RP:Alea Iacta Est

Part of the The Whisperer In Darkness Arc

This is a Devout's Guild RP.

Summary: Khitti, Meri, Zahrani, Encara--as well as Ulah and others from the Paladin and Warrior's Guilds and Encara's scouts, Thom and Kren--set out to Aedrebyrg to find out if Nemona, Khitti's mermaid friend, was indeed telling the truth about the blood plague. In short, it was worse than they imagined. They received only more cryptic messages from more Shadow Plane denizens (those that had migrated to Lithrydel from the other realm not long ago) and Khitti's made to drink the same tainted blood that corrupted the rest of the byrg. The die has been cast and only time will tell if Khitti will join those poor, unfortunate souls or if she, and the others, will manage to save the day and eventually defeat this unknown evil.

The Fallen Star Inn, Venturil

Khitti || Wedding bells rang throughout Venturil’s town promenade, originating from the temple nearby, as the sun reached its highest point in the sky. As Khitti, Meri, and Encara awaited Zahrani’s arrival, the redhead slept fitfully in the room she’d stayed in the night before. Having sent word to Zahrani to arrive a few hours before sundown (so that they could make use of both the shadows and the remaining light for that day), Khitti took it upon herself to leave Encara and Meri to their own devices as she napped. It wasn’t much of one thanks to those damned bells. It was a constant--and ever so loud--reminder that it’d likely be some time before her and Brand got around to their own ceremony. As anxious minds tend to do, this led from one set of thoughts to the next--the next being that of Onyx, and then Facilier, and the umbrawisps and greydusk. By the time Zahrani was to arrive, Khitti’d had several dreams, all complete with world-ending scenarios and the death of her loved ones. It was like how things were before she was cured of her vampirism! Yay. The day was off to a great start. Dressed in those same soft, dark leathers of the day before last, Khitti emerged from her room to join the others, looking worse than she did when she went in. She hid this, of course, with her typical smokey eye makeup and a cup of the strongest coffee she could tolerate. Why did she need makeup for something like this? Camouflage. Yes. That’s her story and she’s sticking to it.

Khitti || Within half an hour or so, Ulah and a few of the Warrior’s Guild’s members arrived at the inn and Khitti set to work giving out the plan to those that had gathered here for her cause, “Okay, so. The four of us will head out on my Tikifhlee and cut diagonally through the wildlands, which will help massively in avoiding those overgrown lizards out there,“ she said, motioning to a map on the table in front of her. “After some time has passed, Ulah and her team will bring up the rear behind us and settle somewhere a little over halfway, just in case something goes wrong, and she’ll be there as soon as possible to help us. -If- things do come to that, I’ll have this in my bag.” Khitti retrieved a black, opaque bottle from her satchel, “Instant prestidigitation without all the work. Smash it on the ground and it’ll send up sparks to alert Ulah.” She stopped, looked at the others, letting it all sink in. “If no one has anything, then we’ll set out. When we get there, keep your eyes peeled for anything… well… not good.”

Zahrani had arrived with plenty of time to spare, the androgynous feline smiling warmly to Encara, Meri, and Khitti. The paladin had her armor padded and concealed beneath a forest-colored cloak, making her appear more like a ranger than a holy warrior. In the preparation phase of their mission, the panther cleans up in her own room, using a hunter's soap that makes her scent all but disappear. During the mission brief, she stands next to Khitti while the woman outlines their first planned movement.

Meri was left to her own devices while Khitti naps but she only reluctantly agrees to this plan of action. The blonde was still sensing that something was upsetting Khitti and she was not entirely convinced that this 'nap' was a real want. She was half-speculating that Khitti may just want some privacy? Which worried Meri all the more, but she did not want to fuss or make a scene. Maybe she would try and talk to Khitti on the way home, they would likely be traveling the some direction, no? Nevermind that for now. During the time that Khitt is napping, Meri would make nice with Encara. They could grab a bite to eat, maybe some coffee, the psion has quit boozing though so there will be none of that while Khitti naps. Besides, it is better for a psion to have clear mind, not one muddled by alcohol anyway. When Khitti appears, as well as Zahrani and those from the warrior's guild, it is down to business. Each of the new arrivals gets a nod, but then Meri huddles around the redhead and studies the map laid on the table while Khitti explains the plan of action. It sounded good to Meri. At least there was a plan! "Let's set out then."

Encara did not dream last night. Her moments of rest have been brief and fitful but drow, like all elven kind, require very little sleep and the few hours achieved were enough to carry her through to today. For the most part she's spent her time with Meri while Khitti retired to her room - the two had eaten lunch before Encara set about carving and crafting more arrows in a corner of the inn, using the task as an opportunity to teach Meri a bit about making her own at the same time. Self-sufficiency is a vital skill for a ranger, after all! Though they're evidently both aware of it, the topic of Khitti's withdrawal is politely avoided. When the redhead in question makes her reappearance and Zahrani and the others arrive, Encara is just making the finishing touches to her last arrow, carefully sharpening its vicious barbed tip with a knife and looking practically content in her work. The softer expression on her features is quick to vanish in the presence of more company, however, the knife tucked away and the arrow stored in the quiver at her hip. Kitted out in her usual gear, suited both for long-distance travel and combat, the tall drow likely makes for an intimidating sight to those who have never met her; Zahrani gets a little wave while the warriors are treated to curt nods and indifference. Leaning her hip against the side of the table, Encara studies the map spread out for the party to survey, brows furrowed in thought as she listens to Khitti's plan. "Thom and Kren are approaching from the north, following the Forgengan," she murmurs, placing a gauntleted fingertip over a thin line that winds down toward Aedrebyrg from Venturil's great plains. "Like your soldiers, they'll be keeping their distance unless I call on them - an added assurance in case things go badly." As she speaks, she goes about securing her bow across her body before nodding for a final time. "Ready when you are."

Aedrebyrg, Venturil

Khitti || With everything in order, and Encara’s scouts poised to do the same as Ulah and her own, the four would set off. The journey itself from Venturil would not be a long one once they traversed the streets of the town and made their way into the wildlands. Unsurprisingly, there was a mishap along the way--a pack of small, bitey dinos decided it was a good idea to try to eat a massive cat and its companions--but it was nothing that a few arrows, and some well-placed stomps made by the Tikifhlee, couldn’t handle. Upon nearing the city--and much like with their encounter in the north of this region during Encara’s own mission--something definitely felt off. Not a bird was in the sky over the small port town and not a single ground animal scampered about. There were no dogs barking, cats meowing, or even the noise of the hustle and bustle of a marketplace, as was per usual in most villages. There was, however, the scraping of metal on stone and a strange ‘ka-thunk’ sound coming from within the walls of Aedrebyrg, like an axe colliding with a tree trunk.

Khitti || Dismounting from the cat, and leaving it to dwell amongst the shadows of a nearby tree after everyone else followed suit, Khitti moved wordlessly to the river’s edge first. -That- was a sound that had not ceased and Khitti took comfort in that fact until she got close enough to look at it… and then that feeling of dread set in. The waters that flowed from the Forengengan Spring just north of here had turned red. This was no cute food color dye job, however (sorry, guys), for it ran red with thick, dark blood, the smell of it really setting in once everyone got close enough. “That explains the sickness amongst the sealife,” Khitti said with a worried frown. “Once we get back, I’m going to double my efforts to find a priest of Selene or Zaytor that’s willing to come all this way from Rynvale. Leone was definitely on the mark when she suggested it.” Olive-green eyes shifted towards the walled-in town, that frown remaining planted on the templar’s lips, “And what is that gods awful noise?” Khitti shivered visibly, pulled her hood a bit more down over her face, and began her path towards the byrg, “Time to find out where everyone is, I guess.”

Zahrani keeps her hood over her face as they ride upon the Tikifhlee, the panther helping make short work of a couple of the small dinosaurs thanks to her crossbow. Upon approaching the village, the lack of ambient noise was not lost on the paladin. Before they reach the river, the smell of sapient blood assaults her nose. She goes into a sort of "hunter mod," her face neutral and her body relying on trained movements to keep her body quiet and her senses sharp. It is a sort of combat meditation that her order learns at a young age. Her ears pick up the sound of metal. At Khitti's last words, Rani scales one of the nearby buildings, silently padding from one rooftop to the next. Her cyan eyes survey a nearby plaza, her crossbow in hand as she scans for any sign of life, good or ill.

Meri is quite happy to learn about how to make her own arrows, and Encara may be surprised to find that Meri has a number of questions. Questions about different arrow heads and different feathers used, self-sufficiency is important but she could adopt a bit of her own style if she is going to be making these things for herself. A chunk of this terrain was familiar enough to Meri, at least until they got closer to their destination of Aedrebyrg. This was not an area that Meri has visited, and it put Meri especially on guard. The Tikifhlee is left in the shadows but before Meri follows after Khitti, she tries to show her appreciation for the beastie's efforts by rewarding it with some ear-scratchies, if it seems accepting of them. One way or another, Meri was going to follow after Khitti and a look of horror mixed with surprise soon washes over Meri's features when she observes the details of the river. It runs red with dark blood and the smell that accompanies it was enough to make Meri want to spill the contents of her stomach. She doesn't though, managing to find some amount of composure. "Only one way to find out," but Khitti was already trying to find out, paving her own path toward the byrg. Zahrani was too. Meri was not about to let either one of them, especially Khitti, get too far ahead. Bow and arrow drawn and readied as she follows after Khitti's path. Whatever they were going to find was not going to be good.

Encara || Arriving at the edge of a scarlet river after a relatively smooth journey, Encara dismounts from the Tikifhlee's back after giving the creature a subtle pat on the head. Leonine eyes scan the banks of the Foregengan for signs of movement as she makes her way to the water's edge and kneels, every step purposeful and as silent as their eerie surroundings. Sharp scents of rust and metal fill her lungs, the contaminated spring waters bubbling and gurgling noisily - Encara hovers her gauntleted hand over the frothing stream, careful not to come into contact with the water itself, and wrinkles her nose in disgust. Bad juju, as that damn cat would say. Her scouts were right about the foul smell drifting up from the south, that's for certain, and Encara doesn't like to think about whose blood it might be. "I have a feeling and it isn't a good one," she answers Khitti while straightening back up and fixing her gaze on Aedrebyrg's high walls. A sickness crouches over the settlement, unnatural and unnerving even to her, and the repeated clang of metal on metal echoing from within its borders is all the more stark against the quiet. Until they get closer, Encara keeps on Khitti and Meri's tail, bringing up the rear, but upon reaching the byrg's outskirts and being swallowed up by the shadow of its outer wall, she turns her focus upward. A snap of the fingers should catch the attention of the two women ahead - a quick gesture to a watchtower looming up over their heads follows. "Better view from above," the drow says softly. No way is she going in through the front gate. Drenched in darkness already, it isn't difficult for Encara to whisper a few key words and shadow-step her way onto the wooden roof of the small tower, where she ducks low, bow drawn, and leans over to peer down into Aedrebyrg's streets. From here she can see practically everything, including her comrades, and from her perch she searches for anything significant that might be worth pointing out to the others.

Khitti || With the gate closed, Khitti and Meri found themselves having to go through a part of the barracks, one that housed the way through, while Zahrani scaled the wall and the nearby buildings inside and Encara took to the tower, the two choosing to take the high ground. There were no soldiers here. Beds were made up, awaiting their owners, chests used for holding armor and smaller weapons were empty, and the unmistakable stench of weeks old food came pouring out of the nearby kitchens used to feed the aforementioned military. Not a soul was here. Nor were there any bodies. Khitti could only press on further, aching to get into the city now for some sort of glimmer of hope… but she was met with despair. Outside, the once pristine white stone that made up the various parts of the town were just as red as the river that ran through it. Bodies littered the streets--some headless and some not--sitting in pools of their own fetid, blackened blood, all in various states of decomposition. In addition to the blackened veins Khitti was well acquainted with, the corpses were riddled with pus-filled boils--some still filled and others having burst not long before their death--and not even carrion birds that typically so craved the flesh of the dead had dared take a nibble before they vacated the area with the rest of the nearby fauna that had dwelled here once before.

Khitti || Scurrying footsteps came from deeper within the town, making their way towards the center, just as Khitti was leading the rest of her team forward to that very spot, the redhead finally taking up her bow and nocking an arrow into place. A gasp came from an alleyway as a greydusk skidded to a stop, shoeless feet barely able to keep from sliding along the slick, bloodied stone. “Thank, Delisha! Y-you’ve got to help me! E-everyone got sick and went crazy!” The tall, lanky dark elf of the Shadow Plane made his way out of the area, his hands raised in surrender as Khitti raised her bow in his direction. “Wait… It’s -you-!” He looked from Khitti to Meri, his ear twitching a bit at Zahrani’s movement on the top of the buildings. “You saved us from the island!” His green, glowing line of sight fixed on Encara briefly, taking her in almost with curiosity. Khitti didn’t lower her bow, however, as the elf closed in on them, and it was made apparent that he too was covered in those same boils and blackened veins. “We were hoping you’d come back,” he said a bit more calmly now. The metal-scraping noise came from behind Khitti and Meri, a great looming shadow emerging from the darkness.

Khitti || What once had been one of the impossibly tall umbrawisp was now tainted and distorted. Now, he was a creature mutated by the sickness, and likely further so with dark magic. Khitti turned to look over her shoulder briefly, that stony demeanor melting away entirely. “Oh gods, Meri… It looks like Lydia did.” Her voice shook as she spoke, tears stinging her eyes at the remembrance of the day she tried to resurrect her twin sister and failed miserably. This too was an abomination, and yet… it was still very much alive, but could it even be saved? “Don’t you like our gifts? We made them just for you. To thank you. Our master was so happy you got us off that island,” the greydusk said. “Master?” Khitti didn’t get much farther with her questioning, for the source of the ‘ka-thunk’ came from behind the elf. “Phylicia and Izikel’s vision for us was too… cramped out there beyond Chartsend,” the greydusk continued as one of his kin approached behind him, this one just as horrific as the first with a blood-covered executioner’s axe to aid her in her murders. “All of our plans are already in motion for Venturil and it’s byrgs--it’s too bad, however, that you won’t be you when you see it.” Khitti fixed her gaze on the still talking greydusk, about to say something snarky or witty, but was quickly leapt upon and pounced to the ground by him, where he then proceeded to vomit that blackened blood onto her, forcing her to swallow some of it as she did her best to shove him off. -This- would’ve never happened if she were a vampire still. Oi.

Zahrani pulls up a facial covering behind the collar of her armor as she smells the stench. The cloth was blessed by Cyris, acting as a semi-permeable filter to keep out anything that isn't fresh air. She stands not too far from Khitti's location, the panther getting slightly closer by leaping onto a diagonal flagpole jutting out of the wall. Upon seeing the redhead getting attacked by the infected greydusk, the panther reaches into her satchel, retrieving what appears to be some sort of rope-dart, loading the projectile onto her crossbow and firing it at the creature pinning Khitti to the ground. Should it reach its mark, the rope finds its way around the creature's neck, driven by some divine unseen force. Rani takes hold of the remaining length of cord and drops from the flagpole. She's a solid 200 pounds without her armor, but with the full force of her body and her protective gear, she means to take the greydusk out of commision AND leave him hanging by his own neck.

Meri || Two have taken to the rough tops and two go by foot. Meri was capable of following the path of Zahrani and Encara, but she would never have left Khitti to travel on foot alone. The two make their way through the city together, Meri letting Khitti take the lead and determine the path that they were traveling. She fairly consistently manages to keep herself three feet from Khitti at all times while they move, but that changes when the greydusk appears. Thank Delisha. Meri lifts a brow at this remark. Meri's guard drops a fraction, as does her bow, when the greydusk's recognition of them, but that lull in her attention does not last long. That looming shadow sends a prickle up Meri's spine and and her weapon is raised once more. A frown to Khitti as tears start to sting the redheads eyes, but Meri can't offer much comfort in the moment. The greydusk returns to talking, more creatures seem to be drawing nearer to them. It was all very unsettling. And then just like that, Khitti is pounced and pinned to the ground. Zahrani springs into action, trying to lasso Khitti's assailant like the badass wonder woman that she is. Meri is not about to stand there without taking action. Instinct takes hold and a shot is taken at the greydusks back. Perhaps Meri should pay attention to mutated creatures that have joined the area, but she was waiting to see if Zahrani was successful or not. If she was not able to hang the greydusk, Meri would be the next to try and come to Khitti's aid. Only if Zahrani did not make her mark would Meri put her telekinetic abilities to use and try and rip the greydusk off by force. She'd worry about the rest once Khitti was back to her feet.

Encara || With the streets a foul mess of viscera, corpses, and corrupted blood, Encara keeps to the high ground, her unnatural affinity to darkness serving her well and masking her form as little more than a shadow slinking over ramshackle rooftops. Drifting along not far behind Khitti and Meri, sharp eyes on the lookout for signs of an ambush, she has an arrow trained unflinchingly on the greydusk man even before he escapes the alleyway. She doesn't show it, but the same curiosity made visible on his face when he glances at her is felt as she takes him in, boils and all: a dark elf unlike any she has seen before. That brief lapse in focus costs them all, however - all of a sudden, he's leapt upon Khitti and tackled her to the ground, choking up thick black ooze. Encara grimaces, stifles her panic. Meri is there to get Khitti back on her feet and Zahrani is already acting, yanking the greydusk back and up to hang him like a macabre decoration from a nearby flagpole. The drow's arrow flies instead for the head of the axe-wielding greydusk while Encara herself makes the leap to another building, a ghost against the growing darkness. Khitti gets a worried glance, the sight of her face and chest splattered with inky muck bringing a soft curse to her lips. Is she all right?

Khitti || It’d been quite some time since Khitti last tasted blood. It’d been even longer since she tasted blood like this. What was that aftertaste? A hint of malice? A dash of insanity? Gods, it was so familiar. And now that she had it, now that its magic began to taint her, she almost wanted more. But alas, what’s done was done and she started to struggle a lot less. The blood tugged at her mind as the greydusk was eventually shoved off of her with Zahrani’s simultaneous descent to the ground and attack. Making her own attack at the same time, Meri’s efforts caused the not-so-kind greydusk to swing back and, well, that was that. For a few moments, the dark elf looked rather like a flag flapping in the wind, but soon went limp as his neck snapped from the invisible force of Meri’s psionic abilities. Khitti pushed the whispers in her mind aside, but not without much difficulty, and pushed herself up from the ground with Meri’s help, a little dazed by the blood’s hold, but seemingly no worse for the wear on the outside. The other two creatures--those blasted, gangly abominations--took this as their cue to start the mayhem (as if there hadn’t already been enough). Swinging axe and sword, they sought to dismember the group in anyway they could, horrid shrieks leaving their throats.

Khitti || And then, just like that, Khitti’s mind-haze, thanks to the blood, was gone. She didn’t feel different. She didn’t feel tainted. Surely Seika would have taken care of it by now if she were going to turn out like these people and the mermaid? Maybe it didn’t work on her at all, after all the things she’d been through. Her bow and arrow continued to lay on the ground, tossed there in the wake of the attack on her person, Khitti choosing to pull Tenbatsu Kaji from her satchel instead. “I’m fine. It’s okay.” I think. She didn’t say that out loud though. Holy fire sprung to life from the blade and Khitti went to work on the nearest one, the greydusk abomination, ducking and dodging the swings in a very Brand-like fashion. If only he were here to see his woman fighting like him, albeit with a katana instead of daggers.

Zahrani pins her own end of the rope to the ground, leaving the greydusk's corpse swaying in the still air as she rises to a standing position. Eyes briefly rest on Khitti, silently praying to Cyris that he and Seika may keep the red-headed woman healthy after being exposed to such a vile fluid. After that, the loudest thought in her mind was: ~This outbreak must be contained.~ None of these creatures may escape. She brandishes her mace, raising the starlike head above her. Amber energy arcs off of the weapon, the metal beginning to take on an almost white glow. The paladin exhales, a faint steamlike mist escaping from her lips. The humming sound of increasing power is heard, accompanied by a subtle vibration of the air within the byrg. Rani clenches her teeth as a pulse of divine light careens out of her mace, engulfing the area in an attempt to seek out and stun those who were infected. The effect would vary, depending on the strength of the tainted creature. Weaker beings would likely be knocked out, while the strongest may be briefly stunned. It isn't a lot, but such a move would hopefully give the paladin and her allies an edge. The feline pants after releasing the sudden outburst of power, before she begins to maneuver around of the larger creatures, looking for an opening to strike.

Meri didn't have time to let her pride swell up as she helps to take down one of the bad guys, she is all eyes on Khitti. Was she okay? She seemed dazed, yes, a bit, but uninjured. That was good. What was that blood anyway? A million other questions are racing through her mind, never mind the creatures that are currently causing mayhem. This was not the norm for Meri, but she the blonde could not help but feel like that blood was something worse than just your average injury. At least that is what she was thinking at first, until Khitti seems to manage to shake it off without turning into some deformed beast. It's right about that then Meri comes to the realization that she should probably be focusing more on the battle. Khitti has claimed hold of her sword and Meri knows better than to stop her from entering the heat of battle. Meri would keep close on her tail but she was not so quick to draw her own weapon. Today she would try and keep with the bow and her telekinetic abilities. Her sights are set on the creature with the axe. A shot is taken toward the oversized beast, aimed for the shoulder, specifically the shoulder that helps to support the bloodied axe being wielded. Another shot is taken a second after, near the same spot. And then another. Meri would keep at this until the executioner decided to charge, and even then she would not relent. The shots from the arrows would not be enough to fell the creature, but again Meri would depend on her psionic abilities, this time to try and rip the axe from the malformed being's grasp. If she gets that far, she fully intends to send the executioner's axe boomeranging through the area, only to curve right back around with the goal of beheading.

Encara can't say she believes Khitti's words, not quite, but she has no time to waste fretting. Wandering thoughts lead only to death. Several aberrations, driven to manic states by the carnage, have caught wind of the drow's movements and clamber onto the rooftops, attempting to corner her with a dangerous drop at her back. When one of them makes a lunge for her, however, Encara steps off the roof, falls, and twists, unleashing an arrow that punctures straight up through the creature's bottom jaw and out the top of its head. The ground is approaching fast and with a swarm of ruined beasts gathered below, the drow's luck seems to have run out… yet she hits the blood-slick cobblestones in a plume of smoke that knocks the enemy back a couple of steps, giving Encara time to rise from a crouch, unharmed, bladed bow swinging in a great arc as she stands. The blades are vicious, capable of slicing through flesh with ease, while the bow itself provides a small barrier between the drow and the monsters that have overtaken the byrg. Shadows flicker across her form, curling and waving like tattered fabric, and there's a certain fire lighting Encara's eyes as she snarls at the malformed creatures, all civility abandoned for the ferocity and deadly martial grace that has made the drow so infamous among surface peoples. Dancing and ducking, spinning with bow in hand and loosing arrows whenever she can, the drow is a tempest, relentless. She stumbles, however, when Zahrani's magic passes over her and blasts away all traces of the shadows surrounding her - none of the abominations have managed to catch her and she is untainted, but there's a sharp sting in her left arm that makes her flinch, hissing in anger and pain. "Paladins," Encara snorts under her breath, delivering a brutal kick to a corrupted greydusk's abdomen. It isn't surprising that her magic would react to Zahrani's, but she'd have appreciated a little warning.

Khitti -was- fine! She swears (or she would anyway if she wasn’t so focused on killing these things)! Never better! Look at her go! Zahrani’s amber waves of pain from her mace stunned the mutated greydusk and umbrawisp for a time, leaving them both open to Khitti, Meri, and Encara’s attacks. Arrows flew, holy fire burned, kicks were landed, and that axe was ripped from the greydusk’s hands and sent flying elsewhere. What was that sound? It sounded like… something heavy… spinning… The whooshing sound got closer and when Khitti had the opportunity, she looked to the direction the sound was coming from and -- SEVEN FRAKKING HELLS, MERI! With a yelp, Khitti ducked just to be safe, her back covered now in gore as the blade of the axe tore threw bone and sinew, beheading the foul creature. One down, one more to go. The weaker creatures that had given chase to Encara fall prone thanks to Zahrani’s abilities, leaving the drow to recover from her own bout with the holy magic and the creatures to be nothing more but easy fodder for the group.

Khitti || Zahrani’s magic wore off not long after, the power of that blackened blood that coursed through the umbrawisp abomination’s veins stronger than any sort of normal dark magic. Encara, unfortunately, landed herself in the abomination’s path, its sword seeking to cut the elf in two. Khitti managed to right herself in time to see it and threw Tenbatsu Kaji at the creature. Fueled by Seika’s magic, the sword propelled itself through the air, found its new home within the umbrawisp’s skull, and set the creature ablaze, the building nearby catching fire and spreading rather quickly to the prone fodder that had chased Encara as well as to the other buildings. Khitti got what she wanted, at least: a cleansing fire. “Let it burn,” she said finally after catching her breath. “It all needs to go. No one here to live in it anyway. I’ll send Ulah in to contain it and eventually have terramancers come in to rebuild it all. Shouldn’t take long with magic. Then if anyone uninfected got out, they’ll have something to come back to.” Khitti sighed, looking at the head of the greydusk. “We should get out of here though before we burn too.” Tenbatsu Kaji pulled itself free from the corpse as Khitti retrieved her bow and arrow, booted feet poised to head towards the exit if the others were ready.

Zahrani watches the scene unfold, her face still covered. Aside from Khitti's exposure to the infected blood, this mission appears to have gone swimmingly. The curiosity in her wants to try and collect a sample of the black liquid for proper study. Alas, she did not have the means to do so. It was likely safer to cleanse the area with fire, as the redhead suggests. The panther dips her mace into a nearby brazier, a hissing sound escaping from it as infected fluid is boiled off the of the weapon. She retrieves it before it can become warped, carefully wrapping it in a clean cloth and returning it to its place on her belt. Making sure that Encara and Meri were safe, the paladin follows closely behind Khitti, keeping her eyes on the woman. She'd be watching her carefully in the coming days. Turning back to the Drow as they leave, Rani says, "I'm sorry for not warning you earlier. I didn't want to risk the infected fleeing."

Meri gets a little cheeky with the redhead, a little after the fact, "Duck!" She shouts to Khitti with a bit of a smirk, even though Khitti barely stays stationary long enough for Meri to get it out. She is already back in action, throwing Tenbatsu Kaji at the creature assaulting Encara. The assault may have come to an end but things were anything but calm and cool now. All around the group, buildings were going up in flames, the sounds of flames crackling and glass items exploding with a loud pop due to the heat was prominent. Khitti was right, get out of here was top priority on the list of things to do. Meri would not waste any time, and she did not seem to show much remorse for the fact that the village would need to burn. It was as Khitti said, there was no one left here right now. And if there were survivors? The redhead had a plan in place to try and help them. Khitti was ready to go and Meri would be right by her side. Zahrani was clearly unharmed and Meri presumed Encara was okay too, but she would still give pause so that the drow had a chance to catch up with the rest of their party.

Encara 's instinctive reaction to the ruined umbrawisp bearing down on her is to turn to smoke. Without warning, the drow's body dissolves into formless mist - even as Tenbatsu Kaji imbeds itself in the creature's skull, its blade continues on its downward path for her, but it can't cut what can't be caught and the cloud of darkness that is Encara simply splits around the sword. Unfortunately, her brief invulnerability only accounts for physical attack and as she spirals up around the umbrawisp, a spark of Seika's purifying fire catches on her tattered shadows. When her body reappears, coalescing like an apparition out of the embers swirling in the hot breeze, the drow's hurriedly smacking at the sleeve of her shirt, now smoking, before her legs have even fully reformed. Jogging over to the others, she takes in the carnage around her while the fire spreads wildly and uncontained, the snap-crackle of burning wood and flesh beginning to fill the air. Flashing Zahrani a small smirk, she shakes her head. "It's fine; I can handle a little light." There's no remorse in Encara's eyes as she gives Khitti and the others a wordless nod and starts making her way toward the gates, but something faintly lost reflects along with the flames in the drow's scarlet gaze as she casts a glance back over her shoulder at the body of the hanging greydusk. Aedrebyrg is left to its fate. Thomellien and Krenrys, a pair of young Val'thyrion scouts, are there to meet them just outside the walls - Kren's head is tilted back, his eyes shielded against the light as he watches the steadily rising inferno. "Now that's a sight," he murmurs, half in awe. His companion huffs a sigh, then narrows his eyes at Khitti, taking note of the flecks of black blood marring her face. "You look awful." That's 'hello,' in drow.