(Threads of Blood) Shards

[Leo Lockheart]

Leo wiped the blood from his rapier before sheathing it. He stood between Ripper and Animus, procuring his Glock and Machete in each hand if the man decided to remain a beast.

'So was it bullshit?' Leo thought through the network. 'Are you here to save Triquetra's soul or become the next monster?'

The gun was pointed and ready. 'Don't forget there's a child inside in trouble while we waste our time on you out here.'

  Leo remains at his current Wisdom

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-08-24 18:32:17		Leo rolls 2 to degen (10 Again)		2, 8		1 success

[roadnottaken]

Cold eyes stare grudgingly into the shattered remains that had once been a human.

It should have been a shock, the flesh splattered everywhere. A complete waste of meat and utter disrespect for the fallen. Where was the disgust, the horror? Or even the visceral elation that he had hoped his wanton destruction could somehow recover? He'd even settle for the all-consuming rage of moments prior, but that too eluded him.

Frustrated, the shaman whuffs at Asp. But it's capitulation, not agreement. Battered images flicker through the mental link. Triquetra's body slashed open, sprawled lifelessly on the floor. Superimposed pieces of flesh, strewn randomly over withering grass. 'Irretrievable. Why try?'

Protests aside, the wolf climbs to his feet, tail swaying limply back and forth. A blank gaze flicks to Asp, as if prodding her to get on with it.

  sanity slippage

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-08-24 18:33:22		Animus rolls 5 to cray-cray? (10 Again)		5, 6, 5, 3, 4		failure
2014-08-24 18:32:17		Animus rolls 2 to Degen? (10 Again)		1, 4		failure

[Ermon]

Well, this is over.

This isn't over. We don't know how much they had time to do. We need to release the souls if they haven't been sacrificed already. Can we, um... Head out of this shit-zone, maybe get healed-up and then head back in?

What they need to do if the Scelesti were able to finish their work doesn't bear thinking about. The least and about only thing Ermon can do here is offer some sound advice.

The scene gets to him, though. Madness, suffering, darkness an involuntary thought slips out into the network.

Before today I thought of Abyss as something abstract...

[Ariadne]

Ariadne flinches as some of Obsidian gets on her clothes. Fortunately they're not good clothes. But still..

Hmf blood, at least its not mine.

Obsidian's death...it's a good thing. The same for Ripper. Maybe their souls will be reforged and saved in the great Wheel. Or maybe they will fall into the Abyss.

Blue eyes watch the problem unfolding amongst the Arrow.

We need to search the house and find what we can. Then burn it to the ground.

  -1 Wisdom, no Degen

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-08-25 13:47:06		Ariadne rolls 6 to Derangement? for death to the BANISHERS (6 dice for new wisdom score) (10 Again)		6, 8, 10, 5, 6, 4, 2		2 successes
2014-08-25 13:45:17		Ariadne rolls 3 to Killing Banisher is Bad?...Maybe? (3 dice) (10 Again)		3, 1, 4		failure

[Avis]

Avis was panting heavily, eyes flashing between the corpses of the Scelesti. The Parasites. Both were unmoving, and bathed in scarlet and the night's gloom.

The energy of the dragon line hummed beneath her feet, and the blood on her hand started to tingle, drawing her out of her mind and back to the present. The gore laid out before her had glutted the alligators, and as they submerged once more, settling into a fitful hibernation, Avis felt revulsion and sorrow rise up to pierce the dissociative fog left in her blood lust's wake. Their familiarity was comforting, acting as touchstones, no matter how unpleasant, to help guide her back to herself, and what she believed.

What they'd done, what she'd done, was necessary, but it was still unrighteous. Still brutal. Still wicked. Still the stuff of nightmares.

She would have to meditate on it. Later. Now there was a child to save, a shattered innocence to collect and attempt to piece together. Assuming it wasn't too late.

"We'll make it their pyre," Avis thought in agreement, "after we find the jars and the child." She looked over to Asp and Animus, wishing that knew something to say, or do, to help, but nothing came to mind. She would just focus on their purpose, for now. Later would have to be the time to help others heal.

   Success. Sanity.

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2014-08-25 22:43:23		Avis rolls 4 to To be a Sword (wisdom check at 3 +1 virtue) (10 Again)		7, 8, 10, 2, 9		3 successes

[roadnottaken]

Finally an emotion, of a sort. Pain at the thought of his lover trapped, helpless. The Orphan latches onto the sharp edges, desperate to feel anything, no matter how damaging.

He sniffs cautiously at the outstretched hand, smearing even more blood on Asp in the process, but quickly turns away. He was hardly deserving of friendship. Instead, he plods toward the door and into the house, ears flattened and tail dragging against the floor. Orders or no, what could be said that would materially affect the situation?

A flicker of scent, familiar and sad. A whiff of his lover's essence, forgotten amidst the violence. The wolf follows the trail, toward his beloved and the final duty he owed her.

[Leo Lockheart]

'Destroying the house won't fix the problem. The Ley line is contaminated and someone versed in Geomancy will have to look it over. I can do it, but it'll take me at least a few months of research.' The thoughts were for the group as the First Talon's pace slowed slightly. Obsidian's freedom to fight meant for better or worse the ritual was done.

'Avis, drag the woman inside, I'll get the guy. Asp, you stay on Animus and you don't let what just happened happen again.' Leo grabbed Ripper by the arm and began dragging him into the house. 'Ari, Ermon, stay with me and Avis and stay close. Animus is going to look for Triquetra's soul jar, so we'll focus on finding the child. Holler through the link if anyone has any trouble.'

Once Ripper was inside, Leo would lead the rest of the group in looking for the child.