014.2 "Even outside of the gloaming wood, Lifasans are formidable."

[Corwin]

[20:12] <Kotono> On the return to Aurora, the threesome heads to Elrisa's tower. Here her students await, Misalea there as well. As one they welcome and await the party...OOC: Go ahead and set yourselves up here.
[20:15] <Afina> It's a dispirited fairy that flies into the tower, noticable even above the usual air of gloom and suppressed violence that follows her. Her opaque green eyes scan over the students, counting them until she's sure everyone's present. "Everyone," she begins, voice barely above a sigh, "You all might want to sit down... though we succeeded in rescuing all of the captives, a price was paid for
[20:15] <Afina> it."
[20:16] * Ithea approaches with her head bowed as well, though she turns her head towards Afina as she speaks, nodding silently as she turns to look at the students as well. She doesn't add anything yet, letting Afina speak, hopefully she can soften the blow a bit more than she herself would be able to.
[20:17] * Willim looks, overall, both stupid and sad, chewing slowly on some hunk of meat in his mouth as he follows the girls. At the same time, he keeps an eye out for anyone getting violent at the news they are here to deliver. "Is bad news."
[20:18] <Kotono> Some of the students sit, some stand. Misalea steps forward, eyes luminous with moisture, "...Elrisa? Where is Lady Elrisa?" she asks, voice nary above a whisper. She looks right to Afina and then towards Willim at his words, "...Is she...?"
[20:20] * Willim looks unhappy, but says nothing.
[20:21] <Afina> Afina hangs her head, perhaps giving the answer right there. But that would be a disservice, so she raises her gaze. Even after all she's seen and experienced, she's hardly deaf to grief. She came to my aid against a Horned Devil, but it struck her fiercely, allowing the pit fiend a surprise attack." She didn't specifically see all of it, but that seems to cover what happened well enough.
[20:21] <Afina> "The fiend escaped, we couldn't even avenge her."
[20:22] <Ithea> "Jaela is seeing if anything can be done...but we already tried to call her soul back to the living once with no success," Ithea adds quietly.
[20:24] <Kotono> The answer isn't coherent. It's gasps and cries, muffled sobs and stares of disbelief. Misalea hangs her head, eyes closed tightly shut. No tears come from her, "Thank you for telling us. Lady Elrisa knew the risks of her life, no dance lasts forever save for that within the home of the Seladrine." Looking up now, eyes clear, "The rest of the students of the Graceful Blow will need to receive
[20:24] <Kotono> further tutoring. Can I ask for all of your help in this?"
[20:26] * Afina nods resolutely. "She and I had similar styles. I can help, but I wouldn't dare erase her art with my own - all I can do is help until one of you is fit to inherit Elrisa's mantle." Considering it was the Cornugon she fled from that struck the disabling blow on Elrisa, she absolutely owes them.
[20:27] <Willim> "Me help, if can." Willim nods.
[20:27] * Ithea nods. "Of course. If I can help in any way, I will. My own style is even farther apart than Afina's, but I knew a bit about the style, I can at least give advice on it."
[20:28] <Kotono> "Thank you," Misalea goes to each, clasping their hands with a shaky smile. After that she bows her head, "We mourn lost warriors in private. Would you allow us the privacy our grief demands?"
[20:32] * Ithea nods.
[20:32] * Willim grunts.
[20:32] * Afina considers saying Elrisa's death served to rescue all those pixies... but it's not true, they were already free when she and Adrian traded places. They never even slew any of the fiends responsible. It was an utterly pointless death. But saying so would be far too cruel, so she merely nods, "If you need or want anything at all, ask any of us," she commiserates before retreating.
[20:36] <Kotono> On heading outside, the three find two people waiting. One is Adrian, the other Tannin. The former is healed, while the latter still looks slightly gray around the gills. It's Adrian that speaks, "How'd the rest of it go," he asks, "The pixies are showing signs of recovery, by the way."
[20:38] <Ithea> "I'm glad for the pixies. We lost Elrisa, however...we just let her students know," Ithea replies, a bit more bluntly here, since Adrian and Tannim weren't as close to Elrisa.
[20:38] * Willim nods. "Is very sad."
[20:39] <Afina> The fairy shakes her head, having less cause to be gentle now. "We didn't kill a single fiend, nor find even documents with names and links or even a description of what they were trying."
[20:40] <Kotono> "Damn." Adrian shakes his head and looks down, not saying anything more. Meanwhile Tannin steps forward, "The pixies should be up and around soon enough. They weren't in the same condition Lief was. If any of you want to be there when they wake up, go now."
[20:42] <Afina> "I knew two of them, I want to talk to them," Afina nods, flying through the portal to the hospital.
[20:42] <Ithea> "I'll go as well, they're all probably going to be confused about what happened since they were last conscious."
[20:43] * Willim looks after Afina and shrugs. "Me help?"
[20:44] <Kotono> "Go ahead," Adrian shakes his head, looking at the tower long before shaking it again. "I'm going to go get a drink."
[20:44] <Kotono> "Go on without me. I need to rest," Tannin murmurs, slipping away. At that the three head to the hospital. Here you find Elder Magi Tepen, each pixie lying comfortably and covered with blankets, four to a blanket. Some stir, others lie still. They have color to their cheeks, as if merely aslumber.
[20:46] <Afina> Flying over the beds, Afina looks here and there as she searches for Skye or Crystal. Preferably the latter since she's more comfortable with a knight than a noble.
[20:46] <Kotono> Both are found easily enough to Afina's search, lying on opposite ends. The Elder Magi looks up, "I estimate they'll be stirring within the half hour, if not sooner."
[20:47] * Ithea leans against a wall, watching the pixies for signs of problems, or in case one of them wakes up before Tepen is guessing they might.
[20:50] <Afina> Since no one's awake yet, Afina decides not to show favouritism - she'll be there for whomever wakes up first, whether she knows them or not. "They weren't sick like Lief. Is it exhaustion and hunger?" she asks Tepen, fluttering near him.
[20:52] <Kotono> "That and they'd been dosed with a soporific." Looking over them, "Good food and rest will do the rest for the physical damage." As you listen and wait, it is Crystal who groans first. She does so as her eyes begin to open, slow and ponderous.
[20:54] * Willim looms over the stirring pixie, idly chewing a hunk of meat, looking down on her with beady glowing troll eyes! Maybe they're all okay!
[20:54] <Afina> She always was a tough one. Afina floats over to sit on the bed, far too big for a pixie to fill anyway. "Willim, can you go to the mess hall quickly and bring back some milk and biscuits?" she asks, waiting for reason to fill Crystal's eyes.
[20:57] * Willim looks at Afina dumbly for a minute, contemplating what she says, then nods. With a grunted "Okay," he turns and lumbers out through a portal! Mission! Yay!
[20:58] <Kotono> "Mgh..." Slowly reason returns to them as she opens her eyes, a hand reaching up to rub them. She stares up at Willim with an impassive, cold frown....and pauses, turning to Afina. She blinks once and then twice, staring hard at her. In a voice that's little more than a scratchy whisper, "...Afina...Afina Petalwisp? You ...are here and you commanded that brute?"
[20:59] * Ithea moves away from the wall she was leaning on, moving a bit closer to Afina's friend, looking amused at her first statement after awakening. She looks at Afina with that amusement, wondering if she'll say she does in fact command him, and her as well.
[21:00] <Afina> "Just Afina," the green-haired pixie replies, no longer wishing to use that name. "He is an ally. Willim. This is Tepen, and Ithea," she provides introductions in her usual deadpan manner, "They are all from Lifasa - we found each other recently, and then this fortress; Aurora."
[21:02] <Ithea> "Nice to meet you," Ithea says simply to the bedridden pixie at the mention of her name.
[21:02] * Willim returns a few minutes later with a sack of biscuits and a gallon jug of milk. "Here is food for fairies." He plunks them down on a nearby table. "Is little fairies dying like other?"
[21:03] <Kotono> Her gaze travels over them all, struggling to sit up. She shakes her head and gives Willim another look, "You're not one of the robed ones," she observes, "Are we free? Tell me, what has happened?"
[21:05] * Willim looks down at his tattered monk's robes. "Me have robe."
[21:06] <Afina> "It's not the greys, they're just weak," Afina replies blandly, flying up to the jug. Seeing there's no cups or dishes, she dashes off through the nearest portal, coming back barely a second later. Filling a small mug with milk, she goes and offers it to Crystal, "Sip, your body won't be used to it, yet." Taking a small subdued breath and going to the question, "I was hoping you could tell
[21:06] <Afina> me what happened. I haven't met anyone from home until you... just now we found you all in the middle of some Yugoloth ritual, but they fled our attack and we brought you all here."
[21:09] * Ithea nods. "All we know right now is that they were planning to sacrifice you all, and that a paeliryon was involved."
[21:10] <Kotono> Crystal works on the milk as she listens, "I was captured in the final battles. I was with the Queen for a time until..." Her eyes shut tightly, "Gathgorian, a titanic devil that lead an assault team, claimed her as a wife." Looking now at Afina, eyes open and with livid anger in her eyes, her body shaking so much that her milk spills, "He said that the inviolate prophecies have foretold
[21:10] <Kotono> that a child will be born to them, one that will rule over Lifasa's shattered and perverse new nature as Queen Ilsenine did before. By my blade, my honor and my life, I will see him die for that."
[21:10] * Willim idly chews as the girls talk with big words.
[21:11] <Ithea> "Prophecies...nasty things," Ithea mutters quietly, still disgusted by the though of their queen's fate.
[21:15] <Afina> "Ahh, you made it back to her," Afina murmurs in a small voice. "I was swept away when the portals went wild, I knew nothing of this. He will die for his presumption..." As will any spawn he sires on their Queen, but she chooses not to say so with Willim present. "Were you captured and given over to the Yugoloths at that time as well? And Skye?"
[21:17] <Kotono> "Yes," A nod, "They came for us and took us to that accursed cell," Crystal begins to, casting the blanket aside, "Is there a place I can get a weapon and proper equipment here?"
[21:20] <Ithea> "Most of what we have is really meant to fit bigger beings, but we might have something in the armory," Ithea replies. "I haven't actually bothered to check it out in detail, I think it was just Willim and Adrian that did."
[21:21] * Willim takes initiative, and goes to look, lumbering out again!
[21:22] <Afina> "You can go through the portal and it will take you to the armoury, there won't be anything as good as what you had before but given time I can make a new lance for you," Afina points. "Go with Willim and then come back? We'll want to show you and anyone else who wakes up around so you know where it all is."
[21:23] <Kotono> With that Crystal follows Willim into the portal, vanishing!

[Corwin]

#t

[21:25] <Kotono> As Willim lumbers into the armory, looking about, "So this is it?" You can hear Crystal behind you now, "I'll find a weapon that will make do," she says, "Willim, wasn't it?"
[21:28] * Willim nods, pointing at the smaller weapon racks. "Is Willim. Is small enough?"
[21:29] <Kotono> "It'll do," Crystal says, giving them a long look over. Grabbing a dagger that's a sword for her and giving it a few swings, "How are the forces within this fortress? What capabilities do they have?"
[21:32] <Willim> "Me not so good with numbers." Willim shrugs. "We is strong, though. Have giants, big bird, dancy elf girls, and now pixies. Soon we is fighting devils and taking back Lifasa. Will be good fight."
[21:35] <Kotono> "Good," Selecting a tiny lance as well, "Are you strong?"
[22:02] <Willim> "Willim strong. Am good fighter, fight with giants sometimes. Even win."
[22:07] <Kotono> "Good," Another nod as she girds herself, "I don't care what you are, as long as you can fight the devils."
[22:08] <Willim> "Devils is making good sounds when Willim hit them. Sometimes they even give Willim things if he hit them enough." Willim nods.
[22:09] <Kotono> "Good," Arepeat of that, as Crystal heads back to the portal. "We'll hit them more than enough."
[22:12] * Willim nods, idly following.

[Corwin]

#e

[21:23] <Kotono> Once gone Elder Magi Tepen nods once, "She still has an unbroken spirit," he says with a hint of a smile.
[21:26] <Afina> "She's a knight, it's her nature," Afina's lips hint at a smile. "I hope the others are the same... Lief showed well of himself, though."
[21:27] <Kotono> "He's with the survivors from Water," Tepen speaks up, "He's trying to learn how to fight better," He matches that smile with Afina's, "His will is formidable. There's steel in that one, steel that can be polished and sharpened."
[21:29] <Ithea> "I do hope most of your friends choose to stay, though. What's the chance they might go off on their own to try and rescue your queen? I know it's important, but given we're still building up our forces...how patient are they?" Ithea asks Afina as she looks over the rest of the pixies.
[21:30] <Kotono> "If need be, we'll talk to them and encourage them to stay. A regimen of trained pixie soldiers would make enviably good scouts or stealthy warriors," Elder Magi Tepen observes.
[21:31] <Afina> "Even outside of the gloaming wood, Lifasans are formidable," Afina looks quite satisfied. Glancing at Ithea, "Ilsenine would mean nothing to any of them except Crystal, Skye, and myself. I don't want to tarry, though."
[21:37] <Kotono> As you wait they begin to stir. One after another, awakening and looking about. This includes Skye, who after a moment of confusion stares at Afina. Several ask, "Where are we? Are we free?"
[21:38] <Ithea> "You're free," Ithea replies simply.
[21:40] <Afina> "This is Aurora. We're all from Lifasa and we brought you here." She nods to Skye as an equal, not really used to following courtly etiquette any longer, far less subservience to anyone. "My name is Afina," she leaves it at that, feeling Gloaminggloom to be ridiculously self-indulgent amidst fellow survivors of that ancestral home. "This is Ithea, and Elder Magi Tepen."
[21:42] <Kotono> Of them Skye recovers first, sitting up andholding her blanket against her, "Afina," she nods crisply back, "You have our thanks. Where is this place?"
[21:45] <Afina> "It's a moving fortress. Right now it's in the outer realm of Ysgard," the fairy replies to her equally small fellows. "Crystal's just getting something from the armoury, then we can go to the mess hall for you to eat and be shown around..." She pauses a moment before going into her pitch, "We're going to take Lifasa back, or at least kill every devil we find. We want you to join us. This
[21:45] <Afina> would be your home until Lifasa is free again."
[21:47] <Kotono> "We have nowhere else to go," Skye says, "Your service to us and the Queen is appreciated, Afina."
[21:49] <Afina> At least someone's gotten right back to normal... "We're all Lifasans here. We can't fail a second time," she says simply, merely hinting around that they have to act differently and work together to avoid a repeat result.
[21:52] <Kotono> "That we can't," Skye murmurs, "Is there food and clothing to be had?"
[21:57] <Afina> "Ithea, could you start handing out biscuits and milk? I'll get more cups and be back," Afina asks, zipping off with her customary uncanny speed. She's back with an armful of cups which are deposited by the jug before she repeats the trip several times. "I don't think anyone has clothes in our sizes, but I'll have some made up. Sheet togas will have to do in the meantime." She'll have to
[21:57] <Afina> get a collection arranged so she goes to find Elena first to know where the linens are kept and then drafts some lycanthropes to help gather the materials.
[21:59] * Ithea nods, helping to hand out the food that Willim was kind enough to bring earlier while Afina looks for something to dress her people in. "If you all want something more, let me know and I can go get something. Or we can wait for Afina to return and I'll show you all to the cafeteria."