Re: June in Autumn, Sinister Plans and Chicago IC Thread 7

by Adley Sun Jan 03, 2016 8:32 pm

"There are two entrances...one is in a car repair shop located in the suburbia that separate Boston and Worcester...there is a mirror there if a portal is ordered in the Dragon's Tongue it will open...The second portal is located in the cellar of the Walmart over James Street...In this room you will find a Umbrood, she her name you will not be able to pronounce but she do tend to respond to those that try to contact her regardless, how to get her to open the portal into the Labyrinth when you can not speak the Nephandi Language however is up to you."

He nodded, listening carefully and then he asked, "Is there a particular phrase that you use at the mirror or to the Umbrood? Yes I cannot speak your...language," he said, though he felt it was really more the opposite of language, "but as a translation, if possible..." Then he asked, "How does one navigate within the place? Is there a static layout?"

"Do what you can, but taking Miss Summers in is not a great priority, I suspect she will flee from her own Labyrinth as well, getting her out of our hair for now, see if she is willing to give us any information, and try to arrest her, for if you do not try then you might get into trouble with Tradition law, but do not put yourself or Miss Larson in danger, I do not expect Miss Summers to still be there when I come back from dealing with the rote..."

He nodded. When he came back...when. When..."Yes, sir."

"Thank you mea filius...we might need that luck." Jeffry said before he headed of towards the main building.

He watched their backs for the time it took to ready himself for an attack, still scanning the area for anyone acting against the impulse to run the other direction aside from Flambeau and his cabalmate. He edged his way back toward the door of the ship, to check on Hannah and June...

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Sun Jan 03, 2016 9:01 pm

He nodded, listening carefully and then he asked, "Is there a particular phrase that you use at the mirror or to the Umbrood? Yes I cannot speak your...language," he said, though he felt it was really more the opposite of language, "but as a translation, if possible..." Then he asked, "How does one navigate within the place? Is there a static layout?"

"The translation...the closest would be Oh you who are the essence of the slain, of their despair and their pain, part the veil and open the way as Oblivion itself command you."
June said then she shrugged.
"It is not a perfect translation though, it sounds better in the Dragon's Tongue...but perhaps not for you. As for the Labyrinth it is static but it is a well labyrinth there are allot of hallways and dead ends, I could draw you a map but I kind of need my hands for my focus right now."
The Nephandus said and lifted her hands a bit to indicate the complex pattern of yarn between them.

He watched their backs for the time it took to ready himself for an attack, still scanning the area for anyone acting against the impulse to run the other direction aside from Flambeau and his cabalmate. He edged his way back toward the door of the ship, to check on Hannah and June...

You see a uniformed man guiding a ground of thirty or so magi and custos towards the portal that would take them out of the realm and back into physical reality, other than that and every so often one or two people also fleeing towards the portal you see no one.

You get back to the Tass chamber and find Hannah and June where you left them, Hannah seamed to have gotten the same idea as your mentor that someone might attack her friend to make her release the rote she was holding, the Orphan stood beside her friend, her phone and her gun had been taken by the Chief when she went to Steelhaven but her hands was formed into the more modern closed fist for Ignem though her right hand was back turned, the fingers spread wide into the old sigil for Creo, not all the hand gestures had been modernized by the time her mother and teacher left the Order of Hermes, in either case Hannah was ready to defend her friend if need be.
"Adley did you tell the Chief he could go and see if he could pick apart that damned rote?"
Hannah asked as she visibly relaxed when she sees it was the young Hermetic coming in the door and not someone hellbent on taking June out.
"We should keep our wits about us until this is over."
The Orphan said.
"My mother is nothing if not ruthless and she might have some contingency plan in place..."

June looks up at Adley as he comes into the room she was clearly nervous.
"So then Hermetic what happens now, you play bodyguard until your friend manage to unweave the ball...and then what, you try to arrest me and drag me to Horizon?"
She asked as she considered Adley with her one good eye.

by Adley Mon Jan 04, 2016 1:25 am

"The translation...the closest would be Oh you who are the essence of the slain, of their despair and their pain, part the veil and open the way as Oblivion itself command you." June said then she shrugged. "It is not a perfect translation though, it sounds better in the Dragon's Tongue...but perhaps not for you.

He frowned and then something popped into his head, stemming mostly with how they'd gotten to be standing where they were in the first place. Well, it was worth a try. He picked his phone out and looked over it to see if Adjan's lender phone had an option to record sounds, if not anything more fancy than that.

As for the Labyrinth it is static but it is a well labyrinth there are allot of hallways and dead ends, I could draw you a map but I kind of need my hands for my focus right now." The Nephandus said and lifted her hands a bit to indicate the complex pattern of yarn between them.

"Yes, quite. What about any other plans, other than this one...or, related to this one, perhaps?"

"Adley did you tell the Chief he could go and see if he could pick apart that damned rote?" Hannah asked as she visibly relaxed when she sees it was the young Hermetic coming in the door and not someone hellbent on taking June out. "We should keep our wits about us until this is over."

Adley felt his face tighten as he saw Hannah about ready to fry him...he ought really to have announced it was him. He nodded to her. "Yes."

The Orphan said. "My mother is nothing if not ruthless and she might have some contingency plan in place..."

He glanced at June and then back to Hannah. "Yes, I agree. But it is hard to know what is going on outside from in here..." He frowned. It had been easy enough to track her to here, given her spell's resonance...even with all the lush life of the Verbena craft. "Maybe we can find a way to mask the resonance around here, so it will be harder for them to find her here, buy us some time..." But the spell was incredibly potent...

"So then Hermetic what happens now, you play bodyguard until your friend manage to unweave the ball...and then what, you try to arrest me and drag me to Horizon?" She asked as she considered Adley with her one good eye.

"I am not playing, nor are you or Hannah...you have chosen not to be a pawn in their game to harm these people and that you want Hannah to have a chance at a better life than yours, that's something we both agree on and don't want to ruin. So what happens right now is I protect you both from any attacks from the other Nephandi." As for after, assuming there -was- an after, they both knew what the procedure was - she'd told him earlier after all. And he had his orders...and he would honestly have to try to stop her, if she tried to get away. He never thought the day would dawn where he would have any sort of sympathy for a Nephandus - though she still was one and he could not just let her run away. "So that is what I am going to do right now," he said.

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Mon Jan 04, 2016 4:22 am

He frowned and then something popped into his head, stemming mostly with how they'd gotten to be standing where they were in the first place. Well, it was worth a try. He picked his phone out and looked over it to see if Adjan's lender phone had an option to record sounds, if not anything more fancy than that.

Yes the phone do have a option to record audio files.

"Yes, quite. What about any other plans, other than this one...or, related to this one, perhaps?"

"Not like this one, I do not know about every plan that Larson have as I am considered small fry, little better than the pawns...our word for custos, but other than the main event that you seam to know about, there is something going on in Chicago. I know that Larson have had the daughter of some mage or another kidnapped and brought there to make him work for one of her people, a nasty piece of work named Abigail Gedria and we have a sister Labyrinth in Chicago that we are cooperating with. There are probably allot of other plans going but I do not know about them...oh yes one more thing Lisa have been talking with this ground of will you believe it, werespiders, but about what I have no idea."

Adley felt his face tighten as he saw Hannah about ready to fry him...he ought really to have announced it was him. He nodded to her. "Yes."

Hannah looked down at her hands and released the half formed rote.
"Sorry I heard footsteps and did not know who it was."
She muttered.

He glanced at June and then back to Hannah. "Yes, I agree. But it is hard to know what is going on outside from in here..." He frowned. It had been easy enough to track her to here, given her spell's resonance...even with all the lush life of the Verbena craft.

"Yes, but still I think we are safer inside the ship than out in the open, this room should be fairly defensible."
Hannah commented.

"Maybe we can find a way to mask the resonance around here, so it will be harder for them to find her here, buy us some time..." But the spell was incredibly potent..

"My Resonance yes."
June said then she shook her head.
"The Resonance of the Ball however not so easy, it is one hell of a rote and made by a man who is near Archmage in power."
Hannah glanced over at the pool of Tass.
"A...ehm...Hermetic-..do you think we would get this moving? We would not need to use it for I think the Verbena would be rather pissed at us then and turn all three of us into house plants but if we could make the tass move perhaps the Resonance from that would mask some of the Resonance from the rote that June is holding?"
The Orphan suggested as she avoided using Adley's name for now, it would be his choice if he would let June know it.

"I am not playing, nor are you or Hannah...you have chosen not to be a pawn in their game to harm these people and that you want Hannah to have a chance at a better life than yours, that's something we both agree on and don't want to ruin. So what happens right now is I protect you both from any attacks from the other Nephandi."

"My my a Traditionalist bodyguard, who would have thought that possible."
June said with a wry grin then she sigh.
"I will focus on keeping this place from blowing up then."
She muttered. Hannah gave you a bit of a look.
"I am quite capable of helping to defend June until this is done Hermetic...and who knows perhaps it will be be protecting your ass."
The Orphan said as she glanced around the small room.

As for after, assuming there -was- an after, they both knew what the procedure was - she'd told him earlier after all. And he had his orders...and he would honestly have to try to stop her, if she tried to get away. He never thought the day would dawn where he would have any sort of sympathy for a Nephandus - though she still was one and he could not just let her run away. "So that is what I am going to do right now," he said.

"Ah...avoiding the question are we?"
June muttered as she looked down at the pattern of yarn she was holding.
"I...do not have the courage to surrender Hermetic, so when this is over I will do my best to leave, and my guess is that my chances are pretty good...but I would not blame you if you managed to take me down and deliver me to your friends...I am so very tired...my Avatar is tired, and my reincarnation is sure to be fucked up by what I have experienced...well in addition to being a widderslainte I mean...perhaps it would be for the best if you did capture me...but like I said I lack the courage not to try to get away, longing for peace and seeking that peace out with all that will entail are two very different things and besides...I would not do that to Hannah, she had a loved one...well it is not my place to say..."
June said, her voice just a whisper as she spoke and the look in her eye said that at least a part of her longed for destruction, to not be reborn with the memories she had, to not be reborn to a life in service of those who had hurt her.

Hannah's jaw tightens as she hear June speak and she turns away and mutters.
"Felix..."
Before she shook her head.
"I...I will go and check that everything is clear in the hallway."
The Orphan said and she made herself ready to use her magick if she had to and headed for the door, but it was clear that the real reason for her checking the corridor was to be alone for a moment to get her emotions under control.
"I never should have spoke...I hurt her..."
June muttered regretfully more to herself than anyone else.

by Adley Mon Jan 04, 2016 5:39 am

"It is not a perfect translation though, it sounds better in the Dragon's Tongue...but perhaps not for you...

He found the audio option and then looked at June. "How about showing me how it sounds?" he requested, thinking he might try to capture the horrid sounding anti-language on the phone.

"Not like this one, I do not know about every plan that Larson have as I am considered small fry, little better than the pawns...

It went to show that people, pawns or custos, knew more than they thought they did. "Any other Labyrinths in on this?" Because that made three, one flushed out of San Francisco, now Chicago and Boston. And there were now werespiders, he could not fail to look surprised at that, and also whatever creature that Tane had been sent after, with his wereshark friend.

Hannah looked down at her hands and released the half formed rote. "Sorry I heard footsteps and did not know who it was."

'Understandable, I should have announced myself."

"Yes, but still I think we are safer inside the ship than out in the open, this room should be fairly defensible." Hannah commented

"That is true," he agreed.

"A...ehm...Hermetic-..do you think we would get this moving? We would not need to use it for I think the Verbena would be rather pissed at us then and turn all three of us into house plants but if we could make the tass move perhaps the Resonance from that would mask some of the Resonance from the rote that June is holding?"

He gave an appreciative look to Hannah for not using his name and scratched at his face. "I don't know, I've never tried to use anything like this before," he admitted but had a look. He knew how to drive a car, a truck or possibly a motorcycle. Umbral crafts was another thing...and one that was a -plant- was yet again removed from his general understandings.

Hannah gave you a bit of a look. "I am quite capable of helping to defend June until this is done Hermetic...and who knows perhaps it will be be protecting your ass." The Orphan said as she glanced around the small room.

"Perhaps you are right," he said, looking at her with consideration. "We'll have to look after one another, then."

"Ah...avoiding the question are we?" June muttered as she looked down at the pattern of yarn she was holding. "I...do not have the courage to surrender Hermetic, so when this is over I will do my best to leave, and my guess is that my chances are pretty good...but I would not blame you if you managed to take me down and deliver me to your friends...I would not do that to Hannah, she had a loved one...well it is not my place to say..." June said, her voice just a whisper as she spoke and the look in her eye said that at least a part of her longed for destruction...

It seemed that if they lived there was going to be something of a scuffle. At least they knew where they stood...but he didn't have time to respond, seeing how upset Hannah had become over the conversation at hand. He winced, knowing where this had gone very suddenly.

"Felix..." Before she shook her head. "I...I will go and check that everything is clear in the hallway."

"Hannah..." he said, edging closer to the door to keep her in sight, from harm. It wasn't that he didn't want to give her a moment, only that too much could happen in that moment if someone came to the door to attack them.

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Mon Jan 04, 2016 6:03 am

He found the audio option and then looked at June. "How about showing me how it sounds?" he requested, thinking he might try to capture the horrid sounding anti-language on the phone.

June nodded and she spoke, while her voice was a pleasant one that did not help, it still sounded like if someone was raping the spirits of language themselves while flaying at the walls to reality, thankfully the phrase was not to long.
"You recorded it? Cleaver enough I do not know if it will trick the guardian Umbrood but it is worth a shot."
The Nephandus said.

"Any other Labyrinths in on this?" Because that made three, one flushed out of San Francisco, now Chicago and Boston. And there were now werespiders, he could not fail to look surprised at that, and also whatever creature that Tane had been sent after, with his wereshark friend.

"There was one in San Fransisco that I know of but I think that it got destroyed, the last we heard was that they where under attack from Traditionalists and after that nothing."
June said and sigh.
"It could be more though, Lisa is pretty influential, but if there are I do not know about them."

'Understandable, I should have announced myself."

Hannah just nodded at that.

"That is true," he agreed.

"Worst case we close the door and hole up here until we either blow up or the Chief comes back."
The Orphan said.
"We have tass here, though since it is not ours we should not use it unless we are in enough danger to make it worth it to have a gaggle of Verbena hate our guts."

He gave an appreciative look to Hannah for not using his name and scratched at his face. "I don't know, I've never tried to use anything like this before," he admitted but had a look. He knew how to drive a car, a truck or possibly a motorcycle. Umbral crafts was another thing...and one that was a -plant- was yet again removed from his general understandings.

"Yeah not me either, but tass is tass right, perhaps if we set up a rote to just flux it around a bit, create a bit of movement in it's energies that will mask some of the Resonance of the ball...but really I am just throwing ideas out there."

"Perhaps you are right," he said, looking at her with consideration. "We'll have to look after one another, then."

Hannah gave you a nod and a slight smile.
"Agreed..."
Was all she said to that.

"Hannah..." he said, edging closer to the door to keep her in sight, from harm. It wasn't that he didn't want to give her a moment, only that too much could happen in that moment if someone came to the door to attack them.

"I am keeping an eye out."
Hannah said but her voice was shaky.
"I am not some floozy that fall apart when things get difficult. It is just...Felix surrendered to the Traditions and allot of his words in his final letter to me, where the same as what June just said."
The Orphan muttered and touched the pendant that hung around her neck.
"I know June can escape you, she is more powerful than any of us, and we can not compete with her speed, but if she feels like Felix...I fear she will not fight hard enough to get out of here before the Chief comes back and I will know another one of my loved ones..."
Hannah said then she kicked the wall angrily.
"Fuck this bloody war, what the hell is wrong with us, we are supposed to be Enlightened, and we spend all our time ripping one another apart."
The Orphan said then she drew a deep breath.
"But do not worry about me, I will do my job, I will keep guard over June until the Chief have dealt with the Ball of Abysmal Flame and then...I will bloody help her escape if I have to haul her corrupted little ass out of here myself!"
Hannah said with determination in her eyes.

by Adley Mon Jan 04, 2016 6:40 am

"You recorded it? Cleaver enough I do not know if it will trick the guardian Umbrood but it is worth a shot." The Nephandus said.

He wasn't sure either...but it was worth a shot, as she'd said. And...he might have another idea...the phone was stowed away again.

June said and sigh. "It could be more though, Lisa is pretty influential, but if there are I do not know about them."

"I see. What is it like in there, besides being a maze? Are there spirits bound to the place, other than your guardian at that gate? Traps to be wary of...areas of importance? Have you gathered a great many people?" These were more general questions, but he wanted to see how much they'd grown since their last numbers check, as it looked like they were getting help.

"Worst case we close the door and hole up here until we either blow up or the Chief comes back." The Orphan said. "We have tass here, though since it is not ours we should not use it unless we are in enough danger to make it worth it to have a gaggle of Verbena hate our guts.

"This ship must be tougher than it seems, being made for the umbra..."

"Yeah not me either, but tass is tass right, perhaps if we set up a rote to just flux it around a bit, create a bit of movement in it's energies that will mask some of the Resonance of the ball...but really I am just throwing ideas out there."

He nodded to her, considering it. "My main concern is that it would change things on the other end." He might not have thought that way before being shunted around all of creation and ending up in Worcester, of being teleported more times in a week than he ever had...but it was more obvious than it was to him that words he said in one place could affect another, connected by delicate threads...what his pater did -not- need was him crudely meddling with what he was doing.

"I am keeping an eye out." Hannah said but her voice was shaky. "I am not some floozy that fall apart when things get difficult. It is just...Felix surrendered to the Traditions and allot of his words in his final letter to me, where the same as what June just said."

"I would never call you a floozy or imply you were falling apart," he said.

"I know June can escape you, she is more powerful than any of us..."But do not worry about me, I will do my job, I will keep guard over June until the Chief have dealt with the Ball of Abysmal Flame and then...I will bloody help her escape if I have to haul her corrupted little ass out of here myself!""

He frowned. "Hannah...I ask you to reconsider helping her to escape. If June truly does feel...that way, and even if she doesn't, she does not seem to want you to 'escape' with her - she wants you to come with us. Try to have a different sort of life. Where would you be escaping -to-? And if you try to help her escape...it will not bode well for that outcome. I know you care for your friend and she cares for you, that in part is why she is doing this at all. I will never understand the desire to become nothingness and never wish to - but I can understand that loving someone with that...desire, that has Fallen, is no less than tragic. But June wants you to have opportunities that she simply cannot have - she walked through the caul. And she wants...an ending for herself yet not for you. She wants the one person she loves to truly escape, to build something else, not just run away."

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Mon Jan 04, 2016 7:28 am

"I see. What is it like in there, besides being a maze? Are there spirits bound to the place, other than your guardian at that gate? Traps to be wary of...areas of importance? Have you gathered a great many people?" These were more general questions, but he wanted to see how much they'd grown since their last numbers check, as it looked like they were getting help.

"Oh it is warm and cozy."
June muttered bitterly.
"There are five Umbrood guardians, the two on the gates and three Jagglings that live in the walls and protect the Labyrinth, many of our members study what you Hermetics call the Sphere of Spirit though so there might be more at any given time. One of the Jagglings, she call herself Glava, she have refused to accept any name in the Nephandi Language are at odds with the rest, all five is bound and enslaved but Glava still fight her bounds...and it costs her."
The Nephandus said and shivered.
"Our original membership was reduced to twenty seven by the Traditionalists in various fights, but we have gotten some reinforcements from our allies and are now at thirty five, the Labyrinth in Chicago though is hard pressed by the Traditionalists in that city and could not send us more, they have some plans concerning some vampires and a node at the Sears Tower that I do not know the details of so if that works out they might be able to send more help. The vital points would be the Node under the Wallmart and our two other Nodes, without which the pocket realm the Labyrinth is located in will collapse. Before you ask though I do not know where the two other Nodes are, none of us save Larson herself know the location of all the Nodes, in case any of us got captured. Then there are tass storage, the mess hall if there is a long time siege and off course the Caul, if the Caul falls, the Labyrinth falls, it is at the center of the structure and is the most guarded part of the entire building."
June explained.

"This ship must be tougher than it seems, being made for the umbra..."

"It probably are, there have to be some protections on it, even if it is not meant for Deep Umbra travel, it will need to be sturdy to survive out there."
Hannah agreed.

He nodded to her, considering it. "My main concern is that it would change things on the other end." He might not have thought that way before being shunted around all of creation and ending up in Worcester, of being teleported more times in a week than he ever had...but it was more obvious than it was to him that words he said in one place could affect another, connected by delicate threads...what his pater did -not- need was him crudely meddling with what he was doing.

"You might be right and that would indeed be bad."
Hannah said and sigh.
"Just keeping guard then and hoping that something nasty will not come for us?"

"I would never call you a floozy or imply you were falling apart," he said.

"I...know I just...damn it!"
Hannah exclaimed, the Orphan was proud, she did not like someone seeing her in an upset state of mind, she had stood her ground against her mother and the rest of her Labyrinth, she had grown up knowing that one sign of weakness was all it would take...and she did not like showing weakness now.

He frowned. "Hannah...I ask you to reconsider helping her to escape. If June truly does feel...that way, and even if she doesn't, she does not seem to want you to 'escape' with her - she wants you to come with us. Try to have a different sort of life. Where would you be escaping -to-? And if you try to help her escape...it will not bode well for that outcome.

Hannah glanced and Adley and sigh her eyes full of sadness.
"How...how could she possibly feel that way...how can any mage want...such a end, want it to the point where only fear keep them from seeking it...we are supposed to protect our Avatars, protect them with our own lives if we have to."
The Orphan said.
"I do not know where we would go...I just...if she get caught you know what will happen to her...she...June is like a sister to me, she have been with me all my life, I can not sit by and let something like that happen to her!"

I know you care for your friend and she cares for you, that in part is why she is doing this at all. I will never understand the desire to become nothingness and never wish to - but I can understand that loving someone with that...desire, that has Fallen, is no less than tragic. But June wants you to have opportunities that she simply cannot have - she walked through the caul.

"That could be me in there...I laid down in that Caul as a child but my brother spat me out...it could be me in there, I can not judge her for what she is."
Hannah said, a tear rolling down her cheek.
"I might have opportunities but how could I accept them if I let my best friend be taken by the Traditions and Gilgulled...and I did nothing?"

And she wants...an ending for herself yet not for you. She wants the one person she loves to truly escape, to build something else, not just run away."

"But...the Traditions will hurt her...I can not abandon her, she feel this way because of fucking Diego, because what he have done to her and allowed other to do to her, but if I get her away, I can make her feel safe again, I can give her a good life...I can...damn it I can not let her be shipped to Horizon to sit alone in some cell, perhaps to beaten or tortured for information until she is dragged to her fate like if she was an animal...I can not let that happen to her."

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:24 am

Colin:

As you sit there watching the Chief work magick, only the strain in the old mage's eyes and the sweat on his brow showing just how hard what he is doing is as for anyone just casually giving the scene a look it would seam as if the dark haired man was just watching some ripples in the air intently. Out of the corner of your eye though you see movement, Lori the Sons of Ether head of the Umbra Dock's security suddenly pulled something that looked like a small ray gun from a 1950's science fiction move out of a pocket of her work pants, the weapon was as coppery as her hair with a multitude of switches on one side, it looked like a mix between a cigar and a gun with a small antenna at the front ending in a silver ball...

(OOC: Please roll initiative.)

(OOC 2: Sorry for keeping you waiting I wanted the scene in the Verbena ship to roll along for a few replies before I continued the story to make Colin and Adley sync up in time.)

(OOC 3: I might be replying a bit slowly today as I am going home from Christmas vacation today and will be spending all day on a train.)

by Warpmind Mon Jan 04, 2016 10:00 am

Colin turned his head a little, arching an eyebrow and lifting his pistol a bit.

((OOC: Per+Ale - 2, 8, 9, 9, 0. And no problem; "Waiting Intensifies" makes for pretty boring posts. Wink

))

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Mon Jan 04, 2016 10:12 am

You see Lori lift her strange weapon and aiming it as the Chief, her finger beginning to move the trigger. Jeffry himself did not seam to notice, he was lost in his rote, but you see that in the next few seconds she will shoot him or perhaps the ball itself, unless you do something.

(OOC: Yeah I figured that, I just needed the scene with Adley to catch up but I think they are about in the same time now.)

by Warpmind Mon Jan 04, 2016 12:20 pm

Colin swiftly leveled his pistol at Lori and tried to put four bullets through her hand and/or gun.

((OOC: Not out to kill her, just remove the gun from the equation... Dex + Firearms rolls: 2, 2, 3, 6 - 1, 7, 7, 9 - 2, 5, 8, 8 - 5, 6, 6, 9. I think it might be a safe assumption her raygun, and probably her gun hand, won't work anymore. Razz

))

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Mon Jan 04, 2016 1:32 pm

You aim and fire hitting Lori's ray gun, the bullets go straight through the copper weapon and the Etheite's hand, the red headed woman scream in pain and fall to her knees, clutching at her right hand, her device weapon laying broken and smoking on the ground beside her. Lori's hand was in terrible condition, it would have probably been better if the woman's hand had been blown off her wrist, instead it was now a mess of blood, meat and bone and Lori who where not used to being wounded was just screaming her lungs out, despite her pain though she let got of her wounded hand and tried, clumsily to reach for something with her left hand, she had not given up and there seamed to be some fight left in her, fight driven by desperation.

Jeffry did not flinch or move or stop chanting and drawing sigils in the air when you fired your gun and Lori screamed, he could not stop what he was doing or you where all dead, he could not loose focus or you where all dead, and for now he kept his concentration on his magick and left you to deal with the Etherite who had suddenly decided to attack.

(OOC: Yeah no need to roll damage, four bullets hit that ray gun and Lori's hand, that will do enough damage to take her gun hand and the gun out of commission no matter what you roll.)

by Warpmind Mon Jan 04, 2016 1:37 pm

Colin took a few quick steps over to Lori and swept her leg under her, placing a heavy foot on her left forearm. "Miss Birmar, please tell me you're under some manner of compulsion, and you're not seriously trying to blow up your own harbour...."

((OOC: Also, *owie*! ))

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Mon Jan 04, 2016 3:08 pm

It was not difficult to push Lori to the ground and get control over her, someone who just had their hand reduced to ground beef tend to be somewhat out of it.
"Please...I am sorry...I am sorry I have to."
Lori cried and she begun to sob.
"I have to..."
The Sons of Ether said her entire body was shaking in pain and her eyes was glossy.
"I have to do it...I am so sorry."
She repeated.

by Warpmind Mon Jan 04, 2016 3:16 pm

Colin sighed and gave Lori a sad look, "Why, Miss Birmar? Who did they take hostage this time?"

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Mon Jan 04, 2016 3:27 pm

Lori looks up at Colin.
"M...my mentor..."
She muttered.
"I...was sent a crystal and when I examined it with my Ether scope..."
Lori sobbed more and her ears swam with tears.
"My mentor is Branded, it happened long before he met me...when he was a young mage...long long before I mean he was part of a protest movement that demanded that women be let into the Sons of Ether and during one of his protest marches he hit a Master of the Art and he himself was an Initiate at the time...he was sentenced to Branding and I have seen that mark so many times when he have taught me science and I looked at him spiritually...I know that mark...and now that mark was on a piece of emplex Ephemera in...in a crystal. With the package was a letter that told me that I would get instructions on my phone and I should follow them...or they would continue to send me my mentor back, one piece at the time, first his Avatar and then his body."
The Etherine said and sobbed.
"I do not want to hurt anyone...but I have to...what they will do to him...I have to!"

by Warpmind Mon Jan 04, 2016 4:26 pm

Colin sighed and pistol-whipped Lori into unconsciousness. Then, he checked her pulse and quickly patted her down for a belt, a length of cable, some zip ties or anything that might be used for a tourniquet.
"Another hostage to rescue... I just might find myself enjoying everything we do to that bloody woman and her willing minions..."
He cast a glance up at Morgan and the hovering shard of energy as he worked, to see if there were any signs of something going wrong.

((OOC: Int+Medicine, I presume? 1,3,0,0 - I hope that's enough to keep the poor woman from bleeding out... ))

by Adley Mon Jan 04, 2016 8:19 pm

"There are five Umbrood guardians, the two on the gates and three Jagglings that live in the walls and protect the Labyrinth, many of our members study what you Hermetics call the Sphere of Spirit though so there might be more at any given time. One of the Jagglings, she call herself Glava, she have refused to accept any name in the Nephandi Language are at odds with the rest, all five is bound and enslaved but Glava still fight her bounds...and it costs her."

"Are they bound to a particular place within the Labyrinth? What sort of Umbrood is Glava? The others?" It seemed odd that they would have anything disloyal within the center of the Labyrinth unless they were sure that it was bound tightly, or enjoyed its torture...which was rather likely, he supposed. He listened to her as she told him about their other arrangements and the node, their numbers...three nodes, thirty five or so members, vampires and werespiders...the help of at least one other Labyrinth. Five guardians and personal servitors...a storage of tass...and he could hardly imagine how disgusting that was. "Where is the tass stored? What sort of guards are at the Caul? Who else besides that woman should we look out for?"

"You might be right and that would indeed be bad." Hannah said and sigh. "Just keeping guard then and hoping that something nasty will not come for us?"

He frowned and nodded. "Be ready in case...make sure the Verbena that was knocked out doesn't cause any problems, by being spotted or suddenly coming to, confused and in the middle of it."

"How...how could she possibly feel that way...how can any mage want...such a end, want it to the point where only fear keep them from seeking it...we are supposed to protect our Avatars, protect them with our own lives if we have to." The Orphan said.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "But I do know that we don't feel the same. And that is why you must come back with us so we can keep you and your avatar safe, Hannah, please. If you run away, you're putting yourself right back into the danger that we were trying to spare you from and it will be worse, June does not want that. None of us do."

"I do not know where we would go...I just...if she get caught you know what will happen to her...she...June is like a sister to me, she have been with me all my life, I can not sit by and let something like that happen to her!"

"Hannah, June does not want you to be harmed, I don't either. The chances of you both being able to hide out are not good, please, if you get caught..." He shook his head, looking concerned for her. "I know you love June, and she loves you that is -why- you should listen to her, what she said about having what she cannot. Please!"

"That could be me in there...I laid down in that Caul as a child but my brother spat me out...it could be me in there, I can not judge her for what she is."Hannah said, a tear rolling down her cheek. "I might have opportunities but how could I accept them if I let my best friend be taken by the Traditions and Gilgulled...and I did nothing?

"But it is -not- you, and that is what matters. You still have a chance, ones that your best friend wants you to have. Ones she knows she forfeited already."

"But...the Traditions will hurt her...I can not abandon her, she feel this way because of fucking Diego, because what he have done to her and allowed other to do to her, but if I get her away, I can make her feel safe again, I can give her a good life...I can...damn it I can not let her be shipped to Horizon to sit alone in some cell, perhaps to beaten or tortured for information until she is dragged to her fate like if she was an animal...I can not let that happen to her."

"There is no doubt in my mind that her mentor made her life hell on this earth but he was -not- there when she went through the caul, she went through of her own volition before she met him. And for whatever reason, she does not...wish to continue. But if you run off with her, you may always be on the run and it may catch up with you too...and with your help we stand a better chance of this world not being transformed into the sort of hell that her mentor and your mother wish upon this Earth. There will be no safety then, all that is good will erode...Running away puts your avatar in danger again. You've fought so very hard to accomplish remaining out of the influence of your mother, out of the caul, don't let this be the thing that undoes that, please. June does not want that, you don't, I don't...please Hannah, I don't even know if we're going to live for another ten minutes - I hope we do, I believe we can. And if we do, consider that your avatar is at stake, that the whole of Boston and it seems far beyond are at stake too. June wants you to live, be free. Not just run away...I think deep down June knows she can only run so far before it catches up with her, and she -does not want- you to go down with her."

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:08 pm

Colin:

Lori give one grunts as you hit her with your weapon and then falls unconscious, which is probably a mercy considering her hand. The woman's pulse is very rapid shock and blood loss, her hand is bleeding profusely. She do have a belt though as well as several odd devices, most of which looks like they belong in some science fiction movie of the 1950's. You do manage to bind a tourniquet around Lori's arm and that might save her life for now, but her hand will need magickal healing or she will loose it. Nothing seam to be going wrong on Jeffry's end, not for now, the Hermetic just seams intent on his work, as if the disturbance with Lori had never happened.

Adley:

"Are they bound to a particular place within the Labyrinth?

"The gate guardians are bound to the portals they protect but the three others are just bound to serve the Labyrinth itself."
June explained.

What sort of Umbrood is Glava? The others?" It seemed odd that they would have anything disloyal within the center of the Labyrinth unless they were sure that it was bound tightly, or enjoyed its torture...which was rather likely, he supposed.

Glava is an Air elemental, the two others are pain elementals, personified suffering, you do not want to run into them unless you are sure you can deal with them.

"Where is the tass stored? What sort of guards are at the Caul? Who else besides that woman should we look out for?"

"The Caul is always guarded by two Adepts in shifts. Tass storage are to the left of the Caul's chamber, down one corridor and the first door to the left, under a screaming mouth and two green eyeballs that are growing out of the wall."
The Nephandus said then she shrugged.
"As for who to look out for...all of them, non of them will hesitate to take you down."

He frowned and nodded. "Be ready in case...make sure the Verbena that was knocked out doesn't cause any problems, by being spotted or suddenly coming to, confused and in the middle of it."

"The guy outside?"
Hannah asked.
"Well if we are going to make sure about anything with him one of us have to go out and check on him, which might also be safer for him but off course it will leave June with one guard while one of us are tending to the Verbena."

"I don't know," he said honestly. "But I do know that we don't feel the same. And that is why you must come back with us so we can keep you and your avatar safe, Hannah, please. If you run away, you're putting yourself right back into the danger that we were trying to spare you from and it will be worse, June does not want that. None of us do."

Hannah sigh she shook her head.
"June needs help, she do not need to be taken captive and have her Avatar destroyed, shit you know what that do to a mage."
The Orphan said.
"Perhaps if I go with her, help her escape I can keep her safe, give her a chance."
She said hopefully.

"Hannah, June does not want you to be harmed, I don't either. The chances of you both being able to hide out are not good, please, if you get caught..." He shook his head, looking concerned for her. "I know you love June, and she loves you that is -why- you should listen to her, what she said about having what she cannot. Please!"

"I know she do not want me to be harmed."
Hannah said bitterly.
"But I do not want her to be harmed either and that is what the Traditions will do to her. I know I would be taking a great risk but she would do the same for me."
She said and sigh.
"June do not deserve what the Traditions will do to her...she do not deserve that Nephandus or not."

"But it is -not- you, and that is what matters. You still have a chance, ones that your best friend wants you to have. Ones she knows she forfeited already."

Hannah sigh she looks at Adley desperation in her pretty blue eyes.
"But there have to be some what to help her...something that can be done for her...please there have to be something."

"There is no doubt in my mind that her mentor made her life hell on this earth but he was -not- there when she went through the caul, she went through of her own volition before she met him. And for whatever reason, she does not...wish to continue. But if you run off with her, you may always be on the run and it may catch up with you too...

"But...but I can not just abandon her, and perhaps she will not feel that way, will not feel like Felix did once I have gotten her away from Diego...I just can not loose her the same way I lost him...there have to be something I can do..."
Hannah said pleadingly.

and with your help we stand a better chance of this world not being transformed into the sort of hell that her mentor and your mother wish upon this Earth. There will be no safety then, all that is good will erode...Running away puts your avatar in danger again. You've fought so very hard to accomplish remaining out of the influence of your mother, out of the caul, don't let this be the thing that undoes that, please. June does not want that, you don't, I don't...please Hannah, I don't even know if we're going to live for another ten minutes - I hope we do, I believe we can. And if we do, consider that your avatar is at stake, that the whole of Boston and it seems far beyond are at stake too.

"Damn it, so I am trapped between helping my best friend...and doing my duty I guess and help stop my mother...that is an impossible choice Adley...impossible. I want to stop my mother I do not want the world she dreams of, but to abandon June...hell if it had not been for her support I probably would have given in to my mother long ago..."
Hannah said sadly.

June wants you to live, be free. Not just run away...I think deep down June knows she can only run so far before it catches up with her, and she -does not want- you to go down with her."

"A mage alone seldom survive long, and sooner or later the Traditions or the Nephandi will find her...I know but..."
Hannah sigh.
"She is talking about giving up, just surrendering, letting the Chief take her...I can't...just sit and let that happen..."
The Orphan said then she shake her head.
"Would she at least be treated with kindness and dignity...if you manage to keep her from running...if she let you capture her...will the Traditions at least be kind to her before...before..."
Hannah closed her eyes for a moment.
"I only want to protect her."

by Warpmind Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:47 pm

Colin sighed and patted Lori gently on the head, then ran a quick check on all the doors, locking the entrances he could and making a mental note of those he couldn't, before returning to set his chair next to Lori, and carefully separating her from all her assorted devices and briefly entertaining guesses as to the little machines' function based on design.
Mostly, though, he just set them down well out of Lori's reach, should she come to, while he tried to find her phone, as well as the crystal she mentioned.

((OOC: Colin's patience for Lisa Larson's plots is wearing pretty thin about now... Razz

))

by Adley Mon Jan 04, 2016 11:31 pm

"The gate guardians are bound to the portals they protect but the three others are just bound to serve the Labyrinth itself." June explained....The Nephandus said then she shrugged. "As for who to look out for...all of them, non of them will hesitate to take you down."

He nodded occasionally, going over each point mentally and seeing what else he might ask her. "Is the phrase to get in the same as to be let out?" He didn't expect the place to be in anything of a state of chaos still it never hurt to know. "Where could I find Glava? And finally...yes I know you are unable to give me a map but how would one find the caul, assuming one came in through either of the portals you spoke of?"

Hannah asked. "Well if we are going to make sure about anything with him one of us have to go out and check on him, which might also be safer for him but off course it will leave June with one guard while one of us are tending to the Verbena."

"True enough, I really don't want to draw attention at this time."

"June needs help, she do not need to be taken captive and have her Avatar destroyed, shit you know what that do to a mage."
The Orphan said. "Perhaps if I go with her, help her escape I can keep her safe, give her a chance." She said hopefully...

"Again, a chance for what? You would both have two factions at large, and June does not seem to want that sort of help," he said. "She is helping in her own way, helping you to try to give you a way out of this."

Hannah sigh she looks at Adley desperation in her pretty blue eyes. "But there have to be some what to help her...something that can be done for her...please there have to be something."

"I know of no way to help someone that has been through a caul, Hannah," he said, sounding regretful. "But there is still time for you, for you to take the gift she is trying to give you and remember her doing something good, and to stop the Nephandi from their destructive plan."

"But...but I can not just abandon her, and perhaps she will not feel that way, will not feel like Felix did once I have gotten her away from Diego...I just can not loose her the same way I lost him...there have to be something I can do..." Hannah said pleadingly.

He shook his head sadly, thinking of his new brother. He didn't understand the wish to destroy oneself though he did understand Hannah's pain. "June's ultimate desire is her own destruction...I don't understand it, nor you - but she loves you and wants you to escape. If...she chooses to give up, then consider that you would lose her to this urge at some point. This way, she is helping you get out, she is stopping the cycle of destruction - perhaps ironically, with her own. If you get run, you might have a few more days, weeks, maybe years of the Nephandi breathing down your neck, constant danger to your avatar, always running...you gave June some happiness in her sad life, let her have that. And let her have the knowledge that you escaped, that she stopped the massacre of thousands of people, because of what she did today."

"Damn it, so I am trapped between helping my best friend...and doing my duty I guess and help stop my mother...that is an impossible choice Adley...impossible. I want to stop my mother I do not want the world she dreams of, but to abandon June...hell if it had not been for her support I probably would have given in to my mother long ago..."

"I am not asking you to abandon your love for your friend. I am asking you not to interfere should she try to run, not to try to help her or run away with her and not to try to stop me from stopping her because I must try. They are not easy things to ask, but what is in common is that June, you and I do not want your mother to succeed. And we want you to live, have a chance if we're able to get out of this. And that too is out of love and care. I will not put words in her mouth but I do not think she will believe you have abandoned her...you heard what she said."

"She is talking about giving up, just surrendering, letting the Chief take her...I can't...just sit and let that happen..." The Orphan said then she shake her head. "Would she at least be treated with kindness and dignity...if you manage to keep her from running...if she let you capture her...will the Traditions at least be kind to her before...before..." Hannah closed her eyes for a moment. "I only want to protect her."

"I know you do, Hannah but you cannot protect her from herself, from a choice she made before she met you, or from her desire to see you get out of this mess. I can't speak for all the Traditions, but you know that our chantry does not allow poor treatment prisoners under our care that have surrendered and are cooperating with us." He sighed, still trying to keep an eye on June and the ship. "Come, we should stay closer by just in case...

by **Anja Rebekka Schultze** Tue Jan 05, 2016 1:14 am

Colin:

Colin sighed and patted Lori gently on the head, then ran a quick check on all the doors, locking the entrances he could and making a mental note of those he couldn't, before returning to set his chair next to Lori, and carefully separating her from all her assorted devices and briefly entertaining guesses as to the little machines' function based on design.

Locking doors can be hard as this is a huge hall, think an entire international airport area that are mostly open space but with a multitude of doors to shops, offices, workshops and so on. The devices was something that had a screen, exposed wires and allot of switches, it might be a measuring device, her Ether goggles, a pen that was full of cogs, and a little black box with several antennas, it is hard for you to guess at what any of the devices do.

Mostly, though, he just set them down well out of Lori's reach, should she come to, while he tried to find her phone, as well as the crystal she mentioned.

You do find Lori\s phone, a very old nokia, you do not find any crystal though, she might not be having that on her.

Adley:

"Is the phrase to get in the same as to be let out?" He didn't expect the place to be in anything of a state of chaos still it never hurt to know.

"Yes you can use the same phrase to be let out."

"Where could I find Glava?

"Anywhere within the Labyrinth, she is bound to the walls."

And finally...yes I know you are unable to give me a map but how would one find the caul, assuming one came in through either of the portals you spoke of?"

"From the portal under the Walmart you will end up in a small chamber right next to the Labyrinth's living quarters, follow a hallway until you find a set of stairs, go down, pass the mess hall then you will come to set of locked doors, enter them and you will get to the section where we have our ritual rooms, follow this corridor right until you come to a set of double doors, the Caul is behind those doors. From the entrance at the auto shop you first get to a large chamber, from here you have to walk past the common room, then down several hallways, keep going left, eventually you will get to the mess hall and then follow the same instructions as for the other portal."
June explained.

"True enough, I really don't want to draw attention at this time."

"No it might be wise to keep a low profile."
Hannah agreed.
"Let us leave the Verbena for now and see to him when and if he wakes up or when the Chief have dealt with that rote."

"Again, a chance for what? You would both have two factions at large, and June does not seem to want that sort of help," he said. "She is helping in her own way, helping you to try to give you a way out of this."

"The chances would not be great..."
Hannah admitted, fleeing with two factions trying to hunt them down would not be easy and then there was the Technocracy as well.
"But what would you have done if it was your best friend we were talking about, would you stand by and let them be captured?"

"I know of no way to help someone that has been through a caul, Hannah," he said, sounding regretful. "But there is still time for you, for you to take the gift she is trying to give you and remember her doing something good, and to stop the Nephandi from their destructive plan."

"June's problem is not so much that she have been through a Caul but how the Labyrinth have been treating her."
Hannah said, for her after all going through a Caul was a pretty natural thing that most of those she knew had done.
"If she could be shown kindness and peace perhaps she would not give up..."

He shook his head sadly, thinking of his new brother. He didn't understand the wish to destroy oneself though he did understand Hannah's pain. "June's ultimate desire is her own destruction...I don't understand it, nor you - but she loves you and wants you to escape. If...she chooses to give up, then consider that you would lose her to this urge at some point.

"This giving up, her considering surrender to the Traditions that will not give June her ultimate desire, to seek Decent or an Entropic Ascension is not the same as wanting to be destroyed, there is a difference. She is not giving up because she thinks Gilgul will give her the Ascension she seeks, it will not, she is giving up because she is tired of being hurt and fear what her reincarnation might be if the new mage inherits her traumatic memories in addition to her Fallen Avatar. Yes one day perhaps June will reach Enlightenment and Ascend or in her case Descend, and if she do I will miss her but be happy for her, it is the goal of all of us is it not, I might Ascend one day as well, I doubt I will be the incarnation that accomplishes that but it could happen and that would be cause for celebration but that is not what June seeks in surrendering, to be destroyed means you exist as something destroyed, as memory as a past, along the river of time you exist even if your current and future from is destroyed. Entropic Ascension means non existence, not destruction, I do not fully understand it but I do understand it enough to know that having your soul ripped out is not it."
Hannah muttered.

This way, she is helping you get out, she is stopping the cycle of destruction - perhaps ironically, with her own. If you get run, you might have a few more days, weeks, maybe years of the Nephandi breathing down your neck, constant danger to your avatar, always running...you gave June some happiness in her sad life, let her have that. And let her have the knowledge that you escaped, that she stopped the massacre of thousands of people, because of what she did today."

Hannah sigh she knew that the chances that she and June would find any safety to be slim, the Nephandi would be looking for June and the Traditions for the both of them.
"I just want to give her something more...something more than destruction at the end of her sad life...and I do not know...I do not know how to help her."
The Orphan said sadly.

"I am not asking you to abandon your love for your friend. I am asking you not to interfere should she try to run, not to try to help her or run away with her and not to try to stop me from stopping her because I must try. They are not easy things to ask, but what is in common is that June, you and I do not want your mother to succeed. And we want you to live, have a chance if we're able to get out of this. And that too is out of love and care. I will not put words in her mouth but I do not think she will believe you have abandoned her...you heard what she said."

"That is even harder, if she do not fight...then at least it is her choice but if she is trying to escape...how can I stand by and do nothing?"
Hannah said and looked away, but she knew that if she helped a Nephandus, and especially given her own family background the Traditions would turn on her in an instant, the result would be an execution...if she was lucky.
"I know that if I help her I abandon any chance I might have of joining the Traditions...but knowing what will happen to her..."
Hannah said then she shook her head.
"We will see I...hopefully she will not need any help...but if I become the deciding factor between her capture and freedom...I am not sure I can stand back and do nothing. Like I said what if it was your loved one?"

"I know you do, Hannah but you cannot protect her from herself, from a choice she made before she met you, or from her desire to see you get out of this mess.

"I know..."
Hannah said sadly.
"But she have been far more family to me than my own mother...I do not want to see her harmed and it seams like all roads are leading to that outcome and I just do not know what to do."

I can't speak for all the Traditions, but you know that our chantry does not allow poor treatment prisoners under our care that have surrendered and are cooperating with us."

"I know, I do not fear her treatment at Steelhaven, but what when she is sent to Horizon for trail? if she even get a trial since she was never a Traditionalist."

He sighed, still trying to keep an eye on June and the ship. "Come, we should stay closer by just in case...

"You are right...we need to survive the next few minutes first, then we can figure out where we go from there."
Hannah said and joined you in going back to the tass storage room, she kept a careful watch of the hallway and positioned herself by the door keeping a lookout.
"How are you holding up June?"
She said and the Nephandus shrugged.
"I am fine, the rote is starting to get tiring to hold but I am fine for now."
She said then she added.
"I heard some of what you guys said...and whatever I choose to try to flee or not Hannah stay out of it, if you help a Nephandus escape that can earn you the strictest punishment the Traditions have and given who your mother is that is far more likely to happen that with any other mage, let whatever happens happen, I...am afraid of what the Traditions will do to me and that fear will make me escape when all I really want is for everything to just be over, but you should not help me, do not waste your chance for a good life and do not put yourself and your Avatar in danger...as a mage you do not have only your own wishes to consider, but you are it's guardian...so protect it and let me take care of myself...and if I should find the courage to surrender then well...let that happen as well."
The Nephandus said softly and Hannah turned away, she did not know how to reply to her friend...it was all just to much."

by Warpmind Tue Jan 05, 2016 2:00 am

Colin calmly pocketed the phone, and sat down to hold Lori's mangled hand high with his left hand, the gun ready in the right, as his attention flicked from Morgan and the energy shard to each of the insecure entrances in turn; a few seconds each, no more. Enough was enough; from now on, there was no trusting *anyone* coming close before Morgan was done. Two traitors popping up on his watch in one day was getting annoying; more so as they were inept enough to reveal themselves while his gun was drawn and prepared to fire.
"Good God, but that bloody Termagant has a lousy track record with picking minions, willing or unwilling..."

by Adley Tue Jan 05, 2016 4:00 am

"From the portal under the Walmart you will end up in a small chamber...eventually you will get to the mess hall and then follow the same instructions as for the other portal." June explained.

That was a lot of labyrinth to get through...not a surprise but at least if June was being honest, they had a general idea. "Traps, wards?"

"The chances would not be great..." Hannah admitted, fleeing with two factions trying to hunt them down would not be easy and then there was the Technocracy as well. "But what would you have done if it was your best friend we were talking about, would you stand by and let them be captured?"

It was a hard question, perhaps a fair one. One that he had to examine already, not long ago. He was a fighter not one of the Euthanatos, what could do when someone gave up? Generally, he would tell them not to. But for June, wouldn't that urging possibly leave them more room to suffer, would it benefit them at all, or not? "It would depend what's at stake," he said, considering it as best he could. "Depend on if there was really a chance or not to make the suffering worth it, in either way it went. In this case I don't see a way for her and I don't see how to make one happen. And it would mean throwing away the sacrifice that would made it worth it to my friend." He frowned.

"June's problem is not so much that she have been through a Caul but how the Labyrinth have been treating her." Hannah said, for her after all going through a Caul was a pretty natural thing that most of those she knew had done. "If she could be shown kindness and peace perhaps she would not give up..."

"I can't see that running away together would spare you the problem your Labyrinth poses her though, nor see her any peace." He did feel for June, he pitied her and he did not understand why she was so different than the other Nephandi. But Nephandi she was, and going through the caul and helping them was a problem though she was bravely making a different choice now. It made him sad to think that if she had not met that man, if she had been shown some other way beforehand, maybe there would be a chance in this life. Though perhaps she would never have met Hannah...perhaps it would have been bad either way. But as it stood, even if he killed her, from the way she sounded to him earlier, neither of them wanted to force her inverted avatar with its memories on another. "And going through the caul does matter, as does willingly helping a Nephandus escape, something we need to avoid happening to you and your avatar."

"This giving up, her considering surrender to the Traditions that will not give June her ultimate desire, to seek Decent or an Entropic Ascension is not the same as wanting to be destroyed, there is a difference...Entropic Ascension means non existence, not destruction, I do not fully understand it but I do understand it enough to know that having your soul ripped out is not it."

"I will perhaps never understand, nor wish to, honestly..."

"I just want to give her something more...something more than destruction at the end of her sad life...and I do not know...I do not know how to help her." The Orphan said sadly

Adley felt sadness for them, but he recalled his pater's words about a world full of Junes. Tragedies. "Live, that is how you can help her as far as I know. Live a good life, escape from the spiral of the Nephandi for good. Help stop them from causing more suffering to others. Maybe it is too late for June, now...but not for you, those like you, who have stayed out of the cauls, who can yet be saved from what's yet to happen."

"We will see I...hopefully she will not need any help...but if I become the deciding factor between her capture and freedom...I am not sure I can stand back and do nothing. Like I said what if it was your loved one?"

He thought of Beatrice, and he thought of Patrick and of his brother, and all the horrid things that had happened in less than a week's time. He'd been asked if he could shoot his own mentor if he went mad, and all around him people he cared about suffered. He continued to try to do what was necessary, to try to save Boston, his chantry...try to keep those that he loved safe. He sympathized with Hannah's plight. But the saddest thing to him was that he did not think there was any freedom for June to be seen - she was a Fallen Nephandi, who if she did give up, was going to be gilgulled. All he could do was prevent Hannah falling with her. Days ago he had thought the same for all widderslainte, yet since then he had found rays of hope in some situations and believed some could be saved. But what would he do if someone he loved could not -be- saved...June had taken too many steps downward and he did not know of any way to help her if she truly wanted to give up.

"I know, I do not fear her treatment at Steelhaven, but what when she is sent to Horizon for trail? if she even get a trial since she was never a Traditionalist."

He sighed. He could hardly answer for Horizon, not with all the suspicion and what he knew had happened to Susanna. Perhaps it would be over quicker...he just didn't know enough to say how June would be treated. Though in other cases they had at least asked for proper treatment or an escort, not that he could promise she would get it. "I can't say for sure. There might be a way to ask for recommendations based on her actions."

"You are right...we need to survive the next few minutes first, then we can figure out where we go from there." Hannah said and joined you in going back to the tass storage room, she kept a careful watch of the hallway and positioned herself by the door keeping a lookout...

Adley took up a spot that would allow him to catch anyone coming to surprise them, listening carefully as he could. The area was not large and he did not want to risk June or Hannah being hit by something if it reflected off a kinetic shield so he got his weapon ready and surveyed the area for anything that might be of use for cover.

"I heard some of what you guys said...and whatever I choose to try to flee or not Hannah stay out of it, if you help a Nephandus escape that can earn you the strictest punishment the Traditions have and given who your mother is that is far more likely to happen that with any other mage, let whatever happens happen...so protect it and let me take care of myself...and if I should find the courage to surrender then well...let that happen as well."

Adley frowned. Just the other day, she'd had a bullet ready to embed into his skull. Now she was here, and he was protecting her...and when she tried to escape, she might yet harm him, he was under no illusions otherwise. But at least the dock would be in one piece, people alive...maybe something better for Hannah. A chance for them to stop the Nephandi labyrinth...

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