RP:Korbus Captured by The Fold
Keturah had only just been informed of the differences between plateaus and mountains, and was left sheepishly scratching the back of her head as she stepped off the boat and onto the harbor. A wave farewell was ushered toward the crew who had been kind enough to ferry the druid across before she glanced back to the massive canine who treaded alongside her. "Cookies and coffee. How pleasant, Boss," she said softly. Idly the waving hand dropped to her chest. She could feel the blood-filled sphere through the silk of her blouse easily enough and the weight it bore was nearly as much as the soulstone she had just surrendered back to its owner. This meeting would be the first since drawing her leader's blood that the lycan would converse with Arien, and she was rather anxious to check the high elf's health. Her pace quickened.
Korbus walks through the streets of Cenril, his eyes lazily moving from one quiet building to the other. Soon, this town would bear witness to his ascension. The days are numbered, and just like the bodies that will soon line the streets, they bleed into one another... Though the sands run few in the hourglass, there appears to be no excitement in Anaximander's beautiful face. In fact, there appears to be no emotion at all. Even the terrible chill the winter air brings in from the sea bears no affect upon the man clad in simple cotton garments. The city is soon left behind him, and toward the waning tide he walks now, making his way back to the meadows he's been spending more and more time in across the sea. He spots Keturah treading across the sands with her dog, and he stops. The former rogue's gaze fixes upon the druid. For days, he's been looking for her... But something's changed. Since the last dream that Korbus had given her, he's been unable to see her properly - not like he was able to before. "Keturah..." He speaks, his voice just as wonderous and melodic as it has always been; at least, since Anaximander has been in this body.
Keturah's grip tightened just slightly upon her clothing. Whatever had possessed her to hand away her cloak to Ganj was beyond her. "Well.. not so much," she mused aloud. Gaze turned upward toward the Oceanside town, some darkening treading across her expression. The druid had certainly spent many a day here as of late, as if seeing the place in daylight could wipe away the bloodied visions that she held in the night. Boss was far ahead of her by then, and with a short gasp, the lycan moved to hurry. Until, of course, keen ears had caught her name. The voice was easily recognizable, and she had no doubt of who had called. Halting immediately, Keturah glanced toward the origins of the sound, brows furrowing. She would not speak once she had seen him, merely stare and force her expression into a smooth blankness.
Korbus makes his way smoothly across the beach, his eyes never leaving the one he now knows has the power to stop him - well, at least the knowledge. "You've been difficult to find... I've put a lot of effort into trying to undo this, " he pauses, waving a hand towards his face, "this veil that Korbus has drawn over my eyes. It seems he didn't want me to find you. Though, just like his willpower when I first met him, it appears that his spirit has the same lack of strength..." Korbus stops several paces away, paying no mind to the dog that's likely threatening him with growls. "I've no doubt by now, that you and your kinsmen have scurried about, gathering the means to try and halt my ascension. But I assure you, your efforts will fail. I've shown you before, I cannot be stopped."
Keturah wondered why, why she did not flee as the other drew closer. It was true, that by then her dog had lumbered forth, teeth bared and growling; for what little good it proved. Amber began to flood the woman's irises, and she slowly shook her head. She could have made her argument then, any boastful proclamations that she and her kinsman could succeed. Her hands dropped to her side, clenching into fists. Keturah did not speak, though inwardly, she formed her soft prayer. Please let the others be ready now.
Korbus smiles sadly, "Nothing to say...? You used to be so adamant that your stand was the one to take... I recall your staunch defense of your people and their cause, and now you say nothing. I wonder, then, if you've accepted the fact that you will lose... everything."
Keturah shook her head again. "You are wrong," she said softly.
Ganjimu skids to a stop upon sighting the two from afar, choosing instead to sneak his way into range. As he slips from cargo pile to cargo pile, he is popping open the seal to Arien's High elf blood and dripping it onto his throwing knives. These will be used only when the moment is right, so the swordsman sticks a small cork into the glass ball and pockets it, hoping he won't need to use anymore. As he gets within range, he peeks a head out to watch the exchange closely before making himself known to the blood demon.
Korbus , unaware of Ganjimu's approach, continues his exchange with the druid, "Wrong? You know of the sticks and stones to hurt this vessel... But I, Keturah, am something far greater than you could ever imagine. I transcend time. I transcent mortality. I can see your past your future, and you stand before me with the knowledge that you and your kinsmen will defeat me? You stand before me, a group divided, and tell me that you will succeed in halting my ascension... I think I will end you now, and bring your fearless leader's morale to its knees..." He outstretches his hand towards Keturah, the familiar and ancient arcana coursing through him as he sends waves of it for the druid's innards.... The results of which would be very well known by now...
Keturah had only the scent of the sea in her nostrils, and only faintly did the arrival of another make its way to her awareness. It was all she could do not to turn her eyes toward the elf's direction, but she managed to keep her stare set upon Korbus. Her lips had parted slightly, inhale taken as the woman prepared another doomed argument. She was fortunate to catch the meaning of the other's words, and her eyes widened. It was a quick spell, terribly formed by her silence. The ocean heaved, borrowed water freezing to form a thick sheet of ice between herself and the other. It had after all, proven effective enough the last their magic was paired against each other. Clumsy still, she cried out and attempted to flee for whatever safety the boxes of cargo offered, her massive canine lumbering in tow. She would have to prepare her own weapon with the Lady's blood.
Ganjimu watches and waits, listening well to the ramblings of his greatest challenge. A smirk begins to form the longer he listens, until the dreaded moment when the talks cease. A hand moves, a wall of cold, andhis dearest friend fleeing. Perfect timing. Any other time, the elf would have shouted, made a ruckus, anything to get his opponent's attention before attacking, but this time was different. With practiced agility, he pulls a knife off his belt, flips it in mid-air, catches the blade, and stands to throw the blood-streaked weapon towards his foe with deadly accuracy. As it flies, the elf sprints to another stack of crates, grabs another knife, and throws it as well. With three knives left, the swordsman prays that at least one will make contact so he can move into melee range, a specialty the elf had been practicing for since he came to the mainland. No room for recklessness. Not this time. A promise is the only thing keeping the rash warrior from springing headlong into the fight he's destined to lose. Let's see if the blood fiend can really know the future...
Korbus clenches his hand into a fist as Keturah dives behind a stack of cargo. The wall of ice wouldn't do much to stop his particular brand of mojo this time, but the dagger would. The druid would only feel a moment of the power's effects before the blood-laden dagger pierces into his shoulder. There is no cry of pain, nor display of discomfort other than a grimace, and the hiss of his flesh as the blood works its way into his vessel. With a crease in his brow, Anaximander turns and reaches across his body to pull the dagger from its fleshy sheath. Smoke rises from it like, and the scent of burnt flesh joins the overbearing aroma of the seas. The man turns just as the other knife is thrown, and in a flicker of light, the former rogue is gone, and the dagger is left to strike the wall of ice behind him. The only sign that he's reappeared would be a second flash of light behind the Elf, and it offers little opportunity for reflex, before Anaximander hurls a fist for Ganjimu's face with a force both eerily composed in calmness, and highly powerful in its impact - whether he strikes true, or plants his fist into a crate.
Keturah grimaced. She hadn't made if to safety at all before she became aware of the burning pain in her abdomen. Her knees buckled, back arching forward as she came in contact with the sand. Her hand had hardly managed to fly to her mouth before the spew of crimson vitae lurched from her thin frame. Lucky girl was she, that Ganj was so quick in his attack. As quickly as that terrible arcane seemed to hit her, it had faded. She was left to edge her way behind the crate, gagging still and clutching her stomach. Spitting and shaking, blood covered fingers lifted to cradle the glass sphere within her shirt. It would only take a moment before her hand dropped again, leaning forward; it seemed Ket might be out of the battle for the time.
Reece takes a moment to focus and bring all his enchantments online fully. Then, at Keturah's muffled cry, he turns, following the flash towards Ganjimu, a string of murmured words spilling from pale lips as the avian's wraithen form begins to glide near-silently towards the rogue. A fine mist of silvery energy gathers in the air around him as pulses of mental energy emeanate from him, energy disruptive to the sort of magic and focus needed to teleport oneself from place to place.
Ganjimu will never admit just how surprised he was at this moment. Pain was expected. Blood was a very real idea...but the elf hadn't expected both to happen to him so quickly or so devastatingly. As Korbus' fist meets Ganjimu's eye, a sickening squish only hints at the destruction caused to his left eye as the elf, the crates he had hidden behind, and a small spray of blood go flying into the main area of the dock. It is unlikely that eye will be useful ever again. The dock workers stopped working, the crane ceased it's motions, and all the world...well, really just half the world, but all the world to Ganj went dark for a moment. Then he opened his right eye and struggled to rise. The blow had disoriented the elf temporarily, but the wobbly man still reaches for dagger number three to defend himself with, if given the chance. "Heh… hoo… Stay away from Ket. You...You're mine now, ye bastard..." A small purple light begins to shine faintly through a pouch tied to the back of his belt, a hint that the elf was far from done.
Korbus feels the pure blood of the High Elves coursing through his body. Like a poison, it burns through him, weakening him now with each step. Perhaps its the magics surrounding him now, anchoring him to this area, or Arien's blood mingling with his own, but he quickly finds that he can no longer teleport. Mustering the last pieces of the arcana he can before he's left with strength alone, he summons his armor. Emerald light shines upon his body until it becomes nearly blinding in its radiance, then fades into a suit of the most immaculate armor ever seen. His face is still visible, crowned with a circlet crafted of white gold - matching the rest of his fullplate with perfectly polished, opalescent steel (Which likely is magical in itself). Making his way forth on foot through the sand, he crosses the dock towards Ganjimu, still unaware of Reece for the time being, and from seemingly nothing, the former rogue draws a weapon - a stunning blade of unprecedented craftsmanship. The longsword glows with a white light, and one might think that this man is a paladin himself - one who would be worthy of standing by Lady Arien and her deity of good; a blasphemous thought, to be sure. As he closes the distance with a haunting causualness to his step, Anaximander swings the mightly blade at the Elf, a blow that would cleave him in twain, lest he defend himself.
Keturah despite the pain, the druid wasted no tears. She was, after all, a child of the desert. The cursed blood that flowed through her might eventually lessen the wounds she'd suffered internally; at least more quickly than would her human body. Boss was still nearby, licking at the limp fingers that rested in her lap. Cringing, the woman leaned forward and ducked her hand into the satchel bound to the dog's side. Keturah would take the time to dig out her medical satchel, grabbing for the still bloodied knife that hid within. The knife she had used to draw Arien's blood, precious crimson preserved with a kiss of frost. It was too small a blade to inflict much damage, and the druid was still unable to bring herself any more upright than a kneeling position. Peering around the crate, she would first notice the familiarity of the armor. More so did the woman notice the blade swinging toward her friend, and more than useless as she was, Keturah could only cringe, dipping her head and ushering a quick prayer.
Reece lifts his hands slightly and allows his wings to unfrul, stretching slightly behind him as his ghostly form moves with translucence through the ever spreading mist of silvered magic. Tendrils of this reach forward towards the rogue as the pulses continue, ensuring that Anaximander can not find a magical means of escape. The murmuring of arcane wording conntinues to spill from his pale lips even as his eyes widen with horror at korbus' stroke... something he had not the power to change at this moment. Miles away in South Kelay's ancient forest the avian's web of power begins to glow brightly as the inscription inside it is spoken here in cenril. Soon, very soon the trap would be sprung and now it is impossible for Korbus to not notice the illusionists presence, or his silver gaze.
Ganjimu Watches with his good eye as Korbus takes on armor, and the elf just can't help it. "Heh...Got to ye...Not as cool as yer proud of, arya?" His sailor's accent is back in full force, meaning he either can't control it, or just doesn't care anymore. As the enormous sword is drawn, gray eye widens as the knife is held out in front of him defensively. "Heh..." is the only thing uttered as the large blade starts it's swing, promising even the hardiest survivor a very unpleasant seperation from their better half, whichever half that may be to that particular person. However, such a sloppy swing will do little good to an elf who spent literally every day of the past few months honing his skills in close combat. In a blink, the area once occupied by the elf is replaced with a small trail of blood, suspended temporarily in midair until gravity looks it's way, scoffs, and forces it to follow the rules. The elf is a few feet behind this, watching as the blade slices his eye-blood in vain. A glance from his good eye shows a glint of an avian finally doing what he was supposed to do, and the elf throws his third knife straight towards the only unprotected part of his opponent: the face. It's not meant to hit, only to distract the blood monster only a little bit longer while Reece finishes up. Of course, more taunts come as well... "Swingin at air, sissy! I'm sad, ye only got me eye..." he says, smirking despite his lack of left peripheral vision and fierce pain shooting through his face.
Korbus follows through with the swing, the holy blade taking out another stack of crates, and letting out what appears to be a variety of beans and grain to spill across the dock. The final dagger tears into Anaximander's temple as he recovers from his followthrough, and the skin across the side of his head is taken away by the Elf-blood-coated weapon. The flesh sizzles and smokes and Anaximander's lips are straightened into another grimmace as he deals with a pain he does well to hide. "I've had enough of you..." Gripping his sword in one hand, he outstretches the other towards Ganjimu. He grits his teeth against the pain of the blood burning in his body, fighting back the fatigue it plagues him with as he forces his power upon the Elf. "Time to die..."
Keturah chanced looking up only once she'd heard Ganj's voice again. A breathless, mirthless laugh escaped bloodied lips. She winced for the movement, one arm wrapping tightly about her middle. The other hand clasped tightly against her own knife, keen ears picking up the conversation taking place. The others had managed to work their way too far for Ket to actually attempt a throw of her knife; she was too clumsy anyway. No.. the girl could only wait for Reece's spell to take effect. It would be only then that some knowledge she hadn't yet been able to relay came to her realization. "Arey.."
Reece 's final syllable drops from his lips as Korbus utters his ultimatum to Ganji. Immediately the light in the area inks out, the area becoming plunbged into near-total darkness, the avian and his mist the only light source. A tiny moment later many things happen simultaneously. Reece's power-web complete's the activation of it's inscription, the entire arcance circle of brilliant white light vanishing in a flash and generating around Reece and Korbus together. This sudden isolation cuts Korbus' power off from his attack on the elf, reflecting it back towards its caster. Reece releases a sigh of relief, casting a single thought into the web as he steps to defend the third major Glyph in the circle, the one which was the web's only critical weak spot. As his thought melds with the web it shines brilliantly, orbs of darkness spiralling faster overhead as the circle latches its powers onto Anaximander, its incredible power, born of its complexity, dragging at the rogue's power in an attempt to drain him utterly. Lifting a wineskin the avian utilises the inherent static magical field within the web to burst it, sending a mist of elven blood towards the rogue.
Ganjimu feels his insides begin to burn as the lights go out around him, whether it is from Reece's trap or the fact he closed his eye remains to be seen, but the taunting ceases regardless. Most of Korbus' attack may have been deflected, but enough still made it's way to reduce the once-arrogant elf to the same pitiful display as Keturah. He crumples to his knees, vomiting blood as his insides try to work their way to his outside. Korbus must really have hated the swordsman, because enough power still got through to really run the poor boy through his paces. Despite his efforts, they are in vain. As ganj tries to keep from throwing up anymore of himself, blood slowly begins to seep through the pores in his hands and arms, and the warrior falls onto his side, passing in and out of consciousness. This had better work, Reece...
Korbus turns his attention towards Reece immediately as the surrounding area goes dark. The magic web that ensares him now is apparently of little consequence to the heavily armored man as he begins walking towards the Avian, heedless of the orbs that sap nothing more than cheap mana from him. The good stuff - the ancient blood magics that he's been wielding thus far surpass the draining abilities of the normal arcane spell. "Reece... I recall your arrogance the last time we met. And still, you seem just as full of yourself, trying to trap me in this parlor trick of yours." He's quieted as the blood is spattered at him; the lower Elven blood stinging his face and scalp where it does manage to make contact. Anaximander's sword glows bright, and in a sudden burst, he feeds into the magic web, forcing his blood magics into Reece's spell in an attempt to essentially overload the spell. Just as his blood had with Keturah's spell, and the magics of the compound, the magic web is undone. Anaximander stands upon the dock, his sword lighting the area now, as a testament to the powerful force that wields it. "I will kill you all..." His voice has lost its beauty. The face that once was the most handsome is now worn and tired. The armor seems to have lost its lustor... Anaximander stands still, and as the High Elven blood in his body finally reaches the innermost workings of his vessel, the man slumps over and drops to a knee, severely weakened. "The child..." His body flickers with light, yet it does not disappear. It's obvious he's attempting to leave, but it's also obvious that he cannot.
Keturah worked her way into a standing position, slowly. The pain jarring her nervous system was nigh unbearable as she shifted, and she relied heavily upon the crate at her side to support herself. Moss-green irises had long since inked over with a flood of amber, and it was with those inhuman optics that she glanced warily over the scene. Ganj was hurt, the power web stringing out in all its glory and still the Songbird proceeded. Pulling from her mental catalogue the images rent from the nightmares she had been plagued with. A hacking cough that brought blood into her mouth pulled her from that reverie, and her brows furrowed. Crimson stained fingers worked their way shakily into the druid's blouse, retrieving the orb so filled with Arien's blood. "Reece.." she called softly, one fumbling step taken toward Korbus. They'd still had their chance. If her strength didn't fail. It didn't seem like the Songbird would be going anywhere whilst she made her way over. "Ve.. are needing to be drawing a rune vith the high elven blood, yes?"
Reece winces, struck physically as the rogue's blood magics push into his web, overpowering its attempts to hold and draw energy from him despite its strength. The web is not undone as Korbus thinks, anchored as it is to another location, though it fails in its place here, its power crippled. The avian almost blinks in surprise as his trepidation is finished though by the man's sudden and unexpected collapse. Wasting no time the avian turns to rush to Katurah as she rises with the orb. "What is the rune? Show me!" The avian's voice is high, panicked a little even as he connects his mind with hers.
Ganjimu hugs his midsection tightly, the burning feeling the only reason he's still conscious. In anguish, the elf opens his eye to see Korbus kneeling, with Reece panicking nearby. His voice is a rasp. "Damn..." With sheer determination and blatant disregard for his own health, the fool rises, fumbling for another knife. Three steps later, and he's down again, doubled over in pain, but just to look like he's helping, the elf reaches out a hand and grasps the titan's ankle loosely, as if it would do anything at all should he try to, say, swat at it lightly, or walk away, even. Poor half-blind elf...
Korbus continues to rest upon his knee, the sword-wielding arm crossed over it as he tries to pour his strength into rising - a failing endeavor. "No... I will not... be stopped." He speaks with short breaths, his body heaving with the effort it takes to even breath with how sapped his energy is.
Keturah might have muttered a quiet hush, but she was far too worn. Her eyes closed, the orb offered to the avian as she brought her most recent nightmare to the front of her mind. Cenril, in the devastation of some apocalyptic event, was left empty and apparently abandoned. There were the runes, painted in red over every surface of the buildings. She knew not which the one amongst them to use was. Let the arcane user sort it out, and soon; Keturah probably wouldn't remain standing much longer.
Reece takes the orb of blood, his mind suddenly being exposed t the vast city of runic destruction. He's subconciously walking back towards the rogue as he sorts through it, no certainty as he looks at the somewhat unfamiliar runes. Some instinct, perhaps based on his varied, though incomplete, runic knowledge, leads him to one though. Staring now at the man he pops open the orb a finger tracing the rune in blood upon the struggling man's brow, hoping against hope that it would work.
Keturah allowed herself to drop to the ground as Reece made his way back toward the rogue's body. More coughs to bring up blood into her mouth, but otherwise, the woman was still, half-watching the proceedings. No sooner had the symbol been painted upon the man's brow than the arcane took effect. A crackling of pure energy swelled around his body, creating a magical field. The container as well as the Songbird encased inside was pulled just slightly above the ground. He wouldn't escape.
Reece blinks, surprised and satisfied. Before leaving he calls, "Kenneth, come and help Ket and Ganji!" Then, encompassing the man in his mental aura he steps into a shaft of moonlight, transporting them both back to the compound, directly into the dungeon.
The Next Day
Ganjimu shuffles into the barracks, still dressed in his blood-stained clothes from the battle. Bandages are littered across his body, making appearances through openings in his shirt, while a great deal of cloth is tightly wrapped around his head, covering his left eye. He looks unhappy. "Made it." He reaches into his pack, pulling out a small disc. "Cookie?"
Arien looks up from her place at the window, where she stands looking out onto the stillness that is the forest night. Taking in his clearly battered state, emerald gaze widens slightly, though she makes an obvious effort not to over react to his condition. "Well you look like you were in the thick of it." The murmur escapes pale lips even as she nods a negative to his offer of the treat. "I need to eat better.. He is contained successfully?"
Ganjimu puts the cookie back in his pack, then sits on the floor. Normally he would stay standing to do things like this, but the fight took a lot out of him. He hoped his leader would understand. "He is. We engaged him out in Cenril. Reece and I snuck into range while Ket held his attention." He stops to get his breath back. "Ket was attacked and immediately incapacitated. I managed to stick him with a blood-coated knife right before...um..." His remaining gray eye looks down. "Before engaging in melee combat. His teleportation surprised me and closed the distance. I held his attention long enough for Reece to use his web...but it failed." Another pause, but at least he's looking at Arien again. "Either way, he dropped to a knee from my initial attack, and as I was passing out from a rather unpleasant spell of bleeding from anything blood could get through, I saw him imprisoned and transported here. I trust Reece to have locked him up instead of kill him." A longer pause implies that the elf is done with his report, regardless of the gaps in it.
Arien started a gentle pace before the window as the elf began his tale, taking note of, but making no comment on his need to sit. Keen gaze identified what seemed to be the permanent damage done to his eye and a chill hand seemed to clench her heart. A righteous anger, deep and pure at the harm done her kinsmen by this evil now within their grasp, arose within her. She would be having words with the Songbird soon enough, and it would not be an exchange of pleasantries. "You did well Ganji, and paid a high price it seems. What of Ket and Reece..are they in decent shape?"
Ganjimu shrugs. "Reece is probably in good shape. He didn't take any damage while I was still conscious. He may be a little upset at his web failing. As far as Ket, I'm not sure. I blacked out, and when I woke up, I was in my room covered in bandaging. I haven't heard from her since..." The elf's entire demeanor seems to have changed. An entire report without even a hint of his humor; he must still be in pain.
Arien turned to study the elf, more carefully. " How are you feeling..about the damage? I lost my sword arm once, it was emotionally crippling. Do you feel capable of continuing your duties..or will you be in need of a break?" Reece is arriving quietly, a subdued manner present in his movements. He glances at the containment area before moving on to enter the common room and hovering at a discreet distance from Arian and Ganji.
Ganjimu winces. "...He caught me completely by surprise. I deserved to lose it for being weak." He lowers his head.
Arien glances up to note Reece's arrival with a gentle nod, the shadows in her gaze deepening with his own somber demeanor. Ganjimu's words provoke an instant and sharp rebuke. "You were not weak, we all perhaps underestimated his true power. I must be careful to avoid doing the same when I engage him. You brought him down, if I am to understand your report correctly-with the blood edged dagger. You fulfilled your responsibility." Her expression softened. She could understand his frame of mind, she had once been there herself, but self pity would prove futile and pointless at this moment. She turned to Reece. "I understand we had varied levels of success with your part of the operation Reece, your report?"
Reece expression remains very carefully constructed, no hint of his true thoughts escaping as his words drop sharply from his lips, "It would have been nice to know that conventional magic, no matter how strong, wouldn't even slow him down."
Ganjimu keeps his head down and says nothing for the moment, his remaining eye staring absently towards the floor. His wounds will heal easily enough, but it looks like the fight in his head still rages as he imagines the things he should have done, wondering how he let himself get caught unawares...
Arien said to Reece, "On this we can agree. There was little way of knowing the true extent of the power he had amassed through his rituals. He is one step from Ascension, if our intelligence is to be believed. This would make him perilously close to the power of a god. Something we may have not taken into consideration."
Reece 's expression continues to remain neutral, though a minute flicker of his eyes belies the impact of those words. For once there are no gestures or affectations as the avian approaches closer, a stillness seeming to settle about him as he stops at a more comfortable conversation range, "What then will we do with him?" Keturah's sharp image of a city full of bloody runes is still strong in his mind, though he had not yet had the time to devote to deciphering more.
Arien turned to look out the window, her arms crossed behind her back, a thoughtful expression upon her face. " Korbus..is but the host to the entity which seeks to consume him. My blood has weakened that vessel, could likely bring it to death’s door. It would make sense to me, that a parasite cannot survive without a living host. Perhaps, Korbus can be brought to the brink..and his tormentor forced to flee his body. There must be some way to trap the chaotic soul once it is away from his body. The key will be the blood..and the runes..It was a rune that allowed you to capture him, was it not?" She turned again, allowing her gaze to rest upon both males.
Reece said to you, "It was a rune indeed, which also would have been nice for me to know prior to ending up in battle with him." The avian's cold gaze also drifts to the window briefly, "Though of course the simple course of action is to simple kill the host."
Arien said to Reece, "If I remember correctly however, the capture happened suddenly and without much opportunity for a final consultation and debrief to occur. There were clearly pieces of the puzzle that some had, which others did not, we were not all on the same page and it could have cost us lives. We will be ready in the future. Do not hold it against your Kin Reece-it seems we were all under prepared."
Ganjimu rises shakily to his feet. Under prepared, she said. Reckless would have been better. Without a word, the elf leaves the commons area for some fresh air while he collects his thoughts. Ganjimu exits up.
Reece says, "I do not hold it against them. The man is powerful though, regardless of whether it is his own power or not. We must deal with him and I believe the safest and swiftest course is to simply kill him. Neither myself nor Keturah have much experience with blood magic runes, which I can assure you are quite different to what I use, and it may not be safe to try and simply keep him here until we figure it out."
Arien shakes her head in the negative, her gaze turning towards the forest floor again. “If there was evidence that all hope for Korbus was lost, perhaps we could risk the sacrifice, but there is some evidence that he has tried to assist us in the fight against the soul which occupies him. It is not our way to condone murder. It is as easy to bring him to the brink and force the soul’s departure as it is to kill him outright. In either circumstance, we will have to find a way to trap the soul once it leaves the body or it will find another host. Keturah spoke of a child he believed he had a claim on. We must ensure the soul has no opportunity to get near it, or the child’s mother. If we cannot manage the blood magic needed to secure the entity..then we must find someone to help who can. Might this be something that Basil could do for us?"
Reece doesn't need focus to keep his expression neutral this time, it would have fallen into this state all on its own at the mention of Basil. After a moment's thought Reece says, "Well, if you are set on keeping the host alive Basil could be of use in deciphering the runes. His participation could be invaluable in protecting the child at the least, a person can only be in one place at once."
Arien met the gaze of the avian, reading perhaps more than he would like into his stillness and overt neutrality. She had not become the leader she was without being able to read significance into the minutia of such interactions. “Indeed, we cannot..we must likewise also know our limitations. We have a powerful ‘entity’ in custody and little means to keep it secure-further the entity is at the brink of becoming a threat not only to our persons, but to these lands as well. A solution must be found-we have no choice. I will make contact with the mage..unless you wish to do so, you are likely to see him before I will. I would suggest that you make Keturah a part of whatever discussion you may have with him, as the key to his undoing seems locked within her memories at the moment. You are authorized to make whatever steps are necessary to bring him up to speed.”
Reece nods, his expression softening perhaps just a little, "I am anticipating a meeting with him quite soon, though that may not be the most suitable time if it goes as I expect it to. I shall however ensure that he is informed and brought up to speed at the earliest possible time, I have no more desire than you to see this... thing loose."
Arien allowed herself the ghost of a smile. “Good, it is a beginning. Now I must get myself rested and prepared for that initial encounter. I have no doubt that even in his weakened state he will seek to manipulate and challenge. Use what blood remains to demark the boundaries of his containment field with the runeology that worked to capture him. We will have to hope that will be enough to hold him for now.” She glanced at the avian. “If that is all, I do believe that I shall retire for the eve. You did well, all of you..I am pleased. Though I worry for Ganji’s state of mind.”
Reece nods, "Ganji is stronger than he looks, or sounds, I believe. Anyway, indeed that is all. I shall depart to ensure the cell is secure. After that I think I shall be attending to my web... alas it may never be quite the same."
Arien said to Reece, "Perhaps..it will be better. We live and learn from mistakes. Goodnight Reece."
Reece nods, "Goodnight Lady Arien." With that he exits in the direction of the cell block.