Helo

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Forests outside Roshmi City
Interactions: Cora @Potter

Cade found Cora’s request a bit strange; did she not know how to hunt at all or did she wish to learn how to hunt like a cat did? It seemed unlikely that a human could hunt like a cat, they lacked the teeth or claws for it, but he could always give her pointers on how to stalk one's prey. “I could try and give you some pointers, how do you normally hunt?” Cade asked nodding as he thought on the subject. “But it’s certainly not a burden, in case you haven’t noticed, I am built for it after all.” Cade said grinning as he flexed his claws for her to see. Even as he tried to lighten the mood, he could sense that she shared the same anxious energy he also felt. He watched the human as she tried to warm herself with fire, noticing how unlike few the humans he had met so far differed from the old stories he had heard of past humans in Avalia. These were not the grizzled heroes from stories who always knew exactly what to do to win, who could easily conquer any foe set before them. Instead they seemed so much more real, more like him, just trying to do what they could when facing impossible tasks.

“I imagine you have sacrificed a great deal to be here, to be taken from your own home, and to be in a strange place during its darkest time. The way I see it, Avalia herself chose the very best warriors of earth to come to her aid, and you, and those like you, answered that call. So to me, that makes you one of Avalia’s most honored guests, and any assistance I can provide is no burden, but an honor and a privilege. I am grateful that you are here, that you are willing to stand with us even while so many who call Avalia their home would rather turn a blind eye to everything that is wrong here. You showed great bravery last night, you should be very proud.” Cade spoke earnestly, doing his best to make sure that Cora knew that he could be trusted, that she was welcomed company, and to say the sort of things he would want to hear if their roles were reversed.

---

Time: Morning
Location: Forest outside of Roshmi
Interactions: Darius@FunnyGuy, Elthrael@Dezuel, Zephyrin@Howlsofwinter

Bowyn, startled by the stumbling fairy who approached, jumped up from his spot near the campfire where he had been crotched as he tended to the cooking fish. Darius spoke first, though Bowyn would hardly agree that he had caught the stranger. It would seem picking up strays was becoming a habit of his, though he had to admit that thus far it hadn’t really turned out poorly for him. ”Sorry, I guess I should’ve been paying more attention, didn’t realize I was being followed.” He said to Darius. Bowyn made note of this, it was careless of him to not take extra steps to ensure he was alone before heading to the shared camp, and he was admittedly lucky that he’d been followed by a fairy and not some dark elf or demon.

He eyed the stranger with suspicion, although she did not seem outwardly threatening. Something about her was eerily familiar but it wasn’t until Elthrael spoke, referring to her as a ‘wintery rose’ did it click with him, what an odd twist to run into one of his own kind this far south. To say Bowyn had conflicted feelings in regards to his own people was an understatement but while he had no intention of ever setting foot in his home village seeing one of his own kind here was different. Even so far south of his village, he still felt that slight hint of shame as he stood before another winter fae. Shame that out of dozens who had made a small stand against the dark elves he had been the one to return home when all of them deserved that more than he did. But he also felt the sting of nostalgia for the good parts of his home, the better memories, and the parts of his village that he rarely allowed himself to miss.

“Well, since you were right about the demi-human last night, got any thoughts on this fairy?” Bowyn asked, turning towards Boreas.

“Kinda looks like you, smells a bit like you, so probably nothing but trouble.” Boreas answered as he noted the disheveled appearance of the winter fairy. He left the picked over remains of his breakfast and flew to Bowyn’s shoulder, and the merlin’s watchful eyes studied Zephyrin.

“Excellent news, the bird here approves of you, though he has a history of taking to mud covered fairies wandering around forests.” Bowyn said, now addressing Zephyrin, while also teasing Boreas. Bowyn glanced at the fish and back at Zephyrin, recalling his childhood, when sharing everything he had was second nature, even when what he had fell short of enough. “Feel free to join us for breakfast.” Bowyn said, extending a similar offer of hospitality as Eltheral had, and he gestured towards the fish and the campfire. He didn’t regard his own people as a threat, and it didn’t seem right to disregard the type of hospitality that was so common amongst his people.

Avalia

Time: Evening/Morning
Location: A summary of his time leading up to the present and into the woods near Roshmi
Interactions: Alone

Being lost was a strange and completely unfamiliar experience for Valok. He had never been truly alone, never had the terrifying uncertainty of having to decide things for himself. The entirety of his life up until now had always been decided for him; he always had orders to rely on, someone to tell him what he should do and what he should think. Now there was only him, left alone with his thoughts. At first he thought he liked being alone, he could stare at the stars and there was no one around to bother him or think it strange. But he quickly ran out of pleasant things to think about, and spent hours thinking about what a terrible mistake he had made. He had left his post, he was a deserter. They would never let him back into the army now, once he was caught his life would be over. He knew this was exactly why he wasn’t offered choices, why he just followed orders because the first time he did make a choice, it was to betray everything he’d been taught.

But then at night there was the dream; the torture of the human and of the rebels that Valok had witnessed at Chism, vividly repeating inside his mind whenever he slept. He would stand, watching as he was ordered to, keeping anyone from interfering with what was happening. Occasionally glancing into cold eyes and at the sadistic smile on the face of his commander who inflicted the slow torture. All around him he heard the deafening screams and cries for mercy. Then he watched as his commander's cruel face and empty eyes slowly morphed into his own face, and then his face mimicked the same cold expression. Every night since he deserted he watched himself commit the acts that haunted both his sleeping and his waking mind.

Valok understood the truth within his dream; this was what the army wished to make of him, a twisted and cruel monster. It was not a question of if, but of how long it would take, just how easy would it be before all humanity left him and he was no different from those who tortured for fun? How many times would it take for him to witness such horror before it became another thing he grew numb to, and how long after that before he too was a willing participant? The visceral feeling of being horrified by acts that could only be described as evil was one of the few things that truly cut through the constant numbness he’d always felt. It had made him feel real in a way he hadn’t for a long time. Impulsively he made the choice to hold on to that feeling, searching for where it would lead him. Every time he woke from the nightmare he was left assured that he had made the right choice, but his resolve would slowly ebb away throughout the day until he faced the nightmare once again.

He kept choosing to travel south, further and further from his home and everything he had known. The first town he found himself in was small, composed of mainly light elves and demihumans. It was there that he first noticed how the townsfolk watched him, with looks of fear, distrust, and occasionally anger. It was a disconcerting experience, to know that strangers already saw him as something he feared he might become, something already evil. Was he evil? Was that what being a dark elf meant, should he revel in another’s pain like so many of his people did? The townsfolk were afraid of him, he could see it, sensed it like a palpable aura. That feeling, and those glances, remained even after he traded away anything that marked him as having come from the army. He had no answers for the questions he was just beginning to form and only hoped that more clarity would be found if he kept moving south.

Eventually he found himself in one of Avalia’s largest cities, Roshmi. Val found himself struck by the beauty of the city, even at night it felt bright and warm. Even the air had a welcoming smell and freshness to it, and he caught whiffs of unfamiliar foods and spices. The southern races that called Roshmi home walked with a spark in their eyes that was unfamiliar to him, though when their eyes met him, he found the same gilmore of fear. At least in a city as large as Roshmi it was easier to hide. Valok had always found it easy to blend in with shadows, to remain unseen and unnoticed. All it took from him was to remember that he came from nothing, he felt nothing, he was nothing. Then through his dark magic he could become nothing; at least to the average and untrained eye. It was more comfortable to be someone unnoticed, more like how he felt back home, and this was how he travelled through the city until he came upon a strange sight in a town square.

A bright orb, glowing just as a moon did, broadcasting a message through magic to all the towns folks that gathered close around it. It was as if Halastra, the goddess he was taught to worship above all Elven gods, had guided him here, to this moon like orb. Valok watched, entranced, as a young fairy gave an impassioned message of rebellion. He found himself mesmerized with curiosity; it was not the sort of message he expected, not the words of someone who wanted to see peace end but someone who wanted the world to be better. Her words against the dark elves, spoke to him in a way that eerily reflected his own thoughts and fears about his people and himself.

She had also called dark elves slaves to Aklenroth, and the king himself a mad one. It was jarring to hear someone say such things with such strong conviction when everything he knew told him the opposite. No dark elf he knew was forced to serve Aklenroth, he and all he knew did so willingly, out of loyalty for the only leader that had ever shown his race kindness. While he couldn’t agree with every word she spoke, the whole of her speech resonated with him. This was someone who could help him understand; why the rebels wanted a war in a land that had known peace for so long. This fairy, Risa, was someone who spoke as if dark elf was not synonymous with evil, and as someone who wanted an Avalia that was better for all who inhabited it. Was that what he wanted as well?

He had been taught that it was right to hate the light elves, and all the races who flourished south of Daka, but the why had always been hazy. It had been the light elves alone who had banished his people, and that had been centuries ago. How many light elves still existed old enough to have been responsible? How long should old wounds be allowed to fester before rot set in and nothing remained salvageable? Unlike so many of his kind Valok only felt apathy in place of anger and hate when he thought of light elves, fairies, and demihumans. Perhaps in this his hollowness had been a gift, preventing him from falling into the trap so many of his kind had. He felt no reason to cling to the past, no reason to seek vengeance against creatures he’d never met, at least not without someone telling him that it was what he was supposed to do. He had seen first hand the pain his kind brought to others, and he knew enough to know that was not the kind of elf he wished to be.

He wondered if Risa’a words were just words, or if they held truth. If he might find the sort of answers he was seeking or a new purpose if he found these rebels. Would the articulate fairy accept a dark elf into her band of rebels? Did he even want to be welcomed amongst rebels? He could see clearly where the dark elves were wrong, where he had been wrong, and the flaws in so many of the things he had been taught, but was that enough to betray his king? It seemed the only way to really know was to try and see.

Risa’s message ended with a grizzly sight; another fairy, this one dead and covered in thorny vines. A strange way to end a message but it did not seem to be Risa’s doing, and with the energy of the crowd beginning to rise; soon heated words became heated actions. Now would be a poor time for him to get caught by guards. As the city descended into chaos, Val knew it was time to move elsewhere. Though this had once been the ideal place to run into the rebels it was no longer safe for them either. He knew exactly how his kind would likely lock down Roshmi and Valok made his way out of the city before the worst of it happened.

Another night spent alone in the woods faded into another morning where he awoke cold with sweat from the repeating nightmare. He again set off with nothing but a vague destination in mind, but he figured any rebels who had left Roshmi would be somewhere nearby. Their leader, Risa, had claimed heritage from the River Kingdom and he was sure the dark elves would have that area locked down tight as well, making that location not the ideal direction to head. A more likely option would be for them to head towards the Flower Kingdom, a terrain with plenty of areas to hide rebel camps. If this was the case he might be able to run into rebels near the coast or one of the port towns. The other option was that might head towards the Sun Elves or the smaller demi-human towns even further on, but that was much further and a larger area. So, Valok headed in the direction of the cost, hoping his guess was correct, and if not, well he was a deserter, all his time was borrowed anyhow what did it really matter how he spent it.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Forests outside Roshmi City
Interactions: Elsea @Tae, Cora @Potter

Cade led the way out of Roshmi, staying far from any lights or traces of others and sticking to the far outskirts of the city as they left. He stuck close enough to the humans that they could easily see him, and as a cat, his vision at night made it easy to navigate in almost total darkness. Once deep enough into the forest they took shelter inside a cave for the night, and though Cade would’ve much preferred to spend the night high up in a tree, it occurred to him that humans seemed much less equipped to sleep there without falling and likely injuring their more fragile looking limbs. His dreams that night were plagued by images of the demon from the ballroom that had destroyed and consumed all around it. The haunting presence of a beast that could not be fought, at least not by him, and the feeling of being powerless to help protect those around him, prevailed throughout his dreams. In his sleep he occasionally emitted a low growl and there was a continuous nervous twitching of his tail.

He awoke before dawn with a restless feeling of needing to do something to make up for the things he was not able to do the previous night. He headed out from the cave, silently moving through the foliage as he did what a cat does best, hunting. It wasn’t long before he came upon one of the very large rodents that were common in the area, and with stealth and grace he pounced on the unsuspecting creature. Cade stopped on the way back to the cave’s entrance to grab a few pieces of the fruit that grew nearby knowing that humans often liked to eat more than just meat. Once he made his way back to the mouth of the cave he set to work building a fire to cook the meat over. He would have to wait for one of the humans to light it though, thus far any attempt to light a fire using only what the forest provided had only left him with piles of broken sticks.

---

Time: Morning
Location: Forest outside of Roshmi
Interactions: Kenia@Tae, Darius@FunnyGuy, Elthrael@Dezuel, Vaeril@Alivefalling

The rest of the night had been uneventful, and Bowyn spent the majority of his turn on watch pacing along the perimeter of the campsite and indulging in the stolen mead. The constant movement allowed him to burn off his anxious energy, he was fully involved in the rebellion now and that was all he could think about. It began to occur to him that as much as he despised the choice made by Risa and the rest who had summoned humans to Avalia, that he, and those like him, also carried some of the responsibility for that choice. Everyone in Avalia that could clearly see the evil of the Lich King and did nothing to stop him only added to the circumstances that made those who activated the DROMs feel that their action was justified. His compliance with evil was something that needed to be rectified, but beyond seeing the things that needed to be destroyed, he held little hope that Avalia would ever be anything better than what it had always been. Avalia was a place that had allowed an entire race to be banished and did nothing while the dark elves became twisted by evil, it had allowed a lich to take power and to use the dead as pawns, and now it had had stolen a race from another world to correct its own problems. Other than the obvious goals of ending Aklenroth, laying to rest the undead, returning the humans and destroying all traces of DROMs, what would come after that, if he even survived what came next. Did he even have the will to fight for something better when he didn’t even believe it possible, because now it was clear to him that to continue his apathy to the world around him was what allowed evil to thrive, and it would allow it to all happen again.

When it was time for him to sleep he passed out drunk and exhausted. His sleep was empty and if he did dream he did not remember it. Bowyn was awoken by Boreas returning from his hunt with a shrill cry as the merlin proudly announced his success at having caught a meal. His hangover robbed him of any feeling of restfulness he might have gotten from the few hours of sleep, and he sat up with a headache and full bodied heaviness. The night had left him with the understanding that what he needed to do was make the effort to connect more to both this group he now traveled with and to Avalia in general if he wished to avoid falling back into apathy. As he watched his bird eat the much smaller bird Boreas had caught during his hunt, Bowyn decided that the rest of them should also eat before continuing their travels. He forced himself up from this spot on the ground, heading to a nearby stream to catch fish. He later returned with a few fish on wooden spears that he placed around the fire to cook. A small effort to contribute, he could handle that, it seemed like a step in the right direction.

Avalia

Time: Night
Location: Campsite
Interactions: Kenia@Tae, Darius@FunnyGuy, Elthrael@Dezuel, Vaeril@Alivefalling

Bowyn appreciated the silence during the walk and the few moments where it lingered as they sat around a campfire. Everything about this day had been exhausting but he was grateful that Kenia had the foresight to grab mead for the journey. He drank from the bottle of warm mead he’d grabbed waiting for the alcohol to wash down the bitter memories of the night, and didn’t even bother with frosting the bottle. He had used a great deal of energy during the fight with Jack, way more magic and on a larger scale than he was used to. Worse than the exhaustion he now felt, even worse than the sight of that poor human with his head severed, was the feeling of having killed others with magic. Magic was a gift fairies had to better connect them to nature, to creation, and to use it to kill, felt like a perversion of that. The awful feeling in his stomach was neither caused by or helped from the warm mead but he drank it anyway, waiting for a content numbness that just wouldn’t come.

Elthreal broke the silence, the other fairy certainly had a skill for knowing just what to say to get under another’s skin. While Bowyn merely nodded in agreement with the majority of what Elthreal said, Kenia voiced a different view. Bowyn wondered why so many seemed to simply take Risa at her word, from a prepared speech made safely away from the danger it had caused everyone else there. It seemed to him that if Kenia truly cared for her now dead human friend she should know who helped cause that death. Rei would never have been in Avalia if it had not been for Risa’s actions, and the deaths of him and those who died after her speech at the ball could not be made right by words. This, however, was a point he kept to himself, Rei’s death had clearly been painful for Kenia and he wouldn’t throw that at her simply to make a point.

“Her birthright?” Bowyn repeated with a scoff and shake of his head. Bowyn continued to speak with a more detached tone, finding the discussion a welcomed break from his previous thoughts. “Should being born into power mean you get to inherit it? We’re talking about a fairy who admitted to abducting another race to fight a war for her. Someone just as willing as Aklenroth to use others as pawns. Why trade one heartless royal for another? Don’t get me wrong, I want nothing more than to see the lich finally meet his end but I must agree with Elthreal, Risa does not strike me as one suitable for any thorne. At least Elthreal has actually met Risa. While the rest of us have only heard a prepared speech she gave safely away from its disastrous consequences. Actions say a great deal more than words, and hers certainly fall in line with Elthreal’s description. Since the humans have already been brought here, without a say in the matter, perhaps they should lead us, both in this rebellion and in what follows. Give them some sort of choice in it all, our collective races have only made a mess of this world anyhow. But what do I know? I’m just a half drunk fairy who talks to a bird.” Bowyn ended his words with a slight grin and another drink from the bottle.

Avalia

Time: Evening
Location: Roshmi City
Interactions: Elsea @Tae, Cora @Potter

The human who called herself Elsea asked if he knew a way out of the city and Cade nodded. He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to leave Roshmi without his possessions, all of which he had left behind before attending the ball. While most of his things were easily replaceable his halberd was more than a possession, it was the only thing he had to connect him with his brother. But Shadow would not have led humans deeper into a dangerous city just to retrieve a weapon, and Cade knew that he couldn’t either. The other halberd he now held, the one Ayita had tossed to him from a guard, was neither well crafted nor did it hold any significance, but it would have to do for now. He could not be selfish enough to try and risk their lives for a sentimental weapon. It was strange to think of creatures as powerful as humans would look to him when deciding where to go, what to do next, but he knew the city well enough, and he knew how to survive in the forests. Cade could also still remember what it had been like in Lora after rebellious talk had been uncovered, and he suspected the retaliation against Roshmi would likely be far worse.

“I’m Cadence of a Thunderstorm, but most call me Cade, and it would be my honor to lead you both to the port town. I think we should stick to the perimeter of the city, make our way as quickly as possible to the forest before we encounter any further trouble.” Cade said, removing the mask from the ball and tossing it aside. He headed towards the northwest, waiting for the two humans to follow as well, leaving Roshmi’s Grand Hall as sounds of destruction still bellowed from within. “I had hoped tonight would show Avalia in a better light to the human I first met, but this night has shown me the darkest side of this world. I hope that even after tonight your kind can still see Avalia as a place worth fighting for.” Cade added.

Ember Grove - Reboot

Time: Afternoon
Location: Alexei’s
Interaction with: Niko @Potter, Alexander@FunnyGuy

Eli tried and failed to cover his laughter as Niko downed the shot of peppermint schnapps. He was pleased at having pulled one over on someone with such a keen sense of detail. Before Niko was finished coughing he already had a shot of actual vodka sitting next to him. He noticed Alexander seemed to be just about ready to leave, and that he had also yet to cash out his tab. Who would’ve thought his work day would be so exciting; getting to both prank Niko and annoy a vampire all on the same day.

“Leaving already Mr. Drake? Jimmy can cash you out.” He said gesturing to their newest hire, who was still in training and would be aggravatingly slow at the task.

He turned his attention back to Niko who was clearly annoyed with his phone. Niko asked for the nacho’s to go, and Eli could tell from the way he eyed the door he was trying to leave in a hurry, suspiciously at the exact same time as Alexander was about to leave. “Hey what’s going on? Last time I was in the same room as that guy, right after he left, there was a whole big “terrorist attack,” and now you're both fixing to leave. You know something I don’t?” Eli whispered to Niko who had been keeping a close eye on Alexander since he walked in. Eli did not want a repeat of last night, and part of his job was to make sure Alexei’s maintained its safe haven reputation with its supernatural patrons. He couldn’t have Niko stalking vampires in the bar, no matter how much he didn’t like said vampire, or any surprise vampire attacks going down either.

Avalia

Time: Evening
Location: Roshmi City
Interactions: Elsea @Tae, Cora @Potter, Ayita @13org

Those around him all told Cade that it was time to flee, even though there were still a small handful of people still inside, and Sakura still battled with Ahzmorath. The thought of leaving Sakura behind while she battled the demon did not sit well with him. He knew there was nothing he could do to help her, but she was his friend and she was in danger. Although a part of him knew that a war would mean losses, that it would mean actions that did not always seem honorable and right, Cade had never had to leave an alley behind while they still fought. He also knew that the coming war mattered more than his life or sense of honor, and that humans were their best chance at winning. Ayita was right, they could not let Sakura’s heroic actions go to waste. He had to make sure these human’s stayed safe and got to the port town to continue the fight. As some sort of portal emerged from the demon’s chest and began pulling things in, it was clear that to remain here any longer would only be a loss, but to keep the humans alive would be a small victory. He followed after Elsea as she led the other human out of the ballroom, staying on the opposite side of the very exhausted looking human.

“Any creature that stands against the lich will always be a friend of mine.” Cade said to reassure Cora who had seemed wary of him. As they made their way towards the exit he could still hear Ayita’s voice above the commotion, she spoke not only like a warrior, but as someone who he would be proud to follow into battle, she spoke like a leader. He wondered if she shared his reservations in leaving a fight unfinished, in leaving anyone behind. Just as she had implored him to leave, to assure him that was time to retreat and regroup, he felt the need to echo the same advice to her. “Ayita led those who will follow you from here, to the port, and ready them for a war. Leave this demon to be his own undoing.” He turned his head and shouted in her direction. He could only hope that as the demon continued to destroy the building around him, drawing wreckage and furniture into a portal within its own chest, that such destruction would undo Ahzmorath as well. But he could not worry about Roshmi’s safety, he had to focus on the humans, and on the war to come.

---

Time: Evening
Location: Outside Roshmi Hall
Interactions: Kenia@Tae, Darius @FunnyGuy, Vaeril[@Avlivefalling]

Bowyn knew he had to leave, there was very little chance of him being able to find Torvi or Belle amongst the panicked masses that had fled Roshmi Hall. All he could do was assume they had gotten out, he had told them about the port town, and he’d just have to hope he’d find them there in a few days. He wasn’t going to consider the other possibility until then, if he wanted to stay focused and to keep his head clear, he couldn’t afford to think of them as lost. What he could think about was how much easier it had been to travel with people he could trust, now he no longer had that luxury. Although Kenia had claimed she needed to go retrieve another human, who was to say that wasn’t another trap? Going back into Roshmi seemed like a bad idea, he wanted to get as far away from the city as quickly as possible and he wasn’t sure if looking for another human was worth risking the one already with them.

As if one elf was not enough a second elf approached, limping, and asking to join them. A wounded elf would only slow them down but it seemed cruel to point that out right away, even if he was an elf. Bowyn would keep his opinion on the second elf to himself for now so long as the limping elf was able to keep up with them. He wasn’t sure what Kenia’s intentions, or the other light elf that joined them, were but he knew his own intentions. If the human was going to be traveling with these elves, then he should go with them as well. Darius seemed to have little sense of caution and if either elf tried anything he would be there to help the human. He removed both the mask and the vest he had worn to the ball and tossed them aside. As he did so Boreas glared at him, annoyed to still be wearing a bow tie.

“No more fancy parties.” Boreas said.

”Definitely.” Bowyn agreed as he whispered to his bird and removed the bow tie from the bird and tossed it away as well. ”And no more fancy clothes.” He promised his winged companion, then discreetly nodded his head towards the male elf and Boreas understood that Bowyn wished for him to keep an eye on the elf.

”I will watch him.” Boreas said. Bowyn kept his attention on the other elf, Kenia. He was more than happy to let the elf walk in front rather than have to give his back to someone he didn’t trust.

”I’m Bowyn.” He said, specifically introducing himself to Darius. ”The first human I met calls herself a viking, are you one as well? I’m told they are the fiercest warriors of Earth.” He asked trying to determine if humans' seemingly fearless demeanor was from bravery or a lack of comprehension of the danger they were all in.

Avalia

Time: Evening
Location: Roshmi Hall
Interactions: Darius @FunnyGuy, Kenia@Tae

Bowyn was left incredibly confused, had he really just attacked a demon and Azriel and suffered no retaliation? Sure, neither weapon had landed, he hadn’t really expected them too, but he thought something more would have happened, but instead here he was neither dead nor maimed and both threats had fled of their own accord. It was certainly not him that was intimidating enough to cause a demon to retreat. It must be the human, clearly he had incredible power, enough so that even a demon did not want to face him. With the demon gone Azriel left as well, and he would be more than happy to never meet the so-called Angel again. Before he had a chance to address the human a light elf approached, asking if they were okay. Though many of the humans had torn off the fake ears that disguised them as elves so he couldn’t be sure that she was not one still in disguise.

“I’m fine.” Bowyn replied as his wings beat slower until he floated to the ground. He studied the woman, not worried about the human due to his assumption that humans were trustworthy creatures. “And what are you another human? Or actually an elf, and if so what sort of elf do you claim to be?” He asked and his annoyance with elves as a whole was clear in the way he said the word elf. He could still hear the commotion from inside, and while he and the human both seemed fine he still had no idea where Torvi or Belle had ended up. He couldn’t ask if either had seen them, not until he could be sure that the elf wasn’t some sort of loyalist to Aklenroth, or possibly even worse one who followed Terneus like he was the second coming of some elven deity.

He stared at the human, who introduced himself as Darius, and apparently thought it was a good idea to announce himself as a human to the elf. Though the human certainly had power, restraint and common sense might not exactly be his strong suit, this had after all been the human to first publicly announce his support for Risa and start the whole ordeal. Darius mentioned another demon, a pale skinned demon girl, that Bowyn had not seen, and he shook his head and wondered just how many demons were loose and wreaking havoc inside. He knew that Torvi would prioritize getting out, she had made that clear early on and he was confident that she had a chance against lesser demons. He was less sure about Belle, who had stood making bold declarations on the table, who was not some trained warrior of earth like Torvi was, and who had only had the most basic of training in the days leading up to the ball. Even with magic he doubted either of them would fair well against the massive demon that had been summoned. But the barriers were down, if they were still alive they should be getting out now with the rest of those who flooded through the exits.

“I’m sure you mean well, but perhaps telling everyone you are a human in a world where humans are actively hunted and killed is not the greatest of plans. Speaking of plans that are not so great, you might want to rethink pledging allegiance to a defunct princess who summons others to do her dirty work.” Bowyn added with obvious bitterness. While he did believe Aklenroth needed dealt with, the lich was an Avalian problem, this was their world to fix, and to abduct humans to use as pawns was an action so selfish and cruel that Bowyn could only see Risa in the same light as Aklenroth. She used humans the way the lich used the dead, and that was unforgivable.

“Do you have companions here Darius? If so we should find them soon and get out of here. I’m sure Roshmi will have more than just demons to worry about after this.” He added. There had been a very public declaration of rebellion here, and one could be sure that the lich would retaliate against all of Roshmi for it. It was also a fair bet that officials of Roshmi would try and round up as many suspected rebels to offer up in the hopes of being spared the fates that had been dealt to the more northern cities suspected of harbouring both humans and rebels. If he did not find his own companions soon he would have to simply hope that they would make it the port town as they had failed to discuss any other meeting points should they be separated.

Ember Grove - Reboot

Time: Afternoon
Location: Alexei’s
Interaction with: Niko @Potter, Vivian @Pink Khione

Eli kept busy at the bar while making sure to keep an eye on Vivian and her knew vampire friend, just to make sure she didn’t end up on the next set of missing posters that frequently littered the town. It wasn’t long before another familiar face walked in, fellow hunter and son of the moustache himself, Niko. Someone with hunting skills like Niko had not gone unnoticed by Holy Saviors. He was rumored to be one of the ‘unnatural experiments’ that Operation Humanity conducted, but Eli had never asked about it, being a human experiment seemed like the sort of thing one would let the other party bring up if they actually wanted to talk about it. This was however something he was very curious about, what sort of hunting advantage the experiments had, what they entailed, all he knew was that he highly doubted it involved a pact with the devil like Father Xavier had claimed.

”Well if it isn’t jolly ol’ St. Nick. Don’t you know it’s always hunting season in Ember Grove if you know what to look for.” Eli replied as Niko took a seat at the bar, now while he liked the guy he certainly had the attention span of a squirrel today. He went from ordering a drink and a snack, to hitting on Vivian, to keeping a watchful eye on the vampire by the pool table, all over the course of a few minutes. Now, since Niko was clearly very distracted and not watching him, it seemed like the perfect time to prank him. Eli couldn’t help but grab the wrong bottle and pour a similar looking but all together awful spirit into a shot glass for Niko; peppermint schnapps. Niko had a sense of humor after all and Eli needed a lighter mood to get through the work day. Seeing as how Niko was Operation Humanity’s golden boy Eli often liked to call him St. Nick, and what went better with that than the disgusting taste of liquid candy cane.

After placing the shot of schnapps in front of Niko he put the order for nacho’s in at the kitchen window and went back to the bar. Apparently tracking down an elusive agent of Operation Humanity wasn’t going to be too difficult and seeing how Niko was easily a more friendly option than the ones who he’d encountered last night he decided to offer up his suspicions about Drake to him. It also helped that some distracting conversation might ensure that Niko didn’t notice that the shot smelled a lot more like mouthwash than it did of vodka.

“I see you’ve noticed the illustrious artist in our midst, he was just talking about how he has a plan to ‘help’ our town out after the disastrous events last night. Currently he’s taking pool lessons from one of our bartenders, I see you’ve met Viv.” Eli said as he gestured towards Vivian who was now at the bar. “What’ll it be Viv? Need something to wash down the New Paeonia Kool Aid?” He asked with a grin.

Avalia

Time: Evening
Location: Roshmi City
Interactions: Sakura @baraquiel, Ayita @13org, Elsea @Tae, Cora @Potter

Cade glanced at the talisman Sakura handed him, nodded, and placed it in his pocket. This was smart, a way for them to find each other again should they become separated, and he would be sure not to lose it. As events further unfolded he became even more thankful to have such a trinket in his pocket. The horror of the dracolich paled in comparison to the two demons that appeared, one bursting forth from inside the greeter and another summoned from a rift opened by an Avian woman. Cade had faced trolls and ogres before, seen orc hordes and dark elf armies and all those creatures had seemed like foe’s that could always be defeated with the right allies at one’s side. The massive demon that ate a dark elf like it was a bug however seemed insurmountable. Much like the dracolich had, this seemed like an impossible feat, the icy grip of pure terror seized him as he stared at such a creature, a being of pure darkness.

Ayita recognized the trap first, and as he looked around at those clamouring to escape he saw that it was true, they were all trapped inside with the terrible creature. It was Ayita’s words that followed that released the grip that terror had on him, if he was to die here then he would die fighting as well, he would go out no other way. He turned to the human with hair like fire who stumbled from the table where she had spoken her own words of defiance, and gripping her forearm pulled her back up to her feet.

“It is an honor to stand with you, brave creature of Earth.” Cade said, bowing his head slightly, then catching the halberd tossed to him by Ayita. He took a second to get a feel for the weapon’s weight and moved himself in front of the human as a second, who gripped the table in exhaustion, joined her. He kept his eyes trained on the chaos of the room, keeping those who ran in a frenzied state away from the humans with the shaft of the halberd. His first priority had to be getting the humans out safely, for they were the best chance at saving Avalia. The exits were all crowded, a matter only made worse by the light elf governor shoving his own way through the nearest exit. The middle of the room was not a safe place to remain as several people had already been trampled, he needed to get them closer to an exit, and further away from the large demon in the middle of the room.

“We need to move, to get out of here, and get as many others as possible with us, then if either of you has a way to level the building, that could crush the demon.” He suggested, the humans and the other innocent lives had to be evacuated, but after that the large demon could not be allowed to leave the ballroom and continue it’s path of destruction throughout the city. Just as with the dracolich it would take some sort of magic to stop this creature and that was beyond Cade’s ability.

---

Time: Evening
Location: Roshmi Hall
Interactions: Azriel@Tae, Darius and Umber @FunnyGuy

Bowyn was thankful when Torvi grabbed Belle, they were finally leaving. This place was becoming far too dangerous and he didn’t want to have to stay. Before they got the chance to make their way out, all hell broke loose. The greeter exploded and from inside him emerged a demon, and before he could even consider that creature being one of the most terrifying things he had ever seen another, much larger, and more menacing demon tore its way through a rift. The massive demon, though horrific, seemed to pale in comparison to the realization that he recognized the Avian who summoned it. He had shared a dance with Azriel, he had thought she seemed nice, friendly, the first actual Avalian he’d met in a long time who didn’t seem awful but that had all been a convincing act. It would seem Azriel was worse than the average person, a servant of Aklenroth, and a herald of death. He saw the demon she had summoned as it crushed those beneath its feet without a second thought, eating those unlucky enough to be within its grasp. As terrible as that was, it was just a mindless form of evil, and whatever Azriel was, was something far worse, something that could wear the mask of civility while treating lives like they meant nothing, and it disgusted him to know he had shared kind words with such evil.

In a blink the two humans he considered his friends were gone, while he had been distracted by everything they had left him, vanishing amongst the panicked masses. It wasn’t fear that Bowyn felt then, but the pain of old wounds being torn open as he realized he was alone again. The plan had been to stick together, and though rationally he knew sometimes plans had to change, that he wanted them to make sure they survived at all costs, all he could think about was that he had been willing to stick with them and they had left him. But Boreas had not left him, the loyal bird perched on his shoulder as Bowyn remained in the air, flight keeping him off the ground and away from those who stampreded in a panic. He kept his distance from the demons loose in the ballroom, watching as others ran into magical barriers that kept anyone from leaving. The panic, the screaming, so many people dying in the chaos; this was the rebellion and it had no plan. He flew higher, further away from it but all he could hear was the chaos, the screaming, and it was the exact horror of when his own people had attempted a rebellion.

The same air of panic, the lack of a plan, no real leadership, all while pure slaughter commenced. When things turned dire, they hadn’t held the line, everyone had died. Everyone would die here too, trapped and overwhelmed. Reality was hazy, those crushed by the demon began to look like winter fae, covered in blood, no life left in them; just bodies in a clearing. Why try? This is what happened, it was always what happens. It was hard to breathe, hard to see what was happening and even harder to tell the difference between what was happening now and what had happened then. He tried harder to focus, to look for the familiar faces of Torvi or Belle but he did not truely want to find them, to see them among the dead that lay scattered about. Would he die here? Trapped in a room with demons, full of evil, and of the dead? No, if he died Boreas would die as well, and he was tired of those he cared about dying, tired of being surrounded by death.

“What do we do now?” Boreas asked.

“We have to fight too.” Bowyn answered. Even though he didn’t want to, even though failure seemed like the only reasonable outcome, to keep fighting would be the only way to change anything. Aklenroth was a symbol of death, to do nothing while he continued to rule Avalia would only mean that Avalia would continue to be ruled by death. His vision tunneled in on the first thing he saw, the demon who had burst forth from the greeter and the human who had been the first to speak out against Aklenroth falling, propelled by water, together from one of the windows on the second story of the room. Azriel soon followed after them and in that moment he knew that human was in grave danger.

“I told you crows should never be trusted.” Boreas said as he saw the same thing Bowyn did.

“And you have always been right, wisest of birds. If things look bad for me, you leave.” Bowyn replied, and he noted that the barriers were now gone. If humans really were the best weapon against Aklenroth then those willing to fight needed to protect against all costs. He also hoped those kept in their undead state would be released from it should Aklenroth fall, that even if he died here his cause to lay Aeryn to rest still had a chance. If Torvi and Belle, and countless other humans he had not met, could show bravery for a land that was not their own then he had too as well.

“Yes, it would be nice to be a normal bird again.” The merlin answered, and Bowyn believed him because Boreas had never lied to him before.

He flew after them, diving down near Azriel, the demon, and the human caught between them, summoning daggers made of ice in each hand. Once close enough he threw them, one towards the demon and one towards Azriel, hoping to provide the human with enough distraction to get away. He remained in the air, out of reach as long as they remained on the ground and with enough distance that he could have a chance to move should they fly after him. His thoughts struggled to stay focused and think only on the present; help the humans here, try not to die.