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He knew he probably should have told her the truth, but a part of him had been yelling no way! There wasn't any chance she would have believed him anyway, especially since he had kind of hinted at it, and all she had asked was if his parents were fans of the Myth of Four or something. He had tried to tell her the truth, but he kept putting it off, not saying anything. This whole thing was messing with his head, and he was just sitting there arguing mentally with himself, but that didn't matter. He had more important things to do with his time that morning, involving a certain Witch who he found to be very annoying, and this time, he was planning on leaving with Tate too.

Outside of the observatory, he thought of how he could make his entrance, since he was pretty sure only Tate would actually recognize him for who he is, so maybe nothing to weird like popping up in a swirl of stars or something. No, he was going to do the direct approach. Now, considering how he looks, most people think he is weak, doesn't have any sort of strength or muscle, but they were very wrong with that. Bruce lifted up his foot, and kicked the door, easily busting it open, "Here's Brucey! Hey there Tate, now where is this pesky Fleur whose here, need to have a conversation with her involving your sisters," he said, glancing around the group, until he looked at Fleur, glaring.

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Valda had been freaking out during the night, during the riots. She had no idea what to do, or anything like that, this was all still fairly new to her, and it sounded like this sort of thing didn't really happen all too often. The sounds of the people marching through the streets or something, burning and killing a lot of people, it freaked her out to be at the center of all of it. Peter Wylie's death didn't help matters at all, since it looked like things were about to get a lot worse.

"...So there was no one left there?" she asked, a little freaked out. The fact that no one else that she knew from the Witches was alive was troubling for her, it saddened her to know that. She wasn't too greatly concerned with Jadis' death, after all, she was planning on only using her for power from what she knew. "...And the device... Guessing there was no way to recover it?"

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The riots had certainly been a noisy and loud affair, since she just so happened to be caught right in the middle of where most of the riots were occurring. At least she lucked out somewhat, since no one broke her door down or something to get inside and burn the place to the ground or kill her. Though that kind of had been the least of her problems, since that sort of thing had gone by rather quickly, and was gone in an instant.

Oh no, her main problem was those dang ghosts! They were constantly coming and going through her room without any regard for her! Though she couldn't fully blame them, after all, the odds of them running across a Spirit Seer were pretty slim, so there wasn't much she could really do about it, so she hadn't really gotten much sleep. She had nothing really better to do, and decided to get out of the Ramblings, at least for a little while, in order to get some fresh air. So she made her way towards Wizard's Tower, figuring that maybe there was something entertaining going on there or something.

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Riots were annoying business, Rhys noted with some disdain. He had slept through most of them, seeing no reason to monitor such things. Though he did hear a good bit of news from his tenants as they worried and wagged their tongues in speculations. The Winking Duck Tavern was in flames- or had been. A shame if the wizard ever noted one. Though his feelings were more for the tavern than those who died from the blaze. Leaning against the wall of his home, Rhys gave a dark chuckle at the thought of the mob being so stirred they were tossing their targets through windows. Had he been more able, the Rogue Wizard would have been in the midst working subtle magyks to make the mob set torch to the poor sods. Better though, that he was holed up in his home for the time being.

But that was not to say he was idle. He had managed to get a bit of work done via the way of scooping up a young lad going by Boy 784. With Tom within the prison scratching out 'Esren made me do it', Rhys had also attempted to ease the poor lad's suffering. He would need a Wizard to aid him after all. Managing to clean the boy's ragged nails and wrap him in a straight jacket he had conjured from magyk lest the lad do more harm to himself. Running a hand through his reddish brown hair the man studied Boy 784 having hauled the lad into his home and thrust a make shift soup into the boy's hands. "Lad's suffering from some darke magyk, I'm working on dispelling it." The rogue wizard roughly informed his charge. While a smile would do nothing to comfort this boy, a rough yet caring demeanor would help."Won't do calling yourself some number in these times lad. Can't go calling yourself lad either." Rhys fully expected the humor to be lost on the boy.

Running his hand over the tools of his trade he studied the boy with sharp eyes. Not hiding the fact he was not exactly lawful nor a man who was dangerous in his own right. Rather Rhys hoped this openness with the familiar setting of ruthlessness would put the Young Army boy at ease. Taking a set of pliers, the rogue set about making a mixture that would make those who ingested it or worked it into their blood stream quite ill. The bubbling of the solution filling the small loft of his 'home'. "I'd appreciate it if you mind your manners, boy, and not go mentioning this home of mine to others. Or myself for that matter." He had been keeping a carefully eye on the lad and the doors and windows were barred shut with magykal locks. More of his habit than to keep the boy in. Giving a growl at the potion, he tilted his head as he studied the lad who he had dumped on his bed. "Severus." The green eyed wizard noted with a chuckle. "Call yourself that, lest you remember your name from before they snatched you?"

Waving a hand to dismiss the answer, the Rogue Wizard studied the boy- Severus- with a thoughtful look. "No, don't tell me unless you truly wish to. I won't force it out of you. Rather I have an option for you, what with this rioting mob looking for you and your friends." Oh, the chance was too good to pass up and better yet? He wouldn't do it like those fools did! Let the younglings be innocent and not become hardened soldiers! Not unless they had a knack. Rather they would be better eyes and ears than an army. A flock of birds to twitter to the hand with bread. And whose hand would be better than his? Rhys was careful to keep this from his face as he frowned at the potion, adjusting a bit of this and that as it distilled correctly. "I'm looking for an apprentice or two. It'll keep you from that riot. It's not safe, I won't lie on that. But I'll feed you, make sure you get clean clothes, treatment if your ill, protect you best I can. Just follow my instructions and, hell lad, you could stop it and make a decent living like a honest folk. Only thing I ask is that you keep your ears sharp for me." Studying the boy, Rhys watched for any give away. Any desire that he might play upon. "Listening gets you a lot more than mindlessly following orders. Ferreting out answers as well." It was a dangerous game, but Rhys was feeling better.

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Myth woke up as Bruce prepared to leave. She had a wonderful night with him. Far better than she had originally anticipated. And better yet, he provided her a home away from the danger of those riots. She hoped there wasn't too much damage, though she feared for the worst. She laid in the bed, comfortable and unwilling to get up, but she knew she had to eventually.

She rolled out of bed and put on a shirt. She remained barefoot as she walked around the room. She couldn't help herself, she was curious as to who Bruce was. Would he be mad if she explored? Maybe the twins would give her a tour? They seemed to like to tease him. She crept out of the room and looked around. She was excited and nervous. She never felt this way before. She felt a tingly-ness in her stomach. Another new feeling.

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Fleur sat at the table, sipping a delicious cup of tea. She nipped at the fruit provided but didn't much care for it. Instead, she waited for this man that Jezebel warned her about. A man did come in, but it was Antonije. "I would have thought you would be happy to see us to bring a bit of excitement in your dreary life, dear. And thank you for the hospitality." She added a bit of snark. She could do worse, but he was Constance's family and she would not do such a thing.

Before she could finish her cup, the door exploded open and a man walked in. A rather droll looking (but kind of handsome) man. Fleur glanced up and finished her tea before she stood and walked over to the man. He seemed to be familiar with her somewhat. "Petal, don't you find it incredibly rude to bust open someone's door before knocking. For all you know we could have been naked. Unfortunately for you, that is not the case. Now, I imagine you are the man my lovely friend told me about. I am Fleur, a pleasure I am sure. Now I am afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Bruce was it? And I do so hate being at a disadvantage, so why not come in for some tea and we can talk about your sisters." Truth be told, Fleur was ready. She didn't know why he was so angry, but she was not without some defenses of her own if he continued to be angry.

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@BlueSky44: Emperor Taj shook his head. "No...The Port Authority is going to seal off the building and monitor it, just in case one of the Port Witches attempts to return," he explained. Even though no one was left alive, there were still ghosts in the building from the battle. If they were lucky, they could travel there and see if one would Appear to them, that way they could question it. The more they knew about the events that had transpired, the better.

"The device was gone...I believe that we might be able to track it, but...Its nature is volatile - it will be some time to get a more specific location than a country," Taj added. He and Asha had been lucky the first time - they detected the device's presence in the Small Wet Country Across the Sea and with reports of Queen Meliscente's death, they had been almost certain it was there. "But Queen Valda...I think it is time we found your mother's ghost. Perhaps she knows who killed her." He doubted Queen Meliscente would appear. Castle Queens were notorious for being incredibly fickle about when they would Appear - even if it was to solve their own murder.

@BlueSky44: As Sylvi walks to Wizard Tower, the snow will practically form a layer on her head, though she would be used to the cold from where she grew up. Many residents of the Ramblings are either returning home after sheltering at the houses of extended family or leaving, checking on loved ones to ensure that they had survived the riots. Outside of the Ramblings is a depressing amount of new ghosts - Young Army members, some of which who do not even understand yet that they are dead.

As she approaches Wizard Tower, it's still on lockdown and largely sealed up. Yet as a Magyk user, she can request admittance - and see if the ExtraOrdinary Wizard grants it. One thing will stick out to her - one of the windows on the second floor appears considerably newer than the others, as if time had ceased to flow for it. The others seem ancient - yet this one is brand new.

@FantasyChic: (See Bruce's CS for a description of items in the home). The stillness of the home was broken, as not too shortly after Myth woke up, so did Medea. Medea shook her sister awake, Marya rolling over sleepily until Medea shoved her to the floor, waking her up. "So, did he tell you the full story? Or did he not mention anything more about his family?" Medea asked Myth as soon as she had found her, wearing plain clothes for sleepwear. Marya was right behind her, the twins' silver hair sticking up at angles as they hadn't brushed it yet.

"Did he actually sleep with you?" Marya then asked, smirking a bit. "I thought he was married to books..." Once more, Myth would note that their accent was from the Eastern SnowPlains - a country famous for their tension with the Land of Long Nights.

@mnkee@KazAlkemi: Asha's face fell slightly, as Amarantha asked to trouble her for a moment, yet it was understandable. The Castle was going through a period of turmoil and transition - their leadership would need all of the help they could attain. Yet it did not change the fact that she both pitied and disliked the deputy hunter. She was a victim and also complicit in the system that stole children from their families. "Of course," Asha said, giving Amarantha a smile.

"What seems to be the matter?" she asked. She imagined it had to do something with the decimation of the Young Army. Asha could only hope that Amarantha would dissolve it - perhaps take a command position amongst the Palace Guard - or raise a real army for the Castle.

@LadyRunic: Boy 784 looked at Rhys quietly, mulling over all of his words. He was skinny and the clothes he wore were two sizes too big for him, with his shoes tragically two sizes too small. He was only thirteen years old and at the mention of a name, he nodded slightly. He didn't know his true name - hardly anyone in the Young Army ever did - but not even his friends had called him 784. They had all died in Do-or-Die exercises over the course of the last year, causing him to have nothing left for him in the Young Army, convincing him to escape.

"...My friends called me Badger..." he explained. He wanted to take off his shoes but he was afraid that Rhys would scold him, no matter how much his feet ached. Even with his dark russet skin, the scars from years of Do-or-Die exercises were plainly visible on him. His eyes were two different colors - one blue, one green.

@KazAlkemi: As Cuyler walks from the Traders' Dock to the Winking Duck Tavern, the snow falls heavily. Most of the violence from the previous evening is covered by the snowfall, the wind threatening the formation of a proper snowstorm. Yet even amidst all of this darkness and tragedy, small children of the Castle play in the streets - streets that the night before had been witness to horrific acts. There is always a sense of balance. Luckily, the walk is a quick one. Inside the Ramblings, there's a single woman standing at the ruins of the tavern.

"I didn't do this, Cuyler," she said plainly. Kneeling down amongst the ashes, red energy swirled around her hand - Chaos Magyk - and the ashes began to dance in a figure eight. She shook her head and the shape changed, becoming a lowercase omega. "And I did not kill your family," she added, the energy fading from her hand. Something began to move amongst the ashes and there was a cough, as somehow, impossibly.....Halvor was alive! An instant later and the woman was gone, leaving Cuyler and a supposed dead man alone in the ruined tavern.

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"Go check on your apprentice, Arya," Rowland beckoned her, smiling a bit sadly. "Perhaps afterwards, we can see about assembling the Moot...It is difficult to find a problem that a room full of wizards cannot solve," he advised. The Moot had been started ages ago, in response to a stolen Wyrm egg - Wyrms were a nearly limitless source of Lapis Lazuli, a key element for Magyk and naturally abundant at the Castle as it turned out.

"I've never seen a Moot accomplish anything in less than a month - and that was to determine whose turn it was to bring tea," Arya pointed out, but she rose from her seat and ascended the stairs to the 21st floor. Atkin's room once had been her own, many years ago, and while she normally would have knocked, she found the door ajar and her apprentice surrounded by cats. She couldn't help but giggle slightly, feeling a bit more of the tension dissipate from her shoulders. "Somehow, I doubt you tried to," Arya mused. While normally she would have undid the Magyk for Atkin, it was a rather amusing result.

"Rowland is suggesting we hold a Moot...It's a gathering of the best wizards in the tower, in order to discuss the current situation and frame a solution...Yet I have another idea, if you would care to accompany me to the Manuscriptorium. I will not force you as...well, if I am correct in my thinking, I may need to perform a MindRead on Emperor Taj. It may very well be dangerous."

"The cats cannot come if you do choose to accompany me, unfortunately."

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Myrus still remained unconscious, yet there were no further explosions. Becky looked at him, fretting over him as she administered yet another potion designed with Physik to heal him. At this rate, she was rapidly depleting her stores and would need to send someone to the Forest to speak with Russel, a physician she trusted more than others. At least Princess Luna seemed to be stable - and if Becky were to be honest with herself, Luna's life was more of a priority than Myrus'. She was next in line for the throne - the throne that Myrus could never inherit unless appointed as regent.

"Don't trust her..." Myrus mumbled, tossing and turning. Becky put a cool compress on his head.

"Myrus Marcellus, calm down!" she insisted. She didn't wish to raise her voice towards a patient but she had no idea what was wrong with him. Queen Meliscente had been a rather private person and Becky hadn't worked for the previous ruler. She didn't know what sort of trouble to anticipate in the family history. "Princess Luna...Do you by any chance know your family history?" Becky then asked.

"...Golds..."

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"...Here's Brucey?!" Antonije mocked, staring at Bruce incredulously. "And here I thought you couldn't get any lamer," Antonije muttered underneath his breath. He was about to tell Bruce where Fleur was, having seen his abilities before and not wanting to push the demigod too much, but he located her relatively quickly all on his own. Jezebel panicked seeing the man in person, running towards the back room and it seemed only Constance and Bernice were brave enough to stand with the Witch Mother.

"Antonije, shut him down," Constance instructed. As much as she regretted that Antonije wasn't a warlock, he had been born with a gift. It was different than that of his sisters - a shame that she couldn't have collected the set - but he was still no less valuable. She wished that Antonije would adore her and the Cover - but she would settle for bitter resentment and mild obligation.

"...Fine," Antonije said reluctantly. He stared at Bruce and Bruce would feel a mild probing effect, but it was clear that Antonije wasn't really trying and Bruce would be able to resist easily.

"Antonije, now!" Constance snapped. She knew who Bruce was and didn't want him to stick around for tea. They couldn't afford another tragedy.

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The snow raged around Cuyler as he walked. Thia trotted along beside him, watching the children play within the snow. They threw snowballs and walked around sticking their tongues out until a snowflake stuck. It was peculiar to see such innocence amongst such destruction. Cuyler turned his head and walked a little faster.
He stopped in front of the tavern, seeing what used to be in complete ashes. The devastation was second to the woman standing in front of the destruction. There was a stillness about her as the snow seemed to part around her. A dark mass of hair slipped past her shoulders, framed by the snow that fell around her. The white stood out dramatically against the dark shape, seeming to form a crown even as the snow dusted the ground below their feet. She began speaking to him, knowing his name even though Cuyler did not recognize her at all. Thia however seemed to and she walked right up to the woman before sitting beside her. The Norwegian Elkhound watched as the woman's hands began to glow red and weave some sort of Magyk. Cuyler took a step back, watching all of this with a careful eye. The ashes she swirled continued to build and build, taking the shape of a man until it solidified and a man did indeed stand in front of Cuyler but it couldn’t be. Cuyler stumbled back, shocked. He hadn’t heard of death being reversed. That power belonged to a God, or perhaps a child of a God. The woman looked back at him before she disappeared.
A strange sensation worked through Cuyler, it was a mixture of elation and bewilderment. Cuyler knew the Gods existed, but to see one, to have one speak to him was something else. Snapping out of it he went to Halvor’s side. His hands came to rest on his face, examining him for himself. Thia barked happily, standing and wagging her tail at the very much alive Halvor.
”We need to get you back to Olaf,” Cuyler said. He took Halvor by the hand and pulled him along quickly to the Trader’s Docks.
Cuyler and Thia dropped Halvor off at the docks, not staying for long due to the fact that he still needed to get to Ayra. With a final look, grinning despite the situation, Cuyler walked back into the Ramblings and headed for Wizard Tower instead. The wind started to whip around him as they walked with an increased pace. Another storm was on the horizon but Cuyler felt positively warm. His friend was alive and the Gods were alive and well. Halley was not responsible for the destruction that had befallen the Castle last night and to add to it, she most likely knew who had brought death to his doorstep four years ago. Reinvigorated, Cuyler made quick work of getting to the Wizard Tower. He looked up at the tower, wondering how he would get admittance. When he looked back at the door he saw that he wasn’t the only one looking to get in. For a moment Cuyler thought it would be Halley again but the yellow hair threw that idea out the window. He walked up beside her and stared at the door.
”Perhaps the Magyk word is Open Sesame?” Cuyler suggested with a wry smile.

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A slow smile spread across Amarantha’s full lips when she saw a petite blonde open her door. She looked elated to see Asha at her door but her colour drained rather quickly at seeing Amarantha standing there as well. With one more admiring look at her, Amarantha turned her head back to address Asha.
”My commander left with you yesterday to investigate the whereabouts of that dragons’ egg. And you, were the one who held it,” Amarantha realized as she looked back at the woman standing in the doorway. What a fortuitous circumstance to have two people who had last seen Puck in front of her. ”I am under the impression that you were the last to see him alive. I want to know what happened.” Amarantha leaned against the wall beside the open door and looked between the women.
To anyone passing by, Amarantha was the epitome of calm but beneath the surface was a viper ready to strike. Sure she detested Puck, he had taken her from her mother but at the very least, he had provided a roof over her head and a bed to call her own. As his former Deputy Hunter, she owned him one final courtesy of getting to the bottom of his death and avenging him.
Being rooted in the Young Army the way she was brought her no regret. They made her who she was and they were the only family she cared to remember. That family, from what she understood from her medic, was now gone. She wanted answers. As for the fate of the those remaining in the Young Army, Amarantha included, that answer would come after she received hers.

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Lyra nodded her head stiffly in apparent agreement with the Deputy Hunter's recollection of yesterday's events, save for certain details. She bit her lip as she glanced over at Asha, who seemed similarly uncomfortable, though perhaps not to the extent that she was. She let out a ragged breath, turning back to face the interior of her bedroom in an attempt to hide the emotions that were plainly written on her face. Her gaze once again gravitated to the spot where she had helplessly watched Puck die. They say memories fade with time, but she doubted this one ever would. It would haunt her for the rest of her days, surely. Just as Puck's ghost would...

"The dragoness turned him to dust after he threatened the life of her child," she suddenly blurted out, as she turned back around to face the two women standing outside her door. She tried to keep her composure, but it soon cracked under the pressure, revealing the true regret she felt on the matter. "I regret, terribly, that I was unable to stop it from happening. I know my words are little consolation given the circumstances, but know that I am truly sorry." she continued, her voice laced with genuine emotion. She locked gazes with Amarantha, hoping that the woman would see by the look in her eyes and the emotion on her face that she meant every word she spoke.

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Luna froze for a moment as she started to feel a very weird and vivid sensation go through her entire body as she looked straight ahead in a slight daze. Seeing that she was in her mother's room, standing helplessly as she watched her mother start to wither and die in front of her completely helpless she couldn't even more to prevent it from happening. Then the memory or dream, whatever it was Luna wasn't even sure what she saw, was she there when her mother was murdered? Luna didn't know or had any memory of it she shook her head slightly and layed her head back down on the pillow.

Jumping slightly when she heard Myrus speaking again rolling over and then sat up slightly, seeing the state of her brother she felt helpless as to what she could do to help him. But he mentioned Golds again, Luna wasn't sure what to think whether or not she should try and contact Golds or not. But Myrus appeared to not be in the best mental state currently as Luna rubbed her eyes when Becky asked her about her family's medical history. Looking over at Becky as much as she wanted to tell her that she kept hearing voices in her head, but that would make her unfit to take the throne if that were to happen if Valda met an untimely death.

"Once every few generations in the family we will have some form of mental illness.." Luna finally answered looking over at Becky, Myrus right now appeared to be the mentally unstable one by the state he was in, and whatever the witches did to him. "Am I free to go?" Luna asked looking over at Becky, she felt better than she did last night and she still wanted to try and find out what happened to her mother as well.

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"I'd love to go with you to the Manuscriptorium," Atkin blurted out without really thinking. It really was an obvious choice for him. He could either spend all day sitting around listening to a bunch of fuddy-duddy wizards argued about things he already knew without making any real progress, or he could go out with Arya and maybe do something of worth that won't get forgotten immediately by everyone else. And perhaps while they were out, maybe he could convince her to let him go check on his family and make sure they were all ok.

It would be a shame that the cats wouldn't be able to come with him, but he expected as much. Atkin wanted to get up, but the cat in his lap was very soft and he didn't want to disturb it. He gently tried to encourage it to get up off of him, but it just purred and rolled over a bit. This would be quite the challenge to overcome.

"So you're going to the Manuscriptorium to look up that Mutant stuff that was mentioned yesterday, right," he asked, not looking away from the feline. The cat showed no sign of wanting to move anytime soon, but he knew they were fickle beasts. It'd get bored soon, right? But he had had plenty of time to go over the day's events again and again in his head. Luna was kidnapped through some means other than Magyk. Myrus suddenly creates an explosion in a very non-Magykal way. 'Oh look, a mutant.'

It all seemed to add up. Whatever these mutant things were, he had a hunch that they were going to become more and more common, and it'd be a good idea to learn about them now so you aren't defenseless against them later. There were a couple other things he imagined she'd want to look into at the moment, but as far as he could tell, mutants were the biggest unknown factor, thus the biggest problem to solve at the moment.

Even if it was for some entirely unrelated reason, he was curious as to what was in there. He'd tried to sneak in once or twice, but boy they had that place wrapped up tighter than Matilda's corset. He got as far as the front desk before getting turned away for not having any "real" business there. Attempts to the back didn't even get him through the back door. They probably had all kinds of good shit in there hidden from the rest of the Castle, and they'd probably let Arya see it, which meant he might be able to see by extension, which was a really exciting proposition.

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"Yeah, well growing up I watched a lot of stuff where something like that was the joke or whatever... You are too young to even have the slightest clue what it is I'm talking about. Oh, by the way, if you want to come by and see your sisters or whatever, feel free to. Hell, you could even stay with us if you want to, working on getting an actual house at the moment, could see about having one with a room that you could mess with your machines in. Oh, and Constance, let me just say that asking Tate to take me on is not a bright idea. Just saying. Anyway... Now on to the matter in which I decided to actually come here..." he said, before turning to face Fleur.

"I'm not all too fond of witches, though I did grow up with Magyk, as my sister and mother both use it... Anyway, I need you to let my daughters, Marya and Medea, out of your coven, oh wait... This isn't really much of a coven, and you are right, I was a bit rude, but I'm mad. Angry even since I turned my back for two seconds and my adopted daughters decided to go join a cult! Now, if you don't want to see what'll happen if I actually get even more pissed off than I am right now, then you'll let them out. Got it?"

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Valda nodded, listening to Emperor Taj as he spoke. It wasn't the nicest bit of information, the fact that the weapon used to kill her mother was still out there somewhere, but she supposed that it couldn't be helped. No matter what they did, something was going to slip through the cracks, and this time around, it was the object. She wished she knew what it was, it would have made things a whole lot easier if she did know. Then she'd at least be able to prepare for it, in case it was used again.

Hearing his second point, she sat rigged, hearing those words. Was she really prepared to seek out her mother's ghost? The thought had occurred to her numerous times, after all, her mother's ghost was likely still in her room. It made her wonder, what would she say to her? And what if she chose not to show herself? That last thought was what worried her most, what if her mother didn't want to talk to her. It couldn't be helped, and she took a deep breath before answering him, "...Perhaps you are right... Maybe it is time I spoke to her..." she said, nodding.

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There were so many new ghosts around, the ones who had all died during the riots. It saddened her slightly, seeing just how many there were, and with a lot of them being from the Young Army, they were hardly more than children. She couldn't help but look around them all as she went up to Wizard's Tower, wondering why people would do something like this, riot without any real proof of anything. It was very different from her own home, that much was certain, though she did appreciate the snowfall. She smiled slightly, but said nothing as she reached the tower.

The thing she hadn't expected was someone to walk up behind her and start talking. She jumped slightly in surprise, wondering if for a moment it was one of the many ghosts she had seen during the day, but when she looked at Cuyler, it was obvious that he was still living. "...I did not see you there... You kind of startled me... Anyway, I do actually know the password to get in, I'm a bard... What business brings you to Wizard's Tower might I ask?" she said, looking at him. He didn't look to be a Wizard or anything, it made her a bit curious.

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So the lad was called 'Badger', not a bad name per sey. Though it made a sorry cut with the boy in too big of clothes and too small of shoes. Giving the latter a glare, Rhys gave a small curse of annoyance at the Young Army's foolishness. Your soliders could do more when they were fed, clothed, and cared for properly! The Wizard's Tower was proof enough of that! "Shift the shirt, tuck the trousers, Change the cobbled monstrosity." Rhys muttered the spell under his breathe as he gestured at 'Badger's' clothing. The spell was simple as was the one that followed it. Cleaning and resetting the lad's clothing to a proper size.

"Won't lie on this fact, lad. You've the eyes of a witch and a wizard. A rare trait and I'd say it's best you stick about and learn from someone and those people in the tower don't give a toss about the rest of us down here if we aren't part of their research." Perhaps there was a bit of self preening there, but Rhys knew he was good at his trade despite his off day yesterday. Leaving the potion to quite literally stew for a time, Rhys turned about to study the boy. "Those friend still about? Or did the riot get to them?" There was a slightly raised brow to go with the question, but it was a minor thing of note. Rather Rhys pressed for an answer. "Lad, I do need an answer from you. You want to stick about and learn, or risk the streets to make it to Wizard Tower or some Orphange? I won't stop you, but I will seal your memories of this place. A precaution is all."

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Myth could only grin as the girls interrogated her. It was kind of cute how they wanted to embarrass their brother because she could also sense they cared for him. And she knew, based on last night, that he cared for them too. "Well, yes, we did, but that's hardly useful information. And, no, he didn't speak much about his family. I don't suppose you both are willing to share?" She was curious. She hadn't pegged Bruce for anything involving a castle, so it piqued her curiosity.

"And perhaps a tour of the place? I've nothing better to do, it seems." She wondered where Bruce ran off to. She didn't want to anger him, but then again, he shouldn't have left her alone. And he did say he would be back soon. She may as well tour the place a bit before then. She had a feeling she would need to know.

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Fleur held up a hand towards Constance. "Now, now. He is a guest. Apart from blowing our door open, which is quite the easy fix really, he has been nothing but cordial. No need to control him, just yet. Now, let us discuss matters." Fleur walked closer to Bruce. For no other reason than to have him within arms grasp, should she need to. But also, she did just wish to talk and didn't want any of the other witches to interfere.

"Marya and Madea eh? So you are their Father? Hmm, I can see the resemblance. However, I am afraid them leaving is no small feat. I cannot just break their "membership" as it were. I will say though that I am not some dictator or harsh ruler. Those under my care have more or less absolute free reign to do as they please, so long as they do not endanger the entire coven with their actions. I only ask they come whenever I need them, such as when we are attacked like we were not so long ago. I believe your daughters played a vital role in ensuring the safety of my flock, so I am grateful to them."

Fleur's eyes flickered with what appeared to be admiration. "Understand me, my lord. I mean no harm to your daughters and I can understand your concern. I assume they are with you currently? If that is the case, then I am glad they are safe and well and you can tell them they do not need to return here if they would rather stay with you. It is probably safer, anyway, given your not so thinly veiled threat. Now, if there is nothing else, I do have some other business to conduct today, such as repairing my door."

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@BlueSky44: Emperor Taj nodded at her, placing a hand on her upper arm and giving her a tight squeeze. It was never easy, dealing with the death of a parent, and she had had to experience it at such a young age. Perhaps it was easier that Valda never really knew her mother - or perhaps that made it all the more difficult. Time had been stolen from her. "I can tell you, Queen Valda, that the device that killed your mother...If it falls into the wrong hands, which I fear it has, it has the potential to shatter the laws of reality as we know...to an extent that even Magyk will fail to undo..."

It was a relatively soft warning, compared to what it could have been. In truth, the device could mean the end of existence itself if used improperly. As for the ghost of Queen Meliscente, she would have little choice but to be in the Queen's Room. A ghost must spent one year and a day at the location of their death - in this instance, the very room that served as Queen Valda's chambers. Whether or not Queen Meliscente would appear, it was hard to say. Yet the odds were slim at best.

@FantasyChic: "He and his family are really old, and I mean really old. His little sister prevents them from aging," Medea answered, only to be followed up by Marya a moment later. "She's cute but a bit annoying, I don't see why Tata lets her do that to everyone but be careful or she might do it to you too...Unless immortality is something you're after." There was a gust of wind and suddenly the girls were dressed for the day in winter tunics and cloaks, their hair brushed out. "Come on, tour time," Marya said with a smirk.

They were pleasantly in the kitchen/living room area. Bruce's Alchemie equipment was set up on the far wall, which the twins looked at with a dismissive wave of their hand. They kept chattering to each other in a foreign language, before they arrived at the door closest to the front door and opened it. "This is where Halley, Astrid, and Nova sleep when they come to see Tata," Marya explained. It was a pretty standard room set up, with a large wardrobe filled with clothes of three different distinct sizes and styles.

The room right next door, as Medea explained, was the room she and Marya slept in. It was rather plainly furnished as well, but the floor was littered with wrappers that seemed to be from stolen FizzFroot and other items. There was a healthy amount of prank items and on the desk were books on witchcraft. There was a single bed that the two of them shared.

@mnkee@KazAlkemi: Asha visibly grimaced as Amarantha brought up the subject of Puck. As far as Asha was concerned, there was nothing to say on the matter. The vile man had died - the scum was removed from the face of the planet. If anything, the shapeshifting family had done them a service. If they had not killed Puck, Asha herself may very well have if he continued much longer. In the Big Wild Land Over the Ocean, such behavior was not tolerated. The abduction of children and forcing them into an army...It was barbaric and inhumane.

Her irritation was only furthered as Lyra apologized for what had transpired. What knight, Asha had to wonder, sided with someone as sick and malicious as Puck? It made her feel queasy and she had to look away from Lyra. "That is correct," Asha said simply to Amaranatha. "He met a far kinder end than he deserved. Leave it at that."

@LadyRunic: Badger looked down at his shoes, wiggling his toes in amazement. His feet ached to do that, but there was no additional pain from the ill fitting garments anymore. The boy teared up slightly at Rhys' kindness. No adult had ever been kind to him before, especially not a stranger...Badger then grimaced a bit as Rhys asked about his friends. "No, sir...They died before the rioting..." Badger mumbled, looking Rhys in the eye as he had been taught.

The commentary about his eye color confused Badger. He didn't actually know the color of his own eyes. The Young Army hadn't been relatively fond of giving mirrors to children so that way they could examine themselves. His friends just told him that he had cool eyes - but witch and wizard eyes? That frightened him. The Young Army thrived on anti-Magyk propaganda, mostly aimed towards wizards. Witches were given a pass, likely due to Puck's sister being the last Wendron Witch Mother.

"I'll stay..." Badger whispered, just as Tom let out a death rattle scream in his confined area.

@KazAlkemi@BlueSky44: Alright, so Cuyler will not realize that's he is speaking to the lost princess of the Land of Long Nights - which is understandable, given that Sylvi is using a false name and not very many know what the royal family of the Land of Long Nights looks like. However, he will notice that one of the windows seems to be brand new on the second floor and there's scuff marks that look fresh on the stones - one of them even seemed to have been hastily replaced. He'll be certain without a doubt that someone snuck into the tower recently (within the last few days).

"Bards aren't real wizards," a ghost scoffed, floating inside of the tower, yet he only Appeared to Sylvi. Cuyler won't be able to see him. Furthermore, Sylvi will need to recite the password to the door in order to let the ExtraOrdinary Wizard know she is requesting admittance during a lock down. Cuyler can also press his badge against the door to cause a similar chain reaction. Either way, one of you let Arya know you want inside!

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Arya couldn't help but smile slightly at her apprentice's enthusiasm. It just reminded her more and more of why she had chosen to take Atkin on, rather than anyone with a more traditional Magyk background. He was curious and adventurous - the perfect qualities for a student - and kind and compassionate - something she prized in an individual. The cats still hadn't left him alone, continuing to swarm Atkin as if he was some sort of Cat God or a cat-whisperer. "Yes, but not just any records on mutants," Arya clarified. "My mother told me of the бесконачни каменци when I was a child, as did my Uncle Marcellus. These stories detail stones of power beyond measure...And as silly as it may seem, I believe that Asha the Magykal may have one of these stones." Her thoughts flickered back towards Asha's quick rebuff as to her necklace, despite the immense Magyk and power the purple gem radiated.

"It's been some time since the Big Wild Land sent any representatives to the Castle...Not since early in the reign of Queen Meliscente, after her own mother abdicated the throne - Queen Sarai," Arya added. "So that begs the question - why come now? Queen Meliscente's death I am certain was caused by a Darke Magyk, too faint for me to make out...Yet perhaps Emperor Taj or Asha the Magykal knows more as to Queen Meliscente's death than they are willing to disclose." It struck her as suspicious. If her assumptions were correct, Asha the Magykal had one of the бесконачни каменци. And perhaps, Queen Meliscente had been murdered with one as well...

"Run ever faster, return to your master," Arya recited, undoing Atkin's Magyk on the cats and they all fled the room in a single file line, exiting the 21st and 20th floors of Wizard Tower as they went back to their owners at top cat-speed. Arya had a slight smile on her face as she observed them leave. She then nodded at Atkin, motioning for him to follow her, as she descended the staircase to see Rowland trying to pet the cats before they sped out of the room.

"Rowland, Atkin and I will need to make a trip to the Manuscriptorium before the Moot," Arya explained, though she really had no intention of going to the Moot and trusted that Rowland would get more out of it than she could anyways. Rowland nodded, opening the door so that way they could leave with a twinkle in his eye, before he bent over and whispered into Atkin's ear:

"Be sure to ask Marcellus if he still needs help getting that stick out of his ass, it seems to be rather stuck," Rowland mused, only to catch a disapproving glare from Arya. She didn't want her apprentice to hear that sort of language! He then gave Atkin a wink, nodding encouragingly as he mouthed: Do it!

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Luckily, Becky was not going to be on her own for much longer. Earlier that morning, she had sent a pair of guards to the Forest, in order to seek out some assistance. Her own supplies were running low and Becky was just one woman. Myrus' condition was a puzzle to her, one that would be better resolved if assisted by another. Besides, this healer came from the Land of Mysteries itself - the Eastern SnowPlains - and perhaps would have an inkling as to what was going on. "Skaoi Silverveil should be here soon," Becky muttered under her breath, attempting to reassure herself.

Luna's information that the family suffered from mental illness every few generations did not help to soothe Becky's nerves. In fact, they inflamed them. She didn't know what was happening to Myrus and the realization that he was at risk for anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder...Luna hadn't been clear as to what...well, it was giving Becky a small bit of anxiousness herself. Skaoi Silverveil couldn't come soon enough. "No, I am afraid you may not leave you, Princess Luna," Becky said, looking at her with an understanding air.

Truthfully, however, Luna could leave if she wanted to. Becky couldn't legally keep her there - Luna was the Crown Princess and outranked everyone except for the Queen, the Chief Scribe, the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, and the Castle Alchemist. Myrus seemed to have stilled again in his slumber, still mumbling the same name over and over again in his sleep - "Golds...." It seemed that he was trying to tell them something - maybe Valda or Amarantha would know what to do?

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Antonije flinched slightly, taking a step away to avoid Constance's arm as she tried to take his hand. He gave her a sideways look, only to be met with a glare and he shrunk back even more, pulling slightly on his sleeve in an attempt to maximize the portion of his body that was covered up. Constance Langdon, his mother, just rolled her eyes at him, before she nodded at Fleur. "Let me know when you change your mind," she said sweetly, with a bit of a sick smile. "I've heard about...his kind...and well, they say pride comes before they fall. And they're full of pride, bursting with it."

"You do realize two seconds for you is a year for everyone else..." Antonije muttered. People tended to call him Tate. It was easier for them to say than Antonije. And truthfully, he didn't care, since he just wanted to be left alone anyways. They could call him Charlie, as long as they didn't bother him. "And fun fact, two seconds is also about how long you'll pretend you care about my sisters...." he added. He could feel Constance's eyes on him. He didn't think Bruce would actually take care of his siblings - he was wary of that at best.

Constance however smiled approvingly at Fleur's words. There was a reason a child so young had been made Witch Mother. Yet that did not mean she didn't expect him to react with violence, but she had a firm grip on Antonije and would ensure that he did what must be done. She'd make a proper warlock out of him one day - they could use one anyways, since Malekith had died. Antonije's eyes flickered over towards Constance again, his stomach twisting with anger and rage. He was terrified to leave her, as much as he wanted to. And at the same time, he wanted nothing more than to take the Charm from his pocket and throw it at her, setting her aflame.

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Rhys gave a solemn nod as the boy informed him of his friends' deaths. So the Young Army's harsh regiment got them first? Perhaps it was for the best, giving this lad a better opportunity to see things as Rhys desired him to. While his motives were mainly selfish, Asher wouldn't deny he did feel something of compassion towards the boy. Though he figured that compassion was mainly resolved to show his old mentor up one on how you were supposed to train an apprentice- in any field. However, Tom Meadow's scream split the lovely conversation. With a curse, Rhys raised his hand and cast a Scream Screen over the room.

Wasting no more time, he doused the fire beneath his brewing potion and rushed into the small cell to find Tom about to go into cardiac arrest and bless his luck- breathing. Gripping the young wizard, Rhys was at a lost. He did not know much of the ways of things as this though he did look sharply up at the boy. "Stay here and don't you dare touch that bloody potion. Read a book, be careful with them." Snapped the wizard as he began weaving several spells together. [color=Gold][b]"Read the mind of this here Mot. Cause this heart to beat strong and steady- not so fast yet none to slow."[b][/color] He could not help Tom, and he was loath to see a boy come to such harm- a thought that was unlike him a part of him noted. But Tom would serve him better alive. "Mot listen here and listen well. When body is healed and mind is well I set a Call upon you. Return to your parents home. Take the rent to the Landlord in person." It was a weak spell, but the last thing Rhys needed was his tenant's son dying on his floor.

All these troubled boys were making him go soft, the killer grumbled. "Disappear, Reappear, Somewhere else, Take me there, Take me to Palace Infirmary. Disguise my look to appear tall and fierce. Golden hair and eyes of black." Giving Badger one last warning look that he had best behave. But the room was gone a second later and he reappeared in the Infirmary with a snarl, hoping that he would appear menacing as a Darke Magyk user. Oh, it would stir things up, but the boy would get care for better and worse. If he engaged with a ExtraOrdinary Wizard? All the better to vent his rising irritation!

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Skaoi blinked as she looked about hopelessly at the maze of halls and different routes one could take. Her teeth nibbled on her lower lip as she hefted the small basket with her herbs and other equipment higher on her hip. The palace infirmary was about here somewhere, but she was partially terrified to ask for directions. Would it be considered rude and troublesome? She had received the plea for aid from the Healer Becky- or whatever they called such people! It seemed to very through the areas she had traveled through to escape the lies and horrors her brother had cast upon her reputation. Cringing at the old memory, Skaoi ducked her head as a pair of guards passed giving her a set of odd looks.

While she was not exactly pleased to be brought into Courtly matters that were far beyond her mere status, Skaoi could not exactly refuse. Stumbling through the door she gave a sigh of relief at finally have found the correct room. Bowing low to the two women, Skaoi's plain gown and veil looked oddly out of place in a Palace. Being just a little too plain against the finery of the halls and her surroundings. A time ago she would have walked through halls similar to these quietly directing servants and following the wishes of her family, but those times were long gone. The women from the Eastern Snow Plains straightened carefully, lest the basket spill out it's delicate contents. "I am terribly sorry for my tardiness, Your Highness, Healer. I am unused to this grand Palace and did not wish to disturb the work going on to see you both in comfort." Seeming to shrink within herself at the words, Skaoi gently set the basket off to the side.

But as her blue eyes locked onto the Prince her demeanor changed considerably. No longer did she shrink but stand tall- well as tall as she could. Striding over to his bed side she closed her eyes in quick prayer she might save this life yet. "The Dragon-woman who came to the Palace declared him a 'mutant', yes? Могао бих га спасити." Giving a smaller bow to Princess Luna she directed the Royal with the tone of any doctor in a dire situation. Authority- though hers contained a edge of timidness. "If Your Highness would be so kind as to write down the information she can recall about those mentally ill family members? Names, relations, the noted instances of it. Please, Your Highness, no detail is too small."

Laying a hand upon the boy's arm, the Healer reached within herself and focused on shutting his powers down. Releasing him upon noting no change, she nodded to herself more than the other two. "Your Highness- Prince Myrus-," Skaoi notably cringing at using such a familarity with royals, but it seemed something the boy was used to so perhaps it would put him at ease. That was the key with powers she had noted. Feeling safe helped with most anything especially when odd things were happening without your consent. "Your Highness, we respect your wisdom of this 'Gold' but to help others you must first help yourself. We must be able to understand you." Her voice was a small thing, but her no-nonsense edge she took with young patients was there. A tone that generally appeared around those who needed it. With the upmost care Skaoi began slowly questioning the boy as to how he felt and running her hands over his forehead and checking his eyes. While she respected Becky, her own examination was necessary. If she had called upon the woman, Skaoi would be insulted if Becky did not do the same upon her patients. They were merely humans after all, and such folk made mistakes or missed things. It was their nature. So into the interrogation of the boy was she, Skaoi missed the entrance of another person to the room.

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Luna turned to look at Becky when she denied her to leave, but she technically didn't have the authority or right to keep her there, unless it was direct word from the Queen, Chief Scribe, the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, and the Castle Alchemist. But she never wanted to act rude in front of the woman either, she was looking out for the best of her. Then Skaoi came into the room, she remembered her quiet well growing up before Becky became their doctor. "It's good to see you again." Luna said softly towards her as she shifted slightly in her seat on the bed while the woman went to tend to Myrus.

Luna then bit her bottom lip when Skaoi asked her further about her family's medical history dealing with mental illness she started to think of a plan to get out of the infirmary and get some answers. But for now she would entertain her doctors with what she knew about the family's history with mental illness. "The most famous one happened centuries ago. Queen Etheldredda. She nearly killed her own daughter, Princess Esmerelda, as she tried to drown her so that way no one could succeed her to the throne so that she could continue to rule.." Luna answered as she rubbed the back of her neck and the voice pipped in once more. "Ah, I do love that story quiet a bit." Which made Luna shudder slightly she didn't want to end up becoming like that ever.

"Then the most recent one in history, Queen Alys would behead just about anyone who disagreed with her rule whether it was true or not. Her reign being the shortest and most bloodiest one, there was even a children's rhyme off of it as well went something like this
'Red Queen Alys loved her axe
Gave Prince Julen forty whacks
When the Scribes drew what she'd done
She gave the Princess forty one.'"

Luna said, which probably made them even more worried about her and Myrus, the voice spoke once again. "Ah another good story as well." Luna shook her head and turned to look at the two women. "I need to go, really the people need to know that I am safe. I'll take a guard escort of needed or one of you two can come with me, if something were to happen then you can take me back to the Castle for further treatment." Luna said as she started to stand up she was going to leave no matter what, hearing Myrus muttering about Golds again she needed to find out what was going on exactly.

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He had been around for a long time, and he knew exactly what went on between Constance and Tate. It was not something he had expected, at least not fully. He knew that Constance probably was using Tate for his powers, but still, hurting him like that to the point where he was afraid of her? That was definitely where he drew the line. The woman was insane, and he had to get Tate away from her. "Don't you dare treat him like that! Damn it had I known things were like this I would have come back sooner..." he said, before a meteor appeared in his hand, and he tossed it at Constance. She had some sort of field around her, but he managed to make the meteor swerve and still somewhat hit her on the arm before it fell to the ground.

"What on Earth do you mean?" Constance asked, feigning innocence. "And I'd apologize for that mess you just left on the carpet," she added, looking at the crushed fragments of the meteor.

"Yeah, go to hell... Tate, you are coming with me, you deserve better than this. Hell, you deserve better than both me and Constance, but at least I wouldn't treat you like trash. Don't worry, I'm in the process of getting a house, and all your machines and your horse can come too. I'm just flat out getting you away from this bitch. Oh, by the way, next time it'll either be a full sized meteor, cosmic flames, or you getting sucked into a black hole, so I'd shut your mouth by the way Constance."

Antonije looked at Bruce hesitantly, only to get a harsh look from Constance and he shrunk backwards, until his back hit the wall. His hands were clammy and he didn't say anything, freaking out. "You're not taking my son!" Constance snapped.

"I did warn you Constance," he said, shaking his head slightly. He raised his hand, pointing it right at her, there was a flash of fire in his eyes, and he was still mad, and he used his anger to power the flames that shot from his fingertips. Bruce had only been aiming to set her hair on fire, humiliate her, but his anger fueled the flames too much. The fire slammed into her, and lit her clothes on fire, literally burning her. He just looked at her, the thought that cosmic flames couldn't easily be put out by conventional means suddenly crossed his mind, but he said nothing.

She tries to get rid of the flames with Magyk, but fails both times at extinguishing the flames. After a minute, the fire burns itself out, and she looks horrible. Jezebel runs and gives her a potion which she drinks and her skin returns to normal, however her hair still looks messed up. "Do you really think burning people alive is going to win anyone over?!"

"No, consider that a warning, you try coming after Tate or the twins and I might come back with one of my sisters to destroy you and what's left of this Coven," he said, before he went over to stand by Tate. Actually, he was more of standing in front of him, so that he was in between Tate and Constance. He looked over at Fleur, shaking his head. "That isn't good enough Fleur. The same threat towards Constance goes to you, and you let them out of this pathetic little witch group, now."

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"...Thank you for letting me know about it Emperor... I'm going to go see if my mother will Appear to me..." she said softly, before she left the room. Her mother had yet to Appear to her, but then again, she had never asked. Once she was in the Queen's Room, she shut the door behind her, before she spoke softly "Mother? I know you are there... I need to ask you something," she said into the quiet of the room. Nothing happened when she spoke, so she decided to try again, "Mother?" she called again. Still, there was no response.

Now she was starting to get more desperate. Her mother didn't seem to want to talk to her, and she was completely out of options of what to do, so now she was practically begging for her to show herself. "Mother? Please, I know you are there, I need your help! I don't know what to do!" she said, but she might as well have been talking to the walls for the answer she got, which was silence yet again.

Now Valda crumpled. She went over, sat on the bed, and curled up into a ball, crying. She was panicking, and there wasn't anyone there to really help her no matter what she did. Emperor Taj was being somewhat helpful, and he was really nice, but even he couldn't really do much to help with all her problems, especially if the Queen's murder wasn't solved. After a moment, she looked up, and standing there was her mother. "M-M-Mother?" Valda stammered out, looking at the Queen. Meliscente just nodded slightly at her.

"...What happened to you? Can you tell me please? So much chaos, destruction... Death... And everyone is wanting to blame me for it, and I don't know what to do..." she said, sniffling slightly.

Meliscente was silent for a moment, floating over towards Valda as she put a ghostly hand on her shoulder. It would feel cold and wet, yet there was an emotional warmth to it. "Neither you nor Luna is to be blame, Valda...."

"T-T-Then what happened? No matter what I tell anyone, most people still blame me for it... All of this chaos is because of me taking the throne..."

"I don't blame Luna for what she did...." Meliscente said softly.

"...Luna? What did Luna have to do with it?"

"Tell her I don't blame her...."

"I-I-I will... Just tell me what happened, please..."

"It was Luna...."

"What do you mean? You aren't telling me..."

"She killed me, Valda....."

"...I don't believe that Luna would do that without someone else making her mother..."

"She had lovely red hair like you, Valda...." Meliscente said, her eyes a bit glazed as she looked away towards the foot of the bed. "Such keen blue eyes...."

""...A witch?"

"No, no," Meliscente corrected. "She wanted to be the....the.....oh dear, I've lost the word...."

"She had to be a witch in order to have blue eyes mother..."

"The....the Highly Boring Wizard, that's it! That's what she wanted to be....So clever and smart....."

"...Thank you for your help mother..."

"Of course, my child....I will always love you, Valda." Meliscente said, before giving her a hug of sorts, and vanishing from sight. Valda hesitated for a moment, before she stood up and left the room. So, the killer had wanted to be the ExtraOrdinary Wizard? Not to mention that the woman had gotten Luna to help her in some way. She needed to see about finding Rowland, hopefully he knew who the woman was.

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Sylvi looked at Cuyler for a moment, before she just simply shrugged, "Well, I guess it doesn't really matter why you're here or whatever," she said simply, before she got annoyed at the ghost. Bards were Magyk users too! Since clearly that ghost knew nothing! Sure, Bards weren't as powerful as Wizards, but still, they knew what they were doing for the most part, and they had Magyk that Wizards didn't! "...Sometimes I hate ghosts..." she muttered.

After a moment, she leaned closer to the door and whispered the password to the Tower, hoping someone would let her in, not caring if Cuyler entered as well. Looking over at him, she tried to figure out what he did, or where he was from. She couldn't quite place where he was from though, he definitely didn't seem like he was from the Castle, that much was obvious. "...So where are you from? You don't seem like you are from the Castle."

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Atkin quickly thought through his teacher's words. He wanted to try picking the thing apart from as many angles as he could, but he didn't really have the time to do so. He could only sift out gut feelings based on what he could recall from yesterday and the information given to him.

"Maybe," he began, still petting the cats around him, "the Queen's death wasn't caused by Magyk. I mean, if there was something non-magykal that could kidnap Luna like that through all the wards and defenses set up, why wouldn't it be able to bypass the ones on the Queen's room?" Arya's insistence that Darke Magyk (whatever the hell that was) was to blame to him seemed like another example of the wizard mindset being too linear. The issue had an unknown answer, so Magyk is either the problem or the solution. That all these issues could be more related than they initially appeared didn't seem to occur to her.

"And it's not at all a silly idea if you think about it. Asha being a holder of... one of those things if you're right about them. Magyk as far as I've seen is green in color. That purple sh- glow she throws off ain't natural. It's not out of the realm of possibility that if she does have one of those things, that she's using it to boost her Magykal abilities." Of course that would make her a fraud and a cheater, but he didn't want to think so lowly of one of the Castle's guests when she seemed fair enough. As for why she was here, the first thought that came to Atkin's mind was that they simply didn't like Meliscente and now that she was dead they'd test the waters with Valda.

Although he knew that this moment would come, it was still heartbreaking. He quite liked the cats, and that they were sent away left a sense of emptiness now that he no longer had any furry friends to pet. But there was business to attend to. The boy stood up and dusted off some of the excess fur on his robes before following Arya down to the second floor. Rowland's suggestion was a fairly good one, but he'd see if he could come up with a better line in between now and when he met this Marcellus who he'd been hearing so much about recently. Maybe Arya would tell him about this man. Then again there was a pretty good chance she'd just leave him in the dark and he'd have to figure shit out for himself.

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What business brought him to the tower? Cuyler pondered that for a moment. He came to check on Arya of course and had spent the entire walk thinking if she was alive and well or dying and how either idea felt to him. He felt a strange constricting feeling and remained silent as the bard walked up to Wizard Tower and whispered something to its closed door.
Thia watched the woman curiously. She smelled of many different things but there was a similar scent that drew the dog closer to her. She walked around Sylvi, sniffing the air around her in order to further understand that familiar smell.
In Cuyler’s silence he looked up at the vast Wizard Tower. It seemed to be a beacon of some sort for the Castle. It was the first thing he saw coming in from the waters and it always brought a smile to his face. He had always been curious of Magyk and the discrepancies of it. It seemed every town, island or country he visited had their own take on Magyk and what it could be. His eyes roamed over each window, each crack and smooth surface of the old building but a blemish caught his eye. He merely thought it was a trick of the light but he came back to that same window and peered closer at it, completely forgetting about the woman who had asked him a question only minutes ago. The shine of the second floor window was unmistakable now that he was paying attention. It was brand new and a couple of the stones looked fresh as well. From a distance they wouldn’t be noticeable but this close you could see the inconsistency of the placement and the quickness of the repair. The scratches along the stone seemed to scream at Cuyler that something had happened that shouldn’t have. The Tower was probably one of the best guarded places, next to the Palace itself so how could someone have scaled the building and broken through? But the signs were as plain as the snow on Cuyler’s furs. Someone had broken in, the question now was, did they find what they were looking for?
Cuyler looked back at the door and stepped forward so he was beside the woman. He placed his hand on the door, looking for an opening or something that would get their attention in a hurry. He didn’t doubt the bard new the password that would allow them entry but once again, Cuyler was in a rush to get to Ayra. The hand he placed on the door happened to contain the purple badge Arya sent to him earlier that morning.
”The Land of Lost Nights,” Cuyler said, having understood that the bard now asked another question of him. Perhaps he should not ignore two questions. ”Langatóftir to be exact,”

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Her eyes shifted away from the foreigner and watched Lyra. She was clearly uncomfortable with Amarantha’s choice of conversation. The Hunter’s eyes tracked the knight as she looked about her room, fixating on a certain point before looking back at Amarantha. So Puck had died in her room it seemed, threatening and throwing his control around. Amarantha shouldn’t have be surprised. She did try to warn the man of the dragon before she was sent off to complete her mission. Lyra’s reaction was most peculiar though. She seemed positively distraught over the whole thing and was attempting to consol Amarantha.
She smirked, not being able to help it. This knight, Queen Valda’s personal guard, did not seem all that tough, at least in the face of death. Amarantha took a moment to consider this. Perhaps she should through her name into the ring to look after the Queen or at the very least, the Crown Princess. After all, she had seen and done her fair share of killing. She knew what it would take to protect anyone of royal title.
Asha then spoke, confirming Lyra’s story but took a different approach than the fair haired knight.
Amarantha moved away from the wall and took a step towards Asha. It was an act to intimidate but she was also wanting to direct her views straight at the woman.
“And what exactly, do you think my commander deserved?”
Amarantha liked Asha. There was a fire that burned consistently inside her and Amarantha felt a certain degree of sameness towards her. She felt no ill will towards this woman or how she felt about Puck. The man was a bitter thing to swallow. Her wormy tasting drink from earlier was a summer punch compared to that man; however, he was still the reason for her being here so she would defend him one last time.

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Lyra's brows furrowed imperceptibly at the Deputy Hunter's reaction, or more or less lack thereof. Perhaps she misjudged the need for such carefully placed, conciliatory words. Then again, the smirk on the woman's face gave her pause. Asha's words however distracted her from gauging the situation any further, as her gaze instead turned sharply to look at the Magyk practitioner. Her words were like a slap to the face, effectively knocking her out of her lingering state of melancholy and self-pity. Her lips thinned slightly, a bit miffed that the woman may have just undermined her attempt to break the news easily and ultimately to make this an altercation free interaction. As far as she saw it, one didn't have to like Puck in order to show a little compassion to a person who may have very well just lost someone near and dear to them.

She gave Asha a onceover before speaking, her words quick and to the point, "What one thinks he deserved matters not. It doesn't justify murder." Her gaze didn't linger on Asha any longer than necessary, before she promptly turned to attention back to Amarantha, hoping Asha's words didn't cause an even bigger mess. Unfortunately, it became clear to her that it had stirred up some sort of anger, understandably so, in the Deputy Hunter. As Amarantha took a step towards Asha, Lyra quickly moved to jump in between the two. It wasn't that she thought either of them couldn't protect themselves should a fight break out. It was that she didn't want a fight to break out. "Enough," she exclaimed sharply, glancing between the two women. "Both of you. The last thing we need after everything that happened yesterday is more dissent amongst peers and senseless violence. I will not have you two going at each other's throats. Do I make myself clear!"

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@BlueSky44: As Valda left the room, she'd hear a soft bell chime in her quarters, indicating that there is an intruder in the Palace. The ghosts that wander the halls however are a quicker alert system and one of them Appears to Valda, explaining that the situation is currently in the infirmary. The ghost will additionally add that neither of her siblings seem to have gained additional injuries, before the ghost vanishes. "So, did you see your mother?" Emperor Taj asked, the ghost not having Appeared to him and he didn't know that the bell meant an intruder. As far as where Rowland was, Valda would know that he'd be at Wizard Tower, per the discussion they had had earlier in the meeting. Arya was letting her mentor take on some of her duties, in order to better respond to the threats the Castle was facing.

@mnkee@KazAlkemi: Asha raised an eyebrow at Lyra. She ordered her? As much as she did not care for the definition of roles and status, there was a gap between them. Of course, it wasn't a social economic one, but rather, a moralistic view. Brushing aside Lyra's words, Asha turned to face Amarantha squarely. She saw no reason to coddle the woman. She had asked her a question and Asha saw no issue with answering it. "Your commander deserved to be slowly torn, limb by limb, and to have his heart removed and held for him to view while it still beat," Asha answered coolly. "I care not for kidnappers and abusers of children. Lyra, if you think his death was an abhorrent act, then I suggest you consider all of the pain and tragedy he has caused and would continue to seek out. Justice takes many forms and she has many faces."

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Arya looked at her apprentice, curious for a moment as she stepped onto the Magyk staircase and waited a moment for Atkin, before setting them to double speed. The ExtraOrdinary Wizard had priority on use and a few groans and complaints could be heard as they whizzed down to the first floor, as a pair of Ordinary Wizards found themselves being sent down rather than going up to reach their rooms. She normally didn't do that, but it was an emergency. "You see Magyk as green? Curious, I've always seen it as purple...I wonder if perhaps you have a color blindness, as I've never heard of someone seeing Magyk as green."

Fixing her hair slightly, her cheeks had a faint tint to them. No, they weren't going instantly to the Manuscriptorium. As she practically leapt from the bottom step, the floor flashed a greeting up at her. It was enchanted and the texture was like sand, yet it never clung to your foot and it remained where it was, not making a mess:

Arya grimaced. "You only receive messages like that when the Castle is in grave peril," she explained to Atkin. Whatever her mind had been on before, it was gone now and she was focused on the task at hand. She had anticipated that Queen Valda's rule would hardly been easy, yet she had been ruler for less than twenty four hours and already, massive riots had hit the streets...Though she supposed it was to be expected from a witch.

Yet what was to be expected from Asha the Magykal and Emperor Taj? The possibility that Asha had collected one of those stones, using it to enhance her power...It made sense, yet initially, Arya had assumed it was similar to her own amulet. ExtraOrdinary Wizards traditionally placed a portion of their Magyk within it before their death, allowing each subsequent successor to become more and more powerful. By tradition, the current one would place all of their Magyk inside it, meaning that Arya would be powerless without it.

Arya took a breath, opening the door and allowing Cuyler and Sylvi to come inside. She was relieved that Cuyler was alright - she had been incredibly worried about him - and she had the slightest hint of pink to her cheeks as she looked at him. "I...I am glad to see that you are well," she said, trying to retain a sense of professionalism. "I did not know you also knew Sylvi." She glanced at Atkin. "Atkin, this is Sylvi - she's a bard, someone who ties Magyk and music together."

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Rhys' luck has turned to the better when it comes to Magyk, it seems. His spell managed to stabilize Tom for the moment, but he isn't out of the woods yet and remains in critical condition. Rhys will be able to estimate that his Magyk on Tom will cease to take effect in a little over half an hour. His disguise Charm works excellently, causing him to have fair hair the color of straw and rich, dark black eyes. Becky noticed him appear in the room, yet as she looked over at him and saw his dark eyes, she paled, hoping it was just a trick of the light.

Myrus' condition was steadily improving. His eyes were following Skaoi as she worked, but she wouldn't be able to find anything physically wrong with him - beyond the symptoms, of course. Yet as Rhys appeared in the room, Myrus sprung upright, staring at the Darke Wizard that came to the room. Myrus' poor heart sped up and he gripped the pillow to his side defensively, convinced that this was yet another person come to hurt his sisters. Combined with the impact of Nera's meddling with his mind, and, well...

The pillow turned a slight off shade of pink, shimmering with energy as Myrus charged it. He wanted it to be a soft explosion, enough to scare Rhys off and make sure he didn't mess with Luna or Valda, but the amount of energy surrounding the pillow was HUGE. Becky gulped. "Prince Myrus, calm down..." she urged him, but she had noticed that once something became charged, there was no way to reverse the process. And once he let go, it'd blow.

"LEAVE MY SISTERS ALONE, YOU BUTTFACE!" Myrus shouted at Rhys, lobbing the pillow at him with military precision. Had Amarantha been there, she likely would have been a bit impressed. It hit Rhys in the stomach and exploded, the force sending Rhys flying backwards into one of the medical beds. He hit his head against the frame and for a moment, Rhys' vision would be doubled. He himself would need a healer now, as his head was bleeding.

"...I'm so sorry, are you okay?" Myrus then stammered, calming down a bit. He was worried that he might have killed Rhys or something.

Becky blinked for a moment, staring at Rhys. She wasn't certain if they should give him medical attention or not, but she discretely pulled a chord on the wall, signaling that there was an intruder in the Palace. "So, erm....Mr. Buttface, what business to you have here?" Becky asked, not certain what to call Rhys other than Myrus' attempt at swearing. She was a bit of an eccentric anyways.

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Of all the reactions that Rhys expected to get? A pillow being hurled at him and then exploding was not one of them. Already the boy was clammy and unconscious. It was luck that the boy had managed onto a bed. But that was all Rhys knew as a pink pillow slammed against him sending him back into one of the damnable beds. His head spinning as sticky blood slipped from a gash. Squeezing his eye shut, the Wizard cursed softly. "Cause the heart to beat steady and strong and air to breath!" The man snarled as he pulled himself to his feet. "Help the boy, damn you." The dangerous looking man stood, pressing a hand to his head. The fingers slowly turning crimson.

He didn't wait for another word as he shot a glare in the direction of the one who classified him as 'Mr. Butthole'. Baring his teeth in a menacing smile, Rhys gave a humourless laugh that made his head ache. "Worry about the boy. He's on death's door by some twisted soul. It's not of my doing, I was trying to undo it." He doubted they would believe him, but it was the truth. Something that seemed to count for nothing. "And considering I have blood coming out of my head, do I look okay?" The incredulous look on Rhys's face was one of sheer annoyance as he stared at the idiot boy. Was he a magnet for troubled children now?! It seemed he was attracted all the boys but the Apprentice he wanted to lure that dratted ExtraOrdinary Wizard to her doom! "I do not have time for this. Disappear, Reappear, Somewhere else, Take me there, Take me to My Home."

It was with luck that spell succeeded, though the scream of the other boy- Badger- as he appeared. "Badger. Quiet boy! Damn you, I've got a bad enough headache with this without your screaming!" The Wizard growled gesturing to his bleeding head. Sitting down heavily on the bed, he gazed into a nearby reflection and studied his missing brows. "Better brows than my life." The rogue sighed, "Disguise lift. Back to normal do drift." The man dismissed the Disguise as he looked to Badger. "How much do you- ugh= know about head wounds?" His face contorted with pain as he spoke.

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Skaoi gave a sharp squeal of shock as Myrus lunged forward with the pink pillow, lobbing it at the Darke Wizard. It was a apt reaction, but still she winced at the sight of the bloodied man. She wanted to help, but she was more concerned with the boy that staggered to the bed. Torn between the Prince and the strange boy, her heart overrode her sense as she patted Myrus awkwardly on the arm and rushed to Tom Meadow's side. Laying a hand on his chest she felt his weak heart beat and gave a small gasp as Rhys popped out of the Palace.

"I... Who was that?" Casting a worried look at Becky she shook her head in her own answer. It did not matter right now, the boy he had brought was at Death's door and he needed pulling back. "Forgive me, Your Highness, but this boy walks in Death's Shadow and needs serious help. Madam Becky, if you would assist me? Perhaps we could pull him from the brink?" She gave a pleading look to the other doctor before setting about her business. Soon pulling away from the stable boy. Looking back at Myrus she gave her other patient a disapproving look. "Highness, pardon my rudeness, but please remember you are to rest. Hurling exploding pillows does not count as resting. Please excuse me for my harshness, if you would please?" The effect of her sternness being ruined by her timid and slightly terrified look.