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[center][color]Location: Manuscriptorium[/center]
[color]Skills: [/center]

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The Darke section was a place Skaoi did not care for in teh slightest. Grim magics were best left alone and the physik had very little desire to be looking about upon these shelves. But if it was what must be done to cure the Sickenesse, then it was the least of what she could do. Her duty was to heal these people after all. Not for the first time she rued being dragged from the Forest to work in the Castle. The Forest had offered some anomity and a life that went unnotice. Here there were grand folk around every cornere and were it not for Prince Myrus, Skaoi would have long begged her leave.

That was the hinge of tings was it not? Prince Myrus was a kindly child taht needed aid to control his mutant powers. Something she specialized in doing as her own negated his. Scanning the shelves the physik looked at a lost as to what she was actually looking for. "I-If you could?" The pale Eastern Snow Plains native looked with a apologetic glance to her guide. "I don't quite know where to start and there is quite a bit of material..." The physik admitted as she pulled a likely title from the shelf. "I am looking for any referrence of the 'Burning Fever', 'Sleeping Dead', anything about Witch's casting plagues or Darke Wizards doing the same." The woman offered weakly, her voice hushed as though the wrong word would awake the darkness upon the shelves.

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Richard studied the Mistress of Lies with a annoyed look on his face. "Runa. Lance. Kiera." He greeted with an annoyed note in his voice. While he did like Thor- and the man was a welcomed addition when he had poker nights- the Asgardian children were a bit of a thorn in his side. Children raised to be gods... It was enough to put someone off religion. Then again he had never been one for such things in the first place.

Raising a dark brow, the Adder cared little if they were so powerful. "Now as Mistress of Magic surely you know the magic word, Runa darling, to ask my wife to do something?" The 'former' assassin chided with a lighter tone. "Though I do have a soft spot for children so I won't refuse." Dropping his lighter demeanor it because dangerously honed as he narrowed his eyes at Kiera. "What do you mean Vanished? And what is this Chthon? Refreshed this old man's memory." This was a danger to his family and he well could understand his sister's rage all those years ago when she had fought for her own.

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Grimspound groaned in annoyance and pain. A mixture he was used to growing up among his clan. "Very brave? Hardly. I was polite until I mentioned her being daft. Set in her ways as she was it was no less than the truth." The Dyrki man winced as he moved his neck and felt it throb with a steady ache. His back would be one big bruise in the end. While he had grown up in the Land of Long Nights and respected the gods, he had more respect for his clan. They were a traveling bunch and didn't necessarily stick the ways of the land. Which was probably why it was best his grandmother never come across any gods or goddesses. Someone would get hurt and there would be a smoking forest and vast battle that would be a slaughter.

"Just because someone is Vanished, does not mean they cannot be unVanished." The man pointed out as he rubbed his shoulder. "Death is only certain when you have seen it and felt the life leave the body. Chop off the head for good measure, or so says my aunt Askra. But theoretically anything that can be done, can be undone. It's just a question of how to do it and if it is wise to do it. The latter of which- luckily for you all- I am lacking according to the vast majority." If no one denies this, Grimspound gives a weak chuckle which makes him wince in pain. "Healing- please. If I die, my grandmother will kill me."

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Myth was lowered to the ground and she stared at Cuyler. "As happy as I am that you are here, do you think you can stand somewhere else so you don't see what's about to happen?" She didn't want her first interaction with Cuyler to be him seeing her have a child. Bruce knelt down next to her and grabbed her hand. She could feel he wanted to do something about Tate and the witch who appeared, but she was thankful he was with her.

Fluer, meanwhile, glanced around in case anyone stood up to challenge her. No one did. "Smart move. Ensure the girl gets proper care for the child while I handle him." In a quick moment, she was near Antonije, hand on the boy's forhead. Her eyes glowed dark as she summoned Dark Magyk and consumed the power of Chthon that resided in the boy. Once he was out, she released him as Antonie fell to the ground.

He would have no pulse. Myth managed the sight. "Tate! What did you do to him?" she glared at Fleur. "Chthon was sucking him dry. I prevented that, but he was too far gone. Damnation.." Fleur hated to use it, but she was back near Antonije, and she summoned her Lyte Magyk. She rested her hands on him and imbued him with healing. A warm glow emanated from her hand and his pulse returned. "He will be all right. He should get some rest and fluids, but the same could be said for her." She said referencing Myth.

Myth, meanwhile, was feeling the contractions. "He's coming and soon. Are we doing this here?" she asked around her. It was not her ideal place to give birth, but he was coming whether she was ready or not. Fleur merely stared. She had done her job. These fools would probably never know how close Chthon came had she not intervened. But life was coming and that should be the focus. She was not totally heartless.

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The Manuscriptorium - @LadyRunic

Emma nodded, grabbing onto the ladder and tugging it to the end of the row of books. There was one book in the Darke section he remembered the older scribes talking about - they used to pull it out whenever a new scribe had a headache and read what that could be a symptom of as a cruel prank. Eventually, he had raced up the ladder and retrieved it, coming down with the title: Poisyns and Aylments. It was a rather old book, one that looked like it would fall apart if it was breathed on too thickly. Fortunately, Emma had put on a pair of gloves he kept in the pocket of his tunic.

Making his way back down with it, he looked at Skaoi for approval. "This, miss? It's wicked full of all sorts of Darke stuff... If what you're lookin' for is in any tome, I'bets on this one," he explained. He rocked back on his heels slightly, filled with hyperactive energy. It was hard for young boys to be stuck behind a desk all day, the general task of a scribe. "I heard it sent Drusilla mad when she read it," he added, not sure how Skaoi would feel about that.

However, Skaoi for reasons unknown beyond those incapable of breaking the fourth wall, suddenly paled rapidly and fled from the Manuscriptorium, never to be heard from or seen in the Castle again.

Wizard Way - @eclecticwitch

To the untrained eye, nothing would seem to be out of place on Wizard Way. However, Mona specializes in jewels and gems. She knows what should be there and what should not. Coming out of #13 Wizard Way, little stones are on the ground, making a trail of sorts towards the Palace. These stones are lapis lazuli - precious and powerful, they are said to enhance one's Magyk. And as they hadn't been there a moment ago, it stands to reason that someone in the crowd was leaving them behind.

Now, how would lapis lazuli get spilled like this? Why make a trail?

Wizard Tower - Entrance Hall - @LadyRunic@BlueSky44@Nallore@KazAlkemi

"Forgive me, but I did not realize that your wife was your property," Runa snapped at Richard. She had been alive for eons, living a longer life than he could imagine. She was over six hundred years old before Richard had even been thought of - and now, this attitude after the pesky boy from before had acted with such misogyny? Her patience was running thin. "And you are hardly old, Richard. In fact, you should be in a Midgardian's prime - unless you are suffering from some sort of diminished intellectual capacity. Or perhaps you are missing a kidney?"

Yes, Runa had heard about the time when one of her husband's friends and Richard ended up fighting - and Richard came out of it missing a kidney. She was surprised that Thalia hadn't smacked him with the way Richard was talking to her right now - speaking as if Runa needed his permission to ask Thalia to complete a task, and that his permission was the only thing that mattered.

However, Thalia did do as Runa asked without a word to her husband. She sent Halley and Arnora to Asgard, before moving into the Great Hall to attend to the others. (Nally, we'll pick up for posting in Asgard once the clusterfuck at Wizard Tower is dissipated). Runa then met Klara's eyes and she shook her head slightly. She wasn't going to tell Cuyler what had happened to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard. If Klara wished to, then she could do so.

Wizard Tower - the Great Hall - @BlueSky44@KazAlkemi@Nallore@FantasyChic

As Thalia came inside from the Entrance Hall, she seemed to point at certain individuals in the room and they vanished. Truthfully, she had sent them to Asgard. There were too many people here at the moment - and besides, Runa had asked a favor of her and she owed the Goddess of Lies. It also helped that a crowded room wasn't the best for birthing a baby. She sent Antonije, Marya, Medea, Sylvi, Astrid, and Nova to Asgard (again, we will pick up with these guys in Asgard after the Wizard Tower stuff ends).

Myrus nodded slightly, his knuckles white and his hands were shaking. There was a faint ruby red glow around them, as if his powers were about to activate again. Seeing Fleur... it terrified him. So many of the awful things in his life traced back to her and while he didn't know much about Magyk, she had just drained someone of power. He felt an aura of pure terror and horror coming off of her and he didn't even have the ability to read auras. "W-we should go..." Myrus stammered, looking at Valda. To borrow from Harry Potter, looking at Fleur was like looking at a boggart for Myrus.

Meanwhile, Banner took a moment and he looked at Fleur. "Thank you," he said honestly. She had saved his adopted grandson, something he wouldn't have been able to do. Magyk was more or less his achilles heel. He then returned his attention to Myth, glad that the silver woman had started to send people away. The less people here in the room, the better. "Can you get some towels, please?" Banner then asked Fleur. He didn't know who she was but she was helping to save people, making her a good guy in his book.

"Okay, Myth, you are lucky," Banner said. "You're going to be able to push soon," he told her encouragingly, hoping someone brought towels quickly. "Bruce, your job is to be her rock. This isn't going to be easy, so I want you encouraging her and helping me let her know when it's time to push."

Wizard Tower - the Courtyard - @BlueSky44@KazAlkemi@LadyRunic

Rainbrook paled at what Ahote had said - his mother had been Vanished? Vanished objects went into non-being. No one who had ever been Vanished was ever heard from again, since essentially the atoms and everything that made them up were evenly scattered across existence. "SHUT UP!" Rainbrook snapped, a slight pink tinge appearing in his eyes. His father wasn't the only one who had inherited powers from the Goddess of Water and Love.

Rainbrook, born Caspian Rincewind, had the ability to Charmspeak. He never really used it, finding that it was dishonest but with the rage he was feeling at his mother's fate and this school boy talking about things he didn't understand... It was too much and Rainbrook was seeing red. His Charmspeak ability would force Grimspound to shut up, at least for a moment. He then stalked off in the direction that Ahote had went, unable to see that the man had collapsed from the thick and hot tears pouring from his eyes.

He clenched his fist. He never had been one for fighting, but now he wanted something to pummel into a pulp. He had been sent here by his mother because she remembered him being there - remembered him helping out with the Sickenesse - and now nothing was like what she had described. It was all wrong and she was dead because of it. His sister would never be born because of his failure.

Meanwhile, it seemed that Grimspound's injuries were more severe than they thought, as he promptly died without much ceremony.

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Valda glanced at her brother, hearing his words about wanting to leave, and she couldn't exactly blame him. Everything that had happened was really strange, not to mention it all happened rather quickly and suddenly. She was starting to want to leave Wizard Tower as well and get back to the palace, along with her brother and sister. The fact that so much as happened in such a short amount of time, that was definitely something, and she wasn't really wanting to stick around much longer if she could avoid it.

"Alright Myrus, we can get out of here," she said, giving him a slight smile before glancing over at her sister. Valda started using her Magyk to see about transporting them back to the palace, and a few moments later, herself, Myrus and Luna were all back there. It was just quicker that way then having to deal with leaving and avoiding any more chaos that could potentially happen. She really wanted to get her siblings out of that situation, so she just went with it.

Even though Bruce recognized Fleur from their last encounter, and the fact that he wasn't too thrilled that she still had a certain object with her, he couldn't help but be grateful as well that Fleur had helped Antonije. He didn't know what he would have done had Tate actually died. That definitely would have caused some major problems, and he would have kicked himself had that happened. Since it would have meant that he had basically failed the kids, no matter how hard he had been trying.

He nodded his head at his grandfather, still holding on to Myth's hand. The nice thing about him being part Asgardian was that if she basically was using all of her strength to try and crush his hand or something, it wouldn't be too bad. This was not what he had expected to happen today at all, and this was definitely a crazy day. There wasn't much else he could do at the moment aside for be there for Myth, and their kid.

Outside, Zekarra looked at Rainbrook, really wanting to calm him down, or try to come up with something she could say to him that could calm him down, but she knew that there was nothing. His mother was gone, so in this form of the timeline he'd never be born, and there wasn't much she could do about it. Maybe they'd get lucky and she actually was still alive out there somewhere, but she didn't know what to do to make him feel better. She had zeroed in on Rainbrook's problems, that she didn't seem to notice Ahote's problems, and she followed after him.

"It'll be okay Rainbrook..." Zekarra said softly to him.

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"Cuyler," Klara started to say to him, not too sure how to tell him what had happened, but instead decided against something. She didn't want to tell him what had happened to Arya, and it helped slightly that she had the Goddess of Lies on her side here. Glancing over at Cuyler, she let out a deep breath, she still was not feeling the best, and looked a little pale still, but she wasn't letting that get to her. "I haven't seen her, I don't think she was up here to begin with, don't worry."

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Cuyler watched as his cousins disappeared in clumps, thanks to the aid of Thalia. It seemed as things were coming to an end here, there was a certain air of finality to this place and Cuyler was confused by it. He only ever felt this way about getting ready to leave port or after a death. Sure there had been a death or two today but none that were of significance to Cuyler. It was a bizarre feeling.
He looked back at his mother, waiting for her answer. Cuyler didn’t miss the exchange between Klara and Runa before his mother answered him. Cuyler had no reason not to believe his mother and so he did; even though he was still worried about her pale complexion. He let out a little relieved breath and relaxed his stance slightly. It was still strange that Arya had not been here, had not shown up at all but nothing about this day had been normal. Strange seemed to be the thing as of late. The last of his cousins disappeared, including a woman he had never seen before. Cuyler remained though, despite Runa wanting all children of Asgard to go. Wasn’t he one?
”Can I go as well?” He looked to Klara and Runa for permission.
There was definitely a finality about this day. An ending to something Cuyler thought he never would have had to begin with. He needed a change, wanted it, had told Arya as much.

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The advancement of Myth’s labour was moving along rapidly. Lucky girl. Amarantha had been present to many mothers during their first birth and then had not gone as quickly. Sometimes the mother’s made it through those lengthy births, other times they were not so lucky.
Her sharp eyes tracked Fleur’s movements as she walked over to Antonije and laid hands on him. The man dropped a minute later without so much of a warning and with no rise and fall of his chest. There wasn’t much time to react for Fleur laid hands on him again, bringing breath back to his body. Amarantha frowed and stared at Fleur in confusion and disbelief as she turned back to the labouring woman. This was not the same woman Amarantha had stood against months prior. There was a strength and unbidden power to her now. Amarantha didn’t know what to make of any of it but that would come later. The Queen, it seemed, had finally shifted her attitude and agreed it was time they left, however she left in not the way Amarantha would have liked. All three of the royals disappeared without any of their guards and the commander grumbled unhappily. She pointed her sword at Titan and Lennox and then the door.
”Leave, take some of the other guard with you. And tell the children to head back as well. They’ve had enough excitement for one day.” she said. The men didn’t hesitate to take her command and hurried out of Wizard Tower with a dozen or so guards.
Amarantha looked back at the miracle happening on the floor of the Tower. She would remain while the birth took place, keeping an eye on Fleur and anything else that may or may not happening.
As it was more people started disappearing from the space around her but no one seemed too alarmed by it. In fact, it was like it was a daily occurrence here.

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Ahote was still coherent so he heard Grims speak and Rainbrook lash out at the man while he lay on the ground. Rainbrook clearly had an attachment to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard and Ahote felt bad for the boy but there was nothing Ahote could do. This land was foreign to him and he was a little under the weather.
Thia watched Rainbrook and Zekerra walk past them and towards the Tower. She looked at Ahote before she left him and followed the other two quickly into the Tower. She made a beeline straight for Cuyler and leaned heavily into him.
Ahote meanwhile was starting to get his groove back. It seemed his enhanced healing was back at it and removed the blood clot completely. Energized, Ahote stood back up and continued to make his way into the Tower, as was his original plan.

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Luna turned to look over towards Myth and Bruce for a moment as Titan and Lennox moved over towards her and her brother to protect the two of them. Even though Fleur came in and helped them, Luna still did not like nor trust the woman after all she had done that caused her family so much harm and despair for all of them. She watched as she helped Antonije. With removing whatever or whoever was possessing her friend. Luna was happy that her sister Valda agreed to take them all home, as she looked towards the couple to be. Even though Fleur came in and helped she wanted to warn them anyway.

"Don't trust her." Luna said towards them, just as Valda transported them back to the palace she closed her eyes a bit and started to relax and calm down now as well. She turned to look over at her brother, she didn't want to hug him just yet seeing her brother tensed up quiet a bit now. "Are you okay?" Luna asked him, looking directly at her brother, and then over towards Valda grateful to now be back home fully. "Thank you." Luna said to her sister and went over and gave her a loving hug.

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Arnora stayed rather quiet as she looked down at all of the others within the entrance hall of the Wizard Tower, she didn't seem to know any of them at all really. She took a moment and eyed Richard as he and Runa spoke it seemed that the two of them also knew each other pretty well. And mentioned something about removing someone's kidney which made her shudder a bit, it sounded pretty painful but it was probably a story for another time as well.

Arnora thought about mentioning what had happened to the woman on the top floor, but then again she knew it wasn't really her place to mention it, she looked towards the guy she had never met before. But she had a feeling that she would have time to get to know him more once they were gone. Arnora was ready to go now as well, as Thalia transported her and Halley to Asgard now as well.

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It was a hot and humid day in the Castle, with storm clouds converging on the horizon overhead. A young message rat was running as fast as it could from its sender on Alchemie Way, the Senior Alchemie Apprentice Selesia Rincewind. She had sent word to her dear friend, Becky Rowland, that she had gone into labor and was in need of immediate medical assistance. Her husband, Marcus, was busy playing in a Counter-Feet tournament in the Ramblings and she didn't wish to contact him. Now, for a Physik Woman the contents of the message in itself were not unusual for Becky - certainly not enough for her to grab her medical bag and sprint out of her house, wearing only one sock, and make a wild dash for Alchemie Way.

What was unusual however was that Selesia Rincewind had not been pregnant earlier that morning.

Fueled by pure adrenaline, Becky Rowland managed to kick down the purple door of Number 79 Alchemie Way, racing through the house. "Selesia!" she exclaimed, until she heard a scream of pain coming from upstairs. Becky nearly tripped over herself in her hurry, looking like a huge mess as she finally emerged into her friend's bedroom, only to find that Selesia had not been joking.

To her trained eye, Selesia was nine months pregnant and ready to push.

"How did you manage this?!" Becky asked, grabbing a stack of towels from her bag and tugging the blankets away from Selesia on the bed.

"If I knew that, I would be telling you right now!" Selesia snapped, before letting out a scream of pain. "It just happened!"

Becky huffed a bit, but she knew not to let her temper get to her. She was in total shock and that wasn't what her friend needed at the moment. Most people who were nine months pregnant had time to prepare for this. They had an idea of what was coming. Selesia didn't have that. "Alright, Les, you and I are going to get to know each other a lot better than I imagined."

She knelt down and spread Selesia's legs, putting towels everywhere that it would be needed. "You're ready to push," she said, a bit stunned. "On the count of three, I want you to breathe and then push. Okay?"

"Just fucking do it!" Selesia screamed.

"One...Two... Three!"

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Blaise Rowland, ExtraOrdinary Wizard of the Castle for over a decade, was not unused to visits from his sister. He was in between apprentices at the moment, allowing them some privacy on the 21st Floor of Wizard Tower. Of course, having the Senior Alchemie Apprentice there with an impossible baby was certainly one of them more unusual things that Becky had brought to him. "And there is no way you just simply did not notice the pregnancy?" Rowland asked Selesia.

"Do you think I'm daft?!" Selesia snapped. Becky sent her a bit of warning look and Selesia pinched the ridge of her nose. "Sorry, Blaise, it's just... I know myself and I know my body. I was normal when I woke up and then all of the sudden, I was the size of a balloon."

Rowland nodded, tapping his fingers on the arm rest of his chair for a moment. "It is no coincidence that this occurred on the seventh day of the seventh month," he said after a pause. "As you are both aware, the seventh child of the seventh child possesses extraordinary magykal abilities... A child with no father, coming into existence on the seventh day of the seventh day..."

"...You think Magyk created the child," Becky summarized. Her brother had an awful habit of beating around the bush and not just getting straight to the point.

"I don't work with Magyk - not really, you know Alchemie is very much distinct from that," Selesia pointed out to Rowland.

"I do not think that we will be privy as to why this happened to you - only how," Rowland admitted, his piercing green eyes looking at the steady brown ones of Selesia. "At any rate... The circumstances of the child's birth should be kept between the three of us. The Wendron and Port witches would only be the first to attempt to abduct a child created by Magyk. I have to imagine the Eastern SnowPlains would have an interest as well."

Selesia scowled, but she nodded. "Becky, would you mind making me a potion or two? Something to give Marcus, to keep him from questioning this..."

"Of course," Becky said, reaching into her bag and handing a vial over to Selesia. "Two drops a day for a month - then a single drop a week for a year. It'll be enough to obscure his memories - to convince him that the child is his."

"Once the child is old enough, I will offer her the ExtraOrdinary apprenticeship," Rowland then said calmly. "If our theories are correct... Then she will need guidance. Her rearing will be incredibly important, in order to avoid letting her become an agent of the Darke.

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Life had largely gone unchanged at Number 79 Alchemie Way. Marcus Rincewind, universally agreed to be a failed Sub-Wizard, never really could quite remember much of his wife's pregnancy. He had some suspicions that she had cheated on him with Marcellus Dumont, the Chief Hermetic Scribe, but he never was able to get any proof. His daughter's eyes had yet to turn green, but she had begun attending classes at the Purple School in the Ramblings - the very school all children of wizards attended if they could.

"Arya, get back in here!" Selesia shouted out the window. Marcus was passed out upstairs, having drunk himself into a happy(?) sleep. Selesia preferred it this way. When Marcus was drunk and unconscious, they tended to get into less fights. It then gave her less of an urge to cheat on him out of spite.

"Arya Selesia Rincewind, are you listening to me?!" Selesia shouted, seeing that her daughter had not moved a muscle.

Little Arya Rincewind was just standing there in the grass, looking intently at something that Selesia could not fathom. She tossed down her notes in frustration and put on a pair of shoes, prepared to scold the child and send her to bed without supper for this behavior. "You are grounded!" Selesia screamed, going out the front door and roughly grabbing Arya by the arm.

The child didn't flinch or move.

"Arya, what is the matter with you? Are you listening to me?" Selesia asked, her anger turning into worry. Arya wasn't responding and Selesia snapped her fingers in Arya's face, trying to get some recognition out of those eyes. She knew that Arya would be an unusual child - but the Rowlands had assured her that Arya was developing normally.

"Arya?!"

This time, Arya's eyes flickered and focused on her mother. "Sorry Mummy..."

"Arya, dear, your father's inside - I am sure he'd love to see you," Selesia told her daughter.

She just shook her head. "He's not my daddy."

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"Rowland, she can't wait any longer," Selesia explained, back in the comfortable and sadly familiar rooms of the ExtraOrdinary Wizard. Rowland's apprentice, Peter Wylie, was thankfully out of Wizard Tower. He was spending time with his girlfriend, a gorgeous noble from the Eastern SnowPlains. The two were quite smitten.

"Until Peter either completes or terminates his apprenticeship, I cannot take her on," Rowland explained gently. "And besides, Selesia, she's too young..."

"She's having these... these trances. I don't know what goes on in her head during them, but she knows. She knows that Marcus isn't her father and neither is Marcellus. She's told me that she's been speaking to her father."

Rowland raised an eyebrow at that. "How unusual," he murmured, though everything about this case was odd. "How frequently does Arya have these symptoms? Are there any changes to eye color or temperament?"

Selesia shook her head. "I've been checking, thinking I might see a pop of green but there's nothing... The trances are getting often, Blaise. She's having them every day. I feel so powerless to help her, it's like she's stuck in her own little world."

The Royal Physician, Becky, finally decided to weigh in. "I do have a tincture that may be of use... I generally give it to patients exhibiting psychosis, but I believe that it may stop these trances that Arya is experiencing for now, until we know more about what is happening," she explained. She took the tincture from her bag. It was Charmed as to have infinite storage, courtesy of her brother.

"What else will it do to my little girl?" Selesia asked, taking the vial. She appreciated Physik, but she knew that there was bound to be a trade off. The memory potion she had used on Marcus had resulted in his alcoholism. She didn't want to do that to her little girl - she loved Arya, even if she didn't always show it.

"There may be shifts in temperament," Becky explained. "A slight weakening of Magykal ability - but it is only a temporary solution, not a permanent one. I promise you, Les, we will find a way to help her."

"And what if there isn't one?"

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Fleur waved the thanks away. She had not done so to be praised. She had done it because the boy did not ask for the god Chthon to invade his body. Plus, she had wanted that power. And to dispel the Sicknesse[ that claimed her own and nearly wiped out those she actually cared for. And to top off the insult, the man had asked her to find towels and probably aid in the birth. "You realize that I am a witch, correct? You have heard of Cradle Snatching? Are you sure you want me near the child?"

In between breaths, Myth fought hard. She clenched Bruce's fist, sure that even with all her strength she could probably make very little way with it. "You touch my child with anything more than a woman's hands and I will strike you down where you stand witch! Now get this kid out of me!" She unleashed a wail the likes of which she had never heard before. She knew her lungs were powerful, but not this much.

Fleur smirked and let a low chuckle come forth. "Feisty. I like this one." Fleur turned to make her way to find towels. After some searching, she managed to find some in a closet on the first floor. She made her way back to the others and laid the towels down. "There, now do the...thing. The birth. Do it now." Fleur stepped back a ways to allow them some room.

Myth could feel the child coming slowly. She knew it would be a matter of time. She breathed in and out slowly, but the pain was bad. Who knew her exploits would lead to this? Giving birth to a god's child. Damn she wanted this to be done with though.

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Something blue sparkled at the corner of her eye. She lowered the labradorite and turned her head to find an odd trail of lapis weaving its way through the crowd. She furrowed her brow and set the stone that had once entranced her down. There was a new mystery to distract her. Mona did not look back at the seller as she approached the nearest of the stones. She bent down and lifted it up, holding it in the palm of her hand. Her curiosity caused her to probe the odd stone.

Something like nausea formed within her belly. She felt as if she were riding the winds, up and down and over. Her head spun for a moment and she wobbled but caught herself before she fell. Mona leaned heavily against a nearby fence and looked down at the little stone. It was not from here and now. It was from far away and another time. How strange. She began to follow the trail of stones, picking them up and pocketing them as she moved through the people. Her path took her away from #13.

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Wizard Way -> the Palace - @eclecticwitch

As Mona continues to follow the trail, she will end up in front of the Palace. A long but short building, it has beautiful sloping green lawns in front of it. There are guards stationed at various points but she should be able to get to the entrance without much trouble. There is the Palace Boat Launch nearby as well, allowing access to the waters of the moat and a connection to the river, allowing ease of travel to various places in the Small Wet Country Across the Sea. Perhaps these stones have a connection to the Queen and the Royal Family? At any rate, the trail clearly continues inside of the Palace itself.

Wizard Tower - Entrance Hall - @BlueSky44@KazAlkemi

"I can never win with you," Richard said, shaking his head at Runa. The Goddess of Lies was about to make a comment in return, only for Thalia's Trophy Husband to follow her back into the Great Hall. Runa relaxed slightly as he left. She never liked that man very much, even when they first met thousands of years ago - he reminded her too much of her uncle.

"Klara, we'll give you some privacy," Runa told Klara, before taking her husband's arm and heading into the Great Hall as well. She had heard a commotion in there and she wanted to ensure that Bruce and his fiancée were unharmed. Her eyes flickered towards the entrance door as Ahote came inside, noting that the Floor did not display a single greeting.

It was mourning for Arya still.

Wizard Tower - the Great Hall - @BlueSky44@KazAlkemi@FantasyChic

Banner paused for a moment, looking a bit like a student trying to remember a definition for a test, before it clicked in his mind what exactly CradleSnatching was. He would have threatened the woman but she was Magykal and that happened to be one of his weaknesses as the Hulk. "You haven't done anything to hurt or threaten my family - you've only helped. Until that changes, you're fine with me," Banner told Fleur honestly. Too many people were judged by past actions and if that was the case with her, he was happy to give her a fresh start and a second chance.

As Fleur left and came back with the towels, Banner got them properly assembled. "Okay, Myth, you're going to give a big push on the count of three," he told her calmly. She was ready to give birth. He hadn't been there for the birth of his sons - but he was happy to be there to see the birth of his great-grandson. "One... two... three - Push!"

Runa was hanging back slightly, there if she was going to be needed but not wanting to get into the way. She held Lance's hand tightly, smiling a bit. This was the birth of their very first grandchild - and hopefully not the last.

Wizard Tower - the Courtyard - @BlueSky44

Rainbrook didn't speak at first, despite Zekarra trying to calm him down. He would have hugged his best friend, but he knew there was a decent chance her father would try to kill him. Instead, he just looked at the ground, the pink still surrounding the iris of his eye. He took a shaky breath, trying his best not to Charmspeak as he spoke to Zekarra. He hated that he had that ability and took measures to never, ever use it.

"My mother sent me here to save her... And I failed," Rainbrook finally said, before he kicked the ground in fury. His toe throbbed from kicking stone but he didn't care. "Apollodora won't be born... My baby sister is dead because of me... A-and who knows what my father will do," Rainbrook rubbed his eyes, trying to get the tears to stop.

"When you're little, y-you assume your parents are soulmates... B-but seeing them today... They weren't..." Rainbrook sobbed, his chest heaving. "I shouldn't be here, Zekarra..."

The Palace - the Queen's Room - @BlueSky44@Nallore

Valda hadn't teleported them just anywhere in the Palace - she took them to the most secure location. It was the Queen's Room, the entrance way hidden and barred to all who were not blood relatives of the Queen. Myrus nodded meekly at Luna, taking deep breaths and trying to let the energy just leave his hands, rather than trap it there. He relaxed his shoulders unconsciously, unstuck his tongue from the roof of his mouth, and just breathed.

The glow went away. "I'm fine..." he then said. Everything had broken out into chaos at the wedding, not something that he had imagined for an event held at Wizard Tower. He couldn't help but have noticed that the ExtraOrdinary Wizard hadn't been present. That was never a good sign. "I-if Fleur is back... We need to run..." he said softly, looking at his siblings. "She won't stop until she's won..."

He didn't want to find out what prize Fleur had in mind.

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Luna took a moment to look around the room that they were in now, and started to relax she was just happy now that they aren't in any kind of danger. She rubbed her arms a bit trying to calm down and take a few deep breathes again, the wedding was a disaster and they all were in danger going to it at what had happened. She went over and hugged her brother and sister tightly for a moment before letting go and walked around the room a little bit. Luna then remembered what her brother had said earlier about leaving just the three of them, Luna didn't like the idea of leaving their home.

"But where would we even go?" Luna asked, she didn't want to become Fleur's little pet again the last time was during the coronation of Valda. And she was now mentally unstable and slowly going crazy now as well, looking over at her sister Valda was so stubborn she refused her suggestion of learning some weapons training. "I cant let them get me again.." Luna still had the occasional nightmare of being CradleSntached as well.

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She paused when the guards came into view, as well as the palace. She whistled softly, clearly impressed with not the building but the well-kept lawns. It clearly said that these people had money, wealth, and time. To have the kind of hired help who could keep the grass trimmed. Then again, maybe they used magic? She hardly knew. Mona would admit she was not at all well versed in the Small Wet Country Across the Sea.

The young woman decided that it would be worthwhile to keep following the stones. Her curiosity was getting the better of her and she had clearly forgotten her original plan of getting to know the city. She was not completely focused on gathering these stones. Mona nodded to the guards as she walked past them and made her way into the castle.

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"I am grateful to you helping Tate, and for your help here, but you also know that if you harm my kid you'll end up dead, no matter your intentions witch, I still remember the last time I saw you," Bruce muttered, looking over at Fleur slightly with a glare. He remembered quite well their last encounter, and it wasn't something he could easily forget. The fact that she held onto something with that much power was still concerning, but he wasn't going to do anything about it now, as long as Fleur didn't do anything too crazy.

"It'll be okay Myth," he said softly to her, holding onto her hand still. He didn't really feel her grip too much, thankful that he tended to be more resilient to things like that. Odds were she would break his hand by now at this rate. Glancing over slightly, he noticed his parents had come back into the room, but he was distracted by Myth again, looking at her. Lance had shifted back by now, and he generally knew better than to leave home without spare clothes of sorts, and most of his clothes easily could stretch out. He had pulled a shirt on, and his pants had remained undamaged, so he just held Runa's hand, saying nothing.

Zekarra looked at Rainbrook, and she didn't know what to say to him. This wasn't something she was very good at, dealing with loss of some sort. She usually had a sunny outlook on life, and never thought of people not being there, or people really dying, since she knew that she was going to live for a long time and didn't have to deal with anything like that. This was sort of new to her, but she could still see about helping out her friend.

Not caring if he stopped her or something, she gave him a hug. This was one of the few things that she felt might make someone feel better about things, but she could be wrong. It all depended on the person. "It'll be okay Rainbrook, I'm glad that you are still here... But maybe things can still be fixed, your mother isn't technically dead I don't think, so maybe we can find a way to help her, find a way to bring her back and fix things..."

Back upstairs, Klara gave Cuyler a bit of a smile. She could understand his wish to visit Asgard, and it would help to keep her sort of little lie about what happened to Arya going. Though she wasn't too thrilled with things, as he hadn't done anything to stop driving Arya away. She coughed slightly, and she still looked a bit paler than she had earlier, and she turned to address Cuyler. "Of course you may come to Asgard Cuyler..."

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Valda didn't care too much to discuss what had exactly happened at Wizard Tower with her brother and sister. That was not the sort of conversation that they should be having right now of course, but it would likely be a thing, obviously. Hearing their words, their concerns, Valda understood why they wanted to leave, why they wanted to get away from all of this. Myrus was traumatized and Luna had been driven crazy by the witches. This was definitely a major problem, but she didn't know what to do.

"Look, I can send you away, both of you... Get you away from here... But I can't leave the Castle to fend for itself against Fleur. I have to stay here, but the two of you can get away, actually, I would happily send you both away from here, as I want to keep both of you safe from her, but no. I have to stay here, I can't leave... As to where you'd go, I don't know, but we'd have to get the two of you out of here rather quickly I'd imagine..."

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Cuyler’s attention and emotion momentarily shifted as Thia came in and leaned heavily against him. He sighed happily and knelt down to scratch the top of Thia’s large head, bigger than her form as a Norwegian Elkhound and more lethal. He kissed the top of her head as well and breathed in his friend’s scent. She provided him with a comfort no one else ever seemed to be able to, including Arya.
Thia’s ears and nose twitched as noise and strange smells filtered in from the the Great Hall. She couldn’t quite gage what was going on in there but it was something big but Thia didn’t move from Cuyler’s side. She wasn’t normally this loving though in her wolf form but something warranted the need for it. Shifting, after getting a kiss from Cuyler, Thia looked at the older woman he was with. She was kin Thia knew, having met her several times already. Still, Thia did not go to this woman to be greeted by her as well. She simply stayed with Cuyler.
Cuyler smiled and ruffled Thia's head once more before he looked at Klara once she responded. He beamed at his mother but his excitement and pride was short lived.
”Mother, you do not look well,” he spoke boldly. He stood up, ready to try and get her to sit or find some water for her. Something dawned on Cuyler though as he looked for a chair. A conversation they had only a few short days prior.
”You're feeling unwell because of what happened between Arya and I aren't you?” Even more guilt settled onto the former Northern Traders shoulders.

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Amarantha smirked when Fleur got two very stern threats on the safety of the child who was yet to be born. The witch would have to be brain dead to try something in a room full of gods, who were all watching with a keen eye to this birth of a future family member. It was with that knowledge that Amarantha made her decision and slipped out of the crowd watching the birth. If Fleur tried something, she wouldn’t make it out of this place alive and that was all the assurance she needed in order to leave Wizard Tower. Amarantha needed to regroup. The ExtraOrdinary Wizard was presumed dead, the Witch Messiah was back in action and she just so happened to have saved all Magykal kind at the moment. There would be a reckoning, of which magnitude, Amarantha didn’t know but she needed to be prepared, along with all of her people and the royals she swore to protect. How much easier her task would have been if Puck still led her but all the more deadly for her. Sometimes it aggravated the former Deputy Hunter how much she had changed in her sort time as Commander.
She made her way through the Castle streets, plans forming her head of training sessions needed to be planned and messages needing to be sent. Magyk needed to be reinforced here and they needed allies. As she reached the Palace, a young woman thought she could waltz past the guards and head inside. Bold little thing wasn't she? Amarantha moved into the woman’s pathway though and looked down at her.
Amarantha’s sword dangled at her side, having been simply slid between her belt and the fabric of her formal tunic as she didn’t have a strap of leather proper for the sword. Amarantha’s daggers remained tucked and hidden beneath her clothes and she looked at the new woman’s face with a smirk.
”And you are?”

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From the first floor, Wizard Tower was just as grand as the top floors. Perhaps with more efficiency to move around but it was still something to admire all the same and for someone who didn’t grow up around such elaborate buildings, it really was a marvel. Ahote walked inside, looking completely heathly and not at all like he had just been thrown from the top floor of the tower. He walked across the Floor, not knowing any different as it lay dormant under his feet.
A few people remained in the entrance hall, several moving through the doors into another room but of the two people that remained, Ahote gazed at. A shift though at one figure’s legs caught Ahote’s attention first. The wolf from earlier. Ahote smiled and gave the wolf a grateful bow of his head. It seemed the wolf did have a companion that she was looking for and they had now found each other. Ahote looked back at the man. He was young, even younger than Ahote but this man seemed troubled and on edge. A blue aura, ever shifting in colour and size moved around him. Much like the waves of a very stormy sea. The colour told Ahote that this man was experiencing a sense of turmoil and change. That he was on the edge of a decision that will change his life. Whether for the better or not was yet to be determined. Still walking, although his pace had slowed, Ahote looked to the woman next. She was clearly older than the man before her and judging by her aura, she was older than a lot of the people in this tower, even if all their ages were combined. She looked worn, pale and tired. Absentmindedly, Ahote looked around for a chair but he didn’t think the woman would accept the offer to sit even if it was upon a golden throne. He looked back at the pair of them as he passed, seeing further into the woman’s aura of love and hatred. It seemed to tell him that she had seen her fair share of both. A never ending war of people battling each and this woman was somehow caught in the middle of it all. Every time.
Ahote didn’t linger in the entrance hall for there was also a tension in the air within this room. He pushed further, leaving the pair to continue their discussion in private. He hurried into the other room upon hearing a very loud cry and came upon a rather glorious scene. However, Ahote didn’t want to be here either. It seemed a birth was occuring. He scanned the people’s faces within this room, looking for Arnora for Grims was still outside. He didn’t find her though but he did recognize Runa and cleared his throat.
”Sorry to disturb but the female companion I was with upstairs, do you know where she has gone to?”

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Fleur did not watch. What is with people and birthing children? She did not see the appeal. It was much easier to take them when they are young without all the pain and the screaming. She maintained this belief especially now with the woman's cries echoing among the tower. She watched as others disappeared, most likely going back home. She would join them in their escape soon enough.

Meanwhile, Myth pushed hard, gripping on to Bruce's hand. "Gods get this thing out of me already!" With their wedding ruined due to some gods desire for power, she was thankful he decided to come now rather than during the actual ceremony. It would be just her luck to ruin a traditional wedding ceremony by giving birth there and then. She pushed again, feeling the child.

Fleur then moved away. "Much as I would love to stay and watch this finale, I have important matters to attend to. My best to you and yours blah blah blah. Ta ta loves!" With that, Fleur summoned her Magyk and Teleported away back to her home. Once she manifested, she would see to matters, like ensuring her cohort were no longer sick. Once that was done, she would have to plan. There was a lot of work to get done.

Myth didn't care if she stayed or not. The farther away she was, the better she felt. Soon, with one final struggle, Myth gave it her all. Afterward, she could hear the telltale cry of a newborn baby as she felt relief after all the pain. "IS he all right? 10 fingers and 10 toes?"

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Outside the Palace - @eclecticwitch@KazAlkemi

It is incredibly dark outside - which is understandable, as the sun set a few hours ago. Mona will be able to see that there seems to be more lapis lazuli heading inside of the Palace, but she has Amarantha to deal with...

Wizard Tower - Entrance Hall - @BlueSky44@KazAlkemi

It seems the Floor has a message for you.


Wizard Tower - the Great Hall - @BlueSky44@FantasyChic

Thalia and Richard departed quietly, sensing that this was a time for just immediate family. And as Fleur left, there was only Myth and her fiancé, as well as his parents and his grandfather left. Dr. Banner continued to work, gently pulling out the baby and allowing for Bruce to cut the cord. Once that was done, he wrapped up the baby in blankets, a bit worried due to the extremely small size. "It's a boy," Banner said, trying his best to stay calm. "But he is premature... We'll need to take him to Asgard. I have what we need there to ensure that he is healthy, until he's big enough to live without my help," Banner explained.

Runa nodded. She wasn't going to risk her grandchild's life. And given that Bruce didn't have his powers, that left her. Taking the pieces of Gandr, she placed them next to each other and it snapped back into a staff. Closing her eyes, she began to mutter in an ancient tongue, before a portal of sorts opened. "Come, we will go to Asgard at once," Runa explained, keeping the portal open with her magic. Someone else would need to carry Myth on through. Banner was holding the child for the moment, though he gave the boy to Myth, knowing that she would want her infant son.

She didn't answer Ahote - mostly because her grandson was being born and she was focused on that.

Wizard Tower - the Courtyard - @BlueSky44

Rainbrook hugged Zekarra back tightly, crying into her shoulder. He knew he wasn't as bright or strong as his sister, but his mother had entrusted him with this job. She had told him that she remembered him being there - and that without him, she didn't know if she would survive. But now, nothing was anything like what he had been prepared for. "Th-thank you, Zekarra..." he said softly. He hesitated slightly, but then decided against saying something more.

"It'll be alright Rainbrook... We'll figure it out..."

He nodded, still crying. "You're my best friend... You know that, right?"

"I guess if I didn't know, I definitely do now... I already knew though..."

Rainbrook fell silent, not sure how to respond to that. Eventually, Thalia and Richard came outside. Zekarra's mother transformed into a magnificent silver dragon, scooping them all up and they vanished in a flash of silver, departing the Castle after a night of so much tragedy.

The Palace - the Queen's Room - @BlueSky44@Nallore

Myrus shook his head. "I won't lose you again, Valda... Witches took you from us once already...For years...I-I can't let you go again," he admitted, his eyes tearing up a bit as he wiped them on his sleeve. He had lost his father - he had lost his mother. He had just gotten Valda back not that many months ago and he didn't know if he could deal with the pain of losing her. And if Fleur killed Valda, he knew that she would hunt them down and kill them as well. They'd be rivals to her throne. "Please, Valda... Let the wizards deal with Fleur..."

His hands started to glow and Myrus took a step backwards, trying his best to calm down but it wasn't working. His big sister essentially had just told them she was going to stay behind on a suicide mission. Fleur could get inside of her head - she could torture Valda. His mind kept on coming up with more and more horrible things that Fleur could do to her, a lot of them inspired by what he had read about one of the gods from the Land of Long Nights - Loki, the trickster.

It gave him an idea. "...Wh-what if we stayed behind and helped you - helped you trick Fleur?" he then asked.

The Badlands - the Observatory

Once Fleur returned back to her flock, she would find them in the midst of celebration. Bonfires had been constructed outside of the observatory, with some of the children joining hands in a circle around them and dancing. Constance and Bernice were watching the young ones from a bench. Jezebel was serving dishes of fresh fruit to those who were hungry and had missed the evening meal. Never before had there been such a joyous occasion here at Fleur's home. And she would notice that amongst one of the circles around the fire, Princess Meadow had donned a witch's cloak and was happily running around in the fun. Her guards watched suspiciously from half a dozen paces back.

"It was you," Constance told Fleur confidently, getting up and walking on over to her. "You saved our people, Witch Messiah," Constance added, taking Fleur's face in her own and pressing a kiss to each cheek. "What now?" Bernice then asked, looking eager to pounce on something.

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Luna was trying her best to calm herself down as she walked around nervously around the room, she wasn't sure if the witches would try taking her again, or just outright killing her. Her hands were shaking ever so slightly as she looked over towards her sister when she said she would be staying here. Which would most likely end up killing her if Fleur decided to just kill Valda and she didn't want to see that from her sister. As much as Luna wanted to just run as far away from here as possible she had her family here still and they were also her family to. Luna noticed Myrus losing control of his powers by the looks of it as the glowing wouldn't stop, she didn't want to hurt him either and then he thought of something.

"I don't want to leave either of you at all.." Luna said softly as she walked over and sat down on the bed as she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, she didn't want to lose control of herself at all either unlike what had happened earlier. "What do you have in mind?" Luna asked Myrus softly as she turned her attention over towards him, she thought about maybe trying to get allies as well. "We can also try and get allies to maybe?" Luna suggested as well.

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Another reason to pause. She picked up a stone and soon found a pair of booted feet in front of her. Her eyes trailed up. Oh good, there were legs, hips, torso, sword (not so good), and lastly, a very normal head belonging to a woman. Nothing so spooky or scary. The small traveler blinked a few times as the woman spoke. Mona looked about her to ensure it was not someone else to whom her words were directed. Nope. Just Mona.

Cocking her head to the side and small furrow line appearing between her brows she responded, "Well, I be Mona. Who be ye?" She tucked her lapis that she had just picked up into a pouch that was starting to get quite full of the stones. She returned her attention to the woman. Mona's stance was very relaxed, her arms hung naturally at her sides and her feet about shoulder width apart. Her wild curls moved lightly in the wind and a small smile was on her lips.

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Bruce gave a slight smile at Myth, before he heard the cry of the baby. He still remembered when his younger sisters were born, though that was at the time a sort of an annoyance, especially since it resulted in a sister who wouldn't let them age no matter what they did. He knew Nova meant well about that whole situation, but still it did get annoying from time to time. Glancing over at the baby, he could understand the worry about the baby being premature. He did know a few slight things about medicine, but he preferred the sort of thing that his father called from old Earth "chemistry". Effectively Alchemie in a way which is why he did that as a profession.

"Yeah, we might want to get them to Asgard, don't want to risk anything..." Lance said, nodding his head slightly at what was going on and what Runa was saying. It made sense to get them there as quickly as possible, and he smiled slightly at Runa.

Bruce nodded his head in agreement with his father and grandfather, it made sense in his mind. After all, this was his son, he didn't want to risk him having any sort of issues. "Come on Myth... We need to get you up and to Asgard alright? We can help him there, make sure nothing happens to him... We want to be safe don't we?" he said softly to her, still smiling gently at her.

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"It is nothing to be concerned about Cuyler... This is just a mere annoyance, nothing more than that. You are also not the cause of this illness, I just was not showing symptoms of any sort of discomfort before. Do not worry about me."

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"But I don't want you two to be in harms way of any kind... I want to make sure that the two of you are safe and aren't put in danger because of anyone holding a grudge against me..." she said softly, looking between her two siblings. She would always worry about them, no matter how good or nice things seemed to be at that moment. Valda just wanted her brother and sister to be safe, even if it meant that she had to put herself in between them and any sort of danger.

Hearing Myrus' words made her wonder what sort of plan that he had in mind. Tricking a witch? Especially one as powerful as Fleur was? That certainly was an interesting prospect, but she wasn't exactly sure what to even think about that. "...What are you thinking about exactly Myrus? You need to remember, it likely isn't going to be easy to trick a witch. However, I think it is definitely something worth attempting," she said with a smile.

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He watched his mother carefully, still unsure if she was telling truth or not but Cuyler had no reason not to trust her. The Floor finally seemed to come alive, flashing at them to go away for it was depressed. Cuyler frowned at the colourful floor. It sure seemed to have an odd way to show its depression. He looked back at Klara, still wary but he wouldn’t press her. He would just keep an eye on her.
From the other room a baby’s cry could be heard and then there was a flash as Runa opened the portal. Cuyler looked back, trying to see what had happened. It seemed the baby had been born though and that was a very good thing indeed. Cuyler couldn’t help but become a bit excited and antsy at seeing a portal though. A portal that more than likely led to Asgard.
”Shall we be off then mother? Perhaps you will feel better once we have left,” Cuyler suggested. Thia nuzzled his hand and he held onto her. ”Can Thia come as well?” He wasn’t sure how going to Asgard worked for animals. Thia had been by his side since that dreadful day five years ago. He really didn’t want to go without her.

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Amarantha smirked, catching the blue of the Lapis Lazi stone that she put into her pouch. It seemed she was forming quite the collection. Interesting.
”I be Amarantha, Commander of the Palace guard. And you my dear, should leave this place. The royals will be having no visitors at this time.” Amarantha glanced over at the guards who allowed entrance to Mona. She would have to tighten security. Especially with the Witches back in commission.
Amarantha looked back at Mona, trying to gauge this woman and who she might be. She scanned her, picking out little things here and there that the average person, or guard, might not notice. She eyed her hands, the stones and her crazy hair. She wasn’t from around here and she wasn’t the typical but Amarantha had spent plenty of time around Witches both Darke and Lyte. She stepped closer to Mona, her hands tingling and twitching.
”It’s dangerous being a lone Witch in these parts, within these times. You better tell me exactly what you are doing here and what you are tracking before I slice your pretty hands off.”

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Ahote’s question remained unanswered but of course it would. There was a baby being born! He shifted, hearing the woman screams of labour pain making him rather uncomfortable. He backed out of the room and headed for the stairs but it seemed the stairs were in slide form and wouldn’t shift back to normal stairs. Sighing, Ahote looked around the near empty Wizard Tower and walked back outside into the fresh air.
As he stepped out, Ahote saw a great dragon pick up several people before flying off. Jumping back and standing in a fighting stance, Ahote watched in awe of the dragon as it flew away. Looking around, Ahote shook out his stance and walked down the street. Of course he knew he wouldn’t have been able to take on a dragon but Ahote’s fight or flight mechanism tended to stay stuck on fight.