Open Wild Mark: A Zodiac Powered Roleplay

[RhythmThief]

In a shadowed corner of the hideout, now feeling emptier than ever, Orpheus sat against the creaky wooden walls, still visibly dispirited at their loss.

He listened vacantly to the bickering of the demon and Electra's giant snake, before stealing a concerned glance at the other Remnant in his company; Gray.

Laying eyes upon her, both his gaze and his heart softened- Electra likely had too little time to fully explain everything the same way she'd done for the young man, and even then Orpheus still had plenty questions.

Furthermore, there was a certain...melancholy about her. The same melancholy that had been following him ever since that fateful day he had to leave everything behind. The same subtle melancholy Electra carried with her, despite her determination to change her fate and theirs.

Perhaps all Remnants carried this same loneliness with them, Orpheus thought. The loneliness of having been refused a normal, peaceful existence like everyone else.

Above all, however- as much as our young vagabond would refuse admittance of this fact - Gray reminded him of Lyra, his daughter. Her first birthday was last month.

Orpheus didn't know if it was the flare of paternal instinct in his heart, or the fear of having to relive that dreadful memory of leaving everything behind that caused him to stand up so suddenly, but he nevertheless found himself on his feet.

"I..." he began shakily, but soon finding his footing and looking up at Gerrik placatingly. " I don't know about slave, but it's clear Electra still believes you're of great use to her. To us. Thus, perhaps it's in our best interest to put our differences and...methodologies aside for the time being in order to work towards our common goal of freeing her."

He looked to the side, tapping his foot on he floor. remembering what Electra had told him before. What they tried to do to her previously at the Academy. What they may try to do to her now.

"Our first order of business is to come up with some sort of strategy or plan going forward, and quickly."

He began pacing up and down, his mind doing what it did best- juggling a plethora of different possibilities and paths to take. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers before scurrying over to Gray, the excitement of planning a strategy taking over.

"The card!", he exclaimed, recalling the scene of Electra waving around some sort of card when they had met with Gray, just before... they arrived.

"Electra was talking to you about some sort of card, correct? Did she mention any functions it had? Or perhaps some significance it held?"

He paused, before finding his composure and clearing his throat.

"...my apologies, it seems I left my manners elsewhere. My name is Alexa- ahem, Orpheus, and I believe Electra mentioned your name is Gray." he spoke, his body language opening up, and general demeanor softening greatly. He got on one knee so that he was more-or-less level with the girl.

"I wish we could've met under less stressful circumstances, though here we are. It seems you and I belong to a special group called Remnants. I'm not sure how much Electra told you about all this, and I know you must be confused and frightened. I ask you to not to worry, and let us," he gestured to Gerrik and SJ, "handle this. I'll explain all I can once the time is right, though once we retrieve Electra, she can give you the proper run-down you deserve."

Finally, he queried her once more, this time much gentler.

"Do you remember that card Electra was waving about? What can you tell us about it?"

 

[DevVoid]

Malphas watched as the Sages discussed what was to come next amongst each other, the ex-student trying to chime in but quickly being silenced. The Risen simply kept quiet, hands held behind his back in a calm motion. While everyone was talking with each other, he had simply raised his talon-formed-hand as he took back on his human disguise, clearing his throat to grab the Sages' attention. All this argumenting wouldn't get them anywhere at a time like this.

" While I'd love to stay and keep talking, I'm sure we all have our duties to attend to. Rest assured, I will take watch of Electra. Worry not about where I'll take her, for I'm sure you can all easily figure out where that place would be. "

Then, his head turned, his gaze landing on Electra. With a reserved expression as her, he elegantly flipped one arm from his back and turned an open hand to the student, figuring that if she's still well enough to talk, she'd be at least conscious enough to grab hold. If not, he had simply planned to quickly reach down and carry her battered and bruised body with both arms supporting the neck and legs respectively, like one would do to carry a large pot, before he had then planned to make haste and swiftly move away to one of his spots in the academy. This one being a rather small room that a typical janitor would use to store all the supplies needed to clean a part of such a vast, big place.

Yet, for him, it was but a small, homely area with a large wicker basket filled with hay and twigs for a bed, a desk, some writing material, loose bricks in the walls to stash away his little trinkets within the small pockets hidden behind them, alongside various metal poles sticking out of the walls and ceilings for his four most trusted corvid companions. Certainly a bit cramped for a normal-sized person, but very roomy for his raven form.

" Come along then, Electra. Can't keep you out here in the open, now can I? "

 

[=Nightshade=]

Lower Jadewall: Electra’s Hideout

Gray sat with her knees pulled up to her chest in the dimly-lit, surprisingly-well-kept safe house. Her gaze flicked idly from the demon to the snake as they argued, the fact she was only able to understand one side of it causing her to find it mildly amusing, though it didn’t really show on her face. When the demon’s heated tone is turned on the pink-haired man and herself, though, Gray dropped her gaze silently as the man tried to articulate a diplomatic response. She was somewhat impressed with his success in that endeavor, but the teen still couldn’t shake the feeling that she was hopelessly out of her depth, and her shoulders rounded slightly.

Suddenly, it was as though someone had lit a fire under the man, his words tumbling out. Gray leaned back some, eyes slightly wider than normal, as she tried to make sense of it; she caught a deluge of questions about the card and a rather rushed introduction before his burning intensity calmed to an ember. The tension in Gray’s frame relaxed marginally, but there was still that ever-present glint of suspicion in her eyes.

Somewhere in the back of Gray’s whirling thoughts, she felt mildly annoyed at the fact Orpheus was speaking to her like a child despite the fact her childhood had been sorely lacking— but she supposed after how she’d frozen when it actually counted, it was fair treatment. Gray nodded slowly at his words, taking a moment to sort out their meaning from their sound. The shock was wearing off some, but she still found it hard to think clearly.

When Orpheus voiced his questions more calmly, Gray found them easier to wrap her scattered mind around. She blinked, the slight shadow of recognition passing over her face, and the girl flicked her wrist deftly, pulling the card from what looked like thin air, though it had come from the sleeve of her flannel jacket. Gray turned the card in her fingers to reveal the Hanged Man to Orpheus.

“It’s…” she began. Her voice came out hoarse, and Gray cleared her throat, impatient for her words to catch up with her mind. “It’s some sort of… magical… communication device,” she said finally, voice still rather small but certainly audible. The word ‘magical’ took some effort to push through years of skepticism, but Gray pressed on. “Turning it upside-down activates it,” she continued to explain. “It… at least, as far as I know, it mirrors what’s on each side to the other. Electra has its counterpart.”

 

[Martin Pine]

Somewhere in the depths of Jadewall

"Is that so" From the balcony of a penthouse apartment which overlooked Jadewall city a man conversed with monkey, an indo-chinese rhesus macaque to specific. The monkey chattered away, the smartly suited individual digging into one of the pockets of his lavish trench coat to procure a peanut and hand it over to the simian as he acknowledged what was said. "Keep a close eye on them, troops of four should you need to scatter. Remember to stay high, be mindful of the rats and snakes and don't harm them"

The man knew macaque the was listening, even as it tore the peanut asunder to reach the prize inside. They were clever animals, they didn't need to be controlled but rather convinced. With an endless pocket of treats and a reliable form of communication the convincing was easy. Thus this man had access to largest spy network in Jadewall. Intelligent, mobile and commonplace in a city such as this. No one suspected a thing. "Go, inform the gibbons to give another report on the academy"

With a chatter the macaque made itself absence, monkeys that were lingering in the area joining up to travel together with it as they traversed the city rooftops. Jack let out a sigh, relaxing a prideful stance he had adopted and slumping on the balcony railing somewhat. He rolled his left shoulder, grimacing somewhat as a dull pain pulsed from it and to the rest of his body. It was getting worse. Everything was getting worse, slowly but surely it was crumbling.

Once again he procured something from his trench coat, tablets which he quickly scoffed down as he made his way back inside to the suite, his office. With a deep breath he made his way to his desk, slumping into his chair as he glanced to the grand collection of books behind him. The entirety of the back wall was populated with shelves, filled to the brim with hardbacks and folders that were messily organised. A collection of knowledge years in the making, just as old as his successful campaign to rule the crime syndicate of Jadewall.

His accomplice in the grand task was at the door, Jack having summoned her earlier to converse. Though technically an underling he liked keeping her in the loop, attempting to replicate the sense of partnership that they once shared before he threw it away. "Rai" He used the nickname in a friendly manner, a light smile crossing his face as he gestured to a comfortable chair adjacent to his desk. "Somewhat good news"

"The Sages have taken Electra" It was a powerful statement. They were both aware of her just as the remnant was aware of them, the two parties having somewhat of an understanding of each other's goals and ideals. Up until now they'd respected each other and stayed out of each other's way, an approach Jack had definitely pressed for with Electra and other individuals. "She'd begun to make a move, taking control of a powerful demon, reaching out to specific peoples in Jadewall- I'm not to sure what she did to draw the Sage's attention" A piece of missing information, irksome but inconsequential. "But regardless she is in their custody now"

It could definitely be perceived as good news. For the last few years their criminal enterprise had taken a rather lax approach, no big plans for taking over the city. They just taxed the underground markets and businesses and provided protection. Electra's plans- what they knew of them, threw the system they made up in the air. Stability was a luxury they were indulging in and Electra's absence secured that.

However.

"We should prepare for visitors, I doubt it'll be long before they come to us" Jack spoke very nonchalant on the matter, not giving much away. Electra knew of them, their abilities and their resources. In a desperate position she could very well send her followers to him in a sort of last ditch move. It was probably confusing for Rai his openness to see them. After advocating for inaction and carefulness for so long was he really about to something so reckless?

Blue eyes gazed at Rai, awaiting her reaction and thoughts on the matter. He looked different, not just his dull and weak expression. Red and purple had crept onto Jack's face lower face, climbing up the neck from the left side and branching out onto his facial features. It almost reached his left eye, the demon virus was spreading fast.

 

[Void_Nugget]

Jadewall Academy
Silas nodded in understanding as he gently lifted Black Sage up and carried him to the infirmary, upon arrival he set to making sure Black was comfortable before turning to Green Sage "I'll leave Black Sage in your care, I need to go and recover my strength" he stated before taking his leave. He made his way from the infirmary to a quiet area outside, he took a seat on the grass and crossed his legs he then closed his eyes placed his hands on the ground, he felt the roots of the trees around him and listened to the sounds of the wind, as he sat there meditating the natural energy from the trees around him began to restore his stamina and strength.

 

[IDKWhatUserNameToDo]

Sooeun
Sooeun was starting to come back from wherever her mind went to, the bowl of water in Tyson's circle calming down. Still, she tried to keep her eyes closed and focus on meditating while thinking about what she saw, the image of a golden shimmer peeking through a cloudy sky was still vivid in her mind. Hushed whispers were very distracting though and despite her enhanced hearing, Sooeun could not make out what the.. That was one of the Sages' voices, that much she could make out. Then the Green Sage announced that they'd be right back. Now the young woman couldn't help but feel a little worried as she opened up one eye to look around.

Everyone else seemed to be meditating and Sooeun was about to return to it as well before she noticed the foil in her circle. It was golden. So the.. vision? Whatever it was, was the connection she felt? Or what was going on? Honestly, she was confused, but their teacher had left them for the time being. Any questions have to wait until they're back. Having nothing else to do, Sooeun closed her eyes again and straightened her back to try and get back to whatever mind space it was that allowed to connect with one of the students here.. Gold.... Could it be Tyson? That was the only one she could think of with a strong association to the precious metal. Ack- she was doing it again. Filling her mind with thoughts and questions when she was supposed to empty it. Taking a deep breath in again, she tried again. She'll have to ask the older student born in the year of the dragon about what she saw when this test was over.

The Rakurai Oni
A hulking figure stood by the door, arms crossed and keeping quiet. Her yellow eyes staring down at the human with a look mixed with anger and a lack of even a single drop of sympathy. Yet, all she could do was stand by the door akin to a guard dog. Her already unpleased expression twitched into a further scowl as Jack tried to use her nickname in a friendly manner. How pathetic. He couldn't even own up to the knowledge he held, as if nothing had changed.

She took in a long breath, closing her eyes as she listened to the human explain the events that had unfolded. Her eyes opened only at the mention of Electra being taken by the Jadewall Academy Sages. What did perk the green oni's interest was the fact that the Remnant had summoned a demon herself. The Demon of Jadewall had an underling of her own. Honestly, Rai was not sure what to make of the Remnant. First thinking that she was a foolishly prideful human with some supernatural abilities to call her own, not an uncommon thing in this day and age, but it was clear that Electra was more than that. A lot more.

The empire that Jack created and the one she helped fulfill, had grown stagnant. Him not seeing the need to grow and being satisfied with their position. Settle down in a safe spot they carved out in the ever moving world that was the criminal underground. For mediocrity in other words.

The oni's expression shifted a little to one that which was more questioning when Jack noted that they should prepare for visitors. Curious. He was always advocating for the safest route and option. Rai had a hunch what could have compelled him. At least things were bound to get more interesting.

"Hmm. Do whatever you think is for the best," Rai noted dryly. Her voice a low rumble and had a certain grit to it. She knew she had no real say in this. Not anymore. Her sharp yellow eyes continued to stare down at Jack. The hues of red and purple taking over his pale complexion. She could only imagine how it felt to rot from the inside. Served him right to pay his price. It was already enough torture for her to be stripped of her own agency.

 

[RhythmThief]

"...excellent." remarked Orpheus, rising onto his feet now with arms folded. He didn't want to celebrate too early- their chances of success here were still very much debatable- but Gray's explanation of the device solved at least a few of their problems.

"That means we can still contact Electra." he announced triumphantly, if not still cautiously. "Judging from the way her captors fought, they don't seem to want to kill her. At least not right away. I'd gamble they'll keep her somewhere solitary where she's of little harm, a prison or cage or something similar, while they finalize what to do with her."

He stroked his chin, recalling what Electra had told him of the Academy previously. Now that he considered it, there was no actual confirmation that it was that same Academy they were dealing with now- though given Electra's familiarity with them, and their non-lethal style of combat, it was the only assumption that made sense.

Along this same train of thought, however, Orpheus couldn't help but wonder what this meant for the wider world of Jadewall's underground. Yes, it had been a relatively short amount of time since Electra's kidnapping, but word spread around Lower Jadewall faster than the rats these days.

If there were other organisations, collectives, or even empires that Electra's presence helped to temper or keep at bay, those foundations of relative peace would surely begin to crumble sooner or later, like a house of cards under the slightest breeze, and who knows where the cards may fall after?

Shaking his head free of these ominous ponderings, Orpheus once more gazed around to the visages of his rag-tag band of a snake, a demon, and a fellow Remnant.

"In that case, perhaps our best option is to contact Electra using Gray's device," he concluded, gesturing to the teenager beside him."Any brash or impatient action in this delicate situation may have...unforeseen consequences. They may have Electra under watch for a period of time, perhaps permanently, so contacting her prematurely with the card may lead to the enemies discovering it. We mustn't lose this advantage under any circumstance."

He paused, sighing.

"As irksome as it is, we'd better let Electra contact us first. She very likely already knows Gray still has the card in her possession, and is waiting for an opportunity to give us suitable orders. Until then..."

He walked gingerly over to SJ and Gerrik, stretching forth his palms upwards as if expecting a gift.

"Do you...have anything for these?" he inquired sheepishly, gesturing to his ashen hands. "I, erm... like to read when I'm nervous. It calms me down. But I'd rather not disintegrate any of Electra's texts. She may not take very kindly to that."

 

[Charlotte Pryce]

Jadewall Academy : Electra

Electra tucked her arms behind her back, and gave Malphas a tight smile.

"If you insist."

She followed Malphas while secretly cursing him for his luck. Malphas's was a skilled fighter. That could not be denied. However, Electra doubted she would have been captured without Black Sage and Gerrik. She would have to talk to that demon about his creativity, if she ever got out of here.

"I take it this is your office?" Electra ventured, taking a gander at the confines. "They don't give you a lot of room do they?"

Suddenly, Electra felt her palms get warm. The card she was concealing behind her back was being activated. The sensation disappeared as quickly as it began. Electra concealed her relief. Gray still had the card. She must have moved it accidentally, or she could be trying to contact her. Either way, Electra could not risk revealing her only communication device to her captors.

Turning so Malphas could not see her back, Electra flipped her card over. She could not speak to Gray directly, but she could send a message. The mock interest in Malphas's closet served as the perfect cover. With her eyes up and her posture straight, the Risen would not notice Electra flashing a thumbs up in The Fool's face. Unless the academy had some kind of dampening spell, which she doubted, her O.K. sign should be visible in Gray's Hanged Man.

Jadewall Academy : Black Sage

Black Sage moaned as Silas set them down on the infirmary bed. They slipped in and out of consciousness. Green Sage immediately got to work sifting through the vials and medicine tablets arranged in the cupboard's they hoped to find something that would dull Black's pain before investigating the wound.

They shook their head, muttering. A spear driven through the chest. What manner of barbarians were you dealing with?

Lower Jadewall: Electra's Hideout

The serpent and the demon exchanged glances.

I don't read, Gerrik said flatly.

Suddenly, S.J's head suddenly perked up. The python slithered off behind a mess of filing cabinets. Five minutes later, he returned with an unusual dilapidated package: a squashed brown box wrapped in twine. S.J. pried the lid off with his forehead. It contained tissue paper, hand wrap, two pairs of gloves. The first pair was a set of maroon driving gloves, slender in design, clearly belonging to Electra. They would likely be too small for Orpheus, if he could get them out of the box without disintegrating them. The second pair however, was of a most unusual design.

They were large gloves, indigo in color, and twice as thick as the first pair. They were made of a rough fibre that appeared to be woven together in a hexagonal pattern. Attached to the base of these gloves was a note:

Good luck controlling your powers.

-L

The note was written on yellowed paper. By the tape down the middle, it had once been torn in half. Both the note and the gloves looked as though they had not been touched in quite some time.

 

[Martin Pine]

The academy

He'd remained undetected in his rabbit form, the small leporine neatly crouched in the foliage as he listened close to the conversation. It was more of an argument really, a peculiar thing to witness happen between Sages. It was his first time watching them contest one another, speak curtly to each other with underlying contempt. There was history, hidden history- perhaps personal.

Blitz's foul mood and incessant desire for answers eased somewhat, especially seeing Black Sage in the state that he was in. He almost blew his cover, having to fight the urge to rush forwards to make sure his favourite Sage was okay. The rabbit remained motionlessly, beady black eyes staring ahead as sensitive ears listened in. Electra.

She was the mysterious new lady, who could supposedly control or command demons and who was to blame for Black Sage's grievous injury. Why was she here if she was so dangerous? At the academy- their home. What more to this was there?

His wonderings were cut off by the group suddenly splitting. Blitz having to make a split second decision on who to follow. The Sage's to the infirmary or the Risen with the prisoner. Tentatively the rabbit snuck after the latter, softly hopping along in short and silent bursts. Their destination was one of Silas' rooms, Blitz familiar with it's location but not its contents. It would remain that way, the rabbit staying outside whilst Electra and Malphas entered the room.

Ears would perk up as he attempted to listen but unless he got noticeably closer he couldn't hear a thing. Perhaps he could wait for Malphas to leave, an unlikely scenario given the new prisoner. He stayed for the moment, silent and still, attempting to eavesdrop beyond the room the Risen and the Remnant were in.

Depths of Jadewall.

His smile drooped at Rai's response, her expressions and eyes burning into him and extinguishing his brief attempts at civility. He continued on with his update, his own face growing more pointed and dull with each second that passed within her presence. A curt answer urged a response out of him, Jack letting out an exhale as he attempted to discard the frown on his face. "I still appreciate your take on matters Rakurai"

He'd avoided using the nickname seeing the disdain in her face but disdain seemed to be all that was between them these days. Often he would try to replicate old dynamics, act as if nothing had happened to try and grow past what had happened but each time Rai held onto the past. Understandably he supposed, as much as he tried to explain or justify it always came out sounding ... so wrong. It's why he didn't much bring it up anymore, only every so often. Futile attempts, such as he was doing now. "It was a precaution, in dangerous lines of work precautions are taken-"

Jack cut himself off, closing his eyes and turning his head to the side so he was no longer facing Rakurai.

 

[=Nightshade=]

Lower Jadewall: Electra’s Hideout

Gray nodded in agreement with Orpheus’s assessment. His words were logical, sensible— they gave her something concrete that wasn’t entirely based off feeling. She felt herself relaxing marginally. At least if she had to be caught up in this mess, it was with people who she felt she could one day grow to trust— although the jury was still out on Gerrick.

The girl found herself wondering about the other Dregs, specifically Ma and Shadow; while the whole group had shared a bond, those two had been to Gray as close to family as she had ever known. She hoped her absence hadn’t worried anyone too greatly, and that they would all keep themselves as well as they could under the circumstances—

A strange heat in Gray’s hand drew her attention away from her thoughts, and she realized she was still holding the card. She marveled for a moment once more at the idea of true magic demonstrated in such a form, before she realized the change’s probable cause. Gray nearly dropped the card as she fumbled to flip it to the side with the Hanged Man. When she did, she found that the image of the childish jester had been replaced by a rather awful angle that nonetheless managed to capture a thumbs-up. The image was shaky, as if held unsteadily between two fingers in an awkward position— Electra must not be alone where she was, and had kept her message quite concise and likely concealed.

Gray took only a moment to register this before she came up behind Orpheus, glancing curiously as she did so at the contents of the box. She tapped him lightly on the shoulder and held up the card. “I think you’d want to see this. It’s Electra.”

 

[RhythmThief]

Preparing to walk away, now embarrassed at his vulnerability before the demon and snake, Orpheus was pleasantly surprised when S.J returned with an enigmatic, twine-wrapped brown box, lifting the lid to reveal its equally mysterious contents.

There were two pairs of gloves, one slender and sleek in design, perhaps used for motorsport or something similar. Their relatively small size made Orpheus dismiss them, drawing his attention now toward their counterpart, much larger, thicker pair the colour of a deep indigo.

He eyed them carefully, now coming to notice the note attached to their base.

'...Controlling your powers?' the young man thought. The letter 'L', signed at the bottom of the note didn't ring any bells for him. Perhaps it was someone from Electra's days at the academy? An old friend, maybe?

Moreover, the note appeared to have been torn in half, eventually taped back together into its current state. A mystery indeed- he made a mental note of these observations, hoping perhaps they'd fit into a fuller picture in due time.

"Thank you," he said to the snake, bowing politely, before scrupulously reaching for the pair that caught his attention. He sighed both in relief and wonder when they remained completely intact after being grazed by a gentle brush of his fingers, now confidently donning the gloves.

They felt... comforting, the vagabond thought. Their size meant he could spread his fingers about just fine, though the thickness would make picking up smaller objects, or other actions requiring accuracy, more challenging. Still, this was fantastic- much better than the gloves he had owned way back when.

Despite this, Orpheus felt there was something almost dishonest about the gloves. That their relatively innocent exterior shrouded a much more sinister, perhaps hidden purpose. The only time his 'powers' ever seemed to falter was with Electra, surmising that it inactive against other Remnants, but these gloves also seemed to do the trick just fine.

The introspective, curious part of him wanted to confirm this claim by trying it on Gray, but he quickly decided against it; there were simply too many factors to consider. That, and he'd rather not consider what would happen if he was wrong.

So it was quite a shock when the teenager in question had materialized behind him, alerting him with a gentle tap on the shoulder.

Jumped slightly before turning around, he wondered if she had been that stealthy on purpose, or if it had become a necessary habit given her circumstances. He decided not to think about it.

"Electra?" he replied, the excitement in his voice catching even him off guard. He fought the urge to take the card from Gray- the gloves would likely make it difficult to handle, and Gray seemed to be more than worthy of its possession.

Peeking into the mirror-like reflection, he managed to make out Electra's thumbs-up, and for the first time in recent memory, a huge smile had found its way across his worn visage.

"Yes!" he whispered victoriously. "Just like we planned!"

He wasn't sure when his hands had found Gray's shoulders, squeezing them enthusiastically. A few seconds passed before he had registered the interaction, his eyes widening before his hands retreated to his sides, clearing his throat.

"Ehem, we-well done." he spoke, trying to save whatever professionalism he had left. "Just as we suspected, Electra is three steps ahead. I'll, um, leave the card in your capable hands, Gray. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

He walked briskly away, nodding at S.J and Gerrik curtly before moving toward the file cabinets. packed full with texts and history just waiting to be unearthed.

Even so, any excitement he may have felt before had been squandered. He was thinking of Lyra.

 

[DevVoid]

" Oh, I assure you, despite its small size, it is all I require. All we require. "

As Malphas had entered the room and sat down by the desk, not without making sure Electra had enough space to sit down in the basket, he grasped one of the papers on the stack atop his work place and a pencil alongside it. What message he was writing on the paper though, he made sure not to let Electra see, just as he had noticed her turn his back to him. Unfortunately for the former student, there was one thing she hadn't been accounting for - his four personal crows, who sat on the bars by the ceiling and could look down upon the two from above.

Neither the Risen nor his ash-feathered lackeys said even so much as a peep, though. After all, Malphas could always talk to them later on and, given they were under his control, they knew not to reveal the fact that, while they did not saw exactly what Electra had done, they could pick up on this thin, rectangular object that the woman grabbed out of her pocket. While Electra was still looking away however, Malphas silently rolled up the paper he wrote on and moved it to one of them.

This had caused the one closest to the rolled up note to grab it from their master's grasp and hold it between their beak, like a messenger.. crow. Wasn't exactly a pidgeon now, was it? And through the little, rectangular window in the door through which these feathered minions could freely traverse, the paper-carrying crow flew off to find the other sages and deliver this message. Or at least, all the people that were with Malphas but a few moments earlier. As for what was written on this rolled up piece of paper?

' Whoever can spare the time, come to the roost. This one will show you where. We need planning on what to do with our guest. '

 

[IDKWhatUserNameToDo]

The Rakurai Oni - The Depths of Jadewall
Rai's scowl only deepened when Jack started to yet again rattle off excuses to justify what he did. In all honesty, she did not care less why he did what he did and he only tried to reason it so he could feel better about it. Rai did not look to further react to anything that the mob boss said or did, but moved her gaze to stare at the wall behind Jack when he turned around. She straightened her back and cleared her throat. He wanted her to play along, and play along she could.

"What are your plans with Electra's gang now that their leader is out of the picture for the time being?" the Oni inquired, her gaze fixated on the wall still. It was unlike Jack to get involved with other gang's affairs unless it impacted him and his plans somehow. Was he planning on striking an alliance with them? If so, the question was 'why' yet again. A part of her couldn’t care much at all, but there was a piece of her that was interested in these abnormalities. Perhaps it was morbid curiosity. Akin to being unable to turn away from a trainwreck or watching a building burn down. At least now there seemed to be some promise for some action at last.

 

[Charlotte Pryce]

Lower Jadewall, Electra's Hideout

FINE TIME FOR READING, Gerrik grumbled, watching as Orpheus made his was to the cabinets.

IF YOU ASK ME, WE SHOULD BE PLANNING OUR ESCAPE.

SJ hissed at the demon, not pleased with the idea of leaving without Electra's instruction.

BLOW OFF, LIZARD BREATH! Gerrik swore. He turned to Gray, noticing the enchanted Fool's card she held in her hand. The demon snickered.

JUST LIKE THAT WITCH. A FOOLS CARD FOR A BUNCH OF FOOLS.

The young serpent was fighting the urge to bite Gerrik on the rump. The only thing that curbed this desire was the thought that the demon probably tasted like old garbage. He certainly smelled that way, as far as the python was concerned.

ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT THERE'S PLENTY MORE DEMONS WHERE I CAME FROM. ONCE THEY REALIZE THE LEADER HAS LEFT THE NEST, THEY ARE GOING TO PICK THIS PLACE CLEAN. AND US TOO!

As reluctant as SJ was to admit it, the Spear Ruler had a point. They would need to find allies or a weapon if they were going to stand a chance in the underbelly without Electra around. Demons were not the only things they needed to be concerned about. There were far worst things, things a cunning human could do that would make a demon's magic seem like child's play, especially if he had everything to gain and nothing to lose.

Jadewall Academy, The Closet

Oblivious to the presence of Malphas's crows, Electra was starting to gain confidence. She slipped a piece of chalk out of her sleeve, the one she had used to explain the three classes of demon names to Orpheus. She had to press firmly against the surface of the card so that the chalk would be visible to the person on the other side. At least, that was what she hoped. She had never tried this before.

Electra moved her hand slowly, trying to spell out a message. It was difficult, considering she already had her hands behind her back, but she had to make sure Malphas would not see it, lest he suspect anything.

"So what are your plans for me now?" She asked, loud enough so that Gray could hear on the other end. "Starve me? Lock me in cellar?"

From Gray's side the message would appear backwards and with jumbled misshapen letters, but with a trained eye and a mirror, hopefully someone would get it.

G0 2 HighEr LeVeLS. ASK 4 JACK. SJ WILL Sh0W U WheR. TaLK 2 THe M0

That was all all Electra could write before she ran out of card space.

"If your plan is to interrogate me, forget it. You should know by now that I work alone."

Outside the room, Electra's words were barely audible, but to a certain part-time rabbit, they would be crystal clear.

"Have you picked up any other Remnants besides me? Should I be worried for their safety? I know how the sages feel about 'chaotic entities'."

Jadewall Academy, The Infirmary

Black Sage was dreaming. At first, they were not aware of it. Everything seemed perfectly normal. Sunlight was pouring through the window, a pot of tea was simmering on the stove, and their clothes lay carefully folded on top of the night table. Only when Black Sage saw the bamboo curtain would they realize that this was not the academy infirmary. This was their old bedroom.

The sage stood up. Upon slipping into the pair of maroon slippers left at the foot of the bed, Black Sage would realize that a spear was no longer lodged into their chest. They wandered about the room until they came to the bamboo curtain. A faint peel of laughter could be heard coming from the other side. Black Sage pulled the curtain back.

They found themselves standing in a kitchen. Not Black Sage's kitchen, their's was much smaller and did not have utensils dangling from the ceiling. This looked more like the kitchen at the academy, though what it was doing next to their old room, Black Sage could only guess.

They were not alone, however.

A small person--a boy by the looks of him--was standing at the head of the counter. His back was turned, but the sage could easily make out the boy's sleek white hair and diamond pattern robe, like they were somehow burned into their memory. Black Sage approached the boy and gently tapped him on the shoulder. The boy turned around. Black Sage flinched as though ice water had been thrown in their face. The boy's face was all too familiar. He had brilliant hazel eyes and pale thin lips that curled into a smile the moment he saw the sage.

"Morning, Jìfù!" he said. "I'm making your favorite."

He did appear to be mixing something in a large white bowl. A crane was painted its the front, along with the picture of a red flowering tree.

"Did Báimǎ give you trouble again?" The boy asked. "You were in a meeting all night. I wanted to let you sleep."

This is wrong. Black Sage thought feverishly. It's all wrong!

Concern replaced the joyful look on the boy's face. "Are you okay? If you want, I can take you back to bed."

"No," Black Sage whispered.

There was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!"

The boy ran with the bowl still in his arms.

"Wait! Shé!" The sage hollered, remembering the child's name, but it was too late. The room began dissolving. Black Sage watched as the kitchen melted away and was replaced by the academy library. The wall painting in the back looked brand new. In front of it stood a small girl with bright red hair. Tears were streaming down her face.

"You lied to me," she said.

"No, Electra," Black Sage replied, knowing instantly who the little girl was. "I never lied to you."

"You said that you could help me. You said that I could stay here."

The girl began to cry.

"Electra--"

"I don't want to go back!" The girl wept harder. "I won't go back. You can't make me."

Suddenly, fire engulfed the room. Books burned, shelves were torched, and the tables and chairs turned to ash. The thirteen animals on the mural slowly melted away, devoured by the roaring conflagration. The young girl stood at its center, wearing a hardened expression. She pointed at the sage and, in a split second, their robes caught fire. The sage screamed.

- - -

"Black! Can you hear me? Black!"

Green Sage shook Black Sage's shoulders. They had managed to remove the demon's spear, but now their companion was running a fever. Black Sage tossed and turned, moaning something dreadful. They had given their companion something to kill the pain, but it seem to be helping their fever. If anything, their temperature just kept rising.

"How is Black?"

Green Sage's heart practically jumped out of their chest. White Sage was standing in the doorway.

"They still haven't waken," Green Sage replied grimly. "I removed the spear, but there appeared to be some sort of chemical on the head that did not react well with the anesthesia. They're trapped in some sort of nightmare. I cannot bring them out of it."

The light cloaked sage approached Black Sage's body. They lifted their arm and checked for a pulse before setting it down.

"They lost too much blood," White Sage surmised. "Even with the spear remove, they won't have the strength to fight off infection."

Green Sage stared. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that unless you can work some sort of miracle, Black Sage is likely not going to get through the night."

The jade cloaked sage looked down at their feet. The last time they had heard words like that, they were unable to save the patient in time. Surely, they could not bare through such a tragedy again.

White Sage rested a hand on Green Sage's shoulders.

"Listen, I just received word from Malphas. No doubt the others received it as well."

Green Sage did not like where this was headed.

"We're going to meet at the roost. If you have any respect for Black Sage's memory, back me up when I propose we track down and vanquish the Remnants once and for all."

Green Sage swallowed hard. It was what they had wanted all along. Ever since Orange died, they had been pushing the other sages to seek out servants of chaos, but Black reminded him that they served alongside creatures they once called "demons". To blame the Remnants merely because they were born would go against everything the academy stood for. And yet, where had it gotten them. Black Sage would possibly be dead by morning. They trusted a villain and literally got the shaft. Yet, even knowing this, Green Sage was hesitant to go ahead with the vote.

They and Black disagreed on a lot of things, but to cast them aside...

"Well?"

"I'll think about it," Green Sage answered.

White Sage scowled, but still bowed to Green before leaving to round up the others. Someone would need to give the students a proper excuse.

 

[Draco Nightshade]

Jadewall Academy

"This was easier than I expected." Phoenix was mildly disappointed with the seemingly lax security of the academy as she walked through the halls. While she could easily be mistaken for a student, Phoenix was a Remnant and an outsider that was mentally older than everyone else here. Before walking past the library, she saw the White Sage hurry out. Whatever was going on, it was urgent enough that they did not spot her. It was after they passed that she sensed blood and hurriedly made her way to the source. Entering the library, she saw Green Sage tending to a flailing Black Sage and rushed over. "What happened? Where's the wound?"

 

[Martin Pine]

The Academy

As the seconds passed the rabbit's curiosity grew greater than it's caution, Blitz sneaking forwards with subtle hops to ultimately end up a couple feet away from the door. Ears perked and swivelled, listening out for any approaching individuals but mostly focusing on the conversation behind closed doors.

Malphas wasn't talking much. From his own experience the risen selectively spoke- sentences concise and reserved with no waffling, each well spoken word serving a purpose. Blitz didn't have much experience with the Risen. Whilst they knew of each other and did occasionally speak he was mostly preoccupied with training or studying or lounging around after doing either of the prior mentioned two. He found the crow thing a little unsettling but that was something he never expressed much.

The newcomer was more talkative. She spoke sharply, words laced with a subdued fury she aimed at her captor. She spoke of things he knew not of. Remnants, a word he was unfamiliar with in all his studies and lessons. She knew of it though, she spoke as though Malphas did as well which most likely meant the Sage's did too which she spoke negatively of. Interrogation had been mentioned along with the Sage's apparent sentiment to 'Entities of chaos'. Negative. Enough to raise concerns for their safety.

Distrust swelled within him. He knew the Sage's as teachers, practically parental figures but that was what they'd wanted to come across. Whilst he always knew this it'd never irked him so much as it did now. If they wanted to come across in such a way then why was he hearing this? What had they done for someone to be speaking of them in such a manner, something they'd been keeping from the students- wait ... were they remnants? Were they chaotic entities? They had powers, was that enough to constitute for being chaotic?

Perhaps it was naïve to believer the few words of prisoner but perhaps it'd been the justification for his deep mistrust he'd been searching for. Perhaps it wasn't and Blitz were merely going deeper down the rabbit hole.

The Depths of Jadewall

Rai clearing her throat drew Jack's attention back to her, a mildly sorrowful gaze hardening as he straightened in his chair and joined his hands together. He appreciated Rai indulging in the act, even though he knew it was fake it still somewhat filled that deep, deep hole inside of him. The hole of his own making.

"Use them, quite simply" A shrug accompanied the curt response, Jack's blue eyes glancing up to the demon before quickly looking away to avoid her scowl still aimed at the wall behind him. Elaborating, he continued. "They have abilities as far as I'm aware, it's more than likely we can make use of them- though I don't intend to ask the demon she's summoned of anything" Nor did he intend to have Rai or said demon close. From his understanding powerful demon's acted like spiders, hostile to those similar in strength.

"They're in a desperate position, leaderless they'll be willing to do almost anything to get her back- Which we have the means to do so" Jack hinted at a potential rescue mission, curious of Rai's reaction. Facing the Sage's was no small feat, especially on their own turf. But they had something to gain from doing so, both from Electra's electives and from the elimination of the mysterious figures at the academy themselves.

 

[DevVoid]

Malphas put a hand to his chest as Electra suggested that he'd treat her to such inhumane things. Really now, he was more disappointed and shocked than truly mad or detestful. To think she would draw upon such conclusions, it really was quite awful. The Risen shook his head, sighing and turning around half-way, over to his desk. With one hand, he lifted a silver platter with an ornate white tea pot and matching cups. With the other, he opened a drawer and took out some dried herbs and fruits within a little wrapped bag.

" To even suggest such horrid things.. Electra, I thought you knew better. "

His tone truly was less of a resentful tone, but more of one of genuine surprise. As far as he recalled, he hadn't ever truly done something to be spoken to with such rudeness. Maybe what everyone needed right now was a bit of calming, and Malphas had the perfect solution to such. Truthfully, he wasn't the biggest fan of tea, that honour went to Green Sage. However, it would be lying to say he hadn't taken at least a bit of liking to it.

" Have I done you so wrong that you lessen me to some kind of cruel, twisted monster? Or is that perhaps a hatred of Risen speaking for you? "

Two could play at such games. Malphas wasn't suggesting anything - hell, if anything, he was genuinely curious. Just what was going on in this woman's head that could have led her to such conclusions? As she kept talking, she started making even less sense. If she truly was on her own, why would she be asking if any more remnants had been captured? Wouldn't one rather more pay attention to their own situation first, as opposed to immediately assuming there were more captives?

" Come on, we all know you don't work alone. Not when that demon had stabbed through Black Sage, you sure weren't. Or how about that stranger that followed you along into the alley to meet with that girl with the tarot card? The same one who fought with Silas? "

Quickly and swiftly dropping the herbs and fruits into the empty pot, Malphas motioned a cloud just above the opened lid to pour in condensation from the air into the pot until it was this close to being completely full. And, as soon as the lid went back on, did he put one hand beneath the pot and clicked two fingers together like pincers, creating a fire that would promptly heat up and boil the mixture within.

" As for your interrogation, I'm afraid it is not up to me, as I was sure you would've already known about. The only thing I'm in charge of here is the Academy, after all. But don't worry. I've already tended to such matters and they should be resolved shortly. "

Then, as the fire was flicked away and the tea finished bubbling and boiling, Malphas poured it into both available cups on the platter. His free hand grasped the handle of one and raised it to his mouth, sipping just a bit. It was still quite hot, but to someone who was capable of bending fire to his will, these heated temperatures were little more than a pleasant warmth.

" So, how about some tea for the meantime? Green taught me how to make the blend. "

 

[=Nightshade=]

Lower Jadewall: Electra’s Hideout
Gray was startled by Orpheus’s sudden enthusiasm, and her body stiffened, her immediate instinct to try and escape. But his gloved hands let go quickly, and she felt herself relax marginally once more, a tad embarrassed at how she had reacted. The girl nodded slightly at his words, feeling at once honored and apprehensive at the fact he considered her responsible enough to keep the card herself. Not that she intended to part with it— but the possibility she might lose it hadn’t crossed her mind until then. Gray’s hand tightened slightly around the card, as if afraid she might drop it.

It’s a stupid worry, Gray told herself as her gaze followed Orpheus towards the bookshelves. He doesn’t seem too caught up about it. Nevertheless, Gray still felt on edge— whether it was because of the voiced responsibility of possessing their only means of communication with Electra, or because she still felt out of place here — and she glanced down at the card anxiously. The connection still hadn’t been cut off— and more than that, something had been scrawled across half of the card. Gray peered closer at the jagged script.

Growing up on the streets, the girl’s education had been rather lacking; she could read and write passably, but she was no scholar. She couldn’t recognize a word of Electra’s message, each letter awkwardly formed with… what looked like chalk, as far as Gray could tell, as Electra kept writing. The chalk hovered for a moment as Electra spoke, and Gray blinked. So her suspicions had been correct— Electra wasn’t alone.

After another few seconds of staring at the card, Gray finally registered that the letters were coming across backwards. It was more of an instinct than an academic revelation, but the image of someone writing on a window while someone else observed through the glass came to her mind. It took her another second or two to remember that she wasn’t alone. This strange world of hidden magic and deadly secrets where Gray wasn’t quite sure how she fit into the puzzle had given her others. Others who, she realized, currently had no knowledge of the message being left.

She snapped out of her daze, shaking her head, then raced to the other side of the room to Orpheus. “Hey, hey,” Gray said urgently, sticking the card on top of his book. “She’s still here, there’s a message? What does this mean, what do we do?”

 

[RhythmThief]

"Just as I thought," the vagabond whispered under his breath whilst scanning the myriad tomes and texts arranged before him. "Our lady is quite the scholar indeed."

Most of the books, from what Orpheus could make out, were codexes relating to magic, science, and other topics he'd expected Electra to be clued up about. There were plenty books about Demons, their origins, physiology, and the like, but admittedly this wasn't what piqued the interest of the young man.

Instead, he found his cautious eyes almost magnetically drawn to one text in particular- a worn, dusty, hard-covered book, thick with pages. He couldn't make out the title under the wear and tear, but something about it...pulsed in the vagabond's hands. As if it was a living, breathing entity.

He sat down, ignoring the bickering of S.J and Gerrik behind him, slowly raising the front cover to reveal the first page.

The pages that follow document the legend of the great warriors of old, who banded together to defeat the Dark One long ago.

He froze. The nightmares he and Electra had been having, presumably Gray too- the source of all their mysterious, wicked powers, the cause of all this suffering and pain and frustration. Orpheus held the origins of it all in his hands. His heart began racing.

If he kept reading, he may discover something he would wish he hadn't. At the same time, there was still so much conjecture here regarding who Chaos, his supposed predecessor, was, and what exactly had transpired during that battle, how its legacy continues here and now in this struggle.

In the midst of this mental conflict, Orpheus noticed that Gray's card had suddenly appeared on top of the front page. He snapped back to reality, taking in the teenager's alerted expression, and looked to the card as instructed. She was right. There was definitely some kind of message being scrawled here, though its meaning was unclear- possibly scrambled, reversed, or otherwise encoded.

Then, he had an idea, albeit a brash one, but time was of the essence. He rose, and darted over to a cabinet where a glass vase stood peacefully. Muttering an apology under his breath and bracing himself, he made sure it was empty before smashing it against the wooden floor.

He exhaled, offering an apologetic look to his comrades in the room before reaching down to pick up the largest glass piece he could find, the gloves providing adequate protection. Now heading back to the desk, he summoned a pencil and paper he had previously found, and got to work.

Writing with these gloves was about as difficult as expected, but they got the job done nonetheless. It was just like that extra module he'd taken in Encoding & Encrypting all those years ago at JU, though this was admittedly the first time in a long while that those skills proved useful.

Hot, inexplicably tense moments passed that felt like hours, the pressure getting to Orpheus and threatening to swallow him whole. He didn't know how much time he had to solve this, so he needed to be quick. His writing hand continued dancing along the paper whilst his other hand remained steady, holding the jagged fragment of glass acting as a mirror help reverse what was written on the card.

Silence.

And then, Orpheus jolted up from his seat, the chair toppling over completely. He marched over to S.J, who he surmised was the snake, holding the paper in front of the reptile.

"You're S.J, correct?" he inquired aggressively, the rush of it all and the pressure kicking his intensity to eleven. "Who's Jack? The MO? How do we find them, S.J?"

The page was messy, and littered with several crossed-out words and sentences, but on the rightmost side of the small paper, the completed code could be found. Read vertically downwards, it would read:

G0 2 HighEr LeVeLS. ASK 4 JACK. SJ WILL Sh0W U WheR. TaLK 2 THe M0

 

[Charlotte Pryce]

Jadewall Academy, The Infirmary

Green Sage looked up, started by Phoenix's sudden entrance.

"Oh! Sorry I thought you were...ah never mind. It's Black Sage's chest." They said, answering Phoenix's question. "It's been...well pierced. I've done all I can. Now all that's left to do is wait."

Green Sage looked over Phoenix's shoulder. Had the students been dismissed? They could not risk anyone else finding out about the sage's injury.

"Where are you coming from?" Green Sage inquired. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you popped out of nowhere."

Jadewall Academy, Training Grounds

Seraph's growing concerns for Blitz's whereabouts and Green Sage's rushed departure were making it hard to concentrate on her meditation. Fortunately, she did not have to struggle much longer as she heard the sound of one of a sage's voice.

"Sorry to interrupt your inner peace, but it behoves me to inform you, students, that class has been canceled."

Seraph looked up. It wasn't Green Sage. Only one sage would be caught wearing that dingy yellow cloak. Dead or alive.

"You are free to go back to your dorm rooms, if you'd like. Dinner will be prepared in a few hours. In the meantime, feel free to get started on your remaining assignments."

Seraph was confused.

"What about our lesson on fusion techniques?"

"Postponed," Yellow Sage said.

"But wh--"

"Green Sage will resume the lesson as soon as their business is concluded."

With a clap of their hands, Yellow Sage turned and left.

Seraph rose to her feet. She stared at the empty circle where Blitz had sat. She turned to the remaining students.

"Something is up."

Jadewall Academy, The Closet

Electra wrinkled her nose. Tea? Now? What was this Risen planning?

"Sure," she drawled. "Why not?"

Her thoughts of SJ and the others soon vanished. They had their instructions. What concerned her now was her own safety.

Lower Jadewall, Electra's Hideout

SJ stared at the paper, happy to be engaged in anything other than an argument with an ignorant demon. The message was indeed messy, but a startling message none the less.

Find Jack....

Electra once told the serpent that it would be a cold day in Hell before she would go to that sorry excuse of a gangster for help. Then again, she was well acquainted with Dante's Divine Comedy. Perhaps that day had finally arrived. The python slithered towards the exit and looked back towards Gerrick, Orpheus, and Grey.

YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS? The demon grumbled. It wants us to follow him uptown.

 

[Draco Nightshade]

Jadewall Academy, Infirmary

"You could say that." Phoenix exposed Black Sage's wound to the air to get a better look before pulling a vial out of her pocket. "I don't feel like crying right now so these will have to do."
Opening the container, Phoenix poured the contents on the edges of the wound, watching as everything the liquid touched began mending itself. "You're lucky I happened to be nearby, or your friend likely wouldn't have survived for much longer." @Charlotte Pryce

 

[Charlotte Pryce]

Jadewall Academy, Infirmary

At first, Green Sage was confused. Crying? What did crying have to do with anything? Then Phoenix poured that liquid over Black's chest and the wound magically began to melt away.

"Remarkable," Green said, forgetting for a moment, their promise to White or Black Sage's earlier fit. Indeed, Black Sage was no longer stirring. Their breathing was heavy, but calmer than it had been mere moments ago.

"I thank you," Green Sage told Phoenix. "Truthfully, I was thinking the same thing myself. I couldn't bare to lose another colleague. Not since--"

The sage suddenly caught themself. They could not risk revealing that information.

"Excuse me! I must be going." Green Sage pushed past Phoenix and began exiting the infirmary. Not two seconds, after the emerald dressed sage crossed the threshold, Black Sage began to moan.

Must tell...s...before....too late...

 

[Draco Nightshade]

Jadewall Academy, Infirmary

While the Green Sage left, Phoenix stayed by the Black Sage's side to keep an eye on him. Not that she doubted her tears ability to heal him, it was more of a maternal instinct. Despite looking like she was in her twenties, Phoenix was technically thousands of years old. That being the case, just about everyone in the academy could be considered children if not infants in her eyes. As she watched the Black Sage she noticed him trying to talk and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Is there something wrong Young One?"

 

[IDKWhatUserNameToDo]

Rakurai Oni - The Depths of Jadewall
"Do them a favour so that they'll be in debt to us," Rai curtly replied, seeing what Jack was after. The oni herself had mixed feelings about Electra. At one hand she couldn't care less, yet understood from Jack's discussion upon the rival gang's leader as not entirely.. human. Or that's at least as much as the Oni had understood. Still, she did use demons to gain numbers and thus power, in no better way than what Jack had done to Rai. Though, he did the disservice of stringing her along and make her think that maybe, just maybe, some humans weren't as pathetic as she thought.

To face the sages of Jadewall though.. It would be no easy feat, but she knew Jack would find a way in. He always had a plan in mind, at least three different back up plans and then back up plans for even those. Almost always ready to make an escape.

"And I assume you want me to go with them to rescue Electra," Rai then spoke, now her gaze looking back down at Jack, but now it wasn't as scornful. She merely expected to hear his plan, or as much as he allowed her to hear about it at the very least.

Sooeun - Jadewall Academy
Sooeun couldn't resume her meditating, but looked like she wouldn't need to either as the Yellow Sage came to inform the group that the class was canceled. Just like Seraph, she was very much confused, and to add to it, Blitz was gone as well. When did he sneak off? Sooeun frowned a little with worry towards a fellow classmate of hers.

"Agreed," she simply stated with a nod to Seraph calling out that something was going on and the Sages did not seem to want to tell them what was going on. She got up and dusted herself off from the dirt. Everything else adding on to Blitz being gone was just too concerning.. Whatever she saw in her vision could wait. Making sure her friend was alright was more important. Sooeun got up from her circle and simply headed back into the main building of the Academy. Surely Blitz had to be somewhere there, right?

 

[Martin Pine]

Jack Wukong - The Depths of Jadewall

"Exactly" Rai understood, he'd always liked that about her. Despite an appearance which would lead negative assumptions to be made about her intelligence, she was as sharp as her blade and quite possibly the only one in this whole criminal establishment that could begin to see the bigger picture. Not all of it however. Jack harboured some information to himself, he was selfish which the Oni had learnt that the hard way.

"Your assumption is correct" He met her eyes and since he was now free from her glare he smiled somewhat. A slight smirk, eyes sharpening as he looked outwards to the balcony. There was almost a hint of craze behind his collected demeanour. "Though I will be present too, as well as all the forces of the syndicate and our new friends" Rising to his feet with the use of his cane he strode towards the outside somewhat. Passing Rai who absolutely dwarfed him. "Facing the Sages and their Risen will be no easy feat but I have a plan and every single one of us has a role to play"

With the crime syndicates access to money Jack could afford quite a lavish living condition. While their operations and workforce were most certainly in the underbelly of the city their head office was uptown. A moderately lavish pent house was nestled comfortably between two buildings, the balcony that Jack frequented overlooking a modest park, a small block of green in an otherwise concrete jungle. This was where to request Jack's presence, the crime lord having a few contacts know of this method such as Electra.

In the centre of the park was a small gazebo, a troop of macaques constantly present as they munched on commonly left fruits and watched the area for arrivals, summoners.

 

[RhythmThief]

The vagabond sighed, his shouders drooping in relief. He did it. SJ seemingly understood the message and looked like he wanted to lead them somewhere. Gerrik, on the other hand, was surprisingly startled, an emotion Orpheus had yet to observe in the Demon until now.

"Uptown, you say?" Orpheus echoed to nobody in particular.

He took one round glance at the hideout, remembering something Gerrik had said in passing whilst Orpheus had been reading.

"ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT THERE'S PLENTY MORE DEMONS WHERE I CAME FROM. ONCE THEY REALIZE THE LEADER HAS LEFT THE NEST, THEY ARE GOING TO PICK THIS PLACE CLEAN. AND US TOO!"

It was perhaps now, in this very moment, that the reality- the gravity of their dire situation had truly dawned on the young man. It felt as though a huge weight had plummeted onto his chest, threatening to choke out the the breath from his lungs, the life from his body.

The four of them- Gray, Gerrik, SJ, and himself- they were on the run now. What little safety they could've laid claim to had been captured alongside Electra. The hideout would possibly never be safe for them to return to again, once they cross that threshold back into the outside world once and for all.

He took a deep breath.

"Very well." he spoke solemnly. "Let's be on our way."

Now, there were many items Orpheus could've taken with him. The brown box in which he'd found the two pairs of gloves alongside a note from the mysterious L. A tome that detailed different magic spells or incantations to practice should he ever need to make use of them.

Even so, Orpheus surprisingly found himself swiping the book from earlier into his gloved hands- the first page's words still ringing about in his mind.

The pages that follow document the legend of the great warriors of old, who banded together to defeat the Dark One long ago.

Making his way toward SJ now, he stopped beside Gray and rested his free hand on her shoulder, this time refusing to pull away.

"Do not be afraid," he spoke softly, looking at her with empathetic eyes. "Our lives have been tied together by something much stronger than mere coincidence. As sinister and...unfair as our fate may be, it is because of that same cruelty that we can trust nothing can derail us from our destiny. Every step we take... is simply one step closer to home."

He nodded silently, trying to convince himself as much as the teenager that this was the right thing to do.

Finally, he stood before SJ, toward the exit, toward an uncertain future.

"Please, lead the way."

 

[=Nightshade=]

Lower Jadewall: Electra’s Hideout
Gray found herself slowly growing more accustomed to Orpheus’s expressiveness, the sudden smashing of the vase only eliciting a flinch and the crash of the chair against the floor a slight movement that could not really be classified as such. She had stood by silently as Orpheus worked, giving him space to concentrate, even as she felt the need to pace incessantly, the vision of a dead-end alley filled with invisible traps pressing on her mind. The walls of Gray’s alley were smooth and impossibly high, no cracks that could lead to freedom, and the end was slowly moving, forcing them closer and closer to the innocent minefield awaiting them.

Perhaps she was still in shock. It was a possibility, Gray thought idly. She was still waiting for the panic to hit her; instead, she was wrapped in the arms of a familiar anxious alertness, the tense feeling as a storm brewed but one wasn’t quite sure if the thunder would come, the half-braced awareness of prey searching for an unseen predator.

Gray flexed her claws uneasily as Orpheus spoke, but she was glad of his solid lead. Whether or not he actually felt as sure as he appeared, the girl was at least somewhat grateful for the direction, a direction toward which Gray could direct the rat’s vicious focus instead of toward the instinct to disappear into the nearest alley and never look back.

The girl met Orpheus’s gaze as he set a careful hand on her shoulder. “I don’t believe in fate,” she replied simply. “And home…” Gray shook her head marginally. That, she believed in, but didn’t trust. “Even so,” she continued, “I feel… something for you, and for her. A kinship? I think that’s the right word. And at least for now, it’s worth my loyalty.” Gray offered a small, grim smile. She could almost see it now; the minefield was drawing closer, and the only way out was through.

 

[Charlotte Pryce]

Jadewall: Somewhere Near Jack's Hideout

It didn't take long for SJ and the others to make their way up from the lower levels. Gerrik, for once, was silent. At first, this pleased SJ who was getting tired of the demon's constant verbal abuse. After twenty minutes, however, SJ began to sense the growing tension. Orpheus was being as stoic as ever, at least as far as a snake can judge stoicism. The rat seemed tense. SJ tried not to think of Gray as a rat. It wasn't that he saw the teenager as prey exactly, quite the opposite in fact. While it is true that some snakes eat rats, it is equally true that a desperate rat is capable of bitting a snake to death. Something about this girl's aura reminded him of a scrappy, mischievous creature. Something SJ both feared and admired.

None of this accounted for the extreme anxiety levels that SJ smelled in the air. They were all nervous to be sure, but what surprised SJ was that the high tension vibrations were coming from Gerrik. What could a demon have to be scared of he wondered? They were approaching the Upper Levels of Jadewall. Shouldn't that mean there would be less demons and rogues to worry about? Though, when the serpent thought about it, that might be less comforting to a demon than it would to an animal or a person.

"So, where does this Jack guy live exactly?"

Ah, so the demon finally broke the silence. SJ would have answered, if he had the proper vocal chords. Fortunately, he didn't have to. At that exact moment, something swooped down and jumped on Gerrik's shoulders.

"WHAT THE--?!"

The demon roared and swatted at the creature. There was a flash of brown and black and the thing leapt onto a nearby ledge. It made a strange noise. Almost like it was...laughing?

"Is that a monkey?"

SJ craned his head at the animal that had startled the demon. It was unlike anything he had seen before in the city. Its tail was kind of like a rat, if rats had fur covering their tails and could use them to pull a demon's horns. The creatures face however was as flat an un-rat like as any face the serpent had seen. He hissed warily.

The monkey continued to chuckle at them. Gerrik asked the question that was probably on everyone's mind.

"WHAT THE HECK IS A MONKEY DOING HERE?"

Jadewall Academy

The sages gathered outside of the closet. Yellow Sage was the last to arrive.

"Where have you been?" White Sage hissed. "We've been standing here for twenty minutes."

"I was covering our butts," Yellow Sage said, huffing. "Someone had to tell the students something or they'd get suspicious. And why hasn't Malphas let you in if you've all been standing here?"

White Sage's face turned red. They didn't tell Yellow Sage that they and the other sages had only just arrived or that they had snuck off to library to get something from the back.

Fortunately, Yellow Sage didn't question them. "Well," they said, "now that we're all here, why does someone knock?" Rather than wait for a volunteer, Yellow Sage marched up to the closet and rapped their knuckle on the door.

Jadewall Infirmary

Meanwhile, Black Sage was still feverish. They were conscious that someone was talking to them, though they could not make out who they were or what they were saying.

"Library," the sage managed. "The heart is kept in the library."

With that cryptic message delivered, Black Sage fell asleep.

 

[Draco Nightshade]

Jadewall Academy, Training Grounds

Luna growled as her meditation was interrupted by the Sage's arrival. She may not have seen the tiger in her crystal orb, but she did feel the presence of something that was both familiar and yet not. Before she could dwell on this any further, Luna noticed that Blitz was missing from his circle. Knowing what the fire rabbit was like, Luna sighed as she silently agreed with Seraph also mentioning something being amiss.
Sylph on the on the other hand merely looked up as she tried discerning what Seraph was talking about when she said, something's up. Many things were up after all. How was she to know what Seraph meant? She was only a tree.
"So what should we do?" Luna flicked her tail back and forth as she waited to hear the others out.

Jadewall Academy, Infirmary - Library

"The heart is kept in the library?" Phoenix repeated the sentence hoping to glean more information but the Black Sage had already fallen asleep. Feeling his forehead, it was still quite warm and so she quickly retrieved a hand towel and soaked it in cool water before wringing out the excess and folding it before finally placing it on the Sage's forehead. "I hope this will help you feel better, Child."
Reluctantly, Phoenix left the sage in the infirmary and slowly made her way through the building, looking for the library. When she did find it, she entered and began looking around. Whatever this heart was, it was likely somewhere one would least expect and with Phoenix's curiosity still intact after thousands of years, there was little that would prevent her from searching for it.

 

[Charlotte Pryce]

Jadewall Academy, Training Grounds

Seraph bit her lip. It seemed obvious to her what they should do. They should all go confront the sages and demand that they tell them what the heck was going on. However, Luna's question had her second guessing herself. Even if they did confront the sages, she doubted that they would give a straight answer. Maybe if they talked to Black Sage....but no. Black Sage may have been more willing open up than the other sages but only as far as a tin can is easier to pry apart with your bare hands than a bank vault.

"Well, the way I see it we have two options. One, we stay here and wait for Blitz to get back."

He might have some information for us, she thought.

"Or two, we tail the sages and see if we can find out what's going on without them noticing. What do you all think?"

 

[DevVoid]

As Malphas was about to respond after taking a sip of his own cup, savouring the flavours and trying to stall for as much time as he could. The crow he had sent out had been gone for some time now.. either it was taking its time or it was captured, both of which he very much doubted. That only meant that while his message got through, something was potentially holding up its recipients from following the intructions displayed on the paper. Whatever it may be, he had hoped it would not be long now..

That was, when his thoughts were interrupted by a knock against the door of the very closet he was located in. Briefly setting down his plate and tea cup on his desk, Malphas stood with one swift motion, his three crows joining him on his shoulders as the fourth flew through the small opening on the door and took its remaining spot on his shoulders. As his hands moved to open the entrance to the roost, his little buddies whispered secrets to him that got him to raise an inner brow, though his actual facial expression remained just as reserved and neutral as ever. How interesting..

" Ah, welcome! The roost may be a bit small, so we could need some place to 'house' our guest in. "

And now, with hushed whispers meant only for the sages, the Risen spoke in a tone that conveyed that sly attitude of someone knew about a piece of information one would not expect them to know.

" ..also, you may want to check her pockets. She's got an interesting little thing hidden.. a similar kind of card as I saw on that rodent girl in the alley. "

And now, briefly turning into smoke to smoothly move past the sages without obscuring their vision, Malphas manifested himself back outside the closet, readjusting his clothes and patting some dust off, his four crows scattering about throughout the area.. before one promptly flew back to him and whispered something into his ear once more, which caught his attention. He turned back to the sages, bowing for a brief moment.

" Now, if you'll excuse me for just a second.. "

Turning to smoke once more, the crow-centered Risen flew in a very certain direction as his one messenger crow took off to join the flock. His form just as quickly formed itself into solid matter, his hands held behind his back, his expressionless gaze reserved for one certain person.. one certain student.

" Now what might you be doing here, Blitz? "

@Charlotte Pryce @Martin Pine

 

[RhythmThief]

Orpheus found himself smiling as the word 'loyalty' left Gray's increasingly confident lips. In truth, the 'kinship' she'd delineated had been a feeling familiar to him ever since he'd laid eyes on Electra.

It was an electric, active sensation that you felt tingle all over- from the crown of your ever-anxious mind to the tips of the very toes that connected you to the ground. And with every step, that same electricity jolted you upright, turning your dread into a cautious, almost guilty excitement.

It was the feeling, Orpheus thought, of being brought one step closer to home. Though, the location of such a place, if it existed, was ever a stranger to his anxious, anticipating heart.

As the party warped and wefted through the winding streets leading to the upper levels, a tense silence had befallen them.

Perhaps naturally so- after all, what matters would a fearsome warrior, a cunning serpent, a hardy teenage girl, and a crestfallen vagabond, ripped away from their only common point of connection, have to discuss?

Western Politics? The steady downfall of Jadewall's once envied economy, causing hordes of merchants and business-folk alike to begin a mass exodus from the struggling metropolis?

In truth, the young man had once planned to settle in the nation of Endestria, far to the west and beyond the sea- an industrious, populous republic that was renowned as the "heart of all knowledge and innovation, standing as a beacon for scholars worldwide".

Sometimes, in the spaces between his nightmares, he'd dream of another life there- he would imagine lush, grassy plains stretching as far as the eye could see, his wife and child carelessly frolicking in the wind, as innocent as a piddle of fawns as he would look on, satisfied- happy, even.

Recently, their faces had become increasingly more distorted and difficult to discern. Some nights, they would cease to be there at all- and it would just be him, standing there, the sun providing no warmth to counter the chill in his bones, the loneliness in his soul.

Gerrik's voice (notably more somber than usual) was what pulled Orpheus back to the present. To reality. To their fate.

The vagabond would have, at this point, began scrutinizing their new surroundings, if not for the blur of brown and black that snapped across his vision.

"What on earth...?!" he whispered, his mind and body now alert.

Orpheus' eyes were now darting around the space by the time the monkey had jumped from Gerrik's broad shoulders onto a nearby ledge, now guffawing at their bewilderment.

"Stay alert!" the young man cautioned. "I'm sure you know there's very little reason for such a creature to be left unattended in this part of Jadewall."

He stepped forward tentatively, summoning what courage he could muster.

"WE KNOW YOU'RE THERE! SHOW YOURSELVES!"

 

[Martin Pine]

Jadewall Academy - Blitz

Malphas contested what Electra had said, shooting a few accusations her way whilst almost mentioning what had happened to Black Sage. A demon had stabbed him through the heart?! This Demon was a supposed ally of this Electra person too, would it come looking, were they sage at the academy? His subsequent thoughts were interrupted by approaching footsteps, the rabbit's sensitive ears picking up on the multiple individuals walking towards The Roost.

Before he could be seen by the Sage's he dashed away to another spot close by. He was able to see them gather and wait outside the roost unable to hear into the room itself now. Blitz contemplated leaving but figured his movement might catch the eyes of the Sages' and so he remained still until they entered. Once inside the room he transformed back into his human form, the embers produced shadowed by the reformation of the risen behind him.

"Now what might you be doing here, Blitz? "

He froze like a rabbit in headlights, slowly twisting around to look up to the much taller man now standing before him. Blitz opened his mouth, about to try and feign ignorance but there was no way to weasel his way out of this one. Shocked eyes sharped as he folded his arms and doubled down. "Listening" He'd been blessed with enhanced hearing, he saw no reason not to use it. "I've been listening to everything that you lot are trying to hide" Blitz lumped the Risen in with the Sages, continuing on.

"You pick up a bunch of us from all over the place to bring us somewhere safe and train us on how to control our powers- alright, that's cool sure" Arms slipped out from their folded position, gesturing and moving along with his words as they oft did. Emotion laced his words, his issue with the Sages secrecy was known but for him, right now, all his worries were being proven right- adding fuel to the fire. "But not telling us why, hiding stuff from us when that stuff is affecting you guys and this place- where we live! We deserve to know what's going on, you've brought a prisoner to our home! What?!"

Jadewall Golden Garden

A short and curt bark sounded from the troop of macaques, a particularly large individual walking forwards on all fours as he stared down the youngster that had split off to mess with the new arrivals. The leader continued to communicate to the youngster who ceased it's chuckling and hastily slinked back to the others whilst the older one watched the demon, the snake and the wild marked. Once one of them called out the ape reacted, his features sharpening as he turned back to the troop. Another bark, two macaques scurrying off and leaving the them in the park with the foraging group.

The group was left in this suspense for a few minutes, the area silent except for the back ground hum of the city. Eventually the clacking of steady steps sliced through the silence, an relatively tall individual confidentially sauntering into the park. Jack had made his appearance, sharp and hungry eyes surveying the stragglers stood before him with an ever-growing smile on his face. Half his face was actually covered, the left side sporting a simple golden mask to cover the marks of the demonic virus. The mask matched his suit and trench coat, lavish but simple.

It was strangely exhilarating being here. He could see the potential these people had, envision the ways he could use them and gain value out of them but it was the fact that non of it was assured, that even though they were in a desperate position he still had to win their favour, their trust. He made little effort to make the smile appear friendly, stopping within a few feet of the group with Rakurai alongside him. Jack rarely went anywhere out without her, precautions were necessary. "Well well well ... What have we here, Electra's ensemble summoning me?" There was a playful, almost teasing tone intertwined in voice which still had the faintest of British accents. It was clear he knew their situation, the little question for fun.

 

[IDKWhatUserNameToDo]

Sooeun - Jadewall Academy
Sooeun had been walking around, trying to look for Blitz to no avail. The endless halls led her around, until she heard the Sages’ voices, as well as Blitz'. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying exactly. With steady steps, the girl got closer, but remained quiet. The fire rabbit's voice sounded raised. What was going on here?

"-and train us on how to control our powers- Alright that's cool, sure"

Sooeun turned the corner and recognized that she was outside the Roost. Malphas', the crow-risen's, own little nook. The Sages were nowhere to be seen, but she did finally spot who she was looking for and it looked like Malphas had caught him.. for whatever Blitz was doing. Probably snooping around and eavesdropping, knowing him. Sooeun's eyes widened with surprise as she continued to listen to what the rabbit boy had to say. A prisoner? Here?!

"What's going on here?" Sooeun finally spoke up, her expression and voice full of concern as she took a step closer, expecting to hear some sort of reply from both the Risen and Blitz.

Rakurai Oni - Jadewall Golden Garden
With a sharp gaze, the green Oni had been observing the group as the macaques did their thing, grabbing the attention of their targets. A demon, a snake and two miscellaneous looking humans, one even being a mere child. Were these really the Jadewall Demon's closest confidants? She found the group... pitiful. The Oni had honestly expected something more from them, but if Jack had taught her anything, it was that humans were more cunning and resourceful than one might expect.

The large green oni woman followed behind Jack, now doing it due to obligation. Not loyalty like it had been once upon a time. Her frame dwarfed the mob boss as her brows remained furrowed. Both to stay ever vigilant and her perpetual despice. Of course Jack had worn that darn golden mask to hide his shame, only able to take it off when it was just the two of them. As spineless as ever then. Rai did have her weapon ready to be summoned if the situation called for it, but for now she would let Jack do what he does best. Talk.

 

[=Nightshade=]

The Streets of Jadewall

The tense silence that fell while the group slithered or strode respectively toward this Jack person’s hideout had nonetheless been strangely comfortable to Gray. She could sense the presence of her brethren again, a feeling almost like the sound of skittering feet, not quite the blur of silver fur, nearly the scratching of tiny claws. Their proximity comforted her—though wherever the snake was leading them, the rats were fewer. Not zero—never zero—but this are of Jadewall seemed nicer, richer perhaps. There were fewer scraps for the vermin to feed on.

Gray recognized a few nearby buildings from dealings she’d had, where the mark had insisted upon someplace less shady than an alley in the slums. She had never learned the names of the diseases she had drawn out for any of her clients, but Gray remembered the feel of each one, the categorization that allowed her to think this is the one that burns, the sensation of purging each sickness since the age of ten, when the power had surfaced.

Idly, her mind returned to Electra’s steady stance, of the strange hooded figures who had so easily manipulated their own abilities. Gray had been both awed and terrified by the spectacle— though she hadn’t hidden them, the girl had never honed her odd powers beyond the scope of their occasional use when the Dregs were low on cash, so it was hard for Gray to fathom ever reaching such an extent.

Still, as it stood now, she was weak. This Gray knew, and allowed herself to know— lying to oneself on the street was a death sentence. She supposed she’d have to keep her wits about her.

Jadewall Golden Garden

Wits that turned from careful suspicion to curious fascination as a strange creature the demon called a “monkey” appeared, that is. Gray had never seen such a thing before, though Ma had told stories about places called “zoos,” where such animals were abundant in captivity for people to see. She had heard of “lions” and “tigers” as well, but without any pictures to go on, Gray had always thought of all such creatures as large, slightly different-looking rats. In this case, she wasn’t too far off.

Suddenly, there were more, the biggest rat-monkey of the bunch scolding the little one before the whole group swung away and vanished. Gray’s suspicion returned tenfold, and she cast a few furtive glances around. Someone could have easily caught her off guard in her fascination. She shook herself internally— they had a mission, and that mission did not include gawking at glorified squirrels.

After a few more agonizing minutes in silence, the rats sensed movement approaching. “Something’s coming,” Gray murmured, but the sharp click of steps on stone alerted everyone to the man’s presence almost as she spoke. Gray felt like cursing the sound and offering lessons in how to walk silently, but she could tell the lack of caution in this case didn’t represent incompetence, but confidence. That was something to beware of, Gray thought.

He was followed by a green-skinned woman—she thought, it was hard to tell with demons—so tall that Gray would nearly have to look straight up to see her face. She glanced momentarily at SJ, for once not in suspicion, but in something closer to sympathy. It must be hard to have everyone look that tall.

The man spoke, offering a cordial smile and an amicable tone with a note of teasing in it. Immediately, Gray felt as though she were being patronized. But the girl, irritated though she was, held her tongue. There was still that instinct in her to let the adults handle things when she felt out of place. She settled herself to fix Jack with a glare for a few seconds, before returning to her restless surveying of the area, contrary to her intent listening to the words of the others, the careful analysis of body language in the case of a fight.

Though she didn’t think there would be one, it never hurt anyone to be prepared.

 

[DevVoid]

Malphas could not help but raise a brow at just what the student was saying. So, he had heard everything that was going on in the Roost.. well, that won't do, not at all. And to then ask what was going on.. granted, they were living here, but some things were just better kept secrets. Just when the Risen decided to stop his pause and speak up, another student came and joined the fray, seeming to have also heard the new conversation between him and Blitz. Oh, isn't this just so lovely?

" Another stray come to witness this event.. well done. May as well tell the rest of the class at this point. "

The crow-formed risen put a hand to his face, sighing as he facepalmed, the other hand holding on to his elbow, his words dripping with the dryest of sarcasm. This was starting to really get out of hand.. but, there was no helping it at this point, was there? Pinching his nose, an unknown language escaped the Kotengu's lips as his crows spread out to assure no other prying ears or eyes would be heading their way here.

" We would have you informed in due time, but you just could not help yourself, could you? "

His tone was not laced with anger. To be true, Malphas was not mad at Blitz, much less at Sooeun. He himself knew the untameable beast that was curiosity, and Sooeun just happened to walk in at the wrong time. However, what his words were laced with was disappointment at the one who had listened in. Some things would have just been better kept quiet.

" A past ally has become an enemy, and we've taken them in for questioning. That's all I can say. "

Now putting his hands away from his face and folding them behind his back, Malphas' face relaxed back to its usual calm, neutral demeanour. Crouching down to get down to their level out of respect, the Risen in turn put his hands on his knees to make standing up straight in a bit easier to accomplish.

" We've been keeping these secrets to keep you out of harm's reach. This person, they have dealt with the shaded underside of Jadewall. They have recruited a genuine demon to their side. We know little about their motives or their allies, and we decided it best to keep you out of it. You are all still just in training. If these demons knew about your existence, do you not think they would do their best to take you to lure us out? They could break you, you know. The training you've done now won't help you much against to real threats like them. "

Standing up again, the Risen took out some form of incense-appearing stick from his pocket and clasped it between his lips, using the flick of two fingers to set one end ablaze. Truth be told, it was a type of nerve-calming medicine that was to be smoked and inhaled in order to be most effectively used. Though his face may not express it, Black Sage being injured, Electra, the ex-student, being in cahoots with Demons, and now this.. well, something had to help him keep calm, and these little things should do the trick. Hopefully.
@IDKWhatUserNameToDo @Martin Pine

 

[Draco Nightshade]

Jadewall Academy, Library

Phoenix sighed as she sat down at one of the tables, frustrated that she could not find the Heart that the one in black robes mentioned earlier. Deciding it was pointless to continue searching for that which she had no idea about, she instead decided to explore the rest of the building. Maybe strike up a conversation with the birds. As she walked through however, she sensed a presence that was strangely similar to herself. A bird mixed with a dragon. "Oh, this will be most interesting."
Making her way towards the Kotengu, Phoenix paid the corvids that served him little mind as they immediately backed off when they realized what she was, with one of them instead leading her to the roost. When she arrived, she saw Malphas talking to Blitz and Sooeun about something and decided to cut in. "It is nice to see this place employs birds, but rather interesting that there is one that is bound with the Dragon."
@DevVoid @IDKWhatUserNameToDo @Martin Pine

 

[Martin Pine]

Blitz- Jadewall Academy

He was aware of Sooeun's arrival, his head tilting ever so slightly in her direction to acknowledge her but he didn't say anything. His attention was fully on Malphas and awaiting the answer the corvid had for him. It was not an answer he was happy with.

"Couldn't help myself?" Blitz repeated the first phrase that Malphas had spoke once the Risen was finished talking and began to relieve his stress with the incense stick. His words were stiff, the rabbit wild marked demeanour being complete opposite of Malphas'. His body was tense, almost to the point of trembling as burning eyes locked onto Malphas'. Fury flickered behind them, his tone much less calm as he continued to shakily speak.

"A past ally- so someone who's aware of this place, probably aware of us?" He didn't give Malphas enough time to answer, cutting him off. "You reckon they haven't passed that information on their allies because I do- which means the Sage's lies aren't helping us yet again! Wouldn't it be better if we knew of them and this so we could prepare?! Not even to fight- if you don't believe in us that's fine but at least so we could know to run or hide or ANYTHING about what might be coming" His voice rose for the briefest of moments, Blitz stepping towards Malphas as his neck craned back to keep looking at his face.

"I've dealt with the Sage's secrecy the whole time I've been here- I've been respectful and trusted that there was good reason behind it no matter how much it ate away me" A voice crack. Honesty was important to Blitz. A past laden with mistrust and disaster that had lead from trusting the wrong people had left him very passionate about the truth and who he put his trust in. He'd hardly truly opened up to his classmates and now his guardians were keeping the truth from him, from all of them. He just could almost understand why but his heart wouldn't allow him to wrap his head around it.

"I want to know" Embers flickered from inside clenched fists, eventually his whole lower arms ignited as he glared up at Malphas. "I'm tired of being expected to trust them whilst being left in the dark. This is OUR home as well- we deserve to know everything-" Blitz seemed unaware of the flames linked to his anger, the emotion being cut off at the casual arrival of Phoenix. The flames subsided, anger overwhelmed with confusion as his frown contorted into a dumbfounded expression at the newcomer. "Who the hell are you?"

 

[Draco Nightshade]

Jadewall Academy, Outside the Roost

"That is no way to talk to your superiors, Little Rabbit. But if you must know, I simply go by Phoenix." As she looked at the three of them, Phoenix stopped at Sooeun. "Your spirit is restless, it desires unbridled freedom and knows that you fear it. As long as you fear the Horse, it will not respect you."
Turning back to Malphas, she then said. "I trust you'll be happy to hear that the one dressed in black will live. However, he mentioned something about a heart being in the library. I suggest you relay that to those he would likely want to know."
@Martin Pine @DevVoid @IDKWhatUserNameToDo

 

[RhythmThief]

Amidst the shadowed alleyways of Jadewall's underground, the group stood face to face with a figure they presumed to be 'Jack', a man shrouded in mystery and masked in golden allure.

Though Orpheus had no concrete expectations regarding Jack's appearance, the mask, trench coat and matching suit were precisely what he'd envisioned. The aura of anticipation hung heavy in the air.

It was apparent that Jack was keenly aware of their predicament, a fact evident in his demeanor and the confident cadence of his speech. Orpheus couldn't ignore the implications – word traveled fast in the city's hidden network. It seemed their reputation had preceded them.

Jack, however, was not alone in this clandestine rendezvous.

By his side, an imposing, green-skinned woman loomed, her single horn reaching for the heavens. Her piercing yellow eyes briefly met Orpheus's, sending a shiver down his spine. He turned away, unable to hold her gaze, and redirected his attention to his party.

A silent agreement passed among Orpheus and his comrades; he would serve as their spokesperson. With S.J's speech impediment and Gerrik's confrontational nature, he was the most suitable candidate to convey their situation accurately.

As for Gray, the instinct to protect her coursed through him, a fierce determination that quelled the unease in his chest and stilled the tremors in his knees.

Gathering his resolve, Orpheus stepped forward, his eyes unwavering as they flitted between Jack and his formidable companion.

"Greetings," he began, extending a polite nod. "I assume you're the Jack that Electra mentioned. Thank you for meeting us here. It's clear you're already acquainted with our dire circumstances, so I won't burden you with the details."

Addressing an assumed underground criminal with such civility felt incongruous to Orpheus, but he remembered that Electra held a similar status. Perhaps Gray, too, was entwined in similar affairs...

He refocused his attention on Jack, pondering his next words carefully.

"The message Electra left us is what brought us here," Orpheus continued, his gloved fingers fumbling with a crumpled page containing the deciphered message:

G0 2 HighEr LeVeLS. ASK 4 JACK. SJ WILL Sh0W U WheR. TaLK 2 THe M0

He unfolded the page with a sense of purpose, its cryptic content exposed to the dim light of the alley.

"Do you have any insight into why she directed us here? And can you shed light on what 'the M0' might signify?"

In the heart of this clandestine meeting, suspense hung thick in the air, an enigma poised to unravel.