Brink of Delusion; Crystal's Shine ((Full))

[Jest_A_Clown]

Suri had taken his fill of knowledge so to speak, it was best not to get too greedy. Bottling the immense number of other questions he had, and was sure the others did to, he resigned himself to action in the here-and-now. He grunted slightly as he slowly rose to his feet, ankle protesting after being relaxed for so long, putting a metal hand on the wall for small support. Taking a look at Miya he realised she was looking a bit edgy, well more than usual, perhaps she wasn't used to being the center of attention like this? But Suri could tell she was wanting to be finished with the business of talking and starting on the process of doing.

"Well, that settles that for now." Suri said with a tone of finality. "I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to barrage Lady Miya with questions as we journey, but for now, it's off to Renara!" he said while promptly slamming shut his chest door, hoping to jam it in place for the moment. "I've not heard much of these Fate Shards, but they sound powerful, and things with power don't stay silent for long. Our best course of action would be to head for Renara, listening to the gossip along the way to see if we pick up any leads on the Shards or our supposed Earth Bearer." Putting more weight on his tender, but walkable ankle, he began to pace in a tiny path, due to the small size of the room crowded further by people. "We're going to need supplies; food, water, tools, weapons, a map would be handy, and whatever else you could think to bring on an adventure!" he ticked off in an excited list. He honestly hadn't planned on things taking such a marvelous turn so quickly. His only thoughts previous to today were; "Escape Metrino and wing it out there in the big wide world." Now he was part of a very important group of people, the holder of a legendary object, and tasked with the job of protecting an even greater holder of legendary objects.

Suri was brimming with excitement, but he was keeping a level head. Rushing off to have an adventure was a good way to end up dead in the ditch or in a monster's belly.  

[Scythe de Zaran]

((Ah, excuse my post as well. I'm having a bit of an issue coming up with writing. I hope I'm not hitting a writer's block soon.))

Any more thinking on random matters and the situation was interrupted when the Crystal of Darkness began glowing brightly, resonating with the colorful flow and blend of colors emitting from each of the Crystal Bearers in the room. It was truly a sight, and for a moment, it felt as if they were all family, connected in some way.

Honestly, Rigo and Gio had been traveling the lands for the past few years too. All this talk of Eidolons and their connection to the Crystals was interesting. For a moment, Rigo was reminded of a bunch of nightmares he had shortly after the event two years ago. He dismissed them. Actually, he wasn't even sure why the thoughts of those dreams had come up.

Eidolons didn't seem to be an easy task. Miya seemed to know much more, as expected from Animus's words, than the rest of them, and there seemed to be quite a bit of uncertainty in the air. Well, they did need somewhere to start.

Rigo sighed. "If the Crystal of Earth is the only one mising, perhaps, we should head to Renara."  

[MadameDPomp]

It appeared this gathering had been adjourned and just as well too. Jolyre could feel herself suffocating in the closeness of everyone packed into a tiny room.
Suri was excitedly rattling off things they would need. Jolyre needed nothing. She had her crystal, her gauntlets, her wings, and her pride. Miya was an issue she would deal with later; she knew the fire bearer thought her a child, emotional and rash. If it's a fight she wants then I'll oblige the shrew she thought viciously. She was a pompous fool; Jolyre had undergone years of discipline and training. The woman was from Zarrenki, the rashest nation of them all, in Jolyre's eyes. Only fools ruled themselves by force. Crylos was just as bad off on the other end of the spectrum. Knowledge meant nothing if a sword didn't accompany it. Both were ineffective without the other. No, Miya was hiding something company and Jolyre was intent on digging it up. It seemed only fair.
Having had enough, Jolyre shoved herself up from the wall and brushed past her fellow bearers. Her presence was no longer mandatory and it was her goal to have as little to do with them as possible. She had no obligation to this gathering of course. But the thought of reneging on the journey had already come and been banished. It was her duty to the nations being a knight and crystal bearer and Jolyre never abandoned a purpose or orders. Only shifted them when needed.
She retreated to a remote table, not wanting to go out to the bar. She didn't want the company of either, but now, forced to choose, she chose the crystal bearers. A lot had just happened and what she really need to find a corner to hide and break down in. Unlikely here in a tavern brimming with people.
She stripped her gauntlets off wearily. The crystals lost it's resonating glow now, away from its brethren, but Jolyre was glad to be out. She flexed her aching fingers and looked disgustedly at the dried blood that stained the pale edges of her gauntlet blades. She couldn't help but think that the blood on them should be a certain boy's from Terminus. It stuck there in her mind no matter how hard she tried to banish it.
Alexei and Alessa wouldn't approve of it...but they were dead, weren't they?  

[Draconia Crystalis]

"I heard you mention your father earlier," said to Kasumi as she seemed to be thinking deeply inward. "Don't give up looking for him just because of this." He gave her a small smile, the best he could manage while still being awkward around women. "We'll be traveling all over, so we might just run into him."

"Yeah," Gio agreed with what many of the others were saying, "The best course of action is probably going to Renara. We don't have anything else to go off of."

He stood up and looked around to everyone, feeling a little uncertain of himself. Was his place really with these people? These great, powerful people? Well, whether it was his place or not didn't matter. He didn't want to hold anyone back, and once he was of no more use he would take care of everything that he could settle himself.

Go felt his skin tingle as suddenly a huge roar howled through the room. From the sound of it it was obviously an incredible distance away, and not nearby, but it was obvious that the sheer force of it was enough to have carried it for miles and miles. What sort of beast could make a sound like that? He had never heard anything like it in his life! And not long after the sound, a mild tremor rumbled through the building, once again from far away. "What the hell was that?" he voiced aloud.

-------------------------------------------------------

Outside of the room all of the Bearers resided in, four figures waited in the empty bar. Not really empty, exactly, but there was no one around to speak a word now, since all of them lay on the ground, scattered about, their throats slashed.

As they observed the door patiently, all four of them held glowing objects in their hands, which had lit up in response to the radiance on the other side of the door. "It looks like all but one Crystal is in there," one of them, a woman said, holding a dark purple light in her hand. "Earth is the only one that isn't there."

"Keep it down," another said in a hushed tone, clasping his hand around a red light. "We don't want them knowing we're here until they come out. Then, we kill them and go to Renara for the Earth Crystal."

"They're rookies," the next said, bearing an orange light in his palm. "They may have the real Crystals, but we have trained for years with these Servant Crystals. We cannot lose."

"Yes," the last smirked, holding a radiant, ethereal glow in his hand. "With these Servants and Fate on our side, we can reclaim the real Crystals, just like we were hired to. Metrino will have its research specimens, and their cyborg trophy soon enough."

The four payed no mind to the enormous roar, and to the trembling of the earth. It was all according to plan. Just as they had been told it would happen.

((There's evil afoot! The roar and earthquake just kinda give a time-frame for the moment my Bahamut post from earlier occured. And I will put more detail into these new characters when the time comes. This should do just fine for now.))  

[Vizzion]

Orin Beleren

Orin observed Jolyre retreated to a table away from the group. I guess this gives her time to let everything sink in before we set out on this very rash journey Orin thought as he was about to speak but a roar and a sudden tremor broke him off. And there goes that time to let everything sink in.. Orin thought as he figured that whatever creature may have produced that roar had to be from far away.

"That should be our cue to leave Tylem. We have not only exposed the presence of our existence here but undoubtedly attracted the attention of Crystal seekers and bounty hunters." Orin said to the group thinking that even if the source of the roar is far away, it may catch up to them if they remain stationary. "Also, is anyone else feeling danger just lurking around?" Orin added to his comment as he felt something around the Tavern.

 

[MadameDPomp]

She felt eyes on her,but Jolyre didn't care. She was exhausted. It was too much too fast. She ran deft hands through her long, but weathered blond hair. No sooner did they reach the fine ends did an earthquake pass and roar sounded through the ravines of Tylem.
Her fried nerves were cured in a second as adrenaline breathed new life into her once more. It seemed to be her constant motivator. Cursing, she slammed her fists back into her gauntlets and strapped them on tight. What, exactly, had Jolyre drowned herself in this time?
"That should be our cue to leave Tylem. We have not only exposed the presence of our existence here but undoubtedly attracted the attention of Crystal seekers and bounty hunters."
"Leave, ice bearer? And leave all those people to die at the hands of people who want our blood, not theirs? It's not their fault that we all happened to meet in this miserable hovel." Jolyre said heatedly, standing up forcefully.
She was a knight and one of...some...virtue. Innocent people were at stake and that was something Jolyre, knight errant, couldn't and wouldn't stand for.
"At the very least we should warn them that we've put them in danger." she said, fighting brutally to remain level, and not run out and face the roar's owner head on. She refused to admit the fact the the cacophony on the other side had...died. What would Alessa have done? Been level-headed? Awaited orders? Jolyre sighed with apparent frustration in her mind. Was she supposed to try and be the new Alessa Aegis? Or was this her own, individual task? She had none of the calm that Alessa manifested and all of the fight of Alexei possessed. What was the right decision? Jolyre started to inch to the door...the people in the tavern really needed to know what was inevitably coming their way..  

[Jest_A_Clown]

Suri was about to make for the door himself, with the intent of asking the barkeep the location of an outfitter or merchant in town, when the tremor and roar resounded through the building and everyone in it. It rattled the sprockets in his torso and sent a tremor through his very core, instantly setting him on edge. His first thought was "Is it the Blackhand? I completely fried their ship! Even their emergency buffers wouldn't have been able to keep them in the air this long!" But he quickly dismissed the thought, because it occured to him that no Airship roared. Something large and impending was afoot, Suri, frozen in mid-step, silently went to one knee and listened.

Back in Metrino, for some it was considered a rite of passage upon receiving your first cyborg part. Always, before the procedure was done, the Doctors would warn their eager patient of the pros and cons one last time. For all the durability and technical use cyber parts provided, you always gave up something. No longer being able to feel was a big loss for most, but once you had a part put in, you could never have flesh and blood there ever again. There were other grievances the Doctors, called Butchers by those who vehemently opposed Cyborg enhancements, told of. One of the odd quirks of being a cyborg was sometimes you would feel a phenomenon known as 'phantom pains' where you could still feel your arm even if it was replaced with metal. Scientists could never quite explain that one, and so it has remained a phenomenon un-backed with hard facts.

That is what Suri began to feel at that moment. No longer did he have a heart, lungs, stomach, liver, or arms of flesh and blood, but he still felt them...sometimes. Suri had what a human would call a 'gut instinct' right then, an almost incomprehensible sinking feeling he 'felt' from his hollow insides. He crouched lower, muscles in his back stretching taut beneath his skin, as he began listening. He could have sworn he'd heard voices on the other side of the door but...Suri instantly forgot what he was listening for because his suspicions were confirmed when he saw a shadow shift position through the crack at the base of the door. Suri saw Joylre edging towards the door with the intent of 'warning the people' of possible imminent danger. Suri caught her eyes and held up one large hand in a definately recognizable 'Stop!' sign.

Rising silently, briefly thanking the Fates and Gods he'd had the forethought to thoroughly oil his parts up before he'd escaped, Suri fell back to Miya, whom he could tell had caught on to the feeling of possible danger. Keeping his voice a mere whisper, he leaned in close; "I know the patrons of the bar must be curious of our doings, but do you think every single one of them would be standing in front of the door to this room, completely silent, with zero sounds of merriment and drinking coming from anyone else in the bar?" he said in an almost rhetoric statement. "It's too quiet for my liking, we may have company." he whispered grimly. The mood in the bar upon their arrival and during their stay at the bar hadn't been exactly festive, but there was a huge difference between a bar full of normal, happy patrons versus one that was...empty? That's what it sounded like out there, dead quiet. Suri didn't want to consider the alternative. He dearly hoped the bar had emptied out for some reason. No matter how he saw the situation, it didn't read good for them.  

[Denyala]

Miya felt her eyes grow heavy, but instead of closing them, she let them droop, giving her a rather displeased look, despite her actual feelings. She listened to the group as they settled on Renara as their first destination. She was actually impressed. They had come to a decision with logic, and had agreed or at least failed to argue on it. She was grateful she didn’t have to drag the troop from one place to another on the vague hope that they stumbled upon something. There wasn’t a more sure-fire way to lose their confidence than to waste their time and energy. If Renara happened to be a dead end, well, it wasn’t her head they would put on a pike… figuratively speaking of course.

Suri brought up several good points. They would need to gather supplies, and Alane and Harrier would need to say their goodbyes. Everyone else was already versed in traveling, but she was sure supplies would need to be replenished. They’d also need tents to rest in if they failed to find a town every night-fall. Miya took a breath to agree with Suri when a loud roar shattered the peaceful, though tense, atmosphere. Miya was on her feet in seconds, her hand on the handle of her whip. What in Ifrit’s name…

"That should be our cue to leave Tylem.” Orin said, and Miya could not agree more. She had hoped to rest at least one night in the comfortable tavern, but those wishes were washed away in an instant. "Also, is anyone else feeling danger just lurking around?" Now that he mentioned it, she couldn’t deny an uneasy feeling had settled in the base of her spine.
As Jolyre stepped towards the door, Suri stopped her silently and effectively. Miya was glad that he had stopped her before she’d opened the door and walked into a dangerous situation. Easing back to her, Suri leaned close to speak to her in a low voice, offering up a rhetorical question that needed no answer. "It's too quiet for my liking, we may have company.”
Miya slowly unraveled her whip and let it fall silently to the floor. “You know, I think you just might be right. I think we’re being hunted,” she said back slowly, her eyes resting on the small crack under the door. She was watching for any shadows or movement of light. Taking a quick survey of the room she noted that there were no windows and seemingly no other way out. Blast, how could we have so easily pinned ourselves in?

Miya was idly fiddling with the handle of her whip while her mind played out their options. One of the other crystal bearers could probably break a hole into the wall in which they could get out, but that was if they had that much control of their power. Plus the tavern owner wouldn’t be too happy with them and they would loudly announce their presence to everyone. They wouldn’t be pinned in though…

They could always fight. Though not all of the people present were fighters, enough were. Glancing at Suri, she made a note of his injuries… damages? What did cyborgs have anyway? She made a mental reminder to offer to help fix what she could. Her father had taught her some smithing, though the work on him was probably too skilled for her hands… Now was not the time to think of such things. If they fought, some might get hurt, crystal bearers and innocents alike.

The only other option was to send one out. She could be first, and hopefully defend against any traps. Or, they could send Alane out to gather information and perhaps help; she wasn’t a crystal bearer and therefore theoretically no target. Miya frowned. No, that was the least favorable of her ideas, but if she didn’t think them through she wouldn’t be satisfied.

Since Suri was closest, Miya spoke to him first. “The only two viable options I see is to, er, slip out the back after we make an exit for ourselves, or go out prepared and fighting.” Miya’s frown deepened. Out loud the ideas seemed even worse than they had in her head. Cracking her neck with a swift jerk of her head, the woman looked antsy to fight but remained where she was. She was not in charge of these people and so she waited for their opinions as well. Who knows, maybe she had overlooked something.  

[Draconia Crystalis]

Gio was getting nervous. Everyone's gazes had become riveted to the door the moment that it became obvious something was off. A cold sweat began to form in his palms and he swallowed a lump in his throat. Danger already? Crystals may have been blessings, but it was more obvious than ever that they also brought just as much trouble wherever they went. And he hadn't even gotten the chance to train. He had hoped that they wouldn't have encountered trouble for long enough that he could get in some real sword-practice in with his brother. He didn't want to be a useless bystander again.

Running. He heard Miya propose the idea, and for a moment thought that it was a pretty good idea. However, that idea was quickly discarded when he thought about what was on the other side of that door. The thoughts he had made him angry. He didn' like them, he wanted them to not be true, but he knew it was unlikely. The feeling these thoughts gave him became evident in how hard his steel-gray eyes became. "They must know that we know of them by now. They must have been listening, and even if they couldn't understand us, they must have sensed the change in atmosphere. They're probably ready to chase after us right now." His voice sounded absolutely certain. It was so dead-silent on the other side he couldn't imagine that they couldn't tell. "If we ran, they'd be on us with our backs turned to them. Not only that... the innocent people on the other side... I can't imagine they let them live. One of the drunks would have made a fuss about it if someone just came in and made them leave, and we heard nothing of the sort. They must all be dead. Every last one of them." The last words came out of him with difficulty. The thought of all those people in the bar.... dead.... it was a horrible thing for him to even try to comprehend. However, such an image was all too easy for him to envision, as it was the same kind of carnage that he had inflicted on his household years before.

He paused as he stared at the door. He was concerned about Harrier and Alane. Obviously they had close friends on the other side. Hopefully him saying that wouldn't provoke them to rushing out and getting themselves killed. If anything, he at least hoped it would give Harrier more fuel for his Crystal, making him more determined to fight them with everything he had. "Might I propose another option besides going through the door or blasting the back wall open? How about we blast the whole wall with the door open? The owner is most likely dead now if I'm right, so he wouldn't mind. We won't be hurting anyone but the people that are after us. If we were to drag the fight outside, even more people would be hurt. That, or they could take hostages or harm people to make us face them anyway. And then what would people think if word got out that the Crystal Bearers were running away? People would despise us and lose faith in us and the legends."

He was silent after that, his thoughts turning inward as he thought about everything he had just said. Had that really been him? He had taken in all of that, and come to that cool-headed and logical of a solution? What was going on inside of him? He hardly even knew his own mind and body anymore. He could ask himself just who he was and be at a loss for words. He hadn't felt anything take him over like he had when Animus had helped them against the monster. That had been all him, and he was never like that. Not even when he had some semblance of courage. Still, he needed to keep on a strong face. He had to try to keep up that act. He wanted to BE that act, because then, maybe, he wouldn't be a burden to anyone.  

[Vizzion]

Orin Beleren

"Fighting would be a rash decision right now. I spot three non-combatants in Gio, Kasumi, and an injured Suri. Plus one more if you count Lady Jolyre's emotional state." Orin said to the rest of the group as he looked around and pointed to each one. "As to what you said to me Lady Jolyre, Suri and Gio are correct in assuming that the worst has happened to the patrons are most likely dead already. Drunkards cannot keep quiet and as Gio has already said, there would have been most likely a scuffle or at least shouting if they were still alive. Now if you desire to warn the dead then go ahead" Orin said with a frown on his face as he looked at the Angeal.

Orin did not like the fact that the options are either fight these unknown attackers or Run and risk getting chased with their backs turned to their ambushers. Also, it could just be a trap and there might be a larger army outside. "It seems that Gio's plan is the most stable one. Though I was hoping to avoid a confrontation with these attackers it seems it's our only option since we put more civilians in danger if we do run. After all, the worst that can happen is we die right?" Orin said to the group as he turned to look at the door and readied himself for battle.

 

[Jest_A_Clown]

Suri ticked off various options in his head, fighting other humanoids wasn't something he relished in, but the strategy and act of fighting itself, now that was something he was into. It was almost like another form of science that was constantly in motion and changing in reaction to your opponent, and the results were only as good as your reflexes and wit. "Blow a hole to the outside, we'll be in the middle of the sandstorm, but surely that would be a promising effect for Harrier's Wind Crystal." he thought as he unsuccessfully tried to size up whoever was on the other side of the door. What Gio said made sense, far too quiet on the other side of the door. The loud noise and impact might have stunned them into silence for a bit, but curiosity and fear would have at least sparked some noise from within the bar if anyone was still alive. He was building a list of pros and cons in his head, sadly, it was stacking up in their enemie's favor.

"Cons: Our enemy's size, number, and strength is unknown...We are cornered in a windowless room with only one exit, which the enemy is guarding...I'm slightly slowed down with my ankle and not everyone in the group is a fighter...And we have innocent people to worry about, the enemy does not...Pros: There are at least 2 or more of us who can use our Crystals to an extent, with Miya probably providing the most offense at the moment....The enemy no longer has the element of surprise...Damn! that's not alot to go from!" he thought with frustration. Running didn't seem to fit the depiction of the legendary Crystal Bearers...but dying didn't either.

Then Orin voiced his thoughts on the matter, if a little harshly. That man's icy tongue would only serve to ignite tension between the more hot-tempered members, but at least he had a calm disposition and hard facts to back himself up. Still, Suri definately disagreed on one point. "Injured though I may be, I'm still able to fight, all my ankle limits the group in is escaping, and since we've ruled that option out apparently, the point is moot. If we ever head by Metrino, I'm probably gettin rid of these fleshy things anyhow, I only see them as weaknesses at this point." he said in a quiet tone. "If we were to escape, we would be caught in the middle of this storm, which though it might aid in us getting away from our enemies, we'd be hard pressed to make any headway." Looking at the others he gave a small grin, then turned as Orin did and prepared himself for what he hoped was a small conflict.

"I can blow the door and most of the wall apart myself," Suri whispered to the others. "What I'm going to need is something to follow my initial attack. Wait until I blow the wall, then proceed cautiously. We don't have the pleasure of knowing our enemies at this point, let's not do anything more foolish than we are already." He said as the synthetic joints of his arms loosened a little and little rivulets of energy began to pulse from his core. In his right hand the hole in his palm radiated a bright light which he held against his chest to hide the light from shining beneath the door and alerting their assailants further. In his left hand no light showed from his palm, but the entire appendage vibrated with compressed energy.

He would wait till the others were prepared and aware of the plan, then he would begin the strike. Hopefully his initial attack would stun and blind them long enough for the others to end the fight before it began.  

[Black Claided Cat]

Enter- Harrier A'Cal

Harrier clenched his fists, he never knew what had happened until Gio pointed it out. It seemed too quick. Jolyre had gotten up to leave, a shudder of the earth and then a roar, and now an enemy on the other side of the door with a massacre behind them.

Damn bastards knew how to get a Ranger at the throat, he swallowed tightly. He tried not to think about Cadar who had just been joking with him twenty minutes before, or his younger sister who was taking a break from her first real day of work, or the bar keeper who let the rangers use his building as a resting area year after year, or even the travelers who were passing by and were unlucky enough to get caught in it. No- he didn't think about it. But Alane did.

On the floor next to the standing and rigid Harrier she sat wide-eyed as she processed the information. 'Too quick', she was trying to say but it only came out in a few whispers. Alane had been coming here for years, the outpost being the closest to Renara and her dragon. He heard a little sniff and he looked down to see her starting to get teary. He could feel her emotion, it was his as well, and bent down to lift her up. The girl's knees were shaking a bit and he held her to his chest as he comforted her.

With a new determination in his eye, and tightly ground teeth, he looked up at Suri, “I'll back you. But I'd rather blow down the inner wall to catch the bastards off guard and slow them. Any way to hit them hard, I guess,” he gave a shuddered sigh as he figured the best way to make an escape.

Harrier shifted Alane so he was looking at him. He said in a low tone, “We have to get help get out of this corner. Think you can help out?”

She gave a nod and tried to stabilize herself, “O-okay,” she took a deep breath and refastened her cloak and armor with shaky hands, “I can try to give a whistle to Maurik to see if he'll come. It may distract them for a few seconds, and he may help.”

Exit- Harrier A'Cal  

[MadameDPomp]

Jolyre bristled at the ice bearer. It was obvious that they were dead, but wasn't it noble to make absolutely sure first? Hadn't she sworn an oath to not be like the ice bearer? She was sure that she would not be able to make it on this journey. Not with these people. Her arms flexed, poised to slash with her fists clenched.
"Forgive me, ice bearer, if i have within me the the nobility and desire to protect innocent people. Who would not have come to harm if we had not chanced here." she retorted. "Of course they're dead. But I find a first thought should always be about who doesn't have to die and not about my own self-preservation" Jolyre snapped. She immediately regretted saying such words with Harrier and Alane around, but ..well, this was personal.
Oh. How easily she could reach out with a blade. But that would be against everything she'd just stood against. Orin Beleren was innocent as anyone else even if his tongue was comprised only of ice.
With the very limits of her self-discipline, Jolyre shut her mouth and backed down, but her eyes told a complete story.
Everyone was rallying a friend to war around her. Suri to everyone, Harrier and Alane...Orin in his own twisted motivation.
Gio's idea wasn't bad, she admitted grudgingly, and Suri's was similarly grand. A fact she had no problem admitting. The Great Crystal Bearers who turned and ran. That would make for a great epic poem someday. They probably sang songs like that in Crylos, the land of knowledge and cowards. Or perhaps joy was frowned upon there.
"Suri's right...but do what you will. I'll fight regardless of my...instability." she offered to the group, but her voice was filled with menace and acid and her eyes flashed with lethality.  

[Denyala]

Gio, to her pleasant surprise, offered up another plan that Orin approved of and Suri volunteered to be the one to knock down the wall. Well, she wasn’t going to argue with that. She was itching to release some pent up aggression and stress.

Miya refrained from flicking her whip, trying to stay silent. Surely the people on the other side were aware that their targets were onto their presence. However if there was even the smallest chance that they could surprise them, she’d take it. Orin with his icy tongue reprimanded Jolyre without ever giving into a temper. Even though he was the Ice Crystal Bearer and thus Miya’s opposite, she decided they were going to get along just fine. He wasn’t hot headed like she was, but she liked his logic.

She couldn’t fail to notice Alane and Harrier. Even if she was a hardened warrior, her heart still felt for them. Suffering always followed crystal bearers, but that didn’t make the loss any less heartbreaking. Miya wanted to give a word of comfort but knew nothing would help right now. The best thing she could do was let them mourn in private and keep to the matter at hand. Avenging their fallen friends was the only medicine for a vengeful heart.

“Going to take down the wall hm?” Miya told Suri in a low voice, “Well, I can’t let you steal all the limelight…” Miya rerolled her whip in one swift, but silent movement. Readjusting her leather glove and closing her eyes for a few moments, she clenched her fist shut and concentrated. When she opened her hand, her palm emitted a deep red glow and she felt a rush of familiar excitement. In a sudden flash of fire, a long tendril sprouted from her glove and rested silently on the floor. The vine of fire licked hungrily at the floor but refrained from burning. This whip of fire was one of the first things Miya had gained control of. It was a comforting presence beside her and was as close to the woman as a third arm. It only burned what she wished it too. It was simple, but effective.

Without saying a word, Miya motioned she was ready and tensed, prepared to pounce when the wall fell.  

[Scythe de Zaran]

While the situation was tense, Rigo couldn't help but smile at Gio. His brother was being bolder and bolder, and at least seemed to be drifting back to his former self. The Nero Angeal, like many of the others, believed Gio's idea to be the best one at this point. Running just seemed dishonorable and plain wrong.

Rigo would have spoken his own thoughts on the matter, but it seemed Suri and Orin and the others had it covered. No one was that happy with the situation, but doing nothing wasn't going to change anything.

The fact that everyone outside was dead reminded him once again of the event two years ago, but he pushed the thought away. A sword of darkness silently formed in his hand and he took a stance by Miya. "In honor for those fallen..." Rigo muttered. It wasn't right for the innocent to just be slaughtered like that. "To settle it now," he said listlessly yet with a commanding tone, directed toward Harrier and Alane. This was no doubt hardest for them since they were from Tylem and probably knew many of the people in the bar before.