Dreadlords Graduation

[Zael Castomir]

Zael's searching eye found the owner of the voice.

Ever.

Looking up at her.

"Did you hear it..." he said, voice little more a whisper above slow and strained breathing. "What he said...?"

Everleigh Ebersol

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh nodded, her gaze intense. No poker face, only pure, unfiltered emotion. She could feel it all, everything she kept hidden. Her chest and heart hurt, a migraine was pounding away within her skull, her stomach was empty and yet a part of her wanted to puke. Her muscles ached as if she had growing pains, a soreness in her bones she couldn’t describe as wave after wave of feelings washed over her.

“Freedom.” Everleigh stiffly brought a hand to Zael’s cheek. And icy chill seeped to her fingers. “You feel so cold. I… I need to get you help.” She looked over at his wounds, where ice had impaled him. If only she could have killed Kimble herself. She looked back at Gilram. An archon. Or in other words: a one man army, the ultimate killer.

Zael Castomir

 

[Zael Castomir]

The ice shards were dripping away. Slowly. Like a fuse lit, the spark crawling toward some doom.

"Freedom..." Zael said, much like a man floating through a dream.

There was still a cognizance in his eyes though. He was aware of his situation.

"Is Kimble...?"

Dead, is where he was going with that.

Everleigh Ebersol

 

[Meredith]

Meredith had been frantically flipping through the pages of her spell book, desperately searching for  anything to help. So focused was she, that she yelped when Sable picked the two girls up. Meredith could see the determination in his eyes, and fear for his safety made her want to cling to him. She knew better than that, her worried gaze following his every movement as he set them down and walked away.

Meredith could feel the power from where she sat, though she could not physically see it. Sable exuded it, and her eyes widened with awe as she watched Sable evolve before her. The ice groaned under pressure she couldn't see. Snaps and pops increased in tempo before the dome shattered apart.

Meredith scrambled to her feet, she attempted to start towards Sable, but paused as the scene around them shifted. It was almost eerily quiet. A voice manifesting that sent shivers down her spine. Around the intiates, proctors began to fall. The were sliced in a myriad of ways, but the end result was the same. Dead, pools of blood left in the wake

Meredith looked to Sable as Gilram's presence permeated the already desolate glade. Green eyes wandered the scene, seeing her friends make their choices. Noel stood, Mer could hear her behind the redhead. One looked as Noel passed her, and Meredith knew exactly what the already exhausted girl would do

Keen eyes, and a determined heart played the role that Meredith would mantle. Perhaps it was time she was useful, though she knew that in the end Noel would despise her. "I won't let you Noel!" She flicked to a page of her book and pressed her palm flat on the parchment. It glowed for a moment before Meredith lifted her hand. "We still need you, Noel."

She clenched the lifted hand and a wall of stone erupted before Noel, blocking her path to certain death. Still, it wasn't like Gilram couldn't kill her anyways, but if she could prevent it she would.

 

[Kalix]

Kalix grinned at Alistair, and with holding onto his forearm, opened his mouth to say one thing.

“Hang tight.”

Darkness fell over, Gilram appeared.

Proctor Novgorodoff fell, the plants twisted and soon were dead. Kalix blinked. Looked at his and Alistair’s hands still holding onto each other’s forearms. Ew. He quickly let go from touching Alistair.

“No homo.” Kalix said, his gold eyes moving over to look at Gilram, hearing his promises. Far from being the brightest initiate here, it would be hard to say that Kalix lacked self-preservation. No he very much wanted to live. So while Gilram’s words resonated with what Kalix wanted— to live— his feet were planted firmly on the ground.

He looked around, already initiates were moving to take the offer, but Noel had shouted against it.

Alistair Krixus

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

“Dead.” Everleigh spat out quickly, and wiping at her eyes, blood and dirt and grim pressed underneath her violet orbs. She shuddered once, and stood up, moving so she could lift Zael up, her hands under his arms, and heaved. “I’m getting you help.”

Zael Castomir

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Well...that was a little anticlimactic. Alistair never got to see Kalix's impressive display of power that would have inevitably got them out of the situation, because...everyone started dying.

Nogorodoff and many of the other Proctors were dead in moments. It had been so easy to kill the people the initiates had been struggling to survive against. This was the power of an Archon, or formed Archon, now that Alistair could finally see Gilram.

He had heard rumors about the man. A monster who had just not liked being told what to do. It was quickly apparent that his message was working. Edric, Gaage, Delaney, and more were moving to his side.

Alistair took several steps forward. It would be so easy to throw off his responsibilities and use his powers however he wanted, but...he could not. The Republic was trying to do something good, they just needed some help.

Instead, he stopped next to Noel and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Noel, he is not taking them. They are making this choice. Unless you plan on stopping them directly then let them go...They will send us after them eventually."

He could understand their desire to be free, but they were putting themselves beneath someone like this. They would still be trapped, just in different chains.

Kalix Noel

 

[Zael Castomir]

Zael grinned, so much as he could, when Ever confirmed Kimble's death.

"I'll...take it."

He would've loved to have done the deed himself, yeah. But he was content with how it played out nonetheless.

Zael grunted, and then this grunting, this veneer of trying to hide his pain, broke and a sharp cry escaped his throat. To his ears it sounded like some of the same cries he'd make while Kimble "set him straight."

He tried the best he could keep on his feet. His knees felt like they were holding up the entire mountain range of the Spine.

"Mildred," Zael said, voice trembling and haggard. He spoke of the one healer whose name he could recall. "She...still here?"

Everleigh Ebersol

 

[Davi]

Running had been the plan when it had just been his fight. His arrogance was not big that he knew when a retreat was more important in order to survive than to stand and fight in a hopeless battle. With his magic half bound, locked behind a wall of promised pain, running was the only thing Davi had. At least, that was until he heard Ral's strangled cry for him to run. Glancing over his shoulder he was just in time to see her smash into Charon's side.

"Fuck," he skidded a halt just before he hit the lifeless body of another initiate strew out, staring sightlessly up towards the sky with a bloody gash across her throat. Mildred. "Fuck!" he spat. This was all so wrong. He weighed up his options; run like Ralene said and save his hide, or do the right fucking thing. He ran a hand down his face and turned back.

As he predicted agony tore through him as his body shifted, the manacle seeming to tear flesh from his body as it turned from that of a boy to a sabre-toothed wolf, long fangs curved down over his jaws. He wanted to whimper once the transformation was complete and paw at his fur which felt as though it were still on fire, but instead he took a run back towards his foe. And his friend.

As Charon lunged at Ral with the same spike he had been threatening Davi with earlier, his jaws clamped around his wrist and bit down.

Who knew what would have happened next had the Archon not appeared. Proctors fell and suddenly an eerie silence settled over the clearing. Edict issued, the initiates began to decide and Davi's grip loosened on Charon's wrist and glanced to Ralene. He had no intentions of leaving for another leash, though he was curious to see who did stumble towards the poisoned chalice.

Charon | Ralene​

 

[Sable Pembroke]

Determination turned to confusion, then to horror, in the span of but a few moments as Kimble crumpled and died. Gilram. Gilram had returned, and at what might have been the worst possible time. He 'saved' the initiates, and one by one they took their places by his side. Sable could only glare as he watched Edric take the archon's hand, disappointment and disgust burning in his heart. To think he'd fought side by side with him, to think he'd considered him a friendly rival.

"You...you're all fools to go with him! He'll lead you all to ruin!" Sable shouted, making no physical move to stop anyone. He was already beaten, out of magic, unarmored, and with only a platinum shiv to fight with. He'd lost in an instant when he was at full strength...what hope did he have now but to scream at the wind?
"Gilram is wrong! These proctors were traitors, loyalists just like him! He'd kill them in an instant just to gain you all as pawns, don't you see what will happen when you no longer serve a purpose?!"

Sable, turned as Meredith threw up the rock wall behind him, nodding to no one. Good. If Sable could no longer protect anyone, it was good that she could. He looked back to those that would follow the archon. He looked to Edric, eyes pleading.
"Edric, you have to see, you HAVE to. Gilram isn't offering you freedom, he's just clamping a different collar around your neck! Stop this madness!"

 

[Samantha Black]

Charon tumbled back, end over end, as he was slammed away from Davi by Ralene. He coughed, winded and surprised, as he pulled himself back to his feet. His head rolled up towards Ralene and burning, crimson eyes focused on her from beneath disheveled strands of ashen hair.
"Well now..." He managed, somewhere between laughing and coughing. "That's more like it. - *hack* - Struggle for me!"

Now the sole subject of Charon's attention, all the magically induced agony of being on fire would be focused on Ralene, though her skin would not burn. Still reeling, Charon lurched towards the Banick initiate, swinging and slashing with the bony spike he brandished.

Everything happened so quickly.

Charon's powers hit her like a sudden explosion of fire, rippling across her flesh and consuming her form. Though she'd expected it, experienced it countless times before when pitted against the hapless, crazed Initiate - it had never been something easy to prepare for or brace against. At the onset, Ralene staggered, jaw seizing shut to bite back the howl of pain that tore unwittingly from her gut. Half keeled over, grimacing as she wrangled her own instinct and control against the intangible inferno of her flesh, Charon's wild swinging of his bone scythe caught her once across her injured shoulder then again across the bridge of her face. Deep.

Ral's painful yelp loosed that time as blood splattered freely across the ground at her feet.

He didn't get a third swing in as darkness fell upon the forest and Davi fell upon his arm in tandem.

Grinding her teeth so forcibly she thought they just might shatter, a heaving snarl issued from the bloodied Initiate who opened her eyes just moments after the darkness had fallen. Ralene bit into her pain, bearing her mind against it as she thought on the days of her youth spent in the darker chambers of the underground beneath the knives of the Proctors. What Charon had conjured within her was nothing compared to that.

She surged forward again while he was distracted by Davi, deaf to Gilram's words so far away through the trees and in the blink of an eye was upon Charon again. Both hands around his neck and her inhuman strength wrestling him to the ground.

 

[Charon]

Fast indeed. Some old fool had shown up and started blathering on about "freedom" or some such nonsense. Charon didn't really know, nor did he care. Freedom was not a concept that existed to him. There was only pain and apathy, the high that came with the former, and the resounding deadness that came with the latter. The only thing that could make Charon feel free was finally letting go of his self control, and the proctors had already seen to that.

A searing jolt shot up Charon's wrist, through his spine, and tingled the boy's scalp as Davi sank magically enhanced fangs into him. Blood shot from the puncture wounds and Charon laughed as he dropped the bone shard. At first just a giggle as his improvised weapon cut into Ralene, but now raucous cackling as Davi came to her aid. He was connected to Ral now, psychically linked to her pain receptors. She was feeling it the agony, just as he'd done to her while "sparring." This time there would be no one to step in and stop Charon from "going too far."

The only thing that hindered the manic laughter was Ralene clamping her hands down around Charon's throat. He coughed and hacked under her supernatural grip, crimson eyes blazing as he stared her down, grinning all the time.

"Y-yes, that's - *urk* - it! Don't you f-feel - *ack* - alive?!" He rasped, fighting for breath. His mind blazed with excitement; this spirit, this energy! She was trying to kill him just as much as he was her! He could just die at any moment, all the while feeling the prickling torture of his magic linked to her...and he'd never felt more alive!

He reached up and clamped both hands onto Ralene's face, nails digging at skin, and he unceremoniously began cycling through every form of pain he'd ever inflicted or endured, all into her. Some small inkling of survival instinct told him he could have simply shut off her sense of feeling, sent her into the nothing, made her collapse...but then he'd be missing what had to be the most exhilarating thing he'd ever experienced. That wouldn't do.

 

[Samantha Black]

Eyes burning against the tides of agonizing floods, Ralene's lips split into a grimace as the pain escaped her clenched jaws in tethered, roaring screams. She'd not come here to kill today and never once at any given moment thought that she would, but Ral knew as well as any of them that their way of life was often kill or be killed. Charon would not relent - and why should he when he'd been given such an hellish opportunity in a handbasket?

Temperance of a seeding rage held by thinning control, she watched her entire life flash before her mind's eye as he continued to feed her ever worsening sensations of agony. That a song of pain could so perfectly paint the picture of her years here was either horrifying or sad. Ral refused to think about it, but as his powers overtook her form her grip began to wane around his skinny little neck.

Amidst the churn of horrific memories, she found herself back on that table beneath the knife of a Proctor who had died several years ago. He'd cut into her flesh, down to bone, and carved runes into her skeleton to imbue long forgotten arcane powers there. Awake. She'd always been awake for it until her body gave out.

It was happening again.

Ralene wavered over him for a moment, eyes rolling upwards, body beginning to seize.

Then something on her sternum just beneath her leather cuirass began to glow a bright, searing white.

P̶̣̣̲̖̅̾̌͌̈́̀̓̚͝a̵̧̛̹̗͙̹͉̹̗̩̪̘̦̼̾̉͊̊͐̂̆̄̒̊͆̊͝͝i̸̲͂͒͐̾͜͜n̶͇̉̋͒̍͑͌̏́̒̕ ̶̢̛̙̤̻̮̩̗͖̜͉̑͂͌͒̾̅́̇̀͛̿́̚͘͠ͅi̴̛̹̭͑̋̑͌̊̅̊͗̒͗͋̿̍̑̕ͅs̶̢̧̢̨̛̛̞̦͍͚͖͖͉͓̦̹̥̜̑̓́̌̋̔̿̋͋͗͛̊̄ ̵̨̭͙̘̪̜̠̤̼̙͍̘̘̦̋̋̅̽f̴̖͕̤͕̠̙̼̮͆̂͛͂͘͜͠ͅḻ̴̨̨̨̠̻̙̜̝̼̟͎̯̠̣̓̓ͅé̶̜̻͈̗̹̺͙͉͇̭̬̪̪͚̈́͋͜͜ë̵̡̧̱̘̝̳̱̻̗̬̣͔͇͉̦̐͗̒̀̔̀̚̚͜t̶͈̊̽̅̌̀͌̋͂̔̓͐̓͘͠i̷̧͔̘̺͇̭͂ņ̸̝̺̬̭̊̋̽͊̌͛̓͌g̸̳͚͉̥̙͉̖̳̣̰̩̗̜̙̩͂͒͐̉͘͝

​

Her eyes shut tightly and her hands clamped down on his neck once more.

Ĥ̷͓͓̲̞́͊͆̃̽͗̑̾̈̒̒̚̕͠͠ę̶̙̹̣̮͉̹̟͇̮̣̑͐̈́̃͛̒̌̈͂̕͘͝ą̸̢͍̝̠̼̱̜̘͗̈́͒̑͑͘͝r̷̨̡̮̜̤̪̱̬͍̱̖̝̠̃t̸͉̰̫͎̼͈̘͖̏̃̍͊͗̎̓̓̽̄͆̂̕̕ͅf̴̧̛̛̙͈̻̦̩̘͖͖̺̤̬̻̫͛̈̓̾̆̓́̊͊̊͊̍ͅí̶̡̯͖̱͍̯̊̾͜r̸̢̭̱͕̲̖̠͙̪͕̗̅̓e̸̢̧̨̪͉̜̼͓̫͍͚͇̬̟̠̍̊͂̅͒͆̀̃̍̅̈́̈́͝͠ ̶̧̣̜̗̬̰̯̦̐͌̒͗́̽̕͠͝͝i̸̡̢̳̘̟̜̬̬͖̬̲̮̗̍̽͛͜s̸̢͖͚̩͈͙͌͆̃͑̓̈́̔̇̀̾̿̒͛͌͘͘ ̵̙͉͔̿̇́̏̆̿̅̐̈́͑̊̎͗̏͝ḛ̷̗͂̈́̐̄̄͂͊t̶̢̧̢͇͓̪̩͇̦̦̼̬͉͌͛̈́̄̎̌̀̂̍̇͑̽̕͠e̴͉̯̳̤͙͔̍͛̊̿̆̈́̆r̵̰͇̘͙̭̝͖̭̪̳̖̩̣̻̍̍̈́ͅn̵̨̡̛̪̙̱̜͖̙̝͇̯̱͙͔̻̓̊͒ͅa̶̧̤͉͉̫̫͉͇̖̬̩̥̎̋̀̋̏͗͛͛̊̉͘͘̚͝l̶̢̨̲̞̞̞͍͙̱̐̽̈́̑̈̾̔̿͑͘͝​

Charon would feel his magic begin to seep away from him faster than he was pushing it - pooling into Ralene like a siphon. When her eyes snapped open again they were consumed by black. The grimace of agony subsided for one of unadulterated disgust.



"T̷̡̛͎̐̅̅̒͘ ̶̧̛͓̭͓͇̻͚̐͋̃͐̔̓͒̐̾͠͝Ư̵̧̘̱̘̒̎̋̃͒͆̚ ̶̤̰̲̃̈́̆̈̈́̔̋̈̊̃̊̃͘͝͝ͅT̴̨̨̧̛͙̣̝͗́́͐̉̾͒̕̚͠ ̸̡̢̛̻̱̜̠̺͔̻̱͍͕͍͙̀̏̀̿̓̄͜͜A̴̢̢̖̞̳̤̠̐̐͋̌͊̋͌̓̃̓́̔̕͘͠͝ ̷̼̯͙̲̣̩̿̾̃̀̿̒̀̽̈́̋̕̚͝͝ͅM̴̞̪̖͆ ̷̡̪̭͙̳̝̩̭̭̈́̍͂͊̓̊̏̃̇̀̃͜I̶̺̣̬̞̻̰͂͆́̋̓́̔̏̕̕ ̵̢̧̲̗̠͖̭͎̟̣͖̦͙̳͕̾̓̈́̾̄͊́̀͛N̵̡̢̘̩̺̠̹̩̠͍̼̣̋͌̾͗͘ ̸̛͚͕̼̪͙͙͙̟̫̮͈̳͍͉̎̎́͗̍̀̀̑̍͐͋Ḯ̵̭̠̥̽̔̓̆̐͝ ̴̡̦̯͚̦͓̎͋Š̷̭̺͑͑̓̆̉͆̉̌͋̐͘"



The runic tattoos at the back of both hands flared white as she force fed Charon his own power of pain, recycled through the alchemical loop of her arcane markings, and empowered it tenfold.

 

[Charon]

Charon felt it - the moment that Ralene began to slip. Air rushed into his lungs and blood to his brain as he surged anew, eager to flip the script on his aggressor. She'd put up such a good fight, and the look of suffering on her face was wondrous. She knew now what it was to live, it was high time to send her to the next life.

Just as he seemed to be winning, though...he wasn't. His grin twisted into a confused grimace as new vigor seemed to burst from Ralene. She seized, and then she clamped down on his neck again, harder than before. Charon saw the light burn from within her, saw her expression change, her eyes go black.

There was a split moment as she parsed her lips to utter her spell that Charon could have ended it. Once again that survival instinct whispered to him:
"Into the Nothing. Cast her Into the Nothing."

But he didn't.

Suddenly Charon was flooded with his own synaptic torment, far beyond the upper limits of his own abilities. His sharpened teeth grit so hard against each other they cracked, his attempts at clawing at Ralene's face grew desperate, his muscles spasmed violently. All to no avail.

Even so cornered, so thwarted, Charon wasn't panicked. Rather, he was in a state of bliss. Never had he felt more alive than in this moment as the sheer euphoria of pain racked his system, and as the clutches of Ralene closed around his windpipe, rapidly depriving him of that very life.

Even as she killed him, Charon could not hate her. He was not sad or afraid. In fact, as the black halo of unconsciousness closed around his vision, all he could see was her face -- and for the first time in his life, he knew what beauty was. Her beauty. She was killing him and hurting him and making him feel alive and he was happy.

With the last of his breath and sense, as impossible suffering was inflicted upon him, Charon uttered his last words:
"Dear...agony..."

Charon's grip slipped from Ralene's face like a gentle caress, and the monster's eyes glazed over unto death, a smile on his lips and tears of joy running from his eyes.

 

[Liliana]

"He tried to kill me first." Liliana hissed to her companion, hands still wrapped around Trix's arm as she tugged the girl to her feet.

Perhaps she should have felt bad about killing Jaxan, but she didn't. He had always been a tool, something for her to use to gain power. Even had they graduated, even without all of this mess, he would have ended up dead in some way.

The only thing she regretted was that his end wasn't more useful. "Now let's ge-"

Before Liliana could finish, a shadow darkened her face. Lips thinned almost instantly, her eyes flickering to the figure standing above them. A quiet curse echoed through Liliana's head as Proctor Abaddon took her place in front of the two girls. The Dreadlord's visage was marked with a wide grin, that whispering voice like nails on a chalkboard.

Liliana's fingers tightened almost involuntarily on Trix's arm.

The weavings she would ordinarily have cast out fell short. She was tired, exhausted. The magic she'd used to turn Jaxan on himself taking it's toll. Her heart thundered in her chest.

"I think you be-"​

The air seemed to change. For just a second, a brief moment, Liliana could swear that something happened. A quick flicker, as fast as a blink, and then suddenly Abaddon exploded into a thousand tiny pieces. Hot blood splattering over Liliana and Trix as the Proctor was reduced to meager chunks of flesh and bone.

Shock colored the Nobles face. Her features contorting in a mixture of confusion and complete terror. Some base instinct within her mind screamed, hollared at her to run and get away from whatever new threat was now coming. Then the Archon's voice boomed through the clearing. Her head snapped to the side almost instantly, catching sight of the man.

The pit in her gut grew, and with every word he spoke it seemed only to get deeper. Not because of what he offered, not because of a choice she would have to make. But because she knew what the man was capable of, what he could do to all of them.

Liliana didn't need to think. Didn't need to consider anything at all.

Fingers tightened on Trix's arm with a gentle tug. "We need to get the fuck out of here."

She hissed quietly, her gaze searching the chaos of the clearing once more. Eyes flickering over Initiates, searching. She spotted Kalix standing firm, her hand waving for just a brief moment to hopefully catch his attention before she fervently pointing into the woods.

She watched as Edric took Gilram's hand, seconds later seeing Gaage and Delaney of all people joining with the Archon.

Fucking twit. Liliana thought to herself, gaze continuing over the rest of the crowd as she took a step backward. Her eyes latching on one figure in particular, slumped over the form of another Initiate she couldn't quite make out.

The noble cursed, and then did her best to catch Everleigh's attention. Whisper shouting as Noel and Sable began to scream their righteous nonsense. "Evie!"

Liliana called, and then let out a curse as she saw the poison-eater stand up with Zael in tow. Instantly she remembered the conversation the two of them had had back in Alliria. The request that Evie had given her. Inwardly she groaned, but continued to press.

"Evie!" She called insistently, giving her the same motion she had Kalix. Another step backwards quickly following.

It was time to go.

Trix | Everleigh Ebersol | Kalix

 

[Noel]

Noel simply ignored Alistair's protestations. Of course they could choose to do whatever they wanted but pledging to the first silky voiced psychopath they encountered, pledging towards a man that was tearing their little family apart, was simply unacceptable to her.

They didn't know what they were doing. Didn't realize the implications of declaring themselves enemies.

What Noel couldn't ignore however was the wall of stone that Meredith had erected. "Meredith." Noel's voice was calm, serene, "if you don't remove this wall I am going to break your nose."

It was unlikely Noel could muster the strength to perform such a feat. Just like Noel could manipulate metal in her current state to knock the wall down herself. But that was all she really had in this moment. Threats and bluster.

But that was still of more substance than whatever it was that drove the defectors. The three, so far, who committed to a path that would put brother against sister once more. All because they were too afraid of striving for a better world within Vel Anir itself. Or because they saw the power Gilram wielded and thought themselves too weak to ever stand up to him. Cowardice. That's all it was. "Fucking cowards," she grumbled loud enough to be heard but without the boisterous shouting that Sable yelled from their stone cage.

She waited until the large initiate finished his pleading. It was useless, Edric had made his decision, there was no convincing him. But there was still an unsaid, a thing to be made clear in case Meredith wouldn't relent. "Disgraced former Archon Gilram," she shouted as loud as her weakened body would allow. "My name is Noel Schwarz." She waited, letting the air thicken, letting the pause take its toll.

"One day I am going to kill you." Slowly, if she had her way.

 

[Samantha Black]

Frisson of power fading from her body in tandem with the last breaths of Charon in her grasp, Ralene released a deep, rattling breath. Thick globs of blood dripped freely from her lacerated face, the stark white of bone showing through the scarlet along the deep gouge sliced across her nose and cheeks. For now, she didn't feel the pain - only the warmth of the blood leaking from the clawing slashes left behind by the rabid Initiate beneath her.

Lingering for a moment longer to collect herself, Ralene peeled away from Charon's lifeless figure. Her own body felt slow and heavy from the over-exertion of torrenting his magic, and she could feel the desire to simply roll over and catch her breath but her mind wouldn't let her. It was too dangerous here to let her guard down, and she wasn't keenly aware of the happenings over where Gilram collected his new toys until she heard the shouts of Sable.

With a grunt, Ral pushed herself to her feet and tried to listen in, her gaze sliding down to glance at Charon before moving to Davi's wolfish form and the sorry state he was in. His skin looked burned and she wondered if perhaps Elias was here somewhere that Davi had been pitted against him. The singed fur that stuck out in patches she could have smelled from across the clearing. Ral didn't know what happened to him after he left her sight, but in that moment she felt a modicum of pity for Davi.

There was no part of her that felt pity for Charon - he more than any Initiate in their year had become the epitome of mindless, savage beast. That might've passed for something great a decade ago, but he would have found no home here in the new Republic. She was grateful to have one less monster to watch out for on the front lines.

"Are you ok?" it might've been the first time in recollection that she'd asked that question of another, but somehow, somewhere Davi had garnered a level of trust and respect from her. Ral couldn't pinpoint it and she didn't feel a need to.

Proctor Ilverstein was, notably, nowhere to be found.

 

[Trix]

The fuck just happened...

Trix was left leaning on Lili, clutching at one of the deeper cuts in her side, and unable to do anything further but stare at the fucking idiots who wandered over to the Archon like children being offered sweets by a man that screamed c h i l d m u r d e r e r. Though she supposed, in a way, most Dreadlords were but that was besides the point. She grimaced to see more than a few initiates however stumble into his arms as though stumbling to some farce dreamworld where everything would suddenly be good and well and lovely.

Well reality wasn't fucking lovely.

As long as you were under someone you were going to get shit on you.

"Is it really such a bad thing if Kalix gets himself murdered?" she muttered under her breath when Lili called him over like some lost pup. She'd have rather swapped him for someone like Edric or Delaney.

 

[Davi]

Every leg trembled with the effort of standing after that transformation but Davi didn't whimper nor lay his ears flat. Those wolfish eyes fixed on Ralene as she rolled off Charon and took a rasping breathe. He couldn't do much for her if it was her last, he did not have the strength to turn back just yet. But she drew another, and another, and a part of him relaxed a little, his hackles lowering. Much like her the Archon did not register. He'd heard these hollow promises of freedom before and where had it led him? To this spot right here. Where the Archon hadn't saved him but Ralene had.

Her question made him snort.

Limping forward he pushed his large head under her arm in an attempt to offer her something firm to lean upon should she need it.

 

[Samantha Black]

"Yeah..." she replied to the snort. Didn't need words to understand that response, she knew it all to well herself. Davi had never been overtly powerful, but the boy could take a whooping without complaint, she'd give him that. The nudge to her lower arm was enough to get her moving again, though she wasn't entirely sure which direction it should have been in.

The congregation off to their left, where Gilram had begun to rally the others, seemed a good enough place to start. Ral gently let the tips of her fingers trail along the side of the wolf's head, a reminder that he could stick by her side and trust that she'd look after him.

"Come on," and so she set off, the straightest path that she could take to bring herself to the others. Her boots stepped through blood and muck, corpses, viscera, and gore. Hard to tell what belonged to who by most of what she saw, but a few faces she could recognize: Jaxan among them. Couldn't say she was sorry to see him go, either.

On her way she heard the words of Sable and Noel - former Archon Gilram, a name that struck a nerve with just about anyone who knew anything about Dreadlords, including herself. By the time she reached the back side of the gathering, Ralene had a fairly good understanding of what was happening in front of her and her eyes sought out only one face through the crowd: Edric. The surge of emotions concerning his decision here should have shown on her expression, but her face was far too fucked up to read well regardless of the fact that it instantly reverted to her usual unreadable mask. Without him ever having to have told her, Ral knew for a while now that Edric was going to leave, she just never imagined it would be like this.

Her gaze once more shifted down to Davi and she shook her head once to let him know just where it was she stood. Gilram was barking up the wrong tree, he just didn't know it yet.

"We need to go," Ral intoned from behind Noel to whoever might listen, "we need to get back to the Academy and find someone on our side that will help. There's nothing more we can do here."

"Everleigh," she looked to the purple Initiate and approached the fading Zael, "let us take him. We can get him back faster."

 

[Everleigh Ebersol]

Everleigh looked around, searching for Mildred at Zael’s request but instead…

“Don’t know why you thought she’d live.” Everleigh muttered, instead of feeling sad for the initiate there was a flare of selfish anger that she couldn’t have survived to heal Zael’s wounds. Zael was bleeding out, and while she could try wrapping up his wounds and apply pressure, Everleigh couldn’t allow either of them to remain stationary for long. People were moving. Time was limited.

“This isn’t ideal.” Everleigh warned Zael, her eyes glowing. She brought her thumb up to her lips, biting at the pad hard despite the shock of pain. Efficiently yet painfully for Zael, she began pressing her thumb into the wounds of the melting ice, everywhere except near his eye or the place closest to his heart. She hoped the little concoction of a potent blood clot venom and some added iron sulfate would be enough to keep him strong until they had more time to bandage him enough properly.

She was going to take a step forward, towards Gilram although trepidation prickled inside her. She wasn’t sure what future could be had with him but, what option was there? Liliana’s voice rang loud and clear. Her violet eyes saw the blonde Lorel. She gestured away from Gilram.

Everleigh frowned. If there was anyone to trust other than her own mind, it was Liliana. If only because Everleigh knew that she was more useful to Liliana than dead. She began making her way to Liliana, carrying Zael with her until Ralene— and a wolf?— was in her way.

Her face soured, looking at Ralene’s bloodied face. Could she trust Ralene? Her eyes looked past to Liliana, bringing Trix along with her, seeing Kalix stomp over to them. If she gave Zael to Ralene, would she follow after them? Would she leave Liliana with useless Trix and stupid Kalix?

“If he dies,” Everleigh said, moving under from Zael’s arm so Ral could take him instead, “in your care, I promise…” what could she promise? Everything was so cliche, destroy the world and everyone in it? Zael would hate that. “I promise you that you’d be losing out on one of the few good ones the Academy ever produced.” Everleigh was rotten, she knew it, inside and outside, and rightfully she looked toxic. But Zael…

One last glance. If he died, all things bright and beautiful and blazing would be buried with him.

Quickly, she left, not looking back, coming straight to Liliana’s side.

Zael Castomir Ralene | Liliana Trix

 

[Kalix]

Kalix was stumped. In truth, he was disappointed, much like Alistair, to not have wrecked some havoc. But there was some good in that: both him and Alistair were the initiates that were the most unscathed. Hardly any arcane might had been used from either of them.

So. The question was: what to do? Gilram seemed to be a good guy— an archon who was nice and was killing the proctors? Too good to be true, right? And if Kalix had ever bothered to pay attention to any sort of history, perhaps he would have been hesitant to even think of Gilram as an option. Of course, leave it up to Liliana Lorel to bring Kalix’s golden gaze right where it should be.

He bounded over to the two female initiates, and without asking, took Trix away from Liliana. Who was stronger? Who was taller? Duh, Kalix was. The strongest and tallest initiate ever!

“Piggyback sounds good for you, Trix?” He had learned, through plenty of trial and error, that just picking up Trix was a good way to get the shit beat out of you. Asking for permission was something she had taught him after one too many times of him doing whatever he wanted. For some reason, he never had that problem with Liliana. It was like they were on the same wavelength and he just knew exactly what she wanted without her having needing to say anything most of the time.

Trix Liliana

 

[Zael Castomir]

Unconsciousness stole him for a second. With a ragged gasp he came back, hearing Ever say "This isn't ideal" and pressing her venom coated thumb into select wounds around his body. His pallor from the blood loss, from the cold, was horrifying to behold. Still his eye was poisoned blue by the frigid touch of Kimble's magic, and though the ice shards had melted this lingering trace of magic remained.

Zael's thoughts were like the rags of a beggar: patchy, shot through with holes, and held together by the merest of continuous threads. Or, perhaps, like the words on a flame-ravaged parchment, little embers still chewing away.

Come with me...I can give you freedom...just what you choose.

What kind of boot-lickin asshole would kill his own friends at some Proctor's say-so?

This isn't dog eat dog anymore.

I will be giving you everything that I have.

Sorry, I think I like Lady Lennox as much as you like Lord Castomir. Let's just take over the world and give ourselves some noble titles.

We'll find you a better grave than this shit-hole.

Disgraced former Archon Gilram...one day I am going to kill you.

I think Miklan would like to know that you graduated.

Maybe there's somethin really good out there, really good, just waitin for me to find it...

He couldn't even see who was holding him now. There was but smudges of light and dark in his vision.

"There's somethin..."

Light and dark.

"Really good..."

Light.

"Out..."

Dark.

 

[Edric]

He watched them.

He watched as the Raven haired girl stumbled forward, her quiet pleading falling on what seemed to deaf ears as the boy beside him stood tall. He watched as the largest of them began to shout, his words echoing in the clearing. Resonating, and almost seeming to freeze those who had started to walk towards the Archon.

"No more collars." The words seemed to project, despite not being a shout. Ringing over Sables own and drowning them in authority. "No agenda, no purpose."

Gilram's eyes flickered through the crowd of Initiate. Passing over Proctors who seemed to shrink away from his gaze. "Just freedom, choice."

The Archon looked at those who had stepped forward, gesturing to the three who already stood at his side. "I will not lie to you. I will not obfuscate or mislead."

His words hung in the air as Noel stumbled against Meredith's wall.

"I intend to take back Vel Anir, to seize it not for any master, but for ourselves. For those who deserve it. For those who have kept it safe for centuries." He looked at Edric, Delaney, Gaage. "But I won't make you fight your brothers, your sisters, your friends. I won't force you to kill."

Gilram said, a small sad smile on his face. As if he knew that pain better than they ever could. "Because that is your choice. That is your freedom. I don't want you to be soldiers."

Slowly some of the other Initiates began to move again. Stepping forward through the crowd and following Edric and the others.

"I want you to be free." The Archon continued. "So whether you come with me or not, whether you fight or not, whether you love or revile me. All of you, each and every one of you, will always be welcome at my side."

As he finished, Noel's shout went up. Ringing across the clearing like a mark of punctuation. Gilram's smile growing just a little bit more as he caught her eyes. "Even you."

He said, his words seeming to echo only in Noel's ears.

Near a dozen Initiates now stood besides the Archon, almost have the number which had been taken by the Proctors. Each of them stood, proud, sure in their decisions. Gilram gestured, a word said only to those who had taken his hand, and one by one they stepped into the shadows behind him.

Edric stood, watching as his friends batted away the Archon's claims. As they shouted and pleaded, as they urged him to make another choice. His face was an impassive mask, eyes flickering first to Noel as she stumbled forward.

Then drawing to Sable as he began to shout and plead.

He watched the both of them, listened. His expression never changing or shifting, set as though he had been carved from stone. As the Archon finished and Noel shouted her threat, as those besides him began to step into the shadows Edric remained.

His eyes flickered over the crowd. He spotted Ralene, Everleigh, and Zael. He looked at them all. His friends, his family. At his side fingers slowly furled and folded into fists. Slow breaths causing his chest to rise and fall.

Eyes fell shut, and slowly he shook his head. A smile touching his lips. "Don't worry, Noel."

He shouted, eyes opening.

"We're all going home." The words said, Edric turned on his heel and stepped into the shadows. Hoping she would understand the message.

 

[Sable Pembroke]

Grit teeth and clenched fists were all Sable could muster as he watched Edric and the other initiates go. Noel's vows of revenge, her slinging of cowardice at Sable's back as he stood helpless to stop what was happening...stung. They stung deeply. He wasn't strong enough. He was not the heroes from his stories that he so desperately wanted to be. This wasn't a fairy tale. If he approached Gilram now, he'd die, and then he'd be of no help to anyone...but the fact that he couldn't bring himself to move was enough to stoke the fires of self-hatred within his heart.

And then Edric didn't so much as offer a word in response to Sable. Just a look before turning away.
"Bastard...BASTARD! I WON'T FORGIVE YOU THIS TIME, YOU HEAR ME?!"
It was a cry just as much at Gilram as it was at Edric. A promise of his own. Noel had the right idea. Gilram had to die, and when her blade found his throat, Sable knew he had to be there. He had to make this right.

Then they were gone. What was left now? A few dozen dead. Noel fuming behind him while Mer tended to her. Ral and Everleigh trying to tend to--Zael?? He was out. Wounded. He'd taken the brunt of Kimble's wrath, and he'd paid for it. Sable's hand idly shifted back to the containers on the back of his belt. He flicked them open and felt inside, then squeezed his eyes shut and breathed. The proctors had let him keep them. His first aid supplies. Sable had been useless this day. He hadn't protected anyone, hadn't saved anyone. If he could save even one life...

"RALENE! STOP, DON'T MOVE HIM!" Sable shouted after the rough and tumble Banick girl. If they moved him now they stood to make the bleeding worse, and if he lost too much blood he wouldn't live to make it back to the Academy. He broke into a mad dash, ultimately sliding to a kneeling stop next to Zael.

"I've got--things, bandages, tourniquets! I can stabilize him, we have to stabilize him before we move him!" Sable went on, trying to remain calm as he began dumping the contents of his pouches, searching over Zael to see what was his blood and what wasn't. He went to work like a man possessed, carefully but quickly doing what he could. Pressure applied, salves rubbed on, bandages affixed. If Sable could do nothing else this day, he refused to let Zael die.