Discussions of Power

Cataract - Southfield - Wagonrut Road
 * Now choked with weeds, this old path worn by wagon ruts in ages past

leads from Misty Road toward the shattered remains of the old town known as Southfield.

The road to Southfield is fairly quiet, one might even think too quiet when one nears the town itself, the sound of birds is distant, as if none are in the near vacinity. Further down, one could see that the entrance to the town of Southfield has been blocked off by some wooden contstruct.

Alexia rides in on Rorschach heading straight for the town. Finding it blocked she stops short a look of confusion on her face as she studies the construct from the back of her mount. This task isn't made easy by the fact that the horse tries to nervously turn circles despite her attempts to control it.

Almost eerily, nothing reacts to the nervous horse, no one comes around to check up on it, it's just quiet.

Rorschach whinnies loudly, and Lexi tries to reign him in, her hand patting his neck in an attempt to calm him. "What's wrong, Ror?" she asks softly, her eyes searching the area carefully now as she continues to try to control the nervous animal.

And as she starts to look around, the movement in the forest around Southfield would not be hard to spot, nine Sae'Kall warriors moving from the forest in an attempt to encircle the horse and rider against the construct. Three more Sae'Kall reveal themselves as well, but these are different, instead of spears they carry staffs, and the three are not armored. A Tauroid and an Elf, both with glowing spears and chestplates, come out from behind the barricade as well.

Alexia looks around herself now not trying to keep the horse in one place as it circles and giving the animal his head, he tries to take off back the direction they'd come. Lexi pulls a long sword from the sheath at her back prepared to take heads off if anything gets in her way.

The nine Sae'Kall break, letting her pass, but there's a chittering from the Sae'Kall with the staff, and the three with staffs all raise them in Lexi's direction, sending gusts of air at her in an attempt to knock her off her horse.

The gusts of wind take the Elf by surprise and becoming unbalanced she falls from the horse and hits the ground hard enough to knock the wind from her. She tries desperately to hold onto her sword while trying to get her breath and get to her feet all at the same time.

The nine Sae'Kall with spears take off running at her, spears held at the ready. A shriek goes up from the lead Sae'Kall with a staff, and he raises his staff, which is mimicked by the other two, and a wall of fire appears across the road away from Southfield, cutting off Lexi's path.

Does get to her feet and seeing her path blocked she brings her sword up at the ready and swinging it at the nearest Sae'Kall.

Volissenait rolls for a Great level with a modifier of 0. The result of the roll is Great.

The Sae'Kall dodges the sword blow, leaping to the side on it's long legs. It chitters a bit and turns it's spear around, whacking at Lexi with the blunt end, the other eight are moving to join it. That Sae'Kall with his staff raises it, shrieks, and then the staff speaks in an unnatural, harsh sounding voice, "You will come with us,"

Alexia attempts to parry the attack, but fails to block the spear. She bites her lip hard holding back a cry as the weapon makes contact, the Elf momentarily stunned. Quickly pulling herself back together she swings at the nearest of the Sae'Kall.

The Sae'Kall warrior /barely/ manages to dodge this time, his chest plate has a nice scratch on it now. Three of the warriors now all attempt to whack at her with the blunt ends of their spears while the staff continues to intone in that harsh voice, "You will come with us,"

Alexia barely dodges the first attack, her own armor taking a nice scratch to it. She easily dodges the second, and then...that last one must have snuck up when she wasn't looking. She shakes her head trying to clear it, but that doesn't even seem to help as everything goes out of focus for her.

"You will come with us," continues the chant from the staff as the three Sae'Kall continue to beat at her with the blunt ends of their spears.

Alexia brings her sword around in time to block the first two attacks, but once again she's not quick enough to stop the third and she's again shaking her head to try and clear it, but this time she attempts to strike back at the nearest creature, even though she can't seem to focus on it.

Again, the Sae'Kall just barely manages to dodge the attack, getting nicked in the armor. The three continue to beat on Lexi as the staff continues it's harsh chant.

The road to the town is blocked by fire, Rorschach on the wrong side of the fire from his owner. The horse whinnies obviously upset from it's side of the fire wall. Alexia on the other hand is now surrounded by three Sae'Kall, her sword in hand as she tries to defend against them. six more Sae'Kall are near by ready to attack should she take their brothers down, and along with them and to one side are three more Sae'Kall with staffs, a Tauroid and an Elf. One of the staff weilding creatures is holding his aloft and a stern voice repeats over and over "You will come with us."

Brian rides in from the north, and pauses as he catches sight of the scene, blinking. "Crap," he murmurs. Trying to keep from being seen, he hops off of Mistral, pulling an orb of elemental synergy from his bags. "Alright, let's see what we can do."

Alexia easily dodges all three attacks this time and tries to resheath her sword while taking out the long bladed whip at her side, the Mau strap. She readies herself for their next attack.

The three Sae'Kall around Lexi continue to try and attack her and beat her into the ground with the blunt edges of their spears, the staff weilding Sae'Kall stops though, looking at Brian as he arrives. He chitters a bit to the Elf nearby, who takes off towards Southfield. The three mages however, lift their staffs, shriek as one, and send balls of energy right at Brian.

Brian lifts his orb, and a shield raises around him, dissipating two of those attacks, before he lets out a gasp as the las tone hit him. "Crap," he grumbles. "What did you little bastards do?" He draws a finger over the edge of the orb, pulling out a ribbon of fire energy, which he sends flying at those three Sae'kall.

Alexia seems to be holding her own for a moment there, as she easily uses her whip to dodge the first attack, but that second one catches her by surprise and she just barely misses getting hit by the third. Without a second thought she lashes out with the bladed whip at the nearest of the three Sae'Kall.

The Sae'Kall with the staff in the middle puts up an anti-magic screen, blocking the fire from Brian. The other two dive out of the way, and pick themselves up while the middle one Shrieks again, sending another ball of energy at Brian.

As for Lexi, the Sae'Kall continue to dodge her attempts, whacking at her with their blunt spears.

Brian growls, dodging that attack. "You fuckers prepared for me this time, didn't you?" he asks, starting to try and back up, before drawing out some light blue energy from his orb. He casts a spell, an attempt to draw Alexia's prone form to himself.

Seems that Lexi's losing it at this point, she manages to just dodge the first attack on her and then it's lights out as she hits the ground hard.

The gust of wind manages to drag Lexi about a fourth of the distance between the Sae'Kall and Brian, the Elf does seem to have a good deal of weight on her, including her armor and sword. The nine Sae'Kall that had been surrounding her give chase, running towards her prone form.

Remeber that Elf who'd run off? Well, he's back, and leading nine more Sae'Kall, these ones in full glowing blue armor, as well as a Tauroid, a Lupoid, and what looks like three more mages. The first three mages though, now all up, send three more balls of energy Brian's way.

Brian manages to dodge two of those attacks, but the third one hits him, and he's gasping for breath. "I'm sorry!" he calls over. "I can't help!" And with that, he reaches into his pocket to grab... a potato.

The nine Sae'Kall run forward to grab Lexi's body and hoist it up, bearing it back towards Southfield. Between the nine of them, they seem to manage. The three mages cast more energy balls at Brian, as the other group of Sae'Kall near.

Before the Sae'kall can hit him, however, Brian holds up the teleportator. The energy balls go straight through mid-air instead.

Cataract - Southfield - Town Square
 * An old cobblestone square, now thick with weeds and dust, surrounded by

the splintered and charred ruins of buildings that used to be homes, shops and community gathering spaces in a thriving town. Some years ago, Southfield fell into ruin after it was overrun by drakespawn and bloodthirsty Wildlings.

The nine Sae'Kall bear one badly beaten and unconcious Lexi into a building, currently housing several prisoners, all chained to the walls except for one Angel, who's inside a circle drawn into the floor, along with various crypt runes and drawings. One of the Mages and it's accolytes are inside the room as well, but the High Mage enters, dismissing the other mage with a wave of his three fingered hand and some chittering. The nine Sae'Kall begin to chain Lexi up to the wall, taking her weapons from her.

Alexia doesn't respond to anything, apparently out for the count.

Cephas opens his eyes at the commotion, the angel sighing. "She's a *healer*," he says quietly. "Do you people have no respect for life at all?"

"The Elf gave up quite a fight at our borders," The High Mage's staff replies to Cephas, "She had some help, though, but it is of no matter. Besides, you said this was the place of the dead, these are just souls for out purposes." when Lexi is chained, the high mage chitters and the other Sae'Kall run out, all skirting around the circle under the High Mage's watchful gaze.

The angel's wings unfurl a bit, brightening the room, though the circle prevents him from spreading them fully. "You would give your gods a barren, pointless void," he growls.

Alexia still doesn't move, just leaning heavily against the chains with dead weight.

Cephas sighs. "Alexia. Answer me, Alexia."

The Elf groans softly and her eyes start to flutter open.

The High Mage has been chittering with his accolytes, before he finally looks back to Cephas, "And they would reveal their true powers, and build wonders for themselves and us," the staff replies to the Angel. Two Sae'Kall return, bearing a pail of cold water, which gets uncerimoniously splashed on Lexi, perhaps to speed along the waking process.

"There will be nothing for them to build with," says Cephas quietly. "Without the people this plane will collapse."

Alexia sputters and coughs, her eyes opening wide, "What the..." she cries out looking around, then another groan, "What hit me?"

"And we have willing servants, and more will join their ranks before this war is through," the staff replies to Cephas, before the High Mage looks to Lexi, "You were hit by a Sae'Kall warrior and brought here. Now you will answer my questions," intones the staff.

Cephas sighs, and settles in to wait and hear what's going on.

Alexia looks from the Sae'Kall to Cephas, worry written on her face, "What? Are you alright?" she asks then looking back to the Sae'kall she rattles the chains at her wrists, "What's this about?"

"You are our prisoner, and now you will answer my questions," The staff replies to Lexi, "How many guard the portal from this land, Cataract, to the land of the dead, Necromundus?"

Cephas reacts to this in...honestly a rather quixotic fashion. Cupping his hands, he blows on them, revealing them filled with kernels of corn. Closing his hands, there is the sound of repeated little pops...and out of his hands falls fistfuls of popcorn, 'bowled' on a current of whirling air. He settles back to nibble on it, watching.

Alexia shakes her head, an groans again, the action apparently causing her pain, "Huh? What?" she asks, "You hit me in the head, throw water on me and expect me to answer questions?" she says indignantly.

"You can answer my questions willingly or not, but you will answer them," the staff replies. The High Mage turns and chitters to one of it's accolytes, who runs over towards that spot where all the books and magical artifacts are, careful still not to break the circle. The other Accolyte just kinda looks at the popcorn eating Angel, too bad people probably can't read Sae'Kall expressions.

Cephas flicks a piece of popcorn at the Sae'kall, watching it (as it is a created thing) vaporize when it strikes the barrier of the circle's perimiter. "You people really should learn to listen," he says.

Alexia raises a brow, "Right," she says snidely, a glance over to Cephas and the flicked popcorn, a little smirk coming to her lips.

The Accolyte brings an old looking book over to the high mage, who takes it an opens to a page, "You know the Angel, do you not?" the staff replies, "He seemed to recognize you when we brought you here," The High Mage looks through a few pages as the Accolytes return to their positions.

Cephas tosses up another piece of popcorn. "She does," he affirms. "And I will not take harm to her lightly. Do we want to go through the whole 'breaking of bonds' fight again?"

Alexia looks back to the Accolyte and nods affirmation, a curious look given to the book, but she doesn't speak at all yet.

"There will be no need for that, Angel," The staff replies, "No harm will come to her yet," it adds as the High Mage begins to stalk around the circle, and with obvious effort and his own mouth, begins to repeatedly mispronounce Cephas' true name.

Cephas curls in on himself, wings striking sparks against the boundaries of the circle as he claps his hands over his ears. The cry he makes is not unlike that of an angry or injured gull.

"Stop it!" Lexi screams, "You're hurting him, stop!" she struggles against her chains trying to go to the angel.

"Then you /will/ answer our questions, how many are guarding the portal from Cataract to Necromundus!?" the staff says, sounding a bit angry now. The High Mage spews off another one or two deliberate mispronunciations of the Angel's name as he waits.

Cephas is clearly injured by the mystical attack, talons clawing at the invisible barrier, raising golden sparks. "Do not!" he manages to growl. "I am a ser...servant of the Ascendant Powers. You don't...have to defend me. Defend the city."

Alexia cringes, her eyes showing concern and she looks away from the angel, "If you have to hurt somebody let it be me," she says to the high mage, her pain and concern showing in her voice, "He did nothing wrong."

The High Mage turns to Cephas, practically yelling, in his high, chittery voice, twisted versions of Cephas' true name as he paces around the circle, the staff repeats, "You /will/ answer my questions!"

Cephas reacts to each new mispronunciation as if it were a physical blow; if the angel could touch the earth it would likely be crumpled upon it. But Cephas' voice is clear, even strong, and his wings briefly unfurl *fully*, past the circle's boundaries, flooding the area with light. "I...am a servant...of the Ascendant Powers!" he pants, almost growling. "You hold...because I *let* you hold...do not force me to fight or the wrath of all gods will *destroy* you."

Tears threaten at Lexi's eyes, "Stop!" she screams, "Stop, please!"

The High Mage looks to the wings coming from the circle and chitters over at an Accolyte, who books it outside. The High Mage doesn't speak Cephas' name again, but bends down on those long and thin legs, putting his staff near Lexi's face as it speaks, this time softer but still with an edge to it, "Then tell me what I want to know, and I will stop,"

The wings retract, and the light fades, leaving the angel panting for breath in his mystic cage. "It's only pain, Alexia," he says tiredly. "Defend the city."

Alexia shakes her head, tears falling to her cheeks, "I can't," she says softly, "I'd be a poor protector if I did that."

The Accolyte returns with the entire Mage coven, nine in all including the High Mage. Following them are nine Sae'Kall warriors in full metal plate, all of it glowing. The Mages and Accolytes spread around the caged Angel, staffs pointed at him as the High Mage stands, "Very well, perhaps after more of this and a few days without food will change your mind," the staff replies, before the High Mage looks to Cephas again, spewing out a twisted name again.

Cephas smiles wryly as the mages surround them. "If demons attack you, you will remain strong in your faith," he says quietly. "If your gods turn from you then there is no hope for you."

Alexia looks over at the circle of mages, "What're they doing?" she asks with concern seemingly ignoring the threat to herself.

"The Gods will not abandon us," the staff replies, still with that edge to it as the High Mage continues to pace, all but spitting out another mispronuciation of Cephas' name, "One of you will break. Days without food and repeated torture of each other will break one of you,"

Cephas smiles. It's...not a friendly smile. "Your gods are not the only gods. Nor are they the strongest."

Alexia struggles against those chains again, "Answer me, what're they doing?" she practically shouts.

"They will be when we bring them here," the staff replies, before the High Mage looks to Lexi, "You tell me what I want, and I will tell you what you want. You do not answer me, I will not answer you,"

"They wish to conquer Necromundus, and offer it to their gods," says Cephas. "Their gods feed on souls."

Alexia looks away, sagging against her chains, "I can't do that," she says softly to the mage.

"You will," the staff replies to Lexi. The High Mage looks to Cephas and chitters a bit, "You are a fool, you think you have discovered it all, don't you? Who we are, who our Gods are, you can't comprehend your own destruction," the staff says simply.

Cephas smiles a bit wearily. "Well, we have time. You can enlighten me as to my impending doom at your leisure. Maybe I'd even stop resisting if I truly understood my fate. But as I don't...well. Angels are simple creatures. We must be, to obey the Powers as we do."

Alexia shakes her head a pained expression on her face, but no other reply is forthcoming.

"Such a powerful soul, the Gods will be most pleased with me when we sacrifice you," the staff says to Cephas, "Now, do either of you wish to tell me anything or must I continue? I'd hate to damage your souls, but if it is to get the information I need it is a necessity,"

"We have already been through this," says Cephas tiredly. "I am a servant of the Ascendant Powers; my task is to guard the portals of the plane of the dead. I cannot assist you in its destruction."

Alexia doesn't reply at all, her eyes down cast at the floor.

"Yes, but you could convince your friend to talk to us, or we can convince her ourselves if need be, there's more than one way to do this, Angel," the staff replies.

Cephas shakes his head. "A swift death or a slow death, either way you offer death to the dead and it does not impress them," he says.

Alexia still doesn't grace any of this with a response. Her head stays down, her eyes on the floor.

The High Mage moves over towards the books, withdrawing two knives, one that black stone, rune engraved one, which even Lexi'd probably feel some sort of sense of Bad Things when it is withdrawn from it's sheath, as well as a simpler blade, metal that pulses blue, "There is more than one way to die," the staff replies.

"You still offer death to the dead," Cephas replies. "It is not a threat they will take seriously."

Alexia smirks at this, her eyes still on the ground, "It's easier to die after you're already dead, and you just don't get it. I've died multiple times already in multiple ways," she says rather flatly.

The Sae'Kall moves over towards Lexi, showing her the knives, "Yes...but there are things about these knives you would not comprhend." it holds up the blueish one, "This one will bring you to our land when you die, where you could meet our Gods, who would do terrible things to you until you repented. And this one," it says, holding up the black Bad Things knife, "Will steal your soul into the void, to be used to power a portal from our world to yours, there will be no coming back from death with this knife, ever."

Cephas tilts his head. "And what is the point of the first knife, when you have said your gods walk among you?"

Alexia smirks, "Oblivion would be a nice release," she says softly, her eyes meeting that of the mage, "And torture is nothing new to me."

"Yes, it will bring those who die by it before them, and the Gods could easily get the information they need," the staff replies to Cephas, "And the ritual is quite painful, you need to be in intense pain for your soul to mean much of anything, Elf,"

Cephas smiles. "Then why haven't you sent me to your gods, since it takes so many of you to handle me?"

Alexia narrows her eyes at the mage, "Then get it over with, either release me to oblivion or send me to your gods, either way...there will be no information coming from me."

"Because your soul is worth much more to us here," the High Mage's Staff replies, before looking to Lexi, "Very well, but after a few days without food and more sessions with your Angel friend, you will break," he chitters a bit the Accolytes, who move to take the two knives from him and return them to the books.

Cephas smiles. "She is one of the chosen people," he says. "You were given your warning."

Alexia shakes her head, "No. That's the only answer you get. No."

"I have broken individuals harder than you, Elf, you will break," The staff says. A three fingered hand gestures to one of the Mages, and the High Mage, that Mage, two Accolytes and three of the armored Sae'Kall move towards the door, the High Mage chittering to those remaining on his way out.

Cephas presses his hands against the invisible boundaries made by the mystic circle as the mage leaves...but this time the wards hold, and the angel sags. "I can break this, now and again," he says. "If I do I will make food for you, and water. There is no need to make this difficult...perhaps I can manage a blessing or two."

Alexia looks over to Cephas, "Thank you," she says softly. "I will be fine. Are you alright?" she asks her concern returning, "I can heal any wounds they cause."

Cephas nods. "It is pain - the spells they use are pain, pure pain. But we've been through this sort of thing before."

The Sae'Kall still in the room don't speak, but a chain up Humanoid does speak up, "Why don't you just tell them what they want? They wont feed any of us until you do, what they did last time they had new prisoners."

"Because I must defend the portals," says Cephas quietly. "And if they continue not to feed you then I will fight them. It already takes much of their resources, just to hold me."

Alexia nods, "Is there some way to decrease the pain?" she asks, "Anything that you know of?" She looks over to the other man, "Because if they get through the portals...so many more than yourself will perish," she replies.

"I don't want to be fed to anything, I want my soul," the man replies, "You've only been here a few days, you don't know,"

Alexia looks over at the man, "If they make it through the portals we'll all lose our souls," she says.

Cephas shakes his head. "There is no way to decrease the pain," he says. "To use someone's true name is to hold the leash of their very soul. That is true even for angels and demons."

"They held them off last time, they can do it again. They'll come find us then, we just have to be good and give them what they want until we get saved," the man says, leaning back against the wall.

Alexia's eyes go wide at Cephas explanation, "They could do that to any of us then?" she asks, the man seems ignored for now.

Cephas nods. "But first they must hold your true Name," he says. "It takes a great deal of power and searching to obtain even one such Name." He flicks a talon at the circle. "I am the Archangel of the City of Portals. Who else would they devote that kind of time to?"

The man, for now, just slumps against the wall.

Alexia nods, "Just...a scary thought," she says softly. "they've thought their plans out a little better this time?"

Cephas shrugs. "If they'd really been thinking they'd have bound the demons," he says. "They tend to be much better fighters."

Alexia chuckles softly, "Bigger trouble makers anyway," she admits.

Cephas smiles. "Yes. You can count on them for that."

"Perhaps there is a way to sic the demons on these things?" Lexi says with a light smirk.

Cephas seems surprised. "Why do you think they'd need to be encouraged?" he asks. "They're demons. Chaos and destruction is what they do."

Alexia shakes her head, "Not encouraged to cause trouble, just encouraged in the right direction."

"Chaos is by nature chaotic," says Cephas quietly. "You should try to rest. I'm sure someone will try and get inventive at us tomorrow."

Alexia nods, "I'll...try," she says softly, "You too, please."

Cephas nods, and his wings furl about him such that they're all that can really be seen of the hovering form.

Alexia sighs and leans back against the wall, her head resting against it for now.