Fate - First Reply Crimson Trails

[Liliana]

The man seemed to look at Everleigh for a brief moment, looking at her with confusion before he looked back towards Liliana.

A nod dipped the Noblewoman's head.

"Most of them with the mages."​

A frown touched Liliana's lips almost instantly. That presented a problem, but then again...if the Mages were taking all the magic users then that was likely where many of the other Initiates had ended up after the mess on the beach. Not that it mattered much.

They were here for only one person. "What about Idrig, darling? Have you heard of anyone with that name here?"

"I...ma...yes. Yes...He's with the mages. They took in some days ago..."​

A curse escaped Liliana's lips.

For a brief moment she considered, blancing to Everleigh, then to the prisoners. "We'll need to create a little chaos."

Probably more than a little.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Oh. Tonight kept getting better and better. No, really, it was, at least for Everleigh. She tilted her head down, grinning and wrapping her arms around herself to keep her from shaking from the sheer excitement of it all. Not only could she be killed by a giant fireball, she was going against mages who didn’t seem human, it was seven to two, she could be captured and forced to live a horrible, miserable existence, and she could find out that Idrig was possibly dead and they had done all this hard work for nothing. Things were always so much more exciting with either side had so much to lose.

Liliana’s words broke Everleigh’s glee, causing her to clear her throat and look back at Liliana with that stoic gaze. She nodded her head. It seemed Liliana had a plan, and Everleigh watched her as she glanced to the prisoners. Oh. Good idea.

“Leave it to me,” Everleigh said with a smile, eyes glowing. For a moment they were violet but a second later they had turned gold. She steadied her breathing, coming to the first cage and checking out the lock. There was no need to try and find the key. It just made more sense for Everleigh to hold it in both her hands. Moments later, a sizzling could be heard, steam rising up between the crevices of Everleigh’s hands. Her eyes were still glowing gold and she concentrated, the sweat from her hands aiding her acidic touch. It was a newer ability she had discovered and it came in handy. After a little of a minute, the lock on the cage had eroded just enough so when Everleigh pulled on it, it snapped right off.

“I think the candles will be a good touch. Give them a little taste of their own medicine. I’m sure if they were all knocked over the tent would go up in flames.” She said slyly, heading over to the next cage and repeating her actions. After the first lock, the next ones went by much quicker.

 

[Liliana]

Lovely.

It seemed that her new friend was far more useful than she had originally anticipated her to be. Perhaps there was a lesson to be learned in that, though it wasn't like Liliana would pause long enough to actually take note of that.

There was to much to be done. With a smile she quickly followed behind her companions wake. Only stopping to turn back towards her transfixed Guardian. "Stay there, precious."

Liliana purred before she moved to the entrance of the first cage.

She did not use the weavings as she arrived at the prisoners, instead she simply used her words. Quick whispers, quiet words, and assuring promises were more than enough for the newly freed slaves. A pat on the cheek and a quick terse plan captured most of them.

The same could be said for those in the second cage that Evereleigh opened, and then for the third as well.

By the time all of the cages were opened the two Initiates had a small army of fourteen men and women. All of them were haggard and worn, but that didn't particularly matter. They were a distraction, nothing less, nothing more.

"This will be enough." Liliana mused to Evie. "They will 'escape', and we'll find those mages."

She glanced towards her pet guard. "With a little help, no?"

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh shrugged. Fine. No fire right now. But later. Once the mages were handled, Everleigh was going to burn this place to the ground. Or at least burn one big tent. She looked over at their tiny army, and frowned. She began to deftly pull the weapons out hidden throughout her body, producing five flat steel blades, six throwing spikes and two daggers. She had licked the blades or their points, and glanced back at Liliana. This was all she was willing to part with, and she set them on the ground before the freed prisoners.

“Don’t prick yourselves unless you want to die.” She warned, before pausing, taking two of the flat blades and handing them to the two freed corsairs. Made more sense for the most skilled of the prisoners to get the better weapons. Everleigh nodded approvingly at her idea. Hopefully each person could at least take out some of those guards for them, then. She then looked over at Liliana.

“Let’s get started. Idrig is waiting.” She said with a smirk. Despite appearing just fine, Everleigh could feel the needle of worry. She needed water, especially after using so much fluid in general. Her throat did feel dry. However, she had other things she could use if desperate, namely blood.

 

[Liliana]

There would be no argument from her. "Alright."

Liliana briefly glanced at their 'army'. Pathetic as it was, she knew that there was little doubt in her mind that they were useful. Even as little more than fodder, they would serve a purpose. That much she was sure of to her very core.

A breath filled her lungs.

She shot a glance towards Everleigh for a moment, judging her. Was she ready for this? Was Liliana ready for this? There was no small amount of trepidation to her. She did not like being on the frontlines, less so in a siutaiton like this.

"Lets go." She pointed to the others. "Run to the waters, the ships, as fast as you can."

It was the opposite direction of Idrig, of those mages.

Some seemed to flicker, looking at her, and then it began. The prisoners stalked out of the tent, some holding Everleigh's weapon, others rushing forward. A roar escaped from them, and soon after chaos broke loose.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh was still as the freed began moving. She didn’t move until that roar of defiance rang out among the camp. She pulled out two throwing spikes, licked them to administer toxins and had just finished as two pirates rushed into the tent.

“You!” One of the men shouted, most likely about to say more but Everleigh was poised to throw. The flick of her wrist was quick yet sure, the spikes hitting both of the unassuming pirates squarely in the throat. It wasn’t long that they were choking on their own blood, their lips turning blue. Everleigh looked back at Liliana and nodded her head, a silent “let’s go.”

Everleigh was the first out of the tent, peeking out of the flap, wishing that she had a shard of perfectly tempered steel or a mirror to really see what was going on. But Liliana was correct with the plan to make a distraction because as far as Evie could see, it was working. And quite well.

A deep breath. The moment she exhaled, Everleigh was off, dashing to where the guard had told Liliana the mages were. It was best to catch them now, when hopefully, they could still be surprised. After all, the mages were the real problem. Especially if they weren’t human.

 

[Liliana]

Liliana moved after Everleigh as soon as she darted out of the tent.

Her magic rushed outward, the weave, the press of it casting over the others who were all around them. It was a net that reached out, dragging over the minds of the former prisoners. All of them seemed to stop for a second, and then a press pushed against their mind.

It was instantaneous, powerful, and utterly violent. The men and women who had a second ago just been released from their cages turned into rabid dogs.

A loud roar escaped form the prisoners as Liliana, the enraptured Guard, and Everleigh slipped through the the tent city. Every last man and woman who had been within the cages rushed out, rage, anger, and utter hatred on their faces.

They rushed and attacked anyone they saw, stabbing with Everleigh's needs, tearing at flesh, screaming like mad dogs.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh was quite amazed with how vigorous the prisoners ran about, wrecking a good deal of havoc. She had no idea that Liliana produced that, nor did the thought occur to her that Liliana could produce such a result. However, the fact that the little army was steadily drawing all sorts of attention onto them was a good thing. It gave Liliana and Everleigh the best amount of cover they could ask for. Although, Everleigh did feel a bit of a jealous twinge tugging at her heart.

She reminded herself though that they could have the small fry. The mages were going to be the star of the whole upheaval and Everleigh couldn’t wait.

Even with the rush from the prisoners, Everleigh was still careful in her movements. She was crouching, using tents as cover. Pirates were running around, swords drawn, determined to end this mutiny as quickly as possible. She frowned, hearing the first bloodcurdling scream of pure agony. From which side, she couldn’t tell. She hoped it was the pirates writhing in pain.

The trio came to the tents of the mages, and Everleigh darted to the first tent’s side, her last flat blade in her hand. She was sure the mages wouldn’t be staying in their tents for much longer. She was looking at the stakes, debating if the best way would be sneak in by their own entrance or to head into the front or to wait for the mages to just walk out and catch them by surprise.

 

[Liliana]

Liliana frowned as they approached the tents, sticking directly to Everleigh's rear. She was mindful of the girl, watching her.

Paranoia had set in over the years, and she knew that the best way of getting rid of fellow Initates was often in moments like this. Still, Everleigh was the only useful tool she had right now, and there was no way she was throwing her away.

Not yet anyway. "The back."

She whispered.

"Cut a slit in the tent." They had to be careful. These mages had already shown once that they could catch the Dreadlords by surprise. "They'll hear the ruckus and we can come from behind."

The more carefully they played this the more likely they would be successful. At least in her mind.

With one quick motion she and the other Initiate ducked to the left, moving behind the mages tents so they could cut their way inside.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh nodded her head at Liliana’s suggestion. Another good idea. Everleigh was quite focused on the mission ahead of them, not thinking anything remotely close to finishing off Liliana. But there were plenty of reasons why she wouldn’t: number one, she came from a noble house and after the revolution that would be akin to Everleigh hanging herself; number two, Everleigh didn’t see Liliana as a threat; and number three—and most importantly— Liliana had given her perfume. She could still smell the sweet smell even now as they headed to the back.

Another brief pause, listening in. Everleigh frowned, not hearing anything in side and gave Liliana a glance that conveyed this worry. She squatted down low, flat blade steady in her hand. The moment she stabbed the canvas of the tent she rocketed right up, cutting upwards and hearing the zip of blade along the fabric.

She was quiet as one could be and hopefully with all the ruckus going on outside she hoped that maybe it had been unnoticed?

 

[Liliana]

Liliana didn't hesitate, or rather, she didn't let her pet hesitate. "Go, dear."

She whispered quietly to the man she'd wrapped around her fingers.

"Go, find what I need." There wasn't a second of hesitation, not a moment of waiting. The Guard dashed forward, pushing past Everleigh and drawing his sword without even a single question.

Liliana half expected to see the man utterly eviscerated. Thought that she would hear him scream in pain almost as soon as he stepped inside. Yet no such sound came. No such noise.

Instead there was only silence, confusion.

"I...My Lady? There is no one here."​

Liliana frowned almost instantly, looking towards Evie. Her head shook, and then she stepped through the slit in the canvas and into the tent.

She found, just as the guard had said, that it was completely empty. The tent was about the size as the one they had entered earlier. This one though had tow tables, a large altar, and what appeared to be a strange marking upon the floor.

A frown touched Liliana's lips, gaze flickering to the table. "Are those...the collars?"

She asked, spotting strange metal circlets that seemed to be made of a metal blacker than the night itself.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh was prepared to step into the tent but that was because she had forgotten that Liliana’s puppet could do all the dangerous stuff. She let the man slid inside, and much like Liliana was waiting to hear something gruesome.

It seemed like for those few moments, Everleigh couldn’t even hear the fighting going on away from them, instead she tried to hear whatever was happening in the tent.

Which was nothing.

She followed Liliana’s lead in entering the tent. Looking around, and frowning. Where were the seven mages? Idrig? The other initiates? Everleigh was focusing on the strange symbol on the floor, her head tilted slightly until Liliana spoke. The poison eater came beside her, looking at the collars.

“Ominous,” Everleigh murmured. She was hesitant to reach out and touch it but… as long as it wasn’t around her neck, she’d be fine, right? Fifty-fifty chance. Good odds. And so she reached out, picking up the collar. Nothing felt off. It didn’t shock her. With a deep breath, Everleigh focused the way she would if she were to prepare poison.

That was when she felt it. With a gasp she dropped the collar, her fingers blistering from where she had held the collar. Her dull violet eyes narrowed as she looked at her fingers and then the collars. She hadn’t been able to use her magick and instead she was punished for even trying. She’d imagine with trying to use magick for a prolonged period would kill whatever dreadlord wore this.

 

[Liliana]

Liliana twisted, turning towards Everleigh the instant she let out that gasp.

Eyes darted towards the blisters on her palms, lips turning to a scowl as she swept across the tent and reached her...companion. "Evie!"

She blurted out as she grabbed the girls wrists without thinking, turning her palm over so that she could inspect the wound. Nothing, should hurt her property. What belonged to her, and included that was those who followed within her wake.

A frown touched her lips, gaze flickering to the collar.

"Something..." Lips thinned. "Something is happening here, and I don't quite understand it."

She admitted, looking towards the Guard she'd wrapped around her fingers. "Sweetheart, Guard the Entrance."

Liliana demanded, still unsure of what in the fuck was going on.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh had had worst things done to her than some collar burning her hand. At the end of the day, she was human and pain was pain. It never dulled, at least not for Everleigh, but she had been taught how to overcome it through sheer will and determination. She was fine, the gasp more so from shock than anything but she didn’t expect Liliana to react the way she did.

That was more shocking than being hurt by the collar. Especially the fact that Liliana touched her. After calling her Evie. Everleigh became very still, every muscle tense. She was sure that this meant to harm— it had to right? After all, anytime someone had touched her was to harm her. No one wanted to be near the poison eater if they weren’t ordered to.

Everleigh shrugged, drawing her hand back and patting it lightly on her thigh. It helped with the pain, at least in her mind. It also kept her from flinching at Liliana’s cool touch.

“The altar.” Everleigh said as the guard went to the front of the tent. She also pointed at the marking, “do you recognize that? I thought maybe a sigil for something? But i don’t recognize.” She was studious but more so for things that pertained to her or was required in class.

 

[Liliana]

She frowned for a moment.

A surprising amount of her time at the Academy had been spent studying in the Archives. Her father had always encouraged her to be there, practically demanded she go. Not because her magic was weak, but because of what was held in the libraries.

Knowledge, taken from Elven strongholds and plucked from all the places Vel Anir had ever taken. The Academies Archives contained enough secret knowledge to make even the Maester's of Elbion balk. At least that was what she'd been told.

Liliana combed through her memories, trying to remember the sigil.

When she did her heart dropped into her stomach. "We need to destroy that."

She hissed quickly.

"Now." For the first time since the start of all this panic entered Liliana's voice. She quickly moved towards the sign on the ground, kicking, dragging her feet, trying to do all she could to carve away at the mark on the floor.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh had yet to see Liliana act worried in this way. Even at the academy the young woman seemed mild without one emotion ever coming off too strong. It spoke volumes to Everleigh on how dangerous that symbol on the ground was. And how important it was to destroy it.

“What does it represent?” Everleigh asked Liliana as she matched her movements in using their feet to get rid of the sigil. They must have looked like chickens scratching at dirt to find insects. “Does it have anything to do with the collars?” She glanced over at where the collars lay and then at the altar.

Everleigh wasn’t a superstitious person but there was something that pricked at the back of her neck and told her that this altar was used for blood sacrifices. Her eyes looked over it as if she could find blood on it but there wasn’t a single stain on it or on the floor. At least they knew that the mages were tidy.

 

[Liliana]

"It's a cult." Liliana barked in anger. "They were wiped out decades ago."

She had read a book one it once, written by a Dreadlord. "At least they were supposed to have been."

A curse echoed from her lips, and now she finally understood why what had happened had happened. It made sense. The Republic, the fools, likely hadn't even considered something like this could occur. Though perhaps even the Houses might have failed on this.

"The collars are to keep mages pliant." Liliana could remember that from the books. "They are put through a ritual, their magic siphoned."

She shook her head lips thin as she glanced to Everleigh. "They worship...some sort of demon. I don't remember."

But she remembered well enough the descriptions of of the 'husks' that had been formed after the rituals were complete. Something she had no intention of becoming.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

A cult? Oh, of course it would be a freaking cult. Why not? The comment the guard had made earlier about them not being human made so much more sense to Everleigh now. Of course, hindsight was always twenty-twenty.

“Then why capture Idrig?” Everleigh said, looking over at the Alter. With a rather blank look, she kicked it over. It did nothing, she was sure, but it felt good. Or maybe she was cursed. Now that would be interesting. “And they have some of the other initiates do they not? Can… you don’t think maybe they’re doing a ritual currently?” Everleigh’s dull eyes widened. It made sense, did it not?

Where were the mages? Idrig? The other initiates? Everything in here was empty, just the mark and the altar. Wouldn’t they need a book to chant from? Ominous candles? It was far too empty and quiet in this tent right now.

 

[Liliana]

"Bait." It was that easy.

Idrig had been nothing more than a way to get more Dreadlords here. It was all that they needed. Fuel for the fire. Liliana closed her eyes and tried to remember more details about the cult, no small amount of panic flickering through her.

Lips thinned, and then she shook her head. "I don't know."

She answered Everleigh honestly.

"I don't honestly give a shit." Liliana shot her companion a look. Lips thin, eyes wild. "We need to burn this place to the fucking ground."

Fuck Idrig. Fuck the other Initiates. "We burn everything and get the fuck off this island."

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Oh. So they would be setting this place ablaze? Wonderful. She was all for it.

The fear that Liliana felt wasn’t felt as strongly by Everleigh. Deep down inside she hoped that with the camp ablaze, the mages would be quick and hurry back. That would be far more exciting. She didn’t voice this to Liliana, of course, after all it was such a crude thought.

Looking around, Everleigh caught sight of a canvas rucksack. She went over to it, rather casually, and picked up, only to wrinkle her nose at the smell. She dumped out it’s contents, revealing a myriad of bones from various animals. Rats and bird skulls, ribs from a small dog or cat, and even a piece of antler from a deer. She looked at Liliana.

“I think the collars will be useful.” She informed her, going over to that pile and quickly placing them in the sack. She slid her arms through the straps before getting a better grip on her flat blade. “If we can find oil, we can spread the fire faster.” The main tent where the prisoners were would be a good idea to check, also, the candles could be used.

 

[Liliana]

Liliana was hardly paying any attention to Everleigh.

She had already surmised the exact same thing that her companion had. She knew for a fact that none of this would be easy, and that they would need a jolt to burn this place to the ground. So she had slowly sauntered her way towards the third man in their group.

Slowly her hand reached up, a gentle touch caressing the Guards cheek. "Dearest. I need you to do something for me."

The man stuttered something, a quiet whisper, a nod of his head.

"I need you to fetch me some oil." Liliana purred. "Spread it around the tents."

She spoke quietly. "Move through the chaos, and don't get caught."

Her voice rang out, and the man nodded eagerly. He pulled away from her, painfully, and then stepped through the entrance of the tent. As soon as he was gone Liliana turned to her companion. "Evie. Grab what collars you can. Once he's ready. We burn this place."

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Evie felt her cheeks grow hot from Liliana calling her by her nickname. Her free hand went up to touch her cheek, was she getting a fever? Perhaps, she had wasted quite a bit of magick power. However, her cheeks had never gotten red from doing something like that before.

Usually she just felt tired or had a dry throat. She had no idea she was blushing.

“We’ll need to run to the boats fast.” Everleigh said, forcing her attention away from her heated cheeks and instead the situation at hand. She looked up and down over at Liliana, frowning. “How fast can you run?” She asked, rather genuinely. It was an important question, after all, she didn’t plan on leaving Liliana behind.

But if there was a fire all around, could Liliana keep up? Would she be okay? Everleigh felt like that might not be the case. She would stay back if need be but… Everleigh couldn’t trust Liliana to wait for her.

 

[Liliana]

The guard had already run out the door, heeding Liliana's command without a second thought. The noblewoman herself half turned towards Everleigh, lips thinning as she considered the question. "Fast enough."

She might have been of a higher status, but unlike some noblewomen at the Academy she had paid her dues. Her family had given her over to the Dreadlords at the age of six, just old enough for her to understand what her true duty was.

Liliana had trained alongside everyone, and back then the Proctors had afforded her no special privileges.

"The camp will be in chaos anyway." There was no doubt in her mind that the prisoners they'd released likely hadn't lasted long, but these...pirates, cultists, whatever they were likely had to deal with the situation. "Just have to get through it."

And kill as many as they could on the way out.

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh nodded her head, trusting Liliana’s opinion of her abilities. To be fair, she was close to graduating, Everleigh was sure of that. Whether the revolution had happened or not, Liliana would be one of the ones to graduate.

“Cover your nose and mouth if you can,” Everleigh said softly. There was a lantern on the table and it would be the perfect start. “There’s plenty of toxins in smoke. I’ll use my poison breath if we get surrounded. I’ll give a warning though.” There was a sense of determination in her voice, but she looked at Liliana and grinned. “Just make sure you never stop moving forward. It wouldn’t be fun to lose you when we still have a bet to finish.”

 

[Liliana]

Liliana gave Everleigh a skeptical look.

If the girl had planned to kill her surely there wouldn't have been a warning, but in the back of her mind she couldn't help but be suspicious. It was hard not to read into it that way, hard not to think about such things in the same way she thought about them.

She had to remind herself that not everyone thought like she did. Her fingers tightened for a moment, and then she dipped her head into a nod. "Alright."

Liliana said, then tore a strip of cloth off the bottom of her dress.

Without much of a thought she quickly tied it around the bottom half of her face. She might have been a Noble. She might have been fashion conscience, but most what she had most of all was a powerful sense of self preservation.

"Ready?" She asked. "Go."

As soon as she spoke Liliana sprinted out of the tent, rushing into Chaos.