girl should be in Seren's Folley. Best of luck." Warmth returned to Lorelai as Charon severed their connection.

Lorelai put her nightclothes away, instead opting for a clean set of her traveling clothes. Venturing to Seren's Folley would be dangerous, but the havoc that blade could cause in the wrong hands... It was unthinkable. She changed quickly and paused only long enough to kiss Lotte's sleeping cheek before stepping out into the night chill.

---

_{Meanwhile, Seren's Folley}

Coraline stepped back into her room in the Witch's Paradise. She looked around the room quietly before locking the door and heading to the table. She looked at her gear first, then the blade Charon had given her. "The lord of death wants me to give this blade to one of the most infamous witch clans in history..." she shook her head, "He didn't pick a very good courier for the job..."

Coraline scoffed and ran her hand along the blade. There was definitely magic within the weapon, it sent a powerful chill up Coraline's spine. The metal and craftwork was unlike anything that could be found in the mortal realm. She knew she had an artifact of incredible power at her fingertips. "Death's blade, huh?"

Coraline took the hilt and lifted the weapon. It was very well balanced and strangely light for its size. When she grabbed the long hilt with her second hand, Coraline froze. Her witchmarks flared to a bright red glow, as did her pupils. The muscles in her arms spasmed. Coraline had to gather as much strength as she could to unclench her fists. The blade dropped to the floor, but it made no noise. A strange black mist seemed to break the fall. Coraline breathed heavily and stared at the demonic weapon.

She didn't feel any pain while holding the blade. Instead, she felt a great surge of power. Whispers of death and destruction crawled in the back of her mind while she held onto the artifact. She wasn't herself with that in her hands, she had thought truly evil things. With a final deep breath, Coraline took some spare sheets and threw them over the blade on the floor. "This complicates things... There's no way I'll be able to make an enchantment like that..."

It wasn't hard to find a witch in a town of hunters. Lorelai's eyes scanned the buildings as she passed them by, opened to stirrings of magic they fell on little of interest. Finally she sensed a presence, an awakened will. She surveyed the tavern that housed who could only be this Coraline. The Witch's Paradise, her lips curled into an amused smirk.

Lorelai pushed her way into its poorly lit interior. Her eyes roamed over the collection of hunters, grizzled and starry eyed alike, wincing over the broken, druken shells of once proud men that clung to corners and barstools. Coraline wasn't here, that left the rooms above the tavern proper. She was about to start towards the stairs when she spied a familair figure stepping out from what she assumed was a kitchen. Red hair, right height, and eerily similar face.

Lorelai approached the girl smiling. "Excuse me dear, but do you know a Charlotte?"

Abby still wasn't used to sleeping in the tavern. It was lounder than the church with its nuns and bells and that was loud compared to the farm. There were always little sounds, men grunting and snoring, drunks telling tall tales. People arguing and ....other activities between men and women and every pairing inbetween.

Yet it was also the lack of sounds that made it hard to sleep. No sisters' soft sleeping breaths. No rustling of blankets of other shifting. No whispered conversations. It was...above all else, lonely. A feeling that Abby had never had to deal with before. And she didn't like it. Not at all. Sure, the hunters treated her like a little loved thing. A pat on the head here, a small treat there. She was adored. But it was all superfical and she spent much time...alone. Abby didn't even know if she should cry for one sister or two ,and after what she saw, she wasn't sure which would be worse.

Like many nights before, Abby found herself tiptoeing through the late night visitors in the tavern. Almost everyone was asleep, so she didn't have any trouble getting to the kitchen for a glass of water. But coming back she ran into a women. A woman who noticed her, really noticed her. It was...suspicious and she was asking about Lotte, a name Abby hadn't really mentioned a lot other than refuring to her as 'her other sister' "Exuse me ma'am," she said in her sweetest, most childlike voice. "But...why are you asking? Who are you? The woman picked a silly place if she meant to cause her harm, there was an army of 'Abby doters' less than a scream away.

"I'm Lorelai, and Lotte has been worried about you." Lorelai's smile brightened as she saw the recognition in the girl's eyes. "She's safe and sound, and I'm sure she'd love to see you if you'd care to join me when my buisness here is finished?"

Abby fought to keep her face from expressing too much shock at hearing that this woman supposedly had been with Lotte. "Why isn't she with you now? Is she well?" she didn't really want to go with this woman. She was new and...uncharted, going with her could mean anything. Here, at least, Abby knew what to expect. At the same time...she wanted Lotte back more than anything. Ash was gone, they had burried her under some large oak tree. So..there was no getting her back. "Where did you find her? more importantly, what did Lotte rememeber?

"My sister found her lost, wondering the woods several days northeast of here. I've taken her in, and provided a place where she can learn about her talents" Lorelai explained in her most reassuring voice. "She's at home, sleeping soundly and settling in nicely."

Talent? Though Abby to herself Is that what she calls Lotte's...oddness? More like a talent for ruining everything and leaving me to clean up the mess like always. Yes, Abby knew what Lorelai was talking about...the 'friends' that Lotte made. And if this woman lived with her in a safe place than that meant she too, was odd... And just what every single person in this tavern was trained to kill. Still she didn't seem to mean her harm. "That sounds wonderful," Said Abby, adding just a hint of longing to her voice. "I would love to join you ma'am. It is just that, well...Lotte doesn't know but..." Abby allowed her voice to crack slightly for effect. "O-our s-sister A-ashely was...k-killed a few days b-back," Abby rubbed a tear out of her eye. "I-I would like it if...before I left, Lotte could come here and...help me say goodbye. I-I know where Ash is...burried, b-but I-I h-haven't been. I-I could g-go by m-myself. B-but I think I c-could go with L-lotte, I think A-Ash w-would l-ike t-that,"

That was a lie, of course, she'd been to Ash's grave almost everyday since they burried her. But if she wanted Lotte to herself, she'd have to get her away from Lorelai. And if Lorelai was...talented..well, the hunters could just take care of that.

"I can do that dear." It never occurred to Lorelai to scan a girl as young as Abby for malicous intent, not in this moment anyway with how sweet Lotte had been. "Although it may be tomorrow if that's ok? Then perhaps if you'd like you could come to live with us. Lotte and I would like that very much."

"I-I want to see L-Lotte," she said, taking a deep breath. "B-but morning isn't so far away," Besides, she needed the time to get a pack of hunters 'wandering' nearby. "A-and I w-would love that, w-we could be a family. I better go get my things and I'll meet you by the oak tree at the edge of town just before high noon?,"

"Ok dear. We'll be here then alright? Maybe we'll take a detour into the glow wood for a picnic." Lorelai ruffled the girl's hair, smiling brightly. "I'll see you tomorrow." With that she turned towards the stairs, intent on finishing her buisness as quickly as possible.

Abby watched Lorelai head up the stairs before she tiptoed over to the job board and, written in the handwriting that the nuns alway praised, a job. Witch, familar, Spotted just out of town. Thousand gold to be paid if caught by tomorrow night There was sure to be more than a handful of money hungry hunters that would see the job before Bobby could take it down. With that plan set in motion. Abby crept back up to bed. If everything went well tomorrow, she'd soon haver her sister back. [

---

Coraline looked at the mess of sheets on the floor, "How in the hell am I going to handle this thing..." she whispered to herself.

She bit her lip and bunched up the sheets, never touching the weapon concealed within. If anybody found the sword now, it'd cause untold amounts of destruction. Coraline knew it couldn't leave the room either, it was the only place she had at least a modicum of control over. She look around and eventually turned her gaze upward to the rafters. There were large wooden planks that would hide the blade long enough for Coraline to figure out a new plan.

She took the chair from the simple table close to the door and put it on top of her bed. With the sword in hand, Coraline slowly, and unsteadily, climbed onto the chair. She was close enough to the rafters that she could ease the blade up and push it with her finger tips. Over a few minutes of struggling and quiet curses, Coraline eventually succeeded. She climbed down and put the chair back in its original position. At any angle, the blade couldn't be seen. "It'll have to do for now." she said.

Lorelai came to what she presumed was Coraline's door. Although with the barely muffled sounds coming from the adjoining rooms one couldn't be sure. She rose a hand and knocked three times in quick succession. How did one convince a strange witch to hand over an extremely dangerous artifact? Lorelai hoped this would be bloodless, but held out little hope.

Coraline looked over to the door quickly when the knocks came. She quietly grabbed Arcadia from the table and stepped up to the door, "Who is it?" she asked.

Lorelai wondered if a lie would be suitable here, but decided against it. If she wanted this to be civil her best hope would be the truth, she could either lean on her fearsome reputation or open up an honest discourse. "Lorelai. I think it's time we had a small chat, don't you Coraline?"

Coraline didn't know what to do. She looked up at the rafter that the blade was hidden on, it was completely out of sight. She slowly reached for the lock on the door but paused, 'What the hell are you thinking, Coraline?!' she thought.

The knight took a deep breath, "No Coraline here dear, your friend might be doing her rounds with the men." she faked a giggle to try and come off as some escort. That killed her a little on the inside.

Lorelai arched an eyebrow, and focused her magical sight on the door. Her eyes confirmed what she'd suspected. "Then you must be some other witch in a hunter's tavern, my mistake." Her voice dripped with exasperated sarcasm. "Come now Coraline, I don't mean you any harm. Just a chat."

'... Shit...' was all Coraline could think as Lorelai saw right through the quick excuse. She clenched her teeth and unlocked the door, but she held the handle so she couldn't come in right away. "No games, Von'strauss..." she warned and slowly opened the door.

Coraline had Arcadia in plain sight, telling Lorelai that she wasn't taking this lightly. "Come in before somebody sees you."

Lorelai stepped into the room quickly. Her eyes scanned the room in search of the relic, but Coraline evidently had it hidden. A good sign, at least the woman respected the danger it posed then. Turning to her she spoke. "You have me at a disadvantage. I'm Lorelai Von'Strauss, and you're Coraline...?" She extended her hand in greeting.

The knight eyed Lorelai as she looked around the room. The damned witch made her intentions known with those searching eyes. Coraline locked the door behind her and nodded, "Yeah, I know who you are. No need for introductions."

Coraline stepped in front of a clothing cabinet and stood firm. So long as Lorelai believed the blade was elsewhere, she could buy some time for... something to happen that would help with Lorelei. Coraline didn't even take Lorelai's hand, she spoke instead, "It's not here. I sent it away."

"No you didn't." Lorelai said simply, frowning at the huntress' snub. "If you did you're an unimaginable fool to entrust such a thing to anyone, and you don't look like a fool to me. We both know, in some small measure, what it's capable of, so why don't you tell me what you want? So I can be away with it before it does any harm."

Coraline shook her head, "You aren't having it. Why would I hand such a powerful artifact over to you, Von'strauss? I know what your family has done, I wont allow it to happen again."

Coraline wished she had somebody to back her up right now... Flint, Liz, Bobby... Hell, even Emiliah! "Why do you want it?"

"Then you know I can rip this town apart and pick through the remains until I find it Coraline." Lorelai's voice was low and dangerous. "But I'm hoping to resolve this peacefully, not all Von'Strauss are power mad tyrants."

She took a breath and regained her composure, taking a seat in the simple chair the tavern had provided the room. "As for why I want it? Mostly I just don't want anyone to have it. Have you touched it? Felt the impulses?" Lorelai looked into Coraline's eyes, guessing the woman had. "The path I walk requires mastery of one's inner demons, along as those without. I will contain it, and use it only in dire need."

"Aye, I've held it. The power, the need to destroy, you wont let go of it." Even just thinking back to holding the blade made Coraline's witchmarks flare for the briefest of seconds. "That blade isn't mean for hunters or witches. Nobody will have it, I wont allow it."

"I've walked the inferno girl. Pit my will against would-be gods and self styled Lords of darker impuses than you've begun to entertain. I've stood before the Betrayer himself and he was the first to look away." Lorelai stood. "I don't want to bear it any more than you do, but I can't trust something like that with you. I, however, might offer a compromise. Keep it, but come with me. I'll give you an oath not to take it from you unless you falter."

Lorelai removed her ritual dagger from its sheath at her hip. "But that's the best I can offer I'm afraid, for the good of both mine and yours."

"Before any deal is made," Coraline starts, "We go somewhere safer, and you tell me your intentions. Your real ones. I didn't come to Seren's Folly to take sides, and I'm not about to start."

"We all take sides, even the middle path is a choice. Often a poor one." Tension fled from Lorelai's shoulders at the small in-road she'd made. "But enough of an old witch's ramblings, you speak truth enough. Lead on Coraline."

Coraline eyed Lorelai suspiciously before heading toward the door. She unlocked it and looked up and down the corridor. After seeing nobody and hearing only the laughs of patrons downstairs and moans of pleasure through closed doors, Coraline stepped out. She slid Arcadia into her sheath and nodded to Lorelai, "No tricks. Stay quiet." she said sternly and headed down the stairs.

Lorelai nodded as she followed Coraline down the stars to the tavern proper, she took one more look around the dingy hunter's den before joining Coraline outside. The two made their way silently along the dirt path heading north. Several minutes after they'd passed the last of the houses in Seren's Folly they came to a stop.

"Alright, you wanted to hear about my intentions." Lorelai leaned against a tree, how long since she slept? She was eager to be home and sleeping, but this night didn't seem to be getting any shorter. "I'll interate again, I want to ensure that Charon's blade isn't... abused. That's my goal here, and I don't trust you any more than you trust me."

Coraline crossed her arms while she listened to Lorelai. "I'm going to be frank with you, Von'strauss. I know how addicting magic is, and I've held onto that blade. Witches don't stand a chance to the power that blade had, not unless one disciplines themselves for years before wielding it. If you take the blade, I can assure you that you'll find yourself drunken with its power within a fortnight."

"I've hidden the blade, and I'm not going to hand it over. Not to you, or anybody else. I'm going to train myself to withstand it's force and I'll safeguard the blade myself. If it falls into the hands of either a pure witch or a pure hunter, there's no telling how far we'll all fall."

"I think you underestimate the discipline it takes to walk where I've walked, but no matter. We share the same concerns." Lorelai stepped towards the hunteress. "I'll allow you to keep the blade, but I can't just have it floating around in the hands of a hunteress I hardly know. My condition is that you come with me, so that if you falter I don't have to travel far to destroy you."

Coraline bit her lip. Things had changed so fast. At one moment, she was a knight arriving at Seren's Folly to try and achieve piece. And the next, she was talking with an infamous witch about the safekeeping of a deadly artifact. "I have an alternative plan."

"Alternative plan?" Lorelai pressed her hands to her eyes in frustration. "How clearer do I need to be!?... Fine, tell me of your alternative."

Coraline shrugged, "I understand you as clear as day. But going with you with Charon's blade doesn't exactly sit well with me. My alternative is that we make a blood pact, so that the both of us know where each other at all times. There would be... Side effects, but neither of us would struggle with locating each other if one of us goes too far."

"You expect me to give you my location at all times?" Lorelai blinked at Coraline. "Coraline... I just want to keep an eye on you, and the blade. Once I'm satisfied you're no danger to yourself or those around you I'll release you. I'm not going to live the remainder of my years wondering when you'll slip, or whether or not I'll arrive in time to prevent you from causing unspeakable harm."

"I've got a family now, and you won't be threatening it." Lorelai's voice was low, near a growl. "Now, girl. Your options are to either come with me and allow me to assist you in safeguarding the blade, and earning my promise of safety and respect. Or making an enemy of me, and consigning yourself to what little time you have before I come sceaming for your blood."

Coraline took a deep breath and studied Lorelai. "One week. That is as long as I'm willing to be gone for. If you do anything that would make me suspicious, I will leave." The knight took a step closer to Lorelai, "I'm not like the rest of these hunters. Don't trifle with me, Von'strauss."

"Hmm... one week? Not nearly what I'd like... but it will have to do." Lorelai nodded and removed her ritual dagger from its sheath at her hip. "I'll be taking the Oath you offered earlier too then, I'll just have to deal with you knowing where I am I suppose."

"I presume you'll want to perform the rite? As suspicious as you are of me?" Lorelai turned the blade over in her hand, extending the handle towards Coraline.

Coraline looked to the ritual dagger and took it from Lorelai's hand. "I simply want peace between the witch covens and the hunters. If this closes that gap, then it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. Besides, it also means that I too will have to deal with your probing curiosities."

The red haired huntress rested the blade against her palm and took in a deep with. After clenching her teeth, Coraline drew the dagger back and sliced her hand open. She hissed in pain but continued. Coraline started to mutter a chant, her witchmarks began to glow, as did the blood on the knife. The knight turned her glowing eyes on Lorelai, "Give me your hand."

"All hunters need to do to get peace from me and mine is quit killing my sisters." Lorelai rolled up the sleeve of her robe and extended her hand towards Coraline. She kept her eyes on the hunteress as the woman added to the countless pink scars across her palm. From the small wound seeped her blood, and the tell-tale acrid black smoke that marked her as less -or more- than human. "Finish your spell witch, and we'll be away."

Coraline looked up from Lorelai's hand for a moment when she was a witch. It didn't bother her, but she found it strange that an actual witch would call her such. Disregarding the comment, Coraline went back to the task at hand (no pun intended >.>), and clasped her bleeding hand with Lorelai's. She spoke a few more words and the two of them felt a rush of arcane energies flowing up their arms.

Coraline held back a breath and let it out slowly, she had only performed this ritual once before it didn't last long. The glowing witchmarks faded back to normal and Coraline felt more... in sync. She could feel herself standing next to her actual self. "There..." she sighed, "It's done."

"And done more than you intended I think." Lorelai clamped down on the intrusive thoughts and feelings that welled up in her, coming across the link from Coraline. Pushing them from her mind she narrowed her eyes at the woman. "There, are you satisfied? Shall we return to my home now? Or was there anything else?" she let a small measure of her annoyance come out in her speech.

Coraline clenched her fist and took in another breath before nodding to Lorelai, "As satisfied as I can be for the time being..." The flare of annoyance came through in her comment. "Wait for me to retrieve the sword, then we can go."

_{in collaboration with @SunsetRoses}



Lorelai strode briskly through the castle with Lotte and Liz in tow. Witch's heads turned, questions on their faces. 'Is that a hunter?', 'What's she doing here?', 'Lorelai's got a new pet?', 'Who's the little girl? Didn't know Lorelai was into that.'. Lorelai ignored them all.

It had been the roughest week or so in recent history for her. She continued in silence, finally ascending the stairs of her personal tower to her room. Lorelai let out a sigh of relief as she pushed open the heavy double doors to her sizable quarters.

Kicking off her shoes she sat on the edge of her enormous bed at looked at Liz. "Sorry, I've only got the one bed for now. Sousiel uses the guest room, and I'm sure you don't want to share with her. You are however welcome to sleep in mine until I get another."

"Mom, am I sleeping in here too?" she asked, looking around the room with wide eyes. She didn't mind sharing a bed, she and her sisters had shared something closer to a twin between the three of them for most of their lives.

"Of course dear. I hope you don't mind sharing." Lorelai smiled at little Lotte, who only grew more endearing with familiarity.

Liz had walked a few steps behind Lore the entire time, her eyes wandering carefully over the walls. She wondered when she would get home, and if she would be chewed out by Emiliah for helping the witches. She winced when she considered Flint’s reaction to her helping the woman who killed his father.

Elizabeth casually ignored the reactions the other witches had. She squared her shoulders with pride, because she knew she looked like a pet to Lorelai, and not an ally. When they pushed into her personal tower, Liz relaxed completely. She walked inside the heavy doors, and leaned against them.

“That's fine, I'll sleep on the floor. Thank you for the offer, but I wouldn't want to throw off the mother-daughter thing you two have.” Liz shot a wink to Lore, and scanned the giant room for a few extra pillows and blankets. “So, what is Sousiel?” She asked, her voice tilting between cautious and curious.

"Sousiel is a demon, and a familiar, and... Sousiel's complex." Lorelai sighed. "She's whimsical, capricous, and often malicous, but loyal to me. Other's however? She views most everyone else as toys at best, chew toys at worst. Speaking of which, Lotte darling? You'll need a familiar soon, got any ideas?"

Lotte tipped her head to the side. "Like... a pet?" She slowly reached into her pocket and pulled out a tiny baby bird. "I've got one. The mouse ran away but...." Lotte then placed it in Lorelai's hand before skipping off to look at all the things in the room.

Lorelai's eyes followed Lotte about the room, she'd explain the finer differences between a familair and a pet later, for now she'd simply let the girl play. "Enough about Sousiel though, I'm sure you'll get to know her and form your own opinions on that topic." Lorelai began removing some of her outerwear, smiling happily as her skin breathed freely for the first time in what felt like ages. "What I'd like to know is... why'd you decide to take up hunting?"

Liz smiled, enjoying the bond she found between the two girls. Lotte still had such an innocent mind, even though things in her life were confusing. Then there was Lore, a woman who had been through so much and just wanted to care for her family. Liz wanted to sit down and take notes, maybe she could send them to her own mother.

Liz considered Lorelai's description of Sousiel. A demon familiar, how intriguing. If the hunters knew about this place… she shook off the thought as she looked towards little Lotte. She perked up when Lore adressed her, the witch had begun peeling off her outer layer of clothing. She took this as a sign, and began to take off her armor. Underneath, her sleeves were covered in mostly dried blood, and she prayed to the heavens Lotte wouldn't know what that was.

“I decided to become a Hunter because it was my father's profession, and it was that or getting married off to the first Lord my mother needed for trading.” Liz chuckled, shrugging slowly. “Now, it's more to prove I'm not a useless bed decoration. You could say my reputation is...ruined at best.” She pursed her lips mockingly, her face full of joy even though she just acknowledged her whorish reputation. “Is this a game of questions now?”

Lotte turned around from running her finger across many of Lorelai's books. "Bed decoration? How do you decorate a bed? Why would you, yeah they are just for sleeping," she said, her expression clearly reading 'you weirdo' "And I mean, you more could get a lot more than a lord for you I bet. I mean, a man once offered a pig for Ash and dad only thought about it for a little bit before saying no. And you are a lot prettier,"

Lorelai's mouth opened several times before she found the proper words to reply with. A pig for Lotte's sister? That sounded... abhorrent in the extreme. Lorelai was no stranger to the fact that some families treated their daughters as commodities, but the image of Lotte being... sold off to some man... as a wife?

It took her a moment to bite back the bile that had risen to her throat, her voice light and cheerful as she replied. "A bed decoration is... someone that you cuddle with for fun." Lorelai didn't particularly want to explain the other uses a bed would have, not right now anyway. "And you're quite right, I'd think Elizabeth would make quite the prized bed decoration, not a 'useless' one at all." She turned to wink at Liz at that.

"A game of questions it is, ask yours, and I'll reply with my own." Lorelai finally got the last of her leathers off.

When Lotte shot her a ‘you weirdo’ expression, Liz almost doubled over. She hadn't seen a kid so cute since...ever. It was so refreshing, and Liz just wanted to pick up Lotte and twirl her around the room. She would save that opportunity for the girl's mother though. “Never become a cuddle buddy. Unless you're cuddling with your Mother.”

“Oh no Lore, I'm sure you would outshine me in that competition. Years of experience serve a lady as beautiful as you well.” Liz winked back, surprised at her own flirtatious nature. Redness creeped upon her cheeks when she saw Lotte’s red hair bobbing around the room, and she diverted her gaze to the floor until the warmth was gone. “Okay, I do quite enjoy games. What do you plan on doing with me when you're done? I will remember this place, do you trust me enough not to hunt you down?”

Lorelai was starting to be inclined to believe claims about her beauty, considering the number of suitors she seemed to have lately. She gave Liz a once over, the woman was pretty enough, and seemed... vibrant. "Thank you." she cursed inwardly as she felt a light pink flush into her cheeks.

"What will I do with you? I'll let you go of course . Hopefully by the end of our agreement you'll either come to realize I'm no one that needs hunting, or how foolish hunting me would be." Lorelai layed back onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. "Depending on how things go I might just invite you to stay."

She thought for a moment. "How did you end up in Charon's clutches? You're lucky he decided to make a gift of you, as opposed to his usual disposal method."

Elizabeth laid down on the floor, staring up at the ceiling to see what Lorelai found so interesting about it. Her mind swam with possible questions, many she would never dare ask. “That's true, if you are successful in your quest, I doubt any would challenge you again. If I survive this quest, and Emiliah’s shouting, I won't tell them anything. You have a family to take care of, I won't have them wrench it away from you again.” She twisted to her side, looking up at the giant bed she would be sleeping under. She wondered how Lore’s face would shape when she heard Elizabeth's answer. It intrigued her, and she considered, for a moment, getting up.

“It was a large group of us, almost all the hunters came along. We thought it was a necromancer mission, until he started teleporting us around. The things that happened down there, they were all so wrong...I may have to discuss something with you. In private.” She would have to tell Lore about Lotte's sister, it was the right thing to do. Then she could find a way to explain it to the child herself. “What do you mean, invite me to stay? I could never belong in a group of witches. You're all so...eccentric. I believe I would get killed. ”

"I'm sorry you had to endure that, and I hope your friends made it out." Lorelai turned onto her stomach, her head peeking over the side of the bed to see Liz. She gave the woman a sad smile. "As much as it may make my life easier to have less hunters around, I don't relish the thought of so much senseless killing. Or worse, as I have some insight into Charon's thoughts about fun."

Lorelai laughed at Liz's question, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "Eccentric huh? We might be that yes, but we're not as different as some people might think. This coven is our family, the place where we feel at home and safe. If you come to think of this as home, and if you decide you'd like to remain amongst us you'd be free to. It's not like anyone's going to question my choices anyway."

"Tell me, Liz, do you dream of retirement?" Lorelai tilted her head at Liz, suddenly curious. "Getting away from the blood and death of your profession? If you do, what would you do with your retirement?"

Elizabeth stated into the eyes of Lore, trying to read the depths she found there. They were aged, full of wisdom that didn't match her appearance at all. She wondered what her own eyes conveyed: youth; naivete; laughter? Would they someday look old and tired?

“I do crave retirement, even though I've only been in the job for a short amount of time. My inheritance will catch up with me someday, unless I disappear. So that is what I will be doing, taking care of a mansion, and land and servants. I will find a husband, but I doubt I'll be happy. My children will be the joy in my life.” Elizabeth clenched her fists, grabbing onto whisps of that life. She was sure it would be real, she didn't have anything else to do later on. “Or maybe, I'll live my life here. Surrounded by strange people that I know and love, then I'll die, and you shall live on.” She sighed merrily, content at the thought of that. Two futures, and she had a lifetime to live one out.

“Will you accept me? If I choose to stay will you show me things no other human has seen?” She knew she sounded like a child, full of wonder and anticipation. “I know it's against the rules of the game, but I have another question. Will you love again? Take up another husband or wife?”

"If you choose to stay, and haven't come to hate me, we'll run across places man cannot see, and scream at strange skies man will never know." Lorelai grinned. "Converse with entities that mankind only sees in the grips of the deepest of fever dreams, as their diseased minds make contact with the vast beyond for a mere moment."

"If you wish it, and would join me, I could show you things that would horrify you, things that would rekindle the most grizzled veteran's passion for life." Lorelai let out an excited breath.

A silence hung in the air for several moments, as Lorelai considered Elizabeth's second question. "... I suppose I likely will take a wife one of these days... I wish I wouldn't, but someday I'll probably be happy with someone else, and Vespa's face will fade from my mind."

"I suppose she taught me what I needed to know about love though... and I'll always treasure that." Lorelai sighed heavily. "What about you? What has life taught you about love?"

Elizabeth couldn't help herself, her breath caught as Lorelai described the possibilities they would have together. She grinned madly, and closed her eyes so she could imagine everything Lorelai described. It was a beautiful picture, full of gaps that could only be filled by the witch before her.

“The thought of that is too amazing for words, Lorelai. If I could ever ask for a guide through that, it would be you.” She felt her heart speed up, Lorelai was a catalyst for her excitement. She couldn't wait to explore their friendship, maybe someday they could trust each other enough to do the things she described.

Liz’s heart slowed to a steady thrum when she heard the somber tones in Lorelai's voice. She reached out for the witch, too afraid to touch her. “Vespa sounds like a lovely woman. She must have been to have found a way into your wounded heart.” She smiled warmly, to encourage Lorelai's emotions. “I don't think you're one to forget, but a true lover would want nothing more than for you to be happy. When the time comes, and her image is replaced by another, I hope you can sleep soundly knowing that it isn't wrong.”

Liz didn't push away the emotions she felt, she didn't want to stop empathizing with Lorelai. “Life has taught me little about love. I found my heart pounding for Flint, but I don't believe I'm right for him. I crave his happiness, but I know when I see it I'll feel miserable and alone. I don't want to fall in love, just to see things crumble.”

She considered her next question, chewing thoughtfully on her lip. “Lorelai, if you become the leader of this coven, what will you change? What if I became more than just your guard...I could be your right hand man. We would make a great pair, I know it.” She smiled brightly. “We could experience new things every day. We could take Lotte with us, and your new wife. It would be a family excursion and I would be the weird Aunt that awkwardly hangs around. Doesn't that sound amazing?”

"What would I change? I really don't know. I just want to make sure it weathers the storm that's coming, after that I may step down to allow someone more suitable to lead it times of peace take my place." Lorelai let out a decidedly girlish giggle. "I suppose you could yet become someone I could rely on, time will tell, but I'm hopeful."

"Flint deserves happiness, so does his brother Fenros." Lorelai's tone turned somber. "I'm sure if you were to fall in love with him, he'd return your affections. He seemed to care for you a good deal after all. I just hope they can set aside their hatred for me. Were it not for Lotte I might let them slay me, just so they could know peace, but I can't let her grow up like I did. No little girl needs to be taught how to live by demons, with no one for company but their familiar."

"If you choose to remain with me, and Lotte, perhaps when everything is said and done we'll travel far away from here." Lorelai rolled onto her back again, yawning. "We'll take Elina and Alyssa with us, find someplace with rolling hills, near a lake. Maybe we'll grow old in peace there, away from hunters and rivals."

Elizabeth nodded, her grin was unfaltering. She couldn't remember a time she had been this happy, just sitting and talking. Just an everyday discussion with the woman I'm supposed to be trying to murder. Nothing could be better. She giggled silently, her blue eyes sparkling like the ocean.

“Yes, they do deserve happiness, but if you let them slay you they probably wouldn't. Knowing them they would make up some random excuse so they could fight you again, without having to feel sympathy.” She rolled her eyes, to keep the mood light. “I'm sure he would, he already confessed his affections for me, and I as well. However, I turned him down, I think I'll regret my decision. Maybe not.”

“You're doing a great thing for Lotte, it's what she deserves. I will protect her, and keep your family safe. It isn't about the vow anymore, one of us deserves happiness.” She rolled onto her back once more, staring at the ceiling as if it were a masterpiece.

There she saw past the materials that had been used to make it, looking through them and into her future. A victory for Lore, and for the rest of her family. A home for Liz, away from her court and the hunters she would always remember. Surrounded by witches-scratch that-surrounded by the rolling hills of the country. A farmhouse, where she would wander with witches and enjoy the rest of her years. Maybe a mortal by her side, but that wasn't her priority.

Liz yawned, deep and full of satisfaction. She would sleep soundly, not worring about anything. She could trust her new companion. If she returned to Seren’s Folly after this she had no clue how she would explain her time here. They would probably think she had been miserable, she could never tell them the truth without harsh judgement. She didn't have to, she at least didn't have to think about it right now. “Goodnight, Lorelai.”

"Goodnight, Elizabeth"

_{in collaboration with @Meiyuki}



Lorelai looked at Zehir, currently in her tiny mouse shape, as she scrambled around her palm excitedly. She smiled, Sousiel had explained the responsibilities that would be expected from the demon as Lotte's new familiar, and had verified to Lorelai that it not only understood but was excited. The choice of a familiar was a hard one, and one with long reaching consequences. With any luck they'd get along.

Lorelai made her way back to her bedroom, where little Lotte was preparing for the day. Pushing open the doors she called out. "Lotte? Darling I have something for you."

Lotte was sitting in one of Lorelai's windows, her nose pressing on the glass as she studied the field below where two of the 'sisters' were playing some type of game. To her side, the tiny baby bird sat in a nest made of cloth, with a mostly dead worms laying next to it. At Lorelai's calling, Lotte slipped down from the window, her movements similar to a water skipper's as she landed lightly in front of Lorelai. Her still dressed in her night clothing, but at least her hair was some what brushed. "What is it mom?" she asked, looking around the woman for...something.

Lorelai laughed, what did she expect? She held out her hand, containing the tiny Zehir, for Lotte to inspect. "I've gotten you a familiar, its name is Zehir and its eager to meet you." After placing the small demon-mouse in Lotte's hands Lorelai moved about the room to lay out clothes for the girl. "I hope you two get along."

Lotte blinked at Lorelai, before lifting up the top of the box. Inside was the small cream spotted white mouse she had pulled from a trap earlier. She could tell it was the same because the create had a piece of ear missing and the tip of its tail was slightly smushed. Lotte held the creater up and watched it skuttle down her arm and rest on her shoulder. "Why, hello Zehir, I'm Lotte," she said, petting its tiny head.

"Ello," came the voice from the little mouse. "....I'm hungry,"

"Well...you'll have to wait for...us to go down to kitchen, but I am sure I could get you some cheese,"

"...Good, I like cheese and you,"

She then walked over to Lorelai, giving her a backwards hug. "Thank Mom," she whispered.

"No problem dear, keep it close and be kind to it. One day you two might be like me and Sousiel." That comment earned a small giggle from Sousiel, who'd come to stand in the doorway. Casting a glare in her direction Lorelai continued. "Now, once you've gotten dressed and some breakfast I have another surprise for you ok?"

"Another surpise?" Said Lotte, yanking her head though the hole in her dress. Getting stuck for only a moment "It isn't even my birthday mom," she said, grinning.

---

_{The oak tree just outside Seren's Folly}

Lorelai and Lotte made their way through the forest slowly. Lotte stooped ever so often to examine a flower, a bug, or anything else that caught the girl's eye. Lorelai following her movements with a watchful eye full of mirth. Internally Lorelai was torn. While she was sure Lotte was going to love seeing her sister again, Ash was dead. A girl as sweet as her new daughter shouldn't have to grapple with death yet, it was far too soon.

A small knot of dread had worked its way into Lorelai's stomach when she finally spied the oak tree she'd agreed to meet Abby at the previous night. Her eyes settled on the girl herself and she knelt down to Lotte. "Do you recognize that girl honey?" just to ensure this hadn't made a mistake.

Instead of a responce, Lotte looked over towards Abby and let out a squee of happiness, before taking off across the field and nearly tackling Abby in a bear like hug. "Abby! Abby! I'm so happy to see you!"

Instead of Lotte's over the top happiness, Abby only responded with a single arm wrap and one or two quick pats on the back, before putting her arm down, waiting for Lotte to let go of her. "Morning Lotte," she said. She then looked over and saw Lorelai hanging back a few feet.

"Abby! I have a new mom and she can be your's and Ash's mom too and we will live in a castle with lots of wonderful people," she gave Abby a beaming smile, before taking a step back. Motioning for Lorelai to join them. "Where...is Ash?" she said, looking around.

"I would have thought that your mother would have told you," said Abby slowly. "But...Ash is dead, she was...murdered," and it was your fault you stupid girl She looked over at Lorelai, in slight confusion. Didn't Lotte ask where and why they were going?

"I'm sorry sweetheart." Lorelai moved towards her daughter, placing a hand on her shoulder. She gestured to a small wooden cross, flowers hung from its arms and toys had been piled at its base. Carved into the front was a name; Ashley Smart. "Take all the time you need to say goodbye darling... I'll bring you back here whenever you need." Lorelai fought back tears, this wasn't her time to cry.

"Ash is...dead?" asked Lotte. Standing still for the first time since she had met, she stilled, tears forming at the corner of her eyes before hugging her sister again. "What...what happened Abby...how...how did she die?"[/color] She was shaking now with tears.

"She was killed...by a monster," said Abby, and while she meant it, three different figures appeared in her mind. A shadow, a man and Lotte herself, but she was about to bring that up. Not yet anyway, not with Lorelai around any how. "Come, little sister," She said, pulling her away from Lorelai, so that they could both turn and face the grave. All the while, Abby occasionally scanned the forests for ANY sigh of hunters. Hopefully some would arrive soon.

Lorelai stood back from the two girls, wondering how appropriate attempting to comforte them would be. She hadn't known Ash, and her heart broke not from the girl's death but rather the impact it had on her living sisters. So she elected to remain a few paces behind them, ready to lend a shoulder or whatever else was needed.

"What 'ave we here?" Lorelai turned sharply towards the sound of a large man pushing his way through the brush. Taking a quick scan around she spotted several humanoid shapes amidst the foilage, and more than a few good vantage point that would hold more, if this was what she feared. "We got ourselves a witch, an' tryin' ta take a pair o' girls too. Might get a good sight more than that thousand the board offered then eh?"

"Turn around now... return to your homes. These little ones don't need to see what will happen to you should you anger me." Lorelai dug through her pocket, feeling through her charms before her fingers settled on what she was looking for. A ruby coin, Charon was likely overkill for this situation, but Lorelai wasn't prepared to take any chances.

As soon as the men entered the scene and Lorelai started talking, Abby let out a scream, grabbing Lotte's hand and taking off screaming. Leaving it very unclear whom it was that she was running from.

The man's eyes followed the girls as Abby took off screaming towards town. Turning back to his prey he flashed a toothy grin. "Seems we've rescued a pair o' kiddies boys, fire when ready!"

Lorelai cursed inwardly as a volley of crossbow bolts sent her diving into a nearby bush instead of chasing Abby and Lotte as she’d intended. ”So be it, see what you’ve invited to your doorsteps.” Removing the ruby coin from her pocket she flipped it into the air.

She pressed her will against the border between worlds, and with a chill Hades yawned open. The ruby coin never hit the ground, shadows deepened as a skeletal arm came from mid air to catch it. Charon pulled himself into the world of the living, plants withering in his long black shadow. He drew himself to his full height, hunters tripping over themselves to escape as they beheld Old Man Death, a tall black wraith whose eyes glinted with an impossible apathy. “Mistress… your bidding.”

”Kill them, kill them all and leave no survivors.” Lorelai pulled herself out of the brush. Charon brandished his blade as he stalked towards his targets. The death screams of men and women followed Lorelai as she made her way in the direction the girls had run off too. She prayed she’d find them before reaching Seren’s Folly. Lorelai would sooner level the small town and pick through its remains for her daughter before losing her.

---

_Somewhere

The girls slowed only after both Lorelai and the men had faded in the distance. Suddenly Abby rounded on Lotte. "Lot, what are you thinking? She ...is going to bring out your oddness," growled Abby, crossing her arm.

Lotte was still wiping the tears from her eyes and seemed to only now relize that she had moved at all. "Mom?" she called, turning around. "Abs, we have to go back and help Mom!" called Lotte, trying to run back to her.

Abby caughter her around the wrist and yanked her back, slapping her hard across the face. "Stop it Lotte," she said, yanking her back to her side. "She isn't safe, and you know that,"

"But...she is...nice," said Lotte softly, holding her face.

"Oh, good, at least you don't seem happy being with a mean stranger," [/color]said Abby, rolling her eyes. Before taking a step forward, rubbing the sore spot on Lotte's face, kindly, looking sorry about what she had done. "Trust me, Lotte, I can take care of you. I always have and I always will,"

"But...but...Mom," muttered Lotte weakly. "Mom...takes care of me,"

"Mother is dead, and you know that. But this...Lorelai woman...Where was she when some one had to beg to bring you food when Father locked you in the barn for three day? Who snuck you warm clothing when mother banned you from the house in the middle of winter? Who got the nuns to let you out of the dark room after only a day? Me! I was always there, so, come on sister we are leaving,"

Lotte said nothing, just keeping her head low, not wanting to have to pick between her mother and her sister.

"Lotte? Abby?" Lorelai's voice drew closer as she made her way towards the two. Finally she appeared, pushing her way through a bit of underbrush. She heaved a sigh of relief as her eyes fell on the girls. "Lotte sweetie, Abby. Come with me, before more hunters find us."

Abby turned around quickly as soon as she heard Lorelai's voice. She thought she would have had more time.... But never mind. She couldn't worry about that now. Beside her, Lotte let out a little cry before tossing herself into Lorelai's arms, mutter something that Abby couldn't quite make out.

Abby then put on her sweetness smile. It was clear that they had to...go with this woman. She didn't want this, but what choice did she have? Besides, she had a small vile of lavandar extract tucked in her sock, just in case this happened. "Very well...ma'am," she said taking a step forward towards the woman.

Lorelai picked Lotte up, gently patting the girl's back. "I'm sorry sweetheart, that must've been scary. We'll go home now ok? I'll have the chefs make you two some sweets." Securing Lotte against her hip she extended a hand towards Abby. "I'm sorry that got interrupted dear. Shall we?"

"I'd like to come back sometime safer," said Abby softly, taking Lorelai's hand. She just simply had to keep the witch from...eating them...or from Lotte from making her oddness worse. That would probably be the hardest part.

"I might have Liz bring you by, or Coraline. I think it might be best if I don't show my face around here again for awhile." Lorelai looked at Abby with sad eyes. "There are people whose profession is to hunt and kill people like me and your sister, but you don't need to worry too much about that. I'll keep us safe as long as you try to be careful ok?" She flashed a grin at the girl.

I am always careful "Yes Ma'am," she said, thinking it was far too soon to start trying the 'mom' angle just yet. "I will do everything I can to keep my remaining little sister safe," from you

_{in collaboration with @Aerandir and @Ellion}



Vivian looked over her gear, putting silver bolts in her quiver, picking out the toxins most likely to be useful. She'd heard enough whispers of demons and Von'strausses. Regardless of what Draco and Emiliah believed she was more inclined to be safe than sorry.

She stooped down to wrap her hunting dog Lucky in his vest, loading it's pockets with spare ammunition and rations. He patiently waited for her to finish before licking her face and falling into step behind her. Vivian cast one more glance over her gear, and when she was satisfied she had everything she was likely to need she headed for the tavern below.

Emiliah was heading up the stairs, looking for Vivian when she spotted her uphead.
"Well," she said looking at the girl. "It looks like someone read my mind about wanting to leave soon," she paused for a second. "Unless, that is, you are off on another hunt of some sort,"

Vivian grinned brightly at Emiliah, by rote more than anything else. "I need to get up to something soon, but it could wait." She surveyed the huntress, noting the fatigue and tension. "What've you got going on? Anything good?"

"Well, I was going...looking again, and I'd rather not go alone, would you be interested. I can't promise money or monsters, but there is a chance we'll run into both," she said. Glancing around, still keeping an eye out for Coraline.

"I'm not terribly worried about either money or sating my bloodlust most days, and besides, we've got missing hunters out there." Vivian nodded grimly. "Count me in, we may also want to post a notice by the board before we head out. Get some of the locals out there a searching too."

"I never got the full story on how and why they're missing... Bobby was a little lacking with details." Vivian mentioned as she made her way past Emiliah towards the stairs.

"Franknly, I am the wrong person to ask. I was there and I can't even explain what happened," more like she didn't want to explain what had happened, anyway. The wounds where still to fresh and the sooner they found her friends, the happier she'd be. She lead Vi through the tavern, allowing her to stop for a moment to post on the board. The tavern seemed..rather packed fro this time of day, as though all the evil was hiding, so the hunters didn't have much to do.

Vivian scrawled a small note on a scrap of paper and affixed it to the board. "Fair enough I guess... although I'd like to know more about what's likely to have them in its clutches when we find them. Makes killing it easier and all that."

Once she was finished she turned to Emiliah, grinning as always. "So, do we have any leads? Or an idea of where to start? Rumors put demon activity up north, some say witches are active this season all throughout the woods, but that's all I've got at the moment."

"Ah," Emiliah stood at the door for a moment. "No..Not really. But...I just can't sit and do nothing? What else can I do? I am no witch, I cannot do a tracking spell or....," Emiliah shook her head as the words 'useless' bounced around her skull. ""But, I mean, what else can I do?"

"Well... without a lead, or anything else to go on...?" Vivian hesitated, smile faltering. "I think we may be better off trying to rally some of the other hunters into a larger search party."

Suddenly the tavern shook as it felt like the earth was ripping apart. Causing dishes and cups to fall to the ground, glass bottles breaking. To those outside, the ground in the square was really opening, like a fiery maw opened up, and suddenly a single humanoid shape was launched out and once gravity took ahold, he fell down and slammed into the water troth.

After a few seconds of regaining his senses and realizing he couldn't breath he flailed around and gripped the edges of the trough, pushing himself up till he was out of the water taking in a deep breath, and in the same motion, his arms failed him and he fell out of the troth and onto his side. He could swear he could hear the demonic laughing from the pit as the world spun around him.

Just as quickly as the earthquake started and the opening to hell appeared, it closed just as quickly, leaving a soaked Flint on the ground groaning in pain from the ward before and his head hitting the wooden troth as well.

Emiliah was barely able to keep her feet as the world shook around her. All around her hunters were crashing into each other, spilling their drink and Sofie's cooking all over each other and leaving the tavern in a right mess.

The second the world stopped moving, Emiliah was out of the tavern and into the streets. All around, people where picking themselves up, giving shifty looks all around. But their eyes always returned to a figuring in a trough. Emiliah walked through the crowed catching occasional mutters of 'hole in the ground' 'must be a demon' and 'do you think we have to dry him out before we can burn him?'

Emiliah tightened the hold on her spear as she apporached.

The second she saw Flints alway downed face, she let out a mix between and laugh and a shreak before soaking herself as she lept into the trough, hugging Flint in relief. A second later, she shoved Flint back, leaping out of the trough and sticking her spear just under his chin. "Hey," she said, her voice now very unsure.

Vivian made her way to the commotion just behind Emiliah, who had a small lead on her mostly due to not having fallen on her ass during the minor earthquake that had heralded... whatever this was.

Her face broke into a grin as she saw Flint, soaked and groaning in the town square. Vivian's grin did not survive Emiliah placing her spear near Flint's throat.
"Whoa! Uh... Hey Em?... Whatcha doin'?" she looked from the huntress to the prone Flint. "Oh... and hi Flint."

He was suddenly hugged and his eyes opened wide to see who it was, but before he could even figure out who it was he felt the pressure of a sharp point to his throat. He gulped and looked down the spear to the owner to see Emiliah. Who said in a unsure voice, 'hey'.

"Uhhh... Emiliah... What are you doing...." It almost echoed Vivian as she asked the same thing, who then said hi to him. He gave a small nervous smile as if to say hello and then looked back to Emiliah.

"You mind pointing that somewhere else?" He said in a low calm voice, as if anything higher would cause her to strike.

"Just checking for demons," she said lightly, still not moving her spear away from Flint's neck. Instead she used one of her hands to slip into her pocket, pulling out a small class vial, she uncorked it before splashing it on Flint's already wet face. After a moment of nothing...burning, Emiliah finally lowered her spear. "Well, not a demon at least," she said giving him a smile and holding out her hand to help him up.

"Well, Vi, I guess our...friends just find us," there wasn't much else she could say. Except... "Flint, where is Liz?"

Tension fled from Vivian's shoulders as Emiliah finally removed her spear from Flint's throat. She grinned sheepishly, she wouldn't have thought to check for demons right away. "Liz? Who's that? Another missing hunter?"

When the water hit his face again, he closed his eyes and flinched back, as it splatered on his face. After a few seconds he opened one eye to look up at Emiliah as she pulled her spear away. He then sighed and relaxed on the ground where he laid and said, "I don't know Where But I do know who she is with."

He gritted his teeth as he pushed himself up from the ground. Wincing from the burns on his body and the sharp pain on his forehead. As he got to a kneeling position he looked to Vi and nodded yes to her question. "Liz is with Lorelai Von'Strauss at the moment...aparently she made a deal with her to help her if she let me go free."

"She isn't real!" shouted Emiliah before shaking her head. "I am sorry. This Lorelai has been brought up a lot lately. Your new friend even has a gift Charon left for her," said Emiliah, thinking it over. "I am now tempted to take it there right now to get Liz back..." she then rounded back on Flint "How could you let her make a deal? With a witch of all things, you should know better or tried harder or..orr..or something!"

He pushed himself up from the ground. "She is real" He said with a growl. "Who do you think killed my father?" He said glaring at her. He did hesitate when she mentioned his new friend having a gift for her.

But then emiliah then went on saying he should have known better and why he would ever allow Liz to make a deal. "I was knocked out, and she did it during that time...that and I wasn't in a position to fight her... I was in a trap."

Emiliah stared at Flint a moment longer, before letting out a breath of air and relaxing. " You are right. I am sorry. It wasn't your fault. I'm just frustrated. I am sure you did all you could" Emiliah looked a Vi and then back at Flint. " I guess we should get you into the tavern, get you looked over while Vi and I go out and...search for... I am not sure. But I can't just keep sitting here, doing nothing," She turned and started leading the trio back to the tavern.

Vivian nodded enthusiasticly. She was just glad Emiliah had decided not to beat up Flint, or worse. Lorelai was real then? Confirmed by Flint and Fenros now, hard to ignore now that she evidently was imprisoning one of their number. "We'll follow traces of demon activity, that should lead us to this Lorelai if the stories are close to true."

Vivian ordered a drink as Flint staggered off to see to his numerous injuries. Taking a seat at an out of the way table she gestured for Emiliah to join her. "That sound like a plan?"

Emiliah ordered a glass of water before taking a spot next to Vivian at the table. Her leg bouncing on the table as she tried to settle down to....hurry up and waiting. "I still think we should head out now," she said, looking into her water cup.

"And do what? Forage blindly through the woods to hopefully stumble on Liz and Lorelai? Then maybe fight her without a plan? Does that sound like something that would work?" Vivian looked over Emiliah. "Em... How long has it been since you had a good night's rest?"

"It is better than doing nothing!" snapped Emiliah. She gave Vi another look. "And I am, I'm sleeping enough," which was a lie. The life of a hunter gave her a fucked up sleep schedule anyway. But the added stress had made it much more difficult as of late.

"We're not doing nothing Em. You need to be at full capacity if you want to do anyone any good." Vivian gave Emiliah a weak half-smile, not buying Emiliah's declaration of being well rested. If only due to the stength with which the woman had protested her sentiment. "I know it's the last thing you probably want to hear, but let me look over some maps, check for demonic rumors, and in a day or so we'll have something to go on ok? In the meantime, do whatever it is you need to do to get rested and recovered."

"I'll...think about it,"she muttered after a long pause. Not really planning on thinking about it at all. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have to..." Emiliah paused, trying to think of a reason for leaving before shrugging and walking towards the door.

Vivian's eyes followed Emiliah, once she was out of sight she let out a long pent up sigh. If scouring reports and squeezing contacts for whispers of demonic activity wasn't enough, she was also going to have to deal with... that. She empathized with Emiliah, but if the woman didn't get something figured out soon she'd be no good to anyone. Least of all the people she was trying to save.

"Oh well Viv, grin on girlie." She got to work.

<sub>in collaboration with @Meiyuki



Days after the witch's arrival...</sub>

A peal of thunder broke the cacophonous monotony of the pouring rain, and a flash of lightning made long shadows of the mullions of the only window in Elina's room. Hers was a lavish one, draped in furs and with the furniture upholstered in fine silk. There on top of her tall but seldom perused bookshelf was a full set of Cathay earthenwork dedicated solely to decoration, while the teaset she actually used had already been packed away neatly by Lorelai's loyal minions. It had been scarcely a week since the ill-fated expedition had returned, and she did nothing but lie down and sleep most of the way back, yet the silver-haired girl still felt an incredible and unyielding fatigue. She was also experiencing frequent, pounding headaches.

Maybe it was because of the blood she'd lost and not yet recovered, or maybe it was the terrible realization that she was the very last scion of her family after Vespa's horrendous death that was the reason for her recent illnesses. Maybe it was both. Either way, Elina was someone who was used to being by her lonesome, but she'd never experienced the bitter chill of true loneliness until her sister was gone. Luna, who slept on her lap, was of no help. She was just a cat. She didn't care about her missing leg either. What she wanted, most of all, was for her sister to come back.

"But that's impossible," she thought out loud. She'd had more than a week to think over it, but no conclusion brought her any satisfaction. It was still so utterly alien to her - and perhaps, she thought, her mind was a little slow - but how could someone lose so much in so little time? Barely five minutes, and in a place which she used to call home, and her world was turned upside down and shook around till it was utterly unrecognizable.

Lightning flashed again, illuminating her form. She was sitting up on her bed, back against the tall headrest, and clad in a nightgown with sheer, white cloth, such that her breasts were just visible under it. Her beautiful silver hair was unfettered and without ribbons, and flowed down her shoulders and to the midpoint of her back while she gently stroked her pet cat. Her eyes were wide and awake, yet she they were staring at nothing in particular, just focused at a random focal point in the air. Her thoughts were drawn to this fact for a moment and she realized just how large her room was. There was another thunderclap and shadows danced all across the room. The storm intensified. And then she sighed for the hundredth time that day.

The breath that escaped her lips was a melancholy one. The act of sighing was not unfamiliar to her, but smiling nowadays was something of a rarity. And yet, her lips curled upwards, and her eyes lit up with a brilliant, joyful energy. Elina had finally found an answer to all her questions - all she had to do was to simply cast the artificial morality she'd followed till then, as it was so obviously incompatible with the rules of this gods-forsaken world.

"Luna?" she then said. Her voice was louder this time, but was still as feathery and as gentle as ever. The cat groggily opened its eyes and returned its master's stare.

Those same eyes then went madly wide then, as its master began to choke it with all her might.

---

Lorelai awoke alone in the dark of her chambers, just as she had every night since their return. Reaching over to what would have been Vespa's side of the bed she felt Lotte's tiny frame. In her dreams Vespa still lived, smiled, and laughed. Everytime she woke she was thrust once more into the impossible chill of her life without her.

Sighing she sat up. How cruel could life be? To wake in the bed she'd once shared with her truest love, in a castle torn by a war between her and her oldest friend, with nothing to look forward to but counting the costs? She swung her legs out over the cold stone of her floor. "Sometime I wish I could just wake from this nightmare, in greener pastures with the sun painting your cheeks in gold love." she whispered to the empty room.

It of course had no reply. Lorelai dressed in the silence, the only sounds being the whisper of her silken garments sliding over her skin. Once she was dressed she trudged to her door and pushed it open. As tempestuous as her heart had become she still didn't have time to pause, and that may have been the greatest cruelty of all. Amidst her heartbreak Medusa still threatened to take everything she had left. So she plotted with little passion against the witch, she'd pay for her offenses. Maybe then Lorelai would leave this world, but only then.

The rain beat a steady rhythm against the windows of the castle's corridors as she passed them, making her way to Elina's room. They hadn't talked much, and Lorelai couldn't blame the girl, but she made a point of checking in often nonetheless. Elina would need someone to help her when the time came, and she was all the witch had left.

If nothing else there was something comforting about sitting in silence with someone that could at least understand your pain. Lorelai's footsteps came to a halt outside the girl's room. Her hand hesitated briefly on the wood of the door before she pushed it open, stepping inside. She saw Elina holding a dagger to her neck. It was already bleeding.

"Elina!" Lorelai stepped over a lifeless Luna on her way to the girl's bed. "What are you doing!?" Lorelai reached out with a hand, but the distance was too great. The pale girl had more than enough time to retreat further into the shadow of her canopy bed.

"NO!" she yelled from within the darkness, her voice brazen. "Stay back! You will not ruin this!" Her whimpering was stark as she drew the blade another quarter-inch across her bare neck.

"Elina... you can't do this." Lorelai's voice trembled amost meekly. "Vespa wouldn't want this Elina, please don't..." She knelt on the edge of the bed, making no move to get any closer.

"VESPA'S GONE!" she shouted. Lorelai could swear that if she were just a little louder, the window glass would break. "SHE'S GONE BECAUSE OF ME! AND I'M A CRIPPLE NOW! I'M EVEN MORE USELESS THAN I WAS BEFORE! I HATE THIS LIFE - I WISH I HAD NEVER BEEN BORN!"

"Vespa's gone because your mother couldn't stop blaming the two of you for her own failures-"

"Please don't fucking pretend like you know anything about my goddamn family, Von'Strauss," Elina said, sounding awfully tired. "Lorelai, the wise one, the demon binder, the slayer of Hector Digard. Don't lecture me; I don't have the patience for it. I- I wish you hadn't come. Now I'm hesitating."

Elina chuckled. It was utterly void of mirth. "Can't I do anything right?"

"Quit pretending your circumstances are so FUCKING UNIQUE!!!" Lorelai stood and swept a hand across a desk, sending the contents spilling to the ground. "Do you really think you're the only one to have -"

"Don't you be so fucking pretentious as to know what I'm thin-"

"I know what you're fucking thinking Elina. You've lost everything, and are alone in the big scary world, never mind the kind souls that reach out to you, never mind that the same things happen to people all the time." Lorelai huffed, her eyes angry. "You're a highborn witch after all, what could anyone know about your situation right? Get this through your head, girl-"

"What did I say about fucking lecturing me? It's pointless now. I WANT TO QUIT!" Elina said. Her voice trembled. "Don't you understand? I've had enough. Please let me do this, Lorelai."

"If I let you do this... I'll break a promise I made to your sister..." Lorelai made her way to the side of the girl's bed again. Her shoulders lowered in defeat. "Don't leave me alone here Elina, you're all I have left of her..." Her eyes pleaded as tears finally spilt over her lashes, tailing down her cheeks.

There was a pause, cut only by a lightning flash that went ignored and flush all throughout with the constant rasp of the pouring rain. A soft thud sounded as Elina finally let her dagger dropped within the recesses of her canopy bed.

"... we'd have more of her to remember by if I drank her blood," Elina said. She was crying now too. "But I didn't even do that. I didn't even tell you. I- I'm such a failure...! I don't- I don't deserve to be here, among such great people..."

"Have more if you drank her blood?" Lorelai moved over near Elina. While she was relieved that she'd dropped the knife, Lorelai still didn't have a remedy for her broken heart. She didn't have one for her own after all. "I know nothing about 'deserve', or how great we are. But you'll always have a place at my table Elina, and in my heart."

Elina was wiping her tears away, but in vain. They kept on pouring out. "Thanks," she said. "That, uh, means a lot. Um, I think I'm still bleeding."

Lorelai retrieved her handkerchief from the pocket of her robe. "I suppose you are aren't you?" With one hand she tilted Elina's face up as she dabbed away the blood near the wound. "Just a scratch fortunately enough." Lorelai removed a small jar filled with the poultice she'd been using for the wound in her shoulder. She gently applied it to Elina's throat.

"There we go." Using the other corner of the cloth she dabbed the tears from Elina's face. "Pretty and perfect again." Lorelai smiled weakly.

"Thanks again," Elina said, not daring to make eye contact. Suddenly, she began to sob anew. "Oh God! I just killed Luna!"

The cat's limp and fresh corpse was sprawled on the floor by the bedside, its jaw hanging agape and its eyes half-lidded in eternal sleep. Its throat was caved in.

"I'm sorry dear, I'll clean it up, and get you a new cat by morning if you wish." Lorelai simply provided her shoulder for Elina, and the girl took it gratefully. "We'll make it through this, the two of us ok?"

"Thank you," she said, "but I don't think I'll be having pets for a while. And yes, of course... together. We'll get by... somehow."

"What did you mean by drinking her blood by the way?"

"Oh, well, in my House, when a family member is dead or dying, we slit their wrists, collect their blood in a c-cup, and drink it, especially if that person has no children. No sense is letting good essence go to waste. The, uh, last person to do that, though, was my mother. The corpse must also still be fresh - the blood must still be alive - so..." Elina's voice trembled. "I can't... I've failed Vespa."

"We both have." Lorelai sighed, at least the tension had diminished some in the room. "That's too bad, I have a vial of it... as a momento of sorts I guess... Vespa was the best thing that ever happened to me. I don't want to forget that."

Elina, for the first time in that night, met eyes with Lorelai. "What about Alexina, then?"

"Lexi?" Lorelai shrugged. "We were just too different, not to say she wasn't a good woman, and dear to me. In the end though me and Vespa shared things I couldn't with Alexina, she understood what it was to sacrifice for what you loved."

"Oh, okay. Sorry, but my first impression of you was... that you're a... loose woman of sorts. I mean, I don't think of you that way now, but... you kind of seem like the type. Or maybe that's just the aura of every powerful witch out there."

Lorelai shrugged. "You're not wrong, my body is meaningless. My heart however I keep under lock and key."

Elina licked her dry lips wet. "How do I become as powerful as you?"

"How indeed." Lorelai thought a moment. "Power comes to those who need it I think. Mine was born of a need for vengeance, and later a need to be strong enough to defend my new family and love."

Lorelai smiled as she turned back to Elina. "Find something you want, more than anything else. Then become strong enough to claim and keep it."

Elina smiled. "I don't think you need to become strong in order to die."

Lorelai laughed for the first time in over a week. "No I suppose not, for most people anyway." She poked Elina's nose playfully. "You though might have to go through me first, strange as it is to protect you from yourself. Couldn't you just have regular enemies? Much simpler."

Elina looked downwards. "It'll take forever till I get the strength and insanity to slit my own throat again, so I suppose you shouldn't worry. The missing leg also helps." She chuckled. "That's one thing I'm not getting back without a fight. I'm sure there are methods to regrow limbs, and in blood magic there indeed are, but I can't tap into so primitive a power as the life within blood itself yet."

Her eyes met Lorelai's again. "Is it possible for me to learn demon-binding?"

"I... I could bestow you with the gift yes. That would allow you to learn it, but it's not something to do lightly Elina. It would be easier by far, and much less intimate, for me to find a way to restore your lost leg." Lorelai averted her eyes. She couldn't find the will to say no to Elina in this moment, no matter how advisable it might be.

Elina raised an eyebrow. "Intimate?"

Lorelai sighed. "The Dragon's Tongue is expressed through the medium of blood and the soul. Harkening back to our demonic heritage in forgotten times. To bestow the tongue upon you would require me to... sully your body and spirit, to attune them to the infernal planes. Then the creatures that lurk there would recognize you as kin through that bond." She met Elina's eyes again. "I hope that makes sense."

"So if I want to learn," Elina said, "then I'll first have to get raped?" She chuckled. "Of course. What else should I have been expecting? I guess I'll be staying content with my bloodline's power then."

Lorelai's eyes widened. "Raped!? What!? Of course not." Her cheeks flushed. "I uh... I'm... mostly demon Elina." Why was she explaining this? Lorelai chastised herself internally, this wasn't a secret to share lightly.

Elina smiled. It wasn't often that Lorelai blushed. "Well, I'm not surprised by that either." But then she sighed. "I wish this rain would end soon. Poor Luna... she deserves a good burial. A proper coffin for her, at least. It's bad luck to be talking like this in the presence of a corpse."

Lorelai nodded, grateful for the welcome - if morbid - change in topic. "We could entomb her in the catacombs under the castle if you'd like. I've got a key, might take a bit to find a coffin though." She sighed, turning her gaze out the window. "What's next Elina?"

"After we entomb Luna?" Elina paused to think. "Cake, maybe. And sweet tea." She smiled faintly. "This suicide business has gotten me hungry."

"As you wish." Lorelai stood and retrieved Luna's corpse from the ground, wrapping it in her ruined handkerchief. She turned to Elina, smiling before she left. "I'll get Luna ready if you'd like to get dressed? Then we'll have cake and tea to our heart's content."

Elina nodded, grabbing the ctrutch that lay against the bedside. "Yes, please."

_{in collaboration with @Meiyuki}



Lorelai strode through the dark hallways of the castle briskly. She'd endured long enough, accepted too much, and now it was time to spit in the eye of god and fate. There was a relic, sitting unused in some dusty vault, that could restore Elina's leg, give Alphonse back his arm, and possibly return Vespa to her. Alyssa could warn against the danger as much as she wanted to. It would be hers, and soon.

She came to a halt outside Alphonse's room, and with neither a knock nor thought to the hour, threw it open. Lorelai's eyes were maddened. "Alphonse! I want that fucking saint!"

Alphonse's floated unnaturally from beneath the covers. "But mooom! I spent all day being with people! I have to sleep now." His head floated back under the blanket, apparently into the shadows beneath.

"Alphonse... Elina attempted suicide, the least I can do is give her a fucking leg." Lorelai strode into the room, and with a command word activated the magical lighting. [color=00aeef]"I'm getting tired of losing people, now are you going to help me plan this or not? We've only got three days of peace to pull this off before the war starts in earnest."[/color'

Alphonse rose out from his comfortable shadow, and threw off his blanket. "Alright, alright. Here's what we do. I go sneaky sneaky, grab the corpse...." Alphonse clapped his hands together, and held them to either side. "then I run away." Alphonse grinned. "Brilliant, right?"

"Stunning." Lorelai rolled her eyes and took a seat on Alphonse's desk-chair. "That only leaves the wards, spirit sentries, and the battalion of knights that would get alerted left over. Minor details right?"

"Exactly! Glad to hear you have it covered. Good night!" Alphonse was about to jump back into bed but was stopped dead by the murderous glare Lorelai had affixed him with. Al became certain that her eyes were literal portals to hell in that moment. "But I can understand if you want to consult with my expert opinion." Alphonse pulled out a chair from the table on the side of his room, and propped his feet up on said table. "So, what have we got for resources?"

"I've got you, Phagora, and I might send Liz along too." Lorelai rubbed her eyes. "But we'll need a hell of a distraction, and that might mean you need to do something I'm sure you won't like, because I don't like it either."

"Are you saying we need to find some blood before our trip?" Al's face rested into a concerned smirk. "Taking a hunter so soon might be a bit risky given our time frame. You know I'm concerned about hunter's disappearing near my cover."

"Right, but blood we'll need anyway." Lorelai thought for a moment. "I've heard a whisper of a new hunting lodge setting up in Rovenfeld, about two weeks west of here by horse... that might do it though. Plenty of newly blooded hunters to snatch up."

[color=ed145b]"Alright, so I should be back by morning. What are we doing with the whelp once I get back?" Al began pouring the two of them a drink, Setting glasses on the table while he held a bottle with his other hand.

"Al... you... only have one hand." Lorelai's eyes fixated on a shadowy appendage that had manifested from the stump of his ruined arm. Alphonse followed her gaze to the stump. Whereupon the still half full bottle of whiskey shattered to the floor as the mentioned appendage faded away. She reached for her drink slowly, draining it quickly. "That's... neat."

"Huh. I forgot for a second." Al punched his shoulder a few times. "Hey, get back here ass hole!" He shrugged. "Oh well, phantom limb or whatever."

"Phantom is certainly right..." Lorelai gave Alphonse an appraising stare, then shook her head. "Confirms some theories I'd had about your biology, perhaps all that training hasn't gone to waste. Alas... where were we?"

"You were going to tell me to what ends kidnapping a nascent hunter is going to contribute to."

"Right, well. One isn't going to be enough Al." Lorelai's eyes glittered darkly. "Lord Dagon is a hungry beast."

---

_{Somewhere near Rovenfeld: Alphonse}

Fires burned at the top of the fort's wooden walls. Guards shivered in a warm night. Feeling as though a ghost had gripped their bones. They scanned the wide open field all around them nervously. They felt like something should be approaching, A fight should be breaking out. There should be blood and sweat and fire. Instead there was only silence.

Within the fort, near the barracks main, slept men and women, ready to get up bright and early to train. Their lodge was barred, and warded from terrible magics. Iron crosses adorned the doors, and garlic and other strong herbs adorned the windows. Sacred object to repel the unclean. A shadow crept across the outer wall of the fort, only to become flesh as it approached the barracks proper. The shadow was quick, and did not tarry. A silver sword struck out at the sacred wards where no light could touch it. No one saw, they only whispered, and dreamed. The shadow gathered the amulets, corrupted by a blasphemed blade. He powdered the herbs together, and inscribed blasphemous symbols on the walls of the barracks. The crosses he bent and twisted, and struck into the window panes like nails in eyelids. The dreamers stirred, their peaceful rest disturbed.

A dark chill suddenly crawled up Garfield's spine. He had spent all night laying in bed, struggling to sleep. He stood up, he thought he saw a shape through the window. He rushed to it and opened it. There was no one.

"probably nothing." He said as he turned about. He was suddenly struck by how dark the room was. There were no lights besides the stars before, but now...he could not say. For no reason he could fathom he approached the cot of one of his companions. "Felix, I can't sleep, You up?" Felix wasn't there. He rushed all about, the barracks were gone. Empty. He rushed out the door to scream for the guard. His voice never left his throat as a pressure held his mouth shut, and he felt something across his throat. He tried to throw back a shoulder, but had no leverage, his body weak, he fell. Darkness engulfed him.

"Well done, Master." Said one shadow to another. "It almost reminds me of when I had blood and flesh."

"Shut up Steve." Said the other shadow. The two of them glided home in darkness and silence.

<sub>in collaboration with @Meiyuki and @Wildeyes



a few days after the arrival, and a mass kidnapping of hunters</sub>

Alphonse woke uncharactaristically early this morning. His soul was heavy, but he had some very difficult home cleaning to do. He found Taran at breakfast and sat at his table. "Hey Taran, How are things going?"

There was a deep ache right behind his eyes, despite having spent much of the night in or around his bed, Alyssa didn't ...stop wanting things until the sun was nearly up. And when she lift, he couldn't stand being in his own bed anymore. For..some...reason, it made him itch. Thus, lead him to eating breakfast when all he wanted to do was sleep.

When Al appeared and spoke, Taran jumped, knocking over his bowl of oatmeal and his water cup in one fatal swoop. Picking up his cup he mutter "Fine, how...goes it...with you?"

"Miserably, Lorelai's keeping me busy, and it's with stuff that's too important for me to put off until the last minute, mostly because the last minute is now." Alphonse relaxed in his chair, lazily sipping from a flask. "I hear that you're more than Fine, though. I heard you attracted Alyssa's attention.How'd that happen?" Al studied Taran's face, he could see that the boy was troubled.

Taran let out a little yawn, if only to stop himself from having to answer right away. "Uh...I guess she liked me?" He said shrugging, keeping his answer as simple as possible, keeping his eyes focused on a spot on the floor slightly to the left of Al. "But, you are the expert...isn't that usually how it starts?"

"So, she came onto you? And you laid with her that night? Did she promise you something? What did the two of you talk about?" Alphonse's smirk remained, as if they were two men having a normal conversation about women. His words and tone did not sound as he looked.

"She promised me nothing and there wasn't ...time for talking," said Taran, a vision of Alyssa filling his eyes, his heart aching as he thought of how she might feel about this conversation. How...disappointed in him she would be. He needed to think of away from Al, back...maybe not to her, but...away from everyone. "I have to..." said Taran, his mind struggling to think of a single location in the castle.

"You don't need to go anywhere." Alphonse said definitively, as he shifted closer to the table.

"So, what are you two now? How do you feel about her? " Alphonse leaned close over the table, his pained eyes boring into Taran's. "Taran, you said you could never lay with a woman if you had never met her father. You said you wanted to marry. You can't be telling me that you threw that all away in a single night. For a woman you had known for one night."

Taran's hands found the lip of the bench and started tightening his hold until his knuckles turned white. He kept his head down. This..wasn't going well. Alyssa wouldn't be pleased, he knew, and ...if she was unpleased, he'd lose another night of sleep. His stomach twisted has his thought shifted more towards disappointment in himself for making someone as wonderful as Alyssa mad at him. "I don't know what we are. Besides, you are the one who said that witches didn't have fathers, so why try to meet someone who doesn't exist?" He said, grasping at anything to get Al to back down.

Al leaned back, he could see that Taran was tense. More than tense. He was afraid.

"Taran, coming from anyone else, involved with any other witch, I would consider that wisdom well learned. I don't believe that you want that woman. I don't think that you'd change your mind so quickly. You're more stubborn than that." Alphonse paused for a moment. "Taran, why are you scared?"

"What makes you think I'm scared?" he said, for the first time, glancing up at Al, his eyes narrowed. Scared really wasn't what he was feeling right now...not really. More anger that Al was getting him in trouble. "Shouldn't you be happy for me? You are the one who wanted this to happen,"

"Taran, when I came of age, I was a teenager who was surrounded by women my every waking moment who had been trained to become a weapon. I liked the attention I got. It made me feel good. Later, it made me feel human. I never thought it should be any different. You did. Taran, you don't have to do anything you don't want to. If you don't want to be with a woman, that's fine."

"I can't help but...want her," growled Taran after a pregnant pause filled the room. "She is carring my...child right now," His voice was coming out strained right now as the demons in his stomach swirled with anger, causing fire to start spreading to his gut. An intense anger that was starting to fill him. "I want it and I have a responsibility to her, tell me where you see choice in that,"

"She's still bothering you then?" Alphonses body relaxed. His eyes lit up. "I suppose you have a good point. Technically, around here, you have no obligation to stay with her, or to raise her child. We tend to raise the young communally around her, when we have them. But I understand your sensibillities. I can't expect you to do anything other than what you believe is right." Alphonse got up from his chair. "Have a good day, Taran. Remember what I said, You've got a whole new life ahead of you."

Taran watched Alphonese leave, letting out a breath he didn't rememeber holding. If anything he now had [i]more/[i] reason to avoid the man at all costs.

---

_{The back gardens: Alyssa and Alphonse}

Alyssa was taking her lunch in one of the many gardens hidden away in Castle Bloodrose, being sure to avoid the one Elina was currently using. She had no idea why Lorelai doted on the silver-haired wretch, but the girl had to be one of the largest wastes of witch blood Alyssa had ever had the displeasure of knowing. Then again Lorelai seemed busy doting on practically everyone currently.

She surveyed the flowers and shrubbery, their beauty doing little to diminish her foul mood. Even Taran rejected her, or tried to rather. A knot twisted into her stomach as she thought of what she'd done to the boy, but it was a little too late for guilt now wasn't it? She crushed the burgeoning humanity and continued her meal.

Allyssa suddenly noticed Alphonse relaxing in the shade of a nearby tree.

"Good morrow." Alphonse said. "I've heard the most delightful rumors about the castle. Love, or something seems to be in the air."

Alyssa arched an eyebrow at Alphonse. "Is that so? The air smells like war to me. Love's a pretty lie anyway." she continued her meal, keeping her eye on the man. "What brings you to a far away garden?"

"If not love, then what force could have the young Taran so smitten? Surely, only the charms of such a beautiful witch as yourself could only inspire that man's devotion and desire." Alhponse wore a smirk that screamed sarcasm in her face.

Alyssa narrowed her eyes at Alphonse. "It's called infatuation, it's the stupid part of a man's brain that leads to sensations of... love." she sighed, setting her food aside as she suddenly felt a small wave of nausea come over her. "...What's your game shadow?"

"I haven't know Taran long, but I know that he certainly wouldn't make a child with a woman that he didn't love very deeply. He's weird like that." Alphonse lazilly meandered toward the other witch. "Unless, of course, his infatuation was so strong that he could not resist his own urges. Perhaps he felt an urge that beyond himself." Alphonse regarded the Alyssa with cold, dead, lazy eyes. "In such a case, he would surely be open to being manipulated by a clever witch. Especially one that carried his child." He stopped some distance from her. Suddenly, the nausea in Alyssa's gut twisted inside like a knife, she sank into her chair.

"Oh, Alphonse." Alyssa groaned, her face somewhere between a grimace and a smile. "A bold play you've made, a poison to cow the evil witch that abused your... whatever Taran is to you."

"However, you've tipped your hand a touch don't you think?" Alyssa drew herself back into an upright position with a great deal of effort. "The things I've done to Taran pale in comparison to the things I could do you see. I could tear him apart, from the inside, twist his heart until he didn't know his own name, make him kill anyone or anything."

"And if this is a lethal dose, just that will happen. If it's not I think you've made yourself clear enough, I'll leave Taran alone, and I'll never hear of this again." Alyssa fixed Alphonse with an intense stare, her will still potent in the wake of the toxin that ravaged her body. "That's as good as you'll get, and if I hear another threat from you lips I'll do it just to spite you."

Alphonse pulled a vial from his cloak. "The antidote. I could only pray that you would be this reasonable." Alphonse flourished the vial and tossed it in her lap.

Alyssa picked the vial from her lap, uncorking it and drinking it swiftly. When she'd finished she noticed a small spot of blood on her hand. She turned to Alphonse, laughing manically. "So shadow... do you want to tell Taran you've killed his child? Or should someone else?" She collapsed back into her chair, tears running down her cheeks as her strange laughter poured into the garden air.

"You had an accident. While you were riding horses.You will have no more hold over him. Keep your promise." Alphonse's form melded into the shade. Leaving the garden to the woman's strange laughter.

_{in collaboration with @SillyGoy}



Castle Bloodrose, for obvious reasons, was a dreary place. Smack in the middle of a dense forest of black-barked wood and built with similarly dark stone, its coned spires reached towards the heavens in an arrogant display of might. This was to say nothing of its inhabitants, who've all killed at least one person in their lifetimes, and who were all versed in one school of left-hand-path magic or more. But it was still a castle, and was decorated and furnished accordingly to be a fit dwelling for witches of nobility. Without, it was an imposing fortress, but within, it was a place of opulence where no witch would want for anything. A vast library, slaves, and numerous dungeons - but really, Elina had only two places which she liked in the entire gargantuan complex: her room, and the gardens.

Natural blooms delighted her, and the gardens had varieties from the four corners of the world. She was sitting on a bench in the central flower garden of the courtyard, idly staring at the marble statue of a horned demon which doubled as a fountainhead. Water flowed out from its mouth, as if vomiting, and from its eyes, as if it were crying. The statue was greatly detailed, too. Perhaps it was an actual demon, turned into marble by a curse from some ancient Bloodrose matriarch. If it were, Elina wouldn't have been surprised at that point. The silver-haired witch was wearing a dress that was thoroughly black, save for the cuffs and collar, which were cut from white silk. Clearly, she was still mourning for her sister. Behind her, standing at attention, was one of Lorelai's servitors. It had been assigned to help Elina get around, owing to her missing leg.

The weather that day was nice and clear, and neither too hot nor too cold. It was a fine day to be outside, and although she could no longer enjoy her aimless walks in the forest, Elina contented herself with the simple pleasure of sitting down and doing nothing at all.

---

Triss woke to a fresh new day, the golden rays of a rising sun shining through her window. They hit her face and forced her to acknowledge them, beckoning her to start her day. While she had been on the road, getting up this early was a simple task that she did quickly and silently, but now that she was at Castle Bloodrose it was a different story.

Tensions had been running high since the moment she had arrived, witches speaking only in hushed tones about conflicts in the palace. This was affecting her mood drastically, and when she wasn't lounging in her room away from the drama she was chatting with the other witches, hoping to calm their frayed nerves. She slept in late, and made a private fuss whenever she woke.

Forcing herself out of bed, she stretched sluggishly and pulled her hand through the vibrant red nest sitting atop her head. She moved through her room, carrying out her usual routine with heavy feet. Once she was dressed in a casual day gown, she slipped her room's key into her pocket, grabbed a worn book off of her dresser, and headed out the door.

Triss kept her head tucked into heher book, flipping the yellowing pages one by one. She observed the places it had been dogeared by past bookworms, and stains that had left the ink a bit runny. It was a simple novel she had read countless times, but it was also a good excuse for not making conversations with the witches she passed.

She let her feet carry her out of the castle, and into the gardens. It was a quiet sanctuary she had only come across a few times. Here she would be alone, and away from the politics of the castle. The air was fresh, filled with smells of beautiful blossoms Triss couldn't name. Birds chirped, and she could hear water trickle out of a nearby fountain. This was where she was heading, because there were a few comfortable benches where she could sit and read in peace.

She stopped when she was only a few feet away, close enough to see the intricate details of the demon fountain. Sitting there was a girl with bright silver hair the color of pure moonbeams, with a servant to attend to her. Triss noticed her mourning garb, and shut her book slowly, not bothering to mark her page. “Pardon, ma'am. Am I disturbing you?” She stood still, her only movement was a simple sway of her feet that displayed her shyness.

“I can leave, if you would like…” She suggested, bracing herself to be dismissed.

The silver-haired girl smiled lightly at Triss. "No," she said, in a light and feathery voice. "No, not at all. Come here," she patted the bench, "sit, if you would like."

Triss’ face lit up when she was called forth. She stuffed her book into one of her dress’ pockets, careful not to rip the spine any further. ”Thank you.” She replied, using the same light voice.

Taking brisk steps, she walked over to the girl and sat down next to her on the bench. A light pink blush threatened to color her cheeks, and she pushed it back as she looked towards the flowers. “I'm Triss, I'm new here. It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am.” Her tone was hushed, and she bit her lip to reprimand herself. “I'm not usually this shy, it's just overwhelming to have come here in the middle of a fight.”

The silver-haired witch nodded. "I'm Elina Ruvina. It is a pleasure here as well." Although, that was a lie. Elina wanted for nothing in the world than to be alone at that moment, but decorum demanded that she permit the shy-looking witch to sit with her. Red hair, and a love for literature - she was new indeed, joining perhaps even before the expedition's return. Or maybe she just didn't notice Triss even before that, owing to her constant isolationism.

"Yes, it seems everyone is at odds with each other nowadays," Elina said. "I don't know all the reasons why, but it's better to just ignore them, and take no part in them."

Her crimson eyes traveled down to Triss' tome. "What's that you're reading?"

“Elina is a lovely name.” Triss stated, her previous shyness started to melt off in small chunks. She wanted to ask Elina about the mourning dress she wore, but it was wrong to do so. Maybe, if you could catch those blood red eyes you cou- she forced the thought down before she could finish it.

Lately she had been feeling a sort of withdrawal from her powers. She felt like it was an animal clawing at it's cage, with a constant need to get out and roam. She figured it was because of how frequently she used it during her journey there, and now she craved to get into the minds of witches.

Following Elina’s eyes, she pulled out her book. “It's a novel about the adventure of two friends who decide to stowaway on a ship. Not that interesting, unless you're a reader.” She flashed Elina a charming smile, before returning her face to it's usual pose. “Do you know about the conflict?”

Elina raised a brow. Whereas Triss had thus far been genuinely lively, the silver-haired girl's expression always appeared to be restrained or controlled somehow. "Of the story? No."

Triss chuckled reassuringly, to break Elina out of her seemingly restrained shell. “Oh no, I'm talking about in the castle. If you would like to talk about the story though, we can.”

"I'd rather not talk about the current power struggle," Elina said wearily. "The weather doesn't suit it. So when did you join this Coven exactly, Triss? A week ago, perhaps two? You joined at a bad time. Everything's going to... well..." Elina sighed.

Triss nodded, only allowing herself to frown for a heartbeat. ”That's fine, I'm sorry to have brought it up, when there are so many other things to discuss.” She paused, considering her answer to the next question. ”I arrived around a week ago, and was accepted the same day. I know I arrived at a bad time, I can tell by the way everyone talks....but where else was I supposed to go?” Triss sighed just as heavily, before shaking off the somber mood. ”When did you first arrive?”

"A year and a half ago," Elina said. "Along with my sister. Essentially, we fled home because of our abusive mother and ended up here. Have you heard of the eastern matriarch who keeps a herd of male sex slaves?" Elina smiled ruefully. "Reyna Ruvina. I am her daughter. What about you, Triss? Where do you come from?"

”I'm afraid I hadn't heard of her, until now. I'm glad you decided to flee there, it must have been awful for you and your sister.” Triss shared a brief glance with Elina. It wasn't sympathetic, or pitiful, but full of amazement that she had been able to leave. ”I was born to two human parents...so there is probably a witch somewhere in my family line. That's why I'm so...rusty in the rich history here. What is your power?”

"Blood magic," Elina said, smiling a bit at Triss' liveliness. "If I kill something, or wound something, the pouring blood gives me strength. My sister used it to fight; I mostly use it to heal. What's yours? Witches without a distinct bloodline like you are rather uncommon as far as I know."

“Blood magic, it seems like something that suits your eyes.” Triss let a small smile dance upon her lips. ”My power is complicated, you could say. If I lock eyes with someone, I can draw out emotions they would normally keep hidden, or actions they would never do. It has to be something there though, deep inside. I've never been able to implant instincts, as amazing as that would be.” She chuckled, wishing she had a test subject. ”It's such a lovely day today, don't you agree?”

"Hey, use your power on me."

Triss’ mind screamed yes at Elina's suggestion, but she hesitated for a moment. ”You want me to go inside your mind? That's a first...I suppose it would be easier without any barriers. What do you want me to draw out?” She bit her lip, fidgeting with her fingers. ”You're sure?”

"It'll be the most interesting thing to happen to me today." Elina shrugged. "Why not?" She smiled. "Go ahead. Hypnotize me or something."

Triss wanted to dance, but instead she took Elina's face between her hands. She smiled and gave her a quick pat on the shoulder before locking her own eyes with Elina's crimson ones and letting her power surge. Elina would see Triss’ bright green eyes in their full glory, while Triss saw inside of her mind.

It was much more simple when the victim was willing, because there were no walls to get past or to pull the emotion through. Front and center in Elina's mind was a ball of grief, and depression, not unlike the one she saw in the mind of the guard. Triss avoided it entirely, blocking out the thundering shouts of sluggish voices.

When she was about to pull from Elina's mind and tell her there was nothing to gather, she found what she was looking for. It was yearning, bright and potent. The grief and depression overpowered it, so the voices inside were hushed whispers she couldn't distinguish. Gathering the emotion, she willed it to the very front of Elina's mind, where it would be the sole focus of her thoughts and emotions. Feeling satisfied, she pulled out, her eyes returning to their normal color.

”Feel any different, Elina?” She asked curiously, gripping the witch's shoulders to keep her from any outbursts.

Elina blinked once, twice, thrice, with her lower jaw gradually hanging agape. All she could see was Triss' face in front of her, but her mind was ablaze with the image of a different visage - that of a strong, scarred young man who, though his exterior was rough, was able to show her the most genuine love. She remembered his warm, firm embraces and the touch of his calloused fingers around hers. Fenros Digard, son of Hector Digard - and if she had just killed him, instead of being a spoiled little girl, Vespa would still be alive, and House Ruvina wouldn't be destroyed, and she'd be knowing great power and glory from having poured blood straight from the neck of the Terror of Witches.

Elina grimaced, and so suddenly from her impassive expression, threatening to burst into tears. "I should have killed him," she spat. "I should have killed him, as my mother instructed. Fenros..."

Triss tightened her grip on Elina's shoulders, cautious. She had no way of calming Elina, until the emotions ran out in full. She had never stayed long enough to see when that happened, but she knew from her first time doing it that it would wear off eventually.

She wanted to coddle Elina, and tell her that it wasn't her saying these things...but it really, truly was. These were Elina's true feelings on the topic, and Triss had just enjoyed bringing them out. Using her power had felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, her itching had stopped. ”It's okay, Elina. Let it out, and you'll feel better that you did.”

She didn't cry; Elina forced herself not to. She'd humiliated herself in front of her peers for long enough. "I'm going to kill him," she said. "I'm going to kill him! But," her crimson eyes drifted down, and saw that on the ground there was only one foot that emerged from the hem of her skirt. Her brows furrowed in a different rage. "God, why?! This month has been the absolute worst!"

Triss flinched, she had caused this. Elina was obviously a powerful witch, who used the spillage of blood to fuel her. Now, Triss had given her a new reason to kill. She knew she should have felt dirty, or wrong...but she only felt an inkling of sympathy for the poor ‘Fenros' who was going to die. Still though, she had to at least try to make Elina calm down. ”Elina, you can't just go off to kill someone. What if hunters come after you, you'll die. It won't make things right.”

She followed Elina's hard gaze down the length of her dress. Her mouth gaped when she saw only one leg sticking out of its hem. Her pale skin became almost transparent, as she blanched. ”I'm so sorry, I didn't know...you can't leave Elina. I can't let you get hurt because of something I did, just stay still until you calm down.”

Elina half-heartedly gestured with the raise of her arm, and immeidately her personal servitor came around to pick her up, carrying her in a manner similar to Laina and her slave. "No," she said from her superior position. "No, I have to do this. I owe my family at least this much." She looked to her demonic servant, "Take me to my room."

The servitor set upon its task immediately, quickly leaving Triss alone in the garden.

_{in collaboration with @SillyGoy}



Lorelai strode through the halls of the castle. Fatigue that had long settled into her spirit had not yet shown on her face or stride. She wondered mildly how long that would last. She was on her way to Elina's room, again. It seemed that she spent one portion of her time seeing to Medusa's demise, and the other seeing to Elina's needs.

One of her servitors had reported something interesting to her. Elina was planning on killing Fenros. So Lorelai thought she'd drop by to ensure this wasn't some half-baked suicide attempt, perhaps having failed to slit her own throat the girl had gotten it into her head that she'd get Fenros to do it for her.

She finally arrived at the witch's door. "Elina? It's Lorelai." She called after knocking.

There was a lengthy pause, until Lorelai heard the frail girl's characteristic voice. "Come in," she said.

Elina was packing. Or so it seemed, at first. Rather, she was unpacking. Placing her sword back into the rack, and returning healing tonics to her alchemical shelf. She was in a half-dressed state, with a blouse that wasn't thoroughly buttoned up and exposed her slender belly as a result. The same servitor was still carrying her around.

She had difficulty leveling her crimson eyes on Lorelai. "Hi," she said, blushing more than just a little bit. "I was about to do something stupid."

"Yes, so in leu of suicide by Fenros what are you plans for the day?" Lorelai surpressed a blush, why did Elina's body have to remind her so much of Vespa's?

"Not encountering a witch named Triss," Elina said. She wasn't surprised that Lorelai already knew. Her ubiquitous minions could fulfill any role, from warrior, to spy, to menial servant. "Her power makes people do really stupid things. Something about emotions. I raged and almost cried, but most of all I just wanted to kill Fenros. Now I have a headache." She sighed wearily, before looking towards her servitor. "Put me down on my bed."

It did so, and Elina laid her head down on her pillow with a smile. "Thanks for the servitor, by the way. It's made my life much easier."

"I'm pleased it's served you well." Lorelai leaned against the door frame, her arms folded beneath her chest. "Didn't you pass up on the first opportunity to kill the man because you loved him? Curious then that you'd want so much to kill him." Lorelai arched an eyebrow at Elina.

Elina blinked, and her expression turned serious. "I regret that decision now. If I had just killed Fenros, I'd have rid the witching world of a serious threat, and attained great power myself - and saved Vespa. Alas... I was just a stupid girl. And I probably still am."

"Still stupid? Why's that?" Lorelai moved into the room, taking a seat in one of Elina's lavish chairs. "Or is that more of your self-depreciation I so detest?" Lorelai's voice was playful, as she smirked at the silver-haired girl.

Elina groaned. "I don't know. I can't fight and I can't walk. I feel awful."

Elina's eyes wandered about her room, as she thought of something else to say. Eventually they rested levelly upon Lorelai's features.

"Lorelai?" she said.

"Yes dear?" Lorelai maintained Elina's gaze.

She grinned. "You're a beautiful woman, and I'm glad my sister got to know you."

Lorelai flushed red, her lower lip trembled. "Thank you Elina... that means more to me than you know." Closing her eyes she tilted her head back to rest against the soft cushion of her chair. "You, of course, are lovely... Vespa still haunts me sometimes when I see you." She sighed, smiling softly.

Elina similarly blushed. A silence settled upon the room. Her eyes wandered again. "So I've been thinking... in my excess of spare time..."

"Hmm... I envy you that." Lorelai replied lazily, not bothering to open her eyes. "What have you been thinking of Elina?"

"Why, that I don't much care for the purity of my body and soul, and if it were possible, I'd like you to teach me demon-binding."

Lorelai's eyes shot open. "Elina... you do know what that entails don't you?" Her eyes were fearful as they found Elina's "I'll do it, but only if you're sure."

Elina looked at Lorelai with barely any expression. "I know it will hurt, being made part-demon or whatever it is the initiation rituals demand of me. But I also know that it'll give me power. I hate being weak, Lorelai. Look at you, you're so strong. I'd," she hesitated. "I'd like to... become like you..." her voice trailed off.

"Instead," she reasserted herself, "of some melancholy cripple, to be quite honest."

Lorelai nodded grimly. "So be it. If that is your wish, I'll make it so." She stood and turned to shut the door. She began to undo the clasps on her robe.

Elina's brows perked up, and she grinned, despite herself. "Oh, so I was right. I'm about to get raped!"

Lorelai smirked. "Hopefully you won't find it so odious as that." Her robe slid down her body, piling on the soft carpet at her feet. "Matter of fact, this only works if you're willing, and a equal participant."

Elina's crimson eyes gazed adoringly up and down Lorelai's gradually naked figure. "Am I... going to have to undress as well...?"

Lorelai smiled, her frail heart thundering as Elina's eyes roamed her body. "Yes dear."

"Oh, well..." she turned to her servitor. "Go hide in my bathroom or something." It did so immediately, and she turned again to Lorelai, flushing deeply. "Okay..."

She undid the ribbon that held the collar of her riding dress, then undid the top buttons to finally reveal her frilly underwear and adorable cleavage. Her fair skin shone in the light pouring through the window as she took off the shirt and proceeded with her skirt. Her heart pounded in her chest. Was the initiation ritual really going to be... lovemaking?

"Just so you know..." she said, covering herself demurely with her arms. "I'm still... a maiden."

"I'd always assumed as much." Lorelai quickly finished removing her undergarments, tossing them on top of her fallen robe. She paused to survey Elina's body greedily. "Fortunately I've learned from the Demon Lord of Lust how to deflower a maiden, so you needn't fear. Much."

She moved to the front of Elina's large canopy bed. Pausing to pull the curtain closed she proceeded to crawl towards the adorable witch she'd be defiling in the next few minutes. Her steel grey eyes twinkled with barely repressed lust as they bored into the crimson of Elina's. She pressed her chest against the girl's arm as the drew her lips close to Elina's ear to whisper. "Now, are you going to finish with your undergarmets Elina? Or should I?

Elina said nothing, but instead hefted up her frilly bra to reveal her cute breasts, before moving her hands down, wrapping her fingers around the hem of her panties, and pulling them down. She let the garment pass through the stump of her left leg and simply let it dangle from her right as she opened herself entirely to Lorelai, revealing her soft and mildly glistening womanhood. She was blushing furiously at this point. Lorelai was so close...

"Good girl." Lorelai's voice was humid as she crawled over on top of Elina. She'd damn herself with what came next, but it was just to easy to give in. "Now, darling, let me show you what I've learned from the Demon of Lust."

---

At the end of it, Elina was thoroughly exhausted, panting her breaths in and out of her lungs. Lorelai proved to be a real demon, a dominator in the sheets, and even growing a male tool halfway through somehow - apparently it was necessary to complete the scandalous ritual. But it was over now, and the moon was high in the nighttime sky, and they were both embracing each other tightly under the blankets, sharing warmth. Elina's womb was filled with demonic seed and its walls absorbed the invading essence readily and without question. As infernal energy wrapped around her body and soul, and penetrated her marrows so that they would produce new, hybrid blood, the silver-haired witch fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, so incredibly, and undeniably, content.

Lorelai stared at the purple silk of Elina's canopy. Elina was tucked tightly into her side, her head resting comfortably on Lorelai's shoulder. She could feel the warmth of the girl's soft, slow breaths as she slept. Lorelai's hand roamed aimlessly up and down Elina's arm. This feels so familiar She thought to herself.

Her heart fluttered in her chest. Lorelai knew she'd damn herself with this, but what would be the greater sin? Allowing Elina to languish? Or to allow Elina dangerously close to the place in her heart where Vespa had once reigned?

"Vespa..." Lorelai whispered softly. "Is it... is it okay if I fall in love with your sister?"

Vespa of course could not answer, and neither the darkened room nor the sleeping Elina had any wisdom to offer. Tears welled in her eyes as the turned to grace the top of the silver-haired girl's head with a kiss. "I suppose it's too late to ask now isn't it?... I'm sorry love."

Lorelai's eyes slowly closed, as she gave herself over to the all too familiar warmth of a lover's rest.

Ang, Mat, Medusa, Saen.

Mat was not having a very good day. While he had started off quite well with murdering a witch and getting closer to the murderer, the rest of the events hadn't gone so well. First the mountain bear lion thingy almost tearing him apart, then the witches arriving (and gotten that damned snake crab on his neck), and now he was arriving at a castle where their coven was located. All in all, a very sour turn of events.

The hunter stumbled again as he hit a rock that he had missed seeing, but supported his weight with his spear before he fell to the ground. Giving a slight cough Mat continued walking and looked past the end of the forest where he could see the castle emerging into view. “Nice place,” he commented, giving a low whistle and smiling at Ang. “I'm sure it's just as warm as your heart.”

"Hmph." The snort came from Saen's lips. She wanted to peer inside the hunter's head, but was afraid of what she might find. Dead and dying witches, slain without having committed any harm to their fellow humans. So she simply put her hand on his back and marched him forward.

Ang gave the boy a look that would make the head nun at a Catholic school pround. "Let's just drop you off and be done with you," she said, grabbing the back of the Mat's shirt and dragging him to the front of the castle. She pushed open the door and called in . "Medusa M'love are you home? I bare...news..."

Medusa smiled as she heard Ang's voice echoing through the halls. Closing a dusty tome she drew herself to her feet. "Ang, dear? What ha-" Her sentance came to an abrupt halt as she turned the corner to see Ang and Saen, with a... hunter in tow.

"Saen, lovely to see you as always." She nodded to the serpentine witch before eying up the prize they'd brought her. "Ang, darling, you shouldn't have." She smirked.

"No, she should have." Saen reared up on her coils. "This hunter was badly injured by one of Angharad's beasts. She owes him her ministrations until he is restored to health. What is more, I personally promised him safe passage until such time as his wounds were better. I refuse to have you force me to go back on my words, Mistress Bloodrose."

Mat stared over at the new witch, figuring that it was their leader. At that moment he had a very strong desire to hurl his spear straight at her heart, but the only thing that stopped him was the crab snake wrapped around his neck. Her eyes already seemed to brand him as a pretty object, yet the snake witch argued that Mat was to stay unharmed. Dissension within the coven? Interesting… he thought as he listened into the conversation while supporting himself with his spear.

"I think he should have moved out of Oz's way," said Angharad, glaring at Saen out of the corner of her eye. "Seems like a much easier solution than to 'take care of him' and frankly, I think he is simply lucky I chose not to use him for parts," She finally let go of the boy and chose to wrap her arms around Medusa instead. "M'love, Saen is correct, she did offer him safe passage. And he can be safe here," she then paused. "Forever, if he pleases you that much, he has...after all, now seen the castle,"

Medusa smirked as the urge to laugh nearly overwhelmed her. Ang was pretty good at surprising laughs out of her, the woman was delighfully insane. Perhaps that's why Medusa found herself fascinated by her. "We'll figure out something I'm sure. If nothing else Saen can remove all memory of our abode and we can have a servant leave him in the woods." She turned to the man. "First though I'd like to hear the story of how all this came to be, it seems like it might make for an interesting diversion from an otherwise busy schedule."

Mat looked over at the lead witch, giving a slow nod. “Unfortunate circumstances lead to this negative outcome. I was doing my normal hunter duties, hunting a witch that was ever so elusive. Never found
her unfortunately, but I suppose you're glad that I didn't,” he explained, not even looking at her anymore and instead viewing the surroundings. Any chance of escape or alerting the other hunters would be a godsend.

"Really?" Saen idly wrapped a coil around the hunter's ankle, suddenly worried. In her experience, if someone told you two different stories, it was almost certain that neither was true.Had they been found out? "I remember you sssaying something about visiting an old friend. Which is it, dear Hunter? And don't bother lying; if I catch even the slightest hint of an untruth, I will tear the secrets from your mind myself."

Mat realized that he made a rather large mistake when he heard the snake witch speak. "Well shit," he muttered to himself, then turned to the snake witch. "Ah ah ah, excuse me I said acquaintance, not friend. Certainly not friend. Just a witch I've been tracking that's taken me a while to find," he said, telling the truth but purposely being vague. "Like I said, had some assistance from others to find this place."

"Tell use then, little lost hunter," said Ang. "Who is this person of which you are looking for? I assume you know the name," She then turned and whispered into Medusa's ear. "My love, I grow tired of this creature. Let us be done with this quickly so I can show you how much I adore you," She nipped the witches ear, clearly having lost interest in Mat.

Heat rushed to Medusa's face as she barely prevented herself from blushing. Ang was certainly crazy, did that make her crazy too? Never mind that, other things at hand. "Indeed little hunter."

The hunter felt backed into a corner from all the questions. Stupid, stupid. You forgot your own bloody story, he thought, angry with himself. He could see Ang already forgetting about him, focusing on the lead witch. Well, I suppose now before anything. "Spoon feeding information has never been my liking, but I don't really like how this conversation is going." With that Mat twirled his spear and hurled it at Ang, then unsheathed his dagger and stabbed up towards the crab snake that was wrapped already his neck.

Medusa's eyes widened at the hunter's sudden movement. The air cracked as a word of power slipped from her mouth, coverting ambient energies into potential, and potential into action. The dagger clattered to the floor as its owner was flung fifteen feet into the air, crumpling against the stone wall of the large entry room. "None of that! After Saen went through all the trouble of ensuring your life! Hunters will never learn will they?"

Meanwhile, Saen reached out an arm, and a wave of telekinetic force shoved the flying spear aside from Angharad by half a hair. "You fool! For all your hatred of witches, you clearly have no idea of our ways. We hold hospitality as a sacred covenant... a covenant you have just violated. We will have our answers now, and if we do not like what we hear, you shall not leave this room alive!"

Saen grabbed Mat roughly by the head and began searching through his thoughts. She could have been subtle enough that he wouldn't know she was doing it, but right now, she simply didn't care, nor could he do anything more than slow her down. After a few seconds, she had the information she was looking for. "He was speaking the truth, if not all of it. He seeks a witch named Phagora, who killed his father."

Ang let out a blood curdling scream as she watched another one of the children fall to the floor. She raced across the floor and picked the creature up,cradling the creature in her arms. Her breath slowly became more rhythmic as she glanced up at Mat, nothing but hate in her eyes. "Saen, unless you wish to be joined to that....creature forever....I suggest you move away from him," She stood, the dead snakecrab hanging from one hand, walking closer to Mat, ready to make him wish he'd never been born.

Mat didn't like the option he chose, but he figured that was obvious. The very least he had wanted accomplished was Ang getting skewered but even that fantasy was wiped away when he realized Saen had telekinetic powers as well. Damn fool, should've waited longer, he thought sadly. While he had little doubt Saen would keep her promise and the others would've supported it, he figured at least one would care little in the end. Besides, killing Ang would've been really satisfying.

The hunter looked down at the floor where his dagger was, wanting to hold it in his hand and slice his own neck before they could try anything. No use now, now you just try to survive without Ang getting to you. He yelled out as he felt Saen going through his memories, looking for the information they wanted. "Phagora, that's her fucking name, and it took me until just a few days ago to find it." Mat could see Ang approaching him now, obviously angry. OK Mat, actually come up with a good plan right now before she turns you into a raving mad manbearpig. Now now now now now. Suddenly Mat had a semi-idea that was probably terrible. "Lovely Ang, you want to turn me into one of your children? Such a good idea, I always wanted a mother! I'll be such a good son, especially with my track record of killing two siblings already!"

Medusa watch the scene in mild amusement, only pausing to wince when she realized how much the death of... the snakecrab had hurt Ang. She was fond of her creations, Medusa... less so, but she was fond of their creator. Funny how things like that work. She thought about intervening, but as far as she was concerned the boy had consigned his fate.

Her eyes widened as a thought struck her. "Hunter... Join me against a rival witch, and you live. Don't and die. No bargaining, that's what's on the table."

"Are... are you sure about this, Medusa? We offered him safe passage, and he struck at us nonetheless." A chill crept into Saen's voice. "By all rights, the penalty for that is death, and a slow, agonizing one at that. Are you going soft on us, Mistress?"

"Hardly." Medusa chuckled. "You know as well as I do Lorelai will rip him to shreds in seconds, I just want to offer him the chance to try. It could be fun after all."

Ang shot around and glared at Medusa and for a moment looked as though she was ready to strike her lover down on the spot for the even the thought of taking away her prey. After a moment passed, Ang relaxed her face and gave Medusa a smile. "M'Love, if it is hunters you crave, I'll fetch you more. Better ones, even, there is a least one girl I know of who will please you. Just let me destroy this one and I will bring you a thousand,"

Mat looked at all three of the witches as they discussed among themselves about what to do, slightly disappointed that a fight didn't erupt between them. If he could reach his dagger, Mat would've probably just slit his own throat right then and there. "Bastards," he muttered as they kept talking with each other. Neither offer Medusa gave him sounded good. Either he just die or he die while trying to murder a witch that pissed off some other witch. "Bloody fucking lovely." When there was a pause in their discussion Mat called out, "So I pledge service to you, go off and try to murder some other bloody witch, then die in agony in a matter of seconds? Sure, sounds great, here's my response." Mat, though upside in the air, held up his middle finger towards her. "I pissed you off, I didn't get my revenge, and I tried to murder your sex partner or whatever she is to you. I'd slit my own throat if I could actually reach it but I can't, so please do it for me!"

Medusa shook her head, disappointed by the hunter's unwillingness to compromise, and more than a little surprised by the stark-raving madness he'd displayed. Turning to Ang she shrugged. "Do what thou wilt love, but if I see that look in your eye again we'll have troubles dear." With that she turned to leave the hunter and witches to their, most likely lethal, devices.