OwO

Revue of Annihilation

🎕 Talia of Roses 🎕

//O11 - Communal Well

While it wasn't drinkable, the water was--at the very least--not completely foul. It let her wash away the lingering smell of the city and the oil that clung to her skin, at least.

Of course, Talia hadn't merely come to the well to wash up (though it was a large component). Information was as good as gold. Well, it wasn't--it was about as good as the gold you could make off of it. When it came to information, prostitutes were often a core source. While the workers didn't serve a high class clientele, both rich and poor often had loose lips when it came to alcohol.

So she made conversation with those who would listen.

To the adventurers, she spoke about the labyrinth. She had quite a talent for both showing interest in a conversation and playing dumb. In fact, it was quite difficult to tell whether she was playing dumb or actually airheaded. Her bubbly words would disarm any adventurer. Though, perhaps they just took pity on her.

To the prostitutes, she was much more familiar. She spoke more generally about the happenings around the city and the outskirts. What the prostitutes could have heard. It was friendly small talk that was much less dopey--as if to reassure them that she did not wish to encroach on their clientele.

SPIRITUM

Justice

"Then keep firing," Justice unceremoniously replied to the princess. "I'm steering clear of any pockets of mist."

Of course, she didn't fear the bolts that were fired at her. They kicked up dirt and dust as they barely missed, but Justice was confident that she could block any shock that would otherwise strike her. However, it was apparent that the princess' talents were not sufficient to fully stop it; the shocks still came, despite the audible crack of two arrows meeting metal.

So she ran even faster. Really, the princess was nothing. Out of all of the Barghests, she probably put in the most effort into the basics. And a sprint while carrying extra weight? That was the most basic of basics. Justice had always carried extra weight during boot--even when she'd get punished for it. Though, those punishments usually were more weight and longer runs. They could hardly be called punishments.

Fortunately, her companions had listened to her advice to retreat. As she crested the craters and hills, she saw the rest of the Barghests running back to the truck. Though, she could infer that they were probably overwhelmed. Thankfully, Kalina had already started preparing their escape. With a great leap, she hopped onto the back of the truck with the princess. Of course, she unceremoniously rolled the princess onto the rough floor bed before turning around. What she saw was lightning. But that didn't mean that it was the only trick that the robots had. If their truck was damaged, then that would complicate things. Even though she wasn't a defensive specialist like a mage who specialized in barriers, she was confident in being able to divert any shot the robots could take.

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

Hollyhock

---

^{@Hero@Obscene Symphony@Abstract Proxy@Stern Algorithm}

And so the peanut gallery of choices fell upon Hollyhock. Though, the look on her face was all everyone needed to know.

Her expression was easy to understand. 'I'm not dealing with this woman.' Though, how someone interpreted that was up to them--whether it was about her taking some responsibility in how to deal with her, or how she thought of the idea of Renata tagging along. In truth, if she weren't undergoing official duties, Hollyhock would have easily chosen to goof up the town alongside Renata. But there was a time and place for shirking responsibilities. Public outings under an ancient prophecy which the fate of the world may in fact depend on definitely wasn't the time or place.

What was on her mind, however, was more about the past. Specifically, about how she spoke. She wanted to ask Jannick if she always spoke that way--in couched metaphors, poetry, and rambling insults. Unfortunately, Jannick was still gripping onto a Renata who would definitely begin accosting her if she approached. Such questions would have to wait until they entered the forest.

Revue of Annihilation

🎕 Talia of Roses 🎕

//O11 - Deserted Backstreets

The renovations had went well. Rather, as well as they could go for a group with no capital. The room was rearranged to be more suitable as a hideaway. The merry men were all given enough room to sleep. Talia had performed a blessing to guard the room. It was a strange miracle: one of perverse slight of hand and illusion meant to deceive. If someone had approached from the outside, then they simply wouldn't notice the door. It wouldn't be of mind. The inside of the room was coated in the same illusion. Unless someone overturned everything and happened upon the valuables (though they didn't have many), they wouldn't notice the obvious hiding spaces.

All things considered, it was an unfortunate state of affairs. The capital they had wasn't much. She didn't have any plans to call upon Lastor and his goons. Worst of all, Talia smelled like the city. Her past clawed at her. She had to remove every ounce of smell. Back at the bordello, she would ensure that the salt breeze never lingered on her skin. Flowers, tallow, and ash were all used generously--one of the few pleasantries she had. But now there was only the scent of muck and waste, trademarks of the city.

That meant that she needed to find a place to wash. Of course, her men could fend for themselves. She wasn't their mother. But she needed to get the smell of the city off of her. It was a futile effort sure to be replaced the next day, but it was something ingrained into her. A bathhouse or even a well would suffice.

And then there was the deep call that her heart longed for. The thieves lacked the equipment to brave the abyss, nor did they have the skill and aptitude to steal her desires from others. But that would come later. First, a bath.

SPIRITUM

Justice

Before Justice had a chance to respond, a bolt had struck beside her. Lightning was always gross. The mist would stretch and groan as a pathway would form. Suddenly, crack--it would rebound and leave nothing but a bolt of electricity. Perhaps it was for the best that a robot had come to intrude. Justice wouldn't have to spend any time immediately.

"We're running." Justice said without an ounce of hesitation. While Justice was confident she could fight it on her own, she didn't want to fight alongside the princess. She knew of the strength of the Barghests. She could, at least in her own belligerent way, trust in them enough to fight alongside them. The princess? She'd not only have to watch the robot, but her own back. Not to mention, she didn't know what the princess could even do.

Well, it was no time to think about the reasons. Justice immediately hauled the princess onto her shoulder and began to sprint away. Such a measure was only temporary. But she'd only fight if she had to. Until then, she'd either regroup with the Barghests after they hopefully finished their fight. If not? She'd put the princess somewhere for safekeeping and then deal with the robot on her own.

"Got any violent talents?" She asked in her sprint.

SPIRITUM

Justice

The princess was found, so it would seem. Though, the sounds coming over the communication spell seemed to indicate that she didn't have time for pleasantries. Morden requesting a status update was easily arranged.

Probably found the princess stuck inside an escape pod. Going to try to get her out. Reconvene back at the truck when it's safe.

She had a brief thought.

Don't feel like you have to fight the bots there. Withdrawing to a safer location is valid.

Now came the hard part: dealing with a civilian she couldn't (or rather, shouldn't) muscle.

"Albreich sent me." Justice lied without a hint of hesitation. Actually, was it a lie? Coincidences were a powerful thing as she had come to learn today. If that dying honorguard that Kali heard was Albreich, then it was technically the truth. Either way.

"I'm going to say this one time, so listen closely." Her tone was loud and harsh, but she didn't have enough leeway to pretend to be comforting. "Your ship crashed. It made a minefield of mist. Do not cast spells or everything will explode. There are automatons who will make this area explode. We need to leave. Now. Then we have a proper conversation. Now either slip through the door or I'll pry it open and carry you out, princess."

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

Hollyhock

---

^{@Hero@Obscene Symphony@Abstract Proxy@Stern Algorithm}

Though, Hollyhock was astute enough to notice Jannick's blush at the mention of a Dahlia. Perhaps she'd tease him about it on the way home. Or maybe she'd head on over to the capital and do a little romantic matchmaking without telling him. It sounded pretty entertaining to do so.

"The good officer is my caretaker," Hollyhock joked.

Throughout the prodding, Hollyhock didn't really speak much. If anything, she frozen in bewilderment. Sure, Hollyhock was a bit of an asynchronous person herself. But this person in front of them was a few fruit short of a fruitcake. Hollyhock had at least a few in her bowl.

She did appreciate it when Jannick stopped Renata before she grabbed her clothes. While she certainly wasn't a misanthrope, she also didn't enjoy the touch of someone she had never met. Though, if Jannick didn't step in, then Hollyhock would have sprinted around Jannick in a circle to act as a physical barrier.

SPIRITUM

Justice

The crash was sickening. Approaching it only made the sensations worse. Like hundreds of little needles gliding across her skin, she felt the pockets of mist wax and wane. The soft tarp did little to block the flow of mist. Really, if she didn't some level of duty, she would have simply notified the military and left it up to them. Unfortunately for her, she was the military. She needed--or at least told herself--that she had to investigate. Well, at least she could take solace in the fact that Silje would have the time of her life in the middle of the reactor-based fiesta. Though, it was hardly comforting.

She left the truck alongside everyone else. The corpses were bad news. Of course, for a different reason than the most obvious one. She didn't need Gerard to identify them, though his confirmation at least made it hard for her to deny it. She could feel the presence of mist coming from the bodies. Whether they were alive or mere vestiges was something she couldn't confirm.

"Sabo's more likely." She responded to Gerard. "Whether it was us, them, or some third party? Who knows."

Morden ran off with Silje. Well, he was probably looking for a fight under the guise of searching for survivors. Fights often found him, as was nature for someone built like a brick wall. Not that Justice really cared. A long leash meant that she didn't have to micromanage. As long as he didn't run into a pocket of mist and go through a flower's lifespan in a moment, he'd probably be fine.

Of course, Val didn't need to point of Justice's newfound ability to manifest situations. Though, she did shoot Val a glare when her theory was called wild.

"Sometimes I wish I was more like you lot." Justice said with a sigh. "You know--wrong about things."

It also didn't help that one of the honorguard wasn't actually dead. Justice watched as Kalina approached one of them men deeper in the wreckage. Of course, that also meant that she watch someone who should have been a corpse grasp her like some sort of undead. Silently, she was hoping--silently manifesting--that he'd confirm the opposite of what they were thinking.

When Kalina returned and gave the news, Justice could only give a frown. It was every ounce of confirmation that she didn't want. Unfortunately, Justice's powers of foresight and manifestation only worked against her. She held her head in her hands and did her best to not immediately explode.

Still, she wasn't about to be an awful leader. "Thanks for checking," she told Kalina.

Of course, Morden's warning came. There were automatons. It was certainly new. An ill omen of the future of combat? Maybe the theory of a third party wasn't just a throwaway joke. Still, Justice couldn't dwell on it. No point in speculating a sprout when you were dealing with a forest. Though, perhaps she should have used sand and rocks in her analogy instead.

"I'm going to check if we have to deliver a princess-sized casket." She announced to the remaining Barghests. "Lord knows we let the kitten and hound find a sparrow. Regroup with them. Val, you have command until I return."

Manifesting a breaching hammer from her pocket thanks to Morden's warning, she dashed away to look for survivors. She carefully avoided the pockets of mist. They were really sickening, especially this close. It wasn't enough that they aggrieved her skin. They also blocked her from sensing anything behind them. It was like traversing a field filled with obelisks. She could only feel what was behind them as she moved past them.

That's when it hit her. A massive presence. It was far greater than Silje's. No, it burnt her skin.

There's someone or something with a massive signature at me, she communicated to the group. I'm going to check it out.

She approached it in a sprinting caution. Whether it was something she had to save or something she had to fight was a mystery.

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

Hollyhock

---

^{@Hero@Obscene Symphony@Abstract Proxy}

Unlike Jannick, Hollyhock's experience as they travelled to Croia was quite pleasant. The fog was certainly something fierce, but she didn't let it bother her. Though, the cold weather would from the new year and fogged out sun did. Hollyhock's outfit was considerably more bundled up this time around. A big ol' white wool coat, a windbreaker above that, and multiple sets of pants.

She did have a nice talk with Sara and Dom with Jannick piping in to make some small talk. Though, the piety of everything felt a little stilted. While Hollyhock was devout, she was also much more insular than the other two about her faith. Of course, being 1/8th of Incepta's chosen whilst not being raised by the church afforded her that privilege.

Of course, she had brought gifts for the spirits. Any diplomacy required some gifts! While not as heavy as a gift ham--both physically and in a type of meal sense--she brought two mason jars filled with candy. One was filled with honey drops while the other was filled with candied fruit.

After all, spirits should have a sweet tooth! Or at least, that's what general media would tell her. Who actually knew--maybe the spirits were like butterflies and the sweet illusions were soon to be replaced by the grim reality of biology textbooks.

Arriving at Croia left Hollyhock stretching and hungry. While she did munch on a few meals on the train, she could still go for another. Still, there wasn't much time to rest. She had immediately been ushered to follow the old man. She couldn't blame the mayor for his panic; there was no telling what the fog meant. Well, there was telling. It just required the Scions to speak with the spirits.

The argument they approached was something new. Hollyhock couldn't describe it as anything but odd; the innate human sense of self preservation specifically screamed out "do not go into foggy, forested woods."

"An old friend of yours, Jan?" Hollyhock inquired. Though, his belittling words made it a bit obvious that she seemed more like a recurring nuisance than an old friend.

Revue of Annihilation

🎕 Talia of Roses 🎕

//O11 - Deserted Backstreets

While Talia's options were vast on paper, they were actually deceptively slim. Predictably, each of her zero-cost hideaway options had downsides.

The warehouse of the rats was free from human pests, but the natural guards had no qualms about the new self-proclaimed owners. Not only that, but the rats would eat any stowed away ration or leather goods. Not only that, but if the rats began to covet shinies for their lustre then she would have to constantly fight for her spoils. To die from a rat bite would be a pathetic way for a thief to go; the best death that a thief could have was one that was fake.

While the outskirts had an awful smell, the sewers were even worse. Talia simply couldn't bear to exist down there for long periods of times. Not only that, but the sewers offered little protection beyond the smell.

The abandoned watchtower was moments from collapse. At any time, their coffers could be buried. Not to mention, if they were inside it, they would join their riches in the afterlife.

The offer from a slumlord was the final option. It was a ball and chain, but one made of gold. While they had aligned themselves with a gang, it was as equal an opportunity as it was a risk. It was a great connection to more thieves. With silver tongue and perhaps a more earthly glib, she could convince the gang to be under her instead. Though that would come in time. If things went wrong, the local nature of the gang would make cutting and running to the other side of the city a simple option.

As such, Talia and her remaining two men had begun their renovations to make their suite a base worthy of a thieving divine. She'd continue this until either something interesting happened, her pickpocketing merry men came back, or they finished their renovations.