The Queen's Hellhounds {IC}

[Greenie]

And so the dragon was dead, and good riddance. Taria could only imagine how the survivors of the harbour city would feel. Yes, the threat was over, but at what cost? Their homes, their livelihood, their beloveds, their children. It was painful to even think of it for too long, but unlike her, they would have to live with the memories and loss for the rest of their lives.

It was merely a passing thought, and could be no more than that. As part of the Rose Company, she had a duty, and that duty was to do as the General said. Taria wasn't blind or in any way nearsighted, so she had clearly seen the General's wounds healing together... but how? Aside from the Commmander using Vitalis magic to bring her to consciousness, she didn't recall any being used on her actual wounds...

It was clear something had happened, seeing the way both the General and the Commander were acting. Taria remained silent, knowing it wasn't her place to speak, even as the Commander protested as the General took off, even as she too noted there was something not right with the General's hands.

Hearing a voice nearby, Taria barely had time to register Jakob's arrival and question, merely nodding when he decided it'd be best to talk later. The Commander was clearly concerned and Taria wasn't going to give her any reason to doubt her prowess. She cast another quick glance at Jakob when he began to ask the reasoning for the Commander's concern; she was thankful he was sensible enough to know when to prioritize.

Though... she too was curious, and she had a slight hunch as well, having seen the blood and then the General's wounds healing without any Vitalis magic.

"Yes, we'll make sure to follow her." Taria nodded in agreement to Jakob's words. Not at all surprised that he took to the air, she waited only long enough to give the Commander a reassuring nod and salute before speaking to Prongs.

"Follow him," she called as she sheathed her sword, "quickly, as fast as you can! We mustn't let the Commander down, she's counting on us." The two-horned unicorn wasted no time in doing as its summoner ordered him, his speed easily keeping up with Jakob's speed. Holding on tightly to her saddle's pommel, Taria squinted as she looked up in the sky, making sure not to lose sight of Jakob. As she did, she felt as if she was being re-energized... or perhaps it was that the aches and pain from the battle were being wiped away.

"Prongs, that's you, isn't it?" The unicorn snorted in reply, bringing a small smile to Taria's lips. It wasn't the first time he had used his magic to heal her, and it wouldn't be his last. "Thank you."
​

 

[Jorick]

Cinzel Decorative; Trade Winds;

Gamnuri Balgron​

By the time Gamnuri landed and made it to where the General had fallen, she was already up and about. That was good, no need to cart her off with the wounded. The way she sucked her blood back into herself was fascinating, definitely had to be something to do with the blood magic, and he yearned to ask her about it. Now was not the time though: there were people to be rescued from the rubble, as General Carrow herself said before she left on her own little mission. Commander Kiryn's shout drew Gamnuri's eyes to the General's hands as she flew away, and he noted the oddity as well, but with a calm nod rather than the panic. There had to be a price for such power, of course, and some kind of physical corruption seemed likely given all the stories of blood mages going mad.

That was a worry for another time though. The dwarf hustled toward the nearest rubble and surveyed the mess all around. For all their good work this day, the Rose Company hadn't been able to do much to spare the destruction of a huge portion of Garas Harbor. The only way they could've done that was if they'd been present the moment the dragon was spotted, so it wasn't worth worrying about. All they could do was work to pick up the pieces and help these poor bastards recover as best they could. Digging through the wreckage by hand would have been far too inefficient, but luckily he had a solution thanks to his more unruly days in his youth. He'd found it quite practical to know whether or not there were people around who might get in the way of a good scrap, and he'd found a way to figure that out without trouble.

Gamnuri knelt down and punched the ground, sending out a wave of magic with the strike. It was a complex weave of earth and fire and air, and doubtless all his fellow Hellhounds (aside from the freak who shunned magic of course) would be able to sense it spreading out for hundreds of feet in every direction. Sheer strength of magic was good in a fight, but it also had some utility applications like this. The magic rippled through the rubble with enough thoroughness that he could feel where there were living things mixed in with the stone and wood. Most of them were empty or had only dead folks inside, so they weren't worth bothering with. He couldn't do it all himself though, so he hollered out to all nearby so they'd understand his methods.

"Any pile of rubble marked with a column of fire is empty! All the others have something still alive in there, least there was when I checked. We don't wanna waste any time, so mark any you've cleared out, anything flashy'll do." He touched one of the chunks of stone nearby and left behind a rising column of fire that extended a few feet into the air and would last for many hours yet. Leaving the others to get to the immediate work of rescuing, Gamnuri hustled around marking all the empty places, using his air magic to speed his movement for the sake of efficiency. He hadn't even gotten tired in the fight with the dragon with his two punches, so he'd be damned if he wasn't going to put his all into the rescue effort. Marking empty buildings first, then helping rescue the ones with folks inside would be a lot of work. He expected to be left a sweaty and exhausted mess by the end of it, but it would damn sure be worth it.

Morna Vaile​

Morna watched Artemis fly away with cold eyes, tracking her with a pointed finger. She wasn't sure when she'd stopped thinking of the woman as Princess or General in her own mind, but it was fitting. A blood magic user wasn't worthy of any kind of honorable title, as far as she was concerned. Good cause or no, those who delved into the darkness for foul power were no better than the monsters the Hellhounds existed to fight.

I should kill her right now. It would be easy.

The ruthless thought brought Morna to the brink of doing just that. Artemis was weakened, and she likely wasn't expecting an attack now that the dragon was dead. A couple muttered syllables would be enough to hit her with a relatively small blast of lightning, and that would probably be enough to stun her for the few seconds it would take to chant an incantation for a lethal attack. It was the right thing for any moral and sane person to do.

The first syllable left her lips just as a breeze caught her braid enough to make one of the blue feathers flutter into her peripheral vision. Morna shuddered and let the incantation go, dropping her hand to her side. It would be easy, yes, but it would also be the end of her. There were doubtless members of the Rose Company who retained enough loyalty to Artemis to avenge her righteous execution. The possibility of dying did not bother Morna in a general sense, but she wanted to go down only if she was fighting monsters or after she'd attained the personal vengeance that had driven her into the fight in the first place. Neither condition applied, so now was not her time to die. Artemis and her crimes would be handled by others, and she would make sure of that by quietly informing loyalists aligned to Queen Adira after they returned to Evanis, so for the time being Morna could accept letting her live.

With questions of death cast aside for later action, she turned instead to matters of the living. She headed for the largest gathering of Hellhounds quickly enough to catch Gamnuri's plan, and she waited and watched as he marked many of the buildings nearest to them all. Once he moved on, Morna chose a mostly standing house that apparently had living people still inside and made her way in to find and rescue them. It was looking to be a long day of menial work, but that was fine. As long as she had a task to focus on, she wouldn't be rethinking her decision to not deal with the blood mage when she had her chance, and that made the rescue work a very welcoming distraction indeed.

 

[Aero Blue]

---

Ivalize Stralla

---

@Joan

Ivalize had chortled as the dragon fell, the chortle being, as he understood it, an adequate enough way to demonstrate glee without positing the possibility of insanity. Amidst the backdrop of ruined buildings and charred earth, what lay before the Hellhounds was worthy of art. A beam was alive and well upon his features, hinting that the chaos and destruction, the sheer gravity of the matter, were perhaps secondary concepts to him. Ivalize Stralla was rather more taken with the artistry in their victory. He considered it a blessed, great fortune that the dragon had been snuffed from the mortal coil by a gargantuan crystal of ice, rather than simply succumbing to its wounds. Far too many in the line of battle died of simple, anguished blood loss. Ivalize reasoned that anyone caught by the maelstrom of violence deserved to end in grander ways. Monsters included. Monsters more so.

He himself had considered all the manners of death he would welcome. A thousand yard spear, or perhaps a thousand arrows that littered every inch of his body, or perhaps, indeed, a giant spire of ice.

When the General had awakened, Ivalize had thought to offer some warm compliment of sorts, some sweet juxtaposition of her blood and the luscious nectar of something or another. All the various piecings of words had, however, seemed too macabre by far, and in the end Ivalize had decided that being perceived as attempting to court the Crown Princess was undesirable at best.

And so he had been left in the wake of Taria, Prongs, and Jakob, the lead artisan of the day. He allowed himself a titter, both bemused and the slightest bit disappointed that he hadn't been granted the opportunity to pursue the Princess. A missed opportunity that he came to terms with as he rode, for a time, astride the Commander, in the pursuit of their next task.

"You looked fit for a painting, if I may say, Commander. The lone warrior shielding the bloodied hero from the dragon's blind fury." Ivalize offered a small, serene smile and the nod of his head, before turning away. His next words came softer, as if thoughts that he intended only for himself but that had floated away as if wisps, "'tis a shame. If the Princess had but died there, she would have won herself so very exemplary a death, one befitting even her stature. A shame.

What comes next is, it grieves me to say, rather less artful."

---

Falles Sumarvil

---

@SkittlesAndSpike

Falles had resolved, with a conviction and immediacy that was more yielding than bullish, to overlook the matter of blood magics. While that did not mean overly much to Falles, he became strikingly aware that it meant there was little that the Princess could do for him to find disagreeable. He had found peace with the idea, before being reminded that he was a man prone to disappointment, and men prone to disappointment were equally prone to tempting fate: the General had proceeded to do something disagreeable.

He had believed the Hellhounds both loyal and mad enough to bear the revelation. He had believed that there was only one path which opened the Princess to a resounding defeat: retreat. To run away, having only given the promise of an answer, which was always infinitely worse than saying nothing at all. And so, with Falles having even begun to expect it as she opened her mouth, she had taken that path.

Falles sighed, which was far more expression than he was normally capable of. The dissonance of the swarm intensified.

"When the moment allows, Lieutenant," He eventually intoned, not bothering to turn towards the alchemist, "You should study the corpse."

He just then remembered they had killed a dragon. The remembrance was fleeting.

 

[Jays]

Verus scratched his head and watched the commotion with a puzzled expression, his clothes half-singed and smoking from the magical exertion. He would have, of course, been able to piece together the discussion and problems at hand had he listened carefully to the various conversations between his comrades, but suddenly at that very moment he remembered his glaive. Abandoning any attention toward the Company, he frantically ran back and forth on the field searching for where his weapon had fallen, kicking up small bushes and throwing aside rubble.

His hands were bloodied and he was at the edge of tearing up when Solstus whinnied loudly and pointed a hoof at the giant mountain of stinking black flesh. There it was, a glint of metal and wood peaking out from underneath one of the beast's shoulders. A huge grin spread across Verus' face and he sprinted toward it, his eyes glistening. It took him a good minute of pushing and shoving to move the blocking weight aside enough to retrieve the weapon. His beautiful glaive was in terrible condition, its blade filthy with ash and blood, and its handle was snapped in half, the protection spell engraved on it losing effect when the dragon did its gooey energy orb thing.

Verus' face twisted into a mask of blazing, white hot fury. With a scream reaching up to the clouds, he started to punch and kick the dead flesh of the dragon with all of his strength over and over again. His fists and boots collided with bone jarring thuds, leaving dirty marks on the dragon's scale but otherwise didn't make a scratch. Solstus sighed a disturbingly human sigh and chomped on his shirt, pulling him backward. "Let me go! I'll kill it again! It'll pay for this!" But of course the horse was much stronger than him, and he was dragged kicking and screaming away from the giant mass of black flesh.

Sulking, Verus started digging up ruins looking for survival as he saw some of the others were doing it. One building was marked with the column of fire for empty, but an odd texture in the rubble caught his eye. Curious, Verus pulled the debris aside and under a broken bed inside a chamber most likely the bedroom, found himself a wooden horse toy. The the woodwork was crude, carved lines ragged, and the painting was absolutely abysmal, but he smiled like a kid who's found a new toy because, well, he was.
"Hey look, Solstus. I found a figure of you!"
The stallion whinnied in contempt and disgust, blowing hot steam in his face.
"What do you mean it's trash? Look, it has the same colour as you, same neck, same face, even..."
Solstus' head snapped forward like a blur and its jaw chomped down on the toy, shattering it into splinters.
"HEY!" Verus protested angrily, but the horse strutted past him with its head in the sky and smacked him in the face with its tail.

They argued heatedly, moving together away from the last ruin toward the next one.

 

[Squee]

It was beyond his control. Kou felt helpless. All he was able to do in that fight was to plant his vines to tangle the dragons wings. As much as he was sure that helped, he knew also that if it were up to his strengths, the grounded dragon would still have destroyed everything. Looking over to Artemis, he felt ashamed to be in her company, not because of her blood magic, but because of his own performance. He didn't earn this. After the dragon slung him off so easily, Kou simply hesitated and watched his comrades win the fight for him. Images of his own fallen flashed through his head until the dragons head made an abrupt crash against the ground, snapping him out of his trance.

That didn't matter anymore. What's done is done. He wouldn't judge Artemis for using blood magic, a weapon made for evil may be redeemed if aimed at the greater darkness. For now all that Koudis cared about were the survivors, god only knows how many were buried underneath rubble praying for salvation. Cress had already taken initiative, claiming an area to take injured citizens to make sure they were properly cared for.

Koudis was exceptionally good at this part of the job. Reaching into his seed pouch, he grabbed all the Liana Vine seeds he had left and threw them over the ground in front of him. Folding his legs into a meditative position, closing his eyes, and whispering to himself the seeds began to grow exponentially. Each one went through weaving inside piles of collapsed buildings and destroyed structures. If he could find any survivors, the vines would be able to safely move the rubble and pull them out without causing any injuries. The only risk being if they were impaled on something to large to take with them. In which case, he would be sure to leave them there and leave his vines there as a marker so they could be properly be cared for.

 

[Applo]

---

The end of the battle came suddenly and, for Tamsyn, was not marked by flying shards of ice and golden blood. For her it was marked by a strange, unpleasant squelching, two thuds that shook the ground and let loose a shower of dust and debris from the remains of the building and then, silence. Holding up her hand to the family of three she had found practically stuffed under a counter, Tamsyn crept through the rubble until she could just see into the square beyond what had been the front of the building. She couldn't see clearly what had happened, but she could see enough to know that the dragon was dead.

As she lead the family out of the rubble and into the light it was clear to Tamsyn drank in the scene that awaited her. The dragon lay in two parts. Golden blood poured from the divorced body parts onto the cobles like molten metal from a hot forge. It was a strangely beautiful sight, if you could ignore the surrounding devastation that was. Turning around Tamsyn examined the family who were stepping somewhat bewilderedly into the light. Mother and daughter, had got as far as Tamsyn could see, away scot-free, the thick wooden counter having protected them from the falling debris. The father sported a few cuts and scrapes, but nothing serious enough for him to need immediate attention. It was practically a miracle. One that wasn't going to be repeated nearly enough Tamsyn knew.

After sending the family to seek shelter elsewhere, Tamsyn watched for a moment as the General soared away through the air, her orders for the Rose Company to look for survivors still echoing around the plaza. Tamsyn couldn't help but feel the order was slightly superfluous to any rescue effort. Despite their wide and extensive dealings in unnatural and abominable magic, the members of the Rose company were on the whole decent individuals who would have looked for survivors without being ordered to.

Another thing that Tamsyn soon realised was superfluous to rescue effort, was herself. With Gamnuri and Kou's magic working to locate trapped survivors, all there was to do was dig. Even on a good day, Tamsyn knew she couldn't compete strength wise with most of the Rose Company. After today, her arms had all the strength of a sodden bowstring. Instead, began triaging the growing number survivors her comrades were pulling from the rubble. She might not have been a healer of any kind, but Tamsyn knew wounds. She had killed enough animals to tell what sort of injury was urgent and those that could wait for a while and so she set to in making sure that those in most need were seen to first by the Commander.​

---

 

[Spekkun]

A sigh of what could be either relief or disappointment left Ryan's chest as life faded from the dragon. He was going to miss the creature's booming voice, it had a certain kind of charm to it. Examining its remains was something he had planned to do regardless, but a part of him just wished they could capture a monster alive sometimes. A foolish desire for one who signed up to kill them.

It didn't help that now he hardly cared about the beast. At least, for the moment. His attention was now on the Hellhounds itself, as well as their...technically disgraced Commander. He looked forward to hearing her explanation, and to what would happen in the coming future. How many of his comrades would distrust her or even attempt to kill her? Would her explanation give the entire truth or would it be shaded with lies? What if word got out to the public? Now that would be the ultimate worst case scenario.

Oh, if only there weren't lives to save and people to take care of! Then they could have that explanation now rather than later. Truth be told he would rather not look for survivors. The work was tiresome and honestly boring. But nonetheless, they had a job. Being a part of Rose Company didn't mean just killing monsters. It only meant that a good 80% of the time or so.

"I suppose we should use your amazing bed of butterflies to ferry the injured to somewhere safe. Would make everything easier on everybody, eh? Especially if the people we find can't walk." Ryan looked to Falles. "I understand that our budding friendship and your growing appreciation of my company is most likely creating a warmth in your heart that you're not used to feeling. So, if you want to let me down and go it alone, I'm okay with that."

He didn't mind staying with Falles, but if he did decide to go it alone, he could probably get out of rescue and recovery and start poking at the dragon right away. Hopefully, he wouldn't catch on, or just be too annoyed to care if he did. It was almost like Ryan had been annoying and cheeky from the start with this idea in mind...​

 

[Starlighter]

AXILYA

---

With one final mighty blow, the great beast fell to the dust amidst the ashes of what it had laid to waste, and the earth trembled. Disoriented by the sudden impact Axilya lost her footing on the unsteady ground and dropped to her knees. Rather than attempting to rise, she remained there, staring at the scene around her.

This was a day that history would long remember, and a part of her felt that she could lay no claim to being remembered as a part of it. While others had charged in to take the beast head on, she had stayed back. While others had shown feats of bravery worthy of being retold in songs and legends for years to come, she had done little more than buy a few moments of safety until the killing strike could be dealt.

But it hardly mattered. The heroes of today deserved the glory with which they would be showered, and it would be her pleasure to sing their praises along with the masses.

Each limb moving as if it carried an impossible weight, she slowly regained her feet. Across the field of destruction, she could see the General beginning to rise. Relief flooded her, and she quickly scanned her surroundings for the others. It seemed the rest of the company were intact and accounted for, which failed to surprise her. If there were any who could battle a dragon and come out of it unscathed, it would be the Rose Company.

Shaking off her burgeoning exhaustion, Axilya turned her attention to the task of handling the aftermath. She'd hardly made it ten steps when the dwarf began his bellowing, and she felt a strong wave of magic wash out from him, pass over her, and carry on through what was left of the city. She nodded back in his direction, appreciative of his good thinking.

Her light feet carried her easily over the shattered stone and cratered streets. While her heart was drawn towards searching for survivors, there was a more urgent need that called for her attention. The dragon might be dead, but its fire still burned on. Lacking as she was in physical strength, her efforts would be better suited to keeping the flames under control and the damage as minimal as possible.

To her left what once might have been a tavern had collapsed halfway, engulfed in flames. Even standing at a distance she could feel the heat heavy in the air, and smoke threatened to burn her lungs. She murmured a few words, and water drenched her sleeve. Holding it over her mouth and nose she moved forward while continuing to murmur, weaving a spell of protection over her skin to keep the flames from burning her. Once close enough she extended one hand and chanted a few words, seizing control of the blaze, and then forcing it to bend to her will and gradually snuff itself out.

When she finished only ash and smoke remained of the tavern, heavy beams charred and blackened. It looked like the whole structure would collapse if she breathed on it. Swallowing back her disappointment that more of it couldn't be saved, she turned and moved on. There were more fires burning, and it was going to take time to reach them all. Rather than marking the empty structures she passed with columns of flame, she paused by each one to place a thin spout of water. If others in the city were busy working to fight the fires, better not to run the risk of any markers being put out on accident.

 

[Rae]

Artemis vaguely heard her second-in-command and long-time friend calling after her. She glanced back, brow furrowed in confusion. It was that very moment that she noticed the black marks on her palms, which seemed to pulse with a life of their own. Fear shuddered through her, and she remembered the strange laugh that she heard as she'd awoken just moments before. She was no fool; the two events were no mere coincidence. Something grave had happened when she'd stripped the dragon of its magic, and she wondered if her sins would finally catch up to her after all these years.

Shaking her head, she continued on, refocusing her mind on the task at hand. Although the Rose Company may think that she was abandoning them in a time of crisis, it was not so. Lady Morra was a complicated woman, loyal to the crown but more suited to her own interests. A little bird had told her that the Lady of the Harbor was being held hostage within her own court, and she intended to discover the truth before anyone had a chance to cover their tracks. Admittedly, Artemis had not planned on such a confrontation for another few weeks, as she still needed to gather more information. But this attack now forced her hand, as chaos almost always gave people the opportunity to destroy evidence.

It did not take her long to reach the massive castle towering over Garas Harbor's remains. She landed nimbly at the front steps, turning around expectantly as she watched both Jakob and Taria chase after her. She should have expected that Eriana would do something like this, and it was only a waste of time for her to send them back. Besides, she could use a little backup. A small army stood sentry in the courtyard, watching the princess with awe and...suspicion. Her jaw clenched, but Artemis forced herself to remain as relaxed as possible.

When Jakob and Taria finally approached, she nodded. "It's a good thing you're here. I know why Eriana sent you after me, but we will deal with it later. For now, come with me. I must speak with Lady Morra, and I might need your help after all." With that, she turned, climbing the steps and fully expecting them to follow. The guards bowed, as would be expected, but Artemis did not fail to notice their hesitation. Her eyes narrowed, but she said nothing.

"I must speak with Lady Morra immediately." Her voice rang with the authority of a queen. She caught the smallest of whispers, but she failed to understand the words. She tensed, wondering if she would have to fight these poor souls. Suddenly, the soldiers parted, standing at attention as a young woman with silver hair walked with purpose towards them. She was beautiful, no doubt, but it did not take a genius to understand the cruelty that festered within.

"Your Highness," she sang, her voice dripping with honey as she stopped and curtsied. "The people of Garas Harbor owe you and the Rose Company and unfathomable debt. Without you, we would have surely been destroyed. How can we ever-"

"Who are you?" Artemis demanded, cutting the unfamiliar woman off. Her features were completely foreign, and her hair was strange.

"Your Highness, I am your humble servant, the Lady of the Harbor," the woman replied, smiling serenely.

Trust her. She is your ally, your friend. She is the Lady of the Harbor. A voice whispered in her head, over and over. Pain blossomed between her eyes, and she shuddered. Shaking her head, she looked at the silver-haired woman, a sense of trust and distrust warring inside her. The woman continued to smile, though it was now less beautiful and more...terrifying. Her silver hair lengthened, her body warped into rotting flesh, her smile transformed into a wide-open scream...

Suddenly, she wasn't looking at a silver-haired woman at all but a terrible banshee. And the banshee was screaming.

Artemis cried out, falling to the ground as she jammed her hands over her ears. The banshee warped and changed, turning back into the silver-haired woman and then into something else entirely. She was a giant, then a man, then Queen Adira, then the banshee...all the while, the screaming continued. Artemis didn't realize that she was the only one who saw all these strange things, the only one who was on the ground writhing in pain. The woman was a powerful Illusio sorceress, and she'd taken hold of the future queen.​

 

[Joan]

Commander Eriana Kiryn

---

Everyone sprang into action, each working in an area best suited to them. Cress began directing survivors to what used to be a plaza, and the rest of the Hellhounds followed his lead. In mere moments, survivors began to be led in, and Eriana quickly moved to assess their injuries and do what she could, unstrapping her shield as she moved. Tamsyn joined her soon after, assisting by directing the ones in immediate help to her and bringing the others aside, and she nodded her thanks.

As she moved towards that first rescue, the boy Cress had brought, Ivalize spoke in her ear. She glanced up at him, eyes narrowed for a moment, before letting out a faint sigh and bending down to inspect the boy's leg. Ivalize was a perplexing one, and to this day, she still didn't quite understand him. What he had said about Ari was disconcerting, to say the least, but she knew enough, at least, to hope he didn't mean anything by it. She held her hand over the boy's leg, muttering an incantation, and as the magic began to take effect, she spoke to Ivalize.

"There's too many people to save and monsters to kill for her to die yet, Ivalize, and I believe she will make a far better queen than a martyr." She stood as another survivor was directed to her by Tamsyn, this one a woman with heavy burns, and held her hand a few inches above the woman's side as she whispered another incantation. "Now, if you could work on the rescue efforts, that would be--" Suddenly, light filled her peripheral vision. Her arm instinctively went up to shield her eyes, and she turned to look at the source.

The first thing she saw was the dragon's body, head included, going up in a massive blaze. The second thing she saw was Falles' platform, with Ryan and Falles both still on it, not far away.

"Falles, move!" She shouted out before glancing about to see if any of the Elementa users were still nearby. As she looked about, however, she realized that the fire wasn't spreading, like she had thought. It was focused, controlled, and it was swiftly consuming the corpse. As she watched, the entire corpse, in all its impossible size and grandeur, vanished into fire and ash, faster than should have been possible. In less than a minute, there was nothing left, nothing but a few embers and a pile of ash.

"Shit," she murmured, slowly lowering her arm again. "I guess that's what happens when a dragon dies, then...that artful enough for you, Ivalize?" Without waiting for an answer, she turned back the survivors being sent her way, taking note of the markers of fire and water and vines going up around the city. Good.

As time went on, she could feel her energy being drained, but she still whispered incantations and poured her energy into caring for the wounded. There were many, which was good, since it meant they had gotten there in time. However, as she finished tending to a young man's gashed side and moved on to a girl who was unconscious and likely had some form of internal injuries, she couldn't stop thinking about the ones they'd been too late to save.

We got here as fast as we could. Still wasn't fast enough. If only...

No. We did what we could, what nobody else could. And we saved so many. That'll have to do for now. Mourn later, there are people counting on you now.

On to the next. And the next. And the next. After a while, she finished tending to those with immediately life-threatening injuries and moved on to the ones who had been waiting. These ones took less out of her, and as she stood from tending to the last cuts and scrapes, she looked around to see the Hellhounds returning, the rescue efforts apparently done with. She checked quickly to make sure they had all made it back, minus Taria and Jakob, before stepping in front of the fountain and calling out to them.

"Gather in front of me." She waited for them to approach before speaking again, keeping her voice low enough that only they could hear. "Good work, all of you. These people are alive, thanks to you. I know General Carrow went to find Lady Morra, so hopefully she can see to getting a proper shelter for these people soon." She glanced over their faces before speaking again, slower this time.

"Speaking of General Carrow...I know some of you may have mixed feelings after today. You may not know what to make of what she did. You may be ready to kill her yourself. You may still respect her, but feel like her blood magic is an abomination. Whatever it is, you will have differing opinions on this, I know this as a fact, and I do not want this to be what tears us apart. So let me make this perfectly clear.

"Artemis saved our lives, and by extension, the lives of every civilian you just pulled out of the rubble. If the dragon had not been stopped, it would have continued its rampage until there was nobody left to save. Hell, it may not have stopped there. This dragon was far, far outside the territory of any dragons we know of. For all we know, it could have kept going, potentially all the way to Evanis. I don't know. What I do know is that the magic the dragon pulled out was like nothing I've ever felt, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I doubt any of us could. So Artemis did what needed to be done, despite the risks, despite the taboos, despite knowing some of us would want to hang her for it. And the threat is far from over. We killed one dragon out of several, and there are still more monsters waiting. And if that dragon left its territory, who's to say there won't be more?

"So if you want to hang her for what she did? Think again, because she just saved our asses and all of these people." She raised her hand, gesturing out towards the survivors in the plaza. "And if you still want to hang her for that? Then save it for after we've dealt with the immediate threat. Because I feel like this is just the beginning of a far greater attack, and we're going to need to stand together against it if we want any chance at survival. And if you still feel the need to hang her for it?" She reached down, and in one smooth movement, she drew out her sword and planted it in the ground, resting her hands on the pommel as she stared down the other Hellhounds. "You'll have to deal with me first.

"Is that understood, Rose Company?"

 

[RJS]

VULTOG

Vultog largely concerned himself with moving the unconscious and dead back to the collection zone. Most of those who were still conscious were somewhat disturbed at the sight of the orc leaning over them. While it bothered him slightly, he couldn't exactly blame them. He did wonder on this as he trudged back, a human over each shoulder. When did he get so soft and...civilised? Maybe one of these days he'd wear fancy clothes and drink tea with his pinky finger out.

The thought made him laugh so hard he almost dropped the survivors.

As he placed them down, carefully of course, he heard the captain gathering them round. His guess as to what it might be was right. As he listened, the smile on his face only grew wider. The captain was someone he owed a lot to for a wide variety of reasons, and to find that her views on it were the same as his own were of great comfort. As she finished, he stepped over and stood beside her. Resting his axe nonchalantly on his shoulder, he stared across the group. "The Commander saved our asses, like it or not. You all owe her your lives. Those of you who would take hers, remember that and consider leaving her alive repaying that debt. Those of you who can't get through your skulls will be dealing with the Captain and -" he stared across the group, "- anyone who finds themselves trying to deal with her will be dealing with me."

 

[Jorick]

Cinzel Decorative; Trade Winds;

Morna Vaile​

Morna listened to the speech with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed. She'd had plenty of time to think about this, despite her efforts to stay busy and keep her mind on other matters. The Commander's initial conclusion, that there was worse yet to come, matched her own. Even so, she couldn't stomach this high and mighty bullshit about standing by a damn blood mage no matter what happened. The Commander's opinion was clearly clouded by personal bias, and that couldn't be left to stand as the only thing said on the matter. Even Vultog spoke up in the same vein, proving himself to be exactly the oafish brute he looked. Though she tried damned hard to maintain a calm, low affect demeanor whenever she wasn't relaxing, Morna couldn't manage it now. She took a few steps forward to break from the ranks of the Rose Company, to stand clearly before Commander Kiryn as she was the first to speak up in opposition, with words loud enough for all to hear and seething with barely contained fury.

"What point is there in fighting monsters if we become monsters ourselves? If we let monsters rule over us?" Morna spat on the ground not far from the Commander's feet to show exactly what she thought of that notion. "I'm here to kill monsters, whatever shape they take. The only reason I'm not going to kill the one named Artemis the moment I see her is because you're probably right, we probably need her to defeat something worse to come than a dragon. The enemy of my enemy, right? But she's just an ally out of necessity, now. That's all. As soon as that changes, or as soon as that abominable power corrupts her to the point of being an immediate danger to those I seek to protect, I'm going to do my job. I'm going to kill the monster. Anyone who stands in the way of monsters getting what they deserve is no better than a monster themselves. I've no hatred for you, but I'd wring your neck with my bare hands if that was what it took to get rid of another foul monster. Just keep that in mind when it comes time to make a choice."

Morna took a quick breath and let it out in a huff, imagining all her boiling emotions being expelled like steam with that exhalation. It was a visualization technique that she'd used many times before, and it more or less worked now. She saluted the woman she'd more or less just threatened to kill, with her face now blank as usual. "Commander." The title was an acknowledgement in a bland and inoffensive tone, a far cry from the rage of only seconds ago.

And with that Morna turned on heel and walked away, off toward some of the survivors who were picking through rubble looking for anything worth salvaging. As long as the Rose Company was still there, she would do whatever she could to help the people of Garas Harbor. Perhaps that would help to soothe some of guilt and self-loathing she already felt for losing her temper while still on the job, for failing to live up to her own oath yet again. It wouldn't, she knew that, but she could lie to herself and pretend time being. That would have to suffice for now, and she would endure the sleepless nights to come like she had so many times before.

 

[Jays]

Verus arrived back to the group in time to catch the Commander's proclamation, and Vaile's outburst. Carefully, he dragged two injured forms off Solstus' back as he watched the scene unravelled into near-violent discourse. The tension stretched the air taught, like a string about to snap. He could taste it on his tongue. The childish glee quickly drained out of his face, replaced by thoughtfulness and worry.

As Vaile stalked away, he moved to follow. Solstus whinnied and tried to drag him back, but he pulled away and motioned it to stay. The stallion huffed and stomped its hooves impatiently behind him as he parted further from the Company's gathering.

For a time he stood beside her, watching her work in silence. Other than shooting him a glance when he first approached, she didn't talk, or even acknowledged his presence. Verus squirmed in place, struggling to voice his thoughts, to put into words what he wanted to say. After several long moments, he cleared his throat dryly and finally broke the uneasy silence. "You were quite harsh back there. Angry. I can...hear your tragedy." He chose his words carefully, keeping his tone light and neutral. "I...know our kind can be unyielding, inflexible. Stubborn. But we're not home anymore, Morna. This world changes faster than we can follow. We must change our way to adapt to it." She never gave a sign that she even heard a word he had said, her attention seemingly focused entirely on the task at hand. Verus' eyebrows furrowed softly, a forlorn expression.

"You are new among our ranks, but I know you have been in the Hellhounds long enough to understand that the Company doesn't stand for the General, we stand for an idea, a cause." His voice rose, filled with emotions. "We are protectors, Morna. You took an oath. I took an oath. It is not our place to draw a line in the sand and live by it. We have to be more than that, more than a rigid set of rules and principles. I..." He didn't know if she was listening at all. Verus sighed heavily, his eyes sad. Regretful.

"I am not asking you to forgive, and certainly not to accept it. I'm merely asking you to give her a chance, Morna. To explain herself. Blood magic is only a tool. A dangerous tool, yes, but a passive dead thing all the same. Even monsters deserve a chance." His voice dropped to a low, near breathless whisper. "There comes times when a man has no choice but to open the door and let the wolves in."

 

[kixinorbit]

Though reluctant to be pulled away from his work with the survivors, Cress found his feet automatically carrying him toward Commander Kiryn at her call. He could not prevent his mind from dredging up how many people they were not able to save, though a small part of him begged to agree with the Commander. They had, at least, put a stop to the dragon's destruction. Whether or not General Carrow had gone to seek aid as her first priority was another question entirely. He wondered exactly what had transpired for her to go for aid, yet have two more of the Company sent after her—though he did not voice his question.

There was a brief moment in which he thought they might be dismissed, but the Commander began addressing the events which had transpired in a lowered voice. Cress could not quite help feeling that, when there were still distraught survivors about, now wasn't the time to be discussing the General's use of blood magic. Nevertheless, it was happening and he listened with quiet attentiveness. When Commander Kiryn concluded her address by defiantly planting her sword in the ground, Cress merely blinked at her. Was she expecting anyone to actually take up arms against her?

Perhaps she was doing this now to avoid a scene with the General once she returned. Or perhaps to prevent members of the Company from dwelling, as they doubtless would, on the issue and developing dangerous ideas. But now? Now when they were shocked and exhausted from the battle and display of overwhelming and forbidden power? Allowing them a bit more time to rest and process everything might have been the better option.

His attention was drawn as Vultog, unsurprisingly, planted himself beside Commander Kiryn, reiterating that they didn't want to cross those supporting General Carrow. Had Cress not been so mentally exhausted from the battle, destruction, and constant criticism of himself as he'd pulled the injured and the dead from the rubble, he might've smiled.

When Morna Vaile stepped forward, however, Cress felt his body tense. He had never been able to really get a read on the elf, which made him somewhat uneasy. Often, she seemed reserved to the point of emotionless calm, but there were occasions when that facade cracked. Now appeared to be one of those instances, and Cress turned to face her as she spat at the Commander's feet. The gesture caused a heat to rise in his chest, though he remained still.

He weathered her words with silence, staring at the woman with a sort of cold displeasure in his pale eyes. It was with no small amount of effort that he continued to stifle his voice, jaw clenched as she threatened the Commander.

And what kind of monster is it that has no regard for how many it must kill to reach its quarry?

Still tense, Cress watched as Morna saluted and departed—followed quickly by Verus. Whether going in solidarity or to confront her, Cress wasn't sure. Verus was another of the Company he'd never really been able to understand.

Reflecting on that, Cress was forced to admit to himself that he did not know any of the Company overly well, save for Vultog—and their relationship was largely composed of silent camaraderie and the occasional slap on the back. He, himself, wasn't entirely sure how he felt about General Carrow, though it wasn't because of her magic. It was a vital tool in what were, surely, more battles to come.

Glancing around, then back at Commander Kiryn and Vultog, Cress strode over to stand beside them. If this was the way of it, then best get it settled so they could get back to their relief efforts.

 

[Aero Blue]

@Joan @SkittlesAndSpike

Falles had just about begun to begrudge the way Rye seemed to twist the dagger, chafing him with that uniquely strange brand of abrasive geniality. He had been more than acquiescent to relent to his yearning to abandon the man, before the thought had been melted from his mind by the plumage of fire that erupted from behind him. Finally, Falles allowed himself a halfway generous thought; there was something elegant about the way the beast returned to nothingness. While it would be a shame if Rye were unable to derive any research from the mere ash that remained, perhaps knowledge of what transpired after a dragon's passing would be dividends enough for the day.

In any case, Falles allowed Rye to leave the 'amazing bed of butterflies' -- the casual moniker one the swarm seemed to have felt vehemently disheartened by --, with the understanding that perhaps there was merit to collecting ash samples before the wind and breeze could claim it.

The search-and-rescue effort had been as dull as expected, and Falles -- as he eventually joined the gathering, the Swarm having dispersed into the skies far beyond him -- expected a not entirely dissimilar sense of tedium from whatever words the Commander could offer.

Even with the threat of violence looming, Falles was left vindicated in his expectations.

Logic compelled the dour one to speak.

"These threats are beneath us, or so I had imagined. Beneath you, as well, Commander. There are other concerns, yes, besides foolish violence?" Falles looked to the rest of the Hounds, and the injured plenty in the backdrop, "Caedis is illegal, this is known. There are fourteen of us that are now aware of her… capacity, not including any civilians that may have seen the spectacle."

"If word escapes the fold, others could ruin our efforts. Political schemers and insurgents seldom spare a thought for the more earthly dangers we do battle with. The people that can betray the General." Falles gazed pointedly at the Commander, the one who would have to bear the brunt of dealing with them, "They need to have their silence bought, or they need to be disposed of, I regret to say."

He did not seem particularly regretful.

 

[Spekkun]

"Oh no, oh no, oh no! Ryan cried out as the dragon's corpse turned into ash before his eyes. Not only would he not have a sample for research, but he'd have to assist with the damn rescue and recovery! He'd have to do something he did not want to, and he wouldn't be able to play around with the dragon's remains either. Begrudgingly, the lieutenant began to assist his comrades with the rescue and recovery.​

​

The time seemed to drag on for the Hellhound. Lost children crying for their mothers, families trapped inside of their homes and injured civilians unable to walk. There seemed to be no end to them and he began to suspect they'd be here all day. It was sad. He was sorry to see people in such a state, a part of why he hated rescue. That and it was really exhausting work. When Eriana called them all to gather around, he was somewhat grateful for the brief recess and was one of the first to stand before the general.​

​

He listened to Eriana's speech carefully, mentally tutting. Of course she would defend her dear friend, her queen. She was loyal like that, an admirable trait. Unfortunately, he was sure that once this whole thing was over, Eriana would very well be fighting quite a few of her former subordinates. Morna's outburst made that very clear. He would have stayed quiet had others not started giving their opinions in quite the dramatic fashion. Not wishing to be outdone, the man cleared his throat before speaking.​

​

"Artemis saved our lives, that is true, and I'm grateful for it!" He started, looking directly at Eriana as he spoke. "But she broke the rules to do it. She did something forbidden, and in the process tore my new family apart." He turned his head sharply, eyes closed and a barely audible but clearly false sniffle leaving his nose before he looked back to her. "But she's still our queen. I don't care if she broke the rules, and I don't care if she does it again. You have my staff!" He declared as he waved the staff back and forth high above his head.​

​

Of course, there was more to it. Ryan didn't really care if Artemis answered for her crime or not. In fact, if she didn't, he stood to gain from it most likely. The gears in his mind were already turning, spinning like mad. If the queen could break a rule, then so could he! It was childish to think that way, sure, but it wasn't any less true.​

​

A snicker escaped the man as he lowered his staff. Her Majesty had really shaken things up!​

 

[Applo]

---

As Ryan waved his staff back and forth Tamsyn could feel her patience wearing out. Today had taken a distinctly sour turn since the commander had halted the training exercise all those hours. The battle with the dragon had not gone as she had hoped, her body ached all over from the building collapse, and now she was standing here listening comrades fret over the type magic used to fell the beast. How could they see blood magic as something abhorrent that needed excusing but fail to see their own brand of magic was equally grotesque? To rub salt in her wounds, Tamsyn was certain the commanders eye's had lingered on her more than the others.​

​

The fact that anyone thought she cared a jot about the kind of magic would have been amusing if it wasn't also depressing. Yes, she was still relatively new to the Rose Company, and yes she hadn't spoken much to anyone about her beliefs which were relatively unusual in the kingdoms of Eymia but still, she had left home as a missionary. The fact that she had mostly given up that vocation didn't make it sting any less that she had apparently made so little of an impression on those she trained and fought alongside. How had she failed this badly? It was this last thought that strained Tamsyn's patience beyond its breaking point.​

​

"You look like a prat when you wave your staff back like that, Lieutenant." Derision positively dripped from her words, the last one in particular. It was probably unnecessarily cruel to mock the man so, but it had been a long day and he really did look like a prat. Turning to the Commander Tamsyn carried on, her voice suddenly having the scornful edge of moments before. "With all due respect mam, there are more important things to do right now than make speeches and grand gestures. There will be a time and place for all this, but it isn't when the people we protect require our help." Tamsyn put particular emphasis on the word protect after Falles's troubling contribution to the conversation. She was certain nothing would come of it, but she also knew which side of the line she would be standing on if it did.​

​

With nothing else to say and keen to practice what she preached, Tamsyn took her leave. After picking her way through her fellow Hellhounds, she made her way across the square to where Morna was assisting a handful of survivors whilst Versus talked at her.​

​

"That was stupid you know right?" Tamsyn paused momentarily to examine a gash on one of the survivors arms and direct the man to where the other injured were waiting before carrying on. "I can understand how you feel, but that wasn't the way it should have gone. A hunter doesn't tell their prey that they are coming. They wait and strike when the time is right."

---

​

 

[Starlighter]

AXILYA

---

Covered in sweat, ash, and a few streaks of blood from where she'd split her hand open scrambling over a heap of rubble, Axilya was a sight to behold as she rejoined the rest of the company for the Commander's address. She trained her eyes on Eriana for the duration, hardly aware of the other Hellhounds around her. At the finish, she blinked several times, hardly believing what she'd just heard. The timing came as a bit of a surprise, but she thought she understood why Commander Kiryn hadn't left the matter for later - better to address the elephant in the room before hard feelings could start to fester.

She crossed her arms and observed in silence as Morna stepped forward and lashed out. She slowly shook her head as the other elf stormed off in a huff, bitter and angry. And just what does she think gives her the right to lump her own General in with monsters? Insubordinate wretch. Verus was quick on her heels, but it was beyond her ability to perceive whether he was chasing her down to argue, or joining her in solidarity. Either way, she had no intention of sticking her nose where it didn't belong.

She glanced round at the Hellhounds who remained, observing the growing distinction between those who had turned their backs and wandered off, and those who were moving to stand beside the Commander. Was it really necessary to draw such divisions? With a weary sigh, she took a step towards Eriana and offered the Commander a rigid salute.

"I'm no lover of blood magic, but after seeing what the General did today, I know we're going to need her now more than ever. It's not for me to say what's right or what's wrong - but I trust you both to know what you're doing is for the best. Wherever we go from here, I'll follow where she leads."

Satisfied to have said her peace, she moved to stand beside the Commander, Cress, and Vultog.

 

[Jorick]

Cinzel Decorative; Trade Winds;

Morna Vaile​

Morna gave Verus only one further look, empty and emotionless, after he finished speaking. Her words were similarly lacking in any inflection. "I swore an oath to slay monsters in order to protect people. That oath comes before all others." For Tamsyn, there was a little irritation in her response. "I hope the warning will prevent the need for me to strike. This is a duty, and not a pleasant one."

Without waiting for any sort of responses, Morna walked away from the both of them, deeper into the ruins to have a bit of time away from her fellow Hellhounds and to find others to help.

Gamnuri Balgron​

Gamnuri stood around thinking and listening, mulling over everything before making his thoughts known. It certainly couldn't be the entirety of his thoughts though, because if he made his interest in learning blood magic known then odds were good he'd end up dead at the hands of one of his more volatile fellow Hellhounds in the near future. Where Artemis had some protection by way of status, he had nothing but his own skills to protect him. There was no chance he could defend against an arrow or a bolt of lightning in the throat while he was sleeping, so it would be for the best to keep his cards close to his chest. Gamnuri waited for a bit of a lull in activity before speaking up, and he did so loudly enough for all nearby to hear.

"Well, far as I'm concerned, we'd all be dead if not for her. Can't argue with results, eh? Count me in for standing in her defense if it comes down to it." He didn't make any grand gesture like going to stand beside Commander Kiryn and the others, but he did shoot Falles an amused look. "But don't listen to his nonsense unless you're lookin' to make a fight of it immediately. Better to leave it to the General to decide how to handle the angry ones, I think. Your call for the moment though, and I'll help as needed."

Gamnuri gave the Commander a salute, then strolled off to find some folks to help dig through the rubble. His magic would be not so useful here, but he had strong arms and a strong back that could be put to use, so he'd make use of them as long as he could.

 

[Rae]

When the Princess had discovered the two Hellhounds following after her, they had been certain that they would be told to return to the Commander right away. It was a relief that the opposite happened instead; the last thing the two needed was to be in Artemis' bad books. And so without hesitation Taria followed the Princess up the steps, though not before sending Prongs away with a muttered incantation.

Having clattered unceremoniously to the ground outside, Jakob too was at least satisfied the princess was not sending them away. Still - this was hardly the time for her to be acting rashly, and he wondered to himself as he hurried up the stairs alongside Taria. He kept his mouth shut as they all entered the castle, but only just. This place reeked of civility, order, and other nasty things like personal toiletries. Settling himself to scrutinize the many well-dressed personages, Jakob narrowed his eyes as the woman parted her way through the crowd.

With the princess speaking to the guards and then the Lady Morra, there was nothing either of the Hellhounds could add. However it wasn't hard to notice that the Commander didn't seem to recognize the person. As Taria sent a wary glance his way, Jakob turned to glance at her for a moment. So, she felt uneasy, too; her hand was twitching as she kept it from reaching back for her sword. He didn't know whether to ready himself, just yet, but his decision was made for him in the next minute - as the body of this "Lady of the Harbor" deformed into something that should not be.

Hesitation left Taria completely when the figure of the woman became something twisted, hideous, mouth open… but she couldn't hear anything. In fact, it seemed only the Princess was being affected. Sword pulled from its sheath, Taria shoved it between the woman who she deemed was using Illusion to keep her from coming any closer.

Jakob cried out in surprise, drawing his dagger even as Taria leaped into action. Inside, it might be dangerous to wield too much Elementa, but anyone who rallied to this monster would be deemed an acceptable casualty.

"Stay back!" Taria snapped to the illusion wielding woman. "You will regret it if you don't stop!" She paused only a second before calling out to her fellow Hellhound. "Jakob, you know what we have to do!"

The green-clad man raised his arm and took a quick step forward, calling in response to Taria's summons. "Aye - keep this beastie off the princess!" In an instant, Jakob gathered air into a powerful punch, blasting the illusionist backward, hopefully enough to break its focus upon Artemis. Jakob stood now beside Taria, blocking the way between the princess and the imposter. He gave a low, seething growl. "If you can get her out of here, I'll hold the rest of them off."

"Right." Taria wasted no time in muttering an incantation to recall Prongs, despite them being indoor. Her worries that she wouldn't be able to call him so soon again were banished as he appeared, big and proud and threatening in his own way. There was no time for celebration though; Taria put her hand on the Princess' shoulder, shaking her. "Princess! We must leave!"

Artemis heard voices calling to her, but she could not understand anything beyond the screams. The woman...she was laughing at her pain, twisting the General's mind around her finger. She'd waited so long to finally unleash her wrath against the royal family, and the Crown Princess herself had waltzed right into her midst.

The General's companions, however, quickly became a nuisance. They set their magic against her in the courtyard, desperate to free Artemis. But the woman simply laughed, as she remained safely hidden away within the castle. Taria and Jakob only thought they were attacking her. In reality, her illusions were working even better than she could have hoped, fooling them into seeing her where she was not.

The soldiers then sprung into action, releasing their own brand of magic against the two. Strangely enough, they did not attack Artemis, although she remained incapacitated. Instead, they focused their firepower upon Jakob and Taria, creating infernos and terrifying golems. Indeed, these were no ordinary soldiers.

Blood dripped from their hands, and anyone with half a mind could understand what was happening. They were using blood magic, but there was something much different about them. If one inspected closely, they would notice that each sorcerer's eyes remained unfocused and dark. As if they weren't really aware of their own surroundings, even as they attacked two members of the Rose Company.

All the while, Artemis could only scream.

As much as Taria wanted to drag the Princess away from here, there was no way she would be able to while being attacked by the soldiers. "Jakob?!" She couldn't see what her companion was doing as she swung her sword, now lit on fire, and struck at the golem nearest to her. "Prongs! Protect the Princess! See if you can get that woman!"

Prongs first instinct was to pummel to attack the golems that were heading his summoner's way, but she knew he wouldn't disregard a direct order. As quick as a flash he stood before Artemis, but thereafter he remained as he was, impatiently stamping the ground with his cloven hoof. He looked back at Taria, who was currently engaged and couldn't see his lack of action.

Gritting his teeth, Jakob charged the nearest group of soldiers with a wild flurry of of abandon. They wished to kill the princess - no regard could be taken for their own lives, whoever they may once have been. He slashed at their outstretched arms, their blood flowing faster now. Jakob chained swipes of his dagger with more blasts of air, pulling and pushing the enemy into his blade, then into the ground, or flying against the far wall. But a few moments into this rhythm, he sensed that something had changed, and raised a barrier of wind to hold the soldiers off momentarily.

"Taria!" Jakob barked, swivelling his head to where the illusionist stood. "Tell your creature to do something!" From his position, he could see the unicorn standing before Artemis and the woman of her afflictions, but it only pawed at the ground. "It's not helping - get it out of the way!" With a rising yell, Jakob gathered another full onslaught of rushing wind, and sent it barrelling against the soldier squadron he had been holding off. If Taria could see him, she might notice he was looking a little fried, and quite a bit winded by now. Jankily, he took up his dagger again to rush the illusionist, blasting toward her with another gust of air.

"That- he wouldn't just-" Taria pulled her sword out of the golem, kicking the rest of the creature away before looking to Prongs. He never disobeyed her orders, so why wasn't he doing as she had asked him? "Prongs!"

Once again, he didn't attack the woman, rather turning away and charging towards the few soldiers who hadn't been caught in the blash of rushing wind.

"Wait!" she yelled. Prongs clearly wasn't seeing what they were seeing. Could he had been put under a spell himself? No, that's not right, he's too powerful… And then a doubt came to her. "Jakob, stop your attacks towards her! I might be wrong, but I don't think she's actually there!" And if that was the case, he was only further tiring himself! "Leave her to me!"

He skidded to a halt, catching his breath. Glancing wildly between the leering woman and his companion, Jakob's face scrunched up in confusion. "As you say, then! Get her off the princess while I make your path clear!" He turned to face one of the still-standing golems, leaping into its face and bashing hard with the hilt of his dagger. Slowly, it began to topple backward, though its hands rushed at Jakob's body with great force.

"Not today, you oafs." He was slammed mercilessly by the golem, but as it fell backward, it crushed a number of the soldiers who had not been expecting their summon to fail. Jakob knelt atop it for a second, then raised his eyes to the ones who still stood. "It's now or never, Taria!" He yelled as he rushed headlong into the group, dagger a whirl of blood.

Artemis could hear the woman's voice. It was all that she could hear. Everything else was drowned out by her saccharine sweet words, cutting into her very soul like a knife. You're pathetic. They know the truth about you. They're going to turn on you. They'll try to kill you just like the queen did, all those years ago. Except they will succeed where she failed. You're going to die, little princess. You're going to die at the hands of the people you call comrades.

She was pathetic, weeping like a child. It felt like her mind was being ripped in half, over and over and over again. But all she could focus on was the taunting words of the woman. In some deep part of it, Artemis knew this was all a trick. But alas, that part of her was buried deep, drowned out by her own hoarse screams.

She was too deep in the illusionist's magic to notice that the black poison in her hands had spread, inching up the veins in her arms. It made her skin turn to a sickly grey--an unnatural pallor that spoke of dark magic long forgotten. And the black only continued, slowly reaching for her elbows and then her biceps. The longer she remained under the illusionist's influence, the faster the darkness overtook her.

The General's voice was now gone, wretchedly destroyed by her own endless screams. The woman saw it all through the eyes of her illusion, and she simply laughed. Oh what a joyous day this would now be. It had begun wretchedly with the dragon nearly destroying her plans, but now? Now she would watch in glee as she broke the mind of the crown princess.

"Leave her alone!" Seeing the General's state, an inkling of hesitation left Taria. She charged forward, both hands wrapped tightly around the hilt of her flaming sword, slamming it straight into the woman who was causing all the disaster around them. "Die, you wretched woman!" She pulled her sword out of the illusionist before mercilessly swinging it back down on her, not once, not twice, but three times. Each time it felt wrong. She was hitting flesh, but... it didn't feel real, as if this was just some sort of dummy in the training room.

Then I was right! Her suspicions about Prongs were true; he hadn't attacked because there was no one there!

"Prongs!" Taria spun around and raced to Artemis. "To us! Now!"

The unicorn wasted no time, arriving next to her in a split second. "We need to leave here immediately," she growled, eyes fierce as she looked at the Princess. Whatever state she was in would not be broken, at least not here so close to the hidden illusionist. "Down, Prongs!" Even as the unicorn came down to his knees next to the two women, Taria grabbed Artemis, trying to pull her onto Prong's back.

His attention focused on stemming the tide of lackeys, Jakob nonetheless kept glancing back between dagger thrusts at the three women in the chaos' center. The princess… her skin was turning a sickening shade of grey, and even from where he stood, Jakob could see the black lines beneath her skin writhing their way upward. In a rage, he turned, sucking in a mouthful of air, and expelling it in a superheated blast to singe the soldiers who remained in their way.

"Ha-ah…" Jakob wavered where he stood for a moment, then faltered to one knee. "I won't let you bastards get in their way."

"Do you hear me!?"

The dark sorceress, watching them through the eyes of her illusion, frowned as the princess's companions finally discovered that their attacks against her were entirely futile. They seemed able to resist her magic where the princess was particularly susceptible...how interesting. Nevertheless, she would not let them escape so easily.

"Stop them! Do not let them escape!" she screaming, her illusion echoing the message to her soldiers. They rallied under the command, pushing forward with a new wave of terrible magic. Some of the mages buckled under the weight of their own darkness, convulsing and falling to the ground. They foamed at the mouth, saliva mixed with blood. It was a gruesome sight, but the mages still standing around them seemed to not even notice--as if they weren't truly aware of their surroundings at all.

The fury of the dark mages' magic was even deadlier than before, a final attack against the two Hellhounds that would soon kill them if they kept fighting much longer. They would have to retreat--for their own sake and for the sake of their General. This would be a fight for another day.

By this time, Taria had the General draped over Prongs' back and had climbed up on him as well, keeping Artemis steady with one hand, sword ready in the other. Looking back, she could see Jakob strength falter even as he continued to try and keep their enemies at bay. "To him!" Prongs needed no more than these words to rush to Jakob's side. He leaned down, pressing his horns against the man, lending him some energy.

"We have no time to waste," Taria called down, urgency as clear as day in her voice. "Jakob, up on his back, we must flee!" There was no point in bravado, this was less rescuing the general and more escaping with their lives.

Suddenly feeling a burst of rejuvenating energy, Jakob looked to his side to see the trio ready to depart. "Right!" In one swift motion, he grabbed hold and swung onto the back of the magnificent creature, scarcely believing what he was doing. He held tight with his knees, and with his hand he shot off another blast of air at an approaching cluster of the enemy mages. Their magic… it was dark, so very dark, and within it Jakob sensed there was great power, terrible to hold and to wield. A second later, he snapped back to reality. "Let's go!"

Prongs did exactly that, racing down the stairs more quickly than the eye could see. "Faster," Taria urged, even though she knew it was probably in vain--he was quicker than she had ever experienced. The feeling of dread was spreading faster than his gallop, however. Was the enemy following? Would the princess still be under the illusion even after they were at a substantial distance? She wasn't even sure where they should go in the first place. Clenching her eyes shut in frustration, she pondered as the wind rushed past them.

"Head back to the Commander!" she finally decided. If anyone did follow, at least they would have the rest of the Hellhounds to aid them.

Hopefully…

The sorceress screamed in anger as she watched her enemy slip through her fingers, escaping on the back of a damn unicorn. "Blasted creatures…" she hissed, her illusion warping and disappearing. She stood slowly, taking in her actual surroundings once more. She was in the throne room of the castle, guarded by her most trusted elite. Blood caked to her fingers, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Clean up this mess! Send a message to the council immediately. Tell them that we must accelerate our plans."

With that, she walked purposefully out of the throne room, avoiding the crumbled body and severed head of Lady Morra. Such a gifted woman...shame that she'd refused to listen to reason.

The princess and her dogs may have escaped today, but they would not be so lucky the next time. The sorceress would personally see to that.
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