Re: Battle, Death and a Pine Cone IC Thread 18

[Adley]

Adley glanced around at the corridor, bodies were strewn about and he stepped carefully as they went through. Colin killed the lone remaining Nephanda and confiscated her phone as he defended against any sudden attacks. Thankfully, there weren't any more problems until they got to Anna's door. And then the door itself presented a problem, though not an unexpected one.

He let out a low whistle, "I've picked a brilliant apprentice, it seems... this is magnificent work, even if it's so wrong... Let me see now..."

He raised an eyebrow at Colin and motioned to move his group a little bit in case whatever trap was loaded might accidentally go off as it was being disarmed. Then he continued to watch down the hallways for more Nephandi, unless he was asked to assist with the door.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin frowned and hugged Anna close, "You won't have to... and Gabriel won't do it again, either

"He will when he is reborn..."
Anna muttered her voice flat and distant.
"Do you think it hurt? To get something showed into your brain?"
She muttered and opened her eyes they where wide and distant with the trauma of what she had seen so many times.

He pondered for a moment, "The world is flawed, I'll grant that - but that's not a good reason for nihilism, I think. It's a call to action to improve that which is flawed.

"But even if you improve the world it will not be perfect though at times I do wonder, there are nice things that exist but Gabriel say it all have to go. And when Gabriel says so it have to be true."
She said with a nativity that belonged to a child far younger, in many ways she had a maturity far beyond her years but in some aspects she had been kept isolated and had a very simplistic worldview.

And I don't really object much to recreational drug use on a personal level, but I have to warn you that there's always a risk of addiction - and that risk is the reason why the manufacture and distribution of narcotics is illegal. But if you want a clearer explanation of the dangers of drug abuse, I can certainly point you toward the Cult of Ecstasy; they know how to act responsibly in that regard."

"I am not so sure I would want to try such drugs...I do not want anything to affect my brain, it makes me wonder what those...my first Mentor tortured felt as those needles destroyed them...did their minds...change...that thought scare me. And I did not like what the painkillers they gave me at the hospital made me feel like, my head was spinning."
Anna muttered and shuddered.
"But if others want to use drugs they should be allowed to and if they want to take the risk of being addicted that is their business I think. I however will stick with chocolate."

He took a deep breath, "As for my ethics - and perhaps yours, as well - Truth, Honesty and Kindness form the cornerstones. I'll admit, I haven't given much thought to formally codifying it, though, and I should certainly get around to that."

"That sounds like ok ethics but I still do not really understood. Gabriel never really spoke to me about this, I had to follow his orders and the orders of Miss Abigail and the other leaders of the Labyrinth and otherwise I was not told any why or how."

He smiled wryly, "Now you're getting clever in your questions. Yes, there are laws that are unjust, and those laws need to be corrected, though that's a slow process. As for CPS, true, if they were to learn of you, they'd have certain things to say - and I'm afraid any such official agent would have to have their memories tampered with for it, for their own protection as well as yours. Pragmatically, if you have to choose between breaking two laws, break the one which will have less negative consequences overall. Not just to yourself, but to others affected by your decision.

Anna nodded but she looked a bit confused.
"I would not want anyone to have their memory wiped nor would I want to have a foster parent home or orphanage to have to face the risk of having me there, the Technocracy might attack or the Traditions or worse Nephandi looking for me, that would be wrong to expose helpless sleepers to. But yeah I think I understand sort of, but not completely. Nephandi law was much simpler."
She muttered.

He arched an eyebrow, "That sounds like a parable. Perhaps a memory or a bit of guidance from your dragon. There's truth and wisdom in it, though - one who only takes what they need to live, but gives nothing back will eventually starve, while the one who plants anew and prepares for the future will have plenty."

"It could be...or just a silly dream, I mean silly right a damn Nephanda dreaming of a cottage in the woods and a woman who plant trees..."
She muttered.
"But it felt so real...and she seamed so...well never mind it is just a silly dream."

He smiled wryly, "Yes, I'm sure your ward was quite excellent. How would you permit others to bypass it?"

"It was a good ward indeed. Gabriel said so."
Anna said proudly.
"I made a phrase that can be spoken to let a guest in without taking the ward down. I do not even know what the language is called and I only know a few words they are from the dream I told you about, with the woman with the hares and the trees, I have heard your friend with the blue eyes and dark hair, you know Kyle's brother, speak the language though, I have wanted to ask him what it is called...anyway I speak the pass phrase three green seeds in that language and the ward allowed someone to pass...I made up that part of the spell completely on my own, found out how to do it."
The girl said happily then she pouted again.
"Then the stupid child ate it...but I put it back up."

He stroked her upper back gently, "Thank you."

Anna just gave you a happy smile at that she finished her pasta and reached out for the jello.
"Do you want some Mentor?"
She offered and then made the same offer to Kyle who shook his head.
"I have already had my dinner Anna but thank you."
He declined and she smiled and started devouring the jello happily, saving half for you if you said you wanted any.

He nodded, "I'll make sure to get you the link to her YouTube channel."

Kyle nodded.
"I would like that Sir, thank you."

Chicago Now:

He shook his head, handing the phone over to Crexia "She never managed to hit dial... She was trying to reach someone called BK... Hum, presumably not Burger King. And that's a rather impressive bit of interior decor she chose for her wallpaper..."

Crexia glanced at the phone.
"Hum...well I guess either this BK is dead or we will run into him or her sooner or later and make them dead."
She said coldly as she pulled out her embroidery, made a few stitches and the phone vanished out of her hand.
"Well I doubt that when shot and burned her first thought was to order pizza and yes the woman was clearly quite fond...of that patch of wall..."
The archmage muttered wryly.

He let out a low whistle, "I've picked a brilliant apprentice, it seems... this is magnificent work, even if it's so wrong... Let me see now..."

You can try to brute force the ward open but there is always a chance that will make the curse go off, unweaving it though will be hard.
"Should I have a look young man?"
Udella offered.

He raised an eyebrow at Colin and motioned to move his group a little bit in case whatever trap was loaded might accidentally go off as it was being disarmed. Then he continued to watch down the hallways for more Nephandi, unless he was asked to assist with the door.

Cara, Nancy and Rosario moved back as you motioned them to, Leon stood ready with his weapon to defend the group as well if he had to. Olamide was clearly checking the Umbra for her eyes was focused elsewhere than the room, Crexia and Udella looked at the door to Anna's room.

(OOC: It is but yes general anti magick and protection magick is her specialty.)

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

"He will when he is reborn..."
Anna muttered her voice flat and distant.
"Do you think it hurt? To get something showed into your brain?"
She muttered and opened her eyes they where wide and distant with the trauma of what she had seen so many times.

Colin sighed, "Perhaps he will, at that - but he won't be Gabriel anymore. And... I think the brain is the one organ that doesn't register pain itself - but the rest of the head, that's a lot of pain-sensitive parts."

"But even if you improve the world it will not be perfect though at times I do wonder, there are nice things that exist but Gabriel say it all have to go. And when Gabriel says so it have to be true."
She said with a nativity that belonged to a child far younger, in many ways she had a maturity far beyond her years but in some aspects she had been kept isolated and had a very simplistic worldview.

He shrugged, "True, the world can't be perfect - but that's part of the beauty of it; the bad bits help put the good bits in perspective, and if we can do our part to make the bad bits bearable for everyone, then we'll end up with a good world in which to live. But consider it like this - a man has gangrene in the leg; would you help him amputate the sick leg and get a prosthetic, or even grow a new leg, or would you kill him now, before the gangrene could, hmm? Certainly, the man will eventually die, but he could yet have many happy years, even if the lost leg still gives him discomfort."

"I am not so sure I would want to try such drugs...I do not want anything to affect my brain, it makes me wonder what those...my first Mentor tortured felt as those needles destroyed them...did their minds...change...that thought scare me. And I did not like what the painkillers they gave me at the hospital made me feel like, my head was spinning."
Anna muttered and shuddered.
"But if others want to use drugs they should be allowed to and if they want to take the risk of being addicted that is their business I think. I however will stick with chocolate."

He grinned, "Now, chocolate, that I can gladly get you from time to time - though, you can get addicted to that, too."

"That sounds like ok ethics but I still do not really understood. Gabriel never really spoke to me about this, I had to follow his orders and the orders of Miss Abigail and the other leaders of the Labyrinth and otherwise I was not told any why or how."

He nodded, "Some times, I might give you an order without immediate explanation. But i promise, an explanation will come, eventually, and I'll never order you to do something that will put you in real danger; not without letting you know the danger and give you an informed choice in the matter."

Anna nodded but she looked a bit confused.
"I would not want anyone to have their memory wiped nor would I want to have a foster parent home or orphanage to have to face the risk of having me there, the Technocracy might attack or the Traditions or worse Nephandi looking for me, that would be wrong to expose helpless sleepers to. But yeah I think I understand sort of, but not completely. Nephandi law was much simpler."
She muttered.

He nodded, "We had a Technocrat captive back in September. We healed her injuries, asked her to share her information about the Nephandi troubles here, and eventually let her loose in a safe location, with her memories of the past few hours erased, for our protection as well as for hers; the Union does not approve of getting friendly with us, after all... Nephandi law was perhaps simpler, but when trying to save lives and the very fabric of Reality is on the line, there are immediately more... complications."

"It could be...or just a silly dream, I mean silly right a damn Nephanda dreaming of a cottage in the woods and a woman who plant trees..."
She muttered.
"But it felt so real...and she seamed so...well never mind it is just a silly dream."

He smiled, "Sounds to me like you remember a past life. Or perhaps a future life. Probably the former, though."

"It was a good ward indeed. Gabriel said so."
Anna said proudly.
"I made a phrase that can be spoken to let a guest in without taking the ward down. I do not even know what the language is called and I only know a few words they are from the dream I told you about, with the woman with the hares and the trees, I have heard your friend with the blue eyes and dark hair, you know Kyle's brother, speak the language though, I have wanted to ask him what it is called...anyway I speak the pass phrase three green seeds in that language and the ward allowed someone to pass...I made up that part of the spell completely on my own, found out how to do it."
The girl said happily then she pouted again.
"Then the stupid child ate it...but I put it back up."

He nodded, "Clever... I'm guessing that might be Greek; probably not Enochian... Three green seeds... You'll have to teach me how you did that trick; it sounds very useful."

Anna just gave you a happy smile at that she finished her pasta and reached out for the jello.
"Do you want some Mentor?"
She offered and then made the same offer to Kyle who shook his head.
"I have already had my dinner Anna but thank you."
He declined and she smiled and started devouring the jello happily, saving half for you if you said you wanted any.

He smiled, "I already ate. Thank you for offering, but really, I brought it down all for you."

Chicago, Now:

Crexia glanced at the phone.
"Hum...well I guess either this BK is dead or we will run into him or her sooner or later and make them dead."
She said coldly as she pulled out her embroidery, made a few stitches and the phone vanished out of her hand.
"Well I doubt that when shot and burned her first thought was to order pizza and yes the woman was clearly quite fond...of that patch of wall..."
The archmage muttered wryly.

He nodded, "I'll keep the initials in mind; perhaps I'll spot something that fits."

You can try to brute force the ward open but there is always a chance that will make the curse go off, unweaving it though will be hard.
"Should I have a look young man?"
Udella offered.

He pondered for a moment, "The lady caught a hare, and planted seeds afterwards, to return twice what was taken... Actually, I think my Cabalmate can resolve this one more accurately; he speaks the language the passphrase was made in, according to the memory from the future..."
He looked over at Adley, "The passphrase is 'Three green seeds', but I don't know the language, only that it's one you speak... I would guess Greek, though it might be another in your vocabulary. Likely not Latin, since she'll tell me it's a language you speak, rather than one I speak..."
He looked at the door again, "If you try translations of it, I can probably see when it responds to the right phrase... I'm guessing there's a nasty curse if anyone tries the door uninvited, and getting the translation right is probably going to be a lot quicker than unravelling the ward safely..."

((OOC: Yup. Mini Jace, alright. :3 ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin sighed, "Perhaps he will, at that - but he won't be Gabriel anymore. And... I think the brain is the one organ that doesn't register pain itself - but the rest of the head, that's a lot of pain-sensitive parts."

"They...shook and shook when he...put the needles in it was..."
Anna said and then shook her head and held her hands over her eyes again.
"I do not want to think about it."
She muttered mournfully and sobbed.

He shrugged, "True, the world can't be perfect - but that's part of the beauty of it; the bad bits help put the good bits in perspective, and if we can do our part to make the bad bits bearable for everyone, then we'll end up with a good world in which to live.

Anna looked at you and seamed to mull your words over.
"I guess there are some sense in that..."
She muttered.

But consider it like this - a man has gangrene in the leg; would you help him amputate the sick leg and get a prosthetic, or even grow a new leg, or would you kill him now, before the gangrene could, hmm? Certainly, the man will eventually die, but he could yet have many happy years, even if the lost leg still gives him discomfort."

"I would amputate his leg and get him healed or get him a prosthetic off course and with magick someone could live indefinitely...are you thinking about the world in the same way...I guess that do make sense but Gabriel said the world must never be..."
She said seaming confused.

He grinned, "Now, chocolate, that I can gladly get you from time to time - though, you can get addicted to that, too."

Anna nodded.
"Yeah I suppose one can and thank you Mentor, I like the ones that are berry shaped with berry flavored jelly inside of it best."
She informed you.

He nodded, "Some times, I might give you an order without immediate explanation. But i promise, an explanation will come, eventually, and I'll never order you to do something that will put you in real danger; not without letting you know the danger and give you an informed choice in the matter."

"I do not need an explanation i will obey, but I guess I do appreciate one."
Anna said softly then she looked at you.
"What when you have to order me to go to my eventual trial, that will be dangerous, and you can not give me a choice about that."

He nodded, "We had a Technocrat captive back in September. We healed her injuries, asked her to share her information about the Nephandi troubles here, and eventually let her loose in a safe location, with her memories of the past few hours erased, for our protection as well as for hers; the Union does not approve of getting friendly with us, after all...

"I understand doing it in such an situation but I would not want my memories altered, I do not want anything to happen to my head, I would never want that."
The girl muttered in a terrified tone of voice.

Nephandi law was perhaps simpler, but when trying to save lives and the very fabric of Reality is on the line, there are immediately more... complications."

"Well we where not trying to save reality so that was not an issue with having simple laws."

He smiled, "Sounds to me like you remember a past life. Or perhaps a future life. Probably the former, though."

"That could be Mentor...if so I think it was an happy one...I wonder who that woman was though, in my dream I loved her, I felt safe with her around."
She said softly and smiled a little.
"I tried to talk to Gabriel about her but he got angry with me and sent me to my room without dinner so I did not ask again...I do fantasize about meeting her at times though, that is why I like the name Anna, she called me that...or not exactly, more that but a bit strange and written differently."

He nodded, "Clever... I'm guessing that might be Greek; probably not Enochian... Three green seeds... You'll have to teach me how you did that trick; it sounds very useful."

"Greek...hum...it could be, that is what they spoke way back when right?"
The little Nephanda said then she nodded.
"I can teach it to you Mentor, I would enjoy that."
She said eagerly.

He smiled, "I already ate. Thank you for offering, but really, I brought it down all for you."

Anna smiled and dug into the jello.
"Thank you Mentor, this is my favorite..."
She muttered.

Chicago Now:

He nodded, "I'll keep the initials in mind; perhaps I'll spot something that fits."

Crexia nodded.
"There is little else we can do for now."

He pondered for a moment, "The lady caught a hare, and planted seeds afterwards, to return twice what was taken... Actually, I think my Cabalmate can resolve this one more accurately; he speaks the language the passphrase was made in, according to the memory from the future..."

"I am afraid you are confusing me a bit young man, a lady a hare and seeds?"
Crexia asked then she nodded.
"Very well give it a shot I have learned to accept your ideas from your future self..."
She said then looked at Adley.
"I would be better if we could get the ward down without risking to trigger it Sodalis so if your Cabalmate think he knows how I would recommend you try."

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

"They...shook and shook when he...put the needles in it was..."
Anna said and then shook her head and held her hands over her eyes again.
"I do not want to think about it."
She muttered mournfully and sobbed.

Colin sighed, "You might as well try not to think of a pink elephant. In fact, try your damndest not to think of a pink elephant; that might help..."

"I would amputate his leg and get him healed or get him a prosthetic off course and with magick someone could live indefinitely...are you thinking about the world in the same way...I guess that do make sense but Gabriel said the world must never be..."
She said seaming confused.

He nodded, "Gabriel and I have rather polar opposite opinions on the existence of the world, I'm afraid..."

Anna nodded.
"Yeah I suppose one can and thank you Mentor, I like the ones that are berry shaped with berry flavored jelly inside of it best."
She informed you.

He grinned, "Well, I'l try berry hard to get some of those."

"I do not need an explanation i will obey, but I guess I do appreciate one."
Anna said softly then she looked at you.
"What when you have to order me to go to my eventual trial, that will be dangerous, and you can not give me a choice about that."

He sighed, "Well, this is true - but you won't be going alone, you'll have me with you. Neither of us will have much viable choice in the matter at that point - though, I suppose, we might take a small detour on the way..."

"I understand doing it in such an situation but I would not want my memories altered, I do not want anything to happen to my head, I would never want that."
The girl muttered in a terrified tone of voice.

He smiled thinly, "At some point, you might change your mind about that... I received some help of that sort once, you know - having my face blown off was... well, I can't say the traumatic experience was one that was worth keeping. Oh, I still remember it, but more like a scene from a particularly vivid movie, so it's greatly... softened. But I won't force you into it - that would be more harmful to you than the unpleasant memories that have given you such fear."

"That could be Mentor...if so I think it was an happy one...I wonder who that woman was though, in my dream I loved her, I felt safe with her around."
She said softly and smiled a little.
"I tried to talk to Gabriel about her but he got angry with me and sent me to my room without dinner so I did not ask again...I do fantasize about meeting her at times though, that is why I like the name Anna, she called me that...or not exactly, more that but a bit strange and written differently."

He pondered, "We'll have to look into that, then. I'd like you to start a dream journal; to write down what you remember when you wake up... and I should see about arranging someone to help you get a proper transcript of that dream; there's a rote of Master Steelhaven's which is excellent for committing memories to paper without intruding on your mind, from what I can tell... I've made some testimonies with its help."

"Greek...hum...it could be, that is what they spoke way back when right?"
The little Nephanda said then she nodded.
"I can teach it to you Mentor, I would enjoy that."
She said eagerly.

He shrugged, "They speak Greek in Greece, but I believe he also speaks Persian and Coptic, which were spoken in slightly other areas in the past. He's a language teacher, you know, but if you'd teach me, that would be more convenient, I suppose."

Chicago, Now:

"I am afraid you are confusing me a bit young man, a lady a hare and seeds?"
Crexia asked then she nodded.
"Very well give it a shot I have learned to accept your ideas from your future self..."
She said then looked at Adley.
"I would be better if we could get the ward down without risking to trigger it Sodalis so if your Cabalmate think he knows how I would recommend you try."

He smiled wryly, "She had an odd sort of memory... a past life of hers, perhaps; I'll have to investigate further later. Might provide some interesting insights; Gabriel was angry when she told him... Hum... Many odd little clues..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin sighed, "You might as well try not to think of a pink elephant. In fact, try your damndest not to think of a pink elephant; that might help..."

Anna peeked out from between her fingers.
"A pink elephant but I never think about something like that it should not be to hard Mentor."
She said then after a moment she looked frustrated and let her hands drop.
"Oh..."

He nodded, "Gabriel and I have rather polar opposite opinions on the existence of the world, I'm afraid..."

The little Nephanda looked at you trying to understand how two of her father figures could have different opinions on such an issue.
"But...but...what should I think then?"
She asked her eyes wide.

He grinned, "Well, I'l try berry hard to get some of those."

Anna giggled and that and grinned.
"Thank you Mentor..."

He sighed, "Well, this is true - but you won't be going alone, you'll have me with you. Neither of us will have much viable choice in the matter at that point - though, I suppose, we might take a small detour on the way..."

"I guess it is better to have someone with me at that point, but what if they hurt me when we get to Horizon? I would be their prisoner then, hurt me other than...well that I mean."
The child asked and shuddered then she blinked and looked a bit surprised.
"Detour Mentor?"

He smiled thinly, "At some point, you might change your mind about that... I received some help of that sort once, you know - having my face blown off was... well, I can't say the traumatic experience was one that was worth keeping. Oh, I still remember it, but more like a scene from a particularly vivid movie, so it's greatly... softened. But I won't force you into it - that would be more harmful to you than the unpleasant memories that have given you such fear."

The little girl looked at you for a moment she raised one hand to touch one of your scars.
"Yeah that must have been scary and I bet it hurt allot."
She muttered.
"But I do not want anyone messing with my head...I don't want that at all."
She said fearfully, she let her hand drop and she started crying.

He pondered, "We'll have to look into that, then. I'd like you to start a dream journal; to write down what you remember when you wake up... and I should see about arranging someone to help you get a proper transcript of that dream; there's a rote of Master Steelhaven's which is excellent for committing memories to paper without intruding on your mind, from what I can tell... I've made some testimonies with its help."

"I can do that but I think some of my dreams would be...disturbing to read about, there is not many happy ones, that dream with the lady was a happy one...but most are not."
Anna said and nodded.
"The rote you describe would be ok, I have nothing against that."
She added.

He shrugged, "They speak Greek in Greece, but I believe he also speaks Persian and Coptic, which were spoken in slightly other areas in the past. He's a language teacher, you know, but if you'd teach me, that would be more convenient, I suppose."

"He is? He is scary, not that he have said anything mean to me but he scowl at me."
Anna commented.
"He do seam kind though."
She added and Kyle smiled a little.
"My brother will scowl at anything he think might be a risk to the Chantry, he is the apprentice of the Security Chief after all."
"But you don't scowl."
"Oh I bet I will learn."
Kyle replies and Anna smiled a little then she looked at you again.
"Ok Mentor...I can try but I only know a few words."
She said and preceded to say a few words in mangled, mispronounced Greek, what she had gotten from a dream.
"Mitéra...Thálassa...Prásinos...I mean they are just some words I can bearly make out a few sentences..."
The girl muttered.

Chicago Now:

He smiled wryly, "She had an odd sort of memory... a past life of hers, perhaps; I'll have to investigate further later. Might provide some interesting insights; Gabriel was angry when she told him... Hum... Many odd little clues..."

"Hum...I wonder why they Gabriel would be angry at her past life memories, if that is what it is, it is something to investigate later though, might provide some clues to who this child really is."
Crexia said and nodded.

[Adley]

He pondered for a moment, "The lady caught a hare, and planted seeds afterwards, to return twice what was taken... Actually, I think my Cabalmate can resolve this one more accurately; he speaks the language the passphrase was made in, according to the memory from the future..." He looked over at Adley, "The passphrase is 'Three green seeds', but I don't know the language, only that it's one you speak... I would guess Greek, though it might be another in your vocabulary. Likely not Latin, since she'll tell me it's a language you speak, rather than one I speak..." He looked at the door again, "If you try translations of it, I can probably see when it responds to the right phrase... I'm guessing there's a nasty curse if anyone tries the door uninvited, and getting the translation right is probably going to be a lot quicker than unravelling the ward safely..."

"I am afraid you are confusing me a bit young man, a lady a hare and seeds?"Crexia asked then she nodded. "Very well give it a shot I have learned to accept your ideas from your future self..." She said then looked at Adley. "I would be better if we could get the ward down without risking to trigger it Sodalis so if your Cabalmate think he knows how I would recommend you try."

He smiled wryly, "She had an odd sort of memory... a past life of hers, perhaps; I'll have to investigate further later. Might provide some interesting insights; Gabriel was angry when she told him... Hum... Many odd little clues..."

Adley raised an eyebrow at Colin as he spoke about the seeds and hare, looking thoughtful. Then as he was asked for possible translations, he gave a nod. "I can certainly try translations of that phrase," he agreed. He said to Crexia, "And yes, I believe that he knows what he is talking about. If someone will please keep a look out?" He took a step closer to the door, still wary of the 'nasty curse' that his cabalmate had warned them about.

// Adley scowling...at all the things.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Leon nodded.
"I will keep an lookout Sodalis."
He said as he stood ready with his weapon in his hand but his finger well away from the trigger, ready to react if something went wrong or someone attacked the group. Crexia nodded.
"I do believe so as well, but do be careful."
She said, the door itself looked like any wooden door but you can sense the magick of a ward on it as you step closer.

(OOC: That never happens. Hermetics don't scowl. Oh and gentlemen then the game have been running for two years Good gaming everyone and give your characters one free exp. )

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

Anna peeked out from between her fingers.
"A pink elephant but I never think about something like that it should not be to hard Mentor."
She said then after a moment she looked frustrated and let her hands drop.
"Oh..."

Colin grinned, "A weird little trick of the mind, that. You'd do well to remember it."

The little Nephanda looked at you trying to understand how two of her father figures could have different opinions on such an issue.
"But...but...what should I think then?"
She asked her eyes wide.

He smiled, "Now, really, I'd prefer you'd come around to my view of it completely... but you'll have to determine your final answer for yourself."

"I guess it is better to have someone with me at that point, but what if they hurt me when we get to Horizon? I would be their prisoner then, hurt me other than...well that I mean."
The child asked and shuddered then she blinked and looked a bit surprised.
"Detour Mentor?"

He winked, "If I can complete it in time, we'll arrive in style, in the blue box I showed you. There might be a few pit stops on the way."

The little girl looked at you for a moment she raised one hand to touch one of your scars.
"Yeah that must have been scary and I bet it hurt allot."
She muttered.
"But I do not want anyone messing with my head...I don't want that at all."
She said fearfully, she let her hand drop and she started crying.

He nodded, "It's not a simple thing to want... If - and that's only if - you someday decide you need it more than you fear it, I'll see about the necessary arrangements. Until then, your mind will not be touched."

"I can do that but I think some of my dreams would be...disturbing to read about, there is not many happy ones, that dream with the lady was a happy one...but most are not."
Anna said and nodded.
"The rote you describe would be ok, I have nothing against that."
She added.

He nodded, "The dream journal would not have to be something you should share with others. But it might be a good way for you to sort out things and find out what you might be comfortable with sharing, and what you might piece together of, well, old memories..."

"He is? He is scary, not that he have said anything mean to me but he scowl at me."
Anna commented.
"He do seam kind though."
She added and Kyle smiled a little.
"My brother will scowl at anything he think might be a risk to the Chantry, he is the apprentice of the Security Chief after all."
"But you don't scowl."
"Oh I bet I will learn."
Kyle replies and Anna smiled a little then she looked at you again.
"Ok Mentor...I can try but I only know a few words."
She said and preceded to say a few words in mangled, mispronounced Greek, what she had gotten from a dream.
"Mitéra...Thálassa...Prásinos...I mean they are just some words I can bearly make out a few sentences..."
The girl muttered.

He grinned, "Adley's a good man - but yes, he does scowl, and that's likely an inherited reflex from his Mentor."
He looked over at Kyle, "I'll give you eight months - ten on the outside - before you've picked it up, too."
He listened to Anna's pronunciation, "Mitera thalasa prasinos... no, that's not quite right... Ah, I'll ask Adley back in September. The phonemes are rather different from Latin or English."

Chicago, Now:

"Hum...I wonder why they Gabriel would be angry at her past life memories, if that is what it is, it is something to investigate later though, might provide some clues to who this child really is."
Crexia said and nodded.

He shrugged, "Possibly a memory of better times, which disturbed the man to some extent. He was rather insistent that the world is a rotten place that just has got to go - a philosophy I obviously don't share. The concept of pleasant times would be rather anathema to him, I think."

Adley raised an eyebrow at Colin as he spoke about the seeds and hare, looking thoughtful. Then as he was asked for possible translations, he gave a nod. "I can certainly try translations of that phrase," he agreed. He said to Crexia, "And yes, I believe that he knows what he is talking about. If someone will please keep a look out?" He took a step closer to the door, still wary of the 'nasty curse' that his cabalmate had warned them about.

He nodded, focusing on the door, "If you please... She will have told me the words, and I'm fairly sure it's Greek, but the phonemes are a bit... tricky."

((OOC: Of course Hermetics scowl. They have, as a Tradition, mastered the fine art of looking down one's nose at others, too. But remember, it's not arrogance and a superiority complex if it's justified. ))

((OOC2: Happy anniversary!))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin grinned, "A weird little trick of the mind, that. You'd do well to remember it."

Anna smiled and nodded.
"That is neat...I will remember it Mentor."

He smiled, "Now, really, I'd prefer you'd come around to my view of it completely... but you'll have to determine your final answer for yourself."

The little Nephanda looked down.
"No one have told me to make up my own min before..."
She whispered.
"Not about something important."

He winked, "If I can complete it in time, we'll arrive in style, in the blue box I showed you. There might be a few pit stops on the way."

Anna glanced at you rather confused.
"A regular Umbral ship would not be good enough?"
She asked.
"I guess pit stops would be good if I was going to my trial any delay would be welcome, I still do not understand though."

He nodded, "It's not a simple thing to want... If - and that's only if - you someday decide you need it more than you fear it, I'll see about the necessary arrangements. Until then, your mind will not be touched."

Anna nodded she looked down at her hands.
"Thank you for letting it be my choice Mentor."
She muttered.
"Perhaps one day...I don't know I...do not want anyone to mess with my mind...perhaps I can sort this fear out myself one day..."
She said but she sounded doubtful of that.
"Freddy tried to talk with me once...to make me feel better I guess, she said she had a phobia to but I guess I should to say to much about it other than in private as I do not think she liked to admit it, you know how she is, even in the start when she still had problems with her eyes she did not like to be seen as weak, she said she worked on it...someone, but I do not know I...it is all just big and scary like a ball of yarn that are wound so tight..."
The girl said and looked down.
"And I do not even know when to begin to unwind it..."

He nodded, "The dream journal would not have to be something you should share with others. But it might be a good way for you to sort out things and find out what you might be comfortable with sharing, and what you might piece together of, well, old memories..."

Anna nodded.
"I do not mind if you read it Mentor...but I fear you might find it disturbing...I dream of...the Caul allot...and it...it was bad..."
She said softly.
"I guess I am lucky I was so young I do not remember all of it, all that happened to me there, but I do dream about it...I do not really like sleeping much."
She said and picked at her socks again.
"But then I get tired all the time and end up falling asleep anyway...it sucks so it will not be...a comfortable read and perhaps you will not like me anymore."
The young Nephandus said in a concerned tone of voice.

He grinned, "Adley's a good man - but yes, he does scowl, and that's likely an inherited reflex from his Mentor."
He looked over at Kyle, "I'll give you eight months - ten on the outside - before you've picked it up, too."

Kyle grinned at that.
"I would not bet against you Sir...I mean like here the other day I got leave to go with Andrew and Rosa to see a movie, and he told me before we left, remember Andrew is well trained but us Paradigm and foci are slow and Rosa just Awakened three months ago, you are a stronger mage and a quicker one as well, when you are out, their safety are your responsibility...I mean talk about pressure and I have to admit I did end up being much more aware of my surroundings until we where back at the Chantry, I can see where my brother's frowning comes from."
He said and smiled a little proud to be trusted with the task of guarding the other two mages.
"And yes Adley is a good man, and Anna he will not hurt you but he do frown."
He said and the little Nephanda looked up from her dessert.
"Yeah I guess...I still think he looks scary though."
She protested.

He listened to Anna's pronunciation, "Mitera thalasa prasinos... no, that's not quite right... Ah, I'll ask Adley back in September. The phonemes are rather different from Latin or English."

"Yeah it is hard to know how to speak the words, then again so is English and Latin I am more used to the Nephandi language but only Kyle speak that her and he speak it terribly."
He said and the young Flambeau gave her a mock scowl and she giggled.
"You do...you do...you are to concerned with words, but the Dragon's Tongue is not about words it is how you speak, you focus on the destructiveness inside and spit it out."
She explained and Kyle sigh.
"Well it is what it is Anna I understand but I have not really grown up speaking that language."
He said and she griped.
"Yeah but you are the only one...Beatrice will not answer when I speak to her like that, she just pretend I have said nothing until I repeat it in English or Latin...spoilsport..."

Chicago Now:

He shrugged, "Possibly a memory of better times, which disturbed the man to some extent. He was rather insistent that the world is a rotten place that just has got to go - a philosophy I obviously don't share. The concept of pleasant times would be rather anathema to him, I think."

"His existence was a sad one then, no less dangerous and in need of eradication, but sad."
Crexia said and frowned.
"I do wonder though how damaged a child that have grown up with such a caretaker will have ended up...you are not taking on an easy job."
She commented.

(OOC: Anna gave you the password for the ward in English and it was tree green seeds, the words she said though was just random words since she wanted you to see if you could identify the language.)

(OOC 2: Off course they are justified, the are the Order of Hermes after all. For the glory of the Order!)

OOC 3: Indeed Happy anniversary to the game. )

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

The little Nephanda looked down.
"No one have told me to make up my own min before..."
She whispered.
"Not about something important."

Colin frowned, "All the better to start considering things for yourself, then. It's a poor soldier who only obeys without thinking."

Anna glanced at you rather confused.
"A regular Umbral ship would not be good enough?"
She asked.
"I guess pit stops would be good if I was going to my trial any delay would be welcome, I still do not understand though."

He grinned, "Sweetie, I am many things, but first and foremost, I am British. If I have a chance to travel in a replica of the most iconic British vessel ever conceived, then I must. If that vessel happens to be a time machine as well, well... so be it."
He turned more serious, "Of course, there's only so much of a detour I can allow for - other times may be temporarily safe, but there are still great risks involved in that, even if we can steal a few great experiences into the schedule."

Anna nodded she looked down at her hands.
"Thank you for letting it be my choice Mentor."
She muttered.
"Perhaps one day...I don't know I...do not want anyone to mess with my mind...perhaps I can sort this fear out myself one day..."
She said but she sounded doubtful of that.
"Freddy tried to talk with me once...to make me feel better I guess, she said she had a phobia to but I guess I should to say to much about it other than in private as I do not think she liked to admit it, you know how she is, even in the start when she still had problems with her eyes she did not like to be seen as weak, she said she worked on it...someone, but I do not know I...it is all just big and scary like a ball of yarn that are wound so tight..."
The girl said and looked down.
"And I do not even know when to begin to unwind it..."

He nodded, "If and when the time to unwind the fears comes, you will know then. Baby steps, as they say."

Anna nodded.
"I do not mind if you read it Mentor...but I fear you might find it disturbing...I dream of...the Caul allot...and it...it was bad..."
She said softly.
"I guess I am lucky I was so young I do not remember all of it, all that happened to me there, but I do dream about it...I do not really like sleeping much."
She said and picked at her socks again.
"But then I get tired all the time and end up falling asleep anyway...it sucks so it will not be...a comfortable read and perhaps you will not like me anymore."
The young Nephandus said in a concerned tone of voice.

He smiled warmly, "I'll think no less of you for what the Caul did. That was, after all, the Caul's doing, not yours. That you were convinced to step inside at a young and impressionable age is not your fault. But yes, I might find it disturbing. Then again, considering I read my own medical file after... my operation, and the memories I possess of various lives... I'm sure I can manage."

Kyle grinned at that.
"I would not bet against you Sir...I mean like here the other day I got leave to go with Andrew and Rosa to see a movie, and he told me before we left, remember Andrew is well trained but us Paradigm and foci are slow and Rosa just Awakened three months ago, you are a stronger mage and a quicker one as well, when you are out, their safety are your responsibility...I mean talk about pressure and I have to admit I did end up being much more aware of my surroundings until we where back at the Chantry, I can see where my brother's frowning comes from."
He said and smiled a little proud to be trusted with the task of guarding the other two mages.
"And yes Adley is a good man, and Anna he will not hurt you but he do frown."
He said and the little Nephanda looked up from her dessert.
"Yeah I guess...I still think he looks scary though."
She protested.

He grinned, "I suppose he does look a bit stern. He'll make a magnificent grumpy old man someday - but honestly, I think more people are unnerved by my looks than by his. The distinction between someone who looks like a strict teacher and someone who reminds people of how fragile, yet durable humans can be, I suppose..."

"Yeah it is hard to know how to speak the words, then again so is English and Latin I am more used to the Nephandi language but only Kyle speak that her and he speak it terribly."
He said and the young Flambeau gave her a mock scowl and she giggled.
"You do...you do...you are to concerned with words, but the Dragon's Tongue is not about words it is how you speak, you focus on the destructiveness inside and spit it out."
She explained and Kyle sigh.
"Well it is what it is Anna I understand but I have not really grown up speaking that language."
He said and she griped.
"Yeah but you are the only one...Beatrice will not answer when I speak to her like that, she just pretend I have said nothing until I repeat it in English or Latin...spoilsport..."

He frowned, "It's not a... good language, I think. And Beatrice has very good reasons for not acknowledging it. I'd like it if you refrained from pressing that particular issue."

Chicago, Now:

"His existence was a sad one then, no less dangerous and in need of eradication, but sad."
Crexia said and frowned.
"I do wonder though how damaged a child that have grown up with such a caretaker will have ended up...you are not taking on an easy job."
She commented.

He nodded, "Actually, aside from a phobia of needles, which is well justified, she's been incredibly gently treated. Her Mentor, much as he was a beast, doted on her endlessly, and protected her from pretty much everything. Well, except his own training, of course, which has left a few mental scars due to what she was forced to watch... but I don't think she's ever been harmed physically. She's... delicate; almost to the tune of a Fairy Queen on thirty mattresses over an iron ball... But yes, it's going to be trying, between the fears of the eventual trial and her medical condition..."

((OOC: Yeah, they sounded Greek to me. ))

((OOC2: Yes, yes, for the glory of the Order. Now, are you going to stand there and be superior, or are we going to go and get things done today? ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin frowned, "All the better to start considering things for yourself, then. It's a poor soldier who only obeys without thinking."

"I guess you are right...but I always just did what Gabriel said, except when I would sneak out of my room to play video games with some of the others and that don't count...and I guess I had some drawing stuff hidden under my bed, I was not allowed to have them as I was supposed to spend my time studying but I did but other than that I did what he said, Gabriel knows best."
She muttered.
"Only now he is dead..."
She said sadly, the little girl clearly honestly missed the brutal old Nephandus.

He grinned, "Sweetie, I am many things, but first and foremost, I am British. If I have a chance to travel in a replica of the most iconic British vessel ever conceived, then I must. If that vessel happens to be a time machine as well, well... so be it."

"I guess but it is not very aerodynamic, though I guess that do not matter that much for a time machine."
Anna said and scratched her head.

He turned more serious, "Of course, there's only so much of a detour I can allow for - other times may be temporarily safe, but there are still great risks involved in that, even if we can steal a few great experiences into the schedule."

"We could go to a time when there where to Traditions and stay there...like when there where dinosaurs, that would be good."
Anna said and gave you a hopeful smile.

He nodded, "If and when the time to unwind the fears comes, you will know then. Baby steps, as they say."

Anna plucked at her sock again, well that pair was almost gone, as soon as there was a hole in one of them she would nervously pick at it until the sock fell apart so as Freddy said when she noticed a hole or tear in Anna's clothes she took it to fix it as soon as possible before the girl's little fingers had completely destroyed the garment and gave her something else to get her nervous energy out on instead.
"I am not sure if I can...it seam like a insurmountable wall..."
She muttered then she bared something in the Nephandi language but not to you or Kyle you are pretty sure her Avatar had decided to chime in and she did not approve of what he had to say.

He smiled warmly, "I'll think no less of you for what the Caul did. That was, after all, the Caul's doing, not yours. That you were convinced to step inside at a young and impressionable age is not your fault. But yes, I might find it disturbing.

"It will remind you of what I am...that I am Fallen...and the Caul did really...horrible things I...was screaming and screaming and it never stopped...I could hear glass shattering...for a thousand year...and there where things in there that...hurt me...it showed be how bad the world is."
Anna muttered and shivered. It seamed very few Nephandi liked to talk about their experience in the Caul.
"At least I came out again sane...not everyone do..."

Then again, considering I read my own medical file after... my operation, and the memories I possess of various lives... I'm sure I can manage."

"I guess so...did allot of pieces have to be put back together again?"
Anna asked as if it was a completely natural thing to talk about and Kyle winced over the young Nephanda's complete lack of normal social tact.
"Did the operation hurt Mentor? Did you feel it?"

He grinned, "I suppose he does look a bit stern. He'll make a magnificent grumpy old man someday - but honestly, I think more people are unnerved by my looks than by his. The distinction between someone who looks like a strict teacher and someone who reminds people of how fragile, yet durable humans can be, I suppose..."

"He look like a Traditionalist...and I have had nightmares about those and that is exactly how I imagine one would look...other than the hoodies I always thought suits...or very prim and proper robes...with stars and moons on them, but close enough."
Anna complained then she got a odd look in her eyes.
"Though being your apprentice I guess I am a Traditionalist now...and that is really strange to think about...I am the bogyman Gabriel used to check under my bed for before I went to sleep at night."
She said and Kyle rolled his eyes.
"Yeah I know the feeling. I have grown up being afraid of Traditionalists, being told how to kill myself if I ever saw one...and now...I am one it is rather surreal."
He muttered and Anna nodded.
"Yeah..."
She said before she turned her attention back to you.
"I am used to scars, and deformities and Investment Marks, your face Mentor look normal to me, I have grown up in a Labyrinth after all."
She said and smiled.
"There is no reason to be afraid of scars, I have one on my belly now...do you want to see?"
She asked.

He frowned, "It's not a... good language, I think. And Beatrice has very good reasons for not acknowledging it. I'd like it if you refrained from pressing that particular issue."

"Ok...I can stop talking in the Dragon's Tongue to Bee if it make her uncomfortable."
Anna said and looked down and played with her sock a bit hesitantly.
"I did not mean any harm Mentor...I am just homesick..."
She muttered then she added in soft protest and pouted.
"And I don't think it is a bad language."

Chicago Now:

He nodded, "Actually, aside from a phobia of needles, which is well justified, she's been incredibly gently treated. Her Mentor, much as he was a beast, doted on her endlessly, and protected her from pretty much everything. Well, except his own training, of course, which has left a few mental scars due to what she was forced to watch... but I don't think she's ever been harmed physically.

"I guess we all, including those who are the most gruesome members of humanity need someone or something to love, and for Gabriel it was his young student."
Crexia said and nodded.
"Well that do make things easier but it also mean we are destroying her home...her friends, she will have lost everyone she care for and been wounded and taken prisoner in one night, that is not easy for anyone, let alone someone that young to handle..."
The archmaga said and frowned.

She's... delicate; almost to the tune of a Fairy Queen on thirty mattresses over an iron ball... But yes, it's going to be trying, between the fears of the eventual trial and her medical condition..."

"It can not be easy for a child to go around and fear being...Gilgulled, even for an adult mage that is not easy I have seen grown men break down into shivering, sobbing balls on the floor of Horizon's shielded cells."
The old Tytalus muttered and Udella glanced in her direction.
"But if you are determined...then I wish you the best of luck in dealing with her."

[Adley]

Leon nodded. "I will keep an lookout Sodalis." He said as he stood ready with his weapon in his hand but his finger well away from the trigger, ready to react if something went wrong or someone attacked the group. Crexia nodded. "I do believe so as well, but do be careful." She said, the door itself looked like any wooden door but you can sense the magick of a ward on it as you step closer.

He nodded, focusing on the door, "If you please... She will have told me the words, and I'm fairly sure it's Greek, but the phonemes are a bit... tricky."

"Thank you," he said to them and gave Colin a nod. He then said the passphrase in Greek for 'three green seeds,' "treis prásinous spórous," checking to see if it had any effect on the door's magick.

// lmao, that's right, Adley's not /arrogant/ he just -knows- he's got on a path to become the divine being he already is, having that chunk of divinity inside of him awakened. ; ) Also, I'm sure he'd have a word or two about Dragon Tongue with Kyle at some point, though being a teenager outright telling him not to use it would be a sure way to make sure he used it more often.

Yay, second year anniversary!!

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

As you spoke the words the wards on the door drew back sort of, opening as a secondary invisible door allowing passage into the room beyond, it was a elegantly made wards and a elegant solution for entry, the little Nephandus had skill and finesse in her work.

(OOC: Off course no Hermetic is arrogant...well perhaps with the exception of the most beloved Seat of Forces that is. But yes that is how a Hermetic would look at it. And yes he probably will have a few words with Kyle about the Dragon's Tongue and if Jeffry hear him speak it it might be kitchen duty in his future, allot of kitchen duty. But yeah telling teenagers not to do something is a good way to get them to do it.)

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

"I guess you are right...but I always just did what Gabriel said, except when I would sneak out of my room to play video games with some of the others and that don't count...and I guess I had some drawing stuff hidden under my bed, I was not allowed to have them as I was supposed to spend my time studying but I did but other than that I did what he said, Gabriel knows best."
She muttered.
"Only now he is dead..."
She said sadly, the little girl clearly honestly missed the brutal old Nephandus.

He sighed softly, "Sweetie, one of the first things we need you to see is that just because someone is in charge, that doesn't mean they're right. They're still in charge, of course, but they're not always right... and that's something that could be dangerous, if those leaders lack the necessary insight and wisdom to listen to others."

"I guess but it is not very aerodynamic, though I guess that do not matter that much for a time machine."
Anna said and scratched her head.

He grinned, "I've got to bring down a few DVDs of Doctor Who... I'm thinking perhaps some of the Baker years, and the Tennant series for starters."

"We could go to a time when there where to Traditions and stay there...like when there where dinosaurs, that would be good."
Anna said and gave you a hopeful smile.

He shook his head, "Running and hiding - that would not do. If we don't show up at the appointed time, they'll start hunting us down, I'm afraid - and our detour would be cut short. Plus, the age of the dinosaurs would be unhealthy, for several reasons, including the rather chompy nature of carnivores of the time. I imagine you've seen Jurassic Park?"

Anna plucked at her sock again, well that pair was almost gone, as soon as there was a hole in one of them she would nervously pick at it until the sock fell apart so as Freddy said when she noticed a hole or tear in Anna's clothes she took it to fix it as soon as possible before the girl's little fingers had completely destroyed the garment and gave her something else to get her nervous energy out on instead.
"I am not sure if I can...it seam like a insurmountable wall..."
She muttered then she bared something in the Nephandi language but not to you or Kyle you are pretty sure her Avatar had decided to chime in and she did not approve of what he had to say.

He patted her back lightly, "The wall that seems unsurmountable today might seem less daunting in a year's time. But if you just keep staring at it, it'll never seem smaller. Some times, you just have to take a step back and focus on something else for a while."

"It will remind you of what I am...that I am Fallen...and the Caul did really...horrible things I...was screaming and screaming and it never stopped...I could hear glass shattering...for a thousand year...and there where things in there that...hurt me...it showed be how bad the world is."
Anna muttered and shivered. It seamed very few Nephandi liked to talk about their experience in the Caul.
"At least I came out again sane...not everyone do..."

He took a deep breath, "It will also remind me that you're a child who got dealt a bad hand and made the best of it. You are better and stronger than you might realize."

"I guess so...did allot of pieces have to be put back together again?"
Anna asked as if it was a completely natural thing to talk about and Kyle winced over the young Nephanda's complete lack of normal social tact.
"Did the operation hurt Mentor? Did you feel it?"

He shook his head, "Just the one piece..." He traced the scars on his face with two fingers, "but my face was essentially hanging on my shoulder, only attached to my head via an inch-wide strip about here... I was blissfully unconscious all the while, though, and fairly well drugged for some time afterwards - the pain was down to a mild throb, comparable to the headache you might feel when you go from a dark room to a brightly lit one."

"He look like a Traditionalist...and I have had nightmares about those and that is exactly how I imagine one would look...other than the hoodies I always thought suits...or very prim and proper robes...with stars and moons on them, but close enough."
Anna complained then she got a odd look in her eyes.
"Though being your apprentice I guess I am a Traditionalist now...and that is really strange to think about...I am the bogyman Gabriel used to check under my bed for before I went to sleep at night."
She said and Kyle rolled his eyes.
"Yeah I know the feeling. I have grown up being afraid of Traditionalists, being told how to kill myself if I ever saw one...and now...I am one it is rather surreal."
He muttered and Anna nodded.
"Yeah..."
She said before she turned her attention back to you.
"I am used to scars, and deformities and Investment Marks, your face Mentor look normal to me, I have grown up in a Labyrinth after all."
She said and smiled.
"There is no reason to be afraid of scars, I have one on my belly now...do you want to see?"
She asked.

He smiled wryly, "Suits would more likely be Technocrats, but yes, some of us favour those over fine, mantled robes. Others prefer regular street clothes, like jeans and t-shirts. Mostly, though, we try to blend in."
He shook his head, "I've already seen your scar - I helped change the bandages a couple of times, remember? The ER surgeon did good work; I doubt it will be as... sharply contrasted as mine."

"Ok...I can stop talking in the Dragon's Tongue to Bee if it make her uncomfortable."
Anna said and looked down and played with her sock a bit hesitantly.
"I did not mean any harm Mentor...I am just homesick..."
She muttered then she added in soft protest and pouted.
"And I don't think it is a bad language."

He nodded, "It's alright... and points on a spectrum, sweetie; it doesn't have to be outright bad even if it's not good... nothing is quite as black and white as all that."

Chicago, Now:

"I guess we all, including those who are the most gruesome members of humanity need someone or something to love, and for Gabriel it was his young student."
Crexia said and nodded.
"Well that do make things easier but it also mean we are destroying her home...her friends, she will have lost everyone she care for and been wounded and taken prisoner in one night, that is not easy for anyone, let alone someone that young to handle..."
The archmaga said and frowned.

He nodded, "It's... an unpleasant set of circumstances, but we'll have to make do with what we have, not what we wish we might have."

"It can not be easy for a child to go around and fear being...Gilgulled, even for an adult mage that is not easy I have seen grown men break down into shivering, sobbing balls on the floor of Horizon's shielded cells."
The old Tytalus muttered and Udella glanced in her direction.
"But if you are determined...then I wish you the best of luck in dealing with her."

He smiled, "Thank you... I appreciate that."

"Thank you," he said to them and gave Colin a nod. He then said the passphrase in Greek for 'three green seeds,' "treis prásinous spórous," checking to see if it had any effect on the door's magick.

As you spoke the words the wards on the door drew back sort of, opening as a secondary invisible door allowing passage into the room beyond, it was a elegantly made wards and a elegant solution for entry, the little Nephandus had skill and finesse in her work.

He grinned broadly, "And cue Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance... She's a clever little girl, coming up with a passphrase in a language nobody she knows speaks... and a very finely made ward, at that."
He opened the door carefully, ready to pull back his hand if the ward snapped shut again.

((OOC: And I'm sure Colin would have plenty to say about all that inherent superiority if it started manifesting in the middle of a battle. ))

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

He sighed softly, "Sweetie, one of the first things we need you to see is that just because someone is in charge, that doesn't mean they're right. They're still in charge, of course, but they're not always right... and that's something that could be dangerous, if those leaders lack the necessary insight and wisdom to listen to others."

Anna nodded.
"Off course, but Gabriel took care of me, he protected me, and he said he was right, others who are in charge they might be wrong, but he took care of me."
She protested and looked down.

He grinned, "I've got to bring down a few DVDs of Doctor Who... I'm thinking perhaps some of the Baker years, and the Tennant series for starters."

"Ok...I like watching TV shows."
The little girl said and smiled.

He shook his head, "Running and hiding - that would not do. If we don't show up at the appointed time, they'll start hunting us down, I'm afraid - and our detour would be cut short. Plus, the age of the dinosaurs would be unhealthy, for several reasons, including the rather chompy nature of carnivores of the time. I imagine you've seen Jurassic Park?"

"I guess they would find us eventually, then again if we where living in the past would time really pass, we could live our entire lives in another time period and the appointed time would never come in this one."
She reasoned and smiled hopefully again.
"I can make bolts of primal flame, I bet I can chase away a dinosaur but it could be some other time period before there where any Traditions as well, perhaps when all the Romans where running around."

He patted her back lightly, "The wall that seems unsurmountable today might seem less daunting in a year's time. But if you just keep staring at it, it'll never seem smaller. Some times, you just have to take a step back and focus on something else for a while."

"Perhaps but when what I fear is forced on me daily that do not really help make that wall seam smaller, ever."
The child said and pulled at her socks.
"Instead it is getting higher, I doubt I can ever face it. Also who knows if I am even alive and...whole in a year..."

He took a deep breath, "It will also remind me that you're a child who got dealt a bad hand and made the best of it. You are better and stronger than you might realize."

Anna shook her head.
"I am not strong, and it was not bad living in the Labyrinth, only the Caul was bad...I do not really like talking about it, thinking about it make my stomach knot up."
She muttered and sort of looked smaller and frailer where she sat on the floor.

He shook his head, "Just the one piece..." He traced the scars on his face with two fingers, "but my face was essentially hanging on my shoulder, only attached to my head via an inch-wide strip about here... I was blissfully unconscious all the while, though, and fairly well drugged for some time afterwards - the pain was down to a mild throb, comparable to the headache you might feel when you go from a dark room to a brightly lit one."

Both of the young Fallen mages listened creepily intently when you described your injuries seaming to be morbidly interested then Anna nodded and lifted one hand to touch the part of your face that you where pointing to.
"For sleepers they did a very good job healing you Mentor."
She muttered and let her arm drop again for a while she hesitated then she asked.
"Did they use needles on you at the hospital Mentor and if so why don't you fear them?"

He smiled wryly, "Suits would more likely be Technocrats, but yes, some of us favour those over fine, mantled robes. Others prefer regular street clothes, like jeans and t-shirts. Mostly, though, we try to blend in."

"Yeah I guess you do, that is the dangerous part you should have some sort of warning label."
Anna muttered and Kyle nodded his agreement with that then she continued.
"Then again most of the Labyrinth members wore regular clothes as well, my Mentor as well, and me."

He shook his head, "I've already seen your scar - I helped change the bandages a couple of times, remember? The ER surgeon did good work; I doubt it will be as... sharply contrasted as mine."

"I don't remember that surgery...I only woke up in a bed...I did not like the hospital they where mean."
Anna muttered as her hands nervously played with the hole in her socks.
"Yeah you changed the bandages, that healer at Morningstar seamed confused that I did not protest that must about that while I did protest other treatments, he is a very strange man."

He nodded, "It's alright... and points on a spectrum, sweetie; it doesn't have to be outright bad even if it's not good... nothing is quite as black and white as all that."

Anna looked at you and cocked her head to the side.
"Yeah but why don't you think it is a good language Mentor, it is very useful I can communicate just fine with it."

Chicago Now:

He nodded, "It's... an unpleasant set of circumstances, but we'll have to make do with what we have, not what we wish we might have."

"True enough that, and a attitude that would have pleased old House Tremere as that is what the Founder did, making do with what he had."
Crexia said and nodded approvingly.

He grinned broadly, "And cue Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance... She's a clever little girl, coming up with a passphrase in a language nobody she knows speaks... and a very finely made ward, at that."

"Yes the girl is clearly a talented spellcaster, I just wish she was not Fallen."
The old Tytalus muttered dryly.

He opened the door carefully, ready to pull back his hand if the ward snapped shut again.

The ward stayed open though you do not know for how long. Beyond the door was a pretty normal looking, good sized bedroom. On one wall there was a large bookcase filled with tomes, filled to the brim so some had to be stacked on top, along an other wall there was another book case this to was full, there was a practical desk that held a computer, paper, pens and other such materials, as well as two, large glass years full of marbles. There was a wardrobe there, and a bed with a lilac bedcover, beside the bed on the nightstand there where another marble, a large blue one, the one you had seen in Anna's hand in the vision you had of her being forced to watch Gabriel have his fun, it might be a favorite that gave her comfort, there was also a small table and two chairs in the room. The walls where painted brown where there where not Labyrinth flesh oozing down and covering parts of the walls, the furniture where lilac and blue, there and there where ornaments and decorations, it was clear the young Nephanda favored glass trinkets, there where few things for fun and games other than the marbles though. On one wall hung two pictures, one was of Gabriel and Anna when she was little, she was sitting on his lap and the old Nephandus looked peaceful as he sat there with his apprentice. The second was a picture of what had to be the Labyrinth members for you had seen...and killed several of them, all of them staring into the camera and smiling. One of them was a tall woman with hair so blond it was all but white, she would have been beautiful once but half her face was covered in deep scars, that had to be Abigail herself.
"Be careful please."
You hear Udella urge behind you.

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

Anna nodded.
"Off course, but Gabriel took care of me, he protected me, and he said he was right, others who are in charge they might be wrong, but he took care of me."
She protested and looked down.

Colin nodded, "He indeed took care of you... He was kinder to you than I would ever have suspected from his reputation..."

"I guess they would find us eventually, then again if we where living in the past would time really pass, we could live our entire lives in another time period and the appointed time would never come in this one."
She reasoned and smiled hopefully again.
"I can make bolts of primal flame, I bet I can chase away a dinosaur but it could be some other time period before there where any Traditions as well, perhaps when all the Romans where running around."

He nodded, "We could hide for some time in the past... but we would have to return eventually. There would be Paradox to worry about, as well; the more of an impression we left at any point in the past, the worse that might get, for both of us."

"Perhaps but when what I fear is forced on me daily that do not really help make that wall seam smaller, ever."
The child said and pulled at her socks.
"Instead it is getting higher, I doubt I can ever face it. Also who knows if I am even alive and...whole in a year..."

He looked down, "Yes, and for that reinforcement, I am sorry. But, I am fairly certain you'll be alive and whole in a year - your heart will likely need several years to heal, and they won't dare to... try to enforce a sentence before they're satisfied you'll survive it. And that... is going to be hard for them to be convinced of."

Anna shook her head.
"I am not strong, and it was not bad living in the Labyrinth, only the Caul was bad...I do not really like talking about it, thinking about it make my stomach knot up."
She muttered and sort of looked smaller and frailer where she sat on the floor.

He nodded, "The Labyrinth itself wasn't the bad hand I referred to..."

Both of the young Fallen mages listened creepily intently when you described your injuries seaming to be morbidly interested then Anna nodded and lifted one hand to touch the part of your face that you where pointing to.
"For sleepers they did a very good job healing you Mentor."
She muttered and let her arm drop again for a while she hesitated then she asked.
"Did they use needles on you at the hospital Mentor and if so why don't you fear them?"

He smiled wryly, "I was rather unconscious on my own before they started stitching me together. They'd have to have used needles, but I never noticed. Small blessings, I suppose..."

"Yeah I guess you do, that is the dangerous part you should have some sort of warning label."
Anna muttered and Kyle nodded his agreement with that then she continued.
"Then again most of the Labyrinth members wore regular clothes as well, my Mentor as well, and me."

He grinned, "Well, we sort of do wear warning labels... If you just look for people with magic, we do light up like Christmas trees."

"I don't remember that surgery...I only woke up in a bed...I did not like the hospital they where mean."
Anna muttered as her hands nervously played with the hole in her socks.
"Yeah you changed the bandages, that healer at Morningstar seamed confused that I did not protest that must about that while I did protest other treatments, he is a very strange man."

He nodded, "The hospital staff had certain protocols they had to follow... After a fashion, you were lucky I was able to retrieve you as quickly as I was. If not, the Technocrats might have found you first, owing to how your wound was healed before the surgeon's eyes..."

Anna looked at you and cocked her head to the side.
"Yeah but why don't you think it is a good language Mentor, it is very useful I can communicate just fine with it."

He shook his head, "It's less useful as a language, because most are inherently unable to understand or speak it - it requires your Avatar having been through a Caul at some point. It's excellent for sharing information that no outsider should understand, perhaps, but it is a bit too obvious that it's not a language developed for the human vocal capabilities."

Chicago, Now:

"True enough that, and a attitude that would have pleased old House Tremere as that is what the Founder did, making do with what he had."
Crexia said and nodded approvingly.

He nodded thoughtfully, "I've been told I would have made a good Tremere back in the day..."

"Yes the girl is clearly a talented spellcaster, I just wish she was not Fallen."
The old Tytalus muttered dryly.

He smiled, "True, but at least there's a chance of removing that problem... if we can coax out the time to do so. I have faith."

The ward stayed open though you do not know for how long. Beyond the door was a pretty normal looking, good sized bedroom. On one wall there was a large bookcase filled with tomes, filled to the brim so some had to be stacked on top, along an other wall there was another book case this to was full, there was a practical desk that held a computer, paper, pens and other such materials, as well as two, large glass years full of marbles. There was a wardrobe there, and a bed with a lilac bedcover, beside the bed on the nightstand there where another marble, a large blue one, the one you had seen in Anna's hand in the vision you had of her being forced to watch Gabriel have his fun, it might be a favorite that gave her comfort, there was also a small table and two chairs in the room. The walls where painted brown where there where not Labyrinth flesh oozing down and covering parts of the walls, the furniture where lilac and blue, there and there where ornaments and decorations, it was clear the young Nephanda favored glass trinkets, there where few things for fun and games other than the marbles though. On one wall hung two pictures, one was of Gabriel and Anna when she was little, she was sitting on his lap and the old Nephandus looked peaceful as he sat there with his apprentice. The second was a picture of what had to be the Labyrinth members for you had seen...and killed several of them, all of them staring into the camera and smiling. One of them was a tall woman with hair so blond it was all but white, she would have been beautiful once but half her face was covered in deep scars, that had to be Abigail herself.
"Be careful please."
You hear Udella urge behind you.

He adjusted the monocle as he stepped inside, carefully scanning the room for any other wards or items which carried traces of magic on them - the tomes were an obvious candidate for that - and quickly dug through the marble jars for the particular marble Cotta had given Anna back then.
Glancing up at the picture of the Labyrinth 'family', he arched an eyebrow, "So that's what dear Abby looks like..."
He nodded to Udella, "I am cautious as expediency will permit. I can see what's magical and what's not in here, and that's as much forewarning as I need... Hum, those books might be useful for research, though any magic references is probably broken and wrong... Your counsel on that, honored Elders?"

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin nodded, "He indeed took care of you... He was kinder to you than I would ever have suspected from his reputation..."

"Yeah...he was kind of an asshole to anyone but me...I sometimes wonder if I have magickal brothers and sisters somewhere...but Gabriel never spoke of other apprentices."
The young Nephanda said.
"But yes he did take care of me.

He nodded, "We could hide for some time in the past... but we would have to return eventually. There would be Paradox to worry about, as well; the more of an impression we left at any point in the past, the worse that might get, for both of us."

"I guess and Paradox can be bad...like I said tail...it could even wag."
Anna muttered and frowned.
"And it had eyes on it."
Then she brightened.
"We could go to the future to hide then, we could not change anything there."

He looked down, "Yes, and for that reinforcement, I am sorry.

"It is not your fault Mentor, the alternative would be to be thrown into some dank cell somewhere and still having it done, and I guess it is better when you or Freddy do it or even Dr Lee...someone I know, than some jailer."
Anna said and patted your hand.
"I am angry at the Traditions and not you."

But, I am fairly certain you'll be alive and whole in a year - your heart will likely need several years to heal, and they won't dare to... try to enforce a sentence before they're satisfied you'll survive it. And that... is going to be hard for them to be convinced of."

"I guess..."
Anna said hesitantly then she seamed rather relieved.
"I guess that is they try...that and I die then my glass dragon will eat them, that would definitely make him stop being lazy and do something he do not like anyone but me touching his scales, not now that he will not become a beach anymore..."
The little Nephanda shook her head.
"Sorry ehm I am confused as well about that one but that is what he says to me, that he was going to be a beach for his next host, but that he can't anymore, not after the Cauls and he is sad...ah well what Avatars say eh? Anyway if someone try to touch him and hurt him he will bite and blow a breath of sharp little prisms."
Anna declared.

He nodded, "The Labyrinth itself wasn't the bad hand I referred to..."

"You where talking about the Caul? Yeah that was bad..."
She muttered sadly.

He smiled wryly, "I was rather unconscious on my own before they started stitching me together. They'd have to have used needles, but I never noticed. Small blessings, I suppose..."

Anna nodded she gave you a sympathetic look and patted your hand comfortingly.

He grinned, "Well, we sort of do wear warning labels... If you just look for people with magic, we do light up like Christmas trees."

Anna smiled.
"You are right about that Mentor, but you can not really see if they are Traditionalists or Nephandi or Technocrat or Marauder or Orphan, well I guess you could read their Resonance but even so, there should be better warning labels."
She pouted.

He nodded, "The hospital staff had certain protocols they had to follow... After a fashion, you were lucky I was able to retrieve you as quickly as I was. If not, the Technocrats might have found you first, owing to how your wound was healed before the surgeon's eyes..."

"I guess but the Technocracy don't Gilgul people do they, they shoot you or make you into a slave and while that would suck it would not suck as much as loosing my magick."
Anna protested then she muttered angrily.
"I woke up with a needle in my hand, it hurt and I wanted it out but I did not want to touch it so I took the pillow case out and used that as a glove to get the thing out...that really hurt and I must have cried out for a bloody nurse came in she tried to put the needle back in and I panicked and bit her as hard as I could, she started screaming and more nurses and doctors came in they held me down I....managed to kick one of them in the balls and he went down but I was not strong enough and one of them put the needle back in and it really hurt and then they did something and I got so sleepy I tried to stay awake, tried to use magick...but I was to scared, and it hurt and..."
Anna was clearly getting upset at the memory and she was scratching the back on her left hand hard, leaving red, angry marks.
"I should have cursed the lot of them...while I had the chance!"
She muttered angrily tears in her eyes.
"I hate all of them!"

He shook his head, "It's less useful as a language, because most are inherently unable to understand or speak it - it requires your Avatar having been through a Caul at some point. It's excellent for sharing information that no outsider should understand, perhaps, but it is a bit too obvious that it's not a language developed for the human vocal capabilities."

"I guess...not many outside of a labyrinth speak it, but I still like it though I guess you are right Mentor, it is not useful to speaking to anyone but other Fallen."
Anna said in agreement as she listened to your point of view.
"But I can speak it and I am human, I make those noises."
She commented.

He nodded thoughtfully, "I've been told I would have made a good Tremere back in the day..."

"You would have made a good Tremere and you could have risen through the ranks of the House but considering it's fate it is probably good you did not live as you are now back then."
Crexia said bitterly.

He smiled, "True, but at least there's a chance of removing that problem... if we can coax out the time to do so. I have faith."

"Hum...perhaps you can accomplish such a miracle young man, if so then that would be a wonder...until then though the girl's fate is sealed I am afraid."
The archmaga said sadly.

He adjusted the monocle as he stepped inside, carefully scanning the room for any other wards or items which carried traces of magic on them - the tomes were an obvious candidate for that - and quickly dug through the marble jars for the particular marble Cotta had given Anna back then.

There where allot of residue in her Anna had been training on her magick in her, the books where not magickal in themselves though, but the marble you eventually found was, it was glowing there in it's jar as you looked at it with your monocle, you find a blue and greed with gold specks marble, it was beautiful, high quality pottery with a rich colored glaze.

Glancing up at the picture of the Labyrinth 'family', he arched an eyebrow, "So that's what dear Abby looks like..."

Crexia stepped into the room and looked at the photograph.
"Hum...it seams so...and we are going to find her."
She declared.

He nodded to Udella, "I am cautious as expediency will permit. I can see what's magical and what's not in here, and that's as much forewarning as I need... Hum, those books might be useful for research, though any magic references is probably broken and wrong... Your counsel on that, honored Elders?"

Udella went over to the book cases and looked through some of the books.
"Hum...most of these are Hermetic in nature, basics on theory...The Maga Vedara's three volume work on Vim...Bonisagus's primer on countermagick...this is an expensive collection...no most of these are not Nephandic in nature they are Hermetic, copies off course but still books many of us use today...the little girl have quite a bit of resources here, it would be a shame to destroy all of these books."
The old Queistor said.
"There are some works here on darker topics but mostly this is a very fine resource for studying Prime, Spirit and Entropy...to use modern terms. I guess the Nephandi do use the same theory as us, it is just their magick end up being twisted...I guess that makes sense, when a mage enters the Cauls they do not have to relearn their magick like a linear mage have to when they Awaken, a new Nephandus can continue as before but their magick destroy rather than change."
She continued as she glanced through the books.
"Hum...some of these works are written by Verbena...some Orphans and some from Cultists as well...quite an eclectic collection."

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

"Yeah...he was kind of an asshole to anyone but me...I sometimes wonder if I have magickal brothers and sisters somewhere...but Gabriel never spoke of other apprentices."
The young Nephanda said.
"But yes he did take care of me.

Colin shrugged, "It's quite plausible he never took on an apprentice before you. He may, as I did, have noticed something in you..."

"I guess and Paradox can be bad...like I said tail...it could even wag."
Anna muttered and frowned.
"And it had eyes on it."
Then she brightened.
"We could go to the future to hide then, we could not change anything there."

He nodded, "At some point, there's going to be a rock angry at me personally... I don't know how, when or why, just that it's a regular rock with a vengeance... And the future might be as dangerous, since depictions of fugitives can last a long time... No, we can only stall a little, relatively speaking, I'm afraid - but we might be able to stop in many places along the way, perhaps we'll learn something useful each time... Just like the Doctor."

"It is not your fault Mentor, the alternative would be to be thrown into some dank cell somewhere and still having it done, and I guess it is better when you or Freddy do it or even Dr Lee...someone I know, than some jailer."
Anna said and patted your hand.
"I am angry at the Traditions and not you."

He nodded, "And that is one reason for a trial fairly soon; it might give us some relief from the demand of incapacitation, or it might offer a more practical method without the injections. Well, the latter might be arranged soon, in any case, as soon as the work is done. Primium isn't cheap, or quickly made. The Traditions... much like the world, really, aren't perfect, but it's something to work toward. A harmony to be found in spite of disharmonious elements..."

"I guess..."
Anna said hesitantly then she seamed rather relieved.
"I guess that is they try...that and I die then my glass dragon will eat them, that would definitely make him stop being lazy and do something he do not like anyone but me touching his scales, not now that he will not become a beach anymore..."
The little Nephanda shook her head.
"Sorry ehm I am confused as well about that one but that is what he says to me, that he was going to be a beach for his next host, but that he can't anymore, not after the Cauls and he is sad...ah well what Avatars say eh? Anyway if someone try to touch him and hurt him he will bite and blow a breath of sharp little prisms."
Anna declared.

He chuckled, "My Avatar reacts largely the same when someone tries to touch her uninvited... She grabs on to whatever spell was used, and then we cooperate to send some unpleasant reply... Prime bolts delivered through the link of one's own spell must be quite the painful surprise..."
He cleared his throat, "Actually, I'm fairly certain that if you and your dragon talk it over... the beach is less impossible than you might think. But it will require, at some point, a leap of faith..."

Anna smiled.
"You are right about that Mentor, but you can not really see if they are Traditionalists or Nephandi or Technocrat or Marauder or Orphan, well I guess you could read their Resonance but even so, there should be better warning labels."
She pouted.

He smiled wryly, "Well, in most cases, it's best not to take any chances - if you see an unfamiliar Mage on the street, it is risky enough..."

"I guess but the Technocracy don't Gilgul people do they, they shoot you or make you into a slave and while that would suck it would not suck as much as loosing my magick."
Anna protested then she muttered angrily.
"I woke up with a needle in my hand, it hurt and I wanted it out but I did not want to touch it so I took the pillow case out and used that as a glove to get the thing out...that really hurt and I must have cried out for a bloody nurse came in she tried to put the needle back in and I panicked and bit her as hard as I could, she started screaming and more nurses and doctors came in they held me down I....managed to kick one of them in the balls and he went down but I was not strong enough and one of them put the needle back in and it really hurt and then they did something and I got so sleepy I tried to stay awake, tried to use magick...but I was to scared, and it hurt and..."
Anna was clearly getting upset at the memory and she was scratching the back on her left hand hard, leaving red, angry marks.
"I should have cursed the lot of them...while I had the chance!"
She muttered angrily tears in her eyes.
"I hate all of them!"

He frowned, "The Technocracy... do worse than we do, actually. If they decide to make you a slave, they do so by killing a part of your brain, and remove your Avatar in the process. And then they spend the next years or decades forcing you into manual labour, and harvest your bone marrow for their own medicinal needs... No, if the Union finds you, pray that they kill you on the spot..."
He sighed, taking Anna's scratched hand in his and gently stroking his thumb over the back of it, "It's good that you didn't curse the nurses, I think... That would have made it a little more difficult to adopt you, and the Technocracy might have arrived sooner."

"I guess...not many outside of a labyrinth speak it, but I still like it though I guess you are right Mentor, it is not useful to speaking to anyone but other Fallen."
Anna said in agreement as she listened to your point of view.
"But I can speak it and I am human, I make those noises."
She commented.

He nodded, "So you do - but I don't think the sounds comes entirely from your vocal cords..."

Chicago, Now:

"You would have made a good Tremere and you could have risen through the ranks of the House but considering it's fate it is probably good you did not live as you are now back then."
Crexia said bitterly.

He nodded, "I made my own mistakes in my past lives, but that one I steered clear of, fortunately..."

"Hum...perhaps you can accomplish such a miracle young man, if so then that would be a wonder...until then though the girl's fate is sealed I am afraid."
The archmaga said sadly.

He sighed, "Oh, I believe I can - whether or not I'll actually manage to do so depends a lot on the poor girl."

There where allot of residue in her Anna had been training on her magick in her, the books where not magickal in themselves though, but the marble you eventually found was, it was glowing there in it's jar as you looked at it with your monocle, you find a blue and greed with gold specks marble, it was beautiful, high quality pottery with a rich colored glaze.

He quickly pulled out the magical marble, and put the blue one Anna clearly favored into the jar in its stead, then looked around for something he could put things in, "I got the magic marble."

Udella went over to the book cases and looked through some of the books.
"Hum...most of these are Hermetic in nature, basics on theory...The Maga Vedara's three volume work on Vim...Bonisagus's primer on countermagick...this is an expensive collection...no most of these are not Nephandic in nature they are Hermetic, copies off course but still books many of us use today...the little girl have quite a bit of resources here, it would be a shame to destroy all of these books."
The old Queistor said.
"There are some works here on darker topics but mostly this is a very fine resource for studying Prime, Spirit and Entropy...to use modern terms. I guess the Nephandi do use the same theory as us, it is just their magick end up being twisted...I guess that makes sense, when a mage enters the Cauls they do not have to relearn their magick like a linear mage have to when they Awaken, a new Nephandus can continue as before but their magick destroy rather than change."
She continued as she glanced through the books.
"Hum...some of these works are written by Verbena...some Orphans and some from Cultists as well...quite an eclectic collection."

He frowned, eyes widening for just a moment, "Well, then, I'll have to do what I can to salvage this before we go... The marbles and the books are hers, after all, and most of the rest in here... well, I'd like to save all her things, obviously, but I expect I'll have to be a bit selective, so..." He set the marble jars on the bookcases, "I don't suppose it would be possible to put these in a pocket realm for retrieval after? I would certainly be owing a favour for that..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin shrugged, "It's quite plausible he never took on an apprentice before you. He may, as I did, have noticed something in you..."

"It is possible Mentor."
Anna said and smiled a little then she turned serious.
"Perhaps I should hope that is the case for if I have brothers and sisters out there and I become a Traditionalist we will be enemies."

He nodded, "At some point, there's going to be a rock angry at me personally... I don't know how, when or why, just that it's a regular rock with a vengeance...

"Well if it is just a rock Mentor do not that mean there is a limit as to how much damage it can do to you."
Anna said and Kyle muttered wryly.
"Well some thinks rocks have magick in them you know."

And the future might be as dangerous, since depictions of fugitives can last a long time... No, we can only stall a little, relatively speaking, I'm afraid - but we might be able to stop in many places along the way, perhaps we'll learn something useful each time... Just like the Doctor."

Anna sigh and looked down.
"But what if the trial go wrong Mentor, it is safer to hide."
She muttered softly and looked scared.

He nodded, "And that is one reason for a trial fairly soon; it might give us some relief from the demand of incapacitation, or it might offer a more practical method without the injections. Well, the latter might be arranged soon, in any case, as soon as the work is done. Primium isn't cheap, or quickly made. The Traditions... much like the world, really, aren't perfect, but it's something to work toward. A harmony to be found in spite of disharmonious elements..."

The little Nephanda scratched at the dark bruises on her arm from the injections and looked rather miserable.
"You think they will stop demanding them Mentor? Or that some other method to control my magick will be found, that they will accept, they where afraid I could get out of those cuffs, well to be honest if left alone for a little while I probably could my hands are fairly flexible, but do you think they can find some other way?"
She asked then she looked down.
"But what if they sentence me to...that...ritual at the trial?"
The little girl shivered and looked away. Kyle sigh and took her hand a moment to stop her scratching he did not know what to say to comfort her though.

He chuckled, "My Avatar reacts largely the same when someone tries to touch her uninvited... She grabs on to whatever spell was used, and then we cooperate to send some unpleasant reply... Prime bolts delivered through the link of one's own spell must be quite the painful surprise..."

"You Avatar kicks ass Mentor."
She said sounding impressed and proud then she pouted.
"My glass dragon just likes to look at the world through my eyes, he is very big and lazy you know."

He cleared his throat, "Actually, I'm fairly certain that if you and your dragon talk it over... the beach is less impossible than you might think. But it will require, at some point, a leap of faith..."

"I guess I can talk with him, I do not understand why he would want to become a beach though, being a dragon is allot better. I would not want to be a beach but I would not mind being a dragon, a big and blue one like he is."
The girl said and glanced up at you.
"Would you want to be a beach if you could be a dragon?"

He smiled wryly, "Well, in most cases, it's best not to take any chances - if you see an unfamiliar Mage on the street, it is risky enough..."

"Yeah Gabriel always said that if I saw a mage I did not know I should discreetly ready some counter magick and get the hell away from there and call for help, unless there was someone I was sent to take down, but then I always had backup with me."

He frowned, "The Technocracy... do worse than we do, actually. If they decide to make you a slave, they do so by killing a part of your brain, and remove your Avatar in the process. And then they spend the next years or decades forcing you into manual labour, and harvest your bone marrow for their own medicinal needs... No, if the Union finds you, pray that they kill you on the spot..."

Anna's eyes grew big with fear and she shivered.
"They really do that Mentor?"
She asked then she muttered.
"Ok that is it I am never leaving the Chantry again!"
She exclaimed. Kyle also looked rather shocked.
"I thought the worst you could end up as was to be sent to MECHA or being used to make a HIT Mark, not that it is not bad...but what you describe is...well now that is some nightmare fuel right there Sir and I so needed more of that."
The boy said as he looked at you wide eyed.

He sighed, taking Anna's scratched hand in his and gently stroking his thumb over the back of it, "It's good that you didn't curse the nurses, I think... That would have made it a little more difficult to adopt you, and the Technocracy might have arrived sooner."

Anna sigh, her hand was red and sore from her scratching.
"Perhaps, and it would not be good if the curse kicked in while working on another patient but they deserve it, they hurt me."
She muttered and she still looked rather upset over what had happened.

He nodded, "So you do - but I don't think the sounds comes entirely from your vocal cords..."

"I don't know but I can's speak the Dragon's Tongue with my mouth full any more than other languages."
Anna protested.
"If it is not my vocal cords doing the work why can't I speak with my mouth full?"

Chicago Now:

He nodded, "I made my own mistakes in my past lives, but that one I steered clear of, fortunately..."

"Be glad that you did."
Crexia said and her eyes darkened at that thought of the fall of her first House.

He sighed, "Oh, I believe I can - whether or not I'll actually manage to do so depends a lot on the poor girl."

"You will have to win the child's trust then, and see what you can do...if you can do something most think are impossible."
The archmage said and nodded.

He quickly pulled out the magical marble, and put the blue one Anna clearly favored into the jar in its stead, then looked around for something he could put things in, "I got the magic marble."

"Good, we should deal with the portal then, if we get the chance we can come back here and pick up some of the prisoner's things, but for now we have greater priorities."
Crexia said then she noticed your glancing around and she opened her belt pouch, took out cloth and thread again and made a few stitches.
"Give the jars here and I will store them in my personal pocket ream for now, they do seam to be the child's favorite...and only toys so perhaps it will lift her spirits to have them returned, the rest will have to wait until the Labyrinth have been secured."
She said and held out her hands for the jars full of marbles.

He frowned, eyes widening for just a moment, "Well, then, I'll have to do what I can to salvage this before we go... The marbles and the books are hers, after all, and most of the rest in here... well, I'd like to save all her things, obviously, but I expect I'll have to be a bit selective, so..." He set the marble jars on the bookcases, "I don't suppose it would be possible to put these in a pocket realm for retrieval after? I would certainly be owing a favour for that..."

"Have anyone ever told you that you are a hard man to say no to?"
Crexia said she grabbed her embroidery again and made several more stitches instead of grabbing for the jars themselves then she sort of dusted the book shelves with the cloth and they...vanished, slid into her own little personal world.
"I would assume anything else could be replaced, the furniture and nick nacks, perhaps she would like the photo of her former Mentor even if he...was a Nephandus though..."
She said.
"Anything else you want to throw into my realm before we go? For we are leaving at once..."
The archmage informed you.

[Adley]

As you spoke the words the wards on the door drew back sort of, opening as a secondary invisible door allowing passage into the room beyond, it was a elegantly made wards and a elegant solution for entry, the little Nephandus had skill and finesse in her work.

He grinned broadly, "And cue Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance... She's a clever little girl, coming up with a passphrase in a language nobody she knows speaks... and a very finely made ward, at that."
He opened the door carefully, ready to pull back his hand if the ward snapped shut again.

"Be careful please." You hear Udella urge behind you.

Adley made a sound, grudgingly impressed, as he watched the spell unfold. "Yes, do be careful, I will watch out from here and try to keep the door open for you." He glanced inside to see what he could see, carefully minding the door and his friend.

(Colin) adjusted the monocle as he stepped inside..."So that's what dear Abby looks like..."

He felt a scowl form on his face at the thought of Abigail, hearing Colin's comment. He knew what she looked like, she was in here somewhere, likely. Waiting to see if she needed to drop her last-ditch suicide plan. As the others went into the room with Colin, he moved a little so he could try to keep the others safe. As they went over things he felt a sting of impatience grow but then he heard Crexia saying they were leaving.

// arrogant, self-assured; potato-patato ; )

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Adley made a sound, grudgingly impressed, as he watched the spell unfold. "Yes, do be careful, I will watch out from here and try to keep the door open for you." He glanced inside to see what he could see, carefully minding the door and his friend.

Olamide glanced into the young Nephanda's bedroom and her eyes widened a little.
"It is strange is it not Sodalis, that room could have belonged to any young apprentice, my teacher might have permitted me more distractions, but other than that...it is eerie how the Nephandi can be so alien and at the same time to be reminded that they are mages...like us who...just steed wrong."
The Tytalus said then she returned to keeping watch though she still looked rather haggard after what she had been forced to do.
"I wonder...if I would see the same in...that woman's room...see that she was...so very human."

He felt a scowl form on his face at the thought of Abigail, hearing Colin's comment. He knew what she looked like, she was in here somewhere, likely. Waiting to see if she needed to drop her last-ditch suicide plan. As the others went into the room with Colin, he moved a little so he could try to keep the others safe. As they went over things he felt a sting of impatience grow but then he heard Crexia saying they were leaving.

You could feel a flare of anger and unease from your Avatar when you thought about Abigail, she had not forgotten what the old Nephanda had done to her former host and she felt a righteous zeal to end the threat that woman posed. Crexia made her was out of Anna's room as soon as she had closed her pocket realm and nodded to you.
"We should get going, we need to move quickly, please help keep the others safe Sodalis."
The old Tytalus said as she passed you, she cast a concerned look at Olamide then she nodded and waited impatiently for the rest of the group to catch up.

[Warpmind]

Boston, November:

"It is possible Mentor."
Anna said and smiled a little then she turned serious.
"Perhaps I should hope that is the case for if I have brothers and sisters out there and I become a Traditionalist we will be enemies."

Colin nodded, "Let us hope there won't be such an unfortunate occasion..."

"Well if it is just a rock Mentor do not that mean there is a limit as to how much damage it can do to you."
Anna said and Kyle muttered wryly.
"Well some thinks rocks have magick in them you know."

He grimaced, "Magic in rocks notwithstanding, a rock can do a lot of damage. There's a whole science called ballistics that covers that aspect."

Anna sigh and looked down.
"But what if the trial go wrong Mentor, it is safer to hide."
She muttered softly and looked scared.

He smiled thinly and shook his head, "If the trial goes wrong... there will be nowhere safe to hide for long. Even with a very good ward against tracking, they'd find us eventually."

The little Nephanda scratched at the dark bruises on her arm from the injections and looked rather miserable.
"You think they will stop demanding them Mentor? Or that some other method to control my magick will be found, that they will accept, they where afraid I could get out of those cuffs, well to be honest if left alone for a little while I probably could my hands are fairly flexible, but do you think they can find some other way?"
She asked then she looked down.
"But what if they sentence me to...that...ritual at the trial?"
The little girl shivered and looked away. Kyle sigh and took her hand a moment to stop her scratching he did not know what to say to comfort her though.

He nodded, "I have hopes for a stylish, seamless collar - just too snug to slip over your head until one out of a few predetermined individuals open it, and subtle enough to be concealed under your clothes if you prefer."

"You Avatar kicks ass Mentor."
She said sounding impressed and proud then she pouted.
"My glass dragon just likes to look at the world through my eyes, he is very big and lazy you know."

"I guess I can talk with him, I do not understand why he would want to become a beach though, being a dragon is allot better. I would not want to be a beach but I would not mind being a dragon, a big and blue one like he is."
The girl said and glanced up at you.
"Would you want to be a beach if you could be a dragon?"

He grinned, "If I were a big lazy dragon who wanted to be around people, I think becoming a beach would be a pretty good deal. I mean, people traditionally run away from dragons, but they come in hordes to the beach."

"Yeah Gabriel always said that if I saw a mage I did not know I should discreetly ready some counter magick and get the hell away from there and call for help, unless there was someone I was sent to take down, but then I always had backup with me."

He nodded, "Sound advice."

Anna's eyes grew big with fear and she shivered.
"They really do that Mentor?"
She asked then she muttered.
"Ok that is it I am never leaving the Chantry again!"
She exclaimed. Kyle also looked rather shocked.
"I thought the worst you could end up as was to be sent to MECHA or being used to make a HIT Mark, not that it is not bad...but what you describe is...well now that is some nightmare fuel right there Sir and I so needed more of that."
The boy said as he looked at you wide eyed.

He nodded, "Yes, well, that's the likely fate one would be expecting at MECHA... at worst. And of course you'll leave the Chantry, but not unsupervised."
He grinned, "If we can get some of your restraints lifted, I could certainly feel safer with a good, quick counterspeller by my side."

"I don't know but I can's speak the Dragon's Tongue with my mouth full any more than other languages."
Anna protested.
"If it is not my vocal cords doing the work why can't I speak with my mouth full?"

He smiled, "Not all the work. They're still necessary, but I think your Avatar helps form the... right sounds."

Chicago, Now:

"You will have to win the child's trust then, and see what you can do...if you can do something most think are impossible."
The archmage said and nodded.

He smiled, "Somehow, I don't think she would be the first. But it's certainly viable."

Adley made a sound, grudgingly impressed, as he watched the spell unfold. "Yes, do be careful, I will watch out from here and try to keep the door open for you." He glanced inside to see what he could see, carefully minding the door and his friend.

Olamide glanced into the young Nephanda's bedroom and her eyes widened a little.
"It is strange is it not Sodalis, that room could have belonged to any young apprentice, my teacher might have permitted me more distractions, but other than that...it is eerie how the Nephandi can be so alien and at the same time to be reminded that they are mages...like us who...just steed wrong."
The Tytalus said then she returned to keeping watch though she still looked rather haggard after what she had been forced to do.
"I wonder...if I would see the same in...that woman's room...see that she was...so very human."

He sighed, "Yes, the Fallen are all so very human... Even the most monstrous of them are. That's what makes them so dangerous; they're so easily believed to be inhuman monsters, so when someone shows up and is so very human and likeable, it's hard to guess they might be Fallen, and out to entrap you..."

"Good, we should deal with the portal then, if we get the chance we can come back here and pick up some of the prisoner's things, but for now we have greater priorities."
Crexia said then she noticed your glancing around and she opened her belt pouch, took out cloth and thread again and made a few stitches.
"Give the jars here and I will store them in my personal pocket ream for now, they do seam to be the child's favorite...and only toys so perhaps it will lift her spirits to have them returned, the rest will have to wait until the Labyrinth have been secured."
She said and held out her hands for the jars full of marbles.

"Have anyone ever told you that you are a hard man to say no to?"
Crexia said she grabbed her embroidery again and made several more stitches instead of grabbing for the jars themselves then she sort of dusted the book shelves with the cloth and they...vanished, slid into her own little personal world.
"I would assume anything else could be replaced, the furniture and nick nacks, perhaps she would like the photo of her former Mentor even if he...was a Nephandus though..."
She said.
"Anything else you want to throw into my realm before we go? For we are leaving at once..."
The archmage informed you.

He smiled warmly, "Thank you, Milady... If anything else, it would be the little glass figurines. The rest of her things... will have to be replaced, but with this already recovered, there'll be no need to return here later."
He frowned, "While it is a good picture of Gabriel, it... might be counterproductive to keep it, I'm afraid."
He nodded, magical bead in hand, "Time to press on, and not look back. Let's hope miss Carlyle doesn't notice us slip by..."

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

Boston November:

Colin nodded, "Let us hope there won't be such an unfortunate occasion..."

Anna gave you a serious look and nodded.
"Yeah that would make me very sad...to have brothers or sisters and have to be their enemies..."

He grimaced, "Magic in rocks notwithstanding, a rock can do a lot of damage. There's a whole science called ballistics that covers that aspect."

"True that Sir but then the angry rock need some way to launch itself, generally they do not move on their own, no matter how angry they are, unless magick is involved."
Kyle said wryly.

He smiled thinly and shook his head, "If the trial goes wrong... there will be nowhere safe to hide for long. Even with a very good ward against tracking, they'd find us eventually."

The little girl shivered and looked down.
"So if I am sentenced that is it, I am done for? The ritual will happen?"
She asked fearfully.

He nodded, "I have hopes for a stylish, seamless collar - just too snug to slip over your head until one out of a few predetermined individuals open it, and subtle enough to be concealed under your clothes if you prefer."

Anna sigh and nodded.
"Well it is not the most dignified thing in the world, to be collared like a dog, but it is better than those injections by far."
She muttered.

He grinned, "If I were a big lazy dragon who wanted to be around people, I think becoming a beach would be a pretty good deal. I mean, people traditionally run away from dragons, but they come in hordes to the beach."

The little girl seamed to consider this and found some wisdom in it.
"Yeah...you are right Mentor, if my Glass Dragon want friends being a beach would be a good thing, but he says he can not become one now, not that we have been to the Caul and he is changed...he is sad over that but no longer understand how to be beach I think."
She said softly.
"I do not want him to be sad, him being sad makes me sad as well."

He nodded, "Sound advice."

Anna nodded and smiled.
"Gabriel was very wise..."

He nodded, "Yes, well, that's the likely fate one would be expecting at MECHA... at worst. And of course you'll leave the Chantry, but not unsupervised."
He grinned, "If we can get some of your restraints lifted, I could certainly feel safer with a good, quick counterspeller by my side."

Anna shook her head at that.
"No I think you have to still be a mage to be sent to MECHA, I do not know but I overheard some of the others at the Labyrinth say that it is one of the Technocracy's greatest sources of Quintessence, they send mages and sleepers they forcefully Awaken to MECHA and fit them with talismans that suck Quintessence out of them as they are forced to work, you have to have an Avatar to be able to channel Quintessence into such a talisman, even against your will."
The little girl said then she smiled a little and nodded.
"Ok, I could protect you Mentor, and Kyle as well, and Rosa and Andrew and Freddy to...perhaps Dr Lee and your Cabalmate as well if I am in a good mood."
She said proudly.
"I am very fast, Gabriel says so."

He smiled, "Not all the work. They're still necessary, but I think your Avatar helps form the... right sounds."

The young Nephanda considered then she nodded.
"Yeah..that might be it, you have to be an Awakened, Fallen mage to speak the Dragon's Tongue so you might be right Mentor."
She agreed.

Chicago Now:

He smiled, "Somehow, I don't think she would be the first. But it's certainly viable."

Crexia nodded but she still looked doubtful.

He sighed, "Yes, the Fallen are all so very human... Even the most monstrous of them are. That's what makes them so dangerous; they're so easily believed to be inhuman monsters, so when someone shows up and is so very human and likeable, it's hard to guess they might be Fallen, and out to entrap you..."

Olamide sigh and looked off into the distance.
"It is so hard to have helped to do...do that to...someone with feelings and hopes and dreams and not just some inhuman monster."
She said and shook his head.
"I am not sure if I can ever get that woman's screaming face, the look in her eyes as we...I am not sure I can ever get it out of my head...but yes we are told the Nephandi are just monsters, and I am sure they use that image to their advantage."
The Tytalus muttered sadly.

He smiled warmly, "Thank you, Milady... If anything else, it would be the little glass figurines. The rest of her things... will have to be replaced, but with this already recovered, there'll be no need to return here later."

"You are welcome young man, but we have no time to go around the room to pick up figurines, if need be new trinkets can be bought for the girl if she miss them, right now we have to deal with that portal before it is to late and we can not dally any longer."
Crexia said urgently and headed for the door.
"We are leaving now."
She said as she put away her embroidery cloth and the portal to her pocket realm closed as she walked out.

He frowned, "While it is a good picture of Gabriel, it... might be counterproductive to keep it, I'm afraid."

Crexia said nothing but nodded at your words as she headed out of the little girl's room.

He nodded, magical bead in hand, "Time to press on, and not look back. Let's hope miss Carlyle doesn't notice us slip by..."

"Yes indeed I do not want to have to deal with her and the portal at the same time."
Crexia said and frowned. She lead the group around the next bend in the spiraling Labyrinth, the corridor you now entered into was almost completely covered by fleshy bits with organs, eyes and bone growing out of the walls and roof, other than that the corridor was like the last one, with several doors leading to personal quarters. Crexia pointed at one of the doors.
"That would be Miss Carlyle's room..."
She whispered.
"At least according to the map."

(OOC: Forgive the late reply I got engrossed in a book and lost track of time.)

[Adley]

You could feel a flare of anger and unease from your Avatar when you thought about Abigail, she had not forgotten what the old Nephanda had done to her former host and she felt a righteous zeal to end the threat that woman posed. Crexia made her was out of Anna's room as soon as she had closed her pocket realm and nodded to you. "We should get going, we need to move quickly, please help keep the others safe Sodalis." The old Tytalus said as she passed you, she cast a concerned look at Olamide then she nodded and waited impatiently for the rest of the group to catch up.

"Yes ma'am," he said, as she returned from the room, shifting his from thoughts about Abigail to what they needed to get done before she could be addressed. His expression followed suit, changing from ireful to alert, with just a touch of being on the warpath still lingering for a second or two. He took the best defensive position that he could to keep the other safe.

He nodded, magical bead in hand, "Time to press on, and not look back. Let's hope miss Carlyle doesn't notice us slip by..."

"Yes indeed I do not want to have to deal with her and the portal at the same time." Crexia said and frowned. She lead the group around the next bend in the spiraling Labyrinth, the corridor you now entered into was almost completely covered by fleshy bits with organs, eyes and bone growing out of the walls and roof, other than that the corridor was like the last one, with several doors leading to personal quarters. Crexia pointed at one of the doors. "That would be Miss Carlyle's room..." She whispered. "At least according to the map."

Unsurprisingly, Adey did not think much of the 'decor.' It was disgusting and disturbing, like being inside people that had been turned inside out, right side out and back out again, and then worse had been done to them. The eyes in particular were haunting...there were too many implications. He preferred the sewer, which wasn't saying much. But it wasn't as if he had come for the scenery. He quietly assessed Matty's room warily and the way beyond to their goal.

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