Strategy
Chilum and
Dean @Orion
When Chilum arrived at the house he shuddered and loosened his scarf, not having enjoyed the jog over here. He wasn't sick like he was before, but he was still uncomfortable with the activity. He piled into the house with most of the party, but didn't explore. Whatever was happening in this hellhole was beyond his interest. He would far rather do something to get the party to leave sooner rather than accidentally find a reason to stick around. The red headed elf and Dean already looked worse for wear after wandering around the house.
He slowly nodded along with the aforementioned man's plan, thinking it fair enough in the majority. The mention of going to try and take the woman, to get information from her, was laughable at best. The woman who had come onto him, Mikan, made the most sense in that regard. "Mikan is right. There is no point in attempting to capture this woman. Torture would sooner lead to her death than to our gain. If any of you think she would give us information on T-T-Typhon, then you are delusional. I cannot see such a powerful a-an-a- man allowing such loose threads. She would sooner be a t-t-t-tr-trap than any sort of help. If anything I say we should steer as clear of her as possible as we proceed. I have no qu-qu-qua..." he scowled, trying to force out the word before shaking his head and resorting to another, "problem going to Rheinfeld. I only worry that our party is so large we will attract undue attention. Should there be a way to go straight to the Fr-Fr-Free Holds, I think that would be best. I do not know this area, or what we would have to do to go there."
Dean would frown as Chilum interjected with his own sentiments. The man was free to feel how he wanted of course, but describing the intention to seek Jennifer as 'delusional' struck Dean as a slight. He gave the man an opportunity to finish what he was saying and approached calmly. "I'm sorry, but you're carrying on as if you've met Typhon himself, when the truth is you haven't even met everyone we're travelling with." He gestured to those inside the cabin, counting along as he went. "Fact is: I see twenty some odd 'loose ends' here with us, so maybe Typhon hasn't gotten to this one yet either. Jennifer had allies with her when last we met, they are gone, and from Beatrice's view we would be able to see them if they were trying to set a trap."
"She's alone, she's injured, and she's wandering dangerous lands. If I have to go alone, I will, but I won't leave her to that fate."
Chilum was taken aback at being addressed directly, but scowled and shook his head. "I don't have to have had met the man to know his k-k-kind. I know well enough that J-J-J- sh-she is not a f-f-feasible plan. The eyes of a d-d-d- b-b-b-bird can't know everything. B-B-B-Beatr-tr-" he had to stop to collect himself, even though his voice was rising. Normally he prepared for moments like this, but a man of equal standing made him surprisingly nervous, "No matter how smart the bird is, I doubt she can know and see what one of our mages could d-d-d-d-discover. Leaving the woman alone may be a mercy for her considering what some of our p-party may be inclined to do."
Dean gripped the man's shoulder gently, showing concern at the trouble the man was having speaking. His eyes scanned Chilum's for some kind of distress, and he tried to show comfort on his face. "Beatrice is more than some bird. It may be worth it to put some faith in her, just as we've placed faith in you. I'll grant you may have an idea of who Typhon is, but I have to begrudgingly admit Jennifer didn't prove as heinous as I thought she might." He sighed lightly releasing Chilum's shoulder. "To describe leaving her for dead as a mercy strikes me as cruel. Whatever intentions some in the group have are irrelevant to me. Mikan didn't advocate not seeking out Jennifer, she said interrogation didn't work. Kindness still might."
The light haired man tried to step away from Dean when he was grabbed, but decided that it could turn into a shoving match if he pulled too hard. He avoided eye contact with the man as he spoke until he was released, then looked to match Dean's gaze. In the end he shook his head and shuffled his feet against the floor. He barely spoke above a whisper, clearly intending for only Dean to hear his words.
"I do not wish to p-p-p-put the burden of this on K-K-Ko... the princess. I would have rather w-w-wished for us to have not known this w-woman's fate. W-w-w-we are no better for her than the w-wild, given what Ty-Ty-Ty-Ty-Ty-Ty..." It was clear he couldn't get the angel's name out, so he just shrugged before standing a little taller and squaring his shoulders to offset his inability to speak.
Dean raised an eyebrow at Chilum as he seemed uncomfortable with the conversation. He kept his voice as low as Chilum's had been, but frustration was beginning to show on his face. "This burden is all of ours as much as it is the Princess' the sooner you get that the better off we'll all be. We unfortunately don't have the luxury of not knowing her fate, and I would argue that at least in going after her she gets a chance. A better chance than the wild would offer her. If nothing else we can give her that."
Chilum looked past Dean to glance at Kouri, then shrugged again and looked towards the wall, looking at a patch that had begun to be chipped away by rodents. "Then we go after her. I cannot stop you from doing what you think is right, but I have the unfortunate opinion that she will lead to d-d-d-death. If she comes to our party safely, I will help h-h-h-her r-recover, but I will not go to f-f-find her." He started to try and move away from Dean now, his voice having returned to its usual volume.
Dean shrugs and stands his ground. Laughing lightly to himself as Chilum moved away. "No one asked you to, no will be forced after her, and if she leads to death then it will hopefully be my loss and not one of yours."
Chilum scowled as Dean talked to his back, bunching his hands into fists, but continuing to walk away. He would not fight for the last word over this. Instead he moved towards the princess, wanting to introduce himself after such an outburst and series of stuttering.
Nightmares
Kasienka, James, and Mikan
Kasienka hadn't even tried to voice her opinion, nodding when Kouri shot down the idea to split up. She didn't want to try and keep a touch on everyone as they spread out, and that was prevented. They soon moved out and she continued to ride along with Windy, exchanging quiet bars of songs that she remembered from other lives to give the small bard more material and attempt to alleviate the stress of the moment. If asked she would give small stories, or what she remembered of them.
Occasionally she would look back at the rest of the group, worried about those who were walking. She considered switching off with someone to give them a chance to rest, but knew that switching mounts may take more time than they had. Kasienka tried to keep her focus on the journey ahead, but found it perpetually tugged to either the halfling in front of her or any of her party members around her.
When they arrived at the house she could feel just how off it was. Mikan's description of it made Kasienka's stomach churn in a way she had forgotten for decades. Without thinking she slid off the horse, leaving Windy to her own devices as she wandered into the house and began to try and reach out, to try and find the hidden stories in this building. The entire lack of magic made her feel out of place as she aimlessly wandered about the first floor, then the second.
The flaky maroon was easy to identify when she saw the cradle and a low whining moan was squeezed out of her chest as she took a few steps closer to it and felt her heart tighten while reaching out one hand to touch a few inches away from the stains. She could hear Dean's voice rumbling below, talking about plans, but she couldn't leave the side of the cradle.
"James?" Her voice was hardly above a whisper, but she had trust he or the bird would still hear her.
A minute of silence passes, before the Illusionist reaches her side. He looks over the building and raises an eyebrow, then sighs.
"Disgusting and ignorant. Hallmarks of Templar work." He whispers to Beatrice to send her back to the group, then looks at Kasienka. His tone is cold, calculating, and inquisitive.
"Something I can do for you?"
Tears had slid down her cheeks as she waited for James, her magic still reaching out and hoping for a semblance of life. She felt something, there was
something there. Maybe it was just a touch of magic, but any part of an answer would help her. God it was selfish, wanting something to make
her feel better when there had clearly been murder. Infaticide.
"I feel something in this... Shack. It's magic. Something. Can you feel it? Do you know what it is?"
James glances over and raises an eyebrow seeing her tearing up and emotional. He, however, does not comment further--the confused look in his eyes was enough to demonstrate his lack of ability to understand why she was feeling the way she was. Closing his eyes, she could feel a little magic from him, reaching out in every direction. A sigh leaves his lips, as he slowly opens his eyes.
"Spirits are here. Some who died, who can't get past it, likely. They are not my specialty. You would have to ask Tahlia." A small smile reaches his lips as he says her name.
"I could capture them. We could use them as a source for more complex spells, but... I don't know where they are. Besides, I doubt you'd want to power your spells with the souls of dead children anyway. It doesn't seem to be in your tastes."
Kasienka bobbed her head as James gave her an answer and a possible solution, but found bile rise in her throat as he confirmed that the spirits were of children, and even that he would never allow them rest if he had his way. She steadied herself with the cradle reflexively, then yanked it back and grabbed at James's shoulder instead. This time she shook her head, confirming that she couldn't condone James's desire to amplify spells.
"I shall try talking with Tahlia I suppose. Thank you, James." Her fingers uncurled from his shoulder as she began to shuffle down the stairs and into the main room. She looked as if she had truly seen the ghosts which occupied this building. Mikan had said the most about the house, so she turned towards the woman.
"Mikan? Did you know anyone here?"
The girl seemed distant again, remaining just outside the front door, away from trouble. Away from the interior. Though she does respond to Kasienka, her voice seems to hold discontent and discomfort for where they were.
"Not really. I just stay here one night... That was enough to tell me never to stay here another." She shuffles uncomfortably.
"You saw the cradle, huh?"
Kasienka nodded then pulled Mikan in for a hug. The movement was more for Kasienka's comfort than for Mikan's at this point, and she continued to hold the girl for a few moments before slowly pulling away and glancing into the building.
"I wish there was somewhere else we could be. Somewhere I could take you and some of the others. We wouldn't leave for long, just long enough to let the others talk."
"I am not a little girl." Mikan grumbles under her breath as she pulls out out a throwing knife, and starts toying with it with one hand. It seemed a form of stress relief.
"I just do not like this place. I am not going to go run and hide... Not on just... Conversation. This is just a place nobody wants to go to, so it is a good place to bet that we would have momentary security. That is... That is all it is." She looks up at Kasienka and smiles a little, almost weakly.
"I just do not like seeing childhood things so... Ruined. That is why we are here with Kouri though, is it not? Nichts mehr davon. (No more of that.)" She motions inside.
The elf reflexively took two quick steps back when she heard the knife, reaching for her own at that time. When she saw it was not malicious she relaxed and let the handle
clink back against the sheath. She sighed as Mikan grumbled, it sounding more like a whinging complaint a teenager would give rather than something the woman she played to be.
Her following reasoning was sound, but it didn't take the bitter taste out of Kasienka's mouth, or take away the chill that danced along her spine. There was nothing she could say to refute Mikan's statements, but she also couldn't come up with anything that would make a difference any other way.
"No, I don't believe anyone does. You are right. I suppose I should go join the rest of the party now to try and decide on some sort of plan. Thank you for talking with me."
She turned away from Mikan to go talk with the rest of the group, to listen to what was being talked about. Given that Typhon had been able to find them in a realm squirreled away from the rest of the world, she couldn't see any one plan being better than another so far as avoiding detection was concerned.
"If anything Rheinfeld may be safer for us. We that use magic may be at a disadvantage, but perhaps so will those that wish to find us. It is a double edged sword in that case, as I'm sure the rest of you can discover." Her voice was softer than usual, and she appeared visibly fatigued. It would seem she would agree with most plans should they get the party out of this ghost house.
Mikan watches as Kasienka turns away, a little shame in her eyes as she then looks away. She mutters something incomprehensible in her mother tongue, and waits.