Meeting in the Gardens

[Skye]

She would help, but they were now in a phase where either Corn was sitting on the information or Phoenyx had the experience meaning she would let them work things out for the most part not adding in much unless she would see the need.
”Exactly Firebird, hence why I doubt a soul eater was behind it, if Corn is targeted so do they know his potential backup, the risk is to great. There is easier ways to find members of our community to take our souls, if they are somehow better. Or to target him into desperation easier, then utilize it to gain more, it is not a guarantee but to me the evidence speaks against it.” Then again her experience with them was nothing worth mentioning.

Lightly nodding.
”Yes, so we are back to needing to find one, might be wise for us all to have some severance there, at least all with a connection to him.”

Softly, softly shaking her head.
”Acting in haste is a danger, I know this is hard on you but to wait with that no matter how gnawing it is might end up in the best result.” Not being skilled enough in space herself to speak of how much of a window it would open, but the old saying of what you can see can see you was most likely not a lie for them.

Eyes instantly drawn to the items, feeling as if she should share her warmth with him to not let him be alone in these feelings but unable to let that part of her surface, both due to her knowledge of how Phoenyx felt around emotions of those levels or well the levels she did know at least, and just not able to summon up the persona.
”Unless you truly birthed enemies there so would this be to many breaches for any sane one to go through, to many open breakings of rules.” And to messy.

”This is just a theory, but I doubt neither her or you are in any immediate danger from them, they would have struck sooner if you were and they could, its been days, they have had time, they would have been able to act far sooner. No they want something deeper, if that is to see you in pain, in misery, or to lure out as many as possible, or threaten us all is a different matter, but I do not think they will do more than spy on you for now. But observe this is a theory, a twisted mind can do anything.” Pausing for a moment. ”Will you stay here though, and be to guarded so will they probably target your wife in retaliation unless you act before then. They are after something, and are willing to foul their hands to achieve it, meaning she is only safe on their mercy at the moment, and a logical next thing to snatch if you go against their will.” It was harsh but that was the reality they were facing.

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx had spent years in training about how to compartmentalise for situations like this. It was clear Corn did not have this, and she was starting to get frustrated. "None of that answers my question," an edge creeps into the Arrow's voice as her dark eyes fix on Corn. "Was there evidence of other mages in the building - yes, no, or you don't know?" Phoenyx shakes her head. "You are distracting yourself with assumptions and what may be. Stop following each idea with guesswork and focus on what we know and what we can do now." Her eyes glance to the items, but adds nothing about them.

She looks to Skye levelly, and shrugs. "Those things are all possible. What we need is factual actionable evidence."

His complaints about his wife seem to push too far. "No, YOU don't understand, Corn. You have asked for my help, but now you are telling me you have already chosen your course of action based on whatever soothes your pride. Your love for your family has blinded you to the reality that they are a huge target for anyone that realises what you are, and your openness has finally been recognised by those who hate you. My focus is on how we deal with a threat to this Concillium, which ideally has your sleeper family come out alive... but that is secondary. Your only sensible course is to stay here where you are safe, where your connections are hidden and we can plan our next move."

Didn't he realise she hadn't actually agreed to help him? She'd just asked questions. Or had he just assumed that the protection of the Arrows extended however they needed? Her dark eyes are cold. "I am sworn to protect this Concillium, not their sleeper families. You chose to have a Sleeper family knowing the risk. You knew about Seers and Exarchs and the forces that want the Awakened dead and you still made that choice; these are the consequences. If you leave here for your wife your presence could very well threaten her life. Without the ability to sever those connections it is only a matter of time before the Veil is shredded around you both, and then the Guardians will handle this. Why bother asking for my help if you've already decided to do whatever you want anyway?"

Perhaps there was some latent frustrations with the Moros bubbling over, but it didn't make her wrong, so far as the Arrow could see. At this rate... maybe she would have to put him down to keep him in the Circle. Was it protecting the Concillium if you hurt them to protect them from their own foolishness? Or was that just control, abuse of authority? Thoughts battled themselves out behind dark eyes.

[Corn]

To Phoenyx 's question, Corn answers "No, I do not know for sure. I just assume based on how impropable it would be otherwise."
Then, came Skye 's revelation and Corn goes pale - more pale "So, you are saying that if I stay here for long and they can't find me they may harm my other relatives?" His stomach dropped further down.

And then, came Phoenyx 's rebuke. More or less what he was expecting from his peers, what he had warned Skye the reactions would be. The fact that Phoenyx was right didn't help at all with the sinking feeling and the pain in his heart.
"I have not decided on an action and I would be thankful for any help and advice, Phoenyx. I am just presenting ideas.
You say that if I go to her, I would become a threat for her. But they have Cloud; they can kill her whether I am there or not. Skye says that if I stay here, they may do that out of spite.
I have not decided on a course of action and I will not take an action without thinking it through, I assure you of that. And since I am not calm, I will take advice and you are experienced. I apologize for provoking you." and after a small pause he adds, "and for putting your life in danger. "

But we have different priorities, if you place my survival above that of my son, Corn thought. This is why he reached to Skye first. What Phoenyx said was what he expected from more or less everyone but Skye and the Guardians.
And he didn't want to think what solutions the Guardians may decide on...

[Skye]

Quickly nodding at Phoenyx.
”True, being boggled down and speculate gives nothing.”

Standing still as her eyes are irreversibly caught upon Phoenyx as she goes on, finding it impossible to find a word within her, eyes shining, lips ever so softly parted. Not sure if she remembered to breath, or even be so fully lost until suddenly hearing a word aimed at her. Shaking her head to get her focus back, a bit embarrassed with the softest of red hue upon her cheeks hoping it had been missed or at least not grasped.
”Yes Corn, you have a choice to make. What matters most your wives life, or emotional safety? If we can find a skilled enough user of space so would the wisest be to have your connection to her cut, her connection to Cloud cut, then send her away.” Keeping her face stern, hating to have to speak the words but not faltering. ”If we manage to save Cloud cut your connection and send him to be with your wife. Never let anyone know of them again, never speak about them to anyone.”

Giving him a moment to let the words sink in.
”It is cruel, it is harsh, it might break you, it will leave damages on them for the rest of their lives. But it will take them out of this life, hopefully to never be used against you again, to never be in danger from this world ever again.” Looking into his eyes with a glimmer of warmth. ”I am sorry, we need to deal with the threat, and if he is still alive do all that we can to make sure you get to hold him one more time as we neutralize the threat. But if you come out of this alive so will you still probably have to lose them, lost to at best see him grow up through images posted online.” Placing a hand upon his shoulder. ”You know how people have spoken against you on this matter before, no matter what else may happen so did they take your family from you, there is no chance that you will ever have the backing here to keep them in your life ever again. You can leave, to swear of all your connection here yes, but you can never have both ever again. The guarantee to ever find a safe space ever again a gamble at best.” Slowly letting her hand rise with a step backward. ”I am sorry.”

Turning her eyes toward Phoenyx.
”Would that work Firebird? Sever their connections, sever her connection to her child, send her away, keep him here, and if in dealing with this we can save Cloud sever their connection then send them both away never to be in Corn΄s life again?”

[Corn]

What Skye said was reasonable. He didn't like reasonable, but it was.
"Salem or Eidolon probably can severe connections. We need to check whether these items still hold a connection to Cloud in order to use them - or if the enemy has severed all other connections except with me. If there are other connections to Cloud we could use in order to find him, then it is the matter to severing the sympathetic connections I have with everything, so they can't track me.
At this point, they won't be aware if I am in the Circle, just well warded, or have severed my connections. So, in that case, there is a window of time before they try to further... motivate me... to take action by targeting the rest of my family. " He turns to Phoenyx
"What do you think, Phoenyx? "
The point of where he could stay is brought up.
"I can stay in the cells. I have ... laid the groundwork... since my chances of survival are not good all things considered," stating a fact, he doesn't seem to care too much about his personal safety at this point, "about my demise, so that the Sleeping world will not go looking. It will be plausible to them that I took my own life," he looks between the women and quickly adds "not that I am contemplating suicide!" he said ... in not entire sincerity; he is not considering that before he saves Cloud. Afterwards, when facing the prospect of the life of Hermit, cut away from everyone he loves... that is a question for the future.

"Anyway, if we decide - which seems to be the case - that I will never talk to any of my loved ones ever again, the same steps can be followed. I can even apport a letter to my bed explaining my decision and apport my car in the Sacramento River, throw it in the rapids from a distance to crush, to make it appear I am dead." Nope, the prospect of never seeing anyone of his loved ones, relatives, friends, was certainly not appealing.

[Phoenyx]

THere is thought and then a shrug at Skye's question. "It would stop sympathy, but little can be done to stop a dedicated mundane search short of covering up and moving completely. I couldn't say for sure."

Phoenyx stares at Corn intently. "You just told me you cannot leave your wife without warning, that you will ward yourself and go back to her. If you then say you have not chosen a course of action, one of those statements is a lie. If you cannot say what you mean, say nothing."

She walks away a few steps, trying to reign in her frustration. Unfortunately Corn once again misses the point. Provoked me? MY life in danger?? You have dead relatives, a lost son, put the Circle at risk.... The Arrow whirls around on him. "I am not the one who's life is in danger, Corn. I have been trained for all my adult life to fight. It is your life that is in danger; yours, your family and indirectly others of this Concillium that cannot fight. You haven't provoked me, you have been willfully ignorant of the dangers they might have been in and now that danger has manifested fully. Have you never found it strange you know nothing of anyone else's family or loved ones? That we rarely speak of them, if ever? It is for their protection!"

She sighs, taking several moments to try and regain composure. "I... am not saying I will not help you. I am trying to get you to understand what lead to this and help you avoid making a similar mistake. Staying here is the only way to ensure safety and protect the Veil. The only alternative I have is we have your wife under the protection of mages, which all but ensures a breach of secrecy, and I cannot condone that."

Apologies for the delay folks! Real life been crippling my creativity this week.

[Skye]

Feeling the words she needed to speak had mostly been spoken, there would be more yes but that would be later. First a look to Corn.
”I know neither of them, but we should reach out to them then, to have this matter resolved post haste.” Thinking for a brief moment. ”Does that matter? We have you, what does his connection to other things matter in the purview? They are connected to him not you, we have you, you cannot sever yours.”

The both of their words lightly confounding, a look between them both.
”Is that not needlessly confusing things, unless you are after giving them your life insurance so just leave. Parents, partners and people alike have done that since times immemorial, even the most dedicated does it. Stage a fight if you need to, blame it on depression, moving, faking deaths sure if you need them to get the life insurance or if something happens that is good. But provided you do live so just disappear, make it believable and no one would look. And even if they did, another person who left their loved ones, one in a million, a tale so classic we have all heard it.”

A look over to Phoenyx.
”Or we left them, to never see us again, to never let the world know they mattered or existed to begin with.” Eyes back over to Corn. ”As said we cannot guard your wife, contact her that you cannot come home or be silent at will, reach out to someone you trust to be there for her or just birth the start of your end. Remain in the circle as we look further into matter and seek the aid of those needed to deal with this crisis. I think these talks are done for now, not much more to say is there?” A light hand placed upon his shoulder. ”Be strong, speak with those you need, do what you need but as Firebird said do not leave the circle, do not stay in constant communion with her.”

Taking a few steps backward waiting to see if the others would agree or not, ready to prepare her next step already.
”And with what might be disrespectful but look into my bow request if it can be done, trust me when I say that a bow in my hand is highly lethal and not fun to deal with so it will be of use to help you.”

[Corn]

When Phoenyx accuses Corn of lying, it takes for him a moment to realize what she means.
"Yes, I said I could not leave my wife all alone. Then Skye mentioned that being with her would put her own life in greater danger. I didn't lie, Phoenyx. I changed my mind. And then, Skye mentioned that if I do stay here they may start to kill the rest of my family to provoke me further, which again makes me question what to do.
These are not easy decisions, why is that hard to understand? You both are better trained for this and you are certainly thinking more clearly and you seem to agree that I should stay here. So, despite my reservations, I changed my mind based on your words. Yes, it is bad to do that to my wife, but I think I will stay here and hope we will get to action soon before they start killing more of my family. I don't think the enemy can tell whether I am warded or in the Circle.
I don't even know if the enemy is aware they cannot act in the circle or perceive it. If I understand correctly, the invisibility of the Circle is a relatively new development. So, I hope we have some time to try to find those responsible and bring them to justice. But I don't think we are talking months before more and more of my family start to die. "
He looks to Phoenyx and Skye for a moment before adding. "I know you don't like me speaking a lot, but I am saying my thoughts so that you and Skye may correct a misconception or add something I forgot. " Like Skye clarifying that if I remain invisible for long, they will start killing the rest of my family to push me. Dreadful thoughts.

When Skye says they have him and Corn cannot severe his ties with Cloud, he says "Severing my Sympathetic ties with Cloud is important. If Salem or Eidolon severe all my sympathetic connections, the enemy cannot target me. However if those things still have sympathetic connections to Cloud, we can use them to locate Cloud. But this is a discussion on what to do once we have a space disciple at hand. "

When Skye suggests corn simply walks out he looks at her incredulously. "I ... strongly disagree that faking my death, when I have already started on planning for my possible demise, is more complicated than abandoning everyone in a way that will not make them look further. That is much more complicated.
Not to mention that you ask me not only never see my loved ones ever again, but also make them hate me. "

Skye mentions making necessary talks, "My wife is with her remaining family, dealing with inheritance, her biological mother etc. She will be out for a day or two. But as of talks, I would like to speak with Asclepius too, I think he will understand. " And he may help me process the emotions. "As for constant communion I am already taking steps towards being more distant and withdrawn. As I have said, I have been planting hints that I may end my own life for weeks now. Things that can be discovered if I am gone."
He looks at the date in his phone. "We would have his Christening, tomorrow." he says and his voice cracks, before he takes a deeper breath. Show strength.
"I will not leave the circle. " Bow? Yes, something to distract myself.
"Remind me, the bow... You wanted one that is light, durable and can fold, so you can carry it easy, right? Do I forget something? I think I forget something. "

[Phoenyx]

Skye's glance is returned. There wasn't much to say to her Ordermate.

Her brow furrows as her dark eyes return to watching Corn. "Of course they are difficult. Which is why it is important to absorb information and consider before making your decision, not make a decision that changes multiple times. It provides clarity to everyone. You don't have to talk me through your entire thought process each time." She looks up at the arches of the Circle. "The Warding of the Circle have always been something of a mystery. You cannot scry anyone within the Circle from outside. So it logically follows that the sympathetic conections within cannot be detected or followed by sources outside it. Also, what evidence is there that the Circle is invisible? It had passive illusions that veil it from Sleepers when I was here last."

She shrugs. Salem? Eidolon? "I do not know who they are. Are they Mastagos of the Concillium?"

A nod. "Faking a death would require a lot of work for no gain I can see. It is likely Corn's death is a part of the plan of whoever took his child."

[Asclepius]

Not long after receiving his text from Corn, Asclepius Steeled himself, not much good comes of Business talk. He had not been asked to bring anything and so he only had his usual gear. The car park offered a bit of mercy as he easily found himself a gap outside of the The replica Westminster abbey. He dressed for the heat, wearing a bright coloured shirt and some equally matching shorts and running shoes, as he walked into the Circle he held in his hand a first aid kit that was usually kept in his car boot (Trunk). He was unsure of what the meeting was fully for but assumed it might be needed as his business was in medicine and if the arrows are involved, then someone is getting hurt. Passing the Common Yard he spots the collective of mages gathered, Corn included among them, he assuming this was the place to meet and as such he turned his course and made his way over to them all.

“Hello everyone...” Giving warm smiles and waves to Phoenyx and Skye. “I came as soon as I was able to. Corn, what is new?” nothing good by the looks of it. I doubt they would trouble Phoenyx with something trivial.