*Zeta kinda understands, but is still creeped by the fiant kitty.*
Zeta: I know, and thank you, I guess. But next time I do this myself.

---

*Eustace walks along, not really paying much attention to Beatrix or the others, and is eventually interfepted by Vaseraga, who he speaks to about destroying the portal and other stuff. Vaseraga looks back at the group and frowns underneath his helmet, but doesn't say anything.*

---

*Beatrix smiles at Lecter and unsheathes her sword, which continues glowing with the aura.*
Beatrix: Hai! Primal Beast blood and ancient technology! Pretty neat huh?
*She then looks up at Horus and giggles.*
Beatrix: Nezzy is a big bird. Duh.
*She doesn't notice John looking at her,so he can perv all he wants.*

*Xan looks a little downcast*
Xan: Okay... Sorry...
*She helps deliver the lumber to the kitchen then turns back into human form. She sits quietly, watching Zeta work once she starts repairing the roof.*

*When Taboo hears Xan and the other two women coming she quickly darts out of sight, knowing that Taboo would recognize her*

*Horus smiles slightly at the infectious giggling*
Horus: A big bird huh? Then what was that comment about a mask?

*Lecter inspects the weapon and nods*
Lecter: What exactly is a primal beast? Why are they so important?

*Finnick and his companion reach the door presumably after Xan and Co get inside, and he swings the door wide open. He walks in while whistling, and looks around*
Finnick: Interesting tavern.

*The elf frowns and stands behind and to the side of Finnick*
Elf: Looks more like a home. We're trespassing, then.
*She has no idea why she's saying this, as Finnick would be fully aware of that, and frankly wouldn't give a damn*
*The Elf looks around the room for any occupants while still frowning*
Elf: Hope they aren't violent.

*Iris and Hanna are snoozing peacefully on a couch nearby the door*

*Taboo sneaks out of the kitchen only to run into the Elf and Finnick. She pauses for a moment, then smiles disarmingly at them both*
Taboo: Hello there...
*She looks them over curiously*

*Finnick smiles at Taboo and bows his head*
Finnick: Hello, sweetheart! Does this place seek alcohol and possibly grilled food?

*The Elf gives a small smile and bows her head as well, yet remains silent for now*

*Taboo smirks at being called 'sweetheart'*
Taboo: I know there's alcohol, and that it's excellent quality... I don't know about grilled food though, I could go for some fish...
*Her stomach growls and she smiles and laughs charmingly.*
Taboo: See?! I'm Taboo, and you are?
*Despite her friendly demeanor and charm, her eyes are icy cold*

*Zeta puts a hand on Xan's shoulder before she sits down and smiles.*
Zeta: Nothing to be sorry about, you were a big help.
*She stands up as tall as she can, and starts dry-fitting the boards to see which ones fit the hole, and which ones need to be doubled up to cover the massive ass hole. She frowns while she looks for a hammer and/or nails, and eventually finds some out of convenience because holes need to be plugged. She spends a fair bit of time hammering the wood into the hole to cover it, and then when she's about 50% of the way through, she decides to take a break sits down where she usually sleeps, and covers her head in a hand-towel, then sleeps.*

---

*Eustace and Vaseraga join the others eventually, and wait for them to get going, neither of them talking one bit cause they're serious now.*

---

*Beatrix nods at Horus several times, then smiles again.*
Beatrix: He was a human that dressed like a bird. Feathers and all. We called him Big Bird cause he thought he could fly.
*She then lets go of her sword, which simply floats there, then returns to its sheathe by itself. She looks over Lecter, both checking him out, and trying to find his weapons, or any hidden weapons, then shrugs.*
Beatrix: Big beasties imbued with the ancient power of the Astrals' which we kill and absorb said power into our weapons, empowering them and blah blah, boring stuff. I just poke things until they die. The beasts are important cause they're meant to both protect islands and be their destruction, so we choose the baddies and leave the goodies to their own business. Whadda'bout you? You just finished attending a funeral? Might explain the black overdose, sweety.

*Lecter smirks, and has his arm blades and M1911 holstered/sheathed, and Karma is in his left hand, which quietly glows a dark purple*
Lecter: I'm a Devil Hunter. I just wear this because it's good on the road. I spend most of my time there, when I'm not killing whatever Hell spits up.

*Finnick returns the smile, and he notes the coldness in Taboo's eyes*
Finnick: Booze is a good start. Then I'll see if I can find a wench to get food for us. Oh, and the name is Finnick.
*He looks around the room while still smiling*
Finnick: This place see any Qunari? Tall, strong fellows with horns. They like to talk about their Empire a lot. Ooh, how about some dwarves?

*The Elf just rolls her eyes at Finnick's banter*

*Xan smiles slightly*
Xan: Oh! Okay! I am glad to be help!
*She watches Zeta curl up to sleep and gets up herself. She goes into the lounge and grabs several blankets before returning to Zeta and tucking her in.*
*Xan then takes a blanket of her own and curls up the corner of the kitchen*

*Horus stares at Beatrix for a few moments*
Horus: ...That sounds... bats#&@ crazy to be honest. Did he try jumping off high things?

*Taboo grins and turns, shaking her hips playfully*
Taboo: Come then, let's gets something to drink. Have you been traveling long?
*She pauses for a moment then shakes her head*
Taboo: No, I've not seen anything with horns here. How big are they?

*Jillian sits outside, and watches the forest. Her face is unreadable, as she stares off into the storm.*
*She then pulls out a cigarette, and lights up.*
---
*John stops staring, and starts walking a few paces behind Vaseraga and Eustace.*
John: Welp hopefully that magic hurts the singu beasts.
*The strange nervous feeling starts to come over him, causing his palms to itch. He still smiles, but it's not really heart felt.*
John: Let's... keep moving...

----
*Sasha spends her time taking off her armor, cleaning it, and doing whatever repairs she can. She wears her white body glove, and the optics part of her helm as she works.*

*Finnick shrugs*
Finnick: Long enough to get a drink. Come on, Elewynn, let's go spend the coin we definitely got legally.
*He chuckles, and follows after Taboo, with his eyes following her hips*
Finnick: And they're about seven to nine feet tall. But trust me, a good hit and they'll still go down.

*Elewynn (The Elf) just follows after Finnick, not quite feeling safe in the Room, and she keeps an eye out for exits*

*Taboo grins to herself and walks to the bar, taking herself another serving of blood-red wine. She perches delicately on the barstool and pats the seat next to her*
Taboo: Come Finnick, sit, let's talk. Where have you been traveling from?
*She casually sips her drink, enjoying it.*
Taboo: So these... creatures, enemies of yours?

*Finnick laughs and shakes his head, and he orders a rum*
Finnick: No, not enemies. I use some as mercenaries sometimes, when I can find the ones that don't serve their Empire. They're a bit of a split race, sometimes. But better than Humans, I guess.
*He shakes his head again, this time more vigorously*
Finnick: I've been travelling all over. Teverian Empire, Orlais, Ferelden, name it, I've probably been there.

*Elewynn orders some champagne and looks over at the pair*
Elewynn: Even when the Chantry is there. We'll still visit.
*Finnick smirks*
Finnick: Especially when the Chantry is there.

*Taboo nods*
Taboo: Mercenaries? I'm afraid I don't have much experience with people like that, my father doesn't trust random hired on help.
*Taboo tries to feign knowledge for a few moments before just giving up*
Taboo: I'll be honest, I don't know a single one of those places. Have you ever been to Norsica? Teutland?
*She lists off a few more names of places, none of which Finnick has probably heard of unless he's done some Universe hopping*
*She looks over Finnick's shoulder at Elewynn*
Taboo: Oh? That's this chantry?

*Finnick frowns*
Finnick: Those don't ring a bell. Maybe the natives call them something different.

*Elewynn sighs, regretting that she mentioned the Chantry*
Elewynn: They're a religious group. I... used to be one of them, before Finnick helped get me out. The way they treat their mages is-
Finnick: -Utterly shit.

*Taboo shrugs*
Taboo: I think we're not from the same place Finnick.
*She then looks back at Elewynn*
Taboo: Wait... mages? Like Shamans!?
*She takes a moment to process this then drains her glass and refills it*
Taboo: How did you get out?
*She's stopped faking anything, and is genuinely interested*

*Zeta remains asleep for a while.*

---

*Eustace and Vaseraga follow the group, neither conversing with each other, nor anybody else.*

---

*Beatrix giggles at Horus, and shakes her head.*
Beatrix: He had a fear of heights. So nah.
*She then turns to Lecter with a look of slight disbelief, but considering what she's seen in her life, hell and devils seem pretty likely.*
Beatrix: Souka... sounds like fun! Get to dress like a mourner too, so that's always fun!
*She then follows the group as well, conversing when talked to, and making comments about stupid things like the weather being gloomy and cloudy.*

*Lecter nods*
Lecter: Kicking a Devil's ass is fun. Sadly or not, there's a chance you'll see one if you keep hanging around. There's a certain one at large, and I haven't been able to get him to bite a bullet yet.

*Elewynn bobs her head back in forth in the 'so-so' gesture*
Elewynn: Shamans are a type of mage. They normally trained their mages to be healers, or elemental ones.
*She sighs and drinks from her glass*
Elewynn: I was about to undergo the Harrowing. They send your soul to the Fade, and you have to kill a demon. Except, I didn't see a demon, but Finnick.
*Finnick nods*
Finnick: I was trying to see if I could use the Fade to teleport. Didn't work, but I accidentally projected my soul into the Harrowing test.
*Elewynn shoots a glance at Finnick for cutting her off, and he gestures for her to continue while he goes back to his glass*
Elewynn: He already killed the demon, so I returned to my body. But not before we had a little chat. Later that day, Finnick attacked the Circle fortress, with the help of some dirty Templars. He took me out of there in the chaos, along with some other supplies. I've been with Finnick ever since.

*Jillian sits outside, and smokes her cigarette.*
*She watches the storm as if her gaze alone will eventually destroy it.

---
*Sasha keeps working on her armor, cleaning and repairing ever inch of it.*

---
*Gradually the group gets closer to the epicenter of the storm, as they travel the flashes of red lightning, and the boom of thunders get louder and more frequent.*
*John is completely on edge, and quickly looks around for any threats when finally he spots one of them. One of the floating creatures, seems to expose itself from behind a tree. It's Horizontal mouth opens displaying it's rows of needle blue teeth, and it's three digit hand already glows with red energy. The creature makes a high pitched screech, and a series of roars, shouts, and other unnatural things answer it.*
John: Shut that thing up!
*John fires his quad barrel, and misses, only grazing the tree next to the creature.*

*Horus frowns*
Horus: A fear of heights? Then why on earth did he dress up as a bird? What he just insane?

*Taboo nods*
Taboo: My father is a shaman... but I think the kind you mean and the kind he is are very different...
*She things her the story*
Taboo: The fade? What is this?
*She's unconsciously leaned forwards, eager to hear more, her glass of wine forgotten in her hand*

*Horus takes aim with the lance and pulls the trigger, which is tiny in his massive grip*
Horus: Let's see what this thing can do...