Among Chaos (Viverescribere x Peregrine)





Imelda Fletcher

Do something.

Imelda knew that just moments ago she had no problem in informing him of her discomfort at him smoothing out her facial expressions, but that was before this. In this moment, the entire plan they had was about to burst into flames and be burnt to ash. She had noticed the change in the Healer's expression too, and hadn't liked the confusion that contorted his features. If his second examination came up empty of any injuries or physical ailments, then she may as well tell them the truth herself.

I know... what I said before... but do s-some--something... now.

She didn't know exactly what she would be getting herself into by allowing him the opportunity to provide some damage to her body, however she knew she couldn't just sit there and let them discuss just why and how she managed to get away with just a re-injured knee.

A tight smile, almost looking like a grimace, was directed to the Healer while she pushed herself up into a better sitting position. Her hand reached out for his arm, holding onto it as she released a breath, "Sorry, Healer Uriel... would you... could I trouble you for a glass of water? I just-- I'm just feeling a little lightheaded." She questioned, hoping for a brief respite to allow Alarik to do what he needed to do, "It's just-- yes, water. I just need some water, if you would be so kind."

Don't argue with... me.. over this. Just do it. Before... we're... caught.

Imelda expected that it may hurt, and that he would need control over her body in order to inflict some fake injuries for the Healer to feel under hand, but she could be uncomfortable about that later.
 
"Im, I..."

Don't argue. What could he say? That he couldn't hurt her? It would be a bald faced lie, and one that Imelda would see through in an instant. That he didn't want to? That would also be a lie. To him, causing injuries wasn't that much different than curing them. It was all the same to him. No, his hesitation was born from one place, and one place only.

He was worried about how Imelda would react to it. If it would all suddenly become too much for her, and she'd forbid him from doing anything else. Or, worse yet, demand he leave immediately, that she couldn't stand having him ride with her anymore. To him, that was the worse possible result.

But now, she'd not only given him permission, she'd demanded he help, giving him absolutely no room to dispute or question. She'd taken all the burden onto herself. What other result could he ask for? There was only one possible answer.

"Understood."

Uriel hesitated at Imelda's sudden burst of words, glancing at her somewhat curiously. However, the man was still a Healer, and expressed some sympathy for Imelda's discomfort. "Of course. Water." He turned around, sending a significant glance towards the two others who'd followed him into the mostly empty cabin. The Mayor, too busy observing Imelda, completely missed his glance. However, Nathaniel wasn't so distracted. He quickly caught sight of Uriel's look and nodded his head slightly.

"Please continue, Healer," he said promptly, already making his way towards the door. "Allow me to fetch the water for Slayer Fletcher."

"Thank you, Elder," Uriel responded politely, as though this wasn't exactly the result he'd wanted. "I appreciate it."

However, Imelda's small exchange had already given more than enough time for the changes in her body to take effect. After all, he'd only needed moments to fully mutate a human body into something that could only be found in Nightmare Territory, let alone something as simple as creating a few injuries. The only reason he'd needed more than a split second for it was because of his carefulness. He also interfered with Imelda's pain receptors, making sure that the sudden feeling of bones breaking and muscles and ligaments tearing would be nothing more than a dull tingle. It was the only consolation he could offer.

Healer Uriel began his reexamination only a moment later. However, it was clear from the expression on his face that he'd quickly found Imelda's injuries. What conclusion could he reach other than his medical skills were lacking?

"At least three broken ribs," he announced to the room. "Abdominal hernia, sprained hip, and likely other, but all relatively mild. Slayers truly are remarkable, and fortunately I am capable of repairing all your wounds within a day or two. Just allow me to finish preparing the creams."
 




Imelda Fletcher

The grimace that appeared on her face in discomfort of the dull tingles was easily masked as the soreness she experienced while fidgeting on the bed again. However her heart continued to pound as the Elder moved to fetch the water she had asked for in order to buy Alarik time. She forced a smile through the grimace, "Thank you, Elder Nathaniel." She called after his retreating figure before her attention was once more on the Healer.

"Apologies, Healer. I don't mean to be even more of a burden." She said as the man began the examination process again, seeming to press a little firmer than before. The dull aches in certain areas gave her cues on where to wrinkle her nose or visibly grit her teeth, releasing an exhale once it was completed.

Since she didn't know what injuries Alarik had given her, Imelda was careful to mask the surprise and shock she felt as the Healer announced the grievances inflicted on her body. She couldn't help but feel in awe of just how quickly Alarik had been able to create such injuries, yet at the same time it was rather terrifying. How easy he could manipulate the human body... should he choose to, it was clear to see that one day he could simply cause her heart to stop beating.

"A day or two, Healer Uriel? Is-- is that the full recovery time? The quicker I can be on my feet, so to speak, the better. I've promised the Mayor that I would like to make good on my promise of taking out this monster."

Her expression was hopeful, that of a Slayer that was eager to be back at her job soon enough. Elder Nathaniel soon reappeared with the water, handing it to Imelda who took it gratefully. She held it close to her chest, taking a small sip soon after.
 
He kept a close eye on Imelda's reaction as Uriel pronounced his result. That meant he didn't miss the faint traces of surprise that crossed her face, even if she schooled her expression a moment later. However, most of his attention was on her thoughts, trying to pick up on her other reactions. Some part of him was waiting for some explicit rebuke from her.

It didn't come. The only indication that she might not be satisfied with his actions was a sudden rush of stress through her system, which boosted her adrenaline level. It wasn't an unreasonable reaction. However much they might talk about trust, it was like a friend suddenly stabbing a knife towards your eye. In any moment there was clear danger, the body would begin to prepare itself for survival.

All things considered, it was probably the best result he could have expected.

"A couple of days," Uriel agreed, nodding his head slightly. "Unless you intend to leave yourself with after effects, I'm sure you should have a full understanding of how long a botched healing job can persist." His eyes pointedly glanced towards her knee.

Mayor Winsley nodded his head. "I understand your impatience, Slayer. We are all eager to see the monster gone. However, there should be another Slayer party here within the week. Would it not be better to wait for reinforcements?"
 




Imelda Fletcher

Her cheeks flushed sheepishly at the look to her knee, eyes quickly averting like a scolded school child. It wasn't act that she needed to put on, but rather something that came naturally. She did regret how badly she took care of that injury, but the fear of being kicked out of training was stronger than a desire to heal.

"Of course, I understand. Thank you, Healer." She smiled slightly, despite it not exactly being the words she wanted to hear.

And... thank... you...

The words were directed to Alarik as her gaze flickered up to the Mayor, cup being brought to her lips in order to buy her some time before answering. She would speak with Alarik later, when it was safer.

It was not unsurprising that another Slayer party would be arriving shortly. It was natural that they would call for another group that would have, if it weren't for the fact that the problem was actually riding with her, most likely have gone to their deaths just like Imelda's group. If the Mayor did know about what was going on, how could the man keep calling for the Slayers and keep allowing them to go to their deaths without a word, without a single show of remorse?

"Reinforcements would be ideal, however I'm simply concerned for your villagers, Mayor. As you said, with each day that goes by is another day that the monster could become more confident to wander closer and closer. But yes... perhaps you're right, I wouldn't want to be too hasty. And as the Healer said, a botched healing job wouldn't do me any good." She sighed, rubbing at her forehead with the heel of her palm.

I can't let that... other group... become... involved. The Mayor... he's... been watching me... like a hawk. The other group... just more eyes... I need to do this... before they... get here.
 
"You're welcome," Uriel agreed, before turning away to the nearby table, where he had set several wooden bottles filled with cream on the table. He began to mix them together quickly, occasionally muttering to himself as he worked.

Alchemy was not a simple process. The most complicated alchemical processes required not only the correct ingredients to complete, but also required the weather, the moon, and the stars to align with the alchemist's goal. While low-level alchemical creams required no such complicated calculations, that didn't mean they were immune from the effects of some stray phenomenon. One misaligned moment could cause the entire process, which a Healer might complete hundreds or even thousands of times in a year, to have a sudden anomalous reaction which destroyed the whole thing.

Fortunately, it seemed that there wouldn't actually be any Catalyst involved in this particular crafting. Instead, Uriel was simply blending pre-made creams in specific ratios. It would likely be many minutes before he paid attention to anything going on around him.

"You're welcome."

This time, the voice that responded was one only Imelda could hear. He felt somewhat guilty about accepting her gratitude for injuring her, but it also wasn't in his nature to refuse that gratitude. He'd simply have to do his best to make up for it later.

"Best to start moving after dark, then. I can help you sneak into the Slayer's Hut when no one is watching, if you would rather take the subtle route."
 




Imelda Fletcher

With the Healer otherwise occupied with the creams and the Mayor and Elder Nathaniel having stepped out to provide some privacy (although Imelda in her suspicious new mind frame wondered if they left simply to confer over something fishy), Imelda placed the cup of water on the small stool beside the bed. She then took the opportunity to close her eyes, breathing out softly.

Surely that wouldn't be too questionable, just a Slayer finally enjoying some peace and allowing the exhaustion to wash over her.

Part of that was true, she had missed the feeling of a straw bed.

It wouldn't... surprise me if... the... Mayor put someone... nearby the hut to... keep watch. I don't... trust him and he... seems suspicious of me. I'll need to... be careful. But... yes... tonight... before he can... destroy any...thing.

Imelda opened her eyes at the scraping of a stool and footsteps returning to her bed, smiling faintly as the Healer began to go through the creams and explain how he was to administer them.


Since Imelda didn't want to leave until well after dark, she had taken the opportunity to use the hours between the Healer's exit and the moment she and Alarik would leave to sleep. However when the time came to leave for the Slayer's Hut, it was very difficult to convince herself too. The straw bed put up a very convincing story to keep her after those two weeks sleeping on hard, dry sap. Yet Imelda forced herself up and out of bed, only having to roll out since she fell asleep in the clothes provided.

"What's your plan then?" She murmured softly, still paranoid about being overheard despite it only being them inside the hut. "You said there was a subtle route? You know... if we aren't back by the morning... the Mayor is going to know something is going on if he doesn't already."
 
"Wake up, Im. It's time to get moving."

The disembodied voice of the old mercenary echoed around the hut well after dark had fallen, but the sound was only audible to one individual. While Imelda had slept, he'd spent his time thinking about the best way to get her into the Hut undetected. After all, unlike Imelda, he didn't need to rest. However, the type of plan he could offer would be entirely dependent on exactly how much help Imelda was willing to let him provide.

Despite the time it took Imelda to actually get out of the bed, he didn't worry that she'd end up going back to sleep. He'd seen her rise early far too many times when she was a girl to imagine she'd let herself rest now. He'd never seen a Slayer that lacked in self-discipline.

"How confident are you in crossing the village undetected? The Slayer's Hut is on the far side of the village from where we are, located on the side of the hill towards the forest. I can help you put any guards at the Hut to sleep, but that's predicated on us reaching it unobserved."
 




Imelda Fletcher

Stretching herself out, Imelda couldn't help but be curious to see if there were any visible marks on her body from what Alarik had done to her during the Healer's examination. However, she knew she didn't have time to linger, so instead moved carefully around the hut in the darkness, not wanting to light any candles in case anyone was watching the hut.

"Pretty confident, I am a Slayer after all. Sneaking is part of the job." She smirked, falling silent as she neared the front door simply to press an ear against it. Satisfied by the lack of sound, she moved away from it and instead went to a window at the back of the hut. She knew there was a possibility that her temporary home was being watched from all sides, however, she knew that would be one of the very many risks she would have to take.

As she pushed the window open just a crack and peered outside, she could see no one extremely close by. So if someone was watching, they were clearly watching from a distance.

"Just out of curiosity, have you already fixed the ailments that you inflicted during the examination? Otherwise some of this is going to be a little difficult. Running with broken ribs isn't exactly what I would do for fun." She then asked, propping the window open a little more. It would take some manoeuvring but she would be able to wriggle her way out.
 
"Good," he replied with a faint laugh. "If you would like any help with detection, let me know. There's a few things I can do. Otherwise, I'll leave it up to you."

Although he was riding with Imelda, his perspective wasn't entirely limited to exactly what she perceived. The reason for that was two-fold. The first was because taking possession of a body didn't cut off his natural sixth sense of the world that came from his own innate being. Without a body he couldn't see, hear, smell, or touch the world, but he still had ways to know of its existence. Unlike Imelda, he wasn't limited to 'seeing' what was directly in front of him.

The second reason was simply that he was more attentive to any stimulation in Imelda's body. Unlike all other living creatures, he didn't filter out trivialized sensations. This meant he was capable of feeling things that Imelda unconsciously ignored. It made him particularly sensitive to sounds and vibrations.

Of course, neither of those were things he intended to share with Imelda. The first was a unique perception it was impossible for him to share with a corporeal being. The second would likely prove nothing more than a distraction, if it didn't drive her mad. If she asked for his assistance, there were a few things he could do. The simplest was to simply enhance her sensitivity to sound, allowing her to pick up the faint signs of life in her surroundings. It wouldn't take much more than a few small tweaks to her ears. The second was more drastic, but also far more useful in the darkness. He'd alter her eyes so that she became able to see heat. While the heat from her own body would cause some distortion to the surroundings, it would still make it easily possible for her to notice any nearby people.

Of course, all of his plans were predicated on her asking for help in the first place. Against simple villagers, his actions would likely be overkill. It wasn't as though they were the mad beasts of the Silent Forest.

As Imelda began to work her way out the window, he steadied the injuries that he'd created in her yesterday. However, it seemed that their thoughts were in the same place, as Imelda's next question touched on that very question.

"I haven't," he replied, "but you won't feel them, nor will they get any worse if you take action today. Considering yesterday, it seemed prudent to allow the Healer's creams to do their job. However, if you wish me to heal the injuries in full and then recreate them when we return later, I can."
 




Imelda Fletcher

"And my knee? It may be best if we forgo the limp this time, I won't be able to move half as quietly as I would like to otherwise." Imelda informed him, barely really thinking now about the damage he had caused and what implications it could have. All she cared about at this point was getting them across the village undetected. Speaking to him about the injuries at this point was like discussing work and the setbacks that were presented.

It wasn't personal at this point, simply business. Afterwards... well, that was a different story but there was no point in dwelling on that now.

Once out of the window, Imelda crouched low in an attempt to make herself as small as possible as she surveyed the area surrounding her. Once she was comfortable, and believed she was in the all clear, she straightened and pushed the window closed slightly. Not enough to make it impossible for her to get back in, but enough that it simply looked like someone had opened it for some cooler air.

She knew it wouldn't take him long to release her leg from the limp he had provided, however she was unprepared to move any further unless he had told her it was safe to do so. All it would need was one accidental kick of a barrel, or for her to lose her balance and fall too heavily against a thin hut wall for it to be over.
 
"Of course," he replied, somewhat bewildered by the fact that Imelda was even bringing it up. "We already agreed that I wouldn't have you limp when no one else was around."

True to that promise, he had not impacted Imelda's walking from the moment she'd woken up from her rest and gotten off the straw bed. Of course, her old knee injury was still there, and nor had he repaired the torn ligament that had caused the supposed 'hip sprain' that was causing her to limp. She was familiar with the knee injury, so there was no reason to interfere with that. Nor would she feel the sprain, as he was currently holding the ligament together as though it was still whole, just like he was doing for her ribs.

"I'm not so inflexible that I can't figure out there's no need to make you limp when we're trying to sneak unobserved through the area, Im. Don't worry. I won't get in your way."
 




Imelda Fletcher

Having been so caught up in making sure they weren't being watched, Imelda didn't even realise that her body had in fact gone back to normal. Not to mention, with everything else that had been going on, she had completely forgotten what she had said about forgoing the limp when they were in private.

"Sorry... I just... I forgot." She muttered before falling silent and flattening herself against the wall of a nearby hut as two men stumbled past, laughing loudly and singing drunkenly.

Her nose wrinkled at the scene, while Imelda didn't say no to a jug of ale every so often, she did know her limits and would never allow herself to get that intoxicated. With a soft scoff of displeasure, Imelda waited until the singing was faint before continuing on with her mission of sneaking through the village of Mineral Hill.

Soon, she had made it to the edge of the village to face an open dirt road. She knew this would be the most difficult, considering there was nowhere for her to hide and should anyway glance in that direction, they would easily be able to make out a silhouette in the darkness given the faint gleam of the crescent moon that shone. But what would it matter by that point? It would be too late for anyone to catch her, unless of course they rode. Yet she doubted that would happen. Surely the Mayor wouldn't want to kick up that much of a fuss to keep her away from the Slayer's Hut?

With a final glance at her surroundings, Imelda began her trek forward.
 
"It's fine," he replied, after the two drunk men had left the area. Although no one other than Imelda would be able to hear his voice, he'd just promised he wouldn't get in her way. The last thing he wanted to do was cause her to startle when she was trying to hide. "Let's get to the Hut."

True to its name, Mineral Hill Village was built on the remains of an old stone hill, which provided an excellent view of the surrounding area. However, over the generations, the people who had lived here had gradually transformed the foot of the hill from rough, gravel earth into rich farming soil. While the fields now spread far from the village, providing everyone there with the food they needed to live, the oldest and most treasured farms in the village were those that had been built directly into the shallow hillside, forming the village outskirts. Only the occasional building was mixed among these gently sloping, terraced fields.

The Slayers Hut had always been partially independent from the village in which it was built. However, the Hut's secondary duty, coming in only after providing rest and information to any Slayer parties who came through the area, was to protect the village from any monsters that approached it. Therefore, it was impossible for the Hut to be situated too far from the village, so that any local Slayers could respond to an emergency as quickly as possible.

The Slayer's Hut at Mineral Hill was located at the edge of the village outskirts, perfectly positioned to stand between the inner village from the Silent Forest. However, that meant that the only way to reach it from the inner village was to pass through the fields.

Fortunately for the pair quietly walking through the night, it seemed that the Mayor had not expected the injured, exhausted Slayer to take action in the middle of the night, as they didn't encounter anyone on their journey. At the very least, if anyone saw them sneaking through the fields, they certainly didn't approach or raise an alarm. As for the patrolling village guard, the light from their lamps gave them away when they were still far from Imelda, and she would easily be able to dodge their paths.

However, even if the Mayor hadn't taken direct precautions against Imelda, it seemed that he was still feeling cautious or nervous about something. Because, as Imelda got closer to the Hut, it became more and more obvious that a pair of guards were remaining stationary outside the Hut's entryway,

Despite being called a Hut, the Slayer's Hut was far closer to a courtyard residence than a small wooden shack. After all, it needed enough room for the local Slayers to not only sleep and eat, but also places to host visiting parties, and process Catalyst from the monsters. Therefore, it was actually several buildings, surrounded by a simple wall. Those guards had casually stationed themselves outside the Hut's main entrance, a lantern placed between them, casually chatting with each other. It was clear that they didn't take their guard duty particularly seriously, as one was leaning against the wall, while the other had gone so far as to sit cross-legged on the ground in front of the lantern. Occasionally, they would scan the surrounding area, with no break in their conversation.

"Do you want to try and go around them?" he asked Imelda, voice pitched soft, fitting in with the stealthy atmosphere. "Or would you rather knock them out so that there's no risk of them finding you in the Hut?"
 




Imelda Fletcher

Imelda, having flattened herself down to the ground of the field, positioned herself near a small collection of rocks. From there, she was able to lift her head and watch the guards without drawing attention to herself. The last thing she wanted was to get them this far and it all go to shit because she got complacent.

Her lips pursed in thought, eyes narrowing as she attempted to figure out what may be best. It would take an extra few minutes to figure out a way to get around them, and even longer if she had to scale the wall to get in. Then there was the added pressure of not making any noise or alerting the unsuspecting guards. While they didn't exactly look like they were the most vigilant considering their relaxed position, that didn't mean that they wouldn't take their job seriously if they did hear something.

"Knocking them out would definitely be the option I prefer." Imelda admitted, hiding her head back behind the rocks as one of the guard's heads turned with another sweeping gaze. "Don't need to worry about being caught. But... if they get knocked out, they'll wake up eventually and immediately suspect something."

Huffing in irritation as she weighed up the scenarios, she shook her head and peered back out cautiously from behind the set of stones.

"Sneaking it is," she grumbled quietly, "I'd ask if there's anyway you could just... make them fall asleep, but even then... they might be relaxed right now but I don't know if they're the kind to really fall asleep on the job."
 
Watching as Imelda's mind immediately kicked into overdrive at his suggestion, he knew she was contemplating his suggestions, trying to find the best way forward. Were this only his task, there were countless ways to go about it that could be done without alerting or otherwise disturbing the guards. But since it was Imelda who had to take action instead of him, it drastically limited the possibilities.

"Making them sleep was my plan," he agreed. There were many ways to go about things covertly, but few were as fruitful as letting people think that they were the ones who had made the mistake. Of course, this was Imelda's mission, and he would follow along with her lead. "I can do it covertly, although it will take about ten to fifteen minutes to accomplish. Or you can sneak in as it is, if you still think that's the best option."
 




Imelda Fletcher

"We can't afford to wait that long. We don't know what the Mayor might be doing or who could be watching my hut right now. Someone could come along to check on me and then the alarm would be raised. Every minute spent on getting them to fall asleep is a minute wasted. No, I'll sneak in as it is."

Exhaling heavily, it wasn't really the route Imelda wanted to go down but it was the only viable one that she could see. Ten to fifteen minutes on waiting them to fall asleep was a chunk of time she could be spending in the Slayer's Hut finding answers. Besides, if making them fall asleep meant him leaving her body to enter this, they would also need to fix whatever damage he caused her plus his travel time across to the guards. They were all factors that added time.

With her decision made, Imelda began her shuffle and crawl through the field to round the Slayer's Hut. Once she was in the clear, she pushed herself up onto her feet to run low. All the while her eyes scanned the structure to see how and where she would be able to scale the surrounding defensive wall. She approached the back of the building, eyes squinting in the darkness to study the wall. There were a few rocks that jutted out, but simply because of time and age. She couldn't know for certain that they wouldn't give out under her weight.

"Don't suppose you have any... tricks on how to scale a wall?" She muttered dryly, looking up the expansive build with pursed lips.

But then she remembered, it would be highly unlikely that a structure built for Slayers would have one entrance and exit point. In the unlikely event of an attack on the structure from whatever lurked within the forest, there was more than one way of getting out or getting in. So Imelda took a step back and allowed her eyes to wander, attempting to figure out just where such a second point of entry would be.

Keeping her left hand on the wall, Imelda took quiet and tentative steps as she began to walk slowly. Only coming to a stop when her hand hit some trailing foliage that was growing up and over the wall. However when her hand pushed through the growth, she paused at the feeling of wood rather than stone and grinned.

"Seems like the village forgot that Slayers always cover their arses."
 
Mentally praising Imelda for her cautiousness, cautiousness beyond what he likely would have put in place if he was simply acting alone, he continued to carefully observe the surroundings as she crept to the far side of the Slayer's Hut.

If he was being fully honest, he considered her worries about a relatively small chunk of time more than a bit overkill. Unless they'd already done something unacceptable, which he doubted, there was no particular reason for the mayor to send someone to check up on Imelda in the wee hours of the morning. As a matter of fact, other than the guard that was required to patrol the village in case a monster came out of the Silent Forest, he would be astonished if anyone else was even awake at this time of night. They would likely have a good couple of hours to search the hut without worry.

However, there was also no harm in being over-cautious in Imelda's line of work. He certainly wasn't going to object to her decision.

Designed to resist monster attacks, the wall that surrounded the Slayer's Hut was unquestionably good sized, likely 3 or more meters tall, made of rough hewn stone, likely taken from Mineral Hill itself. The thick stone would easily be able to resist impact from any of the monsters that would leave the forest for a period of time.

At Imelda's question he paused, studying it. "I can get you up it without any particularly strange tricks," he agreed. It was a tall wall, but not more than double Imelda's height. Good jumping technique and a burst of power would be enough for her hands to grab the top edge of the wall and pull herself over. "But it'd be best if I handled it."

What he left out was that he very much doubted she'd approve of that particular suggestion, and it didn't surprise him in the least when she began to inspect the wall further, before coming to a halt at a collection of vines that blocked a stretch of the wall from sight.

"Is it unlocked?" he asked. As cautious as Slayers were, it also wouldn't surprise him in the least if the door had been sealed from the other side so that nothing could sneak in without welcome, exactly like he and Imelda were trying to do now.
 




Imelda Fletcher

Knowing he had a point, Imelda brushed aside some of the foliage to get a clear look at the door. It was to her dismay, which also caused her to release a soft growl of frustration, to realise that the door was indeed locked.

"No." She muttered, taking a step back to review the situation. She couldn't kick it down, that would create too much noise and draw too much attention. All her sneaking around would have been for nothing. Likewise, she also couldn't pick any locks as there was no lock to pick on this side of the door. Slayers really did cover their asses, and now they were covered a little too well for Imelda's liking.

With another irritated huff, she took a small step back with hands on her hips, "Fuck." She grumbled again, staring up at the structure of the wall.

While she didn't really like the sound of Alarik's proposal, she knew it was an angle she had to consider. She was curious as to what it involved, but if it was 'best if he handled it', that meant providing him with full control. He had proven that he wasn't going to take full control without her permission, or abuse her trust and simply do it anyway. If he wanted to, it would have been done by now. Yet something about it still made her skin crawl. At this point she wondered if she had more of a control issue rather than one of trust.

The Slayer took a step forward and pulled tentatively on the vines, humming quietly in thought as she wondered if the plant would take her weight and she could simply scale the wall that way. But if she were to fall... fuck would that hurt. She might even break something... like her neck.

"What's this plan of yours?" She mumbled eventually, releasing the vine and conceding to the fact that she may just have to fucking get over herself.
 
He let out a sigh in Imelda's ears, commiserating with her that their progress wouldn't be quite as easy as simply walking in through the back door. Of course, as he had thought earlier, it didn't surprise him in the least. But who would ever want to take a harder path if an easier one presented itself?

But, wishing alone would not make something happen. He began to ponder on whether there were any ways to open the door that were easier and more straight-forward than simply climbing the wall. Or, perhaps not easier or more straight-forward, but at least more palatable to Imelda's preferences. Ideas swirled in his head, but none of them were as quick, easy, or quiet as simply jumping over it.

Fortunately for him, Imelda seemed to reach something of a similar conclusion. At least she was curious enough to ask. "This wall is of a height that with good technique, plus a bit of extra explosive power, I can climb you over it in one move. However, even if you know the technique, the extra explosive power will likely throw you off. That's why I said that I would need to do it."
 
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