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 Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 4:00 pm
The Flow of the World... Long ago the world was a dangerous place filled with every kind of beast you could imagine. Man struggled against these beasts for centuries as they built up their kingdoms, technology, and learned of their magics. Until finally a way to be rid of the beasts finally came to light. Three powerful families formed a seal between their kingdoms that would attract and trap the beasts deep underground. And it was agreed that the seals would be separated and passed down through the families.
With the combined efforts of every kingdom in the world the beasts were at last sealed away and the world began to prosper. Of course wars between men took place, but that was inevitable. In time pacts were made and friendships were forged, but underneath it all those who wanted more power were seeking it desperately. It would not be very long before they would find just what they were searching for.
In old times it was said men could draw power from the beasts, but the power always came at a price. This price varied from person to person, but there was always mention of a consequence.
But even thought the world could be thrown into ruin there would always be a man willing to chance it. Tricking his allies and and releasing the seal he brought the beasts back from their prison. And as the beasts were slain those with great power began to surface, but none so ambitious and forceful as King Cain Naberius.
He began to collect beasts as if they were trophies and the countries nearby began to grow suspicious. Sending in their armies they hoped to stop Cain, but in a single night their armies were wiped out. The remaining countries on the continent soon fell in with Cain. But the others that were on a different Continent readied their weapons for if Cain turned his gaze to their shores.
But years went by without so much as a letter from the Blood Moon. It was named the Dead Continent by many, but the rulers of the four main nations knew different. A tide of death was coming, and they needed to be more ready now than ever. Each ruler began to slay beasts to gain power, and a truce was made between them. But even though there is a truce doesn't mean they all got along. Some sealed themselves away, and others only contact each other for trading purposes. But when the war does come will they be able to put aside their differences and fight?
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Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 7:51 pm
 It was the beginning of spring and the forest was just starting to sprout its new growth. In Soul's opinion it was just about time so maybe he could be sheltered from some of the wind that the winter months would force into his cave. From the entrance to his cave he could see far in all directions. This made it east to avoid unnecessary contact with the people that lived in the area. For their protection they needed to start far away from him. Whenever he had the herbs to suppress his poison however he would make visits to towns to replenish his food and supplies. But in winter it was all, but impossible to find the herb he needed, the rare Talia flower.
Sometimes he could find a traveling farmer that had some fresh talia in stock, but that was even more rare than finding it in the forest. Talia is a beautiful crimson flower that many people see as good luck, and whenever one it is seen it is usually plucked up and stuck in someones house far from Soul's reach. Walking back into to cave he looked around at the supplies he had. His food stores were a bit low, but they would last him at least a few more days. It was easy to ration out food when you were the only one eating it.
Still it might be a good idea to scout around for a few animal dens so that he wasn't hunting hungry. Soul removed his clothes as he wouldn't need them in a moment. Grabbing his pipe he placed it in his mouth as he crouched onto all fours. His form changing into that of a crimson red fox. His pipe held within his fangs he made his way down the mountain and sniffed the air for the familiar sent of game. Getting a hint of what he was after he took off west towards the smell.
As he approached the smell got thicker and thicker, but it was changing. It was more musky now and he could definitely make out the smell of blood. It was something that once you smell as an animal you never seem to forget. It usually meant injured prey, but this musky odor told him another story. Approaching a hole under a rock Soul crouched low. Examining the hole he saw the leg of a deer hanging out and moving slightly, The other half of that deer was being eaten, but by what remained to be seen. The hole was not small by any means so this predator could be a beast.
Approaching the hole Soul growled trying to challenge whatever it was for it's meal. Suddenly the leg was ripped inside the hole and swiftly Soul had his answer. A huge serpent slithered around him and began to rock it's head back and forth. Soul chewed on his pipe a bit and waited for the snake to make a move. The snake in an effort to end the battle swiftly constricted it's body trying to catch Soul. But the foxy warrior effortlessly jumped and landed on the snakes back. The snake coiled and struck with fangs.
Swiftly Soul jumped into the snake mouth past the fangs. Suddenly the snakes head hit the ground spraying blood onto the trees and dirt as it's body fell limp. Standing human next to the snake's corpse he formed a large blade from his arm and began cutting the snake into section. He would cook it there and dry most of it. The rest could be left to the surrounding wildlife. The snake was indeed a best, but not nearly big enough to have a power or consequence.
After he was done cutting and making the fire it was getting close to sundown. The snake was cooking so it was fine to warm up in animal form. Changing to a wolf he sat next to the fire waiting for the meal to be done. The fire needed to be big to cook all the meat so he hoped it didn't attract any villagers dumb enough to be in the forest at night. Still holding the pipe in he mouth he took a quick inhale to suppress the poison. The last thing he needed was dead animals falling from the tree around him."Years as a bloodied warrior, and now I'm using a flower to dull my fangs. My comrades would never let me live this down." - Soul Agares
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Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 10:32 pm
   With the changing of the seasons, Kleio could feel the forest around her return to life. Flora, fauna, insects, and more stirred in their homes as the last traces of ice and snow melted away. For Kleio, it felt like waking up from a long sleep and being able to see the dawn again in the morning. Ever since her dependence upon the environment around her, winter had become her least favorite season. Animals hibernate and plant life goes dormant or dies before their successors revival in spring left her in a haze. It made her feel internally numb, enough to almost match her exterior. Blinking her unseeing eyes, she sat up from her warm bed of hides she stretched with the flora around her. It was time to leave her camp to settle into a new one for with spring came strangers into the forest. Strangers that she doubted would be any more kind to her than the last. Packing, she shouldered her bag and trudged off into dense forest in search for animal life.
Walking through the forest, it was so quite and peaceful. Hares came out of their burrows to scamper about, squirrels came out of their trees, and does came out of the thickets with their fawns in tow. The animals here were her friends, as much as they possibly could be. Finding a thawed spring, she sat down with her feet in the water and closed her eyes. Though it had no direct effect, she freed herself to the motion of the water. It was cold and sent shivers down her spine, but beyond that there was a ripple of movement not natural to the spring itself. Slowly taking a net out of her pack, she waited till she felt the fish swim by and threw her net right over it. The poor thing struggled against her pull, but it was useless. As much as she hated to eat animals, the earth was still too cold to bear enough vegetation to sustain her for quite some time. "Sorry little one, but that's the sad circle of life."
Once out of the water, she made quick with the fish, killing, skinning, and gutting it before finding a good thin rock she could put over a fire. Starting a fire was simple enough, though she did occasionally missed the rock to start the spark. With the heat being conducted, she waited for her meat to cook. Any curious animal who came by she dismissed with a well placed thorn or root movement to scare them away. For such a handy trick, it was amazing how second nature it was after payment was due. Sighing, she ate her fish glumly while trying to think of something to do other than actually think. Ironic as that chain of thought may seem, it normally worked for her. Her thoughts were soon preoccupied with the location of her next campsite. It had to be farther from the villages but close enough should she ever actually need anything. It was rare that she'd go into one, but the need has arisen before. Finishing her meal, Kleio was off again on her trek in the silent forest.
If it was not for the change of creatures, there would be no way of knowing the time. While some animals love the sun, others will come out to greet the moon. The day passed sooner than she expected and time pushed her to make her decision faster. Standing still, she dug her senses into the earth to find a place. At first she felt a safe rock haven but then there was an unfamiliar pulse going through the earth. She normally avoided strangers, but never before had she encountered someone this far into the forest. This was her safe haven and she was not about to share it with someone else. Moving toward the pulse silently and swiftly, she kept her hand upon her sword for her soon to be encounter. Deep in her heart it would not take force, but they could be like her: one who used force and is now beyond a normal human. 'I've never been that lucky before.' she thought as she could hear the sizzle of a fire in the distance.
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 10:25 am
 Ears perking up from closing in sounds Agares rose from his rest and sniffed the air. It wasn't an animal. This was the smell of something that cared about personal hygiene. Which meant it was a human but seeing one that far out was rare especially at this time of night. Creeping through the trees towards the person he used his advanced senses to pinpoint her location. As he closed in on the person he saw them look back at him. There was no way that a normal person could have heard or seen him. This person was probably a lot like him, and that could go two ways. Soul was a wanted man, and anything was going to hunt him it would have to be a beastmaster. But Blood Moon wasn't know for sneaking around. They would have set fire to the forest if he knew that Soul rested within.
No this person was either like him, and kept to remote locations. Or it was someone who came to collect his bounty. Either way a warning needed to be shown. Dashing in front of the person Soul barred his fangs and growled. "Who are you and what is your intent wandering in my forest?!" he barked. Soul had spent a long time shape shifting his vocal cords to be able to talk as an animal to scare off villagers, but he knew that wouldn't work on another of his kind. Taking another hit of his herb he delayed his poison. But if what he heard warranted it he would stop taking the drug and let his poison do its work.
The figure was a woman dressed in a warriors clothes. A sword in hand and a whip tied to her side. Soul could tell that she was equipped well for a fight. But something that stood out more than anything was that her eye were closed. In any other battle Soul would see that as an insult, but in their line of misfortune that often came with a sight of another kind. That told him that stealth and sneaking would be of little use if they were to fight.
Her answer was different than he expected. She asked to share camp just for the night. A camp in this forest was a hard thing to find indeed, but in his company that could prove a deadly venture. "You are welcome to share my camp, but if I tell you to leave you must do so without question." answered Soul. He body language didn't convey one of malicious intent and he face didn't show that of a killer. It was more of a solemn lonely existence. If she were truly someone that was coming after him for a bounty she would have done more to hide herself. She was dress more for traveling than hunting.
Turning to head back to camp he ran up ahead and secured the camp scaring off the few creatures that had come smelling the food. He grabbed the sticks that held the meat and placed them on a flat rock nearby. After he laid the last one the woman walked up. "You hungry?" asked Soul looking up to her in wolf form.
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 3:50 pm
  Feeling the person come towards her, Kleio prepared herself against a person like her. No one else would have been able to sense her presence otherwise since she moved silently through the forest and tried to keep downwind at all times. It was actually surprising to have another one out this far. Perhaps he was a hermit like her, but that did not mean they would be nice. Stopping next to a strong oak tree, she rested her hand upon its bark for a moment to feel its strength. She'd wait for the person to come through the bushes and see what was going to happen before anything else. She would not attack unless provoked, though it did not take much to provoke her... Taking a deep breath, she pushed her feet further into the ground and awaited with her hand pulling her sword out of its sheath oh so slightly.
Finally the person emerged and she kept her eyes closed to make her point. From the tone and feeling of the person's vibrations in the earth, she almost laughed at his warning. Biting her lip, she tilted her head at his question and reached for the tree. A vine came down which she played with, twirling it around her fingers. "I'd rethink the 'your' forest statement." she said with a chuckle as she opened her eyes and focused on the spot where the man would be. Not that she would know if they were pointed at his head, but the effect should be enough. Pushing her sword back into its sheath, she took a small step forward and tried to feel the wind come off of the man. He felt armed, but not dangerous. It was late and she knew this not so scary man would have a camp set up, one which she would not have to do much for in. "Would you mind if I camped with you tonight? Your presence distracted me and it's too late to make camp where I was planning."
Smiling at his compliance, she motioned for him to take the lead. He ran ahead, but his trail was not hard to follow. The man had quite large feet. A minute behind him, she stepped into his encampment and put her pack down. Feeling her way around, she found a nice large rock to sit upon as she continued to look around. It was old habit for her to move her head with the direction of her senses, but she couldn't help it. It just felt so natural for her to do so. Turning her attention to the man, she shook her head no to his question. "I ate enough along my walk here. Thank you though." The manners felt odd to walk through again, but she supposed it was necessary to keep up her civility. Her parents told her to treat others as she would want to be treated, but in the forest there was no need for that lesson to be put into practice. Not much was put into practice except personal hygiene. That one she couldn't help.
Sitting in silence as the man ate some of his meat, snake from the smell of it, she decided this may have been one of the more awkward situations she had been in... well ever. With the moon high overhead and the fire crackling near, Kleio decided the ambiance was a talkative one. "I'm Kleio. I've been out here for more seasons than I can remember. What about you?" she asked as she opened her pack. Pulling out a rock covered with some kind of paste, she let it touch the fire before lobbying it away from the encampment. Scrambling in the brush was heard but eventually became distant. "Sorry, there was a wolf pack coming this way but I just scared their scout."
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 7:04 pm
 Enjoying his meal still in wolf form he looked at her curiously. She could make out things in the wild, but she still couldn't make out his form. Perhaps his shape shifting confused what ever sense she was using to find her way around. Or perhaps she was just that used to animals and beasts. Its not like he is the only talking wolf in the world. "The name is Soul, Soul Agares. I've been out here since the end of the bestial wars so a good ten years." he answered before tearing into the snake meat. At this point he had almost finished all the meat that he prepared. That was the convenient thing about being a shape shifter. If he needed additional organs he could just make them. And doing that he could store food for a week in one sitting.
Looking to the direction she through the rock in he barked after the fleeing wolf. Standing he dragged the scraps from the snake he killed to the edge of the forest. "Don't mind these guys. They take what I don't eat back to their pack. Saves me the clean up." responded Soul. Quickly after he set the food out the wolf returned and claimed the sack dragging it away. Walking back to the fire Soul laid next to it resting his head on his arms and taking a long drag of his pipe. "Its funny that we both have been in this forest this long and are just now running into each other. Perhaps it was for the best. I didn't find a solution for this poison of mine until three years after I arrived." said Soul.
"The villagers called it the dead forest for a while, and forbade anyone from entering it." said Soul. "Sure made my life a heck of a lot easier, but the last thing I wanted to do was draw attention to myself. Even if I change my face that mist in impossible to miss. So I learned herbal medicine and created a way to filter the air before it leaves my body."
Changing his right arm into a humans arm he scratched behind his ear. "You really don't appreciate the ability to scratch behind your ear easily until you are an animal for a day." said Soul laughing. "But lets get down to what I'm curious about. How have you survived this long in your condition? You have some kind of premonition like the alchemy queen?" asked Soul.
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:26 am
  Cocking her eyebrow, Kleio simply kept her mouth shut when it came to the wolves. Those damn wolves took from her almost more than she could give when she was first adjusting to her new realm. However, once she got her bearings she was able to create something to repel them. It had been quite some time since she had seen a wolf. Most now kept their distance, but if Soul was friendly with them then she would not insult her host beyond what she had already done. He was, after all, in a wolf's form. He, however, was a human beast beneath that fur. Mentally sighing, she relaxed as spoke. There was no way to determine who came to the forest before the other or perhaps at the same time. Though in a wolf's form, she tried to determine his age by the strength of his heart. It was strong and she could feel its slight vibration through the ground, but if she was correct, he was not much older than she was. If so, they might have ended up in this "dead" forest around the same time.
"In return for your... hospitality, I can grow the herb you use for your medicine for you. Considering spring is just here, it might be a while before you get the chance to harvest a new supply. If you have a leaf or stem, that would be enough." she said as she held out her hand. He was hesitant, probably not wanting to lose whatever of the plant he had left, but if his mist is as deadly as he claims, she felt it was her duty to protect the lives in this forest. As he handed her the smallest sapling of a plant, she ran her fingers over it to keep in her memory in case they ever crossed paths again. Kneeling in the dirt, she created a small hole in the ground in which she placed the sapling. Closing the top off, she kept her hand over the plant until it began to grow and push through the earth. Standing, she moved back to the rock while the plant grew into a bush. Soon there'd be blooming flowers upon it. Crimson red if her memory from her seeing days were correct.
Laughing at his comment about scratching ears, Kleio caught herself feeling comfortable around the man and so she dropped her smile and tried to keep most of her focus on her growing plant. Her head only snapped up in his direction when he asked about her. Pondering for a moment, she motioned to the plant before she spoke. "I do not have premonition, but rather a green thumb. My consequence has caused me to be blind, which you can say directly instead of 'condition', but at first I was not fully able to survive. I tried to use my old senses to get through this forest. Needless to say, it did not work as well at first. A normal human, which I tried to be, cannot survive in this domain.
With time I learned to see what cannot be seen. I can sense you through your heartbeat pulsing against the earth you touch. I can sense where fresh water sources are by following the paths of tree roots. I can even sense where and when animals are dying, which helped me gain hides for the makeshift bed I carry. Of course I can obviously grow things when I need them, but I try to not upset the balance of nature too much. Does that sufficiently answer your question?" she asked as she felt the plant begin to blossom. The fragrance was quite nice and balanced. Moving, she plucked a single flower from the bush and placed it in her pack. One cannot make something grow if there is nothing from which to grow. Stepping away, she let him harvest the plant. "Is there anything else you need for your medicine? If so, I best start to plant now before sleep drags me away from the realm of the living." she said as she pulled out her hides and began to make her bed.
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:46 pm
 Soul dropped the pipe out of his mouth when the plant started to bloom in that small amount of time. The herb wouldn't be available for a while if he had for it to naturally grow. And the amount that she was able to grow would last him for at least a month if he didn't have to go into town. This gift meant more to him than she knew, but he knew that this was also her way of making the forest more safe for her and the other life in the area. "Thank you very much. My supply was running lower than I would like. I wasn't able to obtain much before the chill set in. People seem to think this plant gives you good luck and snatch it up on sight." responded Soul as he stepped up to the plant.
As he walked he changed into that of a monkey and began snatching off flower from the plant. Placing the plant close to the fire, but not close enough to burn he began to dry them out and place them in a sack that he had brought. "No this is all I will need. I have plenty of what I mix with this to preserve it. Thank you." responded Soul. "I'll take watch you can sleep. These must be dried as they are picked or they lose their potency." he said as he continued to work. As much as Soul hated people he felt at ease with this newcomer. All the people he had ever known had been warriors. Soul had killed many times before, but he did so willingly. This girl had been hardened a different way, but Soul wasn't one to ask about the past. Everyone has their secrets that they would rather keep to themselves.
Before Soul knew it the work was done and the flowers were dried. Looking around he looked for a thick branch. Forming four more arms he grabbed the branch and sliced off a section. Holding the piece that would have fallen he lowered it slowly to the ground as not to wake his guest. With the piece he cut out he formed a cup shape. Placing the flowers in to he crushed them up and then sealed the top over with a bit of his skin that he quickly regenerated after. Placing it on the ground Soul retracted the extra arms and looked over to Kleio who was fast asleep. Stretching he lowered onto all fours returning to his previous wolf form. Sitting next to the fire he kept his ear out for predators, but luckily the night turned uneventful.
The next morning Soul kicked some dirt into the fire with his hind legs and made sure the cinders were out as well. At that time Kleio woke up. "Morning Kleio." said Soul scratching at the former fire to confirm that everything was out. "I was waiting for you to get up. You sure start your day late." said Soul laughing. It was in fact actually still quite early. Soul and his animal instincts just had him up at strange hours. But that didn't stop him from picking on her. "My cave is due north from this spot. Think of it as my base. If you ever need something head there. I know your scent now so we can avoid an incident like our first meeting."
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:48 pm
 Nodding once at his comment, Kleio took off her main cloak, placed it upon her pack, and slipped into her makeshift bed. Knowing of what was to come, she covered her face with her blanket and stared - obviously quite blankly - ahead of her. Though she knew her senses would all fade away one day till it was just her and her dependency on the earth, she sometimes wished she could exchange her internal senses for her old one. Her thoughts were deafening and her dreams would be as vivid as any one who could see see. Squeezing her eyes shut, she pushed out with her senses so she would absorb only what she could handle. Before long, this trick helped her fall asleep with the background sound of the cackling fire and smell of the crimson flower Soul was harvesting. That peace she felt before her sleep would not, sadly, transition into her dreams. Thankfully the presence of another person kept the worst of the nightmare at bay.
Opening her eyes, a young teenage Kleio opened her eyes and saw her two younger sisters at the dinner table. Their home was small and dirty, but it was a home nonetheless. Smiling, she listened to their banter about cute boys in the village. She didn't have time for such frivolous things in order to make sure her sisters would. They were both her everything and the last family she had left after her parents died. Hearing a knock on the door, she left her sisters at the table to open the door. A stranger stood there asking if this was the Rhode residence. In the back of her mind, Kleio knew what she was seeing, but the memory continued on as she found herself in the forest. The Fenghuang was a peaceful beast that took care of the forest, but it kept a miner - the stranger - out of the forest and halting his production. That man did not want to kill a beast himself, so why not ask a poor girl to do it? She'd have nothing to lose... Upon finding the beast, it looked at her sadly and barely put up a fight against her. A tear fell from her eye as the sword cut into the beast.
Sitting up quickly, she looked in the direction of the moving earth. Soul was putting out the fire. Sighing, she ran her hands through her hair to put the dis-shelved chaos known as her hair into some form of order. "Is it that I start my day late or you start yours early?" she asked back as she stood and began to pack away her things. She knew her face must have seemed cold and distant, but she tried to compensate with her tone. He was not the cause for her frustration. Reaching into her pack, she handed him a stone with blue chalk covering it. "And if you need something, light the stone and throw it far away from your person. I may not have a single settlement, but I'll sense the reaction from the stone. Beyond that, it was... nice meeting you Soul." Nothing more to say, Kleio shouldered her bags and walked away, eventually fading into the foliage around her.
"Lonni, here's the information you asked for. Is there anything else you require or am I free for the time being?" Dropping down from a beam holding up the ceiling, Sakuya lowered her face covering before handing her leader a document. Though her body was unfeeling, her mind filled that gap with curiosity. The things she learned, or wanted to learn, were easy to do when she set her mind to it. That's why Lonni made her their informant, even if she sought knowledge about numerous other things at the same time as acquiring his knowledge.
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:54 pm
 As a monkey Soul tied the sack to his neck loosely before changing into a wolf to fill the gap. "And you as well Kleio" responded Soul. The walking the opposite way towards his camp he smiled. Even though it was for a short time it was nice to have someone else other that the animals to talk to. He hoped that sometime in the future they would meet again. When Kleio would go to check her supplies she would find that Soul did a little extra hunting and filled it with some dried meats. A gift that he hoped that he seasoned to her liking, but he would never know that detail until their next meeting.
Quickening his pace he rapidly approached his cave and walked inside turning into his human form when he was inside it. It was just the way he left it as it always was. Living alone gave you the benefit of always knowing where things were. And checking the date he was reminded that it was a bath day. Sighing he grabbed a solution of plants turned into a gel. It created a nice smelling soap that got him clean. Of course he was just going to get dirty in the week of work, but it was still good to keep at least decent hygiene.
After dropping off his supplies Soul headed out using the same sack to transport his soap. Arriving at a stream he transformed to his human self once again taking the soap from his bag. Walking straight into the water he squeeze a bit of the solution onto his head and worked it into a lather. It was weird how quickly he got used to being naked in the forest. As an animal clothes always get in the way. So outside of his trip to town and the winter nights he usually wore nothing. Scrubbing his body clean he heard something like the rustling of leaves nearby. "No free shows. If you want to see the good you have to pay." Soul said as he continued his bath. Hearing a laugh from another direction Soul reacted by turning into a fish and shooting into the water. The figures rushed to the river side, and that was their last mistake. Tentacles shot up from the water and seized both by their necks. "Who are you?!" a voice erupted from the lake. Instead of answering they stabbed frantically at the tentacles binding them.
Turning his skin into thick scales the dagger got stuck and then two cracks were heard. Necks that would no long hold heads up straight. Dropping the bodies to let the be carried down stream Soul changed back into a human. Taking off towards his cave he noticed that he still wasn't alone. There were at least ten more. Soul took a deep breathe and blew out a deep purple mist. His poison would soon seep through the trees infecting all in the immediate area. But to Soul dismay the one closets to him simply pulled up a mask. "Came prepared did you?" said Soul as he turned into a wolf. Crouching close to the ground he growled as wounds opens up all over his body, and blood began to form an armor of sharp blades.
Lonni looked at Sakuya smiling and took the paper. Then he took out a sheet of paper and wrote on it before handing it to Bakiryu who was standing nearby. "He wants the two of us to help with the capture of Soul and Kleio." he said after glancing over the paper. The "writing" was actually a quick sketch of Bakiryu carrying Soul and Kleio in a huge sack with Sakuya walking behind him lazily. Bakiryu was quick to decipher these pictures, and she they were always given to him. But those who say that Lonni was fit to lead would be sorely mistaken. The boy was smart and his talent for inspiring people was outstanding even without the use of words. He also stood trained in the art of war. Back when the lab was up and running Lonni was their pride and joy.
"Ryl and the others have their hands full with scoping out the castle so it falls to us." said Bakiryu. "Let's get a move on, and maybe we can get back in time for dinner." With that last statement Bakiryu padded his stomach. He was a;ways hungry, but that went to the fault of his curse. He could and has literally eaten an entire horse. But he stands with Sakuya as Lonni's advisers in all things. And with them all together the Orphanage has flourished in a relatively short time.
The area around Soul was a scene or pure chaos. Blade tipped tentacles whipped out at apparently endless enemies, and even though Soul knew what strategy his enemy was using he could do nothing to stop it. Soul began to grow tired, and leading him to his cave would expose his supplies. Still if he got to his supplies perhaps he could make a run for it. Waiting for the right moment Soul took off whipping through the forest at the black figures that still tailed him. Just as he saw his cave in sight something unbelievably fast caught him by surprise hitting Soul straight in the throat. Before he could react something stung the back of his neck. Forcing his body up he let out a strange howl hoping that Kleio would here it and take it as a warning before passing out.
A man with red hair and green eyes walked up. "That drug worked faster than I thought. Why didn't he turn huge to lengthen the time it would take for the drug to take effect?" said the man. "In any case. Good work you two. Lonni was right to use your powers in such a way." Two children walked up smiling wide. One's power was to turn severed body parts into replicas of himself. And the other an accelerated healing. Combining them was a factory of warriors ready to die for their creator. "You guys take this back I'll search for the girl." said the man. "You sure Riki? We were only supposed to come for him." said one of the two children. "Ya I'm sure that Lonni will send Baki to help out anyways. If anything I'll just trail her until he gets here." responded Riki walking away and waving. "Oh and make sure we get all of that drug from his hiding hole. We'll need him to take it in order to hide him anywhere." The two nodded and created a group of soldier to carry Soul.
Riki turned and headed in the last place they saw Kleio. "One step closer to being free of this. We just needed to walk the proper path and not miss any stones." said Riki as he drew his blades and took off into the forest.
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:22 pm
  "It has been a while since we've been sent on a hunt. Should be amusing for the time being. As for dinner, I'm sure you'll find plenty to snack on along the way." Sakuya said flashing her devilish grin. For one who could not feel, one who did not know would never guess. Sakuya wasn't the kind to let anything, not even her consequence, inhibit her from doing what she wanted and enjoying it to the best of her ability. After all, if not for her, who else would mock Bakiryu? Tabatha perhaps, but that mocking would not be pleasant. Pulling out a dagger, she flicked it around between her fingers in anticipation for their hunt. With anticipation setting in, she kicked their speed faster in order to get to the forest before their expected arrival time. Bakiryu, of course, was able to keep up with her and was probably amused by her antics.
Kleio, after taking a quick bath in a spring far from Soul's location, was out harvesting edible plants not long after she left Soul's camp. Much to her dismay, she somewhat missed having another person to speak to. The birds singing in the trees and squirrels chattering about her were pleasant sounds, but nothing like actually being able to speak and carry a conversation. It had been quite some time since she had been able to do that. Filling her pack, she began to carry her cargo to a large tree that had a segment of roots hollowed out in order to hide her precious belongings. Around the roots were plants that animals and humans avoided due to harsh reactions to the chemicals in the plants, but that was no issue for her. She found it to be quite useful in fact. Leaving out only what she needed to eat for the day, she dried and stored the rest of her stash in the roots.
By this time, the forest seemed to have gone still. Animals were silent and practically missing. The air felt colder and whistled harshly through the trees. Hiding her pack with her food, she grabbed her sword and moved slowly through the forest. Something was rustling and it was no animal known to the forest. Eventually a man jumped out and leaped at her. Moving quickly to the side, she made the earth change to quick sand where the man landed. He must have underestimated her because she was blind, but that would be his last mistake. There were others, but not many. Their feet beat against the ground like an angry, yet distant, drum. Leaving this man alive would only be folly to her survival. Hardening the earth, she crushed his internal organs and killed the man before finding ground that would be better to fight upon.
Before she could reach a better position, she heard a sad howl that could be no other but Soul. She wanted to go to his aid, but she felt as though she was being followed. Sheathing her sword, she calmed her mind to focus on the locations of anyone who may be close to her. 'Come out come out wherever you are.' she thought to herself as she began to move slowly at first then took off as fast as she could into the denser and more treacherous terrain of the forest. It was easy for her to leap and run across, but hard for any who followed since she left traps in her wake. "Going to let her get away?" Sakuya asked as she dropped out of the tree above Riki. Their appearance may have hindered his progress for a moment, but Bakiryu and Sakuya kept moving, though on the ground this time to better track the girl. For a blind girl, she certainly put up more of a challenge than Sakuya expected. It will most definitely be fun to hunt Kleio. Running into the denser forest, the trio made sure to watch out for any traps that may hinder their progress.
With Bakiryu in the lead, finding Kleio was not so difficult. Sakuya, impatient to get to the exciting part of the hunt, threw a dagger that Kleio was barely able to avoid. Wiping away blood from the fresh cut on her arm, Kleio knew it was only time before they overtook her. Three against one were not favorable odds yet that did not stop her from trying to escape. She even made the earth quake beneath everyone's feet, but to no avail. Sakuya, with precision aim, got a dagger to hold Kleio to a tree by her layered clothing. By the time she was able to start taking off her cloak to get free, she felt a sting in her skin and a drowsiness overcome her. Sinking to her knees, she was barely able to scratch the face of one of her captors with her nails before sinking to the ground and becoming unconscious. "Scratches look good on you Bakiryu, make you look more rugged" Laughing at her own joke, Sakuya gathered her thrown daggers and waited for Bakiryu to pick up their captive before heading back to Lonni. He'd be pleased with their success and they would be home in time for dinner.
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Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:49 am
 One last bite..."I better or I'll be eating your helping tonight." said Bakiryu laughing as they ran off. She usually gave him what she couldn't finish anyways. He was like a human garbage disposal. Nothing was wasted when Bakiryu was at the table. But eating in such large quantities gave Bakiryu the beast like strength that he was so proud of. The more he at the more power he had access to. As Sakuya increased her speed Bakiryu simply kicked a little harder with each stride to match her. At top speed on all fours he could have left her in the dust, but the energy that would waste wasn't worth it, and stopping wasn't so easy when he got his momentum going.
Riki heard some commotion ahead and shook his head. "I told those two that I had this under control. Do people think that I am weak?" complained Riki. As he wasted time in his thoughts Sakuya and Bakiryu past him up as Sakuya taunted him. Riki sighed and ran to catch them as they pursued Kleio. She was proving harder to catch than they expected. As Riki thought she had some sort of inhuman sight to back up her blindness. But what ever it was it wasn't as dangerous as the premonition that the killers of Griffins claim. With their increased numbers and strategies that they mastered surviing in the harsh world they were able to overcome the blind warrior. Touch his fast he saw the blood and smiled. "You think so?" asked Bakiryu slinging Kleio over one shoulder with ease. "What did you put in this stuff Riki? It's way more potent than what you usually use." asked Bakiryu.
"Well I wanted to avoid another Behemoth situation. It took ten whole minutes for him to go down. We could have lost someone if you weren't there." answered Riki. Bakiryu scratched behind his head with his free hand with a huge grin. "You flatter me Riki." answered Bakiryu. "Let's get these two back to the base. With any luck this one killed a griffin. of some kind." said Riki. "Though I highly doubt it."
"But that other one killed a Chimera for sure right Sakuya? You've been gathering information on him for months. Ryl is sure to be happy that we caught him." asked Bakiryu as they started heading back.
The way back to the city was faster since they didn't have to watch out for anything special. As they reached the city wall a few bricks were pushed out to allow the three into the secret tunnel that lead back to the orphanage. Lonni was sure to be happy with today's catch. Walking into the orphanage the children that were in the front room gave a small cheer. "Yep that's right your hero has returned!" announced Bakiryu. A small child walked up weakly. "Anything for me today?" he asked. "Not today little one, but I'm not giving up until I find you that demon fox your after." answered Bakiryu.
The three headed straight to Lonni who was sitting next to a mess of various drawings. Lonni's premonitions came in waves. He was never able to perfectly determine what he wanted to see. So instead he drew them all and Riki and Bakiryu would make sense of them. Lonni before drew a picture of Soul and Kleio being brought to him, and things were going just as planned.
Lonni stood up and walked over to the three hugging each of them, before looking at Kleio. Shaking his head Bakiryu sighed in response. "We'll we will find out just what she killed, and hopefully there is some kid we can save with her. Well keep ol' Crimson head locked up til Ryl gets back". Lonni nodded and waved to the three as he moved back to his drawings. "I better go lock these two up before they wake up. I'll catch you two later." said Bakiryu holding Soul and Kleio. "Sakuya I'll let you handle Kleio. Me and Ryl will deal with Soul. She will be in cell number 8"
Riki stretched out his back. "You two an all that acrobatic crap are going to break me one of these days. I should just stay here tinkering with plants and medicines." he said laughing. "But then I'd get bored and head out to do something stupid like I always do. Anyways find anything interesting for me while you information gathering?" Riki asked that Sakuya bring back anything she learned about special plants or medicines while she was out and about. She knew the underworld better that he did, and had access to rare poisons that the general public doesn't even know about.
Waking up with his eyes half glazed over Soul found himself trapped in a room changed to a chair. A mask was strapped to his face as a half assed attempt to contain the poison. Sadly they didn't know that the poison was on his skin and hair as well. A few of his captors might be poison as a result, but that would just mean less people for him to kill with his own hands. But whoever these people were had done their homework. The room was sealed off well except for a vent that probably went outside the building. And the bound that tied him were made to cover the transformation's he was capable of doing. Soul was not able to go bigger or smaller than he own mass in a short amount of time. He would need time to adjust the his organs to be smaller or bigger than what he was. And his body wasn't responding well. He didn't have the focus to change form even if he wanted too. IT was likely the effect of some drug.
He would just have to wait and see what these people wanted. If they had a deal with the Blood Moon he had little time to get out of them and leave the country. But suddenly while he was trying to figure things out the door opened and a boy walked in. Long black hair with a gold helmet decorating his forehead. He wore a simply shirt with some white shorts, but this boy had seen his fair share of blood shed. Of that Soul was very certain. "I wanted to be the one to capture you myself, but we can't all have what we want. But to think that I'd be one of the first to be cured. Someone must be looking out for me somewhere." said the boy as he walked about Soul strapped to the chair.
Soul laughed and said nothing as his voice would be muffled by the mask anyway. "No hard feelings right? I mean you would do the same thing in my shoes right? Old man. Die so that the young can live!" said the boy as he stabbed his claw into Soul's chest. Soul writhed in pain as the claw when straight through and out his back. Ripping the blade out the boy waited a moment. "Why aren't you dead? I hit your heart and your lungs." asked the boy a bit pissed. "Oh ya thats right. You can change your body structure. I'll just have to stab you until you stop breathing!" said the boy as he began to stab Soul over and over.
Screams filtered out from the room for a while. "I bet your trying to bide your time until your poison can kill me. But it won't work on me. We are both of the same beast. So just stop struggling and die already!" yelled the boy as went to strike again, but just as he was about to his body stopped in its tracks. Stabbing through him was long spire of blood. It was not as accurate or powerful as Soul wanted, but it was enough to stop the kick. Once he was melded with the kids blood stream he could control him to a small degree. Suddenly the door burst open and a force knocked Soul across the room into a wall. Soul was breathing heavily, but in this moment he was able to heal up his wounds.
"Dammit this man just wont die!" said the boy. "Ryl your just going about it all wrong." said Bakiryu. "Crush his head. Don't mess with the organs." said Bakiryu. Ryl growled. "I know what I'm doing!" said Ryl walking over to Soul. But this boy wouldn't get another chance atleast not today. Soul's body expdanded and kept doign so as the chains resisted him. A lions body, a goats head, and a snakes tail filled the room in a grotesque shape. Soul roared loudly as he formed claws and swatted the boy to the side of the room. Charging the other man he attempted to shove him through the door, but the man was much stronger than he looked. "Not that easy you don't" said Bakiryu.
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Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 7:07 pm
 Rolling her eyes at the boys, Sakuya lazily followed behind them. "Of course he's a chimera. Have I ever given the Orphanage unreliable information?" she pointedly asked. Bored now that the hunt was over, she could hardly wait to get back and try to gather more information of possible targets. Laughing at Bakiyru being a hero, she pushed passed him and walked to Lonni, stopping just a few steps away. She could interpret his drawings, but she left that to Bakiyru. He was, after all, second in command. Opening her arms to accept Lonni's hug, she waited for her orders. He was still interested in the beast the girl killed which meant that was probably going to be her task. Walking by Riki's side to the cells, she laughed at him before digging in her side bag. "Of course I brought something back for you, you are my favorite numskull after all." she jokingly said as she pulled out a few plant species from her bag. "They come from the Kingdom of Arkasia. No idea what they're good for, but that's your job right? Have fun, I'm going to go talk to the mysterious Kleio."
Grabbing her arm, she pulled it out of socket and broke her elbow while walking after Bakiryu. Giving herself a black eye, she felt as though she was done "harming" herself. Her body was unfeeling, a good and bad consequence in and of itself. For her, it was great to utilize when it came to prisoner information exchange. Kleio might be blind, but her senses could not be fooled. She'd be able to tell the damage done to her body and it would help her be at ease around Sakuya, hopefully enough to get her to talk. Going into the cell after Bakiyru, she latched the shackles onto her wrists like Kleio and kept her healing processes at bay until Kleio woke up. It wouldn't be long now, she could practically hear the screams of the chimera killer. Ryl must be quite happy with their catch then. They all would be one day, it would just take more time and more information. She could wait, her consequence for the time being was quite easy to handle. The younger children was more of her concern. They shouldn't have had to live their lives this way.
Lost in her own thoughts, she barely noticed Kleio beginning to stir. Turning her head, she tried to keep her heart calm. This, she hoped, would be one of her better performances. Information gathering was just an act or barter, both of which she was quite good at. By the time Kleio was awake, her heart began to beat quickly. She could hardly see. There was enough earth in the floor for her to get the vaguest sense of what and where she was, but beyond that she was practically blind. Quite an unpleasant situation to wake up to. Pulling at her chains, she realized she was rather stuck in her predicament and would have to wait. Sighing, she leaned her head back against the wall Sakuya, of course, took this hopeless moment to take action. "Here have some water, I'm sure you're tired after those brutes chased you. They got me early in town, broke my arm and gave me a black eye. You seem fine though, must be a good fighter." Sakuya said as she pushed a cup of water over to Kleio by her foot. It made enough noise for Kleio to know where it was, but she was too distrusting to take water from a stranger, even a hurt one. "Thank you, but I do not require water at this time."
Nodding, Sakuya took a different tactic. "Well its there when you need it. I'm Adalia. What's your name?" Kleio, instead of a response, turned her head towards the girl and tried to give her best annoyed look she could muster through blind eyes. Sighing, she turned her head away again and closed her eyes. "No need to be rude, we're sharing a cell for who knows how long. The least we could do is pull our forces and try to get out of here before we end up like that screaming man earlier..." Sakuya said with a huff. She tried her best to sound indignant though she was truly feeling more so annoyed at how dreary this girl was. At the thought of a man screaming, Kleio felt deep down that it was Soul. If that was true, then they gathered three people at most that night, two of which were people who had killed beasts. It was then fully possible that this girl had killed a beast as well. Why, however, they were rounding up people like them was not a logically conclusion she could come to.
"What did you kill?" Kleio asked as she opened her eyes and turned to Sakuya. At this Sakuya perked up internally, though stayed silent for a moment. "I killed a nereid. How did you know I killed a beast?" Sakuya made sure she sounded hesitant to Kleio. For her, this was almost too much fun for a prison cell. Biting her lip to stifle her laughter, she waited for Kleio's reply. "Logic dictates that if more than one person is kidnapped, then there must be a commonality between them. My friend, who I think was screaming as you claim, was one who killed a beast. I personally..." Kleio almost said what beast she had killed, but then she felt it. It took time to feel it, but there it was, one of the heartbeats that chased her in the forest. Hearts, like faces for seeing people, was a way for her to tell who different people were. This one was no friend of hers. She was wanting information from Kleio, what that information was she again did not know but not speaking was the best way to keep the information away from this person.
Sakuya was practically on the edge of her seat. Kleio was so close to telling her what her beast was and then a pause happened. She wanted to practically scream at the girl, but sadly she had to wait. "I personally know that you are the cause for the cut on my arm and that you are no prisoner. Now either tell me what you're plans are for myself or my friend, or just kill me because you won't get anything out of me." With that said, she swiftly kicked the cup of water at Sakuya. Screeching, Sakuya pulled her arms out of the shackles and let her healing powers take over. Her arm and wrists mended themselves as the bruise on her eye faded away. Glaring at the smirking, blind woman, she moved to leave the cell. "There are other ways to make you speak and keep you alive." With that said, she stalked off to find Riki. He had poisons she needed to torture the information out of Kleio. No one can blame her, she tried nicely to get the information out of the woman, but now she had to do it the hard way. "Riki!" she yelled as she walked through the hallways of the orphanage.
The moment the girl left, Kleio got to work. They didn't know her power which worked to her benefit. The seeds and dirt that stuck to her clothes would help her to escape. Making them grow, she focused them to move and expand in the locks of her shackles. It would take some time since her powers were still weak, but she was going to be no one's prisoner. "Don't worry Soul, I'm going to do what I can to get us out of here."
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Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:47 pm
 Lonni looked intensely at the four most recent pictures that she drew. One was of the children of her orphanage fighting a terribly bloody battle. The next was a man with red hair and a strange body eating a bird. Following that was a black giant slaying a large snake. And the fourth and final was a red lion with a beautiful bird riding on his back. Focusing on the pictures she still couldn't make out thier meaning. There were two men with red hair, but they were not the same. One was more gentle and kind, while the other was hardly able to be called a man. Seeing yet another vision she saw the two men fighting with the children behind him. He sheltered them from the evil looking mans blades. What ever was changing these fates was happening now.
Lonni could only think of one red haired man close to her, and that was Soul. Standing up she darted down the hallway grabbing both of her daggers. As she stepped out she saw Sakuya walking past her agitated. As she passed she had a bad feeling about Sakuya. Riki was walking down the hallway as Sakuya approached him asking for help. "You need a painful one huh?" I got just the thing for ya." answered Riki as he went into his bag. Lonni approached Riki with a concerned expression. "What is it?" asked Riki. Lonni had forgotten her papers and colors and began to get very frantic.
"Slow down and express it with your hands." said Riki placing his hands on her shoulders to steady her, but with that a rush of information was sent to Riki. A wasteland of children's bodies, and Lonni laid broken in the piles until a blade shredded her to pieces. A tear ran down Riki's face. "What did I just see? When did your fate change?!" exclaimed Riki. Lonni shook her head and turned to where Soul and Kleio were being held. Lonni broke free of Riki and flew down the hallway to Kleio's room. But just as she reached the door, the door that contained Soul flew off its hinges and scattered down the hallway barely missing Lonni.
Following shortly after was Bakiryu who slid to a halt before standing up straight. In a sickening sight a mass of flesh slithered out of the cell door before combining to become a full chimera with red fur and a abysmal black mane. It was huge. Reaching the cieling of the hallway that was a story and a half tall. Soul said nothing, but simply looked at Lonni and Bakiryu with narrowed eyes. The snake head moved side to side reach to strike. Lonni looked on not with fear, but understanding. Was this the lion from her vision that lead the children to paradise?
"Riki and Sakuya! Secure the other prisoner. Lonni would you like to take him while I make sure the children are safe?" asked Bakiryu. Upon hearing that there was another prisoner Soul let out a deafening roar. Extending his claws he pounced letting out a fierce series of slashes. Lonni dodged them as if they were nothing, but that wasn't Soul's plan. He had sniffed out the room that held the familiar scent and now that door was lined up with his back hoof. Kicking the door hard it shot across the room past Kleio and cracked the wall before falling to the ground. Soul now had to clear the way for them to escape.
"Dammit Ryl you just had to savor the kill didn't you?" complained Bakiryu. Soul laughed in a deep tone and prepared to launch another attack. Looking at them all he saw a total of four warriors. But just as he sized up his compitition he felt a sharp sting in his back. Changing the goats head on his back to the top half of his own blody he formed a blade from his arm and struck out at it. The attacker flipped off his back and next to the other four. A girl with crimson hair and a devilish look on her face.
"Bout time you showed up Tabatha. We are going to need you in this fight." said Bakiryu. Soul with half his body on the beast formed a full sword out of his blood and swung it once to test it. "How did he grow this large already? The drug should have prevented this." said Riki.
Soul smiled again looking straight at Riki who he assumed to be the one who made the poison. "I know better than to kill an assassin that is only trying to capture you. If you were out to kill me I would have killed those two hidden in that forest. And if you were as smart as you though you were you would have research just how much I can rearrange my body. That poison never reached my bloodstream. So while I took my time changing my body to form this." said Soul flailing his large body around in an intimidating display. "I let you all play your little game. Now I can kill all of you and go back to take a nap."
Lonni stepped forward and put away her blades. "Lonni?" asked Bakiryu. Lonni put her hand up and lowered it telling everyone to put their weapons away as well. As soon as the weapons were gone she looked back to Soul and bowed. Bakiryu was beyond confused. Making a talking gesture with her hand she pointed to Riki then she pointed to Soul, and finally the exit. "Ummmm. our leader says that you may leave. We will not follow you." said Riki.
"Bit to late for that. I can't trust you." answered Soul. Suddenly a thin purple mist began to escape Soul lips. "The dose ran out already?" asked Riki. Lonni made a reference to clothes and smoking. Riki ran off and brought Soul's clothes and medicine and laid it on the floor in front of soul. Turning into a snake he slithered quickly into his clothes and took a smoke off his pipe as he turned back to his human form. Until Kleio was out of the area he had to keep his poison at bay. "Fine I'll leave the decision up to Kleio. Not like these scratches actually hurt. But you have to admit I put on quite a performance." said Soul still holding his blade. "Am I killing these kids or are we walking out of here?" asked Soul ready to act on her words.
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Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 11:48 am
 "And this is why you're my favorite." Sakuya said as she waited for the herbs to make Kleio cry like a newborn baby. Her hand dropped, however, when she saw Lonni walking down the hallway in the direction of the cells. Pointing, she waited for Lonni and Riki to discuss her visions. It seemed that she forgot her drawings though, poor thing. Lonni worked so hard for them that one could not help but have their hearts go out to her in her times of panic. For Sakuya, she figured she saw something relevant to her prisoners, but then Riki's demeanor changed and the word's out of his mouth were quite unexpected. Her fate had changed and Riki had a tear run down his face. Fate was a temperamental thing, but the Orphanage would do whatever they could to fix Lonni's fate. There would be no reason to cry then. Moving to stand next to Riki, she was pushed out of the way as Lonni rushed towards the cells. "What the hell is going on?" she asked as she and Riki rushed after Lonni.
Looking up at the growing mass of distorted flesh, she realized what was going on. The moment she had the chance to leave the Chimera and secure Kleio in her cell she took it. Kleio, on the other hand, was free in her cell. The plants she grew busted open the lock and was now growing plants on the floor in order to see and find a way out. Feeling a rumble, she moved to the other side of her cell as something hit hard in the room next to hers. This was what she needed. The structural integrity of her own room was now compromised and she was going to make it crumble. Putting her hands on the wall, she pushed with all of her might till the wall came down and on top of the unsuspecting Sakuya. "Ooh, so sorry. Try drinking some water with those wounds." she said as she ran over the rubble grew more plants so she would be able to see. There were plenty of sounds, but not enough to give her a direction of what to do.
"Of course you need me, all of you are incompetent fighters." Tabatha stated as she started rounding the Chimera. There was a weak spot, always was, and she just needed to find it. Listening to Soul's words just riled her up more and not even Lonni dropping her weapons was going to stop her. The blood lust was far too strong. Sakuya, on the other hand, had to break her own bones in order to wiggle out of the debris. Healing quickly, she picked up a dagger and threw it at Tabatha in order to change her focus. Tabatha charged for her, but she stopped her with a piece of paper. "On this sheet is a rich man in the underworld who is a known rapist and murder of every gender and age. Go kill him to take out your blood lust." Nothing more was needed to be said as Tabatha ran out of the hallway to find her new target.
Kleio was shoved down when Tabatha ran out, but she didn't mind. She was just glad that crazy heart wouldn't harm Soul. Using the wall to help herself up, she continued slowly till she stood between Lonni and Soul. Extending her senses through the plant carpet she made, she turned to Soul and shook her head no. "As much as I may dislike them, they are all no more than children forced to live lives we both know aren't easy. It wouldn't be right to kill them. But give me just a moment with the one whose voice I haven't heard." Turning to face Lonni, she took a few steps forward till the stood over the young girl. Tension was high with the others which made Kleio quite sure that this was a focal point of the group if not the leader. Bending to where her mouth was at Lonni's ear, she spoke the words she knew the person wanted to know. "I killed a Fenghuang. I do not know why that matters or why you took us captive, but as much as I sympathize with you and your group, I will not tolerate this again. Next time, I'll kill more than just one to protect myself though I ask that not happen. Enough blood has stained my hands."
Standing up, she grabbed her sword off of a random teenager and tied its sheath to her belt. Turning, she followed the beat of Soul's heart out of the Orphanage. It was nice to feel real earth beneath their feet again. It put her world back into focus. Pausing just a moment, she used the earth to fix their wall before leaving. This way it'd be much harder to directly follow them should they choose that course of action. Running alongside Soul, they reached the forest in no time. Here they slowed their pace as they went through their place of refuge. "Thank you for saving me back there. I was trying to do the same for you, but you beat me to the punch." she said with a laugh as they walked. Eventually they passed the tree where she stored her belongings and she grabbed them out before she continued her walk with her. Pulling out some of the dried meat he gave her, she nibbled at it. The protein would be nice after all of the calories she burned while being chased earlier that night. "Would you really have killed those children?" she asked as she looked up at Soul. She may have killed one, but that was in self defense. They were willing to let him go and yet he still was ready to pounce if she gave the order.
"So... what just fully happened?" Sakuya asked as the last rib healed itself. Most of the damage on their home Kleio fixed, Tabatha was out for a kill, and she was completely in the dark - probably with many others - about what was going on in Lonni's head. Motioning for Bakiryu and Riki to take her lead, she escorted Lonni back to her drawing table in order for the boys to figure out what was going on. 
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