Vincent looked at the men surrounding him and watched Memorie handcuffed Lavina. Vincent had a look of amusement on his face. "What happened to the heroics you showed not to long ago? I thought you were gonna help the lady in distress and smite down the big bad villain. Instead you take a very confusing path. You not only capture me, but the woman you said you were gonna save. And you take the cowards way out and use Warp Stone to block our magic. Why?" Vincent looked on as everything unfolded and ignored the strange man that came running out of the tree thing. "Looks like you're screwed. Maybe I was wrong in making a contract with you." "Oh, don't say that Abiron." Vincent said out loud. "This looks like it's starting to get fun."

Memoire looked at Vincent, concern narrowing his features.
"I don't think he's Hereditary. He sounds like a Contracted, the manacles are useless."
The soldiers around him dropped the manacles and pulled out their swords.
"And being the hero doesn't always mean being the nice guy."
He helped Lavina to her feet. "If you resist, I can't stop them. If you don't, I can promise that you'll be reunited with your father and the rest of your people, alive. Your call princess."

Lavina just stood there keeping her head and eyes down. She had failed her people, failed at protecting them. How could she ever take her fathers place if she couldn't protect them.
"What did we do to deserve this, why are you doing this to us?"

Vincent's grin got bigger as he saw the soldiers brandish they're swords. "I was wondering when the fun was gonna start. Abiron how tired are you? Do you think you'll be able to take over?" Abiron sighed. "Yeah I could go for a bit, but only for like five minutes at most." "That's plenty of time." Vincent closed his eyes for a second and a look of insane malice replaced his face. Abiron wasted no time and disarmed one of the knights, taking his sword and stabbing the knight in the throat. Pulling the sword out he prepared for the other knights to attack. Two of the knights charged him and he enveloped them in some kind of shadow and moved out of the way before killing the two knights. "Come on! Is that all you've got!?" Abiron shouted. The other knights around him charged him but they met with the same fate, though the last one did mange to land a hit on Abiron. Abiron looked at Memorie and Lavina, blood drenching his hands and his eyes glowing a faint yellow. He pointed his sword at Memorie. "I'm coming for you next." He said as he left the scene.

Memoire tapped his chin with his finger. "Wait... no, it's Earned that can't be restrained. Sorry," he apologized callously to the corpses. "I will take the prisoner," he told the surviving aghast men. "Secure the perimeter, and return to the castle at once."
He lifted Lavina into his arms, and before she could summon an objection they were three miles in the air.
"I know this looks bad, but believe me Lavina I am on your side," Memoire spoke rapidly before she could interrupt. "There are very dangerous and powerful forces at work and you want me on your side and you are going to have a lot of enemies but believe you me I am NOT one of them."
He started flying back towards the castle, far outstripping any bird and creature of the air - he could fly as easily as he could walk or run. He had, after all, been born to it.

Lavina didn't struggle when he picked her up and started flying. After he told her that he was not an enemy she looked up at him
"And how do you expect me to trust you after you have attacked my home, and kidnapped me"

"No less dangerous with you than with myself." Xia stated flatly. "I wield fire magic, if I don't hurt myself, I'll hurt someone else...I think I'll be able to handle whatever happens to you when you crack." She added, as she unfolded her arms.

Abiron's running began to slow down as he started to feel tired. "I-I think this is a good distance away... Vince we need to switch out." Abiron finished as he fell to the ground.

Vincent opened his eyes and got up, brushing the dirt off of himself. "Well I think you did a pretty good job back there. Now it's time for you to rest. I don't think I'll be hearing from you the rest of the day." Vincent said as he started looking for a way out of the forest.

The Alchemage watched everything happen around him in amusement, as if he were watching a play. After the dust had settled, he couldn't help but laugh to himself.
"Well, that was pretty fun! But I wonder who's going to clean up these corpses...oh, speaking of corpses!"
He then reached over to steal one of the knights' swords. He also helped himself to any money, heirlooms and of course, warp-stone items that the knights had on them.

Hayabusa spoke in a concerned tone.
"Wait, master! Should we really be stealing things from these knights?"

The Alchemage laughed loudly.
"And why not?! It's not like they need this stuff anymore. Besides, everything in this world will soon be mine anyhow! I'm just taking a little...down payment on the world! Hee hee hee hee hee!"
After he finished, he started wandering around the "castle" looking for more loot.
"Now, let's see if any of those powerful forbidden spells are lying around this place! That'd be nice, it'll certainly make taking over the world a lot easier! Hah hah hah hah!"

Memoire looked down at her.
"Few corrections there. I didn't attack your home, my family attacked your home. And I didn't kidnap you, I simply ensured that you weren't kidnapped by capturing you, flawless logic."
The city was right below them, a vast sprawling metropolis of markets, mansions and taverns. And in the centre was a mighty citadel. It was to here that Memoire descended.
"Now, promise me something. Promise me that no matter what happens, you'll stay calm. The fate of your people could depend on it. Promise me, now!"

Riastrad looked tortured.
"Ma'am if... if you got hurt, I... I would never be able to forgive myself...I swore I'd never get anyone tangled up in my business again..." He then looked stricken, and grabbed Xia by the shoulders. "Run downstairs, get some water and pour it over me! Right now! RIGHT NOW!!"

"What do you mean, no matter what happens"
she looked down as they descended, and she started to panic unsure of what was about to happen to her or her people
"Whats going to happen to me, to my people?"
she tried to calm herself but not knowing what could happen made her afraid. She had started to tense up as they got closer and closer

Xia raised her brow slightly, but did as Riastrad asked. She went downstairs as fast as she could, and found a bucket of water, then went back upstairs as quickly as she could and into her room. She walked over to Riastrad, and dumped the water over his head.

"Provided you promise me, nothing. Just let me do all the talking and I swear on my life that you and your people will be returned home safe and sound with no more deaths, just promise me!"

Riastrad was sopping wet, but smiled.
"Thanks... sorry, got a bit panicked. That sets me off too."
After a moment's thought, he shrugged. "Well, if you want to come, then fine. Don't you want to say good-bye to your folks?"

Lavina looked up at him
"Where exactly are you taking me, what is this place?"
Her tension didn't decrease
"I-I promise"

Memoire landed on the courtyard of the citadel.
"Second Memoire, you've returned." The guards stepped forwards. "Shall we take the prisoner to the cell?"
Memoire shook his head. "No, I will escort the prisoner to the throne room myself. Bring her father from the cells, show him our leverage." The guards nodded and departed.
"Now in this room, don't say anything - we're going to see the ruler of this land, also known as my dad, and we're going to do some negotiating. You were brought in as a bargaining chip, and nothing more, we don't want to hurt you, and for the love of the gods if you panic not even my fast talking can save you. Understand?" Memoire whispered in her ear as he walked her into the citadel's maze of corridors.

Guess who's back   
Name: Kao Tulant
Race: Elf
Age: 13
Six: Fem
Magic: Contracted
Contractor: Ravasz Ember
Contract: A tattoo that covers the left side of her body. It starts at her left cheek, circles her throat and then heads down her body staying on the left side. It stops at her left palm where it seems to circle back up her arm to continue down her torso. It tapers off at about her left knee. It is reminiscent of barbed wire and ivy that swirls and twists as it covers her flesh. The marks on her cheek look like claw marks.
Clothing: She wears normal "boyish" clothing under a hooded cloak.

Spoiler:

Cackling laughter echoed through her mind as she awoke. The left side of her body throbbed in agony as she sat up and looked around the small forest clearing. Her clothing was torn and blood soaked in places but the flesh beneath was intact. Dark lines covered her tan skin where her clothing had been damaged. Her body burned everywhere there was a mark. Her throat seemed to be constricting and she felt hard pressed to take each breath into her lungs. Panic built up in her gut and she struggled to hold onto rational thought as adrenaline fueled her.
More laughter boomed through the clearing shattering the silence and knocking her onto her back with the sheer suddenness of it.
"What an amusing child." A rasping voice filled with amusement said right next to her. Kao opened her eyes and looked up into the mismatched eyes of the creature standing over her.
A pair of mismatched eyes stared down a long snout and into her own. Orange-ish fur framed the long face that showed no emotion despite its voice being overcome by harsh laughter.
"Who...?" Kao asked, her voice weak.
"Who am I?" More laughter. "I'm the one that kept you alive you fool. Aren't your kind supposed to be wise?"
She sat up again and saw the creature in full. It wasn't very tall but it's presence was wrong for an animal. The pressure of its aura was too high. The small creature laughed again and suddenly she felt something behind her, it's hot breath on the nape of her neck. Spinning around she saw the beast looking at her with red burning eyes. A low growl was her only warning before it attacked and its fangs buried themselves in her neck. She screamed at the pain-
                             -and then came to her senses struggling on the ground with nothing on top of her. She looked to see a man rolling around laughing at her.
"Pathetic!" He managed to choke out, "Simply pathetic! And you're an elf!"
Kao got to her feet, rage tearing through her. She stepped towards the man and she watched as his laughter stopped and his expression went from pity to a grin of acceptance.
"That's better. You're acting like a true apprentice of mine now, girl."
What? The sudden change in the creature's attitude confused her. She felt something like an exhalation, except it was with energy instead of air. The sensation was foreign to her.
"I see now." He said sizing her up as though she was a tasty meal. She saw the sharpness of his teeth when he grinned. "You've never had magic before. This will be interesting to watch." And with that said he began to fade from her vision. He floated away as though he was a piece of paper on a bonfire, and the ash from the corners were being carried away by the thermal updraft.
"Wait!" She called out after the creature. "What are you? What do you mean 'Magic?' Don't leave me here alone!" All she got was a fading echo of laughter.
She sat down again and hugged her knees to her chest. She was all alone, in a forest she was unfamiliar with and now she had magic? What was going on?
The sound of cracking twigs and rustling foliage drew her attention and she saw a man running towards her. His yellow cloak giving him an odd kind of camouflage among the greens and browns of the forest. She let out a surprised sound and watched as the figure came closer and closer to her.
(Your char Hii-Chan.)

Lavina looked around when they first. She tensed up even more when the mentioned putting her in a cell but slightly relaxed when he told them no. She didn't want to be placed in a cold damp cell. She quickly looked at Memoire when he spoke about her being leverage. When the guards departed she lowered her head and only nodded when he spoke in her ear letting him know that she heard him. She wanted to ask why she was being a bargaining chip but decided against it in case someone had heard her. She would try all she could to not panic when in the room.






OOT new character see my post https://tbrp.rpg-board.net/t152-first-power  for  character info


H. was making her way through a forest. She had to take the long way around due to the wall of vine that were in her way. There was no way for her to go through them without severely hurting herself, so she decided to go around them.
"I find it quite odd to find such a thick wall of vine out here in the middle of a forest"
she said as she plucked a flower from the wall and smelled it.
"Elves must have put these here, master had spoke of them before, he said anytime there was an area that seemed full of life and when just a single flower had such a rich smell, it was most likely an area created by elves"
she took a few steps back to look up at the massive wall
"Well gotta give them credit, when they want someone to stay out they sure know how to keep them out, there is no getting past this thing"
she continued walking along the wall hoping to find a town soon and a place to rest, before it got dark out

Xia shook her head. "They'll worry more." She replied. "At least this way, I'm leaving just as abruptly as I arrived." She added. "Are you thinking of leaving now?" She asked.

OOT: Welcome back.

Walking through the clearing Vincent saw someone looking in his direction. As he got closer he noticed that it was a little elf girl. Crap. I thought I got rid of most of them. He thought. The girl kept staring at him as he was getting closer. When he got up to her he felt something, something like another presence, yet she was the only other person there. He stood in front of her and looked down at her with an unreadable expression on his face. She was young and that she had a tattoo on her face, neck and one of her hands. He expression looked worried. Vincent was fascinated by her and he got on his knee so they were at level with one another. Vincent's put a look of worry on his face and asked her "Are you okay?" trying to keep what he had planed inside.

"I...I don't really know. I think so. But I don't really know where I am. Last thing I remember was being on an airship. And then..." Kao let the sentence trail off as she wracked her memory. Did I fall off? Could I survive that? Maybe he... Would he have though? It didn't make sense. She let out her breath, waited a few moments and took another one. "I'll be okay." She said to the man, forcing her doubts and uncertainties to the back of her mind for now.
Standing up was simple, staying on her feet was the problem. She took a couple steps to test her body and pain lanced up her side directly to her brain. "Guh!" She let out the small noise eyes screwing shut and she pressed her left palm against her eye in an attempt to massage the pain away. Slowly it faded from her mind and she could think again. She stared blearily at her surroundings and then at the palm of her hand where the tattoo seemed to shift and flickered as it... As it lifted from her skin and stayed attached to her eye. The vision in her left eye went black and she began screaming again, clutching her eye and then her left wrist completely unsure what to do about this new problem. Just as soon as the vision came it was gone again, leaving her panting and staring at her hand in terror.
What the hell was happening to her? What had He done to her? That damned fox! She remembered the man that was with her now and looked over to him.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about it." She said, figuring he wouldn't believe her. After all her entire body was shaking with fear and she knew her eyes were wide with it. The pain had vanished and had been replaced with this...pressure. That was the only way she could describe it without likening it to a deep breath one would hold until they had to let it out for another. And in that moment when all the air was whooshing out she felt something happening, sensed it as something that wasn't seen, tasted, touched, smelled or heard. She took several calming breaths and felt the pressure building up again and a new terror gripped her as she realized that soon whatever this new feeling was would lose control again. How would she live with these delusions?
There had been a man in her village long ago. He had been branded a Heretic although at that time she had no idea what that meant, just that people avoided him if they could. He was always raving about something or other as he walked down the dirt road clawing at the air and his own body sometimes leaving bloody gouges from the force of his madness. He had always frightened her and she would hide behind her father when he came near. Was that to be her fate? Wandering without any idea of where or when she was? Screaming at delusions and monsters only she could see? If that was the case then maybe this new man would be merciful enough to end her life before that happened.
"Do you know a way out of this forest? I need to figure out where I am." She asked him keeping her voice as level as possible and hiding her emotions as best as possible.

This girl seems... troubled. He thought as he watched the scene unfold. These this look about her that screams help me. If I was the kind of person to do so then I would be glad to, but sadly I'm not. When she asked him if he knew of a way out of the forest he grinned. "Yes I do know a way out of here." Vincent said walking up to her. "Just make sure to stay close." Vincent kept walking ahead and the girl followed. They walked past the bodies of the elves that he killed and back to the entrance of the forest. "I'd like to take you to the city, but it's starting to get dark. Why don't you spend the night at my place?" He said as nicely as possible to the girl. "My name is Vincent. What's yours?" Oh Abiron... Just wait till you see what I just found.

Kao followed the man through the forest, periodically the delusions would strike her unexpectedly and eventually she walked with her eyes on the ground trying not to follow the nagging feelings of her gut that told her to look in a particular direction. The only allowance she gave herself was to glance up at the man she was following. He was the only constant when she lost touch with reality. When he spoke she simply nodded and tried not to look at the imaginary corpses surrounding her. She knew if she looked they'd get back on their feet and come after her. With everything else going on right now if she could prevent one delusion out of the many then she'd be that little bit closer to sanity after all of this.
"Vincent?" She looked up at the man. He was looking down at her now and she stared up at him. His mouth moved but she didn't seem to understand what he was saying. Was Vincent his name? Or... Maybe it was hers? No. It had to be his didn't it?
"Kao." She heard herself say. Okay, that sounded right. Best to just leave it at that for now. Something caught her eye and she turned to see what it was.
The being seemed to grow out of the ground. It was made of dirt and stone and had hollow caverns for eyes that seemed to suck the light into them. Moss and grass clung to its body as patches of hair and a few vines dangled from one arm. It took a step towards her, the lone flower on its head waving as it moved. Carefully she backed away from it until she accidentally bumped into Vincent. She spun around expecting another golem but found Vincent looking down at her in curiosity. She turned back to find a plain filled with elf corpses.
"...Bodies?" She asked in bewilderment. "Since when... where did it go?" Looking around there was no sight of the monstrosity. Taking a breath and closing her eyes she whispered to herself, "It isn't real. It isn't real. It isn't real!"
When she opened her eyes Vincent was looking impatient and there were no more golems. The corpses were still there though. But they had always been there. Nothing unusual about that? She turned back and began to walk again, Vincent followed and quickly caught up and took the lead again. Neither one of them spoke about the incident. Kao was reluctant to think to much about anything right now. She was just like that man back in her village. She was going mad.
And of course the golems were following her now. They'd drag themselves out of the dirt like a shark out of water, follow her for a while, cavernous eyes and quick sand bodies just waiting for the chance to suck her into the suffocating depths where she'd have peace. She ignored them as best she could but knew that she was crying.
Eventually, the sun's light had just about completely vanished from the sky, Vincent stopped and so did she. Wherever they were now, they had arrived at their destination. Kao had no idea where this place was either, but at leas it wasn't a forest and the golems couldn't follow her in here.
"They...They can't get me in here can they?" She asked Vincent.

Vincent put a reassuring smile on his face and put his hand on her head. "Don't worry Kao. No one will be able to get you." Vincent walked up to a small house near the forest and opened the door. The inside was dimly lit and and he beckoned Kao inside. When she entered the house he closed the door and lit a candle. He picked it up and turned to her. Here Kao, let me show you where you'll sleep." Vincent turned trying his best to keep himself from laughing. He removed a rug covering a trap door of sorts and he opened it. Vincent beckoned to her as he went down the stairs. When Kao was in front of him, he closed the trap door. The room was dark and musty and had a fowl odder that smelled of rot and something else. Vincent led Kao down the stairs and what followed was a horrible sight.

The room was drenched in dried, caked blood. Corpses and piece of corpses littered the room. Arms hanged from chains and scratch marks covered the walls, well at least the ones that didn't have any blood on them. In the center was a table with some kind of lump on it. It was chained down and looked ghastly. "Oh I sorry. Here let me get that for you." Vincent moved up to the table, unhooked the chains and shoved the lump off it. "My last guest didn't last too long but I bet you were able to tell that just by looking, right?" Vincent looked at Kao and smiled. "Now now... Don't be scared. I already told you that nobody would be about get you here."

Kao was speechless.
"W-What is this?"
Okay... Kao was almost speechless.
As she tried to understand everything she was seeing and not vomit on the stench of stale blood and decay. Everywhere she looked the soft flickering glow of the candle illuminated even more of this horrible place. The implications of this revelation were too much for her and she slowly felt herself huddling on the stone floor holding the sides of her head. It started as a low sound but rose steadily into a keening wail. No! No! NO! Death. Death. Going to die! DIE!
She scrambled back up the stone stairs to find the trapdoor. She struggled against it but was suddenly dragged back down the stairs by Vincent. She felt her Pressure release in one explosive exhalation. Vincent released her as he stared at the stone monsters that stood before him. The trio moved against him, dark bodies moving sinuously as one. Cavernous black hole eyes drawing in the petty light thrown by the lone candle. They moved to attack and swung their iron-hard fists as one and threw Vincent across the room. He rebounded off the far wall and lay gasping on the floor, blood bubbled up his throat and he coughed and spat it onto the ground. Looking up at the three golems with rage he gathered his abilities but then began to laugh as he realized.
Dusting himself off he grabbed Kao and dragged her over to the table in the center of the room. Laughing the whole time. With her pressure expended for the time being all she could do was struggle weakly against her much stronger opponent. In the end he was too much for her.

"You're and illusionist!" Vincent shouted as he chained her to the table. Vincent could barely contain his laughter at this point, a look of malice and enjoyment on his face. Once he chained her down he lit the rest of the candles in the room. He didn't want to miss one second of this. He watched as Kao struggled to get free when he made his way back to her. He leered over her small frame like a hungry dog does when it looks at food. He grabbed a knife from the table beside him and looked it over. "Ah... I should warn you that this is gonna hurt a lot." He said and plunged the knife into Kao's right arm. Blood bubbled up out of the wound and he left the knife in there, grabbing another and jamming it into her other arm. Tears welled up in Kao's eyes as she screamed. Vincent put his hand on her cheek and wiped one of her eyes with his thumb. "There, there Kao. There's no need to cry right?" Vincent grabbed a knife from the floor and moved to her legs next, using it to cut a piece of skin off one of her legs. He dangled it in front of her face and set it on her chest. Vincent looked at her pleading face and laughed more. "Vincent what are you doing?" Abiron said. "Damn it! I thought you were still asleep!" Vincent said seemingly to himself. "I'm just having a bit of fun here Abiron. Why don't you understand this?"

"Even though I'm a demon I don't abide torture. Stop this and wait for me to sleep again." Vincent let out an annoyed groan and put his hands on his face. "Fine I'll stop, but only because I still need you!" Vincent dropped the knife he was holding and unchained Kao's from the table. He lifted her and chained one of her arms to the wall and left up the stairs.